conservatism @ 2009-08-15T12:34:00
We ration lakefront homes. We ration the best cuts of steak and wild-caught salmon. Health care, I realize, seems as if it should be different. But it isn’t. Already, we cannot afford every form of medical care that we might like. …  read more…

Lake Geneva Real Estate Blog » South Shore Club Market Update
The inventory isn’t really a problem, it’s just that the market there isn’t moving an ounce, and we haven’t seen a public MLS sales of a built home in the development for well over a year. … In the long run, the South Shore Club will turn out to be a good value and a strong performer in our overall lakefront market here. The homes are too beautiful, the location too desirable, and the amenities too plentiful for the development to be overlooked for long. …  read more…

248 Lagunita Lane Reduces Price and Goes up for Auction « Big Bear …
Multi-Residential Lakefront Home on Lagunita Lane. Today the Seller dramatically reduced the price of 248 Lagunita from $849000 down to $500000. On top of that, they’ve decided to sell it the online auction route in order to try to create … I haven’t seen too many auctions where this happens, but the idea is to try and bait people in by pricing something really low to create a bidding war. At $500000 I don’t think it’ll fuel a big bidding war but it’s a decent value and …  read more…

From Google Blog Search

Finding Lakefront Homes For Sale
Having a lake near your new home poses many benefits, but you’ll soon find that they are well-sought homes that can have much competition among buyers. With the right means of finding out about good d…  read more…

How And Where To Buy Lakefront Real Estate
Having a lake near your new home poses many benefits, but you’ll soon find that they are well-sought homes that can have much competition among buyers. With the right means of finding out about good d…  read more…

Getting A Lakefront Property From The Internet
Although there are plenty of waterfronts all over the country, the homes situated around them are hard to obtain despite their numbers. Lake homes are sought after to the extent where you will be hard…  read more…

From GoArticles.com

Powered by Revver

Phosphorus ban ordinances help clean up lakes (The Oakland Press)
Things are looking greener in Ferndale, and hopefully it won’t be from the algae and weed buildup that results from its storm drain deposits.  read more…

To do in Northwest Indiana (Post-Tribune)
ADULT EDUCATION n Beginner’s genealogy workshop by Larry Clark from 6:15 to 8:45 p.m. Monday at the South Haven Branch of the Porter County Public Library, 403 W. County Road 700N, Valparaiso. Registration required, free program. Call 759-4474. AN EVENING OUT n The Steppers are hosting a musical tribute to Michael Jackson, Steppin in White All Night, at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Genesis …  read more…

Dog Days, Part II: Investors Still Reluctant to Buy Into Stormy Distressed Market (CoStar Group)
Steven Aberman, senior acquisition manager for WBS Properties in Boca Raton, FL, has watched the 43-acre lakefront development of Grand Oaks in Avon Park evolve from raw land that sold for $2.5 million three ago into finished lots. The turnkey gated community…  read more…

Powered by Yahoo! News

Resolved Question: Who wants to buy our Northern Michigan cottage?
We are trying to sell the lakefront cottage we built in 2002. We were going to retire there, and designed it with a nice studio for my wife and a large workshop for myself. Our realtors haven’t found many prospects. We’ve advertised on Craig’s List, including to out-of-state areas as a vacation home. We’ve even developed a supporting website: http://mustsellourcottage.com/ It is a screaming deal, but we are having a terrible time finding the right buyer. Suggestions on who we should target, or how we should promote it?

  read more…

Resolved Question: Are there any lakehouse vacation rentals in Winter Haven ?
We prefer renting private homes rather than staying in hotels. We are coming to Winter Haven for a week of waterskiing and are looking for a lakefront home, that offers other amenities such as a pool and gameroom.

  read more…

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Recently Being Discussed on FriendFeed

Technorati Tags: haven lakefront homes

Basements can be a great addition to your home. They make good function rooms and they can also be an excellent place to entertain guests and to relax on weekends. You can also have your children use a corner as play pen.

There are so many ways to use your basement. Practically everything you can think of. But before all the convenience and comfort take place, it is important to put some investment on your basement wall system. By investment, it means both time and money.

For a safe and secure basement wall system, here are some items that you must know and ensure that they are present in a well prepared and constructed basement:

1. The Outer Insulation – You will have to do a lot of digging. This is because the soil outside of your house is in contact to your basement walls. You will have to insulate that surface area where your wall is exposed to the damp earth. Check some utilities that may be placed in these areas. These are things like gas, hydro, telephone, water, sewage. Ensure their safety and maintenance. Insulating your exterior walls prevents heat loss in your basement. All this can be overwhelming if you?re new to this business. You may want to consult or hire a professional to do the external basement wall system for you. Or you may do it yourself. But just be sure to do it right. Otherwise, you might have to dig extensively again in the future.

2. The Internal Insulation – The interior walls must also be insulated. This is because air leaks in very easily. The air is cold outside. You have no control over that. But you do have control over preventing air flow to come in. A good basement wall system for internal insulation does that. Usually, this type uses fiberglass materials layered in your walls. Some would use foam type or plastic fixtures. This may cost you but it?s a worthy investment. You don?t want to have a cold basement room, do you?

3. Waterproofing – Your basement must be free from molds, mildew, bacteria and all other fungus that will start spreading in. It will make your basement smell bad. And since these molds are not easy to find, you?ll have a hard time figuring out where it?s coming from. When this happens, nobody wants to stay in your basement anymore. So this is basement waterproofing comes in. Some basements have rubber plastic adhesive solutions layered in joints and walls to prevent moisture to set in. You may also want to check other basement wall system options in waterproofing. Just make sure they?re safe.

Your basement’s interior design may be how you’ve always dreamed it. It?s very cozy, well lit and probably the most livable place in your home. But if you a poor basement wall system, chances are you won?t be enjoying its benefits for long.

For your basement to be functional and efficient, it should be free from dampness and moisture. These things cause bad smell, cold room temperature, and not to mention damage to your foundation walls. If this happens, you will spend some time each year doing repairs. Not only that, it will cost you and eventually spend more.

Technorati Tags: basement, basement wall system, basement waterproofing, family, home, home improvement, home repair, Real Estate

If you’re looking to buy a new house, you’re looking at the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and the size of the family room. The area, property and neighborhood are important to you. But how much time did you spend thinking about energy?

New construction houses, such as new real estate in Commack New York, tend to be far more energy efficient than older homes . Older homes simply were not designed to be energy efficient.

When you look for a new home, you should look for an Energy Star rated home . In general, Energy Star homes are 30% more efficient than older houses . This energy efficiency can keep you warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer and save you money every month on your bills.

Many of the energy Star features are cultivated by the builder during the construction phase. High quality insulation, for example, keeps out drafts and helps your house holds heat in the winter time. An attention to detail in avoiding gaps and cracks in the framing, walls and ceilings, can make a huge difference. A space of just 1/4 inch to the outside can cause your house to leak air like a balloon with a small hole. An airtight construction is extremely important.

In addition to the construction, appliance decisions will have a direct effect on your electric bills. You should choose energy Star rated appliances, including the refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, microwave, washer and dryer. If your house includes air-conditioning, you should only choose one with a top energy Star rating.

On the heating side, you’ll want a system with an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency Rating of 90 or better. On the cooling side, your air conditioning system should have a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of 12+ to be Energy Star efficient.

Other choices will also aid the efficiency in your home include digital thermostats with timers, outdoor lighting with timers or light sensors, room switches with motion sensors and other choices to help ensure that you are not wasting electricity. Of course, you could try to remember to turn off the lights, but having technology help you in case you forget will save you money and lower waste.

When it is time to resell your home, energy-efficient houses are more alluring. One of the great bonuses of new construction, such as the Emmy houses project in Commack NY, is that if you resell in five or nine years, you will be selling an efficient house as opposed to an older house which is less efficient. This will not only increase the resale price but also the ease of selling your house .

Technorati Tags: buy home, buy house, first time home, first time home buyer, home buyers, homebuyer, new home, purchase home, purchase house, Real Estate

For those who have never visited Utah, the sights and scenes are a new experience, and a wonderful one. There is a wealth of new discoveries and history in the Utah country, and visitors and residents alike report that the rich variety of things to do and see are an abiding joy.

This beautiful Utah County real estate offers a wealth of natural beauty, culture, and activity. Diversity is also a major appeal in this area. At Brigham Young University, over six percent of students are from another country, and over three quarters of students speak a second language!

For those who are interested in military history, the Utah country offers a unique and varied selection attractions. Camp Floyd in Farifield Utah was home to over three thousand five hundred troops, which was over one third of the American military force at the time.

Today, there is a museum with interactive exhibits at the camp for visitors to explore. This museum offers a wonderful look at what military life was like in the 1800’s. Utah County real estate residents are also in the midst of a wealth of geological, American Indian and American pioneer lore and history.

Living in Utah provides residents with a wealth of opportunities to explore history, recreation, and diversity. Culture and fine arts are well represented, not only from the universities, but also from the residents of the area.

Utah County real estate tends to attract well educated and interesting people who take pride in their communities and the welfare of the area at large. The feel of the area is rural, yet the Utah Valley is a mere thirty five minutes from the major metropolitan area of Salt Lake City.

For those who are interested in military history, the Utah country offers a unique and varied selection attractions. Camp Floyd in Farifield Utah was home to over three thousand five hundred troops, which was over one third of the American military force at the time. Today, there is a museum with interactive exhibits at the camp for visitors to explore.

Utah County real estate offers a resident a chance to live in country that is home to Civil War troops, Spanish explorers, mountain men, trappers, Native American tribes, and pioneers who were making their way to the new West.Many of the historical attractions in this lovely area are one hundred fifty years (or more) old and have been carefully preserved for those who want to see and experience them.

Technorati Tags: business, Real Estate, Utah County

If you’ve ever thought about buying new construction on Long Island, then now is the time for you to be looking. With the real estate market where it is, it is more affordable than ever to purchase new construction. On Long Island, your opportunities are limited. The amount of free real estate available in this once farmland area, isbasicallycompletely developed. Many neighborhoods have instituted limitations on construction, conserving the remaining farmland and open space.

Nonetheless, new construction is still available and may be perfect for the new homeowner. If you’ve been looking at real estate, and have considered new construction, you should review this:

1. Older houses, while “charming” on the outside, are, in fact, old houses. Over time they age. Many houses in the55 to65-year-old range have become “knock downs”purchased by builders to put up new housing. If you’re buying an older home, it could cost you a lot in the long run with upgrades and repairs.

2. New construction gives you more freedom. Very little people ever find the “ideal home” of their dreams. Usually, you need to paint, spackle, remove carpeting, remove walls, renovate bathrooms and kitchens and a list of other tasks that become very expensive. That older home that looked like a bargain becomes extremely expensive once you’ve done the repairs and modifications you want.

3. With new construction, you do not have to live through renovations. Kitchen remodeling, expansions and modifications to your house can take months-even years. All the while, you are living in a construction zone.

4. You also have the added expense of doing these renovations, which must be paid on top of the purchase price of the house. Many families have to save for many years to have the available cash for upgrades. Others may try to take 2nd mortgages or home-equity loans, however this may prove unsuccessful-especially with more rigid lending requirements.

You could want to borrow an additional $175,000, but your home is not worth an additional $150,000 today. Therefore, you lack the collateral to justify that home equity loan. In contrast, new construction, even if slightly more expensive, has the full value in the house already, which is what mortgage companies want to see.

5. When selecting real estate, and assessing existing homes, you have very limited choices. The real estate is “as is”-meaning the grass is what it is, the landscaping are what they are, and the yard is what it is. Usually, with new construction, it is either newly landscaped or in basic form so that you can landscape as you want (generally, new construction without landscaping is less expensive than landscaped). With new construction, you are getting beautiful new property or freshly graded land that is ready for landscaping.

When you’re ready to consider new construction, be sure to keep all of these factors in mind. As you examine the cost of the house, consider the real expenses beyond the purchase price. Many families discover far better values with the newly built houses versus a less expensive existing home that needs improvements. Even if you are handy, a improvement are not free. You also need to come up with the cash to pay for those upgrades (whereas with new construction, those costs are built into the purchase price and are covered by the mortgage).

Technorati Tags: buy home, buy house, first time home, first time home buyer, home buyers, homebuyer, new home, purchase home, purchase house, Real Estate

A reader asks: “I just sold my home on a short sales agreement rather than let the banking company take it in foreclosure. I don’t know who bought it, and I don’t care; we’re just glad to be rid of it. My broker says the home must be “broom swept.” What does that mean? Am I expected to sterilize it up later moving out? How clean am I supposed to provide the house for the new household buyers?”

Answer: That’s a great query. Break for a instant to weigh the condition of many bank-owned homes. Grease, filth and mold are often the least of buyers’ interests when they find all the conveniences are ripped out, the H2O heater has been stolen and the front doorway is boarded up.

Some banks don’t clean anything, and they assert that home is sold in “as is” shape. Homes in a seller’s possession that are turned over to a new buyer are different. It doesn’t matter if that home is a short sale or a usual sale, sellers may have obligations to clean the home.

Legal Responsibilities for Cleaning a Home After a Sale In some states, real estate purchase contracts stipulate that the home is to be “broom clean,” meaning the seller should at least sweep the floor, the walls and ceiling. The language in some of these contracts is ambiguous.

Common contracts don’t deal with the condition of the home apart from telling that the home should be left in fundamentally the same shape as it was when the offer was received. The Residential Purchase Agreement says the property is sold in its present physical condition as of the date of acceptance, and the seller is to remove all material property and junk.

To find the extent of cleaning that you are contractually bound to do upon vacating, you should understand your purchase contract.

Customary Means to Exit a Property After Moving In the absence of a legal prerequisite to clean the house before moving out, most sellers take primary measures on their own to present the home in an great shape to buyers. It’s perceivable that after moving all day, sellers may be too tired to expend a lot of time cleaning.

Employing a cleaning help can be an choice answer. Sometimes, listing agents will pay to have the house professionally cleansed.

When buyers purchased a Boise home in a solid neighborhood, the listing agent inspected the home upon closure. He determined the carpeting wasn’t good enough, so he employed carpet cleaners to shampoo the carpeting before the purchasers moved in. He paid for the housecleaning as a courtesy, not because he was bound.

While most buyers will clean the home to their own standards before moving in, regardless of a sellers’ efforts, following is a list of matters a seller can do to leave a home moderately clean and produce goodwill:

Cleaning Within the Home Before Moving Away * Take Out all personal property. * Vacuum the floors. * Clean kitchen appliances, inmost the icebox and oven, and wipe down counters. * Scour sinks and bathtubs. * Rub down interior cabinets and shelves. * Wash tile and vinyl / linoleum flooring.

Cleanup the Garage * Move Out personal belongings. * Throw out scrap. * Decently dispose of toxicant chemical substances. * Sweep the floor. * Stack items pertaining to the house such as paint cans, roofing stuffs or surplus flooring.

In essence, leave the home in the condition that you would like to find your new home. Recollect, the new home owners might acquire some of your mail by mistake or packages over the holidays. It’s a good idea to stay on pleasurable terms with the new purchasers. And it’s also the correct thing to do.

Technorati Tags: boise, Foreclosures, id, idaho, Real Estate, short sales

If you take part in investing in a new house, there are a various ways on how you can go about looking for one. One of the options is walking around the neighborhood in search of property sale signs. Using the internet to search for the available property for sale can also be an option you can select. In the same way, you can decide to call real estate agents and request them to hunt for the home on your behalf. However, ensure that you give them your basic information to simplify their search.

Alternatively, you can look for a foreclosure sale to get affordable rates for the house you are ready to purchase and can live with such a decision. Of course, there are some merits, demerits and caution levels when hunting houses that are under foreclosure.

If you find the perfect house before it goes through foreclosure, you will be at a very distinct advantage. In instances where those homes have not already been listed under foreclosure, you have better chances of discussing the alternative of conducting short sales with the owners of the property on sale and the respective bank. Doing this will save you plenty of money, compared to homes that have already gone through foreclosure sales.

Immediately after the foreclosure of the home, it will be directed to the listing agency where it will be marketed as being part of the agency’s foreclosure sales. Alternatively, the home can be transferred to the property auction. In case the home proceeds to the auction, there is always a limitation on how low bidding could be. Generally, the biding amount is 2/3 the home’s total value or the cost or value of the mortgage. Regardless of this, the price is still way below the prevailing market price.

The real estate agency or bank could have not seen other ways the home could be sold other than through an auction, so when you want to bid on the home during the auction, ensure that you do a thorough inspection of the home prior to bidding.

Another way that foreclosure sales can be listed is as REO real estate. Simply put, these are owned by the realtor company who bought them at a discount from the bank and are now the exclusive listing agency for them.

One of the disadvantages of homes from foreclosure sales lies in the reality that these homes originally belonged to other people. People react differently when losing their homes, which means that you should be very careful not overlook any detail when looking for a foreclosure sale or you might be surprised in the near future when you are accosted with a costly situation.

Another disadvantage of foreclosure sales is the time that would be required to complete a conclusive research for the property’s title. Sales involving foreclosures may have involved bad debts, tax liens or other factors that get caught up with the house. Therefore, it is important that you carry out a thorough research from all angles before proceeding with the purchase.

Finally, a warning about foreclosure sales: buying a home is a very big decision even in the best of situations. The added stress of having a family that could be heartbroken, angry, depressed, desperate or all of the above can make it even worse.

When you have already decided to purchase a foreclosed home, it is prudent that you make the purchase in a town that is not your own. This is intended to make your stay as peaceful as possible.

With foreclosed sales, you can get a home that is much bigger than you previously intended to buy and afford. Despite the temptation, do not go for what you will not be able to handle.

Remember the circumstances that lead to this particular house being foreclosed and remember that the same things can happen to you as well. No one is immune to unemployment or hard economic times. The sheer volume of foreclosure sales is testament to that.

Technorati Tags: discounted real estate, foreclosure, investment property, passive income, property investing, Real Estate, Real Estate investing, real estate investment club, real estate portfolio building, reo owned, tax lien, us real estate, wealth building, wholesale real estate

As millions of homes are being closed down due to foreclosure, banks and financial institutions need vendors who can cleanup and maintain the properties for them. This business is otherwise termed property preservation. Under the stress of current financial positions, over three million houses have been foreclosed. Property preservation is a pretty easy business to start with. The initial requirements would be general liability insurance, a business license and a drivers license. You can then sign up with a bank as an independent contractor by submitting a W9 form duly signed. The contract amount would vary from $900 to $10000 per property depending on various factors. Property preservation vendors can easily service anywhere between 20 to 300 homes each month.

In order to help maintain your investment, finding a well qualified tenant is only the beginning. Next, you need to make sure that your property is maintained whether your current tenant will live there one year or 10 years. During the lease signing, it is imperative that you make the tenant aware of inspections. As the landlord, you can dictate how often an inspection will occur. Whatever you decide, remember, you have to give at least 48 hours notice, and the inspection time (ex. between 8am and 5pm) must be specified. You cannot just show up one day and do what is called a surprise inspection unless you feel something unlawful is occurring, and law enforcement is present with you.

Should a property owners worst nightmare happen and an eviction becomes necessary, a qualified property preservation company will offer those who need them eviction support services along with additional services like lock changing as well. A property preservation company can also handle any clean out or debris removal you may need and assist you in securing your property. The kind of assistance that a property preservation company can provide can be crucial in minimizing the damage to your property.

Dealing with damages to the property or surrounding property can also be a heavy undertaking. If lightning decides to strike that beautiful oak in the back of the property, and part of that beautiful old oak falls and damages the fencing surrounding the property, its the landlords responsibility to take care of it. If a water pipe bursts underneath the property, guess who gets to foot the bill? What if the kids, the dog and the cat are having a play day inside and a hole mysteriously appears in the wall at the end of the hallway? Your phone will be ringing early the next morning for sure. These are just a few of the many damages that could occur on your perfect property at any given time.

You properties are valuable and the costs of not protecting them far exceed the cost of making sure that your investments are protected. A qualified property preservation company can take over all of the work that goes into maintaining and protecting your property. Whether your needs are simple lawn maintenance, eviction support services, damage estimates or anything in between, professional property preservation companies can be there for you to protect your investment when you can not be.

Technorati Tags: diy, do-it-yourself, Home and Garden, home improvement, home repair, Property Management, Property Preservation, Real Estate