State ordered to pay for healthy citrus trees they cut down

When I was a kid growing up in South Florida, a large citrus tree was a real prize and in the winter we always had extra fruit to share with friends and neighbors.  In fact, sending Florida citrus to our frozen friends and relatives in the north has been going on for decades.  Florida citrus has been the pride of the State although many groves were abandoned before being sold to developers who wanted to build more suburbs.

Florida citrus in Jupiter Farms

When Citrus Canker was discovered on backyard citrus the State began an 11 year battle to eradicate the disease since it causes blemishes on the fruit and reduces their marketability and it was felt this was a threat to the commercial groves.  Armed with chain saws, they mercilessly leveled healthy, mature citrus trees up and down the coast.  They ended up cutting down 66,493 trees in residential yards and a total of  16.5 million trees, commercial and residential, and spending $ 1.6 billion dollars in Federal money.  So, after 11 years of destroying trees Hurricanes Francis and Jeanne, which came through the area in 2004, spread the disease over the entire State and the project was eliminated.

As an attorney for the homeowners said, “The whole case is an example of what is wrong with our government – oppressive and wasteful bureaucrats who are out of control and trampling upon our most fundamental property rights,” Williams said. “It is time for some accountability.”

So if you are looking for a home in this area and it still has some citrus trees on it, count your blessings.  Florida oranges, grapefruit and tangerines are some of the finest around and provide excellent eating during the winter when the fruit is the sweetest.

Looking for a home in this area?  Unlike many Realtors I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.  Contact me at 561-762-4073 or rsites@bellsouth.net.  Use Skype?  Find me at rsites.  Want to search yourself?  The fastest MLS search results available are at Coastal Florida Real Estate.



Richard Sites, Realtor



Cyber Monday: Can you adopt this idea to get your house sold?

Cyber Monday?  What does this have to do with selling a home?  Well, the idea behind Cyber Monday was started in 2005 when it was reported that 77% of online retailers noticed an increase in their sales on the Monday following Black Friday.

Now, I have posted before that the key to presenting your home for sale lies in it's Internet presence, not print media.  If you have seen the dazzling pictures on today's tablets like an iPad or Galaxy 10.1 or HD laptop screens, you have to believe that a small 1" X 1", black and white picture of your house taken from the street is not going to capture a buyer's imagination.  So if you are trying to sell, face the fact that you are courting the Internet buyer.

People simply want to "let their fingers do the walking" over the Web, not in print.

So what does this mean to you?  If you are selling, go online and look at your house.  Not sure how to find it?  Contact me at rsites@bellsouth.net for some tips on how and where to find your home.  Once, when I was taking over a listing that had not sold, the sellers were shocked to find that the agent had posted pictures of their pet turkey online.  True story!  We left the price where it was but changed their Internet presence and had an offer of 94% of the listing price in 3 weeks.

In addition to a Virtual Tour or video, make sure the pictures are good, high quality pictures.  Here is what you don't want your house to look like online:

So if you are selling your home, take a hint from online retailers.  After all, they are spending a fortune to find out what customers want and are happy to share it with you...if you know what to look for.   Having trouble selling your house?  Contact me, Richard Sites, at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  Of course you can text or call me at 561-762-4073.  We can get your home sold quickly and smoothly.  Want to search for a house yourself?  Use www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.





Richard Sites, Realtor



Tyrion the sea turtle set to go today in Juno Beach

Juno Beach is home to Loggerhead Marinelife Center.  Here, injured sea turtles are rehabilitated and returned to the wild.  The latest release is scheduled for today.

Tyrion, a small guy, has been nursed back to health and today at 2 he will swim free again.  There is always a big crowd on hand when they are released, including the television news cameras.  Releases take place just south of the famous Juno Beach Pier. Juno is famous as a small, oceanside town south of Jupiter where condos sit right on the ocean.

You can see all Juno condos for sale by all brokers by contacting me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  Unlike many Realtors, I have lived here 22 years and can show you the best values and locations.  Or you can search for a home yourself using the fastest results available by visiting Coastal Florida Real Estate.

Richard Sites, Realtor

Ban the banners in Palm Beach County

Okay, this blog is supposed to be about our great lifestyle here.  I know, and we really do have the best of all worlds.  But, I sometimes wonder where local governments dredge up the crabby, crumbmudgeons in the Code Enforcement  or Zoning offices.  Why?

Well, you know what feather banners are right?  Here's an example:

And they are pretty popular right now.  A little color and motion to attract the eye as you drive by.  What's wrong with that?  Well apparently, something since a local government is now drafting legislation to restrict their use.  Would someone please explain this to me?  There must be some crabby people riding around in gov't cars just looking for things to regulate or prohibit.  Don't they have enough to do?  Or maybe they just have a knot in their knickers.  How could they be so crabby?

To get around all this, merchants have a live person hold a sign beside the road and their antics and gyrations attract the attention of passers-by.  Why aren't they prohibited?  Well, I asked Zoning.  Because they are not a fixed sign so no rules apply.  Next thing you will need a permit, a license and have to have your feather banners inspected.  It's like the rule that says if you live in Jupiter Farms and want to build a fence you will need a $125 permit....only if you live on a corner.  If you live one house in you don't.  Go figure.

Looking at homes for sale in Jupiter?  I can show you all homes listed by all brokers in this area.  Contact me at 561-762-4073 or rsites@bellsouth.net.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.

Richard Sites, Realtor

iPad beats iPhone on the blog

I have been writing this blog for a couple of years and when taking a look behind the scenes, I'm always surprised at what Google stats say about it.  For example, when Tiger Woods crashed his car, a post I had on Tiger received over 4,000 visits that day.  And I didn't even write about the crash.

Last year, I did a post on Rickie Fowler, the PGA Tour player, and that post has been viewed over 5,000 times.  And the total visits to this blog are approaching 30,000.  My other popular blog has received nearly 100,000 visits.

Well, you know Google analytics is watching your every move on the web.  So one of the statistics they provide is what sources visitors come from when visiting this blog.  I was surprised today to see that 17% of the visitors come from iPads which is much more than the iPhone at a lowly 4%.

This really surprises me since the iPhone has been around so much longer and there are so many other tablets out there right now.  I guess that's the point of studying the data.  As they say, the numbers don't lie.

Richard Sites, Realtor

Looking at Jupiter homes for sale?  Unlike many Realtors, I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.  Contact me at 561-762-4073, rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.