Westchester NY is rich with history and the Historic Hudson Valley is always busy creating events that bring that history to life for adults and children alike. When I was a child, I remember vividly going to Van Cortlandt Manor during the holiday season. It was an event that I looked forward to. I would go with my parents and often with some friends in tow. I always had a great time. This year Van Cortlandt Manor is hosting a Twelfth Night Celebration.
Van Cortlandt Manor was owned by one of the wealthiest families of the post-Revolutionary era. Decorations from the era will adorn the home. Musicians will perform live music in the Parlor. The orchard will be candle-lit for a stroll after dark. There will be a fiddler and dancing at the ferry house.
- The Event: Twelfth Night Celebration at Van Cortlandt Manor – Croton-on-Hudson
- The Day: December 17th
- The Time: Tours Start at 4 PM and the last tour starts at 8 PM
- The Cost: Adults $14, – Children under 17 $6, – Children under 5 are free.
For more information and tickets follow this link to the Historic Hudson Valley web page.
© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
An event full of tradition that the whole family can enjoy! The Nutcracker Ballet is being performed at the White Plains County Center this weekend. Sponsored by Westchester County Parks as well as the Westchester Ballet Company, this event is always a crowd pleaser. Kids and adults alike can create holiday memories. Several performances are scheduled, so working this one into your busy holiday schedule should be fairly easy:
For more information – you can call 995-4050
- The Event: The Nutcracker Ballet:
- The Place: Westchester County Center in White Plains NY (118 Central Ave., White Plains NY 10606)
- The Day: Saturday Dec. 17, and Sunday Dec. 18.
- The Time: Saturday the 17th – 12:30 and 4:30. Sunday the 18th – 2 PM.
- The Cost: Adults – $20, Children under 10 and seniors over 65 - $14, All tickets bought on the day of performance $25.
© 2011 Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
Sometimes its just nice to pause and enjoy the season. I was busy today – running around like crazy. But at dusk I saw a display that I really loved. This isn’t one of those over-the top displays. It has charm and grace. Not too much, not too little. Its interesting because this particular display is at the steps of a church. Nevertheless, it has more of a holiday feel, and at least to my mind, the religious overtones are missing. Still it captures the spirit of giving and conveys a feeling of warmth and the spirit of giving. Something sorely needed in these times where the “I’ve got mine” attitude seems to prevail in our day-to-day lives. Anyway, here is the photo:
©2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
These days no listing appointment is complete without a discussion about “staging”. Real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran concurs that staging is no longer an option, but a necessity. For selling your home in Westchester, I couldn’t agree more. You are no longer dealing with an option – buyers expect to see a furnished, peaceful space. In this market buyers have nothing BUT choices. Selling your home is going to be a challenge no matter HOW LONG it takes. Your home does need to stand out. but that doesn’t mean that you need to break the bank.
Ninja Stager -Marie Graham shoes what can be done with a little paint and strategic furniture placement – she transformed a condo from ho-hum to wow! The unit had languished on the market for a year – but after staging sold in a month.
Hope you enjoy this post – and that it helps you understand that staging doesn’t have to be a money pit – and the money you do send could be money in the bank.
All the best!
Ruthmarie
Back in the 1980s there was a commercial for NY State Lotto. At then end of the commercial there was the tag line “But you’ve got to be in it to win it!” Now, I’m not suggesting that we all go out and buy $50 worth of lottery tickets each week – but I do think the line “you’ve got to be in it to win it!” applies to real estate.
Now, If you bought at the height of the boom, chances are you are hurting right now and would firmly believe that anyone who would suggest that you go out there and buy real estate needs a lobotomy.
However, if you are a thinking of buying a home in Westchester NY – and you have the means to purchase – then CONGRATULATIONS! you have won the real estate lottery!
Real estate is on SALE right now….
Prices are down from about 20-35% across lower Westchester. That’s a SALE folks! If this were a BMW, some Jimmy Choo shoes, a new flat screen or an iPad, you would have everyone crawling all over each other like a re-run of Black Friday. With the low interest rates that we now enjoy, affordability is at highs not seen in over a generation. Further, much of the lower Westchester housing market is flat or increasing in price. Pockets that are declining are pretty much bouncing along the bottom. The big dramatic downward moves have morphed into very slow, slight declines, flat lines or a gentle increases. The market is flat – not tanking.
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Hello everyone – I was lucky enough to have my camera with me for a beautiful fiery sunset on the Hudson. The sun just seems to set so fast at this time of year. But it does bring to mind that for those thinking of living on or near the Hudson – that one of the perks is a brand new sunset served up every evening. So if you are interested in living along the river…. a complex like Hudson Harbor or Ichabod’s Landing or a single family home with westerly views – will give you a front row seat for this type of nightly display. There is something very refreshing and invigorating about simply being able to take in such sight. It refreshes the mind and soul.
© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
The Council of the Arts and the newly rebuilt Mamaroneck Library have teamed up to host a holiday Arts & Crafts fair tomorrow – Dec. 10th. The Council of the Arts has been making a concerted effort to promote local artists. Their new logo…LOLA (Love Our Local Artists) pretty much says it all. There has been a major outreach to local artists and the response has been amazing – with local artists all vying for a table at this fair.
This is a great way to experience what local artists have to offer and to get to know your community. There are 38 vendors of which over 20 are local. Items for sale will range from the very affordable ($3) to high-end paintings for over $1000. There is literally something for everyone – including the family pet. I’m sure the gift ideas alone will be truly amazing. So come on out tomorrow and enjoy yourselves while you support the arts in your local community. Its also a great way to see the newly refurbished library if you haven’t done so up to now. 5% of the proceeds go to the library to help fund larger events in the future. Parking is free!
- The Time: 10 AM – 4 PM
- The Place: Mamaronck Public Library (Prospect Ave.)
© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
Lower Westchester has a rich history that dates back to well before the American Revolution. The Historic Hudson Valley has done a wonderful job of bringing that history to life – particularly for Halloween since the Legend of Sleepy Hollow lends itself to quite a celebration in that season. However, this year, they have engaged master story teller Jonathan Kruk to recite Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol. The recitation comes complete with musical accompaniment. The event takes place in the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow on Route 9. There is complementary hot chocolate, cider and cookies are available at nearby Philipsburg Manor.
The Old Dutch Church
Events like this are marvelous for the entire family. Families can spend some quality time together away from the TV and computer while enjoying the season. The Old Dutch Church is a landmark in the area. And if you come early, you can see the famous cemetery. This is a great way for everyone to get in touch with our rich local history while enjoying a classic Christmas tradition.
- The Date: Sat Dec. 10 & Sat Dec 17
- The Time: 4, 5, 6, & 7 PM
- The Place: The Old Dutch Church – Sleepy Hollow NY (Route 9)
- The Price: Adults - $16 – Children under 18 - $12, Members get a discount of $5
Get your tickets online by following this link: Historic Hudson Valley. Or call 914-631-8200
As White Plains NY condos go, Jefferson Place offers a great deal in the way of amenities for the money. 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 heart of the downtown including the White Plains City Center. The city side – facing Mamaroneck Ave. is an eight-story urban mid-rise with a sophisticated brick façade. The suburban side of the complex on Greenridge Ave. gives a bow to the Highlands community where it resides.
The following is an update of the sales stats at Jefferson Place. Prices have come down nicely over the past few years and for those interested in buying, I would strongly suggest that you get moving. The gift of super-low interest rates can not last forever and combined with the prices that we now see, this is a gift. If you qualify to buy – I have to ask what an EARTH are you waiting for???? Housing is highly cyclic. Those who miss out on this crazy low market will be kicking themselves for years to come. This is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity in the housing market.
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A few days ago, I wrote a post “Meet the new real estate agent… same as the old agent.” The article was posted on here in The Westchester View and on Active Rain which caters to the real estate industry. Based on the lively comment thread on Active Rain, some agents misunderstood what I was trying to say. The article was not meant to imply that all listing agents were the same and that it didn’t matter at all who the homeowner picked. That is most certainly not true.
What I was emphasizing in that first post was that an agent can not defy market forces. If prices are down and the market is a bear which is the case for most of Westchester homes for sale, then even the most stellar agent will NOT be able to get you a 2006 price in 2011. The notion that the “right agent” will get the seller “their price” is a fallacy which dies a slow hard death for many sellers.
The Expired Listing Gold Rush:
The real estate industry created this urban legend in many ways. Let’s take expired listings as an example. If you are a home owner who had a listing expire – you know what I mean. The minute your listing expired, seemingly thousands of agents came out of the woodwork trying to convince you that they could do a better job. They descend upon sellers like sharks in a feeding frenzy. Sellers don’t like to think about their homes a chum – but sadly, that’s the reality.
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