MY NEW LISTING

This Adorable 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage home in Winter Springs is great for first time buyers or for those looking to downsize. This home is situated on a quiet street in the desirable Seminole county school district. The split bedroom floor plan provides tremendous privacy. The home also features wood laminate and tile flooring throughout except in bedrooms. Kitchen offers an eat-in space as well as a breakfast bar and closet pantry. Living/great room has plant shelves, fireplace w/ mantel and French doors leading out to a large screened patio complete with ceiling fan. The back yard also boasts a sun deck and is fenced for privacy. The front yard is well landscaped and meticulously maintained. Home is also completely wired with security system which just needs to be activated. Owner is motivated to sell. Come see your home today!!


CALL ME FOR MORE INFO @ 407-772-3651

Hard Headed Teenagers

Why is it that when we're teenagers we think everything that older people tell us is a crock? We all at one point or another heard some older people talkin about how if they "knew then what they know now things would've been so different" or "when you're older you'll understand". Well I find myself being that old person (at least in my kids eyes)and its kindof sickening. When they say things like "It's not like it was way back when you were a kid" I wanna just knock some sense into them, but you can't do that without getting CPS called on you. Were we really that dumb when we were their age? I'm torn, should I keep trying to teach them what I know about life or should I just let them make their own mistakes and hopefully learn from them?

International interests in U.S. homeownership increases

I wanted to pass on this information. I found this article to be very interesting hopefully so will you.


NAR: International interest in U.S. homeownership increases

WASHINGTON – July 8, 2010 – International homebuyers are increasingly attracted to property in the U.S., according to the National Association of Realtors®’ 2010 Profile of International Home Buying Activity. Several factors, including the strength of the dollar, the value and desirability of U.S. real estate, and the emerging economic recovery, continue to drive international interest in owning a home in this country.

“While all real estate in the U.S. is local, the same is not true for property owners,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder. “The U.S. continues to be a top destination for international buyers from all over the world. Foreign buyers understand the value of owning a home in this country and can rely on Realtors to help guide them through the complex process of buying property in the U.S. With expertise, knowledge and experience, Realtors have a global perspective.”

The survey covers the period between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2010. During that time foreign buyers, including those with residency outside the U.S. as well as recent immigrants and temporary visa holders, are estimated to have purchased $66 billion of U.S. residential property, or 7 percent of the residential market.

Slightly more than a quarter of Realtors, 28 percent, reported working with at least one international client in the past year. This is a significant increase from the 2009 report, when 23 percent of Realtors worked with foreign clients. Eighteen percent of all Realtors were estimated to have completed at least one sale, compared to 12 percent last year.

“Several factors have contributed to an increase in international buyer interest in the U.S.,” said Golder. “A large majority of Realtors report the changes in value to the U.S. dollar have had a strong impact on the international real estate business. In addition, perceptions abroad about trends in the U.S. real estate market have led many international clients to believe purchasing a home in the U.S. is more affordable than in their country and holds more value.”

International buyers came from 53 different countries around the world. The top four countries were Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and China/Hong Kong. With 23 percent of international buyers coming from Canada, the country has remained the largest buying group in the past three years. Foreign buyers from Mexico have been steadily increasing. In 2010, Mexico replaced the U.K. as the second largest buying group with 10 percent of buyers. Buyers from the U.K. decreased from 10.5 percent in 2009 to nine percent in 2010. Eight percent of recent buyers came from China/Hong Kong.

Two factors important to international clients when purchasing property in the U.S. are proximity to their home country and the convenience of air transportation. Florida typically attracts European, Canadian and South American buyers while the East Coast draws Europeans. The West Coast brings Asian buyers and the Southwest attracts Mexicans.

International buyers were reported in 39 states in 2010, but a slight majority of the total buyers are concentrated in Florida, California, Arizona and Texas. These four states account for 53 percent of purchases and have remained the top destinations for the past three years, with Florida and California remaining the top two destinations.

The median price paid by international buyers for a home in the U.S. was $219,400, a decrease from 2009’s median price of $247,100. However, the median price paid by foreign buyers was significantly higher than the overall median market price, which was $172,500 in 2009. On average, foreign buyers tend to purchase closer to the upper end of the market; 16 percent of the total international purchases were for homes priced at more than $500,000. According to Realtors, this was because international buyers are typically looking for a second home.

A majority of international buyers, 66 percent, purchased single-family detached homes. However, more international buyers purchased a condo than did their U.S. counterparts, at 23 percent and 7 percent, respectively. Only 44 percent of international buyers used a mortgage to pay for their home, compared to 92 percent of domestic buyers. Fifty-five percent of foreign buyers paid all cash. Realtors reported that a majority of international buyers use all cash because of the difficulty in establishing international credit in the U.S. Over one-third, 34 percent, of potential foreign buyers was unable to complete transactions because of financing problems in the U.S.

© 2010 Florida Realtors

My Deepest Condolences

Today is a sad day for Williamston, MI. One of their most prominent citizens was laid to rest today. My heart goes out to the family and all of the people who loved him.

$8,000 Tax Credit Deadline Extended

Congress has passed a bill extending the Homebuyer Tax Credit closing deadline to September 30, 2010. This is a huge win for REALTORS® and homebuyers, and NAR worked closely with members of Congress to make it happen.

The extension applies only to transactions that had ratified contracts in place as of April 30, 2010, and have not yet closed. There will be no gap between June 30 and the date the President signs the bill into law.

Additionally, Congress has extended the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through September 30th. The bill is retroactive and will cover the lapse period from June 1, 2010, to the date the law is enacted. NAR will continue to work with Congress on the NFIP Reform bill, and we will keep you posted on those efforts.

The Days of Old

So yesterday my husband and I blew off work to take the kids to Disney's Hollywood Studios. We had a blast! Not only cause the park was so cool (which it was) but more so because we were breaking the rules. It took me back to the days of cutting class in high school and sneaking out of the house after the parentals were asleep. I know it sounds like I was a bad kid but I really wasn't that bad. Honestly I would do those things for the rush but that was the only rush involved. Me and my friends would sneak out of the house and then just walk around town or go hang out at the park in the dark. WOO WHOO right? But either way it was fun. It seems that once you get older and get sortof Stuck in a Rut ,so to speak, any little thing that stirs up nostalgia and takes you back to the days of old is soooooo worth it. Try it sometime you'll see what I'm talkin about.

Create a Home Emergency Preparedness Kit

Create a Home Emergency Preparedness Kit
By: Wendy Paris

Published: August 28, 2009

Having a home emergency preparedness kit could be the key to your family’s safety if disaster strikes.

Preparing a home emergency preparedness kit you hope never to use may seem like a waste of time and money. But when disasters happen that are beyond your control, you can take charge of how you respond. “What became clear in Hurricane Katrina is that in big events, the government isn’t going to come to your aid right away. You have to be prepared to take care of yourself,” says Rick Bissell, PhD, a professor of emergency health services at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. According to a 2008 FEMA survey, more than half of all U.S. households have some sort of disaster preparation in place. If yours isn’t one of them, here’s what you need to do.


First, make sure important papers are in order
If a flood destroys your home, you could spend weeks or even months just trying to re-create the essential documents you’ll need to get back on track. That’s why it’s critical to have backups of important papers, including the deed to your house, proof of insurance, medical records, passports, social security cards, and a list of personal contacts. Keep one copy at home in a portable case and another offsite in a safe place. And while you’re at it, use the opportunity to check whether your insurance is up to date. “People often don’t know what their homeowners’ insurance policy covers, and most don’t cover flooding,” points out Bissell. Find out what hazards your area faces, and make sure you’re protected against them.

Tailor a preparedness kit to your personal needs
Humanitarian organizations and government aid agencies offer guidelines for creating an emergency preparedness kit. But along with the basics like food and water, it’s important to have what you need for your particular situation. You may not need extra blankets in southern California, but you do need escape ladders in case of wildfire. And you’ll want extra extra blankets to survive a winter power outage in Maine
Think about what you need for the safety of your house, too. Knowing where to find the main electrical and water shutoffs—and having the right wrench to turn them—can make the difference between a house that weathers the storm and one that experiences catastrophic flooding or fire.

A basic emergency preparedness kit
FEMA recommends you keep a “grab and go” bag with these items in case you need to evacuate:

Water: One gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation; double if you live in a very hot climate, have young kids, or are nursing. Bottled water is best, but you can also store tap water in food-grade containers or two-liter soda bottles that have been sanitized. Factor in your pet’s water needs, too.

Food: At least a three-day supply of nonperishables and a can opener. Pack protein, fruit, and vegetables, but make sure they’re in a form you actually like—it’s bad enough not to have access to fresh food without also having to subsist on nothing but canned tuna. Include treats like cereal bars, trail mix, and Tootsie Rolls. Store food in pest-proof plastic or metal tubs and keep it in a cool, dry place.

Flashlights and extra batteries: “Candles are not recommended because there are many house fires caused by candles left unattended,” says David Riedman, a public affairs officer with FEMA.

First-aid supplies: Two pairs of sterile gloves, adhesive bandages and sterile dressings, soap or other cleanser, antibiotic towelettes and ointment, burn ointment, eye wash, thermometer, scissors, tweezers, petroleum jelly, aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever, and stomach analgesics such as Tums, Pepto-Bismol, and a laxative. (All those Tootsie Rolls can be hard to digest.)

Sanitation and hygiene supplies: Moist towelettes, paper towels, toilet paper, garbage bags, and plastic ties. You might also want travel-size shampoo, toothpaste/toothbrush, and deodorant.

Radio or TV: Keep a portable, battery- or crank-operated radio or television and extra batteries to remain connected in case the power goes out, as well as an extra cell phone charger. You can buy a good emergency radio online from the Red Cross.

Plastic sheeting, duct tape, and dust masks: In case you need to seal your home or shelter from airborne contaminants.

Extra items: A whistle to signal for help, a favorite toy or other comfort items for kids.

Cash.

Update your kit as your needs change, and replace food and water approaching its expiration date. You might pick a specific time each year to check, such as before hurricane season in the south or after Thanksgiving if you live in the north.

Wendy Paris is a New York-based writer whose work has appeared in This Old House magazine and other publications. She keeps chocolate chips on hand in case of emergency.