Steve Eckhardt's Tampa Area Blog

2 comments • Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker • May 28 2010 11:16PM

Dr. Beach ranks Siesta Key Beach #2 In The U.S.

Stephen Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach, has named Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota the nation's second-best beach for 2010.

It's the second year in a row Siesta Key Beach has placed second in the annual ranking.

Siesta Key Beach gets high marks for its public access, 99.9 percent pure quartz sand, and balance between natural beauty and recreation, Sarasota County Parks and Recreation General Manager John McCarthy said in a release.

Siesta Key Beach

Steve Eckhardt, Broker, Luxury Real Estate Professional

Contact me at (813) 765-1182

http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=240140

3 comments • Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker • May 28 2010 11:05PM

Great News For Military Homebuyers

WASHINGTON - April 28, 2010 - Members of the military, foreign service and intelligence communities may have an additional year to buy a home and claim the homebuyer tax credit - up to $8,000 - that expires for most Americans on April 30.

To qualify for the extended tax credit deadline, service members must have served on official extended duty outside of the United States for 90 days or more at any time between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010. If so, they have until April 30, 2011, to sign a sales contract, and until June 30, 2011, to settle and close on the home. The rule includes both the $8,000 first-time and $6,500 repeat homebuyer tax credit.

Under the law, "qualified service members" includes those serving in the uniformed services of the United States military, a member of the Foreign Service of the United States or an employee of the intelligence community.

The rule that requires buyers to repay the credit if they move out of their home within three years has also beMACDILen waived for qualified service members if they must sell their home after receiving government orders for extended duty service.

Steve Eckhardt, Broker

(813) 765-1182

0 comments • Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker • May 24 2010 05:17PM

Florida’s Existing Home And Condo Sales Rise In April

Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 27 percent in April, which means that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison for 20 months, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Florida Realtors also reported a 55 percent increase in statewide sales of existing condos in April compared to the previous year's sales figure.

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http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=239837

0 comments • Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker • May 24 2010 01:31PM

Housing starts rise 5.8% in April

Nationwide housing starts rose 5.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 672,000 units in April as the deadline for an important homebuyer tax incentive arrived, according to figures released today by the U.S. Commerce Department.

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ST PETERSBURG VIDEO CLICK HERE TO VIEW CLEARWATER VIDEO

3 comments • Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker • May 18 2010 04:06PM

Florida Gulf Coast Video Relocation Series - Clearwater, St. Petersburg And The Beaches

In our effort to help home buyers relocating from different areas of the country, we have developed an 11 part video series to highlight the various cities we cover on the Gulf Coast of Florida. These are our third & fourth videos and they highlight Greater Clearwater, Saint Petersburg, & the Beaches.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF RELOCATION GUIDE FOR CLEARWATER ST. PETE, & THE BEACHES

Most of Florida was inhabited by Native Americans long before white explorers first set foot on its shores. The Timucuan tribe gave Spanish explorer Ponce de León a violent reception when he landed near Mullet Bay in 1513. Injuries de León suffered upon his next visit 8 years later proved his demise - after his second skirmish with the Timucuans, he fled to Cuba where he died of an arrow wound. De León did, however, give Florida its name, and his statue now stands in Tampa Bay's Waterfront Park.

St. Petersburg
In 1876, the ambitious Detroit businessman John Constantine Williams purchased a large tract of land overlooking southeast Tampa Bay, on a peninsula between the Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Williams, an asthma sufferer, moved to Florida for health reasons. Although he had bought several thousand acres in what is now St. Petersburg, he lived in Tampa until a yellow fever epidemic drove him across the bay in 1887.

Williams transferred a portion of his land to Russian aristocrat Peter Demens, who had taken over the charter to the Orange Belt Railway in 1885. In exchange for the land, Demens agreed to bring a railroad terminus to Pinellas County to encourage trade and prosperity in the region. Local legend has it that Williams and Demens flipped a coin to decide who would name the city; Demens, the winner, chose St. Petersburg after his Russian birthplace. As a consolation prize, Williams got to name the city's first hotel, "The Detroit." In June 1888, the first train chugged into town with one passenger on board. The population of St. Petersburg was 30.

By 1893, the town's population had grown to 300, and in 1903 St. Petersburg became incorporated. Unlike many American cities formed at the turn of the century, St. Petersburg's development began without an established industrial base. Instead, its growth became dependent on selling itself as a tourist destination. The area's tourist trade got an early boost from W.C. Van Bibber, M.D., when he described his property near Maximo Point as the perfect location for "Health City" in his 1885 presentation to the American Medical Association. St. Petersburg booster Frank Davis echoed this claim in his company's medical journals, and newspapermen W. L. Straub of the St. Petersburg Times and Lew Brown of the St. Petersburg Independent lent their enthusiastic voices to promote the region.

W.L. Straub again went to bat for the growing community between 1908 and 1923, when he helped convince St. Petersburg citizens to back bonds totaling over $1.3 million to acquire and develop the city's waterfront property. The city used these funds to dredge a channel for pleasure craft, build a yacht basin, and construct a 50-acre park and seawall. This foresight set the stage for the city's population boom from 1,575 in 1900 to 14,237 in 1920.

On New Year's Day 1914, Tony Jannus flew the first commercial airplane between St. Petersburg and Tampa. The same year, Al Lang succeeded in bringing Major League Baseball's spring training to the area. The erection of the Gandy Bridge, connecting the peninsula to Tampa, along with development of subdivisions - from Lakewood, to the Jungle, to Rio Vista, to Weedon's Island - contributed to further growth. Completion of the Sunshine Skyway, linking St. Petersburg to the Gulf Beaches communities, bolstered the area's reputation as the "nation's playground."

Although the Great Depression left its mark on Pinellas County as on other parts of the U.S., St. Petersburg continued to grow, with permanent population exceeding 60,000 by 1940. After Pearl Harbor, war restrictions virtually destroyed the tourist trade, but the region escaped economic disaster when empty hotels were converted into military barracks. Another boom occurred after WWII, as servicemen who had trained in the area returned with their families to settle. The invention of air conditioning contributed to the ongoing growth of the tourist business. The advent of social security and private pension payments allowed an influx of retirees to enjoy their golden years in Pinellas County.

During the 1960s many of St. Petersburg's cultural landmarks were built, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Municipal Marina, the Main Library, and the Bayfront Center. The area's dramatic population growth led to the adoption of comprehensive city planning and land use regulations in the 1970s. Environmental concerns sparked the creation of the largest water reclamation system in the country, and St. Petersburg continues to lead the nation in water conservation.

Since the 1980s, St. Petersburg (now often called "St. Pete") has worked to shift its image from retirement community to a thriving mecca for investment and business growth. Major corporations like Franklin Templeton, Home Shopping Network, Danka, PSCU, and SRI have made St. Petersburg their base. Following civil disturbances in 1996, the city's residents united to revitalize the inner city by creating jobs, improving education, increasing property values, and reducing crime. The National League of Cities awarded St. Petersburg top honors for promoting cultural diversity in 2000. While population growth has leveled off, Pinellas County continues to thrive as one of the most beautiful, prosperous, and livable regions in the country.

Clearwater

Clearwater's historical growth occurred parallel to that of St. Petersburg. Originally home to the Tocobaga tribe, the area was named for the fresh water springs that flowed from its banks into Tampa Bay. Clearwater began to be settled by whites when the U.S. Army constructed Fort Harrison as a recuperation center for troops during the Seminole Wars. The Federal Armed Occupation Act of 1842 promised 160 acres to any man over 18 who would bear arms and cultivate the land. James Stevens, the proclaimed "father of Clearwater," was one of the first to take advantage of this offer. Samuel Stevenson and James Parramore McMullen followed, and these three families held many local governing positions during the settlement's early years.

Like St. Pete, Clearwater grew steadily after the railroad arrived in 1888, and was affected similarly by the Great Depression. The city incorporated in 1915, and its Main Library was built in 1916 with a grant from Andrew Carnegie. Clearwater hotels also were commissioned as barracks during WWII and many soldiers returned to settle in the area after the war. The population continued to grow from the 1950s until reaching today's levels.

If you are looking for real estate in the Greater St. Pete, Clearwater area or the Beaches (Clearwater Beach, Sand Key, Belleair Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Shores, Redington Beach, Maderia Beach, Treasure Island, or St. Pete Beach) , please call or e-mail!

Steve Eckhardt, Broker, Luxury Real Estate Professional

Contact me at (813) 765-1182

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CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO START THE VIDEO

0 comments • Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker • May 13 2010 09:32PM

Florida Gulf Coast Video Relocation Series - Greater Sarasota And The Beaches

In our effort to help home buyers relocating from different areas of the country, we have developed an 11 part video series to highlight the various cities we cover on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This is our second video and it highlights the Greater Sarasota area.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF RELOCATION GUIDE

Most of Florida was inhabited Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the area that is now Sarasota, Bradenton, and the beaches, including the violent Timucuan tribe. Prehistoric mounds and shell middens can be found along the coastline and throughout the keys. Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto is the reported first European to discover the region; seeking treasure, de Soto landed at Shaw's Point in 1539. Local legend says Sarasota was named after de Soto's daughter Sara.

Josiah Gates became Manatee County's first permanent white settler in 1842. The city of Bradenton was named for sugar planter Dr. Joseph Braden, whose fortlike home served as a refuge for early settlers during Indian attacks. Today's Bradenton was formed in 1943, when the Florida legislature merged the cities of Manatee (incorporated in 1888) and Bradentown (incorporated in 1903). The Manatee River area flourished with sugar plantations, and even the Civil War could not curtail its agricultural benefits; the region began to boom when the railroad arrived in the late 1880s.

In 1885, the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company launched a campaign in Scotland promoting the area to immigrants. Scottish families boarded steamers for Sarasota, only to turn away when they saw the primitive settlement, which lacked homes, stores, or streets. Yet a few stayed, including John Hamilton Gillespie, a Scottish aristocrat, lawyer, and member of the Scottish Queen's Bodyguard. Gillespie built the De Soto Hotel and the first American golf course in Sarasota, and was elected the city's first mayor in 1902. Sarasota became incorporated in 1901.

In the early 20th century the region began attracting some of the country's wealthiest citizens, including Bertha Palmer, widow of Chicago developer Potter Palmer; Mrs. Palmer's lush former estates have been restored into today's Historic Spanish Point and Myakka River State Park.

Owen Burns came to Sarasota for its fishing, and stayed for the rest of his life. Burns dredged the harbor and created new bay fronts with reclaimed soil. His developments, including Burns Court, Burns Square, and the Times Building, helped attract tourism and commercial prosperity.

Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus fame, settled in the area in the 1920s. He and his wife Mable built their Venetian- style mansion on Sarasota Bay, and established the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art to house their collection of 17th-century Italian and Flemish masters. Ringling used circus elephants to help build the first bridge from the mainland to St. Armands Key, which he then developed as a commercial and residential center. In 1927, the Circus moved its winter quarters to Sarasota, and the city became known as a "circus town." Currently, Sarasota is called the "Circus Capitol of the World" and many circuses are housed there. Sarasota County is the only public school system in the U.S. that sponsors an after-school youth circus program.

The region experienced the same 1920s boom, Great Depression-era crash, and 1950s second boom as much of Florida. Although the region has suffered from the 2008 real estate crash, the two counties currently precede the rest of Florida and the nation in growth of firms, employees, and payroll.

If you are looking for real estate in the Greater Sarasota area or the beaches, please call or e-mail!

Steve Eckhardt, Broker, Luxury Real Estate Professional

Contact me at (813) 765-1182

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CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO START THE VIDEO

0 comments • Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker • May 12 2010 10:26PM

Florida Gulf Coast Relocation Video Series - Tampa Bay Area

In our effort to help home buyers relocating from different areas of the country, we have developed an 11 part video series to highlight the various cities we cover on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Our first video highlights the Greater Tampa Bay area.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF RELOCATION GUIDE

The Tampa area is one of the world's most desirable areas in which to live, boasting a booming employment rate, year-round festivals and activities, and a climate that is consistently pleasant and sunny. As a vibrant metropolitan area on Florida's beautiful West Coast, Tampa offers a unique blend of urban excitement set in a natural surrounding. Roar down roller coasters in the morning; row down the nature rich Hillsborough River in the afternoon. Catch a ball game from the bleachers; catch some rays on the nearby beaches. This central Florida location offers easy access to the rest of the state, but you're bound to stay for all the excitement Tampa has to offer. While originally the name of a body of water on the west coast of Florida, Tampa Bay has now come to represent the region made up of the many distinct communities connected by the Bay waters. The New York Times says, "Now, in fact, if not law, it's one big metropolitan area, laced together with bridges and freeways - everyone calls it Tampa Bay, and it is a prototypical example of the Sun Belt's explosive growth." Tampa Bay is not only the most populous and affluent metropolitan statistical area in Florida; it is also the largest television market in the state. If you're looking for a great way of life, it doesn't get any better than Tampa. With no state income tax and low property taxes, Tampa offers a lower cost of living than most other major southern cities. As a region, the commitment to excellence in education is impressive. Tampa is also one of the most Literate Cities in America, ranking 16th in the country among cities with more than 250,000 residents. You can choose to live in a historic bungalow - or a high rise by the Bay. You might live in a country club community, or a lakeside villa might be right for you. Tampa has a wide range of residential choices to fit every budget and lifestyle.

If you are looking for real estate in the Greater Tampa Bay area, please call or e-mail!

Steve Eckhardt, Broker, Luxury Real Estate Professional

Contact me at (813) 765-1182

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