1717 5th Avenue Seattle Homes and Penthouse Suites

A Seattle real estate construction property available for immediate occupancy in December of 2006, the 1717 5th Avenue development is quickly becoming a great home choice for families and couples living in Washington State.

Liveable and low maintenance urban living is provided by the new and improved Seattle 1717 5th Avenue homes and condominium residences now selling in the Seattle real estate property market. From 1 to 2 bedroom homes to just one penthouse suite condominium still remaining at the 1717 5th Avenue development, now is the time to decide to either purchase a starter family home or to downsize and capitalize on the hot Seattle real estate market right now. With many urban cities within the United States experiencing a downturn in the markets right now, Seattle and the surrounding areas are seeing a revitalization and boom in the condominium market such as the properties at 1717 5th Avenue homes. You can read more about the strength of the Seattle real estate market at this newspaper article clipped out by the Williams Marketing Group of marketing specialists for the 1717 5th Avenue condominium penthouse suite and homes: williamsmarketing.com/media_news/CondoBoomJustStartingExpertsSay.pdf. As you will see, the burgeoning market in Seattle will continue for years, so now is the perfect time to get into a newly revived residential building offering the best in onsite and offsite amenities, local conveniences and features that are not present at other pre-construction real estate properties. The 1717 5th Avenue Seattle homes and condo residences are now available at affordable costs and for you to move-in after December 2006.

The location is key to any real estate purchase

If you are looking for a central condominium home development and residential community that is safe and close to the business districts of Bellevue as well as seattle, the 1717 5th Avenue homes and condominium residence apartments are perfect for you and your family. Close to great schools, universities, local conveniences such as grocery stores, libraries and more, the 1717 5th Avenue homes in Seattle Washington are also next to the entertainment and arts scenes that this city is well known for. The address of this Seattle real estate property is at 1717 5th Avenue North in Washington State 98109. The residential community sales manager for the 1717 5th Avenue Homes is Colleen and you can reach her at 206-300-2410 today. Again, the condo homes and penthouse suite still available are good to go for a move-in date in December ’06 and the sales center for the 1717 5th Avenue homes residences is open on Saturday through Wednesday between eleven till five. To contact a sales agent online, please visit williamsmarketing.com/comm_17175thavenue/contactagent.html. for directions on how to get to the 1717 5th Ave homes and penthouse condos, please visit Mapquest at mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=
home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=
&address=1717+5th+Avenue+N&city=seattle&state=wa&zipcode=98109.

Seattle 1717 5th Avenue Home features

A long list of features and interior finishes can only be seen online or if you visit the sales office of this property. It’s just too long to list on this web site. However, some highlights of the features at the 1717 5th Avenue Homes in Seattle Washington will include an elevator as well as designated parking in a secure garage for all residents. There will also be forced air heating in addition to oversized storage lockers for all residents at Seattle’s 1717 5th Avenue condominium homes. Located in the Queen Anne district of Seattle WA, the 1717 5th Avenue homes and condominium residences will have great views of the surrounding city skyline in addition to Lake Union neighbourhood and it is quoted as residents being able to watch the fourth of july fireworks from the privacy of their own decks and balconies, which is very spectacular and great for entertaining during those summer months. Also, with new GE stainless steel kitchen appliances, track designer lighting, cherry cabinetry, tile or hardwood flooring and fine detailing, the Seattle 1717 5th Avenue homes and residences are high-end and low maintenance ensuring that you will have more time and money to spend on enjoying life with your loved ones. In addition, optional upgrades include laundry facilities like a washer and dryer and in select units at 1717 5th Avenue Homes, there will be wood burning fireplaces.

Layout floorplans at 1717 5th Avenue Seattle homes

With many of the home units already sold, there are still three distinct floorplan layouts to choose from for your condominium home or penthouse suite. Firstly, Series 01 is a two bedroom and one bath layout at the Seattle 1717 5th Avenue homes and condo residences and features between nine hundred and twenty three to nine hundred and thirty six square footage. Series 02 and 03 at the 1717 5th Avenue condominium homes are smaller one bed and one bath condo units that will range between six hundred and sixty seven to seventy one sq ft in urban space. Lastly, the Seattle 1717 5th Avenue residence homes and real estate properties will feature Series 04 floorplans that will be two bdr and two bth condominium units that range between eight hundred and ninety to nine hundred and five square feet.

If you are hunting for new presales Northwest or Seattle condos pre-construction real estate, please click here.

Don’t make the same mistake in property investing in real estate!

Lawyer Rob Balanda pulls more property investment warning stories from his filing cabinet, so you can learn from the mistakes of others. This was published for the Australian Property Investor magazine in February 2007 (apimagazine.com.au)

Trading Properties

I received a call from a real estate investor who had been sitting on an old fibro cottage in an areas which he though would be a prime redevelopment real estate site. He had been watching real estate prices rise and rise but in the past year or two they’d slipped back.

He didn’t find this out until he put the real estate property on the market at what he thought would be a record price, only to find out that the real estate market hadn’t rung a bell when it hit the top, and he’d missed the upswing. Keen to see the real estate property investment, but with unrealistic expectations about its value in the market, he placed an ad in the exchanges and trades section in the real estate part of his local newspaper.

As luck would have it he found someone with a similar problem and he agreed to exchange his real estate property for another person’s expensive unit. The exchange got him out of a property investment that he no longer wanted but he didn’t have the cash fro the sale to, for example, pay his capital gains tax.

I also gave him a fright when I told him the amount of stamp duty he’d have to pay on the expensive unit that he was trading for. He then suggested to me that we should “write down” purchases prices of both real estate properties to save him and his co-investor a bit of stamp duty and a lot of tax. Wrong.

My advice to him was this was a definite no-no and I strongly urged him not to do it. The reasons I gave him were as follows:

1. Firstly, writing down the real estate purchase prices deprives the Australian Tax Office of revenue and this is considered fraud.

2. Secondly, the Office of State Revenue is entitled to stamp duty on the real estate purchase price of the traded property investment or its value, whichever is greater, and by writing down the purchase prices he will deprive them of revenue.

3. Thirdly, as he was transferring a loan from the fibro dwelling to the real estate unit this created all sorts of problems for him and his lender. Lenders base the amount they’re advancing on the value of the real estate property or the purchase price – whichever is lesser. If he wrote down the value, the lender wouldn’t be able to transfer the full amount of the loan that he had on the fibro cottage over to the new unit.

4. Finally, and worst of all, you artificially create a lower cost base for capital gains tax purposes which could come back to haunt you in the future. For example, if you wrote down the value of the real estate property which was valued at $600,000 to a $400,000 sale price and you later sold the property after it had gained $200,000 (making it now worth $800,000), tax would be payable on the amount of $400,000 ($800,000 less $400,000). This is a huge mistake and the real estate investor wanted to do it to save himself a miserable amount of stamp duty. Forget it!

Option or first right of refusal on real estate property investments

A real estate property investor advised me that he and the owner of the property had agreed that he would have first option to buy this property in the next six months and asked me if I could do something simple to document this agreement. I asked him:

What was the purchase price for the real estate property investment should the first option be exercised?

When would the settlement take place?

What was the amount of the deposit?

I also asked some other questions about details that are normally included in a formal contract of sale for real estate property.

It was clear to me that he hadn’t agreed to take an option to buy the property investment, but had simply been given a right of first refusal. There’s a fundamental difference between these two concepts.

An option to purchase real estate gives the buyer of the property the right, but not the obligation, to buy the real estate property within, say, a six-month period. It allows the investor of real estate to put the property on lay-by and during the next six months make up their mind about whether they wish to purchase the property or not.

It’s essential however that the exact terms of the contract that comes into existence if the option is exercised are finalised at the same time the option is granted for that real estate property specifically, for example the purchase price, settlement date, deposit, etc.

A right of first refusal has been described by the High Court of Australia as “worthless”. It means that if the real estate owner of the property at some time in the future decides to sell the property – and they don’t have to – they agree to first advise you that it’s now available for purchase.

That purchase will be on whatever terms and price they determine and once they’ve made you aware that it’s for sale, then you’ve discharged their obligations to you. It’s for this reason the High Court says it’s worthless.

For more practical point of view, and not the lofty heights of the highest court in the land, the right of first refusal does have some value. It’s worth something to be the first person to know that a real estate property is for sale, as you can then at least take the initiative and attempt to buy it.

Rob Balanda is a partner of MBA Lawyers at Surfers Paradise and the author of the “Made Simple” series of publications available from Business Mall. Please note that this information is of a general nature only and does not constitute professional advice. You must seek professional advice in relation to your particular circumstances before acting.

Main North Royal Oak Loft Condominiums and Terraces

Elements of urban living in Detroit Royal Oak community in Michigan can be found at the new Main North condominiums and terrace homes real estate development. A distinctive property in Royal Oak Main North properties will feature loft homes, family residence and terraces, that will create a fun and exciting new residential community at Main North Royal Oaks MI.

A high-end and liveable residential community in Royal Oak Michigan close to Detroit at the Main North community is behind developed by the real estate development team at Joseph Freed Homes who have been the masterminds behind some award-winning real estate projects that include the Groves at Palatine, Mentor Building and Phoenix at Uptown in Illinois as well as the Terra Cotta Lofts in Missouri. Convenient and comfortable the Main North Royal Oak condominium lofts, terraces and residences will be located within the downtown area of this beautiful city that is both affordable and modern. Fro climate controlled parking spaces to health clubs and to local amenities, the Royal Oak Main North residence lofts and terrace homes are one of the hottest Detroit area real estate property developments in decades because of its unique ability to create a liveable urban community that is self-contained and sustaining. Enjoy the great nightlife and dining in the evenings, or the shopping, recreational facilities and pedestrian friendly arcades during the day, whatever your lifestyle choice, the Main North terrace homes, residences and loft condominiums will provide you the life you have dreamed about living, right here in the burgeoning yet quiet neighbourhood of Royal Oak Michigan.

Contact Information for the Royal Oaks Main North real estate properties

Looking for a new terrace home or single family residence or even a private traditional loft? The Royal Oaks Michigan real estate development at the Main North community is now selling so this is the time to make that all important decision to upgrade, downsize or simply invest in a long-term opportunity at Main North Royal Oaks. If you are interested or would like to request for more information, the easiest way to do so is to submit an online form enquiry through the Royal Oaks properties web site for Main North terrace homes, residences and lofts online at their marketing website at mainnorth.com/contact.php. In addition, you can also visit their web site for more information regarding the Main North Royal Oaks real estate Michigan Detroit properties which will give you details about the community terraces homes, lofts, residences, development team, area map, contact details and what to expect in terms of lifestyle choices. The Main North real estate sales center is located at 201 E. Eleven Mile Road in Royal Oak Michigan 48067. You can call them to book an appointment at 248-336-1700 and the fax number is 248-336-2246.

Royal Oaks Main North Lofts and Homes

A landmark building at this Royal Oaks real estate property development in Michigan, this residential complex will consist of ninety four total two and three bedroom loft residences and homes that are perfect for those who want wide open spaces and overheight loft ceilings. IN addition, the Main North Lofts in Royal Oaks MI will also feature two penthouse suite lofts. On the ground floor, there will be retail and on the fourth floor, there will be office space. The design of the Lofts at Main North MI will be performed by the Victor Saroki & Associates Architects. Some of the grand amenities featured at the Detroit Main North Loft homes include private lobby, secure storage areas, dual passenger elevators that are high-speed, a private health club with fitness center as well as indoor underground heated parking for all residences. Also, the Royal Oaks Main North Loft residence homes will also feature wide hallways and a community room that can be used for entertaining guests or for business use. All Main North Loft homes will have individual air conditioning and heating, gas fireplace, sound proofing, trash chute and more. In addition, all Main North Loft homes and loft residences in the Royal Oaks community will have impressive interior features and finishes, elegant bathrooms, gourmet-style kitchens and customizable loft features with upgrades and options. You can view a furnished Main North Loft model online. For all loft residence floor plans at the Royal Oaks Main North real estate properties, please visit mainnorth.com/loft_fp.htm.

Terrace Homes and Condominiums at Main North properties

If you are looking for condo residences and terrace homes for standard urban city living, then the Main North Terraces in Royal Oaks Michigan will have something for everyone. This condominium community of one hundred and seventy six condo terrace homes will feature many of the same features as the Loft residences and will range between one and three bedroom terrace condominiums with many different floor plan layouts. In addition, the Main North Terraces will be between eight hundred and twenty two hundred square feet in size and will have private park views, skyline views and be close to some of the greatest posh retailers on the ground floor. Some of the building details for the Royal Oak Main North Terraces Homes will include video surveillance for your security in addition to a lobby entrance and high-speed elevators. Also, the Main North Royal Oaks terrace condominium homes will have maintenance free windows, indoor heated parking spaces for all residences, individual secure storage lockers and a fitness center where you can stay fit and healthy. Some classic loft interiors at the Royal Oaks Main North terrace condo homes include high ceilings, track lighting exposed concrete, flex rooms, concrete floors, wire shelving, designer lighting and chrome interior door hardware. Also, the Royal Oaks real estate properties at Main North Terrace condominium residence homes will have stylish bath rooms with ceramic tile floors, and a soaker but with Moen shower fixtures. The kitchens are great for entertaining guests and will include an oversized kitchen island, stainless steel mounting, Moen faucets and maple cabinets. The Royal Oaks Michigan real estate community at Main North Terrace condo residences will also have optional upgrades to carpeting, exposed brick interior, upgraded appliances, cabinet lighting, wood flooring, pre-wiring and gas fireplaces. For all the floor plans at the luxury Main North Terrace Homes, please visit mainnorth.com/terrace_fp.htm.

Main North Residences in Royal Oak Michigan

The third instalment of this luxury Detroit real estate property development undertaking are the Main North Residences and luxury homes. These real estate properties are coming soon to the market, so right now, the Royal Oak Main North properties are accepting priority registrations online at mainnorth.com/contact.php. Featuring the most elegant and grandest condominium residences, the Main North Residence homes in Royal Oak MI will be coming soon.

Aquarius WaterParkCity Toronto Condominiums

If you live in Toronto and have seen the pre-construction being done along the waterfront, then you have seen the beginnings of the WaterParkCity master-planned residential community. These Waterfront Condominiums at the Aquarius condo towers in WaterParkCity Toronto are the first of many luxurious residences coming to the water front area of this magnificent city.

Currently in presales, the Aquarius waterfront condominiums in WaterParkCity will have unobstructed views of some of Toronto’s most sought after waterfront attractions that include the Martin Goodman Waterfront Trail, Ontario Place, Queen’s Quay and Toronto Islands. If you are a Torontonian and tired of having to commute for hours along the freeways to get to anything, then the WaterParkCity waterfront Aquarius condominium suites and homes will be a perfect transition for you to get back downtown and along the water. This luxury condominium urban living experience will be part of the master-planned WaterParkCity, an exclusive master-planned district at Lake Shore. The entire community will be facing the Lake Ontario and will be just minutes away from downtown Ontario offering the best of both worlds in relaxation and business. The WaterParkCity Aquarius Toronto Condos will be a boutique real estate development with only twelve stories above a podium structure and the residences at Aquarius will have large balconies and terraces and much more, so read below!

The Aquarius Toronto Condos amenities

As one real estate development in the large waterfront WaterParkCity Toronto project, the Aquarius mid-rise residential tower will have a Club Oasis that will include private amenities for residents in this condominium community including a 2 storey recreation, business and entertainment centre. Private and exclusive, this Club Oasis at the WaterParkCity Toronto Aquarius waterfront tower will contain a full fitness centre, business centre and boardroom on the second floor as well as a multi-purpose room and billiard room on the first floor in addition to a swimming pool and spa area. Very luxurious and convenient, the Club Oasis at the Aquarius condominium tower at WaterParkCity Toronto will be quiet and available whenever you need it. The Aquarius waterfront real estate community is refreshingly different and according to the WaterParkCity web site marketing, Aquarius is: one of the biggest attractions of Aquarius is its incredible location. At your front door is the Bathurst/Fleet TTC Streetcar, which intersects with streetcars headed for the Yonge/University/Bloor subway line. Within easy walking distance of Aquarius are such cultural icons as the Air Canada Centre, SkyDome, Roy Thomson Hall, The Princess of Wales Theatre and Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts. The latest and greatest in dining and fashion will also be found in the WaterParkCity Toronto Aquarius condominium waterfront community too, so you will be in the ehart of downtown Toronto.

The Toronto Aquarius waterfront Suites

Looking for more information about the floorplan layouts for the WaterParkCity Toronto condominiums at the Aquarius presales development? Look no further as here are the latest and greatest from the world of the layouts for the Aquarius condo homes. The first is the one bedroom Hermes floorplan at four hundred and ninety four square feet in size. The Eros one bedroom is five hundred and fifty one square feet. The one bedroom and den condo homes at Aquarius Toronto include the Corfu (591), Titan (634), Delphi (662), Athens (678), and Aegean (686) with Troy plan being sold out already. The WaterParkCity Aquarius waterfront condominium tower in Toronto Ontario will also feature two bedroom condo homes that include: Rhodes (833), Alexander (856), Apollo (905) and Santorini (924) floorplans. The largest of the incredible and functional layouts here at the Aquarius residential tower in Water Park City include Olympia (923 sq ft), Imperial (one thousand one hundred and fifty four sq ft) as well as the Aquarius plan that is one thousand two hundred and thirty eight square feet in urban indoor living space. You can view and download as well as a print all floor plan layouts online at the WaterParkCity Aquarius Toronto waterfront condo web site located at http://www.waterparkcity.ca/aquarius/area_amenities.htm# and clicking on ‘Suites’.

Looking forward to your future?

If you are looking at a presale condominium real estate property along the WaterParkCity waterfront Toronto community, then the Aquarius condo homes will be a great fit for you and your family. Today, the Aquarius at WaterParkCity waterfront condominiums has a sales centre open at 650 Fleet Street in Toronto Ontario that is open between Monday and Thursday (12pm to 6pm), Saturday and Sunday (12pm to 5pm) and closed Fridays. In addition, you can also phone the Toronto Aquarius at WaterParkCity condo sales presentation centre at 416.203.3770 or email them at info@waterparkcity.ca for more information or to request a private appointment for previewing or purchase. There are two editorials written about the waterfront Aquarius Toronto WaterParkCity real estate development that are located online at: http://www.waterparkcity.ca/aquarius/editorials_01.htm (waterfront living) and http://www.waterparkcity.ca/aquarius/editorials_02.htm (condominium lifestyle).

If you are looking for more detailed information about Canadian construction projects such as presales Victoria Condominiums as well as other pre-construction Vancouver condo real estate investment opportunities, click on these links plesae.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Real Estate Investment

In Part 5, Monique Wakelin talks about what to watch out for when deciding what proper real estate assets you should consider in the December issue of API Magazine for the article: ‘Take Control: How Home Equity puts you in the driver’s seat’.

It’s not unusual to hear tales of woe from both first-time and seasoned real estate investors who have fallen for the traps and failed to achieve the capital gains they expected. Some of the most common mistakes that could potentially cost thousands of dollars include:

Investing in speculative sectors of the residential property real estate market. These include off-the-plan developments that concentrate on “inducements” such as rental guarantees, offers of finance or tax breaks. The “inducements” often mask a propensity for low or no capital growth.

Faulty real estate asset selection. You can select a real estate investment property in the right suburb but in the wrong street. It may be that the surrounding buildings and aspect detract from its attractiveness and long-term growth potential. The wrong building style can also be a slow mover, even if it’s in the right area.

Failing to understand the importance of scarcity value. The higher the demand for the asset and the less supply, the greater your capital gain in real estate will be.

Buying a real estate investment property for tax benefits, stamp duty savings or rental guarantees. On a properly selected investment property, these factors are an added bonus rather than the primary reason for the purchase. Nobody ever becomes financially independent concentrating on saving tax.

Failure to check major body corporate expenditure. The fees charged on some apartment developments canbe astronomical. In the case of some CBD high-rises, body corporate fees can be between $3000 and $4000 a year. This is a major part of an investor’s outgoings and an unnecessary expense.

Paying too much. An overpriced real estate property will take a great deal longer to catch up with its true worth and to start producing capital gains than one that was bought at the right real estate market price to begin with. Always do your homework in regard to prior benchmarking in real estate value.

Failure to diversify locations and building styles within a property portfolio in real estate. Not all real estate sectors of the property market move in a uniform way – even in the high demand areas. Diversity in a real estate portfolio can help the investor ride out any short-term anomalies in one area or market sector.

Relying on historical statistics. Most of the property real estate data we see is already three months old. This puts the investor in the position of trying to make tomorrow’s decision with yesterday’s news. You can’t beat on-the-ground homework for the most accurate picture of where the market is and where the real estate markets are moving.

Lack of independent information. When seeking advice from anyone in an advisory capacity, always check their qualifications, length of time in business, affiliations, any vested interest, what they abse their recommendations on, what ongoing services they provide and ensure their fees are paid by you, the customer, and not by other interested parties. Always ensure they have unrestricted access to the real estate market.

The cost of waiting for the “ideal” circumstances. This could be a wait-and-see attitude to interest rate movements or whether the property real estate market is going to soften. There’s no right or wrong time to buy an investment real estate property. If investors apply the long-term principle then the cost of waiting can be very expensive indeed!

Monique Wakelin is the co-founder of Wakelin Property Advisory, www.wakelin.com.au, a Melbourne-based property consultancy. For more home purchasing and real estate investment tips and checklists, please visit this link.

The Metropole Condominiums Off Market Ballard district in Seattle

Exclusive boutique living in the form of thirty superbly tailored condominium homes are now launching at the vibrant urban community called the Metropole Off Market. Located in beautiful Northwest Seattle, the Metropole Condominiums are a blend of the new and old, or the best of both worlds as you will see.

If someone asks you what you are waiting for in terms of a Washington State real estate development property in Seattle WA, do you know the answer? Are you looking for the prestigious address or are you looking for something that is more functional then stylish. If location and fine finishes are at the top of your list, then The Metropole Seattle Condos Off Market is an exclusive condo community real estate property that may tantlize every sense that you have. The Metropole condominiums in Seattle Washington is a one of a kind luxurious master-planned community of homes and residences that is a new concept in urban living in northwest Seattle. In the heart of Ballard Off Market Metropole Seattle Condos are selling quickly as this boutique hotel style living area is within an exciting inner city neighborhood that is vibrant, growing and secure. There are also many many attractions and local facilities in and around the Off Market Ballard district in Seattle where the Metropole Condominiums are located, so whatever lifestyle you live, you will only experience the best that Washington has to offer if you choose these properties as your next home.

The offerings at the Seattle Metropole Condominiums in Washington State

News Flash: There are only eight homes left at Metropole Off Market and the remaining two bedroom condo homes start from the price range of four hundred and ninety nine thousand, five hundred US dollars! The original condominium residence layouts for the floor plans included one bedroom and one bath units, one bed, one bath plus den condos, two bedrooms and two bathroom residences as well as two bedroom and two bathroom plus den condominiums in the heart of the Ballard District. Currently, there are only eight units left of which there are two bedroom, two bathroom and den that are approximately one thousand one hundred and ninety nine to one thousand three hundred and seventy nine square feet. In addition there are two and two condominiums at Metropole Seattle still on sale at nine hundred and fifty eight square footage. There are also one bed, one bath plus den condominium units at the Ballard Off Market Seattle Metropole Condos that are between eight hundred and one to twenty six square feet in living area. Lastly, there is one bed/ one bath plus office on the southeast corner of Metropole Condominiums Off Market that is seven hundred and forty sq ft.

What to do next

If you would like more information about the Metropole Condominiums in Seattle WA, please visit this online web site to register for more details: http://www.vibranturbanliving.com/metropolecontact.html. In addition, please contact Jeff Morgan for a preview and overview of the Ballard Off Market Metropole Seattle Condos. His phone number is 206.713.2731 or you can contact him by email at jeffm@windermere.com. The Preferred Lender for this Seattle real estate development project is Chase and you can contact Shawn Gunderson for mortgage pre-approval at the Metropole today at 425.709.9485. the prestigious Ballard address of 5615 24th Avenue in NW Seattle WA 98103 is the physical location of the Metropole Condo homes Off Market at Thomas Map 534 Grid E4 on MapQuest.

The Community amenities around the metropole

Some of the most amazing features about living at the Metropole residences and real estate properties in Ballard Off Market in seattle include the numerous amenities and community facilities that are within walking distance from your luxurious condo home. These include many restaurants, both casual and fine which include Vera’s Carnegies, Bad Alberts, Anthony’s homeport and more as well as lots of shopping arcades that include Wine Shop, Sonic Boom, Il Giardino, Marleys and Amada Luna. Close to the Metropole Condominiums in Seattle will be many recreational facilities that include the Vertical World Climbing Gym, Discovery Park, Chittenden Locks, and the Ballard community center. Places to drink or just have a laugh include Mr. .Spot’s Chai, Masalisa, Sloop Tavern and Sip and ship and coffee shops are everywhere as this is Seattle! There are also libraries, medical clinics, the Ballard high school, health and fitness clubs as well as theatres and museums in and around the Ballard Metropole off Market Seattle Condominium development for you to enjoy.

An exclusive list of Seattle and Portland pre-construction condominiums properties, click here.

Cosy Warmth Without a Flue – Real Estate Condo Trends and Tips

An innovative new freestanding fireplace runs without a hard connection, is environmentally friendly and the ideal answer to those lacking a chimney to fuel the fire.

A Vancouver retailer is selling fireplaces for people who thought they couldn’t have one. Vancouver Gas Fireplaces is now selling the EcoSmart Fire, a high-quality free-standing fireplace that runs on ethanol without any connection, flue, chimney or gas line.

“The design is simple, portable, attractive, and doesn’t require installation,” says Robert Koby, president of Vancouver Gas Fireplaces. “We’re finding that condo dwellers are all over it.”

Conceived in Australia, the EcoSmart fire provides unprecedented flexibility – it fits just about anywhere. The EcoSmart Fireplace has a contemporary look that makes it suitable for apartments, houses, bars and restaurants.

“Some places were built without fireplaces or don’t have access to natural gas lines. Now the EcoSmart Fire provides the opportunity to have a fire feature,” says Koby.

Features of the EcoSmart Fire:

- It can be installed in a pre-existing fireplace site or be free-standing.
- It is environmentally friendly – fuelled by denatured ethanol, a renewable modern energy, it burns clean and is virtually maintenance free
- The EcoSmart fireplaces have no flue and require no hard connection
- the core of the EcoSmart fire is a metal box about 10 centimetres high and 30 centimetres square with a slot in the middle for the flame.
- the fuel reservoir is in the base of the metal box
- The core EcoSmart Fire can be installed in an attractive frame of fascia to suit the setting
- The EcoSmart Fire has been independently tested and has UL approval
- Units are compact and portable so ideal for apartments houses, bars, restaurants and offices
- The EcoSmart Fire can regulate the intensity of the flame and turn it on or off at any time.

The EcoSmart Fire is available at Vancouver Gas Fireplaces, www.vangasfireplaces.com, phone 604.732.3470.

Vesta 24 New York Chelsea condominium homes and residences

A luxurious and contemporary residential high-rise tower is located at New York’s Vesta 24 high-rise condo residences in the heart of retail shopping, contemporary galleries and fine dining. With all the urban pleasures around you, the luxury Vesta 24 New York condo apartment residences and homes are now available to the general public.

If you want to experience the vibrancy and striking architecture of the Chelsea district in New York City, then the Vesta 24 property condominium homes and NYC real estate residences will be a perfect fit for you and your loved ones. From the start of the marketing for the New York Vesta 24 condominium residence apartments, home buyers and investors looked at the refinement and gentrification of the Chelsea district in NYC into a vibrant and safe neighborhood complete with many new retail, commercial, residential and recreational districts that has provided one of the most liveable and exciting master-planned communities in all of New York City, NY. The Chelsea Vesta 24 condo homes and residence apartment suites in New York provide an exceptional urban living location that is within minutes to the large retail and business districts of lower Manhattan as well as Central Park and other outdoor recreational areas and facilities. As far as local conveniences go, the Vesta 24 New York condominium residences are also within everything you need to do and see regularly, so that will not be a problem for families or individuals. A great leasing structure and home buyer incentives are available when you purchase your private home at the Vesta 24 condo tower residences in New York City, so contact them today to gain more understanding of the offerings.

Some interior amenities and features at the New York Vesta 24 residence tower condominiums

The actual New York real estate property project construction is at 231 Tenth Avenue in New York with a zip code of 10011. Within the ever changing Chelsea district of New York City, the Vesta 24 condo residence apartments are a collection of luxurious condominium suites that will have wrapped wood facades as well as refined brown and natural wood lobby finishes. In addition, the residents at the New York Vesta 24 real estate properties will enjoy a twenty four hour concierge on site to help you on your way every day. Large glass windows are architectural features in every residence condo at the Vesta 24 New York apartment homes as are wood flooring and luxurious bathrooms with natural stone and concrete tiling finishes. In addition, the kitchens at Vesta 24 apartment condo residences in New York City will offer stainless steel packages, Meile cook top as well as a modern wall oven and Bosch dishwasher. For more information about the interior features and finishes at the New York Vesta 24 property residence tower apartments, please contact a sales manager at 212-343-5420. Located in the Chelsea District, Vesta 24 is an exciting and fun community of new restaurants, shops, food markets, furniture and design stores as well as art. The districts next to the Vesta 24 New York high-rise tower residences in Chelsea include Tribeca as well as West Village which are both within walking distance from your private home. In addition, the New York City Vesta 24 apartment residence building is made of environmentally sensitive materials and will stand the test of time in quality, service, design and detailed craftsmanship. Privacy at these premiere residences at NYC Vesta 24 real estate properties are in high demand, so get on it soon before they are leased out or all sold out.

Contact the Vesta 24 sales managers today

There are two sales representatives for New York’s Vesta 24 condo residences and apartments that you can contact for more information. They include Jim at jim@corcoran.com or Cay Trigg at 212-941-2676 or clt@corcoran.com. At 231 Tenth, Apartment 5A at the Vesta 24 New York real estate properties is listed for $1,695,000 and the monthly maintenance costs is $1070. With 4.5 rooms, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, this condominium unit is one thousand four hundred and twenty one square feet in size with west exposure and a balcony. The luxury Vesta 24, Apartment 5A in New York City is also listed at $6,500 per month in rental leasing at Vesta 24 NYC. This is also a two and two with east exposure and partial views, same size as the above unit. The last condominium residence apartment at 231 Tenth Vesta 24 apartment condos listed for sale is Penthouse Unit 3 at $3,795,000 or rent at $21,000 per month. This luxury condo unit at New York Vesta 24 residences is three bedrooms and 3.5 baths with seven rooms and two thousand six hundred and forty seven square feet. Some of the interior features of this Vesta 24 penthouse suite include a wood burning fireplace and balcony with south, east and west exposures. In addition, the monthly maintenance for this New York real estate property at the Vesta 24 condo tower residence penthouse is $2,287 per month and taxes at three hundred and thirty six dollars per month. The cross streets of the residence condominiums at Vesta 24 New York City are 23rd and 24th and the districts include Chelsea and the Flatiron communities.

For more Washington presales condominiums or new Chicago Condo apartments, click on these links.

San Diego Broadway 655 Apartments

A luxurious office tower development is taking place on the south east corner of Kettner Blvd and Broadway Street in San Diego’s Columbia district in downtown city center. A large commercial real estate development, the Broadway 655 Apartments and retail community will become one of the hottest office spaces in the city soon.

A Lankford & Associates commercial real estate office tower in the heart of Downtown San Diego center will consist of a twenty three storey Class A office building, the first of it’s kind in the San Diego downtown core since 1991. Broadway 655 is now open for move-in and leasing opportunities, so what is your company or business waiting for? With more than four hundred and fifty four thousand square feet, the San Diego Broadway 655 office tower will also have six thousand square feet of retail space in addition to seven hundred and sixty five parking spaces for tenants and visitors. The real estate architect of the Broadway 655 San Diego office tower is Carrier Johnson who are located at www.carrierjohnson.com and with 23 stories and the building of twelve luxury apartment units, the Broadway 655 office side are completed and leasing while the apartment condos are under development right now. The 655 Broadway San Diego apartments will be for rental as the primary use of this real estate development will be an office tower. For more information you can also read on line at the San Diego Broadway 655 office tower web site located at broadway655.com to read more about Lankford & Associates, leasing opportunities, available space and rental rates.

More about the San Diego Broadway 655 Office Tower and Apartment Residences

The Broadway 655 San Diego office tower is within the Santa Fe Depot, Horton Plaza, Convention Center, Highway 101, Civic Center, Little Italy, Hall of Justice, Gaslamp Quarter, Interstate 94, Petco Park and Interstate 5 meaning that it is very conveniently located close to most things that you need to do, visit and see in downtown SD, California. The essential numbers of the San Diego Broadway 655 office tower high rise includes twenty three floors that will have three hundred and fifty six thousand square footage of office space, twelve residential units totalling over eleven thousand five hundred sq ft, sixteen thousand sq ft of restaurant and retail space as well as 765 parking spots. The construction finance includes seventy two million from the US Bank and Wachovia Bank. For leasing options, please visit the following Broadway 655 San Diego office tower web site link: http://www.broadway655.com/leasing.asp. For tenant resources, please visit: http://www.broadway655.com/tenant.asp. For the latest news and updates of the San Diego Broadway 655 office suites, please visit the following url: http://www.broadway655.com/media_center.asp. Lastly, if you would like to view a photo gallery of the Broadway 655 offices in San Diego, please visit the following website: http://www.broadway655.com/gallery.asp.

Contact info for the 655 Broadway Offices in downtown San Diego

The physical location of the Class A office tower is 655 West Broadway, Suite 1450 in San Diego CA 92101 and their phone number is 619.702.5655. For any leasing questions and opportunities/availabilities, please request a meeting with Ed Muna of Lankford & Associates at ed@lankfordsd.com of by calling him at 619.702.5655. The media relations contact for the downtown Broadway 655 San Diego office tower is Tom Gable of GCS at tgable@gcs-pr.com. For more info about contact for the San Diego Broadway 655 offices, please visit: http://www.broadway655.com/contact.asp.

For more commercial real estate and pre-construction California properties, click here.

Port Coogee along Western Australia’s Coastline

A master-planned waterfront community by Australand, the Port Coogee is definitely a go and has made many headlines for its ambitious real estate development plans that will be on of the biggest coastal renewal projects ever in Australia.

A new landmark is beginning along the western coast line of Australia called Port Coogee. This recreational marina and residential community will see through a nine hundred million dollar real estate development that will be phased into the building and renewal of a luxury and high-end marina, marina village community as well as a variety of different housing types and districts. The development at Port Coogee in Western Australia will be located just seconds away from Fremantle and will become the landmark of this region because of its offerings in both recreational facilities, lifestyle options as well as its truly unique and amazing waterfront location. South of Fremantle and just minutes away from Perth Australia, the Port Coogee development will be located along the shores of Cockburn Sound along the west coast of Australia. Just 18 kilometres south of Perth CBD, Port Coogee will also be just 5 km from Fremantle. A beautiful location offering master-planned designer homes and community planning, the Port Coogee is coming soon.

The offerings at Port Coogee Australia

With many people wanting waterfront and Oceanside living spaces these days in Australia, what better way to move your family or spend your retirement years along the western coast of the country just minutes outside of Perth and Fremantle. Port Coogee is a master-planned Oceanside living community that will have many boutique stores, dining restaurants (both casual and fine dining) in addition to entertainment, nightlife, sidewalk cafes, beaches, marinas and a host of different watersports that will keep everyone in your family happy and healthy. The Western Australia Port Coogee real estate development will be a waterfront neighbourhood that will be a growing place for commerce, industry and retail as well, which will allow many people to work, play and sleep in the same Port Coogee district. With plenty of boardwalks, beaches, water sports including kayaking, boating, sailing, swimming, surf skiing and other aquatic recreational sports, the Port Coogee Australia community will provide an endless amount of joy and fun for your entire family. As welll, the entire western Australia Port Coogee real estate properties just south of Perth will include many stylish homes and elegant townhouses and apartments all along the coastal and waterfront areas of the neighbourhood.

Port Coogee more in depth

According to their marketing materials online, this Western Australia marina and residential neighbourhood will provide plenty of recreation and relaxation options for everyone including things other than watersports too: like cycling, biking trails, park areas and more. In addition, for lifestyle options, the Port Coogee Australia development will also host six hundred dry land lots at the marina as well as a mix of apartments and townhouses in the village. In terms of retail and commercial opportunities at Port Coogee, there will be plenty of space for fine restaurants and cafes, retail outlets, offices and tourism related companies too. Best of all, the Port Coogee district will be sustainable long-term with very little environmental impact through its construction and use of renewable materials that are sensitive to eco-impact. Also, the social-economical impact of the region will be amazing for Western Australia and will become a focal point of the western coastline that will have 1.5 km of waterfront areas and providing many jobs for people who move here.

News, Media and Contact Information

For more details about the Port Coogee western Australia plans for the development of this waterfront area south of Perth and Fremantle, please read the latest press online at the following web site address: http://www.portcoogee.com.au/default.aspx?id=401. You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to open these documents. If you are interested in the lifestyle options, apartments, townhouses or commercial and retail opportunities at Port Coogee, please fill out the online form at Australand’s web site located here: http://www.australand.com.au/WA-Land-form/default.aspx. For the marketing brochure, please visit: http://www.portcoogee.com.au/default.aspx?id=221. This marketing piece for Port Coogee explains the following: From elegant inner city apartments, to stylish homes in master planned estates, to land choices in developing communities, Australand provides a range of distinctive residential living choices for individual needs that suit today’s lifestyle.
Generations of Australians have experienced the Australand difference in planning and purchasing their new homes and have benefited from our years of experience and dedication to delivering superior housing developments and homes. The planning that goes into an Australand master planned community ensures you will always move into an exceptional environment. Every development, in its unique way, demonstrates our dedication to providing quality living environments in sought after locations around Perth.

For other resort communities and resort residential real estate opportunities, click here.

Tall Poppy Syndrome | Are you reluctant to talk about real estate property investing with friends and family. If so, you’re not alone!

Written by Michaela Ryan for the February 2007 Australian Property Investor Magazine (www.apimagazine.com.au).

Welcome to Australia – land of the tall poppy syndrome. Don’t we just love to applaud Aussies who’ve become rich or famous … that is, provided they have the right amount of modesty. And you can never have too much modesty, it would seem. So how does a successful real estate property investor fit into a society which worships the idea of being ‘down to earth’? Jan Somers and Margaret Lomas, are both real estate property authors as well as highly successful property investors. Here they share some ideas about managing tall poppy syndrome.

The dilemma about real estate investment properties
Friendships are integral in Australian society, Lomas says. People often build their lifestyles around their friendships. So it’s important to realise that your real estate property investing does have the potential to threaten some friendships. Unfortunately, Lomas has seen it happen to a number of her clients.

“I find that, especially when everyday battlers do really well with real estate property, their friends start to see them a little bit differently. My favourite expression is that in Australia people like you to get ahead, as long as it’s not ahead of them. It’s almost one of those things that keep people back from achieving as much as they possibly could. They’re worried about what their friends may think,” Lomas says. So how can you be successful and keep your friends?

1. Getting your friends involved with investing in real estate properties

Lomas suggests that you could try to get your friends involved in property investing right from the start. “Motivate them before you become successful. Get them committed to and sold on the idea themselves, and do it as a group,” she suggests.

2. The hush-hush approach in real estate investing with friends and family

Another option is to keep quiet about your achievements. “some of my clients don’t event ell their friends what they’ve achieved,” Lomas says. “That’s very sad, that you can’t talk about success because then people do think that you’re boasting or bragging… And we often hear the expression, ‘Oh they think they’re too good for us now’.”

While Lomas feels it’s a shame for people to play down their real estate success, Somers is more accepting of it. “That’s just life,” she says. It’s just a social skill. You don’t want to intimidate people. You don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable.”

Somers knows this from personal experience. “When we started to invest in the ‘70s in real estate properties,” she recalls, “I thought it was such a great idea, I used to tell everyone. It probably took 10 years or so to realise it felt like I was selling Amway. The response was sometimes a bit cool.”

People would often infer that Somers’ success had been thanks to good luck, or good timing, rather than any hard work or effort. They’d explain away their own inaction by saying: “Weren’t you lucky you bought when things were cheap?”

Somers would respond, “Well, you can do it too,” and she’d see them back-pedalling, “as though I was trying to sell them a concept.” In time, Somers grew tired of what she calls cross between tall poppy syndrome and Amway syndrome. “I take reverse view on real estate investing now. I don’t talk about real estate property at all. I suppose I’ve become older and wiser and now I can see people are just different. They just don’t want to do it and they don’t want to talk about it. And they don’t want to feel intimidated by it.”

Somers still jumps at the chance to help someone with a specific enquiry about property real estate investing. She’s just extremely unlikely to be the one to bring up property real estate in a social situation. “I think there’s only a tall poppy syndrome if you’re there talking about it, and you’re flaunting your wealth. If you flaunt it then you’re going to get knocked down,” she suggests.

“If you turn up at Woolies, like I do, in thongs and shorts, there’s no tall poppy syndrome at all.” She concedes, “There is a tall poppy syndrome in real estate investments where some people will unjustly be dragged down. But in most cases it’s probably self-inflicted.”

3. Being selectively quiet about real estate investments

A small number of your friends might be excited about property and investment in properties. So it can’t hurt to ‘test the waters’.

When you come across someone who’s into real estate property, it’s usually pretty obvious. They’ll want to hear all about your investing real estate strategy and they’ll be happy to reciprocate with details about their properties, and their future investment plans.

Of course, there will always be people who aren’t interested in property. And there’ll always be people who are insecure about your success. If you value your friendships with these people, you might have to accept that you’re better off not to mention real estate investing around them.

4. Seeking out like-minded people

If your friends and family just aren’t interested, why not seek out new people? “We truly have a lot of success when we’re motivated and supported by people hwo think like we do,” Lomas says. Some investment real estate advisory companies have real estate focus groups where clients can get together and talk freely about their real estate investments. It’s a great way to stay motivated and to learn from other people’s experiences in investing in real estate. And you’re likely find plenty of people who are happy to celebrate your successes with you. You can also meet other property investors by attending real estate seminars. (If you’re not sure about the presenter’s reputation, search the internet and see what you can find out about their background).

Alternatively, if you already know of one or two like-minded people, you can always set u your own interest group. One real estate investor we profiled in API a couple of years ago did this very successfully. Before he knew it, tea and bickies at the mate’s place turned into a big scale affair with guest speakers at a local community hall.

5. The ‘who cares’ approach in investing

You’ve done well with your investments in real estate and your want to spoil yourself with a better lifestyle. A new home, car or boat. Perhaps a new school for the kids. At this point, a visible gap might open up between you and your friends. Tall poppy syndrome might kick in.

Let’s assume you’re not carrying on like an egotistical jerk, and therefore the tall poppy syndrome is unwarranted. You’ve worked hard and now you’re reaping the rewards in real estate investments. Should you really care about the opinions of people who’d prefer you to be less successful, because that would suit them better?

Lomas jokes, “I think (investors in real estate) should say, “I couldn’t care less what anybody thinks’, because I would rather be old with fewer friends, than old (and) poor with lots of friends.”

Lomas doesn’t mince her words, but she makes a reasonable point. Sometimes it’s probably worth asking whether it’s worth continuing a friendship with someone who can’t be happy for you when you do well.

Life’s easier if you can be authentic in your real estate dealings with other people. If real estate property is a big part of your life, it’s hard to constantly hide that. And it’s also hard to hid the fact you’ve accumulated significant wealth. Arguably, you’re doing no-one a favour if you keep hiding your real estate investment success from others.

In the oft-quoted words of author Marianne Williamson: “You’re playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you … And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

A word on investing in real estate with families

In an ideal world, your family would be thrilled to hear about your capital growth and your increased rental yield in real estate investments. But in reality, a lot of the discussion in this article about friendships applies equally to family members. Some will be supportive, but you can’t expect everyone to be.

Somers says she’s even less likely to talk about real estate property with her family than she is with friends. “I just don’t bring it up at all,” she says. “It’s just not something I feel as though I want to impose on people.” Somers also feels there’s no need to tell people- even family members – how many real estate properties she and her husband own.

It’s enough is the answer she gives if asked. They’re aware of how well you’ve done and there’s no need to rub their noses in it.

Of course, like anything, its about assessing the relationship you have with a particular family member before deciding how open you can be about your real estate investing. So long as you’re careful who you talk to, and even then you try to keep your ego in check, you can’t go too far wrong.

Dealing with Misunderstandings in Real Estate Investing

It’s possible that people around you don’t understand how real estate property investing works. There might be some occasions when you’re better off setting them straight.

For example, property investors in real estate often comment that their friends think they must have large piles of cash sitting around.

People aren’t always aware that net wealth doesn’t necessarily equate to a large bank balance. If you’re highly geared, you might actually have less cash flow than your non-investing friends and family for quite a few years.

Just be prepared for people who “joke” that the drinks should be on you because you’re doing so well in your real estate property investing.

111 Central Park North New York City Condominium Residences and Luxury Apartments

A great rental leasing condominium tower in New York City is now available at the 111 Central Park North condo tower residences. Also, there are some residence apartments for home buyers to purchase as well as the luxury New York real estate properties at 111 Central Park North, a prestigious and exclusive high-rise residential tower in the heart of it all.

The team behind the 111 Central Park North condominium tower New York residences includes the private real estate investment, operational and development company called Athena, which was founded back in 1993, as well as the Hillier design architects. The New York City 111 Central Park North condo tower apartment suites and condominium homes architect of record is SLCE Architects, and the structural engineers are WSP Cantor Seinuk. The NY properties at 111 Central Park North apartment residence condominium NYC high-rise residential tower also has Cosentini Associates as the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer in addition to Bovis Lend Lease as the construction management team. The sales and marketing team for the NYC 111 Central Park North condo homes and properties in New York City is Halstead Property Development Marketing, one of the city’s most visible, largest and fastest growing residential real estate brokerage firms located in Manhattan. For the latest news and press releases surrounding the 111 Central Park North condominium homes and high-rise apartment residences in New York City, please visit the web site located at 111centralparknorth.com today to download and read about the latest exciting updates surrounding this NYC real estate project.

The Residences at 111 Central Park North New York condominium tower

An impressive line of exclusive condo suites and luxury apartment residences are still available for purchase and leasing at the 111 Central Park North in New York City. This real estate property at 111 Central Park North is the premier address and condo tower to live in at New York City and within walking distance to all amenities and things you need to do and see on a regular basis. Include Residence A which is a three bedroom condominium unit featuring one thousand nine hundred and seventeen square feet in living urban space indoors. In addition, there are 2.5 bathrooms in Residence A New York leasing condominium homes at 111 Central Park North properties in addition to an expansive dining room separate from the kitchen. The large living room opens straight onto a balcony. The New York City 111 Central Park North condominium tower also features Residence B which is a residence apartment of thee bed rooms as well as 1917 square feet in living space. Almost identical in layout to Residence A, this condo home property at New York’s 111 Central Park North residence tower provides two spacious walk-in closets, an entry foyer and a large living and separate dining room that are both perfect for entertaining and unwinding after a long work day. The last floorplan layout featured at the luxurious and exclusive 111 Central Park North New York condo apartment homes is Residence C which is a two bedroom condominium suite with two washrooms, a powder room, large dining and living rooms, a against the wall open kitchen layout and a large balcony. This Residence C floor plan layout at the NYC 111 Central Park North condominium homes and residence property features one thousand four hundred and twenty two square feet and faces Central Park. With only three luxurious floor plans and condominium suites per floor, living in luxury is what the New York real estate properties available for leasing and renting at 111 Central Park North are all about.

The Building Features and Amenities

The New York real estate web site for 111 Central Park North condominium tower residences features some stunning photos and artist renderings of this condo residential high-rise beginning with a lifestyle movie as well as two exterior views (day and night) of the glass tower and a movie as well. There is also a still image of the entry garden as well as a movie of the lobby entrance at the NY 111 Central Park North condo property luxury homes in New York City in addition to still photos and movies of the open private terrace that is perfect for entertaining family and friends at your private home. It is also a great place to have community gatherings with friends at 111 Central Park North condominium homes. Some of the classic and modern amenities featured at the New York real estate properties here include a private courtyard with views of Central Park in addition to an attended lobby entrance and a concierge. There is also private underground parking for all residents with private elevators to all floors at the New York 111 Central Park North property apartment residences. Security is very important and there is video surveillance on 111 Central Park North grounds in addition to a flower and delivery room. For residents with bikes, there is a storage locker downstairs in addition to ten thousand square feet of landscape terrace for all condo residents at 111 Central Park North New York City. A party room and full scale fitness center are other featured building amenities offered at this NYC real estate tower project.

What’s around town and this district neighborhood in Manhattan New York?

Some of the close neighbourhood features at the 111 Central Park North condo residences and luxury homes include a Central Park address and just minutes walk away from the Dana Discover Center, Lasker Pool and Rink, 110th Street Playground and the Conservatory Garden. Residents at the New York real estate 111 Central Park North property condominiums will be close to all major transportation routes in and out of the business districts including the Subway, buses and easy access to the airports and trains. For more information about the luxury 111 Central Park North New York City leasing opportunities, please visit the web site at 111centralparknorth.com for more details or you can complete and send an online enquiry form. You can also visit the NYC 111 Central Park North Sales Office located at 131 West 110th Street in Unit #1D in New York by appointment only or you can call 212-381-2671 today. Also, you can contact Jeffrey, the Director of Sales at 111 Central Park North New York condominium homes and apartment residences at 917-846-3975 or Richard, the Sales Manager, at 917-723-2897.

Details about other pre-construction New York condo properties and New York City real estate opportunities are listed here.

Perth Real Estate Tests Home Buyers’ Limits

Housing affordability is stretching budgets in Perth – and the pressures aren’t about the disappear according to Tracey Joynson for the API Magazine in Australia – Feb ’07 edition.

Housing affordability in Perth has been declining amid soaring real estate home prices, rising interest rates and high government fees. While surging property home prices are driving the drop in affordability even further, according to Housing Industry Association (HIA) executive director of housing and economics Simon Tennent.

“Until the supply of new Perth housing catches up with the current shortage the outlook for real estate house prices, even in a higher interest rate environment, is for further increases thus putting Perth housing further out of reach of many families,” Tennent says.

Three years ago, Perth house prices were less than half of those in Sydney, Australian property Monitors says. The margin now is less than 6 per cent with Perth’s September quarter median house price at $491.587 and Sydney at $520,253.

HIA WA’s executive director, John Dastlik, says affordability deteriorated for the third consecutive quarter in September, sending it to a three year low and not far from the bad old days of the late 1990s when mortgage interest rates for real estate property in Perth reachd 17 per cent.

“The unacceptably low levels of housing affordability in Australia are restricting home ownership, constraining residential construction of real estate and exacerbating already very tight rental markets,” he says. “since the national housing cycle hits it speak it has been readily apparent that the triple whammy of spiralling land costs, excessive fees and charges and planning red tape was making a tangible recovery in real estate housing Perth Affordability virtually impossible.”

Macquarie Bank’s head of research Rod Cornish says Perth affordability will affect both first homebuyers and real estate investors. “There’s still quite a lot of investment into the real estate market, that’s what’s helping to drive the price growth,” Cornish says. “If you look at the proportion of investors in Perth in WA, its’ higher certainly than it is on the east coast now.”

Perth’s median house price has risen from $250,000 in June 2004 to be approaching $440,000 in the September 2006 quarter, according to the Real Estate Institute of WA (REIWA).

Perth Real Estate Investors Withdrawing?

REIWA president Rob Druitt says first homebuyers have hit the wall and are finding it difficult to get into the real estate market with the number of loans to first homebuyers falling in September. “We’re seeing a change in the real estate market in WA after the tremendous growth of the last, say, two years and it’s mostly affecting the lower and middle end of the market in Perth,” he says.

“The higher end of the real estate Perth market still seems to be travelling very well and that’s all about affordability. For investors in real estate here in WA, there’s been incredible capital growth over a relatively short period – that seems to be levelling out now but what hasn’t kept up with that growth is the rental real estate market.

“We’ve seen growth in Perth rentals for the September quarter – we saw around a $10 a week increase in the rents across the board. However, this is still not keeping up with the rapidly rising real estate property market so we’re looking at around a 3 per cent gross return on Perth property in WA at the moment which is clearly a yield below normal market conditions. Our yield in WA is normally 4 to 4.5 per cent.”

Anecdotally, because the yield isn’t that attractive, Druitt says some real estate investors in Perth are starting to look back to the east coast because relatively it seems like cheap real estate now and better value for money. ANZ chief economist Saul Eslake says investors in Perth may cause real estate house prices to fall depending on how significantly they’ve been contributing to the price rise.

“If Perth investors in real estate decide that there are more profitable places to park their money such as the share market or superannuation then their exiting of the real estate market, if they’ve been significant buyers, might cause prices to fall in Perth,” he says.

But Druitt is predicting a boom in rental prices because some catch-up is needed to make the yields realistic in relation to the real estate value of the properties and there’s also underlying demand – “particularly as people shift perhaps from buying to renting because they’ve been frozen out of the market price-wise”.

“They’ll be renting longer so that they can save more to get into the real estate market and that’s going to add some pressure on the market,” he says. “There’s probably been some drop-off in real estate Perth investors now just purely because of the price level and with a shortage of rental properties that’s going to push up rental prices quite significantly.”

The median rent for houses in the September quarter in Perth rose 4 per cent to $260 per week while the rent for units climbed 4.3 per cent to $240 a week, according to REIWA. Hegney Property Group chairman Gavin Hegney says rate rises can decrease real estate demand because home buyers can afford to borrow less and they also deter some buyers, particularly investors in Perth.

“If investors are deterred from the real estate market at all, then an already low rental vacancy rate will become lower which means the probability of rents rising further becomes far more likely,” he says. “The big difference with Perth is that these interest rate rises come during a strong growth period.

“What this means for owners in Perth who’ve bought real estate property as little as six month ago is that they’ve increased home equity which allows for refinancing to help smooth out their cash flow if they need it.

“For home owners in say Sydney, where their home values have been static or declining it means that there’s nowhere to turn if they’re already fully geared. This means the interest rate rise will be more easily absorbed in Perth.”

Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue Seattle

Designed for an exclusive few, these luxury home condominium residences at Fifteen Twenty One Second Avenue are international style homes that are sky-high and prestigious to say the least. Rare and absolutely amazing in both exterior architecture and interior design and details, this Seattle real estate development at Fifteen Twenty-One is lean, modest and affordable considering the luxurious nature of this project.

The recent updates to this Seattle property

The construction of Fifteen Twenty-One condominium residences on Second Avenue in Seattle WA have begun! You can visit their marketing website at 1521second.com for the latest construction images and details regarding this real estate development. If you are still looking for a luxurious condo home in Seattle, now is the time to contact the sales associates at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue as there are some luxurious properties still remaining. There is no public sales centre for this Seattle real estate property, so there are only private preview appointments required and available upon request. All the luxury residence condos at Fifteen-Twenty-One Seattle are over one million US dollars.

The project team

If you are looking at purchasing a prestigious and absolutely amazing home at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Ave in Seattle Washington, it will be very important for you to familiarize yourself with the project team behind this endeavour. Firstly, the real estate developer is Opus NWR, a proud and established team that has developed more than two hundred million sq ft in over twenty two hundred real estate projects spanning decades. Some of the residential projects that Opus is well known for include Harbor Square, and Dexter Lake Union in Seattle. Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue is also brought to the real estate market by William Justen, the managing director of the Samis Land Company in addition to the award winning urban residential architect at Weber + Thompson. Lastly, the interior design of the Seattle Fifteen Twenty-One condominium residences will be performed by Susan Marinello who has designed and completed such work at The Condos at One Lincoln Tower, the Four Seasons Residences in Seattle and more. In order to purchase a Fifteen Twenty-One condo at Second Avenue, you must register online with your contact details. The online form is located on their web site at: http://www.1521second.com/registration.php. Because this Seattle real estate development is so exclusive and private, only serious appointments for prospective home buyers will be made. To make a private appointment, please contact 206.443.1521. The Sales Representatives for the Fifteen Twenty-One Seattle condos on Second Avenue include: Julie Conroy, DeLaine Emmert, and Sandy Justen. The preview home for the exclusive Fifteen Twenty-One condominium homes is located at 217 Pine Street on the fifth floor in Seattle WA. For all the latest news and updates, you can click on the following link: http://www.1521second.com/press.html.

The luxury amenities

The real estate development is so unique and prestigious, that it is very difficult to explain the scope of this project in detail in so little space. The Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue Seattle condominium homes are all priced over one million dollars and for great reasons. The amenities and building features include a rooftop terrace (available for resident and tenant use) that is thirty eight stories above Seattle providing terrific views of the city, mountains and water. In addition, there is a balance of great features at Fifteen Twenty-One Seattle condo homes with services and security that are detailed below. Much like a five start hotel, this real estate development will have a porte-cochere that will be a stunning way to enter and leave the luxury residences. In addition a modern yet sophisticated entrance lobby will grace every visit to the Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue residences where you will find warm and inviting designs and materials. A full time professional concierge will also be at your service so that you won’t miss a thing while you’re away. Also, the Seattle Fifteen Twenty-One luxury residences will have a landscape roof top terrace as well as a business and conference area to conduct meetings in addition to security that is monitored throughout the premises. Also, the fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue residence homes will have a professional building manager that will fix anything you need in a timely fashion in addition to very high-speed residential elevators. The terrace will also provide plenty of entertainment space, grills and more and there will be a spa and wellness center with gym and yoga/pilates studios. The Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue residences will also have a bike storage and extra storage for all condominium residents as well as a children’s playroom to keep them satisfied and busy.

The Floorplans at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue

The penthouse level (floor 38) at this Seattle real estate development will only have three homes. Home L is a two bed and two bathroom residence with two thousand three hundred and sixty one square feet of living space with the most amazing views. The Home K at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue in Seattle WA will also have two bedrooms but 2.5 baths with two thousand nine hundred and fifty eight sqft. Lastly, Home M at Seattle’s most luxurious real estate development property will have 2 and 2.5 with twenty six hundred and eighty nine sq ft of urban living spaces. For more information, please visit: http://www.1521second.com/.

For other luxury Seattle condo pre-construction presales developments.

The Falls Victoria Seaside Residences

An ultimate seaside neighbourhood of tranquility and peace is beginning in Victoria at The Falls real estate development. With modern residences and a one hundred foot unique and spectacular waterfall, the Falls Victoria residences are exquisite in every way.

Background overview of this development

The Falls Victoria is a Westbank luxury collection of seaside residences that will feature everything from an exotic swimming pool on site in addition to Italian kitchens designed by Schiffini, air-conditioning which is very rare in this city and in any pre-construction condo building, granite finishes, marble, and limestone as well. Located in the heart of Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, the Falls Victoria residences will range in price between three hundred and eighty nine thousand to four hundred and ninety nine thousand CAD. The estates at The Falls seaside neighbourhood will range in cost between five hundred and twenty nine thousand to one point six five million Canadian dollars. Only for serious home buyers in Victoria BC, The Falls seaside residences are now open for sale and you can contact them by calling either 250 920 7222 or 866 920 7272. The presentation center for the Falls Victoria community is now open at 101 -645 Tyee Road in Victoria BC. The sales discovery centre is open everyday except for Fridays between 12 noon and 5pm. To register online, please visit the Falls website at http://www.thefallsvictoria.com/ and click on “Registration”.

The Features of this Community

The seaside residences at The Falls Victoria will feature one hundred and fifty five luxurious one, two and three bedroom suites over eighteen terraced floors in this high-rise tower in the heart of the city. With four stunning two-level penthouses, only a few lucky home buyers will have a chance to own some of the most spectacular waterfront residences in all of the city. The Falls Victoria residences are LEED Silver sustainable architecture in construction and will have superior concrete design. All condominium units will have over-height ceilings and floor to ceiling glazing in addition to indoor electric fireplaces and air conditioning for those hot summer days. The seaside residences at the Falls in Victoria will also feature spacious outdoor decks and expansive terraces in addition to outdoor gas fireplaces on some select terraces as well as cascading waterfalls and pools. The condo community at the Falls Victoria will also have lush gardens and professionally landscaped residential areas in addition to a fitness centre and amenity room. Residents and tenants at the Victoria Falls real estate development can also enjoy an outdoor swimming pool and a secured residential access with convenient street-level retail shops too. The interior finishes will include dual flush toilets, double vanities, deck mounted bathtubs in addition to a frameless glass showers. You will also have the choice between the light or dark American walnut cabinetry as well as Schiffini vanities. The appliances at the Falls seaside residences in Victoria BC will also feature dawn or dusk color schemes in addition to soft touch closures and light or chocolate walnut hardwood flooring. The appliances will be of AEG, Bosch and Liebherr and there will be imported granite counters and backsplashes in the kitchen.

More about the Victoria Falls Residences

Amazing vantage points and panoramas of Victoria harbour are waiting for you at the Falls residences. Please check online at their marketing web site for pictures of the views that could be yours if you purchase your next home at this real estate development: http://www.thefallsvictoria.com/. The real estate team will consist of Westbank and architect James KM Cheng with Shutters Spa + Residences and the Parc Residences in Victoria. Spectacularly modern yet traditional in many ways, the residences at Falls seaside in Victoria are bound to sell out very quickly due to the large international demand in waterfront property in this amazing city. For home owners at this property, you will be just a ferry ride away from Salt Spring Island and downtown Vancouver or even Seattle. Canada’s most enchanting city, Victoria, will now be home to one of the most luxurious real estate developments in the form of the Falls seaside residences.

The Plans

This Victoria real estate property will consist of two residential towers. The South Tower will have a total of fifteen stories while the penthouse level for the North Tower is considered the twentieth floor. With spacious one, two and three bedroom residence condominiums in both towers, there is a floorplan for every lifestyle in this luxurious development at the seaside Falls Victoria. Please take a look online at the floorplans by visiting http://www.thefallsvictoria.com/ and clicking on ‘Plans’ to navigate their Flash siteplan. The South Tower residences face Burdett Avenue while the North Tower seaside residences face both Douglas Street and Courtney Streets in Victoria BC.

If you are specifically looking for Pacific Northwest real estate Vancouver and Seattle condo properties, click here.

Real Estate Affordability | Wages Not Keeping Up

House prices have grown more than twice as fast as wages over the past decade – making it harder to save a deposit and harder to pay off a loan. By Mark Armstrong and Fiona Marsden for the API Magazine February 2007 edition.

Housing affordability across Australia seems to worsen each year – yet real estate house prices in several Australian cities haven’t moved substantially since 2003. We crunched some numbers to find out why.

According to the Real Estate Institute of Australia, the national median house price in 1996 was $161,312. By 2001 it was $248,993 and by 2006, it had climbed to a whopping $407,538 – an average annual increase of almost 10 per cent.

A look at wage growth statistics tells a different story. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that average annual earnings were $35,251 in 1996. By 2001, they were $43,555 and in 2006 they had risen to $54,668.

That’s an average annual increase of around 4.5 per cent – less than half the growth in real estate prices for the same period. Small wonder affordability is getting worse, even in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne where the last property boom finished in 2003.

The real estate affordability squeeze is hitting first homebuyers on two fronts. First, they have to put aside a higher proportion of their earnings to save a deposit. In 1996, someone on average weekly earnings needed to put aside 9 per cent of their income to save a 10 per cent deposit for a median priced home over a five-year period. By 2006, they had to put aside 15 per cent. Second, even if they do manage to enter the real estate market, homebuyers have to put a higher percentage of their earnings into loan repayments. In 1996, someone buying a median priced home had to devote 34 per cent of average earnings towards their real estate mortgage. In 2006, this figure has jumped to 47 per cent.

Moreover, these figures refer to the official cash rate set by the Reserve Bank. The retail rate set by lenders is generally 1 to 2 per cent higher, so the actual percentage of earnings going towards loan repayments would be much greater.

In this context, the prevailing real estate interest rate also plays a role. In 1996 when homeowners spent 34 per cent of average earnings on a median priced home, the cash rate was 7.5 per cent. In 2001, when the cash rate had fallen to 5 per cent, the percentage figure dropped to 29 per cent. Interestingly in November 2006 when the cash rate was 6.35 per cent, real estate homeowners had to devote a higher percentage of their earnings towards loan repayments than they did in 1996 when the cash rate was higher. Clearly, the slow increases in wages relative to house prices is now the most significant factor in determining real estate affordability in Australia.

In this environment, real estate markets that are out of sync with the national norm will start to experience major corrections in 2007. Perth and Darwin, where house prices have increased far more quickly than other cities in the past few years, will be in for along period of adjustment if the mining sector starts to come off the boil as industry pundits predict.

At the other end of the scale, newly real estate developed outer suburban areas that rely mainly on young homebuyers for their chief source of demand will also suffer the fallout from plummeting affordability. If would-be first homebuyers can’t save a deposit quicly enough to keep pace with prices, they’ll stay away and values in real estate will fall. With eight increases since 2002, we believe the current interest rate cycle is nearing the end and the Reserve Bank will reduce rates in 2007. If it doesn’t, a growing number of young Australians will have to downscale their home ownership dreams – or face the prospect of permanent tenancy.

Mark Armstrong is a director of Property Planning Australia(www.propertyplanning.com.au) Fiona Marsden is an experienced property writer.

What affects real estate values and property values in the eyes of a home purchaser

By Terry Ryder for API Magazine January 2007. The second part of this two part article.

Public Transport Nodes and Real Estate Values

Matusik has investigated house values several times in the past five years to determine the importance of being next to public transport nodes. The evidence suggests home buyers are paying 10 per cent more to be within 500 metres of railway stations and 19 per cent more to be near major busway stations.

Over the past five years, real estate values near a railway station have increased 12.6 per cent a year – compared to the Brisbane average of 10.3 per cent.

“Higher prices are being paid to live near the major busway stations of Woolloongabba, Greenslopes, and Holland Park. Five years ago houses close to these stations weren’t much more than the Brisbane average but the median house price near these transport hubs this year was 19 per cent higher than the Brisbane average,” Matusik says.

Real estate values for these properties rose almost 12 per cent in the 2006 financial year, compared to the Brisbane average rise of 3.5 per cent. Bright says Sydney homes need access to some mode of public transport to be desireable – either train, bus or ferry.

“The more the merrier – it’s mandatory to have at least one ofthose modes of transport available, preferably two,” Bright says. “If you don’t have train or bus or ferry, you’re making it hard.”

Lifestyle Precincts, shops, parks are important for real estate buyers

Brisbane house values within 500 metres of noted lifestyle precincts – suburban high street or café strips – have risen 13.5 per cent a year over the past five years, compared with the Brisbane average of 10.3 per cent.

The median house price in these precincts is $584,000 – compared with the Brisbane average of $354,000. House values and real estate properties rose 9.2 per cent in these precincts in the 2006 financial year, while prices rose only 2.5 per cent across Brisbane.

“Home buyers in these higher-priced inner-city locations were paying 61 per cent more than the average in 2002,” Matusik says. “This premium has lifted to 81 per cent when compared to today’s median price. When comparing the results against the inner-city median house price, we find that the premium paid to live near a high street was 10 per cent in 2002 and 16 per cent today.”

The research showed there was a premium paid to live close to major shopping centres as well. This wasn’t the case in 2002 but today Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast real estate home buyers will pay 18 per cent above the area’s average to be close to regional shopping centres.

There was a similar result for homes close to major public open spaces. There was no premium in 2002 but now home buyers pay a premium of 18 per cent. “Annual price growth has been similarly impressive, with the results being 15.1 per cent a year over the past five years,” Matusik says.

Bright says lifestyle precincts are becoming more and more important in Sydney, because Generation X and Y want it and baby boomers are moving towards them as they edge closer to retirement.

Noise a No-No and will decrease property real estate values significantly

Home and apartment buyers are finding themselves victims of noise rage. Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, says pre-purchase inspections of real estate show this is a growing issue.

“Often it’s only when people move in that they find their new home is subject to noise which can lead to stress, poor relationships with neighbours and in some cases physical confrontations,” says Ron Tanton of Archicentre.

Noise problems arise from poor real estate building practices with inappropriate acoustic separation between apartments, the tendency for people to invest thousands in home entertainment systems, noise-producing polished floors in units and balconies built like clusters on high-rise condo buildings.

“Noise is an issue everyone needs to assess before signing on the dotted line for a real estate property,” Tanton says. He suggest home buyers speak to neighbours and see how they feel about living in the apartments – as they’ll soon tell you if they’re suffering sound rage.

Bright says he visits residents living in apartments above the one he’s examining for a client and asks them to walk about so he can assess noise transfer. It’s important for home buyers to check whether the walls have noise-dampening insulation and concrete floors which lessen noise transfer. Kelaher says noisy apartments will sell for 20 to 25 per cent less than quiet ones.

Water tanks worth watching ... most so in Australia

Water-wise features will attract a premium and may, in the future, be a major contributor to achieving a sale. As the drought and global warming become top-of-mind for many Australians, this factor will gain increasing importance in the real estate market.

A recent website poll by Matusik Property Insights examined whether rain tanks added value to a home. Two-thirds of respondents thought they did. Of the ‘yes’ voters, 30 per cent thought they added between 2 and 5 per cent to the property’s overall value, while 20 per cent thought a rainwater tank would add 5 per cent of more. Matusik notes, however, that a 2 per cent premium would add $6500 to the average Brisbane home – twice the current cost to install a typical water tank. As the consequence of drought and water restrictions become more apparent, the value of having a water tank in a real estate property grows. Archicentre says one of the outcomes of water shortages will be more cracks appearing in Australian homes and real estate. It predicts cracking in homes will rise 10 per cent.

Archicentre’s latest survey of 75,000 homes across Australia found South Australia suffered the worst cracking problems in the country, with almost half of homes affected. The next highest was Tasmania, with 45 per cent of real estate affected.

Archicentre’s manager in SA, Jim Jovanovic, says that as water restrictions are implemented throughout Australia, the moisture in the ground is ‘changing quite dramatically.’

“When the soils dry out, strain is put on the real estate property structure and cracks can appear overnight,” Jovanovic says, “In many cases, cracks up to 10 millimetres in brickwork could close up once the soil regained moisture content. More serious cracking might need some form of structural repair.”

Terry Ryder is author of four books and creator of hotspotting.com.au.

For more information about Australia pre-construction condominium residences.

Atria Condominium Project in San Diego

A waterfront marina district community of residential condominiums is coming to San Diego’s Atria Condo high-rise tower complete with retail and commercial space in this mixed-use real estate development property. Already completed, the Atria San Diego condos are still available for purchase and rental.

What’s interesting is that the 101 Market Street urban condominiums in San Diego downtown core have become synonymous with the word ‘downtime’. Not only are these urban spaces elegant and sophisticated for home buyers and renters, but the San Diego Atria condo high-rise tower residences also provides more downtime for residents to do their own thing. Just seconds away from the Gaslamp Quarter or some fine restaurants and outdoor cafes, or shopping and music, the Atria San Diego condominium homes and residences are here to serve you and provide your loved ones with an amazing living opportunity in downtown San Diego California. Along the waterfront and close to many recreational parks and trails, the San Diego Atria condo residence apartments are one of the most infamous and luxurious homes that you can own in this beautiful western city. The San Diego Atria on Market Street still has a few condo units for sale, so check the availability and don’t wait any longer. 101 Market Street Atria condos take up one city block between 1st and 2nd streets in downtown and nothing is quite like this San Diego real estate development, so check it out!

More about the Atria on Market Street condominiums

This luxury San Diego real estate property is being planned and built by Hammer Ventures, an estabalished and experienced team that will back the construction of one hundred and forty nine luxurious condominium waterfront units at Atria on Market Street residence apartments in downtown San Diego CA. In addition, this San Diego real estate project will also feature eleven thousand four hundred sq ft of both commercial and retail space on the ground level between Market Street and Island Street and very close to Gaslamp District. As a completed project, prospective home buyers and renters can actually view the already finished condominium suites at Atria San Diego high-rise tower residences, which is very different from other real estate properties still in pre-construction phases and prospective buyers only purchasing from a plan on paper. For more information, please visit the San Diego real estate Atria on Market Street web site at atriadowntown.com. Complete and ready for immediate occupancy once the real estate property deal is signed and completed, the Atria Condo residence homes in San Diego downtown near the waterfront will be only four stories spanning an entire block. The floor plans at Atria San Diego on Market Street condominiums will range from studio homes, loft residences, townhomes/townhouses in addition to residences with one to three bed rooms.

Amenities listing for this property

Exterior amenities at the Atria San Diego condo tower residence apartments will include the following: elevators that are high-speed, rooftop deck with barbeque, fireplace and downtown views, gated underground parking spaces for private use only, media room and state of the art exercise and fitness facility. The San Diego Atria condominium homes and residences will also feature a mail room in addition to a computer and business center with conference room for working from home. The Atria San Diego residence tower homes will have a grand lobby entrance with a drop-off area for guests. In addition, some of the interior amenities in the downtown San Diego Atria on Market Street condo residences will include matching granite backsplashes and counters, stainless steel appliance, decorator selected carpets, ceramic tiles, hardwood floors in loft units, and stylish cabinet hardware. IN addition, other interior features at the downtown San Diego real estate condominiums at Atria condo homes and residences on Market Street will feature individual alarms, multiple phone lines, high speed data, private decks, spacious closet space, nine foot or higher ceilings, washer and dryers as well as track lighting.

Floorplans at Atria on Market Street SD

In downtown San Diego lies one of the undiscovered condominium gems in this property market. From studio floor plans to large single family residences, the Atria condominium homes in downtown San Diego on Market Street definitely has something for everyone. Firstly, the studio plan S4 is a floorplan that features a single story, five hundred and eighty six square foot residences and the studio with one bathroom is priced at the Atria Condos from three hundred and eighteen thousand, five hundred and fifty dollars. Floorplans for loft residences includes plan L1 which is also one storey with six hundred and twenty six square feet. This loft residence at the downtown San Diego Atria tower residence apartments condos will have a deck and one bathroom and start from three hundred and seventy two thousand, one hundred dollars. The condominium suites at the Atria on Market Street, San Diego will have one bedroom condo homes in floor plan A1 which has 1 level, and six hundred and eighty one sqft. In addition, these one bedroom plus one bath units will be priced from an affordable three hundred and eighty four thousand and twenty US dollars. The two bedroom condominium homes at the Atria condos in San Diego California will be in floorplan B2 and have two stories, one thousand two hundred and ninety sq ft in a townhome configuration with 2.5 baths. These luxurious Atria homes and townhouses will start from five hundred and nineteen thousand, nine hundred dollars. The three bedroom condo floorplans at the Atria San Diego real estate properties will have three stories and one thousand four hundred and ninety six spacious sq feet with townhome configurations and 3.5 bathrooms. These state of the art family homes at the downtown San Diego Atria real estate development will be priced from six hundred and twenty nine thousand, nine hundred dollars.

California pre-construction condo pre-sales are listed here.

One Avenue B New York Condominium Apartment Residences at OneAveB Properties

A new construction New York real estate property development is underway at the trendy and chic OneAveB condominium tower residences at One Avenue B in NYC 1B. A different twist in urban living residence apartments, the One Ave B NYC condominiums will be luxurious and spacious and will features 1B OneAveB condo apartment amenities and features to die for.

A convergence of lifestyles, cultures, entertainment and neighborhoods lies in the crossroads of what will eventually become the New York City One Avenue B condominium residence apartments and OneAveB NYC real estate properties. From East Village and the Lower East Side of Manhattan lies in waiting a new construction New York real estate luxury condominium tower that will be close to all bars, restaurants, shopping, lounges, recreational green spaces, open spaces and districts that residents at the One Avenue B condo apartments and New York OneAveB residence properties will come to call home. Marketing and sales for this NYC real estate OneAveB condo construction project at 1B One Avenue B residences is now underway, so find out more about this great investment opportunity by contacting the sales office or visiting their design center today. The NYC real estate development team behind the One Avenue B construction project at OneAveB residence condominium apartments includes the real estate developer 1B Largavista Companies, architecture by Marin Nanca, interiors designed by Schefer Design and the exclusive New York City real estate marketing and sales by Citi Habitats Marketing Group. The sponsor for OneAveB property apartments and 1B One Avenue B condominium suites and homes is by 1B Paco East Houston LLC in Brooklyn, NY.

The amenities of OneAveB Condominiums in New York’s One Avenue B real estate properties

Luxury building amenities are very much like resort style features that are provided during your exclusive holidays, but the New York 1B OneAveB residence apartments in the condominium residence tower at One Avenue B condo homes provides modern and innovative designs and features that are unique to this property development project. From a terrace lounge with entertainment kitchen to a fully furnished sun deck for you and your guests to enjoy those long summer days, and from 1B WiFi wireless internet access in all public spaces and a bike room, the OneAveB condominium mid-rise tower apartment condo residences at One Avenue B properties are one of a kind and an excellent short term and long term New York real estate investment for you and your loved ones. Also, there is a fully equipped 1B fitness gym with cardiovascular equipment in addition to a 1B studio room for pilates and yoga at the OneAveB condo apartment building. The New York One Avenue B residence apartments and condo suite will also provided sound dampering construction in the walls, ceilings and the building foundation in addition to pre wiring for all data connections include cable television, telephone, and flat screen tv mounts in the living room of all residence suites. The 1B New York OneAve B condominium homes at One Avenue B NYC apartment condos will also have individual storage for each resident. The lobby entrance at the OneAveB condo residences provides some of the most striking and unique design details of any pre-construction New York real estate property and includes Cervaiole stone accent wall with Flammet stone flooring with wenge wood accents and a full time front desk staff. There is also a video security surveillance system setup in addition to key access security into and out of the luxury OneAveB properties at New York City One Avenue B condominium suites and apartment luxury residences.

The Interior 1B floorplans and details of the OneAveB New York One Avenue B condominium apartment homes and luxury properties.

Living in Manhattan NY has never been like this before. The One Avenue B apartment condominiums are a one of a kind property that provides the best of everything a luxury home offers. Firstly, the ONeAveB condominium homes in NYC will provide gourmet European style modern kitchens that will only feature the best of all fixtures, finishes and 1B appliances that includes high-end and well known features by Calacatta (marble counters), Viking (appliance package), Bosch (dishwasher, washer and dryer) in addition to wide plank chestnut floors and walnut wood cabinets. Much like the artist rendering on the One Avenue B New York condominium web site, the kitchens at OneAveB are absolutely stunning and will work well for both casual and formal dining occasions in your private home. In addition, the OneAveB condo properties and One Avenue B New York 1B apartment homes will feature luxurious spa-inspired bath rooms that will include Jado Borma and Toto fixtures (the best out there) including an Oceania Soaker tub which is perfect for relaxing after a long day at work. In addition, the OneAveB bathrooms will feature custom walnut and Cinza slate vanities as well as white Thassos marble wall tiling in addition to Cinza slate flooring. Whatever you have dreamed about having in your own home, the New York OneAveB condominium apartments and One Avenue B residences will provide just that and more, leaving you in comfort and relaxation every single day. For a virtual tour of the OneAveB New York real estate properties 1B, please visit the NYC One Avenue B web site at oneavenueb.com and click on the appropriate link.

The OneAveB contact information for the New York real estate properties at One Avenue B apartment residences

For more information about this new construction NY real estate 1B development project at One Avenue B condominium suites and apartment OneAveB properties, please visit their marketing web site and fill out their online registration form at oneavenueb.com/contact.html. The latest news and updates to come out form the 1B sales and marketing team at OneAveB apartment condos is that these New York One Avenue B condominium residences will be ready for occupancy in 2007. For the latest 1B press releases and neighborhood information, please visit the OneAveB web site for those details.

Info is found on this New York pre-construction condos tower luxury residences and master planned condominium communities.

From Little Things Big Prices Grow – Part 2 of this Real Estate Pricing and Trends Article

The big-ticket items that add value to real estate are well known: being beside water, spectacular views and proximity to the beach all attract price premiums. But there are many less obvious features that can be the difference between a sale and no real estate sale, and between an average real estate price and a great property price. By Terry Ryder for API Magazine January 2007.

Owning a house or an apartment with an 8 in the address could add tens of thousands to the value if the real estate buyer happens to believe in numerology.

It may sound a bit of a stretch but in some real estate markets, such as the inner eastern suburbs of Melbourne where Asian buyers are a large part of the market, numbers are taken very seriously.

It’s just one of the many real estate factors that add value in the eyes of buyers. Some place more importance on proximity to good schools than they do on a view of the water. Others won’t buy an apartment unless the building is pet friendly. Many will pay a price premium to be close to a lifestyle precinct. As the impact of drought and water restrictions spreads, having a water tank is becoming a feature of rising importance.

Brisbane research analyst Michael Matusik says real estate home buyers are increasingly prepared to pay a premium to access the features that matter to them.

“Premiums, to date, have been highest for more lifestyle oriented things such as water views and being near quality restaurants and the like,” he says. “But looking into the future we expect that while these lifestyle drivers will still attract healthy premiums, the biggest movers will be the hard assets, in particular public transport nodes and regional shopping centres.

“Why do such things add a premium? Because they’re in demand and in short supply.”

Schools Dictate Real Estate Property Choice

The school belt through Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs is a major reason why this is the prime residential precinct of the city, encompassing desired locations such as Toorak. And there’s now data that quantifies the added value of being close to good schools.

Australian National University (ANU) research has found parents are willing to pay “substantially more” for homes near better-performing schools. ANU economist Andrew Leigh and Harvard University graduate Ian Davidoff found house prices reflected the average performance of the local school.

They suggest real estate buyers are willing to pay 3.5 per cent extra for a home near a good public school. The findings are based on research covering real estate in 600 homes in Canberra which found a link between real estate prices and the performance of the local public schools in years 11 and 12. They used a school’s average UAI score (known as a TER or ENTER score in other states and territories) as a performance measure.

“A five-point increase in a school’s average UAI score is associated with a 3.5 per cent increase in house real estate prices,” Davidoff says. “At the median sale price, this translates into an increase of around $13,500.”

The ANU report records results of similar research overseas, including results of US studies that indicate buyers in real estate will sometimes pay a premium of 10 per cent or more to live near the best schools.

Buyers agent Patrick Bright of EPS Property Search says Sydney parents who want their kids to get into certain schools need to live in the school zone to get priority. Clients often ask for specific real estate locations because they want access to a school which a good name – and sometimes that means paying more.

“We may have a great home that suites all the buyers’ needs but if it’s not in the required school zone they won’t buy it,” Bright says. “They’ll compromise on the real estate property to make sure they’re in the desired zone.”

Matusik says his qualitative research with family groups has found that proximity to a good school is often a bigger priority than ocean or city views.

His research also finds that Brisbane homes within a 500 metre radius of a public secondary school grow 3 per cent more in value each year than the city average (an average of 13.1 per cent price growth in real estate per year, compared to the city’s 10.3 per cent average over the past five years).

The premium was much greater for real estate close to private secondary schools – they’ve grown 18.7 per cent a year over five years.

Pet-Friendly Apartments and Real Estate

Australia is the largest pet-owning nation (per capita) in the world. We’ve got 4 million pet dogs and 2.4 million pet cats. The Australian Companion Animal Council says 60 per cent of households have a dog or cat – and of those that don’t, more than half would like one. According to Petnet research, 91 per cent of pet owners feel “very close” to their pets and treat them as family members.

All this creates a problem in the property real estate industry because many apartment buildings have a no-pets rule. In doing so, they seriously limit their market for buyers.

Anna Jones of Ray White in Surfers Paradise says: “unless a building is pet-friendly, pet owners and want-to-be pet owners won’t even look. When I advertise units in pet-friendly strata schemes, as many as 50 per cent of all my enquiries are from pet owners.”

High-rise apartments sell more quickly and for higher prices if the building is pet-friendly. Tim Holmes of PRDnationwide says high-rise buildings with a “no pets” policy are excluding 60 to 80 per cent of the potential real estate buyer market.

Holmes says many real estate developers are now including pet-friendly features to ensure their buildings are attractive to a growing market share in the real estate industry. A roomy balcony where a dog can get some fresh air as much as a selling point as a swimming pool, a tennis court or a gym.

“Even though the pet-friendly features may not be used by residents, it’s now imperative they form part of the package if real estate developers want to attract affluent buyers for whom pet-ownership is a must,” Holmes says.

PRDnationwide compared re-sales over five years in high-rise condominium buildings which allowed pets and others which didn’t. One real estate building with a no-pets policy recorded 12 resales of apartments at an average price of $535,000 and average capital growth of 15 per cent. A nearby project which allows pets recorded eight re-sales at an average sale price of $1,044,000 and average capital growth in real estate of 20 per cent.

In other cases, a non pet-friendly building recorded 48 re-sales at an average price of $306,000 and average capital growth of property of 4 per cent. A nearby pet-friendly building recorded 52 re-sales at an average $740,000 and an annual real estate capital growth of 14 per cent.

“These snapshots are typical of what we’re finding in the current real estate market as buyers are prepared to pay a premium for real estate which will allow them to keep small pets,” says Holmes. “It’s not isolated to one area but a trend in the marketplace.”

In Sydney pet friendly buildings are scarce and it’s a key frustration for home buyers who have pets. “Many people who want an apartment end up in a terrace or a townhouse because they can’t have their pet in the real estate apartments,” says Bright. “We have clients who would be happy to live in an apartment but they simply can’t put a cattle dog into an apartment – so they’re getting a terrace with a small backyard, which is stretching their budget.”

Peter Kelaher of PK Property Research says he often declines to take on clients who specify pet-friendly apartment buildings because they’re so difficult to find in Sydney.

Do the numbers stack up? - Numerology in Real Estate Decisions

Melbourne agent Robert Ding says 40 to 50 per cent of his buyers in the inner eastern suburbs come from Asian backgrounds. And they buy real estate property by the numbers. An 8 or 3 in the street address or apartment number can make a big difference in making a sale and getting price premiums.

Ding, of Jellis Craig in Balwyn, says real estate buyers with Chinese and other Asian origins take numerology very seriously – and 8s and 3s have positive attributes while 4s and 10s are turn-offs.

This is particularly so for people from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.

“It all comes down to superstition but for Asian people these are highly regarded factors when buying real estate property,” says Ding, who was born in Taiwan. “The number 8 means prosperity, wealth and good luck. The number 3 means mountain – that one day you will be standing on the peak of the mountain. A 3 is not as powerful as an 8 – but many home buyers would prefer a view of the mountain than a view of water.”

The numbers 4 and 10 are associated with death and homes with those numbers wouldn’t attract superstitious Asian buyers. Bright finds the biggest priority for Asian buyers in real estate in Sydney is avoiding a 4 in the street address or apartment number.

“Most commonly they stipulate ‘no number 4’ because means death,” he says. “They get excited if there’s an 8 in the home address because it means good luck. It’s not a ‘have to factor but they do get excited when it happens.”

More to come in Part 3 of Think Small and Win Big!

The Year of the Condo in Seattle: Brix Condominiums

Published as an email blast on February 16th, 2007.

You may have seen the story "The year of the condo in downtown Seattle" in last Sunday's Seattle Times. While the story focused on the downtown condo projects, we just wanted to remind you that living at Brix Condos, located on Broadway in the thriving Capitol Hill neighborhood, means that downtown - and all of its amenities - is just a short walk away.

Brix Condominiums captures the best of Capitol Hill while bringing fresh energy to a neighborhood never content with the status quo. Brix offers five different home styles to choose from, including two-story lofts, town homes and flats.

Residents of Brix condominiums, located at Broadway and Mercer, will have 24/7 access to Seattle's most unique shops, classic theaters, outdoor parks and open spaces, as Joe's Barwell as Seattle's most flavorful mix of restaurants and cafés. And as icing on the cake, at Brix you'll also have easy access to all of your favorite places in downtown Seattle.

For convenience and easy living, it doesn't get any better than Brix and its central location at the north end of Broadway.

Visit the Brix Presentation Center today!

700 Broadway Ave. E, Seattle
Open daily from 11 am - 5 pm - free parking in the building
(206) 262-9416
brixcondos.com

If you are looking for more details about other Seattle Condos and Pre-Construction Real Estate in Washington State, click here.

Skaha Beach Club and Spa Resort in the Okanagan

Published as an email blast on February 16th, 2007.

Five Star Updates! Skaha Beach Club & Spa

Skaha Beach Club & Spa Okanagan is one of the most complete and spectacular resort investment opportunities in the Okanagan. We are committed to our goal of creating and offering what is sure to be the most exclusive property the Okanagan has ever seen.

In our quest for five star excellence at Skaha Beach Club & Spa Okanagan, we are pleased to make the following announcements:

Based on the incredible demand and sellout on our two previous launch days for Studio Residences, we have added a fifth floor to Building # 2 and to Building # 4 at Skaha Beach Club & Spa Okanagan. We anticipate most of these Studio Residences will be acquired by our existing Owners who have already experienced significant capital appreciation of their Residences at Skaha Beach Club & Spa.

We have extended Skaha Beach Club and Resort Spa Building 3 towards the lagoon and inserted two One-Bedroom Residences on each floor, again, to satisfy market demand.

Our hotel operator, Atlific Hotels and Resorts, feels these new Residences will help to satisfy our peak summer demand and address the Convention Centre shortage of first-class hotel rooms in Penticton outside the summer season.

STOP PRESS: All of these changes are now reflected on our Skaha Beach Club & Spa website: www.skahabeachclub.com. While on the website, take a sneak preview at these exciting changes at your Five-Star Resort:

v Increase in our World-Class Destination Spa from 4000 square feet to 8200 square feet

v Unique Okanagan Hydrotherapy Water Journey in the Spa on the Beach Level

v Expansion of our Skaha Beach Club & Spa Okanagan Fitness Club & Wellness Centre with the addition of an Indoor Pool, all on the Beach Level

v Doubling the size of our meeting room space on the Ground Floor

v Increase in the size of our cafe/deli/wine bistro and doubling the size of the International Culinary School on the Ground Floor,

All of which will enhance demand for this Five Star Destination Resort.

To facilitate Skaha Beach Club & Spa Priority Registration and, due to our extremely high conversion rate at our past launch events, we will remove Residences from the inventory on our website as soon as they have a Priority Reservation Agreement with a $10,000 deposit in place.

Please act now to secure your first choice as these new Residences and the few remaining Two-Bedroom Lock-off Residences in Building 3 are now available for our March 31st, 2007 launch.

On April 1st, 2007, pricing will increase 15-25% for Skaha Beach Club & Spa Resort Residences in Buildings 5 & 6 to reflect increased construction costs.

Reservation Forms are available by replying to this email or contacting your Sales Representative at 1.877.493.3003 .

We look forward to hearing from you,

Your Skaha Beach Club & Spa Team

The Discovery Centre is open Noon-5:00pm Everyday
3388 Skaha Lake Road
Penticton, B.C. V2A 6G4
Toll Free: 1-877-493-3003
www.skahabeachclub.com

For more information about other British Columbia resort real estate developments and pre-sales opportunities, please click here. For those looking for Vancouver real estate pre-construction condos, click here.

Real Estate Help is at Hand and Home Renovations - On the Improve of Real Estate

Got a real estate renovation question? Who better to ask than Reno King Paul Eslick? Published in API January 2007 magazine in Australia.

Question: My home renovation involves pulling out a kitchen cabinet and a wall to create more open space at the back of our house. After much hunting around, I’ve found some terractotta tiles that look almost identical to the tiles already in place through the rest of the kitchen. However, these tiles are somewhat thinner than the originals. What’s the best way to lay tiles so I get a level end result?

Answer: I assume we’re talking about floor tiles here. Tiles that require padding for levelling purposes should be laid onto a finished correct height solid base which has been attached to the original floor with nails and glue. Tiles are then fastened as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Reno Kings usually tile all their wet areas with 200mm x 200mm white tiles for a BBC room – bigger, brigher and cleaner!

Question: What’s the best approach to painting concrete path or driveway? Is any special preparation needed?

Answer: For unpainted surfaces, new concrete requires curing for at least 12 weeks before painting. All unpainted surfaces, new and old, need to be etched to give good adhesion. Mix one part spirit of salts to nine parts water and spread with a stiff broom until fizzing action has ceased. Repeat on smooth concrete surfaces, wash off and allow drying before painting.

For painted surfaces, scrape off all flaky paint and remove all contaminants like oil, grease etc. Sand smooth surfaces to rough for better adhesion. Paint a small section only and allow it to dry and then test compatibility with old paint, looking for signs like lifting. If poor adhesion is visible, remove old paint. If not, paint as per manufacturer’s instructions.

Painting concrete sounds harder than it actually is. The Reno Kings paint these surfaces often. It gives the house a left and dries in two hours. What a bonus instant equity!

Question: I’m currently renovating a Queenslander real estate property and will be sanding the paint off the old deck and recoating it to show off the natural timber. I’m unsure whether to use a decking oil or a lacquer. What would your recommend?

Answer: Maintaining a natural look of timber deck equates to a lot of challenges to both the timber and the coatings. Decking, either hardwood or treated pine laid horizontally, has weather and foot-abrasive traffic to contend with. For this reason, I’d prefer decking oils as they can penetrate better into the cellular structure of timber. Keeping the natural look will require the deck to be recoated every 12 months.

The Reno Kings love decks and so will your tenants! They add value and increase rents. Pay special attention to the condition of stairs and handrails. You don’t want your tenant having an accident.

Question: Do you have any tips on how to get tradespeople to turn up at the appointed hour?

Answer: It’s a sign of the times unfortunately. The tradespeople have too much work and not enough time to do it in and a small number of workers can tar the rest. Getting tradespeople for real estate renovations from the Yellow Pages without checking previous work ethics is fraught with danger. I suggest you only approach tradespeople reno real estate recommended by reliable sources. When you find a good tradesperson, pay the promptly and you’ll become a preferred client.

The Reno Kings are flexible. If one tradie is a no-show, we move into another area to kept the job going.

Question: I’d like to add a water feature to the front yard of my real estate investment property but don’t know where to start. Is this a project a DIYer can handle or does it call for a professional?

Answer: There are plenty of complete systems that can easily be assembled by anyone. Costs vary from $200 up to $800. My friend Tony at Bunnings says they’re big sellers and all stores regularly conduct free DIY installation classes.

The Reno Kings say be careful of money suckers on your real estate investment property. How much will the rent increase and the house revalue with a water feature? Not much. This sounds like an emotional project. Forget it!

Visit the Reno Kings at www.renos.com.au. Do you have a real estate renovation question? Email it to editor@apimagazine.com.au and we’ll answer it in a future issue of API. If you would like more Real Estate Renovation Tips and Checklists, please visit this link.
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Home Renovations | On the Improve of Real Estate

Australians are spending more on major real estate renovations than they have in two years, as resilient house prices, a strong labour market and high vacant land prices drive people to improve rather than move.

Home Renovators spent $891 million on major works in September 2006 quarter, up 5 per cent on three months earlier, according to the latest Renovations Monitor from the Housing Industry Association (HIA).

HIA chief economist Harley Dale said market conditions in real estate were making major renovations an appealing option. “This is especially the case at a time when land supply constraints, higher interest rates and unjustifiably high government-imposed costs are conspiring to make new real estate residential construction a less appealing option than it should be.”

The average cost of a major home renovation was $86,476 in September, up 3.1 per cent. However, Dale noted that the real estate renovations most susceptible to interest rates – ground floor and upper floor extensions – lost ground.

Published on Page 6 of the Australian Property Investor Magazine – February 2007.

The Capri New York Condo Residences and Luxury Apartments

Whether you are a New York resident home buyer or NYC renter or leaser, the Capri condominium homes and residences are a luxury collection of Manhattan condo apartments that are close to all amenities and conveniences you could ever dream about. The Capri New York apartment tower is now available for leasing and purchasing.

An amazing residence opportunity is waiting for both New York leasers and home buyers at the Capri condominium tower that provides panoramic vistas from floors thirty three through to forty seven. This stunning high-rise residential condominium tower apartments at the Capri New York City provide many the opportunity to lease in one of the most amazing districts in the world and with spacious corner residences with floor to ceiling glass, many residents at the New York Capri condo homes and apartments will have outstanding unobstructed vantage points in more than one direction. The New York real estate property at the Capri apartment condominiums and apartments in Manhattan are a great leasing or renting opportunity for those who work in the business and retail districts of this community and with the breathtaking city skylines and views of Central Park and East River, residents at the NYC Capri residence condos will have the most impressive birds eye view of this metropolis. Located past the East 50s, the Capri New York condominium tower residence homes and apartment condos represent the best of East Side Manhattan NYC that is well known for its boutique shopping, galleries, museums and markets. In addition, there are fine dining restaurants, Tiffany’s, Madison and Park Avenue within walking distance from your luxury residences at the New York real estate properties called the Capri tower. You can actually take a virtual tour of your Capri condominium residence apartment neighbourhood leasing opportunity in New York City by logging online to their marketing website at thecaprinyc.com.

Some luxury amenities at this hotel style Capri NYC condo homes and properties

Leasing a condominium home in New York City’s Capri residence tower is like living in a luxury five star hotel in a resort destination. The Capri NYC condominium homes and apartments will provide a luxurious lobby that provides the elegance and sophistication of East Side Manhattan in addition to a full time doors man available around the clock. In addition, the lobby has wood accents and marble floors and provides an amazing glass chandelier to welcome guests and residents back home at the Capri condominium tower in New York City. With many luxurious high-rise tower residences completed in the Manhattan area of New York real estate market, Arun Bhatia real estate development team will provide the utmost in luxury amenities and outstanding features at The Capri apartment homes. Other notable Arun Bhatia real estate condominium towers in Manhattan include The Strand, The Dunhill, The Whitney and The Park East apartment condo homes. The Capri residence apartments represent the most recent undertaking by this world renowned developer.

Contact information for the Capri condominium homes and apartments in New York City NY

For more info, you can register online for priority VIP service by filling out the online form. Remember, in order to receive a response form the New York Capri condo homes and apartment residences, you will need to fill out all form fields. The New York real estate property Capri residence tower apartment web site is located at thecaprinyc.com where you can find out more information for yourself about the condominium property residences, amenities, features, neighborhood, views, development team and contact details.

More about the Capri Residences and interiors in this NYC real estate property project

You luxury home that you will be purchasing or leasing from the Capri condo tower residences in New York City will have a prestigious address in the East Side of Manhattan NY where you will have a choice of luxury residence lease from the thirty third floor and above. With endless views of Manhattan and Central Park, the New York Capri residence high-rise tower condominiums provides floor to ceiling glass in multiple rooms as well as the finest finishes and features that you could ever hope for in a condo leasing residence property. The modern and gourmet kitchens at the New York real estate properties at The Capri leasing condominium apartment residences feature Sub Zero appliances, Miele cooktops, Cashmere gold granite counters and Italian granite tiles and stones. From sophistication to sleek and modern designs, the kitchens at the Capri apartment residences in New York City are contemporary but elegant. Perfect for fine dining with guests or just casual meals with family, the Capri condo residence kitchens are superb for cooking and entertaining. The bath rooms at the Capri tower residences in New York are extraordinary and will provide exquisite appointments and amenities. Italian marble walls, kohler fixtures, Neptune soaker tubs and glass enclosed showers with brushed nickel finishes are just some exciting features of the bathrooms in the New York Capri high-rise residences and condo homes. Located between floors 33 – 47, these condo homes at the Capri New York tower residences are still available to both home buyers as well as leasers.

A Hot Real Estate Market in Darwin

Wendy Trewartha found herself in NT when her husband was transferred with work. It was here she realised a passion for real estate property and found a red-hot market. By Bronwyn Davis for the Australian Property Investor Jan 2007 magazine.

Why have you invested in Darwin real estate?

We started investing in Alice Springs because we were living there. When we moved to Darwin about four years ago, we realised we could make a better return. It’s also easier for us to own real estate investment properties where we live so my husband can do the maintenance. We looked at the returns carefully. We wanted to be able to negatively gear but didn’t want to have to make up a large shortfall.

How do you believe the real estate market is performing and what do you expect from it in the future?

Prices are still on the rise, but things seem to have slowed down a bit. A couple of months ago a real estate property would be in the paper once before it was sold; now it might be advertised for a couple of weeks. A house around the corner from us went up for action recently and I asked a few real estate agents what they thought it would go for. They all thought about $450,000 but it ended up selling to an interstate investor in real estate for $493,000. I think this real estate market will continue to increase in value. They’re doing a new 700-block development of property near us at the moment. They’ve just done the first stage, with land priced at $217,000 to $250,000 for blocks from 500 to 900 square metres.

How is this affecting your real estate portfolio?

This new real estate development should increase the land value on my own home, which is good because I’ve been using it to buy other real estate properties. I’ve found it easy to borrow against my own home because each time I get a valuation done, it’s gone up. I bought this house four years ago and had a valuation done when I first purchased my first condo unit investment in 2004, then another when I bought the last two real estate units about a month and a half ago.

Do you intend to invest further in Darwin real estate? Why?

We’ll have a break for a little while because we only just bought the last two. The next one will probably be something we can rent out now and retire to later. We thought about buying and building in the new estate, but I think they’ll be priced out of the rental market so we wouldn’t get enough of a return. Half of them are going to be defence houses though, so we might consider one of those.

What advice would you give about buying real estate property in Darwin?

Probably the same advice I gave my daughter – she’s just buying her first real estate property. I told her that as soon as she gets enough equity in that one to try to buy her next real estate property and keep going from there.

In hindsight, what would you have done differently?

I would have got into it earlier. We procrastinated for a fair while before we bought that first unit.

Your best real estate investment?

The house I’m living in at the moment. That’s more than doubled in value in the four years we’ve been here. I’d say the same thing about the home I owned in Alice Springs. I bought that for $78,000 fully furnished and sold it 10 years later for $200,000. The difference being that this one has doubled in value in only four years.

Why real estate property?

I was working with the bank and I could see other people making real estate property work for them. At the time there were a lot of programs on TV about property investment too. They had a lot of millionaire experts talking about making money from real estate property and that really opened our eyes. I’m not the sort of person who likes to put all of my money into super. Now when I retire I can either cash in and use the funds from my real estate properties, or have them paid off and collect the rent from them. It’s a forced way of saving.

For more Australia real estate and pre-construction condos including waterfront and lakefront homes, please click here.

Asia Seattle is now sold out!

The first of its kind in terms of a pre-construction condominium community in the International Village district, Seattle is now home to a growing number of boutique and luxury residences that are sold at affordable prices. The Seattle Asia condo homes and residences are one such development that is for sale at this current time.

Information about this property

If your family is planning on moving to the heart of Seattle’s international district, then the Asia condominium suites are a luxury option that will allow everyone to be close to all the entertainment, amenities and features that make this city beautiful and exciting. For a picture gallery of the Asia Seattle building photos in addition to images of the international district and of Seattle lifestyle, please click on the following URL web address for more information online: http://www.asiaseattle.com/gallery.html. As you can see, there is definitely an Asian influence in the design and finishes at the Asia Condominium residences in Seattle WA in addition to the exterior architecture which makes this real estate development very unique from anything else in the Pacific Northwest. Although most of the marketing and sales as been geared towards Asian Americans living in Washington State, anyone of any lifestyle or race is welcome to purchase a luxury residence here at the Asia Seattle real estate properties at any time through the sales center.

Location of the Asia Condos in Seattle

The physical location of the International District Asia Condominium suites is at 668 South Lane Street in Seattle Washington with a zip code of 98104. For more details about the Asia Condos, please either visit their website at asiaseattle.com or email a sales representative at the sales office at info@asiaseattle.com to book an appointment for purchase. You can also call the presentation center at 206.216.7200. The two sales associates for the Seattle Asia Condominiums properties include Leland Schaff at 206.999.4197 and Adrienne Bell at 425.233.7233 and this real estate property is backed by Prudential Northwest Realty Associates LLC.

The Building Amenities

The Asia Condo Seattle property development will consist of many high-end finishes and features throughout the premises including some Asian features like a bamboo fountain terrace for all residents to relax and use, a gorgeous lobby that is decked out with Asian influences and style and more. In addition, all residents at the Seattle Asia Condominium residences can use a full scale fitness facility center on site in addition to a clubhouse with a large screen television, video game system, sound system, kitchen catering and lounge. There are also options to purchase secure underground parking at this Seattle real estate property.

The Unit Amenities

For those looking for the high-end features and fixtures, then this property project will definitely please you in every way. The Asia Condominiums in Seattle WA will have ‘Built Smart’ energy efficient appliances and building construction which will save you lots of money and maintenance both short and long term. In addition, all condo units at Asia will have eight and a half foot ceilings as well as large windows, upgraded appliances, nice carpeting, designer lighting and in suite laundry appliances. Just a few years old, the Seattle Asia condo homes and suites have been renovated and look and feel just as good as new.

Update on the Asia Condo Suites Availability

Unfortunately for home buyers getting into the action right now, the Asia Condominiums in Seattle Washington are completely sold out. With an offering of only a select fourteen units, this real estate development was sold out within weeks of its grand opening. Units 01 to 04 and 14 face South to the Beacon Hill and Stadiums, while floorplans 10 through 14 face East to the International District. Units 04 and 05 at the Seattle Asia Homes face West to the Stadiums, Olympics, and Union Station while the remaining units 06 through 09 all face the inner courtyard and fountain.

If you are interested in purchasing Seattle pre-construction property real estate.

Real Estate Renovation Rumbles

Written by Michaela Ryan for the API Magazine in Australia, Jan 2007

How can you renovate a real estate property and keep your relationship intact?

First a confession. I find renovating real estate properties stressful. Sometimes it makes me lash out at my husband when really, we’re but just doing our best to work through what seems like the world’s longest “to do” list. But apparently we’re not alone. A survey by AAMI in 2005 showed 58 per cent of people find their real estate renovation projects stressful. Thirty per cent find the renovation real estate projects to be a source of tension with the people they live with.

For information regarding why you should purchase pre-construction condos in Vancouver real estate versus buying old properties, click here.

So how can you minimise that tension? As a real estate property investor, this is important to address, because if one bad experience puts you off renovating for life, you could miss out on some great opportunities.

Katrina Spyrides, executive officer of the Conflict Resolution Services to the ACT, suggests that before real estate renos, couples should consider the problems they’re likely to face and discuss how they’ll deal with situations if they arise.

“If the couple is anticipating (various issues) then they can be on the same wavelength, rather than all of these dramas being a shock to them,” Spyrides says.

Possible Real Estate Reno Problems

1. Feeling exhausted
It can be exhausting working full-time and then coming home to do physical work on a renovation of a real estate investment property. It can also be mentally taxing to coordinate tradespeople.

2. Inequality of effort
Resentment can grow if one partner puts more time and effort into the real estate reno than the other.

3. Kids
“(Your kids) are at a school during the week and they want mom and dad’s attention if they’re being shipped off at the weekends then they might start acting up as well,” Spyrides says.

4. Lower quality of life in the short term
During a real estate property renovation, time and money can be scarce. your lifestyle accordingly suffers.

5. Disagreements about the details
How much to spend on a bench top? Which colour? Whether to bring in a tradesperson or do it yourself? There are plenty of little decisions that can potentially lead to disagreements between partners.

6. Living in mess
If you live in the house you’re renovating, there could be tools everywhere. And there will be rooms out of action for periods of time. comfort levels can suffer.

Coping Strategies of Renovation or Real Estate Property

1. The pre-reno discussion
Before your renovation project, it helps to talk about the issues we’ve just mentioned and how you might be able to (a) avoid them, and (b) deal with them if they arise. It’s also worth creating a ‘to do’ list (which will be a work in progress). Delegate all the tasks and establish a realistic timeline. Budget carefully for your investment property renovation project. Factor in a buffer for unexpected expenses – every reno has them!

2. Choose a good time to talk
Conversations can be counter-productive if you’re angry or tired. If you have a problem you need to discuss, Spyride says, “Set aside time when neither of you are tired and talk about it.”

3. Switch off
“Sometimes within a renovation of real estate property couples start to see each other as sub-contractors and every bit of their conversation is about the renovation. It’s about putting that line in and saying, “okay after eight o’clock we won’t talk about the renovation,” Spyride suggests.

4. Outsource
If the DIY jobs are causing too much stress, investigate the cost of outsourcing. If a tradesperson can complete the job within a day that would take you a couple of weekends to do, they might pay for themselves because you can tenant the property a week earlier.

5. Keep an eye on your tradies
Try to check on your tradies’ work every day if possible. It’s amazing what you discover when you drop in for a chat! If you pick mistakes up straight away, you can avoid big headaches down the track.

6. One step at a time
If you keep thinking about how much there is to be done, it can feel overwhelming. Sometimes you need to keep your focus on the next task or two in your real estate property renovation project in order to keep stress levels under control.

7. Just deal with it
“not all problems can be resolved. But they can be managed,” says Spyride. “It doesn’t mean that you have to have a bed of roses at the end of the day. Sometimes things will just be the way they are and there is not resolution. It’s probably just about working through them until they subside.”

Take heart – the real estate renovation won’t last forever!

For more real estate renovation tips and pre-construction condo purchasing opportunities, please click on this URL.

Real Estate Mortgages: To fix or not to fix?

How do you find your way through the mortgage real estate lenders maze to arrive at offers that are worth following up? By Harry Senlitonga for the Australian Property Investor – Jan 2007.

To fix or not to fix? This is a common question, and one which is difficult to answer because it involves accurately predicting the value of cash on the money market at any given time.

As with all betting ventures, there’s a 50 per cent chance of getting it right, as well as a 50 per cent chance of getting it wrong. However, once you understand the way bank lenders work, it will help you evaluate special offers on fixed real estate mortgages.

Basically, the money market rate for the fixed period of time of your loan will reflect how much the money market values its cash over the same period. The lending institution ‘buys’ the money on the money market and then ‘sells’ it to you. Daily fluctuations in money market transactions will often occur because of this. However, the natural process of supply and demand also affects the rate offered. for instance, if no one is fixing their real estate property mortgages, institutions will offer a low interest rate to try to generate business. Conversely, if everyone is fixing their bank loans, there’s not as much incentive for the money lenders to keep interest rates temptingly low.

When is the best time to fix your property mortgage?
Unfortunately there’s not best time to gain any advantage in fixing your mortgage for your real estate investment or home property, or part of it. There’s no evidence in the past five years to suggest a particular week is the one to garget for the best deal.

CANNEX’s historical statistics on a three-year fixed rate loan shows the average margin was 1 per cent. We’ve seen figures as high as 1.85 per cent and as low as 0.43 per cent above the money market rate. The graph in the API Magazine shows the average margins taken over a 52 week period. When timing your move to a fixed rate, it’s essential to monitor the money market rate. This is available as a table in the finance section of most newspapers.

Is it a good deal?
A little research is always wise before you sign on the dotted line and CANNEX has created simple methodology that allows you to determine if an offer by your bank lender is right for you. Simply check the interest rate percentage offered by your bank lender against the current money market rate for the same period of time as the fixed term in question.

The closer the gap between the two, the better the deal and the more confident you can be in signing up for the fixed real estate property mortgage product in question.

Henry Senlitonga is a sector manager with financial services research group CANNEX.

Question and Answer: Which one is best?

Question: I’m looking for a fixed rate real estate home loan but am becoming increasingly confused about the so-called ‘good deals’ on offer. Is there a benchmark I can use to compare fixed rate loans before I decide on the best deal for me?

Answer: Fixed home property loans fluctuate on a day-to-day basis and the reason for this is largely due to the price the lenders pays for the finance you’re accessing. For example, the rate the lender pays for a three-year fixed property home loan on the money market will determine the rate at which that three-year fixed loan is offered to you. To ascertain whether or not this is a good deal, simply compare interest percentage offered with the money market rate. The closer the gap between the two, the better the deal for you.

For more information, please visit the API Magazine web site.

Atmosphere San Diego Condominiums

Right now the Atmosphere-One condo homes are residences are available at pre-grand opening pricing, so why not stop by, take a look and make your informed purchase at this downtown San Diego residential real estate building that are well designed and constructed for maximum urban living spaces.

Location location .. isn’t that the key to any purchase decision by prospective home buyers in San Diego and beyond? Well, the Atmosphere Condominiums and residence homes are ideally situated in the Cortez Hill community where you will find magnificent local amenities and conveniences to make your daily life a joy and also keep you excited about living in this truly urban environment. The downtown San Diego Atmosphere condo tower residences will be located at 1446 Fifth Avenue and will be the constructed and designed by the well respected Urban Coast development team. The Atmosphere-One condominium residential building at Cortez hill in San Diego CA will feature seventy three condo residences with over three thousand square feet of retail and commercial space too. Already started in the spring of 2005, the Cortez Hill San Diego condo homes at Atmosphere residences will be ready for occupancy by early 2007, so get on it and register for pre-construction sales pricing for your dream home in downtown SD today. With only seventy nine live and work condominium units at Atmosphere-One San Diego, this property development is well designed for you to live, relax and work from the same space and community in downtown SD California, making your life less stressful and more enjoyable. Sophisticated urban experiences are waiting for you at these Atmosphere live/work condo homes and residences in the heart of downtown, so enjoy grand opening pre-sales pricing today!

More overview information regarding the Atmosphere condominiums

If you are looking for a place to live and work and is zoned for optimal use this way, then the 79 condominium units at Atmosphere San Diego may be a perfect fit for you and your business. Fifth Avenue pre-sales pricing can be located online at the Atmosphere San Diego website at atmospheresd.com/Atmosphere5thAve.htm and these live/work condo units are close to both the business and cultural centers of SD California and also offer very flexible spaces and rooms so that there is no wasted space. The fourth avenue pre-construction sales pricing is located online at atmospheresd.com/Atmospher4thAve.htm. alternatively, you can contact the sales manager for the San Diego Atmosphere-One condominium homes and residence apartments at 619.531.7455 and ask for Sheila or you can email her at Sheila@atmospheresd.com. You can only purchase at pre-sales by booking an appointment with the Atmosphere condominiums first. By visiting atmospheresd.com/home/index.htm you can also subscribe to all the news releases and updates surrounding this San Diego real estate development property in downtown. You can also find a detailed site plan and community map of the surrounding Atmosphere Condos district in this downloadable PDF document: atmospheresd.com/images/DowntownAtmospheremap.pdf.

The property development at Atmosphere San Diego

This is no longer a new construction property as the development is almost complete as of late 2006. The San Diego Atmosphere condo residence apartments are still on sale and features a mixed-use building for residential and retail businesses. The condominium residential side of Atmosphere SD California will feature 73 unique downtown live and work condo homes and there will be about 3000 square footage of ground level retail for conveniences and professional services. The real estate developer for the Atmosphere San Diego live/work properties includes JS Properties in conjunction with Hawkins & Hawkins architects. The sales office number is 619.531.7455. The San Diego Atmosphere website is located at www.atmospheresd.com.

The floorplans that are available

If you are hunting for a live and work condominium suite in downtown San Diego, there are a few choices left at the Atmosphere live/work homes. Firstly, the 4th Avenue floor plans on are divided into floors (the higher the floor, the more spacious the live work condominiums at Atmosphere-One and the more bedrooms and baths). Both the 4th Avenue and 5th Ave condominium floor plans and floorplates for San Diego Atmosphere live/work residence apartments are split up into Levels 2 and 3, Floors 4 and 5, Levels 6 & 7 and the sub-penthouse floor 8 and penthouse level 9. For more detailed floor plans at the Atmosphere San Diego live and work apartment condos, please visit atmospheresd.com/floorplans/index.htm.

More California pre-sales and preconstruction real estate are listed here.

Absolute Condos Mississauga Ontario

Within the city borders of Toronto, the nation’s largest city, the Mississauga Absolute Condominium towers are all about pure design, modern features and the total lifestyle community that will be located in the heart of Mississauga along Hurontario and Burnhamthorpe.

About the Absolute Condos City Centre

Within the realm of this truly master-planned community in the heart of beautiful Toronto’s Mississauga district, the Absolute condominiums will be an unparalleled and unique real estate development that will have a community built on such a grand scale with such form, function and urban spaces. With the utmost in spacious floorplans, high tech condo suites, the Mississauga Absolute Club, Fernbrook Homes and townhomes, the possibilities at the Absolute real estate development in Toronto’s suburb is enormous in scope. The Absolute World is one that many home buyers as well as real estate investors in the Ontario market are looking forward to with open eyes as there will be boundless potential in such a grand master-planned district for residential, retail and industrial space. The total lifestyle community is what the planned Mississauga Absolute condominium homes are all about.

The Floorplans at Absolute Vision City Building Three: The Club Tower

Some of the floor plans are very modern and spacious with the open concept that seems to run through all pre-construction Toronto real estate developments within the past few years. The first Mississauga Absolute condo floorplan is the Insight which is a one bedroom plus den at six hundred and seventy square feet with a balcony of forty three sq ft. The Intuition floor plan at the Absolute Mississauga condominium suites and homes is seven hundred square feet and features one bed and den with a one hundred and two sq ft spacious balcony space which is great for entertaining friends and family. The Vision plan at one bed plus den at the Absolute Condo Homes in Mississauga near Toronto are 712 sqft with a 96 sq ft balcony space. The first two bed room suite is the Inspiration seven hundred and sixty five condominium plan with a balcony area of 60 sq ft. The Mississauga Absolute Vision Club Tower Building Three condominium high-rise in Toronto will also feature the Destiny spacious two bedroom floorplan with eight hundred and seventy square footage and a decent balcony area of 92 sq ft. The Innovation Absolute condo floorplan is larger at 990 sq feet and has two beds plus a den and a very large outdoor balcony space of one hundred and forty five square feet, which is perfect for growing families and couples wanting a large urban living space. The Radiance floor plan at the Absolute Condominiums in Mississauga are to die for two bedroom + den units with 1030 square footage and a rounded exterior glass wall around the entire unit opening onto a three hundred and one square foot balcony. Spectacular views and great entertainment spaces are watiting for you and your loved ones here. The awesome Phenomenon floor space at the Absolute Condominiums Club Tower in Mississauga Ontario features three beds and a den with 1250 square footage and a balcony of 92 sq ft. This is the largest condominium residence here at Absolute City.

The Absolute Club

All residents at the Absolute Vision City tower residences will have convenient access to the Mississauga Absolute Club that will a lifestyle facility for all five towers at this incredible master-planned community in Toronto. With greenery, walking and biking trails, entertainment spaces and score of facilities for residents at Absolute Condominiums to use, it is no wonder why this community will feature very healthy living spaces for all. The thirty thousand square foot amenities and facilities space will include the following for all Mississauga Absolute condo home owners and renters: squash courts, indoor pool, whirlpool, aerobics and yoga room, indoor running, cardio equipment, free weights, outdoor pool with fireplace, guest suites, three party rooms, media room, boardroom for meetings, billiards, cards, sun deck with barbeque grills and a full time activity director to get you going and fit. The Mississauga Absolute Condo Suite interiors are online at the following URL: http://absolutecondos.com/main_absoluteinteriors.htm. The Absolute Club Toronto floor plan is located here: http://absolutecondos.com/main_absolute_club_fp.htm. High tech condo suite information is here: http://absolutecondos.com/main_absolute_hightech.htm. The Absolute Vision is here: http://absolutecondos.com/main_absolute_complan.htm.

Sales Information

Want to buy a home at the Absolute Vision Building Three Club Tower in Mississauga? Now is your chance to purchase these incredible condominiums in Toronto at pre-construction real estate prices! You can visit the Absolute Condos sales centre at Hurontario Street across from Square One and you can email them at admin@absolutecondos.com to setup an appointment. The sales presentation centre with three furnished model suites at the Absolute Condominiums in Mississauga are open on Monday through Thursday at 12pm to 7pm as well as Saturday and Sunday as well as Holidays between 11am to 6pm. For the latest press releases on the Mississauga real estate properties at Absolute Condos, please visit http://absolutecondos.com/main_absolute_press_releases.htm.

Perth Maintains Appeal (Real Estate)

A survey conducted by Elderslie Finance Corporation confirmed that Perth was the hot favourite for residential real estate property in Australia. Published in the API Magazine January 2007 edition magazine.

The Elderslie Your Interest Survey is a bi-annual barometer which measure the real estate investment opinion of about 4500 Elderslie investors across Australia.

It found that Perth was considered the best value for residential real estate property investment by almost half o the survey respondents (49 per cent). This is the second consecutive time it has been favoured, with 36 per cent of respondents preferring it over other Australian capital cities in the autumn 2006 survey conducted six months ago.

Perth was followed by Brisbane on 23 per cent and Sydney on 10 per cent. Canberra (1 per cent) was voted the Australian capital city with the least value for residential real estate properties investment in a consistent finding between the autumn and spring surveys.

“It’s clear respondents aren’t just choosing their state of origin, with 18 per cent being from Western Australia compared with 39 per cent from New South Wales and 19 per cent from Victoria,” said Luis Garcia, director of Elderslie Finance Corporation.

Meanwhile, 62.5 per cent of respondents said that they further expect increases in interest rates over the next six months.

How much is a view worth?

Research analyst Michael Matusik says a new inner-Brisbane apartment without much of a view would cost about $450,000 today. The same apartment with a glimpse of the Brisbane River or the city skyline would be worth between $500,000 and $550,000 – “depending on the amount of glimpse”.

He says a full-frontage view apartment would attract between $650,000 and $725,000 – the upper end of that price range if both the river and city high-rises can be seen in the same frame.

Matusik says a vacant residential allotment with a view of a golf course fairway can attract between 50 and 70 per cent more than the price of a same size/shape allotment in the area without much of a view. In outer Brisbane today, this means around $180,000 for the no-view block and from $275,000 to $300,000 for the golf course block.

Matusik says an allotment facing square onto the fairway can attract a 100 per cent premium, fetching around $350,000.

Better-located fairway blocks – such as those on a ridge or facing north or with long-range views including over water – have attracted premiums between 125 and 150 per cent, depending on the quality of the position and view – therefore from $400,000 to $450,000 in this example.

Matusik says a waterfront allotment with deep-sea access in southeast Queensland now costs around $1.3 million for an average 895 sqm. This is six times the price of a similar-sized allotment – on average about $225,000 – in the same area but away from the water and with no substantial view. And while the waterfront allotments cost six times as much, their growth in value in the past financial year has been 11 times as much ($9000 versus $100,000).

Published in API Magazine – January 2007.

Discover the romance of urban living at the Decatur Condominiums in Seattle

As quoted from the Decator web site: Step inside the grand portico entrance and revel in a timeless era of elegance. Where every encounter is met with lavish welcome. Gliding across the marble floors, you capture the attention of the concierge, who stands ready to serve. Laughter from the formal sitting area dances off the vaulted ceilings, as you step inside the elevator and ascend to your own front door. You have arrived. You are home. This is Seattle’s Decatur Condo homes and residences.

The Neighbourhood of Decatur Condominiums

A small and quiet neighbourhood in the beautiful city of Seattle Washington is where the Decatur Condo homes and suites lie with the reflection of Elliott Bay just outside your windows. Along tree-lined streets in the historic First Hill district, the Seattle Decatur Condo homes and condominium suites are within the city’s most historic and elegant locations for captivating lifestyles and urban dwellings. For a vicinity map or community map of the Decatur Seattle neighbourhood, please visit the Decatur marketing website located at www.liveatdecatur.com today. With pedestrian friendly culture, streets and avenues, the Decatur Condominiums district is full of coffee shops, bistros, restaurants and a vibrant mix of entertainment and nightlife that any age group and lifestyle choice can b emet. From the Hunt Club award winning culinary experience to sports fans and arts and cultural events, the Decatur Seattle condo homes are a once-in-a lifetime urban experience that you won’t want to miss. Within retail, residential, industrial and business districts in Seattle, Decatur Condominium residences are just steps away from the downtown core, waterfront, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, International District and major highways and transportation routes in and out of the city.

Features and Amenities at the Seattle Decatur Condos

The architecture is one of elegant and sophistication and is designed by the architect of the Space Needle, John Graham Jr back in 1950. The grandeur of the thirteen story condominium tower on First Hill has been restored to its former glory with classic exteriors and contemporary one and two bedroom remodelled condominium Decatur homes that are affordable for the discerning home buyer. The interior finishes include fashionable and lifestyle oriented features and amenities and include rich and warm materials like Brazilian cherry wood flooring, plush carpeting, kitchens, stainless steel, and large living rooms. In addition, there are two designer palates at the Seattle Decatur condominium suites with contemporary light fixtures in addition to slab granite counters and backsplashes, GE appliance set and pedestal sinks and custom tile ful height tub surround.

The Decatur Condo Floor Plans

The Decatur Condominiums Dean floorplan is located on all levels and is a one bedroom and one bathroom unit. The Taylor plan is slightly larger and is also a 1 bed and 1 bath condominium residence. The Kelly is a two bedroom and one bath unit available at the Seattle Decatur Condo real estate properties. Lastly, the Monroe is a spacious and functional one bedroom unit. For an availability map of all the condominium suites at Decatur Seattle, please visit this following link: http://www.liveatdecatur.com/pdf/availabilityMap.pdf.

Contact and Registration Information

Discover the romance of urban living. Located at 1105 Spring Street – on the corner of Spring & Boren, you can now check out the Seattle Decatur Condominium presentation centre and speak to one of their sales representatives. Alternately you can also visit the Decatur Condos web site located at www.liveatdecatur.com or you can call the sales office at 206.464.9000. To register for more information online, please visit this URL http://www.liveatdecatur.com/register.html. The grand opening for the Decatur Seattle Condominiums was January 20, 2007 and the sales center is now open between the hours of 11am and 5pm daily. You can also email deana@mcmcondos.com for more info and details. Don’t miss this excellent real estate property investment opportunity as well!

For other Western US and Seattle WA real estate properties, click here.

Ballpark Skylofts in the East Village

A San Diego treasure, the Ballpark Skylofts are perfectly located and stylishly composed. As a seven story condominium loft residence, the Ballpark Sky Lofts in San Diego’s East Village district are between the tree-lined streets of Island and Market Streets in SD, California.

With only a small collection of sixteen beautiful residence loft apartment homes at the Ballpark Skylofts San Diego, this property real estate is about dramatic architecture, stylish and modern designs as well as a great location in East Village San Diego where you will find Petco Park, a great and vibrant downtown business and retail core in addition to all the local amenities you will need on a daily basis. In addition, the Ballpark Sky Lofts in San Diego condominium residence homes will consist of unique two and three story condo apartments with ultimately the most spacious decks and largest and most functional living spaces in the entire city. The Skylofts at the Ballpark San Diego are now available as a one of a kind real estate development with private decks, two story loft residences and just spacious floorplans that are fit for any lifestyle in this city in California. Prime location within the Gaslamp Quarter district, the Ballpark Sky Lofts (or sometimes referred to as SkyLofts) will provide impressive detailing that is creative and attractive to guests and owners as well as a location within an ever changing and revitalized district within downtown San Diego California. For more information about other pre-construction San Diego condo homes and properties.

The featured information about the Ballpark Sky Lofts

Located at 542 15th Street in San Diego, California, the real estate property construction project at the SD Ballpark SkyLofts are literally only five blocks away from Petco Park for baseball games and fun. With an automated parking system in addition to European style kitchens and ten foot ceilings throughout, the Ballpark SkyLofts in San Diego CA will also provide luxurious master bedrooms with walk-in showers. Some of the local amenities at the Ballpark Sky Lofts San Diego condominium apartment homes will include a large public park just next to the mid-rise condo building in addition to being an environmentally friendly built and designed residential complex. The San Diego Skylofts at Ballpark provide lofty and functional floor plan spacious with sweeping views as well as the highest grade building materials in the real estate property market in San Diego. Residents can also choose to shop at the Gourmet Grocery across the street too. Catering to urban dwellers and city people, the Ballpark SkyLofts have multiple levels and come across as a mid-rise ‘box in the sky’ which is very modern and perfect urban lifestyles and single family residences in the center of the downtown area that many demand. At seven levels and considered a mid-rise building at San Diego Ballpark Sky Lofts residence apartments, there will be only a total of 16 condominium suites of multiple stories at this SD real estate project. For more information, you can visit the marketing web site for Ballpark Sky Lofts in San Diego at ballparkskylofts.com and it is considered a new property development that will be scheduled for completion by spring of 2008. Primary usage of this San Diego real estate properties at Ballpark SkyLofts are condominium suites in the downtown area and there are no price restricted apartments here. The architectural team is DiDonato and Associates and the real estate San Diego developers of the Sky Lofts Ballpark in San Diego are Ballpark Skylofts LLC at 619.819.1548.

BallPark SkyLofts Floor Plans for sale

The first unit floorplan layout available at the Ballpark Sky Lofts in San Diego California is Unit A-23 which is a two bedroom and one bath unit with two stories. The total square footage for the lower main level of A-23 floorplan is four hundred and ninety eight square feet an the upper level is approx four hundred and five square ft. San Diego Ballpark Sky Lofts also presents floorplan Unit B-23 which is a 1 br and 1 bth unit with a large deck and two levels (340 sqft on lower and 508 sq ft on upper). The Ball Park Sky Lofts in SD California also features Unit C-23 one bedroom and one bath unit with 453 and 516 square footage. The larger two and two unit D-23 floorplan at the Ballpark Skylofts in San Diego has a den, deck and two stories in addition to four hundred and fifty three sq foot lower level and a five hundred and twenty sqfoot upper level. Unit C-45 floor plan residence apartment at the San Diego Ball Park Sky Lofts will offer 2 br and two baths, a spacious deck, functional den and two floors covering five hundred and sixty six and four hundred and thirty seven square feet in living space. For more information about available residence apartment homes at the Ballpark SkyLofts, please visit their presentation center at 961 South 16th Street in San Diego CA 92113. Their marketing and sales phone number is (619) 819.1503 and you can email gregpaquette@californiaequities.com for more details. For San Diego resources, please visit ballparkskylofts.com/resources.html. For the latest press releases surrounding the Ballpark Sky Lofts in San Diego, please click on the following URL: ballparkskylofts.com/press.html. To join the SkyLofts interest list, please fill out the form here: http://www.ballparkskylofts.com/interest.html.

Real Estate Tax Straight Up Questions and Answers

Resident tax expert Julia Hartman answers questions from API readers in the January 2007 magazine.

Timing the real estate renovation

Question: We are about to purchase an apartment on a first homebuyers grant and plan to live in it for the required time, and then lease it out and move into something a bit bigger. We were wondering if it would be worthwhile doing the upgrades to the real estate property while we are residing in it or rather when it becomes an investment property.

Answer: It’s probably more cost effective for you to do them while you’re living there and the tax consequences for any upgrades, as opposed to repairs, will be the same. If you replace the bathroom or kitchen most of y our expenses will only qualify for the special building write-off of 2.5 per cent a year for the next 40 years, so you’ll still benefit from that when you move out. Replacing equipment such as air conditioners, vinyl, carpets, stoves, and the hot water system is best done just before the tenant moves in, as they’re depreciated over 10 to 12 years. Initial repairs, i.e. things that needed fixing when you bought the real estate property, wouldn’t be tax deductible anyway. It’s only later repairs that are better done once the tenant has moved in but these repairs can’t improve it beyond the state it was in when you bout it.

Interestingly, the ATO states in TR97/23 that you can claim a tax deduction for real estate repairs carried out while the unit is rented, even though they became necessary while you were previously living there. For example, if the walls don’t need painting at the moment but by the time you move out they’re starting to look a bit shabby, providing you put tenants in there first you can claim the cost of a repaint of the apartment real estate property. If possible avoid buying depreciable items that cost under $300 until the real estate tenants move in as these can be completely written off in the year of purchase. Examples of these include curtains, light fittings, and fans. But all like items must be grouped together to be under the $300 limit for the year. So if you’re going to replace all the curtains, wait until the tenants are in there and then only do $300 worth per year.

Finance Confusion

Question: I own my own real estate home, have an investment loan of $200,000 and savings of $80,000. I would like your advice on how I can utilise my savings in the best possible way over the short term, as I will need access to this money in the future. I was recently advised that if I put the $80,000 onto the investment loan (and reduced the balance to $120,000), if I was to later redraw this money back out for non-investment purposes only the interest on $120,000 would not be tax deductible. However, if I was to deposit the money into a 100 per cent offset account (which is separate from the loan) I could later withdraw my savings and not affect the tax deductibility of the interest on the full $200,000, even though the total amount of interest actually charged in both scenarios is the same. Is this information correct?

Answer: Yes it is correct. Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Consequences of Payment

Question: My real estate investment property was leased to the Defence Housing Authority for nine years. The real estate lease had a contition that on the end of the lease the property would be repainted outside and inside and new carpet put in. The real estate property was painted inside but I chose cash compensation instead of outside painting and new carpet. How will this payment be treated in my tax return?

Answer: This would be assessable income.

If you have tax questions you’d like answered, please email it to: editor@apimagazine.com.au. Julia Hartman is a CPA, registered tax agent and founder of BAN TACS Accountants Pty. Ltd.

The Floridian in Washington DC

This new eighty storey condominium tower is constructed of sleek steel, glass and limestone, giving the Floridian condo homes and residences in Washington DC a distinct flavor, style and look. With underground parking and within walking distance to everything you need, the Washington Floridian real estate condo properties are now available for you.

About the Washington Floridian Condo Loft Homes

Eight stories of sheer luxurious urban living in Washington DC is now available at the City & U at Floridian condominium towers that represent two high-rise towers of 8 stories that are just along U Street, the most trendy and hot neighbourhood in town. With loft style condo homes at the Floridian Condominiums in Washington DC, this area has become a magnet for young entrepreneurial singles and couples as well as families who want to live within a vibrant, growing and ever changing area full of amenities, public facilities, retail, shopping and nightlife. U Street in Washington DC is where it all happens, and living at the Floridian condos and loft style residences will allow you and your loved ones to truly experience the lighter side of Washington. For architectural renderings of the Floridian pre-construction real estate condominium property, please click on this following marketing link: http://www.thefloridiandc.com/arc.html. For a Flash based map of the location of these properties, please visit this URL: http://www.thefloridiandc.com/loc.html.

The real estate team

The Floridian Washington loft style condos are brought to the city by Kady Development & U that includes the real estate developer which is well known for the custom townhomes on Capitol Hill as well as the Lola Place and Capitol Overlook building properties. In addition, the Washington Floridian condo homes and loft apartments will have Eric Colbert & Associates as the architect. The sales and marketing for the Floridian condominiums in DC will be UrbanLand Company, a specialist in urban dwelling sales in the Washington area.

Features that you can expect in your new home

The Floridian Washington condominium loft homes will be very modern yet elegant in nature with some of the following features standard in all residences: hard wood flooring, ductwork (like the traditional New York style lofts), high ceilings, European style open kitchens for entertaining, granite counters, stainless steel, gas cook top and a great lobby entrance. In addition, the Floridian Washington loft condominiums will feature open floorplans as well as large windows with city views that are very different from other DC pre-construction condo properties at the moment. Many of the units are lofts (two storey residences), and there will be very spacious tiled bathrooms, all the pre-wiring you will need, balconies in most units, walk-in closets that are spacious and functional as well as parking too!

The Floridian condo floorplans

There are four unique floor plans available at this Washington real estate property development that includes the True Loft Condominiums plan that has in suite laundry, full bathroom, open style kitchen with island and a living/dining room. The one bedroom and one bath unit will also have a kitchen with bar top in addition to a workspace and large bedroom with open views. The Washington Floridian condo loft homes will also feature a two bed and two bathroom floorplan that is slightly angled and has two large closets, a master bathroom as well as a spacious dining and living entertainment room. The last floor plan available at the Washington Floridian condominiums is the one bedroom with loft unit that also features a small balcony for outdoor space.

Currently, the Floridian real estate properties in the DC area are in the priority reservation phase. The Floridian condos in Washington are in the pre-construction stage but will be launching their sales and marketing very soon this spring. Home buyers and real estate investors in the DC area can purchase Floridian condominiums and loft residences at pre-construction costs, so what are you waiting for? To get on the priority VIP list, please visit the following Floridian web site URL: http://www.thefloridiandc.com/. For true industrial look and feel and modern style and taste, the Floridian condo properties are definitely your type of urban dwelling in the heart of Washington DC, close to all your favorite hangouts, shopping and of course work and play. The Washington Floridian apartment condos are expected to sell out during the pre-construction phase of the property project.

More information about DC Washington Condos and Real Estate are located here. If you are looking for more detailed information on other Philadelphia Condominiums and pre-construction developments, please click here.

Real Estate Buyers Fly Solo and No Relief in Sight for Real Estate Tenants

Australians are waiting longer to commit to a relationship but aren’t letting that stop them from buying property, a survey suggests. Published in the January edition of API Magazine in Australia on Page 11.

The number of Australians planning to buy real estate property on their own is on the rise, a Mortgage Choice survey of homebuyers found.

The survey found that people looking to buy their own home within two years were much more likely to buy on their own than those who bought within the past two years. Of the homebuyers-to-be, 36 per cent said they would buy on their won, compared to just 18 per cent of the recent real estate purchasers.

“These days it’s becoming more common for people to commit to another person later in life,” said Mortgage Choice national corporate affairs manager Warren O’Rourke. “But (Australians) aren’t letting that stop them from investing in the real estate property market.”

“Even low housing affordability is not a deterrent. They are empowering themselves as individuals and taking charge of a real estate property portfolio on their own,” O’Rourke said.

Mortgage Choice found that Western Australia had the highest proportion of buyers-to-be planning a solo real estate purchase (46 per cent) while New South Wales had the lowest (32 per cent).

No Relief in Sight for Real Estate Tenants: Published in Jan ’07 edition of Australian Property Investor magazine. A majority of Australians expect their rent bill to rise in the next few months and predict rents will continue to climb as occupancy rates tighten, according to a recent survey.

Website realestate.com.au surveyed 1480 Australians, with 83.4 per cent of the participants saying they planned to rent a home in the next six months. While 67.1 per cent of respondants believed rents would rise, 15.4 per cent believed they’d stay the same and 5 per cent believed they’d fall. 12.5 per cent had no answer.

It may get worse for tenants before it gets better, with 64 per cent of respondants saying occupancy rates were likely to go up in the next five years. Only 15 per cent believed they’d go down, and 21 per cent thought they’d stay the same. Of the respondants, 68 per cent were female and 32 per cent were male. The survey’s participants were spread around the country, living in New South Wales n (25.8 per cent), Victoria (27.3 per cent) South Australia (5.5 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (1.3 per cent), Western Australia (9.4 per cent), queensland (27.7 per cent), Tasmania (1.7 per cent) and the Northern Territory (1.3 per cent).

“Given real estate rental vacancy rates are at the lowest level on record, it’s not surprising that most people believe it’s going to get even tougher to afford the rent on their home,” said realestate.com.au general manager Australia and New Zealand, Shaun Di Gregorio.

Di Gregoria offered some tips to renters in this competitive real estate renters market. “Don’t limit your search to just one area,” he suggested. “Cast the net a little wider to include surrounding neighbourhoods. “With so much competition, get your application in as soon as possible, even if you’re uncertain about the real estate property.”

“Many agents will take applications electronically and this is a really fast way to submit. Scan copies of references, identification, like your driver’s license and the application form itself into your computer and then email directly to the real estate agent.”

Don’t Blaim Real Estate Investors: Despite getting some bad press, property real estate investors aren’t to blame for low housing affordability, says analyst Michael Matusik. Published in the Australian Property Investor magazine Jan ’07 edition.

Recent reports on the housing affordability issue had wrongly place the blame at the feet of real estate investors and the negative gearing provisions that make real estate investment more attractive, Matusik said.

He said it was a myth that investors were driving house prices higher by outbidding potential first time home buyers.

“Real estate investors in residential property are in the business of supplying accommodation,” Matusik writes in a recent Snapshot report published by Matusik Property Insights.

“Orthodox economics says that a subsidy (negative gearing in this case) to suppliers (investors) – all things being equal – will result in an increase in supply and a fall in the price of the product (rental housing) supplied. A subsidy to residential real estate investors results in an increased suppy of rental accommodations, lower rents, and a reduction in the demand for, and prices of, owner-occupied housing too. Favourable tax treatment of residential real estate investors results in lower, not higher, house prices. One could argue, given the current shortage of rental accommodations across Australia, that the subsidy to residential real estate property owners is not generous enough. There should be more negative gearing, not less!

“The parable that investors elbow intending owner-residents to the back of the housing queue, hence forcing up the price of real estate housing, is nonsense. Extraordinary price growth, resulting from competition for housing, can only occur when there is a constraint on the long-term supply of dwellings.”

To back up this point, Matusik pointed out that while the real estate market for rented apartments had performed as a normal market – with rents and prices broadly rising in line with inflation – since the late 1980s, house prices had increased substantially.

He said this was because there had been few limitations on the supply of apartments across Australia over the past 20 years but the supply of land for new housing stock had been limited. Matusik said financial, policy, and social barriers were conspiring to reduce the level of home ownership among first homebuyers – not real estate investors squeezing homebuyers out of the market.

He also warned that any move to limit or remove negative gearing would see property investors in real estate shift their money to other real estate investments and rents would subsequently skyrocket.

Did you know?
28% of households in Australia’s capital cities are rented
40% could be rentals within two decades

Source: Matusik Property Insights

The Seattle CityView Condos at Leschi Ridge

Prepare yourself for a real estate marketing launch of the CityView Seattle Condos in the Spring of 2007. For an entirely new view and outlook on condominium urban living in Seattle, the Leschi Ridge CityView Condominium homes will be superbly designed and constructed for you.

The Floor Plans and Pricing at CityView Condos

Some of the most important information that prospective home buyers and real estate investors must have in order to make an informed decision on the purchase of a property includes pricing and floor plan layouts. At Seattle Cityview Condominiums which are at beautiful Leschi Ridge district community, buyers will be able to select from very unique and intriguing floor plans on five different levels and a rooftop deck, making the CityView condos in Seattle a low-rise residential building in the heart of the city. The first floor at Cityview is all about: parking, pizza and no stairs to climb when you head in and out of your private residence. The second floor at Cityview Leschi Ridge contains three condominium units that face west in addition to the Pizza Restaurant’s vaulted ceilings (overheight we may add) as well as second level parking at this complex. Pricing has not yet been released by the real estate developers but should be coming soon. The third level at the Leschi ridge Seattle CityView condo homes includes eight condominium suites that include five one bedroom residences and three two bedroom family-sized functional and open planned homes. Also, with large patios and balconies, home owners on the third floor will not only have spacious condo homes, but also excellent views of the surrounding city. The fourth floor also has eight condo Cityview homes but this time with even better panoramas and views of the downtown core and more. The 5th Floor residences at the Seattle CityView condominiums will cost slightly more than its counterparts on the 3rd and 4th floor because of the unobstructed views that home residents will enjoy every day, and you know what? The views are worth every penny! The rooftop deck at the CityView Condominiums at Leschi Ridge in Seattle will contain two one bedroom suites as well as a large roof top patio that is welcome to any residents to enjoy sunsets and the Seattle skyline.

Registration and Contact Information

As mentioned above, the CityView Seattle Condos will not be open for sales and marketing until the Spring of ’07, but you can certainly pre-register to get VIP service once the CityView sales begin. We strongly urge you to visit the Seattle Cityview Condominiums website online at the following URL to register: http://cityviewleschi.com/register.htm. Alternatively, you can also contact the CityView specialists that include Gini Anderson at 206.290.8646 or Larry Kramer at 206.854.5888 or via email that is listed on the URL web address listed above. The Seattle CityView Condos at Leschi Ridge are brought to the real estate market by John L. Scott Real Estate. For a location map of this Seattle real estate property development, please visit this website: http://cityviewleschi.com/locmap.htm.

About the Residences at CityView Leschi Ridge WA.

This real estate property is located at Jackson and 29th in Leschi Ridge of Seattle. With affordable pricing and stunning views, the CityView Seattle Condominiums are one of a kind residences that are fit for both singles and couples as well as families with children. With a local neighbourhood community, people will get to know one another and become part of this friendly area with Seattle within a short bike, walk, or ride from Lake Washington and the city core as well as Capitol hill. With downtown shopping, dining and more just minutes away, the Seattle CityView Condos at Leschi Ridge are well situated for you and your family to enjoy everything that Seattle WA has to offer. CityView Condos are also close to many public parks, recreational facilities like tennis courts as well as many hiking and biking trails around the pacific northwest areas. With rich city life experiences waiting for your at Leschi Ridge CityView Seattle Condos while still being within the beautiful surroundings of the natural forests and water, residents here will live a balanced and healthy lifestyle for years to come.

Features at the CityView Seattle Homes

There will only be a small selection of twenty eight urban condominium homes available at this real estate property project with floorplan sizes between four hundred and forty eight to one thousand three hundred and fifty sq ft in living space. With easy elevator access as well as a third floor and rooftop terrace with bbq grills and entertainment space, residents at CityView Seattle Condos will live an enjoyable lifestyle with city and panoramic views of Seattle Washington. In addition, there are studio, one and two bedroom floor plans available in Spring as well as gated underground parking (at least one stall per residence).

If you are looking to read about more Seattle pre-construction condominium residences.

Understanding Mortgages

One of the first steps in buying a new home or real estate property is to take a realistic look at what you can afford and how you are going to pay for it. If you are like most people, you will probably have to finance your home purchase with a mortgage loan.

What is a Mortgage?

A mortgage is a loan that uses the home you buy as security. This loan is registered as a legal document against the title of your real estate property. Here’s a quick overview of some of the most common aspects of a home mortgage that you need to understand.
- The principal is the amount of the home loan, or the cash actually borrowed.
- The interest is the amount the lender bank charges for the use of the funds, or principal. Interest rates vary according to many factors including terms and conditions of the real estate mortgage. Mortgage payments are applied towards both principal and interest.
- The amortization period is the actual number of years that it will take to repay the entire mortgage loan in full. This normally ranges from 15 to 25 years.
- The term is the length of time for which a mortgage real estate agreement exists between you and the bank lender. Typically, terms range between six months and seven years.
- The maturity date marks the end of the term, when you can either repay the balance of the principal or renegotiate the mortgage at the current interest rates.
- Options let you tailor the real estate mortgage to fit your personal needs and circumstances. Open or closed mortgages, pre-payment options, fixed or variable rates or home portable mortgages are just a few of the available options.

Types of Mortgages

There are two basic types of home mortgages:
- Conventional Mortgage: The loan amount does not exceed 75% of the real estate property value, defined as the lesser of the purchase price or the appraised value.
- High-Ratio Mortgage, or National Housing Act Mortgage: The amount is more than 75% of the real estate property value (up to 95%). By law, a high-ratio real estate home mortgage must be insured against borrower default. The home borrower pays a mortgage insurance premium (a percentage of the total loan amount) which can be added to the mortgage loan or paid in a lump sum in advance. The borrower must also pay an insurance application fee.

How much can you afford to spend on a new home?

The amount of money you can afford to spend for a new home is determined by two factors:
- Your Downpayment. This is the amount of money you have available from your own assets. You need a minimum of 5% of the total purchase price as a downpayment for your real estate property.

A larger downpayment means lower mortgage payments or, even better, that you can pay off the mortgage faster, thereby saving thousands of dollars in interest payments. Or you may be able to buy in a higher price range, if you qualify. (Be careful, though, not to stretch your budget to the limit, and to set enough money aside to cover the other expenses of buying a home or property investment).

First time home buyers can use their RRSPs towards a downpayment and closing costs. Under the federal government’s Home Buyer’s Plan, first-time buyers can borrow up to $20,000 tax-free ($40,000 for couples) from their RRSP savings. The funds must be repaid within 15 years, but you don’t have to begin repayments for two years.

- Your ability to carry mortgage debt. Bank lenders use a simple two-step method to determine the real estate mortgage amount that you can comfortably pay back on your income. As a rule, you can usen o more than 32$ of gross income on monthly paymnents to cover principal, interest, property taxes and heating (PITH) and possibly condominium fees, or 40% of your gross income on all financial obligations. The latter could include car payments, credit card instalments and other payments in addition to the “shelter” costs listed earlier.

Once your maximum monthly payment towards “shelter costs” has been established, it is easy to determine the size of loan you can handle, depending on interest rates and amortization periods.

Be Aware of the Total Costs

When you calculate how much it will cost to buy a home or property and how much you can afford, don’t forget to consider the additional costs that you may encounter. Ask your real estate builder and the sales representative for detailed estimates, and consult with your lender and lawyer for further information.

Get Pre-Approval

It is a good idea to have your bank financing in place before you begin looking for your real estate property or home. That way you can negotiate arrangements with your real estate builder in full confidence and without delay.

A pre-approved mortgage is preliminary approval by the bank lender for a mortgage up to a certain amount, usually with a guaranteed rate for a specified number of days (90 days and sometimes longer). If interest rates go down during that period, you will get the benefit of the lower rate. If they go up, your rate stays locked in.

Pre-approved mortgage financing is simple to arrange, costs nothing and does not obligate you to go ahead with the bank loan, if you choose not to. The final mortgage amount and terms will be determined once you have reached a final agreement with your real estate builder.

Information provided courtesy of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association. For more information, visit CHBA online at www.chba.ca.

For more condominium mortgage tips and home buyer checklists for pre-construction condos, click here.

Cortez Blu Condos in San Diego

Uptown and urban, sophisticated and lifestyle oriented, the San Diego Cortez Hill Blu condominium residences in a twenty story tower. A soaring glass residential tower with much room to grow and expand the imagination, this already constructed San Diego real estate property at Cortez Blu in the Cortez Hill neighborhood is the premier address.

Bringing life uptown to San Diego is what this real estate development does so well. Located in the bustling and exciting downtown district of Cortez Hill in San Diego, the Cortez Blu real estate properties are a construction property by K. Hovnanian Homes who have designed and built many of the countries leading master-planned communities and residential complexes that provide the most amazing lifestyles, living spaces and furnctional floor plans and amenities on site. This sixty seven condominium unit building at Cortez Blu condo homes in San Diego consists of a high-rise tower of twenty stories up high between 8th Avenue and Ash St. The pre-construction phase of the Cortez Blu San Diego condominium tower was back in the summer of 2005 and has since been completed in the early part of the year 2006. However, there are some magnificent condo homes and residence apartments still available at the San Diego downtown Cortez Blu condominium homes, so why wait any longer to purchase a truly liveable and affordable residence for you and your loved ones?

An overview breakdown summary of the downtown San Diego Cortez Blu condos

Condominium for sale, this San Diego Cortez Hill real estate construction property will feature floor plans between one or two bedrooms per residence and there are no price restricted condo units at Cortez Blu. In addition, this San Diego property will be architected by Martinez + Cutri at mc-architects.com and the real estate development team as described above is K. Hovnanian Homes where the sales office is at 619.235.4099. A total of 67 condominium homes at Cortez Blu were available on twenty stories and you can find out more about this development online at the marketing web site at cortezblu.com.

Contacting San Diego Cortez Blu

To visit the San Diego real estate sales center and to speak with one of their sales representatives at Cortez Blu, the development property is between Ash and 8th and the sales presentation center is actually now offsite (moved) and is at 435 4th Avenue. Located within the exciting Gaslamp District that has been completely revitalized, you can visit the downtown Cortez Blu sales office by K. Hovnanian Homes is in San diego CA 92101. With luxurious condominium homes and residences at Cortez Blu San Diego condos start from the low four hundred thousand dollar US range. The presentation center for the Cortez Blu San Diego real estate properties is open every day of the week between 10:00am and 6:00pm. It is suggested by the sales and marketing team that prospective home buyers be pre-qualified for their mortgage by major banks prior to making an offer on a Cortez Blu condominium home. For more information about this process, please visit this following web site http://www.khov.com/Home/Mortgage/MortgagePreQual.htm?Brand=MET&State=CARegion=&Brand=MET&State=CA&CommCode=11079ML&NewArea=CSI. to request more information about the San diego Cortez Blu Hill condominium homes, please send the sales office an online inquiry here http://www.khov.com/Home/Forms/RequestInformation.htm?Brand=MET&State=CARegion=&Brand=MET&State=CA&CommCode=11079ML&NewArea=CSI.

Updates on the Cortez Blu real estate property

If you and your loved ones or even friends and colleagues are looking for a new home in downtown San diego near the Gaslamp District, then the Cortez Blu condominium homes on Cortez Hill are definitely a great fit. Now selling at Cortez Blu include both spacious one and two bed room homes that range up to one thousand eight hundred and eighty two square feet in size starting from the low $400s. Some of the smaller units at Cortez Blu San Diego are around five hundred and eighty sq ft. With great vantage points and views from the tenth floor and above, the San Diego Cortez Blu condominium residences apartments will provide private decks and balconies for most homes and also magnificent penthouse suites. Close to Balboa Park and the metro station, this K Hovnanian Homes reale state development at Cortez Blu provides floor plan layouts in all perspectives and styles for everyone. The sixty seven condominiums in San diego Cortez Blu will have one to two bedrooms and up to 2.5 bathrooms as well as private resident parking. Also close to outdoor cafes, shopping and the business district, the Cortez Hill Blu condos in San Diego cannot be more ideally situated than it is.

If you would like to read more about other California pre-construction condominium high-rise residences

Amenities at the Cortez Blu San Diego Cortez Hill district condominiums

With a great entrance lobby in addition to only one to five luxurious condo apartment homes per floor, the Cortez Blu real estate properties are elegant and urban. In addition, residents here at the Cortez Blu properties will have access to concierge services as well as secure key card entry into the building. As well, the Cortez Hill condominium homes in San Diego will also have sprinkler system and trash chutes.

Real Estate: Adding Value and Subtracting Value

Taken from the Australian Property Investor Magazine January 2007 edition ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’ article.

Intense competition between bank lenders means you don’t have to feel the full pinch of recent interest rate rises. There are at least nine techniques you can use to secure a lower rate on real estate investment interest rates. By Matthew Liddy for the API Magazine January 2007 edition.

1. Just Ask

Securing a lower rate can be as simple as asking if you’re getting the best deal, says mortgage broker Glen Spratt. If your total borrowings are greater than $250,000, there’s a good chance you can get a discount off the standard variable rate.

“The discounts are generally tiered,” says Spratt, director of Mortgageport. “The bigger the loan, the larger the discount. Generally speaking on any loan these days over $250,000 you can negotiate a discount of anywhere from 0.5 per cent off the bank’s standard interest variable rate. I’ve seen discounts as high as 1.2 per cent.”

The real estate loans attracting discounts at the upper end of that range would total well over $1 million, he adds. Usually these discounts come under the guise of a professional package, which will roll in other services, such as free transaction banking accounts, gold credit cards and real estate mortgage facilities such as offset accounts. For the home borrowing package, borrowers pay an annual fee in the order of $300 to $400. Despite this approach of giving with one hand and taking with the other, Spratt says real estate borrowers can save thousands of dollars a year.

“If you’ve got a $500,000 loan and you’re getting a 0.7 per cent discount that’s $3500 a year. If they’re charging you $300 in fees, you’re still $3200 a year better off.”

David Johnston of Real Estate Property Planning Australia says a few lenders will even negotiate on the package’s annual fee as well as the interest rate.

If you don’t like the look of the professional packages, don’t despair.

CANNEX mortgage expert Harry Senlitonga says that’s not the end of the negotiation. “With the lender’s discretion, they may offer you a special deal, especially if you borrow above $500,000,” he advises.

2. Shop Around

If your bank lender doesn’t appear too keen to negotiate, look elsewhere. Competitors may be more willing to win your business. Watch out for the extra costs associated with refinancing, though there are ways to beat those as well. For instance, some real estate mortgage brokers will pay the costs associated with switching loans in certain circumstances. Or just use the better offer as a negotiating tool, suggests Johnston.

“If you prefer to stay with your existing bank real estate lender, but just want to try to get a sharper interest rate, you can just talk to your existing lender and say, ‘here’s this offer over here and you’re only giving me this – can you match that?”

3. Consolidate Your Loans

Since interest rate discounts are largely determined by your total borrowings, shifting all your loans to one bank lender could help. “The more facilities or more borrowings you have with them, the more negotiating power you have,” says Johnston.

“If it’s someone who might have loans spread across two or three different bank lenders, by bringing all those loans together with one lender, it’ll certainly allow them to negotiate more fiercely with the bank mortgage lender to get the best interest rate for themselves.”

4. Establish a Line of Credit

Borrowers who are comfortable with doing so can essentially beat the banks at their own game by setting up a line of credit.

A line of credit is a type of personal overdraft, explains Johnston. In the bank lender’s eyes, even if you don’t use the money, your total borrowing facilities are at a higher level. “Even if you don’t plan to use it in the future, you can set it up (and it) can help you to get onto a better professional package and negotiate better real estate mortgage interest rates,” Johnston reveals.

He says a line of credit, or LOC as it’s commonly known, doesn’t necessarily involve higher fees either, since many professional packages allow for a number of different borrowing facilities.

5. Fix your Rates

A lot of borrowers have switched their bank mortgage loans to fixed-rate products in recent months, Spratt says. “There are mortgage real estate products available today where the fixed rates have a lot of flexibility, such as having an offset account attached to a fixed rate loan,” he says. “Three-year fixed rates now are lower than even the discounted variable rates and when you can have something like a 100 per cent offset account attached to it, it still gives a client the flexibility of making additional payments to the bank loan.”

However, Senlitonga notes there’s no guarantee you’ll save money on a fixed rate since you’ll be tied to it even if the variabl rates come down. Johnston adds that bank mortgage lenders aren’t as negotiable on their advertised fixed mortgage rates as they are on their variable mortgage rates. “most lenders with fixed rates, you can negotiate a discount but it’s more around 0.15 per cent or 0.25 per cent at the higher end,” he says.

6. Accept Fewer Features

Johnston says real estate borrowers who don’t qualify for a professional package could opt for a discounted variable mortgage rate. “The discounted variable loans are the ones that don’t have quite as many bells and whistles, so they don’t have the 100 per cent offset account but they give you a lower interest rate,“ he explains.

The difference between standard variable and discounted variable rates is often around the 0.7 per cent mark. Senlitonga says a recent CANNEX study found more than 60 per cent of offset accounts had a balance of less than $5000, meaning real estate borrowers were paying to have access to a feature they weren’t really using.

However, Spratt, warns real estate mortgage borrowers to think twice before giving up certain extras, such as redraw facilities. “(It) can have consequences that might not be apparent now but may come to a head down the track,” he says.

7. Try a Non-Bank Lender

Non bank real estate lenders can often help borrowers save, Spratt says. “My experience is you can get the same sort of discounts you’d get from the real estate mortgage banks but you don’t generally have to pay the ongoing fee that y ou’d pay with the bank,” he explains.

“You might get the equivalent of a 0.5 to 0.7 per cent discount off the standard variable mortgage rate but you the ndon’t have to pay the $300 a year fee.” Senlitonga warns, however, that simply switching to a certain type of bank lender won’t guarantee you get the best loan. He says it’s important to match the right product ot an individual borrower’s needs.

8. Go Online

Bank lenders with online only products often offer good interest rates, though borrowers will sacrifice any loan extras and access to in-branch real estate services, Johnston says. He says online bank loans for real estate investments are probably the best suited to borrowers who have a good understanding of the mortgage real estate industry and who only need straightforward loans.

“They’re probably not set up for more complex loan structures for people with a number of investment real estate properties etc.,” he says.

9. Use a Broker

If you don’t feel comfortable negotiating with various real estate lenders, a mortgage broker can do this for you – usually at no cost to you. In addition, mortgage broker’s inside knowledge and access to 30-plus lenders can help secure a discount for your real estate investment.

“Mortgage real estate brokers are often able to fins epical deals or special offers that aren’t generally published to the real estate market,” Spratt says.

Johnston adds, “A good broker can shop around on your behalf and can know which lenders are offering the best pricing at a particular time. That’s something that is constantly evolving and moving and changing.

Trump International Hotel and Tower in Toronto, Ontario

Final opportunity to own at the height of luxury condominium hotel towers in Canada’s largest city is now here at the Toronto Trump International Hotel and Tower. Last chance to own your Trump Toronto condominium hotel home at pre-construction pricing which will be ending soon.

The window of opportunity will soon be closing! This is the final release for you to purchase a spectacular Trump Toronto residence or hotel condominium suite at pre-construction condo pricing! Construction plans for Canada’s first historic Trump Tower Hotel property will soon be announced. Now is the time to act if you want to maximize your real estate investment potential. Real estate condominium pricing at the Trump Toronto Hotel Tower Condos will rise considerably once construction begins.

About the Toronto Trump International Hotel and Condo Tower in Canada

The luxury residences start at one thousand five hundred and forty square feet and are currently priced from $1.5 million. Hotel condominium suites are priced from the low $800,000s CAD. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto’s vibrant financial and entertainment districts, the seventy storey Trump Toronto International Hotel & Tower will be the most luxurious residential building in Canada when completed. Register now to secure your purchase real estate opportunity. You can do so online at the following Trump Toronto URL: http://www.trumptoronto.ca/Default.aspx. To learn more about the Toronto Trump condominium homes and hotel suites and to gain access to floorplans, please register below or contact your Trump International Hotel & Tower, Toronto sales executive at 416.214.2800 today. If you are already a Trump VIP member, you can view our floor plans using existing user name and password. What colour do you dream in? You can also watch a video of Donald Trump speaking about the Toronto Hotel Condominium suites online at trumptoronto.com’s home page.

The Trump Toronto Hotel Condominiums: Enjoy the Stay. Profit from Success

For the experienced traveler, the Trump International Toronto Hotel offers you the unique opportunity to enjoy the comforts of a luxury stay, coupled with the benefits of the hotel’s success. For the first time ever, individuals and corporations can purchase a luxury hotel suite for personal or business use – right in the heart of downtown Toronto. Trump Hotel Condominiums provide the ultimate convenience: a privately-owned suite, carefully managed by the hotel.

Each hotel condominium suite at the Trump International Toronto Hotel & Tower may be occupied as much or as little as the owner desires. During a stay, owners have complete access to every amenity. Upon departure, personal effects are secured and the hotel suite is made available to hotel guests. Real estate owners receive revenue with each purchased room night, and enjoy the tax benefits associated with ownership. Owners may sell or transfer ownership at any time, and the real estate program entails a very high degree of flexibility.

A perfect downtown pied-a-terre the Toronto Trump International Hotel suites offers the ultimate way for the frequent traveler to Toronto to invest in a second or third home – without the added responsibility of maintenance. Whether purchased as a getaway, for business or as a real estate investment, each hotel Trump Toronto suite is serviced to reflect the standard that has made the Trump name synonymous with world-class living.

The Trump International Hotel and Tower Condominium Residences

Exquisite New Heights of World-Class Urban Living. The Residences at Trump International Hotel & Tower, Toronto redefine elegance and luxury living. With access to the world’s finest five-star amenities right where you live, whatever you need is always available – right at your fingertips.

Unsurpassed in grace and grand views, the dramatic Sky Lobby overlooking Lake Ontario invites you back into your exclusive oasis. A direct-access, high-speed elevator whisks you away on a momentary journey, home to your one, two or three levels of palatial luxury. Commanding floor-to-ceiling views announce your arrival, with Toronto and all that it offers at your feet. The Trump Toronto Residences have grand foyers which glisten with a polished sheen, while designer kitchens beckon your inner-gourmet to linger within. Generously appointed bathrooms with in-floor radiant heating and large modern soaker tubs provide a serene wind-down to conclude your busy day. This is what the good life is all about.

For true high living at the Toronto Trump International Hotel and Tower Residences, three Grand Skyplex TM penthouse residence suites feature single, bi- and tri-level floor plans up to nearly seven thousand square feet.

For more information about Eastern Canada real estate properties and Eastern US condo projects, select this link.

The Benefits of Buying New Real Estate?

By Jody Overend for the New Home Buyers Guide, February 02 – 16th, 2007.

Ah, the well-polished floor. The funky tiles in the bathroom. The old-fashioned kitchen just like the one you remember from childhood. Most of us are at one time or another drawn to the idea of buying an older home.

So why choose a brand new home instead? The answer is in the question. Everything is new. New ideas. New designs. Newly discovered materials. The most advanced technology in electrical, heating, cooling and communication systems to name a few.

“And not only is everything new,” points out Cheryl Guenther, Sales Manager for Whispering Ridge, “it’s guaranteed under your New Home Warranty. The exterior, the interior, and everything inside are covered. Older real estate homes don’t’ come with guarantees. That can lea to unexpected expenses you haven’t budgeted for.”

She has a very good point. Although your certified home inspector has given your older home or real estate property a winning grade, unfortunately, it doesn’t mean it will always stay that way.

When you can least afford it, you may be stuck with unexpected and costly repairs and upgrades. Older appliances can give up the ghost out of the blue. Your bathroom can spring a leak. Your wiring may need replacing. And guess what. No home warranty to fall back on.

Another valid consideration is your lifestyle. Chances are you live a busy modern life. And like most of us, you have a motley collection of technological can’t live withouts – cell phones, high definition TVs, stereo equipment, computers, and what have you. And the support systems for all that technology? It’s not usually found in a ten-year old home or real estate properties unless it has been recently renovated. Another costly upgrade you weren’t expecting.

On the other hand, in a new home, all the must have gadgets and necessities have been planned for. Many new homes come with multi-room high speed internet connections already built in, as well as pre-wiring for an alarm system and air conditioning.

And be honest. Wouldn’t you love to have the latest in stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, easy care hardwood, and a fireplace you turn on with a flick of a switch?

Not to mention you can see your new home and real estate property being built form the ground up. You know what’s between the walls and who put it there. You can see with your own eyes the craftsmanship and attention to detail that your real estate builder is providing you.

And don’t worry about being stuck with “one size fits all.” In most new real estate housing developments there’s a wide variety of options and upgrades to choose from to personalize your home and property just the way you want it, inside and out. From tiles to exterior trims, cabinetry to countertops. Be sure to ask.

One last thing. If you have a young family or are thinking of starting one, the neighbourhood you choose is critical. New subdivisions are carefully designed to incorporate schools, shopping and medical centres, safe bike paths and playgrounds. From pre-school years through high-school, the needs of both the children and adults are thoughtfully provided for.

An older home or property real estate with a big front porch? A thirtieth floor loft with floor-to-ceiling windows? A single family home in a brand new subdivision? There is no right home for everyone. There is only the right home for you.

Sources include Canadian Home Builders’ Association web site.

Santa Fe Terrace Condominiums in San Diego

Located in the beautiful city of San Diego, the Santa Fe Terrace condo homes and residence apartment suites is a different San Diego real estate master-planned community that features a condo conversion property of only forty two units.

Certainly a unique San Diego real estate condominium conversion property, the SD Santa Fe Terrace condo homes and apartment residences will feature a gated community in the heart of central San Diego, California. Built and planned by the established real estate development team of The Continental Group Inc., the Santa Fe Terrace San Diego condo homes and residence suites are located at 4473 Home Avenue in SD, CA with a zip code of 92105. As with many other condo conversion properties lately, the San Diego Santa Fe Terrace condominium homes will be completely revived and renovated to its original state with many more new amenities, features and fine fixtures added to the mix. Contemporary design and architectural detailing will also be added to the Santa Fe Terrace Condominiums in San Diego California as this condo conversion property is launched to the general public. Outside of the downtown and bustling core of San Diego, the Santa Fe Terrace condo residence apartment homes in California provide all local conveniences and amenities close to your private condominium homes in addition to a wealth of private facilities for resident use only. Check out why people are talking about purchasing a real estate property at San Diego’s Santa Fe Terraces and condo homes.

A brief overview of the SD Santa Fe Terrace Residence Condos in California

This San Diego real estate construction properties at the Santa Fe Terrace condominium suites and homes is a two story residential only building complete with forty two fully renovated and ready to move in residences ranging from two bedroom and one and a half bath room homes. The pricing range for the San Diego Santa Fe Terrace condo residences and apartment suites is between two hundred and seventy nine thousand, nine hundred dollars to three hundred and sixteen thousand, nine hundred American dollars per unit. As a condominium conversion San Diego real estate property, the Santa Fe Terrace homes have gone through the conversion phase already and the expected completion date is actually this November 2006. for more updates and detailed information about the Santa Fe Terrace San Diego condo homes, please call their sales office at 619-264-2949 today.

Contact Details for the San Diego Santa Fe Terrace homes in California

First thing you can do is log onto the Santa Fe Terrace web site and join the waiting list. By submitting your details, you will be able to have the best home choices available when sales start for the santa Fe Terrace San Diego home properties and condo suites. The online waiting list form is located at santafeterrace.com/pages/waiting.html. Also, you can contact the San Diego real estate Santa Fe Terrace sales office at 619-264-2949 or by email at contact-us@santafeterrace.com. The actual address of the Santa Fe Terrace condominium residence apartment homes is at 4455 Home Avenue in San Diego, California 92105. For maps and directions through Mapquest, please visit the following URL from the Santa Fe Terrace website santafeterrace.com/pages/map.html. In addition, you can view a San Diego Santa Fe Terrace condo homes and apartment suites site plan here santafeterrace.com/pages/site_p.html.

Residence Features at the SD Santa Fe Terrace condominium homes in California

The building construction of this master-planned condo community provides maximum efficiency in energy savings which includes San Diego Santa Fe Terrace residence features like dual pane vinyl windows, drip irrigation system, plumbing fixtures that save water, gas forced air heating as well as energy efficient lighting fixtures and kitchen appliances. This provides a low maintenance urban living experience for residents at the Santa Fe Terrace condominium homes and luxury residence suites in San Diego California. The interior finishes and features provided by the Santa Fe tErrace homes in SD include wall to wall carpets, window coverings, air con, alarm systems, washer and dryer which are full size, tiling as well as designer interior doors and hardware. The kitchens at the San Diego real estate developmenat at Santa Fe Terrace residences and condominiums will feature completely new features and appliances as well as wood floors. The bathrooms and bedrooms will be ultra modern with walk in closets, ceiling fans, tile flooring and granite counter tops. A features list for the exterior and interiors of the condo residence suites at Santa Fe Terrace San Diego real estate properties is available online at santafeterrace.com/pages/feature_list.html. In addition, the San Diego Santa Fe Terrace condo homes and apartment residence suites community will provide a private dog park for pets in addition to a fitness center and picnic area. In addition, some select condominium homes at the Santa Fe Terraces in San Diego real estate will have private yards and all residents will have assigned parking and access to a nature preserve next door.

Grand Blanc Woodfield Landing Luxury Condominiums

Located near Detroit North Metro in Michigan State, the Woodfield Landing townhome condo suites and homes are another Abbey Homes real estate development along a world class golf course that is now obtainable for home buyers seeking a quiet refuge in Detroit Michigan.

The Abbey Homes Woodfield Landing golf course community does not currently have its own marketing web site, however, for more information, you can visit the real estate developers website for more information regarding this golf course condominium district in Woodfield Landing Grand Blanc Michigan. Secluded and heavily wooded areas are two distinct things about the Grand Blanc Woodfield Landing golf course condo community that is located in a prestigious and very quiet neighbourhood within the motor city of Michigan. With serene and utimately very low maintenance living quarters available overlooking the magnificent greenery, the Woodfield Landing Grand Blanc golf course condominium homes and townhouses are captivating to say the least when it comes to new Detroit real estate properties in Michigan State. In addition, the Detroit Woodfield condo homes in Grand Blanc along their golf course is just a few minutes drive from the downtown city center as well as numerous shopping and dining options. For those who work and play around the Detroit Michigan area, this real estate development at the Woodfield Landing Grand Blanc condo community is just next to I-75 and contains a luxurious Club House and Captians Club Restaurant for residents and their guests. For a photo gallery, please visit the Grand Blanc Woodfield Landing website located at the Abbey Homes marketing site.

The Woodfield Golf Course Community in Grand Blanc Michigan

The ranch style Abbey Homes development at Woodfield Landing in MI features homes and condominium residences that include one and half story attached condo apartments with first floor master suites that are very liveable and entertaining when it comes to community floor plans and layouts for families. The Grand Blanc Woodfield Landing golf course community in Detroit Michigan also provides residents with two car attached garages which is very unique for new pre-construction real estate properties these days and also, the entire community is situated in a quiet and secluded forested area in the state. The price range released by Abbey Homes for the Woodfield Landing condo homes starts from the one hundred and seventy thousand dollar range in this golf course community. The unit sizes for the Woodfield Landing condominiums ranges from thirteen hundred and fourteen hundred and eighty square feet approximately and it is a new construction property featuring condo homes in Grand Blanc with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. With an affiliation to internest, as a Woodfield Grand Blanc condo buyer, you can receive one percent off your purchase of a home here. The condo homes are located in Augusta Lane in Grand Blanc Michigan and the real estate development team for the Woodfield Landing condominium residences is Abbey Homes that is based in MI.

Impressive features of the Woodfield Grand Blanc Landing Condo Homes

If you are looking for a safe and quiet neighbourhood for your family and guests, then the Woodfield Landing condo residence apartments in Grand Blanc Michigan close to Detroit are the perfect starter family condo for you. Surrounded by everything that nature has to offer and located in a heavily forested and green area, the Grand Blanc Woodfield Landing condominiums in Michigan are a true golf course community that is safe and affordably in terms of pricing. All residence condos at Woodfield Landing Grand Blanc will have day light basements as well as the community at this golf course will have garbage pickup, cable television and water as well as professional grounds maintenance to make sure everything is up and running the way it should be for you. The Grand Blanc Woodfield Landing condominium townhomes are along the banks of the Raymond Floyd golf course as well as to all entertainment venues that you and your family seek in a community. For more information about the Woodfield golf course Grand Blanc community, please contact Darlene at 810.953.1388 and the presentation center for this Detroit real estate property development is open between 11 – 5 every day but is closed on Thursday only.

The Model Homes at the Woodfield Landing Grand Blanc community

There are currently two model homes available at this Detroit real estate property that includes the Augusta which is a two bed and two bath unit with one thousand three hundred square feet of living space and is one story high. The Augusta floorplan model at Woodfield Landing Michigan golf course community also features a two car garage and there is currently one condo home on the market at $174,990. The second floor plan model home at the Woodfield Landing Grand Blanc condominiums is the Bayhill layout that starts from $189,990 USD and features two bedrooms and 2.5 baths in addition to one thousand four hundred and eighty sq ft in living space over 1.5 floors and a two car attached garage.

For other luxury Michigan real estate condominium properties, luxurious properties and other high-end items to go with the good life and urban living communities in the United States and Canada, please click on these links.

Choosing the Right Real Estate Assets

Part 4 of the ‘Take Control: How Home Equity puts you in the driver’s seat’ by Monique Wakelin for the API Magazine, Dec 2006 magazine issue that focuses on being smart with your home equity and investment property strategy.

As mentioned earlier, choosing the right type and location of real estate property is crucial to achieving the desired outcome. If we look at the demographics, homeowners account for about 70 per cent of the Australian population, leaving a consistent 30 per cent pool of renters. Rental demand remains particularly strong in the locations and for the types of real estate property that enjoy the highest levels of underlying growth – and growth is all about buying real estate property that’s in high demand and limited supply.

Real estate investors will never get the type of capital growth required in oversupplied sectors of the real estate market. The target properties are generally 2 to 10 km from the central business district of major capital cities and a key feature is scarcity. This can only be found in architectural styles – for example, Victorian, Edwardian and art deco styles are irreplaceable and limited in supply. Access to schools, and other amenities are vital in these areas. Specific streets and locations also need to be taken into account.

The aim is to hold on to real estate and properties, that’s subject to greater demand than supply for the long term. Even when other sectors of the housing market are showing price stagnation or decreases, these prime real estate assets will remain relatively stable. In the case of apartments, the prime holdings are in smaller blocks in the right locations and always with car parking. Such properties are hard to find and the investor real estate must know at the outset what price to pay for them.

An apartment condominium purchased in the Melbourne suburb of Armadale is a case in point. A one-bedroom apartment condo in a small block built in the mid-1960s with its own car parking space sold for $25,000 at the time. The same apartment is worth about $250,000 on today’s market. It has demonstrated 10 per cent annual compound growth since it was built and is in high demand on the rental market. Or, a single fronted Victorian, one of a pair, in a very consistent streetscape that was renovated in the 1970s and is still in good condition, was purchased by an investor in real estate in 1997 for $236,000 and sold for $437,000 in 2001. Its current estimated value in the real estate market is $540,000.

Washington Condos: The Monique at 5th and R Streets, NW and The Parker Flats

Another real estate development marketed by UrbanLand Company in Washington DC, the Monique condominium homes are an all-new collection of boutique residences that are located between 14th Street and U street within the Shaw district.

Hip, trendy and ever-changing, The Monique is where the action is.

If you are a hipster or trendy couple, the Monique condo homes are perfect for those urban enthusiasts who want to live in the heart of the action in Washington DC. With only twelve condominium homes available, the Monique residence real estate properties in DC are just steps away from the local Metro which will get you to anything you want to do, work, play and relax as well as the Convention Centre of Washington. Ideal location and a great new neighbourhood are awaiting you and your family as the Monique at 5th and R Streets NW are being built and currently in the sales and marketing phase of the real estate property development project. The Monique is a boutique real estate development marketed by UrbanLand, and this Washington property will feature a wide variety of floorplans that will include two bedroom penthouse suites that are spectacular in every way, shape and form, as well as one and two bed room flat apartments. Whatever you are looking for in this government city that is growing in vibrancy and condominium urban living spaces, you will find at the Monique Washington.

Features galore at this new Washington property

Some of the included features at the Monique Washington boutique condos include some of the following for all residents: parking (underground), roof top terrace for great entertaining and parties as well as just to lounge and relax with your fellow condominium owners and renters, custom pendant and designer track lighting that will provide a luxury and boutique feel to the Monique residences in DC. As well, there will be stainless steel kitchen appliances, amazing bath tubs, stone counters, maple cabinetry, gourmet style kitchens that are open plan which is great for entertaining and cooking, hardwood floors as well as high ceilings. All of these features are quite distinct from other real estate offerings in the Washington DC area, so the Monique Condominium homes are really considered a step above the rest in this bustling area district community. For a Flash map of the Washington Monique residence condos in the Shaw district, please click on this website URl: http://www.urbanlandcompany.com/monique/monique-loca.html. To register online for the Monique condo updates and other interesting upcoming events, you can do so on their web site at: http://www.urbanlandcompany.com/crm/cont.php.

The floor plans for the Monique Washington DC condo homes will be released shortly. When launched, you will be able to view all the floorplans for the Monique condominiums in DC online at this website page: http://www.urbanlandcompany.com/monique/monique-floo.html. For more information, you can call the UrbanLand Company LLC marketing company at 202.299.9223 and enquire about the Washington DC Monique condos. They are located at 913 Florida Ave, NW 20001.

Introducing the Washington Parker Flats and Apartments for Sale!

THURS PM - WINE & CHEESE @ THE SCHOOLHOUSE LOFTS! JOIN US - TOUR YOUR EXCITING CONDO OPTIONS AT THIS AWARD-WINNING PROPERTY at the Parker Flats Washington condo apartment homes for sale! PARKER FLATS - THURSDAY OCTOBER 16 from 5-8PM LEDROIT PARK at 2035 2ND ST, NW. DIRECTIONS - U ST TO FLORIDA AVE - LEFT ON T ST. - THRU HISTORIC LEDROIT PARK - LEFT ON 2ND TO THE SCHOOLHOUSE LOFTS! The Washington Parker Lofts and apartment condominiums feature stunning Schoolhouse lofts, exposed brick, swank lobby, soaring ceilings, storage units, secure parking and granite/stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. The Parker Flats in Washington DC real estate market also feature spectacular common green spaces, wood flooring, oversized windows, private patios and a fitness club. Best yet, these new Parker Flats Washington condos are move-in ready and ready for occupancy right away. The Parker Flats are a winner for the BEST RENOVATION FOR 2007 - WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL. In addition, the new Washington Parker Flats is a winner for the AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE - AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, NORTHERN VIRGINIA CHAPTER. The LAST STUDIO! $244,900; 1BR FROM $286,900; 1BR/DEN at Parker Flats FROM $339,900 and 2BR FROM $375,900. The Washington DC condos at Parker Flats are OPEN DAILY -- WEEKDAYS 11-6 -- SAT/SUN 1-5. SEE YOU THERE!

Assessing the Capital Growth of your Real Estate Investment

Written by Monique Wakelin for the ‘Take Control: How Home Equity puts you in the driver’s seat’ article published in API magazine – December 2006 issue and this features the third part of this useful article.

Investors often ask how to measure the growth in the equity they control and how to access the capital growth achieved. Firstly, find out how much your property is worth on today’s real estate market, and you can calculate the increase on the original purchase price.

A simple model is to look at a real estate property purchased for $200,000 that’s now worth $240,000. The property investment has had a capital gain of $40,000 or 20 per cent.

Another method is to establish the rate of return on equity or the percentage by which your home equity has increased beyond the cash amount that was initially put into the property real estate investment. In the case of the $200,000 property there would have been a 10 per cent deposit of $20,000. If the property shows capital growth of 10 per cent in the first year, then there’s a $20,000 return on that equity or 100 per cent. This real estate capital growth will compound in subsequent years as seen in the following table at the end of this part of the article.

To suggest this specific level of home equity growth will happen every year is unrealistic. This is where the long-term view comes into play because of the wide range of factors that we know are going to affect real estate property. These are the “real life” situations ranging from rising interest rates to general national and state based economic conditions to changes in rental levels. Property real estate moves in cycles with periods of upturn and downturn and more stable, even price flows. Focused and disciplined investors in real estate pay little attention to the “bad news” and realise that their investment in real estate will increase exponentially as future property cycles move through upturn phases. Time evens out the highs and lows – as long as you get your asset selection right.

First time real estate home investors need to realise the first year or two of holding property will be the most challenging. It requires the mindset that there will be “glitches” until they see the pattern beginning to emerge. At this stage, they should also be exploring the options that provide some buffers against occurrences such as interest rate rises. For example, fixing all or part of their loan when rates are low can be a good insurance policy.

Return on Equity in home investments
This table outlines the return of an investment property purchased for $200,000 with an initial deposit of $20,000 and showing average compound annual growth of 10 per cent.

Year Capital Value Return(s) Return on Initial Equity (%)
Year 1 $220,000 $20,000 100%
Year 2 $242,000 $42,000 210%
Year 3 $266,200 $66,200 331%
Year 4 $292,820 $92,820 464%
Year 5 $322,102 $122,102 611%
Year 7 $389,743 $189,743 949%
Year 10 $518,748 $318,748 1,594%
Year 15 $835,449 $635,449 3,177%
Year 20 $1,345,498 $1,145,498 5,727%

For some more real estate resources on pre-construction condos and Whistler real estate and condo developments, click here.

San Pedro Centre Street Lofts

With two and a half percent brokerage cooperation and a mixed use construction design, San Pedro real estate market presents the Centre Street Lofts between sixth and seventh street in downtown city core in the harbour district of San Pedro. The Centre Street Loft residence apartments and homes will be a hub for local artists, culture and entertainment for all residents.

A new age of mixed-use residential/retail/commercial real estate properties are heading our way. In San Pedro, the Centre Street Lofts and residential community is the first of its kind in the downtown harbour district of San Pedro, California, which is quite amazing and exciting. In addition, the loft style condominium residences at the Centre Street Lofts in San Pedro CA will consist of floor plan sizes that will range between seven hundred and fifty square feet to two thousand three hundred sq ft. A five storey residential and retail building, the San Pedro Centre Street Loft residence homes will number one hundred and sixteen residential loft units. On the ground floor, the Centre Street loft homes will feature two level artist lofts (similar to home offices) that will only total six in number for those lucky few. As well on the ground floor of the San Pedro real estate property at Centre Street Lofts residences will be over twenty thousand sq ft of retail space that will contain boutique shops, groceries, casual and fine dining and retail stores for your conveniences.

More about the Centre Street Lofts in California

Located within the pristine and quiet neighborhood around the San Pedro harbor in downtown, the Centre Street Lofts is a unique real estate property development because it bucks the trend of the traditional pre-construction high-rise residential towers that seem to be designed and constructed everywhere in every city in the United States. The San Pedro Centre Street loft style residences and condominium homes will number 116 plus 6 artist loft residences. The one bed loft apartments at the Centre Street Lofts will range from the high three hundred thousand dollars and two bed residence loft apartments will start from the mid four hundred thousand dollar range (USD). Lastly, there will be a select number of two story artist townhomes at the Centre Street Lofts in San Pedro that will start from the high six hundred thousand dollar range. For the latest news about this development property in San Pedro’s downtown core, please visit their website at centrestreetlofts.com/html/news.html. The model suite at the presentation centre is now complete with all the fine finishes that home buyers can come to expect. Move in to the San Pedro real estate properties at Centre Street Lofts will take place in January 2007 and you can still purchase your dream loft home today before the new year. Sixty five feet tall, this mixed use residential/retail space at Centre Street Lofts residences apartments in San Pedro California provides an ideal location along the waterfront as well as many sports and recreational venues surrounding the properties. In addition, residents at the Centre St Lofts in San Pedro CA will be close to the LAX, John Wayne Airport and the Long Beach Airport. For the real estate development group details, you can visit their marketing web site at centrestreetlofts.com/html/developers.html. The Centre Street Lofts team consists of Lee Homes, CIM Group, Arquitectonica Architects and there are many reviews and awards won by members of this construction team that you can read online.

Contacting the Centre Street Loft Apartments

Come to San Pedro and see for yourself why this city is ranked as one of the most liveable urban communities in the entire state. At the San Pedro Centre Street Loft residences homes and apartments, you can now visit the presentation center for a complete model loft with all the features and finishes presented at this real estate development. The Centre Street Lofts sales office is located at 255 West 6th Street in San Pedro CA and the phone number is 310-241-1011. You can visit the presentation center and model suite for the Centre Street San Pedro loft style residences today without an appointment between eleven and five everyday. For Lender request and feedback information, please contact them online at the Centre Street Lofts website located at centrestreetlofts.com/html/contacts.html or you can also call 310.241.1011 for more banking and pre-qualification for mortgage information.

The building, floorplans and numbers surrounding this San Pedro real estate property

The Centre Street Loft residences and apartment homes in San Pedro will feature twenty thousand, four hundred and fifteen square feet of retail space including three hundred and eight parking spots split between four levels (P1 at the Centre Street Lofts San Pedro will have 116 parking spaces, P2 and P3 will have 62 each and P4 will have 68 parking spots). As for the residential loft style apartments, the San Pedro Centre St Loft Homes will feature one hundred and ten residential units of which sixty four are two bedrooms (58%) and thirty are one bed room condominium loft homes (27%). The remaining units include 10 loft units (10%) in addition to six live and work loft residences (5%). Some of the building amenities at the San Pedro Centre Street Loft residences include two assigned parking spots per residence, a guest access system, landscaping, lobby with two elevators and local conveniences.

For more details about other California pre-construction condo projects and homes, please visit this URL.