Information about how claims are being paid.Question:  Once filed, will payment from claims filed be provided continuously once the application is submitted? How long will the claims process take to acquire payment? BP says payments will be made to address immediate issues associated with property damage or loss of income due to the oil spill. BP believes that it is appropriate to provide interim payments to claimants who are not receiving ordinary income or project while the cleanup is underway.  Within 48 hours of receiving supporting documentation (e.g. tax return) the claim will be evaluated and the claimant will be notified of an advance payment for the claim.  The equivalent of 1 month's income will be paid and these payments will continue until they are able to return to work or ... 05/15/2010

  Appraisal Rant - Destin, FL Real Estate I think we have a huge problem with our current appraisal situation.  It is definitely a crap shoot.  You cannot figure these guys out.  I have experienced situations that just blow my mind and I would like to share them with you. 1.  I helped with a situation that involved a trade.  We ended up ordering 3 different appraisals.  The first appraisal came in at two million.  This was very low for the property so we ordered another appraisal and it came in around 2.6 Million.  After this, we ordered another appraisal and it came in over 3 million.  All of these were from licensed appraisers.  WHAT IS THE DEAL HERE!  How in the world can this happen? 2. In many cases appraisers are using the lowest comps as their basis.  This creates a situation whe... 05/15/2010

Hi all. I have received many calls and emails asking if the sand was black and water ruined to this point.  I know that the national news is not helping matters....so I thought I would give you a live report from the ground. The most helpfull site to this point I have found is http://northwestflorida.com.  Great info and videos.  As for me....all I can give you is the report that Walton County is doing an incredible job preparing for the unknown. But as far as today....please check out our gorgeous beaches as of 11 am.  Please do not hesitate with any questions.   05/10/2010

Below is Representative Matt Gaetz's most recent report regarding the Deep Water Horizon Spill. Our beaches have yet to be affected and are being enjoyed as usual on this sunny day. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Current Forecast  Weather conditions remain favorable. Yet again, no landfall is expected within the next 72 hours in Florida. Florida is eventually expected to experience oil sheen, tar balls and tar mats. Florida is not expected to see the large product of emulsified oil similar to images of Louisiana. The "loop current" remains considerably south of the sheen plume.  Incident Site  The "Dome" has been lowered and engineers are working to affix the dome to the well. If successful, the dome will divert about 85% of the oil flow out of the Gul... 05/10/2010

If you don’t know – there was a major oil spill from the Deep Water Horizon drilling rig on April 20.  It is in the Gulf of Mexico and all over the news.  The oil is headed for Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and maybe Northwest Florida.  It might eventually hit the Florida Keys and perhaps move up the East Coast.  Precautions are being taken, British Petroleum (BP), the government, fishermen and citizen volunteers are trying to stop all the leaks and remove the oil.  That’s not why I am writing.  You can read that information all over the news. I live here in Destin Florida.  Maybe some would say I should not post this on a public forum, as it might hurt real estate sales.  Well, heck, I think Google caught wind of the oil spill already. I am writing because we are worried.  OK, we’r... 05/06/2010

  JUST SOLD! Ariel Dunes Condo in Seascape Resort- Destin, FL   Click Here To Search Ariel Dunes Condos For Sale I just sold a condo in Ariel Dunes in Destin Florida.  This was a short sale and it took about 7 months from contract to closing.  I represented the buyer on this transaction and they are very happy with their new condo.  Short sales typically take anywhere from 2 months to 7 months.  Patience usually pays off when buying a short sale.  I enjoy finding my clients the best deals available!  This was a very nice upper floor condo with amazing gulf views.  Below are the details on the transaction. Project - Ariel Dunes - Gulf Views Number of Bedrooms - Two Number of Baths - Two Square Footage - 1175 Sold Price -  $217,500 Price Per Square Foot - $185 Date Sold - 4/28/2010       04/28/2010

Bancorp South has approved a condo short sale in Harbor Plantation, Destin Florida. Bancorp South primarily operates in the Southeast. Bancorp South does not process short sales like the major lenders (Bank of America, Wells Fargo, etc).  Instead they rely on a local attorney who represents them and reviews comparable sales.  It removes many layers of processing. Here are the Destin short sale details:Property:  Destin condo in Harbor PlantationMortgage:  Bancorp South - balance about $650,000Offer:  about $325,000Time for Approval:  40 daysNotes:  Bancorp South removes their lien at closing, but deals with the deficiency laterIf you need to avoid foreclosure, and do a Destin, Florida short sale, consider hiring an experienced Destin short sale agent. It's Wendy! Wendy Rulnick, Broker,... 04/26/2010

  Getting a Mortgage?  Buy a Short Sale, it may be your best option.  Destin, Florida Short Sales Short Sales are dominating the market in Destin, FL and they provide some of the best buying opportunities available.  It really is hard to purchase a Bank Owned property with financing but short sales are a different story.  Short Sales are a great option for buyers that would like to purchase a distressed property without paying cash.  To achieve success with Bank Owned "REO" properties you really need to submit a cash offer with no contingencies but this is not the case with short sales.   I really like short sales because they sell at or a little below the current appraised value.  I am finding that most sellers that are not in a short sale situation will not or cannot sell at the curre... 04/22/2010

It can happen for you!  Bank of America has approved a Destin short sale in the Maravilla subdivision - in 55 days!  Here is the story:Property:  Single family home in Maravilla, Destin FloridaMortgages:  Bank of America (formerly Countrywide) first and second - totalling $800,000Offer:  about $360,000Promissory Note:  -0- Cash Contribution:  -0-Approval Time:  55 daysKeys to Approval:  Proper pricing, qualified seller, contract with terms acceptable to Bank of America, tenacious follow upThis Destin short sale was processed through Equator, an online system used by Bank of America for short sales.  The seller uploaded her financials in my office.  We uploaded the settlement statement, MLS entry, photo, authorization, and of course, assisted with proper pricing to get this short sale s... 04/19/2010

  HOW TO SUCCEED WHEN BUYING REO's - DESTIN FLORIDA FORECLOSURES Click Here To Search Destin Foreclosures Real Estate agents that understand the REO market will definitely see more success than those that do not.  I have made offers on many REO properties and they can be very challenging but in recent months, I have seen more success.  The tips below will definitely improve your chances of success. 1.  Be ready to move quickly.  Waiting around is not a smart play.  If you do not move quickly, you will be penalized with a serious bidding war and an escalated purchase price.  If you move quickly, there may be less competition. 2. Be prepared and have the correct ammo.  What is the correct ammo?  If financing, I recommend a pre- approval letter and proof of funds for the down payment.  A p... 04/10/2010

  Crystal Beach Real Estate Search - Destin FL     Click Here to Search Crystal Beach, FL Homes For Sale Click Here to Search Crystal Beach, FL Condos For Sale Click HEer to Search Crystal Beach Lots For Sale Crystal Beach is a very charming little community located in East Destin and in Okaloosa County.  Crystal Beach, Florida is a favorite for both tourists and locals becuase of its close proximity to the beach, dining and shopping.  In Crystal Beach, the beaches are sandy white and the water is emerald blue.  Crystal Beach is very close to one of Destin, Florida's favorite shopping destinations, Destin Commons.  Destin commons has much to offer including a Hard Rock Cafe and a Bass Pro Shops.  Crystal Beach is a great spot for lounging on the beach and many local anglers claim that i... 03/31/2010

  Click Here to Search Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Short Sales and Foreclosures In recent years, I have managed to stay very busy working with distressed properties in Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.  I have a good understanding of what happens when a person goes into default and what effect it has on the person, the local market, and the overall economy.  I feel that short sales are the best current option for all parties involved.  Short sales are very complex and they take longer to close but Short Sales make good sense on the Macro and Micro level.  It is obvious that our goverment understands this;  after all, they created HAMP "Home Affordable Modification Program" and HAFA "Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives".  Both of these programs take aggressive measures ... 03/28/2010

Today, I had a great conversation with a major lender's short sale negotiator.  She has been great to work with and I am working towards my 3rd approval with her.  She stated that she had been doing short sales for years and that the current problems are not due to the banks lack of experience.  The banks are not new to short sales.  The problem is the volume of short sales.   She worked as a Short Sale Negotiator with Bank of America in her previous job.  She stated that Bank of America would assign 350 short sales to one negotiator.  This bogs them down and creates very high turn-over.  We all know the effects of high turn over and un-motivated employees.  She said that the files with a set foreclosure date were the main ones being worked at BofA.  This makes sense because you have t... 03/18/2010

Destin Florida Real Estate Market Report February 2010 There were 45 sales of homes and condos in Destin Florida for February 2010, 10 were short sales and 10 were foreclosures. The average sales price for Destin real estate was $291,000. The average list price for Destin homes and condos was $386,000, compared to $442,000 one year ago. There are 1375 Destin homes and condos for sale, compared to 1660 one year ago. There is a 30 month inventory of Destin homes and condos for sale, with the average months inventory being 28 for the past year.  A normal market is 6-7 months. There are 199 Destin Florida short sales on the market. There are 18 Destin foreclosures for sale. Analysis:  There is still downward pressure on Destin real estate prices due to excessive inventory and other factors,... 03/13/2010

03/11/2010

Silver Shells Condos For Sale | Destin FL The report below will show you current condos for Sale in Silver Shells Resort - Destin FL.  This custom report is pulled directly from the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors MLS and is updated in real time.  It will show you condos for sale in St. Maartin, St. Croix, St. Barths, St. Thomas, and St. Lucia.  Please click the link below to search Silver Shells Condos for Sale. Silver Shells Condos For Sale in Destin FL - Search All Listings Silver Shells a premier condo project located in Destin FL.  The property has multiple buildings with rental and non rental options.  Visitors to silver shells can enjoy on-site  ammenites like pools, beach access, workout facilities and Ruth's Chris steak house.   Feel free to call with any questions about ... 03/08/2010

What does a Bank of America Equator approval look like?  Here is the happy email I got regarding a Destin short sale on Saturday: What was the key to getting this short sale approved? Tenacity AND creativity.  Bank of America's Equator system rejected this offer of around $165,000 as "insufficent" about five times.  It was fair market value.  In fact, it was a little over what other units in The Palms condo project  in Destin Florida were selling for.  Finally, we gave up and just entered $1,000,000 as the offer price.   Amazingly, Equator let us continue the short sale process without rejecting the offer.  (We corrected the price in the next "step".) Bank of America sent out an appraiser, and voila!  It turns out the offer was "fair market" (just like I said).  File approved. It's Wend... 03/08/2010

  One Water Place Condos For Sale - Search The MLS - Kelly Plantation Homes For Sale, Destin, Florida   I have created a custom One Water Place MLS search.  This is the most accurate and up to date search available.  Search results are constantly updated.  Click the link below to search One Water Place - Kelly Plantation condos for sale. Click Here To Search One Water Place - Kelly Plantation Condos For Sale Click Here to Search Kelly Plantation Homes For Sale www.mainsailrealtycompany.com   03/08/2010

    TO SEARCH DESTIN FLORIDA REAL ESTATE PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW.   DESTIN REAL ESTATE SEARCH I am a Destin, Florida buyers agent.  Yes, I have some great listings but I spend most of my days working with buyers.  After all, it is a buyers market.  I am often amazed when certain agents will not return calls.  I really enjoy working with buyers and I am calling because I have a buyer that may be a good fit for the listing.  I really hate it for the sellers, because their home is missing opportunities. I think the #1 rule in Real Estate is to answer the phone.  Wouldn't most of you successful agents agree?  I know that some times we are in the field all day and very busy. That is fine, call me in the evening.  Shoot me a text or an email...Just some sort of communication is all I need... 02/24/2010

  Advice from an Internet Realtor - Take some photos! People are making huge purchases on the internet.  I was speaking with my dad the other day and he was purchasing a new Toyota Tundra off of Ebay.  He has purchased a few cars on ebay and has had great success.  Have you heard about this?  Well let me tell you, many buyers are making large purchases on the internet.  They are buying homes, cars, boats, equipment and stocks.  I have had clients find homes email them to me and purchase them without even coming to town.  So what does this tell you?  You need to have many photos.  I am not telling you to hire a professional photographer and have incredible shots.  The key is to have many photos (definitely over 8).  I emailed an agent the other day because he has a fantastic REO listing ... 02/18/2010