Recovery & Family time - Enjoy!! - 06/30/07 09:18 AM
This is SO cute I have to share it with you!  As we begin to pull out this afternoon, I can't help but think how much I will be LOVIN' a week of this!!!!!! I had to put this up because of that last post, it was SO cute, and I know there are A LOT of other FAMILY people on here, so take some REALLY Delicious moments with your family this upcoming holiday week! Check it out... … (9 comments)

SkyPoint Condos Downtown Tampa's newest community - 06/30/07 07:47 AM
In Beautiful Downtown Tampa, and the Channelside district you will find, many new condo communities, but there is one that will set itself apart from the rest, skypoint.  The view from these units are simply amazing! You can see all of downtown Tampa, channelside, Raymond James stadium, and the Hillsborough River.
This urban lifestyle is perfect for on the go travelers, or people that simply prefer the downtown - urban lifestyle.  While Skypoint continues to build, so does downtown Tampa.
IF you in just for a visit, or want to go somewhere where you can get a GREAT drink, check out HUB's Pub.  … (5 comments)

Lutz offers a small - town home feel 4th of July Parade - 06/30/07 07:22 AM
Open to anyone, this 1 1/2 mile of pure American Pride, will be fun for anyone participating or attending. 
The parade usually begins next to the Oscar Cooler Youth Sports Complex (this was built out of an orange grove over 30 years ago by volunteers) on Lutz-Lake Fern Road, it roughly follows the route of so-called Pea Vine Railroad, which was threaded through swamps in 1909 to connect Lutz with Odessa.  The parade stretches between First United Methodist Church of Lutz (founded in 1912) and the Lutz Volunteer Fire Department, the community's 52-year-old emblem of rural self-sufficiency.
The parade's home stretch flanks the replica of a … (6 comments)

There is a new Spyder in town.... - 06/30/07 06:56 AM

So my hubby and I visited Motor Sports of Tampa, the other day (located in North Tampa at the corner of Florida Avenue and Fletcher), to look at helmets for when he rides his Honda 954, Street bike and there was the funniest looking thing I've seen in a while and it was a pretty hot commondity in demand and also came with a pretty price tag.
It is the new Spyder... Now mind you, I wasn't the ONLY Passer-byer that gaucked at this black beauty, they seemed to be a show stopper, at least out of curiousity!
The other Part, is that … (9 comments)

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay... look what we have in our back yard!!! - 06/29/07 10:00 PM
You may have seen my recent post about Summer Fun in TAMPA, Florida and I mentioned Busch Gardens in Tampa, among other GREAT things to do here in Tampa, Florida. 
Well Tuesday June 26th was Madalynne's actual Birthday, so after a long day of work, we took her to Busch Gardens in the afternoon (well after 4:30 anyway) to ride a few rides and enjoy the theme park. 
Sheikra has not only a 90 degree drop straight down, but it also is now FLOOR-LESS to make you roller coaster ride enthusiast thrill seeking adventure even better!
The other amazing thing about this theme … (14 comments)

Terrible fire broke out in a NEW not yet opened Tampa Hotel - 06/29/07 09:39 PM
Today around 11 am a three-alarm fire broke out at the Best Western still under construction hotel on North Dale Mabry Highway just south of Waters Avenue.   No-one knows (yet) what caused this fire to break out. 
It was reported by the local news channels that three fire fighter tripped while going up the stairs but were NOT seriously injured.  It took the crews over 2 hours to maintain the blaze and there were about 75 firefighters and rescue crews at the scene.
This Hotel was scheduled to open in just a few days, so you may want to inform anyone that was planning to stay … (4 comments)

Take your RECOVERY TIME!! We ALL need it! - 06/29/07 08:45 PM
I was talking to my I.T. guy the other day and we were talking about a detached storage device that I have and connecting that to our file server so that we don't have to store all of the lovely photos we have collected on our hard drive and main file server, eating up precious memory space!  What he said, really impacted me and I think I will enjoy vacation even more this upcoming week!
SO we were talking about WHEN he was going to do this, and he said "what about the 4th of July?" and I said "NO, Dennis, you are … (13 comments)

8207 Heartwood Lane Florida - 06/26/07 02:43 PM

Golf Coarse Community home for sale! (under 180k) This awesome home is in IMMACULATE condition and ready for the perfect new owner!   This home still looks, smells, and feels brand new!   This is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 car garage home with 1771 square feet of heated living area.  Home also features inside laundry and a large screened patio, totalling 2572 square feet. 
Kitchens and bathrooms have been upgraded, with raised panel cabinets.
There are several amenities in this community of Beacon Woods Community, including a Member Owned Golf Coarse, community pool, club house, tennis courts.  
For more information or showings on this home … (5 comments)

Florida... Awesome sunsets, Warm Beaches, and Tropical year round climate... - 06/25/07 02:23 AM
What's NOT to love right?  We have so many GREAT things to offer in our beautiful state of FLORIDA.  Late today I went to the beach with my family, we are less than an hour from the Gulf of Mexico so I decided to hop in the car and take a Sunday evening drive with the kids.
We drove around and checked out some great communities on the beach and decided to make it to the beach before the sun set so we headed towards the beach and sat on a bench waiting for the sun to drop.
There were people around us … (3 comments)

Another Delay in the Cypress Creek town center - 06/24/07 12:26 PM
It seems there will be another delay in the much awaited project of the Cypress Creek town center.
There were some tortoise eggs found, and it was said that the plans for the upcoming mall could possibly be delayed up to 9 more months. 
Although the recent activity in the area appears to be proceeding as usual.
Many Pasco residents, like me, are awaiting the opening of the 2nd largest mall in Florida a 1.3 million square foot center with many retailers coming.  Including AMC movie theatres. 
This will bring many more welcomed businesses and retailers with plenty of foot traffic to … (5 comments)

Tampa, Florida Summer Fun! - 06/22/07 04:50 PM
 
Being a TAMPA Native I know SO much about Tampa, and Florida history and strive to learn more!
IF like me, you enjoy BLOGGING, I would like to encourage and inspire you to write a BLOG about the BEST of the BEST in your area!
Here in Tampa Bay, one of the number one spots are the Busch Gardens theme parks.  Busch Gardens - Tampa Bay, and Adventure Island is the perfect spot to cool off with summer fun in the water!  Park hours vary, and here are Ticket Prices.  Busch Gardens hours of operation and ticket prices can be found here.
Recently you … (7 comments)

Summer is finally here! - 06/22/07 03:32 PM
As of yesterday, summer has finally kicked off!    You might be wondering
" what can I do for fun this summer?".  With summer here, most enjoy fun in the sun!
In Florida, we have the luxury of being surrounded by beaches, and some of the warmest water in the united states!  We have SO much to do, from local theme parks, to beaches, to natural springs, and pools galore!
No matter where you are in the world, sit back relax, and enjoy some fun in the sun!  Don't forget your sunscreen and your favorite lemonade or adult beverage!
What better way to enjoy … (8 comments)

Do any of you listing agents sell, but have to RESELL your homes? - 06/20/07 02:30 AM
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Judy Kincaid,  a Tampa Bay Area Home Stager.  She shared with me her story of how she started home staging and how she was doing it "before" it was called 'Home Staging'.  
Judy simply said that she prepared her home to sell years ago, and received multiple offers, and ever since then, this is what she does.
After returning from the Strategic Forum for By Referral Only Membersin Ft Lauderdale, Florida, there was alot of buzz around Home Staging and the benefits of staging a home.
While I was away, we received a CASH offer for a … (7 comments)

Babe Zaharias Golf Coarse, Tampa Florida more info.... - 06/20/07 12:18 AM
Babe Zaharias Golf Coarse is a natural Tampa Beauty. 
Sure to delight anyone with a fabulous day of golf regardless of your golfing skills.  (or in my case LACK of~).
This delightful plush green golf coarse, also greets you with some of the most mature oak trees that will have you in admiration to its sheer beauty.  Mother nature at is finest....
Here is another photo, I couldn't help but post for your viewing pleasure.
Hard to believe this is merely the PARKING area of this magnificent coarse!
Here are some photos of the actual coarse, the photos aren't near as nice as the actual … (3 comments)

Babe Zaharias Golf Coarse offers Tampa Golfers the BEST of Tampa, Florida - 06/19/07 11:58 PM
My family has lived in the Forest Hills area of TAMPA since the mid 50's, and has golfed at "the babe"  for over 20 years.   Growing up in the Forest Hills area, the rolling hills and beautifully green landscaped greens at Babe Zaharias are a hidden little gem in Tampa, tucked back in forest hills. 
The Mayor of Tampa, Pam Iorio, allowed for improvements to the golf coarse in recent years and the coarse has grown in popularity in vast numbers.  When I picked up a gift certificate for fathers day, I admired it's fairlined beauty. 
Here is a bit of history behind "the babe"
In … (3 comments)

your BOYS will love this! (...OK and maybe the girls too) - 06/16/07 10:18 AM
MOSI (Museium of Science and Industry), features a new exibit called GROSSOLOGY.  This exibit is the kid related version of science and the human body at work!
MOSI will unveil the everyday slimy, mushy, stinky, gross yet scientific occurrences in the human body during Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body. Based upon the "best-selling children's book" GROSSOLOGY by Sylvia Branzei, Grossology (the exhibition) presents all the "gross stuff" kids enjoy complete with interactive stations and scientific explanations to help teach the "not-so-flattering" components of the human body.Mrs. Sylvia Branzei, a former science teacher, is the innovator of Grossology or … (9 comments)

Tampa Bay BUCS players on the move... - 06/16/07 09:59 AM
 Last month, Tampa Bay Buccaneers  head coach Jon Gruden, and his wife Cynthia have purchase a
fabulous new Estate Home  in Avila     
This home was listed for $3,550,000.00 according to MFR FLS data, and was reported sold for 3.3 Million.
Meanwhile Former Bucs quarterback Brian Griese and his wife Brook have SOLD their 5,241 sq ft Carrollwood home for 1.2 Million.  Although from the outside this home might now look like a $1.2 Million home, its the view of Lake Carroll that's the show stopper!   The stunning master suite in this home would certainly meet anyone's hearts desire... and fall in love. 
Listed for $1,299,900, this show stopper sold … (1 comments)

Lake Park is SO awesome! Tampa BMX fans read up... - 06/16/07 04:45 AM
At Lake Park there are SO many things to do. There is a Boat Ramp, Canoe Launch, Equestrian Trail, Fishing, Hiking, Picnic Area, Playground, Restrooms, Shelter Rental - Large, Shelter Rental - Medium.  They book out SO far in advance for the shelters. 
They also have a BMX Track there and an upcoming 2 day BMX Camp event!    JUNE 23RD & 24TH FROM 10 AM TO 4 PM  there will be a 2 DAY BMX CAMP AT TAMPA BMX located inside of LAKE PARK
This 2 DAY CAMP WILL BE HOSTED BY 24 -7 HEAD INSTRUCTOR 24-7 PRO'S GEFF SSENGOBA WITH OVER 18 YEARS EXPERIENCE BUILDING STATE, NATIONAL AND WORLD BMX … (5 comments)

What is a father? What is a DAD? - 06/16/07 03:47 AM
 
... Funny because there are different answers every where you look, and with anyone you ask. 
This BLOG topic was posed by me for 2 reasons.
Fathers day is SUNDAY (don't forget dad!)My daughter asked me tonight (with DEEP curiosity) who MY dad was.If you google father you get something like this:
A male person whose sperm unites with an egg, resulting in the conception of a child. A man who adopts a child. A man who raises a child.Tips, programs and training for fathers looking to become a better dad.www.fathers.com
God the Father
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In many religions, the supreme God is … (4 comments)

Florida Property Tax Reform Continues... but where is the MONEY????? - 06/13/07 01:53 AM
Where is my post............
So after several weeks already and NO real answers, law makers are at it again, with the Special Sessions starting today.  So here's my biggest BEEF with this whole REFORM crap...
Tax Millages NEVER changed, but property tax assessments did! So this means that over the last 3 healthy real estate years, inparticular, Tax Collectors have pocketed BILLIONS I am sure!  Who even has this real number?  Does anyone know???   
Like most of you, I follow the tax reform closely, and Planet Realtor can give you more info.
   I would like to give my clients so REAL answers, some REAL solutions, and some … (8 comments)

Walmart shopping at 1:30 am! - 06/13/07 01:46 AM
Anyone wonder when real estate agents that BLOG on active rain have time to shop? 
Anyone else do basic grocery shopping at Walmart at 2 am?  I do.
Think about it?  I took a short trip to walmart this early PRE-SUN filled day (1 am) to my local wal*mart and when I got there, I saw 3 cops hanging in the parking lot.
So what's my point?  I got my shopping done in less than 30 minutes, there was NO-one in line, No-one in the store, best of all there was NO TRAFFIC and with the 3 cops within shouting distance, there is … (8 comments)

Florida Property Tax Reform Cont'... SHOW ME the MONEY????? - 06/12/07 11:14 PM
So after several weeks already and NO real answers, law makers are at it again, with the Special Sessions starting today.  So here's my biggest BEEF with this whole REFORM crap...
Tax Millages NEVER changed, but property tax assessments did! So this means that over the last 3 healthy real estate years, inparticular, Tax Collectors have pocketed BILLIONS I am sure!  Who even has this real number?  Does anyone know???   
Like most of you, I follow the tax reform closely, and Planet Realtor can give you more info.
   I would like to give my clients so REAL answers, some REAL solutions, and some REAL relief!  WITHOUT … (0 comments)

Swim with the Seals - 06/11/07 11:17 PM
OK, so today the baby (Adaleesa) and I did our mommy baby (parent-tot) swim lessons again this morning, and they took the under water pictures today of the kids!  
Have you ever seen a little baby swim under water from an under water view?  It is SO cool! The only thing I was a little disappointed by was that we don't get the pictures of the kids until next week, :o(   ...so sad!
This is not Adaleesa, but I had to show you how cool it looks!! 
Anyway, it was a great day and my little fish... she jumps right into the pool (at only … (7 comments)

Welcome to Picnic Island, in Port Tampa - 06/08/07 09:53 AM
Welcome to the beautiful Picnic Island and Beach.
Picnic Island features a Beach, Dog Beach, Pooch Park, Fishing Pier, Boat Dock, many play grounds, and Shelters for lease.
The City of Tampa, Parks and Recreations Department operates and manages the beautiful Picnic Island.  It is located at: 
PICNIC ISLAND PARKA City of Tampa Park7404 Picnic Island Blvd Tampa, FL 33616
I have added a visual tour for your viewing pleasure...  ENJOY!!
http://www.realestateshows.com/show.php?id=174277&code=b6b5a090
… (5 comments)

Welcome to Hillsborough County and Active Rain... - 06/08/07 09:05 AM
Just a short post to say "WELCOME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY" and Active Rain (The BEST neighborhood expert Real Estate Website on the web!)
If you are planning to relocate to the Tampa Bay area, feel free to call me regarding information on any Community in the Hillsborough and Pasco County areas.
I have lived in the awesome Greater Tampa Bay area before we became SO popular!  My Grandparents originally moved here in the early 50's and have shown me some photos of Tampa, before it was TAMPA as we know it today!
With 15 years of industry knowledge, and local expert information, I can … (5 comments)

N Dale Mabry TARGET and nearby plaza set to open OCT 14th - 06/08/07 08:28 AM
You can see from the construction, that the NEW TARGET in Lutz, (Technically Pasco County) will be complete and open ready for business by OCTOBER 14th 2007. 
This new Target is located on North Dale Mabry Highway (North of the Veterans Expressway and Cheval), on the East side of the Road, right at County Line Road.  Since it is on the North side of County line Road it is Pasco County but it has a LUTZ address... so where should I stick this post I wonder?  In Pasco County under LAND O O LAKES or Hillsborough county under Lutz?
Guess I'll go … (2 comments)

Tips for Water Safety - 06/07/07 10:14 PM
  
I enrolled all of my children in Seal Swim School, the baby goes there now for lessons.  They have 3 locations to serve you Tampa. Lutz and Tarpon Springs.  They can be reached at (813) 948-7134 or at http://www.sealswimschool.com/
I can't want for you all to see the baby's pictures under water!! Another BLOG for another day.
 Until then BE SAFE as summer fast approaches. 
 
Never allow your children to swim or alone or in unsupervised places.NEVER assume someone is watching your childTake swimming lessons and advance your  children's swimming skills annuallyFence in Pools and spasConsider a Pool AlarmRemove toys from the pool … (4 comments)

FLORIDA leads the nation in deaths from Drowning...IT'S PREVENTABLE!! - 06/07/07 12:50 AM
For several years now, we have taken vacation the 1st week of July to enjoy the beach with our family camping in our Travel Trailer.   Well about 3 years back, my daughter Madalynne was just 3 years old, my niece Gwendolyn was 3 also, and my other niece Desiray was 2, and Nicholas was a baby (not even 1).
At my aunt's house they were having a 4th of July Bar-B-Q, we were away on vacation, and when we returned we were told the my niece Gwendolyn had nearly drowned.  When everyone turned their head for merely a second, she was submerged in the pool and my aunt dove in to … (6 comments)

Negative Amortization, Pick A Pay, Option ARM's.... - 06/06/07 11:56 PM
I was mentoring a small group of people earlier today, the class was on referrabilty and "being referable".  After the class was wrapping up, we talked to one lady a little more in depth... She was a Realtor, and a mortgage person she trusted had given her some REALLY bad advise to take this Pick-A-Pay loan.
She proceeded to tell us that she was trying to sell her home and was starting to feel desperate in this 'over-flowing inventory' market conditions we are currently experiencing... like a lot of areas. 
We were able to offer her some advice on really moving her home in … (5 comments)

MELTING POT ~Girls Night out~ Tampa Gals!!! - 06/05/07 02:13 AM
Hey there Active Rain regulars... you know who you are!
We are doing the Melting Pot thing again this month on June 13th at 5:30 pm.
It's a 4 coarse Fondue meal, cheese fondue, salad, entree, and DESSERT ~ YUMMM! $35 with tip!
Let me know if you want to go!  We have reservations for 10, and we have started the head count.
~ Katrina
… (7 comments)

Currently Listed, Pending, and SOLD / Expired for HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO & PINELLAS - 06/05/07 01:56 AM
According to Mid-Florida Regional MLS data, here are the number of homes that have SOLD, Pending a contract & Expired for MAY 2007, and the Number of Currently ACTIVE listings for Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties:
County            SOLD (May)   Pending Contract (May)  Expired (May)  Currently for sale (6/4/2007)
Hillsborough:              1114             2222                           961                 15,482
Pinellas:                     906               1726                           1725               17,961
Pasco:                         530               738                            740                  8,810   
These numbers are pretty intreging when you consider the fact that the US Census Bureau estimates that in 2006 the populations for each county are as follows:
Hillsborough 1,157,738
Pinellas  924,413
Pasco 450,171
There are 233,325 more people estimated to be living in the Hillsborough county area (must larger area to populate) than in Pinellas county, yet … (3 comments)

Anyone Notice Active Rain acting funny lately? - 06/04/07 12:16 PM
I notice that between active rain and localism I get some error messages lately.  Has anyone else been getting this from time to time recently?  Feedback, advise, and comments from others appreciated.
6/4 Have not gotten the error message at all since I made this post.  It's the weirdest thing!  Guess I should have wrote down the error message or something!  
Usually I never get ANY error message, so I was a little surprised.  Could have been a temporary thing, anyone else get anything like that?
OK I spoke too soon............   
 Home : File not found.
File not found.
If you believe this file should … (5 comments)

 
Katrepichd Rainmaker_large

Tampa FL Homes for sale | Tampa Bay Katrina Madewell (813) 777-1196

Tampa, FL

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Charles Rutenberg Rlty- More than 5,000 agents(813) 777-1196

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