Karl's Hernando County Blog

Hernando Beach - Magnificent Sunsets!

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:23:39 -0500

$675,000

This beautiful waterfront pool home in Hernando Beach, Florida is located just a minutes boat ride to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There is a great view of the gulf from the backyard, sit on the dock and watch the sunsets for which the west coast of Florida is famous. Dock a boat at the floating dock in your backyard and be out on the gulf in less than two minutes on your boat. This ground level two-story home, with almost 4000 total sq. f t. and almost 2900 living sq. ft., is unique to Hernando Beach. The ground floor master suite will appeal to many buyers, as will the upstairs with the separation of the guest or children's suites from the main living space in the home.

This home offers three bedrooms, three baths, a bonus room (which could be fourth bedroom), family room, great room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast room, inside laundry room, loft, mud room, two car garage, walk-in attic, waterfront lot with seawall and floating dock and screened lanai with pool. Additionally there is an intercom, central vacuum system, whole-house water conditioning and filtration system, under-counter water filtration system for drinking & cooking water in the kitchen, pull-out drawers and storage systems in kitchen cabinets, built-ins in the family room and loft, fireplace in great room, large stain-glass chandelier in dining room, sunken great room, vaulted ceilings in great room, dining room and bonus room, decorator ceiling fans throughout the house including in screened lanai, sprinkler system and french doors from great room to pool area, ceramic tile in downstairs rooms. Appliances are white and include washer & dryer, side by side refrigerator, smooth top built-in electric stove/oven, trash compactor, microwave, dishwasher and disposal.

As you enter the home through the foyer, you will be amazed at the huge beautiful stain-glass chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling over the dining room table. This chandelier is similar to ones you may have seen before in hotel lobbies. The window in the dining room over looks the screen enclosed pool and lanai. Easy care ceramic tile covers the floors of the foyer and the dining room.

As you step down into the great room from the dining room you will find French doors leading to the screened lanai and pool. The large fireplace will be welcome on the cooler winter days and in addition give the great room, a grand look, year round. Looking up in the great room, you will find vaulted ceilings with a decorator ceiling fan and a loft area that runs the length of the dining room and great room and can be access by the stairway in the foyer. Off the foyer you will find a powder room and closet next to the staircase and the entry hall to the master suite. The ceramic tile flooring continues into the powder room and throughout the master suite including the master bath.

The master suite is large and has a walk-in closet. The adjoining bath has a separate shower, his and her vanities, and linen closet. This room could also be used as a guest suite, if you converted the huge bonus room upstairs into a second master suite.

The family room is also located on the first floor of this home and has two walls of built-ins, including a cabinet for your big screen TV. The flooring is ceramic tile and continues to the breakfast room and kitchen, which are open to the family room. From the family room you can access the laundry room and mud room, which leads to the two-car garage with plenty of storage for your automobiles and lawn equipment. There is also shelving and cabinets in the garage for additional storage.

Take the stairs with a landing in the middle to the second floor and you will find the huge bonus room (which could be second master suite, game room or children's playroom), two additional bedrooms for guests or children and the wonderful loft. The loft has lots of built-ins and over looks the great room, dining room and the screened lanai. It is currently being used as a library/study but could also be used for a guest room for extra company, if needed. Off the loft is a walk-in attic running the complete length of the loft, giving the home even more storage.

This home sits on a waterfront lot with water on two sides. There is a seawall to protect the property and allow easy access to the floating dock. Plenty of room on the seawall to sit and watch to boats go by on their way to a day of fun on the gulf. The canal is saltwater and is wide and deep and can accommodate a large boat. The view of the gulf is spectacular from almost anywhere in this home. Imagine watching those beautiful sunsets from you own backyard. You may even see bottlenose dolphin swimming in the canal once in a while. Think of it as your backyard aquarium.

Spring Hill Real Estate - Orchard Park Beauty

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:06:11 -0500

Slideshow Tour

$259,900

Beautiful 3/2/2 in the very desirable neighborhood of "Orchard Park" in Spring Hill, Florida 34608. This is a one owner home and pride of ownership show both indide the home and outside the home. Great "curb appeal", this home with the stamped concrete drive with decorative designs, professional lush landscaping, tiled front porch and double door entry will welcome you home.

As you enter into the large foyer of this spacious home with professional interior decorating your will also notice the vaulted ceilings, ceiling fans and the solar tube lights that allow natural sunlight into the home without any heat transfer. The great room is large with an electric fireplace and a decorative wrought iron room divider. There is a dining area off the foyer as well as the laundry room, the coat closet and the door to the garage. The kitchen is beautifully designed and very light and bright. The counter-tops are man-made stone and the cabinet doors have glass panes. Plant shelves and high ceilings make the kitchen seem even larger. There is also a pantry and plenty of cabinets for storage.

You enter the master bedroom suite through an arched doorway with a pocket door. The room is large with two walk-in closets and the bath has double vanities, a separate shower and a garden tub. Sliding glass doors lead to the enclosed lanai.

The guest rooms in this split plan share a bath, have large closets for storage and are tastefully decorated. The unique and beautiful bath has a door leading the the backyard (or maybe a future pool).

The windows are covered with impact resistant film to provide security during storms. The two-car garage provides more storage for your vehicles and other yard care equipment. The home also has a security system for additional peace of mind.

The yard is professionally landscaped and looks like a park setting with a wishing well, fruit trees and other tropical plants. There is a irrigation system to keep the lawn and gardens looking their best at all times and a covered patio to make it easy to enjoy all of this beauty.

2277 Honeydew Drive Spring Hill, Florida 34608

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:10:33 -0500

Tour this home

Homeowner vs Real Estate Professional

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Fri, 18 May 2007 16:11:55 -0500

(Aren't we on the same team)

They just won't listen...

No matter how many times you tell them the house is not showing as well as it could because there are too many personal items and too much clutter, they just won't listen.

No matter how many times you tell them it will be a benefit financially to start packing, they just won't listen.

No matter how many times you tell them that "curb appeal" is very important and to keep the lawn mowed and plants looking fresh, they just won't listen.

No matter how many times you tell them to keep the home clean and fresh smelling (to have a friend do the smell test), and available to show on short notice, they just won't listen.

No matter how many times you tell them that it would be better for them to leave the home and take the pets during a buyers visit, they just won't listen.

And then they ask...

Why has my house not been shown more by you and your associates?

And I have to tell them, it's because you just haven't listen.

If you had listened, there would not be so many personal items still unpacked, the clutter would be gone, boxes would be packed and stored in the garage or off premises, the lawn would be freshly mowed and looking good, the home would be clean, fresh smelling and ready to show on short notice, when I call and tell you a buyer would like to see your it and most importantly, you would leave the home and take the dog and cat with you during a buyers visit.

And then they ask...

Why would I want to do all the things you have asked, when I still live here?

Because personal items and clutter distract the buyer and you want them to focus on the house and get emotionally attached, not admire the pictures of you children and pets ( no matter how cute they are) and your collection of cookbooks.

Because packing some of the things that are purely decorative or rarely used, including furniture will make your home look much larger and since you are selling square footage you want buyers see how large the house is and encourage them to make a higher offer.

Because if your home doesn't look good from the outside, they just might not come in at all or if they do the first impression has already been made that this house needs work (even if it only the lawn needs mowing), you do not get a second chance to make a first impression and neither does your home.

Because a clean home shows and smells better and if you keep it clean and fresh smelling, it will always be ready for buyers to visit even on short notice.

Because buyers do not feel comfortable looking at the home and talking to their realtor honestly about it when the homeowner is present. As for the pets, some buyers for whatever reason, do not like animals or are afraid of them and you don't want to give them any reason to rush the visit. The best thing you can do in the case of a dog is go for a walk and take "Rover" with you. In the case of a cat if you can not remove "Kitty" from the home, put the cat in a kennel or at the very least locked in a small room or the garage. For you pets safety, do not leave them unattended and loose in the house.

And then they ask...

Will doing all that you have asked of me make my house sell faster?

All that I can tell them at this point is...

None of the things you have done will guarantee a quick sale, but by doing these things, the buyers that visit your house will be able to imagine themselves living there and develop an emotional attachment to the house without feeling as though they are pushing you out of your home! You have trusted me to sell your house (one of your biggest assets) and since this is the way I make my living, I will do my best to sell your house as quickly as possible. Both you and I have the same goal "Sell the House" , so let's work together and get the job done.

Life in Hernando County

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 09:14:16 -0500

Life in Hernando County...

We live in the place most people want to vacation, so let's take advantage of what the tourists flock to Florida and Hernando County for...

The weather is wonderful and now is a great time to visit some of the attractions Hernando County, Spring Hill, Brooksville, Weeki Wachee, Hernando Beach and other nearby areas have to offer. There are even some discounts available to Florida Residents, if you go, don't forget to ask!

The large attractions Busch Garden, Universal Studios and Disney World all come to mind when you think of Florida attractions but there are other lesser-known but just as entertaining and even educational attractions. Even some of the older roadside attractions which made Florida a must go destination in the 1950's and 1960's make a entertaining way to spend a day.

There is always fishing to wile away an afternoon or morning (don't forget you do need a license for both saltwater and freshwater), just fish off the pier at Bayport or Jenkins Park or you can charter a fishing trip or maybe take "The Thunder" (includes bait, tackle and license) out on the Gulf for the Day.

Play golf at one of our many area Golf Courses, Hernando County is home to some great courses and scheduling your play for later in the day will reap you big savings on cart and green fees at many area courses. Check for other discounts and golf packages at the courses you like throughout the area.

Get back to Nature, go hiking on the many trails throughout Hernando County and The Nature Coast, rent a kayak or canoe and paddle down our scenic rivers or visit our preservation areas and get back in touch with nature.

Hernando County is rich in history. Did you know that there are still brick roads in the county? Find out more by taking the walking tour of Brooksville. See the historic homes, the 90 year-old courthouse and the brick paved streets.

Visit our museums and parks, take advantage of some of the cultural events, go to the festivals and fairs in our area. Living in Florida with it's many things to do, there should never be a dull moment in your life. You could be on the go every day and still have things left to see, but don't forget you will still need some time to relax and just enjoy the sunshine here in the Sunshine State.

Area Attractions (Just a Few)

Hernando County Parks 352-754-4027 http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/parks_rec/parks/index.htm

Hernando County Events

All You Can Eat" FISH FRY & MUSIC Istachatta General Store, 58198 Lingle Road (Rt. 439), Istachatta Bring your lawn chair! "First come, first serve". $7.50 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Music at 6 p.m.) $7.50 per person. 352-544-1017 Every Friday http://sblom.com/istachatta/

SPRING HILL DRIFTERS CAR CLUB Chick-Fil-A, 13143 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville Every Thursday, weather permitting. Oldies music, classic cars and hot rods. Prizes and trophy to "Manager's Choice" 5:00 - 9:00 pm 352-596-2826 http://www.shdrifters.com/

For a more events in Hernando County visit http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/visit/calendar_print.htm

Hernando County Golf Courses http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/visit/golf.htm

Some places to Charter a Fishing or Diving Trip in Hernando County

http://www.thunderpartyboat.com/

http://www.gulfgrouper.com/

http://www.alwaysfishing.com/

http://www.angling-adventures.net/

Rent a Boat, canoe or kayak in Hernando County

http://www.floridacanoe.com/

http://www.weekiwacheemarina.com/

Hernando County Attractions

Weeki Wachee Springs & Buccaneer Bay Help keep our Roadside Attraction open Buy a Season pass, tell your friends. http://www.weekiwachee.com/

More Classic Attractions in Florida http://www.visitflorida.com/cms/e/classic_florida_attractions.php

Brooksville Attractions

Walking or Driving Tour of Brooksville http://www.brooksvillemuralsoc.org/Walking_Driving_Tour/tour.htm

Hernando Heritage Museum http://www.hernandoheritagemuseum.com./

Rogers Christmas House http://www.rogerschristmashouse.com/

Gone but not forgotten, Can you Remember These Attractions? http://www.lostparks.com/

Ticket Information for Other Nearby Attractions http://www.greatorlandodiscounts.com/

Remember to ask for discounts (senior, student, FL resident, AAA, AARP to name a few) when you purchase tickets for any Florida Attraction and air travel and cruise travel as well. As a matter of fact you can ask for a discount anytime you make a purchase anywhere. If you don't ask, you sure won't get one and if they don't offer one, all they can say is "No". It just never hurts to ask!!

Florida Resident Cruise Information http://www.cruisecheap.com/florida_residents.asp

Citrus County Events & Attractions

http://www.swimwithamanatee.com/

http://www.visitcitrus.com/calendar_text.asp?month=5/1/2007

Pasco County Events & Attractions http://visitpasco.net/

Visit Spring Hill Real Estate or Check Out our Sports & Leisure section for more Attractions and Events in Florida. From the most popular Theme Parks to our Professional and College Teams to Museums and Zoos, it's all here for Hernando County Residents to enjoy year round!

I have no personal interest in any of these site. I compiled the list to show my customers some of what Hernando County has to offer, other than the Beautiful Sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.

Some Big Home Lenders Run Foreclosure Business

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:04:59 -0500

This morning (April 18, 2007) the Tampa Tribune ran an article written by Associated Press writer Alan Zibel explaining how some of the large mortgage lenders also run a foreclosure company.

Does this sound right? The company that holds the mortgage on your home can also run a company that can foreclose on your home. Maybe it's not a problem, but it certainly sounds unusual. Some big name players are involved. Read the article

Gulfview Drive Hernando Beach, Florida 34607

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:35:57 -0500

3/3/2 Waterfront Pool Home with a Wonderful View of the Gulf of Mexico and the Beautiful Sunsets

$675,000

This a rare opportunity to own a ground level two-story home with an unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico. The view from this home can not be compromised by any future construction in the area. Just two minutes to the Gulf by boat. 3/3/2 - Screen enclosed lanai with pool on a saltwater canal with direct access to the Gulf.

Beautifully maintained pool home with unobstructed gulf view. Located in Hernando Beach, Florida 34607, this large ground level two-story home is unusual in this area of mostly stilt homes and a few ground level single-story homes. This a rare opportunity to purchase Hernando Beach real estate with a true unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico that can not be impacted by future construction in the area. Your beautiful view is forever!

Live on a wide deep canal leading directly to the Gulf of Mexico in only two minutes by boat. Enjoy the screened lanai and pool. Spend free time in the yard or on the dock watching blue and white herons fishing and bottlenose dolphins frolicking in your backyard aquarium. Fish from the dock or just relax and watch the boats glide by on their way to a day out on the Gulf. The casual coastal community of Hernando Beach will let you live the lifestyle you have dreamed of in the home of your dreams.

Open the French doors leading to the patio and pool and you will see the Gulf of Mexico and the saltwater canal leading to it. You will also notice that the pool is large and well maintained as is the screened lanai. The view is magnificent and the sunsets are breath taking. The backyard is wonderfully landscaped and there is a seawall around the property and a floating dock. Sit out on the seawall or the dock and watch the boats go by on their way out to the gulf. Or watch the sunsets and maybe even see bottlenose dolphin frolicking in "your backyard aquarium".

This home features a large master bedroom with adjoining bath, a great room, a family room, a dining room, kitchen, powder room, inside laundry room, a mud room and two-car garage on the lower level. The second floor has two guest rooms, a bath, a loft, a walk-in attic and a huge bonus room. This home is large, almost 4000 sq. ft. and some of the amenities include; a whole house water filtering and conditioning system, an under-counter water filtering system for drinking and cooking water, a large beautiful stained glass chandelier in the dining, built-in shelving and cabinets in the family room and loft, central vacuum, sprinkler system, kitchen cabinets with pull out drawers, pantry with pull out organizer, leaded glass front door and family room door, French doors to lanai, pool with accessories, dock, seawall and more. Appliances include washer and dryer, side by side refrigerator with ice and water in door, built-in smooth-top stove/oven, trash compactor, commercial type exhaust fan over stove, microwave, dishwasher and disposal.

More pictures of this beautiful home.

This home is brought to you by:

Karl Hosp - ERA Pearson Realty 3195 Shoal Line Blvd. Hernando Beach, Flroida 34607

Staging Works Wonders!

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 09:39:53 -0500

Recently one of my associates got a listing for an estate home that had not been lived in for about one year. The place was a mess - dirty, dusty and just plain full of junk. There were no close relatives, just a few cousins living around the country. No one to take care of the accumulation of junk from over 25 years. One cousin did come to the home and remove family pictures, jewlery etc... but left the rest and said sell "as is", we are not spending any money to do repairs or clean this home.

Knowing that the home would not sell as it stood with all that junk, my associate and his wife and me and my wife went into the home and removed everything except what we thought made that home look like you could live in it. This home is a waterfront home located just minutes from the Gulf of Mexico and with a little work, it could be a real beauty. It has a wonderful view of the water from the windows and sliding glass doors in the back of the home as well as from the screened lanai. Just some paint, flooring, and "elbow grease" will do the trick.

That said we were not being paid to hire painters, carpet layers and home cleaning service. We just had to work with what we had. Just removing the heavy drapes, shades, and blinds (yes they had them all) that were blocking the VIEW made an immediate improvement, there was light and you could see the water view (which is mostly what people buying this home will be looking for), after all why live on the water if you can't see it. We then positioned the little furniture we had left (after donating most of it to charity) to make the rooms look as big as possible and also seem functional for the purpose they were designed. The only real cleaning we did was to vacuum the floors, wipe down the countertops, clean the sliding glass doors and dust, what a difference these little changes made in this home.

Also since the former owner was a heavy smoker removing the drapes and most of the fabric covered furniture helped with the cigarette smell. You can still smell it but we have also left the windows open for a few days to air out the home and it smells much much better.

The changes made with just a few hours of our time and no outlay of any money, except for garbage bags, WILL make the difference to potential buyers when they tour this home. The home is priced right and it should sell very soon even in the slower market we are currently experiencing. An almost 2200 square foot home sitting on a large lot, on a saltwater canal with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico (just minutes by boat), a great water view with beautiful sunsets for under $350,000! Visual Tour coming soon (now that it's worth looking at).

About Spring Hill, Florida

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:39:51 -0500

Spring Hill, Florida...

is a growing and thriving community located about 35 miles north of Tampa and 65 miles due west of Orlando (and Disney World) on the Central Gulf Coast of Florida in Hernando County. Hernando County is one of the counties that make up "The Nature Coast" along with Citrus, Dixie, Jefferson, Pasco, Levy, Taylor and Wakulla. The residents of Spring Hill and the rest of Hernando County, are environmentally sensitive to their surroundings from the wildlife that populates the area (deer, bear, manatee, porpoise, many waterfowl species, many bird species, tortoise, turtles, sport fish species, and of course the alligator for which Florida is famous) to water conservation (to prepare for drought conditions that occasionally occur), to water and air pollution (protecting the water and air quality) and in keeping and preserving protected areas and allowing them to flourish in the county. Surrounding Spring Hill are the communities of, Weeki Wachee (Home of Buccaneer Bay and Weeki Wachee Springs with its "live mermaids"), Brooksville (The Hernando County Seat), Ridge Manor, (located inland in Hernando County with easy access to I-75), Hernando Beach (a casual community of waterfront homes located on the Gulf of Mexico), Hudson (another community of waterfront homes on the gulf) and Aripeka (a quaint waterfront village).

Spring Hill is a great place to live on the gulf coast of Florida. There is shopping and plenty of restaurants from fast food to fine dining. If you like hiking, golf, boating, fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking or just getting together with friends on the water, this is place for you. Year round there is a "boat party" out on the flats, just offshore in the gulf. Just anchor and enjoy the party. Some weeks there is even a B-B-Q being cooked out on the water, these folks are serious about their boating parties. There is always music from the other boats or bring your own music and just relax and enjoy the day. There are public boat ramps located in Hernando Beach where residents from Hernando County can safely launch their boat for the short ride to the Gulf of Mexico. Other boat ramps in the county allow boaters access to river and lake playgrounds if you prefer fresh spring water to the slightly salty gulf. Play golf year round, many beautiful courses are located in Hernando County, including Southern Hills Plantation designed by Pete Dye in Brooksville. If you prefer the beach to boating Pine Island Beach is the place, sunbathing and swimming are the order of the day on this beach. There is even a restaurant on the beach for lunch if you did not not bring a picnic basket.

If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of big city life, and if it's the quiet and casual lifestyle you long for, Hernando County may be just the place for you. Enjoy the natural beauty of the water and the grassy marshlands of the gulf, the quaint brick paved streets in downtown Brooksville, the rolling hills in rural eastern Hernando County, (where horse and cattle farms dot the land), and the great country club communities scattered throughout the county. And remember, showing daily, the beautiful sunsets (for which the gulf coast of Florida is famous). Whether over the water, over the hills or just sitting in your own yard, the views are unobstructed (no hi-rise buildings here) and will take your breath away.

The job market is mostly in the service and sales industries in Hernando County, but manufacturing jobs are becoming more available, mostly in the light manufacturing industries located along US 41 in the central part of Hernando County and in the Airport Industrial Park on the east end of Spring Hill Drive.

Within easy commute of Hernando County, Tampa and the general Hillsbourgh County area offer a wide range of employment opportunities just as any metropolitan area in the US. Pinnellas County (St. Pete/Clearwater) also offers many job opportunities and is another easy commute from Hernando County. Pasco County to the south and Citrus County to the north offer opportunities similar to those in Hernando County.

The crime rate in Spring Hill and Hernando County is low and offer safe communities protected mostly by the Hernando County Sheriff's Department. Brooksville is the only city with its own police force (Brooksville Police Department). Brooksville and Weeki Wachee are the only incorporated cities in the county. Since Hernando County is made up of mostly unincorporated communities most of the services are provided by the county, including water, sewer (where available), code enforcement, law enforcement, school system, library system, parks and recreation, etc. Electricity is provided by the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, which is owned by the members that it serves. Spring Hill Fire Rescue provides fire and ambulance services to the residents of Spring Hill.

Affordable housing can still be found in Spring Hill as well as the rest of Hernando County. In Spring Hill, real estate is available in all price ranges, as is real estate in Brooksville, and Weeki Wachee. There are even some bargains to be found on the waterfront property in Hernando Beach, Aripeka and Hudson. Residential Spring Hill real estate consists of mostly single-family homes. There are no hi-rise buildings (residential or commercial) located in Spring Hill. Spring Hill homes are easy to maintain, since most homes are constructed of concrete block set on a concrete slab and sit on between ¼ and ½ acre. If you are looking for a home or land in the Florida you definitely need to take a close look at Spring Hill real estate. If you are looking for more acreage Spring Hill will offer you a few choices, but most acreage is located in the eastern part of the county north and south Brooksville and near I-75. Commercial Spring Hill real estate is also available, and now is a good time to invest in commercial property, since new companies and businesses are moving to Hernando County and Spring Hill everyday.

Spring Hill and Hernando County have many local cultural and entertainment events, but if you want more than just the local offerings, the Tampa/St.Pete/Clearwater area has something going on everyday, from museums (MOSI and others) to para-mutual gambling (Greyhound Racing & Horse Racing) to casino gambling (Hard Rock) to concerts and shows,(who, what, where), to Fine Dining (restaurants) to theme parks (Busch Gardens and others) and much, much more including a world class zoo and aquarium. Along the gulf coast of Pinnelas County in St.Pete & Clearwater you will find some of the most beautiful beaches and parks in the world. All of this with-in an easy drive from Spring Hill and the rest of Hernando County.

Spring Hill and Hernando County offer many choices in communities from deed restricted and gated communities, to rural communities with acreage, to 55 retirement communities, to single-family homes located on the average street in the average community, just like in any city or town in the US. Spring Hill real estate is competitively priced and there are currently bargains to be had.

For those purchasing investment property, Spring Hill real estate can offer great opportunities in both residential and commercial property. Additionally, buying Spring Hill real estate will allow you the possibilities of wintering in a community where the weather is always great and the pace is leisurely. You can enjoy your stay in Spring Hill in the winter months and return north to the milder weather in the summer months. Spring Hill offers many enjoyable summer time activities for those who choose to make Hernando County and Spring Hill their home year round. Although the temperatures are warm during the summer months, only in the months of July and August does the temperature normally exceed 90°, even then most of the time there is a breeze to keep you cool. Owning property in Spring Hill or anywhere in Hernando County also enables you to participate in many water-sports and other activities that will help to keep you cool, on even the warmest days. Buying Spring Hill real estate will be your first step to enjoying the lifestyle currently enjoyed by those who have chosen this beautiful little community located along the Central Gulf Coast of Florida to call home.

Hernando County Map

Assuming More of the Risk - It Could Reduce Your Homeowners Insurance Premiums

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 14:32:18 -0500

It seems that the insurance industry in Florida has let Floridians down again. The premium reductions the legislature promised Floridians in January are much smaller than origionally announced. Can you believe that? Is there anything we can do? As a real estate professional in Florida, I am impacted by the prohibitive insurance costs, both personally and professionally.

I am at this time working with my insurance company to see if there is anything I can do to lower my premiums, including assuming more of the risk personally with higher deductibles and making sure that they are accurately depicting my home when they use their "Replacement Cost Estimator" to determine the current replacement cost associated with my home in case I suffer a loss. It may require a lot of work on my part, but if I can save a few hundred dollars it will be worth the effort.

See how you may be able to lower your premium. Building or replacing your home in today's market, calculate the costs. I think if you are willing to accept more of the risk in case of a loss and to confirm the premium you pay is determined by accurate data on you home, that you can in fact lower you premiums.

The price of insurance in Florida is having a negative impact on our state. You can hear non-residents saying, "Florida is a great place to visit but not to live". They are sure not talking about the weather when they say this. Something must be done before the impact of these insurance premiums stop people from other states from wanting to relocate to Florida and forces those who do live here to move to other states where the costs associated with home ownership will not be as much of a financial burden.

Companies also must look at these costs and most certainly will be more likely to want to expand, relocate or start-up in states where the cost of insurance will have less of an impact on the bottom line. If companies choose other states, jobs in Florida will also be harder to find. There will be less money spent; less taxes collected, home sales will be lethargic, as will automobile sales. The entire economy in Florida will ultimately be affected if changes are not put in place to control the cost of insurance.

Video Tours – New Way to Shop for Real Estate - Will the Shoppers Find You and Your Listings?

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 12:36:53 -0600

Video Tours are a great tool for Real Estate Professionals. Making these videos is becoming easier every day; my wife has been experimenting with these tours for a few months. She has several videos uploaded to Google Video and You Tube. My customers seem to like that there are videos of their home available on the Internet for potential buyers to view.

The videos that she makes are really more slide show tours but they seem to appeal to many people. Many people have viewed my videos since I uploaded them to Google and Utube. Additionally, these tours show up on many search engines helping my web presence and page ranking.

I plan to make video slide shows of all future listings. I have thought about making "real videos" instead of the slide shows but I am not sure that without investing a lot of money these videos will be a real benefit to me. I like being able to describe the picture in writing and letting the viewer read the details. I must say that this is a case where a picture is worth a thousand words but the words you choose to describe the pictures are also very,very important.

As these videos evolve, more realtors will want to use them to enhance their listings. Remember, these videos are FREE ADVERTISING, at least at this time, so make the best use of them that you can before there is a cost associated with the upload services.

Some of the tours that I have uploaded have been of my listing, but I have also uploaded videos tours of communities, and a compilation of homes currently for sale in a geographic area. Not to mention the videos of personal parties, so that friends who attended can view my pictures online. View My First Video Slide Show

Video tours will be the wave of the future for Real Estate Professionals, as well as anyone with a business that they want to promote online. You can pay to have these videos professionally done or you can spend a little time and learn to "make movies" all by yourself.

The most important thing to remember is to keep the video fairly short between two and three minutes and to title the video so that it can be easily found by anyone searching for your products, your sales area or your area of expertise.

These videos can be used in real estate to advertise yourself, your listings, your community, your services, affiliate services and just about anything else that you can imagine. Take advantage of the opportunity to use this free service before things change and there is a charge associated with each upload. To remind you, Realtor.com charges around $20 for each Virtual Tour that is uploaded by your Virtual Tour Provider for your listings in Realtor.com

Don't be left out, Get in the game!! Make sure the "shoppers" find you and your listings.

13124 Fish Cove Drive Spring Hill, Florida 34609

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 10:20:02 -0600

This is a beautiful 3/2/2 home located in a very desirable area of Spring Hill Florida. This large pool home with open floor plan lends itself to entertaining family and friends, both inside the home with the huge great room (plenty of room for the Big Screen), floor to ceiling rock fireplace and wet bar and the open kitchen with stone countertops and S/S appliances, and in the outdoor "Room" with lush landscaping, summer kitchen, pool and spa. This home has many extras, including a double front entry with leaded glass doors, French doors to the spa from the master suite, summer kitchen, central vacuum system, lush landscaping and an attic fan to name a few. For more information on this home, email karlhosp@gmail.com or call Karl Hosp at 352.650.6823.

518 Aladdin Rd. Spring Hill, FL 34609

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 10:27:19 -0600

Priced at $187,900 this beautiful Artistic Built Home features S/S appliances, granite countertops, travertine marble floors, skylight and new cabinets in the kitchen. The great room has triple sliders to the screened lanai and vaulted ceilings with a decorator ceiling fan and light. Mst Bath has beautifully tiled floors and the walls are tiled to accent the floors, separate shower area and tile dbl vanities. The mst bedroom has W/I closet and ceiling fan & light. Japanese gueast bath in beautiful and unique with non-slip stone tile flooring. Inside laundry w/ W/D, storage cabinets, non-slip stone tiled floor, and laundry sink. 3^rd bedroom is small, could be used for office. Corner lot, privacy fence, flagstone patio w/ fire pit, sprinkler system, marble foyer w/ dbl entry doors. Seller to pay up to $3000 towards buyers closing costs with full price offer. Possible Lease/Option!! Home Warrany!! Priced to Sell, Must See!!! Virtual Tour at spring hill real estate

Insurance, Taxes and the Florida Property Owner

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:41:05 -0600

The taxes are too high; the insurance premiums are out of sight. Welcome to Florida. It seems like these are the only things that the residents are talking about, at least that is what the media wants you to believe. Everyday, or so it seems, there is an article in either the Tampa Tribune or the St. Pete Times or sometimes both, spreading the word about taxes, insurance and the down turn in the real estate market. If you beat the market down enough in the press, that alone will further depress the housing market and with it the local economy.

Forecasters are saying that the real estate market adjustments are complete and that the 2007 will see the market turn around. The homes currently on the market will sell or be withdrawn from the market by their owners. As fewer homes are listed for sale in the area and the demand for housing maintains its current level, the competition among buyers for homes will begin pushing prices up, though not at the rate we were experiencing in 2005.

Property Taxes in Florida are slightly higher than the national average How Florida Ranks on Property Taxes but Florida does not have a State Income Tax. The Florida Sales Tax is on the low side and many necessities such as food and medicines are exempt. New residents moving to Florida from the Northeast will probably not find the taxes to be out of line. Retirees moving from the Deep South may find them higher than they are used to paying. It will just depend on where you are moving from as to whether you think taxes are too high. Florida residents selling a home they bought some time ago and purchasing a new home will be the ones noticing the large increase in taxes, since the new taxes will be based on the purchase price of their new home. This is something that should be addressed in the Legislature as soon as possible, maybe a gradual increase in their rate instead of the immediate sticker shock. Save Our Florida Homes protects you until you want to sell your home, but are not leaving the state and want to purchase a new home.

Insurance on the other hand is out of line, but the Florida Legislature has offered some relief for Floridians. Florida Homeowners Insurance Relief Higher preimums are due to the lack of competition in the insurance industry in Florida. Insurance companies that do business in Florida, should be made to offer Floridians the same insurance policies that they offer in other states in which they do business, instead of just writing policies for the very lucrative auto and life insurance. If they write homeowners policies in other they states, they must also write policies in Florida. The increased competition should serve to bring premiums back in line. In other words if they don't want sell it all; they won't do business in Florida. Also it should be noted that insurance preimums are based on what it would cost to replace the home and rates can be adjusted somewhat based on the risk homeowners are willing to take and what the mortgage holder will allow.

The insurance lobby is very powerful, but not as powerful as the right to vote out those in the Florida Legislature, who believe the insurance lobby is more important than their constituents

Novice Investors Suffering

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:11:18 -0600

The slow down in the real estate market in Hernando County Florida has left a lot of homes listed on the Hernando County MLS. Many of these homes are new and on the market due to novice investors and homeowners trying to make a killing in the real estate market, like those fortunate few who made the decision to buy or sell in the booming housing market of 2005 and early 2006. The homes currently listed will sell or be withdrawn from the market by the owner and with the down turn of new single-family home permits issued in the last quarter of 2006 and early 2007, the market should return to the yearly normal for housing starts and existing homes sales in 2007. "Normal" would mean any year except 2005.

Now is a real buyers market. Experienced real estate investors are now returning to the market since the prices and the market are stabilizing and good deals are plentiful. These investors are replacing the novice investors who in the recent past, were in for short-term quick and easy profit taking. These novice investors were lured into the market with the promise of making thousands on a new home by the homes completion date with very little out of pocket expense. It worked in the beginning for savvy investors who were lucky enough to be in on the ground floor and whose investment properties were completed in 2005, but by the time most small investors, the firemen, the teachers, the policemen, you know, the regular people who had saved a little money to invest and learned of the boom in the county, it was too late. Many invested in properties sight unseen, some from pictures on websites sponsored by builders, some even ventured out to look at the property in which they were investing, but most were not local residents and thus relied on the builder to look out for their interests. Many of these small investors were able to just walk away before closing, losing only their down payment. But some builders were able to execute ironclad contracts forcing closings on homes that the purchaser could not afford, and due to the down turn in to market they could not sell the home for the amount of their purchase price. Their only recourse is to continue to pay the mortgage on the home in hopes that by waiting they will be able to get the price they need just to break even or they can sell short and lose money that most of these investors can ill afford. An upturn in the market is forecast for the second half of 2007 and those who can hang on until then should be able to recover at least their purchase price.

These situations should make it clear that real estate investing, as with any other type of investing, must be thoroughly investigated and investors, whether savvy pros or novices must know the risks as well as the benefits before they sign on the dotted line. If profits are expected to be large, then the risks are probably equally as large. All real estate investors should remember the mantra LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!!! Also remember that city and county services, such as paved roads, city water, police and fire protection, schools, parks and many other services affect the market value of real estate. It is important to know how these services apply to the property in which you are investing.

New Member of Active Rain

Karl Hosp (ERA Pearson Realty) — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 22:40:58 -0600

I have just joined Active Rain and am looking forward to being a participating member. I believe that in sharing information, we can all benefit. We must learn to work together to keep our industry strong and growing in the right direction. I enjoy living and working in the Hernando County area.