One Day last week at around 4:30pm a lady phoned me regarding a loan. I did a good job by taking down all her information and getting back to her with an offer within the hour. She was happy with the loan offer but by then it was 5:30 so I gave her the list of documents I needed and asked  if she could come by the office tomorrow afternoon to go over the loan docs. She said NO I would prefer to come in today. I advised her I had prior commitments and tomorrow would be the soonest I could see her. She says well I have prior commitments myself; it will have to be first thing in the morning what time do you get in? I said 8:30am. She said could you get there any earlier? I said I can try for 7:30 but I need time to put the paper work together and that takes time so the earliest I can possibly see you is 10-10:30 and that’s Pushing everything else I have back. She says well if that’s the best you can do I will see you in the morning at 10 am. OK I say I will see you then. The following morning I was running late for several reasons and I didn't arrive to the office until 9:15. The client was in the lobby waiting for me to arrive. I told her I needed time to get set up and prepare her loan docs etc...then she says well I have other things I need to do as well. Stunned I asked her if she could go take care of those items while I prepare her predisclosures and she says "I CAN NOT"

Baffled I said Ma'am I can't work with someone who doesn't respect my time, and she says well perhaps I should find someone else to assist me with my loan? So I said perhaps you should; have a nice day and I turned and walked back to my office.

In the past I would have missed my kids play and stayed at work late or rushed in early to get all her loan docs together but my outlook has changed over the years. I owe it my wife and my children as well as my other clients to give them all equal shares of my time. Sometimes that requires saying NO. I don't feel bad nor do I have any regrets for not bowing down to a pushy client ready to hand me her money if I only agree to forfeit time I already had planned to spend with my family, and put off the other task I had pending until a later date.

For what it is worth I enjoyed the play and it was worth the lost income it cost me to see it.

TAMPA, Fla. - Nov. 17, 2009 - Real estate agent Ken Brownlee's phone stopped ringing last month once clients figured they would be unable to close before an $8,000 federal tax credit expired.

Most of his buyers were first-timers looking for a sweet deal on a short sale or foreclosed home.

"They all want to grab a deal," said Brownlee, an agent with Keller Williams.

Those buyers now have another chance since Congress extended the program earlier this month. Real estate agents say it could mean a boon for sales.

First-time buyers can get a credit up to $8,000 and other buyers are eligible for a credit of $6,500, as long as they've lived in their home for at least five years. Congress also expanded it to include some buyers who already own homes.

Business picked up immediately, Brownlee said.

"As soon as it passed, I started to get a lot more phone calls and website hits on my listings," he said. "This tax credit will likely carry us through the normally slow season."

That's good news for the Bay area's fragile housing market. As the area continues to see improvement in home sales, real estate agents say the tax credit is essential in selling off inventory. Home prices have plummeted and that has enticed buyers to act, but many are still on the sidelines.

Home sales in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area increased 20 percent in the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30. Experts credit the increase mainly to first-time buyers trying to take advantage of the tax credit.

There were 7,795 sales in the quarter, up from 6,502 during the same period a year ago, according to the Florida Association of Realtors. At the same time, the median sales price fell 17 percent to $140,400.

One reason is that so many people feel stuck in their homes. They want to take advantage of deep discounts, but they have to sell their existing home in order to move up. With nearly half of Tampa Bay's homeowners owing more than their home is worth, many can't afford to move.

That's why the tax credit will help, said Stephanie LeFew, a real estate agent with Tampa Home Buy Realty. She's had a number of clients decide to stay in their homes because they couldn't sell for enough to make a move worth it.

"For some people, the credit will be just enough of a boost," she said.

Mike Larson, an analyst with Weiss Research, said home sales would likely continue to improve, even without the tax credit. Even so, he expects the credit to lure more people into the market.

"The credit is the icing on the cake, not the cake itself," he said. "What's really leading to improvement is that homes are affordable again. If you throw an expanded credit into a market that already has good fundamentals, the market will respond."

To take advantage of the credit, a prospective buyer's home has to be under contract by April 30 and the deal must close by June 30.

Copyright © 2009 Tampa Tribune, Fla., Shannon Behnken. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Please let me know how I can help YOU attain your dream of home ownership.  Call me on my cell phone please.

Warmly,

Stephanie LeFew

Tampa Home Buy Realty

www.TampaHomeBuy.com

stephanie@tampahomebuy.com

813-624-3332

$135000 PRICE REDUCED! 2Bd/2Ba Condo on Courtney Palms in Tampa Florida

10211 Courtney Palms Dr. #9-204
Tampa, Fl 33619

This home is being offered as a short sale. Offers are subject to sellers third party approval. Here is your chance to buy the life of luxury in a beautiful setting of towering oaks and peaceful lakes in an exclusive gated community. In addition, enjoy easy access to downtown Tampa that is only minutes away. At Courtney Palms you will enjoy scenic trails that wind through picturesque lakes with fountains, towering oaks, elegant landscaping and charming architecture - all of which makes for magnificent views from inside of your condominium, too. Also inside, you will adore the look and feel of special features like 42-inch custom kitchen cabinetry, 9-foot ceilings, ceramic tile floors and more. Whether working out or chilling out, daily pleasures include a resort-style pool and spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor racquetball and basketball courts, and a private movie theater. Residence Features - Scenic walking trails, walk-in closets, spacious pantry, 24-hour controlled access community. What is a SHORT SALE? In a short sale, a financially insolvent homeowner who is facing foreclosure sells his home for less than the value of his loan. The lender accepts the sale as payment in full for the loan.

Would you like to schedule an appointment to see this home contact Tammy Bilder at 813-758-7918 or email Tammy@NathanBangs.com

Not exactly what you are looking for? Search the MLS at www.NathanBangs.com for all Tampa Bay homes.

For FREE pre-recorded info on the property you can call 1-866-830-1650,option 2,ext.210 .

Nathan Bangs & Associates of Keller Williams Realty
813-875-3700 x263
Admin@NathanBangs.com

The Federal Reserve Attempts to Stimulate Economic Growth

In more positive economic news, the Federal Reserve cut two key short-term interest rates yesterday 01/30/08) by one half of a percentage point. This move was not unexpected by analysts that follow financial markets, but coming on the heels of an unscheduled 75 point cut in both rates on Jan. 22, the 1.25 percent reduction the Fed has handed down in a little over a week, surpasses the short-term interest-rate cuts made in all of 2007.

The federal funds rate is the rate banks charge each other for overnight loans, which the Fed has control of. The discount rate, what the Federal Reserve charges banks for short-term loans, is set by the Federal Reserve.

Lowering these short-term interest rates can stimulate economic growth by reducing the cost of borrowing, and it also provides relief for holders of adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM's) tied to the federal funds rate.

Many financial analysts believe the GDP could fall into negative territory in the first quarter of the year. One often used definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of falling GDP.

Congress and the administration are also working out the details of a proposed economic stimulus package that would provide $150 billion in tax rebates and incentives, and raise the conforming loan limit in high-cost markets to $729,750. or 125 percent of the median home price, whichever is less

Worried about the possibility of an economic slowdown, the House of Representatives on January 29^{th ,} passed a $146 billion economic stimulus bill. This bill must still pass the senate and be signed into law by the President before it takes affect.

As a Realtor, all I can say is, keep the positive news coming, and hopefully more home buyers will enter the market over the next few months.

Dave Tipton, Broker, GRI, e-Pro, SRES

Free Tampa Bay MLS Search