You are currently browsing the archives for the Real Estate category.

Archive for the ‘Real Estate’ Category

Coastal Living in Oceanside

Friday, October 30, 2009
posted by Frank Stevens

Coastal Living in Oceanside

Oceanside is a coastal community centrally located between San Diego and Los Angeles. Known for its sandy beaches and ideal climate, the area draws in tourists from around the world who want to experience beach living at its finest.

With a population of approximately 192,000, Oceanside is a medium sized community with a large military presence by way of Camp Pendleton Marine Base. It’s a thriving community that provides all the amenities of a modern city without the disadvantages. With easy access to freeways and railway transportation, you can enjoy beachside living without the long commute into the city.

Oceanside’s history began in 1769 when a Spanish Franciscan friar, Father Juan Crespi, came into the area along with a Spanish expedition. He led to the establishment of the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia that was built by Father Fermin Francisco de Lausuen and the original Luiseno Indians of the area. In 1883, the completion of the railroad connecting San Diego and San Bernardino provided easy access to the coast. As a result, more people inland came to “ocean side”, as they called it back then, to enjoy the beaches and escape the desert heat.

If you come to Oceanside and are interested in great site seeing and family activities, Oceanside has plenty to offer. A good place to start would be the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia. Today, the Mission is a working mission maintained by its parish and is a National Historic Landmark. Stop by the weekly farmer’s market to sample local produce, see the local flowers and see some local artists in action. In addition to the beautiful sandy beaches, Oceanside has numerous parks to enjoy a picnic lunch or a stroll. Golf courses are abundant in the area and provide hours of enjoyment for golf enthusiasts. And, just a short distance away you’ll find world-famous attractions like Legoland California, Sea World and the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

Another stop to consider is the Oceanside Harbor. Take a moment to see beautiful sleek yachts and fishing boats while enjoying some nearby shopping and dining. With close proximity to the ocean, you’ll be able to indulge in some freshly caught seafood.

Oceanside’s proximity to Southern California’s attractions, makes it not only desirable for tourists, but for residents and people interested in making Oceanside home. With median home prices in the mid $400,000’s, the cities location and growing economy are extremely attractive for any family desiring coastal living. Homes available range from single-family detached to town homes, condominiums and beachfront custom homes. With San Diego to the south and Orange and Los Angeles to the north, there is plenty of employment opportunities while allowing you to maintain a coastal living lifestyle.

Oceanside is an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Whether you come to visit or make roots, Oceanside provides a unique lifestyle sure to appeal to many people.

Dana Point – Harbor Getaway

Friday, October 30, 2009
posted by Frank Stevens

Dana Point – Harbor Getaway

Dana Point is a small, seaside hideaway in Orange County. It’s one of the few cities along the Orange County coast with a harbor. This portside community is known for its excellent surfing, water sports, climate and amenities.

With a population of over 35,000, Dana Point offers an oasis from the fast-paced life we live today. Dana Point’s famous harbor and beaches are an ideal destination for sea lovers and surfers alike.

The city was named after Richard Henry Dana, Jr., a politcian and author of Two Years Before the Mast, which included a description of the area. Dana describes Dana Point as “the only romantic spot in California”. In 1926, Sidney Woodruff, a prominent homebuilder in Los Angeles, developed homes around the lantern theme for the streets along Santa Clara Boulevard. He built 35 homes in what is called the Lantern Village that is in the historic part of Dana Point. Each street is named after different colored lanterns. In 1930, Woodruff’s grand vision was the Dana Point Inn above the harbor. He envisioned a luxury hotel with an elevator that would bring guests down to the beach below. Unfortunately, all that he was able to complete was the pier and although he tired to secure financing, he was never able to complete his vision due to the depression. Till this day, 34 of the “Woodruff” lantern homes are still occupied.

Dana Points harbor is one of the main attractions. Many boaters and boat lovers alike come to walk around the marina to take in all the incredible boats that dock in the harbor. The harbor offers fine dining and shopping opportunities as well. The Marina Inn is the only hotel in the harbor for those who wish to be in close proximity of the marina.

Dana Point is well known for their Blue Whale Season that runs from May through October. Gray Whales can also be seen in this area. Each winter beginning in November, they pass by Dana Point and some say that Dana Point is a landmark on their migration journey down south to Baja California. Once in Baja, they mate and nurse their young. If you want to really get up close and personal with a Blue Whale, Dana Point Wharf offers two-hour long catamaran whale watching cruises. On the cruise, you’ll get a chance to see the Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Sharks, Dolphins and Sea Lions. You’ll be sure to leave with some incredible memories to last a lifetime.

If you’re considering moving to Dana Point, the median home price for a single-family detached homes are around $560,000 and go up from there. Other types of homes available are town homes, condominiums and beautiful estates overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Whether you’re planning a move or simply come to Dana Point to enjoy their beautiful beaches and harbor, shop in their luxurious boutiques and specialty shops, or are in town to enjoy some world-class golfing at The Monarch Resort, Dana Point is sure to leave you wanting more.

Marietta, a Vibrant City with World-Class Amenities

Friday, October 30, 2009
posted by Frank Stevens

Marietta, a Vibrant City with World-Class Amenities

If you are thinking of making a move to the Atlanta area, Marietta is a city to consider. As the largest suburb in the metro Atlanta area and located in Cobb County, Marietta is an energetic city that has the charm of a small town and big-city opportunities.

Marietta offers a moderate cost of living and pleasant climate throughout the year. The median home price is around $195,000 and there are a variety of homes to choose from single-family homes to beautiful custom homes to townhomes and condominiums. It’s beautiful parks and quaint streets make Marietta an attractive community for residents and visitors alike.

For visitors, Marietta is a great getaway. Enjoy a stay at one of the many quaint bed and breakfast inns. Glover Park, the cities turn-of-the-century town sqaure, is filled with specialty shops and a variety of restaurants for your dining pleasure. If you enjoy tours, Marietta offers a few to help you learn more about it’s cities history. Take the Ghost of Marietta tour that takes you through the streets and guides you by antebellum mansions and civil war memorials. Another option would be to take the the Historic Marietta Trolley hour-long tour that narrates you through historic Marietta. If you’d rather be on your own, stop by the Marietta Welcome Center and pick up a walking tour brochure so that you can explore the streets at your leisure.

The Glover Park sqaure is full of speciality shops and museums. The Marietta Museum of History tells the story of the development and people of Marietta and Cobb County. Its galleries showcase a variety of artifacts from the 19th and 20th century clothing and accessories to Civil War weapons. The Theatre in the Square is a former cotton warehouse that is now an intimate 225 seat facility that features Broadway caliber productions. It has been called “the most charming performing spaces in the Southeast” by Southern Living Magazine

There are many reasons to move to Marietta. It’s transportation system helps make getting around and to other cities a breeze. It’s excellent education system is another big draw to the city for yourself and your family. The city provides learning for all citizens. Colleges in the area offering higher education include Southern Polytechnic State University, Chattahoochee Technical College and Life University that provide education for 20,000 students a year.

The city and county business landscape encompasses manufacturing and distribution, service industries and retailers. The booming service economy and the large migration of Northern companies into the South have brought lots of opportunity for employment for the area.

Tourism is another large supporting industry in Cobb County and is the second most popular visitor destination in Georgia. More than 4 million visitors a year experience the area’s attractions and stay in its hotels. Tourism in the area is still experiencing major growth, and is responsible for nearly 40,000 direct and indirect jobs in the county.

The cities history and charm coupled with it’s thriving economy, excellent schools and affordable living, make Marrieta an ideal community to make roots.

What We Can Learn from Nashville’s History

Friday, October 30, 2009
posted by Frank Stevens

What We Can Learn from Nashville’s History

Nashville is one of the most visited places in the world and one of the fastest growing cities in the Upper South. Most people who live here or visit may be unfamiliar with its rich history and culture. If you’re new to this city, you’ll be surprised by its rich history and how it impacts the city today.

The first European to Nashville was the Spaniard, Hernando de Soto who came through the area on his explorations in the 16th century but made no settlement. French fur traders were the earliest tradesmen in Middle Tennessee. The first of these fur traders to appear Charles Charleville, a trapper from New Orleans. In 1714, he built his post on a mound near what is known as Nashville. And, in 1717 a trading post was established and they traded with the Native Americans. By 1740, the trading posts were abandoned and Middle Tennessee was again without a single white resident.

The first permanent community in Nashville was created in 1779 by pioneers James Robertson and John Donelson, both explorers and adventurers. The city was originally called Fort Nashborough after Francis Nash, an American Revolutionary War hero and then was renamed to it’s current name, Nashville. Due to Nashville’s prime location and access to the river port, it quickly grew and prospered.

In 1806, Nashville was incorporated as a city and became the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. In 1843, the city was named the permanent capital of Tennessee.

By 1860, Nashville’s shipping port made it desirable prize as a means of controlling important river and railroad transportation routes. In February 1862, Nashville became the first state capital to fall to Union troops. Though the Civil War left Nashville economy in distress, the city quickly bounced back and within a few years, the city had reclaimed its important shipping and trading position.

After the war, prosperity bloomed in the city grew to into an important trade center. In 1897, Nashville hosted the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition, a World’s Fair celebrating the 100th anniversary of Tennessee’s entry into the Union. A replica of the Parthenon was built for the event. The Parthenon is a replica of the ancient Parthenon in Greece.

On August 18, 1920, Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment, allowing women to vote. In 1957, Nashville was a significant city in the Civil Rright Movements with the desegredation of public schools. And, in February 1960 college students involved in the Nashville Student Movement organized a sit-in to stop segregation at lunch counters and were successful at pressuring local businesses.

Today, the music publishing industry has dominated the econominc landscape bringing thousands of vistors each year who want to walk down Music Row. The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry are some of the main attractions.

The city along the Cumerland River is one of the fastest growing areas in the South. For those intersted in moving to Nashville, now is the time to buy with homes at historical low’s. Nashville continues to break barriers and as a result of early pioneers and activits, women and African Americans have the same God given rights.

What We Can Learn from Scottsdale’s History

Sunday, October 25, 2009
posted by Frank Stevens

What We Can Learn from Scottsdale’s History

Scottsdale is one of the most visited places in the world. Most people who live here or visit may be unfamiliar with its rich history and culture. If you’re new to this city, you’ll be surprised by its rich history and how it impacts the city today.

Scottsdale’s earliest inhabitants were the Hohokam. From 800 AD to 1400 AD, this ancient civilization farmed the area and built the original 125 miles of irrigation canals that are still used today.

Before European settlement, Scottsdale was a Pima Indian village. Some Pima Indians have remained in their original homes well into the 20th century. However, all Pima have now either been priced out of town or moved into newer homes within South Scottsdale and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

The remnants of the Hohokam irrigation system were adapted and improved upon in 1868 by the first European company to stake a claim when Jack Swilling set up the Swilling Irrigation Canal Company. In 1888, a U.S. Army Chaplain, Winfield Scott bought 640 acres of land where the city is now located. Winfield’s brother, George Washington Scott, was the first resident of the town that was then known as Orangedale and later changed to Scottsdale in 1894.

In 1937, world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright set up his “winter camp” at the foot of the McDowell Mountains, creating what is now known as Taliesin West. Scottsdale. His influence and impact are still visible today Many buildings throughout the area were designed by him and today a Frank Lloyd Wright memorial stands in North Scottsdale and a major street bears his name. Scottsdale was officially incorporated in 1951.

Real estate development had begun in what is now the Old Town area. With Phoenix bordering the west and an Indian reservation bordering the east, the town developed its narrow shape, stopped by Tempe in the south, and an enormous privately owned ranch, McCormick Ranch to the north. Indian Bend Wash, a rarely flowing river other than during heavy rain periods, bisected the city lengthwise. However, the Indian Bend Wash flowed more and more frequently in the late 1960s, federal tax dollars were allocated to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to cement Indian Bend Wash as a large canal, and build bridges over it, similar to the storm drains of Los Angeles. To control the flood water, they planted grass that naturally would assist in directional flow. The system worked as a flood control channel, and has been retained as parkland or golf courses ever since. The success of the park and golf course system paid off because the parks and golf courses followed closely on the heels of the mass production of affordable heat pump air conditioners in the 1950’s. As a result, Scottsdale quickly became a city to which families and retirees wanted to move.

From its official incorporation in 1951 with a population of 2000, the town of Scottsdale has grown to over 240,000. It is now the 6th largest city in the United States. Scottsdale’s appeal defined by its high quality of life and was recently named the “Most Livable City”in the United States by the United States Conference of Mayors.

Today, Scottsdale is one the fastest growing areas in the West. For those intersted in moving to Scottsdale, now is the time to buy with homes at historical low’s. Come see for yourself how the city has preserved their rich history for residents and visitors alike.

The Benefits of Offering Corporate Housing

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
posted by Frank Stevens

The Benefits of Offering Corporate Housing

Moving your residence is one of the ten most stressful life events. It represents major changes for the family and comes with a variety of other stressors automatically. Buying a house, for example is another one of the major stress causing events. Changing jobs is also in the top ten, as is changing schools for kids. When relocating for a new job, all of these events are combined in the relocation process causing the relocating employee to be under severe pressure from the outset.

When people are under severe stress, they are distracted, may have focusing, and their job performance can suffer drastically. From the perspective of the employer who is hiring a relocating employee, this can equal reduced productivity at best, and costly errors at worst. It is in the employer’s best interest therefore, to make sure that the transition goes as smoothly as possible for the employee. This may involve offering some assistance with the relocation efforts.

BY helping to spread the stressful events out over time, the employer can reduce the pressure on the employee as they begin assuming their new responsibilities. One way to do this is to offer temporary housing as a part of the relocation package. With temporary housing, the employee can start work comfortably, while the rest of the family wraps things up back home. This helps reduce the time pressure on selling the old house and finding a new one in the new city. It may give the kids time to finish up the school year, or the employee’s spouse time to find a new position in the new city before leaving their old job.

Temporary corporate housing usually consists of fully furnished apartment-like dwelling units. These units have full kitchens and all the amenities of home. The employee doesn’t need to run out to restaurants for every meal, but can buy groceries and cook their own meals just as if they were home. Pots and pans, plates, and all the kitchen utensils are usually included in these corporate housing units to make the transition as easy as possible.

Utilities such as electricity, telephone, television cable, and internet access are usually also a part of the deal and are already turned on and waiting when the employee shows up to move in. This reduces days off from the job spent waiting for utility companies to show up and make installations.

In many cases, employees taking advantage of corporate housing offers from their employers find that spending the first couple of months on the new job in this type of setting is a great boon to their getting settled in their new job. They have a couple of months to focus entirely on learning the ropes and corporate culture of the new company while their family stays behind in the old house taking care of loose ends.

Making the transition to the new job easier for relocating employees is not only good for the employee, but it results in a smoother transition and higher productivity for the employer.

The Wines of Temecula

Saturday, August 29, 2009
posted by Frank Stevens

The Wines of Temecula

When looking at the California wine racks in the local wine shop, you will likely notice that they are dominated by Napa Valley wines. Napa has an established wine industry and is a major tourist destination for wine lovers from all over the country. Napa’s unique position between ocean and mountains and its rich flinty soil make it perfect for growing robust rich wine grapes.

However, there is another wine region in California that has a growing wine industry and produces world-class wines that frequently win international awards. While not as well known outside of California as Napa, the Temecula Valley’s wineries and vineyards produce some of the finest wines in the country. Temecula is equidistant between Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County in Southern California. The area’s microclimate is similar to Napa and its soil is the perfect medium for grape vines to put down roots in.

Temecula produces many different types of wine grapes, some of European descent and some decidedly more North American. Here are some of the most popular grapes grown in the region:

Pinot Noir is a popular red grape that makes one of the most-purchased wines in the United States. It is one of the oldest grape varieties, having been grown by the Romans as far back as the first century A.D. Pinot Noir is called the “heartbreak grape” by many vintners as it is considered one of the most difficult grapes to coax into a bottle. It is difficult to grow, difficult to ferment, and difficult to age. California vintners have worked with Pinot Noir grapes for several decades and make fantastic wines. Pinot Noir is usually a lighter red wine often enjoyed with seafood and with grilled meats that do not overpower the delicate nature of the wine.

Zinfandel is considered a California red grape although it has been grown and harvested in several other countries under different names. When Zinfandel is fermented traditionally on its skins, it produces a rich complex red wine with lots of character. In California, however, it is often crushed and the skins are quickly removed. The Zinfandel grape pulp is white though the skins are red. This method makes the Zinfandel blush wine that is so popular in the state. It is one of the most widely-planted grape varieties in the Temecula Valley.

Cabernet Franc is a traditional French grape imported to California far more recently. It is one of the grape varieties present in most Bordeaux wines along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. While Cabernet Franc is often considered a blending grape, some Temecula wineries are creating wines from the single varietal. Cabernet Franc is not as bold and robust as Cabernet Sauvignon, but it has more floral and grassy overtones that make for a great wine to serve with rich foods and red meats.

Muscat grapes are a white grape used for both wine and table. Muscat grapes have a unique aroma and are often made into sweet wines as they can take the sweetness without becoming cloying. Muscat is not yet a popular grape in California but is grown in the Temecula Valley offering an interesting counterpoint to the heavier and bolder California reds.