Broward County Homestead Exemption

The deadline for filing for your Broward County homestead exemption is March 1st so if you have not already done so, don't delay!

The Florida Constitution provides a tax-saving exemption of $25,000 of the assessed value of an owner/occupied residence for those who qualify. You can file online or at any of their locations.

Luxury homes to replace Raintree Golf Course

Pembroke Pines city officials announced last week that the 123-acre Raintree Golf Course will be replaced by a gated community of 103 homes on half-acre lots, each selling for at least $1 million. The city had wanted the land for a school and a park or open space but was unable to pay the $40 million dollar price the owner of the golf course had set.

The 10-acre site on the corner of the property currently occupied by the clubhouse will be replaced with 100,000 square feet of retail space. Additionally, as part of the entire site plan, the developer will donate a 23-acre landscaped park to the city.

IKEA to open store in Sunrise!

The Swedish furniture giant IKEA, with 26 stores throughout the U.S., has announced that it will build its first Florida store in Sunrise by summer 2007. This comes after scouting for a South Florida location for two years and creating some controversy along the way.

The store will be located on the NW corner of State Road 84 and NW 136th Avenue (formerly the site of Blockbuster Golf and Games). The store is expected to become a destination spot much like the nearby Sawgrass Mills Mall has been since its opening.

For IKEA's loyal fans, this grand opening will mean no more need for catalogs or online shopping for their favorite furniture and accessory items.

According to IKEA spokesman Joseph Roth, building a store in Florida has long made sense for IKEA. The state has more customers -- 250,000 -- than any other state without an IKEA store.

Construction is expected to begin in spring 2006 and create 350 jobs in the area.

Broward County Quick Facts

Did you know...?

Year Broward County incorporated: 1915

Total Land Area: ...1,220 sq. miles
Planning Area: ........423 sq. miles
Conservation Area: ..797 sq. miles (mostly Everglades)

Housing Units by Type:
56% - Multi-Family
41% - Single Family
03% - Mobile Homes

Broward Residents by Place of Birth:
29% - Florida
41% - Other U.S.
30% - Foreign Born

Why Choose a REALTOR® who is e-PRO Certified?

e-PRO is the mark of an Internet savvy REALTOR^®. e-PROs are familiar with marketing to a global audience via e-mail and the Internet. Only members of the National Association of REALTORS^® can become e-PROs after taking an online course that takes an average of 20 hours to complete and includes various assignments to ensure the candidates' comprehension of the subject matter. In January 2002 Leanne Paynter was awarded the e-PRO Internet Professional Certification by the National Association of REALTORS^® for her expertise in Internet-based marketing and business practices.

REALTOR® or Real Estate Agent? You choose.

Most people believe that those two terms can be used interchangeably. However, they do not carry equal significance for property buyers and sellers. The term REALTOR^® is a Registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS^® (N.A.R.) and subscribes to it's strict Code of Ethics. Since 1908 the N.A.R. has been working toward improving the benefits of home ownership. The National Association of REALTORS^® is the world's largest professional association. Although there are approximately 2.6 million real estate licensees, only about 60% of them are REALTORS^®. When buying or selling a home, be sure to only work with a REALTOR^®.

Articles for Further Reading:

• The REALTOR® In Your Corner
• Tips for Working with a REALTOR®

An Energy Efficient Mortgage?

Chances are you've never heard of one. According to the EnergySavers.gov website, "Energy Efficient Mortages (EEMs) recognize that reduced utility expenses can permit a homeowner to pay a higher mortgage to cover the cost of the energy improvements on top of the approved mortgage. FHA EEMs provide mortgage insurance for a person to purchase or refinance a principal residence and incorporate the cost of energy-efficient improvements into the mortgage. The borrower does not have to qualify for the additional money and does not make a downpayment on it. The mortgage loan is funded by a lending institution, such as a mortgage company, bank, or savings and loan association, and the mortgage is insured by HUD."

If you are buying a Energy Star-certified home or are considering making energy-efficient improvements to your home, learn more about FHA Energy Efficient Mortages and the eligibility requirements.

Home Energy Analysis / Energy Conservation Tips

There's been a lot of talk lately about how much our home energy bills have risen. To find out if your energy use is above average, take 5 minutes to complete this home energy analysis. To perform this worthwhile test you'll need to know your home's age, square footage, number of occupants, and energy bill totals for a consecutive 12-month period (1 year).

Here's a breakdown of what the typical energy bill pays for:

• 45% - Heating and Cooling
• 15% - Other*
• 11% - Water Heater
• 10% - Clothes Washer & Dryer
• 7% - Lighting
• 6% - Refrigerator
• 2% - Dishwasher
• 2% - TV / VCR / DVD
• 2% - Computer & Monitor

* "Other" represents an array of household products including stoves, ovens, microwaves, and other small appliances. Individually, these products account for no more than about 2% of a household's energy bills. Source: EnergyStar.gov

Wondering what steps you can take to reduce your home's energy consumption? Here are some resources to assist you:

• Home Energy Checklist for Action
• Energy Savers: Tips on Saving Energy and Money
• "Ask an Energy Expert" free service, US Dept. of Energy
• Home Energy Saver: The First Web-Based
  Do-It-Yourself Energy Audit Tool
• Swimming Pool Heating

Tax Tips for Home Buyers and Sellers

Homeownership provides many tax benefits. Although it's recommended that you speak with your accountant for the specifics that pertain to you and your particular situation, here is an article on the top 10 tax deductions for homeowners, and another on tax deduction tips for anyone who bought or sold a home in 2005.

Do you maintain a home office? If you're one of the lucky ones with a 30-second commute, find out if you qualify for the home office tax deductions and credits offered by the IRS. For additional specifics, visit the home office deductions pages (publication 587 "Business Use of Your Home") at the Internal Revenue Service's website.

Finally, if you were affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, or Wilma... or even if you were generous enough to house anyone displaced by Hurricane Katrina, donated money, food or other services for the relief effort... this article on hurricane tax refunds (also known as hurricane tax relief) may prove useful to you. For additional information on this topic, you can download the IRS publication 4492 "Information for Taxpayers Affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma" (in PDF format).

What is a "blog"?

Blog is short for weblog or web log. A blog is a website in which items typically related to the blog's title are posted on a regular basis. The author of these entries is known as a "blogger". In recent years, blogs have been gaining popularity.

An excellent source that can further answer the question, "What is a blog?", is the free encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

This is intended to be a Broward County real estate blog which will also include real estate-related topics not specific to Broward County but rather the industry in general. This means that topics of interest that have anything to do with real estate will be posted here as well. Once in a while, I'll even throw in a few that are non-real-estate-related but may be of interest to some readers.

Suggestions are encouraged and welcomed. Thank you for reading my blog!