This is not necessarily a foodie post although the Northern Italian Cuisine at Furci's Restaurant is special. Phyllis and I have enjoyed a few date nights at Furci's. Dining atmosphere is great inside or out.Furci's is a member of the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce and has hosted events for the Chamber.  But what they are doing next Tuesday, April 9th is special.That night they will be donating 20% of their proceeds to the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund.  This fund raises money for high school seniors in Yorktown to award them with money for their first year at college.Great food and a great cause.  If you are in Yorktown Heights NY area come out for fine Italian dining to support Yorktown students.Here is the locationFurci's334 Underhill AveYorktown Heights, NY  10598www.f... 04/02/2019

Marshall Alarm Systems held an open house last Thursday which included a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new location at 1767 Front Street in Yorktown Heights New York.I have known Marshall and his team at Marshall Alarms as clients for a very long time and we have a great relationship.  I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and helped Marshall celebrate his new location.Marshall Alarm Systems, Inc provides custom designed fire, security and video systems to installation, monitoring and inspections. Marshall Alarm Systems, Inc represents all major manufacturers allowing the versatility to service both new and existing alarm systems in Westchester NY.Marshall started the business with his wife over 43 years ago.  Since then he has grown to become a top player in security in Westcheste... 03/12/2019

"Are you planning ahead for retirement?  Don't wait until it is too late."That is the message of the hosts of tomorrow night's business social at the Yorktown Chamber.This will be a great opportunity to network and have some Wine and and Cheese.  This is a free event so make sure you get there early.  Here is the info:Date and Time:  Wednesday, January 23, 2019 600;30 pmLocation:            IBM Cafe Annex Room                            1101 Kitchawan Road                             Yorktown Heights, NY  10598  If you are looking to make your Westchester NY or Fairfield CT business thrive please contact me. Grant SchneiderPerformance Development Strategies914-953-4458   01/22/2019

If you will be in Westchester County on Sunday October 7th  you should come to Yorktown NY and visit street fair.  Now in it's 10th year this is a day of fun.  There are many different attractions including a car show.Bring your dog and enter him in the dog costume contest.  There is also a cupcake eating contest.  That is a switch from the hot dog eating contest.There will be plenty of booths for businesses.  Come and support the local businesses.Here are the details:Date and Time: Sunday, October 7, 2018  11am to 5pmLocation - Center of Town - Yorktown HeightsAdmission is free.    If you are looking to make your Westchester NY or Fairfield CT business thrive please contact me. Grant SchneiderPerformance Development Strategies914-953-4458    09/18/2018

This is My strategy for the Spring Market!!In years past mine has always been to get lots of listings. Sometimes as many 60. I think 30 to 35 is good now.But now I have the feeling that if I had a constant flow of BUYER LEADS I might be better off. When I have a lot of listings my cell phone use to ring off the wall. But lately even though I have listings it was is not ringing.I believe that a better buyer pool is going to be the answer to maintaining my level of business in the future. One of the ways I am doing this is by doing Internet ads that do not advertise a particular property but more of a style and price range. Something like "Homes in Westchester County, 3Br's under $400,000.00" Since I have been doing this I get more Qualified Leads, and I am not looking at just showing the... 01/04/2018

Well will this really be a New Year for you?Will you change the way you go about your business? Or will you continue to do business the same way you have in the past.The market has changed and if you do not change with it you will be left behind.If you are changing, than work with those changes to bring your business into the year 2018 with a bang!!Some of the things I am changing is to advertise more to buyers instead of just advertising listings. I believe that if you are just advertising your listings than you are just looking for that one buyer who wants to buy your house that you advertised.Another words that "needle in a hay stack"But if you just advertise a price range in an area you are advertising to a larger number of buyers. You can also advertise types of products, such as f... 01/04/2018

My Marketing Tips 2, Westchester County Real EstateAnother installment of easy marketing ideas to get you started.4. Think of your large postcards as oversized business card with ten times the impact if done right.5. Always find your target market and make sure you get the right message across.6. Market yourself as who you are. You will appeal to people who want to work with someone like you. It will make for a better match with the subject.My Marketing Tips 2, Westchester County Real Estate Check out the previous tip!!     Marketing Tips, Westchester County Real Estate 01/03/2018

My 3rd Installment of Marketing Tips  My next installment of easy marketing ideas to get you started. 7. E-mails, we all like to use them. They are fast and convenient, but they require constant monitoring. Put your e-mail address on everything you do and check your mailbox 2-3 times a day. 8. You should market yourself as the expert in your area. This requires constant direct mail contact with the information take keeps your potential clients up to date on what is going on in their neighborhood. 9. All your marketing should have a point you want to get across. Kept this in mind when selecting something to mail or E-mail. My 3rd Installment of Marketing Tips  Check out the previous 2!!   01/03/2018

Some Marketing Tips, Westchester County Real Estat These are just some of the things                      I do to get myself started;                           1. You should have your picture on everything you do.          I have people walk up to me all the time who know me          from my blogs and ads that have my picture in them.         Also you should update it at least          every 24 months if not more frequently.2. Have your advertising materials done professionally. This will illustrate your success and if you are a new agent this will give you instant credibility.3. Most successful businesses have some kind of brochure depicting their business. You should have one also describing yourself and your company.MORE TIPS TO FOLLOW! Some Marketing Tips, Westchester County Real Es... 12/28/2017

Why Should You Hire a Professional Real Estate Agent?A well qualified, competent real estate agent will help you navigate the countless number of decisions that arise when buying and selling a home.An agent provides value to the homeowner in many ways:  They pay for all the marketing and advertising costs.They add experience and expertise in all aspects of the sales process including marketing, financing, negotiations and more. They co-ordinate all of the showings that take place on your home.They bring a system of known and trusted real estate professionals. If your agent doesn't have the answer then he or she most likely knows someone who does.They always have your best interests in mind so you always have someone on your side.They can handle and advise you on all price and contract n... 12/14/2017

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE3362 Quinlan Street - Yorktown Heights NY 10598SUNDAY April 9th, 2017 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM Nicely updated Yorktown Heights Raised Ranch on large private corner lot surrounded by majestic White Birch trees. Fabulous heated pool built into large deck right off new kitchen. Entry hall to bright living room w. stone fireplace & vaulted ceiling, spacious dining room, stunning new kitchen w. high end stainless steel appliances, updated hall bath, 2 bedrooms, plus a generous master bedroom w. beautiful en-suite bath. Lower level offers family/media room, guest room, half bath, storage, utilities & attached 2 car garage. Above ground oil tank in garage. Lots of updates throughout. Natural stone accents & hardwood floors as shown. New liner in pool which is built right into ... 04/06/2017

If you are up for a great New Years Eve Celebration then celebration with several thousand of your clostest friends in Yorktown NY. Last year this was a great success.   Have all the fun you would have watching this on TV and there will not be frozen zones like there are at Times Square.Many participating restaurants are hosting New Years menus. Here is the link to some on the restaurants!Wherever you choose to celebrate I wish you a happy and prosperous new year.  Information provided by Grant Schneider, Performance Development Strategies.  Would you like to know how to make your local business thrive? Contact us!  12/29/2016

For many years Jennifer Gurahian has been my recommended source for handling estate sales whenever I’ve had clients who were downsizing. And only now when I am engaging her services myself have I experienced a change of perception about the whole process of getting rid of “stuff” no longer needed. Counting what my wife and I had stored from a former antiques business as well as from a couple of other enterprises, we might as well have had a warehouse operation going in our 18th century farmhouse, currently on the market. Why were we holding on to so many things? Sentiment? An overrating of our collectibles’ value? Whatever the reasons, we found that when it was time to let go of many possessions, we had an attic, basement and garage chock full of furniture, collectibles and other things... 04/04/2016

Having long term relationships with your home suppliers has its advantages, I’ve found. In effect, they become advisors you can trust, almost like members of the family. And when the business itself is an extended family affair, it’s especially nice. Take the example of Absolute Flooring of Yorktown that re-did my kitchen floor three years ago. My sales consultant Diane Darby was infinitely patient as I went through sample after sample, not knowing the material or color I wanted when starting out. But Diane knew all the right questions to ask. And the end result was a black and white checkerboard pattern of high-quality vinyl that brought a kitchen done in hand-crafted pine cabinetry vibrantly to life.  It was on a recent visit that I found that I could benefit by being a repeat custome... 03/31/2016

A whole new world was opened to me years ago when the owners of a tasteful antiques shop in Brooklyn Heights invited me to their condo in one of the grand houses in that landmarked neighborhood. When I looked up at the ceiling in their living room, I found that I was looking at a painted sky with clouds that extended the already-high ceilings to infinity.  Technically known as trompe t’oeil or “fool the eye,” this technique is just one of the many ways that faux or “false” painting can be used to transform any room or object into a work of art.  The objective of faux is to have its objects or surfaces look as much like the originals as possible, whether they be marble, wood, grain or suede. With professional faux painters, it’s amazing how realistic their work can be. There have been ti... 03/21/2016

In an age when the wealth of human knowledge and culture can be accessed through a tile-sized tablet, many people would assume that we no longer have any need for a library in the home. This does not necessarily indicate a decline in literacy. In fact, the members of Generation Y are the most avid purchasers of books. Not only should we not judge a book by its cover, we also shouldn’t assume it will be printed on paper. And yet, the printed book still holds its appeal as an artifact, a memento, or an artistic creation, and those who own these objects will want them displayed safely and attractively. (And if their physical presence inspires children to read more, so much the better.) If you have seen collections of books in other people’s homes, you may have noticed how they seem to reve... 03/16/2016

Last month, residents of Mount Vernon breathed a sigh of relief as a long-abandoned home in their city was finally torn down. The building had stood empty for four years, and was then damaged by fire two years ago. Finally, the high winds and snow accumulation from the recent winter storm caused the structure to begin to tilt. The city got ahead of the problem and razed the building before it could collapse and hurt someone. Abandoned homes of all types cause many problems, and making sure that empty structures are being maintained properly is important to the safety and property values of the surrounding community. The house in Mount Vernon was an example of a “zombie home,” a sub-category of abandoned homes with a unique set of problems all their own. Zombie homes, despite their super... 02/08/2016

As we settle into the year 2016, it’s time for the Home Guru to report on the closing of the fourth quarter of the housing market in 2015 and to take a look into his crystal ball and see how experts say it might behave in the months ahead.Closing out 2015: Just in are the results of the last three months that show continued heavy residential sales volume in Westchester with strong economic conditions in the region as well as declining affordability in New York City as key motivators of demand.Listing inventory fell 4.1 percent to 3,814, the lowest fourth quarter total since 2004. The absorption rate, which is the number of months to sell all listing inventory at the current rate of sales was 4.7, 14.5% faster than a year ago and the fastest market pace we’ve seen since 2003.Days on the ... 01/21/2016

In the early days of our marriage, my wife and I lived in a small New York City studio apartment, and we had to make the most of what space we had. Some of our neighbors opened up floor space by sleeping on Murphy beds that folded up vertically into the wall. We opted instead to purchase an extra-long convertible sofa, a Lawson style, upholstered in red velvet, and had that as our regular bed. It followed us through many moves, and the daily ritual of folding the sofa up again early in the morning became ingrained in us.Eventually we settled into our home in the suburbs and acquired a queen-sized bed in its own bedroom. Our old convertible sofa became part of our living room furniture. We imagined that it could still be unfolded for our relatives when they came to visit, but as we alrea... 01/04/2016

It is a New Years Eve and time for an annual tradition.  Of course, I am talking about the annual ball drop counting down to the New Year.It is great to experience it in person but do you really want to go to Times Square?  In just a few hours they will be locking down the grid and people will be standing there for hours.Wait, there is a better solution!  This year the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring the first ever Westchester Ball Drop!What could be better than enjoying New Years Eve and also meeting some new friends who can help you group your business in 2016.  So here are the details: Date: December 31, 2015Time: 11:00pm to 12:30amLocation: Corner of Veterans Rd and Commerce St                  Yorktown Heights, NY Happy New Year! Information provided by Grant Schnei... 12/30/2015