When I was in high school, a Fordham graduate student told me with wisdom in his tone, "If whales had thumbs they'd rule the world." I didn't have a clue as to its profundity. Well, my right thumb just had its second surgery. Hard to do a thing, so finally all these years later I think I understand. Their brains are certainly bigger. In any case, agents and brokers, this is our column, mostly your words, my thumb out of business for now.

Property listed with Town & Country Real Estate

The Long Island Housing Partnership offering free mortgage counseling to first time home buyers wrote in to say, "Thinking of becoming a first time homebuyer, but don't know where to start? Afraid you might become a statistic? Want to know if you are eligible for any grants? Get started with the Long Island Housing Partnership's (LIHP) free home buyer education program. We have helped thousands of Long Islanders become homeowners with fixed, low interest rate mortgages. Call 631-435-4710 for your free individual appointment with a certified home ownership counselor. Private sessions are available in Nassau, Suffolk and in each of the five East End towns. It's a great time to buy - become a homeowner in 2009!"

Lorraine Randazzo at Town & Country Real Estate in Bridgehampton gave us the details of a new listing. Here is a "unique space, located in the heart of Sag Harbor, in a building that dates back to about 1832. It is thought to be the oldest business building in the village. Most of the other old commercial buildings were lost in the terrible fire of 1845 when nearly 100 wooden structures were reduced to ashes. In the 1940s R.C. Barry & Son Home Furnishings occupied the building and used the attic (now the condo) for storage space. In 1968, the Wharf Shop moved into the ground floor and the attic underwent a major renovation. The next update took place around the mid-1980s when the third floor duplex apartment was designed and built by a local architect, Harry Fischman, who lived here until 2006. Of note are the impressive exposed beams in the main living space which are made of 150 year-old wood. And several of the bedrooms have floors made of 150 year-old pumpkin wood which is now extinct. There is a water view from the front and a winter water view from the back. For sale and for rent."

Jude Lyons of Westhampton Beach Real Estate in Westhampton wrote to say, "All my regulars have been calling in to rent - no one is talking less money than last year. I manage one house on Dune Road - biggest rent so far ever. So who can tell what this rental season will bring. Also, just ran into my old friend Enzo Morabito. I know him from the boxing business. He is moving to Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate Westhampton. I think he truly believes in West of the Canal."

Property listed with WHB Real Estate

We hear that Patrick Gaulway of Schneider and Corcoran has just been appointed managing director of Town & Country in Westhampton. Good luck Patrick!

Those who get LTV might want to watch citizens try to solve the tax problems on the South Fork, specifically East Hampton, in a round-table forum put together by former Town Councilwoman, Planning Board Chair and Springs school teacher Deb Foster. I think Jan. 31 is the first run date.

Many East Hampton Town real estate assets were discussed and it was recommended they be bought by the private sector. Some looked very interesting to 'old sore thumb' here who missed the meeting (surgery on thumb) but did get the press hand-out.

A non-partisan group, except for a Town Board representative who made an attempt at misguided loyalty to this column, included the expertise from former Town Supervisors, Ben Zwirn and Fred Thiele; Town Budget officers and financial advisers, Charlene Kagel, CPA and Robert Sikora and Noah Nadelson from all over the island; realtors were represented by local Rick Slater who knows the town and sure knows his real estate; Jennifer Mulligan, an astute second homeowner; the Mayor of East Hampton Village, Paul Rickenbach who has never had a deficit in all his years in office - he credits Village Administrator Larry Cantwell; town and local business people Paul Monte, Bonnie Krupinski, Cindy Hagen, and Scott Rubenstein; Barbara Jordan from the League of Women Voters and Affordable Housing Advocate; Margaret Turner from the Business Alliance; Marian Lindbergh, a representative of the Nature Conservancy; and Raymond Nauler, East Hampton Soccer League coordinator.

The real estate raised at the forum is worth noting, for those who have customers or those who are interested buyers to contact their brokers. Clearly the town should be what we guys call a motivated seller. And run by professionals, they may just be the right investment for you. The Amagansett Skating Rink, Poxabogue Golf Course, and the YMCA were among some of the inventory mentioned to lease from the town or buy it.

It could be a good deal for the right customers/investors because East End real estate is a very strange business that may not just sell local real estate but also help bail out all of us from the town's fiscal morass.