Home Decoration & Real Estate

Posts Tagged ‘World’

Property management companies are raising property prices drastically to cater to the high demand of rentals during the FIFA World Cup games this year, in an attempt to take advantage of the huge number of tourists set to enter South Africa during this time. While there is no doubt that the FIFA World Cup will be of huge benefit to the South Africa economy as a whole, not all property companies agree that price hikes are good for the tourism industry.

Tarleys Trust Property Group advises property agents and management companies against raising prices, and encourages property companies to instead consider the disadvantages that extreme price hikes could have on a long-term scale. Many companies are solely focused on profits, and see the FIFA World Cup as a potential to make increased sales and rentals. A large majority of tourists will be entering South Africa for the first time however, and excessive prices could prevent many from considering rentals and sales on return visits. The price increases also affects locals, as increased prices on any level brings the overall value and market prices up significantly, causing price increases across the board, for locals and tourists alike. Commercial property rentals and residential rentals both stand to be affected by price hikes, which could have a huge effect on property prices in general if prices are raised drastically during the months from April to July.

Another aspect that property companies need to consider is the over-saturation of short-term rentals in the build up to the World Cup events. The anticipated demand for rentals has led to huge numbers of guesthouses, apartments, houses, villas and other property available for rent, which more than adequately meet the demands for accommodation especially with a huge increase in property renovation this year. Landlords are seeing the chance to provide expensive but convenient property for tourists, however with the large number of property options to consider, tourists have more choice. This in turn may force many property management companies to push prices down to bring in more chance of their properties being rented out. Experts are predicting that long-term rentals will be in higher demand, and as many landlords are choosing short-term tourist rentals over long-term, this is yet another factor that could affect property rental prices during 2010.

The improved property industry growth has led to many agents and landlords taking advantage of positive property price growth, increased application volumes, increased approvals, further expected relaxation of bank lending criteria, and increased competitiveness amongst lenders. Price increases are widespread to get the benefit from these factors, however on a long-term scale; price increases may not offer a sustainable solution, especially with a slow and gradual recovery from a recession that has left a lasting mark on global economies.

The positive side of the 2010 World Cup is that the event is set to have a huge impact on the residential property market, showcasing the wide diversity of excellent properties across South Africa. With reasonable prices, the lure of South African property could be even greater, advises Tarleys Trust Property Group MD Bradley Berman. Whether it is property sales or residential rentals, all eyes will be on South Africas property market over the next few months, which is why property companies and landlords should ensure ethical property management as a way to ensure that tourists return to South Africa year after year to invest in property.

Jamaica Real Estate is a Solid Investment despite World Economic Crisis

“Uncertainty in global financial markets has created a surge for more solid investments” says Edwin Wint, President of the Realtors Association of Jamaica. Mr. Wint goes on to say in a recent press release that, “real estate is a stable and concrete investment, and the global economic fallout is increasing demand for property in Jamaica.” The Association recently staged its First Annual Expo under the theme, “Secure Your Future with Real Estate”. The publishers of the Jamaica Real Estate Guide were there providing their valuable resource for all homebuyers and investors of Jamaican Real Estate.

Over on the North Coast of the Island, developments are abound with Solis The Palmyra Resort & Spa offering 277 apartments and 11 villas at prices ranging from US$500,000 for a studio to US$3.5 million for a beachfront villa. There is also the Colony at Half Moon with plans for development of 30 private villas. Richmond Development in St. Ann offers a World Class Residential Community with units starting at US$195,000. These developments have been marketing heavily to overseas clients who are looking for a tropical getaway that is in close proximity to the U.S. There are more than 300 International flights coming into Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay weekly and there are no restrictions to foreign ownership of Real Estate in Jamaica. In addition to easier access to beachfront property in Jamaica than in the U.S., Jamaica Real Estate is quite an attractive investment.

On the financial side of things, latest numbers from the Planning Institute of Jamaica in their report of Mortgages issued in Jamaica from NHT, NHDC, Building Societies, Life Insurance Companies and Credit Unions indicate that the volume and value of mortgages disbursed declined.  The total number of mortgages disbursed fell by 8.2% to 8,553 during January –September 2008 compared with January – September 2007.  This is a turnaround compared with the continued annual increases recorded in volume and value of mortgages disbursed.  The number of mortgages disbursed went from 10, 556 year ending December 2006 to 12, 469 year ending December 2007 according to the report.   The value of disbursed mortgages amounted to $31,595 million for the year ending December 2007, this compared with the $25,563.9 million disbursed for the year ending December 2006.

INFORMATION, INFORMATION, INFORMATION

In order to make an educated decision when investing in any commodity, you need information. It is no different for Jamaica Real Estate. The Jamaica Real Estate Guide aims to be a friendly and informative partner for prospective homebuyers and investors. The latest issue which was featured at the Realtors Association Expo 2008 at the Hilton Kingston Hotel on November 23rd has an article about Mortgage basics, a handy mortgage worksheet and a checklist of items for a loan application. Additionally, readers will find the usual delivery of full colour listings by Real Estate brokers and developers who promote their listings actively in this handy resource guide.

The Jamaica Real Estate Guide which was first published in 2006 started with the mandate of being a partner to the Jamaican Homebuyer, arming them with information about local real estate trends and the home buying process. With the demand increasing for Jamaica Real Estate from the local population and the Diaspora, so has the readership of the guide. The publishers of the Jamaica Real Estate Guide responded to demand by increasing the distribution of the magazine from 3,000 to 20,000 copies in print per issue. In addition, the website was redesigned to allow for free online viewing of the magazine. Response to the new website feature has been great with downloads coming from Countries like Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark and of course the USA, Canada, our very own Jamaica and other neighbouring islands.

Are you planning on designing or remodeling your bathroom? If you are, then you should probably put greater thought on the design of your bathroom tiles. Picking just the right ceramic or glass tile design can make any bathroom look more clean and pleasant. Here are some tips on how to pick the best designs for your bathroom.

There are some things that you have to think about when picking the tiles for your bathroom. Would the floor tiles provide a safe surface for you to walk on even when wet? This is of course essential to avoid any accidents inside the bathroom. Would the tiles be resistant to stains and be easy to clean? Mildew and stains can gather on the surface of your bathroom tiles and you need to consider tile colors that don’t become dirty quite easily.

How would you know which bathroom tile designs to pick?

It is often a good idea to ask the experts working at the place where tiles are sold about the best tile designs available. You could share details to them about how big your bathroom is so they could give you suitably sized bathroom tiles. You should also tell them about the color of other bathroom fixtures such as sinks and toilet bowls so they could find tile designs that work well with those colors.

Perhaps you could check out magazines that deal with various home designs to find a design that is in trend and that looks good to you. You could also go online to check out different bathroom images to give yourself a greater idea of your desired bathroom look. You may even think about ordering the tiles online from various online stores and have them delivered to your home.

Because of the great variety of tiles available, you have an endless choice of tile designs. There are tiles made out of ceramics, glass, stones and even metals. Each one of these materials can provide a different look and feel to your bathroom. But remember that good design and not the tiles’ price tags determine how beautiful your bathroom can be.

You may pick plain colored tiles if you’re going for a simpler look for your bathroom. However, you should probably consider using both lighter and darker tiles that complement each other so your bathroom wouldn’t end up looking too plain.

Mosaic tiles are always popular because of how dynamic they can make even smaller bathrooms look. Whether you’re going for a traditional or modern look, you should pick a mosaic tile design that fits the overall theme and design of your house.

Think about other types of tiles such as glass tiles. A glass tile layer can look very nice on your bathroom’s walls, particularly on your bathroom’s shower area. You may even think about using glass mosaic bathroom tile designs on your bathroom’s floor. Vitreous glass tiles can provide a nice and unique look to your bathroom while also providing a good grip for your bathroom floor

You have to remember that the secret to having a really beautiful bathroom involves good planning and patience. The extra time you’ve spent choosing your perfect plain or mosaic bathroom tile design can be what sets your bathroom apart from other bathrooms.