http://www.thelagoodtimes.com/state-flag/
Real-Estate : Holiday Rentals Becoming Hot Business
Danni Stor calls herself a travel addict.
She has camped in the Kalahari Desert, worked on an archeological dig in Croatia where anyone can have Croatia real estate, and sailed throughout the Caribbean. And when she travels, Stor avoids hostels, staying with locals to get a legitimate experience. But Stor, a Toronto art director and designer, has not managed to travel much lately, so she’s done the second best thing.
She has leased out on occasion a room in her two-bedroom studio to visitors as a technique to live vicariously as well as pay the bills. The weak world economy has helped push the vacation rental market where travellers hire a room, studio or house rather than staying in a hotel into a flourishing enterprise. Texas-based HomeAway Inc, which runs 31 rental web sites including homeaway.com and vrbo.com, raised $216 million ( U.S. ) with its primary public offering of 8,000,000 shares priced at $27 each.
The company’s stock closed at $40.21 on Wed., the 1st day of trading on the NDX Market, after flirting as high as $42.30. That means the company is now worth about $3.2 bn.. According to its SEC filings, HomeAway generated $167.9 million in cash in 2010 with a net income of $16.9 million, up from 7.6 million in 2009, though like many Internet-based corporations, its long-term future is unknown.
Stor has posted her room listing, at $60 ( Canadian ) a night, on iStopOver.com, a Toronto-based start-up. Most rooms hire from $75 to $100 a night, although costs are higher in cities such as London and New York. Unlike other websites, where homeowners pay a yearly listing charge of about $300, hosts lists free on iStopOver. But guests are charged a fifteen % premium on top of their bookings, and hosts are charged a three % processing charge for each confirmed rental.
The Toronto firm recounted this week that it has bought competitor Vacapedia, a California company, which boosts iStopOver’s lists to more 84,000 in 93 states. No money details are being released though it was a cash and stock deal. Anthony Lipschitz, iStopOver’s CEO who worked at Brightspark Ventures, a Toronto venture capital firm, believes this type of holiday accommodation is the future.
“When you check into a Sheraton in Shanghai or in Toronto, it’s just about the same experience,” he claimed. “We’re all about providing that ‘live like a local’ experience, the chance to connect with others and get the inside track.” That will mean everything from where’s the best spot to get coffee to which museum has the must see exhibition this summer, he announced.
The Firm has received funding from Brightspark as well as others including the Ontario Developing Technologies Fund. Lipschitz claimed the company is still trying to find funding and it has no instant plans to go public.
IStopOver, which competes with Airb2b and Wimdu, does not pay hosts till the guests have arrived and given the accommodations the once-over. If it’s satisfactory, then the guest gives the host a security code, and then funds are released in 24 hours. If there’s a problem, the site then will find alternate arrangements, though Lipschitz says it occurs occasionally. Because both parties can e-mail and call ahead, frequently folks have a good sense of expectancies, he revealed.
When Sameer Parpia, a Toronto statistician was travelling to S. A. for soccer’s World Cup in 2010 with three chums, he sought out hostels initially. “Hotels were sold out, and those that had rooms were over $300 Canadian a night,” claimed Parpia, who had planned a 10-day stay in Johannesburg. They ended up booking through iStopOver, and found a two-bedroom place for about $130 a night.
“The woman who rented to us lived next door. She gave up tips on transport, restaurants and she even had a tiny pool next door that we used,” Parpia recounted. “We had a feeling like we were boarding with relatives.”
Lipschitz, who has run other tech companies, started iStopOver in 2009 just before the Vancouver Olympic Games. The site has recently gathered more listings in Ontario’s cottage country and Quebec’s Eastern Townships, and intends to do nicely in the winter with more listings in Florida thanks to the Vacapedia purchase. Stor announces she just likes meeting interesting people and feels safer using the website than posting on Craigslist. “They’ve signed in. They have registered. There’s an account,” she revealed.
She has had visitors from as far distant as Russia and she is stayed in contact with a woman from Nova Scotia. One visitor was a skill professor from the U. S. , and she ended up going around town with him and another chum, dropping in at Afrofest and pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market.
“It’s fun showing folks around your town,” Stor declared. “It’s a great way of being part of the travellers’ community. Who knows? When i’m travelling and I end up in that part of the planet, I will call them up”, as reported tagza.com.
Flying High! – The State Flag Flypast (NDP 11 Feature Part 3)
|
|
50×80 Poly Large American Flag 50×80 New United States Flag 50×80 Banner US Made $4,677.88 |
|
|
50X80 Nylon American Large Flag 50X80 New United States Flag US Made $3,695.88 |
|
|
Franklin Mint 104.1 Troy Oz “Official Flags of the States” 50 Sterling Ingots $2,734.00 |
|
|
1999 PCGS PR70 Delaware State SILVER Quarter Flag Label *RARE* Free Shipping! $2,500.00 |
|
|
30×60 Nylon American Large Flag 30X60 New United States Flag US Made $1,995.88 |
|
|
30×50 Nylon American Large Flag 30X50 New United States Flag US Made $1,795.88 |
|
|
30×60 Poly Large American Flag 30×60 New United States Flag 30×60 Banner US Made $1,788.88 |
|
|
30×50 Poly Large American Flag 30×50 New United States Flag 30×50 Banner US Made $1,679.88 |
|
|
Silver & Clad State Quarter Flag 100 Coin Set PR69DC PCGS 99-08 Proof 69 DC $1,235.00 |
|
|
Bill & Hillary Clinton Signed United States Flag PSA $1,244.99 |
|
|
25×40 Poly Large American Flag 25×40 New United States Flag 25×40 Banner US Made $1,242.88 |
|
|
25X40 Nylon American Large Flag 25X40 New United States Flag US Made $1,199.88 |
|
|
COMPLETE SET OF 5 PR 70 DCAM 2001-S 50 STATES QUARTERS IN STATE FLAG HOLDERS $1,100.00 |
|
|
United States 50-State Flag Set Nylon 3′ X 5′ $1,093.60 |
|
|
20×38 Poly Large American Flag 20×38 New United States Flag 20×38 Banner US Made $966.88 |
|
|
1957 VALLEY FORGE 48 STAR FLAG CEREMONIAL GOLD FRINGE US AMERICAN UNITED STATES $899.99 |
|
|
Silver State Quarter Flag 50 Coin Set PR69DC PCGS 99-08 Proof 69 Deep Cameo $845.00 |
|
|
United States 50-State Flag Set Nylon 2′ X 3′ $849.60 |
|
|
20X38 Nylon American Large Flag 20×38 New United States Flag US Made $845.88 |
|
|
Handmade 47 Star Flag of United States of America $817.00 |
|
|
20X30 Nylon American Large Flag 20X30 New United States Flag US Made $715.88 |
|
|
~~18K MIRABELLE~~UNITED STATES FLAG~~HANDBAG NECKLACE~~ $699.00 |
|
|
50 STATE FLAGS – NEW 3 X 5 FT INDOOR / OUTDOOR BANNERS $699.99 |
|
|
State of CA Admissions Button hole Lapel Pin 1840′s/50′s Golden Bear with Flag $695.00 |
|
|
ST-292a STATE SEAL & FLAG VF TIED W/ #65 ROSE ON CVR WASH, DC/DEC 29 PMK HV971 $650.00 |
|
|
20×30 Poly Large American Flag 20×30 New United States Flag 20×30 Banner US Made $656.88 |
|
|
VINTAGE ANTIQUE US AMERICAN UNITED STATES 2 STAR MAJOR GENERAL FLAG GOLD FRINGE $599.99 |
|
|
Huge Early Orig 50s Unusual California Republic Bear State Flag 84″x56″ $595.00 |
|
|
Vtg 70s TEXAS LONE STAR State Flag Leather SUEDE FRINGE Dress Gilet Jacket VEST $595.00 |
|
|
PEN KING-US FLAG IN Woolworth State Street, Chicago,IL $569.00 |
|
|
2008 S OKLAHOMA SILVER STATE FLAGS QUARTERS PCGS PR70 $599.99 |
|
|
FLAG UNITED STATES FLAG ANTIQUE VINTAGE WYOMING 44 STAR FLAG BEAUTIFULLY FR $489.00 |
|
|
$200 SILVER STRIKE SIERRA SID’S CASINO STATE FLAG “GOLD ” $545.00 |
|
|
15×25 Poly Large American Flag 15×25 New United States Flag 15×25 Banner US Made $536.88 |
|
|
15X25 Nylon American Large Flag 15X25 New United States Flag US Made $534.88 |
|
|
$2 1976 FIRST DAY ISSUES ENDWELL NY 50 PC CONSECUTIVE WITH STATE FLAG SET STAMPS $495.00 |
|
|
50 US STATES & 1 USA NATIONAL FLAGS BANNERS 51PC 3X5 $479.95 |
|
|
1999 D Pennsylvania State Quarter PCGS MS67 Flag Holder $499.95 |
|
|
1999 P State Quarter 5 Coin Set PCGS MS67 Flag Holders $499.95 |
|
|
Spectrum Style – United States Flag Rug $400.00 |
|
|
14k Gold United States USA American Flag Pendant Charm $449.99 |
|
|
Set of 50 US States – 3×5 Polyester Flag Sign Package $399.00 |
|
|
10×19 Poly Large American Flag 10×19 New United States Flag 10×19 Banner US Made $418.88 |
|
|
2007-S Flag Clad Wyoming WY State Quarter PR70DCAM PCGS Proof 70 Deep Cameo $410.00 |
|
|
Clad State Quarter Flag 50 Coin Set PR69DC PCGS 99-08 Proof 69 Deep Cameo $390.00 |
|
|
1999 – 2008 S Clad State 25c PCGS PR69DCAM Multi Flags $399.95 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |
|
|
Outdoor State Flags, Annin Nyl-Glo NEW (nylon) $394.00 |