Archive for March, 2012


5 Reasons to Love Port Chester

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Port Chester is a sought-after destination for foodies in and around Westchester County. New restaurants and specialty purveyors line the village, keeping adventuresome palates satisfied and coming back for more: 

  1. Owners Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich helped put Port Chester on the culinary map when they revived 100-year old into a modern day trattoria experience. Most recently, the team opened Tarry Market, offering great Italian wines, fabulous prepared foods and mouth watering gelato to their wide and  loyal following.
  2. tarrymarket 300x163 5 Reasons to Love Port ChesterBartaco is located on the Byram River and its waterfront location makes for a festive and feisty atmosphere. The bar sizzles with large crowds who imbibe on exotic sounding cocktails such as Rosita, Bartaco Margarita and Smoky Cholula. Tacos filled with duck, lamb, chicken and spicy chorizo are signature dishes that give even more heat to an already hot restaurant.
  3. Q Restaurant and Bar offer slow and low cooked foods and meat from the midwest.  St. Louis-Style Ribs, Texas Beef Brisket, and Pulled Pork make this finger lickin’ good restaurant a one of a kind experience. No need to travel for the real thing when authentic BBQ and house smoked meats is just a quick walk from Metro-North.
  4. Arrosto’s menu features grilled meats and seafood, along with fresh, house-made pastas, Neapolitan wood fired pizzas, and homemade desserts. Chef Polistina’s grandmother coined the phrase Be Social. Eat Well  and two generations later, her words and sentiment are embodied into the Arrosto menu and dining experience. So bring your friends, enjoy the company and eat well at Arrosto.
  5. Kneaded Bread is the penultimate for carb-lovers. Homemade breads from buttery brioche to crusty French bread make the mouth water just from the smell – everything is made on the premises. The menu also includes muffins and scone, soups, salads and sandwiches, and the very best layer cake with butter cream icing.

Video Tour of Gilded Age Bedford Corners Estate 96 Westwood Drive Bedford Corners, NY 10509

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Enjoy this week’s tour of Devonshire, a 101+ acre estate at 96 Westwood Drive, Bedford Corners, NY 10509.

devonsire 300x231 Video Tour of Gilded Age Bedford Corners Estate 96 Westwood Drive Bedford Corners, NY 10509One of the nation’s most distinguished properties, Devonshire provides privacy and grandeur in one of Westchester County’s most exclusive locations. The majestic Georgian Manor is a quintessential English country house  built in 1901 for financier J. Borden Harriman.

Throughout the home, the opulent detailing for which the Gilded Age is known enriches virtually every room of the house. Also notable for its vast acreage and proximity to Manhattan, only 45 minutes away, the park-like estate offers superb recreational amenities, substantial outbuildings for guests and staff, and extensive equestrian facilities. For more information on Devonshire or other Bedford luxury homes for sale, please visit us at www.houlihanlawrence.com.

Don’t miss last week’s tour of Olde Orchard Hill Farm situated at 50 Orchard Hill Road, Katonah, NY 10536.

5 ‘Spring Fever’ Spots

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Now that it feels more like summer instead of spring, it’s time to turn our focus to the outside as our surrounding landscape comes alive with vivid color.

To fully appreciate the changing seasons, many homes have been enhanced with a conservatory, sunroom or  gazebo, each offering a captivating environment for entertaining while enjoying the emerging natural beauty.  Here are a few of our favorites taken from our current inventory of luxury homes for sale.

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The dramatic Conservatory at Mount Holly in Katonah doubles as a family room and opens directly to a stone terrace and 80′ pool.

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Wrapped in glass, the Sun Room at Broadfields in Pawling allows for a relaxing swim while taking in the inspiring mountian views atop Quaker Hill.

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At Tuxford Manor in Bedford, an elegant Machin Conservatory overlooking the pool area lends an elegant ambience for indoor/outdoor entertaining.

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Effortless outdoor dining is easily accomplished at Highview in Briarcliff Manor, where a dining gazebo is linked to the grand porch via a handsome deck.

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An antique gazebo provides a shady refuge aside the pool and pond at Frog Pond in Millbrook.

 

 

 

For more information on these properties or any of our other luxury properties for sale, please visit us at www.houlihanlawrence.com.

 

CineMeeting 2012

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A mixture of business, public relations and motivational speaking, Wells Fargo and Houlihan Lawrence affiliate Thoroughbred Mortgage, LLC hosted its fifth consecutive “CineMeeting” nationwide this past Wednesday. Real estate professionals from New York to San Francisco visited their local cinemas to tune into the live broadcast, which offered insight about the improving state of the market, social media transforming the way we do business and how to remain motivated and proactive in 2012.

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Brian Solis, principal analyst of Altimeter Group, and Wells Fargo Retail National Sales Vice President Brad Blackwell made an immediate splash with viewers, as both discussed the impact of social media in regards to selling real estate. Whereas many people view social media as an exclusive fad embraced solely by young people, Solis expressed the need to tailor business to Generation “C” for “Connected”—an all-inclusive group of all ages that calls for companies to “help” and not “sell” to them within the online community. Though Solis and Blackwell expressed an urgency to get started with social media, both agreed that agents should study, listen and search first, not jump in “canon-ball” style.

“Initiate, initiate, initiate.” Chairman and founder of Buffini Group Brian Buffini’s witty charm may have had most of the viewers doubled-over laughing, but his message was simple, clear and heartfelt: it’s the skills that pay the bills. Although it can be easy to get lost in a busy schedule, Buffini suggested that agents devote 1 hour of their day to sales and marketing to keep their presence known in the community, especially when it comes to past clients making future referrals.

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From left: Thorougbred Mortgage Sales Manager Michael Reichman, Houlihan Lawrence COO Stephen Meyers, Thoroughbred Mortgage Branch Manager Mark Logue, and Houlihan Lawrence President and CEO Chris Meyers.

With the market becoming more stable and a bright future in sight, all speakers urged agents in attendance to remain positive and dedicate 2012 to “building business.”

6 Ways to Prep Your House for Spring’s Selling Season

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Shake off winter and open your home to the new season. The following tips will help you get your home ready for showing and selling this spring.daffodils springblog 105x150 6 Ways to Prep Your House for Springs Selling Season

  1. Are your windows sparkling clean? The winter months can make them dull and dirty. Cleaned windows will let in much more light, making your home look brighter and more open.
  2. Is your garage a catch-all like mine? I recently read that the best way to clean a garage is to take all non-used items out and reorganize what needs to be there. Put everything its proper place, throw it out or give it away to someone in need. Your garage will appear spacious and well cared for when you’re done.
  3. Consider steam cleaning your carpets and rugs.  You can rent or buy a machine and do it yourself, or hire a company to do it for you. It’s a great way to extend the life of your carpet and will make your house look and smell fresh and clean.
  4. Go through those piles of mail and stacks of paper that have been accumulating – throw out the junk and file the rest. Eliminating clutter is good for the soul as well as for a sale.
  5. Walk around your home inside and out. Note anything that’s broken and in need of fixing. Plan a schedule for making necessary repairs.
  6. Take on one project at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed by the amount of organizing that needs to be done. Itemize projects and check them off as you go. Before you know it, your home will be ready for spring and hopefully a new buyer!

Video Tour of Grand Westchester Estate 50 Orchard Hill Road Katonah NY 10536

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Enjoy this week’s tour of Olde Orchard Hill Farm, located at 50 Orchard Hill Road, Katonah, New York, 10536.

Nestled in the rolling landscape of northern Westchester County, this historic 1800s Colonial is framed by 38 acres of magnificent tranquility with mature gardens, an old orchard and majestic trees. Bordering one of the largest parcels of preserved land in the area – the 650-acre Angle Fly Preserve, the setting also includes wonderful recreational pleasures including a 62-foot pool, a charming pool house, a tennis court, bocce court and a remarkable children’s train, complete with a mini station stop and railroad crossing.  A large guest house, a barn complex including a two-story barn/office, multiple garages ideal for the collector and a greenhouse further add to the many special amenities.

Situated in the town of Somers with a Katonah post office address, Olde Orchard Hill remains one of the area’s most illustrious properties.  For more information on this property or other luxury properties for sale, please visit us at www.houlihanlawrence.com.

Don’t miss last week’s video tour of historic Troutbeck, 1 Troutbeck Lane, Amenia, NY, 12501.

 

Pat Geoghegan Up for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Woman of the Year

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patricia 124x150 Pat Geoghegan Up for Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Woman of the Year“It has been a very long time since I have led a fundraising effort about which I feel so strongly.”

Not only has she spearheaded a fundraising campaign to support her friend Meg Mackay, but Rye broker Pat Geoghegan has been nominated as a candidate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Woman of the Year award. How Geoghegan will be designated as the Westchester/Hudson Chapter’s Woman of the Year is where you can help.

She will receive one vote for every dollar raised during her campaign. Those looking to help should visit www.mwoy.org/wch and click ‘donate’ under Pat Geoghegan’s icon. The male and female candidate with the most votes accumulated by the organization’s May 18th Grand Finale celebration will be awarded this prestigious honor and will thus be put up against other chapters nationally.

The Grand Finale will be held at The Renaissance Westchester and will include dinner, dancing, a silent auction and the announcement of the man and woman of the year. Anyone can attend, and the price of the ticket goes toward the individual’s collective number of votes.

Geoghegan’s inspiration to support LLS comes from her good friend Meg Mackay who recently suffered through myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), which causes an ineffective production of the myeloid class of blood cells. Mackay received a bone marrow transplant and is now fighting Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), a complication that can arise when stem cell or bone marrow material attacks the body after a transplant.

According to Geoghegan, the funds raised for LLS provide support to the doctors that help Mackay and millions of others every day. Last year the Westchester/Hudson Chapter raised $207,000, contributing to the $14.5 million LLS raised in 2011.

This year the chapter hopes to raise $260,000, and you can help them do so by visiting www.mwoy.org/wch and “voting” for our very own Pat Geoghegan.

lls logo rgb 300x156 Pat Geoghegan Up for Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Woman of the Year

5 Reasons to Love Yorktown

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The Town of Yorktown is located in northern Westchester, 35 miles above New York City with 40-square miles of rolling hills, farmland, residential areas and light industry. If you love green initiatives, you’ll find them in Yorktown.

Here are five reasons why you’ll love Yorktown:

  1. Hilltop Hanover Farm is a local working farm and regional education center that offers programs on healthy and sustainable food production. This involves researching and teaching techniques for small-scale suburban and urban farming, and illustrating sustainable living practices such as alternative energy sources.  You can visit the farm and view the schedule of events at  www.hilltophanoverfarm.org.
  2. The North County Trailway is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while lowering your carbon footprint. This paved pedestrian/bicycle path covers 22.1 miles from Eastview in the Town of Mount Pleasant north to Baldwin Place in the Town of Somers on the Putnam County border.
  3. Greasestock is held yearly in Yorktown Heights on the grounds of Peter Pratt’s Inn, an historic landmark New York. It is one of the largest alternative fuel, renewable energy, and low-energy green vehicle exhibitions in the United States and showcase innovative green technologies such as vegetable oil powered cars, biodeisal cars, solar-powered cars, home-heating alternatives and organic farming exhibits.
  4. Pick your own locally grown apples, pumpkins and Christmas trees at Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm. Wilken’s provides the bags, baskets picking poles and even a hay wagon for this environmentally-friendly excursion. Be sure to arrive dressed for country orchards.
  5. Acclaimed author, teacher and lecturer Ruth Rogers Clausen is a frequent guest speaker at the Yorktown Garden Club. A Westchester resident, Clausen recently lectured on deer-resistant plants and shrubs at the Garden Club. Her tomes include Dreamscaping, and contributions to Perennial Gardening with the New York Botanical Garden;  and Trees with the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Visit our Town Guides page to find out more information about Yorktown.

Houlihan Lawrence Gallery of Homes Magazine Spring 2012

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Houlihan Lawrence’s Gallery of Homes Magazine Spring 2012 edition is here. Featuring over 1600 homes for sale in New York’s Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties and beyond.

The print edition is available to pick up from any of our Offices and at street boxes located in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties as well as select locations in Manhattan.

Click the cover to view the digital edition.

Houlihan Lawrence Gallery of Homes Spring 2012 248x300 Houlihan Lawrence Gallery of Homes Magazine Spring 2012

Video Tour of Historic Country Inn 1 Troutbeck Lane Amenia NY

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Enjoy this week’s tour of Troutbeck, located at 1 Troutbeck Lane, Amenia, NY 12501.

In the foothills of the scenic Berkshire Mountains, this celebrated country inn evokes the pastoral splendor of its Colonial roots.  Once a 18th century farm, the home was converted into a private home in the early 20th century and later became a nationally recognized inn and conference center. A refined English Manor house serves as the centerpiece of the 45-acre estate, which together with several other Colonial buildings, hosts 42 guests rooms and resort amenities including an indoor pool, outdoor pool, beautiful gardens and tennis courts. The facility is zoned for expansion and additional land is available separately.

For more information on Troutbeck or other Amenia homes for sale, please visit us at www.houlihanlawrence.com.