Renting vs. buying a home in Tampa. Here’s the lowdown on when you break even.

Buying versus renting a home is a conundrum many of us have faced. Do you want to spend your weekends fixing stuff and sweating about whether the insurance is paid up or would you rather leave that to a landlord? On the flip side, owning means not getting booted when the lease runs out. The …

They spent $15,000 adding a driveway to their St. Pete House. Now the city says they can’t park on it

One day in January, Dana Cremo was on her front porch hanging a vintage screen door when two city employees walked up.”You can’t park on your driveway,” they said.”Why?” she asked. “Because somebody filed a complaint,” they said.Five days later, an investigator notified Dana and her husband, Larry, that they had violated city codes by …

Is Owning an Airbnb a Smart Investment? 

It’s easy to see the rise in popularity of Airbnb and other online vacation rental sites and think it’s a good idea to buy a property dedicated to short-term housing. But that strategy may not be as simple or lucrative as it seems, experts warn. The old adage “location, location, location” is true even more …

How has a Singer Island mansion dodged water bills for 6 years?

The waterfront house at 2765 Lake Drive is the ninth most valuable in Riviera Beach, its worth estimated by the county at nearly $2.2 million.Yet, despite its lush lawn, dock and swimming pool on Singer Island alongside the Intracoastal Waterway, five bedrooms and four full baths, utility bills obtained by The Palm Beach Post indicate …

Old Florida, new Florida in $6.2 million Casey Key estate

A Casey Key estate with old cottage feel but modern conveniences and a prized setting pushes asking price to $6.2 millionAn estate at the northern end of Casey Key that sits on over an acre of bayfront land has a history that would classify it as “old money.” Florida vernacular in design and fully integrated …

Tech startup is making waves in housing market

Bouts of brutally cold weather have not kept Alison Benoit, a real estate agent in the Pepper Pike office of Keller Williams, from writing six accepted offers on homes last month. That figure is as much as the 20-year veteran of the residential market says is typical for hot sales months in summer.”For me it’s …