Turn 88.3 WPPB’s “Realife” and Stay Connected
All things Hamptons can be interpreted differently depending on whether you live here year-round or prefer summers and weekends. We stay connected through local media; newspapers, leisure magazines, television and of course radio. “Realife” is a new 30-minute radio program airing on 88.3 FM WPPB, Peconic Public Broadcasting.
Host of “Realife,” John Christopher, Senior Director and Associate Broker of Brown Harris Stevens’ Sag Harbor Office recently collaborated with the local radio station to offer listeners a unique program combining his knowledge of real estate with useful tools and helpful information from an array of interesting guests. “It’s a rewarding experience to give back to the community. In real estate people put their trust in you and the show allows me to offer free helpful and trustworthy advice,” Christopher shared.
With a background in Communications and as a former radio host of a Jazz program for WRLL in Philadelphia, Christopher was a natural for the position as radio host of “Realife.” A long-time realtor and East Ender, Christopher offers an inside look at things we normally would not think about. His main objective is to educate and inform listeners with tips to make life on the East End easier. From real estate updates and local government regulations to important insurance considerations, every detail is important when owning or renting.
In his most recent show, Christopher interviewed Bruce Anderson from Suffolk Environmental. Anderson has been working with local environmental issues since the early 80’s. His years of experience, including working as an environmental consultant for the Town of Southampton, have led him to be involved in many important projects on the state and local levels. In the short segment we learned how there are many variables to consider when purchasing a home. Property guidelines are regulated and put in place to protect the environment and individual property owners are responsible to make certain they follow local and state zoning laws. For example, when adding a pool, tennis court or structure, building permits must be in place before the project can even begin. What a disaster it would be to purchase a new home and discover at a later date that you are not within your rights to add that beautiful tennis court.
Next up was Greg Dobbins, owner of Petty Plumbing and Heating. Christopher started the interview with a personal story that related to the topic at hand. Why does it seem that everything breaks down over the weekend? He asked jokingly after recalling his weekend heating system breakdown. For many weekend warriors and summer vacationers, these kinds of things happen all too often. If main valves, circuit breakers and other important items are not properly serviced and looked after, anything can go wrong. Dobbins offered great advice and economizing tips on service and maintenance of home heating, boiler and electrical units. Investing in energy efficient items may be costly at first, but will definitely save you in the long run.
Liability insurance when renting? Guest, Fred Ritz of Dayton Ritz and Osbourne Insurance discussed the importance of liability insurance for homeowners as well as tenants. He advises his clients to protect their homes at all costs, even for short-term rentals. After all, life is too unpredictable to take a chance. With the median price of a home in the Hamptons averaging close to a million dollars, homeowners and tenants need to be protected.
“Realife’s” summer schedule is packed with a line-up of special guests from the East End including the likes of John v. H. Halsey of the Peconic Land Trust, Alan Sosne, Esq., Fred Thiele, New York State Assemblyman and Candace Vorhaus, feng shui expert, to name a few.
Christopher along with sponsor Brown Harris Stevens and WPPB, Peconic Public Radio Broadcasting is a valuable platform for all things Hamptons. Tune in every Friday at 5:30 p.m. and stay informed. “Realife” follows the pulse of the Hamptons.
88.3, WPPB Peconic Public Radio is a non-profit radio station offering outstanding programming. Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest and most successful real estate firms. For more information on “Realife” or John Christopher, call 631-725-5585 or visit www.brownharrisstevens.com and www.peconicpublicradiobroadcasting.com