Rose Cottage Ltd

This makes me sick – and it’s being done to suit private individuals to use Federal lands:

++ Wild Horse Removal

This next one is very important if you want to sell your home. Get rid of clutter and if you have to, rent a temporary storage unit to store some of your belongings. People want to see space, not clutter.

++ Five Tenets of Home Staging For DIY

And another “bad” regarding fracking. The process uses a LOT of ground water so, why are they doing it in areas of drought or potential drought? Even if your well isn’t full of fracking chemicals, it might just run dry…

++ Water allocation an issue at fracking locations across US and globally

I LOVE Naples, Florida. If I were looking at a move south, this would be my primary target. Looks like I need to save some coin first though…

++ Survey says: Naples luxury home market among tops in the U.S.

Interesting news – but not likely to impact most of us!

++ London Has Mansion-Tax Lesson for New York

These are always subject to individual interpretation as to what is “best” about a city, but I find them interesting to view. This one has a nice slideshow of potential choices if you’re contemplating a relocation.

++ The 10 best U.S. cities to live in

++ Best towns for fall colors

And a quick reminder from Cato that October is “Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog” month…

++ Startups Racing to Renovate the Home

This is a bit of a “one-off” but I thought it was good info to know…

++ How long is too long to keep food in the fridge?

++ Ark. real estate agent disappears while showing home

++ Investing In Luxury Real Estate

Now here are two headlines that show how closely you need to pay attention to the news, and what it’s really telling you:

++ U.S. New-Home Sales Surge 18% in August

Versus:

++ US existing home sales fall, investors pulling back

So if any news source makes a blanket statement about what the “real estate market” is doing, be very suspicious!

++ Norway jumps to second-biggest foreign buyer of U.S. real estate

I don’t know why it bothers me, but I am concerned about how many foreign interests are buying up huge chunks of America. Some foreign investors are buying REITs or real estate investment trusts – which means they can potentially own major stakes in many US commercial buildings, rural property, or single-family communities.

My worry comes from what I know to be true in single-family properties. Who takes the best care in and has the most pride of property ownership? One who lives in what they own. Absentee landlords? Not so much.

++ This House Was Inspired By “Star Wars”

++ 3 Trends Could Affect These Real Estate Investments

This next one tells me a lot. If you’ve lived long enough to see past interest rates in the double digits and then you see how long they’ve hovered in the 4 to 5% range, you’ll wonder at all this talk of “economic recovery.” One would think with a lending rate of interest at less than 4.5%, buyers would be hopping on properties fast and furious. But they aren’t.

++ Mortgage rates rise to 4.23%

++ Shop heirloom seeds and plants at monticelloshop.org

Okay, I do like the idea of tiny house living and how it can be accomplished, but I think the one linked below goes a bit too far – and for over $350,000 US dollars? Must be “location, location, location.”

++ ‘Smallest house in the world’ on sale for £275k in north London

++ Top 10 international places to invest in real estate

Happy weekend. First day of Fall 2014 is Tuesday!!!

Raining here today in North Carolina and there is so much bad going on in the world, I am having a hard time focusing on just real estate this morning. So with the holidays fast approaching, let’s look at a few best-selling books available for those interested in the subjects of real estate, DIY, design, and real estate investing.

This book equips owners with the information and strategies needed to turn their vision into a home or renovation project that can be executed on time and within budget. Chapters give detailed coverage of critical topics: design options, selecting and supervising the architect and contractor, cost estimates, budgets, plan specifications, contracts, dealing with town officials and keeping track of everything along the way. For each stage of the project there is detailed information on common pitfalls and how to avoid them, as well as insiders’ tips which reveal what most contractors can’t tell you.

The world’s top designers and leading decor experts including Kelly Wearstler, Amy Butler, Jonathan Adler, and many others come together to share over 1,000 professional tips, ideas, and solutions for every room and every budget. Written and compiled by Holly Becker, founder of the hugely popular design blog Decor8, and Joanna Copestick, acclaimed lifestyle writer, this intensive home decor program combines beautiful inspiration with nuts-and-bolts how-to for stunning results. More than 500 gorgeous color photographs.

Demystify the process of evaluating, acquiring, and managing rental property and becoming a landlord with Landlord Academy founder Bryan Chavis’s clear, step-by-step plan to make your dream of owning a multi-family property a reality.

With interest rates at historic lows, there’s never been a better time to buy rental property—and to hang on to it for long-term wealth building.

Landscaping Ideas That Work is the most comprehensive resource of inspired design ideas and practical solutions for creating landscaping and outdoor living spaces that are comfortable, attractive, and usable. With professional design advice as well as over 350 innovative ideas and photographs, this is the only sourcebook you’ll ever need for smart design, buying, and installation decisions for your outdoor digs.

With over 2,000 gorgeous, crystal-clear illustrations, your DIY home repairs have never been more straightforward. And now, in an updated compact size, there’s no job site this book can’t handle.

I had a book similar to this I’d used as reference for decades. And then I let someone borrow it. It was never returned. It might be time for a replacement.

Some of these offerings have Kindle and/or download capability…great for you, and great ideas for holiday gifts.

Believe it or not, only 17 days until the first day of Fall 2014 which is September 23. I have to say that as I’ve gotten older, fall is my favorite season. Less heat and humidity, and I’ve never minded raking leaves. Good thing too since I some how always find myself surrounded by trees. I think it’s a very worthy trade-off!

Happy Weekend!

++ Crashed Plane Belonged To Real Estate CEO

++ Real Estate Investing for Beginners

++ Which DIY adds most value to your property?

++ The Most Expensive Homes On the Market

++ Tiny Homes Attracting Attention

++ Shop heirloom seeds and plants

++ The 16 Best Towns To Live In

++ Retirees turn to farming as encore career

++ Master Gardener – Benefits of Natural design…

++ Easy water features to make for your garden

Another month of 2014 all but gone and Happy Labor Day weekend to all!

++ Terrible Real Estate Photos

++ Foreign investment in U.S. real estate widely underreported

++ Manhattan real estate prices hitting new records

++ What’s Behind The Blue Door of This $22K Tiny House?

++ Why You Should Hire a Professional Interior Designer

++ Wide selection of Eco-Friendly Bird Feeders! Spend $75 or more for FREE shipping

Ideas for semi-arid climates…
++ Free templates for landscape design

This is a scary thought for anyone whose home water is all well-based…
++ California Drought Squeezes Wells

++ Are You Cut out for Life in the Country?

Each week I try to find the most interesting or least publicized topics regarding real estate. This week, I’ve been taking a little turn from large and luxury properties – well, from looking at them anyway, to “tiny” houses and their designs.

It takes a lot more creativity to get all the necessary requirements into 400 square feet than it does into 4000!

Below are links to some books available via Amazon that may spur some new ideas – not only for someone wanting to downsize, but for anyone wishing to make the most efficient usage of whatever space they have. It’s YOUR space – so don’t think you have to be stuck with what the previous owners or the builder decided on when you study how you use your home.

This book explores the philosophies behind the tiny house lifestyle, helps you determine whether it’s a good fit for you, and guides you through the transition to a smaller space. For inspiration, you’ll meet tiny house pioneers and hear how they built their dwellings (and their lives) in unconventional, creative and purposeful ways. They’ll invite you in, show you around their cozy abodes, and share lessons they learned along the way.

Tiny Houses is an invitation to dream and, perhaps, to build any one of the 43 charming tiny houses. Both playful tribute and handy how-to, this is a wonderfully illustrated volume that features hundreds of photographs and detailed scale drawings. Whether you’re a student of philosophy aspiring to build a replica of Thoreau’s cabin, an ice fisherman in need of four walls to fend off winter winds, or just a dreamer with a vision of a humble cottage on a quite seashore, Tiny Houses is a precious resource for ideas, instruction, and inspiration.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a tiny home? Dream of having a smaller mortgage? Or none at all? Want to live a bit more simply and focus on the things that are really important in life? Tiny houses are becoming more and more achievable for thousands of people all over the world. This is a budding phenomenon that is seriously being considered by many people and for good reasons! There are many different motivations for adopting a tiny home and the lifestyle that comes with it. Less stress, more money in your pocket, more time to focus on other interests.

Inside Tiny House Floor Plans you’ll find over 200 interior designs for tiny houses – 230 to be exact. A tiny house is exactly what it sounds like, a house with many of the amenities you’d expect in a home tucked neatly into a super small space. Often these homes are built on trailers giving them the added benefit of mobility. But these designs could also be built on your choice of foundation. Each chapter focuses on one size footprint to show what can be done inside each size space – 14 in all.

Most if not all of these have a Kindle edition – and you know Amazon, if you want to get started Monday – they can probably get this info to you by then!

Hope everyone has a great and safe weekend!

++ Zillow to Acquire Web Real Estate Site Trulia

++ Norway’s Arctic Circle Real-Estate Boom

++ Hydroponics Gardening Systems

++ Former Helmsley Estate In Greenwich Back On Market After Renovations

++ Million dollar homes: Most expensive house edition

++ Real estate brokers take digital trickery to new levels with virtual renovations

++ Odd pets bring their own challenges

++ Farmers, Ranchers Oppose EPA Water Grab

++ Garden.com – A Bird Sanctuary

++ House of the Week: Federal-era townhouse in Georgetown for $10.5M

NOTE: Some kids are already returning to school and many of the rest are out running around – burning off the last of summer vacation energy. Please drive carefully. And remember, leave no kids or pets in hot cars. Too many have died from heat exposure already this season…

Here’s a great idea…

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