REAL Exclusive Magazine

Foreigners Investing in Florida Real Estate

A Taxing Issue?

By Patricia Tan

Winter was a very busy buying season for Florida real estate – the best we have seen in many years. A large part of the sales activity was down to foreign investors – those whose real home is outside the United States, looking to take advantage of our State’s low property prices and buoyant rental market.

The end of winter also means tax deadlines are looming and it occurred to me that in working with foreign investors, I am often asked questions about how they will be taxed by the U.S. tax authorities. Many investors come here with “knowledge” of our tax system they have gleaned from the internet, friends and relatives. Part of my job as an international realtor is to ensure they maximize their investment potential here, and to do that I need to encourage them to look beyond the “buy-low-sell-high” mantra and what they think they know about U.S. taxes. I advise them to seek the advice of a tax professional. Read More

Larger Awards In Slip And Fall Cases

By William Henry PhD

Improving your chances for a larger financial recovery if you or your loved ones slip and fall in a public place

Success in slip and fall cases often depends on CSI type exhaustive research both at the incident location and of applicable local building and Federal codes. What may seem to be a harmless site condition, in reality can pose serious threats to health, safety, and welfare to site occupants both indoor and outdoor. Secondly there are multiple codes that often have jurisdiction over the improvements. Some of them may seem to be overlapping and sometimes contradictory. Effectively unraveling the myriad of factors such as these, and then forming a concrete theory regarding the actual causes in a slip and fall incident could spell the difference between success and failure. The ability of your legal counsel to communicate these in depositions and to juries can constitute compelling testimony. Read More

REAL Magazine Digital Edition Featuring:

Jay Anderson & Edgewater Contractors, State of the Arts Gallery, Donte’s Den, Carl Abbott and more.

Click on magazine cover to launch Digital Edition. Read More

Explosion

By Ed Bertha

Stefano Zardini’s Ikonos Art Gallery, located in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy, opened with a bang debuting Giovanni Lunardi’s latest artistic photographic creations; EXPLOSION.

Known as “The Pearl of the Dolomites” (Italy’s Aspen), the rich and famous flocked to the central Cortina gallery for comradery and to take in Giovanni Lunardi’s masterpieces. Read More

The History Of The Hair Braid

By Sheila Venancia

A Twisted Tale, braiding is more than a hairstyle it’s a cultural tradition that cuts across racial, social, economic, and geographic lines.

Africa – Ancient African hair braiding patterns reveal a variety of complex geometrical design’s, which often pointed to characteristics of the wearer.

Egypt – In ancient Egypt, braiding was reserved for royalty and for ceremonial rituals, like weddings. Read More

A Love Affair With Shoes

By Rebecca Z. Smith

Tis the season to be in LOVE! In love with SHOES that is. Sorry Gentleman. If you want to get to know your woman better, you will not go wrong by first understanding her love affair with shoes. You see … to most women, shoes mean more than merely keeping one’s foot covered. Shoes are the ultimate fashion accessory which is crucial to the fashion statement they make. Shoes can brighten up the whole outfit instantly and enhance a woman’s style of dressing. Just never mind that we women have lost count of the number of shoes at home which are on the verge of bursting out of the shoe cabinet. Perhaps you don’t know, but really, each time a woman sees a pair of pretty shoes, the feeling of owning them is simply euphoric. Read More

International Real Estate – Communicating Across Cultures

By Patricia Tan

As I write this article, I am preparing for a marketing trip that will include meetings, presentations and showcasing Florida properties at real estate shows in Singapore, Malaysia and England. Developing marketing materials for these very different markets is somewhat challenging, as you might imagine. Read More

REAL Early Stage Companies

By Sara Hand

In working with early stage companies there are several key challenges that, unless addressed, can make customer and investor acquisition more difficult.

ONE: A unique value proposition

You have certain characteristics, a uniqueness which makes you different from other people… Read More

Dilapidated or Damaged Structures – Rehab vs. Rebuild?

By William Henry PhD

As architects we are often asked by clients “should we fix up this old and/or damaged structure or just tear it down and build anew?” Since according to some prognosticators over 80% of the building projects in the next twenty years are slated to be renovations of existing structures this question is arising more often. This is particularly true when the building in question is near the so called ‘tipping point’. This term is akin to an automobile that is either so old or so damaged that it can be construed by the insurance adjuster as “totaled”. Read More

Jack & Jill Dowd’s Annual Thanksgiving Gathering

Photo by Giovanni Lunardi

Turkey Ball (Softball), Assorted Beverages, Hot Dogs (Supervised by Paul Mattison) and Great Friendships! Read More

Brazilian Hair Straightening ** WARNING **

By Sheila Venancia

From 1999 to 2006, I worked as a hair stylist at some of the top salons in Brazilia City, the capital of Brazil. In 2003, a new hair straightening trend took the country by storm. It was called the Brazilian Hair Smoothing (Straightening) Process. This was a new method of straightening even the most curly or kinky hair. It used a new component, known as Keratin.

At the time these products were hitting the market I had just opened my own hair salon. Given its growing popularity I decided to try the product on a test model. To my surprise, immediately after performing the procedure I began to feel ill and my body started to ache. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before. I decided at that moment that I would never use this type of product on my clients. Read More

HOLIDAY STYLE

By Rebecca Z. Smith

Welcome to REAL Style, a fashion focused section of REAL Magazine where we explore the world of style and fashion. REAL style is on top of Holiday trends this issue.

Tis the season to be glamorous! The holidays are here and that means it’s time to get festive. A little black dress is always on par for the party scene, but who says holiday dressing has to be so cut and dry. What color could possibly be more festive than red for the holidays? None! So do it up in the best shades of red. Look chic and merry in red, crimson and burgundy. Read More

Super Boat Grand Prix

“THIS IS NOT JUST A BOAT RIDE”

By Ed Bertha

Photography by Rodrick Cox

There is nothing typical about the Super Boat International Racing Series; the racetrack is mother-nature’s water, relentlessly changing and frequently includes volatile, unpredictable environments. The level of skill required by the racers is exceedingly intense: adrenaline, dexterity, talent and a hyper focus on surroundings and conditions are just a few. It is exciting for spectators as well. There is no stadium-style seating or chain link fence dividing the fans from the racers. Depending on what watercourse is attended, fans watch from the beaches, bridges, piers, boats anchored outside the race way and even on the turn boats used as markers for the racers. Read More

So What is Really Happening in Our Real Estate Market?

By Patricia Tan

The start of a new year is always a time for reflection on the past twelve months and a look into what the future might hold. When we take this approach to the real estate market, we are fortunate in that the past does hold real statistics that we can consider in retrospect. During 2012 real estate across the country made significant improvement – sales and prices are up and inventory continues to decrease. Nowhere is this more true, than in Florida, where most markets saw strong sales and a tightening of inventory coupled with a decrease in the number of foreclosures and distress sales. Read More

Global Entrepreneur

By Sara Hand

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) – ran from November 12th through 18th where more than 100 countries across 6 continents participated in more than 30,000 total activities! Launched in 2007 by Carl Schramm, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation and Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; this “movement” has grown significantly since its inception. With the strategic aim to foster innovation and creative leadership accompanying the spirit of entrepreneurship across the globe in young people; students, educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, non-profits, government officials and more engage each year. Read More