House Hunt: May 19—20

Check out open houses in the Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor area this weekend.

Click through the photo gallery to find out more information about open houses in the area this weekend. Are you hosting an open house this weekend that's not listed? Just upload a photo of the property and list the location, date and time of the open house in the caption. Email information about future open houses or recently sold homes in the Briarcliff Manor and Pleasantville area to pleasantville@patch.com.

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Selling a Historic Home

History is important and historic homes cannot be marketed the same way as any other home.

Westchester County possesses a wealth of buildings, structures and sites that provide tangible evidence of the unique history and culture that has formed here over past centuries. Just as people need photographs and heirlooms to understand their role in their family’s history, citizens need physical representations of the past to define and make sense of their place in the culture and history of their community. Recently, there has been debate in Scarsdale concerning two properties owned by the Scarsdale Historical Society-Cudner-Hyatt House and the Quaker Meeting House. Unfortunately, neither of the properties has been used much in the past decade. The Historical Society spends a great deal of money to maintain the history and persona of …

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House Hunt: May 5—6

Check out open houses in the Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor area this weekend.

Click through the photo gallery to find out more information about open houses in the area this weekend. Are you hosting an open house this weekend that's not listed? Just upload a photo of the property and list the location, date and time of the open house in the caption. Email information about future open houses or recently sold homes in the Briarcliff Manor and Pleasantville area to pleasantville@patch.com.

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Selling Your Home is Your Responsibility, Too

But don't tie your realtor's hands.

When I meet with sellers who are putting their house back on the market after a period of not having it sell, they often tell me how disappointed they were with their previous realtor. These reasons usually include being unhappy with their photos and sometimes even with how the agents communicated with them. For instance, their agent emailed them often, but calls were sparse. Often, people are selling a home for the first time, or for the first time in 20 years. There’s a good possibility that things have changed in the real estate industry since the last time you bought or sold a home. And, while realtors are in the business of making sellers happy, we also have to figure out the best way to get a house sold. Unfortunately, the two of …

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House Hunt: April 21—22

Check out open houses in the Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor area this weekend.

Click through the photo gallery to find out more information about open houses in the area this weekend. Are you hosting an open house this weekend that's not listed? Just upload a photo of the property and list the location, date and time of the open house in the caption. Email information about future open houses or recently sold homes in the Briarcliff Manor and Pleasantville area to pleasantville@patch.com.

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House Hunt: April 14—15

Check out open houses in the Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor area this weekend.

Click through the photo gallery to find out more information about open houses in the area this weekend. Are you hosting an open house this weekend that's not listed? Just upload a photo of the property and list the location, date and time of the open house in the caption. Email information about future open houses or recently sold homes in the Briarcliff Manor and Pleasantville area to pleasantville@patch.com.

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Real Estate Watch

What You Need vs. What You Want

There is a difference between the two.

There is a difference between what buyers need and what they want. The first describes a necessity. For instance, if someone is in a wheelchair, they need a wheelchair accessible home. When describing wants, those are characteristics which are part of the dream. For instance, I want a property with an in-ground pool. This is a want, not a necessity. Choosing the right home, the right neighborhood and the perfect layout can quickly become overwhelming. It doesn't have to be if you journal your thoughts and think about what the most important factors you want in your new home are. As a realtor, often our first question to a buyer is, “What do you need?” The second question will be, “What do you want?” Frequently, buyers will give to same …

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We Don't Have Superman's Eyesight

Finding your home is a necessity if its on the market for sale.

As a realtor, I am constantly driving around looking for house numbers. It is remarkable to me how many people, including those who have a home on the market, have numbers placed in a manner that makes it difficult to see them from the street. Having to slow down on a busy street to read house numbers causes the drivers behind me to get upset, so I try to pull over and walk if I think I am close. In order to know if I am close, I need to be able to see the numbers of other homes as well, and this is easier said than done. Sometimes, I feel like certain streets are playing a trick when none of the homes have numbers on them! There are even some areas where house numbers are not consecutive. For instance, on one street in Edgemont, house #70…

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House Hunt: March 24—25

Check out open houses in Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor this weekend.

Click through the photo gallery to find out more information about open houses in the area this weekend. Are you hosting an open house this weekend that's not listed? Just upload a photo of the property and list the location, date and time of the open house in the caption. Email information about future open houses or recently sold homes in Briarcliff Manor or Pleasantville to pleasantville@patch.com.

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House Hunt: March 17—18

Check out nearby open houses this weekend.

Click through the photo gallery to find out more information about open houses in the area this weekend. Are you hosting an open house this weekend that's not listed? Just upload a photo of the property and list the location, date and time of the open house in the caption. Email information about future open houses or recently sold homes in Briarcliff Manor or Pleasantville to pleasantville@patch.com.

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