Instead of one theme for my column this month, I decided to briefly address a series of items that are on the front burner of the Association. As you review this edition of Real Estate In-Depth you will note the extensive coverage of our Lobby Day efforts in Albany on June 9th. Almost 40 members…
Read MoreALBANY—About 40 members of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors traveled to Albany by bus or car on June 9 to lobby state legislators on key legislation impacting the real estate industry. The legislative session was marred by the recent indictments of two of the most powerful state politicians—Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Senate…
Read MoreHASTINGS-ON-HUDSON—Ginsburg Development Companies, which recently began construction on major rental housing projects in Yonkers and Ossining, broke ground on May 7 on its $34.9-million The Lofts on Saw Mill River development here. The project, situated on a 7.45-acre site on Saw Mill River Road (Route 9A), will feature 66 loft-style rental apartments in three buildings.…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Cushman & Wakefield and DTZ have reached a definitive agreement to merge and are set to become one of the largest global real estate services companies. The deal was announced by both firms on May 11th. The new company, which will operate under the Cushman & Wakefield brand, will have revenues of more than…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—The nation’s leading housing economists spoke last month at an economic and policy forum to appraise the state of the U.S. housing market. The event, held by the National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders, and McGraw Hill Financial Global Institute, drew more than 80 attendees representing industry analysts, Congressional staff, and members…
Read MoreNEW CITY—Rockland County Executive Ed Day unveiled on April 30th the “Rockland Codes Initiative,” a sweeping effort to combat illegal housing and overcrowding in the county. The first phase of the initiative will utilize the broad powers of the Rockland County Department of Health to improve the local housing supply for all economic segments of…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors’ Board Director and civil rights and fair housing advocate Barry Kramer will receive the Pioneer of Fair Housing Award from non-profit housing services agency Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. at a dinner in his honor on Tuesday, June 30th. The awards dinner for the popular and affable Realtor will be…
Read MoreA lot has been said about keeping specific policies in place at the federal and state level to support home ownership. These policies include the soundness of the FHA, stopping a 20 % mandatory down payment requirement for first time home buyers and preserving the mortgage interest deduction There are many other policies that I…
Read MoreEASTCHESTER—Westchester Real Estate, Inc. recently celebrated the accomplishments of its top agents, along with announcing the launch of a new consumer e-newsletter, “Trending Today.” At an exclusive Awards & Networking luncheon at the Pelham Split Rock Golf Club on April 10, 2015, the elite group of top performing agents enjoyed a cocktail hour, lunch, brief…
Read MoreNEWBURGH—The RE/MAX Benchmark Realty Group participated in the 16th Annual Habitat for Humanity Walk for Housing at Washington’s Headquarters on April 26th. In conjunction with a bowling event held prior, the walk participants and fellow agents donated more than $500 towards the Walk for Housing. RE/MAX Benchmark Realty Group was also a corporate sponsor of…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s White Plains office held a grand re-opening celebration on May 7th for the completion of the renovations to its office space at 278 Mamaroneck Ave. A host of local dignitaries as well as representatives of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors attended the event.
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Vacation home sales boomed in 2014 to above their most recent peak level in 2006, while investment purchases fell for the fourth straight year, according to an annual survey of residential homebuyers released on April 1 by the National Association of Realtors. NAR’s 2015 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, covering existing- and new-home transactions…
Read MoreNYACK—Wright Bros. Real Estate Inc., a locally-based real estate brokerage firm serving Rockland County and the lower Hudson Valley, has been selected for membership in the Chicago-based Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. It was announced on May 1 that Wright Bros. had joined Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a global network…
Read MoreMOUNT VERNON– MacQuesten Development LLC and New York State Homes and Community Renewal held a groundbreaking ceremony late last month on a new $31.5-million mixed-use Transit-Oriented Development for downtown Mount Vernon. The Modern, to be built on an underutilized former industrial area, will include 80 affordable rental apartments and approximately 9,400 square feet of commercial,…
Read MoreALBANY—The New York State Legislature passed a $142-billion budget on-time budget on March 30 that includes some controversial education reform, campaign finance reform, as well as enhanced infrastructure spending thanks to $5.4-billion in bank court settlement revenue. For the real estate industry, Gov. Cuomo earmarked some of the one-time bank funds for financing of the…
Read MoreWHAT’S NEW FOR HGAR EDUCATION IN 2015? AFTER HOURS PROGRAM Complete Your Required 22.5 Hours Of Continuing Education In The Evenings.8 Evening Sessions, including the required 3 hours of Fair Housing for only…..$199.00/Members $269.00/Non-Members (pre-registration required) Goshen – May 2015 -6:00pm-9:15pm 5/5/15-Distressed Market Guide; 5/7/15-Fair Housing; 5/12/15-NAR Ethics; 5/14/15-Short Sale Solutions; 5/19/15-Real Estate Auctions 101; 5/21/15-Communication Skills;…
Read MoreCommunications and Member Services Director of Communications Mary Prenon provided the report from the Communications Council, advising that a new HGAR Member Perks Program has been launched. Enrollment is free and the program provides access to exclusive offers and discounts from popular merchants. Approximately 400 people have already signed up. Prenon further advised that the…
Read MoreSpring is in full spring! Whatever does that mean? One sure sign of spring is that golfers are returning to the links. So why not examine the Westchester County real estate market using a golf analogy? But first, a little background. The fourth quarter of 2014, as well as 2014 as a whole, showed strong…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS– ERA Insite Realty Services in White Plains represented both the seller and purchaser of a multi-unit townhouse development close to downtown White Plains that recently closed, the company reported recently. The property sold for $2.5 million. The seller, Chris Suriano, was represented by Michael D’Onofrio and Louis Budetti, and the buyer, 24 Gatehouse…
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