NEW YORK—Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England/ Westchester/New York Properties announced on Aug. 3 that Diane Ramirez has been named Chief Strategy Officer of its New York City brokerage. Ramirez was most recently the executive chairman and senior advisor of Brown Harris Stevens, as well as the co-founder of Halstead. In her new role, Ramirez will…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Realtors view drones and cyber security as the most impactful emerging technologies to their business, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors released on Aug. 3. NAR's 2021 Technology Survey examined NAR members' current tech usage and attitudes about the future of real estate technology. In addition to drones (37%) and…
Read MoreVALHALLA—The Mount Pleasant Industrial Development Agency voted at its July 29th meeting final approval of financial incentives for the construction of a three-story building with 16 apartments and underground parking located at 500 Commerce St. in Hawthorne. The residential project, which received preliminary approval at the IDA’s June 2 meeting, represents a total private investment…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Residential brokerage firm Douglas Elliman, announced today that Dottie Herman has stepped down as its Chief Executive Officer. The firm has promoted President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Durkin to Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Herman, who purchased Douglas Elliman in 2003 in partnership with Douglas Elliman Chairman Howard M. Lorber, has been named…
Read MoreIt’s easy to see why the real estate community of Westchester County would celebrate a long, hard-fought battle for the passage of an amendment to the county’s co-op disclosure law (2018-11). The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors and the New York State Association of Realtors have been lobbying Albany lawmakers for statewide approval for 20…
Read MoreALBANY—Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on July 29 that as part of his $20-billion program to combat homelessness and create affordable housing, the state will provide a total of $195.5 million in financing for two housing developments in Westchester and two in the Bronx. The governor announced $270 million in financing for six affordable housing developments…
Read MoreALBANY—Several days after New York City issued the mandate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced that all New York State employees—about 130,000 people—will be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by Labor Day. The governor also announced that all patient-facing healthcare workers at state-run hospitals will be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by Labor…
Read MoreSLOATSBURG—Tucked into the northern reaches of Rockland County, a 120-acre wooded and lakeside development parcel in the private gated community of Pierson Lakes is being offered for sale for $10.5 million. The owner, Byron-Hill Homebuilders, is marketing the entire parcel to a single buyer or luxury home developer. The property, which has been in the…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Foreign buyers purchased $54.4 billion worth of U.S. existing homes from April 2020 through March 2021, a 27% decrease from the previous 12-month period and the fourth consecutive annual decline in foreign investment in U.S. residential real estate, according to a new report released by the National Association of Realtors. Foreign buyers purchased 107,000 properties,…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Existing-home sales increased in June, snapping four consecutive months of declines, according to the National Association of Realtors. Three of the four major U.S. regions registered small month-over-month gains, while the fourth remained flat. However, all four areas notched double-digit year-over-year gains. Existing-home sales in the Northeast increased 2.8% in June, recording an annual rate…
Read MoreHAVERSTRAW—The Village of Haverstraw released a Request for Proposal on July 21 for the development of two waterfront parcels currently known as the Chair Factory and Damiani Properties. The village has owned these parcels for several years. This more than nine-acre combined parcel sits on a peninsula at the foot of Main Street at the…
Read MoreEditor’s Note: This column first appeared in RISmedia. As a small business owner and president of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), I want to set the record straight on misconceptions by some about the real estate industry. Commissions for real estate agents and brokers are negotiable. Always have been. Always will be. Let’s put…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Residential real estate brokerage firm Douglas Elliman announced on July 19 that real estate veteran Richard Ferrari has joined the firm as president and CEO of Brokerage for New York City and the Northeast Region. In this role, Ferrari, a highly regarded industry expert, will oversee the firm’s New York City resale markets, including…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Brown Harris Stevens reports today that Christopher Halstead, the nephew of Halstead co-founder and real estate legend Clark Halstead, has joined the firm’s Connecticut residential brokerage operations as executive sales director. In the role, Halstead will work across all six of the Connecticut offices, supporting agents, respective management teams, and further helping shape business…
Read MoreNEWBURGH—Affordably priced housing continues to be out of reach for many Hudson Valley residents as rents are rising faster than wages, making the gap between what people can afford to pay and what it costs to rent in the region even wider, according to an analysis of data by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress’ Center…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Home sales activity in the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors’ region continued to be historically robust in the second quarter of this year, fueled by strong demand and a continued economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. All key data metrics throughout the region were significantly higher in the second quarter, with the exception of…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—It’s no secret that the residential housing buying frenzy is continuing with a vengeance in our region, with properties still receiving multiple offers and many would-be home buyers left in the dust. Low interest rates, currently hovering around 3%, are helping to ignite the desire for home ownership. Lenders throughout the New York metro…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Ginsburg Development Companies recently staged ceremonies marking key milestones on the development firm’s projects in Downtown White Plains and in Peekskill. The real estate community has been anxiously awaiting the grand opening of its $43.7-million White Plains project, which marked the first major office building in Westchester County to be converted into luxury rental…
Read MoreGOSHEN—In a no-holds barred interview, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus recently told Real Estate In-Depth that if Congress passes a large federal infrastructure bill, one of the first projects in New York State that should be funded is the expansion of Route 17, which could come with a price tag of more than $1 billion.…
Read MoreYONKERS—After the Yonkers City Council approved an amended Affordable Housing Ordinance late last month that would increase the affordable housing requirement for new development projects from 10% to 20%, Mayor Mike Spano vetoed the measure on July 7th saying it is infeasible without significant public subsidy. The mayor cited an independent report conducted by HR&A…
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