Monthly Archives: September 2013

Installing Kitchen Cabinets Solo | Bedford Hills Real Estate

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Next time you’re hanging around a bunch of carpenters  and the conversation starts to lag, ask whether it’s more efficient to hang kitchen wall cabinets with one or two people. I’ve done it both ways, and have found that I can do the job more efficiently alone. This may sound surprising. Without a helper, positioning overhead cabinets can be a real balancing  act, with the installer struggling to brace a cabinet with one    hand while reaching for a clamp with the other. Dropping the cabinet may mean ordering a costly replacement, and putting the  job on hold while you wait.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. Solo installation can be easy; all you need are a few simple brackets and clamps,    the right kind of fasteners, and a good organization system. If after reading this article you’re still not ready to go it alone, these tools and techniques will still make the job go    smoother for two people.

Uppers First

Many cabinet    installers put the base cabinets in first, then use them to    support the uppers. This sounds good, but I find it’s    inefficient. Not only must you reach over the base cabinets to    hang the uppers — a position my back loudly complains    about — but there’s a real danger that you’ll    damage the base cabinets as you work over them. Installing the    uppers first also leaves plenty of room to get under them to    make adjustments, and lets you stand next to the cabinet when    working — a position that my back seldom complains about.    The only problem is that you might forget about the uppers when    installing the lowers. You would be surprised how easy it is to    unthinkingly stand up and whack your head.     To temporarily support the upper cabinets, I use a set of    easy-to-build wall-support brackets. No high-tech gimmickry    here, just some plain old 1×4 pine that can be screwed or    nailed together in a few minutes (see Figure 1).

I make my brackets 52 inches long (a few inches shorter than    the common 54-inch upper height) and fasten them to the wall    with two screws each. I then place the cabinet on the brackets,    shim it to the proper height, and clamp it to the adjacent    cabinet. That leaves both hands free to screw the face frames    together and to fasten the cabinet boxes to the wall.

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.

 

 

 

 

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

Bedford Corners NY Weekly Real Estate Report | RobReportBlog

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Bedford   Corners NY Weekly Real Estate Report9/9/2013
Homes for sale43
Median Ask Price$1,495,000.00
Low Price$525,000.00
High Price$12,000,000.00
Average Size4927
Average Price/foot$478.00
Average DOM167
Average Ask Price$2,610,686.00

Homes Appreciate Over 6 Percent for First Time in 7 Years | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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July national home value appreciation rose again in July, up 0.4 percent from June to $161,600, reaching  6 percent year-over-year,  the first time year-over-year appreciation rates have reached 6 percent since 2006.

Monthly home values have risen in 20 of the past 21 months, beginning in November 2011 after the U.S. market bottomed in October of that year. The 6 percent national rate of annual appreciation is the highest since August 2006, according to Zillow.

Of the 393 metros covered in July, 289 (73.5 percent) registered month-over-month appreciation, and 303 (77.1 percent) showed annual appreciation. All 30 of the largest metro areas covered by Zillow registered both monthly and annual appreciation in July, and all have hit their bottom and are expected to show appreciation in the next 12 months. Metros with the largest annual gains in July included Sacramento (33.1 percent), Las Vegas (30.8 percent) and San Francisco (27.8 percent).

For the 12-month period from July 2013 to July 2014, U.S. home values are expected to rise another 4.8 percent to approximately $169,308, according to the Zillow Home Value Forecast. Large metro areas expected to show the most appreciation over the next year include Sacramento (19.6 percent), Riverside (19.2 percent) and San Francisco (13.2 percent).

“After three straight months of annual home value appreciation above 5 percent, the U.S. housing market recovery has proven it is on very sound footing. We have entered a new phase in the recovery when we can begin to turn away from ugly recent history and turn toward what the housing market of the future will look like and how it will act. The time to have these discussions is now, and recent efforts by President Obama and both parties in the House and Senate to begin addressing still-lingering structural issues related to housing finance are very encouraging,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries.

“It may be tempting to look at how the market is currently performing and think that tackling GSE reform and other large issues is no longer necessary. But while we can afford to turn away from the recent past, we cannot afford to forget it, and simply ignoring these problems only dooms us to repeat them. How we handle these all-important policy debates will be critical in keeping the housing market on sound footing for years to come,” he said.

National rents also rose in July compared with June, up 0.5 percent to a Zillow Rent Index[iv] of $1,287. Year-over-year, national rents were up 1.7 percent in July.

The number of completed foreclosures in July fell to 4.9 homes foreclosed out of every 10,000 homes nationwide, down from 5.2 homes in June. Foreclosure resales represented 8.7 percent of homes sold in the U.S. in July, down 0.7 percentage points from June and 3.4 percentage points from July 2012.

Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)

Zillow Rent Index (ZRI)

Metropolitan AreasJuly 2013 ZHVIMonth-Month % ChangeYear-Year % ChangeJuly 2013 ZRIMonth-Month % ChangeYear-Year % Change
United States$161,6000.4%6.0%$1,2870.5%1.7%
New York, NY$349,7000.5%2.2%

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Los Angeles, CA$475,6002.0%21.5%$2,3080.3%1.2%
Chicago, IL$167,4001.5%2.9%$1,5350.5%0.7%
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX$136,7001.1%7.1%$1,3450.2%3.0%
Philadelphia, PA$190,3000.5%1.8%$1,5000.4%0.4%
Washington, DC$339,4001.1%8.2%$2,0820.2%1.3%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale,   FL$167,8001.8%13.5%$1,6480.8%3.5%
Atlanta, GA$123,9002.2%10.1%$1,1330.1%0.6%
Boston, MA$338,0001.4%8.4%$1,9970.3%4.0%
San Francisco, CA$628,2002.6%27.8%$2,5490.0%2.7%
Detroit, MI$91,6001.6%16.5%$1,0361.8%1.1%
Riverside, CA$234,3003.5%27.3%$1,5840.3%2.6%
Phoenix, AZ$179,4002.5%22.2%$1,147-0.3%0.0%
Seattle, WA$302,6002.3%15.3%$1,6600.3%3.2%
Minneapolis-St Paul,   MN$191,8001.2%12.5%$1,4580.1%1.4%
San Diego, CA$428,9002.1%23.1%$2,1430.3%3.0%
St. Louis, MO$128,9000.2%1.4%$1,0800.7%-1.7%
Tampa, FL$125,0002.4%12.8%$1,2050.3%2.8%
Baltimore, MD$230,3001.2%5.7%$1,6770.3%0.3%
Denver, CO$245,1001.6%13.4%$1,5640.4%5.0%
Pittsburgh, PA$113,4000.8%2.8%$992-2.1%-5.2%
Portland, OR$253,7001.8%14.9%$1,4270.3%3.6%
Sacramento, CA$274,6002.9%33.1%$1,4620.4%-0.3%
Orlando, FL$139,7001.6%15.1%$1,2420.2%3.5%
Cincinnati, OH$126,8000.9%2.3%$1,1320.2%10.4%
Cleveland, OH$116,1001.0%4.6%$1,1070.2%2.9%
Las Vegas, NV$151,6002.5%30.8%$1,1550.2%0.3%
San Jose, CA$735,7002.2%25.1%$2,6690.6%3.5%
Columbus, OH$132,2000.9%5.6%$1,1820.4%2.1%
Charlotte, NC$138,0000.8%2.8%$1,146-0.1%1.0

How Much Does it Cost to Install Windows? | Chappaqua Real Estate

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Windows can bring light and warmth, provide views, beautify inside and out and add tremendous value to your home. They also can let in the elements and intruders that put your home at risk. That’s why windows – quality windows – must be considered an important investment. The cost of windows will depend on the type, dimensions, materials used, security features, the complexity of the installation, and, of course, the number of windows needed.
Number of Windows

Generally, the more windows you need to install, the more expensive the installation price. But installation professionals will charge less per window if you install several at the same time. So if you’re thinking about only replacing a couple of windows, it might make sense for you to talk to your pro about the cost of installing multiple windows at one time. It may save you money in the long run.  Continue Reading

Window Sizes

According to Window Replacement DC – Hyattsville, windows tend toward different dimensions depending on where they’re needed. Living rooms typically have larger picture windows hung in multiples ranging from 3×4′ to 6×6′. Standard bathroom windows are quite a bit smaller, ranging from 2×1.5′ to 2×3′. Major window manufacturers can customize windows to any dimensions, but be aware that you may pay more for odd sizes.

Window Sash Materials

Vinyl windows are inexpensive and require little or no maintenance. They’re also extremely durable; changes in humidity don’t cause them to swell or shrink. Most vinyl window manufacturers stand behind their products with strong warranties. Their greatest drawback is that they’re not as sturdy or attractive as wood. Wood frames, on the other hand, cost more and require much more maintenance. Fail to repaint and finish wooden window frames and they become susceptible to the elements. But all that work and money can be worth it for the classic, authentic architectural appeal of wood. That’s why some historical neighborhoods have covenants requiring that windows be framed with wood. New composite windows attempt to capture the best of both worlds by mixing PVC polymers with wood fiber to create a stronger, more attractive synthetic window frame.

Window Panes

New windows can save you considerable money on your utility bills and make your home more comfortable. Windows are rated by the U-factor. The lower the U-factor, the more energy efficient and higher the initial cost. You’ll pay more for double-pane windows, but they will pay for themselves over time. Experts say double-pane windows can save up to 24 percent in cold climates during the winter and up to 18 percent in hot climates during the summer. More about double-pane options.

Other Window Cost Factors

Replacing existing windows is, of course, usually cheaper than cutting walls for new ones. You might consider talking to both your contractor and a security firm about how to make your windows safe from burglars. Also, be aware that windows above the first floor may be more expensive to install because of access issues.

How Fashion’s Reed Krakoff and Lisa Perry Do Entry Spaces | Mt Kisco Real Estate

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before
after

Photo of Reed Krakoff by Douglas Friedman/Elle Decor; Photo of Lisa Perry by Oberto Gili/Elle Decor

 

It’s not surprising that the homes of fashion designers have always been something of a fascination for shelter magazines; after all, these people presumably possess the kind of taste level well beyond the average person’s and have the means to perfect their glassy mansions or restored palaces, or, in some cases, large collection of estates. This month’s Elle Decor asks seven fashion designers to pose in their favorite room: for Coach honcho Reed Krakoff—who’s Manhattan townhouse is the stuff of legends—that means a sweeping foyer filled expressing “artisanal craftsmanship combined with warm modernism”; for Lisa Perry that means a bright, “blinding in its whiteness” entry hall filled with Pop Art. Head to Elle Decor for Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, and more.

 

· Fashion Favorites [Elle Decor] ·

 

Behold Fashion’s Loveliest Homes, as Seen in Shelter Books [Curbed National]

Searchable History of All Tweets: This Week in Social Media | Waccabuc Realtor

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Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention.

What’s New This Week?

Topsy Offers Entire History of Public Tweets: “If you’re curious about your own first tweet—or any other piece of Twitter history” be sure to check it out.

You can now search through the entire Twitter archive.

 

SlideShare Redesigns Browse Page: “The experience is much more visual, and like before, you can sort through SlideShares based on topic category, content type, language and date. Users can now also share, save and like SlideShares directly on the browse page.”

The new update makes “SlideShares more easy to find, share and enjoy.”

LinkedIn Adds Volunteer Aspirations to Profile: “You will be able to share your philanthropic aspirations on your LinkedIn profile by calling out whether you want to volunteer and serve on a nonprofit board.”

“Your network is more likely to send volunteer and board opportunities your way if they know that you’re looking and what you’re looking for.”

Here’s more noteworthy news to follow:

SlideShare Updates Privacy Policy: SlideShare is updating its privacy policy to help clarify existing language and help SlideShare “prepare for future features and functionality” that they “anticipate will continue to add value” to the user experience.

Here are a couple of interesting social media tools worth noting:

Strike Social: A tool to discover how well your content is performing on YouTube.

 

Spirit: A tool to set your tweets to disappear with a simple hashtag.

Check out Spirit if you’d like to put a lifespan on any of your tweets.

Don’t miss this:

The Architect Of Coconut Grove’s Iconic, Imperiled Chart House Restaurant Is Joe Lancor | Katonah Real Estate

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Screen%20Shot%202013-09-06%20at%2012.44.44%20PM.png[Photo via Lancor Architects]

A Curbed reader has discovered the architect of Coconut Grove’s imperiled organic modern Chart House Restaurant to be Joe Lancor of Honolulu, Hawaii. The restaurant is listed on his website. Over the years, Mr. Lancor has designed dozens of Chart Houses for the chain, each one of them unique. ·

 

Lancor Architects [lancorarchitects] ·

 

Should Coconut Grove’s Organic Mod Chart House Be Saved? [Curbed Miami]

Bing Video Search Gets Fancy New Features For A Better User Experience | Bedford Hills Realtor

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Bing Video Search Gets Fancy New Features For A Better User Experience

Bing are giving their video search results a much  needed makeover and users of the site will find larger video thumbnails, extra  search filters and pop out hover previews part of the new package. In an  announcement via their blog, the company promised the new  streamlined navigation would lead to a better browsing experience for the video  content it pulls in via YouTube and Vimeo as well as from Dailymotion, Hulu, Vevo, CBS,  MTV and MSN amongst others.

Bing wants to provide a “completely re-imagined search experience” for video  so let’s take a look at some of the new upgrades:

Improved Navigation and Video Overlay Features

The new video overlay tweak allows users to multitask by continuing to browse  through their search results whilst currently watching a video. Bing have also  introduced a side bar of ‘related videos’ to provide the user with more relevant  results.

Larger Video Thumbnails For Easier Recognition

New larger thumbnails should make it much easier for users to scan through  videos until they find the one they want.

Pop-out Hover Previews Keep Users On Bing Longer

Rather than take you off site to see whether the video you have chosen is the  one you want, the new pop out hover preview allows you to see just that. Bing  have provided much more information regarding the video (favicons from the top  sites, descriptions, view counts etc). There is also a new volume control  feature.

 

 

Source:  Bing Video Search Gets Fancy New Features For A Better User Experience

 

http://www.reelseo.com/bing-video-search-new-features/#ixzz2eOvjJPKw

One Fifth of Top Markets Rebound to Peak Prices | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Some 19 out of the top 100 markets show a complete price recovery in July from the peak-to-trough decline amount attributable to the housing bubble – up from the 16 that showed full recovery in June.

Six of these markets again belong to the state of Texas, and two belong to Oklahoma, according to the Homes.com Rebound Report.  Some 41 markets showed more than a 50% rebound – up from the 38 in June.

The Homes.com Rebound Report uses the Homes.com Local Market Index data back to 2000, but it focuses on the period from 2005 forward when identifying peaks and troughs to isolate the impacts of the Great Recession, a recently marked global economic decline that also correlated with the bursting of the U.S. housing bubble.

The Homes.com Local Market Index report tracks repeat sales of properties for both single family and multi-unit/condominium sales in separate indices for the top 100 Local Markets as determined by the U.S Census Bureau Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). The Homes.com Rebound Report tracks how far each market has recovered from its peak-to-trough decline in index value attributable to the Great Recession, a recently marked global economic decline that correlated with the bursting of the housing bubble.

 

 

 

http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2013/08/one-fifth-of-top-markets-rebound-to-peak-prices/