5 Reasons Why Your Offer on South Tampa Homes for Sale Was Rejected   Anyone who was dead set at buying homes for sale in South Tampa area would get disappointed if their offer was rejected. Although this little hurdle won’t mean you can’t ultimately succeed in home buying, it is important to understand what went wrong. Knowing the reasons why your offer for a home was rejected can help you in preparing a better offer the next time around. There are numerous reasons for a rejection, but these are the most common ones: It did not meet the seller’s requirement It is common that a seller of a luxury home for sale in South Tampa has a list of conditions upon negotiation. It is the duty of your agent to find out what these things are so you can consider them in your offer. Sometimes an offer... 02/10/2015

Valencia Lakes Top Rated Retirement Community In Tampa Bay!   Active adults and retirees from all over America are choosing Valencia Lakes on Florida’s tranquil west coast because of its incredible resort lifestyle and great values on new homes. G.L. Homes designed Valencia Lakes' waterfront recreation complex with a magnificent 27,000-total-square-foot clubhouse that offers a complete fitness center, massive swimming pool with a separate exercise pool, spa, cabana bath, aerobics/yoga studio, art studio and gallery, festive wine bar, majestic social hall with stage and dance floor, gaming room, multi-purpose room, internet cafe, locker facilities with steam room, saunas and so much more! The Valencia Lakes Retirement Community in Tampa has a full-time Lifestyle Director to organize a wi... 02/09/2015

Mortgage Brokers Can Ease the Strain of Getting a Home Loan There was a time when reverse mortgages could be taken out at the local branch of the bank you've trusted with your money for years. However, after the boom and bust, more and more banks bowed out of originating reverse mortgages. And while many lenders have also closed their reverse mortgage departments, there have been many changes to the reverse mortgage program as well as the landscape for homeowners. Presently, according to an article published by The Guardian, a little over 60% of all home loans are taken out through a broker. This information is not surprising, given the amount of changes to various mortgage programs, including reverse mortgages, have gone through the years. It's no longer enough to fill out a form, hand... 02/09/2015

4 Roles of Tampa FL REALTORSⓇ in Home Buying   Despite the huge amount of information found on the internet about home buying, more than 80 percent of homebuyers still choose to work with Tampa FL REALTORSⓇ. If there’s anything at all this fact proves, it’s that the real estate agents are still highly indispensable in the market, and for good reasons. They are performing a lot of crucial tasks, the most important of which can be found below. 1. Walks buyers through the process Home buying isn’t like purchasing a product in the grocery store where people come in, pick their item, pay, and then go out. Yes, South Tampa waterfront homes for sale are commodities which we buy, but it is a big investment. It could even be the biggest financial decision most people would make. And given all th... 02/05/2015

Gasparilla Is Here Again   Once again that rogue pirate, Jose Gaspar, will sail into Tampa Bay and terrorize the streets of Tampa: just as Jose Gaspar terrorized coastal waters in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s. Over 700 pirates ride the waves in on the pirate ship Jose Gaspar. The ship is 165' long, made of steel, it is a spectacular site sailing into the bay. The Invasion starts tomorrow Jan 31, 2015.    >   These pirates like their exercise: After landing, they lead a four-mile parade of pirates. This is one of Tampa’s wildest festivals- (maybe the wildest) with 300,000 people in attendance many of them dressed in pirate and pirate lady costumes. The revelry continues into the evening with food, music, and entertainment.     photos courtest of gasparillapiratefest.com   There are so ma... 01/29/2015

  Tampa FL Home for sale - 9508 N 13th St     Home Photos Local Schools             Torey Eisenman Benchmark Real Estate Group, Inc 321-422-4729 Questions?Schedule a Showing! Licensed In:Florida License #:BK0544770       9508 North 13th Street Tampa, FL 33612 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms : 2 ( 2 full ) List Price: $58,000 Living Area Approx : 1384         Rented investment property, updated and well maintained. Don’t miss out on your perfect investment opportunity. Will not last long. Call Torey Eisenman at 321-422-4729 to schedule a showing today!       Schedule a Showing/Request Info Search the MLS for Available Homes Homes Close to Where You Work Avoid Foreclosure What is Your Home Worth?             L2L 01/29/2015

5 Signs That You Are Ready to Own a South Tampa Waterfront Home    If you are tired of renting and think that you are ready to buy a home for sale in South Tampa, you’ve made a great decision! The question is, how will you know if you are ready to buy a home and make one of the biggest investments in your life? Real estate experts say that if you plan to stay in your home long enough to build equity (5 years at least), that is one sign you are ready to buy a home.   Here are some other signs that you are ready to become a homeowner:   1. You can adapt to the market. If you find yourself complaining about how overpriced the homes are, then you are not yet ready to adapt to the current market. A buyer who is ready and serious about buying a South Tampa home for sale should research the ma... 01/27/2015

How Long is The Homebuying Process for a Home for Sale in South Tampa?   Many people who decide to buy a home for sale in South Tampa may wonder exactly how long the entire home buying process is. Will it take weeks? Will it take months? The timeline depends on a number of factors and conditions, and certainly varies for each homebuyer. Of course, knowing what these are and how they affect you may help speed up the process. To give you an idea on how long the homebuying process takes, some factors and areas of the process are discussed below.   Credit Score and Savings   For any serious homebuyer, the first logical step is to know how much you can afford. This is most especially true for those who will opt for financing—getting a pre-approval for a loan will tell you exactly how much th... 01/21/2015

Tampa Real Estate Market Update – December 2014   The housing market in Tampa and Hillsborough County continues the improving trends we have seen in the last three years.   Home sales closed the year strong (see Chart below) with 1,498 unit sold in Dec. compared to 1,323 in Dec. of 2013, an increase of 13.2%.  In fact, December's sales were the best since May of 2013 when 1,522 homes were sold.  It is also the highest monthly closing totals since the real estate recovery started back in 2011.  That is something we can all be happy about. With that being said it should be noted that Pending Home Sales have been trending down for many months and this is a trend that we need to see reversed in the next few months.  However, at this point it is not a red flag because with the huge decline i... 01/20/2015

What to Do When Your South Tampa Waterfront Home is Not Selling   You decided to put your South Tampa home for sale. However, the “For Sale” sign on the front lawn has been there for several months now but you are still not getting any offers. You also spent on advertising and dropped the price several times, yet still no one is interested to buy it. You’re worried because the listing for your South Tampa waterfront home for sale will be expiring soon but you are not getting any offer.   What alternatives do you have left when your home is not selling?   1. Take Out a New Mortgage   If you are selling your home because of financial needs, it may be more sensible to get a second loan, provided that you have the capacity to pay a higher monthly amortization. If you have an existing home l... 01/13/2015

2-Bedroom Plant High District Home for Sale | 3905 Bay to Bay Blvd     Welcome to this charming 2-bedroom Plant High District single family home for sale! This beautiful turn of the century bungalow in the Virginia Parks subdivision has a nice and flexible floor plan designed to meet your needs.  Built in 1951 but has been carefully kept and lovingly maintained, this gorgeous residence features 1 bathroom and 1 attached car garage. The moment you drive up to this lovely Tampa FL house, you’ll be mesmerized by its sweet, charming facade. Surrounded by beautiful, mature landscaping, this home stands on 10,889 sq. ft. lot and is as attractive as it is spacious. Step inside and find gleaming hardwood floors giving this place a warm, rich glow. The home has a distinct inviting feel and homey... 01/07/2015

Virginia Park 2-Bedroom Home for Sale in Tampa FL | 3905 Bay to Bay Blvd Relax and enjoy living in this gorgeous Virginia Park 2-bedroom home for sale. This charming turn of the century home in Tampa FL is surrounded by beautiful, mature landscaping that will surely catch your eye.  Built in 1951 but has been carefully kept and lovingly maintained, this gorgeous bungalow stands on 10,889 sq. ft. lot and is as attractive as it is spacious. It offers a very nice and flexible floor plan carefully designed to meet your needs. As you step inside, you’ll be amazed by its gleaming hardwood floors and newly remodelled kitchen equipped with dishwasher, range and refrigerator. Other features include a   single car attached garage, 1 bathroom and a spacious, fully fenced backyard that will make a... 01/07/2015

Top 5 Reasons Why Retirees Spend Winter in South Tampa Waterfront Home    Thousands of retirees look for South Tampa waterfront homes for sale, some will buy it outright so that they have a place to stay for the winter, and then return to it every year. Come mid-October, they will pack their bags and fly to Florida to spend the winter season, just as other people of their age are doing. Why? Read the top five reasons below. 1. Escape the cold and snow of winter   After many years of enduring the hardships of Winter in northern States, retirees find it very attractive and comforting to spend the bitter cold and snowy Winter months in the warmth and relaxing environments they find in South Tampa and surrounding areas.  Furthermore, most retirees find that the sun is nicer than snow.   2. ... 01/06/2015

How to Prevent Accidents in Your South Tampa Area Homes for Sale   No single home is exempted from accidents. Tragedies can happen to anyone anywhere, but neglecting to do a few things at your homes for sale in South Tampa area which can be root causes for accidents is just unfortunate. We view our homes as a safe place so we have to really do our best to keep it that way, especially during holiday season when friends and family flock there to visit. To help prevent the 3 most common home accidents from ruining your day and hurting someone you love, pay attention to the tips below. Avoiding trips, slips and falls This might be one of the most common accidents we experience at home. Sometimes it doesn’t end up seriously but other times, it can lead to hospitalization and even death. You ... 12/30/2014

Many Florida first time home owners with limited savings are drawn to the USDA Rural Housing mortgage. The USDA Rural home loan is one of the few programs that still allows buyer to purchase a home with $0 to little money out of pocket. So, how to do you apply for the USDA loan application, what are the steps for USDA loan pre approval? Before we get into too much detail, it's critical to understand exactly what a pre qualification and pre approval actually mean in the mortgage world. USDA prequalification means that based on the information you the buyer has provided to your USDA mortgage specialist, you generally meet the guidelines that are set for USDA home loans. This is sort of generic since none of your underwriting documentation (paystubs, assets, and tax returns) is verified at... 12/23/2014

Why Buy Homes For Sale in South Tampa Area at the End of the Year?   Perhaps you’ve entertained the thought that when a year is ending, you have to put things on hold until the new year, including your purchase of homes for sale in South Tampa area. But have you considered all the advantages of buying a home at year end? If you haven’t yet, then perhaps this article could give you a fresh perspective. 1. Less competition Naturally, the market isn’t that busy at this time of the year due to loads of work, school, and family activities. That would mean less competition for home buyers everywhere. No one needs to get stressed with coming up with a better offer because you already have a leverage, being one of the very few who would make an offer for real estate listings in South Tampa.   2... 12/22/2014

A Christmas Carol At Ruth Eckerd Hall 2014   The longest running production of our holiday favorite is coming to Ruth Eckerd Hall on Dec. 22, 2014. Two shows are scheduled at 2pm and 7 pm.  Ticket prices vary depending on seat location and time.     Photo courtesy of Ruth Eckerd Hall   Ruth Eckerd Hall is at 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, FL.  For tickets click here.  Or call  727-791-7400. This 73,000 square foot performing arts venue is a not-for-profit organization providing performing arts and education.   Don’t miss out on everyone’s favorite Christmas story.   Bah Humbug!   This local event information brought to you as a courtesy by  Toni Weidman- of Re/Max Sunset.  Please do not call me for information on the event, contact the event organizers for further information.   ... 12/18/2014

  Don’t forget, Valencia Lakes New Home buyers, get a cash rebate of 1% of their new home price at closing!!  Ask me for the details. Tampa Active Adults 12/17/2014

5 Red Flags When Choosing Your Homes for Sale in South Tampa Agent   When you’ve decided to sell or buy a home, looking for a trusted real estate agent must be on your priority. You’ve probably heard that for a couple of times now but this part of your home buying or selling journey is really crucial. If you’re afraid of ending up with an agent that cannot really help you sell or buy homes for sale in South Tampa, then this article is for you. Pick the right agent by being aware of these red flags: 1. Has communication issues As a home buyer or seller, you must have a gazillion questions in mind only a real estate agent can answer. You and your agent must be able to maintain open communication lines all throughout the process. If your agent does not return your calls or answer your mess... 12/17/2014

The University of Tampa rowing team was out on the Hillsborough River last Sunday, enjoying a December in the Florida sun! With this kind of weather, it is little wonder why so many students from the New York and New Jersey area decide to come to the University of Tampa in beautiful Tampa Florida to study. I have a funny feeling, with the increasingly cold winters up north, we are going to be seeing not only more students but more seniors deciding to retire to our sun-baked area! It was a beautiful December afternoon as we stood on the bank of the Hillsborough River in Tampa Florida and watch the University of Tampa rowing team pass by. It was too picture perfect not to share! 12/16/2014