Fed Stands Still – Time to Make Your Move The Federal Reserve held the line on Tuesday–leaving the Fed Funds Rate at 2.00% for the third straight meeting. The decision, however, was anything but cut-and-dry. Earlier in the week, the Personal Consumption Expenditure data indicated that inflation climbed 0.8% overall in June, which is the highest inflation jump in 27 years. In addition, the report indicated that inflation now sits at 2.3%–above the Fed's desired range of 1-2%. Although the Fed ultimately left interest rates unchanged, inflation obviously remains a concern and the recent rise may lead to an interest rate hike by the Fed in the near future. What Does This Mean to You? Many experts believe the housing market is nearing the bottom and may even be set to bounce back up. For n... 08/06/2008

Gainesville Florida Area Passive Recreation, Gardens, and Conservation Areas (North Central Florida)Alfred A. Ring Park (20 acres on Hogtown Creek, wildflowers, Gainesville)            www.cityofgainesville.org/no/facilities/aarp.aspx Austin Cary Memorial Forest (Waldo)   www.sfrc.ufl.edu/facilities.html Biven's Arm Nature Park (57 acres of oak hammock,marsh, and trail, Gainesville)            www.cityofgainesville.org/no/facilities/banp.aspx and            www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/north/trails/bivens_arm_trail.htm Boulware Springs (Gainesville)   www.cityofgainesville.org/no/facilities/bsphw.aspx Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum (UF Campus, Gainesville)  www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflies/ Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve (Cedar Key)   www.floridastateparks.org/cedarkeys... 08/05/2008

Gainesville Florida Area (North Central Florida) Golf Courses & Tennis Centers          Golf Courses within 40 miles of Gainesville, FloridaCity of Gainesville Ironwood Golf Course (Gainesville)   www.ironwoodgolf.net  or            www.cityofgainesville.org/ironwoodCity of Ocala Municipal Golf Course 1   www.ocalafl.org City of Ocala Municipal Golf Course 2 (formerly Pine Oaks)   www.ocalafl.orgChiefland & Country Club (Chiefland)  www.thegolfcourses.net/golfcourses/FL/261.htm Country Club of Ocala (Ocala)   http://privategolfocala.com    Gainesville Country Club (Gainesville)  www.gainesvillegolf.cc/sites/courses/view.asp?id=334&page=8312Golden Hills Golf Club (Ocala)   www.goldenhillscc.com Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club   www.goldenocala.com Haile Plantation Golf & Country Club... 08/03/2008

Gainesville Florida Area (North Central Florida) Fishing, Boating, Swimming, and Watersports.Many city and county parks and recreation areas have public swimming pools.  Many Active and Passive Recreation Areas have Rivers, Creeks, Lakes, and Ponds where swimming, fishing, canoeing, boating, and tubing are allowed.  The Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are short drives away.           http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Gainesville+florida+fishing&btnG=Google+Search          www.purewaterwilderness.com      and      www.originalflorida.org   FRESHWATER (Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers)            The "Lake Region" which includes Earleton, Hampton, Hawthorne, Interlachen, Keystone Heights, Melrose, and Waldo forms a crescent around Gainesville on the east, northeast, and southeast.  There... 08/02/2008

Art Museums & Galleries in and near Gainesville Florida (North Central Florida)Appleton Museum of Art (Ocala)   www.apletonmuseum.org Artisan's Guild Gallery (Gainesville)   www.artisansguildgallery.com Eleanor Blair Art Studio (Gainesville)   www.eleanorblairstudio.com Fred Bear Archery Museum (Gainesville) www.lostparks.com/fredbear.html   High Springs Gallery (High Springs)   www.highspringsgallery.com Landscapes Art Studio (High Springs) http://landscapesartstudio.com Levy County Quilt Museum (Chiefland)   Lost Art Gallery (Gainesville)   www.artnet.com/gallery/131432/lost-art-fine-art-antiques-antiquities.htmlMcIntyre Stained Glass Studio & Art Gallery (Gainesville)   www.mcintyrestudio.com Melrose Bay Art Gallery (Melrose)   www.mbgallery.smugsmug.com Micanopy Log Cabin Gallery (M... 08/01/2008

Farmer's and Flea Markets in the Gainesville Florida Area (North Central Florida) Alachua County Farmer's Market (North Gainesville)   www.441market.com Bradford Farmer's Market (Starke)   www.BradfordFarmersMarket.com Butler Plaza Southwest Gainesville Farmer's Market (Southwest Gainesville)Haile Plantation Farmer's Market (Southwest Gainesville)  www.haileguide.com/eventdetail.php?id=2 High Springs Farmer's Market (High Springs)   http://city.highsprings.com Keystone Heights Farmer's Market (Keystone Heights)Marion Street Farmer's Market (Lake City)   Tioga Monday Market (Jonesville)  Trenton Community Farmer's Market (Trenton)   Union County Farmer's Market (Lake Butler)Union Street Farmer's Market (Gainesville Downtown Farmer's Market)   www.unionstreetfarmersmkt.com Waldo Farmer's ... 08/01/2008

Gainesville, Florida and Vicinity (North Central Florida)Natural & Human History Museums & Historical SitesArcher Railroad & Historical Museum (Archer)   www.afn.org/~archer/depot010.htm Bailey Plantation House (Gainesville)   http://historic.alachua.fl.us Black Heritage Trail   www.originalflorida.org Camp Blanding Museum & Memorial Park (World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Desert Storm)   (Starke)   http://30thinfantry.org/blanding.shtml  Cedar Key Museum (Cedar Key)   www.floridastateparks.org/cedarkeymuseum    Chambers Farm (Fort McCoy)   www.chambersfarm.org Columbia County Historical Museum (Lake City)   www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1160263 Dudley Farm Historic Site State Park (Newberry)   www.floridastateparks.org Florida Museum of Natural History (University of Florida... 07/29/2008

Yes, I already have the college football fever.   But hey GATOR FANS.....it's time to cast your vote for the ESPN TITLETOWN. It's time to vote for one of the ESPN Sports Center 20 TitleTown USA finalists. The winner will be announced during the 6:00 PM Sports Center broadcast on 28 July (Monday). Here's the link to ESPN's site to vote for OUR TitleTown! http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/titletown/index Watch the VIDEOS !!!                   ****  TITLE TOWN VIDEO   **** GO GATORS !!! It won't be long.......we'll all be "in the swamp" soon......  Let's Make Some Noise !! 07/25/2008

Some of the government's new regulations seem bogus to me; just a band-aides to make themselves look good. For example, regulation against prepayment penalties. In the short term that might help some people sell a house in foreclosure. In the long term it forces lenders to use higher interest rates, making it harder for people to buy. HOWEVER - I am definately in favor of adding regulations that encourages trancparency within any transaction that allows borrowers to understand what they are paying for. I remember how shocked I was years ago, when I learned that mortgage brokers were being rewarded by offering me a higher interest rate. I thought they were shopping for ME - trying to get me the lowest rate! I am encouraged to see that this issue has, at least, been recognized by legislat... 07/23/2008

Before Zillow.com, I paid nearly $100.00 for access to The First American Corporation's data base of recently sold properties so that I could get an idea of what a property's value was. Of course, I am not a Realtor, so this information was not as readily available to me. Then came Zillow. This site is awesome for people who are not real estate agents and want to check for recently sold homes in their neighborhood. Some counties have organized their own database, but not here in Gainesville (Alachua County). I would warn against putting too much faith in the "Zestimate" that Zillow offers for specific properties. Primarily because it cannot consider the condition of the properties or their value based on their exact location. In other words, Zillow will consider the all of the values su... 07/23/2008

  Are you always looking for a great investment?  Do you have any kids going to college or in college?  Well, don't let the picture to your right scare you. Just that many of us can relate to the movie Animal House and John Belushi. That is not what college is about. But how about another way to help pay for your kids education? So, what is a Kiddie Condo loan? It's your basic FHA loan that allows for a non-occupant co-borrower to help someone to purchase a home. The co-borrowers that will not be living in the home must be a family member/relative.  Why the term condo?  Just that condos in many college area where very affordable. But in my opinion, which I will show later, a 3 or 4 bedroom house would be a much better investment. Especially for the fact that you can usually get into the... 07/19/2008

Real Estate Market Report for June 2008 - Gainesville, FL. You either love statistics or hate them.   I love numbers, so I thought I would share the Gainesville Real Estate market stats for last month. Total Homes Sold in June 2008 =  333 Price by Bedrooms   -2 3 4+ Condos  Total Sell Price Volume $2,634,900 $29,025,758 $24,195,094 $14,077,300 $69,933,052 List Price Volume $2,826,426 $30,267,328 $25,425,275 $14,283,847 $72,802,876 Avg Sell Price $138,678 $197,454 $322,601 $153,014 $210,009 Avg List Price $148,759 $205,900 $339,003 $155,259 $218,627 List/Sell/Ratio 93% 95% 95% 98% 96% Median List Price $159,000 $195,000 $304,900 $159,700 $193,000 Median Sell Price $151,500 $189,000 $290,000 $153,500 $186,000 Days on Market for Units Closed Types of Financing for Units Closed From Thru U... 07/14/2008

  For those of you that have read my Active Rain Featured article Some Positive News For the Real Estate Industry, you know that I think spreading positive news about the real estate market (when it comes around) is a necessary thing to do.  With all the negative news in the media, it is nice to pay attention to the positive real estate news and share THAT with your customers as well. The most recent issue of Realtor® magazine had a great article entitled "A Year of Repair, Then a Year of Growth".  I've been hearing speculation from various people in the industry (lenders, Realtors, economists, etc.) that interest rates are going to be back up after the election (they are already on the rise if you've been paying attention) and that home prices and sales may stabilize and even begin to... 07/01/2008

Gainesville is Great!! Here are some local statistics about the Gainesville-Alachua County MLS. If you are wanting to know more specific information about "YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD" or "YOUR SUBDIVISION",  please call me! As of June 30, 2008, this table shows the number of listings currently in our MLS Database. Residential :  Single Family homes for Sale Vacant:  this is vacant land only (Lots and Acreage) Multifamily: This is duplex, triplex, quads, and larger. Rent: This are homes and apartments for rent only. Attached:  This category covers all Townhomes and Condos for sale. Lease: These are properties for lease (land and commercial) not residential Business: This category covers businesses for sale, and may or may not include real estate.   2790 Residential 2720 Vacant 231 Commercial 64 M... 06/30/2008

Everyone has a wish list. On my first contact with a buyer, I like to take time to really understand what their needs and wishes are when looking for their next home.   I ask them to help me make their WISH LIST. A wish list can be a list of things they want in a home, and it can be things that they DON'T want in a home also.  It helps me understand my buyers tastes & lifestyles.   In my opinion, there is no such thing as a "picky buyer".   The more my buying clients tell me about what they like (and don't like) - the better a job I will do in researching homes available in Gainesville.   Our high inventory of homes for sale in Gaineville and the MLS database offer a large spectrum of price ranges.  So the Price Range is the Most Important factor to any buyer....but let's talk details, ... 06/17/2008

Pictured above is the Ivy House Restaurant (formerly Govindas Indian Cuisine) in the City of Alachua   I love old architecture: Victorians, Cracker Style - anything that speaks of time's past.  I came across a home for sale on the Gainesville, FL MLS that was apparently in the historic district, and there was a link to the histroric guidelines.  There are certain restrictions when remodling homes in the historic district.  These guidelines are in place to encourage the owner to keep renovations with the integrity of the structure and area in mind.  I was trying to find this link to the guidelines online, when I came across a really excellent catalog of Gainesville and Alachua County Historic Homesites and buildings, such as the well known Univeristy of Florida Historic Campus and homes... 05/28/2008

Three High Schools in Alachua County, FL are the BEST in U.S. !! Alachua County is home to three of the nation's top high schools, according to a recent ranking by Newsweek Magazine.    In Newsweek's annual "America Best High Schools" report: Eastside High was ranked 29th Buchholz High was ranked 109th Gainesville High was  ranked 532nd. The ranking put these three Alachua County Public Schools in the top 2% of high schools nationwide. In another section of the annual report, Newsweek assigned an equity and excellence percentage to each ranked school and all three of the Alachua County high schools were ranked well above average. The equity and excellence score was measure of how many received a score of three or higher on at least one Advanced Placement test sometime in High school. Th... 05/23/2008

    I'm planning on going to dinner with some friends tomorrow night at the Taste of Saigon here in Gainesville,FL.  I have been here one time and thought it was very good, but my friends have not eaten here yet.  I was trying to tell them where to find a menu they could peruse to see if they want to eat here or somewhere else, when my friend told me about AllMenus.com I'm not sure often you guys try to find menus for your local restaurants online - either to place a to go order or simply to familiarize yourself with the offerings of a place you've never been to - but I do so frequently.  Usually I just google Gainesville, FL, but I'm bookmarking allmenus and will have that as my menu go to of choice from now on.  Hope you guys can use this!  Realtors: make sure t... 05/23/2008

  If you're looking for absolutely the BEST ice cream shop in Gainesville, FL, you've come to the right blog!  I have been going to Sweet Dreams for years.  Initially, my love affair with their fresh, creamy, sweet divinity began with Plantation Brown Sugar, an ice cream containing brown sugar and a bourbon extract.  It does not taste anything like alcohol, but rather a deep butter flavor that I can closest compare to a Werther's Original, just not as sickly sweet.  To this day the Plantation remains my top favorite with a similar flavor, Brown Sugar Toffee, following closely behind. What I like about Sweet Dreams is that they are not afraid to branch out and make unique flavor combinations, some that may even be considered a little "weird" by some people's standards.  But as I've espo... 05/15/2008

  Because this is not as commonly known as a cardinal or bluejay, I wanted to make a thread exposing you guys to the Tufted Titmouse.  He is a small insect eater that is attracted to the suet feeder as well.  He is a grayish blue in color with a little black patch in between the eyes.  He sports a "mohawk", much like a cardinal.  The titmouse has a little bit of yellow under his wings. I love birds.  I have various feeders and hummingbird attracting plants in my yard.  I can count on the cardinals making a nest in one of the hedges up against my house.  We've been fortunate enough to see cardinal families be raised for 3 years in a row now.  These tufted titmice have their own "bird personality".  Their nature is extremely playful (they chase each other around the yard).  They are pret... 05/15/2008