Before listing your home, some real estate agents will tell you to work on the outside of the house first, but unless there is a major project involved, or your in a hurry to list, it is probably best to save the outside for last. There are two main reasons for this.

First, the first steps in preparing the interior of the house are easier. They also help develop the proper mind set required for selling – beginning to think of your “home” as a marketable commodity.

Second, the exterior is the most important.

A home buyer’s first impression is based on his or her view of the house from the real estate agent’s car. They call that first impression “curb appeal.”

So take a walk across the street and take a good look at your house. Look at nearby houses too, and see how yours compares. Then it may be time to go to work.

Landscaping – Is your landscaping at least average for the neighborhood?

If it is not, buy a few bushes and plant them. Do not put in trees. Mature trees are expensive, and you will not get back your investment. Immature trees do not really add much to the appearance value of the home. For house selling tips about ROI see that section

If you have an area for flowers, buy mature colorful flowers and plant them. They add a splash of vibrancy and color, creating a favorable first impression. Do not buy bulbs or seeds and plant them. They will not mature fast enough to create the desired effect and you certainly don’t want a patch of brown earth for home buyers to view.

Your lawn should be evenly cut, freshly edged, well watered, and free of brown spots. If there are problems with your lawn, you should probably take care of them before working on the inside of your home. This is because certain areas may need to be re-sod, and you want to give it a chance to grow so that re-sod areas are not immediately apparent. Plus, you might want to give fertilizer enough time to be effective.

Always rake up loose leaves and grass cuttings.

Here are 10 ideas for things to do when in the Bradenton Florida area:

1. Go to the Beach House Restaurant on the island.
2. Take a walk along the beach and watch the sunset.
3. Go on a Dolphin cruise.
4. Go to the Village of the Arts on the first Friday of the month.
5. Visit the Parker Aquarium.
6. Visit the Bradenton Planetarium.
7. Have dinner at the Twin Dolphin.
8. Go to the Farmer’s Market downtown on Saturday mornings.
9. Go to Get Down Downtown on the third Thursday of the month.
10. Visit Emerson Point in Palmetto and take a hike through the numerous trails.

Hillsborough County
Condos
# of condos Active on the market – 2,241
# of condos sold in the last 6 months – 588
Average condo sale price – $188,787
Median condo price – $135,000
Average days on market for condos – 240

Single Family Homes (SFH)
# of SFH Active on the market – 9,612
# of SFH sold in the last 6 months – 3,985
Average SFH sale price – $262,523
Median home price – $205,000
Average days on market for SFH – 146

• Hillsborough County is 1,266 square miles
• In 2007, the Hillsborough County Planning Commission conducted a population estimate that put the county’s population at 1,204,770.

Manatee County
Condos
# of condos Active on the market – 1,797
# of condos sold in the last 6 months – 404
Average condo sale price – $275,475
Median condo price – $175,000
Average days on market for condos – 128

Single Family Homes (SFH)
# of SFH Active on the market – 5,709
# of SFH sold in the last 6 months – 1,905
Average SFH sale price – $333,987
Median home price – $250,000
Average days on market for SFH – 108

• Manatee County is 741 square miles
• The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county is 315,108

Anna Maria was founded by Charles Roser, father of the Fig Newton, who reportedly made his fortune when he sold the recipe to Nabisco. Between the Gulf and the Intercoastal Waterway, Anna Maria is surrounded on three sides by beaches.

As of today there are no high-rise buildings. Anna Maria Village doesn’t even have a stop light.

We do have beautiful beaches on both sides of our tiny town, and a collection of interesting, privately owned shops, marinas and restaurants to explore. Anna Maria Village is a wonderful place to find peace. Walk on the beach. Sit by a pool. Read a book. Write a book. Or just enjoy life.

Want to buy or sell a house or home in Anna Maria Island or surrounding areas? You have come to the best real estate web site for buying or selling real estate, houses or homes on Anna Maria Island

When it’s time to buy or sell real estate including a single family home, condo, townhome, villa, beachfront property, golf course properties, waterfront property, vacant land or duplex/triplex properties then you will want the best agent in the area. You have come to right web site for real estate services! Please feel free to search houses and homes for sale right here on our real estate site for all of your real estate needs and rest assured that we can help you buy or sell a house or home with complete professionalism as a Full time agent.

Fire officials in Parrish are encouraging all residents in the area to check your house numbers to make sure they are clearly visible from the road during the day as well as at night.

Emergency responders say that many homes are missing numbers all together, partial addresses only exist, the address is blocked by tress or brush, the numbers have faded or the addresses on curbs are blocked by cars.

In an emergency situation, every second counts. You surely don’t want them driving past your home because they can’t find it, do you? You never know when you’re going to need them. Please take time and go do this RIGHT NOW. It could save your life or a loved one’s life!

Make sure that your address is clearly visible at the end of your driveway from both directions. Buy 3″ (or 4″ for better visability) reflective numbers and put them on both sides of your mailbox or on a sign post next to your driveway.

For a small fee, you can special order 911 reflective address signs from this website to attach to your mailbox post or to put on a post next to your driveway.

Many homes out in the Parrish area or the country are hard to find because there are no street lights and many of the homes sit a half a mile back off the road. Sometimes emergency responders will drive right past the wrong house and have to turn around and go back. Sometimes they end up at the wrong home, or don’t even know if they are at the right home as they are driving up the driveway.

Make sure that you can be easily found at 2 o’clock in the afternoon or 2 o’clock in the morning if an emergency situation should ever arise. Something this small could save your life!

State Farm has asked for an average increase of 47% on Florida Homeowner’s policies.

If the rate hike is passed, south Florida residents in Miami-Dade could see rate hikes as high as 70%.

“State Farm, which has been working aggressively in recent years to reduce its catastrophe risk in Florida, said earlier this year it wouldn’t write new homeowner policies in the state. State Farm hasn’t written new policies in South Florida for more than a decade. It’s also not renewing about 50,000 policies in coastal areas throughout the state over the next year.”

“State Farm’s last rate increase was approved in 2006. That rate hike left many South Florida policyholders with premiums that jumped 100 percent or more.”

If this is passed, it would effective for policy renewals starting March 1, 2009. An August 12th hearing in Tallahassee is set. It will be interesting to see what happens!!

How’s that commercial go again? “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”……NOT!!

What are your thoughts on this?

Hillsborough County
Condos
# of condos Active on the market – 2,241
# of condos sold in the last 6 months – 588
Average condo sale price – $188,787
Median condo price – $135,000
Average days on market for condos – 240

Single Family Homes (SFH)
# of SFH Active on the market – 9,612
# of SFH sold in the last 6 months – 3,985
Average SFH sale price – $262,523
Median home price – $205,000
Average days on market for SFH – 146

• Hillsborough County is 1,266 square miles
• In 2007, the Hillsborough County Planning Commission conducted a population estimate that put the county’s population at 1,204,770.

Manatee County
Condos
# of condos Active on the market – 1,797
# of condos sold in the last 6 months – 404
Average condo sale price – $275,475
Median condo price – $175,000
Average days on market for condos – 128

Single Family Homes (SFH)
# of SFH Active on the market – 5,709
# of SFH sold in the last 6 months – 1,905
Average SFH sale price – $333,987
Median home price – $250,000
Average days on market for SFH – 108

• Manatee County is 741 square miles
• The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county is 315,108