Thursday, December 14, 2006
Thoughts on the article about developer website
You guys really need to read that article a few posts down. That is info we need to know(thanks Jack!) it talks about a new "developer website" called condocenter.com. this is where developers go and pay a fee and post their projects. We all know how powerful the web is. However, we also know that anyone can have a website. If youdon't promote it and optimize it and have people go to it, it doesn't matter what you post! NAR says 77% of people search the internet first when buying. We also know that 87% of all real estate is sold by who......REALTORS! That tells me that although buyers do go to the internet first, they then contact who? YOU! I say that we (ILS) are essentially the human form of the Web, casting a net over the world. So, when a developer throws that one at you, you have an answer. =)
Health care in Mexico - Article
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006
Dear International Living Reader,
Everything in Mexico--from food to property to health care--costs less than in the U.S. and Canada. But that doesn't mean you get less.
Medical care costs 30% to 50% less than it does at home...and the health care here is extraordinary. Imagine your doctor at home...not a technician...sitting down to take your medical history or driving you himself to an appointment in a larger city nearby.
--- Advertisement ---
Living on Mexico Time
You'd be amazed if we told you all Mexico has to offer...from a laid-back, down-to-earth lifestyle to luxury resort-style mansion living...And that's just what we'd like to do.
We'd like to present you with an almost unbelievable chance to gain direct access to Mexico's most timely and attractive lifestyle and investment opportunities right now. Read more here
****************************
We personally know of two situations where friends of ours received excellent medical care and personal attention from a local doctor. He took the medical history, and he made the phone calls to get immediate appointments with specialists. He spent hours with our friends, and they both said they received far superior care than they would have received at home. And the cost? Would you believe $230 for a three-hour visit, X-rays, and complete lab work?
In general, health care in Mexico is very good...and in many places it is excellent. Most doctors and dentists in Mexico received at least part of their training in the U.S. (And many U.S. doctors have trained in Mexico, notably in Guadalajara.) Many of them continue to go to the U.S. or Europe for ongoing training.
Every mid-size to large city in Mexico has at least one first-rate hospital. And a big plus is that the cost of health care in Mexico is generally one-half or less what you might expect to pay in the U.S. The same goes for prescription drugs. Prescription drugs manufactured in Mexico cost, on average, about 50% less than the same drugs in the U.S.
Of course, the costs of medical care will vary by physician, hospital, and the gravity of your condition. Don't hold us to this, but on average, an office with a doctor--specialists included--will cost 300 to 400 pesos (about $30-$40) per visit. A house call...yes, doctors in Mexico still make house calls...will cost about the same. Lab tests will cost about a third of what they cost in the U.S. A CAT scan often costs about 25% of what it does in the U.S. A visit to a dentist for cleaning costs about 250 pesos ($25).
Three years ago, a friend of mine from Philadelphia, Patty, sent me an e-mail about medical care she had received in Mexico:
"For $29 each, Dr. Dolores Russell gave us a good ultrasonic cleaning with the latest technique. First she numbed the gums slightly with an anaesthetic. She is expert at teeth implants and crowns and did a good job of inspecting the gums. She is very personable and speaks good English. She said her business really picks up in late October with the arrival of the snow birds from Canada and Europe. She is delightful and calls you 'my dear.'
"Also, George ordered eyeglasses through the optician who visits the Lake Chapala Society weekly. She is Luz Maria Zepeda Urias of Claravision. He did have to go to Guadalajara to see more frames than she brought with her. He got trifocals with progressive lenses similar to varilux and high-quality Italian frames with no lower frame. Total cost was $290. We thought the price was all right but not really cheap.
"But...now we are home, many people have complimented him on his glasses. I needed an eye exam and new glasses. I asked for something similar and was quoted the price of $450 not including doctor visit, which may be covered by insurance. If not, the total will be $515."
Like I said, George and Patty had this experience back in 2003, but if you went through this today, you probably wouldn't pay much more.
Dear International Living Reader,
Everything in Mexico--from food to property to health care--costs less than in the U.S. and Canada. But that doesn't mean you get less.
Medical care costs 30% to 50% less than it does at home...and the health care here is extraordinary. Imagine your doctor at home...not a technician...sitting down to take your medical history or driving you himself to an appointment in a larger city nearby.
--- Advertisement ---
Living on Mexico Time
You'd be amazed if we told you all Mexico has to offer...from a laid-back, down-to-earth lifestyle to luxury resort-style mansion living...And that's just what we'd like to do.
We'd like to present you with an almost unbelievable chance to gain direct access to Mexico's most timely and attractive lifestyle and investment opportunities right now. Read more here
****************************
We personally know of two situations where friends of ours received excellent medical care and personal attention from a local doctor. He took the medical history, and he made the phone calls to get immediate appointments with specialists. He spent hours with our friends, and they both said they received far superior care than they would have received at home. And the cost? Would you believe $230 for a three-hour visit, X-rays, and complete lab work?
In general, health care in Mexico is very good...and in many places it is excellent. Most doctors and dentists in Mexico received at least part of their training in the U.S. (And many U.S. doctors have trained in Mexico, notably in Guadalajara.) Many of them continue to go to the U.S. or Europe for ongoing training.
Every mid-size to large city in Mexico has at least one first-rate hospital. And a big plus is that the cost of health care in Mexico is generally one-half or less what you might expect to pay in the U.S. The same goes for prescription drugs. Prescription drugs manufactured in Mexico cost, on average, about 50% less than the same drugs in the U.S.
Of course, the costs of medical care will vary by physician, hospital, and the gravity of your condition. Don't hold us to this, but on average, an office with a doctor--specialists included--will cost 300 to 400 pesos (about $30-$40) per visit. A house call...yes, doctors in Mexico still make house calls...will cost about the same. Lab tests will cost about a third of what they cost in the U.S. A CAT scan often costs about 25% of what it does in the U.S. A visit to a dentist for cleaning costs about 250 pesos ($25).
Three years ago, a friend of mine from Philadelphia, Patty, sent me an e-mail about medical care she had received in Mexico:
"For $29 each, Dr. Dolores Russell gave us a good ultrasonic cleaning with the latest technique. First she numbed the gums slightly with an anaesthetic. She is expert at teeth implants and crowns and did a good job of inspecting the gums. She is very personable and speaks good English. She said her business really picks up in late October with the arrival of the snow birds from Canada and Europe. She is delightful and calls you 'my dear.'
"Also, George ordered eyeglasses through the optician who visits the Lake Chapala Society weekly. She is Luz Maria Zepeda Urias of Claravision. He did have to go to Guadalajara to see more frames than she brought with her. He got trifocals with progressive lenses similar to varilux and high-quality Italian frames with no lower frame. Total cost was $290. We thought the price was all right but not really cheap.
"But...now we are home, many people have complimented him on his glasses. I needed an eye exam and new glasses. I asked for something similar and was quoted the price of $450 not including doctor visit, which may be covered by insurance. If not, the total will be $515."
Like I said, George and Patty had this experience back in 2003, but if you went through this today, you probably wouldn't pay much more.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Snag your zip code blogging site!
Hello fellow MPA's!
Go to BloggingSystems.com and check out this awesome tool for capturing your local blogging site. By snagging your local zip code blogging site you are given 50 sub-sites to rent to your local vendors, etc. so their blogging site is now under yours; i.e. Chamber of Commerce, your vendors, service providers, etc. When you contact BloggingSystems direct your questions to Tony and let him know I asked you to check out their system. Enjoy!
Jim Walberg
Go to BloggingSystems.com and check out this awesome tool for capturing your local blogging site. By snagging your local zip code blogging site you are given 50 sub-sites to rent to your local vendors, etc. so their blogging site is now under yours; i.e. Chamber of Commerce, your vendors, service providers, etc. When you contact BloggingSystems direct your questions to Tony and let him know I asked you to check out their system. Enjoy!
Jim Walberg
New Article on New Developer website to boost sales!
Real Estate Articles from Inman News
Story
Sponsored By:
Condo developers drum up business with listings site
Buyers take their pick of pre-construction units
Wednesday, December 13, 2006By Tom KellyInman News
Lock and load? Cliff Bowman sees that expression changing to "lock and leave" -- especially for second-home buyers and developers.
Bowman, the Vancouver, Canada-based marketing expert who has turned pre-selling condominium buildings into an industry art form, has created Global Condo Center Corp., to help link developers and sellers with interested buyers. The Web site, Condocenter.com, contains information about urban and resort projects all over the globe.
"I'd see these terrific projects while traveling, but there was no way the developer would have the budget to promote out of area," said Bowman. "I thought if there was a central place where developers could advertise their properties, they would get a lot more interest -- especially from people in other countries.
More stories by Tom KellyGMAC rolls out 30-year loan for Mexican homesSlow market breeds inaccurate real estate adsRun-down home an invitation to fraudEquity sharing provides fast track to home ownershipGive me your house, I'll pay top dollar!New reverse mortgage debuts in high-cost markets>>More
"Global Condo Center is a one-stop global search tool designed to help you find the new condo, apartment, flat, villa or townhome in just seconds once you have entered your lifestyle location and financial criteria," Bowman said. "Our global directory of new attached-home developments covers 2,200 cities and regions all over the world."
Bowman has never been reluctant to tap into the power of the computer. He was one of the first promoters to utilize computer-aided design programs as a retail sales tool, which proved instrumental in selling out 235 Seattle waterfront condominiums more than a decade ago.
So what, exactly, is the lock-and-leave lifestyle? According to Global Condo Center, it is a "personal freedom" targeted at aging baby boomers who would be more than willing to give up the privilege of performing landscaping, maintenance, security and upkeep of a single-family home. In a capsule, the concept means you can leave your home for a week or a year and have a maintenance program continued by others.
Other lock-and-leave lifestyle options include timeshares, fractionals and destination clubs. In 2004, developers sold $1.1 billion in timeshares, fractionals and destination club memberships worldwide, up nearly 50 percent from 2003, according to NorthCourse Leisure Real Estate Solutions, aresearch firm. Analysts estimate the average vacation-home owner uses that property just three to four weeks a year. And, with 77 million baby boomers still in their prime earning years yet with an eye toward more leisure time, the pool for potential second-home owners is deep and wide.
Global Condo Center charges developers a $1,500 fee to "showcase" a project for 90 days. Developers enter the listings information themselves through a password-protected system and can update as amenities are opened or units are released. Properties can be entered by "lifestyle choice" -- urban or resort/recreational -- or by type of ownership, such as full ownership or fractional. The company recently merged its information with Boston-based Condo Domain LLC.
"There are some projects that are now just on the drawing board and nowhere near completion," Bowman said. "Developers also can list these projects prior to construction, identified on the site as 'coming soon' properties. This also gives the public a chance at locking down a purchase price today rather than waiting until tomorrow when the property could be significantly more expensive."
Bowman also is president of Builders International Real Estate Marketing Corp., a Vancouver-based company specializing in pre-marketing condo, office and mixed-use developments across the United States and Canada. The company has leaped at the possibilities offered by online presentations and continually refers a to National Association of Realtors report that 77 percent of buyers start their search for their next home on the Internet.
All of BIREM's marketing materials and tools are Web-enabled, allowing all employees to conduct virtual tours of a project's amenities and neighborhood from any computer terminal.
The most intriguing of the other "lifestyle options" is fractional ownership. While timeshares have shown little or no appreciation upon resale, owners still have hope that fractionals will show a greater rate of return than their one-week cousins. The American Resort Development Association defines a fractional ownership as the selling of resort real estate in intervals of more than one week and less than whole ownership.
Fractionals are usually larger homes in prime resort locations on the golf course, ski slope or ocean. They provide the amenities of a luxury home, such as granite kitchen countertops, whirlpool baths and roomy closets combined with the benefits of a first-class hotel, such as concierge, housekeeping and grocery shopping services. Most residences have three bedrooms and an equal number of baths, so there is plenty of room for family, friends or clients.
"The Condo Center was two years in the making," Bowman said. "We are just getting started and are adding new areas all the time. I think the variety is going to be very useful and helpful to the general public."
Tom Kelly's new book, "Cashing In on a Second Home in Mexico: How to Buy, Rent and Profit from Property South of the Border," was written with Mitch Creekmore, senior vice president of Houston-based Stewart International. The book is available in retail stores, on Amazon.com and on tomkelly.com. Tom can be reached at news@tomkelly.com.
Story
Sponsored By:
Condo developers drum up business with listings site
Buyers take their pick of pre-construction units
Wednesday, December 13, 2006By Tom KellyInman News
Lock and load? Cliff Bowman sees that expression changing to "lock and leave" -- especially for second-home buyers and developers.
Bowman, the Vancouver, Canada-based marketing expert who has turned pre-selling condominium buildings into an industry art form, has created Global Condo Center Corp., to help link developers and sellers with interested buyers. The Web site, Condocenter.com, contains information about urban and resort projects all over the globe.
"I'd see these terrific projects while traveling, but there was no way the developer would have the budget to promote out of area," said Bowman. "I thought if there was a central place where developers could advertise their properties, they would get a lot more interest -- especially from people in other countries.
More stories by Tom KellyGMAC rolls out 30-year loan for Mexican homesSlow market breeds inaccurate real estate adsRun-down home an invitation to fraudEquity sharing provides fast track to home ownershipGive me your house, I'll pay top dollar!New reverse mortgage debuts in high-cost markets>>More
"Global Condo Center is a one-stop global search tool designed to help you find the new condo, apartment, flat, villa or townhome in just seconds once you have entered your lifestyle location and financial criteria," Bowman said. "Our global directory of new attached-home developments covers 2,200 cities and regions all over the world."
Bowman has never been reluctant to tap into the power of the computer. He was one of the first promoters to utilize computer-aided design programs as a retail sales tool, which proved instrumental in selling out 235 Seattle waterfront condominiums more than a decade ago.
So what, exactly, is the lock-and-leave lifestyle? According to Global Condo Center, it is a "personal freedom" targeted at aging baby boomers who would be more than willing to give up the privilege of performing landscaping, maintenance, security and upkeep of a single-family home. In a capsule, the concept means you can leave your home for a week or a year and have a maintenance program continued by others.
Other lock-and-leave lifestyle options include timeshares, fractionals and destination clubs. In 2004, developers sold $1.1 billion in timeshares, fractionals and destination club memberships worldwide, up nearly 50 percent from 2003, according to NorthCourse Leisure Real Estate Solutions, aresearch firm. Analysts estimate the average vacation-home owner uses that property just three to four weeks a year. And, with 77 million baby boomers still in their prime earning years yet with an eye toward more leisure time, the pool for potential second-home owners is deep and wide.
Global Condo Center charges developers a $1,500 fee to "showcase" a project for 90 days. Developers enter the listings information themselves through a password-protected system and can update as amenities are opened or units are released. Properties can be entered by "lifestyle choice" -- urban or resort/recreational -- or by type of ownership, such as full ownership or fractional. The company recently merged its information with Boston-based Condo Domain LLC.
"There are some projects that are now just on the drawing board and nowhere near completion," Bowman said. "Developers also can list these projects prior to construction, identified on the site as 'coming soon' properties. This also gives the public a chance at locking down a purchase price today rather than waiting until tomorrow when the property could be significantly more expensive."
Bowman also is president of Builders International Real Estate Marketing Corp., a Vancouver-based company specializing in pre-marketing condo, office and mixed-use developments across the United States and Canada. The company has leaped at the possibilities offered by online presentations and continually refers a to National Association of Realtors report that 77 percent of buyers start their search for their next home on the Internet.
All of BIREM's marketing materials and tools are Web-enabled, allowing all employees to conduct virtual tours of a project's amenities and neighborhood from any computer terminal.
The most intriguing of the other "lifestyle options" is fractional ownership. While timeshares have shown little or no appreciation upon resale, owners still have hope that fractionals will show a greater rate of return than their one-week cousins. The American Resort Development Association defines a fractional ownership as the selling of resort real estate in intervals of more than one week and less than whole ownership.
Fractionals are usually larger homes in prime resort locations on the golf course, ski slope or ocean. They provide the amenities of a luxury home, such as granite kitchen countertops, whirlpool baths and roomy closets combined with the benefits of a first-class hotel, such as concierge, housekeeping and grocery shopping services. Most residences have three bedrooms and an equal number of baths, so there is plenty of room for family, friends or clients.
"The Condo Center was two years in the making," Bowman said. "We are just getting started and are adding new areas all the time. I think the variety is going to be very useful and helpful to the general public."
Tom Kelly's new book, "Cashing In on a Second Home in Mexico: How to Buy, Rent and Profit from Property South of the Border," was written with Mitch Creekmore, senior vice president of Houston-based Stewart International. The book is available in retail stores, on Amazon.com and on tomkelly.com. Tom can be reached at news@tomkelly.com.
MY PLEASURE!
I am just very excited about this and grateful that we have such a good group of people that really want the best for ILS and its members. My mom always told me this: "You get more bees with honey than vinegar and the honey will stay far more sweeter than the bitterness of vinegar". So no need to thank me, I just believe that happiness and graciousness is contagious. I am proud to have had the opportunity to be in the forefront of such a wonderful group of people! So, Lets start taking over the world of Real Estate! And you are welcome=)
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
This thing is fun! It could be dangerous, I may not get any work done. I am stillworking on the powerpoint. Olivier was working on it as well so we will collaberate and get something. we will have Cancun and St. Lucia soon, just finalizing some things. We are trying to get all the marketing materials together before we release it, its easier that way. I am hoping to have a brochure done for baja very soon.
I see that Joanne and Martin have joined us! Nice to see you. I will start posting stuff about Mexico when i read good articles. I have been reading a lot about Panama and Nicaragua, a lot of developing going down there. Anytime you read info that relates to the world of real estate let us know. Even if its your neck of the woods. Its nice to be informed about what the market is like outside our walls!!
Hello
Just signing in to say Hi and because I've never done this blog thing before either. Looking forward to all kinds of ILS excitement. Are we planning on doing a developer power point presentation? Also, are we going to be getting St. Lucia and Cancun forms soon?
Monday, December 11, 2006
Sunday, December 10, 2006
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