Posts Tagged Westchester County


After Irene

0 Comments By Bobbi Egan on September 6th, 2011
Tags: , , , , , , , ,      Categories: Events

Last week we were all wondering where we were during the earthquake. Now the question of the day is, how did you make out with “Irene?”

The wide spread storm system was pretty incredible and not something we experience very often, luckily. The major issues became downed trees and limbs, extensive flooding of basements and washed-out  roads. Residents throughout Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties experienced long and short-term interruptions in their electric service, with some storm-affected customers still without power since Sunday, August 28th.

The three utility companies that service our area, Con Edison, NYSEG and Central Hudson have been working around the clock to restore electrical power to their customers. As of 9/1, Con Edison has restored electricity to 97% percent of their customers. NYSEG has restored power to 88% of their customers and Central Hudson has restored power to 85% of their customers. Dry ice seems to be in short supply, however, so there may be a lot of spoiled food to deal with.

According to Con Edison’s morning update, communities in Westchester with the highest number of customers still without power due to the storm include North Castle, Cortlandt, Mount Pleasant and New Castle. Damage from Tropical Storm Irene set a new record with 187,000 customers losing power in Westchester and New York City.

Dutchess County has been declared a disaster area as a result of Hurricane Irene making the county eligible for Public Assistance-financial aid to local governments as well as Individual Assistance-financial aid for homeowners, renters and businesses. With the Individual Assistanceprogram, residents of Dutchess County can register for aid within FEMA’s eligibility guidelines. Included in the program are grants for repairs and for rent of alternative housing, low-interest disaster loans from the USBA and grants for other serious needs. Register online at
http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov

Some things to consider “After Irene”:

  • If you haven’t already done so, carefully look around the outside of your home to see if anything is broken or damaged from the storm.
  • Check your homeowners policy and speak with you agent if see if you have a covered loss.  Water in basements is generally only covered by a flood insurance policy so you need to check.
  • If you have incurred water damage, remove and dry everything as quickly as possible. Clean and mop up what you can if it’s safe to do so, and open doors and window to let fresh air in.  Dehumidify or run your air conditioner to get the moisture out of your home.
  • Take photos or video of your home and contents that were damaged by the storm. It important to itemize and document your losses.
  • Be aware of any storm-related assistance made available in your area by keeping in touch with media sources, internet, newspapers etc.
  • Try to be patient. No electricity and no generator can be very hard to deal with, especially for long periods.
  • There are still wires on the ground so please assume that all downed wires are alive with electricity.
  • Check refrigerated food for spoilage if the power has been off during the storm. Check your insurance policy to see if losses are covered with deductibles waived.

Hope you are one of the fortunate ones who survived Irene unscathed.  Not everyone was so lucky. It’s a great time to help your neighbors get through this or make a donation to one of the many charitable organizations that are providing food and shelter for those impacted by the storm.

As Labor Day weekend passed, the American Red Cross is still hard at work helping disaster-hit communities across our region. To make a donation, visit http://www.redcross.org

REALTORS® Help Rebuild New Orleans

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on November 18th, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Dutchess, Houlihan Lawrence News, Putnam, Relocation, Westchester

In 2006, my friend, Terry Kirkwood of Duffy Real Estate, and I were part of the REALTOR team that worked on a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans during the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Annual Convention held a year after Katrina struck. So when NAR announced we’d be returning to New Orleans for their annual convention this fall we jumped at the chance to participate again.

We donned our jeans and t-shirts and joined about 100 other Realtors from around the Country to help rebuild in the parts of New Orleans that were hardest hit. Our volunteer day was largely spent in the Upper 9th Ward working on homes on Frenchmen Street. The homes we worked on had just recently been built. In fact, they still lacked flooring, appliances, plumbing, etc. We were put on exterior painting detail which was great because it was such a beautiful day. And truth be told it’s probably best they didn’t trust us with hammers!

It was a truly rewarding experience. When our work was done for the day, the Habitat team led us on a tour of the Lower 9th Ward as well as a tour of the neighborhood and homes we helped rebuild in 2006. To see those homes, some decorated for Halloween, being enjoyed by families years later is heart warming.

It was a day I will always remember and if I’m ever going to be back in New Orleans I would do it all again. Check out some of my photos!

Did you know that there are families in need of housing and help throughout Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties of New York?

For more information on how you can get involved, visit: Habitat for Humanity Dutchess County, Habitat for Humanity of Westchester, or Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County.

HLtv Premieres

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on October 28th, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Dutchess, Market Area, Out and About, Putnam, Town Guides, Westchester

Watching videos on one of our three screens — computer, smart phone or TV – has become the choice of many for media consumption. According to Adweek, more than 10 billion videos were streamed in the U.S. last month alone. The marriage of sight, sound and motion make for compelling storytelling and that is why we have embarked on a new marketing project.

The Houlihan Lawrence Community Video series, a collection of “slice of life” videos for the communities we serve, recently launched at Houlihanlawrence.com/HLtv. The goal of the video series is to provide a vivid look into what it’s like to actually live in each of these towns.

These 2-minute videos, most town-specific, others capture larger swaths in Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam Counties, are in the voice of people who live and work in these communities. Many of the videos participants are City mayors, residents, town historians, small business owners, school principals, and little league coaches who make up the fabric of the community. In their own words, they share their experiences and stories about their community and provide a firsthand account of what makes their town so special.

We hope you enjoy the videos as much as our storytellers enjoyed speaking about their towns. Watch all the videos today at Houlihanlawrence.com/HLtv.

NYCBackyard HLtv Premieres

NYC's Backyard

Sports and Real Estate

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on June 29th, 2010
Tags: ,      Categories: Buying, Westchester

There was an interesting real estate article in the Sports section of the Journal News – yes the Sports section – regarding what would happen to real estate and local businesses if LeBron James were to sign with the Knicks and buy a home in Westchester County. The home the Journal News picked for Lebron was a Houlihan Lawrence listing,  Rosewood in Chappaqua, NY.

Houlihan Lawrence COO Chris Meyers was quoted, saying that many players in the late 90s and early 2000s bought homes in Purchase, NY — when one bought several more followed because they like being close to one another.  With over 90 homes above $5m currently listed, LeBron has a lot to choose from if and when they call New York home.  

Sports is big business with super-sized salaries. The residual revenue that a marquee sport figure could generate for a community is staggering. Read the full article, Area would benefit if LeBron came, from the Journal News.

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.

Out and About in Rye

0 Comments By Gay Prizio on January 29th, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Buying, Events, Market Area, Westchester

Rye Playland Out and About in RyeLife-long residents of Rye, New York, have often said “Who needs to go on vacation when you live in this beautiful town”.  And they are right.

A  leisurely day in Rye, situated along the Long Island Sound, in Westchester County can truly mimic a faraway place filled with sandy beaches, great restaurants, eclectic and sophisticated retail stores, golf, tennis, nature walks, and historical sites.

Our vacationers start their day on Purchase Street, Rye’s main shopping district and pick up the morning papers at the Rye Smoke Shoppe. The have breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien (same as those in NYC) and chat with others at the communal table. A few steps off Purchase Street is the Rye YMCA, where she takes a Pilates class and he works out in the state-of-the-art-fitness center. The next stop is a visit to the Rye Historical Society, where they view artifacts that describe life in Rye dating back to 1660.

While on Purchase Street, they shop at Plaza Too, Arcade Bookstore, and Woodrow Jeweler and pick up a few trinkets to remember the day. A quick lunch at Rubys’ Oyster Bar, where the cheese fondue is sublime, fuels our vacationers’ afternoon activities.

The sand and surf of Oakland Beach beckon our vacationers as they dig their toes into the sand, mesmerized by the sparking water of Long Island Sound. Adjacent to Oakland Beach is Playland Amusement Park and its infamous Dragon Coaster, which is oldest all-wood roller coaster in the country. The late afternoon sky offers a choice between an early round of cocktails at Seaside Johnnies or a late round of golf at Rye Golf Club, a city owned golf course and pool. (Which would you choose?)

Our vacationers’ day winds down at The Rye Grill and Bar, where friends enjoy it’s convivial atmosphere and something-for-everyone menu.  Filled to the brim with sun, sand, great food and happy memories, our vacationers stroll to their Rye residence, pleased that stay-cation has finally become a real word.

“Less” is the new “More” in Luxury Real Estate

0 Comments By Anthony Cutugno on January 27th, 2010
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Buying, Luxury Country Properties, Luxury market, Market Conditions

Less conspicuous that is. From jewelry to luxury cars to luxury homes, reports are widespread that in response to our slowed economy and public opinion, the new luxury buyer is more restrained in their purchases than ever before.

But for those of us in the luxury real estate business, the good news is that high-end homebuyers are back in the market and buying.

Luxury home sales experienced a resurgence at the end of 2009 and based on our recent sales, first quarter 2010 promises to be even stronger.  Read more about the new habits of the affluent buyer in this recent New York Times article, “Ready to Spend, But Not To Boast”.

Tell us how the economy has changed the way you spend. Are you still holding back on major purchases, or are you experiencing the “frugal fatigue” cited in the article and finally treating yourself to some indulgences?

Real Estate vs. the Stock Market

0 Comments By Chris Meyers on December 22nd, 2009
Tags: , ,      Categories: Buying, Market Conditions, Selling, Westchester

The Wall Street Journal  reported yesterday that  “in nearly 200 years of recorded stock-market history, no calendar decade has seen such a dismal performance as the 2000s.”

Indeed, the real estate market will remember 2009 as a turbulent year, but over the past 10 years, prices in most areas are still above what they were in 2000. In Westchester County the median sold price was $410,000 in 2000; the median sold price in 2009 is $580,000 which is equivalent to a 29% appreciation over the past 10 years.

Westchester’s market peaked in 2007 with a median sold price of $685,000. Based on MLS data, if you bought at the peak, your home is worth 15% less now than when you purchased. This data also shows that today’s median sold price is about level with 2003 prices. Your level of gain or pain depends on the timing of your purchase.

Do you look at the value of your home the same way you look at your stock portfolio?

Don’t Miss Out On Your Dream House

0 Comments By Elizabeth Nunan on August 10th, 2009
Tags: , , ,      Categories: Buying

If I could give any new buyer advice, it would be: educate yourself on the process of how real estate is conducted in the area you’re buying in. Knowledge is power. Nobody likes surprises in a real estate transaction.

The process of purchasing a home in our corner of Southern New York State vastly differs from what you may be familiar with if you’ve bought and sold in other parts of the country. It can be a frustrating experience if you aren’t educated beforehand on what to expect.

Let’s say you’ve found your dream home in Westchester County and you want to put in an offer.

The first step is to verbally negotiate through your agent. The items to be negotiated are: the price you’re willing to pay, the closing and occupancy dates, any contingencies such as a mortgage contingency, and any personal property to be included/excluded. An earnest money deposit is not common in this area, nor is a fill-in-the-blank contract of sale.

Once you and the seller agree to the terms of the sale, you would apply for your financing and arrange for any inspections such as engineering and pest inspections. Then the seller’s attorney draws up the contract of sale based on the agreed upon terms.

This is the time period in which you may feel a pit in your stomach. You really only have a verbal agreement. It’s what we call an “acceptable offer”. The possibility still exists that someone may make an offer more acceptable to the seller based on price, terms, etc. The seller always has the option to entertain any other offers and the listing agent, by law, is required to present all offers to the seller.

Only a signed contract between you and the seller obligates you to one another. And that signed contract needs to be delivered back to you to take that worry off your shoulders.

Once the contract is sent to your attorney, you have the opportunity to review it before signing. After you sign, it is returned to the seller’s attorney so the seller can sign. Along with the signed contract, you submit a check for 10% (typically) of the purchase price and that’s held in escrow by the seller’s attorney.

 Your closing will take place at an agreed upon time by the attorney’s and possession generally takes place after the closing.

The process is really only frustrating to those that have lost out on their dream home because the seller accepted another buyer’s offer after accepting their offer first. It doesn’t seem fair but it does happen occassionally, and it is legal.