Today I had to stop by Sam's Club customer service.  Once I was finished at the counter I needed to get some shopping done but I could not bring myself to do my food shopping there.  Yes, I knew I could possibly get a better price on some items.  I took a look at all the people shopping and the size of the store and made the decision to go somewhere else.  I went to a smaller store and the shopping experience was so much better for me.That experience made me think of conversations I have had with seniors( 70+ age group).  For instance in the town where I live there are two supermarkets one much larger than the other.  One senior I know is always shopping at the smaller store although I have shown her that she could spend less at the other store.  She feels the other store is too large a... 10/09/2007

For years I have gone by this house in the village of Red Hook.  The house was built in 1776 and is rather stunning.  Something that also draws my attention to the property is the Dog Show held on the grounds several times per year. Well, yesterday I saw the sign for the show and  decided I was going in.  So I did, and I met some great dogs as well as some wonderful people. Dog owners came from all over to show the dogs.  As I understand it this is called a match, the purpose of which is to get the dogs used to competing.   This means the owner will go to many of these shows throughout the year getting the dogs ready for competition in the American Kennel Association competitions and from there who knows?, maybe the Westminister Dog Show.  I met one lady who said her sister was success... 10/09/2007

Saturday September 13 2007 was the annual Hardscrabble Day in Red Hook, New York. Hardscrabble, what's that?  As the story goes, it was hard making a living in lower Red Hook  and it was not a significant area of the town so it was known as Hardscrabble.  The Hardscrabble area is now the village and is the hub of operation for the town. The day started out wet but by midday the sun came out and the festivity began. The art-fest was held the the grounds of the Prudential Serls Prime Properties office.  Apple crisp was also sold by agents from the Prudential office to benefit the Sunshine Kids.   The Sunshine Kids provides fun trips for children with cancer. I ran into Mark Payne of BackAcres. He grows and sells all types of ornamental grass and I know he has great products because I have... 09/23/2007

I previously wrote about the Old Dutch Village Garden Club.  This is an active club in Red Hook New York and anyone who has interest in gardening is welcomed.  I attended the September event which was about the perservation of foliage. A couple of the ladies were former school teachers so for an hour I felt like I was back in school.  Several methods of preserving flowers and leaves were discussed.  There was also an exhibit of items made from preserved foliage.   The methods discussed were as follows: Pressing Air Drying desiccants water drying For indepth information visit the Clemson Extension Site  These items can be used to create beautiful dry arrangements and  postcards.  We were even shown how they could be used to decorate candles.  The items you create would make wonderful gif... 09/16/2007

      Currently (as of July 31) in the Red Hook school district consisting of the Town and Village of Red Hook, the Village of Tivoli and the Town of Milan there are 112 single family homes for sale.  The breakdown is 83 in Town of Red Hook, 11 in the Village of Red Hook, 14 in the Town of Milan and 4 in the Village of Tivoli.  The average prices are as follows:    $541,230 in the Town of Red Hook $388,518 in the Village of Red Hook $415,975 in the Village of Tivoli $1,110,093 in the Town of Milan.   The averages in both the Town of Red Hook and Milan are brought up by several very high end properties in both towns (particularly in Milan).  In those towns I think the median price better reflects the market: the median in the Town of Red Hook is $417.000 and the median in Milan is $729,0... 08/19/2007

     This evening I needed to get a survey map copied and reduced right away; unfortunely the little store I normally use was closed, so I decided to go across the river to the big super office supply store.  I was so sure it was going to be easy.  As I approached the copy counter, there were no customers waiting. So, I told the clerk that I wanted to have my survey map reduced. She responded that her department was backed up and it would be two to three hours before I could be assisted.  Three hours to get a copy that could be done in seconds? I stood around at the counter with my map spread out hoping she would take pity on me. I even explained that I had come from across the river.   Yes, they had self service copiers and I would be more than happy to make the copy myself except thos... 07/23/2007

    The Mother Daughter Team of Jennifer and Joanna Fivelsdal Provides excellent Customer Service and Satisfaction to Buyer's and Seller's in beautiful Duchess County. Centrally located in Red Hook just north of Rhinebeck NY they cover Columbia and Ulster Counties as well.Jennifer an Associate Broker with Prudential Serls Prime Properties works with Buyer's and Sellers of properties in the $100,000 to $1,000,000 range. Joanna a Licensed real estate sale person with strong organizational skills, will make your real estate transaction both rewarding and stress free. Be Sure to Visit The_Red_Hook_Hometown_Page  and you will see why both Jennifer and Joanna Love working and Living in this area of Northern Duchess County NY.Together this Mother Daughter team stands out as a Dynamic Duo for y... 05/05/2007

Authored by: Sean Stark May 4th, 2007  NYSAR’s Government Affairs Department reported this week that… The Red Hook transfer tax was approved by 31 votes - With 2,629 votes cast, a significant turnout for such a small community, Red Hook residents approved a 2 percent real estate transfer tax by a mere 31 votes on Tuesday, May 1. NYSAR and the Dutchess County Board of REALTORS were extremely active in opposing this proposal over the past several months and though we did not prevail, there are numerous lessons to take away from this effort. Those in support of the measure likely spent between $50,000 and $100,000 while NYSAR allocated $20,000 from its Issues Mobilization Fund to oppose the measure. Comments from an article in Wednesday’s Poughkeepsie Journal show that NYSAR’s message of “... 05/04/2007

The Red Hook Chamber of Commerce is hosting a business social. WHERE:    Stems Design Studio-Chocolate Factory 54 Elizabeth Street, Red Hook, NY 12571 WHEN:     April 27th TIME: 5-7 PM   R.S.V.P to info@redhookchamber.org or call 845-758-0824     This function is sponsored by Rhinebeck Savings Bank.  I spoke with Mr. Pruit the Manager of the Red Hook branch who is a chamber member and he told me they are expecting a great turnout.         Yes here is your opportunity to meeting the new board members and to be a part of Red Hook's Renaissance. I hope to see you there.         Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfivehomes.com  www.jfivehomes.com  or www.midhudsonhomevalue.com    |suscribe to Blog   04/17/2007

Before I go too far into this posting I want to make one thing clear. I do not live in Red Hook. I do business there and have always enjoyed a walk down Broadway or a ride down Fraleigh Lane to see friends. The golf course is beautiful as is the sub-division "The Fairways" that I helped finance. Red Hook is a great town. Combined with the rest of Northern Dutchess County it is a vibrant area with a great combination of natural beauty and tasteful development.The reason I wanted to state this is because I have benefited from the beauty of Red Hook. It attracts many home buyers from Metropolitan New York and Westchester County. They want to come to an area that still has plenty of open area and a small town atmosphere that they are missing. They are trying to get to something that Red Hoo... 04/02/2007

This garden club was formed back in the 1950's with specfic objectives such as: 1.   Advancement of home gardening. 2.   Presevation of natural resources 3.   Preservation of wildlife. I have been attending the meetings when I can for the last two years and have learned alot about gardening, and made the acquaintance of many seniors, who have also shared with me their knowledge of the area. This club is extremely organized and runs better than some profit generating businesses. Some of the yearly projects includes: 1.  Yearly plant and bake sale fundraiser 2.   Yearly scholarship to a high school student 3.   Maintenance and beautification of local parks .  The club meets every second Thursday of the month, coffee and dessert is always provided, members take turn to see to this.  A spec... 03/03/2007

     Several months ago I was approached by a potential seller who wanted me to take a tour of her house.  This was a beautiful 3000 square feet Colonial home, top of the line construction, appliances, flooring, décor and landscaping; a house anyone would be proud to move into. At the end of my visit the owner told me the price range she was expecting to list the house at.    A day later I had an appointment to give my listing presentation.  I made sure to feature all the positive things about the property, and there were a lot.  Then it came to the point where I had to list the things I considered negatives. The fact is my price range did not come close to hers.  What could have gone wrong? This was a beautiful home but like most properties there were negatives. The house was in a neig... 01/15/2007

This 2 bedroom Log Cabin on 3.49 acres is a perfect hideaway.  Just 90 miles from NYC.  Yet  close to Rhinebeck, train and the performing art center at Bard. Features Granite countertop Antique wood Flooring 2 Fireplaces Wired speaker system upstairs and down stairs Climb to top of hill for a spectacular view of valley below and Catskills Mountains. ASKING $285,000   INSIDE PICTURES                      Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfivehomes.com  www.jfivehomes.com  or www.midhudsonhomevalue.com   Flickr | Facebook | Linked-in |Twitter |subscribe to Blog   12/30/2006

I have seen agents deals killed because of a high radon level; this really should not  be the case.  As agents we need to educate our buyers and sellers.  Radon is present every where, and if the level is high it can be fixed.  I took a look at the radon level in the Dutchess County in which I live and the radon level is higher than the EPA recommended level; so I would direct the client to the site so they could see that there is a good probability the radon level would be high in their home. What is Radon? It is a colorless, odorless gas formed as a result of uranium breaking down in the soil, rock and water. Why should we care about Radon ? Radon is known to cause lung cancer; because of this the EPA recommends the level should not exceed 4pCi/L (picoCuries is the measurement used fo... 12/24/2006

                  THE ELMENDORPH    Enjoy a tour of RED HOOK This town was formed in 1812 and was once part of Rhinebeck.  It is now made up of 6 hamlets: 1. Village of Red Hook 2. Annadale 3. Barrytown 4 .Upper Red Hook 5. Spring Lake 6. Tivoli    Population: 11834 There is a noticeable difference between the number of male and female in Red Hook versus the entire US population.                                        US                        Red Hook Male                                 58.7%                      49.1% Female                             41.3%                       50.9% The percentage of whites is 81% about 6% higher than the the national Stats. Another interesting statistic is that of high school graduates, here it is 10% less than nation average.  However the colle... 12/22/2006

Today I stopped  by the construction of the new senior complex in Red Hook; at last the project is moving ahead. This was not an easy task as it involved a Brownfield clean up.  The project was really needed and was supported by the Governor as well as the County Government. Already there are more seniors inquiring about the units than available units, therefore It was wonderful to hear that phase 2 was already approved; so instead of 48 units there will be  96. The units will be awarded based on a lottery, sadly there will be alot of disappointed seniors. Finding suitable housing for seniors with limited resources seem to be national problem,  how is it in your area?  Clean up of Brownfield Red Hook Senior Housing     CONSTRUCTION OF SENIOR HOUSING IN RED HOOK   Jennifer Fivelsdal - JF... 12/05/2006

                      The Merritt Bookstore is located in the center of Red Hook, where Rte 199 and Route 9 intersect.  This store is one of three stores owner my Scott Meyers.  The other two store are in Millbrook and Coldspring.  It is common to see many book signing here.  Annie Leibovitz is one celebrity who has signed books at this location more than once.            Red Hook was once a one light town.  This pharmacy was always used as a landmark. This was once the old telephone company.                    Then, it was a doctor's office, most recently a real estate office. This buiding houses several small businesses and residential rentals on the second floor. Red Hook Chamber Of Commerce Town of Red Hook   Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfive... 11/21/2006

A few years ago I listed a 50+ acre parcel. Selling this was challenging because most of the road frontage was wetland.  If you could get beyond the wetland  you would discover a beautiful parcel with many possibilities. Along came an organization called Common Fire.  One of the founders, Jeff Golden, made a very detailed offer along with supporting arguments to back up the offer.  This was rather impressive. Now and then I would run into him at the planning board meeting; it took a while to get all the approvals.  Red Hook is a town which is very serious about its open space so it takes some time to get approvals. On October 15th the public was invited to tour possibly the greenest house in the east.  The open house was attended by almost 500 people; contractors involved in the constru... 11/21/2006

I really like to use technology to enhance my real estate services.  Most sellers now demand virtual tours.  I also use the tours as a pre-listing tool.  I take the pictures make the tour and give it to the potential seller, this is really handy in situations where the house is really messy.  With the visual the home owner can see what would be necessary to get the property in a marketable condition. I also use virtual tours to show properties to my busy out of town buyers, as well as highlights from the area. I have used several virtual tours  products but in the last year I have used the Real Estate Shows It is easy to use and rather inexpensive. Here are examples of virtual tours I put together SOME POPULAR SHOWS Red Hook Rhinebeck Tivoli Roundout Kingston       Jennifer Fivelsdal - ... 11/18/2006