Tips on Achieving a Healthy, Efficient & Asbestos Free Home

I have been contemplating using "Guest Bloggers" for sometime now and recently have been contacted by Joe Lederman, Awareness Coordinator at the Mesothelioma Cancer Center (www.asbestos.com). Mr. Lederman has been reaching out to the real estate community in efforts to bring to the Homebuyer and Homesellers attention the potentially harmful effects that may be lurking in older homes and what is needed to done to protect themselves. Many homes in the Venice Florida area were built before 1980, so I thought this may be appropriate for our local real estate consumers.

Real Estate Tips on Achieving a Healthy, Efficient & Asbestos Free Home

As you may know, homes built before 1980 likely have asbestos insulation in them. When homeowners remodel, they may expose themselves to asbestos, which could lead to a fatal cancer known as mesothelioma. There are many environmentally sustainable, healthy and GREEN ways to insulate your home and this is among the topics we like to discuss. We figured it would be a perfect time to educate people on asbestos exposure and related illnesses.

Florida is known for its palm trees, decadent sandy beaches, warm climate, Disney World and a vast, diverse culture. These characteristics not only make the state of a large tourist destination, but also a destination for potential home buyers.

When searching for a new home or apartment in Venice, Florida, there are are many things to consider and decisions to be made. Newly bought homes are often remodeled and repairs may be needed. Having the assistance of an experienced Venice, FL real estate agent can make all the difference in the many steps that lead to home ownership.

Homes and buildings built before 1980 may still contain asbestos materials. This should not make you jump out of your seat because asbestos exposure can be easily prevented by taking simple precautions. Green alternatives now exist which are safe and cost efficient options to asbestos and other obsolete building materials.

Asbestos

Highly utilized for more than a century, asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used heavily in building and construction applications. Its flame resistant and highly durable qualities made it an ideal choice for manufacturers. Asbestos normally appeared as insulation for piping, roofing, siding and flooring in homes. Many homes or buildings built prior to 1980 may still contain asbestos materials.

Exposure can result in the development of related illnesses such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. This asbestos-related illness is difficult to treat and diagnose because symptoms may not show up from 20 to 50 years after exposure. This makes a mesothelioma diagnosis a difficult task for physicians.

Healthy Tips & Alternatives

If any suspected asbestos is located, the best advice is to leave it alone. If you are having home renovations, performed, do not panic. Again, asbestos that is left un-disturbed will normally pose no threat. If asbestos needs to be removed, it should be performed by licensed abatement contractors. These contractors are trained in the handling and disposal of asbestos in public facilities and homes. Although it may prove to be costly, it is worth the price for achieving a healthy home.

Many locations throughout the United States are swiftly changing their construction practices to suit the environment and the health of human beings.

Sustainability and energy guide many aspects of life in Florida. Many green healthy alternatives to asbestos are available and should be sought out upon removal or renovation. These include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose. Cotton fiber is quickly becoming a favorite for home builders and renovators. Made from recycled batted material, it is also treated to be fireproof.

Research suggests that these Eco-friendly insulation alternatives can even reduce annual energy costs by 25 percent. The move to a greener lifestyle will build on the change to healthier methods of building products, home remodeling and renovation.

by Joe Lederman, Awareness Coordinator at the Mesothelioma Cancer Center (http://www.asbestos.com/).

Contact Kari A. Battaglia, licensed Realtor® in Venice Florida at 941-270-1851 to list your home, answer questions or to help you in your search for homes for sale in Venice Florida. I currently serve customers in Venice Florida, Englewood Florida, Nokomis Florida, South Venice, Laurel, Osprey and North Port Florida communities. As a private landowner, I also have Tennessee properties available in the Chattanooga area. Call or email me to receive a list of Tennessee properties available for sale.

Contact me by email at Kari@DiscoverVeniceRealEstate.com. Need information fast, call me direct at 941-270-1851. Copyright©2009. By Kari A. Battaglia. All Rights Reserved.

Kari A. Battaglia, GRI - Realtor®, Broker Associate - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - 331 W Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34285 - 941-270-1851 direct - 941-484-9715 - office 800-969-1990 toll free - Kari@KariBattaglia.com

www.DiscoverVeniceRealEstate.com - view my listings, find valuable community info, links and more www.VeniceAreaHomesBlog.com - read my blog about news & info for Venice Real Estate www.FloridaMoves.com/Kari.Battaglia- free MLS home search, search for Venice real estate, Nokomis real estate, Englewood real estate and more.

Do I need title insurance if I am buying a home in Venice?

Owners Title Policy is something that almost everyone will never need, but if you do need it you are going to be glad you have it.

When you buy your home in Venice FL, you Take Title to it. A Title to real estate is basically the rights of ownership recognized and protect by the law. But others may have rights in the property too, and there are over thirty situations in which title losses can occur. Some examples include:

A forged will or deed
Improper deeds
Deeds by minors or incompetent people
Undisclosed or missing heirs
Fraudulent representatives
Invalid divorces
Falsifications of public records
Lawsuits
Unpaid taxes
Clerical errors in the records
Undiscovered wills
Sellers who misrepresent their marital status

You can protect yourself from all these risks. Title insurance is real estate ownership insurance and title insurance guards the purchaser of real estate against the many possibilities of loss. The title underwriting company defends the policyholder in the event your title, within your policy limit - whether those claims are valid or not. And, should the court of property jurisdiction uphold any of the claims, the title underwriter will pay them.

If you are purchasing a home in Venice Florida and the Seller is making payments to the City of Venice or to Sarasota County (i.e.: for a sewer or public water assessment), those payments cannot be assumed by the Buyer. Any assessment imposed by a municipality is a lien against the property and must be satisfied at closing.

If you will be purchasing a condominium in Venice, please be aware of the possible costs to you as the Buyer. These may include maintenance fees, special assessments, transfer fees and reserve escrow account. The condominium association may also require prior approval of Buyer and sometimes a personal interview may be necessary.

Title insurance assures you that your title search information is accurate and guarantees that your new home is free from liens, protects it against title issues and confusion in prior ownership.

Title insurance is a one-time charge that will last as long as you or your heirs have an interest in the property.

If you have any questions about the home buying process in Venice give me a call, I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Importance of Extra Services Increases as Home Buyers and Sellers Seek Value From Real Estate Companies

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Importance of Extra Services Increases as Home Buyers and Sellers Seek Value From Real Estate Companies

Five Tips To Selling Your Home In A Buyers Market

The number of single family homes pending in the Venice real estate market jumped in April 2009, up over 116% from 15 months ago from 222 properties pending to 480 properties*, an indicator of buyers interest in the Venice real estate market. Even though the number of homes available for sale in Venice continues to decline, we are still in a Buyer’s market. If you are considering selling your home there are steps you can take to ensure a successful sale.


Know Your Competition
Knowing your competition is the key to getting your home sold. If you are not aware of what you are up against you will be dead in the water. In today’s market, your competition (other homes like yours that are currently for sale) is strong and everyone is competing for the same thing; the buyers attention. Start to look at houses for sale from the buyer’s perspective. Find out what your neighbor’s are offering, visit open houses on the weekends, and discover what kind of incentives builders are offering for new homes. Listen to what the buyers are saying and what they are looking for in a home. This will help you prepare your home for sale and give you that needed edge over your competition.


Pricing your home is the key to selling quickly
Internet exposure, curb appeal, the right color of paint, open houses and yard signs – it’s all part of attracting the right buyer. But the right buyers also need to know they’re buying for the right price. Pricing your home correctly from the start is extremely important. Buyers will overlook your home even if it is priced “just a little too high.” You need to realize that today’s market is what it is. You cannot dwell on what your home was worth two years ago, or what your neighbour got for their home six months ago, but focus on what you can get in today’s market. Your home is a commodity and is only worth what buyers are willing to pay for it NOW. If you price your home “just a little high” you will be chasing the market and eventually receive less money for your home that if you priced your home right to begin with.


Turnkey conditions
In a buyer’s market your home needs to be ready for immediate occupancy. Two or three years ago not replacing old and smelly carpets or painting those scuffed up walls was OK. Not in today’s real estate market. Make sure all appliances are in working order, walls are freshly painted, and the yard is well manicured and depersonalize your home so buyers can envision what their stuff will look like in your home.


Be prepared to negotiate
Today’s buyers are savvy, they are doing their homework and know the current real estate market conditions. If you priced your home just 5% to 8% more than you expected to get you should attract multiple buyers which discourages low offers and you will find out pretty quickly if the buyers are willing to pay what you are offering. If a home is priced 10% to 20% higher than the current market is bearing, buyers typically submit low offers with contingencies. If the buyers are getting a mortgage then your home needs to appraise for what you are asking. If the home does not appraise you need to drop the negotiated price or the buyer can walk and loose a willing and able buyer.


Offer incentives
Pricing your home correctly is not the only strategy to getting your home sold. Offering incentives is another way to attract buyers. You can get a creative as you like and I have even seen brand new cars offered to homebuyers. You don’t need to get as crazy as that to bring attention to your home. Some ideas for incentives; offer homebuyers a home warranty, pay for closing cost, pay for discount points towards lower the mortgage rate on buyers loan or offer a golf membership with the sale of your home. Making incentives does not guarantee that your home will be sold but making your home stand out from the crowd will certain increase your chances for a sale.






Contact Kari A. Battaglia, licensed Realtor® in Venice Florida at 941-270-1851 to list your home, answer questions or to help you in your search for homes for sale in Venice Florida. I currently serve customers in Venice Florida, Englewood Florida, Nokomis Florida and Laurel Florida communities. I also have Tennessee properties available in the Chattanooga area. Call me to receive a list of Tennessee properties available for sale.

Contact me by email at Kari@DiscoverVeniceRealEstate.com. Need information fast, call me direct at 941-270-1851. Copyright© 2009. By Kari A. Battaglia, All Rights Reserved.

Kari A. Battaglia, GRI - Realtor®, Broker Associate - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - 331 W Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34285 - 941-270-1851 direct - 941-484-9715 - office 800-969-1990 toll free - Kari@DiscoverVeniceRealEstate.com

www.DiscoverVeniceRealEstate.com - view my listings, find valuable community info, links and more
www.FloridaMoves.com/Kari.Battaglia- free MLS home search, search for Venice real estate, Nokomis real estate, Englewood real estate and more

*All information obtained from data supplied by the Mid-Florida Regional MLS. MLS does not guarantee or responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by MLS does not reflect all real estate activities in the market. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

The Big One!

This is something that I felt I must share with everyone. Check out the fish my son and his friend caught a few nights ago. After they brought this in, my son and his friend carried this enormous fish in their bare hands about a 1/4 of mile back to our house (being very careful not to drop it back into the water of course). When arriving back home, the both of them ran as fast as they could up to the house (about 800 feet to the house from the creek). They were so out of breath they almost couldn't tell us about their big catch. Dad and his sisters all ran back to the creek to see what they caught, not believing the story they were telling us.

This is a whopping 43" Snook! I can't believe my son and his friend brought this gigantic fish in. They were so proud of themselves. They caught this fish on a 17lb test. Right after this picture was taken they released the Snook back into the creek which runs into the Englewood Isles Canals in Englewood Florida and he swam away only to be caught again another day. This will be a night that they will always remember and I am sure that this experience will make them Anglers for the rest of their lives.

Contact me by email at mailto:Kari.Battaglia@comcast.net. Need information fast, call me direct at 941-270-1851.

Copyright© 2009. By Kari A. Battaglia, All Rights Reserved.

Kari A. Battaglia, GRI - Realtor®, Broker Associate - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - 331 W Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34285 - 941-270-1851 direct - 941-484-9715 - office 800-969-1990 toll free - Kari@KariBattaglia.com

http://www.sellingveniceflrealestate.com/, http://www.karibattaglia.com/, VeniceAreaHomesBlog.com, FloridaMoves.com/Kari.Battaglia

Pelican Pointe Activity Report for April 2009

Market activity for single family homes in Pelican Pointe from 4/19/09 to 5/4/09

Total single family homes listed: 49
New listings on market for April 2009: 7
Price adjustments for April 2009: 4
Properties under contract currently: 13
Properties sold in April 2009: 9
Failed to sell (expired) since 4/1/2009: 2

Many of Venice Florida seasonal visitors (otherwise known as "Snow Birds") have left Florida and returned home. I do not see activity in Pelican Pointe slowing down much as a result of Venice Florida's season ending. Last year at this time (May 2008 and June 2008) there were a total 15 homes sold. Hopefully last year's activity will be an indication of this years activity for the Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club.

Contact Kari A. Battaglia, licensed Realtor® in Venice Florida at 941-270-1851 to list your property for sale or to help you in your search for property in the Venice FL area, which include Venice Florida, Englewood Florida, Nokomis Florida, Laurel Florida, and Osprey Florida. We currently have available properties in the Dunlap Tennessee area and have Tennessee land for sale.

Contact me by email at mailto:Kari.Battaglia@comcast.net. Need information fast, call me direct at 941-270-1851. I am currently accepting referrals.

Copyright© 2009. By Kari A. Battaglia, All Rights Reserved.

Kari A. Battaglia, GRI - Realtor®, Broker Associate - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - 331 W Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34285 - 941-270-1851 direct - 941-484-9715 - office 800-969-1990 toll free - Kari@KariBattaglia.com

http://www.karibattaglia.com/, VeniceAreaHomesBlog.com, FloridaMoves.com/Kari.Battaglia

If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not my intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. I am happy to work with them and cooperate fully.

April's Green Tip Of The Month, Become A "Cup Activist"

I found this great tip on the DailyGreen.com and wanted to pass it on.

Cut down on waste, as well as toxic chemicals in the environment, by using a reusable mug at home, in the office and on the go, instead of opting for single-use containers for coffee, tea and other beverages. Become a "Mug Activist."

If you buy your daily cup of coffee in a disposable container, you are generating about 22.75 pounds of waste per year. Across the country, 25 billion polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam) cups are thrown away every year, according to the EPA. That's troubling, because polystyrene takes hundreds of years to break down, and is made of nonrenewable petroleum. Scientists have also discovered carcinogenic compounds leaching out of polystyrene, possibly even into your hot drink!

Cups made of paper products are easier on the environment, but they are made of trees and can result in destructive deforestation. Even recycled paper cups require considerable energy to produce and distribute.

It's wise to use ceramic or glass containers for your hot beverages, because plastics can leach out small amounts of potentially toxic chemicals over time. You also can use this opportunity to market yourself while helping to reduce waste.

Give your customers a personalized travel mugs or ceramic or glass containers as gifts along with a gift certificate to Starbucks or other local coffee shop. Many coffee shops and university food services offer discounts for those who bring in their own reusable containers. Starbucks, for example, offers a 10-cent discount to those with their own mugs, and this encouraged 13.5 million customers to help keep 586,800 pounds of paper from landfills in 2003.

You can also use personalized mugs, ceramic or glass containers for the office. Stop buying those Styrofoam or paper cups to serve your customers coffee or hot tea. I am sure your customers will appreciate drinking from a nice ceramic coffee cup rather than a small Styrofoam or paper cup. You will also save money, help to reduce waste, and help protect our environment.

Contact Kari A. Battaglia, licensed Realtor® in Venice Florida at 941-270-1851 to list your property for sale or to help you in your search for property in the Venice FL area, which include Venice Florida, Englewood Florida, Nokomis Florida, Laurel Florida, and Osprey Florida. We currently have available properties in the Dunlap Tennessee area and have Tennessee land for sale.

Contact me by email at mailto:Kari.Battaglia@comcast.net. Need information fast, call me direct at 941-270-1851. I am currently accepting referrals.

Copyright© 2008 By Kari A. Battaglia, All Rights Reserved.

Kari A. Battaglia, GRI - Realtor®, Broker Associate - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - 331 W Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34285 - 941-270-1851 direct - 941-484-9715 - office 800-969-1990 toll free - Kari@KariBattaglia.com

KariBattaglia.com, VeniceAreaHomesBlog.com, FloridaMoves.com/Kari.Battaglia