Showing posts with label Bedford Corners Homes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bedford Corners Homes. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Color to Create Calm at Home | Bedford Corners Real Estate
I have spoken with far too many friends who have had a rough start in 2015. I say anyone who needs it should get a do-over and begin anew and make it better. One way to ease your way through tough and turbulent times is to create soothing spaces in your home. Specifically, I think bedrooms and bathrooms ought to be made into sanctuaries. That way you start and end your day in a good place. My favorite way to make a quick, cheap and easy change in a room is through the elimination of clutter and then the addition of color. Featured here are seven rooms awash in soothing color, along with paint color palettes inspired by each space.
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....
Friday, September 12, 2014
15 Space-saving kitchen cabinets with unique designs | Bedford Corners Real Estate
Photo credit: Martin Poole/Digital Vision/Getty Images
While traditional kitchen cabinetry is still certainly in style (and isn't likely to go anywhere), there's a new breed of cabinetry on the block. Sleek, unique and distinctively styled, the cabinetry in these 15 kitchens is full of wow factor.
read more....
http://www.sheknows.com/home-and-gardening/articles/1049825/unique-kitchen-cabinet-designs
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
A Waterfall Runs Through This $3M Brutalist Abode | Bedford Corners Real Estate
Location: Providence, R.I.
Price: $2,725,000
The Skinny: Modernism is likely not Topic A of discussion when the subject of Providence residential architecture comes up at parties (and don't pretend that it doesn't) but sitting high atop College Hill is at least one remarkable example of stone-cold Brutalism in the "Creative Capital." Designed in 1974 by architectural firm Huygens & Tappe, which spread Brick Brutalism far and wide across New England, the home takes advantage of its absolutely stellar siting by serving up incredible views of the city skyline, with an open floor plan that allows unimpeded views through its west-facing, floor-to-ceiling windows. The upper-level public living spaces and the master bedroom are connected to the lower residential areas by a curving staircase and waterfall, with the lower level opening out onto a pool deck and the heavily landscaped garden terrace. The kitchen has recently been redone with all new Birdseye Maple cabinets, and there is also a truly impressive wet bar, all of which is asking $2.725M.
read more....
http://curbed.com/archives/2014/08/19/a-waterfall-runs-through-this-3m-brutalist-home.php
Friday, July 11, 2014
China set to dominate foreign homebuyers market | Bedford Corners Homes
The share of U.S. homes purchased by international buyers is on the rise. As HousingWire reported on Tuesday, international buyers spent nearly $100 billion on properties and investments from April 2013 to March 2014.
The $99.2 billion that international buyers pumped into the market in from April 2013 to March 2014 represents a substantial increase from the previous 2012-2013 level of $68.2 billion, according to the National Association of Realtors.
According to the NAR report, Canada maintained the largest share of purchases, dropping from 23% in 2013 to 19% in 2014; however, China held the lead in dollar volume, purchasing an estimated $22 billion with an average sale cost of $590,826.
China was also the fastest growing source of transactions, now accounting for 16% of all purchases, up 4% from last year. Domestically the Chinese are facing their own property meltdown, one that could help push real estate investors into new markets.
read more...
http://www.housingwire.com/articles/30617-chinese-set-to-dominate-foreign-buying-market
Thursday, July 3, 2014
5 Factors That Influence Your Home's Resale Value | Bedford Corners Real Estate
While home sellers hope to get top dollar for their property -- and some have an inflated idea of what to expect -- establishing a home's value can be a complex, multifaceted process. Do home renovations really pay off? And which is more valuable: a three-bedroom or a four-bedroom with the same square footage? We talked to real estate insiders to find out.
1. Location. The classic real estate refrain says, "location, location, location." Location includes factors such as the price of recent nearby transactions, the quality of local schools and whether the area has a strong sense of community. "Buyers increasingly value community in the community where they're buying," says Amy Anderson, an agent with Davidson Realty, Inc. in St. Augustine, Florida. "They come to me not looking for a house for four years, but focusing much more on the community, the activities and the school district."
As Americans scale back their dependence on automobiles, some homebuyers seek out communities that don't require cars to get around. One resource is WalkScore.com, which rates neighborhoods throughout the U.S. based on access to public transit and proximity to grocery stores, parks and more." I think walkability has become more important in many markets, especially amongst millennials," says Ken Wilson, president of the Appraisal Institute, a professional association for real estate appraisers, and founder of Wilson Realty Advisors in Dallas. "You're also finding empty nesters that are looking into properties that have walkability."
But as Zillow.com chief economist Stan Humphries points out, location encompasses many other considerations. "Does it have a view? Is it a waterfront home?" he asks. "What's it next to? Is it near retail establishments? Or a highway?"
2. Size and layout. While homebuyers used to swoon over ample square footage, many have fallen out of love with the McMansion. "I think people realize when they buy a 3,300-square-foot house, they're not getting what they thought they were," Anderson says. "There's more upkeep and a lot more involved with taking care of these huge houses."
read more...
http://news.yahoo.com/5-factors-influence-homes-resale-value-193450165.html
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Going Moody in the Master Bedroom | Bedford Corners Real Estate
When interior designer Lindsay Pennington moved into husband Tim Mosher’s cottage bachelor pad, in the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles, “the whole house was a man cave,” she says. Together the couple renovated all of the public spaces, the kitchens, the bathrooms and the kids’ rooms, combining their belongings, buying new things and compromising.
By the time they were done with all of that, Mosher was suffering from renovation fatigue. So Pennington waited until the professional musician and composer left for a Super Bowl gig in New Orleans to redecorate their bedroom with pieces they already had. She changed up the layout, had the walls and ceilings painted and repurposed their furniture before Mosher came home, completing the makeover in just four days.
By the time they were done with all of that, Mosher was suffering from renovation fatigue. So Pennington waited until the professional musician and composer left for a Super Bowl gig in New Orleans to redecorate their bedroom with pieces they already had. She changed up the layout, had the walls and ceilings painted and repurposed their furniture before Mosher came home, completing the makeover in just four days.
The bureau on the left was passed down to Mosher through his family; the one on the right was passed down through Pennington’s. Serendipitously, they both have marble tops and are approximately the same height. Though she likes symmetry, Pennington likes to throw it off a bit to keep it from feeling too formulaic.
To change the layout, she placed the bed in front of a fireplace they never used. This is the view from the bedroom door; previously, the bed was across the room and the unused fireplace just kind of served as a hole. “Don’t be afraid to cover up a fireplace you’re not using,” the designer says.
To change the layout, she placed the bed in front of a fireplace they never used. This is the view from the bedroom door; previously, the bed was across the room and the unused fireplace just kind of served as a hole. “Don’t be afraid to cover up a fireplace you’re not using,” the designer says.
read more....
Monday, May 5, 2014
Don’t Be a Stickybeak — and Other Home-Related Lingo From Abroad | Bedford Corner Real Estate
My profession requires having a solid command of the English language. At least that’s something I like to tell people (or put at the beginning of an article about language, because it sounds interesting). But the truth is, it’s darn near impossible to keep up with the way people use any particular language.
The way we speak and the words we use are constantly changing and evolving. Humans have a tendency to make their own rules anyway, then create new rules that reverse the old rules. Like, did you know the original meaning of “awful” was “to inspire wonder”? Somewhere along the way, we decided to make it mean the opposite.
Home and design terms are no exception to the language madness. And in light of recently announcing Houzz sites in the U.K. and Australia, we thought it would be fitting to take a look at how everyday terms differ across oceans.
The way we speak and the words we use are constantly changing and evolving. Humans have a tendency to make their own rules anyway, then create new rules that reverse the old rules. Like, did you know the original meaning of “awful” was “to inspire wonder”? Somewhere along the way, we decided to make it mean the opposite.
Home and design terms are no exception to the language madness. And in light of recently announcing Houzz sites in the U.K. and Australia, we thought it would be fitting to take a look at how everyday terms differ across oceans.
For example, when Americans travel to the U.K. or Australia, they might be confused about what floor they’re on. There the first floor is located on what Americans would call the second. And what we call the first floor, they call the ground floor.
So, if you’re ever in, say, London or Sydney, you actually have to ascend a flight of stairs to reach the first floor.
So, if you’re ever in, say, London or Sydney, you actually have to ascend a flight of stairs to reach the first floor.
Author Jonathan Bernstein, who was born in Scotland and now lives in Los Angeles, wrote Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang about his experience trying to figure out why some U.K. words and phrases percolated across the Atlantic and some didn’t.
Few in America use “loo” when referring to the bathroom, for example. “When I came to America, I’d be talking to someone, and there’d be nothing but a blank look,” Bernstein says. “They didn’t understand, or I didn’t understand. ‘Restroom’ was one of those words that gave me years of trouble. A restroom to me was just a room upstairs for relaxing or something.”
Through Bernstein’s research, he found that a lot of U.K. lingo traveled with immigrants during the 1800s, who created a melting pot of cultures. “A lot of people just misheard stuff,” he says. “There was a lot of Jamaican patois, Yiddish — it was just an amalgamation of so many languages.”
Word origins aren’t always clear even in the original countries. In Bernstein’s native Glasgow, the word everyone used for bathroom when he was growing up was “cludgie”; he has no clue of its origins. “It’s just that Scottish thing of trying to make things as disgusting as possible,” he says.
Few in America use “loo” when referring to the bathroom, for example. “When I came to America, I’d be talking to someone, and there’d be nothing but a blank look,” Bernstein says. “They didn’t understand, or I didn’t understand. ‘Restroom’ was one of those words that gave me years of trouble. A restroom to me was just a room upstairs for relaxing or something.”
Through Bernstein’s research, he found that a lot of U.K. lingo traveled with immigrants during the 1800s, who created a melting pot of cultures. “A lot of people just misheard stuff,” he says. “There was a lot of Jamaican patois, Yiddish — it was just an amalgamation of so many languages.”
Word origins aren’t always clear even in the original countries. In Bernstein’s native Glasgow, the word everyone used for bathroom when he was growing up was “cludgie”; he has no clue of its origins. “It’s just that Scottish thing of trying to make things as disgusting as possible,” he says.
read more....
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
What the new FHA mortgage limits mean for you | Bedford Corners NY Real Estate
The Federal Housing Administration recently announced a reduction in high-cost area loan limits -- a reduction that comes in accordance with the government’s ongoing effort to retreat from the housing market. Rewind the clock to 2008, when financial markets were significantly depressed, the economy was on the verge of recession -- enter the FHA as the new outlet to support a frail housing sector.
Since then, unemployment has dropped, job growth, while still bleak, is improving, and real estate is in demand. The FHA has accomplished its goal of helping to boost the housing market. Now the government wants to minimize its exposure to bigger loans.
The FHA loan limit reduction will affect homebuyers in higher-end properties. For example, if you take Sonoma County, Calif., the maximum new FHA loan limit in January will be reduced to $520,950 from $662,500. Homebuyers who once could buy with less capital will now have to invest more cash into the deal or buy less house.
If you're looking to buy a house but haven't yet, here's what to expect in 2014.
1. Your mortgage limits will be lower
Most counties will see the maximum loan limits decrease, on average, by $67,250 beginning January 2014.
2. You'll see jumbo mortgages again
A jumbo mortgage loan typically has tighter qualifying restrictions in terms of credit history and debt ratio requirements than its FHA loan counterpart. For example, a buyer with tarnished credit can use an FHA loan to purchase a home three years out of the short sale or foreclosure or two years after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. But with many jumbos, the standard seven years will apply in most cases. One exception to this is if you have 30% down, a lender will consider granting a jumbo loan to a borrower two years after they’ve had a short sale.
3. You'll need to get your credit score in order
You'll need at least a 700 credit score to play ball. The best terms will go to those with 740 scores or better. (Before you even start shopping for a home, it's important to know what shape your credit is in. There are many ways to check your credit scores, including Credit.com's Credit Report Card, which is a free tool that shows you your credit scores and an overview of your credit report so you know which aspects of your credit you need to work on to get a higher score.)
4. You might need a 20% down payment
No longer will homebuyers on the higher-end market be able to purchase a home with less than 20% down if the loan is not conforming high balance or FHA. In other words, 20% down is going to be the new normal in most markets for majority buyers. Many investors simply do not allow for mortgage insurance on large scale loan sizes.
http://money.msn.com/home-loans/article.aspx?post=32d491e3-26b8-4f5d-8787-b3941b4a1ef2
Since then, unemployment has dropped, job growth, while still bleak, is improving, and real estate is in demand. The FHA has accomplished its goal of helping to boost the housing market. Now the government wants to minimize its exposure to bigger loans.The FHA loan limit reduction will affect homebuyers in higher-end properties. For example, if you take Sonoma County, Calif., the maximum new FHA loan limit in January will be reduced to $520,950 from $662,500. Homebuyers who once could buy with less capital will now have to invest more cash into the deal or buy less house.
If you're looking to buy a house but haven't yet, here's what to expect in 2014.
1. Your mortgage limits will be lower
Most counties will see the maximum loan limits decrease, on average, by $67,250 beginning January 2014.
2. You'll see jumbo mortgages again
A jumbo mortgage loan typically has tighter qualifying restrictions in terms of credit history and debt ratio requirements than its FHA loan counterpart. For example, a buyer with tarnished credit can use an FHA loan to purchase a home three years out of the short sale or foreclosure or two years after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. But with many jumbos, the standard seven years will apply in most cases. One exception to this is if you have 30% down, a lender will consider granting a jumbo loan to a borrower two years after they’ve had a short sale.
3. You'll need to get your credit score in order
You'll need at least a 700 credit score to play ball. The best terms will go to those with 740 scores or better. (Before you even start shopping for a home, it's important to know what shape your credit is in. There are many ways to check your credit scores, including Credit.com's Credit Report Card, which is a free tool that shows you your credit scores and an overview of your credit report so you know which aspects of your credit you need to work on to get a higher score.)
4. You might need a 20% down payment
No longer will homebuyers on the higher-end market be able to purchase a home with less than 20% down if the loan is not conforming high balance or FHA. In other words, 20% down is going to be the new normal in most markets for majority buyers. Many investors simply do not allow for mortgage insurance on large scale loan sizes.
http://money.msn.com/home-loans/article.aspx?post=32d491e3-26b8-4f5d-8787-b3941b4a1ef2
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Chicago-area home prices climb 14% from last October | Bedford Corners Homes
Home sales and median prices in the Chicago area continued to beat year-ago comparisons in October, and the time it took to sell a home plunged as a result of a lack of inventory.
October sales of existing homes in the nine-county Chicago area rose 9.6 percent from a year ago to 9,303 homes sold, at a median price of $175,000, up 14.4 percent, the Illinois Association of Realtors said Tuesday.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-11-20/business/chi-chicago-home-prices-sales-20131120_1_october-home-chicago-area-home-prices-geoffrey-j-d-hewings
October sales of existing homes in the nine-county Chicago area rose 9.6 percent from a year ago to 9,303 homes sold, at a median price of $175,000, up 14.4 percent, the Illinois Association of Realtors said Tuesday.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-11-20/business/chi-chicago-home-prices-sales-20131120_1_october-home-chicago-area-home-prices-geoffrey-j-d-hewings
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