CLICK THE MENU ITEM ABOVE FOR A MORE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

THE WEST VILLAGE: There is no neighborhood like the West Village (Greenwich Village, the village). Its a diverse neighborhood that has a life of itself, flowing with artists and musicians, and actors.

In the mid-19th century, however, as the city spread north of 14th Street, the Village became the province of immigrants, bohemians, and students (New York University [NYU], today the nation's largest private university, was planted next to Washington Square in 1831). Its politics were radical and its attitudes tolerant, which is one reason it became a home to such a large lesbian and gay community.

ABOUT SOHO: Starting at Houston (pronounced how-ston) Street, walk south down Broadway, stopping to browse the stores and vendor stands between Houston and Prince streets. The sole remaining museum on the block is the New Museum of Contemporary Art, devoted exclusively to living artists. Within the Prada store at 575 Broadway, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas has created a high-tech setting for the Italian house of fashion. Several art galleries share these blocks as well, most notably at 568 Broadway, which houses 10 galleries, and the trendy Armani Exchange store on the ground level.

ABOUT CHELSEA: As Broadway marches north and west across Manhattan it Chelseaforms a series of squares beginning with Union Square at 14th Street. The square itself hosts a popular Greenmarket, and before Christmas, a crafts market. In this neighborhood are some of the city's trendiest restaurants lining Park Avenue South up to 23rd Street. Madison Square, the site of the original Madison Square Garden, is dominated by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Tower and the Flatiron Building (20-stories and triangular). It was once the end of "ladies mile," the city's most fashionable shopping district along Broadway and Sixth Avenue; this area still has great shopping. To its east is Gramercy Park, a small, fenced park acessible only to residents of its surrounding townhouses. Theodore Roosevelt was born in this neighborhood.

FEATURE ARTICLE: RISING RENT COSTS

Selling a Home
It’s a complex transaction that takes time, effort and expertise. It
takes a real estate professional - your local REALTOR.
Want to estimate your proceeds from selling your home? Use
the Worksheet Provided.

Here's how a REALTOR can help you sell your home:
- A REALTOR knows the current real estate market and can help
you set a realistic competitive price.
- A REALTOR is familiar with the local home loan market, knows if
seller assistance is advisable and can help you decide the type of
financing that’s best to expedite your sale.
- A REALTOR knows how to figure the approximate net proceeds
from your sale, based on types of loans, your outstanding loan
balance and closing costs.
- A REALTOR knows how to add sales appeal to your home at low
or moderate cost.
- A REALTOR knows where to find prospective buyers. Most
homebuyers prefer to work with a real estate agent and serious
prospects are "qualified" as to their affordable price range before
they are shown through your home.
- A REALTOR can tap an even larger market, if necessary, through
referrals and marketing techniques.
- A REALTOR frees you from the problems associated with showing
your home. The REALTOR handles all phone inquiries, makes
appointments, does the actual showing and follows up. Your time
is your own and your home is not exposed to anyone who has
not been pre-qualified.
- A REALTOR is a skilled salesperson that knows how to
merchandise your home effectively.
- A REALTOR maintains objectivity in responding to possible
criticisms by the buyer and in presenting offers and counteroffers
until an agreement is reached.
- A REALTOR knows how to help the buyer meet local financing
requirements and go about obtaining a mortgage loan.
- A REALTOR can familiarize you with the closing procedures by
explaining them all in advance. A REALTOR usually attends the
closing with you.

REALTORS do more than you may think
As your agent, a REALTOR works for you and with you throughout the
home selling process. It is the business of a REALTOR to help you sell
your home with minimum delay, and to help you realize every dollar
its worth.
Expect the commitment, integrity and professionalism that this
implies. Also expect this agent to work hard on your behalf. Your
REALTOR:
- Knows the local housing market and can help you set a fair
market price. Often a REALTOR can advise when seller financing
might be in your best interest.
- Is knowledgeable of current financing methods that allow
prospects to become homeowners. As such, this real estate
professional serves the buyer in order to better serve you.
- By listing your home in a Multiple Listing Service can work with
many other REALTORS to assure you a far wider range of
prospective buyers.
- Frees you from the time, effort and not-so-obvious details
involving the sale of your home. With so many resources
available, a REALTOR may be able to help you come out with the
same amount of dollars or more than your could command by
selling it yourself.
- Does a lot of homework back at the office in order to sell your
home. The home is listed, ads are placed, telephone inquiries are
handled and appointments for showings are arranged with your
convenience in mind.
- Will initiate, carry out and follow through on every phase of the
important and complex home selling transaction.
When showing your home
A REALTOR is a skilled sales person who knows how to merchandise
your home. This professional maintains objectivity in responding to
buyer objections and in presenting offers and counter-offers until and
agreement is reached.

Your REALTOR:
- Will advise prospects of all aspects and conditions of your home,
even faults that you don’t intend to correct. This protects you
from later objections, and if a buyer likes everything else, one
objection need not be a serious drawback. Your forthrightness
will be appreciated.
- Can offer you many suggestions, hints and tips on preparing
your home so it looks its best when being shown to a buyer.
- Is primarily interested in bringing together buyer and seller to
negotiate an agreement satisfactory to both parties. Before the
first showing and beyond the final sale, you’ll get the know-how
and service you look for in a real estate professional that knows
how to sell your home. Make your home as light, airy and
spacious as possible. Draw back drapes. Turn on a few extra
lights. Keep pets out of the way. Soft background music can
contribute to a relaxed mood, but a loud radio or TV, like pets,
will tend to be distracting. Fresh bread or cookies baking in the
oven help create a "homey" atmosphere. Let your broker work
for you. This real estate professional can answer questions on
price, terms, possession, etc., and maintain objectivity in
resolving to buyer objections.