SI Real Estate Tampa and The Beaches

Summer is always a tremendously popular time of year for families and movers changing homes across the United States. According to the American Moving and Stora ge Association, 15.3 million Americans moved between the summer months of June and August last year. Moving into a new home can be a stressful and overwhelming task. Fortunately, a little preparation and careful planning is all it takes to reduce stress, and ensure a smooth transition into your new home. Save time and reduce stress with these helpful tips provided by Mattress Firm, Inc., and Homes.com. Be ahead of the game :  Saving all your tasks for one day is not the best idea, but planning ahead is a great way to stay organized and make your move much easier. Start planning your move as early as possible, and be sure to mark your move in date.  Utilizing a calendar is a great tool to visualize your move. You can schedule a day for each room, and save the most used rooms for a later date.  Storing all ...

Miami Heat fans were in shock when MVP LeBron James, announced that he would be leaving the Heat and returning to the Cavaliers. James holds two NBA titles, and has now decided to return home to Cleveland where his basketball career began. He states, “ My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball.”  James writes that he has a responsibi lity to be a leader in the court, as well as in his home state. Cleveland is excited to have LeBron James back however, James holds humble and realistic expectations for the upcoming season. He says that he is “not promising a championship” because he knows “how hard that is to deliver.” Although James wants to win next year, he is prepared for the road ahead, and says that “it will be a long process.” James is hopeful for the future, and intends to bring a championship to Cleveland. After four years with James, co-star and teammate Chris Bosch declares that he and James will always be brothers, and holds no hard feelings tow...

May 2014 was a spectacular month for the real estate market throughout the nation. If you don’t feel like the market is recovering, here are some facts for you to consider. 1.     Total existing home sales , including completed transactions such as single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums, grew 4.9% to an annual rate of 4.89 million in May 2014. This gain is the highest increase since August 2011. Higher sales volume is a great sign for the market as buyers are being more confident. According to National Association of Realtors (NAR) chief economist, Lawrence Yun, “home buyers are benefiting from slower price growth due to the much needed, rising inventory levels. Moreover, sales were helped by the improving job market and the temporary but slight decline in mortgage rates.” 2.    Total housing inventory in May increased by 2.2% and reached a total number of 2.28 million existing home available for sale. The number of homes represents a 5.6 ...

The World Cup is back. Brazil, the country where it all began, spent over $12 billion dollars to host the biggest futbol (soccer) event in the world. As 32 countries battle each other for the next few weeks, there are many beautiful things we can look forward to such as the amazing atmosphere, cultural treasuries that Brazil has to offer, and of course the actual performance of the teams. The entire country of Brazil is behind its own national team and expects nothing but winning it all. Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff welcomes all the futbol fans, “I’m certain that in the 12 host cities, visitors are going to mix with a happy, generous and hospitable people and be impressed by a nation full of natural beauty and which fights each day to become more equal.” The United States are hoping for a good fortune after beating Ghana in the first game of the tournament. Trying to advance out of the so-called “group of death” including Germany, and Portugal, the U.S. team will have to ...

If the thought of buying a home has crossed your mind lately, market conditions suggest that now may be the right time to make your move. The Real Estate market is reaching a critical point for home-buyers and conditions have not been better in the past 12 months. Many people dream of becoming homeowners, and mortgage rates, the qualification process and more seem to keep some home buyers on the side line.  Conditions for purchasing real estate have greatly improved. For example, according to this Housingwire article, 30-year fixed mortgage rates have hit a nine- month low.  In fact, mortgage rates have been declining for 5 weeks straight. Some may attribute this to 2014’s slow start to the fiscal year, but it’s evident that now is the time to buy a home to ensure the most affordable rate to make a house your home. If you’ve been renting or leasing a home over the past few years and are thinking about becoming a homeowner, the New York Times posted this in dep...

     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...

A recent report indicated that Tampa is the 7 th best city in the country for renters on the move. With a vacancy rate of 13%, there are plentiful opportunities to make this great city a place to call “home.”  With the increasing demand for residential construction, it is apparent that more people are choosing Tampa as their permanent location of residence. Here are 10 reasons why Tampa is so loved by both residents and visitors: 1.      Beaches – Within close proximity, you have access to some of the world’s top-rated beaches. Fort DeSoto Park was recently named America’s “Best Family Beach” by USA Today . Clearwater Beach was also named by USA Today as the “Best Beach Town” in January of last year. And if you’re looking for a bit of privacy, take a ferry to the Caladesi Island State park and enjoy the sandy shores of this barrier island. 2.      Theme Parks – Busch Gardens provides fun for the whole family with some of Florid...