This is more for brokers and owners of independent firms like myself, but if others find it helpful, use it.  Maybe I’m a total goober for not having fancy software to run my company, but that’s another post. Our setup is probably unorthodox; Ann is typically at home, Ronnie, my admin, is at the office […]

In all the panic about the drop in sales nationally this past July, few news outlets made much mention of the fact that Westchester’s real estate market went up. Now that August is past, how did we do as a follow up?  Good question. In short, the answer is “steady.” In July 2010, there were […]

Out of area phone calls could be anyone- a bank negotiator, out of town prospect, or a client on a business trip, so I answer.  Me: J. Philip Real Estate, this is Phil. Dude: Hey Phil! This is Matt with Kerfuzzle Promotions in beautiful Colorado, how are YOU DOING TODAY?!?! There was silence as he waited […]

I saw something today I never witnessed before. It happened when I was covering a home inspection for one of my agents (Yes- I know. What a great guy I am).  A home inspector brought the buyer onto the roof to show him something. I was so surprised to see this that I snapped a […]

OK, maybe Nietzsche is a little bit heavy for breakfast, but the theme of many blog posts I have read lately from my colleagues around the country is that this industry, which was never a walk in the park, is a real test of endurance, strength, and fortitude on both a physical and mental level. When I was […]

Just because you can multi task doesn’t mean you should multi task!! The things we real estate brokers see out in the field. I don’t think an explanation is needed, the video tells it all. Suffice to say that I was showing clients a home in Westchester County, NY and we came upon this particular […]

Both state and county are getting the word out that downpayment assistance and grant money is being made available to Westchester and surrounding county home buyers. Some highlights of state programs include the following: Veterans assistance Remodeling purchase money mortgages Down payment assistance loans Construction incentives SONYMA low interest and low down payment programs These programs do have […]

Imagine a buyer looking online for a home. They examine the inventory, veto the ones they dislike, dutifully check off their favorites, and compile a list of homes they’d like to see. It has taken over an hour, but final choices are made and one of my listings made the cut. They like the photos, […]

While Westchester County has remained a sought after destination for home buyers and 450 single family homes closed in July, there were still an enormous number of homes that quietly came off the market this August, unsold. While it would be easy to dismiss the results on the poor market, even a casual examination of […]

I don’t have any issues with For Sale By Owners. It is a free market. I equally have no issue with FSBOs who pay a fee to enter their home on the MLS and then try and act as their own listing agent. What I do have a problem with is people who distrust agents […]

“I can’t let you go inside my house with my kids home alone.”  Those were the words of a newer listing client when I asked to swing by the house to do something that would take under a minute. The kids were teenagers, a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl.  Some background: When the home […]

Every so often, I have a nice comment or email from someone who read my blog. Sometimes they stick around and visit often, other times we are like two ships that passed in the rain. Sometimes, it is the other way around. When I first started on Active Rain, I would often “bookmark” a post […]

Perhaps because we speak with so many people in the course of a day, the odds of something memorable happening are far higher for brokers and agents than someone stuck in a cubicle all week. For example, a few months ago in Manhattan I walked out of a deli and saw a guy being arrested.  […]

Three real estate brokers were chatting after an association meeting about how slow business was. The subject of walk in business came up, and the first two expressed how long it had been since they last had a deal result from someone “walking in” off the street into their office.  The third broker however, said he just […]

Inman had news yesterday of REALTOR association mergers, and posed the question of the value of such moves. Given my involvement in a large territory spanning half a dozen MLS systems and many more boards, I feel that I should weigh in on the matter.  I am a big fan of large MLS systems, but […]

By now the whole country is talking about the over 25% drop in sales this past July in the wake of the stimulus. Here in the state of New York the sales were down 34.9% overall. Locally, Rockland County was down about 27% and Putnam was down 30.6%. But Westchester County was up, a surprisingly strong 8.7%, […]

I just spoke to a prospective client who has a bit of a complicated situation with a house he owns. It is vacant, and I met him there today along with a gentleman who turned out to be an older brother.  Without going into detail, this is not an easy scenario, and the guy clearly needs help. […]

The New York suburbs are often funny about real estate signs. One town won’t allow a sign with a company name, allowing only “For Sale By Broker” or “For Sale By Owner” on the panels. Another municipality prohibits anything bigger than 12″ x 12″. Some places ban signs altogether, while others have rules rendering them […]