Lively place that is charged with the energy of Caribbean waves, Miami is a marriage of city sophistication and alluring beaches. With world class shopping, restaurants that serve gastronomic seafood delights, a colorful arts scene, sports spectacles and loads of family attractions, Miami is considered of the nation’s most versatile metropolitan destinations. Living in Miami indeed has so much to offer, not to mention the vibrant tropical weather. If you are led to think that the only way to enjoy all these extraordinary benefits by living in Miami would cost a great deal of fortune, you are wrong. As a matter of fact, the cost of living in Miami is considerably cheaper than that of many other major cities such as New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, and Seattle. In a data set presented by Homefair.com, which lists cities according to the amount of salary you need to make to achieve the same standard of living, Miami fairs well at $51,924 way below than for New York at $96,204. Those that rival the cost of living in Miami such as Atlanta, Seattle, Indianapolis and Phoenix, do not offer the vibrant weather, dynamic business centers, and scenic attractions that Miami does.

Furthermore, Miami’s sales tax is lower the national average. There is no state income tax and no local income tax in Miami—definitely a cost saver. A beautiful home in Miami will cost you less, as will property taxes, car insurance, and electricity. Living in Miami, you will even spend less time commuting than you would in other busy major cities. Overall, you will be spending less on things that aren’t fun if you are living in Miami. Thus, you will have more money and time to spend on things that are.

While Washington, D.C. has the federal government, and Los Angeles has the movie industry, Miami has its beaches. Tourism can rightfully be considered as Miami’s “town company”. Another of the ilk would be Miami’s international business, especially with Latin America. This reflects the wide range of nationalities among people in Miami, many of whom first-generation Americans. Living in Miami is about having all of the excitement of living in an international city. Miami holds more nationalities than one can imagine if you live elsewhere in the United States. Far more people in Miami speak Spanish than English as their primary native language. It is also relatively common to hear people speaking Creole, French or German. Tourism, international banking, and very strong ties with Latin America are what make this city intensely diverse. Living in Miami is like living in a melting pot of cultures, and thus is a very appropriate venue to learn different languages as well as different traditions and ways of doing things.

Living in Miami Beach is highly recommended for young and single professionals. Miami has a superfluity of restaurants, night life, places to hang out and different people to see and meet. For married people who have kids, experts recommend considering places such as Kendall, Coral Gables, and Pinecrest. Pinecrest has a reputation for having the best public schools in the Miami area, and therefore is very conducive for kids who are going to start schooling.

Traffic in Miami is just as busy as traffic in other major cities. Vehicular flow moving downtown can take you about an hour to drive 15 miles or so, yet this is quite typical on rush hours. As a word of advice, long time Miami residents suggest newcomers to try to find a place to live close to your place of work. This is not so difficult to do because quite often one can find less expensive places “nestled between very pricey buildings.”

For the professionals, just because you see people in bathing suits more frequently than in other places in the country does not mean that business attire is informal. The good thing is that special considerations are made for the hot weather. For instance, male attorneys do wear suits, but can take their jackets off when the temperatures rise up.

Sarasota is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, which has a growing commercial real estate market. Retirees and tourists from different parts of the country as well as from other areas around the globe are lured to get a glimpse and hopefully acquire a place they could keep for the rest of their lives. Sarasota has been generally known for its picturesque views, an increasing number of businesses and investors are getting interested with the commercial lots and properties the place has to offer. Sarasota commercial real estate market offers retail properties, office properties, investment properties as well as hotel and resort properties. For just less than five years, the Sarasota commercial real estate market in Sarasota has flourished. Living in Sarasota is not only just living in a beautiful place but also living in a highly dynamic economy that presents a wealth of financial opportunities for commercial investment. Research studies have been conducted to assess whether or not business operators do prefer the view or the economy that comes with a particular locality. It was consistently observed in these studies that investors have no special preference on one over the other—they generally do want to have a piece of both. For each commercial real estate property that is being presented by means of photographs of Sarasota, detailed information about the property, maps as well as a summative profile of the business site have also been considered as important factors.

The employment rate in Sarasota commercial real estates has also seen a boost within the past few years. Professional marketing consultants poured in Sarasota from other areas all over the country so that they could hone their experiences in commercial real estate property operations, accounting, project management and finance. These marketing consultants have inkling of a brighter future ahead of them in a place like Sarasota at present.

With a rapid influx of real estate investors, Sarasota commercial real estate market can be considered to be exceptionally active. Real estate developers have devised varied types of strategies in order to promote the alluring rapid pace of life in Sarasota for each and every client. It is indeed a very well-known fact that real estate marketing today does not only employ advertisements through the media but also utilizes the Internet as its primary gateway of information for both buyers of who are looking for commercial real estate properties to purchase.

Other commercial real estates outside of Sarasota have tried to entice investors by offering as low as 70 to 80% of the prices prevailing in Sarasota. Nevertheless, these attempts could not match the better quality and reputable standing of Sarasota commercial real estate. On the contrary, investors have actually increased their shares by 100% as well as their investments in Sarasota commercial real estate. This phenomenon took place in a matter of a few years.

Caring for your carpeting properly can seem like a daunting task, because there are so many products and options for portable carpet cleaners available. The good news is that many of the products used for carpets have been improved and refined in their safety and effectiveness. Portable carpet cleaners have also evolved in convenience, efficiency and effectiveness. It is simply a matter of educating yourself on the variety of choices out there to come up with the perfect portable carpet cleaner for your use. The first type of cleaner that you will want to have is a portable vacuum carpet cleaner. Vacuums should be used on carpet frequently to keep dust and dirt at bay and prolong the life and quality of your carpet. You can choose from upright vacuums or canister vacuums. The uprights are generally more popular because they are easier on your back and legs to use, and they tend to cover ground a little quicker. Canister vacuums can be a popular choice for stairs or car use, however.

Portable Carpet Cleaning Extractors

A carpet cleaning extractor is probably the next step up from vacuum in deep cleaning. The cleaning extractor will extract dirt from deep inside your carpeting by injecting a cleaning solution into your carpet and then vacuuming it back out, along with the dirt and grime your carpet has accumulated. The portable carpet cleaning extractors can also be used for vacuuming the carpet once the cleaning process is completed. Since this device is good for deep cleaning, it does not need to be used terrible frequently so it can be rented when necessary.

Portable Carpet Steam Cleaners

These are by far the most popular portable carpet cleaner for deep cleaning, and can be found for rent or purchase at many locations. If you decide to rent a portable carpet steam cleaner, you will probably find the rental fees to be extremely reasonable. You may have to spend more on the cleaning solutions that go into the machine however, and most portable carpet steam cleaners that you rent will recommend that you use the cleaning solutions that are manufactured to be used by that particular machine. Steam cleaning is a highly effective means of carpet cleaning, since steam will loosen the dirt and the machine will then vacuum the dirt away. Keep in mind with portable carpet steam cleaners that you want your carpet to dry out within 24 hours of using the machine, and it is a good idea to vacuum your entire carpet before and after the cleaning.

Besides providing your home with more living space, a home addition can be a terrific investment. However, before embarking on such a project the homeowner should first consider several important items. These items include: home market values in the neighborhood, financing, size and scale of project, architecture, timetable for completion, personal disruption/inconvenience threshold and the sweat equity commitment level.

Size of Addition and Market Value

Prior to actually breaking ground on a home addition, it is best to first determine what you are looking for in terms of additional living space. For example: How many square feet? What types of rooms? Once this is understood, it is then important to find out the market value of homes in the local area with similar size and features to the new and improved home. With this information the homeowner can then calculate the difference between their current home market value and the new and improved home market value. This difference should represent the maximum budget for the new addition if a positive investment is desired. For example, a homeowner would not want to spend $50,000 on a new home addition that provides only $25,000 in increased market value to the improved home.

Financing

The next important question involves how to fund the home addition. Unless the project is being funded via cash/savings then financing will be required. If current mortgage rates are higher than the existing mortgage, then a home equity loan will probably make the most sense. If current mortgage rates are lower than the existing mortgage, then refinancing the entire home, including the cost of the home addition project, may make the most sense.

Architectural Considerations

Once the financial items have been addressed it is then time to focus on the size and scale of the project, as well as the architectural and aesthetics of the new addition. The addition should be of size and scale such that it aesthetically melds into the original house. It should not be too small or too big. Frequently, homeowners get carried away and add large amounts of new living space without sufficient thought on the outside appearance. From a market value, there is more to a home than just pure living space. A home needs to maintain its exterior aesthetics as well. It is important to consider such items as siding, doors, windows, rooflines, and elevations. All should meld into the existing home exterior seamlessly and aesthetically.

If an architect is not planned for the project, then the homeowner should at least make some sketches of the home exterior with the new addition. The building inspector will probably require them anyways during the permit process. Also, there are many Home Design software packages on the market today that can help create such drawings.

Schedule and Sweat Equity Commitment

The next two items that should be considered include the timetable for completing the project and the homeowner sweaty equity commitment level. Many homeowners assume they can do a lot more than they are either skilled to do or have the time to do. From personal experience, I would suggest contracting out the site/ground work, rough framing, roofing, siding, heating/cooling, and the drywall. All of these tasks require skill, time and brawn. If local laws permit, electric and plumbing may be tackled by the homeowner. However, both require skill and can be life threatening if not performed properly. Other tasks that a homeowner could tackle include installing interior doors, finish trim, painting, cabinet installation, tiling and hardwood flooring. Prior to a homeowner signing up to any specific task however, they should first honestly assess their skill and available time, and compare them to their project schedule. If they don’t match, hire the contractor.

Threshold of Inconvenience and Disruption

Finally, a homeowner should consider their threshold for inconvenience and disruption. A home addition, particularly if it involves the kitchen, is very disruptive to today’s busy lifestyles. It is also a dusty, dirty and noisy endeavor. In addition, dealing with subcontractors can be challenging at times. For a typical addition anticipate several months of effort and inconvenience.

If after assessing all these issues you are still willing to move forward with the project, contact your subcontractors, pull your permits and get ready for an exciting time. For most homeowners tackling a home addition is a positive experience that provides both new living space and a great investment.

Buying a newly constructed home should be an enjoyable experience. Sadly, for most consumers, it’s a nightmare that will stay with them the rest of their life. A common statement made by many new homebuyers is that they will never have another home built for them.

Here’s 6 things your builder will probably never tell you.

“We market that our company only uses the finest craftsmen to build our homes when in reality, we use the cheapest trades we can find, which means that many are not skilled and are day laborers.”

Custom and spec homebuilders bid out the work on your home to the lowest bidder. Kinda like the U.S. Government. There is few Custom builders left who do their own work and have their own crews.

“I have a binding contract that will prevent you from suing me should you have major defects in your home after you move in. And better yet, there is little you can do to get me to fix it!”

Read the fine print on your contract. Better yet, have a real estate attorney read it for you and explain to you what legal recourse you have should there be problems after you close. I bet you’ll come out of the attorney’s office amazed at how little rights you have if you sign the builders contract.

“If you’re really smart, you’ll hire your own third party, code certified, home inspector because the public inspectors and even my own inspectors aren’t here with your best interest at heart!”

Builders today search out third party inspectors to perform “Quality Assurance” inspections. Problem is, this is just more marketing hype than anything. In most states, these third party inspectors do not have to be licensed to perform “Construction Inspections”. My inspectors and I find a long list of items that these inspectors either miss or ignore on every new home we inspect. Not once have we found a home that the builders inspector found a majority of the defects.

City and county inspectors are generally about the same as the builders inspector or worse. Many of these inspectors are so piled up with work that they can only spend 15 to 20 minutes in a home. Besides, it is not the City or County’s inspectors job to look for workmanship issues, they are only there looking for health and safety issues and protecting the City and County’s interest. Just like the builders inspectors are there protecting the builders interest, not yours!

If you don't know a good code certified home inspector ask around or check out the American Society of Home Inspectors at ashi.org

“My sales people and I can tell you anything we want because we’re not regulated by the State”

In many states, you’ll find that the sales people for builders are not licensed with the real estate commission like Real Estate Agents are. This lets them tell you whatever they need to so you’ll buy a home from them. I’ve heard just about sales people promising homebuyers just about anything you can imagine they’d buy from their builder. Buyer beware and get them to put it in writing before you sign the contract!

These are real builder questions that I got from readers of my e-book, "Residential Development Made Easy" with answers from a major USA Master Builder operating in 48 States.

Question 1.

My wife and I are planning a new home. We intend approaching a builder or two in this area, and I plan on asking them these questions.

My wife is very adept at planning and researching. Under what circumstances do you recommend we hire an architect? And Why or why not? (This is not a loaded question. I am not an architect and neither is my brother-in-law. We would prefer to construct without hiring an architect.)

Reply

It would depend on your budget. Some architects in the US charge as much as 10% of the budget of a home to do the plans. Master Builders, as opposed to "Local Builder Bob," don't like to place their clients in a position of hiring an architect until they really need one.

The best advice our clients get is to prioritize their actions as follows:

First: Get the loan;

Second: Get the land;

Third: Get the Interior Designer;

Forth: Get the architect.

In our case, we have in-house architects and structural engineers.

It is best to hire an Interior Designer (ASID) and have them work with you to design the floor plan, which is uniquely suited for how you and your family use space and the style you like.

Armed with this floor plan you would then send it to us and we would create your architect blueprints from it.

Blueprints are part of the quote we provide our clients. This way they don't have 'Sticker Shock' from a local architect.

Five practical areas to discuss with your designer or to keep in mind when plan shopping for your new home project. Here they are and not in any particular order.

Roofline-The steeper the roof the more the cost in most cases. If you have noticed lately, there are allot of new home developments where the roof of the home is quite high and large. This is usually because the home itself is a smaller square footage and the roof makes it look bigger. Always remember that the roof area equates to more sheets of plywood, more shingles and more labor. Gable roofs are less expensive than hip or cottage roofs. I suggest a 6/12 roof slope or less to keep the roof cost on budget. You might want to discuss this with your designer.

Windows/doors-This is a crucial part of design. Let’s look at a few things that effect overall cost. Obviously the amount of windows, size of the windows, whether they open or not, as well as rounded top glass will effect your budget. The average home usually has 12-15 windows. Opening or venting windows cost more than a fixed or picture window. Rounded glass can cost as much as double the cost of an average window so use them sparingly. Wood windows usually cost more than conventional vinyl (PVC) windows. A door example is a double French exterior door is more expensive than a standard patio door.

Wall heights-The trend in the new home building industry today is to design and build with 9 foot walls and ceilings. This gives a home larger feel vs. a traditional 8' wall height. This will affect the cost of the finished home as there is more wall area for drywall, siding, etc. In a 1500 square foot home or less, I would recommend 9' ceilings to take advantage of the space. Two story walls, referred to as balloon framing, really adds to the cost of framing.

Vaulted ceilings-This is a raised ceiling in the home, usually going to a peak. It is a great idea to integrate into the design if you want the cost of standard 8 foot high walls with the higher vaulted ceilings giving the perception of a lager space. There are typically two types of vaulted trusses used in a new home design. The first on is the Scissor truss vault which gives a gentler raised ceiling and is less expensive, and the second is a cathedral vault which typically is a full height vault with a ridge beam. You see these allot in a Chalet style cabin. (steeper vault)

Foundation-A full concrete foundation (8 foot basement) in most cases will cost more than a crawlspace or slab foundation. If you don't have allot of storage designed into the home, a full foundation may be required and is also a great re-sale feature. A sloped lot may accommodate a day-lite or walkout basement option as well. Basement development, as well as extra space over a garage, are the least expensive ways to add square feet to a home.

So if you are about to get plans designed for your new home or just looking for a plan online, keep this five points in mind. Your wallet will thank you.