Are you still wondering if it’s a good time to buy real estate in Destin FL or along Scenic Hwy 30A?
Has your dream been to own a vacation property? Did you get priced out of the market during the crazy boom time? Want to buy at the bottom of the market?
Yes, yes and yes?! continue reading
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Whatever your specialty, you can find opportunities for business growth.
With prices expected to rise slightly in both existing- and new-home sales in 2012, buyers may not get quite the same bargain they got last year. Still, conditions remain favorable for buyers, and NAR is forecasting a 5 percent increase in existing-home sales over 2011. Here are three pockets of opportunity.
1. International investment. With U.S. real estate values down, a favorable currency exchange rate, and the promise of a stable place to invest while Europe deals with debt crises in Greece, Spain, Italy, and other countries, foreign buyers continue to stream steadily to the United States.
“People [are trying] to move their cash somewhere safer,” says Brian Block, broker-associate with RE/MAX Allegiance in Arlington and McLean, Va.
Elaine Murphy Carlson, a broker-associate with RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty in Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif., says foreign investors who stayed away during the darkest days of the financial crisis are coming back. Indeed, NAR’s 2011 Profile of International Home Buying Activity shows foreign households bought $82 billion worth of residential real estate last year, up from $66 billion in 2010.
Block says the investors he works with are professionally successful individuals with cash available. “They will buy when they see a good deal,” he says. He has gained investor business by demonstrating a solid knowledge of the market and finding networking opportunities, from local Chamber of Commerce meetings to regular real estate industry functions.
2. Distressed inventory in centrally located neighborhoods. Affordable housing in inner-ring suburbs or center city areas may be real estate’s sweet spot in 2012, Block says, because buyers today aren’t looking just for bargains, they’re looking for convenience and lifestyle amenities. A 2011 survey of U.S. adults conducted for NAR by research firm Belden Russonello & Stewart seems to support Block’s assertion. Nearly six in ten adults (58 percent) said they’d prefer to live in a neighborhood with a mix of houses and stores and other businesses within an easy walk. more
Block says he has seen first-hand the shift among both first-timers and retirees toward smaller, close-to-the-city homes in walkable neighborhoods. He reaches out to potential clients by using social media and blogging to talk about issues like lengthy commutes.
3. Rentals. Rising rental rates in many markets are making home ownership a more appealing option, especially for those seeking to buy distressed property. But many households aren’t financially ready to buy, either because of credit dings or the continuing overly tight credit restrictions of lenders. Others are waiting to make sure home prices have bottomed out. That’s why many real estate companies have shifted their business model to include rental and property management.
Bill Bloomberg, broker-owner of Distinctive Rental Homes in Eden Prairie, Minn., opened his business in 2011 with high-end rentals as his central focus, providing assistance to both renters and owners who choose to rent rather than sell their property.
Bloomberg, who has nine years of experience working in conventional real estate sales, says helping owners find tenants is a great way to retain clients who might otherwise have turned to another real estate professional.
“If a listing isn’t selling, it’s usually because of price. However, most owners are going to try to switch to another agent first to see if that will make a difference,” Bloomberg says. “Presenting an option such as renting can prevent that from happening.”
And when owners opt to rent their property rather than sell it, they may be providing a unique opportunity, helping renters get one foot into a neighborhood that’s currently beyond their buying power, says Gina Chirico, sales associate with Lattimer Realty in Fairfield, N.J.
Best Year Ever!
Real Estate Today, the radio show about all things real estate, is opening the year with a series of shows devoted to helping sellers, buyers, property owners, and investors make 2012 the “best year ever.” The weekly two-hour show is broadcast in 165 markets and in all 50 states. To embed the free audio player on your Web site, visit www.retradio.com.
To attract rentals and tenants, Bloomberg says, he keeps up with sites that renters frequent such as Craigslist and syndication sites such as ListHub, Postlets, and vFlyer. He also relies on referrals, listings bringing other listings, and basic cold calling.
“As long as wages go down, traditional homes sales will suffer,” Bloomberg says. “People say I’m pessimistic, but understanding how the economy works has helped me make the adjustments I needed to make it in my business.” Another plus, he says: Rentals are less stressful than sales.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg recognizes that today’s renters could well become buyers of the future. The majority of renters (63 percent) say they are at least somewhat likely to purchase a home in the future. Among them, young adults (age 18 to 24) have the strongest aspirations for home ownership, according to an NAR survey of 3,793 adults conducted by Harris Interactive and released in January 2011.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Feb. 1, 2012 – Consumer confidence among Floridians surged in January, up seven points to 77 from a revised December reading of 70, marking a steady rise in optimism, according to the University of Florida’s (UF) monthly survey.
Four of the five categories measured by the survey found increased optimism. One category that asks survey takers if they’re better off financially than they were a year ago rose four points to 60, its highest level since March 2008 when the U.S. economy began to falter. Expectations that their personal finances will improve by this time next year rose eight points to 86.
In addition, confidence in the nation’s economy over the next year went up dramatically by 14 points to 74. Trust in the U.S. economy over the next five years was upbeat, too, moving 10 points to 83. These figures parallel results of a University of Michigan study that show consumer confidence across the nation shot up from 69.9 in December to 75 in January.
Only one category dropped – whether or not it’s a good time to buy big-ticket items such as an automobile or a refrigerator, which fell four points to 81.
“Consumer confidence in Florida is now back to the level it was in January 2011,” says Chris McCarty, director of UF’s Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. “We are beginning the year with the same pattern as last year where there were relatively steady increases in confidence from the end of the summer with a surge to 77 in January 2011. This was followed by seven months of decline with the low of 61 in August 2011 when Congress debated the debt ceiling.”
“Residential real estate sales are stronger than they’ve been in the past five years,” said Mary Anne Windes of Real Estate Professionals of Destin. “Some buyers are still hanging on to see what happens in the 2012 elections, but many are taking advantage of the huge inventory, low prices and historically low interest rates.”
With a real estate market that continues to recover from its historic drop over the past decade, there are plenty of signs that point to a recovery and stabilization of the current market.
For local broker Richard Eimers, of the Eimers Group Inc., we are back in what he calls the “new normal” market. For the first quarter, numbers showed that from Destin to Inlet Beach, south of U.S. Hwy. 98, there was a total of 14 months worth of inventory.
“That’s the lowest it’s been in 7 years,” he said. “In the world of supply and demand, supply is down.”
Early measurements on first quarter activity, which runs from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2011, are pretty much “on par” with what they saw last year, Eimers added.
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Shared by www.Debbiejames.com
Decorating Ideas on A Budget
It is January, a New Year and time to relax after the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season. The festive decorations are put away and all of a sudden, the house looks rather bare. Ho-hum is what you say… are you bored yet? Well, don’t be!
Now is a great time to freshen and update your home for the upcoming springtime. If you are on a tight budget, not to worry! You can spend little to no money to freshen the look with these decorating ideas on a budget!
The first decorating idea begins by rejuvenating the kitchen, the hub of the home. Stand in the door well, or back a bit from the room, and take a good look. Painting is always an inexpensive way (if you paint yourself) to change the look of a room. Check out a blog post I did on “The Meaning of Colors” to help you decide on a paint color. Continue reading →
Posted in Destin Florida Real Estate, Destin Gulf Front Real Estate, Destin Real Estate Stimulus, News Tagged beach house florida, beach houses in destin, beach of south Walton, beaches in florida, beaches of south walton, best florida beaches, condos in destin fl, destin beach, destin beach fl, destin beach florida, destin condos, Destin Florida, florida gulf coast, grayton beach florida, miramar beach florida, panama beach florida, panama city beach florida, rosemary beach florida, seacrest beach, seacrest beach fl, seacrest beach florida, seacrest florida, seagrove beach, Seagrove Beach Florida, seagrove florida, Seaside Florida, south Walton, south walton beach, south walton florida, the beaches of south Walton
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – An issue discussed at the recent Florida Realtors Mid-Winter Meetings appears resolved, at least for now. Citizen’s Property Insurance Corp. – the state-owned insurer of last resort – relied on a single vendor, 360Value, to estimate a building’s replacement costs that, in turn, impact the amount of property insurance an owner had to buy.
A number of Realtors and homeowners, however, felt that 360Value overestimated replacement costs, forcing owners to overpay for insurance. Consequently – and in response to criticism from Florida Realtors, homeowners, the media and others – Citizens says it will now consider other sources when calculating replacement cost, including other software firms, appraisers, contractors and more. Continue reading →
By: Debbie James
History in the making! The traditional Real Estate Brokerage does not allow for any ownership opportunities. Just another way Eimers Group is different!
Pictured from left to right, John Holahan (Realtor), Amanda Bonne (Realtor), Richard Eimers (Broker/Owner), Angie Griffith (Closing Coordinator), and Debbie James (Broker Associate).
Plus a 7 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean with the 3 top agents….. gotta love it! Leaving for the cruise on Saturday… Yay!
Posted in Destin Florida Real Estate, Destin Gulf Front Real Estate, Destin Real Estate Stimulus, News Tagged beach house florida, beach houses in destin, beach of south Walton, beaches in florida, beaches of south walton, best florida beaches, condos in destin fl, destin beach, destin beach fl, destin beach florida, destin condos, Destin Florida, florida gulf coast, grayton beach florida, miramar beach florida, panama beach florida, panama city beach florida, rosemary beach florida, seacrest beach, seacrest beach fl, seacrest beach florida, seacrest florida, seagrove beach, Seagrove Beach Florida, seagrove florida, Seaside Florida, south Walton, south walton beach, south walton florida, the beaches of south Walton
Where will you be singing this song on New Years Eve 2011?
Auld Lang Syne : Lyrics
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!
Chorus: For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.
(Scott’s poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and put to music)
No matter where you are this New Years Eve 2011, you will probably hear the traditional “Auld Lang Syne” being played and/or sung at midnight.
In Destin FL, Harbor Walk Village will begin the festivities of December 31st at 7:00 pm. The Emerald Grande will host a Viva Vegas 
dinner show with Ron Adams as Elvis and the Yat Pack Tribute Band in the ballroom. Or try your hand at the Luxe Vegas in the Harborview Room, accompanied by jazz music by Kendal Shelton. For reservations and more information you can contact the Emerald Grande at: 850-424-0613 mkidney@emeraldgrande.com Continue reading →
By DebbieJ
Let us begin our shopping in Destin, Florida.
The Year In Money 2011
Home prices are down 4.4% nationwide this year, while some areas are still searching for a bottom, others are starting to bounce back. A look at the best, from Zillow.com:
1 Fort Myers, Fla. One-year price gain: 5.1%
Average home value: $124,500
2 Bay City, Mich. One-year price gain: 4.6%
Average home value: $80,700
3 Pittsburgh, Pa. One-year price gain: 3.2%
Average home value: $110,700
4 Destin, Fla. One-year price gain: 2.9%
5 Ann Arbor, Mich. One-year price gain: 1.8%
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