Golf Properties in the Costa Blanca

Since golf is the passion of so many people in recent years, it is easy to understand why golf properties in the Costa Blanca have become so popular. Combine beautiful weather year round with one of the world's most popular sports, and you have a winning combination all by itself. Add to that the convenience of flying into the region's large international airport in Alicante, and the many discount flights available, and golfers can find any excuse to visit their property and play.

The Costa Blanca has very little rainfall and the weather is warm all year long. Summer or winter, golfing is a pleasure. During the spring and fall, when the weather is a very comfortable 70 degrees, is probably the most ideal time for golf.

One of the first things you need to consider if you want to buy a golf property is what types of amenities the golf property offers. If you are a die hard golfer and that is all that interests you, you want a property that concentrates on your needs, with a pro shop, and pros available right there in the community. If you family travels with you, you may have to consider a property that offers something for everyone, such as a pool, beach, tennis courts and a clubhouse with games for the kids.

Depending on how often you think you can visit, you will probably have to have a maintenance contract. There are maintenance contracts that will take care of your property altogether, and some that will do the outside Mantegna, such as the mowing and landscaping. If you want to be completely free of hassles when you are on your golf vacation, consider a property that offers maid service.

There are so many golf properties in the Costa Blanca to choose from. Choose from a town in the north such as Altea or Javea, or you can go to popular Torrevieja in the south.

If you have chosen the type of property you want, and the area you want it is time to go looking. The best way to start looking is on the Internet. You can co virtual tours, check out prices and what they are offering, etc. Then you need to talk to a real estate agent. The real estate agent will take you to some of the properties you have decided to view. Make sure you work with a reputable agent; you may consider talking to people who have already bought property and find out whom they recommend.

You will then need an attorney to negotiate the purchase. It would be very difficult to manage in the Spanish legal system, have your Spanish documents such as the contract, the mortgage and the maintenance agreements reviewed without a Spanish attorney. Hire your own attorney so that your interests are being protected.

Looking for a Luxury Home in Scottsdale?

You’ve worked hard all your life. Now it’s time to find a home that you can truly enjoy. What better place to look for that property than Scottsdale, Arizona? Scottsdale is one of those communities that embraces owners of all ages, and offers the kind of community that is often associated with some of the most prestigious addresses.

Scottsdale is a community known for high-end real estate. There are homes situated on picturesque golf courses, near spas, and palm tree lined streets. Of course, the shopping, restaurants, galleries and other businesses are among some of the most exclusive businesses in the greater Phoenix area. Some of the luxury homes in Scottsdale are truly estates. You’ll find homes that stretch out over 7,000 square feet, and you’ll find luxury condominiums that offer compact, understated excellence.

One of the features that makes the community so unique is that it is an older, more mature community in a very young metropolitan area. The greater Phoenix area has expanded rapidly, there are housing communities that will potentially become charming communities. But Scottsdale has long been a favorite community. There are homes on large lots, with luxurious landscaping and sweeping vistas. Some homeowners are choosing to purchase homes in Scottsdale only for the value of the land alone. These properties are considered tear downs, because the owners intend to tear the original home down and replace it with a larger more luxurious property.

True luxury homes offer unlimited potential for entertainment. Many of these properties include extra rooms for domestic help, as well as beautiful pools and spas, extensive outdoor patios, and built in barbeques.

For those looking for quality and luxury, Scottsdale is one of the best communities in Arizona. And even though you are looking for a luxury home, you may find that there are some remarkable properties and great values. Many luxury builders are finding themselves with an inventory of homes that are languishing on the market. These builders are anxious to sell their properties, often at some remarkable prices with unusual perks added to the sale.

Take some time to investigate the unique properties throughout Scottsdale. You’ll find homes that are simply astounding; homes that invite you to stop and enjoy all the wonders Scottsdale has to offer. There’s never been a better time to treat yourself to the luxury of a quality real estate. With a home in Scottsdale, you’ll have a rare property with an investment that will pay off for years to come.

First Time Home Mortgage Loans

The process of buying a home can seem difficult and too expensive. It's NOT. First Time Home Mortgage Loans, Down Payment Grants, Closing Costs, Home Inspections and Testing, even brokerage fees are all often easier to obtain and/or less expensive for a First Time Home Buyer.

It would be impossible to discuss all of those aspects of home buying in one short online article. The webmaster of this article site is quite enlightened and generous, but there is a strict upper limit for acceptable length of article here (whew!! - who wants to read a long dissertation, anyway?) - so I will just comment on First Time Home Mortgage Loans in this little essay.

When you first think about buying a home, you are confronted by going into debt WAY deeper than you ever have before. Don't be dismayed by this. Your monthly housing expense will hardly increase - indeed, it may actually go down! Long-term debt in an economy where mild inflation is expected and even encouraged (please excuse me - I fear I sound a bit like an Econ 101 text) is a "tried and true" wealth producer.

But paying too much for your first mortgage loan is a big mistake. Luckily, it is one that is easily avoided when you are buyng your first home. Many lenders originate home mortgage loans to first time buyers at below-market rates with much lower upfront costs. Also, most governmental units - local, state, and federal - either guarantee or directly fund these loans for first time buyers at sometimes astonishingly favorable rates and terms.

Why do they do this? In the case of banks - they hope to profit from you when you return when buying subsequent homes. Governments recognize that people who own their homes rather than rent them make better citizens. Therefore, they encourage home ownership.

Growing Mall Mania

The retail market in India has taken a head start. The reasons are many. Easy credit facilities, deeper pockets than ever before, swanky malls with finely tuned sales strategies, top-of-the-line brands, goodies that make you drool and bulk discounts are just a few of them. In towns and cities of India, elaborate malls are the new destinations.

With the economy growing the competition in the retail market is fierce. Malls are rewriting the rules and converting the fundamental activity of shopping into a lifestyle statement. Shopping malls became a way of life in America few decades ago. Now they are conquering India. There are more shopping centers than movie theatres, school districts, hotels or hospitals in USA.

In India, the development of shopping malls has literally been a revolution. The opening of the Indian economy in the early 1990s has brought a wide range of new household appliances, stylish apparel, and other consumer goodies, along with plenty of media exposure and so the concept of malls. It is now gradually penetrating even to the smaller cities. Because of this the rent space malls have taken a new high. Be it Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, or any other metro city, the growing trend is visible everywhere.

It is believed that a total of 70-80 million square feet of mall spaces is coming up all over urban India. Chain stores such as Pantaloon, Big Bazar, Shoppers' Stop, West Side, Trinetra, Food World and Sunday-to-Monday have all announced huge expansion plans. A famous shopping point Westside is looking at establishing 100 stores in the next two years, whereas Shoppers' Stop has announced of multiplying to 39 from the current 20 stores. Undoubtedly, it is the big India growth story that is inspiring the retail sector. The coming years will see new destinations such as Nashik, Nagpur, Siliguri and Amritsar booming.

A Changing Market? Maybe!

We in the real estate business had a rough year – prices dropping, frustrated sellers, buyers with too many choices and very few sales. According to the Pinellas County Realtor Organization, there were 14,655 home and condo sales last year in Pinellas County. The most sold in one month was all the way back in March with a high of 1,647 and the least was in November with a somewhat dismal 849.

We have had to have some hard talks with sellers who are not going to get as high a price as their neighbors did a couple of years ago. We have also had nice talks about buying up in a down market, which allows a seller to take advantage of the reduced prices of homes to move up to a larger house.

The good news is that the absorption rate (the number derived by dividing the total number of units sold by the total number of listings in the MLS) has risen from 5.7% to 6.8%. While that is not great compared with 2005’s 21.7% it is an improvement.

The news from the trenches is also somewhat more hopeful. When realtors congregate now we ask each other “have you seen more activity?” It is said very quietly as not to jinx anything, but overwhelmingly the answer has been yes. Lately, there have been more calls from yard signs, advertisements, and more people at open houses. Is this a sign? Can there be a market upswing? Have we hit bottom and are on the way up?

We are all anxious for the answers to these questions, only time will tell if this is real change or just wishful thinking.

With this in mind, if you are considering selling your house NOW is the time to put your home on the market. There are buyers out there right now looking for houses. They have been waiting for the market’s bottom, but it seems that their patience may have run out. Some are moving in from out of the area, others have had another child and need more room or some just want to negotiate a good deal while the inventory is high. For househunters, THIS is the time to buy when the owners are still willing to negotiate on price and concessions, there are still plenty of homes to choose from.

Relocation Tips: Make Your Move to the New York City Area Quick and Easy

Ask friends or family to recommend a reputable mover who will handle your valuable furniture and precious possessions with the utmost care. Be sure to schedule your move with a moving company at least six weeks in advance.

Begin gathering packing supplies and start packing early. The last time I moved, I got free boxes from my supermarket.

Notify your landlord or management company at least 4 weeks in advance of your move.

Contact utility companies--water, electricity, gas, cable, and telephone--to terminate your service.

Call your local phone company a month before your move to transfer your number or request a new number for your new home.

Get gas, electric and water services connected at your new residence the day before you move in. Make a request to have services turned off at your old address the day after you move.

Be sure to arrange to have your pets transported safely to your new residence—it’s a good idea to have them travel with you, if possible—this will make the move less stressful for them and you.

Remember to pack bare essentials to tide you and your family over for at least a day such as toiletries, towels, soap, and toothpaste. Sponges cleaners, broom, and a dustpan will make straightening up a breeze! Having a hammer and nails handy will make hanging pictures easy.

A couple of weeks before your move, take the time to explore your new home in the new york area, so you and your family will know where to find the nearest subway and bust stops, grocery stores, dry cleaners, and the post office. Native New Yorkers always know where they're going and are good at finding the fastest way there.

Getting Your Dream Home Made Easy

There is all round development happening in the country and the real estate sector is getting organized day by day. Real estate in India has provided a lucrative platform for the investors to make good money out of their investments.

Housing has always been a problem in India. There are people constantly on the look out for quality residential accommodation. The residential units developed and provided by the government are not sufficient to meet the increasing requirements. The private builders play a very important role in providing the residential properties in India.

This increase in demand for residential properties can be attributed to the huge employment opportunities created by the IT, software and BPO sector. The major population of the employees working in these companies comes from the other parts of the country and is always on the lookout for an appropriate residential accommodation for themselves. Another key factor for the growth of property market is the availability of finance for the development and purchase of properties.

The residential property is either bought for the end use wherein the owner buys the property for his own use or it can even be for the purpose of investment. Buying a residential property has become a good investment option. The landlords are making good profits with the increase in demand for properties. The price appreciation of the property gives much better return than any other investment option. Apart from this, the landlords also enjoy a good rental income. With the increase in demand for residential properties the importance of professional real estate agents has also increased. They are the one who help in searching the right property for a buyer.

Seeing the increase in demand for quality residential properties many reputed developers have invested a lot of money on various projects. We can see a number of new properties being developed all over the country. The boom can be seen not only in the big cities but also in the small and developing cities. Residential apartments, flats and townships are being developed to provide the best of living accommodations for the people. These houses are made keeping in mind the current requirements of the people. With such fast paced development everybody can think of purchasing their dream home in India. The government and builders are developing these residential properties with a view to provide accommodation to all the economic sections of the society. To meet the increasing demand for residential land in India the government is converting the ample lands available in villages close to the developed cities for residential purpose.

Location and the Real Estate Agent

We have all heard that age old axiom that the three most important aspects of real estate are Location Location Location! This is absolutely true since real estate is fixed on a given spot and is influenced by not only where it is, but also what it is and what is around it. But what about choosing a broker or agent to help you buy or sell a property?

Location also applies to the people who market real estate. Unless you live in or are planning to relocate to a very small town, it is questionable whether or not a given agent is really familiar with your neighborhood, the schools that your kids will attend, the crime rates there, and many other considerations. In general, while most agents in the larger cities have access to a large volume of real estate information over a wide area, it is next to impossible for an agent to know everything of importance about every neighborhood and property in the city. There is just too much to know and not enough time.

A competent real estate agent at a minimum should be very familiar with the properties and homes that are on the market in a neighborhood along with what has recently sold. One way they do this is to preview homes for sale by taking tours of open houses. This allows them to know what the interiors of homes are like and what the home has to offer, which enables them to help a buyer find the right property. This also helps an agent to list a home for sale at the right price by understanding the competition. It is not likely that a given agent is going to be able to preview every home for sale all over town because in a large city, this may involve visiting hundreds of homes as opposed to a relative handful in a given neighborhood or part of town. And the agents who work a specific location the most will often have shown many of the homes for sale several times, making them even more knowledgeable about each one. They will know which homes have the offensive wallpaper you do not like or that have the lovely landscaping you do want. They will know which homes are a genuine bargain and which ones are over priced. In other words, the local agent is better prepared to show you the homes that match your needs and desires.

Many real estate agents will select a certain neighborhood or area of town to concentrate their efforts on. This is the area that they will study carefully and is often the area they themselves live in. They will know about the quality of the local schools, availability of shopping, recreational opportunities and other features that a potential buyer is likely to ask about. Sellers want to know that an agent is familiar with the area and is likely to do the best job of marketing for them. The home owner who has added special features or equipment to a home wants to be assured that a listing agent will recognize the benefits of that feature in comparison to other homes currently for sale in the area.

A city like Austin, Texas is part of a large metropolitan area, being surrounded by several adjacent and nearby cities. Each area of town and each suburb has its own cultural, economic and employment profile. It stands to reason that an agent who concentrates on an area in the south side of town is less likely to be completely familiar with a neighborhood in the far north part of town or a north suburban city like Round Rock. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, but ordinarily a client can expect the best service from the local agent.

These same principles hold for rural and acreage properties. Agents familiar with the ranch land market in one area may not be familiar with farm land or forested land in other areas. By example, if an agent deals in ranch land, he or she is probably going to understand the needs of buyers and sellers with horses, whereas the agent who deals primarily with small, heavily wooded tracts that appeal mostly to residents who desire maximum privacy may not be the right choice to list or recommend a ranch for horses. After all, you don't hire a carpet salesperson to sell your car, so why hire an agent who isn't familiar with your area or your needs?

Down Year for Sacramento Real Estate

The past year, 2006, marked the lowest volume of annual sales since 1999 with less than 47,000 new and existing houses and condominiums sold in the four county Sacramento area according to DataQuick. As reported in a Sacramento Bee story, “'06 housing stats tell a scary tale,” the inventory of available homes has dropped from August 2006 highs but still ended up with just about 11,000 homes on the market in the four county area.

The slowdown or market adjustment in the Sacramento real estate market during the year also brought lower prices and an end to the red hot market that we experienced during the three previous years. Median sales prices were down 7 percent in Sacramento County, 16.9 percent in Placer County and there was a 14.1 percent decline in Yolo County. According to the Bee article some of the price decline can be attributed to new home builders slashing prices to clear inventory.

According to Michael Lyon the president of Trendgraphix, the statistics arm of Lyon Real Estate, “2006 was a great year for buyers and, at the same time, a reality-check for sellers. Overall, prices dropped a minimum of 10% last year and days on the market for homes that have sold now averages above 70 days,” As part of the latest Trendgraphix press release he went on to say, “Sellers on average have to discount 4% below the last sold to make a sale.

Trendgraphix reported sales volume was down 2 percent in December for Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado counties and 25 percent lower than December 2005. In addition the number of pending sales decreased 6 percent in December compared to November. December inventory is reported to be 10,317 for the three counties, up 28 percent from last year but still down from the July 2006 high of 14,547. Trendgraphix reports the average price per square foot of homes sold in the three counties was $225, a 9 percent drop from last December.

In Sacramento County December sales decreased 4 percent from November and inventory decreased by 13 percent. Pending sales decreased by 4 percent from 942 pending sales in November to 907 pending sales in December. The average price paid per square foot in Sacramento decreased by 1 percent during the month of December to $224.

Investing in Fixer-Upper Homes: Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Win

Buying properties that need some renovation gives you the greatest potential for a high return on your investment. You might see these homes advertised as handyman specials. One reason why fixer upper properties are such great opportunities is their low purchase price. The lower your initial price, the easier it is to make a profit. The need for repairs often gives you an advantage in price negotiations.

There's also a larger potential market of home buyers looking for homes in lower price ranges. Most handyman specials fall into this lower price range. But not many home buyers are interested in doing the repairs themselves. If you can buy a fixer upper at a low price and give it a little TLC (tender loving care), you'll have people lining up to buy when you put it back on the market. Rehabbing - the process of buy, repair, resell - is one of the best ways to start making money quickly.

Accelerate Your Wealth Building

When you buy properties that need fixing up, you can instantly increase your equity just by doing some home repair. This newly created equity in the home can be used to finance your next purchase. As you keep duplicating the process, your wealth building begins to accelerate, and you can build a large property portfolio in a surprisingly short time.

Profit Instantly in Any Market

You can always profit over time by investing in real estate. When market conditions are less favorable, it might take several years to see significant capital gains. However, when you buy and fix-up properties for resale, you can profit instantly regardless of the market. Your repairs add instant value, easily 10 to 30 percent. And if you hold the properties in a growth area, you stand to make even more.

Find a Six-Figure Income

Flipping (buying, fixing up and selling) properties is an activity that truly has the potential to yield a six-figure income. Once you have several properties in your portfolio, it's not very difficult to make more than $100,000 in a year, even when you take selling costs, legal costs and closing costs into account.

Fire Your Boss

With this kind of income potential, you may reach a point where you can move into full-time real estate investing. Even if you don't have money to start out with, you can start with your own home. The increased equity you gain after a quick makeover could finance your first investment. With some desire and motivated action, you could quickly reach your goal of being a full-time investor.

Earn Now or Earn Later

You have a choice to buy, fix up and sell for profit now, or buy, fix up and hold for profit later. And while you're holding the property, you can rent it out for regular income. This allows you to meet current financial needs and prepare for your retirement.

Investing in Fixer-Upper Homes: Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Win

Buying properties that need some renovation gives you the greatest potential for a high return on your investment. You might see these homes advertised as handyman specials. One reason why fixer upper properties are such great opportunities is their low purchase price. The lower your initial price, the easier it is to make a profit. The need for repairs often gives you an advantage in price negotiations.

There's also a larger potential market of home buyers looking for homes in lower price ranges. Most handyman specials fall into this lower price range. But not many home buyers are interested in doing the repairs themselves. If you can buy a fixer upper at a low price and give it a little TLC (tender loving care), you'll have people lining up to buy when you put it back on the market. Rehabbing - the process of buy, repair, resell - is one of the best ways to start making money quickly.

Accelerate Your Wealth Building

When you buy properties that need fixing up, you can instantly increase your equity just by doing some home repair. This newly created equity in the home can be used to finance your next purchase. As you keep duplicating the process, your wealth building begins to accelerate, and you can build a large property portfolio in a surprisingly short time.

Profit Instantly in Any Market

You can always profit over time by investing in real estate. When market conditions are less favorable, it might take several years to see significant capital gains. However, when you buy and fix-up properties for resale, you can profit instantly regardless of the market. Your repairs add instant value, easily 10 to 30 percent. And if you hold the properties in a growth area, you stand to make even more.

Find a Six-Figure Income

Flipping (buying, fixing up and selling) properties is an activity that truly has the potential to yield a six-figure income. Once you have several properties in your portfolio, it's not very difficult to make more than $100,000 in a year, even when you take selling costs, legal costs and closing costs into account.

Fire Your Boss

With this kind of income potential, you may reach a point where you can move into full-time real estate investing. Even if you don't have money to start out with, you can start with your own home. The increased equity you gain after a quick makeover could finance your first investment. With some desire and motivated action, you could quickly reach your goal of being a full-time investor.

Earn Now or Earn Later

You have a choice to buy, fix up and sell for profit now, or buy, fix up and hold for profit later. And while you're holding the property, you can rent it out for regular income. This allows you to meet current financial needs and prepare for your retirement.