As independent business owners we all recognize the importance of community involvement and giving back.  We just had a Active Rain contest regarding this.This is an important topic at the Business Council of Westchester.  On Friday, January 26th a power breakfast will be moderated by my friend, Jennifer Flowers.  Her company, The Accreditation Guru  help non profits fulfill their mission.The topics discussed will be: Creative approaches to CSR-both for businesses and NFPs How to create a true partnership between a company and a Not-For-Profit The effects of CSR programs on a company's culture, identity and employee retention Registration Details Date and Time: Friday, January 26, 2018   8am to 9:30am Location: Crowne Plaza White Plains NY Admission  $35 for Members  $45 for future Memb... 01/24/2018

I have been a proud member and ambassador for The Business Council of Westchester.  This organization is the gold standard for business organizations.  It's members include companies like Pesico, Mastercard, but also mid size companies and solopreneurs.The organization also has sub groups for: Solopreneurs Not for Profits HR Professionals Small Business Government Action (Advocacy) If you fit any of those catagories and would like to learn more about this organization here is your chance:Here is the info:Attendance is free for all interested prospective members.Date and Time: Thursday, November 2, 2017  5 to 7pmLocation:            Crowne Plaza  66 Hale Street  White Plains, NY  Information provided by Grant Schneider, Performance Development Strategies Would you like to know how to mak... 10/31/2017

Business is constantly changing and what works today will not necessarily work tomorrow.  Do you know who your customer will be in 2020? Wondering who is going to be your client in 3 years, or 4 or 5? Does it matter what type of business you are in?  This is the subject of next Friday's Business Council of Westchester Power Breakfast.The speaker is Andi Simon, PhD, Principal and Founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants.  She is author of "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights." She will tell us:• Three things you can do right now to find tomorrow's customer and capture them before they find another solution or product. • Major trends that are changing how people find solutions to their needs and how to capitalize on this opportunity. • How to rethink ... 09/20/2017

Clockwise from left Wayne Zuhl www.waynezuhl.com , Phyllis Schneider, Kat Palmiotti thehousekat.com , Annette Thor www.reinct.com , Debbie Gartner theflooringgirl.com , Grant Schneider pdstrategies.com .Everyone who attended the White Plains meetup had fun lots of fun.  It was a great time to learn and exchange information but most of all it was fun catching up with people we hadn't seen since the last meetup.This really was a regional NY, NJ, and CT meeting with the Wayne and Jean Marie Zuhl Team from Clark, NJ to Kat Palmiotti from Monroe, NY to  Annette Thor from Stratford, CT.  Grant and Phyllis Schneider and Debbie Gartner were the only locals.  We discussed changes in our lives and businesses in the last year from web sites to real estate investments.Debbie told us about her succe... 08/30/2017

There is now a little more than 24 hours before the White Plains New York Active Rain Meetup.Please RSVP to comments here or call or text 914-953-4458.Let's make it a great event like the one last year or the one I attended last week in Delray Beach.Here are the details from the original blog: Tuesday, August 29th 4pm (that is before rush hour!)City Limits Diner200 Central AvenueWhite Plains, NY 10606Please RSVP on comments or email grant@pdstrategies.com .   Look forward to seeing you! 08/28/2017

The White Plains New York Active Rain Meetup is less than one week away.If you in the New York,  New Jersey, or Connecticut area don't miss this opportunity to network with other Active Rainers.  And if you are visiting please join us too.I attended one last week in Delray Beach, Fl and meet so many wonderful people.Here are the details from the original blog:Tuesday, August 29th 4pm (that is before rush hour!)City Limits Diner200 Central AvenueWhite Plains, NY 10606Please RSVP on comments or email grant@pdstrategies.com .   Look forward to seeing you! 08/23/2017

All Active Rainers in the NY Metro Area mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 29th at 4pm.It is meet-up season again.  This is the opportunity for all in real estate and related businesses to get together and share experiences and best practices.  And, of course, talk about blogging on Active Rain!We are looking forward seeing to Dagny Eason and Debbie Gartner who are legendary with meet-ups.  We also hope to see Ed Silva and Wayne and Jean Marie Zuhl as well as  Kat Palmiotti , Jennifer Fivelsdal , Janis Borgueta , Gay E. Rosen  and Joanna Cohlan .Who will be the one to come the longest distance?  Is Bob Crane in the area?  Anyone from out of town please join us!So here are the details:Tuesday, August 29th 4pm (that is before rush hour!)City Limits Diner200 Central AvenueWhite Plains... 08/15/2017

Have you gotten your social on?  Do you need a Millennial to help you with your social media?The Womens Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) is offering a free program just for you.  Come to their free program at College of Westchester Social Media Clinic where business students will introduce you to social media platforms and teach you the ins and outs of using them for your business. The Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC), a 501(c)(3) corporation that runs enterprise training for those wishing to start their own business.  They have been empowering and training women entrepreneurs to build successful small businesses since 1997 in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley. This has been provided in serveral different formats.  There are high quality business training programs... 07/25/2017

The Danon Yogurt Company has done a rebranding and is now DanoneWave.  The good news for Westchester County and White Plains is that they will be staying in Westchester County and moving to White Plains.  White Plains is a very appealing city for the younger workforce with is apartments, restaurants, walkability, and quick 1/2 hour train ride to New York City.Dr. Marsha Gordon, CEO of The Business Council interview Sergio Fuster, President, USA Yogurt, DanoneWave.  This is another in the Business Council's series of Leadership Conversation with Corporate Leaders.   We were fortunate to hear Sergio Fuster speak of his companies corporate responsibility.According to Brand Finance, DanoneWave is the second most valuable food brand in the world.  Mr. Fuster make some good points including l... 05/03/2017

I am looking forward to our Business Council of Westchester networking evert on Wednesday evening April 5th.  As an ambassador I contact all of my members and use this event to connect more people.By helping others expand their network I am helping expand my own.This event will be a special experience.  It will be held in the new dining area of the Westchester Mall called Savor Westchester.Savor Westchester boasts eateries straight out of Manhattan along with CONNECT, a high technology lounge for adults and a children's play area and al fresco patio.  This should be quite an experience.Admission is $35 for members and $45 for future members.  It begins at 5pm and ends at 7pm. nformation provided by Grant Schneider, Performance Development Strategies.  Would you like to know how to make ... 04/04/2017

 SalesThere were 21 White Plains NY single family home sales in November. This is down 4.5% from 22 in November of 2015. Sales/list price ratio in November moved down to 95.1% from 96.6% in October.Prices Median price in November was $717,500. This is up 32.3% from $542,500 in November of 2015. This is the highest median price has been since January, 2016. 3-month median price of $692,500 in November was very slightly up from $680,000 in October and up slightly from $581,250 in November of 2015. Price per square foot in November was $271. This is down from $301 in October and down from $297 in November of 2015.Inventory Inventory of 66 in November was down 10.8% from 74 in October and down 19.5% from 82 in November of 2015. New listings of 15 in November were down modestly from 18 in Oc... 12/18/2016

If you are a fan of Dancing with the Stars on TV you won't want to miss this event.Each year in the Spring The Business Council of Westchester names the current class of rising stars.  These are 40 exceptional professionals under 40 have an alumni association.Five of these rising stars will put on their dancing shoes along with five professional dancing partners to raise money and awareness for: The Port Chester Carver Centerserving children and families since 1943Here is the Information for Registration:Date and Time: November 29, 2016  Cocktails at 6pm, Program at 7pm.Location: White Plains Performing Arts Center                   11 City Place, 3rd Floor                    White Plains, NYCome out and support this cause and have a great time.Information provided by Grant Schneider, P... 11/09/2016

Sales There were 19 White Plains NY single family home sales in September. This is down 13.6% from 22 in September of 2015. Sales/list price ratio in September moved down to 98.1% from 99.0% in August.Prices The median price in September was $660,000. This is down 0.7% from $664,500 in September of 2015. 3-month median price of $660,000 in September was down a little from $675,000 in August but up marginally from $642,500 in September of 2015. Price per square foot in September was $314. This is up from $307 in August and up from $294 in September of 2015.InventoryInventory of 80 in September was up 8.1% from 74 in August but down 16.7% from 96 in September of 2015. New listings of 32 in September were up substantially from 14 in August and up considerably from 24 in September of 2015. ... 10/18/2016

Sales There were 31 White Plains NY single family home sales in August. This is down 8.8% from 34 in August of 2015. This is the highest unit sales have been since 34 in August, 2015. Sales/list price ratio in August moved up to 99.0% from 97.9% in July. Prices Median price in August was $675,000. This is down 1.6% from $686,250 in August of 2015. 3-month median price of $675,000 in August was up a little from $641,500 in July and up modestly from $642,500 in August of 2015. Price per square foot in August was $307. This is up from $289 in July and up from $295 in August of 2015. Inventory Inventory of 81 in August was down 8.0% from 88 in July and down 20.6% from 102 in August of 2015. New listings of 14 in August were way down from 26 in July but up a little from 13 in August of 2015.... 09/17/2016

Sales There were 18 White Plains NY single family home sales in July. This is down 35.7% from 28 in July of 2015. Sales/list price ratio was 97.9% in July, the same as June.PricesMedian price in July was $615,000. This is up 12.3% from $547,500 in July of 2015. 3-month median price of $641,500 in July was down marginally from $660,000 in June but up modestly from $599,000 in July of 2015. Price per square foot in July was $289. This is down from $305 in June and down from $292 in July of 2015.InventoryInventory of 93 in July was down 2.1% from 95 in June and down 16.2% from 111 in July of 2015. New listings of 26 in July were down considerably from 34 in June and down somewhat from 35 in July of 2015. Months of supply of 4.7 in July was up just slightly from 4.6 in June but down conside... 08/14/2016

  If you are in Westchester and Northern Suburbs, North Jersey, Connecticut, we are looking to see you at the Westchester Meetup...Mark your calendars now for Monday, August 1 at 4pm. Meet-ups are a great opportunity for us to share information and best practices and just generally have lots of fun.  Our Westchester NY Meet-up will be  held at the City Limits Diner in White Plains We had one here a few years ago.  We will hold our meet-up at 4pm. (Note: this is a change from the origional blog post.  We need to accomodate people traveling before rush hour.)  This is happy hour time at the City Limits Diner if that is an enticement to any of you.  Also, the location is convenient to people coming from the north, from New Jersey, and from Connecticut.  Here you can find it on the map and ... 07/21/2016

Sales There were 22 White Plains NY single family home sales in May. This is up 10.0% from 20 in May of 2015. This is the highest unit sales have been since 34 in August, 2015. Sales/list price ratio in May moved up to 100.3% from 97.8% in April.Prices Median price in May was $550,500. This is down 5.9% from $585,000 in May of 2015. This is the lowest median price has been since November, 2015. 3-month median price of $565,000 in May was down marginally from $587,500 in April but very slightly up from $555,000 in May of 2015. Price per square foot in May was $289. This is down from $308 in April and down from $313 in May of 2015.InventoryInventory of 87 in May was up 8.8% from 80 in April but down 23.7% from 114 in May of 2015. New listings this month are 36, the same as last month. Mon... 06/20/2016

  Keller Williams introduced RED Day in 2009 as a way to give back and have a positive impact on communities. The second Thursday of May is now known as RED Day, which stands for Renew, Energize and Donate. This annual day of service was designed for Keller Williams Agents to give back to the community by rebuilding homes, refurbishing local parks, giving to local food shelters, hosting blood drives, beautifying the streets, and so much more.   This year was another banner year for our office's commitment to RED Day.  Using our contacts in the local community, White Plains Hospital identified families with specific needs and we split into teams to help them out.  One team helped a young girl battling leukemia by raising money and taking her and her siblings shopping for home essentials... 06/11/2016

SalesThere were 14 unit sales in April. This is up 75.0% from 8 in April of 2015. This is the lowest unit sales have been since 8 in April, 2015. Sales/list price ratio in April moved up to 97.8% from 94.6% in March. PricesMedian price in April was $624,250. This is up 25.5% from $497,500 in April of 2015. 3-month median price of $587,500 in April was down marginally from $589,500 in March and down considerably from $735,000 in April of 2015. Price per square foot in April was $308. This is up from $288 in March and up from $260 in April of 2015. InventoryInventory of 81 in April was up 9.5% from 74 in March but down 14.7% from 95 in April of 2015. New listings of 36 in April were up modestly from 31 in March but way down from 57 in April of 2015. Months of supply of 3.9 in April was up... 06/01/2016

SalesThere were 15 unit sales in March. This is up 50.0% from 10 in March of 2015. Sales/list price ratio in March moved down to 94.6% from 99.6% in February.Prices Median price in March was $559,000. This is up 0.7% from $555,000 in March of 2015. 3-month median price of $589,500 in March was down a little from $627,500 in February and down moderately from $805,000 in March of 2015. Price per square foot in March was $288. This is up from $280 in February and up from $265 in March of 2015.Inventory Inventory of 75 in March was down 5.1% from 79 in February but up 15.4% from 65 in March of 2015. New listings of 31 in March were down slightly from 33 in February but up a little from 29 in March of 2015. Months of supply in March was 3.7, unchanged from the same month last year.Market Tim... 04/30/2016