Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

Aruba was the host resort for the nuptials and surrounding festivities for Miami-based couple Nick Sarnicola and Ashley Riggs.
The happy couple are part of Compass Productions’ reality web TV show called “Power Couples,” which features couples that fall into the top 1% of wage earners in the U.S.
Around 100 guests from abroad, joined Nick and Ashley for the chic affair, which began with a pre-ceremony cocktail hour on the beach with hors d’oeuvres, including tuna tataki shooters, Brie in puff pastry, and chilled beef tenderloin on focaccia.
A stunning sunset ceremony, was followed by a wedding feast held at the resort’s Terrace venue overlooking the beach, with a premium bar and live band. After dinner, guests walked over to neighboring beach bar, Bugaloe, for dancing and a celebratory plunge into the sea at 11:11pm. Afterwards, guests refreshed and changed at the resort for a wedding after-party held in the ballroom, munching on mini beef sliders, pizza, and desserts until the wee hours of the morning.
The popular Westin Resort & Casino, was the host resort for the nuptials and surrounding festivities.

Source:aruba.com

When you have made the decision to place your Aruba Home onto the market, home staging is a critical part of the sale process because if you wish to make the most money from your home and get a quick sale, you will need potential buyers to feel its a hot property. These 20 top tips will help you understand what the main dos and don’ts are for successful home staging.

Do

1.Set your listing cost by using area comparables

2.Put personal collections away somewhere safe.

3.Give your home a fresh coat of paint.

4.Clean windows and open curtains.

5.Fix all running toilets, or risk flushing profits down the drain

6.Remember that outdoors is just as important as indoors so prepare your entire living space to the same high standard

7.Visit model homes to see how they look and feel, and incorporate these aspects into your home

8.Grind a lemon inside the waste disposal, this will smell great for when potential buyers are visiting

9.Display fresh flowers, fake plastic flowers do not give off the right impression

10.Keep your day job, hire an expert and assist them in what they do best

Don’t

1. Tell yourself that the higher the asking price, the more options you will have when negotiating ^ You could end up idle on the market.

2. Leave obstacles like bikes and scooters laying around in the front yard

3. Do any major renovations

4. Use scented air fresheners, instead dot fresh flowers around your home

5. Leave personal paperwork laying around

6. Think the house will sell itself, your home needs look the best to sell

7. Clean up by putting everything in the closets

8. Leave incomplete DIY jobs

9. Be scared to ask for help, there are many professionals who can assist with staging

10. Allow pets to greet the visitors at the door

Does your house look like a show home yet? It is always best to look at your home as if you were a highly critical buyer. Home staging properly is very important especially in a difficult market when potential buyers feel it necessary to offer below the asking price. When you present your home in the best way possible it will strengthen your position as a seller when negotiating price.

A Highquality Luxury Residence on the outskirts of Oranjestad in the upscale area of Ponton. The residence is built on 1200m2 property land and the built up area is 490m2. The house has 4 bedrooms wz bath and walk-inn closets, of which one is located on the first floor.

Price:$1,050,000

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A few hundred people happily welcomed the New Year last Sunday morning by dipping into the ocean for a refreshing dive. Unlike other countries however, it is no hardship to do so on Aruba, as we have the beautiful warm waters of the Caribbean sea lapping our shores. Afterward there was Unox pea soup with sausage to warm up again, so that everyone was ready to party on. The third Diveversity/MooMba Unox Nieuwjaarsduik saw a great zumba warm-up at 11 o’clock. A large group of dancers could be seen following the moves of the instructor, and at noon they all ran into the sun-lit Caribbean Sea.
Clad in their best bathing suits and wearing orange Unox hats rimmed with the Dutch national colors, red, white and blue, they jumped in together, enjoying the worldwide tradition of taking a plunge on January 1st.
All who attended had a wonderful time and vowed to return next year, god willing.

Source:aruba.com

This custom-built home has been designed to meet Caribbean living; one of the finest luxury homes currently available in the Caribbean. Set in a very quiet and private residential area Bakval near the best beaches of the Caribbean.

Price:$1,200,000

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When you are out and about in your home town on the beautiful island of Aruba you will undoubtedly notice there are many home alterations under construction, together with various lawn signs for roofing contractors, replacement windows, or kitchen remodeling. While these bigger projects may increase home value, it is possible to find low-cost projects that can also add to the value of your home.

1. Paint the Interior. If you have not given your home a new coat of paint for 10 years or more, your ceiling is most likely looking dull and the colors on your walls are out of style.

New homeowners will often make the decision to use the same color throughout most of the house. And the color of choice tends to be white or a neutral color. It is possible to increase the value of your home by choosing to use more contemporary colors and opting for more vibrant colors for just a few rooms in your house. Freshly painted ceilings will brighten your home.

2. Refinish the front door. First impressions mean a great deal and if your front door is needing work this will be setting the wrong tone straight away.

Refinishing front doors does not usually take much effort. If it’s painted, make sure you sand the surface to make it rough before applying a new coat of paint. If it’s stained it is advisable to use a very fine grade of sandpaper to guarantee the sealer will adhere to the surface.

When you are preparing the door for that finish coat, check the weather stripping for damage. With soaring energy costs, adding newer and more effective weather stripping will help in reducing your costs in utility bills.

Whether you are painting or staining, start the task early in the morning that way the surface will dry before you need to close the door for the evening.

3. Replace your bathroom fan with one that’s rated for a room twice the size. Bathrooms are the second most costly room in the home to remodel. Apart from leaking pipes, nothing will cause much harm to your bathroom other than an excessive amount of steam from the shower.

Replacing your bathrooms fan with one ranked for a room twice its size will rapidly remove moisture and protect your bathroom from mold.

4. Replace kitchen cabinet hardware. Although the kitchen is easily the most costly room in your home to remodel, there are other options which will cost far less to make your kitchen look fresher. Replacing your kitchen cabinet hardware with self-closing hinges and new knobs or pulls can change the look of your kitchen ^ quickly and inexpensively.

5. Replace laminate kitchen counter tops. This is actually the most costly project on this list, however it can significantly improve the look of your kitchen - for under 15 % of the price of remodeling your kitchen completely. Laminates previously came in just a number of shades of white, however now it is available in most colors and designs, a lot of which resemble much more expensive solid surface materials, like stone or tile.

Another advantage to changing your laminate kitchen counters is that it could be a one-day job rather than the 8-12 weeks of disruption you would experience when completely remodeling the entire kitchen.

6. Landscape the front yard. When the shrubbery is overgrown, the wild birds are eating grubs in your lawn, and dandelions are the only flowers left in the yard, maybe its time to get out the gardening gloves and tools.

Landscape designs today do not necessarily mean three evergreen bushes on the left and on the right - there are many options of plants that will add color and style to your yard. Visit the local landscape designs center to see the dozens of ideas they will have for you.

7. Attack the list of maintenance jobs you’ve been meaning to get around to. Properly maintaining your home means keeping minor jobs minor, instead of allowing them to get bigger, and much more pricey.

8. Refinish your hardwood flooring. Scratched and worn hardwood flooring detract from your home’s value, and when left unprotected, you may need to replace them, resulting in a huge cost. Paying an expert to refinish them may be beneficial ^ going too far when using the sander can leave permanent indentations in your flooring. Find a list of companies in your area. And when you are refinishing your flooring, consider staining them for any dramatic, new look.

So if you want to ring in the changes this new year and add value to your home inexpensively, these tips should help you on the right path to a new fresh look for your home while adding value at the same time.

When you are out and about in your home town on the beautiful island of Aruba you will undoubtedly notice there are many home alterations under construction, together with various lawn signs for roofing contractors, replacement windows, or kitchen remodeling. While these bigger projects may increase home value, it is possible to find low-cost projects that can also add to the value of your home.

1. Paint the Interior. If you have not given your home a new coat of paint for 10 years or more, your ceiling is most likely looking dull and the colors on your walls are out of style.

New homeowners will often make the decision to use the same color throughout most of the house. And the color of choice tends to be white or a neutral color. It is possible to increase the value of your home by choosing to use more contemporary colors and opting for more vibrant colors for just a few rooms in your house. Freshly painted ceilings will brighten your home.

2. Refinish the front door. First impressions mean a great deal and if your front door is needing work this will be setting the wrong tone straight away.

Refinishing front doors does not usually take much effort. If it’s painted, make sure you sand the surface to make it rough before applying a new coat of paint. If it’s stained it is advisable to use a very fine grade of sandpaper to guarantee the sealer will adhere to the surface.

When you are preparing the door for that finish coat, check the weather stripping for damage. With soaring energy costs, adding newer and more effective weather stripping will help in reducing your costs in utility bills.

Whether you are painting or staining, start the task early in the morning that way the surface will dry before you need to close the door for the evening.

3. Replace your bathroom fan with one that’s rated for a room twice the size. Bathrooms are the second most costly room in the home to remodel. Apart from leaking pipes, nothing will cause much harm to your bathroom other than an excessive amount of steam from the shower.

Replacing your bathrooms fan with one ranked for a room twice its size will rapidly remove moisture and protect your bathroom from mold.

4. Replace kitchen cabinet hardware. Although the kitchen is easily the most costly room in your home to remodel, there are other options which will cost far less to make your kitchen look fresher. Replacing your kitchen cabinet hardware with self-closing hinges and new knobs or pulls can change the look of your kitchen ^ quickly and inexpensively.

5. Replace laminate kitchen counter tops. This is actually the most costly project on this list, however it can significantly improve the look of your kitchen - for under 15 % of the price of remodeling your kitchen completely. Laminates previously came in just a number of shades of white, however now it is available in most colors and designs, a lot of which resemble much more expensive solid surface materials, like stone or tile.

Another advantage to changing your laminate kitchen counters is that it could be a one-day job rather than the 8-12 weeks of disruption you would experience when completely remodeling the entire kitchen.

6. Landscape the front yard. When the shrubbery is overgrown, the wild birds are eating grubs in your lawn, and dandelions are the only flowers left in the yard, maybe its time to get out the gardening gloves and tools.

Landscape designs today do not necessarily mean three evergreen bushes on the left and on the right - there are many options of plants that will add color and style to your yard. Visit the local landscape designs center to see the dozens of ideas they will have for you.

7. Attack the list of maintenance jobs you’ve been meaning to get around to. Properly maintaining your home means keeping minor jobs minor, instead of allowing them to get bigger, and much more pricey.

8. Refinish your hardwood flooring. Scratched and worn hardwood flooring detract from your home’s value, and when left unprotected, you may need to replace them, resulting in a huge cost. Paying an expert to refinish them may be beneficial ^ going too far when using the sander can leave permanent indentations in your flooring. Find a list of companies in your area. And when you are refinishing your flooring, consider staining them for any dramatic, new look.

So if you want to ring in the changes this new year and add value to your home inexpensively, these tips should help you on the right path to a new fresh look for your home while adding value at the same time.

Aqua Grill restaurant in Palm Beach, is 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. Aqua Grill’s staff are experienced in the fine art of event planning, and can accommodate special requests, menus tailored for a specific event and budget, and can assist in coordinating all the details for a flawless and memorable event.
Aqua Grill is also a critically-acclaimed seafood restaurant, with a delightful selection of local produce to satisfy the most discerning of diners.
Recently, a group of 84 people from S.V.G.A, a local foundation for intellectually challenged individuals, who arranged for a special daytime luncheon event, were catered for. All who attended said the food was exquisite, and the event ran like clockwork.
At the end of the event, the speaker commented that they would have no hesitation in recommending the venue to prospective clients, and indeed, they would themselves return in the very near future.

Source:aruba.com

When you have had all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season in your Aruba Home it’s very easy to allow New Year’s Eve plans take a backseat. When the gifts have been bought, wrapped and given, the food is all cooked and eaten and all of the the relatives which were visiting have left, who has the energy to plan a party? Well, you can! Just follow these simple tips to help you ring in the new year in style.

Step One: Send invites via email, phone calls and texts, this will allow you to receive and keep track of RSVP’s quickly and easily, you dont need a fancily designed invite to ask close friends and relatives to celebrate with you and this way it is possible to make last minute plans. A good tip is to invite your guests to arrive at around 8pm, so that you have time to catch up and build up to ringing in the new year together.

Step Two: Plan the menu. Don’t feel as though you need to make all the food yourself. Look at your grocer’s freezer section for prepared snacks. Other easy refreshments are fruits and veggies cut into bite-sized portions and offered with cheese cubes. If your finances are tight, request visitors to create a snack, dessert or drinks to share. Speaking of drinks, consider planning one special cocktail or punch (and possibly a non-alcoholic version for designated motorists) and asking visitors to bring wine, beer and/or champagne if they so desire.

Step Three: Organize a playlist. Are you unsure what tunes work well for a New Year’s Eve party? Take a look at the internet for good ideas, using a free Internet radio service is also a good tip, as this means you’ll avoid needing to purchase any music and have the ability to mix your choices should you so choose.

Step Four: Clean. You want your house to be presentable for when visitors arrive, but don’t stress too much over cleaning because you almost certainly have plenty of cleaning to complete after everybody leaves. Concentrate on the basics in the most used areas and make sure anything you wouldn’t want your guests to see is put away.

Step Five: Party! Consider buying some noisemakers, party hats, etc., to add a festive touch to your party.

Remember New Years Eve is an exciting event filled with the anticipation of what the new year may bring, so enjoy with friends and family and ring in the new year they way you want to!

Located just five minutes from Aruba’s sugar-white sandy beaches, high-rise hotel area, colorful shopping malls, and world-class golf courses, Aloewood Gardens offers spacious, comfortable lodging for vacationing families, business travelers, and guests from around the world.

Price: $1,645,000

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