Monday, May 31, 2010
Suncoast Seabird Sancturary
http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com/
Always Free Admission, Donations Needed to Prepare for Oil Spill Victims; Kids Love it and Learn.
Home Page
Home Page
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Luxury Homes and Estates
Property Search Results - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC - FloridaMoves.com
Florida Friendly Landscaping, Florida Plants, Florida Gardening, Lawn Care
Florida Friendly Landscaping, Florida Plants, Florida Gardening, Lawn Care
Thursday, May 27, 2010
4770 Brittany Dr S St Petersburg FL 33715 - Saint Petersburg - FL - 33715 - Home for Sale - NYTimes Great Homes
4770 Brittany Dr S St Petersburg FL 33715 - Saint Petersburg - FL - 33715 - Home for Sale - NYTimes Great Homes
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Florida Home Sales Rise in April
ORLANDO, Fla. – May 24, 2010 – Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 27 percent in April, which means that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison for 20 months, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Another positive sign: Last month's statewide existing-home median price of $140,100 was 1 percent higher than the statewide median price in April 2009.
Existing home sales rose 27 percent last month with a total of 16,781 homes sold statewide compared to 13,244 homes sold in April 2009, according to Florida Realtors. Statewide existing home sales last month increased nearly 3 percent over statewide sales activity in March. Meanwhile, April's statewide existing-home median price was 2.3 percent higher than March's statewide existing-home median price of $137,000. It marks the second month in a row that the statewide existing-home median price has increased over the previous month's median.
"Buyers responding to the federal homebuyer tax credit before it expired helped to boost home sales across Florida," said 2010 Florida Realtors President Wendell Davis, a broker with Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville. "And buying conditions remain favorable, with a variety of housing options available in local markets at attractive and affordable prices. Plus, current mortgage interest rates are at historically low levels, which gives buyers more 'bang' for their buck."
Florida Realtors also reported a 55 percent increase in statewide sales of existing condos in April compared to the previous year's sales figure; statewide existing condo sales last month rose 2 percent over the total units sold in March. Though April's statewide existing-condo median price of $103,600 was down 3 percent compared to the year-ago figure, it was 6.9 percent higher than March's statewide existing-condo median price.
Seventeen of Florida's metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported increased existing home sales in April while all but one MSA had higher condo sales. A majority of the state's MSAs have reported increased sales for 22 consecutive months.
Florida's median sales price for existing homes last month was $140,100; a year ago, it was $138,100 for a 1 percent gain. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.
Thenational median sales price for existing single-family homes in March 2010 was $170,700, up 0.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). In California, the statewide median resales price was $301,790in March; in Massachusetts, it was $280,000; in Maryland, it was $235,785; and in New York, it was $209,900.
According to NAR's latest outlook, two trends are influencing a broader stabilization of home prices in housing markets across the nation: months of increased sales activity and lower levels of inventory. "Foreclosures have been feeding into the inventory pipeline at a fairly steady pace and are being absorbed manageably," said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. "With home values stabilizing, a revival in homebuying confidence will likely help the housing market get back on its feet even as the tax credit impact disappears."
In Florida's year-to-year comparison for condos, 7,291 units sold statewide last month compared to 4,703 units in April 2009 for an increase of 55 percent. The statewide existing condo median sales price last month was $103,600; in April 2009 it was $107,200 for a 3 percent decrease. The national median existing condo price was$170,600 in March, according to NAR.
Interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.10 percent in April, up from the average rate of 4.81 percent during the same month a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac. Florida Realtors' sales figures reflect closings, which typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.
Among the state's smaller markets, the Panama City MSA reported a total of 128 homes sold in April compared to 108 homes a year earlier for a 19 percent increase. The market's existing home median sales price last month was $160,000; a year earlier it was $156,800 for an increase of 2 percent. A total of 65 condos sold in the MSA in April compared to 53 units sold the same month a year earlier for an increase of 23 percent. The existing condo median price last month was $187,100; a year earlier, it was $172,900 for an 8 percent gain.
© 2010 Florida Realtors®
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Pinellas County Emergency Management - Know Your Zone
Pinellas County Emergency Management - Know Your Zone
Evacuation zones for hurricane planning. What Zone are you in?
St. Petersburg Clearwater vacation and travel Vistor's Guide
St. Petersburg Clearwater vacation and travel
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Buyer Bonus Up to $8K - Participating Properties
Open to all home buyers - No income limitations - No property eligibility requirements
The home buyer tax credit has come and gone. Fortunately, the door is now open to something even better - the Coldwell Banker Buyer Bonus Event! But hurry. The Buyer Bonus is a limited-time offer.
If you have questions about the Coldwell Banker Buyer Bonus Event, contact Me:
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Housing starts rise 5.8% in April
WASHINGTON – May 18, 2010 – Nationwide housing starts rose 5.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 672,000 units in April as the deadline for an important homebuyer tax incentive arrived, according to figures released today by the U.S. Commerce Department.
"While some of the starts activity noted in today's report reflected homes for which buyers had just signed a contract at the tail-end of the tax credit program, the rest was probably tied to builders replenishing their inventories in preparation for the post-tax credit era," says Bob Jones, Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). "That said, builders are maintaining a cautious attitude with regard to new building as the economy and housing markets slowly recover."
On the down side, building permits, an indicator of future building activity, slid 11.5 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 606,000 units. It reflected a 10.7 percent decline on the single-family side and a 14.7 percent decline on the multifamily side.
"The drop-off in building permits in April indicates that builders are working down the inventory of permits pulled in the previous month and taking care not to get ahead of the market," says NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. "Builders also continue facing difficulty in obtaining project financing, which will limit the pace of a housing recovery."
Single-family housing starts surged 10.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 593,000 units in April, the strongest rate since August 2008. Meanwhile, multifamily starts posted an 18.6 percent decline to a 79,000-unit rate, offsetting a big gain posted by that sector in the previous month.
Three out of four regions posted solid gains in new housing production in April. Combined single- and multifamily starts rose 23.9 percent in the Northeast, 16.7 percent in the Midwest and 7 percent in the South. The West registered a 13.3 percent decline.
Conversely, permit issuance was down in three out of four regions in April. The Northeast posted a 7.4 percent decline, the South registered a 14.3 percent decline and the West posted a 16 percent decline. Permit issuance remained unchanged from the previous month in the Midwest.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
David Greenlees, - FloridaMoves.com
David Greenlees, Real Estate Agent - St Pete Beach, FL Real Estate Office - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC - FloridaMoves.com
Saturday, May 15, 2010
6322 Palma del Mar Blvd. S., Saint Petersburg, FL 33715 | HomeFinder.com | ID: 7441643
Florida Resort Style Living = OPEN House = This Sunday - 2pm - 4pm. Price Just Reduced
Chicago Tribune: Home Finder
6322 Palma del Mar Blvd. S., Saint Petersburg, FL 33715 HomeFinder.com ID: 7441643
Chicago Tribune: Home Finder
6322 Palma del Mar Blvd. S., Saint Petersburg, FL 33715 HomeFinder.com ID: 7441643
Friday, May 14, 2010
David Greenlees | LinkedIn
Profile and Join My Professional Network.
Links to Website, Blog, Portfolio and Twitter.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood
Historic Old Northeast
Amenities/character/etc.
The historic elements which characterize our neighborhood are brick streets with granite curbs, a mix of concrete and hexagon block sidewalks, a grid network of streets, avenues and alleys and its proximity to the waterfront known as Tampa Bay. The large oaks, jacarandas, pines, palms, maples and magnolias provide lush overhanging canopies in the landscape.
The Historic Old Northeast enjoys an almost unique quality being adjacent to downtown St. Petersburg. North Shore Park runs along the entire eastern boundary. This park offers the neighborhood large open spaces, a large public pool, tennis courts, a baseball field, bike trails, long continuous sidewalks for leisurely strolls, a children's playground and a beach with white sand.
Along Coffee Pot Bayou are privately owned docks which house colorful boats and provide the opportunity to fish, sail and boat in protected waters. The Bayou is known for the manatees which feed in its shallow waters. The historic Snell Isle Bridge crosses the Bayou to link North Shore and Snell Isle.
Architecture
The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood was the first established neighborhood within the City of St. Petersburg. Many of the original homes of the era still exist. The architecture in the Historic Old Northeast area is dominated by a wonderful mixture of predominately Mediterranean Revival, Colonial Revival, Bungalow Styles, Prairie, Williamsburg as well as vernacular style homes. As a result of this mix, combined with the age of the neighborhood, Historic Old Norhteast enjoys a residential character which sets it apart.
Many of the homes sport front porches, horizontal wood siding, large casement windows, columns, white picket fences, fireplaces with large looming chimneys, as well as steeply pitched roofs with an assortment of roofing materials.
Always a part of the architecture, landscaping makes a dramatic statement in Historic Old Northeast with numerous and rich combinations of foliage throughout. From azaleas of all kinds to flowering crepe myrtles, dogwood, tree of gold, hibiscus, bird of paradise, firecracker, giant lirope, gardenias, roses and all types of annuals, flowers are always in bloom somewhere.
The residential flavor is so different from what one might expect for Florida; however, when taken into consideration that the early settlers here in the Historic Old Northeast emigrated from mostly northern states, perhaps it is not strange at all.
History
The Historic Old Northeast subdivision began in 1911, by a group of men led by C. Perry Snell and J.C. Hamlett. Their goal was to establish the area as the premier residential neighborhood adjacent to the burgeoning city of St. Petersburg along the shores of Tampa Bay and Coffee Pot Bayou.
C. Perry Snell was a staunch advocate of William Straub's waterfront park system. Snell was instrumental in extending the park northward to Coffee Pot Bayou by giving the City the major part of the waterfront land from 13th Avenue North to Coffee Pot Bayou. This open space park is an invaluable resource of our community.
The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood area contains approximately 9,000 people and 5,300 residential units (houses, apartments, condominiums).
The Historic Old Northeast is approximately 82 years old and was virtually "built-out" by the 1950s and 1960s; so the basic character of the overall area is that of an older neighborhood. This makes it rich in history and historical value and, as a community resource, unparalleled and irreplaceable.
Organizations/programs
The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association (HONNA) is the nucleus behind all efforts to protect, enhance and maintain the quality of life within its boundaries
The association has been actively involved in many organizations and programs. HONNA belongs to the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA), participates in the City's Crime Watch program, Neighborhood Policing Program, Neighborhood Conservation Program and Certificate of Inspection Programs.
HONNA meets every month to discuss current business. The Board of Directors meet and discuss the important issues of the day. The policy positions and recommendations made by the Board of Directors are then submitted to the association members for voting consideration. The association meetings are chaired by the president. Based on Robert's Rules of Order, the organization is conducted in a democratic manner with membership being extended to all who live in the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood.
Boundaries
Fourth Street North to Tampa Bay from 5th to 30th Avenues North.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
First Quarter Sales Results Are Announced - Florida In TOP 10
The National Association of Realtors on Tuesday released first-quarter statewide sales data.
Sales of all existing homes, including single-family homes and condos, rose 11.4 percent in the first quarter compared to the same quarter last year, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.14 million, while falling 14 percent from fourth-quarter 2009 (see related article), and sales rose in 44 states and Washington, D.C., year over year in the first quarter.
Top 10 states for existing-home sales growth in Q1 2010 vs. Q1 2009
1. IDAHO (+122.5%)
2. HAWAII (+51.5%)
3. FLORIDA (+35.%)
4. VERMONT (+33.3%)
5. OREGON (+32.7%)
6. WASHINGTON (+32%)
7. MAINE (+28.3%)
8. ILLINOIS (+27.1%)
9. NEW YORK (+26.8%)
10. MARYLAND (+26%)
Top 10 states with existing-home sales decline or slightest sales increase in Q1 2010 vs. Q1 2009
CALIFORNIA (-5.6%)
SOUTH DAKOTA (-2.8%)
VIRGINIA (-1.8%)
OKLAHOMA (-1.5%)
ALABAMA (+1.1%)
KANSAS (+2.4%)
GEORGIA (+3.8%)
MISSOURI (+4.6%)
MINNESOTA (+5.2%)
COLORADO (+5.3%)
David Greenlees, Real Estate Agent - St Pete Beach, FL Real Estate Office - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC - FloridaMoves.com
Agent Profile - Services and Useful Links
For more information on local news, statistics and real estate needs please don't hesitate to contact me.
David Greenlees, Real Estate Agent - St Pete Beach, FL Real Estate Office - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC - FloridaMoves.com
For more information on local news, statistics and real estate needs please don't hesitate to contact me.
David Greenlees, Real Estate Agent - St Pete Beach, FL Real Estate Office - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC - FloridaMoves.com
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Single women outpace men in buying residential real estate
WASHINGTON – May 11, 2010 – Single women have moved ahead of unmarried men in the area of homeownership, according to National Association of Realtors® (NAR) statistics.
When the group first began tracking this data nearly 30 years ago, males and females were evenly matched – with each representing 10 percent of home sales. NAR figures show that unwed males held at that level in 2009, while homeownership by single females rose to 21 percent after holding steady at 20 percent for at least five years.
The trend is most prevalent in the California, Texas and District of Columbia markets, according to Brooke Warrick of American Lives, a market research company, who warns that real estate developers and sellers must be careful not to dismiss unmarried young women as mere bystanders to the homebuying process.
Source: Wall Street Journal (05/10/10) Goldberg, Eleanor
© Copyright 2010 INFORMATION, INC. Bethesda, MD
Sales of Existing Homes UP 24% - Condos UP 67% - Prices and Interest Rates Favorable for Continued Recovery
ORLANDO, Fla. – May 11, 2010 — Sales of existing single-family homes in Florida rose 24 percent in first quarter 2010 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the latest housing statistics from Florida Realtors®. A total of 38,846 existing homes sold statewide in 1Q 2010; during the same period the year before, a total of 31,410 existing homes sold. It marks the seventh consecutive quarter that Florida has seen higher existing year-to-year home sales, according to the state association.
Statewide sales of existing condominiums in the first quarter rose 67 percent compared to the same time the previous year. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter for increased statewide sales in both the existing home and condo markets compared to year-ago levels.
"The first quarter data release from the Florida Realtors paints a picture of a housing market continuing down the long road to recovery," said Dr. Sean Snaith, director for the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness. "Transactions in the single family market have extended quarterly year-over-year gains for nearly two years, and condo sales have also risen sharply. Median prices in most areas of the state continue to fall; however, the rate at which they are falling has diminished significantly and this is indicative of a bottom approaching.
"How long prices stay at the bottom and when price appreciation will reappear will depend in a large part on the improving fundamentals in the economy and credit markets."
The University of Florida's Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies' latest quarterly survey of real estate trends also notes positive signs of recovery in the state's real estate industry. The survey polls market research economists, industry executives, real estate scholars and other experts.
"Results indicate that the real estate market in Florida has hit bottom and is in the process of stabilizing across most property types," said Timothy Becker, the center's director. Private capital – both foreign and domestic – continues to enter the state in search of quality investment deals, he added.
Seventeen of Florida's metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported increased sales of existing homes in 1Q 2010 compared to the same three-month-period a year earlier, while all of the MSAs showed gains in condo sales.
The statewide existing-home median sales price was $133,800 in 1Q 2010; a year earlier, it was $140,900 for a decrease of 5 percent. According to industry analysts with the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half for less.
In the year-to-year quarterly comparison for condo sales, 16,897 units sold statewide for the quarter compared to 10,131 in 1Q 2009 for a 67 percent increase. The statewide existing-condo median sales price was $95,800 for the three-month period; in 1Q 2009, it was $110,000 for a decrease of 13 percent.
Low mortgage rates remain another favorable influence on the housing sector. According to Freddie Mac, the national commitment rate for a 30-year conventional fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5 percent in 1Q 2010; one year earlier, it averaged 5.06 percent.
© 2010 Florida Realtors®
Orlando Sentinel Housing Affordability
Central Florida home prices are so low that buyers earning the median household income can now afford two mid-priced houses.
While prices have been cut in half during the past three years — from a peak of $250,000 in mid-2007 to $110,000 in March — wages have not dropped off at all, reports show. While those freefalling prices have left 48 percent of Florida's mortgage holders underwater on their home loans, about 11,000 Orlando-area buyers have benefited in the past five months by purchasing during record levels of affordability, which is measured by comparing prices and wages.
Freelance artist Richard Minino, who bought a three-bedroom house last month in Orlando's Audubon Park neighborhood, said that, while his wages have held steady for years, the dramatic price drops made a big difference in what he could afford.
"I'm just extremely glad I waited to buy, because the house I just bought is twice the size of what I could have afforded in 2007, and it's in a way better area, too," said Minino, who had been renting for years.
During Orlando's real-estate price peak in 2007, the area was less affordable than three-fourths of the more than 200 cities studied in a joint report by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo & Co. By last summer, though, that situation had basically reversed itself, two years into the tumble, and by the end of last year Orlando was generally in the middle of the pack for housing affordability.
Rajia Ackley, broker for Coldwell Banker's Ackley Realty in Kissimmee, said sales prices for homes handled by her agency have dropped from $200,000 two years ago to $121,000 last year and $94,000 most recently. The company's sales volume, meanwhile, was up 46 percent last year to $170 million compared with the previous year, she said, thanks to a rush of buyers that's 60 percent investors and 40 percent local buyers.
"Buyers are taking advantage of the market," she said Friday. "On each property we've listed, we've had from two to 47 multiple offers, and most buyers are paying more than the list price."
Yet affordability has remained high, allowing wage earners to stretch their housing dollars further than anytime in at least 15 years, because lagging consumer confidence and difficulties in obtaining mortgages are holding back many buyers, said Rose Quint, a research executive with the National Association of Home Builders.
"With this level of affordability you would have expected that home sales would have gone through the roof, but there are no loans, no consumer confidence," Quint said. "People are reluctant to buy a house because they are afraid they're going to lose their jobs — they're afraid their 401(k)s are in the tank.
But the biggest factor behind the area's high affordability readings, according to University of Central Florida finance professor Stan Smith, is the high number of distress sales. And those foreclosures and "short" sales not only define the market, he said, they hide the fact that many of the properties involved require additional cash after the sale to bring them up to current standards.
Another reason house shoppers may be reluctant to take advantage of their unprecedented buying power: Living in a region with a 12 percent unemployment rate, many of them have wiped out their savings and have no down payment, Smith added.
Melina Duggal, senior principal in Orlando for real estate adviser Robert Charles Lesser & Co., said prices likely will increase and affordability likely will lessen now that the federal tax credit — primarily for first-time home buyers — has disappeared. The number of distress sales also will likely decline, and that will push up median prices more.
"As the state becomes more affordable, it brings more growth, which has been highly linked to our economy," she said. "Chances are we're not going to stay super-affordable forever."
While prices have been cut in half during the past three years — from a peak of $250,000 in mid-2007 to $110,000 in March — wages have not dropped off at all, reports show. While those freefalling prices have left 48 percent of Florida's mortgage holders underwater on their home loans, about 11,000 Orlando-area buyers have benefited in the past five months by purchasing during record levels of affordability, which is measured by comparing prices and wages.
Freelance artist Richard Minino, who bought a three-bedroom house last month in Orlando's Audubon Park neighborhood, said that, while his wages have held steady for years, the dramatic price drops made a big difference in what he could afford.
"I'm just extremely glad I waited to buy, because the house I just bought is twice the size of what I could have afforded in 2007, and it's in a way better area, too," said Minino, who had been renting for years.
During Orlando's real-estate price peak in 2007, the area was less affordable than three-fourths of the more than 200 cities studied in a joint report by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo & Co. By last summer, though, that situation had basically reversed itself, two years into the tumble, and by the end of last year Orlando was generally in the middle of the pack for housing affordability.
Rajia Ackley, broker for Coldwell Banker's Ackley Realty in Kissimmee, said sales prices for homes handled by her agency have dropped from $200,000 two years ago to $121,000 last year and $94,000 most recently. The company's sales volume, meanwhile, was up 46 percent last year to $170 million compared with the previous year, she said, thanks to a rush of buyers that's 60 percent investors and 40 percent local buyers.
"Buyers are taking advantage of the market," she said Friday. "On each property we've listed, we've had from two to 47 multiple offers, and most buyers are paying more than the list price."
Yet affordability has remained high, allowing wage earners to stretch their housing dollars further than anytime in at least 15 years, because lagging consumer confidence and difficulties in obtaining mortgages are holding back many buyers, said Rose Quint, a research executive with the National Association of Home Builders.
"With this level of affordability you would have expected that home sales would have gone through the roof, but there are no loans, no consumer confidence," Quint said. "People are reluctant to buy a house because they are afraid they're going to lose their jobs — they're afraid their 401(k)s are in the tank.
But the biggest factor behind the area's high affordability readings, according to University of Central Florida finance professor Stan Smith, is the high number of distress sales. And those foreclosures and "short" sales not only define the market, he said, they hide the fact that many of the properties involved require additional cash after the sale to bring them up to current standards.
Another reason house shoppers may be reluctant to take advantage of their unprecedented buying power: Living in a region with a 12 percent unemployment rate, many of them have wiped out their savings and have no down payment, Smith added.
Melina Duggal, senior principal in Orlando for real estate adviser Robert Charles Lesser & Co., said prices likely will increase and affordability likely will lessen now that the federal tax credit — primarily for first-time home buyers — has disappeared. The number of distress sales also will likely decline, and that will push up median prices more.
"As the state becomes more affordable, it brings more growth, which has been highly linked to our economy," she said. "Chances are we're not going to stay super-affordable forever."
Monday, May 10, 2010
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Latest News from FAR - Florida and the BP oil Spill
Fla. to BP: Pay for ad saying we’re OK
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – May 10, 2010 – Florida CFO Alex Sink met with BP Executive Keith Seilhan at the Deepwater Horizon Incident Command Center in St. Petersburg, and asked for BP's commitment to help the state and its small businesses recover from economic losses by funding an advertising campaign to let the world know that Florida and its beaches are oil-free, open for business and as beautiful as ever.
Our businesses and our state cannot afford for our number one industry to be impacted by misinformation, Sink told BP. We must act quickly to preserve the most economically important months of the tourist season, especially for our Gulf Coast counties.
The state is already attempting to show potential visitors that the oil slick has not impacted tourist sites. Throughwww.VISITFLORIDA.com, vacationers can watch live Twitter feeds and read up-to-the-minute information on the status of any city or region in Florida, allowing them to see first-hand whether or not an area is currently affected. VISIT FLORIDA is working closely with DEP and other state agencies to ensure that Floridians and visitors are kept informed of any potential impacts through real-time updates.
Sink asked BP to dedicate an executive level representative to Florida, with that exec focused on the mounting costs to Florida businesses from interruptions caused by oil spill concerns. According to Sink, the Florida Consumer Services Division has already heard from Panhandle businesses facing business interruptions from the oil spill. During her meeting with Seilhan, Sink also emphasized the need to expedite the claims process for Florida's small businesses.
As another way to offset potential losses, BP executives were asked to recruit Florida residents to do any cleanup work and to buy supplies from the state's businesses.
© 2010 Florida Realtors®
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Hillsborough, Pinellas & Pasco Counties - Market Trend
Hillsborough, Pinellas & Pasco Counties - Market Trend
Latest Update on Home Statistics for Tampa Bay Region.
Latest Update on Home Statistics for Tampa Bay Region.
Fast Facts PDF for Pinellas County - Interesting TidBits.
Fast Facts about Pinellas County: Beaches, Demographics, Interesting Stuff Adobe file link : http://dld.bz/cRAW
Fun days and local attractions
50 Fascinating Things http://shar.es/m6Q4K ....
St Petersburg Florida. Fun days and local attractions
Investment Property Calculator from AARP
Saturday, May 8, 2010
St Petersburg Thriving Urban Lifestyle - Slide Show - Great photos
Slide show great photos of the good life in St. Petersburg!
City Events Calendar - St. Petersburg Website
Friday, May 7, 2010
St Petersburg was named America's Most Livable Community
With its vibrant thriving downtown, St Petersburg was named America's Most Livable Community.
Celebrate Florida at its best in the Sunshine City. Along a sparking waterfront, discover world class art and culture, major league sports, great shopping and dining, and more than 1,000 events a year.
Beach Drive and Downtown Waterfront
St. Petersburg's landmark Pier anchors a downtown shopping, dining and entertainment district that includes bustling Bay Walk and Muvico 20, trendy boutiques along Beach Drive, and a dazzling array of shops, galleries, businesses, hotels and bed and breakfasts that line the city's pedestrian-friendly downtown streets
Oil Spill Legal guidelines for disaster victims
Oil spill: The legal side
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – May 7, 2010 – To assist disaster victims who may need legal representation, The Florida Bar offers several guides in the Public Information section of www.floridabar.org, including "Mass Disaster – A Victim's Guide," "A Consumer Guide to Client's Rights," "How to Find a Lawyer in Florida" and "Who Should I Hire to Help Me with My Legal Problem."
Floridians should make sure a lawyer is eligible to practice in the state. This can be done by going towww.floridabar.org and using the "Find a Lawyer" feature at the top of the page. The search will link to a profile page that lists the lawyer's eligibility to practice, address, Bar number and, in some cases, areas of legal practice. If you have questions about a lawyer's status, call the membership records department at The Florida Bar toll-free at (866) 854-5050.
Although there are limited circumstances when lawyers who are not licensed to practice in Florida may be authorized to appear in court, out-of-state lawyers may not be able to represent you. Consumers must also be cautious about non-lawyers or organizations that offer to provide legal representation. If you believe a person offering legal representation is not a lawyer or is not eligible to practice law in Florida, call The Florida Bar Unlicensed Practice of Law Department toll-free at (800) 342-8060, ext. 5840.
Bar-sponsored lawyer referral services are also available statewide toll-free (800) 342-8011.
The Florida Bar says it is on high alert for violations of its rules especially with regard to solicitation and will be vigilant investigating all complaints filed against individual lawyers who may be in violation of the solicitation rules.
Solicitation, whether by a lawyer personally or by someone else on his or her behalf, is prohibited, according to Bar Rule 4-7.4. Solicitation includes any direct contact face-to-face, by telephone, by fax or telegraph. It includes passing out business cards or other law firm information.
Lawyers cannot mail solicitations within 30 days of a disaster causing personal injury or actual property damage; however, the 30-day rule does not apply if the only damages are economic. Direct mail solicitations must comply with the Bar's lawyer advertising rules.
© 2010 Florida Realtors®
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Positive Indications for Buyers and Investors with a future in Mind
Let’s take a look at some of the opportunities for today and the future of Florida’s real estate market.
1. Great prices. Statewide, the existing-home median sales price was $161,200 in the fourth quarter of 2008; a year earlier, it was $216,600 for a decrease of 26 percent.
2. The time is right. Home sales volumes are rising again – a clear signal that today’s “buyers market” may be changing soon. In fourth quarter 2008, statewide sales of existing single-family homes were up 13 percent compared to the same period last year, according to FAR statistics.
3. High inventory levels. Conditions are ideal for buyers to find their dream home. Inventory is still plentiful in all price ranges. But as sales volumes increase, inventory levels are likely to shrink. That reality translates into this advice for buyers: Don’t wait too long.
4. Low mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are still at the lowest levels since the 1960s. Lower rates multiply a buyer’s financial power. Even half a percent can make a sizeable difference. For example, on a $200,000 home, half of 1 percent could save the homeowner about $815 a year. Buyers can get more home for the money, which is a perfect scenario for families looking to upsize.
5. Incentives to buy. Federal, state and local housing programs can help buyers make that big purchase. The U.S. Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2009 includes an $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers. President Obama’s 2009 economic stimulus package also identifies and offers incentives to help home buyers with mortgages. Talk to a local mortgage lender about state and federal incentive programs..
6. A long-term-growth state. Long-term economic and demographic trends continue to favor Florida. By 2010 economists forecast that Florida will be the third-most-populated state in the country. Florida’s population is expected to swell about 75 percent by 2030. Florida has been one of the 10 fastest-growing states in the U.S. for each of the past seven decades, and often the state has been in the top four, according to census data. Population growth will continue to provide a foundation for other economic development, such as new jobs and growing incomes. All of these trends are positive indicators for real estate growth.
7. A migration magnet. Even with a slowdown in economic growth nationally, projections call for Florida’s population to return to more normal growth levels of about 317,000 a year between 2010 and 2020, similar to the 1980s and 1990s, said Stan Smith, director of the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research. That’s a lot of new buyers coming into the market.
8. A favored retirement destination. Over the long term, Florida stands to benefit from the migration of the aging Baby Boomer generation, roughly 80 million strong. Demographic studies show that the Sunshine State’s mild climate and outdoor amenities continue to make Florida a top retirement destination.
9. Business-friendly state. Florida has always been a business-friendly state – no state income taxes, plus incentives from local municipalities encourage businesses to set up shop here. Even with the current economic downturn nationwide, Florida leaders continue to keep business needs in the forefront of planning for the state's future. The Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners ranked five Florida communities on its “Best Performing Cities Index 2008,” which ranks U.S. metropolitan areas by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth. Florida’s business climate ranked fourth among executives and sixth overall on “Site Selection” magazine’s 2008 Top State Business Climate rankings.
10. Positive investment outlook. Every quarter, the University of Florida’s Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies conducts a survey of industry executives, market research economists, real estate scholars and other experts. In the third quarter 2008 survey, the investment outlook for various types of Florida properties remains steady. “People who have responded to our surveys have not lost their faith in Florida as a place to be and a place to invest,” said Dr. Wayne Archer, director. “We have 40 pages of comments from our respondents, and although the dominant theme is the disruption of financing, perhaps the second theme, as one person put it, is people being on the sidelines with full pads and helmets just waiting to jump back in.”
11. Homeownership has value. Realtors believe – and research supports that belief – that homeownership provides a variety of tangible and intangible benefits to the community and homeowners. Studies show that home equity is still the largest single source of household wealth, both for the individual homeowner and for homeowners as a group.
12. Greater sense of well-being. Owning a home leads to increased personal well-being. Research shows that people who own their own homes tend to show higher levels of personal esteem and life satisfaction, which in turn helps to make homeowners and their children more productive members of society.
13. Beneficial for kids. Studies show that children raised in homes owned by their families are more likely to stay in school and more likely to graduate high school. They’re also shown to have a higher lifetime annual income.
14. Community involvement. People who own homes have a strong financial stake in what happens to their community and tend to become more involved in community and civic affairs. Studies show that homeowners also interact more with their neighbors and communities. Compared to renters, homeowners join up to 41 percent more civic and/or nonprofessional organizations, such as the PTA or Scouts; vote in local elections 15 percent more often; enhance their neighborhoods with gardens 12 percent more often; attend church about 10 percent more often; and have a 3 percent greater chance of being interested in public affairs.
15. An unsurpassed lifestyle. Finally, let’s not forget the things that brought people to Florida in the first place, and will continue to attract them – beautiful beaches, fabulous weather and a friendly business climate, with no state income tax. It’s no wonder that Florida’s combination of temperate climate, outstanding recreational amenities and economic opportunity has consistently put Florida in the top three of Harris Poll’s “Most Desirable Places to Live” survey.
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