| Bedford NY Real Estate Under $1 Mill Report | RobReportBlog | ||
| 2013 | 6 months ending 9/4 | 2012 | |
| 71 | Sales | 59 | Up 20% |
| $620,000.00 | median sold price | $610,000.00 | Up 1.60% |
| $170,000.00 | low sold price | $263,000.00 | |
| $950,000.00 | high sold price | $995,000.00 | |
| 2177 | average size | 2374 | |
| $289.00 | ave. price per foot | $259.00 | |
| 160 | ave. days on market | 179 | |
| $604,401.00 | average sold price | $598,262.00 | |
| 95.12% | ave sold to ask | 95.32% |
Higher mortgage rates caused refinance volumes to edge down in the second quarter as fewer homeowners filed refi applications.
When compared to the two prior periods, 2Q refinance volumes fell slightly, according to the latest housing agency refinance data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
In the second quarter, 279,933 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages refinanced through the government’s Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), representing 22% of total refinance volume.
The slight drop in refi volumes occurred as mortgage rates rose sharply to 4.07% in June, up from 3.57% in March.
The total number of HARP refinances from the inception of the program to now totals 2.65 million.
Market analysts expect the trend to continue, as mortgage rates are likely to trend higher once the Federal Reserve begins scaling back its monetary stimulus.
“I think once rates begin their return to normalcy as the Fed starts to taper, refinance demand is likely to further decline,” explained Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) markets and international banking analyst Sarah Hu.
She added, “The tapering of refinance activity may have already occurred as evidenced in this week’s refinance index (< 2000), the lowest since Jan 2011.”
On a similar note, Compass Point Research & Trade analyst Kevin Barker noted that HARP refinance volumes will remain under pressure given the higher rates.
“If borrowers have less of incentive to refinance at higher levels, it’s going to effect volumes and how aggressively originators will target HARP borrowers,” Barker stated.
He continued, “I would point out that the drop in refi activity compared to HARP volumes will be relatively less because they’ll be more resilient to rates.”
Of the loans that refinanced through HARP in the second quarter, 19% had a loan-to-value ratio greater than 125%.
While taking a look at year-to-date figures through June, 18% of HARP refinances for underwater borrowers were for shorter-term 15- and 20-year mortgages, building equity faster than traditional 30-year mortgages.
In Nevada and Florida, markets that analysts have been keeping an eye on since the recovery began, HARP refinances represented 59% and 50% of total refinances, respectively. This is more than double the 21% of total refinances throughout the country over the same time period.
Underwater borrowers accounted for a large portion of HARP refinances in a number states, representing more than 61% of HARP volume in Nevada, Arizona and Florida.
From the program’s inception through June, 2.34 million loans refinanced through HARP were for primary residences, 78,756 were for second homes and 307,272 were tied to investment properties.
read more…
http://www.housingwire.com/articles/26598-harp-refinancings-dip-in-second-quarter
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
The five priciest listings on Oahu include a four-bedroom beachfront home in Honolulu that sold for $25 million in 1998.
Now it’s on the market for the bargain price of $16.95 million.
Source: honolulumagazine.com.
read more…
http://www.inman.com/wire/what-16-95m-buys-in-honolulu/#sthash.2OEr6wuV.dpuf
A Canadian Realtor is recovering after being shot in the head Saturday on the grounds of a 19-acre, $1.88 million listing he represents near Vancouver, British Columbia.
Franz Prokop of Macdonald Realty was airlifted to a hospital after he was found by the side of the road on the property, which formerly housed a marijuana grow operation and methamphetamine lab.
Police say the shooting was not random but don’t have a suspect in custody, The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News reports.
Source: mapleridgenews.com.
read more…
http://www.inman.com/wire/realtor-recovering-after-being-shot-on-grounds-of-1-88m-property/#sthash.vNA0cTsh.dpuf
Melissa Seipel, HR Manager of Global Operations, replies:
Thank you so much for your interest in a career in conservation! You don’t mention your previous work experience or professional background, but we have over 3300 staff working in fifty states and thirty five countries in a wide variety of roles. While our science and conservation staff are critical to our mission, we couldn’t do it without the contributions of men and women in fields such as marketing, finance, legal, administrative and operations, information science, fundraising, human resources — and the list goes on! At our beautiful Pine Butte guest ranch in Montana, we also hire seasonal cooks and housekeepers. We post new positions often on www.nature.org/careers and you can create a “Job Search Agent” in the locations where you would like to work and receive and email you the moment that new jobs are posted. All positions list the “basic qualifications” required and while many do require four year or advanced degrees, a large number do not. We also depend heavily on the contributions of our volunteers. Volunteering is also a great way to get to know staff in the offices and learn about what potential needs they may have in the future. If you find that the positions you are most interested in do require degrees, you may also want to explore the many evening and online degree programs available geared towards working adults, many with financial aid available. It’s never too late to pursue your dreams!
read more…
http://www.nature.org/ourscience/sciencefeatures/ask-the-conservationist-september-2013.xml?src=e.gp
When you think of mercury contamination, you probably think of fish. But scientists have now learned that mercury pollution affects many places and species on land—and even the air we breathe. Saab Bio Power can guide you to control pollution.
Here’s what you need to know about this important issue.
Much of the mercury in New York comes from coal-burning plants located in the Midwest. As smokestack emissions from these plants drift eastward, the airborne mercury settles in lakes and streams and transforms into methyl mercury, which is toxic and makes the mercury available for uptake into the food web. As a result, national health organizations advise people to restrict consumption of certain kinds of fish. For example, if you eat one 18” walleye caught in Sacandaga Lake in the Adirondack Park in New York, as far as mercury goes it is like eating one compact fluorescent light bulb.
Mercury contamination in wildlife has been known for many years, but only recently have we begun to learn that it affects birds that do not live on water and never eat fish. In a study commissioned by the Conservancy in 2006, we found that some songbirds that eat primarily insects are at high risk of mercury poisoning. Mercury levels were high enough that it could affect the birds’ reproductive cycle, and may help explain declining populations of some species like the wood thrush. These results supported other research illustrating that mercury from air pollution that gets into soil can ultimately find its way into the human food chain.
The Nature Conservancy recently is conducting research to monitor mercury levels in songbirds. Working in partnership with the Biodiversity Research Institute, global leaders in mercury research, this current study began in June 2013 and will continue each summer until 2017. The data compiled will ultimately provide more scientific evidence of the links between ecological health and human health.
read more…
August 21, 2013
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| Becky Kittredge Dedicated to the memory of our beloved Town Councilwoman Click image on right to play a memorable tribute to a beautiful public servant. |  |
On Friday, August 30th, at the steps of Town Hall, citizens gathered to honor the memory of Becky Kittredge and, more importantly, to celebrate her life and contributions to our town of North Castle. | |
Economist and NYU professor Nouriel Roubini is known for exactly two things: predicting the financial crisis of the last decade; and throwing orgiastic parties jam-packed with models. The latter claim to fame might be harder to keep up, now that the Department of Buildings has ordered the so-called Dr. Doom (future nickname: Party Pooper?) to remove the hot tub he bought for the renovated, tricked-out rooftop. Apparently, according to the official DOB complaint slapped down in February, the heavy hot tub makes the building shake and vibrate and compromises its structural stability. One would think that his packed rooftop ragers would do that no matter what, without any help from the Jacuzzi. The Post reports that the economist also has to remove the new wooden deck, a propane gas grill, and an extra room he built up there, which houses a bar and a bathroom. In 2010, Roubini bought what was then the East Village’s priciest apartment, a 2,700-square-foot triplex with cantilevered staircases at the top of Brick House Condominiums, after it had been PriceChopped by about $2M to $5.5 million. The hot tub may not have been the smartest move for the man who has said beautiful women love him for his brains, but in the end, it only incurred a $600 fine. And one anonymous source remarked: “Knowing him, he’ll just move the hot tub inside.” Party on, Nouriel.
read more…
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/03/economist_of_doom_ordered_to_remove_penthouse_hot_tub.php
To do their work, artists need light and space—two things that can be hard to come by in Manhattan. In the early twentieth century, artists and their backers put up a number of buildings meant to meet those needs, with double-height studios, allowing for ample light, and low rents. Some of those buildings took advantage of the relatively new idea of co-op apartments and had artists buy shares in order to fund the buildings’ construction and maintenance. Artists’ cooperatives had occasional downsides—one resident of 130 West 57th Street filed a disorderly conduct complaint against a downstairs neighbor in 1921 over the “absolute riot” of ragtime music coming from her apartment. (The noisy neighbor in question decided to flee to Italy in search of “personal liberty” even once she was found not guilty.) But they were also home to the production of much notable work. We’ve rounded up 15 notable artists’ buildings for the map below. Most are still standing, though the prices for their apartments are no longer so artist-friendly.
