Is It Better to Buy or Rent After Putting Your Lakeland Fl Home For Sale?   Many retirees often consider downsizing their home - meaning putting their Lakeland Fl home for sale and using the proceeds to buy a cheaper home and put some cash aside for their retirement income.   There is another downsize option that is seldom discussed, and that is selling the Lakeland Fl home and becoming a renter.   This may go against the grain for most people since the ideal is homeownership, but you will be surprised that many retirees prefer to rent than own a home.  In a standard downsize, the homeowner who is nearing retirement sells the old home where the family lived then buys a cheaper Lakeland Fl home for sale or a home somewhere else which has lower utility costs and taxes and is easier to mai... 08/02/2013

How To Buy A Lakeland Fl Home For Sale With Good Resale Value   Even with lower inventory of homes for sale, it is imperative to pick a home with resale in mind because most homeowners sell their home within of 5-7 years of purchase. Once you think of buying a Lakeland Fl home for sale, you have to also think of possibly selling it in the future. Buying a home for sale in Lakeland Fl with a good resale value will make it easier to sell at top dollar when the time comes.   But most home buyers never think of the home’s resale value when they buy. They only think of whether the home matches their needs and use that as their sole basis for selecting a home.   Here are some of the things you should consider if you are looking for a Lakeland Fl home for sale with a good resale value:   1. Lo... 07/29/2013

Lakeland FL Short Sale Agents Explains How To Write A Hardship Letter   Your Hardship Letter should be in handwritten form and less than one page.  Facts are important, since the banks are in business.  You basically want to convey the differences in your life and finances that have changed since you signed the original loan. Be brief but concise.  If you have difficulties viewing the video here, please click on this youtube vidoe link: http://youtu.be/lPd6x3BMoF8   First paragraph – start out about when you first purchased the home and what financial situation you were in at the time of purchase.  Next explain what event or what triggered that led you to the financial difficulty, such as unemployment, reduced income, increase in expenses, sickness, divorce, etc. Second paragraph – expl... 07/24/2013

Buying A Lakeland Fl Home That Your Pets Will Love   Many people treat their pets like their own children, especially those whose children have grown up and moved out and those who have retired.   When a pet lover begins to search for a Lakeland Fl home for sale, watch out. Just like any parent who will consider the best neighborhoods nearest to the best school districts when shopping for a home, a pet lover will also have specific requirements in choosing a home for sale in Lakeland Fl:   1. Check for County or City Pet Restrictions Most cities will have restrictions on the type and number of pets allowed within the city limits. Your pet goat may not be allowed in some states. So make sure to check for the code restrictions before buying a home in Lakeland Fl. 2. Check the Home Owner A... 07/24/2013

Reasons People Buying Homes in Lakeland Florida Location, location location....The number one reason people buying in Lakeland Florida is because of it's location. Being smack dab in the middle between Tampa and Orlando, Florida with easy access to Interstate 4 and the Polk Parkway. Lakeland gives the feel of a small town, although Lakeland's population hovers around 97,000 and is considered on of the best places to live. Lakeland Fl homes for sale are very near Florida’s main attractions in Tampa and Orlando such as Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Bush Gardens, Sea World, and the pristine beaches of Florida - which attract thousands of home buyers every year. These same attractions are also the main motivating reason why an estimated 50,000 Britons buy homes in Florida as a vacation ho... 07/21/2013

How Lakeland Fl Short Sale Agents Can Connect with Sellers Most real estate agents working with foreclosures and short sales have a tendency to become desensitized to their client’s situations. After hearing hardship stories so many times in week, like loss of a job,  divorce, or a failed loan modification, it is quite normal to develop to some kind of immunity to these situations just so you won’t absorb the client’s stress. But in order to be a better short sale agent, we need to connect with our clients at an emotional level by trying to understand them and being sympathetic, and helping them get through one of the most difficult and emotional problems of their lives - losing their home. Here are some ways short sale agents can connect with distressed homeowners: 1. Listen. Just list... 07/16/2013

Quick Home Repairs Before Refinancing Your Lakeland Fl Home   With home values going up, many homeowners now have the opportunity to refinance their homes because of the additional home equity brought about by the increase in their home’s value. Aside from that, homeowners also have a better chance of selling their Lakeland Fl home without having to go through a short sale.   When it comes to maximizing the value of your home, home repairs could go a long way in helping you get top dollar for your home.   What is the measure of a home’s true value? The answer is simple. It’s the amount that a buyer is willing and able to pay at any given point in time.   Unfortunately, home appraisal estimates can be inaccurate, especially when the appraisal fails to take into consideration all the home... 06/23/2013

Lakeland Florida - Things To Do In The Summer - Ice Skating July 2 - July 13, 2013 Summer is here!  Temperature rises to the mid 90s, especially in Central Florida. The weather in Lakeland Florida during the summer time is hot and at times muggy because we don't get the breezes from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.  Beaches and pools sometimes will not do the trick to cool off.  Starting on July 2nd through July 13, the Lakeland Center is the place to be to cool of.  The Lakeland Center is a fantastic complex that organizes great venues throughout the year from musicals, conventions, concerts, musicals, classical concerts to one of the most visited public venues: Ice Skating.  Adults who just want to come and watch their children ice skate do not have to purchase tickets. Tick... 06/16/2013

How A Lockbox Could Benefit Both Buyer and Seller of A Lakeland Fl Home for Sale One rule of thumb in open houses or when showing your Lakeland Fl home for sale to buyers is: the owner should not be present when the agent brings a buyer to view your home. This is one reason why the lockbox is a major tool for Lakeland Fl agents.   A lockbox is an empty metal box that attaches to the front doorknob or any other secure place near it. Inside the metal box is another small box which contains the key to the home. Once the lockbox is opened, the smaller box slides out.   The lockbox is named as such since it is a locked box. No one can just open the box and get the key to the house. Only the homeowner’s agent can open the lockbox.   Most of the latest lockboxes have tiny microchips inside tha... 06/12/2013

How to Cope With Stress When Buying A Lakeland Fl Home Home buying is an exciting, yet very stressful experience. When you are too emotional, chances are your decision making in buying a home could be affected. This is called home buying stress. Some of the causes of home buying stress are: unreasonable and argumentative sellers defects in a home inspection lenders rejecting the buyer’s loan receiving a low home appraisal title company uncovers an unknown lien or cloud in your title and many more Here are some tips on how you can avoid home buying stress when buying a Lakeland Fl home for sale. 1. Read and understand the purchase offer before signing. There’s no need to panic or feel stressed out with all the details and technical terms in the purchase contract. You can relax and ask yo... 06/07/2013

Testimonials For Petra Norris - Lakeland FL Broker REALTOR Testimonials are always a great resource for future clients who are looking to sell or buyer homes in Lakeland and the surrounding cities.  The latest one is no different.  I was found through my blogging about Sandpiper Golf & Country Club community, specifically my monthly market reports.  The sellers had a total of two properties which they inherited to sell and all of them lived in different states - I do love electronic signatures :).  Both properties were on the market for almost two years until I was contacted, in fact it was the talk of the community for being so long on the market.  From the time I listed the homes until they were sold, both on the same day, took only 60 days. May, 2013 Petra, We could not have been hap... 06/03/2013

Summer Things to do in Lakeland FL Some of us are saying what are we going to do this summer?  I would like to share with you inexpensive ways to do summer things with your kids while they are on summer break.  Your summer budget may be tight already so you may be looking for a cost friendly outing for your children. There are many things to do to spent a  great summer. Go catch a movie at one of the great movie theaters at Lakeside Village and follow it up with Ice Cream at Coldstone Creamery, which is located right outside of the Cobb Theater or if you are feeling creative stop by Yogurt Mountain at Books-A-Million.  Why not take the kids bowling! On a warm day the splash pad near Hollis Gardens is a great place for the little ones to cool off and play outside at the Sunflower Playgro... 05/31/2013

Overall Existing Lakeland FL Housing Market – April 2013 There are so many ways to show and predict the real estate market in Lakeland. You can look at month-over-month numbers and year-over-year, and compare it to zip codes, single family homes, condominiums, manufactured homes and square-foot costs to closed sales, you can manipulate it in every way possible to make the stats say just about anything you want them to say. You can say sales prices are going up because homes sold for more this month than they did the same month last year, but that doesn’t take into account the fact that we have fewer homes for sale.   The number of sold homes have increased when compared to the previous month and previous year.  Overall existing home prices saw a decreases in average sales and median pri... 05/30/2013

What Stays and What Goes in Your Lakeland Fl Home for Sale? If you are selling your Lakeland Fl home, you need to carefully consider which items will stay in the home and which will go with you. There are specific items that need to stay since they are generally considered as part of the home while some items can be negotiable. So before you put up your Lakeland Fl home for sale, you need to decide which things you would want to take with you. If you have already bought a new home, then you are at an advantage since you already know what items are in your new home. But if not, it could be a bit tricky to decide what to bring and what to leave behind for the new homeowners. A general rule is the things that are not attached to the home go with the seller. If there are items that are atta... 05/30/2013

Home Prices in Lakeland FL 33803 for May 2013 Home prices vary from zip code to zip code within Lakeland, FL. To give you a more concise report, I separate my analysis by zip code. Lakeland, FL 33803 is located in the heart of Lakeland.  Nearby locations are Lake Hollingsworth, Dixieland, and Florida Southern College   You will find communities such as Easton Woods, Highland Hills, Lakeland Heights, Grasslands Communities, Bridgefield, Boger Terrace, and luxurious estates around Lake Hollingsworth. Real estate market data for Lakeland, FL 33803 is provided by Petra Norris of CDV Transatlantic, Inc. Real Estate Brokerage.   Lakeland FL 33803 Home Prices We have seen for the past few months that median list prices continued to rise. If you are considering buying a home you can still find ... 05/29/2013

Is a 30-Year Mortgage for You When Buying Your Lakeland Fl Home? If you are planning on buying a Lakeland Fl home with a home loan, stop and think first before getting a 30-year mortgage. While the 30-year loan is pretty much standard with homebuyers, it isn’t the only option for borrowers. There may actually be more advantages in getting a shorter mortgage.   Deciding which type of loan to obtain depends on many factors, including which stage of life you are in. Here are some benefits of both 15 and 30-year loans to help you decide which would be best for you:   Advantages of a 30-year mortgage:   Lower down payment and more affordable monthly payments. You can buy a more expensive home since monthly payments are lower. You can deduct the interest from your taxes for a greater length o... 05/28/2013

Lakeland FL Carillon Lakes Homes for Sale | Market Report for April 2013 The Carillon Lakes Community in Lakeland FL offer low monthly home owners association fee, provide 24 hr gated manned security, lawn mowing in open area on the properties, usage of tennis court, basket ball courts, swimming pool, fitness center, planned activities and much, much more.  Carillon Lakes in Lakeland Florida was developed over ten years ago and it is a deed restricted community. There are a variety of homes and condominiums situated throughout this lovely neighborhood that was developed in the early 2000. This community provides plenty of activities for its residents as well as for children. The community’s monthly calendar is filled with entertainment like, water aerobics, book buffs, game night, inves... 05/28/2013

Lakeland FL Sandpiper Homes - April 2013 Real Estate Market Update The Sandpiper Golf & Country Club in Lakeland Florida is a 55+ community offering the best for an active Florida lifestyle. This affordable community is located in North Lakeland minutes from Interstate 4 with easy access to shopping, churches and medical facilities. The Sandpiper Golf and County Club is open to the public. There are six entrances to the community giving visitors and buyers viewing Sandpiper Lakeland FL homes for sale with easy access from North Socrum Loop, Old Polk City Road, and Walt Williams Road. For its resident the community offers a variety of activities such as golfing, swimming, shuffle board, tennis, walking, fitness, dining and much more. The homes were built in the late 80’s through the late... 05/27/2013

Most Buyers Want Eco-Friendly Lakeland Fl Homes – But Willing To Pay For Them? Planning to remodel or update your home before selling it? Consider going for greener or eco-friendly alternatives.The trend is now shifting towards more eco-friendly homes. According to a survey, most people would prefer Energy Star appliances over a swimming pool. Along with the popularity of hybrid cars, recycling efforts, and biodegradable packaging, the desire for greener homes has also increased significantly in the past years. Eco-friendly homes are often made of green building materials, low VOC paint, and feature energy-efficient appliances like high-efficiency water heaters, energy-efficient lighting,  rainwater collection, energy-saving insulation, and solar panels. Just how important is living in ... 05/27/2013

Lakeland FL - Taking A Stroll Around Lake Morton Lake Morton is one of the 38 natural lakes in Lakeland FL. The immaculate spherical 40-acre Lake Morton is just a short distance away from downtown, a selection of its 1 mile shoreline was restored with rock material to prevent erosion and planting aquatic vegetation along the shoreline. Lake Morton is the home of the world-famous swans  and its history that involves a little girl and the Queen of England, along with birds, ducks, geese, white pelicans, and other species.  Remember, while driving around Lake Morton, keep in mind that swans, geese and ducks do have the right of way.    Recently Lakeland FL has been named a bicycle friendly community. You can use your bike and ride from lake-to-lake which not only includes Lake Morton, but ... 05/22/2013