Best Property Guide

I recently wrote an article about the appreciation of single family home average sales prices in the South Bay (“Looking at Single Family Home Appreciation Relative to Inflation”). One reader was curious what impact the number of new homes in Manhattan Beach has had on the appreciation rates for this city in particular.

My gut feeling has always been that Manhattan Beach has had an unusually high number of new homes built relative to other local cities over the years and so I thought I would check into this. It seems there is a new home being built up on every street all the time. In an attempt to address this reader’s comment, I took a look at the sale of new homes in several cities in 2000 and in 2008. This has yielded some interesting results. Continue reading ‘The Change in New Home Sales in the South Bay’ »

In the current economy the smart money is betting against new construction. You’ve heard or read the pronouncements of those in the industry:

1. There is enough empty housing stock out there that needs to fill up before before demand outpaces supply.
2. With the tighter credit climate the pool of potential homeowners has shrunk considerably.
3. You can buy distressed property for half of what it would cost to build new.

The bad news is that they are right. Considering the construction industry is the largest industry in the USA that does not bode well. While the pessimists are indeed correct in their analysis of the existing situation, there may actually be room for growth in a different direction. Continue reading ‘Design Matters in a Recession’ »

If you have experienced inconvenience because of questionable conduct by your HomeOwner’s Association, the organization that represents you and your neighborhood, taking the appropriate steps to getting your voice heard and rectifying the situation can help both you and other residents in your area that have been mistreated. Even though these events are seldom, this article will show you what to do when you run into problems with your CC&R’s (Covenants Conditions, and Restrictions).

Complaints vary from place to place, but one complaint that tops many surveys is the fact that some residents in the area are not fined for some regulation violations, whereas other residents are. In these events, talking to the team that handles your Homeowners Association can help to see what they have to say, as there are should always be specific criteria to be considered before fines or other actions are levied. Continue reading ‘How to Deal With Homeowner’s Association CC&R Legal Problems’ »

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, just across the bridge from downtown Charleston, is undoubtedly the most popular place to buy a home in Charleston, SC. The city of 70,000 inhabitants is perfect for young professionals that want to live close to the beach and also to the busy nightlife in downtown Charleston. It is a preferred place to live for young families for its quality schools and plenty do to for families with children looking for outdoor activities year around. But this peaceful town is also very popular among retirees looking for a comfortable place to retire with plenty of outdoors activities such as tennis, golf and water sports. Continue reading ‘What You Need to Know About the Past and Present of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina’ »

Making sense of a real estate listing can be difficult. Strange acronyms, vague descriptions and an endless parade of real estate jargon can make some listings incredibly difficult to understand.

This article will help you make sense of a real estate listing.

Home Listing Acronyms
Reading a home listing can be like putting together a difficult jigsaw puzzle: it’s about understanding what each piece of the puzzle means and then fitting each piece together to paint a broader picture of the home. Continue reading ‘How to Easily Read a Home Listing’ »

Builders are starting to rethink the “dream home”. The luxury-home business is taking a big hit in today’s economy. The real estate market continues to slow making it hard to justify all of the “extras” that could otherwise be left out of home designs. Nashville Realty is following this trend just as many other cities are in the U.S.

Builders are now struggling to design homes that have the features buyers want, but don’t have the features buyers can live without. What do buyers want? Are fireplaces in Nashville really necessary? Do buyers want a butler’s pantry? Or can, and will they do without? It’s a guessing game for builders. Continue reading ‘The Dream Home – Smaller is Better?’ »

There are many things which you will have to take into consideration while deciding the price of a house. You will certainly be able to come to know about the reason for the sudden rise in the home price through these points. So the question really arises that what are the points which leads to the decline in the home prices. Actually there are many reasons. This article is also about the same.

Some of the reasons for declining home prices are as follows:

1. The first reason which is coming to my mind is the recession. The recession has been the main reason behind the declining home prices. Due to the recession the whole market is witnessing the downfall. However the recession is almost over now. But it still persists to some extent. Continue reading ‘Reason Behind Declining Home Prices’ »

Anchorage, situated in South Central Alaska, is the largest city in Alaska. With a population of about 279,243 as estimated in 2008, 40 percent of the state’s population is located in Anchorage. To the south of the city is the Turnagain Arm. To the west and north is the tidal inlet Knik Arm. The Chugach Mountains encompass a part of the city in the east.

The climate in Anchorage, Alaska can be pleasant if you know what to expect. Summers in Anchorage are short and cool with temperatures averaging from 40 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The average winter temperatures range from 10 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to the fact that there are active volcanoes in the vicinity, ash hazards though not frequent are significant. The weather makes many prospective buyers look for houses for sale in Anchorage, Alaska. Continue reading ‘Homes For Sale in Anchorage, AK’ »

Cheap living in Arizona is easily doable in the many park model communities in the Grand Canyon state.

How cheap? A used, furnished park model can be purchased for $15,000. We know that to be a fact because good friends from Oregon did so in Mesa last November. We tore out the carpet, put new wood floors in and repainted the interior. Material costs were less than $600, labor was free, and that place is looking spiffy. Continue reading ‘Cheap Living in Arizona – Cheap Living in a Park Model Home’ »

If you would like to live rent free then you have come to the right place. I would just like to say that house sitting is a way to live rent free in exchange for taking care of the homeowners home while they are away on vacation or an extended trip away from there home.

The basic requirements for becoming a house sitter are that you are not a hardcore criminal and have really good personal references. I used to live in a mansion in northern California and this lady gave me a letter of recommendation. I lived in her mansion for about four months. I am not saying that it has to be from a millionaire just a homeowner. My duties included making sure everything was locked up at night, taking care of some odd errands, and watering the lawn. Continue reading ‘House Sitting – Live Rent Free’ »