The cost of maintaining local government is going up, but the state portion of funding and state aid is not keeping up with the rising cost of upkeep. This is forcing cities like Yonkers and others to institute various regressive tax hikes such as transfer tax hikes and mortgage recording tax hikes. The problem with…
Read MoreRYE—There is now a standard to measure how buildings can affect the health of people occupying them. It's called the WELL Building Standard ™. Based on the belief that buildings should be developed with people's health and wellness at the center of design, WELL™ was established by the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI), a public…
Read MoreRYE—Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England and Westchester Properties announced recently the opening of its Rye office at 22 Purchase St. in the heart of downtown Rye. The latest opening gives the company a total of 53 offices and nearly 1,800 agents. Heading the office is Harrison resident, Margaret Grasso. “Our Rye outpost provides us with…
Read MoreNEW ROCHELLE—Meadow Lane Senior Apartments, a new independent senior housing complex at United Hebrew of New Rochelle, has received a $250,000 grant from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation that will support its $6-million construction. The project adds 32 low-income apartments—24 one-bedroom units and eight studios—to United Hebrew’s senior housing stock, which also includes Soundview…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Westchester County has both good and bad news on the foreclosure front. A familiar pattern continues as the number of judgments entered on foreclosed properties rose more than 8% over the same period last year. The number of new foreclosure filings dropped almost 27% when compared to last year’s first quarter. The Westchester County…
Read MoreMOUNT VERNON– Redwood Realty Advisors announced on May 16th the closing of two apartment buildings in Mount Vernon for a price of $7.5 million and a cap rate of 6.9%. The two properties are located on the same block of South Second Avenue. The sale included one 34-unit apartment building and a second mixed-use apartment…
Read MoreCROTON-ON-HUDSON—Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, part of the HSF Affiliates LLC family of real estate brokerage franchise networks, and BHHS River Towns Real Estate have launched a new campaign and a consumer sweepstakes. Advertisements launched March 7th with 30- and 15-second spots airing on HGTV, one of the top networks with familiar programming such as Love It…
Read MoreDANBURY, CT—The Westchester County offices of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Connecticut and Westchester County were recently named a Platinum Award winner by the Cartus Broker Network for their outstanding performance during the past year. The award was presented at the 2016 Cartus Broker Network International Conference held recently at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort…
Read MoreNEW YORK—In response to increasing local interest by Chinese homebuyers and investors, residential brokerage firm Houlihan Lawrence has launched a Traditional Chinese-language version of its website. The site offers a seamless browsing experience for Chinese viewers by pairing a curated selection of properties with deep links to its premier listings translated on LuxuryPortfolio.com. “We are…
Read MoreNEW CITY—Rockland County has embarked on an aggressive campaign to compel slumlords to remedy code violations that have forced tenants to live in dangerous and unsanitary conditions. Under Rockland County Executive Ed Day, the county government has also embarked on an effort to expedite the foreclosure process on non-residential tax delinquent properties. The Rockland Codes…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has leveled charges of housing discrimination against a White Plains cooperative—Tompkins Manor at 505 Central Park Ave.—for refusing to grant an exception to its policies that would allow a person with disabilities to buy a unit there. The case came to HUD’s attention after a unidentified…
Read MoreNEW CITY—After about five months serving on the Clarkstown Town Council, Realtor Valerie Moldow resigned on Monday evening (May 2), citing “unforeseen personal and family matters.” Moldow, an Associate Broker with Keller Williams Hudson Valley Realty of New City, was appointed to the post in January to fill the position vacated by newly elected Town…
Read MoreThe proposed budget for the city of Yonkers includes a 100% increase in the real estate transfer tax. The tax would be increased to 3% from the current 1.5%. This would be devastating for home values in Yonkers as well as to residents needing to sell their homes. In the case of a $500,000 home…
Read MoreRYE—Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England and Westchester Properties announced recently the opening of its Rye Office at 22 Purchase St. in the heart of downtown Rye. The latest opening gives the company a total of 53 offices and nearly 1,800 agents. Heading the office is Harrison resident, Margaret Grasso. “Our Rye outpost provides us with…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Bolstered by large gains in the Northeast and Midwest, existing-home sales bounced back in March and remained slightly up from a year ago, the National Association of Realtors reports. Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, jumped 5.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.33 million…
Read MoreIt’s that time of year again…Spring! Traditionally, it is this time of year when sellers revisit their future plans and seriously consider putting their homes on the market. Similarly, buyers, rejuvenated by the warmer weather, crave a new start and itch to move. Having had a very mild winter with only a few snowstorms to…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Once again, the annual Fair and Affordable Housing Expo attracted hundreds of individuals and families from Westchester and the surrounding area looking to purchase or rent a home in the county. More than 700 individuals attended the 2016 Fair and Affordable Housing Expo on March 12. The free event held at the Westchester County…
Read MoreRYE—Recently, the Pace University Law School bestowed its Distinguished Service Award to Chris Carnicelli, CEO of Generali in the United States. Carnicelli is a 1993 graduate of Pace Law School and is the son of James and Evelyn Carnicelli, owners of HGAR affiliate Carnell Engineering of Valhalla. Early in his career, Chris Carnicelli worked at…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The long awaited move of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors from its offices at the soon to be demolished Westchester Pavilion mall to offices down the street at the Source at White Plains complex was completed earlier this month. Boxes were packed and movers and staff completed the office move on Friday, April…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The Hudson Valley home sales market in the first quarter continued its upward trajectory, with increased sales throughout the four county region. However, the market has yet to truly become a seller’s market since sale prices were flat or even decreased in the four county HGAR region. A majority of all housing categories (single…
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