Archives for March 2013

Keyless Lock: Unlock Your House with Your Fingerprint

KeylessSick of fumbling with your keys in the dark? Worried about losing your house key? Not comfortable with giving out your key to house keepers or repairmen? Welcome to the world of Keyless & Biometric Locks!

This amazing key-less lock provides ease of entry, with a single scan of a fingerprint. The feature that struck me as most interesting was the ability to enroll or delete users from the system. If you have a housekeeper or repair person you can grant them access at a specific time and day and after that time passes they will no longer have access. Check out the video above for more details.

[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3JFEyEIMRc” type=”yt” w=”680″ h=”383″]

A NEW WAY TO PLAY: SEABOARD KEYBOARD

seaboard-grandFor centuries the interface on the black and white piano keyboard has existed without major changes, but recently a new musical instrument called Seaboard was presented by Roli as “The evolution of the piano keyboard.” The Seaboard has a highly pressure-sensitive interface, allowing the musician to manipulate sounds, create modulations on the keys and make tonal changes in a very singular way, it also enables very interesting transitions between acoustic and digital music.

In the video below you can see how the instrument works.
seaboard-grand-2.jpg
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n-bEy9ISpM” type=”yt” w=”680″ h=”385″]
seaboard-grand-3.jpg
seaboard-grand-4.jpg
seaboard-grand-5.jpg

The 10 Priciest Real Estate Markets in the World

house_and_moneyNew York is the lone U.S. city to land in the top 10 most expensive residential real estate markets in the world, according to a new report from Knight Frank. 

But with luxury homes in New York costing anywhere from $2,030 to $2,240 per square foot, it’s only about half  as expensive as the most expensive housing market in the world: Monaco. There, luxury homes can cost $5,350 to $5,920 per square foot.

The following are the top 10 priciest housing markets in the world and the average cost per square foot in U.S. dollars, according to the report:

  1. Monaco: $5,350 to $5,920
  2. Hong Kong: $4,570 to $5,050
  3. London: $3,890 to $4,300
  4. Geneva: $2,720 to $3,010
  5. Paris: $2,350 to $2,600
  6. Singapore: $2,340 to $2,580
  7. Moscow: $2,040 to $2,260
  8. New York: $2,030 to $2,240
  9. Sydney: $2,020 to $2,230
  10. Shanghai: $1,820 to 2,020

Other U.S. cities rounding out the top 20 list were Miami at number 13 (priced between $1,300 to $1,440 per square foot) and Los Angeles at number 15 (priced between$1,210 to $1,340 per square foot).

Source: “Here Are the World’s Most Expensive Real Estate Markets,” The Business Insider

NHL shootout masters [infographic]

NHL_shootout_masters

MUSIC REVIEW: Mark Masri – La Voce

MARK-MASRI-LAVOCEThis past Christmas, I had the honor to perform with an amazing talent, Mark Masri. I fell in love with his voice and discovered the phenomenal human who houses it.

LA VOCE (the voice), is a collection of passionate and heartfelt songs, and it is clear that this vocal sensation, Mark Masri, has been blessed with a spectacular voice. His virtuosic instrument soars effortlessly through Italian classics such as “Caruso”, “Boungiorno Principessa” and “La Prima Volta”. All that you’ll need is Candles and you have the perfect romantic setting.

His soulful interpretations of such ballads as “Truly” and “Fix You”, which glide over romantic orchestral treatments, create a new benchmark in elegance and sincerity. But beyond the voice of the singer, LA VOCE is also the voice of a gifted writer. Masri’s own compositions are finely crafted, personal works. “Time”, a stunning duet with acclaimed singer, Nita Whitaker, is a moving exploration of the fragility of life and the power of love. “I Owe You” is a simple letter of gratitude that could serve as an artful tribute to any mentor in one’s life. “A Song Can Save your Life” is a compassionate message of hope.

Another original, “A mother’s Love” is an Amy Sky composition. In 2009, this beautiful collaboration with one of my favorite pianists, Jim Brickman, was the soundtrack to a best-selling American Greetings Mother’s Day E-card. The song was also featured in a national Mother’s Day campaign in 2010.

To round out this collection of international, orchestral pop, Masri sings in French “Je T’Attendrai” is a reworking of his hit song “The Face”, Spanish “Frigilidad”, a collaboration with Latin superstar, Jon Secada, and Mediterranean guitarist, Pavlo (Sting’s “Fragile), Hebrew and Arabic “Erev Shel Shoshanim”, a duet with Masri’s co-producer, Amy Sky.

Supremely listenable, this timeless recording will appeal to fans of all ages. LA VOCE is a disc for music lovers who seek gorgeous melodies and meaningful words, delivered by a breathtaking voice.

10 Ways To Save Energy& Reduce Your Electricity Bill

energy savings

Is your home show ready? Make Yours A Buyer Ready Home

home-puzzle.jpgSpring is approaching and many home owners are considering putting their home on the market.  Now is the time to assess if your home is ready to show to buyers.  There is nothing more  frustrating then having a seller call, tell me they have been thinking they want to sell their home for months and want to list it tomorrow.  80% of the time their home is not ready to show.

kitchen clutterThis is a kitchen that was presented for sale and showings.  Would you want buyers to walk into this kitchen for a showing?

The Buyer Ready Home

A buyer ready home is where we have consulted with the seller and based upon their budget and desirability to do some work we prepare the home for showings.  In my listings we stage to “merchandise your home”.  Home staging is not about decorating but about presenting your home to buyers in the best possible light to potential buyers, based upon what we are seeing in the market place.

A Buyer Ready Home will be:

  • Spotlessly clean from top to bottom.
  • Free from all personal collections, photos and style.
  • De-cluttered.
  • Paint freshened and neutralized where necessary.
  • Any small repairs completed.
  • Maximum curb appeal obtained from the moment the potential buyers get out of their car to walking in the front door.  The first impression is the lasting impression.

Remember, every home is different, the list above is a great starting point before even calling a real estate agent.  Many of my more successful home sales have been a carefully executed plan where the homeowner contacted me months in advance of listing their home.

Buyer Ready Homewill in most cases, recoup monies spent and make the selling process easier.

Other benefits of a Buyer Ready Home:

  • Sell faster.  A home that is prepared for showings tend to sell faster.
  • Less hassle.  A home that is desirable because of it’s appeal will create a strong desire and will allow you to pick your buyers.  If your home stands out in the crowd a buyer will want to not lose the deal over strong negotiating.
  • Creates competition. Having buyers compete for your home is the most desirable position you can be in as a home seller.

Take the time to prepare your home properly and make it a Buyer Ready Home.  In the long run it will save you time money and aggravation.

The potpourri that produces genius [comic]

genius

5th Grader Dream House

5th-grade-dream-house