Lipply's Blog: Tampa Bay Area Property

Looking for the best of both worlds in a town to live? Then look no further than Oldsmar, Florida, a community with small-town charm and big-city convenience. Located on the northern tip of Tampa Bay, between Tampa and Clearwater, Oldsmar is an ideal place to live.

Developed by Oldsmobile creator Ransom Olds in 1913 to be the “ideal community”, Oldsmar is one of the most picturesque communities in the Tampa area. With beautiful neighborhoods, parks, and waterfront, it is also home to 34 acres of protected wetlands, providing access to some of nature’s greatest beauty.

Whether it be a home on a scenic tree-lined street, on the glistening waterfront, or near one of the many parks, Oldsmar is a community that has kept its small-town hospitality while…

Two popular area that everyone loves in the Tampa area are Carrollwood and Davis Islands. First, up in the northern part of Tampa is the Carrollwood area, known for mature homes and established neighborhoods with small lakes.  Locals gather at the Cultural Arts center on Lowell Rd on the weekends to take in a weekend performance. Another happening place is the  Carrollwood Players Community Theater on Gunn Highway. The Carrollwood Village area is ideal for walking or riding your bike.  And, for those that really enjoying biking check out the Upper Tampa Bay Bike Trails that lead to the Suncoast Trail. You'll want to shop for a bike too if you plan to buy a home in Carrollwood!  When you have to drive, Carrollwood is centrally located in Tampa Bay and…

Come October 5, 2008 one lucky investor will be able to purchase the remaining 171  condos at The Place at Channelside.  Unfortunately, The Place at Channelside has become another insolvent development due to the overbuilt condo market in the Tampa Bay area.  A Tampa bankruptcy judge has given the order for the auction of the last vacant group of condos to be bought with a minimum reserve price of a little over $17 million dollars.

These are luxury condos built near the Port of Tampa which range in size from 596 square feet for a studio to a huge 3,665 square foot roof top luxury penthouse.  Features include stepped terrace-styled architecture, concrete construction, european touches throughout, all designed by some of the most distinguised…

As one of the nation's top tourist destinations and popular relocation area for seniors, Tampa is home to numerous theme parks, upscale shopping and flea markets, golf courses, resorts and spas, and the famous gulf coast beaches. And, if you visit in the Fall you can experience comfortable weather, less traffic and less crowds.

That's right! The kids are back in school and the summer heat and humidity is backing down, making way for an enjoyable Fall and Winter in the Tampa Bay area. So, a visit to our area now allows active adults to make the most of their time and budget.

While you are here you just might want to think about having the opportunity to come back year after year and stay in your own place. After all, with Tampa real estate prices so low,…

Fractional ownership has been around for some time but it may be a new term to some of us.  Popular in some of the tourist areas, such as Tampa Bay, Fractional ownership simply means "the division of any asset into portions or shares".  If the "asset" is real estate for example, the deed can be legally divided into shares and each purchaser owns a part of the deed.  The assets are taxable, represent equity, and can appreciate or depreciate in value when the property itself changes.

Factionals are not timeshares.  Timeshares are, for the most part ,a privilege to use the property for a period of time.  While timeshares tend to lose their value quickly, Fractionals follow the market trend of appreciation on the property.

Fractionals appeal to internet…

In their monthly "Marketplace Analysis", the Pinellas Realtor Organization released some figures announcing the first signs of a balanced market in one price range.  According the PRO, "there's been a slight shift in reported MSI (Month's Supply of Inventory) as of March 2008.  MSI is the number of months it would take to sell all the homes on the market at a given price range for any given point in time".

They report that for single family homes:

MSI of 9 to 14 is considered a balanced market

MSI of 17 to 20 is considered a buyer's market

MSI above 23 is an extreme buyer's market

Sales figures for March 2008 are showing that single family homes priced below $120,000 and up to $150,000 are within a balanced market.  According to President Ann…

Home Sales Shift Emerges" was the headline in the Business section today of the St. Petersburg Times.  Finally something positive!  Well, almost positive.  But, hey, they are trying.  The article goes on to say that while home sale are still declining in the Tampa Bay area, our area is falling much less that half of the state of Florida's average.  How's that?  Well apparently all the short sales that we have in the area are finally moving.  In fact, some Realtors have multiple offers on short sales today.  A short sale is simply the practice of selling a house for less than the outstanding loan balance.  And, the bank (lender) either says yes, no, or here's a counter offer. Lately lenders are signing off more and more on short sale properties rather than…

Probably true in most parts of the country - but especially here in Tampa Bay are desperate home sellers.  Otherwise known as "Motivated Sellers" but these are the sellers that have to sell their homes.  They have been transferred (happens all the time here), laid off, divorced, you name it - whatever lifestyle change that caused this - THEY NEED TO SELL THEIR HOME!  Most times, whatever it takes - they need to find a buyer.

And, quite frankly, they are not afraid to tell you.  Their real estate agents make sure they put those particular comments in the MLS descriptions that homebuyers see when surfing the Internet looking at homes.  Don't just look at the pictures if you are trying to find a good deal!  READ the text - look for clues.

Many potential…