Affordable Winter Homes in Florida - Investing in Florida

Florida Dropped to Its Lowest Unemployment Rate in December

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 20:53:12 -0800

Florida dropped to its lowest unemployment rate in December 2012 since 2008, from 8.5% in December 2011 to 7.8% in December 2012, based on data from the U.S. Labor Department. This is another good sign for the Florida real estate market, as jobs trigger higher volumes of home sales.

The improvement in Florida's job situation over the year was also significant, as the decrease of almost 2 percentage points is much more than the decrease in other states. Over the year, 42 states and Washington, D.C. cut their unemployment rates, and out of the 8 others that failed to cut their jobless rates, 2 states, Maryland and New York. did not post a change.

Here are the states with the highest unemployment rates in December 2011, and which posted among the biggest drop rates year-over-year:

Nevada -- from 13.0 to 10.2

California -- from 11.2 to 9.8

Rhode Island -- from 11.0 to 10.2

North Carolina -- from 10.4 to 9.2

Mississippi -- from 10.4 to 8.6

Florida -- from 9.9 to 8.0

Illinois -- from 9.7 to 8.7

South Carolina -- from 9.6 to 8.4

Georgia -- from 9.4 to 8.6

Michigan -- from 9.3 to 8.9

Arizona -- from 9.0 to 7.9

Kentucky -- from 9.0 to 8.1

Of the 19 Florida metro areas which were tracked for unemployment, nine achieved significant improvements, posting a drop by 2 or more percentage points:

Ocala -- 2.6

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville -- 2.4

Cape Coral-Fort Myers -- 2.2

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater -- 2.2

Lakeland -- 2.2

Orlando -- 2.1

Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice -- 2.1

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach -- 2.0

Vero Beach-- 2.0

Tampa Bay Real Estate Market Most Popular in Florida from 2008 to 2011

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:21:20 -0800

Of the 19 metropolitan markets in Florida, the Tampa Bay real estate market was the most popular among buyers of existing single-family homes from 2008 to 2011. This market posted the highest sales volumes over this four-year period, and also in other previous years, but this article focuses only on this four-year period because of data availability.

Sales of existing single-family homes in the Tampa Bay area continuously increased year-over-year, by 21.3% in 2009, by 0.45% in 2010 and by 5.74% in 2011. The following charts show the sales performances of the Tampa Bay real estate market for existing single-family units, including those of four other popular markets from 2008 to 2011.

Year 2008

1. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater -- 23,615

2. Orlando -- 16,659

3. Jacksonville -- 9,914

4. Fort Myers-Cape Coral -- 8,272

5. Sarasota-Bradenton -- 7,661

Total Florida Sales -- 124,168

Year 2009

1. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater -- 28,645

2. Orlando -- 23,994

3. Fort Myers-Cape Coral -- 16,260

4. Jacksonville -- 12,022

5. Sarasota-Bradenton -- 8,956

Total Florida Sales -- 162,873

Year 2010

1. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater -- 28,773

2. Orlando -- 26,808

3. Fort Myers-Cape Coral -- 15,148

4. Jacksonville -- 13,092

5. Fort Lauderdale -- 11,548

Total Florida Sales -- 172,462

Year 2011

1. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater -- 30,425

2. Orlando -- 27,400

3. Fort Myers-Cape Coral -- 14,134

4. Jacksonville -- 13,807

5. Fort Lauderdale -- 12,817

Total Florida Sales -- 185,921

The Tampa Bay real estate market maintained its popularity over the four-year period while Jacksonville dropped from third to fourth place in 2009 and the Sarasota-Bradenton dropped from fifth to sixth in 2010. It was Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers- Cape Coral that improved their sales performances.

Tampa Bay Real Estate Market -- Seventh Most Searched Online in the U.S.

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:11:34 -0800

The Tampa Bay real estate market is the country’s seventh most searched online market in November 2011, according to Realtor.com. Rankings were based on all types of real estate searches, with searchers entering a town, city, zip code or neighborhood, and the state, and one or more optional criteria such as price range and number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Among the 146 metro areas studied, the ten most searched real estate markets in November were the following:

1 Chicago, Illinois
2 Detroit, Michigan
3 Los Angeles-Long Beach, California
4 Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona
5 Atlanta, Georgia
6 Philadelphia-New Jersey, Pennsylvania
7 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
8 Las Vegas, Nevada
9 Dallas
10 Riverside-San Bernardino, California

In Florida, the Tampa Bay area was the most popular among online searchers. It surpassed other well-known cities such as Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville. Here are the rankings of Florida real estate markets based on online searches in November 2011:

7 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
11 Orlando
13 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton
15 Fort Lauderdale
18 Miami
35 Fort Myers-Cape Coral
39 Sarasota-Bradenton
44 Jacksonville
49 Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay
53 Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie
56 Daytona Beach
60 Naples
68 Lakeland-Winter Haven
118 Pensacola
121 Tallahassee
125 Ocala
133 Gainesville
134 Punta Gorda

Why does the Tampa real estate market continue to attract interest from prospective home buyers? Among the many reasons could be the inclusion of Tampa in many best cities lists, such as Best Cities to Start a Business, Best Cities for Small Businesses, and Best Cities for Retirement. Most recently, Tampa was cited by Kiplinger as one of the 10 best cities to start a business. Kiplinger mentioned the city’s incentives for business start-ups and local nonprofits’ programs geared towards small businesses.

Another could be lower home prices. Much has been said about the drastic fall in home prices in Florida, and the publicity about this must be benefitting Tampa. Indeed, there are plenty of opportunities for cheap investments in the Tampa Bay real estate market.

Other reasons could be the commonly mentioned assets of the Tampa area, which include access to beaches, lakes, and entertainment facilities, lower cost of living, fishing and boating activities, the University of South Florida, the McDill Air Force Base, the cruise ships, and the city’s blend of the urban and the rural.

Come to Tampa. You can explore Tampa homes on Tampa4U.com.

$200K-250K 3-Bedroom Homes for Sale in Tampa Fl Are Most In Demand

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:54:22 -0800

The popularity of higher-priced homes for sale in Tampa Fl among owner-buyers is one indication of the continued strength of the Tampa housing market amid economic uncertainties. From January to October this year, the price range of $200,000 to $250,000 had the biggest sales volume for single-family homes and villas sold to owner-buyers, according to data compiled by the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors (GTAR). A total of 1,298 units were sold over the ten-month period, peaking in August when 164 units were sold.

Overall, the price range of below $50,000 had the biggest sales volume, but this range involves purchases by investors who typically buy in bulk for resale or rental purposes. The other in-demand price ranges among owner-buyers were the $120,000 to $140,000 range, the $100,000 to $120,000 range, and the $140,000 to $160,000 range.

In 2010, the $200,000 to $250,000 price range also had the biggest sales volume, with 1,538 units purchased by buyers. In 2009, a total of 1,828 units in this range were sold, but this range was surpassed by the $120,000 to $140,000 range by 53 units.

Another good data item in the GTAR report is the high demand for three-bedroom homes. This means that homebuyers are still going for the best homes they can afford in the midst of findings that houses are getting smaller and that more and more families are downsizing. A total of 7,954 three-bedroom units were sold in the ten-month period, accounting for nearly 42 percent of all units sold. Two bathrooms were also the most ideal for most homebuyers, as almost 65 percent bought homes with two bathrooms.

The continued drop in housing inventory in Tampa month over month is also a strong indicator of the strength of the Tampa real estate market. In October this year, the number of homes for sale in Tampa Fl fell to 9,857 units, the area’s lowest level in many years. Inventory fell by nearly 10 percent over the month from 10,927 units in September and by more than 40 percent over the year from 16,543 units in October 2010. Compared to 21,799 units in October 2007, the drop is a sharp 55 percent.

With the housing inventory falling every month, the home prices have been recovering. This should encourage prospective homebuyers waiting for further price drops to pursue their homebuying now. Listings of all homes for sale in Tampa Fl are available at Tampa4U.com.

Universities in Tampa Great for Tampa Real Estate Market

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:46:46 -0800

One major reason why families with young children consider the city of Tampa as a serious relocation option is the presence of good universities in Tampa. Good schools nearby are a major attraction for families choosing a place for relocation as they won't need to pay for student accommodation or won’t need to pay for expensive air fares for vacations.

For participants in the Tampa real estate market, the presence of good Tampa universities is a blessing as these institutions attract buyers and investors. University professors, staff and students who don’t want to live in college dorms and staff houses add to the pool of motivated renters or buyers of Tampa homes.

These are the top universities in Tampa:

University of South Florida

The University of South Florida is a public university currently serving more than 46,000 students on nearly 1,600 acres of campus land. Its tuition and other fees total only $5,198 for residents and only about $16,000 for out-of-state students.

USF is widely known for its fast growth into one of the country’s top public research universities, getting more than $300 million in research funding annually from other institutions that include the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

In the U.S. News National University Rankings for 2012, USF is ranked 181st and is recognized for the nearly 10,000 degrees that it has been awarding yearly to its seniors at its campuses in Tampa, Sarasota-Manatee, Lakeland and St. Petersburg.

The most popular USF courses are those related to biomedical sciences, psychology, continuing education and teaching, criminology and finance.

University of Tampa

The University of Tampa is a private university currently educating more than 6,000 students with each of them paying an average of $24,056 in tuition and other school fees and $8,830 for room and board.

The most popular courses at UT are those related to business administration and management, communication, marketing, marketing management, finance and criminology. In the US News & World Report Rankings for Regional Universities in the South for 2012, UT is ranked 23rd.

UT, founded in 1931, sits on 100 acres of one of the loveliest Tampa real estate sites, beside the Hillsborough River and just two blocks from the center of Tampa. In the 2012 Best Graduate Schools list of U.S. News, the MBA program of UT – Sykes College of Business – ranked 138th, same ranking with those of the University of Central Florida, St. John’s University and Bradley University.

There are also three other Tampa schools that provide college programs and continuing education courses:

Hillsborough Community College. This college has been serving more than 47,000 students yearly and helping them prepare for state universities in Florida and in other states. Among the country’s nearly 1,200 community colleges, HCC ranks 30th in helping students graduate with associate degrees.

Art Institute of Tampa. This institute is a branch of the Miami International University of Art and Design. It prepares students to become marketable professionals in media arts, design, fashion and culinary businesses.

Rasmussen College. This college runs a Support+ system to ensure that students achieve their college and career goals. It offers bachelor and associate degrees and accelerated, certificate and diploma programs in business, nursing, health sciences, justice studies, education and technology and design.

With these universities, buyers of Tampa real estate can expect more investment opportunities and families deciding to move to Tampa have good higher education institutions to choose from.

Top Tampa Home Builders

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:46:33 -0700

Do you want to know if the Tampa home you want was built by one of the top Tampa home builders? If the home is located in a well-developed community, it’s most likely that your home builder is among the best home builders in Florida and across the U.S. Nearly all of the nation’s top new-home builders have residential
developments in Tampa, as the city is among the top housing markets in the country.

In the third quarter, according to construction industry research firm Metrostudy, home builders in the Tampa Bay area started construction on 1,158 residential units, the highest total of housing starts in the area since 2008.

This can be considered a good sign as this means that home builders are now getting back the confidence in the Tampa housing market and in the real estate market in general. Housing starts also increased nationwide in September, posting the highest rate of increase since April last year, based on data from the U.S. Commerce Department.

Based on the performance of home builders in the 41st Annual Tampa Bay Parade of Homes by the Tampa Bay Builders Association (TBBA), the top Tampa home builders are the following:

1. Home Dynamics Corporation

Home Dynamics has built more than 2,500 homes in South Florida and was chosen as the 2011 Showcase Builder of the TBBA Parade of Homes. Its showcase development,Lakeshore Ranch, has won for the company a Grand Merit award for homes priced from $100,000 to $200,000.

2. Homes by John C. Fowke

Its Villa Ventana homes at FishHawk Ranch were chosen for the honor of being Show Stopper – Home of Your Dreams.

3. David Weekley Homes

Three David Weekly Homes developments won Grand Merit awards. The Starling at FishHawk Ranch and Meadow Pointe were recognized in the price category of $300,000 to $350,000. The higher-priced homes at Starling at FishHawk Ranch were honored in the $351,000 to $400,000 price category.

4. Homes by WestBay

Homes by WestBay won two Grand Merit awards, one for its Starling at Garden District development at FishHawk Ranch, which won in the $601,000 to $700,000 price category, and the other for its Starling development at FishHawk Ranch, which won in the $501,000 to $600,000 category.

5. Southern Crafted Homes

Southern Crafted also won two Grand Merit awards, one for its Stonegate, which won in the $401,000 to $450,000 price category, and the other for its Devonwood, which won in the $201,000 to $250,000 price category.

6. Standard Pacific Homes

Two Grand Merit awards were also won by Standard Pacific, one for its Crosswind at Seven Oaks, which won in the $251,000 to $300,000 category, and the other for its Deerfield Lakes which won in the $201,000 to $250,000 category.

7. The Gullane

Gullane, developer of Lago Di Vita, won a Grand Merit in the price category of $800,000 and above.

8. Towers of Channelside

The Towers of Channelside also won for its builder a Grand Merit in the category of $800,000 and above.

9. Taylor Morrison

Taylor Morrison, developer of Ladera, won a Grand Merit in the $601,000 to $700,000 category.

10.Mobley Homes

A Grand Merit award in the $501,000 to $600,000 category was given to Mobley Homes, developer of Basset Creek at K-Bar Ranch.

11.Avalon Building Corp.

A Grand Merit award in the $401,000 to $450,000 category was also given to Avalon Building, developer of Watermark at Seven Oaks.

12. Water’s Edge

The Water’s Edge development won a Grand Merit award in the $351,000 to $400,000 category.

13.Bay Villa Development

Bay Villa Development, developer of Ravinia Luxury Courtyard Villas, also won a Grand Merit award in the $251,000 to $300,000 category.

14. Lenvar

Lenvar, developer of The Hammocks, won a Grand Merit in the $100,000 to $200,000 category.

The top home builders in the country based on the number of homes sold nationwide in 2010 are also among the top Tampa home builders. Some of these top ten home builders construct houses in the Tampa area through their wholly-owned subsidiaries.

1. D.R. Horton, based in Fort Worth, Texas
2. Pulte Group, based in Bloomfield Hills,Michigan
3. Lennar Corp., based in Miami, Florida
4. NVR Inc., based in Reston, Virginia
5. KB Home, based in Los Angeles, California
6. Habitat for Humanity International, based in Americus, Georgia
7. Hovnanian Enterprises, based in Red Bank, New Jersey
8. Ryland Group, based in Calabasas, California
9. Beazer Homes USA, based in Atlanta, Georgia
10. Meritage Homes Corp., based in Scottsdale, Arizona

Own a home built by the top Tampa home builders. Call Tampa4U.com.

Tampa Condos Among the Most Popular in Florida in August

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:34:48 -0700

A total of 834 Tampa condos were sold to owner-buyers and investors in August this year, surpassing the sales performances of other condo markets in Florida. The Tampa condo market was the fourth most popular condo market in August based on sales of existing condos. The top five condo markets in August based on total sales of pre-owned condos were the following:

Fort Lauderdale	1,398 units
Miami	1,311 units
West Palm Beach area	1,012 units
Tampa area	834 units
Orlando	520 units

All in all, Florida sold 7,098 existing condo units in August, posting an increase of 17 percent over the 6,041 units sold in August last year. Tampa accounted for 11.8 percent of the total condo sales statewide in August 2011. In August last year, it was again Fort Lauderdale which posted the highest sales figure. Following were Orlando, Miami, West Palm Beach and Tampa. This year, Tampa surpassed Orlando’s condo sales performance.

The median sales price for condos sold across Florida in August was $91,100, an increase of 12 percent from the $81,500 median sales price in August 2010. The median price for Tampa condos sold in August was $83,000, a drop of six percent from the August 2010 median price. As to condo market stability, the following metro areas were the most stable, based on the rates of over-the-year median sales price increases in August 2011:

Pensacola	50%	from $156,700 to $235,700
Fort Myers-Cape Coral	31%	from $94,600 to $123,500
Daytona Beach	30%	from $125,000 to $162,200
Orlando	20%	from $49,300 to $59,000
Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay	19%	from $85,000 to $101,100

The most affordable condos across Florida in August, based on the median sales prices of units sold in August, were the following:

Ocala	$37,500
Lakeland-Winter Haven	$53,300
Orlando	$59,000
Gainesville	$69,400
Punta Gorda	$76,000
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton	$77,000
Jacksonville	$77,800
Fort Lauderdale	$79,500
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater	$83,000

As seen on the figures above, the Tampa condo market is still among the most desired in Florida. For investors, Tampa is a city that has been attracting business people, students, professionals and senior citizens -- potential tenants for their rental condo properties. For owner-occupants, Tampa is where they see job opportunities, higher education programs and comfortable retirement. Go for experience and market knowledge. Contact Tampa4U.com professionals to find affordable, beautiful Tampa condos.

Florida Real Estate Market – Strength Shown in Existing Home Sales

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 01:44:11 -0700

The strong seasonally adjusted annual sales rate for Florida’s existing homes in the second quarter this year shows that the Florida real estate market continues to be among the most desired market in the country.

Based on data from the National Association of Realtors, Florida was third among states, behind only California and Texas, in seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales of single-family homes, condos and co-ops in the second quarter. It posted a rate of 422,400 units, just 17,200 units below that of California and 14,800 units below that of Texas.

Additionally, Florida was one of only six states that posted a year-over-year increase in adjusted annual sales. The other large states, California and Texas, both posted drops, with California experiencing a drop of 8.3 percent and Texas a drop of 9.7 percent. In contrast, Florida posted an increase of nearly 2 percent.

The six states that posted a year-over-year increase in seasonally adjusted annual sales rate in the second quarter were the following:

State	Rate of Increase in	Seasonally Adjusted
	Adjusted Annual Sales	Annual Sales

Arizona	9.2 %	170,400 units
Wyoming	9.1 %	9,600 units
Nevada	5 %	100,000 units
Idaho	3.1 %	40,000 units
Florida	1.9 %	422,400 units
Georgia	0.9 %	178,400 units

Note, however, that Florida was the runaway top performer among the six in terms of adjusted annual sales rate -- 244,000 units above that of Georgia, the second in the six-state comparison.

The median prices for existing single-family homes across Florida also held tight in the second quarter. While cities like Salem in Oregon, Twin Cities in Minnesota, Toledo in Ohio and Norwich in Connecticut experienced big drops in median prices, respectively falling by 22.6 percent, 17.7 percent, 17.3 percent, and 17 percent, cities in Florida posted drops as small as 3.5 percent.

Five Florida cities experienced only single-digit decreases. One metro area in Florida – the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area – even experienced a substantial surge in median prices. This area posted a median price increase of 17.9 percent, from $94,100 to $110,900. Another metro area, the city of Tallahassee, posted a price increase of nearly 4 percent, climbing over the year from $142,300 to $147,800.

The following are the five cities that posted single-digit median price drops, affirming the popularity of Florida real estate properties.

Metro Area	Median Sales Price	Percent of Price Decrease

Jacksonville	$134,200	3.5 %
Deltona	$112,200	4.1 %
Pensacola	$133,500	6.7 %
Palm Bay	$108,700	7.3 %
Tampa	$129,600	8.3 %

Take advantage of the strength of the Tampa real estate market and at the same affordable home prices. Contact Tampa4U.com.

Florida Third in Title Insurance Premiums Collected in Second Quarter

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:50:01 -0700

Title insurance premiums written in Florida in the second quarter shot up by nearly 10 percent, putting Florida third among states in premiums sold. The state’s title insurance industry generated a total of $186 million, more than the total of premiums sold in New York, based on a report released by the American Land Title Association (ALTA).

What does this high ranking of Florida mean? Since title searches, title abstracts and title insurance policies and closings are needed by real property homebuyers and mortgage lenders, it means that Florida’s real estate market is still among the most vibrant despite the problems arising from foreclosures and the nationwide economic difficulties.

The top ten states based on title insurance premiums collected in the April to June quarter were:

1. California	$319.8 million
2. Texas	$286.2 million
3. Florida	$185.8 million
4. New York	$168.7 million
5. Pennsylvania	$96.9 million
6. Arizona	$82.2 million
7. New Jersey	$80.2 million
8. Ohio	$66.4 million
9. Virginia	$63.2 million
10. Michigan	$59.7 million

Of the ten top states above, Florida was among the five which did not drop in premiums written. Total title insurance premiums in the state shot up by 9.5 percent.

The top ten states with the biggest rates of increase in premiums were the following:

1. Iowa	70.3 %
2. South Dakota	63.4 %
3. Delaware	29.1 %
4. Alaska	28.8 %
5. North Dakota	26.6 %
6. Kansas	12.5 %
7. New York	11.8 %
8. Florida	9.5 %
9. Arkansas	7.9 %
10. Texas	7.5 %

The ten states with the biggest drops in title insurance premiums collected in the second quarter were the following:

1. Idaho	27.4 %
2. Utah	26.5 %
3. New Mexico	17.3 %
4. West Virginia	14.0 %
5. Montana	11.5 %
6. Nevada	11.2 %
7. Arizona	11.1 %
8. Missouri	10.9 %
9. Ohio	10.8 %
10. Alabama	10.7 %

All in all, the title insurance industry nationwide wrote a total of $2.3 billion in title insurance premiums in the second quarter, slightly lower than the $2.33 billion collected during the same quarter in 2010. Data, however, is not final as two regional title insurance companies have not yet submitted their premium collections.

The Fidelity family of underwriters captured the bulk of the market – 36.4 percent – with the First American family following with 26.1 percent. The family of underwriters of Stewart and Old Republic captured 13.9 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively. National title insurers captured 89.1 percent while regional underwriters captured 10.8 percent of the market.

In Tampa, as in all other cities, title insurers can thank Tampa real estate agents for their efforts in energizing the real property market.

Tampa Homes -- Most Popular Neighborhoods for Home Buyers

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 03:47:00 -0700

Let’s look at the most desired neighborhoods for buyers of Tampa homes over the past months and discover why they’re popular. We’ll be using charts compiled by Zillow and Trulia, two of the most popular online real estate information providers.

According to Trulia, the following are the ten most popular neighborhoods based on online traffic:
1. Old Seminole Heights
2. Tampa Palms
3. Ballast Point
4. Sun Bay South
5. Davis Islands
6. Historic Hyde Park North
7. Tampa Heights
8. Pinecrest West Park
9. Palma Ceia
10. Virginia Park

According to Zillow, the following neighborhoods are the most popular based on number of Tampa homes purchased in June 2011:

1. East Tampa
2. Tampa Palms
3. Lowry Park Central
4. North Hyde Park
5. Fairoaks
6. Old Seminole Heights
7. Sulphur Springs
8. Channel District
9. Gandy/Sun Bay South
10. North Tampa

The common neighborhoods in the two lists are Tampa Palms, Old Seminole Heights, Sun Bay South and Hyde Park North. We’ll explore what things attract buyers of Tampa homes to these neighborhoods.

Old Seminole Heights

Old Seminole Heights is the largest of the three neighborhoods in the Seminole Heights district, the two others being Southeast Seminole Heights and South Seminole Heights. Seminole Heights is known for its beautiful old homes, with a number of them listed as historic houses, and parks where people can embrace the joys of nature. Among notable landmarks in the neighborhood are the Seminole Heights Garden Center Park (photo at left), Seminole Heights United Methodist Church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Seminole Heights Elementary School, Hillsborough High School, and Memorial Middle School.

The Seminole Heights Residential District and the Hampton Terrace Historic District are designated U.S. Historic Districts and are included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Tampa Palms

This neighborhood is located within Tampa’s new district called New Tampa. It’s a planned community embracing the southern portion of the Hillsborough River, complete with shops, schools, recreational facilities, restaurants, churches, offices and other service providers. Its beautiful homes, wide roads, and complete facilities have prompted the Southeast Homebuilders Association and the National Association of Homebuilders to award their top awards for master planned communities in the Southeast and in the U.S. in 1987.

Sun Bay South

Gandy-Sun Bay South is part of the South Tampa district and lies west of McDill Avenue. It’s a largely urban community with seven percent of open land. Its parks are Bobby Hicks Park, Palma Ceia Lions Park and Gandy Park South. Schools include the public schools Monroe Middle School and Robinson High.

Hyde Park North

Historic Hyde Park North embraces part of the northwest portion of the Hillsborough Bay, lying west of Bayshore Boulevard and south of the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway. In this community are the Anderson Park, Berns Park and WilsonMiddle School. Around Hyde Park are historical markers that provide historical notes on places and persons in the area’s past, including the Kate Jackson Community Center, Hyde Park’s Bungalow Terrace and Woodrow Wilson High.

View Tampa homes in popular neighborhoods.

Seven Florida Beaches on Dr. Beach’s Annual Best Beaches Lists

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Mon, 30 May 2011 22:10:05 -0700

Over the 21 years that Dr. Beach has been methodically rating U.S. beaches, Florida beaches have been occupying places in his Top Ten Beaches lists. With about 8,000 miles of shoreline, about 1,200 miles of sand beaches and about 4,500 islands larger than ten acres, it’s a given that Florida is frequently mentioned in all kinds of Top Beaches lists, including Dr. Beach’s most awaited annual list.

Dr. Beach is Stephen Leatherman, a geoscientist, environmental scientist, author, professor and director of the Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. He formally started rating U.S. beaches in 1991 after developing 50 criteria to professionally rate beaches and after surveying the nation’s 650 major public beaches over a period of two years.

He was inspired to start a professional rating of U.S. beaches after his off-the-bat answer to a reporter’s question about the best beaches in the U.S. landed in major travel publications and led to a huge surge in visitors to the beaches he mentioned.

Here are several of Dr. Beach’s criteria for rating beaches for swimming, sports, picnics, get-togethers and other recreational activities:

Sand softness
Beach material, such as cobbles or fine sand
Beach condition in relation to erosion
Beach width at low tide
Color of water
Number of sunny days
Amount of rain
Water temperature
Wind speeds
Rip currents
Views and vistas
Amenities such as shower rooms and bars
Lifeguards
Access
Public safety
Use of the beach by fishermen, water skiers and boaters

With the above factors and other criteria, the seven Florida beaches that topped Dr. Beach annual Top Ten Beaches were the following:

1992 – Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys
1994 – Grayton Beach State Park, Florida Panhandle
1995 – Saint Andrews State Park, Panama City
2002 – Saint Joseph Peninsula State Park, Port Saint Joe
2005 – Fort DeSoto Park – North Beach St Petersburg
2008 – Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater
2011 – Siesta Beach, Sarasota

This year, two other Florida beaches made it to the Top Ten:

Rank 6 – St. George Island State Park in the Florida Panhandle
Rank 10 – Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne

In the Tampa Bay area, there are also top-rated beaches, such as the following:

Davis Islands Beach – for sunning and reading
Picnic Island – for fishing, partying and beach sports
Ben T Davis Beach – one of the first beaches seen by visitors flying in via the Tampa International Airport
Sand Key Beach – whitest and widest beyond the Panhandle

If you love Florida beaches enough to consider buying a home in Tampa, contact Tampa4U.

Seller Financing and Cash Buying Helped Sales of Tampa Homes

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Tue, 24 May 2011 07:39:42 -0700

More Tampa homes were sold in the first quarter this year largely because of cash buyers and home sellers that financially assisted buyers.

According to a report based on sales statistics from the Tampa MLS, nearly 9,000 Tampa homes and condo units were sold in the first quarter, an increase of 18 percent from the same quarter last year.

In Florida, based on a report from the National Association of Realtors, sales of existing single-family homes and condos in the first quarter rose by nearly 24 percent from the previous quarter and by 17 percent over the year to a seasonally adjusted yearly rate of 491,600 units.

In the Tampa Bay area, the number of cash buyers shot up in the first three months. With the deeply discounted prices of Tampa homes, investors have been gathering cash from their savings, backers, companies and partners to snap up attractively-priced residential properties.

Cash purchases accounted for a huge portion of home sales in Pinellas County, with more than 65 percent of sales transactions paid in cash. In Pasco, nearly 59 percent were cash transactions while in Hillsborough, half of home purchases were paid in cash. One can see that investors have lots of cash, as more homes in Pinellas were paid in cash although they have higher prices.

The average sales prices were $165,700 in Pinellas, $140,360 in Hillsborough, and $132,000 in Pasco, according to a report compiled by the Greater Tampa Bay Association of Realtors and the Pinellas Realtor Organization.

Another trend that helped house sales in the first quarter was seller financing or homeowner financing. According to the NAR’s subsidiary Realtors Property Resource and the online real estate service provider Trulia, the number of home purchases financed by sellers increased substantially in many states, particularly in Michigan, Florida, California, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Texas.

Last year, almost 53,000 homes across the country were sold by owners who financed the transaction themselves. This represented an astounding increase of 56 percent compared to home purchases facilitated by owner financing in 2008.

In the Tampa Bay area, seller financing accounted for more than one percent of all homes sold, with Hillsborough posting 1.31 percent, Pinellas 1.22 percent and Pasco 1.19 percent. Tampa homes that were not paid in cash were financed by conventional loans, FHA loans, VA loans, homeowners’ loans, and other types of loans.

Investing in Tampa homes now makes sense because of their deeply discounted prices. Contact Tampa4U realtors.

Low Home Prices Benefit Young Homeowners

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:33:42 -0700

The sharp drops in home prices have been causing losses to home builders, homeowners, realtors, sellers, investors holding properties bought at premium prices, mortgage lenders and most of the real estate participants.

There’s one group, however, that’s benefitting from the housing meltdown, and those are the young buyers: young professionals, young couples or young investors purchasing their properties for the first time.

Because of their youth, they’re arriving at the residential real estate market just at the right time:

They weren’t there yet during the housing bubble, so they were spared from the temptation of buying homes at outrageous prices.
They can buy a house now without the burden of needing to sell an existing house that they’re struggling to pay.
Their credit is not stained by any foreclosure.
They’re buying at a time when mortgage rates are still historically low.
Mortgage lenders are now seeing to it that the standard mortgage underwriting process is implemented, preventing young home buyers from committing home purchase mistakes if they’re not yet financially capable.
They have resources that their older counterparts didn’t have.
They can now search for any information they need online, making them knowledgeable and ready to make the right decision when finally choosing a house and closing with the help of a real estate professional.
They’re buying at a time when there’s a huge inventory and a lot of design, community and location options to choose from.
And more importantly, they’re buying at a time when home prices are at their lowest levels. In the first quarter of this year, the median sales prices of pre-owned homes dropped in many metro areas. Nationwide, median prices dropped by 4.6 percent over the year.

Here’s a list of metro areas where the year-over-year drops in median home prices for pre-owned homes in the first quarter were the biggest, based on NAR studies:

Name of Metropolitan Area	Median Home Price	Rate of Increase Year-Over-Year

Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi	$99,400	22.8%
Akron, Ohio	$74,900	21.4 %
Salem, Oregon	$153,500	20.6 %
Dayton, Ohio	$78,000	20.3%
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, Ohio	$87,000	19.7%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, Florida	$153,600	19.7%
Ocala, Florida	$75,400	18.8%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pennsylvania-New Jersey	$186,200	18.4%
Tucson, Arizona	$136,800	18 %
Cumberland, Maryland	$80,700	17.9 %

Comparing the country's four major regions, the biggest median price drop was in the Midwest, with a drop rate of 5.3 percent. The smallest decrease rate was in the South, with only a 0.6 percent rate of decrease. The West experienced a 4.7-percent decrease while the Northeast had a 5-percent decrease.

Check out lower-priced Tampa homes with help from Tampa4U real estate professionals.

Home Foreclosures in Tampa Slowed by More than 50 Percent

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Fri, 13 May 2011 04:09:09 -0700

Many always knew that there would be an end to the avalanche of homes being foreclosed, and the latest report on the drops in home foreclosure in Tampa and in other U.S. cities are an indicator that the end of mass foreclosures is near.

In the first quarter this year, according to studies by RealtyTrac, the rate of home foreclosures in Tampa fell by nearly 52 percent compared to the previous quarter and by more than 56 percent compared to the same quarter in 2010. Its foreclosure rate of one in 158 in the first quarter this year was lower than those of other Florida cities such as the Fort Myers-Cape Coral area, which had a rate of one in 86 homes.

These were the foreclosure rates in Florida’s metro cities in the first quarter of 2011:

Metro Area	Foreclosure Rate	Rate Ranking Nationwide

Cape Coral-Fort Myers	one in 86	18th
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach	one in 129	37th
Ocala	one in 142	42nd
Orlando-Kissimmee	one in 148	44th
Jacksonville	one in 154	45th
Port St. Lucie	one in 154	46th
Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice	one in 155	47th
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater	one in 158	50th

In the Tampa area, a total of 8,438 homes got hit with default or foreclosure filings in the first quarter. Among Florida metro areas, it was the Miami area that posted the highest number of filings, with 18,867 homes affected. Next was Tampa and third was the Cape Coral area, with 4,248 homes affected.

The state of Florida also improved its home foreclosure situation. Although its rate was still the eighth highest in the nation, its rate of one in 152 represented a big drop of more than 47 percent from the previous quarter and more than 62 percent from the same quarter last year. Its total of default or foreclosure filings was also still high at 58,322, representing almost nine percent of the U.S. total and ranking as the second highest, behind that of California.

Florida had 40,730 homes in pre-foreclosures and 17,592 already in the REO books of banks. The Miami area accounted for 32.35 percent of Florida’s total of troubled and foreclosed homes.

Nationwide, the foreclosure situation improved, with the total of foreclosure filings falling by 15 percent over the quarter and by 27 percent over the year to 681,153. Nevada again posted the highest rate and California posted the highest number of units in foreclosure or pre-foreclosure.

To take a look at bank-owned homes in Tampa, contact Tampa4U.com.

Consider Buying Real Estate in Florida, the Third Best State for Business

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Sat, 07 May 2011 10:17:58 -0700

Florida has been cited as the third best state for business by more than 500 CEOs surveyed by Chief Executive Group LLC, so if you’re evaluating locations for your commercial real estate investment efforts, consider Florida. Resale or lease prospects for your property would be better in this state.

Florida and the 49 other states were rated by CEOs based on three criteria that have the most significant impact on business operations, namely taxation and business regulations, workforce quality and living conditions. Each CEO also listed his or her selection for the four best states for business and the four worst states for locating a business.

Among the variables CEOs considered are the following:

Tax incentives
Corporate tax rates
Employment compliance regulations
Environmental compliance regulations
Availability of workers with specialized experience or education
Crime rate
Real estate costs
Access to transportation
Quality of public education
Public health and hospitals

The top ten states preferred by CEOs for locating, expanding or launching a business are the following:

Texas
North Carolina
Florida
Tennessee
Georgia
Indiana
Virginia
South Carolina
Utah
Nevada

Indiana had the greatest improvement compared to the 2010 ranking, as it shot up from
16th in 2010 to sixth place in 2011. Florida also shot up from sixth place in 2010 to third place this year. The top two states, Texas and North Carolina, retained their last year's rankings. It was Tennessee that was replaced by Florida in the third place. Virginia and Nevada also declined in the rankings, but they’re still in the top ten.

Among the positive things about Florida that CEOs liked were the following:

Florida doesn’t collect state income tax from individuals.
Florida’s corporate tax rate is only 5.5 percent. It uses the three-factor formula for firms with operations outside the state.
Tax incentives are offered to corporations that locate in enterprise zones, that financially help a state-approved community organization, and that produces renewable energy.
Florida’s population increased to 18.8 million in 2010 from 15.98 million in the year 2000.
Nearly ten percent of the workforce have post-graduate degrees or higher levels of academic achievements.
The number of patents per 100,000 workers is high at 16.06.
Florida has adequate schools and hospitals.

Pleasant weather most of the year, smooth beaches, unique theme parks, beautiful lakes, renowned golf courses, license-free fishing and master-planned communities also won a lot of points for Florida.

What Will the New Home Look Like by 2015?

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:16:56 -0700

By 2015, the new single-family detached home will be smaller and more energy-efficient, according to a survey of home builders, architects, designers, manufacturers and other building-industry professionals.

The survey’s main result is not very surprising, as phrases like simple living, sustainable living, frugal living and environment-friendly living have been a normal part of the lifestyle vocabulary since jobs and household finances were nearly wiped out during the recession.

The survey, carried out by the National Association of Home Builders and published by HousingEconomics.com, asked respondents about the probability of certain housing trends to persist in the next five years even if the real estate market recovers.

Here are the most significant results for newly-built single-family detached houses. The % refers to the percent of respondents who agreed with the probability of the condition or feature.

Homes will become smaller 74%
Homes will have more green features 68%
The average size will be from 2,000 to 2,399 square feet 63%
The living room will be merged with other spaces in the house 52%

The living room will be eliminated to save on space 30%
Homes will have more technology features 29%
The average size will be from 2,400 to 2,999 22%
Homes will have more accessibility features 20%
Homes will have more outdoor living features 10%

The respondents also rated features that will likely be incorporated in the new home or materials that will likely be used. They rated them Very Likely, Somewhat Likely and Unlikely.

The items that were rated Very Likely to be part of the new home are the following:
Types of rooms or features very likely to be added:

Combined kitchen-family room-living room
Walk-in closet in master bedroom
Laundry room
Ceiling fan
Master bedroom on first floor in two-story home
Two-car garage

Green materials likely to be used or features very likely to be added:

Low-E windows
Engineered wood beams, trusses or joists
Water efficient systems such as low flow faucets and dual flush toilets
Energy Star rating for the whole house

Kitchen features very likely to be added:

Double sink
Recessed lighting
Table space for eating
Breakfast bar
Pull-out drawers

Things that are somewhat likely to be added:

Nine-foot ceiling height in first floor
Home office indoor fireplace
Bolder colors on interior walls
Insulation higher than standard
Tankless water heater
Argon gas windows
Central island
Walk-in pantry
Desk or computer area

Among the features that are unlikely to be added are those considered space and energy wasters such as sunroom, three-car garage, skylights, media room, hobbies room, wine cooler, trash compactor and fireplace.

For homebuyers, you don't have to wait for 2015 for green homes. There are already a lot of energy-efficient homes in Tampa. Contact Tampa4U.com to view these homes.

Tampa Festivals and Attractions Get Millions of Visitors a Year

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 03:49:13 -0700

Last year, nearly 14 million people visited the Tampa area to enjoy its theme parks, zoos, beaches, restaurants, shopping stores, museums, festivals, and other attractions.

Here’s some information on Tampa Bay’s annual festivals, as listed by Tampa Bay and Company:

Outback Bowl -- January
Bowl games by teams from the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference

Black Heritage Festival -- January
Nine-day celebration of Tampa Bay’s black heritage through concerts, exhibitions, street festivals

Gasparilla Children’s Parade and Piratechnic Extravaganza – January
Pirate-themed family events on Bayshore Boulevard and fireworks over Hillsborough Bay

Gasparilla Pirate Fest -- January
Gasparilla pirate parade, live shows and arts and craft shows

Florida State Fair -- February
Livestock shows, arts and crafts, stage shows, concerts, food kiosks, rides, attractions, games and other fund activities for families

Sant’Yago Illuminated Knight Parade -- February
Tampa’s biggest night parade of floats filled with lights, bands and pirates

Gasparilla Distance Classic -- February
Running races for world-class runners, including wheelchair competitors funded by Bank of America

Fiesta Day -- February
Concerts, Spanish and Cuba cuisine, arts and crafts shows and cultural shows

Florida Strawberry Festival -- March
Eleven-day celebration of strawberry harvests through contests and cultural shows

Bay Area Renaissance Festival -- weekends from February, March and April
Museum of Science and Industry stage and street theater shows

Gasparilla Festival of the Arts -- March
One of the biggest arts shows in the Southeast

St. Patrick’s Day Parade -- March
Hundreds of floats make the streets alive

Apollo Beach Manatee Arts Festival -- March
Arts and crafts shows and live entertainment highlighting the protection of the endangered Florida manatee

Gasparilla International Film Festival -- March
Tampa Film Institute’s festival of films from around the world, including local productions

Festa Italiana -- March
Italian Club of Tampa’s showcase of cuisine, culture and live entertainment

Bern’s Winefest -- April
Winefest of Tampa’s famous restaurant Bern’s Steak House

Ruskin Tomato and Heritage Festival -- May
Celebration of the heritage of the coastal town of Ruskin and its famous Ruskin tomato

Freedom Fest -- July
Fireworks, food and music on the Fourth of July

Howl-O-Scream -- September and October
Sixteen nights of getting thrills from scare zones at Busch Gardens

Clips Festival -- September and October
Formerly called the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

Zooboo -- October
Bank of America’s biggest Halloween event for families

NSRA Street Rod Nationals -- October
Considered the biggest street rod show in the Southeast

Guavaween -- October
Latin-themed Halloween celebration highlighting Tampa’s nickname, The Big Guava

Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival -- November
Seafood and entertainment fiesta on Tampa Bay’s shores

Festival – Espiritu De Ybor -- November
Tour of historic homes in Ybor City

Tampa Cigar Heritage Festival -- November
Festival for cigar enthusiasts

Victorian Christmas Stroll -- December
19th-century holiday celebrations at the Henry B. Plant Museum

Santa Fest and Holiday Parade -- December
Holiday festivities for families

Owners of Tampa real estate enjoy most of these festivals as they live here. If you're considering Tampa as one of your possible relocation or retirement destinations, contact the friendly Tampa4U.com professionals.

What Do People Say About the Zillow IPO, About Real Estate Agents?

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:48:58 -0700

Real estate agents can learn or affirm what they already know about what other people are saying about them from reactions to articles on the Zillow IPO proposal announced this April.

Zillow announced its S-1 form filing with the SEC, registering its plan to hold an IPO of its common stock. It has identified Citi as its sole manager for the IPO, but it hasn’t determined the number of shares to sell and the price per share. Zillow plans to raise $51.75 million from the IPO.

Several articles were written in reaction to the IPO announcement, and among these was a CNNMoney.com article which bashed the IPO and also real estate agents. An article on another website in turn reacted to the CNNMoney.com article. It highlighted the rivalry between Zillow and Trulia which are both providers of real estate information online.

From the comments on the articles, we can see various insights from real estate professionals, home buyers and home sellers, and among the more significant ones are the following:

1. Zillow failed in achieving its original goal of replacing real estate agents.

It originally wanted to do for the real estate industry what online travel sites have done to airline travel: making airfare deals directly with customers.

Zillow officers, however, have denied ever saying something about replacing agents. Today, Zillow’s most valued clients are the agents and mortgage brokers, as they’re the ones paying to use Zillow’s services.

What Zillow has accomplished is to increase its web traffic for the agents and loan brokers. It has not done what the realtors have been doing for home buyers: helping the client from the start of looking at houses to the end of the closing process.

2. Zillow’s home price estimates on Zestimates are really just estimates.

Some are even blaming Zestimates for unfairly firing up expectations of high prices among sellers or bargain prices among buyers. And yet some are mocking others for putting too much faith on Zillow’s estimates.

3. The image of dishonest agents still occupies the minds of some people.

Even the CNNMoney.com writer criticized agents and indirectly said they lack transparency and clarity and mentioned agents’ “I-m-on-your-side fakery.”

4. Zillow’s database of over 100 million homes for sale or for rent is not updated regularly.

Zillow claims its web traffic has shot up to 19.4 million unique users in March 2011, up from 12.7 million in December 2010 and from 7.6 million in December 2009. Quantcast and Compete, however, have much lower traffic estimates. Many users are also frustrated because the data is not updated.

Reactions to the articles show that home buyers still need real estate agents. The fact that Zillow is relying on agents for its revenues is a statement affirming the important role of agents.

In Tampa, among the most experienced and friendliest real estate agents are the Tampa4U.com professionals.

Existing Homes for Sale in Florida Bucked Nationwide Trend

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 08:48:44 -0700

The transfer of existing homes for sale in Florida from owners to buyers reached a higher pace in February, in contrast to the decreased sales of existing homes nationwide during the same month.

Based on sales figures issued by Florida Realtors, a total of 13,701 existing single-family homes in Florida were sold in February this year, an increase of 13 percent from the 12,164 units sold to buyers in February 2010. Sales of existing condos also increased, as 6,984 units were sold to buyers this year’s February, compared to 5,424 units sold in February last year.

Florida’s home sales performance in February was in contrast to the drop in sales of pre-owned homes nationwide during the month. Based on a report from the National Association of Realtors, the seasonally adjusted rate of pre-owned single-family home sales dropped over the year by 2.7 percent to 4.25 million units from 4.37 million units. Over the month, the drop was 9.6 percent, as January’s sales rate was 4.7 million units.

The sales pace for existing condos and co-ops also slowed nationally, as the adjusted rate dropped by 3.1 percent from 650,000 units in February last year to 630,000 units in February this year. The month-over-month drop was bigger, as it was a 10-percent decrease from a total of 700,000 condo units sold in January.

In Florida, 17 metro areas posted increases in single-family home sales, with the Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay and Panama City areas posting the highest increases of 57 percent and 45 percent, respectively. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area posted the highest sales figure at 2,375 units, followed by the Orlando area, which posted a sales total of 2,063 units. Florida Realtors' survey of existing homes for sale in Florida included sales by other realtor organizations in Florida.

All 19 metro areas tracked by the realtor association posted sales increases in existing condos and coops except Panama City whose sales remained the same for the month of February. Tallahassee’s sales showed an overwhelming 180-percent increase, followed by Ocala’s 100-percent increase. Fort Lauderdale posted the highest number of unit sales for the month, registering a sales total of 1,357 units. The second and third biggest sales were posted in the Tampa and Boca Raton areas.

Despite the increase in unit sales of existing homes for sale in Florida, the median sales price in Florida in February 2011 for single-family homes dropped to $121,900, down by two percent from $124,500 in February last year. Most metro areas posted drops in median prices, except in the Fort Lauderdale, Port St. Lucie, Panama City and Fort Myers areas which posted median price increases.

Take advantage of favorable home price decreases in the Tampa area. The median price for single-family homes in Tampa in February this year was $111,100. Explore these affordable homes with help from Tampa4U.com.

Rate Hike for State Farm Home Insurance Approved -- Do You Have Other Options?

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:25:40 -0700

State Farm’s application for a rate increase in Florida has been approved by state regulators, although its original request for an average rate increase of 28 percent was disapproved. What was approved was an average rate increase of 18.8 percent effective July 1 this year for new customers and July 15 for renewing policyholders.

According to a spokesperson for State Farm, not all its 632,000 policyholders in the state of Florida will experience increases, as rate increases will depend on the location and type of the property.

Here are the specific rate increases for certain areas of Florida:

Western parts of Broward County – 64 percent
Coastal areas of Broward County – 50 percent
Western parts of Palm Beach County – 28 percent
Coastal areas of Palm Beach County – 50 percent
Orange, Seminole and Lake Counties – more than 30 percent
Parts of Osceola, Volusia and Polk counties – more than 50 percent
Parts of Volusia County – about 6 percent

There are some areas where home insurance rates decreased or remained the same:

Middle portions of Broward County -- Drop in rates by 10 percent
Military Trail in Palm Beach County – Drop in rates by 10 percent
Parts of Polk County -- No change in rate

The rates above will not be applied to all policyholders in the area defined, as the policy type will also be considered. An individual homeowner can have his or her premium rate slightly lower or higher than the rate increase in his or her area. Homes rented out by investor-owners will experience higher rate increases, up to 63 percent on average.

What Options Do State Farm policyholders have?

Existing policyholders can bear the increase and continue with State Farm, secure in the thought that their insurer is the biggest private home insurance provider in Florida, and therefore, is the likeliest organization able to pay claims fully in case of a major catastrophe.

Others can opt not to renew with State Farm and obtain a home insurance policy from the state-run Citizens Insurance or another private insurer. But before homeowners leave State Farm, they should first ensure that they can secure a house insurance policy from another reliable insurer. Not all homeowners seeking to purchase a home insurance can get one. It’s either the home being insured is a big sure risk for the insurance company, or the firm is complying with its agreement with state insurance regulators.

The two other large private firms with home insurance operations in Florida are Allstate Floridian and Nationwide of Florida. The others include Florida Peninsula Insurance, Avatar Insurance and Gulf Stream Property and Casualty Insurance Co.

To make sure you’re looking at insurable and affordable homes in Tampa, contact the experienced and friendly real estate professionals of Tampa4U.com.

Tampa Airport Gets More British Airways Flights from London

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 23:12:51 -0700

There must be more people raring to go to Tampa as British Airways decided to increase its flights from London Gatwick Airport to Tampa International Airport this April.

Gatwick Airport is the world’s busiest single-runway airport and Britain’s second biggest airport, serving more than 33 million passengers every year bound for 200 destinations in 90 countries. Gatwick is 28 miles south of London and accessible by public transport, including the popular Gatwick Express.

From five flights a week for this route, British Airways increased the flight frequency to seven times a week, or to one flight every day. These daily flights will give more scheduling options for London travelers or vacationers going to Tampa and nearby cities.

Here are several reasons why British Airways increased its flights to Tampa:

1. The city of Tampa is a preferred entry point for travelers planning to visit several cities of Florida, as the city offers a stress-free transition to the nearby cities of Orlando, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Sarasota. Orlando can be reached in less than 90 minutes. More importantly, Tampa is also a great tourist destination.

2. The Tampa International Airport is highly rated by airline passengers. It was voted the country’s best airport in 2008 by Zagat and was rated the third best airport in 2010 by Conde Nast Traveler. It served a total of 16.65 million passengers in 2010. Its highest monthly traffic last year was in March, when it served more than 1.69 million passengers.

3. British Airways, on its website, also lauds these several vacation spots and tourist attractions in Tampa:

Busch Gardens. This is being hailed as a great alternative or complement to the world-famous SeaWorld Orlando, as it’s just a one-hour drive from Orlando. Experience close encounters with awesome animals, take a safari across the Serengeti Plains and ride the thrilling roller coasters.

Florida Aquarium. Rated as one of the country’s top ten aquariums. Swim with about 2,300 fishes in the Coral Reef. Dance with the penguins. Join the wild dolphin ecoutour. Explore a shore. Join the aqua camps. Host an event at one of the most unique venues.

Lowry Park Zoo. Ranked by Parent Magazine as the country’s most family-friendly zoo.
Downtown Tampa. Walk along the Riverwalk or take in the views at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. Then visit the Tampa Museum of Art and the Tampa Bay History Center.

If you want to buy a vacation home in Tampa, or any other type of home, contact Tampa4U.com.

Home Loan Payment Trends Improved in 2010

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 01:48:59 -0700

For home loans provided by eight of the biggest banks in the U.S. including one thrift bank, payment trends improved in 2010, particularly in the fourth quarter. The rates of early-stage and serious delinquencies decreased and the percentage of significantly-modified home loans increased, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision.

The eight banks whose home loans and mortgage modifications are being tracked by the OCC and OTS are Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank, U.S. Bank, HSBC, MetLife Bank, U.S. Bank and PNC. The thrift bank is OneWest Bank, which was formerly IndyMac. BofA acquired Merrill Lynch FSB in November 2009 while Wells Fargo acquired Wachovia Bank in March 2010. First Tennessee Bank became MetLife Bank in January 2010.

As of the last quarter in 2010, these banks had 32.9 million home loans in their portfolios with principal balances totaling $5.7 trillion. These loans accounted for 63 percent of all outstanding residential mortgages in the country.

According to these two federal agencies, the percentage of mortgage borrowers who were in default in the fourth quarter of 2010 by 30 days to 59 days dropped to 3.1 percent, down from 7.7 percent in the fourth quarter in 2009.

Additionally, the percentage of seriously delinquent home loans – those in default by 60 days or more – dropped to 5.4 percent in the last quarter of 2010, the lowest percentage since the April-June 2009 quarter and down by a significant 24 percent from 7.1 percent in the October-December 2009 quarter. This 7.1 percent share in 2009 dropped in the following quarter to 6.5 percent, then to 6.2 percent and 5.8 percent and finally to 5.4 percent in the last year’s last quarter.

All categories of home loans showed decreases in percentages of serious delinquencies over the year. These are the rates of decreases for the following loan categories:

Prime loans – Dropped by 27.2 percent to 3.1 percent
Alternative documentation loans – Dropped by 24.7 percent to 10.1 percent
Subprime loans – Dropped by18.1 percent to 18.3 percent
Others – Dropped by 13.9 percent to 6.2 percent

The number of seriously delinquent home loans also decreased over the year from December 2009 to December 2010.

Prime Loans – Dropped by 28.2 percent from 976,094 to 700,762
Alt-A Loans – Dropped by 25.3 percent from 479,404 to 358,267
Subprime Loans – Dropped by 26.6 percent from 617,367 to 452,989
Other Loans – Dropped by 20.6 percent from 315,647 to 250,676

Despite the still high number of problem loans, the decreases in delinquencies are encouraging for the housing market.

In Tampa, you can explore bank-owned homes with the help of the Tampa4U.com team.

How Many of 2.82 Million People Will Buy a Home in Florida?

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:32:06 -0700

Florida’s population grew by nearly 2.82 million in 2010, posting the third biggest increase among states over the ten years that passed since the census in 2000.

With an addition of almost 2.82 million people, can home sellers and real estate agents in Florida hope for an enlarged field of potential home buyers? Hopefully yes.

But it all depends on the demographics of the 2.82 million people. Are a majority of these people new immigrants or families relocating from other U.S. states who are able to buy a home? Or are most of them newly born babies who still need years of growing up before they’re able to understand home ownership.

The racial component is also a factor. Based on the Census Bureau, more than 50 percent of the growth of the U.S. population over the 10-year period to 2010 was because of the growth of the Hispanic population. The number of Hispanic Americans rose to 50.5 million in 2010 from 35.3 million in 2000, posting a sharp growth rate of 43 percent. Last year, the Hispanic group comprised 16 percent of the U.S. population of 308.7 million.

The Asian group posted the highest growth rate over the 10-year period. Asians rose in number from 10.24 million in 2000 to 14.67 in 2010, showing an increase rate of 43.3 percent, slightly higher than the 43-percent growth rate of Hispanics.

Are the Latinos and Asians able to buy a home?

In 2009, only 46.8 percent of Hispanics own their homes, down from 50.1 percent in 2007 and far lower than the 74.2-percent home ownership rate by whites. Here are the homeownership rates among racial groups in 2009:

Whites – 74.2 percent
Asians – 59 percent
Hispanics – 46.8 percent
Blacks – 44.8 percent

In Florida, the growth rate of the minority population overwhelmingly surpassed the growth rate of whites. Minorities surged in number from 5.52 million in 2000 to 7.92 million in 2010, showing an increase of 43.3 percent. In contrast, the increase rate for the white population was only 4.1 percent, representing the change from 10.46 million in 2000 to 7.92 million in 2010.

The states with the highest growth rate in minority population were the following:

Nevada – 78.1 percent
New Hampshire – 67.5 percent
Maine – 66 percent
Idaho – 62.5 percent
Utah – 64.8 percent

Meanwhile, the states with the highest proportion of minorities were the following:

Hawaii – 77.3 percent
Washington, D.C – 65.2 percent
California – 59.9 percent
New Mexico – 59.5 percent
Texas – 54.7 percent

In Florida, minorities comprise 42.1 percent of the population as of 2010, up from 34.6 percent in 2000.

Tampa4U.com is a friendly diverse group of real estate professionals who can adapt to diverse home buyers and sellers.

While Some Home Sellers Target Gen X , Wells Fargo Tout Millennial Home Buyers

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:37:31 -0700

While a presentation at a recent National Association of Home Builders meeting advised home sellers to target Generation X buyers, a recent survey from Wells Fargo touted home selling opportunities among the millennials.

Wells Fargo said that this group offers great opportunities for home sellers as out of the 51.5 million millennials, about six million of them are approaching the age when Americans typically start to think about home ownership.

Millennials are those born between 1979 and 1991, as defined by the Wells Fargo study. The Pew Research organization, however, designates a more recent boundary. The generations according to Pew are:

Silent Generation – born before 1946
Boomer or Baby Boom Generation – born between 1946 to 1964
Generation X – born between 1965 to 1980
Millennial Generation – born in 1981 and after

In the Wells Fargo survey, where 3,000 Americans were interviewed, homeownership was still a major goal, and was a prevailing objective among the millennials. Despite reading or hearing about the mortgage problems experienced by homeowners, more than 70 percent of those interviewed still want to have a home of their own.

Wells Fargo researchers also found that millennials are more receptive to strict underwriting by mortgage lenders. They understand why banks need to implement more stringent credit requirements. The assessment of their financial standing is for their own benefit, as they need to be affirmed of their capability to sustain the monthly payments and remain in the home over the years.

Recognizing the results of the survey, Wells Fargo plans to tweak its website to target millennials, considered the most tech-savvy among the generations.

What are the collective characteristics of the millennials whose oldest members are now approaching their 30s?

According to the Pew Research Center, these are the collective personalities of the millennials:

They are more racially and ethnically diverse than the other generations. 59.8 percent are white, 18.5 percent are Hispanic, 14.2 percent are black, 4.3 percent are Asian and 3.2 percent belong to another race, or are mixed race.
Texting, tweeting, Facebook, Google, YouTube, and other digital innovations are parts of their everyday lives.
They’re the least inclined towards religion.
They’re more politically aware and active than members of previous generations when they were young adults.
Their level of trust in institutions is higher than that of previous generations.
They’re more open to interracial dating.

For home sellers, web site design, mobile communication and Internet connection are important tools in selling homes to this generation, although now also true with other generations.

Tampa4U for iPhone users: iTampa4U.com

Selling Homes to Generation X Buyers

Affordable Homes in Florida (Winter Home in Florida) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 07:31:39 -0700

One group of potential homebuyers that we can target is the 31 to 45 age group – made up of those born after the baby boomers and those we call Generation Xers. The one who coined the word used the letter X to refer to the uncertainty of the times and the environments they were growing up in.

According to John Burns Real Estate Consulting executive who spoke at a conference of the National Association of Home Builders, it would be the Generation X, rather than the Baby Boom Generation, that would rev up the speed of housing recovery this year. He explained that Gen Xers believe in home ownership, and as they pursue their careers, they also want to make their home lives stable and comfortable by buying homes for their families.

As a proof, in a survey conducted by Metropolitan Life, nearly 84 percent of Gen Xers aged 40 and above and who were married and have families in 2008 were homeowners. In 2009, there were 49.7 million Gen Xers, representing 16 percent of the U.S. population. Of these Gen Xers, 62 percent were white, 18 percent were Hispanic, 12 percent were black, and six percent were Asian.

According to the MetLife study, Generation Xers are independent but cautious and are doubtful about institutions partly because of the kind of family environment and domestic and global events that they absorbed as they grew up.

These Gen X young adults grew up in times that saw these following life-changing events:

More mothers were working.
Divorce rate was rising.
Companies were laying off workers.
Americans were taken hostage in Iran.
Sony Walkman was released.
First Apple Mac computer was released.
Pan Am plane was bombed by terrorists.
First Microsoft Office was released.
Iraq invaded Kuwait.
The Berlin Wall fell.
The first .com domain name was registered.

As a result, Gen Xers are:

Self-reliant
Skeptical and cautious
Internet savvy
Accepting towards individuals from diverse backgrounds
Tolerant about differences
User of technology

When designing our real estate ads then, let’s consider the above characteristics. Let’s also consider the following results from the survey held by the NAHB among 10,000 Gen X home owners and prospective home buyers:

85 to 89 percent of respondents believe that it’s a smart decision to buy a home now.
70 percent are willing to pay $5,000 more to have green features in their homes.
46 percent want homes in large lots in suburban developments.
Many buyers want a flexible floor plan, with a way to connect certain inner spaces to the outside.

If you're a Tampa homeowner wanting to sell your home fast, contact the Tampa4U.com team. They've been selling homes for years in the Tampa Bay area.