The Real Estate Sizzle

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Jackie Colson-Miller

Jackie Colson-Miller, CIPS
Direct - (813)629-5757
Homeward Real Estate
3401 Henderson Blvd
Tampa, FL 33609
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Archive for January, 2009

        

Why You Should Not Use “Zillow” to Find Tampa Real Estate or Estimate House Values

Filed under: Buying a House in Tampa, Tampa Home Search, Tampa MLS Listings, Tampa Neighborhoods, Tampa Real Estate, Tampa Real Estate Agent, Tampa Real Estate Market, Waterfront Homes in Tampa, Westchase

When buyers are looking for Tampa Real Estate, many of them tell me they have been searching on “Zillow”, a website originally designed to estimate property values.

The problem with Zillow, or any other “automated” property value site, or home search site, is the information can be  inaccurate about 30% of the time. To put it bluntly, the data is WRONG on nearly one-third of the properties. Why? Because “Zillow” is not a real estate agent…it is a computer compilation of “statistics and data”…when the data is WRONG,as it often is, then Zillow is wrong.  Inaccurate data = Inaccurate value.

While it is easy to start your home search on the Internet, it is also the source of many misconceptions about “current market value”.  To understand the current market, and the current market value on any home, you MUST use an experienced, local Real Estate Agent.

Please read my previous article on  Tampa Real Estate and “Internet House Hunting” and contact me today for accurate information on the best neighborhoods in Tampa for your family!

MacDill Air Force Base…One of Tampa’s Largest Employers

Orders to MacDill Air Force Base? Find the Best Tampa Neighborhoods

Looking for real estate in Tampa?

 

If you are buying a house in Tampa, or Selling a house in Tampa, I can help with any Tampa neighborhood, including:

 

South Tampa, Davis Islands, Beach Park, Sunset Park, Hyde Park, Culbreath Isles, Palma Ceia, Westchase, Waterchase, Odessa, Cheval, Avila, Brandon, Riverview, FishHawk, New Tampa, Tampa Palms, Hunter’s Green, Arbor Greene, Apollo Beach, South Shore, MiraBay, Golf Communities, Waterfront Homes, Luxury Homes in Tampa, Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, Condos in Tampa and International Real Estate…contact me!

 

Sign up for my email list to receive the latest information on the Tampa Real Estate Market, Living in Tampa, and the International Real Estate Market!

 

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Posted by jackie   |   3 Comments »   |   01.29.2009

How To Get the Latest News on The Tampa Real Estate Market

Filed under: Buying a House in Tampa, Historic Tampa, Hunter\'s Green Homes, Hyde Park Real Estate, International Real Estate, Jackie Colson-Miller, Luxury Homes in Tampa, MacDill AFB, MLS Listings in Tampa, MLS Search, Places to Live, Real Estate Blogs, Relocation, Restaurants in Tampa, Schools in Tampa, South Tampa, Tampa Foreclosures, Tampa Home Search, Tampa MLS Listings, Tampa Real Estate Agent, Tampa Real Estate Market, Tampa Schools, Things to do in Tampa, Waterfront Homes in Tampa

If you are looking for the latest information about the Tampa Real Estate Market, moving to Tampa, relocation to MacDill Air Force Base, or what’s new in the International Real Estate Market, you can get the latest posts from The Real Estate Sizzle in a variety of ways!

Get a daily email of the latest articles, on The Tampa Real Estate Sizzle, or sign up for an RSS feed!

Use Twitter? Go to my Twitter page and Follow Me! Unlike many people on Twitter, I don’t “tweet” all day long!  You will only get the latest Real Estate Articles, or my latest Restaurant Reviews!  If you don’t use Twitter, you should give it a try.

Do you want to receive my email newsletter?  Sign up here! You can “opt out” at any time.

While most of my articles on The Real Estate Sizzle are about the Tampa Real Estate Market, you will find plenty to read about living in Tampa, fun things to do in Tampa and great places to eat in Tampa.  Check out my favorite restaurants and read my reviews at Urban Spoon!

How about a “Google Alert”? I stopped reading the newspaper and get the majority of my “real estate news” via google. You can set up an an alert for “Real Estate Sizzle”, or “Tampa Real Estate”, or any subject you are trying to follow.  When an article is posted on that subject, whether it’s in the Wall Street Journal, the local news, or on a website, “google” will find it and email the link to you!

Do you want to receive listings in any Tampa, St. Pete, or Clearwater Beach area?  That’s easy…send me an email and tell me what you are searching for!

For more information about the Tampa Real Estate market, Tampa Neighborhoods, including Culbreath Isles, MacDill AFB,  South Tampa, Harbour Island, Davis Islands, Beach Park, Sunset Park, Hyde Park, Channelside, Palma Ceia, Westchase, Waterchase, Odessa, Cheval, Avila, Brandon, Riverview, FishHawk, New Tampa, Tampa Palms, Hunters Green, Arbor Greene, Apollo Beach, South Shore, MiraBay, Golf Communities, Waterfront Homes, Houses in the Plant High School District, Tampa Schools, Luxury Homes in Tampa, Condos in Tampa, the Best Tampa Neighborhoods, or International Real Estate contact me today.

 

 

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Posted by jackie   |   Click Here To Comment »   |   01.26.2009

The US Dollar vs. The Euro…Who Gets the “Bargains” in the International Real Estate Markets?

Filed under: International Real Estate

With the strength of the Euro in the past few years, and the decline in Florida Real Estate prices, Europeans have been able to buy Florida real estate at historically low prices. Over the past few months, however, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction.  On this date last year, One Euro was 1.47 US Dollars. Today the Euro will cost us 1.29 dollars, just about the same as the value of two years ago, and a 12% increase for American Currency over the past year. The Euro was trading at 1.27 on Election Day, last November, so the new administration in Washington does not seem to have affected our currency.

For the European Investor, that represents a 12% decrease in “purchasing power” for US properties.  There are ways, however, when writing a contract on a property is the US, to protect your sales price against currency fluctuations.  Ask me about it!

For Americans looking to buy properties abroad, the higher value of the US Dollar is a boon! One of the top places for retirees is still Panama.  A democratic government, good infrastructure, top health care and currency is the U.S. Dollar, which keeps it high on the list of “places to buy” outside the US.

Looking for International Real Estate, or the ideal place to retire, or own a second home?  Contact me today!

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Posted by jackie   |   Click Here To Comment »   |   01.26.2009

Why Online Home Searches Cost Homebuyers Time and Money! Tampa Real Estate News and More!

Filed under: Buyers, Buying a House in Tampa, Clearwater Beach Real Estate, Davis Islands Real Estate, First-Time Homebuyers, Hunter\'s Green Homes, Hyde Park Real Estate, Luxury Homes in Tampa, MacDill AFB, Tampa Home Search, Tampa MLS Listings, Tampa Neighborhoods, Tampa Real Estate, Tampa Real Estate Agent, Tampa Real Estate Market

If you are moving to Tampa, or anywhere in the world, you are likely among the large number of homebuyers who begin with an “online” search for homes.  Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia and many of the other home search sites are often the “first stop” for homebuyers who are new to an area. They are a good “starting point”, simply to gauge the prices in a particular neighborhood, but they are NO substitute for the knowledge obtained from a local real estate agent. This article was prompted by an email this morning, from a client in New Tampa who has a friend moving to Seattle.  The friend has been shopping online for Seattle Real Estate.  She is confused about neighborhoods and pricing! Of course she is!  She needs a local real estate agent…not Realtor.com!

Here is are some interesting statistics:

87% of all Homebuyers begin their home search on the internet

In the past 15 years, NONE of my clients have bought a home they found on the internet.

Why? Because every online listing is presented to look “attractive”, but what you see is rarely what you get.  Listing agents use photos and descriptions to “entice” a buyer. They don’t show the neighboring homes in disrepair, the proximity to commercial properties, the old roof, or any other “undesirable” aspects of the home. Sites like Zillow, which estimate the market value of a home, don’t use accurate information for square footage, or recent sales.

Unlike buying a “Sony camera”, or a specific book or, perhaps a Nintendo Wii on the internet, no two homes are exactly alike, so you can’t “comparison shop” for homes, the way you would for any other product.

Buyer’s agents listen to what a homebuyer is looking for in terms of price, neighborhood, commute, schools and other amenities. There is NO substitute for the knowledge of a local real estate agent who knows “street by street” the different neighborhoods in Tampa.

When you are moving to Tampa, or anywhere in the world, contact me, to find the right home for your family’s needs!

For more information about the Tampa Real Estate market, Tampa Neighborhoods, including Culbreath Isles, MacDill AFB,  South Tampa, Harbour Island, Davis Islands, Beach Park, Sunset Park, Hyde Park, Channelside, Palma Ceia, Westchase, Waterchase, Odessa, Cheval, Avila, Brandon, Riverview, FishHawk, New Tampa, Tampa Palms, Hunters Green, Arbor Greene, Apollo Beach, South Shore, MiraBay, Golf Communities, Waterfront Homes, Houses in the Plant High School District, Tampa Schools, Luxury Homes in Tampa, Condos in Tampa, the Best Tampa Neighborhoods, or International Real Estate contact me

 

 

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Posted by jackie   |   1 Comment »   |   01.23.2009

Why You Should Stop Listening to the Media in The Tampa Real Estate Market

Filed under: Luxury Homes in Tampa, MacDill AFB, MLS Listings in Tampa, Moving to Tampa, South Tampa, Tampa Foreclosures, Tampa Home Search, Tampa Real Estate, Tampa Real Estate Agent

Three little words have “ruled” in the history of buying real estate, in Tampa, or anywhere else…LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.  Though we are in a “Buyer’s Market”, the basic rule still applies…”a property in a desirable location, that is priced right, will sell quickly”… The media, however, talks about the prices in the “Tampa Real Estate Market” as though the “rules” have changed. But, the “law of Supply and Demand”, along with the rule about “Location”, will never change. An “oversupply” of properties lowers prices, and an “undersupply” of properties increases prices. Use New York City as an example. What happens in Harlem does not apply to Park Avenue, or Tribeca. In Miami, South Beach prices are very different from Calle Ocho, or the Kendall area.  You cannot discuss real estate, in any Metropolitan area, without understanding the “microeconomics” of that area.

Let’s talk about “Media News” vs. “Facts” in the Tampa Real Estate Market, so CNN, MSNBC, WSJ and Tampa Tribune…please “listen up” and get your facts straight. And, put the “local” back into your real estate reporting.

 Media Myth:  “The entire Tampa Real Estate Market is still falling”

Truth:  Certain areas in the Tampa Real Estate Market, where investors were buying new construction at “pre-construction prices” during the “boom”, hoping to “flip” them upon completion, are in serious distress, with many foreclosures.  This includes the Channelside area and much of the South Shore area, including Riverview, Apollo Beach and Ruskin.  In Pasco County, the cities of Wesley Chapel and Land O’Lakes have also seen drastic price drops.

The area “least” affected by the downturn? South Tampa…the peninsula which is south of Downtown Tampa, beginning at Kennedy Boulevard and south to MacDill Air Force Base.

South Tampa has historically been one of the “best bets” for real estate, for three good reasons…LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Just minutes to downtown Tampa and Tampa International Airport, South Tampa has top-rated schools and a “small town feeling”, with charming, historic neighborhoods.  In ANY real estate market, this area remains desirable.

In South Tampa, certain neighborhoods, which are in the Plant High School District,  are always very desirable: Hyde Park, Davis Islands, Palma Ceia, New Suburb Beautiful, Parkland Estates, Beach Park and Sunset Park. In the “prime” section of Hyde Park, or any of these neighborhoods, there might be one, or two, homes for sale, at any given time.

Statistics about the Tampa Real Estate Market,as a whole,  are often misleading, because they take the “location” out of the equation. Real Estate is “local”. In Tampa, it’s all about the neighborhood, so for news about a  specific Tampa neighborhood, PLEASE stop listening to the media and contact ME today!

 

 

 

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Posted by jackie   |   1 Comment »   |   01.20.2009

Dungy Retired…Gruden Fired! More Than Just Real Estate News in Tampa

Filed under: Real Estate News

It has been an interesting week in the NFL, with a major impact on Tampa, which hosts the Superbowl on February 1.

Welcome home to Tony Dungy! Enjoy your retirement and your return to  your family in Tampa. The community  has sorely missed you.  You have taught us that being a great coach begins with being a great person.  You are an inspiration to every athlete, coach, parent and child. Your personal values and respect for others have proven to us that outstanding results come from encouragement, respect and an expectation of excellence from within. We were ecstatic to see you take the Colts to a Superbowl Victory.   We are thrilled to have you back home again!

Goodbye to Jon Gruden…enough said.

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Posted by jackie   |   Click Here To Comment »   |   01.17.2009

Moving to Tampa? Need Health Insurance? Tampa Real Estate News and More

Filed under: Health Insurance, MacDill AFB, MLS Listings in Tampa, MLS Search, Moving to Tampa, Real Estate News

If you are moving to Tampa, or anywhere in Florida, a new program to provide affordable health insurance to Florida Residents has just become available.

Depending on the city in Florida where you live, the available plans will vary, but “Cover Florida Health Care” aims to provide health insurance to all Floridians.

Moving to Tampa?  Contact me today to find the perfect home, or for more information about relocation to Tampa!

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Posted by jackie   |   Click Here To Comment »   |   01.08.2009

Just Weeks to Superbowl in Tampa…Find Superbowl Rentals and Great Places to Eat in the Tampa Real Estate Market

Filed under: Best Places, Best Places in Tampa, Buying a House in Tampa, Celebrity Homes inTampa, Restaurants in Tampa

Superbowl Sunday is fast approaching and football fans will be heading to Tampa!  Tampa is a great city with plenty of things to do and great places to eat! You can get from Downtown Tampa to the airport, or Raymond James Stadium in 15 minutes.  You can be on Clearwater Beach in 30 minutes!

If you choose to stay “in the heart of South Tampa”, you will find great places within a 5 minute drive.  I live in South Tampa…it has unique shops and restaurants, little traffic and a “small town feel”…like “Mayberry” in the middle of a big city!  Just ten minutes to the Stadium…you can’t beat it!While there is a “Bonefish Grill” or “Outback Steakhouse” nearly everywhere (though they started in Tampa), you should avoid the “chains” and experience some of our unique places to eat.

Enjoy some of my previous articles on “Great Places to Eat” in Tampa…you are likely to see me at any one of them while you are here!

Enjoy your stay in Tampa….please contact me if I can help with a luxury rental for Superbowl week, Tampa Real Estate, Clearwater Real Estate, or just need a little “local” advice while you are in town!

Best “Sizzle Reader” Restaurants in Tampa

Best Restaurants in Clearwater

Best Restaurants in Tampa

Great Outdoor Dining in Tampa

Ethiopian Food in Tampa

I can help with your move to Tampa, or an investment property, second home, or beachfront condo in Tampa Bay….contact me today!

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Posted by jackie   |   1 Comment »   |   01.07.2009

Moving to Tampa and Working Downtown? Rampello Downtown Partnership School is a Great Option for Your Children

Filed under: Hyde Park Real Estate, MLS Listings in Tampa, Relocation, Schools in Tampa, Single Parent News, South Tampa, Tampa MLS Listings, Tampa Neighborhoods, Tampa Real Estate, Tampa Real Estate Market, Tampa Schools, Waterfront Homes in Tampa

The Latest News on the Tampa Real Estate Market and Moving to Tampa, Florida…

If you are moving to Tampa and planning to work in the Downtown Tampa area, one of your “options” in the Hillsborough County School District is the “Rampello Downtown Partnership School”.  This “A-rated” school for students in grades K-8 is only available to children with parents who work in the downtown Tampa area. 

Located at 802  E. Washington Street, this popular educational choice is on a “space-available” basis and requires an application. For more information, contact the school!  There is always a waiting list, so don’t wait to apply for the 2009–2010 school year!

For more articles on the Hillsborough County School District and some of the best neighborhood schools in Tampa, you can read some of my previous articles.

Where are the Best Schools in the Tampa Real Estate Market?

Find the Right Magnet School in Tampa

Neighborhoods in the Plant High School District

Moving to Tampa and searching for the best neighborhood, or the best school for your family?  Contact me today!

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Posted by jackie   |   Click Here To Comment »   |   01.06.2009

Tampa Real Estate News…New Condominium Disclosure in Florida

Filed under: Buying a House in Tampa, Clearwater Beach Real Estate, Disclosure, Florida Condominiums, Florida Contract, Florida Real Estate Law, MacDill AFB, MLS Search, Moving to Tampa, Tampa Real Estate, Waterfront Homes in Tampa

The Tampa Real Estate Market, along with most of the coastal areas in Florida are filled with condominiums.  As of January 1, 2009, a new Condominum Disclosure must be provided to the buyers of a “resale”, or “non-developer” condominum in Florida. 

This form, called the Condominium Governance Form, details the rights and responsibilities of the condominium board, voting rights for unit owners, meeting notices and other details concerning ownership of a condominium unit within a specific building. 

If you are a condominium owner in Tampa, or are considering the purchase of a condo in Tampa, you should review the form and understand the requirements of the disclosure to a potential buyer.  If your property is for sale, you should gather the latest copy of the Condominum Documents for your association, along with any addendums, meeting notices, or information about special assessments.  If you do not have a current copy, you should order one from your association, since you will need to provide the new Condominium Governance Form, along with the all of the information required by the form, to a potential buyer!

If you have any questions about the new form, or are interested in buying, or selling a home in the Tampa Real Estate Market, contact me today!

I can help with your move to any Tampa neighborhood, including: South Tampa, MacDill AFB, Davis Islands, Beach Park, Sunset Park, Hyde Park, Culbreath Isles, Palma Ceia, Westchase, Waterchase, Odessa, Cheval, Avila, Brandon, Riverview, FishHawk, New Tampa, Tampa Palms, Hunters Green, Arbor Greene, Apollo Beach, South Shore, MiraBay, Golf Communities, Clearwater Beach, Waterfront Homes, Luxury Homes in Tampa, Condos in Tampa and International Real Estate….send me an email!

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Posted by jackie   |   1 Comment »   |   01.05.2009