Category Archives: Bedford Corners NY

Dutch Architects Balance the Familiar and the Avant-Garde | Bedford Corners Homes

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he avant-garde Dutch architecture firm MVRDV (an initialism of the names of the founding members, Winy Maas,  Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries) has tackled a wide range of projects, from a doghouse and people houses to whole sections of cities in and outside of the Netherlands.
Research is the consistency in the company’s projects; regardless of building type, size or location, the architects thoroughly analyze the contributing factors to design buildings best suited to the client and how they’ll be used. A number of books have documented the voluminous research MVRDV has produced since their its in 1993, but MVRDV Buildings (the most recent book and the firm’s first monograph), edited by Ilka and Andreas Ruby and published by nai010, focuses on 37 realized buildings.
With the importance of social housing in the Netherlands, MVRDV has realized many multifamily housing projects, but it has also designed single-family houses. This ideabook looks at six of the projects presented in MVRDV Buildings, an excellent monograph that lets readers learn about the buildings from the points of view of the clients and users, not just the architects.

contemporary exterior Didden Village, MVRDV

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Didden Village Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2006
MVRDV’s first project in its hometown was this small rooftop extension for the Didden family. Ghislaine van de Kamp and Sjoerd Didden wanted to add three bedrooms to the three-story building they were living and working in; the first two floors were for the latter and the top floor was for the former.
The blue addition, covered in polyurethane, seems to respond to the sky rather than the historical redbrick buildings it sits upon and next to.
contemporary deck Didden Village, MVRDV

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The three bedrooms sit atop the roof as two cubes topped by gables, floating within a terrace, also covered in blue. Even the planter is treated with the same material and color as the addition, reinforcing the comic-like aspect of the design.

Play Tricks With Color in Your All-White Room | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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ith so many colorful options for materials and paint these days, all-white spaces can feel stark and sterile for some of us. But there’s an easy compromise for color lovers who still appreciate the crisp feeling of white: Add a splash of color. Sticking to one consistent, bold color in white rooms creates a statement that can’t be missed. From master bedrooms to kitchens, all-white rooms make the perfect canvases for a pop of originality.

eclectic living room by Tara Seawright

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Accent with your favorite color. You’ve taken a bold leap into all-white decor, painting the walls, floor and furniture white. But don’t stop there. Add a few splashes of your favorite color around the room, and watch your space come alive. Try to spread out your accents: The more spots of color you use, the more the eye will wander around the room.
modern bedroom by Neslihan Pekcan/Pebbledesign

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Focus on wall art. Stark white walls, sheer white fabrics and sleek white furniture make this space feel like a luxury hotel room, but it’s the picture on the wall that immediately catches your attention.
Take a risk and hang a favorite, colorful piece of art on a single wall in your all-white room. Hunt for something big and bold at your local galleries and studio tours, online art vendors, antique shops and even thrift stores.
rustic bedroom by Jill Sorensen

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Paint your furniture. Painting furniture is an easy and affordable way to instantly update a room. This room glows in all white, but the punchy turquoise dresser adds cheer to the serene space.
Experiment with something affordable, like a funky piece you found at a local garage sale. A gallon of colorful paint and some new hardware is all you need to create an instant conversation piece.
Diary of a dresser makeover
eclectic dining room by Jeanette Lunde

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Embrace natural finishes. The painted furniture look doesn’t suit all of us — especially if you want to preserve your antique or inherited furniture. Simply let your furniture’s natural wood finish stand out on its own; the warm hue works just like a splash of bold color. Here, this beautiful corner cabinet steals the show, anchoring the room with its natural cherry finish.
traditional kitchen by Cheryl Scrymgeour Designs

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Play with fabric. I love the look of white kitchens, but sometimes they can feel too plain and devoid of personality. It’s easy to add style without switching out any major materials. This kitchen does a great job of playing with blues in the soft window treatment, upholstered barstools and counter accents for a cohesive look.
modern kitchen by Tara Seawright

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Paint your ceiling. Can’t figure out where to put a splash of color in your all-white room? Look up! Paint your ceiling for a fresh, new look.
This vibrant canary yellow ceiling makes the entire room come alive. This paint application would work with just about any hue, but be careful when you choose your sheen. A glossy finish may reflect light around the room too much; a matte or eggshell finish may work better.
modern dining room by Polly

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Highlight staple furniture pieces. Matching white chairs would’ve made this all-white room look too washed out. I love how this homeowner took a different approach and selected bold chairs that instantly set this design apart. If you’re ready to embrace this style, using a bright red hue like this will turn your white space into an instant showstopper.

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

 

 

 

6 Ways to Use Embedded Tweets to Help Your Business | Bedford Corners Realtor

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Are you looking for creative ways to embed tweets on your website?

Do you want to show off your customer’s kind words about your business?

Since Twitter allows the ability to embed tweets on websites, people have discovered lots of creative ways to use them.

In this post, I’ll show you six ways to use embedded tweets to enhance your content, drive engagement and establish social proof.

How to Embed a Tweet

From sharing spontaneous customer testimonials to increasing traffic and promoting events, embedded tweets can capitalize on or support engagement with your brand in a number of ways.

Before we get started, let’s quickly review how to embed a tweet on your website.

When you find a tweet you want to embed on your website, hover over that tweet and click on the More link. Then you should see an Embed Tweet option.

embed tweet option

Finding the Embed Tweet option on Twitter.

 

When you click on Embed Tweet, you are prompted to copy the sharing code for the tweet.

Copying the embed code for a tweet.

Then you paste the embed code in your website. If your site is on WordPress, use the HTML/Text editor. When you save or publish, you have a live, interactive tweet on your website.

Yes, it’s that simple! Now, let’s look at some ways to use embedded tweets.

Here are some creative applications of embedded tweets.

 

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/embedded-twitter-posts/

 

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

Fed shocks market, decides not to taper | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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The Federal Open Market Committee decided Wednesday to keep purchasing additional agency mortgage-backed securities at its current pace to foster the ongoing housing recovery and fight unemployment.

In other words, the market was tricked — no tapering just yet — despite numerous predictions of a $10 billion reduction in monthly asset purchases by the Fed.

The FOMC made that conclusion after members met this week and announced that although the housing sector is strengthening, “mortgage rates continues to rise further and fiscal policy is restraining economic growth.”

As a result, the central bank will continue purchasing agency MBS at a pace of $40 billion per month and longer-term Treasury securities at a pace of $45 billion a month. Yields on 10-year Treasurys dipped from a daily high of 2.9% to below 2.8% on the news. Yields on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bonds also dropped, according to Bloomberg, with spreads between MBS and the 10-year swap winding 6 basis points closer.

“The committee sees the improvement in economic activity and labor market conditions since it began its asset purchase program a year ago as consistent with growing underlying strength in the broader economy,” FOMC members said.

They added, “However, the committee decided to await more evidence that progress will be sustained before adjusting the pace of its purchases.”

The vote for the statement was 11 to 1 with Esther George, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City dissenting because she was concerned that the continued high level of bond-buying program increased future economic risks.

The majority of mortgage analysts noted that the Fed’s decision to not begin scaling back its monetary stimulus wasn’t bad news — it was just not what was desired.

“Concerns over budgets, deficits and payments along with other news are tending to keep consumer and business confidence from expanding as rapidly as one would expect,” explained National Association of Realtors economist Jed Smith.

He added, “Currently, existing-home sales are at levels significantly above those of last year and should remain positive for the foreseeable future – in terms of sales and price. Given interest rates, household formations and gradually easing conditions most economists project increasing growth.”

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/26914-fed-halts-qe-wind-down

 

Bedford Town Board Approves Water Hike | Katonah Real Estate

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Bedford residents will have to pay a little more for their water in order to pay for a new water filtration plant in Katonah.

The Bedford Town Board unanimously approved water rate increases last week. Average water rates will increase by 20 percent, abut $97 a year.

“The water filtration plant is in operation and is producing great quality water,” Department of Public Works Commissioner Kevin Winn said. “Due to the increased expenses of the plant, we do need to have slight rate increase though it is less than anticipated.”

Winn said the town’s goal with the rate increase was to advocate for more water conservation. Minimum water rates are lower, but the rates increase with the more water used.

The rate increase will go into effect on Oct. 1. The rate increase was less than anticipated due to electric and waste disposal costs being less than anticipated.

Gordon Strong, a Katonah resident, complained he was being penalized by the new rate structure. Strong has a one inch water main and would be paying more than his neighbors who have larger homes and might use more water.

“I don’t think it’s fair,” Strong said. “I am being asked to pay a higher rate. I should be made an exception.”

Winn said he should change the size of his water meter and residents are charged for meters because they put more tax on the water system.

 

 

http://bedford.dailyvoice.com/news/bedford-town-board-approves-water-hike

Mortgage application filings tumble 13.5% | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Mortgage application filings fell 13.5% from a week earlier during the survey period ending Sept. 6, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday.

Mirroring this downward trend, the MBA refinance index also dropped 20% from the previous week, reaching its lowest level since June 2009.

Overall, the refinance share of mortgage activity dropped to 57% of all mortgage applications, down from 61% a week earlier. The refinance index alone has fallen 71% from its recent peak in early May, and is now at its lowest level since June 2009.

The average contract interest rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage with a conforming loan limit increased to 4.80% from 4.73%.

Furthermore, the 30-year, FRM jumbo grew to 4.84% from 4.71%.

The average 30-year, FRM backed by the FHA rose to 4.56% from 4.48% a week ago.

Additionally, the 15-year, FRM increased to 3.83% from 3.75%, and the 5/1 ARM rose to 3.59% from 3.49% last week.

 

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/

 

How to Wash Your House | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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If you want to give your home more curb appeal, one great way to start is by giving the exterior a thorough cleaning. An exterior that sparkles in the sun can make a world of difference. But if you’re about to reach for a pressure washer, stop right there. Not all surfaces can handle the intense spray of a pressure washer; some, like brick, can be damaged by the wrong tools. Here you’ll find out which method is best for your home, along with more know-how you’ll need to get the job done right.

traditional exterior by Vinyl Siding Institute

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When to pressure wash. Vinyl or wood siding, or a hybrid material, is typically strong enough to withstand pressure washing. But before you head to the home improvement store, consider just how dirty your house is. It’s best to start with the lightest, gentlest cleaning method that is effective and work your way up from there.
Don’t reach for the pressure washer unless you have some serious grime to contend with — a light layer of dirt and road dust can be easily cleaned using a plain old garden hose. If your home has sturdy siding and needs more power than a garden hose can muster, a pressure washer can be heaven sent.
rustic exterior by Cathy Schwabe Architecture

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Get prepared to pressure wash. If you own your home and plan to use a pressure washer at least once each year, it could be worth it to buy your own. They are not cheap … but they are not cheap to rent, either. If you cannot reach the upper floors of your home on a ladder, consider hiring a pro to do the job. If you are doing it yourself, follow these steps:

  1. Soap or no soap? Water alone is enough to get most exteriors clean. If you have mold or mildew, use a specialty house cleaner designed to kill mildew in the pressure washer’s detergent compartment.
  2. Choose the right nozzle. Pressure washer nozzles are measured in degrees — those that shoot water in a very narrow area have the strongest spray (zero is the strongest) and should be used very cautiously. For most homes a nozzle with a 40-degree spray should suffice, so start there and work your way down to a 25-degree nozzle if necessary.
  3. Secure windows, doors and pets. Make sure dogs (who could be curious about the spray) and children are inside, and close all the windows and doors before getting started. Also put on a pair of safety goggles to protect your eyes from dirt and debris.
Pressure washing safety. Treat your pressure washer with respect and common sense, the same as you would any other power tool — because it is potentially just as dangerous. The spray that comes out of the tip of the power washer is so concentrated, it can slice through skin, so keep children and pets away while you are working, and never direct the pressure washer at a person.
Also avoid spraying windows, as the spray could break the glass, especially in older homes with single-pane windows.
How to pressure wash your house:

  • Spray at a downward angle. Siding is designed to protect your home from weather … and weather comes from above, not from below. Work with your home’s protective features and direct your sprayer downward. Never spray into seams or cracks in siding where water can become trapped and damage your house.

 

 

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/17268616/