Photo by: Devin Groody
Meet Kim Arenas Compass
Only a 25-miles from New York City, with an easy commute to Grand Central, this tight knit community, made up of approximately 15,000 people allows you to live the best of both worlds!
Known for its coastal lifestyle, timeless elegance, beautiful parks with sprawling green spaces as well as commuter convenience, there is no shortage of what this village has to offer!
We teamed up with one of Rye's top real estate agents, Kim Arenas of Compass, in an effort to understand how to best secure a home here - either to rent or buy - in this surreal time.
Kim has lived in Westchester County for the past 18 years and currently lives in Rye with her husband, two children and dog Henry. She enjoys boating on the Long Island Sound, entertaining and spending time on the point at American Yacht Club.
Named "top 1% of realtors in Westchester County", and her team has been ranked "the #2 Luxury team in Westchester County" by The Real Deal, Kim's passion for life is reflected in her passion for helping her clients find the perfect community and make it home.
Photo by: Duncan Schieb
Kim Shares Three Tips for Attaining Real Estate in Rye, NY During This Unprecedented COVID-19 Time
1. Buying a home is more than buying a house, it is also buying the community and the lifestyle that it offers.
As the appreciation for space increases during this time of social distancing, the suburban real estate market has surged with people hoping to find respite within more open spaces. With a variety of towns and neighborhoods to choose from, it is important to take time to distinguish what characteristics are the most important to you. Living in Rye offers a small town vibe while being in close proximity to other smaller communities such as Greenwich, CT. Rye offers a quaint downtown with great shopping and restaurants, top-rated school district, nature preserves, parks, beaches, farmer's market, Rye Arts Center, Rye Nature Center, recreation center, thriving YMCA, marina and boating all within an easy commute to NYC.
Photo by: Anthony Acocella
2. When buying a home, think about the different stages of life and how you will use the home, not just how you will use it today.
Buying a house takes time and it is worth slowing down to identify not only what you need the home to offer you in the immediate future, but how you hope that the home will continue to serve your needs through the years. In order to gain clarity, create a list of must-have home features and share this information with your agent. This criteria can serve as the foundation of your home search but be mindful that although this foundation can help you to be more focused, it is important to open yourself up to features that may or may not be on your list.
Photo by: Justine Knight
3. People are discovering the power of proximity in smaller suburban towns as searches increase outside of NYC.
Nothing can or ever will replace New York City! Although this is true, in the height of COVID19, with the intention of maintaining their connection to the city, many NYC residents are helping to create a surge of interest in obtaining real estate in many of the suburban communities just outside of the city. While there is a similarity in their searches - more space and more distance from neighbors and crowds - some are hoping to rent for a short season while others hope to find permanent primary homes for their families.
In this competitive market, it is imperative that you work with an expert buyer’s agent that lives in the community you are interested in and due to limited housing stock, you may also benefit by expanding your search to other communities within the area. Our team also serves Rye's surrounding communities of Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Harrison, Rye Neck, Purchase, and Port Chester.
Photo by: Devin Groody
Kim’s perfect day in Rye
My perfect day in Rye begins with a walk at Rye Town Park with my family or neighbors/friends, soaking in the morning sunrise views of The Long Island Sound. I then swing by Starbucks on Purchase Street, where I love bumping in to friends and commuters, as I pick up coffee for our team meeting. We then gather as a team in our office, located inside Serendipity Labs Coworking to get a jump start on the day. We love meeting our clients for lunch at some of our favorite lunch spots June & Ho and Rye Grill and Bar. Our days typically consist of staging homes, conducting photoshoots, showing homes, negotiating, or catching up with clients. In the evenings after a busy (and very productive) day, I love meeting my husband John and friends for dinner on Purchase Street. Aurora Restaurant is always fabulous and we love their Tuesday night half price bottle of wine night! For the perfect ending to the day, John and I take our beloved dog, Henry, out by the water or on the boat to watch the sunset! Rye is filled with great beach clubs where we gather with friends and take in all that living on the water has to offer.
Interested in learning more about rye real esate? We would love to introduce you to kim
Photo by: Anthony Acocella
