The gorgeous brick Colonial offers all the luxury amenities of modern day living. This custom designed residence boasts beautiful moldings, millwork, and hardwood floors throughout, designer kitchen and baths, radiant heat on first floor and master bath.
For more information on this property click here
A private gated entry leads to this magnificent Estate that features a stunning mahogany library and grand public spaces. The lower level is fully equipped with a bowling alley,gym and movie theatre. A newly renovated indoor pool, outdoor pool and tennis court make this residence a dream come true with all the amenities of luxury living. Offered at $12,995,000
For more information on this property click here
International buyers have been increasingly eyeing U.S. states in search of housing bargains in recent years, particularly buyers from China.
“Chinese are widely interested in the U.S. markets,” says Andrew Taylor, co-CEO of Juwai.com, an international property website for Chinese buyers. “The data shows they are investing in many places and in greater amounts than most people realize.”
Chinese buyers spent $8.2 billion on U.S. property in 2012, which generated about $492 million in commission for real estate agents that year, according to data from the National Association of REALTORS®.
Chinese investors looking for U.S. property are motivated by profit potential of underpriced housing markets; educational opportunities for their children; and an international diversification of their investments, Taylor says.
In a new report, Juwai.com reveals the following 10 U.S. cities are receiving the most interest from Chinese property hunters:
1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Philadelphia
4. Detroit
5. Houston
6. Chicago
7. Las Vegas
8. Atlanta
9. San Diego
10. Memphis
Even though the weather is getting us down, I wish everyone’s spirits are uplifted on this very special day !
Many people around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day by showing appreciation for the people they love or adore. Some people take their loved ones for a romantic dinner at a restaurant while others may choose this day to propose or get married. Many people give greeting cards, chocolates, jewelry or flowers, particularly roses, to their partners or admirers on Valentine’s Day.
It is also a time to appreciate friends in some social circles and cultures. For example, Valentine’s Day in Finland refers to “Friend’s day”, which is more about remembering all friends rather than focusing solely on romance.
May your day be filled with lots of love, laughter and great chocolate! ~Maria
I am so excited that the Winter Olympics are about to begin in Sochi, Russia! The opening ceremony on Friday is bound to be an exciting one.
The picturesque Black Sea resort of Sochi offers a dynamic natural contrast with its glimmering sea and rugged mountains.
One of the fascinating and positively captivating aspects of the Olympic Games is that no two editions are ever alike; each and every one vastly different with a distinct aura embodying the spirit, culture, norms and geography of the host nation and the region itself.
Sochi 2014 will be the first Winter Games contested in Russia. They will also be one of the most compact in Winter Olympic history, where, for the first time, a purpose-built Olympic Park – referred to as the Coastal Cluster – will be home to all indoor ice competition venues, each within a short stroll of one another. In addition, Sochi 2014 will open a new chapter in Olympic history as they will be the first Games presided over by the recently elected ninth IOC President, Thomas Bach.
Enjoy watching these incredible athletes at their best!
Over 1.36 billion people in China and millions around the world will celebrate the first day of the Chinese New Year on January 31, 2014. It’s the most important of Chinese holidays, kicking off a celebration that lasts for 15 days and culminates with the Lantern Festival. Each year is associated with one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. For 2014, it’ll be the Year of the Horse.
The spirit of the horse is recognized to be the Chinese people’s ethos– making unremitting efforts to improve themselves. It is energetic, bright, warm-hearted, intelligent and able.
The New Year is a time to unfold new horizons and realize new dreams, to rediscover the strength and faith within you, to rejoice in simple pleasures and embrace new challenges.
I am truly blessed to have met such incredible people on my journey and am thankful for the support of my family and friends, a gratitude I hold deep in my heart.
Wishing all a prosperous 2014, filled with an abundance of joy, love and laughter. ~ Maria
Status-seeking shoppers are back!
The entry-level luxury market is showing signs of picking up, as consumers who aspire to be owners of high-end products are once again including luxury products on their shopping lists, CNBC reports.
Industry experts are seeing an increase in purchases of deluxe items from middle-class shoppers in 2013 than in prior years since the worldwide economic collapse of 2008. While the desire to shop like the elite “one-percent” is back, it is not occurring at the “warp-all credit cards” pace as it did previously. Consumers are buying slower and being more prudent.
The return of the aspiring market is also aided by luxury brands offering alternative lines of products to shoppers. The car industry is a good example with its offerings of less expensive, entry-level luxury lines, as seen by both Mercedes-Benz and Audi.
Consumers are trading up instead of burning through their cash and available credit.
….Before the recession, aspirational shoppers—often people with a household income of about $100,000—were responsible for a large chunk of consumer spending, Ben-Shabat said. But when the economy dropped off in 2008, they disappeared from shopping centers and online stores along with the rest of the population.
Read full article at CNBC.com
As we start to think about the new year that is quickly drawing close, it is common to reflect on what this year has brought us and how we have dealt with the challenges that life brings to us on a daily basis. As much as we know how important it is to keep physically active and healthy, it is also vital to keep our mental state in tact and strong at all times.
Please check out this article that was originally written by Amy Morin, a pyscho-therapist and licensed clinical social worker. The list explains the things that mentally strong people don’t do. A great read!
Please click here for article
As 2013 draws to an end, we start to think about what we are grateful for and the relationships that we have built throughout the year. I would like to thank everyone in my life who has supported and encouraged me on my amazing journey! I treasure these relationships more than anything and look forward to a wonderful 2014! Enjoy this time spent with your family and friends! ~Maria
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”~Melody Beattie
