The Deb Ward Team

Clearwater, FL A Bicycle Friendly Place To Live | Pinellas Bicycle Trails

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When you think of Clearwater, Florida you probably think “beach.” You should think “biking and walking and running.” Clearwater is a very biking, hiking and running friendly place to live. There are miles and miles of trails for the enjoyment of all.

Looking for more trails? Check out the official Pinellas County Trail Guide!

Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail:

Clearwater, FL A Bicycle Friendly Place To LiveThe Pinellas Trail is one of the most popular urban trails in Florida. It stretches 38 miles from St. Petersburg and goes north to Tarpon Springs. The trail was created along an abandoned railroad corridor. It is now a protected green space that provides the many communities along it with places to ride bikes, run, walk and skate. It’s open during daylight hours and while horseback riding is prohibited, pets are not as long as they are leashed.

Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail:

This trail currently stretches from Tampa Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Parts are still under construction, and once complete will connect more than 20 parks. Currently the trail connects Carpenter Field, Cliff Stephens Park, Del Oro Park, and Cooper’s Bayou Park, and goes to Safety Harbor.

Fort Desoto Island Park Trail:

This trail is a paved path that stretches along the entire offshore key. This trail connects military remnants, two piers, beaches, picnic and camping areas and the ferry to Egmont Key State Park. It’s known as an entry to the Great Florida Birding Trail. The Great Florida Birding Trail is part of a collection of more than 500 locations in the U.S. where there are protected bird habitats.

Courtney Campbell Trail:

This trail provides runners, walkers and bicyclers safe access to the Courtney Campbell Causeway, which links Tampa and Clearwater. The trail has amazing views of Tampa Bay and actually connects Cypress Point Park, Skyway Park, and Ben T. Davis Beach.

These are just a few of the trails available in and around Clearwater. Take advantage of them and get active!

A History of Dunedin Florida

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Dunedin, Florida, like it’s neighboring towns and cities, has an interesting and ethnic history. The earliest inhabitants, like the surrounding territory, were native Americans. It was the later settlers that set the tone for today.

Gaelic name for Edinburgh

A History of Dunedin FloridaIn the 1800’s Scottish families settled the area. The name of the town, Dunedin, is also the Gaelic name for Edinburgh (Dùn Èideann) Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. Two Scotsmen, J.O. Douglas and James Summerville, named the settlement. Douglas, Summerville and others brought their Scottish customs to the area.

One of the earliest settlers was John W. Marston

Marston was a carpenter and citrus farmer. He provided jobs for other settlers who came to the area. Dunedin is the oldest town south of Cedar Key, Florida. It became one of Florida’s chief seaports and trading centers because it had the space to accommodate larger sailing vessels.

Incorporated

Dunedin was incorporated as a town in 1899. Residents demanded it due to pigs that were constantly running through town. In order to ban livestock from the town it had to be incorporated as such. In 1913 it became a city.

By the 1940’s Dunedin had become known for the Roebling Alligator

Just before and during World War II, the Food Machinery Corporation had a factory in Dunedin. The factory was the site where the Landing Vehicle Tracked was developed by Donald Roebling and others from Roebling’s alligator. The LTV was used in WWII and training on them was done at the factory.

During that time the school and its students were housed in the Hotel Dunedin. This continued until 1944 when the program was transferred to Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.
Today Dunedin is a great area to live and visit. It still celebrates it’s Scottish heritage and history.

Come on by and see for yourself.

Strategies to get your home SOLD fast! with Deborah Ward & Associates

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Strategies to get your home SOLD fast! with Deborah Ward & Associates

Deborah Ward & Associates, Keller Williams Gulfside Realty, uses several underutilized strategies to get your home sold fast! First, marketing your listing as “coming soon”.  Buyers who have been looking for the perfect home for awhile are just waiting for the newest listing to hit the market.  Homes marketed as “coming soon” tells buyers the general market has not had an opportunity to see this home, and they will be one of the lucky few to get first dibs, and implies a sense of urgency to act fast, or risk losing the home to another buyer when the home “officially” goes on the market. 

A second strategy we utilize is circle prospecting.  We call the neighbors immediately surrounding a home (circle) to let them know of the new home for sale in their neighborhood, and ask them if they have any friends interested in moving into the area.  This gives them the opportunity to pick their new neighbors! 

If you have been thinking of selling your Clearwater-St. Petersburg, Florida area home, please CALL us at 727-410-0336. We would love the opportunity to give you more details on how  we can get your home sold fast!
Search All Homes For Sale
Homes Close to Where You Work
Avoid Foreclosure
What is Your Home Worth?
The Deb Ward Team
Keller Williams Realty
727-410-0336
info@deborahward.com

Should You Join a Real Estate Team or Stay on Your Own

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If you are a working Realtor or thinking about it, you’ve probably thought about what it would be like to work on your own. Owning your own business is, after all, the American Dream. But have you thought about the benefits of working with a team?

When you’re on your own all of the responsibilities fall on you

Answering phones, typing out documents, showing properties, marketing them, etc. All of this on top of what you need to do to Should You Join a Real Estate Team or Stay on Your Ownsell properties and make a living. It’s difficult and some people do it. You absolutely do get to keep all of your own income. Sure you can hire someone to do the administrative tasks, but then you have the sole responsibility of not just supporting yourself, but paying all of the taxes and benefits involved in employing someone. You also are completely responsible for paying the lease for your office space, utilities and other costs involved in being in business. So do the drawbacks outweigh the benefits? Probably not.

If you join a you get a lot of benefits

The team shares the responsibilities. There is an administrative assistant to answer phones and type out documents, make arrangements for closings and other items. The taxes and responsibility of paying benefits and salary is shared by the team. The team benefits continue when it comes to finding leads, marketing properties, helping out if you’re new and being able to “sub in” if something comes up and you can’t keep an appointment.

Drawbacks

Yes, there are drawbacks. Commissions on sold properties are split between the Realtor and the team. After all there are costs involved in running a business and all need to pitch in to stay in business. That even applies if you came up with your own leads. Drawbacks, yes, but the benefits of that sharing are a huge help for any Realtor, especially a new one.
So which will you do?

Real estate services for out of area Pinellas County homeowners

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Have you thought about selling your Pinellas County Florida home, but you live out of the area, and are putting it off until you find the time to come down to organize things for sale?  Or, are you handling your parents’ estate in Florida from long distance, and are overwhelmed by all the things that need to be done to sell the house, including finding a local Realtor?

Call The Deb Ward Team, Keller Williams Realty at 727-410-0336  we are here to help!

We have helped many homeowners and their families with the sales of their homes from out of state.  Here are some of the services we offer our sellers, and best of all, there is no fee to you for the coordination of these services:

  • Listing paperwork is prepared and sent to you for electronic signatures – no need to sign in person, and you do not need to print, fax or email the documents
  • Recommendation and coordination of local maintenance companies for cleaning, landscaping, pool upkeep and repairs
  • If you need to sell or dispose of furnishings, we can recommend a company who specializes in estate sales and will coordinate pickup of unsold items to your favorite charity
  • We will keep you up-to-date on the status of your listing, showings, contract and closing via email or phone; whichever you prefer
  • Closing documents will be sent to you anywhere in the world for you to sign and return, so you do not have to attend the closing in person

These are just some of the things we can do to make the sale of your home easy.  Let us take the stress out of selling your home – it would be our pleasure to assist you!

The Deb Ward Team is a top selling team of professionals who each specialize in their area of expertise to serve you better.

Please call us at 727-410-0336, or email us at info@DeborahWard.com to get your home SOLD!

 
Search All Homes For Sale
Homes Close to Where You Work
Avoid Foreclosure
What is Your Home Worth?
The Deb Ward Team
Keller Williams Realty
727-410-0336
info@deborahward.com

The Deb Ward Team

Keller Williams Realty
30522 U.S. Highway 19 N, #107
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
Phone: 727-410-0336
Fax: 727-474-9069
Email: info@DeborahWard.com
The Deb Ward Team at Keller Williams Realty specializes in all of Pinellas County, Florida including: Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, St. Petersburg, and the Gulf Beaches from Clearwater Beach down to St. Pete Beach serving buyers and sellers with a focus that is rarely found in the real estate world!