Pensacola Real Estate

Foreclosures create a great Investment Opportunity!

About Foreclosures....now is the time to pick up on some great investments. Look at the foreclosures list. If you have some cash...say 35k to 100k you can pick up some really great rental investment properties that for the first time in over five years will actually cash flow! If you have alot of cash you can really cash in on the market. Think of it as a ten year investment like you would if you were placing your money in a CD, money market or government bond. The deals are out there!

Escambia County Schools Spared....

Despite a shortfall of nearly $15 million dollars in next years budget it looks like Escambia county schools will be spared. Although some school closers are emminant, Jim Paul is hopeful only a few will fall victim to the budget cut. Should of thought about closing some of the elementary schools before you closed Woodham Jim! That really is where the fat is in the school system anyway! The county and state should also look at reducing the emphasis on the FCAT. It is now more important than child safety, drug and alcohol prevention and of course, most positive faith based efforts. I really do wonder who's hands are in the FCAT cookie jar. Think about the cost of grading all of those tests. Somebody is making a profit. Hmmmmmm.

Some Buyers and Sellers afraid to Pay...

I encountered a buyer and a seller today, neither whom wanted to pay a Realtor a fee for assisting them with a sale or a purchase. The seller stated that he would only work with Buyer's agents for whom he thought the purchaser (buyer) would be responsible for paying. Typically buyer's agents are agents who's specialty is working with buyers. In most cases the seller still pays the agent's broker a fee for the transaction. The seller in most cases will always be responsible for paying the Realtor fee. Of course everything is negotiable...but the fee will still be there. The buyer whom I showed a property to explained that she had a good friend who is an attorney and that with his help and research she would be able to buy a home without a Realtor. Good Luck! I am not an attorney, nor do I want to be. I believe that attorneys should do what they do and we as Realtors should do our job as well. I will never go to court and prosecute or defend as an attorney. I wish this one, for whom I do not know who he or she is, would stay in the courtroom as well. As for the seller, as I left he said that he wasn't in a hurry to sell. Then by all means take your home off of the market! There are enough sellers who really need to sell and having a bunch of folks on the market that don't have the need to sell only hurts those who do! There are hundreds of reasons I could list as to why a buyer and seller should pay a Realtor to assist them in their purchase. The most important is a Realtor is a licensed professional whose profession is that of real estate sales. Realtors are the oldest organized profession. Realtors maintain standards, ethics and lots and lots of continuing education so that they know how to handle the transaction. You wouldn't go to a mechanic for a broken foot would you?         

Escambia County Schools could face Closer due to budget costs

The Escambia County School Board meets starting today to discuss potential cuts in the schools. It appears that there is an anticipated shortfall of $10 million due to the shortage in tax revenue. That is not the only culprit though! Diesel fuel costs are expected to rise by $1.3 million; utilities by $1 million and there will be an additional $3 million needed to cover the rising cost of health care. WOW! To make ends meet, district officials hope to cut a minimum of $11.9 million from next years' budget. Not knowing what will get cut is leaving teachers and parents and school board staff members very anxious.   

Boo...Boo...Boo!!!

Way to go Boo Weekley. Not only did he show well in the Masters, he took the Verizon Heritage for a second time in a row. Boo, you can wear your camo anytime! It is great to have a local shine in the spotlight. Cudos for Heath Slocum as well. Both are playing well and carrying the Santa Rosa and Escambia countie areas with pride. Keep hitting them long and straight!   

Wachovia Tightens Belt on Home Loans!

Wachovia is stepping up and revising the underwriting policies in its mortgage loan business, a step that could make it harder to take out a home loan. the new changes are expected to take affect the end of April. Among the changes the borrower is now required to have a minimum qualifying FICO score. Isn't it about time? Tighter restrictions on home loans is a good thing for us all. It makes us more responsible as individuals. When did the beliefs "that you get what you pay for" and "you earn what you work for" go away? We are accountable. This is a tough time no doubt, but we will make it through it. With rates at an all time low, many lenders in addition to Wachovia are toughening the guidelines for mortages. Although this may seem unfair to many, it is the type of restrictions that will prevent the type of mortgage crisis we are in from occurring in the future. We will be better off in the future if we all tighten our belts and take responsibility for our actions and our spending. We have to manage better personally. We have to stand up to the credit and gas industries which have no doubt contributed to the financial crisis we are in today. Gas prices are still going up and high rate credit cards are still being issued. When will they stop? When will we stop? Maybe when we are disciplined enough to stop driving our gas guzzling cars and smart enough to cut up the cards when we get them out of the mailbox! Think about it...if everyone in the nation did not drive one day a week there would be an automatic surplus of oil. What would they do then? What would the price of gas be with all of that oil sitting off of the coasts of the USA? How much more cash would every American have in thier pocket to purchase goods, cars and homes? If we all used more cash, there would be more cash in the banks to loan to people to buy homes! Good for Wachovia for stepping up and making it tougher to get a loan. Don't worry, the 100% loans and low down payment loans are still out there. If you have good credit and a FICO over 500 you can still qualify to purchase a home. Having restrictions create discipline.  Having qualified buyers will help the home seller and the realtor make more sales in the upcoming year! Want to know more...call!      

Area Hospitals make High Rankings!

Sacred Heart, Baptist, West Florida, Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa Medical Center rank high in a government survey on patient care. Do you want to know which hospital you will recieve the best care from in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties? Well, there is a recent survey that can help you with your questions. The survey covers medical centers around the nation. Some of the results include the following: the patient was given advice following treatment; nurses provided good communication with patients; pain control was well managed; medication was well explained to the patients prior to use; the level of quietness at night was at an appropriate level and information regarding continuing care at home following a hospital stay was recieved by the patient. All local hospitals ranked high in the survey in most areas. To see actual results visit www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. It is great to know that the level of health care in the Santa Rosa and Escambia county areas is ranked high above others across the nation. Great Schools, Health Care and Lifestyle. Just some of the reasons to call the Escambia/Santa Rosa  area home!      

Heath, Bubba and Boo make the cut at Augusta!

Hey everyone! This is very cool for our area! Santa County PGA golfers, Heath Slocum, Bubba Watson and Boo Weekley stay to play at The Masters in Augusta. Slocum said although he wished all three were closer to the top of the leader board, he was excited all three were made the cut. It is pretty cool to have three locals in the Masters. Pensacola and Gulf Breeze have turned out great athletes, actors and politicians who have given back in big ways to the panhandle area.    

Jackson's Restaurant is now a part of Great Southern Restaurant Group

One of Pensacola's favorite places to dine and meet has new ownership. Jackson's Restaurant, ranked in the top 25 Florida Restaurants for the past 7 years has new ownership. The Great Southern Restaurant Group owner's of The Fish House, The Fish House Deck Bar and Atlas Oyster Bar. Previous owner's Barry Phillips and Irv Miller will continue to manage this upscale restaurant. Barry is known for his top service ability and Irv's reputation for providing great cuisines that are unique and tantilizing to the taste buds everytime is tough to match. Barry, Irv and the Great Southern Restaurant Group (brothers, Collier, Will and Burney Merrill) promise to continue to provide the Jackson's experience as we know it and then some. In addition, this purchase continues to reinforce the confidence of Pensacola investors to invest in the downtown Pensacola area. The commitment by all parties involved is appreciated.    

Varona's Authentic Cuban Cuisine set to open April 8!

Owner Robert de Varona invites you to experience Cuba - its rich culture, colorful art, sensual music and tantalizing foods. Varona's Authentic Cuban Cuisine is set to open on April 8th. Located on North 12 Ave. across from the Pensacola Airport and next to Pensacola Junior College, Varona's will be the only authentic Cuban restaurant in the Greater Pensacola Area. The restaurant will feature: Tropical ambience and vintage de'cor;a bold and dramatic menu filled with authentic Cuban dishes; hearty sandwiches and salads; sumptuous desserts and coffees; an outdoor cafe; special Latin themed events; an extensive cigar selection and a world class wine selection. Thanks to Mr. Varona for taking a rectangle box and creating a real estate masterpiece on the 12th Avenue corridor. Watching it come together has been a real treat. Can't wait to try out the cuisine!