Page 6 • Palm Beach Sun • February 8, 2011
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With one of the worst winters on record spreading across much of the Nation, the value of a warm and sunny location for vacation or principal residence is giving our real estate market a boost here in Florida. And those in the know know that some of the very best of Florida weather is right here in the Palm Beaches. Unfortunately some, who think they know it all, are out there looking but know just enough to get into trouble. Now I don’t profess to say that I know it all – but with 22 years behind me let me share what I do know. Your first consideration is: “Do you know what you want?� Surprisingly the majority of buyers with whom I have worked will decide on a property quite different than the criteria they presented at our first meeting. Like the couple whose primary and absolute criteria was to be below the third floor and would not look at anything else – but the condo that I knew had everything else they wanted was on the penthouse floor of a 20 story building. They agreed to “just look� and, you guessed it that is the one they bought. The lesson here is to give your REALTOR your criteria, but be open to new ideas and suggestions. A client will ask for a three bedroom, but will buy a two; they want a house, but buy a condo. The one reaction I hear so often is: “We never thought we would like this – thanks for showing it to us.� That is why you use a good Realtor! Another thing often missed by clients is that maintaining a house up north is very different from maintaining a house here. If you are going to be here for the majority of the year a house might be your choice, but for vacation living it could be a mistake. In Florida you don’t close down the pool for the winter; the grass and plants grow every day and need to be watered, trimmed and cut. A house requires year round full time attention – and unless you are in position to hire a caretaker you might find a condominium an easier and better choice for vacationing. But there is a third choice between a private house and a condominium tower. You might want to consider a “zero lot line� home. There are many available in this area. You have all the benefits of owning a house, but you pay a monthly maintenance fee to a homeowners association, and much of the outside maintenance worries (lawn mowing, watering, etc.) are provided. Some zero lot line communities are gated offering extra security for when you are home –- and away. I have also found some buyers reluctant to even look at older properties. While there are many wonderful new communities and buildings to choose from, the older buildings should still be considered -- assuming a good and up-to-date maintenance program. Older structures have a proven track record to survive storms, operating costs are well established, you are not as concerned with construction issues like Chinese dry wall, and you are not paying to support unsold units. And of course a professional inspection is always wise, including mold inspection – for older and new construction. In summary, and this is not meant to be self-serving, please do not rely solely on your expertise (“I’ve bought several homes and I know the market�). Add the knowledge and experience of a well recommended Realtor, and you will be in a much more knowledgeable position to find your right place in our sunshine. John Q. Podesta is a national instructor and author of the “Real Estate Professional Assistant� course of the National Association of Realtors. He is the Managing Broker of Crystal Tree Realty in North Palm Beach. For more information: JohnQPodesta@gmail.com or 561-379-5875.
Special to the Palm Beach Sun by Michael L. Cohen, Attorney
ARE THE POLICE YOUR FRIEND? YOU BE THE JUDGE! You, the Victim Whether the police are your friends depends on whether you are a victim, a suspect/person of interest, or a third party disinterested witness. Since each of these categories is separate, even though they can overlap, I am going to arbitrarily start with the interaction between you as a victim and the police in this month’s article. If you are a victim of a crime, most police officers want to solve the case. It helps the victim, it gives the officer a feeling of satisfaction and makes them and their department look good, particularly if the case gets press space or broadcast air time. It also helps down the road at budget time before the city or county commission. Here are a few things to think about. Don’t exaggerate what happened. Exaggeration will come back to haunt you in court during cross examination, with the police or when you are trying to get your insurance company to pay a claim and they catch you in a lie. If you say anything it should be the truth. Better to say nothing than to lie. Always remember the police will put every person involved into the computer. If there are any arrest warrants for you it could result in you going to jail, even if you are the victim of a crime. If you live or are in a high crime area or have a criminal record the officer will know about it immediately and it may affect the opinion of you as to whether you’re telling the truth or how hard the officer is going to try to solve the case for a “non solid citizen� in their opinion. The better officers will put that aside and focus on the case, but some don’t. When you invite the police into your home to investigate a crime against you anything in plain sight like drugs, paraphernalia, illegal guns, stolen property or anything illegal could cause you or a family member to be arrested. As a victim of a crime whether it is a crime against your person such as battery or rape, or against your property such as theft or burglary, you want to give all the relevant evidence you know to the officer to solve the crime. If you are a pure victim and are totally blameless of any crime you should not have any problem with the police unless you run into a rude, incompetent or bigoted cop. Just tell the truth - some officers can sense a lie and will begin investigating the alleged victim as well as the perpetrators themselves.