A Bidding War - Can You Believe it? - 03/30/07 07:44 PM
So, today, memories of the good old days.  I came upon a bidding war. A property in Hartsdale, New York had been on the market for a while, a couple of months and no offers.  My buyer has been reading all of the hype about what a terrible market this is.  Properties are sitting, rates are low, buyer's have loads of choices and it is now a buyer's market. So we negotiate but not a lot.  We put in an offer at 3% less than the asking price.  It is hard for buyers reading what they are reading to come in … (7 comments)

Basics of Foreclosures - Westchester County, NY - 03/29/07 06:27 AM
Everywhere we turn we are hearing about foreclosures and that many homeowners are now in a terrible situation.  While the real estate market was escalating and values increasing the equity these homeowners had in their properties was increasing and if the properties were sold the amounts the seller's were paid would cover the loans.  Now with home prices stabilizing and adjusting downward this equity is no longer there.  Many individuals can be paying mortgages on properties that are now worth less than what they owe.
Individuals who did not "put down" money at the time of purchase and financed at 100% or … (2 comments)

Ardsley, New York Real Estate Information - 03/25/07 01:32 PM

Ardsley, New York is located in southern Westchester County directly north of Dobbs Ferry.  Route 9A is the main street that goes through Ardsley.  There are a series of strip malls with shops, a new supermarket that opened this past year and easy access to the Saw Mill Parkway, and Interstate 87.  From the Saw Mill Parkway you can easily get to the Cross Westchester Parkway (287) and from there to the Hutchinson River Parkway, Bronx River Parkway.  Stew Leonards, Costco and Home Depot in Yonkers are just a few minutes away.  Ardsley is known for one of the best school districts … (1 comments)

Statistical Snapshot of Westchester County - 03/21/07 06:29 PM
Total Population:   942,444                             
Land Area:              450 square miles
Total Acreage:       288,200                            
Households:          333,000
College and Universities:    24
Hospitals:                         11 General Care
                                           7 Special Care
Unemployment Rate:    3.7%
Office Space:                  4,300,000 rentable square feet
Houses of Worship:       674
Politcal Subdivisions:    45 Municipalities
                                            6 CIties
                                           17 Towns
                                           22 Villages
                                           40 School Districts
Banks:                             23 Commercial
Hotels and Conference Centers:   Hotels 23
                                                               Conference Centers 4
                                    
 
 
 
… (0 comments)

Scarsdale Real Estate Information - 03/21/07 07:42 AM
Scarsdale, New York is located in mid-Westchester. There is Scarsdale with the Scarsdale School District and then there is Scarsdale as a mailing address for properties in Ardsley, New Rochelle, Yonkers, and Eastchester which each have their own school districts. I am only looking at properties on the market in the Scarsdale School District. I thought it would be interesting to see if rather than expressing what I think is going on that I would take at look at the houses on the market. If you are interested in seeing the school reports and information about other communities in Westchester County … (0 comments)

Energy Star and Going Green in your Home - 03/21/07 07:38 AM
We are all hearing about global warming.  A lot of us have seen Al Gore's very informative movie explaining what is causing the problem and what will happen if we don't pay attention.  There are some really simple things we can all do in our homes to start participating and reducing environmental gases.  Saving Energy in the home prevents pollution.
Starting with a simple thing like a light bulb.  Did you know that if every American changed just 5 bulbs in their homes to Energy Star bulbs each family would save $60 dollars/year in energy costs and as a country we could … (3 comments)

So Mr. Seller, You Don't Need to Sell??!!! - 03/20/07 06:48 AM
So let me tell you about my Sunday afternoon. I had a buyer who I have been out with several times.  We spent about 6 hours looking at homes. In New York last week we had a really bad snow storm and by Sunday while streets had been cleared a lot of the driveways and paths leading to houses had not been cleared.  The snow had a hard icy surface that we could walk on.
So we start on our way.  The first two houses are two small.  One of the owners asked that we remove our shoes and there was no … (1 comments)

Making An Offer in Westchester County, New York - 03/18/07 05:41 AM
 Ok you have been looking at house for a while, you have found the house that you want in the community and school district you prefer, the house isn't too large, it is easy to reach the train so you can get to work.  It is just want you want, now what? 
If you have been working with a Buyer's Agent you can request all of the sales in the area and can strategize with your agent as to how to present your offer.  You and the agent want to present your offer and you in the best possible light.  You … (4 comments)

It Isn't Just Pet Odors but All Odors! - 03/16/07 06:51 PM
                                                                 
There have a couple of articles recently about selling your house and what to do about pet odors.  Realtor Magazine published an article this week about this topic.  I wanted to expand on this topic because pet odors are not the only problem. 
 Entering a house where individuals smoke is also a problem.  This smell is really offensive to non-smokers and even to some smokers. Especially in enclosed areas.  This is not a discussion of the merits of not smoking just a consideration if you are trying to maximize an investment.  Open the windows!  If you can go outside to smoke at least while … (1 comments)

About Hartsdale, a Hamlet in the Town of Greenburgh, New York - 03/15/07 11:07 AM

 
Hartsdale is an area of approximately three square miles in central Westchester County, New York. Hartsdale is a hamlet, an unincorporated area, within the Town of Greenburgh which has six incorporated Villages. Hartsdale has its' own zip code, post office and fire district. There is a "Village" of Hartsdale with a Metro-North Station, as well as a row of apartment buildings that are walk to the Village and train. Hartsdale also has several neighborhoods of single family homes with something for everyone and is centrally located in mid Westchester County, a 30 minute train or drive to Manhattan. Hartsdale is part of the … (0 comments)

MotivatedUSA - OH NO!!!!!!!!!! - 03/12/07 07:17 AM
I am tres upset!  Last week I started to get a series of phones calls from agents about a listing of mine that sold last year.  I started to ask these agents why they were calling about a listing that sold, closed and is absolutely no longer available.  No question about it.
None of these agents would admit that they had signed with a company for "leads" to properties that are available.  These agents all told me that unsolicited they had received emails that stated that my property in Croton-on-Hudson was available, was priced undermarket and they wanted to know what the story … (6 comments)

For Sale by Owner (FSBO) and Personal Safety - 03/12/07 06:21 AM
As a follow up to an earlier article about the agent who was attacked this past week in Missouri it was reported this morning that the attacker took a debit card from the agent used it and was caught.  I have to wonder how informed homeowners who decide to sell on their own (FSBO) are about what lurkes on the other side of the advertisements that they place.  I know that common sense can play a role in protecting oneself but in the days of terrorists and post 9/11 one has to wonder about placing ads and then inviting individuals into your … (0 comments)

An Innovative Open House for Brokers - Hooray! - 03/10/07 10:01 AM
Yesterday something really nice happened in my area.  Let me go back a few days.  In my inbox came a very professional, very nicely designed, informative email about an Open House for Brokers.  Ok, another open House, who cares!
Well this was an invitation to lunch. Again, not very unusual. But this was an invitation on a Friday from 11a-1pm when for this area the usual Tours are held on Wednesdays.  This invitation explained that the homeowner is a cook book author and cook and that she would be offering a Korean meal homecooked to all that come.  Already something not to … (2 comments)

Market Stats, Westchester County, YTD 2/28/2007 - 03/08/07 05:43 AM
According the Realist Tax program on the Westchester-Putnam Board of Realtors site.
For Single Family Homes:
Date/ # of Sales/ Median Price
January 2007 / 540 / $575,000 January 2006 / 319 / $625,0002007 YTD     /  770     / $565,525 2006           /  6809   /  $620,000 
For Condominiums:
Date/ # of Sale/ Median Price
January 2007 / 154 / $408,500 January 2006 / 127 / $366,693 2007 YTD      / 208 /  $398,290 2006            /2157 /  $395,000From these numbers I would surmise the sales are strong, prices are down. 
… (0 comments)

Taking the Mystery Out of Your Mortgage from Fannie Mae - 03/06/07 05:57 AM
            For most buyers the process of obtaining a mortgage is confusing at best.  You can go online and search for mortgage brokers or banks or get a referral.  Your then start to compile all of your bank records, tax forms, credit card and other debt informaition but what happens next, what does the bank do with all of the information.  Fannie Mae has put together a pamphlet that explains the process, how the information is analyzed and what the banks are looking for.   How does the banks evaluate your mortgage loan application?  It is called underwritting.  Some of the factors are:
Credit Report Factors
Credit History, Delinquent Accounts, Credit Card Accounts, Public … (0 comments)

Designations - What Do they Mean to the Consumer? - 03/05/07 07:53 AM
Designations - What Do they Mean to the Consumer?
I believe in education.  I belive in education in Real Estate. i have over the year persued many designations.  I try to learn and keep abreast of current trends in Real Estate.  In New York State we are required to take 22 and a half hours of continuing education every two years.  I think that is a good thing because the laws, the ethics and the trends are constantly changing.  Over the years I have obtained my
Certified Residential Specialist Designation - this is what I believe the pinnacle of designations.  It documents … (0 comments)

Spring Ahead - Daylight Saving Time 3/11/2007 - 03/05/07 07:50 AM
Don't  Forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour this Sunday, Marhc 11, 2007 which is three weeks earlier this year thanks to Congress.  More daylight and more time to look at houses in the light! … (0 comments)

Staging - More Important Now? - 03/02/07 12:31 PM
Ok I will admit that when I started in Real Estate fifteen years ago I was a bit skeptical about "Staging"  I was trained by two very experienced agents who believed that people buy houses for that intangible element and emotionally.  Staging was not needed beyond what we brokers did.  Clear the clutter! Move a chair boil cinnamon.  On some levels I still believe but am becoming a convert.  There are houses that need to be staged to show off their true value and there are buyers who just can't visualize what the house could be.  Sometimes a husband can visualize … (1 comments)

Dual Agency - Does the Public Really Understand This? - 03/02/07 12:12 PM
 Does the public really understand what Dual Agency is?  Do they care? Should they Care?
On January 1st in New York State a new Agency Disclosure form was approved.  The intention of the new form is to make the language and definitions clearer to the public.  The Agency Disclosure is really a consumer protection issue.  Consumers need to understand who their agent represents, what information can be disclosed, what can't and most importantly why it matters.  Most buyers just want to find a house and then buy it.  The stress of finding the right community, the right commute, the right schools are … (3 comments)

Appraisals? - 03/01/07 10:04 AM
So, this week something new happened.  I am working as a buyer's agent on a property that went to contract a few weeks ago.  The mortgage company gave an incorrect phone number to the appraisor.  The appraisor instead of calling me called the listing agent, who it turns out she knows.  The listing agent then calls me and says that she will be glad to help me and let the appraisor into the house.
 In the old days before agency and mortgage fraud not a problem.  It didn't matter who opened the door for the appraisor because we were all working for … (2 comments)

Market Report from the National Association of Realtors - 03/01/07 07:22 AM
 
 The latest report came out yesterday from the National Association of Realtors. I am providing a link here to this report if you are interested. I have found the first two months of 2007 to be a strong market, having lots of inventory throughout Westchester County at what I would consider to be good and adjusted prices. According to the NAR report:
"the median existing home price in the Northeast was down 1.2% from a year earlier....."
Does this mean that seller's are getting a bit more real in their asking prices? I believe so. Sellers read the papers and reports as … (0 comments)

Hitwise US - Top 10 Industry Search Terms - January, 2007 - 03/01/07 07:18 AM
From Hitwise.com:
The terms listed below are ranked by volume of searches that successfully drove traffic to websites in the Hitwise Business and Finance - Real Estate category for the 4 weeks ending January 27, 2007, based on US Internet usage.  www.REMAX.com is coming up in the rankings.

 
 
… (0 comments)

 
Mbpicturedec2012 Rainmaker_large

Miriam Bernstein REALTOR® New Orleans Real Estate

New Orleans, LA

More about me…

RE/MAX N.O. Properties

Address: 8001 Maple Street, New Orleans, LA, 70118

Office Phone: CALLMYCELL

Cell Phone: (504) 908-2268

Email Me



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog