Tampa Palms Real Estate Market Update

Ten single family Tampa Palms homes have been reported sold so far this year by our local MLS. Sold prices ranged from a low of $235,000 for a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom home built in 1987 to a high of $697,600 for a 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom, pool & spa home on conservation built in 2007.

Currently, there are over 25 single family homes for sale in Tampa Palms with asking prices ranging from $166,000 to $3,250,000.

Tips from Bernice Ross for those possibly facing foreclosure

Pagellis Italiano at Wiregrass

Pagelli's Italiano which should be opening soon at The Shops at Wiregrass is holding a job fair at the mall on March 5th and 6th.  Applicants should go to the former Shades location at 190 Paseo Dr. (next to Dillard's)between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.  You will have to go in person and they have no phones in place.

From the posters (see photo) it looks like the restaurant will be offering live entertainment when it opens.  No opening date has been provided.

The Gatherings returns to The Shops at Wiregrass

Live entertainment on Thursdays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at The Shops at Wiregrass resumes with The Gatherings at Wiregrass starting March 4, 2010.

Pasco administrators to speak at PACA in March

Chief Assistant County Administrator, Michele Baker will speak on county issues at the March 11, meeting of the Pasco Alliance of Community Associations (PACA).

Additionally, Ms. Deborah Bolduc, Program Administrator for Engineering Services, will speak on road issues. This issue is very timely due to the massive road construction taking place throughout Pasco county. So all of you will have the perfect opportunity to get answers to questions about the status and dates for roadwork on SR 54, SR 56, Bruce B. Downs, etc.

The meeting, open to the public as well as to PACA members, begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 11, at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center located at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. (US 41), three miles north of SR 54.

Pitas Republic opening in New Tampa

The grand opening of Pita's Republic in New Tampa at The Cypress at BBD & County Line Road will be on March 1, 2010.

Hillsborough County starts new blog on Blogspot

Hillsborough County has debuted a new blog on Blogspot (aka Blogger). The county will use this forum to pose questions regarding the budgetary process and seek public input. The blog address is: http://www.hillsboroughfl.blogspot.com/ .

Additionally, the county has a Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/HillsboroughFL

New restaurants coming to The Shoppes at New Tampa

Taste of Boston is planning a Grand Opening in March at The Shoppes at New Tampa on BBD/SR 56  in Wesley Chapel.  Also, Asian Buffet has a banner announcing that it is coming to The Shoppes at New Tampa at the former Pizza Mania location.  (I have no opening date)

Short Sale specialist accused of fraud

The St. Pete Times reports today that a man who presented himself as a short sale specialist drove around Pasco County finding abandoned/vacant homes. He then supposedly changed locks and rented them out saying they were his, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's office. I don't know why this type of activity took so long to detect. Similar planned schemes were reported back in October, 2009! There are a lot of scams and cons going on out there in real estate right now.
Full Story from today's St. Petersburg Times

Short Sales Tips: 5 things you need to know about short sales (Video)

5 things you need to know about short sales (from 10 connects.com)

Five Guys opens in New Tampa

The new Five Guys Burgers & Fries officially opens in New Tampa tomorrow at 11:00 a.m..  Location:  The Cypress (LA Fitness & Sweetbay), 6401 County Line Road, Tampa, FL, 33647  Phone:  (813) 907-6680.

Transportation meeting to be held in New Tampa

The Hillsborough County Commission is seeking public input on transportation projects that would be funded by a potential future one-cent transit sales tax. The Transportation Task Force has been meeting and seeking public input since 2008 to create a list of prioritized projects around the County.

County and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), in cooperation with local municipalities, will hold an open house for the first hour to show maps and information on the proposed projects. A video presentation will follow with an additional opportunity to discuss the particular projects in-depth and provide comment.

Where?  Freedom High School cafeteria, (17410 Commerce Park Blvd., Tampa)  
When?  February 18, 2010 at 5:30 p.m.
Additional info

Grandeur Hair Design Salon opens at The Cypress in New Tampa

The new Grandeur Hair Design Salon located at 6431 County Line Rd, Suite 107, Tampa,  at The Cypress (LA Fitness & Sweetbay) opens tomorrow.  Tomorrow's opening day hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 6 p.m.  Maher Alaghawani is the owner and head stylist.  Salon phone number:  813-994-9455

Expect SR 56 extension from Mansfield to Meadow Pointe Blvd to open in June

So says Assistant County Administrator Parikh according to The Tampa Tribune today.  Additionally, the Trib reports that the builders of the SR 56 extension have requested a one year extension to finish the entire project including the massive intersection at BBD and SR 56.  Full story from the Tampa Tribune

The 3.0 +/- mile extension of SR 56 from BBD to Meadow Pointe Blvd. has been plagued with delays over the years!

Dollar World opens in New Tampa

Dollar World opened this week in the Pebble Creek Collection on Bruce B. Downs in New Tampa.  Phone:  (813) 345-8513.

Pasco tells road contractor to "hit the road"....

And now this.......SR 56 extension road contractor WDG gets the boot from Pasco County:  Link to Tampa Tribune article

SR 56 extension from Mansfield to Meadow Pointe Blvd. delayed AGAIN!

Lately I have been receiving an e-mail every two or three days from the readers of this blog,  inquiring about the status of the opening of SR 56 from Mansfield to Meadow Pointe Blvd.  (There have not been any recent updates on its opening in our local papers.)   Previously promised to open in November/December, then more lately in February, you may have noticed that work seems to have come to a standstill lately.  Well, you are right.  In an e-mail inquiry to the Pasco County Project Manager this morning about the status of the opening of the extension, I received the following response: 

"The project has stopped, the contractor has been removed due to non performance the Bonding Company has begun to coordinate the completion."

.....and this from County Commissioner Mulieri:  "We had to give a 70 day extension."

So there you go folks.  Delayed again!  (Sorry, that's all the info I have at this time.)

Homeowners increasingly opting for strategic defaults

More and more homeowners who find themselves "under water" on their homes (owing significantly more than current value) are choosing to simply walk away from the home (and the mortgage) even when they can afford to continue to make the monthly payments. (Also sometimes referred to as "jingle mail" because the homeowners often simply mail the lender the keys to the home.) See video below:

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Publix in City Plaza at Tampa Palms

All that remains of the Publix at City Plaza is this gaping hole.  When rebuilt, the new and larger Publix will be 54,000 sq. ft and it has a target opening date of September/October 2010.

Goodwill retail store in Wesley Chapel opening this week

The new 25,000 sq. ft. Wesley Chapel Goodwill Superstore on Willow Oak Dr. (off of SR 56) has a February 6, 2010 Grand Opening date and will employ 45 people.  Goodwill provides both short and long term employment services to people with disabilities. In addition, the Wesley Chapel store will serve as Pasco County headquarters for Goodwill’s BookWorks, an early childhood literacy program. Store phone:  (813) 751-2047.

Restaurant openings at The Cypress in New Tampa

Hungry Howies at The Cypress in New Tampa (home to LA Fitness & Sweetbay) opened last week! (Phone:  813-907-6999).

Five Guys Burgers & Fries is planning on opening on February 17th and China Wok (Phone: 813-994-9929) plans to open in about a week.

I have no projected opening date or phone number for Pita's Republic at this time.

TOUSA auctions off remaining interests in Live Oak Preserve

The local newspapers reported this week that TOUSA auctioned off its Florida interests including those in Live Oak Preserve for $81 million to Starwood Land Ventures. (TOUSA has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization for the past couple of years.)  Some 5,500 lots were sold at bankruptcy auction statewide with over 1,000 in the Tampa Bay area.

Best Buy coming to New Tampa

Sign announcing Best Buy at The Walk in Highwoods Preserve:

This will be the second Best Buy in our area, with the other located at The Grove in Wesley Chapel.

Water treatment facility in Wesley Chapel

Construction on the new water treatment facility on Overpass Rd. in Wesley Chapel advances.  Based on reader comments on my previous blog post about the facility since last September, the project remains unpopular with nearby residents.

SpringHill Suites set to open in Tampa Palms in February

The new SpringHill Suites by Marriott, under construction on Primrose Lake Circle (across from the New Tampa Rec. Center) is set to open around February 22, 2010. General Manager Sarah Bates says the new hotel will have 127 suites and employ 19-25 employees. Sarah still has openings for: housekeepers, laundry attendants, a reception host, and part time desk agents. She requests that you e-mail her your resume at sbates@shstampa.com and requests that you do not call or show up on the site because it is still under construction.