Real estate blog entries tagged with heron bay by Jon Klein, Search Parkland Homes for Sale - Parkland FL (Real Living 1st Choice Realty)

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heron bay: Clever Ways To Reduce Household Water Usage - 08/05/12 11:03 PM

How well do you conserve water?The government's EPA estimates that the average family of four uses 146,000 gallons of water per year, at a cost of $700. With just a few small changes, however, that cost could drop by as much as 28%.You'll save on more than just your water bill, too. You may save on Parkland FL taxes.This is because water management is often handled at the municipal level and as water usage grows, so does the need for costly investment in water treatment and delivery systems. Less usage means lower costs.You'll also enjoy lower home energy bills. 25 percent … (5 comments)

heron bay: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Rates Rises To 3.55% - 08/03/12 03:21 AM

Mortgage rates couldn't fall forever, it seems. This week, for the first time since mid-June, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate climbed on a week-over-week basis, moving 6 basis points to 3.55%, on average, nationwide. According to Freddie Mac, 3.55 percent is the highest average rate at which the benchmark product has been offered in close to 4 weeks. The Freddie Mac published mortgage rate is available for prime borrowers willing to pay a full set of closing costs plus an accompanying 0.7 discount points. Discount points are a one-time, upfront mortgage loan fee to be paid at closing where 1 … (0 comments)

heron bay: Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (August 1 , 2012) - 08/01/12 11:08 AM

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent Wednesday. The vote was nearly unanimous. Only one FOMC member, Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker, dissented in the 9-1 vote. The Fed Funds Rate has been near zero percent since December 2008. In its press release, the Federal Reserve noted that the U.S. economy has "decelerated somewhat" since January. Beyond the next few quarters, though, the Fed expects growth to "remain moderate" and then gradually pick up. There was no mention of strain in global financial markets and its … (0 comments)

heron bay: Case-Shiller Index Shows Home Values Rising Nationwide - 08/01/12 12:36 AM

According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Index, home values rose 2.2% nationwide, with all 20 tracked markets making month-to-month improvement. On an annual basis, 17 of the 20 Case-Shiller Index markets improved. Despite the positive report, however, our enthusiasm for the May Case-Shiller Index should be tempered. This is because the index's methodology is less-than-ideal for today's Parkland & Coral Springs home buyer. There are three main reasons why : The Case-Shiller Index tracks values for single-family homes only The Case-Shiller Index is distorted by distressed, discounted home sales The Case-Shiller Index publishes on a 2-month lag Perhaps even more important, though, is … (1 comments)

heron bay: Pending Home Sales Index Falls Just Short Of 100 - 07/26/12 11:23 PM

Home sales appear headed for a mid-summer breather. One month after posting a multi-year high, the Pending Home Sales Index retreated to 99.3 in June -- a strong reading in its own right. A "pending home sale" is a home that is under contract to sell, but not yet sold. June's value of 99.3 marks the 14th consecutive month during which the index showed year-to-year gains. Last year in June, the index read 90.7. For home buyers in Parkland and nationwide, the 14-month winning streak is one worth noting -- specifically because the Pending Home Sales Index is different from the … (0 comments)

heron bay: Home Values Rise 0.8% In May 2012 - 07/25/12 03:27 AM

The housing market's bottom is 9 months behind us. Home values continue to climb nationwide. According to the Federal Home Finance Agency's Home Price Index, home values rose 0.8% in May on a monthly, seasonally-adjusted basis. May's reading marks the sixth time in seven months that home values rose. Values are now higher by 4 percent since the market's October 2011 bottom. As a Parkland or Coral Springs home buyer or seller, though, it's important to understand what the Home Price Index measures. Or, more specifically, what the Home Price Index doesn't measure. Although widely-cited, the HPI remains widely-flawed, too. It … (1 comments)

heron bay: Single-Family Housing Starts Rise For 4th Straight Month - 07/19/12 03:28 AM

New construction housing is in a post-recession rally. As reported by the Census Bureau, on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, last month's Single-Family Housing Starts rose 5 percent to 539,000 units nationwide. This is the highest reading since April 2010, the last month of that year's federal home buyer tax credit. A "housing start" is a new home on which construction has started. June's strong numbers also mark the fourth consecutive month during which Single-Family Housing Starts have climbed. This, too, has not occurred since April 2010. The data is yet one more signal to Parkland & Coral Springs home buyers that … (0 comments)

heron bay: Foreclosure Starts Rise For Second Straight Month - 07/17/12 06:54 AM

The number of U.S. homes receiving foreclosure notices topped one million through the first six months of 2012, according to RealtyTrac. There were 1.046 million foreclosure filings between January - June 2012, says the foreclosure-tracking firm in its Midyear 2012 Foreclosure Market Report. The tally represents a 2 percent increase from the immediate six months prior. A "foreclosure filing" includes all of the following foreclosure-related actions : (1) Default notices, (2) Scheduled auctions, and (3) Bank repossessions. One notable fact from within the report is that, even as the number of repossessed homes dropped nationwide, the number of homeowners receiving a … (1 comments)

heron bay: How To Revive A "Brown Lawn" - 07/15/12 11:55 PM

During summer months, a lush, green lawn can transform into a brown one within weeks. And heat, while oftentimes a catalyst, is not always the culprit. As a homeowner, you can take precautions to minimize the likelihood of a brown lawn. First, let's look at the reasons why a lawn may go brown, starting with drought stress. Drought stress is a condition caused by excessive heat and/or lack of water. Drought stress can lead to dormancy, a normal condition for grasses of all types. A good test for draught stress is to step on one of the grass' brown patches. If … (4 comments)

heron bay: Revisiting Housing Market Predictions For 2012 - 07/13/12 08:25 AM

When the calendar flips to a new year, analysts and economists like to make predictions for the year ahead. So, today, with the year half-complete, it's an opportune time to check back to see how the experts' predictions are faring (so far). If you'll remember, when 2011 closed, the housing market was showing its first signs of a reboot. Home sales were strong, home supplies were nearing bull market levels, and buyer activity was strong. Homebuilder confidence was at its highest point in 2 years and single-family housing starts had made its biggest one-month gain since 2009. In addition, 30-year fixed … (1 comments)

heron bay: Home Purchasing Power Jumps To New Highs - 07/10/12 02:29 AM

With mortgage rates down to all-time lows, you can buy a lot more home for your money. Home affordability is at an all-time high. According to last week's Freddie Mac mortgage rate survey, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage has dropped to 3.62% nationwide. This is down from 4.08% in March, and down from 4.60% from one year ago. Mortgage rates are "on sale". Falling mortgage rates can make one of two changes to the way a Parkland home buyer looks at properties. They can either make a given home's monthly housing payment that much more affordable to a buyer, or … (4 comments)

heron bay: Heron Bay Pool Water Golf Views - Gated Community $639,000 - 07/06/12 09:10 PM

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heron bay: FHFA : Home Values Up 3% Since Last Year - 06/29/12 03:08 AM

The Federal Home Finance Agency's Home Price Index shows home values up 0.8% in April on a monthly, seasonally-adjusted basis. April marks the third consecutive month during which home values increased and the index is now up 3 percent from last year at this time. As a home buyer in Parkland or Coral Springs , it's easy to look at the Home Price Index and believe that its recent, sustained climb is proof of a broader housing market recovery. Ultimately, … (1 comments)

heron bay: New Home Sales Rise To 2-Year High - 06/27/12 04:18 AM

The new construction market continues to improve. As reported by the Census Bureau, 369,000 new homes were sold last month on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis. A "new home" is a home that is considered new construction. May's data marks the highest number of new homes sold since April 2010, the last month of that year's federal home buyer tax credit. It's also a 14% increase over the rolling 12-month average. The news was somewhat expected based on the most recent Homebuilder Confidence survey, which rose to a 5-year high. Home builders have been reporting higher sales volume and rising buyer foot … (1 comments)

heron bay: Gorgeous 3 Bedroom 2 Bath Heron Bay Pool Home. Parkland, Florida - 06/22/12 05:13 AM

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heron bay: Home Affordability Reaches New High In Q1 2012 - 05/22/12 12:02 AM

Falling mortgage rates and stagnant home prices are making a positive effect on home affordability nationwide. Never before in recorded history have so many homes been affordable to households earning a moderate annual income. Last week, the National Association of Home Builders reported the Home Opportunity Index at 77.5 -- its highest reading of all-time. The index indicates that more than 3 of every 4 homes sold last quarter were affordable to households earning the national median income of $65,000. Last quarter marks the 12th straight quarter -- dating back to 2009 -- in which the index surpassed 70. Prior to … (1 comments)

heron bay: Planning For A Memorial Day Closing - 05/04/12 01:10 AM

Planning to close on your home at the end of May? Plan ahead. Memorial Day is coming and the holiday may delay your closing. Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and the 3-day Memorial Day weekend is a popular vacation time in real estate-related industries. Real estate agents tend to take time off because fewer of their clients are actively home shopping on a holiday weekend; mortgage lenders are closed because banks don't operate on a federal holiday; and, title agents are often away from the office because the former two groups aren't working. But what's supposed to be … (1 comments)

heron bay: The Fed Starts A 2-Day Meeting Today. Make A Strategy. - 04/24/12 02:00 AM

The Federal Open Market Committee begins a 2-day meeting today in the nation's capitol. It's the group's third of 8 scheduled meetings this year. Mortgage rates are expected to change upon the Fed's adjournment. Led by Chairman Ben Bernanke, the FOMC is a 12-person, Federal Reserve sub-committee. The FOMC is the group within the Fed which votes on U.S. monetary policy. "Making monetary policy" can mean a lot of things, and the action for which the FOMC is most well-known is its setting of the Fed Funds Funds. The Fed Funds Rate is the overnight interest rate at which banks borrow … (0 comments)

heron bay: Existing Home Sales Slip In March - Not Bad News in Parkland & Coral Springs - 04/20/12 12:07 AM

In March, for the second straight month, home resales slipped nationwide. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, March 2012 Existing Home Sales fell to 4.48 million units on a seasonally-adjusted annualized basis -- a 3 percent drop from February. An "existing home" is a home that's been previously occupied or owned. The weaker-than-expected Existing Home Sales data is the third such housing report this month to suggest a lull in the spring housing market. Earlier this week, homebuilder confidence slipped for the first time in three months and March Single-Family Housing Starts fell, too. The news wasn't entirely bad for … (0 comments)

heron bay: Homebuilder Confidence Slips 3 Points In April - 04/16/12 11:36 PM

For the first time in 3 months, homebuilder confidence has slipped. As measured by the National Association of Homebuilders, the Housing Market Index dropped three notches in April to a reading of 25. The report measures homebuilder confidence in the newly-built, single-family housing market. When the Housing Market Index reads 50 or better, it reflects favorable market conditions. Readings below 50 reflect unfavorable conditions. According to the scale, not since April 2006 have housing market conditions have been deemed "favorable" but, recently, homebuilder confidence has picked up. Between September 2011 and March 2012, confidence doubled. April's reading remains the second-highest since … (1 comments)

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