Marie Kondo. Internet pop-ups. Environmental consciousness. Travel. Natural disasters. Political chaos. The economy. Instagram.

What do they have in common? They have a direct effect on the color of paint you choose for the living room walls and the new sofa you plan to buy next year. Anything that influences how we feel impacts interior design trends for the new year.

According to local designers, we are feeling good about warmer neutrals, even better about classic blue, and celebrating the return of color, even when it's monochromatic. Homeowners are now drawn to comfortable furniture, and we want to bring outdoor elements inside.

We also want things we can keep and treasure. Places we have traveled or dreamed about seeing are incorporated into life at home. We still want fewer walls and more open spaces. Whatever we have overdone in the past we want to dispose of in the near future. But more than ever, we want home to be our sanctuary.

OUTDOORS IN: Bring nature into your home with organic, sustainable, environmentally friendly furnishings and fabrics, says interior designer Grace Kaynor, co-owner of Sotre on Magazine Street in New Orleans. But dont stop there. Incorporate real plants and living walls, Kaynor says.

While some of the more sophisticated ways to accomplish this require the art and skill of a landscape designer, others can be DIY projects found online, such as creating an eye-catching display with hanging plants suspended from a rod in front of a window, or using a discarded chest with drawerspulled open to create tiers for plants.

Indoor/outdoor fabrics and rattan and wicker furniture are also elements to bring the outdoors in, Kaynor says.

NATURAL ELEMENTS: The beauty of wood in floors, furniture, columns, ceilings and even countertops plays a major role in dcor for 2020.

Floors that show off wood grain are left uncovered; doors that could be painted into the color scheme of a room are instead focal points in a natural state. Furniture and even lighting are there for brightening the room, as warmer wood tones are in favor.

Interior designer Katy Koch of Katy Koch Home, also on Magazine Street, likes the handwork of local woodworkers NOLA Boards (NOLAboards.com) to create elegant farmhouse-style surfaces in kitchen renovations. Their woods range from white oak to black walnut to sinker cypress. Its a softer, more natural look for a kitchen, Koch says.

Quartz for a very light tone on kitchen countertops is still holding in popularity, as well as dark stones such as soapstone, which Koch has paired with wood surfaces.

ROOM WITH A VIEW: There is a continued course toward placing a higher value on outdoor space, which is no longer treated as an afterthought but rather, in many cases, a focal point and integral part of the living area, says architect and interior designer Caroline Ferguson.

Examples she cites are fully furnished porches with such indoor comforts as fireplaces, televisions, dining areas and cooking capabilities. These spaces, she says, have become a home oasis.

While porches and patios may be the al fresco space in a home, these areas can still be private. They might contain something organic in style to camouflage an open wall. Ferguson custom-ordered a laser-cut, bronze-finish aluminum screen to serve as a privacy wall in a recent renovation of a Colonial Revival home.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MINDSET:Modern interiors not sleek and cold but sparse with richer finishes is how architect/designer John Chrestia of Chrestia Staub Pierce design firm sees the comforts of a well-appointed home where the California Style concept continues to reflect todays lifestyles.

The open plan produces a seamless transitions for the communal spaces (dining room, family room, kitchen) at home. That feeling of openness, Chrestia says, also translates into non-cluttered and non-collected spaces.

We are getting away from the collected look like all French that was popular a few years ago and embracing a more eclectic style where a single treasured antique piece can stand out in a modern setting, he says.

Chrestia sees the younger generation looking back at a grandparents home and seeing elements of comfort they want to incorporate into their contemporary homes. Retro looks from the '50s, '60s, and '70s are particularly popular for reinterpretation in current designs.

A treasured heirloom piece can be an item of of distinction in a contemporary room. In many cases, a piece of furniture from the past now intersects with the present. Chrestia sees Vladimir Kagan's curved sofa from the '30s as reflecting the new affinity toward softer edges where form addresses comfort.

FEELING BLUE: The color blue was on the minds of interior designers even before the Pantone Color Institute named Classic Blue the color of the year for 2020.

Layers of blue look beautiful. You can create a room that looks like a jewel using deeper tones, says Koch, who has seen it play out with paint, wallpaper, furnishings or cabinetry.

A small bar in an Uptown home was transformed by Kaynor into a blue room, literally, with Farrow and Ball Hague Blue paint. The walls were then lacquered to create a shimmering, light-reflective surface for a striking and sophisticated space. Monogrammed contemporary hardware by local architect and designer Marion Cage added the final touch.

Classic Blue is described by the color forecasting institute as a reassuring presence instilling calm, confidence and connection." The 2020 shade "brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge," according to the institute.

ARTFUL LIVING: There is an appreciation for traditional craft, skilled workmanship, artisanal goods (versus manufactured, mass produced, synthetic materials) and a rising awareness in wellness carrying over to furnishings, with a strong prevalence of natural and organic fibers, says Ferguson.

She sees hand-chiseled tiles such as zellige tile from Morocco continuing to gain popularity in interiors, as opposed to the geometric perfection of machine-produced tiles. Hand-loomed rugs, nubby wools and textured linens also add to a handcrafted look.

Technology is not ruled out, says Ferguson, but can be used for more one-of-kind accents or custom-ordered pieces that provide unique and artistic, rather than trendy, elements to a room.

THE RETURN OF KEEPSAKES: Chrestia sees his clients carefully choosing pieces they treasure, whether the aforementioned retro pieces or something unique that holds special meaning. The eclectic leaning in todays interiors allows a mix of moods and styles.

For some clients, their furnishings include a mix of travel treasures, says Ferguson, who sees social media sources such as Instagram and Pinterest also serving as windows to global influence in design where homeowners seek carefully curated unique finds.

PATTERNS AND PRINTS: There are countless ways to play with colors and moods: wallpaper in botanical prints, metallic surfaces, abstract shapes, even accessories such as bedding and throw pillows.

The bedroom is the prime environment for mixing prints with pillows, throws and beddings, says Kaynor, who points out that we spend a third of our lives in that room, and we are a sleep-deprived nation. This is the room that should reflect the home-dwellers personal view of what sanctuary should be to the eyes and the senses.

In any room of the house, the mix of prints is not just limited to furniture and accessories, but the walls can be a canvas of rich interaction. Koch was recently taken with hand-woven colorful fabric borders from Rebecca Cole, whose hand-blocked and hand-embroidered textiles from Nigeria pop with color, whether earth tones or bright.

While borders are often associated with upholstery, Koch sees these fabrics as the perfect accent to place under crown molding to mix with complementary wallpaper. And dont rule out painted walls and wallpapered ceilings, she says.

The rest is here:

2020 New Orleans home trends: Warm and comfortable, with a healthy dose of the outdoors - NOLA.com

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The most appealing feature of Sumner Countys most expensive homes isnt inside the house. Its Old Hickory Lake. Of the 10 most expensive homes sold in 2019, six have a boat dock, one has a dock permit and one has views of the lake.

All of the homes are in Gallatin, according to RealTracs, the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) in the Nashville region. In 2018, eight of the homes on the top 10 list had a Gallatin address and two were in Hendersonville. In 2019 prices ranged from $2,144,124 to $1,580,000. In 2018 they ranged from $2,075,000 to $1,275,000.

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The property at 255 Old Douglas Road was Sumner Countys most-expensive home sold in 2019.(Photo: Submitted)

The most expensive home sold in 2019 came with an 80.2-acre farm. The property sold for $2,144,124 on April 1. Angie Jefferson Langford, affiliate broker at Zeitlin Sothebys International Realty, was the Realtor. The property features two homes and two ponds. The main house has three bedrooms and four full baths in about 5,974 square feet of space. The second house has approximately 2,700 square feet of space.

1045 Kendras Run is designed for lakeside relaxation.(Photo: Submitted)

The second most expensive home sold for $2,100,000on Dec.13. Gwen Dowland, affiliate broker at Re/Max Choice Properties, was the agent. The home, in the Emerald Point subdivision, has 8,407 square feet of space. The home features two kitchens, four bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, two wet bars and five fireplaces. Almost every room has a lake view. The property has a dock.

1371 Rozella Way has seven bedrooms and seven and a half baths.(Photo: Submitted)

The third most expensive home sold for $2,075,000 on March 26. Stacey Graves, managing broker for Re/Max Elite, was the listing agent. The home, in Fairvue Plantation, has 7,380 square feet of space and seven bedrooms, seven full baths and one half bath. The property has a dock.

The fourth most expensive home sold for $2 million on Jan.15. Ruth Yates, with Reliant Realty Era Powered, was the Realtor. The home, in Gallatins Lake Park subdivision, has 7,970 square feet of space and five bedrooms, five full baths and one half bath. Features include a gated entry, a four-car garage, an 80-foot lanai and faux-painted barrel ceilings. The house has a dock with a boat lift.

The home at 1549 Boardwalk Place has upper and lower-level outdoor living areas.(Photo: Submitted)

This home also sold for $2 million on May 20. Peggy St. Peters, leader of the St. Peters Team at Coldwell Banker Lakeside Realtors, was the Realtor. The home, in Foxland Harbor, has 10,034 square feet of space. It features two kitchens, a guest apartment, seven bedrooms, nine full baths and one half bath. There is elevator access to all three floors. The property has a dock permit.

The home at 846 Pickwick Ct. has 7,913 square feet of space, five bedrooms, six full-baths and two half-baths.(Photo: Submitted)

The sixth most expensive home sold for $1,933,000on June 21. Peggy St. Peters, leader of the St. Peters Team at Coldwell Banker Lakeside Realtors, was the Realtor. The home, in Fairvue Plantation, has 7,913 square feet of space. It has five bedrooms, six full baths and two half baths. The home features an in-ground heated pool with a waterfall bridge and a swim-up bar. The property has a dock.

The home at 792 Plantation Way has a shaft for installation of an elevator.(Photo: Submitted)

The seventh most expensive home sold for $1,800,000on March 22. Stacey Graves, managing broker for Re/Max Elite, was the listing agent. The home, in Fairvue Plantation, has 6,600 square feet of space. The house has four bedrooms, three full baths and two half baths. The house has a shaft for an elevator. There is a kitchenette on the lower level. The property has a dock.

280 Harris Lane features the main house, a guest house, a pond, fenced paddocks and a pool.(Photo: Submitted)

The eighth most expensive home sold for $1,799,000. Jonny Lee and Gary Ashton, leaders of The Ashton Real Estate Group of Re/Max Advantage, had the listing. The house has 8,078 square feet of space. It has four bedrooms, five full baths and one half bath. The property has a 2,000-square-foot guest house, a fishing pond, fenced paddocks and an in-ground pool.

A custom home by AR Homes, 1479 Boardwalk Place has four bedrooms and five full baths.(Photo: Submitted)

The ninth most expensive home sold for $1,770,000 on June 6. Chad Hornick, a Realtor for AR Homes, was the agent. The house has 4,603 square feet of living space, four bedrooms and five full baths. The house, custom built by AR Homes, has a bonus room on the main floor. The property has a boat dock.

The home at 825 Plantation Blvd. has 5,854 square feet of space and offers one-level living.(Photo: Submitted)

The tenth most expensive home sold for $1,580,000 on March 15. Stacey Graves, managing broker for Re/Max Elite, was the listing agent. The house has 5,854 square feet of space, four bedrooms, four full baths and one half bath.The home, in Fairvue Plantation, offers one-level living. The house has views of Old Hickory Lake.

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The 10 most expensive homes sold in Sumner County in 2019 - Tennessean

Sacramento, CA- The Sacramento Walking Sticks Club will be hosting newly designed walks on New Years Eve and New Years Day for everyone to join in on, even the family dog.

The start location for both events will be the Pioneer Congregational Church on 2700 L St in Sacramento CA 95819, across the street from Sutters Fort. Registration for the New Years Eve walk, December 31st, is between 5:00 6:00 p.m. and the New Years Day walk, January 1st, is between 9:00 a.m. 12:00 noon. There will be a different 5K (3.1 miles) and 10K (6.2 miles) route available on both days. Flashlights are recommended on the New Years Eve walk. Dogs are welcome on all the walks, but they are not allowed inside the Church; strollers and wheelchairs will be able to traverse all routes. Rain will not stop these events from taking place.

Volkswalking is a family sport and parents and grandparents are encouraged to bring their children and grandchildren out and get them walking. These events are a wonderful way to see the old year out and see the new one in. This makes for a great new years resolution; to get fit, meet new people and see sights in your hometown and surrounding areas that youve never seen before.

The New Years Eve route will take people in heavily decorated areas of midtown and downtown Sacramento; the longer walk will bring you all the way to Old Sacramento. The walks are non-competitive and not timed so people can stop along the way to enjoy the sights and sounds so long as they return for check-in by 9:00 p.m. at the Church.

The New Years Day route will let people explore the serene and lovely East Sacramento neighborhoods with their custom homes and fun, quirky businesses. Historic notes will be provided. Everyone must be checked in by 3:00 pm. At the Church. Each participant always receives a set of written directions with a map for the route they will be walking and typically the route will also be marked.

The walks are open and available to everyone. They are FREE and there is also an incentive program provided that allows people the opportunity to track their mileage. This incentive program can be started by purchasing a New Walker Packet for $5.00. There is also a limited-edition commemorative patch available for $4.00 each.

Volkssporting (translation means sport of the people) originated in Germany in the 1970s. Many US military families stationed there enjoyed the sport and eventually brought it to America; there are currently just under 300 clubs nationwide. The Sacramento Walking Sticks Club continues to be the largest club in the entire USA with close to 550+ members and it offers everyone a wide array of walking and bicycling adventures almost every day of the week for people of all ages, including their dogs.

Walking is one of the most efficient and inexpensive forms of exercise around and it also offers an array of psychological, physical, and spiritual benefits as well. Walking is an exercise that works on you from head to toe as well as from the inside out. People love to go exploring in their hometown as well as in their state, but they tend to be more receptive to doing it with others. Volkssporting is a great connector of town festivals and activities with people who would never have ventured there on their own. Theres safety in numbers whether by day or night and meeting new friends along the way is another side benefit. After the walks we like to dine at local eateries wherever were at so theres also another social layer to volkswalking.

The Sacramento Walking Sticks Club offer group walks on Tuesday, Thursday and occasional Friday mornings (5 and 10K routes to choose from) as well as Wednesday night group walks that are always 5K. Each month there is a 5K Full Moon walk as well as a 5K Early Risers walk where we start walking at 6:30 a.m. and have breakfast afterwards. Also once a month are Road Adventures which take us midweek to neighboring clubs walks that are at least an hour and a half from Sacramento. There are also group bike rides of 25K offered every other Thursday morning throughout the year.

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Sacramento Walking Sticks to stroll in the New Year - Rocklin & Roseville Today

A drop in interest rates spurred greater than expected home building in Hoover in 2019, and the market shows no sign of slowing down in 2020, industry observers say.

From Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 5, there were 443 single-family building permits issued in Hoover, according to records from the citys Building Inspections Department. Thats up 42 percent from the 312 building permits issued in all of 2018, records show.

Right now, its really booming, said Jim Wyatt, director of the Building Inspections Department. Theyre building wide open. Were not seeing any slow down at all. As long as interest rates stay reasonable, I think were going to see a continued building boom.

For the first 11 months of 2019, there were 299 closings on new homes in Hoover, compared to 236 in the same period in 2018, according to Multiple Listing Service data provided by Signature Homes.

Eighty-six percent of those 256 homes were built by Signature Homes, said Jonathan Belcher, the companys president. That compares to 175 homes closed by Signature Homes in Hoover in the first 11 months of 2018 and 198 for all of 2018.

I think from a year ago, were in a lot different position, Belcher said.

In early November 2018, interest rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage were a little over 5%, but fell to 3.5-3.75% by March of 2019, Belcher said.

That really had a huge impact in a positive way on home prices and certainly on the sales side, he said.

The average sales price of new homes in Hoover rose from $471,000 in the first 11 months of 2018 to $527,000 in the same period in 2019, Belcher said.

The Blackridge development by Signature Homes had a big impact on that sales price jump because the average sales price in Blackridge right now is $838,000, he said. There were only five homes sold in Blackridge in 2018, but there were 37 homes sold there in the first 11 months of 2019, he said.

The vast majority of new homes being built in Hoover are in Blackridge, Lake Wilborn and other sections of the Trace Crossings community, such as Abingdon and Green Trails, Wyatt said.

Homes also are being built in The Preserve, Lake Cyrus, Ross Bridge, McGill Crossings and Brock Point (on the eastern side of Hoover), but at a much slower pace, Wyatt said. The only sector of Ross Bridge still under construction is Glasscott, and those are mostly custom homes in the $1.2 million to $1.5 million range, he said.

Belcher said he does not expect to see the number of homes being built in Hoover to continue to rise. Instead, he foresees the market leveling out and stabilizing at the current rate.

There are about 1,100 homes planned for Lake Wilborn, Abingdon and Green Trails, and so far only about 300 of those have been completed, he said. Buildout for those communities should take another four to five years, depending on the interest rates and the housing market in general, he said.

There are still about 600 to 700 more homes to be built in Blackridge, and buildout there should take longer because of the higher prices, he said. Signature Homes expects to build another 18 houses in Brock Point off Shelby County 41, next to Greystone and across from Shoal Creek, and that subdivision likely will be completed in 2020, Belcher said. Homes there have been priced in the $500,000s to $700,000s.

In The Preserve, about 500 homes have been built so far, and there probably are a little more than 200 more homes still to be constructed, said Merry Leach, the lead real estate agent for The Preserve.

We still have plenty of lots to develop, she said.

Builders in The Preserve include Byrom Building Corp., Centennial Homes, FargasonBuilding Corp., Hastings Construction and Ridgecrest Properties.

There are a few home sites left in phase 14 of The Preserve, and the developer hopes to open phase 11, with more than 50 lots, in late spring 2020, Leach said. Phase 11 will include about 23 lots that are for one-level homes, she said. Were very excited about it.

Most of the homes in The Preserve are custom homes, and the average price there right now is about $650,000. The one-level homes likely will be less expensive, she said.

The low interest rates have meant many people have been able to afford more home than they thought they could, Leach said. It helps them build their dream home, quite honestly, she said.

The Hoover housing market is outperforming the market in most of the metro area, Belcher said. New home closings for the Birmingham-Hoover metro area as a whole were down 4.4 percent from 2,055 in the first 11 months of 2018 to 1,964 in the same period in 2019.

New home sales were down from 75 to 38 in Vestavia Hills, 168 to 155 in Trussville, 100 to 97 in Helena, and 85 to 84 in Pelham, Belcher said. There was increased activity in Calera, where new homes sales rose from 99 in the first 11 months of 2018 to 145 in the same period in 2019, he said. However, the average price of a new home in Calera was much lower at about $200,000, Belcher said.

Right now, there is only about a two-month supply of existing homes in Hoover and 3.9- month supply of new homes, for an overall average of 2.4 months, Belcher said. Usually, a six-month supply is deemed healthy, so supply is considered limited right now.

Excerpt from:

Home building boom expected to continue for Hoover in 2020 - Hoover Sun

So here is a fairytale for you: a house for a family with a large yard in Los Angeles for sale at around $12,000.

Thats what you could find in 1950s LA, when thousands of suburban tract homes sprang up in the San Fernando Valley and Orange County. They were home to mostly white, middle-class families following the war.

Theyve often been called ticky-tack, but not all were bland. Just think of the cool but comfy ranch style homes of Cliff May and the modernist houses of William Krisel and Dan Palmer.

Then there are Cinderella homes. These were designed by Jean Vandruff and marketed by his salesman brother Shannon. Vandruff was an inventor and architectural designer who dropped out of USC and dove right into designing a custom home -- long and low, with diamond paned windows, high gabled peaked roofs and large overhangs -- altogether they were like something out of a princess story.

Fairy tales were popular in those days. I was sitting at my drafting board and and my wife Eleanor came and looked over my shoulder and she saw the house that I was designing and she said, that ought to be a house for Cinderella, Vandruff said.

Local historian Chris Lukather is author of the new book The Cinderella Homes of Jean Vandruff. Hes a Valley native who thinks the areas better than average tract homes warrant a bit more love. Lukather has also written a book about local builder William Mellenthins birdhouse homes and he is working on a book about Robert Byrd.

Vandruff built a custom Cinderella home in Downey and through word of mouth, through no advertising, they had about 30,000 people come and visit this home, Lukather explains. People flocked to it. People camped out overnight. They sold out the first tract of homes in three days.

The homes were described by Vandruff as wife-prejudiced to accommodate women, with lower countertops and a window opening that went from the kitchen into the living room, which allowed the wife to have conversations with her children or her husband while she was working in the kitchen.

The Cinderella homes were a big hit for the Vandruff brothers in the 1950s, until the cedar shake shingles were declared a fire hazard in the 60s. Later, concrete versions of shake shingles were invented, but by then the trend had ended.

Read the rest here:

How Cinderella Homes brought fantasy to the suburbs - KCRW

When friends and family roll in for the holidays, space inside the house is coveted. But year round, the lot has more value, with the potential to appreciate more than any structure, say real estate experts.

As more people move into an area, the demand for development drives up land's value, according to data analyzed by the financial education source Investopedia. Even land that can't be divided can be prized as a private retreat.

In this week's real estate gallery, we look at homes for sale sitting on an acre or more of earth.

--Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

Premiere Property Group

93.57 acres in Hillsboro

The 93.57-acre Highgrove Estate at 22380 N.W. Meier Road is listed at $6.5 million.

The two-level, Colonial-style house, built in 1988, has five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, two powder rooms and 9,658 square feet of living space.

The land includes a large pool house, carriage house with modern loft-style apartment, barn with winery-cidery capabilities, conservatory greenhouse, office building, warehouse, equipment barns, children's cottage, certified organic vineyard, orchards, gardens plus two ponds.

Premiere Property Group

93.57 acres in Hillsboro

"Do not enter property without a broker. Prequalified buyers only," say listing agents Matthew Tackett and Peter Bouman of Premiere Property Group of the property at 22380 N.W. Meier Road.

Keller Williams Realty Professionals

18.54 acres in Corbett

The Argentinian-style house, built in 1997 on 18.54 acres overlooking the Columbia River at 34931 E. Historic Columbia River Hwy., is listed at $2.5 million.

The two-level house has a great room, library, four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and 5,298 square feet of living space.

Keller Williams Realty Professionals

18.54 acres in Corbett

"Grand spaces for entertaining, dramatic use of windows to allow the outdoors into every room, indoor-outdoor patios and verandas, private gardens," says listing agent Chris Suarez of Keller Williams Realty Professionals about the property at at 34931 E. Historic Columbia River Hwy.

More Realty

9.81 acres in Troutdale

The Old Portland-style house, built in 1904 on 9.81 acres at 2035 S.E. Troutdale Road, is listed at $2,250,000.

The three-level house has three bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and 2,889 square feet of living space plus a barn.

More Realty

9.81 acres in Troutdale

"Make an offer," says listing agent Allen Riddle of More Realty of the property at2035 S.E. Troutdale Road. "This amazing Zone R-10 property has a great upside for a multi-home development with views of Mount Hood and nice trees and creek at the footsteps of these finished homes. This property is a must for any builder or local family farm to add to their portfolio."

Luxe Christie's International Real Estate

9.74 acres in Forest Park

The modern mansion, built in 2003 on 9.74 acres at 9912 N.W. Wind Ridge Dr., is listed at $8,650,000.

The three-level house has a two-story open living and dining area, commercial-grade kitchen, sound-proof music room, four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, four powder rooms, an indoor pool and 11,807 square feet of living space plus guest quarters.

Luxe Christie's International Real Estate

9.74 acres in Forest Park

"Architectural treasure in West Hills. Incredible modern design with stunning imported stone, wood and glass, breathtaking mountain views from every room. World class material and craftsmanship ... Perfect for entertaining, art, those wanting to live in a modern masterpiece," says listing agent Terry Sprague of Luxe Christie's International Real Estate of the property at 9912 N.W. Wind Ridge Dr.

John L. Scott Sandy

9.3 acres in Troutdale

The chateau-inspired mansion, built in 2007 on 9.31 acres at 30260 N.E. Springhill Road, is listed at $2,950,000.

The three-level house has six bedrooms, four full bathrooms, three partial bathrooms and 7,738 square feet of living space.

John L. Scott Sandy

9.3 acres in Troutdale

"Just 20 minutes to downtown Portland and five minutes from the famous Columbia River Gorge where the outdoor enthusiast will enjoy access to a myriad of hiking trails, world-class fishing," says listing agent Brian Gentry of John L. Scott Sandy of the property at at 30260 N.E. Springhill Road.

Pro Group Realty and Property Management

6.07 acres in Buxton

The 6.07-acre property at Northwest Oregon Route 47 at Northwest Nowakowski Road sold for $185,000 on Sept. 16, 2019.

The manufactured home has two bedrooms, one bathroom and 672 square feet of living space.

"Beautiful little setting surrounded by timber. Type 1 replacement approval required for building," said listing agent Linda Monte of Pro Group Realty and Property Management.

Premiere Property Group

5.81 acres in Sherwood

The contemporary country estate-style house, built on 5.81 gated acres at 10770 S.W. Tonquin Loop, is listed at $1,988,000.

The two-story custom home was designed and built by a team who created a Street of Dreams house. This home has a great room with floor-to-ceiling windows, tray ceilings, cove lighting, six bedrooms, four full bathrooms, two powder rooms and 5,198 square feet of living space.

The original farmhouse, horse stable and corral are included in the property.

Premiere Property Group

5.81 acres in Sherwood

"Luxury and tranquility," says listing agent Lois Oliver-Miesbach of Premiere Property Group about the property at 10770 S.W. Tonquin Loop.

Where, Inc

3.4 acres in the West Hills

The midcentury modern house, designed by architect Walter Gordon and built in 1971 on 3.4 acres at 5335 S.W. Patton Road, is listed at $6,975,000.

The remodeled, two-level dwelling has floor-to-ceiling windows, four bedrooms, five full bathrooms, two powder rooms and 8,162 square feet of living space. A veranda overlooks the pool.

Where, Inc

3.4 acres in the West Hills

"Bound by Portland's natural surroundings and panoramic vistas," say listing agents Suzann Baricevic Murphy and Lorraine Rose of Where, Incof the property at at 5335 S.W. Patton Road. "Wrapped in brick for a large part, the exterior is in sublime contrast to the tropical-inspired gardens and native forest that surround the perimeter."

RE/MAX Equity Group

2.1 acres in Forest Park

The daylight ranch-style house, built in 1937 on 2.1 acres at 10549 N.W. Skyline Blvd., is listed at $449,500.

The updated two-story house has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and 1,312 square feet of living space.

RE/MAX Equity Group

2.1 acres in Forest Park

"Great layout for extended family or renting rooms. Each bedroom has a door to the exterior and a bathroom. Lots of room for RV parking," says listing agent Tom Stubbs of RE/MAX Equity Group of the property at at 10549 N.W. Skyline Blvd.

Great Western Real Estate Co.

1.09 acres in Pleasant Valley

The ranch house, built in 1950 on 1.09 acres at 5720 S.E. Jenne Road, is listed at $389,000.

The dwelling has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,496 square feet of living space.

Great Western Real Estate Co.

1.09 acres in Pleasant Valley

"One-acre lot in the city, conveniently located between Powell and Foster Road. The one-level home makes a great rental or first home. Do not disturb tenants," says listing agent Cornell Mann of Great Western Real Estate Co. of the property at 5720 S.E. Jenne Road.

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Original post:

On the market: Homes sitting on an acre or more of valuable land - OregonLive

Story by Sean McIntyre Photography by Don Denton

Old pumpkins, a trebuchet and a man with an idea. Stu Hopewell of Alair Homes is all about building custom homes as well as community.

Stus neighbourhood has long been known as the place where Nanaimo residents discard unwanted pumpkins. In the days that follow Halloween, the pumpkins proliferate along the side of the road, creating an alluring seasonal attraction, until time and November rain take their toll.

Its nice, but generally ends up as a big greasy mess, he says.

Always innovative and having a knack for practicality, Stu built a giant catapult to launch what he hopes will become an annual community tradition: The Great Pumpkin Toss. The inaugural event, undertaken in partnership with the Nanaimo Science and Sustainability Society, will see a few creative and fun ways to dispose of post-Halloween pumpkins. For a modest donation, Stu will load peoples old, unwanted pumpkins into the launcher and send the sad squash soaring high through the sky and into a field behind the East Wellington Fire Hall on Jingle Pot Road.

Depending on the weight, we can usually launch them between 150 and 200 feet, he says.

Funds raised from this years event were donated to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Vancouver Island and the Nanaimo Science and Sustainability Society, whose members built a pumpkin cannon as part of the project.

The pumpkin toss is a whole lot of fun, but its also just one of the many ways the successful businessman and long-time builder has found a way to give back to his hometown and support local charities.

Stu hopes other companies will join the event in future years, helping to raise more funds for great causes that need ongoing support.

The more participants, the bigger the event and the more dollars raised, which is our overall goal here.

Last summer, Stu was part of the Alair Homes team that had a solid finish in the citys annual Silly Boat Race. The team engineered a Jaws-themed shark boat that took a bite out of the competition and helped raise more than $100,000 for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre.

My family moved to Canada from England in the late 70s, and the CDC helped me at that point by doing some speech therapy, so theyve made a big difference in our lives, he says.

Stu gave back by serving on the CDCs board of directors, a position that showed him how much the organization helps disadvantaged and disabled kids in spite of a slim budget. Continual funding uncertainty, he says, means the CDC has a waiting list of anywhere between 300 and 400 children who need assistance at any given time.

That, to me, just doesnt make sense. If we can increase funding and decrease those waiting lists, then the kids that need help will get help much faster, he says. Just getting out in the community and giving back is important for me. Its not about dollars and cents, its about making a difference while youre here.

Engaging in more community events is part of the companys long-term strategy, he adds. Building annual traditions where residents can have fun and have an impact is a great way for him to increase the quality of life in the region that he and his family are proud to call home, he says.

Stu is in a place where he can make a difference. Back in 2011, tired of working for someone else, he decided to speak with fellow builder and friend Blair McDaniel about going into business. Within a decade, Stu had become the co-owner and chief operating officer of Alair Homes, North Americas largest custom home company. Starting out as a general labourer during summers at 14 years of age, Stu has risen to the top of his field. He now works with 60 employees out of the companys home office in downtown Nanaimo and assists hundreds of the Alair franchisees in towns and cities across North America.

We handle all of the back-end business in this office here, he says. Most builders are excellent with clients and the sub-trades, but they struggle with the paperwork like paying bills and processing their payroll. As a result, good builders have struggled to be successful.

Thats where we can help, doing the payroll, HR, accounting, payables, receivables, operations, marketing and legal.This allows our builders to handle a much higher volume than on their own.

Stus success and Alairs expansion mean he arrives at work early, usually by 6 am, to coincide with business hours on the east coast.

Its hard work, but I enjoy myself, he says. If you love what you do, its not difficult to go to work.

Making time for work and family means hes had to reconsider some of his priorities.

Once a stalwart at Vancouver Island race tracks such as Saratoga and Western Speedway, Stu has shifted gears. Once an avid racer of the pint-sized and high-powered dwarf-series race cars, family and work responsibilities have encouraged Stu to grab the keys of his family car to wheel his two teenage children around the streets of Nanaimo.

Now its really about chasing around my kids, dropping them off and picking them up, he says. Theres always a skating event, dance lesson or karate tournament.

As Alair Homes expands, Stu has been racking up some hefty frequent flyer points by visiting new locations. One week hell be in Alberta or Ontario, while the next will see him travelling to Texas or Florida. As someone who has worked in the industry since his early teens, Stu is continually fascinated by the different approaches and building techniques he encounters in different regions.

Outside of work, he shares his desire for travel with his wife and two teenage kids. The family takes frequent trips overseas as a way to broaden their horizons and remember the triviality of first-world problems.

We feel its important for us and our kids to see other parts of the world, he says.

On a trip to Africa, the family was awed by the scale of the continents wilderness and wild creatures. They also visited an orphanage run by an Australian ex-pat with no government funding. Despite the challenges and poverty, he recalls, all the children had access to clean beds and regular meals, and had smiles on their faces.

That was a life-changing trip for me, he says.

Its experiences like these, Stu adds, that remind him to be grateful for what hes achieved and aware of how we can all make our communities, be they on Vancouver Island or overseas, healthier and happier places to live.

To find out more about Alair check out their Alair Homes website.

Story courtesy of Boulevard Magazine, a Black Press Media publication

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Building homes and community - Boundary Creek Times

ATLANTARedwood Custom Homes and 10/23 Construction took home seven trophies at the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association's OBIE Awards. The Atlanta-based builders were recognized for outstanding achievement for custom homes built in Pinewood Forest, the 235-acre master planned residential and mixed-use urbanist community adjacent to Pinewood Atlanta Studios. The OBIE is one of the most prestigious awards in the Atlanta residential real estate market and new home construction industry, recognizing achievements in more than 100 building, remodeling, marketing, and personal achievement categories.

Redwood Custom Homes won Gold OBIES for:

The builder also won a Silver OBIE for the Pinewood Forest Idea Home in the $1.21M-1.49M category.

Homebuilder 10/23 Construction was awarded a Gold OBIE in the Single Family Builder, Detached Build, $400,000 to $499,000 category.

"We are intentionally creating beautiful homes that provide a higher quality of life," said Rob Parker, president of Pinewood Forest. "We're delighted to have such accomplished homebuilders as part of our team."

All of the award-winning homes were designed by Lew Oliver, town planner for Pinewood Forest.

ABOUT PINEWOOD FOREST: Pinewood Forest is a 235-acre master planned residential and mixed-use development located in south metro Atlanta, Georgia, adjacent to Pinewood Atlanta Studios. Envisioned as a haven for storytellers and creatives, the new urbanist community is a contemporary concept in walkable living. The Pinewood Forest development team is comprised of chief visionary and Chick-fil-A CEO Dan T. Cathy, president Rob Parker, and project partners including real estate development firm Pace Lynch Corporation, town and residential planner Lew Oliver Inc., Piedmont Healthcare, multi-family developer Capstone, Nequette Architecture & Design, residential marketing firm Ansley Developer Services, interior design firm Dana Lynch Design, landscape design firm HGOR and a Builders Guild comprised of four premier home builders in the Atlanta area. For more information about Pinewood Forest, please visit http://www.pinewoodforest.com

Media Contact: Emily Rios |Cookerly PR |emily@cookerly.com| 404-816-2037

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Redwood Custom Homes and 10/23 Construction Win Seven OBIE Awards - Patch.com

WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. This weeks "on the market" takes a look at some of the most expensive homes for sale in Webster Groves.

The homes featured this week are located in the 63119 ZIP code, which includes Webster Groves. In the third quarter of 2019, the 63119 ZIP code had 157 home sales, with a median sale price of $258,000. The median days on the market for homes was 28, according to national real estate brokerage Redfin.

Heres a glimpse at the priciest homes on the market in Webster Groves:

424 S. Park Ave, $899,000 (pictured): This 3,074-square-foot home has five bedrooms and five bathrooms: four full bathrooms and one half bathroom. The homes kitchen has a center island, butlers pantry and custom cabinetry. Downstairs, there's a bathroom in the finished basement. Outside, the home has a covered deck.

127 Central Ave., $850,000: Built in 2005, this two-story home has four bedrooms. Inside the home are four full bathrooms and one half bathroom. The homes kitchen has a wine fridge, center island and custom cabinetry. The basement has additional living space, a bar and bathroom. Outside, the home has a patio.

317 N. Rock Hill Road, $729,900: This 3,200-square-foot home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms: two full bathrooms and one half bathroom. The home has an eat-in kitchen with a walk-in pantry. Downstairs, the basement includes living space, a workshop and storage area. The home also has a screened porch and deck.

Check out the St. Louis Business Journal story here for a photo gallery of the homes.

This week's "on the market" takes a look at some of the most expensive homes for sale in Brentwood. The homes featured this week are in the 63144 ZIP code, which includes Brentwood. In the third quarter, there were 72 home sales in the 63144 ZIP code, with a median sale price of $206,500.

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The most expensive homes for sale in Webster Groves - KSDK.com

Situated within Perths western suburbs, this recently completed single-storey home combines mid-century modern design elements with contemporary functionality.

Custom built and designed by Refined Edge by Brian Burke Homes, the spacious abode features a u-shaped layout and is spread across a large 1011sqm lot.

Speaking with New Homes, Brian Burke Homes Group Managing Director Michael Burke said the clients wanted the home to enhance their retirement experience.

The brief was to create a spacious single-level home without steps, he said. The couple sought spaces to display their carefully curated art collection in its best light and accommodate their valued antique furniture pieces.

Inside the home, large glass windows create lofty proportions and provide views out to a central courtyard complete with an established dracaena tree.

From every vantage point in the home there is an outlook to the outdoors, Mr Burke said.

A large home office with custom storage is positioned next to the front entrance, away from the main living areas at the rear of the home.

Designed to accommodate extended family members, the home includes three bedrooms and two bathrooms in total.

Free-flowing and multi-functional, the homes main living area comprises the kitchen, living and dining zones. Mr Burke said the generously sized kitchen was meticulously planned and included deluxe appliances, a large island countertop and ample storage.

The home revolves around the kitchen for our owner, he said.

Extending from the kitchen is an overflow pantry, with additional storage space.

Plenty of storage keeps the interiors streamlined and clutter-free, Mr Burke said.

Large commercial-grade windows infuse the home with natural light and harness a strong connection to the outdoors, while an understated colour palette strikes the right chord and doesnt distract from the owners much-loved art pieces.

The refinement and craftsmanship that characterises the finishes throughout the internal living areas continues outdoors with Scottish oak-look flooring.

The Scottish oak flooring is a rectified porcelain tile which is produced to reflect the warmth of an oak timber floor without the maintenance of real timber, Mr Burke said.

It can be used internally and externally, providing a seamless transition between the two areas.

CONTACT

Refined Edge by Brian Burke Homes9387 7500www.refinededgehomes.com.au

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A work of art - The West Australian