Realty Check

BY JULIAN RICHARDSON Assistant business co-ordinator richardsonj@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, March 07, 2010

LOCAL engineers are exploring a number of alternative building materials which could make housing solutions more affordable in Jamaica.

The National Housing Trust lends a maximum of $3.5 million to individual borrowers and two persons can combine for a loan for a maximum of $7 million. But Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) executive member Desmond Young, who has responsibility for housing matters, argues that current real estate prices are way beyond the reach of the majority of persons seeking a home.
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The Air Jamaica building, corporate head-quarters for the national carrier, is on the market for sale, as the airline counts down to a final agreement with prospective buyer Caribbean Airlines of Trinidad.

Sale of the five-storey 32,802-square foot building, located on Harbour Street and overlooking the Kingston waterfront, was expected.
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BY TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, March 04, 2010

A pregnant former National Housing Trust (NHT) employee, who was allegedly involved in a housing racket which defrauded persons of about $10 million, was on Tuesday remanded in custody after her bail was revoked in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

The accused, Stacy-Ann Garvey, also known as ‘Coleen Henry’, who is currently awaiting trial for her alleged involvement in another 2008 housing racket, is charged with eight counts of obtaining money by false pretence and two counts of conspiracy to defraud.
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Thursday, February 18, 2010

OSWALD James, the Kingston attorney accused of cheating a client of $25 million in a real estate deal, will return to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court to answer fraud charges on April 22.

The attorney, who was arrested last year August 14 by Fraud Squad detectives, had his bail extended Tuesday when he appeared before Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey.
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Web sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and ActiveRain present a golden opportunity to connect with friends, colleagues, and clients.
April 2009

You hear a lot about social media today, and rightly so.

Get the most benefit from these tools by following these basic rules:

Be authentic. Your profile is the first thing people will see when they visit your page. Be truthful about who you are and what you do. Details are a good thing. Calling yourself a “real estate expert” isn’t as informative as “20 years working with Keller Williams, specializing in urban condos.” Providing nuggets about your life outside of work (everyone loves to see photos) adds a human element to who you are, and that builds relationships.
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The new year is a new opportunity to upgrade, integrate, and streamline your operations. Learn more about the technologies that can make you a more effective professional.
By Michael Antoniak | January 2010

With each new year comes an opportunity to rethink the products and services that empower your real estate career. As 2010 dawns, the desire to upgrade is tempered by the economic realities of today, forcing many to selectively invest in technology to improve service and attract clients in a challenging marketplace.
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Joseph Ferrara of TheClozing.com, a real estate news aggregator site, predicts increased reliance on technology in the property industry in the coming year.

He expects more brokerages to go mobile or virtual to lower costs in a weak market; and he believes agents will take advantage of mobile video text-messaging to send virtual tours and slideshows to clients and Facebook’s “fan” feature to design pages for themselves, neighborhoods, and local events that target their fans in the hopes of generating new business.
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BY CLAUDIENNE EDWARDS Observer writer edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, February 11, 2010

KINGSTON Mayor Desmond McKenzie has issued a warning to developers that the integrity of the council of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) would not be compromised by approving buildings that were not in compliance with the building codes.

According to McKenzie, some developers are of the view that the approval of their building plans must be expedited because they had gone to the bank and borrowed money and interest was accruing on their loans while they waited on the building committee.
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JIS
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

GROUND has been broken for some 288 serviced lots under the Sugar Workers Housing Programme in Bounty Hall, Trelawny.

Some 150 serviced lots are to be provided for workers on the Hampden Estate in the parish, while the remainder will be sold on the open market.

The project forms part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by nine Sugar Estates, three Trade Unions, the Sugar Producers Federation and the National Housing Trust (NHT), some years ago.
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