Monthly Archives: March 2009

London, as is also the case with other successful large metropolitan urban centres, is faced with a housing shortage problem that is exerting pressures on the middle income segment of the population. Plans and policies as enacted by the Mayor of London as well as the government, House of Commons, have not only acknowledged the depth of the problem, they have put forth recommendations, legislation and policy initiatives designed to correct the imbalances between housing availability, and affordability.

As stated by the Reading study, headed by Professor Geoff Meen, as well as studies conducted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, resolving the problem represents a complex number of market variables that are constantly shifting.

One key variable is the cooperation of the private sector in building home types within the market that are skewed at the entire range of income types. However, such an approach is filled with contradictory equations related to profit margins, investments, legislation, and competitive factors.

Governmental actions to address potential loopholes in the planning process have been implemented, such as PPGS3, which introduced new planning permissions restraints designed to reduce.land banking. However, these measures have been met with resistance on the part of the private sector for the obvious reasons relating to competition, investment sources, and market dynamics. An.Open Letter as generated by London Fist (2007) seemingly provides the potential for a solution. It suggests the formation of joint venture partnerships between the private sector and government to plan out area development together.

The mutual cooperation of both parties would be in the public interest as well as include in the planning process the two forces having the ability to address the problem in a meaningful manner. The documentation provided in this examination supports such an approach, as it refocuses efforts of government, and business on planning as the means to address the market imbalances in affordability and supply.

The saying that goes: “Twenty percent of the agents do eighty percent of the business” is true. Whether you are selling or buying a home, a good real estate agent is necessary for you to enjoy a hassle-free real estate transaction. The question now is how to look for the best agent for you, since the right one does not necessarily work at the biggest brokerage company, make the most money and close the most transaction. The right agent is an experienced professional who will listen to you and what you want to achieve, conduct him or herself in the most ethical manner and one who know a great deal about your market.

Here are some steps in looking for the right real estate agent for you:

1. Most agents stay in the business due to satisfied client referrals. Your family, friends, colleagues and neighbors could help your search. Inquire from people who have experienced working with some recommended agents. Try to find one who is willing to extend all necessary effort to sell your home or buy a home for you. The agent your friends and family sing the loudest praise is the right one for you.

2. You can also find agents online. There are several websites with real estate agents referral. However, this is not a guarantee of quality because the agents listed are those who paid the website a fee in order to be listed. A better choice is to Google the top real estate companies in your locality go to those sites and look up profiles of individual agents at offices nearby.

3. Try to attend open houses where you can meet and interact with agents in a non-threatening working environment. Collect and note on business cards. If you are trying to sell your home, pay a closer attention to how the agent shows the home. Note if he or she is informative, polite and knowledgeable. Does he or she provide a professional promotional material about the property or is he or she is just sitting at a corner reading a book?

4. Keep track of the listing signs in your neighborhood. Take note of the day they go up the market and the day they were sold. The agent who sells the fastest is the one to choose over the one with the largest number of “for sale” signs.

5. Ask other agents for a referral. Agents are more than willing to refer sellers and buyers to associates, especially if the services you need is not his or her specialty. Remember that there are some agents who specialize in residential sales and others work on hew homebuilders exclusively. Others sell only investment or commercial property. Mortgage brokers are also a good resource for agent referrals since they have first-hand knowledge of the best agents around.

6. Ensure that the real estate agent of your choice has a strong web presence. These days of high technology, most buyers look for homes online. Strategic online marketing attracts large global buyers to the agents and the homes they are trying to sell.

Although recent house market reports have shown that there is still market instability, there are real estate markets around the world that are showing great improvement. The weakened US dollars indicate that it may be a great time to invest in foreign real estate. Many people are discovering that there are a number of real estate investment opportunities all over the world.

The following are a number of emerging international real estate opportunities:

Panama City: This is one North American city that is currently seeing remarkable growth in construction. Many real estate experts believe there is going to be a huge demand for second homes, retired homes, and semi-retired homes in Panama City.

Berlin: The city of Berlin in Germany is another city that is seeing growth in real estate investment. Berlin is now seeing a surge in artists flocking to the city which is bringing new life to the city and its cultural ambiance. Germany offers simple long term investment opportunities and even properties in West Berlin where prices have not increased in years.

Portugal: Portugal offers great real estate investment opportunities. It features a healthy and productive lifestyle, significant rental returns, and also has the benefit of having one of Europe’s highest life expectancy rates making it a great place to retire. The population of Portugal is about 10 million people.

Haifa: The city of Haifa is another city that has recently seen an increase in its housing market. This is due to the recent surge in technology companies to the area bringing in huge number of employees which is raising the value of property.

Estonia: Ever since Estonia became a member of the EU, its property market values has steadily risen. As well, some areas Estonia have seen property values double since 2000. Because Estonia will be changing its currency to the Euro, many experts believe the property markets will remain strong.

Tokyo: The city of Tokyo is seeing an increase in investors due to the fact that its local banks are weathering the financial storm, it has inflation at 1%, and the local banks stayed away from the toxic mortgage-backed securities. As well, in Japan, investors look at the costs of the property, capitalization rate, and how much they can rent for the property. In Japan, it is not just Tokyo that has good investment property opportunities. Shanghai also has excellent residential markets. For instance, Shanghai property is selling for about US$366 per square foot.

Ajman: Situated on the coast of the Arabian Gulf, Ajman is now attracting international investors. Ajman is beginning to see large amounts of building construction at a faster rate than its neighboring countries.

Egypt: Located on north-east Africa, Egypt boasts astounding real estate investments for both rental returns and capital growth. Its attractions such as the famous Egyptian pyramids attract millions of people.

Mexico: There are a number of features that makes Mexico a great place to invest in real estate. It features beautiful resorts, lively Mexico City, great beaches, low cost living, and great fishing. Every year, millions of people travel to Mexico to experience the wonderful culture and people.

Real estate opportunities will vary from country to country. However, in this time of time economic uncertainty, investors are now flocking to international properties to secure investments for their future. Many people are investing in vacation homes and homes for retirement because when permitted, they can take advantage of the tax incentives and deferment of capital gains.

Washing your hands every day a couple of times is given. And using bar soaps is also given. What is not so nice, however, is the big puddle of dirty and dried soap that forms below your bar soap or container. It is disgusting and we all know it. This is why many people started using soap dispensers which make washing hands so much easier, not to mention more hygienic.

I’m sure most of you have already come into contact with a soap dispenser, if not at home, then at work or some public places or even in a hotel you’ve been recently for holidays or work. You can use these appliances in all the places mentioned and more.

One of the advantages of having one of these at home, in the kitchen or bathroom, is the fact that it’s quite a decorative gadget for your house. These dispensers come in many modern colors, designs, models and sizes, which allow you to match perfectly the one you buy to your surroundings. For example if you have a small apartment with a small bathroom, you can use a wall mounted one which will save you space. You can easily mount it on the wall next to the sink to allow for easy reach and hand washing.

Also if you are a health conscientious person, having a hands free soap dispenser is perfect because you don’t have to touch it when you wash your hands. All you need is hold your hands in front of the sensor and the right amount of soap will be instantly delivered in your grip. Many people find it gross to use a dispenser in public locations where many others have also used it, so a sensor variety makes perfect sense in washing your hands the most hygienic way possible.

The soap dispensers can be filled not only with liquid soap, but also with other cleaning agents and even various liquid hand creams and gels, so they are actually multipurpose in use.

Nowadays buying such a gadget hardly costs anything and as a matter of fact you save money in the long run by having one of these at home. When you buy bottles of soap it can be quite costly, because you are actually buying the entire package. Not many people remember to buy the cheaper refills unless they have a dispenser available. When you do buy the refills for the container, you actually pay a tiny fraction of what you’d be paying otherwise.

The bedroom doorknocker is an antiquity that has a beauty and a charm that few in today’s world have ever heard of or experienced. But Susan Wells grew up in an old Victorian house that indeed had bedroom doorknockers. They were placed about half way up the center of the door. Low enough that a child could reach it and delight in introducing him or herself to the person behind the door. Each knocker was different. Susan’s was a bloodhound in front of his kennel with a little bird atop the roof. One of her sisters had a delightful little woodpecker.

As Susan and her sisters grew into their teenage years these little pieces of polite request for entry became important symbols of privacy. It was nothing less than rude not to use the knocker and wait for a voice to allow entry.

Many childhood memories fade, but the little bedroom doorknockers were a fond memory. When Susan and her husband went looking for their first house Susan hoped to find one with bedroom doorknockers. Of course she should not have been disappointed not to find any but human nature is what it is. However, they did find a perfect little house in a quiet neighborhood with just about everything they wanted on their budget minus the bedroom doorknockers.

But Susan wasn’t deterred. She started with the Internet and then found a decorative hardware store in town that could special order exactly what she was looking for. Now Susan looks forward to her children enjoying the fun of learning about the importance of respect, privacy and wonderful memories of the little bedroom doorknockers, too.