Come this November, Florida and Palm Beach County voters will have the chance to express their opinion on a ballot measure that could cut property taxes across the board by an average of 25 percent, or $9.5 billion. As a result, state legislators would need to replace the revenue by raising sales and other taxes.

If 60 percent of voters agree, the Legislature will have to do away with the portion of Boca Raton school property taxes districts collected to draw state dollars, called “required local effort.” The resulting tax cut would apply not just to homeowners but to businesses, second homes and commercial buildings.

Legislators would then be required to replace the schools revenue by some combination of raising the sales tax a penny, closing sales-tax exemptions given to a wave of different industries, cutting spending or finding “other revenues.” The bill would also replace a 5 percent cap on assessment growth for non-homestead properties (businesses and second homes) similar to the 3 percent Save Our Homes cap enjoyed by homeowners.

Looking for a home or condo in Boca Raton FL? Contact your expert Boca Raton Real Estate Agentstoday. (more…)

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A recently released report claims that in terms of global property market transactions, the South Florida real estate ranks 15th worldwide in the level of commercial real estate deals.

The same report is among the first to track commercial real estate transactions in major metropolitan areas around the world. A total of $1.04 trillion in office, industrial, hotel, retail, land and apartment sales were transacted globally in 2007. A total of 114 metropolitan areas had more than $1 billion worth of commercial property market transactions.

South Florida commercial real estate is seen as one of the most desirable markets, wherein a large number of conglomerates have expressed the desire to invest in Palm Beach County real estate. South Florida’s rising popularity as an international travel, trade and investment haven creates familiarity among foreign real estate investors, the report adds.

Looking for a home or condo in Boca Raton FL? Contact your expert Boca Raton Real Estate Agentstoday.

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Hundreds of docks are being built for Palm Beach County real estate now that the federal government has lifted a marine-construction moratorium that had been imposed to protect manatees. While developers say these projects support a vital part of South Florida real estate, environmentalists worry that the onslaught of boats will harm the slow-moving marine mammals even with protection measures in place.

The ban on marina construction had been imposed to protect manatees, which were being killed by boats in record numbers. In 1989 then-Gov. Bob Martinez ordered Broward, Palm Beach and 11 other coastal counties to prepare manatee protection plans. Although both South Florida counties completed elements of plans, such as speed zones, they failed to produce an essential component: Mapping out where future waterfront construction could and could not take place.

As the number of boats and manatee deaths continued to climb, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2001 starting holding up permits, eventually imposing a moratorium on commercial marine construction.

Shopping for that perfect home in a Boca Raton Real Estate Neighborhood? Realtor® Caesar Parisi is ready to help you buy your dream property. (more…)

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As a first time home buyer, you have a lot to learn. Working from a position of not truly understanding the buying process, you must study the housing market, determine what you can afford, secure a loan and select a Palm Beach county home that’s a good fit for your lifestyle. The transaction will likely become your largest asset ever so there’s little room for error.

Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts.

Do surf the net to home buying information. RealtyTimes Market Conditions gives you a snapshot of thousands of local markets. About.com’s Home Buying/Selling section is replete with usable insight that you’ll need to get going. Stick with the known, long-time real estate information Web sites and you’ll learn more than you need to know.

Do examine your credit standing. You need to know your credit standing. You may need to request corrections if there are errors. You may need to adjust your habits if your credit behavior is less than sterling. And you need to take those steps before seeking a loan. Your credit report is free from AnnualCreditReport.com.

Don’t buy more than you can afford. Lenders will often loan you as much as your financial condition warrants, but that may not be what you can comfortably afford. It’s better to live with a comfortable mortgage on a smaller home than to struggle every month paying a mortgage on a house with more room than you really need.

Ready to buy or sell a home in the Santa Barbara community? Consult with licensed agent Caesar Parisi. Caesar has assisted hundreds of buyers and sellers, giving sound advice on how to most effectively buy and sell property. (more…)

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The real estate market in Florida college towns have remained relatively stable in this slumping real estate cycle. Students, university employees, and faculty keep apartments filled and form a steady stream of home buyers. In addition, retirees and professionals flock to college towns because they’re attracted to the lifestyle and cultural activities.

College enrollment, especially at large public universities, is growing as more children of baby boomers graduate from high school. At cash strapped public universities, dorm rooms are limited and students are often forced to find private housing after freshman year. Houses located just steps from campus are seeing the most appreciation because that’s where students typically want to live. But other areas of college towns also benefit from local academic institutions.

But buying in a college town comes with risks, particularly for Florida real estate investors. Students are known to drink, punch holes through windows, spill beer on carpets, or just not be very responsible. Of course, it’s possible to protect your investment by requiring tenants to provide security deposits and parental guarantees.

Visiting the Boca Raton FL community? Contact Realtor® Caesar Parisi for information on Buying Boca Raton FL Real Estate. (more…)

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While doing a bit of sightseeing, including tours of Windsor and Warwick castles, many South Florida real estate agents are traveling to the UK with their main goals to learn about the market in the United Kingdom and to establish effective referral relationships with agencies here.

If a British real estate agent refers a client to a Realtor in Florida, then the U.S. based agent will send a portion of the commission to the agent in the U.K. Agency groups are also contacting representatives of British media outlets to find out how to advertise Florida properties overseas.

On both sides of the Atlantic, the goal of boosting communication is to ensure that potential British buyers get the advice they need to make a sound decision.

Many of the Florida Realtors say now is the best time for British buyers to buy in the Sunshine State because the market may have bottomed out.

The Palm Beach FL real estate market has improved just during the past two months. Florida is a popular vacation spot for Europeans, and the strength of the British pound against the dollar has spurred an increasing interest in Florida properties among Brits for both investment and vacation purposes.

Visiting the Boca Raton FL community? Contact Realtor® Caesar Parisi for information on Buying Boca Raton FL Real Estate.

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