Harbor Country Open House 2010

Saturday April 24th 2010

12:00-4:00PM Eastern time

Call me for a complete list of homes.

312-925-8552

Mario Zarantenello
Realtor
Prudential Rubloff

HarborCountryOpenHouse, Mission Accomplished!

If just one word was needed to describe HarborCountryOpenHouse it would be, "accomplishment". When 50 or so Realtors from many brokerages come together and pull off an event like this in less than 11 weeks it is a testament of how it "ought to be". With you, the public in mind and how to present to you homes and properties of all sizes, prices and styles in just 4 hours on one day. HarborCountryOpenHouse was held in Three Oaks, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, Sawyer and other beach communities. We could not be happier with the amount of buyers who were out looking at homes her in Harbor Country. The overall feeling is very optimistic that this promises to be great year in Real Estate all over South West Michigan, Berrien County and the communities within.

Harbor Country Open House Event open to the public

Mark Your Calendars!

Harbor Country Area REALTORS® are hosting an open house event on April 25th 2009 from 12 noon until 4PM (Michigan time)



Call your REALTOR® for a schedule, map and after party invite!

Thanks,

Mario Zarantenello

I wanna drive my roadster!

If you read my profile you'll see that I like cars, pictured above is one of my cars. I like roadsters, which tend to be 2-seat convertibles that are low, long and fast. My Clenet Series I Roadster is # 229 of 250 built from 1977 thru 1979. I've wanted one of these cars since I was 15, they were wildly popular among the 70's celebrities.

Mario Zarantenello

Snow, snow and more snow in Harbor Country today

It seems to me that the near 70 degree temps last week were a big ol' tease! Old man winter has returned with a vengeance! Brrrrrr. I'm supposed to be grilling steaks out tonight. Oh well, hope I don't scorch a mitten when lighting the grill!

Mario Zarantenello

Housing trends

It seems the mini-mansion is going away. Buyers are looking for smaller homes but with luxurious features and finishes. The latest trend in housing consumerism is high end finishes such as spa-like baths, professional kitchens and multi-purpose rooms. The large great-rooms which serve one purpose are becoming passe and the more intimate family room from the 50's is returning. Going green which is another blog subject is part of this trend.

I think this subject is relevant today and worth blogging about, I'd like to hear your comments.

What are Beach Rights?

The majority of my clients number one priority when searching here for a home is beach access; when I came here back in the 90's not one person could adequately define it for me, below is what I've learned over the years, I do not have a complete list of all the Harbor Country Beaches yet.


BEACH RIGHTS
Questions most commonly asked:

Does it have beach rights? Not all homes come with beach rights. Beach rights or "deeded beach access" is an attached deed to a home or property within an association. Much like a common element or shared element in a condominium association. Most of the beach associations were formed many years ago to help market the summertime properties.

Will beach rights affect the value of my home? To a degree, yes. Like any other amenity, beach rights may increase the value of a property. Try to remember that location, neighborhood amenities and different associations will affect values greatly.

Are all beaches the same? Not at all, other than sand and water being a commonality the different types of beach ownership or how the beach is defined legally makes a difference.

BEACH DEFINITIONS

Public Beach: A beach such as New Buffalo Beach or the Beaches at Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer. These beaches offer parking, vending and washroom/shower facilities, etc.

Road End Beach: Where a road that is owned by a municipality dead ends at the lake, the road easement continues to the water. This beach is governed and maintained by the municipality that owns it. Examples include the Chikaming Township beaches in Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert and Sawyer.

Association Beach: Private beach associations which generally serve a cluster of homes in an area defined within the deeds of the single homes. Most were formed 80 to 100 years ago, have specific rules & regulations and usually have maintenance costs levied to the homeowners. There are many types of these associations in Forest Beach, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert and Sawyer.

Municipal Semi Private Beach: Michiana, Grand Beach and other incorporated villages maintain and govern the beach-front in the community much like a public park. All village residents typically have access points such as the Stops in Michiana and road easements in Grand Beach.

Private Beach: From stately mansions to the quaint cottages along the lake-shore, most beach-front is owned privately. This land is the most prized and sought after and has price tags to match!