Glimpsing the real estate market in the greater Miami area shows that the sale of luxury condos is on the rise. Sunny Isles and Bar Harbour are seeing significant increases in the number of units being sold, which serves as an indicator to the national market that real estate is finally on the rise. The Miami area has long been one of the leading markets to see changes in the real estate world, and sales increases here certainly signify that the market is ready to start seeing an increase in national numbers as well.
The reason that the Miami market is such a leader in real estate is that the area is home to the finest luxury homes and condos in the world. Units such as Pinnacle, Sands Pointe, Turnberry Ocean Colony, and Oceania 1, 2, and 3 offer remarkable amenities and floor plans that are simply unrivaled by condos anywhere else in the world. Privacy, luxury, and convenience meet here in a way that nobody else can offer, and the beauty of the surrounding ocean provides a sense of relaxation and style that people from all over the world purchase property in the area to experience.
These properties are seeing increases in sales that are helping them return to sales figures that have not been seen since the economic crash. As the global economy starts to show significant signs of recovery, people are once again growing comfortable with the notion of purchasing luxury properties. Oceanfront units are still available for prices that are much lower than the average before this time, but the signs of economic growth certainly indicate that they will be commanding much higher numbers soon. As demand for luxury properties increases and fewer units remain, the competition for these properties will lead to a market that is once again in heavy favor of sellers.
Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles are by far two of the most luxurious locations in the Miami area. Condos here offer remarkable privacy features, exquisite accommodations, lavish floor plans, and numerous amenities. The market has only a short period of time left to be in favor of buyers and investors, and luxury units are disappearing quickly. While sales increases are excellent for the real estate market in both Miami and the country as a whole, it certainly signifies to buyers that the best time to purchase these properties is now, before the pricing on these units increases greatly.
Moving From the Big City to a Small Town – Top 5 Things to Consider Before you Get Away From it All
Author: / Category: Home And FamilyHaving recently moved from Los Angeles to Durango, Colorado- a mid-sized rural town of 15,000 people with the nearest “large town” being an hour away and the nearest city being 3.5 hours away- I have definitely run into a few bumps. Being prepared for the changes can make all the difference. Here are five major areas of concern you should research prior to making the big move.
Economy: Job opportunities in rural areas can be quite limited. And what jobs are available may be low paying. Get a copy of the classifieds section of the town you’re planning to move to. Are there lots of jobs available? What industries are hiring? What is the pay? These are all questions you need to consider. Also, the cost of living in small towns- especially when it comes to shopping- may be more than you’re used to, simply due to the shipping costs involved in getting products to out of the way areas. And definitely consider the real estate market as well. If you have to move from your small town, how long can you expect your house to be on the market? Many areas have upwards of a one year average for a home to sell.
Schools: If you have children, your primary concern when considering moving to a rural area should be education. Many rural school districts- such as Durango- have excellent schools, but many don’t. It is important to throughly research the performance of the schools before deciding to make your move. Because once you’re there, you are generally limited to the public school system, as private options are rarely available.
Travel: Most rural areas will have a small airport that services the region. But if you are a frequent traveler, this can present a few different problems. For someone coming from a larger city, you’re probably used to being able to get direct flights to almost anywhere. Not so from rural airports. You will generally have to make at least one connection to get to anywhere. And you will pay a higher price for this inconvienince. For example, a roundtrip ticket from my home in Durango, Colorado to Houston, Texas averages upwards of $600- with a connection. We generally opt to drive 3.5 hours to Albuquerque so we can get a direct flight for $250. Also, fewer airlines service small airports, which means if you have a ton of frequent flyer miles saved up on your favorite airline, you may find that they are unusable.
Shopping: Coming from a large city, you are used to having most anything you want or need at your fingertips. If that is important to you, you definitely want to research the shopping options in the rural area you are planning to move to. Be prepared to have to drive quite a distance to get to a mall or any of the “big box” retail chains. Shopping online is another option for those items that can’t be found in your area. And be aware that fresh produce may be an issue. Produce normally has to be trucked in to rural areas, and can be aged and damaged by the time it reaches the local grocery store. I’ve found that most of the produce in Durango is either over ripe or under ripe, and typically is bruised. Farmer’s markets and local merchants that carry regionally grown produce are excellent alternatives and are highly recommended.
Arts & Entertainment: Durango is a college town and a tourist town, so I am fortunate enough to have a decent variety of local entertainment to choose from. We have two small movie theaters, a college with a concert hall that offers cultural arts, a few museums with changing exhibits, and many venues that offer live music from area musicians. If entertainment is important to you, make sure you do a little research and see what is offered in the area you’re planning to move to. Depending on the size of the town, there may not even be a movie theater!
Leaving behind the big city for a rural area definitely has its advantages, but you do need to be aware of some of the potential pit falls and prepare yourself and your family. Hopefully this article has given you something to think about before you start packing!
Moving to a Small Town? Adjust and Enjoy the Small Town Lifestyle
Author: / Category: Home And FamilySo, you’ve decided to move to a small town. Or, perhaps your job has brought you to this situation. Nevertheless, you should be ready for a drastic change in lifestyle. Some would find it a change for the better. Others may say they just ran into bad luck. It’s up to you to make the best of your life in a small town.
If you’d rather be in the big city than in this small town, it’s best to accept your situation already. Only then can you begin to move on with your life. Sure, you’d miss the hustle and bustle of the big city. You would definitely miss the perks and the amenities in the city. However, there are many things to like about the small town life as well if you only give it a chance.
Now, if it is your choice to give up the big city life you’re in for a treat. Perhaps you have been burned out by the fast life so you will definitely appreciate the slow paced lifestyle in the small town. To begin with you should get in town earlier than you’re due for work. Sleep in and recharge your body’s energy. But then you’ll need some supplies soon so you better take it a chance to acquaint yourself with your new town. Go around the town and find out where the grocery or the meat shop is. You better find the town bakery too so you will have a supply of bread every morning.
Part of the joys of living in a small town is the community. You should get to know the folks around you. It would help you get settled in easier. People in small towns are generally both curious and welcoming so you should embrace the attention and take it a chance to make new friends.
As you make friends you can also take the time to ask what they do for entertainment. Some of these things may seem strange or new at first but you’ll get used to them too. Keep an open mind and try such new things. It might just bring you more fun than you expected.
Shopping malls may not be around in the area though so you should be contented with what is being offered locally. If you need more things, you can opt for online shopping instead.
As time goes by you would also become in tune with everybody and everything about this small town so much so that you may almost forget how it was to live in the big city.
Consider Getting Moving Quotes
There are lots of moving companies these days and it might be intimidating to consider their features individually. To cut back on the time it will take you to figure out the best moving company for your needs, you can begin by asking for moving quotes for these companies. Most of them have special features that can be seen and duly evaluated only once you have the quote beside it. This is also an easier way for you to find out if the quotes justify the services you will be getting.
Buying or Selling San Diego Real Estate Can Be Less Stressful
Author: / Category: Real Estate
When you need to buy or sell San Diego real estate, there are many things that must be taken into consideration. Looking for a new home or selling the home you have now in San Diego shouldnt make you want to run to the store and stock up on pink bismuth. The process really should be a pleasant, low stress process, but these days it seems that real estate transactions have been buried in hidden costs, commissions, and that dreaded fine print. The best thing that you can do for yourself if you are looking to purchase or sell San Diego real estate is to find a great realtor that can help you every step of the way, from start to finish.
A San Diego real estate realtor or broker has many jobs. A great realtor or broker has even more. Your realtor should be someone you trust, someone you can count on, and someone who you are comfortable with. There are many important things that a realtor can do for you to help take some of the stress off of your shoulders when moving San Diego real estate.
First of all, your realtor should be very knowledgeable about the area that the real estate is in. Better yet, he or she should be knowledgeable about the area you are in now and if possible, the area you would like to move to. This will save you a lot of detail detective work and will ultimately spare you stress and save you your valuable time. A great realtor should be very accessible. Being easy to contact when you need him or her is invaluable. You never know when thoughts, problems, concerns, and ideas might turn up. Part of being accessible is being easy to talk to. You should feel at ease with your realtor, and feel free to ask questions and present your concerns to him or her.
The realtor you choose to help move your San Diego real estate should put forth great effort to match you up with a deal that is well suited to your needs. If you are looking for a 3 bedroom house with a basement and the first five properties that she suggests are high rise condos and townhomes, you may want to find a different broker to work with! You have enough to worry about when purchasing or selling a home without having to worry about your realtor. His job is to help you and take care of you, not add to your list of concerns.
Another much appreciated service that a great realtor can provide to you is referrals to service providers such as inspectors, plumbers, pest control people and general contractors. If you look at your realtor and tell her I dont know who does that she should be right there with suggestions and contact information for you. Your realtor should be honest about the quality of service that the providers turn out, and about any recommendations that he feels may be applicable.
Finally, to help simplify your San Diego real estate transactions, a good San Diego realtor will always offer you choices. You should never have to feel like you have to accept something that you are not comfortable with, just because there were no alternatives that were presented. A realtor is your guide through the process, and if at any point you feel lost or dont know how to go about something, let your realtor know. He is working for you, not the other way around, and a great realtor should never have to be reminded of that.
Some people choose to use a real estate agent and some people choose to go it alone. One thing I have noticed over the years is that a number of seasoned investors looking in a new city will seek out a good agent while novice investors will frequently go it alone. I have even had a number of successful real estate agents seek out my help when they are moving to our city. Why do some of these seasoned investors choose to work with an agent? Below is a list of 7 benefits of using an agent.
1. Understand potential restrictions of the property. I recently heard a story from a friend at the city development office in Austin Texas. A couple had saved up for their retirement. They wanted to retire and live out in the hill country. They went to the foreclosure auctions. At the auction they purchased a lot for 500,000. It had great views and they were going to build their dream house on it. They had researched the lot before the auction and found it was zoned SFR which means a single family residence can be built on it. After purchasing the lot they started plans to build their retirement house. At this time they discovered the lot was in the 25 year floodplain. My friend at the city development office explained that the lot could not be built on and was basically worthless.
2. Know about new developments that might affect a properties value. A good realtor will know of proposed new developments that might affect different properties in which a buyer is interested. Whether these developments are positive or negative can be valuable information when weighing different housing options.
3. Find potential problems with a property. It is always a good idea to have a home inspector look at a potential house. However, a Realtor is a good first line of defense to see if a house has inherent problems. A Realtor that can know about common problems, such as foundation or electrical, that affect a particular neighborhood.
4. Understand contracts specifics. Whenever you buy or sell a house you are entering into a large personal transaction. It helps to have someone on your side that deals with these types of transactions on a daily basis. A Realtor can help you understand contracts and can explain what is typical for your area. The most common pitfall into which I see unrepresented buyers fall is to become involved in an atypical contract that is not to their benefit. For instance a seller will sign an offer that has an option period that is 4 times longer than what is typical. A buyer might put in offers on multiple properties with long option periods. The buyer will wait and see if the market appreciates. If the market has appreciated the buyer buys the house at now and undervalued price. If the market has gone down the buyer walks away.
5. Misperception of a benefit of going it alone. Buyers frequently think that by not using a buyers agent they will get a better deal from the seller. In most situation the listing agent asks for 6 percent from the seller. If a buyer comes with an agent the listing agent splits the 6 percent with the buyers agent. If an unrepresented buyer comes the listing agent keeps the whole 6 percent. On the selling side, For Sale By Owners (FSBO) often think they are saving alot of money by avoiding a listing agent. Nationally, FSBO homes sell for 14 percent less than agent listed homes in the same neighborhoods. In addition alot of FSBO’s still end up having a buyers agents involved. There is also money spent on advertising. Since an agent has experience marketing homes the agent often can spend money more effectively on advertising. Agents often know which advertising sources produce the most potential buyers.
6. Save time when looking for listings. Looking for listings without an agent can take up large chunks of time. When looking with an agent you can see several homes in a few hours. When going it alone you have to call the listing agent for each house and wait at the house for the agent to arrive and open up the house. In addition agents often know houses which are not listed or may have already identified potential problems with a particular house of interest.
7. Insure Security. When a home is listed with a broker, agents coming to the house have to usually log in. This allows the listing agent to keep a record of every party coming into the house. Since their business is on the line, agents are more likely to protect the house from damage or theft. For a variety of reasons, it is generally not a good idea to have random people you do not know come into your house. Often sellers simply have a phone number, but that phone could be their house, a friend’s house, a pay phone, or even a stolen phone.
Searching for a home can be stressful and difficult but it can also be fun. Whether you choose to look for a home on your own or with a Realtor its a good idea to be a extremely careful when you seek out your dream home.