Category Archives: Katonah

3 Business Reasons to Upgrade to LinkedIn Premium | Katonah Realtor

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While there are a number of different types of paid LinkedIn accounts you can choose from (LinkedIn Premium, For Recruiters, For Job Seekers, For Sales Professionals), LinkedIn Premium is the most balanced paid account type that will generally suit most business owners and professionals.

The LinkedIn Premium account has four different levels of membership that you can choose from depending on your budget and needs:

  • Free
  • Business Plus
  • Executive
  • Pro

Here are three of the benefits that may have you wanting to switch from a free account to a LinkedIn Premium account.

#1: Narrow Your Target With Advanced Search

The left section of the Advanced Search is available to all LinkedIn members and includes several fields such as keywords, location and company. In the right-hand section of the Advanced Search are several Premium fields that are valuable because of their ability to help you greatly narrow down and target your searches.

advanced people search

Both paid and free members can use the Relationship, Groups, Location, Current Company, Industry, Past Company, School and Language fields in the Advanced Search.

While several fields (Industries, Groups, Relationship and Current Company) are available to all members, there are eight fields that are available to the different levels of paying members only (all eight fields are available only to the Executive and Pro Premium level members). Premium Members with the Business or Business Plus level membership have access to the following four fields:

  • Company Size—This can be beneficial; for example, for businesses that target small businesses and freelancers (select the 1-10 option), members looking for very large businesses (select the 10,000+ option) or any size in between.

    limit your search

    You can limit your search by company size.

  • Seniority Level—Narrow your search by seniority levels such as VP, manager, senior, owner and partner.

    search seniority level

    Only search for the seniority level or positions that are useful to you.

  • Interested In—Choose from options such as Industry Experts, Entrepreneurs, Potential Employees or Consultants/Contractors to look for specific groups of people.

    quickly search for people

    Quickly search for people like industry experts and entrepreneurs with the Interested In field.

  • Fortune 1000—Search strictly for employees at Fortune 1000 companies. There are a number of options that allow you to select the Fortune 50, Fortune 501-1000 and several choices in between.

    narrow your search

    Narrow your search to Fortune 1000 companies.

For example, you may want to search for facilitators within your local area whom you may not already be connected with but you share a group with. To do this, you would simply type “facilitator” into the Keyword field, select the country, enter your ZIP code or postal code and select within 50 mi (80 km) and finally select Group Members under Relationship.

multiple search fields

Finding the people in whom you are most interested using multiple search fields.

use advanced search

Search results are more relevant using Advanced Search.

Another example would be if you were looking to connect with the Communications VPs of Fortune 50 companies whom you share a connection or group with. For this search, you would type “communications” into the keyword field, select Location Anywhere and then check 2nd Connections and Group Members from Relationship, VP from Seniority Level and Fortune 50 under the Fortune 1000 section.

meet search requirements

Save time prospecting by searching for LinkedIn members who meet your search requirements.

best search results

Get the best search results using Advanced Search.

Finally, Advanced Search allows you to save your searches. Not only will this feature remember your search, it will also send you weekly or monthly notices of any new member profiles that become a part of your network. You can also scan these new profiles from the Saved Search Tab by clicking on the number under New.

As a free member, you can save three searches, while Premium members have the ability to save up to 7 with the additional bonus of 500 profiles showing up in the search results rather than the standard 100 that comes with free membership.

 

3 Business Reasons to Upgrade to LinkedIn Premium | Social Media Examiner.

Katonah sales up 2% – Prices up 8.5% | RobReportBlog | Katonah Real Estate

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Katonah NY Real Estate ReportRobReportBlog
20136 months ending 7/52012
48Sales47
$727,000.00median sold price$670,000.00
$275,000.00low sold price$209,000.00
$7,000,000.00high sold price$4,000,000.00
3261average size3016
$286.00ave. price per foot$278.00
175ave days on market208
$990,356.00average sold price$858,238.00
89.67%ave sold to ask94.50%

 

 

Katonah sales up 2% – Prices up 8.5% | RobReportBlog | Katonah Real Estate.

Surging interest rates could slow housing’s recovery | Katonah Real Estate

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A sharp rise in mortgage rates is threatening to slow the momentum that has driven the housing market sharply higher in the past year.

 

Rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage have spiked in the past two months as the Federal Reserve signaled the coming end of a massive bond-buying program designed to stimulate the economy by keeping rates low.

 

Someone who today takes out a $220,000 loan — the median sale price for a traditional home in the Twin Cities — will pay at least $100 per month more on the mortgage than someone who locked in an interest rate on May 1.

 

“It’s been a pretty impressive increase in rates,” said Keith Gum­binger, vice president of HSH.com, a mortgage information firm. “If that increases monthly payments by, give or take, 10 to 15 percent, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see sales back off by perhaps that much.”

 

U.S. home prices were up 12 percent in May from a year earlier, and Twin Cities prices were up 14.8 percent, in part thanks to demand fueled by rock-bottom ­interest rates. Since home purchases often translate into sales of garden hoses, lawn mowers and washing machines, as well as construction jobs, the likelihood that rates will continue to rise should temper economic growth.

 

The irony is that what’s driving up rates is, ultimately, an improving economy. Rates are as low as they are because the Federal Reserve has been buying $85 billion in mortgage-backed securities per month, a program known as quantitative easing that’s meant to stimulate borrowing.

 

The Fed’s purchases create demand for mortgage-backed securities and so drive down interest rates for borrowers. The strategy has been effective. Rates for 30-year mortgages were as low as 3.3 percent in November, a number that inspires awe in anyone who took out a mortgage in decades past.

 

But rates started to rise in mid-May when Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke first hinted in a Congressional hearing that the economy might be strong enough for the central bank to contemplate slowing its asset purchases. After a Bernanke news conference on June 19, rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose from 4 percent to 4.6 percent in five days, while the stock market faltered.

 

Surging interest rates could slow housing’s recovery | StarTribune.com.

13 Homes From the 13 Colonies | Cross River Real Estate

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We have 50 states now, but 237 years ago, there were just 13 Colonies with a handful of settlements in each. To celebrate Independence Day, we’re taking a real estate tour through each colony and getting a history lesson along the way.

Virginia

240 Prince George St, Urbanna, VA
For sale: $449,000
Year built: 1742

virginia

Once upon a time, this residence was a tavern serving the seaport town of Urbanna. The story goes that the quaint residence even hosted Patrick Henry, the lawyer and future legislator who openly argued for the Colonies’ freedom from British rule.

Massachusetts

306 Concord St, Framingham, MA
For sale: $289,900
Year built: 1628

Massachusetts

The construction date of this home is just eight years after the colony of Massachusetts was founded by Puritan settlers. Coined the Thomas Gleason House, this residence has seen its share of history and updates, but it still has some of its original Colonial characteristics.

New Hampshire

130 Old College Rd, Andover, NH
For sale: $2.45 million
Year built: 1781

new hampshire

Little-known state fact: New Hampshire was called North Virginia when it was first founded in the 1620s by Capt. John Smith, (yes, that John Smith of Pocahontas fame.) This stately gentleman’s farm residence didn’t see Smith, but boasts a 5,500-square-foot home, 680 feet of lake frontage and a location just 90 minutes north of Boston.

Maryland

3251 Gamber Rd, Finksburg, MD
For sale: $2.889 million
Year built: 1765

marylan

This 18th-century stone home was originally built for the governor to the king of England. Years later, the home is still grand. The 7-bedroom, 5-bath home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and sits on a pastoral setting an hour from the the nation’s capital.

Connecticut

6 Parker Ln, Essex, CT
For sale: $1.45 million
Year built: 1750

connecticut

Built years before the rumblings of revolution led to all-out war, this lakefront Connecticut property sits above a sloping lawn and quiet beach. The 3-bedroom, 3-bath home has been updated from its Colonial roots and includes freshly refinished hardwood floors and a water-facing porch

 

13 Homes From the 13 Colonies | Zillow Blog.

Caramoor In Katonah Celebrates Verdi’s Bicentennial Saturday | Katonah Real Estate

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Caramoor Summer Music Festival and Bel Canto at Caramoor will present a celebration of Giuseppe Verdi’s bicentennial on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

“Verdi in Paris” highlights the influence the composer’s  time in Paris had on his music. The composer’s long association with the city yielded some of his most significant contributions to opera.

Will Crutchfield, Caramoor’s director of opera, will lead the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in two of the composer’s grand operas composed explicitly for the Paris Opera – “Les vêpres siciliennes” and “Don Carlos” – in their original language.

This semi-staged concert performance will be preceded by lectures and recitals in the Spanish Courtyard.

To order tickets, call the box office at 914-232-1252 or visit www.caramoor.org. 

 

Caramoor In Katonah Celebrates Verdi’s Bicentennial Saturday | The Armonk Daily Voice.

Rosie O’Donnell Tries To Flip Village Penthouse, Asks $11M | Katonah Real Estate

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Another year, another apartment. Last summer, Rosie O’Donnell dropped $8 million—well, $8,095,087.50, to be precise—on a duplex penthouse at 130 West 12th Street, part of St. Vincent’s Hospital that was converted into condos. Less than a year later, O’Donnell has redecorated the 4BR/3BA (which comes with a 429-square-foot private terrace) all classy-like, with lots of art, colorful carpets, and inventive light fixtures. A tipster reports that two weeks ago she threw it back on the market, now asking $10,950,000. The Nyack, N.Y. resident and her wife Michelle Rounds welcomed a baby girl in January, bringing the progeny total to five, so perhaps they’re upgrading for a pied-a-terre with more bedrooms. If a buyer bites for that price, the straight-talking comedian, LGBT rights activist, and gay cruise pioneer will have pocketed a 35 percent profit over one year. Not too shabby.

Floorplan%20-%20130%20West%2012th%20Street%20PH11A.jpg

Plus, the buyer will get to live next door to Theory CEO Andrew Rosen, whopurchased the other PH not long after O’Donnell. He has a bigger terrace, but you know, make nice and he might let you use it. Both Rosen and Rosie bought their places for above ask, which bodes well for her flip.

 

Rosie O’Donnell Tries To Flip Village Penthouse, Asks $11M – Celebrity Real Estate – Curbed NY.

Kat-Lewisboro BOE, Support Staff Association Approve Contract | Katonah Homes

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The Katonah-Lewisboro Support Staff Association (KLSSA) will soon have a new health plan. In an agreement with the Board of Education, the staff will shift from the current self-insured health plan to the New York State Health Insurance Program. (NYSHIP). The new plan will go into effect on July 1 and continue until June 30, 2015.

The school district will realize a savings of roughly $1 million per year with the change. This switch of health insurance provider is similar to the one agreed to by the Katonah-Lewisboro District Teachers’ Association about a month ago.

Included in the agreement with the Staff Association is a two-year freeze in the step schedule. This too will be an economy for the district, saving approximately 0.75 percent of total salaries. A base increase of 1.75 percent for the 2013-14 school year and 2014-15 school year is included in the agreement.

“The tone of negotiations was consistently professional and productive,” said Board of Education President Mark Lipton. “On behalf of the board and the community, I want to thank the KLSSA for their preparation and collaboration in creating an agreement that balances the needs of its members, while responding to the financial realities of our district.”

“The Executive Board of the KLSSA, as well as the membership, are pleased that we were able to come to equitable terms with the school district,” said its president, Jeani Granelli. “During these economically trying times, it can be difficult to balance the financial resources of the school district with the needs of our membership. We thank the BOE for working collaboratively with us to reach this [agreement].”

 

Kat-Lewisboro BOE, Support Staff Association Approve Contract | The Bedford Daily Voice.

How to Drive More Facebook Traffic to Your Website | Katonah NY Realtor

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Are you using Facebook ads to drive traffic to your website?

Did you know that when people share your website content on Facebook, you can turn that shared content into a Facebook ad?

You can do that with Domain Sponsored Stories.

Domain Sponsored Stories are inexpensive and easy to run, and you don’t need a Facebook Page to start a campaign.

In this blog post, you’ll learn what Domain Sponsored Stories are and how you can create your own today.

What Are Domain Sponsored Stories?

A domain is a website that you control.

A Sponsored Story is a Facebook ad that promotes the action performed by a Page or user’s friend, follower or fan.

A Domain Sponsored Story, then, is a Facebook ad that will promote a Facebook user’s interaction with a website that is under your control.

What Do Domain Sponsored Stories Look Like?

domain sponsored story

This Domain Sponsored Story came from my friend Emeric, but it could have just as easily come from a public figure I follow or from a Page that I like.

As you can see, the only difference between this Domain Sponsored Story and a typical post is the “Sponsored” tag at the end.

Why Create a Domain Sponsored Story?

Domain Sponsored Stories are low-maintenance ad units and you can run them in the background to constantly drive traffic to your website. Here are a few reasons to use them:

  • Increase the reach of your blog posts.
  • Increase traffic to product Pages and impact revenues.
  • Reach users who missed content the first time. Hopefully you understand why you should promote your Page content to reach fans who may have missed it the first time. Only half of your fans are on Facebook every day and even then, they’re active during a small window. The same holds true for users catching their friends’ content. Promote a user’s interaction with your website and more of their connections are likely to see it.

Privacy Clarification

Advertising through Domain Sponsored Stories does not override your privacy settings.

privacy settings

If you share a post from ABC.com and that share is turned into an ad, only the people who were already eligible to see the original share will see it in an ad.

The Limitations of Domain Sponsored Stories

  • Someone may share a post using an unflattering comment. You may spend money to help promote that post because you cannot choose which share to promote or not promote.
  • If you have a low-traffic website that gets very few shares, Facebook has little share activity to turn into ads. Whether you reach your daily budget or not is partially dependent upon the volume of daily share activity from your website. You need users who are already sharing your website content.
  • Domain Sponsored Story ads do not lead to increased Page likes. Depending on what’s shared, they may not lead to sales or conversions. They only lead to increased website traffic.

You’ll need to determine whether the benefits of Domain Sponsored Stories outweigh the limitations. As someone who owns a website that turns traffic into revenue, I find them extremely useful

 

How to Drive More Facebook Traffic to Your Website | Social Media Examiner.

Survey: 60 Percent of Homeowners Will Make a Home Improvement This Summer | Katonah Real Estate

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Home improvement big-box stores, get ready. If you think homeowners are sitting idly by this summer trying to beat the heat with their feet up, think again. According to the Zillow Digs Summer Home Improvement Trend and Spending Survey, 60 percent of homeowners plan to make a home improvement or addition this summer.

Zillow Digs Summer 2013 Survey graphic

The survey also provides some insight into the demographic and household makeup of the homeowners and what kinds of projects they have in mind: 

  • Younger homeowners and homes with children are significantly more likely to be planning a home improvement this summer and perhaps as many as three or more home improvements.
  • Homeowners plan to spend a median of $1,200 on summer home improvement projects.
  • Homes with children as well as homeowners 54 and younger plan to spend one-third more ($1,500) compared with homes without children and those 55 and older ($1,000).
  • Some of the most popular summer home improvement projects are outdoor spaces (40 percent) and bathrooms (17 percent).

Ideas for outdoor spaces

Summer Trends 2013 - outdoor space courtesy of Zillow Digs

Zillow Digs photo

Since 40 percent of the home improvement goals will be outdoors projects, we found a few ideas onZillow Digs, where users have shared photos of their favorite outdoor spaces. Instead of infinity pools and sleek modern decks with well-appointed outdoor kitchens, these summer home remodelers prefer camp-like settings that use a lot of stone, particularly stone fireplaces.

Summer Trends 2013 - outdoor space by Boyenga Team

Photo courtesy of Boyenga Team via Zillow Digs

Ideas for bathrooms

Summer Trends 2013 - bathroom courtesy of Jamie Herzlinger

Photo courtesy of Jamie Herzlinger via Zillow Digs

Of the survey respondents, 17 percent said they plan on redoing their bathrooms. But before you start, get out the squeegee and glass cleaner because frosted glass is out. From glass shower enclosures to glass tiles, Zillow Digs users want open and light bathrooms. Without shower curtains, many homeowners and designers take advantage of the free wall space to showcase beautiful glass tiles.

 

Survey: 60 Percent of Homeowners Will Make a Home Improvement This Summer | Zillow Blog.

Despite recovering market, Maryland foreclosure activity remains elevated | Cross River Real Estate

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Maryland’s housing market is improving, but many homeowners still face trouble.

Foreclosure activity in Maryland last month reached a 33-month high, according to RealtyTrac, which gathers real estate data nationwide. Among the states, Maryland had the largest year-over-year increase — 229 percent — in foreclosure starts in May.

“Every day, we just get a lot of struggling, hurting, scared homeowners,” said Owen Jarvis, an attorney with the St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center in Baltimore. Although many homes going into foreclosure now are investments gone wrong, not owner-occupied properties, scores of homeowners are falling behind on payments, he said.

Lenders began the foreclosure process on just over 2,000 Maryland properties last month, according to RealtyTrac’s figures. And last month’s high foreclosure figure is not an anomaly. Maryland’s foreclosure numbers have been among the highest in the country for about a year, ranking fourth last month.

Several factors are behind the state’s elevated foreclosure rate.

Some lenders have dragged out the process, possibly biding their time until the market improves. The chief reason, though, is that Maryland changed its foreclosure laws after the housing bubble burst, requiring more oversight and a more drawn-out process for banks to claim property.

Maryland’s extended foreclosure timeline has given many homeowners time to pursue relief, such as mortgage modifications, from lenders. At the beginning of the financial crisis, foreclosures in Maryland could be completed in a matter of days, leaving homeowners little time to react to bank actions.

The post-bubble spike in mortgage delinquencies prompted the General Assembly to rethink the state’s foreclosure process. Legislators extended the amount of time required before a foreclosure auction, increased access to housing counseling services and instituted a mediation program.

“The governor early on decided that we, Maryland, did not want to be the state with the fastest foreclosure process,” said Raymond Skinner, secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. “Our approach from the beginning has been to focus on our homeowners and keep as many people as we can in their homes.”

The minimum number of days a foreclosure in Maryland could be completed went from 15 to 135, Skinner said. On average, it now takes 575 days to complete a foreclosure in Maryland, said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac.

But the high foreclosure activity, which is expected to continue for months, also might have a chilling effect on the state’s budding housing recovery.

 

 

 

Despite recovering market, Maryland foreclosure activity remains elevated – baltimoresun.com.