Friday, August 30, 2013

City Grill opens tomorrow in Wesley Chapel

City Grill opens for lunch tomorrow at 11:00.  The new restaurant is in the location of the former Winners Sports Grill in the Village Market at SR 54 & BBD.  Village Market also is home to Bealls Outlet and Ace Hardware. 

The new Gastropub features a game room, large wine selection and an interesting menu with foods such as: Cuban Cigars, Spicy Ahi Poke Tartar and Golabki!  Owner, Gerry Malynowsky says the new restaurant will open tomorrow and a grand opening is also planned but no date has been set at this time.  Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/citygrillwesleychapel Phone:  813.973.9988









Tuesday, August 27, 2013

A $2 billion expressway for Wesley Chapel?

Imagine traveling from BBD at SR 56 all the way to US 19 without stopping for one red light.  Sounds like heaven, right?  Well, right now heaven has an estimated construction cost of $2 billion and an estimated toll for that 28 mile heavenly trip ranges from $4.00-$5.00.  Additionally, between 67,800 and 86,000 trips per day are anticipated on this privately funded elevated SR 54/56 expressway which includes a third phase extending it to US 301 in Zephyrhills.  The Tampa Tribune reports that as many as eight park and ride lots at key interchanges are envisioned.  All this from an unsolicited bid recently submitted to the FDOT.  The Tampa Tribune adds that the construction company is PCL — the same firm that built Tampa’s elevated Lee Roy Selmon Expressway and is building the I-4 connector between the interstate and Port of Tampa.
 
Stay tuned.  Last week, the FDOT advertised a formal Request For Proposals (RFP) to see if any other firms can meet or beat this unsolicited proposal and those are due Oct. 23.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Today is market day at The Shops at Wiregrass

Fresh market at The Shops at Wiregrass
 
Fresh market will be held today at the Shops at Wiregrass from 10:00-3:00 PM.  

Friday, August 16, 2013

Short Sale homes stigmatized

Short sales once viewed by home buyers as attractive have now lost their appeal in many areas and in some cases are avoided like the plague.  This can be noted by the many "normal" sales now advertised as "NOT A SHORT SALE" to attract potential buyers who no longer are interested in waiting months and months to close a transaction. 

In the Daily Real Estate news yesterday, the National Association of Realtors quotes Summer Greene, regional manager of Better Homes and Gardens, First in Real Estate in Fort Lauderdale, FL:

"Short sale does have a stigma now."  Greene says getting bank approval for a short sale can be difficult, and the process of buying a short sale can take four to six months in her area. (It can take much longer than that in our area!)   Moneywatch further quotes Greene as saying:   "I can't think of any buyer that a short sale is good for and it's poison for a first-time home buyer."

The loss of short sale "appeal" is nothing new in our area.  I blogged about it back in 2011:  Homebuyers giving the boot to short sales!  and in 2008 when I blogged about Tampa agents including the words:  "Not a short sale" in realtor remarks in MLS.

Currently there are only 25 "short sale", single family home MLS listings of over 220 total listed for sale in MLS in Wesley Chapel and 23 active "short sale" listings in New Tampa of the 235 total homes for sale.

Just remember, the only thing "short" about a short sale will likely be your temper!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Meadow Pointe III Splash Pad

Construction of the splash pad for Meadow Pointe III is underway and should be complete within a month.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

A Longhorn Steakhouse for Wesley Chapel?

Maybe.

I noticed that there is a Pasco County Pre-App meeting on August 19, 2013 regarding a possible 6,242 sq. ft. Longhorn Steakhouse.  The site to be discussed is located on BBD just north of the last entrance to The Shops at Wiregrass.

Friday, August 09, 2013

Tampa councilman wants improvements to County Line Road in New Tampa


Taylor Morrison plans a development in New Tampa sandwiched between Grand Hampton  & The Hammocks on the north and West Meadows on the south and has requested a Tampa annexation of 150 acres. 

This week, Kenneth Knight of the Tampa Tribune reports that Tampa City Councilman Joseph Caetano wants improvements to County Line Road before the 350 home development is built. Sole access to the new community is planned via County Line Road and Caetano who lives in Grand Hampton (also accessed via CLR) wants the city to add street lights and sidewalks.

Anyone who travels this major east-west road from BBD to get to US 41 just will be thrilled to have the myriad of potholes filled!

Thursday, August 08, 2013

585 homes planned for Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel

GL Homes plans to build 585 single family homes in 3 phases in Wiregrass, south of SR 56 and across from John Long Middle School on Mansfield in Wesley Chapel. GL Homes was named the 2nd largest private homebuilder in Florida by Florida Trend magazine and the 29th largest homebuilder in the US by Builder Magazine based on 2012 revenues. 

Of course the project is still in review and then they will need to put in the infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, power, cable, etc.) before construction begins, so don't expect to be able to move in this year!

Preliminary Site Plan Subject to Review/Changes

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

A new bank and convenience store/gas station planned for SR 54 in Wesley Chapel

A 3,000 sq. ft. Chase bank will be built on the SW corner of SR 54 and Wiregrass Ranch Boulevard and a 4,400 sq. ft. Circle K on the SW corner of SR 54 and Meadow Pointe Blvd. 

Thanks Stephen!

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Bonterra Apartments planned for Wesley Chapel

A 264 unit apartment complex is planned for the SE corner of SR 56 & Northwood Palms Blvd. (currently under construction).

Monday, August 05, 2013

August Real Estate Report For Meadow Pointe in Wesley Chapel

Meadow Pointe in Wesley Chapel
The popular Meadow Pointe community in Wesley Chapel had 21 single family home sales reported for last month in our MLS. The average sales price for the month was $201,844 (compared to $160,903 a year ago!) and 38% sold at list price or above.  The sales price/sq. ft. ranged from a low of $60.33 to a high of $112.50

Presently there are 31 active single family Meadow Pointe re-sales on the market in MLS, with prices ranging from $109,900 to $329,900 and list prices/sq. ft. range from a low of $68.18 for a foreclosure being sold "as is" that "requires a full renovation", to a high of $131.34.

Sunday, August 04, 2013

North Tampa Behavioral Health to open in Wesley Chapel this fall


North Tampa Behavioral Health in Wesley Chapel


 
North Tampa Behavioral Health in Wesley Chapel
 
North Tampa Behavioral Health plans to open this fall.  The new facility is located at 29910 SR 56 in Wesley Chapel.

Friday, August 02, 2013

New Tampa Real Estate Report for August, 2013

 













The July, 2013 sales of single family homes for New Tampa (zip code 33647) improved in all categories from one year ago*.  Compare the statistics of last month to one year ago!  Sales volume and prices are up.  Sales price/Sq. Ft. (Heated) is up too.  Distressed sales (Foreclosures and Short Sales) are down!

Currently there are over 200 single family homes for sale in New Tampa with prices ranging from $147,000 up to $2,000,000.  By the way, the current average list price/sq. ft. is $123.93 for New Tampa (zip code 33647).
 
*Sales information provided by our local MLS deemed reliable but not guaranteed.