Tampa Real Estate Blog

Listen to the Feedback

In today’s real estate market it is imperative that sellers listen to the feedback about their home provided by their real estate professional. Home sellers may want to try their best to correct the easily correctable issues in this competitive real estate environment. One of the most common complaints heard on showings of homes that can be corrected is, “the property appears dark”. We completely understand that ever home has its own level of natural light, but there is no reason for a potential buyer to feel that a home is dark, as their first impression.

Make the Most of the Light You Have

Window coverings that have been placed in your home for numerous reasons such as insulation, and protecting belongings from fading need to be rethought. All window coverings while you are attempting to sell a home need to be thought of differently. How can they best placed to make the room look its best? Blinds need to be placed in a position that allows light into the room. If there is a view the more open the better. Pulling a blind up to the top is totally acceptable. The buyer will know they are there for privacy but first impressions are about light. Draw any draperies back to the edge of the window, it will make the windows, and room look larger, and allow more light in. Now that your home is on the market it is a great time to make sure that your windows are spotless and allow as much light in as possible.

Brighten it up

If by chance you have an area of your home that is a little dark, there is nothing wrong with purchasing an inexpensive lamp and adding it to a room simply to brighten up the property. Years back I had a floor lamp that gave off a tremendous amount of light it was used in many homes we sold until one buyer really fell in love with it and there it stayed. All lamps need to be working. If a room appears dark the first thing someone will attempt to do is turn on a lamp, if the lamp doesn’t light that is strike two. This is also a great time to make sure that every light fixture in the house is operational, simply brighten it up.

Correct Lighting Sets the Stage

Think of the sale of your home as the stage of a play. Your realtor presents the theme, and you as the stage hand get to make it look its best. Natural light bulbs tend to make furniture and people look more attractive, and in turn will make your home show at its best. New energy efficient lighting is not always the most appealing and you may want to limit its use while trying to sell your home. The worst of these are the ones that take time to warm up. We have shown homes where the buyer had already toured through the entire dark home while we were waiting for the first room of the home to brighten up. When possible make sure your home stage is well set prior to showing it to a buyer. Brightening up the stage will help lead to brighter results with the sale of your home.

Eric Miller an award winning Ft Lauderdale, Florida Realtor is the author of this article, and is honored to place it on this outstanding local real estate site. If you are thinking of Ft Lauderdale Real Estate you can reach Eric Miller via his website, Fort Lauderdale Real Estate. The website provides the complete information for buyers and sellers of Fort Lauderdale Real Estate from Ft Lauderdale Waterfront Homes to condominiums.

If you are looking for a GERMAN SPEAKING Realtor (Ich spreche Deutsch) to help you find a property here in Clearwater or Tampa Bay, contact Tanja Sherin. She is a licensed full time agent and can be reached at 727-967-2941.

Tanja has been selling real estate in this area of Tampa Bay for many years and her expertise in home sales will be of value to you. She can direct you through the entire process of buying or selling a home or condo.

Read her full bio here: Tanja Sherin German Speaking Tampa Realtor.

Janet and Ted from Spencer, MA bought a Villa in Tarpon Springs Pointe Alexis and have this to say about Nick Acosta:

“My husband and I worked with Nick Acosta to purchase a vacation home in Florida. Nick was wonderful throughout the entire process. He worked with us long distance to identify possible properties, arranged showings for us when we came came down to view properties, and advised us in finding just the perfect home for us. He handled all of the process for us: the inspections, negotiating with the seller to correct all the inspection issues, representing us at the closing, and he even arranged to have the locks changed for us. Throughout the process, Nick showed the highest level of professionalism. We were impressed with his extensive knowledge of the real estate market and buying process, and he was a joy to work with. We could not ask for a better agent to meet our needs and serve our interests.”

Great job Nick!

Is the real estate market getting any better in Lansbrook? Here’s some raw figures comparing 2009 and 2010 in Lansbrook:

2009:
total homes sold: 89
average list price: $388,697.00
average days on market: 70

2010:
total homes sold: 86
average list price: $413,695.00
average days on market: 116

The total number sold remains about the same for the two years noted above but as you can see the average list price is higher. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the prices are going up but it surely means that people who have some of the higher priced homes in Lansbrook were successful in selling them in 2010. The average days on the market however increased and it is safe to say that in 2010 it took a little longer to sell a higher price home. It will be interesting to see what 2011 shows because so far in 2011 we are showing signs of average days on the market decreasing. In fact, nice homes in mid range price levels in Lansbrook seem to be moving much faster than 2009 and 2010; some selling in under 30 days. If you are thinking about selling your home in Lansbrook, give us a call and we can give you more detailed information.

For individual Lansbrook subdivision sales visit our website on Lansbrook Homes.

Congratulations to Melissa Stone with Lipply Real Estate! We are proud to announce that Melissa Stone in among the top 100 agents in the Pinellas Realtor Organization for top sales in January 2011. Are you looking for a hard working top notch real estate agent to help you find a home or condo on Clearwater Beach, Clearwater or North Pinellas? Contact Melissa today!


Call Melissa at 727 667 1571

Stunning home in like new condition! Offered for sale now in lovely Key Vista in Holiday, FL. This is a gated community with a heated pool, tennis courts, playground and so much more. Come see this home now and you will fall in love with it! Contact Len Lipply, REALTOR at 727 642 0255.

I’ve been a Landlord for several years. I wish it was a positive and profitable endeavor but that really isn’t true. For the most part, we have found some great tenants but just one bad tenant and horrific experience can make you wish you never bought that investment house – especially when you are just breaking even on a property. That just doesn’t make sense.

So here we are at the tail end of 2010 with real estate prices as low as 2002 and 2003 prices; it just may be the opportunity most investors are looking for. No one becomes a Landlord because it’s fun or because they have nothing else to do. It either happens by default (can’t sell a home) or because the investor sees a financial gain at their fingertips.

Well, the financial gain of being a Landlord may just have arrived. The prices of condos and small homes in the Tampa Bay area have come down so significantly that it is making good sense to buy one of these now and rent it out. Take this example. If you buy a condo or a home for around $50,000, you can most likely expect to get $700 to $800 a month in rent. At that amount, payback with expenses could occur in less than 10 years. Whether you pay cash or you finance the loan, cash sitting in the bank today will never give you that return.

With interest rates and property prices very low, depending on your situation, it might make sense for you to become a Landlord. If we can help you find an investment property in Tampa Bay, please let us know.

Florida has long held the reputation of being the retirees’ paradise and for good reason too. But, sometimes that comes with a negative connotation. With comfortable warm weather year-round, senior-oriented developments, and outlet shopping among many other things, getting older is not such a bad prospect. So, what is the senior drawing power that the Tampa area has to offer?

• Entertainment
If you are looking for some entertainment, all AMC theaters offer a 30 percent discount on all of their ticket prices. However, if a theme park interests you, then Busch Gardens Tampa takes $3 off of their single-day admission tickets as well does Sea World Orlando.

• Meals
Plenty of establishments are intended for all patrons but keep their senior customers in mind as well. Places like the Sweet Tomatoes franchise have a large draw for mid-day soup and salad and offer discounts to senior citizens depending on what time they arrive. If you want to cook your own meal in the comfort of your own home, Florida’s largest supermarket, Publix, offers customers 55 years and older a 5% discount on all purchases on every Wednesday of the month.

• Shopping
In addition to the two large outlet malls in Orlando and the one in Ellington, T.J. Maxx, a national discount retail store, offers a 10 percent discount to seniors 55 and above only in the state of Florida. Bealls, the Florida store, gives its senior customers who are 50 years and above a 20 percent discount on the first Tuesday of every month.

• Other Benefits
Other benefits include driving courses that senior citizens have the ability to take to immediately reduce their Florida insurance rates. But, the most applicable benefit of senior living in Florida and the Tampa area is the abundance of 55+ property, which is offered at a much lower price than otherwise regularly intended real estate. View 55+ Florida property here.

So, while some might loathe the thought of getting older, living in Florida definitely softens the blow! If you want to view some listings of active adult 55+ retirement communities, we have all the listings!

Call Len Lipply at 727 642 0255 for a showing!

Well cared for “one owner condo” situated in the Hammock Pine Condominium Complex may be available for sale soon in Clearwater. This prime location offers easy access to US Hwy 19′s shops, restaurants, and nearby Westfield Countryside Mall. Just minutes by car to the famous Florida Beaches and Golf Courses, this location ideal for singles and retirees alike. With 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, covered parking and a screened porch, these condos in Hammock Pine are very popular. Built in 1985, the grounds have mature landscaping and are well groomed. Amenities include a heated pool/spa, clubhouse, tennis court, and fitness center.

Get more information on Hammock Pine listings and all the Hammock Pine condos for sale.

Is retirement on the horizon and you’re looking to find a place where you can remain active and enjoy life? Look no further than beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida! Here there is something for everyone. Some people come for the gorgeous white sand beaches that stretch for miles and miles. You can stay healthy swimming almost year long in the pool or in the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico. Others are looking to perfect their golf game at some of our best golf courses such as Bardmoor, the Vinoy Resort, Feather Sound Country Club and world renowned nearby Innisbrook Resort. With the daily weather always reporting sunshine, you can play golf all day – everyday.

But St. Petersburg isn’t just for these leisurely activities. It’s home to wonderful art museums such as Salvadore Dali Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as the Mahaffey Theatre that feature Broadway plays and musical entertainment. And, if you want to take a course to keep your brain sharp, nearby Eckerd College or USF has many options for you.

The medium home price in St. Petersburg Florida is currently sitting at $150,000 which is a perfect price range for most retirees. You can view all the Homes for Sale in St. Petersburg in the lower price ranges by clicking the link.

Many retirees often have children and grandchildren they would like to come visit them. There is no better place to attract a family to than St. Petersburg! The possibilities are endless! Nearby Busch Gardens, Adventure Island and the Lowry Park Zoo are sure to please out-of-town guests. Weeki Wachee’s live mermaid shows, the Florida Aquariums expansive marine life and Great Explorations Childrens Museum are all equally exciting. And of course, being less than 2 hours away from the greatest place on earth, Disney World is not to be overlooked! With just a short drive you can play at the Magic Kingdom, all the Universal Studio’s theme parks, as well as touch a dolphin at Sea World.

Lastly, we all love cheering on our favorite sports teams. Let’s crack open our peanuts and cracker jacks and start with baseball. St. Petersburg is home to the Tampa Bay Rays, as well as many spring training teams. There is nothing better than a hot dog at the field and with baseball games going on almost all season long, there is never a dull moment for baseball fans! If football is more your sport, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are sure to please. Raymond James stadium is just minutes from home and the fans really come alive when the Bucs take the field. And if you are from the north, you may enjoy visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning for some fast fun and intense hockey!

There is so much to do in St. Petersburg. So come for a visit, and stay for a lifetime. Once you come, you will not want to leave.

Take note Money Magazine has rated St. Petersburg Florida as the seventh best place in the United States to retire. Read the full story here.