My Blog, Real Estate and otherwise 

 

 

February 8, 2012

REALTORS® do give back

 

One of the most exciting projects I have ever worked on is getting underway! As a member of the Realtor Awareness Committee of the REALTORS® Association of Lake and Sumter Counties, we got together some ‘big’ thinkers and are putting our mind power to work to give a home away this year to a deserving family.  How awesome is that!

                We REALTORS® know that there are many deserving families, just as there are many unoccupied homes in our two-county service area.  We are contacting banks and individuals to find a property that can be donated into a 503-C Charitable organization.  We will then partner with the charity to select a deserving family.   We are also partnering with the Lake Sumter Homebuilders Association and others to help us renovate the home.  There will be many opportunities to help in this great event.  We hope to provide more than just shelter to a family, but a real home where they can become part of the community.  

                You may even know of a property that could be donated.  Maybe a trust or individual has an older home that they can no longer repair.  Maybe someone needs a tax write-off.  Maybe someone else is just as big a thinker as this team is!  Feel free to contact me with any leads that you may have.  As we continue to work on this great project, I’ll share the updates here.  We appreciate your prayers for guidance too!

 

 

 

August 9, 2011

 

The need is great.  Our efforts will be greater!

 

Realtors in Lake & Sumter counties are collecting food for our communities this Labor Day.  These food pantries need non-perishable, non-expired food such as dry pasta, cereal, rice, canned fruits and veggies, mac n' cheese, spaghetti sauce, and canned pasta.  Monetary donations are also accepted, made payable to these charities listed below.  

 

For more information, please see below, or please call me at 352.308.7515.

 

  

 

 

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Lake County Housing Prices Remain Stable in 2010

 February 1, 2011

 

 

 

                It’s still the talk around the water cooler.  Are we at the bottom of the market?  Is it time to buy a home now?  The answer is yes.  YES. YES!  We can only know by looking back, and it is my opinion that we are at the bottom.  However, we may remain relatively flat with little to no increase in sales prices, translating to appreciating values.  Here are the FACTS comparing 2009 sales statistics to 2010, as compiled by the Mid Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service.

 

Average sales price of residential homes in 2010 - $138,201, a 4% decrease from 2009 average sales price of $144,993.  This is great news that we are not seeing double digit declines in sales prices, and that prices are leveling off.  And,  more lower priced homes were sold last year, weighting down the average.  Over 82% of the homes sold were under $200,000 in 2010.

 

4027 residential homes sold in 2010, up from 3536 homes sold in 2009, a 12% increase in units sold.  To sell over 490 more homes without the first-time home buyer tax credit is great news that buyers confidence is returning. 

 

Inventory is declining and homes are selling faster.  Basic economics tell us that as demand increases, supply decreases.  Eventually, prices will reflect the growing demand and begin to trend upwards again.  The reason I believe that we will remain flat in pricing is the remaining inventory of short sales and bank owned properties that have yet to be resolved.

 

My own research and that of those in the mortgage industry is that we can expect interest rates to gradually rise this year.  So think about this:  if you are considering financing a home this year, you may qualify for less of a purchase if you wait until later in the year. 

 

It is back to the basics for many of us, including holding real estate for long term appreciation.  Buying now, sooner rather than later, is a wise investment decision.  Take time to evaluate properties carefully, always have a pre-purchase inspection done, work with agents and loan professionals that can advise you of current conditions and help you with smart negotiations. 

 

In my next article, I’ll offer 5 tips if you are trying to sell your home in this market!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Trip Around The Sun

August 18, 2010

 

 

                Well, I just made another trip around the sun! It’s a better way for me to acknowledge my birthday.  Honestly, I used to just say, ‘it’s just another day on the calendar.’  I didn’t want any surprises or anyone to make a fuss over me, because I just don’t want that much attention!  But by stating that I made another trip around the sun allows me to pause on what exactly I did in the last 365 days of my life.  It is also a chance to reflect on few of the past anniversaries of my trips.  So here it goes.

 

                When I turned twelve, my family was moving into our home outside of Houston, Texas as part of my dad’s job transfer from Charlotte, North Carolina.  It was big move, a big change to our lives and lifestyles.  My bicycle was the first item off the moving van, so I took the liberty of riding it through the empty new house.  I’m sure I wanted the attention, because everyone was busy with the unloading and unpacking. But the real news story that day was that Elvis died.   At least I didn’t cry like I did on my 5^th birthday, when I was upset at the games and party favors all the kids got at my ice cream party.

 

                When I turned 16, I was visiting my grandparents in South Carolina and had a party with some friends and cousins.  My parents called me on the phone and played the song “Sixteen Candles”.  I was so touched!  Then when I got home to Houston, my folks had planned a surprise for me.  My friends were all waiting for me in my bedroom, including a girlfriend that had come back from the Netherlands.  That was a great birthday!

 

                When I turned 30, I don’t know what quite possessed me to go to a new hairstylist and have my hair cut to look like Rachael from the first episode of Friends.  That was pretty awful. I did not know that you had to have a Hollywood hair stylist everyday to make it look that good.  I wanted to cry, but didn’t. 

 

                I made the official move to Florida on my 40^th.  I didn’t really have any celebrations, but I was finally living where I wanted to live all my life. I celebrated in my heart. It also was a little bit sad because my brother and his wife were expecting their first child.  Now I was 1200 miles away from family.   Since then, I have endured some pretty stormy days, but I choose to celebrate the fact that I do have such wonderful friends and family. 

 

A friend told me on this past birthday that we should celebrate the birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions on the days when we are reunited with our loved ones.  I just love that!  I celebrate each day that I’m truly blessed with friends and family, a great waterfront place that rests my soul, and that through my tribulations I’ve learned to simplify my life.  What matters most are the things that put a smile on your heart and give you reason to celebrate your trip around the sun.

 

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More Cost Saving Ideas

July 22, 2010

 

 

In a previous blog, I shared some ways I recently found to save money.  I got a few emails from readers of the ways they were saving money too and I am impressed with how resourceful others are!  While I don’t go too crazy by keeping a running total of my savings, I am pretty sure that every little bit helps along the way, and certainly by the end of the year I will have spent a lot less than I did last year.

 

I’m re-posting an article here from a newsletter that encourages REALTORS® to share them. It has more great tips on saving money.  The more often we implement as many as we can, we might even begin a long term change in our behavior.  As the economy recovers, we may find that we have saved even more from becoming less wasteful and more resourceful.

 

 Americans Still Cutting Back on the Little Things to Save Money

RISMEDIA, July 22, 2010--There are many big changes people can make to save money - cut back on all entertainment, for example. But there are also a number of smaller things people can do to save money, and with the economy not yet turning around, it seems many Americans have opted for this approach. Almost two-thirds of U.S. (65%) adults say they are purchasing more generic brands to save money, slightly up from February when 63% said they were doing this.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,227 adults surveyed online between June 14 and 21, 2010 by Harris Interactive.

Almost half of Americans (48%) say they are brown bagging lunch instead of purchasing it to save money, also slightly up from February when 45% said they were doing this. Two in five U.S. adults each say they have switched to refillable water bottles instead of purchasing bottles of water (39%) and are going to the hairdresser less often (38%). In February, one-third of Americans (34%) had switched to refillable water bottles to save money. Also, one-quarter (24%) have cut down on dry cleaning.

Looking at media habits, three in ten U.S. adults (31%) have cancelled one or more magazine subscriptions and just under one in five (17%) have cancelled a newspaper subscription. It's not just reading habits that are changing in these economic times, though. One in five Americans (22%) have cancelled or cut back cable television service while an additional 22% say they have considered doing so.

In addition to brown-bagging it, other work habits have also changed. One in five Americans (22%) have stopped purchasing coffee in the morning, while 12% have begun carpooling or using mass transit (but this is not applicable to 48% of Americans who may not be working or may not have the ability to carpool or use mass transit).

Phone service has also changed as 15% have cancelled their landline service and are only using cell phones, with an additional 22% saying they have considered this to save money. Cell phone usage is also changing as 15% say they have changed or cancelled cell service to save money, with an additional 17% of Americans saying they have considered doing so.

So What?
Americans are doing whatever it takes to cut back on spending. For some that means forgoing name brands for generics, for others it means letting their hair get a little longer before having it cut. What happens in the future with these small changes will be interesting to watch. It could be that once these numbers start going in the other direction, the economy has turned the corner. Or, as some economists are saying, the culture of saving and cutting back will remain after the economic recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 7, 2010 

             

                                    Graduation ceremonies.  End of the school year.  Summer vacations.  Emotions run pretty high this time of year, just as they will when the kids go back to school or off to college.  The summer always goes by too fast when you are a kid.  Have you forgotten what that is like?  Just pick up a crayon and smell it.  That will trigger some childhood memories! 

  

            As a kid, my family took a week’s vacation each summer in a condo on Padre Island, Texas.  Usually we brought friends with us.  Another family we were friends with had 9 kids who also spent a week there, and when they brought a few of their friends, we had enough for two teams of volleyball!  We fished, crabbed, boated, and enjoyed the beaches. One year we stayed up all night long as Hurricane Alicia approached the Texas coast.  We all grew up a little each summer on Padre Island. 

  

            This year I am starting my own tradition.  I rented a condo in Daytona Shores in late August.  My friends and I will hang out and enjoy spending some time together. I made these plans before the worst disaster in Gulf happened.  I may not be able to go crabbing, fishing, or boating.  The volleyball net may not be on the beach. This may be a working, eco-vacation.  If they need help with clean-up, I will volunteer.  If the town needs my tourism dollars, I will spend them.  If the world needs my voice to write or share pictures of what I see, I will tell the story of the beach that may need me now more than ever. 

  

            I encourage everyone to go to the Florida beaches now.  Go see for yourself how the water changes from clear to green to aqua to azure.  Feel the variations in the sand, from sugary white to blonde to beige to red, either on the Gulf or Atlantic side. We don’t know what is going to happen to these beaches, or how long they may be impacted.  Summer will be over before you know it.  Go make yourself some crayon memories at the beach.

 

 

  

  

 

May 28, 2010 

     It is Memorial Day weekend.  We will see and hear stories of how crowded the movie theaters are, how busy the beaches are, and what picnic food is being consumed.  We will also be reminded of the sacrifices that are made by our military personnel who have served, and who are currently serving to protect us.  Memorial Day is to remember them. 

     Major James L. Taylor was my grandfather.  He served in Korea, Japan, and in Germany.  When I was growing up, he was stationed at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina.  He would bring me and my brother to the base and we would climb all over tanks and jeeps.  He was also a very good amateur photographer.  We have his beautiful photos of Europe, family shots, and of every car and airplane that he owned.  He rarely talked about his service unless we asked.  I think he just did the job he was asked to do. 

     My friend has a son who serves in the Army.  He has a beautiful wife and two young children.  He will soon be deploying again, this time to Afghanistan.  It will be a difficult time for their family.  There are not many who are willing to make this kind of sacrifice. 

     Memorial Day is for us too.  To remember our loved ones as we knew them, and to cherish our loved ones today for doing the job they are asked to do. 

  

May 25, 2010

     I like to think I am a savvy shopper.  I read the sale ads each week and make a list, and to the delight of my mother, I use coupons too.  Last week, a national grocery store chain had an 88 cent sale.  Now being the marketing gal that I am, I know these are commonly called loss leaders.  They are selling them at a loss, supposedly, to get you in the door, and become overwhelmed enough to go and buy other items that they can make a tidy profit on.  So for 88 cents, I bought a bottle of a national brand headache aspirin, and attached to the box was a $1 off coupon!  So, the store paid ME 12 cents to buy that aspirin! I stuck to my list and did not buy anything that was not on the list and bought only the sale items. Yay me!

 

     The week before I had to buy a set of tires for my vehicle.  This is an investment you see, and it required a bit more research, so I enlisted the help of my savvy shopper father.  Autos, automotive anything, he's the go-to guy.  He found a website for tire rebates for the month of May. The problem or challenge was, none of the rebates were for the tires I wanted.  Instead, I visited my dealership in person to get a quote, and then shopped over the phone with a local and a major tire company.  Nobody could be the dealer price by several hundred dollars.  I made the appointment with the dealer, and when it was time to pay, he gave me a form for a $50 rebate!  Yay me again!

 

     The point here is that I do love to save money!  Buying real estate is the same way.  I love to help buyers save money not only in the purchase, but the entire transaction!  A few weeks ago, I helped save a client $200 on a survey.  REALTORS do provide a valuable service.  We have access to the sales, discounts, and a reputable team of professionals to assist in the goal of closing on the right property, for the right price, including searching for the best financing options. We can also help avoid making costly mistakes.  This is what we do everyday, building experience and skills that can be used for the good of others when making one of the biggest purchases in their lives.  More than saving money, I love to see the smile on their faces when they have just bought their first, vacation, or retirement dream home.