via seekingalpha.com
Katonah NY Real Estate | U.S. Real Estate Market: End of an Era – Seeking Alpha
Leave a reply
Category Archives: Lewisboro
Cross River NY Real Estate | Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson’s Former Saint Charles, IL Home for Sale
Source: IMDb
Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys are synonymous with California and sunshine, yet the rocker once called Saint Charles, IL home.
Wilson’s Saint Charles home is now for sale for $1,490,000. Wilson wrote most of his 1998 album “Imagination” in the five-bedroom home, located 40 miles outside of Chicago.
The Beach Boys front man grew up in Southern California and spent most of his career as the Beach Boys’ song-writer and producer there. So, how did Wilson come to live in Illinois?
According to an article in the Daily Herald, good friend and top music producer Joe Thomas was living in Saint Charles at the time and convinced Wilson to buy the home next door for $1.4 million in 1997.
Together, Wilson and Thomas worked on producing “Imagination” in the new studio addition of Wilson’s home. Wilson added three recording rooms and a mixing room to the basement. The studio has separate security, air conditioning systems, and has been lined for sound control. Famous musicians often visited Wilson at his home, including Paul McCartney, Sean Lennon and Eagles band member Joe Walsh.
In 1999, following a fall-out with Thomas, Wilson moved back to California and his home was put on the Saint Charles real estate market. It sold two years later, in 2001, for $1.5 million.
Situated on over two acres in the Tony Crane Estates neighborhood, the home includes 6,527 square feet of living space, including 5 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. In addition to the recording studio space, the home features nine fireplaces, two master suites, library, solarium, media and rec center.
The 1996-built home is also completely private and includes a state-of-the art security system with cameras.
—
Based on a 30-year fixed mortgage at a rate of 4.4 percent and assuming a 10 percent down payment, the monthly mortgage payment for this home is $9,085 per month, as quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace.
The listing is held by Betty Theisen-Placek of Coldwell Banker.
via zillow.com
Waccabuc NY Real Estate | The root of all economic choices | Inman News
The root of all economic choices
Book Review: ‘Economics of Good and Evil: The Quest for Economic Meaning from Gilgamesh to Wall Street’
Book Review
Title: “Economics of Good and Evil: The Quest for Economic Meaning from Gilgamesh to Wall Street”
Author: Tomas Sedlacek
Publisher: Oxford, 2011; 368 pages; $27.95Many consumers hear the word “economics” and their brain immediately associates the word “math,” which is dreaded in some circles. Cue eye-twitching, fetal-position curling, and so forth. I won’t get into the unfortunate reasons behind Americans’ hate-hate relationship with math — just suffice it to say that it is a relationship that could use some therapy.
This creates a real problem when it comes to understanding the global, national and even local economies, and the individual markets that comprise them (from real estate to oil to employment and the stock market), a problem that trickles down and impedes our ability to make wise decisions when it comes to our personal finances.
Fortunately, of late, a number of learned economists have begun to experiment with integrating this “dismal science” of economics with other schools of thought that are less dry, less math-centric, and seem more human, like psychology (which, when married with economics, has produced the fledgling, flourishing field of behavioral economics).
And even more fortunately for the average consumer, in his “Economics of Good and Evil: The Quest for Economic Meaning from Gilgamesh to Wall Street,” Czech economist Tomas Sedlacek has taken this academic trend one giant step further, creating what some are calling “humanomics,” a rather striking rethink of economics from a math-based science to a human-based cultural phenomenon along which we can understand and track the entire evolution of human civilization.
Given the surprisingly recent acknowledgment by economists that humans do not, in fact, behave rationally in their economic and financial lives, Sedlacek’s novel angle of veering outside of science and math and other predictive and analytics models to find and explore economics in sources ranging from the Talmud to the Fight Club is sensible. It also happens to be fascinating.
“Good and Evil” is organized in two parts: Part I explores ancient “myths, religion, theology, philosophy and science,” finding economic history and stories therein, while Part II does the reverse, looking at what Sedlacek deems the “blasphemous thoughts” — the weak moments and flawed theorems of modern economies and economics, culling therefrom essential archetypes he links back to other ancient stories.
In fact, story is a theme of “Good and Evil.” Throughout, Sedlacek uses the power of story to call out economics for telling normative stories in mathematical language (meaning that they try to project with numbers how things “should be”) and instead illustrates through stories the truth, the reality of human economics behavior — how things actually are. This turns what is, at its core, an economic history, into an adventure across the ages.
And I mean a lot of ages — “Good and Evil” starts with a thorough examination of the economic principle of human relationships’ interference with human efficiency as set forth in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian text that is the oldest written story in human history at more than 4,000 years old. Throughout, Sedlacek cites the work and words of Plato, Jesus, C.S. Lewis, Carl Jung, Stanley Kubrick and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne’s character in “The Matrix”) with equal ease, facility and significance.
The (surprisingly) modern predilection — voracity, even — for economic growth, growth and more growth? More money, more things, and so forth? Sedlacek traces it to its Old Testament roots.
In the final analysis, “Good and Evil” explores such surprisingly economic subject matter as the good and evil inherent in our physical bodies; the core differences between humans and animals; freedom; bondage; greed; philanthropy; social contracts and safety nets; debt; wealth and prosperity — all through the lens of stories, characters and theories modern and ancient.
Sedlacek is no total rogue, though; he uses his unconventional sources to underscore the need for method in understanding economics, and to issue a call for human, story-driven, historical inspiration for those methods applied.
Tara-Nicholle Nelson is author of “The Savvy Woman’s Homebuying Handbook” and “Trillion Dollar Women: Use Your Power to Make Buying and Remodeling Decisions.” Tara is also the Consumer Ambassador and Educator for real estate listings search site Trulia.com. Ask her a real estate question online or visit her website, www.rethinkrealestate.com.
via inman.com
Katonah NY Homes | Higher Than Expected Tax Rates Approved in Katonah-Lewisboro – Bedford-Katonah, NY Patch
Homeowner tax rates approved by the Katonah Lewisboro school board Thursday night are slightly higher than the amounts projected in May.
Though the overall tax levy, which was set in May at $99,783,239, has not changed the slight increase in projected and actual tax rates are a result of a decline in overall assessed property values, according to Michael Jumper, assistant superintendent of business, who presented the information at Thursday night’s school board meeting.
The tax levy which is the total amount of money to be raised through property taxes to support the budget and tax rates are used to determine how much each taxpayer must contribute to the tax levy.
At the time of the 2011-12 school district budget passing in May, taxes were projected to increase by 1.71 percent in Bedford, 5.43 percent in Lewisboro, 7.87 percent in Pound Ridge and 7.33 percent in North Salem.
They are now set to increase by 5.79 percent in Lewisboro, 2.06 percent in Bedford, 8.23 percent in Pound Ridge and 7.69 percent in North Salem.
See the the comparison table below for a look at recent years’ tax rates.
Jumper has said that once the levy is established, the board has little control over the tax rates, which are a factor of the value a town assessor has placed on an individual’s property and the state equalization rates, said Jumper.
One reason values may decline, for example, is when homeowners go through a property grievance process. Any value lost through grievances must be made up through the tax rate.
The board approved the return of $2,254,012 in surplus funds to be returned to voters, and the use of $500,000 from reserve funds to offset the tax levy.
Reserve funds allocated to the budget include $35,000 from the unemployment reserve; $200,000 from the retirement contribution reserve, and $265,000 from the employee benefits accrued liability reserve.
“The total sum of the taxes is the exact same number,” Jumper said. “I want the tax levy to be as low as reasonably possible. We utilize reserves to help offset the taxpayers’ burden.”
The district’s remaining fund balance is at $4,299,230, or 3.87 percent of the 2011-12 budget, which is close to the 4 percent allowed under state law.
A comparison of recent tax rates in Katonah-Lewisboro
Town
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12, projected
2011-12, actual
Bedford
-1.42
7.45
1.71
2.06
Lewisboro
2.03
1.22
5.43
5.79
Pound Ridge
1.58
-.56
7.87
8.23
North Salem
2.03
-2.75
7.33
7.69
* all rates are increases unless marked with a (-) sign.
Waccabuc NY Homes | U.S. housing occupancy declines; rentals up in some areas | The Town Talk
More Headlines
- Texas hopes Tropical Storm Don brings drought relief
- Membership, value among top goals for new president of Central Louisiana Chamber
- Rapides program offers financial perk for school-business partnerships
- Required school vaccinations offered today at Rapides Parish Health Unit
Most Popular
Most Commented
via thetowntalk.com
Waccabuc NY Real Estate | Walt Disney’s Custom Estate for Sale
Source: IMDb
While it’s easy to imagine Walt Disney simply living in Disneyland, perhaps in one of the houses that dot Disneyland’s Main Street, the man behind Mickey Mouse actually built a custom estate in Los Angeles, about a half-hour drive from the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
Walt Disney’s home is listed for sale for $3,650,000. The French-Mediterranean style house was built in 1932 on a double lot in prestigious Los Feliz. Median Los Feliz home values are currently $835,900. “Wizard of Oz” actress Judy Garland once called Los Feliz home and currently, Natalie Portman as well as Jack Black. also reside there. According to property records, the home was last sold in 1977 for $207,002.
A gifted cartoonist and entrepreneur, Disney moved to Hollywood in 1923 to start a Hollywood studio with his brother. Within 10 years, Disney was famous for the creation of his new character, Mickey Mouse, and was working on a full-length animated film called “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” He was also beginning to dream up an elaborate amusement park.
Disney’s gated home in Los Feliz was home to the cartoonist, his wife, Lillian, and two daughters Diane and Sharon until 1945, when he moved into another home in Holmby Hills. The home features a Mediterranean-style entry in a circular rotunda and painted ceilings in the foyer and dining room as well as vaulted beamed ceilings throughout the rest of the house. According to a listing photo, the Disney home was featured in the January 1940 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.
Additionally, the 4-bedroom, 5-bath home has 6,388 square feet of living space with views of downtown L.A. throughout. Other original aspects of the home include stained leaded glass windows, a Juliet balcony, billiards room with sleeping porch, and a projection and screening room where Disney used to watch productions. Outside, the property still has the playhouse built for Disney’s daughters.
The listing is held by Patricia Ruben of Sotheby’s International Realty.
via zillow.com
Lewisboro NY Homes | Town Board Gets Arbitration Appeal – Bedford-Katonah, NY Patch
Greenburgh Supervisor Paul J. Feiner has asked Bedford officials to join his campaign to end the use of arbitration panels in settling contract disputes with local police departments.
In a letter, Feiner said pay raises imposed by “unelected arbitrators” have exceeded inflation rates, imposing “excessive salary hikes on local governments around the state.” Eliminating the panels would make it easier, he said, to implement a state-imposed cap on property taxes.
“I would appreciate your contacting your state representatives in Albany and requesting that they push for the repeal of arbitration panels.” Feiner wrote in a letter to Supervisor Lee V.A. Roberts, who is on vacation and did not attend Tuesday’s meeting. With Deputy Supervisor Peter Chryssos also absent, the town board was reduced to three members and tabled the letter.
The state’s Taylor Law, which governs municipal collective bargaining, provides for arbitration when either a local government or its workers union declares that contract negotiations are at an “impasse.” A three-member panel—one named by the union, one by the government and a chair acceptable to both sides—then arbitrates.
Feiner said the Taylor Law, a product of the 1960s, was “outdated and should be repealed.”
“New York State should provide local officials with the ability to control all salaries under our jurisdiction,” he told the Bedford board members. “The buck should stop with elected officials who approve budgets, not with unelected arbitrators.”
Stars return to Bedford for movie shoot
No stranger to celebrity, Bedford will host Hollywood notables this month when a sci-fi family comedy movie, Robot and Frank, shoots scenes at 77 Heron Lake Road. The cast includes Frank Langella (Frank), Liev Schreiber (the robot’s voice), Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Jeremy Strong and Liv Tyler. Shooting is scheduled for the weekend of July 23-24.
Farm stand needs a sign
For three years, Gwen Brant says, she’s put up her Daisy Hill Farm sign each morning in season, announcing fresh produce for sale at her West Patent Road farm. She’s taken it down each evening and has not had a problem. But now, she told the town board Tuesday, Bedford has ordered that the sign must stay down when it comes down. She appealed for permission to keep her sign up, a matter the planning board will now consider.
Economic data suggests soft patch continues | Lewisboro NY Real Estate
via reuters.comNAHB: Housing Opportunity Index by Race/Ethnicity in 2010 | Bedford Hills NY Real Estate
via nahb.org
Homeowners Remodeling Not Moving | Lewisboro NY Homes
The March BuildFax Remodeling Index, which is based on building permit data, increased for the seventeenth straight month on a year-over-year basis as the residential remodeling industry continued to strengthen and more homeowners opted to stay where they are and remodel rather than move.
The index rose 14 percent year-over-year – and for the seventeenth straight month – to 98.0, the highest March number in the index aside from March 2006. Residential remodels in March were up month-over-month 2.9 points (3 percent) from the February value of 95.1, and up year-over-year 12.0 points from the March 2010 value of 86.0.
All regions except the Midwest posted year-over-year and month-over-month gains. The West posted the largest gains, up 18.5 points (22 percent) year-over-year and up 5.4 points (6 pecent) month-over-month. The Midwest saw significant drops, down 15.3 points (20 percent) year-over-year and 3.3 points (5 percent) month-over-month, perhaps due to a colder winter. The Northeast gained 2.7 points (4 percent) year-over-year and 4.5 points (8 percent) month-over-month, and the South improved 7.8 points (10 percent) year-over-year and 7 points (9 percent) month-over-month.
“The winter of 2010/2011 was one of the worst on record. The economy is continuing to struggle and gas prices have soared, however, consumers in March still continued spending on renovations and home improvements as they drove the remodeling industry to yet another month of solid gains compared to a year ago,” said Joe Emison, Vice President of Research and Development at BuildFax. “Significant improvements in the West continue to drive activity nationally to the best year in remodeling since 2006. Even though the Midwest saw a drop this winter,
early data shows that remodeling in all regions will continue to prove out the economic recovery in 2011.”
BuildFax has created a proprietary property intelligence engine that contains building and permitting information from 4,000+ cities and counties throughout the country. The BuildFax database currently covers over 60 percent of the U.S. commercial and residential building stock with 6 billion data points