Also in this Private Properties column: GoDaddy.com founder buys a Hawaiian home built by Cher, and a philanthropist cuts her $100 million listing by 52%.

Homes looking out on famous landmarks in New york, Seattle, and Virginia.

Homes looking out on famous landmarks in New york, Seattle, and Virginia.

Most Americans tidy their refrigerators only once or twice a year, so manufacturers are unveiling new technologies to help combat the mess.

Although this video focuses on the Austin, Texas real estate market, there are some really good tips for both buyers and sellers of real estate.

Take a look and let me know what you think.

This video shares three home buying tips that you need to familiarize yourself with before purchasing your next home.

These tips could save you $1000’s of dollars on your next home.

Whether you are a first time home buyer or purchasing your 10th home, you should consider using a buyer’s agent to represent you with your purchase. Watch this excellent video that tells you why.

Now you know the danger of calling a sellers agent, protect yourself and hire a real estate agent to work in your best interest and to represent you in the home buying process. Protect yourself.

A collector has turned his 850-square-foot New York apartment into an homage to premodern cooking.

Brian was looking to purchase a vacation home in one of his favorite skiing areas. He was assisted by a real estate agent who showed him a number of available properties before he made his final selection. Brian realized that it takes a number of people working together to successfully transact the transfer of a home from the seller to the buyer. While some owners are perfectly comfortable selling their home without an agent, others rely heavily on the expertise and knowledge an agent can provide. Even for those who choose not to use the services of an agent, they are still dependent on a number of other people to help with the sale of their home. The following is a list of contacts that you may wish to consult if you are pursuing the purchase of a new home. Utilizing the professionals on this list can help you attend to every necessary detail as you set about making perhaps the biggest purchase of your life.

• A licensed agent who specializes in helping buyers will be very helpful. The benefits of an agent to represent you in a home purchase are many. From informing you of available listings, to negotiating price, to helping you understand some of the various paperwork involved in the documentation process, an agent can be very helpful. While this process may be mysterious to a buyer, an agent sees the process occur with each client he or she assists. This experience can be a real plus in case questions or concerns arise. Remember that as a buyer, your realtor fee is typically covered by the seller of the house you decide to purchase.

• An appraiser will determine the correct value of the home you are seeking to purchase. This information is valuable for a buyer because it lets you know if you have agreed upon a good deal and it is necessary information for the mortgage process as well. Appraisers make a visual assessment of the home, review facts about the home and analyze comparable sales in the area to help them determine overall value.

• A mortgage broker or loan officer will help you secure the best loan for your buying needs. Securing a loan for the home you wish to purchase is obviously a huge component of the process. A loan officer will look at things such as credit score, debt load, down payment amount, and value of home to determine what rates and terms you may be eligible for.

• A home inspector will carefully inspect the home you wish to purchase to make you aware of any potential problems or situations which you should know about. While you may be tempted to skip a home inspection, remember that an inspector will investigate areas you as the buyer cannot see.

• An insurance agent will ensure that you have adequate homeowners insurance in place prior to your purchase. Homeowners insurance is an essential factor which must be in place in order to close on a home. This insurance is typically paid monthly and can be included in your total mortgage payment.

Connor Sullivan considered purchasing several Telluride properties last summer before the recession. He was pleased with his Telluride real estate agent and was thrilled with the available properties.

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This Private Properties column also looks at a listing by fashion designer Valentino's longtime companion and a sale by HBO Co-President Richard Plepler.