Westchester Real Estate Talk

 Several months ago I posted this information about Coyotes in Westchester County.  Last night a reader, Laurie, posted a comment that she has spotted two Coyotes near the German School in White Plains, which is amazing.  So I am repostng this information and the links for your information,

In the Estate area of Hartsdale, New York there is a street that is a dead end that backs up to one of the local golf courses.  Walking my dog this morning I ran into one my neighbors who lives in one of these houses. She tells me that looking out her window she sees a pack of coyotes running around the golf course. Hartsdale, New York in case you are not local is a Hamlet within the Town of Greenburgh that is a 30 minute train into New York City.  This particular street is 5 minutes from Central Avenue which is a major shopping area.  Coyotes? Yup.You would think we were in the mid west.  So, this neighbor continues her story.  On the golf course there is a German Shepard who must belong to a local homeowner who is letting this dog out.  The baby coyotes look very much like this German Shepard! The owner of this shepard I am sure has not a clue what is going on.

Throughout Westchester County and New York State and even in New York City coyotes can now be found. The Cornell University Co-Operative is doing a study of the behaviours of coyotes. Some things to know.

• Don't leave food, even bird seed out in the back yard it attracts coyotes.
• Don't leave small dogs in the back yard, a coyote was reported to have jumped over a four foot fence, grabbed a small dog, and jumped back over the fence
• Don't walk at night without a long stick or perhaps an umbrella in case you are approached by a coyote.

About Coyotes from the New York Times

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has recommendations about what to do if you see coyotes, who to contact and how to avoid their visiting your home.

Department of Environmental Conservation

Pleasantville is a charming Village with great schools, affordable housing and a train station with art throughout.  There is the downtown diner, proximity to the Saw Mill Parkway and moments to Chappaqua and Briarcliff Manor.  Pleasantville is also the home to Archie, those of us who were brought up in the 1950's remember Archie (he is a comic book character). 

About 8 years ago the Jacob Burns Film Center was opened. Pleasantville was the go to place for first run movies and people from all over Westchester County came to the Jacob Burns Theatre for the movies, dance and theatre you could not find elsewhere.  Buyer's would buy in Pleasantville because of it's low key environement.  Unlike some of its' neighbors to the south there were no downtowns with boutiques.  Not like the upper East Side, but more like the Village or the upper West SIde.

Pleasantville's reputation as a cultural center was enhanced in 2001 with the opening of the nonprofit Jacob Burns Film Center in the landmark Rome Theater, a Spanish mission-style building and one of the first movie theaters in Westchester County. The Burns Center is dedicated to presenting independent, documentary, and world cinema. Guest speakers at the Burns Center have included Jerry Lewis, Woody Allen, Jonathan Demme, Robert Klein, Oliver Stone, Stephen King, and numerous other notable filmmakers and actors.

In 1948, in an unincorporated area of Pleasantville off Bear Ridge Road, acolytes of Frank Lloyd Wright began putting their lessons to work by building homes in their mentor's modernist, open-plan style. The neighborhood, called Usonia, comprises 50 houses spread among 100 acres of wooded hillside; the development includes two houses designed by Wright himself. Students of residential architecture and fans of Wright's designs will find the area of interest.

Now a Donkin Donuts is going to open across from Jacob Burns, more below.

So, Pleasantville, New York

Official Pleasantville Website

Each year Newsweek publishes a list of the best public schools throughout the country.  This isn't a broad analysis of the schools but a narrow one. It is controversial.  Certain schools in Westchester County are trying to opt out of this study because they say it doesn't really reflect the schools and what they offer.  In Westchester County only four schools made the top 100:

1. Yonkers #82
2. Dobbs Ferry #85
3. Rye #87
4. Edgemont #92

The NEWSWEEK list of top U.S. high schools was compiled this year, as in years past, according to a single metric, the proportion of students taking college-level exams: Cambridge, International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement. We count the total number of these tests taken at a school by all students each May, and divide by the number of graduating seniors. Any school with a ratio of 1.000 or higher is placed on the NEWSWEEK list. Over the years this system has come in for its share of criticism for its simplicity. But that is also its strength: it's easy for readers to understand, and to do the arithmetic for their own schools if they'd like.

Small Schools Rising

The Rankings

The following appears under Tax Information on our Multiple Listing Site in Westchester County, New York.  This does not represent information from the MLS but is from the company that out MLS uses for tax and property information.  It's value is a comparison from one period of time to another as it is apples to apples.  The number of sales is down but the median price is steady.

 This article appears in the New York Times Real Estate Section today, Sunday.  I am seeing multiple offers on certain properties, sold two listings within a couple of days, yet there is buildup of single family inventory and a general slowing of sales.

Reflecting the national trends, some builders in Westchester have shelved residential projects and are waiting out the storm. Others are hedging their bets by diversifying into commercial or retail projects. At least one is forging ahead with new residential construction - though it is directed at a narrow segment of the market: older buyers with enough equity built up in their current homes to reinvest.

In New Castle, the developer for Chappaqua Crossing, a proposed development that would include 278 condominiums for residents 55 and older on the former Reader's Digest campus, has decided to wait and is eschewing residential sales altogether.

Westchester Builders are Adjusting

I have several printers in m home office.  One is wireless to use with my MAC. One is a combo printer and fax to use with my old DELL and if I still need to fax something which is happening less and less. One is a HP printer I bought for $150.00 because I wanted to just do black and white printing and try to cut the costs of that INK.

This cheap little printer that supposed to save me money has been driving me crazy.  Each cartridge prints maybe 30 pages and then a pop up screen comes up that the ink is low and I should buy more cartrides on line.  I can't get rid of that pop up screen no way no how.  I can't continue to work and change the cartridge later it won't let me.

Truly annoying.  If anyone knows of a better printer for just doing black and white printing that isn't a HP please let me know.

It's hard to believe but this weekend is Memorial Day Weekend.  I have made plans to take a few much needed days off and the minute I made the decision every buyer and seller that I have talked to wants to talk to me this weekend, or it just feels that way.  What is it about that.  Way back when I would drop my plans and make time.  That "what if" was dangling in front of me.  What if they really want to buy something, what if I go away and they call someone else, what if? what if?

I have learned not to do that.  What if they do?  I need to get some rest, I need to have a life.  The minute I change my plans - they will change their minds make plans themselves and so it goes.  You learn from experience.

A new buyer want to go out this weekend.  She has seen a house on the internet that she is really interested in.  She wants to see this house at 1pm on Saturday, right in the middle of the day!  So I ask can she come Thursday or Friday evening, oh no I am taking a few days off I can't.  So I ask can you come earlier or later on Saturday we can come later.  I don't think so.  I wish her luck and any other agent who is available to take her out.  She wants someone to just show a house to her when she needs an agent to look out for her and work with her.

I am going to take the time off and relax.  I hope all of you get some time off too.

It is just pouring today in Westchester County. It is one of those days to stay home and do laundry, catch up on paperwork, relax, make some phone calls, and catch up on phone calls.  All of which made me think of the song "Rainy Days and Mondays" from Karen Carpenter.  For those of you who remember her she had a wonderful voice, angelic. 

This post is not directly about Real Estate but is a wonderful idea.  I hope that individuals around the country see it and get their lawmakers to instititute this as well, if they haven't already.

The Attorney General in New York State has sent letters out to all of the sexual offenders in New York requiring them to register their on line screen names.  Social networking sites like Facebook have agreed to use the lists to ban individuals from their site.  It's a start, it's an attempt. 

Sexual Offenders to Register Screen Names

If you are thinking of moving and buying real estate in Westchester County are you timing the market? Do you believe that you will know when we have reached the bottom and will you be ready to snatch up that bargain?

How will you know it is the bottom until you can look back and see that it was the bottom? Ooops that was the bottom - blink and you might miss it.

Buying and selling real estate is not just an investment - it is your life.  If you buy and it is not the very bottom of the market, so?  Do you have a crystal ball and know when you will sell?  At another bottom cycle or at the height?

Can you put your life on hold?