“Take Advantage of the Current Tax Credit – ends April 30th. Take Action Now!”

Time is running out if you intend to take advantage of the current home buyer tax credit program.  You must be under contract to purchase a home by April 30, 2010 in order to qualify for one of two different home buyer tax credits.

As long as you are under contract by April 30th you will have until June 30th to close the transaction so there is still type to view the very best homes for sale throughout Central Florida and negotiate a successful offer with the seller.

If you need assistance with financing Watson Mortgage is available 7 days a week to speak with you about your mortgage needs.

Don't miss out on this golden opportunity to buy a home and receive up to $8,000 from the IRS!


Related Florida real estate blog posts on the tax credit

Search for the golden egg at Sanford Easter Eggstravaganza

Easter Eggstravaganza 2010 in Sanford will include searching for a golden egg, moonwalk, face painting and more fun for area children.  This free event will be held on April 3 starting at 10 a.m. at Ft. Mellon Park downtown Sanford.

Event flyer


Related Florida real estate blog posts about Sanford

Helicopter to drop marshmallows as part of Oviedo Easter celebration

Oviedo is putting a different spin on their Easter celebration that will be held on Saturday, April 3 starting at 10 a.m.  A helicopter will drop 25,000 marshmallows for hundreds of children to collect and trade for candy.  Here is the event flyer that contains additional details.

There will also be games, refreshments and more at the Oviedo Sports Complex.


Related Florida real estate blog posts about Oviedo

MLS will now allow up to 12 photos of the listed property

If a picture is worth a thousand words, real estate agents and their sellers throughout Central Florida now have the opportunity to add two thousand more words to their MLS listings in order to attract buyers.

The Mid Florida Regional MLS will now allow 12 photos to be loaded increasing the previous number of allowable photos of 10. this will begin on March 31, 2010. Additionally the photos will now have watermarks to protect copyright.

It would be nice if the number of photos allowed could be increased even more. The more photos allowed and loaded by the listing agents makes for a better experience for the buyer. Of course some agents have had trouble loading 10 photos so the increase to 12 will mean little to them.


Related Florida real estate posts regarding the MLS

Lake Mary Easter basket-Easter bunny-Easter fun!

The 2010 Lake Mary Easter Festival will be held on April 3. The event will be held at the Central Park Lake Mary City Hall from 10 am until 2 pm. Children will be treated to a fun day of meeting the Easter Bunny, gifts, games and Easter baskets.

For information call 407-585-1428


Related Florida real estate blog posts regarding Lake Mary

Top 5 Florida real estate questions asked during the past 30 days

Florida real estate view receives a lot of visitors from buyers, sellers and interested persons seeking answers to their specific questions. The questions asked are often the same or similar questions asked by many of those who end up viewing this blog.

The following are the top 5 real estate questions within the past 30 days.

1. When does the 8000 tax credit end?
2. When are property taxes due in Florida?
3. What is the effective date of a contract?
4. Do I qualify for the tax credit if I rent my old house?
5. How long does a short sale take in Florida?

If you have a question on a specific Florida real estate topic you should be able to find answers on this blog. You can also call me and I will be happy to help.

The time to reduce the price of your home is NOW!

Homeowners holding out in hopes of receiving their asking price need to be careful that they miss out on a window of opportunity that is about to close. The first time home buyer, long time resident tax credit is set to end on April 30, 2010. Once the end of the tax credit comes there may be a reduction in the number of homebuyers available.

Perhaps equally important to a home seller is that prior to the end date there will be buyers rushing to purchase homes in order to qualify for one of the two tax credits. A seller who fails to offer their home at the very best price while buyers are rushing to buy during the time left is making a mistake that could cost them both time and money.

If your home has lingered on the market for several months with no offers and you have not been inclined to lower the price you should rethink your strategy. Your competition continues to be REO homes, short sale homes and due to the length of time your home has been on the market, newer traditional listings priced comparable to yours with less time on the market. We suggest a substantial price reduction whenever possible in order to attract the maximum attention possible to your home.

The tax credit window is closing and along with it the time to present your home to the greatest number of eager buyers. The time to reduce your price when possible is now.


Related Florida real estate blog posts on price reductions

Does the seller have to leave the appliances when selling their home?

There is nothing that I am aware of that legally requires the seller to leave the appliances when they sell their home. However a buyer can request in writing that the seller leave personal items as part of the offer to purchase. The real estate offers to purchase contracts used in Central Florida have pre-printed clauses that detail what items the buyer requests the seller to leave as part of the transaction.

The FAR9 contract states in part that the offer to buy includes appliances listed as; range, refrigerator, washer, and dryer. The FAR8 & FARBAR As Is offer to purchase appliance list includes all of the above except the washer and dryer. All three offers to purchase contracts have space available for the buyer and seller to list personal items and appliances that are to be included or excluded from the transaction.

It is not unusual to find foreclosure or short sale listings that have had all or some of the appliances removed from the home. In these cases you need to be aware that the bank or seller may not be in the position to or have the desire to replace the missing appliances. When this is the case you should make sure your agent has crossed them off the offer to purchase when submitting your offer.


Related Florida real estate blog posts on appliances

Consumer complaints against banks increase according to the Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau released a report highlighting consumer complaints during 2009. The report indicated that consumer complaints increased by over 9% in 2009. Near the top were consumer complaints against banks. Banks complaints were the 3rd highest and complaints against banks increased by over 40%.

The BBB included the housing crisis as a reason why consumer complaints have increased across the board. In my opinion failing banks, increase in foreclosures, delays with short sales, limited loan modification success and poor communication makes for an unhappy banking customer and the outlook for more of the same seems to be good for 2010. Perhaps the banks can move from number 3 to the top spot this year.


More Florida real estate blog posts on the Better Business Bureau

Old Southern Bank Orlando closed, branches will reopen as Centennial Bank

The FDIC has reported that the Old Southern Bank Orlando was closed on Friday March 12th. The 7 bank branches are scheduled to reopen on Monday as Centennial Bank. An agreement has been reached with Centennial Bank out of Conway, Arkansas, to assume all of the deposits of Old Southern Bank.

The FDIC press wants Old Southern Bank customers to know that:

• Their deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC
• Customers of Old Southern Bank can continue to access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards
• Customers should continue to make loan payments

The Orlando Sentinel reports that this is the first Orlando based bank to close in nearly 20 years.

Related Florida real estate blog posts on banks

Korean Buyers Looking at US and Florida Homes for Sale

According to an article written by Jane Han of The Korean Times, Korean investors are looking at the US housing market and are "pinpointing" areas in which to purchase investment property. Florida is mentioned along with California and New York as being the most sought after areas in which to invest in.

This makes sense when considering the prices of homes being offered for sale in Florida and especially the Central Florida market area. According to the Orlando real estate association the median price of homes fail be over 30% in January 2010 compared to January 2009. Bank owned, pre-foreclosure and short sale opportunities are attracting buyers from all over the world and country as Florida real estate is as affordable as it has been in years.

Related blog posts on the Florida real estate market

Make sure you are on time when viewing houses this Sunday by setting your clock ahead

If you are planning on viewing houses for sale in the Central Florida area on Sunday the 14th of March 2010 you will want to make sure you set your clock ahead by one hour before going to bed Saturday night. Daylight savings time begins on Sunday at 2 a.m.

If you have not scheduled to view homes this Sunday, give me a call and I will arrange for an agent to contact you.

Is the Florida real estate market improving?

Is the real estate market improving in Central Florida?

Buyers and sellers are wondering if the real estate market is improving in Central Florida. After several years of dropping prices and fewer homes selling is the market improving in 2010? There is good news being reported along with news that indicates we still have a ways to go.

Florida real estate market

According to the Florida Association overall sales throughout Florida increased in January 2010 compared to January 2009. However home prices fail by 6% with the new median price of 130,900 compared to $139,400 a year ago.

Orlando real estate market

In the Orlando market area the Orlando Association reports that home sales have increased from January 2009 to January 2010 by over 65%! Home sold median prices during this comparison period dropped by 30%.

Market condition

The drop in prices and increase in sold units are considered a direct result of the number of foreclosure, bank owned property and short sales listed throughout the area. The continued increase of sales driven by these distressed properties will eventually work to stop the falling of home prices. As efforts to keep homeowners in their homes become more successful along with tax credits and incentives bringing more buyers into the market place supply and demand will become balanced.

Real estate markets are traditionally localized. If you are planning on selling or buying a home in Florida and want to find out if now is a good time for you, give me a call to discuss your situation. 407-304-0255

Source: http://www.gregstaker.com/is-florida-real-estate-market-improving.html

Related Florida real estate blog posts on the Florida real estate market

17% of Florida’s population is 65 and older

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 17% of Florida's population was 65 years of age or older during 2008. Florida led the way with the highest percentage reported in the United States. The percent of those persons 65 or older should remain constant with retirees expected to make the move to Florida in the future.

The University of Florida reports on the increase/decrease of Florida's population being affected by the housing market with retirees unable to sell their home in order to make their desired move to Florida.

Related Florida real estate blog posts on Florida's population