Bust out your backpack. Become a trekker. Take a hike. There are all kinds of ways to get out there and enjoy a day on the trails. Backpacking, trekking, and hiking are three great outdoor activities, and while they may seem the same, there are subtle differences to each.
Given the above examples, we can begin to see pricing differences of housing throughout the country and therefore how difficult it is to predict a national trend.
In our next column we&#8217,http://bottegaveneta-outlets.webs.com/;ll look at the ratio of "home price to rent" to get a different perspective and try to answer whether fans of the 49ers could retire with newfound wealth and happiness in the land of the Steelers.
Using U.S. Census Bureau’s numbers from 2003 and looking at various cities across the country, we can immediately see how varied pricing is throughout the United States when the ratio is applied. On the low end are cities like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a ratio of 1.47 and Corpus Christi, Texas with a ratio of 1.58. On the other end of the scale are Santa Ana, California and San Francisco coming in at 8.95 and 8.81 respectively. The average ratio for the entire country is 3.59.
A traditional hiking trip is often expedition-style, which means that it involves a crew including guides, porters, and cooks. This support team will prepare meals, set up or take down camp and even carry your gear.
Low interest rates and relatively easy access to mortgage money are just two factors that have caused a boom in residential real estate prices over the past few years. This phenomena has caused a number of analysts to ask whether a national "housing bubble" now exists and how its potential collapse could effect the economy. This is a complicated subject that is influenced by both national and regional issues.
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Most guided hiking trips are basically the same, but the location and the level of strenuousness can vary,Bottega Veneta. There is also a bit of variety in the styles of treks,Cheap Louboutin Shoes, all having affect on the difficulty or degree of adventure that your trip will hold.
As far as outdoor adventurers are concerned, hiking and trekking are basically the same. The differences lie in the origin of the words. The term "hike" is derived from the Middle English word "hytchen" which became the English word "hitch". The word "trekking" is borrowed from the African term for ox-cart transport. Those taking part in a hiking adventure through the Himalayas could safely use the term "trekking" without literary repercussions.
Let’s begin with a regional overview and remember the words of Tip O’Neill, the venerable Congressman from Massachusetts who was fond of saying, "All politics are local." The same principle could be said of housing, at least according to a commonly used ratio comparing mean house prices to mean family income on a local basis.
Itinerant hikers have tons of options available. You may have dreamed of standing at the foot of Mount Everest and reliving the moments when the first climbers reached its peak. Perhaps you'd like to witness sunrise over Africa from atop Mount Kilimanjaro. Those adventures are available to you. One of the most exciting aspects of planning and taking a hiking trip is that you can visit places that are otherwise remote and isolated from civilization.
When telling people you're about to take a hike, they will likely imagine you traversing miles of trail. Your audience will picture you traversing miles of trails, winding through forests, scaling mountains, and stopping only to admire the scenic vistas waiting you encounter along the way. It's no wonder that hundreds of hikers spend their vacations on trips like these. From leisurely self-guided winery tours, to rugged backcountry travels through pristine wilderness, outdoor itineraries are limited only by the traveler's imagination.
Hard-core adventurers also have a hiking style just for them. Mountain climbing treks and the exploratory hiking trips, while offered by only a few adventure travel companies, are trips on routes not previously offered by that company. These trips offer genuine adventure, since even the guides aren't sure what to expect around the next bend.
Corpus Christi - Third quarter 2005 results from a Housing Market Analysis prepared by National City Corp found that Corpus Christi was still –8% undervalued when compared with other cities across the United States. The study done by the National Association of Realtors found "the local housing market is in excellent shape with a potential for significant equity gains." The median house price in the market is $123,000 and has appreciated approximately 30% over the past three years.
Here are some excerpts from recent studies on these cities:
Hiking, trekking or backpacking. Choose your adventure and get ready to experience the pure beauty of nature. When your friends ask where you've booked your next vacation, tell them you're just going to take a hike.
The term "backpacking" is much less exotic. You'll use this term when you walk to a nearby place, over a day or two. Generally "backpacking" involves hauling some gear in a package on your back. If you do want to walk on the wild side,Burberry Outlet Online, but you're not quite ready for the Himalayas, backpacking through somewhere like the Grand Canyon can fit the bill.
Of course a single ratio like "family income: house price" is only one indicator and can’t provide conclusive proof of a trend one way or another. Other pieces must be brought into play if we can gain a true overview.
If you want fewer people along for the journey, consider taking a lodge-to-lodge hiking trip. Take this style of hike and you'll stay in alpine huts or rustic mountain lodges, with no cook or porter. A limited number of support staff may accompany you on your expedition, but the group will be substantially smaller than in the traditional style of hiking. Lodge-to-lodge hiking usually costs a bit less than fully catered alternatives, but they can be inconvenient. Many hikers would rather focus all their energy on completing the hike, rather than worrying about their next meal.
San Francisco - The National City Corp study found that San Francisco was 30% overvalued. National real estate firm Caldwell Banker recently estimated that a 2,200 square foot house with 4 bedrooms,Bottega Veneta Bags, 2½ bathrooms, a family room and a two car garage in a "middle-management" neighborhood would sell for approximately $1,300,000. There are some signs of the market cooling. In a 11/1/05 USA article, Judi Keenholtz, CEO of Empire Realty reported that "desirable homes in good school districts that used to fetch eight to ten bids now get three to four."
Over the next several columns, we’ll look at many of these issues and see if we can weave our way though the maze of possibilities that could impact the outcome of this concern.
Santa Ana - What has continued to be a red hot market now has a "greater than 50% chance of experiencing price declines," according to the PMI U.S. Market Risk Index. The reported median house price is $710,000 with an appreciation factor over the past year of 10.4%.
Pittsburgh - On December 18, 2005, the "Pittsburgh Tribune-Review" sited a study that showed "housing prices in the Pittsburgh region appear to be right where they should be, and importantly, they are not overvalued as are houses in some other areas of the country." According to the National Association of Realtors, the Median Home Price in the first quarter of 2005 was $106,400. This was a 6.6% increase from the first quarter of 2004 when the median price was $99,800.
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