The Obamas May Buy Beachfront Property in Martha’s Vineyard: What Could Go Wrong?

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It’s no secret that former President Barack Obama and his family love Martha’s Vineyard, having vacationed on the idyllic Massachusetts island seven out of the eight summers they were in the White House, as well as this August. And rumors are now flying that they’re looking to purchase property in the area.

Local real estate agents are tight-lipped on the reports that the Obamas are house-hunting, since part of the charm of this island is that despite its popularity, VIPs can still get plenty of privacy. That’s why it’s a magnet for celebs—including Bill Clinton, Larry David, Alan Dershowitz, and David Letterman—some of whom can be frequently sighted at low-key hotspots like the front porch of the Chilmark General Store. According to anonymous sources cited in the Boston Globe, the Obamas are shopping for homes or land lots in the northern, less populated regions of Aquinnah, Chilmark, and West Tisbury.

In particular, the Globe suggests the former president might be eyeing two oceanfront properties in Aquinnah that were once part of the 377-acre Red Gate Farm owned by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who passed this property down to Caroline Kennedy and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg. They later subdivided it into these two parcels.

One parcel is 75 acres at 8 Red Gate Farm Road, for sale at $15 million; it’s pictured below.

8 Red Gate Farm Road

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The second, seen below, is a 40-acre parcel at 6 Red Gate Farm Road, for sale at $12 million. Both are listed with Hancock Real Estate in Chilmark (which refused to comment when we called).

6 Red Gate Farm Road

Granted, even without a fabulous mansion on the premises, it’s clear that either (or both!) of these properties would offer the Obamas a slice of heaven on earth.

“Both lots are stunning,” says Joy Cifuni, a real estate agent in Cape Cod, MA, at Keller Williams. “If I had to choose, I would pick the one for $15 million, because of the extra acres.”

While comps in this price range are tough to come by, a 106-acre lot at 3 Red Gate Farm Road sold in 2012 and is currently valued at $12,685,000. So, given that these lots for sale are in the same price range (or higher) but offer far less land, you’ve gotta wonder: Are they overpriced? Possibly, considering the length of time they’ve been lingering unsold.

“Both pieces of land have been on the market for 83 days,” points out Cifuni. This could spell an opportunity for the Obamas, should they decide to make an offer.

“Personally, I would deduct 10% from asking,” says Cifuni.

Those savings could come in handy, since the Obamas will have to build a home from scratch, which is no small undertaking on this island south of Cape Cod.

“Being on the ocean creates its own challenges, like steps constantly washing out, erosion of land, and painting needing to be done more consistently because of salt,” says Cifuni. “Picking the right builder is the most important step they could possibly make.”

Other experts agree that building the perfect house could bring the former first family a ton of headaches.

“As good as a builder may be, problems always arise, causing delays,” says Denise Supplee, a property management specialist at SparkRental. “And although the Obamas do have a political advantage, there is much to deal with in zoning, licensing, permits, and ground preparation.”

“The Obamas need to check all permits, and [see] if their land can be subdivided, and if it’s on Wampanoag land,” says Julianne Kavoussi, who has owned a home in the Edgartown part of the Vineyard for 20 years. The Wampanoag are Native American people who, she says, own a good portion of Aquinnah.

Nonetheless, this land is bound to be a great investment.

“Oceanfront property here holds its value,” says Cifuni. “It’s the first to come up in price from a declining market, and the last to go down in a declining market.”

In other words, if these rumors are to be believed, the Obamas have picked a great place to put down some roots. Lobster roll, anyone?

The post The Obamas May Buy Beachfront Property in Martha’s Vineyard: What Could Go Wrong? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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This Brutalist House for Sale in Texas Isn’t an Eyesore

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The term “Brutalist architecture” doesn’t offer a warm and fuzzy feeling. And there’s some truth to a brutalist building being, well, brutal. The much-derided (and sometimes praised) Boston City Hall is a prime example.

But this Brutalist home near Leakey, TX, 90 minutes from San Antonio, breaks the mold. Priced at $949,000, the big building sits on property spanning a whopping 42 acres and is built on the side of a hill.

In true Brutalist style, the property is a behemoth constructed from glass and concrete. The home features soaring 7.5-foot windows and 13-foot high ceilings offering an open and airy vibe in the vastness of the Lone Star State. It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a three-car garage all overlooking some seriously picturesque views.

View of the house

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The windows

Coldwell Banker

At an elevation of 3,700 square feet, it’s a perfect cocoon from the often-brutal elements—namely, the heat. Even with all the glass and air-conditioning, your wallet won’t take as much of a hit from the energy bill as you might think. According to the listing description, the home was “designed for optimum energy efficiency and maximum utility bill savings.”

View of the hills

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The property’s large master suite, located in a separate wing of the L-shaped house, features an open shower, a sunken spa bath, and a large, walk-in closet. There’s a great room for family living and entertaining, an open kitchen, a breakfast nook, and a chef’s island. It’s one of the most secluded homes on the range, which is located on a private, quarter-mile road.

Floor-to ceiling windows

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To build the house, designers had a crew blast out the side of a 2,200-foot-mountaintop with dynamite before constructing the house out of about a million pounds of concrete, double-paned glass, and reinforced steel.

Brutalist design doesn’t ooze curb appeal, but this hot home has some serious Texas-sized luxury on the inside. There’s nothing brutal about that.

View from the house

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These 5 Landscape Design Trends for Fall Are Catching Fire

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Sorry, sun worshippers. It’s that time of year again, when the flames of those barbecues and bonfires start to die down for good, the shorts go back into deep storage, and the summer vacations come grinding to an end.

But just because the days are shorter and the temperature’s a bit chillier doesn’t mean homeowners can’t continue to enjoy their own outdoor oases. They just may want to add fire.

Fire features, such as outdoor fire pits and fire tables (designed so that the flames burst through the center), are the hottest landscape trend of the fall, according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals.

The Fairfax, VA-based association came up with the top landscaping trends by analyzing the results from the annual survey of its more than 5,000 members and also from in-depth conversations with several dozen landscape professionals across the country.

Fire features “are great accessories for entertaining people of all ages,” association spokeswoman Missy Henriksen says of the dramatic pits, tables, and even walls. “Young people can cook some s’mores around them. They’re also great for creating a mood and ambience.”

This sizzling design trend can also help keep homeowners and their guests warm on chilly nights. And many of the fire-based amenities can be controlled remotely by smartphones, or programmed to turn on or off at specific times.

Fire features, fire pits, fire walls, and fire tables are all the rage this fall.

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Classic fall plants also remain popular, nabbing the No. 2 spot on the list. Homeowners seem particularly keen on the next generation of chrysanthemums, boxwood, and maples, in hardier varieties that may require less work and water.

Outdoor lighting came in third, since safety is always a concern. Homeowners are installing LED lighting along their walkways to make sure they don’t trip and fall in the dark.

More durable, low-maintenance materials, such as porcelain tiles for patios, decks, and walkways, are also rising in popularity. That’s because they look like real wood and natural stone, but don’t cause splinters and are less likely to degrade over time or be damaged by bad weather.

“They’re very, very durable,” says Henriksen, adding that some varieties can be cheaper than wood and stone. “And they look good.”

The last trend on the list was creating interiorscapes. These living, green decorations (plants sprouting out of hanging frames on walls and tropical plants growing out of groups of containers) are popular both indoors and in courtyards.

“People really want to be able to enjoy being outside,” Henriksen says. These are ways “to enjoy the outdoors inside.”

Bringing the outdoors indoors is a hot trend for fall.

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Making Moves in Southern California, Alfred Molina Lists Hollywood Home

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Acclaimed actor Alfred Molina is moving up in the world … at least geographically speaking. He’s traded the palm trees for the pines! Now that Molina’s settled into a completely remodeled home in the foothills of La Canada Flintridge, he’s put his Mediterranean-style home in Hollywood on the market for $2.95 million.

The prolific actor, who’s currently nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role as beleaguered director Robert Aldrich in “Feud: Bette and Joan,” bought his new ranch-style home in July for $2.75 million.

The home he’s now selling is prominently located in a surprisingly cozy residential neighborhood between Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard, near Laurel Canyon.

Located in a neighborhood known as “Sunset Square,” it features five bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and measures 3,755 square feet. Originally built in 1919, the home has been completely remodeled, but still retains some of its historic charm, in the form of stunning leaded glass windows, wood floors, and a “Renaissance”-style library.

Alfred Molina’s Hollywood home

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Library

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Large Italian kitchen

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It makes sense that Molina has a massive, Italian-style kitchen with stainless steel appliances and plenty of prep space, since his mother was Italian. His father was Spanish, and Molina himself was born and raised in England, so it’s no surprise that there’s a European vibe throughout the home.

But there’s also a bit of Hollywood glam, reflected in the massive closets and the abundance of luxurious balconies and terraces.

And it also reflects California’s latest water-wise sensibilities, with no pool, but plenty of drought-resistant, native landscaping.

Plus, there’s additional California-style living space in the guest house in back, which includes an office off the finished garage, and an upstairs suite with a full bath, kitchen area, and private terrace.

Large closet

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One of several balconies

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Backyard with drought-resistant landscaping

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Guest suite

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Molina has been a Hollywood fixture for quite some time, and is best-known for his roles in films like “Boogie Nights,” “Spiderman 2,” and “The Da Vinci Code.”

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John Silvon on transitioning from opera singer to leader of Realtor groups

President of realtors association for Palm Beach and Broward counties performed songs in Italy.

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Adam Lambert’s Luxe Los Angeles House Rocks the Real Estate Market

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Glam rocker Adam Lambert, one of the most versatile and successful alums from “American Idol,” is currently on a break from his Queen + Adam Lambert tour.

It looks like he also wants to take a break from his ultramodern party pad overlooking the Sunset Strip—it’s now on the market for $4 million.

A house was originally built on the lot in 1947, but it’s been glamorously remodeled and completely rebuilt over the last several years. When Lambert paid $3 million for the place in 2014, it had four bedrooms and 3.5 baths over 3,799 square feet of interior space.

“The home has a boutique hotel vibe,” says listing agent Brad Downs of Rodeo Realty. Indeed it does—with the massive, covered loggia, which is more like an outdoor living room, alongside a large, amoeba-shaped pool. The outdoor space reminds us a lot of Beverly Hills’ famous Avalon Hotel, the swank and sophisticated haunt where stars like Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball used to stay.

Backyard pool and loggia

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Living room

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Ultramodern loggia

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Other areas where Lambert probably entertained include an outdoor, 10-person spa attached to that curvaceous pool, which has a waterfall flowing into it, and a fire pit. Fleetwood doors enabled his guests to flow from the inside out or the outside in, where they could nosh in a formal dining room with a wall of built-in, climate-controlled wine towers.

Lambert’s guests doubtless feasted on cuisine prepared in a gourmet kitchen with chef’s grade Viking appliances and a massive center island.

Kitchen

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For more private pursuits, the master suite has killer views from two balconies, a sitting room, a fireplace, a massive walk-in closet, a bath with green marble, a steam shower, and a soaking tub.

Lounging balcony

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Master bathroom

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Above that is a third-level space with its own entrance, which can be used as a fourth bedroom, a guest suite, a screening room, a private home office, studio, or a gym, as Lambert has most recently been using it.

Upstairs gym

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With Lambert’s current success, few remember that the 35-year-old Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and actor was the runner-up on the eighth season of “American Idol” back in 2009. The Queen + Adam Lambert tour will soon be taking him to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. On tour, he belts Freddy Mercury faves, as well as his own solo hits, with the iconic rock band Queen behind him.

His latest single, “Two Fux,” which he recorded with Queen and released in June, has been extremely well-received. Esquire called it “effervescent and a showcase for the nosebleed-inducing heights his falsetto can scale.”

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5 Surprises About Fixing a Flooded Home

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Hurricane Harvey is still going strong, with torrential rains expected to pummel Texas well into Wednesday. So far, the storm has taken 14 lives, left countless more injured or homeless, and has everyone wondering: What will it take to repair the damage and devastation that Harvey has left in its wake?

While cleanup efforts can’t really get under way until the storm has passed, remediation companies in the surrounding areas are poised to spring into action once the flood waters have receded. Only what, exactly, will these companies do? To fill you in, here are a few surprising facts about fixing a flooded home.

1. A flooded home can be fixed

Despite what you might think, a flooded home can be saved rather than razed to the ground, but removing the moisture quickly is key. “The biggest thing is getting in there and getting it cleaned up quickly,” says Robyn Kent, claims administrator at Dalworth Restoration, based in Euless, TX. “Closer to the three- to five-day mark is when it becomes questionable, since by then, all the materials have become fragile.”

2. You’d be amazed what can be saved

“Using truck-mounted vacuums with 2,000 horsepower, and dehumidifiers, we can extract moisture from furniture, hardwood, tile, even Sheetrock,” Kent says. Even electronics like TVs and laptops may still operate after a thorough drying. “In fact, when carpet gets wet, people think it’s ruined, but it actually ends up stronger than when it was made,” Kent says.

3. Mold, not water, is the real problem

“One of the biggest problems—especially in Houston in the summer—is going to be mold,” says Tyler Drew, a Los Angeles real estate agent and investor. “The longer a house sits with water, the worse the mold infestation. Affected areas have to be removed, the wood and concrete treated with anti-mold agents, and all of this has to be done after the house is sealed, in order to prevent the infestation from spreading and sickening people.”

4. Repairing a flooded home will cost you

“Drying off a 2,000 square-foot house in normal conditions may cost over $2,500, while in situations like Harvey is producing, the job scope expands quickly—and so will costs,” says Peter Duncanson, director of operations and safety with ServiceMaster Restore.

While flood insurance may cover the cost of repairs, you should make sure you have the right kind (more on that next).

5. Homeowner insurance doesn’t cover all floods

“Although federal flood insurance is very inexpensive in areas not prone to flooding, most owners do not take out this insurance,” says Bruce Ailion, a Realtor and attorney in Atlanta. “In the past, the government bailed out these people, but that is far less likely to happen today.”

And even if you do have flood insurance, you should make sure what is covered. “Many people don’t realize their homeowner insurance doesn’t cover rising water,” says Kent. In other words, “some flood insurance will cover rain water if it comes through your roof, but most of the time, it won’t cover water rising in your home, like what’s happening in Texas, unless you ask for it specifically.”

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Meet the new president of the Bay Area's second-largest residential brokerage

Alain Pinel Realtors, the Bay Area's second-largest residential brokerage, has picked a new president.

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Trump Administration Plans New Restrictions on Reverse Mortgages

Aaron Davidson/Getty Images for Habitat for Humanity of Broward

The Trump administration is planning to raise premiums and place tighter loan limits on some borrowers in a mortgage program that helps seniors supplement their incomes.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Tuesday plans to announce the changes in a letter to lenders to the so-called reverse mortgage program, which allows seniors to take out a loan against the value of their home. The Trump administration feels the changes are necessary to put the program, which is backstopped by taxpayers, on a sounder financial footing.

“Given the losses we’re seeing in the [reverse mortgage] program, we have a responsibility to make changes that balance our mission with our responsibility to protect taxpayers,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said through a spokesman.

The modifications won’t apply to borrowers with existing mortgages, but will affect those who take out new loans. Some 650,000 borrowers have outstanding reverse loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration, which is part of HUD.

Most new borrowers will pay bigger premiums upfront but lower ones over the life of the loan, lessening the risk to taxpayers if seniors live longer than predicted. Borrowers will now pay 2% of the amount of the home’s value upfront and 0.5% annually over the course of the loan.

Currently, most borrowers pay 0.5% upfront and 1.25% annually over the remainder of the loan. Some who borrow more than 60% of the amount they can borrow against the home in the first year already pay 2.5% upfront so they will see premiums go down slightly.

On balance, most seniors will also be able to borrow less money. The average borrower at current interest rates will be able to borrow roughly 58% of the value of their home, down from 64%. But those limits vary significantly based on interest rates and the age of the borrower. While most seniors at current interest rates will be able to borrow less, some may be able to borrow more if rates rise.

The Federal Housing Administration’s reverse mortgage program allows seniors to take out loans from private lenders against their homes to supplement pension income and help those on fixed incomes deal with unexpected or rising expenses. When the borrower moves or dies, the lender that originated the reverse mortgage takes possession of the home and sells it, and the proceeds are used to repay the loan.

But the program also carries significant risks for the federal government, which backs the loans.

The Federal Housing Administration covers the losses on the loans from a reserve fund that is supported primarily by premiums paid by younger borrowers on traditional FHA mortgages. Since 2009, the reverse-mortgage program has drained nearly $12 billion from that fund.

“You have this cross-subsidy from younger, less affluent people who are trying to achieve homeownership,” said Adolfo Marzol, a senior adviser at HUD.

In 2013, FHA required a one-time $1.7 billion appropriation from the U.S. Treasury, largely due to losses from the reverse-mortgage program.

Lenders use actuarial tables to determine how much borrowers are eligible to receive. But making predictions for 15 to 20 years in the future is an inexact science and the loans can end up losing money if home price growth is slower than expected, seniors don’t keep the homes in great repair or they live longer and more interest accrues on the loan.

Without changes, federal officials say that the program is placing an increasingly large burden on the reserve fund and within the next couple of years FHA would require an appropriation from Congress to keep backing reverse mortgages. It is also indirectly hurting HUD’s ability to lower premiums on forward mortgages by putting pressure on the reserve fund, officials said.

On Inauguration Day, the Trump administration announced that it was suspending an Obama administration directive to reduce premiums on traditional FHA mortgages by a quarter of a percentage point.

Advocates for the program, who hadn’t yet been briefed on the changes, acknowledged that it has issues that need to be addressed but said it remains a critical resource for many seniors.

“Being able to survive retirement when you don’t have necessarily have a large 401(k), that creates the real risk of just being able to pay the bills and eat food and stay in a home,” said David Stevens, president of the Mortgage Bankers Association and a former FHA commissioner.

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How much per month? Highest-priced rentals in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is not Washington, D.C., or New York – and that's great for people who want to rent apartments. Our fair city is known for a lot of attributes, but our relatively low housing costs has been touted as a major lure for business talent. So we turned to our friends at Realtor.com to see just how expensive rental properties at the top end of the market can be in Philadelphia. Click on the gallery to see the most expensive properties by monthly rent. We took the top 25 rental properties.…

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Discord grows among Austin-area Realtors; Agents picking sides in ABOR fracas

There are new efforts from a pair of high-profile real estate agents to force the Austin Board of Realtors to heed their questions. But ABOR decries their "misinformation" tactics and defends its processes. It's the latest twist in a dramatic saga that has shaken up one of Austin's biggest business sectors.

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Home Price Gains Were Hot in June as Seattle Sizzled, Case-Shiller Says

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U.S. home price growth picked up steam in June as strong demand continued to buoy the market.

The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index rose a seasonally adjusted 5.7% in the three-month period ending in June, compared with a year ago, the same rate of change as in May. The national index rose 5.8%, compared with a year ago, up from a 5.7% annual increase in May.

Nine cities had stronger annual price growth in June than in May, and western metros remained on top, with annual price gains ranging from 13.4% in Seattle to 7.7% in Dallas. Seattle prices are rising so rapidly that they have left No. 2 Portland in the dust, S&P Dow Jones Indices noted in a release.

Metro	Monthly change	12-month change
Atlanta	0.6%	5.3%
Boston	0.7%	6.2%
Charlotte	0.8%	6.0%
Chicago	0.9%	3.2%
Cleveland	0.6%	2.9%
Dallas	0.8%	7.7%
Denver	0.8%	7.6%
Detroit	1.5%	7.6%
Las Vegas	1.0%	7.3%
Los Angeles	0.7%	5.6%
Miami	0.4%	5.0%
Minneapolis	1.0%	5.7%
New York	0.6%	3.9%
Phoenix	0.8%	5.8%
Portland	0.9%	8.2%
San Diego	0.9%	7.1%
San Francisco	0.7%	6.1%
Seattle	1.4%	13.4%
Tampa	0.5%	6.9%
Washington	0.7%	3.1%

The national price index reclaimed its 2006 peak last fall, but the closely watched 20-city index is still about 2.9% shy of that bubble-era peak.

Earlier in August, data provider CoreLogic released its own home price index, which showed prices rose 6.7% for the year in June. In contrast, the Case-Shiller index is a three-month rolling average of prices.

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Long Island Mansion Where 1981’s ‘Endless Love’ Was Shot on the Market for $1.7M

Ron Galella/WireImage; realtor.com

The Victorian-era mansion where filmmakers shot the forgettable 1981 teen romance “Endless Love” is on the market, with an asking price of $1.7 million.

The 36-year-old film is famous today for its cast, which featured then-teenagers Brooke Shields, James Spader, and Tom Cruise, as well as the title song, which earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for legendary musician Lionel Richie.

While the early 1980s slice of cinematic cheese may not have aged well, the house used as its backdrop certainly has.

Exterior

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Hallway

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The six-bedroom, 3.5 bath home was built in 1903 and sits on a nearly half-acre lot in Sea Cliff, NY, a wealthy seaside hamlet on Long Island.

At the turn of the last century, wealthy New Yorkers built summer homes in Sea Cliff, creating one of the most impressive collections of Queen Anne Victorians in Nassau County. Today, many of those homes have been fully restored and sit on the National Register of Historic Places.

Living room

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This three-story home retains its period charm, with a wide, wraparound porch. Its classic Victorian entrance has an ornate, curving transom window and matching sidelights. Inside, a wide, curved entryway leads to the sitting room and fireplace.

There’s a second fireplace in the formal dining room, which is surrounded by rich wainscoting and a bay window. The kitchen is utilitarian, with a simple kitchen butcher block island, industrial gas range, and functional range hood. There’s a separate breakfast room, butler’s pantry, and family room, and fireplaces in several of the bedrooms.

The home was last sold in 2006 for $1.22 million.

In the 1981 film, an obsessed teenage lover sets fire to the porch of his girlfriend’s home in a scheme to win over her skeptical parents. Rather than shooting that scene on a movie lot, the filmmakers decided to spark (and extinguish) a real fire at the home, The New York Times reported. There are absolutely no signs of damage, just the remnants of this tragic tale of forbidden cinematic love.

The post Long Island Mansion Where 1981’s ‘Endless Love’ Was Shot on the Market for $1.7M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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Fourth Raytown shopping center sells

Earlier this year, three shopping centers in Raytown sold for a total of $4.9 million. Now, a fourth center on the northeast corner of Missouri Highway 350 and Blue Ridge Boulevard has sold. Last listed for $2.4 million, Raytown Crossings Shopping Center sold to an undisclosed buyer. According to a release, brokers Bill Maas and Jay Friedman of Block & Co. Inc. Realtors represented the seller, CTA Properties LLC. Built in 1987, the 65,000-square-foot shopping center at 6715-6731 Blue Ridge Blvd.…

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We Serve Up 7 Homes With Tennis Courts That Are Easy to Love

If you want to practice your backhand from your own backyard, prepare to shell out serious scratch.

By definition, properties featuring tennis courts must be large, thanks to their need for a wide expanse of flat, level land. A regulation court takes up 2,800 square feet—and that’s just the court itself. Figure in the surrounding area plus a place to lounge après play and the amount of space needed adds up quickly.

And despite the sport’s sometimes fusty rep, tennis is a hot amenity for home buyers today—at least for buyers who love the idea of serving up aces before breakfast.

“Tennis is big in South Florida,” Privé at Island Estates sales director Michael Neumann says. “Everyone is [focused] outdoors.” The eight-acre private island in Aventura, FL, with 180 condos is under construction and with roughly 70 percent of units sold. Unlike many new builds that don’t have the space to add a tennis court, Privé offers a landscaped, lighted $200,000 court right on the water. “People have bought here because of the tennis court,” he says. With stiff sales competition in Florida, that’s no idle boast.

Not every tennis court offers quite as stunning a setting, but we did our best to come up with six additional homes for sale worth courting…

Privé at Island Estates, Aventura, FL

Price: $2.1 million to $8.5 million
Simply smashing: The two towers of 180 condos are located on South Florida’s last buildable 8-acre private island. Set to be completed in the next two months, the 16-story luxury towers feature resort-style luxury amenities, including a lighted tennis court, outlined with lush greenery, overlooking the island’s idyllic intracoastal waters.

Tennis court rendering for Privé at Island Estates

Courtesy of Privé at Island Estates

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5011 Pine Tree Dr, Miami Beach, FL 

Price: $24,950,000
Simply smashing: This classic Mediterranean estate is situated on 2 acres, with approximately 560 feet of water frontage. Along with a lighted tennis court, the spread includes a three-story main house, a guest complex, and one of the last remaining boathouses on Miami Beach.

Miami Beach, FL

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2298 E. Glendora Rd, Buchanan, MI

Price: $3,200,000
Simply smashing: Welcome to your year-round vacation destination. The Midwestern lodge is located just 1.5 hours from Chicago, and offers a 6,000-square-foot, six-bedroom house on 81 acres, including the pristine tennis court, a basketball courts, pool, lakes—and yes, a sledding hill for when things get frigid.

Buchanan, MI

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580 Hands Creek Rd, East Hampton, NY

Price: $2,799,000
Simply smashing: Just listed, this 2,500-square-foot Hamptons getaway is situated in the woods off a long, gated drive. The modern build includes four beds, three baths, walls of glass, a deck-wrapped heated pool, a newly surfaced tennis court, a half-basketball court, and a jungle gym.

East Hampton, NY

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9800 SW 60th Ct, Pinecrest, FL

Price: $2,679,000
Simply smashing: A contemporary home that’s been newly updated offers floor-to-ceiling windows and 5,761-square-feet of sprawling space that overlooks the backyard, covered patio, heated pool, and tennis court. The home’s bounced on and off the market more than a tennis ball. As of now, it might have bounced off after a recent price cut.

Pinecrest, FL

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45 Meadowbrook Rd, Weston, MA

Price: $2,395,000
Simply smashing: Move right into this updated estate located on the Weston Golf Club. The pristine property includes a formal living and dining room, plus a family room that opens to a deck overlooking the grounds and tennis court.

Weston, MA

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282 Carabela Ct. Coral Gables, FL

Price: $6,999,000
Simply smashing: Here’s your small empire. Nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac, this Mediterranean-style, two-story home boasts a yacht dock and observation tower, a pool, BBQ area, a practice tennis court, and a small private beach.

Coral Gables, FL

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Actress Sally Kellerman Puts Her Hollywood Hills Cottage on the Market

Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Actress Sally Kellerman has put her cozy home in the Hollywood Hills on the market for $1.4 million. The price is right, because the listing is already in pending status after just a couple of weeks on the market.

The quaint, two-bedroom, one-bath, 1,557-square-foot cottage is very private, tucked behind a gate and surrounded by mature foliage. It has high-beamed ceilings and colored tile in the bath and kitchen that looks as if it was installed when the home was built in 1950.

Located in a historical Hollywood area off notorious Mulholland Drive, the quarter-acre property has great family potential—the local elementary school is Wonderland Avenue Elementary, one of L.A.‘s highest-rated public schools.

The new owners can easily adapt the home to their own needs. As the listing notes, “Your own updating and style will only add to this magnificent and unique property.” So yes, it’s a bit of a fixer-upper.

Living room

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The listing also notes that the home sits “amidst many multi-million dollar estates.” In fact, Kellerman and her late husband, “Look Who’s Talking” producer Jonathan D. Krane, who passed away last summer, owned the famous mansion right next door, before it was sold in a bank sale.

Although not currently on the market, the home was listed in 2015 for $5 million, and offered for rent for $21,000 per month.

In addition to having been owned by Kellerman and Krane, the five-bedroom estate once owned by the couple has a number of other notable ties to Hollywood, one of them being that a young, yet-to-be-famous carpenter by the name of Harrison Ford did some renovation work on it. In 1983, architect Frank Gehry completely redesigned the 1940s-era Cape Cod, giving it a modern addition that looks nothing like the rest of the house, yet somehow works.

Former Sally Kellerman house

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