The small market towns and the picture postcard villages in rolling countryside make owning a latest luxury home in East Sussex something further special. With its great road and rail links to the coast and to London, easy access to Gatwick airport and first-class schools, East Sussex is a well-liked destination for families looking for something special. Described as ‘the cream of the crop’ by developers Ward Homes, Ashdown Place enjoys a stunning spot in the village of Five Ash Down, just outside the market town of Uckfield. These traditionally designed and built new homes comprise the luxury five-bedroom ‘Crowborough’, a separate home over three floors. The large kitchen/breakfast room lies at the heart of this family home, and is fitted to the highest standards, with open views of the rear garden and separate utility room. A formal dining room and large lounge make this the wonderful home for entertaining. Five bedrooms are set over two floors, with two en suites, a family bathroom and further shower room.

Mayfield Grange, Mayfield, lies in the heart of the county, just fifteen minutes from Royal Tunbridge Wells, with fast road and rail links to London. Weston Homes has completely refurbished the 19th-century Great Hall at Mayfield Grange, creating a series of superb new homes set in 20 acres of grounds. Plot 5 is a two-bedroom, first-floor fully furnished show home, priced at £545,000. This unique luxury home comprises 20-feet master bedroom, with en suite and 22-foot second bedroom, both with en suite bathrooms featuring Roca sanitaryware and solid-oak cupboards. Across the hallway, a 600-sq-ft living room leads to a fitted kitchen including a full range of Smeg appliances, stone work surfaces and under-pelmet lighting for that extra luxury feel.
Berkeley Homes is offering luxury by the sea at its All Saints development. Another stunning refurbishment of an historic building set in manicured lawns and gardens, All Saints sits close to parkland leading to Beachy Head and near to the beaches and facilities of the thriving town of Eastbourne. A limited number of two-bedroom apartments are available with prices ranging from £275,000 to £375,000.

Plot 14 is a luxury apartment set over two floors. Accommodation includes an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, large bathroom and upper floor master bedroom with en suite and study. Finished to the highest standards, and close to all amenities, All Saints makes the perfect home by the sea, or retirement home for those seeking to downsize, with a full concierge service, including laundry, taxi and chauffeur services, reading room and residents’ gym.

There is just one home left for sale at Emett Gardens in the sought-after village of Ditchling. Hillreed Homes is presenting a rare opportunity to purchase a high-specification new-build home in this charming location. There are just three homes at Emett Gardens and the remaining five-bedroom detached property, the ‘Bromley’, exemplifies the attention to detail and uncompromising standards that have been applied at the development. The £1.2 million price tag secures a superbly designed, spacious home with ample reception rooms, two en suite bedrooms, an integral double garage and a large, secluded plot.

Crowborough is a busy market town with prosperous town centre, high street and regular farmers’ market. Two golf clubs and good local schooling and amenities make this a highly attractive area that is less than one hour by train from central London. Antler Homes is offering luxury living at Milne Square, Crowborough Hill, with prices from £417,950. Quality finishes are the hallmark of the ‘Hatch’ four-bedroom detached house at Milne Square, which benefits from spacious rooms and offers a wow factor in the shape of a spectacular vaulted ceiling lantern in the open-plan kitchen/family area.

A large living room leads onto a good-size rear garden and a separate study and downstairs cloakroom add to the feeling of space. Four bedrooms are set over the first floor, and include two en suites, a family bathroom and built in wardrobes. Alongside the house, which is priced at £525,000, is a double garage with private drive way offering parking for two additional cars.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — According to the Illinois Association of Realtors’ (IAR) fourth-quarter 2011 report, Illinois home sales (single family and condominiums) totaled 25,394, up 14.8 percent from 22,114 home sales in the fourth quarter of 2010. The 4Q11 statewide median home sales price was $128,000, down 10.8 percent from $143,500 in 4Q10. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for less.

“For homebuyers who are feeling confident enough to re-enter the housing market, this data shows there is great opportunity for them,” said Loretta Alonzo, CRB, GRI, president of the IAR and broker-owner of Century 21 Alonzo & Associates in La Grange Park. “Growing optimism about the economy and low interest rates generated a lot of interest in real estate in the final part of the year.”

The 4Q11 interest rate for 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4 percent in the North Central Region, according to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. It was down from 4.31 percent in the third quarter and also down from 4.44 percent a year ago in 4Q10.

“Looking forward, there is the likelihood that there will be year-over-year sales gains in the state through the first quarter of 2012,” said Dr. Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, director of the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL) of the University of Illinois. “While we are seeing the time on market for homes decline to less than 10 months, the large foreclosure inventory could create some challenges in the housing market this year.”

In the Chicagoland Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA) total home sales (single-family and condominiums) were up 20.4 percent in 4Q11 to 17,321 homes sold compared to 14,392 home sales in 4Q10. The region’s 4Q11 median price was $148,300, down 14 percent from $172,500 in 4Q10.

In the city of Chicago, total home sales (single-family and condominiums) in 4Q11 were up 11.1 percent to 4,225 sales compared to 3,804 sales in 4Q10. The city of Chicago median price was $159,999, down 8.6 percent from $175,000 in 4Q10.

“Chicago continues to show an absorption of properties in the market by aggressive buyers seeking great opportunities to purchase now,” said Realtor Bob Floss, president of the Chicago Association of Realtors and broker-owner of Bob Floss and Son Realty. “The decrease in median price and increase in units sold continues to show the downward pressure distressed sales still have on property values across the city. With interest rates at historic lows, and sellers and buyers looking to make real deals close, 2012 remains an excellent time for first-time, right-size buyers, or investors to get off the fence and make long-term investments in real estate.”

Sixty-one of 98 Illinois counties reporting showed year-over-year home sales increases in 4Q11. Forty-five of 98 counties reported median price increases during the period, including Coles, up 32.6 percent to $90,200; Kankakee, up 8.6 percent to $115,000; Madison, up 1.4 percent to $106,500; Menard, up 39.3 percent to $139,300; Monroe, up 2.1 percent to $165,000; and Whiteside, up 12.5 percent to $85,500.

Sales and price information is generated from a survey of Multiple Listing Service sales reported by 31 participating Illinois Realtor local boards and associations, including Midwest Real Estate Data LLC data as of Jan. 7, 2012, reported for the period Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2011. The Chicagoland PMSA, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, includes the counties of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will.

New home sales rose a bit in October, but the level of demand is historically very weak because of high-unemployment in the U.S. and competition from cheaper existing homes.

Sales increased by 1.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual-rate of 307,000 from a downwardly revised speed of 303,000 in September, the Commerce Department said.

Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had estimate sales would slip by 0.3% to an annual-rate of 312,000.

The average price in October for a new home was $212,300, higher than the level of $204,200 a year earlier and as yet down from the month earlier.

Uncertainty in the direction of home prices can give would-be buyers second thoughts, with some of them waiting for a better deal. Owners who want to sell, on the other hand, tend to take their property off the market until prices steady a trend that adds to inventory in the future and depresses-prices further.

New homes are, generally, more expensive than previously owned property. People have been particularly attracted to foreclosed homes because of the low-price tags.

New-home sales amount to about a quarter of their peak before the bubble began deflating around five years ago. Sales are way below healthy levels, considered to be an annual rate of around 750,000.

Year over year, new-home-sales were 8.9% above the October 2010 level.

Because many people have much of their net worth tied up in their homes, the bursting of the price bubble made consumers feel less wealthy and discouraged spending. The economy slouches from late 2007 to mid 2009. It has been trying to retrieve strongly but unemployment stays high.

For the housing sector to recover, the economy needs to create more jobs and housing prices must steady. But economists think prices will keep falling because the foreclosure-pipeline is long. Falling prices pull more homes “underwater,” which mean the owners owe more on their mortgages than the property is worth. That leads to more foreclosures and lower prices.

With builders pessimistic, the no of new-homes listed for sale at the end of October was 162,000, which is historically low. That supply would take 6.3 months to reduce at the current sales speed and is around a healthy-level. The supply in September was 6.4 months.

The Commerce statement said October new home sales were mixed. New home Sales rose 14.9% in the West and 22.2% in the Midwest. Sales were flat in the Northeast and fell 9.5% in the South.