Home Loan
Home Equity Scams: Borrowers Beware! Home Equity Loans : Borrowers Beware! D o you own your home? If so, it's likely to be your greatest single asset. Unfortunately, if you agree to a loan that's based on the equity you have in your home, you may be putting your most valuable asset at risk. Homeowners-particularly elderly, minority and those with low incomes or poor credit-should be careful when borrowing money based on their home equity. Why? Certain abusive or exploitative lenders target these borrowers, who unwittingly may be putting their home on the line. Abusive lending practices range from equity stripping and loan flipping to hiding loan terms and packing a loan with extra charges. The Federal Trade Commission urges you to be aware of these loan practices to avoid losing your home. The Practices Equity Stripping You need money. You don't have much income coming in each month. You have built up equity in your home. A lender tells you that you could get a loan, even though you know your income is just not enough to keep up with the monthly payments. The lender encourages you to "pad" your income on your application form to help get the loan approved. This lender may be out to steal the equity you have built up in your home. The lender doesn't care if you can't keep up with the monthly payments. As soon as you don't, the lender will foreclose-taking your home and stripping you of the equity you have spent years building. If you take out a loan but don't have enough income to make the monthly payments, you are being set up. You probably will lose your home. Hidden Loan Terms: The Balloon Payment You've fallen behind in your mortgage payments and may face foreclosure. Another lender offers to save you from foreclosure by refinancing your mortgage and lowering your monthly payments. Look carefully at the loan terms. The payments may be lower because the lender is offering a loan on which you repay only the interest each month. At the end of the loan term, the principal-that is, the entire amount that you borrowed-is due in one lump sum called a balloon payment. If you can't make the balloon payment or refinance, you face foreclosure and the loss of your home. Loan Flipping Suppose you've had your mortgage for years. The interest rate is low and the monthly payments fit nicely into your budget, but you could use some extra money. A lender calls to talk about refinancing, and using the availability of extra cash as bait, claims it's time the equity in your home started "working" for you. You agree to refinance your loan. After you've made a few payments on the loan, the lender calls to offer you a bigger loan for, say, a vacation. If you accept the offer, the lender refinances your original loan and then lends you additional money. In this practice-often called "flipping"-the lender charges you high points and fees each time you refinance, and may increase your interest rate as well. If the loan has a prepayment penalty, you will have to pay that penalty each time you take out a new loan. You now have some extra money and a lot more debt, stretched out over a longer time. The extra cash you receive may be less than the additional costs and fees you were charged for the refinancing. And what's worse, you are now paying interest on those extra fees charged in each refinancing. Long story short? With each refinancing, you've increased your debt and probably are paying a very high price for some extra cash. After a while, if you get in over your head and can't pay, you could lose your home. The "Home Improvement" Loan A contractor calls or knocks on your door and offers to install a new roof or remodel your kitchen at a price that sounds reasonable. You tell him you're interested, but can't afford it. He tells you it's no problem-he can arrange financing through a lender he knows. You agree to the project, and the contractor begins work. At some point after the contractor begins, you are asked to sign a lot of papers. The papers may be blank or the lender may rush you to sign before you have time to read what you've been given. The contractor threatens to leave the work on your house unfinished if you don't sign. You sign the papers. Only later, you realize that the papers you signed are a home equity loan. The interest rate, points and fees seem very high. To make matters worse, the work on your home isn't done right or hasn't been completed, and the contractor, who may have been paid by the lender, has little interest in completing the work to your satisfaction. Credit Insurance Packing You've just agreed to a mortgage on terms you think you can afford. At closing, the lender gives you papers to sign that include charges for credit insurance or other "benefits" that you did not ask for and do not want. The lender hopes you don't notice this, and that you just sign the loan papers where you are asked to sign. The lender doesn't explain exactly how much extra money this will cost you each month on your loan. If you do notice, you're afraid that if you ask questions or object, you might not get the loan. The lender may tell you that this insurance comes with the loan, making you think that it comes at no additional cost. Or, if you object, the lender may even tell you that if you want the loan without the insurance, the loan papers will have to be rewritten, that it could take several days, and that the manager may reconsider the loan altogether. If you agree to buy the insurance, you really are paying extra for the loan by buying a product you may not want or need. Mortgage Servicing Abuses After you get a mortgage, you receive a letter from your lender saying that your monthly payments will be higher than you expected. The lender says that your payments include escrow for taxes and insurance even though you arranged to pay those items yourself with the lender's okay. Later, a message from the lender says you are being charged late fees. But you know your payments were on time. Or, you may receive a message saying that you failed to maintain required property insurance and the lender is buying more costly insurance at your expense. Other charges that you don't understand-like legal fees-are added to the amount you owe, increasing your monthly payments or the amount you owe at the end of the loan term. The lender doesn't provide you with an accurate or complete account of these charges. You ask for a payoff statement to refinance with another lender and receive a statement that's inaccurate or incomplete. The lender's actions make it almost impossible to determine how much you've paid or how much you owe. You may pay more than you owe. Signing Over Your Deed If you are having trouble paying your mortgage and the lender has threatened to foreclose and take your home, you may feel desperate. Another "lender" may contact you with an offer to help you find new financing. Before he can help you, he asks you to deed your property to him, claiming that it's a temporary measure to prevent foreclosure. The promised refinancing that would let you save your home never comes through. Once the lender has the deed to your property, he starts to treat it as his own. He may borrow against it (for his benefit, not yours) or even sell it to someone else. Because you don't own the home any more, you won't get any money when the property is sold. The lender will treat you as a tenant and your mortgage payments as rent. If your "rent" payments are late, you can be evicted from your home. Protecting Yourself You can protect yourself against losing your home to inappropriate lending practices. Here's how: Don't: Agree to a home equity loan if you don't have enough income to make the monthly payments. Sign any document you haven't read or any document that has blank spaces to be filled in after you sign. Let anyone pressure you into signing any document. Agree to a loan that includes credit insurance or extra products you don't want. Let the promise of extra cash or lower monthly payments get in the way of your good judgment about whether the cost you will pay for the loan is really worth it. Deed your property to anyone. First consult an attorney, a knowledgeable family member, or someone else you trust. Do: Ask specifically if credit insurance is required as a condition of the loan. If it isn't, and a charge is included in your loan and you don't want the insurance, ask that the charge be removed from the loan documents. If you want the added security of credit insurance, shop around for the best rates. Keep careful records of what you've paid, including billing statements and canceled checks. Challenge any charge you think is inaccurate. Check contractors' references when it is time to have work done in your home. Get more than one estimate. Read all items carefully. If you need an explanation of any terms or conditions, talk to someone you can trust, such as a knowledgeable family member or an attorney. Consider all the costs of financing before you agree to a loan. For More Information The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues , visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel , a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSUMER 1-877-FTC-HELP www.ftc.gov April 1998
Investment Property
Investment Property Databank IPD Home About IPD Portfolio Analysis Services Events Indices and Market Information Indices for Derivatives Online Services -- Home Company Overview Directors IPD Measurement Methods Locations Sponsors IPD Links IPD Awards FAQs Press Releases Contact Us Jobs at IPD IPD Frequently Asked Questions Q: Who is IPD? Q: What countries do you cover? Q: What is the company structure? Q: What does IPD do? Q: What services does IPD offer? Q: What is OPD? Q: Who are the IPD's main clients? Q: How do the clients use IPD information? Q: What do you gain from using IPD? Q: How do I join IPD? Q: What type of information is required to join IPD? Q: How do you start a new country service? Q: Who is IPD? A: IPD is an independent research company, who employs over 100 graduates to provide investors, occupiers, advisors and researchers with objective, reliable property benchmarks and indices. back Q: What countries do you cover? A: We cover a growing range of countries. At present we have databanks in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and USA. back Q: What is the company structure? A: IPD’s Head Office is based in London, UK with subsidiaries in Paris, France (IPD France) , Johannesburg, South Africa (IPD South Africa) and Sweden (IPD Norden). In other countries we work with local partners who are established within their particular country to provide a regional contact in the national language. back Q: What does IPD do? A: IPD produces high quality reports and results which are used around the world by investors, occupiers, advisors, lenders, analysts and researchers. These consist of : • Portfolio analysis on commercial property investment funds. This gives fund managers and investors fair benchmarks for total returns, plus a full evaluation of investment strategy and portfolio quality. • Indices and market information to give the definitive statement for property returns in each country and each city. This provides a consistent basis for comparison with other assets, and for research that informs investment decisions from international portfolio allocation down to individual building selection. Annual indices are free and can be downloaded from this site. Other publications are various prices and come in the from of an annual subscription. Please email marketing@ipdglobal.com" marketing@ipdglobal.com for more information or call +44 (0)20 7643 9246. back Q: What services does IPD offer? A: • Portfolio analysis (PAS) & benchmarking • Market information and publications • D-PAS – (Desktop-PAS). Available for PAS clients this software can be used to analyse the performance and characteristics of the portfolios and benchmarks from your own PC, with exclusive access to figures not available in the report. • IPD Online - Available for PAS clients, this is a secure delivery mechanism giving secure access to report publications. • Research - Publications and custom data. • TICCS - Tenants, Income, Credit Rating & Covenant Strength - adds business information to Dun & Bradstreet on each tenant, to give investors unique benchmarks of portfolio income quality and the covenant strength of individual tenants. • Management Cost Survey - the only source of comprehensive benchmarks for overall costs of portfolio management, the eficiency of in-house management teams and charging rates of external providers. • Remuneration Service – This offers independent design advice to instruct lawyers, help with selection of appropriate benchmarks and targets, ability to model historic or potential out-turn of proposed schemes and authoritative advice on all technical aspects of performance measurement. • IPD Events - These include conferences , training and briefings. back Q: What is OPD? A: IPD Occupiers Property Databank is the market leader in its field of performance measurement for occupiers, with clients from a long list of FTSE 100 and multinational companies. The Databank contains a building-by-building record of complete estates showing total occupational costs, building utilisation, facilities and estate management overheads to give owners a thorough profile and comparative management tool. OPD also runs a Facilities Management benchmarking group, a Workplace Productivity Appraisal and publishes the International Total Occupancy Cost Code. To see OPD's website go to www.opd.co.uk. back Q: Who are IPD's main clients? A: IPD’s clients are mainly Pension and Life Fund companies. IPD has over 300 UK clients, internationally over 200 clients. OPD has approximately 60 clients. back Q: How do the clients use IPD information? A: Property owners need an industry standard yardstick against which they can compare the returns they achieve on their investments and evaluate their performance. The IPD annual database is the most reliable benchmark of direct property performance in the UK. It comprises 11,000 properties (with a total value of over €170bn at December 2004), equivalent to 45% of the total property assets of UK Institutions and listed property companies. back Q: What do you gain from using IPD? A: • An independent audit of investment returns, calculated on an industry standard basis • A benchmarking service which gives owners an objective measure of their performance against relevant yardsticks • Systematic analysis of the sources of above- or below-average performance • A powerful internal management tool to help to set agendas, monitor progress against targets, and to guide strategy, stock selection and active management decisions • Results in electronic form to permit further internal analysis. back Q: How do I join IPD? A: Please contact claire.herd@ipdindex.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 7643 9217 to join or for more information. back Q: What type of information is required to join IPD? A: To participate in the Portfolio Analysis Service you will need to provide: • A series of annual Open Market capital values, carried out to standard RICS Red Book specification, property level rent passing and open market rental value. • A schedule of tenant leases as at the most recent valuation date, including tenant level rent passing and market rental value. • Annual capital expenditure amounts, preferably timed to the month or quarter. • Completion dates of transactions, with gross and net purchase and sale prices. • Property management costs. • Other non-recoverable revenue expenditure (vacant rates, non-recoverable maintenance costs, bad debts etc). back Q: How do you start a new country service? A:IPD systems can be established in any country where property investors are committed to understanding the financial performance of their holdings. This commitment can then ensure that the essential building blocks of the IPD databank are in place: • Valuations: In the property market where transactions are few, appraisals of market value are needed to form the capital basis of the return calculation. If necessary, IPD will work with local bodies to develop valuation standards to performance measurement. • Participation: IPD databases require a critical mass to build adequate samples of properties to cover complex national markets. Typically investors holding at least 20% of the investment market are required to form the core of the new system. • Definitions: Nationally accepted and appropriate data definitions must be agreed to ensure the compatibility between investors while maintaining the application of international principals. How will the system be established? • Promotion: IPD will work within the market, most likely in collaboration with a local partner, to identify and secure the critical mass of participating investor organisations. • Development: The databank will be constructed by IPD in collaboration with participating investors to ensure that market characteristics are reflected and their reporting needs are met. • Data Testing: IPD will analyse the data initially submitted to ensure its quality is sufficient to support the benchmarks and market indices. Improvements will be proposed and verified before full products and services are available. 1 St. John's Lane London EC1M 4BL Tel: +44 (0)20 7336 9200 Fax: +44 (0)20 7336 9399 Privacy Policy | © 2005 IPD Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Home | About IPD | Portfolio Analysis Service | Events | Indices and Market Information | Indices for Derivatives | OPD Designed by Webrepro
New Homes Features of
Homebuyer Incentives : ENERGY STAR What is ENERGY STAR? | Newsroom Search What are ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes Features of ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes Benefits of ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes Financial Incentives Increased Comfort Higher Resale Environment Lower Cost Homebuyer Resources New Homes Partner Locator For Residential Building Professionals PRODUCTS HOME IMPROVEMENT NEW HOMES BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT PARTNER RESOURCES -- Home > New Homes > Benefits of ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes -- -- Homebuyer Incentives Because ENERGY STAR qualified new homes offer significant utility bill savings each and every month, ownership gives you access to special financing opportunities such as Energy Efficient Mortgages. These special mortgages make it easier for borrowers to qualify to purchase homes with specific energy-efficiency improvements. Contact your local ENERGY STAR lender to learn more about how buying an ENERGY STAR qualified new home can truly pay significant dividends. As a home buyer you can also reap the benefits from special utility promotions designed to encourage homeowners to reduce their energy consumption through energy efficiency. These promotions often include product rebates on home products that bear the ENERGY STAR label, reimbursement for the cost of having your home energy rated by a certified home energy rater, as well as other energy efficiency perks depending on the structure of the utility's ENERGY STAR program. The bottom line is that by installing energy efficient features in your new home such as a high SEER heating and cooling unit, low-e windows, and improved insulation, you can save money on your monthly utility bills, live in a more comfortable home, and help keep energy demand down. Our New Homes Partner Locator provides contact information for local home builders that build ENERGY STAR qualified new homes, lenders that offer energy efficient mortgages, utilities and other sponsoring programs that offer incentives for buying and building ENERGY STAR qualified new homes, and home energy raters that verify the energy efficiency of ENERGY STAR qualified new homes Resources for Homebuyers Products | Home Improvement | New Homes | Business Improvement | Partner Resources Newsroom | Privacy | Contact Us | Site Index EPA Home EPA Search DOE Home DOE Search
Denver Real Estate
Domania - Do Your Home Work Here -- Check Home Sale Prices - Find Your Home Value - Get House Values Online - Search Real Estate Listings | Domania Email: Password: Password: -- Home Resources » Home Price Check » Value Check » Mortgages » Home Improvement » Calculators » Property Tax Real Estate » For Sale Listings » Find a REALTOR » New Homes by iNest » Find a Builder by iNest » Find a Foreclosure Members » Log In » Register » My Domania » Edit My Account Learning Center » Real Estate Library » Using Domania » Expert Advice » Sitemap R.E. Agents » Partner with Us! Home Price Check Find out what it sold for... Address City, State OR ZIP Code Value Check Find out what it's worth... # Street Name City State AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY ZIP Never Miss a Home Sale! Sign up for a Domania account and get full data access, saved searches, email alerts, advanced Home Price Check options and a whole lot more... all for FREE! Smart Loans Made Simple Find New Construction in Your Area Find brand new homes from the country's top home builders and earn up to 1% cash back. Please select a location... AZ- Phoenix AZ- Tucson CA- Sacramento CO- Colorado Springs CO- Denver CO- Fort Collins DC- Washington D.C. FL- Jacksonville FL- Orlando FL- Sarasota FL- Southeast FL-Southwest FL- Tampa GA- Atlanta IL- Chicago IN- Fort Wayne IN- Indianapolis IN- Lafayette MA- Boston MD- Baltimore MI- Detroit MI- Grand Rapids MN- Minneapolis NV- Las Vegas NC- Charlotte NC- Greensboro NC- Raleigh-Durham OH- Cincinanati OH- Cleveland OH- Columbus OH- Dayton PA- Pittsburgh SC- Charlotte SC- Greenville-Spartanburg TX- Austin TX- Dallas TX- Houston TX- San Antonio UT- Salt Lake City VA- Richmond WI- Madison WI- Milwaukee If you don't see your area listed click here . Company Information | Contact Us | Privacy | Security | Terms of Use | Licenses & Disclosures We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. LendingTree technology and processes are patented under US Patent Nos. 6,385,594 and 6,611,816. © 1998 - 2005 Domania.com, a service of LendingTree, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This site is directed at, and made available to, persons in the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii only. Find Houses for Sale or REALTORS ® at Real Estate .com REALTOR ® - A registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Florida real estate market
The Condo Company - Specializing in Condos and Real Estate from South Florida to California The Condo Company is a highly specialized real estate agency that focuses on the luxury condo market. The United States is currently experiencing unprecedented growth in condo developments; with this growth comes the need for a real estate company dedicated solely to helping customers buy, sell, or rent a condo. Select a location below to see information about condos in a specific area, or use our industry leading search tool. FLORIDA The Condo Company was started in south Florida and is continuing to expand throughout the state as condo craze continues in virtually every beachfront location in the state. Miami Miami Beach South Beach Sunny Isles Beach Aventura Surfside Bal Harbour Bay Harbor Coral Gables Key Biscayne Brickell Coconut Grove Fort Lauderdale Deerfield Beach Lauderdale By The Sea Hallandale Beach Lighthouse Point Hollywood Pompano Beach Coral Springs Wilton Manors Plantation Palm Beach West Palm Beach Delray Beach Boca Raton Jupiter Boynton Beach [more... Orlando West Orlando North Orlando Winter-Park Kissimmee Polk County East Orlando Lake County Metrowest Naples Marco Island Bonita Springs Fort Myers Beach Fort Myers Cape Coral NEVADA (LAS VEGAS) The latest venture that is sweeping the Las Vegas real estate market is the condo boom. Famed developers are now focusing their efforts on the still untapped Las Vegas condo market. Henderson / Green Valley Lake Las Vegas Southern Highlands Las Vegas The Strip Summerlin Downtown Anthem The Lakes Queensridge Peccole Ranch The Condo Company Information The Condo Company was originally formed in South Florida to meet the demands of consumers looking to invest in real estate, or purchase a vacation property for themselves or to earn extra income by renting. Like Miami and Fort Lauderdale, similar booms in condo sales are being seen in other regions of Florida such as Destin, Naples, Orlando, Sarasota, West Palm Beach, and many others. Outside of the state new developments are shooting up in Las Vegas, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston. Being the first company to concentrate on condos at a national and world-wide scale has given us a marked advantage over many companies trying to enter the market late. We have the largest online database of condos and an established internet presence. So for buyers we provide the largest inventory to browse; and for sellers we offer the most heavily searched condo site on the Internet. We will be expanding to the following areas soon: Sarasota Orlando Los Angeles Vail Atlanta Las Vegas Chicago Boston Real Estate & Condo News (12/21 14:41)- Appraising Las Vegas Homes: New Real Estate Value Search System (PR Web via Yahoo! News) - Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) December 21, 2005 -- A new searchable automated appraisal real estate market database has been created for consumers wishing to receive an instant market value for their Las Vegas Homes . This first of its kind system allows Las Vegas homeowners to input information about their home in to this appraisal database to retrieve their homes present fair market value in Las Vegas (12/22 14:39)- Downtown land purchase could set stage for retail, condos (Houston Chronicle) - A real estate development group has purchased three blocks of prime downtown land, a move that takes it one step closer to building a proposed retail, condominium and office complex on the site. (12/20 19:06)- Area Apartment Complexes Converting to Condos (WCJB) - Hundreds of people renting apartments in North Central Florida are facing a big decision between moving out or coughing up the money to buy the apartment. It's a big trend in real estate right now to convert apartments to condos. Call it a spin-off of Florida's red hot real estate market. (12/19 01:04)- Miami Real Estate Market (Turks.US) - The Florida real estate market is on an upward swing, and the Miami area market is certainly no exception. With strong economic growth, jobs, and schools, its a prime growing location. City life, with great beach access, make it attractive to both newcomers to the area. Rankthenet.com The Luxury Condo Culture - Defined Condo n: one of the dwelling units in a condominium Such a bland definition hardly defines the word condo as it pertains to the luxury condo culture. In this world of convenience, opulence, and at times excess, the term condo represents a lifestyle, a point of view on life that demands the best. Here is where young professionals live among their peers and mingle around crystalline infinity-edged pools. Here is where retired baby boomers who have empty nests and sizable inheritances choose to establish their primary homes and vacation retreats. And here is where the international jet-set have their third, fourth, and fifth residences. As this culture continues to grow, a greater understanding of its nuances is needed. Convenience may be the most important attribute in the luxury condo culture. For the busy and well-to-do residents, many of whom only inhabit their units for a few months out of the year, the day-to-day upkeep that a single-family home requires is impractical. Rather, they prefer to pay a monthly fee and defer maintenance decisions to their condo associations. I just love being able to fly in from my place in Aspen and have my beachfront condo waiting so I can relax and unwind, says Elianne Divo Roth, resident of the luxurious Solimar in Bal Harbour, Florida. For others, safety is the key. Gabrielle Goldstein, a Los Angeles-based advertising executive, moved from her house in the Hollywood Hills to a luxury condo in West Hollywood. Sure, convenience was a consideration, she says, but really the security I feel when I pull my car up and the valet is waiting ... thats very important. I didnt have that feeling at my house in the Hills. For Goldstein, who often travels back and forth to New York, this peace of mind encompasses her automobile. I can leave my car for long periods of time and know its secure. Of course, these pragmatic reasons for living in a luxury condo are sufficient, but they barely scratch the surface of the luxury condo culture. Modern luxury buildings are equipped with the best of everything to provide their residents with a sexy and glamorous way of life. State-of-the-art gyms, rooftop pools, and full spa and concierge services are just a few of the lush amenities. Many of the newer buildings take it a step further with Smart Technology wired throughout anything you need at the touch of a button. What makes condo living unique are the amenities, says Tom Walsh, president of JJW Construction, a 40-year-old Florida construction company. Their latest building, the Argo Tower, will rise 15 stories high on Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale . Socializing, entertaining and exercising are all taking place in the convenience of the magnificently decorated party rooms, library, guest rooms, gym, pool and spa. Beyond the amenities, which virtually all new developments embrace, is the decisive factor of location. While it is obvious why one chooses a winter retreat in Park City, Utah, or a summer getaway in Europe, those buying primary residences may be forsaking the suburbs to embrace urban surroundings. Perhaps their kids are grown and their need for a single family home has run its course, or perhaps the luxury of leaving the car parked and walking to and fro is important. These people are looking for condos that have shops, restaurants and entertainment within walking distance. This school of thought is evident in rising developments like PGA Commons in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., or Skyline at Mary Brickell Village in downtown Miami. Typical Skyline at Mary Brickell Village buyers are professionals who desire to live, work and play in a vibrant urban environment, says Steven Priebe, director of marketing for Skyline Equity Realty. They enjoy the luxurious amenities of the building as well as the convenience of being in a location surrounded by wonderful restaurants, upscale boutiques and typical errand-running destinations such as a market, dry cleaners and pharmacy. Architecture is another inviting characteristic. New condominiums come in a variety of configurations, with many exteriors marked by clean lines, stylish glass facades, and abstract details that set the buildings apart. New condominium developments are attracting renowned architects like Charles Gwathmey and Richard Meier. Gwathmey, who has designed condos and homes for Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, teamed with The Related Companies to build Astor Place in New York. According to Gwathmey, this stunning building was conceived in three dimensions with multiple facades and no true front or back. This sculptural approach, when applied by masters like Gwathmey or Meier, has a trickle-down effect on condo architecture throughout the world. The impact can be seen in buildings from New York to Miami, Las Vegas to Dallas-Fort Worth, London to Dubai. Then there is the interior layout of individual condo units. Often, the architect hired to design the dwellings is different than the architect used for the exteriors. Its a collaborative effort, says Ismael Leyva, one of New Yorks biggest names in this arena. His skills are evidenced in some of Manhattans most desirable luxury condos. Notable projects include Time Warner Center and Astor Place. When I work with an architect like Charles Gwathmey, hell come with a shape and then well work together with the principal to make the original design efficient for condo living. The efficiency involves aspects such as dimensions and depth one foot here, two feet there. Its very subtle. Of course, interior architecture is complemented by interior design. The French-styled 21-story Vendome in uptown Dallas features classic European architecture by New York-based Alayo Architects PC, while inside, the plush condos inhabited by young professionals like Jimmy Kent reflect the residents personal style. Kents most recent condo in the Vendome included a 275-gallon saltwater aquarium, a feature that along with the high-rises elegant exterior and French ambiance helped Kent awe and entice the condos new owners. For Kent, architecture and interior design have worked together to deliver an uncommon lifestyle. People who live in luxury condos tend to be a bit flashier, lavish and intrigued by unique elements of design, says Kent. The aquarium was the welcome mat of my last condo, the first thing you saw as you entered the unit. It definitely had shock value, and I think that is what condo dwellers are often looking for, the flair and the flash of a luxury lifestyle. Personal style is the obvious guiding force inside the individual condo units, but the interior design for common areas like lobbies and hallways, party rooms and lounges helps to give a luxury condominium its style or theme. We get involved at a very early stage of development, says Uli Petzold, creative director of XODesignGroup, an interior design firm based in Frankfurt and Miami. Developer BCOM hired us to create the theme and design for 1800 Club, which is on the water, by [Miamis new] Performing Arts Center. It is hip, young and stylish, and on the water, so our theme had to incorporate aquatic elements. These themes are important not only for the people who will be living in the building, but for developers marketing strategies. A luxury building that wishes to attract young and single professionals will have a wholly different interior design than a condo community that appeals to retired baby boomers. Some buildings elect chic, modern interiors with abstract art, bold colors, and retro furnishings. Conversely, other buildings feature opulent lobbies with marble fountains, imported fixtures, and unrestrained accessories like crystal chandeliers, grand pianos, and fine art. Still others are inspired by Eastern philosophy that embraces the disciplines of Feng Shui. Developers spare no expense when it comes to translating themes to their demanding demographic. Public relations firms and advertising agencies throw extravagant parties and launch extensive campaigns to ensure that these themes are understood during the pre-construction phase of sales. In Cambridge, Mass., the Regatta Riverview Residences threw a bash with free wine and champagne, and a jazz band. Other condominiums in the Boston area have turned entire floors in buildings adjacent to the construction site into nightclubs with open bars and flowing hors doeuvres. The nightclub setups are decorated to translate the developments image. In Miami, budgets for pre-construction parties are unrestrained. The historic Anglers Hotel, which was recently sold for $5 million and is being converted into a boutique condo/hotel, put up a massive tent with an open bar for roughly 1,000 guests. Exotic characters in full costume and stilt performers were scattered throughout, and a Bahamian marching band marked the nights climax. The night was electric, says Ana Oz, a luxury condo owner who was there, so many beautiful people in one place celebrating this booming industry. That party was the epitome of South Beach excess and style. The objective of such elaborate affairs is to sell condos, and after the party is over, real estate agents and brokers negotiate the deals. Colorful and detailed renderings, models, and computer-generated presentations are used to sell units in buildings that have yet to break ground. The Internet is also a valuable tool. We have people coming from all over the world who are looking to invest, says Michael Ledwitz, owner of The Condo Company. He notes that 77 percent of all people looking to buy a luxury condo go to the Internet first. This statistic makes it essential that condo developments feature the very best in Web design. Without a high-tech, impressive site, a potential buyer may stray elsewhere before any of the other sales tools can be utilized. From interior design and architecture to amenities and convenience, the luxury condo culture is a fascinating world that continues to evolve. With so many aspects and subtleties that contribute to this sophisticated way of life, a specific definition is difficult to ascertain. Although, when all of the data has been analyzed, the luxury condo culture is best defined by the people who live it. SITE MENU Sellers Advantage Featured Condos Condo Search Contact Vacation Rentals Myrtle Beach Condos Myrtle Beach Condos For Sale [CLICK TO ADVERTISE] HOT CONDOS Miami Beach Area The Setai Icon South Beach Boston Area Intercontinental The Folio 360 Newbury Agent Log In