Hi: As a Realtor, I have had many calls from college students over the years seeking housing, as there simply hasn't been enough available at Iona. It has always been a challenge, and for a dynamic college, this has been a long time coming! It has just been announced that a new Residence Hall will be built on what is now known as Murphy Lot, located on Mayflower Avenue; a ten story, 393 bedroom facility which will be able to house 575 students.This will not affect any future enrollment, or any tax revenue for the city but rather offer a safe environment for the students, enabling them to join more clubs, organizations, go to more events, and they will not be allowed cars. The design will compliment the existing buildings owned by the college, and it is thought that with happier student... 12/08/2010

I had very mixed feelings when I came across the article New Rochelle neighbors get rowdy over Iona dorm plan in the local paper. The neighbors are essentially concerned about more dorms undermining their quality of life and property values. The article talks about broken bottles, loud music and drunk students. Colleges in residential areas can have issues. As a real estate broker, I understand the concern. As a former college student, however, I have a more visceral reaction. It is in my financial interest to support the neighborhood homeowners. I want them to think favorably of my company. I want them to list with me when it is time to sell. But they are wrong. When I was a student at Villanova University in the 1980's Radnor Township had draconian regulations on the dormitories the s... 12/06/2010

Hi -  A few days later but wanted to post how GREAT our local High School is, and the events they currently offer to the public. The school offers a PAVE program ( Performing Arts and Visual Arts program) and it really helps 'to set the stage' for college life. The Theater located at the New Rochelle High School Linda Kelly Theater. The performances were  on Friday and Saturday, and   the Ajkin Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker Ballet Suite featured the Children of New Rochelle in this wonderful, timeless Holiday production. New Rochelle is GREAT!  Posted by:  Gay E. Rosen 12/05/2010

A few words by Mr. Howard Rattner - Finance Commissioner of New Rochelle on Taxes December 1st, 2010 I met today with Mr. Howard Rattner, the Finance Commissioner of New Rochelle, and asked him to comment on our taxes, and how it affects us as home-owners in this great city. If you click onto the video below, I think you will greatly enjoy Mr. Rattner’s comments. Howard has lived in New Rochelle for over 18 years, has been the Finance Commissioner for approximately 17 years, and in having his son, Nate, recently graduate from the New Rochelle High School 20th in his Class (Nate is attending Northwestern University and majoring in Journalism), he can readily extoll the virtues of living here. If you have any real estate questions, please feel free to call me. New Rochelle is GREAT! 12/01/2010

Well it seems that a lot of homeowners in New Rochelle will see their Board of Assessment Review petition end up in the Small Claims Assessment Review. The results are in, and most homeowners will have my firm and others alike, file a Small Claims Assessment Review or what is commonly referred to as a SCAR petition. Here are a few points to be aware of: 1. You are not alone! SCAR is very common, so do not feel dejected about the fact that the Board of Assessment Review did not give you the results you were looking for. 2. You have a to have it filed by August 31st of this year. 3. The City will most likely have there own appraisal done and will thus, might require an inspection of your home. 4. The SCAR can only be filed for Owner-Occupied 1-3 Family homes. 5. The likelyhood is that thi... 07/21/2010

Like White Plains, New Rochelle has been ranked in Money magazines top 100 small cities to live in America with a ranking of number 82. I am not surprised. New Rochelle (of Dick van Dyke show fame to those of you who have never been) is on the Long Island Sound, is home to Iona College, has a fantastic down town, and some really gorgeous neighborhoods with jaw dropping pre war architecture. We have a great listing here that I expect to sell any day. Driving through some of those old neighborhoods off North Avenue takes your breath away. Here are some random shots.    Glen island Park is a popular waterfront park on the Long Island sound where they have a marina and crew regattas. The choice of restaurants is terrific, both in New Roc city, the new downtown retail complex, and older sect... 07/13/2010

About a year ago, while driving a client and her toddler up from Manhattan around Westchester looking at homes, I got a flat tire on North Avenue in New Rochelle. This is not a welcome occurrence for obvious reasons, but North Avenue is also very busy. As I began to put my car in jacks, several workers from a restaurant came across the street and offered to help. I looked over at their boss, and he nodded. 6 hands are better than 1, and I was back on the road in a jiffy. I made a mental note to stop by, and proceeded to forget.  Two weeks ago, I had lunch with an attorney to whom I recently sold a house in the neighborhood, and she suggested me meet at AJ's Burgers on North Avenue. I didn't put it together until I met her, but this was the same place from my car incident last year. I h... 07/04/2010

I had two accepted offers today, one on a listing I am selling and another for a buyer I am representing. Here's a coincidence: They are on the same street in New Rochelle, less than a mile apart. They are completely unrelated deals.  Another offer was presented on behalf of my buyer but we havn't had a response yet. Two accepted offers and the possibility of a 3rd in one day doesn't make me a great agent. But it does speak to the fact that people are no longer sitting on their hands.  Word is out that now is the time to buy. Rates are fantastic, sellers are motivated, and prices are way down. The holidays are apparently not a deterrent to the pool of active buyers out there. Of course, Sundays get more husbands out with their wives when the Giants and Jets stink.  12/22/2009

I have a listing that is a "mystery." Nice house, aggressive price, well exposed location, and no deal. We've had two offers, but neither went together. One factoid: I get more lawn sign calls on this property than any other. What to do?  Hold an open house? Are you crazy? I HATE open houses. An open house on a weekday afternoon? Are you nuts? Well, I guess I'm nuts. Given the close proximity to a local school which dismisses at 3pm and the nice weather, mortgage broker Trevor Curran (who came up with the idea) and I held 180 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, open from 2:30-4pm yesterday. No print ads, just web-driven stuff. The tally? 4 visitors, one of whom has already scheduled to meet with the mortgage broker for a formal pre approval. Every one of them told me they had been watching the... 10/23/2009

September 8th, 2009 by Ruthmarie Hicks Categories: New Rochelle, Real Estate Market Reports No Comments » New Rochelle was a city that was coming into its own when the housing recession hit in full force.  The downtown has been in the process of a major rehabilitation.  Today, you can see the benefits of that effort, but with a depressed housing market, prices have stalled out and there are bargains to be had. Make no mistake, New Rochelle is still up-and-coming. Whereas it does not have the attraction of being as fully “established” as its sister city, White Plains  – the future looks bright.  Many who want White Plains, but find it inaccessible price-wise find themselves attracted to New Rochelle.  New Rochelle also has something land-locked White Plains will never be able to offer – ... 09/09/2009

ABC World News spoke with me not long ago, and it was aired tonight on Charlie Gibson's 6:30 pm national broadcast. The subject was the housing market and the uptick in sales, and the producers contacted me to speak about the state of housing sales. I was interviewed by Betsy Stark in New Rochelle, NY nearby one of my listings. I asked the producers when they first contacted me how they found me, and the answer was Google. Obviously, we are doing something right around here to get found on the 'Net. I am certain that my blogging efforts are contributing the lion's share of my web presence. For that, I am grateful. I can't embed the video, at least right now I can't, but here is the link: http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7692695 Here is the YouTube link. I wasn't home for the ... 05/27/2009

How is the Real Estate market in New Rochelle, NY you must look at the absorption rate for single family houses. The current absorption rate in New Rochelle, NY for single family houses that match the criteria of 3 and 4 bedroom 1and 2 bathroom houses is 58.69 weeks per unit.  Here is the math.  As of April 15, 2009 there are 54 homes on the market in New Rochelle, NY with the above mentioned criteria.  From March 15, 2009 to April 15, 2009 4 homes sold.  Multiply 4 by 12 = 48 houses divide 48 houses by 52 weeks in a year and you get .92 houses sell per week.  Divide 54 active units by .92 and you get 58.69 weeks to absorb the 54 units that are currently on the market.  This is a statistical analysis that was pulled from data on the MLS.  Homes sell for a variety of reasons in a variety... 04/15/2009

ASKING: $499,000 DESCRIPTION: Move right in to this spacious colonial in Iona College vicinity. This home has a great floor plan which includes: Large living room, dining room, Eat-in-Kitchen, 3/4 Bedrooms, and semi-finished attic. Some cosmetic improvements may be necessary. Walking distance to New Rochelle R.R. Taxes don't include STAR Reduction of $1,777/yr. Taxes with STAR are approximately $4,700/yr. Submit all offers. 03/23/2009

New Rochelle, New York Event June 8, 7.30 a.m. - 6 p.m. -  The Avon Foundation's Third Annual Need for Speed Relay Race Against Domestic Violence will kick off at Bear Mountain State Park and end in Downtown New Rochelle. Enjoy a finish line celebration from 12 - 6 p.m. For more information please call 888-NFS-RELAY. or visit www.avonfoundation.org Real Estate Information: For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please call or visit me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you. New Rochelle, New York Real Estate Information: http://www.anthonystokespereira.com/ For Buying and Selling Real Estate, please contact; Anthony Stokes Pereira of Prudential Rand Rea... 05/25/2008

Several months ago, I wrote a blog on the Knickerbocker Lofts in New Rochelle.  The lofts are one of the few examples of true loft space in lower Westchester.  Initially the home of the Knickerbocker printing press company, these lofts offer all that one expects from a genuine loft.  Exposed brick, high ceilings, large windows, exposed pipes and old hardwood flooring full of dinks and dents.  In my initial blog, I showed a picture of the building at the time it opened for business as a printing press in 1892. The Developer’s Group who is responsible for the current renovations and condo conversion found my blog and the presence of the initial picture prompted them to look into the history of the structure more closely.  In March the developers invited the public in to view the lofts and... 05/01/2008

Hey All, April is open house month for Century 21.  Please keep an eye out in a neighborhood near you. Thanks, Michael Marciano 03/31/2008

Market conditions are excellent for buyers at this point.  Homes are selling steadily but the sales prices are in favor of the buyer.  In other words buyers have been able to negotiate price down a lot more than in the past fews years.  The government is making it point to help first time buyers by offering a $8000 tax credit.  Never mind the fact that interest rates are lower than they have been in years! Everyone needs a place to live. If you are purchasing a home that you are planning on living in for a while, the short term market historically won't affect you.  Real estate cycles are just that, cycles.  Take advantage of the lower prices while they're still around.  Please remember the most media coverage is nationalized and that real estate markets are localized.  So your local ma... 03/31/2008

Hey All,Market conditions are excellent for buyers at this point.  Homes are selling steadily but the sales prices are in favor of the buyer.  In other words buyers have been able to negotiate price down a bit more than in the past fews months, even years. Everyone needs a place to live. If you are purchasing a home that you are planning on living in for a while, the short term market historically won't affect you.  Real estate cycles are just that, cycles.  Take advantage of the lower prices while they're still around.Thanks, Michael 03/31/2008

I have been advised by many real estate professionals, coaches and colleagues alike, that this site is amazing and blogging is the way to go. This is my first post, but I guarantee it won't be my last. I have read many postings on this site and found them to be very informative. I did not even know that a forum like this exists for our profession. I am an associate broker in Scarsdale, New York at RE/MAX Prime Properties and have been a realtor for a little over 4 years, specializing mainly as a buyer's agent. I look forward to reading more of your postings and also look forward to any feedback and/or comments anyone would like to share. Happy Valentine's Day to all... 02/14/2008

The Knickerbocker Lofts are true lofts; they are the “real deal.”  The lofts are located in a former industrial space with high ceilings and fabulous windows, exposed duct work and old-hardwood floors that have dinks and dents from heavy use.  When you think of an artists loft – this is what comes to mind.  It’s nothing like the “loft-like” luxury buildings that have appeared in White Plains, NY and elsewhere in Westchester. The history is interesting. The Knickerbocker Press building was built by G.P. Putnam and Sons as a printing press in 1889-1890. It was open for business in 1892 and continued as a printing press until it was bought by the American White Cross 30 years later. The American White Cross used the building to make bandages and the Kinckerbocker building was used in that ... 11/26/2007