As the real estate industry in the Hudson Valley and the New York City metro region continues to adhere to new practices and safety protocols brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Realtors’ acceptance and adaption to new technologies have been seen by many observers as critical in preventing the sector’s economic collapse in the spring…
Read MoreNANUET—While the third quarter 2020 residential sales numbers will not be released by OneKey MLS until next month, Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty executive Joseph Rand in a sneak preview said the region is currently enjoying a very robust sales market. “The (sales) surge continues,” Rand said. He noted that in August, new deals…
Read MoreNEW CITY—After the Rockland County Legislature narrowly defeated his proposal to increase local sales taxes and sell a shuttered county office building to offset declines in revenues due to COVID-19, Rockland County Executive Ed Day threatened that in response he may be forced to lay off hundreds of county workers and raise taxes by 10%…
Read MoreLOUDONVILLE, NY—A newly released survey reveals that New Yorkers have deep concerns about the coronavirus in terms of a potential second wave this fall as well as how local school districts and colleges are currently reopening. A poll released today (Sept. 2) by the Siena College Research Institute found that a little over half of…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Proof that the local home sales market is very strong despite the COVID pandemic can be found in the latest statistics released today by the National Association of Realtors. NAR reports that existing-home sales in the Northeast rose by a record 30.6% in the month of July. NAR reported that nationwide home sales continued on…
Read MoreNEW CITY—Saying the county is “being battered from all sides” from the coronavirus and faces significant revenue shortfalls ahead, Rockland County Executive Ed Day submitted three draft Resolutions to the County Legislature on Aug. 18 that include reviving a plan to sell a shuttered county-owned office building and raising the county’s sales tax. Day says…
Read MoreGOSHEN—In an attempt to take advantage of real estate and business market trends in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Orange County has decided to market more than 250 acres of land adjacent to Route 17 to New York City businesses looking to relocate out of Manhattan. Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus recently told Real…
Read MoreIn launching the new Real Estate In-Depth regular feature “Five Questions With,” the editor and publisher of the print and online newspaper seek to interview key newsmakers of the day and ask probing questions on matters that affect the readership’s business and day-to-day lives, but also provide insight into how and why certain decisions were…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors’ 104th Annual Meeting & Member Appreciation Day will be like none other in the association’s history. The October gathering, which normally draws more than 1,200 Realtors and related professionals to the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown, will be held virtually this year, via Zoom webinar, for safety concerns as…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Vornado Realty Trust announced on Aug. 3 that Facebook has leased all of the office space at The Farley Building totaling 730,000 square feet in Vornado’s Penn District. Vornado also released its second quarter financial results and the tremendous impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic on its operations and finances. The Farley Building is…
Read MoreSince early spring, when the coronavirus hit the New York metro area hard, headlines have been screeching about the residential flight from Manhattan and other parts of New York City. Newspapers, online publications, blogs, and broadcast media are continuously touting the mass exodus from The Big Apple. High-end luxury condo owners to students and young…
Read MoreALBANY—The fallout from an investigation late last year by Newsday that uncovered housing discrimination practices on Long Island has led to new harsh regulations imposed by New York State, including possible suspension or revocation of a Realtor’s license if found to have violated the state’s Human Rights Law. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Aug. 3 signed…
Read MoreNew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the National Governors Association are pressing Congress to include billions of dollars in financial assistance to state governments as part of the next COVID-19 aid package currently being debated in Washington, D.C. Gov. Cuomo in a letter to the New York Congressional delegation said that New York State is…
Read MoreWhile most economic news of late in this time of the coronavirus is usually described as “bleak” or “grim,” an international site selector speaking to a virtual meeting of the Orange County Partnership on July 22 indicated that the county’s prime location, available workforce and lower cost of land and housing will attract investment, particularly…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—National Association of Realtors Fair Housing Policy Director Bryan Greene said the current racial equality and COVID pandemic crises remind him of the classic motion picture— “Jaws” where actor Roy Scheider as Chief Martin Brody upon seeing the killer great white shark for the first time, says, “You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat.” Greene,…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The second quarter home sales market in the Hudson Valley, dominated by restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in New York State, struggled mightily with sales activity down significantly. Second quarter home sales, according to a recently released report by OneKey™ Multiple Listing Service LLC, were down anywhere from 39.8% in the…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Stymied by COVID-19 from on-site volunteer events since mid-March, the Hudson Gateway Realtor Foundation (HGRF) is carefully resuming volunteering with local charities and non-profit organizations throughout the Hudson Valley. On July 28, Realtor volunteers will join an outdoor event, sponsored by the Westchester County Parks Foundation, to clean up Twin Lakes Park in Eastchester.…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—After enduring months of setbacks brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, a new survey from the National Association of Realtors released on Thursday, July 9 shows that more than nine in 10 of its members believe they are in the process of recovering as many states start to reopen their economies. NAR's 2020 Market Recovery…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS— The optimism felt by residential real estate practitioners in the first quarter of 2020 when strong sales figures in the lower Hudson Valley region, served by OneKey™ Multiple Listing Service LLC, seemed to be an indication of a robust year ahead for residential real estate sales. This optimism took an abrupt left turn…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The membership of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, Inc. that participated in a more than two-hour virtual Special Meeting today, overwhelmingly approved a merger agreement with the Bronx Manhattan-North Association of Realtors, Inc. The more than 400 members who participated in the session, held via Zoom, also approved a number of bylaws amendments…
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