COLDWELL BANKER JAMAICA REALTY

Jim Gillespie, President & CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, started in real estate in 1975, in Hinsdale, IL.  He had been working as a youth program director for a La Grange, IL YMCA and a tennis partner there talked him into trying real estate.  He told Gillespie he would work a lot of evenings and weekends, make more money in real estate, and be helping people with one of the most expensive transactions they will ever make: buying a house.

He remembers the sense of helping, of providing a service, from the first transaction where he listed a home he had sold previously. A couple bought the home in Hinsdale in 1975, then the husband got transferred in late 1976, and they had to sell. But they made money on the home. When the couple thanked him, it gave him a good feeling to know that he helped them out.

The CEO learned over the years to listen, and read through the lines.  Here is an example.  “I was just sitting in the office, and this couple called in on a house they had seen. I showed them about nine or 10 homes during the course of three appointments. As we looked at these homes, I tried to listen to everything they said to me and each other and observe them closely to see what they liked and disliked. They demanded a home with a two-car attached garage.

“Eventually, this one property came on the market. I went on a broker’s tour. As soon as I got inside the house, I knew the couple would love it. So I called them and met them at the house. They fell in love with the house as soon as they went inside. The funny thing was that when we were walking back to the car to sign the contract, we all noticed that the house had a carport. But by that time, they didn’t even care.

“Now, I had heard, around the office, this little saying: “Buyers are liars.” And by the end of this transaction, I understood what that meant. Buyers are not necessarily liars; they just don’t always know what they want. This transaction taught me that.”

Gillespie’s people skills earned him over $1M in his first 6 months in the business, Rookie of the Year, and a promotion after 6 months to Office Manager.

When asked by Realtor.org what he adapted from those first sales, he answered, “I learned that you need to listen to your customers and pay attention to how they react when you are showing different homes. Practitioners need to remember what the client likes and dislikes. This transaction also gave me confidence that I knew what I was doing and would be good in the real estate business.”

Our goal for 2010 here at Coldwell Banker is to provide outstanding customer service in every way to everyone who comes through our doors.  Our wishes for a Happy New Year to all.

Errol Kerr is hoping to put his country on the map in the new Olympic sport of skicross.  Born to an American mother and a Jamaican father, Kerr grew up a dual citizen between Lake Tahoe, where he moved with his mother as a child, and Westmoreland, Jamaica’s westernmost parish.  He will be a serious contender in Vancouver next month.

The hybrid style of skicross racing draws on Kerr’s extensive background in Alpine skiing. It also makes good use of the rougher edge he picked up in motocross and BMX, and the 200-plus pounds he has to throw around, said Jonny Moseley, an Olympic gold medalist who will be NBC’s commentator for the freestyle events — moguls, aerials and skicross.

Kerr’s background helps in an event that is rowdier than Alpine ski racing, where one athlete races against the clock. In skicross, four competitors speed down a steep, winding course together, taking on banked turns, berms and each other along the way. The first one across the finish line wins.

To viewers, it is dynamic, and anyone who has raced buddies down the mountain can relate to the scramble. Snowboardcross drew big crowds and good ratings when it made its Olympic debut at the 2006 Turin games. Adding skicross will continue to draw younger athletes and fans, said Joseph Fitzgerald, the International Ski Federation’s freestyle race director.

Kerr is taking nothing for granted. He spends his days training at Alpine Meadows, a resort at Lake Tahoe that has sponsored him, and in his mother’s front yard, where he built a starting gate with the same specifications as the one in Vancouver and rigged up his own snowmaking machine. 

Kerr said part of his dream was always to race for his father’s country — under the black, green and yellow flag of Jamaica.  It’s more than just a country,” he said. “It’s in my blood, in my DNA.”

(resource: Google/AP)

Jamaica has been voted the “Best Caribbean Destination” by readers of the leading U.S. travel industry magazine, Travel Weekly, in its seventh annual Readers’ Choice Awards.  Readers nominated the best travel product and service for the last 12 months, and votes were cast during the summer.

“The Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Award comes at an exciting time for Jamaica’s tourism industry, with new development continuing across the island and a year that has seen, and continues to see, sizable growth in airlift, making the destination even more accessible to U.S. visitors,” remarked Jamaica’s Director of Tourism John Lynch. “We look forward to continuing to grow and enhance our tourism product to meet the ever changing needs and interests of travelers.”

“This award represents the views of travel industry insiders,” said Arnie Weissmann, Travel Weekly’s Vice President and Editor in Chief. “Travel Weekly’s readership understands what it takes to impress even the most discerning traveler. To be voted a winner in any category is confirmation that American travel agents and their customers view your travel product as one of the best in the industry.”

We at Coldwell Banker Jamaica invite you to enjoy our hospitality and see for yourself the great real estate opportunities available on our island.

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the Associates at Coldwell Banker.  This card was from our Curacao affiliate, but expresses the thoughts of all of us.

US Airways has started a seasonal route from Phoenix to Montego Bay, using Airbus aircraft seating 12 in first class, and 112 in the main cabin.  Service will run through April 12.   Montego Bay is the first nonstop Caribbean destination from US Airways’ Phoenix hub. The airline already flies nonstop to Montego Bay from Philadelphia, Boston and Charlotte, N.C.

Air Jamaica is offering winter and spring deals available for purchase until January 5, 2010, valid for travel from January 19 to May 15, 2010.  Sample round-trip fares between Jamaica and the below cities include:

Philadelphia to Montego Bay is $256 round-trip.
Chicago to Montego Bay/Kingston is going for $264 round-trip.
Baltimore to Montego Bay will be $412 round-trip.
New York to Kingston is $238 round-trip.
Philadelphia to Kingston is $350 round-trip.
Baltimore to Kingston is going for $402 round-trip.

Check with Air Jamaica for black-out periods and other restrictions, 800-523-5585.

Take advantage of the low air fares and low resort rates this winter - come visit Jamaica, and stop by our Coldwell Banker office while you are here!

Villa for Sale on Jamaica, Coldwell Banker Jamaica Real Estate

Perched in the cool hills of Content, this 5 bedroom villa with en-suite bathrooms offers a tranquil setting and wonderful views of the city of Montego Bay.

On just over one acre, the manicured lawns and sloping lot provide complete privacy while being only 20 minutes from the city. All bedrooms open onto either a private balcony or the main terrace which leads out to an impressive swimming pool and spacious lounge area. On one side of the terrace is a comfortable living area with large TV while the formal dining room is on the opposite side of the terrace. Complete with staff and laundry areas, the villa is offered fully furnished. Viewing by appointment only. US$600,000.

Visit our Coldwell Banker Listing page for more photos and details.

Marc Roth of Business Week recently wrote, “If You Don’t Buy a House Now, You’re Stupid or Broke.  Interest rates are at historic lows but cyclical trends suggest they will soon rise. Home buyers may never see such a chance again.”

Now is when prices worldwide are at their lowest in years.

Now is when inventory is at the highest rate in years.

Now is when rates are historically low, the lowest recorded in nearly 40 years.

Many call this confluence of buying factors the change of a lifetime.  It is, at least, the once-in-a-generation opportunity. 

Roth explains that the most important driving force of this buyers jackpot is the low interest rate.  He says, “The most important lesson is to understand the actual financial impact the rate has on the cost of purchasing and paying off a home.  Every quarter-point change in interest rates is equivalent to approximately $6,000 for every $100,000 borrowed over the course of a 30-year fixed. While different in each region, for the sake of simplicity, let’s assume that the average person is putting $40,000 down and borrowing $200,000 to pay the price of a typical home nationwide. Thus, over the course of the life of the loan, each quarter-point move up in interest rates will cost that buyer $12,000.

“As the global economy stabilizes, it is reasonable for us to see 30-year fixed rates climb to 6% within the near future and probably to a range of 7% to 8% when the economy is humming again. If every quarter of a point is worth $12,000 per $200,000 borrowed, then each point is worth almost $50,000.

“Let’s put that into perspective. You have a good stable job.  You would like to own a $240,000 home. However, even though home prices have steadied, you may be thinking you can get another $5,000 or $10,000 discount if you wait. Or you may be waiting for the news to tell you the economy is “more stable” and it’s safe to get back in the pool. In exchange for what you may think is prudence, you will risk paying $50,000 more per point in interest rate changes between now and the time you decide you are ready to buy.

“If you are someone who is looking to buy or upgrade in the $350,000-to-$800,000 home price range, and many people out there are, then you’re borrowing $300,000 to $600,000. At 7%, the $300,000 loan will cost just under $150,000 more over the lifetime, and the $600,000 loan an additional $300,000, if rates move up just 2% before you pull the trigger.

“What I’m trying to impress upon everyone is that if you are planning on being a homeowner now and/or in the foreseeable future, or if you are looking to move your family into a bigger home, then pay more attention to the interest rates than the price of the home. If you have a steady job, good credit, and the down payment, then you really are being offered the gift of a lifetime.”

Stop in our Coldwell Banker office and let’s talk about your options, and your buying opportunity of a generation.

FELLOWSHIP FISH FARM One of the largest freshwater aquaculture ventures on the island, this 108-acre fish farm has over 60 acres of ponds cultivating Red Tilapia.

Sited on the south central plains of St Catherine, the farm is strategically located in an area widely recognized as one of the two major areas in Jamaica ideally suited for aquaculture. The soil has excellent water retention properties due to its high clay content; surrounding temperatures are generally high and stable; the delivery of adequate amounts of irrigation water is reliable; and there is a ready supply of experienced labour all conditions which greatly favour aquaculture production.

The farm operates on the intensive culture system where the fish are fed and supplementary aeration put in, allowing the stocking density of fish in the ponds to be increased. This farm is among a small number of local producers having hatchery, nursery and grow-out facilities, and so is a major supplier of fingerlings to many of the smaller farmers. Correspondingly, there is a consistently high demand for food fish which ensures a ready market for the mature Tilapia.

Currently, approximately twenty acres not in operation, but which can readily accommodate additional ponds as there is minimal need for land clearing and levelling. The property has road frontage on 2 sides providing easy access to either Highway 2000, or to the densely populated communities of urban St. Catherine. It comes equipped with a farmhouse, a sentry box and a 500 KVA generator, factors which all combine to make this undoubtedly, an economically attractive venture.

Asking $955,056

Visit our Coldwell Banker Listing page for details.

Jamaican Americans in South Florida hopes to use its organization to provide $100,000 to help teen and adult track runners of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association make it to international competitions, including the 2012 Olympics.  The Jamaica United Relief Association primarily sends money and goods to Jamaica in response to natural disasters.  But, after 2 quiet hurricane seasons, the group is focusing on the athletes.

In 2008, the group donated $20,000. Earlier this year, several association members, including Vonnie McGowan Arscott, President of the Association, traveled to the World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany, where U.S. and Jamaican teams came in first and second, respectively, among 210 competing nations.

The fundraising campaign was launched in October during a dinner meeting with members and the athletic association’s president, Howard Aris.  He said the program, supported by donations and some government funding, provides training year-round for about 2,000 runners. But the price tag to send the best — about 70 runners — to six major international events annually and the Olympics every four years, is about $1 million.

“That’s just for air travel and accommodations and every year the costs go higher,” Aris said.  But the program also offers runners academic support.  “We don’t want them to just run,” Aris emphasized.  “We want them to have a future.”

Upcoming competitions include the Carifta Games in the Virgin Islands in Spring 2010; the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, in fall 2010; and the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Korea.

(resource:  MiamiHerald)