StarMetro, Tallahassee’s public transit system, is one step closer to launching its brand new all-electric, zero-emission buses. It has just begun construction on a FastFill charging station, manufactured by Proterra Inc., that will charge the electric buses at the central transfer station in as little as 10 minutes.

“When fully implemented, we will have five electric buses in operation, which will be the largest electric bus fleet in the nation,” said City Commissioner Scott Maddox, who serves on the city’s Long Range Planning Target Issue Committee. “This action, along with our commitment to compressed natural gas fueling, once again reflects Tallahassee as a leader in sustainability and in finding ways to efficiently help our citizens travel throughout the community. The fact that we have been awarded over $7 million in federal grants also shows that our work is being recognized on a national level.”

Ivan Maldonado, interim executive director of StarMetro, said the decision to place the Proterra FastFill charging station at C.K. Steele Plaza will eliminate the need for the electric buses to go off line to receive a charge at StarMetro’s main facility on Appleyard Drive.  “With the charging station at the plaza, the electric buses can rapidly recharge on-route as customers unload and board the bus.”

Read Full Article

On Saturday, March 23rd, the Tallahassee Network of Young Professionals (NYP) is hosting the second annual Golden A.C.E. Awards and Gala at Hotel Duval. A Golden A.C.E. recipient is an emerging young leader in their respective industry and also represents the award’s namesake – to highlight those in the community who pursue Authentic Community Engagement, or A.C.E.

The Tallahassee Network of Young Professionals congratulates all the deserving nominees!

And the nominees are …click here 

6 Steps in the Home Buying Process

The home buying process doesn’t need to be dreadful.  I will guide you through this process, answer your questions on what you should expect from a REALTOR®, help you find where to look for loans, and what to prepare for closing a successful transaction.

Here are a few steps that will put things in perspective for you:

1.   The Pre-Approval

This is most often a requirement when presenting offers is today’s market.  It means that you have begun the process of working with a lender, that you are serious about your decision, that you are ready, willing and able to purchase a home. I will help you find a lender you are comfortable with….(STAY AWAY FROM INTERNET LENDERS!!), someone who we can communicate with directly!

2. Connect with your Realtor, Stay in Contact with Me!

What are the important and necessary elements of a home. Relaying this information to your REALTOR® will insure that we are on the same page, that we do waste time looking for something that will not fit your needs or lifestyle.  There are many ways a REALTOR® will present properties to you during this process.  This is where the fun begins!

     3. Choosing a Home

You will know it when you walk in it. Trust me on this one.

    4.  You have selected the home you want. Now its time to Make an Offer – The Sales Contract

It’s not as scary as it seems. I will explain each clause and make sure that you are comfortable with this step!

     5. Due Diligence; Property Inspections

There will be deadlines for you, and for the seller once a Contract has been fully accepted and executed. I will coordinate these details for you! Typical inspections are:

 - Home Inspection,Price of the inspection is based on the inspector and square footage of the home. Average Price for 2,400 sq ft or less $350-$475. It is a visual inspection of the structure and components of a home to find items that are not performing correctly or items that are unsafe. If a problem or a symptom of a problem is found the home inspector will include a description of the problem in a written report and may recommend further evaluation. Before you close, you need to consider whether or not repairs are needed now and who’s going to pay for them.

 - Radon Inspection, Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell or taste radon, but it may be a problem in your home. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you’re at high risk for developing lung cancer. Some scientific studies of radon exposure indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. This may be due to their higher respiration rate and their rapidly dividing cells, which may be more vulnerable to radiation damage.

-Wood Destroying Organism Inspection (WDO), A Wood Destroying Organism report (WDO) is a written report following a detailed inspection by a certified WDO inspector. This type of inspection is more commonly known as the termite inspection in the real estate industry. The inspection and subsequent report is designed to identify and report any visible and accessible evidence of an infestation or damage by wood destroying organisms.

    6. Closing

Making sure that all details have been taken care of, including title work, surveys and lender required inspections is the last step.  Again.. I will coordinate these details for you!

  * What’s Next?

Moving,.. enjoying your new home…Your New Responsibility

The Best Gift a Realtor can receive is a referral and feedback on services provided.

 Home Buyer Brochure

1)      Pre-Foreclosure:  This includes a short sale, deed in lieu of foreclosure,

cash for keys, quit claim deed, reinstatement of mortgage, forbearance agreement etc.

2)      Foreclosure:  At the sheriff’s auction lenders bid against everyone else

to gain control of the property (deed).  Most liens against the property are extinguished after this action.

3)      Post-Foreclosure:  Majority of the properties that are subject of a foreclosure end up in this category.  The property then becomes a liability to the Lender, FHA (HUD), or VA and all except VA hires a Real Estate Broker to list and sell the property. HUD and VA properties are on the Internet (HUD.org and Vahomes.org) bids must be placed thru a registered Broker/Realtor®.

             Difference between a “Short Sale” and a “Foreclosure”

Short sale is a process where a negotiated settlement is made between the lender that holds the mortgage and the seller for a third party buyer usually facilitated by a professional like a Realtor or an Attorney, even before the foreclosure process in initiated by the lender.  Therefore it is considered a pre-foreclosure sale. Foreclosure may be the only option, if there are too many liens and other issues clouding the title, as a “cleansing process” to clear up the title.

NEW YORK – Aug. 15, 2012 – The HGTV cable channel will construct its first HGTV Smart Home in Paradise Key South Beach in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Designed to fit into the coastal Northeast Florida architecture, the home will feature the latest technology and incorporate many of energy-saving features.

HGTV viewers can enter for a chance to win the home next spring when the HGTV Smart Home Giveaway opens for entries in April 2013. They can follow construction progress at www.hgtv.com/smarthome.

Smart home technology connects many appliances and devices, and allows homeowners to monitor energy use and control systems such as security, interior climate, lighting and other electronics.

Designed by architect Mike Stauffer, AIA, and constructed by Glenn Layton Homes, the HGTV Smart Home will measure about 2,400 square feet with over 1,000 square feet of covered porches, decks and a pool. The project will use primarily local labor and materials.

“This community’s thoughtful design vision and refreshing coastal architecture make Paradise Key a remarkable place to live and a wonderful setting to showcase the first HGTV Smart Home,” says developer Lon Walton. “We have an outstanding beach community, and we are very excited about teaming with HGTV and having the First Coast as the first location for the HGTV Smart Home.”

© 2012 Florida Realtors®

CLICK HERE for more information and images

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sept. 19, 2012 – U.S. builders started work on more homes in August, driven by the fastest pace of single-family home construction in more than two years. The increase points to steady progress in the housing recovery.

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that construction of homes and apartments rose 2.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 750,000 last month. That’s up from 733,000 in July, which was revised lower from last month’s initial estimate.

Single-family housing starts rose 5.5 percent to an annual rate of 535,000 homes, the best pace since April 2010. Apartment construction, which can be volatile from month to month, fell 4.9 percent.

Applications for building permits, a good sign of future construction, fell to an annual rate of 803,000. Still, that’s down from a four-year high of 811,000 in July, which was revised higher.

The rate of home construction has risen nearly 60 percent since hitting a recession low of 478,000 in April 2009. It’s still half the pace considered healthy. But the steady gains suggest the housing recovery could endure.

“Housing is clearly in a recovery mode,” said Jim O’Sullivan, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. He said home construction should add about a 0.3 percentage point to overall economic growth this year.

The broader economy may also benefit from recent and more sustainable gains in home prices. When that happens, Americans typically feel wealthier and spend more. Consumer spending drives 70 percent of the economic growth.

The August gains in housing starts were uneven across the country. They were led by a sharp 20.7 percent increase in new construction of homes and apartments in the Midwest. Starts also rose 3.7 percent in the South. But they fell 12.6 percent in the Northeast and 4.3 percent in the West.

Confidence among builders rose in September to the highest level in more than six years, according to a survey released Tuesday by the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo. And builders are more confident that sales will improve over the next six months, the survey noted.

Sales of both new and previously occupied homes are running ahead of last year. Home prices are increasing more consistently, in part because the supply of homes has shrunk and foreclosures have eased. And mortgage rates remain near record lows, a strong enticement for potential buyers with good credit.

Even with the gains, the housing market remains weak. Many would-be buyers are having difficulty qualifying for loans or can’t afford the larger downpayments being required by banks.

Though new homes represent less than 20 percent of the housing sales market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to the NAHB’s data.

The Federal Reserve last week announced new stimulus measures intended to keep mortgage rates low for the next few years.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the bank would purchase $40 billion of mortgage-backed securities each month until the job market improves “substantially.” That could push down longer-term interest rates and spur more borrowing and spending.

The Fed also hopes that lower mortgage rates will accelerate the housing market recovery and boost home prices. That, in turn, could make people feel wealthier and more willing to spend, which would bolster economic growth.
 Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press, Martin Crutsinger, AP economics writer.

With prices and sales softening, it’s easy to fall into the trap that we’re in a down market. Anyone who’s been there before knows this market is still a shining star.

After 35 years in sales, Michael Pruitt is always optimistic about the New Year. “I’m anticipating an improvement in the market in the first half of 2007,” says Pruitt, broker-owner, Pruitt Real Estate Inc. in Melbourne. “In single-family homes where sellers have become reasonable on pricing, we’re seeing a steady increase in new contracts, but the excess inventory from builders is holding the market back.”

From the Panhandle to the Keys, Florida real estate analysts and professionals have a mixed outlook on 2007. On the positive side, job creation remains strong throughout the state, mortgage rates are still low and more baby boomers are looking for second homes.

But those factors are counterbalanced by an oversupply of new condominiums and single-family homes in many markets, along with high sales prices, and rising property taxes and insurance premiums, especially in coastal areas. While builders around the state are cutting back on new home and condominium developments, there are still plenty of projects in the pipeline that will add to available housing inventory.

“Nationwide, this will be a fairly short and moderate market crash in those markets that became overheated,” says David Stiff, senior economist with FiServe CSW. “We expect this to bring affordability back in line.”

“In 2007, pricing will be the primary key to sales velocity with resales and new homes,” says analyst Lewis Goodkin, president of Goodkin Consulting in Miami. “It’s important to understand that the buyers are still out there looking for homes that provide good value.”

More Realistic Prices
Rick Miller, a broker with RE/MAX Central Realty in Lake Mary, agrees. “I think the Central Florida market will become better in 2007 as sellers become more realistic about pricing,” he says. “I also see more sellers who realize the benefits of using a full-service real estate professional.” He says that now, more than ever, sellers are relying on the type of marketing and service they get from a Realtor®.

On a statewide basis, economist Hank Fishkind, president of Fishkind & Associates in Orlando, expects resale-closing volumes to decline about 25 percent compared with 2006. “But even as we move back from our recent highs, this is still a good market by historic terms,” he says.

Fishkind adds that there may be wide variations in Florida’s diverse regional markets. For instance, Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay are likely to lead the state’s comeback because of strong demand for primary homes. “Our state’s population growth has slowed only slightly, and that will help absorption of our single-family inventory,” he says. “Job creation won’t be as strong as the last two years, but Florida will still lead the nation.”

Second-Home Markets
On the other hand, it will take time for South Florida—especially Miami and West Palm Beach—to absorb the new condominium units coming to market this year, Goodkin says. And second-home markets, like the Treasure Coast, Panhandle and Sarasota, may face relatively slow activity until these discretionary buyers return to the market.

However, according to Richard J. DeKaser, chief economist for National City Corp. in Cleveland, the high-end market will continue to thrive. “The extreme high end is very healthy. They are growing in number and share of national income, and that won’t stop soon,” he says. “The baby boom generation has collected the most wealth, and they’re driving the market for high-end homes. Most are not downsizing, as previously thought. Instead, they’re trading their larger home for a smaller one that costs more. Florida’s long-range prospects are great,” says DeKaser.

Gene Rivers, co-principal of Keller Williams Realty in Tallahassee, Jacksonville and Orange Park, says interest in vacation houses remains strong. “As prices come down, all indicators are that boomers, investors and foreign buyers will re-enter the market for second homes,” he says. “But activity will be at a slower pace, with buyers who have an eye for a ‘real deal’ and a focus on long-term investing and not ‘flipping’ units.”

In general, real estate professionals will be happier than builders in 2007, according to Brad Hunter, South Florida director of Metrostudy in West Palm Beach. “The necessity buyers will be back in the market in early 2007,” he says. “However, builders won’t start to see a significant increase in sales until most of the investor supply has been absorbed.”

Rental markets are likely to strengthen in 2007, says Goodkin, as softer demand for condominiums will mean fewer conversions. Higher sales prices will also make it more difficult for renters with marginal incomes to move up to ownership. A recent report from the University of Florida’s Center for Real Estate Studies noted that 80 percent of respondents to a recent study expect rental rates in 2007 to grow at least as fast as inflation.

Throughout Florida, commercial real estate markets may experience robust growth in 2007, according to Goodkin. “With little new construction in recent years, many of these markets are now underserved,” he says. “And the state’s growing population and new-job creation will continue to add to the demand for new office, industrial and retail projects.”

No matter how you look at it, falling sales and price depreciation today will quickly go by the wayside as Florida thrives.

Richard Westlund is a Miami-based freelance writer.

www.FloridaRealtor.org

CLICK HERE for full Article

Flightline HondaJet Hangar – Saturday, August 25th 7:30pm $50 #ItWillBeEpic