They PROMISED.......

OFFSHORE DRILLING

The U.S. Senate cleared the way for approval of offshore drilling after
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson said he would support the measure. Nelson,
a drilling opponent, feared what could happen later when House and
Senate leaders work out a compromise bill. But Nelson says Senate
leaders promised that nothing would bring drilling closer than 125
to 235 miles from Florida beaches.

Read the full story:

http://www.planetrealtor.com/florida/news/daily/news.cfm?article=n2-07282006
      __________________________

BUMMER DAY FOR AGENTS

Association Health Insurance Stumbles

WASHINGTON -- July 31, 2006 -- An initiative to allow associations such as the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to offer health coverage to members stumbled and fell yesterday in the U.S. Congress after being removed from a popular bill. NAR reports that the House leaders still seem willing to pass the health care initiative but now need to figure out how to do it.

The story has less to do with association health care programs than it does with the mechanics of politics and what it takes to turn a bill into law. A group of mainly moderate Republicans threatened to keep the House in session into August unless a bill to increase the minimum wage was brought to a vote. On Thursday, it seemed as if the health care initiative would be tacked onto that bill, almost guaranteeing it would be brought to a vote and possibly passing. But as discussions progressed, the health care drive was dropped in favor of a tax package that includes estate tax changes.

Thanks to the changes, however, the association health care plan is unattached and there's no obvious host bill on the horizon.

Wow, That's alot of deals.....

Joel Singer, president of Real Estate Business Services Inc., a subsidiary of the California Association of Realtors trade group said:

"We know in a really good year there are 14 million buyers and sellers.

U 2 can make your first Million

Check it out:

My 1st Million At 33

COMPARING CONDOS

COMPARE Before you DARE

1. Per square foot cost.

2. What floor (higher floors generally have better views and comand a better price.

3. Views (no matter what floor).

4. Elevation of the property. This has an impact on the insurance costs and thus the quarterly or monthly association fee.

5. Age of the property (older properties will require repairs etc. sooner)

6. Rental History (if this is to be an investment property.)

wake up and smell......

the real estate.....

Those of you who are getting you lines of credit together and increasing your cash position....
Another 6 months and you will be ready to pounce on the bloated, overextended,caught left holding the over flipped bag, desperate sellers......

You will make a bloody killing......

Markets can be ruthlessly efficient.

cracks in the real estate plaster

I was talking to a Man this morning who moved his family down here 6 years ago.
At some point we started talking about real estate like everyone does around here and I could tell the cookie still has a ways to crumble.
In his case, he largely blames the real estate agents for the market as they should have kept prices down....
He has lost some money and I am sure that's part of the pain.

There are a lot of people out there that have put 20% down on a condo and are now dreading the call from the developer asking them when they can close on their property...... because......
THEY...DON'T ... HAVE...THE... MONEY..... TO.... CLOSE.

Effects are showing.....

My son and I ran into a lady in PUBLIX today that was just getting into real estate blogging a few months ago who is now out of real estate and is planning on starting a different type of business.

I think this trend will continue until we see a lot fewer folks in the real estate game in south walton or as i refer to it BOSWAL (beaches of south walton).

Don't say I never gave you anything.....

Makes you Think

Deals take more work

From http://blog.realtybaron.com/

Buyers And Sellers Begin Standoff

June 23rd, 2006

I can’t remember how many times I’ve read an economist say a softening housing market could turn ugly once sellers and buyers become “disconnected”. Joseph Colgan, a ZipRealty agent on the front lines of Santa Clara’s real estate market, says that time is now:

A huge trend is for buyers and sellers to be just a few thousand dollars apart and then the negotiating stalls. Sellers are believing that a better deal will come in. Buyers believe the next seller will be more generous.

Test your Beach Sense

Beach test

One more reason to move here.....

For those of you who need another reason.

The Florida legislature has repealed the 0.5 mill annual recurring intangible personal
property tax imposed on stocks, bonds, notes, and other intangible property.

This will result in an annual savings of $700 for individual taxpayers and $1,100 for married couples.

Sea Change

The beach can teach You how to relax
Come listen to the sounds of tme and tides
That wait for no man
And demand respect all the more
Because of their age old superiority
Feel the cool winds that caress the petty cares
Away from great and small minds alike
While the sky acts out a different play above this stage
Each day you may attend and silently applaud


Sea Change, a Poem by Shawn O'Neal © 2006 All Rights Reserved

Low priced lots in high end neighborhoods

Three prices are shown May, June, and July (18th)



1. Cypress Dunes $240k $240k $239

2. Draper Lake $499k $499k $499k

3. Forest lakes $279k $239k $199k

4. Lakeside at Blue Mt. $335k $335k $249k

5. The Preserve $299k $279k $260k

6. WaterColor $385k $285k $290

7. WaterSound $490k $465k $285k

8. Seacrest Beach $319k $319k $319k

9. Rosemary Beach $595k $595k $599k

From west to east along highway C-30A

* numbers rounded up to nearest thousand.

Virtual Field Trip

Register to Vote for Your favorite Green Building Designs for New OrleansDesigns will be announced on NBC's Today Show and posted on this site Monday, July 17th .

Global Green USA

Grasp the real estate

We are adding a little more green around the office because it is sooooo relaxing.

And we want you to stop by and see us.






4042 east highway 30A suite F for "fun"

We have a grasp on this market and can help you
find the real estate that you DESERVE.




Viper madame hydra is a MARVEL ™ character.

Need a Loft in Atlanta ?

Then you might want to check out this site.
Atlanta Lofts

If you sell your big house in Atlanta and keep a loft then you can buy a nice beach house on 30A and have more fun in the Florida sun....

Beach Reforestation?

No Dude, it's Beach Restoration

>> WALTON COUNTY TDC HOSTS PUBLIC INFORMATION
 WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS BEACH
>> RESTORATION ALONG THE 30-A CORRIDOR
>>
>> WALTON COUNTY, Fla.- The Walton County Tourist
>> Development Council (TDC) has scheduled a second public information
>> workshop regarding beach restoration projects for the beaches along the
>> 30-A corridor. The public meeting will be held Thursday,
July 13, 2006 from 6-8 p.m., in the Azalea Room at the Baytowne
Conference Center in Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
>>

>>
>> For more information on Walton County beach restoration projects please
>> contact our public relations department at 1-800-822-6877 or visit
>> www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com .
>>

7/11

We have now made it all the way to "Dennis Day" the dreaded day last year that wrought destruction on our area.

23 of the last 40 some odd years have had no major cane in these parts.

let's make it 24!

$$$$$ Million Dollar and Up Lots$$$$

Destin - 45 lots

SanDestin - 53 lots

30A - 262 lots

50 Years?

Next up: 50-year mortgage
Once a mere topic churning in the rumor mill, the 50-year mortgage made an appearance on the market a few months ago and more lenders are jumping on. MILA, Mortgage Investment Lending Associates, on Thursday said it has launched the "50/30," a new product targeting non-prime and Alt-A borrowers.
"The 50/30 contains a balloon feature in which the loan is amortized over 50 years with a final balloon payment due 30 years from the first payment due date. This offers homeowners a lower monthly payment without the major increases associated with other loan products like Interest Only or Payment Option ARMs," according to the announcement.
The mortgage fashion runway is getting pretty crowded. Runway clothes look great on models who are strutting and turning on the catwalk, but not so practical on regular people living regular lives. There's a camp of skeptics viewing the latest mortgage fashions the same way. We just hope borrowers are getting educated on all the terms and options so they don't find themselves walking down the street naked.
--Jessica Swesey, Inman News

Alys Beach

I had a chance to visit with the excellent sales team and a delightfull and witty couple responsible for quite a bit of the design at Alys with a capital A as in architecture at Alys Beach this afternoon at their Friday wine tasting.

What a first class crew.

As Han Solo would say..... "Your allright kid"

Field trip blog

Whats going on in BOCA where all the New Yawkers live?

Click here for the Boca blog

She's got the Jack

Aaron Spellings Mansion in Hollywood is for sale by his widow for $150 Million Dollars.

With that kind of Jack you could but the 21 homes on 30-A listed at over $5 Million dollars each for only $136 Million Dollars and get $14 Million Dollars back in change.

JULY 5th

What one thing can you and I do to make this country more free and filled with Liberty
by next July 4th?


"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin

"Liberty used to be a 24/7/365 pursuit in this country and now, to many, it is a holiday that happens one day each year." -- Shawn O'Neal

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

"There can be no liberty without private property,"
- the economist Milton Friedman

There would'nt be hundreds of thousands of agents selling real estate without private property rights.

Sea Turtles in good hands

These are
the signs that
sea turtles
are back on our beaches.

The St. Joe Sun

It might just be a money saving idea if St. Joe were to buy freedom publications (the Walton Sun, and other local papers etc.) if you look at the amount of advertising they are doing right now....