Seattle-Tacoma: Savvy living in the Pacific Northwest!

Having grown up in Southern California, it may be hard to believe that one would have found me figure skating everyday after school, instead of playing beach volleyball, and carving powder while snowboarding at Big Bear Mountain on the weekends.  Rather than enjoying those 'endless summers' in no where else but a friend's backyard pool or the warm sandy beaches was where one would find most San Diegans.  Don't get me wrong? I love all of these activities and attractions, which of course makes living in San Diego to me the best, wherein one can enjoy the mountain slopes as well as the warm sand on the beach, and yes, all in less than a few hours driving time.  

Summertime is a favorite season for most, and Summer 2012 is extra spectacular because we are now in the midst of the 2012 Summer Olympics!  That's right, the historic and timeless Olympic Games are officially underway in none other, than our 'across the pond' neighbors, London, United Kingdom.  

I was fortunate enough to have visited London a few years ago, while attending graduate school in Spain.  It was a fairly cheap flight from Barcelona to London thanks to those killer deals on Easy Jet Airlines and Ryan Air, Europe's intercontinental airlines. 

Since being back home, getting across for The Games this year just wasn't feasible. So my summer vacation was a hop, skip, and a three hour flight straight up north to the evergreen-scapes of the Pacific Northwest and Canada.  With a full two days in Seattle, three more in Victoria (Vancouver Island) and lastly a day and a half in Vancouver city, on mainland British Columbia, it was clear to me that a trip on our continent could be just as "European" as that of visiting the UK itself.  Victoria, having once been under British rule, definitely felt like a n intimate version of London, red double-decker buses and all.  

Seattle is an incredible city as well, full of delectable food fit for any self-proclaimed gastronomist, but also with an exciting music scene, and truly the best coffee I have ever had.  I fell immediately in love with its gorgeous brick buildings and urban architecture set amongst a backdrop of green hills, the blue of the Pacific Ocean, and the white snow capped mountains.

It's no wonder that our two condominium rental communities, Landing at Angle Lake, and Village at the Pointe, in the greater Seattle-Tacoma region have such warm, and friendly residents.  With crisp, clean air, a quick jaunt to an urban city that is sprawling with culture, but only another even shorter hop, skip, and a jump, one can be enjoying the grandeur in nature the state of Washington provides.  Landing at Angle Lake even has its own private dock access to the pristine lake, fit with lush grounds, a pool, and beautiful, renovated condominium style units.  

Village at the Pointe, a new property in the Pacifica SD Management portfolio is managed by Pinnacle, a leader in the residential management industry.  Residents love their cottage-style units, with an on-site pool, unique with fireplaces, hardwood floors, and other custom upgrades available for lease.  

Each property is stunning, unique, and boasts an incredible on-site management and maintenance team to boot.  You can learn more about these two incredible properties, by visiting their websites today:  www.psdm-landingatanglelake.com and www.psdm-village.com. 

Village at the Pointe

Landing at Angle Lake

I will always be a Californian, but something tells me I could get used to that Seattle style and cool.  I will be back for another visit to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and maybe next time, I will have to make it a permanent one.

The Advantages of Renting vs. Buying

To own a home with a white picket fence, beautiful yard with lush green grass and a golden retriever – that’s the epitome of the American Dream. Over generations this ideal has been etched into the minds of many Americans. Many people consider renting the equivalent of flushing money down the drain. Why is that? Let’s explore some advantages of renting vs. buying:

Financial expert Jill Schlesinger for CBS’s Money Watch segment encourages renting. “Don't feel pressured into buying a home, Renting can often be a smarter financial move”, she cautions. You have to go through and say, 'Okay, if I'm going to buy a half million dollar place, I have to put $100,000 down, then I'm going to have a mortgage, and then taxes, then I'm going to have insurance, then I have maintenance (which is a pain in the neck, by the way)." Then, you need to really look and say, 'What's the comparable rent that I could pay to get pretty much the same thing?', you may find that it's going to cost you $6,000 to own, but only $3,000 to rent. Keep renting!"

The following are our Top 10 advantages of renting:

1.    Luxury Living:  With renting you might be able to enjoy living in that luxury ocean view condo you could otherwise never afford to buy.

2.    Perks and Amenities: A lot of apartment communities have swimming pools, gyms, tennis courts and might include other perks such as free coffee or even continental breakfast.

 

3.    Included Utilities: Often rentals include water and heating saving you a bundle of money at the end of the month.

4.    No Yard Maintenance:   If you have ever pushed a lawnmower or pulled weeds in the summer heat, you’ll appreciate the fact that rentals usually include the yard maintenance.

5.    No Property Taxes and Insurance:  As a renter you don’t pay property taxes or homeowner’s insurance, which can be quite expensive.

6.    Repairs are included: What do you do when a pipe bursts or the roof starts to leak? As a renter you simply call your landlord and it will be taken care of at no cost to you.

7.    Cash Flow: Renting is cheaper than buying, requiring less cash up front thus increasing your cash flow.

8.    Flexibility:  Renting makes you more flexible in the case you have to relocate. When that dream job in another state calls, you can move by the next month.

9.    No Risk: The housing market fluctuates. If you have to sell your home in an economic downturn you might lose money. As a renter you will instead receive you deposit check back (in most cases).

10. Fixed Costs: When renting you have monthly fixed costs, which can greatly fluctuate when owning a home due to unexpected repair costs etc.

George DaSilva is the Social Media Director for Pacifica Companies, a real estate investment firm headquartered in San Diego, CA. Pacifica Companies owns rental apartments in San Diego, Chula Vista, National City, Lakeside, Spring Valley, Vista, Los Angeles, Upland, Fontana, Napa CA, Seattle, Tacoma WA, Las Vegas NV, Jacksonville, St.Augustine, Miramar, Naples, Fort Myers, Bradenton, Clearwater, Tampa FL and more.

Spacious, Savvy Town House Living in Vegas' Up and Coming City of the North!

New developments.  New shopping centers.  New business expansions.. and new, savvy living; that's exactly what is happening in the quiet desert scape of North Las Vegas, Nevada.  Just minutes from the fabulous Las Vegas Strip, lies an area that is clearly "coming out of the woodwork" and in my opinion, "coming out on top!" 

The City of North Las Vegas' website states:  "North Las Vegas is known for its successful industrial, commercial and residential development. Part of the Las Vegas Valley, North Las Vegas is fast-becoming a major metropolitan city of the millennium. We are a community of unprecedented growth and development, anchored by a robust future and community pride."  I couldn't agree more!  Just driving around its major intersections, streets, and the 215 Beltway, it is very clear to me how much development is happening in the north "neck of the woods."  I was totally surprised to see a brand new Target store, Best Buy, WinCo Super Foods, and other major chain retail centers, restaurants, and attractions just "popping up" throughout the Decatur/215 Beltway area.  North Las Vegas is also a hub for major employment centers.  The incredible service men and women call the North Las Vegas region home when stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, as well as local prominent casino companies, like Aliante Station.  

North Las Vegas residents, like our fantastic residents of Palmilla - Town Home Community in the Aliante/Centennial Hills area live close to great shopping, schools, retail centers, and exciting dining and entertainment venues. I know I am not supposed to be biased, but Palmilla Town Homes is a definite favorite of mine in the Pacifica SD Management portfolio.  These beautiful, modern, and spacious town homes boast attached two car garages, and some with up to 4 bedrooms, with even 4 bathrooms.  Talk about rental heaven!  And with two - three story town homes, you wouldn't have to ever see your roommate, unless you wanted to of course! ;)

Palmilla Town Homes offer all the beauty, convenience, quality, and affordability of North Las Vegas, but with stellar, savvy style, and a unique living experience.  The second I walked up into the model unit, and saw the massive kitchen with gorgeous counter tops, and high ceilings, I thought, maybe it was time to give the sprawling desert of North Las Vegas a serious consideration for my own rental home needs.  And did I mention, Palmilla takes large animals! They love furry friends, have an incredible on-site management and maintenance team, and are just an overall, beautiful community to boot.  

It's the 4th of July tomorrow, so why not enjoy independence from over-priced living, and trade it all in for a sparkling summer at Palmilla Town Homes.  North Las Vegas is definitely staying savvy!!