Westchester Real Estate Talk

Our world has become very diversified.  I am now working with two buyer's agents who speak Spanish.  if you would be more comfortable working with a spanish speaking agent please contact me, we can help.

Miriam Bernstein, CRS, ABR, GRI, e-Pro, SRES       
Associate Broker, Licensed in the State of New York
RE/MAX Prime Properties, Westchester County, New York 10583
www.MiriamBernstein.com
"Content of this blog is solely my opinion

All of their baked goods, cookies, cakes are just wonderful and not too sweet which is why I like it.  The fun thing they do is make speciality cakes shaped like buildings, or like above a tennis court.  The staff is always courteous and at the ready.  Check out the website and if you are in the area check it out. Oh, and you just might run into Meredith Viera who stops in regularly.

The Rivieria Bakehouse

 Having Your Cake

Great article in the New York Times Real Estate Section today about what we Real Estate Agents/Brokers need to do to sell a house in this market.  We now come in with "teams" not of agents but of painters, stagers, mortgage brokers, florists, contractors, CPA's, plumbers, electiricans, landscappers, and cleaning people.  We are at the ready to get done whatever needs to be done to whip a house into shape so that it will be the biggest, meanest, cleanest and most presentible in its' neighborhood.  Primed to sell whatever it takes.

Doing More and More, here.

I had a new buyer today.  Like so many buyers she has been online trying to figure things out.  She has gone to Zillow and announced to me that one of my market areas has had their prices increase over the past year.  When I tried to tell her that Zillow is not that accurate - I became the problem.  I am the one who is misinformed.  If Zillow says it, it must be so.  Scream, scream!

Garbage in, Garbage out.

Westchester County Office for Women

The Westchester County Office for Women is dedicated to working for equal rights for women and the recognition of the full worth of all women.

We address the needs of women and families in Westchester County on three levels:

• Public Policy and Advocacy
• Public Education and Research
• Direct Services

Established by an Executive Order in 1980, the Office for Women has concluded its second decade of service to Westchester's women and families.

Learn more about our divisions and programs

This year's honoree into the Hall of Fame is Eileen Fisher:

Tired of trying to find clothing to fit her lifestyle, Eileen Fisher decided to design her own. In 1984, the first Eileen Fisher designs were cut out on the floor of her Manhattan apartment. Made of all natural fibers, they were stylish, yet comfortable and easy to wear. She was betting that other women would like them too, and she was right.  She parlayed a $350 investment into a multi-million dollar business that today employs more than 700 people in Westchester.

On March 28, Fisher will become the 24th woman to be inducted into the Westchester County Women's Hall of Fame at an awards luncheon at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye Brook, N.Y. The luncheon starts at 11 a.m.

The luncheon is hosted by the Westchester County Office for Women, and sponsored by Avon Products, Con Edison, Eileen Fisher Inc., Fujifilm USA Inc., Lanza Family Foundation, MasterCard, Merrill Lynch, Stock Family LLC, Verizon, Visiting Nurse Services in Westchester Inc. and the Westchester Women's Bar Association Foundation. Tickets are $70, and can be obtained by calling 995-5972.

``Even though he's the Fed chairman, he's going to get hit -- but I think lot of people will in Washington,'' said William Wheaton, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The value of Bernanke's home ``probably went up to $1.1 million and it's probably back down to $840,000,'' because prices in Washington just a couple years ago ``got out of control,'' Wheaton said.

The thing is if he selling now he will not make the profit that he would have made had he sold in 06.  If he is staying put and will remain in the home for a few more years the price will again start to rise.  The increases were hugh and now the drop.  But this is his home not just an investment to be sold. 

From Bloomberg, Bernankes Own Home.

Do you miss your outdoor farmers market?

Here is your online farmers market where you can order local foods from the Hudson Valley delivered right to your home or office.

They have gift certificates, special edition biscotti, grass fed beef strip steaks, and many more organic and healthy local foods. check out the website, My Personal Famers Market.

I can't speak for anyone else but if you would like information about a listing from me, or if you want to know the value of your home it is not okay for you to email me and give fake phone numbers or names.  I received a CMA request yesterday from a very nice gentlemen who owns a home in Westchester County.  He sent through his name and phone number.  We spoke last night and I am perfecrtly willing to help him with the information he needs.  He truly wants to know the information.

I also received a request from a buyer who gave me a list of questions about a property and no phone number. I emailed her back and said that if she if truly interested in further information to please send along a phone number so we can chat before I spend the time researching what she needs to know.  I don't believe she is serious or a real buyer without correct contact information.

I don't get paid for my time, I do get paid for what I know which I am willing to share but not under any circumstances.  We have laws and rules that we must follow because we are licensed professionals. So....

Miriam Bernstein, CRS, ABR, GRI, e-Pro, SRES       
Associate Broker, Licensed in the State of New York
RE/MAX Prime Properties, Westchester County, New York 10583
www.MiriamBernstein.com
"Content of this blog is solely my opinion"

I have been reading a lot of blogs, the news, researching what is going on with Trulia, Zillow, Frontdoor and goodness knows how many other sites there are out there.  I searched here on Active Rain as well.  From what I can gather each of these companies are making deals for listing feeds from different sources.  Prudential's deal with Yahoo is ending and they will team up with Trulia.  Company B is with Zillow, Company C is with Frontdoor.

Do I understand this correctly?  If so does this mean that the consumer must go site to site to pick up all of the listings that might be for them?  So what is the advantage over going to Realtor.com or going to RE/MAX.com where you can get all of the listings?  Is the heat maps?  Can't be the incorrect valuations?  Am I missing something that the traffic on these sites is growing? Why?  Doesn't the public understand that none of these sites have a complete inventory?

Any insight into some of this would be greatly appreciated. 

For sellers of residential real estate you have to realize that the market has it's ups and downs.  The real estate market is cyclical.  There are seller's out there who wish they had known that the market would come down and when.  There are sellers now who will receive 10% less then two years ago.  These sellers wish they had had a crystal ball because they would have sold back then.  They would have sold for more money and in a much quicker period of time.  

Often I go to listing presentations.  Seller's always ask about the market and then when we answer they don't believe us or think we just plain mistaken and they believe that they just need to find someone who will agree with them and make them feel better.

Jump to today.  Now the buyers are waiting for the bottom of the market so they don't have to pay even a cent more than they have to.  The problem here is that these buyer's are going to outsmart themselves by missing the bottom of the market.  The same way the seller's missed the boat, buyer's will now miss the boat.  They will wait and wait and wait and the prices will turn around and start to rise.  When? don't know - that's the problem.

Miriam Bernstein, CRS, ABR, GRI, e-Pro, SRES       
Associate Broker, Licensed in the State of New York
RE/MAX Prime Properties, Westchester County, New York 10583
www.MiriamBernstein.com
"Content of this blog is solely my opinion"