From Fast Cars and Fast Pitch to Go Fish:
Six Father’s Day Gift Ideas in Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands, FL
Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands, Fla. (June 11, 2009) –Charlotte Harbor invites fathers to take their day at their own speed. From fast cars and fast pitches to reeling in fishes, Dad will find his favorite activities all in one destination. Give the gift of quality time together and take Dad on a Father’s Day getaway on the Southwest Gulf Coast. Whether he's interested in baseball, fishing, golf or just kicking the tires on classic muscle cars, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers unique experiences within easy driving distance of three-quarters of Florida’s population.
Here are six ways to spend time with your father, from budget-friendly to splurge:
Dads Cruise Free: Dad gets a free ride when accompanied by at least one paid full price adult ticket for any of the King Fisher Fleet cruises scheduled for Father’s Day (June 21, 2009). Included are afternoon and sunset tours of Charlotte Harbor as well as trips to Cabbage Key and Cayo Costa. ($10.95 - $25.95 for adults, half price for kids, free for children younger than three) Reservations are required; call 941-639-0969. For details, visit www.kingfisherfleet.com.
Pedal to the metal: Take Dad out to watch Thunder Trucks or Street Stocks at Charlotte County Motorsports Park. Join him for classes at the new kart racing school and finally settle the issue of who’s better behind the wheel. Race tickets are $20 for adults; great discounts for seniors, children and students. For more information, go to www.charlottecountyracing.com.
If your dad is more into show than speed, Charlotte Harbor’s latest and greatest museum, Muscle Car City, is the place to go. The museum highlights the “muscle cars” of the mid-60s to early '70s – the Pontiac GTOs, Corvettes, Oldsmobile Cutlass 442s and Camaros, just to name a few. The museum showcases nearly 200 vehicles, including a number of restored '56 Chevys and a complete line of Corvettes, plus a diner and driving memorabilia. (adults, $10) For more information, go to www.musclecarcity.net.
Baseball: The Charlotte Stone Crabs, the new High-A affiliate to the Tampa Bay Rays, play at the newly-renovated Charlotte Sports Park. While no games are held Father’s Day weekend, you can buy gift game tickets for $5 to $10 through September 6th. To make it extra-special, organize a group outing. A reserved-seating party for 20 or more includes a free Stone Crabs hat, hot dog, chips and drink for each person and other goodies. The ultimate splurge: an air-conditioned suite for 12 or more with a great view of the entire stadium below, and outside, private box seats. ($480 and up) Add catering for an affordable night of high-quality entertainment. Both packages can accommodate additional individuals. For more details, go to http://www.stonecrabsbaseball.com.
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A round of golf: Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is home to 20 golf courses, ranging from executive to championship levels. If you're having a difficult time picking one, the Charlotte Sun-Herald Readers’ Choice Award for best course in Charlotte County went to the Rotonda Golf & Country Club. ($24 and up, depending upon tee times and courses; visit http://www.charlotteharbortravel.com/cms/index.php?id=20)
Fishing: Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers nearly every kind of fishing imaginable: Deep-sea fishing, surfcasting; fly-fishing in saltwater and freshwater; back-bay fishing and kayak fishing. The waters range from fresh to brackish to salty, creating an ecosystem that supports
more than 300 species of fish, and there are plenty of guides who can give Dad a new angling experience. (free fishing at many parks and beaches; $150 and up for charters) For a list of fishing guides and other resources, visit http://charlotteharbortravel.com/cms/index.php?id=19
For additional ideas on planning the perfect getaway gift for Dad, visit www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com
About Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands
Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor. Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers a pristine unspoiled beauty that has served as the backdrop for seven major feature films as well as countless memorable vacations. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands was named to SAIL magazine’s “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.” The city of Punta Gorda was named as one of “Top Ten Places to Retire Healthy” by U.S. News & World Report. Englewood, Fla. was just named as No. 2 of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com.
Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor.
Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers a pristine unspoiled beauty that has served as the backdrop for seven major feature films as well as countless memorable vacations.
A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands has been named to SAIL magazine’s “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.”
The city of Punta Gorda was named as one of “Top Ten Places to Retire Healthy” by U.S. News & World Report.
Englewood, Fla. was just named as #2 of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com.
Call Gordon Robinson now and come and see our beautiful part of Florida!
The following makes interesting reading!!
real estate appreciation
1970-1979 = 142%
1980-1989 = 52%
1990-1999 = 45%
2000-2008 = 42%
(source-National Association of Realtors®)
Anyone think we are at the bottom of the market??
WASHINGTON, April 01, 2009
Pending home sales have edged up, hinting at a possible pickup of sales activity in coming months, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
The Pending Home Sales Index,1 a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in February, rose 2.1 percent to 82.1 from a reading of 80.4 in January, but is 1.4 percent below February 2008 when it was 83.3.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the market is continuing to underperform. “Pending home sales have a way to go for there to be a meaningful increase, but recent increases in shopping activity are hopeful indicators that we’ll see additional sales gains,” he said. “More buyers are getting into the market to take advantage of stimulus incentives and much improved housing affordability conditions, but it will take a few months before we could see this turn up in measurable sales contract activity.”
Also in February, NAR’s Housing Affordability Index2 rose to a new high.
The PHSI in the Northeast rose 10.6 percent to 63.9 in February but is 11.2 percent below a year ago. In the Midwest the index jumped 14.5 percent to 83.1 and is 3.4 percent higher than February 2008. The index in the South rose 4.4 percent to 85.8 in February but is 0.1 percent below a year ago. In the West the index fell 13.5 percent to 89.6 and is 1.7 percent below February 2008.
NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth, said home buyers are in an excellent position. “The drop in mortgage interest rates and home prices mean the buying power of a typical family has never been better,” he said. “If you have a good job and long-term plans, it’s unlikely that you’ll find a much better time to buy a home. This is especially true for first-time buyers who can qualify for an $8,000 tax credit this year, have a great selection of homes to choose from, and are in a favorable negotiating position.”
NAR’s Housing Affordability Index rose 0.9 percentage points to a record high of 173.5 in February from an upwardly revised index of 172.6 in January, and is 36.3 percentage points higher than a year ago. The HAI, a broad measure of housing affordability using consistent values and assumptions over time, shows that the relationship between home prices, mortgage interest rates and family income is the most favorable since tracking began in 1970.
A median-income family, earning $59,700, could afford a home costing $285,600 in February with a 20 percent downpayment, assuming 25 percent of gross income is devoted to mortgage principal and interest. Affordability conditions for first-time buyers with the same income and small downpayments are roughly 80 percent of that amount. The affordable price is considerably higher the median existing single-family home price in February, which was only $164,600.
“Obviously, potential home buyers need to be managing their existing debt effectively,” McMillan said. “A Realtor® can counsel you on what you may be able to afford given your personal financial situation. In some cases, buyers who want to build their future through homeownership may need to start reducing their debt and improving their credit score before entering the housing market.”
Last year at this time, the typical family could afford a home costing $265,600, which is $20,000 less than the current affordable price. “Homes in many areas are now selling for less than replacement construction costs – clearly this is an abnormal situation which will change once inventory is drawn down and supply and demand come closer into balance,” McMillan said.
Yun said he expects housing inventories to rise through early summer from a normal seasonal pattern of more sellers appearing in the spring. “But with the positive housing stimulus incentives now in place, we expect home sales to gain momentum in the second half of the year with first-time buyers absorbing a lot of the excess inventory,” he said. “Under these conditions, we should see price stabilization in most markets by the end of the year.”
USA Gymnastics Region V Trampoline & Tumbling Championships Chooses Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands
Championship is Second Sporting Event at the
Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center
CHARLOTTE HARBOR & THE GULF ISLANDS, Fla. (April 23, 2009) – Gymnasts from eight Southeastern states will participate in the USA Gymnastics Region V Trampoline & Tumbling Championships at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center in Punta Gorda, Fla., May 16 – 17, 2009. Between 400 and 500 elite-level youth athletes of all ages are anticipated to compete as well as 20 local gymnasts from Horizon Gymnastics.
“Having successfully held the AAU Fall State Gymnastics Championship at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center in December of last year, I knew the USA Gymnastics Region V Trampoline & Tumbling Championships would be the right fit for Punta Gorda,” said Shelly Proa, co-founder of Horizon Gymnastics & Dance Academy in Port Charlotte. Proa worked with Sean Doherty, Sales and Sports Marketing Manager for the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, to land the event which is the second sporting competition for the new 45,000 square-foot event and conference center.
Participating age categories are: 6 and younger, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14, 15 and16, and 17 and older. Admission to the event is $10 for adults ages 12 and older, $5 for children between the ages of 3 and 11, and under 3-years-old are admitted free.
Horizon Gymnastics & Dance Academy is the host club for the event and can be contacted for more event information at (941) 627-5342 www.horizongymnastics.net. Additional event information can be found on the Florida Trampoline and Tumbling Web site at www.usagfltrampoline.net.
Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor. Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers a pristine unspoiled beauty that has served as the backdrop for seven major feature films as well as countless memorable vacations. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands has been named to SAIL magazine’s “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.” The city of Punta Gorda was named in September as one of “Top Ten Places to Retire Healthy” by U.S. News & World Report. Englewood, Fla. was just named as #2 of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com.
For information about area events, activities and attractions, contact the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, 18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 502, Port Charlotte, FL 33948; (941) 743-1900, or call toll free at 1-800-652-6090 for a free Visitor’s Guide; or visit the Web site at www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com.
WASHINGTON, April 02, 2009
The Federal Housing Administration is a primary source of mortgage financing for millions of America’s families and plays a key role in helping bring stability to the housing market. This is the message that the National Association of Realtors® delivered to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee today.
“Without FHA financing, families would be unable to purchase homes and communities would suffer from continued foreclosures and blight,” said Lennox Scott, a member of NAR’s Real Estate Advisory Board and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate in Bellevue, Washington. In his testimony, Scott shared NAR’s belief in the importance of FHA and concern for the safety and soundness of its programs due to its dramatic growth over a short period of time.
“We believe that FHA has done a good job stepping up to today’s market challenges. However, along with the dramatic growth in market share comes greater responsibility and the need for increased infrastructure and staff,” Scott said. Over the past 18 months, FHA has handled an increase in volume four times greater than 2007 levels, increasing its market share to over 30 percent.
NAR suggests a number of FHA improvements that will help maintain safe and affordable FHA loan products. These improvements include investment in staff and technology improvements; increased oversight and risk management; technical correction to help implement FHA programs; and monetizing the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit to allow buyers to apply it toward downpayment requirements.
“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has made a number of important and valuable changes to FHA over the years that has enabled it to stand up to the challenges of today’s mortgage market,” Scott said. “FHA is now a principal source of financing for millions of America’s families, and without it, the economic crisis would be significantly prolonged. This is why it is so important to invest in FHA improvements and advancements.”
NAR pledged to continue to work for FHA reforms that will ensure the continued success, availability and safety of FHA mortgage insurance programs.
Gloomy Economy Drives Growth of Vacation Rental Industry Spurs Increased Interest in Renting Among Second Home Buyers
AUSTIN, TX, March 30, 2009 — HomeAway, Inc. the world’s largest online vacation rental marketplace, today released research confirming the economy is playing a significant role in the growth of the vacation rental industry and in creating opportunities for second home owners.
According to proprietary research commissioned by HomeAway® as part of the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2008 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey released today, the economy has more second home owners than ever before deciding to rent their homes to vacationers.
While the NAR reports a sharp decline in total second home sales for the second consecutive year, the percentage of buyers purchasing with the intent to rent has more than doubled since 2005, reaching a record-high of 27 percent in 2008.
Even for the second home buyers who do not intend to rent over the next 12 months, nearly two-thirds (66 percent) say the economy has increased their interest in renting at some point in the future, reveals the HomeAway proprietary questions.
It also shows owners plan to make their vacation properties available to rent for 15 weeks per year – up from 12 weeks in 2007— and consider the Internet an important marketing tool, with 74 percent planning to advertise online, up from 70 percent in 2007.
These results are consistent with the first major study on the industry released in January 2009, PhoCusWright’s Vacation Rental Marketplace: Poised for Change, which estimates the U.S. vacation rental industry at more than $24 billion, and also projects significant growth in online vacation rental revenues over the next two years.
This same study found owners advertising on the HomeAway sites, HomeAway.com, VRBO.com and VacationRentals.com, spend on average 43 percent less on marketing their vacation rentals, and yield more online booking inquiries and revenue than other sites.
“The down economy has had a significant positive impact on the vacation rental market,” says Brian Sharples, founder and CEO of HomeAway. “NAR’s survey shows more second home owners than ever are realizing that from the get-go they can offset the cost of ownership and in many cases profit from their second homes by renting them out.” In fact, HomeAway owners average $20,000 a year in rental revenue.Florida Gold International Real Estate has noticed a sharp increase this year in late bookings and CEO, Gordon Robinson says "with so many people buying resale properties at such low prices renting can make for a very stable investment".
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