John Elwell

With the home buyer tax credit that has been in place for several months and now has been extended and expanded for even longer, more and more people are buying their first homes. The expanded tax credit even gives many current homeowners a break if they want to sell their homes and buy a different one. Lower prices and interest rates are also fueling this fervor. Multiple offers are not uncommon anymore. We have even seen a few bidding wars break out for popular properties.

Getting that first home can be intimidating. And this can also be true if you have lived in your current home for many years and have not had to deal with the home buying process. It can also be an issue if you are moving to another area of the country, as many in Zephyrhills do. Since the laws, regulations, customs, and geographical features, etc. can be very different from place-to-place, having a guide to lead you through the process can be a big help.

There is a show on Home & Garden Television that deals with first-time home buyer jitters and could be a big help for many of you. Below you can click on a link to see a full-episode of this program. Others are also available and you can watch them according to your own schedule. Kind of neat! 

Here is a link to the video on Home & Garden Television that deals with First-Time Home Buyer issues. To see the video, click here: http://www.hgtv.com/videos/love-at-first-sight/29518.html

You can also view other full-length self-help videos on HGTV by clicking here: http://www.hgtv.com/full-episodes/package/index.html  Lots of topics from creating better curb appeal, tackling major and minor remodeling jobs, staging your home for sale, etc are available. They can be a big help. You may even hear the echoes of some of the same words your agent has been telling you. "Depersonalize your home. Clean that clutter. Smoke on the patio." Oh well, we try. :)

They even have little mini-episodes you can watch in under 5 minutes. When you are selling your home you can use all the help you can get. So check out these hints on this useful television network!

For my own ideas on making your home more "sellable", give me a call at: 813-783-4444 or e-mail me at: jelwell1@tampabay.rr.com You can also visit my webpage at: www.jelwell.century21bnr.com

As many of my readers know, I work in Zephyrhills and we have many mobile home subdivisions, most of which are occupied by retirees. However, we have quite a few that have residents of all ages.

One thing that most of these will have in common is the fact that behind the home is where the electrical lines often run. Usually underground, but sometimes with wires from poles. But, unlike conventional homes where the meter and main breaker box are attached to the home, with these mobiles, the meter and breaker box are usually on a short pole or support behind the mobiles. In a typical park they will be placed in groups of 4 with each one serving a home in each corner. It is at this box that most homeowners can cut the power to their entire home.

On conventional homes, these boxes are often attached right to the structure which can offer some protection from the elements. However, sitting on a pole out in the open behind a mobile home, these other boxes can really take a beating from the elements. They are sturdy and can take a beating, but like the great pyramids of Egypt, eventually, the rain, sun, temperature changes, wind, etc take their toll.

Most home buyers will have a professional inspection done before they close on a purchase. On a recent inspection, Stephen Brown of Accuchek Home Inspection Service here in Zephyrhills found such a problem. As you can see from his pictures to the left, there was severe corrosion on the breaker box. So much so that a child could have reached inside and possibly have been  electrocuted. And once the integrity of the metal is compromised, the destruction only accelerates. Of course, the buyer wanted the box replaced and the seller, a very nice and reasonable person, agreed to take care of it.

In our area, the cost to repair this box can run between $500 and $600, and requires the use of a licensed electrician. How much cheaper it would have been if the box had been inspected from time-to-time by a professional, and a coat of protective paint applied. A lot cheaper than the replacement cost I bet. Good maintenance is the key!

This is the third time I have seen this occur. On one home I warned the owner, and he caught the problem early, and I noticed that he had indeed painted the box to protect it.

Since you are dealing with electricity here, and to examine the interior of the box a panel will likely need to be removed, I recommend that you either have a professional home inspector or a licensed electrician do the removal of the inner protective plate to check for damage. Checking inside is important since these boxes are not water-tight and if water sits and sits on the lower interior of the box it can only hasten the corrosion that can take place. So a coat of paint on the lower interior may also be necessary. The electrician or inspector can best advise you on what needs to be done.

So be observant of your exterior electrical boxes, and have them checked regularly. If you see rust on the outside of the box in any location, that should be a warning to get things checked out. Remember, a coat of metal paint is hundreds of dollars less than replacing the entire box. It can also diminish the possibility that someone could be seriously injured or killed. To the left you can see the new box the owner bought. Trust me. Paint is a lot cheaper!

If you wish to contact me call me at: 813-783-4444 or e-mail me at: jelwell1@tampabay.rr.com  You can also visit my webpage at: www.jelwell.century21bnr.com

If you would like to speak with Stephen Brown of Accuchek Home Inspection Service, feel free to call him at: 813-783-2662. He is certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and can be a great resource for you.

My November 2009 Real Estate Newsletter is now avaiable for download as a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file. Just click on the following link: Download November 2009 Newsletter I hope that you will find this month's articles interesting and helpful.

If you would like to receive these newsletters automatically in the future each month, just send me an e-mail and let me know. I would be glad to add you to my e-mailing list. You can e-mail me at: jelwell1@tampabay.rr.com or call me at: 813-783-4444

I also invite you to visit my my website where I think you will find a lot of useful information. To get there just click on the following link: www.jelwell.century21bnr.com

I just went to my mailbox, and guess what I found? My property tax bill from Pasco County, Florida. Now, this is no big surprise since I received a notice a couple of months ago that it would be arriving and what my taxes would be if the new budget was passed. I even wrote a post on it. That was called my TRIM notice which stands for Truth in Millage. It is a way that the public can see what the county government is proposing and can then attend hearings to express their views. Everyone in Florida who owns real estate should be getting these bills.

Now the official bill have gone out. They always arrive on November 1st or the first business day after that date. This year that was Monday, the 2nd. If you have a mortgage your lender may be paying your tax bill for you. If not, it is your responsibility to get your payments to the tax collector for your county. There is a discount if you pay early. So the quicker you pay your taxes, the less they will be!

No big surprises for me anyway. For many of us, our taxes actually went down for 2009. This was due to changes in the tax laws and also the reassessments of our homes that took into account the falling market of this past year.

If you own property in Pasco County and do not get your bill, you might want to contact the Pasco tax collector at:

• 352-521-4360
• 727-847-8165
• 813-235-6020

to see what you should do.

You can also visit the Pasco Tax Collector Site at: http://www.pascotaxes.com/   Then click on the link for "Real Estate Tax Record Search" Then just enter your LAST NAME & FIRST NAME and your 2009 tax bill should appear.

If you live in another county in Florida, just do a Google Search for your county tax collector, for example "Gadsden County Florida Tax Collector", and in all likelihood, his/her site will come up in the results.

To better understand your tax bill, our collector has included an explanation sheet. If you cannot find yours, click on the following link to download a copy from the one I scanned into my computer for you: Download Properrty Tax Explanation for PASCO COUNTY0001

Again, you can also call the numbers I gave you above to get even more answers to questions you might have.

If I can be of any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact me at: 813-783-4444 or e-mail me at: jelwell1@tampabay.rr.com  I will do my best to help you out.

What more could you ask for? A beautiful spacious home on a corner lot in one of Zephyrhills' most popular mobile subdivisions, South Hill. This wonderful furnished 2 bedroom/2 bath home could be just the winter retreat you have been searching for. However, it is so roomy it could also be a comfortable year-round home! It has 1,144 of heated and cooled living space, which does not include the airy and bright Florida room or the long carport & huge utility room. Even the lot the home sits on seems larger since it is on a corner.

Throughout this residence you have soaring vaulted ceilings that create a light and open feeling. It is tastefully decorated in color tones that will match nearly any accessories you care to add when you make this home your own. An inventory of the furnishings that will stay is available.

The kitchen has a cute breakfast nook and all of the major appliances that you will need. The sale includes a disposal, range, refrigerator, microwave oven/hood, and dishwasher. Storage space here is not a concern. More than enough to go around!

The large master bedroom has its own full en-suite bath with shower and plenty of natural lighting. There is ample closet space with full-length mirrors on the closet doors. No lack of space here for furniture or your personal items.

The guest room is also larger than you would normally find in many mobile homes. When friends and family come to call, you will be able to accomodate them in style here. The sofa in the living room also converts into a bed if you need it for additional visitors.

The Florida room also has a vaulted ceiling and feels more like a "second living room". Since it faces the south, during the winter months, this will be a welcome and cozy spot to laze away a peaceful afternoon while the rest of the world is shivering back in the north!

The carport is long and should easily accomodate two cars. At its end is the large utility room with its washer and dryer hook-ups. Plenty of room for a workshop and storage too. You can never have too much of that.

In South Hill Mobile Home Park you own the land under the home. This is NOT a rental park. The current homeowners fee is only $25/month, and gains you access to the park's heated swimming pool, shuffleboard courts, and recreation building. Especially during the winter months this area is the hub of social activites in South Hill. With some restrictions, pets are welcome in this subdivision.

Conveniently located just to the west of Zephyrhills, Florida you will have only short drives to supermarkets, pharmacies, parks, restaurants, supercenters, home centers, libraries, and the City of Tampa. That is an important point when traffic and the price of gasoline are both increasing!

Priced at just $79,900 this home will garner a lot of attention from buyers. For more information or to arrange a tour, please contact John Elwell - REALTOR at CENTURY 21 Bill Nye Realty, Inc. Tel: 813-783-4444 or via e-mail at: jelwell1@tampabay.rr.com

I also invite you to visit my other websites at the following locations on the internet:

My Webpage: www.jelwell.century21bnr.com

My Zephyrhills 55+ Bulletin Board: www.bulletinboards.com/zephyrhills55+bulletinboard/

Click on any of the images below to view a larger version