Westchester County New York Real Estate Blog

School Districts Wanting to Opt Out of Report

In May Newsweek will publish it's annual school report.  This particular report is controversial and a lot of school districts don't like it's premise.  They don't want to be included in the report.  That is an interesting concept.  Opting out of a school analysis that you don't like.  Debra Kaplan from Dobbs Ferry says it isn’t whether we are rated low, that’s not the issue” yah, right.  This is just one of many reports that come out each year analyzing school districts and considered with the others is just another view.

"Whether we're rated really high or really low, that's not the issue," said Dobbs Ferry Superintendent Debra Kaplan, whose district ranked 159 in 2007. "That's not an indicator of how good a high school is. So many things go into making a quality school."

In America's Top Public High Schools, Newsweek looks at the number of students in all grades who take advanced-placement, international-baccalaureate or Cambridge exams and divides the total by the number of graduating seniors. Schools with larger ratios rank higher, but only a fraction of all schools make the list.

 

School Districts Wanting to Opt Out

Fairway is Coming to Westchester County

Just announced is that the Fairway Supermarket chain will be opening a 75,000 square foot market in Pelham Manor in 2009.   Fairway is great.  Sort of like Stew Leonards but much larger, more selections, and more diverse choices.  There is one on the upper West Side, one on Long Island, one in Brooklyn, a hugh one in Harlem and now there will be one in Westchester.  It's a great place.

Fairway Supermarket

NY State Legislature - A Foreclosure Moratorium

In New York State the Legislature announced yesterday a package that woiuld place a one year moratorium on foreclosure actions in an attempt to help homeowners have the time to work out solutions with their banks.

 

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Banks Committee Chair Darryl Towns today announced Assembly passage of comprehensive measures aimed at bringing relief to families and communities across New York coping with the national sub-prime lending crisis.

The four-bill package contains legislation which, if enacted, would offer assistance to homeowners currently in default or foreclosure, establish requirements on all home loans, provide critical consumer information to all residential mortgage applicants and call for a one-year moratorium on foreclosures to allow residents to remain in their homes while granting them time to work with lenders to modify their mortgages.

A Press Release from the New York State Legislature, here.

Westchester County Airport - Just Try to Pick Someone Up!

We have a wonderful airport in Westchester County.  It used to be smaller, you used to be able to park, you used to be able to wait and pick someone up, there used to less people, less traffic.  Over the past year several airlines have increased the number of flights and now it has growing pains.

I had the pleasure of picking someone up last night at 11pm.  A flight from Chicago.  The flight was twenty minutes late so I arrived at the airport and was on time, went to the curb in front of the terminal and was immediately chased by the airport police and told I couldn't wait there, I should keep circling the airport and when the individual was in front of the terminal with their bags I would be allowed to stop for a moment to let them put their bag into my car.

The flight was 20 minutes late and there was no sign to tell anyone that.  The sign with the arrivals is at the new cell phone lot.  This lot was announced in March and is a parking lot where you can wait rather than circle and there is a board announcing arrivals.  When you enter the airport and circle the airport there is no sign telling you where this lot is.  There is no sign telling individuals who may not be aware of it that it exists and where it is.  What good is having a cell phone lot which is a good idea and not have a sign telling you where it is.

Next, the baggage never made the flight. So, what was a quick pickup at the airport became aggravation about the arrival, ultimately having to park anyway and go in to discuss the lost baggage and crowds of cars circling and using gas unnecessarily.  The employee's handling the lost luggage tell me it is common for the luggage not to make the flights.  It will arrive on the next flight and be delivered within four hours.

We have wonderful, small, local airport convenient to all.  Not!  For the airlines that use Westchester County airport, how to get to the airport, about the cell phone lot:

Westchester County Airport

Median Sale Prices and DOM - April 2008

A few select communities around Westchester County:

School District       Actve     Sold April, 2008   Median      DOM

Ardsley                      56                   4           512,000       182
Byram Hills               116                 12           862,500       193
Chappaqua                126                 12          755,000        164
Croton-on-Hudson        65                  6           522,500        204
New Rochelle             202                 15          645,000       180
Tarrytown                    35                   2          442,500       229
White Plains              128                 10          640,000       154
Yonkers                     317                 31          480,000        187
Yorktown                   133                   7          475,000        125

I Was Interviewed About Low Ball Offers!

About three weeks ago I got a call from a reporter at Bankrate.com.  She was doing an article about "Low Ball Offers" and we spoke for quite a while.  We, two days ago the article appeared on their website as well as on other sites.

Thought I would share this article as it gives a bit of insight into how I approach what is considered a "Low Ball Offer":

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/32825

Craft's Fair in Tarrytown, New York

May 2, 3 and 4, Spring Crafts at Lyndhurst

Friday and Sunday 10am– 5pm, Saturday 10am– 6pm

Rated the top show in New York and one of the best in the country. Crafts at Lyndhurst features more than 300 booths filled with handmade American crafts. From pottery to jewelry and furniture to clothing, the dazzling selection of fine crafts represents the best work of artisans from across the nation. For event info, call Artrider at (845) 331-7900or www.artrider.com.  General Admission $10, Seniors $9, Children 6-16 $4. Free to Friends of Lyndhurst.

The Lyndhurst Site

The Low Down on Bedford, New York

Bedford, Katonah, Pound Ridge are all located in the north eastern quadrent of Westchester County. Large horse farms with over 4 acres and costing upwards of $18 million can be found.  The Bedford Village green is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Find out all you need to know using the following links:

History, Famous Residents, Census on Bedford, New York, click here.
Pound Ridge
Katonah
Bedford Hills

Roadways, Highways, and a Map, here.

Schools, Katonah-Lewisboro School District, Bedford School District

Official Town of Bedford website, here
Pound Ridge Business Association

New York Times profile of the area, Horses and Acreage in Bedford, New York

Demographic Snapshot, Pound Ridge, Bedford

Bicycle Sundays Start May 4th

During Bicycle Sundays a portion of the Bronx River Parkway is closed to cars. To ensure a smooth transition and to safely accommodate new users, Spano asked that all participants familiarize themselves with the rules -- some new, some old -- for Bicycle Sundays prior to using the parkway.

When getting around Westchester County on these dates make sure to plan properly -

“Bicycle Sundays isn’t just for bicyclists anymore,” Spano said. “Now, no one has to stay home and ‘babysit’ the younger child. The whole family, from the youngest to the oldest, can get out on the parkway and enjoy this great recreational activity together.”

The dates for Bicycle Sundays 2008 are May 4, 11, and 18; June 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; and September 7, 14, 21 and 28.

The Bicycle Sundays course begins at the Westchester County Center in White Plains and runs south to Scarsdale Road in Yonkers, a round-trip of 13.1 miles. There are many points of entry and exit along the way.

For Rules, Regulations and other information, here.

What Were They Thinking!

This article appeared in the local newspaper, The Journal News, this morning in Westchester County. 

Four Westchester men have been charged by a federal grand jury in an alleged scheme to buy high-end homes in the county by using false documentation to dupe banks into financing the sales......"

It's hard to wrap my head around this, what in the world were they thinking.  I don't want to make any judgements but can't help think there was some arrogrance involved, thinking they could get away with this stuff.  I don't know why there was a need but now they face time in prison and I am sure it wasn't worth it.

Read for yourself, here.

One of the Way the Internet Has Changed Buying Real Estate

When I put a new property on the market now  it is quite different from when I put a property on the market in the past.  Now the thinking is to put the property on as many different sites as possible because buyers are clicking from site to site and you want to pick them up as they click.  In the past buyer's would come out to see property's because it was the only way to see it. 

Now property's are on the internet with 15 pictures, virtual tours, community and school information, all from the comfort of their home or office.  There is a new site now where you can take a video of the property wtih a voice over, you can show the neighborhood, the neighbors houses, you can show the most intimate details of every inch of a property.  In some ways since it is the agent doing the video things will be picked up that a buyer might miss.

Property's come on the market and some seller's want to know where the buyers are, the showings, they measure the marketing by the number of showings.  That is the old way.  Now it is clicks and views and not showings.  Buyers click and look, they email for further information and if all of the pieces fit their needs they may venture out to take a look, but most likely they will drive by first.

If you put a property on the market and look out your living room window and start to see cars driving by and slowing down to look, those are the buyers doing it the new way.

Questions Brokers Can't Answer

Please don’t ask me I can’t tell you.  There are many questions that we can’t answer because of Fair Housing Legislation.  These are protected classes within our society.  Families relocating from outside of the area can have particular problems with this, but it is the law.  We can give you school reports, send you extensive information online about the schools, but we can’t discuss one district over another. 

“adult community,” “bachelor pad,” “near churches” and “no children.”

Lawyers also warn against listing specific school districts and using catch phrases like “great for families,” “Danny's room,” “quality neighborhood” and “senior housing.”

“How are the schools”, “mother-daughter”

 

Please Don’t Ask Me,

Class Action Suit Filed for Fair Housing Violation

On Thursday a Class Action Lawsuit was filed against one of New York City's larger Real Estate firms.  Two testers were sent to the firm, one was a couple with a child and the other was a couple without any children.

"The suit claims that Brown Harris tried to talk an undercover tester from the Fair Housing Justice Center, a nonprofit group, who claimed to have a child out of looking at the second Brooklyn Heights apartment.

The next week, another tester from the justice center, claiming to be childless, came to the same Brown Harris office and was shown the apartment, the suit says"

To read the complete article, Broker Accused of Bias Against Children

Fair Housing Act
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents of legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). More on the Fair Housing Act

Foreclosures Everywhere - No One is Immune

Greenwich, CT. borders areas on the Long Island Sound side of Westchester County, New York.  Not in my state but in my area.  The number of foreclosures in Greenwich, CT has increased recently.  The wealthly fall on hard times too.

Auctioning off such homes is a far greater challenge here than elsewhere, as affluent but cash-squeezed owners often find ways to delay losing their homes, sometimes by coming up with just enough to make last-minute payments avoiding a final sale — for a while, anyway.

Foreclosures in Greenwich, CT.

Westchester County Market Report - 1st Quarter 2008

Following is the first quarter 2008 market report from the Westchester Multiple Listing Service. Lemonade out of lemons would be the bottom may be in sight.  This report speaks for itself.

April 22, 2008

Although the Westchester-Putnam real estate market outperformed that of New York State and the country during the past two years, the ongoing national economic difficulties finally caught up with our area during the winter months of 2007-2008. The first-quarter closings that resulted from marketing activity in that period were down 30% from a year ago and constituted the largest year over year decrease compiled by the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service (WPMLS) since it commenced recordkeeping in 1980.

Realtor firms participating in WPMLS reported 1,340 closed residential transactions in Westchester County from January through March, constituting a 30.5% decrease from the comparable period a year ago. The single-family house and condominium sectors were down by 30.5% and 34.5% respectively, while the highly troubled multi-family sector (2-4 units) slipped by 56%. The brightest spot in Westchester’s market was the cooperative unit sector which posted a year over year decline of only 18.9%.

To read the entire report, here.