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Westchester/Hudson Valley Light The Night Corporate Networking Breakfast

0 Comments By Kerry Barger on May 21st, 2013
Tags: , , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News

As the proud local sponsor of Light The Night Walks in Poughkeepsie, Pomona and Rye, it was Houlihan Lawrence‘s honor to host The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Westchester/Hudson Valley’s annual corporate networking breakfast at our headquarters in Rye Brook. This year, our local chapter is aiming to raise $1 million to fund blood cancer research.

Screen Shot 2013 05 21 at 12.05.39 PM 300x174 Westchester/Hudson Valley Light The Night Corporate Networking Breakfast

Houlihan Lawrence has been a longtime sponsor and advocate of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s fight against blood cancers. Managing principal and COO Chris Meyers is serving as this year’s corporate walk chair, with Global Business Development Vice President Elizabeth Nunan co-chairing the executive leadership committee.

Registration has opened, and can be completed through the chapter’s website at www.lightthenight.org/wch.To find out more information on becoming a sponsor, contact Light The Night Senior Director Barbara Gallagher at barbara.gallagher@lls.org or by calling 914-821-8271.

For a full gallery of photos of this morning’s corporate networking breakfast, click here.

The 10th Annual ‘Castles of New Castle’ House Tour

0 Comments By Kerry Barger on May 17th, 2013
Tags: , , , ,      Categories: Agents and Offices, Houlihan Lawrence News, Westchester, Westchester

One of the best parts about living in Westchester, Putnam or Dutchess is the history that exists around us. Museums, parks, galleries and other cultural institutions all contribute to our area’s buzzing past—but sometimes the most interesting history lies just within our backyards.

5 17 2013 1 56 44 PM 300x198 The 10th Annual Castles of New Castle House TourHosted by The New Castle Historical Society and co-sponsored by Houlihan Lawrence, the tenth “Castles of New Castle” house tour will be held on Tuesday, May 21 from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. This year, the tour will feature five different homes, including a cottage that was saved from demolition, a hilltop Victorian filled with period details, and a country manor with magnificent views of the Hudson River.

“The five homes we’ve selected tell an abundant and varied story about the history and residents of New Castle from the early 1900’s to the present,” says Houlihan Lawrence agent and New Castle House Tour co-chair Tory Miller.

Tickets can be purchased at the New Castle Historical Society’s office at 100 King Street in Chappaqua; the fee is $50 for members and $75 for non-members. Crabtree Kittle House on Bedford Road will also be offering a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for an additional $25.

5 17 2013 2 02 53 PM 300x190 The 10th Annual Castles of New Castle House Tour

“This is always a highly-anticipated event and we are thrilled this is the Historical Society’s tenth House Tour,” Tory says. “Local residents have always come out to support the event and see these wonderful, eclectic homes and we anticipate a great attendance this year, as well.”

Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show

0 Comments By Kerry Barger on May 16th, 2013
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Out and About, Westchester

Some of the country’s best horses and riders are flocking to the equestrian haven of North Salem in northern Westchester County. Known for its abundant natural landscape and as a premier locale for some of the most beautiful equestrian estate in the region, the town is also home to the annual Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows.

306879 578381922196419 531333047 n 300x200 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show

The two-week event is celebrating its 31st year and is dishing out nearly a half-million dollars in prize money to some of the best hunters, jumpers and equitation riders in North America. Houlihan Lawrence is proud to be sponsoring the event’s $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, which takes center stage this Saturday, May 18.

Anthony Cutugno, Director of Houlihan Lawrence’s Luxury Country Properties and Equestrian Divisions is thrilled to be a part of this event stating,”This exciting event gives us another exceptional venue to showcase our beautiful equestrian properties while cultivating new relationships with attendees from around the region,” says

To find our more information about the event, visit their website at oldsalemfarm.net. For insider access including photos and video’s, make sure to check out Old Salem Farm on Facebook.

Maria Makaj: 2013 Westchester Wunderkind

0 Comments By Kerry Barger on May 2nd, 2013
Tags: , ,      Categories: Agents and Offices, Houlihan Lawrence News, Westchester

A change in career path, a move to Mahopac from Michigan and some Facebook craftiness have all contributed to the success of 29-year-old Houlihan Lawrence agent Maria Makaj. Most recently, it led to a nod from 914INC. Magazine, which named Maria to its 2013 Class of Westchester Wunderkinds.

5 2 2013 10 19 53 AM 300x288 Maria Makaj: 2013 Westchester Wunderkind

Maria, who works in our Yorktown brokerage, joined a selective group of Westchester’s brightest young stars under 30. Honored as “The Deal Breaker,” 914INC. writes “Today, Makaj is number two in the Yorktown office. She’s a regular recipient of the Multiple Listing Service’s (MLS) Gold designation, and she’s won Houlihan Lawrence’s Gold, Platinum, or Silver Award every single year of her career. What’s more, Makaj is well on her way to pre-bubble highs, transacting $7 million in 2011 and $6 million in 2012. She’s still using social media to entice buyers and sellers, most recently leveraging Instagram to drum up interest.”

Congrats to Maria for representing Houlihan Lawrence among not only the best young professionals in the county, but also some of the best Realtors in the area!

The 2013 Designer Showhouse of Westchester

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on April 30th, 2013
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Out and About, Westchester

Houlihan Lawrence is proud to once again sponsor The 2013 Designer Showhouse of Westchester, benefiting Cerebral Palsy of Westchester. The Showhouse, located at 2 Cooper Road in the Murray Hill section of Scarsdale, is an architecturally-significant home built in 1918.

4 30 2013 12 37 38 PM 300x169 The 2013 Designer Showhouse of Westchester

Over twenty designers representing the best in talent and creativity have each been assigned a room. Their task is to transform the space into their vision of fresh, sophisticated and memorable interiors. Each room has a story and their selection of furnishings, antiques, colors, textures, accessories and art are used to communicate the essence of the designers’ vision.

The Showhouse opens to the public on May 2nd , 2013 and runs through June 9th. Weekend hours are Saturdays, 10am – 5pm, Sundays 11am – 5pm, and Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday, and Fridays 10am – 4pm. Admission is $30 per person.

Designers participating in the Showhouse include:

. Anthony and Olanow Design Group
. Barbara Bell Interiors
. Cast Classics
. Debra Funt Interiors
. Donna Benedetto Designs
. Dunn & Tighe Interiors
. Elissa Grayer Interior Design
. Finelines Interiors
. Gail Green Interiors
. Jacqueline Hosford Interior Design
. Karen Houghton Interiors
. Ken Gemes Interiors
. Kim Freeman Style & Design
. Last Detail by Carey Karlan
. Lillian August
. Maggie McManus Kitchens & Baths
. Mendelson Group
. Rachel Laxer Interiors
. Rooms by Zoya B
. The Wakefield Design Group

If you love design, need a few ideas to freshen up your own home, or just enjoy looking at beautiful things, be sure to visit Designer Showhouse of Westchester.

#HLisGlobal with Christie’s International Real Estate

0 Comments By Kerry Barger on April 5th, 2013
Tags: ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Luxury market, Selling

Yesterday Christie’s International Real Estate CEO Bonnie Stone Sellers and Senior Vice President Kathleen Coumou stopped by our new corporate headquarters at 800 Westchester Avenue to educate our agents about trends and insights that comprise today’s global market.

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Our affiliation with Christie’s has given our company a competitive edge on the international market, as was seen with the record-setting, $21.5 million sale of Devonshire in December. Houlihan Lawrence represented both sides of the transaction, with the buyer discovering the property through Christie’s expansive global network.

Though real estate is inherently “local,” it’s through our global network that Houlihan Lawrence is able to establish such connections with a multitude of buyers. “We want to be local experts with a global reach,” Houlihan Lawrence COO Chris Meyers said.

Bonnie Stone Sellers spoke to our agents about the luxury market acting independently of the housing market (the luxury market correlates more with how high-end, luxury products are selling) and Kathleen Coumou offered the crowd 10 different ways to succeed in business.

For a full gallery of pictures, visit our Facebook page.

 

Houlihan Lawrence Honored With Global Awards

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on March 12th, 2013
Tags: ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Relocation, Selling, Technology

I recently returned from the Luxury Portfolio International and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Annual Conferences in Las Vegas with Chris Meyers and several other members of our management team. More than 2,000 brokers, agents, relocation, marketing and technology personnel from all over the world were in attendance. Across the board, we heard that most markets considered themselves to be “nearly recovered,” with home prices rising and markets improving overall.

LRE2013 300x199 Houlihan Lawrence Honored With Global Awards

The conference had outstanding educational sessions, and we learned from some of the best: Matthew Ferrara, Steve Harney and Mike Staver, to name a few. But the highlight was Houlihan Lawrence being honored with the following awards:

• Most Outgoing Closings Award for the Million Dollar Club

• 2012 Award of Excellence for Outgoing Sales Production

• WQC – Website Quality Certification

Congratulations to all of our sales associates for helping us achieve these milestones and the global recognition it brings to Houlihan Lawrence. Our agents are simply, THE BEST!

Houlihan Lawrence Honored with Website Award

0 Comments By Andrew Lafreniere on February 22nd, 2013
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Technology

WQC logo 2013 blue1 100x150 Houlihan Lawrence Honored with Website AwardAfter the launch of our new website last fall, we are proud to announce HoulihanLawrence.com, has once again earned the Website Quality Certification (WQC), presented by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® to member companies that have demonstrated excellence in website design, functionality and execution.

Every aspect of our site, HoulihanLawrence.com, was reviewed to ensure exacting standards were met in six key areas, ranging from design and content to human interactivity to search engine optimization. The WQC was introduced in 2009 to recognize and encourage superior websites among Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s 600 member firms. Houlihan Lawrence is one of 124 brokerages from around the world to earn the 2013 WQC designation.

With over 90 percent of people using the Internet in their home search, it is essential for any successful real estate firm to have an engaging, informative and easy-to-use website,” notes Pam O’Connor, president/CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. “By earning the Website Quality Certification, HoulihanLawrence.com has demonstrated that it provides vital online resources to home buyers and sellers.”

The launch of our new website last November included updated features that all work to enhance the experience of users searching for homes online. Our market report videos present clear and concise graphs and charts detailing monthly market activity; VIP Membership gives users a special glimpse into pending transactions within a specific market area; and our Community Conversations page allow users to rate and review towns, villages and cities throughout Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties, much like Yelp, Amazon or Google Reviews.

Houlihan Lawrence Commercial Update

1 Comment By Steven Salomone on February 11th, 2013
Tags: , ,      Categories: Agents and Offices, Commercial, Dutchess, Houlihan Lawrence News, Putnam, Westchester

For our first blog, Houlihan Lawrence Commercial Real Estate Group introduced some of our new properties that’ve helped us to get out off the gates into the 2013 real estate market. As we journey into the spring selling season, I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce those who’ve helped us grow from a two-person operation into 10 commercial agents with one support staff.

Fleetwood 300x200 Houlihan Lawrence Commercial Update

Tom LaPerch and I started off small in the East Fishkill office in late 2012, taking on Kymie Cipri as our marketing support member, who helps us tap into those resourches and keeps us organized. Since our inception, we’ve expanded to five regional offices and welcomed eight new agents to our team; Greg Grimaudo, Nick Licari and Karen Collacuro in East Fishkill, Garry Klein and Donna Gage in White Plains, Jim McMahon in Bronxville; John Scialdone in Yorktown; and Carolynn Dittmann in Millbrook.

We can now effectively cover a wide geographic area with these individuals and the team has a tremendous amount of solid business experience that will be of great value to our clients as we move forward, especially in providing state of the art marketing and support to buyers and sellers. It looks like the best is yet to come and we are positioned to make that happen!

Open House Feature Update on HoulihanLawrence.com

0 Comments By Andrew Lafreniere on January 31st, 2013
Tags: , ,      Categories: Houlihan Lawrence News, Technology, Website

The Houlihan Lawrence Information Services team spends a lot of time analyzing data we receive from our real time web analytics on houlihanlawrence.com.  We use this information to improve consumer experience to drive more business to our agents.

Most recently, we have been reviewing open house search activity during certain days and times of the week.  Although searches for listings with open houses occur all week, they increase on Fridays and peak on Sundays.

In light of this, we have now implemented a new feature on the homepage of Houlihanlawrence.com.  Every Friday morning, we switch the “New Listings” carousel to feature the upcoming open houses for the weekend. Realizing that many consumers are searching open house information through the weekend, we have now placed it directly on the home page where open houses sit front and center. This benefits both consumers in the earlier stages of the homebuying process and sellers promoting their open houses.

OpenHouse1 300x196 Open House Feature Update on HoulihanLawrence.com

Our theory seems to be correct; in our first weekend of making this change, we saw a 37 percent increase in activity for this section of houlihanlawrence.com!

We are always striving to create the best consumer experience possible and part of that process is hearing what consumers have to say, so please continue providing us with your feedback by clicking the orange triangle hosted in the top left corner of our website.

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