Luxury Real Estate

By Jim Walberg of Caribbean Islands Realty

Last Thursday, May 14th was Red Day all across North America. Keller Williams Realty decided to have this day be THE day that all of their offices in the U.S. and Canada give back to their local communities. Jim Walberg was right in the middle of the action.

Each of the Keller Williams Realty offices across the country chose a local service project to focus on all day on May 14th. It was called “Red Day” because red is the color of the company’s logo. The results of “Red Day” where 76,000 Realtors from California to Eastern Canada ALL giving back, simultaneously, to their communities that one day specific day. The reports coming in from the 650+ Keller Williams Realty offices as to what they did to address the local needs of their community have been beyond inspiring. From, completing a house make-over for the elderly, to creating a community park, the giving back to local communities was extraordinary.

Our East Bay office focused all of its resources and marketing on re-plentishing the Food Bank’s pantry in the East Bay. Their pantry’s were almost empty and were in dire need. Our local Food Bank delivers over 70,000 meals a month to those in need. Again, that is 70,000 meals a month! I have lived in our community for 40 years, and I have to tell you that I never clearly understood the needs of the hungry that were within a 40 mile radius of our office.

The additional project we took on last Thursday was assisting with re-plentishing the supply of blood for the Red Cross. We arranged for one of their Blood Mobiles to show up to our parking lot from 10AM to 6PM. I am very passionate about assisting the local blood banks in anyway I can. In 2005 I was in the hospital for six months and was lingering between life and death. Blood transfusions saved my life.

Over thirty 50-gallon barrels were filled with food, and we ended up having standing room only all day with people wanting to give blood. It was beyond inspiring to see the impact that people can have on their community on just one day. Our Keller Williams office of 160 Realtors sent out invitations to all of their databases inviting them to participate with us last Thursday. There were also over $2,000 in cash and checks written to the Food Bank.

This turned out to be a day of service that may be a “Service Virus” that can spread throughout corporate America. Can you imagine the impact what it would be like for ALL of the real estate companies in North America to give back to their communities on just one specific day of the year? If one can do a house makeover in one day for T.V. what could be possible for 300,000 Realtors from ALL real estate companies in North America and Canada making a difference in their local communities? And, what would it be like if ALL of corporate America decided to create their own National Service Day. It would have an enormous impact on the needs of our country. This would be the movie “Pay It Forward” on steroids!

Here is a mantra to put on our bathroom mirrors today… “To whom much is given, much is required!” What are you doing to give back in your local communities? Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities to give back, and enjoy every moment of your week! Until next time…your Bay Area lifestyle detective is on duty!

By Robert Lockard

For the past several months I’ve had the pleasure of posting content to the LuxuryRealEstate.com Blog from Jim Walberg, an experienced blogger and the co-Broker/Owner of The Bay Area Team, the most-successful team at Keller Williams Realty-Danville, Calif. Jim’s Caribbean Islands Realty Blog is very well-established and fun to read so I’m always glad to include his work on our blog, with his permission, of course.

Jim took the time to point out something awesome to me in an email on June 11, 2008. I have read about blogs helping with search-engine optimization, but Jim’s message really drove this idea home to me (The links weren’t in his message originally. I added them):

”You may notice when you use my blog postings that LuxuryRealEstate.com jumps up on the Google search engine. I have “owned” Aruba Fractionals on Google for months! LuxuryRealEstate.com just jumped to the top of page one with the posting of my article on your blog site. It is so fun to see how this blogging game works. It is my pleasure to support LuxuryRealEstate.com in any way I can.”

One other comment Jim made also impressed me: “The power of blogging is based on one’s understanding the ‘rules’ that Google and Yahoo have set up for search-engine optimization. The next is to understand the ‘strategies’. Don’t forget, strategies always beat out rules. What I have found among the blogging world is that all of us are constantly sharing strategies. We all want each other to ‘win’. That is one of the fun cultural experiences you will find in the blogosphere. I am always available to share.”

Thanks for the great message and for all of your help, Jim.

I still feel like I'm learning the ropes when it comes to blogs, trackbacks and all of these inventive ways to provide great content and be rewarded by search engines. I think it’s very important to write about important topics first and worry about good placement and all that other stuff second. It’s nice to know that Jim Walberg, who has found a great balance between the two, is on our side!


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. You can contact Jim Walberg at jim at jimwalberg.com. I sure put a lot of links in this blog entry. I guess I just had a lot of information to cram into a couple of paragraphs, plus I’m learning how to provide more links for the search engines to find us.

By Jim Walberg

From his blog: Caribbean Real Estate Photos Instantly Take You There Wherever Your Computer Is!

Ilya Moshensky is one of the finest real-estate photographers that I have met!

I first met Ilya at the Luxury Real Estate conference in Del Mar, Calif. several months ago. He seemed to be everywhere during the conference taking photos of the participants and various events. I final asked one of the Luxury Real Estate staff people who was this guy! She smiled and said that he is the finest photographer they had found for capturing the essence of luxury real estate homes and estates. I began some homework after the conference to see some examples of this work since we always need a top photographer’s services for the luxury properties we represent - both in the Caribbean and the San Francisco Bay Area. Boy, was I impressed with what I discovered.

My experience is that Ilya’s Photography sets one of the highest standards for quality in the industry with over 30 years of experience. Ilya is the principal photographer of Ilya’s Photography, and he has enjoyed a lifelong passion his work with the camera. His reputation for excellence has spread both in the U.S. and internationally. Ilya has shot luxury estates in France, Spain, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Miami, Chicago, the Seattle area, plus many other locations in the States and the world. After checking out his work, my next question was, “How much does this type of quality photography cost for shooting a luxury home or estate?” Well, I discovered that he has VERY competitive rates that are negotiated flat-rate prices for any project. He is even willing to offer long-term budgeted photo-shoot contracts. His flat-rate policy is greatly appreciated within our industry because it is THE rate no matter how much time it takes to complete the project. Again, I don’t think you will find a better value for your marketing dollar if you decide on Ilya’s photo services.

In further discussions with the staff at Luxury Real Estate their consensus was that Ilya consistently produces quality work and can make a home or an estate look amazing. They said he has the ability to capture on digital film the best aspects of the luxury property. As promised, I am always on the look out for the best professional services I can find, whether it is a photographer or a painter. It takes a “village” to sell and buy a home - from the preparation of the marketing program to the signing of the closing documents, hiring a professional real-estate company is critical. Until next time….fair winds!


Editor’s Note:
Jim Walberg is the co-Broker/Owner of The Bay Area Team, the most-successful team at Keller Williams Realty-Danville. He is also a member of the global LuxuryRealEstate.com network. Jim is an experienced blogger, as you can see by visiting his blog, Caribbean Islands Realty. Feel free to submit your blog entries and comments to the LuxuryRealEstate.com Blog. Also, you can contact Ilya Moshenskiy to take advantage of his amazing photographic services at ilya at ilyaphoto.com. I highly recommend him, as well.

By Jim Walberg

From his blog: Tierra del Sol Expands Aruba’s Fractionals In The Caribbean Real Estate World!

NEWS FLASH: The most beautifully planned development in Aruba is about to offer fractionals!

Tierra del Sol – the only planned community in the Caribbean, with the Trent Jones champion golf course – is launching a fractional project to go along with their beautiful development that includes homes, villas, condominiums, golf, spa & fitness, fine dining and much more. At the northwest tip of Aruba, has emerged a gorgeous 600-acre community offering a lifestyle to satisfy even the most discriminating of owners and world travelers. With today’s planned lifestyle, Tierra del Sol gives you the opportunity to purchase the home of your dreams just a chip shot away from the green, even if you are not an avid golfer.

This private community offers a remarkable experience within a meticulously planned and highly acclaimed environment. Homeowners and vacationers experience world-class amenities, including fine and casual dining, a full-service spa, fitness and full-care beauty salon, lighted tennis complex and unlimited greens at a championship golf course, displaying its own challenging version of Robert Trent Jones II – the only professional golf course on Aruba.

The tranquil setting provides a gracious lifestyle amid some of the most beautiful views of the Caribbean. Custom homes, villas, casitas and home sites accommodate a wide variety of expectations for your personal lifestyle. Homes at Tierra del Sol incorporate distinctive design features, tailored to the desert surroundings and complementing the natural beauty of the landscape, creating an inspiring and peaceful environment within this beautiful private community.

Body & Soul is a sanctuary amidst the finest displays of nature. Nourish your body, revitalize your mind and enhance your well being with a journey to vitality. Pamper yourself from head to toe. Their spa treatments are designed to ease tension and restore balance to your body and spirit. The spa’s professional staff offers a variety of therapies, including massages, body wraps, skin and body treatments, aromatherapies, hydrotherapy, manicure and pedicure and a newly opened full-service hair salon.

As you know, each time I get off a plane in the Caribbean, no matter what island it is, the words that go through my brain are, “Welcome Home!” That is the experience you will have when you arrive at Tierra del Sol. For more information about pricing, contact me! Until next time…fair winds.


Editor’s Note:
Jim Walberg is the co-Broker/Owner of The Bay Area Team, the most-successful team at Keller Williams Realty-Danville. He is also a member of the global LuxuryRealEstate.com network. Jim is an experienced blogger, as you can see by visiting his blog, Caribbean Islands Realty. Feel free to submit your blog entries and comments to the LuxuryRealEstate.com Blog.

By Jim Walberg

From his blog: Caribbean Islands Real Estate Developments Continues to Focus on Belize!

The Placencia Peninsula, an 11-mile strip of land sandwiched between the Caribbean Sea and the Placencia Lagoon in Belize, has beautiful white sandy beaches and – because of its distance from the reef – it also has “real” surf. The water is clean and clear; the trade winds gentle and cooling.

Remember that Belize has a stirring and lively history beginning in 200 B.C. with the ancient Mayans. In the 17th century Spain settled the country. It then survived war, piracy and slavery until being declared a British colony – British Honduras – in 1871. It gained self-government in 1964, chose the name Belize in 1973 and became an independent member of the British Commonwealth in 1981.

The beaches along the Placencia Peninsula are dotted with small resorts that can easily arrange dive and snorkel trips to the reef, which is about 17 miles away. They can also arrange day trips to many small, idyllic cayes, such as Laughing Bird Caye, a mini-atoll that offers protected snorkeling and swimming, a white sand beach and many cooling palm trees (it even has hammocks!) Laughing Bird Caye is also a favorite camping site for reek kayakers who base their expeditions in Placencia. A hotel can also arrange deep-sea or reef fishing trips, or day sailing on a 57-foot catamaran.

Placencia, along with Ambergris Caye, are now two of the country’s main tourist destinations, and they are also well-visited by Belizeans from across the country on local holidays. You can get a delicious plate heaped with stewed chicken, rice and beans for about $4 USD. There are also several small gift shops, a post office and some night life. Nearby Mango Creek/Independence Village also has a disco and weekend activities.

Another new resort is planned for Belize – The Palmetto Bay Resort at Maya Beach being developed by Dave Bowman and his exceptional team. It is located on Placencia Peninsula it will offer beachfront real estate and Four-Star amenities and will be the first development in the Caribbean designed “green” from inception to completion.

The first phase of the gated resort, which is currently under construction, will be comprised of 36 whole-ownership, luxury beachfront condominiums ranging from approximately 1,100 to 4,500 square feet, each with open views of the Caribbean. (In a perfect world, I would be talking with Dave about offering some of their units as fractionals.) Prices will start in the low $300,000s. The turnkey one- two- and three-bedroom residences are spread through two low-rise buildings. Designer Julieanne Dobson also worked on Francis Ford Coppola’s Turtle Inn in Belize. He is creating the interiors using warm woods and natural stone, vibrant contemporary textiles, and niche-lit Mayan and African-inspired art.

Ownership at Palmetto Bay Resort will include access to fitness facilities, conference rooms with wireless Internet; 24-hour reception and security; fully equipped luxury kitchens with gourmet utensils and stainless steel appliances; balcony barbecues; and lush, mature landscaping with use of indigenous fruit trees and plants. The property will feature a 300-foot oceanfront infinity pool, a 400-foot private beach, beach boardwalk, and private dock.

We have been telling you about Belize and the many awesome opportunities for second and third home ownership for months! It is now time to act. Let me know if you are ready!


Editor’s Note:
Jim Walberg is the co-Broker/Owner of The Bay Area Team, the most-successful team at Keller Williams Realty-Danville. He is also a member of the global LuxuryRealEstate.com network. Jim is an experienced blogger, as you can see by visiting his blog, Caribbean Islands Realty. We welcome your blog entries and comments in the LuxuryRealEstate.com Blog.

By Jim Walberg

From his blog: Caribbean real estate: Belize is One of THE Top Hotspots!

South Beach – Belize is perfectly positioned for the explosion happening with European investors in the Caribbean!

Article By Poyel Nelson: The headline on the International Living Magazine in December 2007 is straightforward: Belize: Buy Before the Europeans! (Remember my last posting about South Beach – Belize?) Amongst the financial crises triggered by the real-estate market woes in the United States, caution is advisable over such a bullish statement. So, what are the reasons for such a headline?

Direct flights from Europe to Belize City will be launched by late 2008. This is major news for Belize and its real estate market. Europeans, armed with their strong currency, will most likely start to travel to this English speaking country in greater numbers. Transit though the U.S. will no longer be required for European visitors. They will come for the classic Caribbean experience, the world class diving, the jungles and rainforests, the Mayan ruins, the waterfalls and rivers. And some will want to stay or retire here; hence real estate dollars are likely to follow close behind.

We could observe this effect of new flight routes on real-estate markets before. Wherever Ryanair (Ryaniar is a major European low-cost airline) has started flying, the Irish and the British have followed and real-estate markets have prospered. This is now called the “Ryanair effect.” Rumor has it that direct flights to Belize from Canada might also start soon. Real estate is all about timing and right now could be the time to focus in on this stunning country in the Caribbean. Property prices are still well below regional benchmarks. Let’s look at some of Belize’s characteristics to further elaborate whether the above proposed demand really is valid:

The Belize River flows through the middle of the country. With a Caribbean coastline, the Belize Barrier Reef and the Maya Mountains, there is a diverse countryside with plenty of outdoor recreation. The longest-living barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, and the second-longest in the world, attracts divers from all around the world to Belize. This Central American country is a former British Colony also known as British Honduras and has adopted English as its native language. It is considered one of the most stable Caribbean governments with a Parliament as their ruling body. Retirees in Belize can apply for a special status that provides tax breaks on retirement income and extends easy import of household items and furnishings.

“Belize has the lowest population density in the Central American region, and one of the lowest in the world. There is room for many people in Belize. Adding to Belize’s attractions is the cultural and ethnic diversity. There appears to be almost no friction between the harmoniously blended cultures and races. Belize is home to a wide range of ethnicities, including Mennonites, Chinese, Mayan, Spanish, Lebanese and East Indian. Culture, economy and geography make Belize a desirable place to live. With this Caribbean country becoming more accessible through air travel, it seems to be positioned well for significant growth in its economy, in general travel and, eventually, its real-estate market.

Poyel Nelson certainly supports our interest in South Beach Belize. Remember, pre-construction prices are well below regional markets with lots starting at USD$99,950 to USD$6,913,000 for 36-unit boutique hotel/restaurants. This may be the project to act upon NOW. I will keep you posted as I continue my real-estate detective work in the Caribbean. Contact me anytime. Until next time…


Editor’s Note:
Jim Walberg and Ann Marie Nugent are the Brokers/Owners of The Bay Area Team, the most-successful team at Keller Williams Realty-Danville. They are also members of the global LuxuryRealEstate.com network. Jim is an experienced and wonderful blogger, as you can see by visiting his blog, Caribbean Islands Realty. There are many opportunities in this current market, despite the bad news we often hear. Keep your ears open for great news like this from real-estate experts like Jim. We welcome your blog entries and comments in the LuxuryRealEstate.com Blog.