Florida’s Taxation and Budget Reform Commission has proposed a reduction in property taxes by uncoupling the schools funding portion of the tax and replacing lost revenue with a penny increase in the sales tax.
Additional revenues to fund Florida schools might be raised by taxing products and services such as charter boats, symphony tickets, dry cleaning and limousines, according the Florida Association of Realtors. (FAR) Florida’s stagnant real estate market needs all available remedies, certainly including reducing the property tax, which is currently nearly 2 percent of assessed value.
In addition, the system needs to be modified to address the gross inequities in the current plan. Since the assessed values of homesteaded properties were capped at 3 percent, Florida citizens who have owned their residence for many years pay a fraction of what newer residents pay in real estate taxes for comparable property. The Commission’s proposal will be on the November ballot and should help to resuscitate Florida’s sluggish real estate market.
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Jane and Jean-Marie (John) Losson 001-305 924 0262
Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc.
Getting rid of excess clutter is an obvious rule, but often ignored.
Clear books, magazines, bibelots, countertops, tabletops, etc. and pack all items into boxes.
If you can not bear to part with all that stuff, rent a storage unit until the house is sold. Garages and attics should also look neat and devoid of too much old junk.
Metaphysically, it will speed the seller on his way to a new residence, with some of the goods already packed and ready to move.
Check our website: www.miami-top.com
Jane and Jean-Marie (John) Losson (305) 924 0262
Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc.
Adding a bit of finesse and polish to an interior need not be expensive and could substantially upgrade a room’s appearance.
For example, adding crown molding, painting it a fresh white contrast to the walls gives a room a more finished look.
Older Florida homes often lack this architectural detail.
Care must be taken when choosing a crown molding that it does not either overwhelm the room or represent an incompatible architectural style.
Visit our website: http://www.miami-top.com
Jane and Jean-Marie (John) Losson 001-305 924 0262
Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc.
There is nothing like a can of paint for totally changing the appearance of a room or home exterior. As decorators we love the use of wall color to add atmosphere and provide a foil for fine art. However, color is such a subjective thing that we advise clients to paint interior walls a neutral color throughout the house, to give it unity and provide a blank slate for a prospective buyer’s imagination. That is not to say that clinical white is the color of choice. There are many shades of white and cream and the selection of the right neutral can make all the difference between an inviting interior and one which repels. Recently we worked with a client to select Benjamin Moore colors “windswept” for all the interior walls and “simply white” for the trim. The whole house glows as if illuminated by soft candle light.
Check our website: www.miami-top.com
Jane and Jean-Marie (John) Losson (305) 924 0262
Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc.
Once the seller has gotten the front yard and drive in shape, the front door may need some consideration. If doorbells need repairing or the door needs painting or the hardware needs updating, it pays to do it. After all a prospect may be standing at the front door for some minutes and it the front entrance looks shabby it could set the wrong tone. We like to place large pots of plants at the entrance, the style of plant and pot appropriate to with the style of the structure. On a Mediterranean Revival home, we might recommend terra cotta pots with flowering hibiscus. A contemporary home would pair with tall rectangles in zinc with more structural green plants. It all adds up to an appealing presentation, a little thought and not much money.
Boating, whether power or sail, is an important component of the South Florida lifestyle. Love of the sea is a powerful draw to Miami, where boating is enjoyed twelve months a year. South Beach is home to the Miami Beach Marina, just South of Fifth and Alton Road. Home to large yachts and handsome sailing vessels, the Miami Beach Marina is spacious, exceedingly well maintained and surrounded by some of the city’s most elegant condominiums. Residents and tourists alike may lease boats here through Florida Yacht. Monty’s restaurant and bar provide a venue for casual lunch or dinner and the newest addition, Texas de Brazil, featuring grilled meats and a huge salad bar. This world-class marina is just one more advantage of the Miami way of living.
Check our website: www.miami-top.com
Jane and Jean-Marie (John) Losson
Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc.
As developers and interior decorators with an international clientele, we can assist our sellers in preparing their properties for market. In the Miami area, where more than half of all properties are sold to foreign nationals, our international perspective is key. We know first hand which colors will work for Germans, which features will appeal to the French, those aspects of residential real estate all Europeans find of importance (orientation of rooms to the sun).
We go beyond the expected advice of clearing the clutter – that is the first and most obvious rule of staging. We work with sellers on determining which repairs are needed to be completed and those that can remain for the next owner to complete. If rooms need painting, we will assist in selecting colors which will enhance the basic bones of the house to let the house speak for itself. If landscaping needs to be addressed, we will make suggestions to ensure that new plants both complement the house and are a cost-effective method of making the house more attractive and saleable.
Jane P. Losson Tel. : +1 305 924 0262
Associate of Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc.
419 Arthur Godfrey Rd., Miami Beach FL 33140
The idea of staging a home for sale has become popular in recent years, though the concept of making one’s home more attractive to potential buyers is not new. There are some basic precepts to staging, which begins at the curb. I like to hide the trash bins, either in the garage or behind a large plant. If the front landscaping is bare, we suggest spending a couple hundred dollars to add plants, which can make a world of difference in how your home is perceived. A row of little pathway lights or an uplight on a spectacular palm tree could add interest. And, it might go without saying to remove all bicycles, and other accumulated stuff from the front yard, including those unattractive basketball hoops.
Check our website: www.miami-top.com
Jane and Jean-Marie (John) Losson
Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc.
Our first venture outside the culinary offerings of South Beach restaurants was a lunch at Tamarind Thai, a moderately-priced but authentic and delicious Thai restaurant off 71st Street in North Miami Beach. Our friends who lived and worked in Thailand confirmed our initial reaction to the food; it is uniformly tasty and conforms to dishes served in the homeland. We are partial to a green curry dish with roasted duck; it has pieces of red pepper and pineapple to offset the richness of the crispy duck pieces. Very special and a dish not often found in US Thai restaurants. Jean-Marie enjoys a noodle soup with roasted pork and Jane is addicted to a green curry dish with shrimp and eggplant. Lunch specials include soup and an egg roll and cost under $10, with entrees running between $12 and $20 at dinner. Just one more reason to love this section of Miami Beach! Visit us at www.miami-top.com
Tamarind Thai
946 Normandy Dr
Miami, FL 33141
(305) 861-6222
For us one of Miami Beach’s greatest development and buying opportunities is Normandy Shores, the gated community with a historic golf course and club house, wide view of Biscayne Bay on many lots, and tennis courts. Along with the street improvements, those amenities are currently under renovation, making this little community a future gold mine, as far as we’re concerned. We can picture golf nuts in the snow belt and Europe just salivating over walking one block to one of Miami Beach’s most historic golf courses. Water lots are substantially less expensive here than other areas of Miami Beach and dry lot houses are among the best buys anywhere east of 95.
Check our website: www.miami-top.com
Jane and Jean-Marie (John) Losson - Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. Realtors, Inc. Tel. 305-924-0262
