News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 97

THE NEWS-PRESS, SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2002 15G Real Estate Apartment sales market climbs after Sept. Jl Manhattan home transactions set high in April There's a lot of money in Man- ing for a home, and a lot of it is-hattan that used to be invested in finding its way into real estate." the stock market that now is look- Corcoran said. I Woodland Custom Hcstss ing to appraiser Miller Samuel Inc. The market is going gang-busters," Terri-Cote said, as a white-gloved doorman admitted her to Lily Safra's apartment Manhattan home sales hit a record 1,054 in April up from 213 in October, according to Miller SamueL The city also added 7300 jobs in April, the first monthly gain since May 200L The average apartment price is at an 11-month high of $823,795. The luxury market sprang to life Jan.

31, the day after the Federal Reserve issued a statement that "economic activity is beginning to firm," said brokers. "If like everyone went to the same cocktail party that night and said, "Let's start buying said Kirk Henckles, director of Stribling Private Brokerage. They saw the market turning and they had to act" The number of people viewing properties at open houses, a gauge of future sales, jumped to an average of 39 per property this month from 11 in November, said Barbara Corcoran, chairman of Corcoran Group, the second-biggest residential brokerage in the city after Insignia Douglas Filiman. Bloomberg News NEW YORK The $30 million asking price banker Edmond Safra's widow put on her 18-room New York apartment overlooking Central Park isn't deterring potential buyers. Agent Victoria Terri-Cote of Corcoran Group shows the most expensive cooperative apartment on the market as often as twice a day.

That's a lot, she said, considering the co-op board doesn't accept people who need mort- gages meaning prospects must show they can pay cash for the 820 Fifth Avenue apartment with six bedrooms, a 43-foot living room and servants' quarters. Manhattan's residential market, especially the high end, is picking up steam more than eight months after the terrorist attacks as New Yorkers gain confidence in the city and economy, brokers said. The percentage of homes selling for $1 million or more has doubled to 27 percent since December, accord Family Owned And Operated Since 19K4 CUSTOM BUILDERS Bring Us Your Plans! 1919 Courtney Drive, Unit 1A Fort Myers, Florida 33901 939-9242 I FLORIDA H0MES V4 T4' HOME MORTGAGE CORPORATION "LICENSED MORTGAGE BROKERAGE BUSINESS" More Home. Less Money. Outgrown your apartment? You can own your own home for about the same amount you pay each month in rent-or less! We call that more home for less money.

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uuui uuuui i unity that will elevate your lifestyle. iHi riiW Every villa Turnkey Price includes: Home Homesite Allowance Mini Blinds Closing Costs 1 1 Seer Air Conditioner Maytag Appliances (rtfrigemof, stove, Moen Faucets dishwahser, microwave and wuher A dryer) 10-Year Warranty Wm 14-r I 1 overlooks the ffm'Ji championship i Register to win a FREE DYD player at www.holidaybuilders.com nA io-nou goij course. PRIVATE PROPERTIES Irish estate of Saxon royalty on Mock for $1.6 million The Irish estate of the late Prince and Princess of Saxony will go on the block Tuesday, with a "guide price" of L75 million euros (about $L6 million). Known as Coolamber, the property consists of a seven-bedroom, two-bath Victorian on about 300 acres near Mullingar (about 50 miles west of Dublin in County Westmeath). The house has a pitch-pine staircase, ornate plaster work, molded cornices and three main reception rooms.

Outside, there's a seven-horse stable, two gate lodges and a walled garden with fruit trees. The royal couple moved there in 1949 and improved the property, but it's now in need of restoration again, according to Montgomery Ganly Walters, Dublin, the Sotheby's International affiliate that's handling the sale. Prince Ernst Heinrich was the son of the last King of Saxony. One of his greatest exploits: hiding the royal treasures at a castle near Dresden as the Nazis approached in 1945. Working at night, he and his two sons dug two trenches on the property and buried the family's gold, silver and artwork in 20 crates.

Advancing troops captured his forester and forced him to reveal one of the hiding places, but the other 200 works of art remained untouched until they were unearthed in 1996 by a treasure hunter. The recovered items, which included a gold basket with jeweled flowers and a rare 20-inch-high heraldic marriage cup in the shape of a Moor's head, brought nearly 23 million pounds (about $3.7 million) at a London auction in 1999. The prince died in 1971 at the age of 75; his wife, Princess Virginia, died in January at age 9L Antiques dealer's home offered for $3 million HOLIDAY Cape Coral Showcase Lehigh Showcase 1212 Cape Coral Parkway 4721 Lee Blvd. 239-549-0107 239-368-0022 Hours: 10-6 11-5 4005 Palm Tree Boulevard Cape Coral, Florida 33904 (941) 542-3191 ext. 7 www.banyantrace.com mi.

BUILDERS 100 V0W BANYAN TRACE A Living Landmark TSf P.l.TI. baaftd on $96,900. 6 9 bond 1f rinwrt payment assistance $1000 out of pocket 7 49 APR Riihect to buyer qualiftr.ation t--f 35 1 Vi-yrv- 4 Savannah antiques dealer Alex Raskin has put his home adjacent to Mercer House on the market for $3 millioa Built in 1869, the Noble Hardee Mansion was once host to President Chester A. Arthur (his cousin owned the house at the time). Mr.

Raskin bought the five-bedroom, 2 14-bath home with 15 fireplaces in 1990 for $260,000 and spent "thousands" clearing away tacked-on additions and restoring rooms but he says he thinks it still needs more work. Elsewhere on Monterey Square, the John C. Rowland House is up for sale, with an asking price of $3.45 millioa Built in 1879, the five-bedroom, four-bath home was visited by Jefferson Davis in 1886 and is now owned by Greg Parker, who owns a chain of gas stations, and his wife, Kelly. Cora Bert Thomas Realty Co. of Savannah has the second listing.

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