Those combined efforts paid off when Merlot was found late Wednesday by a neighbor. Seems Merlot, a Vizsla mix, had wondered into the canal on Spring Lake Drive. Merlot is back safe and sound with her owners, just like in a certain wireless provider’s commercial.

add to:

Hide Sites

We get this question often due to the popularity of Craftsman style bungalows in Tampa. The homes are in demand because of the character, and architectural interest they offer. Most of Tampa’s American Craftsman style bungalows were built from about 1910 through the late 1930s, so focusing on neighborhoods that were developed primarily during that time period will answer the question. In Tampa, those neighborhoods include Hyde Park, Palma Ceia Park, New Suburb Beautiful, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, Riverside Heights, Ybor City, Ybor Heights, Ridgewood Park, West Tampa and even Bayshore Beautiful (Harbor View Ave has some beauties), among a few others.

Bungalows are tagged as such in our MLS, so we can easily find all of the true bungalow homes currently listed for sale for our buyer clients. Here are a few Tampa bungalows for sale:

Seminole Heights Bungalow

Looking for a bungalow home in Tampa? Fill out the form on this page and we’ll get back to you ASAP to get you pointed in the right direction.

add to:

Hide Sites

Terrazzo is a mix of small to medium sized marble (most common) chips in a cement binder material, usually portland cement. After it is poured and cured, it is ground and polished to create a beautifully smooth and glossy surface. Granite, glass, and quartz chips are also used in terrazzo.

I was raised in New Orleans in a 60s ranch style home that had terrazzo floors, and my mid-50s Tampa rancher has terrazzo floors original to about half of the house. But the previous homeowner chose to cover it all up, with carpet in the Florida room, and a hideous white tile in the kitchen. We removed the carpet soon after moving in and had a local company refinish the beautiful floor in the Florida room.

Terrazzo w/ Tile Partially Removed

I wasn’t really aware of the terrazzo in the kitchen until the recent removal of the old range revealed some exposed terrazzo along the wall. Time for tile to go. So upon removing the tile, which came up rather easily, we noticed that the dye in the grout has stained a checkerboard pattern in the terrazzo. So the challenge now is to find an area specialist who can tell us to what degree the floor can be restored. We really hope to keep the terrazzo exposed, as we are attempting to bring back the 50s feel that was lost through the years. I have some great memories of the 80s, but the previous homeowner’s renovations stamped an 80’s feel on the home which just doesn’t fit.  Tiling over the terrazzo again is a distant second as an option.

Terrazzo w/Grout Stains

Restored & Not Yet Restored

So hopefully I can soon post some “after” photos of a successful Tampa terrazzo restoration.

After 1 Day of Grinding

Update: So we’ve hired a Tampa terrazzo refinishing company, and after day one of what will be a total of 6 grades of grinding, that’s what the floor looks like.

Another Update:

So the restoration and the polishing of our terrazzo floor is complete as shown below. A far cry from a week ago!

Close-up

Looking for Tampa homes with terrazzo floors? Just fill out this form and we’ll get back with you ASAP

Check out these glass chip terrazzo countertops!

National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association

add to:

Hide Sites

Here are a few quotes of note from NAR’s Chief Economist regarding this news:

• “It is by no means a time for celebration”
• “Areas that are improving in terms of pending sales (but not necessarily in terms of price) can be found in many California and Florida markets”
• “With so many pieces of the puzzle now moving in opposite directions, the crystal ball reading has become even cloudier”
• “…affordability conditions are at the highest in nearly 40 years”
• “Mortgage rates are at historical lows, but obtaining an approval has become a lot more difficult”
• “Even FHA loans are putting up tighter conditions for homebuyers…”
• “Because of continuing soft home sales for at least few additional months, the inventory will remain bloated and pressure home prices to be weaker over the next six months”
• “It should be noted that the current lower price reading is partly driven by more sales activity in low-priced neighborhoods and many fewer sales in higher-priced neighborhoods”
• “The problems in the jumbo mortgage market have stalled activity on the upper end”

Real estate is local but none of the statements is contrary to what’s happening right here in Tampa. In fact, regionally, the south had the greatest month over month gain in the index at 13%. But the south region is up only 1.6% as compared to December of 2007 (we’ll take it).

But here in Tampa, I keep track of the number of pending properties on a regular basis. For early February, Tampa has 53% more properties under contract than we did same time last year. And as I’ve noted before, a majority of the inventory under contract is pre-foreclosure and post foreclosure stuff. So some bottom-feeding has begun.

add to:

Hide Sites

So if you’re a Tampa homebuyer, here’s what you should know:

• Buyers usually have the right to test for radon during the home inspection period. The contract that we use with our buyer clients gives them the right to inspect for radon, and cancel the purchase agreement if radon is found at a level that exceeds EPA standards. The buyer can also ask the seller to have the problem corrected.
• Many home inspectors also offer radon testing.
• There are certain areas of Hillsborough County where radon sometimes exceeds EPA standards (according to a radon specialist with whom I spoke)

As for the granite, it’s everywhere these days. Most new homes have it, many older homes have it as well. Most buyers I work with want it. And since most buyers want it, many home sellers update their kitchens and baths with granite in preparation for selling. Personally, I’m tired of seeing it. There are some great alternatives to granite these days, always has been really. Tile, Corian, Silestone, laminates, etc. My kitchen is certainly in need of an upgrade. The previous homeowner’s choices were not timeless unfortunately. One look at my kitchen and the 80’s instantly are recalled.

But my next choice will most likely be concrete. I haven’t heard about any hazardous gasses related to concrete, and the design options are endless.  My wife and I have long had our eyes on a custom terrazzo pattern (below) by Tampa custom countertop designer Jeff Downing. Check out Jeff’s site:

Radon Info:

EPA Radon Guide for Home Sellers and Buyers
Certified Florida Radon Specialists

add to:

Hide Sites