WHITE 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 ROCHELLE—RXR Realty announced on March 31 that the Louis R. Cappelli Foundation had pledged $200,000 to RXR’s COVID relief efforts in New Rochelle, for a total of $1.2 million to support organizations helping New Rochelle residents impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis. Funding will go towards programs to address both immediate needs, as…
Read MoreAs I sit here trying to find words of advice for consumers to navigate through the financial portion of COVID-19, my emotions are all over the place. It’s difficult to talk about finances when we’re all going through so much more, although, I know this information is important and crucial for some to protect against…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Nearly half of Realtors—48%—said home buyer interest had decreased due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a new survey from the National Association of Realtors released on March 19. That percentage tripled from a week earlier when it stood at 16%. Almost seven in 10 Realtors—69%—said there’s no change in the number of homes on…
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 MoreWASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded more than $3 million to fair housing organizations in New York State, including a total of $425,000 to White Plains-based Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. to confront violations of the nation's landmark Fair Housing Act and help end housing discrimination. HUD awarded a total of more…
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 MoreWHITE PLAINS—The real estate industry, except for those undertaking limited virtual business, was all but shut down by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo effective 8 p.m. Sunday, March 22 in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus. The Executive Order issued on March 20 mandated the temporary closure of all in-office personnel…
Read MoreALBANY—New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli issued a revised revenue projection for the 2020-2021 state budget that estimates tax revenue will be at least $4 billion below the projections in the Executive Budget of $87.9 billion if a mild recession results from the novel coronavirus pandemic. He also offered one alternative scenario if a…
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…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—As governments across the globe deal with the spread of the Novel Coronavirus—or COVID-19—the crisis hit home earlier this week when it was learned that an attorney from New Rochelle tested positive for the virus. On March 4, Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed reports that in addition to the 50-year-old attorney, three members of his…
Read MoreCORNWALL ON HUDSON—The Hudson Gateway Realtor Foundation, the charitable arm of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, recently presented a $3,000 donation check to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, based here. The Food Bank of the Hudson Valley is dedicated to alleviating hunger, while preventing the waste of wholesome food. It is a…
Read MoreELMSFORD—Locally-based Robert Martin Company LLC announced on Feb. 25 it had signed a 10,000-square-foot lease for a new child care center at The Elm, a new luxury rental mixed-use building located adjacent to the Saw Mill Parkway in Elmsford. The new child care center, which is expected to have its grand opening this summer, will…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—The United States homeownership rate has recently seen a rebound to 65.1% in the fourth quarter of 2019 from a low of 62.9% in the second quarter of 2016. While the increase in the overall homeownership rate is encouraging, there continues to be a significant racial homeownership gap in America that needs to be addressed.…
Read MoreBRONXVILLE—Locally-based Park Sterling Realty reports that the majority of the sales force of longtime Hastings-on-Hudson residential brokerage Peter J Riolo Real Estate, including its co-owner and president Peter J. Riolo, Jr., have joined the firm. Leah Caro, co-owner of Park Sterling Realty, states that Peter J. Riolo Jr., along with office manager Sharlene Forman and…
Read MoreTOWN OF WALLKILL—The golf course industry nationwide and in the New York metro region continues to struggle with declining memberships and revenues. A host of facilities in the Hudson Valley have turned to either outright sale or multifamily development on their course properties to increase revenues. These deals in some cases are geared to maintaining…
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