Anna Maria Island Florida beach and island shore living, vacation and rentals.
Holmes Beach tried to enforce the ban on fireworks for this holiday weekend. Well not all, just illegal fireworks. So what is the difference? Florida State law allows only hand-held and ground-based sparkler fireworks. It is illegal to set off fireworks that explode or are propelled into the air. Many fireworks are brought in illicitly [...]
In another episode of the continuing non-reality show of “Let’s see what FEMA rules are today”, letters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the local island cities offices announced that buildings “having the lowest floor one foot or more below the base flood elevation will no longer be eligible for the CRS discount.” The [...]
City of Holmes Beach commissioners presented their first reading of a draft new ordinance related to building code and permitting in the city’s floodplain. The 31-page ordinance is the result of FEMA, (We’re Here To Help You), having questions about code implementation and compliance with current standards. On February 12th, the city commissioners put a [...]
As if the housing market slowdown were not enough to challenge local contractors, now Holmes Beach City has stopped issuing all building permits. The City of Holmes Beach Commissioners decided the building department stop granting “requests for construction, reconstruction, or improvement of buildings or structures within the flood hazard areas” beginning February 12th. All building [...]
Does “daylight savings time” save energy? Does it save money? Does it save lives? Does getting up when the sun is lower in the morning sky mean you have more time before you go to bed at night?
Those of us in the real estate business in our area fully understand the current market problems and we agree that Amendment 1 will not “jump start’ the real estate market as suggested by Tallahassee [state capital] and our media. It will possibly assist those sellers who plan to purchase a replacement home in our [...]
In yesterday’s primary election voting, State Amendment 1 passed by 64.4%. As posted in an earlier report, the ‘tax-reshuffle’ : increases the homestead exemption except school district tax allows homestead property owners to transfer up to $500,000 of their Save-Our-Homes benefits to their next homestead for non-homestead property, provides a $25,000 exemption for tangible personal [...]
Living on a barrier island of sand entails building on a changing foundation. While nature is in flux and bends to the conditions, people continue to build rigid, immovable houses on the shore line. As the barrier island moves with the slow cycle of shifting sands the shore line shifts regardless of where the property [...]
Added to Tuesday’s primary ballot is a proposed change to the way property taxes are assessed. Currently, a rule of thumb is that taxes on real estate are nearly 2% of appraised value. Usually the appraised value is lower than market price and owners who live in their homes can claim a $25,000 deduction. The [...]
The candidates contesting for their party’s nomination for the 2008 Presidential Election will be campaigning for supporters this week culminating in the Tuesday 29th vote. Hot on the heels of the Saturday’s South Carolina Primary, attention focuses on Florida for a clue as to who can gain an edge.
