10 Home Maintenance Tips for this Fall Season Each season your home goes through changes in temperatures, weather conditions, aging, and of course human abuse! In order to keep all your components of your home running smoothly, and to avoid costly repairs later, it’s helpful to conduct seasonal maintenance actions each season.  As the summer continues, this is a perfect time to prepare for fall. Depending on your climate the fall season may be too late to prepare if it gets cold quickly.  Regardless of your location, start these helpful tips now to save money and get a jump on the season. 1.) Examine your roof/gutters/downspouts for debris: Your roof is often forgotten about because it is not at eye level to give you a subtle reminder every time you walk past it.  Clear leaves, dirt, an... 10/01/2013

With the reduction in available home inventory, some markets are experiencing what is typically referred to as a “Sellers Market.” This type of market can occur with almost any commodity and is characterized by a shortage of supply resulting in the ability for sellers to raise prices and/or have more control over the conditions of a sale. In certain areas around Atlanta, we are actually experiencing something close to this type of market. Inventory is at a historically very low level and as a result, buyers are scrambling to find available properties. This frenzy of activity, especially on properties in good condition and in desirable areas, has put sellers in the driver’s seat when it comes to listing and selling real estate. Hard to Buy, Easy to Sell This summer, we were pleasantly su... 09/29/2013

The Future of Real Estate is Positive Says Warren Buffett!   Warren Buffett believes in the future of real estate.  Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, announced their new real estate franchise division is "now open for business."  This is a big vote of confidence in the direction of the real estate market.  Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A,BRK-B has acquired Prudential's real estate agent network from Brookfield Asset Management. So, what does this tell us about the future of real estate?  Warren Buffett has not become one of the richest men in the world because he has made bad investments.  Buffett has been a winner at being ahead of the curve on what takes place in the market? So, what does the future of real estate look like for you? The analytics ... 09/25/2013

The average tax refund fluctuates, but in recent years it’s come in around $2,700. That’s a nice chunk of change to receive from the IRS. Not everyone is so lucky, of course, but even if you only get back $500, there are many great ways to spend your tax refund on your home. Why invest your tax refund in your home instead of, say, a tropical vacation? Because your home is probably your biggest investment, so it pays to take care of it — literally. Even relatively small investments such as energy audits or low-flow showerheads can yield surprisingly big returns. Consider these five projects under $500.     1. Go with the low flow If you’re tired of watching money go down the drain, invest in the latest low-flow showerheads. Old showerheads (pre-1992) can pump out 5 gallons of water per ... 09/22/2013

Housing Wanted Dead or Alive: 10 Criminally Outdated Home Design Features Sep 28, 2012 / By Zillow.com / Comments0   What worked in 1980 doesn’t necessarily work in 2012. Don’t believe us? Look in your closet. Chances are, you’ve weeded out the parachute pants, leg warmers and shoulder pads. Similarly, interior design choices are cyclic. Even expensive, must-have features eventually become outdated and need to be replaced. Is your home stuck in a time warp? That’s fine, if that’s what you like. But if you’re contemplating selling, you’ll want to eliminate the generation gap between your house and potential buyers. Where to start? These 10 outdated features are among the biggest offenders: Colored porcelain Toilets should not be red or pink or black or blue or green. This should go witho... 07/31/2013

Brandon, Florida — Thana Mayes has recently joined John Soliman & Associates – HomeXpress Realty at 1116 Nikki View Drive in Brandon, Florida.   Mayes has grown up in the real estate business doing open houses as a grade-schooler, her job? The cookies. She likes to describe what she offers as “baked-in-instinct” to her customers to ensure they receive the best home buying experience possible. As an associate with John Soliman at HomeXpress Realty, Mayes is the lead buyer specialist, specializing in helping buyers find the home of their dreams in the Tampa Bay & surrounding areas such as; Tampa, Brandon, Valrico, Riverview, Gibsonton, Apollo Beach, Ruskin, and Sun City Center, just to name a few. Mayes keeps her buyers up to date, providing them with up to the minute financing informati... 07/30/2013

Congratulations to the Attalla's for closing on their new home! John Soliman & Associates would like to thank you for allowing us to assist you with your new home purchase!    www.iSellTampaBayHomes.com  07/26/2013

Embed Gallery   I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.” Well, maybe that used to be true, but nowadays, if you really want put your money where your mouth is and work your tail off to get ahead, you’ll need to move to Seattle, aka America’s Hardest Working City. What’s this you say, New Yorkers? I’m crazy? You might be half-correct. After all, I am the guy who writes stories about the value of fictional homes such as Hogwarts and Tony Stark’s mansion. But in this case, I think I’m right on the money. A while back over the Fourth of July weekend, I got to thinking about what traits make America, you know, so American. One that kept sticking in my head was the idea of the American work ethic. The idea that, if you, John or Jane Smith, ... 07/24/2013

  Your Realtors: John Soliman  June 2013 Million $$ service for all!!!! Copyright © 2013 Realty TimesAll Rights Reserved. Thana Mayes  Who Is Responsible When Your Tree Falls? A year ago, few of us ever heard of a "Derecho"; now, faced with fallen trees, damaged property and even a few deaths, Derecho - meaning super-strong windstorm - is a household word. One we really never want to hear -or see - again. Who is responsible if your neightor’s tree falls on your property? The general rule is that unless the neighbor knew - or should have known - that his tree was unsafe - even if it caused damage to person or your property, he is not responsible. Our courts follow the old common law: it’s your property, so take care of it, unless you can prove your neighbor was negligent. The legal answe... 06/18/2013

  Your Realtors: John Soliman  June 2013 Million $$ service for all!!!! Copyright © 2013 Realty TimesAll Rights Reserved. Thana Mayes  The Bank has Threatened Foreclosure on My Home - Now What Do I Do? Your worst nightmare has come true: the bank has threatened to take away your home. Now what?! The very last thing you needed at this point in time was for the bank to start harassing you, demanding immediate mortgage payment and threatening you with foreclosure. As if you did not have enough to deal with already! You are late with your car payments and repossession could happen any day now, not to mention the never-ending calls from collection agencies demanding money that you don't have. What can you do? I want you to realize that you are not alone; in fact foreclosures are a major chal... 06/16/2013

THANA MAYES JOINS JOHN SOLIMAN & ASSOCIATES OF HOMEXPRESS REALTY   Brandon, Florida — Thana Mayes has recently joined John Soliman & Associates – HomeXpress Realty at 1116 Nikki View Drive in Brandon, Florida.   Mayes has grown up in the real estate business doing open houses as a grade-schooler, her job? The cookies. She likes to describe what she offers as “baked-in-instinct” to her customers to ensure they receive the best home buying experience possible. As an associate with John Soliman at HomeXpress Realty, Mayes is the lead buyer specialist, specializing in helping buyers find the home of their dreams in the Tampa Bay & surrounding areas such as; Tampa, Brandon, Valrico, Riverview, Gibsonton, Apollo Beach, Ruskin, and Sun City Center, just to name a few. Mayes keeps her buyers up... 06/13/2013

  (813) 695 4557 Blake Plesco  Florida Realty  www.Blake@BlakePlesco.com        Hickory Lakes....Best Kept Secret      Hickory Lakes may be the best kept secret in Brandon. The community is made up of Phase one and Phase two sections .  It's a community which is tucked away by it's self, many drive past it without ever noticing this lovely community is there.   Homes don't go on the market very offer but when they do you can set an alert and be notified when they are. Click here                                        Hickory Lakes is a Mature Community There are only 188 homes in the community of Hickory Lakes of Brandon Florida.  They range in square footage from 1600 to over 3000.  Homes when available in the community start around $175,000 to $325,000. Home builders begun constructio... 06/08/2013

Brandon Short Sale Homes For Sale   There are currently 49 (As of Date of Post) Short Sale or Bank owned homes for sale in the Brandon, FL area.  To check out these homes now, please click this link:   Search Brandon Short Sale Homes For Sale        How do you know if you're a good candidate for a Brandon-short-sale-home purchase?  Are you very patient? Are your finances is in order Do you have any contingencies? If you're serious about purchasing a Brandon-short-sale-home, it's important for you to have expert assistance.                                                                                                   A qualified real estate professional will explain the who, what, when, where, why and how of a short sale purchase.       For information on any of these Brandon Short Sa... 04/22/2013

Brandon Investment Homes Observers of residential real estate nation-wide have started sounding a new upbeat note. It has to do with the effect of recent shifts in buying and selling — some of which may well affect Brandon investment Homes, as well. Brandon investment real estate has always drawn Brandon residents seeking to profit by owning investment property close to home: properties they can monitor conveniently and with confidence. The one negative has been the assumed general neighborhood effect of widespread rental ownership. When rental home proportions rise within a community, there can be a gradual decline in the area. The reason: residents who own their homes are more careful about upkeep. Renters have less at stake. Now comes the well-documented increase in investor interest... 04/18/2013

Brandon FL Meals on Wheels Volunteers from Brandon Meals on Wheels will receive meals instead of delivering them at the nonprofit's annual spring luncheon at 12:15 p.m. Thursday  April 18th at Bell Shoals Baptist Church, 2102 Bell Shoals Road. All volunteers from the 18 Brandon, FL-area member churches are invited to attend. The organization will recognize volunteers for their work within the organization and special service awards will be presented. A highlight of the annual luncheon will be the presentation of Greater Brandon Meals on Wheels Volunteer of the Year Award, chosen by the board of directors. Serving the Brandon community since 1976, Brandon Meals on Wheels provides nourishing noontime meals that are prepared and delivered to homebound neighbors by volunteers from participa... 04/18/2013

  Michele Herndon | Keller Williams Realty South Shore | (813) 523-9222 804 Lesa Glen Pl, Brandon, FL PRICE REDUCED!!! 3BR/2BA Single Family House   offered at $250,000 Year Built 2003 Sq Footage 1,936 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size 5,502 sqft HOA/Maint $58 per month DESCRIPTION Enter the gates into this serene community tucked away in what can only be described the best kept secret in Brandon. Homes rarely come on the market in the desirable community of Woodberry. From the front curb appeal to the totally remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, this home is a must see. Granite counters, stainless steel appliances, crown molding, a master closet the size of a small bedroom, a pool and many more features make this a great deal in the current real... 04/17/2013

  It was fascinating reading: especially if you currently have, or are looking for, a Tampa Bay home for sale. The New York Times’ headline was “After You Read the Listings, Your Agent Reads You.” I thought that sounded sort of hokey — especially since I’m one of the agents who is supposed to be doing the ‘reading.’ I had to agree with one of the signs for reading a client’s reaction to a given home for sale. If their “progress from the hall…through the living room…through the dining room…to the kitchen takes 30 to 45 seconds…that’s not so good.” I began to think I must be one of the agents who is an expert at reading clients. But then the article said, “If they linger for a long time in any one room, that’s telling you that there is something about this room that’s especially interesti... 04/15/2013

*See Brandon homes for sale - current pricing* Please let me know how I can assist you in your home search in and around Brandon located in Hillsborough County. Free assistance with home buyers.  *Search Tampa Bay MLS Listings by clicking here - current market trends* Buyer Incentives also - I share 15% of my commission with my customers that use my services in the purchase of a home. It's my way of saying Thank You. Please click here for details* Please call me, Stephanie LeFew - 813-624-3332 Tampa Home Buy Realty Apollo Beach Realtors - Buyer Agents Apollo Beach homes at greatly reduced prices www.Tampa-Home-Buy.com steph@tampahomebuy.com   04/15/2013

What First Time Brandon Homebuyers Aren’t Told  (Part 2)   Of all the things first time homebuyers in the Brandon area are told, some that turn out to be pretty important are too often overlooked. Here are four items first time homebuyers will find useful to know: 4. Remodeling costs more than you think You’ve found a fixer-upper: your energy is to be applauded. But before you write that offer, if you are one of our Brandon first-time homebuyers, be certain to have penciled out the bottom line cost of bringing the home up to the standard you require to be move-in ready. You may well be able to live with some items that you will fix over time, but in all areas, budget 20% more than your estimate. 5. What matters is what the bank’s appraiser thinks the house is worth  Getting a loan appro... 04/06/2013

What First Time Brandon Homebuyers Aren’t Told (Part 1) First time homebuyers in the Brandon area are told a lot of things — “Save your money,” their parents advise. “Location, location, location!” their friend’s friend cautions. Reasonable advice, for certain. But there are some important elements of the home buying process which a typical Brandon area first time homebuyer doesn’t usually hear. I’ve listed some of the most important ones, in no particular order: Mortgage rates you see advertised aren’t usually what you get-  The banner ads are everywhere online: “3.2% rates!” “No money down!” But the truth is, mortgage rates vary greatly. The only way you’ll know what rates you actually qualify for is to go through a complete mortgage application including credit pulls and income verif... 04/05/2013