Gainesville FL Real Estate Blog

Gainesville ranks #50 in Forbes Magazine 11th annual ranking of Best Places for Business and Careers.

The rankings are determined by a series of metrics established by Forbes ranking factors including local colleges, educational attainment of residents, and quality of life offerings.

Gainesville came in #77 for ‘Job Growth Projection’, #63 for ‘Cost of Doing Business’, and #13 for ‘Educational Attainment.’

Once again we are proud of live in Gainesville!

Gainesville FL Real Estate For Sale:

10818 SW 20th Place, Gainesville FL 32607
Listing# 289746

Exceptionally Well Maintained Home On 1 Acre In Private Gated Community. This Home Has A Three Way Split, W/ Master And 4th Bedroom Going To To Screen Lania With Pool. Beautiful Tile In Main Living Area, Hardwood Floors And Carpet In 3 Of The Bedrooms. Custom Built In Shelving In Family Room With Gas Fire Place. Plantation Shutters In Formal Living Room And Formal Dining Room. Maple Cabinets And Corian Counter Tops. Professional Maintained Yard. Seller Providing AHS Warranty On Home.

Virtual tour for 10818 SW 20th Place.

Learn more about 10818 SW 20th Place and other Gainesville FL real estate by visiting GatorHomes.com.

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The ‘American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009‘ which became law on February 17, promotes energy independence and green jobs through tax credits and government grants. This is part of an effort to make Gainesville homes and buildings more energy efficient. 

Energy saving provisions include: 

• $6 billion to state and local governments for energy efficiency and conservation grants for energy audits, retrofits and financial incentives.
   
• 30% tax credit (increased from 10%) to homeowners for new furnaces, windows and insulation.
   
• $5 billion to modernize the nation’s electricity grid and install smart meters on homes, saving homeowners money.
   
• $5 billion for weatherization assistance for low income households.
   
• $2 billion for federally assisted housing (Section efficiency efforts.  

This bill is good news for Gainesville homeowners wanting to make their homes more energy efficient. Interested in buying a Gainesville home? Visit GatorHomes.com. 

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Gainesville Real Estate For Sale: Acerage in Cedar Key

347 Road, Cedar Key FL 32625
Listing # 299015

This Is 124.79 acres in Cedar Key. At one point it was divided into 98 seperate parcels. It is located in the Scrub forest area. It does have a protected bird species living on the property.

Learn more about Cedar Key and other Gainesville real estate by visiting GatorHomes.com.

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Pending home sales declined on the heels of a weakening economy and with some buyers waiting for clarity on housing stimulus provisions, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,1 a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in January, fell 7.7 percent to 80.4 from a downwardly revised reading of 87.1 in December, and is 6.4 percent below January 2008 when it was 85.9. The index is at the lowest level since tracking began in 2001, when the index value was set at 100.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the downturn in the economy also weighed heavily on the data. “Even with many serious potential home buyers on the sidelines waiting for passage of the stimulus bill, job losses and weak consumer confidence were a natural drag on home sales,” he said. “We expect similarly soft home sales in the near term, but buyers are expected to respond to much improved affordability conditions and from the $8,000 first-time buyer tax credit.”

Let’s take a look at the Gainesville FL real estate sales statistics for February to see how the market looks in our area:

Gainesville FL Real Estate Sales Statistics – Single Family

The Gainesville FL area single family home real estate sales experienced a 39% decline in new listings in February 2009, when compared against February 2008.  Pending listings were down 16%.  Sold listings increased by 2% and the average sales price decreased by 23% to $157,515, while market times increased by 30 days. 

Gainesville FL Real Estate Sales Statistics – Condo/TH

The Gainesville FL area Condo/TH real estate saw the average sales price decrease by 10% to $135,080 in February 2009 compared to February 2008.  Likewise, new listings were down 53% and sold listings were down by 48% in February 2009.  Pending sales decreased by 71%, while the average market times increased by 22 days.
 

For the latest Gainesville FL real estate market conditions in your area, please call me at 888-424-8841 or visit MyGatorCondo.com.

If you have a home that only you can love, you will benefit for these 8 low cost fixes to getting your Gainesville home sold quickly. We don’t live in a house the way we sell a house. Buyers aren’t interested in seeing dirty socks lying around or dirty dishes in the sink. Below are a list inexpensive things, from Realtor Magazine, that you can do to make buyers fall in love with your Gainesville home.

1. Move it.

Simply rearranging the furniture can re-energize a room. Add and remove furniture, lamps, rugs, and accessories from other parts of the house to create a whole new look. Mirrors are particularly useful when it comes to updating a room. Try one out in different rooms to see where it fits best. Even just moving a mirror to a different wall can create a more welcoming feel.

 2. Plant it.

Houseplants are a generally undervalued design component that can add texture, warmth, and color to any room. Just drop plants in their store containers into decorative planters. Small plants can be moved easily and regrouped to change a room’s look, while larger ones make a statement on their own. 

Group plants together of differing heights, fullness, and color for the most dramatic effect. It’s important to have plants that are well maintained and in tip-top condition.

 3. Paint it.

Paint is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to make a substantial change. Use dramatic colors in powder rooms and dining rooms, and more neutral colors in living spaces. When selecting colors, “be sure to ask, ‘What am I trying to do? How do I want this to feel?’” And always, always do a test before you paint the whole room. 

 4. Organize it. 

Clutter just happens. So neaten up!  A variety of organizing tools can make a space feel polished while maintaining utility. Hooks and shelves inside the door give people a place to hang coats and keys, while canvas bins or natural baskets help contain magazines and mail. Just a row of hooks pre-attached on a board is so easy to install. And shelves are a great way to neatly display collectibles. 

5. Hide it.

Have a banged-up wall? It may be easy to camouflage. Paintable wallpaper will smooth out an uneven wall or hide minor dents and dings. Adventurous home owners can even try a simple two-step painting process for a more complex finish. A apply a solid base coat, then a glaze. 

Your intent should never be to mislead buyers; be sure to disclose flaws that would affect home value. 

6. Replace it.

Cabinet handles, switch plates, and other small pieces of housing hardware can update a home for just a few dollars a piece. Scan each room to see what looks worn or outdated and then replacing it. Inexpensive quick-connect faucets can make upgrading the look of your bathroom a snap. Just be sure to measure before you go to the hardware store. Some sinks are drilled for an eight-inch spread. Others require just four inches. 

And don’t forget the toilet seat. Fresh towels and a new toilet seat go a long way toward making a bathroom feel clean and new. 

7. Light it.

Lighting can have a major impact on a home’s look and feel. Whether a room seems dark or too bright and harsh, try “layering” the lighting by adding accent pendants and lamps. Make sure they have independent controls, so that you can turn them on and off at will. 

Light is such a mood setter. You can create a cozy feel just by turning down the lights. Add dimmers in the dining room, bathrooms, kitchen, and even the hallways for less than $4 each. Then adjust the lighting to create the mood you want.

 8. Clean it.

Turn a critical eye to the flooring to make sure it’s up to snuff. Scrub grout and seal natural stone. Rub out scratches and nicks on wood floors with scratch cover. Get down on your hands and knees and detail the floors. It takes a little elbow grease, but the results are well worth it. Vinyl flooring is a bit harder to spruce up but usually can be replaced easily and inexpensively.

Interested in selling your Gainevsille home? Give me a call, I’m glad to help!

What’s my Gainesville home worth?

Gainesville FL Homes For Sale:

457 SW 129 Terrace, Newberry, FL 32669
Listing # 292882

Classic Eastbay Iii Model, built by Atlantic Design in town Of Tioga FL. “Stunning Home” doesn’t even begin to describe this 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home on a beautiful lot,  with the esplanade in front and open lot behind. 2 master suites, 1 down and 1 up. Gorgeous granite coutner tops, pecan wood floors, fireplace, crown, coffered ceilings, wainscoting, luxury bath, computer nook upstairs. Howe casing on windows, doors, oak staircase trim. Lots of additional storage. Ge Profile Stainless Steel appliances. Walk to shops.

Learn more about 457 SW 129 Terrace and other Gainesville FL homes for sale by visiting GatorHomes.com.

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