Tag Archives: Westchester Luxury Real Estate

Chris Brown seeks $1.92 million for his home, (in)famous for its graffiti-style artwork | Bedford Hills NY Homes

Good news, Hollywood Hills parents: It’s safe to let your babies out again.

Not only has pop star Chris Brown removed the “monsters” that he’d painted along Rinconia Drive, he’s leaving the neighborhood and has put the whole darn house on the market.

Back in May, neighbors told the Los Angeles Times that his murals — which you can see in the June news video below — were scaring their kids. “There are lots of babies, lots of children, and they’re literally frightened. It’s like devils on the wall,” Hollywood Dell Civic Association President Patti Negri said.

The creatures’ “bulging eyeballs and giant fangs loom over the canyon,” the Times wrote.

He removed the mural after — but not because of, his lawyer hastened to say — much-publicized complaints. The lawyer told the Times in July that Brown took down the monsters because he was prepping the house for sale. And now here it is!

We’re happy to report that you can still appreciate Brown’s handiwork in listing photos of the interior. He treated a couple of walls as a giant canvas, with more of his sharp-toothed gremlins grimacing over what appears to be the living room.

Other distinctive touches in the home — which is “tailored for the most demanding in high design and quality,” according to the listing — include “spectacular custom LED site lighting and a colored LED light show in the saltwater pool and spa,” a sand pit, a “shower massage system,” “stone waterfalls,” fire pits (plural!), and “walls of glass and exotic stones.”

The asking price for this three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 3,000-square-foot fantasy? $1,920,000.

 

 

http://homes.yahoo.com/blogs/spaces/chris-brown-seeks–1-92-million-for-his-home—in-famous-for-its-graffiti-style-artwork-074531181.html

Bedford Corners, Armonk, Lead in Highest Ave. Price per Foot | #RobReportBlog

 

Bedford   Corners, Armonk, Lead in Highest Ave. Price per Foot | #RobReportBlogPrice per foot
Katonah$438.00
Pound   Ridge$350.00
South   Salem$338.00
Mt Kisco$322.00
Chappaqua$369.00
North   Salem$405.00
Armonk$456.00
Bedford$409.00
Bedford   Hills$419.00
Bedford   Corners$467.00

 

Holidays at Teatown Lake Reservation | Chappaqua NY Homes

Teatown Lake Reservation
View our videos on YouTube Like us on FacebookFind us on PinterestFollow us on TwitterDecember 19, 2013
All donations help support our essential mission.
Visit Teatown
1600 Spring Valley Road
Ossining, NY 10562
914-762-2912
Nature Center hours:
9:00am-5:00pm everyday
Trails are open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk.

Teatown Lake Reservation’s
mission is to conserve open
space and to educate and
involve the regional community
in order to sustain the diversity
of wildlife, plants and habitats
for future generations.

Your donation can make

an immediate impact to help

conserve and protect the

diversity of wildlife, plants

and habitats…

today and into the future.

 

 

 

 

In Teatown’s Gallery

Through December 31

Natural Light
Teatown Area Photographs by

Berl Brechner
Berl Brechner, has been an area resident for over 35 years and has served on Teatown’s Board of Trustees for 10 years. He presents 30 scenes from nearby that he has captured,  most of them from trails, nooks and crannies of Teatown Lake Reservation. Much of the exhibit has been created with a relatively simple digital camera, with special attention to form and light.
All photographs are for sale, and all proceeds will be donated to Teatown Lake Reservation.

Save the Date!

February 8, 2014

9am- 4pm 

Snow date: February 9

More details to come!

 

Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFind us on PinterestView our videos on YouTube
Decorate a Tree for Wildlife
Saturday, December 21, 1:00- 2:30pm

Join us for a Teatown holiday tradition that celebrates nature’s gift to us. We’ll decorate a tree with goodies for the birds, squirrels and other wildlife. Free for members, $5pp for nonmembers.
Holi-Daze Mini Camp
December 23, 26, 27, 30, 31

The holidays are here and school’s out but nature is in! Come for a day, or two or more for fun outdoors throughout the Teatown preserve. There will be hiking, crafts, and enough adventure to keep your child busy and active throughout their holiday vacation.

4- 5 year olds- 9:00am- 12:00pm.

$165 for members, $195 for non-members Daily rate- $33/day for members, $39/day for non-members.
6- 12 year olds- 9:00am- 3:00pm (children should pack a lunch). $300 for members, $330 for non-members Daily rate- $60/day for members, $66/day for non-members.

 

Click here for more information on school break mini camps.

All programs require pre-registration    

To register call 914-762-2912 x 110

unless otherwise noted.

Click for more info on Teatown’s upcoming programs.
Nature Girls
Tuesdays, January 28 – March 25, 3:30 – 5:30 pm
Come on girls get your nature on! Led by Elissa Schilmeister, girls will hike and explore natural habitats, engage in team-building activities, conduct mini-experiments and scientific investigations.*No program February 18. Girls ages 10- 14. For more information, click here.
Reap the rewards
of being a Teatown member.
Click to join today!
The Christmas Bird Count Recap
Our Assistant Conservation Scientist, Hillary Siener, held our annual Christmas Bird Count on Saturday and while it was very snowy and cold, it was a beautiful day. Hillary expressed concern that the bird numbers were going to be low however she was surprised to have a decent count considering the weather. Most notably, 5 yellow-bellied sapsuckers were counted and a large flock of robins

were found sampling Teatown’s berries. Please find a complete list of the counted birds below.

American crow2Hermit thrush2
American goldfinch15Northern cardinal14
American robin47Northern mockingbird3
Black-capped chickadee14Pileated woodpecker1
Blue jay8Red-bellied woodpecker7
Brown creeper1Red-tailed hawk1
Canada goose79Red-winged blackbird1
Carolina wren
8Song sparrow43
Cedar waxwing1Swamp sparrow1
Dark-eyed junco121Tufted titmouse25
Downy woodpecker7White-breasted nuthatch12
Eastern bluebird1White-throated sparrow46
Golden-crowned kinglet4Winter wren1
Hairy woodpecker2Yellow-bellied sapsucker5
Still looking for the perfect gift?
Shop Teatown’s Nature Store!

Teatown’s Nature Store carries a wide variety of items for nature lovers of all ages:
  • Art work for sale in Teatown’s Gallery
  • Books on the flora and fauna of the Hudson Hills and Highlands, living green and nature-friendly, hiking, gardening, birding, etc.
  • Natural science toys, games and crafts for your little treehugger
  • Unique jewelry and crafts by area artisans
  • Locally produced natural soaps, lotions and soy-based candles.
  • Teatown tea and our Hudson Valley honey
  • Membership to Teatown!

All sale proceeds directly support Teatown’s education and regional conservation efforts.

 

Existing home sales fell for the third straight month | Bedford NY Real Estate

Existing home sales fell 4.3% in November but as higher interest rates and tight inventory dampened the market, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.

Sales dropped for the third straight month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.9 million from 5.12 million in October.

That was 1.2% off the November 2012 pace and the first time in 29 months that sales were below year ago levels.

Economists’ median forecast was for a November rate of 5.1 million, according to a survey by Action Economics.

Home sales are being hurt by higher mortgage interest rates, limited inventory and tight credit, says Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist.

The national median existing price was $196,300 in November, up 9.4% from the year before.

Distressed homes accounted for 14% of November sales, unchanged from October.

Inventory expanded to a 5.1 month supply, up from 4.9 months in October. That means all homes would be sold in that time frame at the current sales rate. A six or seven month supply is a balanced market.

In November, the inventory of existing homes for sale was 5% above a year ago, NAR says. The supply of homes for sale is up 8.4% from when it bottomed in January, on a seasonally adjusted basis, says Jed Kolko, Trulia economist.

More homes for sale mean buyers have more choices, which may lead to lower price gains going forward.

The report comes a day after a strong showing for November housing starts and the Federal Reserve’s announcement that it will trim its bond buying starting next month.

The Fed’s tapering, which was expected, will likely drive mortgage interest rates higher. That’ll be “a tough reality check for many homebuyers,” says Ellen Haberle, economist for real estate brokerage Redfin.

 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/12/19/existing-home-sales-november/4115407/

 

Mortgage applications plummet heading into the FOMC meeting | Mt Kisco NY Homes

Mortgage applications filed in the U.S. plummeted 5.5% as both the refinance index and home purchase index declined ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Open Market Committee.

The Mortgage Bankers Association pointed to the meeting as a fear factor for the market since talks of a potential mortgage-backed securities or Treasurys tapering could come out of the Fed today.
If the Fed decides to begin tapering this month, the market will know by this afternoon.

The refi index alone fell 4%, while the purchase index declined 6% ahead of the meeting.
“Mortgage applications fell further last week, with the market index falling to its lowest level in more than a dozen years,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s vice president of research and economics. “Both purchase and refinance applications fell as interest rates increased going into today’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.”

The refi share of mortgage activity increased to 66% of total applications from 65% the prior week. Meanwhile, the adjustable-rate mortgage share of activity remained unchanged at 8% of total applications.

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/28336-mortgage-applications-plummet-heading-into-the-fomc-meeting

 

Housing starts jump to near 6-year high in good sign for economy | Waccabuc NY Homes

U.S. builders broke ground on homes at the fastest pace in more than five years, strong evidence that the housing recovery is accelerating despite higher mortgage rates.

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that developers began construction on houses and apartments in November at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.09 million. That’s 23 percent more than October’s pace of 889,000 and the fastest since February 2008, just a few months after the recession began.

Construction of single-family homes jumped 21 percent to an annual pace of 727,000, also the highest in more than five years. Apartment construction soared 26 percent to a 354,000 annual pace.

Permits for future building slipped 3 percent to just over 1 million, down from 1.04 million in October. The drop reflected a decline in apartments, which can be volatile. Permits for single-family homes rose.

“Evidently, builders in the field are genuinely confident about the outlook for sales of new single-family houses, despite the rise in mortgage rates,” said Pierre Ellis, an economist at Decision Economics.

The housing market has been improving steadily since early last year, but construction had leveled off this summer after first reaching a 1 million annual pace in March. Last month’s surge comes as mortgage rates remain about a percentage point higher than they were in the spring. That suggests home building will boost economic growth in the final three months of the year.

 

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/bitcoin-price-plunges-china-clampdown-escalates-2D11765766?ocid=msnhp&pos=7#housing-starts-jump-near-6-year-high-good-sign-economy-2D11765607

 

7 Housing Trends for 2013 | South Salem NY Real Estate

As 2013 comes to a close and real estate experts predict where the housing market is headed in 2014, a look back reveals several trends.

“In 2012 we saw the housing market recover and, going into 2013, we expected continuing recovery,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors. “Instead, the recovery accelerated a lot faster than we anticipated, which was great for sellers and for the 75 million homeowners who saw their home values appreciate.”

1. Housing Prices Rose Faster Than Expected

The national median listing price was $179,900 in January 2012 and rose to $180,000 by December 2012, according to realtor.com research. The pace of price appreciation accelerated quickly over the year to reach a median list price of $199,500 by September 2013.

2. Mortgage Rates Rose but Remained Low

“We expected mortgage rates to rise in 2013, and they started to increase in the late spring, but they’re still very affordable when you look at rates on a historical basis,” Yun said. “They just aren’t at the super-low point we saw earlier.” According to Freddie Mac, 30-year fixed-rate loans were as low as 3.45 percent in December 2012 and rose to 4.49 in September 2013. Barry Habib, co-owner and chief market strategist for Residential Finance Corp., said mortgage rates are likely to stay low and perhaps even drop between now and March 2014.

3. Bidding Wars Returned

The combination of rising prices, low mortgage rates and low inventory led to a sense of urgency among buyers and the return of bidding wars, said Don Frommeyer, president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. According to realtor.com research, inventory in 2012 reached a high of 2,083,710 homes on the market, then steadily declined to a low of 1,583,497 homes in February 2013. At the end of September 2013, 2,210,000 homes were for sale, approximately a five-month supply.

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/realtorcom/7-housing-trends-for-2013_b_4460914.html

Stop throwing away awesome prospects and start nurturing them | Pound Ridge Realtor

Let’s start this out with a single truth: A lead is the name and contact information for someone who is potentially a future client. That’s it. It’s not something fancy. There are no semantics (although lots of “experts” will make you think so). If you have a single way to contact that person, then that is a lead. Some “gurus” define leads as having a full name, a phone number (at minimum), and have expressed interest in your services. Sorry, that’s wrong. Especially with the advent of the Internet. A lead is sometimes even JUST an email address. No name. No phone number. Sometimes it’s even Mickey Mouse or Arnold Schwarzenegger (you know, those fake-name sign-ins who give you a real email address). Now, don’t get me wrong, you definitely want to move the lead along, get them to become a prospect, then a client, then a closed client. That’s typical. But don’t make the mistake of thinking a lead is “dead end” or not viable because you have only an email address. All leads that have a legitimate way to contact them are viable. Every. Single. One. Even the ones that are only an email address. Even the ones that say “no.” –

See more at: http://www.inman.com/next/no-1-mistake-real-estate-agents-make-in-lead-generation-thinking-a-lead-is-a-dead-end-if-it-isnt-ready-right-now/?utm_source=20131218&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyheadlinesam#sthash.mhQ0KbmH.dpuf

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

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.
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.

Inside the Absurdly Lavish $114M Upper East Side Mansion | Chappaqua NY Real Estate

 

Onyx-clad bathrooms, an indoor swimming pool, a movie theater with a balcony, a dressing area that doubles as a panic room, a 2,000-square-foot rooftop deck—these are just a few of extravagant features in the 40-foot wide mansion at 12 East 69th Street, currently on the market for a mindboggling $114,077,000. The Times announced the listing on Friday, and it’s now live on Corcoran’s website. Renovated by Vincent and Teresa Viola (the owner of the Florida Panthers NHL team and the president of Maida Vale Designs, respectively), the 19-room house is a case study in grandeur and the mega-rich, and needless to say, if it sells for anything close to the asking price, it will shatter previously held price records— and yet, it’s not even the most expensive thing on the market.

The brokerbabble is nothing impressive, but Friday’s Times article more than makes up for. Click through for the best lines. ·: Listing: 12 East 69th Street [Corcoran via StreetEasy] · East 69th Street Mansion Wants An Eye-Popping $114 Million [Curbed]