Lana Robbins P.A., GRI, Realtor ® in Tampa Bay, Florida

Pictures of Tarpon Springs Florida

Downtown Tarpon Springs is known for its sponge docks. Some its initial visitors spotted tarpons jumping out of the waters so named the location Tarpon Springs.

The first Greek immigrants arrived to this city during the 1880s when they were hired to work as divers in the growing sponge-harvesting industry.

This industry helped build a Greek community that is now famous for sponges but also for some of the finest Greek restaurants and bakeries in the country.

What you will find at the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks: Greek restaurants, bakeries, natural sponges, diving, tours, sightseeing cruises, shopping, jewelry, art galleries, etc.

Here are some pictures:

There are many Greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs to choose from:

There are many places to shop:

Sometimes Tarpon Springs hosts art festivals for those looking for some unique gifts or accessories for their home:

There is also artwork throughout the area making it a pleasure to walk and view:

One reason I like Tarpon Springs is that it is a synthesis of an old charming town with modern amenities which make it an ideal place to live, work, and play. Another key feature is its close proximity to the Pinellas Trail which is a 34-mile long trail that offers residents and visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy the outdoors that it close to home, close to work, and close to where *you* want to go whether in-line skating, biking, jogging, walking, or biking. It is a gem in the area.

If you are looking to buy in Tarpon Springs call me at (727) 376-0530 or contact me via email for more information.

A hui hou (until next time)

~ Lana Robbins

Florida Property Taxes Homestead Exemption Eligibity

Important : Homestead Exemption Expires December 31, 2009

This is important news for homeowners in Florida... and I am posting this here for those in Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough Counties where I specialize.

In Florida every Florida resident who has a legal or beneficial title to real property who resides on said property and makes the said property their primary residence to the exclusion of other places on or before January 1st of the year application is made may be entitled to an exemption up to the tax assessed valuation of $50,000.

The first $25,000 is entirely exempt. The second $25,000 is to be applied to the value between $50,000 to $75,000 and does not include school taxes.

There are other exemptions for those qualified as well. (For example widow or widower exemption, disability, veteran's, etc.)

In Hawai'i the homestead exemption is significantly different so I know that some people in Florida may be unaccustomed and/or unaware of the homestead exemption in Florida.

For those in Tampa Bay Florida if you plan to file for a homestead exemption you will need to establish primary residency by December 31, 2009:

2010 Homestead Exemption Eligibility:

You will need to establish primary residency by December 31, 2009 and submit an application to local County Property Appraiser no later than March 1, 2010.

For additional information and applications such as Portability or FAQ’s, please visit: www.pcpao.org (Pinellas County), www.hcpafl.org (Hillsborough County) or www.appraiser.pascogov.com (Pasco County).

If your tax base is outside one of these counties, please visit your local county Property Appraiser site to obtain regional applications, instructions, and applicable dates.

A hui hou (until next time)

~ Lana Robbins

Foster Grant Ironman World Championship in Clearwater Florida

The Ironman 70.3 Series culminates with its world championship in Clearwater, Florida. It will be held this Saturday November 14, 2009.

More than 1,800 domestic and international competitors earn the right to compete in the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 by qualifying at one of the 31 Ironman 70.3 events held around the world.

For local people there will be road closures.

Roads from the beach to Countryside and East Lake will have temporary closures Saturday to accommodate the bicycling and running portions of the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship, the city announced tonight. The bicycling segment will see intermittent closures on some roads for nearly three hours as police stop motorists to make room for the athletes before vehicular traffic can resume. The running portion will affect traffic for up to seven hours. Here is a complete list of closures, detours and suggestions for getting around:

Estimated Times of Impact

The bike route, which travels 56 miles throughout northern and mid Pinellas County, will affect the following areas:

-Coronado Drive at the Clearwater Beach Roundabout, 3 a.m. to 5 p.m.
-Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Court Street, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
-NE Cleveland Street and Drew Street, 7 to 9:15 a.m.
-Drew Street and Keene Road, 7 to 9:25 a.m.
-Drew Street and Belcher Road, 7 to 9:30 a.m.
-Sunset Point and Belcher Road, 7:15 to 9:45 a.m.
-Countryside Boulevard and State Road 580, 7:15 to 10 a.m.
-Countryside Boulevard and Lake St George 7:15 to 10:15 a.m.
-Lake St. George and Tampa Road, 7:15 to 10:15 a.m.
-Tampa Road and Off ramp to East Lake Road, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.
-East Lake Road and Keystone Road, 7:30 to 11 a.m.
-East Lake Road to Trinity Oaks Boulevard and back, 7:45 to 11 a.m.
-McMullen Booth Road and Curlew Road, 7:45 to 11:15 a.m.
-McMullen Booth Road and Enterprise Road, 8 to 11:30 a.m.
-McMullen Booth Road and Drew Street, 8:15 to 11:45 a.m.
-McMullen Booth Road and Roosevelt Boulevard, 8:30 a.m. to noon ?East Bay Drive and Belcher Road, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
-Belcher Road and Belleair Road, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
-Belcher Road and Gulf to Bay Boulevard, 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
-Gulf to Bay Boulevard to Clearwater Beach, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The run route, which travels 13.1 miles from Pier 60 throughout Clearwater Beach, across the Memorial Causeway Bridge and into downtown Clearwater, will affect the following areas:

-Fort Harrison Ave., from Chestnut St. to Jeffords St., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-Bay Ave., from Druid Rd. to Jeffords St., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-Magnolia Dr., from Pinellas Trail to Druid Rd. South, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-Druid Rd. South, from Jeffords St. to Orange Ave., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-Orange Ave., from Druid Rd. to Turner St., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-Turner St., from Orange Ave. to Oak Ave., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-Oak Ave., from Turner St. to Chestnut St., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To access Morton Plant Hospital, drivers will have to use Pinellas Street.

Detours and Road Impacts

Belcher Road
If you live along east side of Belcher Road please use U.S. 19 as your north-south route. It will be difficult to exit your neighborhoods onto Belcher Road to go north bound or to turn left out of your neighborhoods and travel south.

East Lake Area Detours
The median openings along East Lake Road between Tampa Road and Trinity Boulevard will be blocked throughout the duration of the bike portion of the race. If you live in the area or know someone that does, plan ahead and learn the detour routes.
-Residents living west of East Lake Road will be able to travel south on East Lake Road to access Tampa Road.
-Residents who live east of East Lake Road can travel north on East Lake Road, turn right on Trinity Boulevard and make a U-turn at the second median opening to go south.
-Residents living east of East Lake Road can also utilize East Lake Woodlands Parkway to access Tampa Road.
-At McMullen Booth Road and State Road 580, traffic traveling on McMullen Booth Road will be detoured east on State Road 580 to Tampa Road where cars will able to access East Lake Road.

Bayside Bridge Detour

Traffic traveling south bound on the McMullen Booth will be unable to use to Bayside Bridge during the race. Cars will be detoured to go west on Drew St., south on U.S. 19. When cars get to Roosevelt Boulevard, exit and make a U-turn under the over pass and go east on Roosevelt Boulevard to get onto 49th Street.

North Pinellas County
-Keystone Road will be shut down at East Lake Road from 7:30 to 11 a.m., find an alternate route and avoid the area if you can.
-All eastbound and westbound intersections along East Lake Road will be blocked between Tampa Road and Trinity Boulevard. If you need to cross East Lake Road, you will have to travel south to Tampa Road or north of Trinity Boulevard.

Full Road Closures

Most roads along the route will have only partial lane closures. Soft closures allow the police officers to let cars through when there is a break between the bicycles. Cars may have to wait for an extended period of time until they are permitted to travel through the intersection.

Full road closures on race day include the following:

-Most of South Gulfview Boulevard will close on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 8 a.m. and re-open Monday, Nov. 16, 8 a.m.
-Keystone Road will be shut down at East Lake Road/McMullen Booth Road from 7:30 to 11 a.m.
-McMullen Booth Road from Curlew Road to Tampa Road, Northbound lanes will be closed to traffic
-Bayside Bridge, from Drew Street to Roosevelt Boulevard, Southbound lanes will be closed to traffic
-Coronado Drive will be closed from the Clearwater Beach roundabout to Devon Drive starting at 3 a.m.

Clearwater Beach Traffic Impact

Because the majority of the event takes place at Pier 60, most of South Gulfview Boulevard will be closed from Tuesday, Nov. 10, to Monday, Nov. 16. and Coronado will be closed from the Clearwater Beach roundabout to Devon Drive starting at 3 a.m. on race day. If residents need to leave the beach on race day, they should plan to leave the before 7 a.m. to avoid the traffic impacts. Between 7 and 9 a.m. North Beach residents will have limited access to the roundabout. South Beach residents and those needing access to and from South Beach after 3 a.m. will need to use the Belleair Causeway.

Helpful Driving Hints for Race Day

To ease congestion on race day, drivers should leave early to allow for extra traffic and lane closures. The bike course will re-open at 12:30 p.m. and the run course will re-open at 3:30 p.m. Since the race route does not affect U.S. 19, use it as the main north-south route. Signalized intersections along the route will have police officers assisting motorists and will let vehicles through when and if it is safe to do so. Motorists who come upon a non-signalized intersection should yield to bicyclists as bikes have right-of-way on the course.

Drivers will have to share multi-lane roads with bicyclists. Throughout most of the route, cyclists will be in the outside curb lane and vehicles will travel in the remaining lanes. On McMullen Booth Road, cyclists will be traveling on the inside median lane, and vehicles will be traveling in the outside lanes.

For more information, including maps of the route, go to www.myclearwater.com/ironman or call the hotline at (727) 562-INFO (4636).

A hui hou (until next time)

~ Lana Robbins

5th Annual Senior Friendly Extravaganza in Largo Florida

For the last five years Senior Connection & Mature Lifestyles magazines has sponsored the Senior Friendly Extravaganza in Largo Florida.

This event attracts many seniors with fun, games, entertainment, and an opportunity to meet others and find out about all the services and products available to them.

What: 5th Annual Senior Friendly Extravaganza

When: November 18, 2009 Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo, Florida 33771

Live Music and Entertainment

FREE Bingo Games for prizes!
FREE Health Screenings

FREE Menu & Product Samplings
FREE Coffee & Doughnuts

$1,000 in Prizes Win 2 round trip tickets and 2 night stay at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Biloxi

Directions

From Tampa: take I-4 W to I-275S to SR-688 W/Ulmerton Rd. exit 31, toward Martin Luther King Jr., merge onto Ulmerton Rd/Fl-688 W. toward St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport., Take Roosevelt Blvd, Fl-686 W toward Largo/Clearwater, stay straight to go onto Roosevelt Blvd./FL-686 W. follow for 6.4 miles(Roosevelt Blvd becomes East Bay). Turn Left onto Central Park Dr. Largo Cultural Center will be on the right.

From Pasco, New Port Richey area, follow US 19 S, take ramp toward SR-686/Largo turn slight left onto US-19N, turn right onto East Bay Dr/FL-686W, turn left onto Central Park Dr. the Cultural Center will be on the right.

From south: I-275 N to Sr-686/Roosevelt Blvd. exit 30 toward Largo. Merge onto Ulmerton Rd/Fl-688 W. toward St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport., Take Roosevelt Blvd, Fl-686 W toward Largo/Clearwater, stay straight to go onto Roosevelt Blvd./FL-686 W. follow for 6.4 miles (Roosevelt Blvd becomes East Bay). Turn Left onto Central Park Dr. Largo Cultural Center will be on the right.

Senior Fun Walk on Wed., Nov 18 at 9:30 am
One Mile “FUN” Walk around Largo Central Park.

“Grandkids Are The Greatest” Photo Contest
Selected photos will be published in upcoming issues of Senior Connection magazine.
Photos will be on display both days. Winning Photos will be Selected on Thursday. Call for Entry Form 1-888-670-0040.

Checkout the Senior Connection & Mature Lifestyles magazines event brochure for more information:

http://www.srmagazine.com/event_pdfs/EventBroch9.09.pdf

A hui hou (until next time)

~ Lana Robbins

Palm Harbor Florida Real Estate Sales Statistics October 2009: Hawks Landing

In the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) realtors ® list it under “Hawks Landing" under “Subdivision Name.”

For October 2009 two single-family homes in Hawks Landing that were listed in the MLS sold:

There is currently one single-family home in Hawks Landing Palm Harbor Florida listed in the MLS as "Active With Contract."

If you currently own a home in Hawks Landing or in Palm Harbor Florida and are thinking about selling or if If you are thinking of buying a home in Hawks Landing or in Palm Harbor Florida then feel free to contact me via email for more information.

A hui hou (until next time)

~ Lana Robbins

* This information was retrieved from GTAR, PSAR & WPBR ® for October 2009 sales. All rights reserved. Information is believed to be accurate but should not be relied upon without verification.