Ossining has always had its share of problems through the years, and among them, since I was young, was always the blighted downtown area. The story goes that Ossining always had a vibrant, prosperous downtown until the early 1960’s, when Arcadian Gardens shopping center was opened on the south side of the village, and all the commerce abandoned Main Street. […]

 Apparently I have missed the latest celebrity news about Charlie Sheen’s recent drug-induced binge where he was found in his hotel room with a porn actress and cocaine, but not his clothes. While the guy on the radio wondered aloud about Sheen’s crazed excesses, it was brought up that he paid the porn chick $12,000 […]

Contrary to what some may think, an owner is not obligated to submit every offer to the lender for approval in order to do a short sale. As a matter of fact, there are offers that an owner should never submit to the lender. That is the owner’s right, as they still hold title and […]

<phone rings> This is Phil Faranda, can I help you?  Yes. I am looking at a house.  OK. How can I help you?  I want to know more about the house.  Are you in front of the house now? Are you at a computer?  Computer. It doesn’t give an address.  What web page are you […]

Rather than post a REALLY long comment on Broker Bryant’s post on the subject, I thought I’d write my own post on Flat Fee MLS listings. Ann and I ran a flat fee MLS company for 4 years in tandem with our company, and I know a ton about the Flat Fee niche. Essentially, for […]

I posted this on Facebook a day or two ago:  Let’s review: Link to me on Linked In, solicit me, then count backwards from 20 while I de-link us. I got a few comments and “likes.” There are two recent examples of annoying behavior which are the cyber equivelant of stuffing your business card into […]

I read two quotes that resonated with me on the danger of banks if given too much deference and power.  I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity […]

Does this happen to you?  I swore that today was Saturday. Ann had to show me a calender to prove it was Sunday. Given all the weekends we work in this business, the days sort of blend together. If you are working 12 hours, does it really matter if it’s a weekend? I think not. The only difference […]

What does $168,000 buy in White Plains these days? That will get a very nice 900 square foot unit at the Gaylord cooperative in White Plains, such as the one we just closed this past week. This apartment  is a very spacious Junior 4 with brand new kitchen, granite breakfast area & windows. The Gaylord […]

Effective tomorrow, October 25, 2010, the Westchester-Putnam MLS will officially be known as the Empire Access MLS. Nothing else changes but the name. The entity, leadership, rules, members, phone numbers, staff and service will remain unchanged. The intention of the name change is to better reflect our serving 4 counties (Bronx, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess) and not just […]

While I do not actively recruit (too busy), the company has experienced organic, solid growth since its inception and our team has grown bigger and better with each passing year in spite of the economy. I am sure there are agents out there that are considering changing scenery, and J. Philip Real Estate might be […]

I recall about 10 years ago that Warren Buffet was asked why he did not own more than a token amount of stock in Microsoft. His answer: I don’t know that business well enough to invest in it. Buffet knew insurance, soda, candy, razors, and other blue chips, but didn’t pretend to know software. My […]

Recently, a listing brokerage instructed one of my agents to include a HUD-1 as part of our client’s offer on that brokerage’s short sale listing. To say that it was a peculiar request is an understatement; The HUD-1, which is a mandatory form in any transaction involving a mortgage financing, itemizes and documents all expenses […]

For happy reasons, the company has joined the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service. Thankfully, my brokerage is growing, and with that we see an expansion in our service area. I had to go there today to inspect and take photographs of several properties, and while in the area I thought it best to kill two […]

Not long ago, a client requested that I run a print ad on a listing that had not yet sold. I was resistant at first because of the disappointing results my print advertising had garnered since 2005 or so, but the seller really believed it would work. My client believed that there was a demographic out there that […]

What can you buy in Rhinebeck for $373,000? We just listed and sold this classic 1837 colonial in the heart of the village. It is just under 1600 square feet on a third of an acre with a garage, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a rocking chair porch. It was restored in such a way […]

What Can You Buy in Cortlandt Manor for $255,000? Well, how about a 2700 square foot contemporary with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths on almost an acre and a half in the Croton Colony Community? This home closed last Wednesday, October 13. It has a fireplace, large eat in kitchen, sliding doors to the deck, […]

I am going to bang a drum I have been banging since the sub prime crisis in 2007 began to erode the equity of so many people, and it is simple: if the housing market is going to recover, we have to have to do better than a 20th century solution to our 21st century […]

I have just listed three great homes for sale in the city of White Plains.  35 Manor Ave, White Plains NY 10605. Over 3000 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, Full finished basement, 2 car garage, huge updated kitchen. $599,900.   8 Harwood Avenue, White Plains NY 10603. Gorgeous pre war Tudor styled ranch with a […]

Located in northwest Westchester County, the Hendrick Hudson School district is in the town of Cortlandt and encompasses parts of Croton, Cortlandt Manor, Peekskill, and all of Montrose, Verplanck and Buchanan, which is where Hendrick Hudson High school is located. All information is from the Westchester Putnam Multiple Listing Service.  Transaction totals are the same […]