About Highlands County, FL

Are you a bit outraged about Progress Energy's 25% rate increase as of Jan 1st, 2009?
The increase translates into $27.28 per 1,000 residential kWh. The rate increase includes $14.09 for fuel costs (including the under-recovered amount from 2008); $11.42 for new nuclear-plant construction in Levy County; 69 cents for an additional 180 megawatts (MW) of power at the Crystal River nuclear plant and $1.08 for environmental and conservation projects, including the installation of the latest clean-air technology at the company's coal-fired plants.

So, it's an investment for a cleaner environment, which is a good thing! Still, many Floridians on fixed or low incomes find themselves scratching their heads, escpecially in this declining economy.

We have some energy saving tips for you that might help you reduce your monthly electric bill a bit:

• Install a timer on your hot water heater. Nobody takes showers or does dishes all day long, so there is no need for your hot water heater to be running all day long either. My husband purchased a timer, called "Little Grey Box" at Home Depot for around $50. Ours is set for 45 minutes in the morning, which provides 3 hot showers and plenty of hot water left to do the dishes at night.
  
• With a little trial and error, find the lowest recirculation time for your pool pump. Many pool owners run their pumps much longer than necessary. It also might pay to look into a smaller pump if your current one is getting ready to be replaced.
  
• Replace all your conventional light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs. This saves us around $30 a month with an initial investment of $80 for a 1700 sqft home, living with an unconcerned pre-teen.
  
• Does your A/C run all year long? Yes, it gets hot and humid in Florida but we live very comfortably with the windows open from late October through March. During the warmer months we use window units to cool the bedrooms and we don't cool the house while nobody is home.
  
• Maybe a bit extreme but it depends on how you look at it: let the sun dry your laundry for free. I understand this becomes difficult to do with several kids but even then it would pay to at least cut down on your dryer usage. We dry all our laundry in the sun. Towels get a little stiff but a few minutes in the dryer fluffs them up just fine.

Progress Energy has a "Lower my Bill Toolkit" available from their website. Also, check out their Energy Neighbor Fund, designed to assist customers who are experiencing temporary financial difficulties.

Greetings,

Andrea Mills, who's energy bill shrunk by around 50%

www.millsrealestate.net

Jan 1 VISIT OUR WEB SITE FOR THE MOST RECENT CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Jan 1 Bingo - Sebring Hills Association
Jan 2 Highlands Art League - Sunset in the Villages
Jan 3 Highlands Senior Center Saturday Night Dance
Jan 5 Horse & Pony Rides
Jan 6 TRAVELOGUE ADVENTURE SERIES - KIWANIS CLUB
Jan 6 Bingo - Sebring Lions Club
Jan 7 Highlands Senior Center
Jan 7 TOASTMASTERS CLUB
Jan 8 - Jan 9 FLEA MARKET - Sebring Lions Club
Jan 9 - Jan 10 PIG FEST & TRACTOR PARADE
Jan 9 Gallery/Downtown Walk
Jan 10 BLOCK PARTY - THE PALMS OF SEBRING
Jan 10 Spaghetti Dinner - St. Catherine Catholic Church
Jan 10 Saturday Night Cruise Car Show
Jan 11 EAA Chapter 1240 BREAKFAST FLY IN
Jan 13 SEBRING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BREAKFAST
Jan 14 - Jan 17 22nd Annual Florida Flywheelers Antique Engine & Tractor Swap Meet
Jan 14 Ladies Lunch Club Wednesday
Jan 15 - Jan 16 FLEA MARKET - Sebring Lions Club
Jan 15 Sebring Chamber of Commerce Mixer - Sponsored by Florida Hospital
Jan 15 THE HIGHLANDAIRES 2009 Series
Jan 16 Spaghetti Dinner - Emmanuel United Church of Christ
Jan 17 Keep Highlands County Beautiful Fun Shoot 2009
Jan 17 SNOWFEST 2009 - Big Brothers & Big Sisters 4th Annual
Jan 17 Music in the Park - Roger & Penny Decker
Jan 20 TRAVELOGUE ADVENTURE SERIES - Kiwanis Club of Sebring
Jan 21 TOASTMASTERS CLUB
Jan 22 - Jan 25 US Sports Aviation Expo
Jan 22 - Jan 23 FLEA MARKET - Sebring Lions Club
Jan 22 Paul Saik Concert - Meals on Wheels Benefit Concert
Jan 23 - Jan 31 Highlands County Fair
Jan 24 Arc's Afternoon Tea
Jan 28 50+ Singles Connection
Jan 29 - Jan 30 FLEA MARKET
Jan 30 Full Moon Howl
Jan 30 Sebring Chamber of Commerce Luncheon
Jan 30 Blues Brothers Revival - Avon Park Rotary
Jan 31 SEBRING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WINTER GOLF CLASSIC

December 2008 turned out to be an "average" month with a total of 76 residential sales in Highlands County. The county average for the year of 2008 was 77.33. We have seen a decline in foreclosures filed for 3 consecutive months now. October saw 155 filings, November 117 and December is down to 108 filings. With 123 DOM we have a relatively low number of days a home spends on the market. The last time we saw DOM that low was in August 2006 when DOM started to increase. Coincidently (or not) home prices for Highlands County were at their highest in the summer of 2006. The bulk of sales still occurs in the lower price ranges and the overwhelming majority of buyers are going for the bargains for under $100,000. Statistically, sale prices are now back to 2004 levels when the average DOM was 110 with 121 sales per month. Currently, it will take 25 months to sell every home on the market at the current rate if no new listings enter the market. Sellers that wish to overprice for whatever reason should get in line and be prepared to wait. Bargains and well priced homes sell first.

Greetings,

Andrea Mills, who's is now working on the End of the Year Market Update!

www.millsrealestate.net

Untitled Document

Our regular monthly Market Report will be available Dec 31, 2008 from our website, through our blog or by email upon request.

Greetings, Andrea Mills, who feels a bit dizzy after typing up all those numbers :)

www.millsrealestate.net
Yes, we are available to help you sell your home.
Yes, we are available to help you find your next home.
Yes, our office is licensed to list & sell mobile homes on rented land.
Yes, we answer our phones, give it a try: 863-202-0729 or 863-386-1111

I love going to work. When we walk into the office it is almost like walking in to our own home.

I remember having jobs where I felt like a stranger. I hated walking in the front door in the mornings and seeing the same people everyday that were trying to reduce me as they climbed the ladder. I will never work in one of those environments again. It is too detrimental to my health and family.

We are lucky enough to work at what I consider the best office in town. There is not an unfriendly face in the whole place. Andrea and I share a very spacious office and she really makes it feel like home.

The environment in our office is not superficial. Everyone pretty much always says what they mean and means what they say. They are always willing to help in anyway they can and we would be happy to do whatever we can for any of them.

When you are happy going to work, it is much easier to do a good job and go the extra mile to get the job done. WOW, dispite the doom and gloom in the world, Andrea and I are very lucky people.

We hope you feel the same way about your job.

Darrin & Andrea Mills
www.millsrealestate.net