Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

The Arikok National Park has launched a campaign, asking people to capture boas, which they can exchange for cash at the parks offices.
The park is asking for people to bring in live specimens, because often, people mistake the harmless garden snake “santanero” for small boa. The santanero is endangered and facing extinction, therefore, the organizers want to avoid that more are killed unnecessarily.
The boa constrictor is a species that causes immense damage to the island’s fauna, especially the bird population. The boa was imported to Aruba to be kept as pets, but when they became too large, they were set free, as they became too difficult to handle in the home.
The average length of boas found on Aruba is just over 2 metres long. The largest one found had a length of 3 metres. They eat and grow rapidly, so hopefully, on Aruba, we will never find any 4 metre long boas, which are not unusual in their natural habitat in South America.
The park’s public relations representative, Jimmy Meyer in an interview said that they have already received almost 100 boas and the largest had a length of 2.5 metres.
The park’s campaign runs until May 16, 2012 and will be closed with a presentation of prizes to those who caught the most boas.

Source:aruba.com

The Arikok National Park has launched a campaign, asking people to capture boas, which they can exchange for cash at the parks offices.
The park is asking for people to bring in live specimens, because often, people mistake the harmless garden snake “santanero” for small boa. The santanero is endangered and facing extinction, therefore, the organizers want to avoid that more are killed unnecessarily.
The boa constrictor is a species that causes immense damage to the island’s fauna, especially the bird population. The boa was imported to Aruba to be kept as pets, but when they became too large, they were set free, as they became too difficult to handle in the home.
The average length of boas found on Aruba is just over 2 metres long. The largest one found had a length of 3 metres. They eat and grow rapidly, so hopefully, on Aruba, we will never find any 4 metre long boas, which are not unusual in their natural habitat in South America.
The park’s public relations representative, Jimmy Meyer in an interview said that they have already received almost 100 boas and the largest had a length of 2.5 metres.
The park’s campaign runs until May 16, 2012 and will be closed with a presentation of prizes to those who caught the most boas.

Source:aruba.com

If you are looking at selling your Aruba Home you might want to think about home inspections. Since many inspections fully check the home’s infrastructure, foundations and roof, most property experts suggest that you search for issues before putting your house on the market. Though older houses may have more problems, houses of any age or type should receive a checkup by home owners before entering the market. This article describes the most common problems discovered by home inspectors while offering some suggestions on how you can ensure your home will pass its inspection.

Plumbing Problems

Fix leaks and clogs well in advance of the home inspection date. The inspector will check water pressure by activating multiple taps and flushing toilets simultaneously. Home appliances for example dish washers and washing machines are also going to be tested. Leaks and clogs will be evident during the checks performed by the inspector.

The inspector may check the septic system. One method which may be used to test the system is to flush a dye down the toilet. The inspector will wait to see if the dye surfaces around the drainfield, showing a drainage problem.

Insufficient or Inferior Electrical Systems

An average home inspection will look into the electrical panel and circuit breakers that power your home for problems and test wall sockets throughout the home. The inspector will even look for ground fault interrupt outlets (GFIs) in the kitchen area and bathrooms. Configured to instantly turn off the power in the event of a short circuit, these special outlets are an essential safety feature for all homes. If your home is an older building, you may want to have GFIs installed and have your electrical system checked before your inspection.

Other Systems

The inspector will look into the cooling and heating systems, to ensure they are in correct working order and comment about their efficiency. The inspector will take a close look at the structure and foundation. All home appliances are going to be checked. The inspection report includes information about smoke sensors.

Prior to the Inspection

Do everything in you are able to make certain the house is in good shape before you try to sell it, try not to get frustrated when the inspection report has negative comments. Home inspectors write down everything they see. No house is perfect.

Keep in mind that the home inspection report isn’t a wish-list for purchasers. Read your contract carefully–it most likely states which systems ought to be in good condition at closing. For example, when the roof is older, but does not leak, it’s in good condition. Should there be a leak, and it can be fixed, the roof will be in good condition.

Your contract could also say that you’re not obliged to undertake any repairs at all–even though purchasers may withdraw from the contract. Don’t feel you have to adhere to any unreasonable demands for repairs.

This luxury Villa is located in Malmok which is considered to be the “Beverly Hills” of Aruba with nice roads and expensive homes. This property is huge and very private with a large front yard and a nicely landscaped back yard, This Villa is located on a small quite private street in Malmok.

Price:$850,000

Read more about this listing

Aqua Grill, the award-winning seafood restaurant located in Palm Beach, is offering a special menu for Mothers Day on Sunday evening.
The chef has put together a special three-course menu that includes a choice of fried calamari with a spicy sauce made of crushed tomato, olive oil and hot pepper, or a classic Caesar salad, followed by a choice from three main courses including fresh mahi mahi, West Indian curried shrimp, or chicken chasseur over fresh asparagus and angel hair pasta. Chef Scott’s special amaretto cheesecake, with plum compote, provides the perfect ending to a memorable Mother’s Day.
The restaurant is not only a critically-acclaimed seafood restaurant-it is also the premier restaurant to host group events for companies and organizations from both here on the island as well as groups from abroad traveling to Aruba for incentive trips and conventions.
Last weekend, Aqua Grill hosted a group of VIP guests here on the island from the U.S, with the insurance division of Sovereign Bank, for an incentive-based trip.

Source:aruba.com

Ease anxiety from office absence.

The tough economic climate is threatening countless jobs around the globe and pushing us to work harder and longer so that we can survive through these challenges. Along with the pressures of the world is the need to ensure there is a balance between work and family, especially when you plan to take a vacation in …… which requires spending time quality together time together.

Don’t fret. You will find ways in which you can connect with your workplace, during your vacation. Here are a few examples:

Document Sharing Tools

It’s not necessary to stay in your workplace to handle your workload. Document sharing tools like Google Paperwork permit you to manage your documents, presentations, excel spreadsheets and forms from your own laptop. You are able to upload, access and share your work with your co-workers and hierarchy without having to pay a cent! The effective posting and saving tools permit you to easily manage your workload.

Remote Desktop Access

You may have big plans for the family and wish to work at home or on vacation. But may be concerned that an excessive amount of information on you computer will not allow you the versatility. Technology will assist you with this by permitting you to access your workplace computer remotely with the aid of inexpensive desktop remote access software.

Online Fax needed

If you are unable to gain access to a fax outside of your workplace, it is possible to subscribe to an inexpensive online fax service, which enables you to send and receive faxes from all over the world.

Remote Meeting

Your manager would like you to attend an essential meeting which typically falls right in the middle of your long awaited vacation. Worry not! A web-based meeting service enables you to attend any meeting from a remote location. A regular messenger service like Google Talk or MSN Messenger will help you conduct a relevant video or voice call to your manager or co-workers.

Private Data Assistants

Nowadays all mobile phone companies are providing multi featured private data assistants PDA’s) that will help you manage your workload with greater versatility. Full of effective communications and office management tools, they permit you to access your emails and manage your documents.

The synchronization of worldwide communication systems means it is much simpler to remain in touch than in the past. Holidays should be a special time for not only you but your family and friends also. Having the ability to keep in touch with what’s going with your business, when you can’t be physically present can alleviate anxiety.

Whenever you take your Caribbean vacation, ensure you set aside some time to enjoy your surroundings, but also to consider the possibility of a real estate investment. Speak to a Coldwell Banker agent to discuss the possibilities.

Ease anxiety from office absence.

The tough economic climate is threatening countless jobs around the globe and pushing us to work harder and longer so that we can survive through these challenges. Along with the pressures of the world is the need to ensure there is a balance between work and family, especially when you plan to take a vacation in Aruba which requires spending time quality together time together.

Don’t fret. You will find ways in which you can connect with your workplace, during your vacation. Here are a few examples:

Document Sharing Tools

It’s not necessary to stay in your workplace to handle your workload. Document sharing tools like Google Paperwork permit you to manage your documents, presentations, excel spreadsheets and forms from your own laptop. You are able to upload, access and share your work with your co-workers and hierarchy without having to pay a cent! The effective posting and saving tools permit you to easily manage your workload.

Remote Desktop Access

You may have big plans for the family and wish to work at home or on vacation. But may be concerned that an excessive amount of information on you computer will not allow you the versatility. Technology will assist you with this by permitting you to access your workplace computer remotely with the aid of inexpensive desktop remote access software.

Online Fax needed

If you are unable to gain access to a fax outside of your workplace, it is possible to subscribe to an inexpensive online fax service, which enables you to send and receive faxes from all over the world.

Remote Meeting

Your manager would like you to attend an essential meeting which typically falls right in the middle of your long awaited vacation. Worry not! A web-based meeting service enables you to attend any meeting from a remote location. A regular messenger service like Google Talk or MSN Messenger will help you conduct a relevant video or voice call to your manager or co-workers.

Private Data Assistants

Nowadays all mobile phone companies are providing multi featured private data assistants PDA’s) that will help you manage your workload with greater versatility. Full of effective communications and office management tools, they permit you to access your emails and manage your documents.

The synchronization of worldwide communication systems means it is much simpler to remain in touch than in the past. Holidays should be a special time for not only you but your family and friends also. Having the ability to keep in touch with what’s going with your business, when you can’t be physically present can alleviate anxiety.

Whenever you take your Caribbean vacation, ensure you set aside some time to enjoy your surroundings, but also to consider the possibility of a real estate investment. Speak to a Coldwell Banker agent to discuss the possibilities.

The Westin Resort & Casino Aruba has announced the appointment of Gino Schwengle as the new Director of Food & Beverage for the resort.

The Westin’s food and beverage operations encompass several restaurants, including Pago Pago-a fine dining experience combining Pacific Rim and Caribbean flavors.

Westin is also one of the island’s premier events, weddings, and convention resorts.

Gino is a graduate of the Aruba Hotels school of hotel management, and has held management positions at several of the island resorts and restaurants, most recently as general manager for Hard Rock CaféAruba.

Gino is looking forward to continuing the resorts long-standing reputation as a food and beverage leader, and innovator on the island.

The Westin’s food and beverage operation also includes other island favorites, including Baci Risorante, which features classic and contemporary Italian cuisine; Azul, a unique toes-in-the sand dining experience, along with several other restaurants.

Source:aruba.com

When you live on the beautiful island of Arub, it is likely that you will have summer guests visiting for their vacations. If you are trying to figure out the easiest and best ways to entertain your guests with home activities, there are lots of ideas to consider. Whether there are lots of tourist spots close to you or visitors want to relax around the house, it is always best to prepare so that your summer guests have options If you are planning home activities for your visitors, here are some useful pointers for giving them a great summer getaway at your house.
**Make your living areas inviting : While you may not consider it since you live in your home, your living areas may be the place where your visitors spend the most time. Take advantage of the stunning views which surround your home by cleaning all windows and ensuring a beautiful unrestricted view. Look around your interiors and see whether there are areas for guests to read a book in a snug chair, or possibly even place a throw blanket over the settee for cool summers nights. Think about your home as a hotel with conveniences that you would enjoy if staying there.
**Prepare your outside home: Inevitably your outside home will be another area that your house guests will want to spend plenty of their free time. Make sure seating is inviting, clean, and has been completely washed and dried. Replace unpleasant furniture cushions, paint pine furniture, and dissolve your outdoor home with character. Add ornamental touches like plants, flowers, hanging baskets and shaded areas. Use umbrellas, fabric, arbors or other creative uses of overhead covering to guarantee guests are not sitting in direct sun if they do not want to. For pool areas, make sure the pool is clean, and has enough safe areas for children and grownups to stroll around furniture and landscaped areas.
**Research local facilities: Before your visitors arrive, research local amenities and tourist areas in your hometown. Most locals forget how to be tourists! Visit your local travel agency, surf the net, or visit the tourist office to get leaflets, maps, and an inventory of attractions / tours for your visitors. While your visitors will like your house, part of the excitement of traveling is seeing the local tourists areas and eating the local fare. Throwing on a back pack and taking a nature hike perhaps just the activity your visitors would really like. Talk with your visitors before they arrive and ask them what they would like to do while visiting you, this may save a little time in planning, and avoid disappointment.
**Tailor house activities to your visitors : Consider what kind of guests you are entertaining while selecting activities. For parents with youngsters, consider what activities will be enjoyable for them. Outdoor recreational equipment made available to play in the back yard, or even painting, ensuring that there are plenty of markers and lots of paper available can keep many children happy for hours. For seniors or those who want to relax and be still, consider supplying lots of reading materials, TV guide and remote control could perhaps be all they require as a break away from their home to feel nicely relaxed and rejuvenated by your home.
Your home could be a more exciting destination spot than you ever realized. Take time before your visitors arrive to ascertain their interests along with the facilities of your home. Summer guests wish to enjoy their home, but also spend time with you and your family. Make this a summer to remember and to form vacation memories to last for a life-time. Who knows, you may just enjoy yourself as much as your vacationing house guests!

This two-story residence is located at Bubali Villapark, an upscale very private residential park. The home is built on 556m2 property land. The home features 2 bedrooms, walk-in closet, 2 bathrooms on the ground floor, and large European kitchen with dining area and a spacious living-room on the first floor.

Price:$759,000

Read more about this listing