The long-vacant Bulova Watchcase factory, near the heart of Sag Harbor, is being turned into a luxury residential complex; construction is set to be completed by winter.
Answers to questions about limiting the number of rental units in condominiums; moving out while elevators are not in service; and income requirements for renting.
The International Contemporary Furniture Fair and its coterie of New York design week events showed that design is all over the map, its contours muddled and its direction uncertain.
Before planting a vegetable garden, a plot of land must be cleared. The author?s challenge involved dislodging old beach rose shrubs with stubborn roots.
?I have a thing about summer in the country which is kind of a Don Juan complex with grass: I want it, I want it, I want it, and then when I get it I?m bored.?
Gina Farina faced a remodeling challenge with her small two-level Arlington condo when she sought to open to up the space to accommodate a new roommate. Answering the call was Georgetown architect Ernesto Santalla.
Andrew Leighton is not a golfer, but the prospect of living on a golf course was intriguing when he and his family discovered the Cross Creek neighborhood. Now, Leighton, his wife, Jackie and their two children enjoy the view from their home adjacent to the course, located along the border betwee...
The Victorian house in the center of Montgomery County's Sherwood Forest neighborhood has overlooked the surrounding land for more than 200 years. Back in those early days, it lay just off the Glenmont-Colesville Road in the midst of Westover Farm, where crops such as corn and oats grew on nearly...
To those who haven't worn the uniform, their ways can be a mystery. But anyone trying to sell a home in the Washington metro area would be wise to learn more about the needs and habits of military officers, enlisted people and their families. It's the season for them to begin some serious house-h...
Fundamental changes are probably ahead for the American mortgage system as the federal government pushes to unwind its unprecedented involvement in the housing market.
Q. I have a fiberglass shower wall and tub that have accumulated a lot of hard-water stains, soap scum and dirt. I have tried all kinds of products, and they just don't clean it. Can you help? ¿ C. Davis
If late winter was an indicator, we are headed for a bumper crop of flowers this spring. I saw the first color in Chevy Chase on the forsythia March 8 with buds opening enough to tease with a hint of yellow.
Many taxpayers are preparing for their annual battle with IRS form 1040 by gathering up all their documents, statements, checks and other assorted papers. At the end of this process, taxpayers are often left with piles of neatly sorted, tabulated and cross-indexed piles. From a homeowner's perspe...
Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in almost two months, tracking a drop in Treasury yields as Japan's deepening nuclear crisis spurred demand for relatively safe investments.
Q. We built a spec house in 2007 as the market declined. We've tried to do everything to get it sold and recently received a short-sale offer on the home.
Over the last 39 years, Michael Litchfield has built one new house, acting as both designer and contractor, and extensively remodeled five others. He has written nine books on the design, construction and renovation of houses, including one on remodeling that runs to more than 600 pages, and he w...
Leaking water can sometimes create a massive water blister in latex paint on a ceiling. You may mistake this for ruined drywall when, in fact, the drywall may not have to be replaced.
Q. A water line burst in our home and created a significant leak. We were home and able to contain most of the water, but quite a bit got through the floor, ruining the drywall ceiling in the basement. Is there an easy way to deal with water-damaged drywall? Can we just wait for it to dry and the...
Housing starts in the U.S. declined more than forecast in February to the slowest pace since April 2009 and building permits slumped to a record low, signs the housing market recovery is limping along as the rest of the economy improves.
It sounds like an idea out of a sci-fi novel: a house that can produce as much energy each year as it uses. But most buyers aren't interested in houses from a sci-fi novel, and they aren't much interested in paying extra for them, either.
Q. I was going into foreclosure, but the bank gave me a loan modification. I agreed to the modification at the beginning, but now I see it was a mistake and think foreclosure would be better. What do I have to do - just stop paying?
Painting kitchen cabinets is much easier if you remove the hardware. This takes time up front, but you'll get fantastic results at the end of the day. Be sure to put the hardware for each cabinet in a separate, marked plastic sandwich bag so that you can reassemble the cabinets and everything wor...
Q. I'd love to move to a new home, but the economy is preventing that. So I've decided to do some kitchen remodeling, as it seems to be the center of activity of our current home. Based on the bids I'm getting, remodeling costs seem high. What can be done to keep the total cost as low as possible...
The Maryland General Assembly may soon make a really smart move toward achieving really smart growth: It could adopt proposed land-use legislation enabling "State Rail Station Overlay Districts."
When planning major home renovation, there are many steps you have to take to find the right professionals, including the contractor and perhaps an architect. It's equally important to take steps to protect your legal interests - and to do so early in the process.
Spring offers many opportunities for lectures, workshops, tours and other educational programs. Before you get busy in the garden, take advantage of one of the many sessions offered this month. Call to ascertain if pre-registration is required. If a fee is not shown, the event is free.
With hundreds of thousands of homeowners having negotiated loan modifications or short sales or been foreclosed upon during the past year, the Internal Revenue Service has issued fresh guidance on how to handle canceled mortgage debt in the coming tax season.
l Be prepared for sticker shock. The D.C. area is much more expensive than most military towns. You'll receive a larger housing allowance, but it may still be tough to afford what you want.
David H. Stevens plans to leave his post as head of the Federal Housing Administration by the end of April after guiding the agency through its toughest financial challenges in one of the housing market's darkest periods.
20153 BOUNDARIES: Stringfellow Road to the west, Route 50 to the north, the Fairfax County Parkway to the east, and Melville Lane (including Morning Spring Lane and Marshall Hall Lane) to the south. SCHOOLS: Greenbriar East and Greenbriar West elementary schools, Rocky Run Middle School and Chan...
The minute Shelly and Trey Lackey drove into Chantilly's Greenbriar neighborhood 11 years ago, she thought, "Oh my goodness, I've been here before!" But "here" actually had been another Levitt and Sons community, in Willingboro, N.J.
Q. My wife and I are thinking about refinancing our house. We are considering using a particular mortgage broker, but they have had a number of complaints with the Better Business Bureau and have a B rating. So how do we decide whether we should refinance with them?
Installing the piping for a central vac system in an average-size new house usually takes part of a day. The pipe glues together with regular PVC cement. You can cut the thin piping with a simple hacksaw, making sure you remove any burrs from the cut ends of the pipe. Burrs can grab onto hair and...
I was touring a new home, and one of the features that really interested me was the central vacuum system. It seems like one of these would be really handy. What's involved when you install a central vacuum? Can you share some tips, especially what not to do? - Ray H., Newtown, Pa.
Since spring is right around the corner, I felt it appropriate to share some titles that will fit well into your gardening library. Books are still one of the best ways to keep up with the latest in landscape design and the needs of plants. These new favorites of mine cover a wide range of garden...
If federal regulators are truly concerned about the quality and independence of home appraisals - a cornerstone of sound mortgage lending - why don't they simply prohibit appraisers from learning the contract price before they perform their assessment of a home's value?
Picky, picky, picky! Are today's first-time home buyers passing up great deals because they insist on flawless "move-in ready" houses requiring little or no changes - even at the starter-home price levels at which shoppers traditionally have been willing to factor fix-ups and renovations into the...
Anyone who has searched for a home in the District, for convenient parking - or even for a bar stool during happy hour - may have sensed what census statistics confirm: There are a lot of newcomers around town. And these newcomers - and their housing wish lists - are helping reshape the city's ne...
I never bought a foreclosure. I pay my mortgage faithfully. Now, is someone going to tell me a back-office clerk mishandled my title and their actions threaten my legitimate ownership? Will this mess hurt me when I try to sell my home?
The Obama administration's main initiative to help struggling borrowers avoid foreclosure could soon be killed in the House, where many Republican lawmakers have complained about the program's lackluster results.
For the past few years, I've been working with a single mother who has had to move four times, renting rooms in other people's homes so she wouldn't have to spend more than 50 percent of her monthly income on housing.
Now is the time to formulate your spring garden plans. Before you choose the plants you will install this year- or design the entire landscape-consider the ways you could make your gardens more productive and environmentally friendly. Here are some suggestions:
Q. I started trying to remove the cracked, discolored tile grout in my shower using a hand tool and think it will take at least 20 years to get it all out. Is there a better way? -E. Bartlett
Freddie Mac reported that the average rate on the 30-year loan slipped to 4.95 percent from 5 percent. It hit a 40-year low of 4.17 percent in November.
Q. I own a home and owe $388,000 on the mortgage. I think the home is probably worth $370,000. I bought the home for $417,000 in 2006, so I've taken a big hit on equity like everyone else. I have no issue making the payments but feel as though I am trying to dig myself out of a hole. I make an e...
To get professional results, you have to have great drywall taping tools. I love using my stainless-steel mud pan. I use a flexible taping knife that's just under six inches wide. Before I used it the first time, I used a metal file to slightly round the corners of the tool. Straight from the fac...
Q. Is taping drywall that hard to do? I watched it done on a television show, and it seems like it's not too tough. What tools should I be looking for? What are some secrets of finishing drywall, and what are the biggest mistakes rookies make when mudding and taping drywall? I want my job to look...
If you have been on active military duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010, or if you were on qualified official extended duty or a member of the Foreign Service during that time span, you may still be eligible to claim the first time homeb...
Years ago at the University of Maryland, I taught "Economic Determinants in Architecture," an elective course introducing architecture students to the real world of capitalism and showing how that world influences design and development. Students learned that market and financial conditions, alon...
20854 BOUNDARIES: Cedar Ridge Drive to the north, Foxcrest Court and Potomac Crest Drive to the east, Turncrest Drive and Potomac Crest Drive to the south, and Cobble Creek Circle to the west. SCHOOLS: Beverly Farms Elementary School, Herbert Hoover Middle School, Winston Churchill High School. ...
One of the first things you notice about Potomac Crest, a community of 131 townhouses and duplexes and 31 detached homes near Seven Locks Road and Tuckerman Lane, is the landscaping. "The overall community is beautifully landscaped and maintained by the owners and a very active homeowners associa...
Just because President Obama's latest budget proposal calls for rollbacks in mortgage interest deductions solely for high-income taxpayers, should you assume that all of your write-offs as a homeowner are secure from attack?
Sales of previously owned homes increased nationwide in January, driven by all-cash purchases that suggest investors are chasing after foreclosures and other bargains in an ailing housing market, an industry group reported Wednesday.
Behind every really good writer stands a really good editor, the unsung hero who offers advice on ways to carve off excess words, make arguments more succinct and populate novels with more-compelling characters and plotlines.
As early spring approaches, gardeners are thinking about their properties, and I've received questions about vehicular circulation, screening, controlling damage from deer and other topics.
I'm going to install hardwood flooring. I'm talking about traditional tongue-and-groove hardwood that's 3/4-inch thick, not engineered hardwood flooring. My plan is to try it myself and only call in installers if I mess up. What do you think of this idea? It can't be that difficult - you just nai...
If I've talked you out of installing the floor yourself, you may want to try prefinished-hardwood flooring. Some of it can be easy to work with, but follow all the instructions with respect to acclimating it to the room.
There used to be a big push by lenders to secure "customers for life." Not only did banks promote attractive mortgage programs, but they also targeted the same customers for checking and savings accounts, individual retirement accounts, credit cards, auto loans, wealth management advice and insur...
Q. My 86-year-old mother cannot get rid of her paid-in-full timeshare. The maintenance fees are hurting her financially. She has tried to sell and/or donate it to a charity without any luck. How can she dispose of it? Do we, her beneficiaries, have to take it over? Can she just stop paying the ma...
When you think of a second home, do you think of a secluded mountain cabin? Perhaps a pied-a-terre in an urban high-rise? What about a second home with no fixed address? One that floats?
Fixed 30-year mortgage rates in the 5 percent range? Minimum down payments below 5 percent? Jumbo-size home loans for high-cost markets at regular interest rates? Kiss them good-bye - possibly sooner than you might guess.
20009 Boundaries: Florida Avenue to the south; Connecticut Avenue and Rock Creek Park to the west; Calvert Street, Adams Mill Road and Harvard Street to the north; and 16th Street NW to the east. Schools: Marie Reed, H.D. Cooke and Oyster-Adams elementary schools; Lincoln and Alice Deal middle s...
Back when heading east of 16th Street after dark felt risky, Adams Morgan was ground zero for Washington's nightlife scene. One of the city's most ethnically and racially diverse neighborhoods, the community had a quirky vibe and a reputation for tolerance, and the area's spine, 18th Street NW, w...
Back in 1952 there was a 100-year-old farmhouse for sale atop a ridge on North Quaker Lane in Alexandria. It sat near the edge of seven acres and, it is said, could boast a view of the Potomac River.
As the labor market improved, the number of homeowners who fell behind on their mortgage payments dropped in the final three months of last year to the lowest level since 2008, according to a national survey released Thursday by the Mortgage Bankers Association.
The Obama administration outlined its plan to phase out government support of the U.S. housing finance system - and wind down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.¶ The plan - a sharp change of course after a decades-long campaign to extend homeownership to more Americans - would shift more of the burden to...
Some of the President Obama's traditional allies argued that proposals in the newly released report could make it too costly for many Americans to buy a home.
The Obama administration is pressing to scale back the federal government's role in the mortgage market. On Friday, it presented Congress with several proposals that would raise the costs of federally backed loans, a move designed to help the private sector better compete with Fannie Mae, Freddie...
The Obama administration wants to raise fees for borrowers and require larger down payments for home loans as part of a long-term effort to restructure the nation's housing market. But it warned that these measures could boost mortgage rates and make it harder for home buyers to secure the 30-yea...
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage topped 5 percent this week for the first time since April, and higher rates could further hamper the struggling housing market ahead of the spring's prime home-buying season.
Architects can now design buildings without lifting a pencil, thanks to computer technology. In fact, digitally conceived architecture can be too complex to draw by hand or to develop using conventional drawings, even those printed by machine. Yet there may be risks in abandoning the pencil and r...
Anyone visiting the 50-meter pool at the Wilson Aquatic Center, the brand-new Tenley-Friendship Library, or the row of restaurants and big-box stores on Wisconsin Avenue would be forgiven for thinking Tenleytown is definedby the shiny and new.
If you have running water coming through the holes, try to wait for a dry spell to do the repair. Some of these hydraulic repair cements will work if there is moving water, but it's not guaranteed.
Q. I have to make an unexpected repair to my poured concrete foundation. A water leak led me to remove drywall in my basement, and to my surprise, I discovered rows of holes 5/8-inch diameter in my concrete walls. Some of the holes have water dripping through them. These perfectly drilled holes a...
Q. The bathroom grout in our 14-year-old house has become stained, and we haven't been able to clean it with various products, including bleach. How do we restore the color? -D. Lilly
Q: I bought my house many years ago for $50,000. When my family grew, we bought a larger house where we still live. For years now, we have rented out the original house, which is now worth more than $800,000.
It's in our nature to celebrate with flowers since they convey feelings of love on many occasions - not just Valentine's Day. Flora has been used to show love for at least the past couple hundred-thousand years. They even appear to have been part of ceremonies since prehistoric times, when Neande...
Thousands of homeowner associations and condominiums across the country just sidestepped a potentially costly problem. Earlier this month, a federal agency backed off a controversial plan to make obtaining mortgages in their communities much more difficult and to dry up a key source of revenue th...
The Obama administration is pushing ahead with a vast rewrite of the rules of the nation's mortgage market separately from the delicate task of devising options to abolish mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
To many Republicans and the Obama administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government's mortgage giants, are ill. But rather than healing them, both sides agree that the companies should be left to die and that their support for the housing market should wither away.
This week's People of Note includes the following markets: South Florida, Chicago, Tampa, Los Angeles, and Cleveland.
SOUTH FLORIDA
Avison Young Hires Carlo in Miami
By Justin Sumner
Avison Young, Canada's largest independently-owned commercial real estate services company, has hired Daniel Carlo as a principal in the firm, and managing director of the company's Miami office. In his new role, Carlo will oversee the growth and develo
S&F Acquisitions, Inc. of Boca Raton, FL purchased the Britax Building at 4140 Pleasant Rd. in Charlotte from The Keith Corp. for $25 million or $52.26 per square foot.
The 478,400-square-foot industrial building was built in 2012 as a build-to-suit for child car seat maker Britax in the southwest Charlotte submarket.
Seller The Keith Corp. was represented by Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer?s Capital Markets team of Chris Norvell and Scot Humphrey...
BCB Investments acquired Building A of the Markets at Cedar Ridge Shopping Center, located at 7520 S. Tryon St. in Charlotte, NC from The Dovetail Companies for $2,382,500, or about 127 per square foot.
The single-story, 18,720-square-foot, multi-tenant strip building was built in 2006 in the Southwest Retail submarket of Mecklenburg County.
NorthState Capital Properties represented BCB Investments. David Morris of Legacy Real Estate Advisors...
Cabot Properties, Inc. has acquired the industrial building at 11701 Goodrich Dr. in Charlotte, NC from TA Associates Realty for $8.9 million, or about $20 per square foot.
The 438,650-square-foot industrial property originally was constructed as a build-to-suit facility for the footwear division of B.F. Goodrich Company. Converse Shoes occupied the property until 2003. In 2008 the seller successfully converted the building into a multi-tenant...
This week's People of Note includes the following markets: Detroit, Charlotte, Phoenix, New York, Charleston, South Florida, and San Diego.
DETROIT
Farbman Group Promotes Gutman, Kalil
By Tim Heise
Farbman Group, a Southfield, MI-based, full-service real estate solutions company, has promoted CFO Andrew Gutman to president of the company. Gutman joined Farbman Group more than 18 years ago. He has worked in several areas of
Republic Refrigeration acquired the Industrial Ventures II building at 2810 Gray Fox Rd. in Monroe, NC from 6RC Properties LLC for $1.09 million, or about $56 per square foot.
The single-story, 19,625-square-foot industrial building was built in 2000 in the Union County Industrial submarket.
Van Southard and Katherine Southard of The Moser Group, Inc. represented the seller. Adam Pearlman of The CRE Consulting Group represented the buyer.
Please...
Canadian-based TDG Griffith LLC acquired the industrial building at 701 Griffith Rd. in Charlotte, NC for $4.823 million, or about $22 per square foot, from a local investor.
The 222,151-square-foot warehouse was built in 1966 and renovated in 1999. It is situated on 13.2 acres in the Tyvola Rd Industrial submarket of Mecklenburg County. At the time of sale, the building was 100 percent leased.
Dave Simpson of NAI Southern Real Estate represented...
Lane Construction Corporation acquired the office building at 6125 Tyvola Centre Dr. in Charlotte, NC from Wells Fargo for $1.5 million, or about $66 per square foot.
The single-story, 22,882-square-foot building was built in 2002 on two acres in the Airport submarket of Mecklenburg County.
Scott Wilson and Paul DeVine of Childress Klein Properties represented the seller. The buyer handled the deal in-house.
Please refer to CoStar COMPS...
Christopher Skibinski, an industrial real estate specialist who was formerly a managing director with Jones Lang LaSalle before heading his own firm, has joined Avison Young as a principal in Charlotte.
The new Charlotte office is the fast-growing firm's 31st office outside of Canada and its third in North Carolina.
Avison Young made a big splash in October 2012 when it opened its first offices in North Carolina in Raleigh and Chapel Hill...
Griffin Capital, a Los Angeles-based REIT, acquired the Four Coliseum Centre office building at 2730 W. Tyvola Rd. in Charlotte, NC from a joint venture of Vision Equities LLC and CarVal Investors for $39.188 million, or approximately $197 per square foot.
The six-story, 198,898-square-foot, class A office building delivered in 1999 on 12.9 acres in the Airport submarket of Mecklenburg County, part of the Coliseum Centre building park. The property...
This week's People of Note includes the following markets: Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Washington DC, New Jersey, Chicago, New York, and Indianapolis.
LOS ANGELES
Diaz Returns to Cushman & Wakefield
By Allison Smith
Lalo Diaz has returned to Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. as a market leader for the Downtown Los Angeles market. In his new role Diaz will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day activities, recruitment goals, an
The Frassetto Companies recently closed on its acquisition of The Motor Racing Network Building at 555 MRN Dr NW in Concord, NC. It purchased the single-story, 24,739-square-foot flex building last month from MK Real Estate Holdings for $2,750,000, or $111.16 per square foot.
The buyer was represented in-house by principal Chris Frassetto. Sam Young of Cassidy Turley represented the seller. Please refer to CoStar COMPS #2721407 for more information...
During the first quarter 2013, one building totaling 35,000 square feet was completed in the Charlotte market area. This compares to six buildings totaling 828,831 square feet that were completed in the fourth quarter 2012, one building totaling 9,576 square feet completed in the third quarter 2012, and 47,375 square feet in five buildings completed in the second quarter 2012.
There was 105,211 square feet of office space under construction at...
Net absorption for the overall Charlotte office market was positive 258,042 square feet in the first quarter 2013. That compares to positive 733,616 square feet in the fourth quarter 2012, positive 526,376 square feet in the third quarter 2012, and positive 79,394 square feet in the second quarter 2012.
The Class A office market recorded net absorption of positive 105,879 square feet in the first quarter 2013, compared to positive 593,912 square...
The office vacancy rate in the Charlotte market area decreased at 11.9% at the end of the first quarter 2013. The vacancy rate was 12.1% at the end of the fourth quarter 2012, 12.0% at the end of the third quarter 2012, and 12.6% at the end of the second quarter 2012.
Class A projects reported a vacancy rate of 12.6% at the end of the first quarter 2013, 12.9% at the end of the fourth quarter 2012, 12.6% at the end of the third quarter 2012,...
