Rent Real Estate
Dependency is not the inevitable end of aging. Today people live
A new publication from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) provides a comprehensive overview of the country"s housing market, using updated statistics from the most recent census (2001) and materials from several other sources. The Canadian Housing Observer provides a fascinating look at where Canadian housing is today and where it may be headed.
In a recent decision, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) found that
Last month, two Toronto-area Realtors were arrested and accused of heading up a $35 million marijuana grow house operation. It"s alleged that the Realtors leased client"s dwellings for the purposes of setting up hydronic marijuana grow operations. An additional 37 people now face charges, mostly for cultivating and caring for the plants, but police say the two real estate professionals arrested were the leaders of the operation.
Faced with the Kyoto Protocol and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across Canada by 20%, Canadian governments and industries are paying more attention to renewable energy alternatives than ever before. Near Kincardine on Lake Huron, Ontario’s Energy Minister John Baird recently opened Ontario’s first commercial wind farm, a project that finally became a reality after five years of operating as a single wind turbine.
In business, consumer demand equals business opportunity. Strangely, the large and growing demand for "affordable housing" in Canada is not seen
Although few Canadians are surprised to hear residential mortgage debt grew in the fourth quarter of 2001 and continued to increase in this year"s first quarter, most Canadians reel when they hear we owe $460 billion against our homes.
While the Canadian government wins accolades in eGovernment leadership, topping 22 other countries in offering government services online, Statistics Canada reports more than 813,000 Canadian households have given up their access to the Internet. More than a quarter of those canceling home-access to the Internet were weekly users.
As the cry for affordable housing goes up across Canada, two recent
Among the first welcome signs of spring across Canada are garage sales. However, whether you are an eager garage sale buyer hunting for "deals" or a determined lawn sale seller out to cash-in on the sale of accumulated "treasures," you may be in for more trouble than you bargained for. (The same holds true when shopping at resale stores, accepting hand-me-downs or taking advantage of curbside shopping on rubbish day.)
Many Canadians who have been turned down by a bank or who are afraid to
With 6,424 homes changing hands last month, activity in the GTA declined six per cent compared to the 6,866 sales that took place in September 2007 and declined three per cent compared to the 6,622 transactions that were recorded two years ago.
As the last of winter descends on us, Canadians from coast to coast to coast are getting cabin fever. Some adventurous Canucks have already abandoned us and are enjoying warmer southern climes on the open road.
The first quarter national report is finally out (in September) for existing condominium and cooperative sales from the National Association of Realtors and it seems condos have actually been quite resilient in an era of dropping prices and failing inventories. The NAR reports stable prices overall across the U.S., dropping an average of only 2.8 percent for the first quarter 2008, compared to the same time a year ago.
A report by Re/Max Canada and Clayton Research says real estate prices in Canada will rise an average of 13 per cent after inflation by 2011, and that all areas of the country should enjoy robust real estate activity during the coming decade.
One of the most frequent complaints among Canadian homeowners, regardless of the age of the house, involves moisture. Too much moisture in a house causes condensation and frost on the windows in the winter, and creates musty odours in basements and closets all year long. More importantly, dampness creates mould growth, which can lead to serious health problems for the home"s occupants, and ruin clothes, carpets, furniture and other possessions.
Ontario builders were not surprised to learn that the 2000 Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Residential Land Inventory Survey (GTARLI), jointly released by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) and the federal Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), revealed the overall supply of land for housing fell by 17 per cent between 1998 and 2000. In 2000, there was land for 151,229 housing units in the GTA, compared to 182,166 units in 1998.
Owning an island is not an impossible dream in Canada where, according to Natural Resources Canada, there are almost 57,000 coastal islands of varying sizes. Although not all islands are cottage material, in a country with an estimated 62,000 freshwater lakes, there is probably an island out there for you somewhere, or at least a corner of one you can call your own.
"We will be better off now than when we were renting," said Rick Johnson when he bought a house in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with partner Janice Miller. "We won"t keep lining someone else"s pocket. Now the money goes for us. The mortgage payments are going to be half what our rent was, including taxes."
During the 20th century, Canadian homes underwent more than their share of transformations. Along with improvements in construction, Canadians saw more labour-saving devices, environment-modifying equipment and mind-expanding technology in that century than in all our previous history combined.
Mortgage payments are a financial pressure at the best of times, but
Canada"s home renovation market is booming. Our federal government predicts renovation spending will rise to $25.9 billion in 2000 and $27.1 billion in 2001 - healthy increases from $24.9 billion last year. Canadians are flocking to "big-box" hardware/building stores and home improvement firms are flourishing. But how many Canadians stop to ask whether they are getting value for their portion of the billions of loonies being spent?
Anyone who does or advertises to do repairs, remodeling, alterations or new construction is usually required to be registered with the state contractor licensing board. This includes roofing, siding, painting, carpentry, concrete, appliance repair, heating and air conditioning, home inspections, tree service, plumbing, electrical and most other construction and repair services. These state agencies often offer free dispute resolution service for those who have problems with a registered contractor for up to a year after the work has been substantially completed.
Raising the Roof, a national Canadian charity that raises
Canadian residential mortgage debt reached $411.6 billion in
Despite recent increases in days on market and reports of slowed sales, Dallas is still reported as one of the best markets in the country.
Existing-home sales rose to near-record levels in March with a continuation of strong home price gains, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
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Anyone who thinks real estate agents and their brokers have lost their power to guide home buyers to certain preferred lenders should have attended the National Association of Realtors annual convention in Orlando earlier this month.
Sales of existing single-family homes held steady last month, setting a pace that was the fourth highest on record, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
Economic growth is expected to remain above historic averages over the next two years, stimulating job growth and sustaining home sales despite higher interest rates, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
Existing single-family home sales rose strongly in March to the second-highest level on record, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Sales of existing single-family homes eased slightly last month but were still at one of the strongest levels on record, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
Existing-home sales increased 1.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate* of 5.92 million units in May from an upwardly revised level of 5.85 million units in April. Last month"s sales activity was 4.4 percent above the 5.67-million unit pace in May 2002. The record is a 6.10-million unit sales rate in January 2003, while the second highest is 5.96 million in January 2002.
Question: A homeowner who recently broke her arm wants the HOA to install and pay for a second handrail on the staircase to her unit. She has an equilibrium problem. Is the HOA responsible to install special equipment for residents who are physically challenged? Several of the owners in our complex are seniors and have physical challenges.
A homeowner association is a business and, like any business, it generates documents and records. Invoices, bank statements, meeting minutes, contracts, communications with owners and vendors, committee reports ... the list is endless and the document management task can be onerous.
Question: We have buildings which occasionally have sewage backups. Should the HOA pay for repairs and cleanup?
Converting apartment buildings into condominiums has become a popular alternative to new construction. There are a number of advantages to the developer:
Stopping and slowing vehicle traffic is something most homeowner associations must deal with. Parking lot curbs keep vehicles from damaging the landscaping. Speed bumps slow traffic to a safe speed. Historically, these devices have been made of concrete and asphalt. But exciting new technology offers environmentally kind alternatives.
Purchasing homeowner association insurance is one of the most important buying decisions the board will make. The decision addresses risk management and must meet or exceed any insurance requirements mandated by the state and the HOA"s governing documents.
[Note: To follow is an excerpt of an interview with Madeleine Abel, CPM, BECO Management; Miriam Campos Root, CCIM, Prudential CRES, Robert J. Greer, The Michaels Development Company, and Michael Jeppesen, Green Earth Development. To listen to, or download the show archive MP3, go to www.IncomePropertyInvestmentTalk.com/090308.]
Reserve planning is something that every homeowner association, regardless of size, should do because the HOA is entrusted with very expensive assets that affect member home values. Failure to maintain them causes home values to fall. The "reserve study" breaks down common elements into components and analyzes their current cost of repair or replacement and predicts when that event should take place. Reserve components come in all shapes, sizes and values. They are not all created equal.
Lifestyles of the twenty-first century have radically changed from fifty years ago. The clamor for big lots and single-family houses has been replaced by a demand for condominiums and planned communities (generically called "homeowner associations" or HOAs).
There are only two kinds of newsletters: those that get read and those that get tossed. Through its design and content, a good newsletter captures and holds the attention of the reader. Here are ten tips to make sure your newsletter gets read:
In a homeowner association environment, there are two major types of insurance policies: the insurance carried by the HOA and insurance carried by the individual owners. In condominiums, the HOA"s insurance generally extends to the entire property, including the units themselves. However, to protect the HOA"s insurability, unit owners are required to carry a Condominium Owners policy which pays for insurable events within the unit. This spreads the risk so that the HOA only has to insure major events that affect multiple units (wind, fire, etc.).
One of the more common mental biases that affects people is known as "recency." Recency is the tendency to consider the most recent information as more important when making a decision instead of weighing all information equally.
Question: Our governing documents contain this provision: "No dwelling shall be used for any purpose other than for a single family residence." A board member has been housing a teenage nephew and his friend. No rent is being charged. Does this constitute something more than a single family residence? The situation is causing problems among the neighbors due to complaints of late night parties and traffic.
Question: A number of our condo owners have installed hot tubs without permission. We"re concerned about damage to the decks and building. Your thoughts?
Question: We have been having board discussions at meetings about our HOA pool safety. We have a four foot tall fence with key locked gates. We have rules and consequences if they are not followed. Should the pool be supervised by an HOA lifeguard or pool monitor?
The battle continues -- car ownership and land costs on the rise, street width and parking on the decline. Where the two meet, battles erupt: parking committees posting dayglo orange violation stickers on vehicles, roving tow trucks with instructions to hook and tow on sight and neighbors duking it out over parking spaces.
Buying a condo or town home is a lot like buying a share in a closely held, publicly-traded, non-profit real estate holding corporation -- run by volunteers.
With 2,726 sales during the first half of this month, activity has declined 16 per cent from the 3,236 recorded during same time period a year ago. Compared to the 2,913 transactions recorded during the first half of September 2006, activity has declined six per cent.
A well conducted meeting is like a symphony. Using a well thought out plan, the Chair cues, directs, and closes the meeting much like a conductor. Conducting successful meetings doesn"t happen by chance. There is a combination of clear purpose coupled with ground rules. Here are some tips that can make your meetings like music to the ears.
While Americans have embraced the aggressive and competitive sport of lawyer-dueling, hiring them to litigate over issues significant or otherwise, skyrocketing litigation costs have caused many to reexamine the value of this kind of problem solving. Nowhere is this more apparent than in homeowner associations, where disputes large and small are a regular part of life. If you are a member of one -- you know. Pets, parking, renters and fences... and an endless list of other issues are fuel for the fires of furious disagreement.
Around Portland Oregon, signs advertising "Concealed Handgun Classes" suddenly appeared tacked to phone poles. A sign of our times? Alan Keyes in his book Our Character, Our Future stated "...we can no longer trust one another because we can no longer make assumptions about the common character of decency that we share as a people." Because of this phenomena, there is a growing fear about personal safety. It seems that we are becoming more and more isolated, even as we live within inches of each other.
In election years, political debates are not just limited to the candidates. Debates often arise within community associations over restrictions on signage that may limit an owner"s ability to place signs within the community.
The 15-year FRM this week averaged 5.35 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.54 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.98 percent. The last time the 15-year FRM was lower was the week ending March 27, 2008, when it averaged 5.34 percent.
For some residents, living with a homeowners association (HOA) can be viewed as just another bureaucracy, similar to the IRS, that takes money from them. They see the monthly dues as a bill that"s tacked on to the mortgage payment and often residents wonder how the money is spent.
Does your HOA suffer from Lead Foot Syndrome (LFS)? LFS causes drivers of all ages to speed recklessly through the homeowner association oblivious to pedestrians, children and pets. They often suffer as well from CITES (Cellphone in the Ear Syndrome) which further increases their oblivion. But either way, there is a real safety problem here.
Question: I"m trying to convince the rest of the Board not to hold a position on Committees unless we can"t find any volunteers to serve. We are fortunate to have many volunteers. What do you think?
Years of inaction, failure to enforce violations, deferred maintenance and too little money to get the job done all take their toll on an HOA. A sense of "muddle by" permeates the Board and meetings are more gossip than work sessions, if held at all. There you sit, the new kid on the Board, knowing that something"s gotta give. This place is going down the toilet and you don"t want to get flushed with it. What to do?
Question: I am an owner in a new homeowner"s association and am interested in seeing our association get off on the right start. I have been told that in a few months we will be going through a developer transition and owners will be invited to run for election to the Board. I am concerned that as newcomers, we may not be as informed about our responsibilities during this transition process. What really is involved in running a new Association? Should I run for election to the Board?
Ever hear one of these moral outrages? "Why am I paying more homeowner dues than my neighbor? There are six people living in that unit and I live alone. I only shower once a week and should get a dues reduction." Or, "I"m paying the same amount as Jim in 3B and his unit is twice as big as mine. What"s up with that?" Or, "I don"t see why I have to pay for that expensive pool. I don"t swim and never intend to. Why not knock $25 a month off my dues?"
The Annual Meeting of Nottacare Condominium convenes. The Agenda shows the standard items including Review Minutes, Financial Report, President"s Report and Election of Directors. As per usual, about 20 percent of the 95 members show up. But the Board has been proactive in getting proxies from the rest so having a quorum is not a problem. The Board President proceeds systematically down the distributed Agenda. After approving last year"s minutes and a year-to-date financial overview, she moves towards elections in hopes of wrapping up business early so the wine tasting and potluck can begin. But wait! Millie, a long-time resident, rises to her feet and says "Madam President, I"d like to propose a motion to amend the governing documents to eliminate renters. I"m sick and tired of all the coming and going and lack of regard for us owners."
Here he comes again! That kid"s gonna kill someone if he doesn"t slow down! Traffic speed is something many HOAs grapple with. Since HOA streets tend to be narrower and traffic more compact, normal street speed is often way too fast.
Fall is the time many HOAs do their budgets. To many people, budgets look like a mess of meaningless numbers. But, like it or not, the Board is responsible for understanding what those numbers mean so it can properly guide the financial course of the HOA. But there"s hope! Dr. B.N. Counter to the rescue.
Question: What is the most efficient way to count ballots at an Annual Meeting? Our group has a large membership and vote counting bogs down the meeting.
Did you ever read the standard set of state mandated pool rules? They are meant to address health and safety considerations and are often directed at children (or childish adults). For the most part the rules are, like, “Duh, who doesn’t know that?” But they seem to be needed because there is something about playing in water that brings out silly, loud and obnoxious behavior in some.
There is a vicious rumor going around. The Board is talking about raising the dues again and everyone’s up in arms. They raised the dues last year! And the year before! It’s time to fire up the tar and pluck the chicken!
Locations like the Pacific Northwest are blessed with an abundant supply of bark mulch, a byproduct of the timber industry, for use in landscaped beds. Blessed because, while mulch cover is highly prized for planting beds, few areas of the country have access to such a desirable material for this purpose.
An arborist is a specialist in tree care. Proper tree care is an investment which leads to substantial returns to a homeowner association where trees and landscaping account for a significant amount of the member asset value. These living assets should be managed with the best expertise available. A Certified Arborist is someone trained in the art and science of planting, caring and maintaining trees.
Homeowner associations are frequently on the lookout for ways to cut the budget without cutting services. In many, the answer is staring you right in the face…your landscaping.
From time to time, a story is run about a homeowner association that has had thousands of dollars embezzled by a trusted manager or board member. More times than not, the story is never told.
Millie had had it with the Board! Every time she dealt with them, she found them arrogant, self-serving, argumentative and condescending. This time, she was going to do something about it! Within a week, a For Sale sign went up in front of her home, a buyer was found and Millie started packing. She had already located a beautiful condo not far away at just the right price.
Question: One of our board members, also the newsletter editor, was recently out voted 6 to 1 on a motion. She recently published an editorial in the newsletter criticising the board"s decision and for over a month continues to bring up new objections. Advice?
Out of the blue, an irate homeowner launches a sniper campaign aimed directly at the board. It"s relentless and focused. The motivation may be some personal grievance, hatred of a board policy, disagreement regarding how the board does business in general or a loathing for the HOA concept. Rather than seeking redress in an orderly and open way, however, the sniping takes the form of poison pen letters, back alley rumor mills or a personal assault at a board Meeting.
Question: Since homeowner associations are set up to be run by a minority who like to stick their noses into everyone"s business, how do we go about dissolving ours?
Hidden beneath our daily activities is a world of secret rules and hidden causes, the real reasons things happen. And now, for the first time, it"s possible to look at the covert understandings that underlie homeowner associations and why they work the way they do....
Homeowner association boards are granted authority to establish and enforce reasonable rules in the governing documents. Unfortunately, there are rarely many details provided explaining how and when to do it, so boards often set rules reactively. Reacting to a problem is not necessarily bad but overreacting is. One of the biggest dangers of rule making is moving too quickly.
Many people who are struggling to get mortgages are finding comfort in a growing trend: lease-options. This is a contract that allows renters to lease the property and, at the end of their lease, they have the option to buy the home.
As a member of a volunteer homeowner association board, it"s useful to codify the goals and behaviors an effective director should seek. It not only serves as a constant reminder for those that are serving but can also help screen out director candidates with hidden agendas. Consider adopting a code of conduct that reads something like this:
Because of the rule enforcement authority of homeowner associations, there can be an inclination by some Boards of Directors to broaden that power into the area of security. Some associations have hired security guards and installed surveillance cameras. While reasonable security measures should be followed, the Board should be very careful when adopting extraordinary ones.
Fraud is a criminal deception. Embezzlement is the act of diverting money fraudulently for one"s own use. Does this happen in community associations? You bet it does! And when it does, large sums are usually involved.
Homeowner association developers sometimes trip and fall into avoidable "tiger traps". Besides the usual hassles of land use requirements, building inspections, contractor scheduling, quality control and construction financing, there is also a critical component called "transition from the developer to a homeowner controlled board" that too often proves to be full of pit falls for developers. Here’s what often takes place:
A reserve study identifies the association"s future repairs and replacements like a snapshot in time. Imagine that you could picture the buildings and grounds as they would be in five, ten, even thirty years. A reserve study acts just like that by estimating the useful life of the common elements and the cost to replace them in the future.
In many homeowner associations, frustration is lurking just below the surface, waiting to explode into anger. Frustration is the result of unfulfilled expectations. These expectations can be either reasonable or unreasonable, mature or immature. Mature expectations are thoughtful considerations laced by fairness. These folks will generally resolve their issues in a win-win fashion. Immature expectations are out of balanced and summarized by the philosophy we’ll call "MINE!". MINE! thinking generally permeates those who:
A common Board question: "How do we get more and better participation from our homeowners with board and committee work?"
Homeowner association management companies work by contract for a monthly fee. But how is that amount computed? Few management companies have
Question: Can we have a rule stating that no children are allowed in the
When the government decided to place Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into its conservatorship, it opened up many different possible avenues the heal the ailing giants.
The benefits to a homeowner association of having a well thought out website are many. They include the ability of the members to talk with each other via E-mail. The members can view the most current version of the governing documents and the rules and download any section of them whenever they need them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No more excuses for not knowing the rules. Members can view the status of their accounts. Board actions can be posted along with the dates, times and locations of meetings.
The "off" season is the time of year that the Board should be arranging and reviewing proposals for fair weather construction and renovation projects. Painting, fencing, pool replastering and roofing are but a few of the major items that fit the profile. There are several practical reasons for starting the process early:
There is a term for homeowner associations that don"t plan. It"s called: "The Death Spiral". This applies to associations that have neither a plan nor money to properly maintain the property.
One of the first orders of business for a new homeowner association Board of
Question: Since homeowner associations are set up to be run by a minority who like to stick their noses into everyone"s business, how do we go about dissolving ours?
Fall is the time that many community associations do budget planning for the
The recording of minutes is an issue that often causes confusion. How much,
How can the association maximize its return on reserve funds (money set
Despite slowed job growth and slowed sales, Portland, Oregon, has seen a healthy rise in average sales price over this time in 2006. It is currently reported around $334,000.
Just 35 miles north of San Diego, an area just recently plagued with wild fires, is Carlsbad, California.
Norwalk, Connecticut, is a coastal city known for sandy beaches and beautiful parks. Local real estate professionals know it for its strong real estate market.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 200 points yesterday morning -- after declines in oil prices were reported.
Forbes magazine notes that Tampa Bay, Florida, may be the town for you -- if you are in the market to buy a home.
Austin, Texas, continues to grow at a fast pace, as a drop in inventory causes buyer competition.
Roswell, Georgia, has seen its market balance over the last few weeks, local experts report.
Realtors Judy and Larry Salas say, "Albuquerque is New Mexico largest city and the United States" 33rd largest city based on 2004 U.S. Census estimates. It is also one of the United States" finest and oldest cities having been founded in April 1706. Albuquerque is currently in the midst of celebrating the 300th anniversary of its founding. Located in central New Mexico at the foot of the Sandia Mountains and in the Rio Grande river valley Albuquerque is situated at an elevation of about one mile above sea level. Albuquerque is served by an International Airport, and is the seat of the University of New Mexico. On a percentage basis Albuquerque ranks 16th in the nation in terms of cities with the most college graduates. Albuquerque is a noted health resort and vacation spot. It has museums of art and anthropology, an Atomic Museum, a world class zoo, and a charming and historic Old Town with shops and world class restaurants."
[Note: To follow is part 2 of an excerpt of a radio show interview conducted by Peter L. Mosca, host of Income Property Investment Talk dot com, with Scott Griffith, President, ERA Griffith Realty, Rob Verhaaren, Managing Director of Universal Equity Group, and Blaine Walker, President, RealSource. The guests explore the driving forces in today’s distressed market activity, the importance of conducting due diligence and ways to maximize profitability. To listen to the show archive or download an MP3, go to www.IncomePropertyInvestmentTalk.com/110409.]
Reatlor Jim Dishman says, "Finding a neighborhood to call your own is a breeze in St. Petersburg, where your options abound. From single-family residences to urban condominiums to palatial waterfront estates, you are sure to find that one of the more than 100 neighborhoods fit your lifestyle. Design elements of homes in St. Petersburg include elegant Mediterranean revival homes, charming wooden bungalows and contemporary loft projects. Waterfront views, pink streets and tree-lined historic neighborhoods are some of the unique features of St. Petersburg."
Realtor Jirius Isaac remarks on Seattle, "With the ocean, Puget Sound, mountains, rain forest, desert, and moderate temperatures, we have it all within 2 hours of town. August home sales and prices continued at a torrid pace around Western Washington during September, with the volume of pending sales jumping 19 percent and prices for completed transactions rising more than 17 percent from year-ago totals."
A shift in the market could mean less profit for sellers, say local Realtors.
"Grand Rapids, the second largest city in Michigan and the county seat of Kent County is located in central West Michigan and 30 minutes from the Lake Michigan shoreline," note Realtors Don and Dee Stanger "Current market conditions indicate 1239 homes are available in the city, not including the suburban areas, with the average sale price for the last 30 days of $120.869 with an average list price of $124,502. With an average time on the market of 72 days, statistics indicate the prices are up slightly and the market activity is in a neutral pattern trending toward a sellers market. We expect the real estate market to remain active in the upcoming year with interest rates still very inviting and mortgage products encouraging new buyers to the marketplace."
With its close location to Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland, is still reporting high prices but a moderation in sales.
Rich in resorts, Utah is a popular vacation destination, but local Realtors say it"s also the place to buy real estate.
It"s been a bumpy ride, but local Realtors say that there"s some sun on the horizon that could smooth the landing for Wichita, Kansas" housing market, which has been turbulent since 2001.
Known as the home of the University of Maryland and the "cradle of American aviation," College Park is where the Wright Brothers chose to do early flight training. Local Realtors say the area offers a lot to homebuyers.
Explains Realtor Ron Helle, "Lake Travis waterfront properties represent a very narrow spectrum of the overall Austin real estate market. Waterfront property typically represents the upper end of any real estate market, and provides the very best investment for the purchaser. Dollar for dollar, waterfront property will provide greater appreciation than any other category of real estate. Since they are not making any more lakes in this area, it is a function of supply and demand. As long as the demand exceeds the supply, values will increase."
Unlike the frothiness that some coastal areas are experiencing, Santa Fe, New Mexico real estate is steadily rising but not at a bubbly rate, say local Realtors.
Vacation rental owners pinched by this summer"s travel season squeeze, may want to consider a new option for attracting guests -- the Layaway Vacation Plan.
Consider, you go to a new car dealer, buy a vehicle and when you leave the lot it loses all four wheels and goes on fire. Gone. Incinerated. Most likely, you will hold the local dealer where you purchased the car for damages, but you may also seek amends from the automobile manufacturer as well.
Just as it has been for decades, Winter Park, Florida, is one of the premier destinations of the state for relocation, retirement and vacation, say local Realtors.
Silver Spring, Maryland, Realtors report that housing sales are still near record highs.
Winchester, Virginia, homesellers are benefiting from their close proximity to Washington, D.C., say local Realtors with a feverish seller"s market in progress.
Despite its proximity to the red-hot Washington, D.C. market, recently recognized by RELO(r) as the number one relocation market in the country, suburb Falls Church in Virginia is finding that buyers aren"t always willing to pay what sellers" ask.
Historical Alexandria, Virginia, centuries later, is still the place to be near Washington, D.C.
Located close to Washington, D.C., Centreville, Virginia, continues its seller"s market, say local Realtors.
Germantown is an upscale suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, where local Realtors report the area is still a big draw for the elite.
After idling for a couple of years, the Indianapolis housing market is ready to race around the track again, with local Realtors reporting signs of the gas pedal being hit.
Realtors in the Port Charlotte, Florida area say that after last year"s hurricanes, home and land values are rising fast, and they all look forward to a brisk spring market.
If buyers are hoping for a break in housing prices in Orange County, they are going to be disappointed, say local Realtors.
In the face of falling employment rates and diving real estate prices, Decatur, Illinois, has outperformed national trends to create a strong housing market buoyed by a growing economy. The labor force in America"s Agribusiness Center has grown by more than 1,500 jobs since January 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and that has fueled an increase in sales prices for single-family homes in the area by more than 6 percent for the same period last year.
Realtors say that despite slightly slowing sales and more negotiations on prices, San Clemente is still hot property to buyers thanks to its fabulous Pacific Coast location and predominantly Mediterranean architectural style.
Realtors in Cobb, Georgia say good city planning and builder incentives are attractive in this Atlanta bedroom community.
The Georgian Triangle is made up of twelve municipalities stretching from Meaford to Stayner and from Wasaga Beach to the hills of Mulmer, says Ontario Realtor Marg Scheben-Edey.
Towns with lots of scenery and water such as Welches, Tualatin, and Wilsonville are becoming increasingly attractive to Portland primary and second home buyers, say local Realtors.
Realtors in Brentwood, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville, say the area is so beautiful that it"s growing quickly.
A newly renovated home in Phoenix has become the first remodeling project in the nation to receive Emerald certification, the most stringent achievement level in the National Green Building Standard (NGBS). Building green, according to the NGBS, means incorporating environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the home building and land development process to minimize environmental impact. That means that during the design, construction, and operation of a home, the home’s overall impact on the environment is taken into account.
Think twice about ripping out that granite countertop because you think it"ll give you cancer.
Local Realtors say Waukesha has some of the fastest-moving real estate in the state, due to growing population, low unemployment, and high quality-of-life amenities.
As the US dollar weakened during the first quarters of this year in comparison to many foreign currencies, international real estate purchases remained widespread across the nation.
Local Realtors say Jenson Beach is among the most beautiful gems on Florida"s "Treasure Coast."
Better known as home of nationally mourned murder victims Laci and Conner Peterson, Modesto is really a nice place to live, say local Realtors.
Rising prices have slowed demand for the West side of Chicago, Illinois, say local Realtors, but the neighborhoods continue to be popular destinations for homebuyers because of spectacular Lake Michigan.
Andover and Coon Rapids are within 20 minutes of downtown Minneapolis. Home prices are starting to slow, so both areas provide good buys for homebuyers, say local Realtors.
Waterfront living and recreation in the northern half of the Morse Reservoir attract residents and vacationers to Cicero, Indiana from nearby Indianapolis, say local Realtors.
Realtors working Chicago"s popular Lincoln Park area suggest that more homes are under contract thanks to falling interest rates, but overpriced listings aren"t being scooped up by buyers.
Realtors in communities such as Tombstone, Pinetop, and Maricopa, Arizona are reporting rapid population growth and lots of new housing.