We have 3 Cherry Blossom trees in our rear yard that have to be at least 40 years old. In April, when they bloom, it creates an explosion of pink beauty that dominates the view from our rear window. There is something comforting about seeing my children play in their shade. I often think of […]

I am your agent. I am a professional. I have a college degree. I value your business; as a matter of fact, if I don’t produce a result for you and my other clients, my kids don’t eat. It is in that context that I am offering this post, in good spirits, good humor, and […]

The crazies are out there. You might be working with one right now and not know it. But they are out there, and they aren’t going to be nice if things don’t go their way. The crazies are the last minute home buyers who want to qualify for the tax credit by April 30. If […]

What qualifies as hardship in a short sale? I get this question fairly often, and it should be addressed. First, I’ll tell you what does not qualify as hardship, and that is simply being underwater. If you owe more than you are worth, being upside down alone is not adequate hardship to get a short […]

I will be holding 109 Elk in New Rochelle open today from 1-3 pm. It is a 3500 square foot English Tudor with 6 bedrooms, 3.2 baths, and a carriage house garage. List price is $975,000 and annual taxes are $22,429. The lot is very large for the area-.39 acres.  Here is the write up […]

The latter half of April has been maniacally busy for me because of the stimulus deadline of April 30. I have been working nonstop for the past week, save for collapsing at home at days end. It takes every waking minute just to handle what is coming across my desk. Offers, inspections, contracts, and showings […]

I did the training back in 1989 so forgive me if my nomenclature isn’t 2010. I recall being in a seminar in the 90’s and being told that being in the present could best be illustrated by a dog falling from the top of the skyscraper…the thought was that rather than being fearful, the pooch […]

I came up with this as I was speaking to a referred listing prospect. It might be hot air, but I think it makes sense. Reputation. This is where it starts. Reputation is the cornerstone for an agent or company. The good will of the public and our peers is a prerequisite to succeeding in […]

I am not a big staging guy. I simply don’t have the eye for it, and it is best left to professional stagers. I know a few tricks- tidy up, clear off the table and counter tops, put the toilet lid down, that sort of thing. I don’t care if people have their kids pictures on the […]

I’ve noticed something lately. Even though sellers are getting less for their homes than years past, commissions are not down. I see more bonuses offered. I see strong cooperative commission offered in the MLS. Brokerage as an industry has not been decimated by the market downturn or the advance of technology the way other industries have. In […]

If you have a short sale that is 6 months or more into the process, you’ll appreciate this: We got an approval yesterday on a home I listed in 2007.  2007.  It has been an odyssey to say the least: mystery liens, family tragedy, crazy buyers, deals dying, and 3 years of hard work. I listed this […]

I sold my first HUD home in the 90’s sometime. A HUD home, if you don’t already know, is a government-owned foreclosure that is administered by the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). There is a little bit of red tape involved in a HUD transaction, but they typically go well.  One rule HUD […]

Dear Dr. Shlabotnik, Thanks for your follow up email last night after our 8pm discussion. I appreciate your very specific instructions on how to handle the situation, especially our collaborative in-depth analysis of what the plan would be should the seller zig, and if the seller should zag. I can tell you really put a lot […]

Gregory is our 5-year old. He is on the spectrum for autism, and this is one of his mother’s and my greatest challenges. Last year Gregory learned to climb the rear yard fence, which caused quite a scare the first time it happened. I found him in the park a block away, happily playing on […]

One of the things we all dread in a transaction is an 11th-hour problem that delays or cancels a closing until it is solved. It could be a certificate of occupancy for a deck or addition, an open permit, or an unknown lien. When these things are discovered, it causes mad scrambles to get the […]

This evening was, at long last, “The Keys” home ownership seminar at Tuscan Grille in Briarcliff. About 25 people attended, and it was a lively session on the Westchester County home buying process, mortgage approvals, short sales, closing costs, and many other engaging topics. I spoke first (I was a little nervous) and am told […]

Ossining can mean many things- it can refer to the Village of Ossining, the Town of Ossining, or an Ossining delivery address in the town of New Castle or Yorktown. In the market data I am referring to, it will mean all properties in the Ossining school district, which is pretty much all of the above. All […]

Ann and I have lived in Briarcliff Manor since 2007 but the fact of the matter is that I have known Briarcliff as long as I have been alive; it is one of two villages in the town of Ossining. A small portion of Briarcliff lies in the Town of Mount Pleasant. This post will cover the […]