There are well established islands charging a minimum rate of 900 dollars per night for a standard room. On the other hand, there are other groups which offer the property within sixty five thousand dollars. You can find small villas to an entire island in Caribbean real estate and the properties can be very charming. Some amenities that come along may offer maid services or cooks while others may not offer staffing. However, finding the right location for business is a tedious task with the prices asked are just below the US property standards.

Why the Caribbean Real Estate?

These are the islands arguably can offer every kind of investor irrespective of their budgets. Moreover, the rise in tourism on many Caribbean islands has given rise to different prospects like the construction industry etc. Off shore banking has also taken a toll. The sheer luxury offered is a must have for the high end tourists. There are luxury resorts and award winning hotels are few of the numerous reasons. The typical rain forest, the glassy lagoons and the windy waves are serene enough to suit all flavors. The Caribbean real estate is also known for its cuisines which offer a wide range of culture.

The Caribbean real estate comes in myriad forms. From houses, lands, villages, the tropical beaches, farms or even a private condo, commercial as well as investment property can choose their options. Plus, it is a potentially beneficial option as it is triggering the other industries to grow. This results in the hike of the properties and vice versa. The Caribbean land continues to grow with the prices steadily elevating with it. Many wise investors see this time as a great investment as the prices would go up further. Many European investors are also keen on investing as the trend and the euro are strengthening each day.

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Obamas Refinance Proposal Details:

*  The owner is allowed to have only missed one payment in the past 6 months. That shouldn’t be too large of an obsticle for most owners to overcome……but….

* Owners who are underwater by more than 40% must get their lender to agree to forgive the negative equity. LENDERS must agree to do this. Lenders would have to get investors to agree to this forgiveness.

* Mid 500s credit score.

* No Jumbos. ‘Qualifying Loans’ only. Loans must be less than 5,000 (or there abouts). Remember, the max loan amount differs depending on where the home is located.

* The negative equity is STILL ON THE LOAN with this re-fi plan. Owners would get a lower payment but, still be underwater. When these owners go to sell and if they were still underwater they would have to sell as a short sale or lose the home through the foreclosure process. As long as owners are underwater there will never be a real housing recovery.

WARNING: Short Sales…love em or hate em…they are here to stay! Go beyond the basic ‘expert’ short sale designation. Watch the FREE 2012 Agent Short Sale Secrets video and download the FREE Short Sale training guide. NOTICE: Free book guaranteed for the first 100 agents only.

* This proposed plan is open for non-GSE backed loans. In other words, the banks would be dumping these less than stellar assets onto Fannie and Freddie..and, the tax payers. What was private debt becomes public debt.

* Congress has to sign off on this housing plan.

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Watch HARRIS REAL ESTATE UNIVERSITY Superstar, HGTV Star Valerie Fitzgerald and her dynamic real estate group Thursdays at 9pm/ 8pm centeral, 6pm pst. for their hit series, Selling LA.

This week’s episode: A successful airline owner hires Valerie Fitzgerald to sell her massive estate for .5 million with a six month contract deadline. On top of this the seller has leased the house to a high profile tenant.

WARNING: Short Sales…love em or hate em…they are here to stay! Go beyond the basic ‘expert’ short sale designation. Watch the FREE 2012 Agent Short Sale Secrets video and download the FREE Short Sale training guide. NOTICE: Free book guaranteed for the first 100 agents only.

Follow the Valerie Fitzgerald Group on Facebook

Valerie Fitzgerald Nicole Contreras Katy Landrum Dominique Jeramaz



Visit the Properties

Valerie Fitzgerald Group’s Latest Listings

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Join us for this week’s HARRIS REAL ESTATE UNIVERSITY FREE Educational Event…

The topic is: DISC Personality Styles.

Here is the information for your schedule:

EVENT: Super Star Interview, Tim and Julie Present
DATE & TIME: Friday, January 27th at 9:00am Pacific
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast — it’s your choice)
TO INSTANT TELESEMINAR, CLICK THIS LINK NOW…

http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=25970079

What is the DISC Personality Profile:

The assessments classify four aspects of behavior by testing a person’s preferences in word associations (compare with Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). DISC is an acronym for:

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From sleek and styled to bright and eclectic, the homes of fashion designers are just as stunning as their collections. In honor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, we’re looking beyond the glitz and glam of the runway to the homes of fashion’s biggest names.



Source: People.com

Vera Wang

Beloved by celebrities for her princess-perfect wedding gowns, Vera Wang is no stranger to Fashion Week. The 2005 “Womenswear Designer of the Year” winner has been on the forefront of fashion’s most elegant collections for years.

WARNING: Short Sales…love em or hate em…they are here to stay! Go beyond the basic ‘expert’ short sale designation. Watch the FREE 2012 Agent Short Sale Secrets video and download the FREE Short Sale training guide. NOTICE: Free book guaranteed for the first 100 agents only.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the native New Yorker has been spending more time in Los Angeles and decided to purchase a mid-century modern house in star-studded Trousdale Estates for a reported million. The home was once owned by Burt Reynolds and was completely renovated top-to-bottom by celebrity designer Steve Hermann. Sleek and modern, the home features views nearly as stunning as Wang’s gowns.

> See more photos of Vera Wang’s home (below)





Source: Huffington Post

Jenna Lyons
As the creative director of J.Crew, Jenna Lyons is credited as the visionary responsible turning the brand from preppy basics to oh-so-chic earning endorsements from the First Lady herself.  Lyons’ Park Slope townhouse radiates with the same high-end design aesthetic.

Stunning in its simplicity, Lyons’ townhouse has been the darling of shelter magazines and interior design blogs alike.  Purchased by Lyons and her estranged husband, artist Vincent Mazeau in 2004 for ,308,000, they knocked it back to the studs for a delicious remodel. The couple is reportedly headed for divorce, so the beautiful home was recently listed on the Brooklyn real estate market with a .75 million price tag.

> See more photos of Jenna Lyons’ home (below)





Source: youritlist.com

Nina Garcia
Marie Claire magazine fashion director Nina Garcia is better known as the “Señora Don’t Bore Me” judge on the hit Bravo reality show “Project Runway.”

Back in 2010, Garcia sold her sprawling apartment on the New York real estate market for a whopping .5 million. Located but a few Manolo Blahnik steps from the retail haven of Madison Avenue, Garcia’s two-unit co-op home is everything one would expect from the stern fashion editor. The home is stylish, but elegant with dramatic 11.5-foot ceilings, picture windows, a master suite with two humongous dressing rooms, library, staff room and adjoining dining and living rooms that are separated by double pocket doors.

> See more photos of Nina Garcia’s home (below)



Source: Wikipedia

Christian Audigier
The man behind edgy brands Von Dutch, Ed Hardy and the trucker hat trend, Christian Audigier’s home is more on-par with his French roots.

Listing details for Audigier’s fully gated estate note the 8,276-square foot property was “exquisitely decorated and remodeled by top designer with the finest quality.” The .65 million estate is a work of art featuring a grand foyer, tall ceilings and several outdoor living spaces.

> See more photos of Christian Audigier’s home (below)





Source: IMDb

Lauren Conrad
The down-to-earth and likeable star of “The Hills” started her fashion career as an intern at Teen Vogue, and now Lauren “LC” Conrad is also a budding fashion designer. She’s taken a break from her reality lifestyle to launch her clothing lines, one which is sold at Kohl’s.

From the looks of it, Conrad is trying to fully put her reality television days behind her by listing her home for .25 million on the Hollywood real estate market. Conrad’s home was where the hit TV show “The Hills” was filmed. The 3,000-square foot property was completely renovated and updated, and includes refinished hardwood floors throughout and a custom kitchen with high-end stainless steel appliances.

> See more photos of Lauren Conrad’s home (below)





Source: Fashionmatters.com

Donald J. Pliner
Visionary designer Donald J Pliner launched his line of luxury footwear and accessories in 1989, and immediately established a reputation for innovative design and high style for both men and women.

If Pliner’s shoes are made for walking, his Moroccan-style home is made for living. Painted in bold blues and magenta and outfitted with Southwestern, African, and Balinese-influenced decor, Pliner’s estate (below) is currently listed on the Miami Beach real estate market for .5 million.

> See more photos of Donald J. Piner’s home (below)





Source: Askmen.com

James Perse
In 1994, Perse launched a T-shirt line that epitomized his design philosophy of low-maintenance and high fashion.  Perse’s Southern California home follows the same aesthetic of his brand, boasting clean minimalist design and an open floor plan.

The mid-century modern features floor-to-ceiling walls of glass, providing plenty of natural light and sunshine. Listed on the Los Angeles real estate market for .75 million, the home is available furnished or unfurnished.

> See more photos of James Perse’s home (below)

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One of the best things about any Super Bowl telecast is the ads. And this year advertisers will pay a whopping .5 million for 30 seconds of air time for the largest television audience all year. Century 21 will be the only real estate franchise advertising for the big game and will debut three ads during the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVI. The franchise enlisted the help of Donald Trump, Deion Sanders, and Apolo Ohno.

WARNING: Short Sales…love em or hate em…they are here to stay! Go beyond the basic ‘expert’ short sale designation. Watch the FREE 2012 Agent Short Sale Secrets video and download the FREE Short Sale training guide. NOTICE: Free book guaranteed for the first 100 agents only.

“The timing couldn’t be better for Century 21 Real Estate to advertise in the Super Bowl, and I’m happy to be a part of it,” said Trump in a statement. “The truth is many Americans believe in the value of home ownership and for people who are in the position to buy, this is a great opportunity to either enter the market or move up into a better home.” Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll see on Sunday.


And seeing this prompted us to dig through the vault to find other entertaining real estate ads. Enjoy!










Do you have a favorite real estate ad? If so, share it with us.

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Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke told the U.S. House Budget Committee yesterday that tight mortgage conditions are preventing a stronger economic revovery because their adverse effect on home buyers is keeping inventory levels high, damping appreciation, and holding back new construction.



“Although low interest rates on conventional mortgages and the drop in home prices in recent years have greatly improved the affordability of housing,” households aren’t able to take advantage of these good conditions, he said.

Bernanke agreed with a question posed to him by Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) that there are steps Congress could take to ease regulatory issues that are contributing to the lending problem.

“I don’t think this is purely a market phenomenon,” he said. “I think there are a number of legal and administrative and regulatory barriers to housing being as strong as it should be.”

Although he didn’t go into detail at the hearing, a white paper the Fed sent to Congress two weeks ago lays out some of the issues it sees as a problem. One of them has to do with repurchase requirements by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These requirements reduce lenders’ willingness to lend without strict underwriting overlays because based on certain underwriting matters, if the loans go bad, they could be on the hook to Fannie or Freddie for them.

Overlays are requirements over and above minimum underwriting standards of Fannie and Freddie and FHA.

“This hesitancy on the part of lenders is due in part to concerns about the high cost of servicing in the event of loan delinquency and fear that the GSEs could force the lender to repurchase the loan if the borrower defaults in the future,” the Fed says in the paper.

Also in the white paper, the Fed said Congress should consider allowing Fannie and Freddie, which are under federal conservatorship, to absorb some short-term losses if that would help get housing sales moving again, and that the two companies should be allowed to make some REO homes they hold in their inventory available to buyers for use as rentals.

President Barack Obama in his State of the Union speech last week and in a more detailed plan he released earlier this week is pursuing a limited pilot program with Fannie Mae to allow some REO sales for use as temporary rentals in some markets. NAR has said it wants to be sure the pilot is open to small- and medium-sized investors, not just big investors, and that real estate practitioners be used in the transactions to make sure they’re done in such a way that they don’t destabilize the local markets.

After Bernanke’s House Budget Committee testimony, NAR President Moe Veissi released a statement in support of the need for a sustained federal focus on the struggling housing market.

“We fully support Chairman Bernanke’s comments that the lack of available and affordable mortgage financing, low home values and high foreclosure inventories are inhibiting a meaningful housing market recovery,” he said. “His remarks coupled with President Obama’s new housing proposal announced earlier this week, shows that the administration and Federal Reserve recognize the vital role that real estate plays in both the short- and long-term health of the nation.”

In the video clip above, Bernanke talks about the barriers to a housing recovery. To watch the entire video, go to Bloomberg’s website.

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