Boroughs & Burbs, the National Real Estate Conversation

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In this episode we'll talk to two of Manhattan's Top Agents: Mike Lubin and
Matthew Cohen. What are they are personally experiencing on the ground?
What's different from last year? How might the rest of the year playout? What
are we not talking about now that we will likely be talking about tomorrow?
With wide ranging factors shaping our collective sentiment, from inflation and
rising interest rates to the war in Ukraine and a languid unraveling of
Covid…how is the market evolving?
Please join us……this will be good !

Market Reports?
Check out Jonathan Miller at https://www.elliman.com/corporate-resources/market-reports.

click here for Brown Harris Stevens Manhattan Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/reports/manhattan_1q22.pdf

scroll down for Brown Harris Stevens Connecticut Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/1Q2022CTMarketReport.pdf

click here for William Pitt Sothebys Fairfield County Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/1Q2022CTMarketReport.pdf

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Every Thursday at 4pm Eastern
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What About Mexico?
  
With more than a million expats estimated to live there, Mexico is far and away the most popular destination for North Americans looking to move abroad. But—with so many places to choose from—where in Mexico should you move? It’s a very large country, after all.

Alexandra Demou is the founding owner of Welcome Home Mexico, a relocation and real estate company based in Polanco, CDMX where she currently devotes all of her time. Alexandra is from NYC. She studied Hotel and Hospitality Management in Greece and in New York. She has a Swiss Diploma and a B.S. from New York University.

More than a vacation destination, Mexico is more than beautiful beaches. Join us today in learning what Mexico has to offer.

Polanco is a very desirable neighborhood in Mexico City. Here, world-famous brands and upscale international restaurants line Avenida Presidente Masaryk, the premier shopping avenue at the heart of this prestigious district. Leafy side streets host Spanish Colonial Revival mansions and luxe apartments. To the north, Nuevo Polanco features modern architecture, including the futuristic Museo Soumaya, with its vast Rodin collection, and one of Latin America's largest aquariums.

Questions For Alexandra:

-Tell us about Mexican nationals who are interested in buying in the US? ----Who are they? Where are they looking? How do we appeal to them? 
-Are there any cultural differences in how Mexican buyers consider real estate transactions? 
-Where are the hot spots for Americans who want to buy in Mexico? Why? 
-Is there any place in particular that New Yorkers are looking? 
-How do you get there? What documentation is needed?
-What, if any, are the restrictions on US nationals owning real property in Mexico? 
-How do Americans buy in Mexico? What is the process? Who are the needed advisors? How do folks find them? 
-Yankees love wood houses, especially Colonials. I would not expect to find many saltbox colonials in Mexico. What are the styles we'll encounter in Mexico? What sizes are most liked? What amenities?
-What is the most desirable in location or style? 
-Is it better to be in a resort or gated community? 
-Is it a mostly seasonal market and is that likely to change? Nantucket will always be a summer community, whereas Florida is in transition.
-What are the transfer taxes, the property taxes? Any difference for American versus Mexican owners? 
-How are properties maintained by absentee owners?

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he was long serving Chairman of the Town Council. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful Internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media (for which he won the  Entrepreneur of the Year Award). John attended New Canaan High School and Davidson College in North Carolina. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army during the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly Market Report for the 16 towns of lower Fairfiel

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🧧Ari Harkov on the New York City and Brooklyn Markets and How to Run a Top Real Estate Team Here
Most people know him as leader of a top team in the nation, ranked every year since 2014 in the Wall St. Journal's list of "Best Real Estate Agents" and "Top 250 Teams in the USA". They did 217 deals last year totalling $432 million and $70 million of that was in December! (Maybe Ari is taking a rest on a beach this month?)

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Ari Harkov, co-founder of the Harkov Lewis Team, on the plan for 2022:

"2021 was a big year for our team. We're planning extensive proactive outreach via direct mail, social media (organic and paid), and signage such as bus shelter ads, to reinforce our 2021 team accomplishments and establish our brand in the marketplace. We're also planning to do proactive outreach to developers with new projects and projects that have been languishing on the market, and to grow the number of landlord accounts for our leasing division with proactive outreach to landlords."

Seven Questions for Ari Harkov:

1. You have ambitious marketing plans in 2022 that include traditional and new-media campaigns. How do you decide where to direct your energy?What has been working and what has not? How are you measuring marketing effectiveness to driving new business? 

2. Clients. Who are your clients and how is that changing? How do you qualify prospects and how do you know when you are talking to someone that they are going to be a good fit?

3. Office Space. The Harkov Lewis team just opened up their own office at 451 West Broadway in SOHO. I want to hear more about this.

4. The 24/7 Clock. You were recently quoted saying, "How quickly and clearly your agent delivers information matters. You were quoted as saying "everyone wants you to respond yesterday." Talk to us about the new reality of the real estate business and setting expectations.

5. Negotiating. In a recent NAR survey 80% of home buyers said negotiation skills are "very important" when choosing an agent. Your team negotiated 217 deals last year in a strong seller's market. Tell us about the negotiation process and buyer frustration.

6. Relationships. “Buying or selling a home is a very intimate transaction,” Harkov says. “You should be working with an agent who you like and trust.” In a market that is seen as increasingly impersonal and transactional, how do you develop a relationship with a client and when does it matter?

7. Team Building. There are 16 members on your team. That takes a great deal of coordination and specialization among members. Your team building is what I admire most about Harkov Lewis. You're on a  panel discussion discussing team building (register: Here) att 11am on Thursday. Can you talk a bit about the challenges of managing such a large team, and the benefits of team-building when it works?

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he served as the Chairman of the Town Council. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called t

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Affordable Housing - Who Needs It?  Panel w/ Tony Hwang, Ryan Fazio, Scott Hobbs & Francis Pickering
It's a problem everywhere, in the cities and in the suburbs. It's been a challenge for decades but now, in 2022, when inventory is particularly tight and housing costs are rising at unprecedented rates, governments are feeling the pressure to "do something about it". 

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York recently proposed allowing homeowners to transform parts of their residence into a separate living space, similar to an apartment as a way to solve the problem. Her plan was rejected. In Connecticut, developers are taking advantage of 8-30g rules to propose many new affordable housing projects, particularly in New Canaan and Greenwich. Some say 8-30g should be repealed, while others say it's a law that works.    

New legislation is being proposed to require cities and towns to make more affordable housing, while towns say they can solve this locally, and don't want the Hartford dictating policy.

Today we have Connecticut experts who have been studying the issue and hope to gain a greater understanding of current developments and proposals.
 
Our special guests will include:
- Senator Ryan Fazio (Greenwich, New Canaan, Stamford)
- Senator Tony Hwang (Newtown, Easton, Fairfield, Weston, and Westport)
- Francis Pickering from the Western Council of Governments 
- Scott Hobbs from New Canaan's Housing Authority

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Coming Up in March On Boroughs & Burbs:

March 17 - Connecticut's Governor Ned Lamont

We'll talk to the Governor about his vision for Connecticut's future, particularly those things that relate to real estate and housing.

April  - The Arizona Show. Paradise Valley and Scottsdale.

Walt Danley Christie’s International Real Estate is one of the nation’s most prestigious and successful luxury real estate firms, specializing in Arizona’s most affluent neighborhoods. President Walt Danley has consistently ranked in the top one percent of real estate agents in the United States every single year since 1977 and continually earns the industry’s highest accolades. I am an admirer. I met Walt ten years ago and I still get copies of Walt Danley's luxury magazine and his agents will eventually sell me a second home.  We have Walt and Chief Operating Officer Dub Dellis on the show.

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"Tax the Rich, They Won't Move"
  
Wait, is that even true? 
Join us for a conversation with University of Connecticut Professor Thomas Cooke on demographic trends, American migration and why people are more content than ever to just stay put. 

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“We’re having this long-term and short-term transition to remote work, and people don’t have to move as often,” Thomas Cooke says. “So if you lose your job, and you have a partner and a family and you’re connected to your neighborhood, you can stay where you are and adjust to not have to cut ties with all those things that are important to you.”
 - Thomas Cooke in "What's Next for the Connecticut Real Estate Market?"

Thomas Cooke, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Connected and a Demographic Consultant focusing on population projections, migration policy, and demographic analysis.

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The 2020 National Movers Study says New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and California saw the highest proportion of outbound migration.

7 Questions For the Professor:

1. The Importance of Demographics. When a big demographic group (boomers) reach a certain age (18 year old men) their buying habits change. This is the reason that motorcycle sales peaked in the early 70’s. Companies like Honda time these trends correctly and make a fortune. Can you give us a case study or two on the importance of paying attention to demographic trends and where we are in the cycle now? 

2. Millenials. I understand that they represent about 35% of the nation and that since they are turning 30 they are suddenly interested in settling down, buying their first house. Let’s talk about the Millenials. How old are they, how many of them are there, and what do they buy? 

3. Boomers. I understand that they represent about 35% of the country and they have all the money. I am under the impression that while TV advertisers are not targeting them as a group Realtors definitely are. Are they buying second homes or are they the ones downsizing, selling the beach house to a GenX’er and staying put. Are they moving to southern states and tax-free jurisdictions to preserve wealth? Describe where the Boomers are in their journey and why? 

4. Moving/Staying Put. You said that people are not moving as often, “this long-term and short-term transition to remote work and people don’t have to move as often”. Talk to us about whether this is a long-term or short-term phenomenon. 

5. Urban/Suburban. They used to say “when New York City sneezes then Connecticut catches cold”. The Connecticut economy has traditionally been dependent on the health of the New York economy. Covid seemed to change that, where the suburbs were the beneficiaries of urban disruption, particularly New York’s. 

6. Schools. You do a lot of work on population projections for towns and schools. In Connecticut the schools have been shrinking. Why? (And where are these kids going?) My town, New Canaan, Connecticut, is known to have good schools and our real estate values are dependent on investing properly in education. We depend a great deal during budget season on getting the number right and predicting accurately the size of each class. Why is it so hard to predict and will towns like Darien and New Canaan continue to defy the experts and grow forever?

7. Tax the Rich. Massachusetts recently proposed to tax the rich. Advocates for the tax say that only a fraction of the rich will move out of state as a result. Is there any evidence that this is true and that the tax is a net winner? What is the effect on Connecticut if both Massach

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Boroughs & Burbs Episode 45:
Governor Ned Lamont & DECD Commissioner David Lehman
Conversation on Real Estate and the Connecticut Economy  

What's the outlook for the Connecticut economy and our real estate market in particular? We just experienced our best year in the last 20 years. Rising prices and record deal-flow. The state has a surplus and is cutting property taxes. But, facing labor shortages, supply chain challenges, the war in Ukraine, record gas prices and 7% inflation we have to ask ourselves can the Connecticut rebound continue? Is the inbound migration, particularly from New York, a long-term phenomenon or simply a Covid bonus? What's the jobs outlook? What does Connecticut have to do to compete?

Our guests this week are Governor Ned Lamont and his most senior Economic Advisor, Commissioner David Lehman, the man who is helping Governor Lamont replace the jobs wiped out by the pandemic and attract new high-profile businesses to the state.

7 Questions For the Governor and Commissioner Lehman

1. Real Estate is an Essential Industry? Early on in the pandemic New York shut down their real estate industry. Connecticut stayed open for business. Who should I thank for naming real estate an essential industry and paving the way for New Yorkers to come out? 

2. Taxes. Realtors know that taxes is a major reason why people move to Connecticut from New York (and Westchester County). Unfortunately we are losing some of our wealthiest to low-tax states like Florida and Texas. As Realtors we’d like to keep those people in-state. They’re good for our economy. What are your ideas on tax policy as a tool for retention?
 
3. Marketing. Governors have become the chief sales people of their states. I heard you were just on a recruiting trip to Israel. What is the pitch for Connecticut? What kind of industries are we looking for and what do we need to do to be competitive? 

4. The Commute. With more people working at least part of the time from home Realtors have seen a shift away from the coast and are able to sell towns that are a bit further away. Places like Easton, Redding, Weston, Ridgefield and Danbury were maybe too far for a daily commute, but things have changed. Has this changed our thinking away from emphasizing/investing in Metro North and I-95 or are our traffic and commuting concerns as important as ever? 

5. The Legislature. The state legislature seems to have a lot of opinions and some of their most controversial ideas are those that strip local control from the towns. Let’s say you rub the magic lamp and the genie gives you three wishes with the legislature. What would you ask for? 

6. Big Idea. Along the same lines, if you could implement one really big idea, the one for which you’ll be remembered, what would it be? 

7. Lessons Learned. Its 2028 and a new pandemic has arisen. The new governor calls and asks for advice. What do you tell him?

Our Hosts:

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience and ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents”. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he was long serving Chairman of the Town Council. 

Scott Hobbs - Scott Hobbs is a regular contributor. Scott is the CEO of Hobbs Inc, a third-generation custom home building company operating in Connecticut, New York City, the Hamptons and Rhode Island.

Russell Barksdale - is a contributor. Russell is the current CEO of Waveny LifeCare Network. They operate one of the finest nursing homes and offer a progression of therapeutic programs, se

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Noah Rosenblatt
CEO of Urban Digs and host of Talking Manhattan on the New York City Market 

Urban Digs is the source for real-time stats on the New York real estate market. Nobody tracks movement in the market like Noah. Given that we are coming out of a pandemic crisis, and war dominates the headlines, what can we expect?

Manhattan Supply is below the levels of the last three years. What market conditions are needed for supply to come back?

Manhattan New Active Listings is rising, as it should, consistent with the last three years.

Manhattan Demand is decreasing, but is above levels of the last three years. How will inflation & interest rates affect demand?

Manhattan New Contracts signed is healthy when compared to the last three years.

Noah Rosenblatt is an industry leader in data insights and technology for professional real estate agents in the New York City residential real estate markets. 

1. Where does Urban Digs get the data? How proprietary is the system?

2. Who subscribes? Who should subscribe? What's the benefit?

3. How do I use the Urban Digs chart room to understand the market? 

4. What are the key charts, the key indicators? Where do you go first? 
How often should I be tuning in to Urban Digs?

5. Talk to us about how the availability of data is changing the industry, and where this is heading. Is this only a New York phenomenon? 

6. What are we seeing in the market now that we are exiting coronavirus but there is great uncertainty ahead. In 2021 we focused on reopening industries, employment numbers, supply chain disruption, stock market volatility, 7% inflation and interest rate fears. How did these factors manifest themselves in the market?

7. In 2022 we have new anxieties related to the war in Europe. While the stock market is only 11% off the highs, people are now talking about 10% inflation, $200 oil, commodity prices and the impact of the war on foreign investment. How will these new factors play out in the New York market and across the market nationally?

The Market Ticker looks at the New York market in a way similar to stocks. Market Pulse? Seller's market, but for how long? What are the key indicators that will predict a contraction in the market?

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Council. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media for which he won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called the Market Report for the 16 towns of lower Fairfield County. You can find it here.

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The Color Show

"Pale green is here to stay" says Elle Decor. October Mist, a "gently shaded sage" the Benjamin Moore 2022 Color of the Year feels like the natural extension of Aegan Teal, their 2021 Color of the Year. This week we talk to the woman responsible for choosing the color of the year, Andrea Magno, and explore current thinking on color from 4 expert designers: Katie Lydon, Dane Pressner, Carl D'Aquino and Francine Monaco.

The Benjamin Moore 2022 Color of the Year is October Mist, #1495. 

Benjamin Moore:

• Andrea, can you tell us the secrets and the process of how you pick the Color of the Year? What does the color say about society?
• How did you pick October Mist?  How did you pick the name? 
• What was the response? When do you know you got it right?
• Tell me about the Color of the Year event at the New York Public Library. Are you throwing a colorful party and can we call come?

Designers: 

• As designers, what is the process?
• Do you pick the color first and then design around the color?
• What is the most popular color in your projects? 
• Is there one color you use in every project? 
• Are we taking more risks with color since we are all home more? 
• Color is emotional and personal, except for when its all business. Let's discuss how we use colors in our personal spaces and how it makes us feel versus our more serious public spaces or office spaces.
• As society moves beyond Covid, I feel like everyone is celebrating color in their clothing and in interior design. Do you agree? 
• Do you feel like you clients are more open to go out of their comfort zone with color than ever before due to being home more? 
• Katie, what Benjamin Moore color can't you live without? 
• Matte vs Gloss - What are the rules and how are they changing? 
• The magazines say color is back so why are we still seeing white kitchens? And, when is white not white?

Andrea Magno, Director of Color MarketingBenjamin Moore. Andrea says “As the spaces in our homes continue to evolve, we uncover more opportunities to express our individuality and leverage the power of color to design environments that serve different functions and styles,”

Katie Lydon, Interior Designer, Katie Lydon Interiors. Her work has been featured in national and international design publications, including Domino, Elle Décor, Tatler, Metropolitan Home, Lucky, The New York Times, and Town & Country. Katie has also appeared on LXTV’s Open House New York and George to the Rescue.

Dane Pressner, Director of Design, D'Aquino Monaco, addresses his life and career as a creative and curated design process. Joining D’Aquino Monaco in 2007, his appetite for style, fashion and pop culture have brought a unique perspective to the firm.

Francine Monaco Architect , D'Aquino Monaco has created a diverse career combining the practical with the magical to create memorable timeless spaces. Francine is a professor at Pratt Institute's Interior Design department.

Carl D'Aquino  Interior Designer , D'Aquino Monaco, is renowned for his ability to apply modernist sensibility and eclectic taste to contemporary design. Carl is a contributor to the Design Council for the Museum of Art and Design and a consultant to the Global Color Research Panel.

Lisa Ben-Isvy Former Publisher of New York Spaces, Principal LBI Connext PR professional