WORLD'S MOST FABULOUS BOATING COMMUNITY

MONTE CARLO! JEWEL CITY OF THE MED...

Monte Carlo! The Yachting Lifestyle at its Best! Luxury Yachts, Super Yachts, and Mega Yachts; they are all here. Along with garden terraced penthouses, the Casino, the Hotel de Paris, the Gran Prix, the Palace, Princess Grace, the Rainiers, world-class restaurants & shops, exotic autos, magnificent views in all directions. Whats not to like and love!

And there is a lot more to Monte Carlo than what is stated above. With more than 300 days a year of sunshine, residents in Monte Carlo can take advantage of the Mediterranean, and all of its seaside activities. Moreover, Monaco's close proximitiy to the Southern Alps, which are only 1 hour away by car, allows for easy access to the ski slopes.

Did you knkow that residents in Monaco, representing 108 different nationalities, can place their children in different schools which are either a part of or affiliated with the Ministry of Education?

Besides yachting, the sheer number of cultural events each year encourages the learning of artistic disciplines, as does the presence of reputable establishments such as the Rainier III Academy of Music, the Academy of Classical Dance and the Princess Grace Municipal Plastic Art School.

For what I believe was our 8th visit, my wife and I visited Monaco this fall. Like all the other visits it was nothing short of fantastic! These are just a few of the many pictures we took. What a true yachtsman's dream......

More on Dock Values!

Open the following link. This Wall Street Journal article really hits the nail on the head when it comes to how deep water docks in most parts of the United States increase property values. Big thanks to WSJ.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118308397101952525.html

Community Moorage Rights and Private Docks

Putting a value on Community Moorage Rights. How much are Private Docks and Moorage Rights worth?

Do you own or want to buy a home in one of Puget Sound’s boating communities? Do you wonder how to value moorage rights or a private dock in your backyard? If so, this article might be of help.

To start, if you own a boat you basically have the following moorage options:

1) Moor your boat in a public or privately owned marina
2) Buy a condominiumized (condo) boat slip
3) Buy a home or building lot with a private or shared dock
4) Buy a home or building lot with moorage rights in a community marina

Each option has its pluses and minuses, benefits and costs. If you moor in a public or private marina, one good thing is that you can cancel your moorage at any time. But since you are renting, you don’t enjoy the benefits of ownership like appreciation in value and stopping the constant moorage rate increases. This assumes that you are lucky enough to find an available slip and not just on a waiting list that might last for years. Over the long haul, this option could be the most expensive. Current monthly rental examples for a 40’ slip are $480 at Salmon Bay in Seattle, $305 at La Conner, and $345 at Cap Sante in Anacortes. Again, that’s if you can get in!

The second option is to buy a condo boat slip when or if available. Since a condo boat slip is deeded fee simple real estate, the current value and demand for a condo boat slip is important input data in determining both moorage rights value in boating communities that offer moorage rights in a community-owned marina; and the value of a private dock. Current condo boat slip values provide an excellent frame of reference. One of the best barometers for condo boat slip values in the Puget Sound area is Skyline Marina in Anacortes. The community of Skyline does not have moorage rights or a community marina for its residents. All moorage is privately owned, mostly as condominiumized boat slips. Richard Sands of Richard L. Sands, Inc. (tel. 360 293 1255, http://www.richardlsands.com/ ) is the originator of the condominium boat moorage concept, and has 40 years experience serving the slip owners in Skyline Marina. Richard and Steve currently have a backlog of more than 150 qualified buyers interested in buying slips from 28 to 100+ feet! Richard sold the first condo boat slip in 1969 when the first slips at Skyline Marina were condominiumized and offered for sale. Have the moorages appreciated the same way other real estate has? The answer is yes. In 1969 the first slips in Division 17 sold for $100 per foot, that's $3,800 for a 38' slip. Recently, a 38' slip in division 17 sold for $115,000—$3,026 per foot. And a 48' foot slip in Division 22 sold for $155,000—$3,229 per foot! Current asking is $3,500 per foot for a 40’ slip. So purchasing a moorage rather than renting has been a profitable decision over the years. The past is no predictor of the future but the scarcity of new moorage has demand always outstripping supply. In addition to the purchase price, condo boat slip owners pay taxes and maintenance costs. A 40’ slip in Skyline will cost about $200 a month for taxes and maintenance.

Skyline Condo Boat Slip Sales have been brisk: 43 slips sold in 2006, over 20 slips sold or pending so far in 2007

Condominium slips are a valuable asset, but more importantly for the boater, they provide a permanent moorage for your boat. No risk of losing your spot – you own it! And if your needs change, the slip can be sold. Because the slips in Skyline Marina are deeded fee-simple real estate, you can also keep them in the family, passing them on via inheritance or family trusts. This has proven to be a good option and investment.

The third option is to buy a home or lot with a year-round protected private or shared “dock in your backyard”. This is almost every boat owner’s dream. The biggest benefit is you walk out your back door and there is your yacht! No monthly moorage fees, no rate increases… for just a million dollars or two or three and this dream can come true! Right? Truth is that there are still a few communities in the Puget Sound area where you can buy that “boat dock in your backyard” for under a million dollars. But not for much longer. I have been specializing in boating communities for over five years and the prices have been going up dramatically and all indicators say they will continue to go up. In determining an estimated total market value for a home or lot that has a private dock , the “moorage value” should be added to the property value (the land and improvements). Based on the convenience of having your “boat in your backyard” instead of at a condo marina somewhere, a conservative estimate of the moorage value would be at least one & one-half times the current value of a condo boat slip that can handle a similar size boat. You could go to 2 times depending on other conditions including quality of dock, ease of navigation, depth, width, etc. Although the size of the boat slip or dock is important, more important in estimating moorage value is what size boat the slip or dock can handle. Some 30’ private docks can handle a 50’ boat comfortably while some have trouble handling a 30’ boat. At a conservative 1 & ½ times a condo boat slip, a protected private dock that can moor a 45’ boat should have a current value of about $236,000. Add this to the land and improvements value to estimate total market value. (See current condo boat slip prices above). Example: 60’ canal waterfront lot value $250k, improvements (1500sf house at $150 per sf) $225k, and moorage value (private dock capable of 45’ boat) $236k = $711,000. Change the 45’ to 30’ capability and the moorage value drops to $98K and the total market value drops $138k to $573k! Yes, big boat moorage is scarce and expensive.

The fourth option, buying a home or lot with moorage rights in a community-owned marina has a lot of pluses. You get most of the advantages of the first three options with the only minus being “you don’t have your boat in your backyard”, but it might only be a block or two away. There are not many boating communities that have community moorage and/or private docks and they are not developing any more because of shoreline acts and regulations. One such community on Whidbey Island is Mariners Cove. A boating community developed in the early 1970’s, it consists of 170 homes and lots, some with private docks, others with beachfront, and all property owners have moorage rights in their community marina. And, moorage is available for only $2 a foot per month! No taxes or maintenance expense. Just $2 a month per foot. So what is the value of the moorage rights in a community like Mariners Cove? At least as much as a condo boat slip in Skyline? I would think so. Or more because your taxes and maintenance are nil. If you own property in Mariners Cove, a 40’ boat will cost you only $80 a month, less than half the cost of the taxes and maintenance for the condo boat slip! Let’s just go with the same value as the condo boat slip. 40’ x $3500 per foot = $140,000. Add this to the land and improvements value to estimate the total value. Example: view lot value $175k, improvements (2500sf house at $125 per sf) $312k, and moorage rights $140k = $627,000. With this option you get a beautiful home probably with a sound view and very inexpensive boat moorage.

I hope this helped. It is pretty straight forward once you understand the value of moorage. Finally, since most properties are somewhat unique, the only true market value is what someone is willing to pay…

Any questions or comments, give me a call. Regards, Joe Marvin

Joseph Michael Marvin is a Boat Community Specialist with Windermere Real Estate on Whidbey Island, Washington. He can be reached at 206.605.1436. His website is http://www.boatcommunities.com/

Whidbey Island, Waterfront Communities Open Houses

Take a Trip to Beautiful Whidbey Island!

WHIDBEY ISLAND WATERFRONT COMMUNITIES

OPEN HOUSES, SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JULY 7TH & 8TH

DON’T MISS REVIEWING THESE BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT AND WATER VIEW
HOMES IN SOME OF WHIDBEY ISLANDS MOST DESIRABLE COMMUNITIES

ALL HOMES WILL BE OPEN FROM 1 PM T0 5 PM

COME EITHER DAY AND VISIT ALL 14 OPEN HOMES. JUST PICK UP A
MAP FOR THE COMMUNITY LOCATIONS AND DIRECTIONS AT OUR

OFFICE LOCATED AT 32785 SR 20, OAK HARBOR, WASHINGTON
(NEXT TO OFFICE MAX) OR AT ANY OF THE OPEN HOUSES.
JUST FOLLOW THE WINDERMERE OPEN HOUSE SIGNS

TO GET HERE:
DRIVE AROUND OVER THE DECEPTION PASS
BRIDGE OR TAKE THE MUKITEO FERRY.
QUESTIONS? CALL 360 675 5953

BOATER'S DREAM SPOT!

Is this not a beautiful spot? Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue, Washington is one of the truly great places in the world to live if you are a boater. This bay on Lake Washington has access to the oceans of the world through the Ballard Locks to Puget Sound. Beautiful homes, docks for your boat and the Meydenbauer Yacht Club make the setting with downtown Bellevue just a few blocks away. Besides luxury homes, there are also a number of condominiums with great views of the bay, lake and boats. It doesn't get any better than this!

Windermere Mariners Cove Open House

WHIDBEY ISLAND BOATING COMMUNITY

This past Sunday, April 29th, Windermere Real Estate and BoatCommunities.com held a "Community Open House" with seven homes open for boating home buyers to review. It was a very successful event with most homes having at least a dozen different parties (the high was 19!) looking at the wide selection of home sizes and prices. From a still-under-construction 1400sf canal front home with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths and 2 fireplaces, granite and expensive woodwork; to a beautiful bay and mountain view 3500sf home with the best of everything! Three of the open homes have docks in their backyards for your boat....

Take a look at these photos and if you have any questions or want to view any homes for sale in Mariners Cove, go to Mariners Cove on www.BoatCommunities.com or call me at 206 605 1436. Thanks, Joe Marvin

Coastal Real Estate - WOW!

BOATING LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES

Did you see the Special Advertising Section in the March 2007 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine titled Coastal Real Estate? You talk about Boating Communities! Seven Florida Boating Communities providing the best of lifestyle living for boat owners....Take a look at some of these pictures and go to their websites for more information. The market demand to help boaters find a home with moorage for their yacht continues to be strong on both coasts, especially California and Washington in the West, and Florida in the East. There has never been a better time to live and enjoy our boating lifestyle.

Also take a look at the article on Everett, Washington and their Puget Sound boating community development. It's an example of what is going on in the Seattle / Puget Sound area to help boaters live their lifestyle: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2006/11/13/focus20.html?t=printable

Websites of interest regarding the Florida boating communities:

www.aquapiyc.com

www.aandfhomes.com

www.ginnsurmer.com

www.theharborageclub.com

www.marinersclub.com

www.marlinbay-keys.com

www.newporttampabay.com

And don't forget if you are looking to buy or sell boating community homes or property in the Pacific Northwest to go www.boatcommunities.com Regards, Joe Marvin

Want To Buy an Island? Read On

Did you know that you can purchase your own island for 20% less than you'd pay for comparable waterfront property on the mainland? Here's how to get your cays to paradise.

By Sean O'Neill, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine
Slide show: 10 private islands for sale

Tom Brisson strides through the cathedral quiet of a spruce grove and emerges into a sunlit clearing. On an outcrop of granite, ocean waves spray a halo of mist. The elegant port town of Bar Harbor, Maine, appears across the water. "The only thing missing from this view is a hammock hanging between two trees," he says.

Brisson owns 13-acre Heron Island, a 20-minute boat ride from Winter Harbor, Maine. The 58-year-old financier had never seriously set his sights on buying an island until mid-2005.
But a few weeks after retiring from his job as a Sallie Mae financial analyst, Brisson saw Heron Island pictured in a magazine article. The Potomac, Md., resident quickly visited the island and sized up its value. On the plus side, it's close to Maine's top attractions, and he plans to boost the value of his wooded fiefdom by building a three-bedroom house and a storage building. He lowballed the $795,000 sale price with a successful offer of $715,000.

The own-your-own-island dream starts around $150,000. But you can also rent a private island for rates that start around $4,000 a week for two.
Consider the 1.75-mile-long chain of five islands in Maine's Brans Mill pond. You could build a cabin on the largest of the islands (4.8 acres), from which you could fish for brook trout and white perch. The archipelago was recently selling for $229,000, which included a lot on the mainland for parking your car and launching your watercraft. The pond is an hour's drive from Bangor. (See this island and others for sale in a slide show here.)

If you can afford waterfront property on the mainland, you can likely afford to purchase an island. As a rule, islands are about 20% cheaper per acre than waterfront mainland in the same locale. Yet islands offer more overall waterfront for your dollar -- with 360-degree views, of course.

What's more, the long-term investment value of an island often equals that of comparable mainland property. The main reason is the diminishing supply of islands that can be developed. State governments and environmental groups are restricting construction on many undeveloped private islands, especially in Florida and Maine. This trend is boosting demand for islands that don't have restrictions on renovating or replacing existing buildings.

San Diego Real Estate

With its gentle Mediterranean climate and sand covered beaches bathed by warm sunshine, San Diego County real estate is one of the most desired coastal communities in the world. We welcome you to San Diego County's Fine Homes and Estates and Luxury properties presented by Louie Ortiz.

When you select Louie Ortiz and The Ortiz Group to represent your property or property purchase, you receive the extensive business and professional experience of Louie Ortiz and the resources and unrivaled support of the entire Century 21 system. Louie Ortiz with Century 21 Award possess an intimate knowledge of San Diego County communities and a keen grasp of the overall real estate market and its ever-changing landscape.

Throughout the years, Louie Ortiz through his business experience as CEO of his own companies has amassed an impressive portfolio of skills and expertise that give him a unique perspective and sales skills in marketing luxury properties and fine homes and estates. To go to the Ortiz Group Website, click on San Diego Real Estate above...

For Real Estate Blog

 Future of Real Estate

 

My crystal ball is starting to vibrate and when it does you will hear a high pitch sound or at the very least, feel wave particles pass through you and leave you in a state of bewilderment or enlightenment. The future of realestate is a reflection of the future state of global humanity.

When this phase is over it just all starts again. 

 

I am very conscient of how this sounds, .........................and now, so are you.

 

Real estate is changing in a way that will not reflect the patterns and statistics of the past. A random event has taken place, a mutation if you will. This, in the form of the internet has shaken all parts of the globe not just because it has made it smaller, faster, homogenious but because it has taken a linear world of thinking, connections, measurment, analysis, business and process and instantly changed it to a quantum capable world and process. This is a process that approaches on multiple fronts at the same time allowing for elements that do not work or fit to fall or re-form into other directions.

 

Let me repeat a part of that.

 

"it has taken a linear world of thinking, connections, measurment, analysis, business and process and instantly changed it to a quantum capable world and process."

 

The internet has become a crude but effective modeling tool for how the universe deals with energy in a quantum fashoin. If you relate the way the internet spreads, absorbs and disperses information, it reflects and holds true to the law of thermodynamics. The collective consiousness ( people = energy ) and the data they input, pass on or delete (data = information) drives change.

 

If you want to argue for the parralell universe the internet shows us how this argument does not stand up. Just because the information does not reach you, does not mean that it is not out there affecting others and may in some other way touch your world. Regardless your world has changed. Look at the way the greening of the real estate market is a reflection of our overall sense of connectedness and exposure. Exposure to undiniable facts and information on the true condition of our depleted world resourse.

 

Back to my crystal ball. OK it is not so clear, but one thing is shining through, real estate along with most other industries are in what the old mind set says is chaos. But the new mindset sees it as pure potential. We are determining the real estate furture by our actions at xoompad, today! With each tool and decision we make we are not trying to guess the future of real estate, we are however stearing it a little at a time in the direction we belive is better for all.

 

Shane Katsoolis.

www.xoompad.com