Taxes begone

The top questions I here when people are buying in Florida are what about the taxes and the insurance.

OK, first the tax rate has changed and continues to change. Sarasota and in particular Manatee County on the Gulf Coast are starting to feel the pinch.

Here's the double header, first the state reduced the taxes, then a voter amendment reduced again and now the state is looking at voter amendment to reduce them even more.

The second part is property values have dropped in some cases more than 10 percent and that appraisal will be coming through for homeowners this year. It takes the county offices about a year to catch up with the drop in values.

This all means that taxes are going down where the bottom is still up in the air.

As for insurance several new companies have started to write policies in the state which means more choice for homeowners.

Bottom line is that we're possibly heading in the right direction to resolve two of the major concerns for buyers moving into the state.

Greg Owens PA
Keller Williams Realty of Greater Manatee
941.932.6343
greg@teamworksfla.com

Thank you bargain hunters

Some of the listing agents are a bit testy in the market place these days.

They are getting pretty irritable about what they are refer to as "bottom feeders" making offers on their listings.

They believe that the low offers they are getting are a nuisance.

Up and down the Gulf Coast of Florida prices are falling. In Palmetto, Sarasota, Hillsborough County you name the area there is probably an overabundance of inventory.

So as a buyer's agent, I know if it weren't for the "bargain hunters" out there right now the market probably moving at all.

So I would like to say a big thank you to the bargain hunters. You're the ones driving the train right now and I for one are cheering you on.

All the best
Greg Owens PA
Keller Williams Realty of Greate Manatee
941.932.6343
greg@teamworksfla.com

The sinking feeling

There have several pundits, economists and real estate gurus saying we're hitting bottom in the Sarasota/Manatee County area.

I have heard this several times over the past year and I still don't believe it.

Here's why, generally speaking anything under a six month supply of homes for sale is a seller's market, six to nine months a neutral market, more than that a buyer's market.

Well from Longboat Key to Anna Maria Island to the border with Hillsborough County we have more than a year and some areas several years worth of houses and condominiums for sale.

When you have that much inventory on the market prices are bound to continue to fall.

What this means is that there are a number of great deals out there and probably will be for the next couple of months.

Now by the third quarter of this year I'm thinking we might be flattenning out.

All the best
Greg Owens PA
Keller Williams Realty of Greater Manatee
941.932.6343
greg@teamworksfla.com

Waterfront bargains

So you have always wanted that waterfront mansion with beautiful views and great water for boating.

You don't want to pay a couple of million dollars for it.

Good timing. You can buy several thousand square feet of house on the water from Clearwater to Anna Maria Island.

We're talking the real desirable communities with some listings under the $1 million market or hovering just around it.

These are homes with the beach close by and the warm Gulf of Mexico waters.

The same homes were reaching the multi million dollar level a while ago are coming down to not so sky high prices.

Falling prices mean dreams can come true.

All the best
Greg Owens PA
Keller William Realty of Greater Manatee
941.732.6343
greg@teamworksfla.com