Tampa Home Builder Customer Satisfaction

Posted at 5:06 AM, Aug. 17, 2008

While showing new construction homes, I am often asked the question does this builder have a good quality home. I often send the link which is included below to my clients, or print out the chart for them, and it often lets them feel more comfortable with one builder over another. Although most builders have a high quality product there are occassions where the home is less than perfect, and it is then important to have a builder who stands behind their product and does the necessary repairs.

I also believe it helps a buyer to have Realtor representation when they go to the model home center and to be represented in the sale. Many buyers assume that they can get a better deal by buying directly from the builder, however a good Realtor can usually get you the best price and terms. Remember the sales person in the model home center works for the builder, and their job is to keep the sales price as close to asking price as possible. A good Realtors job is to represent you. Is the builder going to give a better price to the individual who is going to buy one home, or to the Realtor whose company is bringing them tens or hundreds of buyers each year. And remember that the builder normally pays the Realtors commission, not you. There are actually a couple of builders who do not pay a Realtor commission, however they also have the lowest customer satisfaction rating. Not only do you usually get a better price with good Realtor representation the Realtor also should assist you after the sale with any problems. We have contacts in these companies and if they do not keep our buyers happy, we may not bring our future buyers, and I have had builders make repairs that they originally told the buyer was not covered.

 http://www.jdpower.com/homes/ratings/home-builder-customer-satisfaction-ratings/tampa

Waterfront Home at Andalucia in Apollo Beach, FL offered at $1,299,000

Posted at 11:55 AM, Oct. 18, 2007

Beautiful waterfront Mediterranean home is exquisite with incredible water views. This custom built 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home is located in the exclusive guard gated community of Andalucia, located on Tampa Bay. As you drive up you will be met with professionally designed lush landscaping. The wood floors and volume ceilings will amaze you. Feast your eyes on the incredible water views from the kitchen, living room and three of the four bedrooms. The master bedroom is unique with a separate room divided by French doors that can be used as a nursery, sitting room, or office. The entire home has been prewired for surround sound, and the fourth bedroom - bonus room may also be used as a media room or game room. You will enjoy the convenience of the remote controlled hurricane shutters installed on the front windows. Host a terrific party on this large screened lanai with gorgeous heated pool and spa overlooking your private dock and expansive Bal Harbor, with direct access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Even the 28 foot Carver twin engine boat and two jet skis are included. Enjoy boating, fishing, or dolphin watching. Community amenities include a clubhouse, pool overlooking Tampa Bay, tennis courts, playground, and fishing jetty. Come enjoy the ultimate in luxurious Florida Lifestyle. For more information call Jeff Launiere of Keller Williams Realty at 813-469-3163

Waterfront Lot Available at Andalucia, Located in Apollo Beach, FL - $649,900

Posted at 11:44 AM, Oct. 18, 2007

You will fall in love with this waterfront lot and its magnificent views, your own private dock, and direct access to Tampa Bay. Select your favorite builder to construct the home of your dreams. Enjoy all the luxuries Andalucia has to offer including; 24 hour gated security, clubhouse with pool overlooking Tampa Bay, clay tennis courts, community fishing jetty, and playground. This exceptional property is the perfect beginning to create your own Florida paradise, where you can enjoy the dolphin swimming by, tropical flowers, and exotic birds. Seller financing available. Seller has plans available for custom designed dream home, or design your own. If you would like more information regarding this picture perfect property, please call Jeff Launiere of Keller Williams Realty at 813-469-3163.

Beautiful Villa Available at Lake Bernadette for $185,000 in Zephyrhills, FL

Posted at 11:35 AM, Oct. 18, 2007

Beautiful maintenance free villa in the premier golf community of Lake Bernadette ready for quick move-in. Maintenance fee includes lawn care, exterior painting and roof. Located on a dead-end street this villa has an incredible conservation lot. All appliances stay including the refrigerator, washer and dryer. The three bedrooms are roomy and the master bedroom even has two large walk-in closets. The living room and the master bedroom look out over the conservation view for great privacy. Very popular Kimball Hill Homes St. Augustine Floor Plan. Enjoy all Lake Bernadette has to offer including the two pools, one of which is heated, a spa, basketball, tennis courts, playground, fitness center, and of course the beautiful 18 hole golf course. With this maintenance free villa you will have plenty of time to enjoy everything the community offers. For more information call Jeff Launiere of Keller Williams Realty at 813-469-3163.

Why Homes Don't Sell - Part II

Posted at 8:16 AM, Jul. 31, 2007

Why Homes Don’t Sell – Part II 

In my last article I went into the three most common reasons homes do not sell. They are Price, Product (Condition of the Home) and Promotion (Marketing of the Home). 

In this article I will go into some miscellaneous items that can prevent a home from selling. This is not a complete list, however these are some of the ones that I have seen that are worth mentioning.  

1. The Listing Agent does not answer the phone or does not call the buyer’s agents back in a timely fashion. 

Buyers often call their agent and want to go see homes today, or they see a home that looks interesting while they are out seeing other homes. Their agent calls the listing agent, and if no answer or a slow callback, results in the home not being seen. 

I personally have had agents call me back more than a week after I called them. They ask if I would still like to schedule a showing and I may say, unfortunately my buyer went back home to New Jersey last week, or they purchased another home. More than once, I never had my call returned. 

2. The MLS listing says to call the seller to schedule showings. 

When a listing says call seller to schedule showings, this often through experience means an inconvenient showing. There is usually no lock box, and the appointment must be set at the seller’s convenience, not the buyers. When there are a large number of homes available to show, these do not attract anyone’s attention.  

3. Listing states that a 48 or 72 hour notice is required for all showings. 

Again the homes most likely to be shown are the ones that are convenient for the buyer to see. 

4. Listing agent or seller too restrictive for scheduling. 

Buyer’s agents often show a buyer 6 – 10 homes in a day. The buyer’s agent tries to schedule the showings the best they can. However, it is impossible to always say we will be there at 1:00 PM or exact time. We often give a timeframe of 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Some listing agents will say I’m sorry but you will have to give me an exact time or a 15 minute cushion in time, not an hour. 

The problem is let’s say there are six properties to be seen. You figure on travel time plus enough time to show each home. However let’s say you figure on 15 or 20 minutes per listing plus travel time. What happens if the buyer likes a certain home and spends 45 minutes or an hour? What if we drive up to another and the say they are not even interested in going in? Obviously, it can be impossible to stick to an accurate schedule. 

5. Seller alienates real estate agents. 

Example One: I was a listing agent, where I had a buyers agent call me and say they wanted to show my listing between the hours of 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM. My seller left the home before 2:00 PM and came back at 3:00 PM. At 3:10 PM the buyer’s agent came up and rang the doorbell and said sorry we are late, but unfortunately we got stuck in traffic. My seller yelled at the agent with the prospective buyer by their side.  

The buyer’s agent said he was sorry. The seller then said they could look at the home. When the seller called me and told me about this, I discussed how I had already explained that sometimes this will happen. The buyer’s agent should have called me to let me know they were running late, however the seller wants to sell the home, and this does happen. The seller told me the buyer did not appear to like the home as they spent only a couple of minutes there. I told the seller that they may have not liked the home, or it could be after you yelled at them they were too afraid to even really look at the home. I also told the seller it is unlikely the buyer would even come back even if they loved the home, and likewise it is unlikely their agent will ever consider their home for another buyer. I called the agent to apologize, but the agent was not thrilled with what had happened. I would not be surprised if that agent told at least some of the approximately 150 agents he worked with about what happened. How many of these agents would want to show this listing? 

Example Two: Recently a home in my neighborhood had been listed with another agent for six months. It did not sell and the listing expired. During the six months it was on the market I had showed the home to a couple of my buyers. They did not buy, but since I am an expert in the neighborhood I knew that the home was slightly overpriced but was not being marketed well. The owner lives in another state, so I sent them a letter saying if they decide to put their home back on the market, I would like to be considered for the job of their listing agent. I went through my successes in the neighborhood, and that I would like to discuss how I would market their home to sell.  

A few days later I received an email from the owner of the home. In it he told me that he is sick of the spam he is getting in the mail from several real estate agents. He then mentioned that he is going to report us all for spamming him with junk mail and will have us arrested. Of course there is no law about sending a letter through the postal service. He then stated that he would be happy if we all would drop dead. 

Now what do you think the chance of any of the real estate agents who received such hateful mail choosing this home to show to their buyers? Do you think that he may have hurt his chances of selling. 

6. A few last items that prevent a home from selling. These are all from personal experience 

• Terrible curb appeal – weeds, dead grass, messy looking, etc.
• Sloppy or dirty home
• Cluttered home
• Animal waste on carpets, beds or walls
• Animals running around loose – Many buyers are afraid of dogs or cats
• Dirty clothes all over floor
• Filthy carpet or worn carpet
• Offensive artwork or photos
• Sellers sleeping while showing is going on
• Empty wine and beer bottles all over floor
• Fist holes in wall and doors

Some of these seem absurd, but they are real and probably happen more often than we could imagine. There are of course many more that could be listed.

Why Homes Don't Sell

Posted at 6:03 AM, Jul. 17, 2007

1. The asking price
2. Product or the condition of the home, land and anything included in the sale
3. Promotion or the marketing plan

Florida Going Green?

Posted at 11:53 AM, Jul. 16, 2007

Recently, our new Governor, Charlie Crist announced that Florida will be going green. He stated that although there are many that do not believe that global warming is real, he knows that it is.

Governor Crist also states that he knows many in his party will not be happy that he is signing executive orders requiring power plants to cut emissions to 2000 levels, reduced auto emissions, use of solar panels, and other proposals. Many came out against these proposals, while others applauded what he is trying to do. Environmentalists were thrilled also, until Governor Crist proposed more use of nuclear power plants.

Governor Arnold Schwarzeneger even appeared with Governor Crist.

As a Realtor, one of our main responsibilities is to negotiate the best deal for our clients. Part of negotiating is to always handle the negotiations so the other side feels they are getting a good deal. One thing we do not want to do is to create animosity.

With global warming I always wonder why our govenrment officials (state and federal) take such a hard line. They either aggresively take on the position that global warming exists or on the side that we do not have anything to worry about. Therefore, our public officials make one group happy and one angry.

I believe they could get much more support if they never used the words global warming when they take a legislative position. Instead if Governor Crist said since this is the sunshine state we should harness the power of the sun, and therefore we should promote solar energy, I think it would be hard to find anyone who would disagree.

The same is true of green building, or cleaner running vehicles. To cut pollution, or to save energy, people generally agree with that. But once the words global warming comes out that seems to change the entire tone of the conversation and cause argument.

What do you think?

Gov. Charlie Crist signs home inspector licensing bill

Posted at 4:33 PM, Jun. 28, 2007

Gov. Charlie Crist signed SB 2234 to license home inspectors. Virtually everyone in the real estate industry must be licensed but up until today, home inspectors did not.

Unfortunately, this bill does not take effect until July 1, 2010. This gives the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) time to come up with a certification program along with licensing fees and to draft the rules.

Until the law takes effect it is caveat emptor or buyer beware. Until then it is best to get recommendations from your real estate professional and to make sure your home inspector is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).

It is highly recommended for all buyers to get a professional home inspection.

For more information on home inspectors there is great information available on the ASHI website http://www.ashi.org/.

Wesley Chapel To Get Its Own Hospital

Posted at 7:06 AM, Jun. 18, 2007

Property Tax Relief Approved

Posted at 6:22 PM, Jun. 17, 2007

• All cities and counties must cut taxes for the 2007-2008 fiscal year back to 2006-2007 revenue levels.
• All local governments will also be required to cut an additional 3%, 5%, 7% or 9%, based on a formula of tax performance over the past five years, compared to state average.
• Future property tax revenues capped to the rate of personal income growth and new construction. 

• An average savings with both the statutory and constitutional changes for homesteaded property of $1,300 or a 44% reduction
• “Save our Homes” to be replaced with a super exemption that will give a bigger benefit in approximately 73% of the cases. Where it does not the homeowners present Save our Homes will be grandfathered.
• For homesteaded properties there will be an exemption of 75% of the first $200,000 in value of the home. Therefore, on a $200,000 home the exemption would be $150,000 and the property tax would be based on a value of $50,000.
• On the next $300,000 of home value for homesteaded property, there will be an additional 15% exemption.

Property Tax Relief Is On Its Way, Or Is It?

Posted at 6:30 PM, Jun. 12, 2007

Property Tax Relief Agreement Reached

Posted at 7:26 PM, Jun. 9, 2007

Property Tax Relief Agreement Reached

The House and Senate have come to an agreement to lower property tax by $31.6 billion over the next five years. 

Immediate (this year) tax relief in the amount of $15.6 billion (Statutory Changes) 

• All cities and counties must cut taxes for the 2007-2008 fiscal year back to 2006-2007 revenue levels.
• All local governments will also be required to cut an additional 3%, 5%, 7% or 9%, based on a formula of tax performance over the past five years, compared to state average.
• Future property tax revenues capped to the rate of personal income growth and new construction. 

$16 billion in further property tax relief (Constitutional Amendment) 

• An average savings  with both the statutory and constitutional changes for homesteaded property of $1,300 or a 44% reduction
• “Save our Homes” to be replaced with a super exemption that will give a bigger benefit in approximately 73% of the cases. Where it does not the homeowners present Save our Homes will be grandfathered.
• For homesteaded properties there will be an exemption of 75% of the first $200,000 in value of the home.  Therefore, on a $200,000 home the exemption would be $150,000 and the property tax would be based on a value of $50,000.
• On the next $300,000 of home value for homesteaded property, there will be an additional 15% exemption.                                                                                                                               

This should be a big boost to the real estate industry and to the overall economy.

April new home sales highest monthly gain in 14 years

Posted at 12:58 PM, May. 24, 2007

Lower Property Insurance Rates - Maybe Not

Posted at 6:00 PM, May. 10, 2007

While Governor Charlie Crist and many other politicians have been promising lower property insurance rates, a new twist has taken place.

When U.S. Senator Bill Nelson was the state insurance commissioner he initiated a public computer catastrophe model that was supposed to protect us against the private computer catastrophe models that the insurance companies use. These models predict the likelihood of a weather related catastrophe.

The public model was created by a team at Florida International University in Miami at a cost of $2.7 million of taxpayer money.

So what is the twist. The public model was supposed to provide checks and balances to the private models used by the insurance industry. Unfortunately, the public model predicted catastrophic losses almost twice as high as the private models. If the insurance industry sets their rates based on the public model instead of saving money, we could all be paying much higher property insurance rates, plus we will be paying for the system that all made this possible.

So What Happened to Property Tax Relief?

Posted at 6:05 AM, May. 5, 2007

Governor Charlie Crist had set as one of his priorities, Property Tax Relief. We were promised by him and members of the legislature that we would see it soon. Some were even saying if they did not pass anything during this session then they wasted their time. Well guess what? The session is over with no agreement.

The legislature suspended negotiations until a special 10-day session to be held June 12 - 22. They state they want to get it right, and this session they say will result in a deal. Let us pray!

Will Wesley Chapel Get A Hospital

Posted at 1:19 PM, May. 4, 2007

Will Wesley Chapel Get A Hospital?

June 2007 will be the magical date. That is when the state will decide whether Wesley Chapel will get a hospital of its own. Last year the state turned down Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, UCH and BayCare.

This year Florida Hospital Zephyrhills and UCH have formed a partnership and propose to build an 80-bed hospital near Saddlebrook Resort on SR-54. The University of South Florida's Medical School and BayCare formed a cooperative effort to create a 120-bed teaching hospital in Seven Oaks on Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

If there is an approval, which is not a sure thing, there will likely only be an approval for one or the other, and we can expect an appeal by the losing party. The soonest we would see a hospital would likely be in 2011.

Last year the state used census data from 2000. This year they will be using updated information, and they should take into consideration what the anticipated population will be in 2011. Hopefully, the state will take into account that the nearest hospitals are a good 30 minutes away, and even longer with rush hour traffic. 

American Cancer Society Relay for Life

Posted at 11:07 AM, May. 4, 2007

2007 American Cancer Society Relay For Life

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life was held April 19 and 20 at the Wesley Chapel High School. The goal was to raise $48,000 however, to the pleasant surprise of everyone more than $60,000 was raised.

Most of us have been touched by cancer, whether personally or to a family member or friend. This $60,000 will surely help those present and future whose lives will be impacted by cancer.

Open Houses

Posted at 2:38 PM, Apr. 30, 2007

Should we Hold an Open House

When you are selling your home as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO) you will almost certainly hold open houses. However, there is much controversy amongst sellers and even real estate agents on whether to hold open houses or not. Here are a few things to consider;

1. Where is the home located -- Is your home located on a main road where lots of road traffic passes by each day. Then an open house may be worth it. However, if your home is in a gated community or located on a dead-end it may not command enough drive-by activity to make it worthwhile. An open house on a road where 35,000 cars pass by each day will be more successful than one where the only cars that pass by are the neighbors.

2. Security -- Beside the looky-loos, neighbors, and those interested in getting decorating tips, one group that likes open houses are thieves. Although not all that common, crime and assaults do occur from time to time. The crime is often the stealing of jewelry or prescription drugs. Whether you are a FSBO or Realtor an open house is an open invitation for everyone to come in, and you cannot control whether they are potential buyers or those that may be planning something more nefarious.

3. Cost -- Anyone can put out a sign, but properly advertising an open house can run $80 to $200 or more for each open house. These costs can add up quickly.

4. Housing Market -- In a sellers market the chance of selling is high as buyers are desperate to find a home. They often go to a Realtor, look for open houses and FSBO homes. In a normal market about less buyers look for open houses, and in a buyers market, most buyers go through a Realtor as there are too many homes available. Therefore, there is little benefit to an open house in a buyers market, limited benefit in a normal market, and good benefit in a sellers market.

5. Is your home the best priced, or in the best condition -- Sometimes those looking at open houses are not yet serious buyers, however if the home is so much better than others and the price is great, the looker can turn into a serious buyer. This requires a home in perfect condition or priced lower than the competition.

6. Success Rates -- Open Houses are successful approximately 1% of the time. On average for every 100 people that go through an open house 1 person will purchase. In a sellers market, 100 buyers may go through an open house in a few weeks. In a buyers market it could take many months or even years of weekly open houses to sell the home.

The decision on whether to hold open houses should be thought through carefully and discussed with a real estate professional. For a well-priced home in a high-traffic area they can be a great idea. For other homes they can be costly and of little benefit.

Selling Your Home In Any Market

Posted at 1:10 PM, Apr. 22, 2007

  Selling Your Home in Any Market 

I am often asked by sellers "what do we need to do to get our home sold." The answer is the same whether it is a sellers market, normal market or buyers market. The timeframes may change and the approaches may change, but in all markets there are three main factors involved in getting your home sold.

These three factors include Price, Product and Promotion.  I will briefly cover each of these, however if you would like more information, please email me at Info@SweetHomeTampa.com or even better; call me anytime at 813-469-3163. 

Price: Price in many peoples thinking is the most important, in that if the price is right, there will be a buyer. However, selling your home goes much more smoothly and gets the highest price when all three factors are in balance. 

In a sellers market such as the one we had in 2005 pricing is not quite as important. If a seller overpriced their home the prices caught up within a couple of months and sometimes much less. However in the buyers market we had in 2006 and continue to have in 2007 overpricing by even $10,000 can be disastrous. A quick example will help.  

Joe and Sally seller are ready to put their home on the market. The Market Analysis or Appraisal shows a value of $280,000 so Joe and Sally seller decide to ask $290,000 to allow room for negotiation. The problem is that there are seven other comparable homes for sale in the same subdivision and three of them have asking prices below yours. The lowest is priced at $282,000. You decide you will try for $290,000 for 30 days anyway. At the end of 30 days after few or no showings you decide that you will now drop the price to $280,000. The problem now is that some of the other comparable homes have dropped their price already. One is priced at $270,000. So now you are overpriced again. Many sellers are facing this problem today, and are always running one price reduction away from selling their home. Unfortunately, each time they lower their price, they are always playing catch-up and always one price reduction away from selling.  

There are many homes on the market today that have been on the market for a year or more that if they priced the home correctly at the beginning would have sold their home for say $50,000 more than what their asking price is today.  

Product: The product is the home, land, and everything included in the sale. That is to say it is the condition of the home and how the home looks to potential buyers. All else being equal the home in the best condition will sell first.  

There is often a debate on whether it is better to repaint or install new carpet if necessary or to give an allowance or just to lower the price. My advice is always to do the repairs that are needed. Buyers almost always overestimate the cost of carpet or painting. For example the cost or repainting may be $2,000 but the buyer thinks it will cost $5,000 or more and takes that amount off their offer. Also many buyers truly want move-in condition. They do not want to delay their move just to have the home repainted or to get new carpet installed. Therefore, they will often look for a home that does not require repairs. They will not even make an offer on the one that requires work. 

To look the best to buyers, you should make the yard and the outside of the home look great (curb appeal), and the inside of the home should look clean, neat and without clutter. Kitchens and bathrooms should be especially clean. 

Promotion: Promotion is also known by the name marketing or advertising. The thing to realize is that there are various ways to market a home, and these marketing methods must be individualized to the particular property. Some marketing methods follow. 

For Sale Sign: Is used to attract the buyer that might be driving by. Most effective where there is much traffic going by. Least effective is on dead-end streets and in gated communities. 

MLS: The multiple listing service is probably the most effective marketing technique and the least understood. It is not just being on the MLS that is important, it is using it effectively. The MLS is used to market to both Realtors and Buyers. Used effectively it makes Realtors want to show your home first, and makes buyers want to see your home most. Effective use includes the use of the maximum number of photos, virtual tours, excellent property descriptions, and the use of incentives. 

Realtor.com: 82% of buyers start their search online. The majority of these start that search at Realtor.com. When you think of Realtor.com it is best to think of a magazine. If you were to advertise in a magazine you would probably like you ad to be on the cover if possible. If not then within the first several pages, and as you can imagine the further back in the magazine then the less your ad would be seen. The same is true on Realtor.com. When a Realtor joins the National Association of Realtors included in their membership is their listings appear on Realtor.com. However, you only get a standard listing on Realtor.com. 85% of Realtors use standard listings as there is no additional charge. However this is like having your home advertised in the back of a magazine. On Realtor.com this puts your listing last, only shows one photo and only has the Real Estate offices contact number. There are then several levels of enhancements which the Realtor must pay for, sometimes with a cost of several thousand dollars per year. 

Open Houses: Results in sales approximately 1% of the time. Most effective on busy streets, least effective the further into a subdivision, dead-end streets, or in gated communities. 

Newspaper Ads: The least effective marketing method and the most costly. Ads can run $80 per weekend for local papers and as much as $280 per day in the New York Times.  Serious buyers go to Realtors or shop online. 

Home Magazines: Costly, but effective in certain market conditions. As high as $500 per month or more. Not very effective in a buyers market. Again serious buyers go to Realtors.

In closing, when selling a home, it is important to have the three P’s in balance. Again these are the Price, Product (condition of the home), and Promotion (marketing). If one factor is out of balance another factor must compensate. For example, if the condition of the home is inferior, then the price might need to be lowered. If there is not enough marketing, the price may need to be lowered or the curb appeal might need to be raised. Sometimes if one is too far out of balance, the others cannot be made to balance the other. For example, if the asking price is way too high, making the home even nicer, or all the marketing in the world will not sell the home.

Wesley Chapel to Get Pasco National Tennis Center

Posted at 3:22 PM, Apr. 4, 2007

Pasco County Commissioners have agreed to a price increase to build the new Pasco National Tennis Center to be located next to Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

Originally when approved the price was $5.7 million, but has now increased to $7.9 million which will come from the tourist tax revenue.

One last item is holding up the tennis center and that is getting the deed to the land. The Porter family has agreed to donate the land, but until the Wiregrass Ranch development gets approved by the County, the family is reluctant to give the land. The Porter family owns the 5,500 acres that will be used for Wiregrass Ranch.

The Pasco National Tennis Center when complete will have a 5,000 seat stadium, 15 practice courts and ball fields along with plenty of parking for tournaments.

Tom Dempsey, the owner of Saddlebrook Resort will pay the $250,000 per year required to operate the Tennis Center.

Old Pasco Road Detour Coming Soon

Posted at 12:57 PM, Apr. 4, 2007

Home Down Payment Gift

Posted at 12:37 PM, Apr. 4, 2007

U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon Republican of Florida is going to introduce legislation that if passed would allow relatives to give a gift equal to 20% of the down payment of a home, as long as the price of the home is no more than 110% of the local median price.

This would be a big boost especially to the first-time homebuyer market. Although the real estate market is slowly beginning to rebound, this would be a nice incentive to help increase homeownership.

Gate Or Not To Gate

Posted at 3:56 PM, Apr. 1, 2007

Lennar Homes for almost 12 years has sold homes in Grand Oaks, as a gated community. Last year they installed the gates and a guard’s station. They felt that the residents would love to live in a gated community. However, only 42% of the residents voted for a gated community. It would take a vote of 80% of the residents to allow the county to convert the roads from public to private.

Why would the residents not want to live in a gated community?  It has to do with finances. Many residents like the idea of a gated community, but just do not want to pay for it. Once the roads become private the community is responsible for maintenance of the roads and gates, along with being responsible for accidents and injuries. Therefore it takes much of the cost of road maintenance and other costs away from the county and puts it on the community.

The board in Grand Oaks has even gone so far as to insist that Lennar Homes remove the guard house and the gates, and restore the entrance to its original look. The board felt that the issue has been extremely divisive. Although not specified, another likely reason could be the fact that even though they would not be allowed to use the gates or guard station they would still have to maintain them.

Salvation Army Thrift Store Approved for Westbrook Estates

Posted at 4:25 AM, Mar. 21, 2007

Pasco County officials approved the initial plans for the Salvation Army thrift store which will be built in front of Westbrook Estates and across from the entrance to Lexington Oaks. Residents of Lexington Oaks are concerned that the Salvation Army thrift store will hire those from its rehabilitation centers, especially since an elementary school is supposed to be coming to the neighborhood. Other concerns are the building appearance which will have a stucco facade on the front with the three other sides being corrugated metal, autos being sold on the property, items being dumped in the parking lot, and trucks bringing in deliveries. There is also a concern that if the store could not make a go of it, then the store could become a drug rehabilitation center.

Salvation Army officials have stated that they will not hire those from the rehabilitation centers until they are finished with the program. They also will not sell autos, and the building will only be used as a store. They state they wish to be good neighbors.

Several members of the Lexington Oaks subdivision were present at the public hearing. They also had over 1,000 signatures on a petition. It was reported that there was only one resident of Westbrook Estates at the public hearing.

Salvation Army Store in Front of Westbrook Estates/Lexington Oaks

Posted at 5:30 AM, Feb. 23, 2007

New Home Search

Posted at 3:28 AM, Feb. 21, 2007

 New Construction/New Home Search

Search for brand new construction throughout the Tampa area at http://www.sweethometampa.com/NewHomeSearch.

Florida attorney general warns consumers about mortgage fraud scams

Posted at 3:19 AM, Feb. 13, 2007

Mortgage fraud scams were among the top ten complaints filed with the Florida Attorney General last year. To read more information and tips to avoid mortgage fraud scam click here.

Governor Crist Proposes Property Tax Cut

Posted at 4:52 AM, Feb. 1, 2007

For homeowners the savings would result from allowing counties to double the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000. Homeowners would also be allowed to take their Save Our Homes property tax savings with them when they move anywhere inside of Florida. This would be a great boon to real estate sales.

For those who do not know about Save Our Homes, this is an amendment that passed several years ago and caps the value of a primary residence for property taxes to 3% per year or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. This is especially helpful when the property values were going up 20% or 30% per year. Those that live in one house for many years have an artificially low property tax bill. However when the property is sold the new owner pays property taxes based on the appraised value often paying thousands more than the previous owner. However, the original seller would purchase a new home and would have to pay taxes not at their old tax rate, but instead at the full-appraised value. This prevented many people from moving. For example, take a family that has a home that is 3,500 square feet. They live there many years. Their children finish high school, go to college and then move out of the home. Now instead of having four people in the home there are now only two. This couple may now be ready to downsize, however by moving they lose their Save Our Homes tax savings. They may want a home that is 2,000 square feet, but by moving, they may pay thousands more in property taxes than if they stay in their too large home. By making the tax savings portable, it will allow people to downsize or upsize their home, or just move to another area. This should help families and really boost the real estate market.

Also proposed is a provision allowing owners of rental properties, commercial properties, and non-homestead properties to have the same 3% cap on property taxes. These three groups never received the Save Our Home benefits. Providing the same benefits to these groups should help boost activity in these areas. By providing this to non-homestead properties, sales of homes to snowbirds that live in Florida for part of the year should increase.

Let us hope that this tax relief will be approved.

Single-Story Homes Back in Style

Posted at 4:20 AM, Jan. 30, 2007

One-Story Homes Make Comeback

Over the past several years, ranch-style homes (single-story) have been making a comeback. After falling out of favor, last year over 50% of all homes sold were single-story homes. The population is getting older, and the over 55 market wants everything on one floor. Many homebuilders are now offering two-story homes with a master bedroom on the first floor. This can keep their costs down, while still drawing those that like two-story homes, but want the convenience of a master bedroom on the main level.

For buyers interested in selling the home in the future, this could be a sign that it would be smart to buy a single-story home for the greatest future resale value.

Vacant Homes for Sale

Posted at 4:50 AM, Jan. 25, 2007

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 1.9 million homes for sale in the United States are vacant. This equals approximately half of all single-family homes that are for sale. Many of the owners are investors who bought the homes in the hot sellers market of 2005, planning to flip the homes. There are also many sellers who have purchased a new home and are having trouble selling the old one.

The biggest problem now is that many of these sellers have two or more mortgages. Many have reduced the asking prices drastically to try to get the homes sold, and for some to prevent foreclosure. Declining home prices are also causing foreclosure rates to increase since many cannot sell their homes for enough to cover the balance of their mortgage. This is especially true since so many of these homes were purchased using sub-prime loans.

So what can a seller do? If you own a vacant property, make sure your real estate professional (or you if selling as a For Sale by Owner) is creative with the marketing plan. Offer a larger than average incentive to make Realtors want to show your home first, and think about having your home staged. Proper home staging can decrease the amount of time on the market and can result in a higher price. To see firsthand the advantages of home staging view a vacant home, then go to a model home center and see what a few furnishings and simple items can make the home look warm and inviting. In the Tampa area, a great staging company is Tampa Bay Home Stagers. Their website is www.TampaBayHomeStagers.com.

For buyers it is a great time to buy a home as there are some great deals and on top of that some great incentives being offered. Many builders are decreasing the amount of incentives they are offering which is good sign that the bottom may have been reached. I am also offering all buyers an additional incentive. Purchase a new or resale home using me as your Real Estate Professional and I will give you 1% of the purchase price back at closing on virtually all homes. For details call Jeff Launiere, P.A. at 813-469-3163.