THEWALL STREET JOURNAL. Friday, May 4, 2018 |M6C

By Joseph Dobrian

BriskMarket Offers OpportunitiesInWestchester, Fairfield

A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES, VARIED LIFESTYLES AND EASY COMMUTE—WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE?

Special Advertising FeatureWESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES

Along-outdated narrativestates that Fairfield County,Conn., andWestchesterCounty, N.Y., are too far fromthe fun of New York.That

story never was true, and today it’s lessaccurate than ever.The commute into thecity is generally faster andmore efficientthan it was a generation ago, and the localamenities and recreational options willkeep you happy if you’d rather not venturefar from home.

GOOD VALUEMoreover, home buyers can find a

surprisingly wide range of prices inthese two counties, and good value.You can find a very nice home for wellunder $1 million, or an amazing estatewith acreage if you care to spend themoney. You can create the lifestyle youwant, whether you prefer a town, asuburban environment, or a remote,semi-rural experience.“What I love best about Westchester

is the blend of activities we have here,”reports Irvington, N.Y.-based brokerJessica Murphy, of Julia B. Fee Sotheby’sInternational Realty.“We offer health and fitness, arts and

leisure, dining and entertainment.Westchester is a hot market in general,now, and I do a lot of work in the rivertowns, especially.The Old CrotonAqueduct trail, which stretches up fromthe Bronx for about 22 miles, is a greatattraction, as is Rockefeller State ParkPreserve, where you can find stretchesof hiking and equestrian trails where

you can go and not see anyone. We haveskating rinks in the winter; there’s thewonderful walkability of our villagesand towns. You can go kayaking in theHudson River; you can join a crew club;you can take a short walk to a restaurantor bar just like in the city, but in a moreconvivial atmosphere. It’s easy to blendoutdoor life with commuting and gettingyour work done.”Ms. Murphy notes the vibrant life mix

in river towns such as Tarrytown,Hastings-on-Hudson, Ardsley, Irvington,and Port Chester, which offer a great

blend of outdoor and cultural lifestyles,with lots of activities for families.“Towns and villages have naturalistswho offer walks where they identifyplants; the community pools that chargelow admission are another attraction—plus there are terrific country clubs withall kinds of amenities.”Ms. Murphy is currently offering

25 Pine Lane in Cortlandt Manor, animmaculately maintained home pricedat $585,000, close to protected wetlandsand the train station.“You have the sense that you’re in a

small country house but with readyaccess to the city,” she explains. “I haveanother priced at $749,000, coming on inHastings-on-Hudson, with a generousyard and an old-time aesthetic to it: apicturesque, classic American housethat can grow with modern tastes.”

STRONG INVENTORYAn equally impressive menu of

activities, and a strong inventory ofavailable housing, awaits in FairfieldCounty, with its assortment of largertowns, villages, andmore remote areas.Larry Palma, Stamford, Conn.-basedbroker for William Pitt Sotheby’s, ishighlighting his listing at 55 Cook Road,located within the Davenport PointAssociation in Stamford.“Davenport Point Association, along

with Dolphin Cove and Southfield PointAssociation, form the Waterside sectionof Stamford, along Long Island Soundon the Greenwich border,” he explains.“These three waterfront communitiesoffer a vibrant oasis for homeownerslooking for private beaches, deep-waterdocks, paddle-boarding, tennis, swim-ming, fishing or just an evening strollwith a saltwater breeze at your back.They’re a short distance to either the OldGreenwich or downtown Stamford train

quick update, or can be added on to,given the size of the lot. It’s bright, hasgreat flow, and offers the room countthat many buyers are looking for at over4,500 square feet.The quiet lot is private,level,andsurroundedbyspecimentrees.”Mamaroneck similarly hugs the Long

Island Sound and is adjacent to Rye.Ms. Yaseen has a listing there directlyon the water at 1350 Flagler Drive,offered at $3,250,000.“This is a rare treat in that it offers

open water access and a private heatedpool on 0.42 acres,” she says. “It’s afour-bedroom, four-bath colonial with awall of windows overlooking Long IslandSound. It’s located in a private gatedcommunity, with a community dockand a large sandy beach for all residents.“If it’s golf and swimming you like,

Scarsdale might be for you. It’s alsoa quick commute to Midtown, andhas a golf course open to the publicand adjacent to the Scarsdale Pool.Scarsdale Village also offers a year-round farmers’ market.”

COURT

ESYOFHOULIHANLAWRE

NCE

COURT

ESYOFHOULIHANLAWRE

NCE

PHOTO

SBY

BRYA

NHAEFFELE

stations; the commute is less thanan hour to Grand Central Terminal.“The average commuter is comfort-

able with that 40-mile commuteto Manhattan, because smartphonesenable productive connectivity onthe train.”Bonnie Hut Yaseen, a Scarsdale,

N.Y.-based broker at Houlihan Lawrence,testifies that the two counties can offer ashorter commute than fromManhattan’sUpper East andWest Sides.“It’s the easy lifestyle that propels a

move to the suburbs and keeps peoplehappy once they’re here,” she says.“The city of Rye, located on Long IslandSound, is often one of the first placesthey look. It’s just 25 miles north ofManhattan, and features a 62-acre townpark along the waterfront.“I have a listing at 920 Forest Avenue

in Rye that’s a five-bedroom, five-bathhome on an acre onMilton Point. It’sa 1968 classic colonial, offered for$2,850,000, a stone’s throw from thepark. Its open floor plan is perfect for a“IT’S EASY TO BLEND OUTDOOR

LIFE WITH COMMUTING ANDDOING YOUR WORK.”

Waterfront communities offer a vibrant oasis for homeowners seeking private beaches, docks, swimming, fishing, or just a saltwater breeze.

This home, at 55 Cook Road, is located withing the Davenport Point Association in Stamford.

ThenewWilliam Pitt and Julia B. FeeSotheby’s International Realty market-ing campaign revolves around thefirm’s core belief that everyone deservesthe exceptional.The company under-stands that the nature of real estate issuch that anyone who enters it – frompeople who buy and sell to agents to thefirm’s own employees – deserves accessto the finest experience possible. With1,000 of the area’s marquee agents and27 offices throughout Connecticut, theBerkshires andWestchester County,N.Y., the firm aims to stand as themarkof exceptional service, information,people and hospitality, ensuringeveryone’s success throughout the realestate transaction.

The company developed its new cam-paignmantra based on this perspective.“Move Up” speaks to those who aspireto work with, and be, the best—whetherbuyers seeking tomove up to a betterhouse or work with a better agent,

sellers seeking to list with a bettercompany, or agents seeking to workwith the best real estate brand.Thecompany provides its agents the tools tosucceed to the next level, including themost sophisticatedmarketing andinternational connections. On a largerscale, the global Sotheby’s InternationalRealty brand too fits into the “Move Up”proposition, with a name synonymouswith service and quality.

The invitation extended by the cam-paign is hard to resist: Move up with us,and experience the exceptional.

To learnmore, please contact MoniqueRafferty, William Pitt and Julia B. FeeSotheby’s International Realty Directorof Marketing, at 203.644.1478ormrafferty@wpsir.com.

Easily reachable fromNew York Cityvia a quick car commute orMetro-North train, NorthernWestchesterCounty is once again proving a fashion-able weekend escape. According toAngela Kessel, an agent with theBedford brokerage of HoulihanLawrence, 2017 was the strongest yearfor the local second-homemarket sincethe Great Recession.“Second-home buyers fromManhattanand Brooklyn are looking for an easygetaway,” Kessel remarked. “A homethey can use on the weekends and havethe option to commute from during theweek, if necessary.”She noted the number of weekendbuyers she worked with doubled justover the past year. Many are

discovering cultured communitieslike Bedford, Pound Ridge or NorthSalem are an ideal alternative tothe Hamptons.“My buyers want privacy, and theywant amenities like a pool or a separatecottage or space for guests,” explainedKessel. “They’re enamored with wholefarm-to-table movement and they loveshopping in the local farmersmarkets.”Other attractions in northernWestchester include the KatonahMuseum of Art, Caramoor Center forMusic and the Arts in Katonah, andseveral magnificent county-ownedparks, including the 4,315-acreWardPound Ridge Reservation in CrossRiver and Lasdon Park and Arboretumin Somers.“I’m bullish on themarket for 2018,”Kessel added. “The financial andtechnology sectors look strong, and Ithink home buyers from thesemarketswill continue to look to northernWestchester for both primary andsecond homes.”

Connect with Angela Kessel:akessel@houlihanlawrence.comangelakessel.houlihanlawrence.com

NORTHERN WESTCHESTER SECOND-HOMEMARKET CONTINUES TO GROW

644-646 Harris Road, Bedford Hills, NY

NY

P2JW124000-0-M006C0-1--------NS