Snowbird Property Checklist

Great article at nytimes.com about what snowbirds should do to prepare their homes and properties for the months that they will be away from them. Read the article here.

The article mentions turning off the main water valve and the hot water heater, and while I agree with this advice, when you return make sure to turn the water back on, before the hot water heater. The hot water heater has coils inside that can burn up if they are on with no water passing through them. I mentioned this in my new book Florida for Boomers: A Guide to Real Estate

Sit on Trump

North Carolina "Home Tax" transfer tax increase in the works

Buying and selling a home in North Carolina might get a little bit more expensive later this year if some local leaders and legislators have their way. NC already has a .2% deed stamp tax (by comparison, Florida’s is .7%). But some people in local and state governments are saying thats not enough to fuel North Carolina’s growth and want to add an additional transfer tax (Realtors opposing the measure are calling it a “Home Tax”) of up to 1% ($1,000 for every $100,000 of the sales price).

Read the full article in the Greensboro News-Record

Retirement Community Amenities: Clubhouse, tennis, shuffleboard, swimming pool… Nintendo?

No More Property Tax

If you’ve been reading this blog regularly, you know that property taxes will be a hot topic in Florida for the foreseeable future. Here’s more on the subject:

From the website NoMorePropertyTax.com:

“Skyrocketing property tax bills, combined with the high cost of insurance and energy, are breaking the backs of Floridians. The cumulative impact is hurting our economy and threatening our quality of life. As our wallets get skinnier, government gets fatter. Since 2000, government income from property taxes grew by 99%, while Floridians’ income only grew by an average of 44%. Floridians have the power to stop the out-of-control property tax bills and out-of-hand government spending. But we need Legislators to give us the chance to let our voice be heard. Learn more about the plan, calculate your savings under the plan and tell your Legislator you want your chance at the ballot box to vote NO to property taxes.”

To learn more, and to sign a petition endorsing the plan to eliminate property tax in Florida, visit No More Property Tax

Baby Boomer Moving and Housing Trends

Good article at seniorjournal.com on where baby boomers are moving to. The article suggests that most boomers will be moving “across town” rather than to other parts of the country.

Read the article here

So, where are you moving to?

More on the possible tax revolution in Florida

Details and commentary of the Florida Legislatures Property Tax proposals can be found here:
Tax revolution in Tallahassee - Orlando Sentinel : State News Tax revolution in Tallahassee - Orlando Sentinel : State News

Whoever said 2007 would be a boring year in Florida never saw this coming.

No more Property Taxes in Florida?

Republicans in the Florida Legislature are proposing eliminating the property tax, and raising the state sales tax to make up the difference.
Read:
MiamiHerald.com | 02/21/2007 | Tax switch could bring relief, pain

Potentially bad news for Charlie Christ (and Florida property owners)

I previously posted about Governor Christ’s plan to make Florida’s property tax cap portable. Now it looks like this plan may run into some trouble.
Read:
Report doubts legality of property tax portability - South Florida Business Journal:

Florida Homeowner’s Insurance Update

97.8% of you heading this way are concerned about Florida’s Property Insurance “crisis”. Here’s the latest update:

In January 2007 Florida legislators passed a bill that could lower property insurance premiums and bring other insurance relief to millions of property owners. Among the highlights of the 167-page bill are means to lower rates for homeowners by allowing owners to exclude windstorm and contents coverage, allowing owners to choose higher deductibles so that their premiums will be lower, removing the requirement that Citizen’s charge the highest premiums, and allowing non-homesteaded properties to be eligible for Citizen’s.
In order to further protect policyholders, the bill requires insurance companies to give 100 days notice of their intent to cancel a homeowner’s policy that would be effective during hurricane season, requires insurance companies to expedite payments of claims after storms, and prohibits excess profits by insurers.
The bill also makes an effort to expand the property insurance market in Florida by requiring insurance companies that write homeowners policies in other states and auto insurance policies in Florida, to write homeowners policies in Florida.
Insurance companies lobbied heavily against this bill, and there are fears of companies pulling out of Florida altogether. Just like the property tax issue, it’s a matter of “wait and see” before we can determine the effects of this legislation.

Read More:
Governor Christ Press Release

Insurance Companies Response

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