Dunedin, A Wonderful Yet Quiet Tampa Bay Waterfront Town

  If you’ve visited the West coast of Florida and cities like St Petersburg, you may have missed one of the nicest quiet towns in Pinnellas County, Dunedin. The name, Dunedin (pronounced “Done EE din”) comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburg, the capital of Scotland

  Among its many amenities, Dunedin is the home to several wonderful beaches including Caladesi Island State Park, a beach consistently rated among the best in in the world. Dunedin also has beaches on Honeymoon Island and on the Dunedin Causeway.

  Dunedin is one of the few waterfront communities with access to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico from Sarasota all the way north to Cedar Key. Here high-rise condos do not completely obscure views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico.

  A quiet town, the downtown business district of Dunedin is noteworthy for the absence of large commercial signs, national franchise restaurants and big box retail stores. The Pinellas Trail, a 39-mile-long bicycle and pedestrian trail that traverses all of Pinellas County, runs through the center of Dunedin bringing lots of friendly folks into downtown to visit its quaint shops and boutiques. On any day, you’re likely to find locals and tourists strolling through downtown enjoying a homemade ice cream cone, shopping in its boutiques, fussing about their boats at the marina or just sitting in the shade at one of its many parks watching the day go by.

  As quiet a place as Dunedin seems, the arts are an integral part of its appeal. Whether you're looking for world-class gallery exhibits, award-winning art classes, a stage performance, or getting down with the beat of an inspirational drum circle, you’ll find it in Dunedin, a town in love with the arts. For almost four decades, the Dunedin Fine Art Center has offered exciting art opportunities. The Center offers year-round exhibitions in four galleries featuring national, regional and local artists as well as art classes for students of all ages in 15 studio classrooms. And, the Children's Art Museum is a hands-on experience your children should not miss. But come as you are, in your shorts and flip-flops. Dunedin is perhaps the ultimate casual art town.

  If you’re into baseball, Dunedin has been the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays since 1977 and the local Dunedin Blue Jays year round. Come out to the stadium and enjoy a major or minor league ball game complete with a hot dog and a foam finger. And, the major football, hockey and soccer sports teams in St Petersburg and Tampa are just a few minutes drive away.

  For dining, Dunedin offers a wide range of options from the most casual eateries to the 4.5+ star Black Pearl, a quaint restaurant in the heart of Dunedin offering fine food in an elegant setting and Bob Apetit, voted “Tampa Bay’s Best Waterfront Restaurant,” offering elegant indoor dining directly overlooking the waters of St Joseph’s Sound as well as casual outdoor dining.

  If there’s something you want that you can’t find in Dunedin, you’re just minutes away from the much larger cities of Clearwater and St. Petersburg. And metropolitan Tampa is a 30 minute ride away across Tampa Bay on the Courtney Campbell Causeway.

  Dunedin has so much to offer. I’m certain you’ll want to put Dunedin on your list of places to check out whether you’re moving to Tampa Bay for your career or as a retirement destination. Contact Me on my Tampa Bay Real Estate website or, just immediate answers to your questions, call me at 813.263.6806.

Ten Step Process for First Time Home Buyers

The Key to a Stress-Free First Home Purchase

If you are a first-time home buyer in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, this is a great time and the real estate market right now is perfect for you because:

• You do not have another property to sell that you might lose money on.
  
  
• Mortgage rates are extremely low right now, and
  
  
• Price reductions have made homes much more affordable than they've been in over 10 years.

But you do need to understand that buying a home is a fairly complex process that takes time, some knowledge and the guidance of a real estate professional to make things go as smoothly as possible and for you to get the best possible deal. Here are 10 steps that will help you accomplish your goal of buying a first home that meets your needs and desires at a good price.

1. Buy a Notebook and get organized. Use this notebook exclusively for planning your first home purchase.

First, think about and then write down a summary description of the type of home and type of neighborhood you would like to find. Is it a ranch, a bi-level or tri-level, a two-story home, a duplex where you can rent the other half, or a condominium? Do you want a small lot to maintain, a maintenance-free community or a large lot of land where you can pretty much do whatever you wish without offending your neighbors? Do you prefer living in the city, the suburbs or in a more rural area?

Now, and this is a really important step, write down those things you REALLY NEED TO HAVE in the home for it to meet your needs for the next 7 - 10 years. Also list those things you’d REALLY LIKE TO HAVE but, if you had to, you could do without.

Keep this list handy and use it as a guide to judge every home you look at whether it’s a model home, an open house or part of a tour a Realtor has arranged for you.

2. You need to learn early on how much home you can afford. So, make a budget of your current expenses and use this to pinpoint how much you are willing and able to pay for the buying and maintenance of your new home. As a “rule of thumb,” keeping your monthly housing cost to 25% to 35% of your gross monthly income is a good place to start.

3. Meet with more than one mortgage lender. Bring you budget of current spending with you. Learn how much each lender believes you can afford to spend on a home and how much down payment will be required for the various types of mortgages available. Ask each lender for at least a pre-qualification statement. When you are reasonably sure which lender you would prefer to borrow from, ask if he or she will provide you with a "pre-approval" letter which you can attach to any offer you might make. Having a pre-approval letter already in place is a powerful price negotiating tool when you're ready to make an offer.

4. Introduce yourself to an experienced, full-time Realtor like Cheryl Stimac of Red Shoe Realty, Inc. Get to know the Realtor and make sure you feel comfortable dealing with him or her because you are going to be spending a fair amount of time together. Ask that realtor to act on your behalf as your "Buyer's Agent." Only when acting as your Buyer's Agent is a Realtor required to work for your benefit and yours alone. The Realtor whose name is on a For Sale sign in front of an Open House or a sales representative at a model home is NOT looking out for your best interest. They are working for and looking out for the Seller, not you.

5. Your Buyer's Agent Realtor will help you understand how your your housing affordability and your list of needs and wants fit with the market of for sale homes in Tampa Bay. He or she will then research the best home values and neighborhoods that meet your criteria and provide you with a list of homes currently on the market that fit your criteria.


6. With or without your Realtor, drive around visiting the neighborhoods with homes in your price range and identify those two or three neighborhoods and school districts you would most like to live in. This step will save both you and your Realtor a lot of wasted time and also help you to focus your criteria. After this step, you may want to sit with your Realtor again and adjust your list of "Needs and Wants" and make changes to your priorities of needs versus wants, if necessary. Remember, this list is only as useful as you have kept it in touch with the realities of your situation. It is natural to have started out with higher expectations than reality will allow, so do not be embarrassed or concerned if your list changes somewhat at this point. Update your list, share it with your realtor and carry on.


7. If you want to include "Short Sale" and "Foreclosure" homes in your search, be sure you fully understand how these procedures work (or in many cases, don't work) and the amount of time those processes can take. Your Realtor can explain the process by which these types of transactions occur and clarify for you the pros and cons of each of these home buying processes versus a normal purchase transaction.

8. Now get out there and get serious about finding that most perfect first home for you. There are wonderful homes available in Tampa and the Tampa Bay area at very attractive prices right now.

But, you need to be ready to act when you find that perfect one. The most desirable homes at the most attractive prices don't sit on the market for long, even in today's marketplace. Your "Needs and Wants" list, that hopefully you've kept up to date, will help you know when "this is the home for us."

9. Work with your Realtor to decide upon your offer price. Your Tampa Bay Realtor will help you by analyzing comparable properties in comparable neighborhoods to decide on an appropriate offering price. If you have secured a pre-approval letter from a lender, make sure it is still in effect, and attach it to your offer.

10. With the terms of your purchase contract agreed to by both you and the Seller, you will work your way through the multi-step contract-to-closing process. This process will include a home inspection, finalizing you mortgage application, and several other steps all of which your Buyer's Agent Realtor and your lender will help you with.

Eventually, on closing day, you will sign more papers than you'd ever imagined possible at the closing and then you'll be ready to move into your first home. Congratulations will definitely be in order at that point !!

Brandon Florida - A Popular Tampa Bay Community

Located in the southeastern corner of Hillsborough County, Brandon is one of the most popular suburbs of Tampa Bay with easy access via I-75 and I-4 to both Tampa and Orlando,

In 1858, John Brandon purchased 40 acres in the New Hope (the former name of Tampa) area and another 160 acres later on and then named his land Brandon. In 1890, the Florida Central and Peninsula Railroad came through the area and John's wife, Victoria, convinced a civil engineer for the railroad to survey the area and lay out a "town".

Growing rapidly from its origins as a rural area, Brandon has become a place of refuge for families seeking a peaceful and convenient location. The population of Brandon stood at 90,470 as of 2007 up by 16.1% since the 2000 census.

Known for being one of Tampa's premier bedroom community, Brandon has the usual population of strip malls but it also has one of the largest and nicest regional malls in Florida. Quality schools also make Brandon a favorite community for families with children.

There is a wide variety of nerighborhoods - something to suit every taste and lifestyle. New and resale homes are for sale in neighborhoods such as Brentwood Hills, Heather Lakes, Hickory Lakes, Providence Lakes, and Sterling Ranch. Home prices appeal to a wide range of housing needs and lifestyles, and are range from the mid $100's to over $1 Million.

You deserve the best representation available to you on what may be the largest single investment you ever make, whether it is in one of our Brandon neighborhoods or elsewhere in Tampa Bay, Florida.

I invite you to request my free Tampa Florida Information Package or E-Mail Me or call me at (813) 263-6806 at your convenience.

For outstanding Tampa Bay real estate service, you cannot do better than selecting a competent and experienced Tampa Broker like Cheryl Stimac of Red Shoe Realty, Inc.

The Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit is About to Expire

It's Time to Get Moving before It's Too Late

The first-time home buyer tax credit program which was extended and expanded to include existing homeowners expires on April 30th.

So, if you've been delaying a decision on buying a home or condo in the Tampa Bay Florida real estate market, it's time to contact a competent Realtor® TODAY and get a home purchase contract signed right away or you're going to miss out on the opportunity to gain up to a $8,000 income tax credit if you're a first-time buyer or up to $6,500 if you're currently a homeowner.

And don't forget that, in addition to the requirement to have a home purchase under contract (that means signed by both the buyer and the seller) by April 30, you must also close on the sale on or before June 30, 2010.

Who qualifies as a "first-time buyer" for up to an $8,000 credit?
The law defines a “first-time home buyer” as one who has not owned a principal residence during the 3-year period prior to the purchase. For married taxpayers, the law tests the home ownership history of both the home buyer and his/her spouse.

If, for example, you have not owned a home in the past 3 years but your spouse has owned a principal residence, neither you nor your spouse qualifies for the tax credit. However, there are exceptions. As an example, there is a possibility for unmarried joint purchasers to allocate the credit amount to any buyer who qualifies as a first-time buyer, such as if a parent jointly purchases a home with child. There are also rules about ownership of vacation or rental properties not used as a principal residence.

How is the amount of the first-time buyer tax credit determined?
The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000 but there are income limits.

So, you need to speak with a competent Tampa Bay Realtor to see if you do qualify.

Who qualifies as a existing homeowner buyer for up to the $6,500 credit?
The law defines a tax credit-qualified existing or "move-up" home buyer as a person who has owned and resided in the same home for at least five consecutive years of the eight years prior to the purchase date of the new home. For married taxpayers, the law tests the home ownership history of both the home buyer and his or her spouse. That is, both spouses must qualify as long-time residents, with at least five years of principal residency for each. They do not, however, have to purchase a home that is more expensive than their previous home to qualify for the tax credit.

How is the amount of the existing homeowner tax credit determined?
The tax credit is equal to 10% of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500. Purchases of homes priced above $800,000 are not eligible for the tax credit. And, yes, there are income limitations. If your income is above the limit, you may still qualify for a partial credit.

It is very easy to become confused with the provisions of this law. Don't miss out on an opportunity that may not come again for a long. So, speak with a competent Tampa Bay real estate expert like Cheryl Stimac right now to see if you do qualify.

Aa a Realtor experienced in dealing with these types of situations, Cheryl Stimac can tell you after just a brief conversation whether or not you may qualify. But time is short so its definitely "Time to Get Moving."

Extend the Home Buyer Tax Credit - Yes or No?

Capitol Hill may be vacant right now as Senators and Congressmen are home listening to their constituents, but real estate and home builder lobbying group[s are actively working on a full-bore campaign to extend the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit currently scheduled to expire on November 30, 2009.

As you may know, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the stimulus package) authorized a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009. The program has been quite successful in reducing the inventory of unsold homes while helping many afford to buy a first home.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) are both hoping to persuade Congress to pass legislation to extend the tax credit as soon as possible after Congress returns to Washington next week. The two associations are contacting members of Congress even while they are in their home districts during their congressional recess. One of the things they are pushing for, in addition to an extension of the first-time home buyer credit, is to expand the program to cover all home buyers through the end of 2010.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently indicated that he believes “it's something we can get done.” Senate Banking Committee Chairman Democrat Chris Dodd and Republican Johnny Isakson are sponsoring a bill that would extend the credit through 2010 and expand it to a $15,000 maximum. In the House, two bills have been introduced to extend and expand the credit for either 6 or 12 months. Both the NAR and the NAHB organizations are strongly supporting these initiatives.

With this impetus, it seems likely that in one form or another, the tax credit will be extended into next year, but...

As we've come to understand, there is no such thing as a "sure thing" in Washington. NAR spokesman Walter Molony recently justified his organization’s support for the tax credit saying that it is reducing the inventory of unsold homes and stabilizing pricing, benefiting the economy since in his judgment house prices “overshot to the downside.” But, the NAR also estimates that 1.8 million to 2.0 million first-time buyers will take advantage of the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit before the current version expires. the program, as it now exists is expected to cost about $15.20 billion.

Viewed another way, NAR's own estimate is that only 350,000 of the homes sold under the program would not have been sold without the tax credit. If you now divide the $15.2 billion the program cost by only those 350,000 homes that would not have been sold without it and you get a whopping $43,000 per additional home sold. And, critics say, the numbers will only get worse if the program is extended and expanded to cover all home buyers.

These opposing views of the program could lead fiscal conservatives in both the Democratic and Republican parties to complain that any extension will only add to the ballooning national debt. Legislation that looks, at any given moment, as if it will clearly be enacted can be delayed, watered down, or frustrated in the House and filibustered in the Senate.

So, if you are in the market for a home, and particularly if you haven't owned a home in the past three years, so you qualify for the current $8,000 tax credit, you should be working with a Realtor like Cheryl Stimac, a competent and honest Tampa Florida real estate expert right now to buy the home you've been wanting so you can close on it before the November 30th expiration of the current program.

If you aren't already involved in buying a Tampa Bay home of your own, E-Mail Cheryl or call her at Red Shoe Realty, Inc at 813-263-6806 right away and get started toward owning your piece of the Tampa Bay, Florida paradise.

The Seller Can Help You Buy Their Home

If you and your family are ready now to buy your first home, but you're not sure you have enough cash stashed away, there are ways in which a home seller can assist you in buying his home. A competent Tampa Bay Realtor can review all of your options but here are a few examples.

FHA MORTGAGE WITH SELLER FINANCED CLOSING COSTS
An FHA mortgage requires as little as 3.5% of the purchase price as a down payment. These mortgages have been available for years. Your Realtor, working with the home seller and an FHA-approved mortgage provider, can structure a mortgage loan so that the seller pays all or nearly all of your closing costs. The seller cannot assist you with the 3.5% down payment, but can pay just about everything else at your closing. In the current market environment, many home sellers are willing to participate in this type of arrangement to get their home sold.

SELLER-PAID BUY DOWNS
There are many variations of "Buy Downs," Some are permanent, where the interest rate is reduced over the full life of the loan. Other buy downs are temporary, reducing your interest rate, and therefore your monthly payment, for the first 1 - 3 years. The most popular is what's known as a "3-2-1 Buy Down." Here's how it works. For the first year your rate is 3% below the market interest rate; the second year 2% below, and for the third year the interest rate you pay is 1% below the agreed-upon interest rate. This allows you to grow into your loan payments over 3 years. If you expect your family income to grow over that period by enough to cover the eventual cost, this may be an attractive option for you. "Buying down" your first 3 years of loan payments in this manner will cost the seller about 4.5% of the loan amount. Here is an example on the purchase of a home with a $225,000 mortgage with a fixed rate of 6.5%. The full monthly rate on this mortgage would be $1,422.15/month. Using a 3-2-1- buy down, the first year's payments would be $1,010.35, the second year's is $1,140.04, the third year's - $1,277.53, and then for the remaining 27 years, $1,422.15. The "buy down" of the first 3 years payments saved you, the buyer, over $10,000 in mortgage payments in addition to making your payments more affordable for those first 3 years.

There are other buy-down processes your Realtor can discuss with you. Another popular one is a 2-1 buy-down which works like the 3-2-1 program but reduces the interest rate for only the first two years.

SELLER FINANCING
Less frequently, but occasionally, there are sellers who own their home outright (no mortgage on the property) who will agree to assist you by holding your mortgage. In this case, you do not have to qualify through the normal bank financing route. In effect the seller, instead of a bank or other mortgage company, becomes your mortgage provider. Such a mortgage can be written with essentially any terms and conditions that you and the seller agree upon ranging from financing 100% of the purchase price to requiring a minimal or larger down payment, with or without a "balloon payment" at some point in the future, and for a term of 10, 15, 25 or 30 years.

Such private lenders frequently charge a higher interest rate and may try to use this approach to get the highest possible price for their property. So protect yourself by working with a competent Realtor who can make certain that you are not over-paying for the home you want.

The point of this discussion is this. if you'd like to buy a home now, one of these seller-assisted approaches may work for you. Don't be scared off because you don't think you have enough saved up yet. The price of homes and the interest rates are as low right now as they have been in a long time. Meet and discuss your options with a competent Realtor like Cheryl Stimac, a Tampa Florida Real Estate professional. Got questions about all this? Call Cheryl Stimac today at 813-263-6808 or email her at cheryl@cherylstimac.com

You may be closer to your dream of home ownership than you have dared to hope.

Getting Involved with "Green' Building in your Home

    As we end the arguably "troubled" year of 2008, it might be uplifting to consider something we could all get involved with in 2009 to begin moving our ourselves, our planet and, in particular, our homes toward a more eco-friendly an sustainable lifestyle.

    Yes, owning a home of your own is clearly the ultimate "American Dream", but some of us now want to go further and move our homes is the direction that has become to be known as "green".

    Some may want to build their own green home from scratch. For those, the trend to "building green" calls for using materials that are environmentally friendly, designing spaces to utilize energy more efficiently, furnishing the home with Energy Star-rated appliances, and avoiding waste and using natural resources as much as possible.   For others, becoming more green, may involve just remodeling or updating your home.  In either case, there are many resources on the Internet to help you find your way.

    As the author of the greenhomebuilding.com website says, "The reason for building greener homes is really quite important.  We need to live more lightly on the earth, because the degradation of our environment is ompromising not only our survival, but the survival of most other living beings on the planet.  We can no longer ignore the impact we have on the earth's ecosystems. nbsp;The way we live, the choices we make in providing for our needs, will have an enormous influence on the quality of life of those who will follow us."

    If you’re looking for tips, plans and pointers to consider as you contemplate perhaps building that "green home," or just employing an environmentally-friendly approach in your remodelling, there are many Internet-based website resources that offer information and assistance:

• GreenHomeBuilding.com This website offers a wide range of information about sustainable architecture and natural building including plans,
  designs and other resources that help get you started with ideas for your own green home.  In addition to eco-friendly (sustainable) designs, you also have find options that focus on local architecture and use of indigenous materials.  You can also seek expert opinions or buy building codes and other resources.



• GreenHomeGuide.org is a guide maintained by the United States Green Building Council.  This website offers comprehensive information on green-home programs, green remodeling guidelines for remodeling kitchens, baths, flooring and more... even landscaping as well as many other resources.  You will learn how to get your home Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified and other interesting facts and figures.



• GreenBuilding.com: The author of this site, green building expert David Johnston, is a leading thinker behind the green building movement, transforming the way we think about the American home.  His approach to green building has been embraced by municipalities, homeowners, building professionals and sustainability advocates nation-wide.  Johnston’s current book, "Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time," co-authored with fellow green building consultant Kim Master, and available on Amazon.com has been hailed as the definitive guide to green remodeling techniques.  This website explains how a green home should be constructed and offers links to professionals in the field.  The website also contains many "fast facts" about the waste that goes on in a typical home.  You can also learn how to go about a green remodeling project or talk to experts on energy to learn how your home can benefit from such investments.



• BuildingGreen.com offers a live feed of news items related to green building from around the world.  Other links offer access to green projects, products and informative articles.



• GreenIsUniversal.com While this site offers some of the same resources to help build sustainable, eco-friendly homes offered by other websites, this site also offers a Virtual Reality Game where you can play at building your own green home online.

    If you'd like more information about this topic, I would be pleased if you would contact me by E-Mail or by phone at 813-263-6806. You may also want to visit my Tampa Bay Florida real estate website.

More Federal Help for Tampa Bay Foreclosures May Be Coming

A number of U.S. government agencies are working together on a new plan that could help 3 million homeowners avoid foreclosures. These negotiations could still fail, but federal government agencies are contemplating using $50 billion of the recently-passed federal bailout plan to guarantee up to $500 billion of residential home mortgages. Florida, because of its enormous reliance on the real estate industry, could benefit greatly under this plan since the housing meltdown has had a major negative effect on the state's economy.

Under the plan, the government would agree to absorb half of the losses on home loans if the mortgage company agrees to lower the borrowers'
monthly payments for at least 5 years. Details f how the plan would work are still being negotiated but this is the cetnral concept of the plan at this point.

In another recent development, more than $540 million in federal funds is coming to Florida, earmarked to purchase foreclosed homes at a discount. “Florida has felt the sting of our nation’s housing market challenges, and these funds will provide a welcome boost to our state’s economy by helping Florida families stay in their homes,” said Gov. Charlie Crist.

Governor Crist credited Florida’s Congressional delegation with securing the support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grants under the Housing and Economic
Recovery Act of 2008 passed by Congress earlier this year. The funds will provide assistance to state and local governments to acquire and re-develop foreclosed properties that might otherwise be abandoned and blight their neighborhoods.

Florida had the nation's second-highest foreclosure rate in September, an ignominious record achieved by beating out depressed housing markets in California and Arizona, according to the firm RealtyTrac. Foreclosure filings last month afflicted 47,956 Florida properties, or one in every 178 homes. Only Nevada, with one in 82 properties facing foreclosure, is worse off. Hillsborough County showed the biggest monthly increase in Tampa Bay with 4,663 properties falling into foreclosure in the month. Pinellas County had 1,813 foreclosure cases, while Pasco and Hernando counties had 1,175 and 374 cases, respectively.

"Anything we can do to get foreclosure numbers down will quicken the stabilization of the market," said Ritch Workman, president of the 2100-member Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers.

The new federal government foreclosure-assistance program now being negotiated would be run by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC).

No one understands that process involved in short sales and foreclosure sales than an experienced Tampa Bay real estate professional like Cheryl Stimac. You can visit her Tampa Florida real estate website or call her directly at 813-263-6806 for further information.

Home Selling - Target Your Buyer Audience

Have you noticed how political campaigns target specific groups of voters? The needs of each group are identified and addressed separately, because politicians recognize that the voting public is not a single, generic person, but a collection of millions of different personalities.

When selling your home, targeting your home properly could be your most important strategy because buyers have different needs and desires, just as voters do. When listing your home, ask your Realtor for details about the marketing plan he or she intends to use to attract different segments of the home buying population.

"Targeted" marketing, as pointed out in Cheryl Stimac's most recent newsletter, is an extremely effective method of attracting home buyers. No one understands that process more than an experienced real estate professional like Cheryl Stimac. You can visit her Tampa Florida real estate website or call her directly at 813-263-6806. You will be glad you did. If you'd like to subscribe to Cheryl's newsletter, you can sign up at her Newsletter Request Form.

Tampa's Proposed FY 2009 City Budget

Tampa Florida's mayor, Pam Iorio, it seems to us, has performed a balancing act with her proposed budget for fiscal year 2009 running from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.

The mayor's summary of the budget states that her proposed 2009 budget invests in Tampa's quality of life, including initiatives that affect neighborhood life on a day to day basis by promoting safe, clean and attrative neighborhoods, creating a downtown residential setting, making regional mass transit a reality, and promoting Tampa as a "City of the Arts." Offsetting these investments, the budget holds the line on recurring costs, especially personnel costs, since the city can no longer count on the big annual increases in property tax revenues it enjoyed in past years.

The overheated real estate market which has fallen dramatically, has impaired the flow of increased property tax revenues. In addition, the State of Florida legislature passed mandatory tax cuts and Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment doubling the homestead exemption.

To cover these decreased revenues, the mayor has eliminated more than 380 city positions in the last 2 years and, hopefully, offset those staffing reductions with improved efficiencies in the way the city government operates.

Even with the mayor's proposed cuts, the $836 million budget still represents a 9.8% increase over the FY 2008 budget, due mainly to funds for her proposed infrastructure improvements. Tampa City Council will now have to review, and amend or approve, the mayor's proposed budget.

In the judgment of many, Mayor Pam Iorio has proposed a FY 2009 budget that keeps the city of Tampa moving ahead while adjusting to the new realities of reduced city revenues.

If you would like to know more about Tampa and Tampa Bay, Florida feel free to call me directly at (813) 263-6806, E-Mail Me or visit my Tampa Florida Real Estate website. I'd be delighted to be of service to you.

Should You Buy Now in Tampa Bay or Wait

5 GOOD REASONS TO BUY NOW

1. Prices in the neighborhoods you prefer are currently relatively stable -- either holding steady or increasing slightly, or, -- the pace of price declines has slowed dramatically meaning the major decline is over. If you are ready to move, the small penalty you might pay by missing the absolute bottom of the market may not mean much.

2. You plan to stay in the home for five years or more. If you plan to stay that long before selling, leading economists say you will probably have gotten beyond this price downturn and you'll come out ahead on price when you sell the home.

3. Your rent is relatively close to what your mortgage payment would be. If you qualify for a mortgage, you will be building equity in your new home and you will be able to deduct the mortgage-interest and property taxes on your federal income taxes.

4. You've found the perfect home in the right area. The schools are great. You know it will be hard to find another home as nice as the one you have your eye on. In a better housing market, you might have much more competition for that home and end up paying more for it if its even available at that point.

5. You've built equity in your current home and are moving to a place where homes prices are lower in a market where your money will go a lot further.

5 REASONS TO WAIT BEFORE BUYING

1. If you have lived in your current home for less than 2 years, there is a good chance that you haven't accumulated any real equity in your home. In fact, you may have negative equity, (you owe more on your mortage than the home is now worth) if you live in certain areas of the country.

2. Your job isn't secure. If you may get laid off or lose your job altogether, it's better to stay where you are until things improve. If you lose your job and have to move some distance, it'll be much harder to come out ahead selling a home you just bought.

3. You don't plan to stay in your next house for at least 5 years. While it's not important to buy at the exact bottom of a home price curve, it is important that you stay long enough to ride out the cycle. Prices will certainly recover but it may take a few years.

4. You don't have good credit or a sufficient down payment. Because of the sub-prime mortgage mess, lenders are more careful today about who they'll give a mortgage to. Speak with a number of lenders about different programs they offer, but don't be surprised if you are turned down completely.

5. You have an existing home to sell in an area where prices are still falling or where many homes are in foreclosure or already bank-owned. In such a "distress sale" neighborhood, your buyer prospects may be just "bottom-feeders" looking to buy a home well below its real market value if the market were in a normal situation.

For more information on Tampa Bay real estate opportunities, I invite you to visit my full Tampa Bay Florida Real Estate website and then call me at (813) 263-6806 or email me at cheryl@cherylstimac.com
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What Is a Buyer's Agent, Why Would You Want One

First, let's define the roles a real estate agent can choose to play. Licensed Realtors®, by law, can act in a number of roles. A real estate professional acting in the role of a Listing or Sellers Agent represents the Seller and is obligated by law to help the Seller get the best price and terms.

A Realtor acting in the role of a Buyers Agent works for the Buyer and must
legally and ethically look out for the Buyer's best interest, not the Seller's.

Some Realtors act as either Sellers Agents or Buyers Agents exclusively. Other Realtors have the knowledge and experience to provide service to both Buyers or Sellers, but with few exceptions, on any given transaction, they can act only in one of the roles. Either they represent the Seller or they represent the Buyer, not both
at the same time for that would present a conflict-of-interest.

In some states, including Florida, real estate agents can act in a special role called various things but most commonly, as a "Transaction Broker". When acting in this role, the Realtor must declare to you that he or she is acting in that role and is, in fact, representing neither the Buyer nor the Seller but simply acting as a "facilitator of a transaction."

In general, you, as a buyer, are best served by a Realtor acting specifically as your Buyers Agent.

The details of buying a home can be overwhelming. A professional Tampa Bay real estate Buyers Agent can guide you through the entire process and make the experience much easier, less frustratiing and more enjoyable. And buying a home should be just that -- an enjoyable experience.

- A Buyer's Agent can advise you on many important considerations about a neighborhood you may be considering...the schools, children in the area, traffic volumes, etc.

- He will help you determine the price home you can afford and search the Tampa Florida Multiple Listing Service for homes that fit your needs and affordability. Ther are few things more frustrating than viewing homes you cannot afford.

- With access to homes as soon as they’re on the market, your Buyers Agent schedule a tour of every home that comes on the market tha fits your situation saving you time wasted driving around looking at homes from the outside that don't fit your situation anyway.

- He or she can screen homes on the market to assure they're reasonably priced and in good condition before taking you to see only those in your price range with the amenities you want.

- Your Tampa Florida realtor will point out ways to structure the deal to save you money, explain the advantages of different types of mortgages, guide you through the paperwork, protect your interests during inspections, and answer any questions as you make an offer, negotiate the final price and sign the closing papers.

In most instances, you don’t pay your Buyer's Agent anything at all for all these services. Payment for all the work a Tampa buyers agent does for you comes from the home seller under the terms of the listing contract.

Remember, if you see a home in a Tampa newspaper, real estate book or on the Internet, and you contact the Realtor in that ad, you're calling the Listing Agent,
who is looking out for the Seller, not you. If you want someone looking out for your interests, not the Seller's, you want the services of a Tampa Florida Realtor acting as your Buyers Agent.

So, how do you find a Buyers Agent in the Tampa real estate market? It's easy! Just ask a licensed Tampa area Realtor if he or she is willing to act as your "Buyer's Agent. He or she will most likely be happy to provde that service.

And why use a Buyers Agent A Buyers Agent Realtor looks out for your interests and desires, in most cases, at no cost to you. A better question might be, "Why not use a Buyers Agent since it generally costs you nothing.".

Are You Ready For Hurricane Season ?

Well, It's June 1st and the start of hurricane season not only in Florida but all over the Southeastern coast of the United States.

Are you prepared to protect yourself and your family in case of any serious incident ? It's always better to be safe than sorry. You may want to take a few minutes now and read this Hurricane Readiness Article.

If you are interested in moving your family to the Tampa Florida or Tampa Bay area, or if you need to sell a property anywhere in Hillsborough or Pasco County, Florida, I invite you to visit my Tampa Florida real estate website.

Before you Buy That Florida Condo

Before you make a firm offer to buy a condominium in Tampa Bay, Florida, regardless of whether its a normal transaction or a foreclosure-related short sale, you need to know what else is involved other than its availability, condition, and price.

You need to gather and understand a fair amount of information other than just its availability and price. Read this article about Questions to Ask Before Buying a Condo and then call me at (813) 263-6806 or email me at cheryl@cherylstimac.com

For more general information on Tampa Bay real estate opportunities, I invite you to visit my full Tampa Bay Florida Real Estate website.

Welcme to Tampa Bay Florida

Tampa Florida is the "heart" of Tampa Bay, an ideal hometown for young families and retirees alike. Tampa Bay's weather is delightful. The average year-round temperature is 72°, a refreshing 60° in January and an average of 82° in August.

Our phenomenal weather fosters an abundance of outdoor recreation. The Hillsborough River, stretching 56 miles, offers fishing, canoeing, and boating. There are numrous camping areas and hiking trails as well as nearly 200 parks, 136 picnic areas and 80 playgrounds. There are swimming pools, tennis and racquet ball courts, and dozens of golf golf courses as well as professional baseball, hockey and football teams including the Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Lovers of art, music, dance and theater enjoy a wealth of galleries and museums like the Tampa Museum of Art, Museum of Science & Industry and University of South Florida's Contemporary Art Museum. Broadway musicals and operas excite patrons continually at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Lowry Park Zoo entertains families with frequent events as does the award-winning Florida Aquarium.

The Tampa lifstyle is further enhanced by several annual events including the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, Tampa's own version of Mardi Gras, the annual Strawberry Festival, and the MacDill AFB Air Show. Thanks to wonderful weather there are dozens of arts and crafts shows, parades, street festivals year-round.

The University of South Florida, University of Tampa, and Hillsborough Community College campuses plus other smaller insitutions of learning add an academic flavor to the area.

World-class medical care is available at Tampa General, University Community Hospital, Memorial Hospital of Tampa and at St Joseph's Women's Hospital and Children's Hospital and many other smaller health care providers.

In Tampa and the surrounding Hillsborough and Pasco County communities of Temple Terrace, Brandon, Lutz, Wesley Chapel, Land O'Lakes and Zephyrhills, there are homes and condos from the most luxurious to the very affordable. There is something for everyone on the Tampa Bay Florida real estate market. And with recent home price declines, there are very attractive bargains to be found right now.

For more information on popular Tampa Bay communities, including golf course communities, visit my Tampa Florida website. I'd be delighted to show you all that Tampa Bay Florida has to offer. You may also E-Mail Me or call me on my cellphone at (813) 263-6806 for immediate service.

Selling Your Tampa Bay Home Now Might Be A Smart Move

At first it might sound odd, but right now might be the best time to sell your Tampa Bay, Florida home.

Every home has things about it that you wish you could change. You may or may not have noticed these issues when you bought the home but you can't fix them now for various reasons. Maybe the cost would drive your investment in the home beyond what the local neighborhood would support. Or, maybe your home cannot be changed to suit your current needs and desires because of its physical structure, the lot size, it's locale, or changes in youe own personal circumstances. Maybe it was near a great school when you bought it, but now the kids are grown and that school nearby is just a source of noise and traffic congestion. Realtors call these home problems, it's "unchangeables."

"But why is right now a good time to sell when prices have dropped as much as 20%," you ask. Here's why. While the price you can get for your current home may be down, so is the price of a home that doesn't have it's drawbacks, or "unchangeables." With recent home price declines and interest rates at historically low levels, NOW may be the right time to step up to the home you originally wanted but just couldn't afford.

Let's take an example. Supposing you bought your home three or four years ago for $300,000, but it has lost 20% of its value and can now be sold for closer to $240.000 -- down $60,000. But, the home you originally wanted that sold then for $425,000 is now down by that same 20% to $340,000, a drop of $85,000, almost one and a half times the reduction your own current home took.

And with so many homes currently on the market, if the seller of that $425,000 home that's now worth only $340,000 needs to sell, it is very possible that, with the help of an aggressive Realtor, you can negotiate that price down even lower. Chances are that if you could afford the home you paid $300,000 for 3 or 4 years ago, you can probably afford the home you always wanted if you buy it now that prices are so depressed.

As a bonus, when home prices start to rebound, you'll not only have the nicer home, but that new home's price will rise even faster than your old one with those troublesome "unchangeables."

For help in finding the right Tampa Bay Florida home for you and your family, visit Cheryl Stimac's Tampa Florida Real Estate website. For more immediate help, call Cheryl at Red Shoe Realty, LLC on her cell phone at 813-263-6806 or E-Mail her today. You'll be glad you did.

Baby Boomer Retirees Will Drive Tampa Bay Real Estate Comeback

It was the prospect of baby boomers retiring en masse to Florida that fueled the Florida real estate boom, and it now looks as though the actual arrival of thousands of baby boomer retirees over the next few years will be what it takes to help the Tampa Bay real estate market rebound from its current doldrums.

Speaking at a forum sponsored by the University of South Florida's Institute for Public Policy and Leadership, Brad Edmondson, the former editor of American Demographics magazine, said there has been some decline in the rate of population growth in Southwest Florida as evidenced by the fact that school enrollment is slightly below forecasted levels.

Edmondson predicted that Southwest Florida and Tampa Bay populations will not decline as some as predicted. Once the current housing correction passes, the region will grow again thanks to an influx of those new baby boomer retirees.

"The supply of retirees for the Tampa Bay, Florida area is about to grow explosively," Edmondson said. Edmonson believes that even though only 20% of Americans aged 60 and older move across state lines when they retire the Tampa Bay area will get more than its share. "The number of people entering their 60s will grow 5 times as fast as it did during the 1990s," Edmondson said. "This is an age group that thinks Tampa Bay is a very attractive place to live."

While not all forum participants were quite as positive, one area developer and home builder said he was sure that Florida will going to continue to grow.

If you're interested in buying Tampa Bay real estate, you may want to buy now before the big surge of baby boomer retirees starts driving prices back up again. For more information and assistance in achieving your retirement real estate goals in Tampa Bay, Florida, please contact me at (813) 263-6806 or visit my Tampa Bay real estate website today. You may also just E-mail me. I'd be happy to be of assistance to you.

Gov Crist Addresses Florida Realtors on Property Tax Amendment

With “Vote Yes On 1” signs raised high, Florida Realtors greeted Governor Charlie Crist this morning with a standing ovation, thanking Crist for his efforts to cut property taxes. The governor addressed Realtors attending the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) Mid-Winter Business Meetings in Orlando.

  “When was the last time you could go to the ballot box and pass yourself a tax cut?," he asked. "Tell everyone you see to vote for Amendment 1. It’s critical to Florida’s economy,” Governor Crist added.

  Read the Full Story on the Florida Association of Realtors' website. Then please call upon me for assistance in buying or selling Tampa Bay real estate . You may also call me directly at (813) 263-6806 or email me at cheryl@cherylstimac.com

This story, copyrighted by the Florida Association of Realtors, is presented here for your information only