Ossining Christmas Vigil: Lighting the Way for Santa One of the really cool local traditions in my old neighborhood on Osage Drive and Susquehanna Rd was to put rows of candles out along the street to light the way for St Nicholas. As I was driving to my office on an elf errand around 11:30pm, I drove through the street to admire the view of the Holy Child's birthday candles. The photos do not do it justice; in person it is breathtaking. This one is the view from Pleasantville Road as you turn in to Susquehanna Road.  The candles light the way for St Nicholas He won't have any trouble finding this house.  This was truly impressive in person.  Prior to snapping this one a car drove by. People actually drive through the neighborhood to see the candles.  You can see them winding down the s... 12/24/2009

One of the great neighborhoods in Ossining is known as the Indian Village. All of the streets have tribal names, such as Mohawk and Seneca Roads. I happened to grow up on Osage Drive. Although most of the streets are pre war, the majority of the homes are baby-boom era housing. In that respect the place is a bit like Levittown on Long Island; the original homes are slowly giving way to larger, expanded structures.  Here are two homes on my street that are more or less in their original footprint. They happen to be the homes across the street from where I lived.  Here are two more homes. The ranch in the foreground is pretty typical of an original home. The one to the left was recently expanded. That white home peeking out back to the far left is my old house. My father put on three addi... 12/16/2009

I grew up in Ossining and still reside in the Ossining school district. Ossining is the fictional home of the Draper Family from the AMC Series Mad Men, and is also home of both Sing Sing Prison (the origin of the phrase "up the river" from the old gangster movies) and Maryknoll Catholic Mission. It is about 35 miles north of Mid Town Manhattan, and beat Houston, TX to the punch by electing an openly gay mayor several years ago. It was a wonderful place to grow up and I am proud to call it home.  70 homes sold in the village thus far in 2009, compared to 78 during the same time period in 2008. Prices are also down, with the median price of $387,000 in 2009 compared to $416,000 in 2008.  Overall, $387,000 is down considerably from the 2005 median peak of $443,000. There are 64 active lis... 12/13/2009

I suppose I should have blogged earlier about an article published last month, but when the subject property has been vacant since 1966 it seems only right. IN my experience, the most enigmatic downtown area in all of Westchester County is that of my own hometown of Ossining, NY. It has been punctuated by old, derelict and vacant buildings since before I was born, and no local administration has been able to make a difference.  However, this story in the Times gives me some hope. The old Ossining National Bank building, vacant since 1966, is being converted into condominiums and retail. Given the historic nature of the building and the restrictions on its renovation, it was problematic to complete work on. 43 years hard, I guess. One wonders how every single other downtown in affluent W... 12/13/2009

****Caution: Bragging Father Alert******* One of the neat things about parenthood is seeing your son or daughter do well at something, especially if it is unexpected. This morning our oldest son had to put in a shift, in the rain, at the local grocery for a cub scout fundraiser. They had a table set up outside the Stop & Shop in Ossining, where they were selling popcorn to benefit Pack 49. Luke was part of the first shift, from 11-12am, and the first 10 minutes was punctuated by 2 other scouts sort of mumbling to passersby with limited success.  Now, you have to sort of appreciate the setting; it is raining, people are in a hurry to get to their cars, and nobody really wants to part with more money after leaving the store, especially for popcorn at double what they just passed in aisle ... 10/24/2009

If you are a fan of the AMC series Mad Men, you probably know by now that Don and Betty Draper live in Ossining, NY. I am from Ossining. I remember first hearing Betty mention Ossining and thinking how neat that was, but now each episode this season is almost surreal. The producers clearly have done more than perfunctory research for historical accuracy. For instance, last season, in a card game with the neighbors, it is mentioned that "they are going to build apartments up on Cedar Lane." Well, they did build apartments up on Cedar Lane. Why they would insert such an obscure, albeit true, reference in a casual throwaway line is beyond me, but it has me mesmerized. Not many "Mad Men" fans are real estate brokers from Ossining, so why did they go to such lengths?    The week before last,... 09/29/2009

You still can obtain properties here at a somewhat lower price than in the surrounding communities. How long it will last remains to be seen since Ossining has big plans for it's water front and downtown areas. GDC is currently in the ground breaking stages of an upscale waterfront housing development. For more information on Ossining vist my web sites at www.phyllislerner.com and www.westchester-real-estate.us - comprehensive and essential. ZIP Code: 10562Location Characteristics: The village of Ossining is located directly on the Hudson River shores and is surrounded by Briarcliff Manor, Croton On Hudson and Sleepy Hollow. Many of the co-ops, condos and single family homes offer breath taking views from their hilly perches over the Hudson River. A soon to be started revitalization of ... 08/05/2009

The Village of Ossining is my hometown. Ossining is in Central Westchester County on the banks of the Hudson and is noted for being the home of Sing Sing Prison down by the river and Maryknoll Mission up the hill a few miles. Notable Ossining natives include Peter Falk, Martha Quinn, Dominic Pace and Erica Leerhsen. The village is densely populated; over 25,000 people live here, so the volume of transactions compared to nearby villages is relatively high.  Here is the data on single family home sales in the Village of Ossining going back to 2000. All information is from the Westchester-Putnam MLS.    Year  Avg Price  Median Price # Sales 2000  $  253,000.00  $ 240,000.00 123 2001  $  291,000.00  $ 287,000.00 108 2002  $  330,410.00  $ 309,000.00 118 2003  $  367,162.00  $ 360,000.00 139... 04/08/2009

I am from Ossining. I grew up here and no place is closer to my heart. The village lies on the banks of the Hudson River and is an amalgam of densely populated somewhat urban sections as well as more bucolic subdivisions as you go inland. Ossining is a hilly place, with streams, brooks and a nice mix of pre war homes and newer baby boom era housing. This data is for the village of Ossining only and is taken from the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. It compares the sales of single family homes from the first quarter of 2006 through to the first quarter of 2009. I cut the data off at March 27 of each year so the numbers would be consistent. Year # Sales  Average Price   Median Price  2006 29  $      486,939.00  $   431,500.00 2007 26  $      465,923.00  $   413,500.00 2008 19 ... 03/28/2009

Unless otherwise indicated, all data in this post is from the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. There are 3,454 single family homes actively for sale in Westchester County. Of those, 148 are disclosing either a short sale or foreclosure proceeding in process. This is about 4.3% of the available single family home inventory. The actual number is probably far higher than that. That is because on many homes the listing agent has not disclosed, either knowingly or unknowingly, that the house is upside down or delinquent. Also, there are hundreds of overpriced listings which would be short sales if the price were lowered to market value. In other words, there are lots of $450,000 homes listed for $550,000 because the mortgage balance is $500,000.   The average number of days on ma... 03/11/2009

Congratulations to Ossining High School senior James Brundage on winning the New York State championship for wrestling in the 160 Lb weight class this past weekend. He is only the 2nd Ossining student athlete to win at the state tournament. I wrestled in high school and it was one of the best experiences of my life. These are superb athletes, and to be the best in a state the size of New York is special. This is wonderful news for the Ossining high school athletic program and for the whole community. According to the local paper, James is interested in attending Harvard, Lehigh or Virginia. I wish him the best of luck. Teammate Clay Neivert placed 5th in the 171 Lb class. The people of Ossining should be proud of both young men.   03/02/2009

My office is located in Briarcliff Manor, NY but technically sits on Town of Ossining soil. The town of Ossining is the unincorporated portion of the municipality located outside the village. It mostly borders the hamlet of Millwood in the town of New Castle as well as Maryknoll, NY, home of the renowned Catholic Mission. The character of the town is far more bucolic and suburban than the more densely populated village of Ossining, and the population of less than 6,000 is dwarfed by the village at more than 25,000. Both the town and village are served by the Ossining Union Free School District. There are, as of February 27, 2009, 23 single family homes for sale in the town of Ossining. In the past 180 days 7 homes have sold at a median sales price of $464,000. The median asking price of... 02/26/2009

Many who grew up in Ossining, NY like I did will remember an old, overgrown algae-covered man-made pond near the Chilmark Shopping Center known simply as The Reservoir. It was the Village's water supply for much of the pre-World War II era, was then was replaced by water towers, and in subsequent decades became a derelict mess. When I was growing up in the 70's and 80's the Reservoir was used for skating (AT OWN RISK, as the sign said) and hanging out. The water towers had their share of graffiti, and nobody really knew what good the Reservoir was. I learned to skip rocks there,and I spent many hours of my youth sitting quietly, watching the water, either alone or with some friends after buying baseball cards and candy at Chilmark Pharmacy. In the Spring and Autumn when the foliage wasn... 02/18/2009

Come See This Lovely Contemporary Style Home With Inground Pool, Lake Rights To Stillwater Lake and Sweeping Lawns. 4 Bedrooms 3.5 Baths, Large Deck, Two Extra Guest Rooms, Many More Features! Call Today For A Private Viewing! Featured by: Prudential Rand Realty 946 East Main Street Shrub Oak, NY 10588 Bob & Diane Arenholz Licensed Associate Brokers Please call 914-275-5987 or email nyhometeam@optonline.net for more info. Web# 2815287 Visit my website to search for properties: http://www.nyhometeam.prudentialrand.com If you would like to search properties on your mobile phone visit: Randmobile.com 18 lakeview at Pinesbridge   google map   yahoo map 10/20/2008

Exquisite Center Hall Colonial On A Private Cul-de-sac On .75 Acres In Sought After Development On The Border Of Briarcliff Manor! 2 Story Entry Foyer, Eik W/42 Cabinetry & W/Breakfast Nook, Walkout To Brick Patio. Family Rm W/Frplce, Large Living Rm & Dining Rm W/13 Foot Ceilings. Beautiful Crown Moldings & Details Throughout The Home. Cinderella Staircase To Upstairs & Stunning Master Suite. Close to all, a must see! Also available for sale: MLS: 2821491 - $869,500. For more info and photos:  http://www.miketrinch.com/idx/single-family/2821491/details.html Michael Trinchitellawww.miketrinch.com   08/06/2008

  Michael Trinchitella | RE/MAX Classic Realty | 914-403-4868 16 Wyche Way, Ossining, NY Exquisite Center Hall Colonial On A Private Cul-de-sac On .75 Acres 4BR/2.5BA Single Family House offered at $869,500 Year Built 1996 Sq Footage 3,400 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 full, 1 partial Floors 3 Parking Unspecified Lot Size .75 acres HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Exquisite Center Hall Colonial On A Private Cul-de-sac On .75 Acres In Sought After Development On The Border Of Briarcliff Manor! 2 Story Entry Foyer, Eik W/42 Cabinetry & W/Breakfast Nook, Walkout To Brick Patio. Family Rm W/Frplce, Large Living Rm & Dining Rm W/13 Foot Ceilings. Beautiful Crown Moldings & Details Throughout The Home. Cinderella Staircase To Upstairs & Stunning Master Suite. Close to all, a must see! see additio... 08/06/2008

Phyllis Lerner | Legends Realty Group LLC | 914-438-7556 11 Bracken Road, Ossining, NY Spacious Single Family Home on large, private, fenced lot in quiet neighborhood... 4BR/2BA Single Family House offered at $459,000 Year Built 1965 Sq Footage 2,100 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 2 Parking 4+ Uncovered spaces Lot Size .46 acres HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Spacious 3/4 bedroom, 2 bath home in beautiful quiet neighborhood on level 1/2 acre. Updated kitchen and baths. Large deck & patio overlooks private fenced backyard. Wonderful Family Room with brick fireplace and sliders to patio. Guest suite with its own entrance and walk-in closet. Lots and lots of storage. Hardwood floors on main level, Fresh Paint throughout, new Carpet in Family Room. Enjoy beautiful sunset... 06/27/2008

   Eagle Bay is a lovely condominium complex in Ossining NY. This gated community features 125 units with pool, spa, fitness, tennis, clubhouse, Hudson River views. Convenient to train and highways.To search all listings for sale in Eagle Bay click here: Eagle Bay Condominiums in Ossining NY or visit: NorthernWestchesterCondos.com Don't see any listings that fit your search criteria?Don't see any listings currently for sale?Want to get notified when a new listing comes on the market? Register for our FREE SERVICE to help home buyers find their dream home in our area. The moment new listings and new prices that match your criteria become available, we will automatically e-mail you. With our free updates you will beat other buyers to the best New Listings. Click: Automated Property Update... 01/03/2008

Hudson Point Condominiums in Ossining NYHudson Point is a lovely 93 unit condominium complex in Ossining NY. Features included clubhouse, gym, pool, tennis, playground, walk to shops and Scarborough train station.   To search all available listings for sale click here: Hudson Point Condominiums in Ossining NY or visit NorternWestchesterCondos.comDon't see any listings that fit your search criteria?Don't see any listings currently for sale?Want to get notified when a new listing comes on the market? Register for our FREE SERVICE to help home buyers find their dream home in our area. The moment new listings and new prices that match your criteria become available, we will automatically e-mail you. With our free updates you will beat other buyers to the best New Listings. Click: Automated ... 01/03/2008

Hudson Watch is a lovely community of 79 town homes with beautifully landscaped grounds, and spectacular views of the Hudson River. The complex offers a pool, tennis court and a conveniently located near shops, schools, parks, Route 9, Taconic State Parkway, and Metro-North. To view all homes for sale in Hudson Watch click here: Hudson Watch Townhouses in Ossining NYWant to get notified of new listings that meet your search criteria in Hudson Watch? - Be the 1st to know as soon as they hit the market! Receive the latest listings by email! click here: Automated Property Updates  Michael TrinchitellaNorthern Westchester Condos and Townhouses 12/09/2007