Jack Nicholson has put his Victorian house in Aspen, Colorado, on the market for a cool 15 million dollars.

The veteran actor, 74, was last seen at the property, in the ski resort area, with daughter Lorraine over Christmas.

According to Realtor.com, the estate was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1987, boasts of five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and overlooks Hallam Lake in Aspen’s West End, the Daily Mail reported.

The green gabled home is known as Newberry House and was built in 1895 for one of Aspen’s early residents, William Shaw.

The 5,790 square foot property has a 2 1/2-story wood frame, and a large veranda, and boasts of a vernacular interpretation of the Shingle style and an unusual carriage house which was incorporated into the overall design of the home.

Some big investors have shown interest in buying foreclosed properties being sold in bulk by Fannie Mae (FNMA.OB), the largest U.S. home funding source, the Wall Street Journal said citing people familiar with the process.

Under the deal, the investors would have to rent out the properties they buy from Fannie and not sell them for several years, the Journal said.

The sale consists of 2,500 homes divided into eight regional pools that have a current market value of $320 million, and the bids are due by mid-April, the Journal said, citing an offering document prepared by Fannie’s adviser Credit Suisse.

Officials are looking to complete the first transactions by late May, the Journal said.

The Journal named New York based broker dealer Amherst Securities Group and a fund run by mortgage-bond pioneer Lewis Ranieri as interested bidders. Hedge fund manager Paulson & Co and private-equity investors Colony Capital LLC are also considering bids, the Journal said.

Spokesmen for Fannie Mae and Credit Suisse declined to comment to the Wall Street Journal on the sale.

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.

Jeffrey D. Butler, the Connecticut Light & Power chief who resigned after he became the lightning rod for criticism of the company’s power restoration attempt after the Halloween snowstorm, put his Avon house up for sale Thursday for $1.6 million.

Butler and his wife Susan bought the 6,800-square-foot Colonial on Pembroke Drive in 2009 and are listing the 5-bedroom, 5.3-bathroom home for approximately the same price they paid for it.

Just eight houses priced at $1.5 million or higher have sold in Avon since the Butlers purchased the home, and there are at present five other homes in the town on the market in that price range, according to Rob Giuffria, president of Prudential Premier Homes in Farmington.

“The market for $1.5 million plus homes in Avon and the nearby area is still in transition, and I would anticipate the Butler home to sell for much less than the list price,” Giuffria said. “Who knows, maybe somebody will buy it because they believe they won’t lose power to the house.”

The listing agent, Ellen Seifts of Prudential Connecticut Realty in Avon, did not instantly respond today to an e-mail seeking comment. A call to Butler’s home was not immediately returned.

The brick Colonial on two-acres boasts views of the Heublein-Tower and includes a game room, wine cellar, a gunite pool with hot tub, a waterfall and koi pond, a guest house with full bath and kitchenette and a 4-car heated garage.

Butler, an engineer by training, resigned in November among a firestorm over CL&P’s handling of the storm recovery and aftermath. Charles Shivery, CEO of CL&P parent Northeast Utilities, said Butler was not forced out or asked to step aside, but offer to leave because it seem his remaining on the job could become an issue that would hinder the company’s efforts to move forward.

Butler moved to Connecticut to take the CL&P president job, after a long career in the energy industry, nearly completely in California at Pacific Gas and Electric.

Butler became well-known to the state residents during twice-a-day, high-profile, televised news conferences after the Oct. 29 storm that left hundreds of thousands of customers in the dark for a long as 11 days.

The listing did not talk about that the house has a back-up generator, but Butler told reporters at one briefing that he had a generator but it failed during the power outage, also leaving Butler in the dark.

Are you house hunting, or do you just like to see how others live? Here are a few of the homes for sale in New Rochelle.

Maybe you’ll discover your dream home.

Here are a few homes on the market in the Queen City. 76 Chauncey Ave. Listing price: $385,000. 4 bedrooms, 3-1/2 baths. 1,700 square feet. Listing office: coldwellbankermoves.com. Information from trulia.com

70 Cortlandt Ave. Listing price: $850,000. 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths & 2-1/2 baths. 3,200 square feet. Listing office: BH&G Rand Realty.

76 Chauncey Ave. Listing price: $385,000. 4 bedrooms, 3-1/2 baths. 1,700 square feet. Listing office: coldwellbankermoves.com

HARRISON COUNTY – Drive anyplace on Highway 90 in Harrison County and you’re bound to see them. Sale-signs are posted on vacant lots up and down the beach-front highway.

A still dull economy and the high cost of post-Katrina insurance have both contributed to an copiousness of beach front property now on the market.

“With the taxes and the insurance, on top of the construction expenses to build up or set back, it’s made it almost infeasible to be able to build back on residential lots on Highway 90. It’s really, very costly. You’re going to have to have deep-pockets to do it,” said Windy Swetman.

Harrison County Supervisor Windy Swetman is also a residential-developer who keeps close tabs on the real estate industry. He says such lots have always been premium property, but elements like the storm and recession are having a detectable impact.

“They’ve always been high-dollar. The difference right at the present is that you have a higher premium on insurance that you’re paying and the recession. So, you’re in a recession, you have higher insurance, the taxes are even there at a high rate for them,” said Swetman.

“What I anticipate happening is the property along Highway 90, for the majority part, is going to become commercial over the next few years,” says Jerry Creel, the community development director for the City of Biloxi.

He says projects like the new McElroy’s will draw other development along the waterfront.

“Right now, we’re in discussions with eight hotels, six restaurants that all desire to situate along the beach. Just the discussion stage right now, but we’ll make some proclamation as those come to fruition,” said Creel.

He says tax credit programs that pardon property taxes for up to seven years are also an incentive for new development.

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.

Washington is getting ready to sell off state assets to increase painfully required revenue, a yard sale of sorts favored by both Democrats and Republicans.

Items up for tender contain an island, an airstrip, vehicles, roads, buildings, land even the airwaves used to broadcast television, the New York Times reports.

Some properties might require some tender loving concern, but with a little love and some strong chemicals a house once belonging to the Animal Disease Center can become a loving home.

Republicans like privatization because it shrinks the government.

Democrats wish it for raise income painlessly.

“This is something that we can have two-way contract on,” says Representative Jeff Denham, R-Cal.

Close to $20 billion could come from vacant airwaves, and $4 billion from disembarrassing government entities of belongingness they don’t necessitate and help narrow deficits.

A congressional super committee is musing ways to shave $1.2 trillion off U.S. deficits over 10 years.

President Barack Obama, at the same time, is calling for $1.5 trillion in new incomes that accompanies his $447 billion jobs creation plan, which trusts heavily on slashing payroll taxes.

An unemployment rate stays high, and some say the country wants to get used to high joblessness, which won’t come down much for another two years.

“Growth stays sluggish and deficient to cut down the unemployment rate,” Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody’s Analytics, says in a message to clients, the Associated Press reports.

CEOs at big companies are more unenthusiastic than they were just three months ago, according to a survey by the Business Roundtable, a trade group.

About one third of the CEOs say they plan to take on or improve spending in the next six months, down from half in June, the survey finds, the AP adds.

Las Vegas high rise condominiums have at all times been known for their world class designs and above average amenities exclusive to Vegas. The weakness in the American dollar in comparison to other foreign currencies has made investing so much more attractive to foreign buyers.

Banks are also making it easier for foreign investors to purchase real estate in the United States with their low interest rates and new lending guidelines.

According to public records from the Clark County recorder’s office, 10 percent of all Las Vegas real estate dealings in southern Nevada are non-citizen buyers. According to Ashley McMcormick of Realty one, Nevada’s largest broker, Canadians make up a majorly of these buyers followed by the Asian market.

In mixture to the strength in the Canadian dollars these days and to get away the cold winter months, Canadians are opting for second homes in Las Vegas.

Fortune Magazine only just described that foreign buyers have bought just about thirty percent of the high rise condo units in the newly build Mandarin Oriental section of MGM City Center in Las Vegas.

Within months, the entire building was almost sold out to foreigners. For those looking to get off the strip, communities like Lake Las vegas are becoming popular. First time buyers from previous years are now returning and buying homes and condos for sale investing rentals, some sight unseen.

These foreign buyers are “Getting a Taste of the Las Vegas Lifestyle” and they want to retire here. They are fascinated by the high-class amusement, excellent restaurants, great shopping experience and nice temperatures during the winter months. With the ease of sending pictures, images, reviews and documentation by email to prospective real estate investors, previous buyers are getting Las Vegas condominiums and homes sight unseen and renting them out.

There are presently over twenty five high rise and mid rise condo communities in Las Vegas to include the nationally known Turnberry and internationally acclaimed One Queensridge in Summerlin.

In spite of statewide trends, Miami-Dade shopping centers are providing alluring development opportunities for commercial real estate developers.

Miami-Dade county vacancy rates are bringing down and occupancy rates are higher than anywhere else in Florida. With occupancy rates over 90 percent and rental rates above $18 per-square-foot, Miami has seen a decrease in retail vacancy rates for five straight quarters a recovery not seen in many markets across the nation.

A report by Crossman & Company was presented at the International Council of Shopping Centers Florida that demonstrated Miami-Dade County’s average rental rate clocking in at $21.84 and occupancy at 94.1 percent. These numbers come up as a surprise to many who know that Miami-Dade County also has a near record unemployment rate of 13 percent and wilting consumer confidence that is similar to what is seen statewide.

In comparing, Broward County’s mean rental rate is $17.69 with occupancy at 89.6 percent while Palm Beach County’s rates are at $18 and occupancy is at 89.2 percent.

According to Greg Masin, senior director of retail services at Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate firm, Miami is on fire. The phone is ringing with retailers who desire to be here. A few people are still hurting, but in general this town is healthier than people give us credit for.

For the first time in years, developers are seeing an opportunity for new evolution in Miami Dade. Several South Florida developers are pitching retailers on programs for construction of new shopping centers, something that has been unheard of since the nationwide recession. Many of the pitches are aimed at discount retailers and grocery stores businesses that have stayed relatively strong since the economic downfall.

At the conference, businesses such as Walgreens, Publix, Walmart, LA Fitness, Bealls Department Stores, Sedan’s Supermarkets, Tuesday Morning and Pet Supermarket were among the retailers looking for additional space.

In spite of the increased interest in Miami-Dade commercial development, as usual, price remains a sticking point throughout negotiations. Real estate manager for Walgreen Company, Brenden O’Brien, said, “Some people are still looking to acquire face value for their dirt; it’s just not worth it.

The prices have fall, but just not to the level I’d say my real estate committee would like to see it.” Many developers remain cautious despite the possible Miami-Dade appears to be presenting.