| | Hello and Thanks for Reading! There’s something in the air. Have you noticed it? Downtown is busier, restaurants are crowded and retail sales are up. The same is true in the real estate market. Pending home sales improved in December, marking the fifth gain in the past six months. New home sales are up 17.5 % nationwide according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), credits this upswing to affordability, favorable mortgage rates and an improving economy. Yun predicts, “The positive trend is likely to continue in 2011. Current activity suggests a sustainable, healthy volume of a mid-5 million in total home sales for this year.” Our local market is reflecting this upswing. Builders are starting to build in preparation for sales at higher prices in the year to come. Inflation is a concern that drives some to buy now. By the end of February, more homes will come on the market. The spring season of March, April and May are traditionally very active. Now may be the time to evaluate your options and capitalize on the spring market. |
|  30072 Balsam Blvd., Punta Gorda, FL 33982 - $49,900
If you don't mind doing the finishing work, this one's for you. Tile is in along with wood cabinets. This is an incomplete home that needs a driveway, HVAC and flooring in the bedrooms. Buy at a discount, finish and SAVE! |  175 Kings Hwy # 921, Punta Gorda, FL 33983 - $45,000
Take a look at this condo with 3 bedrooms or 2 bedrooms and a den, 2 btahs and close to all amenities. This is a Lender-Sanctioned Short-Sale. Don't let this one get away! Won't Last! |  18880 LakeWorth Blvd., Port Charlotte, FL 33948 - $399,000
This is a must see with high ceilings and columns and fine appointments throughout including a custom office, fireplace, paver deck lanai & pool, oversized lot, 3 car garage and in impeccable condition! Truly a Must See! See it at:
SW Florida Homes Click on "Featured Properties". |  2053 River Basin Terrace, Palm Isles, Punta Gorda, FL 33982 - $349,900
See this spacious home with 1723 sq. ft. under air, a refreshing pool with lanai, rich bamboo floors, and weather protection with high-impact windows (Miami-Dade 155 MPH) and transferable warranty on the insulated, steel roof for added energy savings! You'll love the flow-through floor plan with breathtaking views from nearly every room. A Rare Find! See it on the website: Homes in Punta Gorda |  12348 Minot Ave., South Gulf Cove Waterfront Lot, Port Charlotte, FL 33981 - $42,000
Excellent lot for your Florida home with very quick access to the Myakka River and beyond to Charlotte Harbor and/or Gulf of Mexico. This is a new listing and priced for any investors as well.
Hurry on this one. Public water and more! Nice homes all around. Prime area! 941-235-3528 |  9344 Vivante, Top-Floor Harborfront Penthouse!, Punta Gorda, FL 33950 - $349,900
This stunning and like-new home features a spacious floor plan with entry through the foyer from your elevator. You'll notice the granite counter tops throughout and especially the panoramic views of The World-Famous Charlotte Harbor, the sailboats and sparkling waters! Enter the secure, gated Mediterranean village and wind through paver-lined bridges and stop by the 12,000 sq. ft. clubhouse with lagoon/vanishing edge pool, lap pool, Har-Tru tennis, fitness center, entertainment room, cyber-room, library and bar area with fully equipped kitchens and more. The lush grounds are manicured to perfection with a tropical setting you won't want to leave. Fisherman's Village is a skip down the road for shopping and dining and of coures there are more activities including the arts, culture, music, fine dining, sports, nature and more. Watch the frolicking dolphins jumping and swimming about and cruise the Gulf Islands of Sanibel, Captiva or even the Keys. For the golfers, there are many outstanding courses to pick from before relaxing on your over-sized lanai with a tropical beverage of choice. Call to see! Professionally Decorated and is negotaible for a turn-key home complete and ready to move into. 941-235-3528
See it on the Web:
Punta Gorda Homes |  2152 Ulster Ct., Punta Gorda, FL 33983 - $139,900
Nothing needs done to this beauty with full hurricane protection, lanai, vaulted ceiluings, granite counter tops, full appliance package and in a quiet cul-de-sac location in Deep Creek near the golf course. See this one if you want a move-in home. Furnishings negotiable! |  9172 Jernigan St, SW, Arcadia, FL 34269 - $549,900
Now here's a retreat set in the country yet only minutes to shopping, Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda areas with abundant amenities. Take a look at this with equestrian possibilities, a stocked pond (Just inder 2 Acres) and running Brook year round through the many fruit trees and palms. Truly a get-away, this home was meticulously designed and built with hurricane garded design on the roof and more. The main house features Spanish tile throughout with decorative porcelain sinks, cedar cabinets throughout (Very Impressive Custom Built!) and a commercial kitchen with Vulcan six burner range etc. The guest house has quarters for 2 more bedrooms, one up and one down adjacent to the home and all overlook the lake/pond with rock formations and more. Take the winding road back through the Oaks, Palms and Fruit Trees to the home over the bridge and experience privacy with and herb garden and octagon shapped gazebo. Furniture and 60 inch commercial mower negotaiable. Call for more information regarding this very special home in SW Florida. Very unique. 941-235-3528 (Double Sided Fireplace Too!) |
Q: What are the new trends in remodeling? A: Since December, there has been an upswing in remodeling nationwide according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). The cost of a remodel is running about 10 to 15% less than two years ago. In general, NARI reports that the project size is smaller. Instead of expanding your home, consider borrowing space from oversized rooms. Instead of building a wine room, install a wine storage appliance. Instead of creating a separate home theater in the basement, avoid the cost of expensive electronics and make a multipurpose room. I wonder whether the phase of bigger homes, bigger basements and bigger toys is ending or just slowing. Many clients say that they do not use those extra rooms. Let me know what you think. The National Restaurant Association's What's Hot in 2011 survey of more than 1,500 professional chefs revealed that local sourcing, healthy children's meals, sustainable seafood, and gluten-free cuisine will be among the hottest trends on restaurant menus in 2011. 30% of those surveyed said that pop-up restaurants will be the hottest trend in 2011. Pop-up restaurants have been gaining notoriety in the world of “foodies” and mainstream America is starting to take notice. Rather than taking on the burden of a long term lease, a pop-up restaurant allows established, known chefs to temporarily rent space in a bakery or small restaurant and offer meals only at certain times. Bakeries and delis by day are transformed into high-end restaurants by night. Ludo Levebre, one of the founders of this movement, earned Mobile Travel Guide Five Star awards at two of Los Angeles' most prestigious restaurants before opting for freedom. Chef Levebre’s website compares his traveling restaurant, LudoBites, to a band: “Like a club band we have been touring locally…and playing different parts of Los Angeles.” Go online to find a pop-up restaurant near you. Search for: "pop up restaurants in (your city here) 2011," and peruse the options. Let me know if you try out one of the hottest food trends of 2011. Got any home improvement plans lined up for the New Year? The following online programs are free and offer a great way to design your home projects before you start: - Autodesk Homestyler is created by the same company that makes AutoCAD architectural software. This robust, easy-to-use application lets you arrange and design your project by simply dragging and dropping elements such as windows and doors, furniture and appliances.
- Google Sketchup is a sophisticated software application that lets you build 3D models of your home. Online video tutorials will help you get started. Users can upload their creations to a shared database where you can peruse others’ works for inspiration.
- Ikea Planner lets you build a room and furnish it with Ikea products.
For minor upgrades such as new flooring and paint colors, try these online resources. - With Colorjive you can upload a photo of the room you want and try on new color schemes. Adjust lighting conditions then process your image to obtain the color index numbers for Sherman Williams and Benjamin Moore paints.
- Daltile’s website lets you design your own project, select and arrange coordinating tiles, and tally up the final price of your project.
- Armstrong Flooring displays stock photos demonstrating a number of flooring options from laminates to hardwood.
If you want more resources for remodeling, just give me a call. The tax benefits of buying a home include: Home mortgage interest deduction: The interest paid on a mortgage or mortgages of up to $1 million for a principal residence and/or second home is deductible as an itemized deduction. In the early years of a home loan most of the payments consist of interest, so this deduction is particularly substantial during the first years of homeownership. Depending on the state a buyer lives in and his or her tax bracket, this deduction can reduce the cost of borrowing by one-third or more. Home equity loan deduction: Homeowners can borrow up to $100,000 against the equity in their home and deduct the interest as an itemized deduction. The money can be used for any purpose, such as paying off high-interest credit card debt. In contract, the interest on credit card debt is not deductible. Property tax deduction: Homeowners also get to deduct from their federal income taxes the state and local property taxes they pay on their home. This is another itemized deduction that renters don't get. Deductible homebuying expenses: Various closing costs ordinarily involved in a home purchase are also deductible as itemized deductions, including loan origination fees (points), prorated interest on a new loan, and prorated property taxes paid at settlement. $250,000/$500,000 home-sale exclusion: Perhaps the greatest tax benefit of owning a home comes when a person sells it at a profit. Homeowners who lived in their home for two of the prior five years prior to its sale need pay no income tax on a substantial amount of their profit -- $250,000 for single homeowners and $500,000 for married homeowners who file jointly. This exclusion can be used once every 24 months. 14 days of free rental income: Another little known tax benefit of owning a home is that the owner can rent it out for up to 14 days during the year and pay no tax at all on the rental income. In contrast, a renter who sublets his or her rental must pay income tax on all the rental income he or she earns. Tax benefits of renting: The only tax benefit that a renter can qualify for by virtue of being a renter is the home office deduction. This is a business deduction available to renters who own a business and have a home office they use regularly and exclusively for business purposes. Some employees can qualify for this deduction as well. The deduction is limited to the amount of profit earned from the business each year. If a renter pays a lot of rent, this deduction can be substantial. Homeowners who are in business and have a home office can also qualify for the deduction. Of course, the value of the tax benefits of buying a home depends on the state the buyer lives in and his or her tax bracket. Buyers who live in high tax states like New York or California get the most benefit. This is why the blanket statement "it's always better to buy than rent" is not always true. It all depends on the buyer's individual circumstances. You should encourage prospective buyers to run the numbers. There are some excellent websites you can refer clients to that have online calculators they can use to compare the costs of renting vs. buying a home. We can e-mail you a list that fit your specific interests! Now is the Best Time to Buy in Florida. Call us and we'll tell you why. SW Florida Real Estate Awesome Prices and Values! Snooze-You Lose! http://www.homespuntagorda.com Thanks for reading! The According To Hoyle Group You've got a life; We help you live it! 877-75HOYLE or 941-235-3528 info@accordingtohoyle.com Sun Realty | |