Tight Inventory In Luxury Marco Island Real Estate Market Boosts Interest In High End Homes

As Marco Island home inventory tightens due to historically low prices and interest rates, more buyers are being quietly priced into, rather than out of, the luxury home market, according to local Realtor Mike McCarty of The McCarty Group.

He says steady pricing pressure in recent years due to the mortgage crisis and U.S. economic factors has made luxury Marco Island real estate far more accessible to the average home-buyer than it used to be. This is bringing a new generation of luxury home owners into the market.

"Where we used to see the market regularly pricing people out of the more exclusive properties, we're actually seeing the opposite right now. Buyers are being priced into the luxury market."

McCarty says that it is not difficult any more to qualify for financing on desirable beachfront Marco Island condos, with prices currently starting at $114,300 for a studio and $229,000 for two bedroom beach front condos.

He says that a common question he gets is "How much does $500,000 buy?"

"Detached single family homes on the beach are more limited in supply, with only five on the market at the moment. As a result, they always command a premium, but with the least expensive coming in at $4.1 million, the price is still millions of dollars cheaper than five years ago."

"For single family homes, $500,000 buys over 2400 s.f. with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths in the River neighborhood of Marco Island. For condos, it buys you a luxurious beachfront condo with about 1130 s.f. and 2 bedrooms and 2 baths."

For those considering buying a luxury property, McCarty says the already low interest rates reached new lows this week, falling to a national average of 4.59% according to Yahoo Finance.

"When I look at the market, I see amazing deals everywhere. There's never been a better time to buy Marco Island homes."

For more information:

Mike & Wendy McCarty
The McCarty Group
Keller Williams Realty
713 Bald Eagle Dr
Marco Island, FL 34145
239.970.3250 
877 804-0577 toll free

Naples and Marco Island Real Estate:
http://www.mccartyflorida.com

Mt Hood Real Estate Agent Launches Photo Rich Website With Real Estate Search Engine

Mt. Hood, OR – Blythe Creek, a longtime resident of Mt. Hood and local real estate agent, has launched a new website with photos of the mountain along with state of the art real estate search tools.

According to Creek, the website is the culmination of years of experience representing buyers and sellers in real estate transactions on Mount Hood.

"For buyers interested in Mt. Hood real estate, our website helps provide useful information about the different towns and neighborhoods that make up this wonderful community. We provide photos, history, and of course, real estate listings so they can find their dream home."

She says the community is made up of both year-round and seasonal residents. Some live and work in Portland, but have found the perfect Mt. Hood cabin for their family getaways in the summer, or ski trips in the winter.

"Many of our seasonal residents who were introduced to the area when they bought a Mt. Hood vacation home, eventually decided to live here full-time. It is a wonderful place to live."

Creek says her new website at http://www.mthoodrealestate.net provides photos and detailed real estate search tools to help prospective residents find the perfect property.

"Whether a buyer is looking for a creek-front cabin or acreage for their horses, MtHoodRealEstate.net will help them find it."

About Blythe Creek

As a long time resident of Mt. Hood, Blythe Creek knows not only the people, towns, and neighborhoods, but the hiking trails and many breathtaking views available to Mt. Hood residents. She will be your guide to finding your dream home on the mountain, whether you are looking for a seasonal vacation home or a year-round residence.

Blythe Creek
Merit Properties, Inc.
P.O. Box 380
Welches, OR 97067
503-706-7101
http://www.mthoodrealestate.net

Do It Yourself Property Management Costs Owners More Money Says Mountain View Real Estate Manager

Mountain View, Calif. - Doing it yourself may not pay off when it comes to investment property management, says long timeMountain View property manager Jerry Garrity of First Statewide Realty.

According to Garrity, whose experience in Mountain View property management spans over 21 years, statistics show that most owners who try to save money by handling management tasks themselves actually end up losing money. He says there is a lot more involved in managing rental property than most new investors realize.

"First and foremost, good property managers have a lot of experience screening renters to get the best ones. If this isn't done well, than nothing else matters."

After that, Garrity says there are many important things that a professional management company does on a monthly basis, such as collect rents, keep the home maintained properly, and keep costs at a minimum.

“Experienced real estate investors use experienced property managers for one reason: Because it makes financial sense.”

He says that since many property owners are new investors as a result of circumstances in the housing market or a job relocation, many make the mistake of underestimating the value of good property management techniques that come only by experience.

"Managing real estate involves coordinating people, money, time, and other resources. As a result, a property manager in Mountain View like First Statewide Realty, which has the benefit of 21 years of experience in the field, actually makes their clients money."

Garrity says that there is nothing wrong with the do-it-yourself attitude in life, but notes that there is a reason seasoned investors are not do-it-yourself-ers when it comes to property management.

"Experienced real estate investors use experienced property managers for one reason: Because it makes financial sense."

About First Statewide Realty

First Statewide Realty is a professional Mountain View property management company specializing in quality single family homes, condominiums, town houses and other investment property in the greater San Jose metropolitan area. The 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.

Contact:

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

Employees Attracted to Downtown Minneapolis Urban Lifestyle Create New Demand For Condos and Lofts

Minneapolis, MN - As employees seek to cut their cost of living and take advantage of the amenities available in urban centers, new demand is being created for Minneapolis condos and lofts, according to a local real estate agent.

 

Ben Ganje, who specializes in downtown Minneapolis real estate, says he has noticed a movement of former commuters moving into the city center.

"Minneapolis is known for being one of the best urban spaces in the country, and it's starting to really catch on how nice it is. In fact, I'm seeing more and more young couples deciding to raise a family here."

Ganje is one of them, so it's no coincidence that he calls himself the Urban Dad. He says that with great schools, nice restaurants, and amazing views of Minneapolis' famed urban rivers, the urban lifestyle has a lot going for it. Add to that the desire to save a lot of money by buying foreclosures and bank owned properties, and he says buyers have good reason to want to move downtown.

"Minneapolis lofts make a great home for first time home buyers who work here in the city. Prices are at historical lows right now, so it's not only a smart lifestyle choice, but can be a great financial move as well."

 

Ganje also says that skyrocketing gas prices are contributing to the move to live downtown as commuters find ways to get closer to their places of employment.

"I'm finding that people are thinking twice about living so far away from their jobs. For those who think outside of the suburban box, moving to downtown Minneapolis makes a lot of sense."

For more information on moving to downtown Minneapolis, please contact:

Ben Ganje
Urban Realtor/Dad
www.SearchMinneapolisCondos.com
700 Washington Avenue N #101
Minneapolis, MN 55401
651-442-6161

Cincinnati Real Estate Agent Sandy Bakst Says Record Low Prices Spurring Home Buyers

Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati REALTOR® Sandy Bakst of Keller Williams Advisors Realty says that record low real estate prices and interest rates are spurring home buyers to make offers in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas.

He says low prices are due largely to the mortgage crisis of the past several years, which has trickled down into many other parts of the economy. Historically low interest rates and a still-high inventory of foreclosures and bank owned properties have contributed to creating attractive home values for buyers, according to Bakst.

“With the Federal Reserve's end of QE2 coming up, there is a fear in the market that interest rates will start rising again. When they do, some of these buying opportunities for Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati homes for sale could go away.”

"First time home buyers and families wanting to trade up are in a very good position right now. In some cases, Cincinnati real estate is selling at 50% off its peak values."

He says there's no certainty in the market about how long this price and interest rate combination will last, but for now, it's creating a buying opportunity for smart buyers and investors.

For more information, please contact:

Sandy Bakst
Keller Williams Advisors Realty
3505 Columbia Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45226
513-315-9295
http://www.sandybakst.com/

Meridian Idaho Real Estate Agent John Espinosa Launches Local Home Search Website

Meridian, ID - Meridian, Idaho real estate agent John Espinosa today launched a local home search website that provides home buyers an easy way to find the perfect property in today's dynamic market.

Whether searching for high-end Eagle homes for sale or just browsing for really nice Meridian Idaho homes at historically inexpensive prices, Treasure Valley home buyers can use www.MeridianIDHomes.com to search real estate of all types.

"One of the great things about this site is that it's really not about me at all. I understand that when you set out to buy a home, you just want complete access to all the available real estate listings. That's what the site is about."

He says that the new site allows buyers to find the perfect home using the latest tools, such as the useful pan-and-zoom map search, or the detailed Advanced Search form that gives users access to many of the search criteria normally reserved only for licensed real estate agents.

"Buyers can use my Dream Home Finder to sign up for automatic email alerts, so that when their dream home comes on the market, they'll know about it fast."

He says there is also a nod to technology-lovers with a free iPhone app buyers can download to their mobile phones to search for Meridian homes conveniently while on the go. With no cumbersome registration forms on every page, Espinosa says the site is getting rave reviews.

"My clients are definitely liking the new website a lot. For buyers in the market for Meridian homes for sale, I encourage them to visit the site and try it out."

For more information, contact:

John Espinosa
RE/MAX Advantage
5680 E Franklin Rd, Suite 100
Nampa ID 83687
208-484-7837
http://www.meridianidhomes.com
john@espirealestate.com

Sunnyvale Property Manager Helps Clients Keep Positive Cash Flow Through Five Recessions

Sunnyvale, Calif. - Sunnyvale property manager Jerry Garrity says that First Statewide Realty has helped real estate investors keep a positive cash flow on their investments through five recessions. While each recession has been unique, he says they have all been challenging for investors who don't have their properties managed professionally.

Garrity, who is a long-time expert in property management in Sunnyvale and has been doing business in the Silicon Valley for 21 years, says professionally managed properties have a much great success rate when it comes to actually maintaining a positive cash flow because of the difficulty most private investors make in controlling their costs.

"There is a reason large real estate investment firms use professional property managers—because we know how to run a tight ship when the going gets tough. There are definitely tricks to keeping costs down we've learned over the years, and we use that knowledge to help our clients weather the financial storms."

He says First Statewide Realty has a wide range of clients with both large and small Silicon Valley real estate investment portfolios.

"Smart investors don't let their properties keep losing money. We take a lot of pride in helping our clients, whether they are seasoned investors or first time investors, learn how to turn their Sunnyvale rental properties into a steady stream of income."

He says First Statewide Realty has survived five recessions by applying the best property management techniques for its clients.

"We are good at keeping costs low, properties occupied, and rents paid on time. That's why we are fortunate enough to have clients who have been with us for two decades."

About First Statewide Realty

First Statewide Realty is a professional Sunnyvale property management company specializing in quality single family homes, condominiums, town houses and other investment property in the greater San Jose metropolitan area. The 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.

For more information, please contact:

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