Mortgage rates have been unfazed by recent stock market volatility and have managed to stay low despite improvements in employment, retail sales and housing starts which are typically all signs of an improving economy and usually result in weaker demand for bonds. But worry over some sovereign debt problems and a sense of uncertainty regarding the global economy have renewed investors’ demand for perceived safe havens such as US Treasury securities and the dollar thereby helping keep rates low. This despite signals from the Federal Reserve that it may be time to start tightening monetary policy in order to ward off inflation down the road.  I have a couple of things of note from the mortgage front. After a long absence in the wake of the mortgage meltdown, private mortgage insurance is ... 02/18/2010

   Looking for a great deal on a foreclosure in sunny, warm, Panama City Beach, Florida?  Check out the deal below.  This townhome is about a block away from the Gulf and has great Gulf views from the second and third stories.  Located right off Hwy 79, it's only minutes from the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and the new open air shopping mall at Pier Park. This townhome would be a great second home or investment property!!  Call me for more details!     Above - View of Gulf from 2nd Story Below - View of Gulf from 3rd Story Master Suite       Below - View of lock out efficiency   Residential - ASF MLS#: 403380 OfficeFile#: ListPrice: $149,900 Status: Active Last Change: 02/12/2010 ApproxSF: 1,950 Address: 240 ARNOLD RD S, #A-4 $/Sqft: $76.87   PANAMA CITY BEACH, F... 02/15/2010

Tired of the snow, ice, freezing rain, and cold weather?  Here's a deal that should heat things up! Priced at $250,000 as a short sale, this upscale condo is one of the lowest priced 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condos with a bunkroom that has ever been listed at Sunrise Beach Condominiums in Panama City Beach, Florida.  Sunrise Beach is within walking distance of the wildly popular Simon Property Group's Pier Park outdoor shopping and dining district on the west end of the beach. Call me if you are tired of slipping on the ice and shoveling snow and let's find the beach house of your dreams in the warm, sunny climate of Panama City Beach, Florida!     Residential - CND MLS#: 403054 OfficeFile#: ListPrice: $250,000 Status: Active Last Change: 02/10/2010 ApproxSF: 1,225 Address: 14825 FRONT BE... 02/11/2010

Back on the market!  The deal fell through and now this awesome condo in the highly desirable Carillon Beach on the west end of Panama City Beach, Florida is available again.  These condos sold for over $350,000 back in 2005. Today it can be yours for $129,000!   Don't miss out on the opportunity to get a great deal, a foreclosure, and a condo at the beach all in one transaction. Second chances like this don't come along often.        Call me today and tell me you are ready to buy this unbelievable deal in Carillon Beach!!!!        Residential - CND MLS#: 401603 OfficeFile#: ListPrice: $129,900 Status: Active Last Change: 02/08/2010 ApproxSF: 890 Address: 111 MARKET ST, #302 $/Sqft: $145.96   PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL TotalRooms: Bedrooms:1 Zip: 32413 Baths Full/Half: 1/1 Con Docs: Y Owners... 02/10/2010

Foreclosures and bank-owned properties are on the minds of most every buyer looking for "a deal."  Here's one in a golf course community; Colony Club in Panama City Beach, Florida.  It's located just minutes from Pier Park, it's adjacent to Holiday Golf Course and it's a highly desirable Paul Sims Constructed home. At less than $121.00 per square foot, this foreclosure is priced less than any other similar quality home that has sold in Colony Club since 2003!  At $243,000, talk about a deal!!     Residential - DSF . MLS#: 402494 OfficeFile#: ListPrice: $243,000 Status: Active Last Change: 02/05/2010 ApproxSF: 2,021 Address: 203 MOONLIGHT BAY DR $/Sqft: $120.24   PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL TotalRooms: Bedrooms:3 Zip: 32407 Baths Full/Half: 2/0 Con Docs:   Ownership/Sale Type: As Is, REO/Forec... 02/08/2010

  This lot is one of a few remaining in the desirable Seaclusion Beach subdivision. Bid-a-wee dedicated beach is just a short distance from the home site. Bring your plans and become a new resident. Close to golf, fishing, shopping and the new Pier Park. Easy access from front and back beach road. All sizes are approx please verify independently. NORTHWEST FLORIDA BEACHES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT www.newpcairport.com Front view look in west at lot. View of lot just past the Sago palms. Another street view showing the neighborhood. 01/29/2010

Hello all... I had a very good question asked from one of my customers the other day, and thought it would make for good public knowledge... We just had a closing at one of our High Pointe (Hwy 30A) units fall through due to financing.  We were told that "hotel-like" properties are difficult to finance.  Have you had any experience with this sort of situation? The answer is.... YES, that is absolutely true. If your complex offers on site rental mgmnt, or short term (nightly) fees...it is now classified as a "Condotel" through a lender's eyes!This has been a big problem in this area, because the only terms you can get on these type units right now have higher rates and require 20-30% down...Also, it is almost impossible to get a FIXED rate on these making it even less attractive for buye... 01/22/2010

01/13/2010

An inspection is essentially a “visual snapshot” of a home’s condition as it exists at the time of the inspection, and that condition is described in a comprehensive written report not a check list.   An inspection consists of a non-invasive physical examination of a home's systems, structures and components intended to identify material defects that exist at the time of the inspection. The heating and cooling equipment is activated along with operating plumbing fixtures, testing accessible electrical outlets and fixtures, and operating a representative sampling of doors and windows. A visual inspection of the roof, crawl spaces, walls and drainage adjacent to the home are included.    An inspection is NOT any of the following: ·      not a code inspection, ·      not an FHA/VA inspecti... 12/29/2009

After a week off for Thanksgiving I have plenty of good news to report since my last update. Last week, the National Association of Realtors reported that, for the month of October, existing home sales surged 10.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.1 million units – far exceeding the 5.7 million units most economists expected. Also last week, the S&P Case/Schiller Home Price Index showed that home prices nationwide rose 3.1% in the third quarter, matching a 3.1% increase in the second quarter and marking the second consecutive quarter prices have risen. In a similar report of local interest – the Florida Association of Realtors reported that Panama City Beach condo prices actually rose 3% in October over 2008, the first increase this year, and sales of condos were up 88% in Octo... 12/01/2009

This corner lot in  Riviera Beach, Panama City Beach, Florida was just approved for short sale.  This property is near Rosemary Beach Florida..Lender:  Wells FargoMortgage Balance:  $275,000 apprSale Price:  $50,000 apprFaxed short sale package:  November 16Received Approval:  November 24 Approval Time: 8 daysPromissory Note: NoneCash Contribution:  None Sales Factors: Complete short sale package, realistic offer price, legitimate hardship, serious buyer.If you need to sell your home as a short sale in Seaside, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor or Rosemary Beach, Florida, it is best to hire an experienced short sale agent. It's Wendy! Wendy Rulnick, Broker, CRP, CRS, GRI, ABR     Rulnick Realty, Inc. Seagrove Beach Real Estate Seagrove Beach, Seaside, Watercolor Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure ... 11/24/2009

Mortgage rates continue to hover near record lows with the rate on the benchmark thirty year flirting with 4.875% this week. The rate on the fifteen year fixed rate has dipped below 4.50% coming in at 4.375%. Thirty year rates on most government loan programs including FHA. VA and Rural Development have eased to 5%. Rates were helped this week after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a speech on Monday in which he cited “economic headwinds” as rationale for keeping rates low for the foreseeable future. Low interest rates helped keep the value of the dollar low against other major currencies and driven the price of gold to record highs in recent weeks as investors look for a safe alternative to the U.S. currency. On Wednesday the Commerce Department reported that permits for new ... 11/19/2009

November 5, 2009 Making your mark on this world is hard. If it were easy everybody  would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and  it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not  whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you  let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from  it; whether you choose to persevere. ~ Barack Obama      Rates are still low and home prices are affordable. Please give me a call so we can start your new home search today!    Lynn is a licensed Realtor in Florida and Georgia.    11/05/2009

The National Association of Realtors reported on Monday that the September Pending Home Sales Index jumped 6.1% t0 110.1 after a 6.4% rise in August. The big rise far surpassed analysts’ expectations who anticipated a more modest rise of 1.2%. Most economists contributed the large increase to the estimated 200,000 to 400,000 first-time homebuyers rushing to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit set to expire on November 30th. To that end, many analysts are anticipating a drop in pending home sales after November 30th. The NAR report helped offset a Commerce Department report last Thursday that showed new home sales fell unexpectedly on September after rising for five straight months. Commerce said new home sales fell 3.6% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 402,000. I... 11/03/2009

  Quote for October 30, 2009 People who consider themselves victims of their circumstances will always remain victims unless they develop a greater vision for their lives. ~ Stedman Graham   Quote for October 31, 2009  Success demands singleness of purpose. ~ Vince Lombardi  Rates are still low and home prices are affordable. Please give me a call so we can start your new home search today!      Lynn is a licensed Realtor in Florida and Georgia.       10/30/2009

Millionaire Real Estate Agent business planning clinic coming to Panama City Florida on December 1 and 2, at the Bay County Association of Realtors. This 2 day clinic will help real estate agents complete a business plan based on The Millionaire Real Estate Agent and the Shift books by covering the 4 models of the MREA.... Gene Rivers will be the instructor, if you have never met Gene or been to one of his classes, you NEED to attend this clinic. Send me an email with questions or RSVP to LynnBoyd@KW.com.     Lynn is a licensed Realtor in Florida and Georgia.     10/29/2009

There is a Heifer in my yard!!!       Why???   Because... Wherever there is hunger, poverty, and hopelessness, a program called Heifer International can provide animals and the training to manage those animals. Help comes with cows, water buffalo, sheep, camels, pigs, donkeys, beehives, goats, ducks, rabbits, geese, chicks, and even llamas. Needy families in Asia, Africa, South America and North America (including the USA) receive healthy, hardy animals, which improve life for countless parents and children. Heifer's gifts of animals offer marketable products of milk, eggs, meat, wool, draft power, and other benefits that can be used to provide improved nutrition, health, and income for resource-poor families. Each family agrees to "pass on the gift" by giving one of its animal's offspr... 10/22/2009

Are you looking for a beach house within walking distance to the shimmering white sands of the Gulf of Mexico?  Look no further!  This home is back on the market and now's your chance to get a great deal on a short sale.   Rates are still low and home prices are affordable. Please give me a call so we can start your new home search today!      $140,000   Residential - DSF MLS#: 390311 OfficeFile#: ListPrice: $140,000 Status: Active Last Change: 10/21/2009 ApproxSF: 1,840 Address: 6708 SUNSET AVE $/Sqft: $76.09   PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL TotalRooms: Bedrooms:3 Zip: 32408 Baths Full/Half: 2/0 Con Docs:   Ownership/Sale Type: Short Sale MainArea: 03 BB-Bay County-Beach Stories: 2 SubArea: 0309 - South of Grand Lagoon YearBuilt: 1972 Subdiv: HOLIDAY BEACH UNIT 6 OccStat: Vacant ParcelID: 30752... 10/21/2009

Mortgage rates remain low again this week helped out by reemerging doubts about the stock rally and economy as a whole. The benchmark thirty-year, fixed-rate stands just above 5% with no points and the fifteen year is just below 4.50%. While paying a point was buying a full ½% discount to the rate in the first quarter of the year, that premium has narrowed significantly and a point today is only buying a 1/4% rate improvement. There has been renewed volatility in rates over the past couple of weeks but the day to day ups and downs have always offset leaving rates virtually unchanged. I am still somewhat surprised that twelve month highs in the equity markets would have not dampened demand for bonds but so far we are not seeing it. As long as there is robust demand for bonds rates will r... 10/21/2009

Mortgage rates remain at near eight month lows as strong demand in the bond market drove the yield on the ten year Treasury note below 3.20% before rising slightly to 3.25% today on a renewed rally in stocks. The rate on the benchmark thirty-year is hovering right at 5% with no points and the fifteen-year stands at 4.375. Thirty-year rates actually were pushing 6% back in the spring so this is quite an improvement and rather unexpected. The general consensus has been that as the economy pulls out of recession and as signs of economic growth become more evident, rates would rise as inflationary pressures mounted but this has not materialized. As lingering fears over the shape of the US and world economies has driven the price of gold to a record $1,039 and ounce today, the dollar is flat... 10/07/2009