Townhouses used to conjure up images of small, cramped spaces that were inexpensive and for many a “first home only” option. Nowadays however new townhouses rival their single family brethren in size and amenities. They have also set a new standard in community amenities with many communities offering luxurious amenities found in resorts around the world.

Read on to see seven things you should consider before buying a single family home over a townhouse.

Low Maintenance Living – One of the biggest benefits of living in a townhouse is having a homeowner’s association that maintains common areas and buildings for you. You won’t have to worry about mowing the lawn, not being able to get to work because the road in front of your home isn’t plowed or paying for garbage separately. The homeowner’s association covers different maintenance items in every community so be sure to check that your wish list is covered before putting in an offer.

Clubhouse Amenities – In addition to the luxury of having common space maintained for you there are the clubhouse amenities that also come with living in a townhouse community. Common amenities include a swimming pool, fitness center, playground and some type of sport like a basketball or tennis court.

Clubhouses tend to have one large common space that can be rented by residents of the community and used to house large events like birthday parties, business meetings and more. If you entertain a lot then this type of arrangement may suit you best.

Municipal Services – Due to the size of townhouse communities, often in excess of 30 homes, townhouse communities use community or municipal services for water and sewer. This is another great aspect of townhouse living as compared with a single family home which may have a private septic and well setup.

More Affordable Options – Townhouse communities offer a range of models that vary in size and this variety can help you enjoy the same community lifestyle as buyers who purchase the most expensive homes in the community for less.

Close Proximity to Everything – Convenience is number one in the mind of townhouse buyers that commute and retirees who are downsizing but don’t want to give up easy access to shopping. Most townhouse communities are within short driving distance of mass transit, grocery stores and retail shopping centers.

Bigger Neighborhood – When you live in a townhouse community you will have more neighbors to befriend and can have friends for the entire family. Community amenities like a swimming pool and playground help grow friendships further.

Excellent Rental Potential – Sometimes you may need to relocate with little time to sell and renting will become a viable option. Potential tenants are usually more open to renting a townhouse with a homeowner’s association in place because it creates a near no maintenance environment for them whereas renting a single family home still comes with the responsibilities of ownership.

With luxury community amenities that rival four star resorts and new interior designs that focus on openess and space, townhouses are making a huge comeback in the new home market. Before making the investment into a single family home it would be well worth investigating townhouse communities in your search area to see what home styles, layouts and amenities they offer.

Looking for a short break or a family holiday? Why not go for a holiday in one of the many Sussex cottages that are out there for you to take advantage of. There are so many Sussex cottages to choose from you will never be left out. Whether you are looking for a short term rental because of building work etc on your current property or just looking for that perfect short break then renting a Sussex cottage is the way to go.

You will always be in a safe mind when booking your holiday because all cottages are regularly checked and made sure that they are in perfect condition. The thing with Sussex cottages are that you are expected to keep the cottages in the same condition you found them. This should be completely understandable so that everyone can enjoy the same experience in each and every one of the Sussex cottages.

If you are looking to go away with your pets as well then many Sussex cottages can help you as they allow you to bring your pets with you as long as they are well behaved and don’t mess up the cottage. If they do then you will be held responsible so you will need to make sure that they are definitely behaved as if they do break anything you are held responsible. The Sussex cottages that do allow for pets do not provide you with the necessary pet products you may need so you will need to provide these yourself.

Bed linen and towels etc are all provided for you along with many other holiday essentials that you will need. These are all provided free of charge to keep your stay in the Sussex cottages as easy and relaxing as possible so you wont need to worry about anything like linen and towels.

You will be required to pay a security deposit before you can go on your holiday in one of the Sussex cottages, this deposit is in place so that you make sure that the cottage is left in the same condition and up to the same standards it was found it in. You will receive this back at the end of your stay if the Sussex cottage you are visiting is kept the same. Any breakages or damage caused will be taken out of this security deposit so that everything is made fair.

Most Sussex cottages are available all year round but you will need to check that yours is as some of them may only be available in the summer months, this is not on many of the properties but some are only available at certain times of the year.

If you decide or realize that you need to cancel your Sussex cottages holiday then you will need to contact the provider and also send a written letter confirming that you need to cancel your holiday in our Sussex cottages.

There are so many Sussex cottages available from cottages to castles to stately homes, it is up to you where you want to go, so good luck and have fun.

Real Estate business has seen tremendous growth and so has been the need of Real Estate agent. Today more and more people are getting interested to become home owner and as the demand for real estate need increases the role of Real Estate Agent becomes more important. In the past one agent use to provide services to both seller and buyer but as the real estate market changed people started to realize that specialized service is more logical and beneficial. In Real Estate industry now buyer/seller are looking for specialized agents who can provide specialized related expertise, information and services required to complete the process. When a real estate agent represents both buyer and seller it really restricts agents to provide impartial service to either party.

Let’s look at the both (Seller/Buyer) scenario separately. A real estate agents who is a listing agent of seller has a fiduciary, ethically and moral duty to represent seller only.

By getting Exclusive Right to Sell Listing, the real estate agent is promising seller that he will live no stone unturned to market the home and find the best buyer at maximum possible market value for the home.

As a Buyer’s real estate agent he need to find the right home for buyer along with should all information of the community. When a buyer is exploring to buy a real estate property in new community, he is very much interested to find out several information related to that particular community such as population, crime, climate, schools, traffic, living standards etc. Buyer’s real estate agent should be well informed with all these information so that he can provide that information to buyer. It will be easier for buyer to make the decision based on these information. Once the buyer is ready to buy real estate property in the community then other part of the real estate agent’s duty starts. As buyer’s agent it is his responsibility to find a real estate property, as per buyers requirement. It is also buyer’s real estate agents duty to negotiate the best market price with seller.

So if seller and buyer are represented by their own specialized agent then both agents can play a partial and specialized role for their client..

So it is quite clear that one real estate agent representing both seller and buyer can not justify providing specialized service to both party. Both buyer and seller are in different need of services. That’s why specialized real estate service has become more in demand where buyer/seller can get impartiality specialized service during the process.

Never before has the role of specialists in the world of real estate been more important. With buyers and sellers requiring more services, the industry has seen an explosion of agents who specialize in either the representation of sellers or buyers. These specialist agents can provide a wealth of services and maintain a complete impartiality during the sales process as there is only one client to concern them.

Historically the sales transaction and the concerns of the buyer were the purview of a single realtor. However, as the industry has progressed so have the needs of each party and so the specialist arose. Buyers have some very particular needs, and specifically the need to feel that their best interests are seen to. Listing agents are representatives of the home’s owner and in that role they have a primary responsibility to that owner. How could they properly look after the needs of an interested buyer as well?

So what is it that a buyer’s agent does? Primarily the buyer’s agent will begin with the location of suitable properties for their clients. This is usually based upon a list of requirements and desires that the client has communicated to the agent. They will then arrange viewings and recap their findings with their clients and assist in deciding upon a good candidate for an offer. This will be based on the wealth of community information that a buyer’s agent commands. As specialists, they are experts on their given area which is critical in the education of clients on the areas that they are considering. Once a property is decided upon, the buyer’s agent changes significantly, evolving into an overseer-negotiator role. They will typically coordinate the inspections and conduct the negotiations with the listing agent. This includes the execution of the buyers subjects and the closing of the actual contract.

There is an art to representing a buyer. It is a role that has become ever more crucial in an industry where customer service is the single most important thing that an agent can offer. If you are in the market for a home then the buyer’s agent is the friend that you need to make sure that you are given the service that you deserve.

Self catering cottages are a rage with travellers these days. Such is the popularity these self catering cottages are enjoying these days that many are opting for them over multi star hotels. And there are good reasons to be so. First, self catering cottages provide the freedom to live life just like one would live in his home. Then there are other benefits. Let us look at some of the important ones.

The fact that these cottages are self catering explains that in these cottages you can do your thing yourself and just the way you want to do them. You can choose to cook for yourself, or get food from outside. You can move in and out any time of the day. You have the entire cottage to yourself, so you can move about freely without encroaching on anybody’s space.

That brings us to another important factor and that is space. In self catering cottages, you have lots of space to yourself. You do not feel cloistered in a cramped guest house room, nor do you feel bound by the walls of a hotel suit. You can live like a king, just like you would live in your home. And also you can choose a well-ventilated cottage with your own private pool, and windows overlooking the pool or the pretty scenery outside.

Talking about the scenery, you can choose to hire a self catering cottages in a beautiful location where your cottage is situated amidst mountains and valleys. Or you can also choose a cottage in a green environment with flora and fauna to rejuvenate your life.

Self catering cottages give you lots of options that you would not be able to find in most of the luxurious hotels. And all, these options make self catering cottages a huge hit with most of the travellers these days.

When people call me, typically one of the first requests they make is for a house in a “nice” neighborhood. And this makes sense to want a neighborhood that is safe and enjoyable. But there are some benefits to buying real estate in the rough part of town or on the wrong side of the tracks. This article highlights some of them.

- There is less worry of your neighborhood going downhill because it is already downhill. Good neighborhoods can get bad and bad neighborhoods can get better. Since the price usually reflects the current condition, buying in a neighborhood that has room for improvement might be a good idea.

- If you are buying a rental, you usually get better cash flow in rough neighborhoods. If you are renting your property, there are more renters and they are more long term. It’s difficult to rent in good neighborhoods because fewer people are looking to rent and those who do are generally there short term while they look for a house to buy.

- You can look better in comparison to other landlords. Landlords in rough areas frequently don’t maintain their properties as well as people in nice areas. Therefore, if you maintain your properties, you can blow away your competition, and charge more for it.

- If you are in a rough neighborhood, you can propose that your property change will improve the neighborhood and you have a better chance of getting a different zoning. Conversely, if you are in a good neighborhood, it’s hard to make the same argument.

- You can buy more property. If you want to spend 500k, you can either buy one house in an upscale neighborhood or six or seven houses in a rougher neighborhood.

- They’re more recession proof. When the economy goes south, real estate in rough neighborhoods is less affected.

In summary, I am not saying you have to buy in a bad neighborhood. But simply that if you are looking for long term investments sometimes its a good idea to wander over the tracks and look around a bit.

In my professional experience as a Home Construction Consultant, Developer & Construction Loan Expert I have had the pleasure of touring and viewing thousands of homes all throughout this beautiful country of ours! It never ceases to amaze me when I encounter that home that is so unique that I wonder to myself “Wow… the owner of that place will lose money when he tries to sell that house!”

9 times out of 10, when I see homes that make me think this it is because they have made a HUGE mistake in the features and design of their home! As a savvy consumer and soon to be Owner Builder it is my desire that you never become an example or statistic of “bad design” so let’s jump right in.

1. Avoid designing a home so unique that it can’t be appreciated by those who you would sell to in the future!

For example, dome shaped or triangular all-roof houses are in my professional opinion too unique for the average Owner Builder! And for the sake of this conversation, “too unique” is defined as anything so far from the general consensus of public opinion on home design that if you ever had to sell the home people would be turned off by it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love watching all of the really cool and hip tv shows that feature people and their wacky homes. However most of those people are fairly wealthy and for those that are not, they plan on living in these homes forever. Unfortunately for those who do not plan on living in the homes indefinitely they will be in for a rude awakening when it comes time to sell and the potential buyers are few and far in between.

Let me explain! Now by all means I understand that you want a unique home that to some degree is different than maybe what the tract homebuilders are offering and different than other stuff you have seen, I am with you on that! I personally love pushing the envelope on design and cutting edge features in the home projects I develop and/or build however there is a line that we cannot cross.

2.  Failing to hire a Landscape Architect to design the exterior elements and landscaping!

I am continually amazed at people who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home only to totally overlook the landscape! Of the hundreds of thousands of dollars a smart investment of $15,000 would have produced a tremendous return in curb appeal and overall beauty. Never the less, in most cases, the indelible impression made first by the curb appeal or lack thereof stuck in the mind and overshadowed everything. Such as the case for you when you forsake having a landscape architect design how your yard will look.

Some families I have consulted with have viewed the landscape architect as an expense, but after counseling with them many come to see this as the investment that it really is. Homes that have nice landscaped, well manicured lawns sell faster and for top dollar as opposed to homes that don’t have that curb appeal and well maintained lawn. Landscaping in the last several years has really caught on with more people spending lots of time outdoors. One of the current custom home trends involves extensive landscaping and outdoor kitchens!

3.  Designing a HUGE home that is too basic and/or box-like in it’s architecture!

Just because a home is big does not give it a pass to be box-like with no character! In the workbook section of the soon to be released “How to Build Your Custom Dream Home for Less” Owner Builder System I show photo examples to really drive home this point. I am really dumbfounded when I see these really large box-like structures as I just can’t believe that the designer and owners actually like what they created! Maybe beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder after all, however unfortunately the beholder isn’t buying houses! (I digress…)

I can recall a home over 30,000 square feet and it literally looked like an over-sized tennis shoe box in the middle of a field. There were no architectural elements to give the home an identity, such as gabled roof lines, bay windows, brick accents or trim elements. It didn’t even have any landscape to dress up the exterior and break it up a little bit, just (4) perfectly straight walls and a roof, Yuck!

A very vital aspect of designing your Custom Dream Home is what I call grassroots research, which quite simply is the practice of visiting builder model homes and open houses that are comparable in price to the home you are planning to build. This will provide you with a really good road map and point of reference for design standards and benchmarks in that price range so that you can compare that to what you would like to design and build.

4.  Never cut corners or skimp on the amenities and fixtures of a Custom Home!

It is said in business that 1 of anything is very bad; you always want more than 1 way of getting business, more than 1 replacement for an employee etc. Well in custom home design, nearly anything that is white is bad unless we are talking about trim, cabinets or similar areas. Do not cut corners to save dollars on your home by choosing cheap counter tops, flooring, light fixtures and other design elements. The key to building a Custom Dream Home that is really custom is having a sound plan from the start so that you can get the amenities you want and deserve without sacrificing the integrity of the home.

In many cases, it is better to build a smaller well-equipped home than it is to build a larger home that is plain! I trust that you have found great value in these tips and I look forward to providing you with more informative articles and insights that will help make the planning of your Custom Dream Home a breeze! I wish you the best on your Custom Dream Home project and here’s to great design…

In my professional opinion, if you are building a Custom Home then there are some basic prerequisites that the home should have like solid surface counter tops, really nice carpet, hardwoods, tile flooring and separate showers to name a few. I am amazed when I tour a 7,000 square foot custom home only to see that the Master Bathroom has an all-white ceramic tile shower and linoleum flooring! Give me a break!

Now maybe I sound a little overboard here but unless there are medical reasons for these types of selections and/or other important constraints you are setting yourself up for failure if you ever have to sell a home that has these types of material selections.

As I write this article, I am angered that our Government has failed to recognize that the poor people of this country need to be sheltered side by side with the rich in our society. In recent time, the policies of the privileged ones amongst us occupying topmost positions are not favourably disposed to accommodating us. Shelters supposed to enjoy prominence as one of the basic requirements of nature are lacking in Nigeria, rather we have become inured to the “Low-Cost Housing Scheme” in the dictionary of Nigeria’s shelter structure. The word “Low-Cost Housing appears to have lost its original meaning in the context of real usage.  

In Lagos especially the cost of procuring accommodation soars endlessly, with the government not interested in regulating this very sector. Houses are in high demand as large size families are crammed inside rooms not fit enough for animals to dwell. Anyone who has been to almost every part of Lagos State like Bariga, Orile-Iganmu, Sari-Iganmu, Munshin, Idimu, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Maroko, Ijegun (Satellite) Agege, Obalende, Ebutta-Meta, Isale-Eko, Surulere, etc will feel extremely sorry seeing bath and defecate on canals, yet these places are on government papers called Urban areas.

                           

No situation invokes so much fears on the dwellers of these places than a cloudy sign indicating rain, in such places, families will inside their houses stand in corners to avoid rain right inside their houses, coupled with the fact that already beds and other personal effects are made to stand on Blocks to avoid rain-water. Terrible indeed! These people vote in times of elections, celebrate in times of football victories, fast and pray for the country because they are the happiest people on earth.

In places recognized as big men areas, such as Festac and Satellite towns, conditions of these towns have deteriorated to the extent that roads are impassable, yet the prices of living inside these estates soars on monthly basis. In Festac town for instance at least, as at today being November, 2008, N250,000 per annum is required to take up a two bedroom flat for rent, you may need to compulsorily pay for two years duration exclusive of commission, while taking up a normal 2 bedroom Bungalow may cost you N400,000 per annum to take up on rent. In order words, you need close to N900,000 or simply reckon your budget at N1million because the price is subject to arbitrary upward review to rent a two Bedroom in Festac town.

When our Government completes palatial bungalows and duplexes for their comfortable accommodations they unjustifiably nickname them “Low-Cost houses.” These houses are auctioned to the exclusion of the poor masses of the country that in the first place are unable to afford living in theses houses. MKO Abiola Gardens is a typical example of what I buttress here. In this way, large mass of lands are utilized by the Government to construct houses that are not meant for ordinary citizens of the country. This is most disturbing for the citizens because if nothing is done, a time will come when poor people of this country will occupy open fields while the rich in our midst dwell in palatial mansions.

When governments cannot build 1, 2, 3 or 3 Blocks of flats, and even single rooms for the common people of this nation to live, the result is that people live under the bridges and consummate their legitimate businesses which the same governments often demolish in the end. Many of us consider it easier today to purchase vehicles than rent houses because these houses are no where within the availability of the average citizens, or are not even in existence.

Lagos State is not alone in this accommodation mess, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Kano, Kaduna, Imo, Niger, Kwara, Ogun, Plateau, Anambra, and Abuja are some of the major States in Nigeria currently being confronted by the problem of shelter. It has become the norm to make inquiries for the availability of shelters before settling in these parts of the country to avoid paying so much for little derivation. We urge our governments to day to build affordable and truly low cost houses for the poor masses of this country because they will be indirectly asking us to go back to our villages with our loads on our heads if we cannot afford to stay in these places.

Governments should begin this by regulating to prices of renting accommodations because there is no sense in arbitrarily raising the prices of properties built decades ago. Nigerians should also ordinarily be of assistance to themselves and realize that no one journeys with landed properties to other destinations. Let us be our brothers’ keeper  

The Village of Buffalo Grove is located about 35 miles northwest of Downtown Chicago Illinois. The City overlaps both Cook and Lake Counties. Its closest neighbors in Cook County include The Village of Arlington Heights and The Village of Wheeling. In Lake County, the adjacent communities of Long Grove, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, and Riverwoods are closest to Buffalo Grove.

Since it’s founding in 1958, Buffalo Grove real estate has always been in high demand and has, through the years, continued to rise in value. Lately, the appreciated values have been fueled by the Village’s infrastructure and its reputation of living standards which feature award winning schools, beautiful parks, wonderful recreational facilities that are designed for every age and life style. There are two public golf courses, totaling over 240 acres, owned and operated by the Village. Additionally, there are indoor and outdoor swimming facilities, and many other recreational activities and courses offered through its well staffed Parks Department.

It’s proximity to modern transportation systems, including a modern commuter rail system and highways make it an ideal place to live for everyone; singles, new or growing families and retirees and continue to be one of the prime factors in attracting new residents.

Buffalo Grove has retained all of the characteristics, which attracted its earliest residents. Today, it remains a community of landscaped-tree lined streets, well maintained homes, with manicured lawns, all located in wonderful ‘pride of ownership neighborhoods. Housing development over the past 15 years have produced a mix of single family homes, townhouses, condominiums, apartments, and duplexes. Buffalo Grove provides all of the amenities of living within a country atmosphere with convenient access to the arts, cultural theatre and entertainment, and all of the convenience of having close-by business centers in Chicago.

Property values in Buffalo Grove have continued to rise, with sales evening off somewhat since mid 2005, however, the real estate market here is hot and continues to contribute heavily to the local booming economy. Overall real estate sales are positive with most real estate bringing in at least 97% of the original asking price.

Living on the third floor at your apartment can at times be frustrating…especially when you are trying to lug groceries or furniture up three flights of stairs. However, as frustrating as it may be from time to time, there are some really great bonuses to living on the top floor.

1) No above neighbors- You will never have any upstairs neighbors pounding on the ground and bothering you with noise. If you start hearing noises above you, it could only be either thunder or some really big squirrels. You also don’t have to worry about an upstairs neighbor dumping liquid or a cooler full of ice over the balcony passed your balcony.

2) Best Views- Looking out of your windows or going out on your balcony from the third floor can provide you with some of the best views in the community. How can you beat that?

3) Further Away From Car Noise- Up high, you are further away from the parking lot and the cars passing back and forth. This helps you isolate yourself away from the noise as well and things are a little quieter.

4) Harder For Crime- It may also be more difficult for a burglar to break in to your apartment through the windows on a higher floor unless they are good at scaling walls. They also would be less prone to take things out of your place because they would have so far to lug that stuff.

5) Work Out- The best bright side of all is that you get a little more of a work out and burn more calories than you would in a downstairs apartment just by simply going to and from your place. (This is no way to get fully in shape, but every little bit helps)

So there you have the top 5 reasons that living on the top floor in your apartment building is a really awesome thing. Enjoy it! Relish it! Remember to live for fun!

Extra Tip: Keep a big brown box broken down in your trunk that you can put together and use to bring your groceries up in bulk and in one trip!

For more tips on apartment living and getting the most out of the apartment lifestyle, check out ApartmentHomeLiving.com

Sakol Publishing Ltd has been serving the online holiday cottage market for over 10 years and today announces the launch of its completely makeover site UK Holiday Cottages Online. (www.oas.co.uk).Launched in 1996 UK Holiday Cottages Online is one of the original holiday cottage portal websites offering over 1,000 self catering holiday cottages throughout Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Whatever kind of self catering holiday accommodation you are looking for, you’ll find it at UK Holiday Cottages Online!

1. If you are looking for a self catering holiday cottage in Scotland, you’ll find it here. Whether it’s a family holiday cottage in the Highlands of Scotland or a romantic holiday cottage. Each has 3 bedrooms, colour TV, fully equipped kitchen with dishwasher, washer/dryer, fridge/freezer, food processor and coffee maker.

2. In Yorkshire you find west close houses stone with panoramic views, 3 bedrooms, woodburning stoves and storage heating, barn, stables and garden, no through traffic

3. Cottages Situated at Penmon Point only metres from the sea, a semi detached cottage looking out to Puffin Island and with far reaching views over to Snowdonia and the Great Orme. Children will enjoy the safe garden and crabbing down in the rock pools

4. 8 lovely self catering cottages in idyllic mountain setting just 5 minutes drive from Conway sleep 2-8 persons. All are furnished to a high standard and all have TV/Videos, CD systems and facilities include Video library, horse riding, pet’s corner, gym and sauna, games room, pond with geese and ducks

5. Individual and stylish lakeside lodges. The Cotswold Water Park offers a tranquil retreat in a countryside setting, an excellent location for sightseeing, activity breaks and getting away from it all. Easily accessible and a perfect destination for country weekend breaks or extended holidays

6. Five very high standard barn conversions set in the owner’s grounds, approached through an avenue of lime trees in a truly peaceful and rural area. Each cottage has been sympathetically converted, making the most of the natural roof timbers and exposed Cotswold stone