Tampa Real Estate

This gorgeous New Tampa homes has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a formal living room, dining room, family room and BONUS ROOM!  Located on a conservation lot on a cul de sac in the double gated section of Arbor Greene!  Call Russ Perlowski, with People's Choice Realty at (813) 494-2124 for an appointment to see this gem!

We've all heard the stories about problems with some homes that were built with Chinese drywall.  You may not have heard about these though!

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/home_improvement/4336472.html?link=emb&dom=msn_re&src=syn&con=art&mag=pop

The National Association of Realtors has launched a new "beta" website for homeowners called HouseLogic with information on "everything you need to protect, maintain, and enhance the value of your home":  http://www.houselogic.com/

After all of the "heavy" real estate related material I have provided on this site, I just stumbled across this music video and just wanted to share it.  It is the INTERNATIONAL VERSION of Stand By Me!

Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around The World from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

If you ever wondered what the homes are like for those very well paid Tampa athletes, you need to read the following:

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/aug/21/jeters-house-tops-list-tampa-bay-sports-celebritie/news-metro/

My primary blog about New Tampa and Wesley Chapel can be found at:

www.NewTampaHomes.blogspot.com 

The Greater Tampa Association of Realtors has released the following average Tampa home prices sold in April, 2009:

The following average sold price information is extracted from data reported to our local mls on single family homes sold in the 2008 calendar year by community in New Tampa: *

*Note: Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Based on information from MFRMLS through December 31, 2008. Some homes that closed in late December 2008 may not be included in the calculations. Information only includes data reported in our local MLS system and may not include all new home sales or private sales.-- Russ Perlowski

What does Wesley Chapel, FL have in common with New Orleans, Queen Creek, Enterprise, Helotes, Indian Trail, Castle Rock, and Elk Grove? According to The Gadberry Group out of Little Rock, Arksansas these "Eight from 2008" were all the fastest growing areas in the United States in 2008! Full Details

For additional information about Wesley Chapel, visit my other blog:  www.NewTampaHomes.blogspot.com 

This chart depicts the average sales price of single family homes reported sold in our Multiple Listing System for the 2008 calendar year by community in Wesley Chapel.

Note:  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.  Some homes that closed in late December 2008 may not be included in the calculations.  Information only includes information reported in our local MLS system and may not include all new home sales or private sales.

In Desperate Times, Home Sellers Resort to Desperate Tactics

JD Power and Associates has released its 2008 customer satisfaction ratings for Tampa new home builders. In order for a builder to be rated, a minimum of 50 surveys by customers had to be completed and returned. LINK

Wonder how long that washer or dryer is likely to last?  The NAHB has recently released a study on the life expectancy of different home components:  http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=72475

Here's a fun news clip/Video about me!  Have a good laugh!

Fun Video Clip about Russ Perlowski

Considering that a home purchase is most likely the most expensive transaction that you will have in your lifetime, the value of a home inspection should be obvious to most.

With a cost of around $300.00 (price varies with inspector, if there is a pool, etc.), it is a small cost to pay to have a professional look at the home.  I recall one time when I had a first time buyer inform me that he wasn't going to get a professional home inspection.  I convinced him of its importance. 

The inspection revealed a number of issues that the seller was responsible for correcting (before closing) per our purchase contract and he more than saved the amount of the cost of inspection.  More importantly, the inspection revealed an electrical problem with the spa which if not corrected could have caused serious injury or death!!

My advice:  PAY FOR THE HOME INSPECTION!! 

The Greater Tampa Association of Realtors® released the statistics for home sales for the month of March 2008.

• Total unit Sales for March were up significantly over February sales (43%).
• Average sales price for units sold in March 08 was $230,204.
• Reported months of inventory of homes on the market based on March sales and inventory has dropped from 25.20 to 17.33.

• Spring and Summer are typically the best times of the year to sell a home. Since we are in February, now is the time to start preparing your home to put it on the market.
  Start by removing all clutter.
  
• Your home will appeal to the most buyers if it has neutral colors, so seriously consider painting those interior rooms that aren’t neutral.
  
• Curb appeal is essential. Consider giving your front door a fresh coat of paint and make sure that the landscaping is neat and attractive. If there ever was a time to have the greenest lawn in the neighborhood, this is it! Additionally, your house, driveway, and patios may need to be pressure washed.
  
• Assess your interior flooring. Getting carpets and grout cleaned can significantly freshen up your home for those buyers.
  
• Clean your home thoroughly. I have never had a buyer complain that a home was too clean!
  
• Your kitchen and bathrooms need to sparkle! Some recommend limiting your kitchen counter tops to only one small appliance to present a clutter free impression.
  
• Plant some red annuals outside. The color red pops in pictures and with buyers who drive by.

With over 680 single family homes currently listed for sale in MLS for zip code area 33647, and over 775 single family homes listed for sale in zip code areas 33543 & 33544, it is essential that you make your home “the star it can be” before you put it on the market.

Additional information on preparing your home for sale can be found on this website:  Staging Your Home, & Staging Tips.

Click on the following link for a VIDEO about preparing the exterior of your home for sale: 

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2008/03/19/spring.spruce.cnn