Joe Dallorso ~ Ocala Real Estate

Well the weather here in July is hot and humid, as it should be in Florida, in the summer time. This year we have returned to a more normal rainy summer. The past couple of years have been too dry causing a drought. This year we've returned to normal. By normal I mean a gully washer thunderstorm most afternoons. This is a good thing. It keeps the water levels up and makes everything lush and very green.

The weather in July is very predictable. It is in the 90's every day but never above 95. At night the temperature drops to the mid 70's and still humid. Afternoon thunderstorms start around 3 pm and are caused by winds from the Atlantic colliding with winds off the Gulf.

Although we are technically in hurricane season now it really doesn't get going until AUGUST when the ocean heats up some more.

Sales in Rolling Hills in Dunnellon and Ocala Florida from 1/1/2008 to 5/23/2008

12850 SW 81 ST, Dunnellon FL 34432 2/2 1669 sq ft living sold $168,200.00

13610 SW 71 LN, Ocala FL 34481 4/3 2108 sq ft living sold $185,000.00

12385 SW 66 ST, OCALA FL 34472 3/2 1602 sq ft living sold $165,000.00

8490 SW 138 TERR, DUNNELLON FL 34481 3/2 2014 sq ft living sold $210,000.00

12350 SW 71 LN, Ocala FL 34481 3/2 2030 sq ft living sold $227,000.00

The above image is of 8490 SW 138 TERR, DUNNELLON FL which was my listing.

More Rolling Hills homes for sale.

May is here and the humidity is coming back. Most days will be close to 90 during the day and the high 60's at night. It's just a little humid and I find myself turning on the AC most afternoons.

We are in the "dry season". It hasn't rained a drop in over a month. This is unusually dry even for the dry season which ends at the end of May.

You probably see terrible wild fires in other parts of Florida. In the 4 years I've been in Ocala we have never had a major fire. A couple of time fires in other counties were so bad I could smell the smoke from miles away but Marion county is pretty much untouched. The fires always seem to be south or east of Ocala. You'd think the Ocala national forest, which is 300,000 acres would catch fire once in a while but never sems to. Why, I don't know.

That's May in Ocala. Next month the afternoon thunder storms return.

For more information about Ocala Florida Real Estate contact me any time.

The Koi pond picture above is for sale along with a nice house and 3 1/2 acres of land in Lake Tropicana.

OCALA REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT

Homes Sold April 2008 ..............237*

$100,000.00 or less..........................61

$101 to $200,000.00.......................117

$201 to $300,000.00........................32

$301 to $500,000.00........................21

$500,000.00 Plus..............................6

Active Listings as of 5/1/08.......7163*

*This does not count homes sold by builders that may not be listed on the MLS Number may be revised due to late reports from board of Realtors.

WHAT"S HOT IN OCALA REAL ESTATE

· Homes priced below $150,000.00

· Golf Course & 55+ communities.

· SE Ocala near but not in the Historic district

· New Homes priced at or below $100.00 per sq ft of living area

Sales in April were up from March by 39 units! The total number of homes on the MLS has gone down 2 months in a row! This is good news. Lower prices has brought of a number of buyers. Admittedly they are serious bargain hunters but they are buying.

Short sales, foreclosures and homes priced to compete are selling. Don't be mislead into thinking we have hit bottom and price will begin to recover. The rest of 2008 will be dominated by bargain shoppers buying very, very well priced homes.

I have 3 homes under contract pending to close by the end of may!!! All 3 are in hard to sell areas like Marion Oaks, Rolling Hills and Rainbow Park. Here are some examples of homes that are priced to sell. I can't give out the sold price until after the closing, sorry.

Rolling Hills....2014 sq ft living area....listed at $239,000.00

Rainbow Park ...1434 sq ft living........ listed at $139,000.00

Marion Oaks Unit 1 ..1781 sq ft living listed at $150,000.00 (short sale)

I now need more listings. Call me even if you owe more than the home is worth. I can advise you on the Short Sale process.

Deed restrictions in Ocala and surrounding Marion county can mean a lot of things. They can be common sense things like you can't put a mobile or manufactued home in a subdivision of $300,000.00 block homes. Or they can keep you from parking your boat or RV in your yard. Deed restictions in Ocala can run the gamout from the common sence to the intrusive.

A lot depends on the personality of the buyer. If you're a free spirit and tolerant of others then you should look at non deed restricted subdivisions. However deed restrictions are there for a purpose. That purpose is to preserve property values by maintaining a homogeneous appearance to the neighborhood. Take it from me, there is nothing harder than showing a beautifull home that is right next door to a dump.

Most but not all subdivisions have deed restrictions. Before writting an offer the buyer should read a copy. Having said that, some older communities have deed restrictions that have grown huge over the years due to ammendments and changes. They can be a lot to get through but it's incumbent apon the buyer to be sure that there isn't something they can't live with.