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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
DH and I are looking to buy a vacation/retirement home in Florida (Tampa Bay, Clearwater, Sarasota, etc..).
Aside from a REA, how do I go to found out more about more desirable areas, etc..?
We are planning a trip to "look" but aside trusting an REA, what are some good ways to find out about the towns?
TIA
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Posted 1/10/12 3:00 PM  |
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Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate
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tara73
carseat nerd
Member since 11/09 3669 total posts
Name:
Buttercup
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
City data forums are a great start.
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| Posted 1/10/12 3:10 PM |
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bicosi
life is a carousel
Member since 7/07 14956 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Posted by tarabelle99
City data forums are a great start.
ditto.. this is where I looked when I was moving..
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| Posted 1/10/12 4:02 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Thanks!
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| Posted 1/10/12 4:31 PM |
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sunnyplus3
:)
Member since 11/05 8749 total posts
Name:
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Check out websites like familywatchdog.us
Ask your realtor for the number of foreclosures in the area.
If you are buying in an HOA get in touch with someone from the board to see what their financial situation is, if they have any big assessments on the horizon. What are their rules about renting out homes.
If there is a local newspaper with a police blotter section, get as many issues as you can when youre there so you can get a feel for the area.
Good luck!
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| Posted 1/10/12 5:00 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Thanks! The rate of foreclosure in FL is very high so I am not sure how much of an indicator it is.
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| Posted 1/10/12 5:07 PM |
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sunnyplus3
:)
Member since 11/05 8749 total posts
Name:
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Posted by smdl
Thanks! The rate of foreclosure in FL is very high so I am not sure how much of an indicator it is.
Agreed but certain specific communities have been less affected than others. My BIL lives in a gated community in Wellington that has several hundred homes and only a handful have been foreclosed since it was built in 2004 The gated community across the road from his was built the same time, has similar amenities but they had a foreclosure fiasco and almost every house in the community was for sale or abandoned. These were not starter home communities, most homes in my BILs neighborhood still sell for over $500k. When that many people stop paying their HOA fees the crap hits the fan for everyone else.
We flipped houses in Florida for a few years and there are so many good deals down there it rarely pays off to buy in an area that significantly more foreclosures than another.
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| Posted 1/10/12 5:25 PM |
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hanna7636
LIF Adult
Member since 8/06 921 total posts
Name:
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
I don't know where you would look but I have friends in that area if you would like me to ask them what areas to look at.
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| Posted 1/10/12 6:19 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Posted by KellyFG
Posted by smdl
Thanks! The rate of foreclosure in FL is very high so I am not sure how much of an indicator it is.
Agreed but certain specific communities have been less affected than others. My BIL lives in a gated community in Wellington that has several hundred homes and only a handful have been foreclosed since it was built in 2004 The gated community across the road from his was built the same time, has similar amenities but they had a foreclosure fiasco and almost every house in the community was for sale or abandoned. These were not starter home communities, most homes in my BILs neighborhood still sell for over $500k. When that many people stop paying their HOA fees the crap hits the fan for everyone else.
We flipped houses in Florida for a few years and there are so many good deals down there it rarely pays off to buy in an area that significantly more foreclosures than another.
Location will be key for us. I don't want an abandonned, run down area to get a good deal. The market is low there. We should be able to find something.
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| Posted 1/10/12 6:37 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Posted by hanna7636
I don't know where you would look but I have friends in that area if you would like me to ask them what areas to look at.
Tampa Bay, Clearwater, Sarasota. (West Coast only).
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| Posted 1/10/12 6:38 PM |
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PhyllisNJoe
My Box Is Broken
Member since 6/11 9145 total posts
Name:
Phyllis
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
try using z i p s k i n n y . c o m
there is a lot of useful info there
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| Posted 1/10/12 7:00 PM |
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Janice
Sweet Jessie Quinn
Member since 5/05 27567 total posts
Name:
Janice
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
you can pick my brain if you want. lived in tampa for years.
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| Posted 1/11/12 7:43 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Posted by Janice
you can pick my brain if you want. lived in tampa for years.
Thanks Janice! I totally will!
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| Posted 1/11/12 8:42 PM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Posted by smdl
Posted by hanna7636
I don't know where you would look but I have friends in that area if you would like me to ask them what areas to look at.
Tampa Bay, Clearwater, Sarasota. (West Coast only).
I am curious what type of budget do you have for this?
I was just in the Naples area last week and say some houses in Naples and Bonita Springs. There is a WIDE range of property values down there. You can get something in the 150k range, and you can go as high as 600k and up.
I am not sure were i should set my budget on this. Was hoping to get something on the cheap, but now i'm thinking I might need to spend a little money to get something more desireable, and really more "wanted" if I ever wanted to sell/upgrade.
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| Posted 1/12/12 6:20 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: Buying property OOS - how to find out about good/bad areas?
Posted by ave1024
Posted by smdl
Posted by hanna7636
I don't know where you would look but I have friends in that area if you would like me to ask them what areas to look at.
Tampa Bay, Clearwater, Sarasota. (West Coast only).
I am curious what type of budget do you have for this?
I was just in the Naples area last week and say some houses in Naples and Bonita Springs. There is a WIDE range of property values down there. You can get something in the 150k range, and you can go as high as 600k and up.
I am not sure were i should set my budget on this. Was hoping to get something on the cheap, but now i'm thinking I might need to spend a little money to get something more desireable, and really more "wanted" if I ever wanted to sell/upgrade.
I have calculated my budget with the fact that we carry a current mortgage.
We plan to do a trip this Spring to see what we can get for our budget. So it may or may not happen.
Although I talked to a few people and it seems Sarasota may be more what I am looking for. The gated community (Think the Hamlet!), the main st. america with restaurants by the water or cute village (think Huntington Village).
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| Posted 1/12/12 7:15 PM |
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