Wednesday, November 4, 2020 / by Vanessa Saunders
Winter chills came early to the Hudson Valley this year. We woke up to ice on the pond, first time this season. It prompted that annual discussion about thermostats, temperatures and heating your house. To wit:
Is it more economical to keep your home heating zones at a single steady temperature all winter, or to turn down the heat when you are sleeping or away, and turn back up when you return?
The common sense answer seems to be to keep the temp steady because it takes more energy to return the house to a comfortable level. Sounds logical, but it turns out to be wrong.
According to the US Department of Energy (DOE) it requires more energy to keep the house at its normal temperature 24-7 than to heat it back to that temperature after dialing the thermostat down. Heat naturally moves to places where it's cold. So if your heat is up, it is constantly moving from the inside of your house to the outside, even if your house is well-insulated. A home loses energy more slowly once the te. ...
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hudson valley real estate, hudson valley home, 'urb to 'burb, hudson valley home owners, orange county ny, rockland county, ulster county, sullivan county, dutchess, pandemic, hudson valley living, the economy
Friday, October 9, 2020 / by Vanessa Saunders
Spacious homes like this one outside Newburgh, NY have become increasingly popular. This property on 38 Susan Drive is listed at $1.2 million.
By Vanessa Saunders, MBA, MIMC , Broker Owner, Global Property Systems Real Estate.
It seems like only a few months ago that demand for large properties in the Hudson Valley - million dollar mega mansions, private estates, and luxury ranches - had declined significantly over the previous few years. Nationwide surveys now indicate that the health crisis has brought to light how valuable more square footage and carefully designed floor plans can be. Home offices, multi-purpose rooms, gyms, and theaters are becoming more popular, and some families are finding the space they need for these upgrades in the luxury market.
For Hudson Valley buyers looking for larger homes, steady increases in equity might be what makes a move possible. Leveraging home equity makes it easier to afford the down payment on a luxury home, and current low interest . ...
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Monday, August 17, 2020 / by Vanessa Saunders
By Vanessa Saunders, MBA, MIMC , Broker Owner, Global Property Systems Real Estate.
We knew it couldn’t last. They’ve finally found us out. Business Insider magazine, a business site with deep financial, media, tech, and other industry focus, revealed the top four places to find investment properties outside of New York City, and guess what! Three of them are in the Hudson Valley.
Business Insider interviewed Dawn Pfaff, founder of NY State MLS, the real estate tech platform now known as State Listings, Inc. last week. Pfaff discussed four markets that she feels are real estate 'hotspots' outside NYC which investors should target in 2020. Even with the Covid-19 pandemic dealing a series of hard economic blows to New York City, the suburbs and rural areas in the Hudson Valley have been hot spots for investment even with high demand and low inventory.
Pfaff highlighted these four markets that are still attractive to investors:
Orange, Ulster and Dutchess counties are numbS ...
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Thursday, June 18, 2020 / by Vanessa Saunders
The Vernal Equinox, the longest day of the year, happens this year on a Saturday. Doesn't it behoove us to make good use of all this extra daylight by attending an event (or events) in the Hudson Valley?
Vernal What?
There are only two times of the year when the Earth's axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, resulting in a "nearly" equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes. These events are referred to as Equinoxes and will occur on March 19th at 9:49 pm MDT (Vernal Equinox - the first day of Spring) and again on September 22nd at 7:30 am MDT (Autumnal Equinox - the first day of fall).
A Few Things to Do on the Longest Day of the Year in the Hudson Valley
Donate Items to AnimalKind’s Upcoming Virtual Auction “Raise a Paw” AnimalKind in Hudson is planning an online auction to raise money for our rescue. We are reaching out to you with the hopes you maybe able to donate: Service, Art, Vacation Rentals, Gift Certificates, Jewelry, Antique. ...
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Friday, June 12, 2020 / by Vanessa Saunders
By Vanessa Saunders, MBA, MIMC , Broker Owner, Global Property Systems Real Estate.
Phase Two for the Hudson Valley's re-emergence from the Covid shutdown has commenced. (Blow the herald of heavenly trumpets I can finally go have fun.) But what fun is awaiting Hudson Valley residents? First of all, realize that social distancing is still in effect. Wear your mask, keep your distance, wash your hands and stay home if you feel sick. Store staff will have more to do: work behind the Plexiglas, use the hand wash and wear gloves if handling food.
You can get retail therapy. Sort of.
For the first time since the lock-down began, you can shop INSIDE any retail store. You may still encounter "One Goes In When One Comes Out" standing in line as store occupancy is capped at 50%. Malls are out however, unless the store you're visiting has access from the parking lot. Still, retail therapy is retail therapy.
You can get a haircut. At last.
Finally we don't have to pretend we're the Chewbacca ! ...
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