Sunbelt Title ROCKS in Port Charlotte - 10/30/07 08:41 PM
After our post on the title company from hell and our experience this afternoon, I thought it would be good to let everyone know of a really great title company in Port Charlotte - and before I go on, they also handle Sarasota County closings!!! The company I would like to write about is SUNBURST TITLE...... NOW CALLED SUNBELT TITLE!
Nikki Dod of Sunbelt Title also writes blogs here, so you can check out her blog for all of the information on the company. I would like to say that we have closed several deals with them and have NEVER had a … (8 comments)

Sarasota Blues Festival - November 3rd - 10/29/07 07:58 PM
It is time again for the Sarasota Blues Festival! That is right - mark your calendar for November 3rd, Saturday Night!!! The event will be taking place at the Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota - This is the 17th Annual Blues Festival!!!
Buddy Guy, Zac Harmon, The All Stars, Oteil and the Peacemakers, Mighty Lester and Conrad Oberg will be performing! It will be 10 hours of non-stop blues!!!
Take the Fruitville exit from the interstate and head west! The stadium complex is on 12th Street-
… (7 comments)

Check Your Cell Phone - Did It Change Time A Week Early??? - 10/29/07 08:39 AM
We are supposed to Fall Back on time next week, right? I did a blog to remind everyone - well in this age of 'you don't have to think and the electrical devices do it for you', my cell phone did it already!!! My cell phone alarm clock did not go off this morning (thank heaven I also have a radio alarm which wakes me to PBS radio each morning) - As I am finishing up my morning routine, my cell phone alarm clock went off - It had already changed the time for me!!! My cell phone decided it was the … (16 comments)

Sarasota Renaissance Fair Returning November 2 - 4 - 10/28/07 07:38 PM
November is coming and with it the Renaissance Fair is returning to Sarasota for its annual tour!!! There will be three days of food, music and medieval festivities taking place from November 2 through November 4th!!!
The event will be taking place in the forest behind the Robarts Arena at 3000 Ringling Blvd in Sarasota! So put on your medieval garments, grab your musical instruments or jousting gear and head out to the Sarasota Fairgrounds at Robarts Arena for a wonderful trip back in time!!!!
… (0 comments)

Fall Back One Hour - November 4th - 10/27/07 01:07 PM
Next Saturday it will be that time again - to set those clocks back one hour! It is so easy to forget and then be late for appointments - so remember that NEXT SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH is the day to set those clocks back an hour.
Does that mean you get an extra hour or are you redeeming the hour you lost in the Spring??? Where does that hour go between Spring and Fall???
Ah, the important things we ponder......................
… (6 comments)

Heritage Village Celebrate's 30th Birthday!! - 10/26/07 11:28 PM
Saturday, October 27th Heritage Village will celebrate it's 30th birthday! Located on 125th Street North in Largo (Pinellas County), there will be an enormous birthday bash that you don't want to miss!!! The Country Jubilee kicks off at 9:30 am and festivities run through 4:30pm - There will be 125 crafters and artisans, live entertainment, craft demonstrations, children's activities and birthday cake for everyone!!!
Pinellas Counties pioneer family descendents, the McMullens and Coachmans will be on hand at the log cabins that bear their family names! They will share tales of the development of our county!
There will be plenty of activities … (0 comments)

John's Pass Seafood Festival - 10/26/07 06:42 PM
Here we go again! Fall comes and all the festivals start!!! It is time again for the John's Pass Seafood Festival in John's Pass Village (Pinellas County)!!
The festival will take place this Saturday, October 27th from 10 am to 6 pm!!! The festival is dedicated to fisherman lost at sea-
John's Pass Village is an eclectic conglomeration of shops with something for everyone! You can purchase a new Stetson Hat there, Middle Eastern skirts, beautiful jewelery, shoes, stickers, incense and just about anything else you can think of!!!
There will be a Halloween Costume Contest, live music, street dancing and great food!!! So … (4 comments)

Phillippi Creek Village Restaurant & Oyster Bar - Sarasota - 10/25/07 08:43 PM
Guess where I have been... Can you guess from the title??? You have it right! And the food is wonderful!!! Located on Phillippi Creek you simply drive south on US 41 (Tamiami Trail) past the Landings (home to the Sarasota County School Board) - the restaurant is on the east side of the street!
You can start with a spicy Cajun Seafood Gumbo or New England Clam Chowder and then have a seafood sandwich or one of the delicious platters!!! Blue Crabmeat, Sauteed Baby Lobster Tails, Stuffed Grouper - whatever you desire - there is a special menu for the little ones … (4 comments)

Home Saved - - Loan Restructured!!! - 10/24/07 01:22 PM
Well, we won't be making any money on this one but we will both be sleeping really good! We have been working with a family that was about to loose their home in Port Charlotte. They were already several months behind on the mortgage and had a second mortgage with the same company. I wrote about this before.
2007 was a really bad year for them: two deaths in the family, travel expenses to funerals up north, contributions to the funeral expenses, air conditioning had to be replaced, and BOTH the husband and wife had their hours cut dramatically!!!
They were in … (7 comments)

Off The Coast Of Dunedin, Florida - 10/23/07 04:00 PM
There are many little islands off the coast of Dunedin. They are nesting grounds for local birds and most of them are off limits to humans. This is a great big PLUS for the environment! People do not need access to every little island in the bay! We need to protect the wildlife!!
Passing by these islands on a sunny afternoon out on the water you wonder what type of animals and birds are making the place their home-
Boats go past on their way to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and a day of fun on the water!
If you … (4 comments)

Trees Have So Much Character! - 10/23/07 03:47 PM
I really love nature! Trees in particular because they have to much character. With their arms outstretched, swaying gently in the breeze, they seem to be talking to you! They listen patiently to your problems, offer strong support to lean on and are pleasing to the eye!
The trees down south are generally covered with Spanish Moss which gives them such a romantic dream-like appearance. How could you not fall in love with trees???
Whether lining a roadway or standing gently in the forest, trees offer us protection from the elements.
That is why I do not understand the practice of some developers - … (10 comments)

Philippi Park in Safety Harbor, Florida - 10/23/07 03:34 PM
This has always been one of my favorite parks in north Pinellas County! When I was a school teacher I would take classes here to see the indian mounds located in the park! It is a great place for a morning walk or an afternoon in the park with the family. It has everything:  boat ramp which goes directly into Tampa Bay, playgrounds for the kids on each side of the park, plenty of trails to walk, picnic tables and grill areas, covered pavillions for large gatherings - it is all here!!!!
In the early morning hours like this you will see … (10 comments)

Florida's Famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge - 10/23/07 03:21 PM
For all of you who do not live in our wonderful state, this is the Sunshine Skyway Bridge that connects St Petersburg, Florida (Pinellas County) with Bradenton (Manatee County). It is a wonderful ride that makes me smile each time I take it! The view of the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Tampa Bay on the other is simply breathtaking!!!
I take this bridge each time I go up to visit my daughter and the grandbaby. When we are having serious storms, the bridge is closed to traffic because it goes up so high that it is dangerous to cross … (2 comments)

Island Outpost Restaurant in Dunedin on the Causeway - 10/22/07 10:18 PM
Dunedin, Florida is a great place to live and an interesting town to visit! One of my favorite places to eat is out on the causeway - the Island Outpost Restaurant has really great food and is not expensive! Naturally, since it is right on the causeway, you can be sure you will find plenty of seafood here!!!
When you are finished with your lunch or dinner, take a drive out on the Dunedin Causeway! This causeway connects to Honeymoon Island State Park. It is one of the best beaches in the area!!!!
The causeway is lined with gorgeous oleander shrubs and at … (8 comments)

Death Rides His Chopper In Ozona!! - 10/22/07 10:07 PM
While I was out doing one of my favorite things - cruising neighborhoods, looking at homes and taking a ton of photos - I ran across this guy in somebody's front yard in Ozona!!! At first I had to do a double take, since it was all life-size!
Death is on his chopper, ready to ride out into the night and Halloween still isn't here yet - so be careful when you are out trick or treating, you never know if this guy will ride by - or be parked on a street corner. . .
… (4 comments)

Autumn In Florida - - - - 10/19/07 09:16 AM
While our northern neighbors are posting photos of leaves changing color and pumpkins lining sidewalks, we here in Florida do not experience those annual changes. While I do enjoy the changing colors of the leaves, I also enjoy a quick trip north to experience it. A quick weekend trip up in New England will do the trick nicely, thank you. Then I am back down here where I can wear sandals just about all year (gee, usually February is a closed shoe month!!!) and I can just about bet that I will be barefoot on the beach for Christmas! So here … (9 comments)

You Know You're A Floridian If . . . . - 10/19/07 08:40 AM
I received the following this morning and thought it was too cute not to share here in AR:
You know you're a Floridian if.... ..You never use an umbrella because you know the rain will be over in five minutes...A good parking place has nothing to do with distance from the store, but everything to do with shade...Your winter coat is made of denim...You can tell the difference between fire ant bites and mosquito bites...You're younger than thirty but some of your friends are over 65...Anything under 70 degrees is chilly...You've driven through Yeehaw Junction...You could swim before you could read...You have to … (11 comments)

Englewood Beach - The Place To Watch The Sunset - - 10/18/07 11:56 AM

Imagine sitting on that swing, watching the sunset over the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico - what a wonderful way to have a long autumn day come to an end - perhaps a sunset walk along the white sands of Englewood Beach, picking up the odd sea shell to add to your collection on the front porch -
That is what life is like at this time of year down here in South Florida! Watching the seagulls soar over the foaming waves - the occasional dolphin playing in the surf - life is great when you live in heaven on … (9 comments)

Englewood, Florida Still Has Old Florida Charm - 10/17/07 11:04 AM
Englewood is located in Charlotte County and is in many ways reminiscent of Old Florida. There are still the quaint little shops and the beaches are almost never that crowded. It is a place that those of us who have lived in the state for many years long for. It is home!
Englewood has newer condo associations sprouting up all over the place and there is even a Home Depot being build out on SR 776 as you head toward Port Charlotte. But it has not lost it's charm yet! You can run around in shorts all day here and it is totally acceptable!!!
Englewood … (2 comments)

Hacienda Del Mar in Cape Haze Florida - 10/17/07 10:55 AM

Florida is growing by leaps and bounds and Cape Haze is no exception! Located just north of the Tarpon Capital of North America (Boca Grande), Cape Haze now has a luxury waterfront condominium community - Hacienda Del Mar. Located directly off of Placida Blvd., this spectacular community is in an area famous for breathtaking sunsets, the best boating waters around and unbelievable fishing!
Located directly on the inter-coastal waterway, the Hacienda Del Mar offers a swimming pool, lap pool, jacuzzi, tennis courts, putting green, club house, elevators in the buildings and there are NO BRIDGES separating your boat from the Gulf of … (2 comments)

Trumpet Flower In Full Bloom in Cape Haze, Florida - Weeping Ficus Everywhere - 10/17/07 09:51 AM
Cape Haze is a small community in Charlotte County just north of Boca Grande. It is a residential community on Placida Harbor that is far enough removed from everything to be 'other worldly'. The times are changing and there is more and more development taking place in the area. I decided to take a drive through the neighborhood and found some really wonderful plants and trees growing in the various yards and lining the streets. Since I absolutely love plants, I wanted to share these with you!
This is an Angel's Trumpet with magnificent yellow flowers! All parts of the plant are … (5 comments)

SPAM in My ActiveRain Account !!!! - 10/16/07 04:13 PM
It has finally happened to me today! I got an e-mail from some spammer claiming to be from Sierra Leone. He and his supposed sister have 18 million in a bank in the Ivory Coast (right) and need assistance in getting it out!
I would like to personally get my hands on the person sending this stuff out! It infuriates me that a web site dedicated to a specific industry is being manipulated and misused by spammers! Is there nothing we can do to track them down and have their computers self-destruct before their very eyes????
OK, I have vented - I feel … (22 comments)

Sarasota Halloween Extravaganza - 10/14/07 12:57 PM
October 27th will be a special day for kids young and old in downtown Sarasota! The Sarasota Halloween Extravaganza planned by the Downtown Merchants Association will be taking place. The haunted house has already opened!!! The All Hallow's Eve festivities will include costume parties for all age groups!!! There will be dancing, hayrides, story telling and of course, trick-or-treating! What a wonderful and safe way to celebrate the holiday with your little ones!!!
In addition to the live performances taking place, there will be a screening of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'! This is an event you don't want to miss!!! For … (9 comments)

Sarasota Folk Music Festival & Annual Craft Festival Both Taking Place - 10/14/07 12:45 PM
The Sarasota Folk Music Festival is taking place October 20th at the Crowley Museum and Nature Center in Sarasota! There will be plenty of folk music on the three stages available, as well as workshops, hayrides for young and old to participate in and plenty of food!!! You can even bring your own musical instrument along to participate in the country jam circles!!!    www.sarafolk.org
And on top of that, the 13th Annual Sarasota Craft Festival is going to take place October 20 & 21 directly on Main Street in downtown Sarasota!!! There will be an array of arts and crafts available. A … (4 comments)

Sarasota's Octoberfest and Pumpkin Festival - 10/14/07 12:35 PM
It's October and Floridians start coming out in droves and the air conditioning gets turned off ! What a great time of the year! And there is so much happening in and around Sarasota during this time!!
Octoberfest takes place from October 19 - 21 at the Sarasota Fairgrounds! You can enjoy German music, great food and drinks (beer if you are old enough), plenty of entertainment, rides and activities for the kids! They are even setting up a 'Hofbrau Haus' in the Robarts Arena to look like the one in Munich, complete with dance floor and live entertainment!!!
Pumpkin Festival runs October … (4 comments)

I've Been MeMe-ed by Dionne Morgan - - 10/13/07 03:54 PM
Well, let's see, I have seen enough of these so I think I can figure this out, but what is there to share that I have not already posted in my blogs???
First of all, how about I was pretty fluent in Slovak as a wee one, since my Grandmother Tomecko (my mother's mom) took care of me when mom was at work and Grandma came to this country when she was 15 from what is today the Slovak Republic (it was the Austro-Hungarian Empire when she was born)! Since my parents were never fluent in the language (3 grandparents were Slovak) I … (19 comments)

Siesta Key Beaches - Sarasota County - 10/12/07 02:34 PM
Where are some of the world's most breathtaking beaches? Florida, of course! And Florida's Gulf Coast takes the awards every time! With it's gently sloping coastline covered with the most beautiful powdery white sand - Siesta Key's sand is 99% pure quartz crystal!!! There is magic in the air! Perhaps that is why for years there has been a weekly tradition of a Sunday evening drumming circle on the beach!
The Travel Channel voted the Siesta Key Beach the 'Best Sand Beach in America'! That pretty much says it all!
The beach has playgrounds, picnic areas, volleyball courts, tennis courts, restrooms and showers, concession … (3 comments)

Getting Through To Loss Mitigation - 10/12/07 02:09 PM
Today has been a lesson in patience! I had already faxed the Estoppel and Authorization Letter into the lender's Loss Mitigation department and wanted to make initial contact this morning so we can proceed. RIGHT -
After holding my phone for the first 10 minutes of music, I put it on speaker and went through other paperwork that I had to complete - good thing I decided to do that - otherwise I would have been tempted to hang up! They had me on hold for 35 minutes - I am sure the idea is that you will give up and hang … (11 comments)

By Referral Only Free Half Day Seminar - Sarasota - 10/12/07 09:46 AM
Thanks to Cyndee and Loretta (both up in Pinellas County) I have found out about something that I am hoping will be my new lead generating, internet web site improvement and everything else source of information! It is called By Referral Only. Cyndee and Loretta both use it, love it and have rave reviews about it. Listening to them made me decide to take the half day and go up to Sarasota where there will be a FREE seminar to get more information on this system. If it works so well for others, I want to know more!
The seminar will be … (4 comments)

THE GRAND 50,000 POINT MARK - 10/11/07 11:03 AM
Well, we managed it! With this post we will have the grand 50,000 point mark on ActiveRain!!! I don't remember how I stumbled onto this site originally, but it was one of the best things I did! Through ActiveRain I have gotten to know many really great people, both within my own state of Florida and throughout North America! (Have to mention those Canadians that are oh so active here too!!!!!)
I want to thank all of you for welcoming me so warmly into your fold! This has been a wonderful experience and a site to learn many new things concerning not … (11 comments)

A.L. Anderson Park in North Pinellas County, Florida - 10/10/07 01:20 PM
While I am writing about an area where I used to live, let me mention lovely Anderson Park. The park is accessible directly from US Hwy 19 N in Tarpon Springs, just south of the light on Tarpon Avenue and across the road from one of my favorite watering holes, Chili's!
Anderson park was originally opened in 1966 (wow - that was the same year I graduated from high school!!!) and has expanded since then! It encompasses 129 acres of 'playground'! There is a boat dock, hills to climb, picnic tables, paths to wonder and benches to sit on that overlook Salmon … (5 comments)

FREE CREDIT REPORTS - 10/10/07 12:50 PM
When you have clients that are not sure what their credit score might be and are afraid that it is not good remind them that they can get a FREE credit report annually from EACH ONE of the three reporting agencies - that means every few months you can check your credit score for free and that it does NOT lower your points by checking on yourself!
The reports are from TransUnion, Experian and Equifax but you want to follow this link:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.shtm
to get all of the latest information! If you go to the individual credit scoring companies they will attempt to charge you for something that … (10 comments)

Agents Should ALWAYS Enter First ! - 10/09/07 04:14 PM
Remember when you are out showing property to ALWAYS enter the home first! I know that this is something we all learn during our first few weeks, but many agents seem to forget. They want to be  'polite' and let the clients enter the home first - BIG MISTAKE!
First of all, there could be a dog or cat (or in this day and age, some other house pet) that is lurking and wants to attack!  Guess what - it needs to be YOU and not your client that gets attacked! Also, the place could be a disaster area - good idea … (4 comments)

A Closet To Get Lost In - 10/07/07 02:24 PM

How often do you walk into a home that is absolutely lovely only to find a closet that is a JOKE! Bill and I usually refer to the two walk-in closets in the master bedroom as the 'hers' and 'hers' closets simply because she will need both of them to get all of her clothing put away! That leaves one of the MUCH smaller guest bedroom closets for the man of the house.... :-(   Not a pleasant thought  - but often how things turn out!
Lately we have been running into really nice, LARGE closets like this one! It goes around the … (7 comments)

What Is Waterfront Property???? - 10/07/07 02:10 PM
I don't know about the rest of the nation, but down here in Florida, if it has ANY KIND of water, it is classified as waterfront property!!! That includes retention ponds, canals (even those dug by the Army Core of Engineers throughout Port Charlotte a few decades ago that don't go anywhere) and streams that lead to rivers!!
Before getting in this business, I thought of waterfront as being on a lake, river, the ocean or gulf, something LARGE !!! SURPRISE!!!! Some of the homes that are listed as 'waterfront' are not what I personally would consider REAL waterfront property - yet … (18 comments)

Wrote A Contract On This Place Yesterday - 10/07/07 01:51 PM

Yesterday was a pretty good day; we went out early and had our first contract written before lunch. This is the inside of the home we wrote the contract on. I love the way they have had a local artist make you feel that you are down in the islands! The art work was one of the things I personally loved most about the home - that plus the fact that it is on the water - it is a really great place!
So imagine how shocked I was when I overheard the future lady of the house tell her mother that … (6 comments)

Barbara-Jo's German Fruit Bread - 10/05/07 08:40 PM
Barbara-Jo's German Fruit Bread for the Holidays
  
½ pound each of dried dates, cranberries, figs, prunes, apricots, pineapple, mangoes - no need to cut into pieces - (get them at the natural foods store)
soak all dried fruit in rum (fruit must be covered completely) for at least 48 hours
  
add to the above ½ pound each of almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts - no need to cut into pieces-
  
to this add approximately 1 Tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 Tablespoon each of nutmeg, anise, allspice, cloves
  
mix all of the above BY HAND with approximately 3 pounds of flour, 1 Tablespoon of baking powder and 1 cup of brown sugar.
  
This … (4 comments)

Why Would A Mortgage Company NOT Want A WDO Inspection??? - 10/05/07 08:09 PM
Yes, you read it right! This is the second time I have run across this! A mortgage company that does NOT require a wood destroying organism inspection! HELLO - This is Florida!!! Are you SERIOUS????
The first time I went through this, the buyer said he wanted to get one anyway, asked my opinion about it and I said I would sure get one if I was purchasing the home!!! Not checking for termites and/or carpenter ants is just not being responsible in my humble opinion!
The current client did not have a home inspection ('I can fix anything') and now it looks … (8 comments)

Association Fees - - - What Does That Include??? - 10/04/07 09:05 PM
The last few weeks have been pretty hectic, running around with clients from out of state, trying to maximize their time here and see as much as possible. For some reason three of the last four couples that I have dealt with have been interested in purchasing in resort communities. Normally most of our clients simply want a single family home on or near with water and usually with a pool, but these last couple of weeks have been different!
We start out with most of our clients on the internet and usually have a good feel for what they want before … (2 comments)

Fall - Time For Grandma's Chicken Soup - 10/03/07 03:33 PM
Fall is rapidly approaching, even down here in sunny South Florida! I can feel the change in the air! The mornings are not as humid and there is a little bit of a tingle in the air. It feels like actual walking weather! Something you can only do here during the summer months if you are at the beach or in the malls!
But Fall is also time for Grandma's chicken soup! It was always the cure-all in our house. If you came home chilled after being outside all day in the cooler months, it was time for chicken soup! If you … (13 comments)

Barnie's Coffee and Tea Used To Be On McMullen Booth Road - 10/02/07 04:34 PM
Several years ago I owned a Barnie's Coffee and Tea franchise in Clearwater, Florida. Now I am not really much of a coffee drinker, I prefer tea - specifically keemun - but while I had my franchise I acquired a taste for Barnie's flavored coffees.
The difference between Barnie's Coffees and some of the others out there is that Barnie's roasts the flavors into the beans at time of roasting! It is not a gooey sticky syrup that is added to your coffee before you get it!!! That is what always appealed to me!
And Barnie's Coffee is NOT OVER ROASTED TO … (2 comments)

Autumn - Time For Removing Clutter - 10/02/07 04:16 PM
Autumn has arrived and it is the perfect time of year to do that semi-annual house cleaning. Time to clear out all of the things that you have accumulated during the last several months that you don't really want. Time to get rid of those books you will never read again, those birthday gifts that you don't want and will never use. Time to de-clutter the house of all those odds and ends that you wish you had gotten rid of long ago!
It is also a great time to go through your closet and remove all the clothing that no longer … (5 comments)

 

Bill's Blog - Florida Realty Professional - AHWD

Clearwater, FL

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Charles Rutenberg Realty

Address: PO Box 623, Safety Harbor, Fl, 34695

Office Phone: (727) 474-1218

Cell Phone: (727) 916-0138

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