Posted on by James

Why I Moved to Los Angeles

Thinking of packing up and moving to Los Angeles, CA? You definitely should. I moved about a year back for a variety of reasons (some listed below), and wanted to share with you all why it is such a great place to live, as well as how it has become a great business opportunity for the sly investor.

Here are some reasons that’ll make you immediately stuff your bags and take the next flight (hell, this is why I did!):

The Awesome Weather

Don’t listen to people who say that LA doesn’t have a season. They’re really, really wrong! We have seasons, all right. It’s just that almost every day of the year (at 300 days to be almost exact), we have a truly awesome weather. Neither too hot, nor too cold is what the weather is in Los Angeles, California. Hypochondriacs and individuals who are prone to SAD (seasonal affective disorder) may move in and forget all about their depression. Take a walk and see how people you pass by are filled with promise and zeal for life. There’s no shortage of life-giving vitamin D from the sun, and one leisure drive or walk down Sunset Boulevard might change your mind so much that you’d never want to go back to your dreary home and its rainy climate again. Heading to the beach and surfing in the middle of November does take some getting used to, but it is well worth it!

surfing in LA

True Pop Culture Is Here

If you’re the type of person who follows all the latest happenings and trends, wants to live near the stars, and absorbs pop culture every waking moment of your life, then LA is the best place to be. For the last 50 years or so, Los Angeles is the central hub from where pop culture originated from- the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Vans, froyo, the skateboard, the hula hoop, and so on and so forth. If it’s totally new and crazy, you can bet that Los Angeles is behind it. Even if it didn’t you can be sure that LA will turn it into a craze! Each day you’ll meet someone who tells you something really crazy and sounds like the worst idea ever, but wait for a day or two and then suddenly, everybody has one. Seeing a celebrity at your local bar will be weird at first, but you will get used to it I promise!


It’s The Center of Everything

If you have the looks and the talent to make it big in acting, you can pick up some acting classes in LA from people that taught world famous celebs like Will Smith. Actors and wannabees are staying for a good reason- they feel right at home in the state where hotness is a daily occurrence. In fact, Los Angeles can be called the hot state, an epicenter and a gathering place for the world’s most beautiful people. You might be intimidated at first, but live here long enough and you’ll be motivated to exercise and get fit, eat the right food and wear the right clothes, and get a sweet pair of sunglasses. Pretty soon your hotness factor will bump up a point or two.

LA is famous for being the center of everything. You get the iconic Hollywood sign, world-renowned studios such as Warner Brothers, Universal and Paramount Pictures, Disney, HBO, NBA teams such as The Lakers and The Sacramento Kings, and nature at her best in the warm, inviting seas, the majestic mountains and some of the best restaurants the planet has ever known.

The Best Tennis Lessons Are Here

With all the sunshine and the sunny weather Los Angeles is having day in and day out, it’s no wonder that tennis is one of the most dominant sports being played here. Sure, we do have basketball, the movies and beautiful beaches, but an aspiring tennis player who has a dream to achieve will find a lot to love playing tennis in the City of Angels.

LAtennis

Imagine a consistently beautiful and sunny weather with almost no humidity, thousands upon thousands of tennis courts to play in, and living in a state where there’s a chance to see your favorite pro tennis players. Get on a Star Tour and see the homes of amazing tennis superstars Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Victoria Azarenka, and more. LA is such a perfect place to live because you can play tennis and take up tennis lessons whenever and wherever you want. Tennis coaches will be happy to fit you in and take your tennis game to the next level, LA-style!

So why on earth would I write about this?

The Los Angeles real estate market is growing and I just listed some very good reasons explaining why someone would want to move there. In other words, if the celebrities, sun, opportunities, and luxury do not go away anytime soon, LA is set to be a major hotspot for both people looking to move and tourists. This all came to me one day a couple of months ago and I knew I had to jump in now before it was too late (it would have been more beneficial 8 years ago). Now, I’m not saying drop everything and buy real estate in LA, what I am saying is it is important to always be looking for prospects, and weighing your options.

Also, don’t be quick to believe the hyped rumors about markets. This study shows that the market is not actually collapsing in LA, despite what many believe.

Check out this video about the housing market for more detail:

Posted on by James

Healthcare Real Estate

What is Healthcare Real Estate?

Healthcare real estate is a sub-market inside of the overall real estate space as a whole. Pushed on by Obamacare, healthcare real estate refers to the sale, leasing, renting etc of buildings, offices, and campuses for medical purposes. Typically this can include hospital space, campuses of medical schools, dorms for medical students and can be either owned by private or public services.

With the changing age of the population starting to favor those over 65, the industry will only be going up, as trends indicate almost 25% of the population will be in need of some form of medical assistance by the end of 2050.

Differences Compared to “Regular” Real Estate

Health care real estate differs from regular real estate in a number of ways. First and foremost, realtors must cater to the specialized needs that hospitals have, which means that everything from air filtration, to maintenance must be done with sterilization in mind. Also, space for large equipment such as MRI machines and X-rays must be accounted for, as well as spots for smaller things like waiting room benches, nurses stations, and changeable hospital boards.

Medical waste rooms, spaces for computers, equipment, waiting rooms, operating rooms, intake rooms, bathrooms, cafeteria, and staff office areas must all be accounted for as well, making a medical building much larger than a typical home (even an upscale 4 or 5 bedroom one). This means that while clients may be fewer, payouts will be much higher for healthcare real estate agents.

Clientele that are searching for a healthcare real estate agent will typically always be a higher paying client for the agent. This is due both in part to the size needed for most medical buildings, but also because of the amount of revenue that is generated from them.

Is it a Growing Industry?

The big boom in healthcare real estate occurred in 2008 and can be attributed to several factors. The United States population as a whole began to require more medical services as it aged, and in 2004, there was a record 36.3 million people aged 65 or older. That number accounted for 12% of the total population at the time, and according to the Census, there will be 86 million people 65 or older by 2050 (21% of the population). Based on these numbers alone, it is clear that the need for healthcare real estate will only rise in the next couple of years.

Technological advances have increasingly enabled procedures to be performed outside the confines of a hospital. This means that private surgeons and doctors are looking for reliable sources to purchase real estate from. Typically private doctors make much more money that those who work for hospitals, so that will also increase the demand for alternate medical spaces.

 

 

 

Posted on by James

The Importance of Proper Plumbing

Why it’s Important to Get a Good Plumber for a Fixer-Upper

Major cities have different kinds of services offered to homeowners who need them for the purpose of increasing property value and maintaining the quality of a home. Every fixer-upper project is in need of a thorough inspection. Most importantly, a potential buyer must look at the plumbing because any missed detail could result in hours and thousands of dollars of work being undone in the future. On this page, we will discuss and learn why plumbing services are necessary and vital for home needs.

Assessments and Benefits

When you call a plumbing service they will usually send over a technician to take a look at the system currently installed in the home you intend to work on and give you a free quote. The plumbers can periodically examine and check the condition of your plumbing system from faucets to pipes and sinks throughout the duration of the project, which can help prevent massive complications from occurring in the future.

Below is a typical plumbing inspection:

The plumbers Rochester New York for example will also assess outside systems such as irrigation, not only standard sewage and plumbing systems. They can also repair plumbing damages and provide solutions by fixing minor and serious problems professionally and quickly. For this reason, professional repair services are one of the most sought after services by households that is very important in our society today.

Included Services

Plumbing companies also offer services of cleaning plumbing systems. Sometimes you get dirty water from your faucet due to debris in your pipes. There may even be times that you will experience blocking of your pipes because of these debris. Make it a point to call a professional plumber for help when you experience this kind of problem in your house.

after shot of new pvc pipe installed

Whatever the plumbing problem is, it is still a best option and a wise decision to hire a plumber. Plumbers who work in reputable local plumbing companies are professionally trained, licensed and very skillful in dealing any types of plumbing issues. You can rely on professional plumbers to fix whatever damages or problems that you have in your plumbing system.

Learning About the Plumbing Process

A lot of plumbing companies provide other exceptional services where they educate you about the fixtures and appliances and also pay regular visits to ensure that everything is in order. One can also purchase the preventive maintenance policy from a good plumbing company under which the company is responsible for all your plumbing related fixtures and in return, you just need to pay a small monthly installment.

Maintenance is more important than looking for plumbing company when you are in a fix. Get your plumbing products regularly serviced and you would never feel the need to get replacements all the time as maintenance is a big cause of larger life span of products.

Where to Find a High Quality Plumber

However, there are a number of plumbers available in every city. A great company to hire local plumbers is “Steelheadquarters Plumbing“, a local business directory that hosts the most skillful local plumbers from cities around the country in its pages. The point is that you hire a reliable and good plumber for you requirements. Be very careful, ask questions, check their license to serve you and ask around about the feedback of the company.

Rather than looking for a new plumbing company you can ask your friends and family members to advise you in the matter. Plumbers are an essential part of our life and we cannot ignore it. Hence, one should look for a good plumbing company and stick to it for every plumbing needs of the future.

Why Call in the First Place?

Some of the common problems in the drainage systems include leaking of pipes and clogging of the systems. These problems should be dealt with in time by professional plumbers so that they do not occur again. Plumbers should have a permit to show that they are qualified for the job.

plumber examines pipes inside wall

Plumbers should ensure that they check on drainage systems, gas pipes and sewerage pipes regularly. This helps them to identify problems in the systems before they become major thus saving repair costs for clients. Professional plumbers provide diagnosis and get it taken care of in time.

This skill helps the plumbers to be able to approximate the materials needed in their work and charge for the services. Plumbing has become a major profit making business and thus plumbers should be able to manage their incomes. Managing of income is a very important task since it helps the business to run smoothly with all the necessary tools.

Conclusion

Plumbing is more than fixing faucets, conduits, toilets and sinks. It is about being there for your customers when they need it the most. Therefore, it is important to find a service provider you are comfortable with. In addition to having the necessary technical skills, a good plumber should be a good listener and be ready to go out of his way to offer you a permanent solution.

Posted on by James
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    • Futuristic Trends in the Housing Market

    Intro

    Technology in the home has been an increasing trend over the last century, with the rich scrambling to get their hands on the latest and greatest, to the middle class eventually inheriting the leftovers, it is very apparent which direction the marketing is heading in. For this reason, it is important for a homeowner/flipper/seller to be well versed in everything that is new and trending in the technological market.

    Home Automation

    Home technology trends have varied somewhat over the past couple of years. In the early 2000’s it was very common for people who wanted to “upgrade” their house to install home theaters, house-wide speaker systems, and elevators. While those were previously considered luxuries, they are ancient compared to what homeowners are doing now. High end home automation systems have been becoming increasingly popular, and not just with the rich and powerful either, but those in the middle class have been increasingly represented as buyers of such systems. Generally they include things like iPad controlled air conditioning and heating, home-wide entertainment systems, and much more. What is more interesting, is the fact that everyone seems to be buying these systems now, regardless of economic standing. This means that the trend is only increasing, and those who are interested in investing in a home to sell may want to take notice.

    homeautomation

    What is Trending?

    There are many different types of home automation systems, but the ones that are trending the most tend to be automated locking systems, closely followed by remote controlled air, heating, and lighting. These systems are fairly cheap (compared to full-house packages), which points to a middle class buyers trend. Whats more, major companies such as Apple have begun manufacturing their own systems, leading up to believe that the trend is indeed growing. While full entertainment systems and other luxury-based equipment is less popular, the price points of these systems are dramatically greater and therefore are definitely worth some consideration.

    Price VS Likelihood to Buy

    As mentioned above, systems that control locks, air, heating etc are more popular that luxurious full-house systems, but run a fraction of the cost. This means that while sales are higher, they tend to even out with the lack of demand for more expensive systems. This means you need to look at your buyer demographic and determine exactly what your market wants. For example, if you are selling a house in a blue collar neighborhood, you would want to consider the cheaper systems over the more expensive ones, because it might be more within the potential buyers budget. Conversely, if you are selling in an upscale neighborhood, you may want to talk to your clients/buyers about the luxury systems, because it would fit in their price range.

    Closing Thoughts

    While home automation systems are nifty, they are not the end all be all when it comes to closing a sale. It is important to not only take in some aspects of the market, but all aspects so that you can combine them to give yourself a clear picture of your buyers needs. In our upcoming posts, we will get into the nitty gritty of renovation, and what to look for when you take on a fixer upper.