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Farmers Markets | Armonk Real Estate
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Category Archives: Westchester NY
Mortgage Rates at New Lows in Early 2015 | North Salem Real Estate
Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates falling again amid declining bond yields and oil prices. Averaging 3.63 percent, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is at its lowest level since the week ending May 23, 2013 when it averaged 3.59 percent.
News Facts
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.63 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending January 22, 2015, down from last week when it averaged 3.66 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.39 percent.
- 15-year FRM this week averaged 2.93 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.98 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.44 percent.
- 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.83 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.90 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.15 percent.
- 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.37 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, unchanged from last week. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.54 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 Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.
“Mortgage rates continued to fall, albeit at a slower pace, with the 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaging 3.63 percent this week. Housing starts picked up in December coming in at a seasonally adjusted 1.089 million unit pace and beating market expectations. Meanwhile, the drop in energy prices pushed the Producer Price Index down 0.3 percent for December and the Consumer Price Index fell 0.4 percent.”
Why you need grab bars in your bathroom | Mt Kisco Real Estate
You might think the kitchen, with its hot stoves and sharp utensils, would be the most dangerous room in your home, but it’s actually the bathroom. According to a 2011 report from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls—the No. 1 problem—most often occurred in or around the bathtub, shower, or toilet.
“We get lots of calls for slips and falls in the bathroom,” says Howard Mell, M.D., a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians who works at several hospitals in Cleveland.
The bathroom is especially hazardous for women, who are at a higher risk than men for falling and getting hurt, perhaps because of lesser body strength and bone mass. And let JustWedi provide quality products for your new bathroom and make it look like you always wanted.
For those age 65 and older, falls often cause more serious injuries, such as hip fractures. Seniors, according to the report, were also more likely to be injured getting on or off the toilet. Standing after sitting for a long time, especially if you’re dehydrated or taking certain medications, can result in a sudden drop in blood pressure that can cause light-headedness or dizziness.
But few of us have bathrooms that are equipped with grab bars, a secure safety device that looks like a railing and could prevent falls. Also, installing a shower head filter for hard water is the solution to low pressure, water waste and hard to clean shower heads. Here are other modifications you can make to your bathroom to make it a safer place.
read more…
https://homes.yahoo.com/news/why-grab-bars-bathroom-201500727.html
Mixing Vintage and Modern in an Urban Family Kitchen | South Salem Real Estate
Emily and Ian Allison’s kitchen looked like it was thrown together on a whim, that’s because it kind of was. When previous owners converted their 1888-built home into a duplex, they put together an ad hoc kitchen on the second floor because the original kitchen resided on the ground floor. So when the Allisons bought both units and rented out the bottom floor, they were stuck with a kitchen that seriously lacked function. “There wasn’t even a single drawer,” says Ian. “It was a bummer.”
BEFORE: There also were limited counter and cabinet space and a river-rock floor left over from the 1960s or 1970s that the couple had attempted to cover up. “We erroneously painted the floor black,” Ian says. “But it started to chip, and you could see the brown and cream-colored river rock tile beneath.”
Fed up, the couple met with interior designer Kelli Kaufer. After several conversations about their likes and dislikes, they handed the reins over to Kaufer. “We basically said, ‘We trust you. Build a kitchen that you think suits us,’” Ian says.
AFTER: They gutted everything but left the plumbing where it was to save money. Kaufer interpreted the couple’s personalities — he’s a bass player; she’s a digital artist — into a design that channels modern urban hipness with a vintage feel.
For example, repurposed bleacher seats form the honey-colored lower cabinets, while old schoolhouse chalkboards make up the countertops. There are also a black ceiling, pops of color and a funky, graphic floor pattern. But, above all, there’s finally function. “It looks like us, it’s functional, and it’s a delight to be in,” Ian says.
Flat-slab upper cabinets deliver a dose of modern, and the flooring plays on an old houndstooth print that’s been around for a century, Kaufer says. She enlarged the pattern and printed it in a funky color on tiles.She then painted the ceiling black as a visual trick that forces the eye up and makes people pay attention to the whole space.
read more….
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/39711425?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u956&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery4
South Beach Nightclub King Lists House With Astroturf Yard | Bedford Hills Real Estate
Opium Group Managing Partner Roman Jones, don of Mokai, SET, Cameo, and, and Mansion, has listed his own historic mansion (ha ha ha) at 6222 Alton Roadfor $3.895 Million. Although the mediterranean manse was built in 1934, and looks like it was originally a very classy, classic edifice, it’s seen some serious updating and nightclub-ifying, including luxe features like ipe wood, vaulted ceilings, and vertical wood thingies in the staircase.
The listing says “this house is meant to be lived in”, and boy do they mean it. The bed room, err the ‘boom boom room’, has a big bed, durable floors, and plenty of (reinforced?) ceiling space for all those hanging contraptions that are so much fun. A dance floor-sized tiki hut flanks an astroturf backyard (no mowing needed here). Just hose the place down and let the party rage on.
read more…
http://miami.curbed.com/archives/2015/01/20/opium-group-manager-lists-house-with-astroturf-yard.php
Gasoline Prices Down 21% for the Year | Bedford Real Estate
The consumer price index fell for the second consecutive month due to a large decrease in the price of gasoline. On a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis the consumer price index fell 0.4%. Over the past twelve months, prices on expenditures made by urban consumers increased just 0.8% before seasonal adjustments. The falling price of gasoline is positive for consumers in the short-term as this frees up income to spend on other goods and services.
Falling gasoline prices also pushed down the energy price index which fell for the sixth consecutive month. The gasoline index, a component of the energy price index, fell on a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis 9.4% and over the past twelve months is down 21%. However, not all components of the energy index fell. The electricity index increased 0.8% for the month and the natural gas index increased 1.5% for the month.
The price of food increased for the month and has shown steady growth over the year. The food index increased 0.3% for the month and over the past twelve months increased 3.4% before seasonal adjustments. After declining in November, the index for dairy saw an increase of 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 0.3% for the month.
Core CPI, which excludes the more volatile food and energy prices, was unchanged for the month. Over the past twelve months core CPI increased 1.6% before seasonal adjustments.
The shelter index rose 0.2% month-over-month in December after increasing 0.3% month-over-month in November. Over the past twelve months, the shelter index increased 2.9% before seasonal adjustments.
Because shelter costs represent a large share of the average consumer’s expenditures, a 0.2% month-over-month increase is worth exploring further. Although the increase in the shelter index partly reflects increases in rental prices, the BLS measure does not isolate the change in rental prices from the changes in the overall price index. NAHB constructs a real rent price index to isolate the change in rental prices. The NAHB constructed measure indicates whether inflation in rents is faster or slower than general inflation and provides some insight into the supply and demand conditions for rental housing, after controlling for overall inflation.
The NAHB constructed real rent index increased 0.2% in December month-over-month. Over the past year, growth in real rental prices outpaced growth in the CPI. Real rental prices rose by 1.7% from December 2013.
read more…
http://eyeonhousing.org/2015/01/gasoline-prices-down-21-for-the-year/
Remodelers See Market Improving | #Chappaqua Real Estate
NAHB’s Remodeling Market Index (RMI) was 60 in the final quarter of 2014, indicating widespread confidence among remodelers that the market was improving compared to the previous quarter. 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 market activity has improved (compared to the prior quarter) than report it has deteriorated.
The overall RMI averages ratings of current remodeling activity with indicators of future remodeling activity. The current market conditions component of the RMI increased to 60 from 57 in the previous quarter. The readings for all subcomponents, including large additions and small remodels as well as maintenance and repair, also saw increases.
The RMI’s future market conditions index also increased, to 60 from 58 in the previous 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—increased from the previous quarter’s reading.
The RMI shows that, even with some weakness in existing homes sales and house prices earlier in the year, remodelers remain optimistic that markets are improving as 2014 closes. This is consistent with NAHB’s view that the remodeling market will show gradual improvement going forward.
read more…
http://eyeonhousing.org/2015/01/remodelers-see-market-improving/
Mortgage Rates drop again | Armonk Real Estate
Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates falling for the third consecutive week as bond yields continued to drop despite a strong employment report. Averaging 3.66 percent, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is at its lowest level since the week ending May 23, 2013 when it averaged 3.59 percent. This also marks the first time the 15-year fixed rate mortgage has fallen below 3 percent since the week ending May 30, 2013.
News Facts
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.66 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending January 15, 2014, down from last week when it averaged 3.73 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.41 percent.
- 15-year FRM this week averaged 2.98 percent with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.05 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.45 percent.
- 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.90 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.98 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.10 percent.
- 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.37 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.39 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.56 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 Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.
“Mortgage rates fell for the third consecutive week as oil prices plummeted and long term treasury yields continued to drop despite a strong employment report. The economy exceeded expectations by adding 252,000 jobs in December which followed an upward revision of 50,000 jobs to the prior two months. The unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent which was the lowest since June 2008.”
Snap Up a Well Done North Haven Flip | #Waccabuc Real Estate
88 Sunset Beach Road, North Haven
The brokerbabble for this really lovely flip begins, “Just finished ground up renovation of Captains Manse.” And by “captains manse” we mean “1950s cape,” and by “Just finished ground up renovation” we mean “we shoved assloads of stacked stone everywhere!” All kidding aside, we’re pretty impressed with how stylish the house looks now. It’s been turned from a dowdy three-bed, two-bath to a handsome five bedroom, 4.5 bath house, with 3500sf. The natural materials and copious use of glass keeps the look cohesive, yet modern and airy. We particularly like the interesting lighting. The plot is 0.65 acres, and the original studio has been kept to adjoin the new pool, which is fenced with glass and stacked stone. The place previously sold for $945K; given the quality of the improvements, we don’t think $1.995M is ridiculous.
read more…
http://hamptons.curbed.com/archives/2015/01/13/snap_up_a_well_done_north_haven_flip_asking_1995m.php
Foreclosure Inventory Fell 36% in November: CoreLogic | South Salem Real Estate
The number of homes in some stage of foreclosure dropped 36% in November compared to the previous year, according to a report Wednesday from CoreLogic.
The Irvine, Calif.-based data firm said in a press release that roughly 567,000 homes were in foreclosure, compared to 880,000 homes in November 2013.
The number of completed foreclosures fell 10%, to 41,000. Compared to a peak in September 2010, completed foreclosures were down 64%.
“While the national level of foreclosures may normalize in the next two years, there will always be the potential for some pockets of distress in the mortgage market,” said Molly Boesel, a senior economist at CoreLogic, in a press release.
Florida reported the highest number of foreclosures for the 12-month period ending in November, with 118,000 homes completing the process.
read more…
http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com/news/distressed/foreclosure-inventory-fell-36-in-november-corelogic-1043605-1.html