A previous post about the Independence Day Celebrations provided a list of venues to attend. My family loves to participate at the Pound Ridge Town Park where we meet with friends for a barbeque before and then head to the park and wait for the show to begin. We have never been disappointed and this year was no exception. I decided to take some video to give a better perspective of the sea of people that gather well before the show begins with their picnic dinners and favorite beverages. I was also able to capture part of the fireworks show itself, which is really fun to see.  With this celebration and the others in the area it’s so great living in Westchester.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

Want the elegance of another era with the convenience and amenities of today? Then I have the home for you…..

This lovely Tudor, which I refer to as “The Queen of the Hill” is in the Indian Hill section of Katonah. Built in 1987, this stunning Tudor has over 4200 sq ft plus the finished playrooms and storage areas on the lower level. Great flow for a family and entertaining. Also a great downsizer for Jay Gatsby!

Sited on just about one acre, it has a very private setting. The bank of trees in the back is trimmed with beautiful stone walls. The close-to-the-ground decking is the full length of the home and enjoys full views of the very elegant pool with slate patio surround. There is also a separately fenced playground area. The outdoor elegance continues with the very spacious screened-in porch which is off the family room. The floor of this enclosed porch has been painstakingly hand painted to resemble inlaid terra cotta tiles. As one excited broker suggested - “This is where you dance!” Of course! This porch also has its own slate patio. The exterior is then graced by landscape lighting come nightfall.

The formal rooms of the home start at the elegant entrance with gently winding staircase to the gracious Master and Bath plus three family bedrooms with hall bath. The landing on the second floor is large enough to have a desk at the window with a gorgeous view of the mature plantings and green space of the neighborhood. The Center Hall is flanked by a open living room and oversized dinng room. This all flows to the back of the house with an updated large kitchen and family dining area plus the Family Room.

The inviting family room with stone fireplace has sliders to the decking and pool. The screened-in porch is to the other side.

There is a seperate front entrance which opens into a large foyer (hard to call this the Mud Room!) with laundry and door out to the pool. There is also a suite of rooms which includes the 5th legal bedroom plus full bath. This can be ideal for an au pair/inlaw suite or a professional office and waiting room/secretarial space.

There is a three-car garage plus large utility room.

It is very close to Increase Miller Elementary School, Fox Valley Park and the local Lewisboro Town Park which offers pool, tennis and wonderful day camps. The Metro North Train Station and 684 are a couple of minutes away. For any further information or if you would like to see it please contact me!

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

After the great success of last year, Caramoor is repeating their ”Pops, Patriots and Fireworks” on Sunday, The Fourth of July 2010.

Once again, Michael Barrett leads the Orchestra of St. Luke’s with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” Grofe’s music from “The Grand Canyon Suite,” “Variations on America” by Ives and his rousing renditions of the Sousa Marches! There are also a few musical surprises as well - the playing of the Theremin - the first electronic instrument, which Lucie Rosen, owner of Caramoor and Foundress of the Music Festival performed worldwide.

The concert is at 8 pm but the grounds are open earlier for picnics. Picnic Fare will also be provided by Great Performances.

Once you have enjoyed your picnic - just the people watching and the picnic spreads are worth the price of entry - you have heard the music and then experienced the FIREWORKS immediately after the concert - one can return home fully sated with having enjoyed the perfect celebration of The Fourth of July! The Summer Season is planned and perhaps you may enjoy other concerts and festivals!

Go to www.caramoor.org

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

Michelle Estates is a community of 115 homes with over 60 acres of open space developed by Carl Ichan of Westchester Bayswater Realty on a 230 acre site. Centrally located in the Town of Lewisboro, near shopping, schools, Metro North and the neighboring towns of Bedford, North Salem, Ridgefield.

Sitting pretty on its premium site this sophisticated front porch colonial is bordered by woods and open space. This summer enjoy the professionally landscaped gardens, stone walls, flagstone patio, pergola and verdant lawn. Loved, this center hall colonial features a center island kitchen, entertainment bar, gleaming wood floors, hand painted faux finishes, entertainment system, master suite and three large family bedrooms, custom outfitted closets, lower recreation room and gym and so much more. Join the car pools and family fun. Priced right at $997,000. If you would like to view 31 Lambert Ridge, Cross River or need more information, call 914 450 6566 or e-mail rstengel@houlihanlawrence.com.

Posted by:  Renee Stengel

This important home is located within the Bedford Historic District with its Greek Revival features added in 1870. “Greek Revival” was an architectural movement of the late 18th and 19th centuries. It represented democracy and liberty to a nation that sympathized with Greece’s independence movement in the 1820s. It became the “it” style of fashion architecture of wealthy Americans. Along with this style, the home has been lovingly restored for today’s lifestyle with a blend of past and present. Highlights of this home include a true welcoming center hall, high ceilings, large living room, dining with fireplace plus butler’s pantry, paneled library, a master suite with its own sitting room/fireplace and six additional bedrooms, ceiling medallions and elegant wood floors. Situated on four flat acres with a pool among century old trees, the property abuts the Mianus River. If you would like a viewing or have any questions about this property priced at $2,195,000, my contact information is - 914 450 6566.

Posted by:  Renee Stengel

Bedford Hills - Monday 9 a.m. at Babbitt & Glen Roads, down Church to Main Street then just North to The Memorial just past the Bedford Hills Fire House. County Legislator Ursula LaMotte, speaker.

Bedford Village - Monday 11 a.m. starting at Seminary Rd - off Rt 172 - ending at The Village Green. Lee Roberts, Town Supervisor, Chief Joanne Aquilino and other speakers will be present.

Katonah - Monday 10 a.m. starting at the Firehouse on Bedford Rd through the business area along Katonah Avenue. Parade will then continue along the shops towards tracks and up The Parkway to Lawrence Circle - named after Lawrence of Kellogg & Lawrence. Guests and Veterans Of American Legion Post on Rt 22 will speak. Then back to the Firehouse for Ice Cream!

Lewisboro - will have their Parade on the 31st at 12:15 starting at Lakeshore Drive & Spring and culminating at the Town Hall.

Mt. Kisco - will have their Memorial Day Parade on SUNDAY the 30th - at 2pm starting at Smith Avenue which is between Rt 117 and Lexington Avenue.

Pound Ridge - Noon on the 31st starting at The Pound Ridge Elementary School down to Westchester Avenue. The Parade will feature the Mt. Kisco Scottish Pipe and Drum Band. School children will recite their patriotic essays and Ruth Newell, a long time Pound Ridge Resident and Veteran of WWII will speak. There yoiu will notice those Famous Finger Pointing Signs!

Somers - The Lasdon Park Antique Show will be held - Lasdon Park Rt 35 Somers. For more information and for hours - call 273-4667

South Salem - will celebrate with a Fair on the 31st including a 5K and 10K race and a 4.3 mile walk around Lake Truesdale at 8:30 a.m. This will be followed by the Pee Wee Races. The Fair will be from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on the grounds of the South Salem Presbyterian Church on Spring Street.

Posted by:  Karen Benvin Ransom

The real estate industry is experiencing a fragile recovery at best. Today’s article in The Wall Street Journal brings mixed messages at best: Prices Remain Under Pressure. The price of homes rose 2% over the historic lows of the previous years. Though it is a modest increase, the forecast is for continued weakening. The last quarter of the housing market saw an increase because of the federal tax credit, low mortgages rates and an oversupply of homes. And the Federal Housing Finance Agency index with data supplied by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac indicated that sales are down 14% from their peak in 2007.

Westchester County home sales also deliver a mixed message. Sales are better in lower Westchester County. That message rings true of many parts of the country.

Buyers can still take advantage of the low prices and low mortgage rates. Homeowners that want to see their home in this market must be reminded, “It is all about the price.”

Posted by:  Renee Stengel

According to William Shakespeare, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances.”

That is exactly what you will find in this beautiful house built in the 1920s as a theatre for the Underwood family and the playhouse actually served as the venue for special events in South Salem, New York. The current owners have continued the tradition and have had private salon type cabaret and a variety of recitals in this warm and welcoming home. This unique home has an unusual exterior of stucco and log ends, and chestnut beams. As you enter, the stone fireplace, casement windows, and black walnut library fill this house with charm and characterand is one of a kind. With over 4,000 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths and 1 half bath, this home creates comfortable living spaces. There is a stone terrace with a whimsical fountain that overlooks a

beautiful yard, flower gardens and views of a distant lake. The 4 acres of beautiful property and private heated pool complete the outdoor living. There is not doubt why this home is my Broker Pick of the Week! To see this special house call (914-552-0242) or email Sonja to arrange a private showing.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

This week The Westchester Putnam Association of Realtors released the first quarter statistics for home sales in Westchester and Putnam Counties. And just what does that mean to buyers right now?

The number of annual home sales for the first quarter of 2010 has ticked up 54% over a ten year low for first quarter of 2009. The rise in closings can be attributed to the The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, lower home prices and lower interest rates. This was the second consecutive quarter for increased sales.

I believe some homes are attractively priced right now. There are good deals to be made. So, just get out there and look! You just might find the home of your dreams to be affordable. Smart sellers should realize that we are back to 2003 - 2004 prices if they want to sell. And buyers have an opportunity right now.

Contact me at any time for more statistics and/or information on how your neighborhood did in the first quarter.

Posted By: Renee Stengel

You have been visiting real estate sites searching for properties, communities, perhaps schools, commutes and now that it is spring you may have some favorite houses that you want to see. There is a lot to know when trying to find the right home and that’s where an experienced real estate agent can help you. We can put the pieces of the puzzle together for you and even point some things out that you might not realize, especially if you are a first time buyer. I think it is great that so much information is available on the internet and that you can educate yourself before even venturing out to view properties, but that is only the beginning.

Finding the right real estate agent is not easy. So what are some of the things that you want to look for?

1. Not all real estate agents are Realtors. A Realtor is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and is bound by the Realtor Code of Ethics. Some real estate agents are licensed in New York State but do not belong to the National Association of Realtors® and are therefore not bound by the ethics.
   Yes, I am a Realtor


2. You want an agent that belongs to the local multiple listing service (MLS). Again, not all agents belong to the MLS and don’t have access to comparables and other information that you will need when you move forward on a house. An agent who doesn’t belong to the MLS does not have a lockbox key and can’t gain access to properties easily.
   Yes, I belong to the MLS


3. The more experienced agent has more tools they can offer you in a negotiation. Experience is cumulative; the more the better. As in all professions, you want someone with experience to help you in your journey.
   Yes, I am an experienced agent. I have over 20 years of experience.

So, if you are considering the communities of Katonah, North Salem, Bedford (or whatever) I would be glad to show you some homes and/or answer whatever questions you may have.

I am the recipient of top producer awards from 2005 through 2010, so let’s work together to bring your real estate wishes to reality.

Contact me at any time: rstengel@houlihanlawrence.com or 914.450.6566. Please be confident that your information will not be shared or sold.

Posted By: Renee Stengel

Well, I would rather describe it as if you would go to a dentist to have your eyes checked! You might find a wonderfully warm and caring person, but other than gargle out letters as read on the eye chart - how could the dentist be of real service?

It is the same with a Realtor who cares enough about his or her profession, and who has taken the time to research, learn and study specific areas of Real Estate to better aid and assist their respective customers and clients.

For instance:

Accredited Buyers Representative - This is the benchmark in representation that an agent can offer a buyer…It is awarded by the Real Estate Agent’s Buyer’s Council (REBAC) and it enables home buyers the same level of expert representation that was once only offered to home sellers. If you are thinking of buying a home wouldn’t you want to be well represented?

Certified Buyer’s Representative - A buyer’s agent will be diligent in researching a home on behalf of his/her buyers by visiting City Hall and checking out the property cards, permits and oil tanks - to make sure that if the home has gas, did it once have an oil tank - and what happened to it? A buyer’s representative will do his/her best to ensure the best possible price for the client. This is like an Accredited Buyer’s Representative, but to have both designations is just another demonstration of an agent’s dedication to his/her profession. As with a CBR, you will receive Confidentiality, Full Disclosure, Loyalty, and one who is trained to best represent a buyer in a transaction in a competent, non-adversarial, legal, ethical manner.

Certified Residential Specialist - There are only approximately 30,000 CRS designees in the United States which computes to approximately 1 in every 25 agents. This is the highest designation in the residential sales field . It recognizes the experience, education and dedication of an agent to better represent someone wishing to sell their home. In order to achieve this award, I became a Certified Construction Specialist and a Certified New Home Specialist; all better to aid and help my clients.

Graduate Realtor Institute - This is a designation awarded to Realtors who have decided to study in depth many levels and areas in real estate. It covers over 90 hours of study, including topics such as business planning, ethics, fair housing, environmental, etc.

Senior Residential Estate Specialist - A Realtor who can better aid those home buyers and home sellers aged 50 plus by successfully completing the education program in such subjects as refinancing, relocation, and to better aid in making those life-changing decisions.

Licensed Associate Broker - This is a real estate broker who holds a Broker’s license but who has chosen to affiliate with a licensing broker and not open his/her brokerage firm. They wish to have the added knowledge of a broker but not to operate an independent office.

I think that in reading the short descriptions of each designation, it is obvious that you would want or should want someone who has taken the time to educate him or herself in these areas to better aid and assist you, the consumer. As an ABR, CBR, CRS, GRI, SRES and Licensed Associate Broker, I am here for all of your real estate needs, and have resided in New Rochelle for over 32 years serving lower Westchester.

Posted By: Gay Rosen

Being a Realtor requires the ability to help clients with all aspects of making a change in location, whether moving cross-country, cross continent or within the same geographic area. Most agents have little knowledge about the physical aspect of moving and only provide a reference to a local moving company their previous clients have used. Houlian Lawrence recognized the frustration many clients face and have added a valuable resource for agents to offer their clients. Our new affiliation with specialized move management partner, RMR New York International provides that valuable solution.

My first opportunity to offer their services came at a critical time during the negotiation of a sale. The price and terms being offered were acceptable, but the unresolved issue creating the roadblock was the possession date. How on earth would they be able to arrange the move while living out of state? It took one phone call to RMR New York International who came to the rescue by providing counseling and management for the entire move. RMR made the difference in my seller being able to agree to the closing date and therefore, we have an accepted offer! Here’s a shout out for RMR New York International! I’ll submit a detailed follow-up post after the move with a full review and evaluation of the process from my client.

Are you looking for a full-service realtor? I’m only a phone call or email away.

Posted By: Sonja Lovas

Kool & The Gang first released their record of Celebrate in 1990… “There’s a party going on right here, a celebration to last throughout the years…”

And that is just what the hamlet of Bedford Hills will be doing on May 14 & 15 at the Bedford Hills Historical Museum. The birthday party for this historic hamlet, first known as, “Bedford Station,” celebrates the name change to Bedford Hills in 1910.

Bedford Hills is a hamlet steeped in history as in the 1800s still centered around a train station. And from dairy farmers to bankers, all of its residents watched the town change by surrounding the station with stores.

The Town of Bedford is home to three hamlets. Bedford, Bedford Hills and Katonah. Each full of history yet very different. The limelight is now cast on Bedford Hills as it celebrates an important milestone.

Please click on the highlighted link to read more about the Centennial Celebration.

Come on it’s a celebration!

Posted By: Renee Stengel

The Masters just played on the lush greens of The Augusta National Golf Course makes many of Westchester’s golfers green with envy. And from the novice to the experienced there is much to offer for golfers in Westchester County.

The above public and private courses all add to the quality of life in Westchester County for those just learning the sport and pros alike. All interested in additional information please click here.

Posted By: Renee Stengel

The American Flag flies from a tall post in Bedford Hills on Route 172. Most of the occupants of the cars that pass by do not know that it resides on the home of a member of the Kennedy family. After watching years of this home’s transformation on my way to Mt. Kisco, it is now beautiful and green. Today’s article in The Journal News details the home’s trip from black mold to new green living. Read about Robert Kennedy Jr., and this environmentalist’s road to the best in green homes.

Posted By: Renee Stengel