BP OIL SPILL ESTIMATED DAMAGE IN DOLLARS

BP OIL SPILL ESTIMATED DAMAGE IN DOLLARS

CoreLogic estimates that the BP DeepWater Horizon oil spill will cost homeowners in gulf coast communities $648MM over one year and over 5 years as much as $3BB.  If the spill reaches the Florida Keys and the Florida Atlantic coast, losses there could reach up to an additional $28BB in 5 years.  The annualized economic value of beach access at risk by oil coming ashore and beaches being closed were taken into account. Premiums were paid by buyers of homes in these coastal communities.  More than 600,000 properties were identified as being within 1000 meters of the coastline in 15 counties from the gulf coast of Alabama to the Atlantic coast of Florida.

NAR REPORTS EXISTING HOME SALES WERE UP 15% IN JUNE IN FLORIDA

It’s nice to hear good news. 

·        For 22 consecutive months sales activity has increased in the year to year comparison

·        Statewide sales in June were up 7.7% over May

·        Statewide existing-home median price of $143,400 was 2.1% higher than May’s $140,400

·        This is the 4^th month in a row that statewide existing-home median price has increased over previous month

·        16 metropolitan statistical areas showed higher sales for existing condos, many for 24 consecutive months.  

·        Condo price median was $181,300 in May nationally; Florida existing condo median sales price in June was $95,000.  In June 2009 it was $112,800, a 16% decrease.

None of us would disagree with National Association of Realtors (NAR) Economist Lawrence Yun, who said that as the employment rolls rise, so will home sales.

ANTIQUE RUGS – AN ACCESSORY YOU MAY WANT IN YOUR HOME

Unique antique rugs can add personality, character, versatility, style and interest to your home decor.  An antique is described as an item that is at least 80-100 years old, decorative and collectible.  The owner appreciates its age, beauty, rarity, warmth and. While rugs can be the most expensive decorative item in a home, antique carpets can be less expensive than brand new rugs.  You can purchase them at auction, often getting a wonderful buy. Rugs can also be displayed as wall hangings.

Traditional style carpets usually have intricate patterns and come in a wide array of colors from the jewel tones to light and airy, giving a real and elegant look. 

Tabriz rugs are Persian and sometimes have medallion designs and allover patterns that are precisely drawn and executed with care and of a high quality, therefore long -lasting. 

Kashan rugs include some of the best classical silk Persian rugs also with medallion and overall designs, in all colors.

Knorassan/Mashad rugs are available in similar formats but often have a softer, more decorative coloration.  Their weaving technique makes them durable.

Modern design tends to be simpler in taste and style, sometimes minimalist with subtle colors and an abstract look, e.g. arts and crafts or art deco.  Moroccan rugs can have simple tribal geometric or abstract patterns and add a sophisticated look to modern furniture and can have dynamic colors.  Architect Frank Lloyd Wright used Moroccan rugs in the homes he designed. 

THE GOOD NEWS

The Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards conducted a survey in early July with a statistically representative sample of more than 1000 households and found:

·        66% believe the economy will hold steady or improve over the next 6 months

·        83% believe their own personal finances will get better or at least hold their own

·        most consumers are hoping for gradual improvements in home sales and real estate as well as other major sectors of the economy

Their report also discusses the use of financial planners and it has stayed relatively stable for the last two years.

HOME APPRAISALS

A GOOD START when you are putting your property on the market would be to get an appraisal.  Then you know the market value, and can price it for sale accordingly and mention in the listing information that appraisal is available to see.  Here are some hints on how to prepare for an appraisal.

TIME COMING NEAR FOR NEXT SCHOOL SEMESTER

 

If you, or someone you know, wants details about schools in Palm Beach or Broward Counties, you can find all you need to know online.  You can input your address and receive the names of the local elementary, middle and high schools in your neighborhood. 

REPORT SAYS ALLOWING PETS IN CONDOS HAS POSITIVE RAMIFICATION ON PRICES

California enacted a law effective January 2001 that permits each owner in common interest developments, such as condos and mobile home parks, to keep at least one pet, subject to reasonable rules of the homeowners' association. Efforts are under way in Florida to adopt similar legislation, led by a group called Citizens for Pets in Condos.  On their site you can sign a petition to allow pets in condos.  Their Mission Statement: Citizens for Pets in Condos, Inc. educates the public on the health benefits of animal companionship and about responsible pet ownership in order to increase acceptance of companion animals in common interest ownership communities.  We believe that association rules should concentrate on irresponsible pet owners, allowing a win-win situation for responsible animal guardians and animals who would otherwise be needlessly euthanized. 

The idea is that pets generally provide emotional support for homeowners.  A recent report co-authored by Charles Carter, Ph.D., specialist in real estate analysis with many years of experience as a professor, real estate lawyer and appraiser and Tim Allen, professor and director of the Real Estate Center at the College of Charleston, which found allowing pets in condos has a positive effect on condominium prices in the South Florida condo market.

NEW SECURE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM ID’S CRIMINAL ALIENS IN FLORIDA TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE US

US Immigration/Customs (ICE) and Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement (FDLE) are using new fingerprinting method to identify legal and illegal criminal aliens and to remove them from the United States.  A “criminal alien” is defined as an alien convicted of a crime.  Fingerprints are used that are taken when these criminals entered prison and when they entered the US.  This enables local law enforcement partners to know as much as possible about the people in their custody by quickly and accurate identification.

The new SECURE COMMUNITIES program now checks fingerprints against both FBI criminal history records and a biometrics-based ID system maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.  The purpose of the program is to modernized identifying and removing the most dangerous criminal aliens from the US.  The Program has been activated statewide in Florida and is now being used in 392 jurisdictions in 23 states. It should be available nationwide by 2013. 

ICE is notified thru the fingerprinting process and places a priority on removing aliens convicted of the most serious Level 1 offenses first, for committing violent crimes such as major drug offenses, murder, rape and kidnapping.  The use of biometric technology has greatly improved the ID method.  Using this program, criminal aliens are not released back into our communities when they complete their sentences.

Since October 2008, 22,200 criminal aliens convicted of Level 1 crimes as described above have been removed from the United States, 1800 of them from Florida, and more than 22,200 criminal aliens convicted of Level 2 and 3 crimes have been removed, including burglary and serious property crimes which are the highest amount of crimes committed by aliens. 

Congress provided the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with funding in FY 2008 to “improve and modernize efforts to identify aliens convicted of a crime, sentenced to imprisonment, and who may be deportable, and remove them from the United States once they are judged deportable.”

HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT AND FLOOD INSURANCE EXTENSION PASSED BY SENATE AND HOUSE and SIGNED BY OBAMA

HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT AND FLOOD INSURANCE EXTENSION PASSED BY SENATE AND HOUSE and SIGNED BY OBAMA

HR5623, extending mandatory closing date to qualify for the homebuyer tax credit has extended closing deadline to September 30, 2010 for contracts signed by April 30, 2010.  National Association of Realtors estimates more than 14,000 closings will benefit.

The National Flood Insurance Program has been extended to September 30, 2010, retroactive to May 31, 2010.

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CAT WORLD

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CAT WORLD

The U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2007 Edition), a source for pet statistics, announced in 2007 there were nearly 82MM pet cats and 72 MM pet dogs in the US.  In 2006 the average veterinary expenditure per household for all pets was $366.  In 2006 nearly half of pet owners (49.7%) considered their pets to be family members.

A RECENT New York Times article gave examples for cat owners of a new trend to safely bring their cats outdoors, “CATIOS.”  There are photos and stories about folks who build outdoor fenced areas onto their patios and backyards to give their cats room to roam outdoors.  They range from minimal to huge areas, especially when there is more than one cat.  Sometimes owners share the space, eating out among their cats in this environment that is safe from predators.

Cat beds include the Over-the-Door Hanging Cat Bed with Portholes, cat hammocks, Kitt-In Box, and

Contemporary Cat Towers.

Here is a new contemporary design award winning litter box idea   

 or a more formal corner cat litter box .

Cat trees are very popular, including the Little Lotus Cat Tree - or consider the simple alternative above.   

 New and cat-friendly and comfortable hanging bed is the soft pillowed Trapeze Hanging Cat Bed. in an attractive assortment of colors, referred to by the New York Times as “the I-Pod of litter boxes”.

For those of you among the readership who want to invent or design a new product, the cat world is a good place to start as cat owners are a dedicated bunch of folks who are looking for ways to enhance the lives of their “fur-babies.”

VOTE TO HELP !

VOTE TO HELP !

PLEASE vote and help the 

BENGAL CAT RESCUE GROUP

Get a grant to help them enlarge 

the wonderful work they do
to find a "forever home"

for unfortunate pets 

who have been abandoned

And cannot help themselves.

Bengal Cats have baby Asian Leopards

some generations back

are very tame from F4 (4th generation) on

and fun, faithful, loving and SMART.

Some have spots, some have rosettes on their backs.
They are playful and have wonderful dispositions.

THINK YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE?

Enjoy the wonders of  this creation.

 

Amazing Tiny Apartment...very interesting... 

A Hong-Kong architect designed a 344 sq. ft. apartment that can change into

24 different rooms, all by just sliding panels and walls. This is worth watching.

 

  http://www.wservernews.com/3AQOO8/100503-Tiny-Apartment

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE PALM BEACH ZOO LATELY?

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE PALM BEACH ZOO LATELY?

• Oz is a Kaola who loves fresh Eucalyptus and requires six varieties for his diet, which the zoo has acquired.  The Zoo was approached to become a new facility for management and breeding of Queensland koalas, requiring staff training and construction of the new naturalistic habitat for koalas at the zoo costing over $100,000.  More construction is underway to accommodate these animals. 

• A newly constructed habitat for Wallabies allows you to watch for the baby joeys peeking out from mom’s pouch.  You can get wonderfully close views.

• Wings Over Water is an interactive daily show featuring 20 trained majestic and sometimes comical birds – 11 am daily and also 2 pm on weekends.
• There are two new otter pups to ewwww and ahhhh over.
• Howl along with New Guinea Singing Dogs, Mic and Sydney, who star in the Wild Things Show at 1 pm weekdays and 12 pm weekends.

The Zoo offers more than 60 animal enrichment and encounters weekly with additional special events every month on Friday nights, 5:30-8pm during June and August, come over for Safari Nights with live entertainment, nature workshops, children’s games, interactive wildlife shows, up-close animal encounters and complementary carousel rides.  Winter in July brings snow to the zoo July 10-11.

See the Zoo’s state-of-the-art animal care complex.  The Zoo also has green certification and has received Green Nonprofit Certification and is a “Going Green” Sustainability Leader.

Location is Dreher Park in West Palm Beach where there are over 1400 animals within 23 lush tropical acres.  Stop by and have a wonderful day.

WHAT IS BP DOING RE THE OIL SPILL?

Here is a good illustration of the methods being used to stop the flow of oil from the well.  It runs about 13 minutes, well worth watching to understand what is happening right now.

GOOD NEWS ON THE HOME SALE FRONT JUST IN...

"The upswing in April sales was expected because of the tax credit inducement, and no doubt there will be some temporary fallback" ahead,” says National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. He further states that  “Not only do consumers have growing confidence in the economy and their own incomes, but home buyers no longer fear further price declines -- and that's a crucial turning point in the cycle.”

THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR HOME?

THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR HOME?

Have you heard that STAGING can make a difference and may help sell your home?

Learn all about it at Robb & Stucky by attending one of their seminars, “Staging to Sell”.  Robb & Stucky Design Consultant Ron Hammond will tell you how to “prep” your home for a faster sale and make it stand out from other homes on the market.   

Your real estate agent can also be helpful, e.g. convincing you to remove clutter, open up spaces… after all, “it is all about the buyer,” and they are not interested in the sellers collections nor family photos, but rather, how their collections and furniture will fit in your home if they buy it.  It may be hard for sellers to understand that, but can make the difference for a faster sale.

The seminars will be held in the Boca Raton store in Mizner Park on May 27^th and June 24^th at 2 pm.  Reserve by calling 561-862-5597.

GETTING A NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORIC DESIGNATION

Why do it?  Being designated as a historic district can result in higher property values and access to grants and financial assistance for maintenance and repairs.

How long could this take? Working up to 20 hours a week, it could take 6 months or more.  Be ready for intensive research, paperwork, local government involvement, surveys, and you may want a consultant. 

What to research? Neighborhood architecture, be sure it is historic, photograph homes and streetscapes, survey property lines, and contact local and state historic officials and any historic preservation society, city or state groups nearby.  Learn about any well known people who lived in the area in the past as well as currently.

Why hire a consultant ($5000-$20,000 or more)?  A qualified consultant can do the paperwork, understand architectural terms, determine if properties are historic, usually meaning 50 or more years old.  Exceptions could be properties associated with major events.

Suggestion: Contact your town’s state representative to determine boundaries of the historic district you want to create.  Local designations may involve a town zoning board vote.

Know this: you may find opposition from neighbors and if so, an individual owner can decline to have their home listed.  People may be upset if they cannot change any parts of their homes without a lot of paperwork to get permission. 

What are the Designation differences: Restrictions differ with local, state and national designations, so learn the differences.  National designation is the most lenient; state designations tend to follow them.  Local designations are the most restrictive and usually are included in municipal preservation ordinances.  Restrictions can include colors of paint, additions or how windows and/or roofing are replaced.  The National Park Service administers the National Register of Historic Places, which is considered the most prestigious designation.  It is honorary and does not limit what owners can do to their homes.  National and State designated properties are usually overseen by State Historic Preservation Officers.  Most complaints are at the local level, but homes with local AND national designations tend to increase in value more than those with only a national designation, perhaps due to more oversight and more neighborhood involvement. 

For more information on Historic Homes.

LIFE IN WISCONSIN as painted by ROBERT DUNCAN

While this is NOT typical Florida life, I think you will enjoy watching this power point show.  If download does not work, click view.  Sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds.

	RobertDuncan'spaintings.pps 5149K   View   Download

South Florida Business Journal: EXISTING HOME, CONDO SALES RISE-in 2010 homes and condos are unlikely to be as cheap to buy or as cheap to finance.

The latest monthly Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index came in higher last week. Prices were up in 12 of the 20 major markets that Case Shiller monitors.   Home price indexes increased nationwide in August, including in South Florida where an S&P Case-Shiller report released today showed a 1.1 percent step up.  The index does include all single family homes sold, which may account for any difference between it and National Association of Realtor figures released last week that showed a small dip in local median home prices. The NAR looks at MLS listings only.

The Commerce Department released parallel findings last week - that consumers are finally beginning to loosen up on spending, and are making purchases they deferred during the scary months of 2009.   If that rate of expansion in consumption continues, not only will it begin to whittle away at the unemployment rate, but also stimulate the entire US economy, since consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of the national gross domestic product or GDP.  The housing and mortgage sectors could also begin to show some of that confidence and willingness to spend.

Home sales are expected spike upwards in the coming several months as the two federal housing tax credits head for expiration.  Mortgage Bankers Association reported last week that applications for new loans to buy houses - a bellwether indicator - jumped by seven percent and now stand at their highest level in six months.