Viewpoints

Leon Cameron, Esq.

BARRISTER'S BRIEFING: What You Need to Know About ‘Amanda’s Law’

December 11, 2017

In 2010, New York Gov. David Paterson signed “Amanda's Law,” which went into effect on February 22 of that year. The law is named for 16-year-old Amanda Hansen of West Seneca, NY, who died in early 2009 due to a carbon monoxide leak from a defective boiler while she was sleeping at the home of…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: Local Retailers Must Make the Shift to Online Sales to Survive

December 11, 2017

On Small Business Saturday, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and I conducted our fifth annual tour of Putnam County small businesses. Stores were filled with great selections, beaming with community pride and the kind of service only small town retail can provide. We visited flower shops, gift shops, boutiques, liquor stores and more. It’s amazing…

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Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: Spending on the New York City Budget Surges 20%

December 6, 2017

Depending on your outlook, New York City government either has a spending problem or a revenue problem. In the last four years the New York City budget has gone from around $72.7 billion to approximately $86 billion. A good economy has caused revenues to the city government to surge, but a downturn in the economy…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: A Dangerous Game of Chess

November 19, 2017

At this juncture you may be sick and tired of hearing about tax reform and how the current proposals from the Senate and the House will impact the housing market. Goodness knows it can seem like some type of board game the way the Congressional budget negotiators keep tweaking and modifying the various pieces of…

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Dorothy Botsoe

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: We Are the World: Gratitude is an Attitude

November 19, 2017

Well, we are closing in on the end of 2017. It’s been a great year getting to know everyone and connecting and reconnecting. November kicks off the official holiday season with high expectations for a cozy and festive time of year. Thanksgiving is that special day full of good food and good memories for most…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: You Get What You Pay For

November 10, 2017

In the 2018 budget, Legislators are getting a 13.9% raise, according to the Putnam County Budget Office, bringing their salary to $40,839, which amounts to 1.52% a year since the Legislature has not had a raise since 2007 (10 years). The County Executive's salary will rise to $155,209 from $151,600. A recent Facebook post was…

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Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: MID and SALT Deductions in Peril

November 7, 2017

From the onset of the discussion on “tax reform,” the House Republican leadership has said the MID (Mortgage Interest Deduction) would not be touched. We heard in news report after news report that specifically MID would not be affected. We have also heard, year after year that home ownership is important to the Republican leadership.…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: Unsung Hero Helps Restore the Putnam County IDA

October 19, 2017

Recently at the Putnam County Legislature’s Economic Development Committee meeting, the Putnam County Industrial Development Agency announced it is now in full compliance with the requirements of the New York State Comptroller’s Office and is open for business. The Legislature was instrumental in its support and assistance as well as the County Executive and her…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: Global Markets Matter

October 18, 2017

As reported in this edition of Real Estate In-Depth, the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors and the Staten Island Board of Realtors co-hosted a Global Summit event on October 2nd. Hundreds of attendees congregated at the Marriott Marquis in Midtown Manhattan to hear from industry experts on the importance of having a global perspective and…

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Dorothy Botsoe

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Go Global! Real Estate Abroad

October 18, 2017

Being from Ghana, West Africa and having travelled to and lived in many countries, the idea of a Global Summit was exciting and a day to look forward to in New York City. The event featured panel discussions that addressed different perspectives of how real estate is handled both here and abroad. What an incredible…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: Own It

September 11, 2017

In mid-August President-Elect Barry Kramer and I made the trek to Chicago for NAR’s annual Leadership Summit for CEOs and President-Elects. The theme for this year’s conference was “Own It,” and many of the presentations flowed into that theme. Going into the program I thought “own it” referred to taking responsibility for one’s actions, but…

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Dorothy Botsoe

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Safety First: It’s Realtor Safety Month

September 11, 2017

Wow, it’s September! I hope we are all more relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated from our summer and ready for our Fall/Winter real estate season. As we all know, not only is September “back to school” time, but it is also Realtor Safety month. As the weather changes, so does the pattern of crime and we…

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Philip Weiden

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: Make Your Voices Heard at RPAC Members’ Day Luncheon

September 11, 2017

October 30th is HGAR’s annual Members’ Day, which is an exciting and incredibly important day for all Realtors in our five-county service area. There is a lunch that day that many people do not know about—it is the RPAC luncheon. The luncheon program consists of an update from New York State Association of Realtors Government…

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Jennifer Maher

PUTNAM POSTING: Re-Launching Industrial Development Agency in Putnam County

September 6, 2017

The Putnam County Industrial Development Agency, which nearly disbanded over a year ago, is about to be re-launched. This is very timely and our business community cannot wait. As Legislator Bill Gouldman said, “The future of our county is through developing new opportunities for business and helping current business thrive.” According to the IDA website…

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Dorothy Botsoe

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: Real Estate Stress is Real!

August 14, 2017

Summer is well under way; in fact it’s almost over, as we already see fall clothing hitting the stores. However, before we even get to September we need to take a look at our self-care. Did you take a vacation this summer? Did you find some “me” time? Or did you push your way once…

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Richard Haggerty

GATEWAY PERSPECTIVES: Phones Can Still Be Used to Talk to People

August 14, 2017

One of Dorothy Botsoe’s lead initiatives as HGAR President has been to reach out to the membership and have a direct dialogue with our members with the “Tea with the President” events this spring and “Pizza Parties” this summer and fall throughout Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Manhattan and the Bronx. Dorothy has also reached out…

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Irene Amato

Guest Viewpoint: How Will the National Consumer Assistance Plan Affect the Realtor, Client and the Entire Transaction?

August 10, 2017

Knowledge Is Power: The New York State Attorney General and the three credit reporting agencies initiated changes by a settlement agreement that resulted in the birth of an entity known as the “National Consumer Assistance Plan.” This new rule changes the way public records related to civil judgments and tax liens are reported on consumer…

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