Showing posts with label Henderson Real Estate Group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Henderson Real Estate Group. Show all posts
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Prices Going Up In Florida in April Reports!
Fla.’s housing market: Prices, listings rise in April
ORLANDO, Fla. – May 22, 2014 – Florida's housing market reported higher median prices, more new listings and a slight rise in inventory in April, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Closed sales of single-family homes statewide totaled 21,385 last month, up 4.1 percent over the April 2013 figure.
"Florida's strengthening economy and increased jobs outlook are positive signs for continued growth in the state's housing market," said 2014 Florida Realtors®President Sherri Meadows, CEO and team leader, Keller Williams, with market centers in Gainesville, Ocala and The Villages. "Statewide, new listings for single-family homes in April rose 9.2 percent year-over-year, while new townhouse-condo listings rose 1.4 percent. This increase in listings shows many Florida homeowners are continuing to regain equity in their homes. Potential sellers who were on the sidelines now believe the time is right to put their residences on the market.
"And, for the 29th month in row, median sales prices rose year-over-year for both single-family homes and townhome-condo properties."
The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes last month was $175,000, up 6.1 percent from the previous year, according to data from Florida Realtors Industry Data and Analysis (IDA) department in partnership with local Realtor boards/associations. The statewide median price for townhouse-condo properties in April was $140,500, up 9.8 percent over the year-ago figure. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), thenational median sales price for existing single-family homes in March 2014 was $198,200, up 7.4 percent from the previous yearthenational median existing condo price was $200,800.In California, the statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in March was $435,470; in Massachusetts, it was $314,063; in Maryland, it was $245,891; and in New York, it was$217,500.
Looking at Florida's townhome-condo market, statewide closed sales totaled 10,766 last month, down 5.1 percent compared to April 2013. The closed sales data reflected fewer short sales last month compared to the previous year: Short sales for condo-townhome properties declined 57.9 percent while short sales for single-family homes dropped 51.5 percent. Closed sales typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.
"We continue to see the development of a sustainable market here in Florida," said Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. John Tuccillo. "The numbers all suggest a balanced market, and the slight uptick in inventory is a correction for the historically low levels we've seen over the past two or three years.
"If there's anything that jumps out of these numbers, it is the rapidly disappearing short sale market. The decline in short sales – a characteristic seen all over the country – is a function of rising prices reducing the number of candidate properties for short sales. We expect this will continue as the market continues to improve."
Inventory was at a 5.7-months' supply last month for single-family homes and at a 6-months' supply for townhouse-condo properties, according to Florida Realtors.
According to Freddie Mac, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.34 percent in April 2014, up from the 3.45 percent average recorded during the same month a year earlier.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Green Clean!
Green Housecleaning Makes a Healthier Home
Green cleaning is on the rise. Many homeowners and professional housecleaners are trading their bleach, pine-scented and other potentially toxic cleaning chemicals in for more environmentally friendly and all-natural cleaners.
"Spraying potentially toxic chemical-based cleaners into the air, pouring them down the sink or dumping them in landfills has a negative effect on both our health and our environment," says Angie's List founder Angie Hicks. "Your home no longer needs to smell like bleach or other chemicals to be considered clean. There are plenty of all-natural cleaning products that do an equally effective job, are easy on your pocketbook and are better for you and your family's health and for Mother Earth."
Many professional housecleaners are relying on biodegradable, non-toxic cleaners like baking soda, white distilled vinegar and some essential oils with disinfectant qualities (lemon, tea tree oil and eucalyptus, for example) to clean and disinfect. Distilled vinegar, for example, will kill nearly all bacteria with which it comes into contact, while baking soda is great for scrubbing out stains and even freshening up carpets and sink drains. Some cleaning companies make a concerted effort to find other ways to further reduce their environmental impact, like cleaning and reusing towels and rags instead of using and throwing away power towels or sponges.
"As awareness for eco-friendly cleaning increases, many cleaning companies are turning exclusively to non-toxic products or are willing to supply them at a customer's request," Hicks says. "Homeowners interested in hiring an eco-friendly housecleaner should still do their research before they hire and ask what products the housecleaner plans to use. Also check that the housecleaner is licensed, insured and bonded. That protects the company and the homeowner in the event an employee is injured on the job or damages property.
Consumers interested in purchasing eco-friendly cleaning products should always read the ingredient list to determine what the product is really made from. Many over-the-counter cleaning products are touted by the manufacturer as being green but still contain chemicals.
"It's never too late to go green when you clean," Hicks says. "Box up all those chemicals you no longer want and take them to a local hazardous waste center. Replace them with all-natural cleaning products or by using an eco-friendly cleaning service. Your home will still smell and look great."
Professional housecleaners are often a great value for busy homeowners, as they are often able to do the job in a fraction of the time it would take the average homeowner. Some professionals offer one-time cleans or can set you up on a less frequent rotation.
A typical cleaning includes dusting, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning of bathrooms and wiping down of all hard surfaces. There are projects many cleaners won't take on or will charge extra for, like doing dishes, laundry, washing windows; or deeper cleans, like refrigerators, cabinets and stoves.
Always spell out your expectations before you hire and make sure you are clear on how the company bills its customers.
To keep your home cleaner longer, professional housecleaners recommend minimizing clutter and sweeping and vacuuming between cleanings.
Copyright© 2012 RISMedia, The Leader in Real Estate Information Systems and Real Estate News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be republished without permission from RISMedia.
Summer Renovations
Getting Ready for Summer Renovations?
Remember - a home is a system of electrical, heating, lighting networks which work together to create a warm and safe abode. So, an important part of all summer renovations is the careful consideration of the electrical wiring in your home.
If you're planning on building a recreation room, enhancing your kitchen or making over your living room, you should design your layouts around each room's key features. So, keep in mind where all electrical outlets will need to be for lights, appliances and electronics. Considering heated floors or ceiling fans? You will need a reliable, well-trained electrician to plan out the installation of these features and determine how to best install electrical wiring.
Wall plans are also required in order to lay out your house wiring. You'll have to ensure that you enlist the help of a professional electrician to help you draw out the plans in advance so that you can get the necessary permits without delay. You may find your electrical wiring needs upgrading to maintain safety in your home and meet housing standards. As such, renovation jobs can take longer than originally planned; so, always add extra time to allow for setbacks.
If you are tearing down any walls in your home, make sure that an electrician determines where all electrical wiring is located. Once you begin the process, it may be too late to employ a quick fix if something goes wrong.
Extra-Low Mortgage Rates
3 Reasons Not to Refinance at Extra-Low Rates
Here are 3 warning signs for not refinancing your home at a lower rate:
-You're one of the many homeowners who owe more than what the home is worth. Lenders may ask you to pay a higher rate of interest, perhaps a quarter or half percent more than the average national home loan interest rate, mortgage brokers say. Even worse, a prospective lender may ask you to pay property mortgage insurance, which will add thousands of dollars to the cost of your loan, says Deerfield Beach, Fla., financial planner Blair Shein.
-There's a chance you might move to take a new job. If you don't stay in your home for at least two years then you may actually lose money on refinancing, says Plantation, Fla., financial planner Matt Saneholtz, who is president of the Financial Planning Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale. That's because you won't have time to recoup the closing costs, he said.
-You will end up paying more. If you have less than five years to pay, then you will generally pay more if you take out a longer loan, even if it offers a much lower interest rate, Shein said. That's because the longer loan length means more interest costs although your monthly payment will be smaller, he says. You only come out ahead if you continue making your existing loan's bigger payments on the new loan. That will ensure you will pay less interest - and pay off the loan even quicker, he said. "But the reality is that most people don't that," Shein says.
Homeowners should examine all the costs before signing up for a new loan. "Do the math," financial planner Saneholtz says. And beware of the hidden closing costs: You may not have to pay any when you sign for the mortgage, but those costs will be added to your new loan - often involving thousands of dollars, he says.
©2012 Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Distributed by MCT Information Services and RISMedia
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Turtles
South Walton’s sugar-white sand beaches are a big draw for visitors, but they’re also home to some of the area’s tiniest residents. During the months of May through October, endangered sea turtles build nests in that sand, and need the help and consideration of human beachgoers in order to thrive and survive.
The two most common species of turtles in South Walton are Green Sea Turtles and Loggerheads. In the late spring and early summer, female sea turtles that were born in South Walton return to build nests. Later in the summer and in the early fall, the turtle eggs in the nests begin to hatch, and the hatchlings use light reflected off the surf to guide them into the ocean. South Walton has a dedicated team to help identify and protect the turtles, but there are things that beachgoers can do to make sure their efforts are a success:
- Prevent all lights from illuminating the beach– Turn off balcony and porch lights and draw blinds each night. Use only flashlights with red film covers (which are available at area businesses and the Visitor Information Center) as sea turtles become disoriented on their crawl back to the surf.
- Look but don’t touch – Do not disturb or handle any sea turtles, their eggs or their nests. All are violations of both federal and state laws.
- Don’t leave holes – Fill in any holes you dig including holes left from sticking poles and beach umbrellas into the sand. This will ensure others don’t get injured and that you don’t create obstacles for nesting sea turtles.
- Keep the beach clean – Reduce litter by disposing of your trash properly and removing all personal items from the beach each night.
Visit South Walton is a proud sponsor of these efforts. To find out more, visit southwaltonturtlewatch.org.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Beautiful Day in Destin, Florida!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Florida Housing Market
The recovery in Florida's housing market continues to grow stronger and stronger. Pending sales up 43.1% for single family homes and up 33.4% for condos/townhomes. Some areas in Florida are having a shortage of inventory which is resulting in multiple offers.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Destin, Florida Crab Island
Friday, May 4, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
Existing-Home Sales Decline in March but Inventory Down, Prices Stabilizing
Existing-home sales were down in March but continue to outpace year-ago levels, while inventory tightened and home prices are showing further signs of stabilizing, according to the National Realtors Association.
Wonderful Events on the Emerald Coast for May and June! Click on this link to see all that this area offers. Something for everyone!!!
Events on the Emerald Coast in May!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Retired Moving To Florida In Large Numbers!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Loan Mortgage Rates Tie Record Low!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
New Apple iPhone 4S
Without new iPhone, Apple iOS 5 more evolutionary than revolutionary
SEATTLE – Oct. 19, 2011 – Apple’s latest update to its iOS software for iPhones, iPads and other handheld devices is more evolutionary than revolutionary, particularly if you’re not getting it on the new iPhone 4S, which was released Friday.
iOS 5, which Apple made available early this month, has a lot of neat new features. But the most exciting one – the Siri voice-command system – is available only on the new iPhone. Others, such as weather and stock widgets, aren’t available on the iPad.
Many of the other features, meanwhile, don’t break new ground; instead, they represent an effort by Apple to catch up with the competition.
Still, the additions in iOS 5 are welcome and the update is well worth the time needed – about 90 minutes in my case – to download and install it.
One of the big themes of iOS 5 is to cut the cord that has long connected Apple handheld devices to Apple’s iTunes software running on users’ personal computers. With the new software, users can pretty much get by without ever plugging their iPad or iPhone into their PCs.
After installing iOS 5, users no longer have to connect them to a computer to get new operating system updates. They can just download them directly to their device. And should they want to back up their device to their computer, they can configure the iOS device to do so wirelessly whenever it is plugged into an outlet to recharge.
As part of this effort, Apple has added a number of services that link iOS 5 devices to its data servers on the Internet. IPads and iPods can save their backups to Apple’s servers, rather than to a PC. Using a service called Photo Stream, Apple allows users to instantly and wirelessly transfer pictures they’ve taken on an iOS device to other such devices, their computers and to the Apple TV set-top box via its cloud service. Music that users purchase on an iOS device – or on their computer – is similarly synced automatically across devices through the conduit of Apple’s data servers.
iOS 5, which Apple made available early this month, has a lot of neat new features. But the most exciting one – the Siri voice-command system – is available only on the new iPhone. Others, such as weather and stock widgets, aren’t available on the iPad.
Many of the other features, meanwhile, don’t break new ground; instead, they represent an effort by Apple to catch up with the competition.
Still, the additions in iOS 5 are welcome and the update is well worth the time needed – about 90 minutes in my case – to download and install it.
One of the big themes of iOS 5 is to cut the cord that has long connected Apple handheld devices to Apple’s iTunes software running on users’ personal computers. With the new software, users can pretty much get by without ever plugging their iPad or iPhone into their PCs.
After installing iOS 5, users no longer have to connect them to a computer to get new operating system updates. They can just download them directly to their device. And should they want to back up their device to their computer, they can configure the iOS device to do so wirelessly whenever it is plugged into an outlet to recharge.
As part of this effort, Apple has added a number of services that link iOS 5 devices to its data servers on the Internet. IPads and iPods can save their backups to Apple’s servers, rather than to a PC. Using a service called Photo Stream, Apple allows users to instantly and wirelessly transfer pictures they’ve taken on an iOS device to other such devices, their computers and to the Apple TV set-top box via its cloud service. Music that users purchase on an iOS device – or on their computer – is similarly synced automatically across devices through the conduit of Apple’s data servers.
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