The housing recovery is seen as one bright spot. Forecasters expect 2010 to be the first year since 2005 that the housing sector will contribute to overall growth. Home prices are expected to rise 2 percent in 2010 but panelists do not believe that will stifle the housing recovery.

They expect home prices to rise 2 percent next year? We shall see how this forecast pans out.

It was better than the 530,000-unit pace economists expected, and was the second straight monthly increase after April’s record low of 479,000 units.

These stronger numbers reflect an increasing confidence—the percent of households who recognize that this is a good time to buy a house has risen over the last year. They state, “While the economic environment remains challenging, continued Recovery Act investment into the economy should encourage growth in a range of industries including the housing sector.”

You can read the statement here. Or the Commerce Department’s “Economic News” here.

This affects policy holders in the following counties:

• Pinellas 101,502
• Pasco 61,156
• Hillsborough 36,392
• Hernando 26,471
• Citrus 4,602

So far policies in force as of May 31, 2009 are as follows:

• PLA – Personal Residential Multi-Peril (PR-M) 618,166
  HRA – Personal Residential Wind-Only (eWIND PR-W) 201,934
  HRA – Personal Residential Wind-Only (ePAS PR-W) 82,444
  HRA – Personal Residential Multi-Peril (PR-M) 85,898
  HRA – Commercial Residential Wind-Only (CR-W) 14,619
  HRA – Commercial Residential Multi-Peril (CR-M) 617
  HRA – Commercial Non-Residential Wind-Only (CNR-W) 30,424
  HRA – Commercial Non-Residential Multi-Peril (CNR-M) 37
  CLA – Commercial Residential Multi-Peril (CR-M) 8,688
  CLA – Commercial Non-Residential Wind-Only (CIW CNR-W) 437
  CLA – Commercial Non-Residential Multi-Peril (CNR-M) 189

Total: 1,043,453 policies in force as of May 31, 2009

Citizens Property Insurance covers homeowners who cannot find coverage in the open market. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the State’s homeowners’ insurance safety net. It was created by the Legislature in 2002 to offer property coverage to Floridians without private insurance options.

On May 4, 2002, Florida’s governor signed legislation creating Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens) by merging the Florida Residential Property and Casualty Joint Underwriting Association (FRPCJUA), which provided homeowners property coverage statewide, and the Florida Windstorm Underwriting Association (FWUA), which provided wind-only coverage in designated coastal areas. Citizens is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation, whose public purpose is to provide policyholders with affordable property insurance protection.

You can read their strategic plac for 2009 to 2012 here. It looks like one of their goals is to preserve this coverage to Floridians so they voted to increase rates 10% next year for most policy holders.

This recent news should not deter home buyers from buying in Tampa Bay, Florida or for that matter throughout Florida.

Looking for a Citizens agent? Look for one here.

It is also available for rent.

The sellers did a fantastic job with the interior. For example the front room has wood laminate with blends nicely with the wall paint:

The sellers also upgraded the kitchen:

They added a built-in wine rack:

Here is a pic of one of the two bedrooms:

My Realtor.com ad can be seen here.

If you would like to know more about this house or are looking for a home in Holiday, Florida or elsewhere in Tampa Bay then feel free to contact me:

Email: Lana.Robbins@FloridaMoves.com

Phone: (727) 542-1729

Or if you like to search the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) online like an agent then feel free to sign up for a free NO-obligation account at www.FreeTampaBayHomeSearch.com (Sign up in the box on the right where it states “Search like an agent! Get a free listingbook account.”)

Or contact me and I will set up a free NO-obligation account for you. All you need is an email address

By the way if you are a home owner and would like to rent out your home then feel free to contact me for more information. We also do rentals.

This is great news for those looking to buy in the Tampa Bay area. While the median family income is below the national average, homes in the Tampa Bay area have a median price well below the national average. In the first quarter of 2009 according to the HOI out of 232 cities cited and compared with each other, the Tampa Bay area ranks a respectable #120 out of 232 that were cited and compared.

What also helps is the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit:

A tax credit of up to $8,000 is available for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

If you want more information you can check out this website: http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/index.html 

Or feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Hope you enjoy these two:

Rink at Countryside Mall

Countryside Mall, operated by Westfield, boasts an impressive skating rink that offers skate lessons, hockey lessons, figure skating, and Precision Drill Teams. The skating school of operated by the Tampa Bay Skating Academy

It’s operated year-round which is amazing considering that it’s in Florida.