Horses used to live here, but they were evicted from this fabulous 1840s barn before it was moved and renovated to its present location in 1982.

Some might think it is the perfect weekend house, although I would love to live there year round. It has been restored and maintains its authenticity and original New England character. There is an updated, tasteful kitchen with a granite island and modern appliances. There is a two-story beamed Great Room with a stone fireplace, 200-year old hand-crafted Shaker doors, cedar shake roof, wide plank floors, and a new Master Bath. The property is absolutely breathtaking on 4.4 acres of meadows, lawn, pond, gardens and an in-ground heated lap pool. You can forget all your worries when you step through the doors of this barn, you can now call home. Offered at $1,100,000 it won’t last long. It’s the kind of house you’ll fall in love with as soon as you see it.

For a private showing, call Sonja Lovas at 914-552-0242 or send me an email .

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

When purchasing a home every dollar counts so any way to reduce closing costs is important! What most buyers don’t know is that all title companies in New York charge the exact same price for title insurance except, Thoroughbred Title. Unlike car and homeowners insurance with annual premiums, title insurance is a one-time premium payment that is paid at closing. So here’s my tip on how to reduce your closing costs, use Thoroughbred Title and save approximately 10% on your title insurance premium. Depending on the purchase price of the home and mortgage amount, using Thoroughbred Title could save you over $1,000.00!

Thoroughbred Title is an exclusive agent for EnTitle, who recently requested and received approval from the New York State Insurance Department for a 10% reduction on premiums for title insurance sold through their exclusive agents (Thoroughbred Title). Their request was granted and they are passing the savings on to buyers.

Home buyers don’t pay much attention to the cost of title insurance and most are not even aware they actually have a choice. That’s because the buyer’s attorney has been the person who selects the title insurance company they want to work with. EnTitle who operates in 35 states and the District of Columbia is changing that by actually providing the buyers a choice on saving money on their closing costs through reduced premiums.

Everyone needs Title insurance, which is an insurance policy that protects the new home buyer from a financial loss on a property that might occur as a result of previous defects in title (Such as liens, clerical errors, misrepresentation, forgery, or fraud, etc.).  In addition, all mortgage companies require buyers to purchase title insurance for the amount of the mortgage to insure them from the same losses.

Thoroughbred Title is a Houlihan Lawrence affiliated business and as an agent with Houlihan Lawrence I am able to offer buyers reduced title insurance rates. Most buyers feel every dollar counts so this is another way I provide my buyers reduced closing costs when purchasing a home. If you would like to save money on the purchase of your next home, give me a call and I will show you how.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

Save the dates and plan to visit the charming historic town of Katonah NY, Saturday/Sunday, July 31 and August 1 for their Sidewalk Sale Days. It’s a great time to stroll through the town, meet the merchants and find great back-to-school bargains as well as great food. The town starts to buzz around 10:00 am and continues until 5 pm. While you’re here be sure to stop by Houlihan Lawrence and pick up the new map created by the Katonah Chamber with a list of all the merchants and points of interest in the surrounding area.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

A previous post about the Independence Day Celebrations provided a list of venues to attend. My family loves to participate at the Pound Ridge Town Park where we meet with friends for a barbeque before and then head to the park and wait for the show to begin. We have never been disappointed and this year was no exception. I decided to take some video to give a better perspective of the sea of people that gather well before the show begins with their picnic dinners and favorite beverages. I was also able to capture part of the fireworks show itself, which is really fun to see.  With this celebration and the others in the area it’s so great living in Westchester.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

You found the perfect house, the contracts have been signed, the closing date has arrived and the final step prior to closing is the walk-through, so now what do you do?

The walk-through before closing is your final opportunity to see the house and make certain everything is in order and that the property is in the same condition as when you made your offer. It is also important to inspect any repairs that were agreed on in the contract and to make certain nothing has substantially changed since you last saw it. The day of closing is often very hectic as you are preparing to move, getting the checks from the bank, but it is never a good idea to skip the final walk-through.

Many times your home inspection report will contain a list of items to check at the final walk-through. They will most likely include but are not limited to these items:

• Start the dishwasher when you first arrive
• Turn on every faucet, hot and cold, then look under the sink for signs of any leaks
• Flush all the toilets
• Turn on the shower and open and close tub stopper
• Turn on light switches, and bring a tester to check electrical plug outlets
• Turn on all the burners on the stove, oven, fan and light
• Check to be sure the refrigerator is cold
• Start the washer and dryer
• Check the heating and air-conditioning
• Open and shut garage doors and look for remote controls
• Open and close all the windows and sliding glass doors
• Check in the basement and attic to be certain all debris is removed
• Check for owners manuals and any warranty for appliances and heating and air conditioning
• Check for a carbon monoxide detector, and test the smoke alarm. Move in day is a good day to change the batteries
• Check to make sure all the light fixtures and window coverings included in the sale are still there

If there are any issues, they can be addressed at closing and money set aside in escrow. It would also be helpful to take a photo of any item or issue and bring it to the closing. While at the closing, it is a good idea to get the seller’s new phone number, and/or email address in case there are any questions about the house. I also recommend getting a list of companies who have provided service on the house since they will be the most familiar.

After the walk-through is completed, it’s time to head out for the closing where you will receive the keys to your new house after all the paperwork for the transaction is completed.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

At long last, thanks to the efforts of the Westchester Land Trust, the property located west of 41 Ridge Road in Katonah, New York will remain open space and be preserved in perpetuity! The O’Donnell estate had originally wanted the property to remain undisturbed but the tax burden on the land portion of the estate was just too great. The property adjoins land owned by the Department of Environmental Protection and is next to the reservoir so it made a lot of sense to preserve it. Nevertheless, back in August of 2007 the O’Donnell estate placed the 13.5 acre parcel on the market for sale with Sonja Lovas at Houlihan Lawrence as a single building lot. There had been a lot of controversy surrounding the property the previous year (2006) with the family’s attempts to subdivide the track into three building lots but the town would only approve the division as one building lot.

The neighbors were still unhappy with the approval for the single building lot and that’s when the Westchester Land Trust came up with a plan to create a partnership between the Town of Bedford, Westchester Land Trust (on behalf of the neighbors) and the State of New York’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The Land Trust submitted an offer on the property and after a full year of negotiating the contract, appraisals, Town of Bedford board approvals, and the NY DEP evaluation, a contract for sale was drafted and approved between the three parties. From the time of contract signing it took another 18 months before it closed and became reality on June 22, 2010. Although it took nearly three years, the property will now remain as open space and be preserved in perpetuity thanks to the efforts and funding by the neighbors, town, and New York State working together.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

In a previous post, the Shop Rite Shopping Center was in the middle of a face-lift. The construction is now complete and the new tenant Marshal Shoes is open and is very busy. Panera Bread is opening soon and I can’t wait. The shopping center is busier now, but with more stores to visit I’m finding myself staying longer to do additional shopping.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

While driving through Bedford NY I stopped by Near and Natural which is located near the movie theatre, and noticed it has expanded from an organic market with take out to into a Country Café.   The concept for Near and Natural originated with a dream to provide healthy delicious and nutritious food with a hyper local flair and the owners Helene and Sherene have succeeded in doing that.

They offer a variety of coffees, fruit smoothies, salad bar with organic greens and toppings, home-baked breads and local muffins and farm fresh ice cream.   All their foods are anti-biotic and hormone free and the produce is from Cabbage Hill Farm and other local area farms and you can see and taste the difference.  Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and you can have breakfast all day long at the Near and Natural Café.

The atmosphere is friendly, and with the expansion of the café there are plans to provide an environment for community gatherings and discussions on nutrition and healthy eating.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

My Broker Open House pick of the week is located at 221 North Salem Rd. in Cross River, New York. It is a beautifully built brick colonial with exceptional attention to detail. As you pass through the gated entry the long drive takes you to this beautiful 6,632 sq. ft. home on 7.95 acres. There are 5 bedrooms, an exquisite dream kitchen with granite counters, top-of-the-line appliances and custom cabinets. There is a formal living room and dining room and a family room off the kitchen. Two patios extend the living space outdoors surrounded by lush green trees. There is a walk-out basement and is finished with a home theater. This house represents rural living at its best while still being close to the train and shopping. For a private tour contact Sonja Lovas at 914-552-0242.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

The warm humid days are a reminder it’s June and the end of school is around the corner. Local Westchester Day Camps sponsored by the Parks and Recreation departments will be starting soon so be sure to check out their programs. The camps offer a variety of special events and activities for the campers. Arts and crafts, athletics, science and nature, and music round out the camper’s day. In addition, daily swimming lessons complete the well-rounded day camp programs. Here are links for Bedford Village, Bedford Hills, Katonah and Pound Ridge day camps.

Pound Ridge Day Camp begins June 28 and Bedford Day Camps begin Tuesday, June 29. In addition to the camp activities there are optional trips planned that are age appropriate, for an additional fee.

You will find a handbook, camp certifications, information about the directors and counselors, and camp rules at each website. In addition there is a list of activities the campers will experience. Here are just a few:

• Red, White, and Blue Day
• Mario the Magician
• Tie Dye Day
• Crazy Hat Day
• Miss-Match Day
• Camp Olympics
• Jump rope contest
• Camp Carnival
• Share a Joke Day

Summer camps are another reason Northern Westchester is a great place to live.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

Our family plans are already underway for celebrating Independence Day at the Pound Ridge Town Park. There are many options in Westchester to celebrate and watch fireworks display. They actually start in June so you can you will be able to attend several. Here are a few for you to consider.

June 26, Town of Somers The Annual Independence Day celebration starts early and includes the Lynn Adams Memorial 5 K run & 1 mile Walk and Talk-a-thon. The Lions Club will have their famous Barbeque, there’s an Italian American Club Classic Car Show, Wright Reis Homestead Tours, SYSO All Star Games, Children’s and Family Games, Skate Park Competition, Waterslide, Entertainment, Music and Fireworks! Reis Park, 81 Primrose Street, Somers, NY.

June 26, South Salem Fireworks Spectacular Onatru Farm Park This is an evening of entertainment and fireworks provided by the South Salem Town Board to celebrate the 4th of July. It’s a great way to enjoy fun and excitement with friends, family and neighbors. Bring your picnic dinner; blanket and a flashlight would also be a good idea.  Picnicking starts at 6 pm, music starts at 7 pm and the fireworks are at 9:15 pm The cost is $20.00 per car. (Rain date is July 1st)

July 2, Playland’s renowned fireworks display. Fireworks display start at 9:15 and the cost is $5.00 for parking. Playland Park, Playland Parkway, Rye, NY

July 3, Kensico Dam Music Fest and Fireworks – Gates open at 5 pm for picnicking but no grills. Music starts at 6 pm with the Wanderers, then the Gerard Carelli Orchestra at 8 pm and Fireworks at 9:15. It is free a free event at Kensico Dam Plaza, Bronx River Parkway in Valhalla, NY.

July 3, Pound Ridge Park will be holding their fantastic Fireworks display. Come early to pick your spot and bring a picnic dinner to enjoy while listening to music and visiting with neighbors, family and friends. Parking is at the Pound Ridge Elementary School on Rt. 172 or at Scott’s Corner Market where there is a shuttle bus to the Pound Ridge Park. Donations are appreciated

July 4, Old Fashioned Fourth at Muscoot Farm. You can buy hot dogs and hamburgers at the concession stand or bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the afternoon playing old fashioned games and churn some ice cream.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

The very popular entertainment “Summer Sunset Series” in the park is about to begin, so mark your calendars and plan to attend. There are six concerts held on Wednesday evenings, from 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm and it’s free! The schedule is as follows:

June 30 - Katonah Memorial Park – “45 RPM Band”

July 7 - Bedford Village Memorial Park – “The Fairfield Counts Orchestra”

July 14 - Bedford Hills Memorial Park - “Reunion”

July 21 – Katonah Memorial Park – “John C. Magician and Ventriloquist”

July 28 - Bedford Village Memorial Park – Mad Science “Fire and Ice”

August 4 – Bedford Hills Memorial Park – “Goodwin’s Balloowins”

It is a wonderful opportunity to spend a warm summer night in the park so brings your blankets, pack a picnic dinner basket and head out to the park where you will be entertained. It’s a wonderful way to meet new people and reconnect with neighbors and friends and enjoy the summer evenings. For detailed information about the concerts including rain dates and locations, visit the Bedford Parks and Recreations Department website.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

In my previous post I gave a general overview of the appraisal process. Because real estate is always changing, so are the guidelines for appraisers. A certified appraiser, John Copulos, was the guest speaker at our office meeting on June 3 to discuss some of the sweeping changes appraisers are required to provide, for example, underwriters of the loan. In our meeting we learned about things Realtors can do to assist the appraisers and the type of documentation that is helpful. Understanding the changes and guidelines for appraisals is another reason it is important to select an experienced and knowledgeable Realtor who can provide the correct information for evaluation about a property. Neither buyer nor seller wants to go through the process of making an offer, engineering, and applying for a loan, only to have the property not appraise and the transaction fall apart. Contact me for more details!

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

Part of my job as a Realtor is to provide sellers and buyers with a Comparison Market Analysis or CMA. This report is similar to an appraisal, but it is based on comparing similar type properties that have recently sold with the property being evaluated for sale or purchase. As an experienced and active agent, I have seen most of the homes in the area and am aware of the differences in condition and updates made to the property. The CMA is only one tool to help understand market value in order to determine the listing or purchase price.

Once a contract for sale has been signed, the buyers notify their mortgage company who schedules an appraisal. Appraisals are an important part of the transaction in determining a property’s market value and the mortgage company uses the appraisers evaluation to secure the loan. In today’s market, Banks and mortgage companies are being very careful to make sure the property will be able to be resold for the amount of the mortgage.

New York State requires appraisers to be licensed and there are different levels of certification. The three basic requirements for obtaining a license and certification are: education, a written exam, and experience. Most lenders pull from a pool of approved appraisers so the transaction is more arms length and an objective third party with no financial connection to the transaction. Appraisals are paid for at the time you submit the paperwork to the lender to apply to your loan.

Appraisals are very detailed reports about the property. There needs to be at least three side-by-side comparisons of similar properties. This is often a miss-guided point when looking at a comparison market analysis provided because not all the properties that are used on a CMA will be acceptable comparables for the appraiser. That s why it is so is important that the agent who is familiar with the appraisal process prepares the comparable market analysis to make a proper evaluation.

The appraisal will also include information about the overall real estate market in the area. Factors that are considered and affect values are other homes that might be in foreclosure, or short sale situations. Homes located in the areas longer than the normal number of days on the market (DOM) also factor into the appraisal. Poor access to the property such as flag lots or shared a driveway will require additional information regarding the financial arrangement between all the parties for maintenance of the driveway to be provided to the lender. Obvious visual assessment and conditions about the property will also be noted as well as the type of surrounding homes.

There are two types of appraisal methods that are used for residential properties. The Sales Comparison Approach method is where the property is valued based on similar properties that have sold. Since it is rare that two properties are ever exactly the same an appraiser must make adjustments to features of the property and those that have sold in order to make the components the same as the subject property. For example, add or delete for a garage, additional bedroom, updates, lot size, deck, etc.

The Cost Approach is where the appraiser estimates the actual cost to replace the structure if it were destroyed, then ads back in the cost of the property.

The appraisal is vital to the bank extending a mortgage so if the property appraises lower than the sales price, odds are the loan will be declined. At that point it is time to find a solution and most problems can be resolved. I have some good ideas on how to do that so let me know if you need help.

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas

Mt. Kisco Elementary School is located at 47 Hyatt in the village of Mt. Kisco and according to School Matters, it has approximately 499 students enrolled. I spoke to a colleague of mine, Alaina Bainlardi, a parent who has two children currently enrolled in the school about her experiences. Here are her thoughts:

“The principal, Susan Ostrofsky, staff and teachers are very welcoming and approachable as well as roll models for the students. There is a unique school spirit and teamwork between the teachers and the families that create an excellent learning environment.

The building has been updated with an incredible library, gym and cafeteria. The community built the fun playground areas and it is a very happy place for kids to go to school. The teachers ands taff are able to motivate the students and create a variety of special learning projects each year (like the incredible art show) and the students are always eager to participate. My daughter has attended K-5th grade at Mt. Kisco Elementary and each year was a great experience because of the caring and supportive school environment.”

Posted by:  Sonja Lovas