For the vast majority of those who receive our Real Estate In-Depth newspaper and are reading this column, it is not because you are a real estate professional and have a real estate license, but because your are a “Realtor.” Unless you are a member of the National Association of Realtors, you are not permitted…
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Approximately six weeks ago I received a phone call from HGAR Government Affairs Director Phil Weiden, who alerted me that the proposed budget for the City of Yonkers included an increase in its local transfer tax from 1.5% to 3%. Such an increase would have added an additional $7,000 of closing costs on a transaction…
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Putnam County’s largest local chamber of commerce became a showcase for the talents of strong female leadership this month as Faith Ann Butcher of Mahopac News-Halston Media, and Amy Sayegh of Putnam Community Cares, became Chairwoman and Vice Chairwoman, joining CEO & Executive Director Erin Meagher in key leadership roles. This marks the first time…
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The mission of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors is to help our members thrive. We do this through various initiatives, but the most important of these are our legislative efforts where we work hard to support issues that protect and promote the tradition of homeownership. The Realtor Political Action Committee (RPAC) is a non-profit…
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As we celebrate the 48th anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act and the progress that has been made, sadly, we must recognize that after nearly five decades illegal discrimination in housing is a crime that still exists today. The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors applauds Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent proposal to expand state fair…
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Through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application (CFA), a single application for multiple sources of state funding, New York State is soliciting grant applications for projects that advance the priorities of the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC). Governor Andrew Cuomo has emphasized infrastructure in his budget message and a CFA priority this year seems…
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As I continue with my quest to use this forum as a means to highlight the initiatives of each of HGAR's councils and committees, I think it is only fitting to examine the efforts of the Member Experience Committee. Two years ago, the Association decided to retain the services of August Partners, a firm that…
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Usually I cover one topic for my monthly Article in Real Estate In-Depth but this month I’m going to break that rule and cover several topics. In several of the Harry Potter books there is a character named Mad Eye Moody who preaches “constant vigilance” against the dark arts. I’m going to steal his mantra…
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New York State adopted its budget this month, and, predictably, the level of enthusiasm for its contents varied depending on political perspective. The New York State Executive Chamber extolled the virtues of having come “together as New Yorkers, Democrats and Republicans alike, to make our state stronger, safer and fairer now and for years to…
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In any given profession, there is one critical component to our work ethic that, if not applied, can make or break us. We must realize that without continued education we are not only putting our future careers at risk, but we are allowing our industry to fall short in the services and expertise we are…
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During the summer of 1984, I “temped” at the then Westchester County Board of Realtors located at 59 South Broadway in White Plains. I had been temping for about four months as I looked for a permanent position in the publishing field in the city. By October of that year my predecessor, Gil Mercurio, offered…
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Prior to the recent Trailblazer Alumni Networking party on Feb. 25, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and I were collaborating on new business strategies while she was teeing up her State of the County speech, which was scheduled on March 10th at the Putnam County Golf Course. She plans to announce that this year’s focus…
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For those of you who were unable to attend our Centennial and Installation Celebration on Jan. 21st, you would have been proud and amazed at the style with which we commemorated our past accomplishments and how capable we are of facing the challenges ahead. I would venture to say that the old adage, “Work hard,…
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‘And Number 19 Goes to…’ Some people’s glasses are half full, other’s half empty. Mine? Well let’s just say I’m more worried about the expiration date. It’s easy for us to just stay in our comfort zones. However, by following our regular patterns and customs, we sometimes eliminate other possibilities. A couple of weekends ago…
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The board of the Putnam County Industrial Development Agency resigned en masse on Tuesday evening, Jan. 12, 2016 over a situation that has been building for some time. IDAs are local municipal (county, city, village) entities organized under the mandates and regulations of New York State. As government entities, they differ from economic development corporations…
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This year we are celebrating, through various special events, our association’s 100th year anniversary In fact, by the time this issue is unveiled, we will have already concluded our Annual Installation, the first of many special events planned. I would like to take a moment to thank our remarkable staff for planning the Gala, as…
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You don’t turn 100 every year, and 2016 is the year the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors celebrates its 100th Anniversary. The following is an excerpt from the National Real Estate Journal dated May 15, 1916: “The first regular meeting of the Westchester County Realty Board was held Tuesday afternoon, May 9th, in the Lecture…
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The House and the Senate passed a tax extender package that extended Mortgage Debt Relief through the end of 2016. Mortgage debt relief will keep homes from turning into foreclosures when a seller takes a loss on the property. This will allow them to avoid paying taxes, which if not enacted would force many into…
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To tackle a difficult subject, I enlisted the opinion and help of a friend, past CEO of the Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce and present President/CEO of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County Pete Bardunias. From time to time we have teamed up to share business insights from both ends of Tech Valley and the…
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I would like to finish the year as I started it by saying thank you. Thank you for giving me the honor and opportunity to lead this organization. Looking back on the year we established three main priorities and together we set out to do some amazing things. As an organization we strive to set…
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