What’s Fueling Mushroom Mania in Décor?

As mushrooms become more prominent in nearly all spheres of modern life — including wellness, pop culture and cuisine — they’re also becoming sought-after motifs in interior design.

Alarm.com smart home tour shows what’s possible

Never worry or wonder if you remembered to shut the garage door or lock the front door. With a system like Alarm.com, you can check in on a property remotely from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Is a book on your bucket list? Here’s how to write it

If writing a book seems like an impossible task, just know that it’s not. In the final part of this series, we look at how to write, what to write about, and who can help you make it more manageable.

QUIZ: Determine which of these is your brand archetype

There are 12 brand archetypes based on common themes, personality traits and marketing niches. Not sure what your “type” could be? Take our quiz to find out.

Where should I post? 3 steps for choosing a social media platform

Make your social media efforts count by posting on the right platforms. Not sure which ones to choose? Here's three steps to help you determine which social media platforms are right for you and your business.

Stand out in any market with a DIY public relations plan

Getting featured in the press can be a game changer because, in addition to creating exposure, it also helps you become a recognized authority in your market. Marketing expert Jeremy Knauff provides a step-by-step strategy for connecting with members of the media.

At Bespoke Real Estate, racial slurs were part of the job, new suit claims

Jarret Willis, a Black agent who worked at the Hamptons-based luxury brokerage, was smeared by epithets, including "Jafar" in reference to the "Aladdin" Disney movie, a white colleague claims.

Majestic Manhattan Mansion Built in 1922 Makes Its Market Debut for $45M

Realtor.com

Tucked between Park and Lexington avenues is one of the most prestigious homes on the New York market. The Thomas Lamont mansion at 107 E 70th Street, originally commissioned by Lamont himself, was recently listed for $45 million.

The 10-bedroom, 14-bath, midblock mansion was designed in 1922 by Walker & Gillette—an architecture firm best known for its work on the once-private residences now occupied by the French and Italian consulates and the esteemed Spence School.

Lamont, a partner at J.P. Morgan, acquired the plot of land in 1920 and proceeded to build the “the best house on the best block,” The New York Times boldly stated.

It is, after all, nearly 23,000 square feet.

Thomas Lamont mansion
Thomas Lamont mansion
Thomas Lamont mansion
Thomas Lamont mansion
Thomas Lamont mansion
Thomas Lamont mansion
Thomas Lamont mansion
Thomas Lamont mansion
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Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent Reveal How To Fall in Love With Your House All Over Again

HGTV

Design experts Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent openly admit they’re not the biggest sports fans. But as we see on the latest episode of “The Nate and Jeremiah Home Project,” they sure know how to score points with sporty homeowners.

Go team!

In the episode, “Story of Sacrifice,” Berkus and Brent meet Mark and Laura, who have lived in Merrick, NY, all their lives. They bought their home 15 years ago and have been wanting to renovate ever since.

The family, which includes two children, has been scrimping and saving for years—with Mark working Saturdays, going in early, and eating PB&J sandwiches for lunch. Over the years, they have managed to save an impressive $175,000 for the remodel. No loans or credit card debt for them!

Lighter floors show less wear and tear from traffic.
Fireplace before
Fireplace after
Faux beamed ceiling
Jeremiah Brent sinks into a cushy couch.
Bar/buffet area
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The Strange Way Rising Interest Rates Have Rewritten the Way We Renovate Our Homes

Getty Images

Rising interest rates have not only thrown a wrench into home sales but have caused some pretty seismic changes in home renovation, too.

According to the just-released 2023 U.S. Houzz & Home renovation report of more than 46,000 respondents, nearly 3 in 5 homeowners remodeled or redecorated their homes last year, and nearly half made repairs. And this urge to revamp will carry firmly through 2023, the report says. More than half of homeowners (55%) are planning renovation projects in the next year.

What’s spurring the continued interest in home reno? It seems partially fueled by the fact that people are planning to stay put in their homes for the long haul, rather than sell and upsize to a bigger and better place.

“Faced with shortages of housing stock and high interest rates, we’re seeing homeowners update their current home to make the space more functional for the long term,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing at Houzz.





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Rockefeller descendants offload historic Philly estate for $24M

Dating to the late 1700s, the estate known as Kirkwood Farm features five historic farmhouses, two barns and a springhouse.

Redfin issues sustainability report in wake of ‘digital redlining’ lawsuit

In its inaugural sustainability report on Wednesday, Redfin shared its efforts to improve housing access, equity and sustainability alongside corporate diversity and inclusion.

Dreaming of Real Estate Riches? Don’t Bank on Home Flipping—Here’s Why

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After binge-watching a few hours of HGTV, home flipping may seem like a good way to make some extra cash. But the shows don’t always dwell on the financial risks facing investors who jump into the game.

Home flippers flooded the real estate market last year, according to a recent report from ATTOM, a real estate data firm. But their profits fell, as the housing market corrected to the lowest levels since the Great Recession.

To come up with its findings, ATTOM looked at metropolitan areas with at least 200,000 residents and 100 home flips last year.

Flips comprised roughly 8.4% of all home sales in 2022, the highest percentage since 2005, according to ATTOM. More than 407,000 single-family homes and condos were flipped last year—up 14% from 2021 and 58% from 2020. Nearly two-thirds of flips were purchased in all-cash deals.


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For Sale: Mansions in Los Angeles at Bargain Prices

Millionaire homeowners are trying to sell their houses before the city’s ‘mansion tax’ goes into effect on April 1.

Rebecca Romijn’s Knockout NYC Townhome Is Up for Rent—Just $17,500 a Month

Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Paramount+ / Realtor.com

Talk about stunning!

New York City brownstones and townhomes are in a class by themselves, simply because there are far fewer of them around, compared to apartments.

So when a property like this one, which is owned by the “X-Men” actress Rebecca Romijn, hits the market (even just to rent), it grabs some attention. Just be prepared to pay dearly: The elegant abode in Manhattan’s trendy Chelsea neighborhood is listed for $17,500 a month.

With historic bones and a modern gut renovation, this gorgeous four-bedroom, three-bath home is truly one of a kind. Romijn’s eclectic remodel was featured in Architectural Digest in 2020.









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U.S. New Home Sales Rise for the Fifth Consecutive Month

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The numbers: A dip in mortgage rates propelled U.S. home buyers to purchase new homes, boosting sales for the fifth month in a row. The strength in new home sales is due to the low number of options buyers have with previously owned homes.

New home sales rose 1.1% to an annual rate of 640,000 in February, from a revised 633,000 in the prior month, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The number is seasonally adjusted.

The data from January was revised significantly. New home sales only rose a revised 1.8% to 633,000 in January, compared with the initial estimate of a 7.2% increase to 670,000.

The new home sales data are volatile month-on-month and are often revised.

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New-home sales post third-straight monthly increase in February

Sales of newly built single-family homes rose 1.1 percent in February while the average sale price climbed to just under $500,000, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Real Estate Designations

Real estate designations are professional certifications that real estate agents and brokers can earn to demonstrate their expertise and knowledge in specific areas of the real estate industry. Some popular real estate designations include: Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR): This designation is for real estate agents who have completed specia...


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Broker Spotlight: Katia and Steve Bailey, The Agency

Learn how these Canadian brokers built their businesses with grit and determination and find out what lessons they're passing on to their agents.

Two Real Estate Agents Say Racism Was Part of the Culture at Brokerage

A real estate agent, who is white, is suing his former employer in part because he says he was fired for speaking up about the treatment of his colleague, who is Black.

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