Kicking COVID to the Curb While the Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on people’s lives and careers, one New City agent not only managed to overcome the virus herself, but actually received offers on two homes, sight unseen, during these incredibly challenging times! Some may consider Betsy Estrella-Mejia a real estate “newbie,” earning her license…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY-18) in a more than 50-minute online session hosted by the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors recently offered his views on the COVID-19 crisis’ impacts on the real estate industry and how the federal government going forward will be assisting businesses in New York State affected by the pandemic.…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The current leadership of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors recently held a virtual information session on its new initiative for 2020—the Leadership Accelerator Program. As a result of the association’s recently developed Strategic Plan, the goal of this program is identifying and developing new leaders for HGAR’s future. The current leadership of the…
Read MoreBUCHANAN—A day that many business leaders have dreaded and environmentalists have hailed will come to pass tomorrow morning (April 30). The Indian Point Unit 2 reactor will be shut down by control room operators at the nuclear power plant complex here by Entergy Corp. The Indian Point 2 reactor has been in operation for more…
Read MoreALBANY—While President Donald Trump is pondering whether to restarting some segments of the economy in some areas by May 1, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that he will extend the state’s “On Pause” restrictions until May 15. The governor said the extension of the restrictions that include the closure of non-essential businesses, schools,…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The Novel Coronavirus has all but put the Hudson Valley real estate market “on pause” with Realtors forced since March 22 to navigate a myriad of regulations, including virtual showings only, to close residential transactions. A recently released report by OneKey Multiple Listing Service indicated that the market area of the Hudson Gateway Association…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The COVID-19 virus has changed all of our lives. Surgical masks and gloves are now part of our daily attire and “social distancing” has become the norm. Restaurants and bars are just empty shells of their past lives, nightclub floors are devoid of bands, movie theaters are ghost towns and video chatting has replaced…
Read MoreALBANY—In nearly a month of difficult economic news and tragic fatality numbers due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, a glimmer of hope has emerged that the state is beginning to consider how and when non-essential businesses could reopen in New York State. On Monday April 13, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a regional initiative with six…
Read MoreYONKERS—Ginsburg Development Companies has added to its portfolio of multifamily properties in the Greystone section of Yonkers with the recent purchase of the Stratus on Hudson, a 74-unit luxury rental building located at 1077 Warburton Ave. GDC purchased the property in Northwest Yonkers from Stamford, CT developer Randy Salvatore’s RMS Companies who completed the building…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Residential home sales figures for the first quarter of 2020 were strong and indicated that a robust year for residential sales in the lower Hudson Valley region, now served by OneKey Multiple Listing Service, would follow. According to a report released by OneKey Multiple Listing Service earlier this month, that aforementioned assumption has, of…
Read MoreALBANY—Less than 24 hours after the real estate industry was led to believe that in-person real estate showings were permitted by New York State comes a statement from Empire State Development that only virtual/online showings are permissible. On the evening of April 2, an official with Empire State Development Corp. in a clarification of the…
Read MoreALBANY—Commercial and residential real estate brokers and agents received some welcome if not surprising news on April 1 when the Empire State Development Corp. clarified existing regulations, put in place in response to the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic, and deemed residential and commercial showings and back office real estate work as “essential.” The clarification therefore allows…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Most private construction in New York State, including major development projects in New Rochelle, Yonkers and White Plains, have been temporarily shut down as a means to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus Pandemic. At a press briefing at the Javits Center in New York City on March 27, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo…
Read MoreGOSHEN—Days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced new restrictions on construction that all but shut down private construction in New York State, LEGOLAND New York Resort announced it was postponing its planned theme park opening on July 4th until sometime in 2021. On March 27, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced modifications to an existing executive order that…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a $2-trillion COVID-19 compromise economic relief package on March 25. The bill now goes to the U.S. House, where it is expected to pass, and President Trump has said he will sign the much-needed measure into law. The National Association of Realtors reports the bill includes $350 billion for the…
Read MoreALBANY—The New York State Association of Realtors posted online the latest guidance regarding the regulations impacting the real estate industry in connection with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive orders in connection with preventing the spread of the Coronavirus. The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) issued by NYSAR effective at 5 p.m. on March 24 answered a host…
Read MoreNEW YORK— The Long Island Board of Realtors, Inc. and the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, Inc. announced on March 24 that the first regional MLS for the New York Metro area—OneKey MLS—is now live for Realtor use. OneKey MLS offers real estate professionals more coverage, precise and accurate data. A consumer-facing website is set…
Read MoreMONTGOMERY—One of the more controversial commercial projects in Orange County secured a key approval on March 8 that will likely facilitate groundbreaking on the $120-million distribution facility later this spring if building restrictions related to the Coronavirus are lifted. The Montgomery Planning Board approved Medline Industries’ Final Environmental Impact Statement on its proposed 1.3-million-square-foot distribution…
Read MoreA Lifetime of Volunteering After spending 32 years working with the New York City Housing Authority, it’s no surprise that Amanda Martinez has a knack for finding people homes. The Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty agent actually started her real estate career just two years ago in the brokerage firm’s Goshen office, but has…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Non-profit fair housing agency Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. reported on March 9 it had filed suit against the ownership and manager of the 370-unit Tor View Village Apartments in Garnerville for alleged violations of federal, state and county fair housing laws. WRO charges in its litigation that individuals with mental disabilities were the subject…
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