tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193881682008-04-28T08:08:13.859-04:00This Is A Journal For Home Buyers And Home Sellers Of Real Estate Information, News Articles, Tips And Ideas, Market Conditions for Hillsborough & Manatee Counties And Much More!Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comBlogger601125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-50336914608217956102007-06-01T08:17:00.000-04:002007-06-01T08:27:32.586-04:002007-06-01T08:27:32.586-04:00

Just wanted to let anyone that reads this blog know that this is my last post on this blog ( for now anyhow). It has become too hard to try and keep up with several different blogs and try to keep posting to all of them. I am going back to my ActiveRain blog and going to concentrate on posting on that one. For SEO purposes, it is better for me to try and concentrate on that one for now, I think.

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-27224468370881001882007-05-24T09:03:00.000-04:002007-05-24T09:24:25.016-04:002007-05-24T09:24:25.016-04:00

In a story I read the morning from Realty Times reminded me of why I don't like carpet. When I lived in Michigan, I didn't mind it because in the winter time, it helped keep the house a little bit warmer than if I would of had wood or tile floors. But here in Florida, tile floors are best to have for a couple reasons. Once the sand gets in the carpet, it trashes the carpet pretty quickly and tile

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-44131309769895904432007-05-16T09:01:00.000-04:002007-05-16T09:17:30.714-04:002007-05-16T09:17:30.714-04:00

C/Net reports the following: WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif.--Casey Serin is on his way to becoming the most hated blogger on the Internet. With scant income, assets, or business savvy, the would-be real-estate mogul managed to purchase eight homes in hopes of reselling them at a profit. Along the way, he's lost all of them, run up some $170,000 in credit card and credit line debt, and launched

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-7125841418494620602007-05-15T07:32:00.000-04:002007-05-15T07:34:31.051-04:002007-05-15T07:34:31.051-04:00

Well folks the numbers are in for April. Below is what has SOLD and closed compared to this time last year. As you will see, the numbers are the same as/or a little better this year than last year! April 2007 # of Single Family Homes that SOLD = 221 Average Sales price = $367,482 # of Condos that SOLD = 83 Average Sales price = $233,131 April 2006 # of Single Family Homes that SOLD = 221

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-4936615403392759692007-05-07T08:13:00.000-04:002007-05-07T08:14:53.837-04:002007-05-07T08:14:53.837-04:00

By TOM BRENNAN The Tampa Tribune BRANDON - Any driver who's been buffeted by the wake of a passing semi or had to stomp on the brakes as traffic inexplicably ground to a standstill knows something should be done to improve Interstate 75. Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation won't argue. The agency has just begun a major corridor study of I-75 from Fletcher Avenue in Tampa

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-782003084767214992007-04-30T08:30:00.000-04:002007-04-30T08:32:29.071-04:002007-04-30T08:32:29.071-04:00

by Phoebe Chongchua Realty Times Less is more when it comes to pools, at least when you're referring to depth. Industry experts say a trend in pool construction is leaning to smaller and shallower pools. "People are looking more for a family-friendly pool, a sports pool -- where they go from three and a half feet to five and a half feet deep," says Josh Lawson, General Manager of San Diego

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-21978400129712345092007-04-24T13:00:00.000-04:002007-04-24T13:09:42.596-04:002007-04-24T13:09:42.596-04:00

Yes folks, despite what the media is saying, home sales are on the rise! Below are actual sales stats taken directly from the Manatee MLS of homes that have sold and closed in the past few months in Manatee County. Properties that SOLD in January 2007: Single Family Homes = 128 Condos = 34

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-54062820652299759392007-04-19T07:53:00.000-04:002007-04-19T07:57:26.542-04:002007-04-19T07:57:26.542-04:00

Herald Tribune Charlotte County saw foreclosures spike last month while Manatee and Sarasota counties saw substantial drops in the number of filings. That came against the backdrop of a decline in foreclosures across the state in March compared with the previous month, though the phenomenon is up 54 percent from this time last year, RealtyTrac, an Irvine, Calif.-based online marketer of

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-43623513951482072322007-04-10T09:05:00.000-04:002007-04-10T09:07:10.547-04:002007-04-10T09:07:10.547-04:00

By ANTHONY CORMIER Herald Tribune BRADENTON -- A plan to sell 64 acres near this city's reservoir has some people nervous about potential impacts on Bradenton's water supply and the deal's cozy relationship between the city and a prominent developer. The proposal would lead to construction of at least 200 new homes near Evers Resevoir, which is fed by the Braden River and provides drinking

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-68294999140056095932007-04-06T08:13:00.000-04:002007-04-06T08:15:11.834-04:002007-04-06T08:15:11.834-04:00

Associated Press & MSNBC NEW YORK - As home foreclosures mount, mortgage companies are knocking on doors, sending letters and making phone calls with a simple message for struggling homeowners: They�??d rather modify your loan than foreclose. EMC Mortgage Corp., which has a $78 billion loan portfolio that includes subprime loans made to homeowners with weak credit, this week launched a 50-person

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-34353260506193437742007-04-02T07:23:00.000-04:002007-04-02T07:24:35.969-04:002007-04-02T07:24:35.969-04:00

By Liz Pulliam Weston MSN.com Buying a home is a complicated process, and it can be particularly daunting for the first-timer. The following timeline starts one year before you hope to start seriously shopping for a home. This is an ideal; you can arrange your finances and buy a home in less time, if necessary, but you'd be smart to walk through all of the steps in order. The more time you give

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-83649196166898631912007-03-27T07:14:00.000-04:002007-03-27T07:16:22.398-04:002007-03-27T07:16:22.398-04:00

By James Thorner St. Pete Times Ikea's affiliation with clean living suggested the Swedish furniture chain might gravitate to the suburban green fields of Interstate 75. But it was a gritty industrial site between the Port of Tampa and Ybor City that Ikea named Monday as the future home of its third Florida megastore. A $22-billion global company best known for its blond, assemble-it-yourself

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-22663144696407109002007-03-26T07:21:00.000-04:002007-03-26T07:23:51.962-04:002007-03-26T07:23:51.962-04:00

By Marshall Loeb MarketWatch, Inc. The task of packing up all your things to move to a new place can seem daunting at best. A move, whether it's cross-town or cross-country, is often fraught with anxiety and headaches: Which mover should I use? Am I getting a good deal? Will my belongings be safe? Because moving expenses can run high, it's smart to do a little research before handing your money

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-39867907898847101732007-03-24T07:49:00.000-04:002007-03-24T07:50:46.892-04:002007-03-24T07:50:46.892-04:00

By MELISSA FOLLOWELL Bradenton Herald In February, the consumer appetite for buying single-family homes and condos in the Bradenton-Sarasota market rose 5 percent from a year earlier. While that may sound like only a modest gain, Bradenton-Sarasota outperformed every other market in Florida, except one. Statewide, the sales of existing homes were down 23 percent, according to the Florida

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-6734265436912714912007-03-20T07:33:00.000-04:002007-03-20T07:35:45.644-04:002007-03-20T07:35:45.644-04:00

by Peter G. Miller Realty Times Spring is here and with it the start of the real estate selling season for much of the country. The sales story for the past year has been that some metro areas are down, some are up and fears of a 2006 real estate bubble were grossly exaggerated. While we don't yet know what will happen in 2007, we know what the National Association of Realtors found in the

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-70274620721518929292007-03-15T15:06:00.000-04:002007-03-15T15:14:10.044-04:002007-03-15T15:14:10.044-04:00

Are you on the fence with all the rest of the "sitting ducks"? By sitting ducks, I mean buyers that are "waiting" for the bottom to fall out and all the great deals to start popping up. News flash! The great deals are already out there! You could be missing the perfect opportunity right now, by just doing nothing! Are you getting listings emailed to you on a regular basis to ensure you don't

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-42819128156083687012007-03-14T08:05:00.000-04:002007-03-14T08:06:47.671-04:002007-03-14T08:06:47.671-04:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- In the wake of the ongoing subprime lender shakeout, mortgage applications rose last week, with both new purchases and refinancings driven up by the lowest long-term home loan rates since early December, an industry trade group said Wednesday. The meltdown among U.S. subprime mortgage lenders broadened this week as two large lenders, Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. (

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-53684128659885499682007-03-13T08:18:00.000-04:002007-03-13T08:20:23.170-04:002007-03-13T08:20:23.170-04:00

BRIAN NEILL Herald Staff Writer A Palmetto developer is offering to sell two undeveloped Manatee County subdivisions with a combined 380 homes. DL Homes is offering to sell Fox Crossing, a 96-unit, single-family subdivision near 27th Street East, for $3.6 million. The developer is also hoping to sell Meadow Terrace and Meadow Terrace West, a combined 284 townhomes near U.S. 301 and Interstate

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-47098008634147237902007-03-12T07:11:00.000-04:002007-03-12T07:16:15.552-04:002007-03-12T07:16:15.552-04:00

By PATRICK WHITTLE Herald Tribune SARASOTA -- Brett and Joanne Price built their dream house at 1423 Hillview Drive with a thought that they might live there forever. Instead, the Prices will have to settle for a record-breaking sale. The home sold recently for almost $7.3 million, the highest price ever in Harbor Acres, one of Sarasota's oldest and most elite communities. The 10,500-

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-22167402778569083322007-03-08T07:58:00.000-05:002007-03-08T08:00:58.949-05:002007-03-08T08:00:58.949-05:00

By EMILY MORRIS Herald Tribune EAST MANATEE -- Wal-Mart is moving ahead to convert an existing East Manatee store into a Wal-Mart Supercenter, but the expansion will be smaller than originally planned. Plans call for expanding the existing 113,400-square-foot store at University Parkway and Lockwood Ridge Road by 40,000 square feet. That is significantly smaller than plans submitted to Manatee

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-21715378433209139552007-03-01T07:41:00.000-05:002007-03-01T07:42:35.333-05:002007-03-01T07:42:35.333-05:00

By Holden Lewis Bankrate.com Mortgage lenders are tightening standards for loans to the 15 percent of potential borrowers who have the worst credit. Even with the more rigorous standards, many credit-impaired borrowers can find willing lenders -- albeit at higher rates than were being quoted as recently as early February. "I think for the vast majority of people, they don't need to worry about

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-30956831913972360582007-02-27T07:33:00.000-05:002007-02-27T07:35:04.679-05:002007-02-27T07:35:04.679-05:00

by Peter G. Miller Realty Times Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have come up with a new idea that may cut consumer settlement costs by a billion dollars annually and maybe a lot more. This is good news for buyers and sellers, but in an odd way it's likely to make some folks unhappy. Essentially, what Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have done is to offer a short mortgage form, something that runs three

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-44020446686279334212007-02-25T07:27:00.000-05:002007-02-25T07:28:42.965-05:002007-02-25T07:28:42.965-05:00

By CHRISTINA E. SANCHEZ Herald Tribune PALMETTO -- Agencies that assist the poor do not routinely return millions of dollars they got in a federal grant. Yet the Manatee County Housing Authority says it has no choice. The authority manages a south Manatee County apartment complex for low-income families and a countywide rental assistance program. In September 2003, it secured a $3 million

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-88593734201059474122007-02-24T07:43:00.000-05:002007-02-24T07:43:50.773-05:002007-02-24T07:43:50.773-05:00

by M. Anthony Carr Realty Times You've heard the phrase, "The devil's in the details," and that is ever so true in the statistical analysis of real estate. Real estate definitely moves on the level of supply and demand. The more houses on the market coupled with the less demand interprets into dropping prices. As houses sell (because the prices finally realign) and the inventory shrinks coupled

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19388168.post-89934714770384732632007-02-23T08:41:00.000-05:002007-02-23T08:44:06.078-05:002007-02-23T08:44:06.078-05:00

By Leslie McFadden Bankrate.com They're so easy and habit-forming you'll want to share them with your friends, family and neighbors. Of course, we're talking about stay-safe security tips that will help protect you -- and your computer -- from thieves hunting your money and personal information. Luckily, you don't have to be an IT professional to follow these guidelines.

Becky Troutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18223672602542408274noreply@blogger.com