Why you need a Realtor when you are building a new home.

 I was just asked why someone should use a Realtor if they are building a new home.  

Here was my reply: A Realtor represents YOU. Not the builder. The builder wants you to spend money on options and upgrades and may not have your best interest in mind. It is easy to be swept up in the excitement and sign up for a much more expensive build than you should, but once you sign it is normally too late to change your mind. 

Most Importantly, I help the Buyer understand the contract terms and conditions on a builder contract as they are long and confusing and difficult to break once signed. I am by their side while they choose their structural items and the options as once they are selected normally they cant be changed. I also assist the Buyer with any issues that arise while the build is proceeding. 

f you are not local, I visit the build site often to send you photos and videos to keep you up to date. I make certain that financing, insurance, utilities and many other things are coordinated for closing and remind the homeowner files for homestead exemption. 

And Finally, THE BUILDER PAYS THE REALTOR'S COMMISSION, AND THE BUYER DOES NOT GET A DISCOUNT IF THEY DONT USE A REALTOR, BUT LOOK AT WHAT VALUE A REALTOR BRINGS. Call me at 561-371-1830 with any questions.

So you want to sell your home while it is still a Seller's market

 3 Pricing Strategies in a Seller’s Market

Real estate markets across the country are experiencing a strong seller’s market right now. For potential sellers, this may be a golden opportunity to get top value for their property. While it may be tempting to aim for the sky when setting the listing price, that may not be your best option.

Here are 3 pricing strategies to consider before deciding on your asking price.

1. Listing at Market Value

   Buyer’s love “realistic sellers.” After considering the market data for your area, choosing to list at the current market value can attract the right buyer and encourage a solid offer or two. Typically, this results in a full-price offer with straightforward terms.

2. Listing High

   It is always tempting to list ahead of the market, especially in a seller’s market. This strategy is risky and can mean you waste valuable time by sitting on the market with little interest. Even in a strong sellers’ market, buyers will shy away from overpriced listings. If listing above market value, experts suggest not higher than 5-7% higher.

3. Listing Low

   Listing below market value will attract attention. The goal of this strategy is to encourage a bidding war that results in a sales price over market value. This works best for homes in turnkey condition and can backfire if the home is unappealing and you receive low or no offers and must adjust the price again.

A seller’s market presents opportunities. Working with your agent, discuss the options and trends in your local market to get the best offer and terms.

Call me at 561-371-1830 to take advantage of today's market and get your home sold.

A new chapter..... we have moved to Stuart, FL!

I am excited to share that we have moved to Tres Belle Estates in Stuart, Florida.  We had this community on our radar while our Caloosa home was on the market, but we were concerned that Stuart may have been too far from Palm Beach Gardens.  When we received a contract on our Caloosa home and needed to decide where we were going to purchase our new home, we revisited the community of Tres Belle, and the town of Stuart.  We are very pleased with our choice, as Stuart has so much to offer. Within a few minutes from our home we can be exploring the quaint downtown Stuart area, at the beach, or shopping at the typical big box stores that have become so necessary to our daily lives.

I will continue to chronicle our move and exploration of Stuart so I can share everything we are finding to be exciting about our new hometown.  Stay tuned.....

Palm Beach County Prices Rise 28%

Let's share some great news!  Palm Beach Gardens home prices continue to soar!  Kim Miller wrote:

The median sales price of an existing single-family home in Palm Beach County soared to $249,894 in March, up 28 percent from the same time last year.

The pricing measure, released today in a report by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches, is the highest in at least the past 12 months.

Despite the substantial jump, some county Realtors remain unconcerned about another housing bubble, saying the economic conditions today are different than they were before the crash.

“Although the year-over-year median price of a single-family home in Palm Beach County increased 28 percent, the market conditions we are experiencing now are completely different,” said Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches President Elect Barb Kozlow. “Pre-bubble investors or ‘flippers’ had short-term investment goals. The financial objectives of today’s investor are long term.”

The number of closed sales on existing single-family homes in Palm Beach County last month showed a 12 percent increase to 1,266.

Sales of existing single-family homes statewide jumped 9 percent in March from last year to 19,631, with the median sales price showing a 15 percent gain to $160,000.

At the same time, the inventory of single-family homes stood at a 5.3 months’ supply, down from eight months in March 2012, according to a report released this morning from the Florida Realtors.

“We continue to be encouraged by the depth and breadth of the housing recovery,” said Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. John Tuccillo . “State numbers are up in virtually all important categories and down where they should be down. Even with the difficulty of access to financing for households, we still see the growth in the market continuing for at least the next 18 months.”

Palm Beach County housing numbers should be out shortly.

Nationwide, the number of homes sold last month dropped .6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.92 million homes in March from February, but remain 10 percent higher than March of 2012.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, said the dip in sales is because of the lack of inventory of homes.

“Buyer traffic is 25 percent above a year ago when we were already seeing notable gains in shopping activity,” he said. “In the same timeframe housing inventories have trended much lower, which is continuing to pressure home prices.”

The national median home price for all housing types last month was $184,300, which is nearly 12 percent higher than March 2012. The increase is the strongest since November 2005 when it rose 13 percent from the previous year.

Tags: bnblogs

This entry was posted on Monday, April 22nd, 2013 

Home prices rose in Feb. by most in 7 years

WASHINGTON – April 3, 2013 – U.S. home prices jumped in February by the largest amount in seven years, evidence that the housing recovery strengthened ahead of the all-important spring-buying season.

Home prices rose 10.2 percent in February compared with a year earlier, CoreLogic, a real estate data provider, said Wednesday. The annual gain was the biggest since March 2006. Prices have now increased on an annual basis for 12 straight months, underscoring the recovery’s steady momentum.

The gains were broad-based. Prices rose in 47 of 50 states and in all but four of the nation’s 100 largest metro areas. Delaware, Alabama and Illinois were the only states to report price declines.

CoreLogic’s measure of national prices also rose 0.5 percent in February from January. That’s a solid increase during the winter months, when sales typically slow.

An increase in home sales has helped lift prices. In February, sales of previously owned homes reached the highest level in more than three years. Still, much of the demand has come from investors. Sales to first-time buyers remain below healthy levels.

Another reason prices are rising is the supply of available homes for sale remains extremely low. In January, it reached a 13-year low.

The supply of homes for sale did rise in February for the first time in 10 months. That suggests more people are gaining confidence in the housing recovery, which could help ease supply concerns and drive sales higher in the coming months.

The price gains were concentrated in the West, according to CoreLogic. The states with the biggest price gains were Nevada, where prices rose 19.3 percent, followed by Arizona, with 18.6 percent, and California, with 15.3 percent.

Hawaii and Idaho rose 14.6 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively.

Sales were up 31% in June!

As I continue to share the good news with you, my friendly readers, let us celebrate more positive housing market news as shared by Florida Realtors


ORLANDO, Fla. – July 19, 2012 – Florida’s housing market had increased pending sales, more closed sales, higher median prices and a reduced inventory of homes for sale in June, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®.

“Florida’s housing recovery continues its positive momentum,” said 2012 Florida Realtors President Summer Greene, regional manager of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Florida 1st in Fort Lauderdale. “All of the signs point to solid gains, which is good news for the state’s economy.  In June, pending sales were up 31 percent for existing single-family homes and nearly 23 percent for townhouse-condo units compared to a year ago. The trend shows that many buyers are ready to purchase their Florida dream home, but a lack of financing options and overly restrictive credit standards remain obstacles.”

Pending sales refer to contracts that are signed but not yet completed or closed; closed sales typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.

Statewide closed sales of existing single-family homes totaled 18,800 in June, up 5.3 percent compared to the year-ago figure, according to data from Florida Realtors Industry Data and Analysis department and vendor partner 10K Research and Marketing. The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes last month was $151,000, up 8.2 percent from June 2011.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the national median sales price for existing single-family homes in May 2012 was $182,900, up 7.7 percent from the previous year. In California, the statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in May was $312,110; in Maryland, it was $259,207; and in New York, it was $208,000.

The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less. Housing industry analysts note that sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes.

Looking at Florida’s year-to-year comparison for sales of townhomes/condos, a total of 9,202 units sold statewide last month, up 1.5 percent from those sold in June 2011. The statewide median for townhome-condo properties was $110,000, up 15.8 percent over the previous year. NAR reported the national median existing condo price in May 2012 was $180,000.

Last month, the inventory for single-family homes stood at a six-months’ supply; inventory for townhome-condo properties was at a 5.9-months’ supply, according to Florida Realtors.

“The trend we’ve seen established over the past year is continuing,” said Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. John Tuccillo. “In June, every housing market indicator moved in the right direction. Closed sales are up, but so are pending sales, median prices, average prices and the ratio of sales price to list price. Conversely, listings are down, days on market are down and – most important – inventories are down. We have now reached a six months’ supply of inventory for existing single-family homes and 5.9-months’ supply for townhouse-condos.”

Tuccillo added, “With an improving employment environment in Florida, we expect that the housing market recovery will continue in the future.”

The interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.68 percent in June 2012, significantly lower than the 4.51 percent average during the same month a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac.

To see the full statewide housing activity report, go to Florida Realtors Media Center athttp://media.floridarealtors.org/ and look under Latest Releases, or download the June 2012 data report PDF under Market Data at: http://media.floridarealtors.org/market-data

© 2012 Florida Realtors®

A picture is worth a thousand words

These pictures show PROOF of a Recovering housing market!  The pictures were taken yesterday in Jupiter Florida.  It made me smile and I wanted to share it with you.  The Sun Sentinel Reported a 20% growth in the new homes market for Palm Beach County and the proof is in the building.  Let's get started finding you the perfect home.