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"Veronica we would like to

thank you for all your hard

work representing us in the

sale of our home. Always

ready to help going above

and beyond our expecta-

tions, being courteous and

paying close attention to

detail. Not to mention your

bright personality and good

sense of humor goes a long

ways….We will highly

recommend you to anyone

seeking professional

representation.”

The Fries

In This Issue

• Why Hire a Realtor?

• Nepal….destination for

the soul.

• Creating Outdoor

Living Areas

• National Association of

Realtors report.

• What can we learn

from Richard Branson?

Why Hire a Realtor? In truth you may be successful in selling your home, however when you consider factors that determine a successful sale you may think twice. Multiple listing aside, realtors have connections and as professionals they don’t just advertise your property and sit back. They network and promote your home through vari-ous channels. It’s also not just a case of showing your home, they know how to present and maximise your home to its best potential. They have a list of call backs and continually keep interest alive to facilitate an offer from shoppers on the fence. They have information at their fingertips of what is happening in the market. Realtors are also trained negotiators, and that service alone is invalua-ble to have in your corner. Real Estate is a profession and brokers have the highest level of training and education to deal with a variety of situations that may arise, every agency will have one at your disposal, but doubly great if your realtor is one also. So, when you factor in the time spent promoting, budget ad-vertising, creating promotional material, negative feedback you will inevitably face from some people, aggravation from tyre kickers, add it all up and the real-tor’s commission is well spent! Not to mention they will negotiate the right price in your market and handle your closing professionally. It pays to work with them.

First things to consider in a Realtor. • Does the realtor know the area and market better than I do?

• Do I really think I can do better?

• Do I want to spend the time it takes and am I willing to do so for months?

Why not work with a Realtor?

PROJECT PEGASUS INTERNATIONAL Newsletter Aug / Sept 2018 Issue

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Nepal….destination for the soul. Nepal is considered as the safest destination in South East Asia. Nepalese people are known for their friendly nature and hospitality, Kathmandu its capital offers a cultural blend of cuisines, and varied accommodation from basic to opulent. It is historic and culturally rich, with temples and series of World Heritage-listed monuments, and also shopping locations for those who wish to return home with beautifully crafted mementos.

Nepal combines Himalayan views, golden temples, charming hill villages and jungle wildlife. Favouring a policy of isolation, remained closed to the outside world until a palace revolt in 1950 restored the crown’s authority in 1951; the country gained admission to the United Nations in 1955. With topographical contrasts in elevation ranging from 70 metres above sea level in Jhapa, to the world’ highest mountain, Everest at 8848m above sea level, Nepal has a vastly unique eco system. Both tropical and alpine forest with diverse wildlife, like elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, along with snow leopards. Unique and beautiful flora, among the hills with rivers, calm lakes, and mysterious caves. Nepal is a destination for the soul in its serene beauty. The Himalayas are also the original home of Ayurveda, the medicinal science that can be found there, with several highly reputable clinics and spas offering age-old treatments for detoxification and stress-reduction.

Legions of trekkers are drawn to the Himalaya’s most iconic and accessi-ble hiking, following ancient caravan routes and the footsteps of early ex-peditioners, to Everest, the Annapurnas and beyond, but first you must obtain a Trekking permit from the department of immigration. The two most popular treks in Nepal – the Annapurna (aka “Apple Pie”) Circuit and the trek to Everest Base Camp (including Gokyo Lakes) – are both well-trodden, with plenty of tourist-friendly teahouses, making it easy to rely on local facilities. Independent trekkers can choose where to stay. For those who prefer to experience majestic sights without the laborious trek, there are helicopter flights from Pokhara to the Annapurna Base Camp, spend about half an hour there and then fly back. Pokhara is what is commonly referred to as the Gateway to the Himalayas, and on a clear day you can see the range, and relax in town. Pokhara also has Phewa Lake, a mas-sive fresh water lake that is possibly Nepal’s most visited body of water.

Creating Outdoor Living Areas

If done right you can cleverly extend your living space outdoors, with some creative decorating ideas. You can have some cosy and comfortable areas to relax in no time, with a little planning. Here are some budget-friendly ways to create a homey atmosphere.

1. Creative outdoor design When you look around the yard, finding that space that could look pretty or cosy, think about what you could add to it. It should be an area that you can enjoy spending time, then think of ways to furnish it creatively. Have a large tree in your yard? Why not box the base with some wooden planks and place cushions around it? Some nicely painted wooden pallets can do the trick with some colourful cushions. Then you could even hang outdoor lanterns with candles from low branches. You could create a firepit and place some comfortable seats around it, there are dozens of ideas on how to make one, just google DIY. Or you could simply buy one.

2. Budget Outdoor furnishings New outdoor lounge sets, can be expensive. If you’re going to look for cheap patio furni-ture, check out some antique shops, con-signment stores, garage sales, flea markets, even estate sales. Craigslist and eBay are also options.

3. Creative Decorating Outdoor Planters add vibrancy to an outdoor area, especially for an outdoor deck or patio with no garden. Flowers and plants can make a bland space come alive. With some pro-jects you can decorate creatively resulting in a high-end look for a fraction of the price. Clever outdoor tent like curtains around a wooden gazebo can also add an exotic look, with some lanterns, and cushions placed around a low laying day bed.

Lake Phewa – Pokhara Nepal

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Why Appraisers Matter

In some limited transactions, an au-tomated valuation model may be used appropriately today instead of an appraisal. Based on the specifics of the property and the transaction details, an appraisal may be unnec-essary. Karen Belita, a data scientist with the National Association of REALTORS®, wrote in a blog post, “When it comes to online home val-ue estimates, the number one cave-at for consumers is that these esti-mates are not a substitute for formal appraisals, comparative market anal-yses, and the in-depth expertise of real estate professionals.” Bravo. Indeed, AVMs are not appraisals. It’s possible that as technology evolves, AVMs may be used to a greater de-gree. But today, in many cases, an automated valuation is suspect if there is a lack of available data or the property isn’t a “cookie cutter.” When it comes to AVMs, your mileage may vary. So why aren’t automated models more reliable in more transactions? Because computers don’t buy hous-es; people do. An AVM does a great job of analys-ing tangible features such as a prop-erty’s age, number of bedrooms and baths, square footage, and lot size. However, a property’s overall appeal is something that has been, at least to date, extremely difficult to quanti-fy. It’s a uniquely human phenome-non; a property’s overall appeal re-flects a combination of characteris-tics. While not everyone has the same preferences, some unusual features will likely face significant market reluctance. But wait, you say, aren’t appraisers required by the Uniform Standards of Profes-sional Appraisal Practice to be “independent, impartial, and objec-tive”? Absolutely. Still, appraisers are not machines. They must have relevant data and logic to support their analyses, opinions, and conclu-sions, but they also incorporate the concept of market value reflecting the interests of consumers who are “typically motivated” and “well-informed.” Until AVMs can better emulate the human factor, an -ethical and com-petent appraiser remains indispen-sable. Realtor Magazine Oct 2018

Sales still hindered by affordability and low inventory

National Association of Realtors WASHINGTON (September 27, 2018) – Pending home sales fell slightly in August and have now decreased on an annual basis for eight straight months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index,* www.nar.realtor/pending-home-sales, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, decreased 1.8 percent to 104.2 in August from 106.1 in July. With last month’s decline, contract signings are now down 2.3 percent year-over-year. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says that low inventory continues to con-tribute to the housing market slowdown. “Pending home sales continued a slow drip downward, with the fourth month over month decline in the past five months,” he said. “Contract signings also fell backward again last month, as declines in the West negatively impacted overall activity,” he said. “The great-est decline occurred in the West region where prices have shot up significantly, which clearly indicates that affordability is hindering buyers and those afforda-bility issues come from lack of inventory, particularly in moderate price points.” According to the third quarter Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) survey, a record high number of Americans believe now is a good time to sell. “Just a couple of years ago about 55 percent of consumers indicated it was a good time to sell; that figure has climbed close to 77 percent today.” Added Yun, “With prices having risen so quickly, many consumers were decid-ing to wait to list their homes hoping to see additional price and equity gains. However, with indications that buyers are beginning to pull out, price gains are going to decelerate and potential sellers are considering that now is a good time to list and bring more properties to the market.” When it comes to rising mortgage rates, Yun believes that while rising rates are always a deterrent to potential buyers, it should not lead to a significant decline. “We have two opposing factors affecting the market: the negative impact of ris-ing mortgage rates and the positive impact of continued job creation. This should lead to future homes sales staying fairly neutral,” said Yun. “As long as there is job growth, rising mortgage rates will hinder some buyers; but job crea-tion means second or third incomes being added to households which gives consumers the financial confidence to go out and make a home purchase.”

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CONTACT

Or call us today to discuss all

your needs and objectives.

We are a Full Service Global

Boutique Real Estate

PO Box 748

Hobe Sound, FL 33475.

What can we learn from Richard Branson? He became Sir Richard Branson in 2000, and Time magazine named him as

one of the top 100 most influential people in the world in 2007. How did he

achieve so much success? It is interesting that Branson’s success came at his

darkest moment, just when he had no hope left of making it, then he was sud-

denly rewarded with his break. The first lesson is you never know when your

hard work will pay off, and you could give up just before you make it. Despite

his bigger than life charismatic image, he is said to be quite shy which may

surprise many people, more surprising still is the fact that he is dyslexic. He is

a positive person who didn’t allow naysayers to discourage his dreams……and

he dreamt big! Lesson number two is have belief in yourself. His positive atti-

tude and unswerving belief that he could make it pushed him on.

Branson’s view on life is you don’t gain by playing it safe, you need to take big

risks in life, in order to receive the rewards. He made whatever sacrifices were

needed and there were plenty of sleepless nights. Perhaps the most important

lesson, is we get nowhere without effort. His relentless drive and energy in-

spire us to believe anything is possible, if we are willing to do the hard work. In

reading his biography “Losing my Virginity” we see the value of determination

and betting on your ability to make things happen. Not all his bets paid off…

nor do they all today, but enough of them do for him to continue betting on his

dreams and enjoy being the kind of entrepreneur that others want to emulate.

He is quoted as saying, he does what he enjoys and has fun making it a suc-

cess. He is not alone in that belief, many a successful business person will

attest to the belief that you must love what you do, to be successful. He knows

the importance of being approachable and friendly and understands the age

old saying “people do business with people they like.” He is reported to be an

excellent leader because he is respectful and a good listener. Perhaps one of

the most outstanding strategies he employs, and greatest lesson in business,

is his clever marketing and relentless self-promotion. ‘Virgin’ was a brand with

buzz long before it reached the notoriety it’s known for today.

Richard Branson - Dreamer and inspiring Entrepreneur ProjectPegasusInternational.com

Info@ProjectPegasusInternational.com

1 (561) 308-5982