I came across this at one of my inspections the other day for a recent foreclosure.  The home wasn't SO bad...but the pool.....can you say "yiiiccckkk!!"  ? What impact on value does a pool in this condition have for prospective buyers?  Would the site of this turn off a buyer beyond the "how much to repair" question?!  Mental images play a big part in purchases! Suggestion for the bank - pay the money to drain, clean and treat this sucker!  You will reap HUGE payback in this market for a clean, blue pool as compared to ......."Yiiiicccckkkkk!!!" 06/25/2010

I recently appraised a home for foreclosure.  It was a really cute house, remodeled with Ikea style cabinets,  granite counters, premium light fixtures, etc. Like many foreclosures in my market, the appliances were removed, many of the custom ceiling fans now gone, and the space over the fireplace was noted to once house a 50+ " plasma TV. One bedroom though, had some painting which caught my eye and just compelled me to take a photograph of the wall.  While I am sure this was profound to the former occupant of this bedroom - NOW - it took on a whole new meaning as I walked through this empty home:     06/24/2010

If you know licensed real estate agents who want ot learn how to build a MASSIVE LEAD FOLLOWING, learn "todays market trends" social media, what it takes to make a $100k and if they are willing to work hard and full time, let me know. If they are focused, motivated have the drive and want IT! I will train & educate, give them unbeatable industry tools, and my 150%. Its not rocket science, but it does take dedication! Be an Ulimate Agent, make money and provide a great lifestyle for yourself. You can do it even in this market you just have to have the right training and dedication. 05/14/2010

Homes for Heroes is happy to introduce affiliate Eileen Scates! Click here to read more. 05/13/2010

I read a really interesting article today from www.AppraisalLawBlog.com   You can read the whole article at http://www.appraiserlawblog.com/2010/04/single-biggest-threat-to-appraisers.html - but here are the highlights:   The single biggest liability threat to both residential and commercial appraisers is the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.  The FDIC held a conference last week in Chicago for law firms interested in representing the FDIC.  What came out of that conference made me very anxious for appraisers, but it's much more than just a threat to individual appraisers.  What the FDIC is doing hampers the ability of the appraisal profession to deliver accurate valuations going forward.  The reason is: if you're an appraiser doing work for a lender (which may or may not be one o... 05/13/2010

Clermont, Florida Realtor Leads - (800) 900-2807 Even through this Real Estate downward spin, we are still seeing an increased number of families relocating to cities such as: San Diego, Austin, Clermont, etc… Still the #1 drive is jobs, and that cannot be disputed. Although another big reason for relocation that started in 2008, was due to great foreclosure prices. Cities such as Scottsdale, and Clermont have both seem dramatic drops in real estate prices, which is driving the people to purchase real etate in those cities. If you are not working with families whom want to purchase foreclosed homes, you are leaving a huge chunk of money on the table. One of the top discussions right now on RealTown and ActiveRain is in regards to boosting your business with foreclosures. Call us at (800... 04/07/2010

RE/MAX Navigator Referrals paid on your SHORT SALES, send them to Debra Payne RE/MAX Navigator. We make a SHORT SALE Smooth for all involved. I am a CDPE Broker, have the RE/MAX system in place ready for your referrals. call or email me. Thank you in advance 04/07/2010

Read more about Eileen Here   If you would like more information on becoming a Homes For Heroes affilate click here 03/12/2010

Coester Appraisal Group released its annual survey of appraisers - almost 1,600 of them!  These appraisers commented on their experience with AMCs - Appraisal Management Companies. You can find a copy of the survey HERE. I found one portion particularly interesting.  We all know about lower fees, higher turn time expectations, etc. One category appraisers commented on was their feelings with regards to being 'picked' for the assignments: I find this most interesting, revealing some true underlying tones of human nature.  We all like to be appreciated for the work we do.   Even in a high demand, high stress, and highly competitive field like real estate appraisal - we still like to know that our clients LIKE what we do. Having to compete against a 'broadcast appraisal assignment', where ... 03/08/2010

Price: $499,000 FIZBER.com ID 14421455 Farm/Ranch with in 37 acres villa city road Clermont, FL, 34711 http://www.fizber.com/14421455/ 37 acres villa city road - For Sale By Owner Property Details: Type: Farm/Ranch Address: 37 acres villa city road, Clermont, FL, 34711 Sq footage: 0.0 Floors: n/a Bathrooms: 0.0 Bedrooms: 0 Year built: 0 View full property details and seller's contacts. View more Florida homes for sale. Homes for Sale by Owner. Description: 37.5 Acres, Lakefront, Clermont Florida This Lake Front property (outlined in red) is a whopping 37.5 Acres! This property has 15 years planted pines throughout it. Because of the planted pine, there is a agriculture tax reduction of 90%%!! Taxes are only $80 per year! This property is Guaranteed Buildable, well and septic required. ... 02/15/2010

Price: $499,000 FIZBER.com ID 14167861 Acreage/Land with in Villa City Road Clermont, FL, 34711 http://www.fizber.com/14167861/ Villa City Road - For Sale By Owner Property Details: Type: Acreage/Land Address: Villa City Road, Clermont, FL, 34711 Sq footage: 0.0 Floors: n/a Bathrooms: 0.0 Bedrooms: 0 Year built: 0 View full property details and seller's contacts. View more Florida homes for sale. Homes for Sale by Owner. Description: 37.5 Acres, Lakefront, Clermont Florida This Lake Front property (outlined in red) is a whopping 37.5 Acres! This property has 15 years planted pines throughout it. Because of the planted pine, there is a agriculture tax reduction of 90%%!! Taxes are only $80 per year! This property is Guaranteed Buildable, well and septic required. This property can be su... 02/04/2010

Clermont is a beautiful, historic city located in Lake County, Florida. It is situated about 20 miles outside of Orlando, and as a result, is a popular place to live for those who want to live outside of the city. The most charming part about Clermont has to be its historic downtown area, which is basically exactly the same as 50 years ago. Many retirees enjoy living in Clermont as they get to experience this bit of nostalgia every time they visit the downtown district. Clermont's proximity to Orlando make it a popular destination for vacationers, and many fine food and beverage establishments have been created to meet that need. However, the locals are the ones who get to enjoy all the restaurants and lounges year-round. For a city of only 24,000, there is a lot to do and see in Clerm... 02/03/2010

HouseMaster Stresses Buyer Education as Home Sales Rise   HouseMaster, the first and one of the largest home inspection franchisors in North America, stresses the need for buyer education as U.S. home sales rise by the largest amount in ten years. Low prices coupled with the first-time home buyers $8,000 credit has encouraged many aspiring home owners to enter the market, providing a welcomed surge in the marketplace. With homes sales on the rise for the fourth month in a row, HouseMaster is pleased to offer first-time buyers some guidance on identifying “red flag” issues that might be signs of significant problems with a home. “We know that purchasing a home is one of the biggest investments that most people will make in their lifetime. We also know how increasingly stressful the proc... 12/17/2009

While fires themselves may not always be foreseeable or preventable, in many cases the injuries they cause can be prevented with a family escape plan. Of course, one of the important steps in fire prevention is to install smoke detectors and check them monthly. But having these safety devices is not enough. According to fire experts, once a smoke detector sounds, you and other member of your household may have less than three minutes to escape. It’s critical to have an emergency escape plan and rehearse it regularly: Chart the Plan: Draw a floor plan of your home, one for each level of the house. Label bedrooms, staircases, hallways, and roofs that could be used as fire escapes. Survey Your Home: Check each bedroom for two possible escape routes. If you live in an apartment building, do... 12/17/2009

Types of Windows and Doors All windows and doors deserve more attention than they are generally afforded. If not maintained over the years, operational difficulties, requiring major repair or replacement expenses can develop — especially in the case of old windows and doors. The difficulty in repairing or even replacing old windows or doors is often magnified either by the lack of repair parts or the discontinuance of the particular type unit or hardware. DOORS There are five basic door styles found in most houses: Exterior Entrance Doors — typically made of solid wood, metal, or fiberglass. Interior Doors — individual room doors can be either hollow core or solid wood. Sliding Doors — usually leading to a patio or deck, these doors are often make use of insulated glass for energy cons... 12/17/2009

Clermont is a beautiful, historic city located in Lake County, Florida. It is situated about 20 miles outside of Orlando, and as a result, is a popular place to live for those who want to live outside of the city. The most charming part about Clermont has to be its historic downtown area, which is basically exactly the same as 50 years ago. Many retirees enjoy living in Clermont as they get to experience this bit of nostalgia every time they visit the downtown district. Clermont's proximity to Orlando make it a popular destination for vacationers, and many fine food and beverage establishments have been created to meet that need. However, the locals are the ones who get to enjoy all the restaurants and lounges year-round. For a city of only 24,000, there is a lot to do and see in Clerm... 12/06/2009

Are you looking to golf in south lake county? Want to make a tee time, but can't find the information you need? Are you looking to relocate to South Lake County and want to know how the golf is? If you are asking yourself any of these questions, I hope that this blog post will help you out. I don't know all the golf courses in South Lake County, but here are a few that will keep you occupied. Have fun!!   Clerbrook Golf Resort - 20005 US HWY 27 www.clerbrook.com Green Valley Country Club- 14601 Green Valley Blvd. www.gvcountryclub.com Kings Ridge Golf Club- 1950 Kings Ridge Blvd. www.kingsridgegc.com Legends Golf & Country Club- 1700 Legendary Blvd. www.legendsgolforlando.com Palisades Country Club- 16510 Palisades Blvd. http://www.orlandogolf.com/courses/palisades Sanctuary Ridge Golf ... 12/04/2009

Just listed a new investment property in Clermont on the shores of Lake Minneola. This great REO property has 7 buildings and 9 rental units ranging from 1/1 to 2/1 units. All units have fresh paint and new carpet. In the past the 2/1 units have rented for as much as $1000/mo however a more realistic average is $600. Property is also a great investment for later tear down and rebuild as most homes that sit along this shore are million dollar properties. This bank owned property is listed at $425,000 and the bank is looking for an offer. If you are looking for a 10% cap rate then this is the property for you.   Contact me for more information   Heather@HeatherTheRealtor.com  or 407 810 6304  or visit www.HeatherTheRealtor.com 11/18/2009

We had so much fun! We had around 100 Zmotion riders attending the even and around 2000 riders total. The horrible Hundred was perfectly organized, marked and the rest stops had delicious food/fuel to refill :)  I made an early turn into Sugarloaf and my friends followed me. We ended up getting there at around mile 36. My computer turned off by itself at 48 miles. When I turned it back on I forgot to set the counter back ...LoL Seriously! We arrived back at the finish line with the racers that completed the 100 miles route. One of my racing friends finished in 4 hours and 10 minutes. WoW!!!!  The ride back to the hotel was cool, 3 miles of some big hills. I got there at 1 PM and had lots of time to change and then wait for everyone else to come back.    Sounds like they even had massage... 11/15/2009

The other day I posted a link on my Facebook page letting all of my friends, family and acquaintances know that the city of Clermont had approved an Adult Entertainment District. Of course people were shocked, some were upset and some didn't comment so I am assuming they didn't care. Well, there is some good news that has been reported in the Daily Commercial. Apparently, they did pass an ordinance that designated four potential locations where adult businesses could locate. Now get this...that same night, they passed an ordinance that would almost certainly make it where adult businesses could not operate in those locations.     A little confusing? It seems as if the higher ups in Clermont are really opposed to bringing adult businesses into our great city (which I am very grateful for... 11/13/2009