There were 26 homes sold in Oyster Bay during the 3 quarters ending Sept, 30, 2008 compared to 45 homes sold in Oyster Bay for the same period in 2007.  Right now, there are 58 homes for sale in Oyster Bay ranging in price from $319,000 to $4,025,000.                     Address Sales Price   Style BR Bath Title Date               243 Mill River Rd., Oyster Bay. NY 239000   Colonial 2 1 3/19/2008 117 Summers St., Oyster Bay, NY 332000   Split 2 1 3/17/2008 15 Walnut Pl.,         Oyster Bay, NY 315000   Colonial 4 1.5 6/6/2008 41 Tooker Ave., Oyster Bay, NY 377000   Colonial 3 1 4/11/2008 40 Singworth St., Oyster Bay, NY 435000   Cape 3 1 6/25/2008 16 Gailview Dr., Oyster Bay, NY 425000   Cape 2 1.5 4/11/2008 135 Summers St., Oyster Bay, NY 460000   Cape 4 2 9/12/2008 128 W. Main ST., Oy... 10/04/2008

Per the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, there are ten homes sold in Brookville, NY for the last three quarters this year as compared to 18 homes sold last year for the same period.  Prices of homes sold in Brookville, NY this year ranged from $1,150,000 to $2,626,000.  Last year's prices of homes sold ranged from $1,385,000 to $4,000,000.   One of the ten houses sold in Brookville, NY this year went for full price, one went over the asking price by 6.2%.  Last year, two houses in Brookville, NY went for full price, and another one went for $5,000 above the asking price of $1,595,000.   On average, price of homes sold in Brookville, NY was 7.4 % below the asking price this year and last year was 6.1% below the asking price.  Below is the list of homes sold in Brookville, New Yor... 09/29/2008

  Looking for ways to save on your auto insurance?  How much?  About 10%. So have you taken the defensive driving class lately?  I took one yesterday.  The class was given at Oyster Bay Public Library by Empire Safety Council and we had an excellent teacher named Steve Donnelly.  I did not want to take the course but my husband insisted I should and so I went with him.  The class was worth it.  Taking the defensive driving class or aptly renamed Accident Prevention Workshop will reduce your auto insurance premiums by about 10%.  If you have points, you may be eligible to reduce as many as 4 points on your driving records.  Do you know that if you accumulate 11 or more points in 18 months, your license may be suspended or revoked.   Point reduction does not prevent or cancel a mandatory ... 09/29/2008

Rosa Foetida Bicolor or Autumn Damask Rose     Now that the summer is gone but not forgotten, we are in for some nice show of color in the garden.  The weather will be cooler and the roses will be bursting with blooms once again.  Here is a poem that carries my sentiment for the season.                                              ‘Tis the last rose of summer                                     Left blooming alone;                                     All her lovely companions                                     Are faded and gone;                                     No flower of her kindred                                     No rosebud, is nigh,                                     To reflect back her blushes                                     To give sigh for sigh.                   ... 09/22/2008

  When a big storm hit our area, we worry if we are going to lose power and when will it be restored?  For days we might have power outages.  In certain areas of Long Island, power outages can run for days.  Homeowners are buying generators just to have them handy on such emergencies.  But these generators run on fuel and create pollution and noise.  They are also for short term duration only. Steve Geiringer of Lattingtown and Harvey Bass of Sea Cliff have developed an alternative - a battery-powered inverter that does not run on fuel nor create pollution or noise.  The system also runs longer and more reliable.  The batteries charge when the electricity is working and when it goes out, they power the house.  In cases of long power outages, the system can include solar or wind-powered ... 09/20/2008

  If you have not been to Oyster Fest in Oyster Bay, plan on coming this year.  It is the 25th anniversary of Oyster Fest and it promises to be the best.  There will be rides for the kids, petting zoo, oyster eating contest, raffles, arts & crafts and food galore.  There will be a pirate demonstration for the kids.  For dog lovers, there will be high, dare-devil dog competition this year.  Another great addition this year is a Grucci Fireworks at 7 PM on Saturday night.  Parking is at a premium in town but there are designated off-site parking and shuttle buses serving several locations along the routes to Oyster Bay.  You can also take the Long Island Railroad.  They are offering special rates and schedule to accommodate the crowd and you get off at the last stop of the Oyster Bay Line... 09/20/2008

I went to the New York District Convention last weekend and it was a fabulous weekend.  The most exciting part was I won the American Rose Society Silver Honor Medal Award - the most prestigious and the highest award at the District Level of the American Rose Society.  We had a Buffet Dinner on Friday night at Batavia Racetrack with the second race dedicated to Western New York Rose Society.  Members of the WNYRS made a blanket and draped it over the winning horse after the race.  We had fun at the racetrack and then the casino afterwards.  On Saturday, we had the Rose Show and then the Award Dinner that night when I got the award.  Two years ago, I also won the Bronze Honor Medal Award at the Long Island Rose Society which is the highest award at the local level of the American Rose S... 09/17/2008

  There are pros and cons of owning a condominium.  Condominiums are the answer to finding a low-cost, low-maintenance homes.  Condos can be an attractive option because they are generally kept in good repair by enforced rules.  You'll need to become familiar with these rules and agree to follow them before buying a condominium.  If you like the benefits of these enforced rules, but decide you want a single-family residence, you can look for a subdivision with a homeowner's association that enforces such rules.  Condos are also good as a second home or vacation home because you can just lock it up after a visit and be more comfortable knowing that you do not have to worry about the outside maintenance.  Besides being less expensive, they also allow you to share maintenance and repair re... 09/17/2008

  The plastic bags that carry your groceries home so conveniently are not good for the environment.  There are bills proposed that will require stores to establish an in-store recycling program for plastic shopping bags.  It is called Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Act.   Plastic bags are not biodegrable and will end up using valuable space in landfills and last almost forever in the dump.  They break down into smaller toxic bits that contaminate soil and waterways and suffocate marine life.  An estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide.  It takes million barrels of oil each year to manufacture these plastic bags, a natural resource we should conserve.  The bill is awaiting the New York Governor's signature, and will guarantee a comprehens... 09/10/2008

Feng Shui and Health Issues:  As a Feng Shui Consultant and Teacher, I have written about what I consider to be things to watch out for in Feng Shui that relate to health--which I am ALWAYS mindful of.  I have written about Leaks as they relate to Feng Shui, Ceiling Fans (which most of my clients do NOT want to part with), some staircases depending on the placement and the way they were built....and BEAMS. Some of these have what is called in Feng Shui "Cutting Chi" or "Cutting Sha" which literally means they are dangerous points to stay away from because they can-from a Feng Shui Perspective-cut into your body and create health issues, something none of us want. Something I found my Long Island clients sleeping under during renovations--they were moved to the Living Room that day! Your... 09/08/2008

If you like a town with so much history, close to the beaches, good schools, plenty of restaurants, recreational facilities, museums, convenience to railroad and the nicest people you can call your neighbor, head to the end of Route 106.  It is a quaint little town where families stay for several generations.  You are a newcomer if you only have two generations of your family here and yet people come and settle here and call it their home.  It's the community spirit of the residents that make this a pleasant place to live and raise a family.  It's called Oyster Bay.  Oyster Bay has its own share of parades.  The best one is the Memorial parade with three local fire departments join in the parade.  The kids Soccer League marches and so do the Boys Scouts and the Girls Scouts.  The vetera... 09/04/2008

  With the devastation caused by Katrina still in the back of our mind, and Gustav still causing destruction on the Gulf Coast with Hannah, Ike and Josephine in its wake, we ask ourselves are we prepared for these hurricanes.  We who lived in a coastal region like Long Island should not be so complacent.  A reminder that Hurricane of 1938 ran havoc on Long Island, then in 1944, another big hurricane hit us then Gloria struck in 1985, how certain are we that another big one is not heading our way? When we bought our town house in South Carolina last year, we were given these big boards as part of the homeowner's package and my husband asked the guy who was doing the final walk thru what are those?  The man said "Those are hurricane boards."  We from the Northeast do not know anything abo... 09/03/2008

Brookville, one of the most sought after address on the North Shore has a lot to offer clients with discriminating taste.  Housing inventory in Brookville ranges from ranches to huge estate with plenty of choice in between.  Price ranges from $1,299,000 to $12,900,000.  Brookville is located south of Muttontown, north of Jericho, west of Syosset and east of Greenvale and Old Westbury.  Brookville does not have its own post office but shares with Glen Head - 11545.  Most of the properties in Brookville are on flat ground with very few exceptions that sit on a slope.  Brookville does not have a shopping center and residents shop in nearby community in East Norwich and Oyster Bay or Greenvale.  School districts for Brookville residents can be Jericho, Locust Valley or Oyster Bay-East Norwi... 09/02/2008

Planting Fields Arboretum, a 400 plus acres estate in Oyster Bay, NY was once the private enclave and home of Mr. & Mrs. William Robertson Coe and is now listed as a state historic park.  There is so much to see on its grounds at every season.  The open space, the great lawn, various gardens, and magnificent trees are everywhere.  Besides the great trees, gardens and beautiful greenhouses, other buildings abound with a magnificent Tudor Revival Mansion as the centerpiece.  The mansion called Coe Hall was built between 1918 and 1921 after the original home burned.   Mr. Coe loved nature and with unlimited funds at his disposal, he started his horticultural collection.  Big trees were shipped from out of state and carried by barge thru Long Island Sound into Oyster Bay harbor.  With Hick... 08/31/2008

  Looking for a place to go this weekend?  This weekend is a great opportunity to make a trip to Long Island's East End and discover the award-winning wines of Long Island.  Not only will you be rewarded with the great wine experience, the drive is exhilarating.  Out east, you'll find out that you are really in the back country.  There are farms everywhere.  Years ago, these farms were mostly potatoes and cornfields.  Nowadays, they are sod farms and landscape trees.  How things change.  But still, you'll see historic towns, fishing villages, seafood restaurants and bed and breakfast establishments, flower and farm stalls and a proliferation of vineyards that dotted along the only main thoroughfare, the Main St. (Route 25).  While you are there, you might as well go all the way to the e... 08/30/2008

Coe Hall, the manor house at Planting Fields will participate in the Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day on Sept. 27, Saturday.  On this day, museum around the country will open their doors free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers and Smithsonian.com visitors.  This is Coe Hall Museum fourth annual free Museum Day. Coe Hall will open the first floor for a self guided tours with docents stationed in different rooms to answer questions and share their knowledge of Planting Fields and the Coe family.  There is a special exhibit "Everett Shinn at Planting Fields" that visitors can sign up.  Everett Shinn was commissioned by Mrs. Mai Rogers Coe to do a series of paintings for her bathroom suite at Coe Hall.  To gain free entry, visitors must present their Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Da... 08/27/2008

Purchasing a home is a nerve wracking experience and involves files and piles of paperwork.  Looking for your dream house without knowing what it involves is not a good idea at all.  As an informed buyer, you're in a better position to deal with all the intricacies of home buying process and making the right decision.  This is the biggest purchase of your lifetime and you intend to do the right thing. •1.       Affordability - How much can you afford?  Your best bet is to contact your accountant or mortgage broker who can advise you on what you can afford and what programs are available out there for you to take advantage of so you can buy your dream house.  Once you know how much money you need to buy your new home and the amount you need for living expenses, then you are on your way t... 08/26/2008

     The Village of Laurel Hollow in the township of Oyster Bay lies between Cold Spring Harbor and Oyster Bay Cove.  It is a beautiful village with specimen trees and magnificent homes on big acreage.  The school district is partly Oyster Bay, Syosset and partly Cold Spring Harbor.  Likewise, the post office is serviced by Oyster Bay 11771, Syosset 11791 or Cold Spring Harbor 11724.  Laurel Hollow is strictly a residential community.  There is no business establishment in the village.  People shop in nearby towns, either in Oyster Bay, Cold Spring Harbor, Syosset or Huntington.  Laurel Hollow is mostly hilly with an abundance of tall trees with understory of mountain laurel hence the name.  The proximity of Laurel Hollow to the water makes water sport the main recreational activity.  Y... 08/25/2008

    Oyster Bay, a small picturesque town on a peninsula on the North Shore of Long Island is a destination.  During the summer time, you will see plenty of cars heading north on Route 106 and as a resident here for many years, you wonder where all these people are going.  But it is not a surprise that people flock to this tiown because Oyster Bay has a lot to offer the residents and visitors alike.  Besides the beautiful beaches, Oyster bay has magnificent parks, arboretum, museums - Raynham Hall and Earle-Wightman House of the Oyster Bay Historical Society and the Oyster Bay Festival is one to be reckoned with.    Oyster Bay is rich in culture and history.  Back in 1639 when a Dutch navigator named David DeVries decided to settle here, he found an abundance of oysters and maybe that is... 08/18/2008

As a Feng Shui New York based Consultant, I get calls and emails all the time for questions people aren't sure about when making changes for Feng Shui in their own homes.  It is sometimes difficult to get through all the emails though I try but last week I received TWO about the same thing for people ready to paint and found they both had misconceptions about Feng Shui and Color.  One potential client called from Oyster Bay Long Island to get my opinion just before running out to choose paint colors, afraid they would make a mistake. As some of you may know, I've had my own issues with choosing so many paint choices.  I want light and love color and years ago, in Feng Shui, there were some hard and fast rules about color choices.  Some colors, it was said, were destined to ruin an area ... 08/16/2008