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Tallahassee, FL Real Estate News

By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
4478 River Breeze Ln, Tallahassee, FL Click here to Get Directions$325,000 3 Beds - 2 Baths - 5663 sqft Lot Photos Maps & Local Schools Print This charming home, located in the desirable Tower Gates community, offers a perfect blend of style, comfort, and convenience. With numerous upgrades and meticulous care, this home is designed to impress. The spacious layout is ideal for both entertaining and everyday living, featuring beautiful, low-maintenance luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout and soaring ceilings that create an open, airy feel. The kitchen features sleek stainless steel appliances, custom style cabinetry, and a contemporary design, while the master suite offers a walk-in closet and a spa-like bathroom. Elegant touches like double tray ceilings, 8-foot doors, and stylish f...
Comments 3
By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
2662 Heathrow, Tallahassee, FL Click here to Get Directions$375,000 4 Beds - 2 Baths - 6098 sqft Lot Photos Maps & Local Schools Print This bright, beautiful 4 bedroom home on a culdesac in the Glen at Golden Eagle features vaulted ceilings, stainless appliances including a Bosch dishwasher and many custom extras. Roof replaced in 2018 and termite bond included. This property has smart smoke/CO detectors, an Ecobee thermostat and touchscreen security system with Skybell camera and garage door access. This open concept home has lots of natural light, double rainfall showerheads in primary bathroom, new wood shelving in laundry room, and fresh paint throughout most of the house. Privacy fenced yard backs up to Golden Eagle and features a covered patio area, key lime tree and a great spac...
Comments 3
By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
2662 Heathrow, Tallahassee, FL Click here to Get Directions$375,000 4 Beds - 2 Baths - 6098 sqft Lot Photos Maps & Local Schools Print This bright, beautiful 4 bedroom home on a culdesac in the Glen at Golden Eagle features vaulted ceilings, stainless appliances including a Bosch dishwasher and many custom extras. Roof replaced in 2018 and termite bond included. This property has smart smoke/CO detectors, an Ecobee thermostat and touchscreen security system with Skybell camera and garage door access. This open concept home has lots of natural light, double rainfall showerheads in primary bathroom, new wood shelving in laundry room, and fresh paint throughout most of the house. Privacy fenced yard backs up to Golden Eagle and features a covered patio area, key lime tree and a great spac...
Comments 3
By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
7030 Spencer Rd, Tallahassee, FL Click here to Get Directions$590000 5 Beds - 4 Baths - 1.56 acres Lot Photos Maps & Local Schools Print Welcome to this expansive 5-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom brick home, boasting 3,385 square feet of living space on a peaceful, tree-lined acre near the desirable Ox Bottom area. This one-of-a-kind property offers the perfect blend of privacy and convenience, located near top-rated schools and nestled in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by lush trees and hedges. Highlights include a bright and airy Florida room perfect for year-round enjoyment, a newly updated master bathroom, and a two-car garage. A Generac generator ensures peace of mind during storm season. The large rooms and layout make it ideal for entertaining. A large driveway offers ample parking for ...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
It didn't Appraise?  Seriously?How many times have you uttered those words to your favorite lender when they called to tell you that your deal closing in 3 days has an ‘appraisal issue?'  Probably been hearing it a little more lately since the sub-prime and Alt A lending market has been in tight downward spiral right?  That being said it's a good time to brush up on the Fannie Mae standards for valuing property.  I find a good source to stay current on such is the Mortgage Guarantee Insurance Company (MGIC) website.  It provides a streamlined search of the underwriting guides without having to navigate through the Fannie Mae site which can be tedious.  Here is a great reference that we refer to frequently regarding comparable properties.And here's a couple of valuable (yet dreadfully pa...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Are you ready for some Football? Do not miss the Century 21 First Realty Sales Meeting this Thursday! Century 21 First Realty will be announcing its Greatest Sales Competition ever! Who are the Coaches? (We had to go outside the box to bring in talent...not Dave, not Joe...who could it be?) What does the Winning Team Win? What does the Losing Team Lose? What Team will you be on? 
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Faith, Courage & ConvictionI was doing some research about a Tallahassee Legend, Gene Cox, and was surprised that not much existed about him on the Internet. Sure, if you google "Gene Cox", plenty shows up based upon the fact that we named our local football stadium Gene Cox Stadium. However, with over 300 wins as a high school football coach, entry into every conceivable Hall of Fame, and the love and respect from the hundreds of kids that played for him, I figured there would be a trove of information out there. Unfortunately, that is not the case.I am neither a great writer, nor a proficient historian, but I was determined to find or place some type of record or history of Gene Cox on the internet. After linking through hundreds of sites, I found exactly what I was looking for. A clo...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Brittany Estates is the Premier Mobile Home Park in Tallahassee, Florida. Featuring a community clubhouse, swimming pool and lounge area, basketball courts, and recreational area, Brittany Estates has it all. Brittany Estates is conveniently located on Capital Circle SW, near the intersection of I-10, and is within blocks of shopping, dining, and entertainment. With nearly 300 mobile homes in the park, Brittany Estates is a great place to live. Homes are available in one, two and three bedroom configurations, with units that are as new as one-year old. Call us today at (850) 509-8030 for a time to see it all. You can also inquire about Brittany Estates availability by Email.
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Good Faith Estimates Part II,  Title Charges...What are They?Back on the topic of Good Faith Estimates...I want to take a look at the section labeled Title Charges. I am always trying to save our Buyers money, and some Mortgage un-professionals are not working to support this cause. I find most mortgage originators to be hard-working and highly ethical, but there are those that we must guard against to better serve our Buyers. As discussed previously, Title Charges are not lender specific and predominantly a function of 2 things: The purchase price of your house (Title Insurance policies are based on a % of the purchase price) Closing Fees charged by the Attorney or Title Company you chose for your closing. Most Importantly...understand that Good Lenders will represent this fee accurate...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Good Faith Estimates Part I, Loan Product and Associated Fees As promised I am posting the first entry on analyzing Good Faith Estimates to aid in your lender evaluation process. A Good Faith Estimate or GFE is an estimate or range of charges that you should expect from a lender regarding closing costs on a specific mortgage product for a specific property. It is very important to understand that a Good Faith Estimate is loan product specific, lender specific, and property specific. Why is this? Two reasons…Reason 1 is that loan associated costs may vary between lenders and loan products. Reason 2 is that property taxes and insurance costs will vary between each property. Bottom Line…Generic GFEs will give you a good idea of what type of loan you can qualify for but ensure you request a...
Comments 67
By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
I am curious, are you really tracking your business? No, I mean REALLY Tracking Your Business? No kidding, Confess! Tell Us All out here what you are doing!Well, here's my story (and I'm sticking to it) of what we are doing at Century 21 First Realty to get a better ROI (that's Return On Investment for those of you who don't count your money often) on all those dollars that we are spending to bring leads in the door.First of all, we only hire the best professional sales people to work directly with our customers. What is the use of generating business if it only falls into the hands of people who are not trained to help Real Estate Buyers and Real Estate Sellers? Secondly, we have created a Quality Service Department to assist the agents in the follow-up of leads and actually use this d...
Comments 56
By Carol Palacios
(Century 21 Manausa & Associates)
When you bought your home you probably used the services of a real estate agent. You found that agent through a referral from friends or family, or through some sort of marketing or advertisement. The agent helped you in many ways and eventually you found the house of your dreams, made an offer, closed on it, and finally moved in.For some reason, the time has come to sell your home and you need a real estate agent again. Many home sellers tend to think that all real estate agents are similar -they perform their duties in the same manner and have the same standards of service.... Not True!Being a sensible seller, you decide to interview several real estate firms/agents for the job of successfully getting your home sold. At this point, you have a fairly good idea of what you think your ho...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
IT'S NOT ONLY WHAT YOU SAY, IT'S HOW YOU SAY ITNonverbal messages are an essential component of effective communication whether in a business or social setting. We communicate with each other in ways far beyond merely speech. Body language helps to enhance the meaning of what we say and to impress upon others emotion, feelings, context and all sorts of communicable expressions. Here are Seven Ways that you can improve your nonverbal communication skills.Eye contact: Eye contact, an important channel of interpersonal communication, helps regulate the flow of communication. And it signals interest in others. Furthermore, eye contact with audiences increases the speaker's credibility. People who make eye contact open the flow of communication and convey interest, concern, warmth and credib...
Comments 75
By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Lead to LeaseToday everyone wants information immediately. The internet, newspaper, flyers and other advertising provide this type of initial information to perspective tenants but how do you take someone from looking at information to signing a lease.The answer is a good system and immediate follow-up from a qualified professional.You would be surprised how many companies rely on someone to leave a message and then follow-up with that "Lead" sometime later. Actually, only 29% of callers who get an answering device will leave a message. A good receptionist, that can record initial information, is invaluable because they are talking to a real person that can capture the customer's needs upfront and be able to direct them to the correct person immediately. This also allows you to track th...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Welcome to Golden Eagle PlantationGolden Eagle Plantation is home to some of the finest golf course living in the Southeast. Situated in the Northeast part of Tallahassee, FL, Golden Eagle provides for luxurious private living with all the amenities of being "in town." I have selected a few snapshots of homes in Golden Eagle in order to provide a "feel" for its great atmosphere.Golden Eagle County ClubOf course, no great golf course community is complete without a great golf course. The following is a summary from the Golden Eagle Country Club web site:Golden Eagle's foremost attraction is its 18-hole golf course, designed by world renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio. The course sprawls 6,965 yards from the back tees. It was rated "the most challenging course in Florida" by the Uni...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Tallahassee Real Estate Market Update - June 2007The June figures are in, and they confirm what we already knew.... The Tallahassee Real Estate Market, while down from the boom markets, is alive and hanging in there. Where prices in most Florida Real Estate Markets have come down considerably, Average Sales Prices in the Tallahassee Real Estate Market are only slightly down. All of the enclosed charts and graphs were compiled by information provided by a third-party, Real Estate Sales Information company (Metro Market Trends).The strongest performing sector is the Tallahassee Condominium Market, showing modest decreases in average sales prices and sporting the second best year on record in terms of Tallahassee Condominium units sold. With the continued growth of the Florida College syst...
Comments 19
By Tim Kelly, Realtor, Tallahassee, Florida
(Armor Realty)
Active Rain is a fine real estate network, and I'll be here browsing often, so keep an eye on this spot! Not being too new to Tallahassee, or the Real Estate market, but new to Active Rain, there are some things I'd like you to know about me.First of all, I enjoy sports, as a graduate of FSU, of course college football and college basketball are tops on my list.Secondly, I've lived in Tallahassee since starting at FSU in 1985, so I've been here well over 20 years.Lastly, just a quick mention that I've teamed up with an old friend, Lisa Carey and another friend at Russel Construction to offer you top rated homes at reasonable prices.If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.My website is http://www.timothykelly.com                 
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
The Real Estate Industry Gets with the Times (online)!Buying a house used to center around the Real Estate Section of the local newspaper. Or, it meant driving through your favorite neighborhoods on Sunday to look for Open Houses.  Well, the times have changed and many Newspaper and Real Estate Companies are paying the price.  The Real Estate Companies that thrive are the ones that will embrace the change.In a recent article released nationally through the AP reported that three of the top newspaper publishers by circulation have posted large drops during the second quarter. Gannet Company reported a 9.9% drop, McClatchy a 19% drop, and Tribune reported a whopping 24% drop.  According to experts, much of this drop is directly related to the effectiveness of the newspaper companies to se...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Training Schedule at Century 21 First Realty   July/Aug 2007Monday the 30th- How to Communicate With Your Sellers, with John E. Whetsel.  Between changes in the Market and changes in Technology, it can be easy to forget what motivates your Sellers! The simple truth is that they will do business with the associate and company that can relate to them. Come to this training to make sure that you can relate to your Sellers!Tuesday the 31st- Financially Qualifying the Buyer, with Joe Manausa. How many Agents have heard mortgage representatives say, "Underwriting standards have become MUCH tougher!" Do you know if this is fact or fiction? Make sure you are giving your buyers and yourself, all opportunities to buy a property and make a sale! Come to this training to learn to financially quali...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Building Permits:  When and How The popularity of the reality based TV show ‘Trading Spaces' spawned an abundance of reality based home improvement shows.  These shows depict the fun and rewarding work associated with re-crafting houses, either for personal living satisfaction or for investment ‘flips'.  What the shows don't show however, are the hours spent obtaining the required permitting for the job.  The Leon County Growth Management Division provides extensive literature for permitting both online (http://www.talgov.com/growth/resperinfo.cfm) and at their offices (408 N. Adams St.).   They do a great job of helping determine whether a permit is needed, and once decided, how to proceed through the process.  Below is a basic list of when to pull and when not, but by no means is it a...
Comments 23
By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
Good news may be around the corner for multifamily real estate investors who have seen their rate of return shrink by the one-two punch of property taxes and insurance costs.  Insurance companies have become increasingly reluctant to continue underwriting a large number of Florida policies or at a minimum drop various types of coverage. Citizens insurance company, the State run last resort provider is not a cheap alternative although it does provide coverage where others won't. As a result, many apartment owners have been forced to carry multiple policies to cover various risks at an ever increasing cost. Other investors, depending on leverage and lender requirements, are turning to self insurance as a way to lessen expenses so that positive or a least zero before tax cash flow is maint...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
I was sent the following report by a Commercial Realtor in our office, Erik Snyder, who emphasized the importance of student housing in our local market (Tallahassee, Florida). I found it to be not only interesting, but also uplifting as we fight through this corrective market.Student Housing Multifamily Apartment Property NicheThe need for privately owned near campus student housing will be greatly impacted due to three major factors: 1) The Echo Boom generation is reaching college age boosting the number of people turning 18 over the next decade to 75 million; 2) an increasing percentage of high school graduates are enrolling in colleges and universities; and 3) public universities are under increased financial pressure due to state budget deficits which limit funds available to pay f...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
  Building and maintaining client loyalty is the name of the game when it comes to customer service.  Satisfied clients are the greatest source for referrals, and the word of the mouth is still the most efficient method of generating new clients.  How do you attract and maintain client loyalty? Building loyalty - Treat your clients the way they want to be treated. 1.      Use personalized treatment - People have particular needs. It's in your best interest to make them feel special and respected. They will certainly stay with you on the long run. 2.      Be reliable - Keep your promises and deliver on time to build trust. 3.      Be flexible - Lose the phrase "company policy" from your vocabulary. Be ready to make changes to your schedule and business approach to accommodate clients. D...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
As you accumulate investment property you also accumulate more work for yourself. There comes a point when you decide to pass the reins to a property management company. This can be one of the most important and challenging decisions you make because the way your property is managed today will determine its value tomorrow.So how do you go about selecting a property management company? What criteria should you use? Below are a few tips that will ensure you are making an informed decision and you are placing your property in the hands of someone who will "Look after your property as if it were their own".For the rest of the article, click here.
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