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White Plains, NY Real Estate News

By Peter Gorbutt
(Gorbutt Group Real Estate)
The real estate market continues to be one of the most talked about subjectseverywhere you go these days. Not a day goes by that we don't read or hear about the housing market, the housing bust and all the negative press surrounding it. It is important to keep in mind that all real estate is local and every local market is different. Most of these negative reports we read or see in the news are based on a national or state level of reporting.True, the Westchester County area has experienced some declines in sales and sale prices with the downturn of the real estate market, but we are still a vibrant market and will continue to be so with our close proximity to New York City, our excellent schools and for quality of the suburban lifestyle we offer.Sellers will have no problem selling a h...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
In my previous post, I had been commenting on how spring had been taking its sweet time in Westchester, NY – but what a difference a few days can make.  We had a couple of nice warm days in what has generally been a rather cool spring – and this encouraged the buds to bloom. Here are some pictures of the southern end of White Plains.  For those interested in local history, the Cherry trees along the road median of Mamaroneck Ave and Bloomingdale Rd. were the result of the diligent work of the White Plains Beautification Foundation.  The idea was to create a corridor of green in summer and blooms in spring  extending  from the southern entry to the city and extending to the beginning of the downtown area – or about two miles. The Beautification Foundation was the brainchild of Brian Wall...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
For various reasons, including a family illness I found that I needed to file for an extension this year. What could be simpler? How hard could this possibly be? Read on if you want to find out. I called my accountant on Monday – who was expecting that I would file for an extension. I realized suddenly that I was missing significant deductions and although the time was a concern, we agreed that I should get as many deductions as I could together so that I wouldn’t have to overpay and that I would drop everything off the next morning.   Just because I’m paranoid, it doesn’t mean there isn’t anyone out to get me - Or How many things can go wrong at once?Tuesday morning I arrived at my accountant’s office bright and early with year end statements of my mortgage, my W-2’s from several adjun...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
Buyers from  New York City are forever asking me if there is any nightlife in Westchester? And the answer is YES THERE IS!Downtown White Plains is bustling 24/7 these days and for those who enjoy the active night life of New York City, having such a hub near at hand makes the adjustment to more sedate suburban living far more enjoyable.  I will not try to compare what White Plains has to offer to Broadway and the Metropolitan Opera House. In the end, there is only ONE Manhattan, but the amenities of that particular city are just minutes away by train.  But if you don’t feel like making the trip to Manhattan, there is nightlife here in Westchester. Previously, I mentioned a couple of points of interest that are putting Westchester on the map culturally: The first was a posting about how ...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
The picture of that hawk was taken by yours truly one morning. I had just let out the dogs into my back yard (yes its fenced) while I started making my essential morning brew when I noticed that Buddy barking at something and looking UP....I peered out the kitchen window into the back and looked in his direction and saw a very large hawk sitting in my neighbor's tree peering imperiously at the three dogs below. I've seen hawks in those trees before, either on my property with m neighbors, but was never able to capture the image. I grabbed my camera and went outside in my flip flops and sweats hoping no one would see me other than the hawk and the dogs and snapped a few pictures. I don't really have a zoom lens, so this was the best could do since he was way up in the trees. Because I li...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
The Residences of Jefferson Place is a condominium complex with a split personality. The complex spans on square block between Livingston Ave. and Rutherford Ave. in White Plains, NY with units on 300 Mamaroneck Ave. and 31 Greenridge Ave. Jefferson Place is located a scant half -mile from Trump Tower, the Ritz Carlton and the White Plains City Center.  The city side - facing Mamaroneck Ave. is an eight-story urban mid-rise with a sophisticated brick façade. The façade reflects the growing urbanization of the city and is just steps away from all the shopping and dining that downtown White Plains has to offer. The suburban side of the complex on Greenridge Ave. gives a bow to the Highlands community where it resides. The units on Greenridge are three story walkup condos that have an oute...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
 Offered at $579,000 this is a 1077 sq,ft., 2 BR/2BA unit with balcony in the new luxury condo complex, Jefferson Place. Maintenance Fees:  $542  a monthTaxes with single STAR $455/monthThe condo is in IMMACULATE CONDITION and features hardwood floors, granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, oversized bathrooms and walk-in closets, washer/dryer in unit, and much more! Outdoor balcony has a great view of downtown White Plains and Mamaroneck Avenue!Additional amenities include –On – site parkingEasy commute to Metro-NorthOn-site Gym, Club room and Media RoomWalking distance to restaurants, the Westchester, Whole Foods and Fortunoff, as well as downtown White Plains, including the Ritz Carlton and City Center.Located a short walk from City Center and all the amenities of downtown...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
Happy Easter Everyone! It may still be cold outside - after all, as Deborah Pearce informed a few days ago, this is the earliest Easter since 1913 and the world will not see this early an Easter again for another 200 years. But on has only to go inside Carlson's Floral and Gift to see Spring in FULL FORCE! I always love going there towards the end of Lent to see what they have on display for Easter and early spring in general. The last time I wrote about Carlson's it near Christmas and the greenhouse was covered with poinsettia's with wonderful winter and Christmas colors all around. What a difference a few months makes. During that time lapse, a great deal of time and effort has transformed a Christmas and winter wonderland into a spring garden. Carlson's is a family business, run by C...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
Sometimes its just fun to post something that has nothing to do with real estate. Since dogs are one of my passions, a friend sent me this story in an email: An old, tired-looking dog wandered into the yard.  I could tell from his collar and well-fedbelly that he had a home. He followed me into the house, down the hall, and fell asleep in a corner.An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.The next day he was back, resumed his position in the hall, and slept for an hour.  This continued for several weeks.Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: "Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap."The next day he arrived with a different note pinned to his collar:"He lives in a home with ten children -- he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?"  Thi...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
OK….so what’s wrong with these two pictures? The subject is obviously a MALL. The mall is the newest of the six malls that make White Plains, NY the retail hub of Westchester . It’s not unattractive and it has many popular shopping and dining destinations including Whole Foods, Fortunoff and the Cheesecake Factory. But something I missing…if you can’t quite put your finger on it, I’ll give you a little hint – the color you are looking for is green. For those who can’t quite put their finger on it – the problem is landscaping – or lack of same - You remember landscaping don't you? - It comes with TREES, BUSHES and other plants. The other missing component is the appropriate setback that makes said landscaping possible. This is a St. Patrick’s day message to all architects and builders in...
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Although I have depicted downtown White Plains as mostly steel, glass and concrete, the downtown has a softer side once you get to the downtown residential areas on and around North Broadway.  It’s an amazing transition really.  The hubbub of the downtown ends abruptly at North Broadway where the west side of the street is part of the concrete, glass and steel jungle and the eastern side of Broadway becomes purely residential.  Many older coop complexes grace the eastern side of North Broadway giving the area an distinctly residential and more subdued feel when compared to the area by City Center that includes Trump Tower and the Ritz Carlton.  A coop on North Broadway in the 10601 zip code is considered prime real estate and with good reason.  It is so close to the center of town that ...
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There have been a couple of articles recently about homes that arrived in boxes, pre-fab we now call them, that were built in the 1920's throughout Westchester County.  These homes were purchased through the Sears Catalog and currently 115 homes are documented.  A couple of weeks ago The Journal News ran an article about Sears homes and spoke to an owner in Chappaqua.  The Real Estate Section of the New York Times today spoke to the previous owners of a Sears Catalog home in Hastings-on-Hudson.These homes cost about $4000. back then and arrived in a box without the nails.  What is interesting is that the original design holds its' own now.  If you look at the New York Times article and the picture of the home in Hastings you see center hall colonial that is still favored by buyers today...
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Annual Film Festival March 7, 8 and 9 at the City Center 15: Cinema De Lux in White Plains Come to the 9th annual Westchester County International Film Festival! The event kicks off Friday, Mar. 7 at the City Center 15 in White Plains. Films will run back to back starting at 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from noon on Sunday. On Sunday, come to the special screening for the first-ever "Future Filmmakers" competition. About two dozen aspiring filmmakers from local high schools will get a chance to have their production shown in a professional theatre, on a full-size screen, and hopefully complete with a standing-room-only audience. The films will be judged by a panel of professionals and filmmakers and the winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and, for their school, a professional hig...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
Well, here we are again – with yet another delay on the affordable housing that Louis Cappelli owes the City of White Plains. According to recent reports work has abruptly halted on the affordable housing – but heating was not the issues this time around.  This time it was the fire codes that were the bone of contention. Mr. Cappelli had designed the building at 240 Main Street to be exactly 74.87 ft in height – just a hair under the 75 feet that would define the building as a high-rise by State law and force  him to include more extensive fire safety provisions.  These would include emergency generators, stronger fire walls, and a mechanism to purge smoke.   However , local laws require such provisions for buildings over six stories in height.  The building in question is eight stories...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
Fisher Hill of White Plains, NY  is a residential neighborhood located on the  western edge of White Plains, NY, right up against the Scarsdale border.  Heading south, many of the streets merge seamlessly from White Plains into Scarsdale. This neighborhood consists of a mix of single family, and multi-family housing including coops and two-family homes. Many of the homes are turn-of –the-century rambling Victorians, complete with wrap-around porches although a variety of styles from the pre-war period also grace the neighborhood. Although the homes tend to be large, the lot sizes vary, but are relatively small when compared with the size of the homes.  Some lots are as small as 0.085 acres while others are over 0.3 acres – but 0.3 acres is the exception not the rule.  A typical lot is s...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
Prospect Park in White Plains is a neighborhood located in the southwestern corner of White Plains sitting on the Scarsdale, NY border.  Park Road in Prospect Park crosses seamlessly over to the Scarsdale border creating the illusion of one large neighborhood.  This is another established and mature neighborhood that evolved over a long period of time.  Many of the homes were built at the turn of the last century.  Prospect Park is known for its rambling Victorians.  Tudors, Colonials and Mediterranean homes dominate the examples from the pre-war period and mixed into those more traditional homes are Colonials, splits and ranches from the 1960s- 1970s.  Many of these have undergone expansion and extensive renovations.  Although many have expanded in size tremendously, some have been ren...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
Havilands Manor is a major neighborhood right off of North Street in the southern end of White Plains, NY.  Like the other neighborhoods I have described, it too is a mature neighborhood. The neighborhood was built up from the late 1930s on.  So there is a mix of pre-war style, ranches, split levels and colonials from the 60’s and a few contemporary.   Many home owners are adding on to the older homes so we are starting to see larger homes on smaller lots.   They aren’t true McMansions, but they stand in stark contrast to the more modest homes in the area.  The neighborhood is trying to limit the scope of the expansion, and so far some degree of moderation has prevailed.  The lots vary in size more than the Highlands of White Plains,  from about 0.15 acres – 0.3 acres –leaving more room...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
This blog was influenced by a blog by Teresa Boardman on the St. Paul Skyways. Teresa was talking about taking an “indoor walk” in the St. Paul Skyways which extend for an amazing five miles. Looking at the map, it is very impressive. Truly, St. Paul needs something of this nature due to the long, cold winters. It’s a wonderful solution and it actually got me thinking…. As the downtown of White Plains, NY has grown, so has the traffic.  In fact the traffic in downtown White Plains can resemble Manhattan during the holidays and rush hour.  Frustrated residents now avoid parts of the downtown which is bad for business. But as city officials have tried to force more people to walk and have talked about trolleys – and even monorails, no one (to my knowledge) has looked up towards the sky an...
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Growing up on Long Island Fortunoff's in Westbury was always the go to store for jewelry, household items, dishes, silverware.  They always had hugh sales and bus loads of people would be brought in from Brooklyn and points north.  The store was always packed.  This was before the Bed, Bath and Beyond chain and before Linin and Things. Several years ago they took down my beloved Saks Fifth Avenue in White Plains and built a Fortunoff's.  A little bit of home.  They also built a Cheesecake Factory, Morton's Steak House moved in and the came Whole Foods.  Wonderful for the community.This past week I read that Fortunoff's had filed for banktrupcy.  A local company is bailing them out and is claiming that they will keep the status quo even though this is hard to believe but I hope so.A LItt...
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By Ruthmarie Hicks
(Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605)
When clients are looking for high-end single family homes with plenty of green space and old-world charm – Gedney Farms is the first neighborhood that comes to mind in  White Plains.  Gedney Farms was named after John Gedney  who bought the land in 1740.   Gedney Farms was a working farm right that remained within the Gedney family right through the Civil War.  It has long ceased to be farmland and is now a well established neighborhood.  Through much of the Gedney area the  zoning is for no more than three homes per acre, so most lots have at least .33 acres of land  which for lower Westchester is very difficult to find at a decent price.   The roads are fairly narrow the wind around giving the feeling of country roads. No checkerboard streets here!  This is also a plus because the str...
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