PAGE 4 May 20, 2009
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Squawk Box - Continued from page 1
Real Estate Today
I find myself reminding her to pay attention, turn the radio off, and watch her speed with more
A Guest Commentary by Darryl Diamond
and more frequency.
Look Before You Leap
to have share some responsi-
This past week I made sure to find a reason to let her drive (for the first time) during one
There are two distinct groups of resi-
bility in the home buying
of the many heavy rain spells we’ve been experiencing. As usual, I gave her a pre-flight
dential buyers, which are owner occupant and
scheme of things.
briefing about allowing even more room to make decisions, the danger of hydroplaning, and
investor types. Right now about 90% of in-
If you can afford a
fiddling with the wipers, lights, and such during a downpour.
vestors are cash buyers. This makes for easy
home in a certain price range,
Lo and behold, instead of my normal quiet time of just looking around our beautiful little
buying as these investor buyers simply peek
then look in that price range.
community as a placid passenger, I was forced to threaten having to take the wheel from her!
at their check books and spend accordingly.
There is no harm in doing the
What happened to thinking ahead and making decisions in advance? When I found myself
Actually these buyers usually
same thing that other successful people have
breaking a cold sweat, I decided it was time to take decisive action.
spend a small amount of their cash on hand in
done for over 100 years. That is dreaming of
I set her up. I admit it. I told her I needed to go to Lowes and she would be driving. On the
order to have a cushion if things stay slow
that second larger home later on in life.
way out, I told her to take the most western exit and as she started off down the hill, in the rain,
for the next year or so. For you owner/occu-
My first home was a 1 bedroom I
too fast, I yanked the emergency brake and put her into a skid down the hill.
pant buyers the financing is getting a little
purchased in 1969 in Kissimmee on 11 acres.
Sure, I can hear the collective “Oh no you did NOT!” But yes, I did.
tougher as many lending institutions are start-
In 1985 I had it knocked down, and had just
In fact, not only did I purposely put her into a controlled skid, but simultaneously yelled
ing to tighten their loan criteria. So I suggest
enough money to build a 2/2 which in 1995
at her on the way down about skidding into traffic at the bottom of the hill. Of course there
that you buyers first talk to your bank or mort-
was expanded to a 2,000 sq ft 3/2 with jumbo
was no traffic because I planned the entire routine out in advance, and the skid was only a few
gage broker to get fully approved before go-
garage and two car carport. I started small
feet, but I overloaded her so fast she panicked and that was exactly what I wanted. Scared the
ing out shopping. Then your agent can zero
and worked my way up.
smile out of her.
in on the price range that you can comfort-
The good news at this time is that
Sometimes we need to take drastic action to correct a problem. In this case, I pushed an
ably afford.
buyers with a good credit history are being
overconfident teen driver well out of her comfort zone to prove that losing control of a vehicle
If you can afford a $125k home, I
rewarded. I have several loan programs avail-
can happen in an instant and paying attention with gusto is the answer. Not that I am advo-
suggest you stick to that price range, and right
able for almost any qualified property, even
cating stunt driving as a teaching method; the real story here is really about taking time to
now you can get a nice cement block 3/2 home
older mobiles. So happy home shopping, and
shake things up once in a while. In my opinion, real confidence comes at the exclusion of
brand new for that price range. If you are
please look before you leap.
everything but real experience.
young "empty nesters" then a 2/2 home
Darryl, Vicki and Shirley are "The
I really wish that every new driver was required to take a portion of the same driving skills
should be adequate at this time and those
Diamond Team" We are the seasoned profes-
program police officers take. It might really help a young driver to demonstrate (in a safe and
site built homes can be purchased for even
sionals at Diamond Investments Inc., and we
controlled manner) how to drive safer, gain real hands-on confidence, and avoid skidding (or
less money. In any event, "look before you
are available for all of your real estate needs.
heaven forbid, crashing) in the rain. I’ve heard rumors that our legislation in Tallahassee is
leap" so you get a mortgage you can afford.
If you are a buyer, we would appreciate the
considering raising the driving age and more severely restrict free-reign driving of the younger
There may have been some predatory lend-
opportunity to serve you. Please call us at
ages. I can sum up all my feelings about that in one word: Hurray!
ing in the past few years, but you buyers have
352-447-4442. See you around "The Campus"
Time to recycle old telephone books
As Embarq begins sending out its new phone books, the recycling of the old ones has
been set to begin throughout the county on Monday, June 1, and continue through Sunday,
July 5. Residents and businesses can drop off old phone books at any of Citrus county’s 12
recycling drop-off collection centers by placing the directory inside the rear opening of the
container marked for “Plastic Bottles.”
The Phone books can also be recycled at the entrances to the following locations: Home
Depot at 70 N Suncoast Blvd. in Crystal River, Crystal River Chamber of Commerce at 28 NW
U.S. 19 in Crystal River, Homosassa Chamber of Commerce at 3495 South Suncoast Blvd. in
Homosassa, Inverness Chamber of Commerce at 401 Tompkins Street in Inverness.
For more information about phone book recycling, the location of the nearest recycling
collection center, or any other recycling or solid waste matters, call (352) 527-7670
RV Sites & Marina Dockage
Yankeetown, Florida Riverfront
RV Sites & Cottages on the Beautiful
Withlacoochee River
Starting at $295 per month
Full Hook-Ups • Long & Short Term Rentals
Fred Clark, Early Learning Coalition (left) and Tony Zarra, Duraclean (right), making the
presentation for The Citrus Business Network. The Citrus Business Network recently pre-
Deep Water Dockage & Covered Slips
sented a check in the amount of $200 to the Early Learning Coalition of the Nature Coast. Each
week an item donated by one of the Citrus Business Network members, with the proceeds
Fishing • Boat Ramp • Ice • Fish Tales
going to the Early Learning Coalition. State awarded “matching funds” greatly multiply each
Tarpon • Reds • Trout & More..
donation. The Citrus Business Network meets each Friday, from 7:30 A.M. to 8:30 A.M, at
Tuscany On The Meadow, Citrus Hills Lodge. Guests are welcome. For more information,
447-5888
(352)
contact Ron Radford, President, (352) 795-0003 or Liz Koehlinger, Membership Director, (352)
527-9790, or visit www.CitrusBusinessNetwork.com.
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