For Buyers
Homestead Exemption
Homestead Exemption One of the great many advantages of owning a home in the state of Florida is the tax benefit of Homestead Exemption. Every person who purchases and resides in a home in Florida on January 1st and thusly makes this their permanent residence, is eligible to receive a homestead exemption of up to…
Read MoreAssessed Value vs. Fair Market Value
It usually starts out on a rainy Sunday afternoon. You act on the musings of your imagination, and begin to Google Florida real estate. You of course find your way to Trulia, Zillow, House Hunt, etc. all the while seeing various homes that seem relatively appealing, until… THERE IT IS! The absolute home of your…
Read MoreCondo Association beats Bank in Million Dollar Foreclosure Battle
AVENTURA, Fla. – June 25, 2013 – It is a condominium association’s version of winning the lotto. A big bank missed its deadline to file for foreclosure on a million-dollar condo unit by 10 days. As a result, Peninsula Condominium Association in Aventura will get to keep the condo – a fancy three-bedroom, three-bathroom bayfront…
Read MoreU.S. home construction rises 6.8% in May
WASHINGTON (AP) – June 18, 2013 – U.S. builders stepped up home construction in May and applied for permits to build single-family homes at the fastest pace in five years. The gains show housing remains a key source of growth for the economy. The overall pace of homes started rose 6.8 percent last month…
Read MoreU.S. home prices jumped in April by most in 7 years
WASHINGTON – June 4, 2013 – U.S. home prices increased 12.1 percent in April from a year earlier, the biggest gain since February 2006, as more buyers competed for fewer homes. Real estate data provider CoreLogic says prices rose in April from the previous April in 48 states. Prices also rose 3.2 percent in…
Read MoreIRA can help a retiree qualify for a mortgage
WASHINGTON – June 4, 2013 – A policy revision at Freddie Mac – Fannie Mae has something similar – allows seniors to include money in their individual retirement account (IRA) or 401(k) to qualify for a mortgage, according to Kenneth Harney in the Washington Post. The change could allow baby boomers in retirement to…
Read MoreIs now the time to buy that Vacation Condo?
Prices in resort areas may have hit their bottom, but getting the right investment property without getting hurt takes planning and savvy. Q: I want to buy a vacation condo and rent it out as an investment. What are the pros and cons? I want to start small and buy with cash. Is this the time to…
Read MoreNew-homes sales rise 1.5% in March to 417K
WASHINGTON (AP) – April 23, 2013 – U.S. sales of new homes rose in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 417,000. The increase added to evidence of a sustained housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that sales of new homes increased 1.5 percent. The gain…
Read MoreFlorida Housing Market Continues Positive Trend in 2013
ORLANDO, Fla. – March 21, 2013 – Florida’s housing market reported more closed sales, rising median prices, increased pending sales, more new listings and a reduced inventory of homes for sale in February, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. “Each month brings more positive signs for the state’s housing market,” says…
Read MoreIntroducing Piedmont Club #203
Enjoy wide water views with western exposure that allows for sunset skies behind the Park Shore high-rises. This property sits close to the bay water and offers three bedrooms and three baths, with two of the bedrooms and the living room right on the water’s edge. With the generous square footage this home possesses, it…
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