Hi. We need to talk.
Please, have a seat. No, you should really sit down.
It's been a rough couple of years, with the market zigging and zagging...ok, mostly "zagging".
I can see the serious money you put in your home...the granite counters, crown moulding, remodeled pool, outdoor kitchen...you've done a wonderful job!
You're probably asking yourself, "Is he going to give me bad news?"
Unfortunately, I am. I don't want to, but it's my job.
Your home's value has fallen - hard. But your not alone...according to the county, my own home's value has fallen 23% from 2009 - 2010. A little excessive, but I won't argue...I want my taxes lowered.
Just so we're clear, Pinellas County has released it's 2010 real estate values in advance of mailing all countywide homeowners their real estate TRIM (TRuth In Millage) notice. The numbers are "preliminary" but I doubt they'll change much.
Also, we're NOT talking true value numbers...we don't use the tax records for that. We would use comparable properties sold w/i the last 3-6 months.
However, for tax purposes, the County is saying our homes' values took a nosedive. Your first thought is probably "Whew" followed closely by "What does that mean for me?"
Well, you MAY be paying lower taxes, as long as the taxing authority doesn't raise your millage rate. GOTCHA!
If you're selling, you BETTER believe buyers are looking at this info. I try to counsel my clients that it should not be relied upon solely for valuation purposes.
If you're curious, go to WWW.PCPAO.ORG and click on "Search our Database" on the lefthand side. Select you method of entry (I used address) and get out the tissues...
Just keep in mind that historically Real Estate has DOUBLED every 7-10 years so we're in a trough now. Our population is increasing (read: demand) and with so few new homes being built, our supply is stable. There will be a stabilization and turnaround, but no one can say when.
Hey, it looks grim but it will get better. As we all know, nothing stays the same forwever...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
I was thinking about what to blog while cleaning my pool today and !voila! it came to me - pools. They are a MUST HAVE for many buyers and a HEADACHE for some sellers. The number of pools in Florida has been reported to be WELL OVER 1,000,000... unfortunately, we also lead the nation in drowning deaths as a result.
That said, maintaining a pool can be daunting for new owners. Lucky for me, my wife was a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) in VA and ran many commercial pools. She was always the one to let me know what I was screwing up and how to remedy.
Your husband/wife/significant other not a CPO? We can fix that - we have many local pool supply companies that will test your water for free. Of course, they hope you buy the chemicals their tests say you need. When we had our pool resurfaced, a condition of our warranty was that we had to have the water tested EVERY month. This I do at a local pool supply co.
I'm not going to go over the basics of pool chemistry, as I do not claim to be a pool expert. I have become comfortable with my own pool and spend just about 5-10 minutes PER WEEK cleaning it. BUT EVERY POOL IS DIFFERENT!
The purpose of this blog article was to bring to light something I found out today. During my monthly water test, I was told I had low "Total Alkalinity" and low "Calcium Hardness" due to the 8" of rain we have received. That reminded me I had to drain the pool TWICE this last week.
I googled my pool's "condition" and here's what I found:
The total alkalinity (TA) is a measure of how much of the alkaline substances there are in the water. In the swimming pool water, we are concerned with bicarbonate alkalinity, which should be between 80 ppm and 120 ppm.
When the total alkalinity (TA) is within this range, it prevents rapid pH changes and "stabilises" the pH level.
If the TA is too low, Marbelite and plaster walls will become etched, metals corrode, the pool's walls and floor can stain, the water can turn green, eyes burn and we can have pH bounce (pH rapidly going up and down, seemingly at random).
If the TA is too high, the pH is difficult to adjust, the water becomes cloudy, the pool constantly needs acid (according to your test kit) and the chlorine loses its efficiency as a disinfectant.
It is recommended that you test the TA regularly, but in practice it changes very little in a well-maintained pool.
As for the calcium hardness, I have seen it pull calcium from the pool surface when it is too low:
Low calcium hardness
Low calcium hardness results in corrosive water. The plaster surfaces or tile grouting softens and erodes, metal equipment and accessories oxidize and rust quickly, and the water becomes aggressive. This can lead to staining of the pool's surfaces as well as an eventual need for resurfacing.
Increase low calcium hardness
The calcium hardness level can simply be increased through the addition of calcium chloride or any commercial calcium increaser (which contains CaCl).
Alternatively, in swimming pools that suffer constantly of low hardness due to the quality of the fill water, calcium hypochlorite could be the chlorine of choice. This chlorine adds calcium to the pool water with each addition keeping the level up. Care must be taken to test Conditioner a couple of times a year as this chlorine (65% - 70% CHC) does not contain conditioner in its formulation.
High calcium hardness
High calcium hardness results in scale formation on the pool surfaces as well as scaling in the pipes, plumbing and filter. In extreme cases the water becomes dull and cloudy with the calcium precipitating out into the water rather than onto a surface. High calcium levels will also irritate swimmers, causing sore eyes in particular.
So if you have a pool and have rec'd a bit of rain, make sure you test your pool water. If anything, I hope this post saves you some frustration down the road...
That said, maintaining a pool can be daunting for new owners. Lucky for me, my wife was a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) in VA and ran many commercial pools. She was always the one to let me know what I was screwing up and how to remedy.
Your husband/wife/significant other not a CPO? We can fix that - we have many local pool supply companies that will test your water for free. Of course, they hope you buy the chemicals their tests say you need. When we had our pool resurfaced, a condition of our warranty was that we had to have the water tested EVERY month. This I do at a local pool supply co.
I'm not going to go over the basics of pool chemistry, as I do not claim to be a pool expert. I have become comfortable with my own pool and spend just about 5-10 minutes PER WEEK cleaning it. BUT EVERY POOL IS DIFFERENT!
The purpose of this blog article was to bring to light something I found out today. During my monthly water test, I was told I had low "Total Alkalinity" and low "Calcium Hardness" due to the 8" of rain we have received. That reminded me I had to drain the pool TWICE this last week.
I googled my pool's "condition" and here's what I found:
The total alkalinity (TA) is a measure of how much of the alkaline substances there are in the water. In the swimming pool water, we are concerned with bicarbonate alkalinity, which should be between 80 ppm and 120 ppm.
When the total alkalinity (TA) is within this range, it prevents rapid pH changes and "stabilises" the pH level.
If the TA is too low, Marbelite and plaster walls will become etched, metals corrode, the pool's walls and floor can stain, the water can turn green, eyes burn and we can have pH bounce (pH rapidly going up and down, seemingly at random).
If the TA is too high, the pH is difficult to adjust, the water becomes cloudy, the pool constantly needs acid (according to your test kit) and the chlorine loses its efficiency as a disinfectant.
It is recommended that you test the TA regularly, but in practice it changes very little in a well-maintained pool.
As for the calcium hardness, I have seen it pull calcium from the pool surface when it is too low:
Low calcium hardness
Low calcium hardness results in corrosive water. The plaster surfaces or tile grouting softens and erodes, metal equipment and accessories oxidize and rust quickly, and the water becomes aggressive. This can lead to staining of the pool's surfaces as well as an eventual need for resurfacing.
Increase low calcium hardness
The calcium hardness level can simply be increased through the addition of calcium chloride or any commercial calcium increaser (which contains CaCl).
Alternatively, in swimming pools that suffer constantly of low hardness due to the quality of the fill water, calcium hypochlorite could be the chlorine of choice. This chlorine adds calcium to the pool water with each addition keeping the level up. Care must be taken to test Conditioner a couple of times a year as this chlorine (65% - 70% CHC) does not contain conditioner in its formulation.
High calcium hardness
High calcium hardness results in scale formation on the pool surfaces as well as scaling in the pipes, plumbing and filter. In extreme cases the water becomes dull and cloudy with the calcium precipitating out into the water rather than onto a surface. High calcium levels will also irritate swimmers, causing sore eyes in particular.
So if you have a pool and have rec'd a bit of rain, make sure you test your pool water. If anything, I hope this post saves you some frustration down the road...
Friday, July 09, 2010
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