Wilton Manors Single Family Homes - When they say "Put 'em all on an island...." Wilton Manors residents usually reply that they're already there! The US Census has noted that the village on Wilton Manors is the second gayest city in the US, with 140 same-sex couples per 1,000 residents. Wilton Manors is sandwiched (wink) between Provincetown, Mass, and Palm Springs,… Continue Reading
First Time Home Buyers Need Love, Too! - South Florida home sellers have become spoiled, and I am one of the guilty parties. The market is hot enough at the moment where we are seeing many sellers restrict the terms that they are willing to accept on their homes to conventional financing only, or cash buyers. In some instances, cash-buyers only! I must… Continue Reading
Mixed emotions–Jealousy and Rage–about Rent Control - On the MyFace today I stumbled on an article about the now-famous Herbert J. Sukenik who lived in rent-controlled apartment overlooking Central Park. http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/stubborn-tenant-holds-absolutely-insane-amount-money-finally-leave-rent-controlled-nyc-apartment/ Herb was a bit of a loner who moved into a small 350 square foot apartment back in 1974 and settled in for the long haul. The short version of the… Continue Reading
Fort Lauderdale’s old Howard Johnsons demolished this week to make way for new Luxury condo’s - This week brought the end of an era with the demolition of the former Howard Johnsons hotel that had been abandoned since Hurricane Wilma in 2007. The old hotel was severely damaged and then with the economic downturn no developer could put together a plan and the necessary resources for any sort of development. Breaking… Continue Reading
Top 4 Derogatory Credit Events and the waiting periods before you can buy a new home - Have you ever wondered how long you might have to wait after Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, or Short Sale before you can purchase your new home? Check out the chart and see how long a lender will require you to wait before you can borrow again. Link to the PDF here: http://sunshineguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Derog-Credit-Chart-Fisher-Darrow.pdf Interestingly, I recently had a… Continue Reading
Ten Hidden Hazards When Buying Foreclosures - Buying a foreclosed home can seem like a dream. Deals sound like they're too good to be true. But there are some hidden dangers in buying foreclosed properties that could be disheartening and disappointing if you're not aware of them. Continue Reading
Florida leads nation in cash-only home sales - The Florida Association of Realtors posted an interesting article yesterday about the number of sales that are cash transactions and how Florida is leading the nation in cash sales. http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?p=1&id=296212 Some of the more interesting statistics from the article: Florida led the nation last month with what one expert called an “astounding” rate… Continue Reading
Floridians are paying the 9th highest closing costs in the nation - Check out the interesting article at BankRate.com that describes how Floridians are paying the 9th highest closing costs in the nation. Besides lender fees and title charges, don't forget about your pre-paid taxes and your insurance premiums when you're calculating how much to save for your down-payment. Here in South Florida, your insurance premiums are… Continue Reading
Where are folks coming from & leaving to: Interactive map at Forbes.com - I love this interactive map at Forbes.com! You can enter any major metro area, or county, in the search box, and a map will pop up showing where most of the residents are moving from, or moving to, when they move in or out of the area. http://www.forbes.com/special-report/2011/migration.html My favorite two searches: Miami/Dade… Continue Reading
You’d think this was illegal, wouldn’t you? - Check out this story from the Sun Sentinel about a condominium association near Venice, Florida. This association just passed a new rule prohibiting leasing to unmarried couples. The only permitted lease or sale is to a single person, or to a married couple consisting of a husband and wife. And here in Florida this is… Continue Reading