Florida's well-known home price cuts are generating quite a bit of interest among the nation's home buyers.
Seven of the 10 most-searched listings in the country last month were in Florida, according to Realtor.com, a database of homes for sale. The most-searched home was in south Tampa.
In compiling its list, the Web site looked at searches conducted within 20 percent of the national median list price, which is $209,900. The study period, randomly selected, was the week of Feb. 15 through Feb. 21.
The Tampa home, at 5221 S. Nichol St., is listed for $250,000. It's located in the coveted neighborhood of Ballast Point, has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and 5,219 square feet of living space.
Also included: teak hardwood flooring, a gourmet kitchen, a wrought-iron staircase and a pool with a heated spa.
You may be wondering how this house is selling for $250,000 and if there's a catch.
Of course there is. The house will be auctioned soon, and $250,000 is the starting bid. It last sold in June 2006 for $1.7 million.
The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's Office estimates the current market value at $770,374.
But if you think $250,000 is a steal - even if you could buy it for that - you might want to consider the yearly property taxes. The new buyer will have to fork over more than $24,000. Even if the home is re-assessed next year at the new price, that's still a chunk of change.
The home is scheduled for auction onsite at 11 a.m. March 13.
That aside, the Realtor.com list is an indicator that interest in real estate is high right now.
There are still more homes for sale than buyers, but local real estate agents have reported an increase of traffic within the past month. Many are trying to buy a home before the federal tax credit expires in April.
Here are the top 10 most-searched listings from Realtor.com, in order.
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