Real Estate Information Center

For many, the kitchen is a social place – the spot where kids and spouse come to visit with the cook, away from the distractions of TV, games, etc. In fact, in many homes, the kitchen is the social center, where even visits with friends occur around the kitchen table.

If that describes your family, then plan a space for “non-cooks” to sit, out of the way, so visiting can take place with out disrupting the cooking. A breakfast bar, or a table tucked into a corner can become a place of comfort, where some of the most important events of life are discussed. It’s also a great place for kids to sit when they need a bit of parental help with homework.

In addition, if someone in your family is a serious cook, the design and placement of counter tops, refrigerator, range, and sink become paramount. Many of the new house plans I’ve seen ignore the old “triangle” rule and stick the refrigerator out of the way, around behind the breakfast bar or a center island. It might look nice, but it will become a serious annoyance very quickly.

Continue reading ‘Building a Home – Plan Your Kitchen to Reflect Your Lifestyle’ »

Before you choose a house plan, take some time to sit down with the people you live with, and consider the space you occupy right now. When you find out how each of you feels about your present home, you’ll make better choices when planning your new home.

What you learn may be things you’ve heard many times before, but haven’t thought about. And, because it has an impact on planning your next home, you may learn something new. So ask these questions of each person who will occupy your new home:

* What do you love and appreciate most about our current home?
* What is the most convenient feature of your current home?
* Is there something you wish this home had that it doesn’t have?
* Is there some feature that really annoys you?
* Is there some feature that’s a small but constant irritation?

You may learn that your daughter loves and appreciates her south-facing window or that your son loves the little nook under the stairway. And you may learn that the cook absolutely hates those can lights in the kitchen ceiling that shine in the wrong spot.

Continue reading ‘Building a Home – What to Do Before Choosing a House Plan’ »

Where will you build? If a rural area has your heart, and if you’re at all addicted to television or the internet, you need to plan ahead.

Here in the woods, where I live, there is no such thing as cable. There is also no such thing as fiber optic cable for the telephone.

The location is perfect – we have privacy, mountain and water views, and plenty of wildlife to observe. I love it and wouldn’t consider living anywhere else.

But… the phone lines are 30+ years old. Well, most of them are that old. There is that 1,200 foot section of new line that’s currently hanging on a fence, except for where it’s laying on top of the ground.

When I asked the repairman about the possibility of getting fiber optic he laughed out loud. He told me I’d be darned lucky to get a new copper line. With a low population density, the phone company isn’t at all concerned about upgrading service to our neighborhood.

Continue reading ‘Building a Home in a Rural Area – Add This to Your Planning’ »

Dreams inspire us. But dreams can also depress us. Many today are abandoning their dreams because the economy is just too depressing when measure against our dreams. Have you abandoned your home building dreams?

Over the years of counseling with hundreds of individuals and families, I’ve run across scores of emotions. Building a home or doing a major remodel is a very personal and often emotional time. It’s a time when people are finally giving expression to long held dreams and visions. It’s a time to fight for what they want and not back down. It can be intense at times. Many decide it’s too tough and let the dream remain just a dream.

Has Your HomeBuilding Dream Been Falsely Crushed?

At the time of this writing, the economy is the number one reason people cite for losing the passion behind their desire to build or remodel. And for some, it could be a good reason. But many others are just reacting to the news of the day and letting that throw them off the path.

Continue reading ‘Home Building Dream – Who Stole the Power Behind Your Dream?’ »

Thirty cents on the dollar? Yes, maybe. A couple of months back a former client of mine called. He wanted to know if I had a suggestion for a lender to finance a piece of land because he wants to build again.

Alex is a fireman and just three years ago he completed his two and a half story home overlooking the city. Although not planning to build right away, Alex was quite interested in what appears to be good deals on land. I was able to find him a lender and within a couple more weeks he had made a deal on a nice view lot in another part of town. He was very happy about purchasing a lot in an upscale neighborhood for about one third of the price it sold for just a couple years back.

Buying Your Dream Home-Building Parcel

If you’re thinking about building, would now be the time to buy that lot? Picking a market bottom is tricky business. One third the price? Well, first off, that opportunity isn’t going to be there for everyone. But, would half the price be good? Would a fifty percent reduction be good? Perhaps these would be good deals but only time will tell. And it pays to remember that the prices of two and three years ago were often inflated prices, not real values.

Continue reading ‘Home Building Tips – Land – Is It Time To Bargain Hunt?’ »

Long weekend of May is approaching really quickly. Have you already thought, where are you going to spend it? If not, you better make up your mind soon, because the best offers can be already booked!

If you have no idea for your destination, maybe you can think of going to Spain. This southern country is a popular direction during whole year, but it is specially worth seeing in May, because the weather is already good, but it is not too hot still. There is not the time for laying on the beach, but just perfect period for seeing the cities and having long walks. Of course, if you have never been before in Spain highly recommended for the beginning of you Iberian adventure is to get know the two most important and maybe also most beautiful cities: Barcelona and Madrid.

You should look for Barcelona apartments or Madrid apartments as soon as possible, because during first weekend of May really a lot of tourists are coming to those cities.

Continue reading ‘"Puente De Mayo" in Spain’ »

As the economy turns downward-though it is showing significant signs of recovery-the services of individuals with significant experience working various markets become even more vital. These individuals have likely weathered storms in the past and, because they continue on in their work, likely know the right strategies to survive. There is no market, arguably, more affected by the recent crash than the housing market. Homeowners who thought their property values could never go down have often learned sad truths, in very tough ways.

Realtors are accustomed to working with very erratic markets. Even during the height of the bubble, there were realtors who predicted that it couldn’t last forever and that the stratospheric heights to which it ascended would likely be answered with a resounding crash back to Earth. While the media uses many terms to describe this which are dramatic, they are not necessarily hyperbole. For many individuals, the housing crash is indeed tragic in its implications and long-lasting in its overall effects. It would seem that right now would be a time when realtors would be seeking new employment and this is true, at least for those who were only along for as long as the bubble held out.

Continue reading ‘Choosing a Realtor in a Down Market’ »

More and more individuals are choosing to move to Baton Rouge. The city is very vibrant and can be a great place to settle down with your family or move as a single individual.

Baton Rouge has become the final destination for many individuals throughout the country. Baton Rouge is a city, which means it has access to many of the same city amenities such as grocery stores, malls, restaurants and museums. There also several tourist attractions in the city, which makes it a great place to visit as well as a wonderful place to live.

Baton Rouge also has world renowned schools for elementary, junior high and high school students. In addition, there are several wonderful colleges and universities where individuals go to gain higher education.

Continue reading ‘Visit to the Vibrant City’ »

Real estate classes offered by accredited real estate institutions and schools are for men and women that are interested in starting a lucrative career in the industry. Educational classes cover the basics and the complexities of property management. Even those that attend class without having any expectations toward a career in sales can benefit from the knowledge gained by attending an accredited school. Private investors, mortgage lenders and a number of professionals in many different industries hold real estate licenses.

Real estate is an industry that does not discriminate based on background and education. Opportunities to learn are offered continuously throughout the year allowing for new students to begin their studies at anytime, without waiting for a break in the semester or term. There are no prerequisite courses or college credits required for individuals wanting to begin a career in the industry. People in all stages of life and from a variety of backgrounds have discovered the rewards of hold a real estate license.

Continue reading ‘Real Estate Classes Provide Career Opportunities’ »

Andratx has always been regarded as one of Mallorca’s “property hotspots” and a favourite destination for the rich and famous. During the boom years the Port of Andratx became a hive of construction activity as every conceivable peice of the rocky coastline was snapped up to build ever higher priced villas and apartments. While in most cases the build quality was high, corruption scandals emerged and black clouds were cast over the market even before the economic downturn threw everything into reverse.

So what is the legacy for the Andratx property market and what are the prospects during the downturn and for when growth returns? First and foremost despite the almost totally uncontrolled development activity since the turn of the century and, at the very least, “suspect quality” of the general environment created by this boom, Andratx and particularly the Puerto Andratx coast has maintained its allure for property buyers seeking top quality villas with spectacular sea views.

Continue reading ‘Property For Sale in Andratx – A Review of the Andratx Property Market’ »