As promised, here we begin with a daily account of things to do in and around Tallahassee, Florida!

I wanted to start with something fun, and although I am going to try to appeal to all ages, all cultures, and as many different tastes, I though I’d begin with something that draws a big crowd and is for a great cause.

Our FIRST something to do in Tallahassee is in honor of my Lil-Gracie – my rescue pup. Although not found at a shelter, I would say that had I been looking for a dog or cat, that is where I would have begun my search.

9th Annual Tallahassee Tails and Trails

9thAnnual 5K and 10K Run

May 1, 2010 Registration 7:30am; Race begins 8:30am

1125 Easterwood Dr.
9th Annual “Tails & Trails” 5k, 10k & 1-mile fun runs
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Registration: 7:30a.m.; Race Begins: 8:30a.m.
Via: Tails and Trails
“Grab your sneakers, bring your competitive edge, and feel the build of intensity as we move closer to the closing seconds of our 9th annual trail run and fun walk.

Join us Saturday, May 1st for our Tails & Trails run where the 10k portion of the race has been selected as a Grand Prix event of the Gulf Winds Track Club! Our 5k, 10k, and one mile fun walk trails take you through scenic Tom Brown Park before ending at the Animal Service Center, where you can enjoy music, feed your hunger, and meet potential furry additions to your home.

Proceeds benefit the Animal Shelter Foundation (ASF), the non-profit providing direct support to the 400+ homeless animals at the Animal Service Center (owned and operated by the City of Tallahassee). The ASF aims to make a positive difference in the lives of homeless animals while increasing awareness about pet overpopulation. Registration for the event begins at 7:30am at the Animal Service Center in Tom Brown Park. Official race time is 8:30am.”

If you miss the walk/run, head to the finish line and take a tour through the animal service center and consider which pet might be a great fit for you and your family!

Now… off to the races!

Do you know somewhere I need to be, something I need to see?  Give me a shout or e-mail me today! Let’s make a plan!

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It should be easy…or at least easier than this:

Real estate agents are struggling to maintain their sanity in today’s market. The increase in inventory has us running from listing to listing, previewing properties for buyers who want to find “good deals.”  Many hours are spent making phone calls to listing agents or bank representatives in an attempt to see what the condition of the home is, and just how they acquired the homes in their inventory.  There are more, and unfortunately will be more bank owned properties on the market until jobs re-emerge and unemployment rates lessen.

So what are you buying? These REO homes may need work. Are you prepared to do this yourself, or have the funds to hire it out? REO properties are typically “as-is” sales with no disclosures. Point here is you better have a qualified, certified, professional home inspector to check these properties. Some have been on the market a short time, others may have been vacant for years with no life, air, or electricity running through them! Unlike homes occupied or owned by humans who can provide you with details about the home and it’s condition,  banks will not provide you with any history of the  home, because they simply do not have this information. Who knows, part of the fun is uncovering things about your home yourself. you might just uncover a hidden treasure as well!

What’s the value of and REO property? Comparing these homes to other properties take professionals. What may have been a seemingly good deal last week, may not be next month or next year. Hire a REALTOR to compare this home to recent sales and inventory. Want to STEAL it? If it’s priced comparably, and it is what you are looking for, is it worth making a low offer that will bring every other sale down, making your investment even longer to appreciate? Your purchase will directly affect future sales and if the cycle continues, pretty soon, no one in your neighborhood has much to work with. What I tell my buyer is this, “If you love the home, if you can see yourself living here  for 5 – 7 years, if the payment on this home is manageable and if the home if priced in line with others in the neighborhood, then buy it for that price. If you’re buying a home don’t obsess with “stealing” a  home. Prices are lower than they have been in about 7 years, interest rates are low, now that is a “Deal.”

REO property sales generally close faster if a buyer uses the lender that holds the property as well. Look into this, ask how long they expect it to take to close, then ask you local lenders the same question.

Ok,.. still going back to 1998? (If you watched the video, you will get it..)

4103 Cornish Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32303. this home is now in perfect condition! Ready for a home-buyer. Leon County Down Payment Assistance program is available for first-time home buyers and payments will be under 900/month!

It’s complete and it’s On The Market!  $Just $129,000. And no other home will compare in this price range to this home with everything NEW! Every system, flooring, paint in and out, new roof, Air conditioning and Heating system, and a floor plan remodel. It is a gorgeous home and will last a buyer a very long time!

Call for your appointment to see this great home! Open House is Sunday, April 25th from 2 – 4 PM.. Come See It!

Follow the entire project Start to Finish!
Special Thanks to The Sellers for seeing that this is how to sell their home, and to contractor, Charles Temples, Florida Contractors, LLC for making this project happen within their budget.
Now,…. let’s get it SOLD!

This is probably one of the biggest debacles in the State of Florida today. In the middle of the wort recession in my lifetime, a proposed amendment that used to be coined “Hometown Democracy” was created by special interest groups and will devastate and bankrupt our State.

Imagine calling for a public VOTE, setting up polling booths, etc. EVERY time a change in a zoning change, a land use change or any change to the comprehensive plan needed to be made. We elect officials, city and county commissioners, we hire support staff to research, planners and zoning experts to know what will and will not work for a neighborhood, a community and to meet with residents before votes take place that will affect these same communities. This system works, and as time consuming as it is, it is necessary because these are educated, informed decision makers that implement these changes for the better of the community.

Imagine opening up for county-wide voting, complete with polls, etc. Have you seen zoning change legislation? Imagine trying to decipher a 32 page document at a polling station. Imagine having 32 of those look at, all at one time. Imagine having about 28 of those polls every year. Imagine what it would have been like for the citizens of Carrabelle that had over 600 of these changes in one year! Take a look at this SAMPLE BALLOT. Scroll through a few of these issues… all 47 pages of them. Are you prepared to do this multiple times per year?

Are we, as tax payers ready to pay for these polls? Are we confident that our citizens, who may understand commercial fishing, daycare ownership, marketing, retail and other businesses would understand the economics or fallout from a positive or negative change in a comprehensive plan? My guess is 80% of citizens in my area do not even know what a comprehensive plan is, or can name the names of their city mayor or commissioners, nor do they care. That is changing, and THAT is the key to change. More and more people want to have a say so, and they are getting  involved.

Get to know your decision makers. Get to know what the process is for decision making and how the people you elect view growth and development, businesses, and JOBS! If you don’t think they are making the right decisions, tell them so, and work to elect those that do. That folks, is democracy. This is not:

Watch this important video message about Amendment 4!

Surveys show if people go to the polls and don’t know what something is, they vote yes. We need your help in asking people to VOTE NO for Amendment 4. If this passes, it will ruin our chances for creating jobs, for giving development and new businesses a chance to start, and for some of these empty buildings to be filled with tax producing, viable businesses. We must help our economy grow, not stifle every opportunity.

Please share this with others, please pass along this video and talk to your friends, tell them to VOTE NO on Amendment 4!

For more on this Amendment, Vote NO on 4!

New Listings,.. Old Listings,… Tired Listings,… Spring Listings…You can see many of them this weekend!

Don’t miss the Florida Open house weekend,

April 10th and 11th, 2010.

Where are they? – Search Here!

It’s a great time to buy Florida Real Estate. Over the past few months, sales across the State have increased 21%. That is really good news. For the first time in years, I am seeing competing contracts,.. short sales – not the bring $$ to closing ones, but the “not long on the market ones!”

Pricing is stabilizing, and demand has shown that buyers are willing to pay for homes priced well. The bargains are out there, homes are in great condition, and competition has narrowed the gap between attentive buyer and serious sellers.

Don’t miss the April 30th “contract deadline”  to get your pick of homes negotiated and on it’s way to close before July 1, 2010! Call me if you need help!

Welcome Home!

Great American Realtor Days in Tallahassee

Realtors strive to protect the rights of home-ownership, to guard against fraudulent activities by those posing to be professionals in our industry, but who are only after personal gain. Here are a few of the items we will be asking legislators to consider over the next two days.

Appraisal Management Companies
The rise of AMCs—which are unregulated under Florida law—is jeopardizing the basis for real estate transfers by undermining the credibility and accuracy of appraisals.
Appraisal management companies (AMCs) are business entities that administer networks of independent contractor appraisers to fulfill real estate appraisal assignments on behalf of clients, primarily lenders.
The advent of the appraisal management industry is the result of the outsourcing of
appraisal functions by lenders. The industry has seen tremendous growth in the last several years, particularly as a result of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC), which went into effect last year.
HB 303 by Rep. Matt Hudson (R-Naples), SB 1552 (Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey) and SB 2210 (Sen. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs) would require AMCs operating in Florida to register with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). In addition to providing some transparency into the operations of AMCs, the bill also intends to prevent mortgage fraud by prohibiting AMCs from taking
any action that is intended to inappropriately influence the independent judgment of an appraiser in developing and reporting a real estate value.
Both buyers and sellers rely on an accurate valuation to set the appropriate selling price for a property. And lenders need accurate valuations to set the right conditions — loanto- value ratio, downpayment amount, interest rate — for loans.
Registering AMCs is necessary to restore consumer confidence in real estate lending practices and create a stable real estate market.
Florida Realtors® requests that you require AMCs operating in Florida to register with the DBPR by supporting HB 303/SB 1552 & SB 2210.

Housing & The Economy
In the next three weeks, you will be making important decisions impacting Florida’s economic future. Please give careful consideration to the following measures advanced by Florida Realtors® to expand housing opportunities, reduce inventory levels and provide jobs to thousands of Floridians.
1. This is the year to “Scrap the Cap”
In 1992, the Florida Legislature adopted an extraordinary piece of legislation supported
by Florida Realtors® and other housing advocates: The William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act. Realtors® agreed to increase doc stamp taxes by 10 cents per $100 of value to create a dedicated source of revenue for state and local housing programs. Since its
inception, the Sadowski Trust Fund has enabled nearly 200,000 families to realize the American Dream of homeownership.
At the height of the real estate boom, the Legislature imposed a $243 million cap on the amount that flows into the housing trust funds. Since then, $531.9 million has been swept from the funds for state expenses other than housing. Sadly, that $531.9 million would
have generated $2.257 billion in housing, $4.074 billion in economic activity and 40,956 jobs.
It’s time to restore the housing trust funds to their original and intended purpose. Doing so will not only make a significant difference in our economy, but also in Florida’s communities. For every $1 million in state funding, $7.66 million in economic activity is generated.
Vote YES for SB 262 by Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) and HB 665 by Rep. Gary Aubuchon (R-Cape Coral) to “Scrap the Cap.”
2. Housing funds create jobs and economic prosperity
State economists estimate doc stamp taxes will provide nearly $200 million in FY 2010-11 for the Sadowski Trust Fund. Florida Realtors® applauds legislators for appropriating $37.5 million for downpayment assistance programs. Most Americans still consider having enough money for downpayment and closing costs to be the biggest obstacles to buying a home.
The remaining $162 million in the trust funds would provide more downpayment assistance and jobs. In today’s market, additional money is needed to rehab the 54,000-plus Florida properties in foreclosure. If Sadowski funds were spent to rehab single-family
homes and condos in foreclosure, it would put 12,000 Floridians back to work. With the state unemployment level at 12.2 percent, allocating funds to rehab existing inventory and create jobs is a smart investment.
3. Support the “Distressed Condo Relief Act”
Reducing condo inventory throughout the state is key to strengthening the real estate market. Florida Realtors® asks you to support HB 561 (Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Ft. Lauderdale), HB 327 (Rep. Julio Robaina, R-Miami) and SB 840 (Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood), which protect bulk buyers from warranty obligations and liabilities assigned to developers.

Property Insurance
A disclosure intended to inform prospective buyers of a home’s ability to withstand hurricane-force winds may actually mislead them.
Florida Realtors® asks that legislators prevent the spread of misinformation by repealing the windstorm mitigation rating disclosure (s.689.262, FS), set to take effect Jan. 1, 2011.
The disclosure is one of the last remnants of the My Safe Florida Home program, which expired in 2009. Effective next Jan. 1, 2011, sellers of homes located in the wind-borne debris region must provide buyers with a hurricane resistance rating, which is established by windstorm inspectors. When the My Safe Florida Home program was funded, these
inspectors were certified by the state. Now they aren’t.
There’s also substantial evidence that the inspection and reporting process is rife with fraud. It’s estimated that up to 50 percent of the mitigation premium discounts that Citizen’s Property Insurance Corporation offers — amounting to $390 million — may be
false. Consequently, Florida’s taxpayers will be left paying the bill, in the form of assessments, if a hurricane strikes.
There are other reasons to repeal the windstorm mitigation rating disclosure:
• It will confuse the public. Two identical homes located in different areas of the state will receive a different rating.
• Three different improvement plans are included in the disclosure, along with the cost of each plan, each averaging thousands of dollars. Buyers will use the plans to renegotiate the price, but will fail to harden the home.
• The decision to harden one’s home and seek insurance premium discounts is ultimately a matter between a homeowner and his or her insurer. The cost and benefits are different for each structure and each owner. The disclosure required in s.689.262, FS, however, will add the entire cost to each real estate transaction, without the benefit of a hardened home.
Florida Realtors® favors hardening homes. But the state’s current laws and policies regarding mitigation inspection, reporting, credits and discounts are broken. We remain committed to helping the Legislature comprehensively address these important issues.
Vote YES for SB 2190 by Sen. Thad Altman (R-Melbourne) and HB 545 (Rep. Pat
Patterson, R-Deland) to repeal the windstorm mitigation rating disclosure.

Property Tax
With more than 80 million Baby Boomers about to retire in the next five to 10 years, it’s critical that Florida’s tax policy is attractive to out-of-state buyers, investors, international
buyers and businesses.
HJR 655 by Rep. Carl Domino (R-Juno Beach) and SJR 1254 by Sen. Mike Fasano(R-New Port Richey) will accomplish this and so much more.
This measure is intended to replace Amendment 3 on the November ballot. This is the amendment that limits increases for non-school property tax assessments on all nonhomestead property to 5 percent every year. Under the current Amendment 3, first-time homebuyers would be exempt from paying taxes on 25 percent of their home’s value.
This is above and beyond the current $50,000 homestead exemption.
There’s a problem with Amendment 3. As written, a first-time buyer is defined as someone who hasn’t owned a home anywhere in the U.S. in the past eight years. Given the historiclevel of homeownership in the past decade, this definition would prevent most buyers from
qualifying.
HJR 655/SJR 1254 keep the 5 percent assessment cap and allow someone who has not owned a homesteaded residence in Florida in the previous three years to be eligible for an
additional exemption equal to 50 percent of the property’s just value in the first year.
The House bill was amended two weeks ago to exclude the school portion of taxes from the additional exemption, and to set the maximum amount of the exemption to an
additional $200,000. The Senate version includes a maximum exemption of an additional $100,000. The additional exemption, whatever it ends up being, would decline by 20 percent each year over five years. But new Florida residents shouldn’t be concerned about
being taxed out of their home because Save Our Homes kicks in during this five-year period.
Florida Realtors® appreciates the property tax breaks provided to date. The housing crisis was severe and widespread. To speed the recovery, we need to expand the potential
market. An economic recovery is not possible without a housing recovery. Please support HJR 655/SJR 1254, which replaces Amendment 3 with a new amendment that provides tax incentives for first-time homesteaders.

As you can see, Florida Realtors take an active role in fighting for Floridians to own, trade, buy, sell and invest in real estate. Without the strength of Florida Realtors to fight for your rights, the road to economic recovery is sure to be slow and buried in costly legislation. Ask your Realtor to help represent you on April 6th and 7th.