Madonna has made a career of doing the unexpected. During her 13 years in the spotlight, this pop icon has delighted the X generation and shocked their parents by slithering across stage at an MTV Awards ceremony, proclaiming herself a 'Boy Toy' and publishing a book on sex with photos that raised eyebrows across the nation.

But this pop icon turned mom is now looking for a house in a nice small town to raise her daughter, Lourdes Ciccone. Madonna, who has been working with real estate agent to the stars Dale Lydecker, is trying to find the perfect East coast residence in a Nyack, New York. Nyack’s convenient location and small town atmosphere has made it a popular place for celebrities to build the home fires.

After the birth of Lourdes, Madonna made headlines for eschewing her less stable friends in favor of the ones with lifestyles more condusive with raising children. Nyack offers the added attraction that Madonna's good friend Rosie O'Donnell, the talk show personality, is a resident. With about 6500 residents, Nyack has a small but celebrated population. Along with Ms. O'Donnell, citizens include members of the folk music group, Peter, Paul and Mary, among others.

"Madonna is interested in buying an older property on the Hudson River, a home with character that can be made private and secure. Nyack, a village about 30 minutes north of New York City, has several such properties," says Lydecker.

Will the Material Girl be able to live the life of an ordinary citizen in Nyack? Detective Sergeant Harold Johnson, 33 year veteran of the Orange Town Police Department that serves Nyack, commented that the celebrity residents of Nyack are peaceful citizens that come and go without any fanfare. "Their security issues, generally handled privately, are addressed carefully; and of course they inform us about special arrangements when necessary."

Madonna, who employs her own security staff, handles her icon status with aplomb; so no problems are expected even though her celebrity status is remarkable even by the standards of a star-studded community.

Lydecker, who has been an agent for 20 years, says that professionalism is paramount when dealing with celebrities. “Sotheby’s International Realty began referring clients to us several years ago, because of our professional attitudes.” Because of their hectic schedules, celebrities often take longer to find homes. "You have to really pay attention to what they say they want. It is really a situation where you must do more listening than advising." In addition to expecting a more lengthy process, Mr. Lydecker cautions agents who have been approached by celebrities, "Pay attention to what they say they want. This is a situation where you should do more listening than advising." Sotheby’s International Realty is associated with the famous auction firm of the same name.

As a client, Lydecker found Madonna to be intelligent, punctual and very professional, but this is not surprising. The performer/songwriter has built a virtually indestructable career by knowing when to turn on her famous star personality and turn it off.

Written By Jennifer LangPage 1

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Published: October 30, 1997

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