Appraiser Evaluates Whether 303 Homes Are Overpriced

By SHANNON BEHNKEN, The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 8, 2008

TAMPA - South St. Petersburg homeowners living in neighborhoods with homes sold at inflated prices may no longer have to pay higher property taxes because of those transactions.

The Pinellas County Property Appraiser's Office is combing through each of 303 sales, first detailed in a Tampa Tribune investigation, and will likely disqualify them as comparable sales used to determine the value of nearby homes, said Ron Anderson, deputy for appraisals

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The decision not to use those sales could have a significant impact on the low-income neighborhood, said Frank Gregoire, a private appraiser.

"It's about time," said Gregoire, who is running for the office of Pinellas County property appraiser. "But the damage has already been done since homeowners won't get their money back."

The real estate boom spurred numerous deals with unusual financing and inflated sales prices, and neighborhoods throughout the Tampa Bay area have been affected, Gregoire said. County property appraisers need to do a better job at weeding out these peculiar deals, he said.

"Recorded documents don't always illustrate what went on during a sale, as we've learned here."

Property appraiser candidates debate issues

Property appraiser candidates debate issues
By BOB MACPHERSON

Article published on Tuesday, March 4, 2008
NORTH REDINGTON BEACH – Pam Dubov, Ben Friedlander and Frank Gregoire participated in a debate before the Barrier Islands Governmental Council Feb. 27. All three are running in the Aug. 26 primary election for a chance to be on the ballot in November in the race for Pinellas County Property Appraiser.

BIG-C Vice President and Indian Shores’ Mayor Jim Lawrence served as moderator.

Each candidate gave a short presentation, highlighting their qualifications. Lawrence then posed a series of questions that each candidate responded to.

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Announcement

Veteran Appraiser Announces Candidacy for Pinellas County Property Appraiser

ST. PETERSBURG - Frank Gregoire (R-St. Petersburg) has officially announced his candidacy for the office of Pinellas County Property Appraiser.

A resident of Pinellas County since 1957, and a United States Army Veteran, Frank is a licensed real estate broker, a state-certified appraiser and real estate appraisal instructor. For the past 30 years, Frank has actively worked as an independent fee appraiser in Pinellas County, involved in assignments from Tierra Verde to Tarpon Springs. His clients include property owners, mortgage lenders, attorneys, relocation companies and private mortgage insurers. Since 1986, Frank has been president of Gregoire & Gregoire, Inc., a real estate appraisal firm specializing in expert witness services and the valuation and analysis of property in Pinellas County.

Appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board, the State Regulatory Agency for Real Estate Appraisers, he served as a member of the board from February 18, 2000 until February 5, 2008. Members of the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board elected him Chairman in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

The National Association of REALTORS® has awarded Gregoire the RAA (Residential Accredited Appraiser) designation. He is also a member of the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers and has been awarded the IFA (Independent Fee Appraiser) designation.

A frequent guest speaker for conferences and professional associations on appraisal-related subjects, Gregoire is recognized as a source for mortgage and valuation fraud prevention, and market and appraisal information by nationally syndicated columnists and news sites, including NPR, CNN and MSNBC.
According to Gregoire: "Property owners in Pinellas County expect and deserve competency, credibility and integrity in their elected Property Appraiser. My professional record and over 30 years of experience clearly suggests that I will meet those expectations once elected. As property appraiser, I will also be an advocate for much needed reforms to assessment laws and practices, including proper application of "highest and best use" standards and changing the "presumption of correctness" currently enjoyed by elected property appraisers to a more taxpayer-friendly standard. Most importantly, under my leadership, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's Office will be a model for openness, ethics, integrity and world-class customer service".