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Tallahassee, FL Real Estate News

By Alex Mordas, Green Building Consultant
(EarthSTEPS)
  I just read an article in the Tallahassee Democrat (it’s a few days old now, but when you’re a REALTOR these days, reading news is somewhat of a catch-up game) entitled “Because AIDS isn’t over”.    …WHAT, It’s not!? It seems to me that I haven’t heard anything about AIDS/HIV for quite some time. Last time I can remember giving it much thought was… wow, now I feel old! These days, I’m married, two kids, a mortgage, and an alarmingly spreading waist. My thoughts are too often taken up with the hum-drum of early-parental life: “do we have enough diapers?”, “Will we make next months mortgage and still be able to cover the growing costs of two small children?” “What’s for dinner, and WHO is going to cook it!?” So it was with an uneasy jolt to my world-view and my general sense of well-bei...
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By Alex Mordas, Green Building Consultant
(EarthSTEPS)
Here in Tallahassee we are lucky to have one the most generous city rebate & incentive programs for building or remodeling green. e.g. if you are building an energy-efficient home and you are interested in getting it ENERGY STAR certified, the city of Tallahassee will pay you up to $1/square foot of conditioned space, up to $2,000 dollars! This not only covers the cost of the certification, but will put money in your pocket! For more information on these and other rebates & home-improvement grants in Tallahassee, go here, or check out the website for Tallahassee's "Go Green" Program. Included are links to green building information, green power options, and the available gas rebates that the city provides if you are going to switch to natural gas.   Alex Mordas, M.Sc. EcoBroker® & REAL...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
While our current subscribers know that the Tallahassee Real Estate Blog features articles including charts, graphs and analysis of the Tallahassee real estate market, I also try to include anything that relates to real estate nationwide and occasionally I feature something that is unique to Tallahassee, but not necessarily real estate. Today is a day for unique. And I mean UNIQUE! My friend needs some help from us, so I decided to sponsor a contest. A really cool (but not “real estate cool”) contest that will solicit your creative genius. You see, this friend of mine is a genius. He has invented a fishing net that will enable users to store away the net when they are not using it and yet rapidly retrieve it for when it is needed. But he needs your help and is willing to bribe you to he...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
There has been some debate lately in the Tallahassee real estate market regarding how one would measure appreciation rates of homes in a given real estate market. Some people like to think that you compare the median home price in our market today with the median home price from a year ago, and that will show you the current appreciation. I disagree. Completely. Vehemently. Patently. O.K. I’m out of big words. I believe that the median home price cannot be used to measure appreciation because the median home itself does not remain constant. It’s not saying an apple a year ago cost $.29, and today it costs $.32, therefore it appreciated. You see, last year, after the end of the boom market, the median home size in Tallahassee might have been 2,000 square feet. Now that prices are droppin...
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By Alex Mordas, Green Building Consultant
(EarthSTEPS)
With all of the different options out there for going green and all of the ideas about where it is most cost-effective to invest in improvements, what and who are we supposed to buy or believe!?   While nothing is going to be as comprehensive and beneficial to you as a full on class 1 Home Energy Rating (HERS), here's a simple and free online energy audit that might help point you in the right direction:   Free Home Energy Audit   Alex Mordas, M.Sc. EcoBroker® & REALTOR® LEED for homes, Field Agent Green Home Certifying Agent, FGBC www.tallahassee-ecobroker.comalexmordas@kw.com (850) 559-4976 Referrals are an important part of my business. If you or someone you know is in need of real estate services, please give me a call. Thank you.  
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By Alex Mordas, Green Building Consultant
(EarthSTEPS)
Thinking about buying or selling a home..? Working with an EcoBroker® is about much more than just green. As a REALTOR®, with the additional designation of an EcoBroker®, I bring value-added knowledge to the sale or purchase of any home. Use my services in the purchase or sale of your home.     Call me today to set up an appointment: (850) 559-4976     Alex Mordas, M.Sc. EcoBroker® & REALTOR® LEED for homes, Field Agent Green Home Certifying Agent, FGBC www.tallahassee-ecobroker.comalexmordas@kw.com (850) 559-4976 Referrals are an important part of my business. If you or someone you know is in need of real estate services, please give me a call. Thank you.  
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Finally, the May figures are in for the Tallahassee real estate market. Unfortunately, sales of homes in Tallahassee were down 34.5% in May of 2008 versus May of last year. But some good news does seem to be on the way. If you regularly check our continuously updated information on Tallahassee real estate, you might have noticed that our 30-day inventory trend has moved to “reducing,” while our 60-day is getting close to zero! This is BIG NEWS! We cannot expect this market to turn until we see inventories begin to fall. Tallahassee Real Estate Inventory Report 30 Day Trend Tallahassee Real Estate Inventory Report 60 Day Trend If you would like to see the full Tallahassee Real Estate Market Report, just following the link to 12 new and updated color graphs. If you like this Article then ...
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By Alex Mordas, Green Building Consultant
(EarthSTEPS)
    IT"S THAT TIME AGAIN!   Green drinks! This Wednesday at 5:30pm. To be held at the usual location: Waterworks bar, 1133 Thomasville Rd.   Everyone welcome! For those who have not yet been to one, it is a stimulating mix of folks from all walks of life - the common thread being that (in one way or another) we are all interested in creating a greener future for our community. Come network. Come chat. Come find out what green events, initiatives or businesses are growing right here in Tallahassee!   This weeks speaker is going to be Sustainable Tallahassee!   Alex Mordas, M.Sc. EcoBroker® & REALTOR® LEED for homes, Field Agent Green Home Certifying Agent, FGBC www.tallahassee-ecobroker.comalexmordas@kw.com (850) 559-4976 Referrals are an important part of my business. If you or someone ...
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By Myers Jackson, America's Auctioneer
(Auctioneer, Texas Flip N Move )
Tallahassee Real Estate Auction for Tallahassee Homes Results in Signed Contract The Tallahassee real estate auction for Tallahassee homes conducted by Myers Jackson and his Certified Real Estate Auctions team produced results this past weekend on Saturday June 14th. The Tallahassee real estate auction was held on-site at the luxurious Moore Pond home. The band entertained the crowd between rounds of bidding and the tent was filled with qualified bidders for Tallahassee homes. Earlier in the week the Certified Real Estate Auctions team held a bidder awareness seminar to address questions from potential buyers and inform the interested parties of the auction terms and conditions as well as the auction process in its entirety. The Tallahassee homes were showcased on over 50 websites, 8 pr...
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By Myers Jackson, America's Auctioneer
(Auctioneer, Texas Flip N Move )
Online Only Auctions for Tallahassee Home to Aid Godby High School Students Recapture Funds for Next Year's Project Tallahassee, Fl. - June 19, 2008 -- Certified Real Estate Auctions has been commissioned to conduct an Online Only Auction for a Tallahassee home in an effort to help Godby High School students continue invaluable hands-on experience in architecture and engineering. Myers Jackson, CAI, AARE, CES, e-PRO, a licensed Florida and Georgia real estate broker and real estate auctioneer, and his team have volunteered to host an Online Only Auction for the Leon County School Board. The online only bidding portal is now open and accepting bids. The bidding will start closing July 1st at 2 p.m. Details, registration and all terms and conditions on this Tallahassee home auction are hi...
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By Alex Mordas, Green Building Consultant
(EarthSTEPS)
  For many of us, rain gardens, green roofs, and rainwater collection systems are awfully fun to think about, stand out as being exceptionally green, and yet we've never really seen any of them in action..!?   As popular of an idea as rainwater collection is, very few people are actually installing or using these systems. Why not?   Who knows..!?   Maybe because we don't know enough about them...  Maybe because we don't see a direct benefit in terms of dollar savings...   Most of us would probably put changing lightbulbs, changing out windows, adding insulation as priorities well above using a rainwater collection system... I wonder how that might change if we continue to experience water shortages, such as that in Atlanta, GA over this last year?   Here in Tallahassee, we are lucky to...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
We are about to complete the first six months of the Tallahassee Real Estate Blog! How time flies… You might be surprised to find that the visitors to the Tallahassee Real Estate Blog come from all over the world. Just this morning, I checked and found some interesting results. The maps below represent the source of visitors. The darker the green color, the more visitors that came from that location. As you can tell, most of the visitors come from the U.S., and most of them come from Florida. But I did not expect to find that 107 countries and every State has sent visitors to the Tallahassee Real Estate Blog in just 6 months! Additionally, who would have guessed that the most active States would not be our neighboring states, but rather California and New York! I guess the world really ...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Every month I like to take a reading of the inventory movement from the Tallahassee Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This data source represents roughly 65% of what is happening in the Tallahassee real estate market and surrounding areas. The Tallahassee MLS records information about: Leon County, Florida real estate Wakulla County, Florida real estate Gadsden County, Florida real estate Jefferson County, Florida real estate Franklin County, Florida real estate Other Counties that our local realtors sell in are recorded as “Other.” So what does the newest data tell us about inventory movement in the Tallahassee real estate market? Unfortunately, it tells us that we are still seeking the bottom of the market. Inventory levels are rising and sales trends are still falling...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
When the real estate market is challenged like it is today, the creative juices start flowing in the real estate professionals that have been operating in this business for a long, long time. Today, I want to highlight a very creative real estate brokerage process that many people have not experienced, and that is the trade of one piece of real estate for another.The key to pulling off a successful real estate trade is to find the right parties with which to trade. Sometimes, a trade might involve three or more parties, but most likely, the trade will be between two different parties that are in serious need of getting rid of a property.A whole other line of consideration for successful real estate trades is taxation, and I have written a series of blog articles on conducting 1031 Tax D...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
We had such great response to the Tallahassee Florida Real Estate Blog yesterday that we’ve decided to issue a second edition of our most trafficked blog articles. Today’s compilation of real estate articles will focus on Tallahassee real estate.A Great Tallahassee Real Estate Case Study - Home ownership in the Tallahassee real estate market is the single-greatest investment that a family can make. It blows away the stock market, and for most families, it is by far the smartest investment that they can make.Tallahassee Real Estate Historical Information - We often hear that the Tallahassee real estate market is cyclical, but sometimes a picture will show us much more than mere words can communicate. This blog article includes excellent charts, graphs and analysis of the previous 68 quar...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
I was speaking with a home owner in the Tallahassee real estate market yesterday who was very frustrated that she could not sell her home. She has had it on the market for over a year and was now considering my company for the job of selling the home.The first thing that I shared with her is that she is not the only frustrated homeowner in Tallahassee, and for that matter, she does is certainly not the only frustrated homeowner in the US real estate market. I really felt for her and wanted to try to end her frustrations.If you have been reading the Tallahassee Florida Real Estate Blog for a while, then you are aware that our nation is suffering through a very tough real estate market right now. Inventories are rising in all but a select few markets and frustrated homeowners are having t...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
I thought I might provide some insight on How Home Values Are Determined. Everyone who owns a home typically likes particular aspects of that home. But these likes and dislikes have less to do with the value than you might think, so let me give you some value-thoughts to chew on:Value is a moment in time and is based on what else buyers can buy, the day they go out and look at your house.Prices are not forever, because values are fluid. They go up, and they go down, depending on what other sellers do with their prices.Value is never an isolated concept, its always relationship concept, the value in relation to what other people buy.Agents and Sellers set prices, but buyers determine value. This is critical because we can set prices all day long, but we don’t have any control over the ma...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Click Here to tell the Senate to keep the higher loan limits in place for 2009 and beyond. You might not be aware of an important decision that the United States Senate will be considering in the next few days. This decision will determine whether or not housing consumers will be able to get fair, safe and affordable mortgage credit, which of course is a major part of the health of the national housing market. Current loan limit increases for FHA, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae are due to expire at year’s end. There is a major push by many groups to make these loan limits permanent in order to restore investor confidence and stabilize mortgage markets and the entire economy as well. While this is definitely national news, it also hits us close to home in the Tallahassee real estate market....
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By Myers Jackson, America's Auctioneer
(Auctioneer, Texas Flip N Move )
  The Certified Real Estate team has been comissioned by Leon County to sell a home built by students of Godby High School in Tallahassee. The home was built as part of a grant given to the school for the "build-a-home" program that is comprised of students in the Academy of Archictecture Engineering and Construction. The program offers students the oppurtunity to have a "hands on" experience and cultivates an active learning environment. This tallahassee home will be sold online only at www.certifiedrealestateauctions.com. 3 BD 2 BTH New Roof New Paint New wood cabinetry Updated lighting Dishwasher/Fridge included This home was built under strict supervision of licensed professionals assisting the students. Home will be moved off school property when sold. Fully inspected by county. 10...
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By Alex Mordas, Green Building Consultant
(EarthSTEPS)
The Tallahassee Green Building Council (GBC) meeting that I wrote about a few days ago was a great success!   The place was packed with builders, realtors, home inspectors, and other professionals coming to learn more about the Florida Green Building Coalition Green Home Standards certification. Many had already had a little experience and were there for networking purposes. Others were new, or relatively new, to green building and were coming to learn about associated costs, obstacles, and what types of market advantage green homes might have.   Suzanne Cook, of the Florida Green Building Coalition, gave a great presentation and overview of the whole certification process and fielded questions from the audience.   This particular GBC meeting/event was graciously hosted by Mike Rogers, ...
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