The Kimble Castle in Manhattan, Kansas, is listed for $1.46 million.

From the Cool Houses archives:

They say your home is your castle, but what if it really was? Thanks to these majestic dwellings, castles aren’t just for royalty anymore.

Originally built to protect nobles against hostile intrusions, castles became a symbol of prestige and power over time. The Romantic Era of the 18th century brought about a renewed interest in castles and the construction of many “mock” castles.

While these modern-day strongholds may not be equipped for battle, their soaring turrets, thick stone walls and elegant grounds certainly make life feel a little more royal.

Don your crown and scepter and check out 6 regal residences >>

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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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As the world prepares to judge what the stars are wearing and see if the coveted Best Picture prize will go to the half-billion-dollar Avatar or a smaller-budget audience favorite like Precious, HGTV’s FrontDoor.com wants to take this opportunity to get you thinking about your next Oscar viewing party.

These cool houses for sale have all the ingredients of a perfect place for entertaining guests:
FrontDoor.com/Buy/Ultimate-Party-Pads/55409

And for more homebuying inspiration, check out FrontDoor’s “Cool Houses” series. Each week, we bring you a different set of the most unique homes on the market.

FrontDoor.com/coolhouses

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If you’re looking for real estate-themed resolutions, may we suggest adding a few more things to your list of to-do’s?

1. Take advantage of a buyer’s market. Home values are still falling in many markets and many areas are still ripe with great deals. Browse homes for sale.

2. Let Uncle Sam help you buy a new home. See if you qualify for the homebuyer tax credit.

3. Aspire to live better, but within your means. One can always dream. Check out our Luxury Living Guide and try our “Can I Afford It?” calculator.

4. Get your finances in shape. If you can’t afford to buy a home now, commit to a homeownership strategy. Take steps to boost your credit score and save for a down payment.

5. Find adventure in the Southwest. Find out what life is like in Santa Fe and Albuquerque and enter to win HGTV’s Dream Home.

Happy New Year!

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Live next door to the President of the United States — the Obamas’ Chicago neighbors have put their home on the market.

Apparently, Matt Garrison, the listing agent with Coldwell Banker, hasn’t put an asking price on the house and will let the market dictate its value. How appropriate.

According to a report in The New York Times, the current owners paid $35,000 for the 6,000-square-foot house at 5040 South Greenwood Avenue in 1973. Other homes in the Hyde Park area have sold for $1 million to $2.5 million. But surely the appeal of living next to the President should tack on a few more mil. I wonder what kinds of background checks you’ll have to go through to close this deal.

About the property: The turn-of-the-century home is directly next to the Obama’s home, and the neighborhood is filled with Chicago’s business, political and intellectual rock stars. From this distance, you could ask the President for his famous chili recipe, borrow a cup of sugar from First Lady Michelle, or watch “First Daughters” Sasha and Malia, as the current owners often did.

The home was built in 1906 by A.R. Clark, who was also the original owner of President Obama’s home at 5046 South Greenwood. During World War II, the home was used to house officers, and eventually became a boarding house for a small military school.

The current owners purchased the home from the Colonel who ran the school. The home needs a little restoration, but still has all the original woodwork, stained glass windows, 6,000 square feet of living space, and a hefty yard by Chicago standards. Plus, as long as you don’t mind the occasional security hassles and Secret Service agents milling about, you can’t beat the location.

• See more photos of this home
• Find more homes for sale in Chicago, IL
• Learn more about living in Chicago, IL

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In this month’s Top 10, read 10 hair-raising real estate horror stories, from showings gone awry to frightening HOAs to houses plagued with unwelcome guests and ghastly pasts.

Plus, get tips on how to avoid these nightmares and ensure your homebuying or selling experience is drama free.

Happy Halloween!

HGTV FrontDoor’s
Top 10 Real Estate Nightmares:
www.frontdoor.com/Buy/Top-10-Real-Estate-Nightmares/55296/p10

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• Get insider tips and advice in FrontDoor’s Los Angeles City Guide
  
• Search homes for sale in Highland Park
• Browse property listings in Los Angeles
• Watch more real estate videos on the FrontDoor Unlocked Vlog

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If you (or your spouse) haven’t owned real estate in the past three years and you’re in a good position to buy a home, it’s time to get your butt in gear!

The deadline to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers is midnight on Nov. 30, and that’s coming up sooner than you think.

READ: You have to close on the home purchase by Nov. 30.

The closing process has been known to take at least 30 days, and now with stricter lending standards and a more complicated appraisal process, delays can be expected. And tack on even more time if you’re dealing with a foreclosure or short sale.

So since you’re trying to close by Nov. 30, and Thanksgiving is the week before, plan to have a signed contract and begin the closing process no later than the end of October, unless you’re an all-cash buyer and don’t need financing.

And remember you don’t have to wait until you file your taxes to get your credit. Ask your mortgage broker or real estate professional about programs that will let you apply the credit to your closing costs now.

For most of the year, first time buyers looking for “bargains” (i.e. distress properties) were the main driver of home sales. Should that group go away with the end of the tax credit, the industry could be in for hard times in 2010.

That’s why the National Association of Realtors is lobbying to have Congress extend the credit and real estate agents are creating a sense of urgency (ex: Prudential Connecticut Realty countdown). And you’ve probably seen all the TV commercials encouraging people to buy.

So what are you waiting for?

Find out the 6 steps to beating the tax credit deadline >>

Of course, if Congress decides to extend it, then all’s good. But with all the focus on healthcare reform, that’s no guarantee.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

• Get insider tips and advice in FrontDoor’s Los Angeles City Guide
  
• Search homes for sale in Echo Park
• Browse property listings in Los Angeles
• Watch more real estate videos on the FrontDoor Unlocked Vlog

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As a real estate editor and licensed real estate salesperson, friends and colleagues often ask me what I think about the market and whether a property they like is actually a deal.

Sometimes I feel like Howie Mandel on “Deal or No Deal,” except on my game show, instead of opening random suitcases looking to eliminate low dollar amounts, homebuyers are looking through houses hoping to eliminate potential money pits.

They weigh the pros and cons of holding on to their current property — their “suitcase” if you will — or taking advantage of what they think is the “ultimate deal.”

To them, I’m the quintessential expert, on topics like home value and foreclosures, because I don’t stand to benefit from the purchase the way their official agent will and they know I’ll give them a straightforward, honest opinion.

So when my Seattle friends showed me a bank-owned property they were interested in, we talked about what needed to be fixed and how much they would need to put into the property to get it into move-in condition.

The exercise proved helpful. If I posed Howie’s question “Deal or no deal?,” the answer would be a resounding “no deal.”

Buying a home? Try these resources from FrontDoor.com:

• Pricing and Home Value
• Home Finance Guide
• Drama-Free Real Estate

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