Archive for the ‘Real Estate’ Category
Five Tips for Choosing the Best Real Estate Agent

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If you are looking to buy or sell a home, you should take great care in choosing a real estate agent. Choosing a great real estate agent is especially important in this real estate climate of sub prime mortgage crisis aftermath, foreclosures, and short sales. Not only can a good real estate agent save you lots of time and money, but he or she could also make the buying and / or selling of a home a pleasant experience. Below are a few tips for choosing the best real estate agent to suit your needs.
1. Negotiation – Choose an agent that has good negotiation skills. Do not forget that buying and selling homes is an act of negotiation, and therefore your real estate agent should have excellent negotiation skills. The expertise in which your real estate agent handles the negotiation portion of the home buying or selling process can literally mean the difference between you gaining or losing thousands of dollars. Negotiation skills of your real estate agent should be a top priority when making your real estate agent selection.
2. Instinct – Just as you have instincts about other personal and professional relationships in your life, you will probably have some instincts about potential real estate agents. Do not disregard your intuition. Give each real estate agent you choose to interview a fair shake, but trust yourself and your gut reactions. If you get a bad feeling about a particular real estate agent, there is probably a reason for this. If something doesn’t seem quite right or something about your initial meeting does not sit well with you, there is probably more to it than just suspicion. Conversely, if you have a strongly positive first impression from a potential real estate agent, there is probably a reason for this as well. Do your due diligence in your research of real estate agents, but it is okay to give more weight to a real estate agent that you feel you “just click” with.
3. Service Variety – It may be to your benefit to choose a real estate agent that provides a multitude of services. You will most likely need other services in the process of buying or selling a home, such as appraisal or inspection services. Some real estate agents are able to recommend appraisers or home inspectors. Just be sure to do your own research to verify that your real estate agent is recommending a reputable service provider and not just someone they are friendly with.
4. Resources – Buying and selling real estate can require a lot of resources such as print advertising, promotional materials, brochures, fliers, etc. Talk to potential real estate agents about what resources they have at their disposal to market your home and discuss how and where your property will be advertised. Also, find out if the real estate agent you are considering is comfortable with different types of technology. For example, using the internet as a marketing tool for your property can be very beneficial.
Being Close to a Loved One

Caring for someone you love while they are in the hospital is difficult. Sometimes, the hospital can be a substantial distance from your home and traveling back and forth can be exhausting as well as inconvenient when doctors want to meet with you. With an extended hospital stay, the stress can even be more intense as the caregiver begins to become worn down from worry, tending to the loved one and driving back and forth from the hospital. Thirty years ago, close family were often allowed to stay in the hospital room with the patient but those days are long past. Today, hospital rooms are crowded with patients and family can only see their loved one for short periods of time.
If you find yourself tending to an ill loved one who is staying in the hospital for an extended period of time, renting a hotel room is an alternative to driving back and forth to home every day. While shortening the commute can definitely keep you more rested and better able to care for the patient, there are some drawbacks to renting a hotel room.
A hotel room lacks many of the amenities of your own home. There are usually no laundry facilities so you will have to send your laundry out which can be a costly service. There are no kitchen facilities so all of your meals will have to be eaten out or ordered in from room service which can add to the cost of a hotel room significantly. And a hotel room simply doesn’t have the same relaxed feel of being in your own home.
There is an alternative to renting a hotel room close to the hospital. Wynne Residential Corporate Housing (www.wynneresidential.com) provides temporary and extended stay residences in every state in the country. Wynne residences come in many styles and configurations depending on how many bedrooms you are looking for and how much space you need. The apartments come fully furnished and include a washer and dryer, full kitchen appliances and utensils, and every other convenience you would expect at home. Booking an extended stay residence is often less expensive than a hotel and certainly less expensive than booking a hotel and eating in restaurants three times a day. Wynne takes care of turning on and off utilities and incorporates all expenses into a single bill, making it easier for you to focus on the patient.
It is important for caregivers to get rest and respite in order for them to recharge their batteries and look after those they love. Staying close to the hospital in a Wynne residence allows you to be comfortable in a luxurious space and to be close by if you are needed. It is a home away from home in a difficult situation. Your ill loved one will benefit from you getting enough sleep and unwinding.
Winter Golfing in Southern California

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When you think about golfing in the United States, it is often summertime that comes to mind. Golf courses all over the country, even in Alaska, are open all summer long for those who are trying to forget the long cold winter that plagues most of the nation.
Golfing in Southern California is no different. Its hundreds of courses serve all types and flavors of golfers all summer long as visitors flock to California to experience some of its famed laid back relaxation.
But winter is when Southern California proves to the rest of the world that it has earned its reputation of the golf capital of the United States and one of the finest golf destinations in the world.
The temperate climate of Southern California allows golfing throughout the entire year. Warm winter days are perfect for getting out the clubs and getting a game or two in without dealing with being over-heated or of teeth chattering against the cold. Courses in Southern California are meticulously maintained to play just as beautifully in January as they do in July.
Golf courses in Southern California are often emptier in the winter time, allowing for more flexible tee times and less of a rush to play through. Last minute games can be easier to throw together and walk-ins are more often able to be accommodated.
Another benefit of visiting Southern California in the winter to golf is that you can combine it with other activities going on. Nearby mountains at Bear Lake and other locations east of Los Angeles offer excellent skiing throughout the winter. The intrepid traveler can enjoy a morning on the slopes and an afternoon on the links- a feat not often replicated elsewhere in the world.
For those who enjoy a little gambling on their vacation, Southern California offers some of the best in the country. Perhaps one of the great casinos in the United States is the Pechanga Casino and Resort just outside of Temecula in the Inland Empire. The casino offers thousands of square feet of tables and slots as well as two on-resort championship golf courses and several highly-rated restaurants.
Finding a great golf course for winter play in Southern California is as simple as picking up an industry magazine such as Golf Digest. Southern California courses are frequently found in the top course lists annually. This is not surprising as the area is home to many championship players who own or design courses to world-class standards. Southern California also attracts professional players from all over the country who want to play in the nation’s sand box. The quality and challenge of the courses in Southern California have not been rivaled successfully anywhere else in the country.
When looking for your winter getaway, don’t forget that golf can still be part of the equation. Southern California serves up sun, sand, golf, and a big helping of rest and relaxation, even in January.
Gardening in Temecula, California

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California is known for its perfect weather, providing mild temperatures year round for outdoor sports, entertainment, and gardening. Many people think, upon first settling down in California, that the entire state has the same weather patterns and temperatures, but there are several different microclimates in California, each with their own set of temperatures and growing conditions.
Temecula is located in the southwest corner of California’s Inland Empire. It is approximately an hour away from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. The Temecula Valley has been inhabited for centuries, long before European settlers crossed into California. The valley provides the perfect microclimate for growing wine grapes and Temecula is becoming known worldwide for its robust wines that rival and, at times, surpass, its competition to the north in Napa.
The same weather and climactic patterns that make Temecula suitable for grapes make it perfect for gardening. The average annual temperatures range from 78.4 degrees Fahrenheit on the top end to 50.3 degrees on the low end, although frost is not unknown in the region. Gardening in Temecula takes some planning, however. Like most of California, it suffers from a lack of rainfall with an annual average of only just over 13 inches. Much of California is heavily irrigated and Temecula is no exception. Expect to build an irrigation system into your gardening plan. Most plants require a constant source of water regardless of rainfall patterns so supplemental watering is a given.
To reduce your reliance on supplied water, you can grow native plants and grasses. Native grasses such as California Fescue and Blue Eyed Grass do well with little water. Yuccas are also well-suited to the Temecula area as they can store moisture for long periods of time.
With the addition of supplemental water, you have a much wider selection of flowers, shrubs, trees and vegetables that will thrive in the Temecula Valley. Fragrant jasmine and mandevilla offer up intense scent and vibrant color against the terra cotta of the soil. California is known for its citrus and lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits all grow well in the Temecula Valley, although they are heavy water users. Figs are particularly suited to the area as their roots can explore up to 50 feet into the soil to find their own source of water.
More delicate plants like bananas, fuchsias and ferns may have to be brought inside for the winter but they will do well outside in pots for much of the year. A simple greenhouse will also protect delicate plants from the lows of the Temecula winter.
Of course, if you want to try your hand at making wine, Temecula is the perfect spot to grow grapes. Warm days, cool nights and a flinty soil combine to give wine grapes character and depth. Popular grapes in the valley are zinfandel, chardonnay, and pinot noir.
Walk down any street in Temecula and you will see amazing blooms, luscious fruits hanging from the vine and produce ready for the picking. Gardening in Temecula is a popular pastime and it’s easy to do with a little planning.
Selling Your Home in Atlanta

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Selling a home in today’s shaky real estate market can be a risky undertaking. Housing prices in Atlanta have fallen 20 to 30 percent over those of just a few years ago. The number of houses that sit on the market waiting for buyers is at an all-time high. One would think with the low prices and the wide availability that buyers would be having a field day. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Part of the housing market collapse came about as a result of loose lending practices. All but the most qualified buyers find borrowing funds difficult these days and many buyers are unable to buy their first home or move up into a larger one at present.
None of this bodes well if you are currently trying to sell your house in Atlanta. This is especially true if you are trying to sell a luxury home. Many buyers are choosing to stay in their current homes and fix them up rather than move into a larger one. If all that a real estate agent does with a luxury home for sale is to stick a sign on the front lawn and slap it up on the MLS, it is likely to languish for several months without a sale at a minimum.
There is, however, an agent that specializes in luxury Atlanta properties. Jennifer Dilbeck of RE/MAX Greater Atlanta (www.luxurylistingsinAtlanta.com) knows how to get luxury homes sold even in this difficult economic climate. She was born and raised in Atlanta and knows every neighborhood like the back of her own hand. She has been selling homes in the area for over twenty three years and has seen many of the ups and downs of the fickle real estate market.
The benefit of listing your Atlanta luxury home with Jennifer is that she knows how to market them. Luxury homes sell to a different type of buyer than starter homes. The luxury home buyer is interested in the amenities, the neighborhood and all of the other intangibles that the home has to offer. They are not as price sensitive as first time homebuyers tend to be but have a wider sense of value. When Jennifer represents your home, she knows all of its best features and, more importantly, she understands what is important to the potential buyer. She can highlight the best in your home and ultimately get you the best price for it.
Jennifer will also be able to look at your home with a critical eye and recommend any areas for fixing up. Because she understands the tastes of luxury home buyers, she will help you identify areas of your home that are less than perfect and make recommendations for how you can spruce it up. Sometimes, even small things like a fresh coat of paint or a new carpet can change the entire look and feel of a house.
When you are selling your luxury home in Atlanta, Jennifer can help you get the best price possible as quickly as possible.
Living Green in Encinitas

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California has always been on the leading edge of the “green” movement and environmental consciousness in the United States. It remains the only state to have more stringent auto emissions standards than the federal standard and it is light years ahead of some other states in recycling initiatives and “smart design” techniques.
The city of Encinitas is as green as they come. Encinitas supports both governmental and individual initiatives to make the city more sustainable. One of the larger projects in the city is the San Elijo Lagoon Reserve. This protected area represents much of what is left of California’s once vibrant estuary system. Construction and diversion of waterways has decimated most of what was once a thriving ecosystem. San Eligo not only protects the native flora and fauna species that make the Pacific estuaries their home, they also provide education to the public about the need for preserving natural biospheres. Their most recent initiative is the Nature Center which opened to the public earlier this year. The building is made from mostly recycled materials and incorporates green technology like solar panels, a living roof and a water recycling system. The Nature Center is certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) organization as meeting its gold standard in the environmental sustainability of its design and construction.
The city government of Encinitas also does its part to be environmentally intelligent. The city’s fleet of cars includes hybrids which require very little fossil fuel and can recharge their own batteries. The city has also purchased several acres of environmentally sensitive land along the coast in order to protect endangered birds, such as the coastal California gnatcatcher, and other species.
One of the city’s most interesting new initiatives targets water pollution at Moonlight Beach, one of the most popular swim and surf beaches on the coast, hosting approximately 2.5 million visitors every year. Moonlight Beach, however, has had a pollution problem for the past several years and was frequently closed because of high bacteria levels. A large part of the problem involved agricultural and urban run off into the creeks that feed into the ocean near the beach. The city of Encinitas has recently installed a $1 million state-of-the-art water treatment facility at Moonlight Beach to clean the water of one of the major creeks before it enters the ocean. The treatment facility uses ultraviolet light to rid the water of bacteria and the program has cleaned up 99% of the bacteria around Moonlight Beach. The city has even won an award for the initiative.
The residents of Encinitas also get into the green act in their city. Recycling is second nature in the city and is made easier by curbside recycling and many recycling bins and facilities around the city. Specialized facilities exist for recycling of toxic substances including leftover paint, batteries and treated wood. Composting is another city-supported green initiative. The city of Encinitas sells composters to its residents for $30- one third of its actual cost to promote the at-home composting of kitchen scraps and yard waste.
Encinitas is a jewel along California’s coastline and its focus on sustainability and environmental management will ensure that it remains beautiful.
Nashville, Tennessee’s History of Medical Industry Innovation

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Nashville may not jump quickly to mind when thinking about innovations and advancements in the medical industry in the United States. But this southern city is not only the birthplace of country music, it is the birthplace of the modern healthcare industry.
In 1968, Hospital Corporation of America and Hospital Affiliates Inc., two separate health care management companies, were born in Nashville. They had a common goal, however- to modernize, streamline, and monetize what had been up to that point a largely not-for-profit and decentralized hospital industry. The two companies grew quickly, changing how hospital services were delivered all over the country. By the time they merged in 1981, they controlled over one fifth of all privately-owned hospitals in the United States.
The juggernaut that these two companies became drew medical talent in to Nashville and spawned dozens of ancillary companies in various health care fields. Nashville provided the perfect background for this growth. The city was home to many sources of private venture capital which fertilized the upstart companies and provided the fuel for their growth.
In 1982, a former executive of Hospital Affiliates Inc. started a new company called Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA). SCA’s goal was to create ambulatory surgery centers in partnership with physicians. These centers proved successful as more surgeries became simplified and appropriate for outpatient care. SCA became the model for the development of many other medical service providers including imaging services and dialysis groups. Centralized management and a strong corporate focus was the mantra for these Nashville medical industry groups.
Nashville’s Vanderbilt University has also been instrumental in feeding the growth of the ground-breaking medical services evolution in the city. Research and other resources have been made available for use by the industry and the university has always actively partnered with private industry in Nashville in joint ventures to bring medical research to the development and delivery stages.
In 1995, the Nashville Health Care Council was born. The Council was an offshoot of the Chamber of Commerce and brought together 27 of the industry’s leaders in an effort to promote Nashville’s place as a health care industry leader. It provides mentoring to health care start ups and encourages and assists established health care services companies to relocate to Nashville.
Today, Nashville is firmly established as a leader in the healthcare industry. There are currently 19 publicly-traded health care companies headquartered in the city, and the combined revenue in 2008 for all of Nashville’s health care companies was $49 billion. This has served the city well in the current economic downturn as healthcare is one of the only industries still growing and still hiring. The city attracts highly-skilled medical industry workers from all over the country. The medical industry itself, though, isn’t the only beneficiary. Dozens of support industries and even the restaurant industry has prospered because of the concentration of medical industry talent in the city.
Nashville is a shining star in the south, not only because of the food and the music, but also because of the health care services empire it has fostered.
