How NOT to sell Palm Harbor Waterfront Homes!
July 26th, 2009 categories: LIST and SELL MY HOME FAST!
So I was just surfing the Tampa Bay MLS looking for Palm Harbor waterfront foreclosures and homes for a new client friend. I came accross this ridiculoussly small picture of what may be a perfectly lovely home, but I wouldn’t know because I can’t see it. The Realtor private remarks say that the “Seller is Motivated”. Too bad the seller hired the wrong Palm Harbor Realtors. When professionals like us see this sort of thing it makes us cringe – and sadly doens’t do anything to elevate the public’s perception of Realtors. There are only three determining factors that control whether or not your home will sell, and we call them the 3 P’s.
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Presentation (how the home looks – which is something you control)
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Price (your asking price – which is something you control)
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Promotion (this is how your property will be marketed and your agent controls this. Your agent selection is critical.). By the way, see How to Sell My Home Now for a glimpse of what we do that’s far above and beyond the normal call of marketing duty for a typical agent – and light years beyond what this agent has done with the microscopic photo.
Did I mention that this was the ONLY photo provided, and it’s been on the market 184 days and counting?!?!!!
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Buying Pinellas Real Estate? The New MUST-KNOW Mortgage Disclosure Rules: The Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act (MDIA) starts July 30th
July 24th, 2009 categories: Mortgage Updates
On July 30th, 2009, the Federal Reserve Board’s new Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act (MDIA) goes into effect. It’s mostly good news for if you’re refinancing your home or buying Dunedin real estate, yet it does mean that it could take longer to close on your home loan. Here are the facts simplified:
- This mandate will apply to EVERY mortgage in America.
- The lender must give you a TIL (Truth in Lending) disclosure with all of your closing costs spelled out within 3 days of your initial application. If you don’t get the disclosure, you can pull the plug. By the way, our lender partners have always done business this way. If you need a referral to a lender that has always played by the book, and provides the best interest rates going, contact us.
- There must be a 7 day waiting period between the date the initial TIL disclosure is provided to you and the closing occurs. AND! …best of all ….
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New Kids Sprayground at Highlander Park Dunedin Florida
July 13th, 2009 categories: Pinellas Things to Do & Events
Yes, I am one of the Palm Harbor Realtors who loves the Palm Harbor school district but who also has a child that is already bored of summer vacation!
While I am happy I am not personally bored because the summer is one of our busiest times to show and list Pinellas homes, I really don’t want my child to be! I think we’re all caught up on the summer movies at the AMC Theatres Woodlands 20 on Tampa Road in Oldsmar and we’re a good way through the summer reading list, and then I hear there’s a new Sprayground in town!
We’ve had a nice rush of needed rain in Pinellas County these past two weeks but under sunny Florida skies, crazy water jets, mushroom and spinning sprayers, and water canons sounded like the perfect summer vacation cure. The Highlander Pool just officially opened this new edition to the ever-diversified Dunedin. It is called the Kiwanis Sprayground replete with a Loch Ness Monster theme. It is located at Read the rest of this entry »
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The Black Pearl in Dunedin Florida
June 2nd, 2009 categories: Eat A Peach Restaurant Reviews
A great deal of justifiable fuss is made over Main Street in Dunedin; it is presented as a feature to potential purchasers of Dunedin Real Estate and it is just a beloved part of town to the long time residents. Chock full of charm and tremendous places for cocktails, shopping, dining, and just general loitering — it is the place to be.
One of our favorite spots is The Black Pearl Restaura
nt at 315 Main Street. We’ve dined in some excellent restaurants in big cities in the states and across Europe, and the Black Pearl stands up very well against that kind of competition.
It is not the least expensive place to dine in Dunedin, Florida; but as a treat, or to celebrate a significant event, or to toast your favorite Palm Harbor business partner, you cannot beat the cuisine and the service.
We love being one of the hard working Palm Harbor Realtors, but after a long day of showing Pinellas short sales and Pinellas foreclosures, we love to treat ourselves to the exceptional service and soothing ambiance of this very fine establishment. Enjoy!
The Black Pearl
315 Main Street
Dunedin, Fl 34698
727-734-3463
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Beware: Don’t Miss the Boat(s) on Your Pinellas Real Estate Purchase! How Rising Mortgage Interest Rates Hurt Your Bottom Line … Even in a Declining Market
May 30th, 2009 categories: Mortgage Updates
As Pinellas real estate prices have continued to drop each month, some Pinellas home buyers continued to play it cool, sit back and wait until a particular Dunedin Fl neighborhood becomes affordable in their eyes. Beware! There’s another boat you don’t want to miss.
Conventional interest rates had been hovering at historic lows of 4.75% – until this week, where they ended at 5.27%! It is unlikely they will stay in these low ranges, whether the 4’s or the 5’s for any length of time say most experts. Mortgage interest rates are tied to the bond market which has begun to take hits due to the state of the economy. Money.com had this good synopsis Thursday if you want to delve deeper.
So, if you’re waiting for that $200,000 home to fall another $10,000 or 5% – this will take about three months in our current market. Now its September 1st and you’re going to offer $190,000 and save about $50/mo on your mortgage payment. But wait! Interest rates have risen one point to 5.75%. Now your mortgage payment is $125.00 MORE than it would have been last week. This scenario has now cost you an additional $75.00/month – for the next THIRTY YEARS!!
$200,000 home with an 3.5% FHA 30 year loan:
4.75% = $1006.78/ mo payment
5.75% = $1126.30/mo
6.75% = $1251.79/mo
Some will say, “not a big deal.” Really? A 2% jump in interest equates to an additional $3,000 per year and over $162,000 over the life of the loan. Hmmm…
What’s the other boat? Trying to time the bottom of the market. A post for another day!
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