Reader’s Digest has a huge world headquarters in nearby Chappaqua, New York. I should say HAD a huge headquarters. The company quietly left the campus this past week to smaller digs in Manhattan. This represents the fall of a local giant, and the final exit of a company that was a Westchester institution. To work […]

Merry Christmas from New York.  One of the things I love about where I live is a Christmas Eve tradition in my old neighborhood where the people line the streets with candles. It is a sight to behold in person, and even though it was late on a Christmas Eve, you can see other cars […]

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has rejected Westchester County’s latest proposal for affordable housing to be built in the county as a result of last year’s settlement of the government’s lawsuit. The “problem” is as old as the county, but the upshot is that the government has said enough is enough and […]

I suppose I could find a real estate angle for just about anything, and I will now as well: in today’s paper, a “spa” located down the street from my office was raided and the police arrested two in a prostitution sting. Earlier this month, the same thing happened in Mohegan Lake, NY a hamlet […]

I suppose I could have rounded off the title to $300,000, but why not be precise. $297,500 buys a really nice cooperative apartment in the Edgemont complex with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a balcony. As you can see, the place is fabulously updated with a sparkling new kitchen with granite counters and stainless steel […]

For the second time in a week I had a conversation where the idea came up that a high volume producer (which, I guess, I am for my market) doesn’t typically give the same level of service to the client as a smaller numbers person who ostensibly has more time. I don’t take umbrage with […]

$350,000 goes pretty far in Brewster these days. Today we closed on a listing at that very price which was quite uncommon: a Victorian manor house on 2 acres with a carriage house/garage and a view of the reservoir. It had been purchased in 2005 for $562,000 and restored before the economy tanked. An 1870 build (by […]

Every first of the month Ronnie, our administrative assistant, arrives at the office and begins the daunting task of addressing letters to several hundred homeowners whose listing expired at the end of the previous month. One of the good people who came off the market on November 30th called me and we met just this evening to see how […]

According to the Empire Access Multiple Listing Service, 82 single family homes closed in Westchester County this past week, with a median sales price of $586,000. In the same period last year, there were 96 single family home closings with a median sale price of $608,000. Given the general abysmal year that 2009 was, that […]

Carmel, NY is a community located in Putnam County, NY about an hour north of New York City. It is very close to Westchester County, but the cost of living, especially the cost of homes and property taxes, are often less than Westchester.  What can you get for $525,000 in Carmel? Well, we just sold this 3000 […]

The Scarsdale postal address can mean Scarsdale/Scarsdale schools, or Scarsdale/Edgemont schools. One is co-terminus with the town/village of Scarsdale and the other (Edgemont) is in the town of Hartsdale. Both are wonderful places to live.  $720,000 in the Edgemont area can buy a nearly 2500 square foot split like the one pictured that we just closed […]

I do endeavor to be semi on top of things, and upon occasion I get a well meaning request from a friend for technical help with something they are doing on their computer or online. But I am really not that great a tekkie. I can type; I rely on others for web design.  I therefore did not really know […]

Just a quick thought on rentals after an experience one of my agents just had. We have a situation where we need to get a client into a rental. They need something specific, she found one they liked and they made an offer. However, the offer was only for about 80% of the monthly rental price. In […]

Another overt self-pimping piece of information: I am rather prominent in a piece run in yesterday’s AOL Daily Finance on the real estate market in Mt Vernon, NY. The article addresses how there are certain pockets of Westchester County more adversely affected by the housing decline than most. Even though I am in the northern part of […]

I had very mixed feelings when I came across the article New Rochelle neighbors get rowdy over Iona dorm plan in the local paper. The neighbors are essentially concerned about more dorms undermining their quality of life and property values. The article talks about broken bottles, loud music and drunk students. Colleges in residential areas can have […]

These days it is tough to find anything in Westchester for under $200,000. Unless, of course, you are talking about a co-op, the “starter home of Westchester” as they say. The Dehaven Drive complex in Yonkers is a terrific collection of condos and cooperatives very conveniently located near shopping, transportation and schools with plenty of parking […]

This is the market data for September of 2010 for single family homes in Peekskill, and all information is sourced from the Empire access (formerly Westchester-Putnam) MLS.   To say that I am bullish on Peekskill is an understatement.  First, the bad news: after an abysmal September report, I skipped October. I shouldn’t have, because […]

  This market report is for single family homes in the Croton-Harmon school district. All data is from the Empire Access (formerly Westchester-Putnam) MLS. Contract and asking prices are list prices, as contractual prices are not disclosed until closing.  Croton is constipated. What else can you say about a market that had 12 pending sales […]

The call came in at 11am this morning, and it was a buyer one of my agents has been working with the past few weekends. They are looking for a home, and that is our favorite kind of client. They had a list if beautiful homes in Southern Westchester for sale they wanted to see.  Unfortunately, […]

This is the second time I have reblogged something by this home inspector, Joseph Michalski, and for good reason. The home inspector’s job, done properly, takes these 10 rules into account. Excellent commentary on a crucial part of the home buying process.  Via Joseph Michalski – PA Home Inspector (Sherlock Homes Inspections): “Are you really […]