So, I lived with the idea of ending the blog for a few days. And it made me very sad. Truth is, I love the blog. I really enjoy finding and sharing fun things to do in the area and the coolest houses for sale. I'll probably reduce the number of posts, but I'll do my best to keep them coming. However, I haven't written any yet. But I did update the links—you'll find lots of new links in the right-hand column, especially in the Local Blogs section. Enjoy.
It's been a busy few weeks and I haven't been able to find much time to blog. But, beyond that, I'm just not feeling it. I've always loved blogging and keeping this site up and running. But it's suddenly gotten very stale. So I'm taking a little time to rethink and reflect. Should I end the blog? Change the blog? Keep plugging away? I'm not sure... but any advice is welcome.
August was a pretty slow month. The number of homes going to contract in the area dropped a bit from July and very few previously-featured Hot Properties went to contract or sold. On the other hand, the local picture seems remarkably stable compared to the recent "plunge" in the national market I've read about. Wonder what the fall will bring?
Contracts signed on single-family homes
July: 73
August: 62
I recently started posting chats with readers about their moves to the area and their lives here. A few weeks ago, I talked with Lauren, who moved up from Brooklyn. Here is my chat with Heather, a recent transplant from Manhattan.
Where do you live? How long have you lived there?
I live on Lake Katonah. My address is Katonah, but I think it's part of Lewisboro. We moved at the beginning of April of this year.
Why did you pick the Katonah-Lewisboro area?
We were looking for an area that had a good school district and was also affordable with reasonable taxes. Oh—and was also a reasonable commute to the city. In Westchester county, that is hard to come by!
What has been the hardest part of the transition from Manhattan to the rural burbs of Northern Westchester?
I don't know where anything is! There are little shopping areas and stores scattered throughout the area. I had to search to find where to get dog food! We are still learning where to go for things.
What do you miss most about living in Manhattan?
I miss knowing where everything is! I miss being able to get what I want when I want it—even if it is 3:00 am!
What is your favorite thing about living here?
I love how beautiful it is. We have a gorgeous lake view from our living room. We have a balcony that overlooks the lake that we sit on and just soak in the view. We see deer, chipmunks, squirrels, beavers, fox, etc. The nature is just amazing! Haven't seen nature in a long time after living in the city for 12 years!
What do you tell city friends who think you were crazy to move up here?
That I love it up here! I really do! I've met so many of my neighbors up here already—I even joined the area book club! My dog and I take long walks around the beautiful lake. It's so quiet and peaceful—and I feel more quiet and peaceful being up here. I tell my friends to move up here with me!
If you'd like to be interviewed about your experiences moving to, living in, and/or working in Northern Westchester, email me.
Given that the summer market is usually dead, it's noteworthy that the number of homes going to contract in the area actually increased from June to July. Quite a few previously-featured Hot Properties went to contract, and a good number sold, too. The final asking for the yellow house in Ossining was higher than the original, and the Croton colonial sold for more than the original asking price. All of the houses that sold had been on the market for at least a while, and a few went for well below the initial price.
It's been almost nine years since the wife and I left the city, where we had both lived our whole lives, and headed north. The transition was both challenging and rewarding in ways that we hadn't foreseen. In the meantime, plenty of people have gone through the same move. I'm going to start posting chats with readers about their moves to the area and their lives here. To kick things off, one reader, Lauren, recently shared her experiences making the move from the city.
Where do you live? How long have you lived there?
We’ve lived in Katonah for about a year now.
Where did you move from?
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
Why did you pick the area?
We were looking for a place within commutable distance to the City, with natural beauty and open spaces. With a baby on the way, great public schools and relative safety were important. Northern Westchester offers all of this, including a reputation for being more down-to-earth and welcoming than other “commuting” towns, not to mention less congested. We also found a fair selection of housing within our price range here.
What has been the hardest part of the transition from the city to the rural burbs of Northern Westchester?
We don’t even know where to begin with property maintenance! It’s also been challenging to keep in close contact with our city friends.
What do you miss most about living in the city?
Walking…..to neighborhood restaurants, friends’ apartments, parks, etc.
What is your favorite thing about living here?
There are so many favorite things! But the thing I appreciate most is what a beautiful part of the country this is. We love being near so many wonderful parks and nature preserves, not to mention the little stand of woods right behind our house.
What do you tell city friends who think you were crazy to move up here?
Come visit, then tell me who’s crazy.
Thanks for sharing, Lauren!
If you'd like to be interviewed about your experiences moving to, living in, and/or working in Northern Westchester, email me.
Activities and things to do this weekend in Northern Westchester
Shakespeare in the Garden Enjoy a performance of Macbeth amid the splendor of the Japanese stroll garden. Friday, 6:30 pm. Hammond Museum
Night Flyers The animals of the night are among the most mysterious. Learn about owls, bats and other animals that use the cover of darkness to hunt and move around. Saturday, 1:00 pm. Teatown Lake Reservation
Shell Treasures Discover the beauty and variety of mollusks. Learn about life in the sea and make your own craft to take home. Saturday, 11:00 am. Croton Free Library
Picnic at Bylane Farm Enjoy fun, food, gardens and games at the 18th-century farmhouse and lush nature sanctuary. Saturday, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Bedford Audubon Society
Permaculture Andrew Leslie Phillips, the founder of Hancock Permaculture Center, presents a lecture on permaculture. Saturday, 2:00 pm. Hilltop Hanover Farm
Midsummer Night Music The series continues with "Purely Classical," featuring the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. Saturday, 5:00 pm. Lasdon Park and Arboretum
Reggae Soca Splash Join the "jamdown in the street" with Ed Robinson, Ragga Lox, and others as they perform free on Esther Street. Saturday, 6:00 to 10:30 pm. Downtown Peekskill
The Poetry of Farm Life: Goat Song Enjoy a delicious goat cheese tasting as author Brad Kessler reads from his acclaimed book, Goat Song. Sunday, 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture
Tour of the Chinese Friendship Pavilion The horticulturist gives a walking tour of this beautiful gift from the city of Jingzhou, China, and explains the pavilion's symbolism. Sunday, 2:00 p.m. Lasdon Park and Arboretum
Words & Music: Bach and Poetry Come hear poetry inspired by and interspersed with Bach's cello suites performed by cellist Robert Kogan. Sunday, 4:30 pm. Hudson Valley Writer's Center
Kids will grove to the music, great songs, and nature-inspired dances of Annie and the Natural Wonder Band. At Peekskill's Riverfront Green, Monday, at 7:00 pm.
