Mortgage rates rose last week with average rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage rising from last week’s 3.35 percent to 3.42 percent with buyers paying all closing costs and 0.7 percent in discount points. Average rates for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage rose from 2.56 percent to 2.61 percent with buyers paying their closing costs and 0.7 percent in discount points. Freddie Mac also reports that average rates for a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage rose from 2.56 percent last week to 2.58 percent with buyers paying their closing costs and 0.5 percent in discount points. Here are noteworthy points from last week’s economic news: Monday: In spite of improving economic conditions, a majority of participants in the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices indicated that th... 05/12/2013

  RealtyTrac recently reported that national foreclosure filings are down while foreclosure filings are seeing marked increases in some states.   There are two systems for foreclosing residential real estate in the United States; judicial and non-judicial foreclosure. The states individually decide which foreclosure process will be followed in their state.   Click Here To Download An Overview Of The Foreclosure Process   Judicial foreclosure requires action by the courts because the mortgage is not written including a “power of sale clause”. Judicial foreclosure proceedings generally take longer than non-judicial processes due to this court involvement.   A log-jam of delayed judicial foreclosures are beginning to move through backlogged courts with the result of higher numbers of forec... 05/10/2013

Whether you're looking to buy a new house this month or do a little remodeling, take advantage of the opportunity to give the mom in your life a present she'll appreciate every day. Below are a few ideas for housing priorities and renovation projects that typically rate high on women's wish lists for their homes. Open Living Areas The open floor plan is usually a big plus for any mother. They want to be able to cook dinner in the kitchen while monitoring their children's schoolwork at the dining table. So look for a house that affords this visual luxury or consider the generous gift of getting dirty and knocking down some walls. Large Closets What woman doesn't need more room for her clothes, shoes and purses? If you're looking at houses, keep in mind how much closet space will work for... 05/09/2013

In almost every Parkland home, there are awkward spaces that are difficult to utilize. So before you try to cover up or fill the spaces with junk, take a look at the smart solutions below to see how you can revitalize those problematic spaces and turn them into something useful. The Space Under The Stairs While this is likely to be more of a hiding spot for dust-bunnies than teenage wizards, it is valuable space that you don't have to board up. Use it for storage! Create custom storage cabinets, or if it's near the kitchen, build in a wine refrigerator or display shelves for china. You could also build in a coat or shoe closet if the stairs are in the front entryway. The Bedroom Too Small For A Bed You might have an office that sometimes needs to be used as a bedroom or a bedroom that c... 05/07/2013

When it comes to selling your home in Parkland , you've probably thought of the most common staging tricks, such as clearing out the clutter to make your rooms look bigger and bringing in more light to brighten things up. However, have you considered that the colors in your house might affect whether buyers are interested? First impressions are everything when you are selling a house, so think about how the colors you choose will likely influence your potential buyers. A new coat of paint could be a simple and effective way to make your house more appealing. Here are a few tips: Choose Mellow, Neutral Shades When a potential buyer is looking at your house, they want to be able to imagine themselves living there. If your walls are painted in lime green or hot pink, it can be difficult fo... 05/03/2013

Housing markets continue to improve according to the S&P Case Shiller Home Price Indices released April 30 for February's data. The Indices consist of a 10-City Composite Index and a 20-City Composite Index with housing markets for each city reported based on a three-month rolling average of home prices. Case Shiller Posts Highest Growth Rates Since 2006 The data released yesterday comprised the Indices' highest growth rates since May 2006. For the 12 months between February 2012 and February 2013, the 10-City Composite Index reports that average home prices posted a gain of 8.6 percent and average home prices for the 20-City Composite Index grew by 9.3 percent on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. All 20 cities posted a year-over-year gain for at least two consecutive months. The 10-City... 05/02/2013

The latest Foreclosure Inventory Analysis showed nearly 1.5 million properties were currently in the foreclosure process or being held by banks as Real Estate Owned. This was up 9 percent from the first quarter of 2012, but down significantly from the apex of foreclosure activity -- 2.2 million units -- in December 2010. What Is a Distressed Property? "Distressed property" is a blanket term for homes in foreclosure, short sale or that are REO (Real Estate Owned). Below are definitions of different types of distressed real estate, so that you can be familiar with the terms. Foreclosure: When a homeowner has defaulted on their mortgage for a specified period of time, the bank takes possession of the real estate. Short Sale: A homeowner facing foreclosure may request a short sale from thei... 05/01/2013

Parkland Florida Homes For Sale Near Park Trails Elementary Every week I am approached about homes for sale in specific school districts. Buyers searching for only the best schools in the county for their little darlings. And for good reason. Broward County Schools work hard for their good grades and are proud to be ranked well. Park Trails Elementary is one of those schools that shines in gaining that achievement. Read more about the scores here. Homes Available In The Park Trails Elementary School District Park Trails Elementary is located at the southeast corner of Trails End and Pine Island Road in Parkland. 10700 Trails End Parkland, FL 33076 (754) 322-7800   Parkland Florida has some of the best schools in Broward County Florida. If you are raising a family and want your children... 05/01/2013

Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School is one of the leaders in Broward County High Schools and in the state of Florida. It is due to the commitment to excellence on the part of the teachers and staff. There are Advanced Placement and Honors classes for students to reach their highest potential. The schools test scores came in at Reading 73%, Writing 95% and Math 87%. Read more about the scores here. Here are available properties in Stoneman Douglas District Families seek out Homes For Sale in Stoneman Douglas High School District because of it's academic measures. As well as the music and fine arts classes and clubs, the school serves the needs of students for a well-rounded education to prepare them to succeed in their future endeavors.  Terri Poehler -Parkland, FL Real Estate Expert ... 04/28/2013

A clean, uncluttered home is very likely the single most important thing to get your home sold quickly and for top dollar. In fact, a recent survey by HomeGain showed a whopping 568% return on investment for money put toward cleaning and organizing a home for sale! And other experts say that a well-put-together home can shorten the time on market drastically as well. Before your real estate agent lists your Parkland home, it's essential for it to look its best. 7 Tips To Get Your Home In Tip Top Selling Condition Examine your living space and see it as a buyer would — then double check this list of staging tips to make sure you haven't overlooked these important details. Clear out the clutter. Tidy up counter tops, bookcases, garages and closets. Pack up your sentimental items. Personal... 04/26/2013

It's getting close to that time of year again — time to have a garage sale at your home! Here are a few tips to help you have your most successful garage sale ever. Advertise Your Sale In Local Newspapers And Online Many of the habitual Saturday morning garage sale patrons around Parkland and Coral Springs use the paper to plan their treasure hunts. They do this to make sure they hit all of the sales in certain neighborhoods. In the ad, mention your home address, date and time of your garage sale and any big or popular items you'll be selling. Open Your Sale Early It's best to open early, such as around seven in the morning as sales tend to taper off in the afternoon. Don't disappoint early shoppers who are typically your best buyers. They have a busy schedule and a lot of stops to hit.... 04/25/2013

The National Association of REALTORS® released its Existing Home Sales report for March on Monday. Sales dipped from February's seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.95 million to 4.92 million existing homes sold in March, a decrease of 0.6 percent month-to-month. This reading was lower than Wall Street's consensus of 5.03 million existing homes sold, but there is also good news. Sales of existing homes are up by 10.3 percent as compared to March 2012. Economists note that existing home sales have performed within a narrow range of 4.90 to 4.96 million since November 2012. This illustrates the impact of lower numbers of existing homes available for purchase in FL and around the country. The National Association of Homebuilders Housing Market Index reports builder concerns include rising ... 04/24/2013

Selling a house in the current market can be tricky, but there are certain mistakes an owner can make that will cause a Parkland home to sit still without a decent offer and cause the listing to go stale. In order to prevent that from happening, make sure you are not making one of the following mistakes when putting your property on the market. Overpricing While your home may hold sentimental value, many times that value does not translate into dollars. Be realistic about your asking price and know the details about your current market. Look at the list price of similar houses on the market to get a rough idea of what you should ask for your property. Make special note of the actual closing sales price as well as the time on market and listing to sales price ratio. A licensed real estat... 04/19/2013

An open house gives you a great opportunity to look more closely at Parkland real estate you might be interested in buying. It also affords you the chance to chat with the real estate agent so you can bring up any issues or hesitations you have with the home. Knowing what to ask can be difficult, so below are examples of questions to ask at the next open house you attend. Why has the seller decided to sell now? If you ask why the seller is moving, you could learn valuable information to help determine your offer -- or possibly whether or not you want to buy the home. Knowing whether the owners are about to go into foreclosure, have experienced trouble in the neighborhood, or if they've retired and completely paid off the home can help you understand how urgently they need to sell their ... 04/18/2013

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) report for April shows that builder confidence slipped by two points to a rating of 42 from the March reading of 44. The Housing Market Index (HMI) measures home builder confidence in market conditions for newly built single family homes. A reading of more than 50 indicates better than average confidence, while readings below 50 indicate that home builders have concerns about current market conditions. NAHB Housing Market Index Results For April Home builders expressed concern over a gap between a growing demand for homes and builders' ability to meet the demand for new homes as housing market conditions improve. Top concerns cited by home builders surveyed include: Availability of construction credi... 04/17/2013

Have you ever walked into a home for sale and looked down to see stained carpet or scratched and worn flooring? If so, you would probably agree that it doesn't leave a positive first impression. Imagine if you were a buyer looking at the same floor. The right type of flooring and whether it is well taken care of can make a big difference to buyers. If your floor is questionably clean, here are a few fixes to help remedy the issue to help your home sell quickly. Does your home have hardwood floors? You're in luck. Buyers love hardwood floors and some will pay extra to get them. If your hardwood floors are covered by carpet, painted over or showing anything but the natural wood grain, it's time for an overhaul. With the ability to rent large sanders and other tools, you can either refinis... 04/15/2013

Recent home sale by Ed Poirier in The Greens of Heron Bay, Parkland FL 33076 Ed Poirier of Coldwell Banker has sold another home in Heron Bay. This Dorchester model built by WCI was located right on the beautiful par 3 located on the Heron Bay Golf Club's 5th hole. If you would like more information about resales or new constructino homes currently for sale in Heron Bay please visit HeronBayHomesFlorida.com This home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths with an oversized corner lot right on the water & golf course. A large Great Room & Master bedroom highlight this single story home. Comes equipped with a mosquito mist system for relaxing nights out in the backyard. The home in The Greens of Heron Bay also featured a nice eat-in kitchen, tile flooring, custom paint & generator hookup. HERON BA... 04/13/2013

The minutes for the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting held March 19 and 20 were released on Wednesday April 10, 2013. These periodic meetings by the FOMC cover a wide ranging group of topics that impact the overall economy in the United States. The decisions made and acted upon from the FOMC meetings often sway the real estate and residential financing markets. Some highlights of the recent FOMC minutes for the March meeting include: Jobs and Unemployment Gaining Steam The unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent in February. While lower than the average unemployment rate for Q4 2012, the rates of long-term unemployment and part-time employment for economic reasons saw little change, and both measures remained high. This suggests that the economy is improving in some areas, whil... 04/11/2013

If the thought of cleaning your Parkland home this spring doesn't bring a smile to your face, you're not alone. To help you get going, here is a short list of the 6 essential spring-cleaning chores. 1. Store winter clothes. It's time to pack away your winter clothes. (even in Sunny Florida) Coats, sweaters, and bulkier clothing need to be inspected, cleaned and packed away. Store your clothes somewhere clean, cool, dark and dry. 2. Wash window treatments. You'll be surprised at the huge amount of dirt and grime that a thorough window cleaning removes. Wash blinds, launder curtains that are machine washable and send drapes to the dry cleaners. While you're at it, dust the window casings, wash your windowsills and clean any window hardware. 3. Clean carpets and upholstery. You need to dee... 04/10/2013

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) issued its Job Openings and Labor Turnover report for February on Tuesday, April 9th, 2013. The data was mixed with preliminary figures for all non-farm jobs increasing from 3.62 million jobs in January to 3.93 million jobs in February. This was the highest month-to- month increase in jobs since May 2008. Non-farm jobs increased by 399,000 jobs from 3.53 million in February 2012 to 3.93 million jobs in February 2013, an increase of 10.2 percent year-over-year. More Jobs Means More Opportunities For Home Ownership More jobs generally means higher incomes and stability which enable more families to buy homes and qualify for mortgage loans. Hires between January and February 2013 rose from 4.30 million to 4.43 million hires, an increase of 2.70 percent.... 04/10/2013