August 2008 - Posts

Is Your Brevard County Florida Home Located in a Flood Zone?
30 August 08 06:10 PM | Sandy Shores | 3 comment(s)

 

Flood zones

Is your Brevard County Florida home located in a flood zone? 

 Do you know? How do you find out if it is?

Usually at the time you purchase your home, you are notified whether your house is located in a flood zone.  If it is, your lender will require you to purchase a separate flood insurance policy to cover the property in case of rising ground water.

However, if it is determined that your house is not located in a flood zone, did you know that you can still purchase flood insurance?  The premium amount varies depending on your home and its location.

If you are not sure if your house is located in a flood zone, a survey company can request an elevation certificate which will determine what flood zone that you are in.

According to The National Flood Insurance Program, some questions that you should be sure to ask your insurance company are…

Can you confirm what flood zone I am in?

Does my community participate in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System?

If it does, will I qualify for a discount?

What will be covered in case of damage?  What will not be covered?

How much coverage will I get?  How much coverage will I get on my contents?

Could you discuss rates based on different deductible amounts?

How much will the premium be for the year?

What is covered by replacement cost?  What about cash value?

Visit my website at www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Filed under: Brevard County Florida flood zones, flood zones

When Was the Last Time you or your Clients Reviewed their Homeowners Policy?
29 August 08 07:43 PM | Sandy Shores | with no comments

 

Here in Brevard County Florida we all know that we are currently in the midst of Tropical Storm Season. 

So, my question to you is, when was the last time you reviewed your insurance policy?

What about REALTORS and Lenders, when was the last time your customers reviewed theirs? Do you know?

When was the last time you contacted your insurance agent to discuss your policy?

I have had homeowners tell me that they haven't spoken to their insurance agent in over ten years, nor have they updated their coverage! I am shocked and I tell them so!

When was the last time you contacted your insurance agent to discuss your policy?

Do you know what it covers?

Do you have enough coverage on your home?

Does your policy cover flooding?

Do you have a separate flood policy?

What does that policy cover?

Does your policy cover mold and mildew?

Does your current insurance policy adequately cover the belongings in your home? 

Perhaps it is time to contact your insurance agent and discuss your policy to understand completely what it covers.

I talk to my insurance agent numerous times a year.  Perhaps that is because we own rental homes and I am always checking on coverages and deductibles.  I am always checking to be sure that we have everything we need in case of any kind of loss.

If you don't talk to your insurance agent at least once a year, than you are not talking to him/her often enough. Make it a point to call them every year when you receive your annual renewal notice.

With so many changes that have taken place here in Brevard County Florida it is imperative to understand the dynamics of your policy.  Often times we wait until after a storm, and often times, then, it is too late!

Do your homework.  Call your insurance agent today!

Filed under: review your insurance policy, talk to your agent yearly

Criminal Background Checks for FREE!
27 August 08 03:05 PM | Sandy Shores | 2 comment(s)

I found this great website and I wanted to share it with all of you…

Do you have a prospective tenant?

Have a completed rental application?

Need to do a credit check?

Need to do a criminal background check?

Or just looking for additional information on someone?

 

Well, you can pull a criminal background check for FREE!

Just go to http://criminalsearches.com/. Type in the name of the person that you are researching and if there is a record available, it will provide you with the information.   

This is a great tool for landlord and property managers!

Happy Searching!

Filed under: landlord tools, free background checks, criminal background checks for free

Stand In Front of Any Home in the United States Without Leaving Your Desk!
26 August 08 06:56 PM | Sandy Shores | 2 comment(s)

Interested in finding out more information about what a particular home and it's surrounding area looks like?

Many of you may have heard of this before. 

But, for those who haven't...Check out Google Street views today. 

Just go to http://maps.google.com/ and type in the complete address of the home that you are researching, including city and state.

First, it will pinpoint it on the map for you. 

Then, choose street views. It will ‘take you to the home'. It is as if you are standing in the street directly in front of the house.

Don't forget to switch to full screen, so you can get a better view.

If you like, you can  "navigate" your way down the street and view all of the properties surrounding that home. 

If you have never tried this before, it is incredible!  

Try it for yourself today!  Start with your own address.

WOW!  I absolutely LOVE IT!

 

 

Filed under: google maps, google street views

School Starts on Monday here in Brevard County
15 August 08 12:30 PM | Sandy Shores | with no comments

Well, here we are…school starts on Monday August 18, 2008 here in Melbourne Florida.  We get so many questions from buyers and owners about the local school systems here in Melbourne Florida. 

Did you know that you can visit the Brevard County Schools website for the most comprehensive school information available? Did you know that you can view each individual school’s scorecard to see how well that school has performed over the last several years? The county website is full of good information for parents and students.

I know as a parent, every year I look for the Melbourne Florida 2008-2009 School Calendar  for Brevard County Schools to help plan the school year

In addition, you can find school information across the nation.  You can find school rankings. You can type in a a home address and the search will indicate what school your student should be attending.  Or you can see what area is close to a specific district.

So, have a great year and see you at school on Monday!

Filed under: Brevard County Florida schools, brevard County schools scorecard, melbourne fiorida schools

Highest Vacancy Rates In Over 50 Years!
12 August 08 03:22 PM | Sandy Shores | with no comments

The United States Census Bureau has reported that the United States is currently experiencing the highest vacancy rates on homes since 1956. 

Over 2 million homes were sitting empty in the first quarter of 2008.  That’s almost 3% of all homes in the United States. Many of these homes are properties that are short sales; the owners have made an arrangement with their lender to sell them for less than the mortgage balance. Other vacant properties are bank foreclosures.

These empty homes are providing attractive buying opportunities for buyers.  Some are being negotiated for 10% and more below the asking price.  Unfortunately, not every bank is that agreeable to such favorable terms.

Homes being offered by individual owners can sometimes be favorably negotiated, depending on when the owner purchased the home and the owner’s current mortgage balance.  Homes purchased 5 or more years ago, here in Brevard County can often be purchased for competitive prices.  A vacant house can often times signify a highly motivated owner, as often that owner may be paying a mortage payment, taxes and insurance on 2 different properties. If owners are still holding out for 2005 prices, they may eventually be just another short sale or foreclosure statistic. As, those prices are a thing of the past.

So, if you’re thinking of buying a Brevard County Florida Home, keep your eyes and ears open.  The deals are out there.  Educate yourself to the market and get your financing in order.  So you are ready to proceed ahead when you find the “right home”.

Visit my website at www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com and go to the search the MLS page.  Look for Brevard County Homes for sale.

Filed under: brevard County Florida real estate, highest vacancy rates in 50 years, vacant homes for sale

Motivated Seller, Priced to Sell, Move In Condition...Are We Sure About That?
11 August 08 07:30 PM | Sandy Shores | with no comments

We've all seen them...

We all drive by them everyday...

We all feel for them...

Those stale listings that just sit and go unsold...

But why?  Why are they still for sale?

Over priced? Poor location?  No curb appeal? No staging?  Poor condition?  Knee high grass? Or just plain old bad luck? Which is it? Or is it a different situation for every one of them?

Well, frankly for me...I feel for the sellers... but, let my clarify myself......I feel for the sellers that truly have an interest in selling their home...BUT CAN'T!

Everyday I drive by the same 4 homes that have been for sale for over a year and one for over 2 years now.  Let me use one as an example...

This particular home first went on the market here in Melbourne Florida in Brevard County. Our market peaked in 2005 and began a steady decline in 2006. 

• Listed for sale in June 2006 with a real estate company for $269,000.  In my opinion, 10% too high for the market.
• Home withdrawn.
• For sale by owner for 6 months at $259,000.
• Real estate company #2 listed it at $239,000. I viewed the home at an open house...the agent asked what I thought...I told her it needed new carpet, fresh paint inside, the rooms needed to be cleared out and opened up to get that 'musty' feel and smell out. The price was again 10% high for the current market.  Remember, our market was continuing to decline.
• The listing expired and company #3 took it at $199,000. They had an open house and I visited. The agent asked me what I thought and I told him, the items from the previous company open house had not been been corrected. The listing expired.
• A discount company has the listing now.  The price has been dropped from $199,000 to $188,900 to $164,900 and the house is still sitting on the market since June 2006 PRICED $105,000 LESS THAN IT WAS THEN!  
• Today's list price is less than what similar homes in the area are selling for and no one is biting!
• The location is good, the floor plan is good, the curb appeal is attractive and there have been no less that 8 houses in this area that have come on the market and sold since this seller placed her home on the market.

We see it everyday, that home that doesn't get the careful consideration it needs; all the work MUST be done before the sign goes up.  And the property should be priced carefully for current market conditions.

Filed under: Melbourne Florida Real Estate, brevard County Florida real estate, stale listings that don't sell, homes that sit unsold

Are Landlords Repositioning Themselves in Today's Market?
07 August 08 07:34 PM | Sandy Shores | 2 comment(s)

 

Currently, there are almost 90 million Americans that rent their homes. 

And about a million more are expected to be added to that number this year alone. These will be previous homeowners that have sold their homes by short sale, or for less than the balance of their mortgages. And, there will be owners that have lost their homes to foreclosure.

So, what does this mean to the landlords? 

Some rental houses will begin filling up.

But, what about landlords that rent to only people with perfect credit?

Will some landlords have to shift their thinking?

There will be previous homeowners joining the tenant ranks, but the ones that went into foreclosure won't have perfect credit.  In fact, their credit may possibly be destroyed because of the foreclosure. 

So, what is a landlord to do? Perhaps, some will have to change their way of thinking.

As a landlord, I have no problem with renting to people with blemishes on their credit.  Bad things sometimes happen to good people.  I know many hard working people that pay their bills on time.  Some people just get stretched too thin. I look at every individual's situation on a case by case basis.

I also know many owners that can pay their mortgage payment at $1000 a month, but as soon as it jumped to $1400 a month, they were no longer in a position to pay it. 

So, in this ever changing real estate market, if landlords reposition their thinking, they'll soon be able to get their properties rented to good, hard working tenants that previously had hoped to own a slice of the American Dream.

If you're a landlord, are you rethinking your position in today's market?

Filed under: renting to tenants with blemished credit, landlords repositioning themselves

Do You Know What your Neighborhood Walkscore Is?
06 August 08 01:42 PM | Sandy Shores | 2 comment(s)

Did you know that you can find out which of America's neigborhoods are most walkable?

My neighborhood walkscore here in Melbourne Florida located in Brevard County is a 42 out of 100. For me, I find that my neighborhood is convenient to most of the spots I want to walk to.

I love walking; anything to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the beautiful sunshine.  I like to walk to the store to pick up a couple of items, to walk to get a taco, or a movie or some chinese take out food.  My dog, Bailey the Boxer loves it even more than I do. 

Are you thinking of buying a home? But wondering how close it is to major conveniences? 

With Walkscore you can find out how easily you can get around in an area without a car. You can type in an address and walkscore indicates the proximity that location is to shopping, groceries, dining, parks, libraries, schools, etc. 

You can find out what 40 US cities have the most walkable neighborhoods

So type in your address today and see what your neighborhood walkscore is. 

 

Filed under: melbourme florida real estate, melbourne florida walkscore, neighborhood walkscore