Brevard Zoo is Hosting Summer Saturday Nights - 06/30/09 06:30 PM

Every Saturday night in July and August admission will be free to the Brevard Zoo after 5:00 PM.  The zoo will stay open until 9:00 PM, these nights. Many animals will be on exhibit.  Some are taken in at night. The train ride will remain open, as well as kayaking.  And there will be live bands playing.
July Free Nights will be July 4, 11, 18, 25.
August Free Nights will be August 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29.
The bands that will be playing are -
     8/ 1: CocoLocos Band- Island Music      8/ 8: Ben Wilson- … (9 comments)

Brevard County Tax Collectors Office will NO Longer Accept VISA Cards - 06/30/09 10:09 AM
I just finished reading an article that the Brevard County Tax Collectors office will no longer be accepting VISA cards to pay your tax bills.  The decision came on May 4.   VISA charges a $2.00 of 2.95% convenience fee (whichever is higher) to it's third party vendors.
The Clerk of Courts office will continue accepting Mastercard, American Express and Discover Credit cards and they will also accept Mastercard debit cards.
Marion, Osceola and Walton county tax collector offices will also no longer be accepting VISA payments.
The burden of these added "swipe" fees to small business is being passed on to … (4 comments)

Identity Theft is on the Rise - 06/30/09 09:13 AM

With identity theft on the rise, it’s important to protect yourself.
The FTC had over 9 million reports of identity theft last year.  This can take the form of someone else using your personal information, such as your name, address, credit cards, checks, or social security number to commit fraud.
Here are some pointers on helping to prevent identity theft:
             1) Your personal checks should have limited info on them.
Don’t put your full first name on your checks, use your first and middle initials and last name on them. Use a different address than your home address.  Do … (9 comments)

This Was One of the Most Mesmerizing Experiences I Have Ever Had - 06/27/09 04:38 PM
Yesterday, my family and I drove up to Cape Canaveral Florida to visit a client that I had helped in purchasing a beautiful riverfront condo a month before.  We went straight down to the boat docks by the gazebo hoping to get a glimpse of the manatees playing.  We saw at least 6 of them.  These sea cows, known as gentle giants live in shallow waters in our lagoons. 
We we absolutely mezmerized at what we saw.
In the 35 years I have lived in Brevard County I have never seen anything like this before.
All of these pictures were taken … (22 comments)

In Real Estate Investing, Pigs Get Fat, and Hogs Get Slaughtered - 06/26/09 10:42 AM

 
I remember when I first got into the real estate business in 1996, my broker and I were discussing real estate investing. He told me that people sit, waiting for that one great deal, and in the meantime they miss out on the good deals. Because of their inactivity they may never end up buying anything. 
He has been in real estate for over 50 years and has been investing in commercial, residential and mobile home parks.
We hear it everyday, is the market going down? Have we hit rock bottom? Has the market started heading back up? Does … (11 comments)

Renting to Multiple Occupants Can Be Sticky - 06/25/09 05:48 PM
I received a call from a young man on a house that I currently have available for rent. I always ask a series of questions when a prospective tenant calls on a property.
I asked how many people would be occupying the property. He told me 3. 
Is there one person that earns enough money to cover the monthly rent?
He indicated that the rent would be split three ways and each occupant would pay their portion to the landlord.
Unfortunately, I don't care for situations like this.  As a landlord, I do not want to collect money from 3 different … (24 comments)

Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers - 06/24/09 02:46 PM

There are so many great reasons to buy a house today.  Interest rates are low, inventory is plentiful and prices are at early 2000 prices.  There are some great deals available today.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act offers an $8000 tax credit for first time homebuyers that purchase between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.  There are some stipulations on how the credit would apply to each homebuyer.
Buyers can claim the credit on their federal income taxes.
Individuals are eligible for the credit with an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000. It increases to $150,000 if … (14 comments)

Brevard County Properties for Sale - 06/23/09 02:04 PM
According to the Melbourne Area Board of Realtors

There are currently 4758 single family homes available for sale.
There are currently 1635 condos for sale.
There are currently  441 townhouses for sale.
There are 2884 vacant parcels of land for sale.
There are 885 commercial properties for sale.
There are 142 income producing properties for sale.
There are 2078 rentals available.
This article is authored by

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate
Brevard County Real Estate & Investing
I also buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.
 
… (8 comments)

Enjoying the Beginning of Summer at Brevard County Beaches - 06/22/09 11:05 AM
Yesterday, was the first day of Summer and it proved to be a beautiful one.  Melbourne's temperatures reached 96 degrees, with humidity figured in, it was a sweltering 109 degrees. There was about 50% humidity.
We had the perfect solution, as did a few other people.  We headed for Spessard Holland in South Melbourne beach.

It was quite warm, but the ocean water was cool and refreshing.
 

         We spent a good bit of time out in the water, as my daughters are learning to surf.                  
 
We also did some fishing, but unfortunately caught nothing.

It … (13 comments)

Happy Father's Day - 06/21/09 04:45 PM
I love Bill Cosby during his stand up comic routines.  Have you ever read his book entitled Fatherhood?  It is an absolute classic.  It is absolutely hilarious.  If you have never seen him do a stand up routine, take the time to go see him.  He's great - and all of his jokes are clean.                        
On this Father's Day, I pulled out his book, to go back to some of my favorite parts.

'When a man has children, the first thing he has to learn is that he is not the boss of the house. I am certainly not the … (4 comments)

So Many Parks to Visit, It's Hard to Decide - 06/20/09 04:09 PM

My teenage daughters are ready to visit a couple of theme parks sometime during their Summer vacation.  We have visited all of the Disney Parks: the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom over the years, multiple times.  My girls favorite is the Magic Kingdom, as the park is filled with rides.  They love Space Mountain, their famous roller coaster.  They also enjoy Thunder Mountain, another roller coaster.  Splash Mountain is a water ride with one big drop.  My favorite of the theme parks is Epcot, as there is so much culture there.  
The parks are only 45 … (11 comments)

Brevard County Schools Did it Again! - 06/19/09 03:50 PM

Brevard County Schools took third place in the state, with 84% of schools receiving a grade "A".
The scoring is based on scores that students get on the FCAT, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.  "A" rated schools are awarded $75 per student.
All of Brevard County Middle Schools earned an "A" for the fourth year in a row.
St. John and Gilchrist County took 1st and 2nd place in the state.
We love to pass this information along to potential homebuyers, as we receive so many inquiries as to the quality of our local schools.
Another great reason to consider … (9 comments)

99 Cent Bowling this Sunday - 06/19/09 12:52 PM

The Brunswick Harbour Lanes will have 99 cent a game bowling this Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  This is a great way for a family to spend some quality time together. A family of four can bowl 4 games for less than $20.00!  What a great deal! 
When they aren't running this particular special, normally, if you arrive on a Sunday morning before 10:00 for bowling, then all the games you play are 99 cents a game.  You really can't beat it.
Currently bowling shoe rentals are $3.99 + tax.  That drives the cost of bowling up.  My … (2 comments)

The Sunshine State is Still a Favorite for International Buyers - 06/17/09 11:08 AM
 

We are still hearing that International Buyers favor Florida's location, climate and low prices to other locales in the United States.
International Buyers are actively purchasing Florida real estate. And others are keeping an eye on the market to determine when they feel the time is right to jump in.  Many buyers are purchasing their second/vacation/investment homes for cash.  Some are staying in the property for several months, and then renting their furnished units for the period of time they go back home.
The National Association of Realtors indicates that 25 percent of these international buyers are Canadian, 21 … (18 comments)

Market Report for Lake Washington Area of Melbourne Florida - 06/16/09 02:48 PM

In the Lake Washington Area of Melbourne:
There are currently 122 homes for sale. These include single family, as well as mobile homes.
There are currently 41 properties under contract. Some of these have been under contract for several months, as they are short sales, pending lender approval.
There have been 72 homes that have sold in 2009.
$            1  - $  250,000      58 properties       11 of these were foreclosures    14 of these were short sales
$  251,000 - $  500,000       12 properties         1 of these was a foreclosure     4 of these were short sales
$  … (14 comments)

Foreclosure Filings are Down - 06/15/09 02:41 PM

Brevard County foreclosure filings were down for May 2009.  There were 770 filings last month. April had 851 and in March there were 963. To date 2009 has seen 4297 foreclosure filings.  In 2008 we had 9228 for the year. These numbers are for filings only.  They don't indicate the total number of foreclosures.
Are the numbers down because more owners have been able to short sale their properties?  A short sale is when a bank or mortgage company agrees to take a lesser amount than the outstanding balance of the mortgage.  The property is sold because of a financial … (12 comments)

3012 Chica Circle, West Melbourne, FL 32904 - 06/15/09 01:32 PM
… (2 comments)

May 2009 Market Statistics Reports for Brevard County Real Estate - 06/13/09 02:15 PM
According to the Melbourne Association of REALTORS here in Brevard County Florida,  Real Estate Statistics for May 2009 are as follows:
For single family residential units:
There were 531 new listings.
This is a decrease of 26.96% from May 2008 of 727 new listings.
Year to date in 2009 there have been 2952 new listings.
Year to date in 2008 there were 4118 new listings.
 
There were 298 sold listings.
This is a 1.32% decrease from May 2008 of 302 sold listings.
Year to date in 2009 there are 1409 listings sold.
Year to date in 2008 there were 1282 … (5 comments)

At 14 Years Old Shores is the Youngest Powerlifter in the World to Qualify to Compete in this Meet - 06/10/09 05:55 PM
My daughter, Sam Shores broke 4 more World's Records this weekend at the RAW United Powerlifting National Championships held in Melbourne Florida. Thus far she had broken 17 World's Records and she currently holds 12 World's Records.

Preparing for the deadlift...

Sam deadlifted 252 lbs.

Sam benched 92 lbs.

Sam squatted 190 lbs.

Sam lifted almost four times her body weight in all three lifts combined.
So, she walked away with Best Female Weightlifter of the Meet and she pulled in 4 world's records for the meet. 
This meet qualifies her to go to the RAW … (27 comments)

Remove The Debris from Your Gutters - 06/10/09 03:46 PM
With rainy season here, now is a great time to be sure that the gutters on your house are clean and free of debris.
You want to be sure that your gutters are pulling the rain off of your roof, and taking the water out away from your house.  When they are working efficiently they can help prevent flooding issues and unnecessary damage to your home.
When your gutters are clogged with leaves and debris they can overflow and become detached from the house.  Often times this causes other issues such as water and wood rot issues in doors, windows, on … (10 comments)

Some Homes Are Becoming Stale - 06/08/09 04:02 PM
When buyers are out looking at homes they always ask how long a house has been on the market. This question can often provide some valuable insight. How motivated is the seller?  How flexible is he on price?
Currently there are 981 single family, condos and townhouses for sale in Melbourne Florida in the MLS, Multiple Listing Service.  Over 100 of these properties have been on the market for at least a year and many much longer. Three properties have been on the market for over 1000 days. These 100 properties are stale.  These sellers are in a precarious position. They … (17 comments)

Free Student Physicals at MIMA - 06/06/09 06:50 PM
Today, MIMA Orthopedics and Sports Medicine here in Melbourne Florida performed school physicals on students that needed one to be able to play a sport this upcoming year.  MIMA took no money in from these physicals.  A donation of $10 was requested to the sport club of the student's choice at their school.

I understand they were performing physicals for 5 area schools, free of charge. Each physical took about 15 minutes from start to finish. They were run like an assembly line, with no snags.
On their way out the door, each student was given a free MIMA T … (10 comments)

Will Foreclosed Homes Be Used By FEMA in Case of Emergency? - 06/04/09 05:13 PM

 
 
 
Hurricane season started on June 1.  FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency may fill foreclosed houses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Texas, if need be.
If there is a large storm that puts owners and/or tenants out of their homes, FEMA, is contemplating using specified vacant properties as temporary shelters, in the case of an extreme emergency.
FEMA will determine ahead of time which foreclosures would be used.  And, they have indicated that the owners/banks would be paid for the use of the properties.
We will have to wait to hear the details of how a plan … (16 comments)

Steps to Help your Home Show More Attractively - 06/03/09 10:54 AM

 1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too. 2. Wash your windows and screens. 3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Hire a cleaning service if … (19 comments)

Come Quick, You've Got to Check Your Backyard... - 06/02/09 05:43 PM
Last week I received 3 frantic phone calls from neighbors adjacent to one of my rental houses. They seemed very distraught and indicated that it was imperative that I go to my rental house ASAP.  I always hate calls like this one, as I always consider the worst, first. 
Either...
Someone's hurt.
Someone's in trouble.
The house is on fire (been through that one before).
Or, someone's doing something they aren't supposed to be doing. 
So, I sent my husband.
He hopped in his van to see what was going on.
Well, here's what he found...

The tenant had a … (31 comments)

Pricing Today is Key to A Successful Sale - 06/01/09 01:45 PM
In addition to location and condition, the pricing of a house today is probably the single largest determining factor on how quickly a home will or will not sell. Some sellers have a tendency to put a large amount of emphasis on the price, without also focusing on condition. Often times they end up with a home that is overpriced for it's current condition. 
We hear sellers say that someone will buy it.  But, the home must appraise in today's market when the buyer applies for a mortgage. If the house is priced too high, then the lender will not loan … (12 comments)

 
Sandy111 Rainmaker_large

Sandy Shores Broker-Associate, Melbourne /Palm Bay, Brevard County FL Real Estate

Melbourne, FL

More about me…

M & M Real Estate Inc. / Florida's Space Coast

Address: Melbourne, Palm Bay, Indian Harbour, Satellite Beach, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge, Titusville, Cape Canaveral FL

Office Phone: (321) 733-6080

Cell Phone: (321) 253-4545

Email Me

Melbourne Real Estate and Brevard County FL Real Estate and Investing. _________________ Sandy Shores on Zillow Sandy Shores…


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