Emily Laura Blog's

Tuesday, 1 September 2020

$10M Lakefront Escape Is New Hampshire’s Most Expensive Home

A lavish lakefront estate recently claimed the title of New Hampshire’s most expensive home. Listed last week for an even $10 million, the mansion on Wyman Drive near Wolfeboro sits on 6 acres, with 430 feet of frontage on Lake Winnipesaukee.

“This is one of the premier spots on the lake with the biggest views, and it’s an estate-sized lot, so it’s bigger than most,” says the listing agent, Adam Dow.

“The homeowners spent a lot of time and money, and poured their heart and soul into creating something that has high quality, to match the size of the lot and the grandeur of the lake.”

Built in 2005, the 14,458-square-foot home has seven bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms.

The master bedroom has lake views, and the master bath has a Japanese feel. The retreatlike bath has a special wood soaking tub called an ofuro, which has a canopy supported by four smooth tree trunks.

“They wanted to bring nature into the bathroom and make it feel like a lake house,” Dow explains. “In the tub, there are some stones, so you really feel you are part of nature in the bathroom.”

Exterior of house in Wolfeboro, NH
realtor.com

Master bathroom with ofuro tub
realtor.com

Each of the six other bedrooms has a lake view and a private bathroom.

Designed to blend into the trees and surroundings, the main living space has a huge wall of windows to highlight the lake view. There’s also a 30-foot, double-sided granite fireplace to provide coziness.

“When you walk in the door, it’s like you’re leaving wherever you came from and are entering this fantastic home,” Dow says.

He adds that you leave the hustle and bustle of city life once you hit the driveway and enter this tranquil space, and says the home provides a feeling of peace.

The kitchen has an open feel, with several windows, sloping ceilings, and lots of dining space, both indoors and outside on the large deck.

“You’re in the kitchen, but it feels like you’re on the water, because it’s very close to the water,” Dow explains.

Six people can sit at the large granite island when a meal is being prepped.

“[The owners] designed it so you could not only cook, but be a part of the entertainment,” Dow says. “They wanted to have a comfortable kitchen, but they wanted to make sure that when guests were there, they were able to visit with people while preparing a meal.”

The house also has a media room, a gym, a sauna, and an outdoor spa.

For water activities, there is a two-slip boathouse and dock, but no beach.

Dow says the owners could have put a beach in, but instead opted to keep more trees along the property line, for the natural feel and privacy they provide.

According to the agent, property on Lake Winnipesaukee is the new “it” thing.

“We’re about two hours from Boston, and it’s a spring-fed lake, so it’s a super clean lake. It has always been popular, but lately, certainly in the last few months with COVID, it’s been crazy how many people now want to buy a lake house versus travel the world,” says Dow.

He said the idea of a private lake house is less of a burden these days,

“[Before], the perfect buyer used to travel and didn’t want to feel locked down by having a place on the lake and feeling they have to come to it every year. But since COVID, that mindset has switched and [buyers] want to make sure they have a place to escape to.”

For those who are curious about the luxury market around the lake, a house on the other side of the lake ranks as the state’s second most expensive listing. That home of 20,000-plus square feet is on the market for $9.5 million.

The post $10M Lakefront Escape Is New Hampshire’s Most Expensive Home appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

source https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/10m-lakefront-escape-new-hampshire-most-expensive/

Monthly Rental Prices Nosedive in New York and San Francisco: How Low Can They Go?

Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen/Getty Images

As renters have begun emptying out of the nation’s most expensive cities due to the one-two punch of the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing recession, monthly rental prices in those areas are nosediving.

Rents for September have plummeted the most in ultrapricey San Francisco compared with a year ago, according to a recent report from rental website Zumper. Median prices dropped by 14.1% in San Francisco, to a still very high $3,040 for one-bedroom apartments on the market.

This happened as some big tech companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area, like Google and Twitter, announced employees could work remotely for a year—if not forever. That enabled those accustomed to paying small fortunes on housing each month to relocate to cheaper parts of the country.

Prices dropped by about 7.2% for one-bedroom units in the nation’s most expensive rental markets compared with September 2019. Meanwhile, they rose by an average 4.8% in the country’s least expensive markets.

“Since [COVID-19] really started to affect the U.S. market in March, it has dramatically decreased the amount of people commuting to work every day—either because of social distancing measures or layoffs resulting from COVID-19’s effect on the economy. Given this, there is less of a reason for Americans to cluster in urban centers,” says Zumper analyst Neil Gerstein. “We believe this has caused a migration shift, and a subsequent demand shift, to historically cheaper cities.”

The site analyzed more than a million rental listings to calculate the median rents in the 100 largest cities and almost 300 more cities within larger, metropolitan areas. (Metros include the main city and surrounding suburbs, towns, and smaller urban areas.) Only listings on the open market, and not currently occupied, were included.

Other exorbitantly priced cities experienced similar double-digit declines. Median rents fell 11.5% year over year in San Jose, CA, in the heart of Silicon Valley, to $2,750 for a one-bedroom unit in September and decreased 10.9% in New York City, to a median $2,700. Rental prices also fell substantially in Salt Lake City, by 10.7%, to $1,000 a month; Denver, by 10.6%, to $1,430; and Washington, DC, by 10.5%, to $2,050. Median rents dropped 15.8% in the college town of Syracuse, NY, about four hours northwest of New York City, to $800.

Expensive cities that saw steep, but single-digit, price drops included Boston, where rental prices fell 8%, to a median $2,300 a month; Los Angeles, by 8.4%, to $2,040; and Seattle, by 9.6%, to $1,700.

“It is likely that prices will continue to decrease for some time into the future before they stabilize,” says Gerstein.

Where are monthly rents going up?

While prices fell in the country’s most expensive rental markets, they actually shot up dramatically in some of the more affordably priced Midwestern and Southern cities. Monthly rents have more room to grow in these places. And they may be seeing a boost in demand as renters from more expensive markets flee the big cities seeking more reasonably priced urban areas where they can get more square footage for their money.

“We largely attribute this to shifts in migration and demand within the country as Americans opt for cheaper places to live in the wake of COVID-19 and the recession,” says Gerstein.

Median rents surged in Chattanooga, TN, and Cincinnati, both by 15.9% year over year, to reach the same median $950 a month for one-bedroom apartments in September, according to Zumper.

The other highest annual increases were in St. Petersburg, FL, by 15.7%, to $1,330; Lincoln, NE, by 15.7%, to $810; Indianapolis, by 15.6%, to $890; Detroit, by 15.6%, to $740; Norfolk, VA, by 15.5%, to $970; Des Moines, IA, by $15.4%, to $900; Baltimore, by 15.3%, to $1,360; and Cleveland, by 15.3%, to $980.

The post Monthly Rental Prices Nosedive in New York and San Francisco: How Low Can They Go? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

source https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/rent-prices-nosedive-in-ny-san-francisco/

Christian and Samantha Ponder Look To Sell Phoenix Home for $3.9M

Samantha Ponder Phoenix home — realtor.com, Rick Scuteri/Getty Images

Former NFL quarterback Christian Ponder and his wife, ESPN broadcaster Samantha Ponder, are leaving their Phoenix home. They’re ready to pass the gated estate to a new owner for $3.9 million.

The couple purchased the property in 2015 for $2.2 million. Before achieving national fame at ESPN, Samantha grew up in the Phoenix area.

Their “beautifully appointed,” 6,923-square-foot main house comes with an 803-square-foot guesthouse. It all adds up to six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms. The grassy yard is ringed by tall trees, and the home’s front exterior features a covered porch.

Christian and Samantha Ponder’s Phoenix home
realtor.com

Living room with access to the patio
realtor.com

The cozy and comfortable layout features a family room with a fireplace, formal living and dining rooms with chandeliers, and an additional sitting room just off the entry. French doors from the living area open to the patio outside.

The eat-in chef’s kitchen features marble counters, white cabinets, a chandelier, oversize island, separate counter with bar seating, and Sub-Zero and Viking appliances.

The main residence features a “truly amazing” master suite with a sitting area, luxury bath, and fireplace, as well as a lap pool steps from the bedroom door. There’s also room for an exercise bike and desk.

The 1.69-acre lot include grassy areas, three patios, two pools, a sport court, putting green, and three-car garage. The property is located along the Murphy Bridle Path, a trail popular with joggers, hikers, and dog walkers.

After starring at Florida State in college, Christian played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2011 to 2014. Samantha hosts ESPN’s popular “Sunday NFL Countdown.” The couple also own a home in New York City.

Bobby Lieb with HomeSmart holds the listing.

The post Christian and Samantha Ponder Look To Sell Phoenix Home for $3.9M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

source https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/christian-and-samantha-ponder-look-to-sell-phoenix-home/

Demand for Houses Boosts Home Construction

A surge in home-buying demand and limited inventory for existing homes is spurring construction to help fill the gap.

Home builders attribute their robust sales to low interest rates, a shortage of existing homes for sale and consumer willingness to move farther from city centers in exchange for more space.

New single-family-home sales rose 13.9% in July from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 901,000, the highest level since December 2006, according to the Commerce Department. Single-family housing starts, a measure of U.S. home building, rose 8.2% in July from June to the highest seasonally adjusted annual rate since February.

“The demand feels really good right now,” said Martin Connor, chief financial officer of Toll Brothers Inc. “The longer it goes, the more comfortable we are that it’s got longer legs.”

The strength in the home-building sector underscores the uneven nature of the economic recession, which has hit low-wage workers especially hard. While millions of workers have lost their jobs in recent months, those who are still employed have saved more money due to the pandemic and can take advantage of record-low mortgage interest rates.

Home builders’ positive outlook is a sharp turnaround from early spring, when coronavirus lockdowns forced construction sites to halt in some parts of the country and builders swiftly cut spending on land acquisitions and new projects. U.S. home-builder confidence rose in August to match the record high last reached in 1998, up from an eight-year low in April, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

The S&P Homebuilders Select Industry Index is up 15.3% this year as of Monday, exceeding the 8.3% rise in the S&P 500 over the same period, according to FactSet.

Home builders also are benefiting from demographic changes, as younger millennials are entering their early 30s and accounting for a growing portion of home sales. Booming demand also has pushed sales of previously owned homes to multiyear highs.

Housing demand has outpaced supply for years, but the housing shortage has become even more acute in the existing-home market in recent months as the pandemic has made some sellers reluctant to list their homes. At the current sales pace, there were 3.1 months of existing homes available for sale at the end of July, according to the National Association of Realtors. In comparison, the new-home market had 4.0 months’ supply available at the end of July, according to the Commerce Department.

When Stephanie and Sven Christensen moved to Grand Haven, Mich., this year for Mr. Christensen’s job, they couldn’t find anything on the market that fit their needs. They decided to build a new house instead.

“We’re super, super excited,” Ms. Christensen said. But “we would have much preferred to find a house that would work for us that we could just buy and move into.”

In response to the strong demand, home builders are raising prices. The median sales price of a new house sold in July was $330,600, up 7.2% from a year earlier.

Home builders are limited in how quickly they can grow due to shortages of skilled labor, delays in obtaining some appliances and rising land costs, said Ali Wolf, chief economist at Meyers Research.

Lumber futures also have climbed to a record high, pushing the cost of building a single-family home up by more than $16,000 since mid-April, according to the NAHB.

Eighty percent of builders in August said challenges on the supply side are going to affect their sales plan this year, up from 30% in June, according to a Meyers Research survey.

“You can’t just build 25% more houses,” said Sheryl Palmer, chief executive of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Taylor Morrison Home Corp. “We just won’t be able to meet the demand overnight.”

Housing economists say high unemployment could also limit home sales in the coming months, especially if job losses spread to affect more high-paid workers.

Ty Andersen paid a deposit on a townhome under construction in Bluffdale, Utah, in April, before being laid off from his digital-marketing job in May. He hopes to find a new job before he applies for a mortgage loan in the fall.

“I’m beginning to worry more” about the home purchase falling through, he said. “I just keep pushing forward with the hope that I will find a job and that it will work out.”

—Mark Maurer contributed to this article.

The post Demand for Houses Boosts Home Construction appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

source https://www.realtor.com/news/real-estate-news/demand-for-houses-boosts-home-construction/

Tommy Hilfiger Tries On New Price: Stylish Florida Home Is Now $24.5M

Tommy Hilfiger Florida home — realtor.com, Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images

The fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and his wife, Dee Ocleppo, have once again placed their stylish Miami-area mansion on the market. The Golden Beach, FL, abode is now available for $24.5 million.

Last on the market two years ago, the waterfront residence made a splash with colorful interiors done by celebrity designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard.

The artful retreat was offered for $23.5 million in 2018. It had originally been listed in 2017 for $27.5 million, before the price was dropped to $25.9 million later that year.

The couple purchased the place in 2013 for $17.25 million, and then completely redid the interiors to match the color schemes of some of their pop art collection.

It was featured in 2014 on the cover of Architectural Digest, and the home doesn’t appear to have changed since then, with the owners’ art still hanging on the walls, and the funky decor still filling the rooms.

“We’re here for the weather, the Latin flavor, the art, and the palm trees. Most of all, we’re here for the fun,” Hilfiger told the magazine at the time.

Fun is definitely the theme of this one-of-a-kind, designer-decorated beach house.

Tommy Hilfiger’s home in Golden Beach, FL
realtor.com

Two-story entry with black marble staircase
realtor.com

It’s set on over a half-acre, with 100 feet of secluded beach frontage, and the listing notes that this oceanfront showcase offers 14,075 square feet designed for “leisurely, luxurious living.”

With seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and four half-bathrooms, the layout also includes a black marble staircase and is highlighted by a double-height gallery to display works of art.

Wallpaper patterns, artwork, and flooring combine for a unique look to each room. The living room features walls of windows and a bar. The master suite features a mirrored bed frame and a wall of windows.

The adjacent gourmet kitchen features black-and-white geometric flooring, as well as Miele, Gaggenau, and Sub-Zero appliances. The formal dining room also features a black-and white theme. The media room is covered with bold, patterned wallpaper.

Hilfiger’s office is decked out in his trademark red-and-blue hues. The floor plan boasts a blood-red home theater, a gym, elevator, and two guest apartments, and can “easily accommodate a large family or frequent houseguests.”

Outside, the infinity pool looks out to the ocean. The grounds also include a beach cabana, lounge area with fire pit, bar, barbecue. The home is just steps to the white-sand beach.

The couple continue to wheel and deal in the housing market. They sold their quirky penthouse at the Plaza Hotel in 2019 for a reported $31.25 million. They had purchased two units for $25.5 million in 2008 and combined them. The four-bedroom unit had been on the market for as much as $80 million before finally selling last year.

The couple also let go of a Mediterranean-style mansion in Palm Beach for $35 million in 2017, $1 million more than they had paid a year earlier.

Oren Alexander with Douglas Elliman holds the listing.

The post Tommy Hilfiger Tries On New Price: Stylish Florida Home Is Now $24.5M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

source https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/tommy-hilfiger-tries-again-stylish-florida-home-for-sale/

Better With Age: 10 Oldest Homes in the U.S. To Hit the Market This Week

Like a nice bottle of whiskey or a favorite pair of jeans, many homes simply get better with age.

But don’t just take our word for it. Have a look at the 10 oldest homes in the U.S. to land on the the market this week, and prepare to be impressed by these well-preserved residences.

The oldest property dates back more than three centuries, to 1709, and the whippersnapper of the group is only 270 years young. Both homes, and all the others in between, are spectacular, filled with memories, history, and character.

Stone fireplaces, wide-plank wood floors, and land ringed with established gardens and century-old trees—the elements are there, waiting for a buyer to take these homes into their next phase.

So when it comes to homes, older is very often just better. Scroll on down for a closer look.

1. 30 Thames St, Newport, RI

Price: $775,000
John Stevens house: Built in 1709, this three-bedroom Colonial sits just steps away from Newport Harbor.

The 1,940-square-foot home offers plenty of charming details, including pine flooring and many built-ins. The kitchen has been updated, and outside you’ll find a fenced-in patio that’s a perfect spot for warm-weather entertaining.

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2. 122 Brownsburg Rd, Newtown, PA

Price: $695,000
Bucks County farmhouse: The original fieldstone farmhouse dates to 1710. The three-bedroom home still has pumpkin pine floors, a stone fireplace, and a pie staircase going from the second-floor master suite to a third-floor office space.

The 4-acre property comes with a stream, and there’s a barn with a basement.

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3. 54 Lyme St, Old Lyme, CT

Price: $1,325,000
Artist studio: Impressionist artist Matilda Browne used to paint here in the early 20th century, but the Cape Codder dates to 1710.

After a meticulous restoration in 1998 by an antiques renovator and an addition in 2006, the four-bedroom home now features a generous 3,690 square feet of living space. The property also includes a studio with plumbing, gardens, and a patio.

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4. 34 York St, York, ME

Price: $699,000
Johnathan Bane house: Also known as the Wabi Cafe, this four-bedroom home was built in 1721 on a wooded half-acre.

The first floor is a cafe and bar, with an adjoining tearoom and stone patio.

An art gallery is upstairs, as well as the four-bedroom residence. Original features include wide-plank wood floors and a stone fireplace.

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5. 61 W. Acton Rd, Stow, MA

Price: $885,000
Amerscot House Inn: This 14-room Colonial was built in 1732 and has operated as a bed-and-breakfast for years.

Updated with modern amenities, the five-bedroom home has 4,731 square feet of living space and comes with 2.5 acres. An innkeeper’s wing was recently added, along with a two-car garage. This charmer could continue as a B&B or be converted into a sumptuous single-family home.

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6. 139 E. Main St, Moorestown, NJ

Price: $530,000
Hessian house: Built in 1735 for a man named Joshua Bispham, it’s now known as the Hessian house.

According to the listing, the home was commandeered by retreating Hessian officers in 1778 during the Revolutionary War.

Today, there are no signs of soldiers, but the home has been updated with central air, a sunroom, balcony, and fenced yard.

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7. 272 Berkshire Rd, Newtown, CT

Price: $344,750
Captain Bradley house: Beautifully restored, this three-bedroom Colonial was built in 1739.

Highlights include the refinished wide-plank chestnut floors, remodeled kitchen, and a basement. Outside, the 2-acre yard includes a porch and a brook.

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8. 35 Hampton Rd, Goshen, NY

Price: $699,000
The farm: This sprawling 30-acre spread dates to 1747. The three-bedroom home features a wood-burning fireplace, beamed ceiling, and pumpkin pine floors, all of which date to the home’s construction.

Out back, there’s a large deck overlooking gardens, an in-ground swimming pool, as well as a summer kitchen with a barbecue and refrigerator.

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9. 234 Mammoth Rd, Londonderry, NH

Price: $475,000
Iconic farmhouse: This local landmark was built in 1750 and has been in the same family for 250 years.

The listing notes that the home has hosted presidents, governors, and other dignitaries throughout its history. The four-bedroom house comes with 2 acres and is ready for a new chapter.

Londonberry, NH — Londonderry, NH
realtor.com

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10. 29 Hunter Rd, Dresden, ME

Price: $660,000
Maine homestead: With open fields and frontage along the Eastern River, this 28-acre estate comes with a farmhouse built in 1750.

The four-bedroom home is cozy and rustic, and there’s an artist studio and workshop. The property also features a pond and established gardens.

The post Better With Age: 10 Oldest Homes in the U.S. To Hit the Market This Week appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

source https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/better-with-age-10-oldest-homes-to-hit-the-market-this-week/