Variable Price Housing - A Solution to Spawl

While not deedable, loosen restrictions on a homeowner’ s ability to build an assessory dwelling unit on their property to provide for workforce housing..

Sprawl: It's the joy of driving for an hour to get to work. Or the pleasure of driving another hour just to get home. This is what happens when housing and jobs play an elaborate game of hide-and-seek. 
Solution: The Variable Priced Housing (VPH) blueprint lets people live near their work by boosting housing inventory on already developed land—not on those untouched farms or pristine forests. Because, you know, cows and trees need their space too. 

What's Variable Priced Housing (VPH)? 
VPH is the answer to:

• Owning a home 

• Creating economically sustainable communities 

• Tackling the notorious sprawl 

• Building housing inventory 

• Taking significant strides toward wealth-building 

Four hundred thousand people a year are moving into Florida. Our young workforce is in desperate need of a place to call their own. The housing shortage is a problem that we must solve together. We all agree habitat must be saved but in order to do so, sacrifices must be made.

Ownership vs. Renting 
When you buy real estate, you’re not just investing in a home; you’re investing in your neighborhood and taking ownership of your economic future. Start a business, and you’re investing in your community. This leads to more informed, educated citizens who engage in local governance and advocate for what’s best. Prosperous communities make successful businesses. People rent because they like the convenience of being able to change their mind regarding location, it is a solution for folks that know they may be staying in an area for less than five years or because buying is out of their reach. The renter is less likely to make deep commitments to their community and the renter does not build equity or wealth that homeownership provides.

The Magic of Details 

• Variable Priced Housing: This isn't subsidized housing. VPH means communities with housing units of various sizes, from micro to massive. Studio to four bedrooms. Pricing is directly related to size. 

• Balanced number of unit sizes creates entry points for anyone to buy into the community and move up as conditions allow. Ownership and appreciation help build economic leverage. 

Infill is the Word 
Build VPH communities on already developed land—not on farmlands or untouched landscapes. Turning where 20 houses once stood into high-density housing for 2000 people can significantly boost inventory and slow down rising real estate prices. 

Sustainable Economic Centers 
VPH communities should create enough population density to support local grocery stores, with a radius not exceeding a mile. Prospective owners must choose between a garage or a business space—not both. This encourages living where you work, fostering a beneficial environment of ownership and commerce to help pay the mortgage. 

Critical Mass 
The vision of VPH is for neighboring communities to position their high-density areas adjacent to each other. This creates larger economic zones, ensuring more success for property owners and businesses. 

Land Use Change 
The state government should abolish single-family home designations statewide. The exception is those single family communities who designate high-density streets. They can retain single-family home status. Communities should work together to ensure high-density streets are contiguous with neighboring communities, usually at the community’s entrance. 
Encroaching on private property rights is an incendiary notion.  Before you start throwing stones, take a moment to formulate your solution to sprawl. As volatile as this topic is it is important as a community that we stimulate creative thinking that stops the rate of current sprawl.
We could take the current high and dry parklands and make them eligible for high density housing while at the same time convert storm surge areas into green space.  
We are facing tough realities. (These realities were brought into focus by both the pandemic and the back-to-back huuricanes.) Is increasing density on currently developed land the only solution to increasing housing inventory? Your contructive creative genius is needed and encouraged! 

Whatever your real estate need, buying or selling, I can help. Click the ASK ANNETTE tab above.

Tech the Halls: Smart Home Gadgets for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

The holidays are a time for joy, family, and celebration, but they also bring added responsibilities. Between decorating, hosting, and just keeping up with your daily routines, your home can quickly start to feel more like a never-ending to-do list rather than your haven.

That’s where smart home technology comes in. It can help you streamline holiday tasks to focus on what matters most—spending time with loved ones and enjoying the season.

And there are more upsides to upgrading your home tech: doing so can also enhance the overall value and appeal of your property. Current research indicates that 77% of today’s home buyers are interested in smart homes, which results in an up to 5% increase in a property’s resale value! In general, estimates indicate that sellers who invest in smart home technologies realize a 50% return. 1

So whether you're thinking about selling in the near future or just want to enjoy your home to the fullest this season, adding smart gadgets is an investment that pays off. Read on for some of the best smart home solutions available today.

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY
Spending time with friends and family is the highlight of the holiday season—but entertaining can be a lot of work. These tools can help turn any gathering into a celebration to remember without all of the fuss.

1. Make Cooking Easier with Digital Recipe Access
Holiday cooking often means late nights and multiple trips to the store. Instead of juggling old recipe cards, let smart-home displays keep you organized with easy menu planning and grocery lists.
High-end: Google Nest Hub Max
This smart display offers an easy-to-use recipe mode with step-by-step guidance from the Google Assistant. It’s like having a sous chef right on your countertop.
Mid-range: LG - 27" Smart webOS TV with Countertop Design
This smart TV can be perched on your kitchen counter or mounted on the wall to watch cooking shows, pull up your favorite recipes, or cast content from your mobile device.
Budget pick: Amazon Echo Show 8
With a Food Network integration and recipe assistance, this countertop model offers plenty of features in a less-expensive package.
2. Set the Mood with Smart Lighting
The right ambiance can elevate any gathering. Control colors, brightness, and temperatures remotely with these smart lighting options.
High-end: Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box
Watching a holiday movie? Sync your smart lightbulbs to adapt their colors to what’s on the screen for the ultimate festive movie experience.
Mid-range: Lutron Caseta Wireless Bridge
Use this small internet-controlled device to set up automations for your smart bulbs, so you can dim all your lights at once with a swipe on your smartphone.
Budget-friendly: Govee Lightbulbs
Just getting started with smart bulbs? This affordable option allows you to control color and brightness using your Alexa or Google Home device.
3. Amplify Your Holiday Spirit with Smart Speakers
From carols to party playlists, music sets the tone for the holidays. These smart speakers will get everyone in the mood to sing along.
High-end: Bose Smart Speaker 500
This powerful speaker delivers room-filling sound—and Google Assistant and Alexa are both built-in.
Mid-range: Amazon Echo Studio
The best device for Amazon loyalists who care about sound, music comes through loud and clear on this speaker.
Budget-friendly: Google Nest Mini
This diminutive speaker gives you voice-controlled playback at an entry-level price.

TRADITIONS WITH A TWIST
Decorating your home and popping on a holiday film gets everyone in the holiday spirit. These tech solutions make things easier and give you more time to enjoy the fun.

1. Watch Holiday Favorites in Style
Level up your holiday movie traditions with smart projectors that turn any room in your home—or even your backyard—into a movie theater.
High-end: Epson Home Cinema LS1100 This 4K projector is a serious investment, but it delivers cinema-quality performance and a laser light source that won't require replacement bulbs. It's also easy to set up and adjust.
Mid-range: Samsung Freestyle 2nd Gen Smart Portable Projector
Use this feature-packed, battery-powered projector nearly anywhere—it's designed to level and focus your video automatically and to scale to the size of your space.
Budget-friendly: Vankyo Performance V700W
This 1080p projector offers a bright picture, high-quality audio, and the portability to move it from room to room (plus outside). You can cast from your mobile device or plug in a computer or USB.
2. Shine Bright with Smart Plugs
Tired of clambering behind furniture to get to a hard-to-reach plug for your decorations? Invest in smart plugs, and you can control all of your electrified holiday decor (plus anything else you might plug in!) easily from your phone.
High-end: Meross Smart Power Strip
This smart power strip includes four AC outlets plus two USB C and one USB A port. It’s compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home, and each outlet can be operated individually.
Mid-range: Enbrighten Wifi Smart 2-Outlet Plug
This smart plug turns one wall outlet into two smart outlets. Control the plug using an app or with Google or Alexa voice assistants.
Budget-friendly: Kasa Smart Plug Ultra Mini
These inexpensive plugs are designed to take up minimal wall space yet offer plenty of features. Plus, they’re compatible with Google and Amazon home ecosystems.
3. Create a Winter Wonderland with Smart Outdoor Lighting
Whether you want to wow the neighborhood with an eye-catching display or simply add a touch of outdoor holiday charm, setting up lights doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Smart outdoor lighting makes it simple to illuminate your home’s exterior with minimal effort or planning.
High-end: Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights
Install these permanent outdoor lights on your home and celebrate year-round with app-controlled color and effects options for every holiday you can think of.
Mid-range: Twinkly Icicle Lights
Drape your home in any color you can think of with these easy-to-use, app-controlled icicle-style lights. True to the name, there are plenty of twinkling options to choose from!
Budget-friendly: Brizled Smart Christmas Lights
String up these indoor-outdoor lights wherever you’d like to enjoy customizable colors and effects, or sync the bulbs with music for a truly eye-catching outdoor display.

SIMPLIFIED HOME MANAGEMENT
There’s plenty to manage at the holidays as it is—make things easier for yourself by automating some basic home tasks and functions. Less time spent on tedious chores means more time making memories with your family.

1. Keep Your Home Spotless with Robot Vacuums
The holidays can create a lot of mess — stay on top of it with smart vacuums that clean up all of those cookie crumbs and bits of wrapping paper for you.
High-end: Roomba Combo J9 Plus
Say goodbye to vacuuming and mopping with this high-tech robot, which comes complete with AI obstacle avoidance to keep it from banging into your furniture.
Mid-range: Roborock Q5 Max+
This powerful robot vacuum is highly customizable—use the app to set up cleaning preferences like a second pass through high-traffic rooms or to block off areas you’d like left alone. Plus, it empties its own bin!
Budget-friendly: Shark Ion
This robot vacuum may not come with all the bells and whistles, but it does a great job keeping dirt and pet hair off the floor. You can control it with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant in addition to a dedicated app.
2. Manage Deliveries and Greet Guests with Smart Doorbells
The holidays tend to bring a lot more people than usual to your door. Keep track of who’s coming and going, and keep your home safe with smart video doorbells.
High-end: Eufy Dual+ Security Video Doorbell
This large video doorbell offers a much wider field of view than most competitors, plus high resolution and night vision. It’s compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices and can be set up wired or wireless.
Mid-range: Google Nest Doorbell Camera
This sleek doorbell camera is easy to set up and control from a distance and offers fast notifications and the ability to respond by voice or with preset messages. Advanced features include package detection and facial recognition.
Budget-friendly: Arlo Video Doorbell
This doorbell offers a wide field of view, high-resolution images, and the ability to zoom in, and is compatible with multiple smart-device ecosystems. However, some of its features, like recordings, require a monthly subscription.
3. Protect Your Home While You Travel
Unfortunately, the holidays tend to bring higher rates of home break-ins. Whether you’re traveling or staying local, these tech solutions can help keep your home and family safe.
High-end: Ring Alarm Pro
Ring is well-known for video doorbells, but they also offer full home security systems, complete with professional monitoring (for a monthly fee). With high-performing devices and a built-in router to ensure working wifi, this system lets you keep an eye on things no matter where you are.
Mid-range: Abode Smart Security Kit
This kit is designed to work with all of the major smart home ecosystems, allowing you to connect as many devices as you’d like for a seamless experience. It includes a hub device, a door/window sensor, and a motion sensor, and you can easily add on from there to customize a system to your needs.
Budget-friendly: August WiFi Smart Lock
Lots of visitors coming and going this holiday season? This smart lock upgrades your existing deadbolt, allowing you to give access to trusted family and friends. Best of all, it attaches to the lock on the inside of your door, so it won’t impact your curb appeal or draw unwanted attention.

ENJOY A BETTER HOLIDAY SEASON WITH SMART HOME TECH
Incorporating smart home technology can help make this holiday season more relaxing—and it can also be a great investment that adds value to your property in the long run. From energy-efficient lighting to reassuring security systems, these gadgets do more than just make life easier; they enhance your home’s appeal to future buyers.

Whether you’re looking to sell soon or just wanting to know what upgrades could help sell your home in the future, I’m here to guide you every step of the way.

Sources

1.      National Association of Realtors - https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/emerging-technology/smart-homes-can-help-you-grow-your-business-heres-how

Clueless

CLUE Reports (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) contain detailed information regarding claims on a particular property within the past seven years. These claims reports are generated by a consumer reporting agency called LexisNexis. This agency maintains a comprehensive database of consumer claims information submitted by insurance companies that help insurers when they're underwriting a policy. 

CLUE Reports include the homeowner's name, personal details, and policy number, and, if a claim was made, the date, type of loss, and the amount the insurance company paid the policyholder for a claim.

Homeowners can access a copy of their property's CLUE report for free. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows homeowners to request a copy of their CLUE report from LexisNexis by calling 1-866-312-8076 or by visiting consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com. Homeowners can request a free CLUE report once every 12 months.

A homeowner looking to sell their home might be wise to look at their CLUE report to understand how past claims may affect the sale of their home. Some buyers may perceive a property more favorably if it has a “clean” report. Discussing claims in a report also gives sellers a chance to be forthcoming about any improvements they’ve made to the home, such as replacing drain pipes or roof repairs. Sellers also have the opportunity to dispute any incorrect information in their report before putting their house on the market. Correcting CLUE report errors in advance may help facilitate a smoother sales process later. 

A buyer looking to purchase a home may find it useful to request a copy of the CLUE report from the seller. A homebuyer may be encouraged if the homeowner can confirm that they’ve made few or no claims on their home insurance. Conversely, a report with multiple claims could help prepare a buyer for any potential issues that may come up during a home inspection. 

Bottom line: Don’t be clueless! It is always important to know what are on reports, whether it is your credit report or a CLUE Report.  

Practical Rules to Live By

The coming new year is always a good time to think about ways to make the year better. The list of “lessons learned” is from an article in the Sun Sentinel, written by real estate contributor Gary Singer. Just utilizing one of these suggestions may make a difference in making your 2025 a better year.

• Do not sign anything you have not read and understood.

• Do not be afraid to ask questions, and do not feel you must accept the answers at face value.

• If you have any doubt as to what you are told, do more research.

• There are very few things that cannot wait one day while you think about it.

• Whenever a situation seems like it might become a problem, take lots of notes and cell phone photos.

• If you come to a meaningful agreement on a phone call, send an email to the person you spoke with to confirm the details.

• While confrontation can be uncomfortable, the best and least expensive way of resolving a dispute is speaking calmly to the responsible party about the issue.

• If the branches from your neighbor’s tree hang over your property line, you can safely trim them back, at your expense, as long as you do not damage the tree’s health.

• Consult with an estate planning professional to get your will done.

• If you are buying a property with someone you are not married to, it is good to get a joint property ownership agreement prepared.

• If you rent a home, you should read the landlord-tenant statute; it is relatively easy to read and acts as an instruction manual.

• When buying a property in a condominium or homeowners association, you need to understand the rules and live by them. If this idea does not work for you, find a different property.

• Don’t underestimate the importance of insurance and the importance of shopping around for the best coverage.

• Some have said that good fences make good neighbors. Good people make good neighbors.

• As hard as it can be to sift through the junk, it is essential to check your mail for important notices regularly.