Thursday, September 16, 2010

Just In {will not hit the market until next week!!}

Welcome to Apollo Beach!
What would you think if I told you that you could find a 3 bedroom 2 bath POOL HOME ON THE WATER with access to Tampa Bay for only $250k? Well, I just listed one that will hit the market on September 24th! It has been well cared for and is move in ready. Don't be one of those people who will later say "I wish I had bought in 2010....when prices AND interest rates were LOW."
Call me to set an appointment to see this one before it's gone!


World Class Waterfront Living:
An update on Bella Sol Luxury Villas at Apollo Beach on Tampa Bay.....I just put another waterfront penthouse under contract, so now we only have 2 waterfront penthouses and 2 waterfront lower units left (one is on the 2nd floor, the other on the 3rd floor). As for the off water building with water views, there are 3 penthouses available.
Call me to arrange your no obligation Free Boat Tour.

There are currently 327 listings in Apollo Beach. 209 listings have sold in the last 6 months, so that means we have about 9 months of inventory. Call me now for the best properties before they're gone!


For those needing to sell, please call me to go over your options. We have a system that works for those who need to do a short sale and we can offer a FREE consultation with a lawyer so you can find out what is best for you so you can make an informed decision.So to sum it up....great inventory, low prices, low interest rates, and fantastic weather make it the best time to BUY Florida Real Estate!!

Call Bonnie at (813) 390-7606 and schedule your complimentary boat tour of the Apollo Beach area. Come see why the dolphin and manatee love it here! Experience the waterfront lifestyle in this laid back community that is only a short 20 minute boat or car ride to the city of Tampa or 30 minutes to St Petersburg. Find out why the Tampa Sailing Squadron keeps their boats right here in Apollo Beach! We have a great central location with easy access to the Gulf of Mexico, Sarasota, Fantastic Pro-Golf, NFL Football, Even Pro Hockey and Baseball!! Yes you can have it all only 76 miles from Walt Disney World in Orlando and the Space Coast.

Search all Tampa Bay properties at www.TampaCoastalHomes.com or better yet,
call me for a FREE boat tour! Bonnie (813) 390-7606

Friday, September 10, 2010

Get the List for "Diamonds in the Rough"

Real Estate Tip:Diamonds in the Rough
There are a lot of "diamonds in the rough" for sale. A property with incredible potential may be in a great location, have large sunny rooms and a big yard, but it may also have dated wall paper, worn carpeting, and uninspired bathrooms. If you can look beyond the surface, you may see a house that could be transformed by a little "elbow grease", paint, and new carpets.

A house that is structurally sound with all the systems in good condition may be only a few cosmetic repairs away from being fantastic! A home that does not show well is usually priced accordingly. If the price doesn't reflect the condition of the house, the seller may be more willing to negotiate than a seller who has made a considerable investment in preparing a home for the market.

Bring your imagination with you on your next house hunting trip! You may be pleasantly surprised to find a diamond in the rough.

* See Bonnie's Feature Properties: www.TAMPACOASTALHOMES.COM/myhomes.asp
* Visit www.TAMPACOASTALHOMES.COM

Diamond finder list get on the Tip List

Please enjoy the real estate tip included below. If you have any questions about this tip - or any other tips you may have heard elsewhere - please ask! There is no obligation and you'll hear back quickly!

Real Estate Tip:Your Principal Residence
The Federal Tax Code allows married taxpayers to exclude from capital gains taxes up to $500,000 in profits from selling a home (singles can exclude $250,000). In order to qualify for this exemption, you must prove that that the home has been your principal residence for at least two out of the last five years. The establishment of the home as a principal residence depends on the facts of each homeowner's circumstance. Here are two cases to consider.

Homeowner A has lived at 25 Pine Drive for 12 years. Although he stays at his vacation cottage in another town for up to three months out of each year (sometimes more), 25 Pine Drive is his principal residence, where he lives most of the time. When he sells the home, Homeowner A (filing as a single individual) can keep up to $250,000 in tax-free profit.

Homeowner B buys 108 Maple Street, intending to live there. He rents it out while waiting to sell his current home, where he has lived for six years. His principal residence sells at the end of two years. Homeowner B moves into his new house, lives there for three months, and then decides to travel. After a six-month trip, he regrets buying 108 Maple Street and sells it. Even though he has owned the house on Maple Street for over two years, it won't qualify as "owner-occupied", because he only lived in it for a few months. Thus Homeowner B is not eligible to claim the tax exemption when he sells the house on Maple Street.

Consult your tax advisor for advice about your particular circumstance.

* See Bonnie's Feature Properties: www.TAMPACOASTALHOMES.COM/myhomes.asp
* Visit www.TAMPACOASTALHOMES.COM




Bonnie Fagoh
C21 Beggins
Phone: 813-658-1344
Email: bonniefagoh@NUMBER1EXPERT.com
Website: www.TAMPACOASTALHOMES.COM

Thursday, September 9, 2010

At August Close: Rates hit all time low!!

August Round Up: Rates Hit All Time Low

In Freddie Mac's results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), the fixed-rate mortgages reached record lows, while the 5-year adjustable rate remained tied at its low for this survey.

30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.36 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending August 26, 2010, down from the previous week when it averaged 4.42 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.14 percent.

15-year FRM this week averaged a record low of 3.86 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from the previous week when it averaged 3.90 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.58 percent.

5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.56 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, unchanged from the previous week when it also averaged 3.56 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.67 percent.

1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.52 percent this week with an average 0.7 point, down slightly from the previous week when it also averaged 3.53 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.69 percent. Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage. Quotes

Attributed to Amy Crews Cutts, deputy chief economist, Freddie Mac.

"Existing home sales plunged 27 percent in July, while new homes fell 12 percent to a new all-time record low, which led to some market concerns that the housing market may slow the economic recovery. As a result, long-term bond yields fell to the lowest levels since January 2009, allowing fixed mortgage rates to ease to new record lows this week.

"Much of the slowdown in sales, however, was expected due to the recently expired homebuyer tax programs, which pulled through future home purchases into the first half of the year. For instance, average existing home sales over the first seven months of 2010 were nearly 8 percent higher than over the same period a year ago.

"Moreover, house prices still appear to be stabilizing. Nationally, house prices rose 0.9 percent on a seasonally-adjusted basis during the second quarter of this year this year after 11 consecutive quarterly declines, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency's purchase only index. Eight of the nine census regions experienced positive gains, compared to none in the first quarter."

Contingent Offers Regaining Popularity

Offers contingent on buyers’ ability to sell their current residence are increasing in popularity. They were almost unheard of during the go-go early 2000s, but common 20 years before that.

Sellers generally don’t like these kinds of offers because it puts them in limbo. If their buyers’ home doesn’t sell, they can be back at square one. Also, once sellers accept a contingent sale offer, they must disclose this to other potential buyers, and that can discourage a buyer prepared to make a better offer.

Sellers who accept contingent-sale offers can include an escape clause in the contract. This clause allows the sellers to notify the contingent-sale buyers of a competing offer and they must remove the contingency in 72 hours (on average) or lose the home.

Three Reasons to Buy a Home Now

Stocks are up from the March 2009 bottom. Some commodities have risen dramatically. The only asset class left in the cellar is real estate, says Michael Murphy, editor of the New World Investor stock newsletter.

As a result, Murphy is advising investors to buy now for these three reasons:

# Anxious sellers: Both home owners and lenders are eager to unload a flood of foreclosed and underwater properties. Buyers with the patience to push through these complex deals can save a bundle.

# Little competition. Because most people don’t have what it takes to negotiate their way through short sales and REOs, patient investors are winners.

# Low rates. Mortgage rates are at their lowest level in 40 years. If you believe inflation is inevitable, lock in now.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Hello Anglers,

What a wonderful time of year it is! Football season is finally here and September usually marks the beginning of another Snook season. This year the Snook season will be a little different than any in the past as the FWC will make an announcement on September 16th concerning the state of the Snook fishery. My hopes are that they keep it closed until the Spring of 2012. Winning the lottery may be more probable. I look for September to be a lot like August with Trout, Spanish Mackerel, and Sharks being the easiest catches. When the weather conditions allowed August was a good month for these three species. I am also looking forward to the Redfish bite we are about to be on. I have already started seeing these big bruisers around the bay and have caught a few but not really given them a lot of attention yet. Recently it has seemed that when I get a good tide to Redfish, I have a group that wants to do something else and vise versa. Mangrove Snapper are finally starting to be on the agenda but they are not as plentiful as in the past few years. I'm not sure if that is part of the Cold weather we had last winter or just the fact that the last 3 years have been fantastic. Tarpon and Grouper are still here for the challenge and we might see an early arrival of King Mackerel and Bonita in the bay during the month of September.
On another note. The radio show that I cohost "Outdoor Fishing Adventures" on ESPN will have a booth at the Florida Sportsman show at the fairgrounds the last weekend of September. We would love to have you come by and visit with use while you are at the show.

Until next time, good luck and be safe on the water.

Remember: don't let your kid be the one that got away, take them fishing.

Take care and tightlines,
Ric


Capt. Ric Liles
REEL SIMPLE FISHING ADVENTURES
www.reelsimplecharters.com
www.reelsimplefishing.com
(813)601-2900
Co-Host - Outdoor Fishing Adventures, ESPN Radio

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Tampa Coastal Homes, Tampa Real Estate

Tampa Coastal Homes, Tampa Real Estate
Priced to Sell

It has long been a motto of real estate, and the saying goes, "location, location, location." It's what sells a property, they say. But recent times have brought to light that the real deciding factor on how fast, or even if, your home sells all comes down to price.

It's not that buyers are attracted by shiny, new things, but in a sense they are. When a home is newly listed it gathers a lot of interest. The listing agent may send out emails, webcasts, and virtual tours. They launch their entire marketing program. Even the MLS indicates the home as "newly listed." After a few weeks, however, if no momentum has been built, the home will then face a must steeper challenge on the road to selling.

First, homes that have been on the market a considerable time lose their competitive advantage. A buyer may see a home hasn't moved, and may come in with a low offer price. Depending on how desperate the seller is, they may feel obligated to take this offer.

Second, no one wants their home to sit on the market. It can interrupt plans to move and to buy. One of the best game plans is to price your home to sell.

This means taking a good, hard look at the area comparables. How much have homes been selling for in your area? How does your home compare in terms of amenities? Your real estate agent can be invaluable when it comes to correctly pricing your home. Sellers judgement can be easily prejudiced by emotional attachment to the home and hopes for certain profits.

If your area is experiencing a strong buyers market, that means you need to be even more competitive. You may need to price your home a little lower than you had hoped for. If you are in a sellers market, you can generally ask for a bit more in the asking price.

One tried a true method a realtor will use to snowball interest in a home is to actually underprice it. If your home is in a desirable location and you undercut the competition, you may find yourself fielding multiple offers. How does that work?

A group of buyers are all looking for a home in your lovely neighborhood. Comparable homes to your are priced around $250,000. So, you price your home at $220,000. Buyers jump at the chance to get such a bargain deal .... buyers being the operative word. This can create a bidding war between buyers who have fallen in love with your property. In many cases, the final sale price ends up being more than you would have gotten had you listed at a higher initial price.

Have your upgrades priced you out of the competition? Renovating your home with upgraded fixtures and granite counters can be very appealing. But if homes in your neighborhood are basic models with Formica counters and fewer fancy upgrades, you may have a hard time finding a buyer who will shell out more. This is one way location is very important. You must make sure you're aren't overpriced for your location. Depending on your area, you may have to eat the costs of some of your previous upgrades in order to get a sale.

And finally, are you being greedy? Sometimes people have a magic number in their head of the profit they'd like to make by selling their house. They already have that money spent on the upgrades and toys they'll buy for their next home. But selling is a time to be realistic.

Rely on your real estate agent to guide you in pricing your home. And good luck selling!


Written by Carla Hill

It is the Best time in History to buy waterfront properties in Florida -- Let me show you.