Vacations seem to have a way of changing the way you view your employment, place of residence, lifestyle, goals and even some dreams.
As a Florida resident and full time real estate professional, I frequently come in contact with folks who are gracing us with their annual vacation. Some are lucky enough to make it down more frequently.
When I first got started in real estate about six years ago I encountered a phenomena I termed "orange juice in the veins."
What was the impetus for this phrase?
It was after hours upon hours of driving visitors around to showcase the positive attributes of the Brevard County, Florida area. The great beaches, great schools, convenient location, even great restaurants, no state income tax, climate. Later on I realized few of these folks were really ready to buy at this time. After all prices were a lot higher than they are now. [Hint, this could be the time to act!]
Soon I lost contact with many as they returned home. Sure they responded to my calls and emails but eventually many faded into the wood works. Thus, after miles and miles, calls and calls, email after email, and more I discovered many just had "orange juice in their veins." [Some do return and purchase later.]
My definition of the phrase:the inevitable desire of a person to relocate to Brevard County, Florida, often brought on by experiencing the Brevard County, Florida lifestyle for a brief period (vacation!).
So as you plan your vacation to Cocoa Beach, Florida or even the golf courses of central Florida, the nearby attractions, the Kennedy Space Center, that cruise out of Cape Canaveral, be forewarned that you may end up viewing your present lifestyle a bit differently!
The 55+ active lifestyle community of Heritage Isle in Viera (Melbourne, Florida) continues to be active (pun intended!).
During the month of June 2009 there were five houses that closed in Heritage Isle. The lowest selling price was a 2 bedroom 2 bath 1 car garage patio home that sold for $138,000 (short sale). There are 11 properties under contract as well. Of these 7 are short sales. Anyone familiar with the short sale process knows these may take months to close.
Now for those looking to purchase in Heritage Isle, take heart, there are plenty of properties to choose from! As of today there are 34 active properties in the Brevard MLS system. There is one short sale at $117,000 (a 2/2 patio style home) which is really below the other prices in the development. The other 7 lowest priced homes are 2 bedrooms units as well but are priced from $158,000 to about $168,000. The remaining 27 properties are 3 and 4 bedroom single family units ranging in size from about 1,600 sq ft to a high of 3,200 sq ft (under air conditioning). The prices for these units range from $184,900 to a high of $349,900.
Some folks choose Heritage Isle for its maintenance free lifestyle. Some choose because of its location in Viera near new developments, golf courses, new shopping, restaurants and more. Some choose Heritage Isle for its 21,000 square foot club house, pools, fitness facilities, and more. Regardless of your reason, if a 55+ community is in your plans, Heritage Isle deserves a look!
Call me if I can provide you information on any of Brevard County, Florida's 55+ communities including Viera's Grand Isle and Indian River Colony Club. I can be reached directly at 321-693-3850 or by email .
Gary Waters, Florida licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida.
Brevard County Florida has much to offer its residents. Some choose to retire here to enjoy the pleasant climate, recreational opportunities, proximity to other Florida attractions and more.
Some choose to relocate here for an employment opportunity with one of the high technology employers in the area be it Rockwell Collins, Harris Corporation, Kennedy Space Center, or any of the others.
Some choose to make a winter home of the 55+ communities in Viera such as Heritage Isle or Grand Isle. Many former military officers choose the lifestyle offered by the Indian River Colony Club in Viera.
I have spoken with some who choose Brevard County because oft the quality education offered by the Brevard County Public Schools! Some choose to relocate here because of our proximity to Orlando. Depending on your specific location you may only be a half hour or 45 minutes away from Orlando so some choose to live here while working in Orlando!
Regardless of reason, if you are considering amove to Brevard County, Florida, please contact me if I can assist you in any way. Some of the links below will provide you with more information:
I am always surprised at how the narrative of many "short sale" listings start with the obvious: "short sale, seller motivated."
Perhaps I am missing something but I would think that most, if not all, short sellers are motivated.
I think a much more important piece of information that could be included would be this:
"short sale, lender motivated."
Selling your home is a stressful process that should not be entered into lightly. A few years ago a seller's stress mostly consisted mostly of "which offer do I accept?"
I am a realist.
To be able to discern the lender's motivation is almost impossible. Sure you can discuss the process with the lender's loss mitigation folks. Sure you can get an offer accepted or rejected at some point. Sure you can evaluate the seller's motivation but not rarely the lender. I have read a couple of listings where the agent remarks "Bank Says Make Offer!" I wonder, really? Did they say that? And if there are two lenders which one is motivated? Bet it is not the second place lien holder!
If you truly could assess the lender's motivation then you would not have to submit 14 offers the way Broker Bryant Tutas in Poinciana Florida does for his buyers!
Why shouldn't the seller be motivated? It really is not fashionable to own vacant houses...at least not yet!
Late last week I about a third of the way through my lawn mowing "chore" and the Sears Craftsman mower died. I loaded it up in the car and headed to Merritt Island for the Sears repair facility. I got there and it was closed - closed as in no longer in business. I called the store and was told to drop the mower off and I could have it back by July 8th!
That is when I made the decision... post the mower on Craigslist and put it out by the street. The mower was only a couple of years old but had been in the shop too many times. Needless to say I am no longer a Sears Craftsman fan!
The next thing I did was go searching for a lawn service.
I went on the Internet and searched. I went on Craigslist.com and searched. I sent a couple of emails requesting quotes. I called a couple of services.
Then I saw a lady in the CVS/Pharmacy who was married to "Your Lawn Guy." I wrote down my address on a business card. That was Sunday. On Monday I had a lawn service. On Tuesday, my lawn was taken care of in a much better fashion than I ever did. I was very disappointed in the "other" services who failed to even follow through on a lead!
In my 50 or so years I have always cut my own grass. This was the first time someone else did it for me and it felt nice. More importantly, it looked nice.
If you are in the Viera, Suntree, Cocoa and Merritt Island areas and need a lawn service, give The Lawn Guy a call! Here is a link to his web site Your Lawn Guy. He (Eric Brown) will get back to you.
I know the title implies the time honored question...the chicken or the egg? But the answer is...the sale or the purchase?
I was speaking with someone a couple of days ago who had accompanied a friend to see a listing. She told me she had no real estate agent and had searched Google for "Short Sale Brevard County" and I was the first name in the results. This Internet stuff really does work!
She was unfamiliar with the "short sale" process but was curious. As there are literally hundreds of short sales in central Brevard County, Florida, I was happy to tell her all I knew. Some may say that took only a couple fo minutes...OK, funny!
I explained the process involved the purchase of a home where the sale is subject to third party (lender) approval. I discussed her current residence and if there was a need (or desire) to sell it before gaining mortagge loan approval. In her case I believe she may be able to qualify without selling but I recommended she discuss the scenario with a knowledgeable lender.
So, will the sale come first or the purchase? It will depend on her lender and intentions.
Some are now entering the market to take advantage of the lower prices. Some are taking a long term view and selling existing homes for less in exchange for purchasing a newer, larger home for less. Some are converting the older homes to rental properties.
If either of these scenarios fit your circumstance and goals, please contact me to discuss how I may assist you in buying or selling real estate along Florida's Space Coast.
As per my usual morning routine I took my Boston Terrier for a walk early this morning. I noticed an unusual truck parked in a driveway down the street. I think it belonged to a visitor.
The thing that caught my eye was the tag on the front. It had a simple message:
#2 Dad is #1 Dad
I am not sure what the message really meant. I thought perhaps it was a reference to a step-father. Perhaps it was a daughter-in-law's commentary on her dad-in-law. Perhaps it was someone (like me) who had lost a real father but was lucky enough to have a father-in-law who was always there for me! Perhaps it was from someone who had a fill-in foster father who they felt close to....regardless, the message was clear. In someones eyes, this man was a key figure in their life.
Fathers have an opportunity to share and shape lives. Being a father is special. Having a father is special. My father passed away 29 years ago. I became a father 25 years ago. There is lots of joy and some ocasional heartache in being the child as well as being the father.
So, on Father's Day 2009, enjoy your role, be it child or father!
The window of opportunity....can be large or it can be small. Take, for instance, the Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral with a targeted launch at 5:12 p.m. this afternoon. If that window is not available there will a couple of other windows of opportunity.... two more one-second opportunities follow at 5:22 p.m. and 5:32 p.m.
The real estate market is pretty attractive right now in Brevard County, Florida - Florida's Space Coast. There is a window of opportunity to get a good deal.
The interest rates have risen in the past but still are not what one would consider high. The prices are low. The short sale opportunity is plentiful if you have the patience!
Yes, there is a window of opportunity. Some windows are only open briefly...very briefly. I know while showing property in the past two weeks there have been several properties of interest that were snapped up just as my clients were getting ready to make an offer!
As a real estate agent who has been working in the Viera and Suntree areas of Brevard County, Florida I wanted to share this link to the Viera East Community Association web site.
This newly revised web site offers information on the local area, events, the various communities within Viera East, the Board of Directors, maps, association documents and more!
If you are in the market for a new home and Viera is a consideration, then take a look at this site as you do your research.
Then, when you are ready to buy in Viera (or neighboring Rockledge and Suntree), call me. If you have questions on Brevard County real estate, I want to be your resource.
First we judge with our eyes. It may not be the most appropriate method however, human beings look first, then reason later.
Photos are really not a "nice to have" option for listings. I have a client who is about ready to make an offer on a condo. They are out of state but we notice one more listing in the same Rockledge, Florida condo complex.
She asks for photos. I have already shown several condo units in a previous trip. My client is a visual person.
Nothing in the MLS except "canned" photos. Actually the photos are not photos but rather "graphic representations" the builder used in their marketing materials. Nothing that connects the prospective buyer to the "THE UNIT."
I call and find it is owned by a real estate agent. When will real estate agents learn that buyers search the Internet? When will real estate agents learn that photos are not "optional?"
I had to make an appointment for this afternoon so I can go take the photos myself. For a price I will sell them to the owner/listing agent!
If you are selling your home, insist your agent take photos. Discuss a virtual tour of your property for the agent's Internet marketing campaign. If your agent will not take more than a photo of the front, find one who will!
Gary Waters, Floirda licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida - putting buyers and sellers together in Brevard County, Florida. Contact me at 321-693-3850 or by email to agent@movng2brevard.com.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Vacations seem to have a way of changing the way you view your employment, place of residence, lifestyle, goals and even some dreams.
When I first got started in real estate about six years ago I encountered a phenomena I termed 
Late last week I about a third of the way through my lawn mowing "chore" and the Sears Craftsman mower died. I loaded it up in the car and headed to Merritt Island for the Sears repair facility. I got there and it was closed - closed as in no longer in business. I called the store and was told to drop the mower off and I could have it back by July 8th!
I know the title implies the time honored question...the chicken or the egg? But the answer is...t
The window of opportunity....can be large or it can be small. Take, for instance, the Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral with a targeted launch at 5:12 p.m. this afternoon. If that window is not available there will a couple of other windows of opportunity.... 
First we judge with our eyes. It may not be the most appropriate method however, human beings look first, then reason later.
;)
;)
