AOL Real Estate - Blog http://realestate.aol.com/blog AOL Real Estate - Blog http://realestate.aol.com/blog/media/feedlogo.gif AOL Real Estate - Blog http://realestate.aol.com/blog en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Jack Nicholson Lists Malibu Home for $4.25Mhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/06/jack-nicholson-lists-malibu-home-for-4-25m/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/06/jack-nicholson-lists-malibu-home-for-4-25m/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/06/jack-nicholson-lists-malibu-home-for-4-25m/#commentsFiled under: ,,

jack nicholsonOne of Jack Nicholson's California properties went on the market last month for $4.25 million. Only problem with the Malibu compound is the home itself. Or we can only guess. Good luck catching a glimpse of it in the Realtor's photos (see gallery below).

The good news is that the property looks fabulous. It includes 70 acres with ocean and mountain views, two pools, a putting green, tennis court and zoning for horses.
The home is a ranch built in 1966, Nicholson bought it in 1977 and apparently hasn't done much to it. The inside is plain with stained wood-paneled walls like a camp cabin. The 2,313-square-foot house has three bedrooms, two baths as well as a guest house.

We're guessing Nicholson uses the property for recreation and not the house, because it's not fit for a twelve-time Academy Award nominee. He has won two for Best Actor, in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and As Good as It Gets; and one for Best Supporting Actor in Terms of Endearment. Although we can picture a young and buff Nicholson throwing some raging parties here in his post-Cuckoo's Nest heyday.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Nicholson owns several other properties in the Los Angeles area, including an estate in Beverly Hills.

The home is listed with Paris Hilton's dad, Richard Hilton, and Rodrigo Iglesias of Hilton & Hyland.

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.


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]]>as good as it getsjack nicholsonlos angeles real estateluxury real estatemalibu real estateone flew over the cuckoos nestterms of endearmentCarrie N. Culpepper2011-04-06T13:15:00 00:00Woman Lives in 90-Square-Foot New York Apartmenthttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/05/woman-lives-in-90-square-foot-new-york-apartment/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/05/woman-lives-in-90-square-foot-new-york-apartment/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/05/woman-lives-in-90-square-foot-new-york-apartment/#commentsWatch your knees in the bathroom ... careful you don't knock down those towering shelves ... and don't bang your head on the ceiling in the loft! Those are words to live by for New Yorker Felice Cohen, who lives in a 90-square-foot apartment. (That's her in her loft bed at left.)

That's right, it's just 12 feet long by 7 feet wide. But she's happy with this small apartment for two reasons: location and price.

It's in the heart of the desirable Upper West side, and she pays just $700 a month."I don't think in terms of what I'm living without, but what I'm gaining," says Cohen. "Sure, I don't have a large refrigerator or an extra room, but when it comes down to it, I live in New York City, steps from Central Park, Lincoln Center, numerous restaurants, theater and wonderful museums."

Luckily, Cohen also happens to be a professional organizer, so she put her skills to work with floor-to-ceiling shelving, labeled bins and a wardrobe scaled down to fit into one closet.




She says small apartments have their benefits. "I know where everything is. I don't have a lot to clean. It also keeps you from buying or collecting a lot of stuff; stuff you don't need."

The small apartment--or micro-studio--doesn't even have a kitchen. Instead, Cohen makes do with a mini fridge, toaster and hot pot. Since there's no cabinet space she stores bananas in the toaster. She eats out often and otherwise has adjusted her diet; she picks up prepared foods from supermarkets, eats fruit or makes salads.

The downside of the small space: "I don't get to entertain and cook as much as I would like," says Cohen, "but I have an uncle who lives in the Bronx who lets me have dinner parties there."

Since the one-room apartment has no bedroom, she created a loft for her bed that allows for just 23 inches of headroom, just enough to read in bed. Cohen doesn't do much lounging in her apartment, although she says she's had as many as nine people over at one time. ("It wasn't a long visit.") She owns no sofa, instead has one upholstered chaise by the window for reading, plus her desk chair and two folding chairs. She spends the majority of her time in the apartment working at her desk or reading in bed.

When she needs to stretch out, Cohen practices yoga in the floorspace beside her desk, watching out for the shelving, of course. And on weekends she takes extended bike rides to stretch her legs. (She keeps the bike at her uncle's house.)

Cohen has no complaints. The apartment allows her to vacation and do other things she might not be able to afford if she lived in a bigger apartment. And she has no plans to move: She's been there three years and counting.

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Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>90+square+foot+apartment90squarefootapartmentapartmentnew york real estateorganizingrentalsmall space livingsmall space solutionssmall spacesCarrie N. Culpepper2011-04-05T14:00:00 00:00Cee-Lo Rents in Hollywood Hills for $10K a Monthhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/04/cee-lo-rents-in-hollywood-hills-for-10k-a-month/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/04/cee-lo-rents-in-hollywood-hills-for-10k-a-month/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/04/cee-lo-rents-in-hollywood-hills-for-10k-a-month/#commentsThe usually-Atlanta-based singer Cee-Lo Green, whose most recent hit "Forget You" has been everywhere from Glee to the Grammys, is taking up residence in Los Angeles while he stars as one of the judges in NBC's new talent competition, The Voice.

The Hollywood Hills home he's renting for $10,000 a month is owned by Frankie Muniz, the child star who played the title character in Malcolm in the Middle. Twenty-five-year-old Muniz bought the home in 2006, the year the show ended, for $3.499 million and has been renting it out ever since.

So what's he getting?
The 4,200-square-foot home has 5 bedrooms and 4 baths and is listed with Sotheby's for $3.195 million, although, according to Zillow.com, it's been taken off the market. Muniz first put it on the market in 2007 for $3.875 and has had it on and off ever since with several price cuts. Zillow gives it a $2.8 million estimate so the high asking price could be why it hasn't sold.

The gated home just above the Sunset Strip is filled with somewhat bland furnishings but it's well appointed with extras like a big kitchen island, nice refinished bathrooms and a stunning outdoor pool area with stone pavers and an arbor.

Maybe if The Voice takes off Cee-Lo will the buy the house from Muniz.

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>Cee-Lo Greenforget youfrankie munizgleegrammysthe voiceCarrie N. Culpepper2011-04-04T08:55:00 00:00Own a Palace in Versailles for $30M -- Versailles, Ky., That Ishttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/30/own-a-palace-in-versailles-for-30m-versailles-ky-that-is/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/30/own-a-palace-in-versailles-for-30m-versailles-ky-that-is/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/30/own-a-palace-in-versailles-for-30m-versailles-ky-that-is/#comments kentucky castleYes the Versailles you're thinking of is a chateau in France. This $30 million castle for sale sits in Versailles, Ky. (pronounced ver-SALE), horse country outside of Lexington. Or "Arab-bluegrass country" as one Realtor called it.

Saudi sheiks have bought nearly 5,000 acres of thoroughbred horse farms in the area and listing Realtor Charles Martin wouldn't be surprised if they'll nab this one, too.

Only one problem: It doesn't have a horse facility.


The castle, which was built in 1968 by a couple who visited Europe and were inspired to build their
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very own castle, is currently being used as a small luxury hotel and event facility called Castle Post. It's often filled with the thoroughbred horse community: It sits next to Keenland Race Track and Windstar Farms, the horse farm that won the Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Derby this year. Rolex recently rented the castle for the World Equestrian Games.

"It's a different type of property," says Martin who is not only the Realtor but also the general manager of the castle. "I think somebody will probably buy it as a personal home but if somebody wanted they could package the castle and the horse farm for sale across the street."

The castle 50-room castle has 16 guest rooms and a huge stone wall surrounding it, but alas, no moat. The four turrets that are part of the stone wall rent for $755 a night each.

The property also has a library, grand ballroom, 40-seat dining room, plus billiards room, basketball court, tennis courts, manicured gardens with fountains and a pool. It's just waiting for its knight.

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Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>homes for salekentucky real estateluxury homesluxury real estatepalace of versaillesversaillesversailles real estateCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-30T14:14:00 00:00Dr. Phil Home Sale Pending After $2.6 Million Drophttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/29/dr-phil-home-sale-pending-after-2-6-million-drop/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/29/dr-phil-home-sale-pending-after-2-6-million-drop/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/29/dr-phil-home-sale-pending-after-2-6-million-drop/#comments Dr. PhilShortly after Dr. Phil cut the price of his Beverly Hills, Calif., home a buyer has stepped forward, according to listing realtor Billy Dolan with Hilton & Highland. The home was first listed at $16.5 million in July then eight months later dropped to $13.899 million. The sale is still pending, so Dolan couldn't reveal numbers, but he did say the price drop helped.

"That's all it takes in today's market," Dolan told AOL Real Estate. "A lot of sellers have a fear of leaving money on the table. In this price category it's very common to ask a price that's beyond a realistic expectation with the assumption that if someone's interested they're going to come in and make an offer."

When that wasn't working after eight months, McGraw, pictured left with his wife, Robin, brought the price down "a little closer to what the realistic value is and had less room to negotiate."


The TV talk show host, Dr. Phil, whose real name is Phil McGraw, bought the 8-bedroom, 7-bath home with his wife for $7.5 million in 2002, when it was nearly completed. The 11,000-
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square-foot home sits on close to three quarters of an acre. And just as any good Beverly Hills mansion, it has an in-home theater, gym, billiard room and outdoor dining room. The walled, gated property is very private and has a two-bedroom detached guest house.

"When you're in the backyard you can not see any other homes," says Realtor Dolan. "It has complete privacy and in Beverly Hills that's hard to come by."

Dolan says the home's details also set it apart in the market. "It's been immaculately maintained. It has an overwhelming amount of detail and quality throughout the property that is above and beyond what most see."

McGraw traded up for a larger Mediterranean home, this one on three acres on a hillside with views of Century City, Calif., for $29.5 million.

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Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>beverly hills real estatecalifornia real estatecelebrity real estatecentury city real estatedr. phildr. phil mcgrawoprahCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-29T10:01:00 00:00Exterior Paint Colors That Sellhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/28/exterior-paint-colors-that-sell/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/28/exterior-paint-colors-that-sell/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/28/exterior-paint-colors-that-sell/#commentsAdding planters, lighting and a cute mailbox will only go so far in amping up a home's curb appeal. Owners who need to sell quickly should choose their colors wisely, because there are certain exterior paint colors that sell.

Just as some colors are more appealing for home staging inside the home, some colors work better on the exterior than others. And many of the rules are the same: Stay tuned into local demand. What do people favor in your area? You're trying to reach the broadest market. Avoid the "look at me" color house paint. Neutrals are your friend; they appeal to the widest group of people. Beige and grays don't usually offend the way that red and seafoam can.

We asked professional home stagers to tell us some exterior paint colors that sell and why. Here's what they said:


Start at the Roof
When beginning to choose exterior paint colors, you must first consider what can't be changed: Primarily, this includes the roof and any stone, copper or other hard surfaces you won't be painting over. Your color palette must compliment the roof. For example if your roof is red, your house shouldn't be.

Home stager Kelly Fallis suggests keeping it simple. The most common roof colors are blacks, browns, grays and whites. "That's where to start," she says. "It also depends on whats going on at your neighbor's houses. You want to blend in, you don't want to be the sore thumb on the street." She also advises keeping the color scheme simple with just two or three colors: One for paint, one for trim and maybe one other color for the front door.

Research the Market


The exterior paint colors you choose should also be appropriate for your market. Some colors work better in certain regions of the country, whether they be historical, classical, colorful, etc. In Florida, for instance, pastel colors like peach are the norm, but shades of peach would be out of place in the Pacific northwest, where greens, browns and gray earth-tones are prevalent.

"In our market, we have mostly brick and don't generally paint it," says Karen Otto a home stager in Plano, Texas. "Drive your neighborhood and look at what the 'Jones's' are doing, and what the local home or city board is approving."

Universal Exterior Paint Color Rules
Neutral colors are always safe and usually look best with any architectural style, says Denver home stager Jamie DeBartolomeis. A nice contrast between trim and the home's main surface, whether it be siding, brick or stone is a good idea. "Colors like blue, certain shades of green and pink are not embraced by the general public," she warns.

How to Choose an Exterior Paint Palette
Picking up a color deck from your local paint store has its advantages, namely that you can hold the swatch up to your home, but it can also be incredibly daunting to look at that huge round of colors. Increasingly, more sophisticated online color palette aids simplify the chore of choosing exterior paint colors that sell. Here are a few sites that might help: Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>exterior paint colorshome improvementhome staginghouse pintneutral home colorspaint colors that sellpaintingCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-28T15:30:00 00:00Furniture for Home Staginghttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/23/furniture-for-home-staging/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/23/furniture-for-home-staging/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/23/furniture-for-home-staging/#comments furniture for home stagingWhen Ed Kelly got a job in Chicago, he and wife Katie had little time to sell their house in Atlanta. They had to pack up and move, fast. They regretted having to take their furniture, knowing it would be harder to sell their home empty. So they thought the best thing to do would be to rent furniture for home staging. But they weren't happy with the results.

"The furniture was bland and the cost was high," says Ed. Renting furniture for home staging can run 30 percent of the cost of buying furniture new, so it's hardly a good deal. And on top of that, the pieces are usually beige microsuede and can look commercial-grade.

A wiser scenario for the Kellys might have been leaving behind some pieces and staging the home with a mix of their belongings and some specifically purchased furniture for home staging purposes.


"When staging to sell, whether the home is vacant or occupied, you don't need to fill it with furniture," says Karen Otto of Home Star Staging in Plano, Texas. "The furniture shouldn't be the reason why a home is purchased; the furniture should be a prop to help sell the home."



















We asked Otto and other home staging experts for tips on how to pick furniture for home staging and how to put it all together. Here's their advice.

Take Style and Flow Into Account When Choosing Furniture

Some homes need staging more than others, says New York and virtual home stager Kelly Fallis of Remote Stylist. Homes with traditional architectural styles, such as a center-hall Colonials, for example, leave little room for the imagination: It's obvious which are the living and dining rooms. It gets tricky, however, with new construction homes or condos with unusual layouts. That's when home staging can be especially helpful.

Fallis says to remember that potential buyers will be walking through the property, so it's important to think about the flow as someone is guided through the house. "There needs to be an open path of furniture for me to get through each room and carry on to where I'm going. A lot of times people have their furniture where you walk into the back of a sofa."

Just as if you were decorating the house to live in, stager Jamie DeBartolomeis says, consider the scale and style of the house when picking furniture for home staging. Is it modern, farmhouse, Craftsman, Victorian?

"Choose furniture that complements the architectural style and age of the house," she says. "A small bungalow will need less furniture and smaller-scale furniture. A spacious house with an open floor plan and soaring ceilings can accommodate larger pieces."

Don't Overdo the Furniture

Remember that furniture for home staging is a prop to help you sell your home. "The furniture shouldn't be the focal point," says Otto. "It's only to help to define the space and lifestyle of the home."

Fallis suggests going room by room and making a list of what's needed. A few good rules to follow: keep big pieces neutral, accent with color, choose furniture with clean lines and avoid leather. "It can be reminiscent of some guy's bachelor pad," she warns. "Those big leather sectionals aren't doing anything for you."

Otto says often homeowners have too many pieces in a room. "It can be great for living, but it's not great for selling. I look at floor space as equity; if you are covering it all up you're losing money."

How much furniture you need in a living room depends on the size of that room, but at minimum Otto suggests a couch, chair, coffee table and end table. "You want to create conversation areas and usable spaces," she says. If the room has hard flooring, add a rug to anchor and soften the space. Set seating around a focal point (fireplace or view). Add art to warm the space and draw the eye into the room.

How to Edit the Pieces in the Home

Staging experts agree that most people have way too much stuff; too much furniture crammed into rooms and too many accessories accumulated over the years. Therefore the good news is rarely will a homeowner have to buy major pieces of furniture to stage their home for sale.

"I edit more than I add furniture," says DeBartolomeis. "You want rooms to appear large and airy." Another consideration for DeBartolomeis is making sure to balance the texture and materials in a room. "Sometimes there's a lot of wood and I'll edit pieces because the room is too 'heavy,'" she says. "I try to vary elements so that one type doesn't dominate the room, such as glass, metal, wood, leather, slate, etc. A variety of texture is also important."

If you home is vacant and it seems too overwhelming to stage the entire thing, Fallis recommends simply choosing an area to stage, like, say, the first floor, leaving the upstairs empty. Remember: You're trying to sell a lifestyle.

"You're going to spend money," she says, "but when you do spend the money, you'll get it back."

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>decoratingfor sale by ownerfurnishingsfurniture for home staginghome sale tipshome staginghomes for salestagingCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-23T17:16:00 00:00Painting Tips for Home Staginghttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/21/painting-tips-for-home-staging/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/21/painting-tips-for-home-staging/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/21/painting-tips-for-home-staging/#commentsPutting your house on the market this spring? You'll need to polish it up. Some homeowners consider expensive improvements like new bathrooms, siding and more, but something as easy as painting can give you the best return on investment. "A fresh coat of paint is one of the first things buyers notice," says home staging expert Jamie DeBartolomeis.

According to QualitySmith, interior paint to cover one room costs roughly $25-$100. Factor in rollers, brushes, and drop cloths, and the project may cost $300--double that if you hire someone to do the job. But the impact on potential buyers is worth much more.

Here's how professional home stagers pick interior paint colors, and other expert painting tips for home staging that sells.

Painting Tips for Home Staging:

When to Repaint

"Light and bright sells. If your home feels more like a den for Dracula, then you know it's time to open the curtains and paint the walls," says Karen Otto of Home Star Staging.

Figuring out when to paint depends on a few factors. If walls are cracked, paint is peeling or drywall is damaged, then painting is an essential home staging step. Otto also points out a few less obvious reasons: smell and fading. Cooking, cigarette smoke, candles and fireplaces can not only tarnish walls, but they can also trap smells in the paint. And the paint in some rooms may be faded unevenly because of sun exposure.

"If it looks tired, stained or in need of refreshing, then do it" before staging the home, she advises.

Borders and faux finishes can look dated, so they should be painted over, too. "If anything translates in the mind of a buyer as 'work to do' or could be an objection to a sale, then [fix] it," says Otto.




















Why Stay Neutral

Home stagers across the country favor neutral or earth-toned paint colors for one simple reason: they have the widest appeal. Otto says neutral colors "reflect 'move-in ready' wall spaces and let a buyer imagine what they'd like to do." What homeowners want to avoid is a buyer looking at a wall and thinking how hard it's going to be to paint over that chocolate-brown or brick-red color. On the contrary, most people's furnishings will blend with a neutral color palette.

An all-white palette can be refreshing in a house (though beware in a condo, where it can look unfinished). Pure white can be stark, DeBartolomeis warns. Instead, choose an off-white a few shades warmer. Stager and stylist Kelly Fallis of Remote Stylist suggests Benjamin Moore's "cloud white."


Where to Go Bold

An accent color on one wall can be used to add interest and liven up a room. Even if potential buyers aren't crazy about the color, most people won't mind repainting one wall. "I think you have more freedom to experiment with color in bathrooms, laundry rooms and children's bedrooms," says DeBartolomeis. "You can be whimsical in these areas."

Fallis suggests painting all the main rooms one color, then maybe bedrooms or powder rooms different colors. Smaller spaces can stand up to brighter colors, while larger spaces are better with neutral colors.

What Color Palettes to Use

Most painting tips for home stagers will point to taupes, beiges, off-whites, creamy tones of café au lait, butter, mossy greens and subdued grays as all safe hues to paint a home for sale.

Fallis suggests considering grays over beige shades. "Gray is now the hot neutral; it goes with more things and looks a lot better with yellow and greens."

But beige is a crowd-pleaser and may work in your market and with your home. DeBartolomeis recommends Benjamin Moore's "Shaker Beige" as one of the most popular and safe interior colors.

In general it's always appropriate to go lighter with your paint colors. A great trick for picking colors that coordinate: Go online to Benjamin Moore's site and find their suggested paint color palettes.

What Finish to Use

Don't get experimental when staging your home for sale. Stick to the most common combination of gloss-finish paint for wood and trim surfaces and eggshell or satin finish for walls. The slight bit of sheen in a satin finish makes it easy to clean and resist fingerprints. Ceilings should get a flat finish.

For walls, "flat finishes are just that, flat," says DeBartolomeis. "They don't reflect much light and are more difficult to clean. And gloss is usually too shiny for most people's tastes."

What to do if you want to avoid painting

For those trying to avoid painting, you have one secret weapon, according to Fallis. "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is brilliant," she says. "It's great for heavier traffic areas, stairwells and hallways where walls tend to get scuff marks."

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>for sale by ownerhome improvementhome staginginterior paintpaint colorspainting tips for home stagingselling your homeCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-21T18:00:00 00:00Tom Brady Makes $3.5M on NYC Condo Salehttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/21/tom-brady-makes-3-5m-on-nyc-condo-sale/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/21/tom-brady-makes-3-5m-on-nyc-condo-sale/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/21/tom-brady-makes-3-5m-on-nyc-condo-sale/#commentsNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady finally sold his Manhattan condo - for $1 million less than asking - to the richest man in Vermont.

Brady paid $14 million in 2006 and listed the property for $18.5 with Raphael De Niro, Robert De Niro's son and a top broker at Prudential Douglas Elliman.

The 74th floor, 3,000-square-foot condo in the Time Warner Center sat on the market for four years and was eventually rented out for $50,000 a month. The unit sold late last month for $17.5 million. The buyer is Robert Stiller, the Vermont founder of E-Z Wider rolling papers and owner of Green Mountain Coffee.

Brady still made $3.5 million on the sale, which is a drop in the bucket for him and his supermodel wife, Giselle Bundchen, pictured left: Bundchen's the 16th richest woman in entertainment and Brady makes that much for playing just two football games.

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The power couple is doing so well that Brady reportedly never even moved into the condo. And Bundchen sold not one, but two West Village homes last year.

So what did they sell in the Time Warner Center?

The luxury condo at 80 Columbus Circle, in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel & Condominium complex on the upper west side, sits on one of the highest floors. The 3-bedroom, 3.5 bath unit has a plentiful supply of 10-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows with Central Park and river-to-river views clear across Manhattan, according to De Niro's listing.

It's being reported that this signals Brady and Bundchen's final departure from New York. They're likely to be spending some time in their new custom-built home in L.A.'s Brentwood neighborhood.



Video: Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen Bust a Move!

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>celebrity real estatecelebrity real estate new yorkGiselle Bundchenluxury real estatenew york real estatetom bradyCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-21T08:51:00 00:00Kelsey Grammer Selling $10M Home in Hamptonshttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/18/kelsey-grammer-selling-10m-home-in-hamptons/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/18/kelsey-grammer-selling-10m-home-in-hamptons/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/18/kelsey-grammer-selling-10m-home-in-hamptons/#comments kelsey grammerWhy is this couple smiling? They're about to go house hunting in the Hamptons. Actor Kelsey Grammer, pictured with new wife Kayte Walsh, a former stewardess pictured left, has been trying to sell mansions in ritzy communities across the country. The word is that Grammer's divorce from his third wife, Camille, a former Playboy model best known as the mean one on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, is causing him to liquidate his real estate holdings.

Grammer just unloaded his Bridgehampton, N.Y., home for the asking price of $9.995 million, which according to area Realtors, was priced to sell. He and wife no. 4 want to pick out a new pad to wile away the summer. His other properties still on the market: A Beaver Creek, Colo., ski home is listed at $7.9 million and his 7-bedroom Tudor mansion in Los Angeles, which has been on and off the market but is now listed at $18.9 million.

What did the buyer get in the Hamptons? A pretty sweet pad, that's what.

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The 8,000-square-foot, 7-bedrooms, 7-bath home sits on a private lane in Bridgehampton on the South Fork of Long Island. The home was custom-built in the traditional wood-shingle Hamptons' style. It's set on 1.7 landscaped acres according to the Sotheby's listing. The neutral
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interior and white kitchen are fairly standard issue Hamptons fare but the lovely sunroom with its diamond-paned windows is the real jewel of the spaces.

The property also seems to have all the amenities a multimillion-dollar Hamptons home should have: heated pool with spa; a master bedroom with fireplace, sitting room and private porch; a guest house, tennis courts, home theater, gym, steam room, sauna, wine cellar and elevator.

The only thing it's lacking: ocean frontage. But what do you want for $10 million? Maybe wife no. 4 will get herself a waterfront property.

A local Bridgehampton Realtor puts the home in perspective: "From the pricing standpoint our strongest sales right now are floating between that $5 and $12 million range [for homes south of the highway]. That's a hot number for us right now, as hard as that is to believe, but it's the Hamptons."

Grammer's home has that desirable designation of being south of the highway (or "SOH" as it's put in listings). That means that it's south of busy Montauk Highway, the main artery connecting Manhattan to the


Kelsey Grammer's Million-Dollar Baby
Hamptons and the road responsible for much of the area's notorious traffic congestion. The widest Long Island gets near Bridgehampton, running from the Atlantic Ocean north to the Peconic Bay is just seven miles so you're never very far from the ocean even if you're north of the highway.

Although $10 million may sound like a lot, the Realtor points out that last year the town of Sagaponack had the top-ranked price points in the country and Bridgehampton is shoulder to shoulder with it.

"It's not a number that is uncommon," she says. "It's a pretty normal price point in Bridgehampton, Sagaponack, Water Mill. From Southampton heading east to East Hampton your starting prices south of the highway for a significant house that needs work is going to be $4 million."

"It was listed to move but whether that's a good deal is relative; it's a lot of money."

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>bridgehampton real estatecelebrity real estatecheershamptons real estateKayte Walshkelsey grammerreal housewives of beverly hillssagaponack real estateCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-18T15:11:00 00:00Home Staging Dos and Don'tshttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/18/home-staging-dos-and-donts/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/18/home-staging-dos-and-donts/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/18/home-staging-dos-and-donts/#commentsIt's not easy to look at your own home with fresh eyes. You see a house full of memories and treasured possessions, but all potential buyers see is someone else's stuff. That's why we consulted several experienced home stagers to find out their top home staging dos and don'ts.

Karen Otto of Home Star Staging in Plano, Texas has had homeowners cry and walk out of the room when she tells them to remove sentimental pieces and photos from their home in order to stage it for sale. "I totally get it, but I tell them they're taking [the items] with them. We're not erasing their family from this home, we're allowing buyers to start seeing their experiences, dreams and memories in the home you hope they'll buy."

Home staging pros agree that an objective eye is a must. "Whether your Realtor, stager or neighbor comes by to offer it, take their advice," Otto says.

We asked three expert stagers--Otto; online home stager Kelly Fallis; and Colorado home stager Jamie DeBartolomeis--for their top home staging do's and don'ts. Here's their advice:
Home Staging "Dos"

1. Clean, clean, clean!

2. Focus on curb appeal. Clear the outside of the house, especially the front yard and front entrance.

3. Get rid of garbage bins in the front. "Most people focus on the inside of the house but that's totally wrong," says Fallis. "You have to absolutely pay attention to the entrance of the house."

4. Whatever you think de-cluttering is, de-clutter times two.

5. Start your packing early. Take out everything that's going to the new house and move it off site into a storage space. "People are not signing up to live with you, so get rid of your stuff," says Fallis.


6. Do emotionally detach. Look as your home as a product on the market for sale.

7. Depersonalize. Remove family photos and heirlooms.

8. Remove unnecessary furniture and belongings.

9. Remove magnets and other mementos from the refrigerator.

10. Get pets out of the house when it's being shown.


Home Staging "Don'ts"

1. Don't do nothing!

2. Don't assume potential buyers will be able to look past your clutter and sloppiness.

3. Don't make people walk around obstacles like front walks littered with bikes and scooters.

4. Don't display your beer bottle or hat collections; box them up.

5. Don't display toiletries and hygiene items in the bathroom.

6. Don't bake cookies or set the table. "They're not going for cookies, they're not going for dinner," says Fallis. "It's distracting."

7. Don't burn candles. If you have odors in the house, get the vents and carpets cleaned. The house should have the smell of fresh flowers, and that's it.

8. Don't neglect the outside of the house, even in the winter. Shovel the walks and driveway. Trim overgrown bushes and low-hanging tree limbs.

9. Don't get upset about having to stage your home to get it ready for sale. "It's a price war and a beauty pageant out there, as one of my favorite Realtors likes to say," says Otto. "Win the contest against your competition!"

10. Don't forget the small stuff. Make sure to do all the little things like touching up chipped baseboards, repairing damaged walls, replacing outdated faucets and removing carpet stains.

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>curb appealhome stagingselling tipsstagingstaging a homeCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-18T13:00:00 00:00Chris Noth Rents 'Big' in Manhattanhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/14/chris-noth-rents-big-in-manhattan/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/14/chris-noth-rents-big-in-manhattan/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/14/chris-noth-rents-big-in-manhattan/#commentsActor Chris Noth is reported to be renting a generous two-bedroom, duplex penthouse on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. And he's sparing no expense. Noth is throwing down $9,000 a month for the apartment to be near Broadway, where he's starring in a new play, That Championship Season, according to the New York Post.

The television veteran who starred as Det. Mike Logan on Law & Order and as Big on Sex and the City for many years, currently stars as Julianna Margulies's husband on TV's The Good Wife, which is set in Chicago but is filmed in New York.

Noth is sharing the New York apartment with his fiancée, Tara Wilson, pictured left with Noth -- who he met when she worked at the Cutting Room, a bar he used to own in New York City -- and their 3-year-old son, Orion Christopher.








Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>celebrity rentalschris nothjulianna marguliesLaw and Ordermanhattan rentalnew york rentalssex and the citythe good wifeCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-14T09:22:00 00:00Frank Lloyd Wright House Available at Bargain $1.38Mhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/04/frank-lloyd-wright-house-available-at-bargain-1-38m/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/04/frank-lloyd-wright-house-available-at-bargain-1-38m/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/04/frank-lloyd-wright-house-available-at-bargain-1-38m/#comments frank lloyd wright houseA choice Frank Lloyd Wright prairie-style home has been sitting on the market for a year, with its price cut in small increments down to the current $1.38 million asking price. Could this be a bargain for a Wright house?

The house in question is the William E. Martin house in Oak Park, Ill., the western suburb of Chicago where Wright lived and designed 25 buildings, and Realtor Laura Talaske of Gloor Realty thinks it's a steal. Then again, she owns it. "With the way the market is, we're trying to be realistic," she says.

According to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, 20 other Wright-designed homes are on the market right now around the country. Talaske sees hers as one of the more attainable ones, since it hasn't gone through a major renovation, bumping up the price. Yet the Wright design -- and cache -- is worth a premium.

"Living in a Wright house is like living in a work of art," she says. "So that does affect the price. It's not just bricks and mortar, it really is more than that."


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As Curbed Chicago pointed out, the three-story home is unusual for its height. It's taller than most
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of Wright's prairie-style homes. But the 1903 home has some of Frank Lloyd Wright's signature details like original woodwork, built-ins and art-glass windows -- 59 of them, in fact.

"Our house is basically a wonderful family home that's been beautifully maintained, but it's never been overhauled," says Talaske. "We believe that the original plaster, with cracks, is more historically appropriate. Everything is in really good shape but we did save the original fabric without rebuilding it as other homes have done."

Originally listed at $1.58 million, the home has been restored to its original floorplan. In line with Wright's visionary idea that homes should relate to their surroundings, this one features several porches that reach out to the hug the land. One porch overlooks a koi pond and perennial gardens. The two modern updates to the W.E. Martin house are the renovated kitchen and addition of central air.

Talaske says she's looking to downsize. "This is a big, 5-bedroom, 2-bath home and our kids are off to college. It deserves to have a lot more activity than what we're giving it."

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

Click here for home listings in Oak Park, Ill.

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]]>bargain housescelebrity architectsfamous architectsfrank lloyd wrightFrank Lloyd Wright Foundationfrank lloyd wright homesfrank lloyd wright real estatefrank+lloyd+wright+greensboro+homefranklloydwrightgreensborohomeillinois real estateoak park chicagooak park real estateCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-04T16:33:00 00:00Is Jennifer Aniston's Home Worth $42 Million?http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/04/celebrity-home-of-the-day-is-jennifer-anistons-home-worth-42/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/04/celebrity-home-of-the-day-is-jennifer-anistons-home-worth-42/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/04/celebrity-home-of-the-day-is-jennifer-anistons-home-worth-42/#commentsJennifer Aniston just listed her eco-friendly Beverly Hills, Calif., bachelorette pad for a whopping $42 million. The 10,000-square-foot home, with stunning 180-degree views of Los Angeles, was designed by mid-century architect Hal Levitt and last year featured in Architectural Digest after Aniston gave it an eco-friendly overhaul including solar panels.

But at just one acre, is it worth the steep price?

Beverly Hills Realtor Chad Rogers, former star of Million Dollar Listing, doesn't think so.

"It's my professional opinion that the property is not worth $42 million in the current market," he says, adding that a comparable neighboring property sold a few months ago for $13 million (at $2,680 per square foot).

Aniston's home is priced at $4,200 per square foot.

The large price tag no doubt reflects the amount Aniston put into the renovation. A Beverly Hills insider reports that Aniston was rumored to have dropped quite a bit of cash on upgrades, including a sophistocated security system, including a paparazzi-proof fence.

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The Balinese-style home, listed with Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker Previews International, seems to suit the yoga lover with its earthy feel, indoor-outdoor living and tranquil water features: The property has a pool, spa, ponds and fountains. It sits right above Sunset Boulevard, and in the desirable Trousdale Estates area.

Inside, the stone, glass and wood home has 5 bedrooms and 7.5 baths, including two in the master suite. According to Forbes, the master suite originally "his" and "hers" baths but the single Ms. Aniston converted the "his" to a spa room with a sunken spa tub and steam shower.

One of the highlights of the home is the kitchen space, which is slightly odd because doesn't Aniston have a private chef delivering meals to her? Here she's got a main kitchen with such luxuries as a pizza oven with a separate professional catering kitchen where a staff can inconspicuously prepare meals for a party.

"She did an absolutely phenomenal job renovating the original property," says Rogers. "There are very few properties in this area that compare to the aesthetic of Aniston's home. However, when comparing directly to its competition, the asking price of Aniston's home is still a lot higher than other homes in the neighborhood."

Of course, Aniston's star power will help draw attention to the listing, and likely entice some buyers, but Rogers doesn't believe that will be enough.

"At the end of the day, I don't believe it will actually sway a buyer to purchase this home for considerably more than what its worth."

movie" value="http://embed.5min.com/516962599/" />
Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler Joke Around

Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at culturefix.wordpress.com.

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]]>adam sandlerbeverly hills real estatecelebrity home of the daycelebrity homescelebrity homes for salechad rogersfriendsfriends the complete seriesjennifer anistonjennifer+aniston+homejennifer+aniston+home+$42+millionjennifer+aniston+housejennifer+annistons+house+for+salejenniferanistonhomejenniferanistonhome$42millionjenniferanistonhousejenniferannistonshouseforsalelos angeles real estateluxury real estatemillion dollar homesCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-04T09:23:00 00:00Gerald Ford's Vail Ski Home Slashed to $10Mhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/01/gerald-fords-vail-ski-home-slashed-to-10m/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/01/gerald-fords-vail-ski-home-slashed-to-10m/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/03/01/gerald-fords-vail-ski-home-slashed-to-10m/#comments gerald ford's vail skihouseThe ski house President Gerald Ford built in Vail, Colo., in the 1980s has been on and off the market since August 2008, just a year after its current owners bought the property from the Fords. Now, after slashing the price more than $4 million, it's listed again at $10.99 million. For more commander-in-chief residences, check out AOL Real Estate's presidential homes gallery.
We reported last year that Californian Kevin Hayes bought the home for $6.65 million in 2007 and embarked on a $4 million renovation. He must have been running low on cash because he put the house on the market a year later for $14.9 million before the renovations were complete. Since then, he lowered his price then removed the listing, then completed renovations, relisted it again and lowered it twice before removing it again. Now his $10.99 million price, listed with Sotheby's, would earn him just $340,000 in profit.Hayes, who graduated from West Point when Gerald Ford was commander in chief, seems to be a bit of a Ford buff. According to the Orange County Register, he's including some memorabilia in the sale of the home, such as the former President's dining room table, skis and ski Jacket.

The 11,629-square-foot home in Vail's Beaver Creek subdivision has 7 bedrooms, 5 baths and 3 half-baths and some high-end extras like an indoor pool, hot tub, elevator and ski-in/ski-out access. But will the home sell this time - or will Hayes slash the price yet again?

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Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>celebrity real estategerald fordpresident fordpresidential homesski homesvacation propertiesvail real estateCarrie N. Culpepper2011-03-01T09:17:00 00:00John Schneider Escapes With $2.1M Short Sale in Calif.http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/24/john-schneider-escapes-with-2-1m-short-sale-in-calif/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/24/john-schneider-escapes-with-2-1m-short-sale-in-calif/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/24/john-schneider-escapes-with-2-1m-short-sale-in-calif/#commentsJohn Schneider, better known as Bo Duke from the '70s and '80s TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, is shortselling his Agoura Hills, Calif., home for $2.199 million.

Looks like this Duke boy is at it again.

The actor, who currently appears in the series Smallville, also owns a condo in Westlake Village, Calif.; a small house in suburban Nashville; and several properties in and around Apple Valley, Calif. Schneider told the L.A. Times that he's looking for an easier property to care for, but since the home is listed as a short sale, the real reason is more likely that Schneider spread himself too thin financially.

He bought the 7,000-square-foot home in 1999 for $1.25 million and now, 12 years later, he owes almost 10 times that amount. A title search reveals two liens on the property -- the loan for $1.775 and just under $10 million in back taxes.

Mark Moskowitz, a Realtor in the area says that Agoura Hills has become a desirable suburb of Los Angeles because of its excellent public schools. And while the market in the area has slowed a bit
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for mid-range homes ($750,000 to $1 million) because financing can be challenging, the low and high end of the market is doing well.

Schneider's home falls in the high end. It sits on 2.67 acres and has 5 bedrooms and 5.5 baths. The property also has a pool, 5-car garage parking, outdoor kitchen, guest house and detatched office.

Moskowitz says short sales with more than one lien, like Schneider's, can get complicated but "on average, banks make 10 percent more on a short sale than a foreclosure," so they will be more willing to work with buyers to figure out financing. The reason short sales are better for the bank is because in a short sale the owner is still living in and maintaining the home while foreclosures are sold empty and often get vandalized and overgrown and become hard to sell.

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Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>celebrity real estatejohn+schneider+house+for+salejohn+schneiders+housejohnschneiderhouseforsalejohnschneidershouselos angeles real estateLos Angeles Real Estate newsshort saleshort sale propertiesCarrie N. Culpepper2011-02-24T16:56:00 00:00LeAnn Rimes Slashes $1 Million From Tennessee Mansionhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/23/leann-rimes-slashes-1-million-from-tennessee-mansion/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/23/leann-rimes-slashes-1-million-from-tennessee-mansion/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/23/leann-rimes-slashes-1-million-from-tennessee-mansion/#comments leann rimes and eddie cibrianPoor LeAnn Rimes. The country music star hasn't had any luck moving her mansion outside of Nashville in Franklin, Tenn., and now she's dropped its price by more than a million bucks--from $7.4 million to $6.3 million. Ouch! (See photos below.)

"There aren't that many buyers who have that kind of money right now," says Nashville area Realtor Shawn Hackett, of Music City Realtors. "Those that do are being cautious because they're expecting the market to drop more."

Why is Rimes selling? Her romantic life may have something to do with it.



Back in 2006, Rimes bought 5.22 hilltop acres in a gated community called Avalon with her husband at the time, backup dancer Dean Sheremet. The teenage couple proceeded to build the gorgeous three-story, 13,380-square-foot mansion complete with media room, infinity pool, wine cellar, state-of-the-art security and not one but two kitchens.


They put the 7-bedroom, 9.5-bath complex on the market briefly in 2009 for $7.45 million but pulled it off after just two months when Rimes was caught cheating and the couple divorced. After the divorce, the home was relisted for $6.499 million in January 2010--a stunning $1 million less than its original price. Then, nine months later, in October 2010, Rimes lowered the price yet again, to $6.299 million, where it has stayed.

"It's rare to see homes in that price range," says Hackett. He estimates there may have been two or three listed around that price in the last 12 months. Often, they're owned by country artists who favor Franklin, an area south of Nashville. Alan Jackson's $38 million home in Franklin recently sold for $28 million.

So isn't there another country megastar who wants to snap up Rimes's pad?

If not, the singer likely isn't fretting. At least her love life is going better. Today Rimes is still together with cheatee Eddie Cibrian (above), an actor she met when they costarred in a Lifetime movie. Cibrian left his wife and he and Rimes are now engaged. No word on where they're currently living.























Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

Click here for home listings in Franklin, Tenn.
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]]>celebrity homesCelebrityHomesleann+rimes+mansionleannrimesmansionlee ann rimesLeeAnnRimesluxury real estateLuxuryRealEstatenashville real estateNashvilleRealEstatetennessee real estateTennesseeRealEstateCarrie N. Culpepper2011-02-23T13:47:00 00:00Heather Mills Sells NYC Condohttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/22/heather-mills-nyc-condo-under-contract/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/22/heather-mills-nyc-condo-under-contract/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/22/heather-mills-nyc-condo-under-contract/#comments heather mills condoHeather Mills, the ex-wife of Paul McCartney and a former Dancing With the Stars contestant, is close to unloading her multimillion-dollar Manhattan condo. According to Streeteasy.com, the Manhattan, N.Y., apartment on Greenwich Village's Perry Street went under contract on Dec. 28, but since the papers aren't signed, we can only guess for how much.

Mills listed the two-bedroom home last fall for $5.3 million. She bought it in July of 2008 for $4.9 million. The condo is rumored to have gone for somewhere in the vicinity of $5 million, meaning she may only have cleared $100K. Which, considering she rented it out, may not have earned her much profit at all after realtors' fees and taxes. But if Mills really got a hefty divorce settlement from the Beatles frontman she may not care.



The 1,800-square-foot apartment is in one of three celebrity-filled Richard Meier-designed highrises overlooking the Hudson River in western Greenwich Village. Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman are just two of the starlets reported to own condos in the complex.

The New York Post reported that Mills has been spending her time in Australia training to compete in the 2014 Paralympic Games for the British ski team.

"I hadn't been to the city in nearly a year due to my downhill ski-race training, so [I have] no need for a New York pad," she told the Post.

Mills still does some work for New York: She's involved with a charity which feeds Bronx residents vegan food. "I plan to visit [New York] soon, though, as I'm still feeding 3,000 families a week for the Hunts Point Alliance for Children."





Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

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]]>beatlescelebrity real estategreenwich villageheather millsmanhattan real estatepaul mccartneyCarrie N. Culpepper2011-02-22T11:25:00 00:00Own a Historic Plantation for $695Khttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/11/own-a-historic-plantation-for-695k/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/11/own-a-historic-plantation-for-695k/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/11/own-a-historic-plantation-for-695k/#commentsFor the reasonable sum of $695,000, you could make like Scarlett O'Hara on your very own plantation, complete with formal gardens, several servants' cottages, even a peach orchard. The catch, for some, might be the Eutaw, Ala., location.

Listing agent Vanessa Lockhart says she envisions three types of people being drawn to Everhope Plantation, as it's called. "[Someone] who wants to turn it back into a B&B, someone who wants to retire and be near a university town, or one who wants to capture the old south."

The current owners opened an antiques shop in town and led tours through the 6,500-square-foot Everhope, as it's called. The previous owners ran it as a bed and breakfast. Lockhart points out that the property is 30 minutes from Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama, whose fans "eat, breathe and sleep football." During the season hotel rooms are next to impossible to find within an hour of the stadium. So Everhope would have built-in demand in the fall if it were to become a B&B again.

No matter how it's used, it's a lot of property for $695K. Take a look at what's included.

Everhope Plantation was built in 1852 by Capt. Nathan Carpenter, an army officer who fought in the Civil War. Before the war, Everhope was the center of a 500 acre cotton plantation. The home, along with 23 others in the area, are on the National Historic Register.

In the 1990s, an 800-square-foot addition was put on the third floor with a modern gourmet kitchen, family room, a breakfast room, mudroom, laundry room, office with custom cabinetry, an additional full bath with walk-in closets, a garage, and screened-in porch. It could serve as the innkeeper's quarters if the home were to become a B&B.

The house's original 6,500-square-feet has 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 formal parlors, a dining room, 8 fireplaces, wide center hallways, 2 staircases, a large front porch and upper balcony. Many of the original architectural details are intact such as mouldings and mantels.

In addition to the main house, the property is sprinkled with several outbuildings, including one of the original slave quarters, a pecan house for shelling, an 1890 tenant house, equipment shed, part of the old kitchen, and large open-bay garage with workshop. The eight-acre property has pecan, peach, pear, and fig trees, plus a formal flower garden. In addition, most of the property is fenced and cross-fenced and is ideal for horses.

The photos unfortuntately show off the owner's antiques more than the home and its architecture. But don't fall in love with the furnishings unless you've got another big chunk of change: The antiques and lighting fixtures will be sold at an estate sale.

Lockhart says the home's price is in line with what things go for in the area: "It's moderately priced -- of course, everything is relative."













Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

Click here for home listings in Eutaw, Ala.

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]]>alabama real estateclark gableeverhope plantationgeo:32.840598+-87.887497Gone with the Windhistoric homesHistoric Homes Of The Southplantation homesscarlett oharaCarrie N. Culpepper2011-02-11T16:45:00 00:00Sonny Bono Palm Springs Pad Is for Sale, Babehttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/11/sonny-bonos-palm-springs-pad-is-for-sale-babe/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/11/sonny-bonos-palm-springs-pad-is-for-sale-babe/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/02/11/sonny-bonos-palm-springs-pad-is-for-sale-babe/#comments sonny bonoThe late Sonny Bono's former home in Palm Springs, Calif., has hit the market for the second time since his death in 1998. Bono, one half of Sonny & Cher (pictured left in 1966) -- best known for their 1965 hit "I Got You Babe" -- and later a Republican congressman, lived large at his mansion with his fourth wife, Mary, from 1990 until he became victim of a fatal skiing accident. The six-bedroom estate is listed at $3.995 million.

"In today's market to find a true estate with a tennis court, pool and total privacy in Palm Springs is a rare find," says Patrick Jordan of Patrick Stewart Properties, the listing agent on the home.


What can't be seen in the photos below is that the property offers celeb-worthy privacy with a street-to-street gated lot, says Jordan, plus beautifully manicured grounds with mature date palm, olive and palm trees.

"The grounds don't really get their just due [in the photos] to be quite honest," says Jordan. "There are numerous outdoor dining venues, outdoor fireplace and living area."

The home also has quite a bit of history. Two of the structures are believed to be part of what
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was known as the King Camp Gillette Estate, which was the only property in the Mesa area of Palm Springs when it was built in 1940 by the inventor of the modern razor.

The 1.5 acre estate has 6 bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms within 8,989 square feet, which is split between three buildings. The main house, which is about 6,648 square feet, has 3 bedroom suites, a kitchen, a formal dining room, a formal living room and a large family room with a view of the pool and mountains.

The property also has two guest cottages. The larger, 1,599-square-foot cottage has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, a full kitchen, dining room and living room with stone fireplace and hardwood floors. The smaller, 742-square-foot guest house has 1 bedroom, 1 bath and a large living area most recently used as a gym.



And just like any good celebrity-worthy estate, it has plenty of parking space, specifically space for four in the covered motor court, plus more uncovered. The property also has tennis courts set amongst the trees and gardens.

Unlike his former wife and singing partner, Cher, Bono didn't dabble in real estate. Instead, his second career was politics. Bono became the mayor of Palm Springs and later a congressman for California while living in this home.

Take a look:

























Carrie Culpepper blogs about design at CultureFix.wordpress.com.

Click here to search for homes in Palm Springs, Calif.

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]]>celebrity homescelebrity real estatecelebrity republicansi got you babeluxury estatespalm springs real estaterepublican congressmensonny and chersonny bonosonny+bono+house+for+salesonnybonohouseforsaleCarrie N. Culpepper2011-02-11T09:21:00 00:00