COLLEGE ISN'T FOR EVERYONE- INSTEAD OF STUDENT LOANS PARENTS LOOK AT INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE TO GIVE THEIR KIDS A HEAD START - 08/31/09 07:52 AM
IS THE TASSLE WORTH THE HASSLE?  Not everyone is college material. While we all know the importance of getting a good education, there is a segment of young people who thrive outside of the classroom. They are bright, hard working, and have talents in areas text books don't necessarily speak to. But more importantly, they are capable of buying Affordable Housing.
For what it would cost to rent a small apartment- They can own a home.  One of the best things about an economic recession is it levels the playing field for many people from different walks of life who were previously shut out … (1 comments)

WHICH NICHE IS VANISHING? - 08/31/09 05:42 AM
WHICH NICHE IS VANISHING?  Is it the luxury market?  The commercial market? The first time home buyer?  Vacation home?  Any or all of the above?
In My Market of St. Cloud Florida, If you are a first time home buyer looking for a three bedroom two bath home priced 75,000 or less.... you may have missed your opportunity time.  Supplies of homes in this bracket are in great demand and short supply indicating that the market has taken a significant turn from a Buyer's Market to a Seller's Market.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
First time home buyers working under the assumption that … (4 comments)

YOU DON'T NEED TO BAFFLE THEM WITH BULL... PROFESSIONALS USE PERCENTAGES - 08/30/09 02:57 PM
IS IT A BUYERS MARKET OR A SELLERS MARKET?   Many buyers have latched onto the term "buyers market" as a snappy catch phrase. While they may be looking to buy indeed they are not alone.This concept is very confusing when attempting to arrive at fair offering price.
But in reality, it is an Inventory Term used in Real Estate to define how inventory is shifting. 
Numbers are powerful. They are also Persuasive.       
They trump opinion, perceived value, or unintentional ignorance of what one may think the market is doing. 
In fact, they are the  strongest  line of defensive reasoning we as professionals have. 
There are … (2 comments)

St.CLOUD FLORIDA OFFERS OPPORTUNITY TO BUSINESS OWNERS AND HOME BUYERS - 08/29/09 07:22 AM
ST. CLOUD FLORIDA OFFERS OPPORTUNITY TO BUSINESS OWNERS AND HOME BUYERS.  Business Owners tired of paying for overpriced commercial space are taking a serious look at St. Cloud, Florida. A sprawling community located on Disney's Doorstep, and sandwiched between Kissimmee and Melbourne.
It's convenient location provides easy access to the main arties of the Florida Highway system of I-95, the Florida Turnpike, 417, and I-4.  Commercial space is abundant along the 192 corridor.  It is more reasonable priced than it counterparts at the Loop for instance in Kissimmee.
St. Cloud, Florida has a population of 29,000 people, and the median age is … (2 comments)

THE ROAD TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY IS PAVED WITH DELAYS,EXCUSES, AND DISAPPOINTED BUYERS- TRY TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED. - 08/28/09 09:28 AM
 Looking at the ever increasing numbers of "pending sales" would give one the sense that the market has begun its' road to recovery. Despite stricter lending practices, and government backed bail outs of toxic loans, Americans DO WANT TO BUY HOMES. and many are trying, and trying, and trying to...but the underlying problem is you HAVE A DISORDER.   
IT IS BULL...SOMETHING                                  
This is evident by the number of buyers returning to the Real Estate Market to participate in purchases of now dramatically reduced properties.  Offer exceeding asking price are common place.
Multiple offers have made a comeback as well. 
So … (18 comments)

THE HIDDEN PURPOSE OF LEAVING MEANINGFUL COMMENTS ON SOMEONE'S BLOG - 08/27/09 07:54 AM
In the course of your career, you will likely hand out thousands of business cards. All with the express purpose of possibly developing a dialog and future relationship.  Comments you leave have the same effect- or should.  Are you making the most of your commenting opportunities? Are you opening the possibility of future dialog or leaving your calling card in a vacant house?
So what is the hidden purpose of leaving a comment on someones blog?  
 IT IS AN INSIGHT TO WHAT YOU ARE ALL ABOUT
A good blog opens the possibility for discussion, debate, concurrence, and on occasion a chance … (14 comments)

BUYING A HOME MADE SIMPLE-A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE TO NARROW DOWN YOUR CHOICES - 08/25/09 02:53 PM
There are no shortage of homes on the market- one can spend hours searching the various sites and window shopping from the comfort of your own home to find the next one.  It is almost impossible to get a sense of the area using this method however.
WORKING WITH BUYERS WHO ARE NOT LOCAL                    
Looking at photos is great but video is better!     
What I have found to be most effective when working with out of area buyers is have them do their Internet shopping on the many sites available first.   They can get a greater sense of what market prices are, … (45 comments)

ECONOMIC RECOVERY IS AS SOLID AS SHALE...GOOD CREDIT BORROWERS ARE NOW FALLING BEHIND - 08/22/09 06:42 AM
SHORT SALES MEAN LONG WAIT                              
 Short Sales have become the new buzz word for 2009- almost anyone you ask has heard of it, but does not understand how the third party is involved. As a result, with so many short sales affecting the exchange of Real Estate in St. Cloud and Nationally, here is how it works or how it fails to work depending on your point of view.    
 "Short Sale, offering price may not be sufficient to cover all liens, debts or encumbrances on property without the approval of a third party"  A phrase which is brings both intrigue … (15 comments)

IS YOUR OFFER THE RUNT OF THE LITTER? HOW TO BE TOP DOG WHEN BUYING A HOME - 08/20/09 06:28 AM
There is always one runt of the litter.  The smallest, puniest, weakling of the bunch who seems to be the last to lunch, left out, pushed around, bullied by the others.  Is your offer the Runt Of The Litter?
Competition these days to purchase low cost housng is fierce.  Anyone who has tried to buy a home recently  is learning that in certain price ranges you must be aggressive to win.  Fiercely aggressive. Stepping softly will get you stepped on.
HOW TO AGGRESSIVELY GIVE YOUR OFFER BITE   
KNOWING WHAT HAS SOLD AT OR ABOVE ASKING PRICE.  One of the keys to aggressive … (5 comments)

ARE YOU ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM LOSING IT ALL? GOING GREEN MEANS PAYING CASH - 08/18/09 11:18 AM
"Recession-nista" Tactics are the key to surviving tough times.  A surprising number of people are struggling.  It is not in many cases that they are not doing enough- they are just lacking the resources to do more. Insidious spending is paving the wave to the poor house.  Are you one paycheck away from losing it ? 
IS YOUR INCOME SUCCUMBING TO THE LAW OF GRAVITY?
If so, you need to take aggressive action.  Look at what unused assets you may be harboring and begin to get rid of them.  Consolidating wasteful wants into cash liquidity is like recycling. You are exchanging items you … (5 comments)

HIGHEST AND BEST- HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? - 08/17/09 10:56 AM
You're working with great buyers, super credit score, have the letter from the lender in hand- finally find a great house that will work for them- you make the offer, and it is full price, but wait.... it may not be enough.
Suddenly, there is another offer on the table.   OK,  the property was priced very well. It is a desirable property.   There was no previous "Highest and Best" Clause attached to this particular property so full asking should have been enough. Maybe not.
The listing agent will not reveal what the other offer is for. 
Should they? 
In Florida there is nothing prohibiting … (7 comments)

A BROKERAGE ESCROW ACCOUNT? HOW ANTIQUATED IS THAT? - 08/16/09 09:31 AM
When was the last time you heard of a Real Estate Brokerage Holding an Escrow Account?  Wow  there is a blast from the past.  In a recent featured post Walk This Way.....Can Buyers Just Walk Away From A Contract there was heated discussion and opinion how binding is a  Contract on a Short Sale Purchase.
Broker Bryant clarifies it in his post  A SHORT SALE CONTRACT IS STILL A CONTRACT disspelling the myths behind short sale addenda and a buyer or sellers responsibilities under the terms of a Purchase Agreement.
now here is the rest of the story...
Buyer's Brother is a Broker. … (8 comments)

WALK THIS WAY... CAN BUYERS JUST WALK AWAY FROM A CONTRACT? - 08/14/09 05:15 AM
Exactly what prevents a Buyer from walking away in a Short Sale Contract?  In some states,apparently nothing. In other states like Florida plenty. The point of signing a Purchase Agreement is intent.   
There were some interesting comments flying back and forth between experts in a recent post THERE IS NO CITY LIKE PUGNACITY 
If a buyer is floating offers which they feel are not binding and can walk away at anytime, should they be entitled to get their "Good Faith" deposit back? 
Unlike tradition Real Estate transactions, Short Sales require the Approval of a third party (Seller's Lender) to accept less than is owed … (55 comments)

PREGNANT ELEPHANTS AND THE ART OF SHORT SALE TIME FRAMES and LIVING IN LIMBO - 08/11/09 11:20 AM
What do pregnant elephants and short sales have in common? 
Long gestational periods. 
The average elephant's gestational period is 2 years.  The average short sale decision time is about 45 days- which feels like two years for any buyer waiting. 
There are no short cuts to a short sale in place to speed up the decision process as of yet- perhaps in our lifetime, but not just yet.  Over worked and entirely under appreciated case workers are trying to keep up with the ever increasing demand for rapid answers. It must be a daunting job.
Almost every agent working in Real Estate are … (9 comments)

ST.CLOUD TWIN THEATRES IN ST. CLOUD FLORIDA - 08/06/09 03:00 PM
ST.CLOUD TWIN THEATRES in St. Cloud Florida  is a blast from the past. When was the last time you visited a Movie House?  Not the mega screens found in industrial Mall settings, the multiplexes, multiscrrens, gazillions films showing at once, but an honest to goodness Home Town Cinema?  Bet you haven't.   But they still exist.
Located on Tenth Street, the St. Cloud Twin Theatres  is a vintage 1920 Movie House. Yep, 2 screens, high school kids working summer jobs serving up fresh popped popcorn and soda pop, even a candy counter.  The deco era style theatre has for many generations shown feature films.  … (1 comments)

FULL PRICE? SINCE WHEN IS FULL PRICE NOT ENOUGH? - 08/06/09 02:36 PM
Since when is full price not enough?  Only in this market. The Real estate roller coaster has had it ups and downs since 1890 and certainly it was a wild ride in 2005-2006 the sky was the limit, of course then the bottom hid hard gravitational pull or the Law of Physics- lately it is buyers emotions that are taking a ride on the roller coaster real estate has created.
The wildly emotional imbalance of want desire, ability and availability are creating turbulent times for buyers frustrated with an imperfect system.
The search for a home which fits into their budget.
(4 comments)

FRED'S FURNITURE & AUCTION IN ST. CLOUD FLORIDA - 08/01/09 06:51 AM
FRED'S FURNITURE & AUCTION IN ST. CLOUD FLORIDA- has been one of the treasures of St. Cloud for over 45 years.  Founded by Fred Irving Sr and now owned and operated by Fred Irving Jr, FRED'S AUCTION held every Friday Night, at 5225 E. Irlo Bronson Hwy in St. Cloud, Florida 34771.  It's what Country Auctions are really all about- meeting your friends, bringing your family and enjoying the ambience country auctions are known for.

 
  WHAT AM I BID?
   FRED'S  AUCTION has been a meeting place for over four decades in St. Cloud Florida.
   Just about anything you … (1 comments)

 
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Allison Stewart St Cloud Fl Realtor Osceola County Real Estate 407-616-9904

Saint Cloud, FL

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St.Cloud Homes

Address: Osceola CountyRealtor Real Estate Agent, Kissimmee/St.Cloud Real Estate Osceola County Real Estate , St.Cloud Homes , St. Cloud, Fl, 34771

Office Phone: (407) 616-9904

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