December 27th, 2009
Happy New Year!, at least I am contemplating the near future event. It has been a pretty rough year for many of us and I am truly hoping for things to improve. I am looking to participate in some DYI projects, assuming that my good health continues. Projects like learning to build my own house or erecting a steel frame for a storage facility. I am hoping to appear on construction projects to participate in the process at some level, either as a participant or a detailed observer. Join me in the process, health and greater forces than I like “God” willing I intend to make this my new-year resolution, “To work with others, building their own domiciles or storage facilities”. Please feel free to make comments or even participate in your own projects of self and community improvements, or join me on site, somewhere in Jacksonville, Fl. Don’t be dissuaded if you can’t do something like this, I am hoping that the effort will attract some helpful architects, builders, developers, designers, decorators and financiers (honest folks of course interested in playing a supportive role in our economic recovery) to help those of us who are worthy yet maybe somehow constrained to do some of these things for ourselves.
Carl E. Moody
St. Cert. Gen. REA, RZ1417
Posted in The blog dedicated to a better 2010 | No Comments »
October 2nd, 2009
There is a presumption that it is in the State of Florida, that the assessed value as determined by the county appraiser is just value, however, with that said if you can show with a preponderance of evidence that it is not the “just value” then “Just Value” is determined by another way. A Special Magistrate of the Value Adjustment Board may consider the evidence of record developed during a hearing of challenge to the assessment to determine “Just Value”. The record must have competent substantial evidence of value which meets the criteria of Florida Statutes 193.011 and professionally accepted appraisal practices. (this is not a legal opinion). Can there be differences in what you pay in taxes and what your neighbor pays for similarly valued property? Yes there can. There are different exemptions allowed for property owners and then there is the fact that the 3% cap on increased taxes favors properties that have been on the tax rolls for a longer period of time. Can assessed values be determined differently for you and your neighbors with similar properties? No they can’t. The County Appraiser must use similar methods at arriving at assessed or ”Just Value”. (This is not a legal opinion). If you have issues with your property value assessment that has been placed on your property by the county appraiser, please feel free to make a comment. If you would like me to contact you, send me an email to carlemoody@bellsouth.net.
Posted in Taxable Value and Ad Valorem (Real Estate) Taxes | No Comments »
July 14th, 2009
What do you think of the proposed admendment # 4 to Florida’s Constitution? The process as I understand it begins with an Evaluation and Appraisal Report to review and evaluate the Comprehensive Plan for future growth and development. An early step in the planning process for the Evalustion and Appraisal Report (EAR) is to obtain public input about the most important issues affecting our community. A citywide visioning effort, Blueprint for Prosperity, provides the foundation for the EAR and many of the local issues to be reviewed in the EAR. The Evaluation and Appraisal Report is brought for approval to the city council. At this stage Council persons would have been apart of the Visioning effort and should know what the problems are in the community. If the EAR is approved by the city council, Amendment # 4 would provide for a vote of the electors of the local government by referendum on the final Comprehensive Plan. A final referendum vote might be helpful at this point in order for council persons to make any necessary final adjustments to the plan, however at some point in this representative government of ours we would need to rely on our elected officials to make the final decision as to what the future plan is going to be. I believe that the final decision ought to still lie with the council after a referendum vote is taken.
On the subject of Comprehensive Plan Changes it definitely appears cumbersome to ask the electorate to vote on any changes to the Comp Plan on a proposal by proposal basis. The county planners have done a overall good job at helping us develop a plan for growth. Mistakes are made however so changes to the comprehensive plan are inevitable especially as the existing plan ages by 15 or 20 years. Every 7 years a EAR is required and that is when the public gets involved. At this point citizen involvement might be more appropriate after the planners have made adjustments to the plan every 7th year, but to have the public involved on a proposal by proposal basis seems too cumbersome, costly and ineffective. These days our system of representative government is likely the best that we can do without encumbering the process to a standstill. Overall I am happy with the planning process as we have it with some possible referendum tweaking.
The con-currency process is another issue, it does appear to be broken. There ought to be a better way to judge when our transportation system is failing, the planners ought to be able to help us with this transportation problem. Maybe as individuals we could also do a better job of carpooling, cycling, bus riding etc. to help. See my green approach with a Suteki (beautiful) bike. As it stands I will be voting against amendment #4 in hopes of having a better proposal one that allows for a bit more control without being so costly and micromanaging.
Posted in the comprehensive plan and Home Democracy | No Comments »
April 26th, 2009
Much like the boxer of the 20’s and 30’s this Cichlid will fight to protect fry and territory. As pictured a Jack Dempsey will have gold, blue, black and greenish colorings making it quite attractive. They are an intelligent fish, often moving rocks to suit and they seem to recognize life outside of the pond or aquarium such as the hand that feeds. Yesterday I drew down my pond and netted out 7 to 10 Jacks just to take a look at their colorings and relative health after the winter here in Neptune Beach, Fl. To my amazement several young fish jumped out of the pond near where I was filling it back up. Guess they were trying to swim upstream to spawn. Some of the bigger Jack Dempseys will need a warm tank or pond come this fall and winter. So if you have a warm pond, a little further south or aquarium contact me by email, I’m sure I will have several that need a good place. The bigger fish seem to have a harder time with our winters here. They are quite long-lived, 10 to 15 years in a protected environment.
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April 23rd, 2009
On the home page of this web site I have a picture of some of the members of the spinning class, at Baileys Powerhouse Gym, that participate with me several times a week at improving our aerobic health, (Kenneth Cooper made the term popular). Spinning also seems to have the added benefit of helping us loose weight and tone muscles. It has been particularly helpful to me during these stressful times as an appraiser with worries about the economy and its impact on appraisal income. Looks like there are no bailouts in store so I ride until I break a good sweat and for a time forget any troubles. Gardening and fish keeping also help with the hiatus from worries. Must admit I still like a good glass or so of wine, at the end of a day when I can afford it, after the spinning.
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February 18th, 2009
Appraisers have been challenged in this economic climate. There are new requirements for the appraiser such as the “Market Conditions Addendum” to be attached to a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Appraisal. This can be easy or difficult for an appraiser to accomplish depending on what he or she was doing previously in the way of general market analysis. It might be the source of additional appraisal income. This conditions report analyzes gross sale prices, days on market to sell and months of inventory on the market in an attempt to provide the underwriter of a loan with a better sence on what is happening in the residential real estate market. Only problem is that the report is subject to misleading information due to “gross sale price” being utilized as a tool of analysis rather than a more refined “price per square foot”. Gross selling prices tend to exaggerate the increases and decreases in value whereas the “Price per square foot” selling price tends to be less volitle and more accurate. Therefore using the price per square foot as an analysis tool would tend to show a less dramatic drop in residential real estate values. Any opinions on this?
Posted in Economic | No Comments »
February 10th, 2009
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!
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