Living and Working in Citrus Park

Human Plus Nature Equals...

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:33:42 -0700

Human Plus Nature Equals...

Human nature. Why do we use this phrase when referring to the negative only?

People who play or scam other people...just human nature.

Those who are only about themselves and their selfishness...just human nature.

People who lie, cheat and steal...just human nature.

In our society, the term "human nature" seems to always have a bad connotation, applying to our baser qualities. Why is that?

I long for the day when someone:

Gives $$ to a worthwhile charity and we say...just human nature.

Loves his/her neighbor...just human nature.

Cares about senior citizens...just human nature.

Helps wherever there is a need...just human nature.

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Peggy Edwards REALTOR®, Green Designation

Keller Williams Tampa Properties

3450 Buschwood Park Drive, Suite 345

Tampa, FL 33618

Cell: (813) 787-2923

Fax: (813) 960-4443

Visit My Website: www.GreenTampaBayRealtor.com

"Good works are links that form a chain of love." Mother Teresa, 1910-1997

The Little Hut

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:16:58 -0700

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small uninhabited island.

He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened - everything was lost. he was stunned with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me?" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island...it had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

Author unknown...

It's easy to get discouraged sometimes when things appear to be going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your "little hut" is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:40:38 -0800

(This big guy was beginning to yawn).

I recently visited Big Cat Rescue at 12802 Easy Street in Tampa, Florida. What a great visit! The tour was guided by an extremely knowledgeable volunteer. These cats are gorgeous. And BCR's own Scott Lope was just named Animal Planet's HERO OF THE YEAR. That's big, folks. Congratulations to Scott!

There were so many cats - white tigers, ligers, ocelots, and lions who really roared. It would be so educational to take your children on one of these tours. They could learn about the difference between sanctuaries and zoos and the exotic animal crisis in our world.

For more information, visit their web page at http://www.bigcatrescue.org. I HIGHLY recommend a visit.

(look up)

Give Thanks Directly to Our Brave Troops

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:43:36 -0800

XEROX is sponsoring a great way to say a big "THANKS!" to our brave US troops. Click on the yellow smiley face to send a personalized postcard to one of our wonderful soldiers serving us overseas.

It only takes a moment to let them know we are proud of them and truly appreciate their unselfish service. Pass this on to everyone you know - GUARANTEED to bring a big smile to the face of a soldier!

Short Sales Article from Florida Realtors

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:54:18 -0700

Short sales leave frustration in their wake

CHICAGO - Sept. 21, 2009 - A few years ago, few people in the housing market had ever heard of a short sale.

Mention the term today and people, whether they are homeowners or real estate agents, just roll their eyes.

The practice, which involves selling a property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage, has grown in popularity as an exit strategy for financially strapped homeowners because it doesn't ding a credit report as deeply as a foreclosure. But because the transactions have to be approved by first and second lien holders, they are languishing. Some real estate agents try to steer clear of them entirely and even specify in their listings that a property is not a short sale.

The Obama administration is aware of the frustrations. In mid-May, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced plans to streamline the process by offering financial incentives to mortgage servicers and investors that accept short sales, much in the same way that they are rewarded for refinancing or modifying troubled mortgages.

Four months later, homeowners, real estate agents and lenders are still waiting for specific details of how the plan would work. A Treasury Department spokeswoman said an update on the program is expected in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, homeowners like Dallas O'Day are in limbo.

O'Day, a Chicago attorney, and his family relocated from California in June 2004 and bought a Mediterranean-style home in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood for $395,000. They rewired the house, stripped and refinished the wood floors and the woodwork and did other work to restore its charm.

Last year, personal circumstances prompted them to list the home for sale just as the housing industry's meltdown was picking up steam. With no takers and no longer even expecting to break even on his investment, O'Day relisted the 2,700-square-foot home in January as a short sale.

Four months and three price reductions brought the house down to $384,900, at which point a potential buyer made an offer in late May. O'Day accepted it and submitted the paperwork to the lenders holding first and second mortgages on the home.

He has yet to receive a response. Meanwhile, the family has moved into a North Side apartment, the refrigerator has broken in the home and there's evidence of mold in the basement.

"The only thing we keep hearing is they keep wanting current payroll stubs, bank statements and taxes," said O'Day's real estate agent, Pam Decker at Prudential Biros Real Estate in Evergreen Park.

"What has astonished me is that in the presence of one of the softest housing markets I can remember, we're hitting up on four months and they've just had a person assigned to look at it, that they would move at such a glacial pace," O'Day said. "My expectation is I'll be renting until whatever blemish is gone. I've just accepted the fact that at some point it'll be foreclosed upon because I just don't think the banks will pull it together. I feel like I've done everything I can do."

During the second quarter, 14 percent of all home sales were short sales and they were made primarily to first-time buyers who may have more flexibility to deal with the long wait times, according to a survey by Campbell Communications. The sales volume could be much greater. Two out of three short sales never close.

"In general, you have to have three offers for every completed short sale," said survey designer Thomas Popik. "The first offer, the buyer walks before they get a yes or no. On the second offer they walk a good part of the time. The third offer is the charm because it's been in process long enough at the lender that [the lender] knows they want to do this.

"Home buyers are now putting in half a dozen verbal offers, hoping that on one of them the lender will say yes. What this is doing is bogging down the approval [process] at the mortgage servicers. It's just gotten to the point that everyone has started engaging in unproductive behavior. It's a vicious cycle."

The process of getting a short sale approved involves a packet of documents that includes bank statements, tax returns, letters explaining any other sources of income and a hardship letter explaining why a short sale is being sought.

After the packet is submitted to a mortgage servicer, it has to be entered into the system, a person has to be assigned to it, and an appraisal has to be ordered for the property. On average, it took loan servicers 9 1/2 weeks to respond to a short sale offer, Campbell's survey found.

"You've got to stay on top of these banks," said James Orrico, a real estate agent at Professional Residential Brokerage LLC in Oak Brook. "I call on my files every day. If you don't stay on top of them, you'll lose it."

But not every real estate agent is willing to deal with the process. Online realty company Redfin doesn't show or write offers on short sale properties "because of the slim chance that you'll get the home," according to its Web site.

A number of factors are contributing to the delay. Lenders say their top priority is keeping people in their homes, and their own and the government's loan modification programs are taking the bulk of their resources.

"The modification [program] was just like an atom bomb that dropped on [servicers]," said Matt McCabe of National Short Sale Center, a company that acts as a negotiator between borrowers and mortgage lenders. "They had a really hard time reacting to that increased demand."

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, which services more than 8 million mortgages, said it has cut the average 60-day response time on short sale offers to 30 to 45 days.

"We're not satisfied with that number," said Tamara Swain, senior vice president of real estate owned and short sales at the lender. "The current goal is 15 to 20 days. This has been a big learning process of a function that wasn't very prominent a couple years ago."

Also delaying the process is that if a home can't be saved, servicers are keen on trying to recover as much as possible for what could be multiple investors and that requires a fair amount of due diligence.

"The challenge is buyers always want to pay as little as possible and sellers want to receive as much as possible," said Tom Kelly, a spokesman for JPMorgan Chase, which services 10.3 million mortgages. "The bank is the server in the middle."

From a prospective buyer's standpoint, purchasing a short sale property can be preferable to a foreclosure because if the borrower stills owns the home, he or she is likely to take better care of it.

However, with so many distressed properties for sale, and other homes selling conventionally at drastically reduced prices, there's a wealth of inventory available allowing buyers to get a quick yea or nay to their offer. Some buyers make offers on multiple short sales or write the offers so they can walk away if a lender doesn't respond within a certain time frame.

Xia Zhao and her family thought they'd found their next home when they walked into a Jefferson Park townhouse that was listed as a short sale. It was large and near her son's school. However, they walked away from the offer after a month because they still hadn't received a response and were worried they wouldn't be moved in by the time school started.

Instead the family bought a new town home with a price that was cut by the developer in the city's Old Irving neighborhood.

"I guess we're not people with extreme patience," Zhao said. "What if you wait for a couple months and this goes away? You have to start all over again."

"Most people really aren't in a situation where they can deal with the uncertainty," said Zhao's real estate agent, Eric Rojas at Prudential Rubloff. "Even when you explain that it's not accepted until the bank accepts it and you build these safeguards into the contract, people are dropping out, left and right. These sales would get done, but people just can't wait."

Chicagoan Marie Cabrera, a real estate agent at Baird & Warner, is hoping she has found a purchaser with some patience.

After being unable to sell her own condo in the luxury Palmolive Building, Cabrera decided she didn't want to simply wait for her lender to foreclosure on it. Earlier this month she listed it as a short sale, priced at $1.15 million. Within a week, she had a cash offer of $1 million that she sent to her lender.

"I have no idea whether the bank will take it," Cabrera said. "I have an offer that's solid and they're willing to wait."

Copyright © 2009 Chicago Tribune, Mary Ellen Podmolik. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

No Matter Your Political Persuasion - Watch This Video on Healthcare

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:15:08 -0700

John Stossel in an interesting little video about free healthcare. I don't care if you are Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, or whatever. If you are an American, you really need to see this video. It's an eye-opener!

Great Home in Sarasota, FL - 2419 Ice Capade Drive, Sarasota, FL 34240

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:02:19 -0700

Call me for a private viewing!

Numbers on Plastic Bottles...What Do They Mean????

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:07:35 -0700

The numbers marked on plastic containers indicate the type of resin that was used to produce the plastic. Click here ...

for a link to a handy chart by the American Chemistry Council that tells us what the numbers mean.

Most curbside recycling programs allow plastics with the numbers 1 and 2. By checking the number, you'll know if, how, and where to recycle these containers.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:26:09 -0700

I'm Now a Libertarian!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sun, 03 May 2009 09:37:57 -0700

I've been feeling disappointed in the Democrat and Republican parties for a while now. I realized that the Democrats are too far left for my taste in many of their platforms....and the Republican Party is little bit too far right.

I don't like feeling disappointed and helpless.

So, I switched parties and am now a Libertarian. It feels right for me.

Just wondering if any of you have felt what I do and....if you have switched to a party that's a better fit for you.

I know politics is a volatile subject and I'm not asking about your political persuasions. Don't even tell me WHICH party you've switched to. I'm curious only to know if you've switched.

Single-Stream Recycling

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:18:37 -0700

I found an interesting video today while reading the April 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens (and, yes, I will recycle the magazine!) In Hillsborough County, Florida, we are allowed to combine our paper, plastic and glass in one container for recycling pickup. I always wondered who (or what) does the separating of these items. Now we all know......

About Fawn Ridge in Northwest Hillsborough County, Florida

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 19:30:38 -0700

WELCOME TO FAWN RIDGE!

Fawn Ridge is an established, beautifully planned, deed-restricted community in Citrus Park, Florida, in northwest Hillsborough County. The entrance, with its gently curving drive and lush landscaping, is located off of Sheldon Road. The community is made up of approximately 700 homes, many that edge up to beautiful conservation areas. There are several ponds on the property (one with a gorgeous fountain) which lend a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere for the many walkers, bikers, joggers, and rollerbladers.

Fawn Ridge is fortunate to have a County park in its midst with restrooms, a baseball field, a basketball court, and lighted tennis courts. The park is where the neighbors gather together for lots of community events.

Fawn Ridge is a great place to live and raise your family. The Veteran's Expressway, Pinellas County beaches, and Tampa International Airport are all convenient to Fawn Ridge. The upscale Westfield Citrus Park Mall is close by, as are many fine dining and fast food establishments. There are no CDD fees and the homeowners association fees are about $300 annually.

Contact Peggy Edwards, Realtor® associated with Keller Williams, if you would like to know more about Fawn Ridge. Email Peggy, your Fawn Ridge expert, at Peggy.Edwards@msn.com, visit her website at www.GreenTampaBayRealtor.com, or give her a call at (813) 787-2923. If you're looking for a new home, you'll want to see this beautiful community.

Beautiful Home in Canterbury Village in The Eagles - Odessa, FL

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:51:34 -0700

Westchase in Northwest Hillsborough County, Florida

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:20:45 -0800

Westchase is located approximately 12 miles northwest of Tampa. It is divided into separate and distinct neighborhoods - all price ranges are represented and each neighborhood is simply lovely:

Abbotsford
Arlington Park
Bennington
Berkeley Square
Brentford
Bridges
Castleford
Chelmsford
Classic Townhomes of West Park Village
Enclave
Glencliff
Glenfield
Greens
Harbor Links/Estates
Keswick Forest
Kingsford
Radcliffe
Saville Rowe
Shires
West Park Village- Single Family
Stamford
Townhomes of West Park Village
Traditional Townhomes of West Park Village
Tree Tops
Village Green
Villas of West Park Village
Vineyards
Woodbay
Worthington
Wycliff

The Westchase area of Hillsborough County, Florida offers many beautiful homes and communities from which to choose. As a buyer, the possibilities are almost endless. You owe it to yourself to see what properties are available right now. Westchase offers tons of amenities and its location in northwest Hillsborough County is ideally situated. Westchase gives you easy access to the white sandy beaches of Pinellas County, downtown Tampa (via the Veterans Expressway), Tampa International Airport, Westfield Citrus Park Mall, International Plaza, and all area bridges.

Westchase offers:

Golfcourse

Swim Club

Shopping

Dining

Playgrounds

Community Pools

Many gated communities

Parks, lakes, and gorgeous conservation areas

Public schools located within the Westchase community

Hillsborough County Public Library

Westchase has it all!

So what are you waiting for? Dive in......the water's fine!

Please contact me if you are interested in the Westchase/Citrus Park area of Hillsborough County. It would be my pleasure to assist you and your family!

Peggy Edwards
REALTOR, Green Designation
Coldwell Banker Residential Services
Citrus Park/Westchase, Florida
"Opening Doors For You in Citrus Park, Westchase, and Surrounding Communities"
www.GreenTampaBayRealtor.com
(813) 787-2923

The Furminator Works!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 09:19:41 -0800

I was getting sick and tired of vaccuming and dusting every day. We have two Beagles and, man oh man, do we have a dog hair problem. I didn't know how bad the problem was until we replaced all of our carpeted areas with hardwood floors. The flooring is just beautiful but when the A/C kicks on, it's like a scene from an old Western movie with tumbleweeds rolling by.

I was in Petsmart buying dog food when I spotted it. The Furminator. Reduces shedding by 90% Ha! Yet another ploy to wrangle my money from my purse. But I believe in doing my part for this lousy economy, so I bought it.

I tried the Furminator on Cooper and....nothing. His hair is short and apparently his undercoat isn't "all that."

But I got hold of Baxter and did the fur ever fly! He loved being "Furminated" and I filled up a grocery sack with excess hair.

The Furminator is actually a cat de-shedding tool but it works on dogs too. It is a wonderful invention and I can highly recommend it.

But how can I tie this in to real estate? Hmmm.

I know, if you have a listing where pets are a part of the family, you might suggest the Furminator. It makes a huge difference in keeping a house neat and tidy. And it would make a great closing gift to your pet-lover clients!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Coldwell Banker
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

I'm In Love With My Dryer - And Saving $$

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:27:02 -0800

Recently it's been taking longer and longer to dry a load of clothes in my electric dryer - which means I was spending more $$ for electricity than I needed or wanted to.

So I called a dryer vent cleaning service and, WOW, what a difference! I used a service called DeLintz but there are lots of people out there who can clean your dryer vent. I was charged $80 and was told that the vent was FILLED with lint. Not only was my stuffed vent costing me energy dollars, it was also a major fire hazard.

I was informed that the dryer vent should be cleaned once a year for maximum efficiency. I'm a believer!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Coldwell Banker
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

Check Out the Planet Green Channel from Discovery

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:06:31 -0800

Planet Green was launched in June 2008 but I only recently discovered it through Verizon cable. They have lots of informative shows and you can learn a lot about current green issues, new innovations, organic foods and cooking, and green homes and buildings.

Check with your cable provider to see if they offer it. Lots to learn!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION Coldwell Banker Tampa, FL (813) 787-2923 www.PeggyEdwards.com

Low-Cost Ideas to Get You to Turn Green

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:19:09 -0800

The NAR's core course for the Green Designation includes many ways to address a property's "green" potential - many of them are high cost items such as installing energy efficient windows, purchasing ENERGY STAR appliances, and having solar photovoltaic panels installed on the roof.

But there are many low-cost ways to increase a property's green potential (including your own home):

Paint with low or no-VOC paint
Weatherstrip and caulk doors and windows
Insulate an older model hot water heater
Lower the hot water heater temperature to 120 degrees
Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators
Use CFC light bulbs - they last over 5 years!
Recycle aluminum
Collect rainwater to water your plants
Install a programmable thermostat (I'm embarrassed to say I had one and didn't even know it!)

I'd also recommend an energy assessment. My local utilities provider (Tampa Electric) came to my home and inspected everything from the attic to the weatherstripping and then recommended ways I can lower my energy bill -
and the assessment was free. Plus he gave me an 8-pack of CFC light bulbs!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Keller Williams Tampa Properties
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

What is "Walkability"?

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:58:07 -0800

As more and more people begin to think about and discuss "green" living, you will probably hear the term "walkability." Wikipedia defines "walkability" as...

"The extent to which the built environment is friendly to the presence of people living, shopping, visiting, enjoying or spending time in an area".

So what makes a neighborhood walkable? There are many components that are taken into consideration, such as:

A center of some type (shopping district, main street, or public space)
Density
Mixed income and mixed use
Parks and public space
Pedestrian-centric design
Nearby schools and workplaces

I was interested in checking on the walkability score of the Westchase area in northwestern Hillsborough County, Florida. There are thousands of homesites in Westchase along with business centers, sidewalks, ponds, bridges, and schools.

I visited http://www.walkscore.com and entered the address of my real estate office in the Westchase Town Center. The walkability score for this area was 58 out of a possible 100 - making the area "somewhat walkable."

You might want to check out the walkability scores of your listings or properties you plan to show your buyers.

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Coldwell Banker
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

Is Your Toilet Over 15 Years Old?

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:55:41 -0800

Is Your Toilet Over 15 Years Old?

If so, you are wasting precious water and money. The plumbing code changed in 1993 and specifies a maximum of 1.6 gallons per flush.

And Hillsborough County, Florida has an Ultra Low Flow Toilet Rebate Program going on right now that will pay you up to $270.00 for replacement of three toilets in a single-family home.

Call Water Resource Services at (813) 274-6800 to find out more details about this great rebate program. They'll also give you a list of approved plumbing contractors who are familiar with the program.

I replaced both toilets in my home and received $150 rebate on the first toilet and an $80 rebate on the second.

If you live in another county or state, check with your local water department to see if they have a similar rebate program.

Quit flushing your money down the drain. Replace your older high-volume toilet with a new ultra low flow model....save water....and save $$.

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Coldwell Banker
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

Won't You Look Smart!!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:39:53 -0800

If you haven't been asked about rebates and incentives from your customers who are interested in green design, construction, and system installation, don't worry, you will be....

And when you are asked, direct your client to http://www.dsireusa.org, a searchable database to find rebates and incentives available for such things as new roofs, heat pumps, ductwork, and energy efficient windows, to name but a few.

According to their website, DSIRE is a "comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency."

Your clients will love you for it....and won't you look smart!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Coldwell Banker
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

Helpful Green Websites

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:17:16 -0800

There are many well-done websites out there that can provide real estate professionals with the knowledge and awareness of green building principles.

We need to be able to list and market green residences, green commercial properties and green developments, as well as guide our buyers in purchasing these properties.

Here are a few to get you started:

http://www.thedailygreen.com

http://www.conservationfund.org

http://www.eco-chick.com

http://www.eartheasy.com

http://www.greenoptions.com

And you might want to check out your family's carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is a measurement of your environmental impact on our planet. It's a real eye-opener!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Coldwell Banker
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

What You Need to Know About "Greenwashing"

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:31:45 -0800

"Greenwashing" is deceptive merchandising.

"Greenwashing" is false promotion.

"Greenwashing" is sometimes outright lies.

"Greenwashing" is when manufacturers exaggerate the "green-ness" of a service or product. And so-called green products are exploding onto the consumer scene.

Unfortunately, there is no centralized regulating authority of what is "green."

So we all need to use our brains and think about our purchases.

Say a product claims it is toxin-free...in small amounts, large amounts...how exactly is it toxin-free?
If a product claims it is "recyclable," what does that really mean? Is the manufacturer referring to the product inside the container, or the container itself?
If a product contains "20% more recyclable product"...is it 20% more as compared to its previous product or a competitor's product?

Don't be fooled by greenwashing. Read the fine print.

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR, GREEN DESIGNATION
Coldwell Banker
Tampa, FL
(813) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com

Kermit the Frog is Right!

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:10:09 -0800

Kermit the Frog knows it isn't easy being green. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

You can check out Kermit's performance here.

There is a new designation out there for REALTORS®, the Green Designation recognized by the National Association of REALTORS®. Offered by REBAC (Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council of the National Association of REALTORS®), a 2-day core course was created so REALTORS® can "adopt and implement green practices in their day-to-day businesses."

The core course covers the definition of "green," green communities, green homes and buildings, green buyers and sellers, and how to green your real estate practice

The very first course is being offered at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on November 5^th and 6^th, coinciding with the NAR Conference & Expo 2008. And the really great news is that the introductory price is only $150.00 for the 2-day core course, discounted from $295.00.

As time goes on, we're going to see more people interested in purchasing homes and making upgrades to their homes that incorporate green appliances and reduce the harm to our environment. Why not get educated on the greening of America and see how we can further benefit our clients?

For more information, go to http://rebac.net. Hope to see you in Orlando!

A New Florida Millionaire - Alan Crotzer

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR®, Green Designation, Tampa, FL (Future Home Realty) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:30:25 -0700

Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer." William Blackstone

In May of 2007, I wrote a blog about Alan Crotzer. Mr. Crotzer was wrongfully imprisoned for 24 years for a home invasion and the abduction and rape of two women...crimes he did not commit as proven by DNA evidence. He was released from prison in January of 2006 and has been waiting since then for compensation from the State of Florida.

You can read my original blog here for the back story.

Mr. Crotzer has finally received payment of $1.25 million from the State of Florida, equal to $50,000 per year, in exchange for the 24 years of his life spent in prison.

In addition to his millionaire status, Crotzer will also receive free tuition at any state college, university or career center.

Florida finally put to rights a most grievous wrong. Too bad it took them a couple of years to do it.

The Florida Legislature is currently considering a bill that would AUTOMATICALLY compensate some prisoners who have been proven innocent. We'll have to wait and see if that bill passes.

Although I am certain the United States has the very best and most fair criminal justice system in the world, it is not perfect and an alarming number of errors are made. For more information on this topic, check out the Innocence Project -or you can follow the link from my website at http://www.peggyedwards.com. To date, 215 people in the United States have been exonerated by DNA testing, thanks to the Innocence Project.

Mr. Crotzer, may God bless you and your family. I wish you well.

Peggy Edwards, REALTOR
Coldwell Banker - Westchase
(83) 787-2923
www.PeggyEdwards.com