Cozy Up by Your Own Fireplace: Snug Homes With Santa-Ready Amenity To Suit Every Budget—From Bargain Buys to Lavish Mansions
MLS via Realtor.comBaby, it’s cold outside!When the temperatures start dropping, there is almost nothing cozier than snuggling up by a roaring fireplace in your very own home.And as Christmas approaches, blazing hearths become all the more special; after the warm glow burns out, children gather around the fireplace to anxiously await the arrival of Santa on Dec. 24.To celebrate the holiday season, we have rounded up a variety of homes with the Santa-ready amenity, ranging from an affordable cabin in the mountains to a luxury mansion with a log guesthouse and fireplaces galore.Fun fact: 42.8% of the active listings on Realtor.com® right now have fireplaces, meaning there is no shortage of snug abodes for fire-loving homebuyers to choose from.1. 24072 S Bear Clover Ct, Sonora, CAPrice: $310,000Wooded retreat: This endearing, three-bedroom cabin in the Sierra Nevada Foothills has a wood-burning stove in the living room.After a day exploring nearby Twain Harte or swooshing down the slopes of Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort, you can enjoy a cozy warmup by the stove. Built in 1971, the 1,280-square-foot residence still features many original details, including exposed beams, vinyl and carpeted floors, and wood-paneled walls.Sliders off of the kitchen lead out to a new redwood deck, where you can watch the resident deer and wild turkeys amble by.The affordable price tag enables the buyer flexibility to make some updates.Sonora, CARealtor.com2. 2800 Red Willow Rd, Heber City, UTPrice: $539,000Secluded sanctuary: This two-bedroom residence boasts a floor-to-ceiling, sunken fireplace in the living room surrounded by windows to soak in the wintry views.Nestled on 1.09 acres in the gated Timber Lakes community, the rustic mountain cabin features a 1,727-square-foot open floor plan with exposed wood beams, hardwood floors, and a spiral staircase. Vaulted wood ceilings, skylights, and a slider leading to a balcony await upstairs.The property also has a detached, one-car garage and a small cottage designed for kids.Heber City, UTRealtor.com3. 1730 Red Fox Ridge Way, Sevierville, TNPrice: $765,000Country cabin: This log cabin with a wood-burning fireplace found in the loft-style living room provides the picture-perfect setting for Santa’s arrival.The charming, 1,922-square-foot home boasts wood-plank floors, exposed beams, and cathedral ceilings. Built in 2000, the cozy residence has a primary suite and guest suite upstairs. The lower level offers a home theater and game room designed for entertaining.Two levels of covered decks overlook an outdoor fire pit and provide spectacular Smoky Mountain views.Sevierville, TNRealtor.com4. 443 E Cliff Rd, Cullowhee, NCPrice: $1,250,000Mountaintop estate: This luxury compound boasts a great room and primary suite with fireplaces along with a two-bedroom log guesthouse with additional fireplace.The three-bedroom main residence with a porte cochere features an open floor plan with a two-story living room, a modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, and a primary suite with a soaking tub and access to a private terrace. A screened porch offers the perfect spot to enjoy the serene vistas.Overlooking the Tuckasegee River Valley, the 7.74-acre property also has a waterfall, raised gardens, a greenhouse, and a two-car garage with a woodworking shop and loft.Cullowhee, NCRealtor.com5. 1125 Pilgrim Dr, Edwards, CO Price: $9,850,000Modern mansion: This four-bedroom contemporary boasts an open floor plan with a modern gas fireplace, which is the focal point of the living room. There’s also a stylish see-through fireplace in the primary suite.Built in 2016, the multilevel home is surrounded by glass, providing spectacular views of the surrounding Sawatch Mountain Range. The 4,893-square-foot interior features an enormous kitchen and dining area along with a bunk room designed for grand-scale entertaining.The 12.48-acre retreat also has a built-in fire pit out back to warm up by while enjoying the peaceful views and crisp mountain air.Edwards, CORealtor.com
‘Home Alone’ Star Daniel Stern Shares Glimpse Into His Life on Remote Cattle Ranch After Quitting Bright Lights of Hollywood
YouTube“Home Alone” star Daniel Stern is best known for his role as bungling burglar Marv, having shot to fame while starring alongside Macaulay Culkin and Joe Pesci in the 1990 holiday hit.But though Stern’s face is broadcast in the homes of millions every holiday season, in real life, he favors a much quieter life, miles away from the bright lights of Hollywood—and far from the Chicago suburbs that his “Home Alone” character tried to burglarize.Far from enjoying the trappings of fame, Maryland native Stern, 67, has all but turned his back on it, choosing to pursue a remote lifestyle on a sprawling ranch in California, a lifestyle that has (ironically) now helped him to earn another shot at the spotlight.Stern has been documenting his day-to-day life on his off-grid property in a series of TikTok videos, revealing how he has traded the big screen for sculpting and fruit harvesting while living on his rural property.Located in California’s Central Valley, the ranch features a main residence, as well as an art studio where Stern creates incredible sculptures, which he sells to raise money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, according to his website.“Home Alone” star Daniel Stern is best known for his role as bungling burglar Marv, having shot to fame while starring alongside Macaulay Culkin and Joe Pesci in the 1990 holiday hit.TikTok/Daniel SternStern has been documenting his day-to-day life on his off-grid property in a series of TikTok videos, revealing how he has traded the big screen for sculpting and fruit harvesting while living on his rural property.TikTok/Daniel SternThere are plenty of animals on Stern’s property, as well as a host of fruit trees.TikTok/Daniel SternThe ranch is home to a slew of animals, including cattle and horses, with Stern revealing that many of the “chores” he has to complete at the property are those taken on by professional farmers, from fixing ATVs to ensuring that the cows remain in their designated grazing areas.In one particularly popular video, Stern filmed himself juicing an enormous pile of tangerines that had been picked from the grounds of his home.“Hello, as you will come to discover, I live on a farm and we grow tangerines here,” he tells the camera. “They came and picked them the other day and I like to have them pick me a bin.“Then what I like to do is, I take them, then I juice them up. Then I freeze them and then I give them away to my friends.”Showcasing the juicing process, Stern reveals an enormous collection of the fruit, before revealing two freezers set up in his garage, ready to hold the many bottles of juice. He then pans to an electric Zummo juicer, which helps him to create the “delicious” juice.And it’s not just tangerines—other videos reveal that Stern juices everything from lemons to grapefruits, all of which are grown on his property.When he is not working with the fruit or tending to his animals, Stern, who wed actress Laure Mattos in 1980, spends much of his time in his studio sculpting a variety of figures, some of which can be found in various spots around the greater Los Angeles area.Although Stern does not reveal the location of his property, he and his wife have owned multiple homes over the years, according to records, including one vast plot of land in Porterville, CA, which they appear to have purchased in 2014.TikTok/Daniel SternIn one particularly popular video, Stern filmed himself juicing an enormous collection of tangerines that had been picked from the grounds of his home, explaining that one of his favorite activities is to juice fruit, freeze it, and share it with friends.TikTok/Daniel SternThe actor and director has created all manner of sculptures, from a life-size flamenco dancer to a tabletop figure of former NFL pro Colin Kaepernick.Although Stern does not reveal the location of his property, he and his wife have owned multiple homes over the years, according to records, including one vast plot of land in Porterville, CA, which they appear to have purchased in 2014.That property is currently in Mattos’ name.Stern did open up about his decision to embrace a more low-key lifestyle in his 2024 book, “Home and Alone,” in which he documented his ascent through Hollywood, the roller-coaster years he spent working as a full-time actor, and his love of his ranch.“I have found spectacular artistic satisfaction in my life in the movies, theater, and television,” he writes. “But [I] have also found deep artistic satisfaction in my life as a bronze sculptor, cattle rancher, and lemon farmer.”Stern’s videos taken on his ranch have sparked a wave of nostalgia among TikTok users, many of whom have heaped praise on the star for once again providing them with such wholesome content.When he is not working with the fruit or tending to his animals, Stern, who wed actress Laure Mattos in 1980, spends much of his time in his studio, creating a variety of sculptures, some of which can be found in various spots around the greater Los Angeles area.TikTok/Daniel SternHe sells the sculptures to raise money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.Daniel Stern“I’m glad Marv changed career paths,” one joked, as another chimed in: “I don’t know how I got on Marv-tok but I’m glad I did!”As for his artwork, many users are astounded that the man who portrayed such an inept criminal is capable of creating something so staggering.“I never wouldn’t thought that funny guy from my childhood could do this,” one wrote. “We need more of this!”A second added: “I always knew you were an amazing actor and you are also clearly a talented artist.”Stern is far from the only A-list celebrity to leave Hollywood to enjoy live off the radar. “Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek left Los Angeles in 2020 and moved his family to a ranch in Austin, TX. Matthew McConaughey also opted to walk away from California to live in the Lone Star State.The Texas native now lives in a sprawling mansion outside of Austin, where he and his wife, Camila Alves, are raising their children while enjoying a much more rural lifestyle.Before starting his acting career, the “Magic Mike” star grew up in Uvalde, TX, and then later moved to Longview, TX. He attended college at the University of Texas at Austin.
The Top 20 Markets Where It’s Cheaper To Rent Than Own a Single-Family Starter Home
Getty Images (3)If you’ve been sidelined in the single-family homeownership dream, you can console yourself with the knowledge that you’re saving over $1,000 a month.In the top 20 single-family rental markets, it remains cheaper to rent than to own, when comparing monthly rent to the monthly mortgage payment and maintenance costs for a comparable starter home.On average, purchasing a starter single-family home now costs $1,091 more per month than renting a comparable property, according to a new report from John Burns Research & Consulting. With other types of properties included, the gap dips to $1,067, according to the Realtor.com® economic research team.“No surprise here, it’s still more expensive monthly to buy a single-family home than it is to rent one,” says Danielle Nguyen, John Burns’ vice president of research.While the gap between renting and buying has decreased slightly since last year, it remains far higher than the historical national average of $233. (The last time it was cheaper to own than to rent was in 2016. It almost got there in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but not quite.)The study defined starter homes as homes that sold for 80% or less of the area’s overall median sales price.JBREC analyzed the costs of renting versus owning a single-family starter home.Although renters save on their monthly costs in all of these top 20 markets, it’s important to note that they miss out on building equity in their home, which can be an important way to increase wealth over time.A recent study from the Aspen Institute found that homeowners in America had a median net worth of $400,000 as of 2022, while the typical renter’s net worth was just $10,400.Why is it cheaper to rent than to own?The culprit in this spread is not just historically high home prices and tight supply, but mortgage rates, which still hover at almost 7% for a fixed 30-year mortgage.Rates would need to come down to 3.75% to lower the homeownership premium for a single-family house to the historical average of 14%, according to the report.Given that mortgage rates aren’t predicted to dip that low again any time soon, what can one do to participate in the homeownership dream?If possible, move to one of the markets where the spread is less than average, or even negligible. In Cincinnati, for instance, the premium to own is just $4 over renting.You could also look into new construction.“Many homebuilders are finding success by offering mortgage rate buy-downs, reducing rates to between 4% and 5% (or even lower),” says Nguyen. “This helps bridge the cost gap between buying and renting.”One place first-time buyers might want to stay away from is Austin, TX, where it remains significantly pricier to own a starter home than to rent one.Here are the top 20 single-family rental markets, ranked by the monthly savings for renters compared with homeowners.1. Austin, TXPurchase premium: 89%How much you will save per month by renting: $1,900Median rent: $2,000This Austin, TX, single-family home is listed for $2,200.Realtor.com2. Denver, COPurchase premium: 47%How much you will save per month by renting: $1,298Median rent: $1,8503. Las Vegas, NVPurchase premium: 67%How much you will save per month by renting: $1,287Median rent: $2,0004. Riverside-San Bernardino, CAPurchase premium: 46%How much you will save per month by renting: $1,207Median rent: $2,0505. Phoenix, AZPurchase premium: 59%How much you will save per month by renting: $1,176Median rent: $1,700Single-family homes in this Phoenix, AZ, development are listed for $1,392 to $1,826.Realtor.com6. Dallas, TXPurchase premium: 41%How much you will save per month by renting: $1,028Median rent: $1,8007. Nashville, TNPurchase premium: 46%How much you will save per month by renting: $990Median rent: $2,4008. Miami, FLPurchase premium: 28%How much you will save per month by renting: $915Median rent: $3,0009. Raleigh-Durham, NCPurchase premium: 42%How much you will save per month by renting: $847Median rent: $1,60010. Orlando, FLPurchase premium: 38%How much you will save per month by renting: $847Median rent: $2,10011. San Antonio, TXPurchase premium: 46%How much you will save per month by renting: $821Median rent: $1,650Single-family homes in this San Antonio, TX, development are listed for $2,019 to $2,850.Realtor.com12. Charlotte, NCPurchase premium: 43%How much you will save per month by renting: $812Median rent: $1,75013. Houston, TXPurchase premium: 37%How much you will save per month by renting: $756Median rent: $1,65014. Jacksonville, FLPurchase premium: 36%How much you will save per month by renting: $665Median rent: $1,68015. Tampa, FLPurchase premium: 26%How much you will save per month by renting: $563Median rent: $2,17016. Atlanta, GAPurchase premium: 26%How much you will save per month by renting: $547Median rent: $1,88017. Chicago, ILPurchase premium: 18%How much you will save per month by renting: $421Median: $2,15018. Columbus, OHPurchase premium: 23%How much you will save per month by renting: $407Median rent: $1,65019. Indianapolis, INPurchase premium: 2%How much you will save per month by renting: $35Median rent: $1,62020. Cincinnati, OHPurchase premium: 0%How much you will save per month by renting: $4Median rent: $1,380This single-family home in Columbus, OH, is listed for $1,050.Realtor.com
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