Croton-on-Hudson is a wonderful little community situated within the town of Cortlandt.  Over the years there have been some struggles when it comes to real estate prices and lack comparable sales in some parts.  I find that many love the community feel and proximity to Manhattan.  The train runs often and has a ton of parking as well, the one challenge is the amount of time it takes for you to get to the train.  It's not really walkable from many parts of Croton.   This past August Croton Single Family sales of 14 were the same as last August and the sales/list price ratio moved up to 99.2% from 98.1% in July.  The median price was $537,500 which is up from $504,950 in August 2013.  Inventory levels of 76 are down a bit from 85 in July but up 2.7% from 74 in August 2013.   We did se... 09/22/2014

Single Family Homes Sales There were 10 unit sales in June. This is up 25.0% from 8 in June of 2013. On a year-over-year basis, unit sales have been rising for 4 months. This is the highest unit sales have been since 14 in August, 2013. Sales/list price ratio in June moved down to 94.6% from 97.6% in May.   Prices Median price in June was $560,000. This is up 21.6% from $460,500 in June of 2013. 3-month median price of $534,500 in June was up marginally from $527,500 in May and up considerably from $417,500 in June of 2013.   Inventory Inventory of 77 in June was up 5.5% from 73 in May but down 1.3% from 78 in June of 2013. New listings of 21 in June were down a little from 25 in May but up modestly from 20 in June of 2013. Months of supply of 11 in June was up marginally from 10.7 in M... 07/19/2014

Snow covered Croton Reservoir Last Saturday I was heading south on the Taconic State Parkway when I came to where the Taconic crossed over the Croton Reservoir, I couldn't help noticing it was covered with snow. This was a very familar route for me back in the days of my long commute, and I remember this was one view I never got tired of, and it has not lost the touch.     02/12/2014

If you're looking for a light colored hardwood floor, consider maple  flooring for your home in Croton-on-Hudson NY. Maple flooring is a light blond color with low graining. It’s a light, smooth look that can open up any room and give a modern, contemporary and northern European feel.     Maple flooring is harder than oak. On the Janka hardness scale, Maple is a 1450 vs. red oak which is 1290. Maple is lighter than oak flooring and its grain is smoother.While traditionally a light blond color, the shade of maple flooring can differ depending on its age and the area where it was grown. Maple’s appearance also differs based on how the trees are cultivated. Flame maple, quilted maple and bird’s eye maple are 3 different types grain patterns that will give your room 3 different looks.     M... 06/07/2013

What are the advantages of Oak Hardwood Floors for your home in Croton-on-Hudson NY? Oak is the most popular species of hardwood flooring here in Croton-on-Hudson NY. If you see hardwood in a home, chances are it's oak. Why is oak hardwood flooring so popular? 1. Oak flooring is very affordable since it's grown in the US and is  abundant. Oak hardwood tends to be less expensive compared to the other species (such as maple, hickory, brazilian cherry, etc). And, in Croton-on-Hudson NY, it's very readily available to get unfinished oak hardwood flooring. Often, unfinished oak flooring (that is refinished and stained on-site) is a bit less expensive than prefinished oak, especially as you go wider in the plank size.     2. Oak flooring is the standard of hardness, and oak tends to hide scra... 05/17/2013

Refinishing hardwood floors in Croton-on-Hudson NY - Everything you ever wanted to know about sanding your floors. Refinishing your hardwood floors can have a huge impact on your Croton-on-Hudson home. You will be amazed at how refreshed your home will look...and the floors will look good as new. Many don't realize that when you sand and refinish the floors, you have the option to change the color - you can go from dark to light or light to dark or anywhere in between.     If you have hardwood flooring underneath your carpet, you are in luck. Usually, refinishing and restoring the hardwood will cost LESS than recarpeting. And, most homeowners prefer the look and feel of hardwood. Not only will it improve your home's value, but they are much easier to clean and maintain. How does the har... 04/06/2013

 In Croton-on-Hudson NY, dark hardwood floors are very stylish. Many of my customers love the dark look...they even ask for Ebony. Dark hardwood is sleek and stylish, and it gives your Croton-on-Hudson home a sophisticated look.   How do you get dark hardwood flooring?   Most dark hardwoods are stained to make them darker. There are many species/types of wood that can achieve this look.     1. The most common dark hardwood flooring is oak that is stained with a dark brown stain such as Ebony (the darkest stain) or a slightly lighter with a Jacobean or Dark Walnut stain. Many customers who are seeking a dark stain want "pure" brown with no hints of red. And, these 3 stains seem to achieve that goal well. The above 2 pictures are ebony.   Even if you have red oak flooring, these dark stai... 02/08/2013

As many of you know, a year and half ago, we were featured on the TV show Sell This House.  They found my blog on Active Rain, and ironically, and coincidentally, the home they were working on happened to be a past customer of mine, so our work spoke for itself.   The host of the show liked me and loved the concept of The Flooring Girl (I had just launched my website 2 weeks before that).  So, he called me The Flooring Girl everytime I walked into the room and incorporated it into the script.  Unfortunately, unbeknownst to him and me, they cut out all my scenes, but they still featured our work.  I was still able to leverage this idea on my website and w/ my customers, so it was still great, and it was a wonderful experience.   A few months later, I got a phone call asking "Is this the ... 12/01/2012

This Croton-on-Hudson staging project has required a lot of handholding, but is progressing as I write.   As you can see from the photos, the furniture has been removed, much of it because of a successful estate sale last month.  What remained was picked up and hauled away so that the walls could be painted Linen White with Super White trim (Benjamin Moore) to really brighten the space. The carpeting has been removed and the flooring girl has sent her crew in to do their magic.  They are sanding and refinishing 115 year old pine floors in the living room, and, laying a new laminate floor in the kitchen and dining area. I went to look at the floors as they sanded, and they are a light pine.  While I would have loved to maintain the natural color, I chose a medium brown stain (Minwax Prov... 10/19/2012

Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze Don't miss the Hudson Valley’s biggest, most exciting, most electrifying Halloween event, featuring more than 4,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack o’ lanterns! Meander through the mysterious backdrop of Van Cortlandt Manor’s 18th-century buildings and riverside landscape and discover a breathtaking display: slithering snakes, a giant spider web, an undersea aquarium, super-sized dinosaurs, pirates, and ghosts. Don’t miss the mammoth jack o’ lantern ‘King Kong’ perched on a tall building high above! Most nights sell out, so get your tickets early!   When: Thu, October 25, 6:30pm – 10:00pm Where: Van Cortlandt Manor, 500 South Riverside Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 (map)   Admission by advance timed ticket ONLY. Rain or shine. TIMES VARY BY EVE... 10/03/2012

Yesterday, I went to a home in where we were brought in to fix a botched up tile job.   Unfortunately, a lot of people try to save money on hiring contractors and either hire friends, relatives or handymen who clearly do not specialize in tile or flooring.   In this case, my customer had bought the tile in Home Depot and the contractor told them he would level out the floor.  This job was done while they were away and they came back from vacation extremely disappointed.  I wish I had pictures.   The tile flooring is a mess.  It's very uneven - no self leveling mix was used.  No spacers were used, so the tile is not completely even.  The grout lines are thick - which is very out of style and will cause the grout to crack more and the grout is all over the place - including all over the t... 08/14/2012

Below is the 21st installment of my flooring posts (along with links to the previous collections).  It's a helpful way to find my higher quality educational posts as well as give them a bit more link juice.   Which is better - Unfinished or Prefinished Hardwood?  As you'll see from this post, it does depend on your situation and your preferences.   What is engineered hardwood? Is it real or is it fake? There seems to be a lot of customer confusion about engineered hardwood and many get this mixed up with laminate flooring.   How well does this carpet hold up to stains? Shaw has the best stain protection in the industry.  Check out these videos.   Ecofriendly Flooring - Going Green in Westchester NY Green is in annd it's here to stay.  But, can you go green with your flooring?  Find out ... 07/18/2012

Last night I was lucky enough to be invited to Phil Faranda's weekly meeting with his agents.  He has assembled a great team and it's really cool seeing his brokerage grow and blossom. Phil is trying to make things more convenient for his team as well as helping them be more on the cutting edge of technology.  So, last night was his first attempt at trying a virtual meeting via a Google + hangout.  This way, his agents could be present while they were at home..something that saves time and makes life easier, especially as his agents are all over the county (and even a bit beyond). Some of his agents are rather tech savvy; others had not yet signed up for Google +, so now they are members and this is a good thing. We discussed blogging a bit, social media and of course, my favorite topic... 06/18/2012

Saturday, May 26, 2012   Van Cortlandt Manor   525 South Riverside Ave. Croton-on-Hudson, NY10520 See map: Google Maps   Fire juggling and comedy troupe extraordinare A Different Spin will literally light up the night in a special one-evening-only performance. This fully choreographed, live display of fire arts features four flame-wielding, fire-eating performers twisting and turning, juggling and dancing, spinning and sword fighting, and much more. Perfect for audiences of all ages, the performance includes jaw-dropping stunts, knee-slapping humor, oodles of excitement, and just enough danger to create a spectacle guaranteed to have you talking about it long after the fire’s extinguished. Brand new event! Very limited availability! Tickets must be purchased in advance. PLEASE NOTE, LAW... 05/18/2012

Memorial Day Weekend - May 26-28 - from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Animals & Acrobays Under the Big Top at Van Cortlandt Manor, Croton On Hudson, NY Performers include fire juggling acrobats "A Different Spin" The conservation group "Two by Two Zoo" Bird of prey demos "Flight of The Raptor" plus tumbling acrobays, tightrope walkers, mimes, and more! Free popcorn of you buy tickets on-line at www.hudsonvalley.org - or have a full meal ready when you arrive by ordering special picnic baskets on-line!     05/18/2012

Selecting carpet for your home in Croton-on-Hudson NY has never been easier...now, you can Shop at Home for your carpeting in Westchester NY. Have you ever been to a carpet store and just felt lost and overwhelmed?  Sometimes, there are so many options that you don't even know where to start.  Sometimes, you may go into a store and find so many choices that you leave you more confused than you felt when you entered?  How do you know what's the best type of carpet for your home in Croton-on-Hudson NY?  What's the right one for your budget?  And, what's the right color?  Here's where we can help. We make shopping for carpet in Westchester fun and easy. Everything starts with the area you are looking to carpet.  Is it for a bedroom or a lviing room or a family room or basement or the steps... 05/13/2012

Are you looking to sand and refinish hardwood floors in Croton-on-Hudson NY?   It's amazing what a difference refinishing your hardwood flooring can make.  Your floors will look brand new and you even have the option to change the color.  You can go light, dark, mid tones, or red tones. It can really give your home (or room) a whole new look.   If you have hardwood underneath your carpets, we can restore the beauty of the hardwood underneath. It's amazing what a big difference this can make in your home.  And, believe it or not, it is usually less expensive to refinish your floors than to recarpet.  Refinishing your wood floors will also improve your home's value and it will be easier to clean and maintain.   At Floor Coverings International, we are a shop at home service.  We will brin... 03/14/2012

  The Historic Hudson Valley Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is back – bigger and better than ever.   Every October Van Cortlandt Manor  becomes transformed into a Halloween extravaganza  with over 4000 hand carved- Jack O’Lanterns on display throughout the manor.  The tour is well worth the time and effort and the effects are really quite stunning.  I was there last year and hope to return this year – though time constraints may get in the way.  Bring your camera.  My pics (sadly) didn’t turn out because I was playing with a new camera lens that night and NOTHING worked.   Wish I was able to capture what my eyes saw. The tour takes about 40 minutes and begins at half -hour intervals.  I have to say that  this event sells out VERY, VERY fast and many sessions are currently sold out.  So make... 10/12/2011

Come visit Croton on Hudson this month for lots of activities. This weekend, Octover 15th, the Annual Teatown Fall festival, always fun! Scarecrow making, pumplin carving, eco crafts, food and more! Visit TEATOWN! OPEN TAG SALE at Treasures and Tales this Saturday on Grand Street. The Halloween Painting Contest will take place on Saturday October 22 and will run from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. The event is open to children from 3rd-10th grade. Registration open till Oct 17., forms are in the local businesses. Return application to Croton Recreation Dept. Limited Space Available. Also, the Village has The Goblin Walk, Saturday October 29. The Goblin Walk parade begins at the municipal building and all attending will walk to Vassallo Park. Starts at 1p.m.Ends with tricks and treats. And, all mon... 10/12/2011

One of the risks a real estate broker like myself incurs when commenting on the market is the perception that we as licensees puff things up to make the climate seem better than it really is. Given that we are entitled to our own opinion but not our own facts, I'll lead with the numbers on Croton's 3rd quarter real estate market.   For the 3rd quarter of 2010, the Croton-Harmon school district had 15 single family home closings at a median sale price of $425,000. For the 3rd quarter of 2011 which just ended September 30th, Croton had 18 single family home closings at a median sale price of $492,500. Transaction totals are up, and median sale price has improved by almost 16%. It is an improvement. However, before we all jump for joy, consider that in the 3rd quarter of 2005, Croton had 3... 10/10/2011