If I had a nickel for everytime I've been asked this..... Working mostly with first time home owners, They here the term but are not really sure what it means.  I just wanted to take a few minutes and write down a brief explanation of "short sale" and whether it's right for your situation. It is anything but short. Typically the homeowner finds themselves upside down (owing more than the house could sell for) on the mortgage and falling behind on payments due to a host of different reasons. If the owner can demonstrate an unresolvable hardship to the lender they might agree to allow the house to be sold for less than the total amount owed by the owner in lieu of foreclosing on the house. Their incentive to do so is predicated on the fact that they would take less of a loss by short sell... 02/02/2009

Whole Foods is now open in the Jacksonville FL area of Mandarin on San Jose Blvd! Shoppers from Orange Park and Fleming Island in Clay County are now only 20 minutes away from one of the best grocery experiences in the country. The Texas-based chain has continued expansion and success despite a trying economy due to its focus on locally grown food and many organic and upscale selections as well.   Fresh Market has been down the street on San Jose and at Ponte Vedra Beach for several years, but this is the first Whole Foods in our area. Whole Foods combines the best of a natural and organic food experience (including a Vitamin/Supplement area) with choices for the sophisticated palate as well. The Gelato was too beautiful to resist and their selection of organic meats and produce is impr... 01/30/2009

Fisher's Law # 3: Email boxes are vacuums that when emptied will be refilled at a rate faster than the previous emptying. Here it is Friday, I have a to-do list the size of the old woman in the shoe's grocery shopping list, and I have just emptied my email in-box. 422 emails not including the canned spam-ham. (My filter does a nice job of grabbing those spam things and stuffing them through the garbage disposal before they ever get to me.) So, here I sit, Friday, what really should be a legal skip day in all 50 states, and after just having emptied the email bin on my very sexy MacBookPro (Gosh I luv that thing!) the darn email in box is filling up again at a rate that is making my head spin.   I have created a monster & it is social networking.   01/30/2009

The existing economic recession and the problems that continue to affect the Jacksonville real estate and common housing market have made lowball offers quite ordinary even in Jacksonville real estate. This obviously assumes you’re lucky enough to catch Jacksonville real estate buyers in the present situation. Chances are your Jacksonville real estate is one of tons of Jacksonville real estate grabbing dust on the market. This necessitates the resulting cut in price on this Jacksonville real estate and only then do Jacksonville real estate buyers start calling. But what if these individuals eager to buy Jacksonville real estate are offering a price even considerably less than the existing price tag on the Jacksonville real estate in question? No two scenarios are the same which means th... 01/30/2009

Jacksonville Florida Mortgage Lender, Jacksonville Florida Mortgage Lender 97% Financing, Jacksonville Florida FHA Mortgage Providing Mortgage Services in Florida                     www.FHAMortgagePrograms.com FHA loans have been helping Jacksonville Florida homebuyers become homeowners since 1934. How do we do it? The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) - which is part of HUD - insures the loan, so your lender can offer Pinellas county homebuyers and homeowners a better deal. Low down payments Low closing costs Easy credit qualifying What does FHA have for you? Buying your first home?FHA might be just what you need. Your down payment can be as low as 3% of the purchase price, and most of your closing costs and fees can be included in the loan. Available on 1-4 unit properties. Want a... 01/29/2009

I received this joke from a friend via email a couple days ago:   Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and  oil, The Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.   And although very funny, I have come to realize how completely sad this is. There are many people in this economy that have the mentality that there is no hope. For those of us that are still in the business, I would like to think we are the select group of those who refuse to let that light be turned off. We get up every morning and do our job knowing that we will be rewarded for our efforts if not tomorrow, or next week, it will be very soon. Do you agree? 01/29/2009

Who do you believe? One news report says we will continue a 20% decline thru mid 2010. The next one says we are nearing the bottom. Obviously, anyone in real estate likes the sound of the later but is it realistic? I am an optimist but realistically I feel we will decine further. Agents, use this to your advantage by pricing your listings correctly. We are doing our clients a huge financial favor by being brutally honest, pricing it correctly and selling it, instead of the client talking you into a higher price and coming down later. The way it looks, time is not on your sellers side. It is worth more today than it will be in 6 months. What do you think? 01/28/2009

  Passage of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) H.R. 3221 may offer some hope for homeowners facing situations that may lead to foreclosure.  Since the vast number of foreclosures is having a negative effect on home values preventing even more homes from going into foreclosure may help to stabilize prices and restore confidence among potential homebuyers.  At least this is the intent.  To see the effect of foreclosure sales on the Jacksonville home values check out my "Jacksonville Florida Real Estate Market Trends" page.  One component of H.R. 3221 designed to reduce the number of foreclosures is the HOPE for Homeowners Act of 2008 (FHA Foreclosure Prevention Refinancing Program).  One key provisions of the act is to authorize the FHA to insure refinance loans for dis... 01/27/2009

What’s it going to take to stabilize home values?  Here's my take on the situation. The Jacksonville real estate market continues to favor buyers with over 16 months of residential real estate currently for sale. Property values in Jacksonville and the immediate area have adjusted downward in response to a decrease in demand and a surge in short sale and foreclosure inventory. For example, there are currently 12,852 single family homes for sale in Jacksonville. 28% of those are listed with a title status of “pre-foreclosure” or “foreclosure”. In the last 30 days 757 single family homes were sold with 42% of those sales being pre-foreclosures, short sales, or foreclosures. The disproportionate number of foreclosure sales points to a trend among homebuyers to aggressively seek out bargain... 01/26/2009

      There are many designations that an agent can earn. Steve Jones, my partner, is a CRS and GRI. We get many agent referrals for being a CRS. I am currently working on my own and was curious to see what designations other agents think are doing the most to increase business. It was brought to our attention this morning that our team, The Steve Jones Team, was recognized by receiving the 2009 FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction award from Crescendo Business Services LLC. Crescendo did a poll of 250 mortgage and title companies as well as 22,000 recent homebuyers who have had direct experience with the agents noted. We share this honor with more than 2 dozen other RE/MAX Specialists associates. In no way, am I writing this to “toot our own horn”, but it is great to know that our cu... 01/23/2009

Like NEW 3/2, 1444sf in Sutton Lakes - CLOSE TO EVERYTHING!! This home is a must-see! Close to shopping, employment & transportation. Clean with an open floorplan! This is a perfect first time home for a couple or small family. Tile kitchen put in last year. Built in 2003, clean and close to shopping and about 7 miles to the beach. Community pools, recreation and playgrounds. Quiet area of subdivision on a culdesac. Community access via Atlantic and Beach Boulevard, Make your appointment today! Make your appointment today! Click here for photos & more info. Listed By: Phillip Jones, REALTORYour Choice Real Estate, Inc. Phone: (904) 298-2679 Ext 501E-Mail: email me for more info www.ycre.net     01/23/2009

Jacksonville appears to have suffered less real estate pricing volatility than most Florida markets. The pricing correction has appeared to slow down in its decline, and many submarkets have actually seen small month over month increases. (study by DataQuick 12/08)Would I say buy? Yes, But, Buy at a discount!Reasons Jacksonville is different than other markets: Diverse Economy= Government, Military, Distribution, SeaPort, Financial, Manufacturing, Retail Headquarters, Medical and Telecom 7 of the Forbes 1000 are Headquartered in city of Jacksonville. 2nd most in Florida behind Miami 3rd most population growth in Florida from 2006-2007. Above Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Myers. #8 Best Place for Real Estate Bargains. Forbes Magazine 2008 #3 Best City in US for Jobs. Forbes Magazine 2007 9.5... 01/18/2009

Everyone has heard about the rise of foreclosures in the country, and what a great deal they are.  There are ads on radio, in newspaper, on the Internet, stating low sales prices and how these homes can be a new start for a first time home buyer. There were approximately 1,516 foreclosed homes in Northeast Florida in 2008.  Of these, the low end of the price range was $4,200, and the high end was $1,350,000.  You can clearly see there are opportunities at all price points in all areas of Northeast Florida. What do you need to be aware of when purchasing a foreclosure?  All types of details.  And, you need an experienced agent to help you avoid some common pitfalls when considering a foreclosed piece of property. All of these properties are being sold "As Is", meaning the seller is not g... 01/13/2009

This controversial plan has raised quite a few eyebrows among several camps. I understand the need for water - we've seen this coming for a very long time, actually. And, if I were in Seminole County, I imagine I would support the move.  However, when there have been convincing arguments provided stating the long-range effects can not be accurately predicted, I have to wonder why this judge wants to make his mark, so to speak, with this particular recommendation. There will be a meeting on March 10 in the Seminole County chambers, but I can only see that as being a tacit endorsement of this plan, which to me, is an aqua-bailout for Seminole County. What are your thoughts on this? I'm sure it's not the first, nor the last time we'll encounter something like this. Read more here: http://w... 01/13/2009

1500 Calming Water Dr Unit 5105 Orange Park, FL Click For Listing Website Click For Interactive e-Tour MLS# 448563 $119,900 2 Bed, 2.5 Bath 1500 Calming Water Dr Unit 5105Orange Park FL, 32003 Cathy Wilson EXIT 1 STOP REALTY 904-733-3003 CathyLWilson@mac.com 01/09/2009

Always searching for great real estate opportunities:  In today's market, bank owned property offers investors rare opportunities - Call today to discuss your Real Estate Needs. Fox Chase -- located near UNF     Single family homes built in the 1990's   - homes start at $124,000 Victoria Lakes -  North Jacksonville Fl single family homes    Homes built in the 200's -  situated in Ft George - Blount Island - Cedar Point    Prices start around $155,900Sutton Lakes - Southside Jacksonville Fl home for sale     Single family homes located near Florida Community College S Campus  and UNF     Prices start around $139,900 There are several homes for sale starting $124,000 for a 3 bedroom 2 bath home with over 1200 sq feet of living space.   http://www.locatehomesflorida.com/ THINKING OF SELLIN... 01/06/2009

New home communities in North Jacksonville We have many new home communities in the North Jacksonville FL area featured on our main website, www.firstcoastre.com.  North Jacksonville is one of the fastest growing areas in Florida for several important reasons.  First, the new Jaxport will be bringing in literally tens of thousands of new jobs to the area over the next five years or so.  This is very important to the areas growth, and is slated to happen regardless of the currently economic cycle.  Second, land costs in North Jacksonville are typically much less than the rest of Jacksonville, especially East of the St. Johns River.  This leads to lower home prices in general than many other parts of Northeast Florida. Lexington Park is a community located off of Pecan Park Rd. just a co... 01/03/2009

KNOW HOW TO PRICE A SHORT SALE AND THEN GET IT SOLD! Since becoming Certified Short Sale Professionals in Jacksonville, Florida we’ve learned a lot, especially when it comes to pricing a short sale. This requirement can be the most difficult and time consuming stage of the process. When it comes to pricing a Short Sale there's a different school of thought. We have studied the process of pricing a property extremely low in order to get multiple offers in hopes that the bank approves one of them or the buyer is willing to "bump up" in price in order to satisfy the lender. Our research has clearly shown that this waste too much time (of the selling agent and buyer's) which has contributed to the negative reputation of short sale agents. This is why we need to do the numbers right and be r... 01/02/2009

So I need some AR expert help..please :) Honestly, I haven't been working the sellers lately (just as they aren't the cards I've been dealt lately). However, for someone that has become a short sale expert, can you give me a quick run down of the procedure and complexity of working with banks. Also, I know its the golden question, but what are you advising your customers as far as their credit ratings?? Are many buyers settling with the banks or being put on a payment plan for the deficit? Thanks greatly in advance, 12/29/2008

Jacksonville real estate sales activity for Watermill Watermill 4th quarter 2008 real estate report                          Home sales in Watermill remain slow but homes that represent the best values are still selling. Correct pricing, proper conditioning and aggressive advertising make up the 3 most important factors in getting homes sold in todays market. Buyers should be taking advantage of the best buyers market in years. Low interest rates of 4.5% to 5%, low home prices and high inventory levels equate to some fantastic deals.....and the timing may never be as good as now. Buy low and sell high is the formula for success. Don't wait until prices and interest rates start back on an upward trend before buying.  Currently in Watermill there are 47 active listings. In the last 3 mont... 12/29/2008