I recently had a potential buyer tell me the house down the street sold for thousands less so the listing I represent should sell for a lot less. Excuse me, the house down the street was a foreclosure. Some lucky buyer made out like a bandit on a beautiful home because an investor jumped into the resell market too late to take advantage of rising prices several years ago. That does not mean the value of the home is less, it means payments were not made on the original mortgage and the lender is recooping as much of their loss as possible.

There are a few cases where a home owner has lost his/her income. (I feel sorry for those guys and do what I can as a Realtor to assist them in selling their home before foreclosure) BUT! I have found that in most cases a foreclosure is caused by a bad business decision on the part of lenders who do not fully (deliberately??) explain future payments and buyers who make a decision to take a mortgage without making sure they understood the fine print.

So, if you are wondering if your home is worth less because the one next door foreclosed, don’t loose any sleep over it.

Send me your home information and you may advertise your home right here, FREE. I will leave your post up for 30 days and if you want it on longer, just let me know. Send me photos and I will even add them to the post. Join any of my Blogs and post your home for sale.

I have found a great way to make sure anyone who wants information gets it fast.

Watch the demo and then e-mail me and I will purchase a code for you so potential buyers to have instant information and photos right on their cell phone! I use this for my listings! It is great! No flyers blow away or get soggy wet and useless. Just consant information 24/7 You can try it out on your phone, just send this message: MLS2238 To Number: 70734 (I know it does not look like it would work; but, it does

Check out the hellpful ways to price your home and to advertise your home too. There are many helpful links on my website.

Good Luck! and don’t forget you may call me anytime! 850.916.7833

Today there is an over abundance of affordable homes available in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Navarre. Many New Homes! I represent one of the areas most respected builders, Coogle Homes LLC. Coogle offers affordable new homes and has been building homes in NW Florida since 1985. Right now, Coogle is offering buyers eight different floor plans, priced from $142,900-$161,900 (which includes the land) in Gulf Breeze. I have been serving this area as a Realtor for almost 15 years and there is only one thing our local governments can do to assist in housing: “Put a moratorium on new housing developments” and allow homes on the market an opportunity to sell. Other areas have done this and it boosted the housing economy, helping all who depend on it.

Our local economy can only handle what buyers are willing to pay and qualified to purchase. I am glad to see Lenders sticking to strict lending policies (as they should have been all along). I am also beginning to see savvy Sellers allowing we experienced Realtors to price listings at market value instead of wasting everyone’s time and money hoping for some dummy to come in and pay more than a home will appraise for. Buyers also need to accept that a great deal is market value.

Julia Braddy, Realtor, Sales Marketing in Gulf Breeze www.GulfBreezeHomes.com
Direct: 850.916.7833 Email: julia.braddy@gmail.com
Marketing & Representing www.CoogleHomes.com in Northwest Florida
Reseller for innovative advertising www.TextMyMLS.com throughout the Florida Panhandle

REALonomics.net advocates that the industry open up the property information portals to consumers and upgrade its approach to how it is interacting with the consumer by implementing more social networking such as www.CityBlogUSA.com, a community blogging network for every city in the USA.

Visit www.REALonomics.net.

Is a career move making your decision for you? Please take a serious, realistic look at market trends and price accordingly. Choose an experienced Realtor who will be bluntly honest with you and is not just looking for another house to list. A Realtor who has been working in the Florida panhandle over 10 years will have experienced a similar market in the early 90’s and should be better prepared to assist you in competitive pricing.

Today’s Buyers do not feel any urgency in placing an offer because there are so many homes to choose from. Sellers need to provide an enticing incentive to motivate a buyer to place an offer and price is key.

If you are a Seller who is not motivated to sell at market value, whatever that might be, you should seriously consider waiting until the market can handle your expectations. When will that be? Some economist are predicting a turn around in the housing market by 2010. No-one knows for sure what will happen, prices could fall even farther before a turnaround. I do not expect our area to hit the highs we experienced in 2005-2006 anytime soon.

Some things a Seller must consider: Is your home in the kind of condition that will maximize your return on the sale without a lot of time and money on your part? Are you willing to spend the time and money to prepare your home to compete with new/newer homes? Will you be competing against new homes that still waiting for a sale? Are you realistic about market conditions? Your situation may require you putting your home on the market now. If so, get your home ready to sale. Study the local market carefully. Make sure you have an agent who keeps you informed about sales in your subdivision and in your area (visit www.GulfBreezeHomes.com and click on “MLS Market Updates and Trend Analysis” to stay informed about properties within a 5 mile radius of your home). When pricing, listen to your experienced Realtor and choose a list price that will interest potential buyers. Insure your home looks fantastic with curb appeal, cleanliness and maintenance.

I have written a “Sellers Guide” for those who list with me, answering questions about preparing for a showing, pricing, staging, marketing, from listing to a closing sale.

Julia Braddy, Realtor, Specializing Sales Marketing in Gulf Breeze, Navarre & Pensacola, FL www.GulfBreezeHomes.com
Direct: 850.916.7833
Email: julia.braddy@gmail.com
Marketing & Representing www.CoogleHomes.com in Northwest Florida
Innovative Advertising www.TextMyMLS.com for the Florida Panhandle

For those of you wondering about the cost of insurance, we have just had to change policies on two of our rental properties and it was not difficult nor expensive. Come see our beautiful area and experience the beauty and all the wonderful things to do. Thinking about buying? Visit my web site www.gulfbreezehomes.com, click on property alerts, and receive constant updates directly from the Pensacola MLS. When you are ready to purchase, I will assist you with insurance quotes and you will be surprised!

Looks like the County is finally doing something about stormwater runoff east of College Parkway too.

Oh by the way, we also just renewed our homeowners insurance and guess what? We were able to find a company that actually offered LOWER premiums than last year.

Our property taxes are going down and the Midway Fire District was told in no uncertain terms that we don’t want a flat rate fee.

So what’s the problem with housing sales? Let’s hope all that snow and yukky weather up north will motivate some new retirees to break loose some of that savings for a rainey day and discover the really good deals that are available now.

When I decided to start this blog, I thought I would give a daily update on homes are for sale, or my view points, opinions on the housing market with either grim reports about foreclosures or having too many homes on the market, doing my best to educate those who may wish to know more about the opportunities here. I have been living and selling property here for almost 15 years so I do believe I have some wisdom to impart….. But, you can get that sort of information anywhere on the net and when I work with you I will make sure you know your decisions are based on reliable wisdom and information! Today, I had a great big pelican escort me down my street gliding right over my sunroof (I did worry he might poop on me) and he made me realize even more what a great place to live! I want this blog to be different and fun. I want those who are thinking about moving here to join the blog and those who live here to join and to tell everyone just how great this place really is! Every time (several times a day) I drive across the three mile bridge I honestly feel sorry for all the souls who will be afraid to even consider living in our little piece of paradise because they only hear the bad stuff, storms, insurance, etc. The good far outweighs the bad! It is a privilege to live and work in Gulf Breeze, FL, such a beautiful place! Located in the Florida Panhandle (way above the tropic line at Tampa) we experience all seasons, Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall, in a truly Florida way! (i.e. no snow to shovel). Gulf Breeze is a skinny peninsula between Pensacola and Pensacola Beach. Residents have all kinds of boating; Escambia Bay, Florida intercoastal waterways, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Escambia River. Hey, you can go canoeing and rafting on the Blackwater River too. The beauty of the bay with Pelicans and Seagulls diving for dinner could keep me entertained for hours. Collecting seashells after a storm and listening to waves rolling on our sugar white sandy beach is undoubtedly the best free fun there is! I love this time of year. OK, I admit I love every time of year here in beautiful Gulf Breeze in NW Florida. We have it made. We live in waterfront homes that did not cost zillions of dollars and enjoy fishing off our docks or riding jet skis in the bay. We can go blue water fishing in the gulf (only a short boat ride) and dive the Oriskinay (not me, I am the dedicated bubble watcher). Gulf Breeze is a quiet bedroom community with Florida’s best schools and a few minutes to Pensacola Beach by whatever means of transportation you prefer. In the past week, we have had sheets of rain, flowers blooming everywhere and great wind for flying kites. We’ve had a few cool nights to snuggle and great days to ride our Harleys. Yep, this is a great place to be. . . . . before you wonder, yes my hubby and I do all the things I have told you about and there it a much longer list to share. Tell me what you want to know and I will make sure everyone has a voice! Born in Florida, I am a solar powered water baby who loves to ride my own Harley (we even rode on Christmas Eve in T-shirts) and I detest all the bad press our beautiful area and state have gotten. Help me out. Join the blog or send me and e-mail and let me know what you want to hear about. Julia Braddy, Realtor, Specializing Real Estate Sales Marketing Montgomery Realtors Inc Gulf Breeze, FL Call Julia Direct: 850.916.7833 e-mail: julia.braddy@gmail.com Send me a text message: 8506862963 www.GulfBreezeHomes.com A Pioneer in the .Com world of Real Estate (the ‘old’ Realtors laughed when I started my first web site) www.CoogleHomes.com Marketing & Representing Coogle Homes LLC, Building ICF, Piling and Frame Homes in NW Florida www.TextMyMLS.com The Future For Real Estate Information Through Your Cell Phone www.cityblogusa.com Gulf Breeze is a Fantastic Place to Live and Work

In a market like we are seeing, you might think banks would be happy to see any offer, even if it is low. However, the federal government strictly regulates how much the banks can lose so don’t expect any low offers to be accepted. An offer within a 5% margin of the asking price has a decent chance of getting accepted. The end of the year might bring some exceptions to this rule.

When submitting your offer on a foreclosed property, you will need to have your financing in line. Every offer must include a pre-approval letter if the property is being financed. If you are paying cash, they you will have to include proof of your funds.

Each bank will have its own addendum’s that they want the potential buyer to sign and add to the offer. These addendums are written to accommodate the laws in all 50 states, so they can be pretty exhausting reading, but do read what you are signing. You will have to sign them if you want your offer accepted.

Another thing about bank owned real estate; they are all sold in “as is” condition so hire a professional home inspector. Most foreclosed properties have the utilities turned off, so when you do your inspections, you will need to turn the utilities on in your name so you can inspect the functionality of the home.

If you are using a lender, things can start to get complicated. All conforming and government backed mortgages like FHA,VA and Conventional mortgages require the home to be in good condition. If the appraisal reveals problems to the home like wood rot, broken windows, or roof damage (to name a few), the lender will not fund the transaction until these items are repaired.

Since the bank will not make any of the repairs, you will have to handle the repairs out of your own pocket or you will have to pay cash for the home. If you decide to handle the repairs, you will have to hire a licensed and insured contractor due to the bank’s liability. In fact, some banks will not allow repairs at all because they just don’t want to be liable for any accidents which could occur on the property during the repairs. To avoid the whole repair issue, ask your lender for a non-conforming product or pay cash for the property.

There are some other points to consider also. Most banks want to close quickly. They watch their bottom line daily. When making your offer, schedule your closing date within 30 days. Be sure your lender (if you use one) is on top of their game because most banks will charge the buyer a fee for every day it takes to close after the original closing date.

And one last thing: When your offer reaches the bank (seller), it will probably be put on a stack of hundreds of files. The people who work on your file have strict guide lines to follow. They work each file the same, over and over. You just don’t have a face with a system like this. There is no humanism here. No emotion, just files and they have to be a certain way or they get kicked back.

As long as you are prepared for what the banks are looking for, and you have an experienced Realtor, you can have a smooth transaction. You just have to play by their rules. There are lots of great deals on Real Estate out there. Right here in Gulf Breeze, Navarre and Ft Walton Beach, there are many great deals on the market. Many of them are bank owned foreclosures. To find great real estate bargains in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, and Ft Walton Beach, go to http://search-panhandle-homes.com.

One more important tid-bit: Bank owned properties are not “Short Sales”. Short sales are a completely different type of real estate purchase and carry a whole new set of rules. Actually, each short sale transaction has its own set of rules. Short sales are much more complicated and time consuming than foreclosures. If you are going to deal with a bank, it is much easier once the home has been foreclosed on.

Jon Payne is a Licensed Florida Real Estate Agent with Navarre Beach Realty, Inc. You can reach him by email at jon@jon-payne.com or on his cell at 850 259-9765. http://Jon-Payne.com

For great real estate bargains in the Florida Panhandle, to go to http://search-panhandle-homes.com.