Tag Archives: Cross river NY Luxury Homes for Sale

Despite rising home values, millions still underwater | Cross River Real Estate

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According to CNBC, three million homeowners rose above water on their mortgages this year, creating more positive equity and stability in the markets. The publication has more:

“Widespread rising home values during the past year have helped chip away at negative equity nationwide, helping many homeowners who were only modestly underwater to come up for air. For those homeowners who are deeply underwater, though, there is still a long row to hoe,” said Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries.

                    Source: CNBC

How Much Does it Cost to Install Countertops? | Cross River Real Estate

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Whether in the kitchen or bathroom, the countertop can be the star of the room. A countertop should fit both your aesthetic style and your lifestyle. How much you pay for your countertops will depend on the sizes needed, the materials used and the labor involved.
Countertops usually get a lot of use. You don’t want to spend money on something that loses its beauty quickly or chips easily. The more you plan to use your counters, the more durability must be a major concern.  Continue Reading
Laminate Countertops

Laminate provides the best selection of colors and patterns at the lowest prices. Laminate can be used to form a seamless cove backsplash to keep spills from seeping behind the cabinets. They’re also cheap and easy to install. The down sides? Laminate scratches or chips easily. It can be tough to clean, and its colors can fade over time.

Ceramic Tile Countertops

No surface offers more choices than tile. The price you pay for tile will largely depend on where you get them. Go for a big box store and you can go as cheap as $10 per square foot. Contact an artist in Florence, and you could pay $5,000 per tile. Tile can adapt as easily to Mexican fiesta as it can to Tokyo contemporary. There are two downsides of tile. One is that it can expensive to install, depending on the square footage of your counters. The other is grout lines, which attract crumbs and stains and require periodic sealing to repel moisture.

Stone Slab Countertops (Granite, Marble, Quartz, etc)

Not much can add dazzle to your kitchen or bathroom like a stone slab countertop. The sheer beauty, amazing selection and durability of stone makes it an excellent choice for your home. The depth and character of natural stone cannot be matched by any man-made surface (though some made-made alternatives have taken great strides.) Natural stone does not depreciate with time and this stone will consistently add value to your home. The costs of the stone depend on how rare its elements, the size and particularly the length of the necessary cuts, which must be finished, buffed and polished. You can sometimes save big money on stone slabs by shopping through remnants.

Acrylic Countertops

The most popular of the acrylics is Corian by DuPont. Corian provides the color versatility of laminates with a rich look (and price) that rivals stone slabs. It’s easy to maintain. Scratches and nicks can easily be buffed out. If you want to create a seamless look, Corian can even be formed into sinks, so there’s no gap between the counter and the sink. Price is determined largely by square footage.

Other Expenses

You may want to also add a new sink or new faucets to your installation. This can be an additional cost, not only in purchasing the hardware, but the installation as well. If you’re going with a stone slab, you have the additional cost of cutting the hole. You also may need to hire a plumber, especially if you want to install something new like an instant hot water dispenser or side spray.

If you are upgrading and replacing your existing counters, you may have to pay for their removal from not only their current location, but from your home as well. Debris removal is normally not a huge expense, but it’s one you should talk with your contractor about nonetheless.
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Home sales dip, but still ‘enough momentum’ to sustain housing | Cross River Real Estate

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It was an up and down month in June for the real estate market. While existing-home sales dipped compared with the prior month, the trend line was still upward as sales surpassed their prior-year level. The median price popped for the 16th consecutive month and sales of new homes—counted separately–rose significantly.

Existing-home sales

 

Completed sales of existing detached houses, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops dipped 1.2 percent in June compared with May, but remains above levels seen in June 2012, according to the National Association of Realtors. The national median price for those homes was $214,200 in June, up 13.5 percent from June 2012.

These numbers are seasonally adjusted, so the normal cyclical rise in springtime home-buying activity is factored in.

In a statement, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said there was “enough momentum” to sustain the market, despite a mid-month spike in mortgage rates. Houses are still affordable–in terms of price and financing–in most of the country and pent-up demand from buyers is still strong, though higher mortgage rates will “bite into” high-cost regions of California, Hawaii and New York City, Yun said.

Supply broadens some

 

The supply of for-sale homes rose nearly 2 percent to 2.19 million existing homes on the market at the end of June. That represents a 5.2-month supply at the June pace of sales, up from 5 months’ supply in May. A year earlier, the supply stood at 6.4 months.

“Inventory conditions will continue to broadly favor sellers and contribute to above-normal price growth,” Yun said.

Distressed sales

 

Short sales and foreclosure sales dipped to 15 percent of the total in June, down from 18 percent in May. In June 2012, these so-called distressed sales made up 26 percent of the transactions. Both short sales and foreclosures typically sell at a discount, so their shrinkage as a percentage of the total accounts for some of the increase in the median price, NAR said.

Homes sold in June were on the market a median of 37 days compared with 41 days registered in May and 70 days recorded in June 2012. Short sales took much longer while foreclosures and non-distressed homes sold slight faster than 37 days. Forty-seven percent of all homes sold in June were on the market less than one month, NAR reported.

 

Home sales dip, but still ‘enough momentum’ to sustain housing | HSH Financial News Blog.

The Art and Science of Creating a Successful Blog Post | Cross River Realtor

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The creative geek has never had it so good.The Art and Science of Creating a Successful Blog Post

They have the web tools, apps and the social networks that keep poking them  with global gems of content inspiration and ideas. It is a revealed universe of  possibilities. What we are seeing in this century is the synergy between  the art of creation and science of technology.

Gutenberg would be turning in his grave if he saw what is happening in the  new world of publishing.

So we now have the online tools to publish your inspirations. Google has  freed us from the tyranny of remembering and finding facts. This is leading to  an explosion of  prolific and innovative ideas and expression. It  could be music created with an app, a photo that is captured on a smart phone  and filtered or it could be creating an article for a blog.

It is the synthesis of art and science.

Creating a successful blog post is creativity enabled by technology both in  production, delivery and marketing.

The Art

This starts with an idea for your article. It might appear while driving,  talking with a friend or during a wakeful moment at 2am (that is when this idea  turned up). It may be inspired by a book, a passing tweet or a brainstorming  session at a workshop.

Whenever the idea strikes, grab a pen, your phone or that napkin at the  coffee shop. Writing in blood is always an option…because failing to capture an  idea due to forgetfulness can sometimes feel like losing one of your  children.

The writing for me can start two ways.

  1. Creating the introduction (that’s how this one started)
  2. Mapping out the structure and framework for the post (that often  happens)

Neither is right or wrong but the creation has to start. Sitting down at the  computer laden desk with my two screens, keyboard and my mouse and starting the  mundane action is next.

As the words arrive the next phase is the wrangling and wrestling with the  text, phrases and even the sub-titles. Many a blog post has an ugly face but as  you massage it and apply the makeup it can turn into a thing of beauty.

That is certainly the intent.

Next is the internal discussion with myself as to whether I need to  illustrate and elaborate my ideas with a screen shot, an image, add a video or  even plonk in a Slideshare presentation.

Sometimes it goes beyond the words.

The Science

WordPress is the technology and foundation tool of choice for this blog.

The science support crew includes the following:

1. Snagit

This is the screen capture tool I use for screen shots, inserting call out  text boxes and arrows and even shadow and torn edge effects. I couldn’t do  without it.

2. WordPress Plugins

You cannot do without these to enhance your productivity and marketing  effectiveness.

This includes.

  • SEO Plugins (such as WordPress SEO or Yoast)
  • Akismet (this software stops the spammers)
  • BackWPup (this backs up my blog),
  • Facebook like box (you can like my Facebook page without leaving my  blog)
  • GetSocial (my floating social media sharing buttons)

This is not an exhaustive list but all of these I couldn’t do without.

Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/07/17/the-art-and-science-of-creating-a-successful-blog-post/#AIPsxa7OmCCbSHBa.99

The Power of Simple Writing | Cross River Realtor

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The art of simplicity is making its mark as minimalist design principles are being seen in product design, web and even writing.The Power of Simple Writing

Social networks such as Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram have shown us that the skill of keeping it simple can be a key to success. Apple’s product design genius is not in how many buttons you can cram onto a device but is solved by the question “can I do it with just one button?”

Less is more.

Keeping it simple takes time and effort. Stripping something back to its essence requires thought and effort. It means wrangling, wrestling and removing unnecessary words.

There is a quote that is attributed to Blaise Pascal and also Mark Twain that I have never forgotten.

“I would have written a shorter letter but I didn’t have the time”

I remember attending grammar classes and struggled with the the rules and regulations. To overcome my resistance I resorted to writing in a conversational style.

It worked.

Grammar is complex. Conversation is simple. Write as you speak and that simple power will work its magic

What does the power of simple writing mean?

So what does “keeping it simple” mean for writing and content as a blogger and online publisher.

It means:

1. Simple words

Words do not need to be 3 or 4 syllables. In fact a single syllable word can be much more powerful in its impact

2. Simple stories

Want to get a point across? Use a simple story. It will be far more memorable than a complex paragraph as it will tap into the power of emotions and memory.

3. Simple structure

Keep the writing structure simple with bullet points and sub-titles and your key elements will stand out. People will thank you for that.

4. Simple in length

Keep your sentences short and don’t use more than 3 or 4 together. Writing for the web means designing it for skimming and scanning

5. Simple headline

Simple powerful headlines that capture the essence of your article are compelling. Often though we want to write a headline that search engines love and want to index. The challenge between simplicity and optimizing for Google is a constant tension point.

6. Simple to understand

Sometimes we forget that we are writing for a global audience and using simple words is appreciated by those who do not have English as their first language.

7. Simple to implement

If you are offering “How to’s” when writing online then create simple steps that lead people by the hand and show them how to do something one step at a time. They will love you.

8. Simple image

If you are wanting to add some impact to the words then also use simple but iconic images. This sometimes takes effort, neurons and creativity.


Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/07/02/the-power-of-simple-writing/#5o3CCzU6gDHYVzwT.99 

The Power of Simple Writing – Jeffbullas’s Blog.

How Rising Mortgage Rates Could Affect The Housing Recovery | Cross River Real Estate

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Mortgage interest rates are rising. In the week ending May 30, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage clocked 3.81%, its highest level in a year, according to Freddie Mac. That’s 15% higher than the 3.31% record low set in November of 2012 and almost 14% higher than the 3.35% rate logged in the beginning of May. The 15-year fixed rate jumped as well to 2.98%.

The increase from the start of May through the month’s final week translates into an extra $20 per month for every $100,000 of debt accrued. If rates continue their upward march, mortgages will become more expensive.

Since cheap financing has been a notable driver of the housing recovery, could those rising rates derail the momentum? To answer that question, let’s first take a look at what low interest rates have done for housing and why they’re increasing now.

Compared to decades past, today’s rates (even at 3.81%) are unprecedentedly — and artificially — low.  They’re the direct result of a Federal Reserve-funded fiscal stimulus plan, better known as the third round of quantitative easing or QE3, aimed at hastening the recovery in housing and the economy as a whole. Through the program the Fed has been buying $85 billion worth of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities per month, a process that has tamped down interest rates, making mortgages more attractive to prospective consumers.

The low rates have enabled qualified home buyers (and owners looking to refinance) to access cheap financing, adding to already-record-high levels of home affordability. It’s helped bolster a surge in both home sales and price increases (since lower rates help make larger principals possible).

Rates are climbing now due to both stronger economic data and to speculation: recently Fed chairman Ben Bernanke suggested that the central bank may start slowing its bond buying within the next several months. The news has caused bond investors to begin selling out of their 10-year Treasury positions, driving yields for these bonds above 2%. Since mortgage rates correlate closely with Treasury yields, they have followed suit, rising about a quarter of a percentage point in just a week.

 

How Rising Mortgage Rates Could Affect The Housing Recovery – Forbes.

Iraqi Kurdistan Real Estate Market Makes a Comeback | Cross River Real Estate

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The economy of the Kurdistan region of Iraq fluctuates according to the state of relations between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The mostly stable and now improved security situation has allowed economic progress and prosperity in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. Until recently, the economy and real estate market had been in a funk. Many Iraqi families have moved away from central and southern regions of the country, in addition to Iraqis living in Syria who left following the political crisis and armed operations between the state and the opposition in order to settle down in Kurdish regions. The last dispute between Baghdad and Erbil, however, has shaken their trust in their safety.A key indicator of the region’s economy, real estate, has been sluggish but has seen a dramatic improvement in just the last few weeks since KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani negotiated an agreement with Baghdad in late April to end the boycott of the Iraqi government and Council of Representatives by Iraqi Kurdish ministers and members of parliament and cool tensions in Kirkuk and disputed areas.
Nariman Sadeq, owner of a real estate agency in Erbil, explained to Al-Monitor, “Lately, citizens have lost their trust in the market, and consequently real estate prices have dramatically dropped.”
Added Sadeq, “The prices of real estate in some regions of Iraqi Kurdistan have dropped by 30-40%, as the buying and selling process came to a halt a month ago.”
Sadeq, nonetheless, affirms that the market has been revived once again due to news about improved relations between Erbil and Baghdad. Sadeq expects an economic boom in the near future. “Earlier, properties were put on the market, but no one wanted to buy. Currently we see activity and signs foretelling an improvement in the market.”
Sadeq attributes the improvement to the detente between Erbil and Baghdad and the decision made by both parties to revive their former, amicable relationship.
A significant number of middle-income citizens in the Kurdistan region invested most of their money in the real estate market, which witnessed skyrocketing growth and a rise in prices, encouraging many others to follow suit

 

 

Iraqi Kurdistan Real Estate Market Makes a Comeback | Cross River Real Estate | Bedford NY Real Estate | Robert Paul Talks Life in Bedford NY.

Skepticism about the housing rebound remains | Cross River Real Estate

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Fox Business writes:

“We’ll see how the summer goes and that will be a little bit of an indicator but my estimate would be another year until we have a good housing market,” said Joe Gross, national mortgage expert and author. “If employment goes down, within the year the housing market should be in a much better position than we are today.”

via housingwire.com