Gainesville Florida Real Estate Market Report for Single Family Homes Sold in JUNE 2015.  Here you will find the three-month statistics for Gainesville Florida single family homes real estate market for April, May and June of 2015.  Spring/Summer buying season is here in full swing!  Our June Market stats are HOT, HOT, HOT!The chart below shows Gainesville’s NEW LISTINGS, PENDING SALES, and the CLOSED SALES for the month of June 2015 were up from our previous month. Our PENDING contracts are stable for the current market, and lower current inventory from the previous month. We’ve got good indicators for our 2015 season of real estate sales in Gainesville. Our local market has strong indicators of a balanced market.The Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors® provides their st... 07/28/2015

Gainesville Florida real estate market report for Condominiums & Town homes SOLD in JUNE 2015. Here you will see the stats on our local condominium market. The June 2015 stats shows an increase in closed sales and the inventory is down slightly.  The Gainesville condo market is full-swing in the summer buying season!This chart below shows the stats for April, May and June of 2015. New Active Listings,  Pending Sales, and Closed Sales are displays for comparison. This data is compiled from the Gainesville Multiple Listing Service & Florida Realtors® research and statistical reports.  Each month we compile these posts, we plan to publish these monthly reports after the 23rd of each month. Bookmark this site for Gainesville real estate information!Cash Sales percentage of total sales has b... 07/28/2015

Town of Tioga is a very popular, newer area of Alachua County, about 15 minutes from Gainesville.   Over the past couple years, we've seen low inventory in the area, but a recent look at the market shows slightly higher inventory than the surrounding area.A look at our Town of Tioga neighborhood stats page shows that while inventory is a smidge higher than Alachua County as a whole, sellers are not having to come off their prices much.  Over the past quarter, the average seller has only come about 1% off their list price.Right now, 16 homes are on the market in Tioga, ranging from $275k to $775k.  Any buyers looking in popular Jonesville would be well advised to check this area out. 07/17/2015

We've prepared our monthly Market Report for Homes Sold in the Gainesville Florida area.Gainesville Florida Real Estate Market Report for Single Family Homes Sold in MAY 2015.  Here you will find the three-month statistics for Gainesville Florida single family homes real estate market for March, April and May of 2015.  Spring/Summer buying season is here in full swing!The chart below shows Gainesville's NEW LISTINGS, PENDING SALES, and the CLOSED SALES for the month of May 2015 were up from our previous month. Our PENDING contracts are stable for the current market, and lower current inventory from the previous month. We've got good indicators for our 2015 season of real estate sales in Gainesville. Our local market has strong indicators of a balanced market.The Gainesville-Alachua Coun... 07/10/2015

The May 2015 Real Estate market stats are in for the Gainesville Florida area!Gainesville Florida real estate market report for Condominiums & Town homes SOLD in MAY 2015. Here you will see the stats on our local condominium market. May 2015 stats shows an increase in closed sales and the inventory is down slightly.  The Gainesville condo market is full-swing in the summer buying season!This chart below shows the stats for March, April & May of 2015. New Active Listings,  Pending Sales, and Closed Sales are displays for comparison. This data is compiled from the Gainesville Multiple Listing Service & Florida Realtors® research and statistical reports.  Each month we compile these posts, we plan to publish these monthly reports after the 23rd of each month. Bookmark this site for Gainesv... 07/10/2015

Raise your hand if you like Zillow's price estimate feature.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Yes, that's what we thought.  :-)So, what we've done is created our own algorithm that values properties in Gainesville, FL.  This way, consumers not ready to contact a Realtor have access to information that might be a bit more accurate than what they find on the national aggregator sites.The first thing we're doing with our algorithm is using it to identify properties that look like "deals" to the naked eye.  We just rolled out our investment properties page, which has all the local listings that have list prices at least 15% below what our algorithm thinks is market value.As of today, our algorithm found just over 50 "deals," which represents about 5% of the market in the areas we surveyed.  We will conti... 06/22/2015

As we enter the hot summer in Gainesville, let's take a look at Haile Plantation.The past 3 months have been very busy in Haile!   Even before we've hit the summer, about 20 homes a month are selling there.Prices have gone up with activity, though they haven't fluctuated a ton.Also, predictably, sellers haven't had to come off their prices much.  Over the past quarter, the average seller came down just over 3%.As of today there are 65 homes on the market in Haile, and given the activity over the past year, that means Haile has just over 5 months inventory, which makes it a slight seller's market!Don't forget up-to-date stats for Haile Plantation can always be found on our website! 06/08/2015

What are these Florida student thinking or perhaps there isn't a thought process with these Frats at the University of Florida.Wounded Warriors at a retreat and this is the treatment these kids believe they deserve? What are they really teaching in the Universities today?Click the link below for the rest of the story.UF Frats Trash Wounded Warriors  04/23/2015

In recent years, a number of alternative home mortgage options have risen to allow Ocala and Gainesville homebuyers to purchase a home with little to NO down payment.  Conventional mortgages have always required a 10-20 percent down payment, which is out of reach for the average home buyer, especially first time buyers.  Some other options in 2015 allow buyers to purchase a home up to 100% financing.  Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans are very popular choices and we will take a closer look at them below.  While the average borrower may be aware of these types of mortgages, he or she may not understand the difference. Each variation carries its own specific set of criteria that may or may not suit the borrower's needs. Ocala - Gainesvill... 03/22/2015

  HOME INSPECTION AND TERMITE/WDO INSPECTION: If you are purchasing a home in Gainesville, FL, it is recommended that you have a home and termite inspection during your inspection period.  A list of a few local home and termite inspectors is provided below.   APPRAISAL: If you are financing your purchase, you will need to have an appraisal performed.  The lender will arrange this on your behalf through a third party and you will pay for it.  If you are purchasing your home with cash, you are not required to have an appraisal but you may wish to.  A list of a few local appraisers is provided below.   SURVEY: You will need to purchase a survey if the seller does not have one to provide you that the termite company will accept.    ROOF INSPECTOR:  If your home inspector indicates that the ... 02/22/2015

There are a verity of state and county mortgage down payment assistance program ( DPA / Grants) available in Florida for qualified homebuyers. These programs are more commonly used in conjunction with a FHA or Conventional loans that require a down payments. Keep in mind, these programs are not available to all buyers. Most of the time buyers must be "first time buyers" and have not owned a home in the past three years.  Buyers must also meet income and qualifying standards and each program may have different requirements in place regarding classes, re payment time frame, etc.  Be sure to check with your local state, city or county agency on all the qualifying requirements and any grant repayment terms.   One of the common questions we receive is whether down payment assistance or grant... 02/17/2015

Real Estate Markets are LOCAL! The National real estate data does NOT reveal the housing market in YOUR specific area.  Even our local newspapers, business journals and websites don’t have the micro-data that you will need to set your price. Your price is set by sales in your own neighborhoods & surrounding areas. Which homes have sold in the last 6 months? Are they comparable to YOUR home?  If you want to learn about what’s happening in your area, sign up for a our FREE Market Snapshot report. Yes it’s FREE.  No obligation, no commitments. We want to provide you with real estate market stats on your neighborhood.  These reports will come to you via email each month.  The Market Snapshot report will show you what homes are currently for sale, and show you the price for the homes sold.  ... 01/21/2015

Tips to Staying Safe When Selling Your Home in Gainesville.  When it comes time for you to put your home on the market, you need to be prepared for the fact that you’ll be opening up your home to a new world of strangers.  Most buyers who tour your home are actually interested in purchasing your Gainesville real estate, but there have been incidents where people were “not” buyers and just scammers and criminals. Let’s take every precaution to keep you and your home safe. Look over these quick tips below to make sure you and your home are safe and protected: Hire a licensed, reputable agent.  Check with the Florida Department of Business Professional Regulation to make sure he or she is properly licensed.  In Florida, here is where to check: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp Doub... 01/19/2015

Florida homeowner that currently have a USDA mortgage on their house might be eligible to refinance into a lower interest rate. Everyone knows that historic low interest rates are here. The USDA loan refinancing program gives existing USDA Rural homeowners an excellent opportunity to refinance their loan and receive a lower monthly mortgage payment. The new USDA refinance Pilot programs permits homeowners to refinance their USDA loan regardless of equity or if they are underwater on value.  Example: Let's say Mr. Homeowner originally purchased his home in 2007 for $190,000. At that time Mr. Homeowner did a 100% financing USDA loan with no money down. Mr. Homeowner currently owes around $175,000 on this same house today. The problem is that the home is only worth $120,000 in today's mark... 12/24/2014

Gainesville Florida real estate market report for Condominiums & Town homes SOLD in November 2014. Here you will see the stats on Condos and Townhouse data for November 2014.  Our winter season sets in with cooler weather and HAPPY HOLIDAYS !! This chart reflects the stats for September, October and November 2014.  The chart below shows New Active Listings,  Pending Sales, and Closed Sales. This data is compiled from the Gainesville Multiple Listing Service & Florida Realtors® research and statistical reports.  Each month we compile these posts, we plan to publish these monthly reports after the 21st of each month.  Bookmark this site for Gainesville real estate information! Cash Sales percentage of total sales has become a significant issue. In the display below, you can see the large ... 12/23/2014

USDA Rural Development is a great loan option for home buyers with limited cash and down payment.  We have included a quick snapshot of some commonly asked questions below.  Please read all the USDA program frequently asked questions here. Please contact us at  www.UsdaMortgageSource.com with any question, or just call 904-302-6060   Eligibility income for USDA housing-  In general, Florida households with 1-4 members = max $74,750 gross income per year. Some counties in NE FLA (around Jax) , South FLA and the Panhandle are even higher. Households with over 5 members can make even more, over $101,000 + in certain Florida counties. USDA also allows deductions for child care, elderly, disabilities, etc.  Please click here to learn more about USDA income restrictions for the 502 USDA Guara... 12/23/2014

The holiday season gives me the opportunity to bake.  I love to bake breads and cookies. Peanut Butter Choco Layer Fudge I always worry that my friends, neighbors, and clients get sick of the same the same cookies each year, so this year I found a couple of new tasty treats to add to my “gift selection”. Of course I had to make my killer chocolate chip cookies, and my grandmother’s butter cookies.  That’s my family standards for Christmas!  We just can’t have Christmas without the butter cookies that I do with a cookie press and are what we call the green Christmas tree cookies. Sweet Roasted Pecans The new additions this year were: Sweet Toasted Pecans Peanut Butter Choco Layer Fudge Puppy Chow – A Rice Chex with Peanute Butter, Chocolate and Powered Sugar. I love to find metal tins an... 12/22/2014

Here’s another great annual Holiday Event in Gainesville!  The 18th Annual Poinsettia Sale & Fundraiser at the University of Florida located at the Fifield Hall greenhouses on Hull Road. Photo Courtesy of UF Environmental Horticulture UF/IFAS WHEN:  TODAY - Thursday – December 11, 2014  8:00 am to 5:30 pm AND Tomorrow Friday December 12, 2014 8:00am to 3:00pm The Environmental Horticulture Club’s 18th Annual Poinsettia Fundraiser Over 30 varieties will be offered for sale including traditional reds and novelties such as Shimmer Surprise, Orange Spice, Winter Rose and Ice Punch. 6 ½” pots are the most popular and include colorful decorative pot covers. Larger showpieces in 8” and 10” pots will also be available along with centerpiece bowls. While you are there, you should visit the Natio... 12/09/2014

The Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors (GACAR) is having their 3rd Annual TOY DRIVE.  We are all planning to help the kids at theChildren’s Home Society (CHS) have a happy holiday. The GACAR YPN has organized a way for you to SPONSOR A CHILD THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. This is our third annual Toy drive and we have set our most optimistic goal of 150 toys. We’ve had a tree decorated at the Board office full of paper ornaments.  Each ornament has a child’s name, age, and wish list for a toy to receive for the holidays.  I picked a couple of ornaments a few weeks ago, and did some toy shopping for those kids! I was at the GACAR office on Thursday for a committee meeting and there were toys all spread out in the lobby! I hope we reach our goal to help the kids this year! All the o... 12/06/2014

Gainesville Florida Real Estate Market Report for Single Family Homes Sold in October 2014.  Here you will find the three-month statistics for Gainesville Florida single family homes real estate market for August, September and October 2014. The chart below shows the number of NEW LISTINGS that came on the market for the month of October.  NEW PENDING SALES, and the CLOSED SALES for the month of October 2014.  You will see that NEW LISTINGS are UP for this month. Pending transactions also jumped up for a historically slow month. Closed Sales were also up from last month. The Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors® provides their statistics to the Florida Realtors® each month and they compile statewide data that allows them to compile these reports. Closed sales are up almost... 11/25/2014