Have you slept undersea lately? is the hotel motto at Jules’ Undersea Lodge. Jules’ once served as an undersea research facility, and in fact it still does, but now it’s opened its accommodations to paying guests and become a hotel of sorts.

Located in Key Largo, Florida, the lodge is the only one of its kind in the world and actually requires a scuba dive 21 feet below the sea’s surface for admittance. The small surroundings feature hot showers, a stocked kitchen, books, music and videos but the main attraction is the huge window which looks out at the sea as the fish come around to check out the new inhabitants. And the number of fish is actually very impressive as the surrounding mangrove lagoon is a natural habitat for them, but the Jules’ Undersea Lodge also serves as an artificial reef.

For those who feel a little worried about the accommodations, rest assured the structure is monitored 24 hours a day and has independent support systems as well as redundant backup systems. And if you’ve never gone scuba diving before, the three hour aquatics class will get you up to speed so you can easily and confidently make the dive to the hotel.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Some people dream of farm living but usually that dream comes with a quaint farmhouse, for Glen and Sandy Wells of Kentucky the farmhouse is optional because they prefer to live in the silo.

The 70 foot tall steel storage tank could hold enough grain for 3000 hogs in its heyday but now it serves as six story home. Each floor is a 20 foot circular room that serves a particular function. The first floor serves as a kitchen with custom made oak cabinets, the second floor is a luxurious bathroom, the third floor serves as a game room of sorts and the fourth floor is a guest room. On the fifth floor is the couple’s bedroom, complete with incredible views of the farmland around. And finally the sixth floor serves as a storage area of sorts. They do hope to one day cap the silo with a deck so they can take advantage of the incredible vista surrounding them.

In addition to the silo space, the Wells family took advantage of the stone building that was attached to the silo, it has been converted into a family room with big screen television, pin ball machine, billiard table, juke box, chess table and fireplace. Everything a modern homeowner could want.

Popularity: 1% [?]

If you’re interested in finding a unique home or a second home, there’s an interesting property for sale in Portland, Oregon. But one would assume that this particular home could be moved to just about anywhere as it’s inside a railcar.

In 1949 this train car was created to be a sleeper car but after it served its purpose it was purchase and renovated by Marc Riera. The 85 foot long car has only 807 square feet but the 10 foot ceilings make it seem roomier. Even though it’s rather small the interior is very modern and features stainless steel windows, grid connection, incinerator powered toilet and DSL.

Currently the home is located in Portland on a private lot but it still could be pulled along any existing rail line to be relocated. The lot it resides on now rents for only $150 a month. The biggest bonus of this home is its not technically real estate so there are no property taxes attached.

For a small space the price ticket is a little high, it’s currently for sale $225,000. But you will be saving in property taxes and you’ll be doing your part to save the environment with a very ingenious form of recycling. And imagine the wow factor when you show your friends.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Living in an RV, or recreational vehicle, isn’t the typical solution when it comes to inexpensive living but it does have its advantages and could be the solution for you. RV’s run the gamut in expense so you’ll need to decide your price range before you begin and like automobiles, they depreciate drastically the minute you take them off the lot so you may want to think about purchasing a slightly used RV.? The upside here is the interest is tax deductible.

You’ll need to find a campground that offers year round amenities and then check out what the rent will be for the space including utilities and water.

One of the great benefits of living in an RV is the people you’ll meet. Some will be long term residents like you but others will be travelers coming from all over the country, it’s a remarkable opportunity to learn more about the world around you and the people in it.

And one of the best parts about living in an RV is you’re packed and ready to go for any vacation. No matter where you go you’ll always have everything you need without the worries of what you left behind. Not to mention all you’ll save on expensive hotels and overpriced restaurants.

photo credit: dave_7

Popularity: 1% [?]

Living on a boat may seem like a dream to you but it’s actually quite possible. The biggest concern is probably the boat and the location. Boats are generally considered a luxury but they don’t need to be outrageously expensive, look for a good used boat or a fixer upper to save money. If you’re single or a couple you can probably get by with a 40 foot boat on the low end. If you have children you’ll want to add another 10 feet at least.

Then examine the locations that work for you. Marina’s vary in size depending upon the size of your boat, the location of the marina and the amenities offered. You’ll also have to look for a marina that accepts liveaboards. Not all of them are set up for full-time residents while some of them cater to that type of lifestyle. Make sure you check with your state regulations as some do have rules regarding this type of housing.

The best part about living on a houseboat is you can pick up and go whenever you wish. If you’re interested in a little day’s cruise you can pick up your anchor and go. If you’re considering becoming a snow bird and traveling south for the winter or north for the summer it’s as easy as setting your course and taking to the sea.

photo credit: shahbasharat

Popularity: 1% [?]

Much like FSBO or property that is For Sale by Owner, Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO) is a great way to find a vacation rental property without the hassle and expense of dealing with property management companies or realtors.

By searching for a vacation rental property on VRBO you not only get to save money and some additional hassle by eliminating the middleman but you also get a huge variety of properties to choose from. VRBO has properties from every state in the United States in addition to cabins and beach rental units in a huge number of beautiful and exotic locales.

You can also choose your vacation rental based on specifications other than location, look for beach front property or a vacation rental that is close to local attractions. You can find a rental based on the number of bedrooms and the style of home you’d like to stay in.

Be wary though when using VRBO, this is just a resource for finding your vacation rental property, it does not guarantee that the people renting their property are being honest or fair in their pricing. It’s up to you to do your own research to determine that you’re getting what you bargained for.

Popularity: 2% [?]

The purpose of an open house is to get as many people into your home as possible and then come up with a buyer. So to have a successful open house you need both elements.

Advertise?

To accomplish the first element you’re going to have to advertise to draw a crowd. Take out an ad in your local paper and any real estate flyers you may have in the area. Purchase some signs to place in your yard and on any adjacent busy streets. Then flood the internet with advertising about your open house.

Set the Stage?

It should go without saying that your home should be spotless but unfortunately many people miss this and they ignore messes they’ve just gotten used to. Have a friend that will be honest with you come through and look for messes and smells that may be offensive. You should also remove all personal touches so that visitors can picture themselves in the home.

Play the Host?

Set out some refreshments for your guests. Many realtors recommend baking cookies because the smell is homey to people. So why not give them the comfort food rather than simply treating it as an air freshener. You can also set out small bottles of water and little candies to make it more of an experience for prospective buyers.

Provide Information

Create glossy and full color handouts for the visitors. Include all the pertinent information that people may be looking to compare in the future and add some beautiful pictures so they remember how wonderful your home is.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Many people dream of a home on the water, the serene comfort of having at least one side of the home facing glistening shores. For some the dream goes beyond the location to the home itself and that’s where those dreams take an unusual turn. These eye-catching waterfront homes have startling views but the views are of the houses not the water.

Castle Meur

Nestled between gigantic boulders this unassuming home, dubbed Castle Meur, seems to shrink from invaders and rightly so as the home on Pointe de Plougrescant was built between the rocks as protection from high winds and storms. This 1861 gem is still owned by the original family although its currently only used as an occasional vacation home.

Robert Bruno’s Steel House

Slightly reminiscent of a ViewFinder or an alien pod, Robert Bruno’s Steel House was created by a sculptural architect with a vision in mind. Having spent approximately three decades creating this masterpiece the resulting structure is a home you either love or hate, but no matter what you’ll take a second look.

The Orchid House

Surprisingly, the Orchid House in Cotswold has drawn a lot of attention for its 7.2 million pound price tag, AND the home isn’t even built yet. This innovative and purportedly eco friendly residence is set to take three years to construct. Unbelievably, it’s expected to produce more energy than it consumes, but that remains to be seen.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Almost everyone has considered being a landlord at one time or another, whether it was a financial thought that led to dreams of riches or frustration with a current landlord that had you thinking you could do it better. So if you decide to actually take the plunge, what’s really involved in being a landlord?

Legal Knowledge?

There are a lot of laws, both state and local, that deal with the landlord/tenant relationship and as a landlord you’ll need to know and understand these laws so you’re in compliance and can protect yourself against lawsuits.

Business First?

Adopting the mindset that you are running a business is key, no favors, no exceptions. Sometimes this rule is hard or almost impossible to live by but by holding to it you’re more likely to be successful. But it’s also your business so you can set the rules for your business and make your own decisions.

Get the Best Tenants?

Having the best experiences possible really circle around the tenants so you absolutely need to make sure you’ve done all that you can to screen each and every potential tenant.

Be Responsive

Be available to your tenants 24 hours a day to deal with legitimate complaints and emergencies and do whatever you can to remedy any problems as soon as possible. ?Your tenants should know you’re a professional and this is a working relationship.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Unfortunately some landlord/tenant situations don’t go as well as everyone would hope, in fact there are people who routinely take advantage of landlords by refusing to leave the premises after they’ve broken the rules, failed to make payments, and been asked to leave by the landlord. If you find your self in this situation you will have to take legal measures to remove a tenant from your property.

Your first step is serving the process is serving the tenant with an unconditional quit notice, this lets them know they have to vacate the premises in a specified amount of time and they have no chance of rectifying the situation. Check with your state or local laws to see how long the tenant has after notification to vacate.

If the tenant still won’t leave then you need to move ahead with eviction proceedings. Again, you’ll have to check with your state and local laws or look for a landlord organization and they should have packages of information that will help you with the process and provide you with the appropriate paperwork. Make sure you follow every step to the letter because not doing so may delay the process.

Each court is different but yours will assign a trial date at which time you’re expected to show up with all of your evidence. If you win the case your tenant will be given some time to gather their belongings and leave, this can be several days or several weeks.

If the tenant has still not left the property at the prescribed time then you’ll have to call your local police and tell them that you need a tenant forcibly evicted, at which point they will come over and escort the tenants off the premises.

If this is new to you, you may want to hire a lawyer who is well versed in tenant law and has handled this sort of case before.

Popularity: 2% [?]