J. Philip's Briarcliff, Ossining & Westchester Real Estate Blog

New Short Sale Program Will Pay Owners to Sell

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:33:27 -0600

The NY Times is reporting on a new Obama initiative to create a financial incentive for banks and home sellers alike to do short sales. A few highlights from the article:

Program starts April 5, 2010
Lenders will be "compelled" to accept short sales. We'll see about that.
The administration wants to streamline the process. We'll see about that too.
Financial incentives are $1,500 to the home seller, $1,000 to the lender, and $1,000 to a subordinate lender.
Agents will be used to valuate the properties, but lenders will not be forced to accept offers beneath the agent valuation.

That last point is the rub: BPOs, or broker price opinions, are inconsistent and often unreliable. I do them, and I do not accept BPOs outside of a very small geographic footprint; however, many BPO agents are from far away and do robotic, formulaic, price per square foot hatchet jobs which do not accurately reflect market conditions. Once this happens, a short sale can be set back 6 months (yes, 6 months) or derailed completely. All because some guy from 50 miles away didn't care to do his homework for the $45 fee.

The piece details another thing which I have long believed: lender are skeptical about short sales. A number of quotes detail suspicion of fraud and that is unfortunate. In the short sales I broker, I see nothing but earnest buyers and sellers. We never sell to investors. I have never sold anyone a home and then done a short sale on their old place (strategic default). Banks are engaging in "prevent defense" with this mentality. You throw the baby out with the bath water when you assume fraud at the expense of people who are seeking relief in good faith.

We'll see going forward if this works. The worst thing about short sales is the abhorrent length of time and ridiculous red tape they consume. If the administration can indeed shorten and streamline the process, I'll be the worst to give them credit. This much is true: something has to be done, because too many good people are suffering.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

Ossining Co op Report

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:13:41 -0600

Ossining is one of the few places in Northern Westchester County with many cooperative apartments. The Village of Ossining actually has hundreds of co ops, and given the prices of Westchester County homes, they are often viewed as the starter home for our area.

Active Listings: 46 Median List Price: $144,950

Pending Sale: 3

Sold units since January 1, 2010: 2

Most available co ops are 2 or 3 bedrooms in apartment buildings.

Some 2009 statistics for context:

Sold 1 bedroom co ops: 9. Median Price: $122.000

Sold 2 bedroom co ops: 15. Median price: $147,000

Sold 3 Bedroom co ops: 6. Median Price: $205,000

If you want a co op and don't want to live in southern Westchester, Ossining is one of the best options with the most choices.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

I Locked Myself Out of My Own Open House

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:33:49 -0600

While at an open house today, I got the following instant message from my wife:

Ann: While you are there take some better exterior photos. Today is sunny, and the old ones were taken on a cloudy day.

Smart idea. The last time I was here, I didn't get anything from the rear of the home either, which is a shame because it is so much larger from the back. No one had arrived yet, so I shot downstairs and out the back door to snap a few exterior photos from the large, fully fenced rear yard.

And locked my shirt-sleeved dumb arse outside of the house in a yard completely surrounded by a 6-foot fence with pointy things on top. Now, mind you, the front door was quite unlocked. I was just trapped on the wrong side of the fence.

With pointy things on top.

It is funny how the mind races when something like this occurs. I left my phone inside. My laptop was on the kitchen table. Was it opened to an embarrassing web page? What to do? Hope nobody comes to the open and discovers what a dope I am? Hope someone arrives and opens the back door?

Wait. Fences have gates.

Locked gates.

So after a few minutes of chilly weather with no coat spent weighing my options, I came upon a plan. I needed to scale the fence with the pointy things and climb over it without hurting myself. I am not dressed for that. I am too fat. I am too old. I am too trapped.

Climbing the fence was actually easy. Getting my fat posterior to a position where I could jump down to the other side was the hard part. Muscles I haven't used in quite some time (obliques come to mind. Left obliques) were summoned to the effort, and those muscles are not pleased with me right now. And jump I did, right into snow which got into my shoes. Wet feet were a small price to pay for freedom.

I straightened myself out and walked calmly inside the still-empty home, puffing. My wife and her stupid ideas!

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

You Got an Offer. Now What?

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:45:12 -0600

Unlike many parts of the country, home sellers in Westchester and the surrounding counties (all of Metropolitan New York, really) are actually a long way from signing contracts. When I sold in upstate Rochester, we'd go to contract the same day in some cases, with broker prepared templates written and approved by the local Bar Association. There were attorney approval and inspection contingencies, but 24-72 hours was the norm. Once the attorney approval and inspections were done, all contingencies were met except for the mortgage, which is normal anywhere.

Not so in Westchester County. Once you get an offer here, there are still mountains to climb before buyer and seller sign contracts.

Meeting of the minds. Obviously, an offer often has to be negotiated, especially in a buyer's market.
Home Inspection.
Memos or binders.
Attorneys prepare the contracts. Not as simple as it sounds.
Once "contracts are out," then the rain dance between attorneys often (not always) begins. Buyer attorney marks it up and send revision back to the seller attorney, who has to clear the changes with the seller. This has taken weeks in the past. Sellers have to tell their lawyer to get on the phone with the other lawyer and iron out the issues expediently.
Once verbiage is agreed upon, the buyer signs and makes their deposit with the seller's attorney holding the down payment in their escrow account.

Then and only then can the seller sign the contract and consider the home "under contract." Westchester and the New York area is different from just about every other place I know of. Good or bad, that is the way it is, and sellers should know this going in.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

The Eventual Career of Real Estate

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:29:18 -0600

I had the privilege yesterday of attending a reunion of my former co-workers from the position I held prior to my career in real estate. It was the first time I had seen some people in 15 years. It was sales in a different industry and we were all managers. The work was difficult (what sales job is easy?), but to a man we credited it with preparing us for our next job or career. 11 of us met for dinner at the famous Sylvia's in Harlem, where we caught up and shared memories of our time in the trenches.

What struck me was the large proportion of us who entered the real estate industry. I am a broker, 2 are investors, and a 4th is a mortgage loan officer. That is over a third of us! As I have said before, real estate is not a career many college students state as a goal. There was no real estate degree at my college, and most people I know in the industry found ourselves in the business after other careers. Yet I would be astounded if 1/3 of former teachers, nurses or cops get into housing. Perhaps it is a coincidence, but perhaps great minds think alike.

The other 7 of us didn't do too badly either. Dan Meltzer (lower left) is a radiologist, as a matter of fact. I am proud to say that I hired him right out of college. My old boss took the cake. Ananta Alva (standing, striped shirt) lives full time in Guyana where he runs a cooperative project to help at risk teens. Given the nature of our old work (literacy, programmed instruction, educational publishing) this is perfectly aligned with his values. The project is an awesome undertaking and got the attention of Unicef. I'll post about it at a later time- everyone should know and appreciate what my friend is up to.

That said, there are very few Alva's in the world. Many of the rest of us chose this very noble profession of real estate, and I am glad to be one of them.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

A Day in the Life

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:37:16 -0600

There is no typical day. Consider Friday:

2am: Finished blog post "J. Philip Real Estate is Growing."

2:30-7am: Sleep

7am: School morning scramble-Luke, Catherine and Gregory on the school bus by 8am.

10am: Meet with client in Manhattan. Photos taken of new co op listing.

12 noon: Lunch in Queens, handle a call where an agent cannot confirm a showing on my listing.

1pm: Meet with new client and an attorney in Flushing. They are in serious default and must file to block an imminent foreclosure sale. Once the stay is granted Monday, I will activate their listing. I have to sell it in 90 days or more legal fees.

3pm: Meet with a prospective new agent and her husband, who is a loan officer. We inspect office space for a future branch if she joins the firm. This would give us a new presence in north Manhattan.

<3:30 call interrupts our meeting- accepted offer for one of my buyers.>

5:30: Pre-close walk through in White Plains with first time home buyers. There is no lockbox when we arrive. Listing agent saves the day in 5 minutes. Seller has not yet removed furniture. Closing is imminent.

7pm: In Poughkeepsie to meet with homeowners about selling their house.

8-9pm: Long discussion with buyer clients on way home to discuss strategy on negotiations on their recent offer on a home.

9pm: Home. 3 of 4 children still awake-hey, it's Friday.

9:30-1am: Blog, comment, update website, answer emails.

Miles driven: Approximately 100

Incoming cell calls: 54

Emails: 100

I am worth every penny.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

8am: Open for Business and Fully Staffed

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:25:34 -0600

I awoke this morning to the typical Saturday morning pandemonium. So I went right to my home office and fired up the computer. Ann came in to talk, so the horde followed and decided to climb Mt. Dad (not an ambitious project). There is something very wonderful about being physically covered with your children. I look like hell in the morning, but you are probably no prize either. Ann caught this "office meeting" on my phone camera- the good one was out of reach. The only thing missing is Luke, our oldest, just out of frame. Otherwise this would be perfect.

Gregory found a bag of Doritos and decided to feed me, and soon all three got into the act. I am now covered in orange.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

J. Philip Real Estate is Growing

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:58:49 -0600

As we enter the last month of 2010's first quarter, I am happy to observe the growth the company is experiencing. A few facts:

The firm now has 15 licensed agents living in 6 counties spanning from Long Island to Dutchess County.
We have as a company over 50 active listings.
As of today, with our first Manhattan listing inked in Hudson Heights, our inventory of homes includes listings in 3 of New York's 5 boroughs, Nassau and Suffolk on Long Island, Fairfield, CT, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Greene Counties.
A new agent is projected to join the company this month.
I am hiring. We still have openings for new team members who want to grow in our system. New or experienced alike are welcome.
We have over 10 pending sales in the pipeline with the busy Spring cycle beginning to heat up in spite of the cold weather.
The fastest growing source of clientele is our Internet presence, especially the company website and blog.

Not bad for an operation started in '05 in a bedroom with a fax, cell phone and a few ideas.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

My Wood Stove Fetish

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:24:56 -0600

Although people don't realize it, Westchester County does have plenty of homes with wood stoves. Many are decorative, some are even antique cast iron parlor stoves, but most can and do augment the heating of the home. There is nothing like walking into a toasty, warm living room with the thermostat down to 60 degrees and the owner smiling that the heating bill will be low. Since we bought our home in 2007, one of the things on the short list for improvements was a wood stove insert for the fireplace. It hasn't been done yet. However, I do possess a gorgeous antique parlor stove that is not hooked up, but will be at some point.

Until it is installed, it keeps me company in my home office. I actually bought this on eBay in early 2008. I had to drive to Vermont to pick it up, and the owner had used it as his primary heat for his home. It is a nickel-plated beauty. When the time comes, it will be set up in the corner of the basement and go back into service. I remember how it's owner, a New Englander, expected the Patriots to kill the Giants in the Superbowl. Funny how these things stick with you.

I have another one in my office, which gives it a very homey feeling (good for a real estate office). It isn't as elaborate, but these things weigh a ton, and I choose my back over anything too fancy when it comes to moving them. I also have a small 6-inch antique replica (salesman's model) I keep on my desk. It is quite the conversation piece, and it always reminds me of warmth. People kid me about this stuff, but I love those old wood stoves. Max does too, as his bed is often nearby. I haven't the heart to tell him the thing isn't lit.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

Cash Buyers Need Appraisals Too

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:39:26 -0600

One misconception regarding the desirability of cash buyers is that because there is no mortgage, no appraisal is needed. Anyone who has ever done a few cash transactions, however, knows that people who are writing a check often do as much or more due diligence than a lender. They have a right; it is their money.

In 2006, when there was still plenty of irrational exuberance in the market, I had a cash buyer check for mineral rights prior to closing, much to the consternation of the seller. It still closed in 30 days, which is a heartbeat for New York, but those 30 days were intense. Even after 10 years in the business I felt as if I were being schooled firsthand in due diligence.

While mineral rights are a stretch, an appraisal is not. The purpose for a lender appraisal is to ensure that the collateral they are loaning money on is worth what the terms dictate; an 80% "loan to value” mortgage of $400,000 requires a $500,000 home. Problems arise when that $500,000 home appraises for $475,000, knocking the ratios off kilter and causing a dilemma between buyer and seller. While this is unfortunate, the lender has to protect their interests. They are loaning the money.

So it goes with the cash buyer. There is no government program, no mortgage insurance, and no safety net if they misjudge the value. On several occasions, I have had cash clients buy unique homes which did not have many easy or obvious comparable sales. In each occasion, the homes were over-improved: phenomenal kitchens, amazing staging, knockout landscaping and other bells and whistles which obscured the fact that, hey, this is still a raised ranch, just with a $50,000 kitchen. Having an objective, unbiased 3rd party give a dispassionate, market activity based assessment of value brings a cooler head to the table than a proud, heavily invested seller and a buyer with stars in their eyes.

If the appraisal indicates that the value is in line with similar homes, fine. If the appraised value is higher than the purchase price, mazel tov. If, however, the appraisal indicates a value lower than the purchase price, it is a sobering moment for all parties. The buyer is certainly not going to want to pay more than that number in all but rare cases. The seller has to grasp that they are selling real estate, not chattel. The key word is location location location, not viking stove viking stove viking stove, or finished basement finished basement finished basement. Should the seller "eat" the difference? Consider this; if they rebuff the cash buyer, the next buyer is probably getting a mortgage. Since mortgages require appraisals, history will repeat itself.

In cases where a cash buyer's appraisal comes in low, the seller should get their own appraisal to ensure that the buyer's report is accurate. They then need to weigh their options, and, often, those options include renegotiating price to bring the real estate they are selling in line with the current market. .

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

Want to Sell? Let People In.

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:38:39 -0600

I got an email earlier this evening asking for a release from a seller client because they aren't happy with the job I'm doing. They want to fire me. The house isn't sold, and I have not shown it myself. Since 2005, I have cancelled a handful of listings, giving unconditional releases to problem clients just to get rid of them. However, in this case I am undecided as to whether or not I'll grant their wish. I would never be spiteful, but in the same vein I feel I should put my foot down. Of the 23 requests to show the home since January 1st of this year ( 1 showing every 2.6 days), they have agreed to fewer than 10 actual showings.

Just so you know, 23 showing requests in 60 days is pretty awesome, especially with the awful weather we've had in our area. The fact that I haven't brought a prospect myself is a red herring; serious buyers often get picked up by agents quickly around here. My marketing must be working because buyers are calling their agent to see the house.

How can people buy a home that won't grant them access? There is more than one owner, but only one lives in the house. She declines appointments the way Elvis popped pills. It makes no sense. They want to sell, they need to sell, but they don't confirm appointments. Fantastic marketing is getting squandered. So why not just let them go? Perhaps I will. But first, I'm going to meet with both owners and go over the showing reports. I want one to see how many appointments her co-owner is declining. Maybe it will be a teachable moment. I hope it is. If it isn't, I may just shake their dust from my shoes and focus on clients who appreciate my efforts.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

Speechless Sundays: The Art Gallery

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:09:01 -0600

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

Yes, I am a Proud Father

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:21:22 -0500

****Caution: Bragging Father Alert*******

One of the neat things about parenthood is seeing your son or daughter do well at something, especially if it is unexpected. This morning our oldest son had to put in a shift, in the rain, at the local grocery for a cub scout fundraiser. They had a table set up outside the Stop & Shop in Ossining, where they were selling popcorn to benefit Pack 49. Luke was part of the first shift, from 11-12am, and the first 10 minutes was punctuated by 2 other scouts sort of mumbling to passersby with limited success.

Now, you have to sort of appreciate the setting; it is raining, people are in a hurry to get to their cars, and nobody really wants to part with more money after leaving the store, especially for popcorn at double what they just passed in aisle 7. Moreover, Luke was a little slow to get started this morning, a bit shy with strangers, and very sensitive. I sort of hoped he'd blend into the background to avoid rejection, frankly.

However, I can't not sell. I knew the kids could do a better job with their pitch, so I stationed Luke right by the exit and had him get the line down cold:

"Would you like to buy some popcorn to support our pack?"

Then, yes, no or maybe, say "Thank you!" cheerfully.

The first 2 or 3 people walked on by, but after about 5 minutes of practice, Luke was a natural. Every person who left the store got a faceful (and earful) of the little guy's well-articulated pitch, followed by that adorable tooth-deficient grin. Even many of the people who didn't want to buy anything would look right at him and say "wow, aren't you cute!" or something like it. The little bugger stole the show.

As every parent will attest, our children do the cutest things right before or after we turn on the camera. However, I was able to capture on my cell phone, Luke turning around a "NO" with his cheerful attitude. As you can see, he is standing right at his little station, and the lady compliments him on his politeness and sweetness, and then heads over to the table to make a purchase. The quality is a bit Zapruder-like, and another scout puts his hand up in front of the camera to be a wise guy, but you can still make it all out.

Whats the moral of the story? Attitude is everything. It could have been a rainy, boring hour but Luke's decision to give his all made my day. I am very proud of him. He might end up being a better salesman than his old man.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

Quick Thanksgiving Video

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:19:32 -0600

This was a video taken at my house after Thanksgiving dinner (and before dessert) by my older brother Tom. Clearly, my children have mastered the art of saying "cheese" when they see a camera. The oldest of our 4, Luke, makes only a brief appearance for some reason because he was preoccupied with some project. The older 2 are my nephews Joe and Tim, and my mother, Sister in law Brigid, and Ann round out the cast (oh, and Max, our rescued German Shepherd who, as nearly 2, is still a pup).

2 year old Mark seems like triplets at times, but it is all the same little guy. That extra couch next to the piano has been there for months. We still have to figure out what we want to do with it. That's life!

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
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'm hiring agents.
Agents: Subscribe to the 40 Somethings Group. Reach Phil at (914) 723-8900.

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

H.E.L.P. on Westchester Highways

J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip LLC) Westchester County NY — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:34:58 -0600

If you've ever driven on any of the Westchester County Parkways, perhaps you've seen a quasi-official looking blue and white truck with the initials H.E.L.P. on the side. That stands for Highway Emergency Local Patrol, and they go around aiding people with car trouble. I have no idea what the cost is the the taxpayer; I do know that I ran out of gas Tuesday.

I was driving down the Sprain Brook Parkway, right next to the reservoir when I saw I was on fumes. Just as my mind began to race about the next exit, I felt that hesitation. I coasted to a stop, dry as a bone. I was angry with myself. Trying to do too much for too many in too short a time, I was supposed to meet with a client at a construction site. And it was really cold out.

After calling Ann & Ronnie (our admin), we found that there was no number for these guys. You have to call 911 and they send them. So I did. And the guy came. Two gallons of gas, courtesy of the taxpayers of Westchester county (the friendly snickers were free), and I was back on the road. I would have taken better photos, but I was too much of a wimp in the cold, so everything was from the drivers seat.

J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
Read my short sale blog here.
J. Philip Serves Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Croton, the River Towns, Westchester County, and the bedroom counties of New York City.
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