Real Estate Listings

Archive for July, 2010

Whats Next For Manhattan Real Estate

The first quarter of the year was a bad one for the national housing market. Nothing much new occurred however it was an unabated continuation of last year which was one of the worst years for the national market on record. In that environment however the Manhattan real estate market continued to do OK.

Seemingly against all odds the average price of New York apartments improved almost twenty percent from the same time last year. The increase in prices was largely driven by the luxury market which saw several new high end buildings go on the market.

Underlying the effect that the strong numbers from the luxury sector had on the market as a whole rents actually declined in the first quarter even as the average price of New York City apartments increased.

There were a some signs of a new weakness in the quarterly numbers inventory for example increased substantially however the unexpected large increase in the average price buoyed confidence in the market for yet another quarter. New York apartments it seemed lived in a different economic universe than the rest of the nations housing units.

The fate of Bear Sterns however has combined with the continuing negativity in the national market to finally put a damper on the New York housing market. Nonetheless the Spring quarter is typically the best quarter for the market so once again no one is really sure what the exact fate of home values in the New York market will be. This very uncertainty has given pause to a number of potential buyers and sellers.

Most analysts expect prices to decline somewhat especially among sellers who have had their home on the market for more than a month. Activity is expected to decline from what it was a year ago though quarteroverquarter numbers wont seem quite as bad.

Rents are expected to continue to decline though not at as fast a pace as they did in the first quarter. All in all the second quarter numbers for the Manhattan real estate market will be truly fascinating. Until the quarter is finished and the data is released however a sense of uncertainty will place a drag on the market.

Certainly any number of events mostly negative ones could clear up that uncertainty. If another Bear Sterns were to occur for instance it would be all to clear which direction the market is headed in.

For now though the only thing that is clear is that the market is not moving in a particularly strong direction one way or the other. Even if the second quarter numbers are negative they will be nothing like what the city experienced in its last major housing downturn.

About the writer:  Nicholas Adams Judge is a freelance writer specializing in business politics and economics. He holds a B.A. in political science and will begin his PhD studies in political economy and public opinion next fall. He has studied economics and political science at a number of different institutions both here and in the U.K. including Amherst College Warwick University Oxford University and the University of MassachusettsAmherst.

What Makes An Outstanding Listing Agent?

What makes a listing agent who really shines for home sellers?We can bandy about terms like ethical and hard working but what does a great agent actually do to be deserving of such terms?

1. A great listing agent tells you what you dont want to hear

A listing agent who truly wants to sell your home for the best price is going to tell you if you are flying way too high with your proposed listing price.S/he is also going to tell you if your home looks like a sty to get your kids drawings off the fridge fix those cupboard doors and to repaint the kitchen.You may be dismayed that hiring this person is resulting for more work for you but obviously this agent cares about how your home looks both on the market and to prospective buyers on a walkthrough.

2. A great listing agent spares nothing to get your home in the public eye

The photos will be well staged clear and emphasize the best points of each room or area.Extra points if the agent retains a professional photographers services.The listings will be informative correctly spelled and enthusiastic without stuffing an adverb or adjective before every noun.Your listing will be on the top websites where home seekers go.It may also show up local newspapers and magazines that your target buyers may read and the places they tend to go.You will have big signs and flyers outside of your home to catch the attention of people passing by.

3. A great listing agent knows your area and your community

Knowledge of your neighborhood and city or town is essential for an agent to price your home properly and to determine the listing strategy.Your home will be priced according to the latest market information on your area and type of home and will be advertised in local publications.Your agent also keeps track of local real estate trends and will use them to guide the marketing of your home.

4. A great listing agent is ethical

A great listing agent will uphold the tenets of good home selling.They will refuse to misrepresent your home just to get people to look at it.They will honestly disclose what they are legally required to disclose.They have a good reputation with other agents and real estate professionals in their area.

5. A great listing agent is polite

No matter whether its another agent or a home inspector or a difficult home buyer a great agent is always polite and courteous.They take the time to do those small things that smooth out communications with all the professionals involved with home sales.They conduct themselves well and represent your home with the professionalism it deserves.

6. A great listing agent is willing to communicate

A smart agent balances their work/life time so that they have time with their families and for themselves while still making your home their priority.A great agent will have clearly defined communication times set out with you and will not fail to keep up contact so that you know how the marketing for your home is going.A great agent is also willing to explain what they are doing with your home the ins and outs of their contract with you and any other points about the selling process that you dont understand.

About the writer:  Amerivest is a realty company based in southwest Florida and specializes in Naples real estate. Search our Naples real estate listings by visiting us at NaplesGuru.com.

Undiscovered Villages In Le Marche Italy

I started Livinginlemarche.com nearly 3 years ago to add more depth to my two existing websites marchtownhouses.com and montelparo.com. But in the 10 years that I have been involved in one way or another in the property market in Le Marche Italy I have only recently discovered many hilltop villages which have been largely ignored both by foreign and Italian buyers. The two areas that I know in Le Marche are the Ascoli Piceno province in southern Le Marche and also to a lesser degree the Ancona province in central Le Marche. But in the last 6 months in the southern part of Le Marche I have found many beautiful hilltop villages which are largely unknown even in other parts of the same province. These overlooked villages tend to be either the ones just slightly further inland from the coast or further away from the main valley roads of the Aso Tenna Tronto and Tesino.

I have been lucky to have visited many of these overlooked southern Le Marche villages this year and have been surprised to see just how beautiful and unspoilt they are. Many villages seem to have had a lot of restoration work carried out both on the small village houses and also on their churches and municipal buildings. Often when asked the locals do not seem to know which organisation be it local business the local Comune or Central Government have actually paid for these expensive improvements. In any case the restoration works are normally carried out to a very high standard and always tend to enhance the beauty of many of the beautiful historic buildings and village properties alike. Stone and brickwork are often sandblasted clean and then carefully re pointed with stucco this being carried out by skilled artisans. Roofs are stripped and renovated normally reusing the existing tiles or where necessary broken or missing tiles are replaced with used tiles of similar appearance and age.

But before I list the villages I think are worth further exploration in southern Le Marche I will just mention three or four of the more popular villages that I know and have come to love over the years. My two favourites are Monterubbiano and Moresco. Both are within a 10 minute drive to the Adriatic coast and in different ways have all the qualities and facilities of what I consider a perfect village. Moresco in fact is a fraction of Monterubbiano and only a 10 minute walk from its larger sister. It is a very old and historic small hamlet and is quite small when compared to the other nearby hilltop villages. But is has a timeless feel and has been voted one of the 45 most beautiful and historic villages in the whole of Italy by the Italian public in several surveys. Moresco is a true gem and well worth a visit although properties to purchase in the historic centre rarely come on the market. Monterubbiano is a much larger village and has many small shops museum restaurants hotel and bars. It has a very open feel about it with a small central Piazza and also it is unusual when compared to most hilltop villages in Le Marche in as much as lot of the small houses built into or perched on the outer walls have small gardens or plots of land. The whole village has a very friendly feel and there are always concerts exhibitions and festas being held throughout the year. The other village I always like to visit is Campofilone which is situated virtually on the coast just south of the beach resort of Pedaso. It is a small fortified village with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and of the Adriatic sea which is only a few kilometres distant. The famous thin stranded pasta called Maccheroncini is produced in the area around the village and is very popular throughout Le Marche.

Now for a short list of my favourite undiscovered villages they include Cossignano a really lovely historic hilltop village near Ripatransone in the very south of Le Marche. It has a beautiful small Piazza containing the Comune building and village church on two sides and in another corner of the Piazza is one of the nicest village bars I have come across in this part of Italy in fact the feel of the bar is very French with outside tables and open frontage. Cossignano is well worth a prolonged visit and is ideal as a base to explore this beautiful part of Le Marche. Lapedona is a really lovely village also near the coast if fact about 8km from the beaches at Marina Palmense. Lapedona is close by to Altidona which is also a perfect small Le Marche village which normally goes unnoticed by both foreign tourists and property buyers looking for small village houses. Massignano is another village well worth a visit. It is also situated just south of the resort of Pedaso and only a few kilometres from the sea. The village has numerous narrow lanes with many small houses often with wonderful multicoloured window boxes. There is a absolutely stunning village church and a small Piazza with bar near the main entrance gate. A small local museum showing the local pottery and produce over the ages also fronts the Piazza.

Ponzano di Fermo is a lovely village situated between the City of Fermo and the villages of Petritoli Monterubbiano and Grottazzolina. It is one of those places where all the usual roads to bypass it even though it is a thriving community and the village is quiet large with some shops restaurants and bars. There are also two very small fractions or hamlets which should be visited but are quiet and do not have any shops or bars but are both within a ten minute walk of their bigger sister villages. One is Torchiaro which is a fraction of the much larger village of Ponzano di Fermo and the other is Moregnano which is a fraction of the large and popular village of Petritoli. I never tire of visiting these unspoilt gems many villages have their roots in the 13th or 14th Centuries and Livinginlemarche.com is always happy to give advice and assistance to anyone wishing to learn more about Le Marche.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Living and working in the UK and in the Ascoli Piceno province of Le Marche in Italy.
Running a house hunting and house restoration business mainly in Le Marche