Is a Vacation Home Right For You?

Many of us dream about owning the vacation home in the Mountains, or on the Lake or Ocean. A place where one can retreat periodically from the hustle-bustle of everyday life. However, for those who do achieve the financial resources to make such a purchase, there are several factors that should be considered first prior to taking the plunge.

Owning a Vacation Home can be a wonderful experience, but it is a huge commitment and responsibility. When one first thinks of owning a Vacation Home, we think of only the positives, such as a quiet remote location where we can get away from it all. A place where we can swim, fish, hike, and ski. Unfortunately for many, they forget about the other realities: location and travel time, upkeep and the associated costs, high property taxes, their children's school and other home activities, guests. All of these put stress on the new Vacation Home owner, and how they prepare ahead of time to address these issues determines how enjoyable their new purchase will be.

The first item to consider when purchasing a Vacation Home is location. Is it near enough from your main home such that you can enjoy it regularly enough? If not, consider another investment. The last thing you want to do is make a huge investment in property that you can not regularly enjoy. Though real estate has always been considered a good investment it is not considered liquid, and expensive vacation homes can take a long time to sell.

Cost of upkeep and property taxes should also be heavily considered. Maintaining a vacation home is not cheap and the local town officials love to hit the vacation homes hard with property tax bills.

One also needs to consider his or her own weekend responsibilities and those of their children. Sports team events, clubs and organizations as well as maintaining the main house will eat into the time available to head to the weekend get-away. And if you have teenagers, they have their own dates and plans. Be prepared, more times than not, for having to forgo the weekend retreat for your children and other responsibilities.

One of the other aspects of owning a Vacation Home is having guests. This is a double edge sword. You want to have guests to share in your retreat. However, the upkeep, food and cooking can become overwhelming. Also, when guests visit, they are on vacation, but you may not necessarily be. It is important to let friends and families understand this, otherwise prepare for unexpected meals outs and other activities.

Owning a Vacation Home can be, and is for most, a wonderful experience. Those who truly enjoy them, usually have to go through an adjustment cycle. First the euphoria phase, followed by a frustration and exhaustion phase, and finally the true enjoyment stage. The enjoyment phase occurs when one has developed a balance between the pros of owning a vacation home and the other responsibilities of their lives.

Just Give Me Eleven Reasons To Buy In Dubai   Just Give Me Eleven Reasons To Buy In Dubai   

Just Give Me Eleven Reasons To Buy In Dubai

Buying overseas property is not always for the fainthearted but we think Dubai is an exception to this. Here are eleven reasons to buy in Dubai:

1. Property prices look cheap by International standards, and rental yields are still high in Dubai.

2. Rental Market: Long-term residents of U.A.E. are considering buying to replace rental payments and to take advantage of the ever increasing market demand for property in Dubai.

3. Future Development: There is a big change in the city's geography underway with huge plans for the future. What is the fringe of Dubai today, the Dubai Marina, will be uptown Dubai of tomorrow. Thus property values will follow this curve upwards, as people relocate to the new "Centre".

4. Good Prices: Comparatively property is cheap compared to other major cities in the World. Dubai villas cost around $1,000 per square metre. London on the other hand are selling apartments in London Docklands area at $5,000 per square metre an amazing difference.

5. Prime Locations: Oversupply is the main fear highlighted by skeptics. But there can only be so many properties in prime locations and the time to buy them is now. Most projects are now fetching three times their original price.

6. Freehold Laws: Legally, there is no law to prevent freehold purchase in Dubai, and a new federal law should shortly frame legal rights into a form acceptable to international banks for mortgages this will push demand and prices up even higher than they are now.

7. Demand for freehold property in Dubai is much higher than most people can comprehend and understand. Certainly an economy growing at 10% plus a year has a dynamic effect of its own that reflects a huge demand for accommodation.

8. Sound Market: Any property market is going to have its ups and downs, and Dubai will be no different. All the same, Dubai has a habit of frustrating those who wait for bargains. In 1998 some thought rental prices would collapse. It did not happen they are still on the up as is Abu Dhabi.

9. Dubai wants you: Dubai is in the process of creating an international property market from scratch. As a result overseas property buyers are being given an exceptionally good deal to encourage them to be the pioneers of this market with very low deposits.

10. Resale Market: As the second-hand market emerges and the legal position of owners becomes absolutely clear, the element of risk will go, and lower risk will mean higher property prices.

11. Economic Growth: Dubai is a city where a lot of people earn high tax-free salaries and are in a position to support higher house prices. This is a city with a 20-year track record of strong economic growth and will continue to attract foreign and regional inward investment for many years to come.

So why not buy in Dubai - it could be the best thing you ever did!

Just Give Me Eleven Reasons To Buy In Dubai   

The Benefits Of Having A Composite Door

There are clear benefits to fitting double glazing in your home and not only the windows but the doors too. The windows offer a level of safety and security that traditional wooden windows cannot match as traditional single pane windows are made from a single sheet of regular glass. The double glazing in windows and doors is tightly sealed with a dead air space in-between. The air pocket this creates is then trapped between the panes and acts as an insulator.

Most double glazing will be laminated or toughened glass which reduces the risk of shattering upon impact. With a double glazed unit often damage to one pane of glass is not always carried through the vacuum between the panes to the second pane, giving a much higher degree of safety. Even a chair thrown at a window or patio door will not break it upon a first or second strike. Intruders can also be deterred when the job of breaking in is delayed from a quick smash of a window to many attempts at entering. It becomes noisy and that will attract some very much unwanted attention.

The locking mechanisms are now also pick proof and especially the new composite doors for front and back doors which are fitted with 5 point locking and deadlocks. These do not just lock at the point of the key entering but also lock twice more at the top and bottom. A ram would have trouble to gain entry easily. The composite rock door also has an internal frame fitted that makes it even more robust.

Composite doors are now are more fashionable to, offering light and character as opposed to the old fashioned solid wood door with only one Yale lock to offer security. These doors have now been made in a variety of colours if you prefer something other than white or brown. This makes your front door more personal to you and not just for functionality. The glass can also be reinforced with plastic, making it very difficult to take the glass out if the lock is holding. This type of security leaves you with self confidence that, when no one is home, your possessions will be safe and secure at all times.

The many glass designs that can be fitted into the panels can be made very personal and bespoke giving your home a unique style. Also internal doors can be matched to your style to follow through a theme of Georgian, Tudor or Gothic to name just a few. These composite doors are also almost maintenance free.

The Continental French Door

These types of double glazed doors add a touch of elegance and continental style to your home. It doesn't matter if you have a country cottage or a town house they are beautiful to look at and great to use. Opening out onto a potted patio or a large lawn garden the French door is inviting you to go out.

Very different in style and functionality to the patio door, the French door can either be opened to the outside or inside. Either one half only or for the full effect of the outside coming into your lounge or kitchen both doors open. One door is usually used more than the other and this is a traffic door holding the locks, and it will have a handle on both sides. This is so that the entire unit doesn't have to be opened when it is cold or just popping outside. The multiple panes of glass offer sunlight and a view of your garden which can be enjoyed any time of year, even in the winter they let in lots of light.

The double glazing will stop all draughts and noise so it doesn't matter where your home is situated they will offer comfort and warmth when required. They look very traditional as they are made from hardwood but can be available in aluminum and UPVC. Whatever your preference they can incorporate a cottage or Georgian style and these doors act as the welcome mat to your living space. As French doors come in panels of very small panes or bars the toughened glass offers a security and peace of mind that if they are fallen against they can withstand a substantial weight.

UPVC doors are maintenance free and will not rust or flake paint, the variety of colours can also enhance your gardens look and can blend in to any design. They will transform your home into something that you have dreamed of just by the change in style of a solid back door to a French door. It doesn't matter what the size of the whole is to be filled that had a pre-existing door or window, they can be made to measure and individually tailored to your home.

Cottage doors offer the perfect combination of traditional elegance and modern design that will add an authentic touch to any house or cottage. French doors are also great to have inside too. They will open up a through room or allow it to be shut up but still retain that longer room feel. They are perfect for opening up another room that is not normally used but keeps the whole downstairs feeling spacious and connected. Light can filter though into areas that would normally be darker.

The Continental French Door

These types of double glazed doors add a touch of elegance and continental style to your home. It doesn't matter if you have a country cottage or a town house they are beautiful to look at and great to use. Opening out onto a potted patio or a large lawn garden the French door is inviting you to go out.

Very different in style and functionality to the patio door, the French door can either be opened to the outside or inside. Either one half only or for the full effect of the outside coming into your lounge or kitchen both doors open. One door is usually used more than the other and this is a traffic door holding the locks, and it will have a handle on both sides. This is so that the entire unit doesn't have to be opened when it is cold or just popping outside. The multiple panes of glass offer sunlight and a view of your garden which can be enjoyed any time of year, even in the winter they let in lots of light.

The double glazing will stop all draughts and noise so it doesn't matter where your home is situated they will offer comfort and warmth when required. They look very traditional as they are made from hardwood but can be available in aluminum and UPVC. Whatever your preference they can incorporate a cottage or Georgian style and these doors act as the welcome mat to your living space. As French doors come in panels of very small panes or bars the toughened glass offers a security and peace of mind that if they are fallen against they can withstand a substantial weight.

UPVC doors are maintenance free and will not rust or flake paint, the variety of colours can also enhance your gardens look and can blend in to any design. They will transform your home into something that you have dreamed of just by the change in style of a solid back door to a French door. It doesn't matter what the size of the whole is to be filled that had a pre-existing door or window, they can be made to measure and individually tailored to your home.

Cottage doors offer the perfect combination of traditional elegance and modern design that will add an authentic touch to any house or cottage. French doors are also great to have inside too. They will open up a through room or allow it to be shut up but still retain that longer room feel. They are perfect for opening up another room that is not normally used but keeps the whole downstairs feeling spacious and connected. Light can filter though into areas that would normally be darker.

The Benefits Of Having A Composite Door

There are clear benefits to fitting double glazing in your home and not only the windows but the doors too. The windows offer a level of safety and security that traditional wooden windows cannot match as traditional single pane windows are made from a single sheet of regular glass. The double glazing in windows and doors is tightly sealed with a dead air space in-between. The air pocket this creates is then trapped between the panes and acts as an insulator.

Most double glazing will be laminated or toughened glass which reduces the risk of shattering upon impact. With a double glazed unit often damage to one pane of glass is not always carried through the vacuum between the panes to the second pane, giving a much higher degree of safety. Even a chair thrown at a window or patio door will not break it upon a first or second strike. Intruders can also be deterred when the job of breaking in is delayed from a quick smash of a window to many attempts at entering. It becomes noisy and that will attract some very much unwanted attention.

The locking mechanisms are now also pick proof and especially the new composite doors for front and back doors which are fitted with 5 point locking and deadlocks. These do not just lock at the point of the key entering but also lock twice more at the top and bottom. A ram would have trouble to gain entry easily. The composite rock door also has an internal frame fitted that makes it even more robust.

Composite doors are now are more fashionable to, offering light and character as opposed to the old fashioned solid wood door with only one Yale lock to offer security. These doors have now been made in a variety of colours if you prefer something other than white or brown. This makes your front door more personal to you and not just for functionality. The glass can also be reinforced with plastic, making it very difficult to take the glass out if the lock is holding. This type of security leaves you with self confidence that, when no one is home, your possessions will be safe and secure at all times.

The many glass designs that can be fitted into the panels can be made very personal and bespoke giving your home a unique style. Also internal doors can be matched to your style to follow through a theme of Georgian, Tudor or Gothic to name just a few. These composite doors are also almost maintenance free.