A picture is worth a thousand words, but for some properties, a thousand words aren’t enough. For those, we have video. Please enjoy the above clip exploring the spectacular house at 38 Bethune Street, a one-of-a-kind private home located on the type of picturesque block that made the West Village one of New York’s most sought-after neighborhoods. Listed by CORE’s Vickey Barron for $14.95 million, 38 Bethune features 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 half bathrooms, a private garage, wood-burning fireplace, laundry room and finished basement with high ceilings. The outdoors are special as well, with two private outdoor areas totaling 1,600 square feet. The High Line and Hudson River Park are also just a short walk away, but for now let’s keep the focus where it belongs: on this meticulously designed beauty.

Who doesn’t love a popularity contest? The Wall Street Journal just published a video counting down the newspaper’s most viewed Houses of the Day in 2011, and CORE properties took the top two spots! Coming in second was the quirky and whimsical “Steampunk apartment” at 120 West 29th Street, known for its interesting antiques and sci-fi soul. The most popular House of the Day was also located in Chelsea, at 232 West 15th Street, a historic townhouse that happens to have a full-size swimming pool in its living room. Check out the video above to get a glimpse inside both one-of-a-kind homes.

The WSJ is also asking readers to pick their favorite 2011 House of the Day. Click here to cast your vote!

It’s impossible to sum up Colin Cowie with just one title, but “master of ceremonies” is a start. For over 25 years the South Africa native has been known on these shores as the party planner to the stars, and that love of hospitality and design has turned Cowie into much more than an event planner. He is now a lifestyle guru, interior designer, product developer, television personality and best-selling author. Cowie recently sat down with CORE Managing Director Emily Beare (who sold Colin his first home in New York City!) to discuss holiday entertaining tips, his favorite neighborhood stores for picking up party supplies, his ideal Manhattan kitchen, and more. It’s all in the latest CORE Talks video, seen above.

The push for transparency in the real estate industry has been a big reason why the listings and real estate data website StreetEasy has become such a force so quickly, racking up over 15 million pageviews per month on its way to becoming New York City’s most-searched real estate website. That same drive for transparency has always been an important part of CORE’s view of the evolving real estate marketplace (and it’s also what made CORE an early industry supporter and friend of StreetEasy), so it was only natural for the two companies to get together and collaborate on a cool new toy. It’s called CORE Control, and it’s the first listing and client management platform built in collaboration with StreetEasy.

As StreetEasy CEO Michael Smith told The Real Deal today in its story about the launch of CORE Control, “It is clear to everyone that the role of the broker is changing; it’s about service now.” CORE Control will help bring that service to new levels. Here’s how.

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“There are things in this home which you will never see in a New York City home,” Evelyn McMurray Van-Zeller says of her townhouse in the above clip from LXTV’s Open House, and she’s right: Manhattan homeowners don’t usually drop swimming pools into their living rooms. The 5,000-square-foot house at 232 West 15th Street–listed by CORE’s Maggie Kent and David Grossmann–is certainly one of the most unique properties in Chelsea (which is probably why the television cameras can’t resist it), but it’s not the only one-of-a-kind residence in the ‘hood.

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You’ve heard of a swim-up bar, but what about a swim-up living room? It exists at 232 West 15th Street, an incredible 22.5-foot-wide Chelsea townhouse that boasts one of New York’s most unique amenities: An indoor swimming pool that’s eight feet deep and kitchen adjacent. CBS 2’s Emily Smith met up with CORE’s Maggie Kent and the house’s owner for a Living Large tour of the 5,000-square-foot property, which is on the market for $10.995 million—pool boy not included. Check out the video above for a look inside this amazing home.

What could make a building with a 34-foot-high stainless steel daisy planted on its rooftop stand out even more? How about fire breathers, models covered in body paint and a performance by some world-famous musicians? That was the scene last month on top of 305W16, the new residential condop developed by Centaur Properties and marketed by CORE. Located on the cusp of Chelsea and the Meatpacking District, 305W16 made a splashy debut befitting these vibrant New York City neighborhoods. But enough talk. Check out the video above to get a taste of 305W16’s fun and artsy spirit, and click here to see what’s still available in the building.

CORE is proud to present an interview with Rob Buchholz, the artist of the incredible Daisy Sculpture that lives on top of our new development project, 305W16. Please check out the 305W16 blog (www.305w16.com) for up-to-the-minute postings from CORE agents and happenings in and around Chelsea.

A home is where we live…and much of how we decide on the purchase of a home is defined by how we envision our lives in that space.

The “CORE Open House Events” are a presentation of ideas and options that connect us to our neighborhood and the people who make up our community. It is a curated showcase of people, products and services that inspire us from the community and the homes we live in.