Shot of the Week Club...Disgusting When you have been in the business like myself for almost 28 years you tend to see a few interesting things. I was on a recent damage claim not long ago and this was sitting in the breakfast area. Notice the table standing nearby. I don’t know about you, but there is something about eating and looking at this, that screams out I just lost my appetite. I would love to hear from the folks that stop by what you have noticed in your travels, that struck you a little odd or disgusting.    07/17/2016

Home Prices in Valencias Delray, Boynton and Lake Worth FL for June 2016 Real estate market data for  the Valencias in Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Lake Worth, FL provided by Elyse Berman of Realty Associates Florida Properties.  The Valencias Real Estate Market Report for June 2016 includes the 55+ gated communities of Valencia Lakes, Valencia Isles, Valencia Shores, Valencia Falls, Valencia Palms, Valencia Pointe, Valencia Reserve and Valencia Cove.   These senior housing, baby-boomer communities are not the 55+ active adult communities of our parents.   These 55+ gated communities in Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Lake Worth are upscale luxury communities with state-of-the-art fitness centers, grand clubhouses with pools, card rooms, cafes, social events, clubs and an active life... 07/17/2016

  Home Prices in Boynton Beach FL for June  2016   Real estate market data for Boynton Beach, FL provided by Elyse Berman of Realty Associates Florida Properties.   June 2016 showed a decrease in closed sales on home prices in Boynton Beach FL.  If you are considering buying a home you can still find deals on a house in Boynton Beach, but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must. Don’t wait on the sidelines for too long. Many of our listings are selling within a few days of hitting the market. As you can see from the graph below, listings are not selling exactly for asking price. To make sure you don't overpay for your home, you'll want to have an agent that does a thorough market analysis of the Boynton Beach home on which you are making an offer. If you are... 07/13/2016

UPDATE: The waiting is over.  Biopsy was benign!  We have one more week of house rest, and Buttons will be back to normal.  UPDATE:  Buttons came through the surgery fine.  We picked her up this afternoon and she is resting comfortably.  No results yet so please keep her in your thoughts.  Praying it is benign.  Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes! Buttons is having surgery tomorrow to remove a mass on her hiney.  Please say a prayer for my girl.  She's 13 and I'm worried (after all, a mother's job is to worry.)  Praying all goes well and we can pick her up the next day.  Thank you in advance.  07/11/2016

SHORT SALE CANDIDATES, WE ARE HERE TO HELPWith the right assistance, the stress of facing foreclosure becomes manageable. CDPE-designated agents have received the knowledge and training necessary to assess all possible foreclosure alternatives and pursue homeowners best options.  A CDPE-designated agent attends several days of intensive, thorough training on foreclosure avoidance and how to negotiate short sales efficiently and ethically. The highly regarded CDPE logo means you are working with the most informed, up-to-date resource available.  07/10/2016

07/06/2016

14 Tips Toward A Successful Open House In light of the present market and the challenges to sell that Short Sale, REO, or Normal Sale, following these 15 tips for a successful open house might just be the answer. As we all know in this business real estate is determined by the three greatest rules, LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.  Just as location is the key to a quick and easy sale, so is the right open house. Listed below are some easy points to remember when you host your diamond in the rough.         Advertise or feature the most attractive home in a very desirable area.         Street appeal is a big factor; choose it over the average site.         Draw from the strength of the community or neighbors.         Draw from the pool of homes in the upper price points.         Make sure yo... 07/03/2016

Did you know that Florida's population is just shy of 20 million residents and nearly 45% of them are under 21?  Well  this is a fact according the most recent Census Bureau of Statistic.  06/28/2016

The Daily (062316) Hot Sheet Of Top Real Estate News Trending Now  Rule finalized for commercial drones New FAA rules create a clearer way for real estate pros to use drones for commercial purposes - "a win for the industry," says NAR Pres. Tom Salomone. Read more.Fla.'s median prices, sales, listings rise in MaySingle-family home median price up 10.5% year-to-year; condo median price up 4.4%; sales, new listings also rise. NAR: U.S. home sales at highest pace in over 9 years - up 4.5% over May 2015 and 1.8% over April's sales. Read more.Goal of owning home still strongStudy: Americans still want the American Dream, if they can afford it. Other trends of note? Larger houses, smaller apartments and more household formation. Read more.A big change for Citizens Property Insurance?After yea... 06/23/2016

Home Prices in Boynton Beach FL for May 2016 Real estate market data for Boynton Beach, FL provided by Elyse Berman of Realty Associates Florida Properties.  We continue to see higher prices on home prices in Boynton Beach FL and don’t expect things to slow down anytime soon. If you are considering buying a home you can still find deals on a house in Boynton Beach, but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must. Don’t wait on the sidelines for too long. Many of our listings are selling within a few days of hitting the market. As you can see from the graph below, listings are not selling exactly for asking price. To make sure you don't overpay for your home, you'll want to have an agent that does a thorough market analysis of the Boynton Beach home on which you ... 06/18/2016

I have been in south Florida for 22 years.  This is the first time I've seen cactus flowers, and this cactus had a lot of them. 06/18/2016

The Daily (061416) Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now  Housing economists: Mixed picture over coming yearIt's murky: Some signs point to a strong real estate boom, said experts at a recent convention of real estate editors. But other signs suggest potential problems. Read more.What happens to a home when couples divorce?A divorcing couple's home sale can be messy. In most cases, couples can sell and split the profit, buy their spouse's share outright or negotiate a delayed buyout. Read more.Lower-priced homes? Builders can't do itBuyers seeking a home for less than $150K may be forced into the resale market. Builders say land and construction costs make low-cost new homes challenging. Read more.Will fed call time-out on rate hikes?Investors are putting money in relatively sa... 06/14/2016

Who Says We Can’t Get Along On Sunday Real Estate Tip of the Day. Since rediscovering my feeder a month ago, I have come to a realization that bird watching, can be both exciting and interactive. What can be learned by studying animal life can tell us a few things as well. At the feeder there is a certain intimidation factor, where on the ground not so much. They seem to have to take turns regardless of the species and some just get chased away period. Parrots if you noticed in this clip come in a flock, and land in a group. There are three on the feeder and five on the ground.  If you ever saw their nest, it is the size that could measure 2’ x 3’ enclosed with a doorway. I swear they also remodel too, for you can see them moving around inside adjusting the twigs.   My tip of the day is... 06/12/2016

The Daily (060716) Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now   In the buy vs. rent battle, 'buy' is winningThe latest buy vs. rent analysis from Florida Atlantic and International universities finds that buying makes more financial sense in most metro areas. Read more.Fla.'s recent housing success? Thank baby boomersClear Capital Index: Four Fla. cities made "Highest Performing Major Metro Markets" in June for home price trends, thanks in large part to an influx of retirees. Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami are at the top of the list. Read more.Fannie Mae: Sellers happy, buyers frustratedThe number of homebuyers who think it's a good time to buy dipped to an all-time low as homeowners who think it's a good time to sell soared to an all-time high. Read more.Home improvements: ... 06/06/2016

Hem Over Heels, Best Shoemaker in Boynton Beach Where: 10833 S. Jog Rd., #188, Boynton Beach, FL 33437Hours: M-F 8AM to 8PM, Sat 8AM-6PMWhat: Shoemaker, Alterations, EmbroideryPhone:  (561) 739-6000 Specializing in Shoe Repair, Alterations and EmbroideryHem Over Heels has been repairing shoes, doing alterations and doing embroidery in Boynton Beach for the past 7 years.  Prior to that, Josh was in Boca Raton.  He knows his business well.  I go there, and I should know.  Seriously, why would you buy new shoes if you can repair your old ones, you know, the good, comfortable ones, come back to life.  Their specialties are shoe repair, alterations and embroidery.In addition, they also make keys, repair luggage and briefcases, shorten belts and handbag straps, sharpen knives, scissors and g... 06/05/2016

I’m a Buyer’s Agent and a Whole Lot MoreFor some of you that may be unfamiliar with the term it is the practice of real estate broker and their agents representing a buyer in a real estate transaction rather than, by default, representing the seller either directly or as a sub-agent. Sounds confusing but really it is not. I like to think of it someone that has your back, or someone looking out for your best interest, not the interest of just making the sale.   A brief history of the term goes something like this: In most U.S. states and Canadian provinces, until the 1990s, buyers who worked with an agent of a real estate broker in finding a house were customers of the brokerage, since, by most common law of most states at the time, the broker represented only sellers. It is only since t... 06/03/2016

The Daily (060116) Hot Sheet of Top Real Estate News Trending Now   Banks rush to offer 3% downpayment loansIf one major bank starts to offer 3% downpayment loans, others often follow. So far, Wells Fargo, Chase and BofA are offering non-FHA, low-downpayment products. Read more.Does your buyer qualify for special financing?Financial help is out there through programs offered by private firms or federal, state and local governments. Overall, a Fla. buyer could potentially find up to 230 special assistance programs available. Read more.Buy first then sell? Or vice versa?Buying a home is difficult, but selling a home and buying another at the same time? On a level of difficulty, it's the gymnastic balance beam of homeownership. Read more.Tampa firm invests using unusual bankruptcy methodA ... 06/01/2016

Home Prices in Boynton Beach FL for April 2016 Real estate market data for Boynton Beach, FL provided by Elyse Berman of Realty Associates Florida Properties.  We continue to see higher prices on home prices in Boynton Beach FL and don’t expect things to slow down anytime soon. If you are considering buying a home you can still find deals on a house in Boynton Beach, but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must. Don’t wait on the sidelines for too long. Many of our listings are selling within a few days of hitting the market. As you can see from the graph below, listings are not selling exactly for asking price. To make sure you don't overpay for your home, you'll want to have an agent that does a thorough market analysis of the Boynton Beach home on which yo... 06/01/2016

Estimates are that renters will tell at least 10 people about their stay in a vacation rental, and much higher if the property did not meet reasonable expectations. Now, with the international review sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor, the word is out Globally in a matter of minutes. The difference between merely supplying a condo as opposed to really caring that your renters will enjoy their surroundings, can mean only a one time stay OR their desire to come back to the hosts that year after year make their vacations memorable. This article is only a guide and the following are some tips based on the observations and experiences of one Realtor. The goal: lucrative rentals for owners as a result of repeat happy rental guests. 1. Provide an immaculate unit-a unit that looks "clean to the... 05/30/2016

Building That Bridge To Reach Your Goal Of More Sales   It is said that you can only begin selling after you have convinced the prospect that you are indeed their pal and you want the best for them.  In fact, often times talking about your product or service to quickly will derail the whole process leaving your customer with no future interest. If you don’t care about them, they in turn will not show interest in you or your service.    Below I have outlined a few thoughts to keep in mind as you move toward your next sale, they are all No.1's.    Keep a healthy personality:  This is something described as getting along with the greatest number of different types of people.      The friendship factor:  As you know customers are spoiled, demanding, and disloyal, and insist on being treated... 05/28/2016