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I felt inspired to write this piece this week after learning how few colleagues intend to hold open houses for their listings and reading about how charities are overloaded with well-intentioned volunteers who want to work with the less fortunate and count their blessings--only this time of year. I relate this to the perpetual busyness everyone complains about when not focusing on their home search. Historically, the holidays have proven an excellent time for buyers, from reduced competition to sellers wanting to unload for tax purposes. Read on for all 5 reasons to purchase now--with the bonus 6th reason that I’m here to help!

1. Decreased competition. Have you been making the busyness excuse? Too busy to get pre-approved or to meet up and discuss

What Is Pickleball?

It's a little bit tennis, a little bit badminton and a little bit ping-pong. Despite all that, pickleball is completely unique. It's a racquet sport, and the pickleball court is a tennis-size court with a slightly modified net and game lines. Racquets are solid, usually made out of wood or composite materials. The ball is a specialized whiffle style. The rules of the sport are relatively simple. There's a no-volley zone around the net where you can't hit the ball before it bounces. You play up to 11 points with a minimum lead of 2 for the win, and you can only score when serving. You can play singles or doubles.

Who Plays the Pickleball?

If you have heard of pickleball, you may think of it as simply a casual, easy-going

It's easy to fall in love with high-rise living, but sometimes you still need some green space nearby. If that's the case, check out these four Charlotte high-rise condo buildings that are either right next door to a park or with a block or two.

4. Fifth & Poplar - Fourth Ward

Fifth & Poplar is an extraordinary condo building located in the heart of Charlotte's city-center. It's easily walkable to shopping, to restaurants, galleries and clubs but in addition, it's just across 6th Street from Fourth Ward Park. Fourth Ward Park is a 3 acre park with an art installation, fountains, a playground, unique gardens. View available condos at Fifth & Poplar.

3. The Ratcliffe - Second Ward

The Ratcliffe is a luxury high-rise building located in

Naples is a great place to live. Condos here rival those in much larger cities for luxury and amenities plus many buildings are easily walkable to restaurants, shops, and amazing beaches. However, there are many communities in the Naples area to consider so how do you know which is right for you? Here are some of the pros and cons to consider when starting your search for a Naples condo.

Bonita Bay

Pros:

Pros of living in Bonita Bay include low density development, mature trees with shaded walking and jogging paths and buildings offer phenomenal amenities including on site restaurants. The closest to airport is just about 20 minutes away and there's an onsite marina on the Imperial River which leads to the Estero Bay which provides gulf access

The Fourth of July

Many of the early July parties, concerts and gatherings in San Diego this year revolve around Independence Day. Here are a few places to take in the fireworks this year:

• Rooftop party at the Porto Vista hotel

• The Lane Field Park barbecue hosted by InterContinental hotels

• Get out on the water with Flagship Cruises, Next Level Sailing, Hornblower Dining Cruises or others

• The fireworks viewing party at The Maritime Museum

Of course, you'll be able to see the Big Bay Boom, the largest fireworks display in the county, from any of the neighborhoods in or around downtown, including Old Town, Mission Valley, South Bay, Mission Bay and Beaches, Gaslamp, Hillcrest and Coronado. Fireworks will also continue throughout the

City living comes with many perks, especially with all the amenities that come with owning a high-rise condo. However, what's often missing is some green space nearby. If parkland is one of your must haves, then check out these seven San Diego high-rise condo buildings that are either right next door to a park or with a block or two.

7. Breeza - Little Italy

Breeza is a 9 story high-rise with with ocean and skyline views. The building is located next to Waterfront Park, a diverse open space featuring a splash pad, event venues, and a native plant garden. View available condos at Breeza.

6. The Legend - East Village

The Legend is a popular building located in San Diego's Ballpark District. Not only does the building overlook Petco

Do Your Homework if You're in the Vintage Portland Condo Market

Recent tremors underground may indicate that Portland is overdue for some significant seismic activity. The problem is that the city still has many of the most vulnerable types of buildings, unreinforced masonry structures, within its borders.

The clear solution would be to use seismic retrofitting to modify these buildings so that they have a better chance of surviving an earthquake. These modifications could include various techniques or combinations of techniques:

• External steel frames
• Base isolation
• Structural reinforcing walls

Unfortunately, all of these solutions come at a significant cost. Furthermore, the expertise necessary to determine which strategy is best

Do you love the all the perks of condo living, but need to have some green space nearby? Then check out these four Nashville high-rise condo buildings that are either right next door to a park or with a few blocks of one.

4. West End Lofts - Midtown

West End Lofts is a newer loft community located Downtown. Being downtown has many perks, one of which is being just a few blocks from Centennial Park. Centennial Park is a 132 acre green space equipped with a one mile walking trail, arts center, dog park, and the Parthenon. View available condos at West End Lofts.

3. Capitol Towers - Downtown

Capitol Towers is a 15 story high-rise building in the heart of Downtown Nashville. It's located along the edge of the Bicentennial Capitol State

San Antonio, TX, is full of rich history and vibrant culture. It is also currently full of people looking to buy a condo. Property values are going up, and developers are working hard to meet with demand. 

What this means for you as a buyer is that there's probably plenty of opportunity — both in completed units and presales — to find a condo for around $500,000 in the city. However, if you find something you like, it could be a good idea to act quickly. 

Basically, there are two types of premium condo properties in San Antonio: rehabbed vintage lofts and modern skyscrapers. Each caters to a completely different style of living, but they're both at the high end. Here's a brief overview of what half a million could buy in this historic Texas city.

LEED is about leadership in green thinking — it's intended to make buildings more efficient and better for the environment. You've probably seen a LEED certification on a building before, or perhaps you've seen it advertised in a new condo building that you are considering buying into. You probably already know that LEED means green.

However, as you might expect, it's a little more complex than that. Below, you'll find a quick condo-focused guide to the points that LEED considers, the process of reviewing projects and the various levels of certifications available.

An Introduction to Green Buildings

The USGBC is currently on LEED 4.1., and the program has expanded to cover various different types of developments. There are nine major