Frugal Family: On Vacation

Money Magazine recently published an informal poll that asked folks how much they plan to spend on summer travel this year.  Here are the findings:

11% will spend more than $5,000.

35% will spend between $1,000 and $5,000.

27% will spend under $1,000.

27% won’t travel this summer.

If these numbers can be believed, 73% of us will be traveling between now and September. Many of us will be taking family vacations with one or more kids in tow.

The biggest decisions are, of course, where to go and how to get there. After that, it’s how to see the sights and experience the culture of a new place without breaking the bank.

Some families prefer the lower cost and flexibility of road trips. Although gas will be expensive this summer--the average price per gallon in the US. is estimated to be $3.86--multiple airline tickets are almost always more expensive. Driving eliminates the need to rent a car and enables families to bring a lot of luggage and gear.

Flying is usually the best option for getting to far-away destinations. Although there have  reportedly been seven airfare price hikes in 2011 already, driving isn’t efficient for many travelers. 

In short: Who wants to spend precious vacation time stuck in the car?

Then there is the issue of all-inclusive packages vs. itineraries that you put together  yourself. My family has taken several of each type of vacation. I would say the favorite all-inclusive trip was the Disney Land and Sea vacation of 2004. For the “land” portion, we stayed at the Grand Floridian for three nights, hit the parks and swam in the pool. For the “sea” segment, we cruised on The Wonder for three days and nights. The ship’s activities were great fun, and the day spent on the beach at Castaway Cay was delightful.

The biggest advantage to this type of trip is its fixed cost. An additional benefit: not  having to think, plan or decide anything once the destination has been reached. For many parents, this last point is crucial to being able to enjoy the vacation. Some might term this "priceless!”

A successful do-it-yourself adventure was the “ballpark tour” that we took two Aprils ago. We loaded up the minivan and hit Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and New  York City. Explorers by day, baseball fans by night, we had the opportunity to figure out a plan for each city once we arrived.

Residential Lease Contract in AZ | Phoenix | Scottsdale Real Estate

Welcome to a rainy Monday in Scottsdale. A perfect day to be inside reading about Phoenix real estate.

Earlier today a client asked me to submit a lease contract on their behalf. I normally do not do a lot of rentals and leases for my clients. The reason is not that I don’t like it or do not want to do it, it is due to the fact that very few of the best rental properties are available on the realtor MLS. With the advent of the Internet including rental sites and craigslist, is becoming increasingly more affordable for landlords who have Arizona investment properties to lease without pain broker commissions. As a result, I typically direct my clients to a variety of such leasing and rental websites.

However, it is worth taking a moment to go over the new residential lease agreement. the new Arizona rental contract is eight pages. The new contract is quite significant in its detail versus the old contract. Page 1 has expanded in detail its required information and questions specifically regarding appliances including washer and dryer. Importantly, page one now includes a check box for the Inventory List addendum.

Page 2 outlines the monthly lease payment and indicates in big bold letters that security deposits cannot be more than one and a half times monthly lease payment amount. Further, the new lease agreement breaks down refundable and nonrefundable deposits including pet deposit fees and cleaning fees and/or any other fees as permitted.

Page 3 requires that you indicate whether pets and what kind of pets, are permitted on the property. If you do not currently have a pet please indicate that pets are permitted in explaining detail the type of pet you may adopt. also, the new lease breaks down in great detail who will pay for standard monthly costs such as landscaping, pool maintenance, basic utilities and homeowners Association (HOA) fees.

Page 4 is critical if the premises has a pool. Be aware that there are municipal pool barrier regulations. If you have a pool, and you have children or guests make sure you have the barrier in code with the law in the Phoenix municipality that you are living.

Page 5 has important language regarding the laws and regulations for Phoenix rental properties. Please read this enclose detail as it indicates rules regarding tenant rights and what happens if the property becomes subject to a trustee sale or foreclosure.

Pate 6 has a critical section called other terms: in this section you’ll request items such as the example below listed below.

Professional builder, apartment business

Buy, rent, and sell, how to profit by investing in residential real estate

Real estate Southern California

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