Featured | Americas Best Real Estate Agents

Ask A Realtor Spotlight: Linda Walters

March 15, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

The latest interview in our series spotlighting the Realtors who answer the questions in the Ask A Realtor section is Linda Walters, a Realtor in the lovely Main Line area of Pennsylvania. Linda is a triple threat, she’s a buyer’s agent, a real estate attorney, and she participates in local charities (she’s shown at an event in the picture above).

You are a buyer’s agent, what was it about working with buyers that made you want to specialize in that area of real estate?
Because I was trained as an attorney, I have an advocate point of view. That doesn’t mean adversarial or confrontational, just that I take the point-of-view of the client. I felt that the traditional ways of representing home buyers did not offer this alternative to the buyer side. I love what I do. I always say that being a listing agent is like having an arranged wedding—you get the good and the bad houses and you have to make them look desirable. But using an exclusive buyer’s agent is like going to a website like Match.com—you get to pick only the very best ones to select from and end up with!

You are also a real estate attorney, I know you don’t work as an attorney and a broker on the same transaction but are there any specific challenges or advantages to having both skill sets?
I get too involved with legal issues and try to solve them for my buyers. I have obtained mechanics lien title coverages, drafted easements for driveways, written co-habitation agreements for non-married couples and contacted authorities when lenders have committed a wrong against a buyer. I always draft concise addendums when we have complicated issues that have to go in the agreement of sale. So much of this profession is legal and complicated that I feel sorry for many agents who have no guidance in these areas. Most buyers in this area do not use an attorney so I try to fill in the gaps for them without introducing any risk to them or to me.

What’s the best thing about living in the Main Line area of Pennsylvania?
Where to start? For me, it is the well-built, beautiful homes with such varied architecture, together with the topography of the rolling hills and woods. I live on a beautiful creek with huge trees within walking distance of 2 train stations and an old-fashioned hometown, with great assets. It has an old theatre, a school, library and tons of restaurants and locally-owned shops. I think that is what many people seek when they look for a home.

What do you do when you aren’t selling real estate?
I foster dogs and cats for the local SPCA, swim, garden and play piano.

What’s your favorite productivity tool?
It would have to be my smartphone. How did we live without those?

Learn more about Linda at her website: www.FindAHomeInPA.com.

Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: agent, featured

List Prices and Demand Up, Inventories Down: Realtor.com February 2012 Real Estate Trends (DATA)

March 14, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

Summary

National Trends- With the spring home buying seasons just weeks away, inventories are at historic lows, list prices have strengthened over the past 12 months, and demand is healthier. The stage is set for a broad-based move towards recovery should these conditions continue in 2012 as the three critical metrics tracked by Realtor.com are substantially improved in February 2012 compared to February 2011. The total US for-sale inventory was down by -22.02% in February 2012 compared to a year ago, and declined in one month in all but two of the 146 markets covered by Realtor.com. The median age of the inventory fell -9.76% on a year-over-year basis last month and the median national list price was up by 6.82% last month compared to February 2011. The nation’s housing markets as a whole are in better shape today than at any time since the 2009-2010 tax credits.

*Year-over-Year % Change*	*Feb 2012 vs Feb 2011*	*Feb 2011 vs Feb 2012*
Number of Listings	-22.02%	-4.96%
Median Age of Inventory	-9.76%	+11.82%
Median List Price	+6.82%	-6.88%

Local Market Variations – The dynamics of recovery and market reversal are remaking the geography of conditions across the nation today. Many markets in areas hardest hit by foreclosures and low prices at the beginning of the housing decline — such as Florida markets and Phoenix — continue to register large year-over-year declines in inventories and large year-over-year increases in median list prices. At the same time, median list prices in other markets once the epicenter of the housing boom — including Las Vegas and many parts of California – continue to lag behind the country as a whole. Finally, markets that never experienced the dramatic run-up in housing values that preceded the housing crisis nor the subsequent decline, now suffer price declines. For example Chicago, Knoxville, Detroit and Milwaukee registered some of the largest declines in their median list prices in February 2012 on a year-over-year basis as the impact of a weak economy continues to take its toll across the nation.

Changing foreclosure inventories—declines resulting from the processing slowdown and increases due to economic factors along with increases in negative equity together are having their impact on both prices and inventories. However, inventories will certainly increase in the coming months, especially in judicial states like Florida, as lenders process and list the huge backlog of distressed properties freed by the recent multi-state Attorneys General agreement. The shadow foreclosure inventory is considerably higher than the total inventory on the market today. Unless properly managed, the disposition of such properties could easily undermine the progress that has been made to date.

National Perspective

Median List Prices -The nationwide median list price for single family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops (SFH/CTHCOPS) in February 2012 was $188,000, up from $185,500 in January and 6.82% higher compared to a year ago (see chart at top.) At the same time last year—roughly the beginning of the 2011 home buying season–the median national list price stood at $176,000, 6.88% below the median list price in February 2010. While higher list prices do not always translate into higher sales prices, they may signal a growing optimism on the part of sellers that the market has begun to turn around.

For Sale Inventories – The national for-sale inventory of SFH/CTHCOPS was relatively stable in February (+0.54%), reversing eight consecutive months of decline but consistent with the onset of the spring home buying season. More telling is that the total number of SFH/CTHCOPS listings on Realtor.com was -22.02% below levels observed in February 2011. This favorable trend represents a considerable improvement over conditions observed at the beginning of the 2011 home buying season, when for-sale inventories were down -4.96% compared to the previous year (February 2010.)

Median Age of Inventory — The median age of the inventory of for sale listings was 111 days in February, down from 119 days in January and -9.76% below the median age observed in February 2011. While the monthly reduction in the age of the inventory is partly seasonal, the year-over-year decline in the median age of the total for-sale inventory is again consistent with a significantly stronger market going into the 2012 home buying season. Last year at this time, the median age of the inventory was up by 11.82% on an annual basis.

Local Market Variations

For Sale Inventories (y/y) – For sale inventories of SFH/CTHCOPS in February 2012 declined in all but two of the 146 MSAs monitored by Realtor.com compared to a year ago, with the for-sale inventory in more than half of all markets (79) dropping by 20% or more. In February 2011, market conditions were not as favorable. While inventories began declining in many markets, the declines were smaller and not nearly as widespread—one year ago. Only 96 markets had experienced a year-over-year decline in their for-sale inventories and only 5 markets had dropped by 20 % or more.

Areas experiencing the greatest year-over-year reductions in their for-sale inventory in February 2012 also looked very different than they did a year ago. In February 2012, the 10 MSAs with the greatest declines were concentrated in Florida, Arizona, and California, areas hardest hit by the housing crisis. In February 2010, the 10 MSAs with the largest % declines in their for-sale inventories were primarily small Midwestern areas.

For-Sale Inventory

10 MSAs with the Greatest Year-over-Year Reductions

Feb 2012 vs Feb 2011		Feb 2011 vs Feb 2010
Bakersfield, CA	-49.73%	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	-39.16%
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ	-48.03%	Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI	-29.20%
Oakland, CA	-46.65%	Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL	-22.51%
Miami, FL	-45.95%	Boise City, ID	-22.34%
Fresno, CA	-43.59%	Orlando, FL	-21.72%
Fort Lauderdale, FL	-42.97%	Jersey City, NJ	-19.56%
Orlando, FL	-40.76%	Nashville, TN	-18.83%
Atlanta, GA	-38.48%	Iowa City, IA	-18.06%
Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA(OR)	-38.09%	Ann Arbor, MI	-17.83%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	-37.96%	Columbia, MO	-17.46%

At the other end of the continuum this year, only two markets in February 2012 experienced a year-over-year increase in their for-sale inventory. These and the other eight other areas that showed the least signs of improvement tended to be concentrated in the North East corridor. In contrast, in February 2011, 49 MSAs had experienced a year-over-year increase in their for-sale inventory and 10 markets had an increase of more than 10 %. As shown below, these areas were primarily in California and Nevada, suggesting the most troubled housing markets are gradually moving away from the sand states and into more industrialized areas in the Midwest and North East.

For-Sale Inventory

10 MSAs with the Greatest Year-over-Year Increases

Feb 2012 vs Feb 2011		Feb 2011 vs Feb 2010
Philadelphia, PA-NJ(PA)	2.95%	Oakland, CA	21.93%
Springfield, IL	1.62%	Bakersfield, CA	17.82%
New York, NY	-0.18%	Reno, NV	16.88%
Hartford, CT	-1.63%	Anchorage, AK	16.78%
New Haven-Brdgprt-Stmfrd-Dnbry-Wtrbry, CT	-2.05%	Baton Rouge, LA	13.17%
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	-5.38%	San Francisco, CA	11.47%
Philadelphia, PA-NJ(NJ)	-5.40%	Sacramento, CA	11.27%
Wilmington-Newark, DE-MD(DE)	-6.41%	Las Vegas, NV-AZ (NV)	11.15%
Syracuse, NY	-7.58%	San Diego, CA	11.01%
Reading, PA	-7.92%	Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA	10.18%

Median List Prices (y/y) – In February 2012, the median list price was up by 1% or more on an annual basis in the majority (106 MSAs) of the 146 MSAs monitored by Realtor.com, and up year-over-year by 5% or more in 62 MSAs. The median list price was down by 1% or more in 16 markets on a year-over-year basis, with only 4 markets registering declines of 5% or more. The remaining 24 markets haven’t experienced a significant change in median list prices compared to a year ago.

These statistics represent a steady and significant year-over-year improvement in median list prices in the majority of markets monitored by Realtor.com since the onset of the 2011 home buying season. In February 2011, for example, list prices in the majority of housing markets were down by 5% or more.

Note: Markets are classified as stable if the change in median list price was between -.99 and +.99 %.

Median List Prices – Largest y/y Increases – Seven of the ten markets with the largest year-over-year increases in median list price in February 2012 are in Florida. Phoenix-Mesa, Washington DC, and Boise, ID also appear on the list. The relatively large increases in the median list price in most Florida markets compared to one year ago suggest that these hard-hit areas may have reached bottom and are now into the recovery mode. However, the relatively large shadow inventory of potential foreclosures in the state could easily undermine the nascent recovery process.

In contrast, in February 2011, the few markets registering a year-over-year increase in their median list price showed significantly lower increases (with the exception of Fort Meyers-Cape Coral FL) and were primarily located in small Midwestern MSAs.

Median List Prices

10 MSAs with the Greatest Year-over-Year Increases

Feb 2012 vs 2011		Feb 2011 vs Feb 2010
Miami, FL	26.19%	Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL	20.54%
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ	20.62%	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	5.40%
Punta Gorda, FL	19.35%	Washington, DC-MD_VA (VA)	4.78%
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL	18.48%	Peoria-Pekin, IL	3.85%
Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV(DC)	18.45%	Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	3.51%
Boise City, ID	16.28%	Des Moines, IA	1.94%
Naples, FL	15.67%	Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY	1.54%
Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL	15.59%	Columbia, MO	1.43%
Daytona Beach, FL	15.56%	Fort Wayne, IN	0.91%
Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	14.47%	Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR	0.27%

Median List Prices – Largest y/y Declines – Other hard hit areas have not fared as well as Florida in 2012. The median list price continues to be down on a year-over-year basis in Las Vegas and major California markets. Several areas that didn’t experience a rapid run-up in housing prices (such as Chicago, Knoxville, Detroit, New Orleans and Milwaukee) now register some of the highest rates of list price declines, again suggesting a shift in both the nature and location of the nation’s housing problems.

Some of the markets with the greatest year-over-year price decline in February 2012 were also on the same list in February 2011, reinforcing the notion that these markets have yet to hit bottom. However, Phoenix, Reno, Fort Lauderdale, and Melbourne now have year-over-year list price increases that are well above the national median.

Median List Prices

10 MSAs with the Greatest Year-over-Year List Price Decline

Feb 2012 vs 2011		Feb 2011 vs Feb 2010
Chicago, IL	-7.41%	Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA	-30.68%
Knoxville, TN	-5.41%	Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA	-17.11%
Orange County, CA	-5.35%	Detroit, MI	-16.29%
Sacramento, CA	-5.00%	Reno, NV	-15.34%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA	-4.13%	Phoenix-Mesa, AZ	-14.66%
Las Vegas, NV-AZ(NV)	-3.98%	Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, FL	-14.19%
Detroit, MI	-3.41%	Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA	-14.05%
Stockton-Lodi, CA	-3.00%	Atlanta, GA	-13.89%
New Orleans, LA	-2.86%	Fort Lauderdale, FL	-13.79%
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	-2.72%	Chicago, Il	-12.73%

Median Age of Inventory – The median age of the inventory exceed 120 days in 34 markets in February, down from 46 markets in January. While most of the markets with the oldest inventories are resort communities, particularly in Florida and the Carolinas, others are in industrialized areas that are experiencing the brunt of the economic downturn. The list of MSAs with the longest median days on market has changed relatively little over the year.

Median Age of Inventory

MSAs with the Longest Median Days on Market

Feb 2012		Feb 2011
South-SC-RSA	179	South-SC-RSA	187
Asheville, NC	169	Santa Fe, NM	186
Santa Fe, NM	163	Asheville, NC	178
Myrtle Beach, SC	157	Pensacola, FL	173
Wilmington, NC	155	Wilmington, NC	172
Portland, ME	149	Reading, PA	171
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	148	Myrtle Beach, SC	169
Reading, PA	148	Portland, ME	158
Madison, WI	141	Tallahassee, FL	158
Gainesville, FL	139	Gainesville, FL	152

MSAs with the lowest median days on market are heavily concentrated in California. Much the same was true in February 2010.

Median Age of Inventory

MSAs with the Shortest Median Days on Market

Feb 2012		Feb 2011
Oakland, CA	32	Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA	45
Denver, CO	40	Oakland, CA	56
Bakersfield, CA	47	Iowa City, IA	56
Fresno, CA	48	Denver, CO	64
Iowa City, IA	51	Fort Lauderdale, FL	68
San Francisco, CA	54	Bakersfield, CA	69
Stockton-Lodi, CA	54	Stockton-Lodi, CA	71
San Jose, CA	56	San Francisco, CA	73
Detroit, MI	57	Fresno, CA	73
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ	57	San Jose, CA	77

February 2012

Atlanta

It is impressive how much of a difference two months — and fresh, real-time data ? can affect market observations in a fast-changing real estate market like Atlanta. In fact, based on key market indicators observed on Realtor.com in the first two months of 2012, things just may be looking up for Atlanta.

Beset by economic woes and a flood of foreclosures, the Atlanta housing market surprised residents and experts when prices took a sharp decline last year. Just two months ago, the New York Times, citing November 2011 data, called Atlanta “one of the biggest laggards in the economic recovery.”[i] In the fourth quarter 2011, Atlanta topped all metros in the nation in foreclosures sales (6,458) with a foreclosure discount, a sign of instability, hitting fifth highest nationally at 48.12%.[ii]

Its precipitous year-over-year price decline reached -16% last May[iii], but in the first two months of the 2012 New Year, conditions are very positive for Atlanta.

Atlanta’s February 2012 median list price on Realtor.com rose 3.27% compared to January, the first month-over-month increase in eight months. Year-over-year prices were only 0.06% below 2011, the best showing since 2010.[iv]

With a declining December unemployment rate of 9.4%[v], down from 10.2%[vi] twelve months earlier, Atlanta is moving in the right direction. Not only is the job market improving, for sale inventories are shrinking dramatically, down 38% from a year ago and eighth best in the nation, according to the February 2012 trend data from Realtor.com.

The combination of increased demand and fewer properties suggests prices may remain positive in the near term. A critical factor for Atlanta will be foreclosures. Nearly 4,600 of Atlanta’s foreclosures are owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, ranking it number one in the nation in terms of GSE-owned foreclosures. This rate far outnumbers those in Phoenix, Las Vegas and other major metro areas hit hard by the housing decline.[vii] Plans by the federal government to sell bulk quantities to investors to rent out foreclosures may help reduce Atlanta’s foreclosure inventory.

Atlanta isn’t out of the woods yet. Its challenges include negative equity, a powerful driver of defaults and foreclosures. Compared to the national average of 22%, nearly 40% of all residential properties in metro Atlanta were underwater in the fourth quarter 2011, up from 34.5% in the third quarter, according to CoreLogic.[viii] Also, despite the improving economy, residential homes sales remain soft. The region saw a roughly 25% monthly drop in home sales in January 2012, according to the Atlanta Board of Realtors. The median final sale price for Atlanta home also fell to about $108,000, a nearly 10% drop from December 2011, though they were up 15% on the year.[ix]

[i] “In Atlanta, Housing Woes Reflect Nation’s Pain” by Motoko Rich. New York Times. January 31, 2012 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/business/economy/in-atlanta-housing-woes-reflect-nations-economic-pain.html?pagewanted=all

[ii] “Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2011 U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report: Shifting Toward Short Sales” by RealtyTrac, March 1, 2012. http://www.realtytrac.com/content/foreclosure-market-report/q4-and-year-end-2011-us-foreclosure-sales-report-7060

[iii] Realtor.com data

[iv] Realtor.com data

[v] BLS http://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.t01.htm

[vi] http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2011/01/27/metro-unemployment-stays-at-102.html

[vii] http://www.ajc.com/business/renting-out-foreclosures-1331934.html

[viii] http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2012/03/01/corelogic-atlanta-underwater.html

[ix] “Atlanta home re-sales tumble for month, up for year” By Misty Williams. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution http://www.ajc.com/business/atlanta-home-re-sales-1359005.html

Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: data, featured, February 2012, Realtor.com

Realtors Plan Rally To Save The American Dream In Washington

March 7, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

realtorsrally Realtors Plan Rally To Save The American Dream In Washington

The National Association of Realtors recently announced the date for the Rally to Protect the American Dream. Realtors will gather in Washington D.C. on May 17 to stand up for housing. As NAR President Moe Veissi said in his call to action: “The very foundation of civilization is no stronger, nor more enduring than the integrity of the homes on which they rest. “

The rally promises to bring together Realtors from every corner of America in a statement of solidarity to show Congress that Realtors want to revitalize real estate and protect the American dream of home ownership. They hope to have 15,000 Realtors in attendance. The rally is scheduled to coincide with the NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo.

Realtors who want to participate are being asked to register at the Realtor Rally website. NAR plans to provide food, water, lunches, t-shirts and buses and will also help individuals and groups connect with transportation via local and state organizations.

Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: agent, featured

To Infinity and Beyond: Jamesburg Earth Station Lists for $3 Million (PHOTOS)

February 9, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

0209earth1 To Infinity and Beyond: Jamesburg Earth Station Lists for $3 Million (PHOTOS)

If you have ever dreamed of owning a property that could theoretically bring you closer to the cosmos, then take a peek at the recently listed Jamesburg Earth Station in Carmel Valley, California. Commissioned by the Communications Satellite Corporation during the Kennedy administration, the massive satellite relay was used to send and receive messages from space – including some of the first moon landing photographs transmitted by astronaut Neil Armstrong & Co. in 1969. That very satellite antenna, along with a few other structures, over 160 acres of land and a sweet space history, is now on the market for $3 million.

Located on a remote hillside, the Jamesburg Earth Station was used as a functional communications station by AT&T up until 2002. The massively trestled dish stands some 97-feet high and connects to a secure warehouse facility that houses many pieces of original equipment used to communicate with astronauts in space. It also sports a considerable amount of fiber optic cabling, power generators and amenities like a fully-equipped gym, kitchen and bathroom areas. Oh, and there’s also a helipad on the premises.

Much like the aforementioned ‘Silo Home’, the Earth Station also presents one of the more formidable shelters for holding off future invasions (earthly or extraterrestrial), raptures or the dreaded zombie apocalypse. Besides being completely fenced in, the 21,000-square-foot building sports walls made of two-foot thick concrete, allowing for the structure to withstand five megaton nuclear blast. Whether this remnant of the Cold War ever beams messages into space again remains to be seen, but it certainly presents one of the more unique real estate opportunities and stories on the market today.

The listing is presented by Bert Aronson of the Aronson Team.

0209earth4 To Infinity and Beyond: Jamesburg Earth Station Lists for $3 Million (PHOTOS)

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Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: Carmel Valley real estate, featured, Jamesburg Earth Station, NASA, Starchitect

Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

February 9, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

0208pebble1 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

With 18 holes that hug the rugged Carmel Bay coastline, the Pebble Beach Golf Links is arguably the most picturesque set of fairways and greens in the U.S., if not the world. Besides its many renowned golf courses, the Pebble Beach, California area is also home to some of the most coveted oceanfront estates found along the West Coast.

Amateur and professional golfers alike will be taking to the California coast this weekend for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and as a salute to the fine linksmen who will be teeing off, REALTOR.com brings you five golf course properties in the Pebble Beach area.

0208pebble2 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

1. Found along the 2^nd green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links is this fine Mediterranean-style villa known as ‘Casa Robro’. Listed for $17.5 million, Casa Robro (at top and above) features a 6,953-square-foot main home that has a total of five bedrooms and six bathrooms, along with a separate 1,072-square-foot “gate house” that offers an additional two bedrooms and two baths. The living room, formal dining room and rear patio area look out over the links and share expansive views of the surrounding coastline.

2. Looking for a home where you can take in every fantastic tournament finish? Well, look no further than the ‘Chappellet Estate’. Offered for $15 million, Chappellet Estate boasts unobstructed views of the 18^th green, making it one of the most coveted homes oceanfront homes in Pebble Beach. Redwoods, oaks and other laurels line the 2.75-acre property, which includes a four-bedroom main house, two-bedroom guesthouse and approximately 6,200-square-feet of living space.

0208pebble3a Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

0208pebble4a Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

3. Resting high above the 14^th hole at Pebble Beach is this nearly 9,000-square-foot contemporary masterpiece. Beyond its stunning glass façade, the home, listed for $12.75 million, offers five luxury suites, along with such amenities as a media room, exercise room, office and billiard room, each of which offers striking ocean and golf views.

0208pebble5 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

0208pebble6 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

4. If you have the type of money necessary to purchase the three aforementioned homes, you might have the cash necessary to buy a prime Pebble Beach lot and build your own home. If that is the case, look no further than this 1.1 acre parcel listed for $12 million. Found along the 12^th fairway and green, the lot is just minutes from Carmel Beach and includes a total of 180 feet of unobstructed views of the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

0208pebble7 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

0208pebble8 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

5. While it lacks fairway views, this Tuscan-style estate located just south of the Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill and Poppy Hills golf courses brings a little something different to the table: a backyard putting green. Besides the personal putter’s paradise, the home, set on a 3.39-acre lot, includes some 6,900-square-feet of living space, with five bedrooms, eight baths, library and a media room that features a wine bar and cellar. All for a price tag of $8.9 million.

0208pebble9 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

0208pebble10 Teeing Off: Five Pebble Beach Golf Course Homes (PHOTOS)

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Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, featured, Golf Course real estate, Pebble Beach real estate, PGA Tour, Starchitect

NY Apartment Below Heiress Huguette Clark’s Co-Op Lists for $25 Million (PHOTOS)

February 6, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

0206recluse1 NY Apartment Below Heiress Huguette Clark’s Co Op Lists for $25 Million (PHOTOS)

Little is known of Huguette Clark’s life, given the reclusive manner in which she lived; however, after her passing in May at the age of 104, it is expected that the executor of the late copper heiress’ massive estate will begin listing her various properties – giving a much-anticipated peak into the life of the mysterious heiress and one of America’s richest families. Until then, those curious can get a slight taste of her lifestyle by way of a recently listed New York, New York apartment that lies directly below Clark’s Fifth Avenue co-op.

One the market for $25 million, the apartment below Clark’s was originally split into three separate residences, but will be reconstituted back to its original 18-room floor plan designed by celebrated Upper East Side architect, J.E.R. Carpenter, in 1915. Measuring some 6,500-square-feet – approximately 3,500-square-feet less than Clark’s eighth floor ghost abode – the five-bedroom, five-bath apartment boasts a wealth of luxe finishes, including vaulted ceilings and doorways with ornamental molding and the original hardwood flooring running throughout. Both the formal dining room and the library are lined with wood paneling and feature built-in shelves, while the living room includes a fantastic hand carved marble mantel. The apartment’s spacious master suite, which looks down over Central Park, is highlighted by a marble-laden master bath with dual sinks and large walk-in closet.

The listing is presented by John Burger of Brown Harris Stevens.

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Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: featured, Fifth Avenue real estate, Huguette Clark, J.E.R. Carpenter, new york real estate, Starchitect

Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

February 1, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

0131levin1 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

Screenwriter Larry Levin and his interior designer wife, Sasha Emerson, have listed their Santa Monica, California home. Levin, whose credits include “Doctor Dolittle,” “Dr. Dolittle 2” and “I Love You, Man,” originally purchased the property in 1994, and is asking $3.695 million for the mid-century modern home.

Designed by architect Matthew Leizer in 1962 and later featured in a photography spread by esteemed photojournalist Julius Shulman, the property had languished mightily for a number of years before being purchased by Levin, who saw great potential in the mid-century offering that backs Rustic Canyon Park. With the help of architect Mark Mack, the once battered post-and-beam home was revitalized.

Originally hired to remodel only the kitchen, Mack was eventually tasked with the home’s entire renovation, and did so while respecting Leizer’s original floor plans and style. The previous, L-shape floor plan was replaced with a U-shape design that included floor-to-ceiling glass-lined corridors that open the home to the backyard and pool, while the interior received a much needed facelift. In the late 90’s, following the blessed union of Levin and Emerson, the couple commissioned the addition of a second-story pavilion to accommodate their children.

Today, the property offers nearly 4,450-square-feet of living space and a total of six bedrooms and five-and-a-half baths. Both the interior and exterior of the home has Emerson’s designer stamp, with a fair use bright color, ornate-retro furniture and flair found throughout the home. It includes an open and vibrant kitchen, library, playroom and a hybrid living room-dining area that overlooks the pool, while adjacent to the rear garden is a private studio and a raised patio that features a nifty vintage chiminea.

0131levin2 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin3 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin4 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin5 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin6 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin7 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin8 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin9 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin10 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin11 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin12 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin13 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin14 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin15 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin16 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

0131levin17 Screenwriter Larry Levin Lists Matthew Leizer Designed Santa Monica Mod (PHOTOS)

See more Architectural Real Estate at REALTOR.com

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Check out the official listing at REALTOR.com

Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: Celebrity Real Estate, featured, Julius Shulman, Larry Levin, Mark Mack, Matthew Leizer, Mid-Century Modern, Santa Monica real estate, Sasha Emerson, Starchitect

Charles A. Haertling’s ‘Menkick House’ Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

January 26, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

0126menkick1 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

An iconic mid-century mod by celebrated organic architect Charles A. Haertling has hit the market in Boulder, Colorado. Known as the “Menkick House,” Haertling’s award-winning Usonian design has been made available for the first time in 30 years, and comes with a list price of $6.5 million.

Completed in 1970, Haertling built the Menkick House around a natural rock outcropping found on the property’s 1.1 acre lot in West Boulder, shaping it in a manner in which the tiers of the four-story home align with the three most prominent stone masses. The resulting ebb and flow of the design not only showcases the ‘Gyp Rock’, but also creates a contrast in ambiance between the two wings of the 5,780-square-foot home, all the while showcasing stunning views of the Flatirons, Red Rock and Mount Sanitas.

Three of the home’s four bedrooms, along with the kitchen, family room, media room and an art studio, are found in the northern wing. Adjacent to the kitchen and dining area is an impressive cantilever balcony and patio that overlooks the creek. The master suite connects with the rock face through a pierced, split-roof balcony, and comes complete with a bathroom lined with glass windows that give way to the surrounding landscapes.

The listing is presented by James Simpson of Sotheby’s International Realty – Boulder.

0126menkick2 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick3 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick4 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick5 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick6 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick7 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick8 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick9 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick10 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick11 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick12 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick13 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick14 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick15 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick16 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick17 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick18 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick19 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick20 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick21 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick22 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

0126menkick23 Charles A. Haertling’s Menkick House Hits the Market in Boulder (PHOTOS)

See more Architectural Real Estate at REALTOR.com

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Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: Boulder Colorado real estate, Charles Haertling, featured, Menkick House, Mid-Century Modern, Organic Architecture, Starchitect

Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

January 16, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

0116tudorfarms1 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

There are hunting lodges and then there are hunting lodges. Hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones – ranked Forbes Magazine’s 336th richest in the world at $3.2 billion – certainly put his money to work when he commissioned the building of this unworldly “weekend sporting estate” in Cambridge, Maryland. The estate is, putting it mildly, colossal. It encompasses more than 6,250 acres of private wetland and woodlands, designed for the utmost in hunting, fishing, riding and other recreational possibilities, and comes priced accordingly at a whopping $30 million.

At the heart of the estate is an enormous, Adirondack-style main lodge with a total of eleven bedrooms and ten-and-a-half baths. Roughly the size of a small hotel, the three-story main lodge features eight fireplaces, along with all the amenities and extravagances one would expect of a Wall Street hedge fund manager. Standard offerings like a living room with lake views, game room, gourmet kitchen and formal dining room with 360-degree mural are all there, as are a few of the more elaborate accommodations like a yoga room and sauna; however, as grand as the main lodge is, it somewhat pales in comparison to all other things found on the property. Riding ring and stables? Check. Indoor tennis and basketball courts? You bet. A kennel and racing track? Of course. And that’s before taking into account the nine square miles of carefully managed hunting and fishing areas that are stocked full of native wildlife and game.

The listing is presented by Michael Rankin of Sotheby’s International Realty.

0116tudorfarms2 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms3 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms4 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms5 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms6 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms7 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms8 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms9 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms10 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms12 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms13 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms14 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms15 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms16 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms17 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms18 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms19 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms20 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms21 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms22 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms23 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms24 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

0116tudorfarms25 Wall Street Billionaire’s Weekend Sporting Estate Listed for $30 Million (PHOTOS)

See more Architectural Real Estate at REALTOR.com

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Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: Adirondack architecture, Cambridge Maryland real estate, featured, hunting estates, Paul Tudor Jones, Starchitect, Wall Street

Alabama vs LSU: BCS Championship Real Estate Showdown (PHOTOS)

January 6, 2012 By Realtor.com Leave a Comment

0106bama1 Alabama vs LSU: BCS Championship Real Estate Showdown (PHOTOS)

The LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide are set to battle for the national championship and college football bragging rights on Monday and in honor of the two SEC powerhouse schools, REALTOR.com is pitting two standout estates, one from each team’s home state, against each other in a BCS-style real estate showdown.

0106bama14 Alabama vs LSU: BCS Championship Real Estate Showdown (PHOTOS)

Representing the Crimson Tide and the ‘Heart of Dixie’ is a massive 14-acre luxury estate in Huntsville, Alabama. Measuring in at 13,450-square-feet, the two-story mansion includes a total of eight bedrooms and twelve baths, elevator, banquet hall, theater room (above,) media room, exercise room and sauna. The home opens to a spectacular curved granite and glass staircase, and sports a stylish and contemporary interior design with vaulted wood ceilings, marble floors and polished steel finishes.

0106bama24 Alabama vs LSU: BCS Championship Real Estate Showdown (PHOTOS)

And while the estate is, in itself, quite impressive, the amenities found throughout the grounds, such as the pool, pool house with poolside bar, manicured walking trails, private park and playground, basketball court and a regulation-size football field complete with goal posts (above,) is where the home really shines. Fittingly, the property, listed for $3.5 million, is owned by perhaps the greatest offensive tackle in NFL history, former Seattle Seahawks standout and ‘Bama native, Walter Jones.

See the rest of the house here.

0106nawlins1 Alabama vs LSU: BCS Championship Real Estate Showdown (PHOTOS)

Holding the flag for the Tigers and the Bayou State is one of the finest homes currently on the market in New Orleans, Louisiana. A well-preserved example of the Italian neoclassical architecture found in the Garden District, the 12,000-square-foot mansion (above) is the stark opposite of its showdown opponent. Known as ‘The Robinson House’, the property, listed for $12.5 million, was designed by architect Henry Howard for tobacco merchant Walter Robinson between 1859 and 1865.

0106nawlins5 Alabama vs LSU: BCS Championship Real Estate Showdown (PHOTOS)

The regal exterior of the two-story property is highlighted by detailed ironwork, Corinthian columns and a distinctively curved portico that contours to the surrounding landscape and gives the home its striking appearance. The level of detail seen on the outside of the estate is not lost within. Elaborate finishes and molding are found in nearly every room of the nine-bedroom, ten-bathroom home, and range in detail from simple to borderline Sistine Chapel-quality. Adjacent to the mansion is a well-manicured courtyard that features ornate fountains set around a private pool area.

0106nawlins13 Alabama vs LSU: BCS Championship Real Estate Showdown (PHOTOS)