The last several years Westchester County has been plagued with historically low inventory. Though the real estate market in Chappaqua, Scarsdale and the rest of the county have shown pockets of weakness, especially at the high end, values have remained strong simply because buyers have less to choose from.
Why is there such low inventory? I couldn’t tell you. It mystifies me as well. One would think that sellers would be more motivated to leave Westchester County after their children exit the best Westchester County School districts due to high property taxes in Westchester.
I often get calls from clients asking if a specific home is still for sale if it no longer appears on Zillow, Trulia or other sites. The uninformed agent might flatly say “No” but the smart agent knows to search the MLS and contact the last known listing agent. Often times, the seller is willing to show the house again and entertain offers. Such a story happened to me this morning…and fingers crossed….my client will come to a deal on this home.
The lesson here: Make sure your agent is doing his or her job and exploring all avenues. And better yet…make sure your agent gives you a tax-free broker commission rebate…a rebate that beats the Redfin rebate in westchester….and helps pay for your home.