Amsterdam Sightseeing and Hotels

Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands, and is one of the largest historic cities in Europe. The city lies near two bodies of water, the Amstel river and the IJ bay. For many tourists, Amsterdam is a city which is well known and praised for its entertainment and culture. The city at this time has a population of over 700,000.

Amsterdam is a city, which had very humble beginnings. It was founded in the 12th century as a small fishing village, but didn't begin to gain recognition until the 17th century, during the Golden Age of The Netherlands. A series of canals have been built around the older part of the city, and many luxurious mansions and homes lie near these canals.

If you are planning a trip to Amsterdam, do not expect to be bored. For those who love art, Amsterdam is well known for its many museums. The Rijksmuseum showcases art from the Golden Age, and the Van Gogh Museum along with the Rembrandt House Museum are places every art lover should visit.

Those who enjoy history may want to visit the Anne Frank House, and anyone with a love of classical music should visit the world class Concertgebouworkest. Amsterdam is also known for its red light district, called de Wallen, and the many coffee shops, some of which sell cannabis.

Amsterdam is a city that has something for everyone. If you are traveling there, it is important to get accomodations at excellent hotels. Although you can find nice hotels on a budget, Amsterdam is an upscale city. Budget travelers and backpackers may find themselves spending a little more than in other European cities.

When it comes to money, Visa or Eurocard are widely accepted. Most large purchases will require use of a credit card. For everything else, just keep fifty dollars handy. Changing your currency in Amsterdam is easy. Any post office or bank will exchange currencies for you, often at good exchange rates.

The restaurants available in Amsterdam have a very international flavour. Traditional Dutch food is fairly simple, with meats and potatoes. There are restaurants for those on a budget as well as those wanting to eat in luxury.

Restaurants in Amsterdam usually charge service fees and taxes along with the prices you pay for your meal, and tipping is always welcomed. When it comes to traveling, Amsterdam is bicycle friendly. Buses also travel heavily throughout the city, and you can always catch a taxi cab. Due to the many types of transportation available, getting around in Amsterdam is fairly cheap.

Rahul viz recommends Sightseeing and hotels in amsterdam.

Condo Hotels: The Math

SEC laws dictate that condo hotel developers cannot and should not sell their product based on cash flow and income that the property produces. This consumer protection, although well intended has created a void in the consumer's ability to judge whether a condo hotel is an investment or a 'consumption' real estate purchase. Condo hotels should produce income, as any hotel room would, but there are many factors that create a successful hotel and the income should not be the sole reason for a purchase. Here is just one way to analyze a condo hotel's potential income:

The Math: Consumer Since most people don't use a second home more than 30 days per year; a cottage or a condo hotel unit is likely vacant for 330 days/yr. IF we Assume a hotel runs a 65% occupancy = 214 of potential rentable days. IF the Average Daily Rate (ADR) is $175/night = $37,537 year in potential gross revenue. ($175x214=$37,537)

Many condo hotel Rental Management Agreements (RMA) pay a 41-60% split with hotel management. Assuming this, your income could be $1,370/mo before your expenses of Debt Service, Taxes, Insurance, Dues. At current market rates, $1370/mo supports roughly a $250,000 loan (before taxes, dues, insurance). Numerous assumptions have been made in this example. Hotels traditionally have seasons, and regularly require maintenance and improvement.

With Condo Hotel you are purchasing Real Estate, NOT Revenue.

Tax Benefits, Potential Appreciation, and Hassle Free Use are other benefits of this form of real estate ownership, but every purchaser should consult their financial advisors.

Bob Waun, CEO of Vacation Finance, www.vacation-finance.com was a VP at Paramount Bank, and while at Wells Fargo, Bob innovated lending for Condo Hotel projects. He holds a Master's degree in finance/economics and BBA in finance from Walsh College and a MI Real Estate Broker's License. He has personally lent over $600+ million in residential loans, and over seen operations lending $1+billion

Condo-Hotels A New Second-Home Alternative To Time Shares

Condo-hotels have evolved as a better, more reliable second home alternative to time-shares. They are usually attractive, high-rise hotels on the ocean or in other prime locations, and range in price from the mid $200,000s to over 1 million, depending on the size, location, and amenities.

Condo-hotels have evolved as a better, more reliable second home alternative to time-shares. They are usually attractive, high-rise hotels on the ocean or in other prime locations, and range in price from the mid $200,000s to over 1 million, depending on the size, location, and amenities.

Many of the biggest names in the hotel industry have condo-hotel buildings, including Hilton, Four Seasons, Clarion, and Ritz-Carlton. Donald Trump has numerous condo- hotel facilities across the country, including a building in Fort Lauderdale and another in Sunny Isles, Florida.

In general, condo-hotel properties have been highly successful with all or nearly all units selling out within months of the first offering. For example, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne is a beachfront property with 188 condo-hotel units, all of which sold out a year before the building was even finished. Needless to say, the values of the condo-hotels in this building have gone up significantly.

There are several reasons for the popularity of condo-hotels. When you purchase a property, you purchase a condo unit in the hotel. Unlike a time share, you have access to the property whenever you want, and it is put into a rental pool when you are not in residence. Although developers cant guarantee the properties will rent, management by a well-known hospitality group will typically result in several weeks of rental income. This is one of the biggest appeals of condo-hotels because the rental income can offset some of the costs of owning a vacation property.

In addition, the management company takes care of renting the unit, using their connections and expertise. You dont have to worry about any of these details. Most rental agreements split the income 50/50 between the management company and the owner. However, some properties offer more favorable arrangements, and this is another aspect to consider when deciding which property to purchase.

Despite the fact that the property is in a hotel setting, a condo-hotel is considered a private residence, and owners are eligible for mortgage interest deductions and all the other tax advantages that come from owning a second home. However, most condo-hotels do not allow you to live in the unit year round. This is because the management company wants to rent out the unit when you are not there, so both you and they can profit from that rental income.

Each condo-hotel property has its own residence restrictions that indicate the maximum amount of time you can live in the property. This is an important piece of information to consider before purchasing a condo-hotel unit. Most owners do not intend to live in their condo year round, so this is not a concern in typical circumstances.

Why not just rent a hotel room? In addition to the investment aspect, condo-hotels usually offer more room than a standard hotel room. Most suites are one or two bedrooms, and larger units are available. Condo-hotels typically have cooking facilities and other homey features that hotel rooms do not. This makes it ideal to have family stay with you when they come to visit.

With the advantages they offer over time shares, its easy to see why so many people looking for a vacation property investment they can also enjoy when they want are now looking at condo-hotels.

For more on finding and buying the right condo-hotel, check out Make Your Next Home a Resort, the 2005 Guide to Condo-Hotels, Fractional Shares and Resort Residences. You can download the Guide as a pdf file at http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/resorts/resort4u.htm

Leon Altman is the founder of the InvestingIN Real Estate Letter - http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/LtrSignup3.htm - and its parent website, http://www.InvestingIN.com - which provides articles, commentary and newsletters about opportunities in different areas.To download the 2005 Guide to Condo-Hotels, go to http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/resorts/resort4u.htm