Hmmmm, I've met all kinds!  This morning in our office meeting one of the agents invited a home inspector to speak.  He has used him several times and is satisfied with his work. Not knowing him, and being the outspoken, question asking person that I am, I asked "Who do you work for? The customer who pays you or the Realtor who gave you the referral?" Now I know that this is a pretty tacky question to ask, but the truth of the matter is that the tendency is to favor those who butter your bread!  You know, don't bite the hand that feeds you! When I bought my house in NY several years ago, I asked a friend who had been a Realtor for quite some time for a referral for a home inspector.  I don't believe he & she were trying to take advantage of me but the home inspector did a horrible job t... 09/24/2008

Crystal McCall | Keller Williams Cornerstone Realty | 352-547-1077 2041 Twin Bridge Circle, Ocala, FL GATED COMMUNITY IN THE HEART OF OCALA! 4BR/4BA Multi-Family, 1 units offered at $774,950 Year Built 2007 Sq Footage 3,450 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 4 full, 0 partial Floors 2 Parking 3 Car garage Lot Size .64 acres HOA/Maint $140 per month DESCRIPTION Nestled amongst the trees, this 4 bedroom 4 bath home was built in 2007. It’s a true beauty that you must see to appreciate. The front yard features a coy pond and circular driveway. This luxury home has an elevator leading to the full suite that includes a sitting room. The master has extensive closets and built in storage areas, and overlooks the pool and lanai. The kitchen comes complete with top of the line stainless steel appliances, has ... 09/24/2008

It's just good clean & dirty fun!  Saturday September 20th was a fun day at the Florida Horse Park.  We had several teams of mounted shooters competing and showing off their stuff!  Plenty of beautiful horses, talented riders and good food made for a great day at the Park. Following the Mounted Shooters was the Polo matches...wow!  I never saw Polo played live and in person.  Those horses turn on a dime and chase that ball like a dog after a bird. Visit the Florida Horse Park and join us for some upcoming events!                         SEE FOR YOURSELF!   09/21/2008

    September weather here in Ocala, like all of Florida, is the peak of hurricane season. Hurricane season lasts from June until the end of October but mid August to early October is really where all the action is.   Ocala is one of the least hurricane likely places to live in Florida. It's one of the main reasons I moved here myself. Below are a couple of interesting hurricane web sites.  I like the hurricane risk map on this site....FloridaHurricane.net  This is a a site that has a coastal risk atlas, a very complicated multi layered map. Really great if you have an engineer or geeky personality.  FloridaRiskAtlas   Aside from hurricanes it has been really humid for the first couple of weeks this month. We are still in the 90's most days and the 70's at night. Things should cool down... 09/17/2008

Welcome to Cherrywood Estates! Cherrywood is a Central Florida real estate adult community that caters to retirees who are seeking a better way to spend their sunshine years. Cherrywood offers the unique combination of the natural beauty of country living with the conveniences and advantages of city life. Cherrywood is located in Ocala in Central Florida where beautiful weather is the norm, so you can spend your days enjoying the activities you love. Cherrywood is a short trip to all of the attractions and wonders that make Central Florida a vacationer's paradise. Visit some of the models of homes we offer. Cherrywood takes great pride in the craftsmanship and materials used to build each home. You will be very pleasantly surprised at the many features we include as standard features. ... 09/15/2008

What is going on in today's foreclosure market?  Based on the most recently released report from Realty Trac, the website that keeps us abreast of what is going on in the foreclosure  market, things are just moving down the road.  Foreclosure activity is up 14% in the second quarter of 2008: "Florida documented the nation's fourth highest state foreclosure rate in the second quarter, with one in every 78 households receiving a foreclosure filing during the quarter - more than twice the national average. Foreclosure filings were reported on 109,433 Florida properties during the quarter, the second highest total of any state and an increase of nearly 25 percent from the previous quarter. This definitely is placing a lot of activity of Buyers/Investors looking for great deals of which we a... 09/15/2008

  An escape from the cold Affordable, lots of opportunities Entertainment, Good food Water- lakes, rivers, Ocean, Gulf Horses, cattle, livestock You name it, we've got it!       If you could choose your dream home, What would it look like?  What location, price, amenities would it have?  Here's an opportunity to assist you in narrowing your ideal home.  Just fill out your wish list below & submit it. Loading...   09/15/2008

    It's getting to that time of year, the time I love the best!  When the weather cools down and the horses return.  Of course there are always lots of horses around and beautiful farms, pastures, mares & foals to see, this is the time for equestrian events.     The place to be where you can witness many of these events is The Florida Horse Park.  So check the website, make your plans to be here, bring the RV, park on the grounds (schedule ahead) and enjoy the events. You can even volunteer to help!                           There's plenty here for you or you and your horses.  I look forward to meeting you at The Florida Horse Park.  If you need assistance with maps, hotels, real estate, rentals or nearly anything else please fill in the form below and let me know how I can be of serv... 09/14/2008

      View sold listings this week               82 Bank Foreclosures in Ocala Marion County               New Listings on the market this week                 Houses Under Contract This Week         These links will direct you to the Ocala Marion County Realtor site.  The links are viable for 1-2 weeks however if you are interested in receiving current statistics on a regular basis I'd be happy to provide them for you. Search me on:         09/12/2008

Traveling around the country and visiting different places is a luxury many of us enjoy, but what happens when things don't go so smooth?  The car starts making noise or the tire goes flat or the brakes are squeeking?  Make you nervous? We've all heard those stories about the service station that charges 10 times more than the guy back home, but we're over the proverbial "barrel" when we're in unfamiliar territory. Here in Ocala, just 2 minutes from I-75 is a super place to bring your car and you can walk away feeling like this really could be your home away from home.  I'd like you to meet my mechanic and friend Darren Decker from Tuffy's here in Ocala Florida. 09/11/2008

Traditionally, we have been told that it was best to place your current home on the market, take the equity from the property and reinvest it in the next home you plan on buying.  As we know, the current market in Ocala and The Villages, Fl is leaving many sellers with little or no equity or even negative value. One fact that has become very evident, the purchase prices of today are becoming incredible.  We are seeing great buys and it has become an outstanding market to buy real estate in.  There are many folks looking for great homes to rent and this might be the time to turn your home into an investment property if it does not afford you enough equity in the current market.Of course, you must have great credit to get a loan and this is a factor that must first be considered. Just tod... 09/10/2008

OCALA REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT Homes Sold August 2008 ..............221* $100,000.00 or less..........................67 $101 to $200,000.00.......................111 $201 to $300,000.00.........................31 $301 to $500,000.00.........................9 $500,000.00 Plus..............................3 Active Listings as of 8/05/08.......7066* *This does not count homes sold by builders that may not be listed on the MLS Number may be revised due to late reports from board of Realtors.  WHAT"S HOT IN OCALA REAL ESTATE · Foreclosures · Newer Homes priced to compete with foreclosures & short sales    Sales in August were 221 homes up from July's very disappointing 190 homes. I think we are near the bottom of the market. That doesn't mean that I think prices will recover any time soon.... 09/10/2008

Is there really a perfect Buyer? If you believe there is a perfect buyer, what (In your Opinion) makes the perfect Buyer? I think the perfect Buyer would be one who does not have a house to sell first, has a high credit rating with history to back it up, A Buyer that is not picky about which part of the county to look at as long as the home they find there is the home they are looking for, A Buyer who refuses to move on to another Realtor because they are loyal to you. One who will tell other people about all you have done for them to make their home buying experience the best one they could possibly have. Now, with that being said, I think I have come across the perfect home buyer. My Buyers I am working with currently are all "The Perfect Buyer" in their own right. I am very fortunate... 09/09/2008

In an effort to make market reports more interactive and able to be understood I've included several links that enable you to view properties and their details first hand.  Just click the link, ok the security warning and you can view the details on particular properties.       Residential Listings    New on the market this week Click Here    In Contract this week  Click Here    Closed this week  Click Here       Vacant Land Listings New on the market this week  Click Here In Contract this week  Click Here Closed this week  Click Here           Commercial Properties    New on the market this week  Click Here    In Contract this week  Clickhere    0 Closed this week 09/06/2008

Finding your way around any community can be a challenge.  I've endeavored to make you travels a bit easier.  Here are internet links that can assist you in finding out plenty of information about Ocala/Marion County Florida.        Click on the Google logo for additional Marion County Sites Now that you've navigated around the internet and found out lots of interesting things about Ocala/Marion County Florida, I'd like to offer you a free map to assist you in navigating around town when you arrive! I'm looking forward to the pleasure of meeting you! Sara Homan, Realtor 352-209-4044     09/06/2008

More than that, what will your house endure should there be a serious hurricane in your area?  Many home inspectors can perform a wind inspection of your house and make recommendations to enhance your houses ability to withstand more of a beating from high winds.  Once those enhancements are done you can present them to your insurance company and request a discount on your homeowners insurance.  Today I submitted several of my past clients to various insurance companies and many of them may save $200-$400 by making a few small adjustments.                                   09/05/2008

Don't Let This One Get Away!Spacious 3 bedroom 2 bath split plan home. Large open great room area features living, dining & kitchen areas w/breakfast bar and 2 sets of double entry glass doors. This immaculate home offers custom wood cabinets in both baths and kitchen. It has custom tile in kitchen, baths, foyer, laundry and shower areas. Currently being offered at the bargain price of only $159,000, with Zero Down Payment Available. Call 24 Hr Free Recorded Message @ (888) 266 6136 Ext.13 for more information.Contact InformationChristy Ruschel(352)425-6666Location14732 SW 20th PlaceOcala, Florida 34481UNITED STATESLinksWelcomeOcala.comVirtual Tour FEATURESBedrooms: 3Bathrooms: 2Type: SaleSquare Footage: 1500Subdivision: Rainbow ParkLot Size: .23Garage Size: 2 carYear Built: 2007MLS#: ... 09/05/2008

Golf Course View! Affordable 3 Bedroom 2 Bath Condo with Florida Room overlooking 16th Green.This Ground Level End Unit has it all and has been 90% updated since 2004.This is not a 55+ Community so 1st Time Home Buyers, Students, ANYONE cantake advantage of this GREAT Opportunity... Zero Down Payment Financing Available!Call Today 888-266-6136 ext 99Contact InformationChristy Ruschel(352)425-6666Location606A Fairway CircleOcala, Florida 34472UNITED STATESLinksWelcomeOcala.comVirtual Tour FEATURES Bedrooms: 3Bathrooms: 2Located on Floor #: 1Type: SaleFloors in Building: 2Subdivision: FairwaysSquare Footage: 1257Year Built: 1972MLS#: 308325Metro Area: ATTRIBUTES Rooms  Dining Room  Family Room  Walk-in Closet Interior Amenities  Additional Storage  Cable Ready  Central Air  Central Heat ... 09/05/2008

Numbers, comparisons, lots of words just don't compare to seeing a picture of what sold and for how much.  Most times when a listing is taken in our office we schedule an office caravan so that all the agents can "see for themselves." Information is certainly power but seeing for yourself is what really makes the difference!  Below are some links which will open to all the listings that have closed in the last 30 days in Marion County.  You can see square footage, list price, sale price, style home, days on market etc.  Have fun as you learn about our market and give me a call if you need assistance buying or selling in Ocala/Marion County. This report was done from July 31, 2008 through August 31, 2008 View Residential Properties sold  Click Here View Vacant Land properties sold  Click... 09/01/2008

We affectionately refer to this beautiful creature as Mr Turtle, but quite honestly I actually think this might be the Mrs! Papa turtle I believe is the bigger one.  We only see one of them at a time, which is probably an indication that juniors' are down below. This is known as a Gopher Turtle.  It is a very peaceful creature and protected here in Florida. I am happy that the development of raw land has slowed considerably as there has been too little concern for these creatures.  Unfortunately in the name of progress these gentle reptiles have been allowed to be buried alive.  I am not trying to incite a riot on the behalf of these awesome little guys but rather say how happy I am to have Momma & Papa Gopher Turtle grazing in my back yard and as long as they are willing to be here, we... 08/31/2008