Time flies when you are having fun and it has sure flown this year! It is time for the Annual Turkey Trot in Clearwater again!!! I remember when my son, Sascha, still lived at home. He would participate in the Turkey Trot each year - he was also on the East Lake High Track Team, so I guess it is only natural that he would participate in this. I still use one of the coffee cups he got for completing the event - as a pen holder on my desk!So when it is time for this event, you KNOW I am going to do what I can to get the word out!!! This year the races start on Keene Road and Gulf to Bay in Clearwater at 7:30 am on Thursday, the 22nd of November. Registration is the day before from 5-8 pm at Clearwater High School.As always, be there or be square!!!!! Remember, the proceeds from this event... 11/15/2007

Clearwater Florida Hosts Ford Ironman 70.3 AgainClearwater Florida - As luck would have it the 2007 Clearwater Ironman 70.3 Race past several popular Clearwater neighborhoods  (Grovewood, Morningside, The Meadows) off Belcher Road this past Saturday. What a site to behold. It was inspirational to all who watched it. Several of the Clearwater neighborhood kids got their bikes out - dreaming...dreaming of racing like that one day. If only they understood what the almost 1500 racers signed up for. It's hard to believe that this is actually only half a triathalon. We even saw one participant, Maj. David Rozelle, an Iraq war veteran who is an amputee complete the race with one leg - it was so inspirational, especially in light of Monday being Veteran's Day. All I could think was.."Thank you!... 11/12/2007

Clearwater Florida Boating - Ladies Only!Clearwater Florida - Hey ever dreamed of boating in Tampa Bay? You may have noticed that Clearwater Florida in November is glorious boating weather. Have you ever wanted to learn more about boating in and around Clearwater Florida?  Now you're in luck, the 2nd Wednesday of each month MarineMax of Clearwater Florida offers a FREE class on boating for women called Women on the Water. If you live in Pinellas County or even Tampa - this is conveniently located off US 19, south of US 60 and the Clearwater Mall and North or Ulmerton Road from the Howard Franklin Bridge.  The address for MarineMax is 18025 US 19 N. Clearwater Florida 33764. It is located between two of our best waterfront condo communities located on the open waters of Tampa Bay, Cove C... 11/12/2007

How much time do I have?  That is the most frequently asked question of me - it is the first question from most homeowners during the initial consultation.  Naturally, the answer to the question depends on the state in which you live.  There are judicial and non-judicial states - judicial foreclosures go through the court system whereas non-judicial have no court intervention.Florida is a judicial state.  The foreclosure process begins with the lender filing a complaint and a Lis Pendens is filed.  The homeowner is served with a notice of the complaint (usually by a process server) and the homeowner will have an opportunity to appear before the Court.  The validity of the complaint will be determined and if valid, a judgment will be issued for the amount due (loan, late fees, attorney f... 11/05/2007

Clearwater Florida Real Estate | Luxury Golf Home BuyersWhile Halloween is 3 days away we are happy to know that our most recent Clearwater luxury home buyers felt working with us was "a treat" - not a trick!They contacted us from our Active Rain real estate blog in early September and shared their dream of wanting to purchase the vacation home in the Clearwater Florida area. They flew down from Washington DC two weeks later to spend the weekend seeing the properties that met their criteria. They relied on us to be their real estate advocates locally along the way since they were back home during the time leading up to their home closing. When a few problems arose we worked with them and local home inspection experts to get them resolved to their satisfaction. We even arrange for them t... 10/28/2007

Investor Sharks are everywhere and like roaches coming out in the dark, these sharks come out in droves whenever economic events or personal problems occur in which the sharks can take advantage.Investor Sharks typically attack the vulnerable - homeowners having financial difficulties, families that have just lost a loved one (probate), they watch the legal notices for things like divorce, bankruptcy (did you know there are companies that sell such lists?).  Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, these sharks pretend to want to help the homeowner, depending on the wishes on the homeowner, these sharks make false promises of bail-out cash or re-financing or if the homeowner has decided to sell, these sharks will sometimes produce a contract for a higher price than they actually intent to pay. ... 10/28/2007

Clearwater Florida Prepares for HalloweenHalloween is a fun time of year around Clearwater to cut loose, decorate your home or condo, carve a pumpkin and enjoy the lighter side of life by dressing up, attending Halloween parties and even going trick or treating with the kids.Before you go out....Did you know that in the state of Florida, not just in the City of Clearwater, it is actually Illegal to wear a mask in public is you are over the age of 16. It’s true. Now you might be wondering why? Well the way I understand it is that it is actually aimed at robbers – especially with respect to banks and convenient stores. So if you are planning to attend a Clearwater party or be out in the Clearwater or Tampa Bay area – be sure to take your mask off before going into public places to be safe... 10/25/2007

I have a client that is about to have their home go into Foreclosure and I'm getting ready to drop the price way below market value. The home is in great condition but due to some problems they have not been able to keep up with the payments. If you have a client looking for a home in the $150-$200k price range please contact me ASAP. This could be a great investment property. You can email me at phaedra@myfloridahomestore.comI know this seems like an everyday occurence with foreclosure rates thru the roof, but it is a shame to see such nice homes go to waste. If you ever run across any foreclosure homes that are a steal, please email me, I have a few investors actively searching for short sale homes in the $100k range. 10/25/2007

Clearwater Florida Home Owners – Are you killing your kids and pets Cleaning?As we approach the holidays and families prepare for guest and companies I became aware of some surprising information. You need to reserve your spot to have your carpets cleaned NOW or you may not get the one and  You need to understand your eco-friendly carpet cleaning options and why your care! Did you know when you clean your carpets you may slowing be poisoning your kids and pets? While your floors may now look great – at what price? With young kids playing on the floor and pets often laying on the floor they run the risk of ingesting very toxic chemicals.  Read what Larry West, National Environmental Issues expert, explains in a recent article that “Traditional commercial carpet-cleaning solutions contai... 10/22/2007

Clearwater FL Real Estate Ask the Expert Series Most of us would love to submit and have questions asked by a local real estate expert, mortgage expert, home insurance expert, carpet cleaning expert, mold remediation expert and more. The great thing about a Clearwater Community blog like ours is that we can help you get your questions answered and put you in touch with some of the most reputable, honest people serving Pinellas County.     Today I was speaking with Matt Jerabek, Owner of Mr. Dry Out and is our Clearwater Florida Mold Remediation Expert. He is the leading Water Extraction and Structural Dryout for homes and condos in Pinellas County ~ Pasco County and even parts of Hillsboorough County. You might be wondering when you might need his services - here are a few of the times ... 10/15/2007

Beware of The Insurance Onion - What You Don't Know Stinks and Will Make you CryWhen we discuss personal insurance we're discussing the insurance that protects your home, your cars, your boat, your motorhome, umbrella policies and even the extras like your jewelry, antiques, etc. Most of us have coverage we bought because an insurance agent recommended it - but do we really understand what we have? I know I don't! Experience shows that what you don't know can definitely make you cry! Kim Marshall, top Pinellas Luxury Insurance Agent with Carlisle Fields in Clearwater Florida is our Personal Insurance Chef. She skillfully peels back the layers of the Insurance Policy Onions (especially our Homeowners) for us so we can make informed choices and not have any unwanted surprises and find our... 10/08/2007

Fun Things to do on Water in Tampa Bay's Bluest Backyards I was driving the other day from Pinellas County, heading over the Gandy Bridge and Tampa Bay to South Tampa when I was reminded of one of my favorite past times - paddling. No I'm not talking about "paddling" as in spanking, though I must say I received a few of those in my youth.  Paddling is what locals call "kayaking" around here in the Clearwater Florida area.  Pinellas County is actually surrounded on three sides by water  (the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay) which is why we are blessed with so many blue backyards and so kayaking is one of the popular ways of sightseeing or even flats fishing when you're looking for a relaxing eco-friendly day - now that's my kind of Green Living. So what jogged my memories? Seeing Dave Camp ... 10/01/2007

Clearwater, FL Homes Find New Roof Codes Break the BankBeware....Monday October 1,2007 - Clearwater Florida homeowners will see roof prices for their homes sky rocket. Anyone putting a new roof on a Clearwater home or condo (association) may have to break open your piggy bank to pay for your new roof since new Florida House Bill 7057 goes into effect tomorrow. The bill had great intentions and was designed to make Clearwater Florida homes safer and more secure in hurricanes. The end result is that all homes getting new roofs after October 1st.now need added materials, reinforcement and labor which will add anywhere from 15% to 50% to the cost of a new roof for your Clearwater home. Most agree it will be closer to 30% on average.   I met with local expert, Matt Cetta, Owner and CEO of Me... 09/30/2007

Clearwater Florida Condos Under $100,000Buyers often ask me, "Can I buy a condo in Clearwater Florida for Under $100,000?" Today the answer is YES!Well today there are still some great choices for living in Clearwater for under $100,000. There are options for both buyers looking to find their full time home and also for our seasonal buyers looking for hassle free condo living. Today we'll introduce you to one of the best condo buyswe know of in Clearwater: Chateau Belleair. Chateau Belleair is an extremely desirable, quaint, peaceful community of 114 condos with 14 larger garden units. It is centrally located in Clearwater Florida off Belcher and Belleair Road with the added benefit of having a totally private and tropical retreat feel. You can look forward to coming home nightly and re... 09/18/2007

A Tampa VA buyer in Clearwater recently worked with me in getting his VA approval for a home loan purchase in Clearwater, Florida.  When he came to me, he was a bit concerned about qualifying for the VA mortgage because of his debt-to-income ratio.  What this means is his total monthly debt compared to his gross monthly income.Standard VA guidelines day that a lender can go up to a debt-to-income ratio (DTI) of 43%.  In my Clearwater homebuyers case, he was at 55%.  Oops...With standard conventional financing, he was approved through the automated underwriting system, so the DTI was not an issue.  However, for this particular home buyer, his VA funding options was the best choice to get him the lowest monthly payment, lowest closing cost and lowest interest rate.  In other words, I HAD ... 09/10/2007

Clearwater Florida Pool Homes - Safety TipsPools & Kids that can't Swim Don't MixWhether you have a Clearwater pool home or not if you have kids then teaching them how to swim should be a priority in the Tampa Bay area. Unfortunately drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5 in Florida. We don't have a pool at our home and so as life would have it our youngest son has avoided becoming a proficient swimmer - now this is hard for me to believe since I've been swimming since I was 2 years old and swam competitively into High School. It just kind of happened and then before we knew it he had a "phobia" of putting his head under water. He would even voice that he thought he would drown. (it broke my heart) When I had approached taking lessons he would become hyst... 09/06/2007

Clearwater Florida Real Estate Let's looks at what's happening with Clearwater Homes in today's Home Buyer's Market.Clearwater Homes for sale                   Without Pool               With Pools           All Homes  Number of Homes for sale (8-31-07)                 837                347                  1184Number of Homes Sold (July 2007)                    45                  29                      74  How long it's taking to sell on average           63.96            120.14                 85.98What's happening with Clearwater Home Prices? Median Home Price  (July 2007)                 $190,000         $280,000           $237,000  Median Home Price  (July 2006)                 $205,000         $284,900           $230,000   Difference year to year:                             - ... 08/31/2007

Can I Get a Home Mortgage Now?Clearwater Real Estate Mortgage Market ReportYou have probably heard it is hard to get a Clearwater home loan with all of the problems with sub-prime mortgages, and the tightening of lending rules, so here is an update on home mortgages this summer. Yes, you can get a home mortgage in the Tampa Bay area now, but it is important to understand what is going on in the home mortgage market, and to know that rates may vary widely.Basically, the problem with home mortgages in Clearwater and around the country this year is that there is a liquidity crisis for some mortgage companies, and I am afraid antidepressants won't work with this one...LOL. Some mortgage companies have gone out of business and many others are hurting. Tampa Mortgage Liquidity Market ReportTo... 08/31/2007

Clearwater Real Estate ~ Pool HomesMany people moving to Clearwater and the Tampa Bay area are looking to enjoy our "Florida Lifestyle" - while many people enjoy living on Clearwater Beach quite a few chose other top Clearwater neighborhoods because of commutes to work, neighborhood ammenities or schools. Having a pool and a screened cage can often bring the outside in making a home feel much larger while providing a great recreational space and a desirable place to entertain.Currently many homebuyers find it's cheaper to buy a Clearwater home that already has a pool than to put one in so demand for pool homes helps these homes stay in demand. By the same token a poorly maintained pool home can become hard to sell and expensive to repair so working with real estate professionals that un... 08/28/2007

Across from Sand Key Condos find The Real Scoop Last week I wrote about the Dog Days of Summer on Sand Key Beach Clearwater, Florida. We enjoyed the beach and watching both the Sea Screamer and the Pirate Ship pass by. Well after a long day at the beach we were reminded that there is nothing is better than cooling off at Ryan's Ice Cream & Yogurt with a truly decadent sweet treat. The funny thing is the name is a bit deceiving because they don't actually serve yogurt - but they do serve gourmet a large variety of ice creams, sorbets, shakes, smoothies, cakes, pies and even rainbow snow cones.  Ryan's is one of the 20 shoppes that makes up the The Shoppes on Sand Key - across the street many of Sand Keys luxury waterfront condos.The Shoppes on Sand Key are the only stand alone retail est... 08/22/2007