Weathering Storm Sandy and Real Estate in Florida.

It appears that Tropical Storm Sandy is heading north and has impacted us here in Coral Springs,FL. with some rain and gusty wind and all seems well for this weekend. I’m sure there will be some cleanup but we were well prepared and lucky at the same time. We all move forward doing what we need to do in a proactive manner.

There has been a storm here in the South Florida real estate market the last 4-5 years as well which has impacted all. There has been a clean up in real estate as well going on with opportunity for all. The impact varies for each but the recovery has begun and will continue as long as the desire is there. We all need shelter which is the foundation of our lives in Florida and nationally.

There are opportunities today in refinance, modification, credit repair, government backed incentives and loans, short sales, bankruptcy and foreclosures. The point being that lives move forward after a storm with opportunities for all. Just know what they are and what you want.

Some empty nesters-boomers prefer single family homes.

There are many empty nesters and baby boomers who prefer the single family home lifestyle here in South Florida.http://www.youngquisthomes.com/EmptyNesters.html  There are several reasons for this: they are: having room for visitors, a home office, privacy,affordability and having room for family to move in.

The amenities preferred are modern kitchens, newer baths and flooring, easy or low maintenance and comfort with the community lifestyle. This they feel is well deserved after many years of hard work and family responsiblity. It’s less about status and more about freedom to enjoy life.

Which do you prefer? The condo, townhouse, single family home,  and the type of community wanted are all choices that are available here in the Coral Springs-Parkland area of Florida. Does a community of all age groups fit your needs best? Or maybe not. Everyone has different needs.

The clogged A/C condensate drain.

Last night about 12 midnight I noticed that my air conditioner was not working properly in my home in Coral Springs,FL. So with flashlight and mini wet -vac in hand , I unclogged the pipe. This was no easy feat considering it was dark and the tight fit in getting the vac against the drain. This is not recommended especially with the hot weather still with us.

Some a/c people recommend pui

Celebrating Labor Day Weekend in town.

Instead of traveling, I spent this Labor Day weekend enjoying activities around my home in Coral Springs, FL. Friday night I went to McDivits to enjoy the music and dancing with a 50+ crowd. Saturday morning, I went to Lexus for my free car wash and bagel and coffee. did some food shopping at ALDI, the off brand store, went for a swim in the Arbors Community Pool and the rest of the morning trimmed my Bougainvillea tree out front and cleaned my patio. Saturday afternoon I bought a  garment suitcase at Steinmart for my shopping craving with multiple discounts.

Sunday morning I played tennis at Cypress Head and then lunched at the Cheese Cake Factory and went to my parents home in Wynmoor for dinner. Monday morning I headed to Deerfield Beach and in the afternoon barbecued steak and sausage on my new grill from Lowes. Through out I watched 3 dvds that I got from Broward County Library.

The point being is I had a fun and active weekend without the hassle of travel and without spending a lot. And how cool is this, I can do this year round. So if you ever are feeling bored or interested in what’s happening in Coral Springs and surrounding areas ,let me know.

Lots of rain and wind in Coral Springs.

Here in Coral Springs,FL. we have gotten much rain and wind from Tropical Storm Issac but have not had much damage or lost power. But it is now  in the Gulf of Mexico and heading towards Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coasts and becoming a Hurricane. http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/27/us/tropical-storm-isaac/index.html?eref=igoogledmn_topstories

Let’s hope for the best for those areas. They seem well prepared and that’s all that can be done.

Keep an eye on tropical storm Issac.

Tropical Storm Issac could be heading toward South Florida and with this being the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, we should keep an eye out. It could become a hurricane. What this means is having plenty of water, batteries,candles and canned goods. And be sure your shutters are all there and working.

After Hurricane Andrew the building codes toughened and it helped save us much during Hurricane Wilma. It’s always better to be ” safe than sorry”. We all feel lucky and hopefully it will pass but eventually another storm will affect us. We should have more information by the end of the week and this annual experience here in Florida is always expected. But we still must keep an eye out for what could happen.

My nose and the light post.

Every home in the Arbors in Coral Springs has the same light post with a photo cell which is a nice community feature. It is controlled by a GFI outlet behind some shrubbery which sometimes trips after a heavy rain and sometimes the bulb just needs replacement. I noticed the light out and tried to reset the breaker that night and the next morning changed the bad bulb. Hoping that maybe the GFI would reset I tried again and was stung on the top of the nose by an unfriendly wasp. Man did that hurt and after removing the sting and the wasp’s nest I did what I do best.

Mr. handyman here called my electrician friend to replace this GFI which was bad. The lesson here is to call a licenced professional for advice and repair before suffering with pain. Your home environment will be then be safer and more comfortable.

Miami Marlins stadium rules.

It only took one hour to drive from Coral Springs, FL. to Miami Marlins Stadium via I-95 even though it was raining. There was no traffic, it was easy to find and there is plenty of parking. Since it was raining the roof was closed, the seats were excellent and with the large HD scoreboard there was music and interactive entertainment. It’s a fun outing for families and friends, with all being new, colorful and a great venue for viewing Major League Baseball. This will allow the Marlins to compete with other elite teams if we support them.

There has been much grumbling from residents in Broward and Palm Beach Counties about how far and how tough a drive it is to Miami but it is just not the case. Let’s root for our home team or teams you grew up with but don’t miss out on a great experience.

Congratulations to our American Olympic winners.

Yesterday I watched with great pride and emotion the gold medal performances of our womans gymnastic team and the mens swimming relay with which Michael Phelps set an Olympic record for medals. After years of training, effort and competition, their joy in winning as well as their relatives and the rest of America was felt by all who live in the U.S.A. It brings everyone together at least for these Olympic Games and is good news and also entertaining. By rooting for them I felt part of the effort and joy.

In Real Estate you also need a team effort. That means everyone doing their part in the buying and selling process, which includes the buyers, sellers, brokers, sales associates, mortgage consults, title agents, home inspectors and handyman. If everyone does their part, we all win.

 

The Festival Flea Market is fun.

Yesterday I went to the Festival Flea Market in Pompano Beach to get a watch battery put in. Since there was a 15 minute wait, I decided to purchase some fruits and veggies which were excellent and a great value. I also must admit to purchasing a box of addictive Chinese noodles to balance my diet.

On my way back I purchased some beautiful nite light aroma lamps and essential oils so that my home will be well-lit and smelling good and then picked up my fine tuned watch.

Visitors from around the world come to this shopping plaza year round. What does this have to do with real estate? Well since I live in the Coral Creek area of Coral Springs which is minutes away and since folks travel to come here, why not take advantage. After all we all need watch repair, fruits and veggies and want our homes to smell and look good. http://www.festival.com/