Priced Right Homes Are Selling

Price Home Right to Sell

Many properties are listed at prices that prevent buyers to want to even look at them. If a home is listed in the MLS and not view within three weeks after being marketed on Realtor.com and other websites, I believe that the property is priced too high.

Hiring a Contractor

Jacksonville, Florida

Taken from "Missing: Everything but the kitchen sink," The Florida-Times Union, by Matt Coleman, 7/25/2008.

Source: Consumer Reports - this is source Mr. Coleman cites in the article

1. Get 3 bids to gauge the going rate for work

2. Get an estimate ( I will add to that...make sure it is in writing)

3. Choose pros you know

4. Get references from recent and older jobs

5. Look for proper licensing and insurance (and I will add, ask for copies)

6. Check the Better Business Bureau for filed complaints

7. Do the hiring yourself

8. Obtain a contract (from the one you hire)

9. Stick with the plans

10. Pay by check

11. Make final payments only whe the work is completed to your satisfaction.

Jacksonville - #8 on Forbes List as place for housing bargains

Taken from The Florida-Times Union on March 29, 2008

Prices have dropped all over...but Northeast Florida real estate professionals and Forbes magazine say Jacksonville continues to have a solid housing market and is a good plaace to shop if you are looking for a real estate bargain.

Mortgage Insurer Restrictions

Taken from The Florida-Times Union, March 21, 2008.

Mortgage Insurers have flagged  more than 9,600 zip codes  where they will not insure loans for investment properties, adjustable Rate and Interest only mortgages and buyers making down payments of less than 3%. A large part of Florida is flagged. In some areas:

*a borrower cannot receive more than 95% financing; some 90%.

*Loans for investmen properties, second homes and manufactured homes are not eligible.

*Interest-only, option-payment and 2- or 3-year adjustable are not eligible.

*Refinances that allow borrower to extract all equity are not eligible.

*Loan amounts greater than $650,000 are not eligible.

Florida voted "Yes" on Property Tax Reform on 1/29/2008

For information and forms, go to http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/property/sb4d.html

Community Development District's in Florida

When purchasing a home, buyers should find out whether or not there is a Community Development District fee. Builder's of new homes are increasing adding this fee. It is commonly called the CDD fee.  It pays for things like streets and pools in the community. According to The Florida Times-Union report on Dec. 3, 2007, Florida has 545  CDDs with 27 in St. Johns County, 15 in Duval County, 11 in Clay County, and 6 in Nassau County.  They got their information from the State Department of Community Affairs. A current up-to-date list of CDDs in Florida can be found amount the lisings called "Special Districts" under OFFICIAL LIST OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS at the website www.floridaspecialdistricts.org.

Who is the largest private landowner in the U.S.?

Ted Turner is the largest private landowner in the U.S. according to The Florida Times-Union, Nov. 29, 2007, page D-1. He has purchased 2 million acres over the past 2 decades. Most of the land he owns is in New Mexico, Nebraska, Montana and South Dakota. He owns 29,530 acres in Florida. New Mexico is at the top with 1,105,905 acres as of mid-Sept. 2007. (Info taken from The Florida Times-Union, Nov. 29, 2007, page D-1)

Property Tax Reform - Vote on Jan. 29

New home ownership made possible in East Jax

The East Jacksonville Housing Alliance and Operation New Hope and a coalition of community development corporations are helping people to purchase homes in east Jacksonville. The alliance is headquartered at Beaver Street, Enterprise Center. For information, contact Communications Director Pam Kearney at 355-0000 or visit http://jacksonville.com and enter keyword: freshministries. (Information is taken from The  Florida Times-Union, My Southside Sun, 12/5/07, p. 8)

Duval Housing Market to Grow in '08

"It's among two counties expected to see growth, economists say.....State eonomists said Duval County will have the highest rise in its homestead market values next year out of Florida's 67 counties......A recent report by the state's Office of Economic & Demographic Research estimates homestead just values in Duval County will climb by 3 percent in 2008, ahead of Leon County's 2 percent estimate."  Other counties in north Florida estimated homestead market values for 2008, according to state economists: Baker -4.1%, Clay -4.1%, Flagler -7%, Nassau -4.1%, Putnam -4.1%, St. Johns -4.1%, State Average -4.12%. (Info taken from The Florida Times-Union, Monday, Dec. 10, 2008, p. A1.