Coaching For Real Estate Agents
Legislature 2007 update for today
The most important thing on our minds right now is still:
Property tax relief.
Save Our Homes portability, rollbacks and other tax reform proposals will meet again for a special session for ten days.
"We're going home to continue to work on it," said House Speaker Marco Rubio
(R-Miami). "We would not call dates (for a special session)...unless we were
confident that we would come up with something that would not just pass but
work. But drafting something to go on the ballot (can't be rushed).''
“30 days to talk the talk
A one-month waiting period leading to a special session of the
Legislature gives Realtors an opportunity to meet their lawmakers locally and
push for substantial property tax relief. It also gives lawmakers time to
consider the focus exclusively on the issue” Florida Association of Realtors® 2007(r)
Special session at a glance:
When: June 12-22
Original House plan: Rollback taxes to 2001 levels; replace property taxes
with a 2.5 percent state sales tax increase (constitutional amendment.
Projected savings: $50 billion over five years.
Original Senate plan: Rollback taxes to 2006 levels; allow for Save Our Homes
portability; $25,000 exemption on intangible property; double the homestead
exemption for first-time buyers. Projected saving: $14 billion.
So again, in case you missed my last two posts; get your voice heard.
To send an email to your legislator go to : http://floridarealtors.org.
Click on the legislative center.
The special session will take place June 12 – 22nd.
So as you can see they are pretty far apart if you ask me. As I said in my last post I like the house plan. I don’t understand why they can not agree but then again, I am not a politician!
The following information is the results from the last session that is from the Florida Association of Realtors ® website:
Progress report: Realtor issues advanced this session
Property insurance: Legislators made is easier for certain property owners to
obtain insurance from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and raised the ante
for others. Citizens, the state's insurer of last resort, is now
largest insurer with 1.3 million policyholders. SB 2498 by South Florida Sen.
Rudy Garcia (R)would allow property owners into the Citizens pool if the only
insurance they could obtain on the private market was 15 percent more
expensive than what they would pay Citizens. The current threshold is 25
percent. The measure would also prevent private insurance companies from
setting off their
(known as PUP companies), and freeze Citizens rates through 2008; effective
Jan. 1, 2009, Citizens would again be allowed to raise rates. Legislation
passed during the special session on insurance last January freezes rates
through the end of 2008.
Another bill, HB 7057 by Rep. Trey Traviesa (R-Tampa), requires homes valued
at over $750,000 and located in high-risk zones to install opening
protections
effective July 1, 2008, if they seek a building permit for work estimated at
$50,000 or more. By Jan. 1, 2009, all homes valued at over $750,000 in high-
risk zones must be fitted with opening protections to remain eligible for
property insurance coverage through Citizens. The goal is to "harden" homes
insured by Citizens (which all policyholders in
thereby helping reduce some of the risk in the event of a devastating storm.
The plan also calls for free inspections of 400,000 single-family homes and
provides grants and loan to certain homeowners so they can make improvements
that strengthen their home against storms.
Housing trust funds. More of the money generated by a portion of documentary
stamp taxes for the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust
Funds will be
allocated to state and local programs. The state budget provides $393.4
million for housing programs- down from $433 million set aside last year but
still $150 million more the cap imposed by the 2005 Legislature. Unfortunately, legislators failed to remove the $243 million cap on
the funds,
a move sought by affordable housing advocates, including FAR, citing a lean budget year.
On a related note, lawmakers approved HB 1375 by Rep. Mike Davis
(R-Naples), a
long-time advocate of full funding of housing trust funds and other statewide
affordable housing programs. Among other things, HB 1375 would require local
governments to adopt by July 1, 2008 a workforce/affordable housing plan into
the local comprehensive plan. Failure to do so would prevent the local
government from receiving state housing grants.
More staff positions at the Division of Real Estate.The state budget also
appropriates money for seven new employees at the Division - four full-time
and three part-time. This should go a long way toward improving services to
Realtors and protecting the public.
Also approved this session:
SB 2234 by Sen. Steve Wise (R-Jacksonville), which requires home inspectors,
mold remediators and mold assessors to be licensed by the Department of
Business and Professional Regulation. Effective July 1, 2010, if
signed by the
governor.
-HB 1277 by Rep. Pat Patterson (R-DeLand), which limits the financial penalty
a landlord can collect when a tenant breaks a lease to two months of
rent. The
bill only affects leases of less than a year. Effective immediately if the
governor signs it.
-HB 7163 by Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (R-Miami)which allows real estate
licensees to earn 3hours of CE credit for attending a Florida Real Estate
Commission meeting.Effective immediately if the governor signs it.
-SB 1824 by Sen. Mike Fasano (R-New Port Richey), which places numerous
disclosure and education requirements on mortgage brokers and lenders to help
protect consumers during the mortgage loan application process. More
importantly, the bill includes additional enforcement and investigative tools.
You can also email me at Katerinag@bellsouth.net for coaching and consulting information for Real Estate Agents. I am a Realtor and a Business, Career, Health and Personal Coach, Real Estate Business Consultant, trainer and speaker. Yours In Real Estate, Katerina
Coaching For Real Estate Agents
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