Category Archives: Westchester NY

Bedford-bred Upstart could break New York’s Kentucky Derby drought | #Bedford Real Estate

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COURTESY OF CHURCHILL DOWNS

Although Empire City Casino’s Kentucky Derby Day and fancy hat contest are local traditions, this year’s Derby-related activities have the added appeal of a hometown favorite: Upstart, a Bedford-bred horse, will try to bring home a Derby win for New York for the first time in more than a decade.

The three-year-old Upstart, owned by Ralph Evans and bred by Sunnyfield Farms Owner Joanne Nielsen, has a solid record, with a career total of seven starts: three first-place finishes, three seconds, and one third.

The first New York horse to win the Kentucky Derby was Funny Cide in 2003. Since then, no New York horse has made it to the top of this crème de la crème of horse races. Upstart, who won the Holy Bull and was a runner-up in the Florida Derby, has been given 15-1 odds—not impossible, certainly, but he’ll need a bit of luck to pull out a win. Coincidentally, his foalhood nickname was “Lucky;” he was born on April, 13, 2012—a lucky Friday the 13th. And given that only 20 thoroughbreds make it to the Kentucky Derby out of the approximately 30,000 that are born yearly, one could argue luck has always been on Upstart’s side.

It’s not every year New Yorkers get to see a hometown contestant in the Kentucky Derby, so be sure to tune in and root for Upstart. Coverage starts at 4 pm on Friday on NBC.

 

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http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Upstart-Horse-New-York-Kentucky-Derby/

Buy Julia Roberts’ Hanalei Bay Estate in Kauai, Hawaii for $30 Million | North Salem Real Estate

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Julia Roberts has listed her Hanalei, HI estate with more than 200 feet of beachfront for $29.85 million, Pacific Business News reports.

The estate, which the actress bought for $13.4 million in 2011, is called “The Faye Estate” for the sugar plantation manager who bought it in 1915, four decades before Hawaii became a state.

“H.P. Faye had the vision and the finances to purchase not one but two lots in the best part of the Bay,” according to the listing, which is held by Neal Norman of Hawai’i Life Real Estate Brokers.

The 2-acre property has views “mauka and makai,” meaning toward the mountains and seaward.

The 3,792-square-foot home was built in 1946 and has 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Building may be permitted for up to 9,000 square feet for more buildings and a pool.

 

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-29/buy-julia-roberts-hanalei-bay-estate-in-kauai-hawaii-for-30-million

Weekly mortgage applications drop | #Waccabuc Real Estate

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Mortgage applications gave back their gains last week, falling exactly as much as they had risen the previous week. This as interest rates increased ever so slightly.

Total application volume fell 2.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending April 24th, but is up nearly 34 percent from a year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Applications to refinance home loans fell four percent, while those to purchase a home were unchanged for the week.

“Applications for conventional purchase loans are at their highest level since August 2014,” said Mike Fratantoni, chief economist for the MBA. “With the recent pickup in existing home sales, this is another sign that housing markets are strengthening.”

Still, the stall in purchase application volume is a red flag, given that they had been on a tear, up 13 percent in the past four weeks. It could be a one-week aberration, but it is somewhat unexpected right in the heart of the spring season, traditionally the busiest for home sales. Home price gains have been increasing, as strong buyer demand comes up against very tight supply. That may be playing into the drop in applications—simply that people are not finding the right homes at the right price.

 

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https://homes.yahoo.com/news/weekly-mortgage-applcations-drop-2-110000411.html

Homeownership rate drops | South Salem Real Estate

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In the latest sign of a changing housing market, homeownership rates are at a quarter-century low, while the rental-vacancy rate is close to the slimmest proportion in more than two decades, according to government data released Tuesday.

The seasonally adjusted homeownership rate, which shows the share of occupied homes in which an owner lives, fell to 63.8% in the first quarter — the lowest proportion since the end of 1989, the U.S. Census Bureau said.

Families with income both above and below the median have seen drops in homeownership rates over the past year.

Weak income growth and difficult-to-get mortgages are likely behind homeownership drops, experts say. Home prices that are running higher aren’t helping, either. Nor are the millions of properties that are underwater — these homes are worth less than owners owe for their mortgage — with borrowers struggling to make monthly payments,

However, long-term trends show that the drop in homeownership is actually pushing the U.S. back to “normal” levels, said Sam Khater, deputy chief economist at CoreLogic, an Irvine, Calif.–based analysis firm. The market may even see further drops, he added.

“In the mid-1990s pro-homeownership policies led to an expansion in mortgage credit and the homeownership rate peaked in 2004 at 69%,” Khater said. “Homeownership rates are back to roughly their long-term trend between the 1960s and 1990s.”

Meanwhile, the rental-vacancy rate ticked up to 7.1% in the first quarter, clinging close to 7% reached at the end of 2014, which was the slimmest share in 21 years. High demand has enabled landlords to crank up rents well past broader inflation growth.

 

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http://www.marketwatch.com/story/homeownership-rate-drops-to-quarter-century-low-2015-04-28?siteid=bnbh

Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Increase at Faster Pace | Cross River Homes

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Home prices in 20 U.S. cities climbed at a faster pace than forecast in the year ended February, a sign the housing industry may be gaining momentum amid low borrowing costs and continued job growth.

The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values increased 5 percent from February 2014, the biggest year-to-year gain since August, after rising 4.5 percent in the year ended in January, the group said today in New York. The median projection of 28 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 4.7 percent year-over-year advance. Nationally, prices rose 4.2 percent.

Higher real estate prices may persuade more homeowners to put their properties on the market, boosting the limited inventory that’s been holding some prospective buyers back. More supply, in addition to continued gains in the labor market and looser lending standards, will be needed to help the housing market accelerate after showing inconsistent progress.

 

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-28/home-prices-in-20-u-s-cities-rose-at-faster-pace-in-february

 

Mortgage Rates Down | Bedford Hills Real Estate

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Freddie today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates moving down slightly this week and remaining near their 2015 lows as the spring homebuying season continues.

News Facts

  • 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.65 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending April 23, 2015, down from last week when it averaged 3.67 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.33 percent.
  • 15-year FRM this week averaged 2.92 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.94 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.39 percent.
  • 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.84 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.88 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.03 percent.
  • 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.44 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.46 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.44 percent.

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following links for theRegional and National Mortgage Rate Details and Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes
Attributed to Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist, Freddie Mac.

“Mortgage rates fell slightly to 3.65 percent this week, positive news for potential homebuyers in the market this spring. Purchase applications in 60 of the 100 markets that MiMitracks are up from the same time last year, including 20 markets that are showing double-digit increases. Reinforcing this positive momentum, existing home sales surged 6.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.19 million units in March, the highest annual rate since September 2013. Housing inventory rose 5.3 percent to 2 million homes for sale, but unsold inventory was little changed at a 4.6 month supply.”

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.

 

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

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

 

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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
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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 ​​