The following are the market sales statistics for Lake Mary, Seminole County, Florida for February 2010.  Lake Mary is made up of the zip code 32746.  For purposes of this analysis we will be splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. A couple of definitions are in order.  The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time - in other words, it's the midpoint of sale prices.  So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it's specifically indicating which price range is more active. The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the number of pr... 03/15/2010

Lake Mary Homes For Sale Homes & Condos for sale:  377Properties listed as short sales: 108 or 29%Bank Owned/REO Properties:  38 or 10% We have seen a stabilization of the inventory of homes over the past 4 months, which is a positive indicator, but there are many homes that are bank owned that are empty and will be resold, also called “Shadow Inventory”, this is an unknown variable that could impact our market in a negative manner.  Currently, distressed properties make up 39% of the available homes for sale in Lake Mary, Florida [up 3% from last month]. Click here to read the rest of the article, Lake Mary Florida Real Estate Market Update...   03/03/2010

  You can't get your mortgage rates from the newspaper. Last week proved it.  Again. Friday morning, headlines in Florida and around the country read that mortgage rates were down 0.04 percent, on average, since the week prior. A sampling of said headlines includes: US Mortgage Rates Drop For 2nd Straight Week (Reuters) Mortgage Rates On 30-year US Loans Fall To 4.93% (Business Week) 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Falls Farther Below 5% (Marketwatch) The story behind the headline was sourced from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, am industry-wide mortgage rate poll of more than 100 lenders.  The PMMS has reported mortgage rate data to markets since 1971 and is the largest of its kind. Unfortunately, Longwood rate shoppers can't rely on it. See, unlike governments and private-... 02/24/2010

According to the Census Bureau, 2.8 million people commute to work 90 minutes or more each day, in each direction. Now, your daily commute may not be as long, but time spent in cars, trains and buses is time away from work and from family. Drive-time can affect a person's Quality of Life and it's one reason why Forbes Magazine's Best and Worst Commutes is worth reviewing. Measuring travel time, road congestion and travel delays in the 60 largest metropolitan areas, Forbes ranks city commutes from best-to-worst with Salt Lake City topping the list and Tampa-St. Petersburg finishing it. The Top 5 Commutes, as compiled by Forbes: Salt Lake City, Utah Buffalo-N... 02/17/2010

The following are the market sales statistics for Lake Mary, Seminole County, Florida for January 2010.  Lake Mary is made up of the zip code 32746.  For purposes of this analysis we will be splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. A couple of definitions are in order.  The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time - in other words, it's the midpoint of sale prices.  So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it's specifically indicating which price range is more active. The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the number of pro... 02/16/2010

Mortgage rates are dropping this morning on weaker-than-expected Retail Sales data from December. Lower rates means more bang for your home-buying buck. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, December's "ex-auto" sales receipts were down roughly $500 million from November. Analysts had expected receipts to grow. The relevance of Retail Sales to home affordability isn't obvious, but it's definitely logical. Retail Sales is directly related to consumer spending and consumer spending accounts for the majority of the U.S. economy. When consumer spending slows, the economy often does, too. It leads investors to seek out "safe" investments. It's the reason why stock markets often drop on weak economic data -- stocks are among the riskiest investment classes available. Conversely, the best place ... 02/14/2010

Lake Mary Real Estate for Sale What's going on in the Lake Mary Real Estate Market? Lets take a look at a snapshot of the sold market from January 2010.   Total Lake Mary Condos Sold: 17      Price Range: $24,100-$118,000 Lake Mary REO Condos Sold: 10 Lake Mary Short Sale Condos Sold: 6 Only 1 condo was a regular   Total Lake Mary Town Homes Sold:10 Price Range:$109,000 - $308,500 Lake Mary REO Town Homes Sold: 0 Lake Mary Short Sale Condos Sold: 1 9 of the units sold were resale or new construction   Total Lake Mary Single Family Homes Sold: 16  Price Range: $119,000- $465,000 Lake Mary REO Single Family Homes Sold: 6 Lake Mary Short Sale Family Homes Sold: 3   37% of sales in January were REO/ Bank Owned Properties 23% of sales in January were Short Sale Homes 50% of Homes for Sale in... 02/14/2010

  Lake Mary is an enchanting small town located in Seminole County in Central Florida. Only 30 minutes away from downtown Orlando, Lake Mary offers its residents an array of delightful restaurants, unique and upscale shopping as well as a wide variety of recreational areas such as lakes and golf courses. Many people in the area enjoy boating and fishing on the larger bodies of water, such as Lake Mary and Crystal Lake, and golf enthusiasts will love the Timacuan golf course, which wraps through the middle of the town. Lake Mary was ranked number four on the Money Magazine's 2007 list of the Top 100 Places to Live in the United States. The combination of the town's economic status, reputable schools, safe streets and sense of community attributed to the city's high ranking. As a result o... 02/03/2010

These statistics should give you a feel for what’s happening in the luxury segment of the Orlando FL real estate market. Street Date Sold Original List Price Sold Price Beds Baths Sq Ft Pool LANGHAM 12/02/09 $639,000 $515,000 5 4 3444 Y NEW GATE 12/07/09 $789,000 $680,000 4 5 4206 Y REDWOOD GROVE 12/14/09 $549,900 $525,000 4 3 3542 Y EDENHALL 12/21/09 $1,000,000 $680,000 4 4 3223 Y   Properties have been listed and sold by various MLS members. Data drawn from the My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service.   Common concerns and doubts of all home sellers If the list price of my house is too high, no one will buy. If the list price is too low, I’ll lose money. Since this is a bad time to sell, I’m going to wait for the market to turn around. While I’m waiting, house prices could take a... 01/30/2010

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate within its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. In its press release, the FOMC noted that the U.S. economy “has continued to strengthen”, that the jobs markets is getting better, and that financial markets are supportive of growth. There was no mention of the housing market's strength.  The last 3 statements from the Fed included that specific verbiage. It’s the fifth straight statement in which the Fed spoke about the economy with optimism.  This should signal to markets that 2008-2009 recession is over and that economic growth is returning to U.S. economy. The economy isn’t without threats, however, and the Fed identified several in its press release, including:.... Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: A Simple Explanati... 01/27/2010

Lake Mary Luxury Homes for Sale, our office has this amazing luxury estate for sale. You will truly be impressed when you step onsite to your passage to paradise! This is a "One of a Kind" Custom Master Piece! Optional This home is often referred to as a mini resort! Not just a Luxury Estate in Lake Mary, it's a life style! Built to please any waterfront lover!    Home features:   Paved Boat Ramp Offering 7,732 sq ft under roof Thousands of Sq ft of brick pavers including the new boat ramp, screened lanai with jacuzzi & wet bar Tons of outside patios Oversized 916 sq ft garage w/new floor coating & Extra storage Surround sound & Telephone This estate features a seperate room that can be used as a 4 person office or an in law suite, poolside media room or gaming area First Floor boasts a... 01/24/2010

New FHA guidelines were announced earlier this week. Over 30% of all new loans are FHA loans. One of the biggest rules I feel that will impact First Time Home Buyers is the reduction of seller contributions to buyers closing costs. Until recently a seller could give up to 6% the maximum amount of costs a buyer would every experience in closing costs.    Under the new rules which will begin in late Spring or Early Summer is reducing that amount from 6% to 3%. Meaning that as a first time home buyer you would not only have to come up with the 3.5% for your down payment but also another 2-3% in closing costs for a total of up to 6.5% of the purchase price. Ouch!   Because you decide to wait a few months to purchase a home or to see what the market does that waiting could cost you an additi... 01/22/2010

Ok so maybe the money isnt missing, but might be left making more money for the IRS if you missed any tax deductions. Don't leave it up to chance and do your own 1040. With all the new tax laws and incentives out there for people who have recently purchased a home or sold a home, it makes sense to consult a CPA. If you live in the Orlando or Lake Mary area call Gail Joubran, CPA. She has over 25+ Years of tax experience, estate planning and trust and worked for many years as an internal auditor. If you or your company is looking for a CPA (certified public accountant) or auditor make the call to 407-324-6181 the last number you call for all your tax needs. Realtors we are notorious for thinking we can deduct more then we can and I know a few agents who have found themselves audited. Sh... 01/17/2010

Seminole County's down payment assistance programs have always been more difficult then the other counties and more then it needs to be. They choose to go by a different drum. Orange county reaches out to their lenders and Realtors to ask advice when putting together their programs and probably why they go so smooth and help so many families and while unlike Seminole county still have SHIP funds.   I have a client that I have been working with trying to get her all the information and in touch with the right people so we can ensure she can afford a home and receives any down payment assistance that's available. I have worked with Seminole county many times and even just sold the first Orange county NSP home. I know how down payment assistance works. I was shocked with I called to get m... 01/15/2010

Magnolia Plantation Real Estate is an upscale, guard-gated, golf community located is gorgeous Lake Mary, Florida. The magnificent homes in Magnolia Plantation have considered every architectural detail, and the end result is beautifully-designed homes in an outstanding neighborhood. Magnolia Plantation offers the best in amenities, with their championship golf course weaving in and out of the community's 23 ponds and five acre park, the neighborhood features tennis and basketball courts, a soccer field and a community pool. The prestigious Magnolia Plantation Golf Club has been voted by Golf Digest as one the best places to play. This is as close as you can get to nature, while maintaining your active Florida lifestyle. The schools zoned for Magnolia Plantation are Lake Mary Elementar... 01/09/2010

The following are the market sales statistics for Lake Mary, Seminole County, Florida for December 2009.  Lake Mary is made up of the zip code 32746.  For purposes of this analysis we will be splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. A couple of definitions are in order.  The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time - in other words, it's the midpoint of sale prices.  So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it's specifically indicating which price range is more active. The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the number of pr... 01/08/2010

Lake Mary Bank Owned Condo for sale for less then most people's car!!! Looking to own a piece of Lake Mary Real Estate instead of renting? If you are a first time home buyer or maybe looking to add to your rental investment portfolio either way this is the perfect reo property.   Purchase this Bank Owned Condo for $32,000 1 Bedroom 1 Bathroom All appliances Lake Front Building Gated Community 2 Pools Fitness Center All Lake Mary Schools Contact me today for your private tour of this LAke Mary Bank Owned Property! 12/31/2009

Timacuan Real Estate is a delightful golf community located in quiet and serene Lake Mary, Florida. Timacuan encompasses nine different neighborhoods, each with its own distinctive personality, so there is a right fit for everyone. The separate communities include: Clubhouse Cove, Eagle Run, Hopewell Creek, Hunters Ridge, Lake Dawson, Signature Cove, Stratton Hill and Summerlin. 550 of these dazzling homes have incredible water and golf views. The community also accommodates the Timacuan Golf and Country Club, ranked 14th best golf club in the state. Here you will find the delicious Timacuan Bar & Grill, an expertly-appointed pro shop and brilliant practice facilities. Lake Dawson and Lake Crystal are nearby, so you indulge is water sports, boating or fishing. The lakes are the ideal d... 12/26/2009

Looking to purchase a new home in Lake Mary, FL? I have worked with a local builder to bring you the best deals around. There are only two units left at this amazing price. These new construction townhomes are located in Lake Mary just steps from the Colonial Town Plaza, movies and some of the best restaurants in the area. Plus just steps from the tech corridor. So what does this Lake Mary New Construction Townhome have to offer?  For just $1380/mo for less then most pay in rent you can all have this! Brand new construction built 2009 1540 sq ft *2 Stories *3 Bedrooms *2.5 Baths  PLUS 2 CAR GARAGE & COURTYARD*Include many Distinctive Interior Features *42 Inch Kitchen Cabinets with Crown Molding *Cultured Marble Countertops in Bathrooms *Crown Molding in Foyer, Kitchen, Living & Dining ... 12/23/2009

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate within its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. In its press release, the FOMC noted that the U.S. economy "has continued to pick up", that the jobs markets is getting better, and that housing market has shown "some signs of improvement" lately. It's the fourth straight statement in which the Fed speaks optimistically about the U.S. economy -- a signal that the worst of the recession is likely behind us. The economy isn't without threats, however, and the Fed identified several, including:..... Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (December 16, 2009 Edition)   ----------------------------------------------   Chris is Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker and a syndicated mor... 12/16/2009