RSS Blog FeedMore comments from online communities
Posted at 5:38 PM, Sep. 3, 2005
Think Tank:
Well, I know many REALTORS own rental property or know of those that do. Perhaps a call out to all REALTORS to open up currently empty rentals would be helpful? Or maybe even vacant homes that may be rented?
Sandra Carter Smith
BlogMaster Note: Excellent suggestion! And, contact owners, friends and relatives! This sort of thing is being done with success! If you are hesitant to call a seller with a specific need, at least expose them to the many options listed in the "Offers For Housing" Category on the right side of this page. MANY SELLERS ARE LETTING PEOPLE MOVE IN VACANT HOMES THAT ARE FOR SALE! Some remain on the market with appreciative victims "staging efforts" assisting the marketing effort. Remember, this disaster also affects people with the means to pay. SOME SELLERS ARE CHARGING MARKET RENT WHICH MEANS A SELLER'S NOTE IS COVERED WHILE HELPING A KATRINA VICTIM (hard to say "win - win" under these dire circumstances, but....), MANY DISCOUNT, SOME ONLY ASK FOR UTILITIES, AND SOME ABSORB EVERYTHING!!!!
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I just saw this website and this email address listed in one of my local newspapers, and thought they might be appropriate for the Hurricane blog you've got set up. The Next of Kin Registry is taking information about missing family and friends. Administrators of this site will get the info out to local and state officials. http://nokr.org/nok/restricted/home.htm NowPublic is an online news-sharing network, and they've set up a missing persons board. Those concerned may send email to news@nowpublic.com I hope these are of some help.
Warmly,Ann
Ann Cummings, REALTOR, GRI, CBR, e-PRO
2004 NH State REALTOR of the Year
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
150 Mirona Road
Portsmouth, NH 03801
BlogMaster Note: Thanks Ann. When I verified to see that my helper (a New Orleans Victim) had inserted this one (she had), I found an "I'm safe" feature, so added it as well. These are wasted resources unless we get out the word. I'm sad to report an agent that should of known better called today desparate for a home for a New Orleans victim. Great agent and person, but she had not read her e-mail or MLS daily notes so was not aware. Just as Ann is "heads up" on important links, we need everyone to be aware, utilize and INFORM fellow REALTORS and service providers. Housing and missing persons are major now, but several of the resources go beyound housing and missing persons. Also,thanks to Ann for giving important support to fellow REALTOR Vikii Morvant who is "in the trenches" in Mandeville.
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I got a phone call from my husband in Biloxi this morning. They arrived late last night at ground zero and were heavily briefed regarding the
looting, killing, car-jacking and desperation going on and told to "watch your backs very carefully".Just thought I'd pass this news along to those who are thinking of driving supplies and/or water to these area's. It is a big safety issue right now and they are requesting that everyone stay away and just donate money to help out. More and more people who have good intentions and are sending vehicles with supplies are getting car-jacked , stampeded and/or killed. People are desperate, they are tired of waiting so long to be rescued and
they are not being very civilized right now. It is not a good situation, but I'm sure we can all empathize with their plight. There
are still many waiting to be rescued, thinking it would happen within a day or two, and still not much going on, no food, water, shelter, some have little ones they are concerned with.My heart goes out to them, but for safety's sake IF you are planning a trip, or know someone who is, be VERY careful, but also be aware that they have cordoned off the area and you will not get through - that is
my husbands job today, block it off, let NOBODY pass except LEO, Red Cross, verified support personnel.Say hi to Sam if you are in the area ;-) You can leave your supplies and they will get them there somehow or another, but as far as you'll get is way beyond the city limits.
Paula Bean, REALTOR
e-PRO Certified Internet Expert
Certified Real Estate Consultant
Carib Gulf Realty 321.228.4663
http://www.HomeOrlando.com
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Hey everyone,
I am in Vicksburg, MS which is 200 miles north of New Orleans. I don't
Alainna O'Bannon, Association Executive
Vicksburg-Warren County Board of REALTORS
1204 Mission Park Drive
Vicksburg, MS 39180
601-638-6667
www.vicksburgrealtors.com
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I got this in my inbox just now, and thought it was very nice. I remember after last years hurricanes in Florida I got a call several
months later on an overdue bill. LOL.....our mailbox got blown away, the post office got blown away and there was no power, no email, no phones. After they realized where they were calling, they were apologetic, but hey, you can't pay bills if there is no mail, no phone, no internet. So, I thought this was a great idea from alamode. If I were going to get another web site (which I may just!) I would definitely consider a company that had the hearts and minds that they have.This goes far in my book!
Paula Bean
Orlando, Fl
Friends,
The devastation in the Gulf Coast area and the continuing emergency in New Orleans have moved us all. Those of us with friends and family in the affected areas are particularly distraught, and that's nothing compared to victims of Hurricane Katrina themselves. Working together, we can make a difference and help victims through what's sure to be a long, extremely difficult time.At a la mode, we are deferring all fees and payments of any kind due us under service contracts, annual subscriptions, website renewals or anything else for our thousands of clients in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for as long as it takes. They don't need to do anything, we just won't ask for or expect payment till things are back to normal. That's the very least we can do.But we're going beyond the least we can do, and we challenge you to help out, too. Our founder and Chairman, Dave Biggers, will personally match up to $250,000 in donations by our customers, made through our website at this address: www.alamode.com/katrina. And if your response is really overwhelming, he'll go higher.
The link takes you to a secure area on our site where your donation will be routed to the American Red Cross, matched dollar for dollar by Dave. Visit right now and pass this e-mail or the link along to anyone you think didn't get it.As a company, we've also matched the $150,000 REALTORS Relief Fund donation to state REALTOR associations in Gulf Coast states. The Alabama REALTOR Disaster Relief Fund, Louisiana REALTORS Association Relief Fund and Mississippi REALTOR Hurricane Relief Fund will split the donation three ways.
We've got more details about our efforts and our challenge to you in a press release we put out on the wires today. You can read it here.
Communities stick together when disaster strikes, and help one another out.Real estate professionals like you and us know that better than anybody.Please visit www.alamode.com/katrina today and donate generously.Thanks in advance for your donation,
All of us a la mode, inc.
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If you can offer housing anywhere in the country, here is a website to put out the offer:
http://www.hurricanehousing.org/?id=5946-1839316-37kPnJlBVl_qNEL.L6dpsg
I'm just sick about this whole thing. I've called our red cross to volunteer and they already have over 100 people ahead of me waiting to be
placed somewhere.My prayers go out to all of you in the Gulf states!
--Lainey
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Lainey Melnick, e-PRO
Austin, Texas
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For anyone in the Coldwell Banker (NRT) franchise, below is an excerpt on how they will match funds for donations to Katrina relief
As stated in todays earlier memo from Bruce Zipf, NRT president and CEO, we have in place a simple and convenient way for our employees to make donations to support this relief effort. From now through September 30, employees may make donations through The NRT Foundation to the American Red Cross that will be matched by a donation from the Cendant Charitable Foundation up to a total of $500,000. In addition, our sales associates will also be able to have their donations matched by The NRT Foundation up to a total of $100,000.
Laurie Furem, E-Pro, Realtor
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
metro Atlanta, GA (770) 597-6373 - Cell
(678) 947-7410 - Direct/VM
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From: Kitty Jubran [mailto:kitty@kitty-lana.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 12:21 PM
To: RealTalk@InternetCrusade.com
Subject: Re: RealTalk: Katrina Help
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My daughter and her family live in GA. Evidently some of the refugees are being sent to Atlanta and nearby towns. She and her husband called and volunteered to have a family move in with them. She doesn't know yetif they will take her up on it. That is truly giving.
Kitty C. Jubran P.A., e-PRO Certified
SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist)
RE/MAX Realtec Group
http://www.Kitty-Lana.com
Serving: Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey,
Hudson, and Spring Hill all in the Tampa Bay area of Sunny Florida!
direct - 727-514-3519 fax - 727-379-0713
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Bless your daughter...You're so right, Kitty.
That IS truly giving to have a family move in with you.
Sarah
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Sarah Rummage
Keller Williams Realty - Green Hills
Nashville, TN 37215-2033
www.HouseInNashville.com
www.KW.com
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Houston TX, here....Heartwarming to see others thinking as I do... My sister and I have each thought we each could take in just one single displaced person (pets okay in my case).....it is a tricky thing to do, and too easily abused, I would rather take in someone directly referred to me by someone that already knew them....and I'm sure the Red Cross or FEMA will eventually have a list of displaced people or a sign up sheet for those of us willing to take in someone....and our Realtor buddies in New Orleans "area", and Biloxi "area", etc., surely will know of trustworthy people that need help, perhaps they themselves need help?....I am ashamed to say I'm rather picky, as this could be "the guest that never leaves"....but I would say to them, as I've said to friends in the past (going thru divorces, break-ups, lost jobs, returning to Houston, or whatever..): "You can stay with me for free, for one month, while you regroup, after that you'll have to start paying rent..." I'm not rich, no big fancy house, no big fancy car...but I do try to help as much as I can.I happen to know where there are some dilapidated apartments, a really huge community, only about 10%-20% occupied, with the permanent "$99 Move-in Special" sign....after seeing the RT posting from the Tennessee Realtor about FEMA wanting Realtors to be on the alert for potential
housing solutions, it occurred to me that I could contact several apartment buildings in my part of Houston, and present FEMA with a nice
tidy list & all the info they need. These are not great apartments, but it sure beats living in a tent or under a ridge.....perhaps FEMA or the
Red Cross will pay or augment the rent....I'll post here as I find out more.....If nothing else, it let's me feel like I'm helping in a small
way..... I'd be willing to pay that $99 for one family..... and I encourage any other Realtors in the Gulf Coast, to call all the apartment
complexes in their area, and find out how many vacancies they might have, how much they may be willing to help (ie, one month free rent?, etc.)....
Lindy
Lindy Clarke Hall, ePro,
Realtor Since 1977
PrudentialGaryGreeneRealtors,
12850 Memorial #1155, Houston TX 77024
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Good idea but these people have no home, and now no job, how can they
Donna Slemp
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I am a Rotarian in Boca Raton Florida. We are putting on a fundraiser and collecting donations for the relief effort if you are local you can
actually come to our fund raiser on October 8th. Please check our Rotary website _www.bocasunsetrotary.org_ (http://www.bocasunsetrotary.org) If you are far away and buy a ticket it will be given to a less fortunate child locally, the money will go to the relief fund.
Jacqueline Wiesenfeld, ABR,CIPS,RECS,e-PRO,SRES,MNAEA(overseas)
Broker
World Property Group
2385 Executive Center Drive #100
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Tel:(561) 962 2723, 1-866 962 2723
Fax: (561) 279 0940 Cell:(561) 789 6823
Direct: (561) 279 4009
www.worldpropertygroup.com
www.worldpropertymortgage.com
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To everyone: Like most of you all, I have given money till it hurts to many different hands-on relief organizations, and like many, I watch in
disbelief of the suffering. We have all seen it, mothers holding dehydrated babies, everyone filthy, hungry, people dying from the heat
and lack of water and/or totally left unattended. How the hell can this be happening in America? Why couldn't food and water have been brought in as the helicopters made return trips to get evacuees, or food and water dropped on the dry road ways? Or megaphones used to broadcast help news...anything?.........My heart is breaking and I feel powerless to do more. I am so overcome with grief and anger that it is nearly unbearable.
Kit Parker
Kit Parker, Buyer's Broker, ABR, e-PRO
Aiken Homes Realty, Aiken,SC 29803
803-643-0747 ofc 803-646-1823 cell
WEBSITE: http://www.AikenHomes.net
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I saw this website on another listserv. www.OpenYourHome.com
You can post if you need shelter or if you are willing to offer shelter. As I understand it, they will do background checks before placing someone with you.Worth looking into if you want to help, but are concerned about who you are opening your home to.
Becky Lloyd
REALTOR, e-PRO
Cell 254-366-4786
Office 254-741-1500
http://www.becky-lloyd.com
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Blogmaster Note: Thanks Becky! It has been added!
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Donna and RT, getting the refugees out, and to a clean/dry/safe place is what I'm hoping to enable....once resituated, they will be qualified for FoodStamps/Unemployment/etc, and whatever FEMA will help with....after a few weeks, they can get interim/temp jobs here in Houston easily, just yesterday my friend and I commented on how many "Now Hiring" signs we saw (these were stores and restaurants...but it's better than nothing.All churches in Houston are pulling together clothing drives....I am still hoping to hear that other Gulf Coast Realtors are
investigating how many apartment vacancies they have in their areas....Once we get the refugees out, we have to put them someplace, and then help them put their lives back together......it can be done...I can't do anything about rebuilding the city, I can't do anything about the gunshots and crime, but we can all help a little....but if we imagine ourselves in their position, how mind-boggling! Many organizations here are assembling information for the refugees, and assembling bags of food, etc... So that we can help them once they get here....my one bag of food may not be much, but with all the others, it can be a help....later, the FoodBank, FEMA, and other gov't assistances can come into play. IMO, everyone in America should contribute something....even $5 would mean the world to someone....since Houston is so close to New Orleans, I'm sure we'll be hearing more about other ways to help....
(ps...am intentionally leaving entire original msg intact, in case anyone missed it)
Lindy in Houston
BlogMaster Note: Lindy, you sound like a kindred spirit! I agree with everything you said in your post and want to assure you that the Gulf Coast Realtors are pulling an extremely heavy load that includes working with apartment vacancies, vacant homes for sale, empty buildings,etc. Realtors in the affected areas as well as fellow Realtors and Americans across the country are offering rooms in their own homes! We need to make sure everyone enters their resources in the various databases and alerts all of their availability.
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My heart hurts too. The photos of families, children, babies, the infirm, seniors, etc. is so horrific as to defy reality.
It is absolutely unfathomable to me that this is happening right here at home.So many many people whose lives have been unalterably changed. Without hope or resources. Not meaning to open a political pandora's box, many wonder what on earth FEMA is doing (or not doing). Frankly, I don't care about the answer - just get help to those people.Thanks for letting me vent.
Laurie Furem, E-Pro, Realtor
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Here at CARMLS, our multiple listing service I have posted the following message on our message board:ATTENTION REALTORS:
If you have properties for Rent or have homes in which sellers are willing to RENT, please keep the hurricane evacuees in mind. Please post
your rental properties in our Rental section so that we may compile a database list that can be distributed to organized relief fund
coordinators. We believe this will help victims find temporary housing and what may result in permanent.
Amanda Tester, Executive Officer
Cooperative Arkansas REALTORS MLS, Inc.
Little Rock, AR 501.224.3339
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Meridian is on the east side of the state, at the intersection of Interstate 20 and Interstate 59., approx 200 miles north of the coast.
Glad to report that although there is a lot of damage here, I do not believe there are any deaths reported in our area. Believe me, we are
fortunate and I am not complaining, but I can only report on our situation here as a reference for you as to how bad other areas must be.
I have not had TV or internet since Sunday, so excuse me if the info is dated. Still no TV, but now on dial up internet service.
Appears that the eye went between Meridian and Jackson, directly over Laurel and Hattiesburg. Power was out Monday afternoon for everyone in 2 counties in our Board Jurisdiction for sure. Winds shifted during the night due to the pressure system out of Texas and what services were not taken during the day, were taken during the night. Our phone was out Tues AM As of late afternoon today, 40% of the City of Meridian, that's about 20,000 residents did have power restored. Our major issues at this point are power and communications. Electric lines in this area are above ground in our largely rural area, and huge pine trees took most of them down. When lines were put back up, or even where they were left, we had huge transformer lines that needed to berestored to get power to the substations. I heard estimate of 750 poles had to be replaced in our immediate area. We have fuel tanks in our area, but without power, cannot pump from them. Fuel is being brought in from Memphis area. Without power, many, including me, were on generators, thus using gas
more than usual. Lines to the stations that still have gas are the norm. Those that had power earlier, are out of fuel, those just getting power back up are open. Trucks are delivering, but demand is still great. Water and Ice has been trucked in via FEMA, and we are receiving regular shipments at designated locations. We still have some water systems that are not functioning. No power, no
water. We had thousands of evacuees in our area in hotels thinking that we should have been well out of reach of the storm. Many of our hotels were without power. Restaurants for them are at a minimum as well. We are grateful for the support that has come to our area, the Red Cross, churches (one huge men's group from North Carolina). We have power crews from all over. The ones working in the area of my residence were from CT, and others from MO, NY etc. they are doing a fantastic job, and power grids are being restored. Please let those family members at home know how much we appreciate them being here. The second issue is communication. Phone lines, cable, TV have also been off in this area. Our local radio station has been doing a great job of
keeping us informed, but it has been difficult in even hearing from other parts of the state. The REALTOR community is very good at networking, and we have been able to hear good news on some of our members. Areas to the south of us, south of Interstate 20, I can only assume are in much worse shape than us. We had sustained winds of 80 MPH and we felt that inside my house. Hattiesburg was reported at over 100MPH, can't imagine the winds on the coast. Members of the 238th ASOS and 248th based out of Meridian have deployed to Gulfport to attempt to establish communication and open the airport for relief supplies to be brought in. Keep in mind that our State's National Guard and Reserve have been doing it's part in Iraq, and the Army's 155th( the largest unit in MS) is currently deployed in Iraq.Members of the 186th ARW are involved in water and ice distribution in a huge part of the middle part of the state. I am sure others are activated as well, I just don't have personal knowledge of it.As I understand it, Meridian is to be distribution center for supplies
etc going south, so our area will be busy for quite some time. As far as what you can do, I understand a REALTOR disaster relief fund
has been established and funds there would be greatly appreciated. The Red Cross, Salvation Army and others will definitely need funds as their shelter support will be more than the usual 2-3 days and they will be dispensing meals, lodging food and supplies to individuals. Please
continue to keep our members to the south in your thoughts. 90 plus degrees during the day without shelter, water. They are definitely in
survival mode. Homes, personal possessions & business structures lost as well as their livelihood. On behalf of those who cannot communicate yet, THANK YOU.
Laura Miller, Association Executive
Meridian Board of REALTORS, Inc.
4927 Hwy 493 Meridian, MS 39305
601.485-7113 Fax 601.482-1493
www.meridianboardofrealtors.org
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Watching the news programs and following the story of Katrina's effect on the people of New Orleans and other Gulf Coast regions has been sobering. The evacuation & assimilation of 100's of thousands of people into our communities will be an incredible undertaking. According to reports, the population of neighboring Louisiana cities is burgeoning --- places like Baton Rouge and Lafayette are swelling with displaced families. Houston's population has increased by approximately 100,000. The current evacuations and shelters are only a temporary step. There are plans to establish more permanent housing close to New Orleans, but this could take months --- what to do in the mean time?
Getting New Orleans back into habitable condition could take a long time. The NO levee system has been inundated with water for days and it's possible that as they repair some breeches, others will open. Many of the pumping stations are under water. Once all the repairs are made, it could take several weeks and perhaps months to dry out the flooded areas - and then the clean up & rebuilding begins. Most of the dwellings will be waterlogged and uninhabitable. We're looking at years to rebuild --- and it's possible that many won't go back. My nephew just returned from New Orleans where they were relocating prisoners. His comment: "so that's what Armageddon looks
like". And that's just New Orleans. According to news reports, 90,000 square miles of the Gulf Coast region was affected. The Biloxi area
casinos employed over 16,000 people --- none will be able to return to work for months. And the list goes on and on.
With long-term prospects looking so unsure, the evacuated people will need to move beyond the basic temporary shelters being provided today. The local Red Cross is overwhelmed and has never dealt with a disaster in the US with such large numbers. While the Red Cross and other disaster relief programsare among the best in the world, they will not be able to maintain the current level of support. Additionally, housing 10's of thousands of people at the Astrodome and other similar facilities is not a solution for more than a few weeks at best. Yesterday the Astrodome -- after accepting just 12,000 people --- was temporarily closed to new people because the facilities can't cope with all the needs --- fortunately, it opened again this morning. Some have already acknowledged that the
current system cannot deal with this disaster on a long-term basis. So, some good news. People are now recognizing the enormity of the
relocation and organizations are springing up to deal with the long term prospects of moving evacuees beyond temporary shelter and are working toadopt families. One such program is www.CrawfordCares.com. While this is a local program meant to work with those relocating to Houston, maybe other communities can start similar programs for displaced families that have relocated to their communities. The idea is to provide employment and temporary housing for the displaced in a similar line of work. One local restaurant owner has hired six former New Orleans restaurant employees and is providing support, housing, necessities and a job to one family member until they can return home. Our fellow RT'r, Vikki Morvant is working with www.kwcares.org to provide relief to her own neighbors in Mandeville, Louisiana. She's off to Mandeville this weekend to scout things out --- when we spoke by phone yesterday, she still didn't know about condition of her home. I'm posting her response to my email from yesterday: "Thank you for your offer of help. On Tuesday, I am joining the team of KW Cares. I can contact you then, or you may wish to tell everyone about http://www.Kwcares.org. This organization spends 100% of the funds on the victims, as the parent company provides all of the administrative costs. You may write my name on the lower left corner, and they will be earmarked to help our area."
John Huval
Sterling Residential, RealtorsR
Bellaire, TX 77401
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ATTENTION REALTORS®:
If you have properties for RENT or have homes in which sellers are willing to lease for 6 months to a year, please keep the hurricane
evacuees in mind. Please post your rental properties in our Rental section so that we may compile a database list that can be distributed to
organized relief fund coordinators. Please keep in mind we need larger homes also to accommodate executives from businesses such as Entergy, USDA offices, Domino Sugar, etc...We believe this will help victims find temporary housing and what may result in permanent residency.
Amanda Tester, Executive Officer
Cooperative Arkansas REALTORS® MLS, Inc.
Little Rock, AR 501.224.3339
501.325.0598 eFax, 501.912.4722 vm.
http://carmls.com
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If anyone know's of any fellow REALTORS who are in need of a place to stay because of Katrina, my wife and I have a guest room in our house that is available. I have an office with internet, fax, copier etc that would serve one of my colleagues well as a temporary office.
Please contact me off list if you know of someone with a need. "Some people are very generous. They are constantly giving away their
friends".If any of your friends need real estate assistance you can give them to me with confidence they will receive the highest degree of professional service.I love referrals,Lou Sansevero, e-PRO
Keller Williams Realty Lakewood Ranch
cel: 941.447.0032 Fax: 866.231.5580 Off: 941.556.0500
Mailto:Lou@LouSansevero.com http://lousansevero.yourkwagent.com
When you need real estate services on the Florida Sun Coast, Don't ask
who?
Ask SCUBA LOU...
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