Remembering Memorial Day

-
     During the summer, Memorial Day is one of America’s favorite holidays (second only to Independence Day). Summer events draw much attention to the four day weekend, such as barbecues or events such as Tampa Bay Margarita Festival and Winter Haven’s Floatilla. During these relaxing and fun times, have we lost sight of what Memorial Day is about?

     Memorial Day is a United States holiday to honor and remember the people who served in our military branches. Boeing’s 2007 commercial tugged at the heartstrings of friends and family who served in the military.  The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs gives a beautiful history of the holiday.

     After the civil war ended, Major General John A. Logan declared “Decoration Day,” a holiday to honor the soldiers who lost their life in the Civil War. The Grand Army of the Republic would gather to decorate the graves of the fallen on May 30th, when all the flowers would be in bloom. “Decoration Day” was celebrated sporadically until 1966, when Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared the birthplace of Memorial Day was in Waterloo, New York on May 30th. It wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day was expanded to celebrate all of the military heroes who lost their lives in the service and officially declared a national holiday.

     The first public Memorial Day celebration in 1971 was at Arlington National Cemetery and has remained stagnant since with number of attendees being approximately 5,000 people. The tradition continues throughout today of placing small American flags on each gravestone of our military heroes.

     In an effort to continue to honor and respect the fallen military heroes, the U.S. Congress passed “The National Remembrance Act,” and requests that all American citizens to pause their activities wherever they are at 3:00PM (local time) and give a moment of silence to those who have fallen to protect our freedoms as American people.

     So if you have plans to barbeque or attend a festival, this Memorial Day weekend, please remember to be thankful, honor, and take into account those who have given their lives to protect our freedoms as American people. Offer a moment at 3:00PM to silently appreciate the liberty and freedoms that were granted to you by our military heroes.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Featured Community of the Week – Beso Del Sol in Dunedin, Florida

-
Image
Can you imagine waking up each morning to a majestic view of the sparkling Gulf of Mexico waters? This all-inclusive resort condo community in Dunedin, Florida provides a perfect waterfront retreat. Situated directly on the Gulf, panoramic waterfront views overlook the St. Josephs Sound and Honeymoon Island, creating a tranquil setting that is far from the ordinary. Condo and community features include: · Fully furnished, all-inclusive studio, one and two bedroom units · Flat panel TV’s, stainless steel appliances, and granite countertops · Two waterfront heated swimming pools and hot tub · Fully-equipped fitness center and bicycle rentals · Onsite property management and housekeeping · Boat slips · All utilities included in HOA fees · Castaway Tiki Bar onsite with weekly entertainment Beso Del Sol Resort offers three wonderful floor plans to choose from with prices starting in the mid $100,000’s. Whether you are looking for a real estate investment, weekend retreat, vacation property...
Read more

Real Life Real Estate...New Construction vs. Foreclosure

-
Image
A hot topic for potential homebuyers is, should I look Foreclosures, existing older homes, or New Construction? The hype lately seems to be on Short sales and Foreclosures. Bank owned properties are being snatched up by cash investors and we hear of bidding wars everyday in Tampa over bank owned properties. Investors have money to spend, and no desire to occupy the property personally, they can fix any issues that arise with no problems. It is very enticing for a buyer to see large discounts foreclosed and short sales but what else does a buyer need to consider when deciding on purchasing a home? SI Real Estate has helped three clients purchase a new Construction home in the last two weeks. What made these buyers decide purchasing a new home was better than foreclosure and existing home options? There is a great website being advertised by Lennar homes, “Buying a New Home vs. a Foreclosed Home” . This website highlights advantages of purchasing new construction. Buyers need to cons...
Read more

Tampa Real Estate Hot Topic: Mortgage Rate Predictions for 2013

-
Image
Last week we discussed the importance of understanding the effects that rising home prices have on mortgage rates and the buying power of consumers in the market to both buy and sell.   The recent mortgage rate activity has caught the attention of the nation, and of course our local Florida real estate market.     Since May 2013, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose from approximately 3.3% to 4.87% according to Freddie Mac.   Executive vice president of McCue Mortgage, Kim Neilson, states that the market hasn’t seen an increase of this magnitude in years.   Despite the recent jump, however, rates are expected to remain steady between 4-5% throughout the remainder of 2013.   There are two main reasons for this situation on the market. Firstly, the Federal Reserve chairman Fred Bernanke indicated in mid-June that he might slow down the purchase of mortgage-backed bonds. These were designed to strengthen the secondary market for lenders and ...
Read more