According to Pensacola Multiple Listing Service:

Six out of ten months this year surpassed residential sales in 2008

Total residential sales for the first ten months of 2009 are beyond the total residential sales for the same period in 2008.

The trend for the rest of this year should be similar to sales volumes during 2007.

How much of this good news has to do with the $8000.00 credit for first time home buyers ? Only time will tell.  Hopefully this is a “springboard” to continuing home purchases in 2010. Confidence in the industry, a turn for the better in our economy and having a knowledgeable Buyer’s Agent/Seller’s Agent will keep Pensacola sales on the move.  With the average sales price (excluding waterfront) being approximately $165,000, Pensacola is certainly affordable as compared to other areas of the country.

If a single person purchases a home, the highest amount of earnings can be $125,000 and a married couple can earn up to $225,000.
Real Estate is the foundation of this country in my opinion. Once a lower priced home sells to a new owner, it allows the previous owners to buyer a more expensive or new house, etc.

Buying a new or previously owned home creates a ripple effect. New appliances are bought, flooring is changed out, the interior walls are repainted, window treatments are bought, furniture, lawn equipment, new landscaping, etc. Jobs are created.

Pensacola has a large inventory of homes and condominiums on Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach. For those thinking of looking for real estate in Pensacola the time is right.

The dependence on foreign oil was of major importance. Our congressional leaders promised action to produce alternative fuels, reduce consumption and costs. 30 years later where are we? Still dependent on foreign countries. The governments outside the U.S. control all our personal monies. Each time the cost of a barrel of oil rises and falls, so do costs of all related products. Car makers were to redesign cars, make them more fuel efficient. Alternate energy was the topic for years. The problem has been we as consumers never pushed our Representatives enough to follow through. As a nation, we enjoy our luxury cars and trucks, fuel guzzlers as they may be. Hybrid cars have now entered the marketplace with a cost for battery replacement at about $8000 after 10 years. Electric is certainly a much cleaner way to drive our vehicles but still an expensive alternative.

For the first time in our history, Climate Change and the health of our planet is being taken seriously. The Native Americans had it right from the beginning. They never took anything away from the earth without giving something back in return. Somewhere along the way, the world neglected to follow that simple rule.

One company that I have become familiar with, Global Fuel Technology is following that thought process. GFT is committed to assisting technology companies find carbon based biomass feedstock, used in the production of cellulosic ethanol, necessary to break our dependency on foreign oil. The waste products are processed to create ethanol, a clean burning fuel, with an even more beneficial byproduct—enough electricity produced not only to run the Ethanol Plant itself, but will provide electricity to the grids or sell to industrial concerns at a discounted price. One technology company which GFT is working with has a demonstration plant in full operation. This plant has been used to test all types of carbon based feedstock, and has been operating continuously for over five years. As of March 2009 GFT is in negotiation to build plants not only in the United States, but in Canada and Puerto Rico. An estimated 320 million tons of municipal solid waste, green waste, and sewage sludge is generated in the United States each year. If we can eliminate the organic portion, turning it into bioethanol and recycle the remaining waste, we will virtually eliminate the chance of toxins reaching the aquifers. As we clean up the existing landfills we will reduce the problem even further.

According to Dan Ford, President and Jody Thomas, Vice President of Global Fuel Technology their first commercial plant is schedule to start production in 2010. The plants will be built adjacent to landfills or transfer areas to help reduce the cost of the feedstock. The time from permit stage to completion is estimated to be eighteen months.

Dan and Jody met in New Orleans while participating in clean-up work following Hurricane Katrina. The idea to form GFT as a biomass acquisition company evolved over a period of time. Once introduced to the technology, working with an affiliated company that had a location but not enough feedstock, Dan and Jody made the decision to found their company. GFT has grown at a tremendous pace. Within the first month Dan and Jody were able to Joint Venture with and established company that enabled to work with an industry leader in the cellulosic field. Within 3 months, they secured four biomass feedstock locations.

In addition to working with state and local governments, GFT and their associates monitor the information coming from the new administration concerning the production and distribution of alternate fuels.

By utilizing municipal solid waste, sewage sludge and waste tires, GFT is helping to solve a massive problem that involves not only our own country, but the world. Greenhouse gases affect not one but all. If we want to keep this planet alive then we all have to be on board to save “Mother Earth” for without her, there is no us.

For further information visit the website www.globalfueltechnology.com

Submitted by:

Nancy Bristow, Realtor

Freelance Writer

International Writers and Photographers Alliance

If you love wildlife and parks, stop by Big Lagoon State Park on Gulf Beach Hwy located between the Pensacola Naval Air Station and Perdido Key on the 19th of September for the Wet and Wild Festival – a free family day. Learn about the importance of saving the Sea Turtle Eggs and, once hatched, helping the “little ones” make it safely to the water, saving them from natural predators. Instructors are also scheduled to be available for free kayak lessons and safety issues, The scheduled hours are from 8:00 in the morning until 5:30 in the afternoon. Hungry after a hectic day? A short drive to Perdido Key minutes away will have relaxing dining awaiting whether it be Mexican, Italian or various types of Seafood. Whatever you choose, enjoy!

The history behind Pensacola and Perdido Key is intriguing. Stories have the famous pirate, John Lafitte, sailing his ships from the Gulf of Mexico to safe harbor behind Perdido Key. Did he do this until a storm had passed or was it not to be seen by other ships? Could they have buried any treasure only to return at a later date to retrieve it? Many ships were lost due to heavy storms and battles that still lie offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Our imaginations can conjure what may have happened.

Vacations are continuing to linger awhile longer as there is no rush to get ready for school as in years past. This has been a great summer for condo rentals and local business not only on Perdido Key but Pensacola Beach. The weather continues to cooperate with bright rays of sunshine and light southerly breezes. Beach lovers have truly spent their getaway in paradise and will return again.

My own experience shopping here this week brought back those memories. I was astonished at the number of people buying groceries. Scooting through as quickly as I could, I overheard some conversations regarding visitors’ friends making a last minute decision to stay in Perdido Key having no luck in obtaining reservations at any waterfront condominium.

Our weather has been totally conducive for lying in the sun, swimming in the Gulf or taking a late night walk along the beaches. The stars and planets seem so close one feels like they can pluck them from the sky. Night time brings the universe closer and darker with the stars shimmering and shinning thanks to little or no light pollution.

More people have requested showings this summer for waterfront homes, Gulf front condominiums and resort vacation properties. Some of these have converted to sales.

While enjoying the beach may be the main reason to visit,, don’t forget downtown with the T.J. Wentworth Museum, Pensacola Museum of Art, Seville Square, Belmont Arts & Cultural Center, The Saenger Theatre and our Park Squares sharing Pensacola’s history just to mention a few other options.

Our marketplace began its rise in 2001 and peaked in 2004. After Hurricane Ivan there were few homes for sale. Sales began dropping beginning around January 2005 with continued decrease until May of this year, 2000 when indicators showed a turn upward.

In 2002 the average appreciation was about 5% with waterfront condos and homes averaging higher. As of July 4th on Perdido Key there are 184 Gulf front condominiums ranging from $229,000 to $5,500,000, 29 on the River starting at $184,900 to $900,900 and 29 on the Intracoastal Waterway starting at $159,900 to $1,500,000 with various others off the water.

Properties for sale after September, 2004 were few and far between. This definitely created a seller’s market for a long while thereafter. An increase in active listings began around the early part of 2006 and hit a peak around the fall of 2008 as foreclosures and short sales burst onto the marketplace.

A short sale indicates an owner owes more to the lender/lenders than the home is worth and can no longer afford to make their payments. If anyone is interested in purchasing a short sale property, know up front it can take up to an average of 6 months before getting an answer from the bank whether it be yes or no. There are a few instances where a bank has approved a short sales price while the property is on the market. If there is no hurry to purchase a home and move in, you may want to consider putting an offer in on a home in a short sale situation. Buying a foreclosure is more straight forward and normally faster, depending on the Investor and Lender. Both types are “AS IS” sales. Inspections can be done but no repairs will be made. Some lenders are easier to work with than others. I have done both for my buyers/sellers and each scenario has been unique.