If you live in a condo, you might think it is impossible to have any kind of greenery around. After all, having a garden does require the space to set this up and in a condominium space is not abundant. However, there are still lots of ways to have your own pocket of greenery. All you need is some creativity, some flexibility, and the right set of expectations.
credit
Of course, you must accept that you cannot have a full garden. So you have to choose what kind of greenery you are willing to take on. Since you live in an enclosed space, with possibly little opportunity of sun exposure, choose plants that are for indoors and are low maintenance. Then take a look at your space- do you have a balcony? If you do, you can create a plant nook there. If not, choose strategic parts of your unit to place your potted plants.
With creativity and flexibility, you can get the greenery you want in your condo.
There are some holidays in a year that are really useful for you when your goal is to sell your house. Fortunately, February is a month with a famous and popular holiday that is actually very useful. Valentine ’s Day is a day now celebrated and observed the world over. And this event can be used when marketing a home.
As any home seller would know, one way to make a home sell faster and for a better price is to market it well. This means doing the research into what sells well and appeals to buyers in your area, playing up the strengths of your property, camouflaging the weaknesses, and making the house a possible home for people who are seriously looking to buy. One way to do this is to personalize your house. Valentines provide the perfect opportunity to create ambiance through some flowers, sweet smelling candles, maybe a casual and simple present on the table. Small things like this transform a house into a home and can help to sell it.
So you are entering the New Year and eager to set everything up to perform well in the coming months. You’ve set your yearly goals and written your resolutions. You are also keen to sell your house and are eager to get back to doing this. But this is winter and it may be daunting to prepare your house for perspective buyers at this time of the year. Here are some tips for you.
credit
Make sure your possible buyers can actually get to your house. Shovel snow and ice off driveways and walkways so your door and house is accessible. Make sure to clean your windows and drapes so that you can utilize natural light to show off your interiors. Keep temperatures warm and cozy. If possible, show your house during light hours and not when dark sets in. For a cozier and homey touch, make your house as festive as the season.
These easy tips are enough to get your house back on the marketable track during the winter months.
A lot of people who are considering buying a house are wondering whether December is a good time to buy a house. There are no hard and fast rules about when to buy a house first and foremost but there are some who say that it may not be a bad thing to purchase a home during this time of the year.
credit
December is the time to shop for presents, to take time to spend with family and the like, but there may be some sellers who are as keen to sell their property as there are individuals who want to buy. Buying at the end of the year may be good as this may be a good time to negotiate with sellers. Those who are still entertaining buyers may be more amenable to negotiations, may be more willing to make concessions in order to close a deal.
So if you are someone who really wants to buy property before the end of the year, and you have found a house for sale with a seller also eager and willing to sell before the close of the year, then December may be the best buying month for you.
The past year has brought many changes to the Incline Village real estate market. For starters, with sales in units down 50% versus 2005 we are already seeing a lot of agents leave the business. Clearly, our local market cannot support the 350 agents who are members of our MLS when there are only 200 or so transactions taking place in the entire calendar year. The hobbyists, part-timers and others who don’t put in the effort to make real estate sales a full time job are realizing that the easy money years are over. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment to succeed in what is arguably the most competitive real estate market in the entire United States.
Despite all of the projections of doom and gloom by “experts” all over the country, the median prices for the Incline Village real estate market have held steady. Very few property owners in our community actually live and work here, so prices have no relation to local incomes. Property values here are based on supply and demand and what the most affluent people are willing to pay for any particular property. Interest rates, prevailing wages, unemployment and other factors that affect your typical urban and suburban markets have little impact on the Incline Village real estate scene and property values. So, while there may be some pockets of softness in specific condo complexes and in the multi-unit sector, overall prices for property in Incline Village are steady.
Based on current inventory levels, sell through rates and days on market, I anticipate that our market will remain in a plateau through 2007. This means a buyer’s market for the foreseeable future with prices holding steady and upward pressure only existing for the most desirable locations and highest quality homes and condos. It seems odd that unit sales were so much higher in the 2005 seller’s market and so much lower when we are in a buyer’s market. But, it’s human nature to follow the crowd. So, as much as people were in a frenzy to buy when prices were rising they are sitting on the sidelines in equal amounts while prices are in a holding pattern.
If you are a buyer, do you want to wait until prices rise again or do you want to make a purchase while it’s still a buyer’s market & you have greater negotiating leverage? We are seeing the best values go into escrow week after week, confirming the notion that there will be no price collapse in the Incline Village real estate market. Patience is good, but only too a point. I think that the operative phrase during this current buyer’s market is, “You snooze, you lose.”
Taking a look at the other top news story in 2006, two of the big firms in town merged. I don’t think clients in our market care about the size of the firm they do business with. Buyers and Sellers in Incline Village are seeking quality representation and superior customer service, not the biggest office with the most desks. As agents, we all have access to the same MLS and we all attend the same Tuesday morning meetings. It’s not the size of the office you work in, it’s the quality of support that your office provides and what each agent does to help their clients achieve their goals that makes the difference.
In summary, 2006 brought many changes to the Incline Village market but none of them turned out to be earth shattering. There will certainly be a shakeout among the marginal real estate agents and hobbyists since there is not enough sales volume to support the current number of agents in town. We are already seeing a ripple effect as the title companies and other affiliates down size to accommodate the decreased number of transactions. The ones who have benefited the most during this slower sales phase have been the contractors who do high quality remodeling. In this slow period, many property owners are doing work on their condos and homes and enjoying them more instead of putting them up for sale.
Copyright 2006 Don Kanare – All rights reserved.
Home maintenance will probably be on top of your list of things to know how to do as soon as you decide you want to get your own place. Whether you rent or you own, maintaining your living space is a logical step to take. Here are some easy tips for good home cleaning.
Photo Credit
Clean everyday; your daily living activities will generate dirt so it is important to clean rooms and bathrooms daily. This will also help you when you have to do an overall cleaning job as your home will not be too dirty. Schedule your overall cleaning and this will include cleaning inside your home, outside your home, and in every corner. This will mean washing and polishing and possibly repainting. Because this is a big deal, this is usually done bi-annually with some activities like repainting reserved for an annual schedule. Finally, make sure you properly maintain the unseen areas like gutters, pipes, garbage disposals, garages, storage centers, attics and basements.
Making sure these unseen spaces are as clean and breakage-free will, in the long run, save money, effort, and will keep your house in good condition.
(photo)
Looking for and settling on a house has always been a big decision. This is a big investment so this is not something to be taken lightly. There are many things to consider when looking for a house. Certainly a lot of these considerations have to do with budget. But there are some things to consider apart from how capable you are financially. Considering where you want to live is something that should take top priority in your list of things to look for in a desirable home.
If you are single or living with someone or married, there are certain neighborhoods you may want to be a part of. Perhaps an area with folks of the same make-up as you would be interesting socially. If you have children however, consider looking for a neighborhood that is kid-friendly. There are lots of places with great play grounds, near good schools, peaceful, clean, and have a community that is kid-centered.
Whichever kind of neighborhood you want to live in, seriously taking this into consideration should be a step when deciding on a home.
The journey to a successful life should be enjoyed. True success comes from accomplishing the daily activities that will lead you to your ultimate goals in life. Failing or neglecting to accomplish the daily disciplines will lead you down the path of lost opportunities and lost income.
If the penalty for not accomplishing your daily activities or disciplines was implemented or assessed today, we would look at neglecting them differently. The truth is that the penalty for neglect is more visible in the future than it is today. The person who eats fried foods does not pay the penalty at 35, he pays at 55. The person who fails to save 10% of his income for retirement is not penalized at 40, but at 60.
If we were zapped today from neglecting the daily disciplines rather than in the future, our daily disciplines would change. We have to make the neglect more painful than the activity pain. There are three disciplines that must be done daily in real estate for success. They are working on growth, administration, and working ON your business. Let’s look at each individual area comprehensively.
Growth:
Growth is the part of the business that brings in the revenue for your business. The more time you spend of your day in growth, the more income that you will make. Most Agents work on growth activities at the last minute, when they are running short on funds. The problem is that is too late. To have a steady business income you need a steady approach to growth.
Growth is the prospecting that you do daily. It is the listing appointments that you have for the day. It is the lead follow-up that you are doing on the people who want to buy or sell. It is the meeting with your lender to work on your competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Growth is the critical part to any business. Without growth a business will fail. I know a lot of Agents who are highly skilled in growth and poorly skilled in administration and working on their business who earn large amounts of money. I know of very few successful Agents who are not highly skilled at growth. You can have huge deficiencies in administration and working on your business but still win the game. You cannot be deficient in growth and win.
Administration:
These are the activities that complete the income stream:
1. Processing the listing so Agents can find it in the MLS
2. Processing the sold property through escrow
3. Communicating with your clients on a regular basis
4. Directing your staff and monitoring their progress
These activities done well will enable you to turn clients into fans who will look for new business for you. You will need one to two hours daily for administration. If you create a good system and have a highly trained and skilled staff, your time spent in this area will be reduced. In the perfect system administration gets done well, but the Agent spends little of his personal time on it.
On your business:
This is the time that most people neglect. This working on your business really separates long-term success and growth from just running faster on the treadmill of life. Long-term financial success lies in this section of your day. The ability to earn more profit is also located here.
We are all really employees of our own little real estate business. We are the ones who bring in the business and make the system go. The more time we plan, read, strategize, practice, role-play, and implement our ideas, the more ownership we gain. Becoming the owner of your real estate business only happens through diligent work on your business. Instead of being the employee who works to draw a salary and pay the bills, why not become the one who orchestrates the company? Be the one who has something to sell when he wants to try something else and/or retire.
What do you think your business would look like in 90 days or even six months if you were to implement the below daily routine?
Growth: 3 hours
Administration: 1 to 2 hours
Business: 1 hour
Time block these activities into your daily routine. You will be amazed at the results you will achieve, even in one week. Do not allow the distractions to overtake you and your new daily focus. Do not neglect to do the things that will lead you to success. Do them daily without fail.
I’ve read that, due to the current state of the economy, charitable contributions are down. We are being asked to give financially to Haiti and many other note worthy causes daily. All the people I know have very generous hearts and wallets and truly desire to make a difference in our planet and in their communities. Our articles, however are mostly centered on receiving, e.g., rental income, cash flow and return on investment.
Business should not only be about what we can get out of it – ideally there must be a mutual exchange of goods or services in which all parties experience value for a healthy balance to exist. Many of our student’s implement our program for the sole purpose of what is it they can receive. No problem, after all business depends upon smart decisions regarding how to make the most of a good investment – so naturally we applaud their thinking.
However, our program innately carries a business balance where everyone involved receives and gives within a healthy mutual respect. In tough times or good times, offering someone a clean, affordable place to call home is foundational to the spirit of giving. At the same time, receiving a maximum return on an investment is ultimately the purpose of good business.
Times are changing more rapidly than we would have ever conceived possible just a few short years ago – business is not “as usual.” In this hard economic period, does it not make sense to enter a business arrangement knowing that it not only benefits you, but countless others? Think outside the box. Remember receiving has the additional bonus of feeling even better when you are giving back in return.
Resting in the middle of Hickory Nut Gorge in Rutherford County, Lake Lure North Carolina is a great place to visit. As the name implies, the actual lake in Lake Lure is the biggest attraction, both in lake activities and Lake Lure Real Estate. Lake Lure has even had a mention in National Geographic as one of the most beautiful places to live.
All kinds of activities can be enjoyed in Lake Lure. These activities include rock climbing, golfing, swimming, canoeing, fishing, boating and water skiing.
While Lake Lure North Carolina is known for beautiful scenery, outdoor activities, and real estate, it is perhaps best known nationally as the real-life location of the 1980′s movie “Dirty Dancing”.
Right near Lake Lure is the beautiful Chimney Rock Park – also a renowned place in the movie world as the location for filming “Last of the Mohicans”.
Lake Lure is fed by the beautiful Rocky Broad River – named for its dramatic line of huge boulders that line the shore. This river forms the breathtaking Rocky Broad River Gorge, which can be seen in all its glory at the top of Chimney Rock.
With a population of just over 1000 residents, Lake Lure was conceived in the early 1900′s by the Morse family. They bought hundreds of acres, built a dam and formed the Carolina Mountain Power Company. While they lost the land and dam in foreclosure during the Great Depression, the plant continued to provide electrical power and continues down to this day. Supplying power comes second only to ensuring the water levels remain at acceptable levels for NC homeowners.
Lake Lure homes are an attractive offer for home buyers. With so much to do in the area and close approximations to places like Asheville, people can vacation in the wilderness and still enjoy the amenities of being close to more metropolitan attractions and day excursions. And conversely many people in Asheville and surrounding communities have purchased Lake Lure luxury homes and properties to have a quick getaway and respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The actual Town of Lake Lure is a little over 13 square miles, at an elevation of just over 1100 feet, and includes the lake and it’s many fingers and bays the wend their way around the town. The weather is generally mild year around since it is located in the thermal belt of the mountains and foothills of western North Carolina. At an elevation of just over 1100 feet, there is plenty of hiking to be had nearby at peaks over 3000 feet!
In general Lake Lure is a pleasant and enjoyable place to vacation, live, work, and play. With the small town feel and friendly atmosphere, real estate, camping, and daily living are all attractive offers for the outdoors aficionado. With homes in a wide variety of price ranges and locations, you can get a taste of western North Carolina mountain life at any budget and style.
