31 December 2011
29 December 2011
Increase in short sales give market a little breathing room
Sherri E. Spears
REALTOR, CDPE
772.341.4957 (m)
772.419.0676 (d)
23 December 2011
Mortgage Rates..a little good news for the holidays....
Mortgage Rates...How Low Can They Go?
12/22/2011 By: Carrie Bay
Mortgage interest rates continue to head south. Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year fixed-mortgage rate as well as adjustable rate products all sank to new all-time record lows this week, while the 15-year fixed rate settled in to match its historic low.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.91 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending December 22, dropping below last week’s previous record low mark of 3.94 percent. The average 30-year rate is now nearly a full percentage point below its level this time last year of 4.81 percent.
“Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages have been at or below 4 percent for the last eight weeks and now are almost 0.9 percentage points below where they were at the beginning of the year,” noted Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Nothaft says all those percentage basis points translate into $1,200 less a year on a $200,000 loan when you compare current rates versus borrowing costs 12 months ago.
The 15-year fixed rate matched last week’s all-time record low at 3.21 percent (0.8 point). A year ago at this time, the 15-year rate was averaging 4.15 percent. Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) also hit new all-time lows in Freddie Mac’s survey this week. The GSE puts the average rate for a 5-year ARM at 2.85 percent (0.6 point) That’s down from 2.86 percent last week and 3.75 percent a year ago. The 1-year ARM came in at 2.77 percent (0.6 point) this week, down from last week when it averaged 2.81 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM was averaging 3.40 percent. Nothaft says the greater homebuyer affordability afforded by today’s rock-bottom interest rates helped push existing home sales higher for the second consecutive month in November to an annualized pace of 4.42 million, the most since January.
Freddie’s chief economist also points to positive indicators in the new home sector, with construction of single-family showing a back-to-back monthly gain in November, with the largest increase since June, and homebuilder confidence in December rising to its highest reading since May 2010.
Wishing you wonderful Holidays!
Warm Regards,
Susan Anderson
(We will be closed Monday December 26th)
Universal Land Title, LLC
1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd, Suite 500
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 635-3313 (561) 472-6144 fax
sanderson@universallandtitle.com
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18 December 2011
Yummy Recipes To Get You Through The Week
View in your web browser | Visit ZipList.com
The Ultimate 7-Layer Dip
Mel's Kitchen Cafe
So fresh and tasty, it's easy to keep thinking "just one more chip, just one more chip."
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CrockPot BBQ Beer Chicken
How Sweet It Is
A great meal for a crowd and if your smart you'll make a big crock for yourself!
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Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups
Martha Stewart
It only takes 5 ingredients to make this adorable breakfast dish.
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Cookie Dough Dip
Add a Pinch
One bite of this stuff and you will be gone - hook, line and sinker! Plus, only takes 10 min.
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Rudolph the Red Velvet Cupcake
Skinnytaste
These festive reindeer cupcakes are made with cake mix.......don't tell!
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Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Macheesmo
If you are a bit colder and busier this time of year then this tasty dish is for you.
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Herbed-Parmesan Crisps
Weight Watchers
4 ingredients and only 1 point! Add to a salad or grab one for a mid-day snack.
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15 December 2011
5 Things to do Now to Buy a Home in 2012
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Pictures Request!
Hey there TC Agents,
Do you have pictures from any potlucks or socials from this year? I’m finalizing the slide show for the party tomorrow.
Thanks!
Jennifer Knowles
Keller Williams Realty of the Treasure Coast
( (772) 419.0400
7 (772) 419.0601 FAX
Some Florida lawmakers want to repossess foreclosed homes more quickly
By Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Updated: 9:52 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011
Posted: 8:49 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011
The Senate judiciary committee, which has discussed ways to reduce the average two-year timeline to repossess a home in Florida, is scheduled to meet today in Tallahassee.
Committee member Sen. David Simmons, R-Maitland, said this week that he has drafted a bill that would change Florida Statute 702.10, a 1993 law that requires a property owner to "show cause" why a final foreclosure judgment should not be entered on an expedited basis. The bill isn't on the agenda yet.
According to a foreclosure report by Senate staff that was presented to the committee last month, bank lawyers haven't used the law because they believe it is limited to nonresidential property and doesn't allow for a deficiency judgment to be entered against the owner.
The report also says that the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed into law in July 2010, puts limits on nonjudicial foreclosures and that adopting a nonjudicial process would require substantial changes to property laws.
Simmons said the Florida Bankers Association asked him to work on a proposal that will help clear an estimated court backlog of 371,000 foreclosure cases. His bill, which would affect current foreclosures, is still being drafted and not yet available online, he said.
"We've got to create an expedited method of dealing with this that will take down the backlog where the homeowner has no defenses and is simply waiting it out, or where the homes are abandoned," Simmons said. "At the same time, if there is a legitimate defense that a homeowner wants to raise, then they need to be able to raise it."
Florida is one of 21 states that have strict judicial foreclosure proceedings, meaning banks must get a judge's approval before repossessing a home.
Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, was the first this year to file a bill aimed at expediting foreclosures. The proposal, HB 213, has since been substantially rewritten to include changes to the same statute Simmons hopes to amend, she said Tuesday.
She said her changes would require the courts to decide whether a homeowner has a legitimate defense to fight the foreclosure. If not, the judge could issue a final judgment.
"Some defenses should be heard, but if the borrower just responds by saying 'I don't want to move out,' that doesn't do anyone any good," Passidomo said. "At some point, we've got to get these houses back on the market and this issue resolved."
Passidomo said her bill also would allow third parties, such as homeowners associations, to move foreclosures forward when banks are delaying action.
Foreclosure defense attorneys and homeowner advocates have opposed changes to Florida law that would take cases out of the court system. They argue that chain of ownership confusion created by the mass securitization of mortgages, as well as paperwork problems caused by banks taking foreclosure shortcuts, would sail through without correction if judges were taken out of the process.
Expedited foreclosure legislation has failed the past few years in Florida, but bank representatives and lawmakers believe they have a better chance of getting something passed during the 2012 session.
"Everyone is starting to realize that to turn around the economy we have to get through this housing market," said Anthony DiMarco, executive vice president of government affairs for the Florida Bankers Association.
Another Business Booster from Mark Daly - Beyond the Entrepreneur
From: Mark Daly <mdaly@grouponemortgage.us>
Date: Sat, Nov 26, 2011 at 8:33 AM
Subject: Another Business Booster from Mark Daly - Beyond the Entrepreneur
To: sherriflrealestate@gmail.com
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| Beyond the Entrepreneur Becoming a Business Owner
As Gerber says, "The technical work of a business—and a business that does that technical work—are two totally different things!" Take the general contractor as an example: Building a house requires a far different skillset than advertising a business and keeping the books. That's not to say the contractor shouldn't go into business for himself, but rather that he must put on his businessman's hat when he's working on his business. The same is true for any profession. Kiyosaki goes further by dividing the enterpreneur from the business owner. He believes that while being one's own boss may seem preferable to being someone else's employee, still better is to have no boss, but rather to own the business and be able to go on vacation without the business suffering. When the self-employed electrician gets sick, his business stops. When he wants a vacation, he doesn't get paid time off. He is the business, rather than the business owner. The "Business Owner or Self-Employed" quiz that Kiyosaki offers is just one question: Can you walk away from your business for six months, and come back to have it running as well as, if not better than, before? If not, you're technically just an employee of your own business. The freedom that comes from working for yourself is just the first step towards true financial freedom. If that's as much your dream as it is mine, I hope we can help each other along the way. Stay tuned for more Business Boosters coming your way! ¹ The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber, © 1995, Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
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Two fantastic sources for entrepreneurs are The E-Myth Revisited¹ by Michael Gerber and Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant² by Robert Kiyosaki. Gerber's book is accurately sub-titled: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It. He examines the small business and the entrepreneur, and his results are intuitive but important.You received this email as a result of your ongoing business relationship with Mark Daly. While beneficial to a wide audience, this information is also commercial in nature and it may contain advertising materials.
UNSUBSCRIBE: If you would like to stop receiving emails from Mark Daly, you can easily unsubscribe.
Mark Daly
Group One Mortgage
900 E Indiantown Road
Jupiter, FL 33477
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© Copyright 2011. All About News, Inc.
06 December 2011
Light up your Holiday!!!
-
LED Holiday Lights: 6 Need-to-Know Tips
LED holiday lights vs. old-fashioned bulbs: 6 tips to help you decide which is right for you. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
05 December 2011
This is REAL LIFE
I remember having a mini baking set that I used when my mom would make he famous Chocolate Chip Pies. She would always make a little extra for me to have enough for my mini version. Those are days I'll never forget and as busy as I am helping people navigate this crazy real estate market, I want my children to have the same memories with me as I do with my mom. So....
Tonight my kids got a cooking lesson. Instead of ordering Pizza Hut Tuscany Chicken Alfredo (that they love, BTW!) we made our version of it along with Cheddar Garlic Biscuits (follow the recipe on the Bisquick box). So here's how we did it... Unbelieveably easy!
1 pound of chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 box of Ziti Rigati
2-3 cups of cheese sauce
1/2 c Mozzerella
Cheese sauce:
1 cup of hard cheese, grated (parmesean, manchego, romano, etc) I used manchego and parmesen.
2 T butter
2 T flour
2+ c milk
Put butter and flour in a pot and melt over medium heat. Stir roux until light brown. Slowly add milk and whisk until blend. Add milk a little at a time while thickening the sauce. Add cheese and blend thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Put the pasta on to boil per instructions. Saute the chicken, set aside. Drain pasta. Stir in Cheese Sauce and chicken. Pour into a baking dish, sprinkle with Mozerella. Place into a 400F oven until heated through and cheese is melted.
The kids did have certain tasks... some of which I ended up finishing. My daughter was helping with the bissuits, but they proved to messy for my little prima donna. She was amazed watching me. though. She asked how it didn't stick to my hands. Kids are so funny! My oldest son wanted to cut the chicken into pieces before we cooked it. I showed him what I wanted and he tried... really he did! This time I took the knife and volunteered to finish. Enough said! My kids devoured this and loved it even more because they got to help me make it!! If you have children, I hope you enjoy teaching them. If you don't, I hope you just enjoy!!!
04 December 2011
I'm Still Here....
I am currently preparing to be installed as the President Elect of the Stuart-Martin County Women's Council of REALTORS. Check us out! I can't wait. Our leadership team is fantastic and we are going to rock all year long. It's going to be the experience of a lifetime!
If you're in town and can join us, the 2012 Officer Installation is Thursday, December 15th from 1130a to 100p at Piper's Landing in Palm City. Please RSVP to Diane.Romer.Realtor@gmail.com or the reservation line 772-223-7466. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. It's a fabulous group of women AND men, so come out and do some networking with us!
On other fronts, namely food, Stuart got a new grocery store!!!! The Fresh Market. There are so many taste sensations in the store, I barely know where to begin. My new favorite snacks are dehydrated green beans and okra. Crunchy and a little sweet and salty... YUMMMM! I hear some of you naysayers now... All I've got for you is don't knock it till you've tried it!
Also, there are no good Indian restaurants unless I trek all the way down to Palm Beach. And while I love Palm Beach, I can't really see going all the way there unless it's going to be a night out with dinner and a show or something other that just dinner. I found these packets of prepared curry like Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken. Last night was a buffet of deliciousness with Rogan Josh Lamb, Butter Chicken and Shrimp Tikka Masala.
Yes, I will freely admit that I am a foodaholic. If you're not, you should try it sometime, there is a world of food just waiting to be tasted. If you are, then tell me about some of your favorite things!
All the best!!!
Sherri
26 November 2011
Red, Red Wine - A New Malbec Tonight
Anyway, World Market has a really nice wine section and the prices are competitive. (A good wine does NOT have to cost an arm and a leg!) Long story short, I've been introducing my mom to the world of red wine. Every time I come to visit, we try something new. Last visit I brought her a bottle of Cupcake Cabernet Sauvignon. This visit I introduced Malbec. So, tonight we are drinking an Argentinian Malbec from Mendoza. Finca el Origen Reserva. It's fruity, but not sweet on the front with a spicy finish. Nice and full and a little velvety, but not too heavy. AND it was only $8.99!!!
Check out World Market, especially if you have to get a gift for the person who has everything... www.WorldMarket.com.
If you're venturing into the world of wine and you're a little scared to dive right in, here are my suggestions:
1) Write down the name of what you like so you don't forget. Or there is an App called Corkbin that let's you take a picture and store notes on your phone.
2) Go to a place like World Market or Total Wine. Total Wine has wine tastings and very knowledgeable staff to help you choose.
3) Find a wine bar (in Stuart we have one called Crush) and go tasting!
4) Once you find a grape (Cabernet, Malbec, Zinfandel) you like, buy what's on sale and try it. I do that at Publix all the time with the wines in the discount bin. You never know what you might find!
I hope you all have had a fantastic holiday! I have so enjoyed spending time with my family.
Happy tasting!
25 November 2011
Epiphany
Ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you that I am a food and wine snob. I wouldn't say I'm a snob, I just know what I like. Thanksgiving dinner was no exception to the "what I like" rule.
My mother made a Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Pecan Crust for dessert yesterday. Oh my goodness, I ate it yesterday and had it for lunch today. If you love cheesecake, then this is a must! The recipe is posted below. It was the perfect marriage of pumpkin pie and cheesecake with a little pecan pie thrown in for good measure. All the holiday staples in one delectable place.
Kudos to Paula Deen for the recipe and kudos to my mother who executed the perfect ending to a perfect day spent with family!
For the filling: Pumpkin Cheesecake on the Food Network
For the crust:
2 1/2 c ground pecans
1/4 t cinnamon
1/3 c sugar
4 T melted butter
Mix together and press into a spring form pan. Chill for about 45 minutes. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Cool completely before filling.
26 September 2011
28 August 2011
09 August 2011
08 August 2011
06 August 2011
01 August 2011
19 July 2011
Missing Mortgage Payments?
15 July 2011
MARS short sale disclosure rules canceled for Realtors
As a result of the stay on enforcement, real estate licensees who provide short sale services will not have to make the disclosures required by MARS as far as the FTC is concerned. However, the FTC announcement also gave Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi the ability to overrule the FTC within the State of Florida.
Florida Realtors has contacted Bondi’s office, but an official answer isn’t expected before next week at the earliest. In the meantime, Florida Realtors Law and Policy department recommends that Realtors continue to use the MARS disclosures until further notice.
The FTC stay on MARS rules enforcement applies only to real estate licensees and defines them as ones who: 1) are licensed and in good standing under state licensing requirements; 2) comply with state laws governing the practices of real estate professionals; and 3) assist or attempt to assist consumers in obtaining short sales in the course of securing the sale of their homes.
The stay does not apply to real estate licensees who provide other types of mortgage assistance relief services, such as loan modifications. It also does not give real estate licensees permission to use any unfair or deceptive practices banned under MARS.
NAR has been working with the FTC for several months to minimize the potential impact on real estate professionals who help financially distressed clients obtain short sales.
The complete FTC decision is available online in PDF format.
This is exciting news for real estate agents who have been working diligently to help distressed homeowners. It is unfortunate the a handful of "bad apples" created such a mess that these guidelines had to be imposed in the first place. So, on behalf of all the real estate agents out there who follow the rules and do what's in the best interest of client... THANK YOU!
12 July 2011
Free foreclosure prevention workshops planned in Florida
The workshops are sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as part of the Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program, along with the HOPE NOW Alliance and NeighborWorks America®.
During the two events, homeowners may be able to have a face-to-face meeting with a representative from their mortgage lender or local housing counselor. Homeowners also will be able to find out if they qualify for the Making Home Affordable Program or other options from their lenders. Each event is expected to draw about 20 mortgage lender companies, a large number of housing counselors and between 750 to 1,000 homeowners. Representatives from HUD, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Hardest Hit Funds will be available.
Organizers are looking for volunteers to help with the two events in a number of capacities.
“Volunteers are critical to the success of the day,” said Bonnie Wolferd, a consultant working on behalf of NeighborWorks America, the HOPE NOW Alliance and Making Home Affordable programs. “We need at least 50 volunteers per shift (three to four shifts) to help us with registration, exit surveys, directional guidance, translation and additional assistance that will help the day run smoothly for the homeowner.
“We hope Realtors in these areas reach out to homeowners they know who may benefit from these workshops,” she said. “We’re also counting on Realtors to help by volunteering behind the scenes. Realtors have played an important part in volunteer service at each of these workshops held across the country, and we hope to have a large Realtor volunteer response for the two Florida events.”
For questions, information on what homeowners should bring to the workshops and to volunteer, please contact Bonnie Wolferd at bonnie@wolferdconsulting.com or (713) 819-3156.
© 2011 Florida Realtors®
11 July 2011
South Florida's New Foreclosure Filings Fall 51% in Second Quarter
By: Heather Hill Cernoch
“Consider that lenders are filing an average of only 78 foreclosure actions per day in 2011 compared to more than 290 per day in the first half of 2009,” Zalewski said. “The question is whether the number of filings will increase once the administrative irregularities tied to foreclosure process in Florida can be resolved by the lenders and regulators.”
Lenders filed 61 percent fewer notices of default in the tri-county South Florida region between October and December of last year than they did during the same three-month period in 2009, according to the report. The aftereffects continue to impact the South Florida market.
Lenders have also slowed foreclosure efforts due to the rising costs and difficulty involved with repossessing properties from borrowers in default, CondoVultures explained in a statement.
Prior to the real estate crash, lenders expected the foreclosure process to take about six months to complete and cost about $40,000. In South Florida today, lenders now plan for an 18-month repossession process at about $100,000 per property. Nearly 280,000 notices of default have been filed against borrowers in South Florida between January 2007 and June 2011.
03 July 2011
Know Someone Who is Missing Mortgage Payments?
30 June 2011
JUNE - 2011 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter
The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau and Realtor.org reports, videos, key market indicators and real estate sales statistics, a video message by a nationally recognized economist, maps, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, plus local neighborhood information and more.
Please click here to view the JUNE -2011 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter.
If you are interested in determining the value of your home, click the Home Evaluator link for a free evaluation report.
14 June 2011
10 June 2011
07 June 2011
06 June 2011
Lenders are back in the game!
01 June 2011
30 May 2011
27 May 2011
Sellers are motivated!
24 May 2011
20 May 2011
Home prices are trending back up.
13 May 2011
Mortgage rates are at rock bottom and won’t stay there forever!
10 May 2011
05 May 2011
Buyers have the edge!
28 April 2011
It's prime time to buy a home!
27 April 2011
26 April 2011
25 April 2011
24 April 2011
21 April 2011
20 April 2011
19 April 2011
15 April 2011
12 April 2011
07 April 2011
06 April 2011
05 April 2011
29 March 2011
28 March 2011
25 March 2011
24 March 2011
23 March 2011
22 March 2011
21 March 2011
19 March 2011
10 March 2011
28 February 2011
26 February 2011
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