Just wanted to send a little post out telling about my current experience with a short sale that I am working on. The owner is now Bank of America, who recently bought out Countrywide (Link). I brought a buyer who was willing, ready and able to purchase. We submitted an offer that was very close to asking and we submitted a pre-qualification letter with our offer. Three months later, we have still not heard from the seller. They keep telling the listing agent to call back later. Fortunately, my buyers are being patient. They understand that in order to get this particular deal, they may be waiting for 3 more months.    Are short sales a good deal? They can be, if you are patient. In my experience, you'll need to wait several months to close on a short sale deal. If you have that kind of... 05/20/2009

  As Davis Signature Realty LLC begins to deal with more and more buyers, some of which are for personal residence, some of which are investors, I am getting this question asked of me: What are those little A-Frame Houses in Clermont off of Hwy 27? Immediately, I know they are talking about Vacation Village. What is Vacation Village? Vacation Village is a small condominium resort located in the heart of Clermont. Being right off of HWY 27, you are just a short distance from Walt Disney World, Epcot, Universal Studios, Sea World and just about an hour away from Busch Gardens.   What types of amenities does Vacation Village to offer? Vacation Village offers the following: 1. Private Beach on Lake Louisa 2. Laundry Facility 3. Recreation Rooms 4. Heated Olympic Size Swimming Pool 5. Shuff... 05/07/2009

I just got back in the office after a long morning of previewing some bank owned homes. I always know that when I walk into a bank owned home, to expect the worst. However, I really think that some people should definitely take a little more pride in their job. These bank owned homes all have listing agents and listing brokers, so it's not like the bank has no representation, and the home is sitting vacant for months and months with nobody ever to see it. Are these brokers and agents not checking up on their listings?    I understand that most of these homes were left in bad condition and the asking price typically reflects that bad condition. However, people should do a little house cleaning to tryand tidy up these places just a bit. I walked into quite a few today that had broken tile... 04/29/2009

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After many years of waiting...and I mean many (I am 32 years old and have been in Clermont since 6th grade), Clermont Florida is finally getting a movie theatre. No more driving to the Lake Square or West Oaks Malls to catch a flick. EPIC Theatres of Clermont has announced that they will be open Friday, April 24th!! The new theatre has the following: --All Stadium Seating --Digital Projection --4 RealD 3D Screens  --Rocking Chair Seats and Retractable Armrests --Digital Sound If you want to find out what movies will be playing, call 352-242-6684 to view movie times online, go to www.epictheatres.com Epic Theatres of Clermont is located at 2405 S. Highway 27 Clermont, Fl. 34711 See you there!! Johnny Davis Davis Signature Realty LLC  www.iselllakecounty.com 04/21/2009

Here is the market report for March 2009 for Clermont Florida. All stats are gathered by Davis Signature Realty LLC from the Mid Florida Regional MLS.   ***Everything listed below occurred during March 2009***    Note: () is the previous month's number Residential 1. Residential Listings: 242 (166) 2. Residential Listings Pending: 37 (17)  3. Residential Listings Sold: 9 (2) 4. Average Sales Price: $131,847.22 ($316,995)  Commercial 1. Commercial Listings: 10 (12) 2. Commercial Listings Pending: 0 (0) 3. Commercial Listings Sold: 0 (0) 4. Average Sales Price: $0 ($0) Vacant Land 1. Vacant Land Listings: 26 (10) 2. Vacant Land Listings Pending: 0 (0)  3. Vacant Land Listings Sold: 0 (0) 4. Average Sales Price: $0 ($0)  Currently, there are 11260 residential listings, 103 commercial listi... 04/20/2009

Just wanted to quickly remind you that this Friday and Saturday (March 13 &14) is Clermont Florida's annual "Pig on the Pond" Event.    Pig on the Pond has events such as: 1. The Great Chili Challenge 2. Country Recording Artist Carol Ann 3. Ritter's Frozen Custard Eating Contest 4. Chick-Fil-A Nugget Eating Contest  5. Karaoke Master 6. Fireworks 7. Carnival 8. Much More!!!! The event opens Friday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. For more information, Click Here (Pig on the Pond) It will be a great time! Hope to see you there!! Johnny Davis Davis Signature Realty LLC  www.iselllakecounty.com 03/12/2009

Here is the market report for February 2009 for Clermont Florida. All stats are gathered by Davis Signature Realty LLC from the Mid Florida Regional MLS.   ***Everything listed below occurred during February 2009*** Note: () is the previous month's number   Residential 1. Residential Listings: 166 (188) 2. Residential Listings Pending: 17 (19) 3. Residential Listings Sold: 2 (5) 4. Average Sales Price: $316,995.00 ($230,568.80)   Commercial 1. Commercial Listings: 12 (11) 2. Commercial Listings Pending: 0 (0) 3. Commercial Listings Sold: 0 (0) 4. Average Sales Price: $0 ($0)   Vacant Land 1. Vacant Land Listings: 10 (19) 2. Vacant Land Listings Pending: 0 (0) 3. Vacant Land Listings Sold: 0 (0) 4. Average Sales Price: $0 ($0)   Currently, there are 1319 residential listings, 100 commerc... 03/02/2009

I am keeping an eye on the wildfire still burning near SR 50 and CR 561 in Clermont today. My home and office (in my home) is loctaed just a few miles south of this wild fire. I took a drive along CR 561 this morning while the road was still open, and captured some recent pictures of the burned over area. I am truly grateful for the firefighters and forestry division for all their hard work over the last couple of days! So far, no homes have been destroyed or damaged - although some surrounding lands are charred. It all grows back eventually - but it certainly makes one grateful for the blessing of a safe home and famlily. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our public servants for their hard work keeping homes and families like mine safe! Make it a SAFE day... AUTHOR: Richard D Ferris - Am... 02/23/2009

Here is the market report for January 2009 for Clermont Florida. All stats are gathered by Davis Signature Realty LLC from the Mid Florida Regional MLS. ***Everything listed below happened during the month of January 2009*** Residential 1. Residential Listings: 188 2. Residential Listings Pending: 19 3. Residential Listings Sold: 5 4. Average Sales Price: $230,568.80 Commercial 1. Commercial Listings: 11 2. Commercial Listings Pending: 0 3. Commercial Listings Sold: 0 4. Average Sales Price: $0 Vacant Land 1. Vacant Listings: 19 2. Vacant Land Listings Pending: 0 3. Vacant Land Listings Sold: 0 4. Average Sales Price: $0 Until Next Time,   Johnny Davis Davis Signature Realty LLC www.iselllakecounty.com   02/08/2009

Clermont Christian Academy will be holding their annual basketballathon this Friday (February 4th) at 6:00 PM. The game will be held at Calvary Christian School in Winter Garden. To get there from Clermont, take HWY 50 East to Dillard Street. Go left on Dillard. Calvary is located one mile down on your right hand side. The upper classmen will be selling hamburgers and hotdogs. Come out and support your local christian school. I look forward to seeing you! 02/04/2009

To avoid unexpected mishaps that could ruin an evening around the fireplace, observe some simple precautions. Clean fireplaces annually, preferably by a certified chimney sweep. Use safety screens and doors for wood-burning fireplaces. Before lighting any fire, check to see that flue damper is open. Only burn dry, seasoned wood. Green or wet wood will not burn cleanly, increasing the rate of creosote buildup. Do not burn wrapping papers or evergreens in the fireplace. These ignite suddenly and burn intensely, increasing risk of a flash fire. Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. Keep them away from children and avoid inhaling smoke from their flames. Do not leave the fire unattended, and make sure you have at least one working smoke/fire det... 01/27/2009

Maintenance costs need to be considered when purchasing a home. General estimates indicate that every home will require between 1 percent and 3 percent of the home’s value in annual maintenance costs, and this figure does not necessarily include major or emergency repairs. Prevention Saves Time and Money The ongoing maintenance of a home is a significant contributor to holding or increasing its value. Homeowners should plan a solid preventive maintenance schedule, so problems can be fixed before they become more costly and damaging. There are many other benefits for current and potential homeowners when they incorporate preventive maintenance into their annual planning. Preventive maintenance: Avoids expensive emergency repairs: Contractor fees rise in proportion to the urgency and the ... 01/27/2009

Buyers and  investors often look to foreclosure sales to find real estate bargains. But newcomers to this market could find some unpleasant surprises if they go in blind. All homes should be thoroughly inspected by a professional home inspector before sealing the deal. Why inspect if you can’t negotiate? Foreclosure homes are usually “as-is” sales. This means that buyers cannot negotiate for the cost of needed repairs, as they may do in a traditional home purchase. Buyers must absorb repair costs themselves and consider this in their purchase offer at auction. So why get a professional inspection on a foreclosure property? Too many foreclosure buyers think they’re getting a deal when, in fact, they might be purchasing a property with substantial and costly defects. The repair of these m... 01/27/2009

Check your know-how on various homeownership related matters. See how many questions you can answer correctly. (The answers are listed at the end.) True or False? 1. Gutters should be hung as level as possible. 2. Flat roofs are more prone to leakage than other roofs. 3. When purchasing an A/C system, a larger capacity than required is advisable. 4. Grout and caulk are pretty much interchangeable when used in a bathroom.5. A slight gap around three sides of an exterior door (without a storm door) can cause an energy loss equivalent to an opening the size of a brick. 6. A carpenter ant and a termite each have a sweet tooth. 7. Most basement water penetration problems are caused by underground springs. 8. A ton of A/C capacity generally will cool the average house. 9. Setting your heat th... 01/27/2009

For those of you interested in visiting Clermont, Florida in the near future, I have compiled a little list of area hotels/motels that may help you out. All listed acaccommodations are either within or near the following cities: Clermont, Minneola, Groveland, Mascotte and Montverde. Good luck!     Days Inn and Suites Clermont: 20390 North US HWY 27 Clermont, Fl. 34715 Phone: 352-429-0483 2. Hampton Inn and Suites Clermont: 2200 E. Hwy 50 Clermont, Fl. 34711 Phone: 352-536-1380 3. Holiday Inn Express and Suites: 105 Summer Bay Blvd. Clermont, Fl. 34711 Phone: 877-863-4780 4. Holiday Inn Express Clermont: 1810 S. Hwy 27 Clermont, FL. 34711 Phone: 352-243-7878 5. Fairfield Inn and Suites Clermont: 1750 Hunt Trace Rd. Clermont, Fl. 34711 Phone: 352-394-6585 6. Howard Johnson Express Clermon... 01/06/2009

          I just got off the phone with Darren over at the Clermont, Florida YMCA. He has informed me that the next men's league in Clermont will be either the end of February 2009 or the beginning of March 2009. Instead of team fees this year, the YMCA will be charging individual fees. I played in this league last season and it is a pretty competitive league. The refs do a fairly good job of keeping things under control. If you think you might be interested in playing, be sure to contact Darren 352-394-7243 and get on his email list. Good luck, I'll see you on the court!   Until Next Time,   Johnny Davis 01/05/2009

Clermont Florida residents be careful!!! There is a motorcycle cop that likes to sit at the bottom of the hill at the intersection of Oakley Seaver Blvd and Citrus Tower Blvd. The speed limit coming through that area is 30 MPH. Before you say it, I know...it is hard to idle 30 MPH while going down the hill. That is the speed limit and we must abide by it. And before you ask, no, I did not get pulled over today!! I just wanted to warn you all who come through this area to be conscience of your speed. I am sure you can find a better way to spend $100. And to any Clermont Police Officers reading this, I think you are doing a fine job patrolling the streets of our GREAT community (a little brown nosing never hurts!).   Until Next Time,   Johnny Davis 12/30/2008

As I was reading through one of the local newspapers here in Clermont, I saw an ad that really caught my attention. It is an ad for New Beginnings. New Beginnings is a 501c3 non profit ministry.   New Beginnings was incorporated in 2007 as a non profit transition house for men in the South Lake County area. They offer a nine month work/study program that helps homeless men regain their self esteem and recover from any addictions they may have. Most of the men in the program are from the construction industry, which as we know, has taken a major hit all across the country. These men are brought in and are being retrained for jobs that actually have a demand right now. To generate a little income for these men while they are being retrained, New Beginnings has a DBA called Weeds to Go. Th... 12/30/2008

Grand Highway Baptist Church in Clermont, Florida will be conducting a six week, Bible based parenting class, beginning Thursday, January 22, 2009. The class will be taught by Pastor and Mrs. Shackleford. This study will help parents gain a better grasp on disciplining their children in a positive way by doing what is best for them. Meeting will be at the church on Thursday's from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (Jan. 22 through Feb. 26). Please contact Mrs. Shackleford in the Church office to register for the class (the fee is $25/couple and includes two workbooks). The deadline for registration is Monday, January 19th. Whether you are parenting infants or teens, you are sure to receive a blessing from this important, inforamtive study.   Here is a link to let you more about the study: Making Your ... 12/23/2008