If you’re Camille Grammer, it’s never too late to reunite with old friends — or market your home.
During “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” premiere last week, the former reality star caught up with current cast members and mentioned she’s still trying to sell her Malibu mansion. This weekend, she lowered her asking price by $1 million.
Now listed for $13.995 million, Grammer’s home at 3250 Serra Rd has been on and off the market since 2012. The current price is a big drop from the original ask of $17.5 million, but it’s still on the high end for Malibu, where the median home value is $2.42 million.
Grammer and ex-husband Kelsey put several properties on the market after their divorce. The “Frasier” star reportedly found a buyer for his Beverly Hills abode last spring.
The 4.75-acre Serra Retreat estate features a gourmet kitchen designed by Wolfgang Puck, a master suite with ocean views, state-of-the-art home theater, horseback riding area and nine-stall barn.
Chris Cortazzo of Coldwell Banker holds the listing.
read more...
http://www.zillow.com/blog/price-cut-camille-grammer-malibu-164963/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ZillowBlog+%28Zillow+Blog%29
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
Starter Homes are Still Scarce | Bedford Hills Real Estate
National web sites report inventory remains tight, especially among lower priced starter homes popular with first-time buyers and investors.
The realtor.com October National Housing Trend Report shows that inventory remains tight as total listings have decreased 2.9 percent month over month and 4.8 percent year over year. In October, homes spent approximately 92 days on the market, which is an increase of 2.2 percent month over month and a decrease of 2.1 percent year over year.
However, Zillow reported that inventory of all homes for sale in its site increased by 15.8 percent year-over-year. Buyers will find the supply of lower-priced homes is growing more slowly than high-priced homes in most of the country.
The inventory of for-sale homes in the bottom home-price tier rose year-over-year in 68.3 percent of the 353 total metro areas analyzed by Zillow, while inventory in the top home price tier rose in 82.2 percent, or 290 of the 353 markets analyzed.
In Denver, there were almost four times as many homes available for sale in the upper price tier (priced at $357,900 or more) than there were homes priced in the lowest price tier (less than $219,000).
The same was true in many other markets. Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix and Nashville had at least two times more homes for sale in the top tier than the bottom tier.
In 25 of the 35 largest metros analyzed, there were more homes for sale this October than last October in all three price tiers. In 14 of those metros, the increase in number of homes for sale was in the double digits in all price tiers.
“Depending on their finances, it’s likely that individual buyers in the same market might be having completely different home buying experiences. Even as conditions improve for buyers overall, it remains a tough row to hoe for first-time buyers and lower-income buyers, especially compared to their more well-off contemporaries,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. “We expect more demand to come from the lower end of the market in coming years as millennials overtake Generation X as the largest home-buying demographic. As this happens, builders will be forced to build for these more entry-level buyers, and inventory at the bottom tier should improve, however slowly.”
read more...
http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2014/11/starter-homes-are-still-scarce/
The realtor.com October National Housing Trend Report shows that inventory remains tight as total listings have decreased 2.9 percent month over month and 4.8 percent year over year. In October, homes spent approximately 92 days on the market, which is an increase of 2.2 percent month over month and a decrease of 2.1 percent year over year.
However, Zillow reported that inventory of all homes for sale in its site increased by 15.8 percent year-over-year. Buyers will find the supply of lower-priced homes is growing more slowly than high-priced homes in most of the country.
The inventory of for-sale homes in the bottom home-price tier rose year-over-year in 68.3 percent of the 353 total metro areas analyzed by Zillow, while inventory in the top home price tier rose in 82.2 percent, or 290 of the 353 markets analyzed.
In Denver, there were almost four times as many homes available for sale in the upper price tier (priced at $357,900 or more) than there were homes priced in the lowest price tier (less than $219,000).
The same was true in many other markets. Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix and Nashville had at least two times more homes for sale in the top tier than the bottom tier.
In 25 of the 35 largest metros analyzed, there were more homes for sale this October than last October in all three price tiers. In 14 of those metros, the increase in number of homes for sale was in the double digits in all price tiers.
“Depending on their finances, it’s likely that individual buyers in the same market might be having completely different home buying experiences. Even as conditions improve for buyers overall, it remains a tough row to hoe for first-time buyers and lower-income buyers, especially compared to their more well-off contemporaries,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. “We expect more demand to come from the lower end of the market in coming years as millennials overtake Generation X as the largest home-buying demographic. As this happens, builders will be forced to build for these more entry-level buyers, and inventory at the bottom tier should improve, however slowly.”
read more...
http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2014/11/starter-homes-are-still-scarce/
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
An unpredictably neutral nature in the bedroom | Bedford Corners Real Estate
A design instructor of mine once claimed that commercial interiors are so often painted beige because it is the color that best masks grimy smudges from people's hands. Yuck! I think I've been antibeige since that very moment. But I do realize that not everyone likes supercolorful interiors. And in fact, bold hues can sometimes distract from other elements in a room, such as interesting materials, textures, furnishings and fixtures. But going neutral does not automatically have to mean white or beige.
Check out these stylish bedrooms with palettes that are predominantly neutral, along with sample color and material palettes inspired by each bedroom. Some have a few chunks of color thrown in, but the neutral hues can definitely stand on their own.
Check out these stylish bedrooms with palettes that are predominantly neutral, along with sample color and material palettes inspired by each bedroom. Some have a few chunks of color thrown in, but the neutral hues can definitely stand on their own.
Going Gray
Soft gray is a popular neutral these days, but I say kick it up and go a bit darker, even if you use it only as an accent. Layering various gray shades makes for an elegant, minimalist bedroom.
Soft gray is a popular neutral these days, but I say kick it up and go a bit darker, even if you use it only as an accent. Layering various gray shades makes for an elegant, minimalist bedroom.
Example palette: Create your own version of Fifty Shades of Gray in the bedroom with (clockwise from top left, all from Pittsburgh Paint): Cracked Slate 540-6, City Lights 549-2 and Silver Charm 541-4, with limed oak.
Not Quite White
Paint your walls a nice off-white shade that's not too beige and not too gray, and you have the perfect backdrop for adding whatever additional color you want. Colorful bedding and accessories are easy to change, giving you flexibility.
Paint your walls a nice off-white shade that's not too beige and not too gray, and you have the perfect backdrop for adding whatever additional color you want. Colorful bedding and accessories are easy to change, giving you flexibility.
Example palette: Clockwise from top left (all from Dunn-Edwards): Mint Julep DE5556, Antique Paper DE6218 and Neutral Valley DE6119, with reclaimed wood.
read more....
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Here Now, a Monochromatic Look at 1980s Chinatown | Armonk Real Estate
Photos via My Modern Met
Photographer Bud Glick, who in the 1980s wandered the streets of New York on an anthropological mission, writes that, at that time, "an older generation" of Chinatown's denizens were being replaced by a "rapidly expanding new influx of immigration." His series Chinatown, NY was his attempt to document the neighborhood's transformation. For three years he brought his camera to the the hub in lower Manhattan, not doing much with the negatives for some three decades. A generation later, he's pulled them out and started digitally editing them. "When you look at images from another time, often many years later, you see things you didn't see before [...] your photographic style may have been a certain way but we also evolve."
read more...
http://curbed.com/archives/2014/11/14/chinatown-1980s-photographer.php
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Teatown Reservation news | Chappaqua Real Estate
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Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Can a Debt Collector Fax My Employer? | South Salem Real Estate
A reader, Joanne, wrote to us concerned because a debt collector had sent a fax to her employer, and right at the top of the fax was her Social Security number, available to anyone who happened to grab it from the fax machine. Here's what she asked:
Can the debt collection agency send a fax to my employer disclosing my Social Security number on an unsecure fax line inquiring … to fill in employment information about me? I feel violated that they exposed my SSN publicly.
At our request, she sent a copy of the document, and we showed it to Troy Doucet, a consumer protection lawyer who practices in Ohio.
He discussed debt collector letters with us, and indicated placing a Social Security number on a fax is only one potential problem. There could be other concerns that are far more serious.
Can They Do That?
Debtors are often confused about what collectors can and can't say to others about their debts, including their employer. The good news is that federal law restricts debt collectors' contact with third parties.
Doucet said in an email, "a debt collector may only contact employers, family, or friends for the purpose of locating the debtor, and is prohibited under the FDCPA from conveying information that would indicate the purpose of the communication is to collect a debt." The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is designed to protect consumers from abusive, deceptive or unfair practices by debt collectors.
The first page of the fax requested job title, dates of employment and address of the employer. Such an inquiry, if it were a genuine effort to locate Joanne, or if she had a judgment against her, would likely be perfectly legal and appropriate. However, without a legal judgment, the request goes beyond what is likely allowed under the FDCPA because it is asking for more than just her personal contact information. Nevertheless, an employer is not required to respond to a faxed request for information.
Are They For Real?
The second page of the fax raises some concerns because it uses language that is often used by scammers to scare consumers into paying debts they may not owe. It lists a "case number" and a message.
"This Law Office is investigating [consumer name redacted] on pending charges out of [consumer's County]. Please complete & return promptly. We also would like a copy provided to [consumer]." That is, the fax also asks the employer to share the letter with the alleged debtor, which may be an illegitimate effort to pressure the debtor into paying.
read more...
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/debt-collector-fax-employer-103028267.html
Monday, November 10, 2014
New Castle Zoning Board Moves Closer To Mosque Vote | Chappaqua Real Estate
The New Castle Zoning Board of Appeals voted to adopt a findings statement for the Upper Westchester Muslim Society’s proposed mosque, a step that effectively ends its environmental review of the project.
The ZBA made the unanimous vote at its Oct. 29 meeting following overviews of several environmental topics by Town Planner Sabrina Charney Hull.
The proposed mosque would be nearly 25,000 square feet and located at 130 Pinesbridge Road, which is in the West End of town. The project includes 120 onsite parking spaces and 15 allotted for landbanking, which means potential future use. The society, which is also called UWMS, has proposed having offsite parking at several nearby locations, which would be used for two major holidays. Busing would then be used to bring people to the site. If UWMS is not unable to secure enough offsite parking, then it proposes to cap attendance.
The proposed mosque has been met with concern from several neighboring residents who worry about traffic , potential septic failure and impact on a nearby lake. During her overview discussion, Hull noted that the applicant has committed to pumping out the septic tank and overflow tank prior to holidays. Hull, discussing hydraulic connectivity, explained that the lake is not connected to the site.
The next step for the ZBA is to vote on whether to grant UWMS a special permit for the mosque. ZBA Chairman Kenneth Cooper does not expect a vote at the board’s November meeting because they have not seen a draft of the permit’s language.
“So it would be, I think too quick a turnaround to expect it that soon,” he said.
A vote on the permit, according to Cooper, depends on how quickly it is drafted and on how quickly they are able to give input.
Adoption of the findings statement followed acceptance of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the project. The FEIS, in turn, was the successor document to the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). the Muslim Society revised its project earlier this year to expand a setback near an neighboring property and to include its current parking proposal.
Hussein Elzoghby, a Muslim Society board member, expressed satisfaction with the findings statement being consistent with what they worked on previously in the DEIS and FEIS.
The atmosphere at the Zoning Bosrd meeting was markedly different from earlier ones, with turnout being considerably lower. The previous meetings were for public hearings pertaining to the project.
read more...
http://chappaqua.dailyvoice.com/news/new-castle-zoning-board-moves-closer-mosque-vote
The ZBA made the unanimous vote at its Oct. 29 meeting following overviews of several environmental topics by Town Planner Sabrina Charney Hull.
The proposed mosque would be nearly 25,000 square feet and located at 130 Pinesbridge Road, which is in the West End of town. The project includes 120 onsite parking spaces and 15 allotted for landbanking, which means potential future use. The society, which is also called UWMS, has proposed having offsite parking at several nearby locations, which would be used for two major holidays. Busing would then be used to bring people to the site. If UWMS is not unable to secure enough offsite parking, then it proposes to cap attendance.
The proposed mosque has been met with concern from several neighboring residents who worry about traffic , potential septic failure and impact on a nearby lake. During her overview discussion, Hull noted that the applicant has committed to pumping out the septic tank and overflow tank prior to holidays. Hull, discussing hydraulic connectivity, explained that the lake is not connected to the site.
The next step for the ZBA is to vote on whether to grant UWMS a special permit for the mosque. ZBA Chairman Kenneth Cooper does not expect a vote at the board’s November meeting because they have not seen a draft of the permit’s language.
“So it would be, I think too quick a turnaround to expect it that soon,” he said.
A vote on the permit, according to Cooper, depends on how quickly it is drafted and on how quickly they are able to give input.
Adoption of the findings statement followed acceptance of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the project. The FEIS, in turn, was the successor document to the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). the Muslim Society revised its project earlier this year to expand a setback near an neighboring property and to include its current parking proposal.
Hussein Elzoghby, a Muslim Society board member, expressed satisfaction with the findings statement being consistent with what they worked on previously in the DEIS and FEIS.
The atmosphere at the Zoning Bosrd meeting was markedly different from earlier ones, with turnout being considerably lower. The previous meetings were for public hearings pertaining to the project.
read more...
http://chappaqua.dailyvoice.com/news/new-castle-zoning-board-moves-closer-mosque-vote
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Darling Red-Brick 'Castle' in the Hamptons Wants $4.3M | Bedford Hills Real Estate
So what if this historic red-brick house is moatless and only 2,900 square feet in size—its characteristic ivy-covered turret has got the oceanfront town of Southampton, New York, calling it "the Castle" nonetheless. Built in 1911, the three-bedroom dwelling was most recently purchased by noted Manhattan interior designer William Sofield in for $830K in 1999. After over a decade of careful restoration, Sofield has listed the home for $4.3M.
There are two bedroom suites on the main level and a sunny master bedroom up in the turret. Sofield has tried to revive the home's original arts-and-crafts style décor, complete with retro appliances in the kitchen and plenty of wooden furnishings throughout. The petite residence also has a surprising treat in the backyard: right next to the heated gunite pool, there's a design-y gazebo formed by elaborately carved openings.
read more...
http://curbed.com/archives/2014/11/04/southampton-ivy-castle-william-sofield.php
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Location Is King | Bedford Real Estate
The real estate adage “location, location, location” has been around for decades. Real estate agents, investors and experienced home buyers will tell you that location trumps everything. I always advise clients that you can make changes to a home, but you can’t change the location — short of moving the house.
Some neighborhoods change over time, of course, and most improve rather than getting worse. So as you set out to buy a home, should you look for the best home on the worst block? The worst home on the best block? The best home on the best block? (In real estate, “block” is a loose term for an area or neighborhood.) Here’s what you need to know.
How to buy in a great area at a lower price
A home could be in the best school district in the top neighborhood of any town, but if it’s on a busy street, across from a commercial center, next to a school or near a freeway on or off-ramp, that home’s value will always be significantly less than the values of comparable homes nearby. If you want to be in a great area but don’t want to pay top dollar, buying a home near a slightly undesirable feature could be an option, so long as the broader location is good.
The worst house on the best block: go for it, if you’re willing to work on it
If you have a good location, nobody can take that away from you. Smart real estate investors and developers know that if a home is in a good location, it’s a good investment. In places like San Francisco, it’s not uncommon to see 10 developers make offers on an absolutely ugly, tear-down house simply because of the location. If it’s a good house, there’s a huge upside for the person who renovates it.
For a home buyer who wants to live in the home and isn’t afraid of a little work, this is the best purchase to make. Why? Because once the renovations are done, you’re sitting on equity. The lesson here: Don’t be afraid to buy a home that needs work, particularly if it’s in a prime location.
The best house on the best block: a great choice if you plan to stick around
Buying a fully renovated home in an A+ neighborhood is a safe choice because it will likely hold its value. But it will not have the same upside seen by its fixer-upper neighbor down the street. While there will likely be dozens of buyers lined up to purchase a move-in ready home on a prime block, a home buyer needs to understand that they’re paying top market value for the house.
In this next generation of real estate, the world moves faster. People get job transfers more often, and it’s less common for someone to stay in their home for 30 years. If you pay top dollar for the best house on the best block and then have to sell it within a few years, your investment may not have time to appreciate enough to cover your selling closing costs.
read more....
http://www.zillow.com/blog/location-is-king-in-home-buying-163569/
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