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Kim Kardashian's Beverly Hills Home Sold to Undisclosed Buyer

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Kim Kardashian home, Beverly Hills

Now that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are reportedly planning to take over the real estate world by buying three more luxury homes in Miami, New York and Paris, respectively, she doesn't need that pesky Beverly Hills estate anymore. According to Trulia, Kardashian has transferred ownership of her 4,000-square-foot gated house (yes, the one where a stranger came to her door with luggage and said he wanted to stay with her) to an unnamed buyer for an undisclosed amount. Trulia pointed to property records of the hush-hush sale. (KK never put the home on the open market.)

Kanye West, Kim KardashianWe imagine that there's another reason Kim wants to be rid of this home: It's the place where she became engaged to her soon-to-be ex-husband Kris Humphries. (After all, Kardashian and West are moving right along with starting their own family.) The couple also recently bought a massive Bel Air estate that outdoes Kardashian's former home by a lot!

Still, whoever scooped the place up is in for a nice treat. The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home -- which Kardashian reportedly bought for $4.8 million in March 2010 -- has a pool, waterfall spa and outdoor living and dining rooms for an unforgettable outdoor oasis. (It happened to make a couple cameos on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians.") The Tuscan-style estate also has a giant media room, and the interior has dark hardwood floors and French doors, Trulia said.

We do have to say, though, that the couple's new home is even better. That one has indoor and outdoor pools, two beauty salons, a gym, a basketball court and a movie theater. Yeah, we really wish we were that bun in Kim's oven.

Find other homes for sale in Beverly Hills, or search listings in your area.

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See also: Christina Aguilera, Jordan Bratman's Beverly Hills Home Close to Being Sold?

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Kim Kardashian Starts Baby Bump Competition and Makes Millions

 

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Editors Note: Dave Matthews

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An AOL Real Estate story dated Feb. 14, 2013, incorrectly reported that musician Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band recently bought a 7,000-square-foot-home in Malibu, Calif. A representative of Matthews says that no such purchase occurred.

 

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B&B Owner Robert Gray Discovers 2,000-Year-Old Mummified Cat in Attic

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Robert Gray with cat mummy and museum curator Jane Marley.

We've seen plenty of weird things discovered in homes: dozens of exotic animals, stashes of marijuana, four escaped inmates. This one's another crazy story to add to the list: a man found a 2,000-year-old mummified cat from Egypt in the attic of his home in Cornwall, England.

Robert Gray's cat mummyBritain's South West News Service reports that bed & breakfast owner Robert Gray, 56, thought the peculiar, bandaged, feline-shaped object was a stuffed cat -- so he took it to the vet for an X-ray. He was shocked to discover that his strange attic find, inherited from his Egyptologist father, was actually a "perfectly preserved ancient puss," complete with its face, ears, spine and brain.

"My father acquired the cat in the 1970s as a token of thanks from a museum," Gray told SWNS. "It's been in the loft languishing there for 50 years."

The mummified cat was verified by the experts at the Royal Cornwall Museum (Gray is pictured above with the mummy and museum curator Jane Marley). They reveal that the rare object is worth 2,000 pounds (around $3,100). X-rays of the ancient feline reveal that it was a "prized pet," rather than a sacrifice to the ancient Egyptian gods. (Ancient Egyptians were known to sacrifice animals as offerings to the gods, but they would also mummify pets, in hopes that their beloved animal companions would follow them into the afterlife).

"History was made today," Gray told a community newspaper, This Is Cornwall, of his unusual find. "It's something that has lived with me for most of my life and it's revealed itself today."

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The Grand Homes of Former Presidents

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Presidents Day is more than an excuse to get a free day off of work. It's a day to ogle the fabulous homes famous former presidents used to live in! (Oh, and to celebrate the history of the greatest leaders of our nation, we suppose.) From John F. Kennedy's childhood home to Barack Obama's Chicago condo, click through the gallery below to see where former presidents got their starts.

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The Waldorf-Astoria Presidential Suite: Where Presidents Stay on Trips to NYC

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The Waldorf Presidential Suite in New York City



OK, so Presidents Day is over, but that doesn't mean that we can't still take this opportunity to get a good look at the luxurious places that presidents rest their heads at night. One of those places is the famous Waldorf-Astoria hotel's presidential suite, where most presidents have stayed on any trip to New York City. Of course, it's not just for the commander in chief. Anyone with $10,000 (a night!) burning a hole in their pocket is welcome to the stately digs.

Sure, the suite is a pretty nice place to put your feet up after a long day of leading the Free World. But it's also jam-packed with presidential history. "No sitting president since 1931 has stayed in any other hotel in New York but the Waldorf," Matt Zolbe, the Waldorf's sales director, told the New York Daily News last year. "We're legendary."

You'll also find throughout the suite tokens of history left behind by previous presidents. There's a gold mirror from Ronald Reagan, a wicker-backed chair that John F. Kennedy used for his bad back, and a wooden desk with carved eagle-claw feet that was given by Dwight Eisenhower. There are also bookshelves surrounding the flat-screen TV in the spacious living room that are filled with biographies of former presidents. And the suite is meant to make the president feel right at home -- as if he were in the White House. The phones and keypads in the suite, for example, are exact replicas of the ones in the White House. Get a better look inside via the video above.

See also: The Grand Homes of Former Presidents

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Williamsburg Penthouse Gets Most Amazing NYC Views (House of the Day)

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Williamsburg penthouse

@DouglasElliman smacked down the competition to be the winner of this week's #housepornthurs contest with this immaculate white penthouse in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. Those amazing views of the iconic Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan skyline would win anyone over! We do want to give props to the runner-up, @BrandonRSwanson. He pitched a totally rad hobbit-like dome home in Goleta, Calif., which got us really excited. Better luck next time!

Houseporn Thursday logoBack to our winner: Walls of glass line the 3,198-square-foot Williamsburg penthouse, and they also lead to a giant wraparound terrace. There, you'll feel like you're on top of the world (or at least the Big Apple) as you lounge and enjoy some of the most magnificent views that you can find in New York City. The loftlike space has a grand living and dining room with fireplace, three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. There's a separate wing for the master suite, which has a marbled, windowed bathroom dripping in luxury and two walk-in closets. Still not enough? Hopefully, the study with its own terrace and a powder room will sell you in these gorgeous digs.

If you're a bit of a socialite, then this place is in the perfect location. Some of Brooklyn's trendiest restaurants and high-end shops are just steps away. And for the commuter, convenience is key, and this place is close to subways and a 15-minute water taxi to Manhattan. The building has concierge service, glass elevators and a common roof deck.

See the listing for more details.

Find more homes for sale in Brooklyn, N.Y., or search listings in your area.

The #housepornthurs contest is a weekly Twitter conversation hosted by @aolrealestate. Tweet listings every Thursday to AOL Real Estate with the hashtag #housepornthurs for a chance to have one of your submissions featured as a House of the Day the following week.

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See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email colin.croughan@teamaol.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

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'Real Housewife' Lisa Hochstein: Why My Miami Mansion Should Be Demolished (VIDEO)

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Lisa, Leonard Hochstein at home

From the outside, the home of "Real Housewives of Miami" star Lisa Hochstein and her plastic surgeon husband, Leonard (both pictured above), looks nothing short of idyllic. The ivory mansion -- designed by Florida's first registered architect, Walter DeGarmo -- just outside Miami on Star Island, boasts elegant arched windows, grand columns and balconies with intricate wrought-iron railings. But all that glitters is not gold, according to the Hochsteins: The couple say that their dream home turned out to be a complete nightmare.

The celebrity couple claim that the entire home is "falling apart," The Miami Herald reports. They say the entire structure is sinking and has slid 30 inches below the floodplain. Furthermore, the Hochsteins allege that the home is dangerous -- the roof is rotting and the supports on its balconies are so rusted that they could collapse.

Lisa, Leonard Hochstein point to cracked plaster in home.According to the Hochsteins: The grounds are also in desperate need of attention -- cockroaches have infested the property, the backyard is overrun with knee-high grass, and the swimming pool is like a "swamp," swarming with bugs. The couple further alleges in a report submitted to the City of Miami that the home's life expectancy was only "about 40 years" and should have been demolished decades ago.

"We bought this house with the intention of building our dream home," Lisa Hochstein told The Miami Herald. "If we knew this was going to happen, we would have never purchased this home."

The Hochsteins' plan is to tear down the existing structure and replace it with a new 14,000-square-foot mansion -- complete with a wine cellar and five-car garage. But not if the Miami Design Preservation League has anything to do with it: The organization has filed an application with the City of Miami to declare the home "historic" and thus prevent the Hochsteins from demolishing it.

Miami Beach's Historic Preservation Board has thrown its support behind the appeal for historic designation, saying the home is not as bad as the Hochsteins allege. "To my trained, professional eye ... I didn't find the structure of the house to be in terribly poor shape," architect and board member Ira Giller said at a board meeting. "I didn't find it to be irreparable. I didn't see significant evidence of significant structural deterioration."

The Miami Beach's Design Review Board will consider the Hochstein's petition for demolition on March 5, and the application for historic designation continues. According to the Herald, whichever side gets approval first will win. Even if the city does rule in favor of the Design Preservation League, the couple certainly won't be forced to live there. The Hochsteins still have another sprawling Miami McMansion to stay in: Their $10.75 million "Palacio del Eden" has still yet to find a buyer.



See also: Home Inspection Red Flags for Buyers
Home Inspections: What to Expect


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Decrepit Homes in San Francisco Bay Area Fetch Top Dollar for Mountain Views

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Decrepit Shacks Selling for High Prices


A sorry-looking shack, with deep cracks in the cinder-block walls and busted windows, that looks like it's ready to collapse: You wouldn't pay a dime for that, would you? OK, say it's nestled in the gorgeous hilltops of the San Francisco Peninsula with no shortage of pristine mountain views. Now how much would you pay? More than $1 million? Well, that's how much it's going for.

Even rundown, shabby homes in the San Francisco Bay Area are fetching prices that top-notch single-family homes do. The reason is simple: those gorgeous mountain views. It seems that a great view can get homebuyers to pay top dollar -- even if the home itself is nothing to look at. The aforementioned shack? It's going for $1.275 million. Another home in San Jose, Calif., has a bathroom that hasn't had any work done to it since the 1930s, a kitchen that's falling apart and a shabby exterior. The listing agent even admits that he's "looking for someone to come in, remodel, probably flip this house." Well, hope the flip nets a big profit because to buy this house as it is, you'll need $585,000. See the video above to learn why such decrepit homes are going for such high prices.

Find homes for sale in San Francisco, or search listings in your area.

See also: Home Inspection Red Flags for Buyers
Home Inspections: What to Expect


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Home Won't Sell? Offer a Pizza With the Purchase

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Pennsylvania Realtor Offers Free Pizza With Home Purchase



If you don't want your home to languish on the market, you've got to get creative. Though the average time that a home sits on the market is getting shorter, it really depends on where you're looking. In some markets, it can still take six months or more to sell. So what do you do to draw more attention to your home and sell it fast? Well, just think outside the box (or if it's a pizza box, inside it.)

That's what Realtor Doug Miller did with one of his listings in Lancaster Township, Pa. He put up a sign that says "free pizza with purchase of home" outside the house, Pennsylvania TV station WGAL reported. That's good for a chuckle, but also good for buyer traffic to the home, Miller said. "Anybody who buys this, I will get them a pizza," Miller said, reiterating the quirky offer. Hey, if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, perhaps that's the way to his pocketbook, too!

Miller's listing has been languishing on the market for six months, but it remains to be seen whether his new tactic will close the deal. It's not the first time that a Realtor has used a humorous play for business. Last summer, Canadian Realtor Jake Palmer put up signs in front of one of his listed homes saying "not haunted," "fog resistant" and "love shack, baby," among other quips. But do these tactics actually get homes sold? It's hard to say.

Of course, there are more tried-and-true ways to sell it fast, such as staging your home, choosing certain paint colors -- or just pricing it right.



See also: Where Decrepit Homes Fetch Top Dollar -- for Mountain Views

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'Transformer' Home in San Juan Islands, Washington, Adapts to Its Natural Surroundings

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So you think you want to live in the great outdoors? Let's face it: Very few of us actually mean that. (Creepy crawlies, the natural elements ... ew.) So here's the perfect solution: a luxury home on one of Washington's San Juan Islands with "Transformer" abilities that allow you to feel like you're living outside -- without actually having to live outside.

The shape-shifting home on Lopez Island, which adapts ingeniously to its idyllic environment, features floor-to-ceiling glass walls that can be exposed or hidden (depending on how much natural beauty you want to be drenched in). There's a retractable roof, perfect for star-gazing, and an extendable wooden deck that allows you to dine and entertain al fresco by the water. The front of the home can "disappear" via sliding panels, which allows you to feel like the ocean is your front yard. Essentially, it confuses "the boundaries that separate a built structure and its natural surroundings." So, yeah, basically we want this morphing house pretty bad.

See the video below, and dream along with us.



See also:
California Wave House is So Weird That It's Awesome
Naomi Campbell's Futuristic Russian Home: Like Something From 'Battlestar Galactica'
'Hobbit House' on Bainbridge Island, Wash., Is Fit for Middle Earth

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Hong Kong's 40-Square-Foot Apartments Will Make You Squirm

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Hong Kong tiny apartment

We thought 325 square feet was cramped -- but this is something else entirely. According to the Society for Community Organization, 100,000 people in Hong Kong currently live in tiny 40-square-foot apartments. The photo above shows just one example.

The miniscule "cubicle" apartments are created by subdividing already-tiny apartments into smaller -- and then even smaller -- ones. They're so small that they could only be shot from above with cameras mounted to their ceilings. The images, taken in the districts of Sham Shui Po, Yau Tsim Mong and Kowloon City, are particularly jarring considering that Hong Kong is deemed one of the world's richest cities. Rents there average 35 percent higher than in New York City.

SoCO said that the number of underprivileged residents in Hong Kong is steadily increasing, even as the city's wealth continues to grow. See more of the tiny apartments in the gallery below. (Warning: These pictures might make you feel claustrophobic.)

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See also: 'Transformer' Apartment Puts 6 Rooms in 1
A House That's Only 1-Square Meter
5 Tiny Model Homes Hint at Future of Urban Housing

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Listing Fail: Two Not-So-'Sparkling' Homes

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Home with 'sparkling' pool

Unless your home has Swarovski crystals studding its walls or dangling from glass chandeliers in every room, we'd strongly suggest against calling it "sparkling." Still, it's a descriptor that's used frequently, albeit erroneously, in many listings and it annoys us as much as "stunning" and "cavernous."

Take, for example, this listing in Phoenix (pictured above). We have two issues with this home, which has, as described, a "sparkling POOL!" One, just because it's filled with water does not mean it is "sparkling." Two, even if the pool were sparkling like a diamond earring, you wouldn't even notice thanks to the dirty, unfinished backyard surrounding it! (Though we will say that, relative to the home's unpleasing backyard, the pool appears somewhat luminous -- as would anything.)



Then there's this listing in Louisville, Ky. (pictured above). The listing describes a "sparkling home" with "fresh paint." While we don't doubt the home is freshly painted, unless the paint is infused with glitter or reflective properties, we don't see how this home "sparkles" in the least.

Thanks to our pals at Curbed for the tips!

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Billionaire David Siegel's Unfinished 'Versailles' Mansion in Florida to Resume Construction

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David Siegel's Versailles mansion

Just when we thought America's "Versailles" would remain a sad, abandoned skeleton of a mansion forever, billionaire David Siegel has announced that he will resume construction on his unfinished "passion project" after all, Curbed reported. Construction of the mansion, which was slated to be America's biggest private home, had previously stalled when the global financial crisis hit.

A documentary based on the project, called "The Queen of Versailles," followed the construction of the home and the decision to sell it -- unfinished -- after Siegel found himself suddenly wracked with debt. However, despite several million-dollar price cuts, the Versailles mansion never sold. Now Siegel tells "The Today Show" that work on the mega-mansion is "back on track." When it will be completed is unclear, but Siegel's wife, Jackie (the "Queen of Versailles" herself), seems pretty keen to finish it already.

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If the Versailles mansion is completed, the 90,000-square-foot home will feature 10 kitchens, 30 bathrooms, a 7,200-square-foot ballroom big enough for 500 people, a roller skating rink, bowling alley, 30-car garage, three pools and two tennis courts. Needless to say, we'll be keeping an eye on this one. Stay tuned.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


See also:
Crespi/Hicks Estate: Most Expensive Home on the Market
'Abandoned' French Chateau Lists for $32 Million
Renoir's Former Paris Home

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First Impressions That Get Homes Sold the Fastest

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First Impressions Sell Homes



Say you're going on a first date or a job interview. There's one piece of advice you can expect to get from just about everyone: Make a good first impression. Well, if you're hoping to court a buyer for the home you're selling, that rule still applies. You wouldn't let a prospective boss (or the man or woman you're trying to impress) see you for the first time with an untucked shirt and bed head. So don't let potential buyers see your home at anything less than its best. Dress your home to impress.

" 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression' is as true in real estate as it is in life," said HGTV's Tom Pastillo. But this goes beyond the obvious decluttering (which we hope you do know you should do). It's about neutralizing your home so any potential buyers who come through have the best chance of visualizing themselves living there.

Put away all your family photos, children's toys, trinkets and anything personal that buyers could be turned off by. Why are family photos such a big deal. Well, if you walked into a home and saw photos of the family who lives there all over the place, what would you think? Probably: "Oh, what a lovely home they have." Not: "Oh, what a lovely home I could have."

Wanna go the extra mile to really get the job done and get your home sold? First impressions are everything, so watch the video above to see more things that you could be doing to your home to make buyers fall in love at first sight.

Find homes for sale and homes for rent in your area.

See also: Advice From America's 'Top Real Estate Photographer'
Cheeky House Tour Takes Marketing to the Next Level
Newest Home-Staging Trend: 'Placement Pets'


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Huntington Beach Homebuyers Camp Out for Chance at New House

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In a flashback to the kind of homebuying frenzy not seen since 2008, house hunters have pitched a line of tents in Huntington Beach, Calif., in the hope of buying a brand-new home. Around a dozen pre-qualified homebuyers have literally set up camp by the still-under-construction Brightwater Capri development in Huntington Beach -- and they've already been there for a week.

KCBS in Los Angeles reports that as many as 30 buyers are expected to camp out for the chance to snap up a home at between $800,000 and $900,000. The first home will go on sale March 2, and only five homes will be released this weekend -- and only to pre-approved buyers on a first-come, first-served basis. The interest in the homes may not be particularly surprising, given the details: Each of the yet-to-be-built homes at Brightwater features four spacious bedrooms and boasts ocean views from their second floors. (The development is only half a mile from the beach.) Sizes range from 1,992 to 2,685 square feet, and there are 11 floor plans to choose from.

"If you want the opportunity, you gotta make the sacrifice," Brightwater camper Terry Torline told the TV station. "Based on what's out there in the marketplace, it's a good deal right now." California home prices have been on a dramatic incline lately, while foreclosures in the state have tumbled to an astounding low, according to the Los Angeles Times. And luxury home sales in California reached an all-time high in 2012, with 697 sales each priced at $5 million or more. As another local television station KTLA-TV put it, the campout for homes is just the latest sign that the housing market is again heating up.




See also: First Impressions That Get Homes Sold the Fastest
4 Current Myths About the Real Estate Market


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Wood-Bathed Santa Monica Stunner Will Make Your Mouth Water (House of the Day)

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Our life is a little better thanks to @PartnersTrust, whose gorgeous contemporary home bathed in rich wood in California's Santa Monica Canyon handily topped our weekly #housepornthurs contest on Facebook. Our runner-up, @discovercrc, was right on their tails, though, with a beautiful fairy-tale home in Salem, S.C. You gave it a good fight, guys!

The $5.975 million Santa Monica stunner had everyone's jaws dropping for an obvious reason: those walls of wood intertwining with walls of glass that look onto the natural marvel that is the canyon. The home was designed by celebrated architect Ray Kappe in the 1970s, but it has been restored and renovated into a masterpiece. The grounds are mesmerizing, with multiple decks and fire pits turning the backyard into an entertainer's dream. (That pool, koi pond and spa doesn't hurt, either.)

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom, three-level home's crown jewel, though, is the full-floor master suite. It has a private roof deck where you can sit back and take in the gorgeous views. The home also has two large glass rooms for entertaining and a screening room. "This property is bound to leave one speechless," the listing says. So we'll shut up now and just admire.

See the listing for more details.

Find more homes for sale in Santa Monica, Calif., or search listings in your area.

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Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email colin.croughan@teamaol.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

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Michael Jordan Buys Massive North Carolina Home For a Great Deal (PHOTOS)

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Michael Jordan home, Charlotte, N.C.

NBA legend Michael Jordan is best known for scoring on the basketball court, but these days he's netting a lot more than three-pointers. Jordan's a pro in real estate, too, it seems -- because he's just gotten a huge deal on his second home in the Charlotte, N.C., area. The b-ball star and Charlotte Bobcats owner bought a 12,310-square-foot home on North Carolina's Lake Norman for $2.8 million, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Michael JordanThe waterfront mansion was a foreclosure that the bank repossessed last August, according to Zillow. It was listed for $3.49 million, so Jordan must have some negotiating skills. The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom home sits on the seventh hole of The Peninsula Club. We're not sure whether that's a good thing, since Jordan has a knack for getting kicked out of swanky country clubs for violating dress codes.

His Airness collects homes like NBA trophies: Jordan also has a luxury condo in Charlotte, he recently built a $12.4 million mansion in Jupiter, Fla., (where Celine Dion lives), and he has a place in Salt Lake City. He's still trying to offload his custom home in Chicago for $29 million. Jordan's new home happens to be where drag racing star Doug Herbert used to live. Herbert told the Observer that the house "is a great place to entertain friends and have people over."

The three-level home has a fitness center and a two-story great room that opens to a terraced patio. There's a large pool and spa in the backyard, as well as a boat slip and unparalleled panoramic lake views. "It's fantastic," Dave Gilroy, commissioner of the town of Cornelius, where Jordan's new home is, told the Observer. "He got a great buy on that house."

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Sequestration Could Cut Lifelines to Hurricane Sandy Victims

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Hurricane Sandy damage

Some Hurricane Sandy victims still struggling to recover from the devastating storm may find themselves waiting even longer for a lifeline -- because of the looming federal budget cuts known as "sequestration." But other victims are just now finally receiving help from state programs that were promised some time ago. The financial tussle in Congress is pitting a group of people who have already lost nearly everything into two groups: the haves and the have-nots.

Right now, a New York State program to buy up Sandy-ravaged properties and waterfront homes most vulnerable to storms is kicking into gear. The program will offer homeowners the pre-storm market rate for their homes, and then the government will tear them down rather than use disaster relief funds to rebuild homes continually in harm's way. "I think it's about time, because we've been trying to fight this since 1992 [with Tropical Storm Danielle]," Staten Island resident Sal Importa told New York City TV station PIX 11. "We've been waiting a long time for something like this to happen."

But over in some hard-hit New Jersey towns that are still in the middle of rebuilding, the sequestration's automatic budget cuts scheduled for March 1 -- which could total $85 billion -- might stop their efforts in their tracks. U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) said that cuts to Sandy aid could reach $3 billion because of sequestration. That has the potential to halt or severely set back recovery projects for transit, individual homeowners, businesses and government properties, New Jersey's Star-Ledger newspaper reported.

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"It affects us," said Dennis Vaccaro, mayor of the devastated town of Moonachie, N.J. "It affects not only the municipality, it affects residents in the municipality. We still have many residents that aren't back in their homes, that are still rebuilding."

Mauro Raguseo, mayor of Little Ferry, N.J., another hard-hit town, said Congress is playing games with people's livelihoods. "Once again the Congress is moving from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis," Raguseo said. "Well, I invite the Speaker of the House of Representatives and anybody else in Congress who feels the sequester should go through, to come and visit the people of Little Ferry and Moonachie. These aren't manufactured crises."



See also:
Lower Manhattan After Hurricane Sandy: Deserted and Still Struggling

Disaster Tax Relief
Superstorm Sandy Buyout Program Would Offer Full Market Value for Destroyed Homes


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Atlanta Mansion Has its Own Baseball Diamond (House of the Day)

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Atlanta mansion with baseball diamond

We've seen backyards with shooting ranges and hockey rinks, but we've never seen a backyard with a full-size baseball diamond before -- until now. Though it's no Wrigley Field or Fenway Park, the backyard on this Atlanta mansion is about the next best thing, we think. Baseball not really your thing? No worries. This $9.7 million beast of a home also boasts a helicopter pad for the aviation-obsessed, and a Hartley-Botanic greenhouse for the green thumbs.

Still not impressed? The home itself is a Mediterranean masterpiece, boasting terrazzo floors, dripping crystal chandeliers and even walls upholstered in silk. Our friends at Curbed joke that the home is so outlandish that the elevator seems "more like an afterthought." A classy home run or a gaudy strikeout? You decide.

Find more homes for sale in Atlanta, or homes for sale in your area.

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Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email colin.croughan@teamaol.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

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5 Best Cities to Sell a Home Right Now

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Is it a seller's market? Got to these five cities, and it's pretty clear: It sure is. In these markets, home prices are on a steady track upward, inventory is falling, and that's making it tough for buyers to win bidding wars. Hey, that's great for sellers. They can get higher bids on their homes, and with fewer houses on the market there's less competition for buyers.

Nationally, the trend has been in favor of sellers. Single-family-home sales shot up 9.1 percent in January from a year prior, median home sale prices rose 12.3 percent to $173,600, and inventory was down 16.5 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. The median number of days that homes were on the market in January was also down 9 percent to 108 days. In the top five cities to sell a home, these trends were even stronger.

MarketWatch analyzed NAR's data to come up with the list of five best cities for home sellers. The publication found better-than-average conditions for sellers in these markets, including impressive price gains, low inventories and a healthy pool of buyers. Though sellers still aren't getting offers as high as they would a few years ago, they're faring better than the national average. Click through the gallery below to see the best cities for home sellers.

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See also:
10 Best Cities to Own a Home
5 Warm-Weather Cities With the Hottest Housing Markets
The Happiest and Most Miserable Cities in America

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