Great Florida Homes Blog

Yesterday was my Mom's 70th Birthday!! (Okay our Mom - since I am partners with my brother...BUT she lives with me!!!! - That means I am the lucky One in the Family!!!)

70 is not a big deal.....heck we buried Grandpa Booker two years ago at 101!!  It is the perception that is a big deal! 

We enjoyed a FABULOUS gourmet lunch at the local Blue Moon restaurant.  Both of my girls (2 of Nana's granddaughters) were able to stop by/attend the event.  Only one could stay and the other ran out to wish her grandmother a Happy Birthday while she put her job at risk.)  I will stand behind her and that choice because how many more chances will she have to tell the woman that raised her (more than me), that she is special?!?

A delightful afternoon and fun celebration and then it HIT ME!!!!  How many more of these do I have?
Mom is our real estate book keeper, she is my Housekeeper (well she coordinates the hired ones we bring her), she is Staff Sergeant for my visiting nephew before he goes into the Navy and she gets both of my girls to college and work.  She barks and we all come to Attention!  Why, because she does it with love and care.                           

So here I am...L U C K Y!!!  Because I still get to enjoy MOM!  In pain because I won't always be this lucky.  Happy because the memories are so poignant.  Eventually, I will have to create a new level of happiness for myself and the family.

Picture is Grandma just before her birthday- ALL NATURAL DNA and Leather pants!!!)

Although none of our lives are permanent; This does bring me to a conscious level to value what I have for now.

ENJOY IT WHILE YOU HAVE IT!

I have plenty of thoughts on Martin Luther King, Jr's memorial celebration as it relates to my experience, but today I was impacted emotionally by Thomas W. Dortch, Jr.

First.....I am delighted to live in a city (Coral Springs, Florida) that embraces diversity. 

When my kids were in elementary school here in Coral Springs, I was ELATED, that there were no lines between people.  Thank Goodness, prejudice was not as prevalent.  Since I did not grow up in this environment,  I was thrilled that my kids had a better experience!

That's not to say that prejudice does not exist......it is just better here!

Let me give you the Dictionary version of, " Prejudice": (an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.)

The key to this definition is WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE!!!!!

For 19 years the City of Coral Springs has brought to students, business leaders and the community a speaker that reflects on Martin Luther King, Jr's, mission in life in order to EDUCATE with knowledge.  I have attended-I lost count but I think it is 8 or 9 of these events, so far.

Each speaker brings his perspective of Dr King's legacy.  I even got to hear Coretta Scott King (sorry-I didn't know what a Blog was back then).

Each presenter says something incredibly valuable from their perspective.  In lieu of going backwards, I'll start here with today's speaker, Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., Chairman Emeritus of 100 Black Men of America (a mentoring society focused on kids).

He made TWO statements that got my attention!  (You had to be there if you wanted more ;-)

First he said...."LEADERS DO NOT ASK FOR FOLLOWERS, THEY INSPIRE".  WOW!  I loved the impact of this statement!!!

He also said...DIE EMPTY! 

WHAT?!?!  Please explain...

He went onto say that cemeteries are the richest lands in the world because they are filled with people who died with their knowledge & power inside of them. 

Will that Be You?  You are a VAULT of experience and knowledge! (You might as well be GOLD bars) 
Are you going to keep that expertise to your self?  Wouldn't sharing it be a better idea?

Mr. Dortch, said, make it your goal everyday to DIE EMPTY!!

Empty your mind EVERYDAY by giving your talents to mentor & share YOURSELF with others.

The key to this statement is you will be rewarded richly in the natural laws of nature.  Not going to go into all of the detail how this will take place, but I'll give you the short version....
YOU GET BECAUSE YOU GIVE, AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT GIVE TO GET!

I do enjoy mentoring fellow Realtors because one thing I've learned...it does not matter what I teach them...they will NOT do it like me and they shouldn't because none of us are alike!

I especially enjoy mentoring children and my favorite is the Junior Achievement organization.  How cool is that to teach kids how to run a business on their level of comprehension (from Kindergarten to Seniors)?

Bottom Line is that this was ANOTHER GREAT Event by the MLK  committee in Coral Springs, Florida.  A special Thanks goes to my friends at the local newspaper, the Forum, Joann Zollo and Justo Rey as you two are also an inspiration to leadership.  Thank you for having me as your guest.  Your invitation, inspired my heart with Mr. Dortch's words.

May we all be blessed in carrying forward Dr. Kings mission of equality for everyone!

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE SURVIAL OF FUTURE EXISTENCE 
AS WELL AS YOUR OWN EXISTENCE  WHEN YOU RECYCLE!!!!

January 25th in Fort Lauderdale February 8th and in Coral Springs 8 - 3

www.broward.org/waste                                                954-765-4999

 One Day Events to RECYCLE all of your old

•·     Paint Cans
•·     Fire Extinguishers
•·     Tires
•·     Pesticides
•·     Household Cleaners
•·     Lawn and Garden Chemicals (that are so old they wouldn't work anyway!)
•·     Pool Chemicals  
•·     Auto Batteries
•·     Motor Oil Solvents
•·     Propane Tanks you saved from hurricane season
•·     Auto fluids
•·     Mercury Thermometers (Never would have thought of this one)

DO NOT BRING Business Generated Meterials, EXPLOSIVES, Biohazardous Waste

One Day Events to RECYCLE all of your ELECTRONICS

• Computers
• Monitors
• Keyboards
• TV's
• Fax Machines
• Cell Phones
• Rechargable Batteries
• CFL's (Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs)

This week the 2009 Homestead Exemption Renewal and Tax Assessors newsletter arrived in your home.

If you have a Homestead Exemption, you do not need to take action to renew.  If you do not have it, GET IT, if the property is your primary residence, so you can save money on your taxes!

In these notices there is a request for less than two minutes of your time to assist with data accuracy.

In this 2009 Homestead Exemption Renewal Notice your Property ID is given (If you live in Coral Springs or parts of Parkland this number starts with 4841 and is a total of 12 digits long.  Also on the two sided flyer is a Pin Number for your property.  (All Broward county property ID numbers are 12 digits.Log onto http://www.bcpa.net/survey

Enter the Property ID number (0000-00-00-0000) and the Pin Number provided on the paperwork from the Tax Appraiser and then answer the multiple choice questions.

How many bedrooms, garage, pool etc...

This takes less than 2 minutes to complete the whole process and MIGHT save you money in the accuracy of your tax information relative to your property. 

An opportunity to save money is worth two minutes of your time!  Even though you do this now, any benefit will not be seen until November this year, because taxes are paid in arrears.

This is overall good for you and admittedly it is good for Realtors and Appraisers too.  When we try to evaluate properties for pricing, way too often the information about your property is not correct on the tax rolls.

So THANKS!  We appreciate your help too!

Broward County includes well known cities of Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach,
Fort Lauderdale, Highland Beach, Hillsboro, Lighthouse Point, Parkland, Plantation,
Sunrise, Tamarac and Weston.

There are currently ­­­­­14,432 Single Family Homes LISTED FOR SALE in Broward County.  

­­6223 priced under $250,000
5025 priced between 250,001 and $500,000
1307 priced between $500,001 and $750,000
642 priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000
546 priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
259 priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
430 priced over $2,000,000

For the month of December, 656, Single Family Homes SOLD in Broward County.   

352 were sold under $250,000
223 were sold between 250,001 and $500,000
45 were sold between $500,001 and $750,000
14 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000
12 were sold between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
6 were sold between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
4 were sold over $2,000,000

There are currently 19,588 Multi-Family Homes LISTED FOR SALE in Broward County.  Multi-Family Homes include condos, town homes, villas, coops, all attached and or unattached as well as single story to multi levels.  

14,497 are priced under $250,000
3288 are priced between 250,001 and $500,000
804 are priced between $500,001 and $750,000
433 are priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000
290 are priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
161 are priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
74 are priced over $2,000,000

For the month of December,  608 Multi-Family Homes SOLD in Broward County.

Note that many of the lower priced multi family homes are located in Adult only communities with a over the age of 55 requirment to live there.

537 were sold under $250,000
49 were sold between 250,001 and $500,000
7 were sold between $500,001 and $750,000
8 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000
4 were sold between $1,000,001 and $1,500,00
1 was sold between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
None were sold over $2,000,000

Palm Beach County includes well known cities of Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Lake Worth,  Wellington and West Palm Beach.

There are currently 10,568 single family homes listed For Sale in Palm Beach County.   

­­3791 priced under $250,000
3676 priced between 250,001 and $500,000
1050 priced between $500,001 and $750,000
456 priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000
303 priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
142 priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
494 priced over $2,000,000

For the month of December, 389 Single Family Homes SOLD in Palm Beach County.    

205 were sold under $250,000
145 were sold between 250,001 and $500,000
29 were sold between $500,001 and $750,000
9 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000
11 were sold between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
None were sold between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
3 were sold over $2,000,000

There are currently 11,604  Multi-Family Homes LISTED FOR SALE in Palm Beach County.  Multi-Family Homes include condos, town homes, villas, coops, all attached and or unattached as well as single story to multi levels.   

8733 are priced under $250,000
1839 are priced between 250,001 and $500,000
503 are priced between $500,001 and $750,000
213 are priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000
147 are priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
78 are priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
101 are priced over $2,000,000

For the month of December, 477 Multi-Family Homes SOLD in Palm Beach county.

417 were sold under $250,000
51 are sold between 250,001 and $500,000
5 was sold between $500,001 and $750,000
2 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000
1 was sold between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
1 was sold between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
None were sold over $2,000,000

To see specific details on a specific category of homes actively for sale or sold, please email us at Team@GreatFloridaHomes.com and we will forward the information for your reference or review.

Information deemed reliable as provided by the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale
and the Realtor Association of the Palm Beaches.

There has been in decrease in inventory between the two counties since November 2008 and an increase in properties sold.  There are some great values out there and financing is very low.  The best opportunities will go quickly.