2011’s Places of Promise in Real Estate

Currently, for many people, buying a house now in today’s economy is quite a stretch. Not only is it quite a stretch, but it’s unfortunately out of the question. With the fluctuating economy resulting in loss of jobs, salary cuts, etc., funding for a mortgage is the least of people’s worries right now.

However, if you are apart of the population that is indeed interest in looking for a home, and feel like your job and salary are stable enough for the purchase, then I have some good news. Depending on where you currently live, this may not apply to you. If you are located (or plan to be located) between the mid and east coast though, listen up. There are a few markets in the country that have promising real estate purchases.

Based on a few important factors that determine how a market presents itself, I have found some cities where it might actually be a great idea to consider buying. You may even find yourself with quite a bargain.

Affordability, unemployment rates, foreclosures, and price increases are four factors to consider when determining if a particular city is financially stable enough for smart home-investing. Affordability is especially important because it’s good to see the investment of a house in terms of how many years of salary will this house cost? This factor is relative to the median home cost based on how many years of salary. The fewer the years of salary costs, the better rank of affordability that the market receives.

Unemployment rates, for obvious reasons, are critical when examining a city’s stable living. If there is a high unemployment rate, then that area is probably dealing with some heavy financing issues that clearly take a toll on its inhabitants.

The amount of homes that are incapable of being paid for by the owners has a great effect on the overall real estate market of an area. Foreclosures closely identify the wealth and security of a real estate market because, obviously, the lower the foreclosures, the healthier the market is.

Finally, price increases also plays as a large indicator of the real estate’s health. If the value of homes are rising, then the overall wealth of the market will succeed too.

Based on these four factors, here are the best places that would be a considerable choice for investing in a home:

• Utica, N.Y
• Oklahoma City, Okla
• Rochester, N.Y
• Pittsburgh, Pa
• Tulsa, Okla
• Albany, N.Y
• Lancaster, Pa
• Madison, Wis
• Green Bay, Wis
• Lincoln, Neb

Whether any of these locations are suitable for you as a home buyer or not, I recommend looking into the four mentioned factors because they will help closely identify what real estate economies are looking sharp and secure for potential home buyers!

Where to Vacation in July/August

Many weddings take place in July and August including my own. My wedding is 2 weeks away and we have had our honeymoon planned for a long time. For any bride that is getting married in July/August what are your options for honeymoon destinations?

One thing is for sure Hawaii is a sure bet. Hawaii has beautiful weather year round so you cannot go wrong. My fiancé and I are going to Maui. We are staying in Kihei for 10 days and I am really looking forward to it! But what if you want to go somewhere else for your honeymoon?

Depending on the atmosphere you are after there are many good choices. If you are looking for hot tropical weather Aruba, Barbados and Tahiti are great places to escape. Places to avoid include Jamaica and the Bahamas the reason is because these times of year are known for hurricanes in these areas.

If you are looking to escape somewhere with cooler weather Canada, Iceland and Alaska are all good choices. If I were to choose a cooler place to go I would say an Alaskan cruise would be amazing! That was my second choice when it came to our honeymoon destination.

If you wanted to travel internationally Europe unfortunately is a place to avoid. It is crowded, hot and full of tourists. It is best to wait to go there during January and February when it is cool and less crowded.

Best of Luck where ever you go!

Best Place to Get Married

I am getting married this summer and I am looking for a nice romantic location. One of the places I am strongly considering is San Francisco. With a temperature that never drops below 40 degrees in the winter and never goes over 90 degrees in the summer the weather is just what I am looking for.

Another thing that is great about San Francisco is the deco skyscrapers and my personal favorite Golden Gate Park. Where else in the world can you go and experience funky neighborhoods and museums along with the greatest dining around?

Now I live in Portland so if I choose to get married in San Francisco I am going to need to find someone that does San Francisco wedding photography. Choosing a destination wedding can be a lot of fun but make sure to do your research. As I bride I know how important it is to have all of the details – especially if you a re choosing a destination wedding.

Some things I recommend you look at before choosing your location are cost, availability and resources available in that location. To create the perfect wedding you have to have the right budget and resources available!

More Locations to Live in 2008

A few weeks ago I did a post about the top five spots to live in, in the United States. This is the list of the areas that placed from rank 6 to 10. Being in the top ten is still recognizable and worth checking out!

At number 6 it is Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Stevens Point is located in the middle of the state and it is said that it has something for everyone. It has green space, waterways, hiking trials, and biking trials, cross country skiing and much more!

Coming in at number 7 is Asheville, North Carolina. In Asheville it is said that there is always something going on. It has a great down town area where artists and street musicians line the streets. Asheville has 30 plus art galleries, excellent shopping boutiques, retail shops and even a variety of antique shops.

At number 8 it is Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. It is known for providing a sunny dry climate about 300 days of the year! The city has four seasons but they are all very mild and mostly warm.

Number 9 is Huntsville, Alabama. Huntsville offers a wealth of education, sports and cultural activities. It also has four seasons and the average temperature is 60 degrees.

Last but not least number 10 is Seattle, Washington. I have a special place in my heart for Seattle. It probably has to do with the fact that my fiancé went to Seattle University and my sister lives in Gig Harbor. Seattle offers a natural beauty that would inspire any couch potatoe!

If you are in the market to relocate be sure to keep these places in mind!

What will 1 million dollars buy you?

So hypothetically let’s say you have one million dollars to spend on a home. What exactly will one million dollars buy you in this day in time? I wanted to find out just what a cool million will do and here is what I found:

In Atlanta, Georgia I saw a million dollar home that was 3,200 square feet. It has five bedrooms and five and a half baths. This home was smaller in square feet but it offerers a nearly new stone wall traditional design in a gated community in one of Atlanta’s most in demand suburb.

In Wenonah, New Jersey I found a one million dollar home that is 5,000 square feet. It has four bathrooms and four and a half baths. Along with a good amount of space this home offers a few acres of landscaped yard, in ground swimming pool and a stone summer house with a bar! Not bad for one million!

In Raleigh, North Carolina one million dollars still buys a pretty good size home. A home I found was 6,300 square feet. It has five bedrooms and four bathrooms. It also offers a wet bar, separate area for a library, office, formal dining room and a first floor guest suite!

So if you are looking to get the best bang for your buck in square feet I would say go to Raleigh, North Carolina!