Riverdale, NY

I will be holding 3030 Johnson Avenue, Unit 2G open today, May 7 from 1-3 pm. The unit is a very cute 1 bedroom starter with an updated kitchen and bath, dining area, and spacious open living room. Riverdale is truly one of the jewels on the crown of New York, with a fantastic walk value, incredible proximity to Manhattan, and lots of local attractions. Ewen Park is right next door.

The unit is is priced at $149,900 with common charges of just $545, which are 50% deductable. Questions? Just call 914-450-8883. MLS ID of the property is 3107459.

By Mike Akerly of Village Confidential

Inspired by a buyer that our team was working with, we headed to Riverdale last night to attend a special event at The Solaria (640 West 237^th Street). I was already aware that the building is the premier condominium development in the neighborhood, so I was excited to see the property and finishes for myself. We took the 1 train from Downtown and excited 231^st St., about three quarters of a mile from the building. It would have been quicker (about 25 minutes) to drive up the West Side Highway, but we did not want to go to our garage to retrieve our car

The greater Riverdale area has recently rebranded itself as NoMa (North of Manhattan), as a way to attract Manhattanites that would appreciate the lower real estate costs and elegant living available in the area. The Solaria seems to be the embodiment of that trend, an alternative to Manhattan living. Unlike the older co-op buildings in the neighborhood, this development includes all of the amenities city-dwellers have come to expect from their $1mil+ condos – top of the line finishes and appliances, a 24 hour concierge, a rooftop deck, fitness center, and – wait for it – a rooftop observatory with a computer assisted telescope. We have not seen that last one in Manhattan before, but that’s probably only because the light pollution would render it a bit useless in the city. Apartments boast floor-to-ceiling windows and the higher floors offer stunning views. Kitchens are outfitted with SubZero refrigerators, Fisher & Paykel dishwashers, Bosch vented washer-dryers, and radiant heat flooring in the bathrooms.

The Solaria has a 421-a tax abatement with approximately 12 years left on the abatement. Common charges average about $0.75 per square foot – 25 – 50% less than I would expect in Manhattan. According to the developer’s reps, the sponsor controlled board even rebated 20% of the common charges to owners last year due to unexpected efficiencies found in building operations. Two bedrooms start just north of a $1mil, which will get you almost 1,500sf and a balcony. Three bedrooms start around $1.2mil and you can spend upwards of $3.8mil on a four bedroom penthouse with about 1,200sf of terrace space overlooking the city. According to the sponsor’s reps, the building is over 50% sold and financing is readily available.

Please feel free to e-mail us if you would like to receive a list of currently available apartments in this building. Alternatively, if you would like to speak to a member of our team about any prospective purchase or sale of real estate, feel free to give us a call at (212) 400-4838 or e-mail us at kakerly@rutenbergnyc.com.

As contrary as "Horses" and "The Bronx" might sound, there is in fact a very notable riding club in Riverdale, right on Broadway. Riverdale Equestrian Centre is right there at the Intersection of Broadway and 254th Street, with an enormous facility at the north side of Van Cortlandt Park.

It is an impressive set up. The club itself is on 21 acres, with 62 horse stalls. They have 8 paddocks, 4 riding rings, an indoor arena, and there is immediate access to Van Cortlandt Park's 1000+ acres with miles of trails. They offer a summer camp, an after school program, and lessons for all ages.

Obviously, this is one of those things a guy like me views as one of those amazing, unexpected things New York City has that never fails to amaze me. I first heard of the facility in the early 2000s from a co-worker who lived in the Bronx. I found it hard to believe, but when I drove to the city once I did exit 9A at Broadway in Riverdale and there it was. As you'll see in the video, it is right there on Broadway with a fence and hedge between horse farm and Gotham.

As you'll see in the video I took, the place could be anywhere-Kentucky, Upstate, you name it. That is, until the camera pans out toward the street. If you thought the Bronx was just a concrete jungle, you were wrong.

REAL ESTATE RIVERDALE, NY - Riverdale's designer Realtor - Peter Segalla, ABR, SFR, Associate Broker, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate / RAND REALTY Peter Segalla, ABR, SFR, Associate Broker with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate / RAND REALTY; a top-rated major regional real estate brokerage firm with offices throughout the lower Hudson Valley, New York, consistently-ranked among the nation's elite 60 most highly-regarded, full-service real estate companies.

Mr. Segalla earned his designations as an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource (SFR) from the Real Estate Buyer's Agency Council (REBAC). He's a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Peter has been certified by the National Council on Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and is a NYS certified interior designer. He received his professional degree and has served on the faculty at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY. Prior to becoming a broker, Mr. Segalla's career included residential real estate development, historic preservation, space planning, interior design and decoration.

As a designer, Realtor, and Associate Broker with the region's No. 1 real estate company, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate / RAND REALTY; no one's better suited to market a property to it's best advantage. Peter's repeatedly obtained top dollar for properties he's listed and sold, including this high-floor, riverfront 2 bedroom / 2 bath, 1,339 s/f unit with 55' private wrap balcony in Riverdale's premiere condo residence Hayden-on-Hudson. He listed the unit for $879K and it sold for $875K all-cash after being on the market for just 45 days.

Peter's passion for design and real estate includes property he's personally purchased, renovated, marketed and re-sold, like this 2 Bedroom /1 Bath co-op bank foreclosure property located east of the highway in Riverdale, NY.

As he does when searching for property for his buyer-clients, Peter saw this property's potential the moment he stepped foot into the derelict apartment. He used his designer expertise to visually organize the apartment's layout. Then he selected a palette of materials and finishes he knows as a Realtor buyers have come to expect. The result: high-style yet budget-friendly. Black ebonized cabinetry, creamy granite counters, commerical-style appliances, mirrored backsplashes and stainless steel accents. Mr. Segalla completed the renovation, put the property back on the market selling it for top-dollar; proving once again a visually-organized home sells in all markets.

Peter says interior design and real estate are analogous to couture. Interior design is "custom", whereas real estate is "off the rack". Whatever his seller or buyer client's needs may be, Mr. Segalla consistently brings his unique designer's perspective to the process of searching for, marketing and selling a home.

Mr. Segalla is a top-producing, multi-million dollar award-winning agent serving discriminating clients throughout Riverdale, the Bronx and southern Westchester County, New York. Peter Segalla: Riverdale's designer Realtor. After all, why entrust the sale or acquisition of your most valuable asset to just any ordinary Riverdale broker?