J. Philip's Westchester Real Estate Blog: New York: New Rochelle

Like White Plains, New Rochelle has been ranked in Money magazines top 100 small cities to live in America with a ranking of number 82. I am not surprised. New Rochelle (of Dick van Dyke show fame to those of you who have never been) is on the Long Island Sound, is home to Iona College, has a fantastic down town, and some really gorgeous neighborhoods with jaw dropping pre war architecture. We have a great listing here that I expect to sell any day.

Driving through some of those old neighborhoods off North Avenue takes your breath away. Here are some random shots. 

Glen island Park is a popular waterfront park on the Long Island sound where they have a marina and crew regattas. The choice of restaurants is terrific, both in New Roc city, the new downtown retail complex, and older sections of the place. There is a huge variety of homes here, from mansions to starter homes. 

I have blogged about New Rochelle previously, and it is worth reading up. 

• We Are Westchester County, NY Real Estate. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.
• J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 
• I am one of New York's premier short sale REALTORS. 
• J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton, the River Towns, Westchester County, and the bedroom counties of New York City.
• Free MLS Search! Register for a Free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 
• I am hiring agents. 

All content/images, unless noted, are the property of J. Philip Faranda & may not be used without permission

About a year ago, while driving a client and her toddler up from Manhattan around Westchester looking at homes, I got a flat tire on North Avenue in New Rochelle. This is not a welcome occurrence for obvious reasons, but North Avenue is also very busy. As I began to put my car in jacks, several workers from a restaurant came across the street and offered to help. I looked over at their boss, and he nodded. 6 hands are better than 1, and I was back on the road in a jiffy. I made a mental note to stop by, and proceeded to forget. 

Two weeks ago, I had lunch with an attorney to whom I recently sold a house in the neighborhood, and she suggested me meet at AJ's Burgers on North Avenue. I didn't put it together until I met her, but this was the same place from my car incident last year. I had a burger, which was delicious- perfectly cooked, tangy, lightly seasoned and melted in my mouth. And the fries were not heavy, seasoned and still had the potato skin. Yum. My friend proceeded to tell me that AJ's had been her 2nd home while her kitchen was renovated. One look at the menu explained it. You had plenty of choices if you kept coming back. It isn't just a burger joint. 

I returned to AJ's Burgers again this past week and had a pulled pork sandwich with the house-made sauce. It was exquisite-tangy, slightly sweet, and tender. Just so you know it isn't a house dedicated to clogged arteries, there are always steamed veggies and spinach available, and I loved the spinach. They also have cajun chicken. That's next on my list. 

This time I got a chance to speak with AJ himself, and thank him for the help with the tire a year ago, as well as hear more about his place. They make their own desserts, and they smoke the meats right on the premises. The ice cream and sherbet is exceptional as well. They cater, deliver, and do take out. Not only that, they have a breakfast menu, and are open 24 hours Wednesday through Saturday. For our area, the price is right too. Dinners are served not on a plate but a warm skillet, which sets the place apart. Actually, there is much that sets AJ's Burgers apart, and I'll be going back in the near future.

AJs Burgers is located at 542 North Avenue, New Rochelle, not far from Iona College. Call them at (914) 235 3009.

• We Are Westchester County, NY Real Estate. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.
• J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 
• I am one of New York's premier short sale REALTORS. 
• J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton, the River Towns, Westchester County, and the bedroom counties of New York City.
• Free MLS Search! Register for a Free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 
• I am hiring agents. 

All content/images, unless noted, are the property of J. Philip Faranda & may not be used without permission

I will be holding 109 Elk in New Rochelle open today from 1-3 pm. It is a 3500 square foot English Tudor with 6 bedrooms, 3.2 baths, and a carriage house garage. List price is $975,000 and annual taxes are $22,429. The lot is very large for the area-.39 acres. 

Here is the write up from the MLS, which is a good summary:

Magnificent English Tudor in prestigious Forest Heights, on the corner of a spacious .39 acre yard. Formal entrance & foyer, balcony off master suite, 6 bedrooms plus 3.2 baths. All electric is updated, sunroom has heated flooring. Two-story 3-car carriage house. Oak floors throughout, beamed ceilings, stained/leaded glass windows and wonderfully preserved original details throughout. Two gorgeous woodburning fireplaces, greenhouse, large eat in kitchen, and much more.

Come meet me if you don't carry anything written by JD Salinger. 

• We Are Westchester County, NY Real Estate. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.
• J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 
• I am one of New York's premier short sale REALTORS. 
• J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton, the River Towns, Westchester County, and the bedroom counties of New York City.
• Free MLS Search! Register for a Free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 
• I am hiring agents. 

All content/images, unless noted, are the property of J. Philip Faranda & may not be used without permission

I had two accepted offers today, one on a listing I am selling and another for a buyer I am representing. Here's a coincidence: They are on the same street in New Rochelle, less than a mile apart. They are completely unrelated deals. 

Another offer was presented on behalf of my buyer but we havn't had a response yet. Two accepted offers and the possibility of a 3rd in one day doesn't make me a great agent. But it does speak to the fact that people are no longer sitting on their hands. 

Word is out that now is the time to buy. Rates are fantastic, sellers are motivated, and prices are way down. The holidays are apparently not a deterrent to the pool of active buyers out there. Of course, Sundays get more husbands out with their wives when the Giants and Jets stink. 

• We Are Westchester County, NY Real Estate. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.
• J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 
• I am one of New York's premier short sale REALTORS. 
• J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton, the River Towns, Westchester County, and the bedroom counties of New York City.
• Free MLS Search! Register for a Free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 
• I am hiring agents. 

All content/images, unless noted, are the property of J. Philip Faranda & may not be used without permission

I have a listing that is a "mystery." Nice house, aggressive price, well exposed location, and no deal. We've had two offers, but neither went together. One factoid: I get more lawn sign calls on this property than any other. What to do? 

Hold an open house? Are you crazy? I HATE open houses.

An open house on a weekday afternoon? Are you nuts?

Well, I guess I'm nuts. Given the close proximity to a local school which dismisses at 3pm and the nice weather, mortgage broker Trevor Curran (who came up with the idea) and I held 180 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, open from 2:30-4pm yesterday. No print ads, just web-driven stuff.

The tally? 4 visitors, one of whom has already scheduled to meet with the mortgage broker for a formal pre approval. Every one of them told me they had been watching the house and waiting for an open. Every one of them complimented the house, as it is very nice

Go figure. So we'll do it again next week.

 180 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10805. $449,900, 3 BR, 1.5 Baths

OPEN HOUSE Thursday, October 29, 2:30pm-4pm

• We Are Westchester County, NY Real Estate. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.
• J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 
• I am one of New York's premier short sale REALTORS. 
• J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton, the River Towns, Westchester County, and the bedroom counties of New York City.
• Free MLS Search! Register for a Free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 
• I am hiring agents. 

All content/images, unless noted, are the property of J. Philip Faranda & may not be used without permission

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J. Philip Faranda is the Broker and Owner of J. Philip Real Estate, LLC in Briarcliff Manor, NY. He is a Top 10 Producer for closed single family transactions out of almost 7000 licensees in the Westchester-Putnam MLS in both 2007 and 2008. You can log onto the company Home Page at www.jphilip.com

You can search the MLS like an agent and find your dream home before other buyers for FREE confidentially & at no obligationat http://jphilip.listingbook.com.

J. Philip Faranda ranks among New York's premier short sale REALTORS specializing in short sales in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam & Dutchess Counties. www.NYShortSaleTeam.com. Read Phil's short sale blog at http://NewYorkShortSaleBlog.wordpress.com.

J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton on Hudson, Pleasantville, Sleepy Hollow, White Plains, Yonkers, Peekskill, Cortlandt, Tarrytown, Yorktown, Montrose, Hawthorne, Thornwood, Valhalla, Hartsdale & all of Westchester County, New York.

• We Are Westchester County, NY Real Estate. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.
• J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. 
• I am one of New York's premier short sale REALTORS. 
• J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton, the River Towns, Westchester County, and the bedroom counties of New York City.
• Free MLS Search! Register for a Free Listingbook account and search the MLS like an agent. 
• I am hiring agents. 

All content/images, unless noted, are the property of J. Philip Faranda & may not be used without permission