Great Florida Homes Blog

During a dinner conversation, with the Homeowner of one of my listings, they expressed their frustration over the sale of their home and trying to work with their Homeowner Association.

I would imagine that HOA's were established to keep multi-family and single family developments in order. Coordinating the landscaping maintenance and beautification, security and code enforcement issues, also in the case of condos with buyer approvals.

Perhaps they started small and then morphed into these uncontrollable, ego maniacs that my Homeowner called HOG's. HOMEOWNERS GESTAPO!

It made me laugh, but it was sad that much of what they said is true. For us, as Realtors, we have had the HOG's hold Buyers’ approval at bay. Reasons vary from; They are very busy, to they want to find a way not to approve your Buyer without getting sued. (This was our most recent experience).

They tell you that you will have your approval, but the day before closing you are calling for the fifth time and begging for the letter of approval.

When you show up at their office, to buy your Condo Documents that you called ahead to request, they treat you like they are doing you a favor.  It is as if you are a low life in spite of the fact you are dripping with sweetness as you stand at the receptionist’s desk awaiting an acknowledgment of your presence. It takes a few minutes for someone to realize you’re standing there and then maybe they’ll look up to acknowledge you.

The funny thing is that, the service you’re there for, is not free…Condo Docs, HOA Docs and HOA applications.....you have to pay for!

Call and ask for the manager of the property you are representing and you are transferred to voice mail oblivion. Occasionally you win the lottery and you get a call back, but usually you have to leave two to three messages.

THIS IS NOT EVERY HOA...it just seems like it is too many. I am a salesperson.  I know how to negotiate, get my way or get what I need. I feel inadequate way too often, when it comes to dealing with HOGS.

This is a re-post of an article authored by Ryan Houck.  I support VOTE No on 4.  I understand the oppositions view point, but in my opinion the amendment is not designed to empower voters.  It is designed to hand over power to special interest lawyers and hand us taxpayers the bill.  The amendment needs to be better written in order to be acceptable.  As it is now, it is like taking a machine gun to kill a flea (as quoted by the Fl Times Union), and I agree with them. 

Amendment 4 will devastate Florida's economy.  By costing jobs and contributing to our state's record unemployment, this ill-timed, misguided proposal has the capacity to crush what is left of Florida's economic future.  According to a study conducted by The Washington Economics Group, Amendment 4 would likely cost Florida 267,247 jobs and reduce economic output by $34 billion annually.  Consequently, business groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Economic Development Council are opposed to this amendment.  Mark Wilson, President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, stated, "If you like the recession, you'll love Amendment 4."

Amendment 4 will promote sprawl.  Environmental groups, such as 1,000 Friends of Florida and the Florida Forestry Association, have expressed concern that Amendment 4 will actually serve to exacerbate the sprawling patterns of development it claims to remedy.  They worry that, by making it more difficult to amend comprehensive plans, Amendment 4 will lock in place the poor planning decisions of the past, thereby making smart, well-coordinated growth impossible.   1,000 Friends of Florida cites "piecemeal planning, and the possibility of ‘planning gridlock'," as reasons for their opposition to the proposal.

Amendment 4 is poor public policy. For this reason, the Florida American Planning Association opposes the amendment.  In fact, their website refers to Amendment 4 as "a single, expensive, and unwieldy solution to a complex and important set of issues."  Under Amendment 4, Floridians would be forced to vote on hundreds, even thousands, of comprehensive plan amendments each year.  According to the Department of Community Affairs Sunset Review, there were nearly 6,500 changes to local government comprehensive plans in fiscal year 2006-2007, and a 2003 Department of Community Affairs Program Summary reports 16,581 plan amendments in 1999.

Amendment 4 will delay community improvements.  The WEG study states that Amendment 4 would "force local and state governments to either raise taxes or cut services."  Ultimately, the study notes, "Public schools, public safety and local health care services would suffer from both the direct impact of Amendment 4 (delay construction until the next election) and the indirect impact of fewer tax revenues from which to fund needed operations and capital investments."  As Floridians struggle to make ends meet, the last thing our state needs is a proposal which will delay the creation of much-need schools, hospitals, and fire stations.  For this reason, the Florida School Boards Association opposes Amendment 4.

Amendment 4 will hurt Florida's working families.  TheFlorida State Council of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, an AFL-CIO/CLC trade union, states "Amendment (4) poses a grave threat to Florida's unique quality of life, the stability of its communities, and the prosperity of its families..."

 The coalition of opposition to Amendment 4 is virtually unprecedented in its diversity and scope because the threat of this proposal transcends traditional social and political boundaries.  To learn more or to get involved, please visit www.florida2010.org, and remember, this November, VOTE NO on Amendment 4!

I am always amazed by the varied responses that I get when I tell people my Mom and I live together.  Often it is, "YOU LIVE WITH YOUR MOTHER?!?!?"  After all I am over 50.

The fact is she lives with me.  The father of my children asked her to move in with us 25 years ago, when she suddenly became widowed at 46 years of age.  She likes being Betty Crocker and Susie Homemaker and I like to work.  We formed, in my opinion, the perfect partnership.

I give her a budget, a housekeeper, yard service and a pool man.  She makes our home run smoothly and raised my PERFECT children (aren't they all perfect after your done raising them?)

She has made my home life WONDERFUL!  I could leave before anyone got up and come home after they were all in bed.  When the girls were little, I was home to get them to and from school, dinner and bedtime story's...then I went back to work.  I can call her between appointments and she'll meet me in the driveway with a sandwich.  She is accomodating without a complaint.

In 24 years we have had 3 disagreements....don't think there are too many married couples that can say that.  Dating for me was sometimes a challenge....If Nana (her nickname), didn't like them...they didn't last long  ;-) 

Today I am successful because my Mom aka Nana chooses to live with me.  I am lucky and blessed to have such a cool Mom (check her out at XMAS last year) and thrilled to tell people that we live together.                                                                             

PS: My business partner is my younger brother and he lives in another town. He is in our home FREQUENTLY because he loves Mom too!

REAL ESTATE UPDATE FOR
BROWARD COUNTY & PALM BEACH COUNTY
May 2010

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 currently­­­­­7685 Single Family Homes LISTED FOR SALE in Broward County.

­­­3508 priced under $250,000
2214 priced between 250,001 and $500,000
732priced between $500,001 and $750,000
394 priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000
314 priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
162 priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
360 priced over $2,000,000

For the month of May, 933 Single Family Homes SOLD in Broward County. 

545 were sold under $250,000
279 were sold between 250,001 and $500,000
54 were sold between $500,001 and $750,000
29 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000
13 were sold between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
7 were sold between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
4 were sold over $2,000,000

There are currently 12,155 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.

9349 are priced under $250,000
1704 are priced between 250,001 and $500,000 
496 are priced between $500,001 and $750,000
278 are priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000      
184 are priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
86 are priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
59 are priced over $2,000,000

For the month of May, 1164 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 requirement to live there.

1037 were sold under $250,000  
98 were sold between 250,001 and $500,000 
19 were sold between $500,001 and $750,000 
5 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000 
4 was 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 7030 single family homes listed For Sale in Palm Beach County.

­2420 priced under $250,000 
2278 priced between 250,001 and $500,000 
768 priced between $500,001 and $750,000
406 priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000 
390 priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
251 priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000 
516 priced over $2,000,000

For the month of May, 609 Single Family Homes SOLD in Palm Beach County. 

342 were sold under $250,000 
182 were sold between 250,001 and $500,000  
34 were sold between $500,001 and $750,000  
13 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000
20 were sold between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000 
4 were sold between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
14 were sold over $2,000,000

There are currently 8450, 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.

6698 are priced under $250,000
1126 are priced between 250,001 and $500,000 
302 are priced between $500,001 and $750,000
193 are priced between $750,001 and $1,000,000  
94 are priced between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000
37 are priced between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
73 are priced over $2,000,000

For the month of May, 606 Multi-Family Homes SOLD in Palm Beach county.

544 were sold under $250,000
43 are sold between 250,001 and $500,000
12 were sold between $500,001 and $750,000
4 were sold between $750,001 and $1,000,000
1 was sold between $1,000,001 and $1,500,000 
 None sold between $1,500,001 and $2,000,000
2 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.