Magical Mid-Century Modern in Arizona Brought Back to Life

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As soon as home builder Stuart Moore strolled into this Mid-Century Modern home in the desert, he had a feeling it was something special.

Sure, the house had been neglected for years and required a makeover, but Moore saw something special in this Paradise Valley, AZ, gem. After months of work researching the home’s history and restoring it to its classic standard, the end result is an open, modern desert dream with a serious architectural pedigree.

Listed for $1.4 million in 2017 when Moore recognized that it was special, the remodeled home is now on the market for $2.3 million.

Exterior

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“It was neglected, but the architecture was amazing,” Moore said. “It’s a super cool property.”

While Moore and his partner, Craig Manz, were busy overhauling the home inside and out, he reached out to architecture experts in the area in an effort to learn who built the place decades ago. With a little help from Alison King, founder of Modern Phoenix, the go-to source for everything Mid-Century Modern in the area, he was able to uncover the home’s pedigree.

The stunning home was built in 1970 for John Gaskin and his wife, heir to the Capital Lumber company. The couple were friends with architect Fred Guirey, who had designed a home for himself in the area. The Gaskins, enamored with Guirey’s design, commissioned the architect to build their home.

Bedroom

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Thanks to Moore, the home has undergone a nearly million-dollar remodel to bring it into the 21st century. Some of Guirey’s design elements remain, including the redwood ceilings. A temperature-controlled wine cellar and custom cabinetry were added. Gorgeous features such as a garden shower were updated.

Kitchen

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Moore told us the original architect added surprising (and playful) design elements such as pergolas, which when viewed at the right time of day, cast patterned shadows around the home, making it a true one-of-a-kind.

Shadows

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After just four days on the market, the home is under contract. But if Mid-Century Modern life in the Arizona desert sounds appealing to you, Moore says,  his company, Moore Made Development, is currently working on breathing new life into other similar properties in the area. Stay tuned. You never know what they might uncover next.

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‘Lady Bird’: A Love Letter to Sacramento Shines Spotlight on City’s Homes

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Barring tax breaks farther afield, Los Angeles is often the city of choice for the film industry. But the Oscar-nominated coming-of-age film “Lady Bird”—written and directed by Greta Gerwig—is set nearly 400 miles to the northeast, in the slightly less glam locale of Sacramento.

Shedding its outdated reputation as a cow town, California’s state capital is basking in waves of positive press. Thanks to the film, the town’s hip factor is on the rise. (We’ve already seen it regularly surface in our monthly look at the nation’s hottest real estate markets, as priced-out San Franciscans flock there for more affordable homes.)

As Sacramento native Gerwig told the Sacramento Bee, “I wanted to make a love letter to Sacramento as seen through the eyes of someone who can’t appreciate how beautiful it is until she’s going away to someplace else.”

For those not familiar with the movie, here’s a quick recap: The plot centers around a 17-year-old high school senior, Lady Bird, played by Saoirse Ronan, who can’t wait to get out of her hometown. However, the angsty teenager eventually does learn to appreciate “the Midwest of California,” as she dubs the city.

Tours now available!

If you develop an appreciation for the town you see on screen, visit in person, and you can take a (self-guided) “Lady Bird” tour of some of the filming locations. Fans of the film have already been flocking to its locales to fill their social media feeds.

But not everything in the movie is shot in Sacto: Lady Bird’s modest home in the movie is actually located in Burbank, CA. We did some sleuthing, and took a look at the town from a real estate perspective. Here are some of the local landmarks inspired by the movie.

Sacramento hot spots

Lady Bird and Danny (played by Lucas Hedges) share a romantic encounter at McKinley Park, in East Sacramento. It’s the perfect place for a date, with a 1,200-bush rose garden that’s overflowing with blooms in season.

Next up, Tower Bridge has its close-up. Built in 1935, the span connects Sacramento to West Sacramento, and gets its glamour shot in the movie, bathed in twilight and covered in twinkling lights.

The market where Lady Bird shops on her 18th birthday, marked by a distinctively colorful, sprawling mural outside, is a real place, too. Stop by the American Market & Deli, at 2331 N St., for your photo op.

Thrift Town, where Lady Bird and her mom (played by Laurie Metcalf) head to score outfits, actually has three locations.

Fab Forties of Sacramento

Take a stroll through the Fab Forties neighborhood of East Sacramento, known for its stunning older homes. And make sure to bring your selfie stick to let everyone know you found Lady Bird’s favorite house. The charming big blue abode is in upscale East Sacramento, and fans of the movie have been snapping photos of it ever since.

Big blue house from “Lady Bird”

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But if, like Lady Bird, you dream of calling this place home, you’re out of luck. It’s off the market.

It’s currently owned by an accommodating attorney named Chris Wood, who let the filmmaker shoot both inside and outside the home.

“It’s pretty neat that we get to share what we think is one of the best parts of Sacramento,” he told the Bee. Located on the 1200 block of 44th Street, Wood plans to keep up the yard so the home looks picture-perfect for those social media selfies.

Built in the 1935, the eye-catching home has four bedrooms, two baths, and 2,500 square feet of living space. It was last on the market in 2014, when it was sold for $975,000, slightly above its list price of $949,000.

And according to realtor.com®, the cool neighborhood has definitely been heating up. The median home price for East Sacramento, where the neighborhood is located and where some of the movie is set, is $899,000. That’s a whopping 88% more than the city of Sacramento median home price, which is a more down-to-Earth $329,000. In fact, East Sacramento home numbers have seen the largest price appreciations relative to size of any area in Sacramento.

It’s easy to see why. The vintage homes in this gorgeous neighborhood are architectural stunners.

Although you can’t buy the actual house in the film, there are others close by that are now on the market. We’ve pinpointed three choice Sacramento homes located less than a mile away from the now-famous Lady Bird home. Let’s take a home tour, shall we?

1201 41st St, Sacramento, CA

Price: $899,000
Fab features: Built in 1937, this Spanish-style, three-bedroom home offers abundant curb appeal. And we love the blue door! Details include hardwood floors, arches, a wrought-iron banister, chandelier, tile roof, and sun-filled rooms.

1201 41st St

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4201 J St. Sacramento, CA

Price: $639,950
Fab features: This charming three-bedroom brick cottage is the cheapest option of the three homes nearest to the Lady Bird home. Original features in this place include hardwood flooring and a formal dining room with french doors leading to a brick patio.

4201 J St.

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1216 39th St, Sacramento, CA

Price: $1,225,000
Fab features: Built in 1910, this Arts and Crafts–style home features beamed ceilings, two fireplaces, a window seat, and an updated kitchen, all spread over 2,800 square feet of living space.

1216 39th St.

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These States Have the Highest Property Taxes, but a Possible Loophole Offers Hope

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Brace yourself! It’s time to file your taxes—and it’ll hurt more depending on where you live.

A new survey by WalletHub has determined that this year, same as last, the state of New Jersey has earned the dubious bragging rights of having the highest property tax rate in the nation. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, residents here pay a median of $7,601 in taxes per year on homes at the state’s median value of $316,400. Divide that tax payment by the home price ($7,601/$316,400), and you’ve got a tax rate of 2.4%. (Property taxes are determined by local government, such as city or county, rather than the state.)

That 2.4% rate might not seem so high, but it is when you compare that with the state with the lowest property taxes: Hawaii. In the land of luaus, homes are priced pretty high, at a median of $538,400, but residents here pay a median tax of just $1,459. That turns out to be a rate of 0.27%—nearly one-tenth of what Jersey folks cough up!

And as if the news weren’t already bad enough for the Garden State and others with high property taxes (Illinois and New Hampshire are next on the list), it gets worse once the new tax code kicks in next year.

In the past, property taxes were a separate tax deduction you could take in full. But starting in 2018, property taxes will be part of a lump deduction with state and local sales and income taxes—and capped at $10,000, even for those married filing jointly. Talk about a tight squeeze.

Think property taxes are just an afterthought when buying a home? On the contrary, they can prompt buyers to steer clear of certain areas entirely.

“I have shown buyers properties that they fell in love with, only to say a big fat no because the taxes were too high,” says real estate agent Denise Supplee at SparkRental.com, who has lived and shown homes in New Jersey. “So, property taxes do matter! And the new cap of $10,000 on property and other taxes will only make it more difficult for high-property-tax states.”

Property tax loophole in the works?

But all is not lost, Jersey folks: Local legislators are working hard to forge a loophole to offer some relief.

“New Jersey just passed a bill that will allow cities to create charitable endowments as a possible workaround,” says Supplee. “This would allow New Jersey homeowners to declare their property taxes as charitable donations. This bill was passed on Monday with a 28-9 vote. Of course, it will have to get through the doors of the state Assembly, and there are a few naysayers such as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, but if it passes, residents will be able to declare their property taxes as a charity write-off.”

And even if this doesn’t go down in New Jersey, similar efforts in other states might succeed.

“There are four other states considering the same ploy,” says Supplee. “Those are Nebraska, Virginia, Washington state, and California. It should be interesting to see how this plays out.”

Plus, it’s important to keep in mind that high taxes often mean better schools, infrastructure, and other amenities.

“I find that people love to complain about property taxes and always feel their taxes are too high,” says personal finance expert Michael Dinich, who fields questions from real estate clients about home buying in New Jersey. “Residents here may pay more in property taxes, but they also enjoy a high standard of living, some of the best schools in the nation, and more stable home prices.”

In other words, you may get what you pay for. In case you’re curious how your state stacks up, below is a full rundown of the states with the highest and lowest property taxes, along with the median amount paid in taxes and the tax rate.

States with the highest property taxes

1. New Jersey: $7,601 (2.4%)
2. Illinois: $4,058 (2.32%)
3. New Hampshire: $5,241 (2.19%)
4. Connecticut: $5,443 (2.02%)
5. Wisconsin: $3,257 (1.95%)
6. Texas: $2,654 (1.86%)
7. Nebraska: $2,506 (1.83%)
8. Vermont: $3,893 (1.78%)
9. Michigan: $2,185 (1.71%)
10. Rhode Island: $3,929 (1.65%)

States with the lowest property taxes

1. Hawaii: $1,459 (0.27%)
2. Alabama: $550 (0.43%)
3. Louisiana: $750 (0.51%)
4. Delaware: $1,274 (0.55%)
5. District of Columbia: $2,811 (0.56%)
6. Colorado: $1,516 (0.57%)
7. South Carolina: $821 (0.57%)
8. West Virginia: $629 (0.59%)
9. Wyoming: $1,223 (0.61%)
10. Arkansas: $721 (0.63%)

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Photos: Baytown estate up for sale again, listed at $2.7M

Described as "the most unique country home within 30 minutes of Houston," a Baytown estate is up for sale again. Two houses — totaling over 12,300 square feet — sit on 2.5 acres at 6711 Sjolander Road, according to the property's profile on the Houston Association of Realtors' website. It's listed for $2.65 million by agents Erwin Nicholas of Mr. Real Estate and Eric Bowden of Bowden Realty.  Click through the gallery above to see photos of the Baytown mansion, located south of Interstate…

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Usher Puts Colorful West Hollywood Home on the Market for $4.2M

Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic)

R&B megastar Usher is hoping to turn a tidy profit on a contemporary, Spanish-style home a block off West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip that he picked up less than two years ago for $3.3 million. The 4,261-square-foot home is now listed for $4.2 million.

Not that Usher needs the money. The eight-time Grammy winner has sold more than 43 million albums worldwide, and remains one of the most popular artists of the past two decades.

Built in 1926, the five-bedroom, six-bath home was recently renovated with top-of-the-line finishes. It’s located four doors down from the upscale Chateau Marmont hotel, a favorite with celebrities (and paparazzi).

The house appears as if it jumped out of the pages of an interior design magazine. In the foyer and master bedroom, Usher painted the walls black, a daring color that’s very much in vogue with designers at the moment. His formal dining room is similarly colorful, with deep purple, floral print wallpaper and matching curtains and valances.

Exterior

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Bedroom

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Dining room

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The rest of the home is far more conventional. The living room has dark wood floors, stenciled wood beams, and a rebuilt tiled fireplace. The kitchen has a white marble backsplash, gray Shaker-style cabinets, and new Viking appliances.

Living room

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Bathroom

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Kitchen

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Incidentally, the listing photo for the kitchen shows what appears to be, at least to our untrained eye, oversized bottles of Cristal and Dom Perignon Champagne on the countertop.

Elsewhere, there’s a home theater and guest room with private entrance, according to the listing. Outside, there’s a pool and newly built deck.

Home theater

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Pool

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Usher, 39, stepped into the limelight in 1997 with the single “You Make Me Wanna,” a song whose music video perfectly captures the hip-hop/R&B aesthetic of the era, complete with a purple wall of lights and multiple, inexplicable shots of goldfish. He’s put out eight solo studio albums to date, most recently 2016’s “Hard II Love.”

He’s widely credited with discovering Justin Bieber, whom he signed to his record label in 2007.

Outside of music, Usher owns a minority stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers and a partial stake in the streaming music service Tidal.

The post Usher Puts Colorful West Hollywood Home on the Market for $4.2M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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Inside Chip and Joanna Gaines’ New Restaurant: 7 Decor Ideas to Steal Now

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Hope you have a big appetite, because Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ long-awaited restaurant, Magnolia Table, is finally open for business! After whispers that the Waco, TX, eatery would start welcoming guests sometime this spring, the “Fixer Upper” couple decided to surprise fans and open bright and early on Monday morning.

The restaurant—which serves up breakfast and lunch items like lemon lavender doughnut holes and Chip’s ham sandwich—is very much what you’d expect from the Gaineses’ first restaurant. The rustic, minimalist decor unquestionably channels Joanna’s signature farmhouse aesthetic, and creates a cozy yet stylish space. It’s also chock-full of kitchen and dining room decor ideas that can easily translate into a residential setting.

Restaurant decor can be stuffy and pretentious, but these are the design ideas from Magnolia Table we’d take back to our own homes in a heartbeat.

1. Typographic signage

As I was scrolling insta tonight, I saw this on @joannagaines feed. I love this because, well, #magnoliatable #obvi, but also because this message is the exact same one I share at The Selah Retreat. Everyone that comes on retreat with me has a seat at the table. And they are truly welcome. And truly invited. In just 7 sleeps, I get to spend 40 hours with 14 women from across the country! We’ll be creative yes, but the retreat is so much more than that. It’s about making new connections, resting, and taking a break from the daily grind. My friend @aaihde, who came in December, said that the magic happened in between the projects, when the ladies chatted about crazy life over a cuppa chai. And when we sat down to our dinner on Saturday night and DIDN’T HAVE TO COOK IT OURSELVES ❤️ (thank you to our private chef!). I hope some day each and every one of you can join me here at the coast for a retreat. It’s such a special time. ❤️

A post shared by theselahretreat (@theselahretreat) on Feb 22, 2018 at 10:04pm PST

Any home designed by Chip and Jo is bound to have a kitschy sign or word display. We’ve even seen it throughout their farmhouse—from the stenciled quote in the entryway to the vintage “Super Market” sign in the kitchen. At Magnolia Table, the phrase “Where everyone has a seat at the table” in wrought-iron letters is prominently displayed on the wall in the main dining room.

2. Exposed wood beams

There’s always room at the Table . . . #magnoliatable #tgif #bestbiscuitsintown

A post shared by Joanna Gott (@joanna_gott) on Feb 23, 2018 at 3:42pm PST

A surefire way to make your home look more rustic? Exposed wood beams. Chip and Jo decided to play up the cathedral ceiling by adding beams throughout the restaurant. They draw the eye up and tie the whole look together.

3. Black-and-white accents

Awnings going up at the Take Away side at Magnolia Table today! Follow my stories as we do the final tasting and plating for the restaurant and get a sneak peek into what's on the menu! #magnoliatable

A post shared by Joanna Stevens Gaines (@joannagaines) on Feb 9, 2018 at 10:08am PST

The entry designated for takeout is covered in a chic black-and-white awning that’s similar to other awnings on-site at Magnolia Market at the Silos, the Gaineses’ retail destination just down the road. Part of curating that minimalist style in your own home is sticking to a color palette of black and white with pops of natural greenery, which brings us to…

4. Plenty of plants

We got to try @magnoliatable today! Such a beautiful restaurant (of course). Opens next week! ##magnoliatable #wacotx #breakfast #biscuits #strawberrybutter #ineedextracardiotoday

A post shared by Diana Zavala (@eat.drink.mom) on Feb 22, 2018 at 9:37am PST

The collection of houseplants in Magnolia Table is impressive, but one of the easiest ways to bring greenery into your home is inspired by these little plant displays on tables throughout the restaurant. To replicate the look, just throw a couple of sprigs of freshly cut leaves, eucalyptus, or lavender in a white or clear glass vase. You’ve now created an arrangement for your dining or side table.

5. Extra-long wooden farmhouse tables

Another great message from an inspiring weekend with @magnolia + @darling. Sitting at this table with @joannagaines and @ladydubbs and getting to be the first to see #MagnoliaTable was definitely a pinch me moment! These woman are even more inspiring, kind and beautiful in person. #goals #magnoliaxdarling

A post shared by Caroline Harper Knapp (@houseofharper) on Feb 18, 2018 at 10:23pm PST

Banquet-style dining tables are strategically placed throughout the restaurant to accommodate the large parties that will no doubt make their way to Magnolia Table for Saturday brunch. If you have the space, make an oversize farmhouse table in a rough-hewn finish the star of your dining room. It’ll give off the same homey vibe that Chip and Jo intentionally created in their restaurant.

6. Statement lighting

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Switch out your boring flush-mount lighting for a modern chandelier like the ones Joanna chose to hang throughout Magnolia Table. Rustic metal pendant lights will also look great over a dining table or kitchen counter.

7. Geometric tiling

This, my friends, is what dreams are made of! I absolutely LOVE every single thing about the new @magnoliatable restaurant by @magnolia that is opening soon in Waco, Texas. The black, white & wood with pops of green… . If I could create the perfect space…this would be it! @joannagaines – please come makeover my kitchen! credit @joannagaines . . . #magnolia #magnoliatable #blackandwhitedecor

A post shared by Casey (@faithfootballandfairytales) on Feb 18, 2018 at 6:01pm PST

The key to nailing Magnolia Table’s aesthetic is to balance country-inspired decor (see the shiplap walls in the back?) with modern touches like geometric patterns. Chip and Jo could have opted for hardwood floors in this room, but between the wooden tables, walls, and planter boxes, it would have been a bit much. The symmetrical black-and-white floor tiles contrast well with the rest of the wooden furnishings, juxtaposing rustic style with modern sensibility.

The post Inside Chip and Joanna Gaines’ New Restaurant: 7 Decor Ideas to Steal Now appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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All the Homes That Are Fit to Film: Real Estate Stars of ‘The Post’

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The Oscar-nominated drama “The Post,” directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, takes viewers back to the 1970s, when the reporters of the Washington Post were at the center of a national political drama. Much of that, in fact, takes place in real, beautifully appointed rooms in some of the historic homes that grace the nation’s capital.

Streep plays Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of that newspaper, and Hanks stars as Ben Bradlee, the Post’s editor. The story revolves around their attempts to publish classified documents depicting America’s involvement in the Vietnam War, known as the Pentagon Papers.

Through a combination of artful re-creation, exterior location shots, and real-life real estate, the movie provided a feel for the main characters’ glamorous and grand residences.

Inspired by the dogged reporters depicted in the film, we dug into the locations featured in the movie to pull out their fascinating backstories. And if you’re interested in historic homes at the center of the nation’s political circles, we found a few that are actually on the market.

Ben Bradlee’s real-life home

The Laird-Dunlop house at 3014 N Street NW

Laird-Dunlop house

Wikipedia

Full disclosure: Bradlee didn’t own this stately home during the time frame depicted in the movie. But the history of the home and its inhabitants may be worthy of its own screenplay. Bradlee bought the place in 1983, with his third wife, Sally Quinn, a reporter at the Post who became known as a dazzling hostess. More on that in a moment—first, let’s tour this historic home still owned by Quinn.

The red-brick Colonia Revival was built in the late 1790s for John Laird, one of Georgetown’s richest men, who owned a tobacco warehouse.

Laird’s daughter and her husband, John Dunlop, inherited the real estate, and contributed to its name. In 1911, Robert Todd Lincoln, son of former President Abraham Lincoln, purchased the place.

Lincoln later sold it to a granddaughter of J.P. Morgan, who divided the main property and the coach house into separate deeds. The 8,000-square-foot coach house, which featured a ballroom, was sold to an unnamed buyer in 2013 for $7.6 million.

In 1983 Bradlee bought the N Street home for $2.5 million, one of the highest amounts paid for a Washington home at the time.

These days, Georgetown is a historic and upscale locale, graced with 18th- and 19th-century homes as well as high-end shopping, art galleries, and dining spots. The real estate market has grown even hotter.

The property includes a double living room with arched windows in a custom rose color that Quinn concocted herself.

“I wanted the perfect color that makes everyone look beautiful at night,” Quinn told Home and Design magazine.

The formal dining room includes bookcases that have been filled by the book lovers. Don’t believe that Quinn is an icon? Over a couch in Quinn’s office are four portraits of her done by Andy Warhol.

While the front of the home is right on the street, the back reveals a covered porch that extends the length of the house, English garden, pool, and tennis court.

The two ruled from their Georgetown perch over the DC social scene.

“Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn threw some memorable bashes at their home on 3014 N Street,” wrote Rick Massimo in his book “A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set.”

Wrangling an invite for their New Year’s Eve party was akin to “winning the lottery,” according to a description in Vanity Fair. The guest lists included such power brokers as Ted Kennedy, Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, Mike Nichols and Diane Sawyer, Henry Kissinger, Barbara Walters, and Nora Ephron.

Katharine Graham’s real-life home

The Beall-Washington house at 2920 R Street, NW

A post shared by Shawn Rusterholz (@shawnrusterholz) on Jun 28, 2015 at 10:12am PDT

Graham, who died in 2001, was a towering figure in DC, as both the publisher of the Post and a host of soirees in her tony Georgetown manse. Like Bradlee and Quinn’s ex-residence, the publisher’s former home also had quite a pedigree. The 1870 estate was owned by George Washington’s great-grandnephew. Yes, that George Washington, who married a descendant of Ninian Beall, the original owner of much of Georgetown, according to the Georgetown Metropolitan.

Graham and her husband, Philip Graham, bought the gracious home in 1947 from Gen. William “Wild Bill” Donovan for $125,000, according to the Washington Post.

They lived there until their deaths: Philip by suicide in 1963, and Katharine of head injuries after a fall nearly two decades ago. Both are buried across the street at Oak Hill Cemetery.

The property is set back from the street with a circular driveway, creating a more country-style estate than the typical Georgetown residence. When Graham lived there, she threw parties with guest lists that included “presidents, senators, congressmen, and the cream of the media, “ according to Massimo’s book. The home hosted the likes of Bob Woodward, Robert McNamara, and Nancy Reagan.

After Graham’s death, her family put the estate on the market for $8.35 million.

The nine-bedroom home has elements that date to the 1700s. It sits on 1.24 acres and boasts 10,285 square feet of space, plus a large back porch, pool, and stable with an apartment on top, the Post reported at the time.

It was purchased in 2002 for about $8 million by venture capitalist Mark Ein. Before moving in, the DC-area investor decided to modernize and renovate the home, which created a neighborhood uproar. Because he was unable to modify the home to his tastes, he’s left the place unoccupied for 16 years.

Ein did seem to appreciate some parts of the home’s history, allowing director Spielberg to shoot the outside of the residence for “The Post.”

Live like an old-timey newspaper magnate

While Bradlee’s and Graham’s former homes are off the market, there are other glorious houses in the vicinity that are currently available to an interested buyer. Here are some options:

1515 31st St NW

Price: $5,600,000
The scoop: Built in 1900, this seven-bedroom home offers historic architecture, high ceilings, five fireplaces, a renovated kitchen, and luxurious bathrooms. Outside there’s a patio, pool, in-law suite, and parking for two cars.

1515 31st ST NW

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3425 Prospect St NW

Price: $6,900,000
The scoop: Built in 1797 by John Mason (nephew of George Mason, delegate to the Constitutional Convention), this Georgetown mansion has hosted senators and presidents. With over 10,000 square feet of renovated space, the layout includes a whopping nine bedrooms.

3425 Prospect St NW

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Former home of Robert McNamara

2412 Tracy Pl NW

As defense secretary from 1961 to 1968, McNamara was responsible for escalating U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, and figures into “The Post” along with his house. The Pentagon Papers had been commissioned by the Department of Defense as a history of the war. In the film, Graham pays a visit to McNamara’s home to make her case for publishing the papers.

McNamara, the former president of Ford Motor Company, purchased a home in the upscale neighborhood of Kalorama after securing a role in the Cabinet. His former home, built in 1924 and updated over the decades since, was sold after his death in 2010 for $6.1 million, one of the highest prices for the neighborhood at the time.

The neighborhood continues to draw the powerful and rich. It is where the Obamas call home, as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law. The Post’s current owner, Jeff Bezos, paid $23 million for the former Textile Museum, which is set to be converted into his DC compound, the Post reported.

Movie locations

The production designer and crew were on a tight deadline to get the film into theaters as they worked to put together accurate representations of the paper’s newsroom and the city from decades past. The interiors of the  Bradlee and Graham homes were sets, built side by side at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn.

An 1829 brownstone  at 104 Willow St. in Brooklyn Heights stood in for a house in 1970s Georgetown. The beautiful powder-blue building was last sold in 2014 for $10.6 million, according to property records.

Three floors of an empty ’50s-era office building at 440 Hamilton Ave. in White Plains, NY, was filled with period desks, typewriters, and chairs to re-create the Post newsroom, pressroom, and executive offices.

And the awesome vintage printing press shown in the movie was located in a naval yard right next to where the movie was shooting at Steiner Studios.

The post All the Homes That Are Fit to Film: Real Estate Stars of ‘The Post’ appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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U.S. Home Prices Continued to Rise at End of 2017

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Home prices continued to rise rapidly in the waning days of 2017, but there are early signs that price gains that have well outstripped wages and inflation could begin to ease this year.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, which covers the entire nation, rose 6.3% in December, up from a 6.1% year-over-year increase reported in November.

The 10-city index gained 6% over the year, unchanged from November. The 20-city index gained 6.3%, down slightly from 6.4% the previous month. That was in line with the expectations of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal, who expected the 20-city index to rise 6.3% in December.

Home price gains accelerated in 2017 compared with 2016, when prices grew more in the 5% range. Nonetheless, the pace of both new and existing home sales have slowed in recent months, which could ultimately put pressure on sellers to lower prices, especially as interest rates are beginning to rise.

”It is too early to tell if the housing recovery is slowing. If it is, some moderation in price gains could be seen later this year,” said David Blitzer, managing director at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Markets that are seeing the steepest increases remain concentrated on the west coast. Seattle reported the largest annual gain, at 12.7%, followed by Las Vegas at 11.1%. San Francisco, which had seen price increases slow until recently, reported the third-strongest gain, at 9.2%.

Month-over-month, the U.S. Index rose 0.2% in December before seasonal adjustment, while the 10-city and the 20-city index also both rose 0.2% from November to December.

After seasonal adjustment, the national index rose 0.7% month-over-month and the 10-city index and 20-city index both rose 0.6%. All 20 cities saw price increases after seasonal adjustment.

The post U.S. Home Prices Continued to Rise at End of 2017 appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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Home sales slip nationally and in Birmingham

The last couple of months have not brought good news for residential home sales. Existing home sales in the U.S. declined in January, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors. Data from NAR shows completed transactions in January declined 3.2 percent from December 2017. Sales also fell in December, which several experts attributed to extreme winter weather in various parts of the nation. But the persistent lack of supply is also a factor. “The utter lack of sufficient…

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Bargains in Cute Packages: 7 Cozy Bungalows Priced Below $200K

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If you don’t have millions to spend on a mansion, there are housing options for buyers in search of affordability. Behold the bungalow! This humble home offers a heaping helping of charm and curb appeal on the exterior, while harboring a cozy and warm interior space.

Best of all, it isn’t difficult to find a bungalow for way less than the nation’s median home price. We set our sights on bungalows priced below $200,000—and found no shortage of candidates with plenty of fine features.

None of the seven homes we highlight below is huge, but all are perfect for a first-time buyer looking to get a sweet starter home. Make way for our lucky seven…

602 S 40th St, Lincoln, NE

Price: $117,500
Charming characteristics: This two-bedroom stone bungalow has a number of crucial updates, including new shingles, new gutters, and a new furnace. There’s also a full basement featuring a family room.

Lincoln, NE

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2659 Ernest St, Jacksonville, FL

Price: $174,900
Charming characteristics: Nearly a century old, this charmer is within walking distance to shops, bars, and restaurants, according to the listing. The large front porch looks ideal for lounging, and the interior is light and bright.

Jacksonville, FL

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127 S Terrace Ave, Liberty, MO

Price: $167,000
Charming characteristics: We love the wood beams and built-ins in this beautiful two-bedroom bungalow. The original wood still shines, and the “custom craftsmanship” doesn’t come with a huge price tag.

Liberty, MO

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4234 Curtis St, Chester, VA

Price: $162,500
Charming characteristics: The curb appeal is too much to resist: The home is already pending sale after only four days on the market. The three-bedroom is modern and immaculate, and we’re extremely intrigued by the “bootlegger cellar” mentioned in the listing.

Chester, VA

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131 Wayside Ave, Hagerstown, MD

Price: $114,900
Charming characteristics: This magnificent bargain has an ample front porch for kicking back. Inside, you’ll find refinished hardwood floors and many other cool touches. There’s also a partly finished basement that’s perfect for a man cave.

Hagerstown, MD

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8011 S Laflin St, Chicago, IL

Price: $169,900
Charming characteristics: On the South Side, this brick bungalow has nearly 1,350 square feet of living space. There isn’t much separation from the neighboring bungalows, but this place separates itself from the pack, thanks to a fully updated interior.

Chicago, IL

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1813 Pine St, Jackson, MS

Price: $160,000
Charming characteristics: This bungalow is right in the middle of the Belhaven neighborhood—an area full of eats, drinks, and more. Inside, the home is a perfect mix of modern amenities and vintage charm.

Jackson, MS

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The post Bargains in Cute Packages: 7 Cozy Bungalows Priced Below $200K appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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These are Louisville's hottest neighborhoods

What parts of town do you think of when you think of the Louisville area's hottest neighborhoods? A shiny new subdivision in the suburbs? Maybe a neighborhood closer to town that's seeing a resurgence? We looked at home-sales figures provided by the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors to find the 15 ZIP codes in the area with the biggest increase in the number of single-family homes and condominium units sold in in 2017, compared with 2016. Only ZIP codes with sales of 100 units or more…

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Real Estate Recovery - The Star Newspaper

It's been a rocky road to recovery for the region's realtors. The sector was badly impacted by the financial crisis of 2008 and has been slowly regaining its feet ever since. Last year was another tumultuous year with hurricanes, geopolitical ...

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10 Most Sinful States in America: They’re Tops for Lust, Vanity, and Sloth

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Calling all sinners! Don’t worry, we’re not here to give a lecture about how you should swear less, smile more, and be a better person. No, it’s that we’ve found a place where you should live, a haven where your vices can thrive and flourish. (Just stay on the right side of the law, mmkay?) According to a new survey, your personal mecca is Florida.

That’s according to a new study by WalletHub, which sized up all 50 states based on variables related to the seven deadly sins from the Bible—you know, things like sloth (measured by residents’ activity levels), lust (time spent on adult entertainment sites), vanity (number of beauty salons), and other indicators like rates of gambling, excessive drinking, and drug use.

Surprise! The more obvious pits of depravity—such as New York and Nevada (home of “Sin City,” aka Las Vegas)—were goody two-shoes compared with the Sunshine State.

Florida is famed for its gorgeous beaches, juicy oranges, and family-friendly vacation destinations like Disney World, The Most Magical Place on Earth! (The recent tragic school shooting in Parkland, FL, occurred after this ranking was created and is in no way a part of it.) Given bragging rights like that, how did Florida end up sinking so low on the morality scale?

To be sure, some of the blame goes to those vacationers who flock to Florida for a margarita—or five—to escape the cruel winters in more “upstanding” states (the least sinful state, according to WalletHub, is Vermont, followed by North Dakota and Maine).

“Because so much of the draw to Florida is its beaches and warm weather, it can foster a party atmosphere to a degree in that people are drawn to relax by the sand or on their boat, with beverage of choice in hand,” says Florida real estate agent Cara Ameer. Furthermore, “the fact that it is a haven for retirees may push the score up a bit in terms of people that are more sedentary.”

But is sin bad for real estate? On the contrary, it could actually be good to be bad … or certainly not a deterrent.

“I don’t think this will discourage anyone from moving to Florida due to our lower cost of living, no state income tax, and a more favorable weather climate,” Ameer continues. “Those are staples of what has made and continue to make the Sunshine State so attractive to people relocating from all over the country.”

Florida’s real estate ace

Florida also possesses another real estate perk that might attract wayward sorts.

“Florida has an unlimited homestead exemption in bankruptcy,” says Atlanta-based real estate agent and attorney Bruce Ailion. “You can owe everyone in the world, liquidate your assets, buy a huge home in Florida for cash, live there the short statutory period to claim the homestead, file for bankruptcy, discharge all your debts, and still keep your home. That is probably the worst sin.”

Ameer concedes that some people don’t move to Florida just for the sandy beaches.

“Florida can also draw some element of the population that come here to ‘start over’ after leaving a shady past somewhere else—think mobsters from New York that fled here and had to get a new identity,” she says.

And homestead exemption aside, the sheer volume of people flocking to Florida could be the very reason it has more than a few bad apples.

“States that are less sinful like Vermont are almost little islands unto themselves that tend not to have an influx of people relocating there versus places like Florida, California, and Texas, which are all ripe with continually moving in and out of those areas,” Ameer says. “You would be very hard-pressed to find an abundance of true natives living in Florida. So, when they come to Florida, they bring their baggage with them—both good and bad habits and everything else.”

Here’s a full rundown of the most (and least) sinful states below.

10 most sinful states

1. Florida
2. California
3. Nevada
4. Texas
5. Georgia
6. Tennessee
7. Illinois
8. Michigan
9. Arkansas
10. Louisiana

10 least sinful states

1. Vermont
2. North Dakota
3. Maine
4. Utah
5. Iowa
6. Wyoming
7. New Hampshire
8. Idaho
9. Nebraska
10. South Dakota

The post 10 Most Sinful States in America: They’re Tops for Lust, Vanity, and Sloth appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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Santa Monica Beach House With Hollywood Pedigree Is Listed for $12M

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Amid the boxy modern homes, beach clubs, chic apartments, and parking lots that huddle shoulder to shoulder on the sands of Santa Monica Beach, there remain intact a few bastions of old Hollywood glamour.

One of them—the former home of Cary Grant, Howard Hughes, and Joan Fontaine, among others—has just landed on the market for the first time in 38 years with a price tag of $12 million.

The beachfront home was built in 1930 by architect Paul R. Crawley for silent-screen star Norma Talmadge, on what was known at the time as the “Gold Coast,” or first movie beach colony in Los Angeles.

Hughes added barbed wire to the property walls, a privacy feature that was sure to have been appreciated by other A-list residents, including Grant and Western star Randolph Scott, who eventually acquired the property.

Cary Grant’s former beach house in Santa Monica, CA

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Private courtyard

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The current owners have long since removed the barbed wire, but you can still imagine Hollywood A-listers from the past playing paddle tennis on the court out back, raising a glass of Bordeaux from the wine cellar, or sitting on the raised deck while viewing the sunset over the Santa Monica Pier and Malibu.

“The views at dusk are stunning,” says listing agent Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury.

Beachside paddle ball court and deck

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Current homeowner Jennifer Diener lived there for almost four decades with her husband, Royce Diener, who died in May 2017. Mr. Diener, the president and CEO of American Medical International, was on the board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 25 years. He spearheaded the successful campaign to refurbish the Hollywood Bowl.

Street view

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The couple preserved the gracious elegance of the 5,530-square-foot, French Normandy–style beach estate, which has five bedrooms and 4.5 baths.

Some of the striking original features include the remarkable, colorful tile in the bathrooms and the leaded-glass windows on the main floor. Many of the wood and tile floors and the extensive custom woodwork have been exceptionally preserved.

Bathroom with original tile

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Living room

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Other unique features of the home include a circular staircase in the formal foyer; a sheltered courtyard with a fountain; a heated, brick-lined pool; and a master suite with a fireplace, two baths, dressing rooms, and sitting areas.

Master suite

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The home stands out on its particular stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. It appears to be a private oasis, with public parking lots on either side.

“With no noise from neighbors on either side, and the parking lots emptying out by late afternoon, it’s very peaceful and totally quiet,” says Mills.

Private oasis

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The location is one of the best in Santa Monica, with the beach just outside the back door. The Santa Monica Pier, the Santa Monica Promenade, the Santa Monica Palisades, and top restaurants are all within walking distance.

“For beach property of this size, with a pool and court, you generally have to go far out,” Mills says. “There’s nothing else like this so close in.”

The post Santa Monica Beach House With Hollywood Pedigree Is Listed for $12M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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