Friday, September 30, 2011

Investing in Texas Hill Country Ranches

There is no better investment than a Texas Hill Country ranch. Data from the Texas A&M Real Estate Center for rural land in the Hill Country counties Bandera, Blanco, Kendall and Kerr reflects an inflation-adjusted 588% increase in the past 40 years, we have data for (1969-2009) which averages nearly 15% per year with values doubling every 6-7 years. With that interest rate, not including inflation, investing $150,000 would be worth over a million dollars of today's money 50 years later. Even in the past ten years that we have data for (1999-2009) with the dot com bubble and the current recession, there's been an over 90% increase and a 50% increase in the past five years (2004-2009) in rural land values in these Hill Country counties. Compare that with today's 30-year treasury bonds yielding around 4% per annum, 1 year bank cd's at around 1% and 0% inflation-adjusted treasury bonds issued for the first time ever in 2009 and you come to fully appreciate the incredible investment ranch land is for the smart investor.

Now take into account tax rates. Tax rates for Texas Hill Country ranches are very low in comparison to other tax rates. Taxes on Texas Hill Country ranches can range from a tenth of a percent to half of a percent. That's compared with ~2.5-3% tax rates for nearby cities. The rural land rates in these areas are roughly 1.5%, however, agriculture and wildlife exemptions (commonly referred to as exemptions but are really property appraisal valuations whereby the tax basis is reduced to a fraction of the true value because of agricultural or wildlife use) knock the tax basis down so significantly that the actual taxes are these mere fractions of a percent. As an example, a $1,000,000 ranch with wildlife management or having cattle graze part of the year may get reappraised at $10,000 because of such use, then taxed 1.5% for a total tax payment of $150.

Many owners own simply because they love the recreational aspects but there's nothing more American than avoiding the taxman with a smart investment! Save money and have fun by getting into the Texas Hill Country ranch real estate market! Ridiculously low taxes and a historically consistent upswing are just the beginning of many perks Texas Hill Country ranches have to offer, take advantage of the current low-volume ranch real estate market and get in the game because you won't find a better investment.

John Nisbet is a third generation ranch ranch broker with Nisbet Ranch Sales, LLC living in San Antonio, Texas and specializing in Texas Hill Country ranches.


http://EzineArticles.com/6337254

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Benefits Of Living Near Parks And Other Recreational Facilities

Having parks and other recreational facilities nearby your home has its advantages. Regardless of where you live, whether in the city or in the suburbs, you will always be able to appreciate the benefits of living near parks and other recreational establishments.

There are so many advantages to living near parks and other recreational establishments. If you are in the market to buy a new house, then this is something you might want to consider.

For couples or families with children, living near a park is ideal. For one, the park is a great place to spend time with the kids. It's also a great place to meet and socialize with neighbors. In the suburbs, parks are usually adjacent to other recreational facilities such as a covered basketball court, making it the perfect hangout for teenagers who are into sports.

The park however is not just a place for families. Even single individuals can benefit from living near a park. For single individuals, the park can be a great place to go out for a date or meet other single individuals and start friendships.

Besides being an ideal place for picnics, the park is also a place where you can have some fun for free. Ultimate, biking, hiking, jogging, and exercise are just some of the things you can do at the park for free. For non-athletic individuals, the park can also be a great place to read. Parks usually have a lot of benches where one can catch up on his reading. In addition, the park is a place where one can celebrate occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and the like.

For animal lovers especially, the park is a place where they can take their pets for walks. In a city where pets are usually prohibited inside establishments, the park serves as a refuge.

In small towns, the park also serves as the meeting place for neighbors who enjoy setting up weekly activities. These activities can range from aerobics workout to bible studies.

Having a park nearby means that you will never run out of things to do. Whether it's bonding with your kids, having friendly chats with the neighbors, taking your significant other on a picnic date, or taking your pet for a walk, having a park nearby has a lot of advantages. What's more is, you will never have to worry about gas and transportation especially if the park is only a short walk away.

Alex Mathis has been writing about recreational facilities for the past 4 years. He also enjoys writing about NYC real estate topics, including useful information regarding Inwood apartments and Sutton Place apartments.


http://EzineArticles.com/6306507

Saturday, September 24, 2011

All About Surveying And Engineering

The concept of surveying and engineering has been around since ancient times. These are both important factors in the construction and safety of all the buildings we use, any technology we have and even the food we eat. Technology has seen both of these vital principles in our modern world evolve greatly over many years.

Both surveying and engineering are hugely important to our modern society, and while the basic principles of both have not changed since they began many years ago, the tools and the technology has taken them forward immensely. More accurate measurements and calculations are now possible due to new computerized equipment, and the training is a lot more detailed than ever.

Surveying is a method of determining accurate three dimensional points usually on the earth's surface which is beneficial when deciding to construct a building from scratch and for developing maps. Qualifying to be a surveyor takes time, dedication and a good mathematical brain. A surveyor is needed for any new construction project and is involved in many aspects of renovations and residential purchases.

Once the initial qualification is gained, which requires a degree, the surveyor will be able to specialize in different areas of work that is available such as, land, quantity and building surveying. There is a constant demand for good quality surveyors all over the world as new buildings and land are always being developed.

The concept of engineering covers a range of things such as buildings, systems, technology and machines. The job of an engineer is wide and varied and once qualification is gained, a person could get specialized in any number of fields, from building construction to food production. Engineers are involved in aspects of almost everything we see and use in our daily lives.

A good mathematical and scientifically tuned brain is needed for a job as an engineer and the individual will also need to an extremely good problem solver. This type of career is very wide ranging and rewarding. You could find yourself working in an office or in a factory, working on the design of complex machines or food packaging.

Surveying and engineering are highly complex roles that play great significance in shaping the world we live in. Newly qualified individuals are always in demand and these are careers that are not likely to face any difficulties as the world will always need new buildings and technology will always be advancing.


http://EzineArticles.com/6422522

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Missouri Hunting Land - Earn Your Own Hunting Trophies

Laden with lush green vast plains and thick virgin forests, Missouri hunting land offers you the best ground for hunting and fishing. From hunting beavers, deers and woodchucks to fishing rainbow trout, carp, catfish and bass, it is the right place if you are looking for an adventure.

For quite a long time, you have been struck with the idea of hunting. But aimlessly you wonder where your perfect place will be. For all your needs, Missouri hunting land provides the best hunting ground for various kinds of species with all types of acreages. With its thick forests, mountains, plains, rivers and ponds, Missouri is home to various species of animals such as elk, moose, bears, beavers, deer, and woodchucks. And in addition to this, fish of all types such as rainbow trout, graylings, carp, catfish, bullheads, perch, and bass swim in the clear waters of Missouri springs, rivulets, ponds and rivers.

The beauteous state, Missouri lies in the mid-western part of United States. It enjoys the well connected neighboring states of Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Summer is hot and humid. But you can expect the opposite during winter. Because of its climatic condition, Missouri serves as a home to hundreds of species of birds, fishes and animals. Being a state in the heart of the United States, Missouri is well connected with all other parts of the country. Apart from all these, Missouri is engulfed with various types of flora and fauna. With the change of season,, Missouri changes the color of its landscape and dresses itself in different hues. For years on, Missouri has been acting as the perfect place for hunters, researchers, animal observers and wild life lovers.

Since you are looking for your perfect hunting land, you don't need to wander around the vast country searching for it. Antler Ridge, Barnes Hollow, Deer Valley, Valley View Ranch and Whispering Oaks Ranch are some of the well known places, which will satisfy all your needs for hunting. In these places, you'll find countless species of animals, birds and fish. Located closely to Mark Twain National Forest and Pea Conservation Area, you will be awestruck to find the rich habitat of wildlife scattering in the vast plains, valleys and mountains.

Missouri is not limited to hunting only. It has one of the most captivating landscapes in the country. So, you can also reside here neglecting all the busy streets, careless honking of cars and buses and restless office lives of the cities. And apart from this, you can also go for other outdoor adventures and recreations like rafting, camping, swimming, floating, tubing and canoeing. With its splendid natural landscape and abundant wild life habitat, Missouri offers the best place for all types of adventure and recreational activities.

Most important of all, you should consider several factors in buying a hunting land in Missouri. After buying your favorite hunting land with high hopes and expectations, you won't be pleased to find all kinds of surprises one after the another. So, it is advisable for you to look into the following factors:

* Species you are hunting for
* Quality of species you are looking for
* Population size of the species
* Species acreage requirements

Apart from the above mention factors, please don't forget to consider how the land has been managed previously, so that you don't have to start managing the land all over again.

Infused with all these information, you are now ready to seek the most rightful Missouri hunting land for sale where you can enjoy the exhilarating hunting experience forever.

This article has been written by an expert who is closely associated with Classic Country Land, LLC, a leading company offering land for sale in Oklahoma at competitive prices.


http://EzineArticles.com/6385128

Monday, September 19, 2011

Real Estate Raw Land Grab - Last Chance for Conservation Groups?

There has always been a big battle when it comes to open space, state parks, and land set aside and zoned for no development. This is easily observed merely attending any local planning commission meeting at any city hall in any suburban area. The big debate becomes very political in the types of views that various people have. Most Conservatives and Republicans would agree that private property ownership rights include the ability of the owner of that real property to develop that property if they'd like.

Others on the Democratic side of the coin believe that there should be land set aside for the public, and that it's not fair if everyone develops their property anyway they'd like because that would make the cities unlivable, and take away from nature. Then there are those land conservation groups and nature conservancy groups who are willing to split the divide, and take on donations, or match with government funds the ability to buy property from those who own it, and then they can set it aside because they have property rights which allow them the freedom to not develop their properties.

That makes sense right? Well now due to the global economic challenges, real estate in many parts of our country is still very depressed. That means there are big chunks of land available for sale for much less than they ever have been in the last 30 years. Many conservation groups have prime pieces of real estate that were set aside previously, and they can sell those now for a huge profit, and therefore use that money to buy even more land. That makes sense too.

Now then, a word of advice; those Nature Conservancy type groups should indeed buy up these properties before the economic recovery has all the prices of that type of real property increasing at a rapid rate. Indeed, they may even wish to buy more than they need, and hold some of that property to sell for later at a profit to buy even more property thus parlaying their investment in open space, and undeveloped land.

Not too long ago there was a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, which was part of a multipart series, the second chapter of the series of articles was published on June 10, 2010 titled; "Natural Causes - A Head for Business, a Green Conscious and a Former Treasury Secretary Inspired Mark Tercek to Quit a Highflying Career at Goldman Sachs to Run the Nature Conservancy," and in this article I believe it speaks to some of my comments above, about the window of opportunity which was created by the economic real estate collapse and fiasco.

In any case, I hope you will please consider all this and think about it, as it does seem that the proper way to set aside real property without hurting private individual property rights, is clearly to buy that property, and then set it aside using your new found property rights as the owner.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 23,777 articles by 7 PM on June 27, 2011 is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..


http://EzineArticles.com/6370896

Friday, September 16, 2011

Farmland Investment: Is UK Farmland Overvalued?

Most important for investors considering farmland investments, is to purchase assets at a price that truly reflects the assets real value as a farming asset. We are able to calculate true and proper value of farmland as an investment asset using a simple economic model taking into account farm revenues and capitalisation rates as follows:

Farmland values = Future revenues ÷ Capitalisation rate.

Future Revenues

Future revenues are considered to be only the revenue received by the landowning investor, which has historically remained at around 25% of total revenue. USDA figures for cost of production taken from the past three years show that landowners have received 25% of total farm revenues in U.S.

Therefore we are able to calculate future revenues once we know current yield and crop prices. For example; according to DFERA, the 5 year average yield per hectare including wheat, barley and oilseed rape to 2010 is 5.65/ha. And the average crop price as a weighted 26 month average is approximately £95.78 So total revenue per hectare is £541.16 therefore future revenues for landowners amount to £135.29

Capitalisation

Capitalisation can be proxied with historical cash rent-to land value ratios and figures from DEFRA, the average rent for one hectare of general cropping or cereal producing land in 2009 was £195 per hectare under a Farm Business Tenancy, which equates to 1.32% of the Q1 value of UK farmland according to the Knight Frank Farmland Index which indicates a national average of £14,797 per hectare.

So, according to this model, current true value of farmland can be calculated as:

Farmland values = £135.29 ÷ 0.0132

Farmland values = £10,249 per hectare

This model indicates that farmland in the UK is overvalued when compared to other global regions, and rising interest rates pushing up rentals combined with a drop in commodity prices could cause value to fall back sharply.

Realistically, farmland values are supported more by long term trends of increasing demand for food, feed and fuel, and Investors able to take a long tern view when choosing to investment in UK farmland are likely to do very well.

Those investors seeking growth and enhanced income in the short term are likely to find better value in developing economies where land values are lower, labour and inputs are cheaper and yields can be increased substantially through the application of new technologies and up to date farming techniques.

UK farmland investment remains a good investment opportunity for those happy to take lower return in exchange for investing onshore.

Provided the right data is available, this model can be applied to farmland in any part of the world, providing a good rule of thumb guide to investors considering investing in farmland as part of a diversified portfolio of alternative investments.

Download your complimentary copy of the DGC Asset Management Farmland Investment Report at the DGC Asset Management Website


http://EzineArticles.com/6307074

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

What You Need to Know About Topo Surveyors

A Topographic Surveyor also known as Topo Surveyor collects the survey data to locate man-made and natural marks and its elevations on a particular portion of land. It normally comprises any man-made underground marks such as utility lines. It will also illustrate ground level installations such as utility poles, buildings, walls, and many other significant installations.

The utilization of standard topographic surveying procedures are commonly employed to provide accurate measured plan of terrain. It is also used during the mapping and graphing phases of projects to blueprint the locations and layout of the installations, road, buildings, and many other engineering and architectural projects in the construction industry.

The purpose of getting a Topo Surveyor to do topographic survey is to obtain an accurate trace and documentation of the present state of a parcel of land that will be constructed on; either a building, a wall, or any other construction activity. The design engineers make use of the topo survey as they plan the design and then the proposal of the final surface.

It is important to have this plan as this allows the Engineer compute, analyze, and estimate the amount of earth work that might be required. The Engineer will also be able to balance the amount of earth work to minimize the dirt to be taken off and on the construction site. The architect also makes use of the topo survey the same way as the Engineer does.

Additionally, the architect may plot the surface in 3D to picture out the finished look with the improvements he might add. This plot may be presented to the construction owner, building owner, or the land owner before the actual construction takes place. An accurate topo survey is of big help to ensure the installations and improvements fits in on the site within its boundaries.

The two common methods of doing a topographic survey are Aerial Topo Survey and Conventional Topo Survey. How the topographic survey done would vary on the method the Topo Surveyor use. It is important that a topo surveyor know how to carry out both in any circumstances. So if you will need one, make sure he is professional and experienced both methods.

An Aerial Topographic Survey is done on the airspace. It is taken either in a helicopter or in an airplane at a defined distance above the ground level. Aerial photos of the ground surface are then taken and examined by the topo surveyor. This will allow him to envisage the ground surface through the structure of a stereo pair. By looking at the two overlapping aerial photos, the vantage points are determined.

A Conventional Topographic Survey is done when there is a need to get the accurate contour interval and spot elevations. The Aerial Topographic Survey is limited in the precise vertical and horizontal point location of the ground surface. These are just simplified elaboration of the two methods of topographic survey to provide you an overview. Read and research to learn in depth about them or ask a topo surveyor.

Keith Maxwell is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor in Alabama. He is also a Certified Floodplain Manager and has consulted for over 25 years. His surveying and engineering firm completed residential and commercial surveys throughout Alabama and surrounding states. They have extensive experience with GPS Surveying and ALTA Land Title Surveys. Visit us today at Montgomery Land Surveying for more information on land surveying and engineering.


http://EzineArticles.com/6450581

Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Importance of Living Near Parks And Recreational Areas

Whether you live in the city or in the suburbs, you ought to have various places of destination where you can visit during the weekends or your day-off. Though staying at home will allow you to get some rest from a week of hard work, it can also be quite refreshing to be able to do fun activities alone, with friends or with the family.

When purchasing a new home, it is best to consider those who are near the proximity of parks, entertainment establishments and other recreational areas. This will give you numerous activities to do without the need to travel the long hours to go out of town. These outgoing events can also encourage staying in shape or losing weight as many activities include sports or other physical actions.

A weekend home can be more fun when spent outdoors with the children. Playing in the park allows your children to do some physical activities for sweating and get to meet other neighborhood kids to help them socialize. This is a great way to help your children to go outside and develop important social and healthy habits.

For the single individuals, going to recreational areas are also a great way to meet people and start friendships. Recreational centers with basketball and tennis courts are great venues for some friendly competition. These sporting areas can be the ideal place for you to get rid of stress from work or just everyday life.

Parks are also ideal place for picnics and other outdoor activities for free rather than paying for function halls or other venues. Birthdays, holiday celebrations and even dates can be held in parks for free, whether it is a breakfast in the outdoors, afternoon snack al fresco or dining under the stars.

Animal lovers can also take their pets for a walk or even a run at the park, perfect for individuals who are renting homes with small space for moving around. It is also the perfect place for jogging or brisk walking.

Neighbors can also set up a weekly activity in the park such as aerobics workouts, pet day-out, and other group activities. This will let people get to know each other more while enjoying a fun activity outdoors.

Having a home in the proximity of entertainment establishments will also help you save in terms of gasoline and transportation money. It also means that you will never run out of things to do and make your day-off more fun.

Adam Bridges has been writing about recreational real estate for 4 years. He also enjoys writing about New York City neighborhoods, including useful information about NoLita apartments and Hudson Heights apartments.


http://EzineArticles.com/6285247

Friday, September 9, 2011

Undeveloped Land - Not An Issue Anymore

It is quite a difficult task for any individual to select an undeveloped land. There are numerous constraints that demand attention before deciding on such an investment. That is the reason why you should not jump into conclusion without doing a proper research conducted on such property.

Today, investment has become a potent tool for financial stability and security. Besides the major financial sectors like banking, shares and securities, people have also started investing heavily into real estate. Land and building form the favored category of such real estate investments, since, their value gets amortized in the long run resulting in capital growth and yielding higher return on investment. Developers, sub dividers and land speculators find delight in such investments specially when it comes to land. But investing in an undeveloped land rather than a developed one is a little thoughtful process.

An undeveloped land can be put to various usages. It is this factor which should be determined first before choosing any undeveloped land. You can use the land for agricultural purpose or can build up your own residence. But it is widely felt that such undeveloped land located at the outskirts of the town or in countryside is preferably used for the construction of hotels, farm houses, bungalows or guest houses. For investing in such undeveloped land, you should keep yourself updated about the prevailing rates of that particular property. Timing here becomes an important element as purchasing the land at the right time when the prices are low, will allow you to invest a lesser amount.

Though timing is an important factor, but there are other elements too which should be thoroughly studied before buying an undeveloped land. A detailed knowledge about the land should be your primary objective. These details include information on the history of the land as well as the type of foundation, whether man-made or natural. You can even hire a land surveyor, who can produce a detailed report on the boundaries, layout, natural features, utilities and other features that can affect the value of the land in future.

To get a proper knowledge on the lay of the land, you need to run a thorough analysis on the previous reports prepared on natural features of your property. Oddly shaped properties or lands existing in flood zones, hilly region and rough terrains should better be avoided as developing these type of lands are quite difficult. Secondly, the accessibility options should be checked. The absence of a proper roadway will make it difficult to commute to such place. Third, the availability of basic utilities like supply of drinking water, availability of electricity and dumping of waste must be verified before investing on the land. Finally, the location must be analyzed to assess the risk involved in converting the property to residential use. For this purpose, it is necessary to study whether the surrounding is in the process of development or it is an upcoming area for the growth of real estate business.

Apart from these basic tenants, another important element that should be considered at the helm of the previous studies, is the legal aspect. Before signing the papers, you should be clear about the boundaries of the plot. You should get an extensive research conducted to cross check the presence of any legal issues on the property.

Purchasing or buying an undeveloped land for sale is therefore not a mere task. You need to be careful enough or else it will land you into a bad debt or liquidity crisis. Issues and queries related to such property must be properly analyzed and verified before investing a huge sum of money in it.

This article is written by an expert who is currently associated with Classic Country Land LLC, an esteemed organization dealing in real estate. They are currently offering Missouri hunting land for sale.


http://EzineArticles.com/6510535

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Boundary Land Surveyor: Get the Boundaries of Your Property Marked and Established

Getting your own real estate is one great achievement that secures one of our basic needs: shelter. However, it is just the beginning of securing your own property. It does not just end as soon as you have the real estate papers in your hands. There are still important things to do to make sure you get to live in your property without having to worry about legalities and boundaries.

It is best to make sure that where you build your house, garage, swimming pool, and fences are enclosed within the limits of your property, otherwise you will have troubles with encroachments or claims to easement rights. The answer: get your land surveyed by a professional boundary land surveyor.

So what about these encroachments and easement rights? Consider this example: you decided to extend your garage area, your fences, or add a home addition. You can't just put them wherever you want - you should get your land surveyed to keep from having later problems with being too close to or over your boundaries. You might have touched a part of your neighbor's property, and that's a major headache!

Another example to consider: the property you purchased has a portion where an electric company or the water and sanitary sewer utility has access rights to carry out maintenance and repair. You should know where exactly they have access rights so you won't build your swimming pool over that portion of the land, otherwise, another major headache!

So you see there is much to do after you purchase that property you have been saving to get before you even build the castle of your dreams. This might seem a big deal, it is though, but the process is simple if you get the job done by a professional boundary land surveyor.

So what does a boundary land surveyor do and why is this an important role?

A boundary land surveyor finds and marks the boundaries of a property. They also do title surveys for real estate transactions, topography mapping for engineering design, flood surveys and evaluations for flood insurance, among other land and boundary related jobs. The importance of getting your land surveyed is realized once the boundary land surveyor marks and establishes the boundaries of your property.

If your neighbor builds a home addition and touches a portion of your property, then you have all the right to complain. If a repairman claims to having the right to access your garage and remove some installations for service repair and maintenance, then you also have the right to say no because you know exactly where the boundaries of your property lie.

Peaceful living does not just come from getting to build your dream house and settle, but also from the confidence of knowing your rights to your property and its boundaries. You won't have to worry about boundary disputes and rights to easements. So get to know exactly where the boundaries of your property lie by a professional boundary land surveyor.

Keith Maxwell is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer and Boundary Land Surveyor in Alabama. He is also a Certified Floodplain Manager and has consulted for over 25 years. His surveying and engineering firm completed residential and commercial surveys throughout Alabama and surrounding states. They have extensive experience with GPS Surveying and ALTA Land Title Surveys. Visit us today at Montgomery Land Surveying for more information on land surveying and engineering.


http://EzineArticles.com/6436452

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Texas Hill Country Ranches

West of Austin and north/northwest of San Antonio lies the Texas Hill Country, true to its namesake with rolling hills and deep valleys. Settled in the 1800s, the Hill Country offers a diverse yet rural population who enjoy living the way things used to be. Many of the early settlers were liberal minded Germans who were fleeing after the Revolution of 1848 and with them they brought Old World tastes and traditions that one can enjoy by pulling into town. Towns like Fredericksburg offer beer gardens, markets and restaurants that celebrate this diverse populace. Their stalwart rock homes of the 1800s pepper the countryside and it's much en vogue in recent years to restore these old settlements. Many of the ranch owners can trace back to these settlers and can be seen working their fields and livestock during the day and enjoying the fine dining in the evenings, true of so many of the small towns that bustle with energy. This energy has supported the establishment of extensive wineries across the region known as the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail, leading the New York Times to rank the Hill Country as the #1 travel destination and comparing it to Tuscany and the south of France. The Texas Hill Country has also been named the fastest growing wine destination by travel site away.com.

The richness in culture, heritage and Old World charm is unique in that it is only minutes from two of the largest cities in Texas: San Antonio and Austin. In fact, many CEOs and businessmen now call their ranches home and commute to their jobs in the city. Many of the area's most impressive architecture lies in the mansions and compounds built on Hill Country ranches. Local airports and landing strips make it possible for the who's who to live comfortably amongst the grand landscapes and clear, spring-fed rivers. This easy proximity to town is also the reason for the Hill Country and the ranches therein becoming fodder for recreation rather than actual ranching. Streams have been developed into large lakes for fishing and boating, exotics have been imported from Asia and Africa and hunting has become big business.

The region is exceptional for children and many children's camps have supplied the fantastic memories that feed the urge for many of these CEOs turned ranchers and city dwellers turned country-folk to have made the transition. Second only to Florida for retirees, Texas can thank the Hill Country for providing a safe-haven for everlasting youth, vigor and happiness that can only be found in the beautiful foothills and lush valleys of this spectacular region.

John Nisbet is a third generation ranch ranch broker with Nisbet Ranch Sales, LLC living in San Antonio, Texas and specializing in Texas Hill Country ranches.


http://EzineArticles.com/6408148

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Investing In Industrial Development Zones

Industrial development zones, or IDZs, are a growing phenomenon in many countries of the world. With plenty of vacant land newly zoned for industrial use, for those looking at investing in industrial property they are attractive prospects. Let's look at them in more detail.

What exactly are Industrial development zones?
In South Africa, IDZs are an initiative by the Department of Trade and Industry to encourage economic growth by attracting foreign investment. They are located in specially chosen geographical areas that have good access to a major port or airport and aim to boost exports and jobs in these areas by attracting new industries. South Africa has several operational IDZ's and a few more proposed ones with approval imminent.

Why are industrial development zones worth investing in?
Because they are aimed at attracting major foreign investors, IDZs are designed with world-class infrastructure, good transport and services and plenty of support industries all designed to feed off each other.

There are sizeable areas of vacant land available in new industrial development zones with opportunities to develop it to your exact requirements.

There are excellent facilities for any export-driven business, including customs facilities, and because the government is promoting internationally competitive manufacture and exports, there may well be incentives that make the location even more attractive.

Looking at the proposed IDZ at Saldanha Bay in South Africa as an example, we find that major investment in new public transport systems linking it with Cape Town are part of the overall plan. Energy requirements are planned in detail, the new infrastructure backing up conventional energy supplies with a significant investment in renewable energies, so that the IDZ will be self-sufficient once it is fully operational. The port facilities which are already of a high standard will be extended, so that all the industries located there will have good access to shipping for exports and imports, and the sectors of industry proposed for this industrial development zone are complementary to each other, providing a sustainable model of development for the future.

There are several other industrial development zones within South Africa that are already operating successfully: The East London IDZ was the first in 2003 and this model has been shown to work effectively, attracting both foreign investment and providing local investors with world-class opportunities of developing new industry. The benefits spread out into the wider local community boosting economy and providing employment in many of the smaller service industries.

There is no better time to invest in industrial property within South Africa's new IDZs.

Private Mandate Investments facilitate investments in sought after industrial property Saldanha. Contact Private Mandate Investments for more information on the proposed Industrial Development Zone and industrial properties in the area of Saldanha Bay, South Africa.


http://EzineArticles.com/6350523