Travels with Link in Monticello, Fl

The Market July 2010

2010-07-27T07:41:00.002-07:00

The home buying stimulus money is over. Home sales are down. Employment is dismal. There is still a demand for homes and land, but not at the prices they were bringing 3 years ago. As hard as it is, things are down from a 1/2 to 1/3 of the top prices of 2008 or so. For owners who don't have a mortgage that may be fine. For rest of us if we want to stop paying interest on a currently no appreciating asset, we need to face the music and sell the property for what it will bring. Not what we hope it will bring.

This is a time for grownups to make grown up decisions about their assets (especially homes and land).

July 2010 Economic Update

2010-07-27T07:41:00.001-07:00

Economy in Monticello

2009-08-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

We have seen the slowest real estate activty this year of any year since I opened in 1974. The bright light is interest in real estate seems to be picking up slightly and I have some great buys (ie 3 bedroom 2 bath home in Cooper's Pond only $108,000 and h2 bedroom 2 bath home on 7.33 acres for $150,000, grand old Victorian Home in downtown for $249,000). It is a great time to make a real estate investment.
Help! I am looking for a 2500 sq. ft. warehouse with good access for a good customer. If you know of such a thing please let me know.

Monticello Fl deals are starting to surface

2009-03-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

As the National economy continues to wind down Monticello Fl real estate looks better and better. What few stocks I have continue to decrease in value, but my land thought the price is low is still there. In fact as pretty has the weather has been it is more attractive to get out and walk on. What a great time to buy land.

Monticello Jefferson County Real Estate Sales

2009-01-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

So far the market is still frozen up. Just an occassional call and virtually no serious buyers. The best I can tell everything is down about 1/3 from the highs in early 2007. Hopefully the new President will get things moving again.

My wonderful draft horse Link is doing great. He is really enjoying the new blanket he got from Suzanne for Christmas. It is waterproof so he does much better on the cold rainny days. We had a nice drive last Saturday around the neighborhood.

My friends who where renting two rooms from me in my office have moved out. So I have some office space for rent.

As you might guess I also have some great buys on my web site www.TimPeary.com
The five acres on Nash Road and the 5 acres on Hay Spur Road are really great buys in good locations. They are marked down more than 30% from the top of the market. If you are looking to invest a litte money in something that isn't going anywhere this is worth looking at.

The courthouse circle is looking better all the time as the landscaping matures and settles in.

Beautiful Monticello Florida

2008-12-20T08:39:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been awhile since I have posted and a lot of good things are happening around here.
We had the Fall Jazzy Festival with the King Possum Parade and New Orleans Cooking School. Santa Claus arrived in town. The Courthouse Circle has been beautifully landscaped thanks to the leadership of Winston Lee.Winston also headed up the redesign of the Pearl Street park now named for Reginal Jordan, DVD. It is delightful, complete with a drinking fountain for your dog and a exercise equipment.
coming up is a New Year's Eve Party at the Opera House that will be over the top.

Monticello Fl Real Estate

2008-10-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

It has been slow in the real estate business, but there are starting to be some signs of buyers interested at realistic prices. I think we lost sight of what was realistic in late '06. Now there are interested buyers poking around at what is about 70% of the '06 prices. That is a $350,000 house in '06 might attract some interest in the $245,000 range. That is pretty tough on someone who got a 90% loan ($315,000) just 2 years ago.

Fortunately there are lots of owners around here who bought property a number of years ago and are just fine.

Link has been staying home because I have been lame with a bad knee that is getting better. Hopefully, I will get better soon. I've been laid up about 3 weeks and still not ready to horse around. I hardly go out of the house on the weekends.

This weekend is the 'Southern Music Rising Bluegrass Festival' Saturday at the Opera House. It sounds like a great party. Last week was a canoe trip on the Wacissa River and the 1st Anniversary of Tupelo's. Monticello is a great place to live. There are just so many nice people.

September 11, 2008

2008-09-11T06:41:00.001-07:00

It has been an interesting month, Hurricane Faye with a little wind and lots of rain, 16 inches at my house, Link went lame with new shoes and real estate prices are falling.

Link was barefoot for the summer and his frog (the horny growth in the middle of his hoof) wore down. Wayne Frey put his steel and rubber shoes on him and he went lame - bang. The problem was new to me. The shoes raised the frog off the ground and without pressure on the frog his feet hurt. Wayne came right over that night and put what looked like apoxy in the shoe to fill the space between the ground and the frog. Link was amazingly better right a way. I really get good service from Wayne.

The real estate market is searching for a bottom. I had one seller talk to his lender about his over financed property and they indicated they would accept a short sale (where they would accept 40% of what was owed on the mortgage). It reduced the price from $165,000 to $85,000. Now we have a serious buyer looking at it.

Recently, I listed 5 nice acres near Waukeenah Highway and the Nash Rd (SR156) for $8,500. It would have been $12,500 three years ago.

Another listing that I listed for $132,000 three years ago just went under contract for $76,500. The seller thought it was better to make $15,000 than to give it to the bank and get nothing. It is under contract and looking to close.

Rentals are as plentiful as I have seen them for awhile. I have a number of nice 1 bedroom 1 bath apartments for rent on N. Jefferson St. for as little as $525 per month, a 3 bedroom 2 bath house on E. Washington St. for $850 per month, a 2 bedroom 1 bath cabin in the woods with a screened porch, large fenced backyard for $750 per month. and a 2 bedroom 1.5 bath single wide on five acres of fenced pasture for $550 per month in Aucilla Forest and Meadows.

To see my listings go to www.timpeary.com .

Isn't that Sarah Palin something else! She has certainly brighten things up. It is nice to see a fresh face.

Aug 12, 08, Monticello, Fl Real Estate Values, Good Life in Monticello, Fl,

2008-08-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

A magical morning it was when I got and went outside to get in the car and a doe and her two young fawns where grazing under our pear tree.
They just stared at me for a few minutes and wandered off into the deeper woods. My little corgi just sat about fifty feet away and paid no attention.

At the Chamber of Commerce meeting this noon at the Chamber building (an old wooden church in excellent condition). There were about 40 business people and politicians gathered for one of Mary Francis's famous lunches. Today it was Greek Salad, fresh green beans, beef mac, garlic bread and a brownie with ice cream and chocolate sause with iced tea. Talk was mostly an exchange of ideas mostly about eco tourism and the Wacissa Spring and River. It was a healthy and interesting discussion. At these meeting you can get a lot of business taken care of while you enjoy the meal and discussion.

A bright young lady real estate agent told me about a closing whe hope to have tomorrow. It was a very nice new house on five acres near town with fireplace, paved drive on a paved road that was listed for about $360,000 about six months ago. The price was reduce about 30 days ago to $295,000 and it is now under contract for $265,000. I believe a the numbers are correct. If not they are very close and certainly give you an idea what the market is like. In short the market is down about 30% from the top.

At least we know there is a market out there at the right price.

Rentals are coming available. I have a number of nice 1 bedroom 1 bath apartments, a 2 bedroom 1 bath cabin in the woods, and a 2 bedroom 1 and 1/2 bath single wide with five acres of pasture available.

Nice rain this afternoon. It will be pleasant to go home and read my papers shortly. All the Best, Tm

Real Estate Price in Jefferson County, F

2008-08-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a lot going on. People running for office, the Chamber of Commerce drawing for $500 was today and Todd and Melodie Randall won, plans for a jazz festival on Oct 18, and a tough real estate market.
I just got off the phone with one of my clients telling him his property has depreciated to about 50% of what he is asking for it (and he has a 90% mortgage on it). Not good news another client, who had her listed with me for $122,000 3 years ago now it is listed for $89,500. We just turned down an offer for $75,000. There are buyers out there, but not at 3 year ago prices. It is more like 7 year ago prices. There are some good opportunities out there (see http://www.timpeary.com/). You can make a sensible buy today.

There seems to be some softness in the residential rental market too. That may just be due the end of the summer and be beginning of the school year. I have some attractive rentals now (1 bedroom 1 bath modern apartment for $525 per month// 3 bedroom 2 bath house (a little rough) on a big shady lot in town for $650 per month// a 2 bedroom 1 bath cabin on 3 acres for $750 per month).

My horse Link is doing well. He enjoys most of all being hosed off and eating pears from our old hard apple tree. I usually apple him after dinner and change is water so it is nice and cool. It is nice way to end the day.

First Post 7/21/08

2008-07-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

What a great opportunity to share life in wonderful little Monticello, Fl (pop 3000) with those who might be interested.

Not a whole lot happens here and the weather is often the topic of the day. And today is hot, hot, hot at the minute it is 95 degrees and I suspect it will go up from there. Yesterday was so hot that my draft horse Link, who usually doesn't like his head washed dropped his head and let me run the hose over it so he could cool off. That is a sign of how hot it is here.

The real estate business is a little slow, but I just got a good call on 156 acres I have for sale in Taylor County on both sides of US27 for only $2000 per acre. It is a great price and a good location somebody will jump on it soon. They sure aren't making any more land.

I took my corgi dog, Chip with me to the nursing home, Brynwood today. He was a little nervous as this was his first time, but seemed to enjoy the people over all. I try to read the Bible for a half hour every Monday afternoon. I read from Luke and the Psalms today. I particularly enjoy he 18th Psalm. It has such magnificent imagery of storms racing across the desert.

Well I hope my first blog was ok. It is my goal for you to share the wonders of life in a small North Florida town.

Alpha Post 7/21/08

2008-07-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

Life here is sooo good I just have to share some of it. I grew up in a small truck farming community in New Jersey not far from NYC. What a different world. Here people have time to say hello, wave as they pass you in their car or truck. When it rains we all compare how much fell at our home. It is amazing how much that differs from place to place. This week we will talk about the heat. In fact it was so warm yesterday that my horse was glad just to hang his head and let me run the water hose over him. Usually he doesn't want the hose any place near him. As you might guess I got him nice and clean yesterday.

Welcome!

2008-07-20T05:01:00.001-07:00

This is the blog of Realtor Tim Peary from beautiful Monticello, Florida. Please feel free to browse around, visit the suggested links, and leave comments for Tim.

If you would like to visit beautiful Monticello and take a ride in the carriage with Link, please contact Tim Peary here.

Click here to see pictures of gorgeous Monticello homes for sale.

And click here to see pictures of lush Jefferson County land for sale.

Thank you for visiting and come back soon!