http://kbentley.cbapex.com/blog/sort_entrydatetime-desc/ 'Amityville Horror' House on Market for $850KBy NICOLE PELLETIERE Oct 31, 2016Coldwell Banker Harbor LightWATCH Inside the 'Amityville Horror' House1KSHARESThe house that inspired the "Amityville Horror" book and series of scary films is now on the market.Dan Godfrey/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSuffolk County policeman uses mine detector as he sweeps through dead leaves on lawn of Ronald DeFeo's 12-room, $75,000 Dutch colonial home in Amityville.And while the home may be charming, it's widely known as the location for the gruesome, 1974 murders that were committed when 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed his parents and his four siblings as they slept in their beds.DeFeo is currently serving 25 years to life at the Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, New York.In light of the home's gruesome past, Joanne Mills, broker and owner of Exit Family Realty, told ABC News that selling the property is a "double-edge sword.""There is a value to the fact that it is this famous house," said Mills, who was the buyers agent on the most recent sale of the Amityville home in 2010. "It either creates much more interest, but most people wouldn't want it because of that."She added: "It is an absolutely gorgeous home and it's completely finished from top to bottom. The present owners did even more rehab to the home and did a beautiful job. The house is haunted, yes, but not by who you think. It's haunted by the curiosity seekers that make it difficult for the people that live there."One year after the crimes took place, George and Kathy Lutz bought the DeFeo's house. The couple claimed to have witnessed paranormal events such as strange sounds, voices and green slime oozing from the walls. A mere 28 days after moving in, they reportedly fled the home in fear, leaving everything they owned inside.Bettmann Archive/Getty ImagesA view of the home of Ronald DeFeo Sr., the car salesman, his wife, two daughters and two sons were found shot to death on Nov. 11, 1974 is seen here.The alleged events inspired the 1976 novel, "The Amityville Horror: A True Story." The movie version was released three years later.Since the Lutzes occupied the house, other owners have grown tired from the persistence of unwanted visitors who are all familiar with the home's frightening backstory, Mills said."Since I was a little girl growing up in Amityville, people would stop you and ask, 'How do you get to the Amityville horror house?'" Mills said. "When it sold last time, in '97, that was a different world. When it went on the market in 2010, it became international news. With social media and everything out there now, it resurfaced in a whole new way."Since the house was made famous by over a dozen films depicting its supposed terrifying events, both the interior an exterior have changed significantly -- including the double corner-round windows that were thought to have resembled eyes.Any interested buyers must show proof of funds before locking in an appointment to see the house, Mills said. No open houses will be scheduled for the public, she added. http://kbentley.cbapex.com/blog/18776/'amityville-horror'-house-on-market-for-$850k/ Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:00:00 -0600 Image courtesy of Flickr user iboy_danielWhen my wife and I bought our current house we knew going that there was a need to correct the interior layout and design of our home. The previous owners weren’t the greatest of decorators which was obvious by the brown and orange floral wallpaper pattern in the master bedroom and the fact that they painted the baseboard heating vents baby blue. No I’m not kidding.Besides general redecorating there were one or two rooms whose layout just didn’t fit right with the rest of the home. I’m not exactly Mr. Handyman either so reconstruction wasn’t an option.What we did discover is there are some things you can do with paint color and the color of your furniture and decor that can help correct some of the interior faults in your home. The video below is a quick guide to getting started and you might be surprised to see how color can make a room with a low ceiling feel bigger or make a small room seem spacious.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SChwOKurdKA&feature=player_embedded http://kbentley.cbapex.com/blog/3890/how-to-use-color-to-correct-interiors-of-your-home/ Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:20:52 -0600  Consumers are showing renewed confidence in housing!Money asked its readers, “Is this a good time to buy real estate?”The results:1) 48% said it was a great time to buy2) 26% said it was an OK time to buy3) Only 26 % thought it was probably not a good time or was a bad time to buyAs the economy continues to improve, confidence in home ownership should also rise. This survey shows that we are headed in the right direction. http://kbentley.cbapex.com/blog/3838/confidence-in-home-ownership-headed-to-right-direction/ Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:05:02 -0600  I just read Meg Handley’s recent article in U.S. News and World Report and was appreciative of her home buying tips and fair look at who should/should not buy a home today.   While I liked the article, I loved the headline, “Uncertainty remains in the market, but experts say purchasing a home is still a good long-term investment.”That about sums it up. For those with the financial wherewithal and lifestyle need, today is the best time in my more than 35 years in real estate to buy a home (I’ll get into the reasons in a moment).  But because of the nation’s high unemployment and the recession’s lingering impact, “confusing” is an adjective that fairly describes the housing market.Just look at this recent coverage of housing:Fortune Magazine – “Real Estate – It’s Time To Buy Again”vs.MSN Money    – “Homeownership No Longer The American Dream”Wall Street Journal – 10 Reasons To Buy a Homevs.Time Magazine – The Case Against HomeownershipNo wonder consumers are wondering what to do.  And no wonder consumers, in a Coldwell Banker survey, stated they are “nervous,” “anxious,” “confused,” “unsure” and also a bit “excited” about today’s home buying process.So who should you believe?  Those for or against homeownership? I think the best answer is to believe yourself.  Each individual and family situation is different and the variables are great when considering home ownership, moving up, and/or downsizing.  And it is OK to ask whether renting is a suitable alternative. For many, it might be.  Those with projected short-term (less than 2-3 years) stays in a town, unclear job or relationship status or someone who likes the idea of a transient lifestyle should certainly consider renting.  And for those who do not yet have the financial means, steady income or have other fiscal restraints, renting is fine.But for the majority of us homeownership has been part of the American Dream.  It’s in our DNA.  Yet as we exit the recession, I also believe the homeownership levels in our great country may decrease into the mid-60 % range from the near 70 % we have recently seen.  That’s OK.I have moved a lot throughout my career, bought and sold a lot of homes and invested in real estate for the long term.  Clearly, I believe in the merits of homeownership for so many financial, lifestyle and social reasons.And because of “Triple I-P”, homeownership opportunities are great today:I – Inventory (plenty of homes to choose from)I – Interest rates (mortgage rates remain at historical lows)I – Incentives (these are the tax advantages homeownership brings)P – Prices (down from mid-decade highs yet are showing signs of stability)So while I think I have great experience and a great perspective – and there are people with great credentials on the other side – it’s your decision!   Remember, no real estate CEO (me), economist, professor, lifelong renter or anyone else with an opinion should decide for you.Do your homework.   Speak with a local real estate agent and ask them to explain what’s occurring in the housing market in your town or where you want to live.  Then carefully examine your financial and employment situation, lifestyle needs/wants and long term goals.  And use the tools on coldwellbanker.com like the mortgage calculator, rent vs. buy calculator and affordability calculator to help.We believe that a trusted Coldwell Banker agent and your use of the right tools will allow you to make a smart decision.I hope this helps you make that decision – a decision that meets your needs.   Good luck! http://kbentley.cbapex.com/blog/3894/homeownership-its-your-decision/ Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:23:43 -0600 My lawn is brutal. There’s one patch in the front yard that just always seems to have trouble growing grass at the same rate as the rest of the yard. It gets dried out faster and it bugs me to no end.I won’t even start on my backyard. It’s shady. I just had some trees cut down and now I have patches where there’s no grass at all. Can you tell my thumb is not green? But alas it’s that time of year when I venture to the Home Depot to see what can be done to salvage my lawn from being the eyesore of the neighborhood.That’s why I found this video particularly helpful. For the novice landscaper that I am, I was able to get some quick tips on making sure my lawn is ready for optimal growth this spring. Who knew raking your lawn was the best way to prep it for seeding? Ok, maybe lots of people do, but I had no idea.Check out the video below or on Coldwell Banker On Location to learn about how to get your home’s lawn ready for spring.<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/329A9L6fQCY?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/329A9L6fQCY?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object> http://kbentley.cbapex.com/blog/3840/how-to-get-your-homes-lawn-ready-for-spring/ Thu, 21 Apr 2011 02:33:24 -0600