The Luxury Homes Topping the MarketWant a 95-acre estate that boasts a 56,000-square-foot mansion with 15 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms? It'll only cost you $135 million. Find out the priciest U.S. homes for sale.

100 acres listed in the heart of North Central Florida, nearby the interesection of I-10 & I-75.



Check it out on loopnet at



http://listing.loopnet.com/15126218

100 acres listed in the heart of North Central Florida, nearby the interesection of I-10 & I-75.

Check it out on loopnet at

http://listing.loopnet.com/15126218

Check out my new Point2Agent site with lots of great virtual tours.

at

www.lakecityfloridarealtor.com

NEW HOME SALES
Sales of new homes surged in April by 16.2 percent – the biggest amount in 14 years – but the median price of a new home also dropped by the largest amount on record, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. The mixed signals left no clear picture of whether the worst of the nation's housing slowdown is over.
Read the full story:http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n1-052407.cfm

PROPERTY TAXES Business leaders met with Gov. Crist yesterday and asked him not to forget commercial interests when the state formulates new rules for property insurance, cautioning him not to shift more of the tax burden to commercial and non-homesteaded residential property owners.Read the full story:http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n1-051607.cfm

TRENDSTo lure young buyers, many developers build condo complexes with amenities like videogame lounges that promise a great social life as well as an affordable first home. But it’s not easy to control demographics: Some of the buildings draw buyers old enough to be the parents of the kids down the hall.Read the full story:http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n4- 051407.cfm

Lake City, FL is in the news. Fortunatly this is not effecting the major residential areas as much as it is in government or national forest areas.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070513/D8P3N7E80.html

INTEREST RATES
No news is good news: The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady yesterday at 5.25 percent. The current rate, relatively good by historical standards, impacts ARMs and home equity lines of credit.
Read the full story:
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n5-051007.cfm

HOME SELLERS
Home sellers should find and fix plumbing problems before they put their home on the market – if they know how to inspect pipes and faucets. It’s worth fixing upfront. A buyer’s inspector will eventually find the troubles, which could delay closing.
Read the full story:
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n5-050807.cfm

Ever wondered what at all Section Township Range, ex: as in the NW1/4 of the NW1/4, etc, etc means.

Graphical Display of the Federal Township and Range System
http://www.outfitters.com/genealogy/land/twprangemap.html

FHA REFORM
The U.S. House Financial Services Committee on Thursday passed legislation that would allow FHA to offer borrowers a safer alternative to risky mortgage products and help many homeowners facing foreclosure. NAR supports H.R. 1852, saying the bill will help provide stability to local real estate markets and economies. Read the full story:
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n3-050707.cfm

$5 Ideas for Making a House More AppealingYou don't always have to spend the big bucks to get a home ready to sell.Read more >

Enjoy quite country living, but still say close to town in this 2001 built home. Enjoy your own pecan grove with 5 varieties of pecan trees. Wide brick steps lead to a 30ft wide elevated front porch to enjoy the great views & sunsets.

Interior of home features: 12ft vaulted ceilings, 2664 under roof per appraiser, wood fireplace, built in bookshelves, French doors, Florida room, a tiled 12’x31’ back porch, large windows to let sunlight in, tile throughout, laminate wood flooring, 3rd bedroom is connected to master.

A family member may build a 2nd house on property & the deed restriction give an exception on this lot to allow for this.

Top 10 Towns Where People Want to LiveRelocate-America.com has compiled a ranking of cities and towns that are considered top places to live. Did your town make the list?Read more >

The Priciest Homes on the MarketA home in Montana for $155 million leads a list of the top 12 priciest properties in the United States.Read more >

Lake City Florida Hometown newspapers. Get to them all right here.
http://www.hometownnews.com/fl.htm

Our road project here in Columbia county on Hwy 47 is finallly about done.... See below update from the Chamber.

The completion of the widening of State Road 47 between U.S 41 and Interstate 75 in Lake City will be commemorated with a ribbon cutting planned for this Friday (March 16) at 10 a.m.
The location is the new Park and Ride lot on the east side of SR 47 (next to the S&S Shell).
The $27 million project began in October 2004 and is expected to be completed this week.

ECONOMY
Toning down some earlier remarks, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said during a Tokyo seminar that he does not think an economic slowdown in the U.S. is “probable.” Even better news: Greenspan also said that the nation has experienced the major part of adjustment in housing prices and “the worst is over.”
Read the full story:
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n3-030107.cfm

Check out the Lake City, FL Chamber website at
http://www.lakecitychamber.com/

Lake City is a great place to live.