Monthly Archives: November 2013

Tree-named streets: Which are most common? | Bedford Corners Homes

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Danielle Coats lives on West Peachtree Street, one of 90 streets in Atlanta with “peachtree” or “peach tree” in the name. But don’t be fooled — there are no peach trees in sight.

 

The same holds true for many of the other “peachtree” streets in Atlanta, says Coats, a real estate agent with Redfin.

 

Streets with tree names, such as elm and pine, are reminiscent of an idyllic version of suburban America. They are also highly popular, appearing in numerous towns and cities across the country. We asked real estate website Trulia to examine real estate listings to determine where tree streets are likely to be found and which tree names tend to be most often used.

 

 

http://realestate.msn.com/blogs/post–tree-named-streets-which-are-most-common

 

 

 

 

 

Case Study: Advanced Content Marketing | Armonk Realtor

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Case Study- Advanced Content Marketing

Content is a two syllable word that has become an online marketing strategy.  Its impact has far reaching effects that belies its verbal simplicity. It  influences search engine results, drives online engagement and can create brand  awareness at velocity when it goes viral.

With Google’s recent updates, the role of content has increased in priority.  The search giant is now rewarding sites with higher rankings that offer unique  content that delivers a quality user experience.

This means that progressive brands need to become publishers and not just  advertisers. Advanced content marketing is a human and creative art form with  soul enabled by technology and process driven. It is multi-media content at  scale that leverages a brand’s reach that is efficient and amplified.

Is corporate media getting better than mainstream media?

In a recent article on the Hubspot blog, Dan Lyon poses an intriguing question.

“Is corporate media getting  better  than mainstream  media?”

He then cites examples of Microsoft, General Electric and Google who are  using both technology and their great content archives to “out publish” existing  traditional media companies.

I think that in some cases he may be right.

Today’s companies do have the technology and platforms to go it alone. They  often have the marketing CRM’s, databases, access to vast libraries of content  and the technology to make a traditional newspaper brand look bland.

Marketing and publishing has been democratized

Technology changes have put the power in the users hands. Companies don’t  need to understand how to use a printing press.

  • Want to publish. Launch a blog
  • Need to design and create an online magazine. Hire a designer, assign an  editor and writer and create your brand magazine using Photoshop.
  • Have the impulse to shoot a video. Buy a $1,000 video camera, create a video  and upload it to YouTube
  • Feel the motivation to market. Amplify your content to your Facebook and  Twitter fans and followers

Should some advertising dollars be moved to publishing?

Companies such as Red Bull are moving their spending from advertising to  publishing. They are also about creating “conversations around the  brand” not “about” the brand. This means creating content that has  heart and soul of the brand embedded but not mentioned.

No-one wants to talk about the drink but the lifestyle that revolves around  the brand image.

Advanced content marketing case study:  Lorna Jane

Lorna Jane is an “activewear” label for women that has been around for over  20 years. The brand is about fitness and fashion for women. They have embraced  the the strategy of advanced content marketing.

Their aim “to inspire women to live their best life through active  living”. Their mantra and mission is based upon a three pillared philosophy  of:

  • Move
  • Nourish
  • Believe

“Lorna Jane is not simply a clothing label, it is a way of life”. They are about fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

Lorna Jane’s marketing is not about talking about its product but being a  publisher. The heart and soul is about creating conversations around the  brand.

Jessie Dean, the Digital Marketing Manager at Lorna Jane has a team that  includes:

  • Social media specialist
  • Social media coordinator
  • Editor of “Move Nourish Believe”

They have also created a separate and secondary brand that is about the  lifestyle and mission that is core to the Lorna Jane message.

 

 

 

Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/11/27/case-study-advanced-content-marketing/#CgUbpkk6o1KJEJiZ.99

Rent or Buy? Running the Numbers On Five Downtown Studios | South Salem Real Estate

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Every few weeks, our friends at StreetEasy run the numbers on apartments that are listed for both sale and rent in New York to compares the monthly costs for apartment hunters searching for the best deal. The tool doesn’t take into account every single thing (tax deductions are not factored in), but it’s one way to try to answer the eternal “rent or buy” question. Here now, we compare the data on five downtown studios, all of which are members of the Six Digit Club. These numbers assume a 20 percent downpayment and a 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 4.406 percent.

Address: 40 Broad Street, #28C, in FiDi (above) The Skinny: 590-square-foot unit in the amenity-laden Setai Wall Street Sale Price: $699,000 Maintenance/Taxes: $759/month Total monthly costs when buying: $4,047 Rental price: $3,000/month

Address: 23 Waverly Place, #3A (above) The Skinny: A co-op studio with a sleeping loft in a building with a shared courtyard and rooftop deck Sale Price: $529,000 Maintenance/Taxes: $755 Total monthly costs when buying: $2,876 Rental price: $2,795/month

Address: 317 East 18th Street, #SE (above) The Skinny: Near Gramercy Park, a co-op unit with a half-sized kitchen Sale Price: $290,000 Maintenance/Taxes: $890 Total monthly costs when buying: $2,053 Rental price: $2,000/month

Address: 99 John Street, #813 (above) The Skinny: 671-square-foot studio with a home office in the Financial District Sale Price: $775,000 Maintenance/Taxes: $425 Total monthly costs when buying: $3,907 Rental price: $3,650/month

 

 

 

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/11/26/rent_or_buy_running_the_numbers_on_five_downtown_studios.php

Beckham Wants To Build His Soccer Stadium At PortMiami | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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Soccer superstar David Beckham reportedly wants to build his Major League Soccer stadium over on 25 acres at the southwest corner of Dodge Island, where the port has been planning to develop condos, hotels, retail, and a megayacht marina. This is according to the Miami Herald. This works because, although Beckham has been wanting to build the stadium in an urban locale all along, now he’s planning a hotel and retail to go along with it too. Hotel Beckham? Sleep with the dreamy soccer stud, metaphorically?

Anywho, as far as just how big the stadium is going to be, the Miami Herald reports that it will be 25,000 seats “with expandable seating for different events”. Meanwhile, the UK’s Daily Mirror says Beckham wants “to build [a] 75,000 seater.” If the thing really does triple in size, that’s one hell of an expandable stadium. · Beckham group considers Soccer stadium site at PortMiami [Miami Herald] · David Beckham To Build ‘75,000 Seater Stadium’ In Miami [Daily Mirror] · PortMiami coverage [Curbed Miami] · Soccer Stadium coverage [Curbed Miami

Indian Point Responds To Schumer’s Security Remarks | Mt Kisco Homes

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Officials from the Indian Point Nuclear Facility issued a response to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) suggestion that the plant’s maritime security be upgraded with around-the-clock boat patrols.

Here is the statement issued by Indian Point officials:

“We take every aspect of the security of Indian Point seriously, including the safety of the waterfront. The plant’s security capabilities are reviewed regularly by federal inspectors at the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), including during mock scenarios where our security teams must effectively defend against water-born adversaries in extremely realistic drills. The NRC has said that Indian Point is secure and that our highly-trained onsite security teams can protect the facility on land and at the waterfront. We look forward to working with the Dept. of Homeland Security in any additional review and expect that their work will confirm Indian Point has significant security capabilities and is a secure facility.”

Day and night boat patrols are not currently required of Indian Point, but Schumer said that 24-hour security by boat is a reasonable and achievable goal – by drawing on the combined resources of the U.S. Coast Guard, New York State, and local law enforcement – and called for federal experts to provide recommendations on the best way to close any gaps in Indian Point’s security.

 

 

http://mtkisco.dailyvoice.com/news/indian-point-responds-schumers-security-remarks

Analysts prep for extended foreclosure timelines, fewer loan modifications | North Salem Homes

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The January launch of the ability-to-repay rule and the associated qualified-mortgage definition will raise the overall cost of originating home loans, with borrowers taking the brunt of the financial hit, Standard & Poor’s Rating Services said Tuesday.

A few things won’t change, credit analyst Jack Kahan with S&P noted, but the new rules will increase expenses, extend foreclosure timelines and prompt servicers to select the foreclosure option over loan modifications and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure in future circumstances.
S&P, which looked deeply into how the January launch of the rules will impact mortgage finance, warned that more borrowers are going to have a hard time accessing mortgage credit. And when they do, it will take longer and cost more in some cases.

While originators and aggregators are expected to continue in their origination of non-agency loans using existing credit standards, some originators are going to insist on limiting their risk to only loans that meet the qualified mortgage’s ‘safe-harbor standard’, to ensure the underlying underwriting standards shield the company from litigation risk.
So who will be most impacted by the rules?

S&P says borrowers wanting interest-only products are likely to experience a slowdown in the borrowing process. And, under new underwriting standards, a very specific class of borrowers — those with high net-worth and non-wage incomes — may find it takes a bit more work to get through the originations process in 2014.

The end result will be a market where some lenders have no choice but to originate a few non-QM loans.

Raj Date, a former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau official, recognized room in the non-QM space earlier this year and launched Fenway Summer, a firm that hopes to offer lending solutions to borrowers who fall outside QM.

But no matter how firms respond, the January shift is going to have some impact.

Any expenses related to the changes will be passed onto borrowers, nullifying the basic principal of protecting homeowners from unexpected losses, S&P said when analyzing the slew of new rules.

Prices are expected to go up to cover new processes completed by originators in the underwriting process, the ratings firm said.

 

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/28140-new-lending-rules-set-to-raise-the-cost-of-borrowing-sp

5 Fab Not-Beige Bedroom Neutrals | Katonah Real Estate

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Let me start off by saying that I am in no way looking to bash beige. There are many beautiful shades of the neutral hue that are appropriate and look fantastic in and on homes. But when I am hired to do a paint color consultation, I often avoid suggesting beige. And clients even ask to avoid it, which leads me to believe that many homeowners are tired of the hue, or they see it as a crutch to fall back on when they’d really prefer something different, something with a little more oomph.
For those of you who just aren’t a fan of bold, intense color but want to move beyond white and beige, I’ve pulled together some of my favorite not-beige neutrals that I think look fantastic in bedrooms. These are softer, more soothing hues that work well with a variety of other colors, materials and styles of decor. Yet they still look fresh and current.

1. Light Purples
Whether you go for a cool lavender or a warmer mauve, the trick to making this color appear sophisticated rather than sugary is to go with a shade that has a good amount of neutralizing gray or brown in it. The paint color here contains both gray and brown, which neutralizes the purple. You get the best of both worlds — a neutral hue with just a hint of color.
Get a similar look with Beguiling Mauve from Sherwin-Williams
This lavender has less gray in it than the previous color, but it still has an iciness, which keeps it soft and soothing.
Get a similar look with North Cascades from Benjamin Moore
This pretty wall color has more red and brown in it, which adds warmth. The hint of brown also nudges it toward neutral territory.
Get a similar look with Plum Frost from Behr.
2. Blue-Grays
A soft blue with a hint of gray is a fantastic choice to create a soothing, relaxing vibe in a bedroom. Those who live in areas where cool and overcast days outnumber warm and sunny ones may want to opt for a hue with more blue and less gray.

Watch an Entire Kitchen Remodel in 3½ Minutes | Bedford NY Real Estate

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ver wonder what remodeling a kitchen looks like? So did this homeowner. Only he put his tech-savvy skills to work. For his new kitchen, designed by Main Line Kitchen Design, he recorded the entire three-month-long construction process, then edited the footage down into a three-and-a-half-minute time-lapse video that makes the whole thing look like an organized dance routine.

Workers tear down the old kitchen in a matter of seconds. Oak floors swiftly drop into place board by board like in a smooth game of Tetris. Contractors gracefully slide cabinets and appliances into place as if they were floating from their fingertips. If only the actual process were so flawless and quick.

Check out the video, then see the cost breakdown:

 

 

 

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/20361449

Ideabooks Aid Design Collaboration in Seattle | Waccabuc Real Estate

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Style can be hard to verbalize. What’s my personal home decor style? It’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I don’t know that I could sum it up in a sentence, but I do know that I could point it out in a picture. Tom and Jessica Freeman discovered this while remodeling their 1902 Seattle home. Both had strong opinions about what they wanted in their new house but were unsure how to communicate that to the right architect.
After browsing the 2 million-plus photos on Houzz, the couple narrowed their search by metro area so they could look at projects in Seattle. They came across architect Michael Knowles’ work. Drawn by his more traditional projects they saw on Houzz, they ended up hiring both Knowles and his wife, Colleen, an interior designer. Sharing and collaborating design concepts via their Houzz ideabooks streamlined the process and helped lead the couple to their dream home.
Houzz at a Glance Who lives here: Tom and Jessica Freeman Team: Michael Knowles, architect; Colleen Knowles, interior designer Location: Seattle Size: About 2,400 square feet; 3 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms
Photography by Tom Marks

The 1902 house had undergone an extensive renovation in the 1980s, but the bones of the house were good. “We pretty much touched every room, but some had a lighter touch than others,” says Michael Knowles.
The kitchen went through the biggest changes. Although the footprint remains the same, a few structural changes and new surfaces resulted in a dramatic update. Previously it had a vaulted, open ceiling with a clerestory window. Although the window was intended to bring in more light, a neighbor’s house blocked the view, and the open ceiling felt like wasted space.
The floor plan made the most of the space and worked well for the couple’s cooking habits. The Freemans didn’t particularly like the color of the cabinets, but they were solid wood and well made, so they kept them.
AFTER: After searching through dozens of kitchen photos on Houzz featuring black granite, the Freemans determined the look they wanted very quickly. “The ideabooks allowed us to communicate with Michael and Colleen much faster,” says Jessica Freeman. “It was an absolute dream to work with them.”
Michael closed off the kitchen ceiling and repainted the cabinets in a bright white. The cabinets had to be removed during construction, but he put them back in using almost the same layout. A new granite countertop and gray tile backsplash add contrast to the color palette, while new pot lights and ceiling pendants make the kitchen feel brighter than it did with the higher ceiling.

Listing Portals: What’s the Real End Game? | Chappaqua Real Estate

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The ongoing contention regarding the ultimate motives of the major online listing portals recently came to a head during a rousing panel discussion at RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange earlier this fall. During the session – “The Data Debate: Is Disintermediation a Real Risk?” – the true intentions of the online portals were debated with the hopes of revealing whether the current players are in fact, broker and agent friendly.

Held at New York City’s prestigious Yale Club on Sept. 18, the panel was moderated by longtime industry veteran Ken Jenny, managing partner, Mediatise, LLC. Panelists included leading listing portal executives and brokerage representatives, including: Curt Beardsley, VP, Customer & Industry Development, MOVE/realtor.com®; David Charron, president and CEO, MRIS; Alon Chaver, vice president, Industry Services, Trulia; Bob Hale, president and CEO, Houston Association of REALTORS®; Greg Schwartz, chief revenue officer, Zillow; and Andy Woolley, vice president/GM, Homes.com.

Jenny opened the discussion in the spirit of unity. “It’s not my goal to push the two factions further apart, because the idea is to learn to work together,” he stated. “We just love to hate something in this business. When something comes along that does a great job of working with us, we’re highly suspicious of the motives. We want to know, ‘how can it hurt me?’”

According to Jenny, given the voluminous amounts of listing data flowing through today’s market, if real estate professionals only advertised their listings through traditional avenues, they would be doing a disservice to themselves and their consumers. Jenny asserted that the distribution solutions offered by online portals, when blended with a print strategy, provide brokers and agents with the right marketing strategy for listings.

Jenny launched the debate, therefore, by asking listing-portal executives the question on the minds of many brokers: “Are you a disintermediator?”

“I get up every morning with the same purpose,” responded Zillow’s Schwartz. “Our purpose is to help real estate consumers find homes they love and can afford by working with the world’s best agents. We do that by mining data and utilizing social community. I never woke up saying, ‘we’re going to get our brokerage license.’ We know how to write software and how to sell ads. That’s our thing. You all do something that is very hard, complicated and demanding. We think we amplify your efforts. That’s our purpose.”

Trulia’s Chaver put forth a similar assertion. “We are not disintermediators in any sense of the word,” he explained. “We have a very simple mission and that is to connect consumers with agents. We want to partner with brokers as they are transitioning from newspapers. We also want to take the looky-loos and teach them about real estate, so when they are ready, we can connect them with an agent. We never take FSBOs. We work with over 2,500 brokers. Consumers generally don’t know much about Trulia, and that’s because our intent is to accelerate and build the broker’s brand, not ours.”

 

http://rismedia.com/2013-11-26/listing-portals-whats-the-real-end-game/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eNews