Colleen McConnell, Tallahassee Realtor

Everyone wants to get a good deal and it seems that most buyers automatically think they should offer less than the full asking price for a home. If the house is priced below recent sales and active comparables, it's probably a good deal, so why not offer the asking price, especially if you want terms that are not so favorable to the seller? And it just might put them in a good mood when it comes time to negotiate repairs.

I was out looking at properties the other day and ran across the biggest House For Sale sign I've ever seen. This FSBO really got my attention since the sign looks like a billboard. I haven't called to see how s/he's doing, but expect that this sign is doing a good job of attracting potential buyers.

It's widely believed that property tax reform as proposed in Amendment 5 would stimulate the economy and housing industry in FL and bring much needed relief to property owners. That sounds good to me. I'm concerned, however, with the opposing arguments which seem both logical and sobering and raise a big RED flag.

Consider this:

"Senate Finance and Tax Chairman Mike Haridopolos, R-Indialantic, who has been campaigning around the state against the amendment, said Friday that the differing opinions from economists showed "no one really has a handle on this."

"When the state's leading economists can't even figure out the impact, it's telling," he said. "In these uncertain times, we don't need to add another uncertain element to the mix."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flftax0803sbaug03,0,6414789.story

AARP recommends AGAINST amendment 5 and has compiled a fact sheet. Here are some excerpts:

Doing The Math on Amendment 5:

In November 2008, Floridians will vote on Amendment 5, a proposal placed on the ballot by the appointed members of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission. Effective in state Fiscal Year 2010-2011, Amendment 5 would eliminate an estimated $8.9 billion in state-required local school funding. However, Florida TaxWatch, a state taxpayer-advocacy group, says that the wording of the amendment requires that lawmakers actually would have to replace a larger amount than $8.9 billion - from $9.7 billion to $11.1 billion.

The amendment allows lawmakers to take any of three options to restore the lost revenue, or some mix of all three:

1. Raise the state sales tax rate from 6 to 7 percent ... Florida TaxWatch says that this tax increase may bring in as little as $3.3 billion, because of a declining state economy... Even if lawmakers did raise the sales tax, Florida would still face a budget deficit of from $5 to 7.2 billion under the terms of the amendment.

2. Raise other taxes, including repealing current sales tax exemptions. Currently, few services are taxable...Florida TaxWatch says the amendment seriously increases the likelihoodthat Florida would be forced to impose a sales tax on services that currently aren't taxed - including eliminating economic-development exemptions that business leaders say are critical to attracting new businesses to come to the state. Floridians also could find themselves paying as much as 8.5 percent sales tax on lawyers' bills, real-estate fees, advertising, technology services, haircuts, construction services and many other kinds of services.

3. Slash state spending. If lawmakers chose to raise no taxes, they would have to cut $11.1 billion out of the $25-billion state General Revenue fund ... If the resulting budget cuts were spread across all state government, it would cut the state General Revenue Fund by more than 40 percent.Education officials predict that community colleges and public universities - which are not protected from budget cuts by Amendment 5 - would be devastated. Hospital groups say health care also would suffer severe cuts, as would human services and all other public services supported by state government.

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/fla_amendment_5_factsheet.pdf

At this point, I'm thinking that Amendment 5 may not be such a good idea.

This weekend was the 2^nd and final weekend of the Tallahassee Builders Association's Parade of Homes. Local builders and craftsmen showcased their work with exciting new trends in home design, décor and construction all across Tallahassee and surrounding counties. It was a great opportunity to become familiar with neighborhoods and lifestyles for those looking to buy, build, or just get ideas.

I spent Saturday and Sunday from 1-6 at one of the million dollar properties on the Tallahassee Parade of Homes in Southwood, a lovely subdivision in the Southeast quadrant of Tallahassee. People came in droves to 2565 Twain Drive, built by William Faulkner.

I was the greeter, stationed at the front door, so I got to see everyone coming and going. Many came in the front door with an eager smile and left with a dreamy expression. It was fun to ask them what feature or room they liked the most and there was quite a variety of answers. I guess that's not surprising, considering the vast amenities and size of the home.

This is a "smart" home and has an awesome number of technical features to amaze and delight. While I appreciate technology and enjoy the latest conveniences, I tend to focus more on ambience. My favorite room is the kitchen. It has all the ultra-cool features you'd expect and it is warm, welcoming, and truly the heart of this home. You have to see it in person to fully appreciate it.

Even though it was exhausting, it was a lot of fun and I'm ready to do it again next year.