Real Estate Investing Advice & Information

Homes cost money. No one questions that, but ultimately, the average consumer is completely unaware of just how much money their new home will wind up costing them- this is especially true for first-time home buyers.

Unfortunately, all the advice in the world often isn’t enough to adequately prepare someone. A home, already a six-figure purchase, comes with while I like to refer to as “expense timers”. An expense timer is something that will eventually cost the owner money, and the clock is always ticking. Unsure of what I mean? Keep reading.

Common “Expense Timers”

A home is much like a car in that it requires constant maintenance, repairs, and care in order to operate at maximum efficiency. When you were growing up, did you put much thought into how much work your parents did on your home? Based on the simple fact that ignorance is bliss, I sincerely doubt it. However, as soon as the tables turn and you find yourself as the home-owner, the amount of work becomes staggering. continue reading…

Cheap living in a small living space doesn’t have to be doing without. It means using what you have more efficiently.

For example, in 1994 we moved from a 1800 square foot house to a 35 foot sailboat… about 60 square feet of standup room, remember the walls are curved on a sailboat. We had all the space we ever needed.

We moved to such a small living space because we wanted to, the sail boat cruising lifestyle offered a lot of fun and adventure for us. We were not disappointed.

Point being you can cut your living costs drastically by downsizing your home…to a home that doesn’t float either. continue reading…

When any self respecting housewife invites company for dinner, she cleans the house to impress her guests. If you’re selling your home and are having it inspected, as you should, you’ll need to do some house cleaning, too. That’s not so you can impress your home inspector, but so he can do his job.

Many times home inspectors can’t fully do what they’re supposed to do because certain areas of the home are inaccessible, due to clutter. When it’s time for your home inspection, you want to get your money’s worth. You don’t want the report to say, “Inspection limited due to the excess possessions blocking access and view.”

This isn’t about being a neat freak. The American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI®, Standards of Professional Practice, says inspectors are not to report on components or systems which are not observed. Your inspector isn’t required to disturb insulation or move personal items out of the way. If you’ve got furniture or plants in places your inspector needs to see, like the doorway to a utility closet, you’ll have to move that stuff. Clear off any snow and ice if necessary as well. continue reading…

Let’s face it. Your basement is a hole in the ground, and you don’t want water getting into that hole. Grading and drainage are issues every home owner faces. Home inspectors find grading and drainage problems to be quite common.

If grading collects and holds water near a foundation wall it can cause basement flooding. That can lead to mold growth as soon as 48 hours after flooding, something you definitely don’t want. Of course, any amount of flooding can damage those valuable items you’ve stored in your basement, and you don’t want that either.

If you’ve lived in an area for quite a while, you maybe familiar enough to detect certain weather patterns, such as a wet spring that could cause flooding. You may already know you have to be on guard concerning water getting into your basement. However, aside from immediate flooding, water leakage over a long period of time will rot and damage wood framing structures and also cause damage to the foundation. That’s something to be aware of, too. continue reading…

It is every individual’s dream to live in a big home that is fully furnished, luxurious outdoor space and with a very beautiful architectural structure. It is really delightful to live in a home like this. In this case, it would be better if you are going to live in a Miami luxury home with a backyard view of the ocean. Having this kind of home and ambiance then it is really luxurious type of lifestyle.

Miami is a well known city because of the different real estate options and the things that it can offer to people. Most of the home in Miami is made from luxurious styles and designs. The Miami luxury home comes with the variety to choose from. You can check out their single-family homes, impressive homes of those luxurious condo units. These properties are fully furnished with world class furnishings and high tech appliances that will make everything easy for you. Aside from the luxurious interior accessories, some of these properties have their own tennis court, golf course, swimming pools and playground for children. And what makes it more gorgeous is its landscape.

In searching for the right Miami luxury home, you have to choose first the right neighborhood that will fit your needs and wants. There are lots of luxury homes around Miami, but finding the right home is one of the important aspects that you must give importance. There are luxury properties that are near to the different establishments. There are also situated near to those entertainment and recreational amenities. You just have to determine the right community for you and for sure you will find the right one. Most of these properties are in the center of the different establishments and amenities and this is the reason why these properties become so popular for those people who can afford to have them. continue reading…

One of the priorities in evaluating where you want to live is that you’ll be near most establishments without compromising the safety of your family. Living in Allied Gardens in East San Diego, means you’re centrally located and within reach of things that are important like schools, entertainment, sports and service-oriented shops. Other points of interest or destinations and attractions are also just a short drive away.

It looks like that now is the right time to buy a home in Allied Gardens as more and more people are beginning to see the value in living in this neighborhood. Looking at figures from DQNews for June 2009, they show an increase of 35% in new home sales for an averaged-price home (roughly $530,000+). People who are looking for a family-friendly neighborhood to start or establish their own family are finding Allied Gardens the perfect spot. continue reading…

This article looks at  for the beach cities area of the South Bay and of Palos Verdes starting back in 2001. I noticed there were three distinct phases of the market when looking at it in the aggregate. The first phase was characterized by what can be thought of as a shift in the demand of homes. From 2001 to 2002, this manifested as an increase in both the number of units sold and the average sales price of the homes. Something changed going into 2003 and it maintained course for the next few years thereafter. For these years, the number of sales declined, but their prices were still increasing. This can, perhaps, be thought of as a shift in the supply curve. The third (and current) phase started after 2007 when both the quantity of sales and the average sales price started dropping. It’s as though the market seems to be trying to find an equilibrium price, if you will, after the capital market crash of 2007 and the downward shift in the economy since. continue reading…

As the title suggests, now is an excellent time to invest in South Florida residential real estate. Here are 5 reasons why (in no particular order of significance):

1) According to the Florida Association of Realtors® statistics, in the last year, prices have dropped well over 20%… this means affordable home prices for both homeowners and investors. In South Florida, specifically the prices have dropped at an even higher rate. For many South Florida real estate investors, this is the first time that they can cashflow $300+ per month on rental properties as part of their long term buy & hold strategy. Many who were investing 5 years ago were actually spending money each month to hold their rentals and were speculating on rapid appreciation that did come to fruition but only for a short amount of time).

2) Speaking of long term buy & hold strategies, its a smart one because the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Florida is one of three states that will account for nearly half of the total U.S. population growth between 2000-2030. The Bureau also estimated that by 2011, Florida would be the third most populated state in the country! Let’s face it — people are still moving to South Florida and will continue to year after year — both families as well as retirees. These people will need homes to rent and homes to purchase. continue reading…

There are few places in the United States where property values are still going up, especially in this economy. But, that is exactly what is happening in the very popular Tulsa OK midtown area and suburbs. Families and professionals alike are realizing the value of their investment in Tulsa and its beautiful surrounding area.

New and established housing developments in midtown Tulsa provide convenience and peaceful urban living for residents. People who prefer the suburbs can relax in the more suburban environment of Jenks. Now let’s take a look at these two affordable markets on the rise.

Midtown Tulsa

There are some exceptionally beautiful neighborhoods located in midtown Tulsa. One of these neighborhoods is Terwilleger Heights, located immediately southwest of the Utica Square Shopping Center.

Terwilleger Heights is a historic neighborhood, and many homes in Terwilleger Heights were built in the 1920s, during the oil boom. Terwilleger Heights homes include large, southern style mansions and smaller English Tudor residences.

For extremely centrally located homes, buyers should look at homes in Oaknoll or homes in Maple View. continue reading…

Calgary has a lot of things going for it. Even in post-recession Canada Calgary is still the heart of the country’s most powerful economy. It’s still easier to get a job, and open a new business, in Calgary than it is anywhere else in the country. While these are fantastic attributes for a city to have, they come at a cost. I was at a dinner party a few weeks ago and I met a young woman from Vancouver who complained that she ‘hated going to parties in Calgary because everyone spends the whole night handing out business cards’. The sad thing is that she was right. The whole night long the guests were passing around business cards like they were party favours. This, in a nutshell, is the problem with people’s perception of Calgary. It’s all about business all the time. These values are what makes Calgary a great business centre, but leaves it lacking as a cultural center.

Calgary’s downtown core is a product of this practical mindset, at present it is mostly composed of office towers and shops that usually close at sunset. In essence it is a place where people work and do business, but where few people actually live. This is where the East Village comes in. The area from 3rd St. SE, along 9th Ave to the Elbow river is being radically redeveloped in order to bring sustainable housing, architectural style, and a renewed sense of vitality to Calgary’s downtown core. The plan was put forward in 2005, but it won’t be until 2013 that it is put into action. continue reading…