Archive for the 'Real Estate + More' Category

Avanta’s Flexible Lease Terms Becoming Popular

Saturday, March 6th, 2010


Serviced office spaces are growing in popularity. A serviced office space is one that offers features like furnished meeting rooms and areas, copying rooms and additionally, flexible rental plans.

Avanta Managed Solutions is a firm that offers serviced offices to organizations. They create custom solutions for all companies, from large companies with an international presence, as well as SME. Along with offering fully furnished office spaces the company also provides the business to opt for flexible lease terms. This means that if the business plans on expanding or downsizing then Avanta’s terms make it easy for them to change to a different office space according to their changing needs, which is an added convenience factor in the current financial climate.

If a business has a long-term lease they might face difficulties and even lose money if they decide to change a lease before the specified time is up. However if you sign a lease with Avanta, there’s always a flexible option on the table to help you move or change desk space locations.

The firm also offers various other business solutions to their clients. Contractual terms can include professional services of cleaning staff, security and receptionists, besides the normal business requirements of services like heat and light and other general business solutions like landlines, phone lines, access to the internet and VOIP services. All these are available at a monthly fee.

In addition to all the services Avanta also has a team at the business center to take care of any technical issues that may arise, helping you run your business smoothly without interruptions.

Office Block Development to Start in Bath

Friday, February 26th, 2010


Deely Freed Estates recently organized a breakfast meeting at Bath Rugby Club, which brought important business leaders together for a discussion on the future office developments in Bath. The developments, which are going to be located merely a few hundred yards from each other are being undertaken by Deely Freed itself.

The main topic of discussion was the development at Windsor Bridge along Lower Bristol Road, and the plan for a four storeyed office building at Broughman Hayes.

Deely Freed purchased the site a few years ago. It recently finished its leisure development at James Street West, and is working currently to build a new Tesco store in Keynsham. The firm had received permission for the Pavilions office some time ago, and it is being claimed that the 24,000 square ft area will be developed as the best shared offices space in the Bath city centre.

Deeley Freed’s director Mark Tyrell spoke during the breakfast that the construction of official accommodation that is underway will form the basis of Bath’s economy in the next few years, and the employment opportunities generated in the future would also rely on these office spaces.

However, agents King Sturge and Alder King have been directed that they need to sign up tenants before they begin construction of the open plan office block. Software developers, law firms, financial services and defence companies are being considered as the most probable tenants. The office plan scheme also includes two lifts with capacities of ten people each and twenty six car parking spaces. It is being touted as the biggest scheme within Bath that has been already granted planning consent.


BAM PPP Announces Shift to Solihull

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

The giant European company BAM PPP has announced its movement into a new location in Blythe Valley Park in Solihull. The announcement has come right after the completion of four new schools by the company in the area.

BAM PPP is a member of the Netherlands-based Construction and Civil Engineering Contractor Royal BAM Group. The group has a reported turnover of around £8.3 billion and a permanent workforce of 20 members.

The Birmingham based company has successfully undertaken the management of rail, roads, health, police, justice and education throughout Europe and has managed a number of Public Private Partnership projects. It is noteworthy that BAM PPP has been involved in as many as 30 projects inclusive of some of the recent projects like those of Park Hall College, the Lanchester Special School, Smith’s Wood Sports College and the Archbishop Grimshaw Roman Catholic School.

Kevin Meade, UK director of BAM PPP, pointed out that Blythe Valley Park was chosen after careful scrutiny of a number of other business locations. He also said that the strategic location of the site, its proximity to the Birmingham Airport, and the scope for expansion around the area were some of the major considerations for the choice.

Liberty Trust UK spokesman Paul Rubincam, the owner of the property, said that the addition of the BAM PPP group to the park was an achievement for the park, especially since they are a popular name for their PFI and PPP projects. The company has rented a space within the shared offices of 4,500 sq ft in Rhodium Building that also accommodates other companies like Arup, Oracle and Scott Wilson.

Maryland Home Inspectors

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Maryland home inspectors have been around probably as long as houses themselves. People would often ask someone they knew, such as a friend, parent,.or sometimes a builder, to pass judgement on the house they were hoping to buy, or planning to sell.
Quite often, that judgment was based on scanty observation, with little or no understanding of what was important, and quite often someone not familiar at all with the building trades. These times were a long time ago, when buildings were simpler, and the techniques used to construct them were much simpler, and evaluations rendered were predictably simple.
That was then and this is now. Times have changed as well as have home inspections. Fundamentally, the primary purpose of a home inspection is to identify to the buyer of any issues in the condition of the home, systems, integral or influencing peripheral parts of the property.
Atlanta Home Inspectors. If you are a home buyer, it is important to work with the correct Atlanta home inspector to assist you with one of the biggest emotional decisions and financial investments you might ever be involved in. Our very professional standards, experience and our unequaled customer support will easily reveal to you that you made the best choice!
The home inspections performed by Atlanta Property Inspections can assist by giving you with the most professional and comprehensive Atlanta Home Inspection prior to your purchase. With well over 16 years of Atlanta home inspector experience and our membership and association with some of the industry’s leading organizations, you can be certain that Atlanta Property Inspections will greatly assist you to completely identify the condition of your new home.
SC home inspector service ACE home inspection provide buyers with an objective, independent sc home inspection report of the overall condition of the property. Our sc home inspectors report covers all pertinent aspects of your property – appliances, doors, structure, roof, exterior, grounds, fixtures, windows, heating and cooling systems, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as the attic and crawl space. ACE inspectors take field notes and photos and discuss the results with interested individuals who attend the inspection; your sc home inspector will typically finish in about 2 to 3 hours. The written report is delivered by email before 0800 the next day. Follow up questions and discussions are welcome. Also available to you are repair inspection options.
SC home inspector services are available to both sellers and buyers. A pre-listing inspection for sellers allows them to identify potential concerns early in the process as well as to provide peace of mind that there will be no major defects found while the buyers has his inspection. If the Pre Listing inspection does identify problems, the seller has more time and flexibility in scheduling and negotiating resolution.

Top Seven Questions for Your Commercial Roofing Contractor

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Before you get a commercial roofing quote, ask your roofing contractor these 7 questions:

1. Which roofing system is best for our climate and building needs? Almost 50% of roofing failures are a result of defective design. It’s important to consider insulation, drainage, fire resistance, water tightness, thermal expansion and puncture resistance. Certain roofing systems might not work for your building type or location.

2. Is it necessary to tear off the entire roof? Minimizing the impact on the environment should be considered when re-roofing. Several types of roofing systems can be installed over your existing roof.

3. Will the roofing system help lower energy costs by moderating temperatures? Cool roofing systems, green roofing systems, and solar-integrated roof systems can help moderate indoor air temperatures, even if your building doesn’t have air conditioning. Green roof options can help lower energy costs and payback the costs of the new roof.

4. How long is the roofing system under warranty? Do you know how long your warranty is? Ask! Clarify what the warranty covers, up to and including installation defects.. Be sure to ask if there are any exclusions and fees associated with the warranty for issues like incidental damages and ponding water.

5. Will this roofing system be Energy Star Complaint? A client can find the minimum requirements for reflectance and emittance at the government’s Energy Star Website.Initial reflectance must be at least 65%. After 3-years of exposure to weathering, it must have a minimum reflectance of 50%. Another resource for finding out ratings for solar reflectance is the website for the Cool Roof Rating Council. Armed with this information, you’ll understand the energy efficiency expectations of your roofing system.

6. Is my roofing system eligible for Federal tax deductions? It sure can if it meets the ASHRAE 90.1 standard. The minimum requirements for energy efficient building design (standard 90.1) were established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers. In 1994, the federal government adopted this standard. At a minimum, solar reflectance should be 70% and solar emittance should be 75% for government facilities.

7. Does the manufacturer of the roofing materials for my project have a recycling program? Several manufacturers have created recycling programs to collect materials once the roofing system and reached the end of its useful life. It’s amazing the numbers and types of new creations are born from recycled roofing materials. As an example, you find creations like park benches, roadways, flooring, and even new roofing systems come from recycled roofs.

Bryan Ellis’ thoughts on The Virtualization Of The Real Estate Industry

Sunday, December 28th, 2008

A newcomer to the world of investments in the notion of “Virtual Real Estate Investing“. There are many variations on what this term means, encompassing everything from using the internet to aid in real estate investing efforts to participating in online games such as SecondLife.

To separate fact from fiction, I asked Bryan Ellis of BryanEllis.com for comments. He’s the man many consider to be the father of this new form of investing.

“I began using the term ‘virtual real estate investing’ in the late 1990’s when I realized the clear similiarities in profit strategies, regardless of whether the “real estate” is “virtual” or “physical” said Ellis.

One example of the parallels between virtual and physical real estate Bryan Ellis cites is the similarity between the monetization of domain names versus physical property. “There’s a huge difference between a website and a piece of real estate, but the ways you can profit from them are similar: ‘flipping’, rental/leasing, advertising sales, etc…all of these apply to both markets” he states.

I must admit: Its easy to see the parallels. Consider: A valuable piece of real estate is valuable largely due to the interest that other people have in that specific location. Likewise, if you own a desirable domain name, others will find value in it because it serves their purposes. In either case, you could sell or lease the asset and turn it into cash.

In our next installment of this series on virtual real estate investing, Bryan Ellis will share the internet analogies to the physical concept of real estate development.

‘We Buy Houses’ Scams How to Spot Them and How to Avoid Them

Monday, July 7th, 2008

There are many reasons why a home owner would want to sell a house fast. Job change, relocation, debt problems, divorce and inheritance are just a few. Unfortunately, people in need also tend to attract predators who have no problem profiting from someone else’s misfortune.

If you’re looking to sell a house fast, here are a few scams to be on the lookout for and how to avoid becoming a victim yourself.

Equity Skimming

One of the most common types of “we buy houses” scams allows the “buyer” of the home to make off with most or all of your equity. It begins with you transferring your home’s deed to the “buyer.” The buyer may then have you make payments to him instead of the mortgage company, or he may have you move out so he can begin renting out the house.

There are several ways the buyer can then profit from this transaction. First, he receives some sort of payment every month whether from you or from the renter. Second, he can use the equity in your home to secure home equity loans or other lines of financing. Third, he can simply resell the house without satisfying the outstanding mortgage.

Ultimately, once most of his profit is exhausted, he simply stops making payments on the mortgage and allows the home to go into foreclosure, because while he holds the deed to the home, he never assumed liability for the mortgage. As a result, you are left with a foreclosed home, no remaining equity and a significant black spot on your credit history.

Contract Bait and Switch

The contract “bait and switch” is a clever scheme that takes advantage of the trust between buyer and seller.

In one version of this scam, the home buyer inspects your house and makes a verbal offer that you accept. A few days later, he presents you with a written contract that he presents as “just a formal, legal version” of your verbal agreement. Because you believe it to be the same offer you had already agreed to, you simply skim it and sign on the dotted line.

In the time between signing and closing, he may also deliver one or more “minor changes” to the contract. He presents these as simply “a few tweaks” and nothing that really affects the original agreement.

At some point, though, possibly at the closing or even later, you discover that the last contract you signed actually bears little resemblance to the initial offer, and you are either stuck with a losing home sale or tangled in legal battles for months or even years to get out of the contract.

Liberian FSBO

This scam is an interesting twist on the Nigerian Scam or 419 Scam. In it, a person outside the U.S. contacts you after seeing your house on a For Sale By Owner site, telling you that he is looking to move to the U.S. soon and can pay cash for your home. His story is compelling to the point that you actually feel good about helping him out not to mention being able to sell your home.

Ultimately, though, his only goal is to get you to transfer him money and/or to get access to your bank account so that he can transfer the funds himself before you realize what has happened. And because he is outside the U.S., recovering your money can be next to impossible.

How to Protect Yourself from Scams

If you need to sell a house fast, here are a few rules for protecting yourself from falling prey to a scam like these.

Only Work with Professionals

The best way to protect yourself from scams is to work only with professionals who have an established history of home buying. These days, anyone can order a book from an infomercial and become a “professional home buyer,” but real professionals have been in business for many years and have closed millions of dollars in real estate transactions. Their primary concern is the health of their business, and they will not risk that by cheating you or otherwise treating you unfairly.

Check Out the Buyer

If you have any concerns about the buyer, don’t hesitate to check them out. Contact your state Attorney General’s office, your state’s Real Estate Commission, or your District Attorney’s Consumer Fraud Unit. If they are an established business, also check out the Better Business Bureau.
Always Understand What You’re Signing

Not asking questions because you are afraid of looking stupid could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars or more if you end up in a deal that wasn’t what you thought it was. A lawyer or even your mortgage company can help you if you want professional advice from a third party. Never, ever sign a contract that you don’t understand.

Get All Agreements in Writing

If a disagreement arises about a verbal agreement, the issue becomes your word against theirs and often must go to a court of law to be settled. Don’t risk that. Insist that all terms be in writing, and don’t agree to anything that isn’t.
Be Willing to Walk Away

If you have any doubts about the buyer or the contract or if it just doesn’t feel right just walk away. It’s never worth the months (and maybe years) of future headaches to sell your house a few days sooner.

Conclusion

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. So don’t get so emotionally tied up in the sale of your home that you abandon caution and logic. Your home is both a major financial obligation and a major asset. Falling prey to a scam like these will have major repercussions many, many years down the road and maybe for the rest of your life.

Duane LeGate is president of House Buyer Network, America’s fastest-growing home buying service. Since 2002, the company’s nationwide network of professional home buyers has helped more than 45,000 families and individuals who needed to sell a property fast – processing more than $7.5 billion in property during that time.

The Thriving Intercontinental Property Market Place – Assisted by The Property Index

Friday, June 20th, 2008

Find one of the most exclusive selections of Spanish properties here!

Despite the fact that the Property Index service is actually a newcomer organization, having been registered in March 2007, they have established their expertise very quickly. Actually, they are a rather down-to-earth organization devoted to advising every client who is striving to let, sell, rent, etc. real estate all over the world. Their guarantee is to help you out unearth bang-on what’s called for quickly and, too, unproblematically. Property is up for grabs across the globe these days, arguably the coolest area being properties available for sale in Spain. It should really be easy as one-two-three to determine the ripping properties for sale in Spain, one explanation for selecting realty here being the houses and apartments available and the chance of spending your life amid this keen populace.

This is one of the truly well-liked countries these days, and in view of the gorgeous landscape and the wonderful weather surrounding you, how could you conceivably be wrong. Property in Spain is very rich in history and culture, this realm of the world has been and still is home to quite a number of sophisticated civilizations. Only 25 or 30 years ago you would find just a small number of UK citizens keen on properties in Spain. Just ask anyone who has chosen to remove to Spain and they’ll tell you the same thing. There are those who would see it as a negligible rage and others see it as a practically an infatuation… Customers willing to move over here extend from young well to do couples who are looking for a life perspective to retired shoppers who want to enjoy their retirement.

Bear in mind, though, that you are liable to encounter some troubles when acquiring properties abroad — there are dozens of varied, not always very logical, actions when organising, touring or buying and completing. If you only miss a single minute step that could easily escalate huge troubles not to forget, preeminently, a financial hammering. Obviously, as is to be expected with this popular area, properties might be dear in this area which is simply a consequence of the steep buyer demand. Yet, the homebuyer indeed is spoiled in such an area so determined by ripping environment and fair view. It has all, stock and barrel, a client could hanker after and more.

Real Estate Investing – “The Neighborhood Factor”

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

Real estate investing can be a dream career when the process of buying and selling is mastered. The biggest challenge in real estate investing is not the money to get started or the availability of the product. Real estate investing’s biggest challenge is judgment. Personal decisions in making the purchase, fixing up the right things, and making the sale require judgment that comes from experience. The second and 100th property should involve better judgment than the first.

An approach to the first acquisition in a real estate investing career involves analysis of the neighborhood.

If the target property is located in a familiar neighborhood, an analysis is clouded by past memories and feelings. Familiarity can preclude objectivity.

And if the target property is located in an unfamiliar neighborhood, the analysis is shrouded in immediate impressions that may or may not be accurate.

Real estate investing today must consider unfavorable elements like drug and prostitution traffic, crime statistics, and the overall visual impression of neighborhood negligence and abuse by property owners and/or tenants. The windshield view will not reveal the whole story.

Research at city planning and the police department might be a starting point, if the initial drive through the neighborhood does not arrive at a negative conclusion. Casual conversations with neighbors might provide clues. Watching from a perch unobtrusively during certain hours might be helpful, such as after school is out and after dark.

If analysis leads to the formation of good judgment, time is needed to assess “the Neighborhood Factor.” When I plunged into my first year of real estate investing, no one warned me of “the Neighborhood Factor,” and still I sometimes overlook it even millions of dollars in property purchases later. Buying $1 million in rental houses during my first year, and another $1 million in properties the next year did not leave me much time for analysis. However, when placing a makeover house on the market after the work is completed, “the Neighborhood Factor” has often come back to haunt me.

The bottom line for developing judgment about “the Neighborhood Factor” is the consumer’s windshield view. The real estate investor can become enamoured over the potential profit margin in a “good deal.” But the home-buyer and house-hunter make instant assessments upon a first approach to the house for sale. Their initial impression of “the Neighborhood Factor” is untrained and irreversible. And in real estate investing, the prospect’s first impression of “the Neighborhood Factor” overshadows their impression of your labored makeover. More times than I like to admit, I have created a “Dream House” from a junker, only to experience a slow sale because of “the Neighborhood Factor.”

EzineArticles Expert Author Dr.Phil Speer

Phil Speer, Ph.D., started his real estate investing career 25 years ago. Without the availability of credit and using only a $10 bill, he purchased $1 million in properties in his first year, and had accumulated $10 million in properties by his fourth year. He was featured in a Wall St.Journal editorial as most successful investor in the Nothing Down Real Estate Movement, and was honored with a Caribbean cruise as top investor of the year. In his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, he has been a businessman and Human Resources Consultant for 30 years. He is an author, speaker and seminar director. To learn how to profit in real estate investing, even without cash or credit, read his report at http://www.CashinHouses.com/. Subscription is free to his Fix-up Ezine – http://www.AAREIT.com/.

Berkely California Real Estate

Sunday, June 8th, 2008

Berkeley, California, is located in Alameda County, 11
miles NE of San Francisco, California.

Berkeley is a vibrant, intellectually-energetic city
with a population of 102,743. At its center is the
world-renowned University of California at Berkeley,
home to current and would-be Nobel prize winners,
several cultural and art museums, performing arts, and
the Golden Bears football team. Home to ‘California
Cuisine’ – a neoclassical style of cooking that
incorporates fresh, seasonal ingredients–a term
invented at Chez Panisse, the legendary restaurant in
North Berkeley founded by famed chef Alice Waters.

Berkeley Homes

Homes in Berkeley reflect the eclectic and diverse
style of its residents, from popular Arts and Crafts
era bungalows nestled in the Berkeley Hills to newly
restored Victorians that surround the university and
downtown areas. Designer of the Hearst Castle in San
Simeon and California’s first female architect Julia
Morgan firmly set her roots here, and you can still
see her historic buildingsdesignated as
landmarksthroughout Berkeley, including the Berkeley
City Club and the Julia Morgan Theatrea small arts
production company.

Berkeley properties pool is 44,955 residential
properties which include newly built properties. The
median age of real estate in Berkeley is 1941, with an
average Household size of 2.84 people. 8% are one
bedroom homes, 31% are 2 bedroom homes, 36% are 3
bedroom homes, 18% are 4 bedroom homes, and 7% are 5+
bedroom homes.

Berkeley Mortgage Statistics

Homes With No Mortgage – 29%

Homes With Mortgage – 71%

First Mortgage Only – 54%

First & Second Mortgage or HELOC – 18%

Berkeley Area Real Estate Tax

Berkeley Real estate Tax: Median Real Estate Taxes
(2000) were $3,004 comparing to 1999 Median Family
income $ 70,434. Compare to USA median yearly Real
Estate Tax $1,300 and USA median Family Income $42,000
(1999).

Berkeley School District: Berkeley has a wide range of
private and public schools that boast one of the
nation’s highest test scores and attrition rates.
Among them is the unique Ecole Bilingue which
specializes in a French immersion program for children
up to age 14. Children make up 14.1% of Berkeley’s
population and a dizzying number of cultural and
extra-curricular programs are available to them
year-round. Berkeley has 14,513 of under 18 years old
residents, or 0.27 kids per one worker, or 0.32 kids
per one household.

Berkeley Real Estate & Berkeley Homeownership

There are 17082.9 or 38% one person households,
15284.7 or 34% two person households, and 6293.7 or
14% three person households in Berkeley, California.
Median residents age is 32.5, Senior citizens (65+)
make up 10,484 or 10.2%% of Berkeley population.

Large employees abound in Berkeley, including the
University of California, the Bayer Corporation, and
the Power Bar company to name a few. There are 54,674
workers (over 16 years of age) in Berkeley. Of these,
52.83% drive to work. Approximately 18.58% of workers
in Berkeley take public transportation. An estimated
14.9% walk to work, taking advantage of beautiful and
much-needed civic improvements such as the new
pedestrian bridge that links the Berkeley Marina and
the shoreline to the city. Berkeleywith its proximity
to San Franciscoand a year-round temperate climate
makes it a popular place in which to live, work, and
thrive.

Median Berkeley homeowner’s housing expenses are 20.8%

Crime in Berkeley (2003), crimes per 10,000 residents
per year

Violent Crimes – 90.13

Robberies – 39.13

Aggravated Assaults – 48.86

Property Crimes – 846.29

Burglaries – 121.18

Larceny-Thefts – 605.1

Motor Vehicle Thefts – 120.01

Invest in Berkeley Properties

When making a decision about buying real estate in
Berkeley California area, you should consider the
city’s vast ethnic diversity. These statistics
indicate a high level of multiculturalism and
tolerance. Events that celebrate the city’s many
different ethnic communities include the now
institutional”How Berkeley Can You Be” and an annual
Native American Pow Wow.

Near Medium City -
Near Large City – San Francisco,
California

Berkeley Zip Codes – 94702, 94703, 94704,
94705, 94706, 94707, 94708, 94709, 94710

Berkeley Area Codes – 510

White population – 59.17%

African-American population – 13.63%

Asian – 16.39%

American Indian & Alaskan – {-}%

Hispanic (of any race) – 9.73%

Median Family Income (1999) – $ 70,434%

Population Below Poverty Level – 18.97%

Jennifer Hershey has more than twenty years of experience in the Mortgage Industry as a loan officer. She is the owner of http://www.explainingmortgages.com/, a mortgage resource site devoted to making mortgage terms and products easy to understand.