PURCHASE TICKETS now for the Chocolate & Champaign Event for Gainesville's own Dance Alive National Ballet . WHERE:  Gainesville Curtis M. Phillips Center for Performing Arts at 315 Hull Road, Gainesville, FL 32611 WHEN:  Saturday, December 20th, 2008 starting at 8:00 p.m. Tickets cost $75 per person or $600 for a table. Dance to the fabulous sounds of Gosia and Ali.  Gourmet delights provided by Blue Water Bay of Melrose, FL, sparkling champagne, and decadent chocolates.  Exclusive holiday shopping and a fun-filled scavenger hunt! For more information and TICKETS, please call 352-371-2986 Should you wish to make a donation to the Dance Alive National Ballet (DANB), please contact Judy at 352-371-2986. As seen in this recent story about Dance Alive on TV-20 WCJB, funding for the com... 12/14/2008

Here in North Central Florida, we do have a seasonal landscape.  I live in Gainesville, FL and that's about 2 hours north of Orlando.  Yes, we have plenty of "evergreens", but we do have so many seasonal trees and shrubs that love to show off this time of year. It's cold tonight, and a fire is going in my living room fireplace.  The December feeling is here.  We've had a few frosts and freezes, so the grass is all dormant and brown.  I won't have to cut the grass for a few months, but I will just mow over all the leaves....my natural mulching technique. My Sycamore tree is almost naked and all it's leaves have fallen.  My live oaks are dropping their acorns and the squirrels very busy.      My Nandinas are Christmas RED            and the birds are loving them.             My Emperor Sa... 12/13/2008

    The Animal Rescue Site, a partner of Petfinder.com could use a visit from you kind-heared folk.  The sponsors advertise on the site and donate food to abused and neglected animals with each visit.  If you go to the animal rescue site you will see a big purple button to click.  Clicking the button will automatically donate food to these animals in need.    Please bookmark the site and remember to visit often - you can click once a day!  In the spirit of the holidays, take some time to do some good.  It takes just a few seconds to make a difference. There are also a ton of really cool products on the site (everything from clothing, purses, kitchenware, jewelry, water bottles, pet items, throws, etc.).  If you look at the top of the page, above the item description, you will see the c... 12/10/2008

Every home for sale has a statistic called "Days on the Market". Many MLS systems will abbreviate this to DOM.  Throughout this year, so many buyers will ask "how many days has this home been on the market"?  The number of days on the market can be a different market indicator during different real estate market trends.  So I wanted to give my explanation and opinion of the DOM stat.  (Buyers Market or Sellers Market). During a ruthless "sellers' market" and the inventory of homes for sale & "ACTIVE" in our MLS Database was very low, the "Days on Market" stat could cause a Realtor or a Buyer to ask....."Hmmmmm, why has this home been on the market so long?"  My gut reaction might be...."what's wrong with this listing?" In a "sellers' market", if a home is priced competitively, the selle... 12/09/2008

I am picking up clients at their hotel at 10:00am Saturday morning.  And, yes I will be wearing my "Orange and Blue" Gator attire.  My clients are here to view condos for their son coming to the University of Florida.  We have an excellent selection of condos to see.  But...... Saturday is the the SEC Championship....at 4:00pm.  Yep, it's on the radio!  But, I sure hope that I am parked on my couch for this game. I am a true GATOR FAN! There will be neighborhood gatherings at club houses of subdivisions and condo complexes all over town.  If you want to spend the game in a restaurant or sports bar all over North Florida, you better get camped out early.   This IS the "BIG ONE".     Am I a college football fan?                  Yes, absolutely! Do I think that the Southeastern Conference... 12/05/2008

Well here is my crack at a real estate blog. I've wanted to start one for almost two years now, so in my own mind anyway I was ahead of the curve, now I'm late to the party. Feel free to comment anyhow you like. I could just as easily, and possibly will tell you the top 10 things to consider before you buy investment property in Gainesville, Florida.   Top 10 Reasons why now is the time to start buying residential homes for investment in Gainesville Florida.   Remember that before the big boom investing in real estate was always a marathon, not a sprint. Think 5 years out at least when buying real estate for investment. Interest rates  are pretty darn low, for an investor they are right around 7 percent Inflation is coming in 2011. I don't really know anyone who is in the know that does... 11/11/2008

Last Friday, November 7th, I had a closing at 10am at Security Title with my buyers.   As Realtors, we have transaction after transaction - closings after closings.   It's our life.   But, every once in awhile there is a client you work with that presents "challenges" for our current market conditions.  Being a Relentless Realtor, I love a challenge.  I want to win...for my clients. And when it all finally gets to the closing table....you just want to jump up for joy!  You are filled with a warm heart and happy feeling that their  "mission was accomplished"! I'd like to introduce you to Andy and Robyn in front of their brand NEW HOME.  Andy & Robyn are "first time home buyers".  And by 1pm on Friday they were picking up their rental truck to start moving into their new construction home... 11/10/2008

I am sure you have seen clips on the local news stations or seen info in our local papers here about the November 4th elections. Will there be massive "waiting" lines to VOTE on November 4th? Will it be too cold or nasty, rainy weather on November 4th to VOTE? But, hey our wonderful Sunshine State has EARLY VOTING!!  Convenient times and you can even vote this Saturday on November 1st too.  Vote on Saturday.....YES ! You can visit the Supervisor of Elections web site to see the official information. Early Voting Times:Weekdays Monday, October 20th through Friday, October 24th - (9 AM to 5 PM) Monday, October 27th through Friday, October 31st - (9 AM to 5 PM) Saturdays October 25th - (9 AM to 1 PM)November 1st - (9 AM to 5 PM) Early Voting Ends Early Voting Sites Supervisor of Elections ... 10/27/2008

If you are out an about for this year's FALL BUILDER PARADE OF HOMES in Gainesville, FL, please be sure to plan on visting Granite Parke, a newer community of elegant homes located off of SW 8th Ave. not far from Haile Plantation. You will delight in touring this tastefully appointed 4 bedroom 3 bath pool home featuring den with built-ins, Brazilian wood flooring, large cook's kitchen, glamour master bath, extensive crown molding, wainscotting, chair rail, surround sound inside and out, hot tub and SO MUCH MORE - all on a large privacy fenced yard. At only $350,000, this home is the lowest priced home in Granite Parke, which continues towards the 600k mark. If you are looking for luxury at an affordable price, you can't miss this new listing. Please make sure to stop by and fall in lov... 10/13/2008

    If you are out an about for this year's FALL BUILDER PARADE OF HOMES in Gainesville, FL, please be sure to plan on visting Granite Parke, a newer community of elegant homes located off of SW 8th Ave. not far from Haile Plantation.  You will delight in touring this tastefully appointed 4 bedroom 3 bath pool home featuring den with built-ins, Brazilian wood flooring, large cook's kitchen, glamour master bath, extensive crown molding, wainscotting, chair rail, surround sound inside and out, hot tub and SO MUCH MORE - all on a large privacy fenced yard.  At only $350,000, this home is the lowest priced home in Granite Parke, which continues towards the 600k mark.  If you are looking for luxury at an affordable price, you can't miss this new listing.  Please make sure to stop by and fal... 10/08/2008

Realtors call: (800) 900-2807 for Exclusive Home Buyer Leads for the Gainesville, Florida area!   Over the last 6 months we have seen a huge increase of people wanting to buy homes in Gainesville. www.eLeadMarketing.com is searching for one qualified realtor in the Cleveland, Ohio area with relocation experience. We have scrubbed, fresh, Free411.com matched Home Buyers that are moving to these area that need a Relocation Specialist assistance. We guarantee a minimum of 75 referrals over 6 months... there is an up front fee but no profit sharing whatsoever. An ideal candidate would have at least some relocation experience. We have scrubbed, fresh, free411.com matched home buyers that are moving in to these area. Many of these families/individuals will need relocation assistance. Please g... 10/02/2008

The rates are falling  !!       The rates are falling !!               The rates are falling !!Ok folks....this is not  "CHICKEN LITTLE"  screaming  that the SKY is falling.....                           it's the home mortgage rates that are falling!  This is REAL !Hopefully, our National press & media will be shouting this from the roof tops. Your local real estate professional will be telling you about this too!  Just pick up the phone and call your local lenders - they are ready to get you pre-qualified and make you feel "confident" about buying a home soon.   It's a BUYERS' MARKET...and with the mortgage rates falling - this should help get the "fence sitters" to become "committed buyers".   We have excellent inventory of homes for sale here in Gainesville and communities all over A... 09/10/2008

Welcome to the Gainesville-Alachua County Real Estate Market Update for August 2008.   The stats for this report are pulled directly from the Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors database.   These statistics are for Residential Sales only and do not include commercial properties or vacant land sales. # of HOMES SOLD in August 2008 is  226. Average # of Days on the Market (for closed sales) is 127 Days. AUG 2008 -2BR 3 BR 4+BR Condo Total #Units Sold    18    104    45    59    226 Avg Sale Price  94,080  179,793  337,414  156,922  198,380 Avg List Price  102,622  190,643  356,690  162,115  209,247 List/Sell/Ratio    91%   94%    94%   96%    95% Median Sale Price  120,000 174,471  288,000  147,300  168,950 Here is a good summary of the "TYPES" of financing of homes sold i... 09/08/2008

On my Gainesville, FL real estate website, I have a tab for Food and Recreation.  I have done several Gainesville area restaurant profiles and have written an article for my recommended places to eat in Gainesville.  I also comprised a list of places to play golf in Gainesville and golf course communities.  It is high time I transfer my list of State Parks from my website to Localism and Active Rain in an effort to gain more exposure for these places!  Gainesville is a very "green friendly" community and is home to a wealth of trees not commonly thought of when one envisions a "typical" Florida city.  Gainesville more closely resembles what people envision when they think of Georgia or North Carolina, NOT Florida.  And guess what?  We have hills!   Please view my blog index for Gainesvi... 09/03/2008

Who:  Storm Roberts Show, Bob Rose Show, and The Drive Time Happy Hour with Chip Morris & Mr. PC.   What:  Shands for Kids Radiothon to help support the Children's Miracle Network.  The event is showcased by local Gainesville, FL radio stations KTK 98.5 and The Sky 97.3.  The event is created to raise awareness and funds for the Shands Children Hospital at UF.  You can call in your donation or make a donation directly at the KTK website.   Where:  LIVE from the Atrium at Shands at the University of Florida.  Search for Shands UF on Google Maps.   When:  NOW!  Sept 3rd - Sept 5th         Angela Elliott is a licensed Florida REALTOR® with Century 21 Classic Properties in Gainesville, FL. Please visit my profile for more about me and browse my Gainesville, FL real estate website for additi... 09/03/2008

My Saturday morning paper has a wonderful feature.....it's a page called GATOR GAMEDAY. Yesterday being our season opener and a Home Game was the first "FIX" for my college football addiction.  Yes, I am addicted to college football. GO Gators !!   But, something happened that I don't know if anyone else noticed....... Our Gainesville Sun Sports Writer, Robbie Andreu is known for his game prediction, called Andreu's Pick. Saturday's paper showed his prediction of final score :  Florida 56, Hawaii 10. AND GUESS WHAT ??? Robbie Andreu's pick was the final score ! Does Robbie Andreu have a crystal ball?               Way to go Mr. Andreu !!             08/31/2008

If any of you have used AmeriDream or Nehemiah Down Payment Assistance Programs to help your buyers get into a home, you know how excellent the programs are, how easy to use they are and how they can often make or break the difference between your customer being able to purchase a home or not. 10/01/2008 is TOO LATE.  Please take a moment to support H.R. 6694 and fight to save down payment assistance.  In a market like this, we need all the help we can get to assist good qualified buyers into getting into a home.  These down payment assistance programs are TOOLS for your toolbox and not to be abused.  Only qualifying buyers are eligible to use these programs and they are an excellent source for your first time  home buyers. Down payment assistance programs are not just a tool for buyers... 08/24/2008

HOME INSPECTORS SERVING GAINESVILLE & ALACHUA CO. AREA: Ian Millinoff, Reliance Home Inspection ServicesOffice: 352-378-5808Cell: 352-214-5803E-mail: millinoff@cox.net Josh Hellstrom, Hellstrom Home Inspection ServicePhone: 352-870-0475 John Egal, Egal Home Inspection 352-373-2024 Matt Peck, Housemaster Home InspectionsPhone: 352-373-7864E-mail: matt.peck@housemaster.com Micah HawthornePhone: 352-376-6978Mobile: 352-278-0606 TERMITE INSPECTORS SERVING GAINESVILLE & ALACHUA CO. AREA: Arrow ExterminatorsPhone: 352-373-3642 Orkin352-378-1501 Florida Pest Control352-376-2661 Dunn-Rite Pest Control352-336-6747 APPRAISERS SERVING GAINESVILLE & ALACHUA CO.: Burton Appraisal Company352-371-1919 Edward Bell Appraisals352-375-3937 Owens-Willis Appraisals352-337-2888 Allied Appraisals352-378-6291... 08/14/2008

  I have mentioned the AmeriDream Downpayment Assistance in previous blogs.  It is an exceptional program that is very similar in concept to the Nehemiah Downpayment Assistance Program.  These programs can often make or break the difference between qualifying buyers being able to purchase a home or not. On October 1, 2008, Down Payment Assistance Programs WILL be eliminated.  40% of FHA based loans use down payment assistance and without it, 50,000 hardworking families will be denied homeownership for that month alone. I have used AmeriDream before and my customers have not defaulted on their loans.  AmeriDream helps qualifying buyers get into a home with little out of pocket expense.  Buyers, if you are on the fence about whether or not to purchase your first home and you believe you ... 08/13/2008

 Calendar of Festivals & Events Gainesville & Vicinity (North Central Florida)JANUARY EVENTSStephen Foster Day at Stephen Foster State Park. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration in Gainesville. Great Air Potato Round-up throughout Gainesville & Alachua County. Hoggetowne Medieval Faire.FEBRUARY EVENTSScramble for Kids Golf Tournament at U. of Florida Golf Course. Ocala Draft Horse Show. Olustee Battle Festival and Reenactment in Lake City. Chocolate & Champaign Gala at U. of Florida Reitz Union Ballroom. Gainesville Gator Criterium Bike Race on Downtown streets. Alachua County Youth Fair & Livestock Show at Alachua County Fairgrounds.MARCH EVENTSSpring Garden Festival at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville. Kid's Carnival at the O'Connell Center U. of Florida. Walk... 08/11/2008