Marv Albert Lists NYC Penthouse for $16.5M

AUTHOR:LAURA VECSEY
ZILLOW

Legendary sports broadcaster Marv Albert is looking for the big swish on his 150 Columbus Ave penthouse apartment.

In the midst of the NBA playoffs, Albert has listed his terraced Manhattan residence for $16.5 million, quite a few dollars more than the $2.393 million he paid for the place back in 1996, according to Curbed.

Source: NBA.com

The apartment is one of 12 units in the desirable Columbus Circle building, and its listing details warn prospective buyers to beware of all the amenities this 3,500-square-foot gem provides, including the 1,500-square-foot terrace with a retractable awning that gives the apartment a huge boost for entertaining and enjoyment.

In addition, the lower level offers an eat-in chef’s kitchen finished with top-line appliances. There’s a mahogany paneled library complete with guest suite.

The upper level features a luxurious master bedroom suite with a stunning 180-degree view that captures the southern midtown Manhattan skyline, the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge. There are 2 master suites, one of which opens into an exercise room.

In addition, the building is a full-service, white-glove condominium in the heart of the Upper West Side, delivering residents to the doorsteps of such notable NYC spots as Lincoln Center and Central Park.

As for Albert, the 72-year-old native New Yorker remains one of the most seasoned broadcasters of sports in the U.S., with decades of work as the voice of the New York Knicks, Nets and NBA.

Tips for Moving Furniture

From TheFamilyHandyman.com

Protect furniture with blankets and plastic

Avoid damage

Moving blankets are invaluable for protecting the items you're moving as well as your house. Sure, renting them is cheap, but you can buy several for just a few dollars more at home centers or uhaul.com and always have them on hand. (You'll use them for all kinds of other things too.) To prevent damaging the finish and fragile edges of dressers, tables and other furniture, wrap the items completely with moving blankets and secure the blanket with stretch film. Find 20-in. wide rolls of stretch film at home centers and moving outfitters.

Miami Real Estate Affordable despite Rising Prices

An analysis of prices in Miami-Dade County year-to-date reveals that 58 percent of residential properties are selling for less than $250,000 despite rising prices, according to the 30,000-member Miami Association of Realtors.

Miami, FL – An analysis of prices in Miami-Dade County year-to-date reveals that 58 percent of residential properties are selling for less than $250,000 despite rising prices, according to the 30,000-member Miami Association of Realtors.

While record real estate sales activity in Miami-Dade has fueled double-digit price increases for nearly three years, median sale prices are what they were in 2003.  The price growth that began in 2011 is relative to the bottom of the market, which means prices remain low compared to their peak in 2007. The current median sale prices for homes in Miami-Dade are what they were in 2003.  Compared to the peak in 2007, prices for single-family homes and condominiums are respectively 36 and 29 percent lower.

Considering the endless amenities Miami offers and its world-class status, this level of affordability is remarkable.

Affordability IndexThe National Association of Realtors latest Affordability Index of Existing Single-Family Homes for Metropolitan Areas shows Miami remains very competitive in terms of affordability.  Based on the relationship between median home price, median family income and average mortgage interest rate, a composite index of 100 is defined as the point where a median-income family household has exactly enough income to qualify for the purchase of a median-priced existing single-family home, assuming a 20 percent down payment and 25 percent of gross income devoted to mortgage principal and interest payments.

Miami’s index was 120 for all of 2013, following three years of robust market performance.  This means in Miami a median-income family household has 120 percent of the income necessary to qualify for a conventional loan, more than enough to purchase a median-priced home. 

In contrast, the index for other major metro areas was: Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA (67.8), San Diego (80.9), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA (79.9), New York-Wayne-White Plains, NY-NJ (73.8), and San Francisco (72.6) – compared to Miami (120). 

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis to give free concert in Aventura

Duo performs this Saturday for customers as part of the grand opening of the new Microsoft store in Aventura Mall.

By Amy Reyes | miamiherald.com

If you think that Apple has the patent on cool, think again. Microsoft is on a mission to refresh its image by pushing its own retail concept throughout the country. This Thursday (May 29) is the grand opening of the brand's fifth full line retail store in Florida, and the 98th across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. To mark the occasion, they will not only be peddling their new tablets and products, but they will be passing out free tickets to a concert by hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis on Saturday, May 31.

To score the tickets, customers should arrive early to this Thursday's festivities (slated to begin at 10:30 a.m.). There they can also snag giveaways and watch as Panos Panay, Corporate VP for Microsoft Surface, drops $1 million in software grants to local community organizations like the United Way of Miami-Dade, The Arc of South Florida, Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center and the Girl Scout Council of Florida.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, the Seattle-based duo who took home the Grammy for Best Rap Album last January, will perform hits from their independently produced and distributed album "The Heist," which made a viral climb to No. 1 on iTunes upon it's October 2012 release. Their mega hits "Thrift Shop" and "Can't Hold Us" both peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the music videos for both songs have gotten love on YouTube to the tune of a combined 700 million hits.

The group will be performing at the Surface Lot outside of Aventura Mall; gates open Saturday, May 31 at 11 a.m. Tickets are limited, so don't snooze.

Exclusive Photos: Tom and Gisele’s Palatial Estate

AUTHOR:EMILY HEFFTER
ZILLOW

Source: People.com

Photos of the dream estate built by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, were released today amid rumors the home has sold to rapper-producer Dr. Dre for $40 million.

Listing agent Stephen Shapiro of Westside Estate Agency said the home at 12780 Chalon Rd in Brentwood, CA has not sold, but he would not comment about whether it was under contract or about the Dr. Dre rumors.

Brady and Bundchen did a photo spread in Architectural Digest when they completed their nearly 20,000-square-foot estate in 2011. It was a surprise in the luxury real estate world when the couple turned around and listed the home for sale for $50 million after barely living in it.

The Old World-inspired imported limestone mansion on 4 acres is a truly palatial retreat, with reclaimed cobblestones in the motor court, waterfalls and ponds, and views of the Pacific Ocean. It has 5 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms, and is built for “large-scale entertaining,” according to the listing. The home was built with reclaimed ceiling beams, antiqued floorboards, antique doors, and marble fireplace surrounds.

Interior House Painting Tips & Painting Techniques for the Perfect Paint Job

From TheFamilyHandyman.com

Roll paint along the edges for consistent texture

Corners and areas next to trim that are painted only with a brush have a notice- ably different texture than the surrounding paint. To ensure the finished texture will be consistent in these areas, brush on the paint, then immediately roll it out before the paint dries.

Use a 3-in. roller with a nap that’s the same thickness as the roller used for the rest of the wall. Roll as close as you can without bumping the opposite wall or slopping paint onto the trim. Finish brushing on the paint and rolling it out in one area before moving on to the next section.

Roll out paint near trim

Early Mortgage Payoff Methods

From the Superpages.com

If you are interested in early mortgage payoff, there are several different methods that can work which allow you to pay off your loan in less time. Some of these methods have become so popular that banks and online services even help you to do them. By using one or more early mortgage payoff methods, you can shave years off the life of your loan.

Early Mortgage Payoff Methods

There are several popular methods of early mortgage payoff, each of which involves you making extra payments in a structured form. These methods include:

• Biweekly payments
• Making an extra payment
• Overpaying by the next month's principle

Biweekly Payments

Making biweekly payments is one of the most popular methods homeowners use to achieve an early mortgage payoff. Under this method, instead of paying your mortgage once a month, you make payments every two weeks. Since most people get paid biweekly, this allows you to align your mortgage payments with your paycheck. Because you are paying biweekly, however, you end up making an extra mortgage payment for a total of 13 payments each year instead of 12. This can reduce your principle faster and cut years off the amount of time it takes to pay off your mortgage.

The downside to this method is that most banks will not accept payments every two weeks, they will only accept a single monthly payment. As a result, many services exist which will automate this process for you. Your bank may offer this service or you can work with an independent company that has an arrangement with your bank. There are usually fees associated with either method but the amount you will save in interest often far exceeds the cost of any fees.

Making an Extra Payment

If you don't want to pay fees, you can achieve the same thing as biweekly payments by simply making one extra payment each year. This can make budgeting and automating a bit more difficult, but can still help you to pay off your mortgage quickly.

Overpaying by Next Months Principle

When you get your mortgage statement every month, you are given a number that states principle and interest. Much of your payment, at least in the beginning, goes towards the interest, so the amount you are actually paying towards your principle is relatively low. When you make your mortgage payment each month, you can simply add on the amount that you will be paying in principle for the following month, and note that the amount is to go towards principle. This will accelerate your mortgage payoff dramatically.

The downside to this method is that, as you pay down more of your mortgage, the amount of interest you pay gets smaller and the amount of money that goes towards your principle gets larger. It can thus become difficult as time goes on to make the large principle payments a month in advance. However, if your income grows over the years, you may be able to grow into making these extra payments.

Tips for Early Mortgage Payoff

When you make extra payments, either annually or monthly, make sure you note that you want the money to go towards paying down principle and not to be advanced to next months payment. Check your mortgage statement to ensure the bank is applying the payments correctly. Finally, enjoy watching your mortgage balance go down as you take steps towards early mortgage payoff.

Selena Gomez Selling Redecorated Rambler

 AUTHOR:EMILY HEFFTER
ZILLOW

Source: IMDb

Come and get it: Selena Gomez’s San Fernando Valley mansion is updated, and she’s looking for a buyer at $3.495 million.

The singer-actress and Justin Bieber’s off-and-on girlfriend kept the red front door of the 6,000-plus square-foot home at 19241 Wells Dr. in Tarzana, but she redecorated almost everything else. Gone are the oriental rugs, red plaid dining room chairs and farmhouse decor. In their place: sleek gray paint, glimmering chandeliers and plush, silvery-and-white upholstered furniture.

Thanks to her young and loyal fan base and Bieber connection, Gomez is commonly tied to a little Internet confusion. The last time the home changed hands in 2011, it was widely reported that “Superbad” comedian Jonah Hill was the buyer. But a source confirmed Gomez’s parents — under a trust linked to Hill’s father — bought the home, and that Gomez lived there for a time.

Hill’s father is an agent to several young Hollywood stars, including Gomez.

The 6-bedroom, 8-bath gated home sits on a full acre, with lots of outdoor amenities, including a pool, full basketball court, Bocce Ball court, pergola and even an orchard.