Calum's Blog: Misc.

We were coming home from my Son's soccer game yesterday and as we were driving through the community I happened to see this Florida Bobcat out of the corner of my eye.  At first I thought it was a Florida Panther, which would have been a very rare citing, but after a little internet research, I think its tail is too short for a Florida Panther. 

Luckily I had my camera with me, I only wish I had a little better zoom lens.  This shot is a little grainy because I had to enlarge it a bit.

This was only about 100 yards from the Arbor Greene Clubhouse and after I took the picture the cat just sat under the bushes, totally ignoring the five or six cars that had now stopped in the street to check him out.  I actually drove off before he decided to move… Read Full Post

Homeowner’s insurance rates might be about to increase in Florida, but there are several ways you may be able to save on your premiums and offset the increase. Reviewing your policy, the carrier you’re insured with, and some key aspects of your home can cut hundreds of dollars off your annual premiums.

The good news is, doing just one or two of these things can save you a decent amount of money. Increasing your deductible, for example, is a good way to save on almost all types of insurance, but it can be even more effective when you’re insuring an asset as large as your home.   Easy ways to save include choosing the right insurance carrier, and working with your agent to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. It might be tempting to shop for… Read Full Post

I'm trying to do a better job of keep my digital camera with me this year so I can add more pictures to my blogs.  Our office borders a large conservation area, so we get a lot of wildelife, deer, boar, and this morning we had about ten turkeys in the backyard. A little different twist to working with the turkeys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In the wake of the US dollar’s slide down the value scale, there’s been a lot of speculation that the dropping value of the dollar is likely to spur investing in the US real estate market (and foreign investment in the US in general, to be fair). While there’s some truth to the suggestion, there’s more truth to the fact that US real estate has always been an attractive investment for overseas investors. The relative stability of the US economy – which, despite the recent downturns is still one of the healthiest in the world – coupled with the political stability in the US makes this country an attractive place to own real estate.

That said, there is evidence of an increase in home sales to overseas clients in many markets, and Florida is one of the…

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A couple of weeks back, I did a series of articles about ways to lessen your impact on the environment in three stages – easy, inexpensive things you can do right now, changes you might consider if you are remodeling or upgrading and ways to build green from the ground up. This week, I’ve pulled out some of the cash incentives offered by the federal and state government and by utility companies that can cut your costs if you decide to green your home or property.   -          Federal Incentives There are two tax credits available to homeowners who make improvements that make their homes less dependent on conventional energy sources – one for those who make almost any type of energy improvements and one specifically for those who add solar and… Read Full Post

The buzz in the building industry is all about being green, but there’s still an underlying belief that building green is expensive. In reality, green building practices often cost no more than conventional building practices, and often costs less up front. The real bonus comes in after you’re done with the building and all moved in. Most environmentally friendly building options are designed to reduce your use of energy – and that adds up to subtracting your energy and utility costs. Here are a few green building facts for you to chew on:

•  A home built to meet today’s green building standards will use 40% less energy than a home built between 1994 and 2001. Those standards include energy efficient windows and doors, more efficient…

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If you’re planning to renovate any time in the near future, it only makes sense to go for the greenest options available. When you take the environment into account, your renovations and improvements will be good for you AND good for our world. Greenovating adds value to your home in a number of ways. Here are five good reasons for greenovating instead of just renovating.  

Stay ahead of the curve.

It’s not a matter of keeping up with the Joneses anymore. Over the past few decades, the federal and state governments have passed numerous statutes that require greener solutions when you make major renovations to your home. We can assume that these regulations will continue to reach higher and higher as the technology we use to go green becomes… Read Full Post

With the world population scheduled to hit 7 billion people in 2011, it’s getting more and more clear that we all have to do what we can to reduce our impact on the environment that supports us all.   Over the next three weeks, here and on my Tampa Real Estate Blog, I’ll be talking about ways that your family can help save energy and reduce its impact on the environment. This week, I’ve offered some suggestions for little changes you can make in your home and your daily life. These things don’t take a large initial investment and most will start saving you money almost immediately.   Next week, I’ll take a look at green alternatives to traditional remodel and renovations like roof replacements, new heating systems and other major projects. If you’re… Read Full Post