I learned about Aldi from my mother who lives in Minneapolis.  With over 1300 stores in 32 states, the German founded grocery grocery chain was founded in 1948 by Albrecht Discount thus Aldi. Aldi really is a leader in low cost grocery shopping.                            The first thing that is different about Aldi when you go, is that there are no grocery carts strewn around the parking lot.  The reason for this is that when you go to shop, you need to put in a quarter to get a cart out, and when you bring the cart back, you get your cart back!  Ingenious and effective! When you walk into an Aldi they are set up much smaller than other grocery stores such as Publix or Winn Dixie.  They have far fewer isles and few shelves to stack items on.  Most of the products in Aldi's are store br... 01/18/2014

If you own a home in Florida and live in it as your primary residence, then Florida law may allow you a $25,000 tax exemption on the assessed value of the property. If you purchased the property in 2013, then it is time for you to file for homestead, as it doesn't automatically transfer to a new owner, at the start of the new year. An application must be filed. After that, the exemption automatically renews, if you remain eligible. Homestead exemption may allow a Florida homeowner a savings of approximately $450 on their yearly tax bill. And, some homeowners may be entitled to an additional $25,000 in exemption for a total of $50,000, on the assessed value of their property. Check online to see whether you are eligible and if there are any other exemptions applicable to you. New homeown... 01/15/2014

Reverse Mortgage FAQ: "Should I Get a Reverse Mortgage If I'm Moving...(Eventually)? A reverse mortgage or a home equity conversion mortgage, is a mortgage that pays you based on your age, home equity and is contingent on whether or not you live in your primary residence. Some homeowners, however, question their decision to get a reverse mortgage, especially if they have plans to move in the near future. It's a valid question considering the loan will become due and payable if they are no longer live in their primary residence, for whatever reason, because the amount a borrower can potentially receive is also dependent on the amount of home equity they have accumulated through the years. So the question remains: "Should I Get a Reverse Mortgage If I'm Moving...(Eventually)? Well, variou... 01/13/2014

I recently spoke to a man whose parents wanted to buy a home here in Brevard County.  Mom and Dad live in the Bronx and had come down this past summer to buy their retirement home.  According to their son, they had found a home and went under contract on it.  However, after they had done their inspection they were told they "couldn't continue on" with the contract.  They didn't understand why, and no one would or could explain it to them. Obviously this just didn't sound right to me.  After doing a little homework, I figured out what had happened.  They had put in an offer on a short sale.  But no one explained to them that the contract would have to be approved by a third party lender.  Unfortunately, the agent that had written up the contract didn't understand the process and had them... 01/13/2014

What Are Todays’ Buyers Looking For In A Home? The following is a list of some of the things that are important to today’s buyer, not necessarily in any particular order.     Convenience to Work: Living in a home which is a convenient commute to work is a priority for home buyers. A home that is a short distance to work can be a big plus as it enhances the balance between work and home life.   Convenience to amenities: Coffee shops and grocery stores nearby are a definite plus for the home buyers.   Quality of public schools in the area: School boundaries have a large impact on buyers decision to purchase a home. Younger buyers are also willing to pay more for quality schools in the area where they purchase a home.   Open Floor Plans: Open floor plans are popular with today’s buyer. Whe... 01/11/2014

I reached 200,000 a few days back…and I didn't even notice! Points haven't been the main draw of Active Rain since I joined (back in 2007) but it's still be a rewarding journey nonetheless.  I've seen many bloggers surpass a million (and some even 2 million) but 200,000 has been half a decade in the making and it's good to be here. Funny that I didn't notice it till right now, when I'm already a quarter of the way to 201,000, but its there and there's no denying that lots of blogging, lots of contests and lots of participation on Active Rain has finally pushed me higher up the point totem pole.  It's true that even if you don't come to Active Rain for the points, it's still great to see that score go up until you become a millionaire. As they say, "there's nowhere to go but up!" Interes... 01/10/2014

Will Home Mortgages Become More Expensive, Soon? Did you know new lending guidelines will be in place beginning this March? Home prices have been on the rise and along with that the mortgage interest rates too, have gone up. Lending rules are getting tougher. Even though Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not originate new mortgages they do buy about 66% of the loans underwritten by the banks. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have announced new tougher guidelines which go in effect starting March 2014. This is expected to easily add about half a point to the interest rate that a fixed rate borrower will pay. Next month in February 2014 federal rules known as “ability to re-pay” and “qualified mortgage” are also set to kick in. These rules impose tough penalties for banks that write unconventional ... 01/09/2014

Do Married Couples See Eye-to-Eye on Retirement Plans? Retirement can be a stressful time for many people. Most of the time, it means leaving your current job, slowing down and reevaluating your priorities as new challenges and opportunities arise. For a married couple it may be even more stressful because they have to contend with two perspectives on retirement and, sometimes, these may clash. It's not something I've thought of in-depth before but an article on Market Watch, "U.S. Faces a Married Couples' Retirement Crisis", does a great job of explaining the potential factors that can lead to a marriage crisis during retirement. A study, conducted by the Fidelity Investment Couples Retirement Study, states that 38% of couples disagree about the lifestyle they want during retirement. N... 01/07/2014

What are the FAQ's About Living In The Melbourne, FL Area? Relocation clients as well as clients considering a second home in the Melbourne and surrounding areas usually ask many questions about the area but here are a few common ones, I find myself answering often. Question: What is the population of Melbourne and surrounding areas? Answer: The population of Melbourne, FL and the surrounding areas is about 343018 and can be distributed as follows:                       Melbourne                 78000       Melbourne Beach       3300             Cocoa 17164  Cocoa Beach 12805   Indialantic 3009  Indian Harbour Beach  9000   Merritt Island  34743 Palm Bay  101793   Patrick Air Force Base 2137  Rockledge  25911   Satellite Beach 10884  Suntree  11544  Viera 16951   West Melbourne 15777   ... 01/06/2014

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back for Reverse Mortgages? The changes to the reverse mortgage program, which were implemented on September 30, have been polarizing to say the least. On the one side, it's could be the best thing FHA has done in order to make the program safer for future consumer while still protecting the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program. On the other hand, it may make the reverse mortgage program less attractive for both affluent borrowers and more modest borrowers. At this point, however, it's all speculaion as the changes have barely passed their two month threshold and there are still 10 months to go before the changes even reach the one year mark. Maybe then would be a better time to note whether or not the changes have been successful or not. Having said that, I agr... 01/06/2014

I am not a huge beer drinker...but I love a good craft beer. I have found over the years that most of the places that call themselves brewpubs or say they make beer on the premises usually have one vat...and produce very limited quantities of their own suds. They may have a tap or two of in-house beer...with an additional 30 taps of anything from Bud to Miller. With this in mind I ventured out to the newly opened Intracoastal Brewing Company (It is located at 652 W. Eau Gallie Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32935). The best way to describe the style and feel of the place is a Gen-X brewery. This is not a place to come and eat...unless pretzels and beer is your normal dinner. It is a place to enjoy well crafted house made beers that are truly amazing. Intracoastal Brewing Company does offer a gues... 12/27/2013

Here's wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season! Merry Christmas from sunny Florida! The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous. It actually got up into the 80's yesterday. Today, we woke up to some 60 degree weather. We've got windows open and short sleeves and light sweaters on today.  It's perfect outside. Indian River Lagoon off of Rockledge Drive in Rockledge, FL 12/24/2013

FHA Delays Reverse Mortgage Financial Assessment…For Now The reverse mortgage industry can rest easily for the next few months following the Federal Housing Administration’s announcement that it would hold off on implementing a financial assessment component to the reverse mortgage program for an unspecified period of time after January 13 of next year. While we are still in the dark about what exactly the financial assessment will entail and when it will be implemented, at least the industry gets a breather before another change is implemented. This is not to say that the reverse mortgage changes have been unsuccessful, no one can determine that yet, especially if the reputation of the reverse mortgage program is to change positively along with it, but it is nice to see that FHA is tak... 12/20/2013

As an ASP Certified Stager I get this question quite a bit. The truth of the matter is I have listed many homes over the years...and only a small handful of them did not need me to at least make a few needed changes. This video delves into the different types of listings...and why and when a stager would be needed. 12/19/2013

Well, it's official, what I have been seeing with Space Coast Area Homes is now being recognized around the country.  The housing market is starting to recover.  According to the National Association of Realtors here are the top 7 Housing Trends of 2013. 1.)  The national median listing price in January was $179,900 and rose to $199,500  by September of 2013.  2.)  Mortgage rates did go up, but not as much as some people thought.  Any way you look at it, mortgage rates are still a screaming deal! 3.)  Many Buyers still won't believe it, but bidding wars have returned on really good properties.  Once a Buyer loses a house or two in a bidding war, they will start to realize it! 4.)  Housing has remained affordable.  Even though appreciation isnow starting to come back into the picture, lo... 12/15/2013

I saw something this week that was incredibly disturbing.  I was driving down a street on the mainland side of Melbourne, and on the left side of the road was a shabby beat up looking old jeep that was parked at the curb.  The jeep had one of those big role bars on it, and a canvas top covered the cab portion of the vehicle.  On the drivers  side of the jeep, on the pavement, was a dog that was hanging by a rope tied to it's collar with it's back feet just barely reaching the pavement!  The owner of the jeep was no where to be seen.  I was shocked!  I made a fast U turn in the middle of the street and pulled up behind the jeep.  As I was running to the dog, there was a man on a bicycle that pulled up.  As I approached the dog, it was so frightened that it let it's bladder go and peed al... 12/14/2013

Wickham Park is a large multi-purpose park in Melbourne, FL. Many events take place at the park throughout the year...but every Thursday they have an event I like to go to...the best Farmers Market on the Space Coast. To be honest...most Farmers Markets I see have very little that comes from farms...lots of candles and soap but few vegetables and fruit..not the Brevard County Farmers Market at Wickham Park! The Market is a operated through a joint partnership with Brevard County Parks & Recreation and the University of Florida/IFAS Brevard County Extension Service. This place has about 10 or so vendors and most of them are selling vegetables, fruit, eggs, fresh squeezed OJ, raw milk, homemade pies & cakes and much more! Much of the produce that is being offered at the Farmers Market is... 12/10/2013

  Rotary Park of Suntree is located at the intersection of U.S. Hwy 1 and Suntree Boulevard, in the Suntree area of Melbourne.  With seating for over 200 people, what makes Rotary Park of Suntree special is that the entire 10+ acres community park is situated directly on the Indian River giving visitors a front row seat for boat traffic on the lagoon.  There is a large pavilion at Rotary Park of Suntree which includes 6 sheltered picnic tables, BBQ pits, a nearby playground for the kids and of course restrooms.  Rotary Park of Suntree also offers a convenient fishing pier for lazy afternoon of fishing and strolls down the pier to get a glimpse of Shorebirds, Migratory Ducks, Loons and Grebe in the winter season. Rotary Park of Suntree does take reservations for events.  To make a reser... 12/08/2013

  The Wickham Park Senior Center has a tremendous number of activities for the active and vibrant seniors of Brevard County!  Located at 2785 Leisure Way (LOVE the address!) the Wickham Park Senior Center is not only available to senior citizens, but anyone aged 50+.  The annual dues to join the Wickham Park Senior Center is a mere $15, and for that amount you will be able to join into activities such as: computer classesdance lessonsexerciseshuffleboarddaylong field tripsbingo mah jong bunkobridge classes on all levelspaintingcrochetsewing   The Wickham Park Senior Center also offers a library and reading room.  There are various groups that can be joined at the Wickham Park Senior Center such as the Wickham Wanderers  which is a travel club for Wickham Park Senior Center members.   Fo... 12/08/2013

Wickham Park is just one of the many attributes of living on the Space Coast of Florida!  Living in Brevard county gives those of us that call Florida home the opportunity to spend time outdoors far more than people in other areas of the county are able to.                                                                               Wickham Park is just one of the many outdoor parks that are available to residents and visitors alike.  Located next to Brevard Community College Eastern Florida State College at 2500 Parkway Drive in Melbourne, Wickham Parkis bordered by Croton Road on the east, Wickham Road on the west, Parkway Drive on the south and Post Road on the north.  With just over 391 acres of land, Wickham Park can be enjoyed year round.         There is a road throughout Wickha... 12/08/2013