New Port Richey, Florida Real Estate Blog

It is time for Chasco Fiesta!!! Get your party on starting March 18th - New Port Richey, Florida

Well it is that time of year again, and with all the cold weather we had this winter, it is just another sign of spring in Florida.  Chasco Fiesta is one heckuva good time.  If you have never been, and I find  that hard to believe, you really need to treat yourself to atleast a few activities over the many days.

Who doesn't love a parade.  Apparently everybody loves parades so much they are going to have a street parade as well as a Boat parade.  Both are spectacular.  But if that does not tickle your fancy, how about Car Show?  or the Truck Show?  C'mon everybody loves a Bike Show, right? Chasco Fiesta is where everyone you know will be.

Would you maybe prefer something more low key?  How about the arts and crafts or the Flea Market?  Maybe you would like to watch a Children's Pageant.  Do you love gardening? Because the New Port Richey Community Garden is looking for volunteers and visitors.  Read their blog HERE to find out more

A good time is guaranteed to all.  Or better yet, maybe you can volunteer.  We all know how much the economy is hurting, and this could just be the shot in the arm we need.  What makes you feel better than social events?  I would say Volunteering at Chasco Fiesta.  Doesn't cost you anything but time, and it will be a good time.  Check out New Port Richey's Chasco Fiesta website Here.  It has been happening annually since 1947,  so join the fun and if you see me do not hesitate to say hello.  I do not bite, but I may nibble a bit :)

January 2010 Real Estate Market Update - Gulf Harbors, New Port Richey, FLorida 

Market numbers for the month of January could be interpreted as a pretty poor snapshot of Gulf Harbors, but I would suggest we keep in mind that this is usually a slow time of year.  

Also, while the home values have been steadily dropping in New Port Richey, Florida it is also true that inventory levels have shot up in the last few weeks.

 

 

 

 

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Spectacular Clouds at Sunset at Hudson Beach, Florida

I believe I have previously mentioned, that while I am trying to build my Real Estate presence in New Port Richey, that I was kicked out of New Port Richey Parks just before, or at, Sunset.  That is not very conducive to Sunset photos that really should contain videos of the span of time, or at least before during and after shots of sunrise.  

Afterall some of the most spectacular scenes I have personally viewed occured AFTER SUNSET.  The light of the set sun reflected back to earth (my eyes) off the clouds after sunset usually releases a much wider range of colors & contrasts.  So as the parking lot/beach empties I continue to shoot.

For this segment I must admit I had not planned on going to shoot sunset pics, but as I returned from the shopping plaza I could not help but notice the spectacular nuclear explosion of colors to the west.  I knew it was after sunset, but thought maybe, just maybe I would snake a few good pictures after sunset.  I will leave you to be the judge.  Enjoy, with my complments

I saw that I had to capture tonight on Film

thought this was amazing

lets point south and see what is going on

with Flash showing where I shoot from on Hudson Beach Pavillion (show stopper)

The Paviollions for the Best Pics in Hudson or West Pasco County

Let the Sunset Continue

Spectacular Colors

 

and what a spectacular view

In conclusion, and going forward, I want all to know that my pictures, unless otherwise stated are posted in order of time taken.  Blurry photos may be deleted, but they are always in proper sequence.  This fact I am using to learn how to better use my Camera.  In these situations, I use the Landscape Setting, with the flash turned on (which my camera determines whether it is used) and a 10 second countdown setting so I do not ruin the picture.

 

I saw a phenomenal picture of a scene in Ireland.  However what I learned is far above my education level.  The photographer stated she had taken the Same Picture 3 different times with 3 different settings to produce 1 picture with phenomenal foreground/background/picture in general.  Something that can not be achieved by the average Joe.   My pictures are of/by/for the Average Joe, so enjoy

I am also working on putting together the perfect video camera on a tripod with a room panning hardware for smooth panning shots for the video tours my other company does.  All things in their own time, for now Enjoy another Peaceful Sunset on the Gulf of Mexico 

Enjoy a Sunset on the Gulf in Hudson Beach, Florida

I have shifted my focus to New Port Richey, but unfortunately the Parks department seems to start there.   They close Green Key park at sunset so it ruins my pictures/video.  So I have returned to Hudson Beach for my video of Sunsets.  Hopefully this will remain a successful site, although to date, the sun is setting behind some land, instead of over the gulf.  

I also need to point out that this is only the 2nd video I have recorded for commercial reasons.   Up until now I have only promoted my listings with no party fouls.  Yet here we are

 

Welcome to Sunsets at Green Key, New Port Richey, FL.

Those who have read me regularly know that I have recently had to change from Hudson Beach for my sunset photographs to Green Key in New Port Richey.  Reason being that the Sunset has fallen behind the Sea Ranch Subdivision.  As a result I have moved to Green Key in New Port Richey.

More important than that, I recently did an annual market report for New Port Richey, West Pasco County, FL and I was shocked to find out that 1 out of every 3 Real Estate Transactions in West Pasco occurred in New Port Richey. Now I knew New Port Richey was large compared to the other towns in my service area, but I had not thought it was the epicenter.  As a result, I have changed my target market from Hudson, where My office is, to New Port Richey as that is where the business is.  Nothing personal, it's just business.  Smart Business!

Now the Sunsets

New Port Richey, Florida Real Estate Annual Market Report 2009

Unlike most other reports I blog, these Statistics include ALL Residential Property Sales:

Single Family Homes, Townhomes, Condos & Mobile Homes.

Here are the numbers from 2008 for comparison to 2009 which are in the 2nd graphic.  First thing that jumps out at me is that the Average Sold Price to List Price (SP/LP) ratio was 93% in New Port Richey just like Hudson, Port Richey & West Pasco County as well.

Next thing that gets my attention was a Sale for $10.87/SqFt.  LOL.  That is some real bargain basement shopping.  Usually the land alone is worth more than that.  What  a steal.

Number of Sold listings is rather telling too.  Twice as many homes sold in New Port Richey than in either  Hudson & Port Richey &  New Port Richey accounts for ~1/3rd of homes sold in West Pasco County

Well compared to 2008, 2009 has doubled its Lowest Sold price, which is not hard to do when you go from $6,000 to $12,000.   But the lowest SP/SqFt is still under $11/SqFt.

IN 2009 we saw an increase  of ~16.6% increase in units Sold, as well as ~16% decline in the average List Price to $132,029, but more importantly the average Sold Price is down ~17% to $121,854.  Prices in New Port Richey Real Estate are looking very attractive.

Surprisingly though the Days On Market (DOM) increased by ~9% from 93 days to 101.  Overall, between the bargain basement Prices, Tax Credit & a growing sense that the economy is going to recover, are making for a more positive outlook going forward.

 

Florida Realtors® offer High School Students a $6,000 Scholarship for College in annual competition

Deadline for Entry is February 08, 2010

So what must a High School Senior do in order to get up to a $6,000 Scholarship?

Students must write a typed, double-spaced essay, 500 words or less, on the topic:

“How Does a Realtor® Professional Benefit the Community?”

 

It is not long, it is not that hard.  You can write about just about any area of Real Estate including, but not limited too: 

 

1. Residential Brokerage
2. Commercial Brokerage
3. Industrial Brokerage
4. Office Brokerage
5. Farm & Land Brokerage
6. Real Estate Appraising
7. Property managment
8. Land Development
9. Real Estate Counseling

 

Nora Hernandez-Huapilla - - Dead because she wanted to get to school

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Such a tragedy no parent should have to endure.  Nora was on her way to her regular bus-stop.  

So she was 17 years old, and she should have known better, and been more careful, than to cross against the green.  But what ever happened to cherishing & protecting our most valuable, our future, the children?  I got picked up for High School by a bus on a four lane road while in High School.  I walked up my street, with my neighbor to the intersection with a main town road.  But the bus stopped on my side of the road, on the way back instead of when they first came by, and I did not have to cross any lanes, unlike Nora Hernandez-Huapilla.

Nora Hernandez-Huapilla is dead, in part, because according to a previous complaint, the Bus driver was not waiting for students approaching the bus-stop when the bus was there.  Nora was excited to deliver the Christmas Cards she had written to her friends.  Unfortunately between her, and her bus stop, was a 6 lane road.

 

So what did the Pinellas School District Superintendent Julie Janssen have to say about it????

"You know those are decisions that parents make when they choose to allow their children to go to a school that's not their zoned school. The information was given at the beginning that we would provide arterial transportation, and it was a requirement for the parents to get the children to those stops. And it's a choice that a family makes to have a child stay at a school that's different than the assigned school."

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/family-of-girl-killed-while-trying-to-get-to-the-bus-stop-had-complained/1059903

I am sorry, but where I grew up, you do not die because you wanted to go to a better school.

A child should not die because she was worried about missing a bus.

A child should not die because a 6 lane highway is between her and her education/friends.

And lastly, A child's safety should be the Most Important Issue.  Only a safe child can attend school to learn and grow.  This was a failure on many levels.  And unfortunately all one can hope for is that everybody learns from the situation and changes are made so that this never happens again.

Now before you make a remark about how Nora Hernandez-Huapilla was 17, let me tell you about where I went to college.  ERAU is in Daytona Beach, and I was surprised that in one of my Engineering courses they gave a project to every class to estimate the costs/benefits of building a pedestrian bridge across Clyde Morris Blvd to a satellite campus.  It too was a 6 lane road, but the administration saw the danger.  It took a few years, but eventually a Pedestrian overpass was built.  So I ask you, if a pedestrian overpass is needed for College level students, why would we require our High School Students to cross a 6 lane road, imperiling their life.  

I have no idea how one is to deal with this as a parent. I can not even begin to think how dark this holiday season, and future ones, will be due to this When I was a courier in NYC I found it unbelievable that in the worst parts of the city patrol cars followed children home from all schools north south east and west. I could not believe that children needed police escorts to get to and from school. Now all I can think is where was the support protecting our most valuable investment???

How much does it cost to save a Childs life

Obviously it all depends on where said child is born.  But for a HUGE portion of the Worlds Children it only takes $0.50 every year to save a childs life  That is all it takes to treat a child for what is called the 'Neglected Tropical Diseases.'  

The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases is an advocacy initiative dedicated to raising the awareness, political will, and funding necessary to control and eliminate the most common neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)--a group of disabling, disfiguring, and deadly diseases affecting more than 1.4 billion people worldwide living on less than $1.25 a day.  

For next to nothing, you can save a childs life.  For the price of a Starbucks coffee you can save many lives.  Only 'downside' is that each treatment only lasts for that year.  But for that little money every year, you could save a persons life, for that year.  Isn't a childs life worth that much.  And growing up healthy means their brain grows better so the cycle can be broken

I fully admit there are a ton of available charities to give to, but of them all, there are quite a few that you can count on giving 100% to the cause, and that will have lifelong affect as a result.

Make a difference and become active in your community.  God Bless

Hudson Florida Growth

 

Over the years we certainly have had a lot of rumors about future development in Pasco County Florida.  From a Nascar track, to a Busch Gardens, ad nauseum

And this could be only the latest Busy Betty chatter at the water cooler, yet it is more plausible, while being more unbelievable, due to its specifics.   What in the heck am I going on about?  The 'former Publix shopping plaza' on US-19 @ SR-52.

I, like many wondered what would happen to the strip mall when its Anchor relocated.  Especially since Stevens Furniture already moved directly across the street.  According to my source (gossiper who has 'connections in the county) his business is moving next month too.  RadioShack has not renewed its lease (allegedly), and TJ Maxx has announced it is relocating as well (allegedly).  That leaves just a couple of stragglers, which have zero chance of supporting the costs of the strip mall.  However (allegedly) this is all according to plans of the Strip Malls owner.

Allegedly The owner already has a buyer, who has a buyer, but only if the strip mall is empty.  What in the world would a developer want with an empty Strip Mall?  Allegedly, the land it sits on.  More importantly, the land behind it, that goes all the way to the Gulf.  See where this is going?

Once again, ALLEGEDLY the developer has approval with the county and state to level the mall, and not only build High rise Condos (no surprise in Florida) but to also dredge deep water canals & a much needed marina.  While that sounds like a fantastic idea, it is also the plans Achilles Heel.  I see nothing but an uphill battle (near vertical) with the ENVIRONMENTALISTS.  Afterall we are talking about creating canals/marina.  Not developing a naturally occurring area.  While Condos in Florida go without saying, dredging and developing coastline just does not sound feasible in my humble opinion.  Time will tell, beginning with the strip mall in the coming New Year

the strip mall i am talking about is on the Northwest (upperleft) corner of the intersection of US-19 @ SR-52.

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