Tag Archives: Katonah NY Realtor

Katonah NY Realtor

Report: Neil Patrick Harris Buys Harlem Brownstone for $3.6 Million | Katonah Real Estate

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When Neil Patrick Harris started his real estate search, the actor wasn’t shy about it and went straight to Twitter, asking his more than 6.5 million followers if they knew of a brownstone in Harlem for sale.

neil patrick harris tweet

Someone from Twitter — or perhaps a real estate agent — helped him out. The New York Post reports that Harris recently found his new brownstone, an 8,000-square-foot one backing up to Marcus Garvey Park in Central Harlem, for $3.6 million.

Five bedrooms and 5 baths are spread over the 5-story residence, which includes 2 terraces, a backyard, chef’s kitchen and plenty of space for Harris, his fiance and their twins, Harper and Gideon.

Harris got his start playing a teenage physician on “Doogie Howser, M.D.” He currently stars on the long-running sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” and is one of the highest paid actors on television. He will be hosting the upcoming Emmy Awards on Sept. 22.

Harris also owns a home in Studio City, CA and previously lived in another apartment in Harlem.

 

 

http://www.zillowblog.com/2013-09-05/neil-patrick-harris-buys-harlem-brownstone-for-3-6-million/

 

UWS Mansion That Once Asked $31M Sells, Finally, for $14M | Katonah Real Estate

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251rsd2.jpeg

The history of the Upper West Side’s 12,000-square-foot Schinasi Mansion is equal parts illustrious and disappointing. Illustrious: Carnegie Hall architect William Tuthill designed the 1909 palace for a “Turkish tobacco baron,” there are 3,400 square feet of outdoor space and a secret tunnel in the basement, and the property was a set for a Woody Allen film, Bullets Over Broadway. Disappointing: after asking a high of $31 million in 2006, the property has now sold for $14 million, according to the Journal. The last asking price was below that, at $13.5 million, (and was apparently one of several all-cash offers) but the PriceChopper Hall of Fame will still be inducting this property.

The buyer hasn’t been identified by name, but the listing broker tells the Journal the home’s new owner is “a New York businessman who used to live abroad.” He’ll be doing a lot of work on the property, since the prior owners, who spent $325,000 for the house in 1979, didn’t use it as their primary residence. Once the renovation’s done, maybe the buyer will host another pizza party.

read more…

 

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/08/30/uws_mansion_that_once_asked_31m_sells_finally_for_14m.php

Mortgages will remain hard to get until common sense returns | Katonah Real Estate

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Long-term rates stayed about the same this week, mortgages just above 4.5 percent for most products. There are many things to write about this week, but the most important news for most Americans is the first retreat from Dodd-Frank toward common sense.

Economic data stayed in pattern — reasonable growth without acceleration. Overall orders for durable goods fell 7 percent in July, but excluding volatile orders for airplanes and such gained 0.6 percent. Pending home sales fell 1.3 percent in July, but from an improved level.

Second-quarter GDP was revised up from 1.7 percent to 2.5 percent annualized, but net of accounting gyrations still two-ish — way under the Fed’s forecast, as is inflation, barely 1 percent annualized. Consumer spending and incomes in July rose 0.1 percent versus forecast gains of 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

The threat of action against Syria is still suppressing rates, but that won’t last long. A brief hail of Tomahawks won’t change anything, serious regional upset unlikely.

 

read more…

 

http://www.inman.com/2013/08/30/mortgages-will-remain-hard-to-get-until-common-sense-returns/#sthash.FoyRu0C5.dpuf

CoreLogic: Prices to Rise 12.3 Percent in August | Katonah Real Estate

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The housing recovery will keep rolling right along   through August as price increases continue to score in the double digit range   and rise for the 18th straight month, according to CoreLogic’s   pending sales index.

 

Home prices   nationwide, including distressed sales, increased 12.4 percent on a year-over-year   basis in July 2013 compared to July 2012. Prices are rising   even faster than they did in the first half of the year, when they averaged   10 percent from January through June.     On a month-over-month basis, including distressed sales, home prices   increased by 1.8 percent in July 2013 compared to June 2013,

Excluding distressed   sales, home prices increased on a year-over-year basis by 11.4 percent in   July 2013 compared to July 2012. On a month-over-month basis, excluding   distressed sales, home prices increased 1.7 percent in July 2013 compared to   June 2013. Distressed sales include short sales and real estate owned (REO)   transactions.

The CoreLogic Pending   HPI indicates that August 2013 home prices, including distressed sales, are   expected to rise by 12.3 percent on a year-over-year basis from August 2012   and rise by 0.4 percent on a month-over-month basis from July 2013. Excluding   distressed sales, August 2013 home prices are poised to rise 12.2 percent   year over year from August 2012 and by 1.2 percent month over month from July   2013. The CoreLogic Pending HPI is a proprietary and exclusive metric that   provides the most current indication of trends in home prices. It is based on   Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data that measure price changes for the most   recent month.

“Home prices   continued to surge in July,” said Dr. Mark Fleming, chief economist for   CoreLogic. “Looking ahead to the second half of the year, price growth   is expected to slow as seasonal demand wanes and higher mortgage rates have a   marginal impact on home purchase demand.”

“Home prices   continue to climb across the nation in July with markets hit hardest during   the downturn leading the way,” said Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO   of CoreLogic. “Nationally, home prices are now within 18 percent of   their peak levels reached in April of 2006.”

Highlights   as of July 2013:

  • Including        distressed sales, the five states with the highest home price        appreciation were: Nevada (+27 percent), California (+23.2 percent),        Arizona (+17 percent), Wyoming (+16.4 percent) and Oregon (+15 percent).
  • Including        distressed sales, this month only one state posted home price        depreciation: Delaware (-1.3 percent).
  • Excluding        distressed sales, the five states with the highest home price        appreciation were: Nevada (+24.2 percent), California (+20.2 percent),        Arizona (+14.9 percent), Utah (+13.5 percent) and Florida (+13.5        percent).
  • Excluding        distressed sales, no states posted home price depreciation in July.
  • Including        distressed transactions, the peak-to-current change in the national HPI        (from April 2006 to July 2013) was -17.6 percent. Excluding distressed        transactions, the peak-to-current change in the HPI for the same period        was -12.9 percent.
  • The        five states with the largest peak-to-current declines, including        distressed transactions, were Nevada (-43 percent), Florida (-37.4        percent), Arizona (-32.5 percent), Rhode Island (-29.7 percent) and        Michigan (-27.7 percent).
  • Of        the top 100 Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) measured by population,        99 were showing year-over-year increases in July, equaling the measure        in June 2013.

*June data was   revised. Revisions with public records data are standard, and to ensure   accuracy, CoreLogic incorporates the newly released public data to provide   updated results.

July HPI for the   Country’s Largest CBSAs by Population (Ranked by Single-Family Including   Distressed):

CBSA

July 2013     12-Month HPI

Change by     CBSA

Single-Family     Including Distressed

Single-Family     Excluding Distressed

Los     Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA

22.6%

20.1%

Riverside-San     Bernardino-Ontario, CA

22.5%

21.1%

Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale,     AZ

18.1%

15.7%

Atlanta-Sandy     Springs-Marietta, GA

15.6%

13.7%

Houston-Sugar     Land-Baytown, TX

11.1%

11.9%

Dallas-Plano-Irving,     TX

10.0%

10.7%

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria,     DC-VA-MD-WV

9.1%

9.0%

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville,     IL

8.6%

10.7%

New     York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ

7.8%

8.2%

Philadelphia,     PA

4.3%

4.8%

Source:   CoreLogic.

 

 

 

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http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2013/09/corelogic-prices-to-rise-123-percent-in-august/

 

Building and measuring the social world | Katonah Real Estate

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Tamara Mendelsohn leads marketing for Eventbrite with a focus on customer acquisition, retention and branding.

As an expert on e-commerce technology, multichannel retail, and trends in how consumers integrate technology into shopping, Mendelsohn has authored research reports and worked with both retailers and technology vendors to help them shape their strategies.

Hear what Mendelsohn has to say about “Building and measuring the social world.”

 

read more….

 

 

http://www.inman.com/2013/09/03/building-and-measuring-the-social-world-video/#sthash.3tfGrRk1.dpuf

Bank to sell O.J. Simpson home in foreclosure auction | Katonah Real Estate

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More than two years after a foreclosure notice was filed against the home of notorious former footballer O.J. Simpson, a Miami-Dade judge has ordered the Kendall, Fla., property seized by the bank.

Simpson bought the home in 2000 for $575,000, and was imprisoned for kidnapping and robbery in 2008. He stopped paying the mortgage in 2010 and now owes the bank nearly $900,000. The bank plans to sell the home at auction on Oct. 29.

Source: The Real Deal via Gossip Extra

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http://www.inman.com/wire/bank-to-sell-o-j-simpson-home-in-foreclosure-auction/#sthash.F78K3LmA.dpuf

Designing Your Outdoor Landscape Lighting | Katonah Real Estate

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Electrical

Outdoor lighting isn’t just about safety and security. There’s no reason the  curb appeal of your home should be limited to the daytime. The tree you’ve also  loved, the garden you’ve worked hard to cultivate, the pond you bought with your  hard-earned money, and all the other landscape features you’ve painstakingly  chosen for your home can achieve some of their best effects at night with good  outdoor landscape lighting.

Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting The electricity running into your home  holds a potentially dangerous 120 volts. To create low voltage outdoor lighting  you’ll need to install one or more transformers. This will reduce the voltage of  your outdoor landscape lighting to a tame 12 volts. If your wiring gets exposed  by inclement weather and the abuse of the elements, this voltage poses no danger  to you, your family members, or your pets.

The downside to the low voltage outdoor lighting is that light fixtures  become dimmer the further away they are from the transformer. If this becomes a  problem, there are a number of easy solutions. You can upgrade to a higher-rated  transformer or a heavier-gauge cable. You can use multiple transformers. You can  also simply reduce the number or the wattage of your light fixtures. Moving the  transformer and/or rearranging the layout of the lighting system can reduce the  cable length to each fixture, minimizing the dimming path. You might also  consider using the dimming as an intentional effect. This is popular in path  lighting, where each light fixture gets stronger as you move closer to your  home.

Outdoor Landscape Lighting: Design and Installation Deciding what  you want your lighting to do is the first step when choosing and designing your  lighting system, for this can important that you check the advises of the professionals from Dig This Design, Website. Additional convenience and safety entering your home at night,  adding nighttime curb appeal to your home, and simply creating a romantic mood  are all common goals for outdoor landscape lighting. There are three main  categories of lighting but many outdoor lighting designs use some combination of  the three.

Path Lighting—Uses fixtures that focus light onto your paths and  walkways. Primarily for safety, this lighting still creates aesthetically  pleasing lighting effects for your outdoor landscape.

Accent Lighting—Still focuses light onto a specific object or  landscape feature, but allows for more peripheral lighting and dim illumination  of surrounding areas. Creates curb appeal but emphasizes individual areas like a  tree or a garden.

Spread Lighting—Just as the name suggests, spreads light amongst your  outdoor landscape and

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Read more:  http://www.homeadvisor.com/article.show.Designing-Your-Outdoor-Landscape-Lighting.14319.html#ixzz2cWJyIWCe

Mapping 13 Of New York City’s Hidden Historic Cemeteries | Katonah Real Estate

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It’s all too easy to walk right by New York’s lesser-known burial grounds, which tend to be somewhat run-down—the tombstones eroding; the weeds encroaching—and sandwiched between myriad newer developments that have risen since. Many, too, are in Lower Manhattan, simply because it was the first part of the city to become densely populated. In this attempt to map out some of the city’s hard-to-find historic cemeteries, though, we’ve tried to select sites in different parts of the five boroughs, as well as ones with somewhat quirky or heartfelt backstories (like Riverside Park’s Amiable Child’s Monument) or valiant preservation battle in their names (like the Brinckerhoff Cemetery in Fresh Meadows). We know we’ve missed a few, so tell us your favorites in the comments section or hit up the tipline with your favorite hidden resting spots. (You know, the kind for all eternity.) Let the thanatological explorations begin!

New York City’s Hidden Cemeteries
Joseph Rodman Drake Park
Located in Hunt’s Point, what’s special about this slightly rougher park is that there’s an out-of-the-way cemetery right in the middle of it. Inside the wrought-iron gates, you can spot names from prominent Bronx families, which are now street names. It also served as a slave burial ground. [Source: New Yorkers For Parks and NYC Park Advocates; photo via NYC Parks.]
Hunts Point Ave., Bronx, NY 10474
40.815268110209736-73.88693158532636
New York Marble Cemetery
Dubbed “the smallest burial ground in Manhattan,” Marble Cemetery is surprisingly well-known considering its size and its extremely small and subtle entrance gates. It’s apparently the oldest public non-sectarian cemetery in New York City; over 2,000 people were buried in white marble tombs here between 1830 and 1870. Opening hours are limited, so check the website for details.
USA
40.72543015839865-73.9908166227313
New York City Marble Cemetery
Considering that it’s just around the corner, it’s no wonder that many confuse the New York City Marble Cemetery with its East Village neighbor, the New York Marble Cemetery. (Go figure, we just hope 19th-century undertakers didn’t have the same problem.) Fun fact: former president James Monroe was one of the first folks to be buried here, but his remains were later moved to his home state of Virginia. The cemetery has been around since 1831 and has limited opening hours, so make sure to contact the cemetery via its website if you want to visit.
72 E 2nd St., New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-6401
40.724575625390415-73.98901462554931
The Amiable Child Monument
Can it be a cemetery when there’s only one person buried there? We think so. Originally erected in 1797 to honor the death of a five-year-old boy (probably because of the dangerous cliffs in this part of the West Side), the Amiable Child Monument has survived to this day despite advocates who wanted to move it when nearby Grant’s Tomb was built in the late 19th century. Many believe it is the the only single-person private grave on city-owned land.
New York, NY
40.814539425166174-73.96317603307724
Prospect Cemetery
This 350-year-old burial ground has seen renewed interest lately, primarily as the subject of a documentary in the works, which according to director Peter Riegart’s Kickstarter campaign last summer, is meant to chronicle how Prospect Cemetery was saved “from the encroachment of nature, neglect, and vandalism.” It’s one of the few colonial graveyards left in Queens.
159th St, Jamaica, NY 11433
40.7010894514207-73.79947900772093
Second Cemetery of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue
This triangular sliver of a cemetery has its unique shape for a reason—it once ran along the now non-existent Milligan Street, but 11th Street’s extension to Sixth Avenue in 1830 destroyed half of it. Behind a wall and a ting gate, you’ll find a mossy brick path surrounded by about 30 graves, including an above-ground tomb and a striking monolith. It’s the second cemetery of the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue of the Congregation Shearith Israel, the first Jewish congregation in North America. The congregation also has two other gems. [Photo via Nick Carr of Scouting NY.]
76 W 11th St, New York, NY 10014
40.73540509948313-73.99995803833008
Brinckerhoff Cemetery
After a long battle, preservationists won landmark status for Brinckerhoff Cemetery last summer. Though there are no visible headstones, and the lot sandwiched between two residential houses in Fresh Meadows is overgrown with weeds, there are historical records that prove that the Brinckerhoffs, a notable farming family, had 76 plots here dating from between 1736 and 1872. [Photo via New York City Cemetery Project.]
182nd St, Queens, NY 11423
40.73188728199628-73.78840882601642
Moore-Jackson Cemetery
Though it’s been in use since the early 1730s, when it was adjacent to a colonial farmhouse owned by the Moore family, the small cemetery fell into disrepair until it was spiffed up in the 90s. (Forgotten NY has all the details.) Scouting NY paid the cemetery a visit in 2009, took tons of photos, and lamented the fact that this bit of NYC history is still pretty rundown. [Photo via Scouting NY.]
Woodside, NY 11377
40.75591827521789-73.90708493335967
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
Though this church is deemed New York’s oldest site of continuous religious practice, and the handsome building itself is the second-oldest church building in Manhattan, few know that resting underneath and tucked on either side are gravestones. One of the city’s most famous (and controversial) early politicians, Peter Stuyvesant, is interred there. His farm used to occupy much of the land where the East Village is now. [Photo via Atlas Obscura.]
131 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003
(212) 674-0910
40.72999058274405-73.9868688583374
Revolutionary War Cemetery
Forgotten New York has come up with a stellar list of off-the-beaten-path burial grounds. It includes Bay Ridge’s Revolutionary War Cemetery, an 18th-century graveyard for members of the Barkaloo family. Even though the last burial took place in 1848, Ephemeral NY reports that there are fresh flags on some of the headstones. Someone in the neighborhood must be taking good care of them. [reportsPhoto via Ephemeral NY.]
NY
40.63711338417339-74.03525359929746
The Reformed Church Of Staten Island
The Cemetery of Staten Island’s Reformed Church, which dates all the way back to the late 17th-century Dutch settlers of Port Richmond, is still in use today. Though the church building itself was erected in 1844, the three previous churches on the site date back to an impressively old 1663. Apparently, according to the Staten Island Advance, “[t]he cemetery’s decorative hand-carved stone grave markers – in brown and red sandstone – represent some of the oldest forms of sculpture and folk art in colonial America.” [Photo via Forgotten NY.]
Staten Island, NY
40.639261-74.131866
Trinity Church Cemetery & Mausoleum
Despite the fact that Trinity Church’s Financial District Location is on everyone’s radar —including tourists’ —fewer folks know about its awesome uptown outpost. The cemetery on Wall Street had reached capacity by the early 1800s (after 150 years of interments), so the all-powerful Trinity purchased land between Amsterdam Avenue and Riverside Drive and West 153rd and 155th streets, according to Forgotten NY. Many, many notables are buried here, including, most recently, Ed Koch. [Photo via Forgotten NY.]
550 W 155th St, New York, NY 10031
40.83250498448109-73.94795939015971
The Cathedral Basilica of St. James
According the New York City Cemetery Project, St. James was the first Catholic church in Brooklyn. Founded in 1822, it wasn’t long until the yard around it became used as a burial ground. Though it’s been the site of thousands of burials, the number of tombstones has dwindled over the years, and these days many are flat against the ground rather than perpendicular, making it difficult for passersby to catch wind of the cemetery’s presence. [Photo via New York City Cemetery Project.]
Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 852-4002
40.696518118094616-73.98639678955078
Joseph Rodman Drake Park
Located in Hunt’s Point, what’s special about this slightly rougher park is that there’s an out-of-the-way cemetery right in the middle of it. Inside the wrought-iron gates, you can spot names from prominent Bronx families, which are now street names. It also served as a slave burial ground. [Source: New Yorkers For Parks and NYC Park Advocates; photo via NYC Parks.]
Hunts Point Ave., Bronx, NY 10474
40.815268110209736-73.88693158532636
New York Marble Cemetery
Dubbed “the smallest burial ground in Manhattan,” Marble Cemetery is surprisingly well-known considering its size and its extremely small and subtle entrance gates. It’s apparently the oldest public non-sectarian cemetery in New York City; over 2,000 people were buried in white marble tombs here between 1830 and 1870. Opening hours are limited, so check the website for details.
USA
40.72543015839865-73.9908166227313
New York Marble Cemetery
Dubbed “the smallest burial ground in Manhattan,” Marble Cemetery is surprisingly well-known considering its size and its extremely small and subtle entrance gates. It’s apparently the oldest public non-sectarian cemetery in New York City; over 2,000 people were buried in white marble tombs here between 1830 and 1870. Opening hours are limited, so check the website for details.
USA
40.72543015839865-73.9908166227313
New York City Marble Cemetery
Considering that it’s just around the corner, it’s no wonder that many confuse the New York City Marble Cemetery with its East Village neighbor, the New York Marble Cemetery. (Go figure, we just hope 19th-century undertakers didn’t have the same problem.) Fun fact: former president James Monroe was one of the first folks to be buried here, but his remains were later moved to his home state of Virginia. The cemetery has been around since 1831 and has limited opening hours, so make sure to contact the cemetery via its website if you want to visit.
72 E 2nd St., New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-6401
40.724575625390415-73.98901462554931
The Amiable Child Monument
Can it be a cemetery when there’s only one person buried there? We think so. Originally erected in 1797 to honor the death of a five-year-old boy (probably because of the dangerous cliffs in this part of the West Side), the Amiable Child Monument has survived to this day despite advocates who wanted to move it when nearby Grant’s Tomb was built in the late 19th century. Many believe it is the the only single-person private grave on city-owned land.
New York, NY
40.814539425166174-73.96317603307724
Prospect Cemetery
This 350-year-old burial ground has seen renewed interest lately, primarily as the subject of a documentary in the works, which according to director Peter Riegart’s Kickstarter campaign last summer, is meant to chronicle how Prospect Cemetery was saved “from the encroachment of nature, neglect, and vandalism.” It’s one of the few colonial graveyards left in Queens.
159th St, Jamaica, NY 11433
40.7010894514207-73.79947900772093
Second Cemetery of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue
This triangular sliver of a cemetery has its unique shape for a reason—it once ran along the now non-existent Milligan Street, but 11th Street’s extension to Sixth Avenue in 1830 destroyed half of it. Behind a wall and a ting gate, you’ll find a mossy brick path surrounded by about 30 graves, including an above-ground tomb and a striking monolith. It’s the second cemetery of the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue of the Congregation Shearith Israel, the first Jewish congregation in North America. The congregation also has two other gems. [Photo via Nick Carr of Scouting NY.]
76 W 11th St, New York, NY 10014
40.73540509948313-73.99995803833008
Brinckerhoff Cemetery
After a long battle, preservationists won landmark status for Brinckerhoff Cemetery last summer. Though there are no visible headstones, and the lot sandwiched between two residential houses in Fresh Meadows is overgrown with weeds, there are historical records that prove that the Brinckerhoffs, a notable farming family, had 76 plots here dating from between 1736 and 1872. [Photo via New York City Cemetery Project.]
182nd St, Queens, NY 11423
40.73188728199628-73.78840882601642
Moore-Jackson Cemetery
Though it’s been in use since the early 1730s, when it was adjacent to a colonial farmhouse owned by the Moore family, the small cemetery fell into disrepair until it was spiffed up in the 90s. (Forgotten NY has all the details.) Scouting NY paid the cemetery a visit in 2009, took tons of photos, and lamented the fact that this bit of NYC history is still pretty rundown. [Photo via Scouting NY.]
Woodside, NY 11377
40.75591827521789-73.90708493335967
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
Though this church is deemed New York’s oldest site of continuous religious practice, and the handsome building itself is the second-oldest church building in Manhattan, few know that resting underneath and tucked on either side are gravestones. One of the city’s most famous (and controversial) early politicians, Peter Stuyvesant, is interred there. His farm used to occupy much of the land where the East Village is now. [Photo via Atlas Obscura.]
131 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003
(212) 674-0910
40.72999058274405-73.9868688583374
Revolutionary War Cemetery
Forgotten New York has come up with a stellar list of off-the-beaten-path burial grounds. It includes Bay Ridge’s Revolutionary War Cemetery, an 18th-century graveyard for members of the Barkaloo family. Even though the last burial took place in 1848, Ephemeral NY reports that there are fresh flags on some of the headstones. Someone in the neighborhood must be taking good care of them. [reportsPhoto via Ephemeral NY.]
NY
40.63711338417339-74.03525359929746
The Reformed Church Of Staten Island
The Cemetery of Staten Island’s Reformed Church, which dates all the way back to the late 17th-century Dutch settlers of Port Richmond, is still in use today. Though the church building itself was erected in 1844, the three previous churches on the site date back to an impressively old 1663. Apparently, according to the Staten Island Advance, “[t]he cemetery’s decorative hand-carved stone grave markers – in brown and red sandstone – represent some of the oldest forms of sculpture and folk art in colonial America.” [Photo via Forgotten NY.]
Staten Island, NY
40.639261-74.131866
Trinity Church Cemetery & Mausoleum
Despite the fact that Trinity Church’s Financial District Location is on everyone’s radar —including tourists’ —fewer folks know about its awesome uptown outpost. The cemetery on Wall Street had reached capacity by the early 1800s (after 150 years of interments), so the all-powerful Trinity purchased land between Amsterdam Avenue and Riverside Drive and West 153rd and 155th streets, according to Forgotten NY. Many, many notables are buried here, including, most recently, Ed Koch. [Photo via Forgotten NY.]
550 W 155th St, New York, NY 10031
40.83250498448109-73.94795939015971
The Cathedral Basilica of St. James
According the New York City Cemetery Project, St. James was the first Catholic church in Brooklyn. Founded in 1822, it wasn’t long until the yard around it became used as a burial ground. Though it’s been the site of thousands of burials, the number of tombstones has dwindled over the years, and these days many are flat against the ground rather than perpendicular, making it difficult for passersby to catch wind of the cemetery’s presence. [Photo via New York City Cemetery Project.]
Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 852-4002
40.696518118094616-73.98639678955078
Joseph Rodman Drake Park
Located in Hunt’s Point, what’s special about this slightly rougher park is that there’s an out-of-the-way cemetery right in the middle of it. Inside the wrought-iron gates, you can spot names from prominent Bronx families, which are now street names. It also served as a slave burial ground. [Source: New Yorkers For Parks and NYC Park

Can Radiant Flooring Cause Legionnaires’ Disease? Yes! | Katonah Real Estate

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Q&A with Dr. John Straube about radiant floor heating, domestic hot water, and Legionnaire’s Disease.

Q: I am interested in combining the domestic hot water system in my houses with a hydronic floor system. I have heard stories about connecting the two systems causing Legionnaires’ disease. Is this for real?

A: Dr. John Straube, Ph.D., P. E., of Building Science Corp., fills us in: Yes, it is for real, but you can prevent it.

Legionnaires’ disease is actually a more common problem than you might think. The primary place to find legionella bacteria is in residential hot water systems – usually in your shower. 

Q: Holy cow! How common is it?

A: Newspapers report on outbreaks of 20 to 30 people, so it seems sporadic but small. Actually, the number of people who get it and go to the doctor with pneumonia-like symptoms is pretty high. The Centers for Disease Control reports around 5,000 people per year get Legionnaires’ disease. The vast majority got it from their home hot water system or from a hotel’s hot water system.

Q: Creepy. How do you kill legionella?

A: Here are three things to keep in mind when designing a building or community:

1. Keep the water hot. At 130 degrees, the bacteria will die within 5 to 6 hours; at 150 degrees, the bacteria will be killed in a few minutes.

2. Use a tankless gas water heater. Legionella is not a problem with tankless water heaters – especially gas-fired tankless models – because they blast the bacteria, if present, right away.

3. If you don’t install a tankless unit, use an oil or gas-fired water heater.

Researchers who sampled water tanks have learned that fossil-fuel water heaters have much lower rates of legionella bacteria than do electric water heaters.

They believe that’s because the temperature difference between the heat exchanger and the water is well more than 150 degrees in oil and natural gas-fired water heaters, death is instantaneous for legionella bacteria as it slides by these heat exchangers under fire.

Because of this direct correlation between tank temperature and legionella, the DOE recommends to keep water at 130 degrees. If the water never goes below 130 degrees, legionella will not survive.

Temperatures of 130 to 140 degrees are ideal for killing legionella, but can scald bathers in relatively short periods of time. Babies and the elderly are particularly susceptible.

‘Underwater’ Homes Drag Sales Rate Down | Katonah NY Homes

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Why are home prices rising? One reason: a shortage of homes for sale.

But how can that be? After years of poor sales, shouldn’t there be a flood of potential sellers rushing to market as conditions improve?

That seems logical, but a study by Zillow , the housing and mortgage data firm, sheds light on a big part of the problem: the “effective” rate of underwater homes. Underwater means the mortgage borrower owes more than the home can fetch in a sale. To sell, the homeowner must come up with other money to make up the difference and retire the old loan. Many people just don’t have that much sitting around, or if they do they can’t bring themselves to tap their college or retirement funds.

Zillow says that at the end of the first quarter 25.4% of all homeowners with mortgages were underwater. On top of that 18.2% had less than 20% equity, meaning the mortgage balance exceeded 80% of the home’s value. Together, these two categories create an effective underwater rate of 43.6% – 22.3 million homes.

“These homeowners likely cannot afford a down payment for a new home, tying them to their current homes and contributing to inventory shortages,” Zillow says.

 

‘Underwater’ Homes Drag Sales Rate Down – Yahoo! Finance.