My Mostly Mortgage Blog

The beaches of Sanibel have been ranked among the 20 best beaches in America by Men's Journal magazine. Men's Journal ranked beaches by their location and best uses of what they have to offer. For example, the beaches are separated by region - Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, California and Hawaii - and then categorized as best sports beach, secluded beach, family beach and such. Sanibel is featured as the best family beach that the Gulf Coast, and in fact all of Florida, has to offer. The only other Florida beach to be listed is Key West, but more for its party atmosphere. According to the magazine, Sanibel was chosen because, "The water here is warm, calm and shallow, making it ideal for the kids; the beach is perfect for sandcastles and is loaded with shells, especially when low tide exposes its offshore sandbars." Bridgit Stone-Budd, of the Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce, said the organization was not aware of being mentioned in the magazine. She added it is good to be mentioned in a positive light. "We are delighted to have been recognized by Men's Journal for our beautiful beaches," Stone-Budd said. "Our visitors tell us time and time again we have a paradise here on Sanibel and Captiva." like, but it's different and we're rolling with it." The July 2009 issue of Men's Journal featuresLance Armstrong on the cover.

  25 Best Places to Retire - Port Charlotte, Fla. (1) - Money Magazine   

Port Charlotte is tops for sailors.

Population: 48,000

% over 50: 44%

Typical 3-bedroom home: $170,000

Housing prices down: 63%

State income tax: None

Lots of places in Florida have been battered by the housing bust. But this laid-back Gulf Coast town, just across Charlotte Harbor from pricier Punta Gorda, arguably best hits the sweet spot of great prices and great amenities.

Homes here cost less than half what they did in late 2005, and about 40% of them sit on canals and waterways leading to the harbor - which has 270 square miles of cruising waters and 219 miles of protected shoreline.

But H₂0 is far from the only reason to move here. The area boasts top-notch medical facilities. The town's Cultural Center houses a 500-seat theater and offers year-round classes in everything from Japanese embroidery to belly dancing. And there's great bird watching in 42,000-acre Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, which has hundreds of avian species and is crisscrossed with hiking trails and kayaking blueways. The lack of a Florida tax on income -- including interest and dividend income -- only sweetens the deal. --S.M.

 

Have you seen the new Dallas Cowboys stadium? It covers over 73 acres, has 3 million square feet, and has more steel than 92 Boeing 777's. Here is the kicker, did you know how much it cost? Just over 1 Billion. Now that you know that, did you know that Identity theft cost more than 56 Dallas Cowboy Stadiums? That's right, in 2005 Identity theft cost Americans more than 56 BILLION dollars. here are a few things to help keep you safe.

1.    Check your bank and credit card balances frequently.

2.    Check your statements online if possible. (Detect Problems Sooner)

2.    Check your credit annually.

3.    Sign up for monitoring. Start Score Watch® Free Trial Now

Here are some statistics about identity theft.

Just keep this information in perspective. Over half of all cases come from lost or stolen personal  belongings, friend or relatives, or a corrupt employee. A very small percentage comes from online such as spyware, viruses, phishing websites etc. I hope this helps to keep this information in perspective.

Fact or Fallacy

Fallacy: Will my score drop if I apply for new credit.
Fact: If it does, it probably won't drop much. If you apply for several credit cards within a short period of time, multiple requests for your credit report information (called “inquiries”) will appear on your report. Looking for new credit can equate with higher risk, but most credit scores are not affected by multiple inquiries from auto or mortgage lenders within a short period of time. Typically, these are treated as a single inquiry and will have little impact on the credit score.

A Cape Coral Realtor addes Nationwide Foreclosure network to her site!

To search like a pro please visit a cape coral realtor site today!