Lee and Associates Completes Office Lease in Downtown Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Lee & Associates, one of the largest national commercial real estate providers with regional expertise, has completed a 10-year lease for the Citrus Tower located at 3390 University Avenue. The 35,000-square-foot office lease represents approximately 25 percent of the building, which is currently under construction and set to be completed in April 2012. Rich Erickson, Dave Mudge and Tom Pierik, senior vice presidents of the Lee & Associates Riverside office, represented the landlord, Regional Properties, Inc.

The six-story, domed Citrus Tower is the only office building under construction in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Located in the heart of Downtown Riverside, the building offers incredible visibility and high quality office space.

Aaron Wright and Andy Lustgarten of Studley, Inc. represented the tenant, Best Best & Krieger, LLP, one of Riverside’s oldest law firms with more than 200 attorneys in eight offices in California and one office in Washington, D.C. The new office at Citrus Tower will be only a few blocks away from its original office at Eighth Street and Main.

"This will be one of Downtown Riverside’s prime office spaces," said Erickson. "Despite the challenging local economy, the building has and will attract the highest quality tenants in the marketplace, as evidenced by Best Best & Krieger."

About Lee & Associates

Celebrating more than 32 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 45 locations across the nation including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of nearly 700 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.

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This release is distributed in part by Press Release Distribution Associates, specializing in real estate press releases. For information on Key West Real Estate Investing, see the Key West real estate website of Sean Farrer, REALTOR®.

Southern California Property Managers Find Cost Savings For Owners With Synthetic Grass Lawns

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – With real estate investors snapping up bargains on income property due to weak housing prices, a company specializing in synthetic lawn installation is getting the message out to property management companies that their clients can improve their cash flow each month in many cases by installing synthetic grass in place of water-hogging and upkeep-intensive sod.

Scot Wozniak of San Diego Lawns, Inc., says he can help property managers run the numbers to see if their properties under management can benefit from converting their real grass lawns to great-looking synthetic lawns.

"Owners have been very interested in our product, because it looks and feels very much like real grass, yet it can save a considerable amount of money each month on the water bill and on landscape maintenance."

He says that on a cash basis, owner typically can recoup their investment in a few years, but if the project is financed, the water savings and elimination of lawn maintenance can offset the payments on installation.

"In a market like this where investors needs to squeeze every little bit of cash flow out of their investment property, property management companies would do well to suggest this option to their clients."

While Wozniak says that a synthetic lawn installation is a very real way to increase the long term investment returns on a property, he also notes that there are other benefits.

"Synthetic lawns are very environmentally friendly and much safer for children and for those with allergies. It eliminates harsh chemicals like weed killers and fertilizers, and saves a lot of money each year because artificial turf looks great year-round without the chemical treatments."

About San Diego Lawns, Inc.

Scot Wozniak of San Diego Lawns, Inc. has been installing synthetic lawns in the San Diego area for years with an impressive record of customer satisfaction. He provides free cost estimates and cost savings projects based on reduced water usage and lawn maintenance costs. San Diego Lawns, Inc. serves the entire San Diego metro area, including Chula Vista, La Mesa, El Cajon, Del Cerro, Del Mar, La Jolla, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Escondido, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Sante Fe, Coronado, National City, Bonita, Imperial Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma Leucadia, Oceanside, and Spring Valley.

Scot Wozniak
President
San Diego Lawns, Inc.
1035 Surrey Dr
Bonita CA 91902
619-495-0722
http://www.sandiegolawns.com/
scot@sdlawns.com

Idaho Real Estate Agent Don Wixom Says Meridian Real Estate Market Has Fewest Vacancies

MERIDIAN, Ida. - Don Wixom, broker/owner of RE/MAX Advantage in Nampa, Idaho, says that Meridian market continues to maintain the lowest vacancy rates for pre-existing homes in the Treasure Valley. He says this is a testament to Meridian's strength as a place to buy, and is due to a number of factors affecting the Idaho real estate market.

Wixom says that some of the more popular subdivisions in many price ranges are in Meridian, making Meridian more attractive to a wider set of buyers.

"Meridian subdivisions tend to be newer than those in other parts of the Treasure Valley. Schools are great, and amenities like shopping and freeway access are great as well."

He says that the benefits Meridian has going for it mean buyers will pay a little more to live there, but property values have also been much more stable in Meridian than elsewhere.

"Meridian real estate offers a level of safety for home buyers that other areas don't always have, simply because it's more in demand."

Wixom said he's helped many out-of-state buyers purchase homes in Meridian, whether it's someone who is relocating due to a job transfer in the Boise area, or someone fleeing a bigger state like California for a better quality of life.

"Meridian's proximity to Boise real estate, along with its small town feel, are two of the biggest things going for the city. It definitely attracts local and out of town buyers to the area."

"With the current market conditions, it's not hard to find good deals, including Meridian short sales, foreclosures, and traditional home sales."

Vacant Treasure Valley Pre-Existing Home Inventory

Nampa: 37%
Caldwell: 32%
Meridian: 21%
Boise: 34%
Kuna: 32%

###

About Don Wixom

Don Wixom specializes in representing his clients in the purchase and sale of Idaho real estate, including residential, commercial and investment properties, covering Boise real estate as well as Nampa, Meridian, Eagle, Caldwell, Star, and Kuna. Since becoming licensed in 1996, he has averaged selling 70 homes each year.

Don’s clients have come to rely in his experience to get their homes sold and to give the best guidance in purchasing a home. Though Don has hundreds of hours in education in all aspects of real estate, he specializes in residential properties. Whether it is single-family homes or multi-family investment properties, this is where his expertise and negotiation skills are most often put to use.

Don Wixom
RE/MAX Advantage
5680 E Franklin Rd, Suite 100
Nampa ID 83687
http://www.sellidaho.com
(208) 880-5039

Key West Real Estate Agent Sean Farrer Says Tourism Brings in Home Buyers Looking For Discounts

KEY WEST, Fla. - Florida real estate agent Sean Farrer says that tourism to Key West brings a steady source of home buyers as vacationers are enticed by great home prices to consider calling the island their home. Farrer says that his clients frequently got the idea to buy Key West real estate while vacationing in its year-round warm climate.

"The northern states and Canada get some pretty cold winters, and folks come here to warm up. In the process, they discover that Key West is a really nice place to live."

He says that before their holiday is over, vacationers are often asking him to look at Key West real estate listings.

"Prices are incredible right now--better than they have been in a decade or more because of all the bank owned homes on the market."

Farrer says that not only are there a high number of Key West foreclosures that translate to real estate discounts for buyers, but tourists can get all kinds of discounts from local businesses.

"One of the popular programs for tourists to get Key West hotels cheap as well as discounts on activities like parasailing, snorkeling, and Key West scuba diving, is Gold Card Key West."

About Sean Farrer

Originally from South Africa, Sean Farrer moved to the Florida Keys over 13 years ago. He enjoys helping folks looking for a dream home and an island lifestyle find both in the beautiful Key West area. With previous careers in management and IT services, Sean is very organized with a dedication to customer service that shows in his work with Key West real estate buyers and sellers.

Your time spent with Sean looking for your dream home will be fun and productive, and he’ll provide a wealth of insight for you on the best neighborhoods to match your lifestyle, no matter your age or income bracket.

About Gold Card Key West

The Gold Card Key West program has been offering steep discounts to Key West visitors on activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, Dry Tortugas tours, kayak rentals, parasailing, and many other activities. The card has numerous participating businesses, including many restaurants for discounted dining while on the island.

Sean Farrer
1201 #101 White St
Key West, FL 33040
305-924-0700
http://key-west-real-estate.net
http://www.goldcardkeywest.com

Praxius Technology Provides Real Estate Social Media Marketing Training For Agents and Loan Officers

Amherst, NH - Praxius Technology, a leading real estate marketing technology company based in New Hampshire, is launching extensive real estate social media marketing training for agents and loan officers who collaborate using the company's Lender Agent Collaborative platform.

Fred Doleac, President of Praxius Technology and Virtual Homes Real Estate, says the free training resources are designed to coach agents and lenders alike on how to build their social media profile, an increasingly important focus of online marketing in the relationship-driven real estate industry.

"Our extensive video training modules cover everything from mortgage marketing and SEO to social media marketing on Twitter and Facebook. They are offered for free as part of our Lender Agent Collaborative real estate website platform, which allows lenders to build long term, profitable relationships with real estate agents."

Doleac says that in the past, lenders could focus almost exclusively on the refinance market to grow and maintain their business. With persistently low interest rates, refinancing has slowed significantly, forcing lenders to widen their network of real estate agents to get more referral business.

"The Lender Agent Collaborative platform essentially gives lenders a RESPA compliant way to help local agents get more buyer real estate leads, and in the process, build their own referral business."

He says an essential key to building real estate buyer referrals for lenders is widening both the lenders' and agents' social networks.

"The power of social media is that it's all about relationships. We are teaching our clients how to leverage social media to build profitable relationships."

About Praxius

Praxius Technology is a leading real estate technology company with core competency in real estate website development, lead generation, and RESPA compliant lender/agent collaboration. Praxius is a division of Virtual Homes Real Estate, an independent New England real estate company with agents in 4 states.

Schedule a Webinar

Contact Praxius

Fred Doleac
Praxius Technology
55 Ponemah Road
Amherst, NH 03031
603-732-1800 or 800-856-2479
603-732-1817 Direct
Fax toll free - 888-884-0543

http://praxiustech.com/
http://praxiustechnology.com
http://virtualhomes.com

Lee and Associates Closes $6.2 Million Ontario Industrial Transaction

ONTARIO, Calif. — Lee & Associates, the nation’s largest broker-owned commercial brokerage firm, has closed a $6.2 million sale of an industrial building at 4200 Mission Blvd. in Ontario, Calif.

Principals Jedd Zaun and Bill Garrett of Lee Newport Beach represented the seller, JW Irvine L.P. in the 99,534-square-foot industrial building transaction. The buyer, Sample Real Estate, LLC, was represented by Steve Bellitti and Josh Hayes of Colliers International.

"We started marketing this building last year and we received multiple offers," said Zaun, noting that the buyer opted for a lease, with an option to purchase. "And while buyers are still looking for good deals, we were able to sell this property at a ‘solid price,’ which was great."

The building will be the new corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility for American Sample Company, Inc., a national supplier of sample products to the decorative fabric, hospitality, and contract fabric trade.

About Lee & Associates

Celebrating 32 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 45 locations across the nation including California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of more than 600 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at ww.lee-associates.com.

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Lee and Associates Completes 36-Month Industrial Lease on Behalf of Investment Building Group

SAN BERNARDINO, Calf. - Lee & Associates, one of the largest national commercial real estate providers with regional expertise, has completed a 36-month lease for a 141,200 square-foot industrial space located at 1050 Orange Show Road, San Bernardino, Calf.

Herrick Johnson, senior vice president of the Lee & Associates Riverside office represented the landlord, Investment Building Group. The tenant, Grant & Bowman, who relocated their business from the City of Ontario, was represented by Jeff Smith, senior vice president of the Lee & Associates Ontario office.

About Lee & Associates

Celebrating more than 32 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 44 locations across the nation including Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of nearly 700 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.

About Press Release Distribution

This release is distributed in part by Press Release Distribution Associates, specializing in real estate press releases. For information on real estate, see Key West real estate and Portland real estate.

Jerry Garrity of First Statewide Realty Property Management in San Jose Offers Executive Relocation Tips

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Jerry Garrity of First Statewide Realty, who was recently interviewed for a Wall Street Journal article for his expertise in San Jose Property Management, is offering executive relocation tips to companies relocating employees to the Silicon Valley.

Garrity says the experience of two decades in real estate spanning five recessions gives him some measure of wisdom he shares with clients, whether individual investors or companies using his services for executive relocation.

"Often, companies who are relocating an employee think they are saving money by managing the details of the move internally, such as scouting for rental properties, arranging rental contracts, coordinating moving companies, etc. Inevitably, they end up wasting valuable time and money in the process."

He says that one of his first pieces of advice is that time is money, and having employees try to learn the ins and outs of real estate management consumes a lot of both.

"I highly recommend hiring an experienced property management company like First Statewide Realty to take care of the details of an employee relocation. We do this every day. There's no learning curve, we took care of that 20 years ago."

Garrity also says advises companies to view executive relocation services as an investment in their employee's productivity.

"When an employee arrives in a new home amidst the chaos of a move that wasn't well planned, it's our experience that work productivity suffers dramatically. Employees are a valuable human resource, and wasting their time and energy by imposing unnecessary stress on their home life just doesn't make sense."

Garrity says he's available to provide a full range of expert advice on taking the hassles out of employee relocation to companies.

"When an employee is being transferred to a new city, they are already dealing with enough upheaval in their life without adding extra burdens by having them deal with relocation details. We'll take the burden of dealing with their move off of their hands and give them a much easier transition."

About First Statewide Realty

Jerry Garrity is a seasoned expert in property management whose expertise has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and other publications. His professional Property Management San Jose company First Statewide Realty specializes in managing single family homes, condominiums, townhouses and other investment property in the greater San Jose metropolitan area. His Cupertino property management firm has been in business for over 21 years, and is a member of the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors, Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, Tri-County Apartment Association and National Association of Residential Property Managers.

Jerry Garrity
First Statewide Realty
20045 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Suite 2-D
Cupertino, CA 95014
Tel: 408-253-1000
Lic#: 01036982
Email: investments@firststatewiderealty.com
http://www.firststatewiderealty.com

Keystone Pacific Property Management Awarded Villa Vallerto Association Management Contract

IRVINE, Calif. - Keystone Pacific Property Management, a leading community association management company providing management services to community associations throughout Southern California, has been selected tomanage Villa Vallerto, a 118 condominium community located in Tustin, California. Keystone Pacific will be assisting the board of directors with the daily management operations of the community.

"We are very excited to be managing Villa Vallerto," said Denise Bergstrom, vice president of association management of Keystone Pacific Property Management." With over 29 years of experience, we have conducted a smooth transition, which is key to ensure the association stays on the right track."

Built in 1973, Villa Vallerto offers an entry way, a pool, tot lot, laundry facilities, as well as manicured common area landscape. Keystone Pacific assumed professional management on December 1, 2011 and Brooks Paine, a certified community association manager, has been assigned as the manager for Villa Vallerto.

About Keystone Pacific Property Management

A leader in the community association management industry for more than 29 years, Keystone Pacific Property Management specializes exclusively in the management of common interest developments in Southern California. Currently, the firm manages over 40,000 units in master-planned, condominium, townhome, single-family home, mixed-use and commercial common interest developments. Keystone Pacific’s clients receive the best care and resources as the firm is committed to providing superior community association services. Keystone Pacific is one of the few local property management firms to have earned the Accredited Management Organization (AMO) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and the Accredited Certified Management Firms (ACMF) in Southern California, certified through the California Association of Community Managers (CACM®). Headquartered inIrvine, Calif., Keystone Pacific also maintains offices in Rancho Santa Margarita and Temecula, Calif.

For more information, please contact Keystone Pacific at 1-877-KPPM-INC (577-6462) or visit www.keystonepacific.com.

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This release is distributed in part by Press Release Distribution Associates, specializing in real estate press releases. For information on artificial turf, see this article on using Artificial Turf to save money. See also Property Management San Jose.

Lee and Associates Opens First Office in Florida

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Lee & Associates, one of the largest full-service commercial real estate firms in the country, has taken an important step in bolstering its Southeast presence with the opening of its first office in Florida, Lee & Associates Naples/Ft. Myers. The office is headed by Bob Johnston, Jerry Messonnier and Richard B. Clarke, who before joining Lee were the founders of one of Southwest Florida's top commercial brokerage firms, Grubb & Ellis/1st Commercial, LLC. The trio represents 70 years of commercial brokerage experience and an in-depth connection with Florida commercial real estate.

"With the addition of the Naples/Ft. Myers office, Lee caps 2011 with a banner year of a methodical and opportunistic strategy of nationwide expansion,"" said Edward Indvik, CEO of Lee & Associates. "We have a clear objective of focusing on exceptional talent and location, which speaks to the value we place on the Naples/Ft. Myers area and Jerry, Richard and Bob. Our plans for strategic expansion, which include the other major markets in Florida and the southeast and northeast, is on course and will continue through 2012 and beyond. I expect us to have announcements on several additional locations in the first quarter 2012 alone."

Lee & Associates Naples/Ft. Myers, which becomes the firm's 45th office nationwide, is located at 7950 Summerlin Lakes Drive, Ft. Myers. Nine brokers fill its roster and represent the industrial, office, retail and investment markets. The announcement comes one month after Lee opened a New York City location, which followed other significant new office openings in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Kan. and Greenville, S.C.

"While Florida, like the rest of the country, has been struggling with the economic downturn, beginning this year, commercial real estate has started to pick up momentum as more property becomes affordable," said Messonnier. "As a result, with our expertise in this region and the Lee & Associates national network, it's the perfect opportunity and match as we continue to grow in the Florida market."

Indeed, some key factors that are making the Southwest Florida market more attractive are low corporate taxes; proximity to major markets such as Tampa and Miami; extensive transportation infrastructure, including an expanding international airport; numerous educational institutions -- two universities and various two- and four-year colleges; the recent upswing in commercial activity in the Southwest Florida market along with the ongoing influx of major and small businesses to the area.

Overall, Florida, which has a GDP of $744 billion, is ranked as the fourth largest state economy in the United States. And according to a 2011 survey by Chief Executive Magazine, which polled 500 CEOs on a wide range of criteria, from taxation and regulation to workforce quality and living environment, Florida was ranked third in the nation as the best place for business.

In addition to Johnston, Messonnier and Clarke, other key figures in the Naples/Ft. Myers office include: Derek Bornhorst and Bob White, industrial specialists; Chuck Smith and Carols Acosta, retail specialists; Charles Jans, office specialist.

In 2008, Johnston and Messonnier, who led the southwest Florida industrial team at another national firm, were one of the top teams in the region's industrial market, left to form their own entity, Grubb & Ellis/1st Commercial LLC. The pair continues to dominate the industrial market with a 65 percent market share.

Before beginning his career in commercial brokerage, Messonnier spent 20 years in the commercial banking industry and was owner of his own real estate investment firm.

With 25 years of commercial real estate experience, Clarke specializes in property acquisitions and dispositions for national development and brokerage companies, asset management, development, construction and leasing. Prior, Clarke was Vice President of development for Opus South Corp. in Fla., working with private clients, lenders, asset managers and hedge funds.

Johnston, who has more than 20 years experience in selling and leasing industrial property, began his career in Southern California where he became familiar with the Lee & Associates business model whereby the office is controlled by the brokers, not corporate managers. "We are extremely excited about moving forward as we join with Lee & Associates, which shares the same values and goals we have," Johnston said.

About Lee & Associates

Celebrating more than 32 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 45 locations across the nation including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of nearly 700 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.

About Press Release Distribution

This release is distributed in part by Press Release Distribution Associates, specializing in real estate press releases. For information on Key West Florida, see Key West real estate

Oregon Agent David Somerville Says Study Indicates Now May Be Ideal Time to Buy Portland Real Estate

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland REALTOR® David Somerville says recent housing stats released by S&P and Case/Shiller indicate that continued lower real estate prices in most markets nationwide along with sub-4% interest rates may mean buyers are getting more unprecedented opportunities to buy low. The nationwide study showed housing prices eased slightly in September on a year over year basis, meaning buyers are able to get more home now for less money.

Somerville says the benefit for Portland real estate buyers is compounded by the fact that interest rates on the 30 year fixed mortgage remain below 4%.

"This is truly an amazing time in the market for buyers who can get past the doom and gloom headlines. I believe many homeowners won't see prices this low again in their lifetime."

He says the market may not be good for everyone, though.

"Speculative money has left the market in a big way, but that's mostly a good thing for those who intend to own their home for years. House flippers and other short term speculators could get hurt, but if you want to buy a home and live in it for a long time, this market is a godsend."

Somerville says that in no other time in history have first time home buyers been able to get such low prices combined with low mortgage payments.

"Because of the speculative housing excesses that led to a peak in Portland home prices around 2006 and 2007, the banks still have a notable amount of foreclosures on their books. While the media like to see the negatives in this, it's actually a good thing for the right kind of buyer, especially on luxury Portland real estate and waterfront properties."

Asked what kind of buyer is the right kind of buyer, Somerville says "motivated ones."

"There are a lot of potential buyers held back by doom and gloom headlines. Those who can see the silver lining beyond the headlines are a step ahead, in my opinion."

About David Somerville

As resident of Portland for two decades, an owner of several Portland area investment properties, and 10 years a REALTOR¬Æ, Dave Somerville understands Portland real estatefrom the inside out. He has the ability to see a property‚Äôs potential, beyond its current condition and gives the buyer a vision of how a house could fit into their dreams through minor cosmetic changes or remodels. Dave covers all Portland area towns and suburbs, including Beaverton real estate, Hillsboro real estate, Lake Oswego real estate, West Linn real estate, and The Pearl District.

David Somerville
5 Centerpointe Dr. Suite 150
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
503-789-7633
http://www.maxwellsinclair.com