Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

This commercial building is located at one the island’s busiest intersections at Piedra Plat, across from Bright Bakery.

Price:$790,000

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Are you hoping to get your Aruba Home organized this year? This can sometimes feel like a difficult task, however these tips will help you not only organize your home but also save you money too.

1: See what you have. It is always said that visibility is the aim of any organizing project, and getting that visibility to your stuff enables you to make wiser purchases. For instance knowing that you already have three black shirts means you will not need another one.

2: Use what you have. Together with making wiser purchases, the visibility you will get from organizing your home enables you to avoid waste. Planning meals or being able to find and use what you have already purchased will mean less food being thrown away. You will also be more likely to make good use of coupons and gift cards if you have a system for finding them, an easy way to do this is have one specific place for them that you can get to easily.

3: Stop late fees and other unnecessary charges. If you implement a system for paying bills you will avoid costly late fees which could even damage your credit rating. Keeping a watchful eye over your bills and bank account, by doing this you may even notice those charges which occur each month for things like a gym membership you no longer use or even fraudulent charges. You may also learn that you do not have the correct tariff for your cable or cell phone which can lead to substantial savings.

4: Find actual money! When you are organizing your home, be vigilant for those checks you never deposited, gift cards and actual cash which you may have put in a safe place and forgotten about. Don’t forget that rebate opportunities and warranty information can sometimes equal extra money too.

5: Get back some of your time. Your time is worth more than money, as you can never get your wasted time back. When you organize your home you will save the time you used to spend looking for your keys, your bills or missing shoes and instead spend that time doing something else that you enjoy more.

Once you have organized your home, always try to maintain the systems you have put in place and keep it clutter free, this will give you more time to relax and enjoy your home.

Island Temptations has refreshed their online presence with an updated website.
The magazine publishes 300,000 copies a year, with a readership estimated at more 750,000.
Presented in a virtual magazine format, where browsers can flip through the pages of the magazine in its original entirety, the current issue of Island Temptations can be found, as well as two years of back issues.
The online version, with links on Aruba’s two main search engines (Visitaruba.com and aruba.com), attracts in excess of one million readers, reaching all corners of the globe via the island-temptations.com address.
The magazine was founded in 2002, and has won several awards, including three from the Caribbean Tourism Organization for excellence in promoting the region.
The magazine, which has a Spring, Summer, and Fall-Winter edition every year, is also utilized by the Aruba Tourism Authority in North America, as a tool to promote the island to travel agents, events, and wedding planners.
The latest edition, Spring 2012, is available in resort lobbies, assorted cafes, restaurants, bars, and retail outlets.

Source:aruba.com

Enjoy living on a Grand Scale with our largest Villa. The generous kitchen is a gourmand’s delight, and large living and dining room areas offer plenty of space for entertaining family and guests.

Price:$946,000

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Supervisors and managers of the Westin Resort & Casino, Aruba, are awarded annually, Brand Champions for their extraordinary service and dedication to guests of the resort, and indeed to their colleagues.
Last Tuesday, a special awards ceremony was held for these finalists on Valentine’s Day in the resort’s ballroom.
The finalist were all nominees for the distinction of Associate, Manager, or Supervisor of the Year for 2011.
The judges had what seemed an impossible task, but after much deliberation, they came to their decisions in the various categories. Listed below are all the lucky winners in their respective fields of expertise.
Our warmest congratulations go to the following people. Associate of the Year/Front of the House-Darienne Arends, from Sales; Associate of the Year/Heart of House-Giovannie Mercera, from Engineering; Supervisor of the Year-Juan Carlos Solis, from Front Desk; Manager of the Year-Monique Zaandam, from Human Resources; and Associate of the Year from the Palm Beach Casino-Cleve Simmons. Well done to you all, and may 2012 be just as rewarding as 2011!

Source:aruba.com

Blue residence club is a family oriented condominium residence. This particular unit is the biggest and most luxurious. Blue offers 127 exclusive ocean view residences only a few steps away from the beach. All units have a 180 degree view of the beautiful caribbean ocean.

Price:$1,347,480

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When you are planning a move to a new Aruba Home you will understand that this is one of the most stressful events any adult will experience in their lifetime, but what about your kids? A lot of kids don’t even like changing their socks , so imagine how difficult it is for them to change homes, schools and friends. Because a home is a unique place of security and comfort for kids, many families can experience concerns about leaving their their familiar surroundings. Although parents understand the reasons a move is necessary, the reason is probably not obvious your kids.

Discuss the impending move in a family meeting

Call a family meeting to get everyone together to break the news about the move, focus on the “when,” “where,” “how” and “why” of the moving process. Ensure your kids understand that the move is a positive event for the whole family.

Make new buddies but keep your old

Prior to the move, give your kids a chance to spend some time with their friends to say goodbye. A good tip is to prepare a moving kit for the kids including fun cards that they can use to exchange contact details with their friends.

Involve the children in the moving process

Ask for your kids help in planning the route the family will take to reach your new home. When the van operator arrives, introduce her or him to the children. For safety reasons, ensure your kids understand the significance of keeping out of the driver’s path when they’re moving boxes and furniture into the van. A good idea is to make it fun for the kids by allowing them to decorate and label their own boxes and allowing them to pack their “special possessions.”

Alleviate fears

If you can arrange it, take your children to see their new home and neighborhood before moving day. This will keep them involved and take the mystery out of the move, while you are there introduce them to their new neighbors to reassure them that they will make new friends once the move is completed. If it is not possible to get to the new neighborhood before your move, give the kids as much information on their new home and surroundings as you can, the internet can be very helpful for this ^ show them pictures of the house and surrounding area.

Pursue new activities

You can help your children make new friends by involving them in after school activities in the new neighborhood like sports, kids clubs, and any other class your child would be interested in. This will keep them busy and help them integrate themselves into their new surroundings with ease.

Celebrate!

After you have arrived at your new home and the move is complete, allow your kids to pick their favorite restaurant or type of food to celebrate their help in making the move successful, and the beginning of a new adventure.

Have your kids flown the nest? Do you feel like you are rattling around your Aruba Home? Do you want to reduce your utility bills? Although moving from a home that you have lived in for many years and possible brought up your family in can be difficult emotionally, there are ways to create a more suitable affordable living space within smaller homes, here are 5 tips to help you choose the perfect home when you are downsizing.

Think about which rooms you can do without

Before you begin searching for a your smaller home, sit with the family and make a list of what you like and dislike about your current home. Which rooms do you use a lot? Which spaces and pieces of furniture just collect dust? A good rule to use is the 6 times a year rule. Think about each room in your home and if you use them less than 6 times a year it is probable that you can do without them.

While you are thinking about your living space, choose which rooms you could use for more than one purpose. If you work at home and require a home office, a good idea is to put a small sofa sleeper or small bed in your office in your new home for when you have guests visiting. If you enjoy hosting dinner parties, you do not need to have a formal dining room in your new home, why not put a table in the kitchen and create a casual dining space.

Consider Purchasing Multi-use Furniture

When you have decided which rooms you can shed without affecting your way of life, consider the furniture you may need. Multi-use pieces like sofa sleepers, bunkbeds, nests of tables and coffee tables with drawers are saving graces when living in smaller spaces

If you have large pieces of furniture which are impractical - donate or sell them. If you are moving to a smaller home because your kids have left home, it will not be necessary to have so much furniture. Before you move, tell the kids to take what they want from their old rooms and also offer them any furniture which you will no longer be using in your new home.

Once you have decided on the furniture you want to keep, measure all larger pieces and when you are viewing homes take a measure with you so you can be sure it will all fit in rooms and through the doorways etc..

Good Design is Essential

In a small living space, design is especially important. Look closely at the storage space in any potential new home you look at. There are many older houses that do not have bedroom closets so you will need to bring space saving wardrobes or an extra dresser.

Don’t rule out homes which have little closet space, think about the possibility of building shelves and getting under bed storage boxes for seasonal clothes. If you are looking to move into an apartment, ask if there is storage space available to use within the building. It is important to explore all the options and to keep an open mind before you rule a place out.

Look at how much light comes into any property you view as light will make any small space look bigger. If there is outdoor living space this adds to a property and gives the feeling of a bigger home.

Choose a Place You Have Always Wanted to Live

The money you will save when moving from a bigger home, may mean that you are able to move to the place you have always wanted to live in. Look at all locations to see what is available to you within your price range.

Personal Space

Regardless of how small you decide to go, don’t forget that you will still need personal space, one of the main complaints from those who have already made the move is that they feel like they are constantly in someones way. Everyone has their own ideas of what personal space is to them and it is difficult to adjust to a smaller home at first. Be patient and you will all get used to it.

Regardless of how small, ensure that you have a place of your own in your new home, it doesn’t need to be a whole room ^ even just an armchair tucked away where you can read and have some quiet time will be perfect.

Downsizing is always a daunting process when you are used to having a large family home filled with people, however there are many positives to downsizing and it will not take long to adjust once you have found the perfect home for you.

Ricky Tromp, the Hyatt Regency Director of Casino Operations, explained the newest advances in slot gaming, as Slots Manager Martin Dijkhoff demonstrated their “Ticket in Ticket out” (Tito) system. Guests at the casino can insert bills into the machines or enjoy the perks of a Player Advantage Club (PAC) membership, and use their card to initiate play on the slots. LED readouts not only informs the player of their balance and credits, but also provides a choice of 4 TV channels where they can follow favorite sports action without ever taking their eyes off the machine.
The resort has spent $6 million dollars in improvements to patron amenities, in addition to the $50 million facelift and room renovations of a couple of years ago. A substantial portion has gone to the enlargement and improvement of their spa, which will officially open soon, and $1.2 Million to upgrading the gaming experience in their casino.
The TiTo system will be coupled with twice-monthly slot tournaments and increased events in the casino that make membership even more attractive.
Those who prefer the feel of coins and the sound of them coming out in a cascade of winnings can still make use of the slots imbedded in the casino bar.

Source:aruba.com

Explore revolutionary space, arranged in classic symmetry which shatters all artistic preconceptions. located in Sombre, St. Cruz, is the confluence of memories and experiences translated into a labor of love and art.

Price:$979,000

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