Rural Communities Attract More Buyers | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Purchase mortgages grew at a faster rate in rural communities than in the rest of the nation last year and rural borrowers paid significantly higher rates of interest than urban or suburban home buyers in 2014, according to an analysis of recently released data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) by Keith Wiley, senior research associate at the Housing Assistance Council.

While all mortgages declined, the number of loans for home purchases increased both nationally and in rural communities in 2014. Rural home purchase originations grew by almost 7 percent, higher than the national increase in home purchases, which increased 4 percent over 2013. However, rural home purchase loan volume (440,489) still remained less than half of what it was before the Great Recession in 2006 (926,156).

However, rural home buyers paid higher interest rates mortgages last year than urban or suburban buyers. Approximately 15 percent of all rural home purchase loans were classified as high cost in 2014, up from 11 percent for calendar year 2013. The rate of rural high cost lending is approximately four and three percentage points higher than the rate for suburban and urban loans.  High cost mortgages with interest rates that are significantly higher than the prime rates charged for similar loans (1.5 percentage points higher for a first lien and 3.5 percentage points higher for a second lien).

One reason rural loans average higher rates of interest than loans in other regions may be that high cost loans are particularly prevalent in manufactured home lending, a market segment important to rural communities. In 2014, nearly two-thirds of rural manufactured home purchase loans were classified as high cost loans — six times the high cost rate for single family home loans. Manufactured homes are largely financed with personal property, or “chattel,” loans which frequently carry higher interest rates than conventional home purchase mortgages. Approximately half of all manufactured home loans occurred in rural communities which elevates the overall high cost lending levels in rural areas.

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http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2015/10/purchase-mortgages-increase-faster-in-rural-america/

Glass House Kicks Off Season With Summer Party | Pound Ridge Real Estate

The Glass House in New Canaan will be celebrating the start of the summer season with its annual Summer Party on June 13, from noon to 4 p.m.

Space is limited, so buy your tickets now.

Supported by Swarovski, the event features a festive picnic by Campagna, the restaurant of The Bedford Post Inn.

Enjoy a performance by Lucky Dragons and listen to DJs Timo + Alan play the perfect blend of summer hits while trying your hand at classic lawn games such as croquet and ping-pong. 

Stop by the Design Within Reach photo booth to capture the moment or lounge on one of their chaise lounges.

If you are more leisure-minded, enjoy a glass of Taittinger champagne and explore the early paintings and graphic design work of Elaine Lustig Cohen in the Painting Gallery, or Highlights from the Sculpture Gallery, featuring Robert Morris' "Untitled (Nine Fiberglass Sleeves)," 1967, on view to the public for the first time in Da Monsta. 

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http://newcanaan.dailyvoice.com/events/glass-house-kicks-season-summer-party-new-canaan

F. Scott Fitzgerald's Party House Lists | Pound Ridge Real Estate

If F. Scott Fitzgerald was right that we’re “borne back ceaselessly into the past,” then it’s fortunate when there are photographs to go with those backward glances.

And there are photos to accompany the $3,888,888 listing of the Long Island estate where Fitzgerald began writing “The Great Gatsby,” as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

He and his wife, Zelda, rented the now-remodeled 7-bedroom, 6.5-bath home for two years in the early 1920s.

Zelda called it “our nifty little Babbit-home at Great Neck,” and it became their base for parties and visits to even more luxurious homes in the vicinity, which eventually became the class-conscious West Egg and East Egg of “Gatsby.”

The Fitzgeralds’ raucous parties here spurred the writing of half-facetious house rules such as, “Visitors are requested not to break down doors in search of liquor, even when authorized to do so by the host and hostess,” according to Andrew Turnbull’s biography of Scott Fitzgerald.

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http://www.zillow.com/blog/

Sink or Swim in Google's New Spa-Themed Office in Budapest | #Pound Ridge Real Estate

All photos by Attila Balázs via Behance

Google's notoriously quirky approach to office design has taken an intensely aquatic turn in Budapest, Hungary. While the newly-completed interiors of the tech giant's Budapest outpost lacks, say, the strange orange groves or Smurf-blue carwash brushesfound in some other global locations, local firm Graphasel Design Studio makes it up with a hard-core spa theme, inspired by some 500 springs found in the Hungarian capital.

The office's conference room, for example, has a vinyl floor with a sparkly pool effect, plus matching blue rolling chairs. And to weave in Hungary's strong water polo culture, the room also features printed wallpaper that appears to be blown-up photographs of a water polo match, along with a bunch of pink water polo ballshanging from the ceiling. Elsewhere, a meeting room is modeled after a hall in Hungary's famous Gellért Baths, a white-tiled sofa comes with its own pool ladder, and of course, a wood-lined sauna is already equipped with a computer.

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http://curbed.com/archives/2015/02/12/google-budapest-office.php

Camille Grammer's Malibu Home | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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.


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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

Comfort Food and Garden Strolls in Crown Heights/Ditmas Park | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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Photos: Driely S. for Racked

Crown Heights may have been anointed the next "up-and-coming" neighborhood by The New York Times, but it hasn't peaked at full-blown, chain store-stuffed popularity just yet. Instead, the area is buzzing with new businesses, delicious eats, talented artists, and a strong vintage game. After feasting on comfort food, caffeinating with strong coffee, and stocking up on pre-loved fashion and hard-to-find books, Ditmas Park—home of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden—is a quick stroll away. Here's how to hit up the best of both neighborhoods in one Saturday.

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  ↑ Start your day on a Southern note with down-home cooking at Catfish (1433 Bedford Avenue). This cozy neighborhood spot serves up thoughtfully prepared comfort food with a side of spice. Tuck into chicken-fried steak with eggs, a catfish po’boy, or shrimp and grits, and complement your meal with a kick in the form of a Creole Bloody Mary.
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  ↑ Temporary tattoos, handmade chocolates, candles, greeting cards, jewelry, toys for babies, sweaters for dogs—Owl & Thistle General Store (833 Franklin Avenue) is full of the kinds of things you never knew you needed. The inventory is eclectic with a crafty, locavore slant. You’ll find unique gifts, not to mention snacks from Brooklyn favorites like McClure’s, Nunu and Brewklyn Grind Coffee & Tea Co.

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http://ny.racked.com/archives/2014/10/31/perfect_saturday_crown_heightsditmas_park.php

Merv Griffin's Rehabbed Carmel Valley Ranch Returns for $6M | Pound Ridge Real Estate

The former Carmel Valley estate of the late entertainer and media mogul Merv Griffin is back on the market. The radio and big band singer-turned-talk show host—you might recognize the set of his eponymous show from an unforgettable Seinfeld episode—added the 57 acres to his hefty property portfolio in the 1970s. The hilltop estate consists of what the listing calls a "collection of private cottages and guest suites surrounded by lawns and entertainment areas," along with vineyards and an accompanying ranch. The asking price for the Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune creator's former summer retreat is $5.975M.

                      

That's down from the $6.2M it was shopped around for in 2007, shortly before Griffin's death, when the Real Estalker reported he was putting it on the market because he didn't use it enough. This time around, Hawkridge has been "lovingly restored and updated by Merv's friend and former CEO of the Griffin Group into an extraordinary family compound and private retreat." The buildings on offer include a 2,180-square-foot main house with a combined living-dining room and kitchen (but no bedrooms), a two-bedroom (converted?) pool house, a four-bedroom guest building, a one-bedroom guest cottage, and the two-bedroom cottage that Griffin stayed in. With the caretaker's unit and recently added "entertainment center" thrown in, there's a total "livable area" of 9,378 square feet, which doesn't include a garage with an attached area for wine storage, and a combined barn and workshop.




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http://curbed.com/archives/2014/09/18/merv-griffins-carmel-valley-ranch-for-sale.php
 

Trick Out Your Kitchen Backsplash for Storage and More | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Besides having aesthetic value, backsplashes can also be a useful, easy-to-access storage area. Hanging frequently used items such as knives, utensils and cookware on wall space in front of you rather than hiding them behind cabinets saves time with food prep and also frees up precious counter space. Adding hanging bars, magnetic strips, shelving and even pot-filling faucets can help make the most of your kitchen backsplash. Here’s how.

Davenport Building Solutions

While kitchen countertop sizes vary considerably, the length in most kitchens totals about 10 feet. Meanwhile, the average backsplash height is 18 inches (many reach much higher).

That gives you a substantial 15-square-foot area to make more resourceful. If you could store frequently-used utensils and knives on your backsplash instead of inside your cabinets or on your countertop, think of the extra space you’ll gain. Plus, these culinary workhorses will be easier to find when they’re at arm’s reach in front of you.

Nic Darling

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DIY or hire a pro? If you are patient, are handy with a drill, have great attention to detail and have the right drill bit, you can likely do this work yourself. Otherwise consider hiring a handyperson or carpenter. If your pieces are to be anchored to a tile backsplash, a tile installer can often perform this work as well.

Cost: If you hire a carpenter or tile installer, plan to pay about $60 an hour for labor. Keep in mind that labor costs vary in different regions, but this is a good starting point for budgeting purposes. As site conditions and project scopes are diverse, it’s difficult to estimate the time required for the average job, but you should be able to get a cost estimate if you hire a professional. The benefits of this route are that the installer has likely performed this work before and can finish it more quickly and with fewer mistakes than some DIYers.

 

 

 

 

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http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/30419992?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u614&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery4

 

Brazilian Homes Score With Modern Style and Fun | Pound Ridge Real Estate

ll eyes are on Brazil, and regardless of whom you’re cheering for, Brazilian design is a guaranteed winner. From Oscar Niemeyer’s modern masterpieces in Brasília, to the whimsical promenade by Roberto Burle Marx at Rio de Janeiro Beach and Sergio Rodrigues’ loungeworthy furniture, modernism in Brazil plays by its own rules.

Let’s take a look at three modern Brazilian homes that don’t forget to bring the fun. Though each is distinct, it’s easy to see a common thread between them and their predecessors. Simple geometry puts a strong emphasis on color and maximizing social space. Yes, there are steel and concrete, but there are also teal and bright yellow.

1:1 arquitetura:design

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The Box House, Brasília
1:1 Arquitetura:Design
Photography by Edgard Cesar
Our first house takes us to Brasília, Brazil’s capital, in the country’s central western region. The city was planned and developed from scratch by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer in 1956 along with landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, before becoming the country’s capital in 1960. Brasília is full of modernist architectural masterpieces and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. It’s also one of the World Cup’s host cities.

This house, by 1:1 Arquitetura:Design, is a 700-square-foot (65-square-meter) concrete box. The structure was designed so that the room configuration could be easily redesigned. Designers Eduardo Sáinz Márquez and Lilian Glayna maximized the house for gatherings of the homeowner and friends.

1:1 arquitetura:design

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1:1 arquitetura:design

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Márquez and Glayna wrapped Cor-Ten steel around the glass door entries, marking the home’s threshold. Brasília’s climate is comparable to that of Southern California and Australia, so this overhang also functions as a shade structure during the day. At night the house can be opened to bring in cool, fresh air.

1:1 arquitetura:design

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Inside, “the house is really Brazilian contemporary architecture,” says Márquez. It’s efficient but playful.

The designers paid attention to texture and color when furnishing the house. Most of the pieces are by Brazilian designers. Marcus Ferreira designed the gray striped sofa. The glass coffee table comes from Estudio Bola. In the foreground we can see the ottoman of a chair designed by Alfio Lisi, called Poltrona Leme Baixa.

 

 

 

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Searching For A Home? This Might Help | Pound Ridge NY Homes

For our first visit to Curbed University, we're getting straight down to business: Buying. We'll be covering other topics throughout the week?renting, mortgages, selling, neighborhoods, et al?but this should hopefully provide you with some insight to help you start navigating the sales market in the Hamptons. Of course, there are primarily two type of homebuyers out here (year round residents and summer visitors), so we'll be doing our best to tailor this info to both.

Where should you buy?
Summer home buyers: The best bit of advice we've come across with respect to beginning your search is that it might be in your best interest to rent for a few seasons before making the plunge. Each town has a different vibe and potential homebuyers will benefit from discovering just what that is on their own. You may enjoy a day trip to Montauk, but owning a summer home out there is a completely different beast. Same goes for the rest of the towns, villages and hamlets on the South Fork. Get to know what makes each town disctinct. If you have the luxury of waiting (and aren't worried that market is going to rebound dramatically), figuring out just where you can see yourself in two, five or even ten years is a safe bet.

Year round residents: Since you already have an idea of what its like to live out here full time, factors like school district (if you have kids), property taxes and price point are all going to play a part in your decision. You probably already have an idea of where you'd want to buy if the stars align, so no need to go to in depth here.

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http://hamptons.curbed.com/archives/2012/03/26/searching_for_a_home_this_might_help.php

This brand-new hotel looks like it’s from the future | Pound Ridge Real Estate

The InterContinental Davos is one hotel that it’s impossible to take our eyes off of, with its shimmering rounded golden façade designed by the Munich firm Oikios.

It’s like a luxury space ship has landed in this tony town, most famous for its annual economic forum but also one of Switzerland’s most popular ski resorts.

The 216 guest rooms have a modern edge to them, too, while still looking like very appealing places to hole up and watch the snow fall.

Though there are no typical ski lodge touches in sight, the Capricorn restaurant will keep it local with a menu featuring dishes from the South Tyrol, Savoy, and Piedmont regions.

Futuristic hotel




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http://living.msn.com/life-inspired/life-unleashed/this-brand-new-hotel-looks-like-it%e2%80%99s-from-the-future

It’s Time to Spring Clean Your Yard | Pound Ridge Real Estate

It’s Time to Spring Clean Your Yard | Pound Ridge Real Estate | Bedford New York Real Estate | Bedford NY Homes by Robert Paul Realtor

Pound Ridge Real Estate Report

Pound Ridge NY Weekly Real Estate Report	2/24/2014
Homes for sale	56
Median Ask Price	$1,225,000.00
Low Price	$285,000.00
High Price	$5,700,000.00
Average Size	4242
Average Price/foot	$345.00
Average DOM	141
Average Ask Price	$1,450,728.00

Step Inside Spike Lee's Historic Townhouse, Listed For $32M | Pound Ridge Homes

Step Inside Spike Lee's Historic Townhouse, Listed For $32M - Celebrity Real Estate - Curbed NY

Four Big Things in Real Estate That WONT Happen in 2014 | Pound Ridge NY Real Estate

Four Big Things in Real Estate That WONT Happen in 2014 | Pound Ridge NY Real Estate | Bedford New York Real Estate | Bedford NY Homes by Robert Paul Realtor

Sales Plunged in December | Pound Ridge NY Homes

The housing recovery closed up shop in December as year-over-year sales dropped from 9.4 percent to 6.4 percent above levels of a year ago and threaten to end the year only a meager 5 percent above sales in December 2012.

The latest weekly data from Dataquick shows that the 30-day average sales on Christmas Eve fell for second week in a row and prices, though sagging since the first week of the month, remained in the double digits above 2012.

	Homes Sales			Median Homes Sale Prices
Run Date	30 Days of Sales	% chg from 1 yr ago	% chg from 3 yrs ago	30 Days of Sales	% chg from 1 yr ago	% chg from 3 yrs ago
11/21/2013	227,831	10.2%	40.9%	$218,000	12.4%	15.3%
11/28/2013	221,468	8.7%	35.3%	$216,160	12.0%	13.8%
12/5/2013	219,035	8.8%	33.1%	$220,000	12.8%	15.8%
12/12/2013	222,597	14.1%	41.9%	$220,000	12.5%	17.0%
12/19/2013	207,914	9.4%	36.1%	$220,000	11.7%	15.9%
12/26/2013	204,498	6.4%	34.8%	$221,000	11.1%	16.3%

S
ource: DataQuick; DQNews.com

Mapping the 20 Most Expensive Sales of 2013 | Pound Ridge NY Real Estate

Mapping the 20 Most Expensive Sales of 2013 | Pound Ridge NY Real Estate | Bedford New York Real Estate | Bedford NY Homes by Robert Paul Realtor

7 Ways to Grow Your Blog With Pinterest | Pound Ridge Realtor

Would you like more traffic to your blog?
Are you looking for creative ways to use Pinterest to benefit your business blog?
Pinterest offers a robust path to help you build your blog.
You can use Pinterest to find content for your blog, grow your audience and increase your website traffic.
In this article, I’ll show you 7 easy ways to use Pinterest to grow your business blog and engage further with your online audience.

#1: Create a Blog Think Tank

Are you constantly clipping articles, studies, posts and pictures and placing them in an idea folder—online or off? Pinterest is tailor-made for doing this quickly and easily online.
Create secret boards for your blog post ideas and use them as placeholders for images, videos, quotes, etc. that you want to blog about in the future. Curate boards for single posts, a series you’re working on, even potential guest bloggers.

Pin It

Pin It

You can use secret boards as placeholders for content you may want to use in the future.

Remember, secret Pinterest boards are only visible to you. You can use them to curate content ideas securely for your business blog.

#2: Search Pinterest for New Content Inspiration

It’s no secret that business bloggers face the constant need to churn out fresh content. When you struggle to come up with something new, turn to Pinterest and find a treasure trove of ideas for a single post or a series of articles that will interest your readers.
Check Your Keywords
Because Pinterest is keyword search–friendly, you can easily search for and find pins associated with the focus of your blog. Simply go to the search box at the top left of the Pinterest site and enter a keyword related to your blog.
Scroll through the tabs to find recurring themes or items and topics that have high repin rates, a lot of likes and generate a large number of comments. Add the topics that make sense to your content calendar and create your own popular posts.


http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/grow-your-blog-with-pinterest/

7 Ways to Grow Your Blog With Pinterest | Pound Ridge Realtor

Would you like more traffic to your blog?
Are you looking for creative ways to use Pinterest to benefit your business blog?
Pinterest offers a robust path to help you build your blog.
You can use Pinterest to find content for your blog, grow your audience and increase your website traffic.
In this article, I’ll show you 7 easy ways to use Pinterest to grow your business blog and engage further with your online audience.

#1: Create a Blog Think Tank

Are you constantly clipping articles, studies, posts and pictures and placing them in an idea folder—online or off? Pinterest is tailor-made for doing this quickly and easily online.
Create secret boards for your blog post ideas and use them as placeholders for images, videos, quotes, etc. that you want to blog about in the future. Curate boards for single posts, a series you’re working on, even potential guest bloggers.

Pin It

You can use secret boards as placeholders for content you may want to use in the future.

Remember, secret Pinterest boards are only visible to you. You can use them to curate content ideas securely for your business blog.

#2: Search Pinterest for New Content Inspiration

It’s no secret that business bloggers face the constant need to churn out fresh content. When you struggle to come up with something new, turn to Pinterest and find a treasure trove of ideas for a single post or a series of articles that will interest your readers.
Check Your Keywords
Because Pinterest is keyword search–friendly, you can easily search for and find pins associated with the focus of your blog. Simply go to the search box at the top left of the Pinterest site and enter a keyword related to your blog.
Scroll through the tabs to find recurring themes or items and topics that have high repin rates, a lot of likes and generate a large number of comments. Add the topics that make sense to your content calendar and create your own popular posts.

Pin It

A search for the keyword “backpacking” shows a trending interest in food-related content.

Remember, the more on-point your content, the more likely it is to be shared across other social media sites.
Look for Interesting Images
Whether they’re related to your topic or not, you’re likely to stumble upon a pinned image of an idea, picture, service or product that encourages you to think outside the box and write a post that stretches you. Add it to your secret board for a future article.
Pinterest can be a useful source of inspiration for your business blogging topics.

#3: Write Articles That Relate to Pinterest’s Most Popular Categories

A 2012 report by RJMetrics showed that the most popular categories and topics on Pinterest are:

• Home (17.2%)
• Arts and Crafts (12.4%)
• Style/Fashion (11.7%)
• Food (10.5%)
• Inspiration/Education (9.0%)
• Holidays/Seasonal (3.9%)
• Humor (2.1%)
• Products (2.1%)
• Travel (1.9%)
• Kids (1.8%)

If your blog centers on any of these topics and you pin a post to your board, it’s a logical assumption that someone visiting your Pinterest board (or the boards of people who repin your content) will click through and read your blog.
For example, food blogger Stephanie Manley of CopyKat Recipes says that Pinterest drives more traffic to her blog than Facebook and Twitter combined. “What I love about Pinterest is that boards are curated by real people. Thanks to them, my website receives about 10,000 additional unique visitors a month.”


http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/grow-your-blog-with-pinterest/

Understanding cultural expectations helps agents better market to buyers | Pound Ridge NY Homes

Understanding cultural expectations helps agents better market to buyers | Pound Ridge NY Homes | Bedford New York Real Estate | Bedford NY Homes by Robert Paul Realtor