Canopy MLS / MLS via Realtor.comHigh in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a sensational retreat is currently the most expensive listing in both North Carolina and South Carolina.The expansive compound garnered attention as one of the most popular homes on Realtor.com®.“It’s incredible overlooking Grandfather Mountain. It’s a spectacular setting,” says listing agent Marilyn Wright, with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.“I haven’t seen anything like it here in the area in this caliber of home with the details as well as the views,” adds Wright. “Every window that you look out, the views are unbelievable.”Overhead viewRyan Theede Great roomRyan Theede KitchenRyan Theede Listed for $29,750,000, the home known as Lazy Bear Lodge in Linville, NC, was completed in 2007. It was a passion project for the homeowner, who recently died.“This house was basically created to house his art collection and artifacts,” Wright explains.Hobbit houseRyan Theede Folly houseRyan Theede The 6-acre property holds four structures: the main house, a storage building, a party house called the Folly House, and a “hobbit house.”“The main house is exquisite. In this transaction, it includes the furniture, the art, rugs. It goes turnkey,” Wright says. “Everything was custom in the house.”That includes lighting, cypress posts and paneling, and a refrigerator in the kitchen with elk antler handles.The furnishings “are where they belong. It was [the owner’s] love, his dream,” she says.There are multiple statues throughout the property that light up at night, she adds. Many of them are of bears, hence the name Lazy Bear Lodge.Gated drivewayRyan Theede Aerial viewRyan Theede The main house is 8,750 square feet with five bedrooms and five full bathrooms.Space to entertainRyan Theede Outdoor dining spaceRyan Theede The Folly House, which appears to be floating near a rock cliff, was the spot for soirees.“Accordion doors open up fully to live in and out. There’s a dance floor, a fire pit, multiple seating areas, and a full kitchen,” Wright says, adding that it’s her favorite structure on the property.The hobbit house, named for its door design and building style, is currently a gym and recreation place with a golf simulator, wet bar, sauna, and half-bath. Wright says it could easily be converted into a guesthouse.The fourth building is part parking space and part storage space.ExteriorRyan Theede ViewsRyan Theede “The perfect buyer is someone who wants privacy and an escape,” says Wright. “It’s a gated property within a gated community, so you can honestly disappear there.”The post ‘Spectacular Setting’: $30M Mountaintop Compound With a Hobbit House Is the Carolinas’ Most Expensive Listing appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty Images / MLS via Realtor.comHere’s a home that may hold a special spot in your heart—especially if you’re a Dodgers fan.And if you revere this L.A.-based baseball team, you might also have a fondness for Vin Scully, the longtime broadcaster as well as the face of the team for more than six decades.Scully’s home base in Hidden Hills, CA, cutely nicknamed “Home Plate,” recently came on the market for $15 million. It measures 11,600 square feet and has seven bedrooms and nine baths.This mansion also made our list of the most popular homes, as baseball fans clicked on the property for a closer look.Magnificent estateBefitting Scully’s megastar status in the baseball world and the city of Los Angeles, his estate is magnificent.The 2-acre propertyRealtor.comCourtyard with a fountainRealtor.comFormal living roomRealtor.comUse this room as a home office or a cozy library.Realtor.comThe mansion was built in 2003 and features soaring ceilings, a wine cellar, guest wing, home theater, butler’s pantry, and game room.Scully favored an old-world style, as showcased in the mansion’s French country design. Details include patterned stone floors, oak flooring, wrought-iron detailing on doors, coffered ceilings, and custom wall treatments.The property comes with a guesthouse, guest apartment, six-car garage, outdoor kitchen, tennis court, putting green, pool with spa, lush lawns, and water features.___Watch: Kim Kardashian Reportedly Lists Her Calabasas Condo (Again) and Hidden Hills Home___Celebrity enclaveThe home is located in Hidden Hills, where Madonna, the Jenner-Kardashian clan, Miley Cyrus, and Sylvester Stallone are among the residents.Scully died in August at the ripe old age of 94. The sports icon reportedly spent his golden years at this huge home, which is part of a gated community nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains.Covered patioRealtor.comPool and spaRealtor.comPutting greenRealtor.comA talented storyteller and game commentator, Scully was beloved in Major League Baseball as a broadcaster for both CBS and NBC.He was the voice you heard for nearly seven decades, calling All-Star games, many playoffs, and at least two dozen World Series games.The post A Piece of Dodgers History: Vin Scully’s Home Available for $15M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty ImagesHigh mortgage rates continue to pressure the housing market, as the sector undergoes a deep slow down after two years of blockbuster growth.The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.08% as of Oct. 27, according to data released by Freddie Mac on Thursday.The 30-year was last at this level in 2002.That’s up 14 basis points from the previous week—one basis point is equal to one hundredth of a percentage point, or 1% of 1%.Last week, the 30-year was at 6.94%. Last year, the 30-year was averaging at 3.14%___Watch: Housing Snapshot: What’s Happening in Different Markets Across the Country___The average rate on the 15-year mortgage rose to 6.36%.The 30-year broke 7% for the first time since April 2002, Sam Khater, chief economist at Freddie Mac, said in a statement, “leading to greater stagnation in the housing market.”Khater added that consumer confidence is weakening, and that many buyers are choosing to wait to see where the market will go, “pushing demand and home prices further downward.”The adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 5.96%, up from the prior week.Mortgage demand, meanwhile, has sunk to the lowest level in 25 years, Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was above 4% in morning trading on Thursday.The post Mortgage Rates Surpass 7%, Freddie Mac Says—’Leading to Greater Stagnation in the Housing Market’ appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Design by Realtor.com / Getty Images (3)The housing market is a scary place these days.Ominous pronouncements are the norm: “The Fed will push until something breaks.” “Housing is in a free fall.” “It’s going to be brutal.” “This will end in tears.”Such doom and gloom might make skittish homebuyers wonder if there’s any hope or point in forging ahead. But if the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that things can change quickly—for better or for worse—which is why keeping your eye trained on the latest real estate statistics is a must to stay sane and ahead of the housing apocalypse nipping at your heels.Our column “How’s the Housing Market This Week?” is where we look at the most recent real estate data—mortgage rates, home prices, and more—that can help homebuyers and sellers get their bearings and navigate today’s intimidating market.Mortgage rates reach their highest level in 20 yearsFor the week ending Oct. 27, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate shot up to 7.08%. According to Freddie Mac, this is the first time that this rate has broken the 7% threshold in 20 years, since April 2002.Crunch the numbers on how this affects housing affordability, and the picture turns even more frightening.“Combined with rising home prices, higher mortgage rates have significantly increased the cost of a monthly mortgage payment, up more than 70% from one year ago, sapping the purchasing power of shoppers,” notes Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale in her recent analysis of emerging housing markets.In September, home prices hovered at a national median of $427,250—and for the week ending Oct. 22, prices continued to rise by 13% compared with the same week last year. That’s a slight drop from the previous week’s rise of 13.2%, but it’s also the 43rd week straight of double-digit expansion.“Home price growth moderated but remains at a double-digit pace and, alongside higher rates, is putting a big dent in home shopper budgets,” says Hale in her review of the week’s housing data. “With affordable homebuying options dwindling, some shoppers are looking elsewhere.”In other words, buyers are casting their eye even farther afield for deals. In fact, Hale adds that the majority of home shoppers are now searching across state lines.An upside to rising mortgage rates: More homes on the marketFor the week ending Oct. 22, despite the number of new sellers entering the market dwindling by 13% from a year earlier, overall housing inventory (of new and old listings) shot up by 36%. That’s the biggest jump in the number of homes for sale seen in 16 weeks.The reason why so many homes are sitting on the market is that homebuyers just can’t afford what they used to.“Higher mortgage rates coupled with higher home prices have drastically curtailed buying power, and with it sales activity,” says Hale.Many of these homes will stick around on the market gathering cobwebs longer than usual, too. While properties currently linger for a median of 50 days, for the week ending Oct. 22, they spent a whole week longer on the market compared with a year earlier, a pace that’s slowed for 13 weeks straight.“For buyers, it may mean a bit more time to think through options, depending on your location,” says Hale. “It may not be a buyer’s market yet, but this trend is certainly more buyer-friendly.”In other words, nervous buyers who brave today’s market may come to realize that it’s not quite as bad as the doomsayers suggest.___Watch: 4 (Mostly) Bright New Realities of Buying a Home Today The post Mortgage Rates Just Hit a 20-Year High—and That’s Not the Scariest Part appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Photos courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty / Getty ImagesMedia mogul Byron Allen set a real estate record with his recent $100 million purchase of an ultraluxe compound in Malibu, CA.That lofty sum is the most ever paid for a home by an African-American buyer in the U.S., according to the Wall Street Journal.Allen purchased the coastal estate from self-storage magnate Tammy Hughes Gustavson, who had listed it for $127.5 million in May.Gustavson’s late father, B. Wayne Hughes, who co-founded Public Storage, paid about $20 million for the property in 2003, the Journal notes.Byron Allen’s $100 million estate in Malibu, CAElite retreatThe 3.5-acre compound, situated on a bluff overlooking Paradise Cove, includes the main villa and two guesthouses. In total, there are 10,698 square feet of living space, eight bedrooms, and 11.5 baths.The villa, built in 2001 and updated since then, features retractable walls of glass facing the ocean. There are multiple terraces for dining, relaxing, and taking in the views.The chef’s kitchen is equipped with professional-grade appliances, a huge island, and an adjacent breakfast room.Amenities galoreOther prime perks include an elegant screening room and a posh primary suite.The guesthouse located off the garage has served primarily as staff quarters. The other guesthouse is located adjacent to the tennis court. That two-story structure features a spacious upper level with a vaulted ceiling that’s used as a gym.The entire estate is the epitome of elegant luxury, but the priceless aspect of the property is a private path leading to 208 feet of sandy beach frontage. Such access is extremely rare on the California coast.Allen, 61, began his career in Los Angeles as a comedian at age 14. He later founded Entertainment Studios, aka Allen Media Group, of which he is CEO.The largest privately held media company in the U.S., it is estimated to be worth more than $4.5 billion. Allen’s holdings include the Weather Channel, 11 other cable networks, and close to 70 syndicated TV shows.The post Media Mogul Byron Allen Reportedly Buys Malibu Estate for a Record $100M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Courtesy of Mark Kavanagh CollectionCynthia Ackley Kavanagh recalls sitting on her bed in her new home when the cord to the light above began swinging in a way that she had never seen before. It wasn’t sloping in an arc as it should. Instead, it was as if some invisible force were playing pingpong with the pull switch.The year was 1967. Her father had gotten a job in New York City, and the family had recently traded their Maryland farm for a derelict Victorian just north of New York City. Her parents, Helen and George Ackley, were determined to restore the run-down, 4,200-square-foot house on the Hudson River, where they planned to raise their four children.Built in 1890, the house in Nyack had sat vacant for seven years before the Ackleys bought it. During that time, neighborhood children would say they saw faces in the windows.Over their two decades in the home, the Ackleys would have many inexplicable experiences. They heard mysterious footsteps and voices. Doors and windows would fly open. On several occasions, they claimed, they even received visits from peaceful spirits wearing clothes from centuries past. The paranormal was just part and parcel of their new home.The Victorian in Nyack, NYCourtesy of Mark Kavanagh CollectionThe old Victorian would eventually achieve infamy in the early 1990s after the Ackleys put it on the market. When the buyers learned of the home’s supernatural history, they tried to back out of the deal. To recover their deposit, they sued. And the court, for the first time, established that a property was haunted in a published opinion.That opinion, colloquially referred to as the “Ghostbusters ruling,” established the Ackley residence as the only known legally haunted house in America.The case has since been taught in law schools across the country. And while disclosure laws vary greatly by state, the case did create something of a common-sense precedent for what sellers must disclose to buyers.The Nyack home itself has changed hands several times since the ruling, including to some celebrity owners attracted to its notoriety. However, not a single one has publicly reported a paranormal experience.But the questions, and the mysteries, remain: Is America’s only legally haunted home really haunted?‘Is there any way we can take our other­worldly friends with us?’The house was the source of the “Ghostbusters ruling.”Courtesy of Mark Kavanagh CollectionKavanagh, now 70, is a believer. She lived in the home during high school, briefly after she was married, and again when she was widowed.On her first holiday break in the house, she tells Realtor.com®, she was awakened by her bed being shaken. The next morning it happened again.“It wasn’t violent,” Kavanagh recalls. “It was really gentle, like someone was shaking you awake, like, ‘Come on, you’ll be late to school.'”So the next night before she went to sleep, she announced loudly to the room that she was on her Christmas break and didn’t have to go to school in the morning, Kavanagh adds. After that, the spirits allowed her to sleep in.___Watch: Ghost Hunting with the Paranormal Investigators From ‘Kindred Spirits’___A few years later, she met one of the other “residents” of the home. She walked into her bedroom late one night and saw a woman in white sitting on her bed. The apparition was looking in the mirror as she combed her blond hair. Kavanagh remembers politely excusing herself and going downstairs for about a half-hour. When she returned, the woman was gone.Kavanagh says she even received some gifts from the ghosts.When Kavanagh’s oldest daughter was baptized, Helen Ackley had to tie a gold ring onto the baby’s finger because it was too big for her. When the family returned to the house after the ceremony, they found a small ring on the dresser. It fit the baby’s finger perfectly. Her daughter, now grown, still wears that ring around her neck.“We had plenty of ghost sightings,” says Kavanagh, who now lives in Salem, OR, with her husband. “None of us ever felt afraid of anything that went on.”Her mother penned an article for Reader’s Digest in 1977. In it, Helen shared the family’s experiences in the home.She wrote about seeing a male ghost floating in the air, smiling at her while she painted the living room. He was dressed in a blue suit with ruffles at the throat and wrists, short pants that stopped at his kneecaps, and black shoes with buckles.“We have come to savor these happenings. They give a sense of the continuity of the past with the present and with the future,” Helen wrote. “These elusive spirits seem gracious, thoughtful—only occasionally frightening—and thoroughly entertaining. Now we wonder: if the time comes for us to move again, is there any way we can take our other­worldly friends with us?”How the Victorian became the nation’s first legally haunted homeHelen AckleyCourtesy of Mark Kavanagh CollectionIf only she had been able to take her otherworldly friends with her, Helen might have avoided the legal trouble that followed.By 1989, she was widowed and owned another home in Florida. It was time to sell the Victorian she had lovingly restored. The buyers were Wall Street trader Jeffrey Stambovsky and his wife, Patrice Stambovsky, who were moving to Nyack from New York City. Their offer was accepted, and they made a down payment of $32,500.The problem was that Helen had apparently told everyone but the Stambovskys about her home’s haunted history.Following Helen’s article in Reader’s Digest—at the time, one of the nation’s most popular magazines—the house was written up in the local newspaper a few times and even included on a haunted walking tour of the town. It was a popular topic of conversation in the town.But none of this was apparently disclosed to the buyers before they closed the deal. And when they discovered the stories about paranormal activity in their new home, they were neither charmed nor thrilled. They tried to break their contract, but Helen refused. So they sued to get their deposit back.The Stambovsky v. Ackley case hinged on the homeowner “advertising” the supernatural activity, but not to the buyers. The judge ruled the buyers wouldn’t have been expected to know the home was haunted as they weren’t locals. It didn’t matter if the home was actually haunted. What mattered was that people believed it was, thanks to Helen. So she had a duty to disclose that information to prospective buyers.Helen is now deceased, and Kavanagh has a different version of events.Her mother had sworn to her that she mentioned the ghosts would love having children in the house again in front of a pregnant Patrice Stambovsky. Helen also maintained that the Stambovskys were trying to get a deep discount on the home, which she had flatly refused.It didn’t make much of a difference to the court, though.The “seller deliberately fostered the public belief that her home was possessed,” the 1991 ruling read. “Having undertaken to inform the public-at-large, to whom she has no legal relationship, about the supernatural occurrences on her property, she may be said to owe no less a duty to her contract vendee.”Today, New York is one of only four states that include supernatural activity in their real estate disclosure laws. The others are New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, each with different requirements. Several other states require sellers to tell buyers if there was a death on the property. These laws vary greatly, but there are a few rules of thumb.In most of the country, sellers don’t need to disclose ghosts “unless you’re bragging about it,” says law professor Christopher Trudeau, of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, who has taught classes on real estate law. “If you’re telling other people it’s haunted, you have a duty to tell the person who’s buying it.”And if a buyer asks outright about paranormal activity in a home, sellers should answer truthfully, Trudeau says. It’s similar to disclosing the last time the roof was replaced or whether the home has ever flooded.“If they lie … that’s a basis for a lawsuit,” says Trudeau. “If you’re trying to hoodwink somebody, the court will try to figure out a way to make things right.”So is this legally haunted home really haunted?America’s sole legally haunted houseCourtesy of Mark Kavanagh CollectionThe ruling hasn’t discouraged high-profile buyers from living in the legally haunted home.Adam Brooks, who wrote and directed the film “Definitely, Maybe,” bought the property from Helen. He reportedly never had any paranormal encounters during his roughly two decades there.In 2012, he sold the home for $1,725,000 to pop singer Ingrid Michaelson. The “Way I Am” singer told the New York Post it was “a magical home” with an “unbeatable” view.Nancy Blaker Weber, who was the real estate agent for this transaction and subsequent sales of the home, says Michaelson got a kick out of the ghost stories.“There must be a fun element of owning the only legally haunted house,” Weber, of Howard Hanna Rand Realty, says. “There’s a certain type of person who’s attracted to that kind of thing.”About three years later, singer and rapper Matisyahu, of “King Without a Crown” fame, purchased the home for $1.77 million. He apparently did not experience any poltergeists either.The home was last sold in March 2021 for $1,795,000. The new owners, who are also in the creative field, are renovating the home, says Weber. The five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home was valued at $1,864,000 earlier this week, according to Realtor.com data.“I’ve logged a lot of time in that house through the years, and I’ve never felt anything unsettling. If there’s anything there, it must be friendly,” Weber says.The post Is America’s Only Legally Haunted House Actually Haunted? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

MLS via Realtor.comA center-hall Colonial in Columbus, NJ, is the oldest property to hit the market this week on Realtor.com®.The historic property, which was built in 1681 and once known as “Newbold Messuage,” housed the town’s original post office. It is said to have been owned by four postmasters.Other antique homes on the market this week include a farmhouse on 25 acres in Connecticut, an 18th-century stone home in Virginia, and a gambrel-roofed Dutch colonial in New York.Scroll down for a full look at this week’s 10 oldest homes.1. 36 Chesterfield Rd, Columbus, NJPrice: $389,000Year built: Circa 1681Affordable antique: This four-bedroom home built in 1681 needs some work, which is reflected in its modest price.Located in the village of Georgetown, the property is said to have once served as the local doctor’s office and as a mail stagecoach stop. The open floor plan offers a spacious dining area with a walk-in fireplace.There’s a separate outbuilding on the partly fenced lot that could be used to store gardening equipment.Columbus, NJRealtor.com2. 81 Currituck Rd, Newtown, CTPrice: $1,595,000Year built: 1712Sweet saltbox: This farmhouse on 25 acres features original oak floors, hand-hewn beams, and four fireplaces with a Dutch oven.The kitchen and two bathrooms have been updated, and a high-efficiency heating system was recently installed. The primary bedroom can be found on the main level, and it comes with a walk-in closet and extra storage space.Owned by one of the first families to settle in Newtown, the working hobby farm includes a two-story barn, three-bay tin barn, shed, chicken coop, outhouse, cottage, cabin, five garages, and three wells.Newtown, CT3. 101 Pinetree Rd, Redding, CTPrice: $399,000Year built: 1720Expanded Cape: This cute, three-bedroom abode features the original stone hearth fireplace in the living room, exposed beams, and wide-plank flooring.A two-level wing was added in 2006, and the house now measures 1,811 square feet. There’s an updated kitchen with granite countertops and built-in cabinets, including a wine rack. The main staircase leads to the loft-style primary suite, which comes with a cedar closet. A second staircase leads to a bedroom with a fireplace.The 2-acre property includes a detached, two-car garage.Redding, CTRealtor.com4. 88 County Rd, Ipswich, MAPrice: $1,495,000Year built: 1727Nathaniel Wade Home: Located on the town green, this stately residence features high-beamed ceilings, wide-board pine floors, and five working fireplaces.There’s a built-in bookcase in the living room and window seats near the entry. The 4,177-square-foot, four-bedroom home sits on an acre lot, which also boasts a heated art studio and a one-bedroom carriage house.Ipswich, MARealtor.com5. 15 Hudson St, Kinderhook, NYPrice: $795,000Year built: 1729Brick beauty: This brick-front home features wide-plank floors and an original brick wall from 1729. There’s also a working fireplace with a cooking hearth that dates to 1786.In all, there are five fireplaces throughout the 3,627-square-foot home. Exposed-beam ceilings, a built-in bookcase, and a classic Dutch door offer a peek back at this home’s history.The six-bedroom dwelling sits on a half-acre and comes with an early 19th-century barn with two parking spaces and a workshop.Kinderhook, NYRealtor.com6. 104 Mill St, Newport, RIPrice: $4,295,000Year built: 1730Three-parcel property: This elegant offering features a red-brick Colonial with a private driveway, separate guest accommodations, and a detached, four-car garage.Located in the heart of Newport’s Historic Hill District, the main five-bedroom home comes with lots of built-ins, wide-board pine floors, and fireplaces.A separate, two-bedroom carriage house was renovated in 1978 and later converted into a two-story unit with a living room and kitchen.Newport, RIRealtor.com7. 19074 Pheasant Chase Ct, Purcellville, VAPrice: $1,900,000Year built: 1744Stone stunner: The Meeting House Farm features a bank barn with fenced paddocks on 35 acres.The five-bedroom domicile includes four fireplaces, exposed beams, and stone walls. There are wood floors and lots of built-ins for storage.The serene property has three separate apartments, which “generate a minimum of $40,000 annually,” according to the listing.Purcellville, VARealtor.com8. 36 Battle Run Rd, Washington, VAPrice: $2,250,000Year built: 1747Battle Run Hall: This Federal-style fieldstone house has been thoughtfully preserved over the years.It features well-maintained hardwood floors, exposed beams, and fireplaces. The 4,122-square-foot home has four bedrooms, lots of built-ins, and several porches. The music room over the carriage house boasts a cathedral ceiling.The 20-acre property also offers an art studio, pool, pond, historic log barn, orchard, and gardens.Washington, VARealtor.com9. 29 Lexington Rd, Concord, MAPrice: $1,995,000Year built: 1750Charles B. Davis House: Located in historic Concord Center across from the church green, this four-bedroom home has been beautifully updated over the years while taking care to preserve its history.Custom-built cabinets, French doors, hardwood flooring, exposed beams, and crown moldings are found throughout the refreshed residence. The third-floor space has been redone to make way for an entertainment space and an additional bedroom.The kitchen and bathrooms do need some updating.Concord, MARealtor.com10. 2221 US Route 9, Kinderhook, NYPrice: $929,000Year built: 1758The Tory House: Also known as the Peter Sander Van Alstyne House, this gambrel-roofed Dutch colonial comes with a detached barn that’s been converted to a fabulous entertainment space.The main house features about 4,500 square feet of living space and is listed on both the national and state Register of Historic Places. There’s a dramatic circular staircase, deeply recessed window sills, original cabinetry and moldings, wide-plank wood flooring, four fireplaces, and wood-beam ceilings.The acre property also comes with a 1,300-square-foot guesthouse with a full kitchen and bath.Kinderhook, NYRealtor.comThe post It Delivers: A 1681 Colonial That Housed a Post Office Is the Week’s Oldest Property appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Stellar MLS / MLS via Realtor.comNothing really goes bump in the night at this particular condo on the market near Walt Disney World.But the creepy interiors sure look like something spooky could happen.That’s precisely the draw of this apartment.“It’s being used as an Airbnb, and it is pretty much a replica of Disney’s Haunted Mansion, literally from the wallpaper to the decor and the lighting. The owner of the condo really went all out to try to find replications of what he would see in the Haunted Mansion,” says listing agent Karrie Coggeshall, with Home Experts Realty.Mission very accomplished!Dining areaRealtor.comKitchenRealtor.comScary funThe list price for the 1,227-square-foot condo in Davenport, FL, was $260,000 about a month ago. And just in time for Halloween, the scary-fun pad is already pending sale.___Watch: Trick of the Light: How to Make Floating Candles for Halloween___“This one definitely piqued a lot of interest when people were looking just because of the uniqueness of the property inside, and the attention to detail that she had with everything. It’s a fun place to go to stay. I stayed there overnight one night, and it’s just super cool,” Coggeshall says.BedroomRealtor.comBathroomRealtor.comThe three-bed, two-bath condo is just outside of the Disney corridor, in a community full of short-term rentals and vacation-style amenities.“It’s literally 15 minutes from all your major parks in Orlando, and you’re on the outskirts, so you’re not quite stuck in all that congestion and traffic,” she explains. “It’s family-friendly and has all kinds of amenities that you can think of.”The seller has a habit of creating cool rentals and is selling this one so she can move on to other projects.“She is a huge Disney fan to begin with, and Haunted Mansion is one of her favorite attractions,” Coggeshall says.“She had another Airbnb that was a ‘Friends’ theme that made headlines as well when she went to sell that property. Literally, she made it look just like the ‘Friends’ apartment. I mean, it was crazy.”Dedication to detailFor this condo, the homeowner searched online for items like wallpaper and lighting that look like rooms from the Haunted Mansion, Coggeshall says.“The pictures that are in the primary bedroom are what you would see in the main entryway going into the Haunted Mansion. She spends a lot of time looking for something that is, if not exact, then extremely similar to what you would see at the attraction,” Coggeshall says.Living and dining spaceRealtor.comWhile props create a sense of spookiness, ghosts don’t actually live here.“It is haunt-free. It’s whatever your imagination wants it to be,” Coggeshall says with a laugh. “She’s got different projectors in there and stuff that will manifest apparitions and whatnot, but that’s about as far as that goes. There’s no hauntings.”Outdoor spaceRealtor.comThe post Florida Condo Modeled After Disney’s Haunted Mansion Quickly Scares Up a Buyer appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty ImagesWhether worries about crime, inflation, a recession, climate disasters, or another COVID-19 outbreak keep you up at night, it’s understandable if you’re wondering if there’s any place in the world right now where you can feel safe. While no locale is entirely free of all dangers, it turns out that certain states keep their residents safer than others.WalletHub has just released the 2022 iteration of its Safest States in America report, where it sized up all 50 states based on how well protected its population is against a vast variety of threats. Yes, the traditional dangers were assessed, including the frequency of assaults, car accidents, and natural disasters. But so were less obvious perils such as debt levels, the presence of an emergency fund for unforeseen problems, and the percentage of the population who possess health insurance and are fully vaccinated.Based on 53 variables, the state with bragging rights as the safest of all is Vermont!“The state has few murders, thefts, and assaults. Plus, it has some of the most active firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and neighborhood watch groups per capita,” explains WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez.Financial safety is also key to being No. 1, she adds. “Vermont has very few people without health insurance, quite low unemployment and foreclosure rates, as well as few identity theft complaints and personal bankruptcies.”In fact, six states in the New England area made the top 10 this year, so those seeking a secure environment might consider heading northeast.Safest states in AmericaVermontMaineNew HampshireUtahHawaiiMassachusettsConnecticutMinnesotaWashingtonRhode IslandSome of the reasons that New England stands out include its low crime rates, including the fewest murders and manslaughters per capita (New Hampshire’s is lowest) and the fewest thefts (Massachusetts wins this category).At the other end of the spectrum, Louisiana was dubbed the most dangerous state. While the Pelican State has lots to offer (New Orleans!), it’s also home to some of the worst drivers in the nation, with some of the biggest fatality numbers behind the wheel, as well as high incidences of assault and money lost to climate disasters.As for surprises within the report, Gonzalez points to the poor showing Florida made.___Watch: The 10 Very Best U.S. Cities for Homebuyers___“We would have expected this state to rank higher, especially since it has a small number of hate crimes per capita and high job security,” she says of Florida.Sadly, road safety and few households with an emergency fund combined to sink the Sunshine State.“A large number of mass shootings and sex offenders in the area plus a small number of EMTs and paramedics per capita also contributed to the lack of overall safety, especially in schools,” adds Gonzalez.Rebecca Rouse, professor of emergency security studies at Tulane University and WalletHub expert commentator, urges future homebuyers to list their priorities and then consider the trade-offs they might be willing to make.“For example, living close to schools may encourage their kids to walk and bike there, but it also requires them to be cautious about traffic and safety on the way,” she says.Most dangerous states in AmericaLouisianaMississippiArkansasTexasAlabamaOklahomaFloridaMissouriSouth CarolinaTennesseeThe post America’s Safest—and Most Dangerous—States Today May Come as a Huge Surprise  appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty ImagesThe numbers: U.S. new home sales fell 10.9% to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 603,000 in September, from a revised 677,000 in the prior month, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.The decline reverses a big gain in August, where new home sales jumped 24.7% from 543,000.Analysts polled by the Wall Street Journal had forecast new home sales to come in at 593,000 in September.The sales of new homes are below a peak of 1.04 million in August 2020.Year-over-year, new home sales are still down by 17.6%.New home sales rose a revised 24.7% to 677,000 in August, compared with the initial estimate of a 28.8% jump to 685,000The new home sales data are volatile month-to-month and are often revised.Key details: The median sales price of a new home sold in September rose to $470,600, from $436,800 in August. Prices are still below a record high of $479,800 set in July.The supply of new homes for sale rose by 13.6% between August and September, equating to a 9.2-month supply.Regionally, the decline in new home sales was led by the South, where sales fell 20.2%, followed by the West.While the total number of homes sold was lower in the Northeast and Midwest, both regions saw the number grow overall from August—the Northeast by 56%, and the Midwest by 4.3%.___Watch: ‘An Uncertain Market’: What’s Happening in Real Estate and the Economy This Week___Big picture: Economists didn’t expect the jump in new home sales in August to last.Because ultimately, mortgage rates surging past 7% has made homeownership unaffordable for many Americans.Further, there aren’t that many homes on the market, so buyers don’t have much to choose from. And home prices aren’t falling as much yet, due to the shortage in supply.Builders are signaling a bleak outlook, hence the supply of new homes may be constrained in the future as they potentially pull back construction.Still, the market is slowly shifting, as home prices continue to hit the brakes. S&P Case-Shiller reported that home prices fell from July to August by 1.1%.What are they saying? “I’m prepared to bet that new home sales have yet to hit bottom, as mortgage rates continue to climb, hitting 7% this week,” Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont, wrote in a note.“Overall, home sales have downshifted so far this year,” Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics, wrote in a note. “We do not expect to see much of a recovery in the near term as ongoing increases in mortgage rates weigh on activity in housing.”Market reaction: The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were mixed in early trading on Tuesday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was above 4%.The homebuilder ETF was down, while builder stocks, including D.R. Horton, Inc., Lennar Corp, PulteGroup Inc., and Toll Brothers Inc. moved higher during morning trading.The post U.S. New Home Sales Retreat in September, Partially Reversing Surprising Gain in Prior Month appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

CCAR / MLS via Realtor.comThe mansion custom-built for NBA star Steph Curry has just hit the market for a whopping $8.9 million.The Golden State Warriors guard purchased the 8,163-square-foot smart home in Alamo, CA, in 2018 for $6 million. After the Warriors moved from Oakland to San Francisco a year later, Curry sold the luxe mansion to the current owners for $6.4 million.“His is one of the most coveted properties in the area,” says listing agent Bonnie King, of Compass. “It was built by famous builder ONY Homes in collaboration with Steph Curry and offers the convenience of a smart home, the luxury of modern design, and all the privacy and beauty of the area.”Deluxe digsLiving roomRealtor.comKitchenRealtor.comThe six-bedroom home features custom lighting, 30-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass, heated wood flooring, and other high-end fixtures from Spain and Italy.There’s also a detached gym, an entertainment room with a pool table and wet bar, and a home theater with an eye-popping $500,000 projection and sound system.Entertainment roomRealtor.comHome theaterRealtor.comDesigned for entertaining, the chef’s kitchen comes with dual islands, European-style cabinetry, and Miele and Sub-Zero appliances.___Watch: Slam Dunk! Indiana House Comes With Its Own Basketball Court___The primary suite includes three walk-in closets, two offices, and a private 1,160-square-foot terrace. Custom Fleetwood doors and windows provide a seamless indoor-outdoor flow.BedroomRealtor.comBathroomRealtor.comThere’s also a children’s wing and a guest wing, and the garage can accommodate seven vehicles.$250K gardenThe mansion’s 1.4-acre lot comes with a spectacular $250,000 custom vegetable garden complete with raised beds, fruit trees, and an irrigation system.You can take in views of the backyard from the covered and heated patio, cabana, or swinging lounge sofas.The outdoor amenities include an infinity saltwater pool and spa, a fire pit, and a kitchen with a barbecue and pizza oven. There’s even a custom playhouse for the kids.Tthe property has been approved for a 1,200-square-foot accessory dwelling unit with a two-car garage.Ritzy real estateCurry, a four-time NBA champion, has since snagged a high-floor condo in the San Francisco Four Seasons Residences for $8 million. He also owns a $31 million mansion in Atherton, CA.Vegetable gardenRealtor.comPoolRealtor.comThe post Stephen Curry’s Former East Bay Mansion Back on the Market for $8.9M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Courtesy of United Country Real Estate / Arkansas Properties / MLS via Realtor.comAlthough it may look historic, the nearly 7,000-square-foot castle, located fittingly at 193 Castle Lane in Mena, AR, is actually just shy of 25 years old.Priced at $1.1 million, this chateau was built by its current owner in 1997 as a “dream retirement home.”The palace comprises three main floors, which include six bedrooms, 6.5 baths, a sauna, six fireplaces, and a wine cellar. The latter doubles as a storm shelter.This impressive fortress of a home sits on 41 acres and comes with 2,500 square feet of deck space from which to enjoy the mountain views.So, how did a castle end up in the middle of the Ouachita National Forest? Homeowner and Mena native Buck Titsworth has a few answers.‘Unique, outstanding property’“I wanted to create a unique, outstanding property that capitalized on the 360-degree view, while capturing some of the medieval and Gothic architectural aspects of my favorite travel memories,” Titsworth explains.Living roomRealtor.comKitchenRealtor.comStudyRealtor.comOne of six bedroomsRealtor.comOne of six bathroomsRealtor.comDeck with a fireplaceRealtor.comViews from the towerRealtor.comInspired by travelAmong his favorite memories were trips to see castles in Germany, Italy, Scotland, and Britain.These travels might explain his castle’s 50-foot observation tower and gated entrance.“Its elevation makes it the highest property close to Mena with a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, including the Mena downtown area, the airport, Rich Mountain, and the Ouachita Mountains to the southeast,” says Titsworth.But such an undertaking didn’t come easy or cheap.“The location atop this prominent point overlooking Mena required extensive effort and cost for access,” Titsworth says. “Notching the road into the north face of this small mountain required dynamite blasting and using a seismic drilling rig for placing the charges. Construction of the property required approximately 1,000 cubic yards of concrete and over 200 tons of native rock for exterior and interior finishing.”The post You Could Be the New King or Queen of This 6-Bedroom Castle in Arkansas appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

MLS via Realtor.comA sprawling, one-level luxury penthouse on the market for $38 million takes the title as Boston‘s most expensive listing.Looking out eye level at the landmark Prudential Center, the 7,848-square-foot condo at the coveted address comprises two units.The five-bedroom condo on the 58th floor uniquely wraps two corners of the buildings, offering sweeping city views.It also sits atop the 61-story Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston where the next owner has access to a plethora of amenities.‘Pretty spectacular’“The home is pretty spectacular for a number of reasons,” says listing agent Michael Harper, of MGS Group Real Estate. “First of all, it’s a substantial home with over 7,800 square feet of space located all on one floor. It’s difficult to get that amount of square footage on one level.”Living roomRealtor.comDining roomRealtor.comWhile the building was constructed in 2020, the current owners wanted to customize their place.“They hired the Lagasse Group, who did a two-year gut renovation of the space to elevate it to the quality that it is now,” Harper says.“There is a custom kitchen with white onyx countertops, an art deco–inspired wall in the living room, and there are solid wide-plank white oak floors and custom millwork and moldings throughout,” he says. “The six full marble bathrooms have all been redone and feature radiant heat.___Watch: $30M Fully Furnished Modern Mansion Is Idaho’s Most Expensive Home___“The smart home also has a Lutron lighting system, automatic shades, a fully integrated AV system, and plastered-in speakers for surround sound,” he adds.KitchenRealtor.comBathroomRealtor.comA peek inside reveals a kitchen with high-end appliances and a cozy breakfast bar where you can relax and take in the breathtaking city views.The living room features an art deco–inspired wall of glass that opens to the formal dining room and temperature-controlled wine room. There’s also access to a fully equipped catering kitchen.Amenities abound“Residents have access to all of the Four Seasons Hotel’s services available 24/7 from housekeeping and room service to a 24-hour valet and bellman,” Harper notes.“Residents also have shared access to the hotel’s spa, fitness center, and pool, and there is a private fitness studio and exclusive club available only to residents,” he says.The perks come with a staggering $25,712 monthly HOA fee. The fee also covers heat and air conditioning, gas, water, sewer, insurance, security, snow removal, and trash pickup.The hefty price tag of $4,842 per square foot for this deluxe home is supported by recent public and private sales comps at the nearby Mandarin Oriental, Boston, and Millennium Place residential tower, according to Harper.“Everything here has been done to a high level,” he says.The post The High Life: A Luxury Penthouse for $38M Is Boston’s Most Expensive Listing appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty ImagesThe numbers: The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city house-price index fell 1.3% in August, its second consecutive monthly decline.Year-over-year price appreciation rose 13.1%, but that reflects the stronger conditions in 2021. The figure is down from 16% in July.The rate of year-over-year price increases has sharply slowed since reaching a peak of 21.2% in April.A broader measure of home prices, the national index, fell by a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in August from July.Key details: On a month-over-month basis, the biggest declines were on the West Coast.Price gains have decelerated over the past year in every one of the 20 indexed cities. Miami, Tampa and Charlotte saw the largest year-over-year gains.A separate report from the Federal Housing Finance Agency showed home prices falling 0.7% in August after a 0.6% drop in July. This is the first time since March 2011 that the FHFA index has seen two consecutive months of decline.___Watch: ‘An Uncertain Market’: What’s Happening in Real Estate and the Economy This Week___Big picture: The growth rate of housing prices peaked in the spring and has been declining ever since. Buyers are scarce now that mortgage rates are above 7% and inflation remains high. Economists are debating how far U.S. home prices could moderate or even decline. Home-builder expectations for home sales over the next six months have fallen to their lowest level since 2012. The Mortgage Bankers Association is expecting a recession to hit in 2023.What are they saying: “We expect the decline in home price growth to accelerate as sharply higher mortgage rates deliver a major blow to affordability and home sales,” said Nancy Vanden Houten, U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.Market reaction: Stocks opened mixed on Tuesday, while the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond fell to 4.14%.The post U.S. Home Prices Fall for Second Straight Month in August, According to Case-Shiller Index appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty Images / Courtesy of Susan Smith RealtyA luxe, 5,521-square-foot home with a championship tennis court for $10.9 million—that’s all it takes to make a celebrity happy.In fact, the splendid spread has apparently delighted several A-listers—one right after another.As Dirt.com reports, Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander and his wife, model and actress Kate Upton, recently sold their Beverly Hills–area estate to Oscar-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet for a hair under $11 million. It was listed for $11.7 million.Still, the sales price is more than double the $5.3 million the couple paid in 2016. The jump can partly be attributed to the recent interior renovation.Home with a tennis courtRealtor.comCeleb spreadBefore Verlander and Upton, saxophonist Kenny G owned the home. He later sold it to tennis great Pete Sampras, who added the championship tennis court.Built in the 1970s, the four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home now has a posh white-and-gray palette, an open floor plan with beamed and pitched ceilings, and numerous French doors and windows that look out on 1.5 acres of greenery.Pitched and beamed ceilingRealtor.comIt also has a generous eat-in kitchen with a massive marble island and state-of-the-art appliances. The kitchen adjoins a dining room with stylish custom lighting.Kitchen with a marble islandRealtor.comDining roomRealtor.comThe bedrooms include a lavish primary suite with dual closets and a spa bathroom.Other swanky amenities include a lower-level entertainment area with a bar, wine cellar, and home theater.Wine cellar and barRealtor.comOutside, in addition to the tennis court, there’s a pool, a brick patio with plenty of dining space, grassy lawns, and mature trees and foliage.PoolRealtor.comIt’s easy to see why a New Yorker like Chalamet would be comfortable here, as it has a classic East Coast aesthetic.The 26-year-old actor has been nominated for an Oscar for his work in “Call Me By Your Name.” He’s also starred in films such as “Dune,” “Little Women,” “The French Dispatch,” and “Don’t Look Up.” He’s currently working on “Dune: Part 2” and “Wonka.”The post Timothee Chalamet Reportedly Buys Beverly Hills-Area Home From Justin Verlander and Kate Upton for $11M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty Images (2)Forget simple curb appeal. More affordable real estate markets that offer some much-needed relief from soaring prices and punishing inflation are what’s attracting homebuyers this fall.So where are these red-hot real estate destinations?Johnson City, TNGetty ImagesLook no further than Johnson City, TN, which nabbed the No. 1 spot on the latest quarterly Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com® Emerging Housing Markets Index. Residents of this small city of about 200,000, tucked into the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, can purchase a home in the metropolitan area for about $379,000. That’s about 11% less than the national median home list price of $427,250 in September.The emerging market’s index analyzes the 300 largest metropolitan areas each quarter, seeking to identify which will be strong in the coming months. It’s based on factors such as a thriving local economy, low unemployment, competitive wages, short commutes, and easy access to recreational activities. The index also factors in the local housing market, checking median days on the market, property taxes, and more. (Metros include the main city and surrounding towns, suburbs, and smaller urban areas.)The index showed that homebuyers are seeking out cheaper places far from the largest cities on the coasts. Most of the top 10 were primarily in the South and Midwest, far from the larger cities on the coasts where real estate, taxes, and the overall cost of living are generally more expensive.Every dollar counts these days as home shoppers are grappling with sharply rising mortgage rates, increasing rents, and high inflation. While the housing market is correcting and home prices have dipped a little from their peaks over the summer, they were still up about 14% year over year in September, according to the most recent data from Realtor.com. That may be changing—but not quick enough for today’s buyers.“Compared to a year ago, home prices are still up. But winter shoppers will see lower prices than we saw this summer,” says Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “On top of that, shoppers in some markets may find sellers who are more willing to negotiate on price or other contract terms than they have been in recent years, especially for a home that has been on the market for a longer period of time.”Why Johnson City reigns supreme on the emerging markets listHome shoppers facing an increasingly hostile real estate landscape may be creating their own personal inflation-fighting plan.Beyond competitive home prices and a low cost of living, Johnson City offers further safeguards for workers, families, and retirees alike facing today’s roiling economic uncertainty.The town boasts a vibrant local economy with an average unemployment rate below the 3.6% national average. And major local employers such as East Tennessee State University, Johnson City Medical Center, and Ballad Health mean there are potential jobs for homebuyers coming from out of town. Typical wages in Johnson City (and other wallet-friendly metros on the list) neared $1,120 per week.Another major draw for today’s cash-strapped home shoppers? Tennessee is one of nine states with zero income tax.“Johnson City is attracting buyers from outside of the area, and these buyers are predominantly coming from one of two sources: high-cost metros or other, generally more expensive nearby cities,” says Hale. “Many are from major East Coast metros like New York, Washington, DC, Atlanta, or Charlotte, where the median home list price in each area exceeds $400,000.”More than 4 out of every 5 home shoppers looking at housing stock in Johnson City are from somewhere else.Homes spent about 42 days on the market, almost a full week less than the national average of 48 days. But it’s not just the popular Appalachian Trail that’s attracting homebuyers.“The higher interest rates have caused many buyers to pause their search and sellers put off selling their home,” says Layla Wright, a real estate professional at Keller Williams Realty, in Johnson City. “Homes are not going much over list price, and more have to do a price reduction within a few weeks of sitting on the market.”Homebuyers are on the move chasing affordabilityThe list reveals that homebuyers are casting a wide net to find an affordable home, with interstate buyers continuing to make up a majority of home shoppers.So why will homebuyers travel far and wide? It’s simple: The cost of a monthly mortgage payment is up more than 70% from one year ago, according to Realtor.com calculations.Aside from Johnson City, affordability drew buyers to the second and third cities on the emerging markets list. Visalia, CA, and Elkhart, IN, have median home prices of $400,000 and $257,000 respectively—both less than the national median price tag.Meanwhile, high-priced markets in the Western region fell off the list completely this fall, further highlighting the importance of savings for homebuyers. And it’s not only more expensive markets that have gone by the wayside but smaller markets with fewer potential jobs, too.“Even though today’s jobs market remains on solid footing, with an unemployment rate at a historically low level, some households may be preparing for the possibility of a slowdown by seeking out homes in bigger cities that offer more job options,” says Hale.Indeed, the fall emerging markets list reveals buyers are now flocking to areas with plenty of diverse job offerings to possibly insulate themselves from a downturn in the job market.Top 10 emerging real estate markets in the third quarter of 20221Johnson City, TN$379,0002Visalia, CA$400,0003Elkhart, IN$257,0004North Port, FL$548,0005Fort Wayne, IN$300,0006Lafayette, IN$291,0007Columbia, SC$309,0008Columbia, MO$347,0009Raleigh, NC$463,00010Yuma, AZ$315,000___Watch: The 10 Very Best U.S. Cities for Homebuyers The post Where Are Budget-Minded Americans Moving? These 10 Surprising Up-and-Coming Real Estate Markets appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Photo courtesy of @blancobungalow via InstagramIt started with a dream—and it became a brand.Indeed, a small kernel of an idea soon turned into a multiyear home renovation that ended with a new-found interior design business, a huge Instagram following, and mini retail empire. Yup, you can even shop the rooms here.Layer on some superb taste and just about the savviest social media campaign we’ve ever seen, and you get this adorable property: Blanco Bungalow.And the best news? This cute Long Beach, CA, home is for sale, listed with Taya DiCarlo of Compass. It can actually be yours for just over $1.1 million.The petite house oozes SoCal and Spanish charm.Realtor.com Original redwood floors add warmth and shine.Realtor.comThe famous two-bedroom, one-bath home has been the star of a years-long overhaul that was documented on Instagram by the owners, Jonathan Strader and Laura Genevieve.Naturally, the homeowners also announced their decision to place Blanco Bungalow on the market to their followers.‘Online fan base’“This is the first property I’ve listed that has had its own online fan base. People are really inspired by the Straders’ dedication to maintaining the integrity of this classic California bungalow,” says DiCarlo.Keep in mind that these two social media stars also have busy day jobs: Strader is a co-owner of Long Beach’s Little Coyote pizza shop, and Genevieve is a jewelry designer.But it was their purchase of this 1920s bungalow for $555,000 in 2018 that changed everything.Genevieve decided to pivot her career and leap into the interior design field, taking on this home as her first project and then naming her business Blanco Bungalow.To call the structure a fixer-upper is to vastly understate the project that lay in store for the couple. In fact, the house sported purple carpet and brown walls, and allowed almost none of the abundant California sunshine to enter. The whole place needed a complete gut job.Genevieve admits she was “incredibly intimidated by the work ahead of us,” but her perseverance and patience (along with the viewing of countless YouTube videos) finally paid off big-time.The diminutive home offers a dining room as well as a cozy breakfast nook.Realtor.comOpen shelving and doorless lower cabinets add an airy vibe.Realtor.comAlong the way, she laid out every bit of the renovation for her 44,000 followers, showing the before, during, and after as she transformed the house.“We did 80% of the work ourselves, and as followers found me on social, they quickly became invested in each and every project we did,” explains Genevieve.Beautiful bungalowAlthough just 1,263 square feet, the home feels open and spacious, thanks to the white-on-white palette, graceful archways, and simple interior design.“I love clean white walls,” says Genevieve. They “lend themselves beautifully to the stucco exterior and hand-done interior plaster.”The private backyard more than matches the lovely inside, with lots of lush plantings, no-mow turf ground cover, a wood-burning pizza oven, two outdoor living spaces, and a side yard with a built-in bench around a fire pit.The perfect outdoor living space for a partyRealtor.comThis second exterior room flows into a fully converted accessory dwelling unit.Realtor.comThe sectional near the fire pit was custom-built.Realtor.comBut it’s the marketing that really sets this property apart, notes Tony Mariotti, a real estate agent and founder of RubyHome in Los Angeles.“The photos, the staging, the Matterport 3D tour, and even the written descriptions are all top-notch,” he notes.“The home also has a clever identity for the property that’ll stick in the buyer’s mind—plus it’s so obviously charming and in tip-top shape, which means it should sell quickly,” he adds.By way of comparison, a recently remodeled house in the neighborhood was just sold for $870,000.“But it’s not quite as cute as this home—I think Blanco Bungalow is worth more,” says Mariotti.Long Beach offers diversity and historic charm that will likely help to sell this sweet little spot.“It’s truly one of the more underrated cities of Los Angeles [County], with an eclectic art scene, parks, walking paths, amazing restaurants, and a fun nightlife,” says DiCarlo.The post Buy Blanco Bungalow: This SoCal Home—and Adorable Star of Instagram—Is Now for Sale for $1.1M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

MLS via Realtor.comThe Point Dume Bluff in Malibu, CA, is noted for its elegant and expensive homes, with dramatic Pacific Ocean views and secluded beach access.Even with this glorious backdrop, this Marmol-Radziner-designed compound stands out.The one-of-a-kind property has never before been on the market in its current configuration. It’s available for $28.5 million.The extra-large oasis consists of two homes on three lots. Both buildings have unobstructed white-water views.Overhead view of Malibu compoundRealtor.comMidcentury modern vibeMarmol-Radziner, one of the most prominent architectural firms in Los Angeles, designed the main house with a midcentury modern aesthetic. It’s entered from Malibu’s famed Birdview Avenue, via a courtyard.Front courtyardRealtor.comThe four-bedroom, 3.5-bath home offers ocean, coastline, and sunset views from almost every room, courtesy of an open floor plan and extensive walls of glass.Great roomRealtor.comPrimary bedroomRealtor.comFinishes include rich hardwoods covering the walls, ceilings, and floors. And stone and cement surfaces flow together in an earthy, organic design.KitchenRealtor.comPrimary bathRealtor.comBut wait, there’s more!The second home is positioned on the bluff just below the first home. It, too, has unobstructed water and sunset views.Second homeRealtor.comViews of the Pacific OceanRealtor.comOriginally built in 1961, the second abode also has a midcentury modern style. Marmol-Radziner already has plans in the works to remodel this four-bedroom, 3.5-bath space into a showpiece.2 homes, many optionsIn total, the compound offers eight bedrooms, six full baths, and two half-baths. The property spans about an acre, with lots of natural vegetation providing shade and protection from the strong ocean breezes.Main house fire pit with viewsRealtor.comListing agents Lynette Bishop and Dallas Bishop of Compass note the myriad possibilities for the property—among them, enjoying the spread as is or continuing the redesign plans to create a masterpiece compound. New owners could also live in one home and rent out or sell the other. Or the property could be divided and the homes sold individually.The post Marvelous in Malibu: Marmol-Radziner-Designed Compound Available for $28.5M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty ImagesNASHVILLE, Tenn. — High mortgage rates and recession fears are hurting home prices, so expect growth to be flat this year, one expert says.“Our forecast is for home-price growth moderation to continue,” Joel Kan, vice president and deputy chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association, said Sunday during the organization’s annual conference in Nashville, Tenn.Home prices have already begun moderating. According to Case-Shiller, home prices fell month-over-month from June to July for the first time in 20 years. The latest numbers, which will be for August, will be reported on Tuesday morning.With a recession likely in the cards, on top of mortgage rates near or above 7%, “we’ve already seen a pretty dramatic pullback in housing demand,” Kan said.The 30-year fixed rate averaged 6.94% last week as compared to 3.85% a year ago. The MBA is also expecting rates to come down to 5.4% by the end of next year.So expect national home-price growth to “flatten out” in 2023 and 2024, he said. This might be a “silver lining” for some, Kan added, as it brings home prices back to more “reasonable levels.”A flattening of home-price growth should allow households to catch up, in terms of wages and savings, to afford homes that are presently too expensive.___Watch: Housing Snapshot: What’s Happening in Different Markets Across the Country___But he also warned that some markets may actually see home prices drop. We’re already seeing home values fall in some markets, from pandemic boomtowns like Austin and Phoenix to well-known expensive ones the San Francisco Bay Area.Still, even with price drops, don’t expect a surge of inventory as people sit on their ultra-low mortgage rates that they will likely not enjoy again in the near future.According to June data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, nearly a quarter of homeowners have mortgage rates of less than or equal to 3%. And the vast majority of owners—93%—have rates less than 6%.On top of that, supply is likely to be tight too.Sellers are said to be “striking” and not selling their homes as they see others forced to cut list prices to woo buyers. Builders are also getting spooked, signaling intent to slow new construction.Nonetheless, demand for housing should recover eventually, given that there are a lot of people who will soon be in need of a home that they own.MBA’s Kan estimated that there are 50 million people in the 28-to-38 age demographic, of which some—or many—are likely to become potential homeowners in the future.For those under 35, the homeownership rate is only 39%, Kan said, while that share increases for people aged 35 to 44, to 61%.So as people age, “we’re fairly confident if we stick to these trends, you will see a very supportive demographic driver of housing demand for a good number of years,” Kan said.The post Mortgage Bankers Expect Rates To Drop to 5.4% in 2023. Here’s What That Means for Home Prices. appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Getty Images / MLS via Realtor.comIf the walls could talk in a sprawling house in Ridgefield, CT, they’d have a lot to say.But instead of talking, they’d probably sing about the adventures that unfolded in the home of musician, composer, and producer Jim Steinman.“I think as Realtors®, we toss around words like ‘one-of-a-kind,’ but this house really is Jim Steinman’s unique personal vision for how he wanted to live and how he wanted to create,” says listing agent Laura Ancona, with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty.Steinman, who died in 2021 at the age of 73, produced several albums for Meat Loaf, including “Bat Out of Hell.” He also wrote chart toppers for Bonnie Tyler (“Total Eclipse of the Heart”), Air Supply (“Making Love Out of Nothing at All”), and  Celine Dion (“It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”).Watch: Rolling in Too Many Homes? Adele Lists One of Her Beverly Hills Mansions for $12MExteriorRealtor.comBedroomRealtor.comThe list price is $5,555,569—and that number has a story behind it.“We knew the value of the construction of the home that is there, but we really don’t know the value of the contents. We wanted to come up with a number that would be compelling, and 555 is a divine number. It’s representative of new beginnings,” Ancona explains. “Then Jim was Class of 1969 of Amherst College, of which he was extremely proud, so his creative assistant asked if we could have a 69 in the number, so we ended up with $5,555,569.”Proceeds from the sale will support Steinman’s foundation and its philanthropic projects.ExteriorRealtor.comInteriorRealtor.comSteinman bought the 1.56-acre property and the 1920s cottage that was on it in 1993, and began a huge expansion project, costing at least $6 million.The result is a mostly one-story, 6,183-square-foot home with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and plenty of creative spaces.“You just feel like you’re in another world. It’s really hard to explain how otherworldly and transformative this house is,” Ancona says. “It feels very heavenly; that’s the only way I can describe it.”StudioRealtor.comSteinman had names for many of the rooms in the home.“The studio where he created and all these people came and worked with him, that was the great room. But then he had a room that most people would call the living room that he called the ‘good room’—because if the other room was a ‘great room,’ this was the good room,” she says.InteriorRealtor.comAncona says the perfect buyer is probably someone creative who wants to surround themselves with Steinman’s legacy.“We’re not only selling the house, we’re selling the contents, which is all of his art and curated collection. I’ve actually never represented a sale where we’re including everything, even down to the clothes in the closet,” Ancona says. “Jim was so beloved, and he had fans all over who just adored him, so the opportunity to buy his piano that he created all of his hits on, and the gold records in the house, and jackets that he wore to award shows—everything’s there.”OfficeRealtor.comDining roomRealtor.comThe post Connecticut Home of ’80s Hit-Maker Goes on the Market for $5.5M—Can You Guess Who? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.