Ruthmarie Hicks

Yes, I know – everyone is gearing up for the Superbowl. But there are many who would like to share in outdoor activities this weekend.

For the past 8 years the Hudson Valley has celebrated the renewed presence and vibrancy of our national bird in the Hudson Valley. Many are too young to remember, but in the 1970s the American bald eagle was an endangered species. Now they are thriving and I have witnessed their presence on more than a couple of occasions. The photo at the right is one I took at Kingsland Point Park about a year ago. Apparently, the majestic soul in the portrait was watchful but not fearful of me or my telephoto lens….But the photo shows that my presence did not pass unnoticed…he was well aware of me and watching my every move – with his eagle eye!

This post is more than a bit tardy – and for that I apologize. The bus tour is sold out. However, there are still ways to participate and learn more about some of our most majestic birds of prey.

The event is hosted by the Teatown Reservation but the epicenter is at Croton Point Park – There are many ways to participate:

Eagle Theater Schedule:

• 10 AM, 11AM & 12 PM - Close Encounters with Wintering Eagles and Owls
• 1 PM, 2 PM – Exclusively Eagles
• 3PM – Flight of the Raptors

Advance Ticket sales are $5.00/person and $10/person when purchased at the door.

Eaglet Stage Schedule:

These shows are free of charge!

• 9 AM – Eagle Identification Tips
• 10:30 AM & 2:15 PM – Jonathan Kruk – Master story teller
• 12 PM – Teatown Birds of Prey Program
• 12:45 – Physics of Flight – Beyond Feathers
• 1:30 – Birding Optics

Additional eagle viewing sites along the Hudson River…

Each area is staffed by eagle experts with spotting scopes.

• Croton Boat Ramp at Croton-Harmon Train Station
• George’s Island Park – Montrose
• Riverfront Green Park – Peekskill
• Kathryn W. Davis Riverwalk Center – Sleepy Hollow
• New Croton Dam – Cortlandt
• Bear Mountain State Park Trailside Museums & Zoo.

© 2012 - http://theWestchesterView.com - All rights reserved.

Westchester Events – Hudson River EagleFest – Feb. 4, 2012

What would the Superbowl be without the crazy hats? I mean really – you gotta have them…Well the Larchmont Library is going to make things easy for you! They are hosting a hat-making event on Saturday – Feb. 4 for kids aged 7 and up…The event is free and the time is 10:30 AM

• The Event - Crazy Super Bowl Hat Making
• The Place - The Larchmont Library – Larchmont Ave.
• The Time - 10:30 AM Sat. Feb. 4
• The Cost - FREE!

Enjoy!

©2012 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.

Go Giants! Crazy Superbowl Hat Making Day!

All buyers looking at Westchester condos for sale know about the Ritz Carlton of White Plains NY. Among White Plains NY Condos for sale the Ritz Carlton is at the pinnacle on the luxury scale. Just a block from City Center (1-5 Renaissance Square) the Ritz Carlton is at the center of everything. Getting much closer to the center of town would be difficult. You can easily leave the car behind and walk to shopping, fine dining, entertainment and the train.

Buying the Lifestyle – Not Just the Home!

In addition to the convenience of being steps from just about everything, there are plenty of amenities to keep you right at home. There is a lounge, a fitness center which is very complete. There is also a spa, a pool and media room as well as a terrace. There is room service through the hotel as well as maid service. A jitney whisks commuters to the Metro-North Train Station which is about 0.5 miles from the complex. Everything is close at hand and very convenient.

The Ritz Carlton Residences of White Plains NY:

The floorplan is open and the floor to ceiling windows expose magnificent views of the Long Island Sound or the Manhattan Skyline. The kitchens are open and boast walnut cabinetry and Viking appliances, including a wind fridge. The master bath has Aurora Rose Marble throughout and Kohlar fixtures. There are walk-in closets with custom storage systems in the Master BR. Ceilings are generally 9 ft in height giving a feeling of added space with 10 ft ceilings in the penthouses.

The Ritz Carlton – White Plains NY – Pricing and Sales History:

The official opening of the Ritz Carlton could not have happened at a more inauspicious time for the Westchester Housing market. The complex opened at the end of 2007 – just as the fall out from the sub-prime loan debacle was hitting the fan. Sales were sluggish though the sales volume indicated my figures are artificially low since like most new construction – most sales though done through agents dose not end up on the MLS. Prices actually inched up during 2008. But once the financial crisis of 2008 and the stock market crash happened – prices started to fall – reflecting the rest of the market.

The chart below depicts the pricing patterns for 2 BR units at the Ritz from the time of the construction of the first tower in late 2007. The red bars depict the market before the crash in 2008 and the green bars reflect pricing in the years following. The median sales price is down about 38% from the highs in 2008. Some very high-end units made their way into that mix in 2008. So in an apples to apples comparison, the prices are down about 25-30% depending on the type of unit. Over the past 18 months prices have held steady and have even edged up just a bit.

Right now this is not a buyers market paradise. Sales volume is up 35% from 2010 (from 13 to 20 units sold) which is a good indicator or a recovery in progress. Buyers need to get real. I’ve been getting a lot of lowball offers at the Ritz and Trump. Its not that kind of market. Buyers already have 25-30% savings baked into the cake and a stable market. You are still getting a great deal. But pushing the envelope will not fly. Sellers can get market value and do not have to entertain lowball offers.

Sellers need to be realistic. It will be a while before they see the heady prices of 2008. If you need to sell, bite the bullet. Don’t wait for prices to move up 25-30% – it could be a very long wait. Nevertheless, if your unit is in good condition, you can expect to get market value for your unit.

Larchmont homes zoned for the Chatsworth Ave Elementary School feature the best of what a Westchester bedroom community has to offer. Homes in this particular school zone cover two distinct neighborhoods.

Homes in the Village of Larchmont:

Homes in the village of Larchmont feature tree-lined streets and pre-war homes packed with Old-World charm and character. They range in style from rambling Victorians with wrap-around porches, graceful colonials and impressive Tudors. Typically, the homes in the village sit on smaller lots, though there is still a feeling of space and privacy. These are mature neighborhoods with old-growth which adds to a sense of privacy.

Convenience is a very big amenity of this part of Larchmont. It is easy to leave the car behind and walk to shops and fine dining. Many leave the car and walk to the train and end up doing their shopping on their way home. Most locations in the village are eaily accessible by foot to Metro-North. Walk Scores range from very walkable to walker’s paradise – which is very unusual for single-family home neighborhoods.

Homes in Larchmont Manor:

As a general rule, Larchmont Manor features bigger more expensive homes on larger lots. The streets are graceful and meandering with the mature growth that characterizes a long-established neighborhood. Located on the other side of Boston Post Rd., the area is slightly less accessible to shopping and dining withou the car. It makes up for it with more spacious homes, some feature water views of the Long Island Sound.

The area boasts the beauty of Manor Park and the Larchmont Yacht Club.

The walk score in this neighborhood ranges from very walkable to car-dependent.

Larchmont Homes – Median Sales Prices:

All data comes from the Empire Access MLS (EAMLS). This first chart shows the pricing before the crash and following. The red bars are the years prior to the crash of 2008 and the green bars are 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. In 2006 the median sales price was $1.226 million and that peaked in 2008 to $1.343 million. In 2009 that number abruptly “corrected” to $907k and rose to $1.243 million in 2010 and now rests at $1,053,000 for 2011. The decrease in median reflect a decrease in 3-4 BR homes. Larger homes with 5+ BR’s have actually gained back the ground that they lost. There was in an increased number of sales in the fixer market at the entry level this year. But median prices were indeed down slightly in an apples to apples comparison. This may have been a reflection of the the expiration of the first time homebuyers tax credit which would impact smaller homes more than larger homes. Median prices for 3-4 BR homes remain about 17% below the values attained near the peak in 2007.

Larchmont Homes – Sales Volume from 2006-2011:

The sales volume before the crash went from 78 sales in 2006 to 48 in 2008. Once the crash of 2008 happened sales volume stayed nearly the same for 2009 but at severely reduced prices. That ground was recovered in 201o and increased again in 2011. These numbers indicate that this market is shifting from a buyers to a sellers market. The increase in sales volume is a key indicator of a recovery in progress.

For the Latest Information on Sales and Listings:

For the latest on sales stats and current listings - feel free to contact me by phone – (914-374-5529) or email – (Ruthmarie.Hicks@gmail.com)

© 2012 http://thewestchesterview.com - All rights reserved.

Larchmont homes typically evoke tree-lined streets and mature neighborhoods. This area does not disappoint on any of these. The area is strictly residential – yet for the most part it is walkable neighborhood – many of the homes being a mile or less from the train station and parts of the village. Some areas are somewhat further from town – so walkability depends upon you precise location. But leaving the car behind is indeed an option for a large portion of this neighborhood. Because this is a long established neighborhood, Larchmont homes generally have a distinctive Old -World charm about them. Tudors seem to dominate the area although Colonials are very much in evidence as well. But don’t let the age of these homes fool you. Most of them have aged gracefully and boast many upgrades that can give you the best of both worlds: old world charm – with modern amenities. The lot sizes run the gamut from roughly 0.12 acres to over an acre in larger homes. In general, the homes close in to the village sit on smaller lots.

Larchmont NY PO – Median Sales Prices:

The big bad bear market has actually been very kind to Larchmont Village and the Larchmont PO. While other areas of Westcehster NY are still in the doldrums, Larchmont homes have been selling at a fairly brisk pace and prices have increased. This first chart shows the pricing before the crash and following. The red bars are the years prior to the crash of 2008 and the green bars are the years following the crash. In 2006 the median sales price was $998k and that peaked in 2008 to $1.125 million. in 2009 that number came crashing down to $905k and has risen steadily to nearly $1.1 million this year. This has been a strong come-back.

Although the market in the area has recovered quite briskly, the pace of recovery has varied somewhat between smaller and larger homes. This chart contrasts the differences between 3 and 4 BR homes. In general, with a few caveats, the homes under 2000 sf with fewer bedrooms have recouped less ground than their larger counterparts.

Larchmont NY PO – Home Sales Volume:

The sales volume before the crash went from 94 sales in 2007 to 72 in 2008. Once the crash of 2008 happened sales dropped to 51 for 2009 but recovered in 2010 when it went back to 95 sales. 2011, although slightly lower in volume, was noted for its competitive sales.

©2012RuthmarieG.HicksAll Rights Reserved.