Authored by: Sean Stark December 16th, 2007  Condemnation possibilities were announced this past week in Riverhead. The previous post on this topic has developed into an extended situation that can only now become more stagnant than ever. The Supervisor of Riverhead, Phil Cardinale, received a request from Apollo’s Vice President to begin condemnation procedures.     With this news the continuation of a long, protracted process for revitalization, in this authors opinion, is likely. The lawsuit that Riverhead Enterprises would file could take years to settle. Those types of stops in the condemnation process place the advancement for a reborn downtown into a holding pattern. John Stefans in his article Apollo offer is rejected, closes his article with a glimmer of hope on the horizon, th... 12/16/2007

Authored by: Sean Stark December 8th, 2007  John Steffans @ The News Review reported this week that more snags continue to tear into the progress of major revitalization in downtown Riverhead. Riverhead Enterprises (Sheldon Gordon) and Apollo Real Estate Advisors (Richard Mack), Deadlines have loomed before. Click here for the article. The interesting part of this story to me is how Supervisor Phil Cardinale and the newly elected members of the town council will proceed and intervene. Let’s hope that, for the health of Historic DowntownRiverhead, the Supervisor and Board make decisions based on the growth and revitalization of Downtown. In the Letter To the Editor section of the aforementioned paper, Marty Stromsten writes… “It is time for the Town of Riverhead to take back the Suffolk ... 12/08/2007

Authored by: Sean Stark September 23rd, 2007  Here’s an interesting blog post that I came across regarding the housing market and Home Depot. The best line in the post, I thought was this quote, “Even with the cuts in interest rates by the Federal Reserve, the housing market won’t suddenly rebound, especially with the amount of homes on the market.” Read the entire article on Zacks Investment Research blog here. I saw that fixbuffalotoday has reported on a historic home that has been saved from demolition up there. Perhaps Riverhead can take inspiration from Buffalo. Is there a historic property in Riverhead that need to be restored that you know of? Send us pics of your entry into Options Realty’s Fix Historic Riverhead Campaign. Just send us an email of the property location and any s... 09/24/2007

Authored by: Options Realty September 21st, 2007  SPOTLIGHT COMMUNITY: FOXWOOD VILLAGE, RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK Foxwood Village, located in Riverhead, New York, is a 55 and better active adult community offering manufactured homes. What makes this community a stand-apart alternative to other communities is the look. While manufactured homes conjure up images of a mish mash of assorted trailer type homes, Foxwood Village affords a clean, manicured and very upscale look, unlike any neighborhoods of this type that we’ve visited. Large trees and strategically placed homes create a “regular” neighborhood look, with obvious care on the part of the residents- while this is a maintained community, residents declare their pride with an assortment of flowers, baskets, and lovely personal landscape to... 09/21/2007

Authored by: Options Realty September 14th, 2007  Choosing an attorney for your real estate needs would seem to be a simple task. IS IT? With an ever changing real estate market, simplicity is no longer…SIMPLE. As basic as real estate contracts are, the arena has changed. Foreclosures, short sales, credit issues, buyer rebates…all relatively new to most home sellers and buyers. And, some attorneys. You would likely pass on a dentist that offers teeth cleaning and maintenance if you have an issue with your gums; you would likely pass on a doctor that specializes in feet if you have an issue with your heart. And so it goes, with attorneys who offer “real estate services” in addition to a myriad of other services. Jack of all lawsuits; master of none. OBTAINING A REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY is cr... 09/14/2007

Authored by: Options Realty September 14th, 2007  If you’re a seller on the North Fork of Long Island, it’s possible that you’ve seen the summer crowd come and go, without a contract on your property. Pricing? Condition? Timing?  Heading into fall, there are some advantages coming your way. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR HOUSE IS READY. Fall is “harvest” season here on the North Fork. Farmstands are abundant with the season’s offerings, from fresh vegetables to pumpkins. It’s a seasonal look that visitors (and potential buyers) find themselves falling in love with- changing colors, cooler weather, and warmer thoughts. Your home, in keeping with the seasons, may benefit from a simple warm look. Nothing expensive- things as simple as a fall arrangement inside will help. Candles in the rich oranges a... 09/14/2007

September 9th, 2007  A question was posed to me recently about the benefits and/or motivation involved for individuals that choose to locate a retirement / second home on the North Fork of Long Island.  For those individuals approaching their fifties, thoughts about where to “be” when the kids are gone is one that niggles- ideas about personal freedom and lower taxes notwithstanding, a very important factor is a “family friendly” location. Being close, yet…a vacation away. For those of you that live mid-island, or in close proximity to the city, your transition from family home to ease of 55-plus living has an abundance of offerings. If peace and quiet, along with a very low key and bountiful lifestyle is on your agenda, few areas offer the charm of the North Fork. Family visitors are o... 09/09/2007

Authored by: Options Realty September 3rd, 2007  At Options Realty, we believe that the only way to represent you is with full fiduciary. Currently, it is very difficult to obtain a buyer broker in the North Fork. The result is that your interests are compromised- if you buy from the selling agency, they represent the SELLER.   Having someone on your team will provide you with a fair opportunity to obtain a property, and we are there to provide you with comparable sales, the realistic value of the home that you are looking at, and a vantage point that mirrors your own. You NEED someone in your corner when purchasing either a vacation property, or a permanent residence. Don’t call on signs, only to be warmly welcomed by the listing company. Getting seller representation means that your i... 09/03/2007

Authored by: Laurie Mindnich August 22nd, 2007 When people visit our east end of Long Island, whether to consider moving here, or simply for a summer getaway, the offerings are abundant every weekend. This Saturday, we decided to visit the Riverhead Polish Fair. It occurs every year in Polish Town, Riverhead, New York, and it sounded like a fun adventure. Parking at Riverhead High School, we made our way through the festival, noticing the green lawns of charming homes that are offered in this unique area- while small, their reminder of another period in time is very enticing. The lot sizes are small and easy to manage, and the decorative accents outside offer a warm feeling of cared for homes. We were delighted at the abundance offered at this festival, and came to understand the large ... 08/22/2007

A while back I posted some pretty pictures from inside the beautiful Monestary of Professor Lin Yin in Old Westbury, Long Island, New York.  It is one way of life and living, following beliefs and respecting eachother.  A Peek inside a Monastery: A respectful way of life in Old Westbury, Long Island, New York Long Island also has a lovely Shrine in Riverhead, where many people go to pray and respect a different belief.  I'm often suprised that many people aren't aware of it while others flock there for it's peacefulness. I stopped to visit there recently after a Feng Shui Consultation in Riverhead and am always struck by it's beauty; maybe you will be, too. One of the first monuments you see, this place is immense---and very peaceful.This is set back, I almost passed it.People leave tok... 07/17/2007

One of my favorite things to get calls for in Feng Shui are for Renovations.  I love consulting on the Colors, Decorating, new furniture additions and the placement of it and I love to watch it as it comes "alive."  I have found myself out east on Long Island, New York lately (in Laurie Mindnich's neck of the woods:) and after consulting on this client's home, was called for her and her husband's new business, to be opening soon.I had mentioned in a previous post about a client I have done recently and her business is called YOGA ROCKS and kept thinking what a wonderful tie in this is.  I also blogged recently about the homeowner with the spiral staircase in the "Heart" of the home and she would be interested in this place as well for her children.  It is called C.H.A.T.S. (Children's H... 06/27/2007

A few interesting facts about Suffolk County, New York, buyers and sellers, as reported and prepared by the National Association of Realtors Research division, for 2006 (an excerpt):General characteristics: median age: 42.  First time buyer median age:  39.  Median income:$95,300.00.  First time home buyer median income: $86,900.00.Characteristics of homes purchased:  61% were single family homes.  Median sales price: $455,000.00  Typical size of home purchased:  1939 square feetThe home search process:  Typical buyers searched for a median 10 weeks and saw a median 10 homes.  81% used a real estate professional during their home search.  46% of buyers used the internet to search for homes.  52% of buyers rated real estate agents as a very useful information source with an additonal 32%... 05/14/2007

This week I want to introduce a new topic that is a growing news story while spring has sprung here in Riverhead, New York. Daniel Wagner at Newsday reported in his article Energizing East Main, earlier this month, about the revitalization of Downtown Riverhead. I think his article is helpful in getting things moving forward on East Main. I want to preface his article by mentioning a few of my own thoughts. The owners of those semi-abandoned rows of retail storefronts in Downtown Riverhead on East Main St. and The Town of Riverhead need to be held accountable for the turtle pace of advancement that is taking place in Downtown Riverhead re-development. I say, Fix Riverhead Today.For the rest of Downtown Riverhead Deadline Looms, please click here.  05/13/2007

Authored by: Options Realty May 3rd, 2007 category: Real Estate News, Riverhead Real Estate, Southold Real Estate, North Fork Neighborhoods, People and Places, Southold History, Riverhead History, Buyers If you are looking for a summer home, there is no better place to be than the North Fork of Long Island. Check out Southold, Greenport, Jamesport, Mattituck, Cutchogue, Orient and Riverhead, for starters. I’ve included a map to make the decision a little easier. This is an area full of age diversity, and The Suffolk Times newspaper is constantly full of activities for everyone, whether it be a Scrabble match (National Headquarters located in Greenport NY! ), science camp for the kids, play groups, bird watching tours, sailing lessons, days at the beach, visits to local vineyards for win... 05/02/2007