1200 Sq. Ft. 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath coop with Balcony.. walk to the trains..

Posted on February 28 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

Location, Location! Wonderfully close to the trains, shops & fine dining galore. This 1200 sq.ft. 2 bedroom, 2 bath updated corner unit offers an open floor plan with a newer modern kitchen featuring stainless steel appliances, granite counters & shows beautifully. The Master bedroom features a balcony and modern bathroom, and the hall bath is modern also! The second bedroom has wall of closets. Gas, heat, hot water are included in the maintenance. STAR rebate not included in maintenance. Welcome home! Being Offered at $260,000.  No pets are allowed.

Westchester is GREAT!

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New Rochelle… NOW and Beyond…a GREAT time for Change..

Posted on February 27 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

new roc cityNew Rochelle has a new Commissioner for Development – Luiz Aragon. Well, I should not say new as Mr. Aragon started in his position in February of 2013, and was instrumental in the installation of ‘smart meters’.  He is certainly a visionary, and has many plans for New Rochelle..  Wonderful, exciting plans, and when you hear him speak,  you feel that excitement too…

Mr. Aragon sees New Rochelle as  a village trapped within  the body of a city (I rather like that analogy), and he envisions preservation, privatization of the parking meters with private companies..

He reached out to Columbia University last year where their Earth Institute offers a “Sustainability Essentials Training Program for people who wish to explore the concepts and principles of sustainability and who want to learn how to introduce sustainability practices into their organizations, new projects, and other aspects of their lives.”  The “Urban Design Lab”  offered invaluable insight to Mr. Aragon’s office with two different approaches. One  group addressing New Rochelle’s waterfront and Davids’ Island, and the other group looking at our downtown, and what could be envisioned for both. He felt that by recruiting students with their no nonsense approach, he would obtain valuable and insightful suggestions.

“People need to dream to get to the future” Mr. Aragon quoted,  and his dreams are captivating. He would love to  see the traffic slow down.. Why?  People are too busy cutting through New Rochelle to avoid the toll charge on the I:95 but they are not stopping to enjoy what we have to offer. The city has sought out the expertise of Nelson Nygaard , transportation gurus for a Transit Oriented Development Focus (TOD). People ‘behave differently” when they have to slow down.. Perhaps creating a loop, but endeavoring to attract pedestrians in the area, to enjoy our great city and partake in its many restaurants.  Mr. Aragon has entitled different areas of our downtown and Echo Bay such as ‘The East Gateway”, ‘the West Gateway’,’  1:95 Gateway’, “Echo Bay” and  “North Avenue Gateway”  . So many wonderful ideas such as a 40 story building housing a new train station, and many more buildings all to promote pedestrian flow,  a better lifestyle for all, with pathways to new parks, a pathway over the I:95,  a hotel, bike lanes. It is projected that eminent domain will have to be utilized to make this dream a reality….

A summary of the new development includes 2242 new residential units, 500,000 sq. ft. for retail, 5,580,5429 additional office square footage, a 463 room hotel..   Parking? Everyone wants to know about parking..  There are currently 11,359 parking spaces, and the design would require 14,573 parking spaces as required by current CPA ratios. 9,443 additional parking spaces would be required in the revised CPA ratios.

There is to be an Advisory Coalition entitled ORACLE  (Opportunity New Rochelle Advisory Coalition of Leaders & Entrepreneurs)  headed  by Marketing & Tourism, Small Business Cluster, Education & Health Cluster, Mobility & Transportation Cluster and a Real Estate & Development Cluster. I was one of the real estate professionals invited to today’s meeting.  Mayor Bramson popped in to eloquently add his thoughts on the subject.  All exciting, and I will keep you all posted!

New Rochelle is GREAT!

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Congratulations Jack Mangra – NYS Certified Residential Specialist

Posted on February 25 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

1774726859It is always nice to hear praise!  This morning, our  New York State Chapter Certified Residential Specialist  President , Nina Gail Betancourt-Morgan, forwarded the following  email to me:

“Hello, I want to give a “shout out” and testimonial to one of your members
in Queens, NY. I am a member of the Connecticut CRS Chapter. My husband and I
sold our mother in law’s home in Queens last week, and Jack Mangra, CRS was our
agent. It was not an easy sale, but Jack made the transaction go very smoothly.
At every turn, whether we needed people to clean out the house or hire an
attorney, Jack was ready to help. He kept in touch on a daily basis and was a
consummate professional and gentleman. It was a pleasure to work with Jack and
he does CRS proud. Hope you can put some of this testimonial on his web page.
Thank you. Sincerely, Millie Legenhausen, CRS.”

Oh my goodness!  Of course I then had to call Jack and ask him for his comments, and he replied ” it was such a distinct honor and privilege to have met Millie, who was the true professional throughout, and he will always cherish the memory of being able to represent a member of her family !  Being a  Certified Residential Specialist truly helped me throughout the transaction.”

And how was your week?

Gay E. Rosen

2014 NYS CRS Public Relations Chair Person

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Public Open House 412 Munro Avenue #4C 1-3 pm. 2/23/2014

Posted on February 22 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

Please join me at  a public open house on Sunday, February 23rd at 412 Munro Avenue #4C. Being offered at just $235,000, this stylish 2 bedroom, one bath 1020 sq. ft. coop is close to the trains, stores, harbor & schools. Located in a charming, well maintained Art
Deco building, this corner apartment offers a spacious entrance foyer, a sunny
living room with French doors leading to the 2 bedrooms, a new hall bathroom, and there is a  great walk-in closet! The nicely sized eat-in kitchen is warm, appealing, with
stainless steel appliances. Close to the harbor, trains, schools. With the STAR rebate
maintenance. approx.  would be $88 less a month. The Public Open House is from 1-3 p.m.

Mamaroneck is GREAT!

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February Sound Shore Area Market Stats – by Gay E. Rosen

Posted on February 21 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

Gay Rosen's winter scene Larchmont ManorWhile we are all waiting for properties to enter the market, I thought I would prepare a short report on the Sound Shore Area market stats..

2o14 looks to be a wonderful year!

Westchester is GREAT!

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Oh – looks like Phil (the ground hog) was right again!

Posted on February 5 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

Paine Avenue Feb 4thPunxsutawney Phil  the groundhog supposedly is only right only 39% of the time… but it looks like he was quite correct this year!  Every year on February 2nd, Phil is awakened from his burrow to make his prediction. If Phil sees his shadow then there will be six more weeks of winter, and if he does not see his shadow then there will not be six more weeks of winter.

I never realized that there was such a following… but upon seeing the thousands of people who attended this year’s celebration, it is obvious – Phil will be in demand for many more years to come!

New Rochelle is GREAT!

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A Super Bowl Menu ..

Posted on February 5 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

Gay's wingsI am not a football fan, but it would be very silly of me not to realize that this indeed a day to celebrate, enjoy one’s friends and family, and partake in some food.. a winter celebration and Holiday!  I was surprised to hear that pizza is the number three choice of party goers, and of course, the number one choice are those chicken wings… While delicious deep fried, and served with blue cheese and the trimmings, I like to make an equally delicious (I feel) style o f chicken wing, but one that is oven fried…  I just season with some cayenne, salt & pepper, and fry  on a rack to allow the fat to drip down for 400 degrees in the oven for an hour or until thy are browned and crispy looking..  I then serve them with our favorite sauces.. in our case, a hot sauce and a sweet and spicy chipotle sauce by Gringo Jack.  Gringo Jack’s is a restaurant in Southern Vermont and I must say that we love all of the sauces they sell.. served with a nice coleslaw made of cabbage, carrots and a jalapeño which is tossed with a touch of light mayonnaise compliment the dish perfectly!IMG_20140202_184656_430

IMG_20140202_183038_371I did make  a large dish of baked  macaroni and cheese, but it wasn’t overpowered with loads of cheese.. a huge serving dish only contained 12 ounces of  sharp cheddar..

Pork & Green Tomatillo StewHowever, while I had to make the wings, my favorite dish of the day was my green chili stew! I made it with pork shoulder, but the sauce is  really great on its own and served over rice if you would like a vegetarian version.  I had adapted a recipe from the internet which calls for tomatillos, poblano chilies and jalapeño chilies

IMG_20140202_150616_001which I roasted first… then pureed them as per the recipe, and combined them the meat and sauce mixture. This is really a great recipe and I really recommend it..  I also throw in a few potatoes too.. all good…When it is all served with fresh  julienned vegetables, etc.  and a healthy dip…   delish!  Westchester is GREAT!

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2014 Real Estate Newsletter – “A Year of Promise & Potential” Gay E. Rosen

Posted on January 16 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

2014 – a Year of Great Promise and Potential

Gay E. Rosen ABR, CBR, CDPE, CRS, GRI, SRES

 Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker

 2013 New York State Certified Residential Specialist of the Year

 2014 NYS CRS Public Relations & Communications Chair Person

Firstly, our Larchmont office continues to excel!  Notable numbers: In 2012 we had a $73,400  Million lead over our next competitor.  In 2013 that lead grew to $92,658 Million.  Our office had 67 more sales in 2013 than 2012.  67!  2012 Office stats  2013 Office stats

While none of us has a crystal ball,  if we were to reflect on the stock market at year end, and the real estate growth in sales of 2013, then 2014 is looking quite promising to put it mildly.

Fantastic interest rates influenced many sales in early 2013, with multiple bids in many price points where there was not enough inventory to satisfy the buyers needs.   We witnessed multiple bidding in Brooklyn, New York,  causing those who were unlucky to search further afield in the River Towns based on their close proximity to the city, and then onto Larchmont and Mamaroneck also. Always favorable and popular, I found buyers were returning to no contingency bids which were the norm back in 2005, and seemingly the norm in 2013. However, there was one small difference. While buyers were bidding well and high, prices were still not as high as they once were…  meaning there were still good purchases to be made. Multiple bids, yes… but in some cases multiple bidding resulting in list price sales or just slightly over… Only in a few cases did I see homes selling for substantially more.

What does that tell us?

Each quarterly report showed increases in sales prices over 2012, but perhaps not as many sales as demand showed, due to the lack of inventory. Standard & Poor’s Home Prices  cites that based on the Composite Indices, average home prices across the United States are back to their mid 2004 levels..Home sales rose in those 10 and 20 city composites 13.6%  in October, 2013 over 2012 in that same time period. 

However, real estate is always local, and so it is always good to ask your local real estate professional for their market update. I would rather state that homes in different price points/different areas  sold well.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-2014-is-a-good-year-to-buy-a-home/

“The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is expected to rise from 4.5 percent to 5 percent in the next year.”  Benjamin Weinstock, real estate attorney and partner at the firm Ruskin Moscou Faltischek in Uniondale, N.Y.

Since I sell homes in the Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle and surrounding areas, I have attached some local stats.  Larchmont Stats as of December 31st 2013  Mamaroneck Stats 2013   New Rochelle Stats as of December 31st 2013    Rye Neck School District Stats as of December 31st 2013

The Beige Book (Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District ) is citing that retail sales had improved last year, car sales were somewhat slower in December with larger inventories, home sales increased  but overall, the economy is looking a touch better. (January 15th, 2014)

http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201401.htm

I am very optimistic for the spring of 2014. I think it will be a great season in which to sell ones home, and also a good time in which to purchase. Why? As I mentioned  above, mortgage rates are still low with a National average upon writing this newsletter of around 4.54%. As Mr. Weinstock mentions,  if you just rent at the end of the year you only have the 12 cancelled checks to show that year, but with home ownership, you have the ability to deduct your mortgage interest and home taxes.

http://www.bankrate.com/partners/sem/IP-mortgage-rates-v2.aspx?ec_id=m1014711&ef_id=Uo5pvwAAATbWEQXX:20140101213408:s&zip=12792

Some mortgage brokers have informed me that many affluent buyers who would be seeking a jumbo loan, are looking into 5/1 ARMS simply because the rate is around 2.75 (  Patricia I. Madison, Senior Loan Officer, Thoroughbred Mortgage, 800 Westchester Avenue, S-332, Rye Brook, N.Y. 10573 -Mobile -917-559-3659, pmadison@thoroughbredmortgage.com NMLS #162252 )

New  Mortgage rules also take effect on January 20th – Mortgage lenders are being asked to comply with two new requirements:  The Ability to Repay rule and Qualified Mortgages.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/10/real_estate/mortgage-rules/index.html

“Lenders must determine that a borrower has the income and assets to afford to make payments throughout the life of the loan. To do so, the lender may look at your debt-to-income ratio, which is how much you owe divided by how much you earn per month, including the highest mortgage payments you would be required to make under the terms of the loan. To calculate your debt-to-income ratio, add up all your monthly obligations — including student loan, credit card and car payments, housing costs, utilities and other recurring expenses — and divide it by your monthly gross income. ”  Les Christie, CNN January 10th, 2014.

FEMA is initiating new rules, and now more than ever, it is imperative any buyer researches the FEMA guidelines for the area and understands the flood risks. Having a good agent who can direct you to the correct insurance companies, and web sites helps also.

https://larchmontandnewrochellenews.com/2014/01/15/new-fema-guidelines/

I do see buyers being more conservative in their purchases. They are not just buying ‘anything‘  but rather they are seeking newer , renovated homes (new kitchens and baths always sell) and obviously location and school districts sell also. As a real estate professional,  I am always asked about school districts.   Unfortunately, I cannot advise on schools. Every child has different needs, and you can send your child to THE best school based on stats, only to find that you do not care for the teacher! We always urge parents to interview the various schools, learn about the different programs and become ‘educated’  about the local school districts.

Our local schools

With China becoming such a dominant force in the world, our local schools are recognizing the need to offer Mandarin Chinese to its students!

The  Larchmont elementary schools (Murray Avenue, Chatsworth Elementary & Central  Elementary)  filter into the Mamaroneck Hommocks Middle School and the Mamaroneck High School, where there are so many exemplary study programs. The Mamaroneck High School approximately 23 Honors & AP Classes .

**There is a pioneer dual  Spanish/English language program in the Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School. It started this past September with just 48 students.

** Mandarin  is also taught in the 7th Grade onward in the Mamaroneck schools too.  It started in the 80’s with just 30 students, and it has now grown to approximately 300 students with the  ultimate culture immersion trip to China enabling the students to not only practice their Mandarin, but to be with Host families, travel, and learn firsthand the cultures of China.

 The Hommocks Middle School is utilizing the Ipad to both teach and allow the students to explore, research and express themselves via the I-Pad.

Registration contacts: 

Information & Forms: 

 New Rochelle

Mandarin Chinese is taught in most of  New Rochelle’s  elementary schools, and offers a dual language program in its Jefferson Elementary School (Italian or Spanish),  as well as offering Magnet Schools.

The  High School – while the largest in Westchester with  approximately 3300 students, has many college based areas of study including Physics B & C AP, Chemistry Honors.,  A & BC Calculus AP (H),  Algebra 11 & Trigonometry (H),  Italian 3, French 3, Spanish  3 (all Honor programs)  and Mandarin 3. A student can learn business marketing to fashion marketing, and there is always the PAVE program (Performing and Visual Arts Education. The high school touts the only high school in Westchester to feature a planetarium and it also has 2 theaters. The New Rochelle High School offers 40 different AP classes.

http://www.nred.org/

Albert Leonard Middle School

Isaac Young Middle School

Barnard Early Childhood Center    Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program

  • ·  Applications are available at the Barnard Early Childhood Center.

*        UPK Applications are due by Friday, February 8 at 3:00 PM.  They must be hand-delivered to the      Barnard Early Childhood Center.

  • ·   Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program Lottery will be held on Friday, March 1, 2013 at 1 PM.

Columbus Elementary School                Registration   March 11-15, 2013

George M. Davis Jr. Elementary School     Registration  March 18 – 22, 2013

Jefferson Elementary School      Registration March 18 – 22, 2013

Trinity Elementary School        Registration March 11 – 15, 2013 

William B. Ward Elementary School     Registration April 3-12, 2013

Daniel Webster Elementary School       Registration April 15-19, 2013

Alternative Campus High School

Rye Neck School District

Rye Neck is a school district located in  Mamaroneck. Its students consistently score in the top tier of statewide standardized testing. A smaller  school district (with approximately  1250 students K- High School),  91% of its students score 3 or above in the 19 AP Programs offered.

It is only January, but I am looking forward to a wonderful year, a year in which I hope to serve all of my clients well,  both new and old. I am here for all of your real estate requirements.

Gay Elizabeth Rosen, ABR, CBR, CDPE, CRS, GRI, SRES

Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker

2014 -2010 Top Five Star Agent in Exceptional Service

Houlihan Lawrence 2070 Boston Post Road Larchmont, New York 10538 (914) 833-0420 Ext. 307 (914) 833-0451 Fax (914) 907-2645 Cell Phone Exclusive Affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates

For the latest in Real Estate Industry news click on this link:

http://intel.houlihanlawrence.com/

http://www.houlihanlawrence.com/real-estate-agent/gayrosen

www.gayrosen.com

https://larchmontandnewrochellenews.com/

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New FEMA Guidelines to take effect 2014

Posted on January 15 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

 

Gay Rosen's winter scene Larchmont Manor*Did you know that you could save more than $90,000 over 10 years if you were to build your home 3 Feet above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) level?

*Did you know that  a history of (flood) claims could impact on future insurance rates?

*Did you know that approximately 25% of flood insurance claims arise form low to moderate flood risk areas?

” The base flood is a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. The BFE identifies how high the water is likely to rise (also called water surface elevation) in a base flood. The land area of the base flood is called the Special Flood Hazard Area, floodplain or high risk zone. ”  (FEMA Fact Sheet)

If you are living in a moderate to low risk zone, (zones beginning with the letters B, C or X)  you may not require an Elevation Certificate to determine the premium as the rates are not based on elevation.

For more information:

http://www.Floodsmart.gov – re: flood insurance, flood risk for homeowners

http://www.realtor.org/topics/national-flood-insurance-program-nfip

http:/http://www.realtor.org/news-releases/2013/11/realtors-demand-immediate-relief-for-homeowners-impacted-by-unforeseen-and-exponential-increases-in/giswww.westchestergov.com/gismap/default.aspx?OVMAP=&show=1

Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance  Guidelines Booklet:

www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2954

Local companies that can assist in your flood insurance policies:

Lawley Insurance .com

Pure.com

http://www.pureinsurance.com/high-net-worth-insurance/insurance-products/flood-solutions

to Order an elevation certificate:

http://www.elevationcert.com/order/order_start.asp

Map Service Center:

http://www.msc.fema.gove/webapp/wcs/stores/serlet/FemaWelcomeView?storeld=10001catalogld=10001&langld=-1

Gay Rosen at Mamaroneck HarborSpeak to your Realtor before purchasing a home in a suspected flood zone. He/she will be able to direct you to insurance companies that will better answer your concerns and questions.

Westchester is GREAT!

 

 

 

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34 Myrtle Boulevard – Where Charm abides!

Posted on January 11 2014 by Gay E. Rosen

DSC02506Located in prestigious Larchmont Gardens, 34 Myrtle Boulevard, Larchmont, New York 10538  is a charming Colonial home offering 2735 sq. ft.,  3 bedrooms,  4.5 baths with a circular driveway on .40 level acre tree-lined corner lot.  The gracious entrance foyer with its art deco detailing  leads to a large, sunny 30′ living room with a fireplace, French doors opening to a Southern style porch and spacious  lawn.  The dining room opens to a screened-in porch and the eat-in kitchen has a wonderful adjacent large  (14′ X 10′) laundry/utility room. There is a powder room  off the foyer, and  the second floor features a nicely sized landing with a Master bedroom and bath, and two additional en suite bedrooms.  The third floor has 2 heated and finished rooms, a bathroom  plus attic storage. There is a  2 car garage with an  additional  driveway. Walk to trains. 35 Minutes to NYC. This charming  home is being offered at $985,000. Easy access to the Central Elementary School.Larchmont is GREAT!
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