I'm often asked if this is a good time to buy a home. Some clients are concerned that home prices may fall further than they have already. They are assuming that the best course of action is to wait for the bottom in the market and then buy. The problem with this approach is that you don't know where the bottom is until you see it in the rear view mirror, meaning until you've missed it!

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability. Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows. Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little…

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Carrollwood in Hillsborough County, Florida is an incorporated community. Even though it is considered as a separate community, it is still counted on the census-designated place of Greater Carrollwood.  The zip code for this community is 33618. Located northwest of Lake Carroll, the place was built during the early 1970s, developed by Matt Jetton and the SunState Builders. With a long line of history, the community brings families boulevards lined with oak trees. This place surely promotes the well-being of each of the residents.

The community features great hubs and recreational areas, like the Carrollwood Cultural Center. The space provides cultural programs, such as services for all age groups which encourage the residents in exploring both graphic…

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The Live Oak Preserve is designed quite uniquely. The community is located at the heart of New Tampa, indeed a prime location for homes. This private, gated community is at Hillsborough County, which stands on 1,300 acres of land. The growing community boasts tranquil and peaceful neighborhoods, which comes with 362 acres of wetland preserves, great views of the wildlife, ponds, conservation areas and the like.

Location, Location, Location

Live Oak Preserve is a family-friendly community and offers a wide variety of amenities. It is quite near to highly rated and award winning schools as well, which makes it better than the rest of the communities in the county. And just outside the gates of this community are a number of restaurants, parks, offices…

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The Glazer Children’s Museum is like a huge playground for kids. It surely keeps kids curious. You can visit the museum at 110 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FL. It is found in the downtown area, just next to the Tampa Museum of Art and Curtis Hixon Park, along the Tampa Riverwalk. It is actually part of the Waterfront Arts District.

The museum promotes learning through different hands-on, interactive play. The majority of the museum’s effort is focused on visitor experience and of course, the educational programming. It offers a number of programs, from formal curriculum based classes for schools to informal workshops for families, to camps and specialized programs.

Seated in a 53,000 square foot facility in downtown Tampa, the Glazer Children’s Museum…

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Are you planning to buy a house in Tampa? Or perhaps you are a new owner of a home, or you already own one for a long time. How well do you know your home? A house may have problems that you don’t know about. These problems are not about bad energy flow or ghosts. What we’re pointing out is the presence of real financial issues or maybe, safety concerns. Be sure to know the signs to look into and take essential steps to protect yourself, your family, and your budget.

Old Wiring

One may need to worry about the quality of wiring within a home, and this basically depends on the age of a particular house. Many Tampa homes built way back in the 60s and 70s were designed with aluminum wiring. Such thing corrodes much quickly. And today, with modern…

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When Tampa homeowners encounter a disaster like a storm, hurricane or fire, it’s unfortunate that a number of houses that are destroyed don’t have adequate insurance. A number of homeowners don’t pay much attention to the insurance coverage in place for their homes until disaster occurs. And by then, it’s too late.

It’s not hard to purchase the right kind of insurance coverage for your home or rental property. With a little research and a reputable agent, you can get the ideal policy for you. These basic tips will equip you with the knowledge you need to get started.

Go Over Coverage Plans

Look closely at your Insurance Cover Binder Agreement. This is a thick packet of documents that includes coverage limits and policy terms. Go through these…

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Tampa, Florida features many beauty districts, residential communities and peaceful neighborhoods. That’s why a great number of people flock to the area and find their dream home. If you are looking for your dream home yourself, it is highly recommended that you check out the listings available at the Bayside West of South Tampa, Florida. This is a neighborhood within the limits of the said city. The zip codes in the area are 33611 and 33629.

Let’s Talk about the Boundaries

As you know, Tampa, Florida covers a large area. It is very important that you take note about the boundaries on the east and west, as well as the north and south. Bayside West boundaries include the Bay Villa Avenue on the north, Gandy Boulevard down south, Tampa Bay to the…

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Yet another stunning Tampa condo community is Bayshore Regency. This is located at 3435 Bayshore Boulevard, which brings impressive views of St. Pete, and of course, the Tampa Bay. It stretches from the downtown Tampa across the bay, to the Ballast Point Pier. If you’re interested in either a 2- or 3-bedroom condo with great views of the bay, this is where you can find one. It is a multi-story condo building, with a total living space of as much as 3,000 square feet. The large condo units offer enough space for pretty big furniture pieces and appliances that you would like to put inside. The space for each unit is what they often boast to customers and interested buyers.

Features and Amenities

But of course, a condo building will never be complete…

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As we’ve been pleased to point out before, Tampa Bay area mortgage interest rates are not just ‘low’ – that would be like saying Michael Phelps is a ‘good’ swimmer. When you borrow at a rate below the inflation rate, you essentially borrow for free. Using someone else’s money to do a job for you is one of the less well-hidden secrets of successful people – so it should come as no surprise that some of today’s most prominent business names are right in there with everyone else, getting a mortgage that takes advantage of today’s environment. Only more so.

This is the basis for the (if you haven’t heard, sit down and take a deep breath) 1% mortgage rates currently actually being granted to some homebuyers. Such seemingly too-good-to-be-true rates are…

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Madison at SOHOThe Madison at SoHo marks a colorful and eclectic community popular with young professionals, artists and students.  The South Tampa location makes commuting to downtown and the Westshore District quick and easy.  The distinctive architecture appeals to taste-makers, movers and shakers.

The “SoHo District” is known as such for its proximity to South Howard Avenue and The Madison at SoHo sits between South Howard and Armenia Ave.  The historic neighborhood is in the midst of a rejuvenating redevelopment both in retail and residential regards. Dining hotspots such as Bern’s Steakhouse, Ceviche, Mangroves, Bellas, Gourmet Pizza Company, Water, Marble Slab Creamery and McDinton’s Irish Pub have made this area popular residentially and as a destination…

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