k.d. lang Wire: Word over at The Real Estalker...

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Monday, November 26, 2012, by Amy Schellenbaum

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Bits Bucket for November 27, 2012

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Reading Rates: MBA Application Survey – November 14 2012

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Holiday Weekend Topic Suggestions

I think we have a great deal to be grateful for, such as modern new inventions and greater prosperity.
With all the news talk about how this decade compares with that, it’s often not even comparable.
My first computing experience began in High School with a Wang card-reader that barely did arithmetic.
Shortly thereafter, a hand calculator emerged, priced about $450 that could do multiplication and division and even had a percent key. Wow.
By 1980, my College had a computer that worked with punch cards. By 1985, it was fully integrated with computer data consoles and a few programming languages. Apples, Amiga, Commodore and IBM laptops had all entered the market.
I started out with a 16k laptop that was an amazing 4 times the previous model for data storage, with a floppy disc, rather than cassette tape storage. We also had the first COLOR “RGB” consoles. I started out with amber and green screens. You can see where this is going.
I used to stay up nights drinking beer with computer geeks and downloading data on a 1200 baud modem. Soon we got a 2400 bps modem and WOW, we doubled out data stream. It was like magic.
WE didn’t have the WEB, web-sites, internet access (only university inter-library access and bbs services). We didn’t have Cell Phones. My first dial-up systems used a rotary telephone. Most kids don’t even know what that is.
My college car was a 1972 Datsun pickup. It was built poorly, but mechanically unstoppable.
Cable TV? You must be joking. We started out with 5 network channels in the 1960s. That was it.
World satellite communications? Didn’t exist.
VCR’s had begun to be developed. Then we got DVD’s around the 1990’s or so.
My 8-track and cassette players have been replaced by CD’s. Online music?? MP3 players?? what’s that?
Shopping “malls” were new creations. WE had local stores and strip centers for 1/2 my adult life.
Jet skis? What are you talking about? Snow mobiles?
Look around your house. I still have VINYL records and still play them. I like to put the stylus down on the track i want to hear.
But lots of the stuff you have didn’t exist in 1980.
ONline library? Forget about it. You need to look something up? A trip to the local library and a dig through the Card Catalog (no computer files). 3×5 cards. Index cards. Rotary Business lines with Phone books delivered for every phone.
The advances of medicine and available care could fill a book. I never had an MRI before 1999.
I could go on for the rest of the day.
A lot has changed and in many ways our lives are much easier and more efficient. I think my standard of living is mostly improved. I am communicating with you in ways that were not possible in 1980 or even 1990.
But all this has come at a cost. We spent way too much to achieve a greater, bigger and richer society. I say that collectively, as I personally did not. I got dragged along by the purveyors of Big Government as the pandemic to every social ill.
There have been vast improvements to people’s lives, but societies live by way of comparison. We all live better than most Regal Elites of past generations to whom “salt” was a luxury, Ice was shipped around the world for cold (before refrigeration), Books were rare, and “climate controlled” buildings were simply a dream.
The simple truth is that whatever “new thing” some people are able to possess, others will feel left out and “oppressed” because they don’t have one, too. And somehow, it’s not fair and the government should “do something” about it.
We live in a world of scarcity, not abundance. Human efforts have created more abundance, but the desire to “fairly distribute” it will remain a source of conflict so long as humans are working to debate and resolve the issues.
Unfortunately “credit” allows people to live more abundant lives and create the illusion that they are more “wealthy” than they really are. This includes societies as well as individuals. While my personal fortunes are ones of comfort (not rich) and occasional luxury of “dining out”, I FEAR for the future, as my SAVINGS are the target of people who think they deserve to have my past work “re-distributed”. I am better off now than in 1980 when leaving school and continuing to work. I don’t think I will be in 5 more years. Who can say?

As for the vagaries of “timelines” whereby we delineate certain “ages” , “events” “dynasties”, etc., i’ll pass on that for now. History is a dynamic flow from one generation to the next (even the idea of “generations” is difficult to pinpoint). Ideas and laws are constantly changing and evolving even before some event X is used as a trigger or motivation for the events that follow. Slavery was a dying institution before the Civil War and given more time would most likely have been legislated away. We’ll never know.
Had war not been declared over the occupation of Danzig, would there have been a WWII? We’ll never know. WE only have past events to judge, and make conjecture about what “might have happened”. It’s like a “pre-emptive strike”. The new thinking here is that the government can arrest you for what they suspect you might do.
That’s Constitution Law at its finest.
It’s a “new way” of interpreting our most honored traditions. I fear this, too.

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10 Green Ways to Celebrate the Season

Even if you're committed to conservation most of the year, during the busy end-of-year holidays it can seem like just another thing to think about. With that in mind, here are some simple, eco-friendly ways to celebrate the season. May your days be merry and bright — and may all your Christmases be green.

1. Make your own gift wrap from eco-friendly recycled kraft paper.

2 & 3. In lieu of exchanging gifts with friends this season, have a clothing swap. Or make an agreement to only give second-hand gifts, and then scour Etsy and local thrift stores for something truly unique. (And there's always the option of making your own mdash; hello, DIY.)

4. For your big holiday party, avoid using disposable dinnerware and rent instead. You probably don't have 48 champagne flutes. (And you might not have room for them in your apartment even if you did.) If you want to keep your party classy and save the earth at the same time, try searching for a party rental company in your area that rents glassware and dinnerware. It's surprisingly affordable (around $.50 for a wine glass at one place I checked) and many places don't have minimum orders. Plus, many companies offer delivery and pickup — and they'll wash the glasses for you.

5. If using disposables is unavoidable, you can purchase disposables that are earth-friendly and recyclable (or compostable). Another tip: if I'm buying plastic cups I always check the number on the bottom on the bottom to make sure I can recycle them later. (Many disposable cups, like those famous red Solo cups, can't be recycled in areas that won't take a 6 (like mine)).

6. Start a new holiday tradition and plant a tree with your family.

7. Make a centerpiece or wreath from local greens.

8. & 9. Turn the thermostat down a few degrees and warm yourself by the soft glow of a recycled paper fire log. (Or you can use this handy-dandy device to make your own. I'm going to be burning all my junk mail in no time.)

10. Once all the merriment is over, recycle your Christmas tree instead of throwing it away. Check for facilities in your area. If your city doesn't have a Christmas tree recycling program, Organic Gardening has a few DIY recycling ideas.

(Image: Shutterstock)

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Trulia Welcomes Our Lucky Contest Winner Into A Life of Luxury!

A few months ago, we ran a fun contest on Facebook to give away a weekend in the epicenter of luxury – Los Angeles, California! The winner would get a weekend stay in a mansion in Beverly Hills, chauffeured day trip around the glammest parts of LA with Michael Corbett and $500 to spend on whatever their hearts desired. Our winner was Trulia super fan Christin M. from Nashville, North Carolina. No, not Nashville, Tennessee – the OTHER Nashville, an hour from the beautiful North Carolina coast.

Christin and her mom Brenda arrived in LA and set out to explore all that the city had to offer. Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the beach – they saw it all! Together with Trulia PR manager Cristin Zweig and Trulia’s real estate expert Michael Corbett, Christin and Brenda got a sneak peek into luxurious living in Los Angeles on three amazing home tours.

Below, you’ll find an overview of the day and just a taste of the amazing photos. To see everything, view the Facebook album. While you’re at it, “Like” Trulia on Facebook!

A Day of Luxury in Los Angeles!

The first stop was “The House of Rock” in Santa Monica. Formerly the longtime home of the late screen legend Katherine Grayson, the home was purchased and transformed by well-known designer Elaine Culotti, and has become a showcase home with musical influences and incredible designer touches. For the next few months, the home will be a show-stopping venue for some select charity functions. It is set to hit the market later this year.

The home’s exterior. Image courtesy of The House of Rock

Brenda, Michael and Christin outside The House of Rock in Santa Monica

For Christin, Brenda, Michael and Cristin, this home hit a perfect note!

Our next stop was Bel Air, where we met with Eduardo Umanksy of The Agency. He’s as charming and smart as they come in the real estate industry, and he showed us around 655 Sarbonne Road. Listed for $16.495M, the magical Mediterranean estate appears to be worth every penny!

The home’s exterior, as seen from the outdoor living area and expansive backyard

Brenda, Michael and Christin smile for the camera alongside the stunning pool

See more images and information about this home on Trulia!

Our last stop for the day was up in the “Bird Streets” of the Hollywood Hills. Perched high atop Nightingale Drive, this amazing, brand new listing is on the market for $16M with the Gary Gold of Hilton & Hyland. Gary welcomed us into this incredible home, which boasts some of the very best views in all of Los Angeles.

An infinity pool and indoor/outdoor living make this property second-to-none

Check out those views!

When it was finally time to say farewell, Christin said, “My mom and I had such a blast! It was amazing, best day ever! I’m pretty sure we’ll still be laughing and talking about that day weeks or months from now. We couldn’t of asked for a better time than we had.”

At the end of the amazing day, we said goodbye to our lucky winners!

At Trulia, we always strive to give our users the inside scoop on real estate. Taking you inside the homes of the rich and famous is just one more way we do that. Keep up with Trulia on Facebook for a chance to win our next spectacular giveaway!

If you didn’t get enough of the images from this great weekend, view the Facebook album.

PR @ Trulia. Pop Culture Vulture

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Bits Bucket for November 26, 2012

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Envisioning Employment: Employment Situation October 2012

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Real Estate Sold: Top Three Residential Property Sales for the Past Seven Days

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Tuesday, November 20, 2012, by Sally Kuchar

Listed for: $2,750,000
Received: $2,750,000
Size: 3-bed, 3.5-bath, 2,877 square foot condo
Location: 2044 Green, Pacific Heights
The skinny: This house looks all its 122 years on the outside, but the interiors have been extensively nipped and tucked to bring the home up to today's modern standards.

Listed for: $3,595,000
Received: $3,050,000
Size: 3-bed, 2-bath, 6,200 square foot penthouse
Location: 9 Bernice, SoMa
The skinny: Featured in the Chron and the Wall Street Journal, this amazing property offers up total aesthetic stimulation. We wonder if the new owner(s) will keep any of the furnishings/decor?

Listed for: $4,950,000
Received: $4,300,000
Size: 3-bed, 3-bath, 2,706 square foot condo
Location: 301 Mission Street, Unit 54A, SoMa
The skinny: This is a North/West corner unit at the Millennium Tower. The third bedroom's been converted into a library. Monthly HOA dues are a mind-numbing $1,485.

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S&P/Case-Shiller: September 2012

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More Short-Term Rental Drama: The Wall Street Journal has caught...

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Monday, November 26, 2012, by Alex Bevk

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The Good Life Magazine – The French View of NYC

Posted by Jonathan Miller - Sunday, November 25, 2012, 7:53 PM

I provided some insight to a recent edition of a new French Magazine called The Good Life – the issue was dubbed 100% New York.

Since we make so much of the influence of international buyers in the New York City market, I found the issue to be refreshing as I flipped through it in its entirety, as if providing some sort of validation that the way we see the market as locals is how others outside of the US see it.

Of course this is a stretch because the issue is entirely in french, but hey, I took five years of french in school and on a good day can remember how to ask for permission to sharpen a pencil.

For the real estate portion, you can open it here, for the entire magazine – you can buy it here.

With the recent ratings downgrade to French banks, I wonder if the flow to US assets will accelerate.

Jonathan Miller
fondateur et président de Miller Samuel Inc.

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Taking Turns: One of the World's Only Rotating Houses Hits the Market

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Tuesday, November 27, 2012, by Sarah Firshein

Because houses that stay still are just so boring, here's the D'Angelo House, which is "one of only a handful of homes in the world that rotate electrically," according to the listing. That's right: homes that move may be a dime a dozen, but homes that rotate are another creature entirely. Anyway, the 857-square-foot home outside Palm Springs, now asking $279K, was built in 1963 by businessman Floyd D'Angelo, who enlisted an engineer pal to, you know, make sure the structure did the Hokey Pokey. Even The Beatles were enchanted—they partied here in 1965. The current owner switched a solar-powered motor for a new one, and now it takes a painfully slow 15 seconds for the place to rotate 130 degrees—perhaps someone will juice it up further so it's a little more, say, fun? Curbed LA has a closer look.

· Desert's Rotating D'Angelo House Hits the Market For $279K [Curbed LA]

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The Chicago Fed National Activity Index: October 2012

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Extended Unemployment: Initial, Continued and Extended Unemployment Claims November 08 2012

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[Less To Purchase] 3Q 2012 Brooklyn Report

Posted by Jonathan Miller - Saturday, October 20, 2012, 10:00 AM

We published our report on the Brooklyn sales market for 3Q 2012 this morning.   This is part of an evolving market report series I’ve been writing for Douglas Elliman since 1994.

Key Points

Fastest absorption rate in 4 years, inventory fell sharply.
Sales slipped, partially attributable to falling inventory.
Overall pricing indicators mixed, prices generally stable.
Luxury pricing edged above year ago levels.
Marketing time faster and listing discount compressing with falling inventory.
Condo sales down, co-op sales and 1-3 family sales are up.
South Brooklyn showed gains in prices and sales, one of lower priced regions, most responsive to falling mortgage rates.

Here’s an excerpt from the report:

…The Brooklyn housing market continued to show broad stability in price and sales activity, as listing inventory continued to fall. The familiar restraint of tight mortgage lending conditions tempered additional demand created by falling mortgage rates.

Mixed housing price indicators in the third quarter reflected the general stability of the market. Median sales price slipped 0.8% from $510,000 in the same period last year to $506,000, still marking its second highest level in four years. Average sales price increased 1.1% from $607,867 in the prior year quarter to $614,437…

You can build your own custom data tables on the market – now updated with 3Q 12 data. Charts with 3Q12 data appended will be online shortly.

The Elliman Report: 3Q 2012 Brooklyn Sales [Miller Samuel]
The Elliman Report: 3Q 2012 Brooklyn Sales [Prudential Douglas Elliman]
Aggregated Custom Market Data Tables [Miller Samuel]

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Open House Report: Weekend Open House Report: Eureka Valley Edition

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Friday, November 9, 2012, by Sally Kuchar

Location: 744 Church Street, Unit A
Size: 2-bed, 1-bath, 1,005 square foot condo
Price: $920,000
Pitch: "This is THE location. Classic architecture on the corner of Church and Cumberland with perfect views of Dolores Park and the SF skyline. The flexible open floor plan for this home can either accommodate two bedrooms or a spacious one bedroom with formal dining room. Other features include a gas burning fireplace with brick surround, refinished solid wood floors, spacious remodeled eat-in kitchen with granite counter tops, private garage, separate laundry room & large modern two level garden with spectacular views of SF. Blocks away from some of the City's finest Shops and Restaurants: Destino, Farina & Bi-Rite. This amazing condo combines all the best attributes of a City HomeLocation, Modern Detail and Classic Style. Welcome Home!"
Open House: Sunday, 2 to 4PM

Location: 331 Liberty Street
Size: 3-bed, 2.5-bath, 2,015 square foot condo
Price: $1,799,000
Pitch: "Located in one of San Francisco's most sought-after locations, a block from Dolores Park and a quick walk to a full array of hip restaurants & cafes, this contemporary Liberty Hill Condo with spectacular panoramic views feels as though it's perched up above the City's skyline. With the completion of construction in 2006, features include new concrete foundation, steel moment frames, french drainage system and all new plumbing, electric and HVAC systems, CAT5 and surround sound. 2 levels with panoramic view walk-out decks and spacious open-plan living/dining/kitchen area. Bamboo floors and contemporary finishes throughout."
Open House: Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 4PM

Location: 105 Danvers Street
Size: 4-bed, 3-bath, 2,952 square foot single-family home
Price: $2,480,000
Pitch: "This exceptional home is located in Eureka Valley within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, parks and MUNI. Fun is the word: the first floor, formerly a grocery store converted home(see photo), has high ceilings, a game rm that opens to the outdoor terrace and garden, service kitchen with sink, garbage disposal and dishwasher, a full size refrigerator and convection oven all of which make it ideal for entertaining. Step out to the sunny south patio and garden! Enjoy indoor/ outdoor living at its best! Upstairs: The Living room has a fireplace and bay window. The adjoining dining room has a deck. The professional kitchen, a master-suite with designer bath and 2 guest bds which share a beautiful designer bath. 1 Parking pad + 1 lease"
Open House: Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4PM

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Renters Week 2012: Mapping The Top 10 Most Expensive Rentals in America

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Tuesday, November 13, 2012, by Rob Bear

The Astor Suite at NYC's Plaza Hotel, renting for $125K per month.

The fabulously wealthy and fickle—or those simply not ready to plunk down tens of millions on a single home—can try out some of the country's most exclusive and expensive homes, simply by spending six figures every month on rent. Interested? Mapped below, please find the ten of the most expensive rentals on the market, including actor Pierce Brosnan's Malibu manse, listed for $250K per month, and the Rhode Island estate that Nicholas Cage lost to bankruptcy, now up for rent for $100K.

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Bits Bucket for November 13, 2012

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Extended Unemployment: Initial, Continued and Extended Unemployment Claims November 01 2012

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Bits Bucket for November 12, 2012

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[Falling Supply] 3Q 2012 Queens Report

Posted by Jonathan Miller - Saturday, October 20, 2012, 8:00 AM

We published our report on the Queens sales market for 3Q 2012.   This is part of an evolving market report series I’ve been writing for Douglas Elliman since 1994.

Key Points

Listing inventory declined, marketing time and listing discount fell sharply.
Sales below year ago levels.
Overall pricing indicators mixed, prices generally stable.
Luxury pricing edged above year ago levels.
Condo and 1-3 family sales down, co-op sales are up.
Northwest and West Queens showed most improvement.

Here’s an excerpt from the report:

…The third quarter Queens housing market was characterized by stable pricing, falling inventory, sliding sales, faster marketing times and less price negotiability between sellers and buyers. The slide in sales despite record-low mortgage rates was largely due to declining inventory levels and irrationally tight mortgage underwriting standards.

Listing inventory continued to fall. There were 9,052 listings at the end of the third quarter, 12.2% below the prior year total of 10,305. The number of sales followed a similar trend, as lower inventory began to temper sales activity. There were 2,509 sales in the third quarter, 8.5% fewer than 2,743 sales in the same period last year. The monthly absorption rate, the number of months to sell all active inventory at the current pace of sales, was 10.8 months, faster than 11.3 months a year ago but consistent with the 10.6-month 7-year average…

Updates to our Queens data NOW UPDATED FOR 3Q12 and charts will be available soon.

The Elliman Report: 3Q 2012 Queens Sales [Miller Samuel]
The Elliman Report: 3Q 2012 Queens Sales [Prudential Douglas Elliman]

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Recession Watch: November 2012

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Extended Unemployment: Initial, Continued and Extended Unemployment Claims November 08 2012

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Renters Week 2012: Linkage: Renters Week Day Two Across the Curbed Universe

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Bond, James Bond: As you may have heard, the...

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Friday, November 9, 2012, by Sally Kuchar

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Rental of the Day: Main Line Mansion Asks $35K for Week of U.S. Golf Open

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Tuesday, November 13, 2012, by Rob Bear

Location: Haverford, Pa.
Price: $35,000 per week
The Skinny: Golf's 2013 U.S. Open Championship is set to be held at the Merion Golf Club, outside of Philadelphia, and the owner of this stone-and-shingle manse is looking to cash in. Available for the week of the Open, the four-bedroom, 2.5-bath house lies just 600 yards from the club entrance and will cost one lucky renter $35K for the week. That exorbitant sum includes "sleeping room for at least 7," including two bunk beds, "3+ spaces driveway parking" and wireless internet service. The interiors, while classic and spotless, are hardly the sort of thing we might expect from a $35K per week rental, so the owners certainly lucked out with the location.
· 721 Millbrook Ln [Zillow]
· All Renters Week 2012 posts [Curbed National]

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Homeowners Hit by Sandy May Save Thousands of Dollars

The fact that Hurricane Sandy was downgraded to a “Post-Tropical Cyclone” before it made landfall on the East Coast will save homeowners potentially thousands of dollars in home insurance deductibles. 

Homes in Seaside Heights, N.J.New Jersey’s Department of Banking and Insurance Acting Commissioner Ken Kobylowski communicated that to the insurance industry Tuesday night and New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the same Thursday morning.

“Homeowners should not have to pay hurricane deductibles for damage caused by the storm and insurers should understand the Department of Financial Services will be monitoring how claims are handled,” Governor Cuomo said in a release. (Read More: For Builders, the Storm is Good for Business.)

How is a hurricane deductible different from your basic homeowner policy deductible? It is based on a percentage of your property’s insured value, and it can be up to 5 percent. So let’s say your home is insured for $300,000. That’s a $15,000 deductible, which is likely far higher than your regular deductible. The average homeowner deductible is between $500 and $1000.

“We have informed the insurance industry that hurricane deductibles are not triggered because Sandy did not have sustained hurricane-force winds when it made land in New York,” noted NY’s Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin Lawsky in the release. “We will be working with insurers to help them respond as quickly as possible to homeowners who need to file claims. And we will be sending our mobile command center to hard hit areas to help consumers with insurance questions and problems.”

(Read More: Trains Roll, but Northeast Struggles Back From Sandy.)

There is very specific language in homeowner insurance policies in terms of hurricane deductibles. Usually the storm has to reach specific wind speeds to trigger the deductible. A state governor couldn’t necessarily override that private contract.

“The way the insurers look at it is that this is a private contract between the insurer and the policy holder, and the policy as written is going to be enforced,” noted Michael Barry of the Insurance Information Institute. “In this case Sandy does not appear to have reached the threshold to activate the hurricane deductible.”

The insurance companies probably didn’t need Governor Cuomo’s directive as such, since they were already doing their own assessments immediately following the storm. (Read More: Sandy's Economic Cost: Up to $50 Billion and Counting.)

“We have done a review of the best available National Weather Service data and compared that to our language, and we have determined that the hurricane deductible will not apply in those states,” said State Farm spokesman Phil Supple.

As for how much the difference in the deductibles will cost the nation’s insurance companies, that is impossible to calculate at this point, as the companies are still waiting to get in to the hardest hit areas and tally the damage. It is also, as Supple added, “moot” to do any figuring, as they higher deductible clearly doesn’t apply.

—By CNBC's Diana Olick; Follow Her on Twitter @Diana_Olick and Facebook.
Questions? Comments?document.write("");document.write("RealtyCheck"+"@"+"cnbc.com");document.write('');  

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Recovery-less Recovery: Unemployment Duration October 2012

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The Chicago Fed National Activity Index: September 2012

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Extended Unemployment: Initial, Continued and Extended Unemployment Claims October 18 2012

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Renters Week 2012: What $1,600 - $1,900 a Month Gets You Across San Francisco

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Tuesday, November 13, 2012, by Sally Kuchar

Times are tough out there for a rental seeker, so we thought it best to wade through Craigslist this week so you don't have to. Each day this week, we'll be handpicking select apartments that are up for grabs within a certain price range.

Unlike yesterday's short list of places to rent between $1,000 and $1,500 a month, today's list actually has a one and two bedroom sprinkled into the list. But yes, studios do dominate the map of rentals available between $1,600 and $1,900. All of the apartments we handpicked for you have at least one or two desirable features, like pets being allowed, dishwasher in the kitchen, that sort of thing. Onwards!

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The Etsy Challenge: Holiday Edition

The Etsy Challenge: Holiday Edition | Apartment Therapy MainStyleDIYHomekeepingFamilyTechRenovatingShoppingEntertaining The Kitchn Login The Etsy Challenge: Holiday EditionRemember the Etsy Challenge? Inspired by my love for Anthropologie (and my love for a good bargain), I searched Etsy for home decor similar to Anthro's vintage-inspired pieces. Now the Etsy challenge is back, with even more stores, and with a holiday twist.

The rules of the challenge are simple: find a covetable holiday item at a retailer, and then find a similar one for less on Etsy. Take a look at what I found.

1. Left: Pooled Gold Highball, Anthropologie, $14.00. Right: Vintage Gold Rimmed Highball Glasses, ia's Vintage on Etsy, $35.00 for a set of 6.
2. Left: Boxwood Square Wreath, West Elm, $59.00. Right: Square Boxwood Wreath, The Keeper's House on Etsy, $23.00.
3. Left: Sleigh Ride Bells, Terrain, $128.00. Right: Vintage Bells on red leather strap, Reneux on Etsy, $55.00.
4. Left: Gin Rummy Glass, Anthropologie, $18.00. Right: Set of Three Vintage Cocktail Glasses, Thornblossom on Etsy, $28.00.
5. Left: Mason Jar Snow Globe, Anthropologie, $40.00. Right: Snow Globe Mason Jar, Airth & Olson on Etsy, $15.00.

6. Left: Snowy Shag Tree Skirt, Anthropologie, $600.00. Right: 5' Faux Fur Sheepskin Christmas Tree Skirt, Fur Accents on Etsy, $109.00.
7. Left: Crosshatch Cone Decanter in Gold, Dwellstudio, $149.00. Right: Vintage wine decanter with gold trim, Now Vintage on Etsy, $22.00.
8. Left: Blueberry Branch Wreath, Terrain, $60.00. Right: Birch Branch Country Wreath, Marigold's Designs on Etsy, $18.00.
9. Left: Snow Poms Wool Garland, Anthropologie, $38.00. Right: Custom Pom-Pom and Paper Garland, Leaf and Grain on Etsy, $12.00.
10. Left: Rose & Silver Antler, Terrain, $138.00. Right: 3 gold and white antlers, Fat Tire Vintage on Etsy, $45.00.

(Images: as linked above)

5 comments11.14.12 2:00PMNancy MitchellCategories:Shopping,Entertaining,Main,Budget Living,by type,Christmas,Decorating,Guides Comments (5) I like so many of the Etsy versions better!

posted by Juleeann2.0 on 11.14.12 at 01:21PM OR BUY DIRECTLY FROM THE ARTIST.... and cut out the middle men

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeByCassandraSmith?ref=pr_shop_more

posted by EvaML on 11.14.12 at 01:41PM Thanks for this great reminder! I just found an antler candelabra like the one I've been eyeing from Pottery Barn.

posted by Liz A on 11.14.12 at 01:43PM Agree..the ESTY versions are way better.

posted by LyonStill on 11.14.12 at 02:08PM Hey there. Last Christmas, I hosted a cookie swap and one of our 'activities' was to make our own Mason Jar snow globes. They are super easy to put together and fun. You can find the mini trees and fake snow at any craft store this time of year. The rest of the details I found around the house/craft bin.

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