Tag Archives: Westchester Real Estate

County Begins Restoration Of Bronx River Reservation Near White Plains | Armonk Real Estate

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Restoration to the wetlands of Westchester’s Bronx River Parkway Reservation has begun in Greenburgh and North White Plains, the county announced.

The reservation is the oldest park in Westchester and restoration to about 2.5 acres of the area is expected to protect the environment.  Work in the Greenburgh and North White Plains area will continue through the winter and spring, with anticipated completion by early summer 2014.

Restoration will improve the wetland’s ability to cleanse and absorb stormwater runoff to enhance the attractiveness of the site, the county said. The project will also help reduce the amount of pollution from stormwater runoff to improve water quality and help manage flooding in the reservation, according to a statement from County Executive Rob Astorino.

Over time, due to development that has altered the flow of stormwater runoff into the wetland, the wetland has been physically separated from the river, which diminishes its role as a natural filter and sponge to treat and absorb stormwater, the county said.

During the restoration, the county plans to eradicate invasive reeds, shrubs and vines.  Crews will also plant thousands of native plants along the stream banks.

The project is being overseen by the county’s Department of Planning, and its design and construction is paid for with $950,000 in county capital funds, according county officials. The project was recommended in the 2007 Bronx River Watershed Management Plan developed by the county-led Bronx River Watershed Coalition, the county said.

 

 

http://whiteplains.dailyvoice.com/news/county-begins-restoration-bronx-river-reservation-greenburgh

A Subliminal Approach to Fall Decorating | Waccabuc Real Estate

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all is that sweet spot between the blazing heat of summer and the icy chill of winter. It’s a time for preparing the nest for hibernation. Urrutia Design takes “a subliminal approach to embracing fall through comforting, colorful aspects that can be incorporated throughout the home,” says company founder Jason Urrutia. Below, he and co-principal Martha Carvalho share eight simple, high-impact ways to help you get your autumn cozy on.

traditional family room by Urrutia Design

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1. Stockpile firewood by the mantel. “This creates a nice visual of what’s in store,” says Carvalho. “Even if you don’t have a wood-burning fireplace, a display of wood, either next to the firebox or inside, offers a soothing aesthetic.”
modern living room by Reynaldo Gonzalez Design

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“While just about any wood will do nicely, silver birch logs add an especially graceful arrangement without looking too lumberjack-like,” Urrutia says.
contemporary by Urrutia Design

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2. Candles, candles, candles. This is candle season, so use them generously anywhere you want extra ambience. “Votives are great, but don’t be afraid to use those big-boy-sized candles in large hurricanes,” offers Urrutia.
contemporary living room by Urrutia Design

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3. Change out throw blankets. “Replace light fabrics for heavier ones, like faux fur or wool,” Carvalho says. Lay a throw blanket or two across furnishings for extra color and texture. Add a big basket filled with enough throws for everyone in the household to curl up under.
rustic living room by Urrutia Design

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4. Branch out. “Fill oversized glass vases with a compilation of branches in any shape and length you wish,” Carvalho says. Urrutia adds, “This type of arrangement is elegant and understated, and will last you the entire season.”

Pull inspiration from these creative garage makeovers | Katonah Real Estate

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ost of us could use a little extra space — for an office, for entertaining or just for relaxing — but few of us have the budget or room to add on to our existing homes. But there may be a blank slate nearby, just waiting to be reinvented: the garage. Garage Door Repairs within the Plano area are often frustrating. They always seem to happen at the worst possible time. Like when you’re late for work, trying to urge the youngsters to high school, or close to head out for vacation. Broken or damaged garage doors are often noisy, ugly, and just downright embarrassing. The professionals at Metro Garage Door Repair are your local experts in Garage Door Installations and Repairs. If you want best garage door repair service, you can go to this website.
These six Houzzer garage conversions have gone above and beyond the average remodel. No longer in need of a parking spot, or tired of looking at the mess that had piled up, these homeowners took advantage of their empty or dilapidated garages. The resulting dream rooms gave these families the extra space they were looking for.

traditional garage and shed by Suzanne Dingley Interiors

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Houzzer: Suzanne Dingley, Suzanne Dingley Interiors Location: Salt Lake City Garage size: 180 square feet, detached DIY or professional project? Both
A new work-from-home job meant that Suzanne Dingley’s husband needed a new office. Instead of cramming one into their house, the couple turned to their detached garage, which had become a dark and dirty dumping ground for junk. They gutted the space, exposed the rafters and pitched roof, and installed new flooring and built-in storage.
traditional garage and shed by Suzanne Dingley Interiors

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The red and white color palette evolved from this Ikea photo of a London bus — a tribute to the couple’s British roots.
traditional garage and shed by Suzanne Dingley Interiors

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The pair replaced the existing garage doors with two sets of French doors and two new windows to let in natural light. The newly insulated ceiling and floors control the internal temperature, but a window cooler and space heater help out, too. “My husband is very happy with his space, especially with his short commute across the yard,” says Dingley.
traditional garage and shed Garage Conversion

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Houzzer: Rick Giudicessi Location: Des Moines, Iowa Garage size: 240 square feet, attached DIY or professional project? Professional
This 1930s garage wasn’t just worn out and beat up; its odd layout and tiny garage door made it impossible for Rick Giudicessi to park his car inside. Instead of using it for storage, he turned it into a tiki bar with an attached patio where his family can entertain year-round. “When the weather ends the use of the patio and tiki bar area, we move inside to the heated area,”
he says.

Borrowers face difficulties qualifying for a mortgage | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Three out of 10 Americans are unlikely to qualify for a mortgage, despite historically low interest rates and levels of affordability not seen in years, data from Zillow (Z) revealed.

Zillow looked at 13 million loan quotes and more than 225,000 purchase loan requests on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace in September, comparing them to a similar study conducted in September 2010.

What Zillow found was discouraging for borrowers looking to buy a home — especially those affected by the recent financial crisis.

Borrowers who have FICO credit scores under 620 who requested purchase loan quotes for 30-year fixed, conventional loans were unlikely to receive even one loan quote in September. This was unchanged from three years ago, even if they offered a relatively high downpayment of 15%-25%.

According to data provided by myFICO.com, nearly 28.4% of Americans have a credit score of 620 or lower.

At the same time, the bar has been set higher for those looking to get the lowest available mortgage rates. Typically, the best mortgage rates are reserved for borrowers with credit scores of 740 or higher, compared to 720 in 2010. Data revealed that 40.3% of Americans currently fall into this category.

 

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/27081-borrowers-face-difficulties-qualifying-for-a-mortgage

 

 

 

Millwood Fire Department to break ground on new firehouse | Chappaqua Real Estate

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After years of planning, the Millwood Fire District and the Millwood Fire Company #1 will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Sunday, Oct. 6 for the new firehouse in the hamlet in the town of New Castle. The event will kick off the Fire Company’s annual open house.

From the invitation:

Celebrations start at 11:15 at Station #1 located at 60 Millwood Road in downtown Millwood. We’ll gather for coffee and donuts at the old firehouse before making our way to the new site for the groundbreaking ceremony. We’ll then return to Station #1 for a BBQ, truck rides and crafts for the kids, a trolley ride through the District, as well as fire safety education for kids and adults. Open House starts at 1 PM.

 

 

http://northernwestchester.lohudblogs.com/2013/09/25/millwood-fire-department-to-break-ground-on-new-firehouse/

World’s Richest Woman Lists Wyoming Estate For $12.5M | Armonk Real Estate

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Christy Walton, the richest woman in the world, has put her 2.45-acre Wyoming estate on the market for $12.5M. Yesterday Forbes named her as No. 6 on its Forbes 400, a rank she held last year, and calibrated her fortune—which she inherited from her late husband, a son of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. founder Sam Walton—at $35.4B. To summarize: even if the estate commands its asking price, Walton probably won’t bat an eyelash. In fact, after her husband’s 2005 death, Walton went so far as to donate—yes, donate—the stately 1896 Victorian where she had raised her family, in National City, Calif.

About this Teton Village property: it’s “an architectural masterpiece,” according to the brokerabble, with 200-year-old reclaimed-oak floors, Albertini windows, cathedral ceilings, a two-bedroom, turn-of-the-century guest cabin, and direct access to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Bridgehampton House by Architect Peter Cook Pictured in Beach Magazine | Bedford NY Real Estate

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Hamptons architect Peter Cook‘s houses gracefully reference classic Shingle Style, with modern updates. As a local, Cook knows that location is ultra-important in the Hamptons. He says, “Our clients buy these properties because of the views, so it’s very important to capture them as you move throughout the house. Orientation of the sun dictates a lot. Take a swimming pool, for example. You want to sit in the chair and face the sun without having your back to the pool. That decides how you place things on the property. The spaces you move through—the hallways, stairways, rooms—should have light and natural views that allow you to really experience the property.”

Mortgage applications shoot up 11.2% | Bedford Corners NY Homes

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Mortgage applications shifted gears, increasing 11.2% from a week earlier, the Mortgage Bankers Association said this week.

Meanwhile, the refinance index grew 18% from the prior week, while the purchase index rose 3%.

As a whole, the refinance share of mortgage activity inched back up to 61% of total applications, up from 57% a week earlier.

The average contract interest rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage with a conforming loan limit dropped to 4.75% from 4.80%.

Furthermore, the 30-year, FRM jumbo edged down to 4.83% from 4.84%.

The average 30-year, FRM backed by the FHA fell to 4.50% from 4.56%, and the 15-year, FRM declined to 3.81% from 3.83%.

Meanwhile, the 5/1 ARM plummeted to 3.54% from 3.59% a week earlier.

 

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/26891-mortgage-applications-shoot-up-112

Create “the Ultimate Hampton Experience” in Sagaponack | Waccabuc Real Estate

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Our admiration for the real estate prose of Corcoran’s Gary DePersia continues. His brokerbabble isn’t trying to sell you on a house–it’s trying to sell you on a lifestyle. This is a new listing for a Sagaponack farmhouse we love as is; Mr. DePersia describes it as “amiable.” But if you’re “seeking something more formidable” than an amiable house, look no further! You could create “the ultimate Hampton experience” to “the very Atlantic beyond,” to wit:

Nearly three acres, awash in Sagaponack sea breezes and only several hundred yards to the beach, presents an unparalleled opportunity in the hamlet that has become the nexus of the Hampton lifestyle. An amiable 4 bedroom farm house of recent vintage anchors this expansive property that additionally offers a two story barn with upstairs finished loft and full bath, heated pool and acres of grassy expanse secluded behind tall perimeter trees. However, those seeking something more formidable might be intrigued to learn that this singular offering could accommodate a new 9000+ SF residence, pool, pool house and full size north/south tennis court that would have views to the east of a nearby horse farm and south across an 11 acre reserve past a handful of ocean side houses to the very Atlantic beyond. Held in the same ownership for nearly 400 years, this never before available 2 3/4 acre property presents a limited window to create the ultimate Hampton experience.

 

 

Purchase apps increase as interest rates slip | Katonah Homes

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Applications for purchase loans increased a seasonally adjusted 3 percent for the week ending Sept. 18 compared to a week earlier and were up 1 percent on an annual basis, according to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications survey.

During the same period, refinance applications jumped 18 percent, as the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a balance of $417,500 or less dropped from 4.8 percent to 4.75 percent.

Source: MBA

 

 

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/wire/purchase-apps-increase-as-interest-rates-slip/#sthash.lKzd5toO.dpuf