People are hurting in this economy. Many good folks who did nothing wrong are caught in the undertow of the recession and can’t find a soft spot to land. Upon occasion, I run into people in those circumstance. If they had been born at any other time in history, they wouldn’t face foreclosure. They’d have equity, probably their job, and even if they were in a pinch they could sell and realize respectable proceeds. But not in this day and age. 

The worst part of owning distressed property is not financial. It is emotional. Most people that face bankruptcy or foreclosure know where their next meal is coming from. But they don’t know what the next mail delivery will bring or who will be calling them the next time a phone rings. Add to that the fact that in Westchester, even modest homes have high prices compared to most of the country, and the hole they stand in seems deeper. 

Today, I explained to a new client what I always say to anyone facing foreclosure:

I will get this done for you. I promise you my very best, and frankly that is pretty good. I will not let you down. I have done this sort of thing over 50 times. I like your chances. 

And with that, my brand new client burst into tears. In a sea of collection calls, nasty letters, a failed loan modification and 2 years of financial setbacks, someone they were referred to by their lender out of the CDPE directory told them that they finally had an ally. 

Ronnie, my admin, had to run and get some tissues, and Mr Seller did what he could to comfort his wife. But the whole thing was cathartic. 

And maybe I sound cocky, I don’t know. All I do know is that we have a track record, I have an awesome team, great lawyers, and a support staff on the admin side that cares as much as I do. I put my good name on the line when I make promises in the face of the unknown, but thus far we’ve been pretty fortunate. The last short sale application that failed and ended in foreclosure was 2007 (and the bank took a six figure bath). The rest closed. 

My clients left the office out a few tears and also having shed some worries as well. For the first time, they had a plan. And a team. And professional help. All my best. Typically, my best gets the job done, and I am not afraid to reassure my clients. Some people need to hear it. 

This afternoon at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Suffern, the membership of the Rockland County Board of Realtors voted overwhelmingly to merge their organization with the Westchester-Putnam and Orange Associations. This was the second thumbs up in three days, as Westchester-Putnam had a similar yes-vote on Monday. Orange will vote on Tuesday. 

You might ask why this is significant to the public. What do consumers care about all this inside baseball stuff? They still have to pay their X% when the house sells no matter who licks the stamps on the stationary. Perhaps. But then again, the public really does not understand the importance of a vibrant and healthy trade organization, it’s impact on the industry, or the benefits to the consumer. And it is our fault for not getting the word out. 

I was in the multi-association work group that explored and shaped the merger initiative. One of the themes of our meetings was that bigger is not automatically better. And it was that sentiment that made us want to make sure that our work made us better first, bigger second. The leadership, by laws, and operations of the new Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors will be more efficient, better serve the members’ needs, and more attuned to addressing the challenges that face our industry. 

We will have a larger pool to choose leadership our ranks. Quality leadership sets the tone for the organization. We will be more tech savvy, more forward thinking, and more in touch with what consumers want and need. 

We will have improved buying power to keep costs down for the products and services our members use to conduct business. Costs savings means stronger companies with more resources to market their listings. 

We will have a continued high bar for our professional standards. The Realtor Code of Ethics is not PR- it governs the standards and practices of members for fair play, advocacy for our clients, the consumers, and keeps the playing field level and fair. 

We will eradicate the mythical boundaries that hinder the mobility of buyers to move from points south to points north. It is well known that wealth in our region often flows from New York city, which borders Westchester county. One association is far better than three for facilitating that commerce. 

A bigger organization that is more solvent means a better organization that can focus on fair play and good business. And that is good for consumers. That is why I am excited.

Today was the annual meeting of the Westchester-Putnam Association of Realtors (WPAR), and it was not your typical annual meeting. Elections were held for both the Association and the Empire Access MLS, and Yours Truly was confirmed for a 3rd term as MLS Vice President. Among my duties in the past few months was to be on the committee to discuss the proposed merger of the WPAR, Rockland County Board, and Orange County Association (OCAR) to form the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR). Today, by an overwhelming margin, our membership approved the merger. 

There was a tiny burp of skepticism by a small few in the discussion phase prior to the vote, and the incendiary questions asked by those few did belie a rather stark lack of knowledge about the initiative. In a room of perhaps 1,000, I counted about 4 dissenting votes, however, and that was that. The consensus will be on the right side of history. Board mergers are a growing trend due to the economy and contracting membership, but the upside is far beyond mere cost measures. 

The new, larger association will actually save money by having more bargaining power for services as we go forward, such as our next MLS provider contract, VOW and IDX services, and whatever other value added things we can procure for membership such as lockbox services and maybe insurance (I can hope). 

The new, larger association will have a stronger voice in Albany and Washington, as state and US representatives in our midst will have more than a single county constituent trade organization voting bloc. Our NYSAR delegation will be larger and stronger as well. 

The new larger association will eventually have a consolidated Multiple Listing Service, which will save overhead for those companies that conduct business on both ides of the river. 

The new larger association will be good for consumers. Local Realtor associations are the voice of homeowners and their interests. We fight against onerous transfer taxes charged at closing. We are fighting to preserve the mortgage interest deduction. We fight to keep affordable housing mortgages available in the face of reactionary politicians who propose ever harder downpayment and underwriting requirements. Whether you wish to buy or want to sell, that is huge. 

I truly believe that if both rank and file members and consumers really knew how hard the association works to preserve their interests, public perception of our industry would undergo a renaissance overnight. 

What can you get for $540,000 in Tuckahoe, New York? I’m so glad you asked! $540,000 can get you a pretty, pre-war tudor on a quiet residential street in the Tuckahoe school district just a hop skip and a jump from New Rochelle and Bronxville. If you are like our client, you’ll get an 1840 square foot 3 bedroom with a deck, garage, granite and stainless steel kitchen and a ton of classic charm. 

Our client closed on the one pictured just this past week, and it also has a finished basement, beautifully landscaped yard, woodburning fireplace, formal dining room, den, and lots of period woodwork. We wish Mary many happy healthy years there and will definitely remain in touch. 

Tuckahoe is a great area to live. Located on the Metro-north Harlem line, it is an easy commute from both Manhattan and the Bronx. It is also located very close to all that southern Westchester offers- shopping and culture in Yonkers and White Plains, lunch in Scasdale or Bronxville, and striking distance to the Sound Shore. Log onto WestchesterDreamHome.com to find your own little slice of Heaven right here in The 914. 

I have often said that a good real estate broker is more valuable for what we know than what we do. This evening, for example, my meeting with some nice people in Yonkers brought this to light. 

I met with some prospective home sellers who were looking into selling a home that was built in the 1950s that had been in the family for over 50 years. While a solid home with excellent mechanicals and clear attention to good maintenance, cosmetically it would need updating. They preferred to sell “as is,” and I agreed that was the way to go but something still bothered Mr Homeowner.

I had to probe a bit, but his concern was a valid issue pointed out by no fewer than three separate contractors: In   two bathrooms, the light switch was behind the bathroom door when it was opened, which he was told was out of compliance. Aside from the inconvenience of reaching around to flip the switch, it was considered a safety issue. All three contractors, whom he met with separately, recommended having the switch moved to the other wall. This was a project he was concerned about. The expense was one thing, but the red tape with the city was another, as permits for this work could also trigger a headache. 

Three different contractors. 

There we were, Mr and Mrs Homeseller, and myself, sitting at their table. I asked a question.

Why wouldn’t you just switch the hinges so the doors open to the other side? Then the light switch will be right there, correctly. 

He looked at me. Then he looked at his wife. She looked at him. They both looked at me. 

That would work. Why didn’t we think of that? And why didn’t any of the contractors suggest it? 

I don’t know why they didn’t suggest it (although I have an idea!). But I do know one thing: re-hanging a door is far easier than opening a wall and moving electrical switches. And that’s how I “fixed” their electrical problem with no electrician, no permits, and no headache. I am not in the trades, nor would I pretend to be a contractor. But I have been around just a bit. 

I think we’ll do business. 

To find a home in Yonkers or anywhere else in Westchester, get a free account at WestchesterDreamHome.com and find a home with hinges on any side you like! 

Almost exactly 2 years ago, on October 14, 2009, we closed on my in-laws’ co op in Queens. It was the end of an era, as my wife had grown up in that apartment; it had been in her family for decades. That day, we had a babysitting challenge, and we were forced to bring our 2-year old son, Mark, to the closing in New York City. Like it wasn’t hard enough. If you told me that the buyer’s attorney was also going to be 90 minutes late for the closing on top of all that, I would have asked for an adjournment. But, there we were in an office, with a two year old, at a closing table for almost 4 hours. 

And the 2-year old was the best behaved person in the room. The whole time. Mark just sat there like it was business as usual, munching on his crackers and taking the odd swig from his sippy cup, and fell asleep on his mom’s shoulder just when they were passing out checks. 

Fast forward 2 years and 5 days- Mark is home with Dad for the day, and Mom is called out. There is a closing at noon with a client I have been working with for ages. And we have the same lawyer on our side as we did two years ago! 

So, off to Great Neck, Long Island we two men went, and Mark was again a well behaved guy. The closing was at the bank, and they just happened to have chocolate cake because it was the Big Cheese’s birthday. They asked Mark to try out the cake before anyone else to make sure it was yummy. 

And sugared up, the little guy was still a champ. 

He is clearly his mother’s son.