How do I apply for Florida foreclosure prevention assistance programs?

How do I apply for Florida foreclosure prevention assistance programs?

Florida Housing has two programs available as part of the Florida Hardest Hit Fund.

1. Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program (UMAP)
2. Mortgage Loan Reinstatement Payment (MLRP) Program

To apply or receive additional information click https://www.flhardesthithelp.org/ to be taken to the official page in order to create a profile.

Buying or selling a house in Florida drives the economy and creates jobs.

Buying or selling a house in Florida drives the economy and creates jobs.  Here is a short video that shows how this happens.

The Government has funds to help homeowners pay their mortgage

Unemployed or underemployed Florida homeowners having trouble paying their mortgage payment may be able to receive financial assistance from the government. Qualified homeowners can apply for funds to pay up to 6 months of their mortgage payments!

Eligibility requirements include; must be a Florida resident, property must be primary residence, and homeowner must be underemployed or unemployed through no fault of their own.  Additional homeowner eligibility requirements must be met.  The complete list and additional information on how and where to apply for this assistance can be found by visiting the official website Florida Hardest-Hit Fund.

Are you licensed to sell real estate in Florida but don’t want to spend the money to join the REALTOR boards?

Are you licensed to sell real estate in Florida but don’t want to spend the money to join the Realtor boards or you just have the time or desire to sell real estate full time?  You may want to contact me about enrolling in Watson Referral Realty.  By joining, you can receive referral income by sending referrals my way! Everyone knows someone that will be buying or selling real estate in the future, why not take advantage of your license and get paid?

Watson Referral Realty, Inc. is a Corporation organized for the purpose of providing referrals to Real Estate Brokers with full-time licensees.  If you know someone who works for Watson Realty, you can choose for that agent to receive your referral.  Referrals include someone listing their home, someone looking to buy a home or anyone wishing to rent a home.

I can email, (gstaker@watsonrealtycorp.com) you the enrollment package and additional information.  Or call me 407-304-0255.

One in Five Canadians Would Consider Purchasing Property in the US

A BMO Bank of Montreal study revealed that 20% of Canadians would consider purchasing real estate in the US because of low prices and the strength of the Canadian dollar.

Canadians interested in purchasing property in Central Florida may want to take a look at the Osceola County area.  Home to Kissimmee, Osceola County offers a number of quality homes at affordable prices.  Short term rental zoning is also very attractive to out of area buyers. 

Call or email to receive information on buying a short sale or foreclosure home in the Kissimmee-Central Florida area.

50,000 blue balloons and nearly as many real estate agents

On March 26-27  neighborhoods throughout Florida will have blue balloons and open house signs where houses are for sale.  The Florida Realtors Association is promoting the state-wide open house weekend.  Buyers will want to take advantage of this opportunity to visit homes in areas of their choosing. 

The video below offers a detailed explanation about the upcoming open house.

Can I sell my home if I have a Federal Tax lien on it?

I would encourage anyone who has tax or legal questions to contact their tax preparer, a tax attorney or the IRS directly in order to obtain answers to questions about tax liens and taxes in general.

As a real estate agent working in the Central Florida area, I have seen homes sell that had Federal Tax liens on them.  In these situations the IRS agreed to lift the lien from the house in order for the home to close.  Even if you owe more that the home is worth, there are a number of options to satisfy the tax lien.

You can find more information on this subject by visiting the IRS page dealing with tax liens and selling your home.

Are you thinking about opening your own mom and pop shop in Orlando?

Are you thinking about opening your own mom and pop shop in Orlando?  Orlando is one of the cheapest places to open a business according to a report from the Miami Herald.

Discussing research conducted by BizCosts.com, Orlando ranks at the top as the cheapest place to set up a business.  When you take this information into consideration with the fact the homes are being offered for sale at the lowest prices seen in some time; it may be time to consider owning a home and starting your business in the Orlando area.

Your heating system could leave you out in the cold.

This was the subject line of an email I received from American Home Shield.  This winter has seemed to me to be colder than the winters of the past few years.  It would seem reasonable to think that most buyers do not give much thought to the heating system of a house they are considering purchasing.

That is why a home warranty is important. For those just in case times that arise. The email went on to state what should be fairly obvious; "Did you know that Home Insurance does not cover your home from major appliance breakdowns?" If you were not aware, you are now.

You might want to consider having a home warranty on your home.  You can visit this link to get a free quote.

REO or Short Sale?

Buyers today have many homes to choose from with the majority of the homes being offered for sale in our area either REO or short sale listings.  Determining which homes to preview and make offers on will depend on many factors.  Potential homebuyers will want to consider everything before making an offer.

With an REO listing you can reasonably expect a closing within 30-45 days, depending on your choice of financing and other contingencies. Often times there are multiple offers, and banks will select the highest and best.  It is usually not disclosed how high other offers on the home are, so for that reason you should always make the very best offer price you are willing to pay for the home.  In certain areas and situations REO houses will sell for higher than asking price.

With Sort Sale- bank approval may take from 1 to 4 months, depend on many different factors that you have no control over, with no guarantee that the bank will approve the short sale terms.  If you are limited by time you might wish to look at Foreclosed houses.

Talk to one of our agents to determine the best homes for you to be viewing.   We can help take your criteria and match it up with the very best homes for sale throughout the area.