I wonder who lived in this house

The other day, I saw this lovely, charming, home, near Madison, Florida. I had to pull out my Treo, and take a few pictures of it. Someone at sometime, lived in this house, ate in it, washed in it, changed clothes in it, stored materials in it, and was comforted by the home atmosphere. In other words, this dilapidated, run down, wooden structure, served the need for one or more individuals.

I really was not trying to be cute by saying that this is a lovely, charming, home. However, it probably was in the past. I have seen many structures like this, that at one time served as a comfortable home. I have often stopped my car to get out and walk around, and into these abandoned houses. I never get tired of that, and it fascinates me. I look forward to the next abandoned home that I can explore. There are plenty of abandoned homes in northwest Florida.

Since childhood, I have been fascinated with old structures, and abandoned homes,such as this. Dad took me to old ghost towns when we lived a couple years in New Mexico, when I was an elementary aged child. We walked in and out of abandoned buildings on abandoned roads. This had an impact on my interest in old structures. If you have not experienced the sights, sounds, and smells of abandoned towns, ghost towns, you have missed an experience that I can say, I have had.

I recall the summers I spent on my grandpa’s farm, in Santa Rosa County, Florida, and the exploration I did of old wooden barns and storage building on his, and nearby farms. It was fun climbing in and out of these wwden buildings, exploring lofts, dark rooms, and passageways. It was fun climbing up onto the roofs, and entering through open spaces between walls. I used these buildings as if they were tree houses. One farm had maybe 10 different building to explore. What joy for a 10 year old. I think these simple wooden structures held more interest to me that teasing, and scaring the pigs and chickens.

Later, as I did my three years in the service, stationed in Germany, I walked all over the land, into the countryside, into the forests, and found old structures, some even medieval, and had opportunities to enter and explore these abandoned dwellings.

Each building is a story. I like to imagine and contemplate on those who used the buildings and what they did in them. A picture tells a thousand words the saying goes, well, seeing an abandoned building is a picture, and thousands of words are telling a story. We just have to ponder the story as we view and experience the house, barn or other abandoned improvement on the land.

Springtime Tallahassee has arrived

Today is the big springtime celebration in Tallahassee, Florida. It comes every year to welcome the community to my favorite time of the year, Spring. There will be a big parade downtown, and many vendors’ booths, music,
and food, food, food.

The Tallahassee sky is blue, the flowers are coming in, green is everywhere, and it
is a beautiful day here in Leon County, northwest Florida.

I have been working in the yard doing what I do every year: planting tomatos,
peppers, peas, and cleaning around the blueberries which have green on them.
They are looking good.

This is also a good time for buyers to look at homes, and sellers to put their homes
on the market. Tallahassee real estate estate is more stable than other areas of Florida.
The weather is   perfect for house hunting as it is not too hot or too   cold, just a lovely spring  day.

This weekend
there are many open houses in all price ranges to view. There are many
great opportunties out there for buyers to choose from, many homes between
$150,000 to $250,000 with at least three bedrooms and two baths.

Want to know more about Tallahassee real estate, just contact me.

Kenneth Fach, REALTOR, ePRO
Weichert, REALTORS-Anchor
1607 Village Square Blvd, Suite B103
Tallahassee, FL 32309
Cell 850-339-5753  Blog  http://KennethFach.wordpress.com
Web  http://KennethFach.com

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Lake Jackson in Leon County Filling Up

Fo several years now, Lake Jackson, in northern Leon County, Florida, has been basically a dry lake with pockets of water here and there. That is due to the sink hole, recently established in the lake. I remember back in the late 90’s, Lake Jackson, was filled with water, and the Tallahassee residents and visitors to the area would go fishing, boating, and swimming in the lake and experience nature all around the lake in the many parks, and nature zones around the lake. Then, the drought came, the land became drier, the lake lost water, and the sink hole sucked out much of it. Oh, it was still beautiful, with parks around it, and the ability for people to hike down into the lake bed where before that was not possible with the water.

Now, the lake is changing. Lakes, like real estate, pass through cycles. I learned back in college geology, that the land is always changing, weather patterns change, rivers change, mountains change. Basically, the earth does not sit still. Change is an absolute in this world. Think of wood. As a kid living in New Mexico, I walked through the land and picked up pieces of rock, petrified wood, really. That hard substance was once part of a tree. Over time it hardened and became petrified. I do not know the process on the top of my head, but time works on nature.

 Recently, in my beautiful northwest Florida, we have received more rain, and this has been great for gardens, and the many lakes and rivers in this region. Leon County, Florida,  alone has over 60 lakes, and much of Leon County is Tallahassee, the capital, of Florida, as well as the home of two big Universities, and two nationally and internationally recognized science and technology research centers.  Lake Jackson is one of the largest lakes in Leon County.

The Lake Shore road area around the southern side of Lake Jackson is a hilly area, with big ranch style homes, with spacious yards built years ago. Each home has a unique appearance, different from the others. These are the big estates of the area. On the east, southeast side of the lake, are smaller homes, and many homes under $200,000. On the west side of Lake Jackson, are newer single family home developments, homes valued under $200,000, as well as spacious lakeside estates over $400,000. On the west side is one of the newest elementary schools in the county, Canopy Oaks Elementary. I have heard nothing but good about it, and my son goes to school there. A new recreational park with baseball, soccer, walking/running path, and tennis courts has recently been built there. On the northern side of Lake Jackson, there are fewer homes, and more nature. There are some very big estates and to get to them, you drive down thick canopy covered roads. There are also older neighborhoods with smaller homes valued under $180,000. When people leave Tallahassee, going north, northwest, they will probably pass by Lake Jackson, as one of the areas main roads, Hwy 27, or Monroe, is a north-south corridor.

You see, I live across the street, Highway 27, from Lake Jackson, one of Leon County’s largest lakes. I am now seeing the lake almost filled up full with H2O, like it had been for so many years. We have been having a lot of rain and that has contributed to filling up Lake Jackson again. I mean, rain, rain, rain. Now, I can walk from my home, over to the lake, and really see a big lake. It is beautiful. The people who bought big ranch styles homes, with over 2000 square feet of living and heating area, years ago along the lake, homes that are now valued over $300,000, have been looking out their back windows at tall grasses, and shrubs, instead of water, but now, they are seeing water again. They are again, where they want to be, by a water filled lake. However, there are still areas with the grasses and shrubs, and not all the homes are on the water, but my, what a big difference that in the recent years. The geology of the lake is again changing in its cycle.

The real estate markets are also changing in their cycles. We have beautiful homes that have gone down in value, that before, would have been out of financial reach for many. Homes come on the market, and are sold, some are sold faster than others, and some stay on the market for some time. There are more homes for buyers to choose from today, which is good for buyers. For sellers, they can sell depending on how they price their homes, or they can wait for change in the market. Changes always occurs, as we see in nature.

Kenneth Fach, REALTOR, ePRO Certified
Weichert, REALTORS-Anchor
1607 Village Square Blvd., Suite B103
Tallahassee, FL 32309
Cell 850-339-5753  http://KennethFach.com
My blog http://KennethFach.wordpress.com

Each office is independently owned and operated. 

Neighborhood Lifecycles

I wonder how many of us here in northwest Florida, specifically, Tallahassee, have lived in the same neighborhood for many years, or at least long enough to observe the process of growth that occurs in neighborhoods. When you plant a garden, it is a rewarding experience to observe the baby plants shoot up out of the soil, pass through the state of childhood, and become a full florishing plant, with fruits, vegetables, or and flowers. A neighborhood has its growth as well.

The developer moves in,  clears the land, flattens it, puts in infraestructure, such as  the roads, utilities, water system, drainage, and lighting. Next, the homes are built, perhaps spec homes, if builder is making a quantity of homes, with several models to choose from sometimes. Or, the neighborhood may consist of custom homes, in which the buyer can pick and choose what appearance and style is wanted for the home. Next, the home is lived in, the neighborhood grows, more people populate the area, trees grow, and over time, there is wear and tear of the structures, and the newness fades into history.

One neighborhood in particular here in Tallahassee, the Weems, was a forest a few years ago. I walked and explored that wooded area in east Tallahassee, which is the direction much real estate development is moving in. I was surprised when the Weems Subdivision was developed into a community of many single family homes. The trees were cut down, and new homes built. I then noticed over a few years that the landscaping in the community was developing, and trees planted or put in, were growing. The Weems is still a young neighborhood, but it is easy to notice that it is maturing, and is now established in the hearts and minds of folks here in Tallahassee.

It is fun to reflect on how neighborhoods grow, and change over time. I am always interested in hearing and reading about peoples’ experiences living for a period of time in a community, and the observations they have.

What Trees to do Me

Around my home are many trees. We have a green zone of trees in our back, with rabbit, deer, fox, turtle, and other living organisms. I grew up with trees and in  most homes i lived in, in California, New Mexico, northwest Florida, Connecticut, there was a green zone either in the back yard, or close by. Always there were trees around the homes. To this day, I appreciate what trees do for the world, what values they have, and the beauty they have. Dad took me camping a lot when I was a young child, and I grew up in boy scouts. We went to a lot of interesting forests. I learned a lot about trees, how to tell the age of trees from the trees rings, how to identify certain trees. I read inspiring poems from great poets about trees. I read the thoughts and stories of the earlier native cultures in the Americas about trees. I am now teaching my son, and other children that I come in contact with, the importance of respecting, honoring and protecting trees, and what trees do for us.

Not too many decades ago, real estate developers, and builders went into an area, and literally removed all the trees to build what they felt was more important that saving the lives of trees. Of course, some trees have to be removed, this is logical, but not every single tree. Trees are part of natural ecosystems, and can color the landscaping.

Today, some, not all, developers are careful about removing all the trees, and do keep some of the trees in place. Also, laws or local ordinances have sprung up making those who cut down trees in the course of their business, to plant new trees. Tallahassee, Florida, has such an ordinance. In fact it is very hard to cut down trees in this community without a permit. Neighbors have had old, enormous Oak trees in or near their property, and have had a difficult time getting permission to have the big guy cut down. Tallahassee folks love trees as I do, and we are blessed with having so many canopy roads, roads with tree branch ceilings. There is a local group as well as local government, working to protect those trees from future threats.

Trees give us so many things. I will name a few that come to mind. They give us oxygen. Remember studying photosynthesis in biology class. Yes, trees need carbon dioxide to make oxygen for us breathing organisms. Cut down too many trees and the oxygen supply is in danger, and will be reduced. Of couse the seas also give us oxygen, as well as bushes.

Trees are the home to many other living organisms, squirrels, birds make nests, and so forth. Also there is the symbiotic relationship between trees and other plant life.

Trees are fun places for children to climb and make tree houses. What boy does not want to play in a tree house, and have his own club for his buddies.

Trees give us rubber for our tires, wood for furniture, paper we so religiously use, and wood for our homes. Most homes built today have a wood frame. Just drive by most any new home development under construction. What do you see going up: wood boards. We get pencils from our trees. I cannot neglect to mention the vast amount of medicines, and other chemical products that come from trees.

I like looking out at trees. I like visiting parks and forests, camping in the forests, admiring the stateliness, beauty and perfection of the trees. I can’t get enough trees in my life. They are my friends, each and everyone of them.

My suggestion to the world, is that we think carefully before chopping down a tree, or having someone do it. I would suggest that we make sure our local representatives pass ordinances to protect the trees in their communities. I would also suggest that more of us get out in nature, camp among the trees, and review the workings of photosynthesis, which is an necessary process for our survival on earth.

Tallahassee and its surroundings have so many trees, state parks for camping, hiking, getting out in nature, and a big national forest. This is a community of green everywhere it seems. Many other communities in Florida, such as Jacksonville, and Tampa, have few if any canopy roads, and have cut down most of their trees. I am proud of Tallahassee’s stand to protect its trees.

Visting and driving through the older neighborhoods, you see what was trees that that have been standing in their ground for so many years. There are trees several hundred years old. Yes, there is an abundance of old trees here. When looking homes with your real estate agent, talk about the trees if you like trees. Ask that one of the features that your home must have is trees in the yard, or a green zone out back.

Tallahassee Doors

Doors are everywhere. Look at all the homes in your community and all the doors connected to those homes. As a real estate agent, I see plenty of doors in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. The doors of homes reveal so much: about what the interior is probably going to look like, and what the attitude of the people living there are like. The door is the like the mouth of the house.  When people see a home, they often see the door first and will remember if the door is interesting, and colorful, or dull and dirty.

You know when someone has a dirty mouth, a milk mustache, food hanging on the side of the lips, unshaven around the mouth, just an undesireable sight. We often tell children to clean their mouth when they are eating as they do not always know to do that, or remember to do that. The mouth is not the beautiful part of anyone’s  body. The act of eating with the mouth is not a beautiful sight to behold either.

However, the door of the house is the important factor in how we connect to the house. I have observed that doors that need painting, have dirt or finger marks on them, indicate that the inside of the house is anything but an interior decorating showroom. Renters often ignore dirt and marks on their doors. This one element, the cleanliness and attractiveness of the door, is what separates the homeowner mentality from the renter mentality. If you care about something, you will do just that, care for it. Often, renters don’t care about the structure they live in. They are there because of the price, convenience or necesity. They lack responsibility for maintaing a clean facade and clean door, or else they are apathetic, and do not care since it is not their property legally. I say, if they live their, it is their property to a certain extent.

Here are some things we all can do to make our door attractive. These are seven suggestions. Treat the door as part of the property’s curb appeal, whether you plan on selling or not.

1. Paint the door a contrasting color to attract attention to the house.

2. The door color should reveal the inside. It should make the transition inside.

3. Put a plant, flower pot, docorative table, or statue beside the door to give expression to the entrance.

4. Have an attractive light fixture.

5. Make sure the door opens easily, does not scrape, and does not make ugly sounds.

6. Have an attractive door handle. There are so many to choose from.

7. Get rid of any wood rot if there is any on the door. I believe that most doors in Florida have some degree of wood rot. It needs to be treated and removed before it grows up the door and presents a ugly mess, a real eye sore.

As long as we have our homes, are homeowners or renters, we can take care of the doors. For a homeowner, it is a sense of ownership. For a renter, it is a helpful act of kindness to the landlord, and also a feeling of possesiveness for the renter. We clean our mouths when we wake up in the morning. We should also clean,  maintain our doors, and make them an attractive sight leading into the interior of the structure.

I like the Spanish expression, “Mi casa es tu casa,” which means, “My house is your house.” Let our guests feel like they are at home in the house, and are attracted to it.

Who knows, with an attractive door, and clean attractive yard, you might be the Yard of the Month winner in your neighborhood.