A wish…

for simpler times,

for people to come together,

and for peace to all across the nation!

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment, New Construction and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Recently, I was out showing houses to local buyers. We looked at a number of houses over a couple of days. The buyers narrowed the selection down to the two that were there favorites. Lucky, because today buyer’s can’t always find two. They were weighing their options and looking at the pros and cons of which house they wanted to buy. I recommended we go back and look at them a second time.

It’s good for a buyer to look at houses a second time, on a different day, at a different time of day (if possible, in our market of multiple offers).

A house can look different the second time around. The buyer had seen numerous properties, so their perception has changed. The way they look at houses has changed, as they get a better idea of what’s on the market, what they want and what their money can buy them.

Lighting, shadows, temperatures and neighborhood activity change throughout the day.

Often, buyers don’t remember certain aspects of a particular property. Or, at first, they didn’t think to look for certain things in a property. They often see things differently in a house, the second time around.

So, whenever possible, it’s always a great idea to take a second look, before you write that offer to purchase.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Relocations, New Construction and Investment

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

Brevard County FL Real Estate, including single family residential, condo, and townhouses:

Statistics through the Melbourne Association of Realtors for January 2013 are as follows:

There were 930 new listings.

There were 332 sold listings.

Average sales price was $138,779.

Average days on the market were 102.

For single family residential units only:

There were 682 new listings.

This is an increase of 20.71% from January 2012 of 565 new listings.

There were 250 sold listings.

This is a decrease of 4.94% from January 2012 of 263 sold listings.

The average sales price in January 2013 was $151,313.

This is an increase of 3.35% from January 2012 of $146,410.

Average days on the market were 84, a decrease of 32.26% from January 2012 of 124 days.

Source: Melbourne Association of Realtors

Brevard County showed a 5.73% increase in the number of total properties (single family, condo & townhouses) sold in January 2013 compared to January 2012. We saw a decrease of 6.55% in average sales price from last year to present.

We are finding that clean, well priced properties are still moving off the market quickly. 139 of the properties sold in January sold within the first 30 days on the market. This is a great reminder that a well priced property will move off of the market quickly.

We are still finding a large percentage of investors in the market, scooping up properties, in multiple offer situations.

Cash buyers are still out in the market in full force, with 168 buyers paying cash. There were 84 buyers that used conventional loans to purchase properties in January.

Our second/vacation home market is still strong. This is the time of year that snowbirds are considering purchases in our area, because of the great weather. They’ll be leaving to head back up north, in the next couple of months, and some would prefer to own, than to rent again next year.

In some areas, in some price points, the inventory of properties for sale is down by 50% to 60%. So, many lower priced houses are in multiple offer situations.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

 

I recently read asking if house prices are, again, rising too quickly. The CNBC article indicated that inventories of homes for sale are down. Thus, causing an increase in property prices. Prices in some areas increased by 8% from December 2011 to December 2012.

For those in our area, buyers have to move quickly on a house when they see one they want to buy.

The scope of the market is continually changing. We are seeing multiple offers on houses under $125,000. The "good ones" are going first and quickly. That may be the most important information we are trying to get out to our buyers.

International buyers, second home buyers from Northern states, and investors are all scooping up deals on Brevard County real estate. We have heard that 20% to 40% of the buyers in the market today are investors, with 60% of them being new investors. 50% of our buyers are paying cash.

We’ve been in situations where we’ve had buyers find a house that suits their wants, their needs, and their budgets. The buyers are tickled. However, some buyers want to take time to think about the house they see and do some research before making a decision, and understandably so. This is the biggest purchase of their lives. However, a week or two later, when they are ready to make an offer, the house they want is under contract with another buyer.

It’s a difficult situation for a discouraged buyer that doesn’t get the house they have their heart set on. So, they begin their search again, looking for a house to suit their wants, their needs and the type of financing they are applying for. Then, it’s only natural for them to compare the other houses they see to the one that got away.

So, when out looking for a house in Brevard County FL, remember we are back to multiple offer situations. The good ones are moving off the market, quickly. Be sure you’ve got your preapproval letter in hand when you head out. And once we’ve done our homework, be sure you’re ready to go.

To read the full CNBC article on rising prices and dwindling inventory check here.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

 

The National Association of Realtors has released their 2012 Year End Statistics for existing home sales.

In 2012 existing home sales increased by 9.2% from 2011. This is the highest increase since 2007.

The National average home price increased from December 2011 to 2012 by 11.5% to $180,800. This was a 10 month year over year increase.

The national average median price increased by 6.3% to $176,600. This is the largest increase since 2005.

Our inventories of homes for sale at 2012 year end are at the lowest they have been since the housing boom in mid 2005. With just 1.82 million units, this is only a 4.4% supply of inventory.

Chief economist, Lawrence Yun, for the National Association of Realtors predicts that, "both sales and prices will again be higher in 2013."

So, those that are holding out for "that great deal" you may want to rethink your strategy and start moving forward on those good deals, if you can still find them. Every day we are seeing fewer properties on the market for sale.

Check out the National Association Year-End Statistics.

Interesting, but we are not currently hearing about that “shadow inventory” of foreclosures that has yet to come on the market.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

Congratulations to Jim and Sonya on the purchase of your new rental house.

I am looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship of working with you two!

You two are great!

Thank you for hiring me to help you buy your investment property!

And, Michele S. thank you so much for passing my name along to them. I appreciate it so much!

Remember: In investing, it’s not about buying the prettiest house on the street, it’s about the rate of return on your initial investment, and how much your monthly cash flow will be.

Renters are always looking for good, clean, affordable homes.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

Brevard County FL Real Estate, including single family residential, condo, and townhouses:

Statistics through the Melbourne Association of Realtors December 2012 are as follows:

There were 618 new listings.

There were 425 sold listings.

Average sales price was $167,933.

Average days on the market were 113.

For single family residential units only:

There were 418 new listings.

This is an increase of .97% from December 2011 of new listings.

There were 320 sold listings.

This is an increase of 4.38% from December 2011 of 320 sold listings.

The average sales price in December 2012 was $167,083.

This is an increase of 19.02% from December 2011 of $140,386.

Average days on the market were 86, a decrease of 18.10% from December 2011 of 105 days.

2012 Year End figures are as follows:

There were 10,198 new listings in 2012 through the Melbourne Association of Realtors. This is an increase of 10.62% from the 9219 new listings in 2011.

There were 5,755 sold listings in 2012 through the Melbourne Association of Realtors. This is an increase of 12.93% from the 5,096 sold listings in 2011.

In Brevard County FL there were a total of 9803 properties sold. 6014 of these were standard sales. 2156 were short sales. And, 1614 were foreclosures or HUD homes.

The average sales price in 2012 for single family homes was $154,471, an increase of 6.05%, from $145,660.

Condos increased in value by a whooping 21.25% from $124,115 in 2011 to $150,487 in 2012.

Days on the market for single family homes decreased by 23.14% from 2011 at 121 to 2012 at 93.

Days on the market for condos decreased by 29.46% from 129 in 2011 to 91 in 2012.

Source: Melbourne Association of Realtors

Average sales prices have shown an increase of 6.05% for single famlly homes and a huge 21.25% in condos from 2011 to 2012.

In some areas, in some price points, the inventory of properties for sale is down by 50% to 60%. So, many lower priced houses are in multiple offer situations. Houses are selling before the signs even get planted in the front yard.

We are finding that clean, well priced properties are still moving off the market quickly. 178 of the properties sold in de December sold within the first 30 days on the market. This is a great reminder that a well priced property will move off of the market quickly.

We are still finding a large percentage of investors in the market, scooping up properties, in multiple offer situations. Cash still appears to be king in purchasing properties. 212 buyers paid cash and 123 purchased with conventional mortgages in December 2012.

It’s funny, but lately, we haven’t heard much talk about the "shadow inventory" of foreclosed homes that have yet to hit the market. When are those coming and what effect will they have on prices?

Condo sale prices have increased by 21.25%. That’s great news, when so many lenders are unable to finance some condos. Our second/vacation home market is still moving along briskly. Brevard County is still a favorite destination for those buyers moving south, or just looking for a vacation home, because our great weather, the Indian and Banana rivers and the beautiful sandy beaches.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

Listed & Sold $600,000
Rocky Point Road, Malabar FL

Direct Indian Riverfront Beauty

Nicole, thank you for hiring me to sell your father’s estate.

Your efforts, hard work, patience and understanding were unbelievable.

You are amazing!

Thank you to John and Michelle at Honor Construction.

This would have never been possible without both of you.

You both went above and beyond.

And, Amy at North American Title you took extra care,

as always, to see that it all came together in the end.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

 

"I’m looking for a bargain basement deal," the voice on the other end of the phone said, "I want to buy a $10,000 house." Hmmm, I thought, I can’t blame him. Who wouldn’t love to grab a house for $10,000? Gosh, for that price, I’d buy one. I’d probably even buy two.

Everyone wants a deal.

Brevard County property values have been dropping over the years. However, in some areas, we are seeing values slowly inching their way back upward, because of a shortage of inventory. Our inventory of homes for sale is down by 50% from last year, in some areas and price points.

Interest rates are still at historic lows.

So, we have been telling buyers that sometimes it takes patience and diligence to find exactly what they’re looking for. The house they want may not be on the market, yet.

Multiple offers are back again. I just helped an investor grab a house a couple of hours after it was input in the MLS, before the sign went up. By the time our offer was accepted, there were 3 cash buyers behind us.

If you’re heading to Brevard County, Welcome!

If you’re looking for a house for sale under $125,000, be sure to bring your patience with you. We’ve got some incredibly attractive deals right, now. Just remember, there are others in the market that are also looking for those bargain basement deals.

Just remember, don’t miss buying a good deal, because you’re focused only on finding a bargain basement deal.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on my Google Profile Page

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There

Let me that for you

 

If you own a home in Florida and live in it as your primary residence, then Florida law typically allows you a $25,000 tax exemption on the assessed value of the property. If you purchased the property in 2012, 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 homeowners may apply for homestead between January 1 and March 1, for the first time. You must have purchased your home prior to December 31, 2012. If you do not file by March 1 you may lose your rights to homestead for that year.

In order to apply for homestead for the first time, an owner must have moved into the home prior to January 1, 2012 and it must be considered your primary residence. In order to file you will need:

Florida Driver’s License, or if you don’t drive a Florida Identification Card

Florida Vehicle Registration, for all vehicles owned or leased by you, or registered to your business

Brevard County Voter Registration Card, if you are registered to vote

Social Security card or other official document that includes the social security number. (Social Security documentation is required for the spouse of each applicant even if spouse has no ownership interest in the homestead property)

If you are not a U.S. citizen, a Permanent Resident Alien Card ("Green Card")

If property is in trust, a copy of the trust agreement or a copy of a recorded Memorandum of Trust

If the taxpayer owns property in any other State or Country, a letter from the appropriate agency verifying that the taxpayer does not receive benefits based on permanent residency in that jurisdiction

A copy of your recorded deed or tax bill for property identification purposes

If the dwelling is a manufactured home, registration(s) or title(s) for the manufactured home.Florida Driver License or Florida ID card

In some cases an owner can file for homestead online. Check the website as there are certain circumstances in which you will not be allowed to file for homestead exemption online.

If you would like additional information on Homestead Exemption here is the link for the Brevard County Property Appraisers office.

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL Broker-Associate

M & M Real Estate, Inc.

Residential, Investment and Relocations

We have a team of professionals to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545 or 321-733-6080

www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com

Email me at SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

Subscribe to my blog

____________________________________________

Serving Brevard County Florida for 16 Years

Brevard County Resident for 37 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Merritt Island, Titusville, Mims,

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach,

Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

______________________________________________

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Visit me on Google+

Visit Melbourne FL Real Estate Talk on Facebook and "Like" Me There