Friday, October 7, 2011

Tampa Bay Fishing Report

Fishing Around Tampa Bay
Published: Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 11:23 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 11:23 p.m.

1 - At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, lot of keeper pompano this week on shrimp and jigs, reports Kelly Dacey. Also trout, Spanish mackerel, jacks and silver trout.
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Strike Zone Areas: 5 , 6 , 7, 'elsewhere'

2 - At Madeira Beach, kingfish starting to show, free-jumping at times, but main migration not this far south yet, reports Capt. Dane Karcher (727-647-6919) of John's Pass. Capt. Jason Lineberger said the largest kings he's got so far are 12-15 pounds slow-trolling live bait over hard bottom off Redington Long Pier and John's Pass from 20 feet out to reefs, but he's catching Spanish mackerel up to 6-7 pounds along with spinner and blacktip sharks. Karcher catching limits of keeper gag grouper in 20-60 feet, but said keeper red grouper from 60-100 feet. Lineberger reports nice gags 8 and 12 pounds on Treasure Island reef with pinfish. Cobia starting to migrate into area, with 65-pounder in 35 feet over rock pile off John's Pass, Karcher said.

3 - At John's Pass, schools of flounder starting to show on beaches, reefs, in passes and on flats along Intercoastal, said Capt. Dane Karcher. Angler caught a 23-inch flounder off seawall at pass on Berkley Gulp! Shrimp. Pods of baitfish and Spanish mackerel within 1-2 miles of beach with strong easterly winds. Trout in slot and a few in 20-inch class on flats along Intercoastal on Berkley Gulp! New Penny.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Thinking About a Second Home or Retirement Home in Florida?

Thinking About a Second Home or Retirement Home in Florida?
Let me share with you where the last 2 couples I worked with started looking, and eventually ended up buying.
Clients #1 from Michigan, retiring soon and decided now is the time to buy. They have been looking online for a year or so and noticed that all the “good ones” were getting snapped up! Plus with rates so low (even though they could buy cash) it is a great time to lock in their rate. I had set them up with a Listing Book account that kept them up on current inventory. Many internet sites are simply not updated frequently enough. They had picked out quite a few properties they wanted to see and bought their plane tickets to come down for a week to find that home! We started out looking at resales in a 55 and over community. A water view was very important to them. What we found in their price range was older construction needing updating. They like an open plan, so some would require removing walls. Then we looked in the “any age” communities and found some that were newer, but still needed some work. I called ahead to many of the new home builders in the area (yes, they are building here again!) to find out what they had in inventory that was on a pond or lake. We found a few, but none of them were “the one” for one reason or the other….view not as pretty as they would like, too small, didn’t care for floor plan…. Finally, they had decided to build a home from scratch. After some back and forth on price, they were ready to go to contract when a home with the floor plan they wanted to build came back on the market when the family that had it built no longer qualified (their credit score dipped). Since I have a good relationship with the builder’s salesperson, she called me as soon as she found out that home was coming back to them. My buyers secured that home for $35,000 less than it was under contract for with the previous buyers! And the view from this home is gorgeous! 4 bedrooms 2 & ½ baths, granite throughout, 2600 sq ft for $174k!! This was such fun for me to help them get this great deal.
Clients #2 from Ohio, retiring in a year, came down just to look on a long weekend. They said if they found something too good to pass up they would buy now. I showed them what their money would buy in a resale, then took them to several new home builders. We have a nice selection of new homes in the Southshore area. They wanted a pool, or at least a community with a pool. What we found for them was a 2100 sq ft home on a large lot with an oversized 2 car garage (2 & ½ car) with tile everywhere except the bedrooms, granite in the kitchen, and a TILE ROOF, on a pond (where the white pelicans gather) for $183k in an upscale community with some awesome amenities. They are going to rent the home for a year until they are ready to move in. Again….FUN!
So come on down so I can have some more fun helping YOU find that great deal and secure your first home, second home, or retirement home while the prices and rates are low! Word is, in one nearby new home community the next lots the builders are going to purchase are going to be $20,000 more each. They will have to pass that on to the buyers. So don’t delay….come on down today!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Tampa Coastal Homes, Tampa Real Estate, Apollo Beach: Go Coastal Tampa Coastal Homes!!

Tampa Coastal Homes, Tampa Real Estate, Apollo Beach: Go Coastal Tampa Coastal Homes!!

Go Coastal Tampa Coastal Homes!!

Discover The Pleasure Of Tampa Bay Coastal Living

Imagine you are standing on miles of sandy white beaches, and the sun is shining brightly on your face. The breeze cools you as the surf crashes nearby. Later this afternoon you will hit the golf course, and this evening your entire family will visit The Florida Aquarium.... This enticing scenario may seem like a rare vacation to most people, but why can't everyday be lived this way? Well, it can! People who have learned about the joy of Tampa Bay coastal living already enjoy everyday in a beautiful paradise.

Where Is Tampa Bay?

Tampa Bay is a region on the west coast of Florida that includes seven different counties and boasts a wide diversity of culture. Are you looking for exciting city life in the heart of a bustling city? Or do you prefer a serene and peaceful golf course community? Would you rather live in an oceanfront condo or on a charming horse farm? All of these options (and more) are available to the residents of the Tampa Bay area.

The Tampa Bay metropolitan area is home to 2.7 million people, which makes it the second largest metropolitan area in Florida. Tampa Bay includes three of Florida's largest cities:

*Tampa (population 320,000)

*St. Petersburg (population 250,000)

*Clearwater (population 110,000)

Other communities in Tampa Bay include Lakeland, Bradenton, Sarasota, and Venice.

What's So Wonderful About Tampa Bay Coastal Living?

Tampa Bay is a blossoming region that has history, diversity, and industry, all surrounded by miles and miles of beautiful sandy beaches and clear blue ocean water. The number one beach in the United States? In 2005, it was Fort de Soto Park in St. Petersburg, and in 2008, it was Caladesi Island near Clearwater. Tampa Bay is also home to favorite tourist attractions such as Busch Gardens and The Florida Aquarium.

And don't forget the heavenly weather; you can count on bright sunny days that are cooled with gentle gulf breezes. The average annual temperature in Tampa Bay? A perfect 72 degrees!

The Ideal Setting For Sports Fans

Tampa Bay is the perfect region for all sports enthusiasts who are looking for excitement. In fact, in 2009, Tampa Bay hosted the Superbowl for the third time! And it's not just football; there are sports for every type of enthusiast:

*NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning (2004 Stanley Cup Champs)

*MLB: Tampa Bay Devil Rays

*AFL: Tampa Bay Storm (5-Time World Champs)

*NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002 SuperBowl Champs)

Also, during baseball's spring training season, a long list of professional baseball teams travel from northern states to come train in the temperate climate of the Tampa Bay area, including the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Boston Red Sox.


Whatever your interests are, you can find them here in Tampa Bay, Florida. This area is one of the most diverse and pleasant regions you will find in the entire nation. And the population is growing every year as more and more people learn about the pleasures of Tampa Bay coastal living.