Assessments and Reserves
Costs
Every home on the planet needs maintenance, repairs, upgrades, renovations and improvements over time. No property is immune from this. Every homeowner knows that when a roof needs to be repaired, it’s wisest not to delay….. keeping a reserve fund for these inevitable costs is essential, whether a single family home or an apartment building.
Options
Owners of homes have two options as it relates to funding bigger cost items: either you build up a ‘savings account’ of sorts by adding a bit extra each month into the kitty to create a reserve fund, or you keep in the back of your mind the knowledge and certainty that at some point you will have to fund a bigger expenditure another way. In condo’s and co-ops that is done via an assessment….eg: A $1 million facade repair is split amongst 100 apartment owners so that each pays a percentage of that cost based on the percentage of the building they ‘own’ based on their offering plan or number of shares.
Financing (more…)
Where Should I Place The TV?
TV options have grown tremendously in the past few years as new technologies have emerged and older ones have been vastly improved. While many accept the look of a TV on a wall, others bemoan it. There are solutions for all.
1. Regular wall-mounted TV’s. There are multiple options, sizes and price points.
2. Projection TV’s: these days the quality has improved so notably that they are clearly visible projected on a screen or wall in full daylight.
3. Retractable TV mounts: these allow you to place a TV on a wall and angle the TV towards you when watching, allowing for more placement options.
4. Furniture mounted concealed TV’s: cabinets with a hydraulic system allow a TV to rise from a cabinet and disappear when not in use.
5. Ceiling mounted TV’s: These lie flush within the ceiling and then angle down when in use.
6. Floor mounted concealed TV: a high-tech automated arm raises the TV concealed in the floor.
7. Under-bed mounts: a mechanism houses the TV under a bed and it emerges from the foot and rises with a hydraulic arm when in use.
8. TV on a stand. Several attractive variations of this exist at multiple price levels.
9. Mirror TV’s. Tech allows. a TV to be mounted within a bathroom (or other) mirror and disappear when not in use.
10. Room divider see-through TV. LG has revealed a new technology in TV options for the home, a TV with a transparent screen, the world’s first wireless transparent OLED TV, with a 77-inch OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen, a technology used in lighting that facilitates digital displays on products including TV’s and smartphones. Thanks to its transparency, the TV does not need to be placed against the wall like a traditional screen. (DEZEEN)
11. Rollable TV’s. Yup, a TV that rolls up into a low-lying cabinet that maintains your view when placed in front of a window.
12. TV as art? The FRAME TV by Samsung appears as if it were an art piece in a gallery-style frame when not in use.
Naturally, some of these are very expensive options, but often these are cheaper solutions than blocking a view. In a world where real estate can cost $1,000-plus per square foot, the cost of a TV should be weighed up against the space savings…..
TODAY marks the peak of Hurricane Season
While, sadly, Hurricanes can occur at any time during the season, today marks the statistical peak of hurricane season.
Let’s hope there will be no more major storms in 2023.
And read these articles:
Home Prices Are Rebounding
Insurance Reform : Premiums still rising sharply
Naples Mid-year 2023 Market Stats
(more…)
Collier County : news from District 2 Commissioner
District 2 in North Naples spans from Pine Ridge Road to Bonita Beach Road at the Collier-Lee county line.
Click District 2 Update to read the latest newsletter.
Features include new business openings; new residential construction; affordable housing plans; storm risk management; July 4 plans – and much more. (more…)
Florida lawmakers eye property insurance reforms
Over the past year, state lawmakers have made changes on paper through several attempts to cure Florida’s property insurance crisis. But a homeowner in Florida who opens their annual renewal and sees their premium has increased, or finds out their carrier has suddenly dropped them, may not have noticed anything different.
State Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, noted during the first of last year’s special sessions to address insurance that relief from any measures taken by lawmakers wouldn’t be realized for at least another 18 months. That session took place in May 2022.
Since then, two hurricanes hit the state. Lawmakers then held a second special session on insurance in December. Six property insurance companies were declared insolvent last year. Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-run “insurer of last resort,” continues to grow with more than 1 million policies.
And now the annual, 60-day regular legislative session is underway. The session is largely where party-line battles are taking center stage, but not insurance. And those homeowners with delayed or unfulfilled property damage claims may find their legal recourses slashed, owing to legislation approved in the special sessions to limit what the insurance industry and lawmakers said was too much litigation over property insurance claims and disputes between homeowners and their insurers.
The story remains the same as it was a year ago: it’s lawyers, contractors and public adjusters versus lawmakers and insurance companies. (more…)
Naples a top city for corporate headquarters post-pandemic
Move over New York and Chicago. Step aside San Francisco.A new study names Naples as a top city for corporate headquarters post-pandemic. Additionally Naples grabs No. 1 spot on this ‘Best Places to Live’ list
The Boyd Co., a corporate site selection consultant based in Princeton, New Jersey, conducted the national study.
The results reflect the “new normal” of remote work and the growing “fiscal and quality of life challenges” in more traditional hubs for head offices, such as “The Big Apple.”
The study included an examination of annual operating expenses and a review of state tax structures.
The cost analysis is based on operating a new, top tier Class A, 75,000-square-foot corporate headquarters, with 200 administrative support workers, from top to bottom.
The estimated outlay in Naples: Roughly $19.2 million a year.That compared to more than $21.1 million in Everett, Washington, the most expensive to operate in, and less than $17.8 million in East Brainerd, Tennessee, the cheapest – among the top cities named in the study.
Asked if the study is confined to city limits, John Boyd, principal of The Boyd Co., said it’s not, with labor pools, support services and real estate options extending beyond those boundaries.For Naples, that means “you should assume the wider Collier County.”
The study factored in all major geographically-variable cost factors considered critical to the corporate site selection process, including labor, real estate, construction, utilities, taxes and travel.(Naples Daily News)
And read these articles:
What drives Mortgage Rates in one chart
Lies, Damned Lies and Inflation “Statistics”*
HOW AND WHEN WILL HOUSING REBOUND? (more…)
Naples grabs No. 1 spot on this ‘Best Places to Live’ list
People who live in Naples already know it. But every now and then it’s good to get a reminder that the popular Southwest Florida city, known for everything from great golf to great health care, is a fantastic place to live.
According to Schoolaroo, a nonprofit educational research company and scholarship website engine, Naples is the No. 1 place to live in the United States.
This study compared 151 cities across 47 metrics distributed in 9 key relevant categories: Crime & Safety, Affordability, Economy, Quality of life, Leisure and entertainment, Health care, Education, Employment, and Infrastructure.
Naples scored top overall rankings in health care (number of hospitals) and leisure and entertainment. Also in the Top 10 were education (3) for highest number of public schools, crime and safety (4) and economy (9). (Naples Daily News).
And read these articles:
Naples a top city for corporate headquarters post-pandemic
What drives Mortgage Rates in one chart
Lies, Damned Lies and Inflation “Statistics”*
HOW AND WHEN WILL HOUSING REBOUND? (more…)
Hot Home Trend: Gothic Glam
Here’s one home style that could be described as eerily bold. Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery’s latest style report, 2023 Trends & Influences IX calls out “gothic glam” as a trend to watch in the new year.
Signatures of this look includes statement lighting fixtures, such as wrought-iron chandeliers and candelabras. To soften the style, pair it next to tall windows that flood a room with natural light, but also adds to the drama.
Other ways to add some Gothic Glam impact: Bronze plumbing fixtures, black accents, woodwork, vivid jewel tones and ultra-glamorous wallcoverings, Ferguson designers note in the style report.
Here are some stunning examples: (more…)
Expansion Plans for Fort Myers Airport
Anybody flying in or out of RSW recently will have seen signs announcing expansion plans.
The RSW Terminal Expansion Project includes consolidating the Transportation Security Administration checkpoints into a new 16-lane configuration and providing additional seating, concession spaces and a business lounge. In total, more than 164,000 square feet of space will be remodeled and 117,000 square feet of new walkways and concession space will be added to the airport terminal.
The project actually started in October 2021 and construction is planned for three years.
Click here to watch a short conceptual video, and here to go to the full news release. (more…)
5 tips on how not to disappear in the hybrid workplace
When remote work was mandatory and all or most of your co-workers, your boss, and many of your external stakeholders were remote, the playing field was level. There was a real sense that we were all “in this together.” People were remarkably understanding and accepting of quirky situations, whether IT related or the result of the blurred line between home and work (think dogs barking and children crying during meetings). That kind of tolerance is now rare. And it’s just one of many pitfalls for remote workers.
Whether you are fully remote or in a hybrid work environment, avoid the “Zoom ceiling” by understanding and working around the potential pitfalls that come from lowered visibility in the office.
Knowledge at Wharton, a business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has suggested five steps to position yourself better for greater visibility to ensure that you are getting recognition for your accomplishments and staying in line for promotions and desirable assignments. Make sure your employer knows you aren’t stepping off the ladder. (more…)
It’s not just Tom Brady who is Unretiring
Millions of U.S. workers retired during the pandemic. Now many are returning to work at rates not seen since 2020.
Many are people under the official retirement age who, spurred by rising asset values or Covid-19 worries, left the workforce ahead of schedule, labor economists say. Roughly 2.6 million Americans retired earlier than expected between February 2020 and October 2021, according to estimates from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis senior economist Miguel Faria-e-Castro.
Others now quitting early retirement realize they weren’t as financially prepared to live without a steady paycheck as they hoped. Um, I am not sure that is why Brady is unretiring……
And read these recent articles: (more…)
Did You Know?
* Though just 17% of the U.S. population is 65 or older, United Van Lines reports that seniors in that age group completed 29% of all its moves in 2020. Sumter County, Florida has one of the highest levels of inbound migration of seniors in the U.S. thanks in large part to the Villages, a sprawling retirement community more than 50 miles northwest of Orlando. But large cities are seeing an influx of older people seeking the excitement and variety/volume of entertainment/restaurant options. (WSJ)
* In the 4th quarter of 2021, investors bought 18.4% of the US homes that were purchased, a record high. And possibly one of the biggest drivers of housing inflation? Higher purchase prices + higher rents = essential demand for higher wages. (FT)
* The median monthly payment on a new mortgage is now taking up a much larger share of a typical consumer’s income. It jumped 8.3% in February compared with January. The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage shot significantly higher yesterday, rising 24 basis points to 4.95%. The quicker-than-expected rise in rates has weighed on demand for mortgages and refinancing loans. With both rates and prices considerably higher, the median mortgage payment is now more than 20% higher than it was a year ago. And so is pricing in some parts….Now comes the question: are incomes that much higher to sustain this? (CNBC)
* The average bonus paid to securities industry employees in New York climbed 20% to a record $257,500 for 2021, the largest increase in bonuses since 2009. Securities industry jobs make up just 5% of private sector roles, but accounted for 18%, or $14.9 billion, of state tax collections in the 2021 fiscal year. (CNBC)
And read these recent articles: (more…)
Sunday Snippets – Did You Know?
* In 2020 we had a run on toilet paper and paper towels in the USA….. empty shelves and rationing followed as demand far outstripped supply. Now in northern Italy, the supermarkets have been cleared of pasta and pharmacies in Norway are sold out of iodine tablets! In 2020, toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, hand soaps, etc had price increases around 20% or more in one year! (FT)
* The world added 153 billionaires last year, or 3 billionaires each week, to a total of 3,381, according to the Hurun Global Rich List released Thursday. China led with 1,133 billionaires, followed by the U.S.’s 716, and India’s 215. The TOP 10 are all worth more than $100 billion…5 years ago none were. The average age of the billionaires was 64; 120 of them are under 40, and 269 are self-made women billionaires, nearly 66% from China. (PENTA)
* A home in Laguna Beach, CA features a rather interesting “amenity”…. on the property is a fire suppression system with six cannons connected to city water lines. The system senses the temperature of the land and if there is a fire, water will automatically spray from the cannons and alert the fire department. (WSJ)
* Just 10 seconds of idling uses as much gas as restarting your car, in case you wish to cut your gas costs…. Edmunds.com did a comparison of various gas-saving measures. To test the cost of idling, testers drove two cars for 10 miles—they stopped 10 times and idled for two minutes each time. Then testers drove the same route but turned off the engine and restarted at each of the 10 stops. They estimated nearly 20% fuel savings on the restarted cars.
U.S. Takes Step to Regulate Cryptocurrency Market
Cryptocurrency home sales barely have a toehold, and a new exec order from Pres. Biden may change the rules. The order suggests regulation and a U.S.-owned version.
Over 100 countries are exploring or piloting Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) – a digital form of a country’s sovereign currency.
“The rise in digital assets creates an opportunity to reinforce American leadership in the global financial system and at the technological frontier, but also has substantial implications for consumer protection, financial stability, national security and climate risk,” according to the Executive Order.
The Order lays out a national policy for digital assets across six key priorities: consumer and investor protection; financial stability; illicit finance; U.S. leadership in the global financial system and economic competitiveness; financial inclusion; and responsible innovation.