There has been a lot of interest from global real estate investors in investing in houses to rent in the United States – many believe that the bottom of the housing bubble is near.

The housing bubble has driven down home prices in many U.S. real estate markets – Florida, Nevada and Arizona to name just three.

In fact in some markets, there are more buyers than sellers, resulting in a shortage of homes on the market.  This lack of supply of houses for sales in caused in part by sellers who have seen prices increase and have decided to hold out for – hopefully – even better future selling prices for their house.

Housing Bubble Bottom

Here’s an interesting infographic that explains the housing bubble and offers some tips on whether or not the time to buy is now, or if smart investors are better off waiting for better opportunities down the road.

The Global Housing Bubble

We’d love to hear what the housing market is like in your city or country and whether or not there’s a housing bubble bottom.  If you operate a real estate blog be sure to contact us about becoming a Guest Author.

At Global Escape Realty constantly strives to maintain a thorough list of short- and long-term rental properties available through the world.  Click the link below to see what’s in your part of the globe.

Click here to visit Global Escape Realty

By Lynn Donn, RE/MAX of Nanaimo, British Columbia

My client base is often made up of clients seeking housing in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada for the 55+ market.

Often at this point in life couple’s find themselves to be empty nester’s and choose to be less tied down to their homes.

Perhaps they want to travel more and don’t want to leave a large, family home, un-attended. The other possibility is that couples are thinking ahead to a time when either age related difficulties or health concerns may make owning a traditional home too difficult to manage.

According to stats from Nanaimo’s City Data the Median age of the population in Nanaimo is: 43.3 years of age. Based on this data it is obvious that in the next 12 years the median age in Nanaimo will be 55+.
It makes sense that City planners and developers will keep this in mind when it comes to planning new construction housing in Nanaimo for the 55+ market.

The top choices for housing choices in Nanaimo for the 55+ market are:
Ranchers with low maintenance landscaping, patio homes, manufactured homes in development’s like Deerwood Estates and single level townhouse, half duplexes and condos.

The wonderful thing about purchasing any of the above is that the resale potential on your home will be excellent. As the population ages housing in Nanaimo for the 55+ age group should be much in demand.

For a complete list of available housing in Nanaimo for the 55+ market please visit my website then either email me or give me a call.

Today’s article on Housing For The 55+ Market was written by Lynn Donn, a real estate agent with RE/MAX of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. For more information please visit Lynn’s website at Nanaimo Homes 4 Sale.

Visit Global Escape Realty for all of your International Real Estate needs

Some Highlights Of The Australian Real Estate Market

There’s a lot of talk about international real estate investors from Australia coming to the U.S. to pick up property bargains so we wanted to take a quick look and see what the Australian real estate market is like today.

Are there bargains in the Australian real estate market like there are in other parts of the world?

Here’s a snap shot of updates that we found on the real estate market in Australia:

ACROSS the country the top tier of the property market is doing it tough. Lavish homes, perched by the nation’s most beautiful beaches, harbours and rivers, have been staying on the market for longer than usual and asking prices have tumbled by millions of dollars.

In the past year, the appetite for high-end property has tanked, with the dollar value of prestige homes sold in Australia’s capital cities falling by a third, as banks tighten up their lending practices and fewer bonuses are handed out to top-flight executives….More at Top-end homes caught in lag of luxury – The Australian

This article from Bloomberg helps to explain why the top tier markets in Australia may be having such a tough time:

The Reserve Bank of Australia cut growth and inflation forecasts as weak job and housing markets keep price gains in check, and as the local currency slid toward its biggest weekly drop of the year.

“Labor market conditions have continued to be on the soft side to date, with large increases in employment in mining and some service industries roughly offset by declines in the manufacturing, hospitality and retail sectors,” the central bank said today in its quarterly monetary policy statement. “A recovery in housing construction is unlikely in the near term.”…More at RBA Cuts Growth, Inflation Forecasts on Weaker Jobs – Bloomberg

Lastly, this story about the housing shortage – or maybe the myth of a housing shortage – in the Australian real estate market gives some food for thought about possible rates of returns:

One of the great mysteries of real estate is the lack of strong rental growth in a land that allegedly has a chronic housing shortage crisis.

The latest rental report from Australian Property Monitors – which covers the eight capital cities – records falling rentals in some markets, zero growth in most and small increases in a few.

The only market to deliver rent rises consistent with the so-called dwelling shortages is the Darwin housing market.

Everywhere else in capital city Australia, it’s all about stagnation. This mirrors recent results with house and unit prices.

How can that be in an under-supplied market?…More at Inside Australia’s housing shortage myth: Ryder – SmartCompany.com.au

Learn More About The Australian Real Estate Market

We’ll be the first to admit that nothing beats doing boots-on-the-ground research when you’re looking for international real estate investment.  It’s a good first step to read about the Australian real estate market, but nothing beats being there in person.

That’s why Global Escape Realty constantly strives to maintain a thorough list of short- and long-term rental properties available through the world.  Click the link below to see what’s in your part of the globe.

Click here to visit Global Escape Realty

China travel tips - good ones at least – are a little tough to find.  Part of the reason is that while many people plan on visiting China, few often actually do.  But that’s rapidly beginning to change.

Traveling to China is on the wish lists of many international tourists and one of the must-see places on many lists is the Great Wall of China.

Here’s a brief history of the Great Wall to start things off:

Construction of the Great Wall began even before China’s first imperial dynasty in belligerent times, known as the Spring and Autumn Period and the following Warring States Period. These periods are part of the Eastern Zhou dynasty which was the last dynasty before the reunification of the territory and the first imperial dynasty.

During this time seven rivaling states fought against each other and built individual walls to defend their territory against the attack of the enemy states. Stamping earth, gravel and stones were the main materials of these walls. After more than 200 years of mightily fights the state called Qin became the most powerful one conquering other states and finally destroying them….More at History Lesson – Great Wall (1/2) | China Travel Blog

The Great Wall of China

What many people don’t realize is that the Great Wall of China is actually a series of walls that began construction as early as the 7th century BC and would last over the next 500 years.

Since then the Great Wall has been built and re-built on and off with the majority of the existing wall being built during the Ming Dynasty.

From Wikipedia:

The Great Wall concept was revived again during the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, and following the Ming army’s defeat by the Oirats in the Battle of Tumu. The Ming had failed to gain a clear upper hand over the Manchurian and Mongolian tribes after successive battles, and the long-drawn conflict was taking a toll on the empire. The Ming adopted a new strategy to keep the nomadic tribes out by constructing walls along the northern border of China. Acknowledging the Mongol control established in the Ordos Desert, the wall followed the desert’s southern edge instead of incorporating the bend of the Huang He.

Discovery Of The Great Wall

During the 14th century reports began filtering in to the West of the Great Wall of China, but because few people had seen it with their own eyes many of the reports were met with disbelief.  Who could believe that any culture could build a wall spanning nearly 8,851.8 km or just over 5,500 miles?

We’ll write more about China in future articles, but for now, our number one China travel tip is the Great Wall of China.

If you’re interested in international real estate in China or anywhere else in the world be sure to check out the real estate listings on Global Escape Realty.

Click here to visit Global Escape Realty

Ecuador Is In The News

No matter what you are in the world you may have noticed that there’s been a lot of talk lately about Ecuador.

Some international visitors are attracted by its diverse climate, some by the small size of the country, and some by Ecuador’s easy pace of life.

Whatever the reasons, there’s a lot of things to be interested in when visiting Ecuador.

Overview Of Ecuador

Here are some statistics on Ecuador:

• Ecuador is located in in South America and lies directly on the equator
• The capital is Quito
• The primary language spoken is Spanish
• The elevation of Ecuador ranges from 6,267 m (20,561 ft) to a low of 0 at the Pacific Ocean
• Ecuador borders Peru to the south and Colombia to the north and east, with the Pacific Ocean to the west
• The population of Ecuador is about 13,700,000 people based on the census taken in 2007
• The area of Ecuador is 256,370 km² (98,990 sq mi) making it the 73rd largest country in the world

Reasons To Visit Ecuador

More and more people from around the world are discovering what a hidden gem Ecuador real estate is and how much the country has to offer.

If you ask people who have been to Ecuador what they like about the country you’ll probably hear a list something like this:

1. Variety of things to do and see
2. Reasonable prices for almost everything
3. Friendly people
4. Healthy way of living
5. Excellent medial care
6. Luxury and culture (despite the country’s small size)
7. Good climate
8. Variety of people
9. US dollar accepted country wide
10. Easy to get to

Ecuador From The Outside

Here’s a very interesting video entitled “Ecuador Desde Afuera” that will give you a view of Ecuador from the outside looking in.  There are parts in English, French and Spanish, so there’s something for everybody.

International Real Estate

If you’re interested in real estate opportunities in Ecuador or investment real estate, rentals, or property management anywhere in the world, be sure to take a look at Global Escape Realty.

No matter where you are in the world there’s something for everyone.

Click here to visit Global Escape Realty

If you’re traveling to Florida in the United States you may have heard of Spirit Airlines.

They’re the low cost carrier based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and have a lot of flights to the Carribean and Central America.  For locals, Spirit Airlines is often the go-to option for travel to these international destinations.

Cheap Tickets At Spirit Airlines

The low price of the tickets to fly on Spirit Airlines is what attracts a lot of global real estate travelers, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Hidden fees at Spirit Airlines can quickly add up, making the airline not-so-cheap of an option.

Here’s an interesting article from one of the local Florida newspapers about a new $100 carry on baggage fee that Spirit Airlines plans on implementing:

Starting November 6, Spirit Airlines will charge a whopping $100 for carry-on bags stored in overhead bins when purchased at the airport gate, according to a notice on the airline’s website.

The current fee is $45 for both domestic and international fliers.

Overall it will cost fliers $5 to $10 more in carry-on bag fees when purchased online, at a reservation center, an airport kiosk or counter or as a $9 Club Fare member, Spirit said.

The new fees will range from $25 to $100 per carry-on bag, up from $20 to 45.

Click here to read the complete story from the Sun Sentinel

Global Escape Realty

If you’re looking for international real estate deals around the world – in addition to cheap airline tickets – be sure to take a look at Global Escape Realty.

We’ve got a great selection of real estate around the world available for sale, lease and vacation rentals.

Click here to visit Global Escape Realty

A visit to Iceland may not be at the top of every global real estate investor’s travel list, but maybe it should be.

Iceland has by and large worked its way through much of the world wide financial and real estate crisis that the rest of the world still seems to be muddling in.

This to us suggests that paying a visit to Iceland now, while there’s still good opportunity, is the smart thing to do.

Sixteen Reasons To Visit Iceland

Here’s a great slide show with very high quality photos that illustrates why the time to visit Iceland is now:

Cinco de Mayo, also known as the 5th of May, is fast approaching.

Cinco de Mayo is the day to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride, and to commemorate the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, Mexico, on May 5th, 1982.

Here’s a list of our top seven places to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

Puebla, Mexico

A highlight is the Mole Poblano festival on May 2 and 3, featuring the traditional sauce of chocolate and 20 plus ingredients.

San Marcos, Texas

This gateway to the Texas hill country hosts the 38th annual festival known for its parade, Little Miss and Miss Cinco de Mayo pageants, music, and Folklorico dancers. Catch the annual Texas Statewide Menudo Cook-Off which features a soup of tripe, hominy and chili which is cooked for hours and thought by many to be the elusive hangover cure.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago knows how to throw a party!

Held over three days this year, the downtown parade and Douglas Park festival will draw more than 100,000 partiers throughout the weekend. The family-friendly fest celebrates Mexican heritage with live music, dancing, cultural displays, rides and games, and plenty of delicious Mexican food and culminates with a colorful parade through the Little Village neighborhood.

San Antonio, Texas

World famous for its Riverwalk, San Antonio hosts two major events over the holiday.

The traditional weekend celebration held at the historic Market Square features Mariachis, Tejano and Conjunto music plus cultural dances and food.

Added this year is Luminaria 2012, San Antonio’s celebration of arts and artists. Over 300,000 people are expected to be a part of these events.

New York City

Want pub crawls? NYC’s crawls over the weekend are large and many. For $20, you can drink cheap at dozens of NYC bars; for $30, continue your crawl all day on May 6.

You’re sure to find a celebration in this city that never sleeps.

Denver, Colorado

Over 400,000 attend this mile-high celebration over the weekend. Mexican music, food, and arts highlight this two day party in the Rockies.

The gathering boasts three large stages with continuous entertainment, featuring Cumba, Salsa, Mariachi, Norteno and many other genres of Latino music and dance. As you stroll through Civic Center Park, check out vendors displaying Mexican folk art and handcrafted goods.

Los Angeles

Regarded as the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world, over 500,000 are predicted to make their way to downtown LA for music, food and games.

Attractions are spread across 24 square blocks in downtown Los Angeles. Fiesta Broadway features live music on three stages, festival food and drink booths, community booths, arts and crafts, and cultural events. This year the 23rd annual Fiesta Broadway is on Saturday, April 29.

Sometimes the search for global real estate can be a bit exhausting, so it’s always nice to set aside some time to relax and view the international architecture sites.

If you’re an international architecture enthusiast, here are some of the must-see sites in popular cities around the world.

This recent article from CNN Travel about international architecture caught our eye and we wanted to share it with our Global Escape Realty visitors.

Here are six great spots for ogling some of the modern marvels of international architecture:

New World Symphony (Miami Beach)

The New World Symphony, which brought vitality to Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road when it moved into the Lincoln Theater many years ago, is having the same impact at its new location nearby.

The symphony, which prepares graduates of major music schools for roles in leading orchestras around the world, hired architect Frank Gehry to design its $160 million New World Center campus in collaboration with symphony founder and artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas.

The campus, which hosted its inaugural concert in January 2011, has an adjacent 2.5-acre public space designed by Dutch architecture firm West 8. Free and affordable events are often scheduled at the outdoor space.

Natural History Museum of Utah (Salt Lake City)

Appearing to be hewn out of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the Natural History Museum of Utah‘s new $140 million Rio Tinto Center looks like Utah.

Unlike designers of many natural history museums in urban locations, Ennead Architects and GSBG Architects could take advantage of the 17-acre site’s location at the edge of Salt Lake City. The building is above ancient Lake Bonneville’s shoreline, with the Bonneville Shoreline Trail cutting through the site.

Times Square, the High Line and more (New York)

Since the banishment of vehicular traffic from parts of Time Square, the neon and digital people “have gone nuts” with signage in Times Square. It creates an almost performance art-like scene for the pedestrians taking a break from their walks, says Bloomberg Media architecture critic James Russell.

After a walk through Times Square, head south to an innovative urban park built atop an unused elevated train line in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The High Line has been a hit since it opened in phases over the past three years. Unencumbered by moving vehicles or traffic lights, landscape architect James Corner Field Operations and the architecture firm of Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed a garden oasis above the hustle and bustle of the West Side.

Clyfford Still Museum (Denver)

After gaining national fame and attention for his work into the 1940s, abstract expressionist artist Clyfford Still withdrew from the commercial art world and kept most of his work rather than selling it.

Although his work was discussed along with peers such as Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock, he shunned the public eye. He died in 1980, and his will stipulated that his estate be given to an American city that would create a permanent space solely for studying and exhibiting his work.

Denver accepted the challenge; Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture designed the structure, and the Clyfford Still Museum opened in November. The museum houses 94% of the artist’s known work, most of which has never been on public display before now.

With a series of skylights designed to bring in natural light to illuminate the collection, “the quality of light in this museum is one of the best I’ve ever seen,” Russell says.

Oslo Opera House (Norway)

Part of a redevelopment project to reconnect the cutoff waterfront to the rest of the city, the Oslo Opera House has an incredible amount of public space that allows people to walk up the outside of the structure to its rooftop plaza.

The building, which houses the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, was designed by the internationally renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta. It opened in 2008.

If you’d like to attend any of the artistic performances, make sure to purchase tickets in advance online.

Parque Biblioteca España (Medellín, Colombia)

For the adventurous architecture traveler, try visiting Medellín, Colombia, where a renaissance in design and infrastructure is taking place.

Former Medellín Mayor Sergio Fajardo made the development of public architecture to revitalize poor areas and connect them to the rest of the city a central tenet of his administration. “Our most beautiful buildings must be in our poorest areas,” Fajardo has frequently said.

Designed by architect Giancarlo Mazzanti of Bogota, Parque Biblioteca España, in the Medellín neighborhood of Santo Domingo, is the most famous of a half-dozen libraries designed with park space in the city.

Along with improvements in roads and schools, the city has built a system of gondola-like public transit to transport residents of the poorest hillside communities down to the city’s public rail system. Although Medellín is much safer than it was during the height of the drug wars, check with local officials and the U.S. State Department before heading to Santo Domingo.

The libraries are part of the city’s commitment to its poorest residents.

“It represents an investment in the whole urban fabric, using culture, architecture and design to improve people’s lives and connect them to transit, architecture and culture,” says Davidson, the New York magazine critic. “It’s a showy piece of new architecture that represents something broader that a place is trying to accomplish. One building does not do that in isolation.”

…More at 6 new spots for architecture lovers

International Architecture Around The World

No matter where you travel, each country has its unique architectural wonders to view.

Sometimes the most lasting memories of a visit to your favorite city are not only the places you’ve seen, but the architecture you’ve seen as well.

If you’ve got some international architecture favorites of your own, drop us a line, we’d love to hear and write about them!

Mention to people you know that you’re going to Medellin Colombia and they’ll either give you a blank look, or they’ll ask why are you going THERE?

Speaking from first hand experience, Medellin Colombia should be on every world traveler’s list.

You will be very pleasantly surprised by what you see when you travel to Medellin and you will wonder why you waited to long to visit there.

Things To See In Medellin Colombia

Medellin Colombia has certainly had its share of problems. The troubles have gone, and there is currently a lot of opportunity in the city.

There are upper class, middle class areas, and yes, poor areas, just like anywhere else you might travel in the world.

Some of the high rise apartment buildings reminded me quite a bit of Vancouver, British Colombia, in Canada. In the upper class areas the apartment building are built on the hillside, offering splendid views of the valley and many parts of Medellin, Colombia.

The world renowned artist Fernando Botero is originally from Colombia, and many of his sculptures grace the public parks and plazas.

In Medellin Colombia there is an inexpensive mass transit system consisting of elevated trains and cable cars that rivals any transit system in larger European, Asian or American metropolitan areas.

Architecture In Colombia

Here’s a very nice article from The Guardian that gives a great overview of the architecture you’ll find in Colombia:

Over the last decade, Colombia has been a touchstone of what good design and enlightened politics can do for cities. If Barcelona was the urban exemplar of the 1990s, urbanists these days are more likely to mention Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, and its second city, Medellín. In both cities, a succession of dynamic mayors has used transport infrastructure and new public buildings as tools of social change.

Click here to read the entire article about Colombian architecture from The Guardian

The Climate In Medellin, Colombia

When you first visit Medellin you will be struck by how tropical the climate is, even though the city is above the 5,000 foot (1,524 meters) elevation. There are flowering plants, palm trees and more, with everything kept green from the rain.

Medellin Colombia does have its rainy seasons, but it is nothing like Seattle, Washington in the United States, for example.

Because of the elevation, there is very little humidity. The year around temperature is about 80 fahrenheit (26.6 celsius) during the day, with night time lows around 60 fahrenheit (15.6 celsius).

This makes for a very nice year round climate, with very little need for heating or air conditioning, and very low utility bills.

Learn More About Medellin, Colombia

I’ll be the first to admit that this short article about Medellin, Colombia simply does not do the city justice.

There are a lot of pictures in this article to give you a good idea of what Medellin is really like and why you should visit to see for yourself.

If you’re interested in Medellin Colombia real estate or international real estate anywhere in the world, consider starting your search with Global Escape Realty.

Click here to learn more about Global Escape Realty