On this FROZEN Sunday morning in Gainesville, I woke up with a craving for those big fluffy buttermilk pancakes - like the ones you can get at IHOP.  But, with it being 20 degrees outside, I had no motivation to even get dressed and go out in this cold weather. Then I thought, hmmmm just go Google "Buttermilk Pancakes".   (Computer addiction first thing in the morning). I found this recipe and printed it out.  And I have to tell you, they were delicious!   The best pancakes I have ever made in my own kitchen!! And, the best pancakes I have ever eaten....better than any pancakes I have paid for at any restaurant! From the Google search results, I selected BUTTERMILK PANCAKES II from the Allrecipes.com site.   The recipes said it serves 12 !!!  So, I just cut the recipe in half and it wor... 01/10/2010

Monday, January 4th was a great day!  I attended my 2nd Virtual Real Estate Bar Camp.  To put it mildly, it was a giant "brain overload".  I filled page after page with notes for the sessions I attended.  It was great to see all the ActiveRainers there too! I sincerely want to give a special thanks to Jim Cronin and the Real Estate Tomato gang for this event. The presentations that I attended were "two thumbs up" !  There are other sessions that were occurring at the same time I attended other sessions.  It was hard to pick which ones, and look forward to finding the recorded sessions of the ones I missed. Here's a summary of the EXCELLENT sessions I attended. Brad Inman - Forecasts: What is Inman News Predicting? Mike Mueller - 7 Secrets to Facebook Page Success Darin Persinger - The 7... 01/05/2010

I've got admit that I have enjoyed my vacation.  Since Christmas, I have been on  vacation "down-time".  Nope, I didn't travel anywhere or spend a bunch a money.  I've been NESTING.   I have enjoyed taking a break from my day to day work & stress - by just staying at home and doing stuff around the house and home office. You know,  the stuff you can never find time to do throughout the year. Because we are in workaholic mode. Let's see..... First I got into a "cleaning out the closets mode".  (My son hates it when I do this).  Yep, the clutter and the accumulation of STUFF.  Well, closet by closet through out the house got attacked and organized.   It really gives me a sense of completion. Perhaps this is a sickness?   My cookbook library got organized and at least now I can FIND my coo... 01/03/2010

Gainesville, FL Real Estate - New Listing - 3600 SW 19th Ave, Unit 51, Gainesville, FL 32607 in Foxmoor Condos Offered at $105,000   PRICE REDUCED TO $99,900! 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms900 Square Feet, community poolNot a short sale! Live steps away from the University of Florida behind the UF Hilton in Foxmoor Condos. 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom townhouse with small, private patio in the backyard. Low association fees with the same convenient condo lifestyle. Don't forget about the $8000 Tax Credit for 1st time buyers and $6500 for repeat buyers if you're under contract before April 30, 2010. Cash, Conventional, FHA, VA, or Owner financing available. To see all of the photos and details, please visit our featured homes page at Featured Home for Sale at 3600 SW 19th Ave, Unit 51, Gainesville... 12/31/2009

Well, here we are on December 30th of 2009.  I've been doing an analysis of my "year in review"..... aren't we all doing it this week?   Regardless of what your business is, every business owner will analyze profit &  loss statements.  Business owners will ponder the good business decisions (or bad ones) that have been made throughout the year.   For me, it's been another year and I did get some of my 2009 goals met.  And I am making my new list of Goals for 2010 this week too.    Are you making YOUR goal list for 2010?   I'm not talking about New Year Resolutions. I like to call them "goals" that I write down and do my best to keep track of throughout the year.   I have a theory for my new year ahead and I have given it a NAME and A THEME !   I am going to call it:                   Ap... 12/30/2009

Gainesville Area Condo/Townhome Sales Trends   So.....how is the Gainesville area condo/townhome market doing?  Similar to the single-family home sales trends in Gainesville,  Gainesville area condo/townhome sales were better in 2007 than they were in 2008, and were better in 2008 than they were in 2009.  Although there seems to be some move towards stabilization, downward pressure on pricing remains a mitigating factor for this market segment, in large part due to the excessive inventory.   As of December 30, 2009, there are  660 townhomes/condos available for sale in the Gainesville area, which represents 24 months of inventory.     12/29/2009

Three Tips for Successfully Buying a Short Sale Property in Gainesville, Florida   A short sale happens when a homeowner ends up owing more on the home than it is currently worth in today's marketplace, and the lender is willing to take less than what the homeowner owes.   There are currently 197 single-family homes listed as short sales in Alachua County, ranging in price from $40,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1100 square foot home in Southeast Gainesville to $595,000 for a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2116 square foot home in Melrose.     The rules about buying short sales always seem to be changing....however, there are 3 rules that remain constant:   1) Find a Realtor who has the education and experience to handle short sales 2) Get pre-approved 3) Submit your highest and best offer the ... 12/28/2009

Snapshot of Gainesville Real Estate Market   So what's going on with the Gainesville real estate market?  This first chart shows that 2007 was a better year than 2008, and 2008 was a better year than 2009.  The first quarter of 2009 was particularly gruesome, with median sales price bottoming out at $135,000 in February. As the year progressed, prices seemed to stabilize and move closer to 2008 levels.     The bulk of real estate sales in the Gainesville area occurred in the Northwest region, as illustrated by the graph below:     Single-Family Homes: We Are Still in a Buyer's Market As of December 18, 2009, there are 1573 single-family homes for sale in the Gainesville real estate market, which means that it will take approximately 10 months to sell all of the homes currently in invent... 12/17/2009

As a homeowner, I hate it when stuff like this happens.  I get up on Saturday morning, it's raining and dreary.  But that's ok, I have a quick appointment at 9am but expect to be home by 10am and am planning to "CLEAN" my house, get the Christmas tree done, and generally "nest" on a rainy day. My morning ritual is the same most mornings.  You know, shower, dry my hair, put on a face, eat breakfast, yada, yada,.....and alway there is one thing that does get done: Flushing the Toilet.  BUT,           It wasn't flushing....and it wasn't the mechanical parts in the tank.                                                 I knew what it was....... So...to the telephone I go and dialed - Myers Brothers Septic Service.               YEP.....                            So, here is proof that We Ar... 12/15/2009

Tis the season to be shopping....              Fa La La La La,        La.......La.....La.......La   I have to admit that with our temperature being a high of 54 today, this weather will snap me into the Holiday mode.  But, Mr. Weatherman says it will back up to the high 70's on Monday.  But no complaints at all.  It's December !  Buyers from up north just laugh when I am all bundled up for a snow storm and it's only 50 outside. Things in real estate are "normally" slow around the holidays.  But....what is NORMAL anymore????   I have been very busy!   While speaking with other agents all week, they are busy too.     With buyers !   One of my newest clients said they were "Christmas Shopping for their NEW Home".  They're very happy about the great selection of homes that are available in ... 12/11/2009

ABC's Extreme Home Makeover is coming to Gainesville, FL! This monday morning, one deserving Gainesville, FL family will be woken up by Ty Pennington and a TV crew to let them know they have been chosen to receive a new home. In order to meet the one week deadline, ABC and local sponsors are asking the Gainesville community to get involved any way they can. They are looking for donations, skilled and unskilled volunteers, and cheerful spectators. Some of the businesses that have already made donations are Gator Dominos, Gainesville Ice, Adams Rib Co., David's Real Pit BBQ, GRU, Waste Pro, Pizza Vito and Gainesville Pest Control, among others. To become a partner or make a donation to the project, visit www.arkextremebuild.com. As always, please visit our website for more information abo... 12/05/2009

Gainesville, FL Real Estate - New Listing - 1700 SW 16th Ct, Unit D-26, Gainesville, FL 32608 in Summit House Condos community Price Reduced to $50,000!! 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom574 Square Feet, community poolPriced to sell today! Not a short sale! Clean and bright 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom 2nd floor unit in Summit House. Walk to Shands, VA, and the Vet Center. Get up to $6,490 cash back from the first time homebuyer's tax credit with this unit in SW Gainesville. To see all of the photos and details, please visit our featured homes page at Featured Home for Sale at 1700 SW 16th Ct, Unit D-26, Gainesville, Florida 32608. For more information about selling a home in Summit House or another neighborhood in Gainesville, contact an expert Gainesville Realtor today!   12/05/2009

Gainesville, FL Real Estate - New Listing - 5404 SW 4th Pl, Gainesville, FL 32607 in Cypress Pointe community Offered at $110,000 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms1,290 Square Feet, community amenitiesBest value in the neighborhood Updated and upgraded 3 bedroom 2 bathroom townhouse unit in Cypress Pointe. New paint, new carpet, new tile, new light fixtures and ceiling fans all for less than $86 per square foot in a great location. Backyard with deck and upstairs patio overlooks the recently refinished community pool. Upstairs loft glassed in to maintain privacy while preserving the open and spacious layout. Take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit with this priced-to-sell unit in SW Gainesville. To see all of the photos and details, please visit our featured homes page at Featured Home for Sale a... 12/05/2009

This is a very nice 2 minute video that outlines the important issues of the revised & expanded tax credit for HOME BUYERS.   It's a great time to be a home buyer in Gainesville Florida! Opportunity Knocks !!  Watch the video below to learn about:  What are the revisions & changes?            What are the earned income parameters?                         Who can qualify to use this tax credit?                                       When does this tax credit expire?   Just take 2 minutes to find out.   And, just give me a call and we can start finding YOU a HOME!   11/18/2009

11/18/2009

Gainesville MLS - Bad Photo of the Day - Tuesday, November 17, 2009 Thanks to professional photographer Scott Lawler for his commentary. What draws your eye to this picture? That's right - A bright, florescent light. Recomposing this so the cabinetry is centered in the frame would automatically cropped out unwanted items and harsh lights. The shadow cast by the camera flash on the right side is another thing to avoid. On a good photo it would stand out horribly - here you barely notice it at all. Another overpowering florescent light... Drawing back the curtains would have really opened up the room. Seems kind of chopped off at the knees so to speak. The bottom of the room is missing. Perfect example of where proper composition and a wide angle lens would have worked wonders. Attention ... 11/17/2009

It looks like we will have fabulous weather for a fun-filled weekend in beautiful Gainesville Florida!  Saturday and Sunday brings us the 28th Annual Downtown Festival & Art Show.   This is Gainesville's PREMIER FALL EVENT! The event is presented by the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs.  It is also one of the nation's premier outdoor fine arts festivals. Things will get started at 10am on Saturday morning, November 14th through Sunday at 5pm. So, get this into your weekend plans.  Last year's attendance set an historic record of 100,000 attendees.  The excellent weather forecast will make it a great family event. There will be over 250 of the nation's most talented artists in original oils, acrylics, watercolor, jewelry, sculptures, unique potter... 11/13/2009

Getting Flocked, Selling Houses, and Giving St. Joseph a Break   When it comes to selling houses, St. Joseph is no longer the only game in town.  That's right. If you're a desperate homeowner willing to try anything, but squeamish about burying Jesus's stepdad upside down in your front yard to net a sale, NOW you don't have to!     I made an amazing discovery  this weekend while I was  flocking my boss. See, he and his partner are leaving Gainesville, and I wanted to find a really cool way to surprise him. And nothing, I mean NOTHING, says "Surprise!!" like coming home to a dozen  pink plastic flamingos parked on your front lawn.....especially when you are trying to SELL said front lawn, along with the house that goes with it. So....while my boss's goodbye party raged across town, my hu... 11/11/2009

Another great thing about living in Gainesville!   Located smack dab in the middle of North Florida, Gainesville is close to all kinds of nature-related activities.  My favorite one, by FAR, is kayaking.  Athletically challenged to the point of not even being able to throw a Frisbee, I have always made it my mission to avoid all sports-related activities that did not involve sitting down. Especially after the U.S. Olympic Committee delivered a stinging defeat to sitters everywhere when they declined to make lounging an olympic event. Then we moved to Gainesville, Florida, and I discovered kayaking. Sure, I'd been once or twice before we moved here.....but living in Gainesville, within striking distance of dozens of lakes and rivers, and being blessed with a subtropical climate, lush veg... 11/09/2009

Real Estate Market Snapshot - Tuesday-Sunday, November 3-8, 2009 - Gainesville, FL If everyone's first week of November was like mine, it will be a fabulous holiday season! 30 yr fixed rates ticked up to 5.22%. Here's a re-cap of what happened recently in the Gainesville, FL real estate market: New Listings 66Price Changes 62Pending Transactions 22Contingent Transactions 3Withdrawn Listings 32Expired Listings 14Closed Transactions 37 Home photos and listing data copyright © 2009 Gainesville Multiple Listing, Inc ("Gainesville MLS"). All rights reserved. Data provided by Allison Ables ("Gainesville REALTOR") and is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Information provided only includes transactions in Gainesville, FL. If you or someone you know is thinking about buying or selling in Ga... 11/08/2009