Monthly Archives: April 2015

Remodelers Remain Confident About Improving Market | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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NAHB’s Remodeling Market Index (RMI) was 57 in the first quarter of 2015, off the historic high point of 60 at the end of 2014, but still above the key break-even point of 50. The RMI and each of its components lies on a scale of 0 to 100, where a number above 50 indicates that more remodelers report the market has improved than report it has gotten worse.

RMI 15Q1 chart

The overall RMI averages ratings of current remodeling conditions with indicators of future activity.  Overall, current market conditions declined two points to 58, although smaller jobs continued to show strength: the maintenance and repair component of the RMI increased four points to 64—an all time high since the inception of the survey in 2001.

The index of future market indicators also declined, from 60 to 55, in the first quarter.  All four of its subcomponents—calls for bids, amount of work committed for the next three months, backlog of jobs and appointments for proposals—declined but remained significantly above 50.

RMI 15Q1 table

The indices above 50 mean that remodelers on balance remain positive about the improving market.  The declines off fourth quarter peaks mean the positive outlook is not quite as widespread as it was at the end of last year.  A shortage of labor in key trades is one factor restraining remodelers’ optimism.  Another may be the harsh weather that struck many parts of the country during the first quarter of 2015, although this would have necessitated repairs and tended to have a positive effect on the RMI’s maintenance and repair component.

 

read more…

 

http://eyeonhousing.org/2015/04/rmi-edges-down-but-remodelers-remain-confident-about-improving-market/

Armonk Zero Waste Day | Armonk Real Estate

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ZERO WASTE DAY

 Saturday, April 25  9:00 am – 3:00 pm

(rain or shine) 

Behind Town Hall

15 Bedford Road, Armonk

E-Waste 

Used Motor, Antifreeze and Cooking Oil –

Paper Shredding 

Scrap Metals 

Household Furniture 

Spring & Summer Clothing and Linens

Adult & Children’s Bicycles 

Dog & Cat Supplies 

ZWD volunteers will help unload your donations.

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TOWN CLEAN UP DAY

 Sunday, April 26  9:00 am – 3:00 pm

 

Help pick up roadside trash and recyclables 

 

Contact: CleanUpNorthCastle@gmail.com

 

Pick Up bags & Safety Vests at 

Town Hall, Community Center NWP, and Banksville Firehouse

Bedford Town Cleanup Days | Bedford Real Estate

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Town Wide CleanUp Days

Please come visit us for Bedford 2015 Town-Wide Clean-up Days at the Crusher Road Highway Facility off Route 22, just North of Route 172, in Bedford Village.

Town residents can bring household debris and metal waste to the Crusher Road Yard during the following periods:

Thursday, April 30th & Friday, May 1st – 7:30am to 3pm

Saturday, May 2nd – 7:30am to 4:30pm

Proof of Bedford residency is required, and fees are as follows:

  • $25 per carload
  • $60 per pickup truck load
  • $115 for small dump trucks (<6 yd)
  • $230 and up for large dump trucks (>6 yd)

Residents may also take brush and tree debris to the Beaver Dam Highway facility on Beaver Dam road off Harris Road during the same days and hours listed above. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THIS!

The Highway Department will not accept any of the following items:  tires, batteries, refrigerators, freezers, pressure treated lumber, air conditioners, propane tanks, paint, varnish, chemicals, medical waste, or other toxic materials. See http://bedford2020.org/recyclopedia/ for information on disposing of various types of items.

We also will not accept E-Waste (Televisions, computers, printers, scanners, fax machines, cell phones, VCRs) at our Crusher Road facility, although ewaste is accepted at our 301 Adams Street Recycling Center in Bedford Hills on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 7am to 3pm.

Please contact the Bedford DPW Highway Division at 666-7669 with any questions.

Bedford Village Chowder & Marching Club will hold their Tag Sale on Friday May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd at the Crusher Road Highway Facility. Chowder & Marching Club also provides truck pick-ups of old household items in exchange for a tax-deductible donation to C&M. Pickups can be scheduled at http://www.chowderandmarching.org/events/clean-up-weekend/

Modest Gains for Home Construction | #Chappaqua Real Estate

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After a disappointing set of housing data last month, recent reports suggest a return to trend for home building as the nation enters the spring home buying season.

Home builders reversed a one-month decline in sentiment as the April NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) increased 4 points to 56 in April from a one-point downwardly revised 52 in March. The bounce back up to the January-February average suggests the March observation was an outlier.

All three components of the HMI rebounded to or above the early part of 2015. The current sales index rose three points to 61, matching the February level and standing just one point below the January report. The expected sales component rose five points to 64, the highest in 2015, and the traffic component rose four points to 41. The solid and significant increase in expectations suggests builders are expecting the market to continue growing.

Consistent with this rebound in market sentiment, Census-estimated housing starts increased 2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 926,000 in March. Single-family starts increased 4.4% to a 618,000 rate. Multifamily starts dropped to a 308,000 pace, the lowest monthly rate since September 2013. Most of this decline in apartment construction was concentrated in the West.

Permits were down 5.7% overall, mostly due to a 15.9% loss in multifamily, evenly spread across three of the four regions. Northeast multifamily permits rose 55% to 90,000, the highest since June 2008, when a code change caused a one-time jump. The remaining three regions accounted for a 108,000 fall, offsetting the 48,000 increase in the Northeast. Single-family permits rose 2.1% to a 636,000 rate, with only the West showing a decline of 2% or down 3,000 to a 146,000 permits pace for March

 

read more…

 

http://eyeonhousing.org/2015/04/eye-on-the-economy-modest-gains-for-home-construction/

Credit News | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Some Great Ways to Take Advantage of an “Average to Good” or “Excellent” Credit Score
For those who achieve an “average to good” FICO score (660 and above) or an “excellent” score (740 and above), there are many ways to take advantage of this achievement by opening new doors for opportunity and savings. As a real estate/financing professional, you can share these tips with your client base to bring value added and allow your clients to do further business with you.
Here are some things those with great credit can take advantage of (but must be aware of the potential downsides):
● Transferring Credit Card Balances​
Many credit cards can charge an exorbitant interest rate, and these rates coupled with debt can lead to large payments and wasted money. In fact, the average credit card debt in the US is currently over $6,500. Fortunately, those with great credit are eligible for a method to pay debt off rather quickly and easily. People with great credit should be eligible for a 0 percent interest rate on balance transfers, which essentially allows one to transfer credit card debt from a high interest card to a no interest account for a certain time period.
It’s important to note a few things when considering this option:
– Some of these cards will slap on a 3% fee for transferring balances, and you should make sure to find a card that doesn’t charge this fee.
– Opening new credit reduces your average age of credit which will drop your credit scores.  Do not open new cards if you plan on applying for a mortgage or loan  within 2 years since scores may drop substantially after opening new credit.  Make sure the cards you open are done strategically and not often.
●​ Credit Card Upgrades
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High FICO scores will also make consumers eligible for the best credit card offerings. Many of the cards offered to those above a 660 score have better benefits, rewards, and perks unavailable to others. In addition, these cards often offer sign-on bonuses.  Clearly if your scores are above a 740 the perks are even better.   However, consumers have to make sure that they follow our tips when opening a new card in order to maintain their score (see the tips here) and should contact us with any questions.
●​ Home Refinance
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Those with great credit can also take advantage of historically low home interest rates. With a higher FICO score, many can lock in a much better rate for their mortgage. Even a small improvement in interest rates can lead to savings in the hundreds of thousands over the life of a mortgage.
●​ Negotiating better interest rates or transfer offers with current credit cards
​
If you have existing cards and have excellent credit scores you can ask the creditor for lower interest rates or transfer offers on your existing cards.  This is great if you don’t want to reduce your scores by opening new credit.
● ​Requesting limit increases on current cards
The higher your credit limits the more leeway you have to charge without reducing your credit scores.  Since balance-to-limit ratios on revolving credit (credit cards) must be under 10% for the best score increases, it is great to have high limits.  Calling your creditor and asking for a limit increase can help your scores.  The creditor will pull your credit reports and scores for approval so the scores can drop a little from the inquiry.  If you have had many third party inquiries during the year it could drop scores significantly and it might be best to wait a year from the latest third party review.
Do you have any credit questions?
Tracy Becker, President
155 White Plains Road
Suite 200
Tarrytown, NY 10591
or  (toll free) 866-388-9400
F :(914) 524-5014 ​​

Recent Homeownership Developments in the U.K. | Armonk Real Estate

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Declines in homeownership rates are not just a concern in the U.S. In fact, homeownership declines in the U.K. have been relatively larger for younger households than the impacts experienced here.

In the U.S., the homeownership rate for 25 to 34 year olds fell from 42.2% at the end of 2003 to 35.8% at the end of 2014, according to data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey.  In the UK, homeownership declines have been even more dramatic. Among households aged 25 to 34, the homeownership rate fell from 59% in 2003 to 36% in 2014 according to the data reported in the Economist magazine.

For the population as a whole, the U.S. homeownership rate declined from 68.3% in 2003 to 64.5% in 2014. Again, the decline in the UK for the total population has been more significant. According to The Economist, the U.K. homeownership rate has fallen from a peak of 71% in 2003 to 63% in 2014.

Consequently, for the first time in the U.K., a larger share of households owned their homes mortgage-free (33%) compared to those holding a mortgage (31%). In the U.S., approximately 20% of total households (approximately one-third of homeowners) own their homes free-and-clear of a mortgage.

In the U.S., tight credit requirements continue to make obtaining a mortgage difficult for first-time buyers. In the U.K., the challenge for first-time buyers has generated an ambitious plan to build cut-price “starter homes.”And the British government has proposed a tax benefit linked to saving for a downpayment on certain home purchases. Under the proposal, the government will match monthly savings for a first-time home purchase by 25%, up to 3,000 pounds of tax benefits.  The bonus will be available on home purchases of up to 450,000 pounds in London and up to 250,000 pounds outside of London. The consensus to date is that there has been little impact so far from these help-to-buy plans for first-time buyers.

It is also worth noting that the U.K. phased out its version of the mortgage interest deduction over a number of years, ending in 2000.

However, it is always important to remember that international comparisons of housing variables, like homeownership, are made difficult by not just differences in tax and finance policy, but also more fundamental differences in demographics, property law, and even cultural preferences.

 

read more…

 

http://eyeonhousing.org/2015/04/recent-homeownership-developments-in-the-u-k/

What Is A Good Credit Score? | Mt Kisco Real Estate

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You’ve heard it all before – you need to take care of your credit score like it’s grandma’s prized china or maybe your new cellphone.

But if you’re more of the goal-oriented type, what constitutes a win when it comes to credit score?

How do you know when your score is among the best?

First, a few facts: When you hear the term credit score, most people are referring to your FICO score. Actually, it’s FICO scores. You have three separate scores – one from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus based on the information they have on you. This means that your FICO score from Equifax might be different from your Experian or TransUnion score, but probably not drastically different. It is, you’d better do some investigation.

The highest score possible is 850 while the lowest is 300. In reality, achieving an 850 probably isn’t going to happen. It would take a perfect combination of many factors to get there. A simple lack of negative entries on your credit report isn’t going to result in an 850.

For more on this, read What are the best ways to rebuild my credit score quickly?

What’s the magic number that will get you the best interest rates, payment terms and perks that come from being rated among the best of the best?

According to Anthony Sprauve, director of public relations at FICO, “If you have a FICO score above 760, you’re going to be getting the best rates and opportunities.” How hard is it to get that number? Looking at the averages, it’s no easy task. For people 25 to 34 years of age, the average score is 628. As you get older your score rises. By the time you reach age 45 to 54, the average is 647; at 55-plus, it’s 697.

If those statistics seem a little depressing, don’t worry. Even if you don’t reach that coveted 760 number, it’s not like you’ll have to pay cash for everything the rest of your life. Good Scores for Different Purposes For example, if you’re looking to buy a home, a score of 500 qualifies you for a FHA loan.

Other statistics show that more than 97% of all FHA loans went to people with scores above 620. Just because you qualify doesn’t mean you’ll be approved, but if you exceed that 620 number, your chances are quite good.

Conventional mortgages are hard to get with a score below 620 and some lenders require at least 700. This is why financial gurus advise people who want to buy a home to not miss bill payments or overextend themselves with credit cards or other loans.

You’re going to need stellar credit to become a homeowner in most cases. Also remember that the better your credit score is, the lower the interest rate you’ll be offered. Consider a 30-year mortgage of $200,000 at a fixed rate: According to one data set, the difference in interest rates for people with a 760 score versus a 620 could be 1.6%. That’s $68,000 difference over the life of the mortgage. Recent statistics showed that more than 70% of applicants are approved for car leases, and finding a credit card company to approve you probably won’t be difficult.

In both cases, the higher your score, the better your terms – and the less you’ll pay in interest.

read more…

 

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/120414/what-good-credit-score.asp?partner=YahooSA

 

Pablo Escobar’s Island Mansion Is Now a Derelict, Beachy Ruin | North Salem Real Estate

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image.jpgPhotos by Luke Spencer via Atlas Obscura

In the late 1980s, drug kingpin Pablo Escobar was worth an estimated $30 billion and owned a number of truly ostentatious properties. His mansion in Puerto Triunfo, Colombia, where rhinos and elephants roamed freely, is the most infamous, but his party palace on a remote island off the coast of Cartagena, is no less grandiose. Indeed, the La Isla Grande property is a giant concrete complex with over 300 rooms in individual chalets, bathrooms with golden showerheads, and a helicopter-landing pad in the middle of the jungle. A writer for Atlas Obscura recently broke into the long-abandoned outpost, and found a pastel blue and coral pink-painted ruin that looked like a “strip from Miami’s South Beach” but with a “family of giant wild pigs.

 

read more…

 

http://curbed.com/archives/2015/04/08/pablo-escobars-island-mansion-is-now-a-derelict-beachy-ruin.php?utm_campaign=issue-36245&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Curbed%27s+House+of+the+Day

Farmers Market in the Area | Waccabuc Real Estate

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Mamaroneck:
Aroma Coffee Roast, Calcutta Kitchens, OM Champagne Tea,
and Robinson & Co. Catering Join Weekly Roster;

Ossining:
Bombay Emerald Chutney Company, Hudson River Apiaries, Nana’s Home Kitchen, and Taiim Falafel Shack Add to Saturday Bounty!

April 9th-15th, 2015
DowntoEarthMarkets.com
BrooklynWinterOffer
 What’s New, In Season, and On Sale This Week
$2 OFF when you buy 2 items: Frozen samosa, kofta, saag, rajma, and/or chutneys
Bombay Emerald Chutney Co. 		Chicken Bone Broth
$10 for one 24 oz bag or $18 for two.Great for the “Bone Broth Challenge”
(a cup a day) or in wide variety of cooking!
Yellow Bell Farm		 Gluten Free Peasant Bread
Meredith’s Bread

Gluten Free
Rosemary Olive Bread
Meredith’s Bread

Click on a market to see all vendor and event details…

Ossining Winter
​
Saturdays
9:00 am-1:00 pm
In Market Square: The corner of Spring & Main Streets in downtown Ossining

Mamaroneck Winter

Saturdays
9:00 am-1:00 pm
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
168 W. Boston Post Road

Headed to the city? We’ve got markets there, too. CLICK HERE for details.

Announcements
PieLadyandSon_Mom&Wil_2014

The Fearless Pie Crust with Pie Lady & Son
Wednesday, May 6th, from 7-9 pm
Down to Earth Markets Office, 173 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Ossining, NY

Next up in our Learning Center — and just in time for Mother’s Day — the mother and son team of Deborah and Wil Tyler invite you to learn how to make the perfect pie crust.

Deborah learned to bake during her college studies in England when she worked in the campus kitchen. She was inspired by the lead baker, a woman who made huge batches of all-butter pie crust and who “didn’t even measure the water” for her recipes.

“People have such trepidation about pie crusts, yet this lady was fearless. I didn’t come back with a recipe, but I came home inspired by her style – by her fearlessness,” Deborah explains.

Now all are invited to cast away our pie crust fears forever with Deborah and Wil.

Learning Center tickets are $15/person and available by calling 914-923-4837.
Tickets will also be available on our website shortly. We look forward to seeing you!

For upcoming events, visit our Down to Earth Markets Event Calendar.

Stay tuned to all market happenings via our Down to Earth Markets Facebook page
and follow us on Instagram and on Twitter @DowntoEarthMkts
​

Rotating* Vendors This Week
*Vendors who rotate through various markets during the season.
They enjoy getting to know many communities. Here’s where to find them this week:

Mamaroneck – Saturday, April 11th

Aroma Coffee Roast
Calcutta Kitchens
OM Champagne Tea
Robinson & Co. Catering (Calling all culinary Anglophiles!)

Ossining – Saturday, April 11th

Bombay Emerald Chutney Company
Hudson River Apiaries
Nana’s Home Kitchen
Taiim Falafel Shack