Why Go Camping

Posted on by Arona A.
camping trip in florida

Are you one of those people that love being outdoors, don’t mind bugs, and dirt or afraid of the dark? Camping can be fun for some people. There is something about burnt hot dogs on a stick and roasted marshmallows that’s very appealing to people . I myself is not a big fan of bugs singing in my ear. I do enjoy being in an open space where you can see the night sky light up with stars, it makes you appreciate the simple things in life.

Camping is a great way of creating great experiences with your kids. With us living in the digital age, we are spending less time connecting with our family and more time on our phones and computers. This can be a great reason to pack up the minivan and escape to nature.

There are lots of amazing places in Florida to go camping.
One of them being Blue Spring State Park. This park is located in Orange City, Florida and is open from 8am, until sundown, 365 days. Here you can spot Manatee from November through March. You should book in advance since this is a very popular camping spot.

Check out Hillsborough River State Park this park is just minutes from downtown Tampa, and offers nature trails, hiking, kayaking, and swimming. This park features Class II rapids. Check it out, located in Thonotosassa.

Myakka River State Park, Myakka is located near Sarasota. This park offers boating, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. You can go biking as well as explore miles of trails. Entrance cost is $6 per vehicle. There is also a camping cost of $26 a night.

The Florida Caverns State Park, this park is out of this world. There are open-air caves that are open to the public. Admission is $5 per vehicle and $20 a night for camping. While you are there check out the cave tours, which is no additional costs.

Cayo Costa State Park, this park is located off the coast of Pine Island on Florida’s west coast. Home to Sea Turtles, Manatees and Bald Eagles. Admission is $2 per person, camping cost is $@2 per night.

Where ever you decide to go camping, make it a great experience for your family. Shut off the cell phones, make memories that the kids will remember for the rest of their lives.

Prevent Burglary

Posted on by Arona A.
Keeping your home safe againt burglars

KEEPING YOUR HOME SAFE FROM BURGLAR

Here are a few inexpensive tips that can help you decrease the chances that your home will be burglarized.

  • Use some lighting tricks. Set up some DIY timers that you can automate from your smart phone and set it to turn on lights in different rooms at random times. This give the illusion of a lived-in look and can deter burglars from attempting to break in.
  • Secure all doors and windows when leaving your home. Have doors that automatically locks once the door is shut. Then you don’t have to worry about actually locking your door or drive yourself crazy wondering if you locked it.
  • Keep your trees and shrubs trimmed to avoid thieves from hiding between branches and shrubs.
  • You can install motion detector lighting around doors and windows, this can easily scare away unwanted visitors. This is very inexpensive but is very effective. Gives the impression that someone is watching.
  • Set up a DIY security camera outside or inside your home. This can be inexpensive and can be monitored by you on your smart phone at any time.
  • How about getting to know your neighbors. It’s a great way to know the people that live in your neighborhood. This way you can identify strangers. Let your neighbor know when you are going out of town so that they can keep an eye on your home while you are gone.
  • Don’t go on social media and let everyone know you are going to Europe for 3 weeks. You never know who’s looking at your posts. Post about your awesome trip with those fabulous photos once you’ve returned.
  • Have you heard of window stops.? This is a great way to prevent criminals from getting through windows in your home. This is very easy to install but can be a huge benefit to you.

Whether you’re going on a vacation or just leaving for work, please spend some time and take measures to keep your home safe.

Renting versus Selling your home

Posted on by Arona A.
renting vs selling a home

SELL VS RENT

There comes a time when your perfect dream home may no longer suit your family needs. How do you decide whether you should sell or rent your home? In some cases renting will make more sense and in others maybe selling will be in your best interest.Here are some simple ways to figure out what will be the best option for you.

  • What are the market conditions for rental homes in your area? Right now in Pinellas County rentals per month have increased. Can you make more money selling this home versus renting it right now in today’s market.
  • Can you afford to rent the home if you need to buy another home for your family. Do you need money from the sale of your existing home to buy your new home? Would the rent from your home cover the mortgage payments of your new home.
  • Are you cut out to be a landlord? Dealing with tenants may not be something that you have the time and energy to deal with.
  • What are some of the taxes on selling vs renting this home?
  • Consider additional costs of renting this home, such as insurance, upkeep of the home such as repairs, hassle of dealing with deadbeat renters. Are you willing to evict tenants that do not pay the rent.
  • Do you think if you waited a couple of years to sell the home that you can sell it for more than if you sold it today.
  • Do you think that your needs may change in the future and you may want to move back to this home.

Once you make a list of pros and cons your will eventually come up with the right decision for you and your family.For more information on Pinellas County Market, in Florida, call Arona McGinley Realtor® at 727-422-9340.

Spring Break Is Almost Here! Here are some last minute and cost effective things to do in Florida.

Posted on by Arona A.
Spring break in florida

Whether you live in Florida or just visiting our beautiful area, we’ve got you covered with things to do. For those of you that have been covered by snow all Winter, this will be the perfect getaway for you.

Here are some great things that you can do in Pinellas County

How about downtown St. Petersburg , Florida.    Get a taste of our delicious food from top rated restaurants. Visit galleries, museums and beach areas and immerse yourself in the culture of downtown St. Petersburg. Here you can get a sandwich to go, and have a quiet and enjoyable meal with a waterfront setting. If that’s not for you, then enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants or food trucks available in the downtown area. Some great museums that you can visit are the Salvador Dali Museum or The Florida Holocaust Museum as well as others in the area. You can check out the famous The Don Cesar Hotel which is located on Gulf Boulevard also known as the Pink Palace this is a landmark in downtown St. Petersburg, since 1928.

Are you a sports fan, then we’ve got the Tampa Bay Rays baseball at Tropicana Field and the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer at Al Lang Stadium both in St. Petersburg. Want to get some shopping down then check out some great boutiques and shopping centers or our outdoor markets available on weekends. Want to get away for some adult time, well we’ve got great nightclubs for that perfect evening out with friends.

Dunedin, Florida is the perfect quaint place for browsing local arts galleries and a low key afternoon exploring. Check out the uninhabited barrier island of Caladesi, north of downtown Dunedin. You have to take a ferry to get to this island (no bridges or cars) from Honeymoon Island which is also a State Park. You can spend the day kayaking but look out for turtles. There are Loggerhead turtles that nest along this part of the coast, a sight to see. End the day with a beautiful sunset and go to downtown Dunedin for a nice meal and drinks at one of the many relaxing restaurants.

Explore Tarpon Springs, Florida and it’s fascinating history. Did you know that Tarpon Springs is known as the largest natural sponge market in the world? This beautiful but older part of the city is influenced by Greek immigrants since the early 1900s. You can spend your day by going down to the Sponge Docks and getting your fill of authentic Greek cuisine. Other things to do is a visit to the aquarium or the sponge museum or take a sight seeing cruise down the Anclote River. You can purchase some unique souvenirs at one of a kind shops. This is a great place to visit with the kids, so while having fun they can also learn some local history about the Sponge Docks.

Madeira Beach, Florida   is another great place to hang out for Spring Break. Check out John’s Pass Village & Board Walk where you have some great restaurants and shops to explore. Spend your day building sand castles or just relaxing with a good book on the beach. Not far away from Madeira Beach you can drive down to Indian Rocks Beach to Splash Harbour Water Park. This is a great place to hang out and relax while the kids are having crazy fun. I highly recommend the Lazy River for the adults.

These are just some of the things that you and your family can explore during Spring Break 2019.