Condo.com Blog

Regatta // Miami Beach, Florida // Indian Creek // North Beach

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:21:50 GMT

Regatta Miami Beach is one of the newest waterfront boutique buildings in North Beach. Regatta is just what one would imagine! See the pictures of this new addition to North Beach. North Beach is a small stretch of real estate that hugs the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Creek- between 63rd Street and 87th Street. Just to the North of North Beach is The Town of Surfside and just due south is Miami Beach proper.

REGATTA • NORTH BEACH • MIAMI BEACH

Regatta Condominium is located at 6580 Indian Creek Drive in North Beach. Prices start at $225,000.00 for 600 square foot studios and exceed $600,000.00 for 1,200 square foot 2 bedroom 2 bath units.

Regatta offers European kitchens, imported hardware, and a very modern, nautical flair.

CLICK FOR ALL REGATTA UNITS AVAILABLE TODAY

Mott Marvin Kornicki, Associate/Realtor^®

• Aventura • Bal Harbour • Bay Harbor Islands • Fisher Island • Golden Beach • Hallandale Beach •

• Hollywood Beach • Miami • Miami Beach • South Beach • Sunny Isles Beach • The Waterways • Williams Island •

SIB Realty, LLC • 18206 Collins Avenue • Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160

305-767-2121 CALL US TODAY! 305-935-3533

Florida’s Largest Bank Posts $261.6 Million Quarterly Loss

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:27:03 GMT

BankUnited, the largest bank headquartered in Florida based on assets of $14.2 billion, lost $261.6 million in the fourth fiscal quarter ending Sept. 30, putting the thrift in “dire financial straits,” according to the South Florida Business Journal.

The fourth quarter loss, due in large part to nonperforming mortgages, dragged BankUnited’s equity capital down by 24 percent to $816.9 million from $1.08 billion at the end of the second quarter on June 30, according to the article.

BankUnited’s decreasing equity capital comes at a time when the Coral Gables-based institution is attempting to raise $400 as required by regulators under a September cease and desist, according to the article.

“If the bank can’t raise more money or shrink its risk-based assets by a Dec. 31 federally imposed deadline, it could face additional action from federal regulators,” according to the article.

Peter Zalewski is a principal with the consulting company Condo Vultures® LLC and a licensed real estate broker with Condo Vultures® Realty LLC. Peter can be reached at 305-865-5629 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Be sure to check out Peter’s blog at CondoDump.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ .

Copyright © 2008, Condo Vultures® LLC

Extra Cash

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:03:19 GMT

Retirement budgets

Many people built their retirement budgets based on income and economic conditions prior to today’s challenging environment. The easiest and most cost-effective way to find additional dollars is often by updating an outdated budget. You need to view how your budget performs and how other income sources such as stock dividends could impact retirement savings.

Reverse mortgage

Many citizens have spent a lifetime building up equity in their homes. Through a reverse mortgage, those 62 years or older can now extract that equity. A reverse mortgage requires only that an individual own the home as a primary residence and maintain the property. No credit evaluation is required. As a non-recourse loan, borrowers will never owe more than the current market value of their home, helping to protect their heirs from debt.

Life settlement

Most life insurance policies are originally purchased to protect families and loved ones, but nearly 85 percent of these policies never pay a benefit. Life settlement allows a policyholder to sell their policy in exchange for a lump sum cash payment that is greater than the policy’s cash surrender value. Life settlement offers a way to generate cash independently.

Social Security

If you are collecting Social Security benefits but still in need of extra cash, is to cancel current benefits and then re-apply for greater benefits at a higher age. Since benefits are calculated based on age, someone who restarts benefits later in life could earn much more in monthly income. However, recipients must first pay back benefits received in order to be eligible.

Visit anytime www.brendakingrealtor.com

Trump Towers /// Building Key Plan /// Floor Plans

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:35:25 GMT

TRUMP TOWERS MIAMI • FLOOR PLANS • BUILDING KEY PLAN

The Trump Towers project has brought together a veritable "who's who" of real estate development to assemble a cast of power players who will deliver to you one of the finest, most elegant oceanfront residences in Florida.

The Trump Towers world-class development team is headed by the prestigious Miami architectural firm of Sieger Suarez, responsible for such highly regarded projects as Ocean I, II and III in Sunny Isles Beach, the Murano, Murano Grande, and Icon in South Beach, as well as Ocean IV in Sunny Isles Beach, developed in association with the Dezer family. Every project has earned them a stellar reputation for style and luxury, with stringent standards that have consistently lifted the bar in residential living. This high profile team has left nothing to chance; only the finest in construction materials have been procured to craft a building that exudes quality and excellence throughout.

Every inch of the property's impeccable design has been meticulously devised to cater to the most discriminating tastes of a select buyer. An individual who is appreciative of those extra touches of luxury like - stunning floor-to-ceiling windows opening out to over-sized balconies with smooth glass and aluminum railings, elegant porte-cochere entrances providing 24/7 full valet services and an exquisitely appointed three-story lobby, as well as a convenient and secure three-story parking garage. The dramatic Trump signature 10 to 11-foot ceilings (depending on the unit selected) and spacious 8-foor doors are standard in each of the deluxe units that also boast gourmet kitchens and luxurious bathrooms featuring the highest quality Italian cabinetry, deluxe granite and marble countertops, Miele and Sub-zero appliances, designer fixtures and cutting-edge telecommunications capability. To further pamper owners, Trump Towers also offers 'around-the-clock' professional concierge and security services, along with an accessible receiving area with mail and package facilities.

Outdoors, lush tropical landscaping adorns the opulent oceanfront terrace leading to a lavish heated swimming pool and spa, complete with a state-of-the-art health club and refreshing poolside bar. All interior spaces including the distinctive lobby and the fitness facilities have been left in the innovative and masterful hands of the Hirsch Bedner Associates firm, pioneers in hospitality interior design, with such masterpieces to their name the sophisticated St. Regis Grande Hotel in Rome. A 250-foot stretch of secluded, silky-smooth beachfront dotted with convenient personal cabanas designed for relaxation completes this idyllic setting.

Strategically situated against the backdrop of the breathtaking Atlantic Ocean and flanked by Miami's Intracoastal Waterway, the Trump Towers soar 45 stories tall enclosing 271 stunning units. South Florida's newest address for Trump luxury is indeed 16001 Collins Avenue. Trump Towers, a property to be admired from below and enjoyed from the top...and, for the privileged few, a place to call home.

TRUMP TOWERS MIAMI • FLOOR PLANS • BUILDING KEY PLAN

Mott Marvin Kornicki, Associate/Realtor^® • Aventura • Bal Harbour • Bay Harbor Islands • Fisher Island • Golden Beach • Hallandale Beach • • Hollywood Beach • Miami • Miami Beach • South Beach • Sunny Isles Beach • The Waterways • Williams Island • SIB Realty, LLC • 18206 Collins Avenue • Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160

786-229-7999 CALL US TODAY! 305-935-3533
OUR BLOG | PROPERTY SEARCH | VISIT OUR SITE | CONTACT US

Goose Creek, Hanahan, and the rest of Berkeley County Home Values should benefit from Managed Growth in Neighboring Dorchester County

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:18:59 GMT

Home values in Goose Creek, Hanahan, and the rest of Berkeley county should rise as neighboring Dorchester County finally has plan to manage growth. This plan will help manage the amount of new construction and prevent over building that will prevent flooding the market with news which will lower home values in Dorchester County and neighboring Berkeley County.

Plan to manage growth in place

The Post and Courier Tuesday, November 18, 2008 - SUMMERVILLE — A plan to manage growth in Dorchester County is finally in place, after months of hearings, debates and compromises.

Council unanimously voted Monday to approve a new comprehensive plan, which will guide what gets built in the county over the next two decades.

Hallelujah!" Council Chairman Larry Hargett exclaimed as the audience applauded after the vote.

Dorchester has been the state's fastest-growing county the last several years. Growth here affects the entire Charleston area, as the majority of residents drive toward Charleston for work.

Residents around Summerville and North Charleston, frustrated by overcrowded roads and schools, have been calling for more controls on development. The new plan includes a section that says the county can't approve a new development if roads and schools can't handle it and directs council to consult with the school district before approval.

Conservationists were worried about thousands of acres of unprotected farmland and timberland west of Summerville. The new plan designates wide swaths of land as rural. Development will be clustered near existing nodes, rather than spread throughout the county.

To read the rest of this article click here: http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/nov/18/plan_manage_growth_place62032/

For more information on Home Values in Goose Creek, SC and Surrounding Areas contact Matt Naumann.

Web Link: Goose Creek News

Asia Miami Condo

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:53:14 GMT

Asia Condo Brickell Key Home Page

The Asia condominium is a residential skyscraper in the Brickell Key district of Downtown Miami, Florida.

The Asia tower rises 483 feet (147 meters), with 36 floors. Asia was topped out in mid-2007, and was completed structurally in January 2008. It is currently the 20th-tallest building in Miami.

Asia Condo Address: 900 Brickell Key Drive, Miami. Fl 33131

Asia Condominium Brickell Key Developer: Swire Properties

Architect: J. Scott Architecture

Asia Miami description: Luxury Condos

Type: Condominium

Units: 123

Floors: 33 (12' ceilings per floor) appears as over 40 floors

Number of Bedrooms: 2, 3 & 4

Unit Sq. Ft. Range: 1,662 - 5,539

Asia Price Range: $1,250,00 to $3,000,000

Amenities: Five private passenger elevators on each floors,

Pool, fitness center, high-speed internet, 24-hour security.

Estimated Project Cost: $140 Million

Construction Date: Spring 2005

Completion Date: Beginning 2008

The Asia condominium at Brickell Key residences are a mix of palatial-sized two, three and four bedrooms, with typical floors containing just three or five apartments. The smallest two bedroom flat, at 1,600 square feet. Asia at Brickell Key prices range up to $6 million, reflective of the private island location with shops and other high-end Miami condos, dining, art-accented bay walk, and hotel Mandarin Oriental, Miami.

Brickell on the River

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:50:05 GMT

Brickell on the River Condo

Brickell on the River Developer: Groupe Pacific International
Architect: Cohen Freedman Encinosa & Associates
Description: Residential and retail development.
Type: Condominium
Units Phase 1: 390
Units Phase 2: 322
Floors Phase 1: 43 (North Tower) Phase 2: 46 (South Tower)
Number of Bedrooms: 1, 2 & 3
Unit Sq. Ft. Range: 757 - 1,512
Price Range: $310,000 - $ 650,000
Amenities: Pool, tennis court, five level fitness center, spa, high-speed internet, garage and 24-hour security.
Estimated Project Cost for Brickell on the River: $200 Mill
Construction Date: Summer 2003
Completion Date: Winter 2005

Brickell Key Courts Condo

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:48:18 GMT

The Courts Condo year Built: 2002

Courts Condo Home Page

Number of Floors: 33, 12 Residences per floor / Standard Floor
Number of units: 319
Sq. Ft. range: 863 - 2,701
Beds: 1-3, Baths: 1-3
Amenities: - Concierge - Valet
and Covered Parking - Pool - Gym
Spa - Racquetball and Squash
24- Security - Social Room

Courts Brickell Key is an elegant oasis in the heart of the city, overlooking the beautiful waters of the bay, where residences resonate sheer spaciousness and gleam with luxurious finishes. Courts at Brickell Key, built in 2002 is a 34 story building with 319 total condos located on Brickell Key, one of Miami’s most prestigious properties. Courts at Brickell Key Condo offers the best in luxury, views and location within the exclusive Brickell Key Island.

Conrad Brickell Avenue

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:47:18 GMT

Conrad Espirito Santo Mayfield Condominium address
1395 Brickell Ave, Miami, Fl. 33131

CONRAD ESPIRITO SANTO BRICKELL CONDO HOME PAGE

Espirito Santo Brickell Condo Site Plan

Espirito Santo Brickell

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:45:20 GMT

Espirito Santo Mayfield Brickell Condo

Espirito Santo Plaza on Brickell

Espirito Santo Plaza is a sparkling 36-story glass tower with an attached 12-story parking garage and 300,000 square feet of class “A” office space. The Conrad Miami — Hilton Hotel’s luxury brand — features ballroom and meeting facilities and specialty retail/restaurant space. The top floors of the property consist of a fully equipped health club and luxury condominium residences overlooking the soaring 11 story atrium. Located on a full city block fronting at 1395 Brickell Avenue, in the heart of Miami’s international financial market, Espirito Santo Plaza’s main tower occupies a forward position on the site. With its simple, elegant lines and sculptured exterior, the building welcomes visitors with a dramatic 36 story concave figural arch, beautifully symbolizing the gateway to Latin America.

Brickell Avenue Miami

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:44:10 GMT

Brickell Avenue Condos Home Page

Brickell Avenue is the financial gateway to South America and the Brickell Avenue condominiums that have been added in recent years to the Miami skyline are located in the heart of this financial district. Formally known as “millionaires row”, businessmen and entrepreneurs worldwide choose condos along Brickell Avenue and Brickell Key as their South Florida headquarters. Minutes from downtown, a condo on Brickell has exquisite, panoramic views of Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, and the downtown skyline. With so many condos for sale and more becoming available everyday, the professional at Avant Realty International can assist you in finding a condominium in this exclusive district that is perfect for your needs. There is plenty of entertainment and dining in the areas surrounding the condominiums on Brickell. Bayside Marketplace with shopping, concerts, food and fun is literally down the street. Connected to Bayside is the American Airlines Arena, which is the home of the Miami Heat, concerts, and special events.
Ten minutes east of your Brickell Condo, you can have dinner at the famous Joes Stone Crabs on South Beach, and ten minutes south is Coconut Grove with all the fun and culture that it has to offer. Miami International Airport is not far and the Sunny Beaches of Key Biscayne and its annual ATP tennis tournament are just over the bridge. Many condos on Brickell Avenue are also for rent. Condo owners who keep their Brickell Avenue residence as a second or third home are constantly placing their units on the rental market and the rental department at Avant Realty International has the knowledge of which units are available and when. Whether you are looking for a long-term or short-term lease, our expert staff has developed personal relationships with many of the Brickell Avenue condo owners and managers and will work to find the rental unit that fits your business or social needs.
If you are currently a Brickell Avenue condo owner and wish to sell or lease your condominium, please allow one of our condo specialists assist you. Condos on Brickell Avenue are perfect for business people and their families. Safety is a priority and people can feel secure as they walk, jog, and enjoy the outdoors that the Brickell area offers. There is easy access to The Metro-Mover and Metro-Rail and when the family is ready for a vacation, The Port of Miami, a mere ten-minutes away, is where the cruise ships depart. With all of the convenience and luxury that Brickell Avenue condominiums have to offer, it is no wonder that so many international business people choose this exclusive locale as their South Florida residence.
For more information please click here:
Brickell Key and Brickell Avenue

Condo Market Deterioration Shows Signs of Slowing, Says NAR

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:47:21 GMT

Published: November 18, 2008

By Anuradha Kher, Online News Editor Multi-Housing News

Washington, D.C.--Existing home sales increased 2.6 percent in from the second to the third quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Nationwide, sales of existing homes, including condos and single-family, were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million units in the third quarter, up from 4.91 million units in the second quarter, according to NAR. This number, however, is lower year-over-year by 7.7 percent compared to the 5.46 million-unit pace in the third quarter of 2007.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says conditions continue to range widely. “A pattern of sharply higher sales in areas with large price declines is well established,” Yun says.

“Affordability conditions have consistently been a major factor in driving sales. Historically during recessions, buyers have responded to incentives and it’s important for government to keep that in the forefront of stimulus decisions,” he says.

In the condo sector, metro area condominium and co-operative prices—covering changes in 57 metro areas—showed the national median existing-condo price was $210,800 in the third quarter, down 7.1 percent from $227,000 in the third quarter of 2007. Sixteen metros showed annual increases in the median condo price and 41 areas had price declines.

“These price changes are similar to what is happening in the single-family sector,” Jed Smith, managing director of quantitative research at NAR, tells MHN. “Where prices have come down, buyers have gone back to those markets. With regards to sales volume, we are skidding along nationally for quite some time but inventory is going down.”

Smith adds, “It is widely perceived that prices of condos will go up in the middle of 2009. The only wild card is the recession. But from what I am hearing and find from my research, things will start looking up in July 2009.”

The strongest condo price increases were in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area, where the third quarter price of $149,900 rose 11.1 percent from a year earlier, followed by Bismarck, N.D., at $148,000, up 11.0 percent, and the Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land area, where the median condo price of $134,100 rose 8.1 percent from the third quarter of 2007.

“These increases are caused by the economies in this areas. For example, the Texas economy is very strong with oil, defense contracts and agricultural production,” says Smith.

Metro area median existing-condo prices in the third quarter ranged from $112,600 in the Greensboro-High Point, N.C., area to $456,300 in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area. The second most expensive condo market reported was the New York-Wayne-White Plains area of New York and New Jersey at $324,000, followed by Honolulu at $322,000.

Other affordable condo markets include the Indianapolis area at $113,500 and the Cincinnati-Middletown area of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, at $117,300 in the third quarter.

“Though all real estate is local and it varies considerably from region to region, we can say that the decline in the condo market has declined,” says Smith.

Failures Keep Coming As Regulators Shut 2 More Banks

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:56:34 GMT

As the U.S. financial crisis deepens, regulators have seized two more financial institutions with combined assets of $6.2 billion and deposits of $4.2 billion, pushing the total number of bank failures this year to 19.

Franklin Bank, a Houston-based institution established in 1987 with assets of $5.6 billion, and Security Pacific Bank, a Los Angeles-based institution created in 1981 with assets of $588 million, were seized by regulators on Nov. 7. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, which insures deposits up to $250,000, was named receiver of both failed institutions.

The two most recent failures are estimated to cost the FDIC’s insurance fund between $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion. The 19 bank failures to date are expected to cost the insurance fund between $7.9 billion and $12.3 billion, according to the FDIC.

In anticipation of the two planned seizures, the FDIC negotiated “purchase and assumption” agreements beforehand for the assets of both failed financial institutions to be absorbed immediately by existing banks in hopes that customers would not be hindered.

Prosperity Bank, an El Campos, Texas-based institution created in 1949 with assets of $6.8 billion, assumed all of the deposits, $850 million of assets, and the 46 branches of the failed Franklin Bank.

Concurrently, Pacific Western Bank, a San Diego-based institution established in 1982 with assets of $4.3 billion, assumed all of the deposits, $51.8 million in assets, and the four branches of the failed Security Pacific Bank.

The remaining assets of the two most recent failed banks are to be sold off in the future, according to the FDIC.

The failure of Franklin Bank and Security Pacific Bank means that six financial institutions have been shuttered by regulators in the fourth quarter, which began Oct. 1.

Nine institutions were shuttered in the third quarter at an estimated cost of between $5.7 billion and $10 billion, according to the FDIC.

Regulators shut two institutions in the second quarter at an estimated cost of $216 million and two more institutions in the first quarter at an expense of nearly $6 million, according to the FDIC.

The bank failures have been scattered throughout the United States. California leads the nation with three bank failures. Nevada, Georgia, Missouri, and Florida are all tied for second with two bank failures each. Arkansas, Minnesota, Kansas, West Virginia, Washington state, Michigan, Illinois, and Texas each have had one institution shuttered this year.

Peter Zalewski is a principal with the consulting company Condo Vultures® LLC and a licensed real estate broker with Condo Vultures® Realty LLC. Peter can be reached at 305-865-5629 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Be sure to check out Peter’s blog at CondoDump.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ .

Copyright © 2008, Condo Vultures® LLC

New South Florida Condos Unloaded At 46 Cents On Dollar

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:57:10 GMT

A South Florida developer sold 33 new condo units, including 17 units to one buyer, for 46 cents on the retail dollar at a private auction on Nov. 17 in West Palm Beach, according to the Palm Beach Post.

The total sellout price of Saturday’s 90-minute auction was $6.3 million for Downtown West Palm Beach product that had previously set a retail asking price of $13.7 million. The discount reflects a 54 percent decrease off the original asking price.

Properties in The Edge sold for prices ranging from $195 per square foot for a 671-square-foot, one-bedroom unit that traded for $131,000 to $245 per square foot for a 1,175-square-foot, two-bedroom unit on the pool deck that went under contract for $290,000.

Given the deeply discounted prices realized, the developer Wood Partners decided to only sell 33 of the 41 units that were originally scheduled to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

It is unclear what the developer plans to do with the remaining inventory, whether that inventory was withdrawn from the auction block or never made available at auction.

"We didn't get the number we wanted at all, but no one else is selling, so you've got to start somewhere," Jon Gollinger, the head of Accelerated Marketing Partners which handled The Edge auction, told the Palm Beach Post.

Unlike many other developers saddled with excess inventory, Wood Partners decided to attempt to unload the excess condo inventory at auction rather than sell out in a bulk deal to an opportunistic fund, according to the article.

Apparently that strategy didn’t work as a one buyer, who refused to give her name, purchased 52 percent of the units that were sold, according to the article.

Peter Zalewski is a principal with the consulting company Condo Vultures® LLC and a licensed real estate broker with Condo Vultures® Realty LLC. Peter can be reached at 305-865-5629 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Be sure to check out Peter’s blog at CondoDump.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ .

Copyright © 2008, Condo Vultures® LLC

Solaire

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:41:14 GMT

Condo for Sale / Rent

Bring your offer! Owner lower price to $409,000 and also the rent to $1950...

Condo has all appliances new and stainless steel, wood floors, 24 hrs concierge, 2 parking spaces, great amenities, and an beautiful view to the city of orlando and Lake Eola. Its a corner unit with long windows from the ceiling down.

For More info:

Call 321-662-2141

Beaufort SC Real Estate Company to hold Web Strategy Training

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:46:10 GMT

Exit Realty Beaufort to hold Web Strategy Training

Exit Realty of Beaufort South Carolina will hold a Strategic Training for its Real Estate Professionals Thursday November 20th on the rapid changes occurring on the Internet and how Blogging has become crucial to the dissemination of relevant local information. Although the media keeps viewing Real Estate as a national event its ramifications are local and varied… the old adage that Real Estate is Local remains not only true it keeps getting reinforced by the demands of the public; Beaufort Real Estate Professionals must gear their expertise and translate it online in an effective and organic fashion.

Key Yessaad of Real Estate Web Trainer LLC will lead the 4-hour Seminar working closely with Greg Bennett, the Broker / Owner of Exit Realty of Beaufort. The Seminar is a practical approach on the right habits Realtors must develop in conjunction with a plan of action.

Real Estate Blogging Strategy

Local Content drives Expertise and Connectivity for the benefit of Real Estate Buyers and Sellers

This course was designed to enhance the ability of Real Estate Professionals to compete in an ever increasing spirited Internet Landscape…

The Original name of the course was “Google Loves Bloggers,” to reveal the fact that if your blogging posts are not “Search Engine Archived” and lead back to you in a natural way then the effort is for not.

The questions A Real Estate Professional should help their clients answer are the following:

“How can I tell that you have expertise in your Real Estate Market?”

“Can I validate you online and “Google You” with Buzz around your Market expertise?”

“Is the information I find online about you fluff or substance?”

Blogging Training Session Details:

I designed this Seminar as a Real Estate Strategy for Visibility, Expertise, and Search Engine Ranking. You will learn the following:

What is Blogging? – Very short time spent on this topic because the strategy is more important than the why.
Why should Realtors Blog? Do I really need to do this?
How are successful Real Estate Agents using this medium to position themselves?
Where should I blog? My website right? not really!!!
What should I blog about? And how often?
What if the format of a good blog? At least can you get me started…? Do I have to become a writer? How about links?
What does all this have to do with Google? Is this SEO? (Could you explain SEO briefly for us?)
How much programming should I learn? (Let me give you the answer right here – ZERO!!!)
How expensive is this whole strategy? Think time, perseverance, and elbow grease...
How can my assistant help me with this?
Does this strategy really work? And how fast? Can you show us examples?

I tell your Borker /Owner that I promise not to waste your Realtors' time and will arm them with information they need to compete online…

Training Duration: 4 hours is best for this material to be absorbed... This training takes on 2 hours of course-work but the additional 2 hours are necessary for agents questions and comfort level! It is about empowering Real Estate Agents to immerse themselves in this realm...

Web Link: Beaufort SC Real Estate Training
WordPress Web Log: Exit Realty of Beaufort Training
Zolve Blog: Beaufort Real Estate Blogging Training
Activerain Post: Real Estate Blogging Strategy in Beaufort SC
Zimbio Blog: Beaufort Real Estate Exit Training
Trulia Blog: Exit Realty Beaufort SC Training

About the Trainer: Key Yessaad – Real Estate Web Trainer. To train, inspire, and help Real Estate Professionals succeed is my passion. I have a niche area of expertise which is the combination of Real Estate Web Strategy, Consulting, and Systems Implementation... Inquire about the various Training Classes and Seminars by contacting Key at (910) 538-6610.

Hawaii Kai Condo Sales Sept-Oct, 2008

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:32:30 GMT

34 sales closed in the last two months for condos in Hawaii Kai, ranging in price from $385,000 to $785,000 in the Peninsula.

A 1 bedroom on the 7th floor in Naniwa Gardens was the lowest sale. Here's the view from the lanai:

This home is 862 sq ft with a 75 sf lanai, 1 assigned parking stall.
Monthly maintenance fee is $482.
List price was $390,000, sale price $385,000.
Days on market 84.
Naniwa Gardens on Hawaii Kai Drive was built in 1974, and amenities
include exercise room, pool, resident manager, security guard, extra storage, meeting room, and BBQ.

A 3 bedroom/2.5 bath home in the Peninsula of Hawaii Kai 1 was the highest sale. Here's the home:

This home is 1,465 sq ft with a 1-car garage.
Marina frontage, split A/C, double wall construction.
Monthly maintenance fee is $524.
List price was $790,000, sale price $785,000.
Days on market 284.
Peninsula at Hawaii Kai I was built in 2007, and amenities include
exercise room, pool, recreation area, private yard, resident manager and BBQ.

Here's the view from the Peninsula home:

You can see the wide variety and orientation of Hawaii Kai toward the water in both these properties.

Contact me for complete information on your choices of a condo home in Hawaii Kai.

Barbara Abe, REALTOR
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
www.movetohawaiikai.com

Marginal Neighborhoods Hit First, Hardest

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:24:23 GMT

Prices are declining throughout New York City, but certain neighborhoods are being hit harder than others.
It is usually the case that changing and marginal neighborhoods are hit hardest by slowdowns. Despite this entire recession being caused by those on Wall Street, this time is no different from most.

Harlem is already feeling the pinch more than any other part of the New York City real estate market, save for Morningside Heights, which dropped 30%. Residential property values in Harlem and East Harlem combined are down a full 20% from last year’s numbers.

Midtown East and Turtle Bay were runners up. Values there dropped an average of 18.6%. Hell’s Kitchen last quarter lost 8% of its real estate value from last year.

Median co-op prices in Lincoln square, meanwhile, rose 18.6%. Similarly, the rich don’t seem too effected by the downturn caused by the financial industry, with Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue seeing average rises in residential property values of 35% from last year’s third quarter.

Outside these areas, losses were more moderate. The Lower East Side and the Village each lost 5.5% of their residential real estate value.

No other neighborhoods saw declines greater than 5%. Some areas even saw significant price increases. Battery City Park, for instance, saw median prices rise a full 6.5%. Inwood saw the single greatest increase, despite a sharp decline in the number of sales. Prices there shot up 17.1%. Most of these increases in value came from new high-end condos finally coming onto the market. Greenwich Village saw a 3.9% increase.

Prices dropped in SoHo and TriBeCa, but sales volume remained quite strong. The Upper West Side, on the other hand, saw a drop of over 30% in its sales volume. In total, sales volume dropped 24% in Manhattan.

What’s scary, though, is that next quarter is widely expected to be even worse than this quarter. The real damage to the economy has been done by consumer reaction to the financial crisis. Many potential buyers have put their purchases on hold to see what happens with the macroeconomy, thus driving prices down even further.

Much of this correction will be, in the long run, good for the Manhattan real estate market. Many experts have long argued that prices in the city were heavily inflated in comparison to similar urban environments.

One of the most striking features of the new market dynamics is the shift in demand: Buyers have refocused their energies on more moderately priced units. While the highest end of the luxury market is still the healthiest market segment, many buyers who had been looking at comparatively low-end luxury are now moving into more reasonably-prices high end standard units.

Similarly, the average size of an apartment sold in Harlem dropped roughly 300 square feet from the last quarter.

It is clear that owners that reacted quickly to the downturn have not seen much slack in demand for units. Not all owners, however, have been so nimble. Much of the expected price drop in the fourth quarter, for instance, will be from landlords who finally get it that the real estate market in NYC is once again behaving like a normal market, not the fantastical profit machine it’s been for most of the past decade.

The effect of the election on the market will be one of the most fascinating questions in the industry that will be answered over the course of the next several weeks.

Original Post

Facts about leasing in the Dallas Fort Worth Texas area

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:42:03 GMT

When it comes to leasing you need to know that your agent should inform you of before you begin your search for a lease property in the area.

1. Credit and background checks are required of each individual that is 18 or older that will reside in the home during the lease. The price of these checks in the area run anywhere from as low as $25.00 per adult to in extreme cases $75.00 per person(this is rare as the average in the DFW tends to be $35.00 to $ 40.00 per adult.

2. Once the lease is approved a security deposit will be required in most cases to secure the lease. In most cases the security deposit is typically equal to one months rent. In the case of poor credit two months might be required. Then upon move in your first months rent is due.

3. Typically property managers and individual owners require that the lessee have an income of three times the monthly rent(i.e. rent $1000.00 at least $3000.00 per month income is required). In the case of insufficient income the owner might deny the lease, require an additional months security deposit as in the case of poor credit or lastly if you have a guarantor they may choose to waive the additional months deposit.

4. Unlike apartment leases individual owners or property managers usually require a 12 month lease in some cases you find 6 month leases but these are the exception rather than the rule.

Hopefully this has informed you and will help you as you search for your new lease property in the area.

Real Estate Trainer Launches 4 Technology Seminars driven by Customer Demands…

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:31:57 GMT

Real Estate Training Seminars Launched

Key Yessaad, the Real Estate Trainer for Real Estate Web Trainer LLC, launches four (4) essential Seminars to enhance the career of Real Estate Professionals. The Training focuses on the crossroads of Web Technology, Business habits, and Plans of action that deliver results for both the Realtor to the benefit of Real Estate Consumers.

Information abounds on the internet but thoughtful localized and organized Real Estate information is woefully lacking. It is the job of the Brokers and the Real Estate Practitioners to be in the forefront of the public needs.

The Training Seminars focus on empowering Realtors not only on what to do with the information but to also learn to catalogue and make it available to their customers. Helping the public make informed decisions in important Real Estate Transactions are the driving forces of all REALTORs.

The core Real Estate Web Training Sessions at the heart of empowering Real Estate Professionals to compete online.

Real Estate Blogging Strategy

Can we officially declare Websites “dead”; well not quite; but they are no longer in the forefront of any thoughtful Real Estate Web Strategy that nurtures the needs of Real Estate Buyers and Sellers. This class was designed to help Brokers and Realtors understand this new paradigm shift and empower Realtors, Buyers, and Sellers to meet and interact in a new way…

Real Estate Web Strategy

Whether you plan to get a website, have a website, or feel overwhelmed with the whole endeavor - this class is for you... many of you have stagnants strategies that are not producing results... so what to do? I designed this course to go beyond the mere discussion of need to the design of a Real Estate Web Startegy that drives traffic and results. You will leave empowered and with a plan of action and a full-understanding of what is currently happening in the realm of Real Estate Websites.

Real Estate Click Marketing Success

Click Marketing or Pay per Click is an Art... in fact many Aggregators package this knowlege and charge you for capturing leads in your market... Real Estate Click marketing produces Results and your competition is making a mountain of mistakes... Bring this course to your agents and teach them to compete in this important Real Estate Arena...

Real Estate Database Strategy

Successful Real Estate Professionals understand that the business of Real Estate is the Business of People - in other words The Referral Business. Unfortunately most Realtors are lost in a mountain of Data and don’t know how to use the tools of organization that actually produce results... Remember it is our job to stay in touch with our current and past clients... (NOT theirs…)

Web Link: Real Estate Trainer Seminars
WordPress Web Log: Real Estate Trainer Classes launched
Zolve Blog: Key Yessaad Launches Web Trainings
Activerain Web Post: Web Training Seminars
Trulia Post: Real Estate Training Seminars