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Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) April 14, 2014
Real estate experts believe outdoor kitchens increase home value. “In any market a home with an outdoor kitchen would help buyers choose it over another without one,” says Karen Schwartz of ERA Real Estate. (~This Old House Magazine, 10 Smart Ideas for Outdoor Kitchens and Dining by TOH Editors)
Masters Stone Group, the premier provider of stone masonry and design in Charlotte, NC, agrees with the experts findings. The company announced today that it finds strong growth in outdoor fireplaces and outdoor kitchens. They are being used both as a means of increasing home value and extending the seasons to enjoy the outdoors. With a fireplace and a fire pit, families can now stay warm outside, bask in the glow of the fire, even when its cooler outside. It used to be that all entertaining was done indoors when the weather was cooler. Not anymore, says Mark Correll, President of Masters Stone Group.
More and more consumers are building outdooror cabana kitchens so they can slow down and spend more time with their family and friends. With a mix of cabinets, grills, warming drawers, sinks and refrigerators, all the elements of outdoor dining can be close at hand. (~Backyard Kitchen Primer by Paige Bowers, Realtor.com)
The fact that outdoor kitchens increase home value is a key driver of the widespread popularity in the outdoor living market. Factor in that outdoor fireplaces and kitchens are more affordable than ever, and most people conclude it is a wise investment. Still, most families choose outdoor living enhancements, such as fire pits and fireplaces, to increase enjoyment of their home and to better their lifestyle, said Correll. Fireplaces make a beautiful focal point for outdoor rooms and lend a sense of drama and comfort to any gathering, but lets not forget the practical purpose they serve: heating and cooking.
Correll said, Additionally, outdoor living is not just for million dollar homes anymore. Homes of all price ranges are making their outdoor space a priority and maximizing its use and value. While patios are still the most common outdoor feature, they are followed closely by fire pits, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fireplaces. We always tell our clients that anything they can envision, we can create. Even in small spaces, we offer design and planning to make use of every square inch possible. Clever design can make all the difference in turning a drab, small back yard into an exciting, fully functional outdoor kitchen.
Areas in which Masters Stone Group specializes include: Ballantyne, South Charlotte, Myers Park, Lake Wylie, South Park, Matthews, Lake Norman and Waxhaw. We aspire to remain the leading company for outdoor living in Charlotte, says Mark Correll. We are specialists in stone pavers, flagstone patios, concrete pavers, stone patios and exterior home accents you name it, if it has to do with stone, we can get it done. Our name has become a symbol of quality, craftsmanship, and passion for stone and masonry in Charlotte. We intend to keep it that way.
About Masters Stone Group
With over 20 years experience in the custom home building and stone masonry field, Masters Stone Group specializes in the art of selecting, designing and installing natural and manufactured stone in Charlotte, NC, and surrounding areas. Masters Stone Group is fully licensed, bonded and insured for all work completed. For more information about all types of stone masonry and the leading stonemasons in Charlotte, please call 704-968-7177. Visit the website at http://www.mastersstonegroup.com.
Knoxville, Tennessee (PRWEB) April 03, 2014
Americas fastest growing sport is blazing the trails in Eastern Tennessee. Pickleball has been around since the mid 1960s and is popular with todays Baby Boomers because its physically easier than tennis and is more social. Players can easily talk with each other because of being closer to the net.
Keeping up with demands, eight lighted Pickleball courts are under construction at the Tellico Village Wellness Center. The Pickleball Club membership has grown quickly at Tellico Village, one of the best master-planned communities in Eastern Tennessee. In just five years, there are 350 Pickleball Club members with a waiting list to join the club. The Wellness Center land parcel is huge and has plenty of elbow room for new Tellico Village amenities. The proposed site plan includes 4 more Pickleball courts, 2 more tennis courts, an outdoor amphitheater, outdoor infinity edge pool, community gardens and Performing Arts Theater.
The new 4,000 square foot open-air pavilion at the Toqua golf course is staked out and will be completed by the early summer of 2014 according to Tellico Village. Bulldozers will be on the scene as early as next week. The pavilion is strategically located to capture the dramatic views of the 9th and 18th hole of the Toqua golf course. The renderings show covered dining, a sports bar, fireplace and a cozy outdoor living room. Long term plans at the Toqua golf course include a new golf clubhouse. The nearby Chota Recreational Center looked great with new modern paint colors, a new roof, new landscaping and new entry way to the outdoor pool deck.
All the new Tellico Village amenities were budgeted for, monies to be disbursed from reserves, and are being paid for without any new bank debt or special assessments per Tellico Village. In fact, Tellico Village has the lowest debt level of the last seven years and has the strongest reserve levels in seven years, a testament to Tellico Villages fiscally smart and frugal Board of Directors.
Real Estate Scorecard toured the Tellico Village Senior Living facility which is owned by Five Star Senior Living. The 87,000 square foot facility provides 24-hour nursing, assisted living and memory / Alzheimers care. Residents have the choice of independent living in one of 21 duplex homes or 40 studio apartments in the main facility. Expansion is planned adding 20 studio apartments and 30+ independent living duplex homes adjacent to the facility. Ground breaking is set for the summer of 2014.
The best master-planned community in Eastern Tennessee is a trendsetter when it comes to communication. Real Estate Scorecard met with NextDoor.com during the visit to learn about the private social network established at Tellico Village just over a year ago. Property owners can quickly get the word out about a break-in, organize a Neighborhood Watch Group, track down a trustworthy babysitter, find out who does the best paint job in town, ask for help keeping an eye out for a lost dog, or find a new home for an outgrown bike on the NextDoor network. Tellico Village also has its own private television channel (Channel 3) keeping Villagers informed and through Tell-E-Gram and Tell-Events newsletters.
The Tellico Villagers are pretty amazing group of folks who have had a dramatic impact on the local Loudon and Monroe County community. The word no is not typically in a Villagers vocabulary. We met with Shauna Oden of Habitat for Humanity, Tom Peck of Good Sheppard, Karen Bowdle of the Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County, Chris Evans-Longmire of Kids First Child Advocacy Center and Lynn Petr of STAR during our visit. These folks came out on a Sunday night to share with Real Estate Scorecard in depth, the involvement Tellico Villagers have in their organizations.
The common thread Real Estate Scorecard heard is that these non-profits truly believe they wouldnt be where they are today without Tellico Villagers. Through over 150,000 volunteer hours, fund raising efforts and by direct contributions. In fact, several of the organizations were started by Tellico Villagers. To give readers an idea of what these non-profits have accomplished and their impact each year:
LOUDON COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY – Hit a milestone on March 23, 2014 completing its 100th home. The organization has helped over 35,000 families since 1992. Loudon County Habitat for Humanity builds approximately 8 homes per year helping Loudon County families.
GOOD SHEPPARD CENTER OF MONROE COUNTY – Started in 1993, Good Sheppard provides food and clothing to over 2,500 people each month without financial assistance from the federal government. 80-90% of the volunteers are Tellico Villagers.
GOOD SAMARITAN CENTER OF LOUDON COUNTY – Founded in 1997, Good Samaritan is private non-profit assistance ministry serving the emergency needs of over 16,000 people in Loudon County. Assistance includes food, medical and dental care, clothing vouchers, and help with utility bills. Good Samaritan has over 200 volunteers and 60-75% are Tellico Villagers.
KIDS FIRST CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER – Founded in 2002 by three Tellico Villagers, Kids First CAC provided services to 300 victims of child abuse last year. The over-whelming majority of the children were victims of sexual abuse with the average victim an 8 year old female. They currently serve 22 schools and 4,750 students through their SCAN Program. Nine out of 12 members of the Board of Directors are Tellico Villagers.
STAR (Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding) – STAR works with individuals starting at age four to seniors with physical, mental and neurological disabilities or those considered at-risk. STAR provided 3,849 lessons for 205 participants in 2012. There are over 400 volunteers at STAR and 30% of them are Tellico Villagers.
Just through these five non-profits, they have positively impacted almost 60,000 struggling families in the local community last year. For too many reasons to list in this short community news update, Real Estate Scorecard was proud to present Tellico Village Real Estate Scorecards 2014 Bliss Award for The Happiest Community of the Year during their visit.
Tellico Village is a unquestionably a benchmark in the real estate industry and is a place buyers must see if they’re searching for the best places to live in the Southeast.
Call Tellico Village direct at 888.287.0676 to schedule a tour and be sure to take advantage of their Discovery Package to experience the lifestyle up close and enjoy the Tellico Village amenities.
About Real Estate Scorecard:
Real Estate Scorecard writes unbiased real estate reviews providing in-depth information about popular gated communities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, all in an effort to help people discover where to retire in the Southeast.
Website: http://realestatescorecard.com
(PRWEB) March 26, 2014
Property millionaire, Rick Otton, is renowned for sharing his vast toolkit of non-conventional real estate investing strategies with people around the world. But in a recent Creative Real Estate Street Smart Secrets to Real Estate Wealth podcast, Mr. Otton revealed to listeners that while they should have a diverse toolkit of techniques up their sleeves, the deposit builder is the red hot ticket item of the day.
While the market is taking off, theres a great chance now for people to really build their property portfolios and maximise growth on investments, he said.
Youve got to get set up youve got to get ready for it and set up in such a way you can afford to get into the boom, otherwise its a lost opportunity.
Theres power in having a lot of strategies to accelerate what investors are doing, but what I love about the deposit builder is that its taken off because its a contract that you can build your deposit on. Its just a great little product.
Positive cash flow through smart selling
Mr. Otton made the comments in response to a Q&A he was holding with special podcast guest, Kevin Tregear.
Kevin, a Melbourne-based Otton student, shared his experiences of selling two of his property investment properties he had been successfully losing money on for the last 10 years.
Kevin recruited a real estate agent to sell his Gold Coast property, but was dismayed to discover he would have to pay a hefty commission while not even getting the price he wanted for the house. He decided to sell his second property (in Brisbane) himself using a deposit builder strategy.
We checked the market and put an ad on Gumtree for $ 455,000. Basically I was asking for $ 700 a week with 25 per cent of the buyers payments going towards building their deposit over three years, Kevin said.
Using Mr. Ottons creative real estate strategies, Kevin said that he found a buyer couple who were struggling to get a bank loan due to a credit default, but who would be able to qualify for financing down the track.
He said it was a win-win situation, allowing the couple to get into the boom market now while Kevin himself ended up with a $ 70,000 profit margin and a positive cash flow stream.
About Rick Otton
Australian property investment specialist, Rick Otton, has been developing, sharing and teaching his innovative real estate strategies for over 20 years. As the founder and CEO of We Buy Houses, which operates in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand he is known for introducing cutting-edge techniques that have enabled previously disenfranchised people to get out of the rental cycle and into their own homes.
His innovative low-risk, high-reward approach to Australian real estate investing has been featured in a variety of television programs and magazines, including Today Tonight, A Current Affair and Australian Property Investor. His real estate book, published in 2012, How To Buy A House For A Dollar, voted by Money Magazine and Dymocks Book stores as one of the Top 10 Most Popular Finance Titles for 2013.
As well as conducting free seminars, workshops and conferences in the UK and Australia, Mr. Otton regularly loads free podcasts to his iTunes channel, Creative Real Estate. In these he shares examples of real transactions, and often has his students as guests who discuss the different ways they apply his teachings to their own clients.
These podcasts can be accessed, at no charge, at CreativeRealEstate.com.au.
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