Fine Homes

Inna Hardison asked:


Take heart, fellow Green builders, realtors and marketers.  After 3 weeks of Flagler Palm Coast Parade of Homes the numbers are in – and Green is apparently Hot.  Our green model at 76 Eric Drive in Palm Coast not only got the recognition of our peers in the building industry by garnering the Grand Award – it got a lot more consumer traffic  than most other homes that were featured in this year’s parade, and about twice as many people as our other green model received last year.  Of course some of these people were in the “just looking” category.  I’ll even say, quite possibly, most of them were – but their curiosity was definitely an indication of better things to come for green builders, at least in our area.

The level of consumer knowledge about green construction was also significantly up from last year’s, and more questions were pointed to the economics of green living than to the choice of tiles or particulars of architectural detailing.  It is encouraging, to say the least, to actually watch consumers enthusiastic about these homes for all the right reasons.  After all, the choice of tiles, wall colors or even the overall layout of one’s dream home can all be changed at the stroke of a pen – the proverbial brick and mortar, the actual construction of the home cannot… and for the first time in my career, consumers are actively evaluating the “brick and mortar” the builders use.

So if any Green Builders out there are struggling, write a few blogs, talk about the advantages of Green Homes, and the consumers will, indeed, find you, because by all indications – they are actively looking at Green Options from the ground up.

Green is, indeed, red hot to those who matter most – our customers.  Here is to our Green Future – Now.

Dr Green asked:


If you know what you are doing then real estate investing can be the most effective, and profitable, way to invest your money long term. But what about real estate investments for the short-term, quick return investor? In today’s real estate market many people are shying away from real estate investing because it seems like everyone is getting foreclosed on and making a profit in real estate is impossible. You have to remember that real estate investing, just like the stock market or any other investment, is cyclical. Yes the market is down right now but that is only after many years of a boom in the real estate market that created many new millionaires and added to the portfolio of already established real estate investing experts. So you can rest assured that the U.S. economy, and the real estate market, will make a comeback. If you really look at it, logic would suggest that it will make a huge comeback and if you want to be part of that initial windfall then the time to get involved is now.

Just like any other investment real estate investing is risky so always know that there is a risk to investing in real estate. But the chances that your real estate will appreciate in value are very good over time. It is just a matter of how long you can afford to wait. What you should be doing is scouting out properties to invest in because right now many prime pieces of real estate are available for prices that they may never be available for again. Homes that you never thought you could afford could be bought off the foreclosure market for a fraction of their original cost and held by you to be sold for a profit later. But what can you do in the interim to quickly increase the value of that home and maximize your profits even more? It is called house flipping.

Flipping Is The Fast Money Maker

Flipping a house means that you purchase a property at a price that is significantly below its assessed value, fix it up, then sell it for a profit. In a normal real estate market this is the best way to make fast money in real estate investing. But in a market like this you have to be a little smarter with your real estate investing and realize that flipping is still the way to go but the cycle will take a little longer than it does in a good market. A house flip that would normally take weeks you may have to hold on to for months in this market, but with the rate of foreclosures so high, and the possibility that the government may give large tax breaks to people that buy foreclosed properties, the return in nine months or so could be very large.

Normally in a house flip you would buy a house in need of repair because those are the ones that have depreciated in cost but not necessarily in value. You would do the repairs and then put the house on the market for a large profit. If you take the time to become a little savvier with real estate investing then you can use this current mortgage crisis to become a house flipper that invests in foreclosed properties, fixes them up and then waits for the upturn in the market to sell them at a huge profit. The only variables you need to contend with is how long before the upturn and can you afford to hold the properties while you wait for the market to recover? If you can come to grips with months of holding costs then this may be the perfect time to make your money in real estate investing and you can add value to your real estate with the quick house flipping technique of fixing up the property to add even more value.

Christine Harrell asked:


Eastern Europe continues to experience explosive growth as the nations modernize their economies, leading to terrific opportunities for savvy investors. Real estate in Eastern Europe is a solid investment with significant growth potential. As with any investment, you need to educate yourself about the potential problems. Inexperienced investors run the risk of losing their money, whether they are buying homes in Turkey or putting money in CDs at their local bank.

Here are three of the major pitfalls that people investing in East European real estate should avoid.

Never Buy Unseen Property

Some investors feel that Europe is so far away that to visit their potential property would be expensive and difficult. If that is the case, then this is probably not the best investment for you. It is absolutely essential that you inspect any real estate in Eastern Europe that you plan to purchase.

The seller is going to present the property’s best features and is likely to underplay any problems. This doesn’t mean they are dishonest, but any buyer should still look at the property in person. In addition to your own visit, have a home inspection professional examine the property. Structural defects that may be invisible to the casual observer will be obvious to a qualified home inspector and could save you thousands in repairs or prevent you from making a bad deal.

Understand the Local Laws

You must seek counsel from an attorney who is familiar with the real estate laws in the country you are buying property in. Real estate in Eastern Europe is governed by laws that may be very different from the laws in your home country.

This ensures that all of the papers are completed correctly and the sale goes through as planned. It also protects you as a property owner if you know all of your rights. Although laws governing private property in this part of the world have changed substantially in the last few decades, many countries still have laws that hark back to their socialist roots.

An example of how property owners can be hurt by foreign laws would be the Valencia land grab in 1994. It was an effort by the Spanish government to speed urbanization of the area by giving developers rights to develop private land, but some unscrupulous organizations used the law to legally buy land against the owner’s wishes at far below the market price.

Can You Afford It?

Buying real estate in Eastern Europe may incur substantially more additional legal fees and taxes than buying locally. Investigate the full cost of a piece of property, not just purchase price quoted in a listing. Also be sure to inspect the title deeds of the property.

These extra costs are compounded by fluctuating currency rates. Depending on the future of the currency in your property’s country, you should decide whether you want to get a local mortgage in your home nation’s currency or a foreign mortgage in your property’s national currency.

Real Estate Advisor asked:


The College Grove region (also know as the College Area) is located in central San Diego County, California. The community is located off Interstate 8 just east of Interstate 15. San Diego State University is located within the borders of the College Grove area.

The real estate and homes for sale in College Grove fall into the low to mid-income categories. The number of homes sold in a particular year is relatively high. For example, during the period from January through July 2006, approximately 211 single-family homes sold. Approximately 268 homes sold for the same period in 2005.

One method to analyze pricing trends for a particular community is to evaluate the median and average price of homes for a particular month, and compare that data against the same period last year. What follows is a comparison of the median price and average price of homes for the past seven months (January through July 2006), compared against the data for the corresponding time period in 2005.

The median price of homes represents the point at which half the homes are above a particular price point, and half the homes are below a particular price point. The average price of homes is calculated by adding up the sales price of all homes sold in a particular month, and dividing that value by the number of homes sold.

The median price of homes in July 2006 was $545,000, compared to $497,000 in July 2005, which represents a 9.2% increase. The average price of homes in July 2006 was $583,476, compared to $528,602 in July 2005, which represents a 10% increase. Approximately 25 homes sold in July 2006 and 38 in July 2005. The data provides evidence that there was an upward price trend in July 2006 compared to the same period last year.

The median price of homes in June 2006 was $475,000, compared to $506,500 in June 2005, which represents a 5.9% drop. The average price of homes in June 2006 was $492,427, compared to $516,078 in June 2005, which represents a 4.1% drop. Approximately 38 homes sold in June 2006 and 40 in June 2005. The data provides evidence that there was a downward price trend in June 2006 compared to the same period last year.

The median price of homes in May 2006 was $522,000, compared to $518,500 in May 2005, which represents a 0.7% increase. The average price of homes in May 2006 was $544,812, compared to $537,085 in May 2005, which represents a 1.4% increase. Approximately 30 homes sold in May 2006 and 46 in May 2005. The data provides evidence that there was slight upward price trend in May 2006 compared to the same period last year.

The median price of homes in April 2006 was $520,000, compared to $495,000 in April 2005, which represents a 5.1% increase. The average price of homes in April 2006 was $523,421, compared to $524,306 in April 2005, which represents a 0.2% drop. Approximately 41 homes sold in April 2006 and 47 in April 2005. The data for April 2006 was mixed, as the median price showed a moderate increase from last year, while the average price had a slight drop.

The median price of homes in March 2006 was $515,000, compared to $489,000 in March 2005, which represents a 5.3% increase. The average price of homes in March 2006 was $564,690, compared to $499,856 in March 2005, which represents a 13.4% increase. Approximately 41 homes sold in March 2006 and 44 in March 2005. The data provides evidence that there was an upward price trend in March 2006 compared to the same period last year.

The median price of homes in February 2006 was $472,500, compared to $465,000 in February 2005, which represents a 0.50% increase. The average price of homes in February 2006 was $502,600, compared to $476,932 in February 2005, which represents a 4.6% increase. Approximately 20 homes sold in February 2006 and 25 in February 2005. The data provides evidence that there was an upward price trend in February 2006 compared to the same period last year.

The median price of homes was $530,950 in January 2006, compared to $483,000 in January 2005, which represents a 9.9% increase. The average price of homes in January 2006 was $528,416, compared to $551,904 in January 2005, which represents a 3.20% drop. Approximately 16 homes sold in January 2006 and 28 in January 2005. The data for January 2006 was mixed, as the median price showed a moderate increase from last year, while average prices dropped.

So what does the above data tell us? Overall, there was a 21.3% decline in the number of homes sold during this period from 2006 to 2005. Four months out of seven (February, March, May and July) demonstrated increases in both median and average prices from the same period last year. The magnitude of the increase ranged from half a percent to 10%. The months of April and January had mixed findings, with average prices decreasing slightly (less than 3.2%), and median prices increasing 5% to 10%. In contrast, the June data showed a downward trend in both median and average prices with a range of 4% to 6%.

The data above suggests that although there are monthly variations, on balance, homes in the College Grove area continue to demonstrate price gains. Continued monitoring of sale data in subsequent months is needed to identify enduring market trends.

Be sure to consult your Realtor on other factors that influence home pricing before buying or selling real estate in College Grove.

The Global Property Guide asked:


A decade after the 1997 Asian Crisis erupted, most housing markets in Asia are well on their way to recovery.

Boosted by strong economic growth and strong local and international demand, residential real estate prices in the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea rose by more than 10% in nominal terms y-o-y to Q1 2007.

In Hong Kong, after registering price falls in early 2006, the over-all residential price index is back in positive territory. The index rose 5.2% y-o-y to March 2007. However this is significantly lower than the annual price increases to the first quarter of 2005 and 2004, at 21% and 28%, respectively.

No bubble this time

Although property prices in most Asian countries are still below their peak levels, rapid price appreciation has taken place over the past five years, leading to renewed fears that a speculative property bubble is forming in several Asian countries.

The fear is not unfounded; one has only to recall Asia’s spectacular and disastrous property bubbles of the 1990s.

However, the recent price increases are actually recoveries from the previous slump caused by the Asian crisis and other phenomena.

As of Q1 2007, property prices in most Asian countries are in fact still below their peak levels in real terms.

Strong housing demand

Current economic and monetary conditions suggest continued strong demand for housing. All economies affected by the Asian Crisis grew by 5% or more in 2006. GDP growth from 2002 to 2006 has been markedly stronger than during the crisis period – 1997 to 2001, although slower compared to the tail-end of the “Asian Economic Miracle”.

As a result of financial and monetary reforms implemented after the crisis, banks and other financial institutions are in much better shape now. Asia’s mortgage market is set for a boom. This is despite the fact that mortgage lenders are more cautious of over-exposing themselves to particular sectors (some pundits worry that banks are actually being too cautious).

Despite recent interest hikes, in line with global interest rates, base interest rates for mortgage lending are generally lower now than before the crisis.

Socio-economic conditions also point to continued strong demand for residential properties. Strong urbanization and population growth has led to high population densities in several Asian cities.

In view of the relatively restrained dwelling price rises, strong economic growth and banking sector caution and healthy yields to be enjoyed on properties in Asia, talk of another bubble seems far-fetched.

Other problems

A more pressing concern for Asian economies is the continuation of reforms to improve real estate efficiency and transparency. Transaction costs remain high and the property registration is still cumbersome in several countries.

While Malaysia is encouraging foreign property buyers, Thailand’s military junta is pushing them away. Thailand announced that it is completing a crackdown on foreign companies established for the sole purpose of buying landed properties. While the motivation for this move is unclear, the signal is clear “foreigners are not welcome.” Political uncertainty and policy flip-flaps by the ruling junta are undoubtedly hurting the real estate market.

In the Philippines, proposed property market reforms are languishing in congress. These laws include the establishment of a centralized agency for registering property and a standard property valuation system.

Full Report:

http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/articleread.php?article_id=93&cid=



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Prince Christian Cruz, Senior Economist

Phone: (+632) 750 0560

Email: prince@globalpropertyguide.com

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Phone: (+632) 867 4220

Cell: (+63) 917 321 7073

Email: editor@globalpropertyguide.com

Address:

Global Property Guide

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Joe Cline – Austin Real Estate Broker asked:

Green Happiness

“He who plants a garden, plants happiness” is an old saying. However, things have changed a lot nowadays. Today, the proverb could be thought of as “He who plants a garden, plants money!” When it comes to selling a house, landscaping is an important factor that determines the value of the property. Real estate gurus believe that gardens around a house can contribute more than 10% to the total value of the property. Moreover, the houses with attractive gardens, particularly mature trees, are easily saleable when compared to the other houses with limited or underdeveloped landscaping. Investing a little time in tending your garden can really pay dividends when it comes to selling your home.

Enjoying Green

Houses with gardens around them are excellent choices for those who wish to enjoy time outside, while not travelling far to do so. It is always refreshing to open the door and go out into the garden and smell the flowers, plants, and trees. Most of us spend less time enjoying the greenery in public parks and sanctuaries since they are becoming more scarce and because of urban sprawl are often far away. Since most of us will never have a chance to visit the tropical rain forests of Central America why not invest a few dollars and house and have your own piece of nature right outside your door?

Green can be healthy

Plants not only contribute value to the property, but gardens also have great health benefits. The health benefits of gardening are impressive. According to medical experts, gardening is a great exercise for legs, shoulders, arms and neck. Gardening also helps to strengthen the joints in our body. Recent researches indicate that gardening lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol levels and also prevents diabetes and heart diseases. Gardening is also an ideal physical exercise for people who want to reduce their weight. Gardening helps to burn fat and as an added bonus, creates some healthy, organic fruits and vegetables for your entire family to eat.

Green in real estate

Based on a recent survey or property owners, it was noted that 95% of residential homeowners and 86% of commercial property owners believe that good landscaping adds more value to their properties. Also real estate brokers around Austin think that merely having a garden is enough to attract the buyers. Moreover, gardening has lots of benefits like offering a healthy body, fresh air, a fresh mind, fresh food, bringing birds, attracting butterflies, sustaining beneficial insects and added value to your property. Finally, gardening and makes your property look its best. So plant gardens around your home and grab the sure ticket to quick and valuable resale!

Real Estate Advisor asked:

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Alpine is a community situated in the eastern region of San Diego County within the state of California. There are approximately 19,227 residents in this Zip code (91901) and 6,597 households. The median age of residents is 38.92 years.

TEMPERATURE

The temperature in Alpine is relatively moderate. The warmest time of year occurs in August during which temperatures reach an average high of 76°F. The coldest time of year occurs in January with average temperatures falling to 54°F.

HOME AND REAL ESTATE PRICES

The housing options in Alpine include single-family homes and properties, condominiums, townhouses, and apartments. The price of housing is as follows:

·One bedroom townhouse/condominium start in the low $200,000s.

·Two bedroom townhouse/condominium start in the low $200,000s.

·Three bedroom townhouse/condominium start in the mid $300,000s.

·Two bedroom single-family homes start in the mid $300,000s.

·Three bedroom single-family homes start in the mid $400,000s.

·Four bedroom single-family homes start in the high $500,000s.

REAL ESTATE MARKET TRENDS

As with most products and services in the United States, price shifts in the real estate industry are subject to the forces of supply and demand. Whether it’s a buyers market or a seller’s market, it is useful to evaluate home sales data for the most recent month available (June 2006), compared against the same period in the previous year (June 2005).

The median price of single-family homes in June 2006 was $597,500, which represents a 10.2% decline from the previous year. The number of homes sold in June 2006 was 17, which was down 37% from the previous year.

Homebuyers and home sellers should keep in mind that the data above is simply a snapshot in time. Therefore, the data must be evaluated over a longer duration to understand enduring market trends.

Real Estate Advisor asked:

In many parts of the country, home prices doubled during the period from 2000 to 2005. During this same time, creative financing programs (e.g. zero down payment, adjustable rate loans, interest only loans, option ARMs loans, negative amortization loans, etc.) gained popularity and helped some people buy homes who would not normally qualify based on their income, debt level and credit history.

Most real estate markets are now cooling, and some are even experiencing declining prices. In times of dropping real estate prices, the amount owed on a loan by some homeowners may actually exceed the value of a property. If homeowners cannot make their monthly mortgage payment, there is a potential for default on the loan and foreclosure of the property by the lender.

The term “short sales” is used to describe a situation in which a homeowner is at risk of defaulting on their loan, and the lender agrees to sell the property below the original appraisal price in order to avoid foreclosure. Most lenders do not readily agree to short sales, although exceptional circumstances such as a homeowner losing his/her job or the death of a wage-earning spouse may make some of them more open to doing so.

If a property is sold as a short sale, the lender recoups at least a portion of the original loan amount, the homeowner avoids the stress and stigma of foreclosure, and the new homebuyer gets a property below its original appraisal price. If a short sale doesn’t work, then the property usually goes into foreclosure.

Short sales may be an emerging trend as the rate of foreclosure is rising dramatically across the nation. According to Business 2.0 Magazine, the top 10 foreclosures markets are:

1. Greeley, CO

2. Detroit, MI

3. Miami, FL

4. Indianapolis, IN

5. Fort Lauderdale, FL

6. Denver, CO

7.Dayton, OH

8.Dallas, TX

9.Fort Worth, TX

10.Atlanta, GA

The credit of homeowners may be impacted after a short sale, but it all depends on how the lender reports the outcome. Some lenders report a partial loan repayment as full payment of the debt due, which does not adversely impact the credit of the borrowers. Other lenders report the sale as “settled,” which adversely and significantly impacts the borrower’s credit. The other problem is that the portion of the loan amount forgiven by the lender may actually count as taxable income by the IRS.

In summary, a successful short sale has some potential positive benefits (e.g., homeowners avoid foreclosure, lenders recoup at least a portion of the loan amount, new homebuyers gets a property at below the original appraisal price, etc), but there are also many negative consequences. Some of these potential negative consequences include: the negative impact on borrower’s credit, negative impact on the value of other similar homes in the neighborhood, and that the amount forgiven by the lender may be taxable event. Homeowners having difficulty making their monthly mortgage payment may benefit from talking to a real estate agent who is experienced in short sales.

Real Estate Advisor asked:

The real estate market tends to be cyclical with some periods favoring buyers and other periods favoring sellers. As with other free markets, the pricing and availability of real estate is directly related to the forces of supply and demand. While many real estate markets in the United States are experiencing a substantial slowdown, other markets remain robust, and some even continue to grow. What makes the situation even more complicated is that even within a particular city or county, there may be some areas that are hot and others that are cold.

In regions of the country in which the real estate market is slowing, there are some things homebuyers can do to increase their chance of getting the property that they want on terms that are favorable. Below are some strategies to consider:

1. Clarify What You Want. Be sure to understand what kind of property you want (e.g. bedrooms, bathrooms, size, yard, location, etc.). Identify items that you “must have” and items that you would be willing to forego if your other priorities were met.

2. Consult Experts. You’ve no doubt heard the saying that “all real estate is local,” so arm yourself with the best information available. Consult a local real estate expert who can guide you about what communities are hot and which ones are not. Obviously, you are more likely to find deals in communities that have excess supply and limited demand than vice versa.

3. Understand Market Data. Obtaining and evaluating data can be one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. Identify communities that you find desirable and ask your real estate agent to provide you relevant sales statistics. For example, your agent can provide you:

a. A summary of how many properties are available in communities that you deem desirable.

b. How long properties are taking to sell this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.

c. How many properties have sold this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.

d. Changes in the median and average price of properties for a community this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.

e. Data on the sales price to list price ratio (SP: LP). This ratio provides information about how much, on average, sellers are reducing their price.

f. Detailed data on properties that are similar to the type of property you desire (often known as “comparables” or “comps”).

4. High Inventory Communities. Identify, or ask your agent to identify, communities that appear to be particularly slow, and that have an unusually large inventory of homes. You will have a broader variety of options in these communities, and you may increase the likelihood of finding a better deal.

5. Loan Pre-Approval. Be sure to consult with your bank or mortgage broker and obtain a loan pre-approval document. This not only let’s you know how much you can afford, but it also demonstrates to sellers that you are a serious buyer and that your offer is worthy of serious consideration.

6. Seller’s Motivation. While information about why a seller is selling is usually confidential, there are situations in which the seller will allow their agent to disclose important factors regarding their personal situation. Be sure to ask your agent to inquire about any information that the seller has disclosed to his/her agent that can be conveyed to your agent. This information may help you decide on making an offer on a property and the price you wish to offer.

7. Home Inspection. A home inspection conducted by a qualified inspector can provide you valuable information about the condition of a property. Moreover, if there are items that need repair or replacement, you can use this information to modify your offer price or terms.

8. Expand Search Scope. As mentioned above, even within a particular city or county, there may be some areas that are hot and others that are not. Be sure to provided detailed information about what you want to your agent, so that he/she can provide you a variety of community options.

9. Be Patient. Time is on your side when there is excess supply and insufficient demand. Try not to “fall in love” with a house so much that you cannot be objective. It may be that multiple offers and counter-offers occur before you either get the property you want or decide to walk way from a deal. You may also want to look at more properties than you normally would, so that you are exposed to a variety of options.

While the above is not an exhaustive list of strategies, it is a good starting point of issues to consider when buying real estate, particularly in a market that favors buyers. Obtain the services of a knowledgeable Real Estate agent who can provide you with additional strategies to help you reach your real estate objectives.