“Top 10” First-Time Buyer Mistakes To Avoid in 2015 Buying your first home is an exciting time in life.  But too often I see first-time homebuyers make simple mistakes that leave them stuck with a “problem house,” or they don’t know how to negotiate with sellers and it ends up costing them thousands.  Here are 10 common mistakes and how to avoid them: Mistake #1:  Not Understanding What You NEED And What You WANT.Prioritize your basic needs before you even start looking so you don’t buy the wrong home.Also know that you may have to compromise.This is your first home, not the dream home you’ll live in for the rest of your life.  The home you can afford may need a little work (fresh paint, new carpeting).  Over time, you may be able to hire a contractor or do some more substantial upgrade... 07/12/2015

Signs You Are Now In Florida... To all of those venturing out of the yearly snowfalls and blistering cold temps. of the North can settle into what we enjoy here in the south. Of course this isn't just the South but the sub-tropics. Listed below is a montage of specifics that one will become a custom to. Enjoy the list.  07/12/2015

The Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, July 6, 2015   TODAY'S TOP STORIES     ARM, jumbo business accelerates New mortgage activity ascended last week, according to a mortgage-tracking index, and a surge in adjustable-rate (up 41%) and jumbo loans (39%) led the way. Read more.   Experts eye industrial sector's 'incredible rebound' They cite strong consumer spending and increased housing construction as prime reasons, with higher demand for warehouse space one notable result. Read more.   3 seller questions that help convert leads Creating leads is easier than converting them to listings, says a real estate trainer. He suggests three questions that can help sellers make a commitment. Read more . Miami condos seek Chinese buyers South Florida condo developers sa... 07/06/2015

Mortgage Loan Programs for every buyer from low credit scores to recent BK discharge   Program Highlights  Credit scores starting at 580 Up to 80% LTV; up to 50% DTI Bank statement program for self-employed borrowers Loans up to $1 million Owner-occupied and second homes Non-warrantable condominiums 30-year fixed - no pre-pay penalty W2 only program: No 1040 TRS transcripts required for W2 employees - great for buyers who file additional business losses or unreimbursed expenses.    95% financing on condos. 1 day out of Foreclosure/Short sale/Bankruptcy -  30 year term with no pre-payment penalty. FNMA delayed financing program: no seasoning requirements on cash out refinance for buyers who purchased a property CASH within 6 months (what this means to realtor/seller/investor=borrower can... 07/06/2015

Qualified Home Buyers Can Purchase For As Little As 5% Out Of Pocket     Introducing The New Lee County HFA Low Rate Loan with Second Mortgage Program To Piggy Back with Your FHA       • 30-year fixed rate mortgage loan • Up to $10,000 secured by your second mortgage • Proceeds may be used for down payment and closing cost assistance • 0% interest rate, deferred for 30-year period of the loan* • 0% Annual Percentage Rate   Not a commitment to lend. Borrower must meet qualification criteria. *Graduated payment mortgage interest is differed (or due upon sale, refinancing, transfer of title, or rental of the home if done within first 30 years). Interest must be paid in full by the end of the 30 year loan term. This loan is never forgiven. The HFA will fund the $10,000 second mortgage at c... 07/02/2015

The Daily Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, June 29, 2015 TODAY'S TOP STORIES     NAR: May's pending home sales hit nine-year high NAR's chief economist says it's "encouraging to now see a broad-based recovery with all four major regions showing solid gains from a year ago." Read more.   Economists predict rising home prices, rents Economists say that home prices rises should return to the highs seen during the bubble by 2017 - but still be down about 20% if adjusted for inflation. Read more.   Florida consumer sentiment bounces back in June UF: Floridians' outlook brightened a bit this month, led largely by a surge in optimism over an expected improvement in their personal finances next year. Read more.   Federal agencies tinker with flood insurance rules The rule... 06/29/2015

  When Words Have Two Meanings   In a Detroit church one Sunday morning, a preacher said, "Anyone with 'special needs' who wants to be prayed over, please come forward to the front by the altar." With that, Leroy got in line, and when it was his turn, the Preacher asked, "Leroy, what do you want me to pray about for you?"   Leroy replied, "Preacher, I need you to pray for help with my hearing." The preacher put one finger of one hand in Leroy's ear, placed his other hand on top of Leroy's head, and then prayed and prayed and prayed. He prayed a "blue streak" for Leroy, and the whole congregation joined in with great enthusiasm. After a few minutes, the preacher removed his hands, stood back and asked, "Leroy, how is your hearing now?"   Leroy answered, "I don't know. It ain't 'til Thurs... 06/28/2015

Atlantis, of Palm Beach County, FL Market Stats & Facts for May 2015     Stats and facts about Atlantis, Florida, are out for the month of May 2015.  The report is packed with information about the county and the local city mentioned above. In a nut shell the inventory of single family homes available for sale are at a 5.7 month selling point which is down nearly 3.3% from a year ago. That’s a good sign things are loosening up and people are buying. Click on this LINK, for more graphs and stats.   Whether you are buying or selling in this hot market of the County of Palm Beach, FL, choosing the right company will save you money, time and many sleepless nights. I not only have 30 years experience as a Realtor, construction was a passion of mine as well. This alone is worth so much more ... 06/28/2015

A Life's lesson When you Are Not On The Same Page      A defendant was on trial for murder. There was strong evidence indicating guilt, but there was no corpse. In the defense's closing statement the lawyer, knowing that his client would probably be convicted, resorted to a trick. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all," the lawyer said as he looked at his watch.        "Within one minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom." He looked toward the courtroom door.        The jurors, somewhat stunned, all looked on eagerly. A minute passed. Nothing happened.        Finally the lawyer said, "Actually, I made up the previous statement. But you all looked on with anticipation. I therefore put to you that you have a reasonable doubt in... 06/25/2015

The Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, June 22, 2015   Fla.'s housing market: Prices up, inventory tighter Florida Realtors May report: Single-family sales up 7.7% year-to-year, price up 11.1%; condo price up 9.7%. U.S. single-family sales up 9.7% year-to-year. Read more.   Rising mortgage rates pushing homebuyers to action The Fed likely will raise interest rates later this year, but some analysts say rising household incomes from a stronger job market will offset higher loan rates. Read more.   Some states may have to return housing money Many states received money from a lawsuit over toxic mortgages, but not all used it for housing needs. As a result, a court ordered Calif. to return $331M. Read more.   Apartment occupancies soar to record high Axiometrics: ... 06/22/2015

Are First-Time buyers losing out as home sales continue to rise???   U.S. home prices have risen for 14 straight months, but first-time buyers have been increasingly on the sidelines. In May, first-time buyers accounted for 28 percent of existing-home purchases, down from 34 percent a year before and 36 percent two years ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. The declining share of first timers means that many have missed out on low interest rates – which recently moved up from near-record lows – and home prices that have risen sharply from their bottom. “The people buying homes today … are participating in home price growth. Younger people, they are being left out,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the NAR. “It remains to be seen when the first-time buyer can retu... 06/21/2015

Can You Believe 20%+ of Foreclosures Were Abandoned by Owners  Is anyone home? Apparently not in a large share of foreclosed homes. Twenty percent of foreclosures nationwide are abandoned by their owners and left vacant, according to RealtyTrac.It’s important to move vacant foreclosures quickly so that they don’t negatively impact surrounding real estate values, says Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac. Bank of America, GMAC, Chase, Wells Fargo and Citi hold the highest number of vacant foreclosures.Twenty-nine percent of the vacant foreclosed homes are priced below $50,000; 25 percent are between $50,000 to $100,000; and 12 percent are in the $1 million-plus range, according to RealtyTrac.The states with some of the highest percentages of vacant foreclosures are: Click HERE t... 06/21/2015

Working With Asian Home Buyers Coast to Coast in 2015    Asian-Americans and immigrants from Asia are both growing segments of the population of home buyers in this country. Learn how to serve and reach these groups more effectively.Like many Chinese immigrants, John Yen Wong’s parents rented a home long before they bought one. “They were renters in Chinatown for much of my life,” said Wong, CRB, broker-associate for Better Homes & Gardens Mason McDuffie in San Francisco.The family settled in San Francisco in 1935. But by the time Wong’s parents saved enough money to purchase their first home, it was 1971. “And my parents were in their sixties,” Wong, a founding chairman for the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), says.A Growing Share of the MarketWong, who has been sellin... 06/21/2015

Housing is up, so could the rates be following that trend soon? INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE... The beloved catcher and aphorist could well be commenting on the housing market. Its future may not be booming like it once was, but it does look better. Fannie Mae's May 2015 National Housing Survey reports the share of people who say now is a good time to sell hit a survey high of 49%, six points higher than the same time last year. Also, the share of consumers whose household income is significantly higher than a year ago grew 6% in two months, to 28%. With these two indicators, Fannie's chief economist said, "Things are looking up for housing....Fannie's forecast of moderate improvement in the housing market in 2015 is on course."  The positive economic data, while good news for the r... 06/15/2015

The Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now Monday, June 15, 2015 TODAY'S TOP STORIES Equifax deal to help credit-score-challenged buyers Up to 26 million "credit invisible" U.S. residents could eventually qualify for a mortgage as Equifax begins to consider non-financial data. Read more.   Lenders sniffing out borrowers' 'white lies' A loan applicant who says he'll live in a home - but has no plans to do so - commits fraud. Since those loans are riskier, lenders are digging deeper for the truth. Read more.   NAR releases 2015 Commercial Member Profile NAR members who focus on commercial sales - land, office, industrial, multifamily and retail - made more money and completed more transactions in 2014. Read more.   Builder confidence hits yearly high in June Buyers are excit... 06/15/2015

Get the Kitchen You Want and Pay Less Than Market   Enjoy the best of today’s popular kitchen remodeling trends without busting your budget. Here are 6 ways to get your out-of-date kitchen current — and in some cases more functional — for less. Get the trend for less:Paint the walls white. A fresh clean coat of pristine white paint may be all you need to make your kitchen feel shiny and new. Avoid a stark “builder white” and go with a slightly warmer white instead.Paint the cabinets white. The real question is, to DIY or not to DIY? Painting cabinets is a time-consuming job that requires a lot of prepping and priming. All the doors need to come off (where will you put them?), and you may not have the right tools or skills. Intrepid DIYers: See what’s involved in painting cabinets:For Co... 06/14/2015

How to Pick Paint Colors That Will Impress Any Prospect   Paint has remodeling power when you use it to emphasize a room’s best features or play down the flaws.“Paint is a powerful tool that can enhance the architectural character and intent of space,” says Minneapolis architect Petra Schwartze of TEA2 Architects. “As you choose your paint, think about what the experience in the room should be.” More Schwartze advice:Always sample paint colors on a few walls. Don’t be shy about painting a few large swaths on walls and trim to consider the effect of natural and artificial lighting. Add samples to opposite sides of a room to judge the paint color from different angles.Check the space with the samples in place and watch how the paint color changes at different times of the day. Evaluate yo... 06/14/2015

8 Tips That Guarantee Curb Appeal To Your Home For 2015    Tip #1: Wash your house’s faceBefore you scrape any paint or plant more azaleas, wash the dirt, mildew, and general grunge off the outside of your house. REALTORS® say washing a house can add $10,000 to $15,000 to the sale prices of some houses. A bucket of soapy water and a long-handled, soft-bristled brush can remove the dust and dirt that have splashed onto your wood, vinyl, metal, stucco, brick, and fiber cement siding. Power washers (rental: $95 per day) can reveal the true color of your flagstone walkways. Wash your windows inside and out, swipe cobwebs from eaves, and hose down downspouts. Don’t forget your garage door, which was once bright white. If you can’t spray off the dirt, scrub it off with a solution of 1/2 cup t... 06/14/2015

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? I Certainly Hope So. Children's Science Exam Answers    If you need a good laugh, try reading through these children's science exam answers... Q: Name the four seasons. A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar. Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink. A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists. Q: How is dew formed? A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire. Q: How can you delay milk turning sour? (Brilliant, love this!) A: Keep it in the cow. Q: What causes the tides in the oceans? A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature ha... 06/11/2015

      The Daily Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now  Monday, June 8, 2015   TODAY'S TOP STORIES   Fla. files complaint over land buying scheme Attorney General Bondi alleges Property Solutions International Corp. and Premier 1 Property promised sellers big profits providing they paid an upfront fee. Read more.   House value jumping? Save home improvement receipts Higher home sale prices could spark more taxes. Single sellers that receive more than $250K ($500K for couples) could owe 23.8% taxes on the extra gain. Read more.   Developer incentive program to end after 33 years A state program that encourages development in low-income areas through sales-tax incentives for new employees and investments will end in Dec. Read more.   Report: 1 in 4 1Q mortgages had less than 3% d... 06/08/2015