Please enjoy the real estate tip included below. If you have any questions about this tip - or any other tips you may have heard elsewhere - please ask! There is no obligation and you'll hear back quickly! Real Estate Tip:Tax Breaks       Most homeowners are keenly aware of the interest tax deduction on their home loan, but there are many other tax breaks which are often overlooked at income tax time. Pro-rated property taxes and mortgage interest in the year of sale are deductible. You will find these amounts listed on your closing settlement statement. If you paid off your mortgage and had to pay a pre-payment penalty, it qualifies as tax deductible interest. If you paid an "acquisition mortgage loan fee" on a home loan, this fee can be deducted as itemized interest. Home improvement loan fees are also deductible. Any remaining loan fees from re-financed or paid-off mortgages are fully deductible at the time of the mortgage payoff.       Certain items don't qualify as deductions, but can be added to the cost basis of your home, such as transfer taxes, recording and title fees, and special local property tax assessments for new sidewalks, streets, or sewers.       Don't be intimidated by the tax code! A little research or consultation with an expert can help you maximize your real estate tax advantages.       See Bonnie's Feature Properties: www.TAMPACOASTALHOMES.COM/myhomes.asp Visit www.TAMPACOASTALHOMES.COM

Spring Baseball Games... Fishing--OR Beach??

Spring Baseball games...fishing.. or Beach??? Go Tampa Coastal at www.tampacoastalhomes.com

Options are plentiful during Outdoor Expo's final day
www2.tbo.com
Tampa Bay has an exceptional community of fishing media "stars," and just about all of them are at the Tribune's Outdoors Expo and Boat Show, continuing Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Flo...

Tampa Bay Fishing Report

March 1st Fishing Report for Tampa Bay
 

February our fish are on an earlier pattern than normal. We saw Tarpon and Spanish Mackerel in mid February. Not enough Tarpon to fish but certainly enough Macs. This year was the first time that I have ever caught Mackerel on shrimp, the white bait is taking its time getting here. It's here but not real thick yet. The Black Drum are here now but will move on up into the bay anytime as our water temps continue to rise. It was an unusual February to say the least. In honor of my lady anglers and Valentines Day I have only posted pics of the girls this time. Not the biggest fish of the month but certainly the sweetest. I'm glad March is here and can't wait to get into our normal fishing patterns. I expect to start seeing some bigger Redfish catches in size and numbers. I have reports of a couple big schools of Reds that are in the area and am waiting on the whitebait before I go harass them. The Trout and Mackerel bite should stay good with the only thing changing is the size of our catches should be bigger. We are on the brink of some really nice size Trout and Mackerel. The thing that I am most excited about is the early arrival of the Tarpon. I hope to get out and do some Tarpon fishing if the numbers increase. We might even see some nice Shark catches this month with the warmer water, not the size that we get at the power plant - bigger! Until next time, good luck and be safe on the water. Remember: don't let your kid be the one that got away, take them fishing.

I am already starting to book some Tarpon trips for May and June. If you are interested in fishing one of the best hill tides during that time call now and reserve the date.

If you are a local and will be at the Frank Sargeant show this weekend please stop by and visit me at the CBS Sports Radio 1010 booth or sit in on one of my seminars. Would love to see you.
Also check out the cover of Onshore - Offshore magazine this month. K9 rods are featured.

Take care and tightlines.

Thanks,
Ric


Capt. Ric Liles
REEL SIMPLE FISHING ADVENTURES
www.ReelSimpleFishing.com
www.ReelSimpleCharters.com
(813)601-2900
K9 FISHING RODS ~ feel the bite!
www.K9Fishing.com
(813)655-2800
Host - Tampa Fishing Outfitters Radio Show, CBS


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Wall St. Journal "Why 2011 May be the End of Housing Crash"

By SIMON CONSTABLE

There might finally be some good news this year about the nation's dismal housing market. Or, at least, the bad news could stop.
Either way, it will be welcome relief for current homeowners as well as for potential real-estate investors. Reasons to be optimistic have been sadly lacking since the housing bubble burst in 2006.

Andrew Roberts

For sure, last week we learned the widely watched S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index fell 1% in December, its fifth straight decline. The index tracks 20 major markets.
But that figure belies real reasons to be optimistic, according to some experts. If they are right, it might make sense to jump into real estate. The trick is avoiding getting burned again, and it doesn't necessarily mean owning a home.
First, let's recap the economic signs a bottom is close.

Houses Are a Good Deal

Housing is the most affordable it has been in decades, according to analysts at Moody's Analytics. They don't just look at house prices. They also look at incomes.
Nationally, the cost of a house is the equivalent of about 19 months of total pay for an average family, the lowest level in 35 years. Prices usually average close to two years' pay, although that varies nationally.
At the peak, midway through the last decade, a home in Los Angeles cost the equivalent of 4.5 years' pay. The average price has since fallen to just over two years' income now. That's well below its pre-bubble average of 2.6 years. This means average Los Angeles homes are cheaper in "real terms" than they were typically during the period 1989 through 2003.
The opposite is true around the Washington beltway, where it will take 26 months of pay to buy a home, versus the historical norm of 22 months.

In the end, it will be affordability that will drive people to buy homes.
"Pricing is down so much in some markets that when you analyze renting versus owning it makes much more sense to own," says Michael Larson, a real-estate analyst at Weiss Research in Jupiter, Fla.
It is definitely bullish. But what about timing?
"Housing prices will probably bottom in 2011," says Scott Simon, a managing director at money-management firm Pimco in Newport Beach, Calif. He foresaw the housing crash, helping his firm dodge losses that plagued Wall Street.
Mr. Simon says prices might dip another 5%. Still, in the scheme of things, that's small. Consider this: In some markets, home prices have fallen by half or more since 2006.
For instance, in once-hot Miami you can snap up an average house for under $166,000, according to recent data from the National Association of Realtors. That's down from $371,000 in 2006. Another 5% drop would take it to $158,000.

Investors Stepping Up

Here's another sign the market is nearing a bottom: Investors have started to buy up houses and condos, in some instances paying entirely in cash. That's a far cry from the heady bubble days when borrowed money seemed the key to riches. The bubble-era speculators who got burned tended to buy at the peak and borrowed heavily to do so. When the crash came, they quickly saw their wealth erased.
Take Miami again. Last year, more than half of all transactions were made entirely in cash, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal. That compares with 13% of deals in the last quarter of 2006, the height of the bubble. Similarly, in Phoenix 42% of sales in 2010 went to all-cash buyers, up threefold since 2008.
It's a sign that these investors are betting on a rebound. Investors buying at current prices are looking for deals, or so-called bottom fishing. They typically like to pay entirely in cash (or with a relatively small loan) to speed up transactions. That can be vital for an investor wishing to lock in a deal fast.
If this is a turn in the market, then it might make sense to go out and buy a home. But, warns Pimco's Mr. Simon, "buy in areas you really know."

Plan to Stay Put

Buy and hold. While the good news is that the worst of the housing crash might be over, the bad news is that the fast gains of the glory days of 2005 and 2006 won't be back any time soon. So to cover the costs of buying and selling, and what could be a prolonged recovery, plan to own for more than 10 years, explains Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Chicago-based Harris Bank.
Also remember that borrowing money to buy a house can still be risky. If you pay for a $100,000 property with $20,000 cash and borrow the rest, a dip in the value of $20,000 would leave you with zero equity. On top of that, you'd have to pay to maintain and repair the property, something not necessary when renting.

Home Buying Without a House

There are other ways to benefit from a real-estate rebound than directly buying a house. Such investments include stocks, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. Unlike homes, which typically cost tens of thousands of dollars, these financial investments can be made in smaller amounts and typically are easy to sell.
Weiss Research's Mr. Larson says although new homes are oversupplied, home builders might benefit from a rebound as the situation rights itself.
Rather than pick individual stocks, he says, it probably makes sense for small investors to pick broader investments that hold many different stocks. In particular, he points to the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB), which tracks a basket of home-builder stocks.
Mr. Larson also highlights specialized mutual funds such as the Fidelity Select Construction & Housing fund (FSHOX), which tracks home builders as well as home-improvement retailers like Home Depot and Lowes that would also likely benefit from a housing recovery.
—Simon Constable is author of the forthcoming book "The WSJ Guide to the Fifty Economic Indicators That Really Matter: From Big Macs to 'Zombie Banks,' the Indicators Smart Investors Watch to Beat the Market." simon.constable@dowjones.com

Gorgeous Susets over Tampa Bay

http://vt.realbiz360.com/MLS-579870.html

Feb. Fishing Report...Go Coastal... Tampa Coastal!!

Hello Anglers,

       I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that I am not looking out the window at 3 foot of snow trying to figure out this global warming stuff. The bad news is I would have a better chance of figuring out the global warming than I would the fish. January was a very unusual month in the way that the days that we had good weather and good tides the fish did not cooperate. On the other hand we had some very good days when the weather should have held back the bite. I can usually get a good feel for the pattern of the fish with the conditions, but January had me stumped. Hopefully February will be different. My focus for February will be Trout, Redfish, and Sharks. The Sharks at the power plant have started to thin out with this warm snap we have had but should migrate back as we are not finished with winter. That is not saying I will not take a shot at other species but those three will be my focus. Sheephead have been the one fish that the weather has not had much impact on the bite. They are not the same Sheephead as the northern fish, and yes they are good to eat. Actually, very good. Spring is around the corner and I cannot wait to get back to white bait and a bigger variety of fish to target. Until next time, good luck and be safe on the water. Remember: don't let your kid be the one that got away, take them fishing. 

      Other news - The radio show that I co-host on Saturday mornings has moved from ESPN 1040am to CBS 1010am. We have partnered with Tampa Fishing Outfitters and look to have a better show with a better format and more giveaways. Foe those of you in the listening area we would love to have you listen and call in. 

Thanks,

Ric

Capt. Ric Liles

REEL SIMPLE FISHING ADVENTURES 

www.ReelSimpleFishing.com

www.ReelSimpleCharters.com

(813)601-2900

TECO trolley line extends its reach into downtown core - St. Petersburg Times

TECO trolley line extends its reach into downtown core - St. Petersburg Times