Today, sellers want top dollar for their homes and often not all buyers want to pay their price. I can't say that I blame either one of them.  But,  you can bet there’s someone out there that is willing to pay more than you for a house.The real estate market is cyclical, so it’s ever changing. We’re always adapting and changing with it. When the inventory is low, prices increase. And, we end up in multiple offer situations with several buyers going after the same house. I recently wrote an article about Brevard homebuyers not having much time to make a decision on a house. And, that’s true. The good houses go first… sometimes in days, sometimes even in hours of hitting the MLS.Remember, it only takes one buyer to purchase one house. And, often there is a buyer out there that is willing ... 07/15/2015

This morning I had breakfast with a friend and we were talking about the importance of having balance in our lives. That’s something I’m not very good at. When I’m not working, we are working on one of our rental houses or we have a project going on at home. That’s just something we’ve always done.  My friend reminded me that when we work hard, it's important to have some down time, too.  So, I was thinking of the options of things we have available to do in our area.Brevard County Florida is home to the St. Johns River, the Indian River Lagoon and Banana Rivers and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.  We are an hour away from Orlando, with all it's theme parks: Walt Disney World Park & Resorts, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Epcot Center, Universal Studio... 07/10/2015

Brevard County Real Estate Market Report – May 2015 In May 2015, there were 3727 active listings on the market, a decrease of 20.00% from 4656 in May 2014.There were 1518 new listings on the market in May 2015. This is down by 4.0% from May 2014 of 1581.There were 1288 new pending sales. This is up by 5.5% from May 2014 of 1221. There were 1238 closed sales. This is up by 1.1% from May 2014 of 1225.The average sales price was $194,682. This is an increase of 18.47% from 2014 at $164,330.The median sales price in May 2015 was $160,000, compared to $130,000 in 2014, an 23.08% increase.The average number of days on the market was 68, compared to 85 in 2014.  This is a 20% decrease.Homes sold for approximately 94% of original list price in May 2015.There was a 3.3 month supply of homes for ... 07/09/2015

I had an appointment to meet an investor at a bank owned property that had just come on the market.  As I waited for my buyer to arrive, there was a parade of potential buyers and Realtors looking through the house. I suppose the enticement was the very low advertised price. The house was a bank owned property and it needed considerable work. There was a poorly constructed addition at the back of the house and there was rotten wood all the way around. The outside stucco was unprofessionally done and was riddled with stair step cracks. One corner of the house was sagging. When we got inside we saw that the house needed to be gutted. The roof was leaking in various places and the ceilings were sagging.  There was no kitchen or bathroom and no flooring. It needed a new electric panel and a... 07/07/2015

Home buyers decide whether or not to look inside a house based on the exterior appearance. What they see when they drive by, or when they arrive for a showing sets the tone for that first impression. It often determines if a buyer even wants to go inside for a closer look.Back in the 1980's, before I was a Realtor, I was in the market to buy a house. The agent pulled up to a house that was rundown, unkempt and showed years of deferred maintenance. There were chickens, barricaded by wire fencing, roaming the overgrown front yard. I wasn’t in the market for an investment property or a fixer upper. I told the agent I had no interest in looking at the interior. She insisted I would fall in love with the house once I got inside. I told her no thank you.If a buyer doesn’t like the outside of ... 07/06/2015

It’s time for those holiday festivities this weekend and a lot of people are looking forward to having some much needed time off. But, not everyone is excited about the July 4th.  Some pets are scared on Independence Day. More pets run away on the 4th of July than any other time of year. Too much activity and noise can cause severe anxiety for some pets.During the 4th of July festivities try and keep your pet safe and comfortable.Keep pets inside if at all possible, away from the noise of the fireworks. This will keep your pet from getting injured by stray fireworks and it will keep him away from the noise. He’ll have less chance of bolting or running away. Turn on some soft music or the television in the house, to cause a slight distraction from the noise of the fireworks. Spend time w... 07/03/2015

Congratulations, Jeannine on the sale of your gorgeousDeer Lakes pool home with soaring views of the lake.The breathtaking sunsets were my favorite!I hope that when I am 85 years old, I am as sharp, directand energetic as you are. You are amazing!Thank you for hiring me to sell your home. It was a pleasure working with you! 07/01/2015

  The National Association of Realtors indicates that 45% of homes listed for sale across the country sold within 30 days on the market.The survey indicates that houses in Florida sold within 46 to 60 days.*In May 2015, homes were on the market for an average of 40 days.  This is the shortest market time since May 2011.The homes that sold in 30 days were in Colorado, Texas, Washington, Idaho and Kansas.The homes that took the longest to sell were in Alabama, West Virginia, Mississippi and Arkansas at 90 or more days on the market.*This seems interesting to me, as we are seeing buyers flocking to homes at certain price points the first few days on the market.  And, often we are in multiple offer situations. When priced right, homes here are gone in the first week.   06/29/2015

 I was googling a search online this morning and found an article I had written in November 2008 about buyers ‘just looking’ at homes for sale.  I had written that the number of homes currently in the Brevard County real estate market was plentiful. Buyers could look at a house multiple times and take their time in making a decision on whether they would make an offer to purchase it.Well, today, times have changed. Our inventory of homes available for sale is currently down. Today, buyers don’t have the luxury of looking at a home over the course of a couple of weeks. The good homes are gone in the first week… sometimes even in the first couple of days. We are seeing multiple offers on homes, at varying price points. And often, homes are selling for more than their advertised list price... 06/29/2015

 In real estate, mortgage interest rates are always a hot topic. Interest rates have been hovering above 4.00%. The projection is that they are going up. When interest rates go up, that affects a consumer’s buying power.  Higher rates often mean a lower purchase price of a home, as lenders look at the debt to income ratio of a borrower. Debt to income ratio is the percentage of a consumer’s monthly gross income that goes towards paying debts in comparison to their monthly income.The interest rate on my mortgage is currently 5.875%.  I remember refinancing to get that rate. It wouldn’t benefit me to refinance again, to get a lower rate now, as I anticipate having it paid off within 18 months.  I wouldn’t be able to recoup the cost of the refinance in just the 18 months I take to pay if o... 06/25/2015

 Yesterday, we headed out for a trip to the Tampa Amphitheater at Tampa Fairgrounds to see the Tesla, Styx and Def Leppard Concert.  Tampa is just over 2 hours away, on the west coast of Florida. We arrived at the concert in the middle of a terrible lightning storm, that hung over the fairgrounds for over an hour. The first band, Tesla, cancelled their show, as the weather was showing no signs of subsiding. We waited in the van until the lightning passed.  Here in South Brevard we’re fortunate to be located in an area that is central to some great venues that showcase very talented artists.Maxwell C King Center for the Performing Arts and the Wickham Park Pavilion in Melbourne are just 5 minutes from us. At the King Center we’ve been fortunate enough to see Peter Frampton, Dennis DeYoun... 06/24/2015

 Come On, Jump in for a Swim The weather here has been a sweltering 90 degrees, with high humidity.  I can feel the sweat rolling down my back when I’m outside in the middle of the day. It’s hard to find a place to cool off.  It seems like the air conditioner never clicks off, trying to keep the inside temperature comfortable. We’ve been swimming in the pool, at the end of these blistering days, to cool off. The water temperature is great! I remember when my girls were younger and they were in the pool all the time. They were like two little fish. During the Summer it seems like they lived in their bathing suits. Our backyard was filled with kids. Their skin would be shriveled like raisins from swimming so long. We’d practically have to drag them out, to get them to take a break to eat.... 06/23/2015

  Melbourne FL Real Estate Market Watch ReportThere are currently 476 homes (single family, half duplex, condo & townhouses) available for sale in Melbourne Florida compared to 514 in August 2014.Here's the breakdown,Under $100,000                -   79, compared to 123 in August 2014  $101,000 -  $200,000      -   134, compared to 162 in August 2014 $201,000 -  $300,000       - 123, compared to 125 in August 2014 $301,000 -  $400,000       -   63, compared to 53 in August 2014 $401,000 -  $500,000        -   37, compared to 18 in August 2014 $501,000 -  $750,000       -   19, compared to 18 in August 2014$751,000 - $1,000,000     -    17, compared to 10 in August 2014$1,001,000+                        -   4, compared to 5 in August 2014Prices ranges from $49,900 for a 2 bedroom 2 bath ... 06/22/2015

I was headed out to an appointment and found this guy in the garage 2 feet from my van.  At first nearly jumped out of my skin. It surprised me. I think I scared the snake, too. Then, I grabbed a broom and gently guided him outside. He slithered into the bushes and disappeared.Occasionally, we see a snake, here.  Usually they are outside in the bushes or hanging out in the garden.  They like basking in the sun. There are approximately 46 snakes native to Florida and most of them are not aggressive.  The best advice when you see a snake is to leave it alone. They don’t typically attack unless provoked.I have a friend that can identify snakes. When he sees one he usually scoops it up and relocates it to a safer place. Isn’t there a rhyme, “when red touches black a friend of jack, when re... 06/20/2015

Kingsmill, located just off of Lake Washington Road is a quiet, well maintained community of over 300 houses built between 1986 and 1988. It is situated between Parkway Drive and Aurora Road, just west of Wickham Road in Melbourne Florida.Kingsmill is just minutes to shopping, dining, churches and schools. Publix grocery store is within walking distance. Access to I-95, US 1 and the causeways to the beach are within 5 minutes. The Indian River Lagoon and beaches are within 10 to 12 minutes driving distance.View MapThe west end of the community boasts custom built homes by Joyal and Tiffany Builders. Several of the homes are situated on half acre sites. The other homes in the neighborhood were built by Maronda Homes.Kingsmill association fees are currently $164.00 per year per house. Thi... 06/19/2015

This morning I met with a buyer to show her a charming home situated in a neighborhood within a block of the railroad tracks.  The house was impeccably maintained. After touring the inside and the outside of the home we went to look at the rest of the neighborhood.  We wanted to see how close the railroad tracks were to the house she was interested in.The railroad tracks run through various housing areas in the City of Melbourne.When considering a home purchase there are questions to consider.Where are the railroad tracks compared to the neighborhood you are thinking of buying in? How close are they to the house you are interested in?  Is there a buffer between the houses in the neighbor and the tracks?You may want to find out the train schedule. How many trains run day and night? If po... 06/19/2015

 There are oodles of condo complexes here. When considering a condo or townhouse purchase, there are questions to ask, before making that purchase.What is the ratio of investor owned units to owner occupied units?What is the delinquency rate? How many units are in foreclosure?  Does the homeowner’s association keep money in reserves to cover the fees for the delinquent units?Ask to review the association financials.  Is there money on reserve for maintenance? They may not provide you with the information until you have a unit under contract. And, then your purchase will be contingent on review of those documents.How much are the association fees? What do they cover? Are any utilities included? What is the cap amount on how high the fees can increase each year?Are pets allowed? How many?... 06/17/2015

Real Estate Reality TV… It's not RealI don’t watch much TV.  I suppose it’s because I can’t find anything to watch. Today, television is riddled with Reality TV shows. I don’t like Reality TV.  There, I said it.I don’t care for the Real Estate Reality TV shows.  They're on for their entertainment value.  It gives people a false sense of what’s real when they are ready to get in the market to buy, sell or to invest in real estate. If Reality TV portrayed real world experiences, people would stop watching and the shows would quickly fade off the air.Only on Reality TV… can you have an open house, the first day a house goes on the market with 10 different buyers getting into a bidding war. The house sells for tens of thousands over list price! Houses rarely sell at an open house. They typi... 06/16/2015

It seems that the simplest things are the best things in life. Watching the sun setting in the western sky is one of the simple things.What is it about a sunset? Every one of them is different than the one the day before. A sunset is the perfect close of another day. I love watching the sun setting. I would watch it every single day, if I could. There’s something magical about a sunset. When the sun starts setting, it’s as if someone has a rope tied around it and you can see it being pulled down into the horizon, right before your eyes.A sunset is a beautiful painting drawn across the sky that can never be duplicated.   06/15/2015

 I’m not a morning person. I wish I was. I would love to rise and shine at 5:00 AM and get my day going early. I am not one of those people that can bounce right out of bed when the alarm goes off. I have to hit the snooze button 3 times before I can get my eyes open. This morning I woke up to a lizard in the toaster. He was alive and kicking. Now, that's gross. I have no idea how he got in there. And, I'm not really sure what made me look in the toaster before I used it.Okay, so it was just going to be coffee, instead.  My sister, Jean, says I make the strongest cup of coffee she’s ever tasted. Well, apparently not today. I forgot to put the grounds in the coffee pot.Oh well.Isn't toasted lizard a delicacy in some countries?  06/12/2015