“This strategic plan is nothing like I have ever seen or been a part of,” Grasso related.
Smith, an Associate Broker with Rand Commercial, will be celebrated at the Ottaway Medal Dinner on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Villa Venezia in Middletown.
Some observers had written off the project as dead back in June when the Town of Wawayanda’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously (4-0) to reject a needed height variance for the Amazon project.
NYPA will construct the first major commercial office building in Westchester County in nearly a half-century.
Sejdi noted that HGAR will be implementing the key initiatives in the association’s Strategic Plan, which was worked on and completed in 2024.
Sullivan County’s December sales of single-family homes increased by 49.1%—the highest in the six-county region.
Rates at 6% are the new normal, and from a historical perspective they’re completely fine, especially given the strength of the economy and inflation adjusted wage gains over the past few years.
On the state and local levels, the real estate industry coped with high demand, low inventory and volatile interest rates as the Federal Reserve tried to battle inflation.
Inventory for all property types declined in almost all areas, except for Rockland’s condo and co-op markets, the latter with an 84.6% gain. The Bronx led the region for new listings, with a 31.9% increase.
Yun noted that a key trend going forward is that for-sale inventory has been increasing of late and is expected to continue next year.
Fernandez, who has served as HGAR’s CEO since September 2023, was among three award winners. She joined HGAR after having served as CEO of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors.
Overall buyers and sellers should expect to see a more balanced market in 2025, which will require some give and take on both sides.
NAR officials noted yesterday that the court heard from all parties as well as objectors and the Department of Justice. Once arguments concluded, the court quickly ruled to grant final approval.
That fact that both sales and home prices continue to increase is an indication of the high demand and low supply that exists throughout the New York metro area and lower Hudson Valley,” said HGAR CEO Lynda Fernandez.
“Mortgage rates in Trump’s first term (at 4%) were the good old days. Are we going to go back to 4%? Per my forecast, unfortunately, we will not. It’s more likely that we’ll go back to 6%.
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