my old blog

Our Tallahassee paper yesterday described a program in a Clearwater High School that, according to Amazon (supplier of Kindles), is a world-first.  Instead of heavy textbooks, students were issued a Kindle for $177 each and use it to read and study. It's also connected to the school's internet so...

There's a house in Tallahassee that's been for sale for three years - and it's not a short sale. The seller has reduced the price six times, chasing the market down with reductions that came too late and weren't enough. It's actually a nice house on a large lot in a great neighborhood.  It's room...

... but they may have lots of customers.  In FL, the distinction is important.  Transaction brokers provide limited representation to a buyer, a seller, or both in a single transaction, but it is NOT a fiduciary relationship and buyers/sellers are called customer, not client or principal. The sta...

  Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) / Binder The EMD is used to indicate to the seller how serious you are about buying their house. The amount of the binder is important and is one component of making a strong offer. The EMD is usually given to your Realtor when you submit your offer and is held in e...

Even though the housing market is flooded with short sales - they're about 20% of the Tallahassee inventory - I continue to bump into people who don't understand the meaning of a short sale. A short sale is one that doesn't generate enough money to completely pay off the mortgage(s) and liens aga...

Most buyers who search out short sales are looking for a bargain.  Usually, you'll be able to find a house that meets your most important requirements OR is an awesome deal, but probably not both. Getting a good price for whatever house you buy is always important; buying a house primarily becaus...

There's no simple answer.  You often hear that the culprits are Adjustable Rate Mortgages and sub-prime loans, but they aren't the only reasons why the market is currently flooded with short sales. Many homeowners are upside down on their mortgage due to the drastic decrease in home values over t...

The Tallahassee Lenders Consortium is holding a Buyer's Showcase on March 12, 2011 at the North Florida Fairgrounds from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This is a great opportunity for buyers to get qualified, learn about down payment and closing cost assistance, attend classes on home-buying & home owners...

Stefan Swanepoel has created an inspiring parable for life and business that can help you "maximize your full potential by identifying your unique survival skill".  This is a refreshing look at characteristics like endurance, efficiency, risk-taking, etc. that various animals in the Serengeti use...

Here's the next appalling, irresponsible action by banks in the foreclosure crisis. According to the Jan 13, 2011 Chicago Tribune, "Research to be released Thursday, the first of its kind locally, identifies 1,896 "red flag" homes in Chicago - most of them are in distressed African-American neigh...