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

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parkland: 50 Creative Reuse Ideas For Your Home And Garden - 02/26/12 11:24 PM

"Creative Reuse" is the transformation of everyday items that would otherwise be thrown out into something useful. It's where being "green" and the arts can converge. In every Parkland Heron Bay home, there are literally hundreds of items that be reused and repurposed, including such disparate items as chipped coffee mugs, step ladders, and bubble wrap. After transformation, for example, these three items can become a simple storage container, a plant stand, and greenhouse insulation, respectively. Real Simple made a list of "50 All-Time Favorite New Uses For Old Things". It's a list of Creative Reuse projects from which you're bound … (2 comments)

parkland: Existing Home Sales Climb To A 20-Month Record - 02/22/12 10:51 PM

January's home resales moved to a 20-month high -- additional evidence that the nation's housing recovery is underway. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the January 2012 Existing Home Sales showed 4.57 million units sold last month on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis -- a 4 percent increase as compared to December's revised figures. An "existing home" is one that's been previously occupied and cannot be categorized as new construction. Beyond the headline numbers, though, there was plenty about which for today's Parkland and Coral Springs home sellers to get excited. Demand for homes remains strong, foreshadowing higher home prices through … (0 comments)

parkland: Housing Starts Stay Strong; Building Permits Rise. - 02/16/12 11:28 PM

The housing market has carried forward its year-end momentum. According to the Census Bureau, on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, January's Single-Family Housing Starts crossed the half-million unit marker for the second straight month. This hasn't happened in close to 2 years and is the latest in a series of strong data that suggests the beleaguered housing market has turned a corner -- both nationally and locally in Parkland and Coral Springs. Although single-family starts slipped 1 percent from December, January's annualized 508,000 figure represents a 16% spike from January 2011 and is the second-highest reading since April 2010 -- the last … (0 comments)

parkland: Top 10 Sunniest Cities In the United States - 02/13/12 01:04 AM

As compared to gloomy days, do "sunny days" put you in a good mood? If you're like many people in Florida , the answer is "yes". In a study of more than 1,200 people, researchers found that daily weather factors such as temperature, precipitation and length of day can alter a person's emotional state. Of all the weather factors, however, "sunshine" can have the most profound effect. The most likely reason is because sunshine affects people in a physiological manner. When the human brain detects sunlight, our bodies produce serotonin, a chemical which promotes happiness and well-being. By contrast, when the … (4 comments)

parkland: Revamped HARP : Unlimited Loan-to-Value And Same Great Rates - 02/10/12 02:38 AM

The government's new, revamped HARP program is 6 weeks from release. Homeowners in Florida and nationwide are gearing up to refinance. HARP is an acronym. It stands for Home Affordable Refinance Program. HARP is the government's loan product for "underwater homeowners". HARP makes current mortgage rates available to households which would otherwise be unable to refinance because the home lacks equity. This is a big deal -- especially today. Mortgage rates are at an all-time low and millions of U.S. homeowners have been unable to take advantage. HARP aims to change that. HARP originally launched in 2009. Its first iteration failed … (0 comments)

parkland: The 10 Longest Commutes In The United States - 02/06/12 12:57 AM

According to the Census Bureau, more than 3.2 million U.S. workers spend over 3 hours commuting to and from work each day. Commutes exceeding 90 minutes in each direction are known as "extreme commutes" in Census Bureau parlance. As compared to typical commute times nationwide, they're aptly named. The national, average commute time is just 25.1 minutes. For home buyers in Parkland and Coral Springs or in any U.S. city, make sure to make commute times a consideration before placing an offer on a property. The length of your daily commute will make an impact on your life. Studies shows that … (2 comments)

parkland: Banks Start To Loosen Up In Underwriting - 02/03/12 01:18 AM

After a half-decade of tightening mortgage guidelines, banks are starting to "loosen up". The Federal Reserve conducts a quarterly survey of its member banks and, last quarter, not a single responding bank reported having tightened its mortgage guidelines for prime borrowers. A "prime borrower" is defined as one with a well-documented credit history, high credit scores, and a low debt-to-income ratio. 53 banks responded to the Fed's survey and none said that mortgage guidelines "tightened considerably" or "tightened somewhat" between September and December 2011; 50 said that guidelines remained "basicaly unchanged"; 3 said that guidelines "eased somewhat". Mortgage applicants sometimes remark … (0 comments)

parkland: Home Affordability Threatened By Friday's Jobs Report - 02/02/12 02:00 AM

This week, once more, we find mortgage rates are on a downward trajectory. Conforming mortgage rates have returned to near all-time lows. After Friday morning's Non-Farm Payrolls report, however, those low rates may come to an end. It's a risky time for Florida home buyers and would-be refinancers to be without a locked rate. Each month, on the first Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its Non-Farm Payrolls report for the month prior. More commonly called the "jobs report", Non-Farm Payrolls provides a sector-by-sector employment breakdown, and the nation's Unemployment Rate. In December 2011, the government reported 200,000 net new … (1 comments)

parkland: Case-Shiller Index Says Detroit And Washington DC Lead The Market - 02/01/12 01:17 AM

Standard & Poors released its November 2011 Case-Shiller Index this week. The index measures the change in home prices from month-to-month, and year-to-year, in select U.S. cities. According to the data, for the second straight month, home values fell in 19 of the Case-Shiller Index's 20 tracked markets. In addition, also for the second straight month, Phoenix, Arizona was the lone Case-Shiller-tracked city in which home values rose. Overall, November's Case-Shiller Index showed a 1 percent decrease in home values between October and November 2011, and a near-4 percent decrease between November 2010 and 2011, putting home values at roughly the … (0 comments)

parkland: 5 Simple Ways To Declutter Your Home - 01/30/12 01:16 AM

When a home is listed for sale, its "clutter" can be the difference between a rapid sale and no sale at all. Clutter, in its strictest sense, is defined as anything untidy; or in a disorderly state. In real estate, the term is broadened to include unnecessary furniture pieces; unwieldy artwork or collections; stacks of papers and/or magazines; and anything that otherwise restricts the open flow of a home's floor plan. In other words, clutter is anything that distracts from your home's natural footprint. As a home seller in Parkland or Coral Springs , understanding how your home's clutter can affect … (4 comments)

parkland: Pending Home Sales Index Posts Second Best Month Since April 2010 - 01/27/12 01:23 AM

After 3 consecutive months of growth, the housing market appears to have eased a bit in December. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, December's Pending Home Sales Index slipped 4 percent from the month prior. The index measures the number of homes under contract to sell nationwide, but not yet sold. Despite falling below its benchmark "100 value", December's Pending Home Sales Index is the reading's second-highest value since April 2010 -- the last month of last year's home buyer tax credit program. In other words, the housing market continues to show signs of improvement, propelled by low home prices … (0 comments)

parkland: A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (January 25, 2012) - 01/25/12 09:38 AM

Wednesday, the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. The Fed Funds Rate has been near zero percent since December 2008. For the third consecutive month, the Fed Funds Rate vote was nearly unanimous. Just one FOMC member dissented in the 9-1 vote, objecting only to the language used in the Fed's official statement. In its press release, the Federal Reserve noted that the the U.S. economy has "expanding moderately" since its last meeting in December 2011, adding that the growth is occurring despite "slowing in … (1 comments)

parkland: The Federal Reserve Meets Today : Mortgage Rates Expected To Move - 01/25/12 01:13 AM

The Federal Open Market Committee adjourns from a scheduled 2-day meeting today, its first of 8 scheduled meetings this year. The FOMC is a designated, rotating, 12-person committee within the Federal Reserve, led by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Members of the FOMC sub-committee are the voting members of the Federal Reserve; the ones that ultimately determine U.S. monetary policy. The most well-known Federal Reserve monetary policy tool is the central bank's Fed Funds Rate. The Fed Funds Rate is the prescribed interest rate at which banks borrow money from each other for a period of one night. The Fed Funds … (0 comments)

parkland: Existing Home Sales Approach Bull Market Territory - 01/24/12 01:16 AM

The housing market finished 2011 with strength, and is carrying measurable momentum into 2012. According to data from the National Association of REALTORS®, on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, December's Existing Home Sales climbed by 120,00 units overall from the month prior on its way to an 11-month high. An "existing home" is a home that's been previously occupied; that cannot be considered new construction. After 4.61 million existing homes were sold in December, there are now just 2.38 million homes for sale nationwide. The last time the national home supply was this sparse was March 2005. At today's sales pace, the … (0 comments)

parkland: When Should I Change My Home's Air Filters? - 01/23/12 01:05 AM

How long has it been since you last changed your home's air filters? Home air filters trap and remove dust and particles from the air you breathe; leaving "clean air" to circulate your home. Clean air in your home is important because it promotes better health. One way to keep to keep your home's air as clean as possible is to replace its used air filters at least once per quarter; or once monthly in homes with shedding pets or that otherwise "get dusty". Changing air filters is among the easier do-it-yourself chores for a Parkland or Coral Springs homeowner; a … (1 comments)

parkland: Behind The Housing Starts Headlines, The Story That Matters - 01/20/12 01:21 AM

When it comes to housing data, sometimes you have to look past the headlines. December's Housing Starts data offers a terrific illustration of why.
Each month, the Census Bureau tallies Housing Starts for the month prior. A "housing start" is a home on which construction has started.
The Housing Starts report is separated by property type. There is a count for single-family homes; a count for 2-4 unit homes; and a count for buildings of 5 units or more, a … (0 comments)

parkland: Home Builders See More Sales, Higher Prices Ahead - 01/19/12 01:16 AM

Homebuilder confidence is soaring. For the fourth straight month, the National Association of Homebuilders reports an increase in its Housing Market Index. The index climbed 4 points to 25 this month -- its second four-point gain since October. With home sales activity increasing across all four regions, the monthly HMI has now nearly doubled in value since June 2011. The HMI is now at a 55-month high. The Housing Market Index itself is a composite reading; the result of three home builder surveys sent by the National Association of Homebuilders to its members monthly. Home builders report back on current single-family … (1 comments)

parkland: Foreclosure Filings Fall To 49-Month Low - 01/18/12 02:41 AM

Foreclosure filings are fewer these days, according to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac. In December 2011, the number of foreclosure filings nationwide fell 9 percent from the month prior. Not since November 2007 has foreclosure activity been this sparse across the country. The drop does not appear to be seasonal, either. Last month's foreclosure filings were down 20 percent from December 2010 with "foreclosure filing” defined to include any one of the following foreclosure-related events : (1) The serving of a default notice, (2) A scheduled home auction, or (3) A bank repossession. As a result of a unexpectedly strong year-end, 2011's annual … (0 comments)

parkland: How To Clean An Exposed, Interior Brick Wall - 01/17/12 01:30 AM

Exposed interior brick can add a nice, decorative touch to your Parkland home, but because brick is a porous material and prone to staining, it can be cumbersome to clean. Standard household detergents alone are rarely enough to clean brick properly, so if your home features exposed interior brick, plan to use alternative cleaning methods instead. Here is how to do it. First, find a pair of sturdy rubber gloves to protect your hands from the harsh brick surface and from your cleaning agents. Then, with a dry dish cloth, gently wipe the entire surface of the brick wall to remove … (0 comments)

parkland: Will Home Values Rise This Year? - 01/13/12 03:24 AM

Will your home gain value over the next 12 months? Nobody can know for sure, of course, but should recent housing trends continue, there's concrete cause for optimism. The housing economy has suffered since 2007, knocking home values down nearly 20% nationwide. And while some areas have fared better as compared to others but, in general, home values are down. Mortgage rates are down, too, and that's good news for buyers in Parkland. The combination of low rates and low prices has led home affordability to an all-time high. As you'll hear in this 4-minute interview with NBC's The Today Show, … (0 comments)

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