The second home resort real estate market is being dramatically changed!

OK! So, I did my homework last week and visited two more fractional ownership opportunities for people who want deeded ownership of their resort home, but not all the hassles of the financial outlay and the maintenance responsibility.

The Residence Clubs of the Ritz Carlton, the Weston Resorts and Harlequin Property are examples of three companies at the top of this niche market. Remember,

• You actually own a portion of the property along with several other fractional owners. 
•  You enjoy the typical appreciation that occurs with deeded resort property.  ( Timeshares decrease in value the moment you purchase them because it is for a specific period of time as opposed to you owning the property with a deed.
•  You decide how much of the ownership you would like to have.  Fractional ownership costs millions of dollars less than owning a traditional “second home”, whether it is on the slopes of Aspen, on a tropical beach in the Caribbean, Hawaii, the South Seas, or even Phuket, Thailand.

 Our company represents over 15 fractional and full ownership 5-star resort properties from the Caribbean, to Tuscany, to Thailand! The cost of a fractional ownership of 5-star resort properties ranges from $145,000 to $1,000,000 and more.  Some of these resort home developers even offer 100% financing.  Let me know if we can be of assistance.  Until next time…your luxury lifestyle detective is back to work for you.

Kids Are Also Perfect For the Caribbean!

The Caribbean is not just a place for adults to vacation.

Your kids are fully aware of the Caribbean, if not just from watching the Pirates Of The Caribbean series of movies. I am hearing from many of you that have never been to the Caribbean that your kids are now requesting that it be your next vacation destination.  I have done my homework, so here are some suggested Caribbean destinations for your first or next visit:

• Booking a cruise could be your easiest introduction to the Caribbean.  It allows you to scout out many different islands during a week cruise that is not possible by just vacationing on one island. ( A cruise ship doesn’t float my boat, but many people love them!) If you want to take this option consider the 100-passenger Pacific Explorer.)
• The next step into the kid-friendly Caribbean is an all-inclusive resort.  Some resorts to consider for this type of vacation are; Jamaica’s Starfish Trelawny Resort; The Beaches in the Turks and Caicos Islands; Iberostar’s resort on Mexico’s Mayan Riviera; and the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.  All four of these are great choices for you to consider.
• The next step up in kid-friendly Caribbean adventures would be to choose a region.  Three that are family favorites are Jamaica, Mexico’s Yucatan with Cancun as the center of action, and the Dominican Republic. You can visit each of these region’s possibilities on Google or Yahoo! and design your own vacation adventures.
• A charter sailing vacation in the British Virgin Islands would be considered a “theme vacation” with the kids. You pick the yacht together. You decide on your daily anchorages. You decide on your daily adventures. You even decide on your daily menus and beverages. ( This is my personal choice for a family adventure in the Caribbean.)
• A final destination to consider is a 5-star luxury resort like Azul Beach Resort on Mexico’s Mayan Riviera. This all-inclusive resort even has “beach butlers”, luxury spas, hair braiding and funky manicures.  This one is over the top for any family wanting to have every one of their needs met at the resort.

So, here is the real deal…the Caribbean can be the most family focused vacation destination you have ever experienced!  No matter how you decide to experience the Caribbean your kids will be really glad you decided to create a vacation that included them.  Let me know if you have some other suggestions we need to pass on.  Until next time…

My Definition Of “Tropical Islands” Has Been Expanded To Maui!

My family trip to Maui is creating wonderful family memories and is also educational.

When I think of tropical islands, my mind always goes to the Caribbean. But, my California family members think of Hawaii. So, that is where we all went this week.  This is the second Thanksgiving my extended family has spent in the Hawaiian Islands. 

This year we selected the Four Seasons Resort on Maui as our headquarters with a total of 14 joining us.  What a great choice we made.  Last night our Thanksgiving feast was out on the lawn just above the breaking waves with torches lit around our table as our only lighting with the full moon.  It was a magical night of sharing our mountain of blessings together. 

I am always on the lookout for interesting cultural aspects of any tropical island I am visiting. This week my focus has been on the ancient art of outrigger canoe paddling.  The Four Seasons Resort is only one of two hotels in all of Hawaii that is certified to have an outrigger paddling program. 

Rob, Michael and Gary are the leaders of this program.  We have joined them early each morning for a 45 minute workout along the Wailea coast line.  They have also organized a canoe team from the hotel with Lisa, one of the wait staff, as a coach of their co-ed team.  Their 2006 canoe competition gained them 12 first place finishes and one second place finish – pretty impressive given the number of canoe clubs on the islands.  The closest club open to anyone to join is the Kihei Canoe Club, just about ten minutes from the resort.

The perpetuation of this ancient art has gained momentum in such a manner that it is now an honor if you are able to join a Canoe Club.  They have two sections of their racing season – sprint season and long distance season.  The sprint season has distances from a quarter mile to three miles.  The long distance season has races up to 40 miles, and even a race between islands. 

Our short work out each morning gave us an appreciation of what a paddling pace is at 65 paddles a minute, and remembering that the teams can keep this pace for hours!  The competitive teams train and practice year round and are tremendous athletes.  Next time you are on the Hawaiian Islands, check it out.  Let me know what some of your experiences have been with this ancient Hawaiian traditional sport.

I am off today for meetings with several real estate developers who are creating two 5-star fractional ownership opportunities for our worldwide real estate clients.  I will report back in the next day or so as to what I discover.  Until then…

Besides counting blessings this week there was another Thanksgiving celebration October 15

This is the traditional week to take a few moments and count the mountain of blessings each of us has- no matter what our situation is. No matter what our “story” is, it is important to find silver linings in order to create a life worth living. Many of you may not realize there are two Thanksgivings celebrated in the Virgin Islands – Hurricane Thanksgiving on October 15, and the traditional one celebrated this Thursday.

Every October since 1726, the residents of the US Virgin Islands offer thanks for their safekeeping during the potentially lethal hurricane season that officially lasts from July through the end of October. The day has historically been observed by offering thanks to God for his protection during the season. The event had been losing its significance through several years of relatively mild hurricanes until the tradition was revived by the devastating Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn in 1995. The day is a national holiday across the islands and is marked with prayer and often with a celebratory meal in the evening.

Our traditional celebration this week will include seventeen members of our extended family who have joined us. Below is the prayer I will be saying at our Thanksgiving table. If you are around, let me know what some of your traditions are for this special family holiday. Until next time.

Getting together with our loved ones; feast, toast, enjoy the blessings of life – and give thanks. Thanks for life all around us, underfoot, and overhead.

Thanks for the ability to remember those we love as well as to forget how much we’ve been hurt; thanks for fine young bodies and old, venerable minds; for sun on our faces, the rain on the roof, and the food on the table grown by people we don’t even know.

Thanks that the jets overhead aren’t dropping their bombs, that our healing hands have a place to practice, that children are born every minute of the day, and that death is there to gather us up at the end.

And thanks for at least one day a year when we all take the time to get some perspective.

- Patrick Finley

More lifestyle detective work with the entire family joining me this time.

I promise that I am not attempting to give every airlines I fly a “commercial”, but I had another surprise yesterday flying to the islands with my family for Thanksgiving week. Our next door neighbor, Maureen Nunley, has been a flight attendant with United Airlines forever. We walk onto the plane and there she was, working our flight. Maureen gives every United customer first-class service – even the neighbors! Thank you, Maureen, and United Airlines for making our very long trip so special. We look forward to running into her again on our next United experience.

This trip is not only to have all of our family together again, but it is to check out the Ritz Carlton Residence Club on the island, and the Westin Resort Starwood Residence Club. We already represent the Ritz Carlton for their fractional ownership program, however, we have not investigated yet the Westion fractional ownership program. We want to be on the leading edge for our clients real estate needs, and those that are interested in the fractional ownership path are going to find that the Ritz and the Westin present have great products to consider. My posting a week or so ago outlined how a deeded fraction ownership works, and it is an important alternative for those who do not want to fully own real estate in Paradise.

On this adventure this week we also are so grateful to have our extended family join us at the Four Seasons Resort – Ann Marie’s sister Paula, her husband and their three boys, Joey, Jack and Will; our brother-in-law, Jeff Peterson and his two boys, Kort and Eric; and Ann Marie’s mom, Peggy. They are some of our most fun people to spend time with. What a blessing that is compared to some of our friends who are not every excited about spending time with their extended family. So, our Thanksgiving week is going to be full of family adventures, counting our blessings, and checking out some more real estate opportunities in Paradise. Stay tuned for more reports. Let me know what your Thanksgiving plans are. Until next time

Let our lives be entertaining.

What do you say?  Lets all commit to at least an entertaining life. OK?  Some further perspectives from the Caribbean have to do with the Captain and the crews of the charter fleet who get up each morning with a huge task of creating unforgettable experiences everyday for their guests.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog posting about the tough job of Captains and crews,  they are the cowboys of the Caribbean Sea.  Captain Chris from Blu Moon sent me this email today.  There was no other message other than this quote.  Enough said.  Enjoy!

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intent of arriving safely, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, my body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”

Jason Kumpf from Raffles Tortola sends in his experience at the Boat Show

I spoke with Jason Kumpf, one of the key marketing people for Raffles Tortola at Lambert Bay. You remember the two postings I had in September about this eco-friendly ultra-luxury resort that is being developed at this gorgeous tropical paradise on the back side of Tortola, BVI? Our company is one of the representatives of this project to our worldwide clientele. Here are some of his thoughts about attending the Boat Show last week

“I heard about the Virgin Island Charter League Boat Show from Jim Walberg, a recent business partner, and now a dear friend. Besides the beautiful Yacht Haven Grande at Charlotte Amalie,, and the manner in which their staff delivered memorable customer service every day, and the amazing charter boat fleet, the “people” are the real story of the Boat Show.

From the local people I met, like Big Mama, to the captains and crew, like Captain Simone from Clasship I, to the USVI Governor, Lt. Governor, and Senator, to Jim Walberg. The “people” always create the extraordinary experience, plus Jim is a unique part of that group of Caribbean “stars”.

To give you a perspective on Jim that I gained over the two days I spent with him at the Boat Show, you need to know that what you see is merely the surface of a very deep and thoughtful person. In order for you to understand why he is incredibly outgoing, upbeat and the wise person he is, you must understand that he has lived and died four times in the past three years. Literally died!

I can’t fully comprehend the experience of being resuscitated even once, but I can fully appreciate the state of mind in which a survivor like Jim is in everyday. He is a survivor of prostate cancer. He had ulcerative colitis in such a severe way that his colon and rectum were fully removed. He also had several additional major health issues that showed up because of the battering and beating his body took over a two year period of time – having a ten and half hour surgery to repair heart damage from these events, water on the brain, shingles, and a gall bladder that blew up.

So, do you understand why each moment is a blessing for Jim, and he shares those blessing with everyone he meets. He gives everyone he meets permission to recognize their own blessing which is actually calledl their daily lives. Jim, thanks for the insights, and see you soon on-island! I thought I was spending time with a Realtor representing properties worldwide. What I discovered was how to look at life in a much different manner.”

Jason Kumpf – Raffles Tortola

Shelly Tucker from the yacht Three Moons finally is regaining her voice and has logged in.

Shelly’s Comments: I’ve finally had a couple of days to breath and have begun the process of sending formal “Thank You’s” to everyone that attended the show. (I still haven’t fully regained my voice!) Jim, thanks so much for your personal support of VICL and the 33rd Annual Show with your Internet reporting! The wave of excitement is continuing to carry us on to more positive projects for the local marine industry in the Caribbean.

The grand opening of the 33rd Annual Charter Boat Show, in my mind, was like unwrapping a long awaited present. I never dreamed when I contacted Governor John deJongh, Lieutenant Governor Francis R. Gregory, Senator Lewis Hill, Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson Doty, and West Indies Corporation’s President Edward Thomas, that they would not only attend and speak at the Boat Show, but also stay and enjoy the festivities on Thursday night that was in their honor.

The island is still buzzing with the news of the success of the first show at Yacht Haven Grande. Media releases are being typed, the best photos from the show are being collected & chosen for release and our thoughts are already turning towards the planning for next year’s Boat Show.

Yacht Haven Grande has already given their formal approval for hosting the show next year! Ken Criswell, Island Global Yachting Caribbean Regional Manager, Marina Manager Kristin Fritz and Derrick Franklin have all given their approval to proceed with planning for the 2008 show. We need to finalize the dates with the BVI Charter Yacht Society; but right now, it looks like it’s going to be November 10th, 11th and 12th of 2008. Announcements will be made soon to the Charter Leagues and the Charter fleet.

I feel we’ve developed a good working relationship with Yacht Haven Grande with respect and trust for each other. With the feedback we are receiving from the show attendees, we should be able to easily surpass this year’s event in size and scope of creating three days that deliver value to all attendees.

Everyone at Yacht Haven Grande was wonderful to work with. Their professionalism and willingness to jump in there and help get the job done was much appreciated. They worked hard to facilitate a good experience for everyone. Many of the yachts had not docked at the marina before. It can be nerve wracking docking at a new marina; but not at Yacht Haven Grande! They were completely smooth and efficient! All the restaurants did a beautiful job of making sure that our show attendees were well fed and happy. Excellent service at a world class marina is what Yacht Haven Grande is all about and they exceeded everyone’s expectations!

I suppose the funniest thing was simply seeing all our friends and brokers that we’ve known for many years go all out with their costumes for the Pirate Party! It was amazing to see so much “Piracy Participation”!

I really enjoyed seeing how many yacht crews and brokers attended the seminars hosted by the West Indies Corporation. One of the requests that we had from everyone this year was to “educate us”! The wine seminars, rum seminars with the Bacardi Ambassador, and the marine related seminar hosted by lawyer Mike Fitzsimmons were well attended. They all had great reviews!

Michael Fitzsimmons, the local Virgin Island admiralty and maritime attorney, and former charter boat skipper and dive instructor, spoke about several unique aspects of maritime law including maritime liens, insurances issues, and common causes of lawsuits against vessels and owners. He took questions from the audience concerning liability waivers and limitation of liability laws. The attendees of this seminar raved about the information provided.

One of the members of the VICL Board of Governors happened to be on a plane full of charter yacht brokers departing St. Thomas. He reported that the brokers were ecstatic with the success of the show and cannot wait to come back for next years event – the 34th Annual VICL Boat Show! Just wait ’til you see the events we are planning for next year’s show! It will blow your socks off. ( You know Jim, I don’t remember ever seeing you with socks on – ever! )

Shelly Tucker – Yacht Three Moons

What does it take to create a memorable moment for the world you touch each day?

I was minding my own business yesterday, waiting in line for a sandwich at my favorite deli at Lunardi’s Market. Pamela, one of the ladies that always is smiling and engaging, welcomed me back to the store after spending time at the VICL Boat Show last week. After she made my sandwich she said she had something for me and asked me to wait just a moment. She went in the back of the store and came out with a DVD of the movie “Pay It Forward”.She asked that I watch the movie and return it to her the next time I came in for a sandwich. I thanked her for her thoughtfulness, and let her know I had already seen the movie. She asked me to please watch it again. It took the DVD from her and promised to return it.

So, I walked to the check out counter and Denise was there to ring me up. I fumbled around in my pockets and realized I had forgotten to put my wallet and money in my pants when I left the house. I embarrassingly let Denise know I had no money, but I told her I would go back home and get some cash if she would just keep the sandwich at her check out stand until I returned. She said, “No problem. I will pay for your sandwich today. Next time you’re in the store just pay me back.” I was blown over by her random act of kindness. I hurried home and came right back to the store to repay Denise.

It takes so little to create an unforgettable moment for our customers – whether they are charter guests, real estate clients, or just one of the retail stores on or off island. Just so you know, I have this experience all the time in the Caribbean. Maybe that is one of the reasons I love it so much down there, and keep coming back. My question today is, what are you doing to create unforgettable memories for the world in which you live? Please rent “Pay It Forward” and watch it. Also, click on “Johnny’s Story” right now in order to see “service above self” in action. Take a moment and send me some of your extraordinary customer service stories.

33rd Annual Virgin Island Charter League Boat Show – a post-event perspective

I never dreamed what I committed to do with four postings a day for this event.

A blogger is a citizen journalist writing about things he/she observes. Last week, I attended the VICL 33rd Annual Charter Boat show, not as a charter yacht broker, but as an internet blog reporter with a commitment to deliver four postings a day. My task was to find four interesting stories a day to write about and add photos to the posting. I had no idea what I had committed to because I had never written more than four blog postings a week. It was like being a newspaper reporter with four deadlines a day! I needed to have my creative antennas out at all times in order to see if I could come up with a new angle on the events that were unfolding at the Boat Show.

In the process of creating the postings, I took over 400 photos in four days. The photos were also a BIG part of the inspiration of each of the postings. By the end of the second day of the boat show a momentum began to surface of the participants recognizing who I was and what I was doing. Everyday I passed out my business cards and letting people know that I was posting about the boat show on www.CaribbeanIslandsRealty.com . What gained momentum were the number of people who wanted me to interview them and take their photos so they could be on the internet. Hopefully, I did not disappoint the participants in the show.

I like to focus on the service providers of any even environment – restaurant wait staff, bar tenders, yacht marina service people, volunteers, etc. That aspect of my postings turned out to be some of the most fun. Because of allowing this group of people to participate in my work, I always was able to get a table at a restaurant and to get a seat at the bars.

The governor, lieutenant governor, and a senator of the Virgin Islands were at the opening reception for the show. Because I was doing the internet interviews, they were glad to participate and answer my interview questions. It allowed me access to these important policy makers for the Virgin Islands that I would have never had if I was just a charter yacht broker for the show. The savvy marketing people and public figures clearly understand the power of the internet and they want and need the exposure.

Another observation is that if a person opens up their consciousness to having “magic” happen each day, it will happen. Remember in my first posting of the boat show it was about my flight being canceled because of mechanical difficulties? It caused me to spend the night in Miami instead of St. Thomas. I allowed my brain to stay open to having that event be OK because it meant there was someone(s) for me to meet. I met Betsy and Marques. Also keeping my brain open I met Bill Tait while he was checking his email at Yacht Haven Grande. Bill emailed me the quote that encouraged him during his first few months in the Caribbean from Mark Twain. I met Megan and Amber at the Rum Hut as they called taxis for me each night. I met Catherine, the manager of Wikked Restaurant & Bar. I met Big Momma who sold the hats and t-shirts for all of the businesses at Yacht Haven Grande – and so on, and so on. These are the people who help create the “Caribbean experience”.

A final observation about the last five days is the “viral marketing” that occurred because of one person telling another person, and another person about my blog, which resulted in visitors from 16 different countries in the past few days. I never ever dreamed that the “viral marketing” aspect of blogging was so powerful. All of the results from this blogging marathon would not have been possible if it had not been for my Blogging Coach, John Harper. He worked behind the scenes as I sent him my articiles and photos, and then he would transform them into postings that resulted into something that made sense and created continuity on my internet site. I am grateful for the services that John delivered to this project. I have still not fully downloaded on all the events of the past five days, but as I sort things out I will let you know more of my discoveries. Until next time…