Category Archives: Bedford Corners NY

Happy Inspector takes pen-and-paper home inspections and makes them digital | Bedford Corners Homes

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Happy Inspector takes traditional pen-and-paper based inspections and makes them digital, bringing more transparency and an easier, faster and professional process to inspections of residential real estate, commercial buildings, cruise ships, ski resorts, not to mention food and safety or fire safety inspections.

The company is one of 13 in the inaugural class of the Inman Incubator program, a yearlong mentorship, advisory and promotional program to help new companies in the real estate industry succeed.

 

 

– See more at:

 

http://www.inman.com/2013/11/05/happy-inspector-takes-pen-and-paper-home-inspections-and-makes-them-digital/#sthash.xrh206qL.dpuf

What is the Right Social Media Policy for Your Company? | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Social media can have huge positive impacts on a company, especially when it  comes to marketing and branding. However, without a solid and well-thought out  social media policy, some social media in the workplace can result in negative  consequences. Unfortunately, even minor mistakes or inappropriate posts through  social media can quickly spread and damage the image of a company.

Some companies today fear this bad press so much that they create a strict  social media policy. For example, these types of strict  policies have firm guidelines on what can (and cannot) be posted  through social media, and who is allowed to post.

Other companies recognize the value of employees sharing their own opinions  and content via social media, and have set up more relaxed and casual  guidelines about social media in the workplace.

When choosing or changing the social media policy of your company, a good  place to start is by taking a look at these two types of options.

Here are the two extremes.

#1. The strict social media policy

What are some of the rules that a strict social media policy may include?

  • Employees must provide a disclaimer on their social media pages stating that  their posts do not represent the views of the company.
  • Only employees that have been chosen as “official” social media  representatives are allowed to contribute to the brand’s social media.
  • Employees cannot share logos of the company along with their posts on social  media.
  • Social media is not allowed in the workplace at all.
  • Employees using social media should only engage in conversations about the  company itself, for example as a customer service tool.

Here is an excerpt of the strict and formal social media policy that applies  at Oracle.

Oracle Social Media Policy

#2. The relaxed social media policy

Some rules that a casual and relaxed social media policy may include:

  • Use common sense when deciding what to post online.
  • Don’t publish any confidential company information.
  • Be respectful and courteous.
  • Be honest about who you are.
  • Respect the privacy of others and do not post private conversations or  personal information of others without asking permission.

Here is an example of a more relaxed and casual social media policy at Ford.

 

 

 

Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/10/22/what-is-the-right-social-media-policy-for-your-company/#XM17FMZyBhf5BEQp.99

FHA Lenders Operate Through the Federal Shutdown | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Federal direct and guaranteed housing loan programs funded by the Federal Housing Administration are operating at a level after the federal government closed its doors and the US Department of Agriculture housing programs have shut down altogether

Some 350 of the 9,300 employees at HUD remain on the job and the Office of Single Family Housing is  maintaining the minimum level of operations necessary to support FHA’s existing portfolio of loans, however most support services for the program, such as prequalification, approving lender applications and re-certifications, will cease.

Larger lenders who have been delegated authority to process FHA applications are unaffected by the shutdown, said Mike Copley, head of Retail Money-Out Products for TD Bank.  Hre said borrowers who are in process of getting a loan as well as those who are getting ready to apply should have no hold-up due to the government shutdown.   “Delegated lenders can make decisions and approve loans.  The only problem borrowers might have is if they are working with a smaller lender who has not been delegated authority by FHA.

Jumbo loans might face a greater problem, he said.  TD Bank requests a copy of applicants’ tax returns directly from the IRS to verify income.  “We will go as far as we can go with jumbo applications in hopes that by the time we need to verify income the government will be up and running again.” said Copley, noting that the last government shutdown lasted only 21 days.

 

 

 

http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2013/09/federal-shutdown-to-cripple-fha-close-usda-housing-programs/

Kitchen of the Week: Contemporary Meets Rustic in Southern California | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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The brick-like tile, vintage light fixtures and reclaimed wood in this kitchen may imply an earlier era, but the clean cabinetry and modern fixtures point to its more recent design. The owners, newlyweds in Southern California, wanted a kitchen that would replace the outdated old space without looking blatantly brand new. After reworking the layout and closing up unnecessary doors, designer Lisa Gutow expertly blended both contemporary and rustic elements to create a warm, welcoming and eclectic kitchen. Kitchen at a Glance Who lives here: A newly married couple Location: San Clemente, California Size: 130 square feet

The white planked cabinetry gives the kitchen a low-key feel that’s in line with its coastal location. Gutow installed a reclaimed rough-sawn wood beam above the hood as a rustic accent. Our custom composite or vinyl round top windows are just what you need to transform any room in your home to “the” room that will wow your guests. You can find best tips from www.ezwindowsolutions.com
The kitchen’s size and layout didn’t allow for as much storage as the couple would’ve liked, so Gutow put glass shelves in front of one window to maximize space and still allow for natural light. Since the small window just has a view of a guesthouse next door, the client prioritized storage over the view.
Hardware: Restoration Hardware; range: Electrolux with concealed hood
The rustic brick-style backsplash is actually made of cement field tile. Gutow and the clients chose the tile with brick in mind, so it would look like this kitchen has always been here. “We wanted it to look like the drywall had been chiseled away and brick was found,” says Gutow.
Hand-painted Italian tile above the stove adds a more modern element and stays in line with the rest of the home’s Mediterranean undertones.
Backsplash tile: Hacienda San Felipe, Ann Sacks; tile above stove: Haveli, Ann Sacks
The previous kitchen had been neglected for years. Here’s a view of the original space, looking away from the smaller window at the back of the kitchen. The large window above the sink was maintained in the new design.
The kitchen’s outdated cabinetry had entire drawers and cabinets missing. The black and white pattern on the floor had worn through in many spots, so Gutow sanded it down and used Annie Sloan chalk paint to create a low-contrast stripe.
AFTER: Although Gutow kept the original appliance layout to avoid moving gas and plumbing lines, she reworked the traffic patterns.
When looking into the kitchen, where the small window exists now, there were two additional doors; one led to the courtyard, the other to a laundry room. The empty wall is where the stove sits in the new kitchen. Gutow closed up both doors, created another entrance to the laundry room and turned the courtyard door into a smaller kitchen window. Now foot traffic goes through the living room, rather than the kitchen.
AFTER: Replacing the courtyard door with the smaller window on the left created room for cabinets, including the ones below the window and the unit that sits on the counter, holding the coffeemaker and microwave.
The playful blue pendants add some necessary color; the client found these vintage pieces on her own, and Gutow had them rewired for the kitchen. The butcher block is another antique piece the client found. The extra surface area near the refrigerator is the perfect place for putting together a cheese plate or an appetizer before taking it into the adjacent dining room.

Legislators Race to Buy Time as Flood Insurance Rate Spike Threatens Homeowners | Bedford Corners Homes

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A bipartisan group of Senate and House members have proposed a deal to delay flood insurance premium increases taking effect as a result of last year’s Biggert-Waters Act. The rate increases will greatly increase costs for homeowners living in flood-prone areas and could also impact the nation’s housing market.

The legislation has four principal goals: it would delay most flood insurance increases for four years; compel the Federal Emergency Management Agency to complete an affordability study mandated by Biggert-Waters; address issues found within the study; and allow Congress time to review those findings and revisions.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), one of the namesakes of the Biggert-Waters Act, announced the deal today. On Friday, eight Senators appealed to fellow senators for support for the bill, which would delay flood insurance rate increases for thousands of homeowners set to take effect as part of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act.

As of Friday, eight senators—Mary Landrieu (D-La.), David Vitter (R-La.), John Isakson (R-Ga.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)—had signed on as cosponsors. There has been no announcement as to of or when there might be a vote on the proposed legislation.

 

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/legislation/legislators-race-to-buy-time-as-flood-insurance-rate-spike-threatens-homeowners.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=jump&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RDU_102913&day=2013-10-29

 

Guy Asks $14.8M For Castle He Built For His Three-Year-Old | Bedford Corners Homes

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Location: Bolton, N.Y. Price: $14,800,000 The Skinny: In 1982, Upstate New York man John Lavender broke ground on a castle. In a promotional video, he explains that Highlands Castle “was born out of a promise to my three-year-old son, Jason. I told him I would build him a home where we could both live and create some nice memories. For some apparent reason, I made a promise to build him a castle.” The first part of that promise is very sweet, and the second part is maybe a little over the top (also, a three-year-old kid is definitely not going to remember what he was or wasn’t promised). But, to his credit, Lavender followed through and spent years painstakingly constructing this castle on Lake George, drawing up the plans himself, collecting castle-y items such as suits of armor and stained-glass windows, and putting 800 tons of stones in place, one at a time. “Dad, can we have a catch?” his son would ask. “Not now,” John Lavender would reply. “I have to build this castle so that we can create memories.” Once the castle was complete, Lavender and his wife began renting it out for weddings and honeymoons—rates start at $995 a night—but now the whole thing is also listed for $14.8M.

Home prices close in on housing bubble peak | Bedford Corners Homes

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Nationwide, home prices are now just 14 percent off of their bubble era peak, according to real estate data and technology firm Lender Processing Services.

LPS’ U.S. Home Price Index came in at $231,000 in August, up 9 percent year over year and a slight 0.4 percent from July. The index peaked at $270,000 in June 2006.

Texas, in particular, is booming. The state’s HPI hit a new peak of $185,000 in August, as did Texas metros Austin ($240,000), Dallas ($184,000), Houston ($185,000) and San Antonio ($172,000).

 

 

Source: LPS

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/wire/home-prices-close-in-on-housing-bubble-peak/#sthash.3AZ7TiWq.dpuf

Miami’s Old Trolleys Used To Go Everywhere, Like The Beach | Bedford Corners Homes

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Yesterday, WLRN interviewed historian Dr. Paul George about Miami’s surprisingly extensive trolley system of the 1920s and 30s, which at its peak stretched from Coral Gables to Miami Beach and Buena Vista. (today’s Midtown/Design District) But in the late 30s and 40s it was already considered outmoded, and in the way of the private car, which was the real “wave of the future”. So, City leaders ripped all the tracks out and replaced the trolleys with buses that went faster and weren’t ‘fixed’ to a track. One of the old trolley cars is on display at HistoryMiami. Now, 80 or or so years later, we’re trying to put it back, or at least rebuild the portion that went over the MacArthur Causeway, with Baylink. Ironic, isn’t it? Listen to the whole radio segment over on WLRN.

The Ten Most Insanely Expensive Houses in the Hamptons | Bedford Corners NY Homes

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squabble%20lane.jpg [Squabble Lane can be yours for a mere $45.5M]

Ah, the Hamptons, where a crummy teardown shack can cost you $8 million. None of the houses on our list are crummy teardown shacks, but some of them are definitely overpriced. $75 million for non-oceanfront property? Good luck with that. $65 million for six acres in North Haven? Sorry, not even if the seller (a Mr. Richard Gere) personally massages our feet every night for a year. Cody House, the most expensive property on the list, is also available at a money-saving $50 million with fewer acres. We left the $48 million Wooldon Manor off the list as it is currently in contract, proof that if you don’t ridiculously overprice your property, you can sell it quickly.