The biggest news of the day is that Southwest intends to begin service at the brand-new International Airport being built near Panama City, Florida next May. We're bringing low fares and GREAT service to the land of sugar-white-sand beaches, incredibly gentle blue waters, and an amazing variety of visitor accomodations just in time for vacation season, Summer, 2010! Up until Southwest's arrival, this part of Northwest Florida has been plagued by high fares and a lack of full-sized airline service. We're going to change that. Southwest's entry into the Panama City market will make it possible for all of America to experience the incredible beauty of Northwest Florida!
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly officially announced Wednesday the low-cost carrier will begin service to the new Northwest Florida-Panama City International Airport when it opens in May. Tickets will go on sale in December.
And:
"We have been overwhelmed by the energy Panhandle residents put on Southwest to come to their region," Kelly said during his video address. "It was very, very clear they wanted us. We are so flattered by that."
Southwest will fly up to eight daily flights, Kelly said. Nashville, Tenn., and Baltimore-Washington International in Maryland will be the destinations.
The buzz surrounding the announcement couldn't be contained before Bob Montgomery, vice-president of properties at Southwest Airlines, took the stage and made turned that buzz into full-on electricity. "We will be bringing two daily flights from four destinations," Mr. Montgomery said, "which makes eight non-stop flights. That's almost 2,000 seats coming into the Northwest Florida region every day. By December you'll have an announcement on fares and schedules and by May 2010 you'll see our canyon-blue jets flying over your white, sandy beach and clear waters."
Southwest Airlines Chairman, President and CEO Gary Kelly announced today that the nation's leading low-fare airline will serve our new Northwest Florida - Panama City International Airport beginning in May 2010.
St. George Island Oyster Spat Festival Date: October 9 - 10 Location: St. George Island on the beach For more information, please call 850-653-8678
Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine & Music Festival Date: October 9 - 11 Location: Frank Brown Park For more info: 850-233-5070 or panamacitybeachfest.com 33rd Annual Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival Date: October 16 - 18 Location: Mullet Festival Grounds, Niceville, FL Admission - $10 per person Children 11 and under free
Heart Walk for American Heart Association Date: October 16 Time: 5:30pm Location: Pier Park For more info: 850-769-3070
Jazz By the Bay Festival Date: October 16 - 17 Time: 6:00pm Location: Oaks By the Bay Park, St. Andrew For more info: 850-872-7208
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk Date: October 17 Location: McKenzie Park, Downtown, PC For more info: 850-785-9205
11th Annual Mexico Beach Art & Wine Festival Date: October 17 Location: Driftwood Inn, Hwy 98 For more info: www.mexicobeach.com
2009 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides Walk Date: October 17 Time: Registration - 8:30; Begins - 9:00 Location: St. Andrews State Park
Boo at the Beach Date: October 24 Time: 11:00am until 2:00pm Location: Pier Park, Promo/Green Grass area
Malloween at Pier Park Date: October 31 Time: 6:00pm until 8:00pm Location: Pier Park
Loooking for a great condo on the gulf? Wanting more than JUST a tower?
Edgewater is it!
Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort offers 110 acres of golf, tennis, shuffleboard, spa, fitness center, aerobics room, 11 swimming pools, 4 whirlpool spas and more. Although everything is in walking distance, we offer a complimentary shuttle to zip you easily around the entire property.
Call or e-mail me today for a list of all properties for sale in Edgewater or any complex for that matter :)
They now start in the low 100s.....Why wait.....your home away from home is waiting...for you to call or e-mail me today....
SOUTH FLORIDA - Sept. 9, 2009 - The American dream of homeownership is still attainable. Buyers just have to deal with a new set of realities.
A year after the collapse of the housing market triggered the financial meltdown, lenders are demanding more money up front, high credit scores and proof of income. Paperwork must be in perfect order. Patience and persistence are required. And don't even bother asking about a subprime mortgage.
It's a vastly different set of rules from earlier this decade, when home prices soared and mortgages were easy to come by.
In some ways, it's a return to the standards that emerged as the World War II generation bought its first homes in the suburbs: Buy what you can afford. Stick to a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage. View your home as a place to live, not as a piggy bank.
For people trying to sell their homes, the standards are different, too: Be patient and maybe even lower your asking price, because the balance of power has swung strongly to buyers.
Housing bubbles have happened before and, experts warn, could happen again. Already, home sales and prices are rising slowly, helped by tax breaks for first-time homebuyers. But real estate agents, mortgage brokers, economists and homebuyers across the country say they've noticed a shift in attitudes that they expect will last for years.
NEW REALITY: Selling your house
Real estate agent Scott Patterson hits the gas and weaves his black Mercedes-Benz across three lanes of Interstate 95 near Plantation, Fla., holding his iPhone with one hand and the steering wheel with the other.
He is rushing to meet with potential buyers of a condo with an ocean view. When he arrives, he turns on lights and opens doors in the four-bedroom place. The prospective buyers, a couple from Venezuela, walk around, ask a few questions - and leave.
Business may be up in South Florida, but the power has shifted to the buyer. And price is the key. "If you're not getting showings, you're overpriced," says Patterson, an agent with Esslinger Wooten Maxwell Realtors Inc.
The record number of foreclosed homes on the market gives buyers even more leverage. "They can afford to wait," says David Baran, a broker with Prudential Preferred Properties in Chicago.
Michael Davies and Nicole Anzia of Washington, D.C., got caught in their first bidding war when they bought their two-bedroom condo in 2003. The seller fielded eight bids within five days of listing. The couple waived an inspection to clinch the deal and paid $372,000.
That was tame compared with what happened when they sold the condo two years later. They listed the property on a Thursday for $479,000 and held two open houses. More than 100 people showed up, and 11 bids were waiting for them by Tuesday. The final price: $605,000. The buyer waived the inspection, too.
When they tried to sell their home this May, things were different. They listed the house at the purchase price and received just one bid. The negotiation process took longer, and they sold at a $21,000 loss. The buyer demanded an inspection.
"We don't feel like we went from boom to bust," Davies says. "We felt like we went from boom to reality."
NEW REALITY: Getting a mortgage
Jim Sahnger, a mortgage broker in Jupiter, Fla., still chuckles over one borrower three years ago who landed a mortgage with no downpayment and two foreclosures and a bankruptcy in his past.
Now, lenders pore over bank statements, tax returns and job histories. The average mortgage application today starts three times thicker than what it was at the start of the housing boom, and often gets thicker as the process drags on.
Sometimes all the extra documentation still isn't enough. Sahnger recently had a customer with a good job and a 20 percent downpayment who couldn't get a mortgage because the lender said there were too many delinquent mortgages in the neighborhood.
"Now, they want to know everything about the buyer," Sahnger says. "It's a true and full underwriting process on every particular loan."
It is common to require a downpayment of 20 percent - sometimes more. And it is virtually impossible to get subprime mortgages, which were written for people with poor credit histories and helped cause the meltdown when the interest rates jumped and borrowers defaulted. In 2005, one in every five mortgages was considered subprime. This year, it's less than 1 percent.
Another category of risky loans, Alt-A mortgages, which required little or no documentation of the borrower's financial health, have plunged to $3 billion this year from $400 billion in 2005.
NEW REALITY: Closing the deal
Mike Delano thought everything was in order. He was set to buy a $785,000 home in Washington, D.C., until he learned his lender now required a 20 percent downpayment instead of 10 percent.
Unlike in years past, there was no wiggle room. He had to raise the extra money from his family. "It was a nightmare," he says.
It's not uncommon nowadays for closings to take 60 days. One big reason: Appraisers have become more strict - or, some would say, more accurate.
During the boom years, agents and brokers often pressured appraisers to "hit the number" that the buyer and seller had agreed on so the deal would close and everyone could collect fees.
Under new industry rules, mortgage brokers are barred from ordering appraisals themselves. Instead, lenders order appraisals in-house or hire independent firms.
Some real estate agents and homebuilders say the rules are causing delays in closing sales, or undermining sales because appraisals are coming in too low.
NEW REALITY: The future
Nearly everyone in the real estate industry agrees on this much: Another dramatic boom-bust cycle isn't likely soon. Albert Saiz, assistant real estate professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, expects that new regulations and a different consumer mindset will help real estate return to a more traditional cycle.
There will be some ups and downs, Saiz said, but in the long run, prices should move higher. "In the end, the United States is still growing," he says. "We're going to need more housing."
Pava Leyrer, president of Heritage National Mortgage in Michigan, notes that the majority of people are still paying their debts. She's confident the market will rebound once the unemployment rate begins to fall.
"I really can't imagine we would go back to the same situation because it took an exact wrong mix of everything for that to occur," she says. "If it ever did happen, I'll be long dead."
If you want the benefits of your credit as soon as possible:
You might choose to file under your 2008 tax year. Since April 15 has already passed, you would have to file an amendment to your return. However, if you've already filed for an extension of your 2008 return, then you can simply claim the credit when you submit your return.
If you anticipate a drop in income next year:
You can wait to claim the credit as part of your 2009 filing. In some cases the value of the credit might be higher, particularly if in 2008 you qualify for only a partial credit because your income is over $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (joint).
Your Next Steps
Once you have determined which year to apply the tax credit, you will need to do two things to claim the credit:
Fill out Form 5405 to determine the amount of your available credit, and
File an amended return for your 2008 taxes, or wait and apply to credit when you file your 2009 tax return.
-Sept. 19th- Gulf Coast Community College Commodore Sun Run 5k, 10k & Fun Run
- Sept. 24th through 27th- Thunder Beach Fall Rally. Bike display and custom bike competition in the promo area.
October
- Oct. 3rd- Woodlawn Church Family Fall Festival. Rides, bounce houses, free food and drinks, contests and entertainment for the whole family. Held at Aaron Bessant Park. Open to the public.
- Oct. 9th, 10th & 11th- Seafood Wine & Music Festival. Held at Frank Brown Park. Gates open at 4pm to 11pm on Friday, 11am to 11pm on Saturday & 11am to 6pm on Sunday. For more info. please visit www.panamacitybeachfest.com or call 1.800.PCBEACH
- Oct. 10th- Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Pink ribbons will be hung in the promo area in remembrance of Cancer victims and in support of Cancer survivors. Ribbons may be purchased at Unique Boutique by Irene & Co. After the ribbon hanging ceremony, there will be pink cookies, cupcakes and pink lemonade served at Unique Boutique.
- Oct. 15th- Treasa Foundation Walk. Charity walk to benefit research of still-born babies. Walk begins at 4 pm
- Oct. 16th- Heart Walk- 2.75 mile route will go through Pier Park. Registration begins at 5:30 pm. Walk begins at 6:30.
-Oct. 17th- Girls Inc. Half Marathon. Join Girls Inc. for our Inaugural Half Marathon & Relay at Pier Park in Panama City Beach. The run begins at 8:00 am. For more information contact Girls Inc. at (850) 769-6703 or girlsinc@girlsincofbaycounty.org. To register go to www.active.com
- Oct. 24th- Boo at the Beach. Bring the kids out to the promo/green grass area to enjoy a hay bale maze, pumpkin carving, spooky stories, arts & crafts and a pet costume contest. 11 am to 2 pm.
-Oct. 24th- Rescues & Runways. Hosted by Maurice's this fashion show will benefit the local Humane Society.
- Oct. 31st- Malloween. Trick or Treating throughout the property, hay bale maze, and costume contests for the kids. 6 pm to 8 pm.
November
- Nov. 6th-Taste of the Beach. This venue will be an international wine tasting experience with over 300 wines to taste and food samplings from various Bay County restaurants. Proceeds from the tasting go to benefit various local charities dedicated to helping underprivileged children. 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
- Nov. 9th through 15th- Emerald Coast Cruizin. Classic car show to be held at Frank Brown Park.
- Nov. 11th- 4pm. Emerald Coast Cruizin Parade. Parade of classic cars down the Pier Park boardwalk.
-Nov. 20th-22nd- Modonarro. Italian street painting fair featuring 3-D sidewalk chalk art. Presented by the Visual Arts Center of Bay County.
-Nov. 21st- St. Jude 5K Run
- Nov. 27th- Black Friday- The busiest shopping day of the year featuring lots of special sales and door busters.
- Nov. 27th- Santa's Arrival and Breakfast. Santa will arrive on property at 10am for cookies and hot chocolate with all the naughty and nice boys and girls. He will then be available for pictures at the Santa House located on the boardwalk.
- Nov. 27th-2nd Annual Mayors Tree Lighting. The PCB Mayor will light the 20ft. Christmas tree located in Town Center at 6 pm. Holiday carolers will also perform to help ring in the holiday season.
- Nov. 28th- Rescue Mission Festival of Trees. Christmas trees that have been decorated by local businesses will be on display and auctioned off in the promo area. All proceeds go to benefit the Rescue Mission.
December
- Dec. 5th & 12th- 5pm to 7pm. Pet Photos with Santa. Bring your furry friends out to have their picture made with Santa at the Santa house on the boardwalk.
- Dec. 5th & 6th- Run for Redfish Half-Marathon
- Dec. 12th- 4pm. Panama City Beach Christmas Parade. Parade will begin in Town Center and travel throughout Pier Park down the Boardwalk to Front Beach Road.
Atlanta Business Chronicle - by Douglas Sams Staff Writer
St. Joe Co. is planning several more waves of development in the Florida Panhandle - a potential building boom spurred by the region's new international airport.
St. Joe, one of the Panhandle's largest developers, has several projects in the works around Panama City-Bay County International Airport, which is being built on a 4,000-acre site in western Bay County.
St. Joe donated land to the Panama City/Bay County Airport and Industrial District.
Construction on the airport began in late 2007.
St. Joe has land entitlements near the airport for at least 4 million square feet of commercial and industrial development and at least 5,800 residential units.
The Panhandle is one of the most popular summer vacation destinations for Atlantans and the location many choose for second homes.
But, the expansion of the airport gives cities such as Atlanta - about a five-hour drive from the Panhandle - greater connectivity to the Bay County region, economic development officials say.
St. Joe is banking on that connection to spur residential and commercial real estate demand not just from Atlanta but from across the South.
"Within this area we have a lot of residential projects in development, and the dirt is turning on those lots," said Jerry Ray, a spokesman with St. Joe (NYSE: JOE).
"Some of those sites are ready for development," he said. "In some cases houses are already there and builder programs are in place."
In recent months, St. Joe Co. met with officials from Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL).
"Here is the advantage the airport gives us," Ray said. "We were always a drive-in market. But, once we have the new airport, it's going to give us a chance to broaden our market and move from a regional destination to reach a much broader part of the country."
The Panhandle is Florida's second-largest tourism market behind Orlando.
With the airport's planned opening in May 2010, Bay County officials think it might be enough of an economic engine to pull the residential market out of its slide.
Florida has one of the hardest-hit housing markets of any state.
"It's going to be a catalyst," said Janet Watermeier, director of economic development for the Bay County Chamber of Commerce.
"The airport is getting national media attention," she said. "We're getting calls from people with business interests in our region from as far away as California and Texas as well as the usual states, such as Mississippi and Georgia."
The airport is one of the largest planned mixed-use developments in the United States.
St. Joe owns all of the land surrounding the airport, or about 71,000 acres. More than half of that is dedicated to preservation.
With one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation and a jobless rate topping 9 percent, Florida has many homeowners who are out of work, facing financial problems and trying to save their homes. This page has links to information about free clinics and other help; about finding an attorney; and about how not to become a victim of a foreclosure-rescue, loan-modification or debt- or credit-repair scam. If you know of additional resources, please e-mail the Consumer Protection Law Committee at slyle@flabar.org.
Information for consumers includes:
·
Free Help, Workshopsand Clinics: A calendar of foreclosure, bankruptcy and housing help workshops and clinics being held through Florida.
·
Finding an Attorney/ Legal Aid Resources: Information about the Florida Attorneys Saving Home program, the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service and Legal Aid agencies and questions to ask an attorney.
·
Tips / Avoiding Scams: Homeowners can find tips and help from state and federal agencies to deal with housing issues and avoid becoming victims of scammers. Also relevant terms to know. _________________________________________________________
FREE HELP Help is available. Begin looking for help as soon as you know you may not be able to pay any of your bills, particularly your mortgage
Intake Form Available To Help Pre-Foreclosure Homeowners Who Are Facing Or Fear The Possibility Of Foreclosure. An online intake form (the actual link to the intake form is at the bottom of the page under instructions) is available for Floridians hoping to avoid foreclosure andto bypass the toll-free hot line of the Florida Attorneys Saving Homesprogram is available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at 1-866-607-2187. Because of the number of requests for help, there can be a wait time of up to 45 days for assistance.
Housing Help/Foreclosure Workshops
Please check periodically for new events.
If you've been served with a mortgage foreclosure lawsuit, bring all of the papers you signed when you got the loan and any court or other papers or letters you have received.
Aug. 5 , 6 p.m., Bradenton Foreclosure-prevention seminar Manatee County Central Library meeting room 1301 Barcarrota Blvd. W. At the seminar, attorneys, real estate agents and certified public accountants outlined various options and government programs designed to forestall foreclosure. They also cover ways to avoid foreclosure-rescue scams.For more information or to register, visit www.SBAREC.org.
Aug. 6, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Sanford Facing the Mortgage Crisis Seminole Community College, Lake Mary Campus Concert Hall 100 Weldon Blvd. The forum will include a presentation from a panel of representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Consumer Credit Counseling Service, experts from the banking/lending industry and a housing attorney. Information on resources, free programs and tips for homeowners will be provided.There will also be a question and answer session around the following topics: How to avoid foreclosure and mortgage scams Moderator will be Robert E. "Bob" Dallari, Seminole County Commission chairman. Presented by WMFE and Heart of Florida United Way. Free of charge and open to the public. For more information, including parking and building maps, please visit www.wmfe.org/mortgage, www.hfuw.org or simply dial 2-1-1.
Aug. 8, 10 a.m., Deltona Florida Housing Help Workshop Deltona City Hall 2345 Providence Blvd. Florida Housing Help and the Department of Financial Services, in partnership with the City of Deltona, FL will hold a foreclosure workshop for consumers to meet with mortgage lenders, HUD-certified housing counselors, legal services, and other foreclosure assistance programs. Pre-registration is recommended. To register, please call 1-877-693-5236.
Aug. 12, 5:30 p.m., Sarasota Foreclosure-prevention seminar Selby Public Library downstairs meeting room 1331 First St. At the seminar, attorneys, real estate agents and certified public accountants outlined various options and government programs designed to forestall foreclosure. They also cover ways to avoid foreclosure-rescue scams. For more information or to register, visit www.SBAREC.org.
Aug. 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Fort Myers The Do's and Don't's: Avoiding Fear, Mistakes and Scams Alliance for the Arts, Ned Foulds Theater, 10091 McGregor Blvd. The forum will feature a discussion and Q&A with a panel of experts, including a HUD-certified counselor, an attorney, a banker and an average citizen. The forum will focus on educating homeowners on things they can do if they might face or are currently in foreclosure. Cost: Free but there is limited seating. You must RSVP by Monday, Aug. 10, to Fort Myers News Press Community Conversation Editor David Plazas at (239) 335-0224 or dplazas@news-press.com. First come, first serve. If you are unable to make it, you can watch a live stream video on news-press.com. You may also participate in a live chat and type in questions to panelists in real time. Sponsored by The News-Press, with the Home Ownership Resource Center and the Alliance for the Arts.
Aug. 15, 10 a.m., Parrish Foreclosure-prevention seminar Leslie Wells Realty, 8338 U.S. 301 N At the seminar, attorneys, real estate agents and certified public accountants outlined various options and government programs designed to forestall foreclosure. They also cover ways to avoid foreclosure-rescue scams. For more information or to register, visit www.SBAREC.org.
Aug. 15, 9 to 1 p.m., Tampa Town Hall meeting on The Housing Crisis: Who to Trust and Where to Turn Stetson University Law School 1700 North Tampa St. Facing Foreclosure? Concerned about how to tell which housing services are legitimate and which are scams? Want to report mortgage fraud or a foreclosure rescue scam? Need more information about mortgage loan modifications? Wondering whether you need housing advice from a lawyer? This town hall meeting sponsored by Attorney General Bill McCollum and Florida's Interagency Mortgage Fraud Task Force will provide home owners with a chance to speak directly with government representatives, local lawyers and other community resources. After the program, volunteer lawyers, state and local government representatives and community leaders will be available to provide information and answer individual questions. Doors open at 8:30 am and parking is free. Space is limited. Call toll free to reserve a seat: 877-385-1621
Aug. 15, 1 to 4 p.m., West Palm Beach Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention Clinic West Palm Beach Public Library (3rd Floor) 411 Clematis St. Individuals will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with Legal Aid Society attorneys, housing counselors, lenders, representatives from Freddie Mac, staff from the Urban League of Palm Beach County and area real estate agents regarding the foreclosure process and alternatives to foreclosure. Individuals who have been served with mortgage foreclosure lawsuits are encouraged to bring their mortgage closing documents and court papers with them to the clinic. Job seekers and prospective and current small business owners will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from the Workforce Alliance Mobile Unit and the Palm Beach County Office of Small Business Assistance. Hosted by Palm Beach County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor and the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.
Aug. 18, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Orlando Facing the Mortgage Crisis Valencia Community College - West Campus Health Sciences Building (HSB) - Room 105 1800 S. Kirkman Road The forum will include a presentation from a panel of representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Consumer Credit Counseling Service, experts from the banking/lending industry and a housing attorney. Information on resources, free programs and tips for homeowners will be provided.There will also be a question and answer session around the following topics: How to avoid foreclosure and mortgage scams. Moderator will be Congressman Alan Grayson. Presented by WMFE and Heart of Florida United Way. Free of charge and open to the public. For more information, including parking and building maps, please visit www.wmfe.org/mortgage, www.hfuw.org or simply dial 2-1-1
Aug. 20, 7 p.m., Wellington Home Preservation Educational Symposium Wellington Community Center 12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd. This is the sixth Foreclosure 911 event held from 7 to 9 p.m. CFO Alex Sink's representative will be a panelist speaking about the resources available to consumers. Input from residents is being sought and attendees will be provided with the most relevant and up-to-date information about foreclosure assistance. Individual assistance will be provided after a brief presentation by the group of panelists. Contact: Victoria Williams, (561) 640-6712
Aug. 22, 9 .m. to 1 p.m., St. Petersburg Florida Housing Help Workshop Enoch Davis Community Center 1111 18th Ave South HUD-certified counselors and other lenders will be available to meet with consumers facing foreclosure and discuss their options. In addition, there will be a variety of experienced professionals to talk with consumers on other issues and concerns related to financial literacy and home ownership. Contact: Karen Bolin, (727) 587-7280
Sept. 14 , 7 p.m., Bradenton Foreclosure-prevention workshop Moose Lodge, 310 44th Ave. E. At the seminar, attorneys, real estate agents and certified public accountants outlined various options and government programs designed to forestall foreclosure. They also cover ways to avoid foreclosure-rescue scams. For more information or to register, visit www.SBAREC.org.
Sept. 19, 10 a.m., Parrish. Foreclosure-prevention seminar Leslie Wells Realty, 8338 U.S. 301 N. At the seminar, attorneys, real estate agents and certified public accountants outlined various options and government programs designed to forestall foreclosure. They also cover ways to avoid foreclosure-rescue scams. For more information or to register, visit www.SBAREC.org.
If you've been served with a mortgage foreclosure lawsuit, bring all of the papers you signed when you got the loan and any court or other papers or letters you have received afterwards. Duval County Learn tips from Jacksonville Area Legal Aid on how to avoid foreclosure, foreclosure scams and predatory lending. Foreclosure Clinics are held the second Wednesday of every month at 5 p.m. , 126 W. Adams St., Downtown Jacksonville. Details: (904) 356-8371. Upcoming dates: Aug. 12, Sept. 9 and Oct. 14 Duval County Learn from Jacksonville Area Legal Aid about your consumer rights and debt collection and credit reports on the third Wednesday of every month at 5 p.m., 126 W. Adams St., Downtown Jacksonville. Details: (904) 356-8371. Upcoming dates Aug. 19, Sept. 16 and Oct. 21 Duval County Learn from Jacksonville Area Legal Aid about consumer bankruptcy on the first Thursday of every month at 5 p.m., 126 W. Adams St., Downtown Jacksonville 32202. For additional information: (904) 356-8371. Upcoming dates Aug. 6, Sept. 3 and Oct. 1.
Lee County The Lee County Foreclosure Task Force sponsors monthly workshops, with attorneys present to help answer questions. Workshops are held on the first Friday of the month (Spanish workshop); second Saturday and the third Thursday of the month. Reserve a seat by calling United Way of Lee County at (239) 433-3900 or 211 from any landline phone.
Osceola County Tuesdays and Thursday beginning June 16, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., pre-foreclosure counseling and legal assistance is available through Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida in Kissimmee at 800 North Main St. Clients can call (800) 984-2920 for assistance.
Palm Beach County Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County offersForeclosure Intake clinics every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. by appointment. Phone: (561) 655-8944.
This PDF has additional information about foreclosure from the Legal Aid society of Palm Beach County. Volusia County East Volusia Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Clinics are offered by Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida Inc. on Fridays beginning at 8:45 a.m. 128-A Orange Ave. No. 100, Daytona Beach. Call (800) 363-2357. My House is Being Foreclosedbrochure is also available for download.
Other legal, more general advice clinics may be available; call or check Web sites.
Legal Call-In /Dial-A-Lawyer
Hillsborough County FOX 13 Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough County Bar Association partner to offer Ask-A-Lawyer on the first Thursday of the month at 7 a.m. Viewers can lawyers in the studio to receive free legal advice.
Miami-Dade County Dade County Bar Association Legal Line at (888) 596-0399 operates on the first Wednesday of the month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. offering free legal advice. Residents of South Florida are invited to call the DCBA and volunteer attorneys will answer simple legal questions, give brief legal advice or refer the call to the appropriate social service agency for further assistance.
Throughout Florida, Legal Aid offices offer free or reduced cost assistance. To find a Legal Aid office near you, check The Florida Bar Web site.
The Florida Bar's Lawyer Referral Service can help you find an attorney to help you defend against a foreclosure. Call The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service to receive a referral at 1-800-342-8011. Attorneys who receive referrals have agreed to provide a half-hour office consultation for no more than $ 25. Lawyers who belong to the service have to be Members In Good Standing of The Florida Bar and have to carry minimum of $100,000 in professional liability insurance.
Pamphlet offers helpful questions How do you find the right lawyer for your needs? And, once you do, how can you figure out what it might cost? The Florida Bar consumer pamphlet How to Find a Lawyer in Florida does not address every situation or legal question that may arise, but it gives guidance in getting the right legal help.
Questions to ask an attorney you are considering hiring to help you with your mortgage situation:
Have you had experience with this type of problem (defending a foreclosure) before?
How recently?
How often?
What was involved?
Were you successful?
What percentage of your practice is devoted to this kind of problem?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of my case?
Can a timetable be set for my case?
What do you charge for your services, and can you give me an estimate for what the expected fees and costs will be for this matter?
Other places to look for legal assistance The National Association of Consumer Advocates, a nationwide organization of more than 1,000 attorneys who represent consumers, can be a resource in finding an attorney to help you. ______________________________________________________
WASHINGTON - Aug. 4, 2009 - Pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month, the first time in six years for such a streak, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6 percent to 94.6 from an upwardly revised reading of 91.3 in May; and it's 6.7 percent above June 2008 when it was 88.7. The last time there were five consecutive monthly gains was July 2003.
"Historically low mortgage interest rates, affordable home prices and large selection are encouraging buyers who've been on the sidelines," says Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. "Activity has been consistently much stronger for lower priced homes. Because it may take as long as two months to close on a home after signing a contract, first-time buyers must act fairly soon to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit because they must close on the sale by Nov. 30."
The Pending Home Sales Index in the Northeast rose 0.4 percent to 81.2 in June and is 5.8 percent above a year ago. In the Midwest the index increased 0.8 percent to 89.9 and is 11.6 percent above June 2008. The index in the South jumped 7.1 percent to 100.7 in June and is 8.9 percent higher than a year ago. In the West the index rose 2.9 percent to 100.4 but is 0.2 percent below June 2008.
NAR President Charles McMillan is hopeful that a recently elevated level of contract cancellations will ease. "Last month, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae clarified that appraisals should be done by professionals with clear local expertise," he said. "This should mitigate the situation of many valuations done by out-of-area appraisers coming in below the price negotiated between buyers and sellers. Hopefully, in the months ahead, we'll see an even closer relationship between contract activity and closed transactions."
McMillan said NAR is continuing to press the appraisal issue. "We have asked Congress and the Federal Housing Finance Agency to immediately implement an 18-month moratorium on the new appraisal rules to further address unintended consequences of the new guidelines," he said.
NAR's Housing Affordability Index remains very favorable. The affordability index stood at 159.2 in July, down from record peaks in recent months but it remains 36.6 percentage points above a year ago. Under these conditions, the typical family would devote 15.7 percent of gross income to mortgage principal and interest, well below the standard allowance of 25 percent.
The HAI is a broad measure of housing affordability using consistent values and assumptions over time, which examines the relationship between home prices, mortgage interest rates and family income.
"A monthly rise in home prices and somewhat higher mortgage interest rates led to a modest decline in affordability in June, but it was still the sixth highest index on record dating back to 1970," Yun said. "Because housing is so affordable in today's market, job security and the first-time buyer tax credit are bigger factors in influencing home sales."
A median-income family earning $60,700 could afford a home costing $289,100 in June with a 20 percent downpayment, assuming 25 percent of gross income is devoted to mortgage principal and interest. Affordability conditions for first-time buyers with the same income and small downpayments are roughly 80 percent of what a median-income family can afford. The affordable price was much higher than the median existing single-family home price in June, which was $181,600.
Yun expects existing-home sales to gradually rise over the balance of the year, with conditions varying around the country. "It appears home sales are on a sounder footing and inventory is gradually being absorbed."
ORLANDO, Fla. - July 10, 2009 - For a limited time only, first-time homebuyers have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase a Florida home of their own with a helping hand from Uncle Sam - the federal $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers.
Florida Realtors® and the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) designated July 12-18, 2009, as "Welcome Home Week: Making Homes Affordable" to spread the word about the tax credit and the new Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program, plus other homebuyer programs and foreclosure prevention resources.
Under the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program, first-time Florida homebuyers can obtain tax credit bridge loans to access their federal tax credit before they complete a home purchase, enabling them use that money upfront for downpayment and closing costs. Once buyers submit their returns to the IRS and receive their tax credit, they repay their loans to the state.
"We want Floridians to take advantage of this important program, which will help stimulate the state's economy as well as the real estate market," said 2009 FAR President Cynthia Shelton, CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member). "By helping qualified first-time buyers come up with the funds needed to purchase a home, this initiative will play a vital role in overcoming the largest financial barrier to homeownership."
City and county housing offices that already operate the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) are administering the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program, under the overall direction of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC). Most of the policy decisions for the program are implemented on the local level. The local housing coordinator is the best point of contact for Realtors and prospective buyers to find out application procedures, qualification requirements and repayment rules. For more information on the program, contact a local SHIP office.
Several thousand first-time homebuyers could benefit from the state program, according to research by the FHFC. However, first-time buyers considering a home purchase should act quickly, Shelton said, since the purchase has to be completed by Nov. 30, 2009, to receive the federal tax credit under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
For more information about "Welcome Home Week," the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit, the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program and other homebuyer resources, go to the Homebuyer Center on FAR's website at http://www.floridarealtors.org/AboutFar/homebuyercenter/index.cfm.
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.
;)
;)
