Securing an FHA mortgage is about to get more expensive. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Federal Housing Authority outlined policy changes to its mortgage assistance program. The shift is meant to both reduce the government group's portfolio risk while strengthening its overall financials. For consumers, the changes mean higher costs. As listed in the official announcement, there are 3 major guideline updates for the FHA: Upfront mortgage insurance premiums are increasing to 2.25% from 1.75% Minimum downpayments for applicants with sub-580 FICOs are rising to 10 percent Seller concessions are being limited to 3%, down from today's allowable 6% Furthermore, the FHA has appealed to Congress to raise an FHA borrowers' monthly mortgage insurance premiums. To read the FHA's statement, i... 01/21/2010

Bella Vista Sonrisa Pictured Centerline Homes knows a great location when they see one, and Bella Vista is one of Seminole County's best locations - hands down. Centerline Homes is proud to introduce a brand new collection of executive-style homes designed specifically for growing families, priced from $389,900. This intimate village consists of less than seventy homes on estate-sized home sites.  Many families, who currently reside in neighborhoods such as Sabal Point, Sweetwater Oaks, The Springs or Wekiva, are thrilled to have the option of purchasing a brand-new home as opposed to the arduous task of remodeling their current residence. Typical of Centerline Homes' exceptional design is The Sonrisa model. This 5 bedroom, 4 bath, 3-car garage floor plan, priced from $469,900,  featur... 01/20/2010

Tired of paying rent? Ready to own your own home? Then this property is for you. Located in Longwood, FL this home sits right on the boarder of Lake Mary and is zoned for all of Lake Mary's Schools, rated A! Where can you rent for less then $500/mo? With a standard FHA mortgage this home is only $497/mo PLUS YOU QUALIFY FOR A FREE $8000!!   Built in 1980 1,455 Sq ft 2 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms 1 Car Garage Large lot Inground Pool Bonus Room Wood Burning Fireplace!!! What more can you ask for?   Or maybe your an investor and looking for that perfect rental property, then look no further then this home! MORE PHOTOS COMING SOON - AR not playing nice right now. Contact me for more information 01/17/2010

Sweetwater Club Real Estate is an upscale, guard-gated, golf community with lake access located in Longwood, Florida. The neighborhood's 176 luxurious single-family homes sit on extra large lots, with the minimum size being 1 acre and with estate homes having up to 13 acres. This is a distinguished equestrian community, so horses are permitted, with many homes having on-site stables. The neighborhood has convenient access to shining Lake Brantley, where fishing and boating are popular pastimes. Also the exciting and beautiful Wekiva State Park is just across the road. The Sweetwater Club's amenities include a clubhouse and lighted tennis courts, but the real attractions are the incredibly grand and plush estates and mansions. The community has all types of homes from all-inclusive fami... 01/09/2010

The following are the market sales statistics for Longwood, Seminole County, Florida for December 2009.  Longwood is made up of the zip codes of 32779 & 32750.  For purposes of this analysis we are only 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 n... 01/08/2010

Just one month after touching a 3-year high, the National Association of Realtors® Pending Home Sales index plunged in November.  A "pending" home sale is a home that is under contract to sell, but has yet to close. The 16 percent drop marks the first retreat in Pending Home Sales since January of last year. The weak Pending Home Sales data is an indication that Existing Home Sales data will be soft this month. This is because, historically, 80 percent of Pending Home Sales convert to "closed sales" within 60 days, and most of the rest close within 120. With Pending Home Sales down, the housing market should lose some of its momentum.  For today's home buyers, this kind of slack can represent a terrific opportunity. Home prices are a function of supply and demand; of buyers and sellers.... 01/05/2010

Wekiva Hunt Club Real Estate is a golf community of subdivisions that surround the Wekiva Golf Club. Each neighborhood is situated within the perimeter of East/West Wekiva Trail. The homes, enveloped in blossoming plants and leafy trees, are nestled within the grassy golf greens and small ponds. Each separate community at Wekiva Hunt Club encompasses a different area of the Wekiva Trail, and each has its own distinctive style and sensibility. This neighborhood is extremely family-friendly and promotes a close-knit unity between the residents. If peaceful, cozy living in pristine surroundings is what you are after, look no further than Wekiva Hunt Club. The schools zoned for Wekiva Hunt Club are Wekiva Elementary School, Teague Middle School, and Lake Brantley High School. Wekiva Hunt C... 12/26/2009

Longwood a city with approximately 14,000 residents located 45 minutes north of Orlando, Florida. The quaint, attractive city is extremely family-friendly and the area�s recreational facilities are often geared towards children. Situated in Seminole County, Longwood has long been common tourist destination in the state since the 1700s because of The Senator, an ancient cypress tree that resides in Big Tree Park at Seminole Country Spring Hammock Preserve. The tree has been a landmark in the area for 3,000 years. The city is excellent at organizing community events for its residents, as well as tailoring special programs for seniors. Exciting events like "Movie in the Park," a fresh farmer's market or art classes encourage participation of all ages, and are often sold out. This shows th... 12/20/2009

Fannie Mae raised the bar for mortgage applicants this past weekend.  Getting approved for a home loan just got harder. In its official announcement, Fannie Mae says the updates minimize long-term lending risks.  If that's the case, this won't be the last guideline change Fannie Mae makes -- especially with loans defaulting at an above-normal clip. The immediate changes are major. The first pertains to credit scores. Effective December 13, 2009, the bulk of Fannie Mae's loans require a 620 credit score minimum.  There are very few exceptions. A second relates to loans with private mortgage insurance. Homeowners whose loan-to-value exceeds 80 percent now have a choice: Pay higher mortgage insurance premiums month-after-month Pay a one-time fee paid at closing to compensate for higher ris... 12/16/2009

The following are the market sales statistics for Longwood, Seminole County, Florida for November 2009.  Longwood is made up of the zip codes of 32779 & 32750.  For purposes of this analysis we are only 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 n... 12/16/2009

These statistics for Longwood FL Luxury Real Estate Sales in November 2009 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 BODIE 11/02/09 $699,000 $400,000 3 2 3110 Y BERMUDA GROVE 11/23/09 $1,199,900 $1,009,500 5 5 4739 Y POINSETTA 11/04/09 $749,900 $516,000 3 2 1812 N CINDY 11/06/09 $599,000 $530,000 4 4 3610 Y ALVARADO 11/02/09 $829,900 $635,000 6 4 8308 Y ALAQUA 11/12/09 $1,500,000 $1,250,000 5 6 6876 Y HORSESHOE BEND 11/13/09 $910,000 $860,000 4 3 4049 Y   Properties have been listed and sold by various MLS members. Data drawn from the My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service. Homes listed above $500,000 often take longer to sell than properties priced a... 12/13/2009

Since peaking in July 2009, national foreclosure activity has dropped through 4 consecutive months. On a month-to-month basis, November's foreclosure activity fell another 8 percent. However, national foreclosure activity continues to be dominated by a minority of states. As reported by RealtyTrac.com, more than half of November's foreclosure-related activity sourced from just 4 states: California Florida Illinois Michigan These are the same 4 states that topped October's foreclosure activity despite three of them posting month-to-month declines last month. The remaining Top 10 states in terms...... Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Foreclosure Activity Falls For The 4th Straight Month -------------------------------------------------------   Chris is Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker an... 12/10/2009

Tis the season to do shopping -- and get bombarded with offers to open credit cards. The deals are tempting, too. "Open a charge card today" and save up to 20% on your purchase. Considering that the average Black Friday ticket was $343, that's $68 saved per store. For big-ticket items like televisions, the savings are even bigger. But for people in the market for a new home -- or looking to refinance -- taking advantage of in-store savings could be a long-term money loser. Every time you apply for a credit card, your credit score drops. According to myFICO.com, "new credit" accounts for 85 out of 850 possible credit scoring points.  New credit is defined by such traits as: Number of recently opened accounts Number of recent credit inquiries Time since credit inquiry(s) Proportion of ac... 12/02/2009

Alaqua Lakes Real Estate is an upscale, guard-gated golf community in the city of Longwood, Florida. The Legacy Club Golf Course, which wraps in and around this elegant neighborhood, is a very prominent, well-known, and distinguished golf venue. Many international golf celebrities and serious local players come from all over to play on the prestigious course. The community boasts magnificent, opulent homes that exude a sophisticated chic style with lush landscaping and a breathtaking grand entrance. Living at Alaqua Lakes comes complete with outstanding amenities which include a beautiful seven-acre community park, perfect for picnics or family gatherings, a resort-style swimming pool surrounded with luxurious tropical trees and plants, and well-maintained tennis courts. Indulge in heav... 11/30/2009

Home affordability improved this week after the Federal Reserve released its November 3-4, 2009 meeting minutes. The FOMC Minutes is a companion to the Federal Reserve's post-meeting press release. It's released 3 weeks after the Fed adjourns and details the internal debates that shape our nation's monetary policy. As compared to the press release, the minutes can be rather lengthy. November's press release featured 428 words, the minutes offered 6531. However, this extra level of detail shapes markets and mortgage rates.  With Wall Street unsure about the economy's path, investors look to our nation's central bankers for guidance. The Fed has made several points clear:..... Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: One Reason Why Mortgage Rates Are Back To All-Time Lows   ---------------------... 11/29/2009

The following are the market sales statistics for Longwood, Seminole County, Florida for October 2009.  Longwood is made up of the zip codes of 32779 & 32750.  For purposes of this analysis we are only 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 ... 11/13/2009

Bella Vista | Longwood, FL Do we renovate our existing home or move? That's a question being pondered by many families as they determine that their present home has become inadequate. Many times, families need more space, but are hesitant to leave the surrounding community that they've grown to love. If you're pondering that question in Longwood, Florida, Centerline Homes has the perfect answer. Bella Vista. Bella Vista is an intimate village of estate homes featuring a brand-new series of designs that were specifically designed for the needs of today's families. Featuring one and two story homes with up to 5 bedrooms, 5 baths and a 4-car garage, Bella Vista also boasts a premier Longwood address. Priced from the upper $300's, Bella Vista is destined to take it place as one of Longwood ... 11/12/2009

Mortgage markets were extremely volatile last week, carving out a wide range between Monday and Friday. Thankfully for rate shoppers, the overall momentum was positive. Mortgage rates fell for the second time in as many weeks. Rates still sit higher versus their early-October lows. For pure "news", last week was a busy one: The Federal Reserve held the Fed Funds Rate near 0.000 percent The Unemployment Rate crossed 10 percent The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit was extended to April 2010 Combined, the 3 events reinforced the growing belief on Wall Street that the U.S. economy is in recovery, but not yet out of the woods.  This particular philosophy has been excellent for mortgage rates, helping to hold conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rates near 5.250 percent since the start of the ye... 11/08/2009

Congress both extended and expanded the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit program Thursday. The White House says the President will sign it into law today. The up-to-$8000 tax credit's expiration date has been pushed forward to spring, requiring homebuyers to be under contract by April 30, 2010, and to be closed by June 30, 2010. The program's basic eligibility requirements remain the same: Buyers can't purchase the home from a parent, spouse, or child Buyers can't purchase the home from an entity in which they're a majority owner Buyers can't acquire the home by gift or inheritance All parties to the purchase must meet eligibility requirements The new law includes some notable updates, however. For one, the definition of "first-time home buyer" has been expanded to include most homeowne... 11/05/2009

The housing market continues to steam forward. As reported by the National Association of Realtors®, the Pending Home Sales Index posted its 8th consecutive monthly gain in September. It's the longest winning streak in the history of the index and Pending Home Sales are now at their highest levels since December 2006. A Pending Home Sale is a home under contract to sell, but not yet closed.  It's the precursor to an Existing Home Sale. Trade group data shows that nearly 80 percent of "pending" homes close within 2 months.  The majority of those remaining close within months 3 and 4. When the Pending Home Sales Index rises, it tells us that........ Read the COMPLETE BLOG HERE: Higher Home Prices Ahead, Says The Pending Home Sales Index   ------------------------------------------------  ... 11/02/2009