INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE & Beyond ..  QUOTE OF THE WEEK... "What's the use of happiness? It can't buy you money." --Henny Youngman, British-born American comedian and violinist   Neither money nor happiness played a big role in last week's housing market reports. New Home Sales in September dropped 11.5%, sinking to a 468,000 annual rate. However, these sales are still up 2.0% compared to a year ago.  Other positive news included a 9,000 unit increase in inventories, a good sign in the current supply strained market. The median price of new homes sold was up 13.5% from a year ago. It should also be remembered that new home sales surged in August. With this monthly volatility, the trend is what's key, and even with September's slide, new home sales in the last year averaged the fa... 11/02/2015

Daily Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, November 2, 2015   Downpayments: Dip into stocks or ask Mom and Dad?It's tough to save enough money for a first home, and many buyers wonder if they should pull money out of savings or ask their parents for a loan. Read more.Marketing: 'Cinnamon effect' trumps social mediaIf real estate is a relationship business, then the best marketing tools build relationships. An Orlando Realtor does that by baking cinnamon rolls for all past clients. Read more.Utility work disruptive to property ownerReal estate Q&A: A utility company wants to dig up a homeowner's lawn, fence and landscaping. Does she have to cooperate? Read more.U.S. construction spending up 0.6% in Sept.A surge in apartment and condo construction (up 4.9%) boosted spend... 11/02/2015

A Look Back To 1915, What A Difference A Century MakesThis will boggle your mind! The year is 1915 “Onehundred years ago ”. What a difference a century makes! Here are some statistics for the Year 1915: The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower. The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year ... A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year.A dentist $2,500 per year.A veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year.And, a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year. More than ... 11/02/2015

What It Takes In This Business We have an opportunity in this business to make our own hours, make as much money as we desire etc etc. You have heard all this right? We also have many challenges, frustrations, and discouragements along the way too. Our days are made up of some routines, but also differences from day to day. This in turn keeps us from the dull tread mill that other professions have to endure, I'm sure. That being said below are pictures that show what challenges make up how we make a living selling property, and dealing with certain clientele.         10/31/2015

Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now  Friday, October 30, 2015   Need health insurance? Enrollment starts SundayIt's not too soon to study health plans before enrollment for 2016 opens on Nov. 1. When selecting an insurer, however, Fla. suggests enrollees consider more than price. Read Average rate on 30-year mortgage slips to 3.76%Rates changed little but they've been below 4% for 14 weeks now. Experts polled this week generally disagree about the future, but 50% predict an increase. Read more.Federal Reserve: Interest rates steady for nowThe Fed decided this week to keep interest rates at their current low level. That should keep ARM rates low and indirectly keep fixed-rate mortgages affordable. Read more.Fla. consumer attitudes almost unchanged in Oct.The UF index gau... 10/30/2015

 Ways to Keep Enjoying Your Patio This Fall  Not ready for patio season to end? Maximize the use of your outdoor space even if there's a little chill in the air. Try these five ways to warm up and extend patio season well into the fall months: Build a Fire Pit -- Buy or build a fire pit to take full advantage of cooler nights. This patio or yard accessory provides the perfect ambiance for roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. Don't forget to leave enough space for friends and family to pull up a deck chair, as fire pits tend to draw a crowd. Add an Outdoor Heater -- When temperatures start to dip, an outdoor heater can keep a patio area cozy and comfortable. There are many options to choose from, including propane, electric, tabletop and stand-alone models. Warm Up the Porch ... 10/28/2015

Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now   Tuesday, October 27, 2015     Cash sales down - but some Fla. cities don't noticeThe percentage of U.S. cash sales (30.8%) has declined for 31 straight months - but it's 44.7% in Fla., home to all the top U.S. metro areas for cash sales. Read more.Stop Congress from taking money from homeownersProtect Fla. homeowners from having housing funds hijacked by Congress to repair potholes and pay for transportation issues. Every Realtor should say "NO" to lawmakers. Read more.Strong sales lift Aug. U.S. home prices 5.1%S&P/Case-Shiller: August's 20-city home price index rose 5.1% year-to-year - an increase from the 4.9% pace in July. Read more.Court: Lawmakers should decide insurance controversyAfter a home disaster, should owners be able ... 10/27/2015

HOME BUILDING  THE BEST PERFORMING SECTOR IN THE ECONOMY TODAY  Home builders are on a roll. The latest Wells Fargo/NAHB Sentiment Index posted at 64 for October. This is the highest posting since 2005. (A posting above 50 tilts sentiment toward optimism.) The longer-term outlook is bright too. The permits component was up seven points to 75. This means home builders are expecting strong starts and sales for the next six months. Now, add rising construction activity and rising sales volumes with rising stock prices. The S&P Home builders ETF (NYSE: XHB) is up 134% compared to 73% for the S&P 500 Index over the past five years. And don’t forget refinances. Freddie Mac's latest survey shows borrowers across the country are getting sub-3.9% on a 30-year fixed-rate loan. The 15-year fixed-r... 10/27/2015

INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE & BEYOND...   Those with an affection for money were happy to see more of it was being made during September in our slowly recovering housing market.  Existing Home Sales were UP 4.7% last month, reaching a 5.55 million annual rate. These gratifying numbers handily beat consensus expectations and sent sales up 8.8% for the last 12 months.   The median price is up 6.1% compared to a year ago. Supply, however, continues to be a challenge. The months' supply dropped in September to 4.8 months, thanks to both the faster rate of sales and lower inventories. But higher prices should lure more sellers and builders back into the market. More builders indeed were lured back last month, as Housing Starts shot up a very nice 6.5% in September, hitting a 1.206 milli... 10/26/2015

 Daily Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, October 26, 2015  New-home sales fall in SeptemberSales fell 11.5% last month to their slowest pace in almost a year - but they're up 17.5% so far in 2015 and prices are up 13.5% year-to-year. Read more.Bundling insurance helps - but not so much in Fla.Floridians save about 8% on insurance if they bundle multiple items, such as cars and homes, with one company. But savings run as high as 22% in other states. Read more.NAHB forecast: Housing to pick up steam in 2016Builders see positive factors, such as employment, economic growth, pent-up demand, affordable prices and attractive mortgage rates. But a few headwinds remain. Read more.More states help with association-condo issuesFla. has a condo ombudsman program to help solve ... 10/26/2015

The Swanky Costume Party....Ouch!!  A couple was invited to a swanky costume party. Unfortunately, the wife came down with a terrible headache and told her husband to go to the party alone.   He being a devoted husband protested, but she argued and said she was going to take some aspirin and go to bed and there was no need for his good time being spoiled by not going.   So he took his costume and away he went.    The wife, after sleeping soundly for about an hour, awakened without pain and, as it was still early enough, decided to go to the party. Since her husband did not know what her costume was, she thought she would have some fun by watching her husband to see how he acted when she was not with him.    She joined the party and soon spotted her husband cavorting around on the dance ... 10/26/2015

Math Trick For A Sunday          I love math tricks and this one really works and will only take you about ten seconds!!!   Amazing it really works to reveal your all-time favorite movie.   I'm pretty good at math, so I did it in my head, then on paper, and finally on a calculator just to confirm my numerical capabilities.   Each time I got the same answer, and sure enough it IS my very favorite movie EVER!   DO NOT cheat. DO YOUR math, THEN compare the results to the list of movies at the bottom   1. Pick a number from 1-9.   2. Multiply that number by 3.   3. Add 3.   4. Multiply by 3 again.   5. Your total will be a two digit number. Add the first and second digits together to find your favorite movie (of all time) in the list of 17 movies below:   Movie List: 1. Gone With the Wind 2... 10/25/2015

Daily Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Thursday, October 22, 2015    Fla.'s single-family home sales up 13.4% in Sept.Florida Realtors Sept. report: More closed sales, higher median prices and a tight supply. U.S. sales rebound, up 4.7% over Aug. and 8.8% year-to-year. Read more.More buyers qualify for subprime loansA "subprime loan" today simply means borrowers have a credit score below 620. But with 4.6% of loans now subprime, it suggests more lenders are willing to take a chance. Read more.Changes coming to Fannie's credit history analysisThe number of qualified buyers could rise. Fannie says pay stubs soon won't be required, and it will consider mortgage-worthiness based on "trended credit data." Read more.Senators want to fence in dronesFAA's analysis of 891 drone sig... 10/22/2015

Why you need an elevator pitch and how to create oneAn elevator pitch communicates what your business does and how it benefits clients—all in the time it takes for the average elevator ride, 1-2 minutes. Announcers say that’s 130-260 words. You need an elevator pitch when you network, and any time you run into a prospect, such as on an elevator! Here’s how to create an elevator pitch that will elevate your business: Tell them who you are. For example: “I’m a business coach who specializes in working with small businesses.”  Tell them what you do. Come up with a sentence or two about your work: “I show business owners how to use their time more efficiently and develop the skills that make them more effective. I help them build teams, learn how to delegate, and streamline processes so the... 10/22/2015

 QUOTE OF THE WEEK... "My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there." --Charles Kettering, American inventor INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE... From Wall Street to Main Street, there's big interest in the future of interest rates. The focus is on when the Fed will begin raising its rock-bottom Funds Rate, which has kept mortgage rates low. It's difficult to call this by listening to Fed members. Vice Chair Stanley Fisher says: "...the timing of the first rate increase and any subsequent adjustment to the Federal Funds Rate target will depend critically on future developments in the economy." In other words, he doesn't know. Cleveland Fed head Loretta Mester does seem to know, saying on Friday, "...we should raise a quarter point now and let the data... 10/22/2015

Daily Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now  Monday, October 19, 2015   Homebuyers dealing with longer timelines, costsBuyers are starting to see higher mortgage fees as lenders try to recoup their development costs behind the new mortgage disclosure rules. Read more.Judge orders analysis of Zillow computersA Seattle judge ordered an independent forensic analysis of Zillow's computers, appearing to bolster Move Inc. allegations that Zillow stole trade secrets. Read more.Census Bureau: 1 in 5 movers relocate to new metroWhile most movers headed to nearby cities, the study cites one exception: About 22,000 people moved from New York City to Miami. Read more.Rent burden higher in Fla. than in N.Y. or Calif.Make Room study says Florida is the most "rent-burdened" state because 30% ... 10/19/2015

You Have Got Mail Or Do You?These days, most people have phone and email access in the palm of their hands, via their mobile devices. So it’s easy to assume that direct mail is no longer a viable way to reach your prospects and clients. Not so.According to data by the Post Office, a whopping 39% of households prefer to receive advertising and special offers by mail rather than phone or email. Also, 43% favor direct mail over email when receiving correspondence from businesses and professionals they know.So don’t make the mistake of dropping direct mail from your communications strategy. If you do, you’ll cut out more than a third of your market! 10/18/2015

Are You Protecting Your Social Media Pesence? Information doesn’t travel faster than it does on social media. So what do you do when someone posts incorrect information or a rumor that can damage your reputation?First, be proactive about monitoring your reputation online. Do regular searches of your personal name and business name on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites. Find out what people are saying about you!If you discover someone saying things that are inaccurate, contact that person. Don’t be confrontational. Instead, politely correct the record and ask that the post be deleted or updated.If that doesn’t work, contact the support department of the social media site. Explain that an inaccurate post is damaging your reputation and request that it be removed. Most social media sites ... 10/18/2015

Daily Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Thursday, October 15, 2015   Fla.'s foreclosures down 17% in 3rd quarter It's the 2nd highest U.S. rate: Foreclosure starts dropped 28% year-to-year and auctions sank 46% - but the number of bank-owned properties rose by a third. Read more.Real estate Q&A: Draw up lease, even for familyAn uncle may allow his nephew to rent a vacation home for a few months, but he's heard horror stories about business deals with relatives. A bad idea? Read more.Bargains await those willing to commuteThe housing rebound hit inner cities first and worked its way out. As a result, communities on the edge are still bargains compared to pre-recession highs. Read more.Cuba's four-year-old housing market still rockyCuba's real estate sector has boomed into a ... 10/18/2015

You are about to be scammed if you find any of these numbers, addresses, names or businesses associated with your items being sold on Craig's List.  (201) 677-5505 (208) 464-4369 (210) 960-1125 (224) 757-8176 (267) 719-4323 (269) 948-7951 (309) 425-0574 (320) 207-4241 (321) 312-2622 (323) 518-1950 (323) 835-1381 (325) 400-4108 (347) 363-1861 (424) 231-7424 (440) 678-8101 (440) 481-1760 (469) 270-8302 (501) 547-3689 (504) 308-2729 (509) 269-8736 (512) 309-8432 (520) 222-6921 (561) 320-7958 (561) 406-9454(561) 406-9469 (567) 331-4795 (570) 281-8039 (646) 439-5780 (646) 828-6794 (646) 930-5969 (702) 663-5342(702) 744-2195 (702) 753-5322 (713) 322-0390 (731) 468-7590 (754) 206-5614 (770) 322-4135 (770) 450-4045 (802) 266-0378 (802) 438-8932 (806) 329-2750 (810) 208-2640 (818) 856-4547(828) ... 10/18/2015