John's Blog

2007, Never Lived In, Home In Citrus Springs, FL - $85,000 - SHORT SALE

Progress Energy's Transmission Lines to Mostly Follow Existing Path

How to make a seller's home stand out

2008 is the Best Year to Buy a Home in 35 Years

6555 N Elkcam Blvd., Citrus Springs, FL 34434 - $9,000.00

6567 N Elkcam Blvd., Citrus Springs, FL 34434 - $9,000.00

10196 W Dublin St., Crystal River, FL 34428 - $15,000.00

Homes For Sale, Homosassa, FL 34446

Homes For Sale, Lecanto, FL 34461 - $159,000

Homes For sale, Lecanto, FL 34461 - $188,000.00

Waterfront Home for Sale in Homosassa, FL 34448

Waterfront Home for sale, Floral City, FL 34436 - $285,000.00

Homes For Sale, Lecanto, FL 34461 - $249,975.00

Changes in FHA, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:14:12 -0500

Details

34434-Citrus Springs

FOR SALE
$85,000 Short Sale


Exit Realty Leaders
John Maisel Email John Work: 352-302-5351 Cell: 352-302-5351 Fax: 352-503-4624
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8176 Creek Way, Citrus Springs, FL

	Details


	Address: 8176 N Creek Way Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Suite: Yes Living Area: 1,254 square feet Year Built: 2007 More Details

	Description


	SHORT SALE! Built New in 2007 and Never Lived In. 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Home with 2 Car Garage in Citrus Springs Sits High on the Lot on this Quiet Street. Generous Size Bedrooms, Large Walk in Closet in Master Bedroom and also in Hallway. Whether You're Just Starting Out or Beginning Your Retirement, This Home is Worth a Look. More Description

Brokered and Advertised by Exit Realty Leaders LID 4990532

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:00:07 -0500

Progress Energy Florida is considering adding about 200 miles of transmission lines across 10 counties to maintain reliability and to move energy efficiently to customers throughout the region and state. The lines would be 230 and 500 kilovolts (kV).

All but 20 miles of the 200-mile project will follow existing routes. New transmission lines will slice through parts of northwest Citrus County, along a stretch south of Wildwood in Sumter County, and a small swathe northwest of Brookridge in Hernando County. In Hillsborough County, upgraded lines will follow existing paths.

Proposed Corridor aerial map

Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties:

Citrus, Hernando and Levy counties:

Citrus aerial map
Hernando aerial maps: Map 1 | Map 2
Levy aerial map

Lake, Marion and Sumter counties:

Marion aerial map

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:01:07 -0500

How to make a seller's home stand out

In many real estate markets, the biggest problem sellers face is simply a bigger than normal inventory. That means a seller's big challenge today is figuring out how to stand out amidst all those other homes buyers can look at.

Sellers need to act like they're in competition with every other home for sale in the area. Because they are. As always, what matters are location, condition and price.

A seller can't do anything about improving the appeal of a location-it is what it is.

They can, however, put price in their favor. Sellers need to focus on what comparable homes in their area have actually sold for (not listed at). If they're under pressure from a job transfer or expanding family, they should probably price BELOW the prevailing range. The idea is to price aggressively enough that buyers have to check them out. That brings us to condition.

Improvements it makes sense to do

In today's competitive market, sellers aren't recouping the money they put into upgrades the way they did in the past. But there are still areas where a judicious investment will pay out with a timely sale.

Sellers should start with improving their home's curb appeal. Today, sellers are finding out that anything they do to make the outside of their property look terrific is money well spent. Ideally, people should fall in love with a home between the car and the front door. New windows, doors and siding will help a home look crisp and well cared for from the street. They also make the home more energy efficient, a big plus in today's market. Just having freshly painted trim and new hardware go a long way to making a great first impression.

Sprucing up landscaping is also important today-especially for an older home. Well-trimmed trees and shrubs can do a lot help older homes compete against new ones with sparse foliage.

Inside and out, any repairs the seller has begun must be completed. An unfinished repair usually looks worse than the untreated problem. Inside, sellers should freshen up paint, clear out clutter and hire a professional stager. These things give the impression a home is well taken care of. Staging doesn't really cost a lot-smart sellers look at it like having a car detailed.

Anticipate buyer's mindset

For repairs or upgrades most buyers will want to make, advise the seller to get contractor estimates for the improvement and present them to interested prospects. You might even suggest the seller hire a home inspector, make the essential repairs and show the receipts to serious buyers.

Sellers should also consider projects that can lower insurance premiums. Electrical and plumbing upgrades may cut rates. If a roof needs replacing, have sellers check with their insurer about discounts for wind, hail and fire-resistant roofing. The same may be true for burglar and fire alarm systems.

Some improvements have regional appeal. In the West and Southwest, after a few seasons of extreme weather, homes with backup power generators got very attractive. Homes with steel replacement roofs are now popular in parts of California subject to wildfires. In tech savvy regions, "wired" homes with broadband access already installed have extra pull.

The goal is to create positive buzz around a listing.

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:09:00 -0500

Put the facts on your side!

Unfortunately, the media's continued focus on negative real estate news is keeping many people solidly on the sidelines. But remember, these people aren't getting the whole story. And the facts they're missing can alter their mindsets. All we have to do is put those facts out there!

Fact #1: Some six million Americans are expected to buy a home this year. Six million people in the game make up a pretty big game. That's a level of sales equal to the one we experienced in 1998-by all accounts, a pretty good year.

Fact #2: There is still over $23 trillion of value in u.s. housing stock. Home ownership continues to be the basis of our wealth in this country.

Fact #3: The housing market cannot help but grow. Our country's tremendous wealth, liquidity, and entrepreneurship will continue to drive our economy. 70-100 million people will be added to our market in the next 40 years.

Fact #4: Real estate is cyclical. The biggest fear in good times is that the fair weather won't last forever-because it doesn't. But the reality of a cyclical real estate market also provides its brightest hope in bad times-foul weather won't last forever either. What's happening today is a market correction, severe in some places, but it's not the end of the world. As shown by Fact #1, people are still buying and selling homes. The markets will stabilize.

Fact #5: 2008 is the best year to buy a home in 35 years. 1973 was the last time mortgage rates were this low in a buyer's market. We had rates this low in 2001 and 2002, but those were strong seller's markets with little inventory. The last two big buyer's markets, in the early ‘80s and early ‘90s had much higher rates. Low rates and good inventory make 2008 the best year to buy in decades!

Fact #6: First-time buyers have a real advantage in today's market. First-time buyers can buy at a reduced price without having to sell at one too. Higher limits on lower cost conforming loans also help first-time buyers purchase more home for their money. Today's ‘starter' homes can be pretty impressive.

Fact #7: First-time buyers lose money while they wait on the sidelines. First, renters typically pay more state and federal income taxes than homeowners with a mortgage deduction. Renters are also losing the wealth they could be accumulating as they pay down their mortgage and as their home increases in value over time (as it surely will). Lastly, renters who wait to buy will lose money if interest rates increase by the time they finally act. Higher payments from higher interest rates represent money buyers could have kept if they had bought earlier. Conversely, if they were willing to spend that amount of money earlier, they could have bought more home.

Fact #8: Homes sell when they're priced right and show well. Buyers are looking for value in today's market. When sellers make their home's value obvious, they make a sale-it's as simple as that.

Source: Jerry Heckman - CTX Mortgage

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:39:45 -0500

Vacant Land
324963 _Active

6555 N Elkcam Blvd.
Citrus Springs, FL 34434

(4)

L$9,000

Cross Street:	Gifford	Rear Exposure:	E
County:	Citrus	Area:	13
Waterfront:	No	Sec/Twp/Rng:	34/ 17/ 18
Subdivision:	Citrus Springs	Apx. Acres:	.24
Waterfront Ft:		Alt Key:	2036800
Road Front:	84
Apx. Lot Size:	84 x 125

Public Rems:	Great Buildable Lot near Pine Ridge Gold Course. Lot next to this is also for sale from same owner. Priced for a Quick Sale.
Directions:	Pine Ridge Blvd to North on Elkcam Blvd, Pass Hampshire Blvd, Property on Right.

Features

Waterfront:
On Site Util:	None
Avail Utilities:	None
Special Info:

Lot Desc:	Corner Lot , Flat , Rectangle	Land Use:	Single Family Residential
Buildings:	None	Sewer/Water:	Sewer - None , Water - Public
Comm Amen:	Fencing:
Road Type:	Possession:	At Close
Restrictions:	Terms Avail:	Cash , Conventional
Condo Fees:

Taxes:	$ 233.61	Tax Year:	2007	Homestead:	No	Flood Plain:	No
HOA:	No	Monthly Dues:	$	Yearly Dues:	$	Land Use:	RURP
Elementary:	Citrus Springs	Middle:	Citrus Springs	High:	Lecanto	Agent Owned:	No

Legal:

CITRUS SPGS UNIT 23 PB 7 PG 115 LOT 1 BLK 1657

Prepared by: John Maisel		Email : John.Maisel@FlaMLSonline.com
Exit Realty Leaders - Crystal River		Off. Ph# : (352) 794-0888
730 N. Suncoast Blvd.		Agt. Ph# : (352) 794-0888
Crystal River, FL 34429		Cell Ph# : (352) 302-5351
	http://www.FlaMLSonline.com

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:34:42 -0500

Customer Display

Vacant Land
324962 _Active

6567 N Elkcam Blvd.
Citrus Springs, FL 34434

(4)

L$9,000

Cross Street:	Gifford	Rear Exposure:	E
County:	Citrus	Area:	13
Waterfront:	No	Sec/Twp/Rng:	34/ 17/ 18
Subdivision:	Citrus Springs	Apx. Acres:	.23
Waterfront Ft:		Alt Key:	2036842
Road Front:	80
Apx. Lot Size:	80 x 125

Public Rems:	Great Buildable Lot near Pine Ridge Gold Course. Lot next to this is also for sale from same owner. Priced for a Quick Sale.
Directions:	Pine Ridge Blvd to North on Elkcam Blvd, Pass Hampshire Blvd, Property on Right.

Features

Waterfront:
On Site Util:	None
Avail Utilities:	None
Special Info:

Lot Desc:	Flat , Rectangle	Land Use:	Single Family Residential
Buildings:	None	Sewer/Water:	Sewer - None , Water - Public
Comm Amen:	Fencing:
Road Type:	Possession:	At Close
Restrictions:	Terms Avail:	Cash , Conventional
Condo Fees:

Taxes:	$ 222.59	Tax Year:	2007	Homestead:	No	Flood Plain:	No
HOA:	No	Monthly Dues:	$	Yearly Dues:	$	Land Use:	RURP
Elementary:	Citrus Springs	Middle:	Citrus Springs	High:	Lecanto	Agent Owned:	No

Legal:

CITRUS SPGS UNIT 23 PB 7 PG 115 LOT 2 BLK 1657

Prepared by: John Maisel		Email : John.Maisel@FlaMLSonline.com
Exit Realty Leaders - Crystal River		Off. Ph# : (352) 794-0888
730 N. Suncoast Blvd.		Agt. Ph# : (352) 794-0888
Crystal River, FL 34429		Cell Ph# : (352) 302-5351
	http://www.FlaMLSonline.com

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:06:37 -0500

Vacant Land
324431 _Active

10196 W Dublin St
Crystal River, FL 34428

(6)

L$15,000

Cross Street:	Shamrock Place	Rear Exposure:
County:	Citrus	Area:	12
Waterfront:	No	Sec/Twp/Rng:	20/ 17/ 17
Subdivision:	Crystal Manor	Apx. Acres:	.97
Waterfront Ft:		Alt Key:	1980682
Road Front:	678
Apx. Lot Size:	397 x 281 x 302

Public Rems:	Nice corner lot in Crystal Manor. Close to waterways. Priced for a Quick Sale!
Directions:	North on Hwy 19 to Right on Hwy 488 (W Dunnellon Rd) to Left on Ira Martin to Left on Dublin to Property on Left.

Features

Waterfront:
On Site Util:	None
Avail Utilities:	Electric-Progress Energy , Telephone
Special Info:

Lot Desc:	Corner Lot	Land Use:	Single Family Residential
Buildings:	None	Sewer/Water:	Sewer - None , Water - Needs Well
Comm Amen:	Fencing:
Road Type:	County , Paved	Possession:	At Close
Restrictions:	Other See Remarks	Terms Avail:	Cash , Conventional
Condo Fees:

Taxes:	$ 480.60	Tax Year:	2007	Homestead:	No	Flood Plain:	Unverified
HOA:	No	Monthly Dues:	$	Yearly Dues:	$	Land Use:	CLR
Elementary:	Crystal River Primary	Middle:	Crystal River	High:	Crystal River	Agent Owned:	No

Legal:

CRYSTAL MANOR UNIT 1 PB 8 PG 32 LOT 3 BLK 10

Prepared by: John Maisel		Email : John.Maisel@FlaMLSonline.com
Exit Realty Leaders - Crystal River		Off. Ph# : (352) 794-0888
730 N. Suncoast Blvd.		Agt. Ph# : (352) 794-0888
Crystal River, FL 34429		Cell Ph# : (352) 302-5351
	http://www.FlaMLSonline.com

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:05:39 -0500

Details

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34446-Homosassa (Homosassa)

FOR SALE
$131,000 Acreage

	Exit Realty Leaders

	John Maisel Email John Work: 352-302-5351 Cell: 352-302-5351 Fax: 352-503-4624
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Front of Home

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Address: 9287 S. Richtop terrace Type: Residential Style: Manufactured Home Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2 Suite: Yes Living Area: 1,836 square feet Year Built: 2000 More Details

Description


Beautiful 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath Home, Nestled in a Private 1.78 Acre Parcel, Features an Open Floor Plan, Spacious Kitchen, Living/Dining Room and Family Room. Outside, Enjoy the Large Front Porch or Side Deck with Gazebo. There is Also an Outbuilding That Can Be Used As a Workshop or Storage Shed. Plenty of Room if You Want to Add a Pool. Approx 45 Minutes to The Tampa Bay Area. More Description

Brokered and Advertised by Exit Realty Leaders LID 1231168

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:12:56 -0500

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34461-Lecanto (Lecanto)

FOR SALE
$159,000

	Exit Realty Leaders

	John Maisel Email John Work: 352-302-5351 Cell: 352-302-5351 Fax: 352-503-4624
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Contemporary Ranch

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Address: 5054 W. Mapleleaf Ct Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 Living Area: 1,624 square feet Year Built: 1994 More Details

	Description


This is Your Opportunity to Own a 2 Bed, 2 Bath Cul-de-sac Home in the Desirable Crystal Oaks Subdivision, For Only $159,000. You Can't Help But Smile While Living in This Light & Bright Floor Plan. The Optional Home Owners Association Offers a Community Pool, Billiards, Shuffleboard and Tennis. Rv Parking is Also Available for a Low Yearly Fee. Call Today Before It's To Late. More Description

Brokered and Advertised by Exit Realty Leaders LID 1553608

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:06:02 -0500

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34461-Lecanto (Lecanto)

FOR SALE
$188,000 Beautiful Home

	Exit Realty Leaders

	John Maisel Email John Work: 352-302-5351 Cell: 352-302-5351 Fax: 352-503-4624
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Beautiful Pool Home

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Address: 5205 W. Boatwright Ct Type: Residential Style: Ranch Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Suite: Yes Living Area: 1,587 square feet Year Built: 1996 More Details

Description


WOW! Great Price on This 3/2/2 Pool Home on a Cul-de-sac in Desirable Crystal Oaks. Eat-In Kitchen, Self-Cleaning Pool, Exterior Recently Painted, Screened Garage and Front Entrance, Alarm System and Fruit Trees on Property Are Just a Few of the Features of This Spectacular Home. More Description

Brokered and Advertised by Exit Realty Leaders LID 940916

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:59:41 -0500

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34448-Homosassa (Homosassa)

FOR SALE
$279,000 Crystal Clear Waterfront

	Exit Realty Leaders

	John Maisel Email John Work: 352-302-5351 Cell: 352-302-5351 Fax: 352-503-4624
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02 - Crystal Clear Waterfront

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Address: 2296 S. Dana Pt. Type: Residential Style: Ranch Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Living Area: 1,872 square feet Year Built: 2004 More Details

	Description


Nature Lover's Paradise. 2004 3 Bed, 2 Bath, Steel Framed Waterfront Home on a Cul-de-sac. Impress Your Guests When You Entertain in This Relaxing Waterfront Environment. Kayakers Will Love Meandering Through the Spring Fed River. Are you a Good Candidate for this Opportunity? Call Today to See If This Beauty is Still Available. More Description

Brokered and Advertised by Exit Realty Leaders LID 868691

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:50:06 -0500

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34436-Floral City (Floral City)

FOR SALE
$285,000 Lakefront Acreage

	Exit Realty Leaders

	John Maisel Email John Work: 352-302-5351 Cell: 352-302-5351 Fax: 352-503-4624
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4.23 Acre Island

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Address: 5350 S. Withlapopka Dr. Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 Living Area: 1,536 square feet Year Built: 1970 More Details

Description


Plenty of Privacy on Your Own 4.25 (mol) Acre Island with Large Grandfather Oaks & Fruit Trees. Have a Green Thumb? Spend Your Time in the Greenhouse and Enjoy All That Nature Has to Offer. This Cozy 2/2/3 Pool Home Has Direct Access to Fresh Water Canal Which Leads to The Chain of Lakes. More Description

Brokered and Advertised by Exit Realty Leaders LID 1127158

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:41:31 -0500

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34461-Lecanto (Crystal Oaks)

FOR SALE
$249,975Reduced

	Exit Realty Leaders

	John Maisel Email John Work: 352-302-5351 Cell: 352-302-5351 Fax: 352-503-4624
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Spectacular Home

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Address: 270 N Lombardy Pt Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 Suite: Yes Living Area: 2,835 square feet Year Built: 1990 More Details

	Description


Get Ready to Be “Wowed”!!, From the Moment You Walk In, You’ll Feel Right at Home. With Magnificent Granite Kitchen Counters, Stainless Steel Appliances, Spacious Rooms and an Inviting Lanai, All Under a Brand New Roof, You Can’t Help But Picture Yourself Living Here. Located on a Quiet Cul-De-Sac in Desirable Crystal Oaks - Make Your Appointment Today! Owner/Agent More Description

Brokered and Advertised by Exit Realty Leaders LID 1587530

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

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John Maisel (Exit Realty Leaders) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:49:44 -0500

FHA.
Maximum loan for Citrus has increased to $271,050
The Senate is close to voting on a new bill that makes changes on two major issues.
The new bill will increase the minimum investment (downpayment) to 3.5%.
The other change will abolish the use of the seller funded Downpayment Assistance Programs like Genesis & Nehemiah. We will have to wait and see what happens when the House gets the new bill.

Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac
Risk Based Pricing structure - Applies to every lender with no exceptions.

Began January 1, 2008
Any loan with less than 30% down and a FICO below 680 would require pricing add-ons, for a buyer with 10% down and a FICO of 639, would have been 1.75 pts

Updated as of April 1, 2008
Raises the threshold to 40% down, the FICO to 720 and increases the add-ons, for a buyer with 10% down and a FICO of 639, will now require 2.50 pts.

This is forcing lenders to turn to FHA loans to be able to qualify their borrowers for a home loan.

Several banks and mortgage companies have set minimum FICO scores of 580 on an FHA loan.