Category Archives: Chappaqua

US pending home sales up slightly after six-month slump | Chappaqua Real Estate

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U.S. pending home sales in November ticked upward for the first time in half a year, according to National Association of Realtors data released today.

Contracts to buy previously owned homes, also known as the Pending Home Sales Index, saw a 0.2 percent month-over-month boost to 101.7. Despite this good news, the year-over-year change was a 1.6 percent decline. Economist projects that signed contracts would go up 1 percent from October, which wasn’t far off.

“Several housing indicators have improved recently and the very modest increase in pending home sales in November is a tentative sign that activity is stabilizing, or perhaps even picking up,” JPMorgan Chase economist Daniel Silver told Reuters.

All-cash buyers accounted for 42 percent of the nearly 500,000 U.S. home purchases last month, according to RealtyTrac, as reported last week. That figure is the highest seen since RealtyTrac began tracking all-cash purchases in 2011

http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/12/30/us-pending-home-sales-up-slightly-after-six-month-slump/

NYC Residential sales volumes set record | Chappaqua Real Estate

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A record number of fourth-quarter sales in Manhattan drove inventory to historic lows, according to a report released Friday by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, while the prices for luxury properties and condos soared, far outpacing the modest gains logged by market as a whole.

“Normally the fourth quarter is the weakest quarter of any given year,” said Jonathan Miller of Miller Samuel Inc., the appraisal firm that complied the data for the report. “We didn’t have that this time.”

Instead, the 3,297 sales in the final months of 2013 were the most Mr. Miller had seen in a fourth quarter in 25 years—up nearly 30% from the same period in 2012. In response, the supply of units on the market shriveled to 4,164, the lowest tally in 14 years.

The year-end buying frenzy was in part the result of demand that had been depressed for years by buyers’ fears about the strength of the recovery—and the housing market. Those same people have recently been gaining the confidence to take the plunge, an urge that has gained urgency as fears have mounted that mortgage rates will finally lift off from their historic lows of recent years.

“There is a lot of pent up demand and a lack of inventory,” said Dottie Herman, president and chief executive of Douglas Elliman. “You can’t take your time to shop around.”

While the robust fourth quarter did break some records, it also continued the year-long trends of low inventory and high demand, meaning relatively modest overall growth. Several reports also released Friday painted a steady market overall, with median sale prices gaining by single-digit percentages in Manhattan.

But within that market, condos and co-ops performed very differently.

For instance, median sale prices for condos reached an all-time high of $1.32 million, up 14.3% from the same time last year, in a spike that owed primarily to a different sales mix as more pricey larger units hit the market, according to Mr. Miller.

Prices also got a lift from the number of new and/or luxury units sold. The median sales price for luxury condos and co-ops rose to $4.9 million, a 10.4% increase over the same time last year. But in the huge market for co-ops, which comprise about 60% of sales, conditions were much more subdued. There median prices rose a modest 4.6% over the course of last year to $680,000.

Several other market reports painted a similar picture.

The year-end report from the Corcoran Group on the Manhattan market noted the drastic increase in prices for new luxury housing, with a whopping 72% year-over-year increase in the median sale price of new luxury housing, which hit $7.85 million. However, sales topping $5 million only made up 5% of the market.

And while 2013 has often been compared to 2007 and 2008, with several record-setting luxury sales this year, the annualized median sale price at year end was about 16% below where it stood in the second quarter of 2008, according to Mr. Miller – and that might be a good thing.

The double-digit price growth and easy credit associated with the last boom turned out to be stuff bubbles are made of, while this time around the industry seems to be building itself up on more solid footing.

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20140103/REAL_ESTATE/140109975

Mobile Advertising Projected to Increase 64% in 2014 | Chappaqua NY Realtor

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As our web presence expands, so does the advertising space. Agencies are using mobile and native advertising to catch consumers’ attention on a variety of online platforms.

Companies nearly tripled the amount of money spent on mobile advertising, from $1.2 billion in 2012 to $3 billion in 2013, according to LinkedIn Marketing Solutions. Roughly 65% of both ad agencies and marketers plan to invest in native advertising, for an estimated total of $4.3 billion, in 2014.

See also: 10 Tips for Improving Your Mobile Advertising Campaign

Social and mobile marketing go hand-in-hand, since at least 17% of the time people spend on their mobile devices is on a social network. It’s no wonder then that analysts predict mobile and social advertising will increase 64% and 47%, respectively.

Marketers are expected to spend nearly $47.6 billion on online ads alone in 2014, with $13.1 billion of that figure allocated for mobile ads.

http://mashable.com/2014/01/03/native-mobile-advertising/?utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial

5 Tips to Manage Snow & Ice This Winter | Chappaqua NY Homes

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If it hasn’t already found its way to your home, it no doubt will. Winter is here, and if you live in a part of the country where snow and ice are likely — an increasingly larger swath of the country these days — then you’ll be shoveling, salting, deicing, scraping and blowing or throwing snow on your property soon. Here are 5 tips to help you prepare for whatever winter sends your way.

Man removing snow from a driveway

No. 1: Upgrade your snow shovel

There are a surprising number of snow shovel designs — including one that looks like a unicycle! Basic rules, however, apply. Don’t buy a snow shovel with a wide blade if your idea of a workout is watching a football game. A small scoop may lengthen snow removal sessions, but it will help save your back and keep your cardiologist happy. Choose a shovel with a securely fastened, comfortable D-shaped grip. Some models come with an auxiliary grip that reduces the need for you to bend your back, which can cause back strain. Look for a sturdy steel or wooden handle. The blade’s edge should be reinforced with galvanized steel.

Plow-style shovels or snow pushers, some of which come with wheels, allow users to push snow out of the way instead of lifting and tossing it. These are ideal for long, straight runs and for clearing decks. With blades up to 3 feet wide, however, strength and endurance are required.

No. 2: Buy a good windshield scraper

Treat yourself to the sturdiest scraper you can find. Cheap ones break when you need them most. Opt for one that includes a handle that’s at least 2 feet long and that has a brush or squeegee on one end. If your vehicle is large, get one that extends to 3 feet. The Thor ice scraper includes a squeegee and double scraper that removes ice on both the push and pull strokes. The stainless steel handle extends to 3 feet and includes an extra grip for improved leverage.

No. 3: Stock up on ice melter

The best ice melters contain magnesium chloride or calcium chloride. They melt ice at temperatures near 0 degrees Fahrenheit and are generally less harmful to the environment. Rock salt is slightly less expensive, but it melts ice more slowly, ceases to be effective below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and may damage concrete, lawns and plantings. It may even be harmful to animals. That said, not all “green” melts are safe around pets (and wild animals), so look for a salt-free ice melter or a product that is made from magnesium chloride. Typically, such products will be labeled “pet friendly.” Sand or kitty litter, although not an ice melter, is useful for improving traction on icy surfaces too.

No. 4: Invest in a roof rake

If you’re plagued with ice dams, despite keeping your attic insulated and ventilated, consider a snow rake. Ice dams often form on roofs, such as a cathedral ceiling, under which there is no attic. Use the rake to remove snow buildup from the lower 3 or 4 feet of your roof, so that melting snow can drain off before ice dams have a chance to build up. Snow rakes are typically fitted with a 2-foot-wide blade that’s perpendicular to the handle. The handle may be telescoping or extendable with snap-on sections. Better models have wheels that protect roof shingles as you push and pull the rake. Handle lengths range from 15 to 22 feet. An innovative “rake” design that doesn’t fit the mold is called the Avalanche. Its blade cuts through snow accumulation instead of pulling or pushing it. As chunks of snow break loose, they slide to the ground on the plastic sheeting attached to the bottom of the blade.

If you’re too late in preventing an ice dam, and it’s beginning to back up and leak inside your home, it’s usually best to call a pro. Some homeowners, however, have had success tossing a pair of calcium chloride-filled pantyhose across the dam at 6-foot intervals. Ice melt tablets formulated for roofs may also be effective, depending upon temperature and your ability to safely place them near the ice dam.

No. 5: Consider a snow blower or thrower

Snow throwers and blowers are an attractive option if you live where average annual snowfalls reach 3 feet or if you are physically impaired. Otherwise, most people get by without them. The initial cost, maintenance, fuel and storage space required for such units is simply not worth it. Choose a snow thrower for small- and medium-size clearing, and a snow blower for larger areas. Snow throwers, also called single-stage snow throwers, are smaller both in width and vertical intake. They remove and throw the snow in one continuous motion. Snow blowers, also called two-stage snow blowers, scoop up snow with an auger that feeds it to an impeller. The impeller allows snow blowers to throw snow much farther than snow throwers.

For lighter-duty snow removal, consider an electric snow shovel or an electric snow thrower. The former are typically able to handle 4-inch depths; the latter can handle 10-inch depths. The nice thing about these machines is that maintenance is significantly reduced. Electric snow throwers are available both corded and cordless.

 

 

 

Celebrity Real Estate: LA’s 2013 Roundup | Chappaqua Real Estate

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They buy. They sell. We look at the pretty pictures like the celebrity real estate snoops that we are. Somewhere deep inside us, we love the visceral thrill of trash-talking Mark Wahlberg’s master suite or thinking that Bruce Willis’ kitchen needs an update.

But at the end of the day, celebrities trying to buy or sell in the housing market are just like us — with maybe a few more layers of money, managers and financial advisers.

Here are some of our favorite celebrity properties listed, bought or otherwise appearing on the real estate Multiple Listing Service in Los Angeles during 2013.

Photos courtesy of Realtor.com.

Casey Kasem casey kasem

Radio personality Casey Kasem and his blonde, beehived Mrs. Jean listed in early spring what was uncharitably described as a teardown near Brentwood for $42 million. That wasn’t rocking anyone’s Top 40 list — despite the heart-shaped pool — and the price for the seven-bedroom mansion may have been out of whack with the times. The property came off the market, unsold, in September as concerns about Kasem’s health surfaced.

Bob Hope bob hope

Bob Hope’s longtime Toluca Lake home remains listed at $27.5 million. While the address may not be as trendy as Beverly Hills, there’s a lot of house in this estate — almost 15,000 square feet of mansion sitting on more than five acres, just a proverbial spit from Universal Studios and City Walk. Not to mention a one-hole golf course and enough room for Richard Nixon’s helicopter to land so the two could play a few rounds.

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia DeRossi ellen portia

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi bought this Santa Barbara-area gem that was listed at $26.5 million in May. The restored Tuscan-style hacienda was built in the 1920s and was extensively renovated by its previous owner, architect and designer John Saladino. Landscaped with 30-foot Italian cypresses and mature olive trees for that Old World ambience, the property has a 10,500-square-foot home with five bedrooms and nine fireplaces.

 

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/30/celebrity-real-estate-2013_n_4442291.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications

Fixed Mortgage Rates Little Changed at Year-End | Chappaqua Homes

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Freddie Mac  today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates little changed as we head into the final days of the year.

News Facts

  • 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.48 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 26, 2013, up from last week when it averaged 4.47 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.35 percent.
  • 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.52 percent with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.51 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 2.65 percent.
  • 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.00 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.96 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.70 percent.
  • 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.56 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.57 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.56 percent.

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following links for the Regional and National Mortgage Rate Details and Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.

“Mortgage rates were little changed this week following mixed economic reports. Real GDP was revised upwards to 4.1 percent growth in the third quarter of this year. However, existing-home sales dropped 4.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4,900,000 in November. Also, new home sales fell 2.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 464,000.”