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What a Wood House Is Worth

One of five surviving wooden homes on the Upper East Side-a rarity after such structures were banned for fire-safety reasons-is on the market.

http://on.wsj.com/11q57aF

Ed Koch's Legacy: His $475 Rent-Controlled Apartment Symbolized a Humble Public Servant -- AOL Real Estate

New York City is mourning the death of former Mayor Ed Koch, who already is being eulogized as one of its greatest mayors. His sharply witty tongue also earned him a national stage, and today we remember him not only for the political heights he achieved in his three terms leading the city but for his down-to-earth persona.

http://aol.it/U9WweQ

Private Equity Giant J. Christopher Flowers Is Selling His Upper East Side Co-Op For $18 Million

Having recently forked out $20 million for a second floor-unit at 640 Park Avenue, billionaire private equity mogul J. Christopher Flowers may be trying to balance his books. Flowers, who founded J.C. Flowers & Co., has listed his six-bedroom, seven-bathroom spread at 66 East 79th Street for $18 million, according to Streeteasy.com.

http://read.bi/11pza75

Composing Hong Kong's Richest Rooms

When the Tien family was constructing a set of five bay-facing houses, each with its own pool, on Hong Kong island's upscale south side, things weren't going according to plan. But who could assume the reins and turn the project around when the buildings' foundations had already been laid?

http://on.wsj.com/11p2sy0

Sailing the Wide Miami Sky

Miami Beach, Fla. Before the design for his glassy Miami condo remodel was finished, Greek shipping magnate Ion Varouxakis invited his architect to spend a week with him touring the Greek islands on his circa-1921, 125-foot-long sailboat.

http://on.wsj.com/11p2upz

HOUSE OF THE DAY: Hard Rock Cafe Founder Buys Elvis Presley's LA Mansion For $9.8 Million, Plans To Tear It Down

Coldwell Banker Previews In an ironic twist, the founder of the Hard Rock Cafe - the restaurants dedicated to preserving musician memorabilia - is rumored to be tearing down Elvis Presley's old Beverly Hills mansion to construct a brand new house, according to Curbed LA.

http://read.bi/11lkAgF

15-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgages: More Affordable, More Popular -- AOL Real Estate

Even today, a popular type of mortgage financing comes with a 30-year term and fixed interest rates, but another loan type is growing far more popular as a result of the continued low interest rates available nationwide.

http://aol.it/Vx5Whi

Open Plan in Hawaii

Open Plan in Hawaii $1,260,000 Kaneohe, HI Vacation Home This vacation home on the island of Oahu includes a loft-like layout and ceiling-height windows that accentuate its lush surroundings.-Stefanos Chen The owners, Sam Sarkissian, 74, and his wife Sandra, 71, purchased this home in a gated community in Kaneohe, located on Hawaii's island of Oahu, for $820,000 in 2004, according to public records.

http://on.wsj.com/11nM80c

Here's How To Turn Your Home Into A Money-Making Vacation Rental

Photo courtesy of Airbnb According to the Times-Picayune, 8.75 million tourists visited New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season in 2011. Living a mere three miles from the parties, concerts, and parades gives me a few great opportunities.

http://read.bi/WDDADo

Russian Billionaire Sues Over Construction At His Time Warner Center Apartment

A Russian lawmaker and billionaire mogul is suing the Manhattan contractor he alleges overbilled him for work done to his Time Warner Center apartment. Vitaly Malkin is also contending that the firm, Katselnik & Katselnik Group, tried to extort a multimillion-dollar contract to build out the space after the Russian senator decided to go with another contractor for subsequent work.

http://read.bi/TgZBrD