The Real Estate Sizzle

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Jackie Colson-Miller

Jackie Colson-Miller, CIPS
Certified International Property Specialist
NAR Liaison to Austria
Tampa Real Estate
Direct - (813)629-5757
Homeward Real Estate
3401 Henderson Blvd
Tampa, FL 33609
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Parking Problems in Your Tampa Neighborhood? …Tampa Real Estate News…

Filed under: Historic Tampa, Services

South Tampa is filled with charming, brick streets and old, historic homes. Sometimes, navigating those narrow streets can be a problem, if drivers are not courteous about making sure they only park on ONE side of the street, to allow vehicles to get through. Trying to get through some streets on Gasparilla Parade Day can be quite an ordeal!

The City of Tampa allows residents to place a 5 Minute Parking sign on their property, to alleviate the problem of irresponsible parking .

The cost of the sign is the responsibility of the homeowner and there are specific restrictions about placement and usage. You can Download the signage requirements here.

Ready to move to one of the charming, historic neighborhoods in Tampa? Contact me today!

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Posted by jackie   |   1 Comment »   |   01.20.2008

Moving to Tampa? Need A Doctor? Tampa Real Estate News, and More!

Filed under: Relocation, Services, Tampa

Whenever I have clients moving to Tampa, one of the things I share with them are all of the people, and places, who are critical to my life: Doctors, dentists, child care, painters, bakeries, frame shopsyou name it. My clients know they can call me for anything from traffic violations to special assignments to a schoolI know where to go for just about anything. And, I really enjoy being that source of information for them. Tampa is a big city, so many of my clients are in far-flung neighborhoods in the suburbs, and I dont get to see them very often, but being their source of information for everything keeps us connected!

This week, I have been operating at half-staff ill with a bug that is Tampasickvery persistent. Tough for someone who is really NEVER sick. I survive on very little sleep and have energy to spare. Ive been sneaking into my office, posted a note on my door, Sickenter at your own risk full disclosure. Since my business is so internet-based, email has allowed me to keep on top of things, but Ive had to reschedule appointments and finally admit that I needed some medical attention. Arrgh!

So, I will share, for the world, my favorite place to get great medical care in South Tampa. Dr. Gisele Riscile has a walk-in clinic at 3201 S. Dale Mabry, Tampa, 33629 813.831.6000. I have seen her for years! Why? She listens. She wants you to get well. She thinks outside the box. She uses a computer system to keep track of your previous ailments, medications and issues. And, she is a mother. She calls to see if you are feeling better. Over the years, I suppose I have gravitated to female physicians with children. Why? They understand working mothers have no time in their lives to be sick. They never say, its stress . They care. They know that if I say that I am sickI am REALLY sick.

Today, I look like that old Microsoft commercial( the power of marketing), sitting at my computer in my pajamas and fluffy slippers, but I am starting to feel better (two shots later), so Ill be back in the office tomorrow and am busy rescheduling my day. Thanks to my virtual life, Ill hardly miss a beat!

So, If you need help buying a house in Tampa, or finding help with anything, I can help youjust contact me!

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Posted by jackie   |   1 Comment »   |   01.17.2008

The Best “Puppy Palace”! Where to Board Your Pet in Tampa!

Filed under: Pet Friendly Tampa, Real Estate News, Services

DOGCAT

Another article in my Pet Friendly Series.

Every Pet Owner agonizes over boarding his, or her, pet! Youve seen, and heard, all about my sweet, epileptic Yorkshire Terrier!Shes a fussy eater, but is just adorable! Ab_bey

When I travel, I take her to Julies Puppy Palace !

There really is a Julie and it really is a Palace !

The entire staff is loving and attentive. They offer grooming services, boarding services and doggie day care complete with birthday parties!

Julie can put your pet in a suite, outfitted with a video camera, so you can check on Guy or Molly , from Tunisia or Timbuktu! Would your pet prefer the Bucs Suite, or the BucssuiteParis Suite???Parissuite

Either way…your pet is in good hands with Julie

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Posted by jackie   |   6 Comments »   |   07.09.2007

International Relocation Requires Some Planning…Especially for Your Pet

Filed under: International Real Estate, Pet Friendly Tampa, Real Estate News, Relocation, Services, Tampa Real Estate

This is the first article in my new Pet Friendly series. Most of my clients have pets, so providing information unique to pet owners, both in Tampa, and those who are relocating, will be the focus.

Moving is stressful for anyone, but it can be especially stressful for pets, who are very tuned in to any change in routine. My pets are upset the moment they see my suitcase come out of the closet! Kit_tensDuring my recent trip to Europe, my dog stopped eating after several days, so they moved her into a “suite” and fed her hot dogs and cottage cheese for the duration of her stay in the kennel. Nice life! Needless to say, she is still shunning her “dry” food, in lieu of something tastier. But, with any pet, any small change in routine can wreak havoc on his health and his psyche.

Pet owners who are used to car travel with pets may find planning for a cross-county trip, or an overseas trip, is far more complicated and needs to be planned well in advance. My little Yorkie is not a good traveler, so she needs an empty stomach and a dose of Dramamine. Do some research about pet travel on many of the online sites. While most pet owners are familiar with their pets needs with respect to car travel, having to put your pet on an airplane can get very complicated, especially for an International relocation.

Each country has very specific requirements for vaccinations, micro-chipping, medical records and some have lengthy quarantine requirements of up to several months. For instance, emigration to Australia from the U.S. requires a 30 day quarantine and certain breeds are not allowed. If your pet is used to being sedated for travel, you need to discuss this with your vet and the pet shipper, since most shippers prohibit sedation during the flight. The time to organize the relocation for your pet is the moment you know you are moving. Many Airlines will not ship pets during certain months of the year, due to tempuratures in the storage compartment.Ab_bey

With ever-changing airline regulations and pet immigration rules which vary from country to country, the best way to relocate Fifi is through an accredited Pet Shipper. In Tampa, the local animal transporter is Air Animal Pet Movers, founded by Dr. Wolff. They have been shipping pets for over 30 years! To find a Pet Shipper in your area, or one that operates out of a specific airport, you can search the IPATA website for a Travel Agent near you! Treat your pet, the same way you would treat the sale of your home.Don’t be a FSBO…hire an expert…”Fifi” will thank you!

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Posted by jackie   |   Click Here To Comment »   |   05.29.2007

Andrea Opens the 2007 Hurricane Season A Little Too Early!

Filed under: Florida Real Estate, Insurance, Project Blogger, Real Estate News, Services, South Tampa, Tampa

Andrea, The first named storm of the 2007 Hurricane Season is stirring in the Atlantic. Shes tiny and fairly harmless, but for a season that starts in June, its a little too early. Are you ready? Here is Part 1 of my Hurricane Preparedness Guide

I am hyper-sensitive to Tropical Storms. My home flooded in 1995 with Tropical Storm Josephine. It was a freak storm that flooded parts of South Tampa and St. Petersburg due to storm surge at high tide. We Char_tevacuated in the middle of the night through hip-deep water with babies in tow and boarded an amphibian vehicle, which navigated the flood waters and took us to higher ground. Three days of having the muck cleaned out of my home, and my possessions destroyed, was enough for me to decide I was never going to live through that again! As a result, I have become the Queen of Hurricane Preparedness!

In the next few weeks, all of the newspapers will be printing a Hurricane Guide with a list of supplies, ways to prepare for a storm, etc. Well be loading up on water, batteries, duct tape and sterno. But there are many things the guides dont tell you. So, lets call this series The Insiders Guide to storm preparednessall the things the newspaper doesnt tell you.

1. MAKE A PLAN

Now is the time to talk about where you would go in case of a disaster. What if you need temporary housing? Would you stay with relatives? What if you sell Real Estate and all the homes in your area are destroyed? How will you earn a living? Would you rebuild or move to another city? Whether it is a fire, a hurricane or a terrorist attack, having a disaster plan in place, will make the event far less stressful for you and your family.

2. STORMS ARE UNPREDICTABLEBE PREPARED FOR THE WORST

In 2004, Hurricane Charley was projected to hit Tampa. I live in a mandatory evacuation zone, so I was safely ensconced in a hotel far from the bay. Just hours before the projected hit, the storm took a sharp turn, went from a Category 2 to a Category 4 storm and hit 2 hours south of Tampa, in the Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area and tore through the middle of the state. Those areas were not prepared and the devastation was incredible. Had that storm hit Tampa as a Category 4, all of South Tampa would have experienced a storm surge over 20 feet high. Anyone who did not evacuate, would have perished. Many of my friends would have died in that storm. Nothing is worth risking your life, when a storm is approaching you need to evacuate. There can be a 200 mile difference in the various projected paths of any storm. If you are anywhere in the cone ,(the possible projected path) you need to be prepared to evacuate. My favorite website for hurricane tracking is www.noaa.gov

3. INSURANCE

Review your insurance policies. Home owner’s Insurance does not cover rising water. You will need flood insurance for that. Neither Homeowners Insurance, nor Flood Insurance will cover your contents, unless you add that to each policy. Your agent will not automatically add contents to your policy, so you need to request it. If you are not in a designated Flood Zone, then Flood Insurance is very inexpensive. If you are remotely within the possibility of ANY kind of flooding, BUY IT. Believe me when I tell you that, in case of a flood, or a fire, you will not remember 1/10th of the mud-soaked items that were destroyed. Your insurance company is in business to make a profit, so they are counting on that! AND, any changes to a policy take 30 days to go into effect. The time to check your policies is long before any storm is approaching.

4. MAKE A HOME INVENTORY

The loss of some womens shoe collections could run into the thousands of dollars! Seriously, the most important thing you can do to prepare for a disaster is to make a Home Inventory. Take a spiral notebook and use several pages for each room in your home. Make a list of every item in that roomi.e. in your kitchen you need to list every wooden spoon, pots, pans, dishes, etc. Pay particular attention to your closets and drawers. Every time you buy something, add it to your home inventory. Add values to each item, and make sure your contents policy covers the cost of all of your items. Jewelry, Antiques, Art and Computer equipment may require additional riders to your policy. Add pictures or video of each room as well. Keep a copy of all of the pages in your inventory in a place other than your home! Flood insurance contents are reimbursed at thrift store values, so it is critical to itemize every item in your home.

Stay tuned for Part 2

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Posted by jackie   |   4 Comments »   |   05.09.2007

Give Your Clients Great Service…With a Services Directory

Filed under: Real Estate News, Services, Tampa

My clients know they can call me for anything! From Babysitters to Dentists to Roofers, they know if they are looking for a particular Moving_vanservice, chances are good that I have someone to recommend.

Ro_oferSeveral years ago, I decided to post a Services Directory on my website. It includes the various categories of services, the recommended providers, their phone numbers and links to their websites. It is in several places on my Website and has been a valuable resource for all of my clients. None of the providers receive any compensation from me to be included in my list. I have either used the service providers personally, or have received great recommendations for them.

I update the list on a regular basis and am quick to delete someone if I receive any reports of bad service. I believe the more service you can provide to your clients, the more valuable you are to them!

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Posted by jackie   |   2 Comments »   |   05.07.2007