Michael Wilson asked:


All of you must have heard about Florida and its’ rich cultural heritage. Florida is located in the Southeast region of United States, and is known for its’ natural beauty and cultural offerings. So, if you don’t want to be a part of busy and expensive places, then Florida has loads to offer. A vacation in Florida offers endless possibilities of unusual places to visit.

Historic Bok Sanctuary

The historic Bok Sanctuary stands on the highest point in the state of Florida. Built in 1929 by Edward W. Bok, the tower was constructed of pink and gray marble from Georgia and coquina stone from St. Augustine. The tower is also surrounded by beautiful garden on either side. Visitors stroll the many pathways leading to the Tower, see seasonal blooms, friendly animals, and special events throughout the year.

Tallahassee

It is the capital city of Florida and is located among the hills, moss-draped oaks, and stately pines of Florida’s panhandle. Tallahassee has become a community where tradition and family are important. The largest numbers of people work for the government. Services and retail trade also employ many people in the area. It is considered as the major point of government and higher education in the state.

The Amazing Golf of Panhandle

In the town’s center, the historic old district features over 900 buildings, constructed as far back as the early 1800s, which are listed on the National Register. Visitors Center provides maps, ideas, and directions for experiencing Apalachicola’s historic downtown while on your vacation in Florida. Exhibits include photographs, articles, and knickknacks from the camp’s heyday.

Pensacola

Pensacola is a must see on a Florida vacation. Known as the “City of Five Flags,” it has been Spanish, French, British, Confederate, and American.  It is known as the home of naval aviation and proudly exhibits more than 150 aircrafts and planes (of different types).

Well, above are some of the historical places in Florida which you must definitely see!

Salem Hassan asked:


Secure your home while you’re away and you will be thankful you did! There are a number of home security systems available today. Home security and fire safety are two things you should always discuss when moving into a new home or opening a new business. Fire safety is a number one issue that is rarely discussed in the home or office, so it is important that you and family or employees discuss how to exit the home/office in the event of an emergency.

Getting a security alarm system is very beneficial to keeping your family/office protected from thefts. Security alarm systems are very advanced and can be connected to your local police and fire stations. If the alarm is tripped, the police/fire station will be contacted and will call your home to make sure everything is ok. If you do not respond, they will send over officers/firemen to investigate the situation. This type of alarm system is wonderful and can make your family feel extremely safe. It is important to note that security alarms that function in this manner usually cost an extra fee to have the police or fire station to respond. But isn’t it worth it to have your family or business safe from theft or fire?

If you have a large home or business, investing in a security surveillance system is ideal. Security surveillance systems can be wired the same way as a regular alarm, yet also include video panels so that you can keep watch over every inch of your home or business. The ability to watch over your entire home or business is a great tool and an even better investment. But only purchase something of this magnitude if you have an extremely large home or business where there can be many parts that are unseen on a daily basis.

Once you secure your home or business with the best security alarm available, why not take a trip to the south? Heading to a great vacation spot like Florida will be just what the doctor ordered. Many people go to Disney World, but why not try Jacksonville or Tallahassee? These are great cities and have wonderful tourist attractions. Jacksonville is a vibrant city and is home to a US naval base. Tallahassee is home to the great Florida State University. If those places don’t spark your interest, then visit other great cities in Florida!

gangstalking asked:


After researching much of the information regarding the Informant system, I believe this is at the heart of much of the corruption that we are seeing in our society. In our justice systems and in our communities. I believe this system is enslaving large portions of society. I also believe that there are many of us that were and are blissfully unaware of what is happening and will remain so until it is too late.

There is a chain reaction that is happening in society that if left unchecked has the potential to infect and destroy the very core of society that we have all known and depended on. That is of course the snitching infection. I call it that, because there is no other way to describe some of the events that I have read about while doing research into the Informant system.

While researching this phenomenon I have come across people who one minute seemed like average decent persons, and the next minute after being caught up in the Snitching/Informant system were willing to sell their very mothers down the drain to keep themselves free. This is not going to be the case for every Informant, but it’s the case with too many that are a part of this system.

Once let loose back into society many will continue with a life of crime. others will continue with what I call the game.

The Game

The game is one of set up’s and betrayal where the Informant will try to set someone up for a fall. They will choose a target and the unsuspecting target will get caught up in a scheme of some kind, eventually be arrested, they do not necessarily have to have committed a crime, and then the informant will testify against the person they entrapped, or other informants will. Once this new person is caught up in the game, should they be turned informant then the cycle continues once again.

I don’t know how many Informants are a part of this game that is ongoing in society, but I suspect that the many are, and all of them once they decide to become informants are owned by the system, and their handlers. That means anytime the government wants or needs a favor guess who they will call upon? Do you begin to see the makings of a corrupt society? Remember they can call upon these informants years later after these informants have been let loose. Many of these Informants will also go onto have careers, and even become contributing members of society, but they are still owned by the state. A lot of these Informant deals are kept off the records, meaning that the person is owned by a handler, but there might not be an official record of it, but when that handler needs a favor, that Informant will be called upon, and will risk exposure if they do not comply.

[quote]For example, unlike a classic plea bargain, informant deals lack finality because an informant’s obligations are ongoing. Written co-operation agreements often extend a defendant’s obligations into perpetuity, while informal, unwritten agreements last as long as the police or prosecutor wishes to use that informant.[/quote]

To understand how the game works, we will review three case studies. These are just a few of the many that I came across when reading the stories on the wall. It’s a continued pattern of set up on unsuspecting pigeons, and hardened Informants who will do what they need to do to stay out of jail.

http://www.november.org/thewall/wall/wall.html

Before we review the case studies I am going to again remind you of some statistics.

http://www.aclu.org/images/asset_upload_file744_30623.pdf

[quote] as many as fifty percent of African American males in some cities - are in contact with the criminal justice system and therefore potentially under pressure to snitch. By relying heavily on snitching, particularly in drug-related cases, law enforcement officials create large numbers of informants who remain at large in the community, engaging in criminal activities while under pressure to provide information about others. These snitches are a communal liability: they increase crime and threaten social organization, interpersonal relationships, and socio-legal norms in their home communities, even as they are tolerated or under-punished by law enforcement because they are useful.[/quote]

[quote]The uncoordinated, widespread use of informants in the United States by thousands of different police departments and various federal agencies does not of course, amount to the focused, purposeful political mission of the Stasi. But if anywhere near eight percent of the male population in inner city communities is snitching, that figure meets or surpasses Stasi level of between one and ten percent of the total population as informers.[/quote]

http://november.org/stayinfo/breaking08/HoffmanCase.html

[quote]If things had gone according to plan, you never would have heard of 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman. She would have just been another confidential informant, one of more than an estimated 100,000 in the United States who work with police to send someone else to jail.[/quote]

These figures do not include people who are informers via work, school, or community group programs. When we take into consideration numbers such as that, we are looking at an epidemic that is worst than what happened in East Germany. Keep in mind that in addition to all this, there will also be 800,000 Terrorism Liaison Officers added to the Informant population in the United States. These figures should wake up America and other cities to the dangers of what is happening in various societies.

The Game

To understand the game you might want to picture it in the sense of how a disease spreads, you start with on carrier and that person infects one person right after another. Some of those carriers will go on to infect others. Some will be dormant and not infect anyone. You might also want to think of the movie lifeforce, where one has the constant need to feed on one person after another, then those victims need to feed on others. You can have a very sick and infested city in a short space of time if such an infection goes unchecked.

The game is one of the Informant being placed primarily back in society, but this could also happen in jail, where an informant via lies, deceit, entrapment or some other methods set’s up another person to take a fall. That person then come in contact with the criminal justice system, they can then choose to become informants themselves, or refusing to do so, will spend lengthy spaces of time in prison. This game is primarily enacted via drugs, but that’s not the extent of it. Shoplifting is another example. I see this used with the teenaged informants, setting up their friends to steal from the stores, so that they in turn can become snitches.

Theft, drugs, stolen cars, any crime that someone can make a deal with police to become informants, they can be released back into society and are a danger to the rest of society. This is not to say that all Informants are horrible people, many just did not want to be in jail, some others are a true danger to society, nearly all are under pressure by the government to produce other Informants, and that obligation is never ending, some are allowed to lay dormant, till they can be of use.

http://november.org/stayinfo/breaking08/FL-Hoffman6.html

[quote]In Hoffman’s case, it was the work of another informer that led to her own work for the police.

On April 15, an informer told Tallahassee police that Hoffman had sold marijuana in the past but hadn’t done so recently, according to police records.

At the time, Hoffman, 23, was in a pretrial drug diversion program because of charges of possession of marijuana and resisting arrest in February 2007. To stay in the program, she had to stay out of trouble.

Two days after police got the informer’s tip, a Tallahassee police officer stopped Hoffman as she was getting into her car

[/quote]

http://www.mapinc.org/images/Hoffman.jpg

Rachael Hoffman then went on to become an Informant. She first tried to set up a close friend and when that failed, the close friend helped her find the dealers who she tried to buy drugs from on behalf of the police. The sting went wrong and she was killed. Had this gone successfully, those drug dealers if they agreed to become informants might have been released back into society as Informants and the cycle would have continued. It’s a frightening cycle that has become more widespread than can be imagined.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/snitch/

Case number 2.

Joey Settembrino was a young 18 year old, just about to go off to college.

He was set up by an Informant. The Informant was a close friend of his. He use to spend his weekends at the Informants house.

[quote]He was a very good friend. I had known the guy for many years. We had gone out every weekend, fishing on his boat, hydrosliding, skiing. I was very shocked; it was very unexpected. It’s not something you expect from friends.[/quote]

In an Informants society, it’s what you expect from just about everyone and it makes people suspicious and closed off. This is what happened in East Germany once the population became aware of what was happening. In America many Americans are not aware that these types of games are being played. In these cases the targets were encouraged and did get into illegal activities, however that is not always the case, and many times innocent people who had nothing to do with illegal activities are still caught up in these games and convicted on the testimony of Informants.

[quote]He wanted me to go back to the house where I got the acid from and get something else. They wanted me to wear a wire and they wanted me to go back there … to buy some other type of drug, no matter what it was, whatever he had in the house, so they could set him up. Just a chain reaction, one gets to one, one gets the other and they just keep going. I told him that I couldn’t do that, that I didn’t get the drugs from that house. At that time I was really confused. I was shocked, and I told him that I couldn’t do anything for him. But he kept trying, he kept threatening, talking about a lot of time. “You’re going to do 25 years. You’re going to be in prison your whole life.” … He really tried to scare me. But I told him I couldn’t do anything for him … . [Eventually] they went back to the house in which I got it from, they arrested the other guy, my friend [who I bought the acid from]. And he’s now doing a 10-year sentence along with me.

[/quote]

Joey said it best. This is like a chain reaction that just keeps going and going. One get’s one, then another and another and another. Those in turn get others and the cycle continues. Remember it’s not just drugs, and it’s not just the guilty that are being caught up in this game. If we review cases of Gang Stalking, we hear of men who thought that a woman had entered their life for the sole purpose of setting them up to look like a rapist or something else.

There are stories of targets being framed or other set up’s, and there are targets that do turn informant and then go back into society and try to harm other targets. This is happening in ever sector of society. Rachel, Joey and even Clarence were all going off to college, or had finished college when they were caught up in these stings.

Joey refused to become a snitch and thus spent 10 years in jail. His friend that set him up, who had been caught for drugs himself, was back on the streets, selling drugs, and setting up at least 11 or 12 others in the first year that Joey was in jail.

[quote]

Do you know why they wanted you?

I’ve asked that question, I’ve asked myself that a thousand times, “Why me? Why did he set me up?” …

[/quote]

In this game that is happening, I would say that they want just about everyone. They will get some people via community programs to be Informants, some via their places of employment, or community programs. Now the people who are informants via community programs and other legit means might not play the game of setting people up directly, but they are still part of the game, and they still work hand in hand with these others that are playing by a different set of rules. Many might not be aware of who they are working hand in hand with. At the end of the day, they all work for the state, government and all the orders come from the same sources.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/snitch/cases/aaron.html

Clearance is in jail because he introduced two parties that wanted to buy or sell drugs to each other. He had never been involved with drugs before, but one day his cousin called him up and asked him if he could find someone to buy drugs from. He said he knew some people and thought that they might be involved in dealing, he would check into it.

Clearances case is interesting because all the other parties who turned Informant received less time than he did. He does not know why his cousin and the others turned against him and lied, or why the prosecutor seemed intent on punishing him because he would not snitch and become an Informant.

[quote]What was it like having your friends testify against you?

Well, we’re sitting in the courtroom. These guys that I knew all my life came up, and they said [stuff] about me that wasn’t true, and they hurt me. It really truly hurt me, Robert and James really hurt me ’cause James is my first cousin. I looked up to him all my life. Robert was supposed to be my best friend at the time. We grew up together from playing Pop ball all the way up to high school ball together, and I couldn’t believe that they would sit there, in front of me … and say the things that they said about me … . [The] only thing I could say was it wasn’t true. But nobody believed me … . You had to have a fall guy, and I was that person.

[/quote]

It should be noted that the others involved all had prior drug convictions. Which means if they were out on the street and able to set him up, they were likely already Informants. He doesn’t know why they turned on him, but it’s possible that this might have been the idea from the get go. The assumption being that he would turn snitch and then be in a prime candidate on the college campus, a pawn to be used to set up other pawns, because that is how the game works.

[quote]Why did he do it?

Well, I had a opportunity to talk to James one time … . He said, “Man, I’m sorry, man.” I say, “James, why you do me like that?” He say, “Because I had no choice.” I said, “What you mean you have no choice in the matter?” He say “Because Miss Griffin say she didn’t want Bob to try your case.” She say if [he] didn’t cooperate and do what she told him to do, that she was going to hurt him worse in his case … . He say, “Well, the prosecutor Miss Griffin said if I don’t do it she going to put me in prison for the rest of my life … . I got to do what I got to do.”

[/quote]

He stats that the prosecutor pulled his cousin aside and when his cousin went back on the stand, his cousin lied. This is not the first time scenarios like this have happened, it can only be imagined what these prosecutors or handlers have on these Informants to make them sell out their own friends, and family.

[quote]And the real drug dealers are out –

On the street now. And probably doing the same thing they were doing before they went in. I just don’t understand.

[/quote]

He also does not understand, but if you review enough of these cases, you start to see a pattern and you start to understand, this is how the game works, and yes they are probably back on on the street looking for the next pigeon to set up, and try to turn them into informants.

It reminds me of something a forum member once told me. This guy said that he was set up because he met this woman online, who he dated only to discover that she was married. Her husband got mad and that’s why he thought he was set up.

The person on my forum pointed out that he had met the woman via some co-workers who introduced him to the website where he located this woman. The person on my forum suggested that he was probably profiled and set up by the co-workers who sent him to the site, knowing he would met this woman. The idea is that these games and set up’s take place long before the victim is aware that they are part of a game.

The Global outlook.

Targets of Gang Stalking complain that even when they leave countries such as the U.K., Canada, U.S. that the stalking continues. That is understandable we have seen muli-governmental corporation in other investigations.

What is not understandable and the most frightening sector of this is that various targets have moved to a variety of countries and they all report the same thing, Informants that are able to follow them 24/7.

This suggest that these Informant networks are getting global in nature. They are popping up in areas that are unexpected, and if this trend continues we will have a global surveillance society.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/04/israelandthepalestinians.middleeast1/print

[quote]Middle East: Israel’s secret police pressuring sick Gazans to spy for them, says report· Treatment only offered to would-be informants

· Patients allowed to cross the border drops sharply[/quote]

The same situation is happening in Iraq where they previously had family structures that might have prevented Informant networks from spreading as rapidly. The country will be rebuilt and the Informant structure will be a part of it.

Why would a global surveillance society be necessary?

I will not speculate. I will however say that based on research many societies in history that had a dictator, tyrant, or despot who came to power and who wanted to pull off an unpopular agenda’s such as Hitlers Germany, or Stasi East Germany, employed an army of Informants. It’s the most effective way that a society can control, monitor and subdue the inhabitants.

Since history has shown us that these informant networks are often needed to move forward tyrannical agendas, then can it be assumed that if we could slow down or stop the chain reaction of the Informant movement, we might be able to stop some of the corruption that we are seeing in many areas of society?

Stopping the Chain Reaction.

To stop the Informant infection people need to be aware that there is a lethal chain reaction happening in many parts of society. They need the understanding of how the game is played, and awareness of how far spread and how far reaching it is.

In America prison system reform could go a long way towards fixing the system that has become corrupt. Then prosecutors would not be as dependent on the testimonies of Informants and the power could start to shift back.

The family structure. Communities with less stable family structures are more vulnerable to this system.

People need to be aware that these entrapment’s are happening at every level of society, ever profession in society, thus why it goes all the way up to the top.

If people are unaware, they will not realise the various ways that people can become entrapped, including using someone that you are in a personal association with, or who you just “accidentally” meet. Someone you have a business relationship with.

Some people they will use their own greed and stupidity against them. Other will be a deliberate trap, others will be framed and will have committed no crime. Not being aware of how this system works, many will quietly accept off the record deals, and thus become indebted to the state, able to be used at will. Remember this is happening at all levels of society. Rich, poor, black, white, male, female.

If you have a parent, grandparent that was a snitch, Informant, they might try to go after the next generation.

Your friends, family, co-workers, anyone that is an Informant not by choice but by force, can be a liability to an innocent person.

The problem is more widespread that many realise, and what’s even worst is the silence that surrounds this problem in society. Till it’s talked about, discussed, and exposed it will continue to infect society, and have far reaching and unimaginable consequences, not just for those caught up in the game, but for the many unsuspecting victims, targets, or pigeons yet to come. This is not just happening at local levels. Targets have moved to various countries around the globe and encounter the same type of surveillance network.

We must stop this chain reaction. Awareness and exposure are key.

Happy Holidays.

Tim Robbins asked:


Florida’s Intangible tax and mortgage tax stamp big cost for seniors!

In the State of Florida where the economic tidal wave has it almost every corner of the state hard financially, the 7.4 million seniors are hit the hardest. With seniors the problem is very easy to understand; they worked all of their lives to payoff their homes and saved money for their retirement years and it is going down the drain.

First the value of their home has decreased by epic proportions over the last three years. Now that does not mean that most of that was inflated appreciation, because it surely was. The amount of homes on the market and the credit crunch is driving the prices down, which for a senior who needs the money that they could have received from selling the home, is simply not there.

At this time in history there is at this time enough listing on the market in Florida to last for at least 7 years to sell them all out and start again. This coupled with the shortage of buyers looking to jump into the real estate market and the problem with getting loans, makes this an impossible situation for the senior who needs or wants to sell to move on to a smaller home. In addition; if someone needs to sell for the proceeds to go into an assisted living or nursing home.

The values that many seniors think they have in their home is very different then when an appraisal in completed sometimes by many thousands of dollars.

Now not to mention; the losses, that are being felt by the depletion of assets in pension plans, 401k’s and Ira’s by massive amounts. Now is the time to help our seniors who have worked hard all of their lives and now need to tap into the equity that is left in their homes by way of a Reverse Mortgage. One of the problems that has been seen is the State of Florida’s Intangible Tax and Mortgage tax stamp fee’s that have to be paid at closing.

These two taxes that come directly out of the proceeds to pay the state can amount to several thousands of dollars. With all of the losses that have dwindled away at the senior’s nest egg they really need some relief in the so called Golden years of their lives. Unlike younger people they do not and cannot go out into the fields of employment to make up for the losses nor will they have the life expectancy to recover.

So what is the solution!

· State government should exempt a senior who is over 62 when receiving funds from a Reverse Mortgage.

· Should also give back a tax credit for anyone who has received a Reverse Mortgage in the last 12 month’s

In 2007 in the State of Florida there were 18,023 of Reverse Mortgage completed, each and every one of them paid the taxes. The numbers for 2008 have not been released, but in 2009 it is expected that the numbers will be in the 150% increase. The state legislation goes back to Tallahassee in March 2009 they need a push to do something to help the struggling seniors of Florida, join in the fight. If you are the son, daughter, friend or you are a senior the join in the fight for senior’s looking for relief with a Reverse Mortgage.

 

United States Car Hire asked:


Florida

On the southeast end of the country is the state of Florida. The state is regarded by many tourists as the gateway to the beautiful beaches in Southern America such as the Bahamas and the Caribbean. But besides serving tourists as a hub for the beach paradise south of the country, Florida also has cities that offer family fun and excitement in any given season.

The capital of Florida is Tallahassee, and it’s a progressive city but not as competitive when compared with the other major cities in the state. Most people travel here because of business. Florida combines business with pleasure as it gives its visitors the ability to enjoy miles of fine sanded beaches while high rise buildings with big businesses are easily accessible. The same also goes for the city of West Palm Beach wherein visitors often come here for business and to have a little bit of fun under the sun. For an exciting family themed vacation, Orlando is undoubtedly the choice. This city is home to not one, but three world renowned resorts: the Walt Disney World, the Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. Going further south will lead you to the island of Key West. Adult themed entertainment is a common sight on this island.

Going to Florida is really easy as it has numerous airports that serve as a stop before going further south. The Miami International Airport is the major airport in Florida as it serves flights that go to Latin America. Orlando Airport is also a major hub providing a gateway for the famous parks in the city. Tallahassee, Fort Lauderdale, Key West and West Palm Beach also operate airports for intercity or interstate connections.

Salem Hassan asked:


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There are a number of security surveillance companies in Florida. Whether you live in Jacksonville, Palm Coast, or Tallahassee, your home or business security needs are vital to you. When shopping for the service you will ultimately use, look for the important features.

 

1. Look for a business or home security system company that employs licensed installers. It is essential that the company not use subcontractors to put in their security surveillance or fire safety systems. You will want your alarm system installed by someone who is trained in depth and is a specialist in security alarm systems.

 

2. The home or commercial security company should provide proof of industry certifications to you. The equipment should be UL certified. The technicians should be certified as a part of the NICET workforce. To be a part of NICET, technicians must be skilled and experienced. Two other types of certification in Florida are the BASA for burglar home security technicians and FASA for fire safety system technicians.

 

3. Excellent technical support is essential as a feature to your home or business security system. Many companies would be more than happy to install a home security system or a commercial security setup for your home or business. The trick is to find a company which will be there if the equipment fails or needs to be updated. Look for a security surveillance company that will stick with you for the long haul on technical matters.

 

4. You will not find a good security alarm systems company that does not have a great customer service record. That is because it is impossible to provide good security or fire safety without the cooperation of the customer. If you end up with a company which does not consider your input important, you can be sure that your security will suffer.

 

5. The top security alarm systems are all user friendly. People are able to keep their homes and businesses safe only if they know how to use the systems. If they cannot set the alarm, they will leave their property unsecured. If they do not know how to turn off a business or home security system in order to enter, they will end up never using it to avoid tripping the alarm accidentally. Ease of use is what makes the best home and commercial security systems work.

 

6. Of course, the best security alarm systems have features that will outwit burglars. For this, you need to find a company that uses state of the art equipment and top notch technicians. Burglars have already cracked the codes of old ideas, so new security surveillance and alarm systems are imperative. Look for a company that will keep you up to date.

 

7. The best security alarm systems offer fire safety features as well. Your Jacksonville or Tallahassee home or office would not be completely safe without a thought to the dangers of fire. Find a home or business security company that will see to those needs too.

 

If you find more than one security alarm systems companies that will give you all the best features, then you can turn to budget matters. After you assure yourself you are getting the best features in security, you can begin to think about which service will save you the most money. In the end, having a great business or home security system will be worth the time and effort you spend choosing it.

Joe Manausa asked:


I thought I might provide some insight on How Home Values Are Determined.

Everyone who owns a home typically likes particular aspects of that home. But these likes and dislikes have less to do with value that you might think, so let me give you some value-thoughts to chew on:

* Value is a moment in time, and is based on what else buyers can buy, the day they go out and look at your house.

* Prices are not forever, because values are fluid. They go up, and they go down, depending what other sellers do with their prices.

* Value is never an isolated concept, its always relationship concept, value in relationship to what other people buy.

* Agents and Sellers set prices, but buyers determine value. This is critical because we can set prices all day long, but we don’t have any control over the market. The buyer will tell us if the price is right.

I often times find that home owners do not know how home values are determined and I find that one of the biggest roles that real estate professionals have is to continuously remind our Sellers of this. When somebody decides to sell their home, they think about what they want for it and they think about what they will do with the proceeds. Unfortunately, none of the buyers for the home care.

Some of the key things seller’s think about that buyers do not consider important …

What does not affect value?

* What you paid for the house

* Your remodeling costs

* The amount of cash you need to buy your new house

* What you want for your house

* What I say your house is worth

* What other real estate agents say your house is worth

* What an appraiser says your house is worth

* What the tax assessor said your house was worth

So, how do we know how home values are determined? They are determined by what a buyer is willing to pay in today’s market, based on the comparison of your house with others on the market, both here and in other neighborhoods.

(Analogy: Buyers don’t just say” I’m only going to buy in the Golden Eagle Subdivision in Tallahassee.” They don’t look just in the Golden Eagle Subdivision; they look at a larger category of inventory, across many subdivisions in Tallahassee. They screen price range, bedrooms, bathrooms, school zones, etc.)

Who determines value?

BUYERS - I have never, ever spoken with a buyer who said, ” I don’t like that house on Elm Street, but let’s go look at comparable properties to determine its value.” Buyers don’t care about comparables (nor the value of your home) unless they like your home. The most critical data you can operate off of when determining the value of your home is from the homes available in the marketplace the day the buyer goes out and shops.

UNDERSTANDING COMPETITION

People with their homes on the market are competing with the other people and builders who have homes on the market. The number of Buyers is limited and you have to be the best deal if you want your home chosen. Do not ever misunderstand that you are in a race; a competition to attract the best buyer for your home!

UNDERSTANDING CHANGE DYNAMICS

If the market changes tonight and your competition all drop their prices $5,000, then you wake-up tomorrow over-priced. And you have to do something about it. This is the concept of “value is a moment in time.” Do not ever think that you have “set” the price on your home and that you do not need to pay attention to value movements in your marketplace.

WHY DOES EVERYONE TALK ABOUT COMPS?

“Comps” is a real estate industry term, short for comparable property sales in the past, that many people errantly rely on to determine value. The critical error that they make is the assumption that markets don’t go up and don’t go down! BAD ASSUMPTION! No other commodity works that way! Why would houses?

Phil Laboon asked:


With appreciation rates still at 19%, Gainesville Florida boasts the fourth quickest appreciating real estate market in the nation. The city’s many honors include the following; one of the Top Ten Cities in the USA for Outdoor Activities (2005), Most Technologically Advanced City in Florida (2005), Silver-Level Bicycle-Friendly Community Award (2004, 2005), #3 Mid-Market City (2004), #11 of the Top 15 Best Places to Reinvent Your Life (2003), and the Gold Well City USA Award (2003). Gainesville’s own University of Florida is the state’s oldest and largest university with 16 colleges and over 150 research centers. U.S. News and World Report ranks the university within the top fifty in its esteemed annual college guide, The university boasts an exceptionally high freshman retention rate of 94%, indicating a market of returning upperclassmen looking for off-campus housing.

Conveniently situated, Gainesville is less than an hour drive from either of Florida’s coasts, facilitating day trips to the beach. Orlando’s theme parks are just two hours away, as are Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Tampa.

There’s plenty to do in Gainesville, between visiting historical sites and museums, several theaters, golfing, and biking. And football season is a constant activity due to the University of Florida Gators’ cult-like following. In fact, as a means to hydrate the Gators, Gatorade was invented and the UF team still gets a share of the profits.

Gainesville also gave birth to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, as well as a well-known punk-ska scene that includes bands such as Against Me! and Less Than Jake. A relatively cheap place to live, the city offers moderately priced cuisine and all the cheap beer and drink specials of any major college town. Home prices are low, with median prices less than $150,000 for a single-family home and monthly apartment rent at around $600.

Gainesville is located in the growing Alachua County that features eleven other incorporated cities. Gainesville’s 111,000 residents comprise over half the county’s population. Over 65% of the county is wilderness, including scenic lakes, forests, wetlands, and trails, yet the area is still easily accessible by major roadways. Four major highways—I-75, U.S. 301, S.R. 26 and U.S. 441—all travel to Alachua County, linking it to the coasts and the major Florida tourist attractions. And Gainesville Regional Airport is only five miles from downtown Gainesville, and is serviced by two major commercial airlines.

Tim Burton asked:


To the East is Florida’s state capital, Tallahassee, with its streets of graceful old Southern mansions. To the far west lies Pensacola, which it is said, is the country’s oldest settlement, dating from 1559. Between these towns, is the potential for a whole range of different holidays.

Tallahassee was named by the Apalachee Indians.

It is best enjoyed by traversing along the Canopy Roads. Which as the name suggests, are thoroughfares in the middle of town, where Spanish-moss-dripping-oaks connect above the streets forming a lush tunnel-like canopy.

Visit the New Capitol Building and go to the 22nd floor observation level. There you can see magnificent views of the city and beyond. You can also still see the Old Capitol building with its red and white awnings. Many thousands of students bring a real buzz to Tallahassee, culminating at night, when the live music scene caters for a young crowd.

Pensacola is found in the far western tip of the Florida Panhandle.

Pensacola spent centuries changing hands between the French, Spanish and Britain, before being relinquished to the United States in 1821.

Most who visit go straight to the superb beaches. But it the city’s architecture makes for a great day of sightseeing.

There are three distinct areas to explore. All grouped around a simple grid of roads backboned by Palafox Street.

The North Hill district is where Pensacola’s high society resided during the late 19th century until the 1930s. Their housing architecture ranged from neoclassical porticoed mansions to black-and-white neo-Tudor cottages and Queen Anne villas.

The Palafox district to the south of North Hill is full of turn of the century elegance such as fluted columns and elaborate balustrades.

The Sevilla district, fronting onto Pensacola Bay, forms a wonderful mixture of restored old homes and great museums.

Around Memorial Day weekend, the city is teeming with the biggest lesbian and gay party of up to 100,000 attendants, on the streets and on Navarre Beach in a whirl of reveling.