coldwell banker: What the #htag? No I'm Not Using Dirty Words! - 11/18/11 03:47 PM
But I almost want to... You have got to be kidding me!  I received an e-mail alert that someone mentioned me on Twitter today.  Hmm, I wonder who, was it in response to something I posted earlier?  Noooo, it said:
"Happy #FF to great local tweeps  @KarensMyRealtor"  Now I obviously have no clue to what #FF means, so like the good school girl that I've always been, I go and look it up.  Sorry  I GOOGLE'D it.  LOL.  Okay, I found a definition that says it means "follow Friday"  WTH?  Well that cleared things up for me... NOT!   Okay, now I have to … (9 comments)

coldwell banker: An $8000 Tax Credit Hail Mary??! - 06/29/10 02:52 PM
On Friday it was shot down, but Late today the House of Representatives approved giving extra time to the almost 200,000 affected homebuyers trying to get closed on their home purchases and receive the federal tax credit which ends tomorrow.
The House backed by a vote of 409-5 giving CPR to the bill to extend the closing deadline to September 30 2010, for buyers who met the April 30 deadline and have a signed contract already in the pipeline. The Senate must still approve the measure before President Barack Obama can sign it into law.
Realtors and Title Companies have been slammed with files, … (4 comments)

coldwell banker: Blackstone Northwest Florida's Newest Golf Course - 12/11/09 05:19 PM
Blackstone Golf Course located less than 30 minutes North of Eglin AFB near the triangle of Niceville, Crestview and DeFuniak Springs, sits near the intersection of State Road 285 and U.S. Highway 90 is ready for business.  The course, features an 18-hole course with a clubhouse, pro shop and bar and grill, and it's expected to draw most of its players from the three communities within a 16-mile radius.   The initial plans for the 1,300-acre site called for not only a golf course and clubhouse, but to sustain it, it also included more than 3,000 single family homes, town homes and condominiums; Over … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: No 2010 COLA for Retired Pay - 11/27/09 08:09 AM
Hmmm, no Christmas bonus this year, so I hope you weren't planning on it.  Each year military retirement pay as well as some civilian government pay is adjusted to meet the increased cost of living. This  Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) is assessed by comparing the 3rd qtr of one year to the previous year's 3rd qtr Consumer Price Index (CPI).  With COLA's, Social Security & Supplemental Security Income Benefits try to keep pace with inflation.  They realized back in 1973, that some incomes weren't able to keep up with inflation.
They do have a formula that calculates it, but I think it might be similiar to the secret FICO … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: Most Homeowners Are Thankful - 11/25/09 09:51 AM
The media is full of negativity in real estate, and as soon as there is a glimmer of something positive happening in the industry it is played down in the news at best, and never repeated.  But let it be the reverse, you have to hear it every 15 minutes.
The truth is a lot of positive things have happened for homeowners in the last 12 months!  Over 1 Million people took advantage of the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit.  And the National Association of Realtors was instrumental in making that happen.
You hear about what percentage of homes in our … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: Pending Home Sales Rise for Record Eight Straight Months - 11/13/09 02:08 AM
Pending home sales rose again, marking eight consecutive monthly gains – the longest streak since measurement began in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index rose 6.1% to 110.1 from a reading of 103.8 in August, and is 21.2 % higher than September 2008 when it stood at 90.9%.
The gain from a year ago is the largest annual increase on record.  We are seeing a rush of first-time buyers that were trying to beat the expiration of the current tax credit at the end of this month, and those who were going to miss it, are … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: Looking for ways to support & honor U.S. military servicemembers and veterans who protect our security and freedom? - 11/10/09 02:19 AM
Many people have asked about how they can support the folks defending our freedom.  When I was serving overseas, it was great to receive care packages.  Sometimes from school children.  People even wrote letters that would make me cry expressing their belief and support.  I came across this information and thought I would share it.  I'm sure at least one of the many links here will be helpful.  I hope that you will share this with others.
 In years past, you could wrap up a care package and mail it to "Any Service Member" for the holidays, but with increased mail restrictions, … (1 comments)

coldwell banker: 2010 Military Pay Increase Passed! - 11/09/09 09:32 PM
Military Pay Update: President Obama signed the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act which includes a 3.4 % pay increase for all military members. This raise is actually only .5 percent lower than the 2009 military pay increase. However, considering current economic conditions this may prove to be a generous increase.  While it's not a huge pay increase, it is nonetheless an increase, and in military life every little bit helps.  Althought nothing can replace family being separated by deployments, it's sort of like after the doctor sticks you with that needle, then gives you that sucker to make it better.  Nope, I still hate needles!  ( … (4 comments)

coldwell banker: How Do I apply for the 1st Time Homebuyer Credit? - 11/07/09 03:00 AM
I've had a lot of questions recently about how to go about applying for the first time home buyer tax credit.  Earlier in the year I said you could ammend your 2008 tax return and get the money then.  Florida, also went a little farther with allowing bridge loans through the SHIP offices whereby you could get the money now, and not get it when you file your tax returns.
Now we are almost at the end of the year, and people are getting ready to file their taxes, and are wondering what to do now, since they didn't take it … (2 comments)

coldwell banker: Is 26 Credit Cards Tooo Much??? - 09/24/09 05:32 AM
I recently spoke with a lady who had 26 credit cards!  Incredible.  Why you ask?  She enjoyed collecting them.  And, about half had a balance of between $25-$500!  The other half had zero balances, but had available credit up to $12,000. She thought that by having so many cards she was showing how much credit worthiness she had.
When you are trying to buy a home, the exact opposite is true.  That hurts you because in the banks eyes, they see the amount of open trade lines as a risk because if you actually start using that amount of credit, and become overwhelmed … (6 comments)

coldwell banker: Coldwell Banker United Realtors Team - 08/30/09 02:30 AM
Did you know that Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS is the number-one Coldwell Banker franchise in sales transactions in America? .
Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS(R) founded in 1970, expanded its operations significantly in 2007 and 2008 and currently services six states - which includes North and South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. With newly added Southern Homes on board, Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS has 26 offices in the Carolinas, including four offices in the Charleston area, and has grown to 78 residential offices and three commercial offices in six states, with over 2,500 sales associates.
Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS(R) is the … (2 comments)

coldwell banker: Should It Really Be Called Swine Flu? - 05/02/09 07:31 AM
Is the term "swine flu" appropriate,  given that the new virus has not yet been isolated in samples taken from pigs in Mexico or elsewhere?  While the new virus seems to be most heavily composed of traits from swine influenza virus material, it also has human and avian influenza traits as well, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
 
Government officials in Thailand, one of the world’s largest meat exporters, have started referring to the disease as “Mexican flu.” An Israeli deputy health minister said his country would do the same, to keep Jews if only … (5 comments)

coldwell banker: Do You Know What the 2009 Housing Loan Limits Are? - 05/01/09 01:00 PM
While the housing market is going through a period of correction, the news media would have you believe the sky is falling.  While great for generating news bites, the fact is, if you follow the timeline of property values over the past few years, you will notice a modest increase in property values somewhere around 6 percent.  When the housing market spiked in 2005-2006, it wasn't possible for the market to sustain that type of spike at those prices. Basically people were buying their future equity in the home, and thereby leaving it unable to gain additional equity.  The result is … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: Eglin AFB Plans Town Hall Meetings on F-35 - 04/25/09 06:59 PM
What's going on? Eglin Air Force Base officials plan a series of town hall meetings to give members of surrounding communities an update on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and other projects under way at the base.
The first meeting will be in the Crestview High School gymnasium Thursday April 30th at 6 p.m.
Col. Bruce McClintock, 96th Air Base Wing commander, will be discussing a supplemental environmental impact statement for the Joint Strike Fighter program, as well as the Army 7th Special Forces Group's move to Eglin.  Great information to stay abreast of what's going on in and … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: UWF Is Reaching Out to Military Students - 04/25/09 05:33 PM
University prepares for an influx thanks to GI Bill.   If you serve or served in the military, the University of West Florida wants to serve you.
UWF has ramped up its efforts to make education accessible to veterans and active-duty military in Northwest Florida.  UWF is preparing for a possible influx of veteran students related to changes extending the benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill and the return of soldiers from Iraq.
The school is preparing for a significant increase in active-military students in the next few years as a result of the relocation of the Army's 7th Special Forces Group from … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: How HUD Reform Affects You - 04/14/09 04:48 AM
Gear up for new HUD-1 Settlement Statements and GFEs. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) finalized its new rulings on the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Acts (RESPA).
What does RESPA reform mean to you?Whether you help consumers find, purchase, finance or close the sale on a home, you can expect some significant changes in process and paperwork. The reforms include two new forms: a firmer Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and a new HUD-1 Settlement Statement. New rulings go into effect January 1, 2010.
New forms, more disclosure-HUD’s goal was to make it easier for borrowers to shop and compare … (2 comments)

coldwell banker: New and Almost-Retirees Ages 60 and Younger are Purchasing Homes Now - 04/14/09 03:29 AM
According to a recent national survey, Real Estate professionals are seeing younger retirees (ages 60 and under) looking to purchase homes. Furthermore, sales associates and brokers surveyed believe market and economic conditions may cause an increase in demand for retiree homes in their areas throughout the next year.
Over the past couple of years, since home prices have declined significantly in what is known as markets with traditional appeal to retirees, such as Florida, Arizona or Texas. Younger retirees are taking advantage of these more affordable prices and turning the economic downturn into an opportunity.
While the survey indicates that this … (6 comments)

coldwell banker: 2238 Seascale Ct., Navarre, Fl - 04/13/09 04:01 AM
Detached Single Family Full Agent Report P { page-break-before: always } @media screen {body {overflow: auto}} Wow, 4.5% interest rate for new buyers! You are talking about a mortgage principal and interest payment of $1200! 
 
                       
What an elegant home you've selected. Nestled in the center of a quiet cul de sac. From the brick exterior to the dimensional shingles everything here says "Welcome Home". When you enter the spacious tiled foyer, you are greeted on the left by the formal dining room and on the right the perfect location … (0 comments)

coldwell banker: Staging a Home For a Burglary? - 04/13/09 02:36 AM
While it is common here and elsewhere to have professional decorators “stage” unoccupied homes that are on the market with borrowed furnishings and decorations to help fetch top dollar, especially now that real estate sales aren't flying off the shelves. The same painstaking efforts to attract buyers have also attracted thieves.
An unusual wave of burglaries has hit unoccupied houses for sale, and recently a very affluent area was robbed in the morning hours before planned afternoon open houses. Apparently, the discriminating criminals have made off with bath linens, dressers, upholstered chairs and sofas, table lamps, mirrors and end tables (not … (5 comments)

coldwell banker: Know before you go... Destin's Club Overboard is off-limits for Military Personnel - 03/16/09 03:39 PM

A notice from Eglin Air Force Base officials says "all Armed Forces personnel" are forbidden from going inside Twisted Palms Grill & Bar and Club Overboard until further notice.  Now it's not very often that the military takes this type of action.  I've seen it when I was stationed overseas where businesses were "black-balled", and in a few racially charged areas in the United States.  And in case you don't know what that means, the short explanation is any armed forces personnel, whether in uniform or civilian clothing, who visits any of the businesses that are currently on the off-limits list … (3 comments)