Living a happy retirement is important to all of us
and even though you may not be retiring at age 55, I have a great community for you to consider moving to. Everyone wants a great place to live that is not only safe, secure and well maintained but affordable. The condominiums in Pointe West at SummerTree is a wonderful community for any gay person looking to buy a home and is age 55 or over. These are highly affordable 1 and 2 bedroom condominiums. The community offers a heated pool and spa, billiard room, fitness gym, tennis courts and a public 9 hole golf course and more.
The condominiums in Point West of SummerTree include: landscaping, basic cable, trash removal, roof repair or replacement, building exterior maintenance, building insurance and all the amenities of SummerTree including the clubhouse. The residents in Point West pay one low monthly fee to cover all the amenities and have very little maintenance to perform themselves. Condominium prices range from approximately $25,000 to $40,000 as of December 2014 but the market values are rising.
The entire SummerTree community is an
affordable place to live for those age 55 and over. The community is gated and no matter where you live in SummerTree, your landscaping among other things is included in your quarterly maintenance fee so if you are looking for something a bit bigger than a condo, you can see Villas as well as single family homes from 2 bedrooms to 4 bedrooms in the SummerTree community.
Please note that this community is not designated as a gay only community and in no way is this information meant to be discriminatory to anyone wishing to live in the community who is age 55 and over.
Wellness and Community Centers is a wonderful resource for our local gay community. Metro Wellness and Community Centers are also located in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The New Port Richey location is at 4747 US Hwy 19. New Port Richey, FL. 34652. You can get contact information and other location information by visiting the Metro website.
Having a place in the community that we can go to for information and support on a variety of topics from HIV treatment and support, to help for our youth who may be dealing with issues at home or those who just need to know that there is an entire community of people just like them who are here to help. You can help support the Metro Wellness Community Centers by making a donation on their website. Supporting a wonderful resource like the Metro Centers is a great way for us to give back to our community and help provide much needed resources and support to our local gay community. Being your local gay real estate professional, my
partner and I have a strong sense of community and a love for our "little city by the river". I truly feel that the gay youth in our community should have supportive people and positive roll models in their lives to give them the knowledge that they can be anything they want in life and that being gay is not a hinderance to being successful. New Port Richey has a large gay community with many gay homeowners. I am honored to be able to assist my fellow gay and lesbian neighbors in New Port Richey, Trinity and Hudson to sell or buy their homes. I believe that everyone deserves to own a home if the choose and assisting gay and lesbian people to become home owners is important to me. Much like the Metro Wellness and Community Center is important to the gay residents of New Port Richey.
Contact me if you or someone you know is in need of a gay real estate agent in New Port Richey, Trinity or Hudson.
for a couple. Working with many gay couples over the years I have seen the excitement in peoples eyes when they find the right home and I consider myself lucky to be part of such a big step in their lives. Many gay couples in the New Port Richey area reach out to me for assistance in selling or buying a home and one thing I have to ask every home buyer is "How do you want to take title?"
Right now in the state of Florida, gay couples cannot legally marry and without the protection of marriage you need to consider the following two scenarios that may relate to you. Before you read on I must say that this is just a reality and I'm not happy about how much focus may be on finances over love.
You can title the home in both of your names with
full survivorship rights. That means that if one of you should pass away, the other gets the home completely as a sole owner. I recommend this (please consult your attorney) for couples who are both financially responsible for the home by being both named on the home loan note and mortgage. You both have not only an interest in the deed but you both have a financial interest in the home.
Should you be the only person named on the home loan note and mortgage, you may want to consider being the only person named on the deed. I know that sounds crummy but it is for the protection of the person who is financially tied to the home. I had a customer call me to list his home for sale. His ex partner was on the deed and he was the only one on the mortgage. After being apart for 13 years the title company had to issue a check for 1/2 of the proceeds of the sale to his ex. The check was mailed to his out of area address and my customer never saw a penny. Things happen and I suggest you consult your attorney and accountant prior to shopping for a home. Tell your Realtor what your attorney or accountant advised you to do and that is how we will have the title written.
My recommendation if you find yourself in a
situation where you and your partner are going separate ways and you are both on the deed of your home that you consult your attorney as you may be able to come to an agreement regarding the finances upon the sale of the home and what you need to do so you can retain ownership of the home.
Assisting gay couples and singles buy and sell real estate in the New Port Richey area of Florida is a large part of my business. If you or someone you know is gay and in need of a gay real estate agent in the western Pasco county area, contact me. You can use my online contact form to request information or request a phone call from me.
by my straight friends and colleagues about gay topics that they do not understand or just have no knowledge about and since I am one of those chatty open book kind of bears it happens quite often. The pop quiz for today was about "gay money". Someone asked me what it was because they received a call from someone looking for a gay mortgage person and some time during the conversation used the term gay money.
So here is the T on gay money. We do not have our own currency. Gay money is just regular old money and some people use the term gay money to refer to a gay persons money. It's like when we hear "shop local" to keep the money in our community. Some people want their hard earned gay money to go to another hard working gay person to keep the money in the community. The other side to that is knowing that the person you are working with understands you and you can be comfortable with them. My gay customers know that they do not have to edit their words around me or feel the need to pretend they are "friends" or "roommates". I know the T and it makes for a more pleasant all around gay real estate transaction for them. This particular person came at me with "It's
Steering". No. No, it's not. Steering is when people of a protected class are directed to purchase or live in a neighborhood with people who are primarily of the same class. Steering has nothing to do with how or why someone uses a particular real estate professional. Realtors and mortgage people are not protected classes. Steering is a discriminatory act by a licensed professional and is punishable by law. That is not the case with a non licensed home buyer choosing a gay realtor because they are more comfortable with a gay realtor. When people contact me and their primary language is Spanish, I refer them to a Spanish speaking agent who can help them to understand the contract and real estate process better then I can.
So there you have it. Gay Money is just keeping the money in the community by supporting gay owned and operated businesses or business professionals. If you or someone you know is in need of a gay real estate professional, contact me and fill out my brief online form and ask any questions you have. I will reply within 24 hours.
hiring a gay real estate agent is important to you when selling or buying a home. You have specific needs and concerns that you want addressed and I am here for you. You can relax and be yourself around me and not pretend you're partner is your roommate or "friend". Being a gay person, I know you have specific needs from your real estate professional that others may not.
You do not have to settle on experience when hiring a gay real estate agent. I am the West Pasco Board of Realtors Education committee chairperson. I am an instructor for Florida Luxury Realty and an instructor at the West Pasco Board of Realtors. Let my experience and knowledge work for you when you need a real estate professional. Visit my website that caters exclusively to my
gay customers and their family and friends. You can search homes, read my blogs and contact me online with any questions. I take my business seriously and with me on your side you will have a smooth and enjoyable real estate experience. If you or anyone you know is in need of gay real estate services in Trinity or New Port Richey please contact me so I can assist you in any way possible.
written by Michael J. Gallo, Florida Luxury Realty, Inc.
We had a discussion last evening with our best friend who is
a married straight man about not only marriage equality, but how the delay in Florida's Equal Right to Marry may be holding back some gay couples from buying a home. Our friend had read my blog post titled "Gay Homeowners Want Larger Homes to Grow Their Family" and he said he was not surprised by that. He said that it makes sense to buy a larger home before having a child or your second child no matter if you are a gay couple or a straight couple.
We also discussed the idea that there may be a good number of gay couples who are waiting for marriage equality before buying a home together because they may not know how to protect themselves and their partners. He also expressed his anger that my partner and I cannot be legally married since we have the best relationship out of anyone he knows aside from his parents. Knowing the same people he does as we are all friends in the same circle, we agreed. (smile) Buying a home is a big step in any relationship married or not. I can't help but think that there are a good number of gay couples who are waiting to buy a home because we don't have the legal rights and protection as any married straight couple. You have options as a gay couple and you do not necessarily
have to wait for marriage equality to purchase a home. Buying a home together, you can take title in a way that allows either one of you to automatically gain sole ownership of the home in the event of death. Having title as "Joint Tenants with Full Survivorship Rights" which means even if you do not have a will in place your partner will become the owner of the home without question. Please be sure to protect your partner and your family when buying a home. Should you and your partner wish to purchase a home together please contact me for your personal real estate consultation. I have the knowledge and experience to assist you and your family. Please don't let the States Policy of Inequality and Violation of Equal Rights hold you and your family back from moving forward and buying a home together.
The approach of winter is no surprise since it happens every
year and each year more people move from the north to the south and enjoy the warm winters of Florida. I myself moved to the New Port Richey Florida area from the north. You may be thinking that Florida may not be a good fit for you and trust me I thought the same thing. You just might discover that you enjoy not shoveling snow, you may like not having to wear a winter coat for more than a few days a year, you may like having a pool party for Thanksgiving.
Living in Florida allows you to enjoy a more relaxing lifestyle. With all of the attractions nearby like Disney World, Busch Gardens, Universal Studios Orlando, Wet n' Wild, the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, you will have no shortage of fun activities to enjoy. Living in the New Port Richey and Trinity area of Florida you are less than an hour away from Tampa by car where you can enjoy the Historic Ybor City and the Gaybor district which is not only rich in heritage but has a great nightlife of restaurants and nightclubs. Many headlining musicians include the Amalie Arena (formerly the St. Pete Time Forum) so you are never too far away from your favorite musicians concerts. Looking for gay culture? The Ybor district has a number of gay clubs and restaurants and New Port Richey has local gay owned nightclubs as well as gay owned and operated businesses. Living in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico in New Port Richey,
you have a variety of local beaches to visit. There is no secret that living on the west coast of Florida, we enjoy the most beautiful sunsets in the state. We live about 2 miles from the Gulf of Mexico in Port Richey and every evening the sky is filled with the amazing colors of the evening sunsets.
If this year is the year you decide to move to Florida, no matter what area of Florida you want to live in you can contact me and I will find you the best gay real estate agent in the area that you wish to relocate to.
I speak to a good number of gay singles and gay couples
who either own their home now in the New Port Richey area or want to buy a home soon and the need for a larger home to accommodate a larger family and their marriage is a common thread of these conversations. In years past many of my gay real estate customers were mostly looking for 2 or 3 bedroom homes of a modest size. Recently my gay customers are saying they want larger homes because they have plans of growing a family and not remain just a couple. Most people who are interested in having a family will look to own a home that can accommodate their family in the future and it makes sense that gay couples would think the same way. You can visit my gay real estate website at http://gayrealestate.info and contact me through the site.
When looking to sell your smaller home and buy a larger home to accommodate your growing family you will want to make a 2 column list. In column 1 you list everything you "want" in your next home. In Column 2 you list everything you "need" in your next home. The things you "want" are the items that you are willing to trade off to get what you want in a home. Take into consideration the size of the yard. Will you want a pool? What is the cost to maintain a pool? Do you want a home on a quiet street like a cul de sac or are you willing to pay less for the same home located on a street that may have more traffic. Contact me to discuss your real estate needs. As a gay man
I understand your needs and concerns when selling and buying a home. I know how moving to a new neighborhood can be exciting and scary at the same time. You don't have to be protective of your life and the people in it. I am here to assist you with your real estate needs and protect you during your transaction to insure you have a good experience while I assist you to reach your real estate goals. Contact me if you need a gay real estate agent in another part of Florida or the US. I am happy to refer you to the right gay real estate agent who can help you.
Yesterday I met with my customer who is buying a home
here in Hudson Florida to discuss how he would like to take title on this home. I have this discussion with everyone I help in my business but with my gay home buyers, we generally have a very personal conversation about their relationship as well as their title options. You may think that is too personal to discuss with your Realtor but it has been my experience that the customer will provide information willingly and a heart to heart conversation is the best approach.
Not every relationship is the same and without the legal right of marriage (for now) many gay couples buying a home want guidance on how they take title and what it means to them and their relationship. My conversation yesterday was a serious discussion regarding not only their relationship but finances. The gentleman buying the home has not only other real estate assets in another state but he also has a large number of investments and a substantial amount of liquid asset that he accumulated by himself prior to his current relationship. The home is being purchased with all cash and with his partner having his own income and finances my customer felt that he wanted to take title in his name alone and that if his partner wants to be added to the deed down the road, he would need to produce a monetary interest in the property. He will have his will updated to leave his partner the home.
Before he came to this decision, we discussed very personal
aspects of their relationship and finances. My only part in this conversation was to listen as my customer talked and let him come to his decision on his own. Sometimes gay couples buying a home will obtain a mortgage in the name of only one person in the relationship. When this happens I like my customers to really talk it out and come to a well informed decision about how they take title. Without the legal rights of married couples, we need to make informed decisions on our home purchases that are best for our individual relationships. Being a gay man, I understand the needs and concerns of my gay customers and I am available to anyone who would like a consultation regarding real estate. Contact me online anytime with your questions. I am here to help my gay family.
affordable place to live for those age 55 and over. The community is gated and no matter where you live in SummerTree, your landscaping among other things is included in your quarterly maintenance fee so if you are looking for something a bit bigger than a condo, you can see Villas as well as single family homes from 2 bedrooms to 4 bedrooms in the SummerTree community.
.jpg)
-001.jpg)
-001.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
-001.jpg)
.jpg)
-001.jpg)
