Nibal Elsaadi

Affordable real estate prices and adequate market availability have made owning at Cordoba Beach Park, one of the most desired luxury townhome communities in South Tampa, a reality for many. Hard wood and ceramic tile flooring pair with vaulted ceilings, dramatic interior views, fully equipped kitchens with granite countertops, cherry cabinets and black appliances, abundant storage space, walk-in closets, garden bathtubs, private garages, and three story spacious floor plans are just some on the features that accompany the townhomes of Cordoba.

Mediterranean inspired architecture partnered with fountains and lushly landscaped courtyards brings charm to this upscale community. Residents enjoy access to a community fitness center, a 24-hour business center, clubhouse, sundeck and resort-style pool and spa.

Cordoba Beach Park is located in South Tampa at the heart of the Westshore business district. Westshore is the economic and business epicenter of Tampa Bay, boasting over 11 million square feet of office space and hosts more than 4,000 companies. The townhomes of Cordoba are within walking distance to the Westshore Plaza, Tampa's finest restaurants, world-class shopping, and several luxurious hotels. Clearwater and St. Petersburg, home to some of Florida's award-winning beaches, Macdill Air Force Base and the Tampa International Airport are also just a short commute from the community.

Cordoba Beach Park offers one, two, and three bedroom floor plans and homes can now be found priced as low as $170,000. Rentals are also available and a one bedroom unit can be leased for as little as $1,150.

Virtual tour: http://tinyurl.com/cordobabeach

Read more at: www.southtamparealestate.blogspot.com

Florida consistently earns top rankings from lifestyle, business, education, retirement and travel publications. Constant economic growth, pristine landscape, and the consistently temperate climate are just a few factors that make the state an ideal location to retire, start a family, build a career, attend university, or advance in a profession. Florida is ideal for anyone's relocation needs.

• "Top State Business Climate." Florida's business climate ranked 4th among executives and 6th overall on Site Selection magazine's 2008 Top State Business Climate rankings. Read more.

• "Best Tax Climate for Business." Florida continues to rank among the top five states for best tax climate for business, according to a Tax Foundation survey. With no state income tax, low corporate taxes, a low unemployment insurance tax rate, and sales tax exemptions for certain business transactions, Florida has remained among the top five U.S. states since the survey's inception. Read more.

• "#1 in Online Education." Florida ranks top in the nation in online education, according to the Center for Digital Education, which evaluated each state's vision, policies, programs and strategies to transform their academic environments to meet student needs. Read more.

• "Best Colleges and Universities." Florida colleges and universities were ranked among the best by several national surveys. For instance, six Florida universities, including University of Florida at No. 2 and New College of Florida at No. 8, were named to "Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges." These rankings recognize schools with top-flight academics and affordable costs. The University of South Florida's graduate entrepreneurship program was ranked No. 5 in the country in the 2008 ranking from The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine. Read more.

• "Top Ranked High Schools." Florida leads the nation in Newsweek's "Top 100 U.S. High Schools," accounting for nearly 1 out of every 5 of the top ranked schools as measured by the magazine's Challenge Index. Read more.

• "Top Biotech Region." Florida was named a "Top 5 Region for Biotech" in 2008 by the industry's daily monitor, Fierce Biotech. This is Florida's second consecutive year at the top of this ranking for regions supportive of biotech development. Read more.

• "Best Places to Retire." In its 2008 list, Money cited Dunedin as one of the nation's top locations for a waterfront lifestyle and Collier County (Naples-Bonita Springs) as one of the best places for a long life. U.S. News & World Report highlighted Punta Gorda as one of the nation's top retirement destinations. Also, the 2008 list from TopRetirements.com features Sarasota (#2), Fort Myers (#13), Venice (#14) and Gainesville (#17). Read more.

• "Best Beaches." Florida beaches were awarded more top-10 spots than any other state, including the No. 1 beach in the U.S. (Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin) on this year's America's Best Beaches list. This internationally recognized ranking is based on 50 criteria including number of sunny days, sand softness, algae and pollution content, safety record, and more. Read more.

Tampa, being on of the many thriving metropolitan regions in Florida, has seen its share of award and accreditations. Most recently, Tampa was named a finalist for the National Civic League's "All-America City Award" and is the only city in Florida to be selected as a finalist this year. The city is also home to award winning hospitals such as Tampa General Hospital and Moffitt Cancer Center, nationally accredited universities such as the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa, the Florida Aquarium - named one of the best aquariums by ForbesTraveler.com, and the Lowry Park Zoo - named number #1 zoo in US by Parents magazine.

The city is nationally known for its booming metropolitan growth, major tourism attractions, diverse spectrum of planned communities, and award-winning beaches. The Tampa Bay area continues to grow in popularity and has quickly become a nationally recognized destination.

http://southtamparealestate.blogspot.com/

New Townhome Community Gorgeous and Incredibly Spacious 3BR/2.5BA for Sale in Brandon, Florida FHA Approved!!

Brand New Townhomes Excellent Builder! These tastefully decorated homes are offered in the $140's, and are located in the Brandon/Riverview area of Florida, offering the finest amenities and most convenient location. Enjoy the privacy of having no backdoor neighbors as you relax on your screen enclosed lanai overlooking the park and picnic area. Enjoy your morning coffee in the eat-in kitchen, at the breakfast bar, sitting at the dining room table, or on the lanai enjoying our fantastic Florida weather.

The living area is spacious and open, providing an entertainment cut-out and an ideal lay-out for furniture placement. The large master bedroom boasts vaulted ceilings, walk-in closet and private bathroom with dual sinks, garden tub, and separate shower. The laundry room with washer and dryer hook-ups is conveniently located on the second floor allowing easy access. Total sq ft range of 1,700. All homes include attached garages.

Located within close proximity to all major roads, you are less than twenty minutes from downtown Tampa and walking distance to everything you need, including fine dining, shopping malls, and a variety of entertainment. Both 1-75 and the Crosstown Expressway are easily accessible and ensure a quick commute to Tampa International Airport, downtown Tampa, Tampa General Hospital, MacDill Air Force Base and the beautiful beaches of St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Chosen for its great location, this gated community puts you in contact with all that Tampa Bay has to offer and is a fabulous place to call home! This intimate townhome neighborhood appeals to a variety of lifestyles and interests. Residents have access to the beautiful resort-style pool, covered cabana, and modern recreation center. NOT A SHORT SALE - NOT BANK OWNED.

SI Real Estate has recently sold a 3BR/2BA home in this new community for just $139,500! With an FHA-approved loan and only 3 1/2% down payment, our buyer was successful closing as a first-time home buyer with a affordable monthly payment in the range $975. Our team can show you the realization of home ownership, so why continue renting when you can buy?

Tired of sifting through all of the ads on the internet trying to find the perfect home or real estate investment for your family? Let SI Real Estate do the legwork of finding you the perfect place to live! Call and speak with one of our skilled real estate specialists today to discuss your home buying needs at 813-631-5144.

http://southtamparealestate.blogspot.com/2009/05/featured-property-of-week.html

Cash buyers are grabbing deals at rock bottom prices in the Tampa Bay real estate market. According to the market statistics provided by the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS® (GTAR), in April of this year 38% of all financing was cash. This is more than a 10% increase from April of 2008.

Cash financing increased from 285 transactions in April of last year to 508 this year. FHA and VA financing has also seen an increased from last year, although not as drastic. Conventional financing has decreased from 555 transactions to 394, signifying that a majority of real estate transactions being made in the Tampa Bay area this year are by cash buyers.

According to the same report from GTAR, homes sales have increased from 897 in April of last year to 992 in April of this year, with more than 3,424 total homes being sold to date in 2009. Market activity is definitely moving quickly in Tampa, Florida.

Read more updated about the Tampa real estate market at: http://www.southtamparealestate.blogspot.com/

When the Federal Reserve announced that they would acquire the debt and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae, homeowners across the United States rushed to lock in lower fixed-rate mortgages to preclude adjustments that were impending due to the acquisition of interest-only and adjustable rate mortgages (ARM's). Consumers are getting smarter about their finances due to the current recession and the government is offering refinance programs that makes it even easier to get low fixed-rate mortgages.

Here in the Tampa Bay area, we have seen several expansions due to the so-called "refinance surge". One such expansion was an announcement last week from Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union (TBFCU). TBFCU has announced that they are expanding their Real Estate Lending/Servicing Division to handle the foreseen surge in the refinancing market.

Dean Clark, Manager of Real Estate Lending/Servicing for TBFCU said, "In the first quarter of 2009, we have seen a surge in new clients taking advantage of refinancing their Fannie Mae mortgages (TBFCU is a Fannie Mae approved servicer). All you have to do is visit www.fanniemae.com and search their database to see if Fannie Mae owns your mortgage. If they do, the homeowner can pretty much go with any new finance option, which gives incredible advantages in the declining real estate market." (PR Newswire)

Becoming a member of a credit union such as TBFCU has many advantages like having a local lender, local servicer and local decision makers. Add lower closing costs, exemption from intangible state tax, no origination fees, no underwriting fees, no processing fees, and no third party broker fees and very competitive interest rates and it is easy to see abundance of benefits for any member.

If you have an interest in purchasing a new home at today's low rates, please contact Nibal Elsaadi of SI Real Estate at 813-631-5144 or email Nibal@SIRealEstateInvestments.com.

http://southtamparealestate.blogspot.com/