ALBANY—New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo citing the legislation’s potential costs, reached an agreement on Dec. 18 with the State Legislature to have three state agencies study the fiscal impacts of establishing the New York State First-Time Homebuyer Savings Program. The governor signed the New York First Time Homebuyer Savings Program (NY First Home) bill…
Read MoreALBANY—Rockland County, reversing years of earlier frustration in landing state funding under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Consolidated Funding Application competition, took home an impressive $5.8 million in CFA funding in this year’s competition. Rockland County Executive Ed Day said the awards include funds to expand private businesses, revitalize communities and encourage tourism. "This investment in Rockland…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—It is no longer just millennials fueling interest and investment in walkable communities. According to a new report from the National Association of Realtors, members of the silent or greatest generation (those born before 1944) also prefer smaller homes in neighborhoods with easy walks to shops and restaurants. The 2017 National Community and Transportation Preference…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—As expected, in a procedural vote the House of Representatives approved the Tax Cut and Jobs Act on Wednesday. The controversial measure passed 224-201, with no support from Democratic Congressional representatives. A total of 12 House GOP members voted against the bill. The Senate passed the bill earlier in the morning by a 51-48 margin.…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Westchester County Executive-Elect George Latimer announced his first key administration appointments and all are very well known and respected in political, business and media circles in the county. Latimer announced on Dec. 19 that he had nominated retiring County Legislator Ken Jenkins to be his Deputy County Executive, former New York State Department of…
Read MoreAfter Bringing County Back From Financial Brink Day Looks to Advance Key Policies in Second Term NEW CITY—The chief focus of Rockland County Executive Ed Day’s first four years in office was to implement governmental and budgetary reform to improve county government operations and put the days when county government was on the brink of…
Read MorePredicting the real estate market is about as easy as timing the stock market, due to the complex interplay of forces that create the market. Four basic numbers tend to drive real estate—home sales, home prices, months supply of inventory and mortgage rates. The economy, encompassing inflation and unemployment, as well as policy decisions on…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—With House and Senate Republicans putting the final touches on federal tax reform legislation, Realtors both here and across the nation are preparing for the bill’s passage, possibly before Christmas, and what impacts it could bring to the housing market in 2018. Prominent local Realtors offered mixed opinions on what impacts tax reform will…
Read MoreTARRYTOWN—Westchester County Executive-Elect George Latimer met with county business leaders on Dec. 12th and said that Republicans and Democrats in county government must work together to face new business and political realities. He also said that because the county budget for 2018 has yet to be finalized, he feels somewhat “hamstrung” in trying to implement…
Read MoreALBANY—Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Dec. 13 that the Mid-Hudson region was selected as top performer among the state’s 10 regional economic development councils, landing a total of $84.8 million in state funding for 113 projects. More than $755 million in economic and community development funding was awarded through Round VII of the Regional Economic…
Read MoreBarry Kramer, one of the two principal brokers of Westchester Choice Realty Inc. in Scarsdale, has the distinction of being both the HGAR 2017 Realtor of the Year and the 2018 HGAR President. “I didn’t’ think I could be a Realtor of the Year and president at the same time, so I was really surprised,”…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—In addition to Rockland County Executive Ed Day who recently told Real Estate In-Depth that New York State taxpayers were getting “sandbagged” by the federal tax reform plan, other key state and local leaders also blasted various components of the GOP House and Senate tax reform plans that at press time were being debated…
Read MoreNEW CITY—Rockland County Executive Ed Day presided over the permanent closure of the six-story Sain office building here on Dec. 5th where he urged county lawmakers to facilitate the multi-million dollar sale of the property to make way for a senior assisted living facility. Day announced that the last of the county departments operating at…
Read MoreNEW YORK CITY—The Regional Plan Association in its fourth regional plan says some residents of the New York City metro region are not enjoying the benefits of the robust NYC economy due in large part to the lack of investment in the area’s infrastructure, housing and quality of life. In its 373-page report released on…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Residential brokerage firm Douglas Elliman announced on Dec. 4 it had promoted its chief operating officer, Scott Durkin to president and chief operating officer effective immediately. Durkin, a 30-year real estate veteran and protégée of Barbara Corcoran, joined Douglas Elliman in 2015 as executive vice president of acquisitions and growth. He was promoted to…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Mastercard, which is headquartered in Purchase, is significantly expanding its operations in New York City, signing a lease to occupy approximately 212,500 square feet of space at a Fifth Avenue office building. The deal nearly triples the company’s presence in New York City. The new lease deal will have the credit card giant occupy…
Read MoreHARRIMAN—New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo traveled to Orange County on Wednesday to announce the impending start of construction on the long-awaited Exit 131 project adjacent to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets. New York State officials announced that Yonkers Contracting Co. Inc. and subcontractor design firm HNTB were awarded the Design-Build contract. A spokesman for Yonkers Contracting,…
Read MoreThere are new Department of State regulations that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2017 and will expire Oct. 1, 2022 concerning cease and desist zones in parts of the Bronx and Queens counties. The DOS determined that these new rules were warranted to prevent what were perceived by the public to be intense, repeated…
Read MoreNEW CITY—Republican Rockland County Executive Ed Day, who recently easily won re-election to a second term of office, says that New York taxpayers are being “sandbagged” by the federal tax reform proposal now being debated by Congress. In an exclusive interview with Real Estate In-Depth at his offices in New City, County Executive Day was…
Read MoreSCARSDALE, NY—Ginsburg Development Companies has sold the retail condominium component of its Christie Place mixed-use project across from the Scarsdale Metro North train station. Knowledgeable sources have informed Real Estate In-Depth that the deal was valued at $17 million. The sale to an unidentified private investor was announced by brokerage firm Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P.,…
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