El Nino is on the Way

Checking the Tropical Update the other morning, I came across Dr.Jeff Masters Blog on the WeatherUnderground website. Dr.Masters Blog has been an excellent resource for tracking tropical disturbances and gathering information about trends and possible scenarios relating to the Atlantic Tropical Basin. And this mornings update comes as a welcome surprise where Dr.Masters details the formation of a new El Nino in the Pacific Basin that indicates we may be headed for a period of relative calm for Atlantic tropical activity. Read on...
An El Niño is on the way, according to the latest El Niño discussion posted September 7 by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. A steady warming of the waters in the Equatorial Pacific near the coast of South America, combined with stronger than usual westerly winds over the Equatorial Pacific, point toward the emergence of a weak El Niño episode beginning in October or November. Certainly the appearance of record-breaking Hurricane Ioke in the Central Pacific was a sign of a coming El Niño; intense hurricanes in that region are highly correlated with the above normal ocean temperatures of a developing El Niño event. When the Equatorial Eastern Pacific waters warm to above 0.5ºC above normal for three consecutive months, an official El Niño is at hand. The ocean temperatures in this region are already at that level, and forecast to increase further over the next few months. An El Niño event can have far-reaching effects on global climate and Atlantic hurricane season activity.
El Niño and climate change
A trend to El Niño at this time of year is unusual; May or June are the typical months that El Niño starts to develop. While the Climate Prediction Center expects that this will be a weak El Niño, the unusual timing of this event puts us in relatively uncharted territory. Since 1950, only one El Niño has started in the Fall, the El Niño of 1968. This event was an average El Niño, with a peak SST warming in the East Pacific of 1.0º C. For comparison, the warming was 2.3-2.5º C in the record El Niño events of 1997-98 and 1982-83. The unusual timing of the 2006 El Niño event comes on the heels of the unusual timing of the La Niña event that ended in May. The 2006 La Niña started very late--no La Niña of similar magnitude had ever formed in the middle of winter, as this one did. One may legitimately ask if these events might be linked to human-caused climate change. I am concerned that this might be the case, but we don't have a long enough record of historical El Niño events to know. Up until 1975, La Niña events and El Niño events used to alternate fairly regularly with a period of 2-7 years. Between 1950 and 1976 there were seven El Niño events and seven La Niña events. Since 1976, El Niño events have been approximately twice as frequent as La Niña events, with ten El Niño events and only six La Niñas. Some researchers have speculated that this is due to the effects of global warming causing a new "resonance" in the climate system. If so, this is one way in which global warming may end up causing a decrease in Atlantic hurricane activity over the coming decades, since the increased wind shear over the Atlantic during El Niño events greatly reduces the number and intensity of these storms.
Effect of El Niño on hurricane season
As most of you know, El Niño conditions put a major damper on both the number and intensity of Atlantic tropical cyclones. This is primarily due to increased wind shear. The upper air winds that develop when one heats the Equatorial Eastern Pacific waters tend to blow from west to east over the Atlantic at high speed. Since the tropical Atlantic trade winds near the surface typically blow the opposite direction, this creates a lot of shear that makes it difficult for a tropical cyclone to survive. Thus far in September, wind shear over the tropical Atlantic has been about normal, so there is no sign that a developing El Niño is suppressing hurricane activity yet. However, if the Climate Prediction Center is right, we can expect an earlier than usual end to hurricane season in the Atlantic, and a quiet November and December--unlike last year! El Niños can be long lived, and if the forecast El Niño for this year develops as expected, it will probably last through the hurricane season of 2007, suppressing hurricane activity next year.
Effect of El Niño on the coming winter

In the U.S., El Niño winters typically have above average rainfall across the southern tier of states, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico and California coasts. Temperatures tend to be warmer than average across the northern tier of states. Temperatures are typically cooler across the southern tier of states, due to increased cloud cover. For more info on El Niño's typical wintertime effects, see the Wikipedia El Niño page or the Climate Prediction Center winter precipitation and temperature impacts page.

Energy Rated Homes

A couple of years ago, Danny Parker, a researcher at the Florida Solar Energy Center, put together what he calls the “12 Great Myths of Improving Residential Efficiency in Hot Climates.” Here's an abridged version of his key points based on more than 20 years of work in this field that I think will answer your question.
Myth No. 1: Use powered attic ventilation fans to cut down on cooling costs. Monitoring studies have shown that attic vent fans use more electricity than they save.
Myth No. 2: Always use ceiling fans in summer to reduce cooling costs. They should only be used in rooms that are occupied and won't save any energy unless you set the cooling thermostat higher. Fans should not be operated constantly, especially when no one is home.
Myth No. 3: Wall insulation is important in reducing cooling energy use. Parker cites field tests that show that heat transfer through walls represents only about 5 to 10 percent of cooling loads about half of the cooling load from heat transfer through the hot attic. Concentrate on lowering attic temperatures more than adding wall insulation.
Myth No. 4: Roof color doesn't matter in energy use as the ceiling insulation is what is important. Yes, ceiling insulation is very important. But using white reflective roofing systems for new homes in hot climates will give a 20 percent drop in cooling load and keep the home more comfortable. In a hot climate, you should use the lightest color roof you find aesthetically pleasing and you'll help keep your home much cooler.
Myth No. 5: Setting the thermostat lower cools the home quicker. Absolutely not. It won't cool any quicker and if you forget to adjust it to the desired setting, each degree cooler than that can increase your cooling costs as much as 10 percent.
Myth No. 6: Solar hot water systems are non-cost-effective dinosaurs. In reality, solar systems can be very cost-effective for larger households. Parker notes one study that showed that families of four or more can save 1,570 kWh annually that's about $188 per year at today's typical rates, meaning the system will pay back its full cost during its lifetime of use (and it's also an 8.4 percent after-tax real rate of return!) As rates go up, these payback times will be even shorter.
Myth No. 7: Storing groceries in a second refrigerator in the garage can save money. Unless you save more than $150 a year by buying specials to refrigerate, you won't save anything. That's about the cost of running a second refrigerator (and if it is really old and inefficient, that number will go higher).
Myth No. 8: There's not much you can do to save electricity in cooking. Think about how hot your kitchen gets when you cook. That only makes the air conditioner work harder to get rid of that heat so make sure you have and use an exhausting range hood that vents outdoors. Every kilowatthour of cooking heat that is not vented away will cause the air conditioner to use another 300-watt hours to get the heat out.
Myth No. 9: Household lights use too little electricity to make much of a difference. The average homeowner spends about $130 per year for lighting an amount that can be reduced by 70 percent or more by using compact fluorescent lamps in fixtures that are used more than two hours per day. That's not a bad cost savings (as well as more comfort by being around cooler bulbs).
Myth No. 10: Pool pumps need to run at least eight hours a day to maintain water quality, and always use the largest pump possible to get the most water circulation. Parker says that most pool pumps are oversized and because of piping size, you won't hurt circulation significantly by reducing a pump somewhat (say from 1-hp to ¾-hp). Also, studies have found that pumps running far less than eight hours can still effectively maintain a pool properly. Try cutting back a little on pump operating time and see if the water stays balanced and the pool remains clean.
Myth No. 11: The monthly utility bill has little in it from miscellaneous appliances and equipment. Actually, all the little things add up quickly. You can easily spend a couple of hundred dollars a year heating a spa with electricity, or more than $100 using a clothes dryer. Consider solar systems, energy-efficient appliances and other ways to reduce all energy use.
Myth No. 12: I really don't believe energy efficiency or renewable energy can make a difference. Side-by-side tests of efficient homes vs. conventional ones have shown savings of as much as 80 percent in airconditioning use just from energy-efficiency, and more than 90 percent when solar electric systems are used. In one existing home, the addition of a solar hot water system, attic radiant barrier, high-efficiency air conditioner, smaller pool pump and efficient lighting cost $9,000 but saved more than $1,000 annually in energy use. After those nine years, you've got your money back and you're about to enjoy more years of pure profit.
This article was written by Ken Sheinkopf , a communications specialist with the American Solar Energy Society.

The Problem with the Message

I have been wrestling with this month’s article; after reading this week’s articles in our local newspapers I found my soapbox. There is really only one question we are regularly asked by customers and our customer prospects. The sellers want to know “how low do I have to go” and the buyers ask, “how much lower can they go?” As each of you are reading this you too must be asking yourself the same questions. The problem is the message: it’s inconsistent and it’s everywhere. The confusion comes from the media, your friends & family and from the alleged market experts & economists. Whether it is the internet, REALTOR Associations, television shows, or magazines the messages are inconsistent enough to reduce any of us to tears. The messages in the market are so mixed that some suggest the pricing will continue the downward slide while others suggest that we may be turning the corner. The national articles I have read say that it looks like the housing market is beginning to soften; (soften???) Are they kidding? This market has been softening at the very least for 6 months, talk about being behind the curve. Local newspapers would have you believe the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer, it may be; unfortunately in some cases that light is an oncoming locomotive. Television news shows are telling us that this softening real estate market may affect the rest of the economies. Haven’t they heard the real estate market has been affecting the gulf coast economies for over a year? Look at the local restaurants, clothing stores, talk to the services businesses; they are all hurting, and it is because of the affects of this market. The signals for the buyers and sellers are so confusing that nobody really has a handle on properties’ values. Wrong. The confusions are the incorrect perceptions. The confusion is that none of us want to let go of those dreams we created during the last real estate anomaly. As sellers, if we did not sell while every over-priced property sold and closed, we missed the boat, the ship has sailed and Elvis has left the building. Now it’s time to step up to this market, a buyers market. The fact is that this is the best Buyers market in 20 years. The fact is that correctly priced properties are selling and closing. The question of how low it can go is based on seller motivation. Buyers are writing offers, the offers are all over the place, some are 10% below asking, others are 25% below asking and still more are 50% below asking. It’s about the motivation of the seller and the negotiation skills of the agents involved.Deals are being made. The net result remains the same as ever, two parties agreeing on price, terms and conditions of the sale, this is typical of the past real estate market philosophies and will be for the future. The major difference is that the motivation of the sellers is even more varied and the urgency of the buyers is nearly impossible to measure. This does not make for a dynamic market, it makes for a real, real estate market. All things considered (interest rates, hurricanes, sand on the beaches, turtles, property taxes, homeowners insurance, jelly fish, negotiable buyers and sellers), it has been expressed to me by many brokers that I talk with that the fourth quarter may well be the best selling market of the year. If it is, then now is the best time to get aggressive with pricing this market. Sellers and Buyers need to get as aggressive with pricing terms and conditions of the sale as is consistent with their motivation to buy or sell. I have to say that this is a great real estate market. Ask yourselves, “what makes this such a great real estate market”, I’ll tell you it’s that we still have great interest rates, we do not know how long these will last, perhaps they will until we elect the next president, perhaps not. It could be that there are some very motivated sellers needing to sell, that means deals/equity. These are the two essential ingredients that make this a great market, interest rates & motivated sellers. A great real estate market also means that as new inventory enters the market it will be priced consistent with today’s selling properties. A great real estate market is one where almost everyone makes money, if you bought a property before October 2003 and it’s on the market today, you are making money. If you are buying property today there is a good chance that it will begin to build equity in the not so distant (if not the immediate) future. The bad news and the only bad news in the entire real estate scenario is that as in all business transactions there are risks. For those that bought at the height of the frenzy are going to have to wait several years before you can sell and expect to make any profit. Potentially the only real losers could be the “Flippers”; those buyers who committed to buy never intending to own the property. Even you guys really do not have to lose, you just need to close on the property, eat hot dogs and stuffed rice for a couple of years, then sell and you will make money. You see nobody has to lose. Some sellers I talk to think that if they can’t make their retirement on the sale of their property they’re losing. That’s just not so. If we as real estate investors are making a greater ROI than we can get from our local S & L, we’ve won. We are not losing anything if we haven’t got it tightly gripped in the palms of our hands. The only thing we have are “Great Expectations” and we know how that turned out. This is real estate, there is risk, lots of it and we don’t always win big but we do usually win. You see this is a great real estate market, there are lots of choices and plenty of property to buy and there are some great deals out there. As buyers you have to look beyond the asking prices and get in the game, write offers, be realistic with your expectations and patient with your purchases.
Times have definitely changed, we’re back to the 5-7 year hold, we’re back to the traditional style of real estate investing.If you are a buyer, start talking to a lender and a REALTOR and put on your sneakers. If you are seller scrutinize your price, take a look at what comparable properties have sold in the last 4 months, these are your comparables.Whether you are a buyer or seller one of the formulas I have used and one you might want to try is a .75 - .85% per month appreciation rate starting from October 2003 of comparably sold properties. This idea comes from the average annual appreciate rate of 10% – 12% for the years prior to 2003. Removing the 2004 & 2005 spike and replacing the spike with a reasonable rate appreciation will give us all today’s fair market value.

Where are the true "Baby-Boomer Buyers"?

I have attempted to write this update several times over the past two weeks. Every time I sit down to knock it out, a new wrinkle appears on the horizon. The original and continuing question is “Where are the True Baby-Boomer Buyers”? I can say take a look in the mirror, there is no truer measure of this market then ourselves. We are the buyers, what ever it is that keeps up from buying is the issue at hand. So if you are asking the question, you already have the answer. Sit down look in the mirror and ask yourself “why am I not building wealth in this “Buyers Market”, be honest with yourself and you will have the answer.
This is more to consider when asking the question, this is how I see the evolution of the real estate market along the Emerald Coast as it seems to be unraveling.
 Interest rates remain strong and it seems that they are about to go lower.
 4th quarter 2006 prices flattening/bottoming out, possibly adjusting 2-5% more until the end of January 2007
 4th quarter of 2006 promising to be the best selling/buying market of the year
 4th quarter 2006 to have the highest numbers of winners, motivated sellers that sold and closed and buyers that bought at the bottom of the market by finding the motivated sellers.
 Buyers we have been talking with all year have been showing up just like they said they would, a little at a time and writing multiple offers.
 Sellers have been more willing to negotiate because it's been a while since they've had rental income from their properties and it will be while until they again see income.
 1st quarter 2007 will have more buyers on the market, still disproportionate to sellers, but the best valued properties will see more offers and become less negotiable.
 1st quarter 2007 sales will be significantly higher than any quarter of 2006, condo sales showing the greatest improvement over 2006.
 2nd quarter 2007 will steadily increase until the end of June and we will see the popularity of condo sales migrate to home sales during this quarter.
 In each of the cases above;
o We will not see the kind of buying or selling activity of 2004 & 2005, (we will not see that kind of activity again in our lifetimes).
o The first in will be the biggest winners; the first to drop their prices, the first to write the best offers, the first to close will experience the best values.
o Last in will not experience their greatest opportunity; the sellers who waits too long to drop their prices, the buyers who waited too long to write offers will experience the same effects that those that waited to sell in late 2005 experienced, too late to be a winner. A lot of sellers who did not believe in the appreciation of 2004 /2005 waited too long to believe it was a dream come true. When they finally got in the game it was too late the tide had begun to turn. Those are the over priced properties we have been looking at all year. Now those sellers do not want to wake up, they continue to wait for the dream to again come true.
o Remember in real estate profit is in determined on the buy not on the sell.
 Appreciation will remain aloof until later in 2007, what we are buying today is equity.
Thought I should share.

Shotgun Homes

Shotgun--Tradition has it that if you fire a shotgun through the front doorway of this long, narrow home, the bullet will exit directly through the back door. The style is characterized by a single story with a gabled roof. Shotguns are usually only one room wide, with each room leading directly into the next. Exterior features include a vent on the front gable and a full front porch trimmed with gingerbread brackets and ornamentation. Mail-order plans and parts for shotgun homes were widely available at the turn-of-the-century, making it a popular, low-cost structure to build in both urban and suburban settings.This has become a popular style in the Old Town Santa Rosa area such as this 3 bedroom home in Bayou Farms listed under $250,000:

Real Estate Deals That Save Taxes

The end of 2006 is almost here, but it’s not too late to cut taxes by putting money in real estate. Here are 8 tax-saving opportunities.

Sell a principal residence before the end of the year. If it was owner occupied for at least 24 of the last 60 months before its sale, the sellers can claim up to $250,000 tax-free and $500,000 if they are a married couple filing a joint return.

Buy a principal residence before year-end. A typical home acquisition loan fee of 1 or 2 percent of the mortgage amount is tax-deductible as itemized interest. Mortgage interest paid in 2006 is also tax deductible.

Refinance a home mortgage and deduct previously nondeductible loan fees. In the year of paying off a mortgage, whether by refinancing or selling, those fees become fully tax-deductible as itemized interest.

Get a home equity loan, whose interest is usually fully deductible, and use the money to pay off nondeductible interest from credit card debt or a personal loan.Prepay the January 2007 mortgage payment2006. If the local tax collector will allow it, prepay 2007 property taxes and deduct them in 2006.

If you moved more than 50 miles and changed jobs, deduct those moving costs.
Deduct uninsured casualty or theft loss. Only losses that are more than 10 percent of your 2006 adjusted gross income qualify.

Email is becoming a common way to gain access to your personal identity information. We want to alert you of some of the scams.

The scammers send an email that looks like it comes from a website where you might have a membership or some personal information stored --- AOL, PayPal, Ebay, Western Union, Amazon, or Yahoo, for example.

You're advised that you need to update your information or risk losing your account. Sometimes they claim their records were corrupted and they must update them. If you click the link it takes you to a phony website that looks very much like the real one. They usually contain a form for you to fill in your credit or financial information without having to go through the normal log in and security measures. DO NOT FILL IT OUT AND DO NOT SUBMIT IT.


If it IS a legitimate request, you can type the website's domain name in your browser rather than clicking the link. You should also be able to send them a confirming email or call them to verify. Use only the contact information from their website -- the one you typed in yourself.

An Example Excerpted from Stolen Lives By Russ Banham:
An e-mail informed me that my AOL account was about to be terminated, and, to retain it and my favorable pricing plan, I would need to fill out a new registration form immediately. I downloaded the form and casually entered my name, Social Security number, date of birth. mother's maiden name, address, driver's license number, credit card number and, wait a second, checking account number? Huh? Is this a scam?Something in the back of my mind said STOP. Call AOL on the phone, ... I did and was told that the URGENT e-mail was part of a massive fraud. I was one of thousands that day receiving the official looking missive, replete with AOL logo and trademark. Had I submitted the form, my personal information? my very identity?would have been stolen, bartered, sold and appropriated by who knows how many criminals. The costs to me financially and emotionally would have been staggering. I deleted the e-mail. Phew!

Article Found in Prepaidlegal.com

Clean Up Day a Success

More than 60 children from Rocky Bayou Christian School, along with their parents, collected 120 pounds of garbage along Highway 98 from Holiday Road to Grand Boulevard on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Highway Cleanup Day was organized by the Silver Sands Factory Stores. “We organize our highway cleanups twice a year as a way to keep our roads clean and beautiful while granting local organizations an opportunity to get involved and raise money,” said Traci Stokes, marketing director for Silver Sands Factory Stores.

Silver Sands also sent postcards to their business neighbors along the cleanup route and were ecstatic to have some of them offer to pitch in or supply refreshments for the volunteers.

Stokes also said that the Silver Sands Cleanup day is a nice complement to other efforts underway by the Scenic Corridor Association, the Destin Chamber of Commerce, the Walton County Chamber of Commerce and Beaches of South Walton.

Non-profit organizations interested in participating in the next Silver Sands Highway Cleanup day in April 2007, should e-mail their organization name, a brief description of their mission and contact information to Ashley Watkins aw@silversandsoutlet.com

Businesses interested in donating refreshments for the next highway cleanup can also contact Ashley.

Article Found at emeraldcoast.com

Italianate Homes

"Italianate--Italianate homes, which appeared in Midwest, East Coast, and San Francisco areas between 1850 and 1880, can be quite ornate despite their solid square shape. Features include symmetrical bay windows in front; small chimneys set in irregular locations; tall, narrow, windows; and towers, in some cases. The elaborate window designs reappear in the supports, columns, and door frames."

There are examples of Italianate like homes along the Emerald Coast such as Palmeira Villas along 30A. These homes currently start at 1.45MM+

National Clean Beaches Week

CBC Launches New Beach Ethics and Training program;CBC Joins Global Community to Announce Worlds Clean and Healthy BeachesWashington, DC – Today, the Clean Beaches Council has commenced celebration of the third annual National Clean Beaches Week (June 29 – July 5, 2006), a celebration that highlights four major themes of importance to beach-goers: travel, healthy dining, recreation and the environment. The goal of National Clean Beaches Week is to raise awareness of the threats facing our beaches and to increase public responsibility and stewardship of public beaches around the country.

The week culminates with a beach clean-up in Santa Monica, CA on July 5th with a keynote speech by Jean-Michel Cousteau of the Ocean Futures Society.

"Keeping our beaches clean is a critical commitment that signifies more than removing visual pollution," said Ocean Futures Society Founder Jean-Michel Cousteau, the award-winning filmmaker, explorer and environmentalist. "Beach debris is a symptom of a much larger sickness of our ocean. What we see on our beaches is only a fraction of the damage we are doing to our coastlines, reefs and marine habitats. National Clean Beaches Week focuses attention on the damage we are doing to the ocean and our promise to make a positive difference."

The City of Santa Monica will be recognized for being a national leader in instilling in beach-goers a strong sense of personal responsibility towards caring for their beaches. A national press conference featuring the Clean Beaches Council, The Ocean Futures Society, U.S. Department of Interior, Heal the Bay, and Keep California Beautiful will held in conjunction with the beach clean up."Today, more than half of the total U.S. population lives in the coastal zone. As Americans flock to the coast, the litter problem along the nation’s coastlines is becoming more serious and widespread. More than 400 pounds of litter were collected per mile of coastline in 2004, according to the International Coastal Cleanup. Since every piece of litter has a human face behind it, CBC strives to educate Americans about caring for the beach and putting litter in its place," stated McLeod.

In celebration of National Clean Beaches Week, the Clean Beaches Council is sponsoring 50 beach-related events around the country which will include activities such as clean-ups, dune planting, habitat restoration, seafood festivals and coastal recreation competitions. These events will occur in places such as Puget Sound, the Jersey shore, and Siesta Key, FL.

Over 60 governors and mayors have issued proclamations in support of the week. The Clean Beaches Council is also working with Members of Congress to pass a resolution to officially recognize June 29 – July 5, 2006 as National Clean Beaches Week. The Senate Resolution (S. Res. 510) was introduced by U.S. Senators Martinez (R-FL) and Lautenberg (D-NJ) and awaits a final vote. The companion House Resolution (H. Res. 760) was introduced by U.S. Representatives Pallone (D-NJ) and Shaw (R-FL) and currently has 51 co-sponsors.

World’s Clean and Healthy Beaches -The U.S. Clean Beaches Council (CBC) has partnered with the International Blue Flag Program to release this year’s list of clean and healthy beaches.A program of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Blue Flag Program is an eco-label awarded to over 3,100 beaches and marinas in 36 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean. Its U.S. counterpart is the Blue Wave Campaign of the Clean Beaches Council, which is America's first environmental certification program for beaches. CBC is now the U.S. member of FEE.

The following beaches in our area have been physically inspected and confirmed to have implemented Blue Wave Best Management Practices:
Dune Allen
Sandestin
Seascape
Miramar
Inlet Beach
Seacrest
Seagrove
Seaside
Watercolor
Grayton
Blue Mountain Beach
Santa Rosa Beach
Deer Lake State Park
Grayton Beach State Park
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Panama City Beach

Article Found in St. Petersburg Times Author: Judy Stark

Triathlon Comes to Sandestin

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is teaming up with Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast in a celebration of athleticism with the 20th Annual Sandestin Triathlon on Saturday, Aug. 26. The race starts in front of Finz at 6:30 a.m.

The Sandestin Triathlon, which entails a half-mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico, a 20-mile bike trek along the coast and a four-mile road race throughout Sandestin’s beach and bayside communities, is a USA Triathlon-sanctioned event that attracts a capacity crowd of nearly 700 entries each year.

Following the race, participants will enjoy a poolside awards presentation and party on the Finz pool deck, complete with refreshments and live entertainment.

“We look forward to another exciting Triathlon this year,” said Rob Babcock, vice president and general manager of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. “The Triathlon has evolved over the past 20 years into a top regional athletic event and a Sandestin tradition.”

Scott Christmas, who is an annual participant and the inspiration for the race’s “Scott Christmas Award,” will once again take part in the Triathlon. Christmas has become an inspirational figure in the Triathlon since his recovery from a near-fatal plane crash. In his honor, race organizers established the annual “Scott Christmas Award” which recognizes an individual who has overcome a similar personal, physical tragedy to demonstrate strength, courage and determination. Nomination forms are included in the race applications.

Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast is a state-of-the-art facility containing the latest innovations in patient-friendly design, medical technology and health care support systems. Sacred Heart Health Systems will manage race operations and volunteer recruitment. Those interested in serving as a volunteer for the event can phone Greg Grams at (850) 278-3544.Participants can register online at www.altavistasports.com.

About the race The Sandestin Triathlon was established in 1986. Course records were set for the men’s division in 1991 by Jim LeFebvre of Fort Walton Beach. He finished the Triathlon in 1:14:27. The women’s division record is 1:26:45 and was set in 1992 by Karen Copeland of Minneapolis, Minn. For more Triathlon information, call (850) 267-6263.

Children In Need get Help From Commons

Children in Crisis has received a donation from Destin Commons to help build and sustain operations in the CIC’s Children’s Neighborhood.Children in Crisis is a non-profit, charitable organization that will provide homes and establish hope for foster children in the Destin community.Mary Kathryn Wells, marketing Director of Destin Commons presented the check to CIC. The donation was generated from parking meter charges in and around the stores and shops of Destin Commons and is a part of their “Coins for a Cause” program.

About CIC: Our Goal :Build and operate a neighborhood in our community for abused and neglected children that will:
provide A Stable and nurturing placement option for children satisfy emotional, physical, and special needs of children offer home options minimizing disruption of re-placements Prevent separation of siblings eliminate extensive transportation provide long term care if needed
involve the whole community in care, support and nurturing. Article Found in emeraldcoast.com

New Mexico Mission Trip

On August 9th, 8 members of our church (Immanuel Anglican Church in Destin, Florida) took off on a mission trip to an Indian Reservation in Shiprock, NM. We loaded up our priest’s RV and went on a 30 hour trip. After a few mishaps (like a sewer overflow, a tire blow out and an almost accident) we got there 2 ½ days later.

Pastor Robert Tso, and his wife, Rose, are running a church and a drug rehab program. We helped them build a deck, fixed plumbing problems, weed the yard, killed thousands of ants, etc., and, of course, we had great fellowship and shared the Love of God.

We held a church service with communion and even prayed with some that needed it.On Saturday night we threw a big Luau party. We brought pinatas, hoola hoops, frisbees, goodie bags, and more. It was great! 150 people came.We had great food, great music by our Father Dave Hope (used to play in the famous band “Kansas”) and Sheryl Wright (lead singer in our choir), and great fellowship with the Indian people.

They were very shy at first but warmed up quickly. I took about 400 pictures, including this one, showing a cute boy named Farrell.

Although it was hard leaving my children and husband for 10 days, I’m planning to go back next year again. What a rewarding experience!

Just in case prospective buyers did not notice the picturesque view of the Gulf of Mexico from the third-floor deck, or the private pool nestled snuggly in the rear, Realtor Todd Gorrell has added one more incentive to purchase a three-bedroom home he has listed on Thomas Drive: a red, 3-Series BMW convertible parked out front.

Gorrell and the home’s owner, Wayne Curtis, brainstormed and decided to offer the car free as an enticing throw-in to the three-bedroom, three-anda-half-bath home located at 7420 Thomas Drive, across from S. Rick Seltzer Park.

The two are hosting an open house today and Sunday, and hope the BMW, valued at $48,000, will jolt buyer interest in the wake of a cooled-down housing market

“I think it’s a great idea. With so many properties on the market, you need a different marketing strategy,” Curtis said Friday.

The fully furnished 2,400-squarefoot house, which includes a wet bar, 10-foot ceilings and granite countertops, is listed at $759,000. Curtis said he is from the Atlanta area and bought the Thomas Drive property as a second home.

The home’s quality construction, combined with its proximity to the park’s public beach access, were two aspects Curtis liked about the property, he said. He has owned it a little more than a year and has had it on the market since mid-June.

Gorrell contacted Quality Imports of Fort Walton Beach, which is providing the BMW as well as a SL Mercedes Benz for a Santa Rosa Beach property listed at $2.3 million.

Sales of existing Panama City-area homes dropped 28 percent in the second quarter of 2006, according to figures released by the Florida Association of Realtors, with statewide sales down 27 percent in the same time period.

While there have been a few inquiries about the Thomas Drive home, Gorrell said this is the first big promotion he has hosted to draw in potential buyers.

When he batted around the car giveaway with Curtis, Gorrell said they thought a BMW convertible went well with a beach house overlooking the gulf. His idea has drawn interest from other clients, and Gorrell said he suspects there will be “copycats” if the promotion is successful, although he emphasized that he is OK with that.

“If that spurs some buying, great,” Gorrell said.

Working Out For a Cure

Destin and Crestview Contours Express Ladies Gym announced a partnership with the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation to launch two fundraising events to benefit and raise awareness of breast cancer.“Bunco for Breast Cancer” will take place in September at both area gyms and ladies will “Roll the dice: Beat the odds”. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Contours Express members and guests will be able to join the “10-5 to Save Lives” event. October 5 will signify Contours Express National Play and Pledge Day. Every Non-Member that pledges any amount to BCRF will receive a FREE One Week Guest Pass to Contours Express.Contours Express corporate has committed to match all donations collected from nearly 500 gyms for both events and all donations will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and genetic research worldwide.For further information or questions, please contact Mitch Newton at 850 803-3301 or send an e-mail to contorusnwfl@earthlink.net. Article Found at EmeraldCoast.com

For Quick Condo Sale

In areas of the country where the condo market has been on overdrive, sellers can face major competition for buyers. The challenge is especially tough if several similar units in the same building or complex already are on the market. Condo sellers in this situation need to think strategically, says Mark Nash, a real estate broker and author of "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home."

Here are five ways to make a condo listing stand out from the competition. Make sure the price is right. Are you planning to sell an apartment in an area where new condo projects are still in the construction pipeline? Be sure you don't overshoot the list price. Develop ‘resource lists.’ For example, young, childless purchasers might be interested in an exhaustive list of restaurants in your area, including ratings and reviews. Families may like a roster of local day-care centers, while empty nesters could be grateful for information on cultural or recreational attractions. Add glitz to the kitchen and bathrooms. Many condos have relatively small kitchens. But that doesn't mean they can't be given the sort of pizzazz that will set them apart. Consider incentives. You might choose to advertise that you'll give the people who purchase the apartment a large plasma TV, or, offer supermarket gift certificates good for several months' worth of food.

Behind the Scenes

Ever wonder what your Realtor is doing behind the scenes?

Customer Service is our number one goal for 2006. All year we have been taking steps to not only meet but to exceed your expectations. In order to do this Richard began collaborating with top real estate agents as well as Michael Gerber, author of The E Myth and The E Myth Revisited, on what it takes to be the best. One of our first steps was to create adetailed closing checklist that left no one guessing at the closing table. This checklist grew to a total of 75 points created to ensure a seamless closing. Even when using a 75 point checklist a seamless closing is not guaranteed so we began to study examples of other team’s success and failure.

Our idea was to create the Sales Management Team. This team consists of 2 experienced, licensed Realtors to manage the entire process from contract to closing. Instead of one agent trying to do everything, there are three. Our quest to be the best does not end here. Our next step is to find a way to create individual websites for all of our buyers and sellers. From your website you will be able to access this 75 point checklist and be assured that we are working diligently behind the scenes to ensure that all of the bases are covered. If you have any comments or suggestions for improvement please email the Sales Management Team at info@eimersgroup.com