Real Estate

Located in an historic neighborhood, just one block from Grant Park (Atlanta’s oldest city park), this completely charming traditional American Farmhouse still shines with much of its original 1904 beauty. I love the respect for history reflected in this home—a home whose owners have taken loving care of the original features for over 100 years, including cast iron sinks, pinewood floors, wavy glass windows, and plantation shutters. And the kitchen.

I distinctly remember during our home-buying journey when our real estate agent asked if we wanted new construction, something close to it, or if we’d be open to an “older” home. When we said yes, we knew that—in our budget—we would likely be looking at a few houses built in the early-to-mid 1900s. However, if we’d had a much larger budget, we could very well have wound up walking through (and legitimately considering) houses built in the early 1800s.

There’s no such thing as too many beach days, especially when you live on one. Luckily, this charming cottage on Scotland’s Isle of Coll is for sale, accepting offers over £375,000 ($483,560). Arinthluic is a small (if 48 acres could be described as small) estate on the Isle of Coll, an island in the North Atlantic to the west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

We have to admit, we’re always particularly interested in seeing celebrity homes outside of the more typical hot spot cities of New York and Los Angeles. Today, we are taking a peek into Alyson Hannigan’s Atlanta penthouse that was just listed for $1.349 million. The Buffy The Vampire Slayer and How I Met Your Mother star—who grew up in the city after her parents divorced when she was a child—bought the three bedroom, three bathroom pad in 2014 for $810,000.

When you’re a first-time home buyer growing dizzier by the minute walking through dreamy homes outside of your budget, it’s only natural to consider adding a home that needs a little “TLC” to your short list. Know this, though: fixer uppers come with some special considerations, especially for first-time homebuyers. Two years ago when my husband and I decided to take the plunge and buy our first home, we settled on a fixer upper.

Aside from the obvious benefit of helping the planet, solar power can be pretty enticing to homeowners who are tired of paying an arm and a leg for their electric bill every month. Given that outfitting a home with solar panels comes with considerable costs upfront, though, is doing so practical from a financial standpoint? Can solar power in fact pay off?

I have this argument with friends every now and again: What’s “American” food? The question inspires a lively discussion, with a lot of suggestions but no real consensus. (It usually comes down to hog dogs or Southern-style barbeque.) Nailing down American food is a tough thing because there is so much of America. So many people and cultures and styles that manage to blend together and evolve over the (few) centuries the country’s been around.

Prepping your home for sale can feel completely overwhelming. It’s like magnifying the stress of tidying up and making your house “guest ready,” tenfold. Because you’ve got to make it look good, really, really good, for guests you don’t even know. They’re not your family or your friends. They are prospective buyers, and they are coming to examine your most intimate quarters and decide if they can see themselves living there, too.

Friends fans, rejoice: Matthew Perry’s mid-century modern bachelor pad in LA is back on the market, and can be yours for the cool price of $13.5 million. You could even have your mail addressed to Chanandler Bong, if you wanted.

There is so much that’s confusing about the home buying process as a first-timer, and all I can really do (beyond writing articles like this one) is absolutely promise that an attentive real estate agent and a knowledgeable mortgage broker will be your lifelines. You’ll be surprised how much you learn about earnest payments, escrow and amortization in that month or so it takes to close. Definitely more than you paid attention to in college accounting, I’ll tell you that much.

Contrary to what some might believe, avocado toast isn’t what’s keeping Millennials from buying houses—rather, a shortage of affordable homes is stopping prospective homebuyers from their purchasing dreams, no doubt combined with things like student debt (according to Forbes, more than 44 million people face a total of $1.3 trillion of student debt, more than any other kind of debt, outside of mortgages).

Oh boy, this home is a real diamond. I love everything about it. Elegant simplicity, an abundance of natural light, gorgeous vintage details, large private outdoor living area, and a beautiful Spanish tile exterior to boot. This home is going to make someone very happy indeed. This gorgeous Spanish tile home is a fantastic mix of vintage and modern, with a a feeling of spaciousness and privacy.

Ahoy there, ya land lubbers. If you yearn for the excitement of the open seas but are partial to living on solid ground, we’ve got great news. There’s a tiny house in Sonoma County, California that comes with its very own pirate treehouse. It’s arrrrguably the cutest home for sale we’ve seen in quite awhile.

There’s a lot about the roommate experience that can be tricky. Like chores, chores and, uh… chores. But even after you’ve mastered homekeeping, there are still some things about sharing a home that may come as a surprise. For example, your roommate’s renter’s insurance policy might not cover your stuff.

In this week’s episode of “So You Think Your Place is Small?” we bring you this “renovated” studio in Boston’s tony exurb of Brookline, wedged just between all of the urban universities and the suburban ones in the city of 1,000 colleges.

An online listing for a house is a lot like an online dating profile. You wouldn’t ever lie — better to set honest expectations — but you sure as hell are going to make your situation look as good as possible. That means flattering angles, ruthless editing and, yep, maybe a little Photoshop. If you’re browsing home listings to find your dream home, here are a few things to be wary of when it comes to real estate photography.

Lately, social media is abuzz with Toronto’s insane real estate offerings: undesirable homes (in serious need of renovation and lacking ordinary amenities) selling at unbelievably high prices. Properties lacking everything from parking spaces to proper bathrooms have been selling at double and triple the asking price—with no signs of the area’s inflated costs slowing down anytime soon.

If you have a love for older homes, but a desire for modern amenities this apartment could be the perfect compromise. This former church and school in a landmarked district of Brooklyn was converted to condos in 2005. Arrive home to a beautiful, historic brick exterior and then enjoy all the modern comforts of home.

This gorgeous and swanky townhouse on Charles Street in the West Village happens to have a Hollywood connection. Can you guess? (Okay, it was previously owned by Hilary Swank.) Just down the road from Bon Jovi’s $17 million duplex, 33 Charles might not have posh amenities and celebrity neighbors, but it does have a little bit more West Village charm.

Relaxing on a porch swing, sipping sweet tea under a large shade tree… Sounds completely dreamy to me, which is why I absolutely adore this charming single family home in historic Houston Heights. It’s spacious while still feeling cozy, with a balanced mix of vintage charm and modern updates and serene outdoor space for days. This is a quintessentially storybook family home, complete with porch swing, shade tree, breakfast nook and huge backyard.

Have you ever dreamed of what it’s like to live in a tiny home? I hadn’t before, because living in a cramped Brooklyn apartment feels challenging enough. But, after combing through listings to see what the tiny house market is like, I feel like I get the tiny homes thing now. These houses are the cutest, plus they seem totally functional in terms of space and storage, and they’re way more affordable than a regular home.

If you’ve been looking for a place to set up your very own Westworld-like theme park (Eastworld?), let us suggest Johnsonville, Connecticut, a small, abandoned mill town in East Haddam that’s now on the market for $1.9 million. Founded in the 1800s, Johnsonville was a thriving place, thanks to the Neptune Twine and Cord Mill and its main product, fishing binding rope.

The world was shocked by the sudden deaths of actors Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, just one day apart in December. And now, six months later, it was announced that their home and a variety of personal items will be sold and auctioned off. The Beverly Hills property the two shared will hit the market soon, according to Profiles in History auction house. It’s an “original 1928 hacienda-style home on 3.

Located in the Catskills near Woodstock, New York, there’s a house that’s not your average property. The Tower House has a history as interesting as its interiors, that incorporates both the Muppets and the Grateful Dead. Artist and Long Island native John Kahn built Tower House over a period of 15 years, and it was finally completed in 2002.

This two-family home in Stuyvesant Heights is straight out of central casting and represents all the things we love about older Brooklyn homes like hardwood floors, fireplaces, decorative molding and exposed brick. The 1.5 million price includes an owners’ duplex and a garden-level rental unit (to help pay the mortgage). The home’s architectural details are in keeping with the historic neighborhood’s posh past and exude warmth and charm.

Former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart used to call this Tribeca penthouse home. The property is once again on the market, now for $20 million. The 6,280 square foot duplex features five bedrooms, five and a half baths, as well as a “loft like” 37 foot long living room, a media room, and a library. The open kitchen is “expertly equipped,” has a pantry, and a “grand counter as a focal point.

As a renter, you know what your price range is and what you’re looking for in an apartment, but do you know your rights? Last year when I was apartment hunting in Brooklyn, I was shocked to learn that it was possible that a potential new landlord might ask for 6 months’ rent up front for my security deposit (luckily that didn’t end up being the case, but still!).

A (sort-of-serious) theory: The ease with which you can get around your city without a car is inversely proportional to how easy it will be to get your hands on real estate. When you live in a massive metropolis with a few million other people, trains can be easy to come by, but affordable starter homes are not. But if you know that homeownership is something you want for yourself—and you’re not willing to move out of the city to do it—all hope isn’t lost.

Much like finding out your new boyfriend is actually the heir to the throne of a small European country, living a life without rent is something that most of us will only dream about. But there are actual, real, human people living that life—who eat, sleep and work in the five boroughs without spending their hard-earned cash on their apartment. How do they do it? They’ve managed to co-opt the conventional “hard-earned cash” equation and cut out the middle man.

Harry Styles fans, we found the ultimate souvenir. The former One Direction singer turned solo artist is selling his contemporary home in the Hollywood Hills, and it’s on the market for $8.495 million. The 4,100 square foot, multi level home above Sunset Strip has three bedrooms, five bathrooms, and an abundance of balconies and patio space for that true Southern California style of indoor/outdoor living—with views of downtown and the Pacific Ocean, of course.

Picture this: a caravan of gypsy Grannies and Gramps cruising down Route 66, watering the planter boxes and waving from windows at passersby as they roam cross-country. A scene that may seem downright Lynchian could soon be very real as more and more retirees opt for tiny homes.

This charming cottage is in the countryside, but it’s not as far-flung as you might think. Located in the borough of New Hope, Pennsylvania, it’s about an hour’s drive from Philly and an hour and a half from New York City. This home is small — just under 1,300 square feet — but it’s brimming with charming details (exposed beams! fireplaces!) and thoughtful updates.

In Bizarro America — where everyday life is fairly similar, except the road signs are in kilometers, Thanksgiving is celebrated in October, and the elected leader looks more like a movie star than a reality TV host — today is Victoria Day. I’m speaking, of course, about Canada, where Queen Victoria’s May 24th birthday has been celebrated since 1845.

Finding an affordable rental anywhere in New York City is a struggle, so it may feel like buying a home in the Big Apple for less than a fortune is near-impossible, if not completely. The truth is, you can find apartments in the city that are more on the affordable side, you just have to do a bit of searching to find them. These apartments are all $300,000 (or just below in price) and give you a taste of what’s out there and what buying in New York City is really like.

Johnny Depp has quite an interesting real estate portfolio. Specifically, because he owns five penthouses, all in the same building. He put all five on the market in the fall, but this is the first time we’re seeing inside this particular unit. The penthouses are all located in Downtown Los Angeles’ historic Eastern Columbia Lofts. Depp bought his first one back in 2002, and over the years, accumulated five in total.

This 3-bedroom duplex is a gem of a find in Chicago—a family-friendly home that is a gorgeous mix of history (the unit is situated in a converted church) and modern comforts. The unit itself is modern and bright without feeling sterile thanks to the abundance of hardwood floors and exposed brick as well as a wood-burning fireplace.

You might rent an apartment in a big city and you love it, but that doesn’t bar you from imagining yourself in all sorts of alternate timelines. Maybe there’s one where you’re living abroad, one where you’re living in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere, one living on a your own private island — big and small, you’ve entertained thoughts about all of them.

Homeowners dedicated to keeping the design trends of the past alive have taken their love of all things vintage to an entirely different level. Remaining stuck in the past has never been in style, but the increasing number of buyers interested in living in a time capsule home suggests that a change is on the horizon.

Older generations always seem to think millennials are doing it all wrong, but the truth is, millennials aren’t all that different from their grandparents—especially when it comes to buying their first homes.

There is so much to love about this lovingly rehabbed Park Slope duplex, from the location one block from Prospect Park, to the spacious, sunny rooms with original features—hardwood floors with walnut inlay, working fireplace, and stained glass bay window. This property is a beautiful mix of vintage and modern in a prime Brooklyn location with access to additional basement storage and a private deck. In other words: a dream scenario indeed.

The president was here. The Brooklyn brownstone that, thirty or so years ago, was home to 44 is now on the market for $4.295 million. In the mid ’80s, post-Columbia (and pre-Michelle) Barack Obama lived at 640 2nd Street in Brooklyn’s Park Slope. At the time, the property was split into multiple apartments—Obama and his then-girlfriend lived on the top floor.

The word on the real estate street is that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel now have a new piece of property. The couple reportedly snagged a penthouse in Tribeca last month for a cool $27.5 million. According to The Real Deal, the pair snatched up a penthouse at 443 Greenwich Street, where they’ll have some famous neighbors. According to the developer Nathan Berman of MetroLoft, 90 percent of buyers in the building are “household names.

Twenty-somethings are often under the impression that they’ll never be able to own a home, but, of course, that’s not always the case. A lot can change in a few years, so while you may not be in the market to buy a home this year or next, the (slightly) more distant future is still a possibility if homeownership is what you want. If you’re hoping to be a buy down the road, here are a few things you can do now to make the process easier when the time comes.

This Spanish hacienda style home in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood has its fair share of charm—just like its former owner. The property that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe came on the market just yesterday for $6.9 million. The white stucco property, built in 1929, sits on the end of a small cul-de-sac.

Even if the prospect of owning an exceptionally extravagant abode is far from your reality, it’s still fun to peek inside the homes of the extremely rich, particularly if it’s the most expensive property in Malibu’s history. Unoccupied since the Malibu Canyon fire destroyed it in 2007, the manse has undergone a two-year revitalization at the hands of architect and developer Scott Gillen, who paid $9.7 million for the 3.5-acre property in 2015.

Today in ridiculous real estate, let’s take a trip to New York. While few things about the city’s property market surprise me anymore (ahem—crawl space guy), I have to say I am actually amazed that one can buy a studio in Chelsea for under $500,000. Of course (you knew it was coming), there’s a catch.

Think you’re real estate savvy? We put your market knowledge to the test with Which Costs More, a column where we pit two listings against each other, and you guess which one comes with the heftier price tag. Today, we have two gorgeous homes in strong mid-century architectural styles, from different Southern cities. We’ll give you some details about each and see if you can guess which one costs more.

For better or for worse, Brooklyn is booming with new construction. But instead of bland and cookie-cutter, this 6-unit building was designed with a style connoisseur in mind, boasting Italian finishes and thoughtfully selected materials, finishes and fixtures. This fourth-floor unit is the last one available in the building.

Nationwide, home renters are on the rise. So much in fact that according to a recent study by ABODO based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 36.4% of the American population is renting their household—the largest percentage the nation has seen since the 1960s. And as the number of renters continues to grow (there were 1.4 million new renter households in 2015 alone) so do renter-dominated cities. As of 2015, renting has the become the majority in 21 cities across the United States.

Get a bird’s eye view of Arizona’s stunning landscape from the Falcon’s Nest, a single family home that measures 124 feet from top to bottom, making it the tallest in the United States—and the world. Designed by local architect Sukumar Pal in 1994, Falcon’s Nest was built next to Thumb Butte in Prescott, Arizona, which is an hour and a half north of Phoenix (and southwest of Sedona and Flagstaff).

Up until recently, we had yet to come across a house listing that instantly made us smize, but that was before we learned Tyra Banks is selling her Manhattan apartment. According to Architectural Digest, the supermodel-turned-mogul and mom placed her posh NYC digs on the market for $17.5 million, giving an entirely new and fab meaning to the words “model home.

Having private outdoor space in New York City is on the wishlist of many (most?) residents here. We’re drawn to the hustle and bustle of the city, but at the same time we’re always looking for places to retreat and re-energize. I imagine this 287 square foot roof deck would be just the antidote to the urban whirl below.

We were here for the real estate porn of HBO’s star-studded limited series Big Little Lies just as much as the storyline. We bid farewell to the characters’ stunning mansions during the finale that aired on Sunday, but one property from the show can be yours—and could actually be within the price range of mere mortals. [This post contains spoilers for episode six.

Castles are usually expansive, grand affairs, but the old adage that good things come in small packages applies even to stone manors. Molly’s Lodge is the tiniest castle in the United Kingdom, and it also happens to be for sale.

Kristen Wiig is on the move. The actress and comedian has listed her pad in the Franklin Hills neighborhood of LA for $2.395 million. There’s something strange in the neighborhood—at least there must be for the Ghostbusters star to get rid of this stunning property (and that view!). The 2,719 square foot home has three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and 2,500 square feet of decks (why yes, that is almost the size of the interior).

Despite being just 290 square feet, this little house isn’t small on style. In fact, you’d be surprised just how much functionality is packed into this tiny footprint. Dubbed “Tiny Getaway,” this farmhouse on wheels is the latest home from Matt Impola of Handcrafted Movement (we wrote about a previous property, Artisan Retreat, last year).

Located in the hip and historic Dupont Circle neighborhood of D.C., this is an elegant one-bedroom condo of my Federal-style dreams. I lived in D.C. for a year and used to meander down New Hampshire Ave., wondering what the interiors of these elegant buildings looked like. Turns out, pretty pretty pretty great. If you’re in the market or in the window-shopping market, take a look at this vintage gem! 1728 New Hampshire Ave NW Apt 201 Washington, DC 1 bedroom | 1 bath | 704 sq ft.

If you’ve dreamed of popping by Ina Garten’s house in the Hamptons for a fabulous lunch or a dinner party with Jeffery, here’s the next best thing. The entertaining guru has listed their Upper East Side pied à terre for $1.975 million. The cookbook author and Food Network personality and her husband bought the one bedroom, one bath co-op in 2004 and had it renovated by designer Daniel Romualdez (who transformed it from a two bedroom).

From million-dollar condos to $8 beers, the bright lights of the big city don’t come cheap. In fact, living in New York City costs a family with young children $71,237 more per year than life in the surrounding suburbs. That’s according to a joint study by Zillow and Care.com that compared the costs of housing, property taxes, and childcare in major cities to their outlying suburbs.

If you lustfully dream about getting out of the rental game—to have creative control over your space or just to stop “throwing away money” every month—you’ve no doubt given some thought to whether it’s cheaper to rent or to buy where you live. It’s easy enough to search out a couple of listings on Zillow to give yourself a quick answer, but the truth is there are lots of unexpected financial effects to weigh—on both sides.

There’s nothing Goopier than Gwyneth Paltrow’s Tribeca penthouse, and it’s back on the market for the reduced price of $9.995 million. Paltrow and former husband Chris Martin of Coldplay bought the three bedroom, three and a half bath property in 2007. After they consciously uncoupled, the penthouse was first for sale in March 2016 for $14.25 million; a month later, they dropped the price to $12.85 million, and still with no buyers, the listing was dropped—until now.

Maybe you can have it all: spacious living (perfect for a family) in a vibrant, urban neighborhood. This four-bedroom Chicago home has hit the market (but we bet it won’t be available for long).

The reality of owning a home isn’t as simple as it used to be decades ago. Many first-time home buyers are now waiting longer than they ever have, around six years, before shifting from being a renter to being a home owner. (And rates of homeownership are down further than they have been in nearly fifty years.) For many potential home buyers, unsurprisingly, the down payment is their biggest obstacle. Housing prices have gone up while household income has remained relatively stagnant.

In a study released this week, U.S. News & World Report ranked all 50 U.S. states across seven different categories to find out which ones are performing best for the citizens who live there. How does your state measure up? Mmmm… subjective rankings. If U.S. News & World Report is best known for one thing, it’s not news or world reports — it’s ranking stuff.

Want a Palm Springs feel but live in Los Angeles? Check out this mid-century home in Eagle Rock, on the market for $799,000. 1625 Wildwood Drive, Los Angeles (map) 2 bedroom | 2 bathroom | 1,403 SF 2-car garage, fireplace, 2 patios $799,000 | $569 per SF Property website Perched atop a hill, this two bedroom, two bath home is giving us #doorsofinstagram vibes right off the bat with a bold orange front door.

Meg Ryan’s moving on from her spacious New York City loft. Peek inside the When Harry Met Sally star’s SoHo space. In 2013, Ryan purchased the property from The Simpsons star Hank Azaria for $8 million, and she’s given it a bit of a facelift in the four years since. The 4,100 square foot loft comprises the entire fifth floor of a building built in the 1880s. The apartment has two bedrooms plus an additional sleeping area with French doors and three bathrooms.

Interior designer Alissa of Lenore Design has had the task of turning her family’s rental into a warm home that matches their personality. With an industrial feel (think: overhead pipes meeting very little overhead lighting), the space wasn’t an easy project to tackle. Thankfully, Alissa’s design skills were just what this space needed, to transform it from a standard rental to a warm and welcoming home.

Before you’ve done something, it’s pretty hard to know what you don’t know. When it comes to the complicated, terrifying steps required to buy your first home, there’s a lot of opportunity to not know. First-time home buyers Tiffany and Alan Goldstein bought a cute, chic Austin bungalow — and learned a few things about buying a home in the process. Build a budget so you can set goals. If you can’t afford a home right now, don’t force it.

If you’ve ever searched for an apartment in New York City, you’ve probably heard the term “pre-war” before, but are you familiar with what it means? Pre-war apartments refer to buildings that were constructed before 1939 (AKA those that were built before World War II began). Pre-war style came about during a population boom in the city in the 1880s, according to Street Easy.

Just 28 miles from Dublin, there’s Luggala, the 18th-century castle owned by the Guinness family. The sprawling estate recently came on the market for $30 million. Located in a verdant valley on 5,000 acres in County Wicklow, Luggala Lodge was built in 1787. According to the listing, it has “that special brand of eighteenth-century gothick that rejoices in little battlements, crochets, trefoil and quatrefoil windows and ogee mantelpieces.

Anybody else terrified of the prospect of buying and owning their own home? (Or is it just me?) If it’s not just me, you might find some comfort in facing fears. Specifically, the things that scared Tiffany and Alan Goldstein, first-time home buyers, when they went through the buying process. Taking your own home-buying plunge may be a little less terrifying knowing what’s ahead. The scariest part of the process was fearing we were making the wrong decision.

If you’re reading this from New York City or Boston or San Francisco (or really anywhere!), I don’t have to tell you: the rent is too damn high. (It’s an old meme, but it checks out because it’s still too damn true.) Wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of living, and housing in metro areas is getting prohibitively expensive. “Prohibitively” expensive?