Homes of Central Florida

There is a Tropical Storm Approaching

2009-08-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

To those who have moved to Central Florida from other locals, those words can be a bit unnerving. I grew up in New England and was very scared of Hurricanes and Tropical Storms. But my husband, a Florida native, rejoices when a storm heads our way. He is a very good surfer. To a surfer, hurricanes mean - the potential for great surf. To a New Englander, a Hurricane means - fear of the unknown.

My introduction to Hurricanes
I can remember my first few Hurricane seasons. I would pick up several of those flyers from the grocery store called "Hurricane Preparedness". I would map the location of all storms. Then I would buy tons of canned food; all kinds of batteries, even batteries that would not fit in any of our electronics, just in case; a few new flashlights; gallons of bottled water; bandaids and antibiotic cream, Just in case you have a cut in the dark. And of course I would buy drinks and appetizers to be ready for the Hurricane party, a tradition of old time Floridians.

Meanwhile my husband would be glued to the TV, radio and computer, mapping trajectories of expected waves. He would buy surf wax.

When the storm was getting pretty close I would begin to feel a pit in my stomach, because I did not really know what to expect. About this time, my husband would take off in the car, surf board on top, surf wax in the pocket of his surf shorts, smiling. I would pace and worry until he made it safely home again.

We have both matured a lot since those days. Now I don't panic. Afterall, I survived the 2004 Hurricane season, with 3 Hurricanes that blew right over our house. The first, Hurricane Charlie scared me, but by the third Hurricane I realized it was not really that bad. And my husband still surfs, but he comes home earlier and keeps in touch with me, to let me know he is still alive.

So here is my advice:
-Get a Weather Alert Radio, put new batteries in it, plug it in near your bed, program your county code into it so that you will only be awakened when there is weather that affects your county
-Get a gas grill. Or if you have a gas range you can still cook when the electricity goes out. That is the main problem, lack of electricity.(Please don't put the gas grill inside the house! That would be dangerous.)
-Save some gallon beverage containers to fill with water before a storm. I still fill a few. But I found out in Hurricane Charlie that my town has a generator on the water supply. So even when the power is out we still have water. Check your water supplier to see if they have a generator.
-Get batteries that fit in a regular radio so you can listen the news and music if the power goes out.
-Gather items for a party: drinks, appetizers, cards, old fashioned games.
This is a good excuse and a good time to find alternate means of entertaining yourself.
-Think about what you can eat for 3-4 days. We always start with food in the freezer. It will thaw anyway, so you might as well eat it first.
-Fill the freezer with plastic bottles almost full of water. This will help to keep the freezer cold longer, and can be used as ice in a cooler.
-Keep posted on the storms progression and expected path.
-A day or two before the winds are expected go around the yard and pick up any loose items that can fly around in a strong wind. I have heard that pool furniture can be put in the pool.
-Pick a place to hang out during the worst winds, away from windows, near the center of the house. Make it cozy.
-The worst part is the heat. We are so acclimated to air conditioning. Think about buying some battery operated fans.
-Remember, the storm is the strongest as it hits the coast. By the time it arrives in Central Florida its power is diminished, significantly. The way that we find our way home from the beach is to follow the Hurricane Evacuation Route signs. They lead you home. All of the coastal residents will be evacuating to our hotels and shelters.

A Sage's Wisdom
And last of all, the words (with a southern acent) from my dear old departed friend Louise, "As mother always said, "A Hurricane is like a gentleman. He always lets you know he is coming."" Hurricanes do not move swiftly. You have plenty of time to prepare. Most other natural disasters, earthquakes, tsumanis, and tornadoes, do not give you any warning. So turn on the TV and see what path that storm is headed in. Then check it again later. The closer the storm gets, the more frequently you will want to check on his progress. Hope that makes you feel more prepared to greet your guest.

Your friend in Real Estate,

Lorraine Burch
http://www.homescentralfl.com/
Lorraine@AvalarinClermont.com

$8,000 for First Time Homebuyers - Available for a Short Time Only

2009-05-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

The economic stimulus package approved by Congress has a wonderful treat for first time homebuyers who move swiftly. Those who wait til next year will be too late.

The good news for people considering buying their first home is not only are prices very low this year, additionally they may be eligible for an $8,000 tax credit from IRS! The tax credit does not have to be repaid as long as the buyer stays in the home for a minimum of 3 years. It seems unbelievable but if your total tax liability is less than $8,000 you may be able to receive a tax refund.

There are stipulations in order to qualify. First of all the home must be purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009. Note that is December 1st, so you do not have until the end of the year. Also the sale must be closed during this time frame. A normal purchase or a purchase of a bank owned home can usually close in one month. If you are thinking of buying a short sale home, be aware that it can take 3 months for a response on an offer. So buyers should start looking several months before they actually think they can close the transaction.

The actual tax credit is 10% of the purchase price up to $8,000. There are income limits for qualification. Single taxpayers Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) must be below $75,000, and married couples below $150,000. If your income level is higher you may qualify for a lower amount of tax credit.

If you have any questions about the tax credit, talk to your tax professional. Some resources for more information are provided by the National Association of Realtors http://www.realtor.org/wps/wcm/connect/599a64804d24c83d931ff726a9949436/government_affairs_homeb_tax_cred_qa.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=599a64804d24c83d931ff726a9949436 the National Association of Home Builders www.FederalHousngTaxCredit.com and by the Internal Revenue Service http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=187935,00.html.

Lorraine Burch, REALTOR
Your Friend in Real Estate
Avalar Real Estate Services
Lorraine@AvalarinClermont.com
www.HomesCentralFL.com
Phone: 407-267-3268

About Homes of Central Florida

2009-05-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Homes of Central Florida - the blog, a discussion board focused on the communities of Windermere, Winter Garden, Oakland, Clermont, and Montverde, Florida. Topics will cover items relevant to the local and the general real estate markets, as well as general interest articles. Each week I will include photos, statistics, trends, and interesting tidbits.

Some of the topics you can expect are:

neighborhood information and amenities
local news
local real estate market status
national real estate news
international real estate news and information
favorite restaurants
where to stay in the area
fun things to do in Central Florida
road trips, interesting adventures a short drive away
fishing and recreation tips
lakefront properties
equestrian properties

It is my hope that this information will be interesting to locals, helpful to people looking to move to this area from out of town, and benefit anyone buying a home in a Central Florida neighborhood.

Because life is short, and I don't want to spend my energies on negativity, you can expect to hear the good stuff here. If you want to hear about bad things, look somewhere else. This a forum for sharing the good, fun, and interesting treasures of Central Florida.

"Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
keep on the sunny side of life.
It will help us every day it will brighten all the way,
if we keep on the sunny side of life. "

For a wonderful version of this Carter Family classic gospel song "Keep on the Sunny Side of Life" sung by the Gaither Team check out the youtube video below. The band and audience are dressed in 19th century American attire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txlE_sx09fg

Your Friend in Real Estate,
Lorraine Burch, REALTOR
www.HomesCentralFL.com
The source for real estate in Windermere, Winter Garden, Oakland,
Clermont and Montverde, FL