Melanie Loves Tampa Bay
by Melanie Atkinson
Welcome! 💗 I'm Melanie - Tampa Bay area Real Estate Agent with Smith & Associates. Join me to learn about the ins and outs of real estate, home ownership, and living in the Tampa Bay area in sunny Florida.Looking to buy/sell a house? I specialize in the Westchase, South Tampa, and Downtown Tampa areas with over 11 years of [email protected]
Episodes
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Florida Home Builder Reveals SECRETS of New Construction
Building a new construction home can be a challenging process, so I'm bringing in my friend & colleague John Skemp to spill the secrets INSIDE his $3.4M South Tampa build! This video would be helpful for anyone interested in learning more about what it takes to build your own home in Florida.…
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Florida Waterfront Living Options🌴 Tampa Realtor Explains
There are so many different types of waterfront property here in Florida - from the beach to the lake. In this episode, I briefly explain some of the most popular options in the Tampa Bay area. Melanie Atkinson is a Tampa Bay area Realtor 🌴 with Smith & Associates in Florida. She loves Tampa Bay...
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2023 Housing Market: 6 Things You Need to Know
What can real estate buyers and sellers expect in 2023? Here are 6 major things you should look out for in the 2023 housing market. Quite a few challenges I think we'll say "good-bye" to next year, but new challenges we'll say "hello" to. Without a doubt, the process of buying and selling a home...
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Tampa's Restaurant Scene with My Bestie Chantelle
Besides real estate, I LOVE to try out new restaurants and continue to visit my favorites. Joining me in this episode to talk about the Tampa food scene is my bestie Chantelle Boothe. https://www.melanielovestampabay.com/agent/Chantelle_Boothe/8498883 Featured Tampa Restaurants:...
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Higher Mortgage Rates Drastically Reduce Home Buying Power
Did you know the 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate has increased 120% in 2022? That's a big effing deal! In this episode, I'll be crunching some numbers and talking about the impact on the Florida housing market. *Information subject to change* Melanie Atkinson is a Tampa Bay area Realtor 🌴...
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How to Research Florida Schools | Tampa Mom's BEST Tips
For parents, I know researching school districts and figuring out the best education options for your children can be challenging. While I'm a Realtor by profession and am asked constantly about schools, I'm also a mother of three children who all went through the Florida education system and…
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The Truth About Florida's Housing Market | Home Prices, Inventory & Demand
What's REALLY happening on the ground level for Florida real estate? Sure, the housing market was on fire the last couple years, but what about now and moving forward to 2023? Nobody thought the crazy prices and demand would be sustainable long term here in the Tampa Bay area. Let's get real and...
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State of the Housing Market 2022 | Honest Realtor Confessions CA vs TX vs FL
The past few years, this housing market has been absolutely insane with sky high prices, bidding wars, and rollercoaster mortgage rates. Is the real estate market due for a crash? Will anyone ever be able to afford a home? Three powerhouse real estate agents in the craziest housing markets across...
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1st Time Homebuyer Tips You (Probably) Haven't Heard Yet
Being a first time home buyer is a very exciting, but stressful time. There are a ton of videos out there already about how to buy a house, but I wanted to share my very best tips as a veteran Florida real estate agent that you (probably) haven't heard yet. We'll be going over selecting the right...
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What's Behind Florida's Property Insurance Crisis? State Sen. Jeff Brandes on Special Session
Have you been dealing with homeowners' insurance sticker shock or get a notice that your policy is canceled? There's a LOT to know about the current property insurance crisis here in Florida. Joining me for this episode is State Senator Jeff Brandes (R) District 24 to discuss what's behind our...
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Why You Should IGNORE a Home's Property Tax History | Florida Realtor Explains
When you’re searching for Florida homes online, have you ever wondered why two similar properties have such different property taxes? I’ll be explaining why you should NOT rely on a home’s property tax history to estimate what yours would be on the same home. We’re going to go over Florida’s...
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Why Are 'Pending' Homes For Sale Again? | Real Estate Contracts Explained
In this red hot housing market of Tampa, Florida homes do NOT last very long once they go up for sale. But what about all those homes that show as 'pending' for a while, then pop back up 'for sale'? Let's go over some of the common reasons why residential real estate contracts fall through and…
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Living in Florida (Now That Everyone's Moving Here) 🌴 Cost of Living, Traffic, Weather
What is it really like to live in the state of Florida now that it's such a popular moving destination? So much has changed over the past few years in terms of cost of living, the housing market, Tampa Bay area neighborhoods, traffic, and population demographics. Florida still does not have state...
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Is Renting a Home the New American Dream? Realtor Reacts to 60 Minutes Piece
Rent... the American Dream? 60 Minutes recently did a report on the housing market and the increase of rental prices around the country. In 2021, the Tampa Bay area experienced about a 25% spike in both home and rent prices. The high demand and lack of inventory is driving these costs up and...
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Is Tampa a Cash Buyers Only Market? Florida Realtor Breaks Down Home Sales
To many buyers searching for the perfect home in the Tampa Bay area, it might seem like cash buyers & investors are swooping in to get all of the local inventory - pushing out everyone with financing offers. But is this really true? In this episode, I analyze & compare real home sales numbers to...
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Tampa Named Zillow's #1 Housing Market for 2022 | Florida Realtor Reacts
Zillow just named the Tampa metro as the #1 hottest housing market for 2022. Not surprisingly, Florida cities dominated much of the ranking list for the second year in a row along with North Carolina and Texas. According to Zillow, the housing market overall is expected to remain hot, maintaining...
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Million Dollar Condos on the Horizon | Tampa, Florida Luxury Real Estate
As the Tampa Bay area grows, there are quite a few new condo developments that will be available to new residents in the upcoming years. One of my favorite things about working for Smith & Associates is that we're the exclusive sales brokerage for so many of these luxury projects. Fair warning:...
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Florida Insurance 2022: Major Changes to Homeowners & Flood Policies
Tampa Bay area insurance agent Maria Rodriguez, with Rip Weachter Insurance Agency, joins me to talk about Florida insurance changes to know about going into 2022. She explains how insurance carriers have updated the methodology used to calculate flood risk and premiums. You'll want to tune into...
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Can You Afford to Buy a House in 2022? 🏠 Mortgage & Interest Rate Changes to Know About
With home prices on the rise, can you even afford to buy a home in 2022? In this episode, Melanie is joined by Patrick Storch with The Mortgage Firm Tampa to discuss mortgage changes you need to know about, interest rates, and the challenging housing market here in Florida. (Spoiler Alert:...
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Moving to Florida 2022 🏡 What You Need to Know About Home Buying
With a crazy nationwide housing market, the frenzy seems particularly high here in Tampa, Florida. If you're considering a move to Florida in 2022, or planning to buy a home - check out this update from experienced real estate agent Melanie Atkinson, who works in the Tampa Bay area. She'll also...
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Hottest Tampa, Florida Neighborhoods for Home Buyers
It can be difficult to figure out where to buy a house when you don't know the Tampa Bay area, so I'm revealing the most popular neighborhoods for my own clients. Giving advice as to where to move can be tricky for me as a Realtor, because we have professional and ethical guidelines in place to...
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Explore Dunedin & Safety Harbor | Tampa, Florida Neighborhoods
Two of my favorite small cities here in the Tampa Bay area are Dunedin and Safety Harbor - wonderful places to live and visit. Dunedin and Safety Harbor are waterfront communities with quaint, bustling downtown areas, plenty of fun events, things to do, places to eat and drink. Dunedin is located...
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Is Tampa an Ugly Place to Live? 🌴 The TRUTH About Florida
White powder beaches, palm trees, luxurious new houses, manicured golf courses, and waterfront parks. There are so many gorgeous things to list in the Tampa Bay area, but everywhere can't be pretty - right? Is it possible that parts of Tampa are actually UGLY? Recently, a home buying client flat...
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Tampa Bay 2021 Guide | Road, Commercial, Residential Projects You Need to Know About
While it may have felt like everything shut down in 2020, there's lots of building and development in the Tampa Bay area. In this episode, I want to update you on some of the most exciting residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects. Midtown Tampa https://midtowntampa.com/ Water Street...
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Florida Realtors Spill the TRUTH About Living in Tampa | Neighborhoods, Schools, Traffic, Weather
With the current state of the housing market, busy real estate agents must work together in order to best serve our clients. In this episode, I'm introducing you to my Smith & Associate colleagues and give them the opportunity to share their insight on what it's like to move to Florida and live…
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Moving to Florida 🏡 How Buyers Stand a Chance in a Crazy Real Estate Market
By now you've probably heard about the low inventory real estate situation here in the Tampa Bay area, and I'm sharing my advice for how to best navigate this housing market. As of March 2021, Hillsborough County only has three weeks of single family home inventory, when a balanced housing market...
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Answering YOUR Questions ❓ #3 Schools, Property Taxes, Homestead Exemption, Singles Scene
Reading your comments and answering questions in the 3rd edition of this series! Leave questions you have down below in the comment section and they may be answered in future episodes. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:00 Pools & Property Value 1:55 NYC to Jacksonville 2:18 Homestead Exemption 3:54…
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Moving to Florida 2021 🏡 What You Need to Know
Planning to move to Florida in 2021? Here are some important updates for anyone considering a relocation to the Sunshine State. This episode will be building on information shared in a previous video about moving to Florida in 2020, so check that one out if you haven't seen it yet. 2020 has been…
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How to Buy a House Sight Unseen | BEST REALTOR TIPS
It's hard to imagine buying a house without ever seeing it in person until after closing, but it's happening now more than ever. For much of 2020, there have been travel restrictions in place so house hunting has largely gone virtual. If you wait to fly down to see a home in person, it may…
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Moving from California to Florida? 🌴 Here's What You Need to Know
Are you researching moving from California to Florida? My clients Bill & Dotty were longtime California residents who decided to make the change and spend their retirement years here in the Tampa, Florida area. They share insight and experiences that hopefully will be helpful to anyone looking…
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Housing Market: What Will Happen to Home Prices? 🏡 Realtor Explains
As if 2020 couldn't get any weirder, we've been dealing with an insane housing market here in the Tampa Bay area for months along with other parts of the country. What the heck is going on and how do you figure out if now is the right time to buy a home? Do you take advantage of the ridiculously...
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Luxury Real Estate Guide 🏙️ Tampa, Florida
The Tampa Bay area is seeing an influx of luxury home buyers coming from out of state. If you're seeking high end real estate in Florida, I've put together a guide for our area to help you. We have tons of coastline, two major cities, three professional sports teams, the award-winning Tampa...
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Buying New Construction Homes in Florida 🏡 Things You Should Know
New construction homes are on fire this year in the Tampa Bay area. Neighborhoods in Odessa, Wesley Chapel, and Riverview can hardly keep up with the demand. With the influx of people wanting to be in Florida, combined with low interest rates and affordable prices - it's easy to understand why...
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Wesley Chapel: What You Need to Know 🌴 Pasco County, Florida
Wesley Chapel is a popular community outside Tampa, Florida that I get asked about all the time. Let’s dive into this area from new construction home builders, home prices, where exactly it’s located in Pasco County, flood zones, schools, and things to do. Want to skip ahead? Here are the topics...
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Moving to Tampa, Florida 🌴 What It's REALLY Like
Thinking about moving to Florida? While I've lived in the Tampa Bay area for two decades, my boyfriend Todd has lived in quite a few different cities. He relocated to Tampa in 2017 and joins me in this episode to share his perspective on how Tampa compares to other places in the U.S. Want to skip...
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How to Sell Your Home While Buying Another House 🏠 Realtor Advice
"Help! I have to sell my current house before I buy another one. Where do I start?" This is a question I get all the time, so get ready for all my best advice. TIP #1 - UNDERSTAND YOUR FINANCES There's a difference between NEEDING to sell your current home in order to qualify for the loan on your...
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Florida Real Estate 🏖️ European Buyer Guide ft. Annette Reeve / Mayfair Int'l Realty
Real estate in the U.S. works much differently compared to other countries. In this #socialdistancing episode, I talk with Annette Reeve / Mayfair International Realty in London about European / UK residents buying homes in Florida. There's a lot to know when you purchase international property....
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New Florida Realtor 🏠 Door Knocking for 8 Hours & Flipping a $10K House
39 closings, 10 pending properties, door knocking for 8 hours a day, and flipping a $10,000 house - Pensacola real estate agent John Cho shares his highs and lows from the first year as a Realtor. Great conversation and here's timestamps if you want to skip ahead: 0:56 Getting started in real...
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Real Estate 🗽 NYC vs FLORIDA ☀️ with Michael Holt
🗽 NYC vs FL ☀️ Real estate chat comparing the New York City metro to the Tampa Bay area in Florida with Licensed Broker Associate Michael Holt, who works in both locations. Michael fills us in on the unique NYC market and what it's like to buy / sell there. We also chat about the lifestyle and...
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Will Mortgage Rates Ever Drop to 0%? 🏡 Should You Refinance Your Home?
Mortgage rates are all over the place right now, as the Federal Reserve sharply cut interest rates and announced buying of mortgage-backed securities. How low can mortgage interest rates go? Melanie talks with David Donaldson, Branch Manager with VanDyk Mortgage, about what we can expect and...
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Florida Insurance: What You Need to Know 💵 Homeowners, Flood, Auto, Renters, Umbrella
Tampa Bay area insurance agent Maria Rodriguez, with Rip Weachter Insurance Agency, joins me to talk about Florida insurance. She explains homeowners, flood, auto, renters, and umbrella insurance policies and why they're important to protect yourself and your property. We also discuss what type…
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Answering YOUR Questions ❓ #2 Relocating to Tampa, Snakeskin Fashion, Porta Potties!?
Answering your questions and responding to comments left on my channel - everything from relocating to the Tampa Bay area, keeping animals in your backyard, love bugs causing car damage, Midtown Tampa, to the supply of crocodile and snakeskin themed clothing!? Meanwhile, Tucker doesn't want to...
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4 New Home Communities Outside Tampa 🏠 Pasco County
So many of my buyers are looking for new construction in the Tampa Bay area and there are lots of housing options to choose from, but I want to share four popular communities that I show often in Pasco County, just north of Tampa. Three of these developments are in Odessa, and one is in nearby…
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Home Selling Makeover 🏠 Home Staging [Before & After]
We're giving one of my listings a home makeover by bringing in a home stager [before & after pics], plus I'm sharing some of my best home selling tips. This vacant Tampa villa went pending in just two days! We'll be getting into the importance of creating an identity for each room in a house…
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Moving to Florida in 2020? What You Need to Know
So you want to move to Florida in 2020? This is your last cold winter, right? There's a lot to know about our great state, and I want to share information about establishing residency, buying vs. renting and the Tampa Bay area specifically. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MOVE TO FLORIDA? If you're planning...
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2019 Holiday Guide 🎄 Things To Do in Tampa | MELANIE ❤️ TAMPA BAY
We may not have a white Christmas, but there is still plenty to do in the Tampa Bay area over the holiday season. Here are some great family-friendly holiday events you won't want to miss if you're a resident or just visiting Florida! Enchant - St. Petersburg - Tropicana Field November 22 -...
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Relocating to MacDill AFB? Tampa Neighborhoods + Commute Times Guide
Are you relocating to Tampa to work out of MacDill Air Force Base and need a starter guide to the Tampa Bay area? That's what this episode is for! MacDill Air Force Base is located at the southern end of the Tampa peninsula, about 4 miles south of Downtown Tampa. MacDill AFB is not only an Air...
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Answering YOUR Questions ❓ #1 Weather, Snakes, Public Transportation | MELANIE ❤️ TAMPA BAY
Answering your questions and responding to comments left on my channel - everything from weather to public transportation to snakes. Meanwhile, my puppy Tucker does his best to be a huge distraction. This is going to be a regular video series, so keep 'em coming! If you're not looking to buy /…
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South Tampa 🌴 One of Tampa's Most Popular Areas | FLORIDA LIVING
One of the most popular Tampa Bay areas is definitely South Tampa, so let's take a closer look to see if it's for you! Generally when people are talking about South Tampa, they're referring to the peninsula that juts down into Tampa Bay with the northern boundary of South Tampa being State Road…
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Reality Check ✅ What New Homeowners Should Know (& Meet My New Puppy) | MELANIE ❤️ TAMPA BAY
Buying a home is a very exciting process, especially when it's your first house! But what happens when you move in and life isn't exactly what you imagined? Let's talk about some of the challenges that can overwhelm new home buyers right after closing that takes the fun away of owning your own...
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About this show
Welcome! 💗 I'm Melanie - Tampa Bay area Real Estate Agent with Smith & Associates. Join me to learn about the ins and outs of real estate, home ownership, and living in the Tampa Bay area in sunny Florida.Looking to buy/sell a house? I specialize in the Westchase, South Tampa, and Downtown Tampa areas with over 11 years of [email protected]
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Melanie Atkinson
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