Yankee Blog Swap - "Queens Baby"

You know...sometimes it's good to just sneak away. To grab a few necessities; i pod, Starbucks coffee card, wireless laptop, Treo, shades, cap--and slip into the blogosphere. No worries. New adventure.

Sooo...once at my cyber launchpad, a WiFi friendly semi-private nook a few blocks from my Chicago condo, I simply made a space for myself, ordered an Italian Roast French press, pointed my mouse in an eastwardly direction and headed for Queens, baby! Now I'm East Coast by almost every sense of the definition except for the fact I live in Chicago (long story) so when Carollo Real Estate's Christine Forgione invited me to crash on her virtual davenport for a day, I loaded a gig of Beastie Boys on the Nano, flipped my Mets cap backwards and was outta here. And although I'm a die hard Phillies fan with all the trimmings, my feeling is 'at least the sun rises over correct ocean up on the Island', so it's all good.

I don't ever hide the fact of what I do for a living as I am probably--to use an overused psychological term--obsessed with real estate. And while I may very well be silently suffering from a real estate disorder what I don't do is go walking around with a Hello, My Name Is: Geno Petro, Realtor tag stuck to my shirt, especially when I'm checking out unlisted properties or venturing forth on the sidewalks of a new city. My wife once muttered something under her breath about me being the 'My Cousin Vinny of real estate' but take that with a grain of salt because she has a little of that Marisa Tomee attitude herself..."yeah, and you blend!" We were visiting Seattle at the time, so go figure.

But that was different. This is about Queens. And as I scrolled and strolled the virtual neighborhoods around the Forgione's Bayside crib I couldn't help but take some comparative notes--my first entry being; It ain't exactly cheap here, either!--although a picture postcard Whitestone Detached Colonial captured my fancy as did a Flushing North Tudor. At a smidgen under 600 grand each, they would appear to me to have some pretty strong real estate legs, even in a crowded market.

Speaking of crowded, what's with the parking in Queens? A lot of Escalades rollin' by taking up a lot of street space if you know what I'm saying. I personally just traded a late model S Series for a souped up Mini-Cooper because among other reasons, I'd been towed for illegal parking so many times that my front-end suspension was permanently wrecked--they just hook you up and drag you down the street sideways in my neighborhood. Maybe its different in Bayside--"leave the Caddy...take the cannoli." And speaking of Escalades and cannolis, at least your Italian neighborhoods have actual Italians. Little Italy in Chicago is turning into a college campus.

Anyway, a while later as I was meandering along a side street west of Main in Flushing I caught glimpse of this giant hollow metal globe and immediately tried to zoom in for a closer look. Caution, objects may appear closer than they actually are...ten years later I'm lost in this place called Flushing Meadows Corona Park which I'm pretty certain has its own zip code. Yeah, the Unisphere built by US Steel in the 1960's is pretty cool but we have a pretty cool piece of rusting metal ourselves back in ChiTown called the Picasso Horse. US Steel...Picasso...whatever. 'Mezza Mezza,' as my Pop Pop would say.

Now before I continue I should probably go on the record and say that I'm really not a Techie--pretty far from it as those who know me will attest. I just buy the latest stuff and have the web guys in our office explain it all to me later. But if there is a 'hot spot' satellite signal anywhere to be found I can usually figure out a way to access the Multiple Listing Service of any city I land in. Moot point in Manhattan, come to find out. There is no such animal. Or if there is, I didn't see it. But you probably know this.

So I clicked on Christine Forgione's Long Island MLS search tool and took a quick spin around Queens County to find a few places to visit and perhaps even something I might take a run at myself if I were in the market there. I do this same exercise on a daily basis in Chicago splitting equal time between my own web page and my company's main landing site at ChicagoHomeEstates.com. It keeps me sharp and on top of the inventory. And before I retire for the night I'll also spend an hour or so on my primary Blog but really, this is just icing on the virtual biscotti. Its all about information sharing and linkage in this day and age.

So after a few mezza mezza virtual visits to Jersey (don't ask--wrong click), a quick circle back to Howard Beach (hey, I might know a guy who knows a guy...) and a semi-guided tour of Whitestone (lovely) I found myself back on the davenport with a few remaining hours to kill and some credit left on my Starbuck's card. Ironically, I remembered my mother telling me just recently that I had a cousin in some place called Malba which I heard was nearby so I decided to Google him before proceeding any further.

"He's very wealthy," my mother had told me.

"What do you mean by wealthy, Ma?" I asked.

"Oh...I don't know anything about that. But he's an accountant at a big firm and his wife is Jewish."

"Ma...My wife is Jewish," I said.

"I thought she was half Jewish," said my mother.

And there's really no point in saying much more about it because the conversation in real time took an hour. So come to find we don't speak to that side of the family anymore anyway (because that's what we do in our family--not speak to each other for years if necessary). But sure enough according to Google, I do indeed have a cousin in Malba and judging by his page rank and a few other interesting entries, he may indeed have quite a bit of dough. Anyway, I decided to take a pass on Malba. I got nothing to say to the guy.

I decided instead to Google Earth a place called Lake Success I'd heard mention of--a long and glitchy download to be sure, but usually worth the wait from my experience. Now the laptop battery was getting low, my Treo was vibrating every few minutes with unheard messages, new e-mail notifications, text one-liners, and my caffeine level was fast approaching the aortic red line--in other words, it was time to go. And to be blunt, my Beasties loop was coming around for the third time and enough already (like I really need to be reminded to 'fight for my right to party' that many times in one day). I waited patiently as Google completed its satellite magic.

Sure enough, ten minutes later I landed on a mini-mansion for a cool 1.8 Mil. Now thats what I'm talking about. I like the name, Lake Success. And the price, while a little bit of a stretch for me, could probably work if the wife had to have it and I stumbled across a unique enough opportunity to Make Me Move (inside joke). I closed my eyes and mentally zoomed into my new surroundings.

But then again, I like to pretend--always have. The nuns used to crack my head for daydreaming but that was back in a time when the Unisphere was being built and apparently it was also legal to knock around kids in grade school. They're all probably waiting out their 10,000 years in Purgatory by now so...whatever.

But back to 'Success'. Its on a 110x120 foot lot, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, and everything else I look for in a house whether I need it or not. I'm always thinking resale. Self cleaning oven? Who cares. Of course I'd have to take off the gloves and go a few rounds with Ms. Forgione but that's what we do, right? We represent. We negotiate. We fight for the right...Her client is at 1.8 and I need to be at 1.75. So get it done already.

Now for all you folks out in Iowa and beyond I realize this is pure insanity. You can get the same house in your neck of the woods, fields or where ever, for 250. I think we all know this. But the last thing I will say is whether its in Queens, Chicago or 'where ever'....you the big bad cousin from Malba with a spread like that.

ps..I don't actually speak Italian but...Buon Natale e Felice Nuova Ano! (figure it out)


unisphere photo by amazonaws
gangsters photo by mgd photography
denver boot photo by universalboot

geno petro

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Thank you Mary - this was alot of fun! 

Check out all the other "Yankees"......

Transparent Real Estate’s Pat Kitano vs. Zillow’s Drew Meyers

RSS Pieces’ Mary McKnight vs. Future of Real Estate Marketing’s Joel Burslem         

St Paul Real Estate Blog’s Teresa Boardman vs. Thompsons Realty’s Jay Thompson    

3 Ocean Real Estate’s Kevin Boer vs. SLC Real Estate’s Nigel Swaby

Issaquah Undressed’s Larry Cragun  vs. Maurey Properties’ Andrew Maury            

Geno Petroche’s Geno Petroche vs. NYHouses4Sale  Christine Forgione

Dalton AZ Homes’ Jonathan Dalton vs. RealEstateSnippets Bonnie Erickson

The boys of Sellsius vs. Real Estate Tomato’s Jim Cronin

ML Podcast’s Michael Price vs. Famous Agent’s Elise Wright

My Tech Opinion’s Reggie Nicolay vs. Ubertor’s Steve Jagger

Redfin's Glenn Kelman vs Rain City's Ardell DellaLoggia

CondoDomain's Anthony Longo vs. miOaklandCounty's Maureen Francis

dited to add:

The San Diego Home Blog’s Kris Berg vs.  Urban Dig’s Noah Rosenblatt

The Property Monger's Jon Ernest vs. XBroker's Jeff Corbett

Realty Blogging's Richard Nacht vs. The Mortgage Reports' Dan Green

Christian Real Estate Network's Justin Smith vs. Wanna Network's Tony Senna

Sacramento Voice's Gena Riede vs. Atlanta 575 Real Estate's  Brad Nix

Visit the new dedicated Yankee Blog Swap Site for any new updated information. 

Yankee Blog Swap Press Release

Comments

[Maureen Francis]

Well, I did think I might find a photo of Geno in a white blouse adorning the post, nonetheless, I am NOT disappointed. Fun stuff, Geno.

[Christine]

Maureen - I know.. I tried to get him into a skirt and my knee high boots - but I think his wife Mona threatend him... So they left for Mexico.

[Christine]

Geno - If you are out there - thank you for the post - it was really alot of fun!! You are welcome o n my blog anytime! Enjoy your vacation and bring me back some Tequila!!!

[Charleston real estate blog]

Geno and Christine, you are so perfectly matched for this fun event, great writing. By the way, did you run across my old friend Marty, aka Bump, while wandering the streets of Queeens.

[Jay Thompson]

Hilarious stuff Geno. You've got real talent. Wonder if you sell real estate as well as you write?

Has anyone noticed that the MyBlogLog "recent readers" thing can make you feel like a cyber-stalker? Apparently I'm following Maureen Francis around the blog swap tour...

Just don't slow down Mo!

[Bonnie Erickson]

Geno is definitely a fun read today. Remember, though, once you're in the family, you can't get out!

[Gena Riede]

Geno, you are a kick. Obviously you went to Catholic school if you got bopped...that sounds very familiar (but not first hand). Loved your blog and hope you enjoyed all that coffee-both you and Christine are meant for each other!

[REBlogGirl]

Geno, you are too much. I am still snickering over your antics and comments. I need your sardonic wit to wreck some havoc on the RSS pieces blog sometime. Oh yeah- next event is a Celebrity Blog Roast- and, you may just have to be the ring master!

[carole cohen]

Geno if yer gonna spend money then I say do it in NYC - and a man with a mini cooper is close to my heart lol

[Brad Nix]

Nice writing style and great taste in music! You should check out my Egg Man video from back in the day at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCQ4QohDvHo

[rudolph d. bachraty III]

geno - one of my favorite posts of the entire swap. well written.

rudy.sellsius°

[Christine]

Brad - that is just too funny. You have a little worried now -

[Christine]

Brad - I think that this one is more my style. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yneSksfRiKM
you are insane.....

[Pat Kitano]

Way to go Geno... I saved reads from my favorite storytellers to the end (yes, it took this long, but I'm technically on vacation too and reading only in the evenings). You're welcome to stroll my neighborhood in San Francisco any time... I'll be pleased to switch blogs with ya. Then you can compile your virtual travels into a book...

[Paul Chaney]

Geno, I have to say that's the best writing of any of the posts in the blog swap so far, and there have been some good ones, Christine's included. Do you always write with that kind of flair, or was it simply New York inspired? If the former, I'm adding your feed to my RSS reader! Great stuff. Very entertaining. You get to move to the next round. Oh, wait, there is no next round is there. Mary, how come there's no next round?

[Richard Nacht]

I don't speak Italian either, but Babel Fish does, and this is how it translated what you said at the end of your post: "Good NATO them and Happy Ano New." That's not actually what you meant I assume!

Great post. A very fun read. Mario Puzo would be proud!

[Brian Brady]

I have no idea where to begin, Geno. I had the same nuns in Philly, bro. They're in the 718 and da 312 but they ain't representing in San Diego.

I loved the Beastie Boys lay down. What better way for a (whatever decade we are)-something to get into the Queens spirit.

I spent a summer in Far Rockaway and it was quite an education for a Philly kid. So many cool people; Queens is definitely the heart of New York.

You wanna try talking about Little Italy in San Diego?...fuhgeddaboutit

[geno petro]

Thank you Christine and all of you who commented; Brian B, Pat K,Rudy, Paul Chaney and all others. And to answer Jay Thompson's question although rhetorical I'm sure, I closed 29 deals in 2006 for a little more than 16 million but didn't make a nickle writing.

G