As a landlord here in Brevard County Florida, over the past 14 years I have had my fair share of ups and downs.  And, I've made mistakes and learned from those mistakes.  Often, we have people call us with an interest in investing in real estate.  Real estate investing isn't for everyone.  Some people don't have the disposition to be a landlord.  If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.   The first property we bought was in 1996, a 1700 square foot home, 4 bedroom, 2 bath.  We kept it rented for 10 years, with the same tenant for 8 years.  But, as property values increased, so did the taxes and insurance. We sold it, took the money and replaced it with 2 smaller properties.  Houses about half that size. That house was too big.  We buy smaller houses now.   We have found that typical... 02/19/2010

For most people buying a home is the largest investment they will ever make. Because of this you need the guidance of an experienced real estate professional to help you avoid costly mistakes. The advantages of using a real estate professional are many: Knowledge of the neighborhoods, schools and condition of the local real estate market. If they don't have first hand knowledge of an area then they probably know a fellow real estate professional who does. A real estate professional is experienced in negotiating price. By working with you, a real estate professional will know what interests you and watch for new homes on the market that match those interests. By knowing what you want, a real estate professional can help you focus on your needs and not let you get sidetracked by amenities... 02/19/2010

Golden opportunities await you here in Central Florida! If your looking for condos, or single family homes that are 70 or even up to 80% discounted from their peak in 2005, you have come to the right place! These opportunities are here now but not forever. Let me be your Real Estate Resource for bank owned properties. I can personally send you a list of these deals and find the ones that best suit your needs. Just contact me directly to let me know. You can also search these homes for free by visiting my website at www.SteveSellsFlorida.com Make it a profitable week!   Steve Vitani Power Realty, LLC   02/17/2010

Are you finding yourself stuck in a holding pattern? Are you stuck in quick sand? Deals falling apart, maybe you have been rejected one too many times and have had enough? The greatest benefit of life is we can always start fresh right now! So, if your finding yourself in a pattern or just down and out, make today the day you change your patterns, change your strategy, change your attitudes.  The very first step you need and it cost you nothing, is the inner desire to believe in yourself that you can harness all of the powers and transfer it into energy that no one can stop. If you have a hard time with this. Seek other people you wish to be like. If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you'll achieve similar results, wh... 02/17/2010

Here in Brevard we are seeing a growing number of homes for rent.  According to a recent report, in the past 10 years, there have been over 40,000 new homes built in Brevard. Many of those homes currently sit unoccupied. Property taxes have increased and insurance has increased, but rents have decreased.  People are out of work. We are seeing families moving in together, Grandma and Grandpa, their children and their grandchildren.  People are doing what they can to save money today. So, what happens when a rental sits on the market for 2, 3 or 4 months empty?  No calls. No tenants.  When the phone does ring one of the first questions I ask is, "how many people will be living in the home?"  The responses come back, "10 or 12."  The house is 3 bedrooms, 2 baths.  That's a tremendous amou... 02/16/2010

The beautiful Lennar-built home is located in a 55 or better community known as Pine Creek in Melbourne, FL.  I will be hosting an open house there today, Saturday, February 13 from 1 to 4 PM.  The home has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and is 1545 square feet.  The home features an eat-in kitchen with 42 inch cabinets, recessed lighting and all appliances included.  There are custom built-in bookshelves in one guest bedroom so that it makes the perfect home office or guest room.  The master suite has large windows and the master bath features double sinks and a walk-in shower with easy access plus lots of storage space in the walk-in closets.  Large porch on the home allows you to enjoy the Florida living lifestyle all year long.  $179,999 Check out the OPEN HOUSE today from 1 to 4 PM and s... 02/12/2010

So is this really the year to make that move up or purchase for the 1st time? I know, we have heard this each of the last 3 years as the market has continued to slide. After all a broken clock is right twice daily, so maybe the clock will be right after this :-) There are always two sides to this kind of subject. I can only hope that to those out there do not put off their purchase because they think rates will stay low or they think home prices will keep falling. Now is the time to take advantage of a home in the area you want to live in, on the street you want the home site you want. Real Estate is a long term investment and to be able to buy a home at price levels not seen in years, in some areas prices are 50-60% below the peak price. Couple that with super low rates plus tax credit... 02/08/2010

 THE ANSWER SHOULD BE: I CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO OWN IN TODAY'S MARKET. IS THIS A QUESTION YOU HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT TO YOURSELF IN THE MAYBE SOME 5-10 YEARS OF RENTING? MAYBE YOU TRIED WHEN THE MARKET WAS MUCH TOO EXPENSIVE AND WAS OUT OF YOUR BUDGET. OR MAYBE YOUR CREDIT WAS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH, MAYBE THESE ARE SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: 1. HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR CREDIT OR HAD A PROFESSIONAL REVIEW WITH IN THE PAST 12 MONTH'S? 2. HAVE YOU ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT A MONTHLY BUDGET THAT WOULD ENABLE YOU TO OWN A HOME? 3. WHAT CAN I DO IF I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR A DOWN PAYMENT? HOME OWNERSHIP IS A REAL PRIVILEGE AND DOES COME WITH SOME TERRIFIC REWARDS AS WELL AS SOME EXPENSE BUT THE WAY HOME PRICES ARE NOW IN SOME AREAS IT IS ACTUALLY LESS EXPENSIVE TO OWN, THAT'S RIGHT! WITH THE LOW INTER... 02/08/2010

As I take my regular walk with my dog, Bailey the Boxer, I enjoy the crispness in the air. It's a bit chilly. Blue jeans, a T shirt with a sweatshirt on is quite comfortable. One of my favorite places to visit with Bailey is Wickham Park here in Melbourne Florida. It's a favorite place for many. There's always a bustle of activity in the park. I love the 50 minutes that it takes to get around the whole park. This includes a stroll passed the playground, the shuffleboard courts, and the archery range. There are 2 lakes that are safe for swimming.  Although it's a bit chilly for that right now. There's are picnic benches right next to the lake. Or, you can rent a pavilion, and have a party, complete with a barbeque pit. The park has an exercise relay that allows you to do different types ... 02/08/2010

Short sale, the sale of a property in which the proceeds of the sale fall short of the amount of money owed to the mortgage company. It often happens when an owner can no longer continue to make the payments on the home.  We talk to buyers each day that see properties being offered for short sale.  Many want to jump right in because they look like great deals.  But, we have found that there is a lot of misinformation in the marketplace about short sales. >Typically, there is nothing short about the length of time that it takes to do a short sale.  They can take 2 months or they can take longer, often up to a year.  A buyer for a short sale property typically must be very patient and have some flexibility. >The advertised price on a short sale, is not necessarily the price that the lende... 02/06/2010

We see them all the time, those houses listed for sale that need a good cleaning.  The carpets need to be shampooed, a room or two needs a coat of paint.  The yard needs a good mowing and the bushes need to be trimmed back.  The house needs some of the junk cleared out of it.  Box it up and get rid of it.  The house is unkempt and/or poorly maintained. It may be like this for any one of a number of different reasons: divorce, family illness, elderly owners or a death.  Or the owners just may not be the tidiest people on the block. The buyer walks in, takes one look, and cuts $5000 off the price for painting. Hey, wait a minute, only one room needs to be painted. They cut $5000 off of the price for new carpeting. Wait, the carpets just need a good cleaning. The house is in a state of dis... 02/04/2010

We see it all the time. Sellers that move out of their home that's listed for sale.  And, they  leave a couple of items.  Maybe it's a a sewing machine, a chair, a TV, a motorcycle, a freezer.  They figure on getting it out of the house when the house sells and closes.  Well, be careful, with this thinking. If you have a home listed for sale, and it is 99% empty, and you leave an item or two, a buyer that wants to purchase your home assumes that those items are being left with the house. So when that offer to purchase comes in, you can  bet your bottom dollar that sewing machine, TV, motorcycle or freezer will be written into the contract. Buyers see those items and they automatically want them. Who can blame them, right?  A nearly empty house, 'oh look at what the seller is leaving wit... 02/01/2010

IN Florida there has always been an ongoing Bond money program available for First Time Buyers. The question is, how do you get your hands on it? Well depends on who you ask. Some mortgage professionals do not have access to all available programs directly and some do. Some professionals will even say, there is never any money left, or it is way too difficult to do a deal because of the hold up over such a program. Let me explain why some say these things. There are Local Programs that are County specific, even too specific in some cases to where they target specific areas within the County. These are called SHIP Funds. This program you have to go down to the County and go through the qualifications and usually get on a list due to limited funds left in their pool. Many times they run o... 01/31/2010

So is this really the year to make that move up or purchase for the 1st time? I know, we have heard this each of the last 3 years as the market has continued to slide. After all a broken clock is right twice daily, so maybe the clock will be right after this :-) There are always two sides to this kind of subject. I can only hope that to those out there do not put off their purchase because they think rates will stay low or they think home prices will keep falling. Now is the time to take advantage of a home in the area you want to live in, on the street you want the home site you want. Real Estate is a long term investment and to be able to buy a home at price levels not seen in years, in some areas prices are 50-60% below the peak price. Couple that with super low rates plus tax credi... 01/27/2010

We list properties in Brevard County and all of Central Florida. Sell your Brevard County property through us. We are experts in selling properties in Brevard County. Brevard County Realtor. Brevard County real estate. Titusville Realtor. Titusville real estate. Cocoa Beach Realtor. Cocoa Beach real estate. Rockledge Realtor. Rockledge real estate. Melbourne real estate. Melbourne Realtor. Palm Bay real estate. Palm Bay Realtor. Flat fee MLS listing Brevard County and Titusville. Discount real estate broker Brevard County and Cocoa Beach. For sale by owner services Brevard County. List in the MLS for less Melbourne. Use our FSBO MLS services to list your house or property in Palm Bay. Flat fee discount Realtor. List your home with us. Our buy owner real estate services are the best. Fla... 01/21/2010

The management team at Melbourne International Airport in Brevard County, Florida have announced several expansions that will not only boost business for the Space Coast but also has the potential to increase tourism. The Florida Institute of Technology based in Melbourne has created the Florida Tech Research Park with the Melbourne Airport Authority.  This will be a twenty year partnership between the airport and the university and it is designed to enhance and expand technology-research infrastructure for Brevard County.  The ultimate goal is to foster economic development and make Brevard County competitive for high-tech industry and jobs. Approximately 100 acres of prime land is designated for the park which lie within the Airport Industrial Park. The airport has another 500 acres o... 01/02/2010

Main Street Pub located in downtown Melbourne is one of my favorite places to visit while I am in Melbourne, FL.  Great food and a very cozy outside seating area in the back with a Florida style bar.  I tried the chicken wings (buffalo stlyle) during my last visit and they were incredible. Here is the website and a google live view map of their location.  This is a Lisarees Favorite!  Thank you Main Street Pub! Email Lisa Rees for a Real estate referral if planning to move to Melbourne, Florida @ Lisatherealtor@gmail.com http://www.mainstreetpub.cc/MainstreetPub/Welcome.html   View Larger Map 12/29/2009

A number of posts recently have underlyingly had a similar theme " The Need for Minimum Standards ". Tales of Agents lack of responses to emails, telephone calls, offers, client concerns, listing details and general public behaviour are almost a daily occurence on this site as well as less popular ones. Why? Do you work and treat your clients the same way as you would expect to be treated or even better? How do we score ourselves against other Agents and how many do we know or know of that lower our overall min. standard in our neighborhoods. With what I have read recently no wonder the general public think the average Agent comes under the ranking of a used car salesman but what can be done. My thoughts are that there are two avenues that can improve the situation and they both involve... 12/08/2009

As we approach the holiday season, most people think about the preparation for parties, last minute gifts for Uncle Joe or being able to work off all those calories from Aunt Edna's casserole. However, with all the rush of the season, it is easy to forget those that we do not work with or interact with on a daily basis. We are so busy with making sure that our families have everything together that it is easy to forget about the plight that others have this time of year as well as all year round. That is why it is just as important as any other time to become involved in local charity work. "But, I don't have the time," you say. Well, you do not necessarily have to give your time; there are plenty of other ways to help without stressing any more than you already do. A lot of organizatio... 11/22/2009

Is it a 55+ community in Melbourne, Florida or a 55+ community in Viera, Florida? It is Heritage Isle - Brevard County, Florida's premier 55+ community and it is located in the planned unit development of Viera. And the mailing address is indeed Melbourne, Florida.So, either way - it is the same place! Right now there are about 25 active single family units for sale and about a dozen condo units on the market. That is plenty of choice for anyone looking for a new home in Heritage Isle!Prices range from about $145,000 to almost $400,000. Plenty of choice in that range although most homes can be found in the $200-230,000 range. Also, there is still a chance to purchase new construction in Heritage Isle.If you are just starting your research on Florida 55+ communities here are a few links ... 11/15/2009