Daily Archives: June 19, 2014

Down to Earth Farmers Market | Bedford Hills Real Estate

 

 

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New Rochelle Farmers Market Opens Tomorrow;
New Bread Varieties from Orwashers Bakery;
Berry Jams & Pies + MORE

June 19th – 25th, 2014

DowntoEarthMarkets.com
strawberries
What’s New, In Season, and On Sale This Week

Beets
Alex’s Tomato Farm
Fishkill Farm

Dill
John D. Madura Farm
Migliorelli Farm

Green & Purple Kohlrabi
Alex’s Tomato Farm

Grumpy Gonna Grump
An aged sour ale – exclusive to
farmers market customers!

#Freedom Craft Brewery

Kirby Cucumbers
Newgate Farms

Local Berry Jam
Honeybrook Farms


Mixed Berry Pies in 3 sizes
Meredith’s Bread


Moroccan Olive Bread
Orwashers Bakery

Obsession Ale
Their summer release

#Freedom Craft Brewery

Peas
Alex’s Tomato Farm
Newgate Farms

Rosemary Foccacia
Orwashers Bakery

Russian Raisin Walnut Bread
Orwashers Bakery

SoHo Sourdough Boule
Reg. $5.50; now $5.00!

Orwashers Bakery


Strawberries
Fishkill Farm
Migliorelli Farm
Wright Farm

Strawberry Cake (Erdbeertorte)
Christiane’s Backstube


Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Regular and Gluten Free

Meredith’s Bread

Swordfish
American Pride Seafood

Tuna
American Pride Seafood

Yellow Squash
Alex’s Tomato Farm


Click on a Market to see all vendor and event details…

Westchester
County


Rockland
County


Ossining

Saturdays
8:30 am-1:00 pm


Larchmont


Saturdays
8:30 am-1:00 pm

Piermont

Sundays
9:30 am-3:00 pm

L
Croton-on-Hudson

Sundays
9:00 am-2:00 pm


Rye

Sundays
8:30 am-2:00 pm

Spring Valley

OPENING DAY: July 9th
Wednesdays
8:30 am-3:00 pm

Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow

Saturdays
8:30 am-1:00 pm


New Rochelle

OPENING DAY: JUNE 20th
Fridays
8:30 am-2:30 pm


Headed to the city soon?

Visit a Down to Earth
Farmers Market in NYC!

Announcements
Croton

Happy Clearwater Music Festival, all! In the spirit of celebrating the bounty of the Hudson River Valley, Croton’s Down to Earth Farmers Market will be OPEN on Sunday, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Larchmont

This Saturday, our Music at the Market features local talent well-known to many: The Chatsworth Childrens Choir and both the Murray and Chatsworth Jazz Bands! All of the performers are students at Chatsworth Elementary School, ages 9 through 11. We look forward to hearing their songs and musical compositions from 10 am to 11 am.

New Rochelle – Tomorrow is Opening Day


We’re excited to begin the 2014 season! The market will offer an expanded selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meats, local honey, and baked goods. We’re located on North Avenue, at Huguenot Park, in front of New Rochelle High School. See you there every Friday, through November 21st, from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.

For additional events, visit our Down to Earth Markets Event Calendar.

Stay tuned to all market happenings via our Down to Earth Markets Facebook page
and follow us on Instagram and on Twitter @DowntoEarthMkts.

Wood is Good and Thus Cheese is Delicious
Vulto_CheeseCave
Taking their savory time: the cheese cave at Vulto Creamery


In February, four of us from Down to Earth Markets took a day trip to visit Jos Vulto at his cheese making shop in Walton, NY. When we followed him into the cheese cave, it was like watching a sunrise together: Our group became quiet as we witnessed something beautiful. The room was small, cool, and fragrant. The walls were lined with shelves, and upon the shelves were rows and rows of cheese rounds, squatting like Buddhas in time immemorial.

Yet there is a specific time at work here. At Vulto Creamery, Jos crafts four varieties of cheese, and together they ripen into their flavors – or “age” – in the cheese cave for 2 to 9 months. They abide by their time on a specific material: wood.

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement that created a firestorm among cheese artisans (and those who LOVE them) across the country. The statement expressed concern that cheese makers don’t sterilize the wooden boards, and thus, they are potentially unsafe. The FDA’s words applied to both domestic and imported cheese, and the fear arose that this time-honored method of cheese making would be restricted.

The American Cheese Society came out with their response in about a minute: “For centuries, cheesemakers have been creating delicious, nutritious, unique cheeses aged on wood. Today’s cheesemakers – large and small, domestic and international – continue to use this material for production due to its inherent safety, unique contribution to the aging and flavor-development process, and track record of safety as part of overall plant hygiene and good manufacturing practices. No food borne illness outbreak has been found to be caused by the use of wood as an aging surface.”

The FDA soon “clarified” its statement and said that their recent notice had always been in place and did not amount to a change in policy. So for now – and for forever, in our opinion – wood is good.

As the imbroglio began to subside, we called Jos to get his opinion on the matter. “It all made me a little bit anxious,” he said, “but I knew it would be hard for them to hang on to a policy like no wooden boards. He added, “If I had to change my wooden boards, I wouldn’t know what to change them into. The boards are safe, as well as beneficial to cheese and financially viable for cheesemakers.”

As we wrapped up the call, a cooking analogy came up: Think of your most beloved cast iron skillet. With every meal, it gets seasoned. It also gets cleaned, but it doesn’t get sterilized. This cast iron skillet is a piece of our own kitchen heritage. Likewise, so are the wooden boards prized by cheese makers all around the world through centuries of their craft.

When the FDA issued its clarification of its original statement, the government body quieted the backfire for now. However, many people are concerned this issue could raise its head again. To vocalize your support of using wooden boards in the cheese aging process, Jos recommends signing this WhiteHouse.gov petition.

In the meantime, we look forward to savoring the fine work of Vulto Creamery and our other talented makers at the markets this weekend. You’ll find the whole list of cheese artisans on our website, under the vendor category of Eggs, Dairy, and Honey. We’re happy to say that there are many to choose from – enjoy!

Rotating* Vendors This Week
*Vendors who rotate through
various markets during the season.
They enjoy getting to know many communities, and here’s where to find them this week:

Croton-on-Hudson

Tuthilltown Spirits Farm Distillery

Larchmont

Flourish Baking Company
Hudson River Apiaries
Kontoulis Family Olive Oil
North Winds Lavender Farm
Pie Lady & Son
Trotta Foods

New Rochelle

e-Desserts (Freshly baked scones, cakes, and more!)

Piermont

Kontoulis Family Olive Oil
#Freedom Craft Brewery

Rye

Christiane’s Backstube
Lulu’s Southern Pies
Sisters Wicked Good Soap
Taiim Falafel Shack

Tarrytown

#Freedom Craft Brewery


Down to Earth Markets 173 Main Street Ossining, NY 10562 Phone: 914-923-4837
DowntoEarthMarkets.com

Fixed Mortgage Rates Down Slightly | Bedford Real Estate

 

Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates reversing course and moving slightly lower for the week.

News Facts

  • 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.17 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending June 19, 2014, down from last week when it averaged 4.20 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.93 percent.
  • 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.30 percent with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.31 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.04 percent.
  • 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.00 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.05 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.79 percent.
  • 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.41 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.40 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.57 percent.

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following links for the Regional and National Mortgage Rate Details and Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes
Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.

“Mortgage rates were down slightly for the week ending on June 19, 2014. Meanwhile, housing starts in May were 6.5 percent below the revised April rate. Following a similar pattern, building permits fell 6.4 percent in May after a 5.9 percent increase a month earlier. Also, CPI rose 0.4 percent in May, more than expected, following a 0.3 percent rise in April.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Questions Every Real Estate Agent Should Ask a New Client | Pound Ridge Real Estate

There are many articles out there suggesting questions that buyers should ask their real estate agent, but now it’s your turn!

Whether you’re an experienced realtor or not, it’s important to always be crystal clear on a new client’s background information and preferences. Know where you stand before jumping into a relationship with a lead.

Here are 5 questions you should ask a new client:

  1. Why are you buying and why is now the right time to move?

    Learning WHY they are buying a new home at this specific time is very helpful in tailoring your real estate services to fit their needs. It will also help you determine how many hours you can expect to work. For instance, some may be looking for a REALTOR® way before they sell their current home, while others may wait until the last minute. Everyone’s timing is different.

  2. How many houses have you already seen and what are your 3 favorite neighborhoods?

    You’ll gain a better understanding of their recent real estate experience and at the same time, you’ll find out if they have already been working with another agent. Also, ask them to list their 3 favorite neighborhoods – this is an easy way to begin discussing the importance they place on schools, demographics, and where they want to live.

  3. If we found your perfect home tomorrow, what would you do?

    Ask this question so you can evaluate their readiness to actually move and better grasp their preferred timeline. If you’re speaking with a first-time home buyer, use this moment to go over the closing process and any other details they need to know about buying a new home.

  4. Are you working with a lender?

    Now you’ll can make an easy transition into a financial conversation. This is a great opportunity to learn whether or not they are pre-approved. If they have not been pre-approved, suggest a lender of your choosing.

read more…

http://blog.realestatebook.com/2014/06/18/5-questions-every-real-estate-agent-should-ask-a-new-client/

Conrad Hilton’s Beached Boathouse In The Keys Asks $6.25M | Armonk Real Estate

 

20 images

A boathouse purportedly custom build for Conrad Hilton, the famous hotel baron and founder of Hilton Hotels, and Paris’ grandpop, is on the market for $6.25 million. The 60 foot 1948 Chris Craft was docked next to the nearby Cheeca Lodge when Hurricane Donna hit in 1960, flinging Hilton’s boathouse up onto US 1, from where it was then rolled on telephone poles to this spot. It has also played host to Presidents Truman and Bush Sr. over the years. The boathouse has a main level cabin and bunk beds in what was probably the upper deck bridge, and comes with 5.24 acres of land and an expansive 300 feet of oceanfront beach, which is fabulously rare in the keys.

 

 

read more…

 

 

http://miami.curbed.com/archives/2014/06/18/conrad-hiltons-beached-boathouse-in-the-keys-asks-625m.php

Taper continues, monetary policy and interest rates unchanged | Bedford Corners Real Estate

 

The following are the most salient highlights, directly cited, for the housing industry from today’s Federal Open Markets Committee statement.

(For the full text of the FOMC statement, click here.)

1) The FOMC is optimistic about the economy, but not housing

The Committee expects that, with appropriate policy accommodation, economic activity will expand at a moderate pace and labor market conditions will continue to improve gradually, moving toward those the Committee judges consistent with its dual mandate.

The Committee currently judges that there is sufficient underlying strength in the broader economy to support ongoing improvement in labor market conditions.

  • Economic activity has rebounded in recent months.
  • Recovery in the housing sector remains slow.
  • Labor market indicators generally showed further improvement. The unemployment rate, though lower, remains elevated.
  • Household spending appears to be rising moderately and business fixed investment resumed its advance
  • Fiscal policy is restraining economic growth, although the extent of restraint is diminishing. Inflation has been running below the Committee’s longer-run objective, but longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable.

2) Tapering will continue

Beginning in July, the Committee will add to its holdings of agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $15 billion per month rather than $20 billion per month, and will add to its holdings of longer-term Treasury securities at a pace of $20 billion per month rather than $25 billion per month.

The Committee will closely monitor incoming information on economic and financial developments in coming months and will continue its purchases of Treasury and agency mortgage-backed securities, and employ its other policy tools as appropriate, until the outlook for the labor market has improved substantially in a context of price stability.

 

read more…

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/30365-yellen-taper-continues-monetary-policy-and-interest-rates-unchanged

Despite drop, cash sales still rule market | Chappaqua Real Estate

 

 

Despite cash sales dropping in 102 of 126 metro areas in the first quarter of 2014 compared to a year ago, cash still rules the market, according to a recent Zillow report.

“Even as the share of all-cash sales falls in many areas, it’s pretty clear that cash is still king, especially at the lower end of the market,” said Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries.

“It can be difficult for more traditional buyers to compete with cash offers, especially in a tight inventory environment and among cash-strapped first-time buyers most likely to seek lower-priced properties,” Humphries said.

“Housing is much more than an investment for most buyers, and it’s heartening to see more buyers armed with traditional financing begin to enter the market. This is a critical step on the way back to a more normal, balanced housing market,” he added.

However, homes priced in the lowest third of all homes available are the most attractive to cash buyers.

In 27 of the top 30 metros, more than one third of all sales of the lowest-priced homes were made by cash.

Furthermore, in three of the top 10 metros – Tampa, Detroit and Miami – more than 80% of all sales in the lowest price bracket were cash deals.

As reported by HousingWire back in May, “Strict lending standards combined with low inventory continue to give the advantage to investors and other cash buyers in this housing market,” said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac.

 

 

read more…

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/30368-despite-drop-cash-sales-still-rule-market

Public Reacts To Proposed Mount Kisco-County Police Merger | Mt Kisco Real Estate

 

Public reactions from multiple viewpoints came at Monday’s meeting for the proposed police consolidation for Mount Kisco and Westchester County.

The merger agreement has some village police support.

Mount Kisco Sgt. Joseph Spinelli, who is president of the local PBA, endorsed the proposal on behalf of the union and its membership. He noted benefits for police that include better pay and benefits, along with greater opportunities for career advancement. Spinelli also supports the increase in staffing that the merger would entail, along with increased supervision of officers.

Mel Berger, a resident who is involved with the local drug and alcohol council, said he was “extremely happy” for the contract but had concerns including keeping relationships between people and officers, and about police involvement with the council.

County police officials cited examples from the Town of Ossining and the Town of Cortlandt, which also have county policing contracts.

George Longworth, who is commissioner for the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, noted that programs in Ossining remained in place and explained that any program working in Mount Kisco would be maintained. Another county police official noted involvement in a Cortlandt group. That organization is called the Cortlandt Community Coalition, which deals with underage drug and alcohol usage, according to the town’s website.

The merger plan also involves having officers in regular assignments, and county police officials denied that there would be frequent personnel turnover.

Addressing the issue of turnover, Longworth brought up how it can already happen with local police, citing retirement and injury examples.

 

 

read more…

 

http://mtkisco.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/public-reacts-proposed-mount-kisco-county-police-merger