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7 Deadly Ninjas: A Metaphor
2007-03-09 16:59:03
In real estate, as in life, there is an easy road and a hard road. Some would argue that the easy road is never the right road. Others would say that the easy road, if it produces the same result as the hard road, should be taken whenever possible. Buying a home offers you the opportunity to take the easy road and still get a great result by using a Realtor. Let’s say, for the sake of a good metaphor, that buying a home is like getting a big pot of gold. There are two ways to get the gold. First, you could take the narrow road. It is guarded by 7 deadly ninjas trained to slice and dice you like a blender. They turn back flips, walk on walls, and throw shuriken of death in your direction. Not a good road, right? Or, you could take the broad road with nice, ninja-free paved roads. Hell, they even have a nice fellow who will drive you down the road and probably buy you lunch for your troubles. That sounds like a much better road to the pot of gold, right? Buying a home ...
More About: Ninja , Dead , Meta , Ninjas , Deadly

Sellers: 5 Bone-Headed Moves That Will Cost You Thousands
2007-03-09 16:59:03
There are lots and lots of people trying to sell homes in the Tampa Bay area right now. A cursory search of the MLS reveals over 900 homes for sale in Land O Lakes, a relatively small neck of the woods in Northern Tampa Bay. In Tampa, a whopping 8187 homes are on the market, and that doesn’t include the suburbs. What’s the point? The point is that if you want to sell your home, you must be flawless. One mistake will lead to months on the market without a sale. In an effort to help you avoid the most common mistakes, I’ve written a short guide to avoiding the most bone-headed of bad moves for people trying to sell a home in Tampa: 1) Bone-headed Pricing: If you price your home too high from the get go you will automatically remove yourself from contention. Any serious buyer will look at properties based upon price first, quality second, and amenities third. Drop the ball on this one and the only person visiting your home will be the mail man. 2) Bone-headed...
More About: Seller , Cost , Hat , Elle , Sand

To My First Three Loyal Readers:
2007-03-07 22:57:02
I just thought that I might send a nice little thank you letter to my first three loyal readers.  That’s right, folks.  Three .  Not three hundred.  Not three thousand.  But three. You three who have subscribed first to my RSS feed, please know that we love and appreciate your support.  The idea that anybody would want to be hard-wired into my brain on a daily basis is almost too much to believe.  I don’t even like me that much, and I’m me….but I digress. So, if you’re one of the three who has signed up for the feed, please reply to this post and reveal yourself.  You shall be rewarded with a place of honor on the blogroll, and a warm fuzzy spot in my heart next to the cholesterol build up that will eventually take my life.  If you haven’t yet signed up, do so with care.  We dispense opinions without regard for political correctness or even good taste at times.  You have been warned. Bookmark this article:
More About: Readers , Reader , Read , First

Stated Income Loan? What the Heck!
2007-03-07 22:57:02
Dude, I know. I feel the same way. There are so many loan products available in Tampa Bay that they nearly outnumber the stars in the sky. And, I have about an equal understanding of them as I do about the physical characteristics of the stars in the sky. Are they made of gas? Or was is plasma? Hell, I’m lucky to have graduated, so don’t ask me. I’m really no better at mortgage products either. I still don’t understand the loan I used to buy my latest home. That’s why I got married. My wife can explain these things to me. But, I found somebody who’s smart enough, if not all that opinionated, to break down exactly what in the hell a “State d Income Loan ” is. With no further ado, here’s our conversation with Marti Depury, residential godess of all things lending oriented: RO: “Marti, what in the Jimmeny Cricket is a Stated Income Loan?” Marti: “Stated Income Loans are just that. These loan programs are ...
More About: What , Hat

Seminole Tribe of Florida and Hard Rock Intl Smokum Peace Pipe
2007-03-07 04:55:02
I picked this up from my RSS feed from the Tampa Bay Business Journal and thought it make make for some interesting “Real Opinionated” reading. Apparently the Seminole Tribe of Florida has purchased the much-celebrated Hard Rock International. The music, leisure, dining and entertainment brand has a network of over 124 Hard Rock Cafes in 46 Countries. Real Opinionated says: “Those Seminoles sure can throw one hell of a party. We went to the Tampa Casino for New Years Eve and woke up riding bare back on a wild stallion in Lutz. What a party!” In other news, the Seminole Tribe (a sovereign government in itself) is so pleased with the success of its gambling enterprise that it has decided to legalize drug sales and prostitution in an attempt to raise enough capital to eventually take over the world. Their fearless leader, Chief Evil (distant cousin of Doctor Evil) said “Hookers and Blow is definately the way for the Seminole. The pale face loves the ...
More About: Peace

Tampa Area Neighborhood Review: Deerfield Lakes
2007-03-07 04:55:02
Land O Lakes-  Deer field Lakes is located on Highway 52 near the Sun Coast Parkway in Land O Lakes.  It bills itself as a “Limited Maintenance” single family home community.  Truthfully, from what we’ve seen of the community, it’s more of the same.  It offers basically the same ammenities as Asbel Creek and Tierra Del Sol, which is to say nothing other than a house and a small yard.  And, the CDD fees are nonexistent, also on par with Asbel Creek and Tierra Del Sol.  So, why bother driving the extra five miles to get to Deerfield Lakes?  Simple.  Quality. Parkview Homes is a builder that works primarily in Ohio and Florida.  They build master planned communities, but more importantly they build houses.  The models available for view at Deerfield Lakes are, simply stated, impressive. HOA fees at Deerfield Lakes are scheduled to be $540 or so per year, and will pay for lawn maintenance and exterior cleaning, whatever that means.  Like we said, no CDD to weigh d...
More About: Review , Hood , View , Area

Real Opinionated Cracks the Top 5 ?Literally?
2007-03-06 16:54:02
I say “literally” because I’m pretty sure that we weren’t originally in the top 5. Then, I took hostages and started “cracking” people with a baseball bat at random. Jonathan did the only logical thing and responded by allowing me to share a spot in the top 5. *note: I’ve released your dog unharmed, and he should be making his way home now.* So, in the spirit of animal loving world wide, please enjoy my (award winning and much vaunted) post entitled Fuzzy Puppies and Chubby Bunnies. Bookmark this article:
More About: Opinion , Rally , Lite , Liter , Real

MLS Listing Fees and Other Myths for the Tampa Consumer
2007-03-06 10:54:02
I just had the privilege of speaking to an unnamed consumer in the Tampa Bay Area who had a recently expired listing. She called me and asked to remain anonymous. People sometimes do this because they find information on my blog and they want some advice, but are scared that we will add them to our telemarketing list or something. I understand, so I always try to accommodate when time allows. Anyway, this particular consumer was paying a 6% commission to her Realtor (who failed to get the house sold). I think it’s a good idea to pay 6%, but this particular woman was told by her Realtor that it costs a large sum of money (thousands) to list a property in the MLS. Oh, my dear consumer…. The truth shall set you free! I’m going to commit a Tampa Real Estate no-no and lay out my costs for you (the world) to see. I’ll tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. My car will probably get egged when I go to the office in the morning, but the ...
More About: Other , Consumer , Fees , Myths , List

FSBO Tutorial? Seriously?
2007-03-05 22:53:02
I just had a referral from Google pop up and the searched term was “FSBO Tutorial Tampa.” Normally, I would just rack this up as a victory because the person ended up on my site anyway, but I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on this one. Try not to take it personally, Mr. Tampa-FSBO-Tutorial guy, but I’m going to state the obvious here. Most houses in this area cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It usually represents the biggest investment that a person owns. We’re not talking about figuring out “How to get greener grass in my front yard” or “How to bake a spectacular meatloaf,” we’re talking about selling a huge chunk of your investment portfolio and attempting to make as much money as possible. People either know how to sell homes for top dollar or they don’t.  It’s not something you can figure out in ten minutes by watching a video. You don’t need a tutorial. You need a professional. How do...
More About: Serious , Tori , Rial , Seriously

Centex Homes at Asbel Estates Offering Hookers and Blow
2007-03-05 22:53:02
By “hookers and blow” I really mean “upgrades and freebies,” but it’s funnier to call it hookers and blow.  That’s essentially what’s happening, by the way.  These builders are being forced to pimp out their profit to get folks to buy a house.  I personally happen to think it’s great for the consumer, but that’s because Cent ex Home s at Asbel Estate s is also offering 6% commission to Realtors. So, it’s good for you…..it’s good for me…..I’ll meet you there.  You bring the steaks and I’ll bring the beer. By the way, Team Greene Realty represents buyers at absolutely no cost in the Tampa Bay area.  Have you ever bought a brand new home before?  We have, and there are some key differences that you need to know about. Contact us and we’ll help you out free of charge.  Seriously, it’s free.  I think I mentioned that. Bookmark this article:
More About: Ring , Homes

How Can You ?Guarantee to Sell My House??
2007-03-04 04:50:05
You’ve probably seen lots of offers out there from Realtors who can “guarantee” to sell your house. They range from offers like “We will sell you’re house or we’ll buy it,” to offers such as “We will sell your house in 90 days, or we’ll work for free.” How can Realtors afford to do this? The simple answer is that we can’t afford it. There are several ways that we get past this offer, which is obviously designed to get you to call. I’ll explain those in a minute. But first, some things to consider about the types of agents who are making these offers. 1) They are confident. If you didn’t think you could sell the house in 90 days, it would be foolish to make these types of offers. The agents that advertise these types of offers typically have more industry experience and more closed sales than those who do not. 2) They are usually being honest. I know that your first reaction is to be skeptical, but ...
More About: House , Rant , Sell , Ouse

Land O Lakes: Standard Pacific At Asbel Creek
2007-03-04 04:50:05
Here’s a hot link to a post that Christina wrote over on the What’s New Tampa Bay? blog.  It provides some great information about Standard Pacific ’s Standard Series homes currently available at Asbel Creek in Land O Lakes including prices and a rockin virtual tour. Real Opinionated Note:  “Builders are hurting.  Buy a new house, and take advantage of them for a change while prices are low.  When the market rebounds, they’ll sure as hell take advantage of you.” Bookmark this article:
More About: Anda

New Target Being Built On Bloomingdale in Riverview
2007-03-03 16:49:02
For the past few months I’ve been driving by the new construction going up at the corner of Bloomingdale and Gornto lake Road wondering what the heck they were building.  I probably should have done the research and figured it out a month ago, but I figured that sooner or later they’d post a sign out front and end my misery. Sure enough, the sign was there this morning when I was driving out to one of my investment properties.  It’s a Target (hopefully a Super Target).  It looks good so far, and the sign says it should be open by October 14th of this year.  I have absolutely no evidence to support that theory, because like I said, I did no research on this one.  So, stay tuned for better info.   I took a couple of photos for the sake of journalistic integrity, but I wouldn’t expect too much dazzling commentary at this point. As you can see, the Williams Company is the developer on the job site.  We know basically nothing about them either.  So, to recap:  We ...
More About: River , View , Bein , Being

Top 5 New Home Communities in Land O Lakes
2007-03-03 16:49:02
My writing coach tells me that it’s a good idea to write posts that have lists in them. We here at Real Opinionated aim to please. Here are the top 5 new home communities in Land O Lakes in order of my ‘Real Opinionated” preference: 1) Connerton. It’s big, vast, and well planned. Consequently, you’ll pay more in CDD fees than Paula Abdul pays for her drug addiction, but you get the point. This is a master planned community….planned by a master, that is……and presumably you have to pay extra for that. It is beautiful. I guess that’s worth something. I would buy a house in Connerton myself, but then I’d have to get a real job. 2) Asbel Creek. The polar opposite of Connerton, Asbel Creek looks like it was planned with spare pieces from a monopoly tournament. I felt right at home in Asbel Creek, so I went ahead and bought a house there (we love Monopoly). The good news is that you don’t have to pay extra in CDD f...
More About: Home , Muni , Comm

Open Houses: A Love Hate Relationship
2007-03-02 04:48:01
I had a question recently from a potential client about open houses. Do I do them, and how often. This particular query was based upon the assumption that her former agent was not being aggressive enough in the persuit of selling her home. Here’s my answer: Yes, I do open houses. But please understand why I do them. I do them because they are an extremely effective way of generating buyer leads for my business. However, open houses almost NEVER generate a buyer for the house being held open. Statistically, it’s less than 1% industry wide that sell a home through an open house. I hold open houses to meet people who are looking to buy a house, not because I think it will get your home sold. Dems the breaks, kid. I’m not alone. Every other Realtor in the world holds open houses for exactly the same reason. Most choose to lie to you about why. I’m just the honest type. Is there any way to make them more effective? Of course. If you support open hous...
More About: House , Love , Relationship , Houses , Open

Expired Listing: Why It?s Easier to Be the Second Listing Agent
2007-03-01 22:47:01
I logged onto the MLS this morning and discovered that there were 80 expired listings in my target marketing area which includes Land O Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, and New Tampa. Now, I send out letters every day to the owners of homes that have expired from the MLS and are no longer being marketed for sale. Sometimes (about 1 out of every 100) I get a listing from my efforts. Why would I go through the trouble to get Exprired listings when there are much easier ways to go about getting new business? Simple. It’s easier to be the second listing agent than the first. Everybody thinks they know the numbers. Every homeowner has done due dilligence (as best as they can) to discover the true value of your home. You’ve asked your neighbors how much they got for their homes, and you’ve logged on to Zillow.com and gotten your Zestimate. The problem is, neighbors lie and Zestimates aren’t based upon reality. So instead of being educated you now have a false (of...
More About: Agent , List , Second , Listing , Sting

2 New Traffic Lights Going Up Near Pasco Communities
2007-03-01 22:47:01
The Connerton Subdivision in Land O Lakes and the Seven Oaks Subdivision in Wesley Chapel are scheduled to receive new traffic lights soon.  Seven Oaks will set their light at the intersection of Ancient Oaks Blvd and State Road 56, while the Connerton light will be installed at the corner of U.S. Hwy 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway. Connerton failed to disclose the cost of their traffic light installation, but Seven Oaks has said that the lights cost in excess of $450,000.  Both lights are scheduled to be fully operational by mid-March.  Traffic management has been a growing concern amongst a swelling  Pasco County population. Bookmark this article:
More About: Muni , Near , Light , Lights

Land O Lakes Nudists Use $2 Bills
2007-03-01 04:45:02
If you’re a Land O Lake s small business owner, you may notice that you have stacks of $2 bills in your till at the end of the day for the next few weeks.  That’s because Land O Lakes nudists have decided that it’s time for small businesses in the area to take notice of their considerable purchasing power. Suntrust Bank on State road 54 has stocked up on $2 Bill s to accomodate the clothing optional group.  A similar campaign was undertaken by Land O Lakes nudists over 20 years ago with considerable success.  Organizers hope to have similar results this time. Bookmark this article:
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Fuzzy Puppies and Chubby Bunnies.
2007-03-01 04:45:02
You may have noticed in recent years the trend in product marketing that points cute, cuddly little animals towards particular products. Think of the Taco Bell Dog or the Aflac Duck. Marketing pros love to associate these lovable familiars with their products for one reason alone: The warm fuzzy feeling they produce. It’s generally accepted that creating a sense of happiness or fulfillment, and then associating said happiness or fulfillment with a particular product could lead to more sales. Perhaps Taco Bell was pressing the envelope a little with the dog, but nevertheless the idea has merit for Real Estate. The important thing to realize, of course, is that this warm fuzzy feeling must be created subliminally and in an non encroaching manner. If the consumer realizes that he or she is being duped, it won’t work. So, here are some ways to create the warm fuzzy and get your home sold faster by utilizing some staging and preparation techniques: Smells Nice. If a co...
More About: Pies , Puppies

Our New Stop Animation Commercial
2007-02-28 10:43:03
We’re learning all that we can about video on the internet because we think that it’s probably the future of blogging.  So, with that being said, you’re going to be subject to our experiments from time to time.  This is a stop animation commercial drawn on a white board with a dry erase market.  I think it’s cool. It did…uhm….stop….mysterio usly at the end, and I’m trying to figure out how to fix it.  But, watch it anyway.  It’s cool. Bookmark this article:
More About: Animation , Commercial , Anima , Stop , Comm

More Confusion On Trump Tower Tampa
2007-02-27 22:42:03
Seems as if The Related Group of Florida has signed a letter of intent to take over as managing partner in the sidetracked construction of Trump Tower of Tampa. Mirabilis Ventures and Simdag LLC had previously been in charge of managing the construction (or lack thereof), but had failed to impress the “Donald.” We don’t know much about the deal, but we do know that The Related Group is in a better cash position than Mirabilis and Simdag, which should help to deal with the over $3.1 million in liens racked up by the horrendous mismanagement of the project thus far. The problems seem to stem from the fact that the ground at the building site is unstable. Duh. It’s situated between a river and the ocean. Real Opinionated Asks: “Dude. Didn’t the thought ever occur to you that Tampa is made mostly of mud?” Bookmark this article:
More About: Fusion , Confusion , More , Sion

4th Consumer Oriented RE Carnival: Keeping it in the Family
2007-02-27 22:42:03
Normally I don’t gloat about how great we are….well, not much. Uh, well at least not often. But, in this case, we’ll make an exception. The results for the 4th Consumer Orient ed RE Carnival have been announced, and we have some exciting news. The envelope please…… *drumroll* Real Opinionated wins a silver medal for our post entitled “Tale of the Terrible “F” Bomb.” It’s not an all-out win, but we’ll settle for a nice shared second place any day of the week. My brother also won a silver medal over at Sergeant Real Estate for his post entitled “For Sale By Owner Tips.” I’ve been tutoring him in blogging for the last week or two, so it gives me a warm fuzzy to see him on the list of winners. The top prizes (gold medals) went to: Nigel Swaby and Dan Melson. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be the big cheese of consumer oriented Real Estate content, submit an article here. Bookmark th...
More About: Family , Keep

Land O Lakes Publix Almost Ready
2007-02-27 22:42:03
Residents of Land O Lake s who live north of highway 54 along the highway 41 corridor are paying close attention every day as progress continues on the new Publix shopping center. Why should another grocery store even matter in the Tampa Bay Area? Because the scene north of highway 54 rivals the hit show “Surviver” in terms of how easy it is to find a good meal. It’s wilderness up there. Enter Publix. The new store is situated on highway 41 about half way between highways 54 and 52 in Land O Lakes. According to Publix.com, the store is set to open on the 22nd of March in Arbor Square at Connerton. The store will boast over 45,000 square feet of shopping bliss, including a decent place to get a sub or some fried chicken without driving into Tampa. Real Opinionated asks: “What the heck took so long?” Bookmark this article:
More About: Read , Most

Florida Updates Flood Maps
2007-02-27 16:41:02
New Tampa- The New Tampa Library played host to a crowded meeting with more than a hundred residents on Monday as home owners gathered to talk about flood maps.  The State of Florida has apparently decided to update their flood maps for the first time in 25  years.  The move has ill-conceived timing, however, coming on the heels of an all-out revolt over insurance premiums in the state. For some homeowners, the update will mean added insurance premiums.  Lots of homes that weren’t previously considered at risk for flooding have been notified that they are now in flood zones.  Mostly, these homes are in New Tampa around lakes and ponds. Thanks to tbo.com for the story. Bookmark this article:
More About: Dates , Updates , Update , Maps

Turtles in Trouble in Land O Lakes
2007-02-26 22:40:03
Land O Lake s - Beazer homes, in building their Dupree Lakes community, has apparently paid State wildlife officials a sum total of $435,600 to bury 351 Gopher Tortoises alive in the sand.  Even more disturbing, this appears to be standard operating procedure for most of the area’s elite builders. Florida State wildlife officials released new rules recently that would make it harder for builders to simply bury the turtles alive.  Now, they’ll have to move them to a new habitat. For their part, the builders are bitching about how much more it will cost to move the tortoises instead of just bulldozing them into oblivion.  The new rules would require the builders to relocate each tortoise to a habitat with at least a half acre of land to call their own. Real Opinionated asks: “What did the turtles ever do to you, man?” Move the turtles.  It’s the right thing to do. Thanks to tbo.com for the article. Bookmark this article:
More About: Turtle , Turtles , Land

Top 5 Consumer Content Gurus of 2007
2007-02-26 22:40:03
So, why would a relatively new blogger write a post about the top consumer content bloggers in the nation? Simple. These are people that I read and respect. These are also people who spend a great deal of time writing articles for you, the consumer. So, bearing in mind that my opinion is completely unqualified in every way, these are my top picks for the Cons umer Content Guru s of 2007: Teresa Boardman: One of my favorites. She’s warm, knowledgeable, and professional. Great articles. Maureen Francis:Maureen gets better and better each time I read her articles. We love her laid back style and graceful commentary. Toby Boyce: I think that this blog is clever and insightful. The consumer-based content is delivered in a believable way. Steve Leung: Every time Steve writes a post, I’m inclined to say “Wow, now there’s a guy who’s a lot smarter than me.” Great consumer content to be found here. Jonathan Dalton: An extremely well written blo...

Help! My Listing Expired!
2007-02-26 22:40:03
You’re probably reading this posts because you did a word search in google for expired listings, or because you received a letter in the mail from Team Greene Realty. You don’t really want to call us (because another Realtor failed to get the job done), but you do want to get some information about why your house didn’t sell in a timely manner. Ok. We can handle that. Or, you’re trying to learn some things that can help you avoid getting to the point where your listing will expire to begin with. That’s great. Either way, you’ve come to the right place. What are some reasons that a home would fail to sell? The listing is overpriced. It’s increasingly difficult, even for professionals, to tell what the best price might be for your home in this market. Making it worse is the fact that most homeowners have an exaggerated idea of what they should be able to get for their home. When the Realtor comes to your home to interview for the job...
More About: List , Listing , Sting

Common Buyers Errors
2007-02-26 22:40:03
Buying a home is a lengthy process, and much could go wrong. So, let me begin by making a small caveat (feel free to ignore my silly sales pitch): Team Greene will represent you for free if you want to buy a home. As in you pay nothing. As in not a cent, ever. There. Now that we’ve dispensed with the disclaimers, feel free to look at my handy-dandy guide to avoiding the most common home buying mistakes that people make: Most Common Mistakes Made By Home Buyer s Buying a new home is an emotional experience (especially for my wife). But, it’s also a business transaction and should be treated as such. If you mess it up, the most common things that will happen are: Paying Too Much Losing the Home to Another Buyer Buying the Wrong Home I tend to like to focus on the positive, so instead of listing the mistakes people make, I’d like to instead offer a series of home buying tips. Obviously, doing the opposite of the tips would be the mistake, right? OK: Get G...
More About: Errors , Error , Buyers

Why is Price Important in Tampa?
2007-02-26 22:40:03
So, if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you’ll notice that I don’t hand out very many exotic strategies for getting a home sold. That’s because there are only two strategies that matter: Price and Quality. Let me put on my economist hat for a moment: Since we live in a capitalist, free market society, the laws of supply and demand are always at work. The simple fact of the matter is that the consumer wants the best quality product at the best possible price all the time. You’re the same way. Would you knowingly pay more for a new car if you know that the dealership down the road has the same car for a lower price? Of course not. You want to get fair market value for your home without overpricing it. It’s a delicate balance. Fair Market Value: In real estate terms, the fair market value of a home is that value which, given the current condition of the property, will cause that home to sell in 30 to 90 days. If the price o...
More About: Port , Rice , Tampa , Import

Buying Your First Home In Tampa
2007-02-26 22:40:03
With interest rates low, may renters are thinking of taking the leap and purchasing a new home of their own. While the simple Rental costs vs. Mortgage Cost comparison may make you happier than Tinkerbell in a pile full of pixie dust, buying a home is a serious commitment and there are lots of other factors to consider. How Long Are You Going To Live There? Buying and selling homes can get pretty expensive. So, you want to make sure that you are going to be able to live in the house long enough to avoid losing money when you sell. If typical appreciation sits right around 5% per year (not this year, but normally) you would need to live in the house at least 3 to 4 years before you would have enough equity to sell without breaking the bank. The real estate market swings harder than an 8 year old on a jungle gym, so make sure that you’re paying attention to the market. In this case, you might need to hold the home for 5 years before you sell because of the slow (or nonexiste...
More About: Home , Your , First , Tampa