Helpful Real Estate Blog

Quality, Energy Efficient Home on 1/2+ Acre

620 S. Poplar Ave., Lennox, SD

$248,900

* 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Ranch Style Home
* New home filled with countless quality upgrades
* Beautiful Bamboo hardwood flooring
* Craftsmen style natural poplar trim
* Natural Poplar three panel doors
* 2 covered cedar porches with cedar logs and recessed lighting
* Spacious living area and great room with 9′ ceilings
* Variable speed ceiling fan/light
* Open kitchen with over-sized island w/ eat-at breakfast bar, walk-in pantry and recessed lighting.
* Kenmore stainless steel appliances
* Custom hickory cabinets with quality hardware and the soft close feature
* In-cabinet double garbage
* Deep Kohler Stainless Steel Sink and faucet
* Fabulous backyard view from the Kitchen and Dining area
* Large master suite with huge walk-in closet
* Free standing vanities with granite countertops in both baths
* Moen brushed nickel faucets and fixtures in both bathrooms
* All bedrooms carpeted in a neutral color
* Laundry room w/ cabinets and sink.
* Upgraded HVAC w/ Heat Pump and Broan Air-to-Air Exchanger (See details below).
* Mature trees and rock landscaping

* Purchase adjoining lot with large storage building for an additional $21,000 for total lot size of 172′ x 300′
* Building on adjoining lot has electricity, natural gas and piped water/sewer to the property line

Move in condition…Bright and spacious end unit!  Eat In Kitchen, Large Master Bedroom fits king bed and has double closets with Master Bath.  

Majestic stone fireplace in living room, Sliding Glass Doors to deck and courtyard.  Freshly painted, hardwood floors, Central AC/Heat with new airducting, new washer/dryer, new hot water heater and new insulation.  Access rights to lake, pool, clubhouse, and tennis.  Plenty of storage room.  Low CCs and taxes $3800.00 without STAR.  Close to all.  A MUST SEE!

Source: My favorite Fizber.com

Over 5200 SF of custom  luxury in this one of a kind mountain retreat, home theater, hot tub, steam shower, 3 fireplaces, kitchen for the gourmet cook, exquisitely furnished, over 1000 sf of outside decks to enjoy the 50 mile views across a valley. The oversize garage includes RVs for exploring during winter and summer. 

Extensive use of large tile and slate throughout interior of home. Top level loft for sleeping and home office. All appliances are top of the line.  Crestron touch screen electronics system for house sound, home theater, fire alarm and security system, and HVAC and lighting control. Crestron system accessiable via remote telephone. Wet bar and adjacent billiards room for your enjoyment, and entertaining family and friends. Less than 5 minutes away from a ski resort offering over 60 runs from 8 lifts. Easy 3 hour interstate drive from Las Vegas.

More info: fizber.com

Spectacular 3-story property with Garden and City Skyline Views from Fizber.com!

• No Property Taxes through 2017 (Tax Abatement transferrable to new owners).
• Gourmet kitchen with pantry, wine/beverage chiller, and concrete countertops.
• Open floor plan with 10′ 1st floor and 9′ 2nd and 3rd floor ceilings.
• Perfect setup for entertaining.
• 2 story living room atrium connected to back yard landscaped gardens.
• 2 car tandem built-in garage.
• Wood floors and 3 story staircase.
• All brick construction.
• Finished basement exercise/hobby room.
• 3rd floor family room with roof top deck overlooking city skyline.

Open 3-story home in historic Prospect Hill neighborhood overlooking downtown. New construction built in 2001 to blend perfectly within the existing historical district, dominated by lovingly restored late 19th and early 20th century Italianate homes. Quiet street and back yard gardens, yet just minutes walk to downtown business and entertainment districts. Spectacular views of the city skyline from all three floors, including 3rd floor rooftop deck. If you love the idea of living in or near downtown, but don’t want to give up a peaceful backyard garden to relax in, then you really must see this wonderful property. We even planted a wine vineyard out back, ready for its first harvest (or else, just leave them to the birds like we did!)

The Prospect Hill Neighborhood

The historic district of Prospect Hill is a beautiful space on one of the south-facing slopes that face downtown Cincinnati and the Ohio river. More important, the people who live here have wonderfully diverse backgrounds and interests, and care deeply about their homes and their neighborhood. We have never had such an easy time making lasting friends and feeling a part of a neighborhood. The neighborhood council hosts a variety of fun events, including the annual concert and picnic, and the annual “Take 5″ progressive dinner that let’s you tour some of the spectacular neighborhood homes. Dedicated neighbors landscaped the Prospect Hill “pocket park” (just steps away), and in the summer plant and maintain haybaskets and urns throughout the neighborhood. If you work in or near the downtown central business district, you can have a nice walk or bike ride to start and end your day. The University of Cincinnati and nearby healthcare industry is a short 5-10 minute drive.

For the House Geek

This new home is built-to-last. The foundation is a structurally reinforced concrete cage siting atop 18 drilled reinforced concrete piers that rest on bedrock. the exterior walls are 2×6 stud construction, and both the front and back walls enclose a structural steel 2-story I-beam frame. The exterior is all brick, and the windows are high quality double-pane with low maintenance anodized aluminum exterior, and painted wood interior. Extensive natural stone walls surrounding the home are both beautiful and structurally sound, sitting on concrete foundation pads and being about 3′ wide at the base. The flat roof is a 50 year industrial rubber membrane that you won’t have to worry about. The rooftop deck has the same roofing system, with maintenance free synthetic wood walking surface. Also, the rooftop desk isn’t surrounded by a flimsy railing, but rather by a copper-topped 1.5′ wide parapet wall, which will make anyone feel secure enough to lean on (not to mention set a drink and dinner plate on). There are two heating and cooling systems, one for the basement and first floor, and one for the top two floors. Recent average energy usage is about $200 per month.

Marshfield, WI, 54449

Single Family with 3 bed, 2 bath, a 2.5 car garage in 6361 W Robin Lane , Glendale, AZ, 85310 built in 1996.

25 PICTURES TAKE A LOOK.  ELEGANT,SOPHISTICATED,COMFORTABLE AND CONVENIENT! THIS HOUSE HAS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR! TRAVERTINE  IN THE LIVING AREAS, HARD WOOD IN THE BEDROOMS;QUIET HOME, SURROUNDED BY NATURE-THE LEGEND AT ARROWHEAD GOLF COURSE IN BACK,THUNDERBIRD PARK IN FRONT; EXCELLING LEGEND SPRINGS SCHOOL IN THE DVUSD;UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM 20 MINUTES AWAY;PEORIA SPORTS COMPLEX 12 MINUTS;GOLF IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD;MANY UPSCALE AND CASUAL RESTAURANTS;MULTITUDE OF MOVIE THEATERS NEAR BY; 7 MINUTE DRIVE TO FOOTHILLS RECREATIONS AND AQUATICS CENTER, LIBRARY, DOG PARK, POST OFFICE; LESS THAT 6 MINUTES FROM ARROWHEAD HOSPITAL AND LESS THAN 10 MINUTES FROM DMV AND ARROWHEAD MALL, AND MUCH MUCH MORE. 3 BEDROOMS, 2 BATH 2.5 CAR GARAGE ASKING 510,000

Source: Fizber.com

The real-estate market is slowing and many economists believe a slowdown of the housing market could hurt the overall economy while others suppose that the strength of American economy in some ways supports housing market. A significant decline in prices and huge buildup of inventories are taking place at today’s housing market.

Among the most stricken areas are California, Arizona, Florida and others situated along the East Coast. As some economists point out markets in these areas could fall 50% from their peaks.

I think that a great deal of economists, homeowners, builders and anyone else who has any connection to the real-estate market are concerned about spheres of economy and people classes which can suffer from the slowdown of the housing market. In my opinion who will suffer the main loses are construction firms and organizations, in the first place, and also people who used aggressive mortgages in purpose to buy a property for further reselling.

The former lose from the huge inventory stalled at the market and lowing prices. Today’s supply of dwellings is not supported by strong demand in many areas, as compared with the recent situation when demand exceeded supply. Thus builders found themselves in unpleasant conditions. Using of incentives partly helps them to remedy the situation, but, as a whole, tough times have ensued for the building organizations.

Many people will also suffer great loses due to the risky mortgages they employed within the last two years. Such aggressive mortgages as interest-only and pay-option adjustable-rate mortgages have been widely used recently. These mortgages required no principal amortization and in some cases payment of only a fraction of the interest due. Thus they motivated people to purchase property for borrowed money in order to make profits. Thanks to mentioned mortgages borrowing became more attractive than home equity. Increasing number of people buying houses with risky mortgages led to the artificially inflated prices. As housing prices are falling people will find themselves in difficult situation and many of them will have to walk away from their homes. Those who used an aggressive mortgage now are struggling to meet the mortgage payments. In accordance with the statement of Kenneth Heebner, who since 1994 has managed the $1.2 billion CGM Realty Fund, we are going to see increasing foreclosures over the next several years.

I suppose it is obvious that those homeowners who don’t have a mortgage because they own their property outright will not experience the influence of slowdown trends at housing market. They accounts for more than 25%.

I doubt also whether such areas like Texas, Iowa City or Minneapolis will suffer much from the slackening of housing market. These markets didn’t see such a large lowing of price gain as California, Florida and others located along the East Coast.

According to the opinion of many economists the greatest losses will be suffered in those areas where prices were artificially raised too high (this bear a relation especially to mentioned above California, Florida, Arizona and other housing markets along the East Coast). But even despite on big size of some mentioned markets, economists suppose that the regional slowdowns will not reverberate throughout the economy. Mr. Heebner considers that “most people won’t have problems and much of the country will be fine”. He argue also that some regional slumps (or “pops” as he called them) “will reduce the growth rate of the economy, but they won’t precipitate a downturn”. In accordance with his opinion only the Federal Reserve can cause a downturn of the economy by means of his aggressive action.

“I think the current pattern of higher interest rates reflects a decision to normalize rates after taking them to abnormally low levels to stave off potential deflation. When the extent of the housing slowdown becomes apparent, I think the Fed will pause, rather than take rates to a level that threatens an economic downturn. The only real threat to the economy is an overly aggressive Fed, and not a downturn in the housing market, which won’t by itself push the economy down,” said Kenneth Heebner.

Thus guided by the statements of some economists and by my own point of view I’d like to conclude that the slowing housing market will hardly hurt the overall economy. The great loses will be suffered mainly by people used aggressive mortgages and also by construction firms located in the areas situated along the East Coast. But the great bulk of population and the economy in general will be fine, especially if the Federal Reserve suspends its aggressive policy and stops to raise mortgage interest rates.

As I’ve already mentioned in the previous posts investing in real-estate is rather risky and requires special knowledge, skills and good agility. This concerns especially real-estate-related shares. One can’t manage here without assistance of a specialist.

I think it would be advisable to consider the opinion of Kenneth Heebner, who since 1994 has managed the $1.2 billion CGM Realty Fund. This fund is characterized with the best 10-year record of all real-estate-focused mutual funds. CGM Realty Fund had an average of nearly 22% annual rise during the past decade.

CGM Realty Fund has approximately 25% of the stocks in mining stocks. Mr. Heebner regards mining companies’ stocks as attractive because of the land they use. He also sees significant opportunity in real-estate investment trusts, which account 69% of the Fund. And 6% the Fund has in commercial real-estate brokers.

According to Mr.Heebner today it is advisable to invest in office and apartment REITs (like Archstone-Smith Trust, Essex Property Trust Inc., SL Green Realty Corp. and AvalonBay Communities Inc). The Fund’s apartment REITs are focused basically in parts of the Northeast and California.

Due to the rising interest rates homes became less affordable for many consumers, which results in the increasing of apartments rents. Thus building companies should increase construction of rental apartments in areas where demand didn’t fall, but gradually goes up. This is featured mainly to the areas like Texas and some others.

Among the office sector Mr. Heebner marked out Vornado Realty Trust as well as SL Green.

As regards investing into home-builder stocks, I think that is hardly can be considered as expedient due to the difficult conditions in which home builders are turned out. I suppose that many economists, including Mr. Heebner, will support my opinion. Thus, according to Mr. Heebner, CGM Realty Fund bought home builders at the end of 2001 since these stocks were trading at six times earnings. But when the leaders of the fund understood that the growing demand for homes was caused mainly by people who maid purchases for investment purposes using borrowed money, they began to worry and started cutting back on home-builder shares at the end of the fourth quarter of 2004 and eliminated them during the first six months of 2005

Being guided by the strengthening of the global economy and strong growing demand for leisure travel I regard investing into hotel REITs as rather advisable. The weakening of the dollar will increase tourism. Rising supply of hotels during the next several years will make for a healthy environment for the REITs.

The governing body of the CGM Realty Fund gives its preferences to Host Hotels & Resorts, LaSalle Hotel Properties and FelCor Lodging Trust.

And in conclusion I’d like to repeat once more time that investing into real-estate, and especially into real-estate-connected stocks, requires special grounding and that is why inexperienced person should take advise from a good economist or real-estate agent. Meanwhile, as follows from this article the most attractive spheres for investment today are apartment REITs, office sector and hotel REITs, and one should not invest into home-builder shares.

As I have already noticed in my previous posts among the main tendencies at the real-estate market we observe market’s cooling, rise of mortgage interest rates, growth of inventory, slowing of price appreciation, and increase of apartment rent. In accordance with some economists, among whom I’d like to mention Sam Chandan, an economist at Reis Inc., a real-estate research firm, apartment vacancies are expected to tighten to 5.3% nationally this year, while rent growth reaches 5.5%, the strongest since a prior peak in 2000. Apartment investors have experienced total returns of about 20% a year from income and unusually high price appreciation in the past two years, as compared with the 12% annual average return for the previous 10 years. Thus Sam Chandan states out that “expectations for income growth are strong, so this is a good time to hold on to assets that you already own.”

Most of the private real-estate investors who can afford investments which require such a big sum of money as apartments are at the age of 50 and elder, according to Harvey Green, chief executive officer of the Encino, Calif., real-estate investment brokerage firm.

Whereas some economists (like Sam Chandan) and real-estate investors (like Kenneth Heebner mentioned in my previous posts) consider investments into apartments as attractive and profitable due to the rising apartment rent, many other real-estate investors are starting to sell these investments. And the reasons for acting in such a way I regard as quite forcible and that’s why try to partly describe them in this post.

But firstly I want to cite some instances illustrating the moving of investors’ equity into other forms of investments.

Marcus & Millichap maid an analysis of 700 apartment transactions ranging from $1 million to $10 million in the 12 months ended May 31 and found out that its apartment-investor clients who have recently sold their assets plan to move 59% of that equity to other properties, investments and cash.

One apartment and condominium developer from West Bend, Wis., James Shafer sold a 164-unit apartment complex in Menomonee Falls, Wis., that he built in 1990. He substantiates his decision by pestered plumbing repairs, poor managers and constant turnover. He also closed on two Eckerd drugstores — in Wilson, N.C., and Cambridge, Md., arguing that thus he has released himself from maintenance duties, repair work and taxes but lost just a relatively nice income.
Another example is Bob Morgan from San Diego who sold four San Diego apartment units in 2004 for about $816,000 (versus about $70,000 that he paid to build them in 1974) and purchased a preschool learning center in Kalamazoo, Mich., this year, paying approximately $1.55 million for it. He pays $3,000 a year in insurance, but regularly receives $10,000 a month. He considers his newest investment as also rather risky, but less-capital intensive than apartments.

As it is evident from the given examples apartments are considered by the vast majority of real-estate investors as rather capital intensive and that is the main reason why they are getting rid of such kind of investments and looking for less-intensive ones. Frequent apartment turnover requires repeated and expensive painting, cleaning and carpeting.

Besides of this, apartment investors are tied from myriad tenants’ service complaints connected with plumbing, sanitary engineering, sewerage, electric light, poor managers and many others.

Another reason why investors are refusing from investing into apartments is their wish to receive
stable, long-term cash flow that is not featured to apartments due to the frequent turnover.
And one more reason is requirement of good management and big responsibility.

Thus a great deal of investors give their predilections to other areas of commercial sector that are also attractive but featured with less hassle, such as office and industrial properties. Many apartment investors are redeploying their equity into single-tenant, net-lease properties, such as office buildings, warehouses or retail properties. They rent such property just to one tenant who is responsible for expenses, including taxes, insurance, maintenance and almost everything else. Such redeployment releases investors from management responsibility and allows getting stable, long-term cash flow.
So I’d like to mark out the chief reasons which impel many real-estate investors to refuse from the investing into apartments in favor of other kinds of investments (like office, industrial properties, etc.):

1) Capital-intensiveness of apartments, requirement of frequent maintenance, repainting, recovering.

2) Constant turnover.

3) Absence of stable, long-term cash flow.

4) High management responsibility.

Thus, the question is which realty to choose for investing your money. As for me, I think that the best way to save and multiply money is to invest them in property in any way connected with land especially located in ecologically clean picturesque areas or enriched with minerals. You can make any choice you like. But whatever decision you make remember one thing: dealing with real-estate require careful deliberation and, what is better, applying to a good specialist for assistance.

Single Family with 6 bed, 5 bath, a 3 car garage in 85 Thistle Rd , North Andover, MA, 01845 built in 2004.

Price: $1,275,000

Spectacular Colonial in sought after Abbott Village. This home features 14 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 2 story foyer, gourmet kit w/granite & stainless steel appliances, family room w/cathedral ceilings & skylights, 3 fireplaces, giant master bedroom & huge luxurious master bath, game room w/ Guest Suite & private bath. 1st & 2nd floor laundry, gym, office, 3 car garage. Numerous upgrades include hardwood floors throughout, security, power generator hookup, irrigation, central vacuum, Au-pair suite & Guest Suite w/ private baths.

****Visit Virtual Tour: http://www.interactiveproperties.com/viewerutilities/showcase.php?showcaseid=53454

More Information at: http://www.fizber.com/Massachusetts/buy-Single-Family-home-1464484.html