Posts Tagged ‘market’

What It’s Like to Own a Luxury Home

High-end Realtors and estate owners give an insider’s perspective.
Privacy and security are important factors when it comes to living in New York City.
Is it really all about champagne wishes and caviar dreams? While living in a multimillion-dollar home has its perks, it’s also a lot of financial responsibility. Some new homeowners overlook the details and work required to own a luxury home. However, it’s often worth the upkeep.
“Real luxury living is the features and the peace of mind and luxury of a hotel but the warmth and hominess of your own home and your 25 staff members,” says Wendy J. Sarasohn, senior vice president of residential real estate firm Corcoran Group, which serves New York City, Long Island, N.Y., and Palm Beach, Fla. Its clients range from Wall Street bankers to entertainment industry moguls. Read the rest of this entry »

What It’s Like to Live in an Urban Home

If you love being where the action is, look for convenient living in a city’s downtown area

For the hip home seeker who longs to be near great food and culture, neighborhoods in a city’s downtown area hold a nearly irresistible attraction. The “urban core” typically has a higher crime rate and less favorable schools than the suburbs, but many downtown areas across the country are undergoing a revitalization of sorts, as cities invest in projects and amenities to attract new residents. And as more people look for alternatives to long commutes and urban sprawl, homebuyers are flocking to the urban core. Homes in urban core neighborhoods come in a variety of styles, such as these brownstones in Boston. Read the rest of this entry »

Trending Towards Urban Living

A growing migration out of the suburbs is leading to higher demand for urban properties

High fuel prices and walkability are key factors in many downtown buyers’ decision.

The quintessential American dream used to include a suburban house with big yard, but homebuyers are increasingly dreaming of a walkable urban lifestyle along with their dog and two kids.
Flight from urban areas began after World War II, when thousands of returning soldiers and their young families needed inexpensive housing. In Leviitown, an early Long Island, N.Y., suburb, developers built more than 17,000 virtually identical Cape Cods. The development served as a model for later ‘burbs, and the middle class migration out of the city continued until a peak in the 1980s. Read the rest of this entry »

Top 10 Expert Tips for Buying a Luxury Home

From a brand-new Trump condo and a historic Newport estate to a golf course community in the South, there’s a plethora of choices in high-end homes. Consider these tips from luxury home market pros before buying your dream home.
1. Learn the search process.
“Many luxury homes go unlisted to protect a seller’s privacy. These properties are often found through the Realtor’s personal connections as opposed to the MLS.” Virginia Cook, Virginia Cook Realtors, Dallas
“You may need to go to more online sources as not everything is on the large search engines.” Ronald Phipps, Phipps Realty, Warwick, R.I.
2. Go beyond the photos. Read the rest of this entry »