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Armonk NY Homes

Home building surges | Armonk NY Homes

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Builders rushed to start homes in November, with that key measure of the housing recovery enjoying a huge one-month jump.

Housing starts grew at an annual pace of 1.09 million, up nearly 30% from a year ago. The issuance of building permits was also strong, up 7%.

Still the pace of housing starts was less than half of the peak levels during the housing boom in the middle of last decade, and was even 25% below the monthly average over the course of the last 50 years.

“Because of this, the impressive acceleration in residential investment which has occurred in 2013 should extend through 2014,” said Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, in a note Wednesday.

A survey by the National Association of Home Builders released Tuesday showed builders reporting the best sales conditions for single family homes in eight years.

 

 

http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/18/news/economy/home-building/

Renovation Do No. 1: Upgrade your kitchen | Armonk Real Estate

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All of our experts agree that a kitchen renovation should be at the top of your list, since it’s the heart of a home and the room where families spend most of their time. But where to start? A couple of givens include upgrading to stainless steel appliances and installing countertops made from engineered stone or granite, because these fairly easy changes will improve the aesthetic appeal of the space. Details can also make a difference, like putting shiny knobs on cabinets and purchasing a sparkling new faucet for the sink.

Modern innovations and technology have been so good to everyday life. Having the ability to cook on an electric stove and use electricity for many other things in life is something that many people take for granted. However, when your electricity isn’t working right or you need electric oven repair, you might be a little more than overwhelmed with all of the things that you have to consider in order to make the most of your repair services. Take the time to Check This Out all of your options. If the winter was bitterly cold and the heat cost were unspeakably high, then you certainly need to think about insulation for your home. If it is formulated as simply as possible, then insulation serves ultimately to prevent or slow down heat exchange between two areas. Ideally, the heat stays in the house and the cold outside or vice versa for the summer months when you want to keep to cold air inside and heat outside. Many building materials can be a source of insulation, but only a few do this effectively. Even a simple stone wall holds heat to a certain extent in the walls. However, if considerable savings are to be made in terms of heating costs, there is no way around special insulation materials. But it does not always have to be “packed” within the whole house to save money. It is often enough to simply insulate the top floor, which will considerably reduce fuel consumption. Click here for more information https://www.insulation4us.com/blogs/what-insulation-should-i-use-when-insulating-my-home-in-brooklyn-ny/

Another wise kitchen upgrade? Knocking down a full or half wall, so you can connect the kitchen to the den or living room. “It makes the kitchen feel more spacious,” says Phyllis Rockower, the owner of the Real Estate Investors Club of Los Angeles. “If you’re cooking, you can still hear what people are saying during a party, or keep an eye on your kids while they’re playing.” http://money.msn.com/home-loans/good-and-bad-renovations-for-your-homes-value

Winter Storm Watch Is In Effect For Armonk On Saturday | Armonk NY Real Estate

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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Westchester County on Saturday and into Saturday night.

Snow is expected to arrive late in the morning on Saturday and could become heavy at times at night before mixing with sleet and freezing rain. Snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are possible with a trace of ice, but there is still a good amount of uncertainty as far as possible accumulations, depending on the path of the storm. Road conditions are expected to be hazardous.

Winds will be gusting out of the Northeast from 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 miles per hour. Temperatures will be in the lower 20s.

The snow is expected to move out of the area by Sunday with mostly sunny skies forecast for Sunday with a high in the mid 30s.

Check back for more updates.

 

http://armonk.dailyvoice.com/news/winter-storm-watch-effect-westchester-saturday

 

20 must-have bathroom ideas | Armonk NY Homes

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A bathroom should be more than the daily necessities. It should be a retreat, a getaway after a long day. Take steps to renovate the room into that escape. If not making it over, at least improve it.

Need ideas? The DesignMine gallery showcases bathrooms real people use for rest and relaxation. They’re the fortresses of solitude for the everyday hero, designed and decorated by professionals who know what people need.

Check out these top 20 styles from the collection, ranging from the classical into the fantastical. Whether it’s a particular style or a mixture, convert your bathroom into the space you’ll find comfort in.

 

 

 

http://realestate.msn.com/20-must-have-bathroom-ideas

Armonk, Chappaqua Lead in Highest Ask Price | #RobReportBlog

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Armonk,   Chappaqua Lead in Highest Ask Price | #RobReportBlog
Katonah$18,995,000.00
Pound   Ridge$5,700,000.00
South   Salem$12,200,000.00
Mt Kisco$3,950,000.00
Chappaqua$24,750,000.00
North   Salem$18,500,000.00
Armonk$24,900,000.00
Bedford$14,500,000.00
Bedford   Hills$10,995,000.00
Bedford   Corners$12,000,000.00

Social media catapults an entrepreneur on the world stage | Armonk NY Realtor

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I never imagined that writing about my personal life would catch the attention of a global health-care foundation and turn me into a globe-trotting, public speaker at an international medical conference in the Middle East. But in this social media age, getting thrust onto the international business stage is possible—even when you least expect it.

I was born with thalassemia, one of the most common genetic blood disorders in the world. There are three versions of the disease: minor, intermediate and major. Those living with thalassemia minor are typically unaware that they have the illness. While those who have the major form, like me, live with a dysfunctional bone marrow that produces misshapen red blood cells that cannot transport oxygen to cells, thus requiring triweekly transfusions for survival.

Estimates indicate that at least 12 children suffering from thalassemia are born every hour around the world and almost 490 million are carriers of genetic hemoglobin disorders globally. While bone-marrow transplants and new gene therapies have led to the potential cure for some patients, most who inherit the disease will die from complications.

I started blogging and sharing my experience on Facebook and Twitter. In April 2013, one of my Facebook posts inspired a message from Riyad Elbard, president of the Thalassemia Foundation of Canada, asking me to share lessons on emotional wellness, a topic that I write about, at the Thalassemia International Federation World Congress, which took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in October.

Elbard mentioned that he enjoyed reading my blog posts on Facebook and thought I could offer a much-needed message about how to thrive with medical challenges. Simply put, emotional wellness means embracing, rather than denying emotions, so we learn to cope with stress and anxiety in a way that results in a positive approach to life. Freedom from negative thoughts and behavior patterns leads to emotional wellness.

 

 

 

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101222301

Bob Vila’s 5 December ‘Must Do’ Projects | Armonk Real Estate

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This month is all about the holidays — from decorating the house inside and out to making sure you have everything you’ll need to keep warm and safe. With so much to accomplish, it’s best to develop a plan and stick to it. Here are my top-five “must-do” projects for December, with a Christmas countdown topping the list.

No. 1: Countdown to Christmas

The holiday clock is ticking and there’s so much to do, right? Pick up a fresh tree (or unpack that artificial one), untangle and test the strings of mini-LED lights that you hastily put away last year, and start looking for places to hide the gifts you’ve already started to purchase at stores and online. No! Stop! With a little smart planning, you can get all of your holiday activities done in record time — and still enjoy the season.

For starters, begin to clear away everyday decor from shelves, mantels and tabletops. If you are going to decorate for the holidays, it will be much easier to work with a blank canvas. Likewise, make sure you have sufficient room for the tree. A tree that looked to be a perfectly appropriate size at the lot may actually appear quite different once it’s made it through the front door into the living room. Consider rearranging the furniture — or even removing some — to give the tree the space it deserves. And, if it’s a fresh-cut tree, be sure to locate it away from heat sources and direct sunlight, and water regularly to prevent it from drying out too quickly.

Next, before the holiday cards begin to arrive, plan a spot to display them, whether on the mantel or in a decorative holder. Check the return addresses on the incoming envelopes against those in your address book to be certain you’re up to date, then recycle the envelopes. Before you start wrapping gifts, create a wrapping station where everything you need is in one place — scissors, wrap, ribbon, tape, tags and a pen. Once the gifts have been wrapped and tagged, be sure to designate an out-of-the-way spot to hide them, like in a guest room, under a bed or at the back of a closet shelf. You’ll probably want to find a different hiding spot from last year, just in case the kids are on to you!

Because food and entertaining are an important part of the holidays, be sure to create some order in the kitchen as well. Clean out the pantry and refrigerator before you start shopping for food and ingredients for your holiday meals and treats. If you bake, make sure countertops and work surfaces are clear and uncluttered. You’ll want to have space not only to roll out the cookie dough, but also to hold the cut-out cookies prior to and after baking. Take inventory of your containers to make sure you have enough on hand for storing cookies as well as keeping leftovers fresh and available.

No. 2: Firewood prep

Nothing celebrates the colder weather like the distinct scent and sound of a crackling log in the fireplace. A steady supply of firewood can help offset your heating costs, and unlike oil and coal, wood is a resource that can be replanted for future fire-burning pleasure. Before you start using your fireplace, make sure that your wood is properly seasoned and the right type for your heating requirements. Hardwoods, like oak and maple, burn slowly and steadily. They must be seasoned for at least a year, or you’ll be making more smoke than heat. Softwoods, like pine and fir, season faster and grow faster. They’re easy to split and easy to start but watch out for sparking and creosote buildup in your chimney. Because most firewood is seasoned outdoors, it will contain insects, so you don’t want to store more than a day’s worth inside your home at a time. You also don’t want to stack great piles of it against the outside of your house. To store a year’s supply, you’ll need a woodshed or some other covered storage area set away from buildings.

No. 3: DIY decorations

While there is an infinite supply of ready-made holiday decorations to purchase, there’s something about the season that heightens the appeal of handmade decor. A wreath form purchased at a craft or hobby shop can be transformed easily into a festive wreath to hang above a mantel or on the front door. Pinecones and evergreen branches can be woven into garlands to decorate the house inside and out. And if you are looking for a way to personalize your tree, there are an endless number of creative ornaments you can make. Here are 58 outstanding DIY ornaments to get you inspired. Make one for yourself — or as a gift to give.

 

 

 

http://www.zillow.com/blog/2013-12-09/bob-vilas-december-projects/

Turn-Of-The-Century Pacific Heights Mansion Asks $27M | Armonk Real Estate

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Have a nomination for a jaw-dropping listing that would make a mighty fine House of the Day? Get thee to the tipline and send us your suggestions. We’d love to see what you’ve got.

Location: San Francisco, Calif. Price: $27,000,000 The Skinny: Where to start with this stunning Pacific Heights home? The secret Prohibition-era bar? The expansive Art Deco ballroom? The amazing San Francisco Bay views? Or, maybe, the home’s prodigious price tag: $27M, which is a whopping $21M more than the current owner, University of Phoenix co-founder John Murphy, paid for the 9,320-square-foot manse in 1997. That’s a sizable markup, but the home, which was built in 1905 for a member of the Spreckel’s Sugar Company dynasty, does come with an impeccable San Francisco pedigree. It was designed by noted Bay Area architects Bliss and Faville, whose other designs include the American Conservatory Theater and the Bank of California building, and was previously owned by the son of former S.F. Mayor Joseph Alioto. A spiral staircase serves the five-level traditionalist’s delight, which has five bedrooms and dive bathrooms, a walnut-paneled library, solarium, and elevator for the stair-wary. Also: the views!  So why would anyone walk away from a home like this (aside from, of course, the opportunity for a huge profit-taking sale)? Mr. Murphy tells the Wall Street Journal he wants to downsize and spend more time at his Napa Valley estate.

Eichler Remodel Spawns a Design Career | Armonk NY Homes

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Sometimes you don’t know what you want until it’s right in front of your face. Pamela Lin and her husband, Erwin Tam, had set out looking for a run-of-the-mill, contemporary cookie cutter home with two stories that they could move into without much renovating. But none of the dozens of homes they toured wowed them. Until they walked inside a home designed by well-known California developer Joseph Eichler.
Seeing the open-sky atrium surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows and the open floor plan, Lin and Tam’s style compass completely shifted. Turned out, they weren’t lovers of contemporary style at all; they were midcentury modernists at heart. “Right away we knew this home was for us,” Lin says.
Another thing they soon discovered: Lin is a natural designer. A full-time project manager for Google at the time, she reached out to a few professionals, but her tastes were so particular that she just decided to design the whole house herself, reimagining the kitchen and bathrooms and choosing furnishings, materials and paint colors. Two of her fellow Googlers saw the end result and each hired her to do their homes. Then a neighbor’s friend saw the house, knocked on her door and hired her. After that a different neighbor procured her services as well.
With such demand, Lin decided to start her own interior design company, Urbanism Designs.
Houzz at a Glance Who lives here: Pamela Lin, Erwin Tam and their daughters, Eniko (8 months) and Eliana (4) Location: Sunnyvale, California Size: 1,890 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

Lin researched Eichler homes because she wanted to preserve the Eichler feel but modernize it slightly. Previous owners had already altered a few features — they had removed some original interior wood paneling and painted the ceiling, for example — but she tried to keep the structure as original as possible. “We tried to preserve as much as we could and just modernize things without losing the structure and bones,” Lin says.
The exterior form is virtually unchanged apart from new paint. Lin also added frosted glass to the front door sidelight, changed the side fence to ipe wood and added landscaping steps and concrete planter boxes, which she designed based on a photo she saw on Houzz.
Exterior paint: Dolphin; door paint: Pumpkin Cream, both by Benjamin Moore
The front door opens to this atrium, which originally wooed Lin and Tam into buying the house. In their research they saw that many people opted to cover Eichler atriums to add more interior square footage, but they chose to preserve it.
Lin believes the previous owners thought to hire a company like Elizabeth Gordon Studio to design  a wood wall originally separated the interior and exterior and that changed it to frosted glass.
AFTER: Lin took the connectivity a step further by adding clear, double-pane glass. She also replaced the concrete with an ipe wood deck and a fire pit. Mexican pebbles keep other areas clean looking and low maintenance. “We wanted to make it a place where you’d want to hang out as a family,” Lin says. Cube: Frank Gehry; glass doors: Palo Alto Glass
The atrium leads to the kitchen, where Lin removed a partial wall that had blocked views inside. With that and the frosted glass removed, this outdoor space has become a focal point.
Previous owners had painted the ceiling white. “I would have loved to have the original wood color,” Lin says. They had also added generic veneer wood cabinets and a Spanish terra-cotta tile floor.