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The Happy Home

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David Brook’s column in today’s New York Times examines the growing field of positive psychology and the pursuit of happiness. The desire for money to achieve happiness, he says, is disproved time and again, and studies reveal that happiness is not a commodity that can be purchased with an American Express card.

Our government he goes on to say, should pay more attention to what does in fact make us happy – interpersonal relationships and social trust – and not to what can be easily measured and quantified.

This leads me to posit the question: has the government, with all its well-intentioned (albeit ineffective) programs to help struggling homeowners stay in their homes, unwittingly acknowledged that our homes – where meaningful relationships with spouses, children, siblings, parents, neighbors and friends reside — are a principal source of personal happiness? As a homeowner, do you consider your home a vessel of  happiness, or a financial asset, like stocks and bonds?

Curb Your Enthusiasm

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One of our favorite blogs, Curbed, has expanded into different business verticals, including food, shopping, and travel. Learn how Curbed founder Lockhart Steele turned his passion into a successful business venture.

http://www.businessinsider.com/business-news/mar-12-curbed-2010-3

Venus and Mars and Real Estate

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gender symbol 300x299 150x150 Venus and Mars and Real EstateA survey recently found that women are three times quicker in making a real estate decision than men …  women decide intuitively while men are more measured and methodical.

What do you think?

Out and About In Bronxville

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Bronxville is just one square mile, but it is filled with treasures – beautiful homes, a charming downtown, eclectic restaurants and great shopping, rolling topography, and a 28 minute ride to Midtown on Metro-North.

Bronxville borders Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, Tuckahoe and Eastchester. Two colleges, Concordia and Sarah Lawrence, give the Village a special energy that only the collegial life can generate. A local in-town farmer’s market runs from May through November and features organic produce, freshly baked bread and artisanal cheeses. With so many homes within walking distance to the Village, places like the farmer’s market, Metro-North, shopping and movies are accessible on foot.

Downtown Bronxville has English-style architecture that give the Village a distinctive and cosmopolitan feel, with a plethora of unique retail stores. Mano A Mano features beautiful glassware, pottery, furniture and dinnerware. The Silver Spoon, owned by a Bronxville native, is the go-to place for baby and children’s gifts.  Locals and students flock to Slave to the Grind for a great cup of coffee, a friendly and entertaining staff, and its 1970s vibe.  A few doors down is Underhills Crossing, a sophisticated bistro with a vibrant bar crowd and a menu of oysters that come from Maine to Washington. 

PSTEPHANIEPicturesSchoolsUpstateK 12BronxvilleSchoolcompressed Out and About In BronxvilleIt is the sense of community and fast friendships made between cradle-to-grave residents, and transient and relocating families that make Bronxville special. Bronxville High School, located in the heart of the village, brings residents together, whether they have kids in the school or not. Concordia College sponsors cultural events that residents eagerly attend. For sport enthusiasts, the Village of Bronxville offers it own staff paddle tennis pro, numerous paddle tennis courts and The Bronxville Gentleman’s Platform Tennis League, and The Bronxville Ladies Platform Tennis League, where the love of the game is on display twelve months a year. 

Bronxville may be small, but it has wide appeal for being known as the “suburb that is endlessly copied but never matched”.

Reports to Help You Sell and Find Your Home

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Houlihan Lawrence’s new website has been up and running for over a month and I hope you have had the chance to browse the site and try out some of our new features.  The site is a trove of information that will inform and educate you, and keep you abreast of changes and trends in your area.

We now offer two new reports that help you make smarter homebuying and selling decisions. For homeowners, Value Tracker monitors the activity in your area on homes comparable to your own. Emails provide active listings, recent sold and pending transactions, and average days on market on listings that meet your criteria. This up-to-the-minute information will help you gauge the value of your home based on the most current MLS data available. Call or email your Houlihan Lawrence agent to start receiving your personal Value Tracker.

For buyers, we know you want information now. Home Finder provides instant access to new listings, and price and status changes on properties that match your search criteria the minute they hit the market. Unlike most email listing alerts, Home Finder shows price reductions in both dollar and percentage values with mapping capabilities. Start your search with Houlihan Lawrence and sign up for Home Finder on our website.

Let me know if Value Tracker or Home Finder has helped you with the sale or search of your home.

Out and About in Bedford

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Tags: , , ,      Categories: Luxury Country Properties, Market Area, Out and About, Uncategorized, Westchester

It has bold-face name residents, a bed and breakfast owned by a movie star, and a picturesque village green. Bedford, which includes the hamlets of Bedford Hills, Bedford Village and Katonah, has a sense of authenticity and character that gives it it’s New England charm.farmhouseFromStreetWithSnow Out and About in Bedford

The historic buildings that grace the Village Green set the tone for this Rockwellian community. Bedford Historical Society maintains 10 buildings including The Post Office, Bedford Free Library, Jackson House, and Loudsbery Building.  Galleries, shops and restaurants add sophistication and a sense of surprise.

The outdoorsperson will never tire of all ways in which to absorb the beauty of the area. Bedford Riding Lanes Association maintains 100 miles of trails and dirt for hiking and horseback riding. Drivers enthusiastically give the right of way to neighbors on horseback.

Music lovers flock to Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, a performing arts center in Katonah. Caramoor’s outdoor music pavilion is surrounded by formal gardens and a Mediterranean style villa that houses year-round music educational programs.   The Katonah Museum of Art celebrates the visual arts with exhibitions and educational programs that explore ideas about art, culture, and society.

For foodies, there are local farms like Cabbage Hill, Daisy Hill, and Guard Hill that grow organic fruits and vegetables and are purveyors of artisanal cheeses and meats. Bedford resident Richard Gere may be lurking by the arugula or Martha Stewart could be declaring the peaches a good thing, which makes this rural area of Westchester County a pleasure for all the sense.

Diary of a Downsizer, Part 2

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As you may recall, Judi Smith, Houlihan Lawrence’s Larchmont Manager recently downsized and we are following her journey as a downsizer. 

Once Judi decided to sell her home and downsize, she created a “to-do” list to prepare her home for the market. She eliminated obvious buyer objections in order to maximize the number of potential of buyers. For example, she had an old bathroom which she knew would turn off buyers, and her house was filled to the brim and cluttered with 30 years of belongings.

“We took two months of working non-stop to prepare the house for sale.  This preparation included gutting and renovating a bathroom, and moving possessions into storage. The exterior had been painted in the spring, and we also did interior touch ups.  The windows were washed, the garden re-planted where needed, the house was cleaned to within a inch of its life!” said Judi. The house was ready for prime time!

Now came for the most important decision – pricing. She used the collective knowledge of the agents in her office and asked them for their professional pricing opinion. “The Houlihan Lawrence pricing committee had a wide variety of possible prices.  We chose the low end for our list price with the strategy of creating the largest number of potential buyers for the house”. 

Many sellers feel this is a risky strategy because they could potentially be leaving money on the table. But with instant dissemination of information – via email listing alerts and on-the-ball agents – Judis BackYard 150x150 Diary of a Downsizer, Part 2 informed buyers immediately know when a new listing hits the market and recognize value. “My house came on the market on a Wednesday” said Judi. “By Thursday morning we had 6 offers!  The house sold for significantly over asking price.”

The sale of Judi’s home was a case study in doing everything right – from getting the house in tip-top shape, to strategic market pricing that created multiple offers, and ultimately selling at over the asking price.

What do think of Judi’s pricing strategy?

Diary of a Downsizer, Part 1

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Categories: Buying, Downsizing, Houlihan Lawrence News, Relocation, Uncategorized, Westchester

Judis House1 150x150 Diary of a Downsizer, Part 1To downsize, or not to downsize?  That is the question many homeowners face as grown children leave the nest. Their home, not mention it’s maintenance, taxes and size, become more than they need.

Downsizing generally means moving from a larger to a smaller home. A homeowners reason for downsizing may be varied – shrinking family (the kids are grown and house is too big); economical (the mortgage is too big);  practical (too much time spent on maintenance);  desire for new lifestyle (suburban to urban). Regardless of your motives, the decision is never simple.

Houlihan Lawrence’s Larchmont Branch Manager, Judi Smith, made the decision to downsize recently when her last child went off to college. “The economics of downsizing eases the burden of financial responsibilities like continuing college and post-graduate education, helping children get settled in apartments, and hopefully weddings down the road. These eventualities have to be planned for.” 

Beyond the practical issues, many downsizers look forward to a new exciting chapter in their life. Judi has “spent the better part of our adult lives taking care of houses in the suburbs and would now like to make more interesting use of our time.”

Is downsizing in your future? Stay tuned for future posts about Judi’s downsizing experiences.

Going On Around The Region

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Don’t miss out on these interesting and entertaining upcoming events.

Concordia College Going On Around The RegionBusiness Breakfast at Concordia College in Bronxville -Tuesday, November 10th @7AM

Houlihan Lawrence COO Chris Meyers offers an update on the housing market and the challenges ahead for buyers and sellers. Open to the public. For more information, contact www.concordia-ny.edu.

Grande Folly 150x150 Going On Around The RegionCooking Classes at Grande Folly in South Salem - November 15th and 17th

Famed celebrity chef, Nisa Lee, will be hosting cooking classes in the magnificent kitchen of this historic Queen Anne Victorian. Cost is only $50. Register at www.NisaLee.com or contact Anita Zander of the Houlihan Lawrence Katonah brokerage for more information.

 

Chappaqua Antiques Show 150x150 Going On Around The RegionChappaqua Antiques Show – November 7th and 8th.

One of Westchester County’s premier shows, 55 select dealers from near and far will be presenting their wares. Bring your favorite antiques for an appraisal ($10 per item) or enjoy a free consultation with an interior design expert. Proceeds benefit the New Castle Historical Society. Contact www.newcastlehistoricalsociety.org  for more information.

 

Caramoor 150x150 Going On Around The RegionCaramoor Center for Music and the Arts – Katonah

Caramoor presents Rising Stars I and II on November 7th and 8th. Artists will be performing Schubert, Dvorak and Brahms. Visit www.caramoor.org for a full schedule of upcoming performances.