International Buyers Fuel Home Sales In Florida Market - 12/31/09 10:38 AM
Florida has led the nation for years in purchases of homes by foreign buyers - one in four of the national total. According to a July survey by the National Association of Realtors of its members, foreign buyers accounted for 32% of home sales in Florida in the prior 12 months, up from 29% in 2008.  A weak dollar coupled with discounted real estate prices make Florida even more of a bargain for international buyers.

While many of us in the industry have seen our share of International buyers over the years, the fact that the demand for Florida real … (3 comments)

10 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the U.S. - 12/27/09 10:41 AM
We see our share of expensive homes in Florida, but I wanted to give a glimpse of the most expensive homes nationwide.
Click Here to see the most expensive listings
 
Steve Eckhardt, Broker, Luxury Real Estate Professional
Contact me at (813) 765-1182
 

www.TheFloridaAuthority.com
www.SearchForTampaHomes.com
 
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… (2 comments)

Unfair Health Care Provision Targets the Construction Industry, Threatens Recovery and Jobs - 12/23/09 08:11 PM
Senate Health Care Bill Threatens Home Building Industry December 21, 2009 - In a rush to pass a massive health care overhaul before Christmas, Senate Democrats have included a last-minute provision targeting the construction industry that is certain to derail the fragile housing recovery and threaten the solvency of countless small home building firms. In order to find the 60 votes needed to pass health care reform, a provision was slipped into the health care bill that unfairly targets small construction industry firms by mandating that they provide health insurance if they employ more than five workers. That is the same … (0 comments)

November Sarasota Area Home Sales 86 Percent Higher Than November 2008 - 12/22/09 08:04 PM
The Sarasota real estate market remained hot in November 2009 with overall sales nearly 86 percent higher than November 2008. Total sales stood at 578 in November, mirroring last month's total of 574 and much higher than the 311 sales reported in November 2008. The breakdown was 417 single family homes and 161 condos sold last month.
Pending sales stood at 793 in November, just below last month's total of 839, and far higher than last November, when only 504 pendings were reported. The statistic is a strong indicator for the next two or three months of sales, as pending sales … (0 comments)

Tampa Bay Area Home Sales 34 Percent Higher In November - 12/22/09 07:28 PM
Tampa Bay home sales were 34 percent higher in November.  Sales rose from 1,701 in November 2008 to 2,282 in November 2009, according to the Florida Association Of Realtors.  The Greater Tampa Association of Realtors had already announced a 52 percent sales surge in November.
Greater Tampa Home Sales Statistics Can Be Found Here
 
Steve Eckhardt, Broker, Luxury Real Estate Professional
Contact me at (813) 765-1182


www.TheFloridaAuthority.com
www.SearchForTampaHomes.com
 
Check Out Steve Eckhardt's Other Social Networking Profiles
 
… (0 comments)

Tampa Bay Area Home Sales 34 Percent Higher In November - 12/22/09 07:25 PM
Tampa Bay home sales were 34 percent higher in November.  Sales rose from 1,701 in November 2008 to 2,282 in November 2009, according to the Florida Association Of Realtors.  The Greater Tampa Association of Realtors had already announced a 52 percent sales surge in November.
Greater Tampa Home Sales Statistics Can Be Found Here
 
Steve Eckhardt, Broker, Luxury Real Estate Professional
Contact me at (813) 765-1182


www.TheFloridaAuthority.com
www.SearchForTampaHomes.com
 
Check Out Steve Eckhardt's Other Social Networking Profiles
 
… (0 comments)

Luxury Homeowners with $1 million-plus mortgages are defaulting at almost twice the U.S. rate and many are turning to short sales - 12/18/09 08:13 AM
Homeowners with mortgages of more than $1 million are defaulting at almost twice the U.S. rate and some are turning to so-called short sales to unload properties as stock-market losses and pay cuts squeeze wealthy borrowers.
 Read More About Luxury Real Estate Short Sales Here
View All The Luxury Homes For Short Sale In Tampa and Sarasota
 If you are searching for luxury homes and estates in the Greater Tampa Bay (Tampa, St. Petersbug, Clearwater) or Sarasota, please contact Steve Eckhardt at (813) 765-1182.
www.TheFloridaAuthority.com
www.SearchForTampaHomes.com
… (0 comments)

Are You Leveraging The Power Of Facebook? - 12/15/09 09:31 PM
According to comScore, 5.5 percent of ALL time spent online in the U.S. during the month of November was spent on the social networking site Facebook.  Users spent more time on Facebook than any other website, including Google, YouTube and Yahoo.  In addition, Facebook passed 100 million unique visitors in the U.S. for the first time (in comScore's reporting) during the month and moved up one spot to become the fourth most popular website in the U.S. in terms of traffic.
With so many people using Facebook, fan pages and neighborhood pages that contain news about your area will become increasingly important to … (2 comments)

Snell Isle Landmark Estate For Sale - Price tag: $18 million - 12/14/09 03:12 PM
A St. Petersburg waterfront mansion that was once home to Perry Snell, a prominent developer in the early 1900s, has been listed for sale for $18 million.

View The Listing Information By Clicking Here
Read The Tampa Bay Business Journal Story About The Home By Clicking Here
If you are searching for luxury homes and estates in the Greater Tampa Bay (Tampa, St. Petersbug, Clearwater) or Sarasota, please contact Steve Eckhardt at (813) 765-1182.
www.TheFloridaAuthority.com
www.SearchForTampaHomes.com
Listing Information Courtesy of Realty Executives
… (0 comments)

Tampa home sales jump 52% from November last year. - 12/12/09 04:15 PM
Home sales moved up 52 percent from November 2008 to November 2009, according to the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors. About 1,641 homes sold last month compared with 1,081 in the same period a year earlier.
Read The Full Article At TampaBay.com
… (0 comments)

New Standardized Good Faith Estimate Effective January 1 2010 - 12/10/09 08:20 AM
Great Information about the new Good Faith Estimate that HUD will require all lenders to use starting January 1st, 2010.
Via Loreena Yeo - Broker|Realtor(R) of www.Frisco-TX-Homes.com (214) 783-2210 (3:16 team REALTY):
For the longest time, there was no standardization in good faith estimates presented by Lenders when a loan application is made by a borrower. No standarization here means some lenders disclose a variety of information on the previous GFE while others do not disclose at all. In efforts to facilitate a better shopping experience for the consumers, HUD requires all lenders use the new standardized format for Good Faith Estimates effective … (1 comments)

Wealthly Investors Plan To Increase Their Real Estate Holdings - 12/02/09 08:43 AM
A recent report commissioned by Barclays Wealth and written by the Economist Intelligence Unit shows a renewed confidence in residential real estate.  The United States was ranked as the most attractive global real estate market with China and India close behind.  Despite economic and financial turbulence, high-net-worth individuals have confidence in real estate as an investment and plan to increase their residential real estate portfolio allocations in the near term.
We are seeing this trend play out in the coastal markets around the Sarasota and Tampa Bay regions.  Properties on the water that would have commanded upwards of $5 to $8 million dollars … (1 comments)

Nine Months Of Consecutive Gains For Pending Home Sales - 12/01/09 11:17 PM
Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7 percent to 114.1 from 110.0 in September, and is 31.8 percent above October 2008 when it was 86.6. The rise from a year ago is the biggest annual increase ever recorded for the index, which is at the highest level since March 2006 when it was 115.2.
… (2 comments)

 
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Steve Eckhardt, Tampa & Sarasota Luxury Broker

Tampa, FL

More about me…

Cornerstone Properties & Investments, LLC

Address: 8875 Hidden River Parkway, Suite 300, Tampa, FL, 33637

Office Phone: (813) 929-3900

Cell Phone: (813) 765-1182

Email Me

Local insight about the Tampa & Sarasota areas, economic conditions that affect the luxury housing market, and unique marketing ideas that help you sell your home. Steve Eckhardt is the Founder, President, & CEO of Cornerstone Properties & Investments. He has been recognized by Who’s Who In Luxury Real Estate and has established himself as one of the area’s preeminent purveyors of luxury homes. His company, Cornerstone Properties & Investments, is a full service luxury boutique firm listing and selling some of the most expensive properties in Greater Tampa Bay and the Sarasota Gulf Coast Regions. His skilled team is committed to providing legendary client service with an unparalleled standard of integrity and expertise. Known for high-profile properties and clients, Steve can provide access to the most exclusive neighborhoods with complete confidentiality. His high regard for client's privacy is what keeps them referring friends and colleagues. We serve the Greater Tampa Bay, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Siesta Key, and Longboat Key markets.


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