Solar is cheaper, but consumers don’t seem to know | South Salem Real Estate

Homeowners across the country are making more environmentally-conscious shopping decisions, but when it comes to powering their homes, many overestimate the cost of solar energy, according to a recent survey from a company that sells solar energy systems.

More than half of American homeowners are more likely to take consider a product's environmental sustainability into consideration than they were three years ago when making a purchasing decision, according to a survey commissioned by SolarCity and conducted by Zogby Analytics. About 62 percent said that they want solar power for their homes.

 

"We think people just don't realize how affordable solar has become. Less than half homeowners surveyed said that they realize that solar power is less expensive today than it was three years ago, when in reality the costs have fallen dramatically," said Jonathan Bass, vice president of communications at SolarCity.

About 29 percent of those surveyed said that they could be convinced to start using solar power at home if solar panel installation and equipment were free. Free solar panel installations are available in 14 states, Bass said.

 

Approximately 70 percent of all homeowners consider or investigate the sustainability of big-ticket items when making purchasing decisions, and more than half are more likely to take sustainability considerations into account today than they were three years ago, according to the data from SolarCity.

But homeowners seem to be starting small. The most popular planned clean-energy purchases in the next year are LED light bulbs (31 percent of homeowners), followed by smart thermostats, double- or triple-pane windows, hybrid cars, and Energy-Star rated hot water heaters, according to SolarCity, whose biggest U.S. competitors include Verengo Solar, Vivint Solar, REC Solar and Sungevity.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/big-data-download/solar-is-cheaper--but-consumers-don-t-seem-to-know-163348584.html

Final chapter for Rizzoli bookstore as demolition awaits | Waccabuc Real Estate

Rizzoli Bookstore at 31 West 57th Street

The Landmarks Preservation Commission is weighing an application to preserve the interior of the Rizzoli Bookstore, just days before the retailer plans to shut down
.
The LeFrak family and Vornado Realty Trust, owners of the property at 31 West 57th Street, intend to demolish the property, along with two adjacent buildings. Rizzoli has served as the anchor tenant at the 109-year-old, six-story building for 29 years. The store is offering 40 percent discounts on merchandise prior to its last day on Friday.

The Landmarks board already rejected Rizzoli’s request for individual landmark designation, deciding that it did not meet the criteria. LeFrak and Vornado have not yet filed permits for demolition.

“It is important to note that if a building or interior is landmarked, the Commission does not regulate use,” a spokesperson for the commission said in a statement cited by DNAinfo. “Therefore, a business — like a bookstore — can relocate at any time based on their specific lease agreements.”



http://therealdeal.com/blog/2014/04/08/rizzoli-bookstore-set-to-close-as-landmarks-mulls-new-bid/

Luxury Digs Stake out New Turf | Cross River Real Estate

Market forces are changing the shape of luxury locations, expanding borders to enlarge the supply of million dollar plus homes just outside of historically affluent neighborhoods. Unlike homes at the other end of the price scale where inventory shortages fueled double digit price increases, the new growth is a result of the reviving economy

Coldwell Banker Previews International® released its first Luxury Market Index, which analyzed U.S. cities with at least 25 home sales of $1 million and higher in 2013 and ranked the best performing markets by a number of factors including annualized sales in units, volume, average and median sale price.

Topping the list was Woodside, Calif., home to venture capitalists and international entrepreneurs, was the top performing luxury market for 2013 based on critical metrics including annualized sales in units, volume and average and median sale price. Two other hot Silicon Valley communities, Portola Valley and Hillsborough, Calif., ranked in the top five, with all based less than 30 minutes from the Northern California corporate headquarters of Apple, Facebook and Google.

Inventory is very tight in markets like Woodside, a reserved community with many homes hidden down long tree-lined driveways and private lanes, where 24 of Forbes’ richest people in America own property. Much of Woodside is owned by Stanford University, which is selling any land. With inventory low, the ultra-wealthy are flocking to other surrounding suburbs in the region, including Portola Valley, Hillsborough and Atherton depending on their lifestyle needs.

But unlike lower tiered markets, inventory is not the real powerhouse behind today’s Silicon Valleyu boom. Rather, the exploding tech economy, which is creating immense wealth on a daily basis when start-ups get bought out and new venture flourish.



http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2014/04/luxury-digs-stake-out-new-turf/

The Secret Way to Plant Perennials This Spring | Katonah NY Real Estate

Thawing temperatures are starting to lure us outdoors to get back into the garden. Next up in the process of preparing your home for spring: planting perennials

If you're wondering what to plant, we recommend Gaillardia 'Fanfare.' Its glorious sunsetlike colors and unique trumpet-shaped petals distinguish this hardy perennial, which thrives in most U.S. climates and blooms from late spring into fall. ($9.95 each; parkseed.com.)

It will bloom continuously, May through fall, or frost. To prune, cut the stems all the way back to the foliage.

With a bit of extra effort-namely, judicious pruning-these choices will offer a repeat performance.



https://shine.yahoo.com/green/secret-planting-perennials-spring-175000581.html

9 Things to Ignore When House Hunting | Bedford Hills Homes

Looking for a new home can be a challenge, especially when you walk into someone's for-sale home and 20 years of their lives are on display and you have to really use your imagination to determine how you can that particular home 'yours.' Many people choose to remodel and stage their homes prior to having their agent listing on Trulia, but then there are the vast majority of people who choose to sell their beloved home “as-is.”

While a turnkey home is ideal for people who want to move right in and make no changes, there are those "time warp" homes that are actually incredible gems that just need a little polishing.
As you step into each home on your house hunt, here are 9 things about a for-sale home that you should "ignore" as you search for your dream home:

An "Older" Home

Old isn't always synonymous with bad. Some homes built decades ago have stood the test of time because they were built with solid, quality materials and have a classic style. Don't always assume that new = nicer, either. Some newer homes are "affordable" because they were built cheaply. Remember that there are many simple fixes for dated homes, and the plus side of an older home is charm and character you can't find in a brand new build.

Paint Colors

Ignore the existing paint choices and focus on the structure of the room, the placement of the windows, etc. Paint is an incredibly easy and a cheap fix in a home and something you can change in just a couple hours.

Wallpaper With Roosters And Chickens

While it may look like you are walking into a barnyard, remember that wallpaper is easily replaced or covered over. So no matter how designed challenged the walls seem to look – it's an easy fix.





http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/04/06/9-things-to-ignore-when-house-hunting.aspx

Institutional investor activity taking outsized toll on Hispanic homebuyers | Mt Kisco Homes

Hispanics have powered more than half of the growth in homeownership in recent years, but a severe shortage of for-sale homes exacerbated by a flood of institutional investors significantly constrained Hispanics’ contribution to homeownership growth in 2013, according to the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP).

“This is a story of potential,” said Jason Madiedo, president of NAHREP. “Latinos are ready to buy homes now. Their biggest obstacle coming into today’s market isn’t credit — it’s lack of available housing.”

Hispanics accounted for an increase of 2.6 million owned households between 2000 and 2013, or 47 percent of all homeownership growth in the U.S., according to NAHREP’s 2013 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report.

From 2010 to 2013, Hispanics’ share of homeownership growth was even higher, with 56 percent of homeownership growth attributable to Hispanics, the report found.

But Hispanics’ contribution to owner household growth fell precipitously to 84,000 in 2013 from 324,000 in 2012, according to NAHREP CEO Gary Acosta — a 74 percent decline



- See more at: http://www.inman.com/2014/04/02/nahrep-institutional-investor-activity-taking-outsized-toll-on-hispanic-homebuyers/?utm_source=20140403&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyheadlinesam#sthash.aHC86RwR.dpuf

Home improvements that offer biggest bang for the buck | North Salem Homes

Cleaning up on spring home improvement projects requires more effort than many homeowners anticipate.
Remodeling tends to pick up as the weather improves, and this year is no exception. During the second half of 2013, the National Association of Home Builders' Remodeling Market Index, which measures how busy contractors are, was at its highest level since the spring of 2004.
When the report was released in late January, remodelers were expecting an even busier spring, with more saying they had been called to bid on a job or were already committed to a project.
If you're updating your home with the aim of adding to its value, tread carefully. Some improvements boost value more than others, and in most cases, a project costs more than it adds in value.
According to Remodeling magazine's 2014 Cost vs. Value report, the average portion of cost recouped is 66.1 percent. (Watch the video for some of the projects, small and big, that provide good value.) Of course, what buyers will think of — and might pay for — an upgrade is less of a hurdle if you plan to enjoy your fancy new kitchen or master bath for years to come.




http://www.today.com/money/home-improvements-offer-biggest-bang-buck-2D79452167