Center for Applied Sales Research to Provide Senior Living Companies with Contract Sales Specialist Services
The Center for Applied Sales Research, an Assisted Living Federation of America President's Council Member, has launched an innovative sales and sales management program: "Contract Sales Specialist Services." Contract Sales Specialist Services (CSSS) provides senior living companies with two levels of Sales Specialist Professionals to make a dramatically positive impact on their sales performance, particularly at communities with significant occupancy or reservation shortfalls. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/senior/living/prweb1630374.htm

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TeeBeeDee Poll Results: Layoffs are #1 Boomer Work Worry
Online Boomer Social Network TeeBeeDee surveyed hundreds of Boomers and found the top concern at work is layoffs; value of 401k is second biggest worry. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1632654.htm

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Luxury Lifestyle, Preferential Prices: Phase One of Andromeda Country Club Now on Offer
Dekel Panama S.A. is now offering buyers preferential prices on all phase one lots in their spectacular beachfront vacation community in Panama, the Andromeda Country Club. Pedasí's first big development, the Andromeda Country Club is slated to begin building by early next year, promising an elegant seaside lifestyle amidst the vibrant culture and natural beauty of the Azuero Peninsula. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1588554.htm

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Beachfront Beauty and Pastoral Charms: Dekel Panama Presents the Andromeda Country Club
The Andromeda Country Club is now accepting offers on its spectacular beachfront lots in Pedasí, Panama. This gated community, set to begin construction early next year, is located on the country's most desirable stretch of coastline. As prime beachfront land in Panama grows ever scarcer, investors and developers are looking to Panama's central Pacific for the next wave of development, and finding in the Azuero Peninsula the very heart of Panama. In the last couple of years, Pedasí and surrounds have been 'discovered'. Quietly at first, and now at an astonishing pace, beachfront land is changing hands, and vacation communities are about to spring into being. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1589204.htm

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Discovery Flight Could be This Year's Must-Have Gift
Rumor has it that Pilot Journey's Discovery Flight is How Santa Got His Start (PRWeb Nov 18, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/Pilot_Journey/Discovery_Flight/prweb1630794.htm

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Planned Community in Tampa or are considering relocating to one, your property will be subject to Community Development District Tax. Developers use this tax as a means of sharing the cost of land and community development among the individual lots and homes in that community. This tax enables the development of Tampa communities with additional amenities such as parks, community centers and other recreation areas that make these areas attractive and pleasant places to live. These taxes are usually payable for a fixed amount of time-up to twenty years-after which the tax no longer applies. Payment of this tax is tied to the property, not the owner. This means that if you purchase a property in a CDD, you as the new owner will be required to pay the CDD tax. The length of time the tax is payable does not change if the property changes hands. So if, for example, you purchase a ten-year-old property in a community with a twenty-year CDD tax, you'd be paying the bond portion of the tax for another ten years.

If you're considering purchasing property in such a community, it's important to find out how much the CCD tax is, and how many years of payment are remaining. Note that CDD taxes vary based on the amenities available in the community, and that there may be other fees associated with the property such as those required to maintain community common areas. If you are the owner of a CDD property you will likely be subject to paying annual fees for the maintenance of common areas even after the bond portion of the tax has been paid in full.

Homestead Exemption

Homestead Exemption allows all Florida homeowners who are legal residents of the state to deduct $25,000 from the assessed value of their primary residence, meaning that the taxable value of primary residences is reduced. There are other exemptions which apply to other groups of residents-these include disability exemptions, exemptions for senior citizens and veterans, and an exemption for those who are legally blind. To be eligible for an exemption in any given year, you must take possession of your home by December 31 and must apply for homestead exemption by March 31st the following year. Exemptions are not granted automatically-you must apply for any exemption you would like to receive, and you are subject to approval based on certain requirements, which depend on the type of exemption you are applying for. If you qualify for a Homestead Exemption, you may also qualify to defer part or all of your property taxes for any given year. For more information, see your tax assessor's office.

The Florida "Save Our Homes" Amendment

If a homeowner qualifies and applies for Homestead Exemption this guarantees the property's assessed value cannot rise more than three percent each year. This law is a result of the "Save our Homes" amendment, which states that annual property assessment figures cannot exceed the lower of 3% of the prior year's assessment, or the percent increase in the Consumer Price Index. This amendment protects existing homeowners, but note that if you purchase property, it will not be protected by "Save our Homes" automatically-when the property changes hands, the assessed value cap is lifted, and you do not qualify for protection until you obtain a Homestead Exemption. However, once you have obtained a Homestead Exemption, you will automatically be protected by the "Save our Homes" amendment.

The "Save our Homes" amendment means it is particularly important that you not rely on existing property tax values if you are considering purchasing any home in Tampa or within all of Florida-a protected home has an artificially low assessed value, and depending on the region in which you purchase and the current real estate market, the assessed value may increase sharply once the property has changed hands.

Article Source: http://activeauthors.com

Calum and Kathy MacKenzie are experienced and professional Tampa, Florida real estate agents who specialize in helping families relocate to the Tampa area. They've lived and worked in New Tampa for eleven years, and their extensive knowledge of New Tampa real estate can help make relocation a breeze


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