With Google Stories there is no room for humility       Have you made your Google Story yet?  I confess, up until today I totally did not even have a clue how to do this! Of course it didn't take much searching to figure out how to make one (Here's a hint: Type "Google stories make your own" in the Google box). With a Google Story you have 7 frames to put together a beginning, a middle, and an end.  There's no room for fluffery or beating around the bush, that's for darn sure!   For my Google Story, I did one on how medical professionals moving to Gainesville FL can find the best REALTOR(R) to help them with their home search.   Why would I do my Google Story on this? Because I am a real estate agent in Gainesville FL, Who is the wife of a physician, Who has lived in 6 states and has mo... 09/26/2010

Original posted on Ocalalicious. Did this Ocala butterfly come from Gainesville’s Butterfly Rainforest? It was fluttering around in the back yard yesterday afternoon (and wasn't easy to photograph). Do you love butterflies? The Butterfly Rainforest, a very short drive from Ocala in Gainesville, is the Florida Museum of Natural History’s newest permanent exhibit, and home to 60 to 80 different species of free-flying butterflies. The Museum is featuring scheduled butterfly releases this weekend. Butterfly release times. Click for directions, more information, and more photos. Related articles by Zemanta What Are Some of the Things You See in Ocala, the Horse Capital of the World? (horsealicious.com) Remembering 9/11 with Sheriff Ed Dean at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club, 2010. (oc... 09/24/2010

Three months ago, if a buyer made an offer on our listing and was getting their loan from BOA 3 months ago, I would have thought nothing of it. Today, I would think that buyer is worthless. In my experience BOA can't close buyer loans. They made lots of promises and then didn't follow thru. However, let me give you some other agents stories before I tell you mine. BOA Horror Story #1: "I wrote a new home purchase contract with B of A as the lender. The buyer was putting down $140,000 on a $185,000 purchase price. Yes – it was a very small amount of money he was getting a loan for but B of A approved it and we were all set to close 4 ½ months later. The buyer flew out the week before to do the walk-through and get the money from his bank. The HUD-1 was emailed to me on Friday and I calle... 09/10/2010

3 Reasons Gainesville Florida rocks!   Ever since we moved to Gainesville Florida two years ago, I began my quest to become its Number 1 fan!  There is SO MUCH to love about living in Gainesville! Here are the top 3 reasons Gainesville is a GREAT place to live! 1) The WEATHER ... well, except for the summer, which is akin to leaving your oven door open and parking yourself in front of it for the day. But if the worst thing Gainesville weather has to offer is summer heat paired with wilting humidity, no problem! I'd much rather deal with that than with snow, and ice, and slush, and scraping windshields, and shoveling, and snow. Did I mention snow? We don't get that stuff around here.  What about hurricanes, you say? Well, for the most part, Gainesville doesn't catch the brunt of them (or... 09/09/2010

Isn't that a sad saying?   When I was young, growing up in Miami - there was a TV station there that always headlined the violent crime stories, the horrific car wrecks, the town scandals, dirty cops, the cocaine wars, etc.   Never a heart-warming story...just the blood and guts of the daily news in the 80's in Miami. I think that might have been the beginning of "JOURNALISM" turning into "MEDIA".   The news anchor at that station was often criticized for their format, and he always said "if it bleeds, it leads".... Our CURRENT MEDIA has morphed into a milder version perhaps, but....it's all about "coverage".  How many satellite trucks need to be somewhere to cover the story??  Are the networks and cable channels competing with each other for the next "new development" on a over-worked,... 09/08/2010

Gopher tortoises in Gainesville FL - What to do if you find one?   I have always wanted to use the phrase "Do not try this at home" but never really had a chance to. Until now. Let me explain. One of the things that I love the MOST about living in Gainesville FL is all of the wildlife!  Frogs, toads, anole lizards, and snakes abound. Every night I hear an owl hooting in our backyard.  Gainesville FL is a GREAT place to live especially if you love the outdoors. So imagine my unbounded joy when I discovered this cute little gopher tortoise on a walk around our Haile Plantation neighborhood. Now, I had seen one of his relatives crushed to bits in the road just a week before...and when I saw this dude munching on grass close to the same spot where his cousin had been obliterated, I just had... 09/07/2010

FINALLY !!!!   It's football time!    Yep, I am a college football fan.   Today is the OPENING DAY of the College Football Season.  (Can there be nothing better????) TIME:  NOON Where:  Florida Field, Gainesville, Florida To me, football means "fall season".....we don't have any fall weather yet....and it's gonna be a HOT day in the GATOR NATION. After the HOME GAME....then we get to be Couch Potatoes at 8PM in front of the TV for the LSU  vs UNC Game. My Saturday Football Heaven is back..........             I'm a happy fan!!                                Go Gators! (And yes.....the best football teams on the planet are the SEC Teams) 09/04/2010

How are Haile Plantation home sales in Gainesville FL?   Check out this chart and you tell me:   See that ginormous gap between the amount of Haile Plantation homes sold in the second quarter  (2Q10 - the blue line) and the amount of Haile Plantation homes sold in the first quarter (1Q10 - the green line)?  Hmmmm....What could have happened to explain the jump in the amount of homes sold in Haile Plantation during the second quarter?  Could it be.....the homebuyer tax credit, which expired at the end of June (which coincidentally marked the end of the second quarter)?  Why yes, yes it could!  As you can see, the first time homebuyer tax credit definitely had a positive impact on the amount of homes sold in Haile Plantation during April through June of this year. Forty-nine homes sold in... 09/02/2010

Word of mouth is the best advertising.  I'm a firm believer in that theory.  I'm sure you've always been asked, "hey- who's a good lawn man"?    As Realtors®, we provide a service.   The other professionals we recommend are "OUR TOOL BOX".   We are a walking, talking, area-neighborhood information center! I have a tab on my website labeled "Referral Directory" - but it's been a year or so since I took a hard look at that directory.  It needs some updating, and now I am doing a make-over.   I found some new businesses to add - and some have fallen off of my list.  These vendors that have given ME good service, they are considered my business tools. When a client reaffirms a vendor's good service, that builds a life long relationship of trust.  Your business directory connects you to your... 09/02/2010

Southwest Gainesville Neighborhoods: Wilds Plantation, Cambridge Forest, and Hayes Glen   The neighborhoods of southwest Gainesville are many and varied, including pool neighborhoods and horse-friendly neighborhoods. You can find homes in a variety of styles and a variety of price points in southwest Gainesville. Following are profiles of three southwest Gainesville neighborhoods: Wilds Plantation, Cambridge Forest, and Hayes Glen       Wilds Plantation features homes built by noted builders such as Tommy Waters, Barry Bullard, Barry Rutenberg, and Warring Homes. Begun in 2003, Wilds Plantation is still actively being built, so if you are looking to build your own home, Wilds Plantation just may be the ticket. Just 8 miles from Shands and the University of Florida, the southwest Gainesv... 08/27/2010

A couple of weeks ago, a real estate firm here in Gainesville held a "BROKER OPEN" at their model center in Gainesville, FL.  Most Realtors® understand that the only way to get a good turnout at any open house is to "give SOMETHING away" ! Normally, it's food.  Free Lunch, Free Dinner !!   Sometimes, it could be Free Gas Card or Gift Certificates.  But FOCUS Real Estate Group came up with a GREAT IDEA at the Magnolia Homes at Westchester          (Notice their company name is "FOCUS") They had a local professional photographer, Mike Shea Photography, set up in one of their models.  All the Realtors® attending got to "sit" and have their portraits done - For Free.  Today, Mike Shea sent me my new head shot.   They agreed to send "one" free, but we have the option to buy more.   And Mike ... 08/19/2010

We are all creatures of habit aren't we??  I had an appointment yesterday with my long-time hairdresser, Kathy Hutton.    I have started carrying my camera with me all the time, and I thought...HEY...let's do a blog post about where I get my hair done....yes, I am addicted to blogging.... Kathy Hutton is great!   She puts up with me (and that says alot  right there)...and she works at the SALON 119 in the Tioga Town Center in the Jonesville area. As I walked into Salon 119 for my appointment, I caught Kathy sitting at her station working on her laptop...(waiting for me).   She has been my hair stylist for the last couple of years.   She talked me into a getting my hair "highlighted"....and it's looks great!   I was tempted to get her to take a photo of me with all the wraps and solution... 08/06/2010

The Gainesville-Alachua County MLS® has just provided a NEW FEATURE to help it's Realtor® members.   This new tool will allow Your Gainesville Realtor® to find "Bank Owned" properties quickly. Previously, the Realtors® had to search the hard way and view private remarks or search for key words to find which properties were bank-owned.  It has been hard to track them all down and provide a current/valid list of properties to clients wanting to view bank owned homes.      This new feature gives me a tool to help my BUYING CLIENTS find Bank Owned Properties throughout the Gainesville community and surrounding areas in Alachua County, Levy County, Gilchrist County and more. If you are wanting to know about Bank Owned properties in your area, just request that a "LISTING CART" be set up for ... 07/29/2010

While watching GMA this morning during breakfast, I saw a segment about "back to school savings" by Betsy Worley.  She did a great segment about Christmas in July for School Shopping.   This made me realize that we are just ONE MONTH away from the first day of school. And, here in Gainesville (Alachua County Florida)....that means for the first time, all students must wear "UNIFORMS".    I will be shopping for SOLID colored shirts POLO or Button Down shirts with collars.   Currently, my 16 yr old son doesn't own a solid colored shirt.  He has plenty of T-shirts, and button down "print" shirts...but that is now a NO-NO for his Senior Year. That means Shopping..........ugggghh. We plan to go to our local OLD NAVY store this weekend, as they are advertising some low prices on items we can ... 07/23/2010

Haile Plantation - Quail Court in Gainesville FL is one of community's earliest neighborhoods     Haile Plantation - Quail Court in Gainesville FL was developed between 1982 and 1983, making it one of Haile Plantation's earliest neighborhoods. An award-winning New Urbanism community, Haile Plantation FL in southwest Gainesville began in the late 1970's. Quail Court features 2 and 3 bedroom homes ranging in size from 900 to 1100 square feet. Read the full profile of Haile Plantation - Quail Court in Gainesville FL here.             07/04/2010

  Haile Plantation homes – Camden Court – Gainesville FL   Haile Plantation Camden Court homes in Gainesville FL were built between 1991 and 1993. Camden Court is right across the street from Haile Plantation Village Center, providing residents with easy access to Haile Village Center‘s shops and activities including the Farmers Market which happens every Saturday morning rain or shine from 8 AM until noon.     Want to learn more about Haile Plantation Camden Court?  Then full article about this southwest Gainesville FL neighborhood, including a video tour and local schools information, may be accessed here: Haile Plantation homes - Camden Court - Gainesville FL   06/28/2010

Well, I like to call it the SUMMER SHIFT, but in more professional terms, it is traditionally known as the hot buying season in Gainesville and surrounding communities in Alachua County.   The term "HOT" has two meanings - one is the the peak of closed sales between June and September, and two is our weather temperature too. I have New York state buyers coming this week, and I told them to bring their hot summer clothes to be comfy, and they are excited about the large selection of homes they want to see while they are here.  They must move over the summer while their kids are out of school and so they can settle in before the new school year starts. This is the SUMMER SHIFT The public school year ended on 6/11/10, and all the graduation ceremonies are complete for the University of Flo... 06/14/2010

  The Haile Plantation horse pasture at the community's Tower Road entrance,  the landmark jewel in the crown of this  Gainesville FL community, is threatened with extinction because of internicine warfare amongst Haile Plantation FL's three homeowner associations.   This pasture land, which also acts as a retention area during flood season, was deeded equally to all three of Haile Plantation's community associations, and the residents of all three community associations provided equally for its care.   In 2008 the TICOC (Tenants in Common Operating Committee) was formed  to enhance communication amongst the three community associations which govern Haile Plantation so that we could act together as one whole community, rather than as three separate entities.     Unfortunately that loft... 06/14/2010

Haile Plantation Gainesville FL - More Homes are Selling this Year!   An analysis of home sales in Haile Plantation - Gainesville FL for the first five months of 2010 reveals that more homes are selling in Haile Plantation this year than they did last year.  The homebuyer tax credit most likely helped boost the number of homes sold in Haile Plantation in 2010.     Although more homes have sold in Gainesville's Haile Plantation community in 2010 than at this point last year, it should be noted that the median sales price of homes fell during this same period.     It is also taking longer to sell Haile Plantation homes in 2010 when compared to the average days on market for 2009.     Please click on the link to read the full Haile Plantation Real Estate Market Report - January through May... 06/10/2010

Haile Plantation Neighborhoods – Gainesville FL The Gainesville FL community of Haile Plantation is approximately 8 miles southwest of Shands and the University of Florida. Long before it had neighborhoods, the award-winning New Urbanism community of Haile Plantation in Gainesville FL was part of  Kanapaha, a Sea Island cotton plantation founded by South Carolina transplant Thomas Evans Haile in 1854. The New Urbanism community of Haile Plantation in Gainesville FL was developed in 1978 by The Fleeman Family, Matthew Kaskel, and Robert B. Kramer. There are 3 separate homeowner associations which operate within Haile Plantation.  Each neighborhood within Haile Plantation is governed by one of these homeowner associations.  Here is a breakdown of the neighborhoods within Haile Plantation ... 06/09/2010