Florida Real Estate-Relocating to Florida

Advice On Home Renovation And Home Improvement

2012-01-17T13:54:00.002-05:00

A lot of people think home improvement jobs are too difficult for non-professionals, but there are lots of jobs that anyone can do. The tips and advice given in this article should help you figure out what you can do around your house, as well as what might be better left to a professional.Your outdoor space should be utilized. Extend your living space by designating a section of your backyard. A backyard patio is the perfect space for relaxing, barbecuing and entertaining.

TIP! Paint your doors with a fresh coat of white paint to cover up the wear of everyday use. After a while the doors get a grimy bland color, so applying a new coat can make your doors appear new, as well as, add brightness to the inside of your house.

When doing woodwork, always be absolutely sure all measurements are level; don' just eyeball what you think is an appropriate measurement. Make use of tools, such as a tape measure, speed square, and level.

TIP! Consider replacing the front door to the home if it is looking outdated. If the door is in good shape but the door knob is getting flimsy, install a new one.

Turn off water if you are doing kitchen or bathroom home improvement projects. Become familiar with the master shut of valve before completing any projects that involve the water supply or your pipes. This step will help you prevent a flood.

TIP! Replace your windows. If you have cracked, damaged, or drafty windows, replacing them is a quick home improvement project that has a great payoff.

Get a second opinion on contractor recommendations and cost estimates for major home renovations you have planned. Even the most experienced and reputable contractors have been known to exploit homeowners who are indifferent, naive or easily manipulated. Make sure you verify all of the problems before you start spending money through a contractor.

TIP! Make over your concrete patio by using concrete stain to create the illusion of a rug or other pattern. Simply map out the pattern you wish to create with painter's tape, blot on the special stain according to the manufacturer's directions, and seal it all when you are finished.

A beautifully crafted entrance door can potentially increase a home's value up to 10 percent. An existing door can be easily enhanced with new locks and knobs.

TIP! When cleaning your cabinets, a heavy build up of dirt and grease can be removed by using a commercial grade cleaner. A commercial cleaner with orange oil is designed for cleaning wooden cabinets.

If you might be planning a home improvement project at some point in the future, start collecting ideas now. The quicker you decide on what type of home improvement you want to do, the sooner you will find what you're looking for. When you remove the rush to make decisions in the midst of a project, you'll feel more relaxed during the process.

TIP! A great way to add ambience to a room is by lighting a candle. Candles are a romantic gesture in any setting, but also give off a warm glow providing a room with the feeling of warmth and coziness.

Consider whether it is a good move to have a security alarm on while your house is showing for sale. An alarm might be essential if your home is not in a good area.

TIP! When it comes to home improvement, be sure to promote the leaks at your house to the top of your priority list. This is important because leaks can be either dangerous, detrimental to the structure of your house, or to your pocketbook.

Create toolboxes that contain tools for certain projects. For instance, reserve one toolbox for plumbing jobs only. Fill this box with pipe wrenches, pipe glue and fittings. Another box could hold electrical supplies such as fuses, switches and zip ties. If you do this, it will be very easy to locate a specific tool when you need it.

TIP! When you are redoing your cabinets, consider re-facing them if they cannot be cleaned. When you reface your cabinets, you are replacing the cabinet doors and door fronts.

If you are planning a home improvement project, there are many things you need to consider first. A good amount of preparation and planning is always important, but you also need guidance to get your plans headed in the right direction for your specific project. Make better decisions by following the advice in this article.

Starting Out On The Right Foot When Selling Your Home

2012-01-17T13:53:00.003-05:00

It is vital to know the things you're doing when you sell real estate. There is a huge amount of market data available, thanks to the Internet. There are very few people, however, who can devote enormous amounts of time to sorting through the information. This article has compiled a few of the most important, practical suggestions for you.

The cause is the asking price. You need to be realistic about the price you are advertising your home for. It needs to be one that is attractive to buyers, not just you.

Creating realistic goals benefits both sellers and buyers when they make their entries into the real estate market. Buyers, for example, should clearly identify in their minds the price they are willing to pay, where they want to buy, and the features they desire in their purchase. Sellers, on the other hand, can establish limitations on what constitutes an acceptable offer. This allows them to hold out, and avoid low profitability.

Auctioning homes isn't all that common anymore, but there's nothing preventing you from doing so, especially when the market isn't that great. This way, you do not have to worry about paying money to a real estate agent. You could also sell your home much quicker.

Ask for feedback from visitors after your open house. You could obtain this by either asking the viewer directly, or leaving a feedback book beside the front door. Take negative comments for making changes so that your house can sell.

When you are seeking to buy real estate for the purpose of resale, be sure to leave no stone unturned during your search. Some tools that can be effective at helping you sell your property include newspaper listings, real estate agent contacts, and also realty websites that you can find online. It's best to look at all the options available if you want to maximize you success at finding the right buyer for your property.

The appraisal may not be what your house is actually worth. You can have a number of appraisals done on your home and receive a different quote each time. If you want an accurate idea of the worth of your home, get the real estate agent to provide a market analysis that is comparative to other homes up for sale in the area.

Remember these tips when the time to sell your property comes. It is important, of course, to custom fit the information to your particular circumstances. Time invested in learning about the real estate arena will greatly improve your profit when you sell.

Trying To Improve Your Personal Finances? Follow These Basic Steps For Best Results

2012-01-17T13:53:00.001-05:00

Finances are a huge issue in a person's life, and if you are having problems in that area, then most likely it is going to make your entire life problematic. If you truly want to fix your finances, just check out these helpful tricks!

When you get paid, the first thing you need to do is put some money into savings. It's too easy to spend now, and forget to save later. Since the money is not available, it will make it simpler to stick to your budget.

If you have the skills to do your own home improvement, you should not pay someone else. If you'd like tutorials on the projects you're planning, you can probably find them offered at a local home improvement store or online. You'll learn the steps and techniques to complete your home improvements projects.

Ask around, and see if any friends or family have a background in a financial area. They might be able to help you learn to manage your finances. If one does not know any people who fit that description a family member of friend who is good with their money can often be the next best thing.

To make sure that your credit card payments are paid in a timely manner, try setting up automatic payments through your bank. You may not be able to pay off the card completely, but pay what you agreed to on time to improve your credit rating. Using automatic payments will prevent you from forgetting to make a payment, and it's always possible to pay some more if you have the money.

By working on your finances, you will have a good picture of where you stand financially. When you have your finances in tact, you will feel less stressed in general. When you are less stressed you will be able to think about other areas of your life rather than stressing about money.

Finding The Best Deal On The Best House

2012-01-17T13:52:00.001-05:00

Many people are afraid to buy real estate for various reasons. Some fear the current unstable real estate market, while others are intimidated by the legal aspects of purchasing real estate. There are many different factors that play into the decision to buy property. If you educate yourself in the process of buying a home, you will feel better about the purchase. The tips below can help give you the information you need to feel comfortable buying real estate.

When you are in the market to buy a home, do some research to find out about the many programs that are available for assistance with down payments, and make note of the ones for which you qualify. This reduces what you need to save before buying a home, along with closing costs paid by the seller.

Before you look at a home, you will know its asking price is but your offer will typically be less than the asking price. If you are clear and honest in negotiations with the seller, you are more likely to reach an agreement you can both accept with a smile.

You need to be organized if you are going to try to buy a house. Keep all the information you get from all sources, like the internet, newspapers, and real estate agents, in one place, like a notebook. After you have seen several possible options, you may be able to eliminate some before continuing your search.

If you are looking to relocate, consider looking into the neighborhood that the house is located in online. Almost every town has plenty of information online. You can find out about the population, local schools and salary ranges compared to other locations.

That's more than enough to get you started, and these helpful tips will make your next real estate purchase go smoother than you ever imagined. If you want more comfort in buying property, you need much greater familiarity with the process.

Solid Advice For Credit Repair. You Can't Go Wrong When You Follow These Tips

2011-12-11T10:45:00.003-05:00

Having poor credit means you might not get the results you want from companies that look at your credit. Having poor credit like this can affect what you do, along with your future, unfortunately. But, as there are ways that you can go about repairing your credit, opportunities can be made available to you once more. Here are some suggestions on fixing your credit rating.

Do everything possible to avoid bankruptcy. Bankruptcies appear on credit reports for ten years. It sounds very appealing to clear out your debt but in the long run you're just hurting yourself. By filing for bankruptcy, you might have a lot of trouble getting a credit card or qualifying for a loan in the future.

Work closely with all of your creditors if you are aiming towards repairing your credit. Maintaining contact shows your good faith and can help you minimize further debt. Call them and see if you can change the payment terms. They may be willing to change the actual payment or move the due date.

If a creditor agrees to give you a payment plan, get that payment plan in writing. This is the only way that you have of protecting yourself. If you have finished paying it off, you should request a confirmation so you can send it to the credit reporting agencies.

Make sure that you always read your credit card statement entirely. Look for any changes that have happened, and make sure they are correct. You do not want to end up paying for a purchase that you did not make. It's up to you to make sure that every item on your bill is correct and dispute those that are not.

While you are working on rebuilding your credit, look at the types of loans you have outstanding. Different types of loans and credit will affect how your credit score will be calculated. Handling several different types of credit obligations including a mortgage, car loan and credit cards can hwlp you work towards improving your credit while paying for your credit obligations in a timely manner.

Take the time to communicate with creditors that you are struggling to make payments to. If you respect them by giving them a notice that you are having difficulty, it is more likely that they will arrange a payment plan with you without reporting you to the credit bureaus. This can also help to relieve some of the financial strain that you have been facing.

Keep opening doors one by one by repairing bad credit. There are different things you can do that don't cost any money which will help repair your credit. These tips can make it possible for you to improve your credit effectively.

Great Advice To Follow When Purchasing Property

2011-12-11T10:45:00.001-05:00

First time home buyers are often at a loss of what their very first steps should be. In this article, we are supplying you with a few essential tips about taking those first steps. Home buying can be such a daunting task, most new buyers need all of the help they can get.When considering a piece of real estate you feel you may want to buy, talk to the owners of neighboring properties if you can. Realtors, mortgage providers, and sellers have their own interests and biases when they tell you about the neighborhood. The people who live and work right next to your potential property have first-hand experience with the area. Pick their brains if you can.

TIP! To save money on your real estate taxes, you should challenge the bill each time it comes out. Every taxing authority has a formal process to ask for them to reevaluate your property and many homeowners find that they are able to get the value down, simply by providing information about prices that other homes in the area have recently sold for.

If you don't have any money for a down payment, look for a lender that does 80:20 loans. This is two separate loans. One is for 20%, the down payment amount, and the other is the 80% needed for the purchase loan. Often these come from the same company, but are two separate loans with different payment amounts and interest rates.When you are interested in buying a home you should always know your credit score. Keep on eye on your credit report so that you will know if anything unusual pops up. If something on your report wasn't paid or there is a error, it can affect your credit score. Even the littlest thing can cost you points and you don't want to be turned down for a loan because of 2 points.

TIP! Buying a house with a swimming pool is not as much of an investment as it once was. A house with a pool is more for your pleasure than a long-term investment.

Observe your potential new neighborhood at different hours of the day to insure that the activity and the noise levels are to your liking. You may find that what is a quiet little neighborhood during the day is full of life and noise during the late evenings and at night.When you are buying a home you should always try to make sure that there hasn't been any work done that didn't have a permit. Things like a extra room or a kitchen update need a permit, and if there wasn't one you may be the party that has to bring it up to code if it isn't.

TIP! When considering purchasing a piece of real estate that will be your primary residence, you should visit the property several times at varying times of day. You want to see what it is like during the day when everyone is at work, at night when all your neighbors are at home, and on the weekend, when they may tend to throw loud parties.

For potential real estate buyers, make sure you know what you're buying! City and town ordinances are rightfully, cracking down on illegal additions to property. Don't allow a basement apartment or garage conversions sneak past you, as these additions can cause you a headache in the long run. Abide by the law, and make sure the person you're buying from is, too.If you are considering making an offer on a home, speak to the owner and ask if anything has been replaced or repaired recently. It is important to have a realistic idea of what you might have to fix in the near future. This information could be important in determining whether or not you can afford the home.

TIP! When it comes to the size of a home, bigger is not always better. If you have a small family, buying a bigger home is not necessary.

With these tips, you can be much more prepared to take the first few steps towards home ownership. Be sure to carefully research all of your various options so that you don't sign something that you will regret later. Purchasing a home can be one of the most rewarding and exciting endeavors you will ever make.

Personal Financial Tips That Will Surely Save You Money

2011-12-11T10:43:00.001-05:00

They say money cannot buy happiness, but it certainly can buy peace of mind. Sufficient funds reduce stress and improve the quality of our sleep. Scores of individuals do not have a good grasp of their finances, and financial difficulty is a major cause of unhappiness. Money does not buy happiness, but good money management can prevent excess stress.

TIP! When you have to go to the store, try to walk or ride your bike there. It'll save you money two fold.

If you buy things you do not need, then a sale is not a sale. Buying in bulk or purchasing large quantities of your favorite grocery items may save money if you use it often; however, you must be able to consume or use it prior to the expiration date. Be sensible and only buy a bargain if it is one that you can use.Do not make charges on a credit card that you are having trouble paying off. Cut out unnecessary expenses and find an alternate means of payment to avoid going over your credit limit. Pay off the full amount before you begin using it again. Afterwards, try to pay off the full amount every month to avoid interest charges.

TIP! Have an emergency bank account. This account should be separate from your checking and savings accounts and used only for real emergencies.

You're not alone if you make a mistake or two with your personal finances. Many banks offer a one time fee waiver for individuals who bounce a check the first time, so if this happens to you it is worth making the request. This trick can only be used by someone who has kept positive balances and hasn't used overdrafts before.You need to devise a secure method to dispose of your old financial documents. Buying a shredder is the most straightforward way to accomplish this. You could risk fraud and identity theft if you don't properly dispose of old files you no longer need. Thoroughly securing your personal information can protect your identity from being stolen.

TIP! If one is looking for an easy and profitable way to get some extra money they might want to consider selling bottles of water. Cases of water can be bought at very reasonable prices and one can then sell individual bottles of water for low prices such as a dollar and make a surprising amount if selling in the right locations.

In order to build good credit, you should be using two to four credit cards. If you have only one credit card, building up your credit score will be a long process. Do not get more than four credit cards if you want to stay in control of things. Stick with two to three cards, and be mindful of how you use them in order to build a solid credit history.The idea of this article is to give you the ability to improve your financial life. It takes time and effort, sometimes much longer for others, but it's worth it in the end to learn how to manage your money properly and avoid the stress of living financially unstable. You should be able to approach life more peacefully once you have reached these goals.

Good Travel Advice That Everyone Should Follow

2011-12-11T10:41:00.001-05:00

Traveling is great fun, but many people don't enjoy the planning stage. Trying to plan exactly how your trip should go, and making sure you have everything you need, can be frustrating. Read on for some tips on planning a trip you can enjoy.

Put in a good workout before boarding your flight. Taking a long flight can be tedious. Your body can become cramped and uncomfortable. This is why hitting the gym or at least stretching before boarding a flight can lessen or completely eliminate any cramps.

You need to be informed of what documentation and visas you will need in transit to your vacation destination. Remember that there are several types of visas; you must do your research to determine if you will be allowed into the country you want to visit. You may want to consult with your travel agency, or the other country's embassy.

Do not let panic overwhelm you if you cannot find your bags at the airport. Visit the lost baggage office and present your flight documents to them. They can help to locate your luggage and get it to you. Most often, your luggage will be found and reunited with you as quickly as possible.

You will not save much space, plus, many of these items are overpriced. Try simple folding and packing tricks to expand your luggage space instead. Doing this can give you a surprising amount of space in your suitcase.

Pack some travel candles if you plan on staying in hotels during your trip. This can make the scent of your room more appealing. Depending on the scent of the candle, it could help you to fall asleep more quickly. These candles are dripless and are available in travel sizes.

If you are going on a road trip, switch drivers often. You do not want to keep driving until you are exhausted, leaving the next driver on their own as you sleep. Driving until you are exhausted is not a great idea. Develop a schedule, instead, where you and another driver switch every couple of hours. This will make your driving much safer, make sure that everyone arrives at the destination safe and sound.

Although planning for a trip isn't always fun, travel can be an enjoyable experience. Fortunately, planning a successful trip doesn't have to be a headache. Follow the travel tips in this article to make planning and going on your trip as enjoyable as possible.

Shopping for distressed property

2011-10-05T09:29:00.002-05:00

Purchasinga house, no matter whether for investment decision or actuallylooking to reside there is certainly tricky intoday’s real estate market. Together with latest financialcircumstances, you may well be often unwilling to makethe leap, always thinking in the back of your mind, “Maybe thecost will decline further!”

Well, sometimes it does and frequently it doesn’t. One general routeto guard versus the unthinkable price drop is by investingin a dwelling that's previously taken an in-depthplunge due to its condition.

You can find fundamental issues that have to be exploredand cleared to your personal total satisfaction inorder to avoid a disastrous fault, in advance of completingfor this type of real estate property financial transaction.

1. Question the neighbors to what style of person theprior property owner was. Should your sense after actuallytalking to the others who live nearby was that the previous tenantwas erratic as well as perhaps negligent about sustaininghis house, you could avoid the purchase or at bestyou’ll be on guard.

2. Always, always, check out the zoning. If short-term rentalproperties are banned, don’t anticipate to acquire azoning variance. The property, in these situations, cannot usuallyproduce enough income to justify the purchase.

3. Always work with an expert home inspector that'sbeen recommended. He will be able to look into and findmajor problems from modest problems. Once issuesare identified, they then must be quantified and regardlessof whether you conduct the remodeling yourself or use outside buildingcontractors service and repair need to be sensible. Youought to factor in a 10%-20% cost over run in figuring out your costbasis, to account for unanticipated conditions.

4. If your house you’re thinking of buying is a VA repo,interesting price and mortgage opportunities can be found,including obtaining financing directly through the VA. The VAhowever doesn’t assure home condition and so inspection remainsmandatory.

5. An substitute approach will be to use the FHA HUD programsection 203(k) which is able to help you in rehabbing aproperty. Really the only restrictions are with condominiumsfor investment, which happens to be prohibited under HUD regulations.

The Florida Keys: Unblemished, Untainted & A lot better than the Bahamas

2011-09-08T09:54:00.001-05:00

TheConch Republic, so referred to as by its inhabitants during a brief scufflewith the federal government in the 80s, offers allyear long balmy environment, enclosed by azuregreen oceans. Having an wonderful variety of hotels,from tenting (I’m not kidding) to self-indulgent opulence, hereis the location to visit, especially in this periodof economical turmoil. The Keys incorporates literallyhundreds of small islands, but they can be more or less brokendown into three vacation areas, each featuring adistinct escape adventure.

The Upper Keys, The Middle Keys and The Lower Keys (encompassing Key West, thecounty seat) are definitely the conventional places vacationersdescribe. Each has a distinctive appeal, although thereal caché associated with the Keys, can be described as funkyisland aura as a rule based in the West Indies. TheFlorida Keys, however is actually much more than that.

Annual vacation Inns belonging to the Florida Keys
With all types of lodging available from campingoutdoors at Long Key State Park, condo/home rentals and extravagantestate rentals to some of the greatest Florida bay front hotelaccommodations in the state, basically a person with any budgetallowed are able to find an ideal place to stay withinthe Keys. Oddly enough, the Keys has a dearth of beaches, thereforefor the most part, the most interesting places arefound on the “Bay side” where you can enjoy sailboats andcruisers make their way to the numerous restaurants, nightclubs and nightclubs that provides captivating viewsafter the sun goes down.

One thing that needs to be made: if one is booking ahome, the prospect of it being equipped with a swimmingpool is very low. Because of this, if a pool could be a“must”, most lodges and vacation condominiumcomplexes by and large will be the best choice. After engagingin aquatic events below or above the surface, nothing ismore refreshing than a dip in the pool, along with a cool beverageon the porch as the sun begins to drop below the horizon.

Rental Homes within the Florida Keys

2011-05-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

There will come a period when you intend to get away with the monotony of day-to-day city life, where money and work concerns wear you down. When the metropolis becomes not bearable, a vacation to the Florida Keys could be a great way to allow oneself unwind and renew your emotional batteries.
For Real Estate in Key West—contact Richard Medlin at http://www.homesofthekeys.com

To find out more about Key West Homes for sale contact Robert Severin at http://www.keywestpropertyforsale.com

The Fk Keys or America's Carribbean are a grouping of island destinations commencing about 30 miles beneath Miami. The main attraction of the Florida Keys would be the water activities, though the Keys offer much more than just this. Leasing a holiday property or Condo within the Keys can be a perfect strategy to to get away because the choices are many. Essentially you will find holiday rentals in just about all the islands of the Keys.

For Upper Keys Real Estate contact Jan Keller at http://www.islamoradajan.com

A wonderful way to entirely benefit from the Keys way of living is as simple as finding a vacation rental. There are a wide selection so far as finding a rental through the numerous real-estate businesses or property management businesses.

The significant Florida Keys holiday destinations where one can take pleasure in the seashores with friends are Big Pine Key, Cudjoe Key, Duck Key, Grassy Key, Islamorada Key Colony Beach, Key Largo, Key West, Little Torch Key, Marathon Ramrod Key, Sugarloaf Key, Summerland Key and Tavernier.

Florida Keys Arts and Culture

2011-04-05T09:14:00.000-05:00

Fl Keys Arts and Culture

The Keys are made up of small towns and communities. However, due to the strong economy from our tourist base, the Arts are a primary part of our culture. Most weekends bring festivals and street parties throughout the Keys and especially in Key West. Photography of wildlife here is great www.dhphotoart.com

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts does a great job in supporting Art in the Keys http://www.keysarts.com/
Also see the Key West Arts and historical society http://www.kwahs.com/

Music

The Keys Community Concert Band. Susan Bazin 451-4530.
Keys Chamber Orchestra. Call Inga-Lisa Wright, 305-744-0508
The Key West Pops, Inc. - 305 293-7658, P.O. Box 6206
Note to musicians-There are about a zillion Tiki bars etc, that have live music. The times range from the afternoon through the evening. The pay is generally better than you'll find working in a regular club in the rest of the country. In addition to that most outdoor venues shut their nusic down about 11-so the hours are shorter.
Museums and Culture

Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum - 305 294-1136, 907 Whitehead St., Key West FL
Flagler's Station Historeum®-901 Caroline St., 1-305-295-3562.
Key West East Martello Museum - 305 296-3913, 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd.
Key West Lighthouse Museum - 305 294-0012, 938 Whitehead Street
Key West Museum of Art & History - 305 295-6616
Key West Shipwreck Historeum - 305 292-8990, 1 Whitehead Street
Little White House Museum - 305 294-9911
Lofton B. Sands African Bahamian Museum - 305 293-9692,
Wrecker's Museum - 322 Duval St., 294-9502.
Theater/dance

Middle Florida Keys
Marathon Community Theatre, 5101 O/S Hwy.....305 743-0994
Key West Theatre
Island Opera Theatre.....305 296-1520
Red Barn Theatre, 319 Duval St (Rear).....305 296-9911
Waterfront Playhouse, Mallory Square.....305 294-5015
Art Galleries/ Visual Arts

Over 90 galleries throughout the Keys
Note to Artists; regardless of the medium, ther is a place for you in the Keys. The Keys strongly support resident artists.
Writers groups in all genres (from screenwriting to novels) are spread throughout the Keys. There is definitely a reason so many world class writers and Play-rights have made and do make the Keys their home-especially Key West.(“Ernest Hemingway” ) The musician and actor community here is strong.

In conclusion, the arts community in the keys is very strong and will even grow stronger. So if you like the arts and a small community with lots of outdoor opportunities, The Florida Keys could be just the place.

Wouldn’t it be nice to vacation here and not have to leave?

About Venice Florida

2011-04-05T09:12:00.002-05:00

Venice

The Greater Venice Area lies in Sarasota County Florida on the Gulf Coast. It sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico, just south of Sarasota and is one of the few cities that is not separated from the Gulf by a barrier island.
The City of Venice is divided by the Intracoastal Waterway into Venice Island and the Mainland. "Venice Mainland", east of the Intracoastal, is threaded by the Tamiami Trail (US 41).
Venice is 71 miles south of Tampa and 55 miles north of Fort Myers. Most of the year temperatures seldom drop below 70 degrees.

Yes, the city was named after Venice Italy. To preserve the original ambience of Venice, the city created a Historic Venice District and an Architectural Review Board to ensure that new construction or modification of existing buildings conform to the northern Italian renaissance style of the city's original architecture. The town’s designation as a Florida Main Street City by the state further assures that Venice's heritage will be preserved.
Venice supports a fast growing and diverse economy. The range of business is wide. Real Estate is affordable, and the quality of life is outstanding.
Some basic facts about the area
Demographics:

The Population is 30,000
Median age is 51
The top employers are

The School Ddistrict
Venice Hospital
City Government
Weather

The summer temperatures average 89 degrees
Winter temperatures average 79 degrees
Recreation

This area may be a sleeper for most people relocating to Florida; it’s perhaps not even on your radar, but it should be! When you think “recreation” think about this: Venice has all the fantastic cultural advantages of Sarasota less than half an hour away, not to mention Sarasota’s shopping and dining diversions!
Yet it’s safely tucked into its own quiet, lovely, and private corner of Florida, and with its own array of outdoors-dominated recreational opportunities, including:

Fishing and water sports, which would appear to dominate the main activities here.
But then there’s also 14 golf courses and many tennis courts.
And Venice has over 20 bike trails, and numerous walk paths
There are 12 parks and 5 local beach park facilities!
There’s over 13 miles of beaches, which by the way I find are more pristine and less impacted than most other Florida beaches
Myakka River State Park, maybe the best state park in Florida, is just a few miles east of I-75. (The Myakka is one of just two official Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida, but is very accessible, since the park itself is laced with 40 miles of boardwalks, trails, and tram tours into some of the best wilderness areas.)
Housing and the Cost of Living
As of Sept 2005 per an MLS search: A 2/2 home started at a price of $135,000. It goes up from there, but you get the picture: Venice is affordable.
The cost of living index comes in at 98, putting it below the national average.
Education
Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm).
In conclusion
Venice was originally started as a retirement community and has evolved to have it’s own identity. The neighborhoods generally appear new and are well maintained. There is an active Arts community and the Old Downtown offers unique shops and restaurants.
And of all Florida, the Venice area stands out as one of the most desirable spots. It has a good mix of relaxed but yet has the facilities needed for a quality life style and yet remains a great place to open a business and raise a family.

About Port Charlotte Fl

2011-04-05T09:11:00.002-05:00

Port Charlotte
Charlotte County is between Lee County (Fort Myers) and Sarasota County in Southwest Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. It is about 100 miles south of Tampa, 160 miles northwest of Miami and 120 miles southwest of Orlando. Three-quarters of Florida’s population are within a 150-mile radius.

The towns of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte are located in the mid S.W. coast of Florida. The two communities are divided by Charlotte Harbor and the Peace River. Both these communities are part of Charlotte County. From the bridge over the Peace River connecting Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, you are just 30 miles from Sarasota, 20 from Ft. Myers.
Location, Location, Location
Not only does that proximity mean great access to all the usual amenities, including employment opportunities, that mid-sized cities can provide. It also means, particularly at Sarasota, one of Florida’s real cultural centers, great access to some of Florida’s finest Arts and cultural institutions and offerings.

From a completely different geographic perspective, the Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte area is also just a half hour drive from one of the oldest and most interesting of Florida’s small central cities, Arcadia, all the greater a treasure because of the destructive damage done by Hurricane Charlie (a very rare event) to the nearby tiny Old Florida communities of Fort Ogden, Nocatee, and others.
In fact, Charlotte County is a great area from which to explore various towns and the countryside of inland Florida’s Citrus Ridge and Central Lakes regions, counties which with justification call themselves “Florida’s Freshwater Frontier”.
Last but not least , Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte are in a good location and have easy access via I-75 to the Arts and Culture, sports, health, education and the theme parks and other sightseeing activities at Disneyland approximately 119 miles to the north and Miami approximately 138 miles to the south.
Climate and Recreation
The climate in Charlotte County is South Florida sub-tropical, making it possible to enjoy the outdoors year round. However, this is not a beach location. Orientation is mostly to the bays and rivers. Still, Gulf beaches to the West on Manasota Key, Don Pedro Island, and Gasparilla Island (the area from Englewood to Boca Grande) are easy to reach within 25-45 minutes.

What this variety of Florida outdoors location does provide is unparalleled boating and fishing access to Charlotte Harbor and some of the world’s greatest tarpon fishing grounds. And the Peace and Myakka Rivers and wetlands, right at your back door, are excelent fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. In addition, one of Florida’s finest wild areas, Myakka River State Park, offers great recreational options just a half hour away.
Some statistics

The cost of living as of the 2nd quarter 2005 is 92.8. This puts it low on a statewide and national level. You get to keep more of what you make.
The population is approximately 160,000 with a 2010 estimate of 174,000
The weather

July is the average warmest month.
The highest recorded temperature was 101°F in 1981.
The average coolest month is January.
The lowest recorded temperature was 23°F in 1982.
The maximum average precipitation occurs in June.
(Source: The Weather Channel)
Housing

As of Sept 2005 per an MLS search, a 2/2 home in Port Charlotte started at $139,000.
A 2/2 in Punta Gorda started at $145,000.
In both cases there were in excess of 400 properties available.
Employment

The top employment categories are:

Construction 9.3%
Education & Health Services 25.5%
Financial Activities 5.1%
Leisure & Hospitality 12.6%
Professional & Business Services 7.6%
Public administration7.7%
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 22.9%
Transportation
The area is served by many different transportation options.
Airports

Charlotte County Airport
28000 Airport Road
Punta Gorda, FL 33950 941 639-4119
Orlando International Airport
(407) 825-2001 One Airport Boulevard
Orlando, Florida 32827-4399
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
941 FLY-2-SRQ 6000 Airport Circle Sarasota, FL 34243
Southwest Florida International Airport
239 768-4308 16000 Chamberlain Parkway
Fort Myers, FL 33913
Tampa International Airport
5507 Spruce Street Tampa, FL 33607
813 870-8700
Bus Service
Greyhound

· Port Charlotte Station:
· 900 Kings Highway
· Port Charlotte, FL 33980
· 941 627-5836
· Punta Gorda Station:
· 26505 N Jones Loop Road
· Punta Gorda, FL 33950 941 875-2781
Rail

Seminole Gulf Railway
Passenger excursions are from Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda and Arcadia.
Business

Charlotte County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state,and is very receptive to new business. Here it’s possible to have a business and enjoy a relaxed environment.
State Incentives---Qualified Target Industry (QTI)
Charlotte County offers a Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund to encourage quality job growth in targeted high value-added businesses. New or expanding businesses, serving multi-state and/or international markets, in targeted industries or designated corporate headquarters are eligible for this refund. Pre-approved applicants who create new jobs in Charlotte County, paying 115% of the average annual area wage, can receive tax refunds up to $3,000 per new job created, up to $6,000 in an Enterprise Zone or Rural County. Additional "per job" bonuses are available for businesses paying 150 or 200 percent of the average annual area wage. For more detailed information, view the QTI Summary. To apply, contact the Florida Economic Development Office

For local info re permits and codes, go to http://www.charlottecountyfl.com/CDEV/License/newBusinessGuide
Education

Charlotte County Community Education offers a staggering variety of courses for all those interested, ranging from citizenship and English language classes to watercolors and yoga
Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm).

In conclusion
If you like clean air, sunshine, fishing, wildlife, golfing, boating and swimming in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere at affordable prices, this again could be the one.
For more information about the nearby communities see either Ft Myers or Sarasota links.

Bradenton Florida

2011-04-05T09:10:00.002-05:00

Bradenton
If you plan to relocate to Florida, the Bradenton area offers a relatively unique, rich mix of living opportunities. As in many other parts of Florida this mix includes places with an old-Florida small town feel, as well as pricier beach front property and a growing choice of new construction in the other towns and unincorporated areas of Manatee County.

Unlike most areas in Florida, however, here in Bradenton you can enjoy a truly rural community away from the noise, congestion, and frenetic pace of big-city urban America, yet have all the amenities that a big city (Tampa-StP-C) has to offer.

You can enjoy quiet, country charm and a laid-back pace of living, yet be close to cultural riches like opera, symphony, ballet, theater and fine art
You can also enjoy the delights of hassle-free access to pristine barrier island beaches and relaxed boating on a myriad of quiet bays, lakes and rivers, yet still be close enough to the rest of the Tampa Bay cities to take in big-time professional sports or an active night life.
You don’t have to put up with much jet noise, yet you can easily fly off from Tampa International to the rest of the world.
And finally, while still enjoying your relative isolation, you’ll know that just down I-75 south of you a few minutes is your own Sarasota-Bradenton regional airport, an opera, a slew of museums, one of the University of South Florida campuses (to go with your own Manatee Community College), a famous aquarium, and some really major additional shopping – all at Sarasota.

Cost of Living
Oh, and did we tell you that the Bradenton area, as well as Tampa Bay in general, is more affordable than much of Florida, let alone the rest of the country?

Tampa Bay

According to the ACCRA cost of living index (COLI), the overall cost of living in the Tampa Bay Region 99.7) is about the same as the national average (=100), and a little less on some specifics like groceries, utilities, healthcare, and miscelaneous goods and services. Most of the region is also about 5% less costly than other large Florida metro areas. (See Eflorida.com and coli.org for comparative data. Tampa Bay’s COLI is a composite of Bradenton, Sarasota, metro St. Petersburg-Clearwater and metro Tampa).

Home prices in the greater Tampa Bay area are also relatively inexpensive: Even after the rapid Statewide growth of median home prices in 2003-2004 (21% in Tampa Bay alone), the Region’s median home price of $171,700 was still a bargain, nearly 6% below the statewide average and 7% lower than the national average.
Bradenton

And Bradenton is still better! The Bradenton area’s 2005 Cost of Living Index was 96.4%, well below the national and state averages, and less than Tampa’s (98.8), Sarasota’s (108.9), or Tampa Bay in general (99.7).
Bradenton’s median home prices in various housing categories are about 5% less than general Tampa Bay regional median home prices, and as much as 25-35% below Sarasota’s median prices. (Bradenton and Sarasota are often grouped statistically, which disguises how much of a bargain parts of Bradenton still represent for people relocating to this area. For example, as of Sept 2005, an MLS search shows 2/2 homes starting at $119,000.)

More Facts about the Area

Manatee County is comprised of six communities.
Bradenton and Palmetto are the largest and are situated on the mainland facing each other across the Manatee River.
Manatee County’s barrier islands are home to the other four communities, including Longboat Key, Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. (Longboat Key's northern portion is in Manatee County and its southern portion is in Sarasota County
A collection of small Unincorporated communities make up the balance of Manatee County. Terra Ceia, near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge resembles Florida Communities of years past. Cortez is a fishing village on Sarasota Bay. Parrish and Ellenton are agricultural communities.
If one single thing about the Bradenton area really stands out, it is the watery environment and orientation. Manatee county has 27 miles of beaches and 150 miles of waterfront. With so much water access here, fishing and boating are very popular. There are 30 plus marinas and yacht basins; lots of charter boats; 15 boat ramps; 6 fishing piers; and a gazillion inland streams and rivers for canoeing and kayaking.
Water’s not your thing? No problem. There are also 66 Tennis courts and 20 golf courses.
Distances to other cities from Bradenton
· Ft. Myers 87 miles
· Jacksonville 235 miles
· Miami 221 miles
· Orlando 119 miles
· Tampa 51 miles
The Bradenton population is over 50,000 and Manatee County is about 300,000.
Average annual temperature is 74.5.
In January, it averages 66.8 degrees; in the summer it averages about 82 degrees.
Yearly rainfall amounts to 54 inches. Typically, in the summer, that means brief afternoon showers or thunderstorms.
Median age: 45. This is not primarily a retiree population, but rather a well-balanced mix of people of all ages.
Cost of Living (see above detailed discussion)
Employment by industry
· Tourist related/Services 32%
· Retail: 22%
· Manufacturing: 14%
· Local Government: 11%
· Agriculture: 7%
· Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 4%
· Construction: 3%
Schools: Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm).
For more information, you can also contact:

Bradenton City Hall 500 15th St. W. 813 748-0800
Manatee County Historical Commission 813 749-7165
Palmetto City Hall 516 8th Ave. W. 813 723-4570
Bradenton Beach City Hall 107 Gulf Drive N. 813 778-1005
Holmes Beach City Hall 5901 Marina Drive 813 778-2221
Anna Maria City Hall 10005 Gulf Drive 813 778-0781
Longboat Key Town Hall 501 Bay Isles Road 813 383-3721
For mores specifics on the area see also the general information links for Tampa or Sarasota.

In conclusion, Bradenton is a mix of old town, beach front property and new construction in Manatee County. If you are relocating here, there is a wide variety of property types to choose among. And as I’ve noted already, the real bonus in Bradenton is the unique blending of lifestyle: you can enjoy living in a slower paced, more rural community, yet have all the amenities that a nearby big city (Tampa etc.) has to offer.

About Sarasota Florida

2011-04-05T09:09:00.000-05:00

Sarasota County is 60 miles south of Tampa, on the West coast of Florida. But while you might think its orientation would be toward Tampa Bay, you would be wrong. This is a special place in Florida, beautiful of course, cultured like few places in the whole State with a wide range of activities in theater, music, art, and entertainment in general, and with both a fabulous “front-door” on the Gulf of Mexico and an exotic “back-door” featuring the Myakka River and Myakka Lakes wilderness areas.
Sarasota has a great year-round climate (average temp is 72), some 35 miles of long and largely pristine Gulf beaches on the barrier islands of Longboat Key, Siesta Key, and Lido Beach, an expanding and well balanced economy and plentiful recreational opportunities. And all this is mixed in with excelent health and educational facilities. Top that off with Sarasota’s unique mix of cosmopolitan and small-town feel, and well, you get the idea. Add in lots of sun.The neighborhoods are diverse and the Real Estate ranges widely in price.

General Information.

Located in the central west coast portion of Florida, 51 miles south of Tampa, 211 miles north west of Miami, 127 miles southwest of Orlando, and 236 miles south of Jacksonville.
600 square miles (Sarasota county)
Average summer Temperature 91°F
Average winter temperature is 71
Average yearly temperature 72
Average Annual Precipitation 53 in
Average Rain Days 107
Population projection 2005 -355,00 Sarasota County
Average home cost-June 2005-$250,000
Cost of Living-108.9-it's surrounding areas are less.
Median age-50
Major job Employment By Industry in order of numbers

Construction 8.6%
Education & Health Services 20.2% 1
Financial Activities 6.4%
Information 2.0%
Leisure & Hospitality 12.2%
Manufacturing 5.0%
Natural Resources & Mining 0.3%
Other Services 4.0%
Professional & Business Services 17.5%
Public administration 4.6%
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 19.3%
Sarasota offers a very high quality of life, one of the very best in Florida. The weather is great and it is a cultured place. It offers a vibrant economy, good health facilities, rich environmental resources, excelent schools, and safe neighborhoods. Compared with the rest of the United States in terms of similar amenities, Sarasota is still a bargain.

Sebastian

2011-03-06T12:04:00.001-05:00

The City of Sebastian was first incorporated as the Town of Sebastian in 1924. Current population is approximately 22,000. The City has seen rapid growth in the past several years and it is anticipated to continue.

The City of Sebastian boasts beautiful parks, public and private elementary schools, middle schools, and a high school just outside of its limits, an unobstructed view of the intra-coastal waterway in the Indian River Lagoon along its dazzling riverfront district, close proximity to Atlantic beaches, a year round average temperature of 73.4 degrees, a police department, shops and restaurants, many churches, several City festivals each year, monthly arts and crafts shows, concerts in the park, a municipal golf course and airport, and a central location with easy access to I-95 and the Florida Turnpike.

Sebastian is located in Indian River County, Florida, which is World Famous for its Beautiful Beaches, Great Weather and Citrus Products.

Sebastian is 95 miles S.E. of Orlando, 22 miles south of Melbourne and 12 miles north of Vero Beach. This location, known as "The Treasure Coast," is accessible via I-95, the Florida Turnpike or the Airports in Orlando, Melbourne and Vero Beach.

Facts & Stats Indian River County Population: Over 100,000
Sebastian Population: Over 13,000

Climate Average yearly rainfall is 52.8 inches. The average year round temperature is 73.4 degrees, summer 80.7, winter 65.8 degrees

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About Vero Beach

2011-03-06T12:03:00.002-05:00

Vero Beach is Known as the “Gateway to the Tropics," Vero Beach Florida is located in a climatic transition zone that offers an unusual mix of vegetation found in the coastal Carolinas – ancient oak trees and pine forests – blended with swaying palms and colorful blooms typical of the tropics.
Homey, yet casually elegant, Vero Beach and Indian River County attracts visitors and residents because of the cultural wealth and inherent natural beauty of the area. Vero Beach was rated the “Best Small Town in Florida & 12th in the Nation” and was named one of “The 100 Best Art Towns in America.”

There is no where quite like Vero Beach. As you cross the bridge and over the beautiful Indian River, you see the barrier island with its canopied oaks and the bright blue ocean on the horizon. Living in Vero Beach is a resort lifestyle amidst interesting and energetic people who appreciate the arts, the theatre and their livelihoods. It is a fabulous community.

I love Vero Beach and you will love Vero Beach too

More About Vero Beach, Sebastian and Indian River County
Vero Beach is the county seat for Indian River County which encompasses 617 square miles & includes 5 incorporated towns; Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere, Orchid, and Indian River Shores. Strict building codes, a watchdog government, and an exceptionally high rate of charitable contributions & individual volunteerism contributes to the peaceful and idyllic lifestyle found in Vero Beach, Sebastian and Indian River County.

Homey, yet casually elegant, Vero Beach and Indian River County attracts visitors and residents because of the cultural wealth and inherent natural beauty of the area. Vero Beach was rated the “Best Small Town in Florida & 12th in the Nation” and was named one of “The 100 Best Art Towns in America.” Known as the “Gateway to the Tropics," Vero Beach is located in a climatic transition zone that offers an unusual mix of vegetation found in the coastal Carolinas – ancient oak trees and pine forests – blended with swaying palms and colorful blooms typical of the tropics. The area is also recognized as the 'Citrus Capital of the World,' producing the finest Indian River citrus for the domestic market and worldwide export.

The Indian River Lagoon, passing through Vero Beach, forms a significant portion of the Intracoastal Waterway, and is a hub for boating & fishing, water skiing, and other small-craft waterborne activities. Sheltered from the open ocean, the Indian River area of Vero has a number of public and private marinas and boat launch facilities.

Vero Beach and Indian River County have some of the best places in the country for surfing and the most unique places for diving and snorkeling as well as Nature Preserves to explore. Whether you prefer to spend your vacation in a setting closer to nature, or if you just want to spend a night or two shedding the trappings of civilization, Indian River County is a great place to visit parks and camping.

Vero Beach holds some of Florida's most exclusive private golf clubs. They include Red Stick, John's Island, Indian River Club, Bent Pine Golf Club, Hawk's Nest, Vero Beach Country Club, Quail Valley and others as well as challenging public courses such as Sandridge Golf Club.

The Vero Beach/Indian River County area offers outstanding health care with two major hospitals with 24-hour emergency service; seven walk-in, emergency clinics that operate generally six days a week; and over 20 pharmacies. Find a medical professional in our Medical Directory.

What to do for a day, a weekend, a week. Check out the Things To Do category and be sure to see what's being launched at the Kennedy Space Center.

One thing is for certain. Once you visit the beautiful Vero Beach/Indian River County area, you won’t want to leave which is why we have created a unique way to help you rent or purchase your next home.

Courtesy of verobeach.com

About Marco island

2011-03-06T12:02:00.002-05:00

A few miles south of Naples lies the unique community of Marco Island, a thoroughly American (and to its critics, charmless) version of Venice, Italy, with a zillion mansions on a zillion canals. The picture is completed with a dense tourist quarter of very high-rise hotels and condos along much of the beach.

But: Marco Island stands at the gateway to the fabled 10,000 Islands fishing and recreation area, the northern gateway to Everglades National Park. And that is what makes Marco unique. (More on that shortly.) This duality is part of what defines Marco Island today.
Marco “on land”
Marco “on land” is a mix of ultra-modern beachside resort hotels and condominium complexes with a lot of seasonal English, German, and wealthy Northeastern visitors, and single-family homes on all those canals, owned partly by full-time retiree residents or Northeastern snowbirds. Apart from the usual resort hotel offerings, Marco basically rolls up its sidewalks at night, but nearby Naples provides an active, upscale social and entertainment venue.
So: boating or golf by day, Naples or stay home at night. All in a place that wears the mantle “paradise” quite comfortably. If you fit the description, and like a relaxed and Palm Beach-like lifestyle, Marco Island is heaven.

In between
As a collection of beautiful places, the Naples-Marco area offers some of the nicest beaches in all of Florida, one of which is Tigertail on Marco Island. My close friend who partly grew up on Marco tells me that you haven’t lived until you’ve gazed at a full moon from this magical spot. In fact the whole western coast of the island, called Crescent Beach, is pretty nice. There’s a good public beach at the southern tip of the island, adjacent to Caxambas Pass, with a jetty straight out of the movie “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”.

You can easily find other landside or land-based water diversions, of course; this is Florida. Resort hotels offer the usual tropical playthings, from SCUBA to windsurfing, and lots of residents (of all ages) partake. It’s an important part of the mix. Tennis is an important part of many residents’ lifestyle, and it’s everywhere. Just off island there are several good golf courses, and golf is big here.

Naples Florida

2011-03-06T12:02:00.000-05:00

Naples is a unique area in Paradise. Imagine, a small town atmosphere with elegant stores, art galleries and first class restaurants – all fronting one of the nicest, old residential beaches in Florida. To the South a few miles lies the unique Marco Island, Florida’s Venice at the gateway to the fabled 10,000 Islands fishing and recreation area.
As a collection of beautiful places, Naples-Marco-Vanderbilt Beach offer some of the nicest beaches in all of Florida, including Tigertail on Marco and Delnor-Wiggins Pass to the north. But what really sets this area apart from all of the rest of Florida is its easy access by boat to one of the world’s great Mangrove estuaries, stretching all the way to the remote Shark River in Everglades National Park on Florida’s far southwest coast. There’s fishing, exploring, secret rivers, dolphin, rays, incredible bird life, eagles – you name it. Few places in America can rival this.
If boating is not your thing, there’s world class golf, tennis, or trail walking. Or swimming in your pool.

And then, as I’ve mentioned, you come home at the end of the day to a sophisticated – you can go formal or informal – late afternoon of shopping, antiqueing, gallery hopping, dining out, and perhaps a concert or play. Naples, as the center of this Collier County southwest Florida area, is rivaled by few other places in Florida for these upscale activities, not even by the bigger metropolitan cities.

Yes, it is an expensive area, in fact it’s rated cost of living index is 104.8 or number one in the state. However compared to New York with a CGI of 364 it is affordable, especially if you’d like to be in an area of soft ocean breezes and palm trees, perhaps with your own boat moored at your back door. And for those who covet this life style, there are wonderful neighborhoods and condominium complexes to choose among.

Recreation in Palm Beach County

2011-03-06T12:00:00.004-05:00

Outdoors and Recreation in Palm Beach County, Florida

Throughout this video you will experience all the exciting outdoor and sporting activities to be found in Palm Beach County. We proudly offer venues for golf, baseball, tennis, croquet, polo and many other outdoor and water sports activities. Boastin...

Airboat Rides

2011-03-06T12:00:00.001-05:00

Airboat Rides in the Florida Everglades Sawgrass Recreation Park

Explore the Florida Everglades at Sawgrass Recreation Park! Located near Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and West Palm Beach the park offers thrilling airboat rides and exciting reptile and mammal exhibit areas! www.evergladestours.com

Relocating to the Florida Keys

2011-02-19T13:27:00.000-05:00

The Keys: Get there Before the Next Boom

The real estate market throughout Florida as in many other area of the country, looks like a dangerous place with the potential that prices may continue to fall…with the possible exception of the Florida Keys. Yes, it is true that during the incredibly oversold market commencing in 2003 and on, prices within Florida spiked only to come tumbling down during 2007 which continues to this day. This was the inevitable consequence of bad lending decisions coupled with buyers lacking the wherewithal to carry the home. This happened virtually everywhere else in the country.

The Florida Keys are Exceptional and an Exception
One of the main strengths of that market protecting the Keys from some of the dangers in the current real estate market is the fact that the vacation rental market environment is a life preserver to the real estate investor, despite the fact that many have chosen to reside there on a permanent basis. In other words, many of the properties whether condos or homes, are still attractive vacation destinations. As long as a property can be rented, the investment is self sustaining. The Keys can always be rented, depending upon the area, on a weekly or monthly basis. This makes them more attractive for investment purposes than the typical home purchased by the home owner as a primary residence anywhere else in the country. In other words, the Florida Keys real estate market was never in a “bust” situation.

The facts bear this out. According to Standard and Poors.com, aggregate real estate prices throughout the U.S., comparing 2000 with 2010 were only 2.6% greater in 2010 than during 2000. While actual sales price in the Florida Keys were 52.1% higher in 2010 than in 2000 ($274,995 vs. $418,209)! Certainly there were declines in Keys real estate prices on a comparative basis during the last half of the decade. This only serves to point up the fact that Keys real estate is very high priced and even when it had declined, prices remain at levels significantly above 2000.

Moreover, this data includes all Keys “residential” real estate, which also takes in vacation rental property, such as homes or condos that are rented out. If that data were available for comparison, it is highly likely that the historical prices would even have exceeded 52%. However, it is important to point out that certain other areas such as New York City and Washington, DC also fared very well over the decade because of explosive Wall Street wealth and the growth of the federal government which affected real estate in the greater Washington DC area.

Florida Recreation

2011-02-12T13:06:00.001-05:00

Airboat Rides in the Florida Everglades Sawgrass Recreation Park

Key West Tourism guide

2011-02-12T13:05:00.002-05:00

Key West Florida - Destination Video

Florida Keys, FL - Travel Guide. Key West, Florida is the central point of all of the continental United States. Its Caribbean culture mixes with a blend of art, history, and relaxation.

Key West Video

2011-02-12T13:04:00.001-05:00

Key West Video

Island of Key West video. It's a tourism video that partially runs on TV as an advertisement from www.fla-keys.com.

Florida Beach Towns Beat Big City Stresses

2011-02-12T13:02:00.001-05:00

Living in a big city doesn't always mean instant advantages. Traffic noise and pollution, deadlines set for yesterday, rising crime and insurance rates, and the cost of living index, to name a few: Stresses in today's cities can overwhelm the senses and well-being of even the strongest. The negative effects of city life can impact all facets of life.

Health
Extended exposure to constant stress reduces one's ability to withstand disease and permanently damage one's physical health:
1. High Blood Pressure
2. Heart Attacks
3. Strokes
4. Ulcers
5. Natural Immunity
6. Sleep
7. Teeth and Gums
8. And many more.

But the negative effects don't stop with just the body. One's mental health often suffers, as well:
1. Depression
2. Desperation
3. Night Sweats
4. Nightmares
5. Road Rage
6. And so much more.

Friends, family, co-workers, bosses, customers, and even strangers can both affect and be affected by common stresses found in the city. Unless one completely sequesters him- or herself from exposure, there's really no way to avoid city life stress. But that presents it’s own stress factor list.

What might be done to reduce those stresses? Move to a quiet, beautiful beach town in Florida!

Calmer Living
Reduction or elimination of major stress factors plays a huge part in improving both physical well-being and mental and emotional outlook. Changing living locations to a slower, calmer, more pleasant environment, such as smaller beach towns on the Florida coastline can vastly improve physical and mental health.

Commutes of minutes instead of hours, breathtaking scenery, and affordable living costs all present themselves in Florida beach towns. Sandy beaches, friendly neighbors and shopkeepers embrace peaceful living and incorporate serenity into the way of life along Florida's coastlines.

From Vero Beach to Jensen Beach, Florida coastal beach towns offer the potential of reductions in virtually every category--except, of course, increases in peace of mind, relaxation, and overall satisfaction.

Solution
Close to major metropolitan areas or more isolated locations, Florida beach towns gift visitors and residents, old and new, with revised outlooks and reduced stress with peaceful ways of life!

2009-10-16T18:57:00.001-05:00

For Web designers a great source for online form building at www.formdevil.com Easy to create new forms and very reasonable

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Found a great Shopping Cart solution for people who want to add a cart to an existing website. The Company name is www.shopsite.com

Florida Homestead Exemption-New 2008 property tax Reforms:

2009-03-01T18:52:00.001-05:00

New 2008 property tax Reforms:
In a January 2008 ballot measure, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment that introduced several changes to our state's property tax system. The four changes may affect the amount of tax you owe:
Increased Homestead Exemption: If you're currently receiving a $25,000 homestead exemption on your property taxes, you will automatically be upgraded to a $50,000 exemption this year. If you are a homeowner and do not currently receive the exemption, you may file your application in person along with a $15 late fee, through mid-September.
Save Our Homes Portability Cap: You may now trasfer up to $500,000 of your property tax cap to a new home when you move. To take advantage of this benefit, you must file a Homestead Exemption and Portability Application.

Tangible Personal Property Tax Exemption: If you're required to file a Tangible Personal Property Tax Return, you're entitled to a $25,000 exemption on business equipment.
Non-Homestead Cap: Beginning next year, those properties not eligible for a homestead exemption may apply to receive a 10% cap on property tax increases.

Homestead Exemption Overview:
FILING PERIOD JANUARY 1 – MARCH 1
Florida law requires that application be made by March 1st to be eligible for the $25,000 Homestead Exemption. Only new applicants or those who had a change of residence need apply. Automatic renewals are mailed in January each year.

In Florida, $25,000 of the assessed value of your home is exempt from real estate taxes, but you have to meet certain criteria to be eligible for the exemption. First you much have the title or record to your property as of January 1, and reside on the property. You have to be a legal and permanent resident of Florida as of January 1. When applying for the exemption status, bring along a copy of your deed or tax bill, and a Florida county voters registration or Declaration of Domicile. If you drive, you must also bring your Florida driver's license and automobile registration. New applications must be submitted in person at the appraiser's office, but renewals may be done by mail. For further information, consult the County Property Appraiser's Office.

Real Estate Taxes

All residents are subject to county taxes, but each city or special district levies taxes within its boundaries. City, special-district, and county taxes are combined in one tax bill. Real estate taxes are assessed as of January 1 each year. They are due and payable on November 1 and become delinquent if not paid before April 1 of the following year. Florida law holds the taxpayer responsible for receiving and paying tax bills in full. For additional information contact the County Property Appraiser's Office.

Establishing Residency

To establish residency, you may register to vote or file a Declaration of Domicile, which is an affidavit available at the CountyCourthouse. Filing one copy with the Circuit Court provides a record of your intention to make Florida your home. Simply moving to the State does not guarantee legal residency. For more information contact the County's Clerk of Circuit Court.

What is Homestead Exemption?
Florida Law entitles every person, who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains it as his/her permanent residence, to apply for a $25,000 homestead property tax exemption. A partial exemption may apply if the ownership of the applicant is less than 100%.

Am I eligible to file?
You must meet the following requirements as of January 1st:

Have legal or beneficial title to the property, recorded in the Official Records of County
Residency on the property
Be a permanent resident of the State of Florida
Be a United States citizen or possess a Permanent Residence Card (green card)

When do I file?
The deadline to file an application for exemption is March 1st. Under Florida law, failure to file for any exemption by March 1st constitutes a waiver of the exemption privilege for the year.
Regular filing is January 2nd - March 1st.
Pre-filing for the coming year is March 2nd - December 31st.

How do I file?
Take copies of the required documentation to your Exemption Department:Generally at the County or City Court House

Miami and Dade County Cost of Living.

2008-05-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

Miami and Dade County Cost of Living.

The cost of living index is based on the composite price of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, clothing and entertainment.

Cost of living indexes will generally be higher in areas that offer access to beaches, culture, arts and recreation. In addition areas, that offer a wider variety of services such as health and education will run higher due to higher wages, and increased quality of living.

Cost of living indexing explanation
A figure of 100 points is used as an average both for the USA and Florida. For example:
Boise Idaho is ranked at a 99
Boston Mass is rated at 240
San Francisco at 217
Statewide, Florida cities come in from a low of 90 and up.
One way to compare Florida areas to salary requirements
For example-If you were relocating from Portland Oregon (whose rate 1s 120) to Orlando, and you currently make $50,000 per year, the formula is as follows
Take the destination index, in this case Orlando-104.2 and divide by Portland’s index-120, then multiply by a salary of $50,000. This will give you a figure of $43,416.00 which would be required to make in Orlando to have the same quality of life.
See comparable Florida statewide
* Re cost of living--in some areas Real Estate has went up dramatically however costs that factor in such as food, transportation, rents etc have not increased at the same rate-so in some areas, even though housing is expensive, the overall rating may still be low
2006 Fourth quarter stats per ACCRA and Council for Community Economic Research

Bradenton-100.6
Cape Coral-Ft Myers-108.0
Ft Lauderdale-117.0
Fort Walton-Destin-97.3
Jacksonville metro-96.3
Miami metro-115.0
Orlando metro-104.2
Palm Coast-Flagler-98.5
Panama City-96.6
Pensacola metro-96.0
Sarasota-107.0
Tampa 98.5
St Pete-Clearwater-99.9
Vero-Beach Indian River-103.4
West Palm Beach metro-117.5
(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

* New York, NY 364
* Long Beach, NY 340
* Palo Alto, CA 268
* Menlo Park, CA 265
* Los Altos, CA 261
* Saratoga, CA 261
* Boston, MA 240
* Malibu, CA 233
* San Francisco, 217
* Greenwich, CT 215
* Cambridge, MA 211
* Santa Monica, CA 197
* Keystone, CO 194
* San Rafael, CA 192
* Weston, CT 192
* Darien, CT 192
* Wellesley, MA 192
* Fort Lee, NJ 189
* Arlington, VA 184
* Honolulu, HI 184
* Washington, DC 181
* Princeton, NJ 180
* Vail, CO 178
* Chicago, IL 166
* Sunnyvale, CA 164
* San Mateo, CA 163
* Marathon, FL 161
* Ridgewood, NJ 159
* Mystic, CT 159

For more information about cost of living go to Accra's site at http://www.coli.org/

The cost of living index places Miami at 116.2 as of the 4th quarter 2005

Although statewide it’s ranked higher, consider that it is a major metropolitan area with all the needed services. In that context it compares favorably.
http://www.eflorida.com/profiles/CountyReport.asp?CountyID=37&Display=all

For more information about cost of living stats go to http://www.coli.org

Housing. Minimum two bedroom single family homes in Miami/Dade County.
As of August 2005 the median price is $356,900.

Utilities. water and sewer go to
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/wasd/

For electric and gas go to

Florida Power & Light Co 305 552-3552 9250 W Flagler St
Miami, FL 33174
http://www.fpl.com

People 'n' Gas: 954-763-8900

In conclusion, given Florida’s climate and Job opportunities and the outdoor recreation prospects, Miami can really make sense.

Imagine the advantages of a subtropical resort next to a major metropolitan area.

Imagine beaches located few minutes from major business, shopping and cultural centers.

In Miami you can have your cake and eat it too—why not extend the vacation and make it part of your life.
Why not live in a vacation spot?

Miami and Dade County Employment

2008-05-24T09:34:00.000-05:00

Miami and Dade County Employment
One of the best things about Miami and Dade county is the abundance of career opportunities. From small business to Fortune 500 companies, to multinationals, Miami has it all.

So whether you're an entrepreneur or a corporate executive, Miami could have just the right position for you.

*Since there is no state or local income tax, you take home more.

That combined with a low cost of living means a better lifestyle.

Some Miami statistics:
As of February 2005 per the US Department of labor in Miami:

Number of workers-982,000

Median hourly wage $12.89 to $17.13

Entry $7.78 per hour

Experienced $22.36 average per hour

Annual wage $35,630

For specific figures by occupation go to
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_5000.htm
http://www.labormarketinfo.com/library/oes.htm

The areas top 5 employers as of late 2003 per the Miami Chamber of commerce http://www.greatermiami.com/live_work_play/factsheet.asp

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY'S TOP 5 EMPLOYERS

Miami-Dade County Pubic School 54,387

Miami-Dade County 32,265

Federal Government 20,100

Florida State Government 18,900

Jackson Health System 11,700

MIAMI-TOP 5 EMPLOYERS
Private Sector Company Name Employment

Baptist Health South Florida 10,300

University of Miami 9,367

American Airlines 9,000

United Parcel Service 5,000

BellSouth 4,800

Additional resources for job and demographic information
Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida (BEBR)

http://www.bebr.ufl.edu/
U.S Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov

Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation – Labor Market Information
http://www.labormarketinfo.com
State jobs http://dms.myflorida.com/

*If you have to work for a living, you might as well be in a great environment.

In conclusion the area is growing rapidly. All facets of industry are up. As more homes are built, the infrastructure has to increase---schools, retail and on an on. So, if you’ need to work, why not make a change in your environment and have a great environment with tons of recreational possibilities.

Remember, just because there’s a palm tree in your back yard doesn’t mean you’ll lose your edge.

Starting a Business in Orlando and Orange County

2008-05-24T09:33:00.000-05:00

Starting a Business in Orlando and Orange County
Starting a Business in Orlando and Orange County
The Orange county area is one of the fastest growing and expanding areas in the country.
With over one million residents, the region is constantly expanding, which means more jobs, incredible opportunities and a great lifestyle.
Whether you’re considering relocating a company or starting a business from scratch, Orange County and it’s neighboring communities have a place for your business.
Employees:
Over 520,000 in the greater Orange County area.
Average Annual Wage (2003)

· All Industries

· $34,623

· Construction

· $38,525

· Education & Health Services

· $35,666

· Financial Activities

· $48,414

· Information

· $48,205

· Leisure & Hospitality

· $21,921

· Manufacturing

· $47,730

· Natural Resources & Mining

· $20,952

· Other Services

· $24,722

· Professional & Business Services

· $40,246

· Public administration

· $41,642

· Trade, Transportation and Utilities

· $33,13
Major industries in Orange county

Construction 5.1%

Education & Health Services 15.0%

Financial Activities 6.5%

Information 2.7%

Leisure & Hospitality 22.2%

Manufacturing 4.6%

Natural Resources & Mining 0.8%

Other Services 2.9% 3.2%

Professional & Business Services 17.3%

Public administration 4.4%

Trade, Transportation and Utilities 18.6%

Source http://www.eflorida.com/profiles/CountyReport.asp?CountyID=54&Display=all
Major Employers (2003)

Walt Disney World

Business Line: Entertainment

Number of Employees...53,500 Orange County Public Schools

Business Line: Education

Number of Employees....22,807

Adventist Health Systems

Business Line: Healthcare

Number of Employees.. 17,059 Universal Orlando

Business Line: Entertainment

Number of Employees....14,500

Orlando Regional Healthcare System

Business Line: Healthcare

Number of Employees... 12,000 Orange County Government

Business Line: Government

Number of Employees..6,577

The market and potential:

Total Population Orange County area 990,000 (2003 per census bureau)

Population Forecast (2010) 1,166,000

Median Age 42

Median Household Income $35,7320

Business Assistance:

A message from the Orlando economic development council:
The Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) is an organization that helps business. We are dedicated to meeting the needs of today's industries and creating a competitive economic climate where businesses can thrive. To meet this goal, the EDC provides key services and support, which range from relocation and expansion expertise to export counsel to long-term planning with our community partners.

Our charge is basically two-fold. To attract new business investment, we market the Orlando region worldwide as a top location for business. In addition, we work with local companies to assist them with expansion plans and other business concerns.See their Web site at: http://www.orlandoedc.com/About%20the%20EDC/

Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) State Program
EFI is a partnership between Florida's government and business leaders and is the principal economic development organization for the State of Florida. The mission of EFI is to increase economic opportunities for all Floridians, through the creation of quality jobs and the active support of strong and growing businesses. It pursues this mission in cooperation with its statewide network of economic development partners. The primary focus of EFI includes: labor training, venture capital and technology development.
Enterprise Florida, Inc. 390 N. Orange Ave., Suite 1300
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 316-4600
Web site: http://www.eflorida.com

Florida Tax Incentives: Advantageous Tax structure both state and local
Florida has no personal income tax, no gift tax, no inheritance or inventory tax and no corporate franchise or property tax. Florida also offers a homestead exemption, a $25,000 tax deduction from real Estate value and sales tax exemptions, including a 12 month exemption on qualified manufacturing equipment, motion pictures, television, recording activities, launch vehicles, fuels and payloads.

More on Incentives/Taxation
Some of the more significant advantages to living and establishing businesses in Florida, with respect to taxes are:

No state income tax

No corporate income tax on sub-chapter S corporations

First $5000 of taxable income apportioned to Florida is exempt

No state property tax on inventory or equipment

No business inventory tax

No corporate franchise tax on capital stock

No corporate tax on limited partnerships, individuals, Estates and private trusts

No collected or assessed state property tax

No sales tax on "boiler fuels" used at a fixed Florida location in an industrial manufacturing, processing or compounding process

No sales and use tax on goods manufactured or produced in Florida for resale or export outside Florida

Corporation accounts receivable (one third) exempt from intangible property tax

Exemption of employee stock options from employer

No property tax on goods-in-transit for up to 180 days

While these are in themselves incentives, the following are additional incentives offered by the State and local government working together to provide you with an environment conducive to your success.

Ad Valorem Tax Exemption (real and personal property) is offered by the local government and is based on the financial impact projected on the County (number of employees, capital expenditure, etc.).

Sales and Use Tax Exemption

Silicon technology-based industry transactions involving manufacturing or research equipment

Purchases of machinery and equipment used by a new or expanding Florida business to manufacture, produce or process tangible personal property for sale

Labor, parts and materials used in repair of and incorporated into machinery and equipment that qualify for sales tax exemption upon purchase (phased in over four years, 25% exempt on July 1, 1999)

Electricity used in the manufacturing process (phased in over five years, 80% exempt on July 1, 1999)

Aircraft parts, modification, maintenance and repair, sale or lease of qualified aircraft

Commercial space activity - launch vehicles, payloads and fuel, machinery and equipment for production of items used exclusively at Spaceport Florida

Labor component of research and development expenditures---------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of Florida's Tax Incentive

Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund Programs
This program provides an inducement for target industry to locate new facilities in Florida or to expand existing facilities in Florida. The program provides tax refunds of $3,000 per new job created. The incentive is increased to $6,000 per job if the company locates in a rural county or an Enterprise Zone. Higher awards are available to companies paying very high wages. To qualify for the “QTI” program, a company must create at least 10 new jobs (or a 10% increase for expanding Florida companies), pay an average of at least 115% of area wages, have a significant positive impact on the community and have local support.

Quick Response Training Program
The Quick Response Training Program provides grant funding for customized training to new or expanding businesses. The program is flexible and structured to respond quickly to meet business training objectives. A local training provider – community college, area technical center or university – is selected and available to assist in the application process and program development or delivery. If the business has a training program in place, a state training provider will supervise and manage the training program and serve as the fiscal agent for the grant funds. Reimbursable textbooks/manuals, materials/supplies and training equipment.

Economic Development Transportation Fund
This grant program provides up to $2 million to local governments for the construction or improvement of transportation infrastructure needed to accommodate new or expanding industry.

Expedited Permitting Assistance
State and local permit streamlining procedures are available to assist businesses in obtaining necessary permits and approvals in a quick, efficient and predictable manner.

Specialized Incentives
Your project may qualify for opportunities such as urban or rural tax credits, and incentives for brownsfields and enterprise zones.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Property Tax Incentive
New and expanding businesses can be granted an exemption from property taxes on improvements to real property and for tangible personal property. In order for a company to be eligible for this incentive, it must first meet the definitions of a new or expanding business as defined below:

New Business:
A manufacturer which establishes ten or more full-time jobs.

A business with more than 50% of its sales outside the State of Florida which establishes 25 or more jobs.

Office space of a new Florida corporation housing 50 or more full-time employees of the corporation. The above are applicable if the business is on a site clearly separate from any other facility owned by the same business.

Any business located in a slum or blighted area as defined by Section 163.355, Florida Statutes.

Expanding Business:

A manufacturer that adds a minimum of ten new employees and increases employment by 10% or increases productive output by a minimum of 10%.

A business with more than 50% of its sales outside the State that adds a minimum of 25 new employees and increases employment by 10% or increases productive output by a minimum of 10%.

The expansion must be on the same or a co-located site of the business’ current operations.

If a business meets one of the above definitions as a new or expanding business, it may then file an application for the Economic Development Property Tax Exemption with the local County Commissioners or the appropriate municipality or both. After the city or county commission receives this application, it must submit the application to the county property appraiser for review. After the property appraiser makes the report as to the fiscal impact of granting the exemption, the county or city commission shall then adopt an ordinance in the usual manner-granting the exemption.

A business cannot receive exemption from school taxes or water management district taxes. Also, a business must pay taxes that were approved by the voters of a city or county to pay for bond issues and other special tax levies authorized by the voters of a city or county.

The exemption can only be for the improvements to the real property and for tangible personal property. The land on which the new or expanding business is to be located will still be taxed.

The State offers programs such as the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund Program (tax refund), a Sales Tax Exemption on Electricity and Steam (exemption), a High Impact Performance Incentive (grant) and more.

Tax Information: State

Corporate Income Tax 5.5%

Personal Income Tax 0.0%

Retail Sales Tax 6.0%

Intangible Tax (per $1,000) $1 - $1.50

Groceries and medicine exempt from retail sales tax

Small Business Assistance
Below are nine resources proven helpful to start up and maintain a succesful small business!

Small Business Administration - www.sba.gov

Small Business Development Center - www.fausbdc.com

US Chamber of Commerce Small Business Center - www.uschamber.com/sb

(The US Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Center is a one-stop shop for small businesses, containing everything from practical business advice to the latest small business news from Washington, D.C.)

Florida Small Business - www.floridasmallbusiness.com

Enterprise Florida - www.eflorida.com

The Florida Venture Forum - www.flvencap.org

SCORE Counselors to America's Small Business - www.score-chapter412.org

Odeon Group (Small Business Administration Intermediary) - 305 681-9600

Micro Business USA - 305 438-1407

First Florida Capital - (888) 320-5504

Below is a great site explaining why you should be in business in Florida.
http://eflorida.com/aboutthissite/sitemap/default.asp?tn=1

Orlando and Orange County Weather

2008-05-24T09:21:00.000-05:00

Orlando and Orange County Weather
Orange County’s mild climate, lets you enjoy outdoor recreational opportunities year round. Winter, spring and fall are filled with lots of sunshine.

The hottest month is July and August, with an average high of 92° F and an average low of 73° F. In January the average high temperature is 70° F and the average low is 48° F.
Normal annual precipitation is 53 inches, with the largest monthly totals accumulating from July through September.

Orange county Temperature Annual high average

Month Air

January 70.8

February 72.7

March 78.0

April 83.0

May 87,8

June 90.5

July 91.5

August 91.5

September 89.7

October 84.6

November 78.5

December 72.9

*To compare Orange County weather with other major USA cities go here http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762183.html

Other Weather Indicators Annual

Average Wind Speed 8.5

Clear Days 89

Partly Cloudy Days 147

Cloudy Days 130

Avg. Relative Humidity 74.0. To see stats by the month, go to

For hurricane information go to the FEMA site at http://www.fema.gov/hazards/hurricanes/

For current information about hurricanes go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

For 2005 climate info by areas go to http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/climate_center/LCD/2005LCD.html

For current weather forecasts by cities go to http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/fl/fl.html

*Although it looks like we have lots of cloudy days, the sun is out almost year round and the clouds are partial-not like in the Northwest (where I’m from) and it will stay overcast and dark for weeks on end.

*Although we do get rain here-it is a tropical rain and comes and goes quickly and acts as a refresher to the hot days.

To see average January temperatures across the United States go to http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/thematic-maps/usa-temprature-january.html
Compare where you live or want to live in Florida. For more specific info, look at the area you are interested in and go to the weather page.

So what about Hurricanes, the rainy season and humidity?
We are a tropical climate, so our rainy season comes in the summer. Generally it will rain hard for a half hour then subside. It does get humid then. Although not as bad as you’d think. Our water breezes really help cool us off.
Hurricanes.
Despite four devastating hurricanes in 2004, the number of Florida visitors rose 7% to an all-time high of 79.8 million last year and is on target to hit 80 million this year.
To think on:
If you live on the coast you stand the greatest chance of having one affect you. Some areas of Florida have gone fifty years plus without one but you never know.
As a resident having lived in the Keys and now in central Florida I’ve been through them.

In my opinion, the best thing you can do is buy a home that was built after Andrew-August 92 that was built to stricter building codes. Have window protection and a backup generator and make sure your insurance is up to date. If they ask you to leave, do it!

Realize-If you live in an older home that was not built up to the stricter building codes (After Hurricane Andrew-August 1992) or you live in a mobile home you stand the best chance of having major structural damage.

Living on the beach in a mobile home is asking for it. Although, you may never have a problem, you’re still definitely taking your chances. Barrier islands and open-water Ocean or Gulf front are the most prone to damage.
Having lived in California, I prefer the threat of a hurricane however as opposed to an earthquake. At least you have a warning.

For current information about hurricanes go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

For 2005 climate info by areas go to http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/climate_center/LCD/2005LCD.html

For current weather forecasts by cities go to http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/fl/fl.html

*Living in a waterfront home typically means that you will pay a higher Insurance premium. The insurance is higher due to flood and wind concerns.
Part of this is also because the pricing on these homes is higher so there is more value to insure against.

Having said all this, I can’t imagine living elsewhere. It is really great to wake up and it’s sunny out.
We spend over half our lives indoors, so when you do go outside, wouldn’t it be nice if it was warm and sunny?

What if you went on vacation and never went back? Sound crazy?

We spend half our lives indoors—why not spend the rest of the time in the sun? You can live in Paradise

Relocating to melbourne florida is a great choice

2007-07-02T11:51:00.000-05:00

Historically, the place that gives this entire area its “name” is Melbourne, the oldest and best-known community on what Floridians call the “Space Coast”. Melbourne is right in the center of a long north-south corridor – coastal Brevard County – that is sandwiched between the St. Johns River Basin to the West and the Atlantic Ocean.
It stretches from Palm Bay and other smaller communities in the south through Melbourne, West Melbourne, and Melbourne Village in central Brevard to Viera, Cocoa and Titusville in the north. And it includes a half dozen beach communities on one long, fabulous barrier island stretching from Sebastian Inlet to Cape Canaveral.
The location makes anywhere in the state very accessible. Even remote Key West is just a 5 or 6 hour drive. As to Outdoor and recreational opportunities, in my opinion it’s one of the best places in Florida. The beaches are not jammed, there is plenty of access and it’s not wall to wall development.

The location makes anywhere in the state very accessible. Orlando is just an hour away and even remote Key West is just a 5 or 6 hour drive. As to Outdoor and recreational opportunities, in my opinion it’s one of the best places in Florida. The beaches are not jammed, there is plenty of access and it’s not wall to wall development.

New Florida Insurance proposals

2007-01-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

Lawmakers wrangle more Citizens rate relief

TALLAHASSEE – Jan. 22, 2007 – Lawmakers turned their attention to Citizens Property Insurance Corp. on Sunday, wringing some additional rate relief for customers in the state pool after reaching a broader agreement over the weekend to roll back private homeowners’ insurance rates.
A House-Senate compromise bill goes to the full Legislature today, the last day of the special session tackling runaway rates. It then goes to Gov. Charlie Crist, who on Sunday expressed optimism but didn’t tip his hand as to whether he intended to sign or veto the bill.

A breakthrough in negotiations late Saturday brought a deal indicating that Floridians can expect to pay roughly 25 percent less on their insurance bills beginning this summer, although the amount could vary widely depending on location and which company provides the coverage. A cross-section of sample companies that the state Office of Insurance Regulation tested with provisions of the new legislation reported that rates would fall anywhere from single digits to more than 30 percent.

When it appeared Sunday that Citizens’ customers wouldn’t do as well, lawmakers went back at the legislation and tweaked the bill to provide a rollback of about 20 percent for those in the state pool.
“We’ve delivered very, very substantial rate relief – higher rate relief than any of us thought possible a month ago,” said state Sen. Steven Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, an architect of the Senate bill.Late-night and weekend arm-twisting settled a key provision of the bill – expanding the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to provide more and cheaper state-backed reinsurance. The cost of reinsurance in the private markets had been identified as a key driver in Florida’s soaring rates.Lawmakers were clearly pleased with the outcome of the special session.

Things to consider in buying a waterfront vacation home

2007-01-04T14:49:00.000-05:00

Things to consider when buying any waterfront vacation home.

Is there a view?
Views really do matter. An unobstructed Ocean view adds as much as 60% to the value of a home per the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics. Proximity to Golf courses or a park can add as much as 20% to a homes value. This is per an article by a much published author named Soren Anderson, a writer from Manchester College.

Consider the recreational activities…
The What and the When.
For example in a Ski resort area, your options are limited due to weather considerations and the total amount of activities available is definitely less.
*In the Keys and in most Florida Gulf or Atlantic communities, about the only thing you cannot do year round are mountain climbing and white water rafting.

Nearby Medical and shopping options
These are very important considerations. If there is an accident, how far away is a hospital?

If you need groceries or restaurants, what is nearby?
Oftentimes vacation properties can be secluded and don’t offer easy access to the above. At first being remote can seem as desirable, but in the end it can grow old quickly.
This also affects home values by the way. If you can have the vacation feel and recreation, yet have amenities nearby, the prices go up.

How much room do you need?
If you own a home with nearby recreation and sightseeing, expect people to come out of the woodwork. Everyone will be your friend. Larger homes, with more bedrooms, a 3/2 and up always rent better. So if you can, get a home with extra space.

Type of Construction or is it built to last.
The age of the home will determine the building code that it was built to. In the Keys newer homes have to be built to strict specs as to wind handling characteristics.
Also, look for low maintenance homes.
SDome homes in the waterfront areas are made of concrete block and have pea-rock for yards and the outside is stucco over concrete or frame. This means lower maintenance, which is very important for an absentee owner.

Finding renters
Does the home have good rental potential and is there local rental management available?
This is a very important consideration, both for long term and short term vacation rentals.
Remember, even if you don’t want to rent, this can be an important consideration for a future buyer or if your situation changes.

Home maintenance.
Are there nearby electricians, plumbers, appliance stores and general contractors.
If anything does happen, the prices to have things repaired or replaced will be less if there is competition and service people are nearby.
Check with the REALTOR you are talking with to get a Vendor list of who the Real Estate company uses to service their rentals and offices.

Rules and Regulations
Make sure you are clear on and have copies of any deed restrictions or condo docs as to what is allowed and what is not. Too many rules can be appetizing for some but a turnoff for future buyers. For example if you have children who will want to use the property in the future as a college break, lots of communities can prohibit it.

In conclusion, Vacation homes can offer good investment potential from an appreciation aspect and income potential from renters.

Income potential.
As Florida grows (it is on pace to be the 2nd largest state in the USA by 2010) we will have more people looking to vacation here. This will drive prices up and make rental occupancy rates climb even more.

St Augustine

2006-11-09T13:32:00.000-05:00

St, Augustine is a wonderful, quiet residential town located on the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean forty miles south of Jacksonville in an otherwise fairly undeveloped part of St Johns County. It has a population of 14,000 and occupies 8.4 square miles. The San Sebastian and Matanzas Rivers thread through it; three bridges lead to the barrier island beaches. To the west is farm country and the St. Johns river and lake system.
Nearest cities:
St. Augustine’s location may be delightfully small town, but other cities are not far away. For example, Downtown Jacksonville is only about 45 minutes North, Daytona Beach about an hour South, Gainesville about an hour West.
Some smaller towns or sites are nearby:

* Butler Beach, FL (3.3 miles)
* St. Augustine Beach, FL (3.4 miles)
* Crescent Beach, FL (5.0 miles)
* Villano Beach, FL (8.6 miles),
* Marineland, FL (11.9 miles)
* Hastings, FL (15.2 miles)

Business possibilities in the Keys

2006-10-14T09:13:00.000-05:00

NICHE BUSINESS possibilities
The Companies that have anything to do with remodeling, are always in need of help for all phases of the jobs, drywall, painters, tilers, installers etc. If you have skills in these areas, there is opportunity to start your own business and lock in with the builders. The main thing is to be licensed, reliable and do good work. One thing you need to know is that help in these areas is hard to find---since rents are high most workers cannot live on even up to $15.00 per hour---so if you're thinking about a business other than retail that requires lot's of help, tyou may have a problem.

There are also many other areas of opportunity. Remember most people that buy homes here need services--For instance the rental houses all need pest control, yard maintenance, cleaning people and a handy man. Generally what happens is an individual or couple start a lawn business. They then go to all the Real Estate offices etc and promote it plus run ads offering their service. After they get to about 50-75 homes or so they are filled up. At this point they don't accept any more work--what I'm saying is that this is constantly evolving and that small niche business can work very well in the Keys. I can tell you from my own experience if you're reliable, return phone calls and do show up you can do well down here.
SUMMARY: The best way to get a feel for what's happening is for you to come down here.

Marco Island

2006-09-28T15:01:00.000-05:00

Marco Island
A few miles south of Naples lies the unique community of Marco Island, a thoroughly American (and to its critics, charmless) version of Venice, Italy, with a zillion mansions on a zillion canals. The picture is completed with a dense tourist quarter of very high-rise hotels and condos along much of the beach.

But: Marco Island stands at the gateway to the fabled 10,000 Islands fishing and recreation area, the northern gateway to Everglades National Park. And that is what makes Marco unique. (More on that shortly.) This duality is part of what defines Marco Island today.
Marco “on land”
Marco “on land” is a mix of ultra-modern beachside resort hotels and condominium complexes with a lot of seasonal English, German, and wealthy Northeastern visitors, and single-family homes on all those canals, owned partly by full-time retiree residents or Northeastern snowbirds. Apart from the usual resort hotel offerings, Marco basically rolls up its sidewalks at night, but nearby Naples provides an active, upscale social and entertainment venue.
So: boating or golf by day, Naples or stay home at night. All in a place that wears the mantle “paradise” quite comfortably. If you fit the description, and like a relaxed and Palm Beach-like lifestyle, Marco Island is heaven.

In between
As a collection of beautiful places, the Naples-Marco area offers some of the nicest beaches in all of Florida, one of which is Tigertail on Marco Island. My close friend who partly grew up on Marco tells me that you haven’t lived until you’ve gazed at a full moon from this magical spot. In fact the whole western coast of the island, called Crescent Beach, is pretty nice. There’s a good public beach at the southern tip of the island, adjacent to Caxambas Pass, with a jetty straight out of the movie “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”.

You can easily find other landside or land-based water diversions, of course; this is Florida. Resort hotels offer the usual tropical playthings, from SCUBA to windsurfing, and lots of residents (of all ages) partake. It’s an important part of the mix. Tennis is an important part of many residents’ lifestyle, and it’s everywhere. Just off island there are several good golf courses, and golf is big here.

Marco “on the water”
But what really sets this area apart from all of the rest of Florida is its easy access by boat to one of the world’s great Mangrove estuaries, stretching all the way to the remote Shark River in Everglades National Park on Florida’s far southwest coast. There’s fishing, exploring, secret rivers, dolphin, rays, incredible bird life, eagles – you name it. Few places in America can rival this.

With a backcountry boat you can be in some of the remotest waters in North America in ten minutes. South and east of Cape Romano is a whole different world.
This is surprisingly wild country even if you have to stay offshore the very shallow inland waters. (There are deep channels in some places, but captains beware.) With a big yacht you can still cruise, if a bit offshore, the remote mangrove islands that harbor all that backcountry and still be virtually alone. (Why? Because, as we all know, most boats always seem to stay in port. Why is that? If all Marco’s boats went out at once, it would be unfortunate.) And then you swim or fish off your boat in beautiful Gulf waters.

Or – and here is that duality of Marco again – you can cruise north to Naples and enjoy both amazingly wild islands (Little Marco, Keewaydin) along the way and then another version of mansions on the water (Port Royal), not to mention the delights of Naples Bay.

Some Basic Facts
Where
Marco Island is located at the southernmost tip of mainland Florida’s west coast about 100 miles from Miami via the Tamiami Trail highway (US Hwy 1, in the 1930’s a great engineering feat across the Everglades). Marco is the largest inhabited isle of the "Ten Thousand Islands."
Demographics
It has a year-round population just over 15,000 (seasonal 2-3x) and an average median age of 60 (which would be lower if you factored in seasonal visitors, many of whom are future buyers; like many of Florida’s wealthy formerly retirement communities, Marco Island is evolving towards a more eclectic mix).

Character
Basically this is a resort area which attracts tourists looking for the good life and residents who want elegance on a small island lifestyle with all the amenities. Mixed in with both of these are those looking for, and finding, one of the world’s great outdoor adventures.
Beaches
Marco Island includes four miles of beach, and most of the resorts and condominiums are located directly on the beach.
Climate
The climate is (sort of) subtropical with nice breezes from the Gulf of Mexico. It is blessed with spectacular sunsets and Gulf sea breezes. The island’s natural rainfall is fairly sparse; it is actually somewhat dry, and was partially desert before developers and homeowners started watering it extensively – and then, presto, it looked subtropical like the rest of South Florida. Temperatures can be a lot more pleasant than other more humid areas of South Florida

* Average Annual High Temperature: 85F (29 C)
* Average Annual Low 65F (18 C)

Employment
One does not live and work on Marco Island – not often, anyway. The workforce is mostly off-island dayworkers, with some exceptions, who more frequent as you go up the income scale.

Here’s the mix:

* Tourist-related services (21.5%),
* Finance, insurance, real Estate and rental and leasing (17.6%),
* Retail trade (12.1%),
* Educational, health and social services (11.4%),
* Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services (10.7%)

[Above info from http://www.city-data.com/city/Marco-Island-Florida.html]

Recreation

* Fishing
* Incredible backcountry fishing among mangrove islands for redfish, snook, tarpon, and sea trout.
* Surf casting for black drum and sheepshead.
* Offshore fishing on reefs for grouper, king mackerel, amberjack and snapper.
* Golf is a major attraction here
* Ecotours and sightseeing
* Historical Sites (Indian and pioneer Florida, mostly off Island)
* Island-type Shopping: Resort boutiques and specialty shops feature everything from bathing suits and designer wear to sandals and sunglasses.
* Dining: Numerous restaurants and eateries renowned for straight-from-the-docks seafood specialties.

Housing

Yes, this is an expensive area, in fact its rated cost of living index is 104.8 or number one in the state. However compared to New York with a CGI of 364 it’s affordable, especially if you’d like to be in an area of soft ocean breezes and palm trees, perhaps with your own boat moored at your back door. And for those who covet this life style, there are wonderful neighborhoods and condominium complexes to choose among.

As of September 2005, the least expensive home was $445,000.

Jacksonville employment

2006-07-23T09:04:00.000-05:00

Jacksonville and Duval County Employment
One of the best things about Jacksonville and Duval county is the abundance of career opportunities.
Whether you're an entrepreneur or a corporate executive, Jacksonville has a position for you. Since there is no state or local income tax, you take home more. That combined with a low cost of living means a better lifestyle.

Some statistics:
• As of may 2004 per the US Department of labor in Jacksonville:
• Number of workers-544,350
• Median hourly wage $13.07 to $16.70
• Entry $7.87 per hour
• Experienced $21.11 average per hour
• Annual wage $34,190

For specific figures by occupation go to http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_3600.htm#b00-0000

http://www.labormarketinfo.com/library/oes.htm

The areas top 20 employers as of late 2003 per the Jacksonville Chamber of commerce http://www.myjaxchamber.com/business_information/jobs.asp#top20
• Naval Air Station Jacksonville U.S. Navy 19,537
• Naval Station Mayport U.S. Navy 15,293
• Duval County Public Schools Public Education 14,962
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. Supermarket (Corporate Headquarters) 12,253
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. Health Insurance 9,200
• City of Jacksonville Municipal Government 7,100
• State of Florida State Government 7,056
• Publix Supermarkets, Inc. Regional Supermarket Distribution Center 7,000
• Baptist Health System Healthcare 5,824
• Wal-Mart Stores Retail 5,800
• Bank of America Regional Banking Systems Headquarters 5,500
• CSX Transportation Railroad Corporate Headquarters 5,200
• United Parcel Service Worldwide Parcel Delivery 4,970
• U.S. Postal Service 4,184
• St. Lukes Hospital Hospital 4,106
• Naval Air Depot Maintenance/Repair Overhaul 4,000
• St. Vincent's Health System Healthcare 4,000
• Citibank Credit Care Company 3,800
• Shands Jacksonville Hospital Healthcare 3,700
• Florida Community College of Jacksonville Community College 3,684

Ft Lauderdale employment

2006-06-30T09:52:00.000-05:00

Fort Lauderdale and Broward County Employment
Broward County (metropolitan Fort Lauderdale) has significantly outpaced the national economic growth rate.
One of the best things about Ft Lauderdale and Broward county is the abundance of career opportunities.
Whether you're an entrepreneur or a corporate executive, Ft Lauderdale has a position for you.
Since there is no state or local income tax, you take home more. That combined with a low cost of living means a better lifestyle.
Some statistics:
• As of July 2005 per the State of Florida:
• Number of workers-733,900
• Median hourly wage $13.16 to $17.06
• Annual wage $35,480

For specific figures by occupation go to
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_2680.htm#b00-0000

The areas largest employers
South Florida's large employers are almost entirely service industries. From Supermarkets to Credit Unions, it is the service segment that keeps the area’s residents employed.

SOME OF THE AREAS MAJOR EMPLOYERS:
• Memorial Hospitals 11,500
• Motorola Computers 10,000
• Miami police Dept 7,000
• Jackson Memorial Hospital 6,700
• Baptist Children’s Hospital 5,000
• Florida Atlantic university 5,000
• Pratt and Whitney Aircraft 5,000
• Royal Caribbean travel 5,000
• American Express travel 4,70

Miami Overview

2006-06-11T18:18:00.000-05:00

OVERVIEW MIAMI AND DADE COUNTY

Miami like New York and Chicago is a city that never sleeps. Tropical weather, 15 miles of beaches, lots of sun, great nightlife mixed in with world-class restaurants is attractive to people of all ages.

From downtown Miami and Miami beach to the neighborhoods of Coral Gables and Kendall on to Key Biscayne and then the city of Homestead, Dade county has a place for you. If you like big city life but like the idea of great weather and outdoor recreation, this could be the place. Although more expensive than most of Florida in comparison to New York or San Francisco it’s still a bargain.

Things to consider:
• The Miami metropolitan area (Miami-Dade County, which is governed as one entity) has more than 2.3 million residents.
• Miami-Dade County has 35 Incorporated cities within its boundaries.
• Miami is the financial capital of Latin America and the Caribbean with more than 500 multinational corporations, 40 bi-national chambers of commerce and 100 foreign banks with 60 billion in deposits.
• Miami is a major educational center. Best known are the University of Miami, Florida International University, and Miami-Dade Community College, but there are also dozens of lesser known colleges, trade schools, and other educational institutions
• The average median age is 37, making it one of the youngest cities in Florida..
• Dade County encompasses 2431 square miles
• Miami is surrounded by water and wilderness Its eastern edge borders the Atlantic Ocean. Miami Beach, South Beach, and Key Biscayne offer quintessential water playgrounds, with all the other amenities of fine dining and nightlife clustered nearby
• The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) winds through the downtown (separating it from Miami Beach, South Beach, and Key Biscayne), and heads north to Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and the Palm Beaches; or south to Florida Bay and the Florida Keys. Key West is just a three hour drive away across a zillion bridges connecting a myriad of island dots tossed on blue-green tropical sea, the Atlantic Ocean on one side of you, the Gulf of Mexico on the other. The Keys have been called Miami’s Cape Cod.
• To the West of the metropolitan area is the vast Everglades and Everglades National Park, playgrounds in their own right, and quiet alternatives to the hectic big city. Or drive about an hour and a half across this wilderness and you are at Marco Island-Naples on the Gulf of Mexico.
• Miami’s cost of living is 102.6 as of 2004 and was 6th in the State
• As of June 2005, an average home was $361,000; but the range is wide, with opportunities for people of all means.
• Miam-Dade County is the 4th largest school district in the United States.
• Miami has a vibrant arts community, whether your interests run to art, dance, theater, music, and more. These scenese are informed, influenced, and benefit from Miami’s rich diversity of population and location at the crossroads of America, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe.
• Miami has a rich ethnic and racial mix: all manner of Europeans and North Americans who have relocated here; Cubans, Jamaicans, Haitians, Dominicans and others from the Caribbean; Nicaraguans, Panamanians, Hondurans, and Guatamalans from Central America; Brazilians; and subpopulations from every South American country; small but flourishing Asian groups; and so on. The area is essentially bi-lingual in English and Spanish.
• Miami has world class medical/heath facilities (34 major hospitals), with some of its institutions consistently ranked among the finest in the United States
• One of the things which knits this diverse area together, for many people, is its professional sports mix: for example, the NFL Dolphins, NBA Heat, and MLB Marlins.
• Getting around easily is the bane of many big metro areas: not Miami, which has first class transportation facilities in the form of a highway system that works superbly, excelent mass transit, both bus and rail, and one of the world’s busiest (but easiest to use) international airports

What about Hurricane preparation for a rental home

2006-06-03T09:45:00.000-05:00

What about Hurricane preparation for a rental home

In the event of an impending Hurricane, a handyman or someone else can be hired to put up the storm shutters, bring in the lawn and patio furniture, etc for a fee-most agents have too many homes for them to do it individually.

*This agreement should be set up in advance by the homeowner and the handyman. Your agent can find someone to do this.

What makes a good Florida Vacation Rental

2006-05-27T07:39:00.000-05:00

What makes a good Vacation Rental
• A clean, well-maintained home on a canal or open water.
• Typically one of the bedrooms should have a set of twin beds if the renters are bringing children.
• Good linens and towels and a backup set. This is especially important for monthly renters.
• The washer, dryer and refrigerator should be newer if possible.
• A good Television hooked up to cable (about $35.00 per month) and a CD or tape stereo system.
• The kitchen must be completely outfitted. A microwave is also very important for renters.
• Patio and/or Lawn-Deck furniture. If there is an upper deck, a table and chairs plus loungers.
• On the waterside, a set of loungers and chairs.

Ft Myers and Lee County Investment opportunities

2006-05-17T13:59:00.000-05:00

Ft Myers and Lee County Investment opportunities
Because of the fast growing base of people relocating to Florida along with the tourism industry, Florida offers three unique opportunities for investments.
• 1031 tax exchanges
• Buying a second home/condo and using it as a rental.
• Buying a commercial piece of property, from duplexes to apartments, to triple net shopping malls.
The above combined with an above average appreciation rate for Real Estate make Florida a place you definitely need to consider, regardless of your financial capabilities..

For more specific information on how 1031 exchanges work see. www.1031inflorida.com

Renting your home out-To know
• The best areas to rent are anywhere near the water and the best rents will start at open water locations, followed by homes/condos with a partial view to homes on canals. The neighborhood and the furnishings will also dictate the rent amounts you can get. In the Keys-the best situation was a home at least three bedrooms and up on the Ocean or Gulf with a pool and a boat dock. In some cases these bring as much as $5000.00 per week, depending on the home/area.
• It is very important that you find out early on which residential areas and which condo associations allow weekly rentals-as this will be generally be your best return.
• In some cases you may want to just rent out long term and skip the dealings with handy men and cleaning services.
• In all of this—the most important thing is that you find a qualified adent. He/she can guide you through the process completely—including setting up property management.

As to Ft Myers and areas-where would the best rentals probably be located?
• Ft Myers Beach
• FT Myers Downtown-- The downtown areas in larger cities are seeing strong growth. In short some people are going away from life in the suburbs and opting for closeness to theatre, restaurants and the vitality of a city environment. So, don’t overlook the downtown areas.
• Bonita Beach
• Sanibel/Captiva
• Pine Island.
• Cape Coral may be good but it seems fairly residential so their may be laws against it—again ask your agent. As to more details for what makes a good rental see below.
• For more specific information about rentals, see the links to the left for property management/1031 and commercial; agents

Types of rentals. Single family homes, duplex and Condos.

Palm Beach and Palm Beach County Investment opportunities

2006-04-24T18:59:00.000-05:00

Palm Beach and Palm Beach County Investment opportunities
Due to the incredible growth in tourism and people relocating to the South East coast of Florida, investments ( both commercial and rental) in this region should be a strong consideration.

Aside from commercial investments the two situations most people are looking for in Florida are:
• Vacation homes/2nd homes, both single family or Condos that can be rented out.
• Generally a purchase involves a 1031 tax exchange or just someone looking for a second home in an area that he/she or the family will use occasionally.
• A home to eventually retire to and rent in the meantime to help pay mortgage costs.

As to Palm Beach County-where would the best rentals probably be located? The following is a partial list.
• Delray Beach
• West Palm beach, the inlets and the intracoastal
• Homes and Condos on the Ocean, canals, inlets, golfcourses or bays (all locations)
• Juno Beach
• Boynton beach
• Jupiter beach or intracoastal areas.

*To get an idea on rates charged and potential income of vacation (short term) rentals, see http://www.vamoose.com/search?vID=90&page=4&search_params=90|-|0|M|0|M|0|M|0|M|0|000000000000|M|-|0|10

Long term
*The downtown areas in cities are also seeing strong growth. In short some people are going away from life in the suburbs and opting for closeness to theatre, restaurants and the vitality of a city environment. So, don’t overlook the downtown areas.

To know:
• The best areas to rent are generally near the water and the best rental income will start at open water locations, followed by homes/condos with a partial view to homes on canals. The neighborhood and the furnishings will also dictate the rent amounts you can get.
• In the Keys-the best situation was a home at least three bedrooms and up on the Ocean or Gulf with a pool and a boat dock. In some cases these bring as much as $5000.00 per week, depending on the home/area.
•
• It is very important that you find out early on which residential areas and which condo associations allow weekly rentals-as this will be generally be your best return.
•
• In some cases you may want to just rent out long term and skip the dealings with handy men and cleaning services.
•
• In all of this—the most important thing is that you find a qualified agent. He/she can guide you through the process completely—including setting up property management.

Orlando Education

2006-04-16T15:25:00.000-05:00

Orlando and Orange County Education
There are more than 165,000 students, 7600 teachers and over 150 elementary and secondary schools in Orange County. Orange County Public Schools are the 12th largest school district out of more than 16,000 in the nation.
• It is the fifth largest in Florida. OCPS grows by more than 5,000 new students a year.
• To keep up with growth, the district typically builds between four and seven new schools each year.
http://www.ocps.k12.fl.us/
http://www.eflorida.com/profiles/CountyReport.asp?CountyID=29&Display=all

For a comparison of schools and school districts on a variety of criteria, view Florida School Indicators Reports at the Florida Department of Education's Web site. http://www.fldoe.org/

Orange County school specifics:
• 100 Elementary Schools
• 51 secondary schools
• 125 junior high
• 94 senior High Schools
• 150 College-Universities
• 3 Magnet schools
• 10 junior colleges
• 22 Charter schools
• 240 private and parochial schools
• 4 Alternative Schools
• 15 adult education
• 50 business and vocational schools
• 263 pre schools

For a complete listing of Schools by Region and addresses go to: http://apps.sdhc.k12.fl.us/public/mainindex/information/index.ht

Regarding Charter Schools. For specifics on what a Charter schools is and enrollment details etc go to http://www.educationcentral.org/schools/schchart.asp
Partial list of Colleges/Universities:
• University of Phoenix
• Rollins College
• Stetson University
• University of Central Florida
• Florida Metropolitan University

Junior/Community Colleges:
• Seminole Community College
• Valencia Community College
• Lake-Sumter Community College

Vocational/Technical Schools:
• Winter Park Tech
• Orlando Technical Center
• Mid-Florida Technical Institute
• Orange Technical Education Centers / Westside Tech
• Lake County Area Vocational Technical Center
• UTI-Motorcycle, Marine & Mechanics Institute

Other Schools:
• Florida Technical College
• DeVry University
• ITT Technical Institute
• Orlando Culinary Academy
• Full Sail Real World Education (Digital Media)
• International Academy of Design & Technology
• FAMU College of Law
• Barry University College of Law
• Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez
• Nova Southeastern University
•

For specific locations and more information-see http://www.fldoe.org/schoolmap/flash/schoolreport.asp?id=48
http://www.ocps.k12.fl.us/

Orlando Health

2006-04-07T08:26:00.000-05:00

Orlando and Orange County Health
Sunshine makes people feel healthier and improves your outlook on everything. After living in Florida for 10 years, I can tell you that it’s great to wake up to a warm climate and sunshine almost year round. It makes for a positive outlook on life. What’s your mood when it’s cold, drizzling and cloudy out? Orlando’s mild weather and great lifestyle makes staying health much easier.

Orlando Regional Healthcare is one of Florida's most comprehensive private, not-for-profit healthcare networks. Their facilities, advanced medical treatments and procedures, and highly qualified staff distinguish Orlando Regional as a healthcare leader for two million Central Florida residents and 6,000 international visitors annually.
Statistics for Orange County. As of 2004, there are:
• 77 assisted living facilities
• 13 major hospitals
• 5 adult day care centers
• 109 health care clinics

The 1,572-bed system includes:
• * Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women
• * M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
• * Orlando Regional Medical Center
• * Orlando Regional Lucerne Hospital
• * Orlando Regional Sand Lake Hospital
• * Orlando Regional South Seminole Hospital
• * Orlando Regional St. Cloud Hospital
• * South Lake Hospital
• * Orlando Regional Healthcare Foundation
• * Health Research Institute
• * Graduate Medical Education
• * Orlando Regional Visiting Nurse Association

Above information from: http://www.orhs.org/

For specific information and address/phone number of health facilities, please go to http://facilitylocator.floridahealthstat.com

Jacksonville Real Estate investments

2006-03-29T10:45:00.000-05:00

Jacksonville St Augustine Investment opportunities
Large metropolitan areas with all the amenities of big city life and abundant recreational opportunities mixed in with a great climate attract people...lots of people. Tourists need places to stay and people relocating need places to rent either part time or while they close on a home or find an apartment. Jacksonville is a happening town-with a median age of just 36 it is a vibrant, energetic and growing community.
Types of Investments
Aside from commercial investments the two situations most people are looking for in Florida are
• Vacation homes or Condos that can be rented out … Generally a purchase involves a 1031 tax exchange or just someone looking for a second home in an area that he/she or the family will use occasionally.
• A person looking for a home to eventually retire to and rent out in the meantime to help pay the mortgage.
• The best areas to rent are anywhere near the water and the best rents will start at open water locations, followed by homes/condos with a partial view to homes on canals. The neighborhood and the furnishings will also dictate the rent amounts you can get. In the Keys-the best situation was a home at least three bedrooms and up on the Ocean or Gulf with a pool and a boat dock. In some cases these bring as much as $5000.00 per week, depending on the home/area.
• It is very important that you find out early on which residential areas and which condo associations allow weekly rentals-as this will be generally be your best return.
• In some cases you may want to just rent out long term and skip the dealings with handy men and cleaning services.
• In all of this—the most important thing is that you find a qualified adent. He/she can guide you through the process completely—including setting up property management.

As to Jacksonville and it’s areas-where would the best rentals probably be located?
• Jacksonville Beach
• Fernandina
• St. Augustine Shores and Beach
• Ponte Verda Beach
• Downtown Jacksonville

The downtown areas in larger cities are seeing strong growth. In short some people are going away from life in the suburbs and opting for closeness to theatre, restaurants and the vitality of a city environment. So, don’t overlook the downtown areas.

Building a Home in the Keys

2006-03-16T08:45:00.000-05:00

Building a Home in the Florida Keys
Buying a lot and building your dream home may be the way to go. The cost of building will vary widely from $50.00 per square to $300.00 and up.
Basically lots in Florida as far as price goes will run as follows.
Most expensive
• Open-water—Atlantic or Gulf
• Open-water Inter-Coastal or other Rivers-Lakes
• Canal Homes with Open water views (Bay or Atlantic-Gulf)
• Canal homes-Boat able and quick access to open-water
• Dry Lots—price widely varies based on the community and area.

*As to canal lots and how boat ability affects prices.
If the depth of the canal and the width allows for a 50ft boat or sailboat-it will be more expensive than a lot on a canal that is shallow and usually not as wide. The bigger the boat, the more room needed to turn around.

*Access to open water is another factor that influences prices.

If you’re only minutes (half hour) to good fishing-diving, expect to pay more.
Also homes on shorter canals will generally have better water quality. In the Keys we call these swimming canals. The tides flush them out easier and the water is clear.

For Lot prices on the individual keys contact a REALTOR. The prices will vary depending on depth of boating etc—see information below.

Permit prices and restrictions will vary in each community. Generally the more environmentally sensitive the area is, the more restrictions there are in getting a permit. (Since the water is one of the main reason people want to be here, the state and the communities want to keep it that way.

Lower Florida Keys overview

2006-03-14T09:39:00.000-05:00

LOWER KEYS MAIN OVERVIEW

For the real Estate buyer or investor, the Lower Keys start at Mile Marker 30 or Big Pine Key (home of the Key Deer, an endangered species, sort of a miniature Virginia White-Tail). Key deer?

You’ll immediately become aware of them because of the radically lowered speed limit the minute you cross from Bahia Honda and Spanish Harbor Keys onto Big Pine Key, imposed to make sure you don’t run one over.

Humor aside, you really have entered a different world once you cross over that huge seven mile gap of ocean from busy Marathon and the rest of the upper and middle Keys on the famous 7-Mile Bridge.

You have arrived in a world that is more laid back, slower-paced, more isolated in most ways, and geographically shaped differently.
• Until now you’ve been driving along the mostly northeast-to-southwest spine of each narrow Key, ocean to your left, Florida Bay or the Gulf of Mexico to your right, with neither body of water more than a few hundred feet away (or much less), for almost 100 miles
• Now, beginning at Spanish Harbor, you head north and then due west, before resuming (at Cudjoe Key) the trek towards the southwest (direction: Key West) that you’ve been traveling ever since you left Key Largo. (Ever wonder why it’s Key West and not Key South?)
• And something else is different! We are now crossing Keys that run more north-south than east-west. The actual ocean and gulf are now miles away, to our south or north, while we cross mangrove forests, wetlands, and pine barrens.
• Check out a map: the group of islands we call the Lower Keys are obviously different enough geographically from the Upper and Middle Keys (which run east-west, and end at Marathon) to have been considered by Colonial Spain as a different group of islands altogether. They were administered from Cuba, not from St. Augustine like the rest of Florida.
• When Spain sold Florida to the United States it did not intend to include Key West and the Lower Keys; the young (then Lt.) Admiral-to-be Perry was sent in the USS Shark (true story) to enforce the USA’s claim to the contrary. The rest is history.

This geography has implications today mainly in two ways:

First, the fabulous ecosystem of the Lower Keys backcountry provides – some claim, anyway – richer opportunities for boating and fishing, and certainly better kayaking and birding than any other portion of the Florida Keys from the Mainland to Key West. Almost the entire area north of the Overseas Highway (US#1) is protected wild environment as part of either the National Key Deer Refuge or Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge. And that makes this part of the Keys very special, from a homeowner’s or visitor’s perspective.

Second, this north-south orientation of the islands provides dozens of flow-through channels in the event of hurricane storm surges, helping to reduce the extent of water pressure and flood damage. I’ve ridden out one category 3 hurricane in my friend’s house on Cudjoe Key, and while we had to deal with extensive flooding common to these great and rare storms, the damage was much less than it might have been if the storm surge water had been blocked and therefore tumbled whole houses in its path instead.

Orlando Employment

2006-03-09T09:15:00.000-05:00

Orlando and Orange County Employment
Orange County has employment opportunities in a wide range of industries.
As new businesses continue to move into the area and existing businesses grow, employment will continue to be on the rise. Orange County has an educated and motivated workforce traditionally functioning in a non-union work environment.

The greatest area for potential employment lies in the services industry, which represents approximately 40 percent of all employment. Within the services area, the tourism sector is particularly promising. Two of the three biggest employers comprise theme parks and hotels: the Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando.

Health care and retail (stores) also are major employers within the services sector.
In addition, several corporate headquarters are located throughout the region. They include Siemens Westinghouse, American Automobile Association, Dixon Ticonderoga, Darden Restaurants, Hilton and Tupperware International.
Above from site at http://www.ahoraorlando.com/english/business.htm
Some statistics:
Labor force (2004) 528,933

Average wages
• All Industries $34,623
• Construction $38,525
• Education & Health Services $35,666
• Financial Activities $48,414
• Information $48,205
• Leisure & Hospitality $21,921
• Manufacturing $47,730
• Natural Resources & Mining $20,952
• Other Services $24,722
• Professional & Business Services $40,246
• Public administration $41,642
• Trade, Transportation and Utilities $33,130

Employment by industry as of 2004
• Construction 5.1%
• Education & Health Services 15.0%
• Financial Activities 6.5%
• Information 2.7%
• Leisure & Hospitality 22.2%
• Manufacturing 4.6%
• Natural Resources & Mining 0.8%
• Other Services 2.9% 3.2%
• Professional & Business Services 17.3%
• Public administration 4.4%
• Trade, Transportation and Utilities 18.6%

Orlando Investment property

2006-03-04T10:41:00.000-05:00

Orlando and Orange County Investment opportunities
Aside from commercial investments the two situations most people are looking for in Florida are:
• Vacation homes/2nd homes, both single family or Condos that can be rented out.
• Generally a purchase involves a 1031 tax exchange or just someone looking for a second home in an area that he/she or the family will use occasionally.
• A home to eventually retire to and rent in the meantime to help pay mortgage costs.

Due to the incredible growth in tourism and people relocating to Orlando, Kissimmee, Sanford and Winter Park, investments ( both commercial and 2nd family home rental) in these communities should be a strong consideration.

As to Orange County-where would the best rentals probably be located? The following is a partial list.
• · Orlando, near theme parks.
• · Orlando-historic downtown area.
• · Homes and Condos on the lakes, golf courses (all locations)
• · Sanford, historic downtown area.
• · Kissimmee

*To get an idea on rates charged and potential income of vacation (short term) rentals, see nightly rates: http://www.awardpoolhomes.com/Rates.htm

Long term
*The downtown areas in cities are also seeing strong growth. In short some people are going away from life in the suburbs and opting
for closeness to theatre, restaurants and the vitality of a city environment. So, don’t overlook the downtown areas.
To know:
• The best areas to rent are generally near the water and the best rental income will start at open water locations, followed
by homes/condos with a partial view to homes on canals. The neighborhood and the furnishings will also dictate the rent amounts you can get.
• In the Keys-the best situation was a home at least three bedrooms and up on the Ocean or Gulf with a pool and a boat dock. In some cases these
bring as much as $5000.00 per week, depending on the home/area.
• It is very important that you find out early on which residential areas and which condo associations allow weekly rentals-as this will be generally be your best return.
• In some cases you may want to just rent out long term and skip the dealings with handy men and cleaning services.
• In all of this—the most important thing is that you find a qualified agent. He/she can guide you through the process completely—including setting up property management.

Florida Keys Investments

2006-02-26T14:11:00.000-05:00

Florida Keys Investment opportunities
With all the abundant recreational opportunities mixed in with a great climate the Keys attract people...lots of people.
Tourists in turn need places to stay and people relocating need places to rent either part time or while they close on a home or find an apartment. The Keys are definitely a happening place.
Types of Investments

Aside from commercial investments the two situations most people are looking for in Florida are
• Vacation homes or Condos that can be rented out … Generally a purchase involves a 1031 tax exchange or just someone looking for a second home in an area that he/she or the family will use occasionally.
• A person looking for a home to eventually retire to and rent out in the meantime to help pay the mortgage.
• The best areas to rent are anywhere near the water and the best rents will start at open water locations, followed by homes/condos with a partial view to homes on canals. The neighborhood and the furnishings will also dictate the rent amounts you can get. In the Keys-the best situation was a home at least three bedrooms and up on the Ocean or Gulf with a pool and a boat dock. In some cases these bring as much as $5000.00 per week, depending on the home/area.
• It is very important that you find out early on which residential areas and which condo associations allow weekly rentals-as this will be generally be your best return.
• In some cases you may want to just rent out long term and skip the dealings with handy men and cleaning services.
• In all of this—the most important thing is that you find a qualified adent. He/she can guide you through the process completely—including setting up property management.

As to The Keys and it’s areas-where would the best rentals probably be located?
• *A condo or single family home anywhere on the water-either Ocean or Gulf or a canal and anywhere in the Keys (unless they prohibit vacation rentals. (see below)
• *The rental rates will vary from island to island due to boating depth and neighborhoods, SEE information below,
• *Key West downtown is seeing strong growth. In short some people are going away from life in the suburbs and opting for closeness to theatre, restaurants and the vitality of a city environment. So, don’t overlook the downtown areas.

Sarasota Investments

2006-02-24T08:53:00.000-05:00

Sarasota and Sarasota County Investment opportunities
Due to the incredible growth in tourism and people relocating to the South East coast of Florida, investments ( both commercial and rental) in this region should be a strong consideration.
Aside from commercial investments the two situations most people are looking for in Florida are:
• Vacation homes/2nd homes, both single family or Condos that can be rented out.
• Generally a purchase involves a 1031 tax exchange or just someone looking for a second home in an area that he/she or the family will use occasionally.
• A home to eventually retire to and rent in the meantime to help pay mortgage costs.

As to Sarasota County-where would the best rentals probably be located? The following is a partial list.
• Venice Beach
• Bradenton, the inlets and the intracoastal
• Homes and Condos on the Ocean, canals, inlets, golfcourses or bays (all locations)
• Crescent Beach
• Englewood beach
• Downtown Sarasota (historic district)

*To get an idea on rates charged and potential income of vacation (short term) rentals, see http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/Sarasota-Florida.html

Long term
*The downtown areas in cities are also seeing strong growth. In short some people are going away from life in the suburbs and opting for closeness to theatre, restaurants and the vitality of a city environment. So, don’t overlook the downtown areas
To know:
• The best areas to rent are generally near the water and the best rental income will start at open water locations, followed by homes/condos with a partial view to homes on canals. The neighborhood and the furnishings will also dictate the rent amounts you can get.
• In the Keys-the best situation was a home at least three bedrooms and up on the Ocean or Gulf with a pool and a boat dock. In some cases these bring as much as $5000.00 per week, depending on the home/area.
• It is very important that you find out early on which residential areas and which condo associations allow weekly rentals-as this will be generally be your best return.
• In some cases you may want to just rent out long term and skip the dealings with handy men and cleaning services.
• In all of this—the most important thing is that you find a qualified agent. He/she can guide you through the process completely—including setting up property management.

Sarasota Cost of Living

2006-02-18T10:15:00.000-05:00

Sarasota and Sarasota County Cost of Living

The cost of living index is based on the composite price of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, clothing and entertainment.
Cost of living indexes will generally be higher in areas that offer access to beaches, culture, arts and recreation. In addition areas, that offer a wider variety of services such as health and education will run higher due to higher wages, and increased quality of living.
• Cost of living indexing explanation
A figure of 100 points is used as an average both for the USA and Florida. For example:
Boise Idaho is ranked at a 99
Boston Mass is rated at 240
San Francisco at 217
Statewide, Florida cities come in from a low of 90 and up.
One way to compare Florida areas to salary requirements
For example-If you were relocating from Portland Oregon (whose rate 1s 120) to Orlando, and you currently make $50,000 per year, the formula is as follows
Take the destination index, in this case Orlando-99.8 and divide by Portland’s index-120, then multiply by a salary of $50,000. This will give you a figure of $41,583, which would be required to make in Orlando and have the same quality of life.
See comparable Florida statewide
* Re cost of living--in some areas Real Estate has went up dramatically however costs that factor in such as food, transportation, rents etc have not increased at the same rate-so in some areas, even though housing is expensive, the oerall rating may still be low.

Sarasota as of the 3rd quarter 2005, comes in at a Cost of Living index of107.0
A lower cost of living means you keep more of what you make. That mixed in with a great quality of life makes the coastal communities of Sarasota County very appealing.

There is one thing you need to be aware of and that is the housing market is going through the roof. Prices have gone up 30 to 40 percent in just the last year—there is some sign that things are slowing down but in comparison to other parts of the country (see below) and given the lifestyle here, is why the areas real Estate market is hot.
• Information from Accra-Third qtr 2005

• Daytona 101.0
• Ft Lauderdale 117.4
• Jacksonville 92.7
• Miami/Dade 115.4
• Orlando 100.8
• Pensacola 97.1
• Sarasota 107.0
• Tampa 97.2
• Ft Myers 103.0
• Clearwater 94.3
• St Pete 94.3
• Bradenton 95.8
• Gainesville 99.4
• Port Charlotte 95.4
• Fl Keys 112.43
• West Palm Beach 114.1
• Naples 122.9
(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

See national comparisons of cost of living:
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

Florida Weather

2006-02-11T11:24:00.000-05:00

Florida Weather
The weather is Florida’s biggest asset next to the sand and surf. In short we have milder winter weather than anywhere else in the 48 states…think about that next time you look at your heating bill!
Also we have almost zero air pollution. (Winds from the Oceans disperse the air pollutants) You can see the stars at night.
Acid rain has not affected us like the rest of the country.
The temperature drop from day to night is on average never over 25°---compare that with Minnesota, which can vary as much as an 84°.
Some statistics:
• Average max temps in the Florida Panhandle range from 80° to a low of 56°
• Average max temps in Central Fl range from 84° to a low of 60°
• Average max temps in Southern Fl, range from 86° to a low of 66°
• With the exception of Hawaii, no other state extends further into the tropics than Florida. Key West for example is on the same 24° 30N, that Tampico Mexico and Sao Paulo Brazil are. This makes the angle of the sun higher or more perpendicular hence more warm weather.

To see average January temperatures across the United States go to http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/thematic-maps/usa-temprature-january.html
Compare where you live or want to live in Florida. For more specific info, look at the area you are interested in and go to the weather page.
So what about the rainy season and humidity?
We are a tropical climate, so our rainy season comes in the summer. Generally it will rain hard for a half hour then subside. It does get humid then. Although not as bad as you’d think. Our water breezes really help cool us off.

Hurricanes
And, finally, hurricanes…..we have to talk about this, and you, our reader, have to think about it. Florida lies in the tropics, or more exactly, pretty close to the tropics. Much of the American Southeast is at risk for hurricanes, from Texas to the Carolina coasts, year in, year out. But in the popular imagination, Florida is the bullseye.
So what’s the reality, and what is the relevance? The reality is, yes, it’s true; we are in the bull’s eye. And the relevance? A zillion people continue to relocate to Florida. Why? Because, perhaps like you, they feel (rightly) that the percentages favor them, that they are not likely to encounter a hurricane. Really. In the grand scheme of things, not many hurricanes make landfall in Florida. So their confidence is reasonable.

Anyway, before hurricanes do threaten Florida, there is plenty of warning; and except for people who live directly on the beaches (dangerous), you can prepare and defend pretty successfully in almost all cases. When the Authorities say you must evacuate (chiefly from the beaches and adjacent areas), you should. If you live in the Keys, that’s always critical, at an earlier stage, say, than the rest of Florida’s east or west or north coasts, because you’re very close to the action no matter where you live in the Keys. So there’s less time for error.

I experienced a Category 3 major hurricane in the Keys. In the future I would evacuate. Every hurricane season in the Keys, you worry (Jimmy Buffet even wrote a song about sitting around waiting for hurricanes that never materialized). The first serious hurricane in fifty years was Georges in 1998 (my experience). But there have been lots of worries, lots of close calls, and like this year (2005) a fair number of combinations of tropical storm force winds, higher tides with some flooding, and salt-blown browning of the vegetation. So the reality is, you live in the Keys, you worry about it.

The other part of Florida that seems uniquely vulnerable, especially in the aftermath of recent northern Gulf of Mexico history, is Florida’s Panhandle. It’s important to put this in perspective. Yes, Pensacola and its wider area have tended over the past 30 years to be hit more frequently than the rest of Florida by major hurricanes, but in the 30-40 years prior to that, the situation was exactly reversed: Pensacola was less frequently hit than peninsular Florida. Or to put it a different way, the Panhandle area of Florida has been “hit” by just 6 storms Category 3 or higher since 1940, while peninsular Florida suffered 10 such storms during that same period.
The dangers can be largely counted on fingers. Hurricane Donna hit southwest Florida in 1960, Hurricane Charlie I about the same area in 2004.
Hurricane Andrew hit Miami-Homestead in 1992, but you have to go back to the 1920’s for anything comparable.

I moved to Melbourne Florida (central east coast) partly because the area NEVER got hurricanes (and in fact the whole northeast and central Florida coast is in a geographical bight that in fact does not get hit, but Melbourne is on the cusp, a bit south). My first year (2004) living there, the Central East Coast got two of them. So much for expectations. Still, the likelihood of that happening again remains very low. Moreover, if you lived inland just a few miles that summer of 2004, because of the buffer of the long barrier island and the wide ICW/Indian River Lagoon, the net effects of the hurricanes were pretty mild.

In any case, the likelihood per the historical record of that happening again remains very low. The reality is that the weather on both Florida’s east and west coast is great, and you really don’t have to worry yourself through hurricane season, like folks perhaps do in some other parts of Florida (the Keys, the north coast of the Gulf of Mexico).
Bottom line? I would be remiss if I did not tell you that hurricanes are a potential fact of life. But what I’ve outlined above underscores the reality that the very occasional occurrence is the exception, absolutely not the summertime rule.

More about Hurricanes and Observations..
If you live on the coast you stand the greatest chance of having one affect you. Some areas of Florida have gone fifty years plus without one but you never know.

In my opinion, the best thing you can do is buy a home that was built after Andrew-August 92 that was built to stricter building codes. Have window protection and a backup generator and make sure your insurance is up to date. If they ask you to leave, do it!

Realize-If you live in an older home that was not built up to the stricter building codes (After Hurricane Andrew-August 1992) or you live in a mobile home you stand the best chance of having major structural damage.

Living on the beach in a mobile home is asking for it. Although, you may never have a problem, you’re still definitely taking your chances. Barrier islands and open-water Ocean or Gulf front are the most prone to damage.
Having lived in California, I prefer the threat of a hurricane however as opposed to an earthquake. At least you have a warning.
• For current information about hurricanes go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
• For 2005 climate info by areas go to http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/climate_center/LCD/2005LCD.html
• For current weather forecasts by cities go to http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/fl/fl.html

*Living in a waterfront home typically means that you will pay a higher Insurance premium. The insurance is higher due to flood and wind concerns.
Part of this is also because the pricing on these homes is higher so there is more value to insure against.
*Despite four hurricanes in 2004, the number of Florida visitors rose 7% to an all-time high of 79.8 million last year and is on target to hit 80 million this year.

Having said all this, I can’t imagine living elsewhere. It is really great to wake up and it’s sunny out.
We spend over half our lives indoors…so when you do go outside, wouldn’t it be nice if it was warm and sunny?

Renting your home out a seasonal(vacation rental)or long term

2006-02-05T16:17:00.000-05:00

Renting your home out as a seasonal(vacation rental)or long term.
Long term renters are generally easy to find as there is a shortage of homes for rent. So, if you want to buy something for retirement or a vacation home and rent it out to help your payments-this is typically the easiest way. (Long term rentals are considered to be anything over 6 months, as the tenants don't pay the 11.5% Florida tax)
• Generally long term rentals should be unfurnished.
• Initially the Property managemebnt firm will do a credit check before submitting a lease to you, then with your approval of the lease, they generally collect the first and last months rent plus a security deposit which is typically a months rental amount.
• As to utilities- The tenants typically take the lease to the water, electric, phone and cable people and have the utilities put in their name and of course they pay their own deposits. Garbage down here is included in your tax bill-so there is no garbage bill.
• Seasonal rentals. Currently you can only rent monthly or 28 days, meaning the owner can only rent the home out 12 times per year. This means about 5 months of income-Jan-Feb-Mar and July-August. There are some April and June monthlies.
• As to finding people to rent for the rest of the time! some Keys brokers deal with navy transfers who generally need something for 2-3 months while they sell their home and buy another. So if it is the off season, they will try to fill your home up this way. Another way to fill in the gaps is to Companies that come down here for construction etc. Most of the major government and private building projects are done by outside firms. Their management people will generally want a nicer situation so they will generally rent homes at better than average rates.
• As to what is the best rental situation , that is size, which areas, views, pools, how water and boating accessibility affects rental amounts and the typical rental amounts for both long and short term, plus the fees involved, check with your REALTOR or property manager..

As to extra costs and what is necessary to have a Home as a Rental.
• When you rent your home out you need to license it through the County. This costs $25.00 and the broker can handle the paperwork for you. The County and the Tax people want the home licensed so they know where there may be tax dollars coming in. When your home is used as a rental, in effect you are operating the same as a hotel or motel and so come under their safety guidelines.
• Every bedroom and the main living area must have a hardwired smoke detector and there must also be an escape light. This light comes on in case of a power outage-this also must be hardwired. (About $350.00 installed smoke detectors and escape light for a 2/2)
• There also needs to be a professional quality refillable fire extinguisher that is approved by the fire department (about $55.00). This would be the same as you'd find in a restaurant or hotel room. There needs to be a dead bolt on the door that works from the inside and is a different key than the main door. All of these issues help protect your liability in cases of fire/break in.
• When the home complies with all of the above and we have the signed contract, then it can go into the rental pool.

Buying a rental home in the Fl keys

2006-01-31T13:04:00.000-05:00

Renting your home out as a seasonal(vacation rental)or long term.
Long term renters are easy to find as there is a shortage of homes for rent. So, if you want to buy something for retirement or a vacation home and rent it out to help your payments-this is typically the easiest way. (Long term rentals are considered to be anything over 6 months, as the tenants don't pay the 11.5% Florida tax)
• Generally long term rentals should be unfurnished.
• Initially we do a credit check before submitting a lease to you, then with your approval of the lease, we collect the first and last months rent plus a security deposit which is typically a months rental amount. We are very proactive in this area and I assure you the home is handled professionally.
• As to utilities- The tenants take the lease to the water, electric, phone and cable people and have the utilities put in their name and of course they pay their own deposits. Garbage down here is included in your tax bill-so there is no garbage bill.
• Seasonal rentals. Currently we can only rent monthly or 28 days, meaning the owner can only rent the home out 12 times per year. This means about 5 months of income-Jan-Feb-Mar and July-August. There are some April and June monthlies.
• As to finding people to rent for the rest of the time! I deal a lot with navy transfers÷they generally need something for 2-3 months while they sell their home and buy another. So if it is the off season, I try to fill your home up this way. Another way to fill in the gaps is to Companies that come down here. Most of the major government and private building projects are done by outside firms. Their management people will generally want a nicer situation so they will generally rent homes at better than average rates.
• As to what is the best rental situation , that is size, which areas, views, pools, how water and boating accessibility affects rental amounts and the typical rental amounts for both long and short term, plus the fees involved, please contact me.

As to extra costs and what is necessary to have a Home as a Rental.
• When you rent your home out you need to license it through the County. This costs $25.00 and we handle the paperwork for you. The County and the Tax people want the home licensed so they know where there may be tax dollars coming in. When your home is used as a rental, in effect you are operating the same as a hotel or motel and so come under their safety guidelines.
• Every bedroom and the main living area must have a hardwired smoke detector and there must also be an escape light. This light comes on in case of a power outage-this also must be hardwired. (About $350.00 installed smoke detectors and escape light for a 2/2)
• There also needs to be a professional quality refillable fire extinguisher that is approved by the fire department (about $55.00). This would be the same as you'd find in a restaurant or hotel room. There needs to be a dead bolt on the door that works from the inside and is a different key than the main door. All of these issues help protect your liability in cases of fire/break in.
• When the home complies with all of the above and we have the signed contract, then it can go into the rental pool.

SPECIFICS OF THE AGREEMENT
1 Coldwell Banker agrees to manage the home for a period of one year with the contract automatically renewing unless either side gives 90 day notice.
2 Our fee for vacation rentals is 20%---what is really important here are the following points.
• There are no hidden fees-such as credit card charges etc.
• We typically send you the money within 2 weeks of receiving it÷we do NOT hold it until the first of each month or split it out each month. We always collect cashiers checks from the renters so when the money is received, it is quickly processed through our main office and sent to you.
• There are no charges for going up on our Web sites÷5 in all.
• There are no charges for the pictures that are taken.
• There are no charges for any specific flyers, brochures or ads that we run on our rental properties.
• Please go to www.rentalsfloridakeys.com
• We actively and aggressively manage your home. Meaning we get the best customers (qualified) We play by the 2 people per bedroom limit, and we work to keep it filled other than your personal usage
• All of the computers in the 6 Coldwell Banker Schmitt offices throughout the Keys are linked. If a customer inquires about a home, it will show up on the rental agents computers.
• We have Handymen, Electrical, Plumbing, Landscaping, Pest control and appliance people that respond when there is an emergency.

BOOKING THE HOME FOR THE OWNER.
This is very simple. You would call the rental manager and have him block out the home when you want to use it. We don't charge a fee for any of that. Generally you would have us arrange for the home to be cleaned after you leave.

FLORIDA BED TAX Florida charges a 11.5% tax on all hotel, motel, home rentals. We collect the money from the tenant and disperse it to the tax agency.

CLEANING SERVICE The tenants pay this fee which varies based on the size of the home. On average a 2/2 is $100 and a 3/2 is $125.00.

PETS AND SMOKING If the home is no smoking, that is put in the rental file and the tenants are informed before they book the home. If the home allows pets, we collect a pet deposit which is added to the standard security deposit of $500

How are emergency repairs handled?
• We have handymen available that can take care of small emergencies or updates, as the owner requires. Since our company manages over 300 rentals, we also have a good working relationship with Plumbing, Electrical, Appliance and Carpet, Tile people.

What about Hurricane preparation?
• In the event of an impending Hurricane, the handyman or someone else can be hired to put up the storm shutters, bring in the lawn and patio furniture, etc for a fee-as we have too many homes for us to do them individually. This agreement should be set up in advance by the homeowner and the handyman. We will help you find someone to do this.

What makes a good Vacation Rental
• A clean, well-maintained home on a canal or open water.
• Typically one of the bedrooms should have a set of twin beds if the renters are bringing children.
• Good linens and towels and a backup set. This is especially important for monthly renters.
• The washer, dryer and refrigerator should be newer if possible.
• A good Television hooked up to cable (about $35.00 per month) and a CD or tape stereo system.
• The kitchen must be completely outfitted. A microwave is also very important for renters.
• Patio and/or Lawn-Deck furniture. If there is an upper deck, a table and chairs plus loungers.
• On the water side, below a set of loungers and chairs.

We get a lot of repeat renters÷if the renters have a good experience, they will come back. We see this especially with people that book two to three months a year.

The Rental laws-what is going on in the Keys?
• The Monroe County commissioners voted 4 to 1 about 4 months ago to overturn and rewrite the existing ban and allow weekly rentals. Recently a meeting was held where a proposed revision was discussed. It was deemed not acceptable and is being looked at again and will redone possibly by Mid April. There is also a chance it may come back allowing 14 day rentals which would meet everyone halfway.
• In the meantime the Keys are Incorporating and getting away from County Rule. This happened recently in Marathon and is on the ballot for November for most of the lower Keys Islands. What this means is that the Incorporated areas make their own rules as to rentals.

Where do we get the renters ??
• If you're reading this on my web site you have the answer. If not most of our renters come through the Internet and one of our 4 sites.
• www.dennishanda.com www.floridakeysrealestate.com www.rentalsfloridakeys.com www.fkren.com
• All of our sites are linked to Key West or www.flakeys.com which averages over 500,000 views per month. Basically if anyone looks at Key West they find our sites.
• The balance come through National Advertising placed in magazines such as Island Living, Florida Sportsmen, Salt Water fishing and Dive magazines as well as regional publications and our own buyers guide.
• Also all of our computers are networked meaning if someone is looking for a specific situation such as open water it will show up on the computer immediately as to area, availability and price plus all other details.

Who handles the renters?
• All of our offices have a dedicated rental manager whose job is to rent the homes. In conclusion, there is a lot to discuss on rentals and this is used to just get you information regarding the main issues.

BUYING RENTAL UNITS-DUPLEX-OR MORE UNITS
• There are Duplexes throughout the lower Keys and a few 3-4 unit complexes. The 3 to 4 units are generally in Key West or Marathon.

In looking at the return, generally it runs around 10% in the Keys÷this includes the large guesthouses. When a return of 14% or more comes up they generally go very quickly.
DUPLEX

On the water generally start at $450,000. Nicer ones (maintained-updated appliances-tile) go for $275,000 and up. A dry lot duplex can start at about $300,000. These generally have the best return percentage.

3 TO 4 UNITS

Generally in Key West or Marathon.
• In Key West, these can be good, especially if it's located in Old Town and one or more of the units has a transient license, meaning it can legally rent weekly.
• These type of situations run from about $650,000 and up In Marathon from about $550,000 and up.

MOTELS-MULTIPLE UNITS
• These are generally found in upper keys, Marathon and of course Key West. The more affordable ones (under a Million dollars) are generally from Marathon north to Key Largo. See Commercial section of my site. If there is a specific situation you want please let me know.

10 reasons for buying a second home in Florida

2006-01-28T17:12:00.000-05:00

Owning a second home used to be reserved for very few people. With the changes in personal income, ease of travel and the day to day stress of everyday life more and more people are buying second homes.
Following are some good reasons to consider doing this yourself.
It's also important that you realize that the prices of homes on the water in the Florida Keys are still a real bargain compared to elsewhere in the US and even more especially Europe.
Following are the main reasons it could make sense for you and your family to buy a second home!

1.Gain appreciation as a good long term Investment.
Second home prices are definitely going up, especially in resort areas and here's why.
A- Demographics or baby boomers. They are now getting into the second home market and will continue to influence it in a big way up and through the year 2020.
B- Post boomers and professionals. It is now common to see two income households making $100,000 per year. Second homes are a direct route to more quality family and individual time for these people.
C- Foreign demand. Homes in the Keys are ridiculously inexpensive compared to European coastal cities. With 2 to 3 cruise ships a day coming into Key West, foreigners are buying up homes. First it was Key West, which is now one of the most expensive places in the country and now they are looking up the Keys.
You still have time however-homes on the water here start at about $200,000-some less.
D- More relaxation and rejuvenation. We are generally working harder and longer and have more stress than ever before. As more and more people look for life style changes or just a break, they are looking at vacation homes

2. Buy a fixer/upper
A-About 50% of the homes in the Keys were built as vacation homes and are used casually. A good percentage of these can use TLC or remodeling. So, finding the least expensive home in the neighborhood is a good way to gain appreciation plus get the benefits immediately.
B-A lot of these remodeling projects will be updating. Updating kitchens, paint schemes etc.
C-Landscaping. There is a lot of potential here plus everything grows well in this environment. This includes all the fruit tress/palm etc.
D-Adding bedrooms and baths and square footage. Since a majority of homes here are used as vacation homes, the people built them small.

3.Rent your home out to help subsidize your payments.
A-A home in the Keys is one of the few things in life that can help pay for itself. The Keys are a definite destination area. About half of our renters come from other parts of Florida who want the ambience and fishing/boating etc of the Keys.
B-We handle rentals everyday and have dedicated rental agents in each office. Look on my web page. Using your home as a rental, for more information.

4.Income Tax deductions/savings.
A-Talk to an accountant about different deductions that are available to you as a second home owner. For starters the Government allows interest paid on second homes. Also if you decide to trade up later there's a 1031 exchange which does away with capitol gains.

5.Get your place in the Sun now and while you still can.
A-You and everyone else always dreams of a place in the tropics-Warm nights, breezes, tropical weather, relaxation, sun, sand, palm trees and on and on. Well if you don't make a move now, it probably won't be any easier down the road.
Prices on waterfront homes in resort areas are not going down.
B-Don't get caught with this one in hindsight. Let this one not be a case of-- if only I'd bought Microsoft stock or bought that etc-etc back when. What seems expensive now won't 5 years from now.

6.Use it as a business tool.
A-Use it for clients/friends and business associates. The explanation is obvious. No one will be mad at you for offering them a vacation in the Keys.

7.Spread out your investments.
A-Homes have traditionally been good long term investments.
Homes in resort areas or second family home areas like Aspen, Lake Tahoe, The Keys have been even better as far as appreciation. Mixed in with stocks/bonds etc, Real Estate is a great way to diversify and enjoy the use of the home at the same time. Your health must be worth something to you.

8.Easy Financing.
A-In the past getting a mortgage on a second home was really hard. Now with life styles changing and people being able to work out of their homes and people retiring, that is all changing. The banks in the Keys, I know are probably the easiest I've ever seen in terms of putting a deal together. They do understand all the scenarios and they appreciate why you're moving down here. After all, they did the same thing!

9.Enjoy vacations all over the world with home exchange programs.
A-There are lot's of sites on the Internet that deal in home exchange programs. You can trade your home in the Keys for one in Europe or the mountains or wherever you desire. Use this as a way to see the world in addition to using it for yourself.. I'll bet you hadn't thought of that angle.

10. Enjoy the feeling of being in your own home.
A-A home, especially yours is going to be a lot more comfortable than any motel/hotel can ever be. Now, add up what you're paying for vacations, plus what your rental income can be (we will help you on this one-see my rental page to give you an idea what we get for homes) and then factor in appreciation, better health through relaxation and just plain fun!

But what if I can't afford it?

First off maybe you can't afford not to! If money is the main issue then what about-
A-Partnership agreements between friends and/or family.
Alot of homes down here are bought just like that. A partnership and or a corporation/trust is drawn up. There are generally first right of refusal options on the partners selling out at a future date. This could be a real option for you.

Starting a business in Florida

2006-01-26T05:40:00.000-05:00

Florida Starting A Business
Florida ranks fourth in the nation in the number of expanding or relocating businesses.
If you have a special skill, industry knowledge and or a lifetime interest, Florida may be the best place for you to consider owning and or starting a business.
Florida has a wonderful spirit of innovation. From the Aerospace industry to Art galleries, it all has a place here.
In the coastal areas it’s possible to have a business that caters to locals and the tourists. This seems to be the best of both worlds depending on what business you’re in.

For more specific information on incorporating and business licenses, go to www.myflorida.com and www.sunbiz.org
Rents will obviously vary greatly. Shops on Los Olas Blvd in Ft Lauderdale and Duval street in Key West charge extremely high rents per sq ft. However they also make lots of money due to thousands of tourists and locals daily.
For more information on what the business climate is like, check the different area links and their chamber of commerce.

Florida's Advantages by the Numbers:
Compared with the other U.S. states, Florida:
• Is the nation's 4th most populous state (Census, 2003)
• Has the 4th largest labor force, and the 15th lowest unemployment rate (BLS, 2003)
• Has the 4th highest number of business establishments (BLS, 2002)
• Has the 4th largest Gross State Product, making it the 8th largest economy in the western hemisphere, and the 15th largest economy in the world (BEA, 2001)
• Ranks 4th in total employment in high-tech industries (AeA Cyberstates, 2005)
• Is the 9th largest producer of exported goods (MISER, 2003)
• Is the 9th largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (BEA,2002)

State and Local Incentives, Florida Tax Advantages

Some of the more significant advantages to living and establishing businesses in Florida, with respect to taxes are:
• No state income tax
• No corporate income tax on sub-chapter S corporations
• First $5000 of taxable income apportioned to Florida is exempt
• No state property tax on inventory or equipment
• No business inventory tax
• No corporate franchise tax on capital stock
• No corporate tax on limited partnerships, individuals, estates and private trusts
• No collected or assessed state property tax
• No sales tax on "boiler fuels" used at a fixed Florida location in an industrial manufacturing, processing or compounding process
• No sales and use tax on goods manufactured or produced in Florida for resale or export outside Florida
• Corporation accounts receivable (one third) exempt from intangible property tax
• Exemption of employee stock options from employer
• No property tax on goods-in-transit for up to 180 days
•
While these are in themselves incentives, the following are additional incentives offered by the State and local government working together to provide you with an environment conducive to your success.
• Ad Valorem Tax Exemption (real and personal property) is offered by the local government and is based on the financial impact projected on the County (number of employees, capital expenditure, etc.).

Florida Employment

2006-01-19T13:24:00.000-05:00

Florida Employment
Florida is the countries economic hotspot. With low taxes, reasonably priced land, convenient transport and beautiful weather, Florida has produced more jobs than any other state.

So, if you have to work for a living, why not work where it’s warm and there are beaches and palm trees? Just because you can relax on the weekends, diving, fishing etc year round, doesn’t mean you’ll lose your edge…unless you go to Key West that is (just kidding)
If you’re unsure of the job market here or worry about replacing or finding a new job…Relax.
If you’re a hard worker, and show up on time you’ll do fine, regardless of where you live in the 48. Good people really ARE hard to find.
Now for some facts:

* Florida has a tremendously diverse economy. Major employers encompass retail, manufacturing, farming, aerospace, government, communications and computers.
* Another prime employer here is the construction industry and all it’s related categories.
* In fact, construction in Florida figures more prominently than the national average. This is due to the fact that more people are moving to Florida than any other state. (3 times as many as California) This of course feeds on itself. The more people the more services needed equals more jobs.
* In 2005 83% of the business leaders in Florida predict growth and 9 out of 10 CEO’s predict their sales goals will be met. Overall the climate here is very good.
A couple good sites to check out are www.employmentguide.com and www.career-central.org

For current statistics as to employment rate and economic indicators go to www.labormarketinfo.com
As of May 2005 Florida has a 4% unemployment rate.
The Best Ten Cities for Jobs as of 2004

* 1. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL
* 2. Las Vegas, NV
* 3. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
* 4. West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL
* 5. Daytona Beach, FL
* 6. Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
* 7. Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.
* 8. Riverside-San Bernardino, CA
* 9. Fort Lauderdale, FL
* 10. Monmouth-Ocean, NJ
Above information per the Job search site at

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsbystate/a/bestcities.htm
Another great site for a Job search is at http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/fgils/work.html
In conclusion, the jobs in Florida are incredibly diverse. Regardless of your trade/occupation there is a job here for you. As I said above, if you have to work for a living, why not do it where there is good weather and beaches nearby.

Remember not making a decision is still a decision!
For more specific information, check out the employment sections in the area dropdown lists to the left.

.©2006. Florida Real Estate Network Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Pensacola Cost of Living

2006-01-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

Pensacola and Escambia County Cost of Living
The cost of living index is based on the composite price of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, clothing and entertainment.
Cost of living indexes will generally be higher in areas that offer access to beaches, culture, arts and recreation. In addition areas, that offer a wider variety of services such as health and education will run higher due to higher wages, and increased quality of living.
• Cost of living indexing explanation
A figure of 100 points is used as an average both for the USA and Florida. For example:
Boise Idaho is ranked at a 99
Boston Mass is rated at 240
San Francisco at 217
Statewide, Florida cities come in from a low of 90 and up.
One way to compare Florida areas to salary requirements
For example-If you were relocating from Portland Oregon (whose rate 1s 120) to Orlando, and you currently make $50,000 per year, the formula is as follows
Take the destination index, in this case Orlando-99.8 and divide by Portland’s index-120, then multiply by a salary of $50,000. This will give you a figure of $41,583, which would be required to make in Orlando and have the same quality of life.
See comparable Florida statewide
* Re cost of living--in some areas Real Estate has went up dramatically however costs that factor in such as food, transportation, rents etc have not increased at the same rate-so in some areas, even though housing is expensive, the oerall rating may still be low.

The cost of living across the four metro areas in Florida's Great Northwest averaged only 97% of the national average With low housing prices substantially below that national average,
Pensacola and Escambia County is a great place to live, work and play

As of the 2nd quarter 2005, Pensacola comes in with a CGI of 97.1
• Information from Accra-2nd qtr 2005

• Daytona 99.8

• Ft Lauderdale 116.6

• Jacksonville 91.7

• Miami/Dade 116.30

• Orlando 99.8

• Pensacola 97.1

• Sarasota 108.9

• Tampa 98.8

• Ft Myers 103.0
• Clearwater 94.8

• St Pete 94.8

• Bradenton 96.4

• Gainesville 99.4

• Port Charlotte 92.8
• Fl Keys 112.43

• West Palm Beach 102.69

• Naples 1021.35
(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)
• New York, NY 364
• Long Beach, NY 340
• Palo Alto, CA 268
• Menlo Park, CA 265
• Los Altos, CA 261
• Saratoga, CA 261
• Boston, MA 240
• Malibu, CA 233
• San Francisco, CA 217
• Greenwich, CT 215
• Cambridge, MA 211
• Santa Monica, CA 197
• Keystone, CO 194
• San Rafael, CA 192
• Weston, CT 192
• Darien, CT 192
• Wellesley, MA 192
• Fort Lee, NJ 189
• Arlington, VA 184
• Honolulu, HI 184
• Washington, DC 181
• Princeton, NJ 180
• Vail, CO 178
• Chicago, IL 166
• Sunnyvale, CA 164
• San Mateo, CA 163
• Marathon, FL 161
• Ridgewood, NJ 159
• Mystic, CT 159
• Key West, FL 149

For a complete list go to http://verticals.yahoo.com/cities/categories/costofliving.html
Pensacola Housing. Minimum two bedroom single family homes in Escambia County.
• As of August 2005, the median sold price is $175,500.
• Utilities. For Utility charges water and sewer go to
http://www.ecua.org/
• For electric and gas go to
• Gulf Power Co.
• Natural Gas Companies:
• Energy Services of Pensacola
• Telephone Companies:
• BellSouth
• KMC Telecom
• Network Telephone
• Gulf Coast Communication

In conclusion, with the recreational and job opportunities Pensacola offers, mixed in with low housing costs, this could very well be your most affordable chance at paradise.

FOUR MAJOR HURRICANES HAVE FOREVER CHANGED RETIREES HOUSING NEEDS

2006-01-01T14:09:00.000-05:00

Melbourne Florida January 5th, 2006.
Although four hurricanes in 2005 haven’t frightened anyone off, retirees housing considerations have changed in two major ways.

1. Location. Not just location as it concerns nearness to medical, transportation, recreational and educational opportunities but location as it concerns insurance costs and vulnerability. This affects proximity to water, flood zones and much more.

2. Age and construction:. People are looking to trade up or buy something newer and/or better built from the get-go. This concerns year built, concrete block versus frame, modular to mobile, roofing types, code restrictions and more.
To make it more complex-the cost of living indexes still factor into all these decisions. So the problem then is, how to get more detailed information about location and construction in addition to health, education, transportation, employment, recreation, etc.

Property management

2005-12-26T07:33:00.000-05:00

Florida Property Management
In Florida a good deal of homes are bought with the idea of renting them out (short or long term) to help offset costs. A good rental agent can help you immensely in this area.

The pages listed in the area Real Estate sections, under property management; list local Agents or companies who specialize in these areas.
Ask your agent if his company has a rental department and get the name of the agent.
Important to know: Ask the rental agent-or firm the following-
• The percentage the Broker keeps for rentals. (short term-long term) For more specifics on rentals see the Investment link for your area.
• How the cleaning fees work.
• What about maintenance---do they have handy men?
• What if a hurricane is approaching-who will button up the home.
• What about major repairs-AC-plumbing-electrical-who are the vendors they use.
• What kind of checks do they do with prospective tenants---Long term (credit checks-references etc)
• Short term-deposits.
• Make sure you create a pet policy (allowed or not and if so –how much pet deposit)
• What are the local zoning laws re rentals (VERY Important)
• When do you get you money (generally paid at a specific time each month)
• What about cancelations (last minute etc) what is their policy.
• How will they promote the property (Web site-flyers)
• Ask for references!

These are just a few things you need to know about. ) For more specifics on rentals see the Investment link information for your area.

In conclusion, some companies and especially Rental agents are very good at both renting the property out and follow through with both the owners and with prospective renters. It is a good idea to ask for references and then do follow them up. Ask the home owners, how good their rental agent is about communicating with them( among other things.) Finding the right rental agent is extremely important to your interests.

Ask lots of questions. This is your investment

Florida Real Estate Agents

2005-12-19T06:32:00.000-05:00

Florida Residential Property agents

A few things to know about meeting with an agent. (either in person or by phone-email:)
• When meeting with an agent ask them, how they will represent you—ask them to explain the different categories.

When you arrive to look at homes:
• Have a letter of pre qualification or your bankers phone number. That way, is if you do find a property you like and put in an offer, your agent can tell the listing agent that you are pre-qualified.
• if you go to the trouble to have or offer proof of financial ability, you are in a position to possibly negotiate a better price or other terms, as you will be considered a real or qualified buyer.
• All REALTORS work off the internet and MLS listings-so they know which properties are current.
• if you pull out a Real Estate publication and ask about a specific property and it is sold-remember that the publications generally have a 45 day lead in time to place the ads. In areas where property is hot-the listings will usually already be sold or under contract, by the time you look at the book.
• If you like the agent you’re with the stick with them! If you don’t like the agent tell them you’re going to rethink your position. Good agents are service oriented, really know their areas and can partner with you in helping you find the right home.
• If you find a home you like, ask the agent to pull up some comps. (What has sold in that area and what is currently for sale
• #In some cases, Comps can be misleading because if the area is hot the prices can increase faster than the comps can keep up.
• If you find a home you want-DO all the inspections and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

For more in depth information see below. (information provided from Florida assn of REALTORS)

Working With a Real Estate Agent

How to deal with a real estate agent when you buy a house.
Most homebuyers use a real estate agent or broker to help find a home, negotiate the contract and handle other details of the house purchase process. But before you hire an agent, learn all you can the homebuying transaction. You need to be knowledgeable about your ideal home and neighborhood, your financing needs and options, your legal rights and how to evaluate comparable prices before you know what to expect from the professional who will assist you.

How Real Estate Agents Are Paid
Real estate agents work on commission, not salary, and get paid only after your home search is over, the contract negotiated and the transaction complete. Under the typical arrangement, the seller pays the commission to the real estate agent, and the agent's services are free to the buyer. Most listing brokers get sellers to pay 5% to 7% of the sales price. For probate sales, commissions are set by the probate court. And for more expensive homes, say over $500,000, or in competitive markets, sellers can sometimes negotiate a lower commission rate.

Because most real estate transactions involve two brokers -- one that produces the buyer and one that helps the seller -- the commission is divided, usually 50-50, between the two brokerage offices. Then, within each office, the salesperson who handled the transaction gets a share, usually 50%.

Choosing an Agent
The agent or broker you choose should be in the full-time business of selling real estate and should have, ideally, at least the following five traits: integrity, business sophistication, experience with the type of services you need, knowledge of the area where you want to live and sensitivity to your tastes and needs.
Get two or three recommendations from friends, family, co-workers and others you trust. The best referrals come from those who've recently bought or sold a home.

Ask each agent who's been referred to you to recommend one or two people (other than themselves) they consider top-notch agents who can fulfill your needs. It's a question the agent likely won't expect, but if he or she balks or refuses to answer, there are plenty of agents who will. Not only can the question provide you with others to interview, it also tests the agent's honesty and integrity.
Don't work with an agent you meet at an open house, find in the Yellow Pages or on the Internet without thoroughly checking their credentials, experience and practice.

All states regulate and license real estate agents and brokers. Only agents who meet minimum levels of state-mandated education, training and testing are licensed. Brokers, who generally oversee agents, have more training, education and experience. Ask for proof. The license offers you a layer of consumer protection should something go wrong.

State Real Estate Departments and Commissions
Many of the state agencies that regulate real estate agents and brokers have Websites. To find the regulatory agency in your state and check real estate laws and regulations, see U.S. State Resources on Findlaw at http://www.findlaw.com/11stategov/index.html. Start by looking at your state's home page for the state real estate department or commission.

Credentials
Real estate professionals obtain additional credentials from their trade associations, which require a state license before the individual can join. While credentials alone don't guarantee an agent's or broker's success, they do indicate a certain level of professional achievement that can translate into a less worrisome transaction.

Trade group membership is not legally required, but most residential real estate sales are conducted by trade group members. Trade groups offer yet another layer of consumer protection by mandating that members adhere to standards of practice and a code of ethics. Trade group members are also privy to listings, market information and other data non-members must struggle to obtain.

Trade group affiliation also gives agents the opportunity to attain special credentials and designations that indicate a member has achieved higher levels of professional skill. There are relatively few of these agents and brokers, identified by certain initials (much like post-graduate degrees) on business cards and other documents. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) offers GRI (for Graduate Realtors Institute), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), CRB (for Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager, a designation that is the brokers' counterpart to the CRS). Less than one-half of one percent of association member brokers have this CRS designation.

NAR also sanctions specialists' designations for relocation and international sales expertise as well as other specialties, should you need them.
Many real estate companies also offer special in-house training programs resulting in achievements that match NAR's designations.

Legal and Financial Relationships with Brokers
While you may have different options as to the type of legal relationship you have with an agent or broker, normally the seller pays the commission of the real estate salesperson who helps the buyer locate the seller's house. What this means is that a homebuyer's agent or broker has a build-in conflict of interest: Unless you've agreed to pay the agent separately, she won't get paid until you buy a home, and the more you pay for a house, the bigger the agent's cut.

Beware of dual agency -- that is, an agent, brokerage or company representing both the buyer and seller. Legal in many states, dual agency nevertheless comes with an inherent conflict of interest as the agent attempts to fairly represent two opposing clients and collect the full commission.

Consider working with a buyer's agent who represents you exclusively (not both you and the seller) and is more likely to work with your best interests at heart. He or she will split the total 5% to 7% commission with the listing agent.
If you don't want to pay the going commission, consider a discount broker who will charge you a reduced commission as small as 1%. Others offer you a "fee for services" rate. You select from a menu of services, such as preparing the written offer, and pay only for those you need. Discount services are available from franchise operations such as Help-U-Sell (http://www.helpusell.com), as well as from other independent real estate companies and individual brokers.

The advantage of hiring a broker by the service or hour is that you get expert help with no built-in conflict of interest. The disadvantage is that you may have trouble locating an outstanding broker by the hour or service. Also, you pay for the hours you use whether or not you buy a house and you must do a lot of legwork yourself, such as negotiating with the seller.

Interviewing Agents
Once you've selected several real estate agents, let each know you want to interview him or her for 45 minutes to an hour. You can talk in person or on the telephone. Arranging the interview is a test of the agent's willingness to spend time with you and his or her punctuality. Ask the broker to sit in if you interview an agent. That will help you learn how not just the agent works, but his or her office as well.
During the interview, explain your needs, how you like to work and what you expect. Ask the agent to speak in English, not industry jargon and acronyms. Let the agent know you are still learning about the home-buying process.

Here are some of the major issues to discuss:
• The number of homes the agent found for buyers and sold for sellers. Don't accept a dollar amount answer. Ask for the addresses of recent transactions. Scan the list for homes similar in price to what you can afford. Determine if the homes are in the general neighborhood or community where you are buying. If so, get the agent to talk about what you can expect for your money and the pros and cons of the neighborhood or community.
• Listings that haven't sold. Ask why, but don't blame the agent for homes that were overpriced and sellers who've refused to reduce the price to a fair market value.
• Names of past clients. Ask for names of both buyers and sellers who can provide references.
• Financing. Ask the agent about mortgages, including special and new loan programs, creative financing, mortgage brokers and lenders and other financial details specific to your needs. Also ask about insurance and taxes.
• Management and communication tools. The real estate transaction is an esoteric entanglement of details, tasks and duties. Ask the agent to explain how he or she gets the job done, both online and off. Inquire as to how often the agent will report to you on sales activity or buying leads. You'll have to determine how much is enough for you, but once a week is a minimum in a stable market. Daily check-ins could be necessary in a hot market. Ask to see logs, checklists, worksheets and other tools or documents the agent uses to keep track of the details from the house search and financing through negotiating an offer and closing the deal.
• Representation. Will the agent act as a dual agent representing sellers with homes you may want to buy? If he or she is a buyer's agent, representing you exclusively, ask if a contract with fees is required. Also ask buyer's agents about fees in lieu of commissions, the duration of any contracts and other details.

As you ask questions and discuss your needs, consider how well the agent listens to your anxieties, fears and concerns. You want to feel that the agent cares more about your needs than collecting the commission or making a quota.
Once you've chosen an agent, don't double dip. Loyalty and time commitment is a two-way street. If your agent doesn't have your full attention, he or she may reciprocate. You'll also get a disconcerting array of advice and opinions, at a time when you need straight talk.

Building a home in Florida

2005-12-18T07:46:00.000-05:00

Florida Building a Home
Picking a location, buying a lot and then building a home in Florida, can be anywhere from easy to a nightmare (based on location and environmental concerns)
If however you have some expertise in this area and are not in a rush, finding a lot and building your dream home may be the way to go.
The cost of building will vary widely from $50.00 per square foot to $300.00 and even more. (depending on quality of construction and area resources)
If you are looking to build a new home and use an established Florida builder in a developed area or one under construction, then it is much easier.
Lot Prices are based on location:
Most expensive to least expensive
1 Open-water—Atlantic or Gulf
2 Open-water Inter-Coastal or other Rivers-Lakes
3 Canal Homes with Open water views (Bay or Atlantic-Gulf)
4 Canal homes-Boat able and quick access to open-water
5 Dry Lots—price widely varies based on the community and area.
*As to canal lots and how boat ability affects prices.
If the depth of the canal and the width allows for a 50ft boat or sailboat-it will be more expensive than a lot on a canal that is shallow and usually not as wide. The bigger the boat, the more room needed to turn around.

*Access to open water is another factor that influences prices.
If you’re only minutes (half hour or less) to good fishing-diving, expect to pay more.
Also homes on shorter canals will generally have better water quality. In the Keys we call these swimming canals. The tides flush them out and the water is clearer.
As to building in the Keys-this is a whole different matter due to strict environmental concerns. See The Keys area link and go to building a home, where it’s explained in depth.

A few other things. If you are a builder, you can come here and apply for a permit and sub the work out, however a Florida architect is generally needed as the home has to meet strict Florida codes.
If you’re thinking about buying a lot and having a builder do it for you, see

www.americanbuilders.com/fl
(Information below from Brevard county but is generally applicable statewide-as stated always check with the local building departments first).

Building Permits - Do I need one?
As a general rule, the answer is YES - any construction work that is regulated by adopted Building Codes and Fire and Public Safety Regulations requires a permit before work can begin.

Permit Requirements - It is not surprising that many property owners, including condo unit owners, are not familiar with local building codes. Many property owners think that it is the contractor’s responsibility to make sure a building permit has been obtained. This is not true. The property owner is held responsible for obtaining the building permit.

The building code is not another red-tape nuisance. There are good, sound reasons for having these regulations. First and foremost, the building code protects YOU! It ensures that the completed work meets specific quality standards that will protect you and your neighbors.

Sometimes a contractor may try to skirt the building permit requirement. If the code inspector finds the work in progress without the required permit, the property owner is cited (and not the contractor) for having work done without a permit. This can result in double fees for the permit and/or fines for having work done without a permit.

The Cities/Areas of Florida requires building permits for the following reasons:
The State of Florida requires standards of construction for all properties in the State. On a barrier island, those standards are even higher than those parts of Florida not as critically exposed to tropical storms. The State relies on local government to enforce these regulations.

Construction projects that involve outside work require compliance with zoning regulations that include proper property line setbacks, adherence to land use designations and clearance for utility infrastructure and right-of-ways.

Work that must be done by licensed professionals with insurance coverage to protect you and your neighbors.
(Improperly completed work can result in damage to your property and that of your neighbors)
• Air conditioning / heat system change outs Piers
• Balcony restoration Pilings and posts
• Boathouses and boatlifts Plumbing (movement or replacement of fixtures or pipes)
• Commercial floor plan alterations Pool construction, renovation or re-surfacing
• Concrete slabs, patios & gazebos Roof repairs and re-roofing
• Decks Screen enclosures
• Demolition work of any kind Seawalls (construction or repairs)
• Docks - new, repair or replacement Sheds
• Dredge and fill projects Siding
• Driveways and curb cuts Signs and signage (temporary or permanent)
• ALL Electrical work Soffits (new and replacement)
• Facia work Solar heating systems
• Fences and fencing (new and replacements) Structural alterations or repairs of any kind
• Fire alarms and sprinkler systems Tents
• Handrails - external (new and replacements) Water heaters (new or replacement)
• Hurricane shutters Water wells
• Paneling, wall and floor coverings Window replacements

This list covers the more common projects - it does not cover all activities that require permits. It is advisable to call the Building Department before starting your work if you are not certain if a permit is required. Remember: Reputable contractors know which jobs require permits in their area and they then obtain the permits as required.

When application is made for a building permit, the City checks to make sure the contractor is properly licensed and that the work is done by a licensed professional with the required liability insurance. When the work is completed, a building inspector from the city then inspects the completed job to make sure it was done properly and complies with the city code. This protects you! These requirements protect you and your neighbors from shoddy work that may result in later damage (fire, leaks and blowing debris, e.g.)

So next time you consider having work done on your property, please call the City first to find out if a permit is required and then make sure the contractor gets the building permit before work begins.

Frequently Asked Questions
• How much does a Building Permit cost?
The cost of the permit depends on the type of work to be done and the cost of the project to be completed. All permit fees are regulated by and specified in the City Code of Ordinances.
• Will my contractor obtain the permit?
The reputable contractors know the requirements and abide by them. Unfortunately, not all contractors comply with the City code. Remember, it is the property owner who is responsible for ensuring that all work on his/her property is preceded by acquisition of the appropriate permits.
• How do I find out if my contractor is licensed?
State law requires that all construction work be done by a licensed contractor. Residents are discouraged from hiring unlicensed contractors. Both the unlicensed contractor and the owner who ordered the work may be subject to severe fines and penalties. Call the local Building Department to verify a contractor's status before you sign a contract for repairs or construction work.
• What else should I ask a proposed contractor about?
To protect yourself from a lawsuit, verify that the contractor has adequate workers compensation and general liability insurance coverage. The City requires contractors to file proof of such insurance coverage before any work can begin.
• Is the contractor required to get any other permits?
Contractors are required to obtain occupational permits in order to solicit or perform any type of construction work in the City. The City will not issue the permit unless the contractor first provides proof of the appropriate insurance coverage.
• What happens if I get caught doing work without a building permit?
Minimally, the building inspector will issue a "cease work" order until you obtain the proper building permit. The minimum penalty for doing work without a permit is that you will be charged twice the normal fee for the building permit for the type of work you are having done. If the work being done is in violation of the building codes or the zoning regulations, the work must be changed to comply or else the work must be undone. Matters of non-compliance are referred to a City's Code Enforcement Board which has the authority to review the case and impose fines up to $250 per day or more until compliance is achieved.

The building codes are meant to protect you by ensuring work meets defined quality standards. The building permit fee includes a review of the work plans by a professional building inspector employed by the City and in many cases, a field inspection of the work by the building inspector.

In conclusion, play it safe and do it right. This will certainly help you in the Insurance area also---The extra structural costs for doing it better really pay off if a storm hits and or you decide to sell.

Link to Florida building code information
http://www.floridabuilding.org/bc/default.asp
Link to the Florida 2004 building code draft
http://www2.iccsafe.org/florida_building_code/

Florida Investments

2005-12-17T12:01:00.000-05:00

Florida Investments
Because of the fast growing base of people relocating to Florida along with the tourism industry, Florida offers three unique opportunities for investments.
• 1031 tax exchanges
• Buying a second home/condo and using it as a rental.
• Buying a commercial piece of property, from duplexes to apartments, to triple net shopping malls.

The above combined with an above average appreciation rate for Real Estate make Florida a place you definitely need to consider, regardless of your financial capabilities.

Due to our tourist industry both from the USA and abroad, rentals can be the answer.

If you’re selling a multifamily unit (Duplexes etc) a condo or single family home and looking to possibly buy one here, Florida can be just the ticket.

RENTALS/Vacation homes and Condo’s
Once you’ve zeroed in on an area, depending on you payback requirements , you’ll need to determine if zoning allows rentals on a weekly, monthly or long-term basis.
*This is an evolving situation depending on the community, so you really need to do your homework on this one.

Generally, short-term rentals are allowed only in commercial/residential zoned areas and are restricted in strictly residential neighborhoods.

I suggest that once you find the area you’re interested in, search the investment section of the site for a REALTOR that specializes in 1031 exchanges. (See the Real Estate links for the area you are interested in)

Second family homes
Looking to buy something and rent it out to help make the payments and then possibly retire to it later? Florida has something to fit your tastes and financial capability.

Because of tourism and the influx of people moving into the state (job transfers-military transfers or just plain people relocating) oftentimes they want to rent before buying.

In addition, don’t forget appreciation. Florida is one of the leading states in property appreciation. People want to be here.

Commercial properties and Existing businesses
There are Hotels. Marinas, mfg facilities, retail operations, mom and pop motels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, shopping malls (big and small) available. Regardless of the lifestyle and skills you bring, there is a business here for you.

New businesses
Because we are growing rapidly, there is always a need for a new business, be it a retail operation a shopping center, apartments or homes.
Florida is home to thousands of small businesses. In fact they are one of the largest employers in the country.
In conclusion if you’re interested in changing your lifestyle or just continuing what you know in a better location and climate, you need to really check Florida out.