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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/House of the Day: Hawaiian Villa With Waterfallhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/24/house-of-the-day-hawaiian-villa-with-waterfall/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/24/house-of-the-day-hawaiian-villa-with-waterfall/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/24/house-of-the-day-hawaiian-villa-with-waterfall/#commentsFiled under:



This spectacular, $10 million villa in Kihei, Hawaii boasts over 10,000 square feet -- which includes 7,487 square feet of interior space and 3,757 square feet of lanai.

Outside is a sunken cabana with swim-up bar, full outdoor kitchen and vanishing edge lagoon pool with hot tub-ideal for entertaining amid Maui's lush vegetation and cool breezes. A majestic 35-foot waterfall anchors the property.

The stately formal entrance opens to a magnificent courtyard that connects each wing of the house. Inside is a visual feast of luxurious furnishings and appointments, including hand-carved stone columns and fine wood cabinetry. A spacious gourmet kitchen features leathered-marble countertops and professional-grade appliances. Other amenities include lavish bathrooms with marble fixtures, a home theater with stadium seating, and stunning tropical views of ocean and island throughout.

%Gallery-154721%
Palauea Beach is a short walk away, along with the numerous hotels, shops, and restaurants of the Makena/Wailea resorts.

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in Kihei, Hawaii.



See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

Follow us on Twitter at @AOLRealEstate or connect with AOL Real Estate on Facebook.

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Hawaiihome of the dayHouse of the DayKiheiKihei homes for saleKihei real estateMaui luxury real estatePalauea BeachEamon Murphy2012-05-24T06:00:00 00:00'Bachelorette' House Looking for Love at a New Pricehttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/23/bachelorette-house-looking-for-love-at-a-new-price/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/23/bachelorette-house-looking-for-love-at-a-new-price/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/23/bachelorette-house-looking-for-love-at-a-new-price/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bachelorette house charlotte
The North Carolina estate that provides the setting for season eight of "The Bachelorette" -- currently airing on ABC -- is on the market for $5.89 million, significantly higher than its pre-broadcast price.

According to Zillow.com, the six-bedroom, 8½-bath house in Charlotte "is a European-style mansion with stucco and stone exteriors," boasting 12,000 square feet of living space. Its deluxe features include "a two-inch think marble floor that runs from the home's entrance down its main hallway."

But the home's love affair with marble goes even deeper than that. "There are beautiful houses all over," said listing agent Nick Peters of Peters and Associates, "but this one has an official grand ballroom with a 20-foot-high fireplace made of solid marble. The room also has gold-glazed mahogany trim, silk window treatments and gorgeous lighting."

Outside, the 5-acre property features a sweeping lawn ("big enough to land a helicopter," Zillow reports), a slate courtyard, and a saltwater pool with mosaic-tiled waterfall.

Built in 2006, the home was listed for $3.9 million before "The Bachelorette" came to town (for only its second season outside of Los Angeles; the third season filmed in New York). It went on the market in 2006 priced at $7.89 million, before several discounts.

The sellers are obviously hoping that the house's new, high profile will help. Nick Peters certainly thinks so: "You can't really showcase a house with photos," he explained. "I'll bring in a professional photographer, but the way that it shows on TV ... it's breathtaking. You can't get that from a photo shoot."

See what you can get from a photo shoot by checking out the gallery below.

%Gallery-155996%
And here's a link to the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in Charlotte, N.C.



See also:
Live in a Kardashian 'Home,' Near Clooney
Seattle's Escala: 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Love Nest
Golf Course Estate Leaves Trump in the Rough

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

Follow us on Twitter at @AOLRealEstate or connect with AOL Real Estate on Facebook.


Emily Maynard Comments on Weird Stunts from Guys on 'Bachelor...

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Bachelorette season 8Charlotte homes for saleCharlotte luxury real estatecharlotte real estateEmily MaynardNick Peters of Peters and Associatesthe bacheloretteEamon Murphy2012-05-23T16:08:00 00:00House of the Day: Romantic Castle in the Heart of Texashttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/22/house-of-the-day-a-real-life-texan-castle/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/22/house-of-the-day-a-real-life-texan-castle/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/22/house-of-the-day-a-real-life-texan-castle/#commentsFiled under:



Like a castle out of a fairy tale, this ethereal "Richardsonian Romanesque" home sits on one of the largest lots in Dallas County's Highland Park. Made mostly of granite, with exquisite porcelain interior detailing, and with lush views over a scenic greenbelt, the $6.95 million residence known as Coram Deo (Latin for "before God"), boasts seven bedrooms and 9½ baths.

The sprawling, three-story mansion in suburban Dallas includes all the design features and amenities of a modern domicile, as well as plenty of natural light. The interiors are opulently appointed, with marble fixtures and ornate woodwork. Outside, the property features a sweeping patio and a two-level pool with a magnificent, cascading waterfall.

%Gallery-154928%
Ellen Terry has the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in Highland Park, Texas.

See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

Top 5 French Castle Gardens

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Coram DeoHighland Park homes for saleHighland Park luxury homesHighland Park real estatehome of the dayhomes for sale in suburban DallasHouse of the DayRichardsonian RomanesqueEamon Murphy2012-05-22T06:00:00 00:00House of the Day: Potomac River Contemporaryhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/10/house-of-the-day-potomac-river-contemporary/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/10/house-of-the-day-potomac-river-contemporary/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/10/house-of-the-day-potomac-river-contemporary/#commentsFiled under:

This stunning, museum-like, $9 million contemporary in McLean, Va., was designed by the famed architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen in the early 1980s.

Jacobsen, widely known for his modern pavilion-based residences, also designed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' Martha's Vineyard home around the same time, as well as an addition to the United States Capitol in 1993.

The home sits on over 2 acres and boasts over 700 feet of water frontage on the Potomac River. The striking residence offers four bedrooms and six bathrooms, and features breathtaking woodland and waterside views from almost every room. The furnishings are just as sharp and modern as the house's sleek exterior. Among its abundant luxury amenities are a spa and a sauna; the property also features a cantilevered swimming pool.

%Gallery-154691%
Michael Schaeffer of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in McLean, Va.



See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

Partnership Aims to Boost Potomac River Tourism

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>addition to the United States Capitol in 1993.architect Hugh Newell Jacobsenarchitecture homeshome of the dayHouse of the DAyJacqueline Kennedy Onassis Marthas Vineyard homeMcLean homes for saleMcLean luxury homesMcLean real estateMichael Schaeffer Coldwell Banker Residential BrokerageEamon Murphy2012-05-10T06:00:00 00:00House of the Day: The Sweet Life in Honey Bee Ridgehttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/03/house-of-the-day-desert-home-with-waterfall/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/03/house-of-the-day-desert-home-with-waterfall/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/05/03/house-of-the-day-desert-home-with-waterfall/#commentsFiled under:



This truly striking $1.15 million stucco masterpiece lies in the gated Honey Bee Ridge Estates, one of the premier luxury subdivisions of Arizona's Oro Valley, just northwest of Tucson.

Inside this desert oasis, you'll find six bedrooms and seven baths within a sprawling, 4,929-square-foot floor plan that includes a great room with fireplace and wet bar. Among the interior features are plantation shutters and polished travertine floors. The gourmet kitchen boasts GE Monogram appliances and custom marble countertops, while the rustic-chic master suite boasts his-and-her baths and closets, as well as a fireplace.

Outside, beneath the gorgeous pastels of the desert sky, is a gated courtyard entrance with Catalina Mountain views and a stunning waterfall.

A sweeping backyard includes a Pebble Tec pool and spa and a fire pit. The property also features a three-car garage.

%Gallery-154535%
Russ Lyon of Sotheby's International Realty has the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in Oro Valley, Ariz.



See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.


Arizona House Up for Penny Auction

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>desert homes for saleHoney Bee Ridge EstatesOro Valley homesOro Valley real estateRuss Lyon Sothebys International RealtyTucson homes for saleTucson luxury homesTucson real estateEamon Murphy2012-05-03T06:00:00 00:00Consumer Watchdog Agency Eyes Discriminatory Lendinghttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/19/consumer-watchdog-group-eyes-lending-discrimination/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/19/consumer-watchdog-group-eyes-lending-discrimination/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/19/consumer-watchdog-group-eyes-lending-discrimination/#commentsFiled under: ,

Lending discrimination

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has announced its intention to crack down on discrimination by lenders against women and minorities.

On Wednesday the agency -- a centerpiece of President Barack Obama's attempt to reform the nation's financial system -- sent a letter to lenders, which it called "Fair Notice on Fair Lending." In the letter, the CFPB explains that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act "makes it illegal for a creditor to discriminate against any applicant because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age [or] receipt of income from any public assistance program." Credit availability "often determines an individual's effective range of social choice and influences such basic life matters as selection of occupation and housing." Without discrimination-free access to credit, in other words, many consumers will be prevented from accessing housing on equal terms.

Find Local Homes for Sale
Browse through photos of millions of home listings on AOL Real Estate
See Homes for Sale
Search Foreclosures for Sale
The agency goes on to warn lenders of its plans to enforce existing regulations and to act against even those lending policies that may not be discriminatory in intent, but nonetheless have adverse effects on protected groups.

"It is important to recognize that this subtle but powerful form of discrimination creates damages that are no less direct than the kind of overt and blatant discrimination that, we hope and assume, is increasingly a relic of a bygone era," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray in a speech to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, according to Reuters.

"Our economy is in the process of recovering from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," Cordray said. "We cannot afford to tolerate practices that either price out or cut off segments of the population -- such as women, the elderly, or communities of color -- from the credit markets."

See also:
Foreclosures Put 8 Million Children At Risk, Study Says
1st Gay-Friendly Public Housing Project Planned in Philadelphia
Fair Housing Group Sues U.S. Bank Over Foreclosures

%Gallery-153399%

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Consumer Financial Protection BureauDirector Richard Cordraydiscriminatory lendingEqual Credit Opportunity Actfair housingfair lendingfair lending regulationsFair Notice on Fair Lendinghousing discriminationNational Community Reinvestment CoalitionredliningEamon Murphy2012-04-19T16:45:00 00:00Blueprints of Ebbets Field, Home of Brooklyn Dodgers, on Displayhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/19/blueprints-of-ebbets-field-home-of-brooklyn-dodgers-on-display/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/19/blueprints-of-ebbets-field-home-of-brooklyn-dodgers-on-display/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/19/blueprints-of-ebbets-field-home-of-brooklyn-dodgers-on-display/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ebetts Field

The blueprints of Ebbets Field, home of the fabled and departed Brooklyn Dodgers, are being publicly displayed "for the first time in decades," The Wall Street Journal reports, as Brooklyn College hosts an exhibit on the team that opens today.

The blueprints -- three of the original 18 plans for the structure, dating back to 1912 -- are said to be the centerpiece of the show. Other items displayed include "team photographs, cartoons and one of the last home plates used at Ebbets Field -- one with a memorable dedication to the owner who moved the team to Los Angeles after the 1957 season: 'May Walter O'Mally [sic] roast in hell.' "

%Gallery-153594%
Among Ebbets Field's historic moments are as site of the first televised baseball game, in 1939, and the first major league game to feature an African-American player -- Jackie Robinson, in 1947. After 45 seasons of Dodgers baseball, the stadium -- located in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood -- was demolished in 1960. A public housing project rose in its place.

The blueprints were discovered in 1992 by a writer named Rod Kennedy, who has a particular interest in Brooklyn. After locating many other sets of stadium plans for his business -- "creating tiny tin replicas of baseball stadiums" -- he set himself the task of finding the Ebbets blueprints -- "one of the holy grails of baseball memorabilia," according to Ron Schweiger, Brooklyn's official historian.

"They were found in some dusty basement of a municipal building," said Marianne LaBatto, acting archivist at Brooklyn College. "Rod Kennedy had them for a number of years and gave them to Ron Schweiger with the understanding that Ron would find a permanent home for them." Schweiger chose Brooklyn College, "and we're totally delighted by this," LaBatto said.



LaBatto explained that the college decided, "because [the blueprints] are such a wonderful piece of Brooklyn history," to build an exhibit around them, drawing on Schweiger's extensive collection of Dodgers memorabilia.

"We're going to have them on display but we also have a conservation lab, the only one in the City University of New York. This is important because a lot of the blueprints are damaged, because of the way they were originally stored." Hence at Brooklyn College the plans can be preserved as well as made available to the public, so that "anyone can come to see them, study them, and see what Ebbets Field used to look like." Aiding visitors in that endeavor is a 3-D model of the stadium on loan from the widow of a Brooklyn College alumnus. "It's very intricate," LaBatto said. "Whoever put it together spent a lot of time on it."

Although Ebbets Field (pictured above) has been gone for more than 50 years, its influence can be seen in such structures as Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. Its facade (pictured below) is essentially an updated replica of Ebbets' exterior.

Citi field

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Brooklyn College Dodgers exhibitBrooklyn DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers Ebbets FieldBrooklyn Dodgers memorabiliaBrooklyn historian.Ebbets Field blueprintsEbbets Field historyEbbetsFieldMarianne LaBatto archivist Brooklyn College.Rod Kennedy baseball stadiumsRon SchweigerEamon Murphy2012-04-19T14:10:00 00:00Joan Rivers' Opulent NYC Penthouse Lists at $29.5 Millionhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/12/house-of-the-day-joan-rivers-opulent-penthouse/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/12/house-of-the-day-joan-rivers-opulent-penthouse/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/12/house-of-the-day-joan-rivers-opulent-penthouse/#commentsFiled under:

Joan Rivers' penthouse apartment

Joan Rivers' opulent penthouse apartment is for sale at an asking price of $29.5 million. The comedienne's 5,190-square-foot pad, known as the Spencer Condominium, is situated atop one of the Upper East Side's greatest pre-war limestone mansions, less than half a block from Fifth Avenue.

Designed by Horace Trumbauer -- the famed Gilded Age architect-to-the robber barons -- this neo-French Classic apartment contains four bedrooms and five baths. From the private elevator entry hall, guests enter a stunning two-story gallery, connected to a lavish, light-filled living room -- both rooms boasting wood-burning fireplaces, 23-foot ceilings and fine parquet-de-Versailles flooring.

%Gallery-153031%
Other rooms in this elaborately furnished residence include a large corner library and a formal dining room with 18th century French panels, each overlooking a south-facing, sunbathed terrace. Upstairs, the master bedroom suite commands sweeping views of the city and Central Park and includes a second full bathroom and corner office.

Prudential Douglas Elliman has the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in New York, N.Y.



See also:
Poet Robert Lowell's NYC Studio
NYC's 'Convertible Brownstone' (VIDEO)
NYC's $30 Million 'Trophy Home'

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.


Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb Visit Joan River

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>apartmentcondoDesigned Horace Trumbauerjoan riversJoan Rivers apartmentJoan Rivers homeJoan Rivers penthousepenthousePrudential Douglas EllimanEamon Murphy2012-04-12T13:54:00 00:00House of the Day: Minimalist Masterpiece on the Sunset Striphttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/11/house-of-the-day-mimimalist-masterpiece-on-the-sunset-strip/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/11/house-of-the-day-mimimalist-masterpiece-on-the-sunset-strip/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/11/house-of-the-day-mimimalist-masterpiece-on-the-sunset-strip/#commentsFiled under: ,

sunset strip house of the day

This $12.9 million minimalist masterpiece on Los Angeles' Sunset Strip spans 7,500 square feet, with four bedrooms, seven baths and a four-car garage. Featuring walls of glass, the home provides spectacular views of L.A. from every room: see the luminous skyscrapers of downtown from the family room; gaze at Century City and the ocean from the master bedroom.

A wall of silver travertine traverses the length of the house and a wall of water cascades from a height of two stories. The open, high-ceilinged living room features custom stacking Fleetwood doors that open to create an integrated indoor-outdoor living space.

%Gallery-152860%
The house has Rift Oak floors throughout and other features include a custom Italian kitchen, tiered movie theater and 980-bottle wine cellar.

Mauricio Umansky of The Agency has the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in the Los Angeles area.



See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.


Rock N' Roll Tour of the Sunset Strip, Hollywood

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>contemporary homes for salehome of the dayHouse of the DayLos Angeles city view homesLos Angeles homes for saleLos Angeles luxury homesLos Angeles Sunset Strip real estateMauricio Umansky The Agencyminimalist homesEamon Murphy2012-04-11T06:00:00 00:00House of the Day: Bali-Style Modern on Miami Beachhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/05/house-of-the-day-bali-style-modern-on-miami-beach/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/05/house-of-the-day-bali-style-modern-on-miami-beach/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/05/house-of-the-day-bali-style-modern-on-miami-beach/#commentsFiled under:



This 5,500-square-foot beach beauty in picture-perfect Miami Beach, Fla., boasts over a hundred feet of staggering water views. The property features massive, floor-to-ceiling windows that illuminate the entire home with light, soaring ceilings and an open floor plan -- which collectively create a relaxed and sun-filled ambiance all year-round.

The home's generous interior is filled with fine imported decor based around a Bali-deco-modern theme. Outside, the home features a sparkling infinity pool surrounded by palm trees, and a patio from which you can enjoy expansive views of the downtown Miami skyline -- not to mention those stupendous waterfront sunsets!

%Gallery-152343%
The asking price for the property is $11.9 million.

Dina Goldentayer and Sladja Stantic of Sotheby's have the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale in Miami Beach, Fla.



See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

Visit Miami Beach in Miami, Florida

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Dina Goldentayer SothebysFla.Floridahome of the dayHouse of the DayMiamiMiami BeachMiami Beach luxury homesMiami Beach real estateMiami Beach, FloridaSci/TechSladja Stantic SothebysSotheby'sEamon Murphy2012-04-05T06:00:00 00:00A Balcony With Swimming Pool? To Infinity and Beyondhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/04/a-balcony-with-swimming-pool-to-infinity-and-beyond/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/04/a-balcony-with-swimming-pool-to-infinity-and-beyond/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/04/a-balcony-with-swimming-pool-to-infinity-and-beyond/#commentsFiled under: ,

swimming pool balconies

A self-described "cybertect" has designed a pair of apartment high-rises that feature balconies with swimming pools -- taking the "infinity pool" concept to a whole new level.

The residential complex -- commissioned by The Wadhwa Group, a real estate company in Mumbai, India -- is called Aquaria Grande and comprises 37-story twin towers with a distinctive, undulating shape. Each of the more than 200 apartments offers three-sided natural light, in an arrangement that also provides cross-ventiliation.

But the buildings' salient feature is surely the aqueous outgrowths that edge every unit, seeming to project perilously into the surrounding sky. Reaction from some quarters has been harsh: "No matter what you want to call this," Gizmodo's Jesus Diaz proclaimed, "I would call it crazy."

%Gallery-152325%
But structural engineer John Michael Grande, studio director at SuperStructures, says, "The concept of the swimming pool balcony, from an engineering standpoint, can certainly be accomplished."

"From a safety aspect," Grande explained, "a curb and railing system can be designed along the perimeter of the balcony that has a glass wall attached to it. If the glass wall were ever to blow out, the water would escape, but whoever was in the pool would be caught by the railing system."

"The glass wall, though, should never blow out if it is designed similarly to that of a looking glass at the bottom of an aquarium tank with Shamu the killer whale in it. And we all know how strong those glass walls are." Indeed.

"All that being said," Grande continued, "is this feasible or is it completely insane? Well, that's a matter of opinion. If you have enough money to throw at anything, you can get it done. It would be a tremendous cost. If a developer has a group of people they know they can sell these apartments to, they're going to build it because they can charge $5 million for them. You don't build it in Detroit, where nobody's going to buy them." In that sense, the advent of the swimming pool balcony is a testament to the rise of India, the world's 10th-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product, and third-largest by purchasing power parity.

The firm behind the design of Aquaria Grande is James Law Cybertecture International, which describes its neologistic speciality as "the merging of the disciplines of architecture design with state of the art technology to bring people together into a new Lifestyle of the Future."

See also:
House of the Week: NYC's 'Convertible Brownstone' (VIDEO)
Miami's Real-Life Castle, With Moat

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.


How to Redecorate a Backyard Pool

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>apartment balcony is swimming poolAquaria GrandeAquaria Grande swimming poolsbalcony swimming poolJames Law Cybertecture InternationalJohn Michael GrandeMumbai balcony poolSuperStructuresWadhwa GroupEamon Murphy2012-04-04T17:00:00 00:00Just in Time for Summer: The Biggest Hamptons Sale of 2012http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/03/just-in-time-for-summer-the-biggest-hamptons-sale-of-2012/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/03/just-in-time-for-summer-the-biggest-hamptons-sale-of-2012/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/03/just-in-time-for-summer-the-biggest-hamptons-sale-of-2012/#commentsFiled under:



Private equity honcho Marc Rowan has sold his Southampton mansion for $28.5 million -- the biggest Hamptons sale of the year so far.

And that wasn't even what Rowan wanted for the residence on Meadow Lane: It was listed with an asking price of $34 million.

The 9,000-square-foot traditional cedar shingle home boasts six bedrooms and 6½ baths, but the surrounding property may be the real selling point. Situated on 2.3 extensively landscaped acres of New York's Long Island -- featuring formal gardens, a path to the ocean, a heated oceanfront infinity pool, and a covered summer-dining area -- the house provides views of Halsey Neck Pond, the Shinnecock Bay and, of course, the Atlantic Ocean.

Inside are such appointments as floating staircases and limestone floors. The master suite includes an oceanfront balcony, fireplace and dressing room. Additional bedrooms feature baths that include three types of imported marble. The downstairs has a large living room, intimate library, formal dining room and elaborate kitchen.

The 50-year-old, Rowan, a co-founder of Apollo Global Management, was listed by Forbes as the 854th richest person in the world as of last month, with a net worth of $1.5 billion.

Head over to Curbed to see more photos of the home, inside and out.

%Gallery-136559%
See also:
House of the Day: Spacious but Cozy in Hamptons Bay
Home Prices May Withstand Foreclosure Wave
'World's Tallest Treehouse' Grew From a Divine Vision

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.


Best Events in the Hamptons

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>hamptons real estateluxury beach livingluxury homesMarc Rowan mansion saleoceanfront homessouthampton mansionsouthampton real estateEamon Murphy2012-04-03T10:50:00 00:00House of the Day: Luxury by Lake Tahoehttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/03/house-of-the-day-luxury-by-lake-tahoe/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/03/house-of-the-day-luxury-by-lake-tahoe/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/03/house-of-the-day-luxury-by-lake-tahoe/#commentsFiled under: ,



This $6.785 million residence, located in the luxurious Martis Camp community of North Lake Tahoe, Calif., boasts four bedrooms, 5½ baths, and an incredible array of cutting-edge amenities -- including a home iPad interface system and hydronic heating throughout the flooring.

The master suite, which offers commanding views of majestic arboreal wilderness, includes a fireplace and spa-inspired bath. The lower level features a recreation-media room, complete with a surround-sound system and a bar, as well as a 1,000-bottle wine cellar and an exercise den. Moveable glass walls divide the living room from an outdoor patio and walk-out terrace, which offer extensive outdoor entertaining space including a spa, fire pit, dining area and landscaped lawn. Furnishings throughout are a combination of the rustic and the ultramodern.

%Gallery-152060%
As if this all weren't enough, Martis Camp residency offers several extra layers of luxury, including an 18-hole golf course, and a family recreation center with swimming, bowling, basketball, cinema and art. Finally, the community includes 26 miles of private trails for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Brian Hull of Martis Camp has the listing.

Click on the images below to see more homes for sale near Lake Tahoe, Calif.



See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.


Visit the Ski Resorts of Lake Tahoe, California

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>home of the dayhomes for sale in North Lake TahoeHouse of the DayLake Tahoe luxury homesLake Tahoe real estateEamon Murphy2012-04-03T06:00:00 00:00Las Vegas Homeowners Association Scandal Claims 4th Victimhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/29/las-vegas-homeowners-association-scandal-claims-4th-victim/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/29/las-vegas-homeowners-association-scandal-claims-4th-victim/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/29/las-vegas-homeowners-association-scandal-claims-4th-victim/#commentsThe body count has reached four in a Nevada homeowners association scandal that has witnesses fearing for their lives.

The case concerns a 2008 scheme by several conspirators to gain control of HOA boards through fraudulent elections and the use of so-called "straw buyers," in order to steer business to a favored law firm and construction company. Two critically important figures, both attorneys, were found dead this week, both possible suicide victims.

The body of 57-year-old Las Vegas lawyer David Amesbury (pictured at far left) was discovered Sunday by Amesbury's brother in Grass Valley, Calif., near Sacramento. Amesbury, who had been staying at his brother's home, was found hanging in a shed. In October 2011, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

"There is no evidence of foul play or suspicion right now, but it's still being investigated," said Nevada County Chief Deputy Coroner Paul Schmidt, speaking with ABC News. It will take about 10 weeks for autopsy results to be released.

"I know of no specific reason why he would have done this," said Frank Cremen, Amesbury's defense lawyer. According to his plea bargain, Amesbury was facing a maximum of 27 years in federal prison. But Cremen said his client would not have served such a harsh sentence, having cut a deal with federal investigators that required him "to provide complete and truthful information and testimony concerning [his] knowledge of all other persons who are committing or have committed offenses against the United States or any state" (in the words of the plea memorandum). Sentencing had been adjourned until Sept. 21, 2012, "but it would have been postponed and postponed repetitiously," Cremen said in an interview. "The government would not have wanted him sentenced until he testified, and the people he would have been testifying against hadn't even been indicted yet."

"I know his family doesn't believe it was a suicide," Cremen previously told ABC.

Attorney Suspected in Las Vegas HOA Scandal Found Dead



















In addition to pleading guilty in the HOA conspiracy, Amesbury confessed to being a part of previous plot, this one intended to defraud banks in the course of seeking to refinance a Clark County courthouse cafe of which he was a partial owner. It was through this business venture that Amesbury knew two men -- former construction company boss Leon Benzer and former Las Vegas Police Lt. Benjamin Kim -- who are reportedly targets of the federal investigation into the HOAs, although neither man has been charged.

Amesbury's legal troubles were not the only adversity he faced. On the morning of Nov. 16, he "was found severely beaten on the side of the road" in a gated community in Henderson, Nev., according to Las Vegas TV station KTNV. Amesbury was shirtless, with his pants around his ankles. "He was really beaten to a pulp," a source close to the investigation said, according to the Daily Mail. "He had two broken ribs, and both his kneecaps were shattered. He also had a variety of facial injuries." Amesbury was in possession of 30 Valium pills and indicated to police that he planned to kill himself, or at least to try.

That day, a spokesman for the FBI told KTNV, "At this time, there is no evidence that the assault on Mr. Amesbury was related to the federal investigation into local homeowners associations. However, if we do uncover evidence that Mr. Amesbury was targeted because he was a federal witness, we will aggressively seek to charge the perpetrators to the maximum extent of federal law." Following an investigation, federal authorities did not change their official position.


Another Key Figure

Amesbury's death comes on the heels of the apparent suicide of 51-year-old Nancy Quon (pictured above), a construction-defect lawyer found dead on March 20 in the bathtub of her condominium in Henderson (the same town in which Amesbury was discovered after his assault). As in Amesbury's death, Quon's body was found by a family member. "Suicide will be one of the considerations along with accidental and medical, but at this time there is no evidence of foul play," a police spokesman told KTNV.

Quon too was a target of federal investigators for her role in the HOA plot, though she hadn't yet been indicted. As reported by John L. Smith in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Authorities believe she was a key figure" in the conspiracy "to generate millions of dollars from construction defect lawsuits and repairs."

Smith conducted an interview with Quon in December 2010, after a possible suicide attempt involving a fire at her home on Oct. 28, 2010, which nearly killed her. A separate legal imbroglio resulted from this incident, which prosecutors characterized as an arson-murder-suicide scheme gone wrong, involving Quon and her boyfriend, a former police officer.

"I think, to me," Quon told Smith, "maybe that was the most disconcerting part about the newspaper stories, that they would indicate that I was somehow suicidal, or ... that I would consider taking my own life. And anyone who knows me knows that's just not my personality. I'm a fighter. My practice was taking on huge developers and insurance companies, and they just don't roll over. It's always a fight."

Quon's pride derived from her status as a self-made woman. From a working-class background she rose to become a top litigator; her introduction to the law was a job as a legal runner when she was still a teen. After time spent working as a paralegal and studying at California Western School of Law, Quon was a single mother apparently living the American dream.

She "had a reputation as a bruising construction-defect litigator," Smith recalls. "Her cases were well-prepared, her arguments professionally delivered, her judgment victories in the millions." If the FBI and the Justice Department are correct, it would seem for some reason that this wasn't enough.


Previous Plea-Deals and Deaths

Before Quon and Amesbury, there was retired Metro Lt. Christopher Van Cleef, who shot himself in September 2008 after being named in connection with the widening corruption investigation. "Van Cleef was a member of the homeowners association at Pebble Creek Village, one of seven condominium complexes around the valley named in a federal warrant," according to the Review-Journal. "Allegations of voter fraud have surfaced in a civil lawsuit at Pebble Creek Village," where "Van Cleef and two others named in the warrant were elected to the board in May." Jeremy Doering, a former president of the board, said that he and other residents had recalled the three, suspecting the use of duplicate ballots to elect them, but that they had refused to resign.

"Doering and other residents of the complex have said that although the development does not have any serious defects, Van Cleef and the other two board members had talked of filing a construction-defect lawsuit," the Review-Journal reports. Van Cleef mentioned in particular that he thought it would be a good idea to have Nancy Quon "look into any defects."

Find Local Homes for Sale
Browse through photos of millions of home listings on AOL Real Estate
See Homes for Sale
Search Foreclosures for Sale
The conspiracy's first casualty was Robbie Castro, a former HOA board member in Visitana, Nev., who died from a drug overdose in 2010. KLAS-TV in Las Vegas called it "an apparent suicide."

According to The Associated Press, 10 people have accepted plea deals in the case since August, including a southern Nevada political consultant and several homeowner association agents -- and, of course, David Amesbury. More indictments are expected. "Prosecutors plan to name up to 20 new defendants soon," the Daily Mail reports, citing federal documents.

Meanwhile, those tied to the investigation are becoming increasingly tense. A defense lawyer involved in plea negotiations told the Review-Journal, "Some of the witnesses are extremely concerned about their well-being and safety. People are dying here."

"All of these deaths are just too much of a coincidence," said one former Vistana board member, who served alongside the late Robbie Castro and helped bring to light the association's corruption. "None of them make sense to any of us."

"This investigation is very peculiar," Amesbury's attorney explained, "because it has gone on for an extremely long time. It has periods of dormancy, and it's been marked with some confusion." Cremen blamed the massive plot -- rigged HOA elections, fake construction defect lawsuits, kickbacks like the one that enticed his client -- on a trend that began two decades ago, when Southern California developers expanded north to Las Vegas. "We never had an issue with [construction-defect lawsuits] until the big boom 20 years ago, when all the Southern California contractors moved up to Vegas. And when the builders moved up here the lawyers followed them, like ants following a meal."

See also:
Mezuzah Case: Condo Association Bylaw vs. Jewish Practice
HOA 'Steals' Homeowner's Virgin Mary Statue

%Gallery-150807%


 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Christopher Van CleefDavid AmesburyHOA fraud suicidesHOA scandal lawyerhoa+scandal+las+vegashoascandallasvegaslas vegas hoa scandallas vegas homeowner association scandalNancy QuonPebble Creek VillageRobbie CastroEamon Murphy2012-03-29T19:50:00 00:00House of the Day: NYC's $30 Million 'Trophy Home'http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/29/house-of-the-day-nycs-30-million-trophy-home/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/29/house-of-the-day-nycs-30-million-trophy-home/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/29/house-of-the-day-nycs-30-million-trophy-home/#commentsFiled under:



This $30 million residence, located at 995 Fifth Avenue, just underwent a recent revamp by Felicia Zwebner, founder of luxury interior design firm Art de Triomphe. Comprising the entire 16th floor, the sprawling property offers 14 rooms, including seven bedrooms, as well as 9½ baths.

Described in its listing as a "trophy home," this stunning 8,360-square-foot residence boasts a grand gallery large enough for a sizable art collection and soaring, 10-foot ceilings. Flanking its sun-flooded great room are a formal dining room and a sitting room, which open to create a generous entertaining space, perfect for hosting large parties. Built by celebrated Italian-American architect Rosario Candela in 1926, the home strikes the perfect balance between old and "new" New York.

%Gallery-151689%
Among the other rooms are a Smallbone kitchen and breakfast room, a six-room master bedroom suite, a media room, and a library featuring a fireplace.

Sotheby's International Realty has the listing.



See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.


Financial District NY Real Estate Guide

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>995 Fifth Avenuearchitect Rosario CandelaArt de Triomphe home designhome of the dayHomes for sale New YorkHouse of the Dayluxury real estateManhattan luxury apartmentsManhattan luxury homesNew York real estateNew York trophy homeEamon Murphy2012-03-29T06:00:00 00:00Trouble Blooms: Condo Board Sues Resident Over Flowershttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/20/trouble-blooms-condo-board-sues-resident-over-flowers/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/20/trouble-blooms-condo-board-sues-resident-over-flowers/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/20/trouble-blooms-condo-board-sues-resident-over-flowers/#comments

A condo association in Portsmouth, N.H. is suing a resident for having planted flowers in her yard.

Kimberly Bois has "daisies, bearded irises, lavender, hydrangeas and tulip builbs" around her home in the Atlantic Pointe condominiums, where she has lived since 2008. According to the Portsmouth Herald, many of the plants are heirlooms from her late mother. She told the newspaper that they were planted with the permission of the developer, before the condo board even existed. But the association has sent her 13 certified letters, beginning with a cease-and-desist order and escalating to a demand that she remove the plants and pay thousands of dollars in fines and penalties.

PortsmouthPatch reports that Boise offered to settle the dispute by paying up to $3,000, but that the condo board rejected the offer, instead insisting that she pay all of their legal costs and fines.

"Every month I get a certified letter of what my assessments are, and I'm up to $5,500," Boise told PortsmouthPatch. "It's kind of like they sucked the joy out of owning my first home."

Last month a notice reportedly arrived informing Bois that a lien had been placed on her unit for $4,500 in back fines. The board has also reportedly demanded that she pay the $8,000 in attorney's fees it has accrued in the course of suing her.But Bois is fighting back, with a lawyer of her own: She and a neighbor have hired attorney Paul McEachern.

"I guess it just goes to show that a condominium is the worst form of democracy ever invented," McEachern told the Herald. "They probably have less stringent rules in a penitentiary."

According to McEachern, the condo association wants a judge to order his client to get rid of the flowers, restoring her front yard to its original state -- "crap," in his description. The association also wants the work to be done by board-approved contractors, paid for by Bois.

"It's a goodly amount for a few flowers," McEachern said. "Once you think you've heard everything, you hear something new."

Bois was more blunt in her assessment: "It's the stupidest thing I've encountered in my life."

She and her late mother planted the flowers in mulch beds built by the developer in front of her home. The developer's wife had been planting annuals; Bois offered to plant perennials instead, and says that she has a letter from the developer allowing her to do so. Bois' gardening -- which also included the planting of two evergreen trees and some hydrangea bushes, as well as the watering and weeding of a patch of ground out back -- has been judged "development of the property" by the condo association.

The board contends that it will cost them more to maintain the property with the additional flowers and shrubs. Bois rejects this explanation, suspecting "a vendetta" instead. (She had a previous lawyer send the condo association a letter asking the board to, she says, "leave me alone.")

"It's not a logical response," Complained McEachern, who described himself as a casual gardener and said of the planting: "I was impressed. It looks like it was professionally done."

According to the condo association's attorney, Sandy Roberts, the grounds surrounding the condos are in a common area, subject to the board's control. He says that when Bois was allowed to plant the flowers, she was told the permission was temporary and might be revoked in the future.

"It's not about do you like these flowers or don't you," Roberts told the Herald. "It's a question of was it authorized and is it permanent." He expressed concern that if Bois and her neighbor, who built stone walls and a patio, were allowed to keep their unauthorized landscaping elements, "the guy next door will say, 'I want to do it too.' "

"It's a microcosm of democracy," Roberts said of the condominiums' government. "If you don't have the votes, you don't win."


Woman Faces Legal Fines For Flower Garden

















Of course, this isn't the first time a dispute over homeowners' association bylaws has drawn media scrutiny. Some other recent cases making news:

o. Last summer, an HOA filed a cease-and-desist order to stop construction on a house being built for a wounded Army vet in Evans, Ga. The nonprofit group Homes for Our Troops was about to start work on a residence for Amy Sgt. 1st Class Seans Gitens, who was partially paralyzed by an IED in Iraq. According to the HOA, Homes for Our Troops had not submitted the necessary paperwork, a charge the group disputed. An HOA spokesman eventually revealed that some property owners were concerned Gitens' customized, single-floor dwelling would depress home values.

o. In Lexington, Ky., the Andover Forest Homeowners' Association demanded that a family remove a therapy playhouse for their 3-year-old son, who suffers from cerebral palsy. Following a public backlash, the HOA relented, temporarily; a state lawmaker said at the time that he planned to introduce legislation making it illegal for an HOA to ban property features necessary for therapy.

o. And in Pittsburgh, Pa., an HOA removed a 150-pound Virgin Mary statue from the Vaskos' front yard, saying it would not return it until the family paid fines totaling $4,000. "Would that be extortion or kidnapping?" Steven Vasko. "You tell me, I don't know."

See also:
Condo Buyers: Why Bigger Is Better
Property Taxes Finally Start To Reflect Housing's Plunge

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Atlantic Pointe condominiumscondo sue flowerscondo+association+dispute+over+flowerscondoassociationdisputeoverflowersflowersHOAHOA sues flowersKimberly Boisportsmithportsmith flowerssue for flowersEamon Murphy2012-03-20T10:48:00 00:00Derrick Rose, NBA MVP, Buys $2.8 Million Trump Tower Condohttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/16/derrick-rose-nba-mvp-buys-2-8m-trump-tower-condo/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/16/derrick-rose-nba-mvp-buys-2-8m-trump-tower-condo/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/16/derrick-rose-nba-mvp-buys-2-8m-trump-tower-condo/#commentsFiled under: ,

"I've gotta be the only superstar in the league that's going through what I'm going through right now," Derrick Rose complained on Monday night, incensed about what he saw as a lack of foul calls against players defending him. "But I can't say too much about it."

NBA officials may not be giving him his due, but Rose is certainly getting the superstar treatment on the real estate front: The league's MVP has purchased an 84th floor bachelor pad in Chicago's Trump International Tower & Hotel, featuring an unobstructed downtown view, Brazilian walnut hardwood floors and concrete pillars wrapped in a mosaic of iridescent glass tiles.

Rose's flat contains three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a den and a professional-level kitchen. The 3,102-square-foot apartment, which takes up half the 84th floor, cost Rose a $1 million down payment and a $1.7 million mortgage with Northern Trust. No. 1 can certainly afford it: The star point guard just signed a $260 million "lifetime" contract with Adidas, on top of a $95 million contract extension with the Bulls.

"Man, it's definitely a blessing," said Rose, 23, about the 14-year Adidas deal. "Of course we've been trying to get it out of the way for a long time. I just remember them bringing it up to me and I couldn't really think about the amount. It was crazy. I'm just blessed and feel grateful."

Adding to D-Rose's embarrassment of riches will be the fine amenities of the Trump Tower. His condo comes with two parking spots, as well as pool and gym access. The master bathroom is lined in limestone and features double sinks, double showers and a deep Jacuzzi. Rose can call on gourmet room service, a constantly on-duty concierge and daily cleaning services -- all for a mere $2,700 monthly assessment.

"It's definitely an unbelievable feeling just being up there," Rose said about his new skyscraper digs. "The view is nice and I don't take it for granted. It's a blessing."

"He got one of the top four units in the building," said Andrew Glatz, president of Chicago brokerage Crown Heights Realty and an agent who has worked with Trump Tower. "For a guy who's 23 and living a bachelor life, I can't imagine a better bachelor pad."

Security is the Trump Tower's top selling point, according to Glatz, setting it apart from other downtown luxury buildings. Rose seems to agree, explaining that he chose Trump because "no one bothers you there." (Somewhat more romantically, he also said that he "fell in love" with the building after staying in one of its hotel rooms for three weeks last summer.)

Rose said that he hopes to move in before the end of this season. He is waiting for furniture to arrive before he moves out of his current residence, in north suburban Northbrook.



%Gallery-146277%
Also see:
Rapper Drake's Miami Digs Sell for $2.4 Million
Dick Clark's Flintstone House Rocks Onto the Market

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
Find rentals in your area.

Travel to Chicago

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>athlete real estatecelebrity real estateChicago Bulls Derrick Rosederrick roseDerrick Rose condoDerrick Rose homederrick+rose+buys+housederrick+rose+trump+towerderrickrosebuyshousederrickrosetrumptowerNBANBA MVPtrump towerEamon Murphy2012-03-16T13:30:00 00:00Binghamton, N.Y.: Nation's Most Downbeat City, Poll Sayshttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/15/binghamton-n-y-nations-most-downbeat-city-poll-says/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/15/binghamton-n-y-nations-most-downbeat-city-poll-says/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/15/binghamton-n-y-nations-most-downbeat-city-poll-says/#comments

The Gallup polling organization put a simple question to the residents of 190 metropolitan areas: "Would you say your city or town is getting better as a place to live?"

The responses are in, and Binghamton, N.Y., has been named the least optimistic place in America.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being index tracks community satisfaction and optimism on a daily basis by conducting telephone interviews with adult residents of U.S. cities and their surrounding areas. In 2011, Binghamtonians expressed the lowest recorded level of optimism: Only 27.8 percent voiced a positive feeling about their community's prospects.

In Provo-Orem, Utah, on the other hand -- the country's most optimistic region, according to this poll -- 76 percent of residents expressed confidence about the direction of their area.

As to the reasons why, The Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin suggests that the weather and economy are valid reasons for pessimism. Seasonal affective disorder, which can bring on bouts of depression typically in the winter, could be a contributing factor, but Binghamton's malaise is also a product of its residents' outlook. "The community is rather conservative and not very open-minded," psychologist Benjamin Perkus told the Press & Sun-Bulletin. "So it's stuck in the old paradigm of big industry, which is gone now."

Settled in 1802, the once-agrarian Binghamton became a transportation hub and manufacturing center with the advent of the Erie Railroad in the 1840s. In the 20th century, IBM was founded close by and the flight simulator was developed in town, creating a robust local outpost of electronics and defense contracting. The end of the Cold War, however, saw the drying up of funds for many defense firms, costing the region jobs. From a peak of 85,000 in the mid-1950s, the city's population has declined to less than 50,000.

Still, there are bright points, like the educational scene, centered around Binghamton University, and a local opera company and a symphony, as well as sports teams. Residents' pessimism may have been influenced by flooding that occurred last year, when the survey was being conducted.

New York's Syracuse and Utica-Rome also fared poorly in the survey, coming in at numbers 186 and 183, respectively. But Binghamton stood out, according to Gallup, for its "difficult combination" of relatively dreary satisfaction and optimism ratings. Only 74.9 percent of Binghamton area residents said they were satisfied with their community, which doesn't sound so bad -- except that it was the fourth-lowest figure among the 190 areas surveyed. Binghamton's 27.8 percent optimism rating contrasts sharply with the national average among resident of small metro areas, which was 56.5 percent.
%Gallery-146461%
See also:
Could 2012 Be the Best Year to Buy a Home in Decades?
Property Taxes Finally Start To Reflect Housing's Plunge

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>binghamptonbinghampton pessimisticbinghampton saddest citydownbeat citygallup pollmost miserable citiessaddest citiesEamon Murphy2012-03-15T11:55:00 00:00Reclusive Heiress Leaves Behind 5 Homes Worth $180 Millionhttp://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/09/huguette-clark-reclusive-heiress-leaves-behind-55-million-apa/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/09/huguette-clark-reclusive-heiress-leaves-behind-55-million-apa/http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/03/09/huguette-clark-reclusive-heiress-leaves-behind-55-million-apa/#commentsFiled under:

Huguette ClarkWhen Huguette Clark died in spring 2011, she left behind a massive fortune, two conflicting wills, the mysterious aura of recluse, and some of New York City's choicest real estate. Now the fates of three apartments owned by the famed philanthropist, who was last photographed more than 80 years ago, are set to be settled: The residences are on sale for $55 million.

As perhaps befits the homes of a noted recluse, the apartments are said to be frozen in time, stuck somewhere around the Gilded Age and therefore in need of "significant work," according to the Daily Mail. Located at 907 Fifth Avenue, they include a total of 42 rooms and take up 17,000 square feet. Two of them together comprise the building's eighth floor, while the third occupies half of the 12th and top floors. Also among Clark's assets are a $100 million estate on the Pacific Coast in Santa Barbara, Calif., and a $24 million country house in New Canaan, Conn.

Clark's New York properties in the prewar limestone building are described in the listing brokers' description as "a diamond in the rough" -- presumably a polite reference to their eccentric provenance and need of renovation. They command views of Central Park, in particular the sailboat pond known as the Conservatory Water, near the statute of Alice in Wonderland.


Heiress Huguette Clark's Three Apartments Hit The Market

The New York Post reports that at the time of Clark's death, "real estate insiders gushed that her apartments ... could be worth $100 million." But the property is now appraised at $45 million to $60 million, since the apartments are unconnected and the building's co-op board has not yet decided whether the two eighth-floor flats can be combined. Brokers told the Post these two units could command a total of $20 million to $35 million if sold unjoined; combined, they'd be worth more.

Clark, who was born in Paris in 1906, was the second daughter of former U.S. Sen. William A. Clark, a Montana businessman involved in mining and railroads. Following his retirement, the family moved to a Fifth Avenue mansion that boasted 121 rooms. Huguette moved with her mother to 907 Fifth Avenue after the death of her father in 1925; they occupied the 12th floor, which had been marketed as "the finest apartment in the world." She was involved in music and art -- her mother gave her a Stradivarius violin for her birthday, and she exhibited seven paintings at Washington, D.C.'s Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1929 -- but grew increasingly suspicious that others, even relatives, were after her money. She is said to have lived in hospitals since leaving 907 Fifth Avenue in an ambulance in 1988.

Money from the sale of her Fifth Avenue properties will go first toward paying estate expenses; whatever remains will be claimed by the winner of the court battle over Clark's two conflicting wills, one of which would turn the Santa Barbara property into an art museum.



See also:
'Home Alone' House Sells for $1.6 Million
Open Houses of the Week: March 10-11

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
Finds homes for rent in your area.

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Conn real estatecontested huguette clark willGilded Ageheiress+huguette+clarkheiresshuguetteclarkhuguette clarkhuguette+clark+homeshuguetteclarkhomesNew Canaannew york real estatepre-war architecturereclusive heiressSanta Barbara real estateEamon Murphy2012-03-09T16:20:00 00:00