J. Philip's Westchester Real Estate Blog

Law Memorial Park in Briarcliff Manor is, to my eyes, one of the most attractive downtown parks of any municipality in Westchester County. It is literally walking distance from downtown (perhaps 2 city blocks) and has the village library, a huge swimming pool, a small wading pool, a huge clubhouse pavilion, clay tennis courts, a pond, tree lined paths, and gorgeous vegetation. Summer days see lots of people swimming and recreating here, walking the paths and relaxing, all in sight of beautiful, massive trees that, if they could talk, tell generations of history. In all it is 7 acres large and not a square foot needs help. 

The library was recently enlarged and the whole setting is peaceful, cared for, and uncommonly pretty. It is one of the things that make Briarcliff Manor a special community, and we are thankful we can live and raise our family here. But don't take my word for it. Enjoy. And remember that what you see is 3 minutes on foot from downtown. 

Last year I did a blog post on the churches in Ossining. Today I'll share some of the very beautiful houses of worship in Briarcliff Manor.

This is St Mary's Episcopal Church of Scarborough on Albany Post Road (Route 9) right next to Sleepy Hollow Country Club. I love Gothic stone buildings like this.  

This is All Saints Episcopal, also in Scarborough at the Intersection of Scarborough Road and Old Briarcliff Road. This is moments from my home and is another gorgeous stone structure. 

This is Scarborough Presbyterian. If you're seeing a "Scarborough" theme here, it is with good reason: Scarborough is one of the older parts of Briarcliff Manor along the Albany Post Road corridor, and this would be the logical place to build a church in the area's earlier days. A quick story about the bell tower- back in college in the 1980's, my friend worked a summer for an electrician, and he had to go up there for a job. Whatever had to be fixed up at the top first had to be excavated out from decades of ancient bird droppings. He decided that his father's advice to stay in college and get a degree was good advice. 

Faith Lutheran is far more modern. As different as it is, it has always stood out pleasantly. 

Briarcliff Congregational Church is another striking old stone structure that is over a century old walking distance from downtown. A bigger building than a photo can do justice, I'll post two. 

Congregation Sons of Israel is walking distance from where I grew up, and I remember frommy youth how the building has grown over the decades. It is another place with a larger footprint that is very pretty framed against a blue sky. 

Saint Theresa's Roman Catholic is another stately, traditional stone building, but instead of slate the roof is tin! The front steps were just made for a wedding portrait, and I have driven past quite a few. 

I have left out Holy Innocents Episcopal, and I'll try and add that in the near future. I love these buildings, and they are one of the prettier pieces of scenery for me as I drive around no matter what the season might be. 

I thought it might never come after the winter we endured, but Spring has arrived in Westchester County. As always, it is beautiful, with forsythia and cherry blossoms making their debut ahead of many other pieces of God's artistry. 

This is Gregory (who has stolen Mom's iPad) and his faithful Max in the shade of the cherry blossoms in our back yard. We have three huge trees that have been there since Mrs Hilpert planted them in the 60's. I think of her, and how much she'd adore seeing my kids underneath them, every spring. 

Our neighborhood is known as Chilmark, and was built in the early 1960's. It is very mature now and gorgeous in the spring. Many of my neighbors treat spring flowers the way others do lights at Christmas. I love it. 

That's me shooting the picture in the reflection!

I love this place and feel blessed to raise my family here. 

If you'd like to find a house in Briarcliff or anywhere else is beautiful Westchester County, get yourself a free Listingbook account and search homes like an agent. 

This is the market report for single family homes sold in the Briarcliff Manor school district for the first quarter of 2011. All information is sourced fom the Empire Access Multiple Listing Service. 

In the first quarter of 2011, there were 14 closings with a median sale price of $617,500. 

In the first quarter of 2010, there were 9 closings with a median sale price of $625,000. 

Things are looking up in Briarcliff. There is almost no difference in median price, but sales volume is up 55%. This is especially pronounced when one considers that 2010 was a stimulus period. There is no tax credit now.  Was there pent up demand? It would appear so. Whatever the reason, I'll take it. 

6 homes are currently under contract at a median asking price of $734,500. There are 36 active listings available. That is a healthy inventory, and we'll see if the second quarter continues the positive trend. 

If you'd like to search for a home in Briarcliff Manor, get yourself a free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 

Yes, our firetrucks are white!

Previous posts on Briarcliff Manor are here. 

This market report is for single family home activity in the Briarcliff Manor school district for November of 2010. All information is derived from the Empire Access (formerly Westchester-Putnam) Multiple Listing Service. 

A light month in Briarcliff Manor. Median price is about the same as last November, but only 3 deals closed. Nine homes are under contract at a median asking of almost $900,000, so we are positioned for a strong December. It happens that way. 

There are 39 available home in inventory, which is a light and typical for this time of year. 

Previous posts on Briarcliff Manor.  

If you'd like to search for a home in Briarcliff, get yourself a free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 

This is for single family home activity in the Briarcliff Manor school district for September of 2010. All information is derived from the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 

Compared to June 2009, Briarcliff Manor sales volume is about even. Transactions are down one, and median price is down about 2%. 10 Homes are under contract, which indicates more strong activity, albeit at a lower median price. 

In the Active section, you might notice that the late Brooke Astor's estate, Holly Hill, has come off the market. It was replaced this past month by the Ash Ridge Estate as Briarcliff's most expensive available listing. 

There are 51 available home in inventory, which is a healthy selection and just under a year's worth of inventory.

Previous posts on Briarcliff Manor.  

If you'd like to search for a home in Briarcliff, get yourself a free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 

5 Cool Things About Briarcliff Manor, NY

1. Our fire trucks are white. No, the Dalmatians are not red. 

2. Downtown was in the first episode of Saturday Night Live in one of the videos. You can see the Briarcliff Hardware Store on Pleasantville Road clearly. 

3. Howard Stern's first job out of college was at WRNW-FM, which was in Briarcliff in the 70's. 

4. Trump National Golf Course (of The Apprentice) is here, on the site of the old Briarcliff Country Club.

5. Holly Hill, the 60 acre estate of the late Brooke Astor, is here in Scarborough, and is on the market for $10,500,000. 

Previous posts on Briarcliff Manor

This is for single family home activity in the Briarcliff Manor school district for June of 2010. All information is derived from the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 

Compared to June 2009, Briarcliff Manor sales volume is about even. Transactions are down one, but the median price is up almost $200,000. 15 Homes are under contract, which indicates more strong activity, albeit at a lower median price. 

In the Active section, you might notice that high listing of $10,500,000. That may be there for quite a while. That is the last Brooke Astor's estate, Holly Hill, which has been on for a while now because there is not a big market for 60 acre compounds with 10,500 square foot mansions. That might become the new Casa de J Philip if I hit Mega Millions this week. 

There are 51 available home in inventory, which is a healthy selection and just under a year's worth of inventory.

Previous posts on Briarcliff Manor.  

If you'd like to search for a home in Briarcliff, get yourself a free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 

In 2007, we moved our family about a mile, one neighborhood over. Even though it was a short move, it took us across the line from the Village of Ossining to the Village of Briarcliff Manor. When you're me, you don't really expect to have many experiences with the police, aside from civic or social events. You don't expect them to be on the job on your property, but once not long after we moved here, they did. 

My home office has a window on the side and rear of my home. If someone jumps my fence, I can see it. A few months after we moved here, I saw a pair of legs walk by the side window. Strange. The fence was locked. Then, another pair. I only saw legs, which had my mind racing. Who was swarming my yard with my kids playing back there? I was outside in a heartbeat, and to my relief, it was not an interloper or kidnapper, it was a pair of police officers. They both had their hands on their hips, looking perplexed, as my 2 oldest children excitedly talked to them (real police officers right in our yard! exclaimed Luke, then 6). 

I was perplexed also. It got put together quickly Evidently, the department had received a call from someone out of state who had called my number by accident. Our 3 year old was screaming at the top of his lungs when the call came in, and somehow the party at the other end heard the screaming and called the police for fear that they had witnessed some sort of abuse over the phone. Since ringing the bell would have only given a criminal or kidnapper warning, they jumped the fence anticipating the worst. The screamer, Gregory, then ambled up to me and put his arms up to be picked up. 

Assured that it was all an innocent thing, they thanked me and left. 

I was struck by their professionalism. I appreciated their approach, because, even in this idyllic suburb, if there was foul play, they wanted to be ready. Three years later, that day sticks with me. They were ready for criminals, and they ended up patting my kids on the head. Briarcliff Manor has great police.