Archive for May, 2010


Grand Entertaining in Purchase, NY

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on May 27th, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Buying, Luxury Country Properties, Westchester

Memorial Day kicks off the start of the summer and parties big and small are on the calendar …

Silver Oaks 150x150 Grand Entertaining in Purchase, NYSilver Oaks, an estate home in Purchase, New York, is perfectly suited for both casual summer get-together or grand scale entertaining. 

The front door of this newly built home, a Georgian Colonial, opens to a 1,300 square foot reception hall. This grand hall has 20’ domed ceilings with a 3-story turreted glass wall and floating staircase. The drama is enveloping and guests will swoon at the hand crafted metal work, finely crafted moldings and furniture quality woodwork.

When the event calls for a last-minute casual evening with friends, that grilled steak just tastes better when savored around Silver Oaks’ resort-caliber 50-foot Infinity pool and  landscaped flagstone terrace. The Viking outdoor grill is the centerpiece of the outdoor kitchen that makes summer entertaining easy and luxurious.  

Take our video tour of this grand home.

Spending Time with the Best in Relocation

1 Comment By Elizabeth Nunan on May 25th, 2010
Tags: , , , , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Relocation

I just returned from attending the Spring RDC (Relocation Directors Council) meeting where 110 relocation directors from around the Country met at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort for two days. RDC is an exclusive organization whose members are selected for experience, industry involvement, and a commitment to client satisfaction with the highest degree of professionalism.

The theme of the meeting was the three NEW R’s: Re-bound, Re-build, Re-position. How apropos! The relocation industry endured the same crushing blows as the real estate industry over the last 2 years. Now it’s time to re-bound, re-build and re-position. As an aside, we at Houlihan Lawrence have seen a definite increase in our relocation business. Companies are feeling more confident in the economy and are once again investing in employee mobility.

The meeting consisted of two great panel discussions. The first was titled “New Relocation Business Models” and included highly regarded speakers from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, SIRVA Relocation, and Home Depot. It was a lively discussion that covered everything from testing new appraisal policies to the very controversial move of some companies to refer directly to a sales associate rather than go through a relocation division. That last point caused quite a stir in the room.

DSC01305 300x193 Spending Time with the Best in Relocation

L to R: John D'Ambrogio - Baird & Warner, Pam O'Connor - Leading RE, Tracey Gatlin - SIRVA, Jan Ferguson LeQuier - Home Depot

The second panel was titled “REO’s and Their Effect on the Market”. There was a lot of great information shared about the effects of REO’s on relocation sales as well as in-depth talk about short sales in the relocation process. Sounds like a yawner, but we’re seeing this in many markets around the Country.

Our group was also treated to a quick hello from Peggy Smith, formerly of Microsoft and now CEO of Worldwide ERC®, as well as a presentation by Chris Collie, former CEO of Worldwide ERC®. It is a real treat to know how highly regarded RDC is by the team at WERC. They’ve supported our organization for years and promised to continue.

Even with all the great speakers and information shared, I still find the networking to be most beneficial. An RDC meeting allows me to be face to face with my counterparts from around the Country that share information, and most importantly referrals, throughout the year. I love the opportunity to meet in person and say thank you to all the relocation directors that entrust us with their valuable client referrals, and thank them for handling our client referrals with such care and attention to detail. Members of RDC are simply the best of the best and I’m honored to be a member for over 10 years.

Christie’s Auction Breaks World Record

0 Comments By Anthony Cutugno on May 21st, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Luxury Country Properties, Luxury market

Last week at Christie’s auction of Works from the Collection of Michael Crichton at New York’s Rockefeller Center, a new world record was achieved for artist Jasper Johns.  

Jasper Johns Flag 150x134 Christies Auction Breaks World Record The work “Flag”, one of 31 pieces auctioned at Christie’s, came  from the late author Michael Crichton’s personal collection and garnered $28,642,500, a world record for the artist.

In total, Christie’s Sale of Post-War and Contemporary Art realized over $231 million.

picasso 150x150 Christies Auction Breaks World RecordEarlier in the month, another record was set when a Picasso work from the Brody Collection sold at Christie’s  for $106.5 Million – the highest price paid at auction for a single work of  art ever! 

This is exciting news  from our auction house partner, Christie’s. Edward Dolman, CEO of Christie’s International, commented, “Great works continue to inspire and serve as a great store of value.” The return of confidence in the art market often forecasts a strong market for estate properties as well.  Buyers of great masterworks are typically interested in luxury real estate , and we look forward to helping these clients find new homes for their collections in the coming months.

Realtor News from Washington DC

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on May 19th, 2010
Tags: , , , , , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Relocation

capital 150x150 Realtor News from Washington DCHaving just returned from attending the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Mid-Year meetings in Washington DC., I wanted to share some of the highlights of the meetings with you. There were over 8,000 Realtors® that descended upon our Nation’s Capital throughout the week.

I arrived Thursday morning and attended the Large Firm Directors meeting right after lunch. As an aside, did you know that if a waiter breaks an entire glass of water on you and covers you with shards of glass and water, you’ll likely get a free lunch? So yes, I made it to the meeting, albeit a little soggy. While the economic updates are always interesting, the presentation by Dale Ross on RPR (Realtors Property Resource) was pretty fascinating. RPR will serve as an online real estate archive that will provide Realtors® with data on every property and land parcel in the U.S. According to Ross, though RPR is currently being tested in about 12 markets around the Country, a full roll-out may take up to five years.

realtor u Realtor News from Washington DCSaturday morning I attended the NAR Board of Director’s meeting. The most interesting new initiative presented there was Realtor® University. It’s the association’s answer for raising the bar in our industry. If you are on Twitter, you know that there has been a lot of discussion on this topic in the last 6 months. Realtor® University will be a fully accredited institution that will grant degrees in our field, though accreditation may take 2-3 years. The curriculum will be online, and in addition to master’s degrees, Realtor University will eventually offer internship and job-placement programs. The premise all sounds great, so I guess we’ll see what NAR does with it. I just hope the classes will be more challenging than some of the online license renewal classes I’ve taken over the years. That will be the only way this will truly raise the bar in our profession.

All in all it was a great couple of days – packed with informative meetings and networking with great people. Now I’m looking forward to implementing new ideas in the Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess real estate marketplace.

Home Buying and the Single Girl

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on May 18th, 2010
Tags: ,      Categories: Buying, Selling

Single women are one of the fastest growing home buying segments of the market according to a recent study by the National Association of Realtors, outpacing single men by almost 2 to 1. Women more frequently purchase a condo or townhouse/rowhouse than a single family home and expect to stay in the home 10 years. The single female buyer’s first home is typically smaller than that of a single male’s.

The reason single women purchase a home is their desire to own. They have the financial means to purchase and do not need to wait to co-own with Mr. Right. Parity in the workplace has trickled down to the real estate market, giving women the ability to independently satisfy their need for shelter and security. 

For home sellers, this growing segment offers an opportunity to market your home with a woman’s needs in mind: the safety of a home and neighborhood are paramount and simple enhancements such as well-lit exteriors help to create a sense of security when arriving home in the dark.  New is better than old because it requires less repair and maintenance; and larger closets are a sure way to a capture her attention.

Are you a single woman in the market as a first-time home buyer? What features are important to you in your home search?

Houlihan Lawrence Open House Event

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on May 14th, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News

Mark your calendars. This Sunday, May 16th is the Houlihan Lawrence Spring Open House Event in New York’s Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties.

Over 470 homes for sale in Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam counties will open their doors to buyers. With this many Open Houses, you’ll need to plan ahead, so here is the full list of all of Houlihan Lawrence’s Open Houses in our Spring Open House Event.

Houlihan Lawrence And Roost Bring MLS Search to Facebook

0 Comments By Frederick Romley on May 12th, 2010
Tags: , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News

Houlihan Lawrence Adopts Roost Social Real Estate Toolkit Bringing MLS Search to Facebook

Houlihan Lawrence Becomes the First New York-Based Real Estate Firm To Offer Roost’s Facebook Platform

San Francisco, Ca., May 6, 2010 — Roost, Inc. (www.roost.com), a real estate technology company that displays over four million real estate listings and provides advertising solutions to real estate agents and brokers, announced today that Houlihan Lawrence and 11 of the country’s top real estate brokerage companies have signed on to its Facebook-based platform, Social Real Estate. Houlihan Lawrence, the largest independently owned and operated residential real estate brokerage serving the Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam County markets, is the only brokerage in New York to offer Roost’s property search tool on Facebook.

Roost’s brokerage solution is an extension of the free Social Real Estate Toolkit it released earlier this year and is the first Facebook application to integrate a full, MLS-compliant property search.  Houlihan Lawrence is currently one of two companies featuring Roost’s Facebook tool live, which can be viewed on Houlihan Lawrence’s Facebook fan page.

“Facebook provides companies with opportunities to connect with consumers in new ways.  From a real estate perspective, Houlihan Lawrence wanted to make it easy for consumers to search for homes on Facebook, where they are already spending time,” said Chris Meyers, COO of Houlihan Lawrence.  “Roost’s technology provides consumers with easy-to-use MLS search as an extension of the Houlihan Lawrence brand and services that we are already providing home buyers and sellers,” said Chris Meyers, COO of Houlihan Lawrence.

Companies that have executed agreements with Roost include RE/MAX Alliance Group, Michael Saunders & Company, Intero Real Estate Services, Surterre Properties, Real Estate One, Amelia Bullock Realtors, Century 21 Advantage Gold, Zephyr Real Estate, FresYes Realty, Seven Gables Real Estate and Jordan Baris Realtors.  Agents within each brokerage can also take advantage of MLS search on their Facebook presence via a premium application that will be available early this summer. Brokers pay Roost a monthly flat fee for the solution.

“The fact that so many leading companies have partnered with us so quickly is gratifying, and signals a shift toward a more proactive and strategic approach to social media within the real estate community,” said Alex Chang, Roost’s CEO. “We plan to continue expanding the Social Real Estate Toolkit to support this movement.”

More information about the Social Real Estate Toolkit can be found on Roost’s Facebook Fan Page or Roost’s Facebook Application Page.

Westchester Real Estate Snapshot

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on May 7th, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Buying, Market Conditions, Westchester

Certain areas in New York’s Southern Westchester County are having an eventful spring market. Pent up demand and realistic pricing is driving buyers in areas like Larchmont and Scarsdale.

Homes in Larchmont, New York, whose sweet spot is around the $1 million mark, have low inventory and lots of buyers. Multiple offers on the same property are not out of the ordinary, but accepted offers have been within the range of list price. Yes there was the feeling of exuberance in the Larchmont area, but the buyer’s desire for value prevailed.

In the few instances where multiple buyers have bid up the price significantly, often times the deal falls through. One hypothesis is that the excitement of having “won” the home over other buyers is tempered when the buyer tells friends and colleagues they purchased a home over asking price.  Instead of congratulations, their quizzical response makes the buyer question their actions. Remorse kicks in and the buyer withdraws his over asking price bid.

Houlihan Lawrence’s Scarsdale, New York real estate market remains active within all price ranges from the mid $700s to multi-million dollar properties. New listings are consistently coming to market and deals are being made with equal vigor.  As with Larchmont real estate, well priced homes in Scarsdale have multiple bids, and occasionally go over asking.

The past 4 months have provided substantive data and sufficient volume affirming that the market has indeed re-set at prices anywhere from 20 to 30% below the peak, even in the desirable towns of Larchmont and Scarsdale. See both the Scarsdale Market Report and the Larchmont Market Report for a detailed view of the real estate market. Visit the Houlihan Lawrence website for Market Reports of home sales in other market areas.

Defining Design for Homebuyers

0 Comments By Anthony Cutugno on May 5th, 2010
Tags: , , , , , , , ,      Categories: Buying, Luxury Country Properties, Putnam, Westchester

Cedar Island Dining Room 150x150 Defining Design for Homebuyers

Cedar Island, Larchmont - Arts & Crafts Splendor

Urban sophistication or country charm? Traditional and classic or  streamlined and modernist?

Whatever your design preference, style-minded homebuyers have a wide array of options to choose from when looking for a home.

While it’s often the architecture that first attracts a buyer,  the home’s interior design can be equally engaging – helping buyers visualize their new environment.

Taken from our current inventory of luxury estates for sale, here are a few stunning interior spaces that are destined to inspire.

Crowfields Living Room 150x150 Defining Design for HomebuyersCrowfields is one of Bedford New York’s premier estates featuring time-honored architecture by Mott Schmidt and classically appointed interiors created by the legendary British design firm of Colefax & Fowler.

The Sanctuary Living and Dining Room 150x150 Defining Design for HomebuyersFrank Lloyd Wright would feel perfectly at home in the Great Room at The Sanctuary. Located in Bronxville, New York, it features iconic Mid-Century furnishings within a sleek, glass-wrapped framework.

Meadowdale Farm Living Room 150x150 Defining Design for HomebuyersIn Pawling, New York, the living room at Meadowdale Farm captures the spirit of elegant country living with a soothing palette and comfortable oversized furnishings.

Quarry Lake Living Room 150x150 Defining Design for Homebuyers

Nothing detracts from the views in the spare, clean-lined interiors of Quarry Lake, where the sense of serenity in Bedford, New York is reinforced by a delightful collection of Asian art and antiques.