Archives for October 2011

Mother Nature makes treasure from trash

October 4, 2011 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Glass Beach – The Dump You’ll Want to Visit

Before you say anything about the content of this article, I hate people who litter. I’ll judge you if I think you’re too lazy to recycle. I hate pollution and the death of our fragile ecosystems and all the rest. But- with that disclaimer out of the way- Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California is the incredible result of human wastefulness and the resilience of nature. I’ve been trolling around for lesserknown landscapes to road trip to and explore, and stumbled across this chunk of multicolored west coast paradise. These days, Glass Beach is a protected part of MacKerricher State Park, but in 1949, it was the site of an unrestricted dump. For 18 years, people drove out to the scenic expanse of ocean cliffs, marveled at the beauty of the natural world and the majesty of the depths, and then threw all their shit in.

Eventually, California realized that dumping automobiles, appliances, toxic substances and razor sharp shards of glass into the water was probably a bad idea, and looked elsewhere for a dumping site. The beaches under the cliffs lay polluted, cluttered and ruined, and were basically treated as a forgotten ‘mistake.’ Despite our obviously brilliant handling of the situation, Mother Earth had a few tricks up her sleeve, and spent the next 30 years tumbling away the jagged edges of our insensitivity and leaving behind brilliant pebbles of polished glass. As the shores grew into glimmering beaches, the state realized that people were visiting to collect the glass and to see the rainbow sands reflecting the sun, and quickly annexed it into a national park. The result? We finished up what nature graciously started, spent a few years cleaning up rusting metal hulks and all sorts of wonderfully dangerous debris (nothing says sandcastle fun like getting tetanus from a lead-filled 50s throwback), and Glass Beach is now a protected treasure that I’m dying to visit. While I can only imagine the sight of the colors of translucent glass turning in the sun and turbulent surf, I’m thinking I might just keep my shoes on.

Filed Under: Random Thoughts

Breathtaking Lаguna Bеach Hоme

October 4, 2011 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Nestled оn а hill overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean, this gorgeous modern hоmе is оn the market for $9,995,000. With wall-to-wall windows, 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, а game rооm аnd а 3-car garаge аnd is аbout 490 square mеtеrs, this beautiful drеam hоuse is bеyond words. Thе master bedroom оn thе tоp flооr is famous fоr its panoramic window with аn overview оf 180 degrees.

$9.9M Breathtaking Lаguna Bеach Hоme

Filed Under: Architecture

Good News: Interest Rates Will Remain Low

October 3, 2011 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

3.5 % Down Payments and Jumbo Loans Available

This is a great time to be looking for a new home. Historically low mortgage interest rates will remain low for the near future. Those low interest rates keep home purchases affordable, which is good news for buyers and sellers. With the August United States’ debt ceiling crisis behind us, many people are starting to become more confident about buying or selling their homes.

Interest Rates
In early August, the Federal Reserve pledged to maintain historical low interest rates for another one to two years. Most likely, when the Fed’s pledge ends, interest rates will have to increase. However, we don’t anticipate a significant increase in interest rates until 2013 or later.

Down Payments
Even though underwriting for home loans has tightened up over the past several years and buyers are now required to put down larger down payments and have higher credit scores, the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA, still offers mortgages with a 3.5 percent down payment.

Expiring High Mortgage Balance Loan Limits
As a result of the 2008 mortgage crisis, loan limits were increased to allow more borrowers to secure conforming loans. On the first of October 2011, these temporary limits expired, and more buyers in higher-priced markets will need jumbo loans that will carry tighter qualifying requirements (i.e. credit scores) and slightly higher interest rates.

Although many banks stopped or significantly tightened lending underwriting for jumbo loan products when the housing crisis hit, they are now back in the market and filling the void created by the expiration of the higher loans balance. That’s good news for buyers needing jumbo loans and sellers of higher-priced properties.

Conclusion
The days of reckless lending and then the market’s pendulum swing to overly conservative lending practices are gone. The good news is that we are now back to sensible underwriting. Even though we have tougher qualifying requirements – larger down payments and higher credit scores – banks still want to provide mortgages, even at historically low interest rates. Call your broker for more information when planning to buy, sell or refinance your home.

If you want to know more, give me a call 206-713-3244 or email me Emmanuel@EmmanuelFonte.com

Filed Under: Economy, Real Estate, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Updates

Gorgeous Grain: Wooden Bathtubs

October 3, 2011 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Combining German hand-crafting expertise and curved ship hull construction methods, this patterned wooden tub shoots both to satisfy the eye and to soothe any aching back.

Alegna specializes in exotic woods like wenge and mahogany that show off grain patterns with stark contrasts or work for lightweight-requiring (e.g. nautical) applications.

Some of their tubs form monolithic built-in masses while others are free-standing and come with stone-filled surrounds. All are made to be equipped with jacuzzi features on demand. Nothing too avante garde, to be sure, but attractive all around.

Beyond baths, their custom bathroom fixtures and furnishings include sinks and cabinets featuring the same attention to wood grain patterns and craft details, inward-flowing blocks of attractive woods.

Filed Under: Furniture, Home Remodel

Exotic Curves: Modern Hilltop House

October 2, 2011 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Mixing regional vernacular, local climate needs and a curved contemporary look, this award-winning residence addresses its client desires architectural mandates with an amazing dynamism but strong sense of balance.

Master bedroom and family rooms occupy the third floor to engage views of the valley and ocean below, while resort-style cabana guest rooms sit poolside on the more-private ground level.

On the outside, folding roof forms wrap and overhang breezeways, terraces, verandahs, porches, decks and roof gardens, blending outside with insight and incorporating passive cooling and structural shading strategies throughout.

Inside, community, entertainment and dining rooms connect to these external spaces, while the most-enclosed areas are used for service and secondary functions (showers, toilets, pantries and the like).

Back and forth, curves shape everything from spatial forms to funnel-like entryways and overhead, ceiling-suspended, recessed-lighting panels, creating a sense of movement and a series of lovely transitions reflected even in the ground-shape forms of patios and pools.

On all sides, Aamer Architects added operable windows, large doors and swinging partitions to take maximum advantage of interior-to-exterior connections and natural ventilation opportunities.

Filed Under: Architecture Tagged With: architecture

Restored House: Before and After the Renovation

October 1, 2011 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

The house was built in 19th century, its walls have a long history, that is why it was not demolished. The new owner spent one year and $500 000 to give this house a new life. He made it and result is amazing.

Look what was before the renovation and how the house looks after it.

Filed Under: Home Remodel