div img class=”category-img” src=”http://ftper.newsusa.com/Thumbnail/MortgageHope.jpg” alt=”Five words or less” width=”180″ //divdiv class=”category-listcontent”div class=”category-body” id=”ArticleBody” style=”display: block” (a href=”http://www.newsusa.com”NewsUSA/a) – Homeowners struggling to meet their mortgage payments should not wait until they default on a payment before speaking to their lender. Hope and …/div/div
Refinancing in a Down Market
div img class=”category-img” src=”http://ftper.newsusa.com/Thumbnail/MortgageHelp.jpg” alt=”Five words or less” width=”180″ //divdiv class=”category-listcontent”div class=”category-body” id=”ArticleBody” style=”display: block” (a href=”http://www.newsusa.com”NewsUSA/a) – Falling home values are a cause for concern for millions of American homeowners, mortgage lenders and the federal government.
To help …/div/div
Green Building Makes Homes More Affordable
div img class=”category-img” src=”http://ftper.newsusa.com/Thumbnail/AffordableGreenHomes.jpg” alt=”Five words or less” width=”180″ //divdiv class=”category-listcontent”div class=”category-body” id=”ArticleBody” style=”display: block” (a href=”http://www.newsusa.com”NewsUSA/a) – Faced with increasing demand for low-income housing, public housing authorities are finding that investing in green building solutions can make …/div/div
Outdoor Rooms Help Expand Homes
div img class=”category-img” src=”http://ftper.newsusa.com/Thumbnail/ImproveHome.jpg” alt=”Five words or less” width=”180″ //divdiv class=”category-listcontent”div class=”category-body” id=”ArticleBody” style=”display: block” (a href=”http://www.newsusa.com”NewsUSA/a) – If the economic downturn means a new house isn’t realistic right now, consider adding an outdoor room to your home. You can extend your kitchen, …/div/div
Hospitality Industry Takes a Hit, Investors Take Interest
 NewsUSA) – As the real estate market has fallen, more developers have become interested in purchasing bottom-dollar homes to resell when the market recovers. In a similar vein, some businesses are now purchasing hotels.
One such investment and real estate company, MOD Hospitality, has taken advantage of falling real estate values to buy high-quality hotels and restaurants in strong markets. “The hospitality industry, as a whole, is taking a beating,” says MOD Hospitality President Frederic S. Richardson. “It’s the perfect opportunity for wily investors to make a profit.” The company plans to hold and manage the properties for three to five years, or until the value of their investment matures. They recognize that professional property management is crucial, and they only use local property management firms because they know the markets where the properties appeal. Complete operating results are provided to promote investor confidence. So far, the company has obtained hotel properties in different markets, ranging from boutique hotels to high-quality hotel chain franchises, including a Holiday Inn Express and The Fairfield Inn by Marriott. More prestigious properties include the New Clinton Hotel, a boutique acquisition located in the heart of South Beach, Miami, Fla. Situated on Washington Avenue, the hotel is surrounded by diverse restaurants, trendy shops and lively bars. Also located in Miami Beach, the The Hotel Astor Miami Beach is a luxury boutique hotel with Art Deco flair. The hotel and its new Maison d’Azur Restaurant are favorite destinations for celebrities, artists and fashion photographers, as well as business executives. While the economic downturn strains the hospitality industry, hotels and restaurants seem ripe for investment. In using a company such as MOD Hospitality, which carefully researches potential properties and expertly handles their management, investors are able to benefit from the hospitality industry while taking less risk. For more information, visit www.eastcoastventures.com. MOD Hospitality trades on the OTC.BB under the symbol MODY.OB. |
Foreclosures Open Up New Market
 NewsUSA) – To some, the current real estate market looks dismal. A weak labor market, rising mortgage rates and high energy prices have caused many American homeowners to lose their properties. To others, the real estate markets looks ripe for investment.
Deer Park Development Corporation, a company with over 30 years of experience in the real estate market, has developed a new approach for investors hoping to purchase and resell foreclosed properties for profit. Foreclosed houses sell at lower prices, helping investors buy properties with less money upfront. In the past, housing prices reflected overinflation -; as the market evens out, the mortgage crisis might actually help stabilize home prices. Marty O’Malley, CEO of Deer Park Development Corporation, noted that the current real estate market represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the astute buyer. “With one in every 360 homes in foreclosure nationwide, the opportunity to buy distressed property at significant discounts to their original appraisals is extensive,” said O’Malley. “In Clark County, Nev., one in every eighty homes is in foreclosure, and on top of those statistics, one in every two homes is underwater, meaning that it’s not worth the amount of money owed on it.” With this amount of inventory on the market, there are situations out there that present themselves as profitable ventures. Not all of the foreclosures are money-making deals, but with experience, professional investors know when and what to buy, so they can make successful ventures. Being an individual investor in the real estate market can be a dangerous proposition for the inexperienced. But investors, in tying themselves to a group of experienced real estate players, can use experts’ hard-earned knowledge to turn a profit in the down real estate market. “Allowing individual investors to participate in ownership through direct partnership creates a risk-free vehicle for foreclosure players to work with,” said O’Malley, For additional information, visit Deer Park Development Corporation’s Web site at deerparkdevelopmentcorp.com or contact Capital Group Advisors at 954-297-0706. |
Las mesadas de granito aún encabezan la lista de mejoras en el hogar
 NewsUSA) – A pesar de los chisporroteos de la economía, el gasto del consumidor en renovaciones del hogar continúa gozando de buena salud. En todo el país, los propietarios de viviendas están invirtiendo en proyectos de remodelación de la casa -; especialmente en cambios en la cocina -; ya sea para hacer que sus hogares sean más atractivos para los compradores o más cómodos y agradables mientras salen del desplome inmobiliario.
Y una de las mejoras más populares en el hogar es, una vez más, los mostradores de granito. Un análisis reciente de 10.000 consumidores, llevado a cabo por el Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence, descubrió que las renovaciones de las cocinas permanecen en lo alto de la lista para los consumidores que buscan agregar valor a sus casas. Cuando el estudio preguntó a los propietarios de viviendas, “Si usted cambiara su cocina en este momento y no tuviera restricciones en el presupuesto, ¿qué mejoras haría?” Los mostradores de granito estuvieron entre las características de la cocina más deseadas. Muchos consumidores están ajustando sus cinturones pero siguen entusiasmados con los mostradores de granito, según Garis Distelhorst, Vicepresidente Ejecutivo del Marble Institute of America, la asociación más importante del país de piedras naturales. “Históricamente, los consumidores reconocen que los mostradores de granito mejoran el valor de una casa de una manera que otras mejoras no logran hacerlo,” comentó Distelhorst. “Ninguna otra superficie de mostrador puede compararse al granito en términos de practicidad, belleza eterna, durabilidad y seguridad. Esta piedra natural ha mantenido su valor de una manera que materiales más modernos no han podido hacerlo.” Los consumidores continúan invirtiendo con confianza en los cambios de la cocina porque los proyectos en general aumentan el valor de reventa de sus casas. En los últimos cinco años, los proyectos de remodelación de las cocinas en general han devuelto a los consumidores entre el 80 y el 85 por ciento de las inversiones, según “Cost versus Value Report (Informe de costos en relación al valor)” de la revista “Remodeling”. Considerando que las renovaciones de cocinas incrementan los valores de reventa, los expertos concuerdan que si los consumidores pueden afrontar la renovación sólo de un espacio de sus casas, debería ser la cocina. En realidad, una cocina renovada “que luce espléndida y es divertida para trabajar” tiene la máxima prioridad entre 2.200 fanáticos del hogar encuestados recientemente por la revista Better Homes and Gardens. “Hemos descubierto que el hogar continúa siendo nuestro centro emocional y el lugar óptimo de la vida diaria,” comentó Gayle Butler, el editor en jefe de Better Home. “Dejando la incertidumbre económica de lado, no dejaremos de gastar, mejorar y soñar.” Para obtener más información, visite el sitio web del Marble Institute, www.usenaturalstone.com. |
Granite Countertops Still Top List of Home Improvements
 NewsUSA) – Despite the sputtering economy, consumer spending on home renovation remains healthy. Across the nation, homeowners are investing in home remodeling projects – especially kitchen makeovers – either to make their homes more appealing to buyers or more comfortable and enjoyable while they ride out the housing slump.
And one of the most popular home improvements is, once again, granite countertops. A recent study of 10,000 consumers, conducted by the Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence, found that kitchen renovations remain at the top of the list for consumers seeking to add value to their homes. When the study asked homeowners, “If you were changing your kitchen now and had no budget constraints, what improvement would you make?” granite countertops were among the kitchen features they coveted most. Many consumers are tightening their belts but remain eager for granite countertops, according to Garis Distelhorst, executive vice president of the Marble Institute of America, the nation’s leading natural stone association. “Historically, consumers recognize that granite countertops enhance the value of a home in ways few other improvements can,” said Distelhorst. “No other countertop surface can measure up to granite in terms of practicality, timeless beauty, durability and safety. This natural stone has held its value in ways more trendy materials have not.” Consumers continue to invest confidently in kitchen makeovers because the projects typically increase the resale value of their homes. In the last five years, kitchen remodeling projects have generally returned 80 to 85 percent of consumers’ investments, according to the “Cost versus Value Report” from Remodeling magazine. Because kitchen renovations increase resale values, experts agree that if consumers can only afford to renovate one room in their homes, it should be the kitchen. In fact, an all-new kitchen “that looks great and is fun to work in” was the top priority of 2,200 home enthusiasts surveyed recently by Better Homes and Gardens magazine. “What we’ve discovered is that the home continues to be our emotional center and the sweet spot of everyday life,” said Gayle Butler, Better Home’s editor in chief. “Economic uncertainty aside, we won’t stop spending, improving and dreaming.” For more information, visit the Marble Institute Web site, www.usenaturalstone.com. |
Struggling Market? Now Is the Time to Buy
 NewsUSA) – Maintenance costs are up, home values are falling and states are seeing more foreclosures than sales. But terrible times for homeowners make for terrific investment opportunities.
Why? The market sees constant ups and downs. Buying when the market’s high means greater upfront costs. And because the market cannot rise indefinitely, property investors must constantly watch for the bubble to pop. In a down market, the question is not “if,” but “when” the market will improve. If investors can buy properties at rock-bottom prices, they can afford to maintain the home until the market improves. At that point, the investor can sell the home both to recoup their buying and operating costs and to make a profit. Some companies are looking to profit on the down housing market. Deer Park Development Corporation, a Nevada-based company, is purchasing foreclosed homes in Arizona, Nevada, California and Florida, some of the areas most affected by the down market. Nevada, for example, sees more foreclosures than any other state -; million-dollar properties can be bought for half their building costs. Between May and June, Californian banks foreclosed on 40 percent of the homes on the market. Deer Park Development Corporation’s agents and brokers draw on 35 years of experience -; they have seen down markets before, so they can easily identify promising properties. When Deer Park Development Corporation finds a home that it wants to acquire as an investment, it works with the homeowner or bank to purchase the home at a 50 percent discount. But the company does not profit at homeowner’s expense. It negotiates with homeowners so that people can rent their homes after the sale. When the original homeowner’s lease expires, Deer Park Development Corporation allows former homeowners to repurchase their properties for a predetermined price. In this way, the company invests in the down market while also helping down-and-out homeowners. Currently, the company is searching for investors. For more information, visit deerparkdevelopmentcorp.com. |
Working With the Mortgage Crisis
 NewsUSA) – For many Americans, good credit isn’t here to stay – rising costs are putting many formerly well-to-do homeowners behind on their mortgage payments.
In April 2008, delinquencies on prime loans, a $12 million dollar market, doubled. And the economy doesn’t look to have an upswing anytime soon. Home prices continue to drop. In July, the unemployment rate reached a four-year high. Homeowners face higher bills but make less money. Adjustable mortgages, which were appealing when property values were on the increase and interest rates were low, now mire many Americans in financial danger zones. Some borrowers will see their interest and principal payments more than double even as their homes lose value. Many homeowners will not be able to cover their debts even if they sell their homes. At the same time, banks feel more reluctant to approve or refinance loans. In this environment, default and bankruptcy rates look likely to increase. Between April and July, California alone reported 121,000 notices of default on loans. Some companies are looking to navigate the down housing market, not only to turn a profit, but also to help homeowners recover their homes. For example, Deer Park Development Corporation, a Nevada-based company, buys foreclosed homes in Arizona, Nevada, California and Florida. With over 35 years of experience in real estate, the corporation’s brokers and agents know how to identify the homes that will turn a profit. When the company finds a promising home, it works with the homeowner or bank to purchase the home at a 50 percent discount. The company negotiates with homeowners so that people can rent their homes after the sale. When the lease expires, Deer Park Development Corporation allows former homeowners to repurchase their properties at a predetermined price. Currently, the company is searching for investors looking to profit from the down housing market. For more information, visit deerparkdevelopmentcorp.com. |
