FindMyFloridaHome Blog

Real Estate is about the People, Not the Broker or the Money

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:46:15 -0500

Sounds weird saying that doesn't it, but guess what...it is true! Real Estate is not about how much money you make on the transactions. My wife works with all the buyers and she never looks at what price home or real estate they are looking at. She treats them all the same, whether it is a $50,000 home or a $1 Million home, makes no difference. Real Estate is not about the Broker. The Broker, where you have your license at sometimes forgets that he is making money by keeping those that place their license with him. If you treat your workers bad, they will treat you bad...simple and plain. If the market is turning, don't come into the office driving up in your $150,000 sports car talking about your tee time on the course, but guess what, people take notice and they don't appreciate it (I myself could care less but when people in the office are trying to figure out where their next cell bill payment is coming from, it doesn't make sense).

And lastly, Real Estate is about the People. The People on both side of the transaction, the buyers, the sellers, and how you interact with them all. This is not a kill sport. For this to work well, all sides must feel good about the entire transaction and feel good about themselves, not trying to screw the other. Common courtesy always helps.

So on your next meeting with your clients, put yourself in their shoes and treat them like you would want to be treated...don't put a dollar sign on their head. Help them to the best of your ability. When you help someone, kindness and income come 10x fold.

Florida DOR Finally Makes the Right Decision

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:39:09 -0500

•September 24, 2008 • No Comments (Edit)

It was getting kicked around that the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) was wanting to charge people who bought short sale properties the amount the property was really worth and not the price that they actually paid for it. This in itself created a bunch of turmoil among Real Estate Agents, Title Company's, and the Florida Association of Realtors.

In a quick turnaround, the Florida DOR reversed its decision to collect this added doc stamp tax to ensure that the housing recovery would continue in Florida without intervention from them. To Be honest, this should have never come up in the first place but I am glad they came to their senses, and got their quickly!

You can read it here : http://www.floridarealtors.org/LegalCenter/HotTopics/index.cfm

Tampa Real Estate | Tampa Foreclosures | Tampa Real Estate Blog
Team Masse services the Tampa Bay Real Estate market and the following areas: Tampa, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Brandon, Lithia, Valrico, Gibsonton, South Tampa, and Channelside District. Contact us at 813-546-5222 for more assistance.

What Home Renovations offer the Biggest Bang for the Buck

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:00:37 -0500

Being an agent in the Tampa Real Estate Market I am often asked if I am going to sell my home, what renovations should I do that will gain me the most bang for the buck. Well, first off, you must decide if the renovations are going to be for yourself, in other words, do you plan on staying in the home for a period of time after the fact, or do you plan on doing these home renovations for the sake of Selling the home.

If you answered "Staying for a while", then make the renovations that you will enjoy for the time period that you plan to stay and don't worry about the rest. If you chose to do renovations for resale, your best bet is either in the Kitchen or in the bathrooms. If you have to choose one, then choose the kitchen. The kitchen gives you a much higher return on investment than any other room in the house. Just make sure that whatever renovations you do, they are up to what people are looking for in the style home you have. In other words, if you own a contemporary home, don't put a country style kitchen in your home, it won't make sense!

If you are unsure exactly what to change, the call to a licensed Real Estate Agent familiar with your neighborhood would be a beneficial call for advice as well as what they believe the improvements will bump your home in value!

Living in Florida Means Living with Hurricanes

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:23:49 -0500

Hey, I have lived in a few different places around the country, and I can tell you that they all have their choice of storms. In Oklahoma I dealt with Tornado's, in Boston I dealt with Northeasters and Blizzards, and now in Florida I deal with Hurricanes. Well, I haven't been thru one yet, I have been here in Tampa Bay for some 5 years now, so I consider myself luck.

So now we have one approaching and I do a little homework...this is for others that may be new to the state and don't have a firm grasp of what they need to do...Lets call this Robs Survival Guide.

If you have pets, make sure you have all their records, medications, food and plenty of water for them.
Get plenty of water for yourself, you may need it not only to drink, but to bathe as well.
Have batteries on hand, flashlight, and a radio that does not need to be plugged in to operate.
Have an escape route ready if you need to use it (better safe than sorry).
If you have children, make sure you have handy toys to occupy them in the event you loose power.
Know where the storm shelters are in your area.

There are plenty of other things that can be added to the list depending on everyones circumstances, but above all, don't be afraid to leave your home for a shelter. You can replace the home, but you can't replace your life.

Stay smart and Safe!

Facebook is now King among Kings in Social Networking Sites

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:16:44 -0500

Facebook is a social network I have spent a lot of time with. I am not surprised that Facebook has surpassed MySpace as the King of the Hill sort to speak. Facebook is one of those sites that is so popular because it can be configured anyway the person likes. In addition to that, there are these things call Facebook Applications that give the network whole new functionality. Coming from a technical background, I tend to look for whatever technology I can to help me achieve my goals in the Tampa Real Estate Market. Facebook is one of those "technical advantages".

It is possible to do Facebook "wrong" as well. The three keys I believe that makes Facebook effective is

Be honest with people on the site, people can smell a fake.
Create a complete profile, make sure you fill in everything the first time, tweak it later.
Contribute...Like anything, don't expect to just create your account and then forget about it. The more you contribute, the better the experience, and the business in the end.

Whatever Social Network you belong to, or don't, it is and will be the way of the future for marketing, so you might as well get in on the bottom, you'll be glad you did!

Enjoy the Beaches here in Tampa Bay...I know I Will!

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:17:28 -0500

Working in the Tampa Real Estate Market can take a toll on a person. My wife and I are a team and we are very successful at getting our clients what they want for the price they want it for. But with all that negotiating, it does tend to take a toll on a person (although I love to bargain). In either event, we needed a get away. My step daughter is down from MN so she can watch the house and dogs, and we are going to the beach for a few days...No dogs, no calls, no nothing. Well, not completely without the phone (locked it up in the safe while at the beach), no Internet access, bothered me at first but then, hey I am on vacation.

In either event, the beach was wonderful, the sand was soft, the water was warm, and my wife was fun again (we are both very driven so in a work environment, we are both very aggressive professionals). We often forget the reasons why we live where we live. I live in the Tampa Area because I love the water and the beach...and the weather. So if you are like me and want to enjoy life, please look us up, and take a look at the Tampa Bay Real Estate Market, I know you will be glad you did!

Tampa Realtors Getting Nasty During Negotiations

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:14:20 -0500

I work in the Tampa Real Estate Market and I know for some agents, the market is tough for them. I look at it differently since I am a different kind of realtor. I learned Real Estate from a Technical Point of view being an engineer in the past so my real estate business is pretty busy. In either event, some of the negotiations that I have gone through have been heated on the other side of the negotiation. The other agent has gotten nasty and has put their own emotions ahead of their client. Hey Listen, I can go blow to blow with you, but I put my clients ahead of any issue I may have with the other agent. I work to get the contract closed regardless of the issues.

By showing me your nasty face tells me one of two things...either you are in the wrong industry, or you haven't done this long enough to understand the business. Either way, put your emotions aside, get the contract closed, and make a friend for life.

Tampa Real Estate | Tampa Foreclosures | Tampa Real Estate Blog
Team Masse services the Tampa Bay Real Estate market and the following areas: Tampa, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Brandon, Lithia, Valrico, Gibsonton, South Tampa, and Channelside District. Contact us at 813-546-5222 for more assistance.

Tampa Real Estate is on the Move and Active Listings Down

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:04:04 -0500

The current Tampa Real Estate Market is on the move. The active listings are down, clients are out trying to buy up all the low price and well priced properties, first time home buyers are able to buy homes that they couldn't purchase homes a couple of years ago, and 2nd home buyers are able to afford that home on the beach that they thought was out of reach. The market today is very different from the market of yesterday, but homes are selling and selling at an incredible rate.

The market is on fire and eventually will turn from a Buyers market to a neutral market and then to a Sellers Market. Sometimes the Neutral to Sellers transition happens very quickly so don't miss out while the going is good.

Tampa Real Estate | Tampa Foreclosures | Tampa Real Estate Blog
Team Masse services the Tampa Florida Real Estate market and the following areas: Tampa, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Brandon, Lithia, Valrico, Gibsonton, South Tampa, and Channelside District.

Tampa Foreclosures - Numbers are coming Down

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:10:56 -0500

The Tampa Real Estate Market has definitely gone thru a roller coaster ride with the Market on fire back in 2004-05 and then with the glut of Tampa Foreclosures starting in 2007-current. But there is a rainbow at the end of this storm. The banks have learned that it does not make sense to hold on to these properties in the hope of a sale at the court house steps. Not happening now a days. Instead, they are getting rid of their listings at a mind blowing rate. I have a client that wanted to see a number of properties, all within some level of foreclosure, and the day they wanted to see them, they were all under contract...except one. This one just so happens to be the number one on their list so it worked out. Also, they did write an offer on another property a week or so ago, about $5k under asking price, and it was turned down due to multiple offers.

The Market is full of people looking for deals, and the deals are many in this day and age. The homes that are priced for a quick sale are just that, going at a quick sale. As soon as those disappear, then the market will begin to move in an upward swing on prices.

So if you are in the market for a great home at a great price, don't wait to long, because nothing lasts forever.

Tampa Real Estate | Tampa Foreclosures | Tampa Real Estate Blog
Team Masse services the Tampa Florida Real Estate market and the following areas: Tampa, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Brandon, Lithia, Valrico, Gibsonton, South Tampa, and Channelside District. Contact us at 813-546-5222 for more assistance.

Tampa Real Estate Market in Great Shape

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:59:07 -0500

Don't believe all the hype you hear on the radio, TV, or newspaper. Check it out for yourself. Remember, the news media's main object is to gain viewership and readership...and keep in mind that Real Estate is a local thing. Just because homes aren't selling in Houston Texas for example, doesn't mean they are not selling in Tampa. Lets look at the statistics for a second and then you can draw some conclusions to what I say.

A year ago, the Tampa Real Estate Market had about 24 months worth of inventory. 3 Months ago, that same inventory was at about 15 months, and now we are sitting at 10 months inventory. Although I am no statistician (was an engineer in my past life so I know numbers, but this one is easy) I would say that things are selling at a very good pace. There are many good to great deals out there right now and those that have figured that out are jumping at the opportunities.

So don't take my word for it, do your own research, and if you are in the market to buy real estate, don't wait to long or think you can time the market...noone can. Determine what your goals are for buying property, and stick with it. Warren Buffet recently said that now is the best time to buy real estate...If you can't trust what the riches man in world says, who can you trust!

Tampa Real Estate Market - Agents Making it Harder Than It Has to Be

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:19:06 -0500

If you haven't noticed on some of my other blog posts, not necesarily here, instead of writing about this wonderful developement or that beauful home, I tend to write about all the inner workings of the Real Estate busiess and what happens below the surface. I tend to write about sneaky agents doing unethical things, banks making blunders with the refusal of accepting a short sale offer just to go to foreclosure and accept an offer $50-$100k less than what the Short Sale offer was.

Real Estate is a contact sport. Anyone that thinks this business is easy, I challenge you to get out there, farm for leads, figure out the paperwork, write a contract that is watertight and get to close while negotiating all the pitfalls that occur between contract and close. I would love to watch from the sidelines or be a fly on the wall thru this whole process.

My business in the Tampa Real Estate market is pretty stable now but I have been working it for some 8 years so I paid my dues. The problem is there are still agents out there that either don't know what they are doing, or don't care. I was working a deal the other day and I let the listing agent know that something they were abut to do was against board rules. Their response to me was this, "I know what the rules are and I don't care...No one else is doing it so I am not either". Well guess what, I am doing it and there is no way you are going to screw my client so you will be reported if you proceed.

I write about these things not because I like to, but because I am tired of this business being so much harder than it already is. I am trying to make this business worth having and to do that, sometimes you need to pull a few weeds.

Thanks for listening!

Tampa Agents Leaving the Business

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:09:34 -0500

One good thing about the time when Real Estate dues are due is the fact that some agents will choose to not renew and get out of the business. There was a glut of agents that thought they were real estate agents but were not. These are the people (at least many of them, not all) that armed themselves with a pen and just thought they would make tons of money just writing contracts with no level of expertise involved...not true. Real Estate is a contact sport, not for the light hearted, and if you don't know what you are doing, it will end quickly. Real Estate, especially if you don't know what you are doing, can cost you a lot of money. So the fact that our office just lost 14 people is a good thing (I didn't know any of them).

I believe that with the reduction of agents in the field, the market will begin to correct itself and heal as us agents that do this full time and take it seriously will start to get the market on its feet with hard work and expertise. I look forward to the challenge.

Tampa Real Estate|Tampa Foreclosures|Tampa Real Estate Blog
Team Masse services the Tampa Florida Real Estate market and the following areas: Tampa, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Brandon, Lithia, Valrico, Gibsonton, South Tampa, and Channelside District.

Two New Buyers Agents Join Agressive Tampa Real Estate Team

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:28:53 -0500

Team Masse Real Estate would like to announce the additions of two Exceptional talents out of the Brandon Florida Keller Williams Office to Join the most aggressive team in Tampa Bay, Karen Dennis and Jill Dillman. Karen and Jill combined bring such a wide array of talent on many levels. Karen is an expert in the fields of Active Adult Communities while Jill is a skilled negotiator for her Clients as well as an excellent listing agent.

Team Masse is fortunate to have 2 such exceptional agents and people join the team to bring their clients to a new level of customer support in the Tampa Real Estate Market.

Please visit us online for more information about joining our team at Join Keller Williams

Buyers Agents Needed for Exploding Market in Florida

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:52:15 -0500

The Tampa Real Estate Market is really on Fire right now. It is definitely a Buyers Market and many are taking advantage of that right now. Team Masse, an aggressive Real Estate Team is currently looking for Agents to handle the wave of clients currently flocking to this market. The Tampa Foreclosures market is on fire as well. Property under contract was up 68% this past month alone. There are many great deals available and those that understand a bargain are buying. So if you are interested in becoming a Buyers agent for a great team, please click the link Join Keller Williams for a private consultation.

We look forward to speaking with you.

Realtors are People Too you Know!

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:04:31 -0500

This blog post will be short but I just wanted to point out a couple of things. People sometimes take for granted the Realtor thinking that they are Taxi Drivers, or Baby Sitters, or even Mind Readers. Please don't take out your anger for the day on your local Real Estate Professional. Although a Doctor may make you wait in their office, please don't do the same to the Realtor. They may have many appointments for the day and the client being late for spite or because they don't care creates a domino effect. Granted, there are reasons to be late, just keep in mind, from the things mentioned above, that Realtors are People Too! Enough Said...

Tampa Real Estate|Tampa Foreclosures|Tampa Real Estate Blog
Team Masse services the Tampa Florida Real Estate market and the following areas: Tampa, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Brandon, Lithia, Valrico, Gibsonton, South Tampa, and Channelside District. Referals are always welcomed and given.

Painting can be a quick fix for a Seller with an Ugly House

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:35:51 -0500

Now I use the term "Ugly" very loosely. Ugly is a relative term and what one person may think to be ugly, another may find beauty in it. But in a sea of Homes for sale in the Tampa Real Estate Market, we are in the middle of a beauty contest. So how do most women precieve beauty, well they put on makeup...and what is makeup, basically paint (I know I am gonna get killed for that one).

A little makeup on your home is just going to highlight all the strong points of the home opposed to directing people to look at the ugliness of the place. Paint is cheap, and the rewards of a nice coat of paint are great. So if you home is on the market, and it falls into the "Ugly" category, give it a nice coat of paint...your neighbors will be happy!

High Temps bring High Demand for Tampa Real Estate Market

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 07:47:34 -0500

Well, the temperatures are on the rise, and along with the temps, comes demand in the Tampa Real Estate Market. It seems that the higher the temperature, the higher the demand, at least from many out of state clients. I think the concept here is that their part of the country is cold and rainy, while the Tampa Bay area is nice and sunny, with white sand beaches, good fishing everyday of the week...definitely a life worth living.

So if you are looking for waterfront property, or a pool home, please give us a call today. There are some good deals right now in the Tampa Foreclosures market as well, it may just take some time to close. Please give us a call today!

How to Minimize your home search in the Tampa Real Estate Market

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:48:09 -0500

The Tampa Real Estate market is full of homes with all sorts of options and upgrades, it is like a kid in a candy store. But that is where the problem is. With the number of choices, comes a feeling of being overwhelmed and lack of ability to make a decision. Here is my advice if you are in the market to buy a home:

1. Know how much you will spend and then increase that by $20,000. The reason for that is it is a buyers market and seller are willing to deal on their homes and you will most likely be able to get a better house for a good deal.

2. Know exactly what you want. Don't waste your time looking at homes that don't meet your needs. Put your needs on paper and stick to them.

3. Speak with a mortgage broker or your bank and be ready to supply a Pre-Qual letter.

4. Don't wait until you see 20 homes to make an offer. If you find your dream home, put in an offer right away and don't assume that something better is coming because it most likely is not.

5. Hire a good agent. A good agent will take your needs and requirements and not waste your time, or his/her's with showing you homes that you don't want to see.

These simple tips should help you find what you are looking for, make an offer on it, and with any luck, be have you moving in within 30 days.

Tampa Real Estate moves at the speed of the slowest Contingency

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:02:36 -0500

The banks are starting to figure out that they stand to make more money by processing short sale paperwork instead of letting it foreclosure process. Here are a couple of examples for review.

Example 1. My wife takes out some first time home buyers and they are interested in this one property. The price is listed at $125,000 and they put in an offer of $97,000. The bank, after 4 weeks says no way. Ok, so the clients move on and are still looking and then we see that the property went thru foreclosure and is now bank owned. The property is now listed at $54,000...hmmm, this makes alot of sense, that is a lose of $43,000 from the offer price..boy that makes sense.

Example 2. One of our listings, a short sale, was listed at $143,000, just $5000 off from what the owner owed on it. An offer comes in at $138,000. We send in the offer and request that it be closed in 30-45 days. The bank ignores us and doesn't respond to any of our requests...the buyers move on. So we leave the offer in their system to see how long it will take. 5 months later, we get a call that they are now ready to talk about the offer. I almost laughed...told the lady that they moved on months ago in which she was pissed at me for not telling her (like who the heck are you to be pissed at me). Except, I have another offer in hand, all cash this time. The BPO has been done and it comes in at $93,000. My cash offer comes in at $97,000, no contingencies. I request a fast close in which she tells me she will see what she can do. So lets do the math on that one, $41,000 off from the original offer.

The banks are loosing money hand over fist, and we, the agents, are trying to get them out of this mess, but they need to move faster than what they are use to, suck it up with the attitude, hire some more staff to process he mounds of paperwork coming their way, and lets get thru this. Follow those simple rules and we can fix the market a whole lot faster.

Working in the Tampa Real Estate Market, which is improving, the Tampa Foreclosures market is moving quicker in terms of offers, but not closing and until the banks figure out that we are trying to help them, we will remain in this situation for a while longer.

Appreciate the little things in Life, Like a walk on the Beach in Tampa Bay

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:56:41 -0500

Living in a few states at this point, New Hampshire, Massachusettes, Minnesota, and now Florida, and I have sold Real Estate in MA and now sell Tampa Real Estate, and let me tell you...so many times people get wrapped up in their lives and they forget the reason they live where they do. I moved to Florida for a reason, the weather, the water, and the wine (just kidding) I mean the lifestyle. I get wrapped up so much in what I do everyday, that I forget that a simple walk on the beach is worth its weight in gold on the soul. My buddy is getting ready to head back to Russia for 10 months so I have been trying to spend some extra time with him and his family (my wife and I treat them like family as that is how we feel about them), in either event, it was absolutely wonderful to just walk the beach and pick up shells, walk in the warm tide and just let the wind blow and watch the sunset.

People just need to stop and appreciate the little things around them and appreciate the little things of why they all live where they do...I know I did, and I will be trying to do that a whole lot more!

Tampa Foreclosures slowing down, Tampa Real Estate in Recovery

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:32:26 -0500

With Tampa Foreclosures declining, and buyers looking for that home they thought the couldn't afford but now can, the phones are starting to light up, and people are more optimistic regarding the real estate outlook. Buyers are starting to understand that the this market is unique and that these prices will not stay like this forever. With the market now in recovery mode, the price of existing homes, as the inventory decreases, will begin to climb to match that of remaining homes. Most are playing the Tampa Real Estate Market like the stock market, buy at the low end of the market, well the low is here!

This is a great time for those first time home buyers to get a great home, better than what they could have afforded before, 2nd home buyers are getting some great deals, and investors are moving quickly.

The Market is in recovery mode, is beginning to recover, so let the healing begin.

Team Masse looking for Buyers Agents in Tampa Real Estate Market

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:08:18 -0500

Team Masse is currently looking for Buyers agents to handle the aggressive Tampa Real EstateMarket. There is a tremendous amount of traffic of first time home buyers, Investors, and Second Home Shoppers looking to get off the fence and purchase a home and we are swamped with buyers in this market. If you are licensed in Florida, have your own transportation, and would like to learn and be associated with one of the most innovated Real Estate Teams in the Country, look us up today at Keller Williams Tampa and give us a call or fill out the form for a private consultation today!

We look forward to speaking with you soon!

Tampa Realtors need to Help Tampa Realtors!

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:12:50 -0500

Okay, I think we can all agree that the real estate market nationwide is not the best. And that many agents who thought they could make lots of money when the market was hot, are now long gone. So who does that leave?

I am a full time, full service, professional Tampa Real Estate Agent and am very busy with clients, both buyers and sellers. Each morning I make my appointments for the day's clients that I will be meeting with. This is the beginning of my day and what I call "the phone call runaround." Listing agents don't list direct numbers; this is a problem because I show properties on weekends and week nights when the office number they list as a direct number isn't open. They don't respond to phone messages. So I try emailing them to get an appointment set up. This is problem number one. On to the next problem...

Now once we are out looking at Tampa Foreclosures, driving directions are very poor, but thanks to my GPS I am able to find most properties. I walk up to the door and lo and behold the electronic lock box that is suppose to be on the door is now a combination lock box. Another round of calls and 8 out of 10 times I can get into the property.

My client decides to write an offer on a property and there are additional forms required, another couple of phone calls and emails later I get the docs I need. We get all the forms completed and I fax them to the correct, at least I hope it is the correct fax number. And sometimes it isn't, so another couple of calls later I get the right number. I also make a follow-up call to ensure that the fax has been received, most of the time I do not get a response to this call and I have to make several calls before I get a response.

A week goes by and nothing... another week goes by and still nothing. I make another round of calls to see if I can get any status as to where my clients offer stands. Nothing... Usually by the third week, and several calls and emails later I may get something. One time it was a contract agreement, but it was all wrong! Other times a counter and then the whole phone call process starts all over again. And a couple of times and many calls later I get an email from the listing agent saying the offer has been rejected (no documentation to support this; just the agent one liner). Makes me kind of wonder what is really going on.

I believe that we owe it to our sellers, our peers and their clients to be professional. Answer your phones, correct and update listings; making it easy to contact you and get into the properties. Don't make this any harder than it all ready is. We could probably get a lot more properties off the market if everyone did what is expected of them. In the last few weeks there have been many missed opportunities because of the run around and I'm just one agent; multiply that by the number of agents showing properties and it is mind blowing!

Team Masse services the Tampa Real Estate market and the following areas: Tampa, Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Brandon, Lithia, Valrico, Gibsonton, South Tampa, and Channelside District. Referals are always welcomed and given. For more information on Tampa Real Estate, please contact me direct or visit the websites above.

Tampa Homes, Its a Buyers Market out there!

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:55:42 -0500

OK, so the market is the market. But in today's market, it is definitely a buyers Market, at least in the Tampa area. There are many Tampa Homes selling for well below what the original owners paid for them some years back and therefore is a fantastic market to buy in. I hear it all the time, now is the time to buy, don't miss out, etc. Although I don't have any crystal ball to tell you what the market is going to do, I will give you the advice I give all my clients...If you don't need to sell right now, don't sell, and if you are looking to buy something right now, then buy and don't wait for the market to start to swing the opposite direction. Because when the swing starts, you will basically be spending more money in the long run than you would have had to bought when you actually wanted to buy.

So to make a short story even shorter, don't sell right now, but buy because there are alot of out of country clients coming in and buying everything that is not bolted down so don't miss the boat!

Tampa Bank Short Sales, Tampa Foreclosures, Tampa Bank Owned...What it all means!

Robert Masse (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:13:54 -0500

Foreclosures, Short Sales, REO, Repossessed, Bank Owned what is the difference between these terms. If you are looking for these properties, look no further, check us out at Tampa Bank Owned for Absolutely FREE access to all residential and commercial properties available for sale. We are different than those companies out there charging you to see these lists. The difference with us is these properties are FREE to access, they are actively for sale, and we offer the expertise to buy these homes.

So let's see if we can clear some things up.

Tampa Short Sale is where the bank has authorized the current owner of the property to sell the property for less than what is owed the bank.

Tampa Foreclosures is a property that has or is going through the foreclosure process, in other words, the lender is trying to get the property back due to lack of payment per the mortgage agreement.

Tampa Repossessed or Tampa Bank Owned Home is where the property has been taken back by the bank and the bank is now the owner of the property. At this point, the bank will try to sell the property rather than carry it for any given period of time.

You need time, money, and an excellent Tampa Realtor to help you navigate through the mountain of paperwork involved with these homes. So if you have the time and money, we can help. Just check us out online at Tampa Real Estate for more info.