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Archive for December, 2007
Busy Week For Tampa Home Sales
December 21st, 2007 categories: Tampa Real Estate, Tampa MLS, Hillsborough Property Tax
This coming week is usually busy as buyers rush to close before the end of the year to qualify for the homestead exemption for 2008.
In order to qualify for any given year, buyers must own and have lived in the property since January 1st of that year. From Rob Turner’s website:
The deadline for a homestead exemption application is March 3, to have it apply for that year. You must own and have lived in the house as of January 1, of that year to qualify. You may prequalify for homestead year-round for the following year. Once homestead is granted, it is automatically renewed.
So just how busy? According to our MLS, there are 284 properties in pending status (City = Tampa) with an expected closing by 12/31/2007.
More about the Homestead Exemption:
Data used is from the Mid-Florida Regional MLS, all brokers/agents included. Does not include private, non-brokered sales.
Tampa Home Sales Chart Helps Sellers Understand Market
December 19th, 2007 categories: Tampa Market Conditions, Tips for Sellers
If you follow what I have to say here you know I love charts. So when our assistant Team Leader at our office sent me this chart, I figured I’d share it with anyone with any interest in the Tampa real estate market conditions. The chart really shows how the inventory of Tampa homes for sale has swollen since Q4 2005, while the number of Tampa home sales has steadily declined.
If you are a Tampa homeowner looking to sell in this market, you can imagine the competitive nature out there. What’s selling are the most desirable properties and/or the properties that are priced at a point in which the few buyers out there see value.
Congress Votes To Remove Taxing Forgiven Debt…Short Sales
December 19th, 2007 categories: Tips for Sellers, Short Sale Information
As expected, the Senate voted to OK doing away with taxing the debt relieved when someone short sells their home. The House had wanted a permanent change but the Senate went for temporary (3 year) relief. The House approved the amended bill.
The IRS normally treats forgiven mortgage debt as income and taxes it as such. So if you short sale your home (sell it for less than you owe, with note holder’s approval), you’d normally be taxed on that portion forgiven. Not for the next three years however. It’s just waiting for George’s signature.
More help from the government for folks who need to sell, but can’t payoff the loan because of declining values. Now, if they can only find a buyer…How much will the lender forgive?
Need further details on selling your home for less than you owe? Do you qualify? Call us for further information.
Nothing But Roller Coasters!
December 19th, 2007 categories: Tampa Real Estate, Things To Do In Tampa
I’m a roller coaster enthusiast to the extent that I just love riding the darn things. I can’t say that I’ve ridden that many, but when the opportunity presents itself, I usually hop on for a ride.
So after a doctor’s appointment in Temple Terrace yesterday, I noticed the sign pointing the way to Busch Gardens. Being the week before Christmas, I had no other appointments for the day, and got to thinking about that Busch Gardens Fun Card in my wallet. I had been previously suckered in to the FLORIDA RESIDENTS: PAY FOR A DAY AND COME BACK ALL YEAR IN 2007! ad. So I decided, this was the time to go back.
I have always wanted to go and just ride all the coasters in the same day. My almost 9 year old son hasn’t really taken to riding them yet, so when we’re there as a family, the coasters don’t get much love. So, off I went for some adventure. Busch Gardens Tampa has to have one of the better coaster collections in the USA. And if you’re a coaster fan, you’ve got all you can handle within 100 miles of Tampa.
The parking lot was pretty empty relative to when I’m usually there in mid-summer. Great, no lines. First up, and just inside the gates was Gwazi, a double wooden roller coaster that will appeal to the traditionalists. Gwazi is a rough and tumble ride, what you’d expect from a wooden coaster. I rode solo in the front car, with no wait. Check out the Gwazi video.
Next up was Sheikra, a coaster that Busch Gardens claims was the nation’s first “dive-coaster”. And dive it did, twice in fact. Certainly the first coaster that’s ever given me that OH SH*#! feeling. Sheikra is like riding in a big 1975 Coupe De Ville, that gets to a cliff edge and hangs there before dropping 90 degrees straight down for 200 feet. It’s a smooth, fast ride, but on the short side time-wise. The floors disappear just before you take off, a new feature added summer of 2007. Rode this one twice, in the third (last) row. Check out Sheikra.
On to Kumba, my personal favorite and a Busch Gardens coaster since about 1995. Kumba seems to have more twist and loops (combined) than any of the others, and while I’m no physicist, the g-forces on this baby seem to beat all the others. I rode Kumba twice as well, with no wait.
Adjacent to The Congo, home of Kumba, is Timbuktu, home of Scorpion. Scorpion is a much smaller metal track coaster that is more geared to younger enthusiasts. But Scorpion does have a 60 foot drop and 360 degree loop that keeps things exciting. One ride on Scorpion and away I went.
The final coaster that I wanted to ride, one I’d never ridden, was Montu. Montu is isolated at the other side of the park near the entrance. A brief stop for my second complimentary Anheuser-Busch adult beverage, and I was off to the Egyptian themed area of the Park. But passing Gwazi again, I noticed there was no line, and I took a quick second ride on this one.
Off to Egypt. There was no line here either, and I hopped right on to the last row of Montu. Montu is one of those inverted coasters, with the track over your head, your feet dangling in the open space below. This was my least favorite of all the Busch Gardens coasters. The last row is not the place to be on this one. I like to see where I’m headed and all I could see were the backs of the individuals in the car ahead of me. It was a smooth ride with many loops, but this one was disappointing for me. Montu video.
After 8 rides, I figured enough is enough for a while. If you like roller coasters, Busch Gardens Tampa is a must see. If you’re visiting Tampa, and/or considering buying or selling residential real estate in Tampa, give us a call.
Noisy Nights On Westshore
December 19th, 2007 categories: Tampa Real Estate, South Tampa, Westshore, South Tampa Neighborhoods
If you live on the far west side of the Interbay Peninsula, as I do, with no doubt you’ve noticed the increase in larger aircraft using the east runway at TIA. I’ve noticed that around 11:30pm for the last few nights, there is a steady flow of noisy air traffic for about an hour or so.
The larger aircraft typically use runway 36L that brings them in over the bay instead of right over Westshore Blvd as runway 36R does. But since there are some rather large cranes just south of the airport that begin construction work at 11pm, 36R will be getting more nighttime use.
The construction is tied to the Tampa Airport Interchange Project, the mess near Spruce and the expressway. Here’s the disturbing news: “Based on the FDOT’s construction schedule, this situation will have to occur over the next 3 years.”
TIA, in its efforts to keep area residents notified, has created a Community Noise Impact Notifications page on its website so that we can know when to go to bed with the earplugs in place. You can even sign up for e-mail notifications. Comforting, is it not? Check it out: Tampa International Airport noise impact.
But in TIA’s defense we have one of the best airports in the world. I grew up in New Orleans, and the airport formerly known as Moisant, is much the same as it was in the 1970’s, awful. But I still look forward to the bumpy landing there in anticipation of grabbing a beignet and a Daquiri. And at least TIA is being pro-active and doing something to keep residents in the know. The new interchange will hopefully improve what is currently a clusterf…, if you know what I mean.
Read the latest TIA Community Noise Consortium Letter.
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