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Shopping centers coming soon By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
What the Great Recession took away, boom times are bringing back. Three properties in Land O’ Lakes, along U.S. 41 and State Road 54, are poised to deliver new restaurants, retail and offices. All three sites languished as the economy tanked. Now, Strategic Properties Group is ready to build the first of three new shopping centers on land that the real estate development firm held onto for nearly a decade.
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Camp Indianhead Crossings will open in early 2017 with Hungry Greek and OTB Delight Café among its tenants. An artist’s rendering shows the shopping center as a one-story building at State Road 54 and Camp Indianhead Road in Land O’ Lakes.
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Saluting the red, white and blue Picnics, parades, fireworks and flag-waving are all a traditional part of Fourth of July celebrations. We, at The Laker/Lutz News, hope you had an enjoyable Independence Day holiday. Please check out our July 13 issues for coverage of Fourth of July festivities.
Expert offers free wealth building advice Wesley Chapel:
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When it comes to becoming wealthy, most people have more power over their financial situation than they realize, Miranda Reiter, a financial advisor for Raymond James told an audience at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. And the good news is, that no matter how old you are, there are specific actions you can take to build your wealth, added Reiter, who worked in the banking industry before she became a financial advisor. While she was working at the bank, she observed there were some people who always seemed to be financially fit. “There are five things that I’ve noted that, if you can keep these five going, you can be on a good path, a solid path, to building your wealth,” she said. Before they can build their wealth, people need a clear picture of their financial situation, she said. Knowing your net worth is a good starting point, she said. To determine that, add your assets and subtract your liabilities. “Law No. 1 for building your worth is knowing how much it costs to be you,” Reiter said. “I had two clients come in a few weeks ago. Married couple. Husband, 65, and wife is a little older. “Together, they bring home $150,000 a year.They’re both looking to stop working sometime soon.They came in with $400,000 in their 401-k. The husband looked at me and he says,‘Miranda, are we going to make it? Is this enough?’ “I couldn’t answer that question. “People want to know this all of the time. Are we going to be OK, can I make it? “I can’t answer that question because there’s a piece of information about him that I don’t know yet.This information was,‘How much does it cost to be you?’ With today’s technology and medical advances, people may live to be 100. The question is:“When you think about the next 35 to 40 years, how much money will it take for you to live?” Unfortunately, people often don’t establish savings goals based on how much it costs them to live. “If you want to know how much it costs
By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
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Miranda Reiter, a financial advisor for Raymond James, shared her expertise on wealth building at a community seminar hosted by Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.
to be you, the bank statements that you get will normally not lie. I tell people, print three out. “There are some fixed costs that you know,” she said, listing off rent or mortgage payments, car payments and insurance. “There’s other things that are more difficult to know, like how much you spend at restaurants?” she said. Check your credit card or debit card statements to get a general idea, she said. In some cases, Reiter said she has to tell people: “Given the situation, there’s some changes that we need to make because what you have saved does not support how much it costs to be you, right now.” “Law No. 2 for building your wealth: Eliminate your debt,” Reiter said. This can be challenging, she said. “If you’re looking to tackle your debt, what’s missing in most people’s lives is a strategy,” Reiter said. “Most of us have debt. I’m not going to See WEALTH, page 11A
Wesley Chapel is at the top of the list for “best job market” in Florida, according to a report from WalletHub on 2016’s Best & Worst Florida Cities for Finding a Job. The Washington D.C.-based financial website ranked 130 cities in the state in three categories: job market, socio-economic environment and overall. While Wesley Chapel came in first, Lutz and Land O’ Lakes ranked 16 and 17, respectively, as best job markets. In this category, reviewers looked at job opportunities, employment growth, starting salaries and unemployment rates. In ranking for socio-economic environment, they considered median annual income, average commute times, employee benefits, housing and transportation costs, crime rates and social life, such as things to do and places to go. Wesley Chapel scored second in affordable housing and third for lowest unemployment for high school graduates. Overall, Wesley Chapel’s scores earned a fourth place finish behind Sarasota in first place, Jacksonville Beach in second place and Pensacola in third place. Still, average workdays and commute times were factors working against Wesley Chapel, which mustered only a 66th place on socio-economic environment factors alone. Lutz ranked 27th on the socio-economic score and 11th overall, while Land O’ Lakes languished in 113th place in socio-economic rankings and 46th overall. Tampa ranked 15th in the job market, ninth in socio-economic environment and sixth overall. Brandon came in second behind Wesley Chapel in job market, 68th in socioeconomic environment and fifth overall. Spring Hill was 126th overall, 121st in the job market and 125th in socio-economic. Miami Gardens sat at the bottom of the list overall and in job market, and rose only to 124th spot on the socio-economic scale. The full WalletHub report is available at WalletHub.com/edu/best-cities-in-florida-forjobs/21610.