New Zealand turning to condominiums too

In Wellington, New Zealand, housing space is at a premium, and realty developers are likely to be told to build up because there is not enough room to build out, and it is significantly cheaper. The Wellington City Council hopes to house more people in apartment zones at low cost instead of the free-standing houses with lawns that are common to the area.Most of the new apartment dwellers are older people and childless couples. “The next challenge is going to be housing families in apartments,” says Ernst Zollner, the council’s urban development and transport director. The council is putting more thought into building playgrounds and parks, to make sure children are not “cooped up” indoors.

The other critical issue is size. “We need apartments that have more than two bedrooms. At the moment, once you go to three bedrooms it becomes dramatically more expensive.”

Not just for residents

The concept of a small business owner purchasing a small space for use as an office is not new, but the owners of a business condominium project in West Des Moines see this as a great opportunity. Small business owners will purchase smaller condo spaces to increase the equity of their company while controlling building and maintenance expenses, providing a good balance between buying an office building and leasing.

“This provides a person with an opportunity to own a small space, which is impossible anywhere else,” developer Jan Berg said. “It provides an opportunity that just doesn’t exist out there; smaller office space is difficult to find.”

Bad news for Japan condo owners

Japanese condominium sales may fall for a third year in 2008, according to the Real Estate Economic Research Institute, a Tokyo-based industry publisher. This is another sign that the Japan’s condominium market has “deteriorated”.Building code changes last year delayed projects and construction costs soared, said Akira Mori, chief executive officer of the developer Mori Trust Co. Mori said in an interview on March 24 that “there is a high probability for bankruptcies among condo builders.”The collapse of the subprime market in the U.S. has made it harder for Japanese developers to borrow. At the same time, building materials and land have become more expensive.

Affordable Toronto Condos up for grabs!

In a recent survey from a leading Financial Company i cooperation with the Board of Canada, Toronto Condos are set to increase 2.9% in 2008 compared from 7.6% in 2007.

Median resale prices are expected to go up in 2008, due to the reasonable prices compared to detached homes and semi-detached homes. Vancouver condominiums in comparison are expected to rise to a median resale price of $346,713 in 2008, an increase of 5.7%. Vancouver Condos have risen in price by an average 15.4% every year over the last 3 years and will likely increase 3.5 per cent per year to $389,344 until the year 2012.

Condominiums in Toronto will continue to offer sound opportunities to all segments of the new and resale market including first-time buyers and empty nesters. More importantly, new segments of the market like single Female prospective Condo Buyers are also beginning to enter the exciting market.

New Condominium to rise in Las Vegas

A Luxurious high rise loft style condo in the Arts district of downtown Las Vegas has just started offering amazing deals. The units are priced below comps and so far there are no other condos for sale that can match the price. This High Rise building offers open floor plans, high ceilings, modern furnishings, 24 Hour Concierge Service, huge Terraces for every loft, Ground Floor has retail stores, fitness center at the rooftop near the pool & jacuzzi, aSkyroom/Clubhouse complete with gaming equipment like a billiards table, lounge area & a audio visual room. The unit offers some of the most exhilarating views, and it can be yours for a fraction of the cost. You can log on to www.Theview99lv.com for more information about this property as well as other properties.

MCM Group launches latest roster of Condos to be developed

The McKean Condominium Group situated on Queen Anne’s SW slope at 1404 Olympic Way West is the latest offering in Seattle from the MCM Group.

First constructed in 1929, the vintage building with a brick facade has been thoroughly renovated with new wiring, sidings and plumbing systems. The complex includes 8 one-bedroom condominium homes that boasts of original hardwood flooring and window panels, authentic hex-tile bathroom floors and refurbished cast-iron bathtubs. The building interior include archways, crown moldings and coved ceilings. In addition. the units have an area of 762 square feet updated with the finest modern amenities which includes slab granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and fixtures, spacious parking and storage and awesome views.

The McKean project will be formally launched with a sunset grand opening event on April 3, from 6 PM to 8 PM. Condo tours will officially open to the public on the weekend of April 5 & 6 from 12 noon up to 6 in the evening.

Columbia West plans to build new Condo Units in Seattle

Recent reports today indicated that the parcel of land located at the NW corner of 2nd Avenue & Virginia has been put up for sale by the property owner, Columbia West. They are selling the lot so they can use the profit to build income producing properties. But insiders of the company told us though that if the land has no takers, Columbia West will ultimately develop the property.

Columbia West, who also owns a property on the SW corner of 2nd Avenue & Virginia is pushing through with its plans to develop a condominium/hotel complex and integrate the Terminal Sales Annex building nearby. Despite public concerns that the building might be razed, their fears were unsubstantiated since it received landmark status just a couple of months ago.

Buying your dream condo needs time and effort!

Many condo projects, whether existing, being built or still at the pre-selling stage, the prospective buyer has to be briefed with various options. Scouting for a condominium to buy usually takes time and a little bit of effort. Buyers has many initial sources of information for his selection process, like billboards, newspaper and magazine announcements and articles, brochures, internet ads, his/her family, friends, workmates and associates and lastly condominium brokers and sales agents.

With all the available and affordable condominiums, the most important thing for the prospective buyer is to make a decision what to buy in relation to the location and the budget he/she prepared for the purchase. However, due to budget constraints, many prospective buyers tend to look for condos elsewhere other than their preferred location. This is not a cause for concern because there are great deals around and so this is the time where the help of excellent brokers are needed.

Will your unit increase in value?

Of course, one can never tell with the real estate market, but an educated guess is better than a random guess. First of all, keep in mind that you will probably have to keep the unit (stay in it or rent it out) for a couple of years to recoup your purchase costs.Request a market analysis from a real estate agent regarding the selling prices of condos in the building or area. Check the price appreciation on the market analysis to evaluate how quickly the condos are increasing in value; subtract the selling price from the purchase price and divide by the number of years the property has been held by the previous owner for a ballpark estimate of annual appreciation in the neighborhood.

How to protect your condo investment

When buying a condominium, it is best to check on it from time to time. Some projects are quite difficult to foresee the outcome because some projects are pre-sold years before, even if the building is still being finished. For you to be sure, you should check the necessary documents and titles, check your purchased site just to be sure that your unit is located on the specs issued to you by your broker. By going to the development site, you can have a complete view of the surroundings, you may even notice some details you have overlooked or assumed and ask for the necessary clarification if theres a need for it.

In many instances, the brochure shows you that the condo is near the mall, commercial and shopping centers and other places you find convenient for your living pleasure.

However, the brochure could have omitted other relevant information like the kind of traffic in the area, small roads, the atmosphere or the adjacent atmosphere of the suburb near your condominium or other facts that may have helped you arrive to a more sound judgment. It is suggested that you know all the details that you need to prevent any regrets in the future.