The veterans and their supportors walked down Lake Ave holding flags as shouts and applause were delivered by the few bystanders.on the sidewalk .The veterans marched peacefully down the main street. The city did not have the money to support the parade this year. Some local veterans decided to to it themselves in about a 7 minute walk in remembrance of our fallen heros
WATCH THE VIDEO!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS3I0UjsC_g
0 comments • Linda Just • November 12 2010 01:24PMMortgage interest rates are at their lowest since the 1950's. Re-Fi applications are up at many banking institutions.
It's a great time to Buy. Who should be Buying now? The Millenials!!!! Guess what? They want to Rent instead.
Renting vs Buying is becoming the trend with this generation. It's more than being scared at Halloween!!!
They are frightened by what they've seen their own families go through the last few years as homeowners. Also, single people without a partner or other income are afraid they could lose their job. Renting is easier to walk away as referened in this article http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-10-13/features/fl-more-people-renting-20101013_1_vacancy-rates-average-rent-rental-rates
It's a shame this generation isn't building equity through homeownership. I'd sure like a chance to show Millenials how homeownership will benefit them.
Right now, at these rates, and the low prices of condos, I can show you how to own a home you can afford.
DO NOT BE AFRAID....contact me Linda@tropicaldreamteam.com
2 comments • Linda Just • October 15 2010 08:41AM
I'm having a great summer. This new Festival Event should be a memorable afffair. Come to Lake Worth on Saturday, August 7th, 10 AM - 6 PM. Bryant Park is located right on the Intracoastal Waterway. Listen to 20 Bands while watching the parade of boats in the waterway.
http://events.pbpulse.com/lake-worth-fl/events/show/133743105-lake-worthit
Music - BBQ - Beer & more!
After Party on Lake Ave - Downtown Lake Worth FL
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2010/07/lake_worth-it_after_party_rund.php
Lake Worth is one of the last remaining seaside cities in Florida. It has it's own beach, a small town feel, bike lanes, artist and musician community. Local Parades are one of Lake Worth's charms and it brings locals and visitors together.
For more information on living in Lake Worth or the surrounding West Palm Beach and Boca Raton area, please visit:
http://www.tropicaldreamteam.com
0 comments • Linda Just • August 06 2010 01:23PM
Consider before you ignore or outright refuse a very low purchase offer for your home. A counteroffer and negotiation could turn that low purchase offer into a sale. Read
After finding a buyer, all you have to do to make it to closing is to avoid these five traps. Read
While you'd like to get the best price for your home, consider our six reasons to reduce your home price. Read
Have a plan for reviewing purchase offers so you don't let the best slip through your fingers. Read
Be sure you're walking away with all the money you're entitled to from the sale of your home. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
0 comments • Linda Just • July 22 2010 10:17AMThis is a good time to get this information out to the public. Those who have just moved to Florida will benefit and find answers to questions about hurricane readiness.
Have a great summer. And, 'It's a Great time to Buy real estate in Florida!'
HouseLogic talks to Red Cross disaster response expert Court Ogilvie about emergency preparedness for homeowners. Read
Decide whether to buy hurricane insurance long before the storm clouds appear. Read
Creating a neighborhood disaster preparedness plan can safeguard your family, neighbors, and property, while strengthening and unifying your neighborhood. Read
Having a home emergency preparedness kit could be the key to your family's safety if disaster strikes. Read
Your homeowners insurance covers many of life's disasters, just not some natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, so consider supplemental policies. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
0 comments • Linda Just • June 18 2010 07:19PMAs I reported in my last post, I had submitted property comparables to the appraiser for my Seller. As with most of Florida, this area where the home is located has many short sales and foreclosures. It's quite a difficult task coming up with the right price. When you work with FHA lenders, the appraisal price is usually the sale price. At least here it is. And, this is the case with this last sale. Many of the Buyers we've seen are first timers and they have limited funds. Good reasons exist for anyone not to overpay in this market.
Some areas of Palm Beach County actually have seen some rise in prices, but it is in pockets throughout the county. North Palm Beach is an area that is currently seeing plenty of sales and they are not short sales. Boca Raton as well. Country Club properties were down for a while but now are stable. This is good news!
Back to the appraisal. Think before you stick your neck out. You think you are ‘helping' your Seller, when in fact, if you're information isn't researched you may end up hurting the price. You need to know the condition of the home & call agents that have sold homes there. This is what the appraisers are doing. This is how close a call they have to make on a property. In this area, home prices are still coming down! My Seller was extremely fortunate to have his appraisal stick.
Do your research. Call the agents that recently had closed sales to find out more. It's possible the furniture was included and the sale price won't show that break down! You need to know it! Show up for the appraisal. Hand the comparables to the appraiser and make sure you know your market.
We had a closing, 5 days late. The Buyer was never given a reason as to why they couldn't close on time. The loan officer did not return the Buyers calls for 2 days & the title company the Seller picked was inexperienced with these types of closings. I was the only person the Buyers could reach and I stayed in touch with them until they heard from the loan officer.
The bank should be ashamed of itself for the delay. No explanation was ever given. Clients had all the paperwork in. So what is it?
I have a friend in Colorado. Her daughter sold & closed on her house. She went to the bank & the funds aren't there!!!! This is 2 days ago! Still trying to get the funds today.
What is going on? The banks are holding back. It's very obvious....someone tell the president. Maybe he can get them to cough it up!
Good luck to all
PS Since I couldn't post this last week due to the server being down, the daughter of my friend in CO, still didn't have her money on Friday!
0 comments • Linda Just • May 03 2010 07:25AMI have the offer on one of my listings and I also have the Buyer in this transaction. Buyer is qualified for FHA loan. They are putting down the typical 3.5% down for first time Buyer. As we all know, the sale will hinge on the report.
Report is in - a tad low. I was present at the appraisal and did submit 5 recently SOLD comps to the appraiser. The Report only used 2 of them and contained 4 REO properties for comps.
The Report did indicate an 'increasing' market value for the last 6 months. A couple of other issues e.g subject property square footage is much larger than tax and the new measurements are recorded but without value to the additional square footage.
This additional square footage is 700 SF - 450 SF of this is under A/C. The rest of it is a Covered Screened Porch, also not on the tax record. BTW- porch is original with house 1986.
I called my broker first to discuss. Then of course, the loan officer; who, BTW is very good, and encouraged me to put my own comparables together and any other info to help support a higher appraisal.
The 3 recent SOLD property comps I submitted are NOT REO closed sales. AN Active property was used to demonstrate market trends, not a good representation and included a better one.
Right now, I've worked the entire morning and part of this afternoon to accomplish what the both Buyer and Seller desire.
The above is a demonstration of our value as Realtors to the public. We are willing to ‘go the mile more' or ‘one step' further to facilitate their sale. We work behind the scenes and the public does not know our work process.
We need to proudly continue to place value on our professional skills and knowledge.
Stay tuned
2 comments • Linda Just • March 10 2010 02:51PMIf you are looking for real estate opportunities - don't give up on the Florida market. Yes, it's been a trying time for all. But, as with all markets, this too will pass.
Most everyone I know, knows I am a REALTOR. What the public does NOT know is: I can SELL and SHOW properties EVERYWHERE IN FLORIDA. A friend asked me the other day if I would be able to help her relative find a property on the water! DUH?!!! I had to just say, 'I am privy to those properties.' The public will never understand that a Realtor has all the information at their fingertips.
The public has no idea the information and the web applications Realtors use so that we can buy and sell property in different counties and states! The public does not know how powerful a Realtors knowledge is and the property information only WE can share because they don't see this!
Here is some advice should you be looking to purchase for First Time Buyers.
1) Work with a Realtor. If you don't know the Realtor, ask for references from past clients. Once you are satisfied with this person, you have to trust. Your REALTOR is able to see all the properties on the market that match your criteria in the area you are searching. Your REALTOR should be able to set up a search whereby you will have a link to these properties. If your REALTOR can't do that - find another REALTOR.
2) Forget everything you've heard about Foreclosures from your mother (especially if your mother just went through her own foreclosure - Sheesh! This DID happen recently) father, brother, sister in law & friends! Unless they have gone through the purchase process of a foreclosure - it is all HEARSAY.
3) It is a market for investors and those who have cash and can buy right now! If you need a mortgage and have not gone through the qualification process - forget about bothering until you know you can get a mortgage. Also, most FHA loans will not qualify a foreclosure. The Short Sale offers are extremely difficult and if you have to move and can't stay where you are, need to close. You may never hear back from the bank should your REALTOR have to submit to a bank, your offer. BANKS DO NOT HAVE TO REPLY.
4) If purchasing a condo, you need to know how much monthly maintenance you can afford. Just because the condo can be purchased for $50K does not mean you can pay the $1,000 monthly in condo fees!
5) Your Realtor has the information you need at their fingertips! Ask, and they will guide you to the source.
6) Have cash and can prove it with a bank statement OR a FULL approved mortgage from a Lender. If you need to find out how to get qualified for a mortgage - PLEASE ASK YOUR REALTOR - they have all the information you need to purchase a home.
7) Buy from a homeowner. You can negotiate with a homeowner. If your offer is not accepted, at least you will know in a few days vs a BANK offer, where you may never hear back.
8) Sellers have been educated and asking prices are realistic, in most cases. Ask your REALTOR for recent sales in that area for comparable sales. THIS IS FACT.
9) TAXES - in Florida you will pay the CURRENT property tax until November. Those taxes were on the 'last sale' of that property. The NEW tax will kick in NEXT year on the sale price. e.g You paid $100K - new tax will be approx $2,000 a yr, depending on which county it was purchased. But the CURRENT tax could be $5K a yr. Caveat Emptor!
10) Do your own Foreclosure searches. Here are some sites:
www.homesteps.com Freddie Mac
www.homepath.com Fannie Mae
Some of these sites offer automatic alerts.
Now you know what I require to work with you www.tropicaldreamteam.com
Linda
0 comments • Linda Just • January 12 2010 04:04PMhttp://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/
I hope to be able to give this information out to everyone! If you purchased in the last four years and even if you put money down on your home, you may qualify to lower your mortgage payments under the adminstrations new loan program.
The web page has a quick test to see if you may be qualified. It then gives you a list of required information. Once you gather the information you call your lender and ask if you qualify!
It couldn't be simpler! It's up to us as Realtors to get this information out to our clients as quickly as we can...
I can't think of a better way right now to help anyone who may have received a new mortgage in the recent past.
Good Luck and have a beautiful day!
1 comment • Linda Just • March 23 2009 11:45AMI was wondering if anyone has made a connection between when credit scores were first used and how the mortgage market began to lend money to anyone that took a breath?
If I think about this real hard I can find some real correlations but at the moment I can't verbalize when it might have taken hold and helped to change how a lender qualified a borrower.
We had a mortgage business in Pennsylvania when credit scores were introduced. Of course, we also changed presidency afterward and the mortgage rules went out the window.
Just curious if anyone else had the same thought. I'd be interested in your comments.
6 comments • Linda Just • March 12 2009 09:29PMContent © 2009 'Frequent Contributors'. Design © 2009 ActiveRain Corp.
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