central florida real estate: Saint Valentines Day reminder
- 02/01/17 02:12 PM
It's February, and you know what that means! It means, if you have a significant other, it's time to buy that Hallmark card and call to make dinner reservations for February 14th. Last year, I made the big (BIG!) mistake of waiting until the last minute to call and ended up having to eat dinner at an "intimate" little dive. Alone. I'm kidding. We had a very nice romantic meal. If there's anything I can do for you this month to help improve your real estate business (aside from making your dinner reservations), please feel free … (2 comments)
central florida real estate: Groundhog's Day
- 02/01/17 02:09 PM
February 2 Happy Groundhog's Day! I know, it's an unusual reason to write a letter, but Groundhog's Day is a very important holiday. There's even a whole "Groundhog's Day" section at Hallmark you know? In case you're wondering just what exactly Groundhog's Day is, it's the national holiday that elevates a certain groundhog (one that lives in Pennsylvania) to weatherperson status. Now, on this day, if this certain groundhog comes up from the ground and sees its shadow, that means there's six more weeks of winter. Brrr! Kind of a silly reason for a holiday. Unless you … (3 comments)
I commonly refer to Lake Mary as a Mayberry on steroids, Lake Mary has never lost its focus of promoting a sense of community where people can live, work and play in a safe and friendly environment...that's part of the reason Lake Mary is still one of the fastest growing areas in Central Florida. Located approximately 18 miles north of Orlando just off Interstate 4, the City continues to be a choice location for high tech businesses, many of which spend considerable time and money searching for the right place. Among other things Lake Mary is known for its well … (0 comments)
central florida real estate: Understanding Closing Costs
- 12/02/16 03:33 PM
I'm often asked about Closing Costs. What are they? How much will they be? Do 'I' have to pay these? Every home loan has associated closing costs, which are fees that are associated with home financing but are not part of your actual mortgage. Closing costs cover items such as title search, attorney's fees, origination fees, discount points, prepayment of taxes and insurance (escrow) and real estate transfer taxes. The names of the fees can vary from state to state and a few don't apply everywhere, but in general the same costs are charged across the country. … (0 comments)
"Always plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." - Richard C. Cushing. As you're actively searching for that perfect home, it's important to be ready once you find it. Lets have our plan, our Offer Checklist in place before we inevitably need it. When it comes time to write an offer, this is what I will need to know: Copy of your Pre-Approval Letter or (if cash) Proof of funds. Spelling of all buyers formal or legal names. What type of financing (if any) will you be using? eg: Cash, Conventional, … (1 comments)
Plenty of sellers have visited online home valuation sites such as Zillow, Trulia, eAppraisal, and others only to be shocked at the value of their homes. Most sellers are pleased when the values appear higher than they expected, but many online valuations come in far lower. Online Valuations Estimating a home’s market value is far from an exact science. What these sites attempt to do is provide greater transparency to homebuyers and sellers by making data derived from public records, more…public. They publish what you paid for your home and how much you pay in taxes. Many have satellite … (3 comments)
central florida real estate: Don't be Scammed - Just be Aware
- 11/23/16 08:15 AM
The other day I received an automated phone call from Duke Energy (a local utility company) about a potential phone scam going around. Someone is calling local occupants claiming their power is about to get cut off if payment is not immediately made over the phone. These scams, these con artists really burn me up .. I've heard for any con to be successful, it needs to play on one of two emotions, Greed or Fear. In this case they are hoping to play on peoples fear. However the best defense is simply being aware. So if you receive one of these calls, tell them what … (0 comments)
One important section contained on a Florida real estate purchase agreement, and one of my personal pet peeve's, is the section usually found on page one referencing the Escrow Agent. Often we see purchase agreements being submitted where the Escrow Agent section has been left blank or a TBD has been inserted. This could be a violation of the following Rule. Rule 61J2-14.008(2)(b) of the Florida Administrative Code. "When a deposit is placed or to be placed with a title company or an attorney, the licensee who prepared or presented the sales contract ("Licensee"), shall indicate on that contract … (0 comments)
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