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CORTLANDT, N.Y. The real estate market has been sluggish at best over the last several years, but Annette Gasparro of Coldwell Banker in Croton is optimistic things will begin to turn around in 2012.
"I do feel there is an improvement. I'm very positive about this year," Gasparro said at a realtor's forum held at Cortlandt Town Hall. "I do have some buyers. Lower interest rates are helping and some more expensive homes are moving."
Town Engineer Ed Vergano shared the positive thinking of Gasparro, who has been a Realtor for the last 15 years.
"I'm getting more inquiries about residential, commercial and industrial properties, so something is going on," Vergano said.
About 40 local Realtors listened intently as Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi and other town officials put their best feet forward by outlining many of the town's assets that they could use to market homes to prospective residents.
"We all know it's been a very difficult economy. We're hopeful we're starting to come out of it to some degree," Puglisi said. "We want people to feel proud about the Town of Cortlandt."
Puglisi mentioned some of the landmarks in town that have helped increase its identity, including the acquisition of Cortlandt Town Hall, the redevelopment of the Cortlandt Town Center, the expanded Cortlandt Train Station and Hollow Brook Golf Course.
She said the town's unparalleled low town tax rate, history, culture, recreational opportunities and quality schools should make Cortlandt an easy sell.
"I learned a lot of things I didn't know," said Gasparro, who noted home prices in Croton were slightly up over last year. "People are looking at a lot more homes. My advice, especially to young people, is don't overextend themselves."
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