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Archive for May, 2010

Design inspiration from a Sex and the City 2 apartment

Posted by Annalisa Burgos | May 27, 2010

Our friends over at HGTV.com have a great blog called Design Happens.

Editor Chelsey Bowen wrote a great post about Carrie and Big’s apartment in the new Sex and the City 2 movie (which is beautiful, by the way, but I don’t understand how they can afford it).

I haven’t seen the movie so I don’t know what neighborhood they live in, but I’m guessing Park Avenue or the Upper West Side. (Leave a comment if you know.)

As a fellow New Yorker, journalist and former single lady who met the love of her life in the Big Apple, I can relate to Carrie.

I only wish I can relate to owning an apartment as amazing as hers. Somehow, my junior 1-bedroom just doesn’t compare. Sigh.

Learn about the city that never sleeps in our New York City Guide: FrontDoor.com/City-Guide/New-York-NY-USA and find out what it’s like to live in a big city.

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Kick off summer with 10 stunning outdoor spaces

Posted by Annalisa Burgos | May 27, 2010

In honor of the Memorial Day weekend and the official kickoff to summer, we bring you this from HGTV FrontDoor’s Cool Houses files:

These 10 homes for sale may be cool, but their decks, patios and porches are hot.

If outdoor entertaining is your forte, you don’t want to miss these amazing spaces. With panoramic views, inviting seating areas and high-tech features, these decks and patios are perfect for al fresco dining or casual poolside cocktails.

From an open-air man cave to a Zen-inspired courtyard, see outdoor living taken to the next level.

See the lavish outdoor rooms and the homes for sale >>

And check out a new set of cool houses for sale each week at FrontDoor.com/coolhouses.

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How much is your home really worth?

Posted by Annalisa Burgos | May 26, 2010

Looks like April’s mad rush to take advantage of the expiring homebuyer tax credit is showing results in a slew of economic reports.

Among the latest mixed bag of housing data:

Commerce Department: New home sales rose 14.8% from March and are up 47.8% compared with a year ago. Median sales prices are down 9.5% in the past year to $198,400. Housing starts rose 5.8% from March, but building permits fell 11.5%.
Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller: Home prices fell 3.2% in the first quarter of 2010 from the previous quarter, but rose 2.3% from last year.
National Association of Realtors: Existing home sales rose 7.6% from March and are up 22.8% from 2009.
Federal Housing Finance Agency: House prices fell 1.9% in the first quarter of 2010 from the prior quarter, and are down 3.1% for the year.

Whatever you make of all this housing data, one thing is clear.

How much your home is worth is not based on what economists say or how much you put into it; it’s purely based on what someone else is willing to pay for it.

The best way to calculate your home’s market value is to compare it to similar homes in your neighborhood that are sold now. With time, value changes, so your market value may vary at any given time.

If you’re selling your home, learn how to calculate your market value and set a reasonable price for your market with FrontDoor’s Pricing Guide: