ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As many have noticed in recent years, there has been a population boom that has brought thousands of new homeowners to Tampa Bay. In many cases, more new owners means higher property values. But are buyers getting an accurate price when they purchase?
What you need to know
- Mike Twitty, Pinellas County Property Appraiser, has served eight years in office and is currently running unopposed for re-election.
- In his free time, he uses his voice with the help of his band Code Red to reach even more people
- He also holds classes twice a month for new homeowners to educate them on the various fees.
At the keyboard of Mike Twitty, Pinellas County Real Estate Appraiser, residents can get answers to their most pressing questions about real estate pricing.
“The worst thing you can do is buy something and then later get punched in the nose. Because nobody told them it wasn’t fully disclosed,” Twitty said.
After eight years in office, he has launched a number of initiatives. One of his passion projects is to link home buying websites directly to the property appraiser’s website where the property is listed, ensuring buyers receive accurate estimates.
“If you go to an online listing platform today, it will typically show the seller’s taxes. For a new buyer, that can be completely misleading,” Twitty said.
He also holds classes twice a month for new homeowners to educate them on the different fees. But that’s not the only thing he does to get people to listen.
In his free time, he uses his voice to reach even more people with the help of his band Code Red.
“It’s almost a form of public relations because I get to interact with the public in a different way,” he said. “And often I bring cards and phone numbers and pass them around or connect with people later, even after events.”
Twitty is the band’s lead singer, and he said that role helped him adjust to working in public service.
“I never saw myself as a public speaker,” he said. “Then I realized how much being on stage and being comfortable in front of a microphone helped me as I entered the political world.”
Twitty is running unopposed in his current re-election campaign. He said that through his appearances, he has a way to reach a wide range of people in a different way, regardless of their political beliefs.
“Everyone likes to express themselves, have some free time and work hard, and this is a way for me to do that and bring people together,” he said. “No matter what political party they belong to or belong to, you see all stripes here.”
He hopes this harmony serves as an important reminder of the work he does and the resources his office provides, especially as the real estate business continues to strike the right chord with buyers.
Twitty also wants to remind buyers that his office will be sending out notices of proposed property taxes, also known as “trim notices,” this month.
