I read recently that foreclosures are becoming more and more common these days.  Yes, that was sarcastic.  Foreclosures, from what I have heard, are not fun to deal with.  From getting a huge drop in your credit to not being able to ever buy a condo or home again for 7 years, foreclosures don't seem to be something that I would ever want to deal with.  With that said, how are other people dealing with your foreclosure?  More specifically, how are people in your community being affected by your misfortune?  A large part of living in a community like a condo high-rise or a new home community is the fact that you need to pay certain "dues" each month.  These dues can be a little as $75/month and can range up to $2500/month.  Dues are used to keep a community running.  For example, pools, trash, taxes, workout facilities, janoritorial duties and anything else your community requires needs extra money, known as "dues" to operate.  What is now happening, is that neighbors and residents are forced to pay more as their neighbors are foreclosing on their new condos and/or new homes.   This is just another example how the distressed housing market can and will directly affect your pocket.  Beware and make sure that you budget enough for the following years!

So...the housing market isn't the best it has been in a while.  In fact, I would concede that it's rather gloomy.  However, not the entire market is suffering, but the majority is.  Some owners of condos and single family homes are starting to fret that they may have to foreclose rather soon.  This is not news.  This has been plastered over every single media outlet in the States and world actually.  Yes, this is a serious situation...but who is to blame for these conditions?  Aren't we, the consumers to blame?  Didn't we drive the prices up artificially based on speculation and expected future earnings?  We, the people weren't forced to buy a new condo for sale but we were lured into it because we thought it was a good and safe investment.  As we're learning now, for the majority of us, this wasn't a safe investment.  So, if this was our fault, why are we asking for the government to bail us out?  It's as if, this is a new phenomenon to us.  But it's not.  We saw this in the late 90s with the stock market.  The bubble burst and prices went down.  So, why are we whining as asking the government to help us out with our mistakes.  We must take responsibility for our actions and own up to our mistakes.  We are a country filled with luxury and seldom do we expect that anything wrong can go wrong in our lives.  And when it does, we cry to our government about how bad our situation is.  You know what, I'm tired of it.  I'm tired of hearing about your hardships.  Life throws you many curveballs and it's the people who have studied how to accurately hit that ball are the ones that will survive.  So, if you're thinking about borrowing a couple hundred thousand dollars from the bank, make sure you plan ahead and your swing is fluid and not even a curveball from The Rocke

More doom and gloom press about the condo market hits the pages of newspapers and online publications every day.  Homeowners continue to worry about their house or condo values going down, home buyers are continually wondering how low prices will go (referred to as “on the fence”) and basically waiting to see what happens to rates, and banks continue to worry about cleaning up the credit mess and rising rate of foreclosures. 

Well, we are not in a wait and see market anymore!  We are right in the middle of things and people are starting to take action.  The Fed is supplying the necessary means to give some comfort to the damage industry, home and condo owners now understand they need to simple hang on and not think short term, and most importantly people are starting to buy again.  Rates are going way down as are values which open the flood gates for buying opportunity from both homebuyers as well as investors who will hold the properties for a long time and rent them out.  News came out today showing homes sales are actually up over 2%.  We will still see some volatility though so let’s not get ahead of ourselves and think that we are out of this.

Thousands of new condos and homes will be hitting the sales path in major cities all over the country as new construction homes and condos in areas like Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, los Angeles and New York come to completion.  Many are worries what a flood of new units will do to an already saturated market.  Many also ask why condo developers would continue to build and finish projects when there is already so much inventory sitting idle. 

After reading and perusing many real estate websites - many condo related, I am wondering how many different adjectives and verbs one can use to define our current real estate market.  Seriously - think about it.  I've seen words and phrases in headlines for real estate articles such as: shortage looms, slows, sank, decline, tumbled, worsened, worried.  You wonder if all these articles are the same.  So, if you read one, why would you read the others?   I mean, do authors use a generic word like, "bad" and use the thesaurus to find a word that will stick out pertaining to the real estate market?  If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to any real estate news website and see how many articles discuss the current housing market.  Most of them - like 95% - will explain how terrible our current housing market is.  If you were an author and wanted your article to stick out, I would suggest stating something extremely positive to help your article stand out.  For example, you entitle your article, "Housing market rises!"  Do you know how many people will read that article?  Or how about: "Condos for sale keep rising!"  You get the point.  So, if you're an author, and you want to get your point across and don't want to be lumped in with the rest of the articles, have your title stand out!

You know how if you manifest the idea in your mind, then it becomes a reality?  I am wondering how many people are manifesting our economy into a serious recession.  Are we really in a recession?  What constitutes a recession? If you listen to the news – and when I say news – I mean the real news – the BBC – not the biased and ridiculous outlets like Fox News and CNN – you’ll hear that many people question whether we’re in a recession.  The domestic news loves to run stories about how bad our economy is and how weak our dollar is.  So what if we are in a recession, let’s look at the positives – the Fed is lowering rates and recently just pumped $200 Billion into the Stock market.  With the Fed lowering rates, it is easier to afford, for example, a condo.  Yes, banks and other lenders are more stringent when it comes to loaning out money but if you have some extra cash and great credit, buying a condo for sale is a no-brainer!  You’ll get a great rate and with the housing slump recently, you’ll be able to negotiate a much better deal that what the developer is currently offering!  So – even if a recession is somewhat scary, look at the positives and see how you can personally benefit from this situation!

With gas prices in some areas crossing $4 per gallon, people can hardly afford to coomute to work anymore. I remember back in 1999, I paid less thsn $1 per gallon for regualr gas. That is over a 400% increase in just 9 years. That is crazy! With the average commute to work beign 30 minutes each way, gas prices are really having a negative effect on people's budgets. The solution is living closer to work. The solution is buying a condo in or close to the area that you work. The majority of people in major cities work in the city and the closest single family home developments are relatively far away. With all the high-rise condos popping up in major metropolitan cities, more and more people are deciding to live in the cities because it is closer to their jobs and where all the action is at night. People like to live where they can work and play as well. In fact one of the slogans for living in downtown San Diego and buying a San Diego condo, is "Live, work, and play."

With gas prices so high and cities booming with development, it is almost a no brainer to buy a condo to live in or as a second home in a major city close to where most people work.  Chicago is a great example of a market where people are snatching up condos across the entire city because their average communte used to be 1 hour and now people want to live in the cities. I feel that the higher gas prices go up, the stronger sales will be for downtown condos.

We still can’t be sure who will win the upcoming election not to mention what will happen with Obama and Clinton.  At the end of the day, who will be the real winner?  We hope to say that the US Dollar will come out on top!

Many economists are predicting a positive upward bounce for the dollar (post-election) which will be great for the United States and our global economy.  It also means that real estate investments and condo investments may have a short-lived window of opportunity…for the buyer.  The Fed will be lowering rates AGAIN and the real estate bargains and distressed real estate opportunities may not last at the low current low prices.  I personally think there will be great condo investments throughout the rest of 2008 and that we are not quite at the “bottom” yet. 

From the perspective of international condo buyers and investors, the idea of buying up distressed real estate and foreclosed homes and condos might seem a bit harsh.  On the other hand, it is safe to say that throughout this year, foreign investors will not find better deals on condos and homes for years to come, if ever again.  The combination of the housing recession and the weak dollar give foreign buyers and condo investors the perfect opportunity to strike.  It is important for foreign investors to keep a close watch on the US housing market trends and communicate regularly with local agents to find the best deals.

It is not unusual to find investment condos all over the country for $100,000 to $300,000 off the market price.  Builders still need to move this inventory and are willing to work with buyers to get these condos and homes sold. 

Condos for sale and homes for sale have not been a popular subject recently.  And you know who is hurting?  Not the sellers, not the agents who can't get the condo sold...but the sawdust industry.  That's right - the sawdust industry has been hurting...bad!  Did you know that sawdust is up 4x from $25/ton to $100/ton since 2006?  You may think to yourself - "who cares? It's just sawdust." But sawdust is one of those commodities that has many functions that you and I seldom hear about.  It is talked about as much as perhaps, the "flugelbinder" (anyone?) but has much more importance.  Sawdust is used for the following: mulch that is compressed into fire logs, insulation, energy production, and many other commercial uses that you nor I will give another second thought to.  But why is there a shortage you may ask?  Well, if you have been following the media recently, you may or may not have heard about the slowed housing sector.  Houses are made from wood which come from trees.  Less trees are being cut down to build less houses which translates to less sawdust.  Interesting - isn't it?  How do you feel about this?  Kind of a catch-22.  For me, I have mixed emotions.  Is sawdust pertinent for our economy?  Are there substitutes for saw dust?  Are scientists working on a sawdust substitute?  Who is really going to suffer from this sawdust shortage?  I'm open to a conversation...

The current housing slump has led many developers and builders to downsize single-family dwellings and focus more on attached style homes to increase affordability and boost sales. This move toward more condos, townhomes, and lofts makes sense during an economic downturn. When sales are slow, developers know that smaller homes beging to make more sense. And with each sale, builders can eliminate homeowner association fees, which they must pay on unsold units.

Many market experts and analysts are claiming that smaller housing will become a permanent mindset in the new-construction market. Furthermore, with less developable land, many major metro areas such as the San Diego condo market, are facing less and less room for large single family homes. With larger homes there are higher costs of all factors of production, particularly costs of materials and labor.

Because there is less money being spent towards new housing, builders must realize that smaller units generally sell for less money. This is actually helping builders target current buyers in the marketplace.  If you take a close look at the primary new home buyers in the market, you will see two demographics. One is baby boomers who are downsizing and the second is generation Y (children of babyboomers). This generation is just entering the housing market and has lower income and net worth. I am predicting that based on this we are going to see new construction shift towards to be a higher % of attached housing projects, especially in metro and surrounding areas.

The much anticipated economic stimulus package that everyone has been talking about was signed this week by President Bush. This new law will have a great impact on all new condo and loft buyers.  Especially prospective homebuyers upper bracket new condo and home prices such as San Diego Condos and Los Angeles Condos. This is why this reform will reduce the interest rate of loans between $417,000 to $729,750. It will also free up capital markets which in turn will allow lenders to approve more loans to mortgage applicants. Lending requirements for first time homebuyers are going to be a bit more lenient now.  A 10% deposit and good credit will still be required from buyers, but the economic stimulus package is going to allow more buyers the opportunity to purchase more expensive condos at a lower cost. New condo buyers all across the country will have a great incentive to go after that new home. Check out over 1,400 new and pre-construction developments on www.newcondosonline.com.

It is only 2 months away from getting your taxes in so you are probably beginning to think about. You also may be thinking about buying a new condo because rates are low and prices are low. There are some amazing condo deals out there right now. You should definately consider all the tax implications of buying a new condo or if you already bought a new condo this year, you will also want to be knowledgeable about all the tax rules so you can get as many deductions as possible for your new condo. There was a great article on Yahoo Finance this morning that i would like to reference. It is called "Five HomeOwnerShip Tax Myths".

The Article breaks down exactly what you can deduct for your new condo or house and what are believed to be tax myths about owning a home. Take some time to read it as it may really help you out with your current taxes or give you a better idea about how buying that new condo will affect your tax bill in April.

While the U.S is seeing a considerable slump in the housing market, there is still business going on and people are making that money. Developers nation wide have been expecting large returns on their investments but recently there has been a spike of new developments lowering their pricing -- that means that many savvy home buyers are becoming active in scooping up those homes. So where are these homebuyers coming from. I know for sure that developers want to know.  It is no secret that up to 80% of new home buyers find their new home or condo online before even visiting the sales office. An example of this impact is found in the service that we provide at new condos online, and it just comes down to a simple follow up on leads generated by our site.

Something I found interesting while reading up on the current real estate market is that addition to the realities that forclosure means to thousands of Americans, we often forget what forclosures can potentially mean to the pets of owners who are forced to forclose. There are hundreds of dogs, cats, and other pets across the nation losing their condos, apartments, and single family homes due to forclosure right now. 

So is there a short term solution to this dilemma? Well, many shelters for Chicago condo animal refugees are offering temporary lodging to pets until their owners can re-locate into new condos, townhomes, lofts, or homes.  If you are facing forclosue and need some assistance with your dog, cat, or any other pet, please contact your local humane society to determine the best course of action.  Just because you need to forclose doesn't mean you need to get rid of old yeller :)

Toll Brothers, the Nation's leading luxury homebuilding company, has agreed to list over 20 new condo projects with NewCondosOnline.com starting this month.  The homebuilder will be listing Arizona Condos, California Condos, Maryland condos, New York condos, North Carolina condos, Pennsylvania condos, South Carolina condos, and Virginia condos with NCO.  NewCondosOnline.com will be showcasing each of these Toll Brothers Condo communities to over 1 million unique visitors on a monthly basis. 

If you're an avid New Condos Online user, you would know that NCO has partnered with largest real estate media buying firm in the world...Americas Media Group. AMG Worldwide provides developers of new condos a service that is desparately needed right now in this market...national and international media exposure at a highly discounted rate. I'm not writing this blog as an advertisement or self-promotion but rather a tool for the developer of luxury condos around the world. The world is becoming flatter by the day and more international investors are prevelant. Currency is easier to exchange and banks are becoming more global.

If you're a condo developer, you need to really re-think how you market your community to the public, if you haven't already. You may think that adveritising in the local newspaper is the best way to sell your project but honestly...with the days of the internet, you need to start thinking on more of a global scale. Yes, 20 years ago, you could put up a sign in the front yard and maybe an ad in the paper and expect a ton of calls and leads. Now, it's a much different ballgame.

We've seen the globalization trend before and now, more than ever the condo market is a global market. There are good condo markets and there are bad condo markets. But now, a good market could be the Canada condo market and Costa Rica condo market. Developers need to stop with the myopic views and look at the macro picture.

When we generally think of high-rise condos and office buildings we think of major metropolitan cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, etc.  We imagine thriving urban centers with retail and all the amenities that create the live, work, and play environment.  High-rise condos seem to be best fitted for high density city cores where building up is the only option.  Of course we all know that this is not the case and we are seeing the demographic across the country change.  More people young and old are interested in the mystique and convenience afforded by high-rise living.  The ads are sexy, the architecture is generally cutting edge, and the building amenities service all ages. 

On city I never really think about in this respect is Little Rock, Arkansas.  Apparently Little Rock is experiencing its only little boom with high-rise condos.  More new developments are going up than ever before and the market is holding strong.  Little Rock is taking on the model that so many other cities have in the past 10 years where they strive to bring people back to the city’s core.  Let’s not forget that Little Rock does have big business and major corporate headquarters such as Alltel. 

Here we go.... another blog about the tide of the housing market.

Played out phrases get tossed about by people who are hit the hardest in the community and give those who are in it for the long run a bad name; All it took was a period between 02' to 05'  for the under qualified and opportunistic  to contribute in breaking an already fragile market -- many are mortgage brokers who are trying to move on to greener pastures and looking recession proof industry while the people who were lent money they couldn't pay are left with debt and foreclosures. Here we are with rate cuts and soft periods allowing us to examine what really will constitute the next changing of the tide.

 One unique perspective to look at is the order in which Los Angeles reacted to the housing slump. During this recession I have happened across areas in Los Angeles that have found that in certain areas, values have fallen while in others they have come to a balancing point. Historically, the first market to be hit has been condos; Real Estate in Los Angeles suffered a steep decline in 1994 when the L.A earthquake happened. Many investors and home buyers were tentative about purchasing years later for fear that another quake would rattle their investment. A supplementary effect to this time period was that interest rates were at an astronomical level, ranging from 9% all the way up to 19% -- those factors alone can send a market reeling.

The Roaring Fork Valley near the picturesque towns you've vacationed in and dreamed about visiting all your life are becoming a huge site for new condo developments. I grew up in Basalt Colorado and Aspen and spent a good portion of my growth watching these somewhat small towns transform into hubs of vacation and retreat. The town of Aspen for example has been considered as a regal vacation getaway for the better part of 40 years but not since late 2002 did the real big and expensive condo development begin. Many older developments were razed and demolished with the demand of new and luxurious living.

 Basalt on the other hand has developed much more slowly but is seeing a very nice and well planned out stage in their growth; much of its positive development can be attributed to former mayor of Basalt, Rick Stevens. Mayor Stevens helped put together the "Riverwalk" development that shadows the Roaring Fork River, and played a key role in the gentrification and maintenance in the new and updated layout of the igneous terrain. While Basalt is seeing an increase in its condo developments, it still maintains its old-style charm by keeping Main st. a rustic yet desirable avenue to call home.

 NewCondosOnline is helping put Colorado and the Aspen Valley on the map by featuring the Aspen Shadow Rock development. I've seen this development and many more spring up making the valley a great place to visit and an even better place to live; not to mention the fact that it lies in a mountain range oppsite the eastern slope to Denver and Fort Collins, giving you all access to travel to Denver or the Western U.S. 

As you may know, if you're an avid reader, I write about many issues affecting our lives and the real estate market in general...mainly the environment.  I am simply trying to create awareness.  Even though this is the new year, I am not going to stop my awareness blogs.  I have been thinking recently of the sudden boom in China and other countries throughout Asia and about all the progress happening.  The new construction, new power plants, construction for the Olympics, new condo developments.  However, what people don't realize is as these countries are becoming less third world and more 1st world, our worlds become affected.  They are not affected overnight but in a more gradual manner.  On the news today, oil prices rose to over $100 per barrel. Why is that?  Well, there are a number of reasons but one of the main reasons is that the demand for oil has skyrocketed in countries like China and India.

I like progression as much as anyone else but it does have its drawbacks.  The macroeconomic picture doesn't look good.  With other countries with populations demanding housing and new infrastructure, resources will become tighter and more expensive as the demand continues to rise.  And if you're a condo developer and believe your new condo development is not affected by is global progression, think again. Rising construction costs are killing developers these days and they are not going to subside anytime soon.  In fact, I predict they will continue to rise through 2008-2010.  And that is not good for developers here or the homeowner who is forced to pay a premium.  Happy 2008!!!

As 2007 comes to an end, I am taking some time to look back on the year and also look ahead for the best condo investment markets in 2008. Right now is the best time to buy a new condo. Interest rates are still low, prices are the lowest they are going to go, and the recovery should begin in early 2009. There are some markets that have a large amount of inventory where you can pick up a great deal on a condo right now. If you are able to sit on the unit for a few years and rent it out, the purchase will become a great investment over time. 

Seattle is one of these markets. With over 40 new high rise projects, there is a alot of Seattle Condos on the market right now and there are some great incentives being offered. The diversity of projects in Seattle is huge and there is something for everyone.  i would also look at Los Angeles. With a surging population and just being LA, there will always be a housing demand in Los Angeles. There are over 30 amazing new Los Angeles Condo Developments being offered right now on www.newcondosonline.com.

If you are open to investing in International condos, NCO is now the largest source in the country to search for International condos. We have some great options in Mexico, Belize, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and other countries. You generally have to put a little more money down, but you can rent these out and enjoy them yourself. If you bought a condo in Mexico 10 years ago, you would have made out pretty well.  Mexico is our top choice for International Investments right now. Trump Baja in Mexico is a perfect option.

As we all know Florida condos are in a state of disarray at the moment fueled by overbuilding and droves of eager speculators saturating the market, then all leaving at once.  Miami condos are said to be at about a 30 to 40 month inventory level which will take years to absorb.  There are of course building still planning and building projects in the area.  One of the most famous developers in the country and the man who almost single handedly lead the Florida condo boom, Jorge Perez, is now seeking other options to outlast the storm.

In less than a year the U.S will see a new face as George W. Bush will step down from his 8 year reign as President of the United States of America. We are on the forefront of a drastic change not only politically but financially. This will mean big changes for our struggling economy.

Some of the political norms that are being challenged are very groundbreaking; Talks of a female President, an African American President, and a Libertarian who wants to abolish income tax and the IRS. Ron Paul has raised almost 19 million dollars for his campaign while Barack Obama is challenging many stereotypes U.S citizens see as leadership M.O's. A question that ALWAYS get me excited is the possibility for new trade which could bolster our economy and the even more exciting possibility to cut spending.

 People abound are talking recession this and inflation that, but with a new leader comes the possibility positive change. Imagine Ben Bernacke not having to cut the FED rate or the discount rate not to relieve pressure but watching it reduce naturally? That would mean that the American people could start fresh with a budding real estate market, start managing their debt and we could potentially be in a great position to get The United States back into good shape! That could mean that San Diego would continue to boom, Arizona would get hotter and Belize would look that much more pretty. 

Increasing amounts of home buyers are turning to condos rather than single family homes.  Condos and townhomes are a much different product than they used to be 10 years ago.  The higher level of amenities and infrastructure designed to support urban living at the city’s core has given a new demographic of buyers more options.  Increasing home prices over the past few years have put single family homes out of financial reach for many younger families, especially in certain areas of the country. 

There are of course differences in condo ownership that buyers must understand.  As a condo owner, the residents are mutual owners of the building and pay fees for the upkeep of common areas.  These fees can range from $100 per month to much higher amounts depending on the size and amenity packages offered by the building.  If the building has a gym, landscaped common areas, a pool, spa, and 24 hour concierge, then the fees might be higher.  This is not to say that many single family home master planned communities do not have association fees, because they do.  Most master planned communities these offer all of these same amenities such as a community center, pool, parks, playgrounds, and gyms.  In the same way, owners will pay fees for the upkeep of these added values.

New Condos Onlineis proud to annouce the partnership with a fantastic new development in one of the most beautiful locales in Belize -- Las Terrezas in Ambergris Caye!!! Speaking from personal experience after spending the beginning of the winter in Belize, I can say with great assurance that Ambergris Caye is without question one of the most breath-taking areas in Belize, rivaling the most coveted tropical destinations in the world.

The residences of this exclusive community on the beaches of Ambergris Caye in Belize were carefully designed as an ensemble of interior spaces in harmony with nature. Offering an ideal and refine balance between the fascination of a pristine island and a comfortable living style.

Each one of the residences at Las Terrazas is designed to take care of every little detail so the experience of living it will be unforgettable. These fine residences are appointed with amenities for your convenience creating the relaxing sensation of being far, far away from hustle and pressures of daily life.

We are proud to help represent this unique and beautiful project, and we hope to see you out there!

Think back to a time when you saw something that someone else had or that you wanted so badly.... Did you beg your mother or father to get it for you if you promised to be good? Did you vow to do the dishes for 2 weeks in a row or pinky swear to never fight with your siblings again?

Was is it a bike or a calculator watch? Was it a a pony? Regardless of what it was, it was marketed the right way and it reached its intended audience. That concept in it self is very straightforward; An entity considers their development to be built to the highest standards to serve a purpose. At NewCondosOnline we are the best condominium advertising outlet on the internet, BARNONE! What makes us the best? We reach a targeted market of homebuyers and investors by implementing a wide variety of specific tools that the consumer would use. Google, MSN, Yahoo? We spend more than a MILLION dollars a year in optimizing our web presence! We work with 1300 different developers across the WORLD; Belize, The Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Washington D.C, New York City.... you name it and we are there. Its something we take very seriously over here and we are only going to step it up from here. 2008 is going to be a very productive year and we are expecting to see another successive year of growth.

So if you're trying to reach your intended audience *HOMEBUYERS* , come see us. We'll get your name out there and help you show off that beautiful development you've been working on.

A staggering number of climatic events are threatening some major cities in the United States in the past 10 years. Atlanta is seeing a depletion of their natural water source and that grim reality is leading to panic around the world as we are beginning to face the facts that our natural resources are not unlimited. We are also seeing an increase in greenhouse gases and harmful carbon dioxide emission especially in large cities including Los Angeles and Washington D.C. It seems like we are digging our own grave by doing this to our atmosphere and earth; what is of more concern is that the earth will see an increase in hurricanes, floods, snowfall, heatwaves and ice storms.

 As gripping and urgent as this situation is, there is hope. Hope because we as a people are taking the proper steps by reducing emissions, greenhouse gases, water consumption, energy consumption and implementing more strict guidelines for the future. This is GREAT news for the potential and current home-buyer because as more strict standards go into place, we see an increase in the quality of a budding condo or  town home development using state of the art technology in making you living as clean and energy efficient as possible.

 We are on our way to reducing the negative effects that have been causing so much harm to our environment. The end result points towards a new frontier of modern living that promises to make the world a better place. 

Erosion is a natural thing and a natural part of the cycle of mother earth's life.  Unfortunately, as of late, erosion is occuring faster and faster and in more places.  Do we not want to talk about it?  Are we scared that if we acknowledge it, we'll in fact have to deal with it?  I mean come on, the elephant is there in the corner of the room, just chilling and to the blind eye, pretty apparent.  City councils are no longer issuing permits in some areas of the country due to the fact that erosion would hinder a structure in the not too distant future.  Residents in beach towns, especially, in Florida, who were not distraught by hurricanes this season are constantly worried about the rate of erosion.  Many condos are increasing their HOA's to help protect their building from the high-tides of the ocean by putting up blockades.  We need to act now and raise the conscienceness of our global family and rectify this problem.  We can't rely on ex Vice Presidents and Hollywood celebrities to address the elephant.  We all see it, so let's talk about it and do something about it!

                The condo market in Miami is simply just booming these days.  With resort style hotels, five star shopping and the worlds best gourmet chefs on hand, Miami simply is your one stop shop for the best living in the country.  Although prices are inflated the 12-15% increase in the condo market over the past 3 years tends to steadily climb.  While single family homes across the country are in a stand still, you seem to still gain equity with a miami zip code.  Riviling some buildings in las vegas your typical skyline in Miami is that of 20-40 story buildings and valet out front.  If you are looking to get in a property at a lower market value you better think again.  Some developers are even getting over market value for some of these exclusive properties.  Dont be surprised if you are waiting to get into a new development from such people as Trump who is opening the market for new developments in Miami.  NewCondosOnline has seen a vast number of developers advertising on the website to attract home buyers from all over the country.  If your looking for sunshine and beautifull beaches look no further than Miami.

So the president proposed a subprime mortgage rate freeze for 5 years...Awesome!  Wait, is it?  Let's take a step back and look at the bigger picture.  Is this magnanimous act by george bush the best way to alleviate at-risk homebuyers and condo investors?  Sure, it's an immediate relief but how about the long-term effects?  5 years may seem long but in reality, it's really short.  5 years ago, I was just out of college and it seemed like yesterday.  I wonder what the status of our economy will be in 5 years?  Will 5 years with a subprime mortgage freeze solve our housing crisis?  I hope we won't need any other federal intervention to help out struggling homebuyers.  What if we do, though?  Will we petition our next president for the same type of help if the Fed doesn't continually lower interest rates?  I wonder...