House Talk with Silvia Dukes

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.

Hernando County Florida New Residents Reception

Rain or Shine... the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual New Residents Reception on Thursday, October 29, 2009 from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

The annual event gives area businesses an opportunity to showcase their services to new and old residents of Hernando County, Florida.  Always well attended, the setting at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is quite beautiful and another bonus for attendees as the entrance fee to the park is waived for the event. 

What better way to explore this popular roadside attraction that is known as Weeki Wachee City of Mermaids - famous for its underwater mermaid shows! 

At the same time sample some food from local restaurants, collect information from a wide variety of businesses and listen to some live entertainment.  This October event is traditionally presented with a Fall and Halloween theme so don't get scared!

See you there...

Myth or Reality? Do Homes Really sell far below List Price?

What home buyer wouldn't be dreaming about getting one of those "great deals" that they have been hearing about for so long now?  You know, the cousin of their neighbor's wife just bought a great place with all the bells and whistles for practically peanuts after making a ridiculously low offer? 

Because of stories like this, buyers are inclined to push the issue and make offers that are far below list price although they have been given comparable sales information by their REALTOR® and have looked at many "deals" only to find them not to be up to their standards, needs or desires.  When they finally do find a home that fits their needs and they make their low offer in spite of better information, they are disappointed when their offer is rejected. 

Numbers can also tell stories.  Here is a six-month history of list price to sales price ratios for homes sold in Hernando County, Florida. While this is an example of just one market area, it may very well repeat itself in many other market areas and buyers can just ask their REALTOR® for this information.  The table indicates average and median list and sales prices as well as the list to sales price ratio. 

While some may consider these ratios surprisingly high, they also indicate two things that both buyers and sellers should consider:

1. The reason these properties sold is because they were priced correctly for the market.
   
2. Properties that are priced correctly will sell within a reasonable percentage point of asking price.

The above information includes all residential home sales in Hernando County from April 2009 through September 2009.

Lowest priced property:  $5,500 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home, built in 1980, and destroyed by fire.  This property was sold for the land only.

Highest priced property:  $675,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage home, 4000 square foot living, built in 1998 on 17.3 acres of land.

To further illustrate the point, a specific example was used to determine the list to sales price ratio.  The following data reflects the average and median list and sales prices as well as the price ratio for a property with specific criteria.  Again, the ratios are surprisingly close to the broader selection above.

Sales and listing data include distressed properties such as those offered as short sales and foreclosure homes as well as market sales.

            Do Homes really sell far below List Price?  Myth or Reality?  You decide!

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

The direct access areas are located in the northern parts of Hernando Beach and include all of the area north of Companero Entra.  The southern areas are Hernando Beach Central and Hernando Beach South which require boaters to use a boatlift to gain access to the canals leading to the Gulf of Mexico.

This real estate market update of waterfront homes for sale in Hernando Beach covers the most southern area of Hernando Beach, Hernando Beach South.  This subdivision is a non-gated but deed-restricted community located on wide and deep fresh water canals.  There is a private community boat ramp available to residents only.

Inventory of homes for sale in Hernando Beach South remained stable; however, average and median list prices have dropped indicating price reductions in the homes for sale inventory.  One home was sold in this neighborhood during September and there are none currently 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:  $348,388

Average: $339,330

Sold in September 2009:  1

A two bedroom, 2 bath, two-story stilt home with 1597 living sf sold for $165,000 CASH after 84 days on the market representing 75% of the asking price. 

Sales Data derived from Hernando County MLS as of 10/15/09, believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

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

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. 

The homes in neighborhoods on freshwater canals are Hernando Beach Central and Hernando Beach South.  Boaters living in Hernando Beach Central and South use a boatlift to gain access to the saltwater canals to the north which lead directly to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  For this reason, properties located in these two neighborhoods of Hernando Beach are identified as "indirect" access.  There are also a number of marinas located in Hernando Beach offering dry and wet boat storage facilities. 

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. 

Inventory has remained stable and while there has been little activity in recent months in this neighborhood, there is a silver lining with two homes currently under contract.

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:  9

Price Range:  $169,000 - $479,000

Median:  $259,000

Average: $289,956

Under Contract:  2

Of the two homes under contract in Hernando Beach Central, one is pending, the other is under contract with contingencies.

Closed Transactions in September 2009:  None

Sales Data derived from Hernando County MLS as of 10/15/09, believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

September 2009 Real Estate Market Report: Timber Pines, Spring Hill, Florida

Inventory of Homes for sale in Timber Pines, Spring Hill, Florida has decreased over the previous month.  There are 69 villas and 70 single family homes available for sale in the Timber Pines Country Club community. 

The number of homes sold in September in Timber Pines also decreased over August to a total of 12; however, none of these were distressed sales.  Number of homes under contract in Timber Pines, however; increased. Among those under contract, only one home is offered as a short sale, and one other is offered as a foreclosure home. 

Again, Timber Pines home sales statistics remain stable.  The average and median price levels for Timber Pines home sales are at higher levels than for average and median price levels in Hernando County as a whole. 

Timber Pines is a 55+ Country Club community offering an active life style with several golf courses, two community pools, Activities Center, Clubhouse, Performing Arts Center, as well as many social clubs and events.  The community is a gated community with an park-like ambience with 24-hour security. 

Timber Pines is located off US 19 in Spring Hill, West Central Florida on the Gulf Coast of Florida, also called the "Nature Coast".  Tampa International Airport is just a 45 min drive via the new Suncoast Parkway.  

Actively Listed Homes for Sale in Timber Pines:  148

Price Range: $60,000 - $399,000

Average: $136,819

Median:  $129,888

Total Transactions Closed: 12

Price Range:  $85,000 - $250,000

Average: $143,367

Median: $137,500

Days on Market:  278

Of these 9 properties were single family homes, three were villas.

Total Number Properties under Contract:  15

Pending Contracts: 10, Contingencies:  5

Price Range: $72,000 - $209,000

Average:  $132,697

Median:  $139,900

Average Days on Market:  207

Data derived from Hernando County MLS as of 10/9/09 and believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.

This morning, NASA had a space probe crash into the moon.  The probe was launched in June and the purpose for this exercise is to determine whether there is water on the moon by examining the resulting dust cloud from the crash.  

These photos of the "undamaged" full moon were taken at the beginning of October 2009 in Hernando Beach, Florida. 

Enjoy!