Silvia Dukes, BSBA, CIPS, TRC, AHWD,

October 2009 Real Estate Market Report: Hernando Beach, Florida - Hernando Beach South

This market report covers the neighborhood of Hernando Beach South, the only deed-restricted neighborhood in the waterfront community of Hernando Beach, Florida.

Homes in this neighborhood are located on fresh water canals and boaters can use a boat lift to gain access to salt water canals that lead to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There is a private boat ramp for use of residents of Hernando Beach South to launch boats into the canals of the community.

Inventory of homes for sale in Hernando Beach South remained stable with average and median list prices slightly on the increase. There were no sales in Hernando Beach South during October but one property went under contract.

Please also read the market reports for the Hernando Beach direct access neighborhood and the Hernando Beach Central neighborhood of this fine waterfront community.

Offered for Sale: 16

Price Range: $164,900 - $550,000

Median: $377,777

Average: $341,085

Sold in October 2009: None

Under Contract: 1

Offered as a short sale, list price: $289,000, under contract awaiting third party approval.

Sales Data derived from Hernando County MLS as of 11/2/09, believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

October 2009 Real Estate Market Report: Hernando Beach, Florida - Hernando Beach Central

Prices for Hernando Beach Florida homes for sale have dropped and consequently, the different Hernando Beach neighborhoods are seeing more activity as evidenced in higher numbers of properties under contract. This is true for the central neighborhood of the Hernando Beach waterfront community which can look forward to some closed transactions before the end of the year.

Hernando Beach, Florida, is a waterfront community located along the west coast of central Florida just north of Tampa. This community offers a wide range of homes located on saltwater and freshwater canals.

This real estate market update covers the central section of Hernando Beach, Florida. This area is not gated nor deed-restricted, homes are located on wide and deep freshwater canals. Boaters use a boat lift to gain access to the Gulf of Mexico, thus the area is also referred to as an "indirect Gulf access" neighborhood.

Inventory has only increased slightly in the last month with the price range remaining the same but with median and average list prices declining indicating that the new listing additions are in the lower price ranges.

Please also read the market reports for the neighborhoods of Hernando Beach with direct Gulf access and the Hernando Beach South subdivision.

Offered for Sale: 11

Price Range: $169,000 - $479,000

Median: $259,000

Average: $280,236

Under Contract: 4

Price Range: $159,900 - $243,000

Median: $187,450

Average: $194,450

One of these properties is under contingency contract, the other three are pending.

One property is offered as a short sale, one as a foreclosure, the remaining two are market sales.

Closed Transactions in October 2009: None

Sales Data derived from Hernando County MLS as of 11/8/09, believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

Hernando Beach Florida Crime Watch Warns of Fraudulent Scheme

Apparently, there is more than one way to pick a pocket. At last night's Hernando Beach Property Owners monthly meeting, a representative of the Hernando Beach Crime Watch shared information their organization had received from the Hernando County Sheriff's Department about a scheme that had occurred in the area to scam consumers out of money.

Reportedly, this consumer scam involves the popular "cash back" options given at cash registers of stores when using credit or debit cards. It appears that, even if the customer does not choose the cash back option, it can still be selected by the cashier without the knowledge of the customer. In a case like this, the cashier works together with another person in line behind the customer checking out and the cash is handed to the that next person in line.

Although the cash back transaction is printed on the receipt given to the customer, most people do not even look at their receipt before leaving the store and don't notice the scam right away especially since the amounts involved are rather small.

People will just think, oh well, I spent more than I thought or I must have miscalculated by $20 or whatever the amount may be. When they finally discover the cash back transaction after getting home or even worse, after reviewing their credit card or bank statements, it is too late to do anything about it.

To avoid being scammed in this way, the advice is to not only watch what rings up at the cash register but also to check the printed receipt before leaving the line at the register. If there is any discrepancy or a cash back transaction that was not requested, address the issue immediately and ask to speak to a manager if the cashier refuses to cooperate or refuses to reverse the transaction.

Once again, consumer beware! It is your money and it is in your interest to protect yourself.

The Hernando Beach Crime Watch is comprised of volunteer residents working on crime prevention and awareness in the Hernando Beach and the Forest Glenn communities.

The Hernando Beach Property Owners Association is a civic organization open to all property owners of the Hernando Beach waterfront community. Monthly meetings take place the first Thursday of each month at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Building at 7:30 PM. Guests are welcome.

The number of Homes for Sale in the Glen Lakes Golf and Country Club Community increased once again with the price range expanding downward but remaining stable at the upper end resulting in a decrease in both average and median prices.

Three of the Glen Lakes homes that were under contract in September closed in October which currently leaves only one home under contract in the Glen Lakes Golf and Country Club Community.

Glen Lakes Golf and Country Club is an upscale gated community with 24-hour security located on the west coast of Central Florida with easy access to Tampa and Orlando.

The community offers many amenities including an elegant club house with restaurant and banquet facilities, tennis courts, fitness facilities, community pool.

Offered for Sale: 83

Price Range: $75,000 - 539,999

Median: $269,000

Average: $287,220

Under Contract: 1

Price: $249,000

This property is a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage pool home, built in 1993 with 2649 living square foot and 3563 total square foot under roof.

Sold in October 2009: 3

Price Range: $235,000 - $415,000

Sold 1: $235,000 was the sales price for a 3 bedroom, 3 bath pool home, built in 1995 with 2423 living square foot and 3416 total square foot. This home is located on one of the lakes within the Glen Lakes community. Conventional loan financing.

Sold 2: $370,000 Cash bought a 3 bedroom, 2 bath pool home also located on one of the lakes in the community. This home was built in 2006 and has 2303 living square foot and 3500 total square foot.

Sold 3: $415,000 Cash sealed the deal for a 3 bedroom, 3 bath pool home located on a golf course lot. This was also a newer home built in 2007 with 2678 square foot living and 3633 total square foot.

Sales Data derived from Hernando County MLS as of 11/3/09, believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

Please also see the previous reports for the Glen Lakes Golf and Country Club community:

September 2009

August 2009

July 2009

2008 in Review

Hernando Beach Florida - Channel Dredge Update

After much debate - some would say debacle - the long awaited dredge of the Hernando Beach channel is finally under way!

For weeks, residents have been watching preparations take place. First the signage announcing the dredge of the channel went up by the public boat ramp on Caliente Street in Hernando Beach.

Then some big, fat pipes appeared alongside the road leading to the site where the sand from the dredge will be deposited and stock piled.

While the actual dredging of sand has not begun, there is some heavy equipment out in the Hernando Beach channel removing the bigger rocks from the bottom of the channel. These rocks are being deposited above the mean high water line on some of the spoil islands.

Orion Marine Group, Inc, is the contractor for this project. Throughout the entire dreding process, the channel will remain open to boaters. After the rock removal phase is completed, the actual sand dredging will begin - conducted by "Mr. O" - the name of the dredge barge. According to the contractor, the completed channel will be 60 ft wide at the bottom and taper upwards for a broader width at water level.

Stay tuned for updates, more photos will follow as the dredging process continues.