The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News Tuesday, August 13, 2013   TODAY'S TOP STORIES Fla. regulator explains why rates aren't dropping State's Chief Financial Officer wants to know why property insurance rates don't go down if reinsurance is now cheaper. The short answer: It's complicated. Read more.   Details emerge on Fla. health insurance exchange Ten insurers have federal approval to sell health plans in Fla. through the new health exchange, but the number varies by county - and none will offer all 10. Read more.   Eminent domain to help underwater homeowners? FHFA sent a strong message about using eminent domain laws to help underwater homeowners: Don't do it if you want gov't help funding future mortgages. Read more.   Condo board can't penalize owner f... 08/13/2013

  Forecasters say home values will jump 6.7 percent this year     More than 100 economists, real estate experts, and investment and market strategists predict home values will rise an average 6.7 percent year over year in 2013, according to Zillow’s latest home price expectations survey conducted by Pulsenomics. Survey panelists said they expected median U.S. home values to rise to $167,490 by the end the year, up from $156,900 at the end of 2012 and $161,100 currently, Pulsenomics said. On average, panelists projected U.S. home values could near record highs by the end of 2017, coming close to the previous peak of $194,600 in May 2007. Nonetheless, panelists anticipate appreciation rates to slow to about 4.4 percent in 2014, 3.6 percent in 2015, 3.5 percent in 2016, and 3.4 percent in ... 08/11/2013

Real Estate Appraiser Lake Worth, Florida FL I offer a somewhat short but still comprehensive) form type report which represents a significant cost savings over traditional narrative and even typical residential form reports, while essentially providing the same level of research, analysis and valuation methodology - presented in a logical, easy to understand format.  It is primarily targeted for non- (mortgage) lender type Real Estate Appraiser Lake Worth, Florida FL assignments. This format could ultimately save you quite a bit of money, while providing essentially the same level of usable information necessary to help you make an informed decisions. My Format is suitable for many, if not most purposes (intended uses):  - to estimate (fair) market value or (fair) market rental value f... 08/09/2013

  The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News Tuesday, August 6, 2013     TODAY'S TOP STORIES Bipartisan bill encourages saving for down payment A bill introduced by Fla. Rep. Webster would allow U.S. residents to avoid paying taxes on savings earmarked for a home down payment. Read more.   Investor predicts buy-to-rent market will expand Morgan Stanley is bullish on the single-family buy-to-rent trend. It expects investors to boost it from today's $17B to $100B over the next several years. Read more.   Obama to urge Congress to shutter Fannie, Freddie Pres. wants to shift more of the nation's massive mortgage market to the private sector. A centerpiece of that effort is winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Read more.   Late-payment rate on mortgages fell in 2Q T... 08/06/2013

  The Five Must-Know Facts About How Buyers Search For Homes       How do consumers search for homes? Is the Internet still king, or are other, more traditional methods still of use? Read on to find out.   In today’s housing market, there are seemingly limitless arrays of options for how consumers can search for homes. From real estate agents, to the Internet, to print ads, to the classic sources like yard signs and open houses, there is no shortage of methods for finding that dream house. Are certain methods, though, more prominent than others? And are some going the way of the dinosaur? In our latest series of articles on NAR’s Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report, we look at the five most important trends right now in how prospective homebuyers search for homes. 1.  The I... 08/04/2013

  The Daily Hot Sheet of palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News   Tuesday, July 30, 2013     TODAY'S TOP STORIES U.S. home prices rise 12.2% – best in 6 years S&P/Case-Shiller: Housing recovery shows strength. The 20-city comparison that covers about 1/2 of U.S. homes found a 2.4% month-to-month increase in May. Read more.   NAR’s Code of Ethics celebrates 100 years While it turned 100 yesterday, the Code of Ethics originally applied to the entire continent, referred only to men and was signed in Canada. Read more.   CoreLogic: 55,000 completed foreclosures in June Homes in pre-foreclosure dropped 28% for year, though Fla. retains dubious status: No. 1 for completed foreclosures and No. 1 for inventory. Read more.   Consumer confidence drops slightly in July Confidence increased year-... 07/30/2013

  Lake Worth of Palm Beach County, FL Market Stats for June 2013 Stats and facts about Lake Worth, Florida, are out for the month of June 2013.  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 2.4 month selling point which is down nearly 64.9%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 29 years experience as a Realtor, construction was a passion of mine as well. This alone is worth so much more than the... 07/27/2013

  The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News Tuesday, July 23, 2013     TODAY'S TOP STORIES Fla.'s housing market trending up in June 2013 Single-family home sales rose 8.6% year-to-year while prices rose 15.1%. Condo-townhome sales fell slightly by 2.5%, but prices are up 18.2%. Read more.   Adjustable rate mortgages making a comeback ARMs almost always cost less upfront than fixed-rate mortgages, allowing buyers to get more house or save on monthly payments. But things could get worse. Read more.   Credit scores may vary among vendors The big three credit score companies are private, for-profit businesses. They make money by collecting consumer info and reselling it to anyone who pays for it. Read more. FHFA: House price index up 0.7% in May Fed looks only at sing... 07/23/2013

  Get the Kitchen You Want and Pay Less       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 Complet... 07/21/2013

  The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News Tuesday, July 16, 2013   TODAY'S TOP STORIES NAR creates flood insurance disclosure Rising flood insurance costs will impact some Fla. homebuyers. NAR recently posted legal advice for Realtors who are affected and expanded info on its website. Read more.   Rock on at Florida Realtors 2013 convention Aug. 14-18 event "provides outstanding value to any Realtor interested in the latest technology, trends and best business practices," says Pres. Dean Asher. Read more.   Many salespeople lack formal training in sales CareerBuilder survey: 75% of sales leaders offer formal staff training, but 22% only rarely - and 25% don't provide formal sales training at all. Read more.   Housing listings multiply in June Realtor.com: Number ... 07/16/2013

  Can You Believe 20%+ of Foreclosures 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 HER... 07/14/2013

Rivermill Homes for Sale in Lake Worth Florida | Search Homes for Sale Rivermill is a great gated single family home and townhome community located on the north side of Hypoluxo Road just west of Haverhill Road in Lake Worth Florida. Shopping, dining and entertainment are only  minutes away from Rivermill along with easy access to I-95 and Florida's beautiful beaches. Great schools are also close by.     Fox & Jacobs Homes by Centex built beautiful townhomes and single family homes within the gates of Rivermill from 2000 to 2003. While the single family homes and townhomes are within the same gates they are located in different sections of the community. In the "Country Glen" section of Rivermill, which is located in the front of the community you will find 120 two story townhomes. Ther... 07/12/2013

Gorgeous Lake Charleston Home for Sale in Lake Worth Florida OverviewMapsPhotosDescriptionNeighborhoodMarket Stats $265,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 Bathrooms1 Partial BathroomInterior: 2,175 sqftLot: 0.23 acre(s) Location 7777 Thornlee DriveLake Worth, FL 33467USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Michelle Gibson, REALTOR Hansen Real Estate Group Inc.(561) 333-0446contact@wellingtonhometeam.comhttp://wellingtonhometeam.com         Listed by: Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Michelle Gibson, REALTOR Our recent listings Gorgeous Lake Charleston Home for Sale in Lake Worth FloridaSeagate Country Club Condo for Sale in Delray Beach | 401 Greensward LaneGrand Isles Pool Home for Sale in Wellington Florida |... 07/10/2013

  The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News Tuesday, July 9, 2013     TODAY'S TOP STORIES Say so long to mortgage rates in the 3’s for now Experts: In less than a month, the average 30-year FRM surged more than a full percentage point. It could stabilize - but don't expect it to go back down. Read more.   CoreLogic: Foreclosure inventory down 27% for year Fla. still leads the pack, however, in highest number of completed foreclosures for the year (103,000) and highest foreclosure inventory (8.8%). Read more.   Home-buying investors target more cities In April, institutional investors bought 10% of houses in nation's 100 busiest real estate markets, with Lakeland No. 1 (29% investors) and Miami No. 3 (22%). Read more.   NAR survey: Younger buyers more optimistic Mor... 07/09/2013

  Palm Beach County Home Prices Hit Peak from 2007 Lowsattracting Sellers to List     Palm Beach County home sales hit a six-year peak in May, enticing more folks to list their homes — particularly in the $200,000 to $400,000 range, realtors said. Closed sales of single-family homes jumped 14.4 percent compared to a year ago to hit their highest level since at least 2007, according to the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches. Click HERE to read complete story   07/07/2013

  The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News Tuesday, July 2, 2013     TODAY'S TOP STORIES May home prices rise 12.2% - most in 7 years CoreLogic: Prices rose year-to-year in 48 states, and in 97 of the 100 largest U.S. cities. Prices rose 2.6% since April, the 15th straight month-to-month jump. Read more.   New rules boost homeowner association regulations A law requires all Fla. homeowner associations to register with the state by Nov. 22, 2013. It also limits some actions of the homeowners' board. Read more.   All Fla. public notices will now appear online Businesses that stay current on zoning changes, special assessments and more will have an easier time doing so - a new law says they must be posted online. Read more.   Fannie and Freddie make $66.3B payment In... 07/02/2013

  The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News June 25, 2013   TODAY'S TOP STORIES Condo association beats bank in foreclosure battle The bank had 5 years to file docs but failed to do so. Court rules the Fla. assoc. owner can keep a unit debt free. Key question: When does clock start ticking? Read more.   Consumers more confident in June - a lot more Consumer Confidence Index surged 7.1 points in June, the third consecutive increase. "Pace of growth is unlikely to slow in the short-term," says economist. Read more.   New home sales hit fastest pace in 5 years The pace increased 29% year-to-year and 2.1% month-to-month. The median price of a new home, $263,900, was up 3.3% from a year ago. Read more.   A narrow focus helps real estate agents Research analysis: Real es... 06/25/2013

  Lake Worth of Palm Beach County, FL Market Stats for May 2013   Stats and facts about Lake Worth, Florida, are out for the month of May 2013.  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 2.6 month selling point which is down nearly 63.2%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 29 years experience as a Realtor, construction was a passion of mine as well. This alone is worth so much more than the... 06/23/2013

4304 Hunting Trail in Lake Worth, FL 33467 is new to the market and an incredible value in today's real estate market.  Located in one of Western Lake Worth's most sought after communities called Legend Lakes Estates featuring large .50 acre or large lot sizes, many with water views, and very low HOA fees of approximately $250 per quarter.  All of these community features are highlighted by excellent location of Legend Lakes, which is located just east of 441/SR-7 off Lake Worth Road.  You will be just minutes to Wellington Green Mall, great area schools, and all fantastic aspects of Western Palm Beach County. 4304 Hunting Trail is nestled on a oversized .76 acre prime lot, featuring: 4 spacious bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 car garage, over 2,732 living square feet, and so much more... Bui... 06/23/2013

The Daily Hot Sheet of Palm Beach Real Estate & FL Realtor News Tuesday, June 18, 2013   TODAY'S TOP STORIES U.S. home construction rises 6.8% in May U.S. builders stepped up home construction and applied for permits to build single-family homes at the fastest pace in five years. Read more.   Bill would allow longer stay for Canadian snowbirds More than 500K Canadians own Fla. property. If OK'd, Senate immigration bill would allow them - and new buyers - to live here up to eight months per year. Read more.   How to network without being obnoxious Networking is an art. You land deals by talking to strangers, but there's a fine line between outgoing and irritating. Come close to the line without crossing it. Read more.   Senate working toward GSE reform What will become of Fannie Mae and ... 06/18/2013