Viewpoints

Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: October Legislative Update

October 7, 2019

Increases in transfer tax rates, a.k.a. mansion tax, have already affected sales and sale prices of co-ops and condos in Manhattan According to an article published in the New York Times, recent sales were down 14.2% and sales price fell 8.2%. According to the article, days on market are the longest they’ve been since 2012.…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: A New Path Forward

September 16, 2019

Earlier this year, HGAR embarked upon a new strategic planning process. Our previous strategic plan was implemented in 2014 and while that plan has served us well, it was time to take stock of the organization and develop a new road map on how to move forward with the greatest possible impact to benefit the…

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Ron Garafalo

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: It’s Time to Step Up for Our Industry

September 13, 2019

Hello to all my friends at HGAR. As summer ends and fall begins, we start thinking about the beauty of the Hudson Valley. Tens of thousands will be visiting our area to view the beauty of the fall foliage, visit our farms and explore all that our region has to offer. We have many Realtor…

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Joshua Levin

GUEST VIEWPOINT: What You Need to Know About Westchester’s Cooperative Disclosure Law

September 11, 2019

After a public hearing and discussion, on Dec. 14, 2018, Westchester County enacted the Cooperative Housing Corporation Disclosure Law. The provisions of the Disclosure Law went into effect on Dec. 14, 2018. The Disclosure Law can be found in Section 700.21-a of the Westchester County Fair Housing Law. Westchester County joins the following municipalities and…

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Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: Solutions to Solving the Housing Affordability Crisis

September 9, 2019

The United States has a housing crisis. There are essentially two components to it that leaders in state capitals across the country have refused or been unable to tackle effectively. Some states are starting to get innovative in how they handle this problem. The first issue occurs where local governments refuse to build affordable housing…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: Carmel-Kent Chamber Speaks Out Against Proposed Truck Wash

September 9, 2019

Henry Boyd, the president of the Carmel-Kent Chamber of Commerce, has weighed in on behalf of their Board of Directors with an e-mail to its membership regarding the proposed truck wash on Route 52 in Kent. The area is blighted, this project would only serve to further that stigma, and so they are strongly and…

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Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: Association Health Plans Would Help Realtors in New York

August 30, 2019

Health insurance is of the utmost importance to every American no matter what profession they are in. It can determine what type of care someone gets and what level of care they can afford. Realtors are independent contractors and, in most cases, cannot obtain health care through their brokerage affiliation. If the Realtor is a…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: Don’t Take Leadership for Granted

August 16, 2019

Every August the National Association of Realtors brings together the CEOs and President Elect’s from all of the local Realtor Associations from around the country for a “Leadership Summit.” The day-and-a-half long program is packed with motivational speakers and interactive sessions. HGAR’s incoming President for 2020, Gail Fattizzi and I just returned from this year’s…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: Putnam County Business Council Panel Shares Economic Growth Ideas

August 13, 2019

On July 30, more than 60 business leaders and owners gathered at the Putnam County Golf Course for the 2nd annual Putnam County Business Council “Leadership Breakfast” series. The meeting began with a remembrance of the Honorable Jimmy Reitz and the start of a scholarship fund. Tompkins Mahopac Bank provided the initial spark with a…

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Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: What RPAC Does for You

August 13, 2019

So far this year, RPAC has surpassed its fundraising and participation goals as compared to recent previous years. The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors has reached 74% of its participation goal. This means that so far 2,381 HGAR members have contributed to RPAC. Our participation goal—set by the National Association of Realtors—is 3,815 members. Due…

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Ron Garafalo

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Opportunities to Grow Your Business

August 12, 2019

As we enter the final weeks of summer, we can look forward to the stunningly beautiful days of fall. We so often take for granted the beauty of our region, and forget how very fortunate we are to live in an area that offers us all so much. Millions of people throughout the world travel…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: A Mixed Bag

July 17, 2019

The New York State legislative session came to an end in June, and it was certainly a session like no other in recent history. With the Democrats in control of both the Senate and the Assembly, bills and initiatives that had been stuck in limbo for years were acted upon with new energy. In total,…

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Ron Garafalo

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Half Way Home

July 15, 2019

Hello Friends, As we begin the second half of the year, I congratulate all of you on all the business you did in the first half of the year. It has been a very busy year. Yes, I know certain areas are busier than others. Some have price increases this year, while others are down…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: Promoting Tourism and the Local Economy

July 9, 2019

As the summer heats up, I realize it is time for me to do my annual Putnam County summer article. As I say every year, Putnam County is a great place to summer! We truly have it all—water, beaches woods, swamps, hills to hike, as well as shopping and dining! “Staycations” are popular in today’s…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

June 18, 2019

I’m not sure how long that saying has been around, but it does resonate with me, because in order to make informed decisions, you need to know what you don’t know. For example, what services do our members value? What are they most concerned about? What keeps them up at night? What is their work/life…

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Ron Garafalo

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Pressing Our Case in Albany and DC

June 12, 2019

Hello friends, as we approach the beginning of summer and get close to the halfway point of 2019, I hope that all of you are having a very productive year and are taking some time to enjoy yourself as well. It has been a very busy year for me and one that has reinforced my…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: More Thoughts on Monetizing New Industries for Putnam County

June 11, 2019

This column has discussed Airbnbs before, but there is so much more to the story. In the past I have stayed in Verona, NY for a commercial real estate conference at Turning Stone Casino and Conference Center. Staying in the casino is convenient for the meetings, but personally I never enjoy the feeling of being…

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Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: Realtors Gather in D.C. to Push Pro-Housing Agenda

May 29, 2019

Thousands of Realtors, including an HGAR contingent led by Legislative Committee Chair Leah Caro and President Ron Garafalo, gathered in Washington D.C. (May 13-17) to meet with their respective members of Congress in the House and Senate. Their meetings centered around the issues currently impacting the real estate industry. Among the topics discussed were mortgage…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: Still a Long Way to Go!

May 14, 2019

Last month was Fair Housing Month, and HGAR’s Fair Housing and Cultural Diversity Committee, chaired by Dorothy Botsoe and Eydie Lopez, coordinated a wonderful event to celebrate Fair Housing Month entitled “Play by the Rules or Pay the Consequences.” The speakers were Sally Santangello, the executive director of CNY Fair Housing from Central New York,…

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