Ovation nearing topping off - 09/30/08 07:17 PM

 
 
 
 
 
Ovation is the newest luxury condo in downtown St. Petersburg being built by JMC Communities. Ovation is in a prime location with wonderful park and waterfront views. Only two condominiums per floor and then the penthouses are only one per floor. Watch both sunrises and sunsets!
Topping off will occur during October and there are celebrations planned! I can't wait to see the view from the top.
Sales have been going very well in Ovation, but there are still a few opportunities left. For buyer representation, contact The Simms Team at RE/MAX Metro in downtown … (10 comments)

See Villa Terranova and support All Children's Hospital - 09/27/08 01:13 PM
Villa Terranova is the latest home on Snell Isle built by Windstar Homes. Snell Isle is close to downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, and has many 1920s homes as well as 2000s homes. This home on Snell Isle Harbor has 18,000 sq ft and is built on two lots. It will be occupied by a family of three: Jon and Suzanne Clements and their 10 year old son, J, Jack.  As a custom built home, it's unlikely you'd ever have a chance to see the inside.
To benefit All Children's Hospital, the Clements are allowing the public to tour their home this … (3 comments)

Multiple Offers Are Here! - 09/27/08 12:24 PM
Multiple offers are here in St Petersburg, Florida and the Gulf Beaches.
No - it's not back to 2005 when each listing had multiple offers, rising above the listing price.
This is 2008 and it's buyers making offers on multiple homes.
Version 1:  4 condos in this building would be acceptable to Buyer. Buyer offers same offer (low) on all 4 units, including the comment - I am making 4 simultaneous offers. I will take the first one that gets back to me accepting the offer, at which time the others will become null and void.
Version 2:  Here are my … (16 comments)

Pennsylvania hospitals cutting costs while improving healthcare - 09/23/08 06:01 PM
One of my favorite magazines is Fast Company, because it has some cutting ideas and interview with many leading, interesting people.
This month, in it's October issue it has an article called The Cure. This discusses how 3 hospitals in central Pennsylvania have reduced costs, improved health care, and replaced fee-for-service with pay-for performance (P4P). It discusses consistency, checklists. The concept relies on implementing what clinical data says works.
By the way, use IE, not Firefox. On Firefox I couldn't get it to stop repeating the ad, never getting to the content.
… (4 comments)

Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow - 09/23/08 05:49 PM
Broadwater is a great waterfront neighborhood in southwest St Petersburg, on Boca Ciega Bay and the Intercoastal Waterway. The rainbow ends here, and living in this neighborhood is indeed a pot of gold.
A neighbor sent me this photo with the rainbow ending right on this waterfront home in Broadwater, St. Petersburg.
It's on a wide yacht basin (do it's protected, deep, and has lots of turning space for large yachts or sailboats(up to 90 feet long it they're parallel to the seawall, larger if they're angled or perpendicular). More on this renovated waterfront home on its own website.
The last … (10 comments)

Kahwa coffee enhances a morning in downtown St Petersburg - 09/23/08 10:27 AM
Last week I blogged about Kahwa coffee shop in downtown St Petersburg. One of the questions was: was the lovely design a heart or a leaf.  Answer: a heart.  The second design was a leaf.
This morning I shared coffee with both Raphael and his wife, Sarah, co-owners of Kahwa coffee - both this local coffee shop and a wholesale coffee roasting business here in St Pete. Mmm, both the coffee and the conversation were great - and the shop was busy, both inside and out. Several of my friends were there as well, including Jamie Bennett, the Chairman of the … (0 comments)

Welcome Greg Gorman of Naples Florida - 09/22/08 03:14 PM
Greg Gorman continues to be one of the most influential Realtorsâ the real estate and for nearly 17 years, he and his Team Paradise continues as one of the top Naples Florida real estate Teams.
Greg has been a featured speaker at 3 NAR Conventions, several state conventions, 3 CRS Sell-A-Brations, a featured panelist for dozens of CyberStar National Tours and a Star Power Star. You'll find Greg's blogs timely, interesting, full of humor, wisdom & always positive.
… (3 comments)

Welcome to the Neighborhood - 09/21/08 06:44 PM
We could (and should) say Welcome to our new neighbors across the street, since they moved in on Friday, but they beat us to the punch -
our new neighbors invited the owners of all 98 homes on our street as well as their own family and friends to a New Home party last night. It started with their Dad's 90th birthday party in the afternoon, for family that flew in from around the country, and went on to a grand celebration.
Neighbors got to meet their new neighbors, see the new house, and mix and mingle.
For these new homeowners, … (13 comments)

Costa Rica Real Estate Opportunities - 09/21/08 05:58 PM

This Costa Rica sunset shot was taken by one of our co-travelers, Jeff. It's been a month since Tami and I visited Costa Rica to check out investment opportunities for some of our clients - and now it's time to write about that experience - long past time, to be precise.
We went to the Central Pacific coast, to the del Pacifico development in Esterillo Este, between Jaco and Quepos. The weekend Gathering truly exposed us to the lifestyle of being there in Costa Rica.
The Ticos (Costa Rican people) were so very friendly. There were boundless active activities - … (7 comments)

Webinars - Part II - 09/21/08 09:35 AM
The many comments to my Webinars post brought up some additional points: Main criteria are interaction and convenience.
With "webinars" that are really teleconferences or broadcasts, i.e. that are primarily listening to the speaker, panelists, interviewer/interviewee - which are the least desirable "webinars" for me, I agree with Katerina Gasset, who said she likes teleconferences because she can call in and walk around or listen in her car - for that I prefer the tapes or CDs that StarPower, Jack Peckham and many others have been producing for years, that I can listen to in my car whenever I want. Or, … (0 comments)

Webinars - 09/19/08 07:51 PM
Call me spoiled!
It hasn't been that long that we've had webinars to the extent that we do now. Yesterday there were three separate organizations that I belong to holding webinars.
You can't tell from the term webinar exactly what it means. Sometimes it's interactive and sometimes it's just dialing in to a central phone number.
That's where I'm spoiled ... and I think our clients are spoiled when it comes to technology, too.
After having some Go To Meeting type interactive sessions, where I can see the people who are talking, and see what they're writing, I like it … (25 comments)

Paper collector and data collector - 09/19/08 04:11 PM
Some people like to hold on to things - and I don't mean antiques. I mean old magazines, newspaper clippings, e-mails from years ago. Amy is always after me to clean out my e-mail because it fills up, both in Eudora (old) and Outlook (a couple of years new). My Home on Active Rain is like that, too.  Do I ever go back to look at something that's more than a week old? Probably not - but I might!
So the Active Rain designers helped me clean out My Home. Yes, they have an "Are You Sure" button after the "Delete" … (8 comments)

Is this unethical and deceptive? - 09/18/08 12:38 PM

This deceptive return address is a solicitation to renew a subscription to ACT! Extra. 
Some years ago, when I first started using ACT! as my contact management program, I subscribed to ACT! Extra. Since I didn't find it valuable, I did not renew the subscription. At first they kept sending me invoices and Past Due notices, with PAST DUE splattered all over the outside of the envelopes that came to my office (Thanks for that reputation). For the first year or two, I sent several mail responses and left several phone messages that I did NOT want to renew and … (13 comments)

Kahwa Coffee Shop - downtown St Petersburg Florida - 09/17/08 06:28 PM
Kahwa is the new favorite neighborhood coffee shop, at the border of downtown St Petersburg and the Old Northeast neighborhood, and within walking distance of the Renaissance Vinoy Resort. Today was still hot in St Pete, so people were sitting inside with their coffee, reading newspapers, checking their e-mail on the free wireless, or chatting with regulars and newcomers alike. The shop was opened in March of this year by Catherine and Jean Thibault and Sarah and Raphael Perrier, so it has a distinct French flavor. Raphael and Jean are master roasters, and the two couples have had a roasting warehouse … (18 comments)

Remember Libor? - 09/17/08 05:42 PM
Remember when clients were taking out adjustable rate loans - most of them chose an index based on a regional cost of funds, but some of them chose a rate based on Libor, the London interbank offered rate, because they thought it was less volatile.
The Wall St Journal reported this morning that the overnight dollar Libor soared to the largest jump on record - from 3.10625% to 6.4375%! In just a day the rate more than doubled! This is the overnight rate, but longer term Libor rates also rose, but nowhere near as drastically.
… (0 comments)

Underwriting changes for condos - 09/16/08 06:59 PM
Today I spoke with a colleagues in Colorado and Texas who said that a Washington Mutual representative had told them that they were now requiring no more than 25% non-owner-occupied condo units in a building, a change from 50% (a huge change). Have you heard that?
I know that the lenders are also considering how many condo units are behind in paying their monthly condo association payments. Do you know what percentage becomes a problem? It's a serious concern since the ongoing obligations must be paid by the remaining paying condo owners, whether through an assessment or increased fees.
With so … (7 comments)

Home & garden shop to open in downtown St Petersburg - 09/16/08 06:23 PM
Davis-Anthony home & garden shop is scheduled to open October 1st in Parkshore Plaza in downtown St Petersburg Florida.Davis Freeman and Philip Weber are opening their home & garden shop to beautify your urban spaces.
Whether you have a condo balcony or a home with a backyard, Davis-Anthony has something for you.
They have "stuff" from potting soil to plants to window boxes, from fountains to statues to cut flowers and candles. They have design services that can plan your garden space or deck out a space for a party.
For black thumbs like me or whether you travel a lot, … (2 comments)

We want a boat, so buy one - 09/15/08 05:14 PM
Martha Brown posted earlier today about "I guess I better bring the cow" and that brought to mind a recent offer on one of our listings:
the buyers wanted a boat included in the sale.
Now, that's not all so unusual in Florida, when the buyers see a boat behind the house, but in this case it was strange because there was no boat behind the house. In fact, the sellers would have to buy a boat in order to convey it to the buyers.
I thought this was pretty ridiculous, but once the sellers slept on it, they thought that … (9 comments)

Do you use google docs? - 09/14/08 11:13 AM
Brad Andersohn posted about how to use the forms feature in google docs and how to insert it into your blog posts. I thought that would be a good opportunity to
test whether his instructions worked
and
see who uses google docs
so here is a form I did in google docs in just a few minutes:
Loading...  
9/19/08 - just to update you, it's pretty neat to check the responses on the spreadsheet. 71% of the respondents use google docs, 19% do not. 
… (16 comments)

Suggestion for new checkbox beneath Comments - 09/14/08 10:41 AM
There is currently an optional box to check after we comment, "Notify me of new comments".
Often I want to know if the blogger post another comment, whether in response to me (which encourages conversations) or in response to others, but not to have 30 or 100 comments from others coming to my e-mail or My Home.
Could you add a second box as an option,
                                               Notify Me When the Blogger Comments?
 
Would anyone else like to see that choice?
… (12 comments)

Client party a success - 09/13/08 04:31 PM

 
Last night agents from RE/MAX Metro held a client appreciation evening. It was held at the studio of artist Patton Hunter.
In addition to lots of conversation and new people finding things in common,
clients were treated with a private showing of Patton Hunter's painting, and a look at her studio;
and
they were able to see one of the condominium units at McNulty Lofts in downtown St Petersburg - seeing the paintings, the sunset, and really feeling what it would be like to come home to McNulty Lofts every night.
I'd guess there were a couple of hundred … (8 comments)

Boat to lunch in St Petersburg - 09/13/08 04:12 PM
At noon some friends pulled up at the dock behind our house to pick us up for lunch. We got on board and all boated over to the yacht club on Pass-a-Grille. We had a leisurely lunch inside - it was too hot for us to want to sit on the deck in the sun, and we could see the yachts just as well from inside. We showed our friends around the renovated club (the St Petersburg Yacht Club purchased and merged the Pass-a-Grille Yacht Club a year ago. For us it's closer by boat than the St Pete club. By … (2 comments)

Broadwater Market Update - St Petersburg Florida -August 2008 - 09/09/08 08:51 PM
Broadwater is a primarily waterfront neighborhood in southwest St. Petersburg, on Boca Ciega Bay. It's only 10 minutes to downtown St Petersburg, and 10 minutes to any of 3 beaches - St Pete Beach, Pass-a-Grille, and Ft DeSoto Park, recently named by Dr Beach as America's #1 beach.
It's a great neighborhood - I know, because I live there. It's a bit hidden away, and many people in St Pete don't even know it's here. But those of us who live here, love both the neighborhood and the convenient location.
I've posted the Broadwater market update on my "other blog. It … (6 comments)

Downtown St Petersburg Condo Rentals - Market Update September 1, 2008 - 09/07/08 06:00 PM
Downtown St Petersburg Condo Rentals - Market Update September 1, 2008
Downtown Saint Petersburg hasn't had any apartment complexes since The Madison converted to condos a few years back. There are, however, a number of owned condos that are available for lease, generally on an annual basis.
1 bedroom condos start at $700/month; 2 bedroom condos at $975/month; and 3 bedroom condos at $2,800/month. Current rentals go up to $5,500/month.
Click here for more detailed information on downtown St Petersburg condo rentals.
 
… (2 comments)

Check your condo docs - maybe they rule out FHA financing - 09/06/08 07:25 PM
If you're listing a condominium, do you read through the condo documents? Hopefully, you do. Not only do you need to read the Rules and Regulations in order to properly fill out the MLS, and to answer questions about whether pets are allowed and size limitations, whether there are age restrictions, and what is the minimum rental period, but you also need to check for restriction such as
the condo association has the right of first refusal on any sale.
Whether or not the condo association has ever used this right, that clause means that FHA will not make a loan … (15 comments)

What's a SPOOL? - 09/06/08 07:20 PM
Many of the homes in Manatee County, Florida, particularly those on small lots, have very small pools. They're bigger than a spa, but smaller than a typical Pinellas County, Florida pool - so Rob Johnson called them "spools".
We have a wonderful home in the Old Northeast neighborhood of St Petersburg that also has a "spool". This one has some unique features, though - part of it is under roof, so that those who don't want to be out in the sun can still enjoy the pool. It also has an EndlessPool current system so that you can swim against the … (7 comments)

Frank McKinney - Florida Maverick - 09/06/08 07:06 PM
Frank McKinney has build spec homes in Florida worth more than $100 Million! That takes a maverick, which is Frank McKinney's trademark.
I've just finished one of his books, Frank McKinney's Maverick Approach to Real Estate Success: How You can Go From a $50,000 Fixer Upper to a $100 Million Mansion. It takes guts, and it takes integrity. There are lots of good points on how to market and sell real estate, as well as how to build a fortune from real estate - not a get-rich-quick philosophy or a flip-a-lot theory, but a good long-term plan.
Would you like to … (0 comments)

Which beach for the weekend? - 09/06/08 06:34 PM
Several blog posts about last weekend, Labor Day weekend, or even this one, are about people going to the beach, or in some cases, to the shore. Some people here in Pinellas County love the beach so much that they want to live on the beach, or at least in a beach community. There are many to choose from, each with a different personality.
We'd rather live "on the mainland" here in St. Petersburg (which is actually a peninsula) and go to the beach whenever we want. That way we don't have tourist traffic issues daily, no drawbridge issues daily, etc. … (0 comments)

How many phone numbers are on your business card? - 09/06/08 05:58 PM
We may feel we're more reachable by listing lots of phone numbers on our card, but it can be confusing for our clients. Should they call our office? our direct line? our home phone? our cell phone?
Let's make it simple for everyone and give them just one number, and then figure out a way that the number can reach us wherever we are.
For us, that solution is iobi from Verizon. We forward the main number from home to office to cell phone and we can make that change from any computer or from a phone. That way, the caller … (6 comments)

Signature Place sales office is moving - 09/05/08 08:14 PM
Signature Place, an architectural signature luxury condominium in downtown St Petersburg, Florida has topped off, and closings have begun on commercial spaces in the western building.
Z Grille will be opening  (moving from Central Avenue) on the ground floor of the northwest corner of the block.
Joel Cantor, the developer, will be moving here from his offices in Tampa.
The Signature Place sales office will be moving as well. he sales office started in a trailer on the northeast corner of the site, and then moved to the ground floor of nearby Bank of America tower. That office closed at the … (9 comments)

Perfect Sellers for this waterfront pool home in St Petersburg Florida - 09/05/08 07:41 PM

 
 
When the owners of this waterfront pool home in Broadwater, a wonderful neighborhood in southwest St Petersburg, Florida, called us to discuss listing their home, we found:
a beautiful renovated home, with a new kitchen in the center of the home, new porcelain tile floors throughout the house Renovated bathrooms Fresh paint, inside and out New windows Great, open plan but it was empty. It's hard to make inviting photos of empty rooms, and when someone comes into this 2,422 sq ft home, it was hard to imagine just how you'd live in all these open spaces.
So … (3 comments)

Will appraisals require more time for closing a contract? - 09/04/08 06:47 PM
When I spoke with a lender today about closing a contract (and loan) in 3 weeks, the lender suggested adding more time - the main item out of the control by the lender was the appraisal. The bank can no longer order the appraisal, so they send the request out to a third party provider who selects the appraiser from a rotating list. Not only does this "middleman" add more time, but the new appraisal requirements may add more time, too.
What if it's a unique property? What if there haven't been any recent sales in that neighborhood? Not only might … (14 comments)

Does tearing down the house invalidate the tax free $250,000/$500,000? - 09/04/08 06:35 PM
Recently I blogged about a wonderful open water estate lot here in St Petersburg, Florida, and the possibility of tearing down the house so that people would recognize the possibility of building new on the lot.
What about the tax consequences, though? Would having the house gone and just a lot remaining mean that the seller would lose the benefit of the tax free portion of selling a home you've lived in for 2 out of the past 5 years?
If so, the tax difference would have to be factored in to the decision on whether or not to bulldoze the … (0 comments)

 
Sharon-typicalbigger Rainmaker_large

Sharon Simms St Pete FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS

Saint Petersburg, FL

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ALVA International, Inc.

Address: 238 Beach Drive NE, St Petersburg, FL, 33701

Office Phone: (727) 898-2582

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