Tag Archives: North Salem NY Real Estate

North Salem NY Real Estate

6 Trees You’ll Fall For | North Salem NY Real Estate

he leaves are changing, the nights are crisp. In much of the world, gardeners are laying down their tools, cleaning up their gardens and perhaps breathing a sigh of relief that another gardening season has come and gone.
But the planting season isn’t over. Fall — particularly until late October in colder areas of the country and until November in the South — is the preferred time to plant many species of trees. Planting conditions are near perfect: The soil is warm, the sun isn’t too hot and there’s usually more rain. The weather that makes people say, “Fall is my favorite time of year,” is ideal for many newly planted trees, too.
Different types of trees prefer different living conditions. Not every tree should be planted in fall, of course. The reason is in the roots: Trees with larger, thicker roots that reach deeper into the soil, such as magnolias and oaks, are better off planted in spring. Trees best planted in fall, such as crabapples, maples, elms and honeylocusts, have fibrous root systems shallow enough to readily reach water and nutrients. This allows them to settle in and put out new root growth before the weather turns frigid.

traditional landscape by Liquidscapes

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One of the best trees for small gardens, crabapples (Malus spp.) top out at a manageable 20 feet. They flower gloriously in the spring in shades of light pink, dark pink or white. Fruits follow, and although they must be cooked for humans to find them palatable, birds depend on them to get through the winter. Hardy to zones 5 (to -20°F) to 8 (15°F), crabapples need full sun and well-drained soil.
traditional landscape by Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

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At the garden center, look for trees that are in containers or that are balled and burlapped. These can be planted in fall. Dormant (bareroot) plants must be planted in spring.
When buying a tree, always check to be sure it’s healthy: no dead branches, splits or damage to the trunk. A damaged trunk interrupts the flow of water up and sugars down the tree. A tree may recover, but a damaged trunk can ultimately kill a tree.
farmhouse landscape by Wagner Hodgson

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Some Great Trees for Fall Planting
Native to North America, honeylocusts (Gleditsia triacanthos) have fern-like leaves that provide airy shade, so they are a good choice if you want shade but not too much. The species has fierce thorns and grows well over 80 feet tall, but cultivars are thornless and grow to about 40 feet. They need full sun and are hardy in zones 3 (-40°F) to 7 (0°F).
traditional landscape by Dear Garden Associates, Inc.

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Green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) is a lovely tree with three seasons of interest: white flowers in spring, red fall foliage, and in winter, red berries that birds adore. Hardiest in zones 5 (-20°F) to 7 (0°F), hawthorns stay under 40 feet. They require full sun and do best in soil that’s not too rich or too moist. The cultivar ‘Winter King,’ shown here, is especially disease-resistant and drought-tolerant.

Wolfgang Puck Drops $14M on Pritzker-Approved L.A. Villa | North Salem Real Estate

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Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker—members of über-rich American family noted not only for its Hyatt fortune, but also as the benefactor of the famous architecture prize—have finally found a buyer for their eight-bedroom villa in Bel Air: celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. According to The Real Estalker, Puck laid down $14M for the Mediterranean spread christened Villa les Violettes. The place listed for $21.99M over a year and a half ago, when the Pritzkers’ new spread, a positively palatial compound boasting 53,000 square feet of living space and a bowling alley, wrapped up construction. That original ask was shaved down with painful sluggishness—18 times over the course of a year, to be exact—until, in March 2013, Villa les Violettes blinked off and on the market, emerging with a new $16.495M ask.

Inside the 1938 manse, which the Pritzkers bought in 2001 for $9.5M: a limestone foyer, a “ballroom-sized living room” with parquet floors and 15-foot ceilings, a double-height library, a media room, a silvered dining room, and a marbled kitchen The Real Estalker insists “will get a soup-to-nuts overhaul.” Outdoor details include a 3,500-square-foot garden and trellised flowers like whoa—plus a pool, a fancy-pants outdoor dining area, palm trees, resort-style furniture, and a tennis court.

 

 

 

http://curbed.com/archives/2013/10/08/wolfgang-puck-drops-14m-on-pritzkerapproved-la-villa.php

Westchester Senator Cries Foul On $14 Toll For Tappan Zee Bridge | North Salem NY Real Estate

New York State Senator Greg Ball (R – Patterson) announced a bipartisan public-private partnership bill in an effort to keep tolls down on the new Tappan Zee Bridge.

New York State recently learned that the federal loans requested will only cover roughly 33 percent of the bridge’s cost as opposed to the 49 percent that was requested a year ago.  The result would be tolls approaching $14 or more.

“Over $14 is too high,” Ball said in a statement. “Simply raising the toll is not a sustainable solution. We can’t continue to pass the tab onto those that cross the bridge and the tax payers. New York is the capitol of capital and we must unlock the private sector to fund and maintain this vital infrastructure project.”

Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D- Kenmore), chairman of the Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry, has joined ball in creating the new legislation.

“This forward-thinking legislation creates a framework that will allow for and encourage investment in the state by private companies in order to advance the development and operation of public infrastructure,” Schimminger said in a statement. “This would be extremely helpful to efforts aimed at boosting Upstate New York’s economy.”

The public-private partnership legislation will help transfer the risks associated with building, financing, operating and maintaining public infrastructure projects from the taxpayers to the private sector. One of the key benefits is that private partners are responsible for project cost overruns eliminating the government’s risk going back to taxpayers for additional funds.

 

 

 

 

http://whiteplains.dailyvoice.com/politics/westchester-senator-cries-foul-14-toll-tappan-zee-bridge

 

Your relationships with inspectors don’t have to be scandalous | North Salem Real Estate

In a recent Broker Notebook column, Inman News columnist Teresa Boardman discussed how, in her view, taking care of the buyer’s inspection is a questionable business practice. As someone who has been on both sides — a former real estate agent and current owner of a home inspection franchising company — I understand where the author is coming from.

I see her point of view and agree to a certain extent. But I don’t believe home inspectors and real estate agents fostering trusted networking relationships is necessarily a questionable practice.

On the contrary, I think it can really help the customer. Undoubtedly, it can become a problem when home inspectors and real estate brokers become too buddy-buddy for the homebuyer’s own good.

But, having been on both sides, I believe that when a real estate broker finds a certified professional home inspector who consistently offers an unbiased third-party look at a property, it is oftentimes in the best interest of the homebuyer to utilize that trusted home inspector.

Let’s consider an example from that highly popular Fox program “Scandal” for clarity — and please disregard the fact that the name of the show is “Scandal” for the purpose of this analogy.

Those who have watched the series know that the lead character, Olivia Pope, is a professional fixer who is hired by clients to fix things, no matter the problem. Along with her associates, Pope uses any means necessary to protect the client. In a dramatic turn of events during one episode, one of her clients is working against Pope’s dearest friends

 

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http://www.inman.com/2013/09/27/your-relationships-with-inspectors-dont-have-to-be-scandalous/#sthash.wqvhMii9.dpuf

All-cash deals make huge comeback | North Salem Real Estate

Call it the summer of the cash sale. All-cash home purchases skyrocketed during the summer months of 2013, with their share of total sales growing by more than 40 percent from the beginning of June to the end of August, amid sustained appetite from investors, a recent spike in interest rates and tight inventory.

Cash purchases accounted for 45 percent of sales in August, up from the 2013 trough of 32 percent seen in April and May, according to RealtyTrac data provided exclusively to Inman News. RealtyTrac That indicates that the market share of cash sales has increased 41 percent in just the last three months.

The recent meteoric rise in cash sales’ market share hit its fastest clip yet in August, with cash purchases’ share of total sales jumping 6 percentage points month over month to 45 percent. That’s the highest level that RealtyTrac has recorded since March 2012, right around when home prices hit their post-meltdown low.

Looking back a year, cash sales’ market share was up a whopping 50 percent in August, RealtyTrac said.

 

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http://www.inman.com/2013/09/26/cash-sales-share-of-total-purchases-skyrockets-by-nearly-a-third-in-2-months/#sthash.nABqVPhW.dpuf

Gorgeous Sagaponack Six-Bedroom is Yours for $10.95M | North Salem Real Estate

This house really is beautiful. We love all the white, which contrasts beautifully with the piano-finish floors (hopefully the new owners will have staff with Swiffers on standby). The kitchen and bathrooms are faultless, the pool and landscaping are perfection. There’s 1.6 acres in a great location, and six bedrooms and 7.5 baths inside. As for the artwork, we’re on record in favor of Damien Hirst dot paintings, but the Beatles? Unless you were actually in the Beatles (and that guy lives in Amagansett, not Sagaponack), come on. Also, photographers gotta be more careful with the wide-angle lenses. Yes, they can make the rooms look bigger, but they can also give a funhouse-mirror effect that’s offputting. Again, minor complaints in a stunning house. · Sagaponack Sanctuary With Style [Saunders]

 

 

 

Should you consider an adjustable-rate mortgage? | North Salem Homes

It’s getting harder for many first-time buyers to afford a home in many markets across the country. The average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage has climbed 16% in the past year, at the same time that the median home price shot up 14%.

In the past couple of months, lenders say, buyers looking to lower their monthly payments have started inquiring about adjustable rate mortgages, those riskier mortgages often blamed for the housing bust.

“We are definitely seeing more interest in ARMs,” says Malcolm Hollensteiner, director of retail lending for TD Bank.

Can they be trusted this time around? Who should consider these loans, which vary in rate after an initial fixed period? And who should stick with the standard 30-year fixed-rate loans?

In this September installment of Buying Advice, we’ll school you on the pros and cons of today’s adjustable-rate mortgages, check in with the latest housing statistics and help you understand origination fees when shopping for a mortgage.

 

 

http://realestate.msn.com/

10 Stylish Options for Shower Enclosures | North Salem Real Estate

A shower is one of the first things you notice when you step into a bathroom, so make sure your enclosure not only matches your style but also accentuates your bathroom.
We’ve all seen or lived in a home with the ever-so-famous enclosure framed in polished brass, but there are tons of other options with which to surround your shower. Whether you go for framed or frameless, or with no enclosure at all, choose your style wisely.

traditional bathroom by Specialty Tile Products

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1. Frameless glass shower enclosure. This is a very popular option right now because of its flexibility; a frameless glass enclosure lends itself to any style, whether it’s a clean, sleek design that appeals to modern tastes or a simple and understated one with an elegant and classic look.
The glass itself is fairly easy to clean and maintain; it’s even more so if you get glass with a finish baked on that repels soap scum and water spots. Overall, frameless glass is a great way to showcase your shower.
modern bathroom by Robert Nebolon Architects

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2. Aluminum and glass shower enclosure. Need a little something more to spruce up your shower? Don’t be afraid to be unique and try a shower surround that has flair. Created with glass panels set into an aluminum frame, this shower enclosure mimics the look of the tile in the back of the shower. The dark metal mixed with the clear glass gives the enclosure an eclectic feel.
traditional bathroom by J Allen Smith Design/Build

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3. Glass block shower enclosure. Eliminate the need for a door with a glass block enclosure. Glass block surrounds are versatile, and there are textured patterns on the blocks themselves. They have strong lines and give your bathroom a clean, cool look.
The options are virtually limitless with glass blocks. You can find different block styles, thicknesses and even colors.

Historically Sensitive Renovation over $300,000: Search and Rescue | North Salem Real Estate

 

Project Info

Designer: Judy Mozen / Handcrafted Homes, Roswell, GA Contractor: Judy Mozen, Randy Urquhart / Handcrafted Homes, Roswell, GA

Priorities

• Restore and repair an exterior façade using similar designs and, where possible, like materials

Launch Slideshow

Design-builder Judy Mozen, owner of Handcrafted Homes, faced the daunting task of restoring and repairing the exterior of the historic Beaux Arts home of Asa Candler, the founder of Coca Cola.

Search and Rescue

Play Slideshow >>

Search and Rescue

  • Design-builder Judy Mozen, owner of Handcrafted Homes, faced the daunting task of restoring and repairing the exterior of the historic Beaux Arts home of Asa Candler, the founder of Coca Cola.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp7C01%2Etmp_tcm17-1999197.jpg

    Design-builder Judy Mozen, owner of Handcrafted Homes, faced the daunting task of restoring and repairing the exterior of the historic Beaux Arts home of Asa Candler, the founder of Coca Cola.

    600

    James Lawrence

    Design-builder Judy Mozen, owner of Handcrafted Homes, faced the daunting task of restoring and repairing the exterior of the historic Beaux Arts home of Asa Candler, the founder of Coca Cola.

  • The homes exterior was in a massive state of disrepair with serious structural damage: wood rot, lack of structural support in many places, brick work that needed tuck-pointing.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp76EF%2Etmp_tcm17-1999194.jpg

    The homes exterior was in a massive state of disrepair with serious structural damage: wood rot, lack of structural support in many places, brick work that needed tuck-pointing.

    600

    James Lawrence

    The home’s exterior was in a massive state of disrepair with serious structural damage: wood rot, lack of structural support in many places, brick work that needed tuck-pointing.

  • After a lengthy search Mozen discovered three brothers in Chicago at Renaissance Roofing who owned an old government press. Handcrafter Homes hand delivered sample of the original metal tiles. The brothers made  on by one  4,240 pieces of galvanized steel tiles, 720 pieces of valley and eave, 257 pieces of decorative hip/ridge, and 4 decorative finials. The pieces were coated in Kynar finish.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp72D8%2Etmp_tcm17-1999190.jpg

    After a lengthy search Mozen discovered three brothers in Chicago at Renaissance Roofing who owned an old government press. Handcrafter Homes hand delivered sample of the original metal tiles. The brothers made  on by one  4,240 pieces of galvanized steel tiles, 720 pieces of valley and eave, 257 pieces of decorative hip/ridge, and 4 decorative finials. The pieces were coated in Kynar finish.

    600

    James Lawrence

    After a lengthy search Mozen discovered three brothers in Chicago at Renaissance Roofing who owned an old government press. Handcrafter Homes hand delivered sample of the original metal tiles. The brothers made – on by one – 4,240 pieces of galvanized steel tiles, 720 pieces of valley and eave, 257 pieces of decorative hip/ridge, and 4 decorative finials. The pieces were coated in Kynar finish.

  • The roof had a major valley rafter cut in the attic that had to be restructured. The valley pitch had to be altered slightly to control the flow of water to the hidden gutters.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp6AB8%2Etmp_tcm17-1999187.jpg

    The roof had a major valley rafter cut in the attic that had to be restructured. The valley pitch had to be altered slightly to control the flow of water to the hidden gutters.

    600

    James Lawrence

    The roof had a major valley rafter cut in the attic that had to be restructured. The valley pitch had to be altered slightly to control the flow of water to the hidden gutters.

  • One obstacle was removing old plaster pieces, which were held together by lead paint and crumbled when touched. Mozen commissioned knives to be made to reproduce the mouldings; they used resins to create the pieces. So much structural damage existed on the columns, capitals, and entablature that they had to be locked together with 2x4s to secure them during the repair work.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp672C%2Etmp_tcm17-1999186.jpg

    One obstacle was removing old plaster pieces, which were held together by lead paint and crumbled when touched. Mozen commissioned knives to be made to reproduce the mouldings; they used resins to create the pieces. So much structural damage existed on the columns, capitals, and entablature that they had to be locked together with 2x4s to secure them during the repair work.

    600

    James Lawrence

    One obstacle was removing old plaster pieces, which were held together by lead paint and crumbled when touched. Mozen commissioned knives to be made to reproduce the mouldings; they used resins to create the pieces. So much structural damage existed on the columns, capitals, and entablature that they had to be locked together with 2x4s to secure them during the repair work.

  • Hidden gutters had leaked behind the cornice and frieze  soaking and rotting the wood all the way through to the framing behind the interior entry hall plaster and gold painted crown moulding.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp6363%2Etmp_tcm17-1999185.jpg

    Hidden gutters had leaked behind the cornice and frieze  soaking and rotting the wood all the way through to the framing behind the interior entry hall plaster and gold painted crown moulding.

    600

    James Lawrence

    Hidden gutters had leaked behind the cornice and frieze – soaking and rotting the wood all the way through to the framing behind the interior entry hall plaster and gold painted crown moulding.

  • Engineer Clint Shaeffer at Quinn and Associates detailed the sizes and spacing of repairs to the structural wooden columns. The new staves were made and hand-sanded into place to preserve the design of the tapered columns.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp5F7A%2Etmp_tcm17-1999184.jpg

    Engineer Clint Shaeffer at Quinn and Associates detailed the sizes and spacing of repairs to the structural wooden columns. The new staves were made and hand-sanded into place to preserve the design of the tapered columns.

    600

    James Lawrence

    Engineer Clint Shaeffer at Quinn and Associates detailed the sizes and spacing of repairs to the structural wooden columns. The new staves were made and hand-sanded into place to preserve the design of the tapered columns.

  • The curved porch demolition exposed a completely rotten structure, and a previous owner had cut joists to install lights and a fan.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp5BEE%2Etmp_tcm17-1999183.jpg

    The curved porch demolition exposed a completely rotten structure, and a previous owner had cut joists to install lights and a fan.

    600

    James Lawrence

    The curved porch demolition exposed a completely rotten structure, and a previous owner had cut joists to install lights and a fan.

  • Mozen couldnt find a ready-made tile that was  porcelain without a bevel. She researched until she found a small entrepreneur who was able to make the field tiles in a snowflake design and the Greek key border. She created a CAD drawing assigning two layout patterns that would allow the craftsman to make one sheet of snowflake and one without  to keep from having hundreds of little tile pieces to install.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp544C%2Etmp_tcm17-1999182.jpg

    Mozen couldnt find a ready-made tile that was  porcelain without a bevel. She researched until she found a small entrepreneur who was able to make the field tiles in a snowflake design and the Greek key border. She created a CAD drawing assigning two layout patterns that would allow the craftsman to make one sheet of snowflake and one without  to keep from having hundreds of little tile pieces to install.

    600

    James Lawrence

    Mozen couldn’t find a ready-made tile that was ¾” porcelain without a bevel. She researched until she found a small entrepreneur who was able to make the field tiles in a snowflake design and the Greek key border. She created a CAD drawing assigning two layout patterns that would allow the craftsman to make one sheet of snowflake and one without – to keep from having hundreds of little tile pieces to install.

  • The porchs tiled floor before its restoration.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp4E50%2Etmp_tcm17-1999181.jpg

    The porchs tiled floor before its restoration.

    600

    James Lawrence

    The porch’s tiled floor before its restoration.

  • The curved porch restored to its original elegance.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp4631%2Etmp_tcm17-1999180.jpg

    The curved porch restored to its original elegance.

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    James Lawrence

    The curved porch restored to its original elegance.

Solutions

This circa 1910 Beaux Arts home was built for Asa Candler, the founder of Coca-Cola, in Atlanta’s Inman Park neighborhood, now on the National Register of Historic Places. Handcrafted Homes was tasked with restoring and repairing this highly damaged and neglected 10,000-square-foot home’s exterior.

Design-builder Judy Mozen says the team’s greatest challenge came from the requirement to restore using similar designs and materials. “The search for products and in certain instances, for the craftsmen to create these products, necessitated an elaborate investigation that preceded the actual beginning date of the work.”

Mozen created mock-ups when necessary and contacted craftsmen across the United States. She found three brothers in Chicago–Renaissance Roofing—with an old government press who made 4,240 pieces of galvanized steel tiles, 720 pieces of valley and eave, 257 pieces of decorative hip/ridge, and 4 decorative finials.

She discovered a small entrepreneur at American Restoration Tile in Arkansas who was able to make the porch floor’s field tiles in a snowflake design and the Greek key border. To prevent having hundreds of tiny pieces to install, Mozen created a CAD drawing for two layout patterns, one with the snowflake and one without.

Craftsmen commissioned special knives to help reproduce the mouldings and an Excel spreadsheet helped them keep track of all the various designs. They also had new staves made and hand-sanded into place to preserve the tapered columns’ design.

Judges’ Comments

This is a fabulous restoration. They truly restored the exterior of this house using original materials; where there was wood they used wood, they didn’t use fiberglass. You can see the marks in the scrolls on the capitals. How often do you see an exterior tile floor? They restored it and it looks incredible.

This was the best binder in the whole competition. They did a great job of pairing up the before and after shots to tell the story through the binder.

 

 

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http://www.remodeling.hw.net/awards/search-and-rescue.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=jump&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RDU_081513&day=2013-08-15

 

Flood insurance ‘crisis’ may hurt St. Pete Beach real estate market | North Salem Real Estate

City officials are worried that rising federal flood insurance costs for home and business owners will pummel the local real estate market and property tax revenue.

“There is a looming flood insurance crisis that is about to hit us,” Vice Mayor Marvin Shavlan told the City Commission this month.

Evidence of that crisis is already apparent as real estate sales fall through when buyers discover that their flood insurance bills could be as high as $24,000 a year, Shavlan said.

“It will significantly slow down the real estate market. People are scared to buy older homes,” agreed Jake Holehouse, an agent at Holehouse Insurance in St. Petersburg and a longtime St. Pete Beach resident.

“We are all very concerned about the outcome,” said Doug Swain, an agent at Re/Max Preferred in St. Pete Beach. Another agent lost a big sale this month because of the flood insurance rate increase, he said.

Congress, reacting to the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, changed the rules for flood insurance in July 2012 with the goal of collecting enough premiums to cover claims made under the federal program.

As a result, insurance rates are expected to sharply escalate beginning in October to rates that in many cases could be significantly higher than home mortgages.

Many homes in St. Pete Beach are below base flood elevation.

And anyone who purchased such a home after July 2012, absentee homeowners who live elsewhere 80 percent of the time, and any homeowners whose flood insurance policies lapsed or were canceled will feel the effect first, Holehouse said.

He cited an example. A home built in 1960 and 7 feet below base flood elevation was valued at $148,000 when it was purchased in March but will have an annual flood insurance premium of $22,400.

Similarly, Holehouse said, the new owner of a 1956 home 8 feet below flood level is now paying $1,960 but will have to pay $29,100 after Oct. 1.

 

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/flood-insurance-crisis-may-pummel-st-pete-beach-real-estate-market/2138582