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Condo hotels, also known as condotels, are a relatively new concept in vacation home ownership. They allow individuals to own condos in luxury hotels and have access to all the amenities of that hotel. When not using their condo unit themselves, owners have the option of placing it in the hotel's rental program and receiving a percentage of the revenue it generates.

Because the condo hotel concept is so new, it's often confused with timeshares, a popular vacation home option that has been around since the 1970s. In reality, condo hotels have many qualities that set them apart from timeshares and make them appealing to a unique segment of the second home market. Here's a comparison between these two types of real estate investment.

FLEXIBILITY IN USE

Timeshares - When you purchase a timeshare, you choose not only a set location but also a specific week or two that you will use your vacation home every year.

Condo Hotels - With a condo hotel, you have flexibility to use your unit whenever you want. Keep in mind, however, that some condo hotels do have living restrictions that prevent you from making your condo a permanent residence.

AMENITIES

Timeshares - The average timeshare has a community pool and some common areas.

Condo Hotels - Condo hotels have many of the amenities you would find at luxury hotels. In addition to a pool (or pools), there is probably an on-site restaurant (possibly several), a lounge, a full-service spa, a state-of-the-art exercise facility, a poolside bar, etc.

FURNISHINGS

Timeshares Timeshares are sold fully furnished. The quality of furnishings depends on the individual development. The cost for the furnishings is built into the price.

Condo Hotels - Condo hotel units are sold fully furnished typically with high-end furniture, appliances and fixtures selected by a professional interior designer. The cost for furnishings is included in the price of the condo hotel unit.

SERVICES

Timeshares - In a timeshare, you are responsible for your own housekeeping and unit upkeep during your stay.

Condo Hotels - You get daily housekeeping as you would in a luxury hotel. You have access to room service, concierge services, maintenance services and check-in services. The vast majority of condo hotels are operated by big-name hoteliers like Ritz Carlton and Hilton, the consummate professionals when it comes to customer service. Most of the same services available at their high-end hotels are offered at their condo hotels.

LOCATION

Timeshares - Timeshares are located in highly-desirable resort areas.

Condo Hotels - Condo hotels are also located in highly-desirable resort areas.

PRICE

Timeshares - Prices for timeshares vary greatly but are typically lower than condo hotel prices because you are only purchasing one or two weeks of usage. In addition, you do not receive any of the revenue generated during the 50+ weeks that your timeshare unit is used by others.

With timeshares, as much as 40%-50% of the price goes to sales commissions. Why are the sales commissions so high? The developer must maintain a large sales force in order to make approximately 50 sales for every unit (one for every week of the year).

Condo Hotels - You receive deeded ownership to the property. Although more expensive, condo hotels tend to give you more for your money than timeshares. More of your dollar goes into bricks and mortar high-quality finishes not sales commissions.

In addition, when not using your condo hotel unit, you can place it in the managements rental program and receive a percentage of the revenue it generates, helping to offset your maintenance costs and debt service.

RENTAL INCOME POTENTIAL

Timeshares - You have the option of renting out your timeshare to someone of your own choosing or placing it in a rental program if you decide not to use it during your allotted week. If you participate in the rental program, you will split the revenue generated with the propertys management company. Remember, you are only renting out the one or two weeks per year that you own.

Condo Hotels - Like a timeshare, you have the option of finding your own renters or placing your condo hotel unit into the rental program. You may participate in the rental program and receive a portion of the revenue it generates any time that you are not occupying your unit, whether it be for one night or 365 per year.

POTENTIAL APPRECIATION

Timeshares - Historically, timeshares depreciate in value from the time they are purchased. Values have been poor because of the large number of resales on the market and a continuous stream of new developments competing with them.

The secondary market for reselling timeshares has never taken off. The fact is, most people who buy a timeshare will have it for life, whether they want to or not.

Condo Hotels - Because condo hotels are a relatively new type of property investment, they are limited to just a handful of locales across the country. The supply is small and demand is currently high and growing, all of which contribute rapid and significant appreciation. Another factor to keep in mind when reselling a condo hotel unit is that youre selling not only the actual unit but also the luxury lifestyle that comes with an amenity-filled, high-service property.

Many condo hotels are sold out in pre-construction. Often the developers, sensing the high demand, will themselves raise prices many times before all units are gone.

For example, The Mutiny condo hotel located in Coconut Grove, Florida was the first condo hotel to be built in South Florida. From the time the developer began accepting deposits until it sold out in pre-construction, there were nine price increases. People who bought early did exceptionally well.

Joel Greene is the President of Condo Hotel Center, a licensed real estate brokerage that specializes in the sale of condo hotels. For more information on condo hotels -- including property listings, photos and prices -- visit his website at http://www.CondoHotelCenter.com Be sure to sign up for his Property Alert e-newsletter to receive notification when new condo hotels come on the market and are available at pre-construction pricing. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joel_Greene

If you are wondering the question of how can I make my own pheromones, then you should know that you are not alone. However, you have to realize that the question of how can I make my own pheromones certainly does not refer only to humans, as most of the animal species as well produces pheromones, and so thus the question of how can I make my own pheromones could easily apply to any of them as well.

How Can I Start To Make My Own Pheromones?

If you are wondering the question of how can I make my own pheromones, then the first thing that you are going to have to decide is what type of pheromones you are going to need to make. For instance, if you are talking about human pheromones, then there are many different ways that you can go about this.

Studies and other research have already been done which show that you can make your own pheromones, and in the case of female human pheromones, for instance, there have been studies done where women while they were menstruating put gauze pads underneath their underarms where the most pheromones are produced during this time and then removed.

When men were told to smell these pads, they immediately were attracted, and this just goes to show how powerful pheromones are, especially during particular times. In order to make your own pheromones you could take these pads, for instance, and bring them to a lab, where the pheromones could then be excreted and used for various purposes.

If you are looking to make your own animal pheromones, then you should know that this too is possible, and one of the most common reasons that animal pheromones are produced is for the purpose of breeding. Basically, since your animal can only breed at certain times for the female when she is in heat is the best time if you create your own animal pheromones then they can basically breed whenever you want them to.

Creating pheromones is a science, and unless you absolutely know what you are doing, then you are definitely going to want to make sure that you get someone to help you along throughout this process. As well, make sure that you take time and effort beforehand so that you can do research and make yourself as knowledgeable and as informed as you possibly can.

There are two options for the future of humanity with respect to sex.

The first and most obvious, for it is already under way, is one in which technology increasingly eliminates the negative effects of copulation. That would be done by creating a more potent contraceptive technology, by elaborating more powerful medicines to deal with sexual diseases, and by restoring sexual abilities with anti-impotency drugs.

This option would allow people to have their cake and eat, for it would permit an ever growing amount of sex while having less of its negative side effects.

The other option is one in which genetic engineering would reconfigure the genetic code of people so that they would have a much lower sexual appetite.

This second option seems as the less exciting of the two, but in reality it is not. We can already take a glimpse at how it would look because there is a small percentage of the world population that already has that encoding.

There is a tiny share of individuals that is naturally born with a very low sexual appetite and usually goes for years without any sexual activity. In spite of that, they dont have a feeling that they are missing on the best in life. The biochemistry of their brain simply releases less of the substances that generate the strong sexual craving that most people experience and as a result they do not feel bad about being lonely.

Studies show that there is a link between intelligence and sexual activity: the higher the level of education, the lower the sexual appetite. High school drop-outs are on average the most promiscuous, then come those with a high school diploma, then those with an undergraduate degree, then those with specializations, and then the scientists.

This last group usually has more than ten years of university education. They are spontaneously driven towards knowledge and spend most of their time delving into books while neglecting their social and sexual life. Their life seems dull, but it is not. Their lower sexual activity does not carry with it less fun for they find it more entertaining to learn science than to party.

As paradoxical as it might seem, reconfiguring the genetic code so that the world population would be more like scientists, would actually run in parallel to the demands of religions. Religions have always opposed sex, deeming it as evil and immoral. They have also opposed science because this last has the habit of debunking all their ludicrous ideas. However, for once, science and religion could be singing the same song.

As unromantic as a sexless world would seem, such a place would be a much better one.

The fact is that at present there are a zillion diseases that are incurable or are only partially curable. Those diseases make life miserable for billions of people and the only one that can come to their rescue is science. In a world with many more scientists, the rate of medical progress would be much faster.

For those who insist that a sexless world would be a boring one, it is worth remembering that when people suffer from diseases, it is very hard to have sex or to love or to undertake any other form of entertainment.

What this world needs is more scientists and not more promiscuous politicians, sportsmen, singers, actors or workers. Scientists are the most valuable resource of our specie because they are the only ones that make progress possible with their inventions.

Therefore, a world in which the majority of the population would deploy most of its time into trying to figure out how to cure diseases would be a much better place than the existing one. At present, men spend most of their time trying to seduce women and women spend most of their time trying to make men fall in love with them. That ultimately leads to nothing.

We all want to become more confident and feel good about ourselves so we can live our very best life. Here are some ways to gain confidence and raise self-esteem:

1. Do something that requires a decision and a follow-through.

Have you been putting off writing that letter to aunt Martha? Is there a friend youve been meaning to call? Wash the car, tidy the garden or clean the house. Youll gain confidence by setting goals (even small ones) and following through on them.

2. Enjoy something you do well.

Do you have any hobbies or sports that you enjoy playing? Some things like going swimming, painting or writing can hold your attention and get you into a state of flow. While you are in the flow you forget about everything else.

Afterwards, youll feel competent and capable. Its a great way to boost your self-esteem. If you dont have any particular hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy make an effort to try something youve always wanted to try.

Picture yourself doing it, and then give it a try! It doesnt have to be something big - it can be as simple as joining a walking club.

Youll find that you are more centered and happier if you do something that puts you in that flow at least once a week.

3. Shift the focus.

Its been shown that low self-esteem develops hand-in-hand with individuals who put too much focus on themselves. You can gain confidence by doing something that focuses on someone else or even something else.

Youll find that when you are in a situation where you are meeting new people, you immediately become less nervous when you focus on the person you are meeting.

At the end of the day, youve interacted with others and will notice that you feel much lighter.

4. Relax, already!

Learning to become more relaxed is a great life enhancer. People who are more relaxed have fewer problems with their memories and are more likely to take the bumps in the road of life in stride.

The practice of meditation has gained popularity for this reason. You might want to look into Tai Chi, which involves physical relaxation techniques.

Whatever method you decide on, take relaxation seriously. The benefits are just too great to ignore. If youve never considered relaxation important, think of it this way: if you can attend to something that results in feeling good, how can you not gain confidence in your personal abilities?

5. Make a list of everything youve ever accomplished.

Think small. An accomplishment is an accomplishment! Some things you could put on your list: passed my drivers test and got my license, scored a goal when I played hockey, managed to save enough money to go on a trip and so on.

These are just a few ideas you can use to gain confidence and boost your self-esteem. Use these ideas as a base point and add these things permanently in your life.

Keep in mind, people are not born with good self-esteem, most of us have to work at it. It develops from your thinking and the things you do daily to make yourself feel good.

Sailing is a fantastic way of spending your vacation amidst the clear blue ocean and getting involved in lots of sea faring activities. Whatever occasion it may be, a honeymoon, a wedding celebration or a family vacation you can make the most of your opportunity by snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, playing golf, kayaking, swimming and sun bathing.

Apart from enjoying these several recreational programs, you can surely spend your time by observing sea birds, dolphins, sea turtles and whales. Sailing boats are available in a variety of forms and magnitudes depending upon the purpose for which it is going to be used. Some of the essential sailing gear comprise of gloves, short waterproof boots with a solid traction on the soles, wind shorts or pants and waterproof hooded windbreakers. Life jackets are also essential for sails boat. Hawaii and the Caribbean islands are two very exotic sailing destinations attracting large number of tourists each year.

Sailing School And Lessons

If boating, sailing and cruising are your passions then joining a Sailing School will prove to be of immense help. The sailing schools offer all-round sailing lessons basic sailing instructions, basic cruising instructions, bareboat charter lessons, navigational lessons, coastal cruising courses, etc. Lessons, that are beneficial for both the novice and the veteran. While the beginners learn the basics from these programs, the experienced lot get a chance to hone their skills.

The many sailing schools like the Annapolis Sailing School, Offshore Sailing School, Ottawa Sailing School, Windward Sailing School offer comprehensive sailing lessons that enable the sailors to guide the vessels to safe anchoring at a targeted port. Equipped with the best of programs, the most experienced instructors, quality sailing gears, these professional sailing institutes offer different certificate courses. The backdrop or the environment in which the Sailing schools are located, also works to the advantage of the learners/trainees.

It depends what you are looking to get out of it and what you are willing to put into it. A marriage counseling program can be as basic and broad, or as in depth and complex as you need it to be. First, you need to figure out where the problem areas lie in your marriage. Some of the basic marriage related issues that have benefited from marriage counseling include:

Communication problems. If there is a breakdown in communication in your marriage, this can have a snowball effect. Once you lose the ability to communicate effectively with your spouse, it is difficult to regain it. If you often feel misunderstood, or feel like your spouse is deliberately saying hurtful things. Or if you are constantly saying things to test your partner or try to get a reaction, you are probably getting frustrated with your failing efforts. Like it or not, we are not mind readers, and none of us are ever going to always say what our spouse would like to hear. A pattern of poor communication is hard to break. So, marriage counseling in Houston or any other state could help you break these bad habits.

Financial issues. Money can be the cause of many marital fights and disagreements. This is a complicated subject, and depending on how you handle your income and financial plans, it can be the cause of bitterness and resentment over the years. Often one partner earns more than the other, or one spouse wants to follow an expensive hobby. Perhaps there is disagreement about the kids' education funding. Or even about whether you should consult with an online marriage counseling service.

Sexual problems. A delicate subject but one often brought to the table within a successful therapy program. There is a great likelihood that sexual incompatibilities will arise in your marriage.

Adultery. Adultery is a hurtful and difficult conflict that most couples are unable to work through on their own. But it doesn't have to spell the end of your marriage.

Marriage counseling can help you identify the root of your marital problems and provide guidance on how to better communicate and work out your marriage issues together. If you've been trying to resolve conflict on your own, and you feel like your marriage just keeps getting worse, then you know that breaking the pattern of hurtful behavior and ineffective verbal communication will be difficult without intervention. Attending marriage counseling session would not necessarily save your relationship. If one or both of you is set on leaving, then the chances of resolution are slim. But if you want to work at the relationship, and you have mutual consent, marriage counseling can simplify the process and get the energy moving in the right direction.

Marriage counseling is not for everyone, because you cannot get someone to agree with you if they do not want to. Each partner must feel safe and confident during the sessions. While the counselor will play a neutral role, your need to allow your partner to express their feelings without your feeling hurt or rejected. This is not easy for most people to do, but you need to make the effort to get to this point before you hire a marriage counselor.