Get Off Your Cell Phone and Just Drive

Drivers on cell phones

…Or pull over and talk on your cell phone,,,but get out of the way!

 

Okay, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve had enough of drivers on their cell phones! They make me crazy! 

It’s not often that I feel the need to rant and rave online, but today I just have to!

Yesterday afternoon I had an appointment 35 minutes away, in a torrential storm.  I hesitated to even go out in this kind of weather, but had already made the commitment to show a couple of houses. My trip there and back were filled with drivers that shouldn’t have been on the road.

It was bad enough that is was raining like crazy, but drivers on their cell phones seemed to be crazy, too!

A lady was stopped at a traffic light, talking on her phone. She never noticed the light changed till the 5 cars behind her started honking their horns, then she moved.

A guy in a pickup truck was driving 25 in a 40 mph zone, in the left lane, gabbing , and throwing his arms up…looked like he was screaming at the person on the other end of the phone.  He had about 10 cars stuck behind him because they were boxed in.                                                                       

Drivers on cell phones

A lady in a brand new Lexus pulled out of a parking lot about 3 car lengths in front of me in a spot where the puddles were 3 to 4 inches deep!  I hit the brakes, my van skidded and I thought I was a goner! She never even flinched or looked up. She was laughing and enjoying her “fun” conversation.  As she proceeded on in front of me at about 20 miles per hour, it took me over 4 traffic lights to get around her!

We were all stopped for a red light and the guy next to me was talking on his phone. He and I were in the front of the line. The turn lane light changed from red to the green arrow.  Well, he took off. He and I were in the straight lane and our lights were still red. He and two cars came within inches of colliding…they all hit their brakes and went skidding.

It was a wonder that I made it there and back yesterday in one piece. 

I just wish that some people would put their cell phones away and concentrate on the road before they kill the rest of us!

Thanks for allowing me time to vent,,,I feel much better now…until I get back out on the road.

Visit my website at www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Manatees in Brevard County Florida

Manatee crossing in Melbourne Florida

 

Here in Melbourne Florida we are known for our manatees, or sea cows, that swim and leisurely play in the Indian River Lagoon.

I love traveling 10 minutes to the river to see if we can spot a manatee or two, on a beautiful summer afternoon.   

 

Manatees look somewhat similar to a seal. They have a

Manatees can be found in the Indian River Lagoon

thin layer of hair on their body to help reduce build up of algae on their skin.

Manatees like the Indian River Lagoon because of it’s shallow muddy waters.  They enjoy Florida, because of the tropical climate.  They have a very low metabolic rate, with very little internal body fat, thus the warm water temperatures.  Some can be found as far north as Louisiana and Virginia in the summer months. They like water 3 to 5 meters deep.

We typically get lucky enough to see the manatees. Although, we patiently waited to catch a glimpse of the gentle giants, but unfortunately we didn’t see one today,

But, here is a picture of 2 manatees that are similar to the ones we find here in the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County Florida.

Visit my website at www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Oh, I Wish I Were An Oscar Mayer Wiener…

‘Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener,

Oscar Mayer wienermobile

Oh, that is what I’d truly love to be…

Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener,

Then, everyone would be in love with me.’

Is that how it goes? I’m trying to remember the song.  We used to sing it when we were kids. Did I get it right?

Oscar Mayer wienermobile

Well, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is coming to Brevard County.  Today it will be coming to Melbourne.  It will be at the Wickham Road Wal Mart at 8500 N Wickham Road from 1:00 to 6:00 today.

On Friday it will be in Merritt Island at Wal Mart at 1500 E Merritt Island Causeway in Merritt Island from 1:00 to 6:00.

On Saturday, July 26 it will be at Patrick Air Force Base from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The 2 drivers of the Wienermobile are on the road for a year. Both drivers graduated from Hot Dog High in Madison Wisconsin, home of Oscar Mayer Headquarters. The drivers get 2 days off each week.  They travel cross country, stopping to allow bystanders to take pictures of the World Famous Wienermobile.

Craft Fair is Coming to Melbourne Florida

Country Crafts at Melbourne Craft Fair

The Craft Fair is Coming to Melbourne Auditorium here in Melbourne Florida on July 26-27. It will be an indoor, air conditioned craft show.  It is sponsored by Buckler Craft Fairs.  Hundreds of exhibitors will display their crafts. This will be a great time for those of you that love these types of bazaars and shows. There is something for everyone! Some of the displayed items will include: stained glass, arts and crafts, pottery, ceramics, gifts, folk arts, unique gifts and home decor items.

Here is a coupon to get discounted craft fair tickets.

http://www.bpcraftfairs.com/coupon.html

Visit my website at www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com.

Buyer Sleepovers, Good Idea or Not?

A buyer sleepover, before you buy a home?  Well the idea is beginning to crop up all over the country…

Buyer sleepover good idea or not

Some sellers are offering a buyer the opportunity of sleeping over, in their home, prior to a buyer purchasing the home.  This gives the buyer an opportunity to get a “feel” for the home, the area, and the ambience of the property.

But, is this a good idea? 

Is this putting the seller’s in a precarious position?

Or, you might say, what’s the big deal? 

Isn’t it just like taking a test drive in a car before you buy it?

It’s allowing the buyer to experience the positive aspects of the property, isn’t it?  But, how do you really do that when you’re sleeping? Shouldn’t it be done during the day, or over a weekend?

Buyer sleepovers

On the other hand, it’s also allowing the buyer to find out the negatives of the property before they purchase it, too…

Is it just like early occupancy?  The buyer takes possession of the property prior to the closing.  But, they move into the home, along with their possessions, before the closing.  Personally, I do not care for early occupancy arrangements.  Often times they can get quite sticky, if the buyer is unable to close or something turns up at the last minute, and the buyer chooses not to close. Then, the seller has to get the “buyer” back out of their house.

On the other hand is a buyer sleepover any different than a lease option?  The owner agrees to sell the home at a future date for a specified amount of money.  The tenant/future buyer lives in the house for an agreed upon period of time, often times a year and pays the owner rent.  Often, a portion of the money is applied as option money towards the purchase. At the end of the specified time period the option to buy is exercised, and the parties proceed to closing.

So, what do you think about buyer sleepovers, are they a good idea or not?

Visit my website at www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Palm Bay Florida homes…Are they Affordable Yet?

Here in Palm Bay Florida in Brevard County many buyers are still sitting on the fence…not knowing what to do. 

What should I do, they ask? 

Buy Now

Should I buy now?

Should I rent? 

Should I wait? 

Is the market going to continue on the decline? 

When is the market going to change?

All of these are excellent questions…if only we knew exactly how the market was going to respond.

My question is, What are you waiting for? 

buy now or wait

If prices decline, but interest rates begin to go up due to the recession, with fear of inflation, then what were you waiting for?  It may just be a wash. 

Lower prices + higher rates = Unnecessary money paid out in rent, because they waited, and could have owned?

I did a little research myself to see if homes today truly are affordable here in Melbourne Florida located in Brevard County and here’s the information that I found:

In Palm Bay Florida there are currently 381 homes for sale priced $100,000 or below. There are 1399 priced

paralyzed in fear

$200,000 and below!

In Brevard County there are currently 1381 homes for sale priced $100,000 or below and a total of 4,910 homes for sale priced $200,000 and below!

Interest rates are still historically low.  And, none of us know just how long they will stay that way.  Prices have been steadily declining.  How much farther will they go, well, it may make no difference at all if interest rates begin going up, due to the losses in the economy. 

Don’t wait too long…remember, hindsight is always 20/20!

Visit my website at www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

So Many Years, So Much Time, So Many Lost…

 

Well, I almost fell out of my shoes the other day when I opened the mailbox.  I couldn’t believe my husband was getting an invitiation to his 30 year class reunion at Satellite High School here in Brevard County. We’ve lived in Melbourne Florida for almost 40 years now.

30 years have passed already?

Are you sure?  No, it can’t be…

I had to stop and think for a minute…1978..2008, okay, I’ll bite. The numbers added up.  Now, I must admit, he graduated a couple of years earlier than I did.  But, still….unbelievable!  It has been 30 years since high school graduation?  It seems like yesterday. 

Where does time go?  How did we get here? We started reminiscing about the past, with our teenage daughters.  We decided to go to the reunion website…and through the photo albums on the site, and there was my husband, Steve.  We were in stitches.  “Dad, that was you?  Oh my gosh.  Look at your hair!,” my 13 year old wailed. It was so funny.  My girls couldn’t stop laughing. We laughed about past fun, past friends and past things we did.

Then, we shifted to the in memory of pages on the reunion website and we were stunned! 

There were 27 graduates that had already passed away! 

We couldn’t believe it! 

My husband knew 24 of them, 12 were close friends of his. He hadn’t heard about several of the losses. How did time get away and he lose touch with so many, as our lives changed throughout the years?

We sat in disbelief.  We weren’t even 50 years old yet!  And, all these people had already passed on.  He was absolutely shocked!  The mood completely changed…and our conversation shifted gears.

It made us remember that life is sooo short, and time is sooo precious.  I truly believe that sometimes life gets in the way of living!

Enjoy today, because none of us knows what tomorrow may or may not bring us!

Homeowners – Should You Sell it or Rent it?

Today, the same question keeps coming up with owners that are interested in selling their homes.  If I can’t sell it, should I rent it?  Well, every situation is different.   

There are so many factors an owner must take into consideration today,,, and some of these must be answered with the help of a REALTOR…

What is the reason you are selling?

Are you up to date on the mortgage payments?

Homes for sale

Can you continue to comfortably make payments on the home? And for how long?

When did you purchase the home?  Did you buy at the peak of the market in 2005?

What necessary items must be addressed to make the home market ready?

Are you in a position to realistically price the home to sell as soon as possible?

Are you willing to make your home the most competively priced home in your area in order to do this?

Some owners are reluctant or unable to do what is necessary to get their home in show condition and price it to quickly move off the market.  Thus, the question comes up, should I rent the house out instead? Some feel that they want to wait for the market to “turn around”, and for prices to head up again.  As real estate is local in nature, none of us knows when that may be.

I own rental property of my own and I have since 1996.  I enjoy working with many of my tenants, and frankly, over the years, I have had a few tenants that have been difficult. Owning rental property is not for everyone.  And in my experience, I have never had a tenant return a rental house to me in better condition that I rented it to them in.

So, if you are thinking of renting out the home….

Are you willing to deal with tenants and toilets?

Home for rent

As I mentioned, do you understand that you may not get the property back in the same condition as when you rented it to the tenant?  Are you prepared for that?

If the house sits vacant for a couple of months in between tenants, can you afford to make the mortgage payment, tax, insurance, homeowners fees and maintenance, repair costs and advertising expenses?

Are you in a financial position to make necessary repairs on the home, should the tenant call with maintenance issues?

Are you handy at all?  Can you make any repairs on your own, to cut costs?

If the market should turn around, and the tenant is in place, sometimes a tenant occupied property is a bit tricker to sell than one without a tenant.

And one of the most important factors to consider is the tax implications.  How might it affect you, changing the home from an owner occupied property to a rental?  A homeowner that has lived in a property at least 2 of the 5 years prior to the sale of the property may be eligible for up to $500,000 of the gain if filing a joint tax return. $250,000 for an individual.  Please check with an accountant or tax attorney on this.

So, homeowners, do your homework up front, so that you are sure to make the right choice for your individual situation.

It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This! Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!  It truly doesn’t get any better than this! 

Melbourne Beach Fishing

 

Today is the day to celebrate our country’s independence and be proud of the fact that we live in such a great country!  But, it is also time to spend time with our family, go the beach, barbeque and later watch the fireworks!

Well, today we spent the afternoon on Melbourne Beach located here in Brevard County Florida.  The weather was beautiful, not too hot, the skies were a bit overcast and the surf fishing was incredible!  My daughters were getting a bite on their lines just as fast as they threw them in the water.  Today, was the best day we have ever had surf fishing on South Melbourne Beach. Typically, we catch one to three fish each time we go.  Today, they pulled in over 20 whiting in a 2 1/2 hour period of time! Although, we threw about 8 back because we thought that they were just too small. Tonight we will be enjoying fresh fish for dinner – my favorite!

Melbourne Beach Fishing

I love living in Melbourne Florida, because we are 10 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean and the beautiful sandy beaches!

So far, today has been a perfect 4th of July!  Family, food, fun!  And later, fireworks!  What a great way to spend a holiday!  Happy 4th of July to all of you!