<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122</id><updated>2011-12-27T03:29:18.629-05:00</updated><category term='Etc.'/><category term='Investment Properties in Doral'/><category term='News'/><title type='text'>HERE IN DORAL: Doral Real Estate, News, Happenings &amp; Life!</title><subtitle type='html'>HERE IN DORAL is an independent media publication covering Doral, for Doral and by Doral resident and real estate specialist, Monica Tamayo. Call me at: (786) 975-7836 or email- monicadoral@gmail.com</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>9</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-5504105046222469545</id><published>2011-12-23T21:22:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-12-27T03:29:18.640-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='News'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>Finding a Home Online</title><content type='html'>If there's any lingering doubt about how the Internet is transforming the way people buy and sell homes, here's eye-widening proof: Marnie Azadian and her husband just moved from Scottsdale, Ariz., into a $410,000 home in Tulsa that they bought 100 percent over the Internet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They never visited Tulsa, Okla., where Marnie had accepted a job. They never opened the front door, or a kitchen drawer. Never drove around the neighborhood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"I did have some moments of "Oh my gosh, what did we just do?' " says Azadian, 57, but no regrets about the house they'd fallen in love with from a virtual tour. (Though her commute is a bit more of "a pain" than it looked like on mapquest.com.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Risky? Maybe so. But this is just a glimpse of how rapidly and radically the Internet and other techno-gadgets are reshaping real estate sales. Already, 80 percent of buyers use the Internet to help find a home, according to the National Association of Realtors. Day by day, new real estate tools are surfacing on the Web.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Technology is shifting knowledge and power to buyers and sellers. In doing so, it's loosening Realtors' long-standing control of vital information and cutting into their sales commissions. For more than 100 years, Realtors have guarded the details of homes for sale via their multiple listing services. At least 900 regional MLS systems exist nationwide. Unless the MLS systems become more open, unified and technologically sophisticated, they risk being replaced by a Web search engine.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"The Internet is a significant threat to Realtors, who in previous decades have had iron-grip control over all necessary information for those seeking to buy or sell a home. Today, that's not necessarily the case," says Stuart Gabriel of the University of Southern California's Lusk Center for Real Estate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Compared with the patchwork of MLS systems, each with its own board of directors, "The Internet search engines may be very competitive and very efficient."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Signs of an upheaval in the industry were evident by late 2005, when the Justice Department filed an antitrust suit against the National Association of Realtors. Justice wants the Realtors to drop a policy that lets brokers withhold their for-sale listings from low-cost Internet competitors.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Realtors' policy is on hold. But Brian McDonald, a deputy assistant attorney general for Justice's antitrust division, says the policy's restrictions still exert "a chilling effect in the market," because some companies won't risk introducing new Internet business strategies if they could be undercut in the future.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But even as the two sides file motions, delaying the trial, the Internet is leveling the playing field and prodding the industry to adapt faster than you can say, "Your honor, we'd like a recess to consider new developments."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In just the past few months:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Zillow.com, which created a stir last year by posting its estimated values of millions of homes across the country, has started showing homes for sale. In the past two months, nearly 32,000 people have listed their homes for sale.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;An additional 16,000 have put "Make Me Move" prices on their homes. That feature lets homeowners who aren't really looking to sell put a kind dream price tag on their home, just in case someone wants to make a sweet offer. Zillow says the Make Me Move prices tend to be about 17 percent higher than its "zestimates," which means owners are taking the option seriously.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Trulia.com is asking real estate agents to post homes for sale and has introduced "heat maps" that show the price and popularity of home sales by state, county and neighborhood.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Google.com is trolling for real estate agent listings for its classified-ads system, known as Google Base. The Houston Association of Realtors, for example, announced in December it would put all of its listings on Google.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By the end of the month, apartment hunters will be able to use some cell phones with GPS technology to find places to rent. From the national database of apartments.com, customers can see a list of the 70 closest apartments from where they are standing. On their cell phone screens, they'll be able to see apartment details, floor plans, area maps and call the property manager to see the property. (Gannett, which owns USA Today and the Asbury Park Press, also owns a stake in the parent company of apartments.com.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This summer, the inventor of the technology, SmarterAgent.com, says it'll launch a similar service for houses on the market.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Forget grainy aerial photos of homes. Microsoft's Live Local lets people use their Xbox 360 or other video-game controller to take 3D street tours of 15 cities. The company is busy adding more locations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"It used to be, five or seven years ago, that our job was about helping clients find the right home," says Pat Lashinsky of ZipRealty, a discount real estate brokerage. Now, "The clients are very involved in finding their own homes; there are so many tools and ways they can do it."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The role of the agent, which for years was mainly to bring together buyers and sellers, increasingly is "to help clients with all of the paperwork," Lashinsky says. Nearly one out of four buyers last year found the home they wanted on the Internet, up from 2 percent a decade ago, according to the NAR.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There's no hard data on how many people are quite as bold as the Azadians, willing to buy a home with only a high-tech tour from afar. But there's anecdotal evidence that buyers are increasingly willing to make a leap of faith in cyberspace.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Virtual tours&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;J.R. Crawford, an agent on Vashon Island, Wash., said she had three buyers last year who made offers after taking virtual tours. Though each bid was contingent on a walk-through of the home, Crawford recalls that one buyer from Texas opened the door and said, "I know where I'm going; you don't have to walk me through the house."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That said, buyers should beware: For anyone hunting for homes, the quality of the information and the tools offered on Web sites can vary dramatically, as a simple search can reveal. When USA TODAY tested 10 of the most popular sites, we received very different results for available homes, prices and lenders.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For now, the vast majority of home buyers still use real estate agents in some way during the sales process. The Azadians said the good telephone rapport they developed with the seller's agents in Tulsa gave them the confidence they needed to put their trust in technology. They sent all their documents via express mail.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But fewer buyers think they need agents to supply vital information. Last year, 69 percent of buyers said their real estate agent was a "very useful" source of information, down from 72 percent the year before, according to the National Association of Realtors.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sellers take on work&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sellers, likewise, are doing more work themselves, from scheduling appraisals to holding their own open houses. As homeowners bear more of the labor, and agents less, many sellers don't want to pay as much for an agent's services. Rather than pay the traditional 6 percent sales commission, more sellers are saving money by turning to agents who provide a la carte services — such as advertising the property on the Realtors' multiple listing service and filling out contracts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These limited-service brokers are especially popular in high-cost areas, like the Washington, Northern Virginia and Maryland region, where the typical 6 percent commission on the average-priced home of about $400,000 could cost the seller $24,000.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Which is why four of the top-10-producing real estate agent teams in that area offer a la carte services, says David Charron, president of the MRIS, the multiple listing service for the Washington area, the largest in the country.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"That shows the business is evolving," Charron says.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Federal regulators, however, say the industry hasn't changed enough. The Federal Trade Commission already has made the Realtor multiple listing services in seven metro areas drop policies that protected the traditional real estate agents by hampering limited-service brokers. The FTC is suing one MLS operator in Michigan for refusing to accept listings from limited-service brokers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"There are more (actions) in the pipeline," says Maureen Ohlhausen, director of the FTC's office for policy planning.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-5504105046222469545?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/5504105046222469545/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=5504105046222469545' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/5504105046222469545'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/5504105046222469545'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/finding-home-online.html' title='Finding a Home Online'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-8281832628549215134</id><published>2011-12-20T18:15:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2011-12-27T03:27:14.246-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Investment Properties in Doral'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='News'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>Marketing Mexican Residential Real-Estate Projects in the United States</title><content type='html'>The boom in Mexican residential real estate is attracting significant foreign investment, much of it from the United States. As a distinguished panel of experts at the Procopio International Tax Institute's "Investing in Mexican Real Estate Conference" in San Diego this month emphasized, knowing the right way to market your Mexican real-estate project in the United States can mean the difference between success and failure.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;John C. Lee, who practices corporate and securities law with the San Diego law firm Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves &amp;amp; Savitch LLP, noted at the outset that the way the project is financed may affect how the project must be marketed in the United States. Developers will need to ascertain if what they are selling are actually securities rather than real estate. If so, sales of interests in the project to purchasers in the United States will be subject to state and federal securities laws, Lee explained.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gabriel Robles, managing partner of Baja Resort Advisors LLC, illustrated just how rapidly the market for Mexican residential real estate is expanding among U.S. citizens. American baby boomers make up the largest segment of this market, with many looking for second homes and places to retire. Mexico offers about 20 major second home and retirement markets for U.S. citizens, Robles noted. To market Mexican residential real-estate projects in the United States, he recommends finding ways to bring potential buyers to the site, primarily through the Internet, but also via press releases and newsletters. The main objective is to get the name of your project out there and, of course, do your homework.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Eduardo Valadés of Dreamhousing.com and iHispanic Marketing Group, who is experienced in marketing Mexican real-estate projects through the Internet, observed that 80 percent of buyers now use the Internet to search for a home. He recommended considering methods such as search-engine marketing and pay-per-click campaigning to target buyers through the Internet. Following up on Internet-generated leads is essential, Valadés noted.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-8281832628549215134?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='related' href='http://online-business-journal.blogspot.com/marketing-mexican-residential-real.html' title='Marketing Mexican Residential Real-Estate Projects in the United States'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/8281832628549215134/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=8281832628549215134' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/8281832628549215134'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/8281832628549215134'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/marketing-mexican-residential-real.html' title='Marketing Mexican Residential Real-Estate Projects in the United States'/><author><name>noID</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jnMoGWKsobI/SnBkbTv77FI/AAAAAAAAAOM/sGWL8jR-h04/s1600-R/1034409.thm.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-292405466159725842</id><published>2007-02-27T17:54:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-02-27T17:55:47.484-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>A Look at the 'New' Florida Swing</title><content type='html'>For more than 30 years, the Florida Swing on the PGA TOUR included four tournaments with two stops in south Florida, one in central Florida and one in north Florida. With the debut of the FedExCup in 2007, the Florida Swing still includes four tournaments but has a completely different look.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here's what to look for when the PGA TOUR comes to the Sunshine State for a month, beginning this week:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Honda Classic, Feb. 26-March 4: The tournament starts the Florida Swing at a new site and with a new host organization. The tournament will be played in Palm Beach Gardens at the PGA National Resort &amp;amp; Spa's Champions Course, which was the site of the 1983 Ryder Cup Matches and the 1987 PGA Championship, won by Larry Nelson in a playoff with Lanny Wadkins. Barbara Nicklaus, Jack Nicklaus' wife, is the chairperson of the newly created Children's Healthcare Charity, Inc., which operates The Honda Classic, with The Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation the primary beneficiary.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;PODS Championship, March 5-11: PODS Enterprises, Inc., an international provider of mobile storage and moving solutions, is the recently named title sponsor for this event, which moves into spring for the first time. The Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort near Tampa will be the site of a PGA TOUR tournament for the second time in five months. K.J. Choi won the tournament there last October. The Tampa area had been the site of a fall TOUR event since a team event began there in 1977.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, March 12-18: After having host course Bay Hill in its name since 1979, the tournament this year honored host Arnold Palmer by naming the tournament for him. In addition, the decision was made to play Bay Hill at par 70, with the fourth and 16th holes converted to par 4s.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;World Golf Championships-CA Championship, March 19-25: Tiger Woods will be the double defending champion in this spot on the schedule previously occupied by THE PLAYERS Championship, which moves to a May date this year. Woods won on the Blue Course at the Doral Resort and Spa last March and then captured the World Golf Championships-American Express Championship in England last fall. CA, founded in 1976 as Computer Associates, became the title sponsor of the World Golf Championships event that moved to Miami this year. This date is three weeks later for Doral than in previous years.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-292405466159725842?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/292405466159725842/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=292405466159725842' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/292405466159725842'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/292405466159725842'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/look-at-new-florida-swing.html' title='A Look at the &apos;New&apos; Florida Swing'/><author><name>noID</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jnMoGWKsobI/SnBkbTv77FI/AAAAAAAAAOM/sGWL8jR-h04/s1600-R/1034409.thm.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-506939904635593441</id><published>2007-02-26T18:34:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2007-03-26T21:06:53.370-04:00</updated><title type='text'>Dolphin Mall</title><content type='html'>11401 NW 12 Street&lt;br /&gt;Doral, FL 33172&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-506939904635593441?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/506939904635593441/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=506939904635593441' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/506939904635593441'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/506939904635593441'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/dolphin-mall.html' title='Dolphin Mall'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-7459802464065870961</id><published>2007-02-26T18:00:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-02-26T18:03:26.669-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='News'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>The Re-Invention of Doral: A Thriving Office and Residential Real Estate Market has Moved Doral Away from its Industrial Heritage</title><content type='html'>In the heart of the fast-changing City of Doral, plumes of dust rise up from the former headquarters for Ryder System Inc., as crews work to demolish the building. In its place, Shoma Development Corp. will build Park Square at Doral, a new high-density town center with retail, office and residential components.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Less than a mile to the north, the city is planning the "Downtown Doral District," an even larger mixed-use project to be created by long-time developer Armando Codina at the site of Doral Center, one of area's first office building clusters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Major employers throughout Doral--from the landmark Doral Golf Resort &amp; Spa and the Miami Free Zone to relative newcomers like the Intercontinental Miami West and Carlos Albizu University (CAU)--are renewing themselves as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is all part of the re-invention of Doral, a two-year-old city moving quickly to take charge of its destiny. "Projects like Downtown Doral District will go a long way to creating an identity for our city," says Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez. "It's a very exciting time."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For decades, the Doral area was known as Miami-Dade County's leading industrial market, filled with warehouses and distribution centers shuttling products back and forth from Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami. Today, those gritty warehouses and trucks exist side-by-side with new housing developments and office buildings, banks, upscale restaurants and supermarkets.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"In the 13 years I've been here, I've seen Doral go from being solely an import-export hub to attracting Fortune 500 companies," says Andy Abbate, president of Doral-based Tenbrook Associates Inc. and co-founder of the Doral Business Council, a year-old organization that promotes economic development. "Now, Doral is seeing strong growth in smaller businesses, including retailers and people working from home offices--a reflection of the growth of Doral's residential market."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is a new texture for the city--and one that brings a host of new challenges: How to place upscale condominiums and townhomes next to a warehouse area; How to build parks, sidewalks and bike paths for residents; How can traffic congestion caused by heavy trucks, daily commuters and residents' vehicles be eased?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Since its incorporation on June 23, 2003, Doral's civic leaders have been wrestling with those questions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Creating a sense of place&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Undoubtedly, the most important changes in Doral's landscape are the result of the city's desire to create a sense of place. Like suburban communities throughout western Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Doral is looking toward mixed-use town center projects to encourage residents to get out of their cars and spend their leisure and entertainment dollars in their own community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"People are bored with traditional suburban form and unimaginative sprawl," says Masoud Shojaee, president of Doral-based Shoma Development. "The need has intensified for a complete environment where people can work, shop and live, while enhancing their quality of life. I am a true believer that people can have it all."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Shoma's Park Square at Doral will be a 2 million-square-foot development on the 53-acre site at NW 82nd Avenue south of NW 36th Street. Plans include more than 135,000 square feet of retail space, a 218,000-square-foot, six-story office tower and more than 2,500 townhomes, carriage homes, apartments and lofts. It will feature a pedestrian plaza for art festivals, concerts and other special events, as well as park areas, pedestrian paths and lush landscaping. Real estate broker Cushman &amp; Wake-field Inc. is already handling leasing for the office tower, which is projected to be complete in February 2007.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Just north of the Doral Golf Resort &amp;amp; Spa on NW 53rd Street, Armando Codina, CEO of Coral Gables-based Codina Group Inc., will redevelop part of the 100-acre Doral Center as the city's new "downtown." Codina plans to demolish some of the center's existing office space, and replace it with a variety of residential, retail and office uses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Going back to the development of Beacon Centre, Codina Group's real estate roots stem from the evolution of Doral," said Codina in an e-mail interview. "What Doral needs now is a downtown.... With the combination of residential neighborhoods and prominent corporations that have sprung up in the last decade, and given its recent incorporation, Doral offers tremendous potential for development."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Like city officials, Codina hopes that Downtown Doral, similar to other infill developments, will allow the growing community to take better advantage of its existing roadway capacity, and balance traffic patterns.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Fighting Traffic Congestion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Traffic, in fact, is perhaps the biggest concern of Doral residents, businesses and government. Since the 1980s, the area has been the largest warehouse and office submarket in the county. According to commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm CB Richard Ellis, as of mid-year 2005, the Miami Airport submarket (which includes Doral) made up 34 percent of Miami-Dade's 195 million square feet of industrial space.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-7459802464065870961?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/7459802464065870961/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=7459802464065870961' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/7459802464065870961'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/7459802464065870961'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/re-invention-of-doral-thriving-office.html' title='The Re-Invention of Doral: A Thriving Office and Residential Real Estate Market has Moved Doral Away from its Industrial Heritage'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-3769339814090048696</id><published>2007-02-19T21:17:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-02-19T21:22:43.694-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='News'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>Better Homes Project Sales &amp; Marketing Enters the International Arena</title><content type='html'>With high levels of experience and expertise, established in the UAE Market working on illustrious projects such as The Green Community, The Cove at Ras Al Khaimah, Al Fattan Marine Towers and Ogyana at The World Islands, this year looks likely to be the best yet for the increasingly successful division.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the same way they contract in specialists such as; architects, engineers, and project managers, more and more developers are recognizing the importance of allocating a similar resource for professional marketing and sales. In doing so, their team stays lean and overheads are minimized without compromising on quality or industry expertise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As pioneers in the UAE market and having successfully marketed projects for the last three years, the Better Homes team has seen an increase in the number of operators entering the field in the last 12 months. The move has been welcomed by Walter Hart, Director of Project Sales &amp; Marketing at Better Homes, “the increased competition has forced us to raise the bar even further and has encouraged us to remain at the top of our game”. As market leaders, Hart’s team of 34 have the added advantage of a client database of 16,000 buyers and potential buyers at their disposal.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The experience developed in the Dubai market is now being used to undertake projects in the international arena. Having already completed a number of projects overseas including Pakistan and Northern Cyprus in 2006, the time has come for the team to forge forward into other international markets.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In particular, efforts are being concentrated on emerging markets, with developers keen to sign a company with a proven track record in Dubai. “Opting for similar markets means we already have an understanding of the complications of assignments in these markets better than most” commented Hart, adding that “for us, international expansion has been slower than we would have wanted but we felt the extra time was necessary to enable us to do proper due diligence.” In places such as Turkey, Morocco and Cyprus this is a lengthy, but essential process to protect the brand and ensure its ability to serve clients effectively.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;“These are exciting times for us but these markets are not being entered on a whim. Each one has been properly investigated including everything from the developer to all legal aspects to ensure that we have the confidence to sell the product.” Hart added.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;About Better Homes:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Leading the way in Dubai real estate for over 20 years, Better Homes is one of the UAE’s foremost real estate companies; selling, leasing and managing more properties than any other agency in the Gulf. Better Homes is one of the most respected names in the Middle East with a reputation for professional care and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;From a one woman company, today Better Homes employs around 400 fully trained and certified real estate professionals. Its range of services has grown from leasing to sales, property management and consultancy. Its Project Sales &amp;amp; Marketing Division has forged exclusive agreements with several of the world’s top developers and landlords, giving it a distinct advantage in the variety and number of its real estate offerings.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Better Homes has pioneered many new concepts in the market. Amongst these, the concept of short-term rentals for business or vacation and an innovative online property search facility that offers real-time property listings by type, price and location. With a dynamic management team, solid reputation and innovative ideas, Better Homes continues to set the standards of professionalism in the real estate industry.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-3769339814090048696?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/3769339814090048696/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=3769339814090048696' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/3769339814090048696'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/3769339814090048696'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/better-homes-project-sales-marketing.html' title='Better Homes Project Sales &amp; Marketing Enters the International Arena'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-7452889844937837465</id><published>2007-02-19T20:49:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-02-19T20:52:06.149-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='News'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>A Flood of Foreclosures, but Should You Invest?</title><content type='html'>The number of homes in or nearing foreclosure is growing, and some investors are taking advantage of the bargains created. But even with a steady stream of distressed properties coming on the market, jumping into foreclosure investing is dangerous, especially if you are not familiar with the process or new to real-estate investing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Some people are using the phrase 'tsunami;' there's going to be a tsunami of foreclosures," said Dave Jenks, co-author of "The Millionaire Real Estate Investor." "For the people who are pros at dealing with foreclosures and have the infrastructure of information and wherewithal ... they will take full advantage of this."&lt;br /&gt;     &lt;br /&gt;Consider these recent statistics: 1.05% of mortgages were in the foreclosure process in the third quarter of 2006, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The foreclosure rate increased from 0.99% in the second quarter; the rate was 0.97% in the third quarter of 2005.&lt;br /&gt;And RealtyTrac reported last week that the number of homes entering the foreclosure process increased by 19% in January, compared with December's numbers. Compared with January 2006, the number of homes in the process is up 25%. In 2006, a total of 1.2 million homes entered the foreclosure process, 42% more than 2005.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;While there are opportunities to purchase homes at reduced prices in many markets, they're "cautious opportunities," said John Anderson, owner/broker of Twin Oaks Realty in Crystal, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Above all, you can't assume that just because a home is heading for foreclosure means that it is automatically a good deal, Anderson said.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Remember, even for pros, foreclosure investing involves some risk, as does any purchase of "real estate as an investment, as opposed to a home (in which to live)," said Rick Sharga, vice president of marketing at RealtyTrac.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Doing the math&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The transaction has to make sense financially, figuring in the costs of getting the property back into marketable condition, the value it's going to have at resale and the length of time it's going to take to find a buyer -- if you do, in fact, plan on reselling immediately instead of holding it to rent out or live in. It's also important to know if there are liens on the property.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Adding to the complexity of the investment are the various state and county foreclosure laws and regulations throughout the country.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"This is hard work," said Daryl White, a foreclosure investor in Valencia, Calif. "Forget about 'If I can do it, you can do it'" lines from late-night television infomercials, he added.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;White, a subscriber of Foreclosures.com, a foreclosure listing service and educational Web site, uses a spreadsheet to figure the costs associated with investing in a particular property.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When his analysis is complete, he can decide what to pay for the property. The goal, he said, is to buy at 30% below the after-repaired market value -- half of the discount allows him to cover such expenses as holding costs and repairs while the other half earns him a profit. The formula is taught through Foreclosures.com.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the "changing market" he's in, near Los Angeles, he has to factor in that houses are taking about three to five months to sell, which adds to his holding costs, he said. But even in a cooling market, a home that is priced right will sell, said Alexis McGee, president of Foreclosures.com. It's important, she said, to pay careful attention to prices of comparable houses that are selling in a particular neighborhood to get an idea of what return an investment can bring.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In fact, many who have had success in real-estate investing will also recommend not depending on a strong market for a good return, Jenks said. "Most of the really good investors will tell you never rely on appreciation to make a deal work."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Homeowners in trouble&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are a couple of key reasons for the uptick in foreclosures, said Sharga, whose site also lists homes in the foreclosure process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For one, a slower housing market has stretched out the time it takes for a home to sell, making it tougher for families who must sell to strike a deal in time to avoid the foreclosure process, he said. Also at play is the rise in interest rates on adjustable-rate mortgages, at times squeezing "people who have overextended themselves in the first place."&lt;br /&gt;Those looking to buy a home in the foreclosure process can do so during a few different stages.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some investors, including White, prefer purchasing homes prior to the actual foreclosure. Others make the investment later in the process, at a foreclosure auction. If the property is unable to be sold by the bank at a desired price, an investor can deal with the institution in buying what is called a real-estate owned property, or REO.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Each point has its own complications, so tread slowly and do your homework first, Anderson said. He recommends beginners start out by sitting down with a real-estate agent who has experience in the arena, someone who has done it before.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dealing with a preforeclosure, for example, often involves negotiating with a distressed homeowner -- and doesn't always shape up to be a comfortable situation.&lt;br /&gt;"They (homeowners) don't want to be bothered or may not be as reasonable as they are under normal circumstances," Sharga said. On top of that, there are a number of "foreclosure rip-off artists" who have taken advantage of people when they're most vulnerable, he added.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;White said he's often battling a negative image because people "don't see the white knight part of it," when, in fact, the sale of a preforeclosure home could help homeowners keep negative marks off their credit histories and also get at any remaining equity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As a Realtor working with investors, Anderson said his first thought is to try and find a way to keep the homeowner in the house. If a sale must take place, he recommends the seller have fair representation before proceeding -- to ensure they get a fair deal.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-7452889844937837465?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/7452889844937837465/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=7452889844937837465' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/7452889844937837465'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/7452889844937837465'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/flood-of-foreclosures-but-should-you.html' title='A Flood of Foreclosures, but Should You Invest?'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-5822661529197940905</id><published>2007-02-19T20:47:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-02-19T20:48:59.579-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='News'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>Online Real Estate Assistant announces remote platform service</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:black;"&gt;Online Real Estate Assistant, a professional provider of business support services to real estate brokers and agents, announces its new line of transaction platform service using Transaction Point. Online Real Estate Assistant, a NAR Certified Real Estate Assistant, is a virtual provider of listing, marketing and closing services. “We are very excited about the new addition to our virtual platform,” says the company’s president and team leader, Carolyn Nelson.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Having the ability to provide multiple options to broker and agents gives us a competitive edge. We a better equipped to offer four different and distinguished transaction platforms in addition to the standard productivity programs such as Top Producer and Agent Office. Now we can provide a wider range of services using RELAY Transaction Management, Transaction Point, SettlementRoom, and Gurunet g4. Our team of listing, marketing and closing coordinators undergo continuous training as each platform undergoes changes. “I believe that when you are always ahead or aligned with change, you are better able to service your clients,” say Carolyn Nelson.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;All agents understand the importance of exceptional buyer and seller services. When you have a team of professionals handling the back office requirements, the brokers and agents can spend more time building relationships. For more information, contact info@onlinerepa.com or visit the conference website at &lt;a href="http://www.onlinerepa.com/" target="_blank"&gt;www.onlinerepa.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-5822661529197940905?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/5822661529197940905/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=5822661529197940905' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/5822661529197940905'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/5822661529197940905'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/online-real-estate-assistant-announces.html' title='Online Real Estate Assistant announces remote platform service'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-982362626629428122.post-8084364847764100421</id><published>2007-02-19T20:46:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-02-19T20:47:50.398-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='News'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Etc.'/><title type='text'>Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula Promises Relief for Realtors</title><content type='html'>Internet Real Estate Consulting, LLC has just launched its brand new training manual for real estate agents.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula offers real estate agents a step by step guide to successful real estate internet marketing. It shows agents step by step how to set up their own lead generating website, how to drive free targeted traffic to it and how to turn traffic into leads. Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula also gives a roadmap to converting leads into clients as well as maintaining constant contact with satisfied clients for a constant stream of repeat and referral business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In a preliminary survey conducted by Internet Real Estate Consulting, LLC., real estate agents reported that lead generation is one of the biggest challenges they face in their current business. Many agents reported that they generate business by using the traditional methods of prospecting, like sitting at open houses, asking friends and family for referrals, and by floor duty. Many agents also reported having tried online lead generation services and most of them claim that they are frustrated by the high fees and the low quality of the leads provided by many of these companies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula addresses the concerns of these agents. It was created by a Realtor for Realtors. It provides a step by step guide to real estate agents who are looking to take real estate internet marketing into their own hands rather than paying the high fees required by third party lead generators.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;According to the National Association of Realtors, 80% of home buyers start their home search online. While buyers are flooding to the web for real estate information, only 12% of Realtors manage to capitalize on this trend and generate over 25% of their business online (NAR, 2006).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula show agents how to create a lead generating website for free and it also teaches 10 different and innovative ways to targeted buyer and seller traffic to the agent’s lead generating website. Seven of these traffic generation techniques are absolutely free, promising agents a substantial reduction in their marketing budget.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula not only shows you how to generate leads, it also tells you how to automatically convert these leads to clients" said Katalin Cseke, owner of Internet Real Estate Consulting, LLC. "Even if you use only one of the strategies or techniques of Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula, you can significantly increase your online effectiveness."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For additional information on Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula, visit http://www.RealEstateInternetMarketingFormula.com.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;About Katalin Cseke and Internet Real Estate Consulting, LLC: Katalin Cseke is the Owner and CEO of Internet Real Estate Consulting, LLC. She has a Harvard degree and an MBA in Marketing. She had worked in Marketing Communications Consulting for Fortune 500 Companies before starting her real estate business. Since her very first year in real estate, Katalin has achieved the Top Producer / Multi-Million Dollar Sales Club Awards every year despite the fact that she only works about 10-20 hrs/week. She gets 100% of her clients through the Internet and Repeat/Referral Business from these clients -- with the techniques described in Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/982362626629428122-8084364847764100421?l=hereindoral.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/feeds/8084364847764100421/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=982362626629428122&amp;postID=8084364847764100421' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/8084364847764100421'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/982362626629428122/posts/default/8084364847764100421'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hereindoral.blogspot.com/2007/02/real-estate-internet-marketing-formula.html' title='Real Estate Internet Marketing Formula Promises Relief for Realtors'/><author><name>Monica Tamayo</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11254323247644499789</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
