Yesterday morning I noticed a police car down the street; when I got closer, I saw the back windshield of the car at the corner of Giddens and Branch had been smashed in. I have not seen much criminal activity on my end of Branch save for a few of my neighbor's doors getting kicked in a few months ago; I think it is because my house is very visible from Hillsborough. I knock on wood in hopes this continues.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
More Progress
It has been so busy, I have not had a chance to post...I finally uploaded the pics of the progress on the side of the house.....another weekend or two and this will be done. The top two show the new siding in place....the third down shows the sorry condition of the wood behind the siding on the "bad" side and the bottom shows the new door installed. It should all look pretty good once everything is painted....We'll probably remove the iron railing once we're done with the siding-it is not appropriate for the house and it is rusted beyond repair. Things for once are going along as quick or even quicker than I figured....yay!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Progress Made!
Busy week! At work anyway......over the weekend we got siding up on the side we tore up a couple weeks ago (I would post a pic if I remembered where I put the camera). That's one side down, one to go.....the other side is falling off the house in chunks, so I'm assuming it is in worse shape. Side one was good practice! We are ready for whatever awaits us under the rotted clapboards of side two! We also put the new/old door in on the side...it had been on the front porch for some time. It is a good fit for the house, better than the fan-lite door that was in there, and in much better shape.....the rain still came in, but not through the cracks in the door! We still have to put the door sweep on, that should help. That door is so exposed to the elements....I wonder if we should build a little roof thing over it; the name escapes me. It's a *mini* roof just for a door. We also got the new kitchen faucet in; we were waiting on that until we were ready to do the sink and counters, but the faucet we had was in bad shape and was leaking water under the sink. We tried to repair it but there were too many leaks; it was old and cheap. So there's a gleaming new Kohler "Forte'" faucet in there now.....looks very nice....works very good...all is well in the kitchen. Makes me want to do the sink and counter now so they will be good enough for the new faucet. Soon enough.......
I saw a lot of granite counters on the home tour...I love granite, had it in our last house....but I think I want to do tile in this kitchen; I think it would suit it better. It's a little artsy, a little cozy.....the problem is the number of choices is mind numbing; so many colors, sizes, textures and materials. I will be looking over pictures of counters for months to come......
I saw a lot of granite counters on the home tour...I love granite, had it in our last house....but I think I want to do tile in this kitchen; I think it would suit it better. It's a little artsy, a little cozy.....the problem is the number of choices is mind numbing; so many colors, sizes, textures and materials. I will be looking over pictures of counters for months to come......
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Think Tampa's Market is Overpriced?
I got this from my eBay "widget" at the bottom of my blog page. A professionally restored 4,000 square foot bungalow in Dilworth, NC for $969,900! I wonder what THEIR taxes are....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150110578499&category=12605
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150110578499&category=12605
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Tax Reform (Lengthy and Somewhat Wandering)
I wanted to throw out there the tax cut proposal outline released Friday (after hours no less) and see if anyone here locally felt strongly one way or the other. I will preface this with the disclaimer that I do not wish to have a political blog; I just want to document our time here in the big old house, and maybe share a few stories of wood rot and preservation. There are several other blogs out of Seminole Heights which do an awesome job in calling out politicians, building neighborhood support for causes affecting us, and I worship these people...ok, maybe not worship, but I'm a pretty big fan, ok? Therefore I leave that aspect to them.
I personally am in awe of what has (or has not) been done with the landslide of tax revenue which has poured in to the cities and counties over the past several years, riding on the huge housing boom tsunami. Where is it? What extra funding has gone to the schools, the police/fire departments, the roads, neighborhood services; and if it hasn't been spent on these necessities, then where is the rainy day fund? I would *hate* to think that all of that money went to salaries and fringe benefits for people who should have been allocating these funds where they were needed most. That couldn't happen, right?
That being said, I think the officials have had their chance, and I think the homeowners need a break....I realize that some folks have been living in the same place and have no intentions of moving anytime soon, so this is a non issue for them. When we moved to Florida from Maine 5 years ago, the boom was really not in full swing yet, and Florida seemed highly affordable comparably. We were able to get twice the house for less money, and the cost of living seemed lower overall. I wish we had purchased in Seminole Heights right off the bat; the house prices would have been more affordable, and we would not have the tax bill we have. We were warned repeatedly about Seminole Heights-not the place for children...not safe, etc. So we ended up in another area until we had finally had it with subdivision life and moved here-drove by the house at lunch, walked through it after work, made an offer that night. We were in love. We realized values had risen steadily, so taxes would be more than our prior house, but we weren't thinking they would rise much, the house had changed hands a few times in the few previous years and had gone up a bit each time. When we got our TRIM notice last year, the house had been reassessed for $100K higher than the previous year, and the homestead exemption was not in place for us yet, so out taxes went from a slightly uncomfortable $6K to a really painful $9K. Talk about insomnia......Many people are affected this way, and many more are unable to upgrade or downsize because they will lose their exemption if they move. And the school/public programs are still being cut due to lack of funds.....
I was disappointed by the "right now" plan, but hopeful over the "next year" plan. they were talking about rolling taxes back to 2001 or 2003 levels, but they are "rolling them back" to 2006-2007 levels, which is not really rolling back, so to speak. Then there will be 5% cuts to county & local authorities, that plus an additional 3% cut from special boards like water and so on....it amounts to a couple hundred for us....although maybe it is more balanced with the huge "super exemptions" they will propose for next year......75% for the first $200K of your house's value.....then another 15% off the next $300K.....we would be taxed at $220K.....saving us approximately $4K......so because of that and the fact that government has not shown any responsibility in handling all that money they have been receiving lately, I support the proposal. It will benefit anyone who has moved into our neighborhood over the past 3 or 4 years, who have probably assisted in making the neighborhood more family friendly. I know from reading "Seminole Heights " blogspot that there are some people who have been here for many years and do not like the direction the neighborhood has taken, too gentrified, too Starbuck-y, they think the neighborhood has lost it's identity with all the "yuppies" and "DINK"s moving in. I really disagree with that; Seminole Heights has character, the kind of character many of us grew up with in our old fashioned neighborhoods, the kind of character you can't find in "Edward Scissorhand" kinds of neighborhoods; People from all walks of life enjoy this type of neighborhood, and if they want to be a part of one, and possibly help with the revitalization of said neighborhood, I don't think they should be boo'd off the stage. This neighborhood was not meant to be a sea of car lots, dilapidated houses and once beautiful houses modified & "improved" beyond recognition. this was a middle class, working neighborhood with commerce within walking distance, trolley service to downtown, and tons of neighborhood pride. We are very close to being that again (although thanks to I-275, we will probably never be 100% again). I have never felt a sense of community more than I feel here. People should not be repelled from moving here because of taxes OR residents who enjoy the Seminole Heights of the 70s and 80s and hate to see houses coming back to life. But-I digress.....the tax proposal....what do YOU think? Will it benefit you? Will it be a non event for you? I'm curious how this neighborhood would be affected if it pulls in 60% or more of the vote next January.....I suspect there will be a great divide over this. I just happen to be on the pro side......perhaps a bit self preserving...but $9K in taxes can be crippling and I see no streets paved in gold as a result of the tax revenue windfall, heck I don't even see some streets paved at all......
I personally am in awe of what has (or has not) been done with the landslide of tax revenue which has poured in to the cities and counties over the past several years, riding on the huge housing boom tsunami. Where is it? What extra funding has gone to the schools, the police/fire departments, the roads, neighborhood services; and if it hasn't been spent on these necessities, then where is the rainy day fund? I would *hate* to think that all of that money went to salaries and fringe benefits for people who should have been allocating these funds where they were needed most. That couldn't happen, right?
That being said, I think the officials have had their chance, and I think the homeowners need a break....I realize that some folks have been living in the same place and have no intentions of moving anytime soon, so this is a non issue for them. When we moved to Florida from Maine 5 years ago, the boom was really not in full swing yet, and Florida seemed highly affordable comparably. We were able to get twice the house for less money, and the cost of living seemed lower overall. I wish we had purchased in Seminole Heights right off the bat; the house prices would have been more affordable, and we would not have the tax bill we have. We were warned repeatedly about Seminole Heights-not the place for children...not safe, etc. So we ended up in another area until we had finally had it with subdivision life and moved here-drove by the house at lunch, walked through it after work, made an offer that night. We were in love. We realized values had risen steadily, so taxes would be more than our prior house, but we weren't thinking they would rise much, the house had changed hands a few times in the few previous years and had gone up a bit each time. When we got our TRIM notice last year, the house had been reassessed for $100K higher than the previous year, and the homestead exemption was not in place for us yet, so out taxes went from a slightly uncomfortable $6K to a really painful $9K. Talk about insomnia......Many people are affected this way, and many more are unable to upgrade or downsize because they will lose their exemption if they move. And the school/public programs are still being cut due to lack of funds.....
I was disappointed by the "right now" plan, but hopeful over the "next year" plan. they were talking about rolling taxes back to 2001 or 2003 levels, but they are "rolling them back" to 2006-2007 levels, which is not really rolling back, so to speak. Then there will be 5% cuts to county & local authorities, that plus an additional 3% cut from special boards like water and so on....it amounts to a couple hundred for us....although maybe it is more balanced with the huge "super exemptions" they will propose for next year......75% for the first $200K of your house's value.....then another 15% off the next $300K.....we would be taxed at $220K.....saving us approximately $4K......so because of that and the fact that government has not shown any responsibility in handling all that money they have been receiving lately, I support the proposal. It will benefit anyone who has moved into our neighborhood over the past 3 or 4 years, who have probably assisted in making the neighborhood more family friendly. I know from reading "Seminole Heights " blogspot that there are some people who have been here for many years and do not like the direction the neighborhood has taken, too gentrified, too Starbuck-y, they think the neighborhood has lost it's identity with all the "yuppies" and "DINK"s moving in. I really disagree with that; Seminole Heights has character, the kind of character many of us grew up with in our old fashioned neighborhoods, the kind of character you can't find in "Edward Scissorhand" kinds of neighborhoods; People from all walks of life enjoy this type of neighborhood, and if they want to be a part of one, and possibly help with the revitalization of said neighborhood, I don't think they should be boo'd off the stage. This neighborhood was not meant to be a sea of car lots, dilapidated houses and once beautiful houses modified & "improved" beyond recognition. this was a middle class, working neighborhood with commerce within walking distance, trolley service to downtown, and tons of neighborhood pride. We are very close to being that again (although thanks to I-275, we will probably never be 100% again). I have never felt a sense of community more than I feel here. People should not be repelled from moving here because of taxes OR residents who enjoy the Seminole Heights of the 70s and 80s and hate to see houses coming back to life. But-I digress.....the tax proposal....what do YOU think? Will it benefit you? Will it be a non event for you? I'm curious how this neighborhood would be affected if it pulls in 60% or more of the vote next January.....I suspect there will be a great divide over this. I just happen to be on the pro side......perhaps a bit self preserving...but $9K in taxes can be crippling and I see no streets paved in gold as a result of the tax revenue windfall, heck I don't even see some streets paved at all......
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Speaking of Termites......
Guess what I saw flying around my house? It freaked me out a little, the last thing I want to see in my big old wood house is a termite.....but I understand it is swarming season; Mike has reassured me that they are not the "dry wood" type which would settle in to our floors, windows and doors and start multiplying. I looked at pictures on the internet of both the subterranean and dry wood types, and I can't for the life of me tell the difference, but Mike is certain......for reference, this is one of the many websites I used to attempt identification
http://pasco.ifas.ufl.edu/ent/comparison_of_termites.htm
I will keep my fingers crossed......
http://pasco.ifas.ufl.edu/ent/comparison_of_termites.htm
I will keep my fingers crossed......
Monday, June 4, 2007
Termite Damage of Days Gone By
Ok, it got dry enough for Mike to rip off some of the rotted siding; it's not as bad as it could have been, but it's not pretty.....we will need to do some sill work as well as replace some 2X4s before putting the new siding up. It's sad to think the previous owners did all of this pretty stuff to the house, but didn't touch the stuff that really matters. Pretty paint can only go so far. We have seen some termites flying around, but we had Termidor applied when we bought the house, so we should be safe. It's hard to believe bugs can be this destructive....I'm posting a few pictures of the area....one side is just about stripped, keep in mind-this is the GOOD side.....the other side is literally falling off the house.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Oh Well......
Although we are happy to be able to take the new sod off life support with the coming of what appears to be "rainy season", it does present some challenges in our outside projects. It has been a little wet to start the siding project......if it clears up enough today we may start pulling some wood off, but chances are we'll have to wait until next week. Of course the weather may pose some scheduling problems for the next several months...but we will just have to work around it the best we can...this is one of those "have to do" projects that will soon affect the inside with water damage if not addressed. Yeah, we should've done it over the winter......hindsight is 20/20, eh? We will continue to plug away at other stuff we've been working on.....my daughter *had* to paint her room yesterday, and that didn't get finished, so we will tie that up today while she enjoys a birthday party (sucks to be 13).
On another note, I noticed that the house/apartments across the street went up for sale (5309 Branch), no sign yet, but I'm on "ziprealty.com" quite often watching the neighborhood real estate scene and this popped up. This is a bungalow with an apartment carved into it (in law apt?) and two really odd back buildings which contain rental units; one appears to be a garage with an upstairs apt, the other could possibly have been a storage/shelter unit with another apt. The bungalow was built in the twenties, and the other units were build in the 40s/50s. They want $375K for it....I don't know if that's good-they seemed to have had a really hard time getting and keeping it rented, but in speaking with a former tenant, we were told the owners were not willing to make any updates or even let the tenants make updates, and they wanted a pretty steep rent for the condition/size. The main house has been vacant for some time now, and the other two back units just vacated last week. I hate having a vacant property across from us. I think it needs some major updating, but I'm sure the main house could be converted back to a one unit pretty easily. I've been in there once, and the floors are in great shape, and it has a fireplace(a sore spot with me as I feel I have the only house in Seminole Heights without one.I have a charming indoor industrial style sprinkler system, but no fireplace!) If your looking for something to buy...take a look..we would love to have some decent neighbors across the street!
On another note, I noticed that the house/apartments across the street went up for sale (5309 Branch), no sign yet, but I'm on "ziprealty.com" quite often watching the neighborhood real estate scene and this popped up. This is a bungalow with an apartment carved into it (in law apt?) and two really odd back buildings which contain rental units; one appears to be a garage with an upstairs apt, the other could possibly have been a storage/shelter unit with another apt. The bungalow was built in the twenties, and the other units were build in the 40s/50s. They want $375K for it....I don't know if that's good-they seemed to have had a really hard time getting and keeping it rented, but in speaking with a former tenant, we were told the owners were not willing to make any updates or even let the tenants make updates, and they wanted a pretty steep rent for the condition/size. The main house has been vacant for some time now, and the other two back units just vacated last week. I hate having a vacant property across from us. I think it needs some major updating, but I'm sure the main house could be converted back to a one unit pretty easily. I've been in there once, and the floors are in great shape, and it has a fireplace(a sore spot with me as I feel I have the only house in Seminole Heights without one.I have a charming indoor industrial style sprinkler system, but no fireplace!) If your looking for something to buy...take a look..we would love to have some decent neighbors across the street!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
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