It is often more comfortable to use the bank that you have become familiar with over the years?  Parting with tradition is not necessarily easy.You are considering a move out of state.  You are qualified for a mortgage and assured by your bank that you can go forward with a purchase.  Once you've made the trip and found your dream home its time to talk to your banker again and get the process going.Often the question arises, should we use the bank we are familiar with or an unfamiliar local bank in the town where we are buying.  There are considerations of licensing in various states that can affect your decision.  The greatest consideration should be the service that you will get in your new home.When customers want to use their bank from back home there are often challenges with coord... 04/08/2008

The city of Ocala, along with the whole of Marion County at present, has a very high housing inventory level , which amounts to approximately a 12-month supply of homes. This present scenario is one of the major causes for the drastic price reductions in home prices. There have been movements seen, however, which indicate a slowdown in the reduction of home prices. With the housing market here showing directions of hitting the bottom, and as the mortgage slump affects all aspects of the housing industry, real estate market observers are saying that now would be a good time to purchase new homes, as interest rates are still pegged at one of their lowest levels. Current Home Construction Figures For Ocala Based on current data provided by local property market veterans and county building... 04/05/2008

Michael Veri | Realty Executives Ocala | 352.502.4661 2305 SE 30 Street, Ocala, FL WOW... Custom pool home in Avondale 3 Bdrm Single Family House offered at $335,000 Year Built 1993 Sq Footage 2,902 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 3 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking 3 Car garage Lot Size .38 acres HOA/Maint $30 per month DESCRIPTION Take a dip in the heated pool in your new custom home in one of Ocala's premier neighborhoods! Everything you could want in your dream home including tall ceilings, ceramic tile floors, Jetta-Stone counters, planning desk, an oversized 3 car garage, guest rooms with a Jack & Jill bath, separate den & HUGE family room which overlooks the pool, spa, & large private back yard! The spacious master suite has trey ceilings, hers & hers closets, dual vanities, separate shower... 04/01/2008

The city of Ocala in the central part of Florida is an area filled with many wonderful natural and historical landmarks, and combines natural and man-made diversity, which makes it a relaxing and exceptionally-delightful location for young families and professionals to call home. The city is located in Marion County, and is noted for successfully blending the past and the present. Living Amid Horse Farms And Forests Beyond the city, one sees a large area of crop lands, horse farms, and acres of national forest, and just close to these natural sights are the collage of masterfully-planned residential communities, where its residents enjoy all the comforts of modern living, and nearby these villages are the presence of shopping centers and malls, restaurants, cultural festivals, nature-ba... 03/31/2008

Market Report Ocala/Marion CountyIf you are interested in statistics on a particular subdivision, please email me at sarahomanrealtor@hotmail.com    Including specific reports on Marion Landing (55+), On Top Of The World (55+), Bent Tree, Timberwood, Ocala Waterway & Majestic Oaks,STATUS FOR WEEK MARCH 23-30 2008     ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL7456PENDINGRESIDENTIAL460   ACTIVEVACANT LAND6504PENDINGVACANT LAND 138   ACTIVE COMMERCIAL514PENDINGCOMMERCIAL19   ACTIVITY FOR WEEK MARCH 23-30 2008     ACTIVERESIDENTIAL188PENDINGRESIDENTIAL65CLOSEDRESIDENTIAL52EXPIREDRESIDENTIAL206   ACTIVEVACANT LAND36PENDINGVACANT LAND15CLOSEDVACANT LAND4EXPIREDVACANT LAND134   ACTIVECOMMERCIAL5PENDINGCOMMERCIAL1CLOSEDCOMMERCIAL0EXPIREDCOMMERCIAL6    SUBDIVISIONS MAJESTIC OAKSMARION LANDINGON TOP OF THE WORLD   39  A... 03/30/2008

Within the last 5 years in Ocala there have been some significant changes BUT this year has brought some really exciting expansions...  These pictures are a former farm and look at it now:          I love the blankets of flowers that    carpet the roadsides in the spring.         If you've not been to Ocala lately or at all then this is a great time to visit! 03/30/2008

What a wonderful Community Cherry Wood Estates is!  Great for snowbirds who are 55+ and love having fun in clubs, dance and other social activities and gatherings.  It is conveniently located off of 60th Avenue in the SW part of Ocala.  There is a very large in ground pool, shuffleboard, tennis, a library, craft room, billiards and much more to keep you busy and active.   The homes are mostly Concrete Block with Stucco which gives them a more durable structure. STATUS  COUNTPRICE RANGESQUARE FOOTAGEINGROUND POOLSCLOSED 2007 20125k - 188k984 - 1778Community PoolCLOSED 2008 1$100,0001430Community PoolACTIVE 28119.9k - 235k1008 - 2569Community PoolIf you are looking to buy in a reasonably priced 55+ community with plenty of activities or you own in Cherry Wood and would like to sell your h... 03/28/2008

This is a 4 Bedroom 2.5 bath home on just over a half acreOcala Waterway is a very conveniently located subdivision.  There are two new schools, an elementary and middle school within walking distance to many of the homes on the northern boarder of the community.   It is just down the road from the local public library and just 5 minutes to shopping.  This is a great community for median income families. The property sizes vary from .40-1.25 acres or larger.  Ocala Waterway is zoned R1, meaning it is zoned for residential single family dwellings only.  Access to I-75, Rt 484 and Hwy 200 are all within minutes from most homes in the Waterway.5 Bedroom 3 bath home also on just over a half acre.STATUS  COUNTPRICE RANGESQUARE FOOTAGEINGROUND POOLSCLOSED 2007 17187.5K - 363K1614 - 33504CLOSE... 03/28/2008

Do you want to know what can help our youth to stay out of trouble?  There's probably a group or 2 or 3 in your area.  It's fun, it's work and it is so worth the time spent.  The Ocala Horse Show, a TV series has produced a show specifically about the local 4H club and what it is doing for the youth in our area...Many of the things that are going on here, are also going on right in your area. To watch the show Click Here  there is a time delay but the show should load by itself!We here in Ocala are an equestrian county and therefore we have plenty of horses involved in 4H but 4H goes far beyond horses...watch the show and see, then get your youngsters involved! 03/28/2008

The weather is warming up and NY is looking really good for a vacation spot or just a pass through.  Nearly 2 years ago I took a trip with my daughter to Long Island where we resided all of her life and most of mine.  We currently live in Florida and to go back was just an awesome opportunity and a time of great appreciation for all that we were surrounded by.  We lived in the Shirley/Moriches area for the last 2 and a half years before we moved and one of our favorite places to go was Smith Point Beach.  The waves are great and just on the other side of the beach is the Great South Bay which extends for quite a distance along the south shore of Long Island.  Fire Island is the Barrier Island along the south side of long Island.  Smith Point beach is one of the many beaches along that B... 03/27/2008

Last week we got some horrible news.  A young man 17 years old took his own life.  He never really got to know what life was all about.  My nephew was the first on the scene with the young fellow's dad.  What a horrible thing to have to face as a parent.  What a horrible thing as a friend.  I realize that issues in life are overwhelming at that stage of life but if they could only see what the splash effect of what they've done is, perhaps they would think hard about what they are about to do.  We recently filmed a show on 4H, a program which gives young people the opportunity to explore many avenues of life, from animal care to business skills.  This program really gives children the edge in life to succeed.  I truly believe that if we take the time to teach our children about God and ... 03/25/2008

I did just reviewed the January & February numbers from the Florida Association of Realtors & our prices were down year to year 16% in both January & February from 2007.  Closed sales were down 51% for January & 43% for Feb from 2007.  On the bright side, active listings are down to under 7,500 from the peak of apprx 8,000 at the end of December 2007, and interest rates are still relatively low! The forecast is looking great if you are a motivated buyer to take advantage of a combination of lower prices and lower interest rates...It is a great time to buy!Michael VeriRealty Executives Ocalawww.BuyOcalaHomes.com352.502.4661 03/25/2008

The face of Ocala is changing!  While Real Estate offices are closing like never before, Coldwell Banker Ellison is taking a giant leap forward and preparing for a winfall of business in a very prime location of Ocala.   Blueprints in hand, Dale Barron, Owner/Broker of Coldwell Banker Ellison prepares to break ground on a new corner lot, highly visible, high traffic, rapidly growing area of Ocala on Highway 200.     This chilly morning Owner, Brokers, Managers and Realtors gathered together to officially commence their new building, an incredible venture of faith and courage.  Faith, knowing that the current market is only temporary and tomorrow holds promise of a Real Estate rebound!Courage, courage to go against the flow, to press forward when everything else seems like this simply ca... 03/24/2008

Realtors: If your client doesn`t own a property,how the heck can you list it?!  By all accounts Dorchester Estates in Ocala Florida was going to be a beautiful estate home community. People bought 1 acre estates using Construction to Permanent loans.Simply put the lenders touted these type of loans because the advantage of this loan is there's only one loan application and one loan closing. The idea is that the lender finances the construction of your home, and when it's ready for occupancy, the loan is converted from a construction loan to a mortgage.There is one slight problem.The Builder was arrested and sent back to the United Kingdom,leaving many of these homeowners with unfinished homes.These people have a huge problem to deal with.Since they own the land they must continue to pay... 03/24/2008

                                               Market Report Ocala/Marion CountyIf you are interested in statistics on a particular subdivision, please email me at sarahomanrealtor@hotmail.com STATUS FOR WEEK MARCH 15-22 2008    ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL7502PENDINGRESIDENTIAL445   ACTIVEVACANT LAND6576PENDINGVACANT LAND 127   ACTIVE COMMERCIAL516PENDINGCOMMERCIAL18   ACTIVITY FOR WEEK MARCH 15-22 2008    ACTIVERESIDENTIAL190PENDINGRESIDENTIAL69CLOSEDRESIDENTIAL37EXPIREDRESIDENTIAL234   ACTIVEVACANT LAND82PENDINGVACANT LAND8CLOSEDVACANT LAND6EXPIREDVACANT LAND399   ACTIVECOMMERCIAL9PENDINGCOMMERCIAL2CLOSEDCOMMERCIAL0EXPIREDCOMMERCIAL23    SUBDIVISIONS MAJESTIC OAKSMARION LANDINGON TOP OF THE WORLD   40  ACTIVE         28  ACTIVE217  ACTIVE   1   NEW LISTINGS   0   NEW LISTINGS    6  NEW LISTING... 03/22/2008

On Top of the World is a 55+ Community that currently has 2 additional Community annexes, Candler Hills and Indigo East.  Both Candler Hills and Indigo East homeowners own their land as opposed to OTOW which is leasehold properties.  The benefits to leasehold is that Top of the World participates in the maintenance of both home and land!Homeowner Association fees encompass quite a bit.  I will include these items in the next post.   On Top Of The World (OTOW) 210 Total Active listings 6 New Listings 3/15/08 through 3/22/086 Pending30 Closed since January 1, 2008 Candler Hills 17 Total Active Listings1 Pending1 Closed Since January 1, 2008 Indigo East 11 Total Active Listings0 Pending1 Closed since January 1, 2008For more information or to buy or sell in On Top of the World Contact me 03/22/2008

Take yourself a sneak peek at Ocala and all that it has to offer.  Available Links will be provided so enjoy your semi-virtual tour!Some of Our Subdivisions The Meadows at Heathbrook is a new and centrally located community that allows easy access to shopping malls and plazas and is just a few minutes to I-75.  It is just off Hwy 200 Contact me Golden Ocala is the finest golf course and equestrian community.  It is luxury living at its finest!  It is gated and has amazing dining cuisine at the spectacular clubhouse shown above.  For more information on Golden Ocala, the housing available there Contact me Marion Landing is a lovely 55+ Community with a very active clubhouse, in ground pool, shuffleboard, tennis and a bowling alley!  Great Location and a wide variety of housing.  For more... 03/22/2008

This is such a cool event!  You will get to see such an awesome group of people strategically navigate obstacles, over, under, around & through water!  It is rough and tumble and keeps you on the edge of your seat!Rumor has it that the Budweiser Clydesdales will be there with all their gear and take a ride with the budweiser theme song sending chills up your spine.Ocala is my home, if you would like to make it yours, I'd love to help you find your dream home. Sara Homan, Realtor 352-209-4044sarahomanrealtor@hotmail.com  03/19/2008

The city of Ocala in Marion County has the second lowest median home prices in the whole of Florida. The city is located in the central portion of the state, and is around an hour north of Orlando and has the same distance from either coast. The city is far from the coastline, which makes it less vulnerable to hurricanes, which explains why it doesn't suffer much from high property insurance rates that are the norm in southern Florida. Prestigious Money Magazine once named Ocala as one of the Best Places To Live, for its relaxing quality of living and small-town feel. A Correction Is Now Seen In The Local Property Markets For those who haven't had any updates yet on conditions in Ocala's property markets, In most aspects the once red-hot real estate market has returned to normal. For a ... 03/18/2008

In 2007 there were several mornings when we woke up to the smell of smoke and our cars were dusted with ashes.  I thought I left snow country only to find out that it was snowing ashes!  To drive down the road and see a car off to the side of the road on tall grass spelled trouble, big, hot trouble.  Many wildfires started with simple little things like that.  Here in Ocala we love our trees and natural landscapes, but safety is first!        There are plenty of things that you can do to help prevent wildfires, such as clear a perimeter around your house of at least 30 feet, removing debris and tall brush & grass.  This season has brought record rainfalls so it is not as great of a concern but that could easily change.  Take the time to brush up on what you can do to insure your family'... 03/18/2008