Rental Home Prep is a Matter of Checking Off the To-Do’s The sunny attitude that encourages entrepreneurs to look at a box of lemons and think ‘lemonade!’ is widely admired, and it does seem to be a viewpoint that successful people cultivate. For anyone who is determined to sell their Palm Beach County property—but only at a price the market is not yet willing to pay—well, the turn-lemons-into-lemonade situation is entirely apt. After all, smart investors are buying up and renting properties like yours quite deliberately because they realize that a West Palm Beach rental home is not just an asset that can appreciate over time, but one that can also produce income at the same time.   Whatever your own reason for renting, when you put a rental home in West Palm Beach on the market, exper... 06/24/2014

FLAMANGO LAKE HOME SOLD!2670 Flamango Lake Drive, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 JUST SOLD! This great pool home featured 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a 1 car garage. Just a few interior features included tile throughout the living areas, vaulted ceilings and a split floorplan. Exterior features included an oversized covered and screened patio, private pool and a fenced lot. Listed on March 19th, 2013 for $190,000 this Flamango Lake pool home received multiple offers and SOLD on June 16th, 2014 for $205,000 to a conventionally financed home buyer.Flamango Lake is centrally located in West Palm Beach Florida and is minutes away from I-95, the Palm Beach International Airport and Florida beaches. Great schools are also a short walk, bike ride or drive away from Flamango Lake.2670 Flamango ... 06/23/2014

Would you be willing to sell your West Palm Beach property to a buyer who is offering virtual currency? In recent news, there has been an influx of people who are putting their homes up for sale in Bitcoins. It may be actually worthwhile to consider the upsides, because doing so opens up your Palm Beach County property to a vast new market (not to mention potentially garnering the attention of your local media and scads more traditional buyers who are in their audience). You may have read last December’s reports about the man who tried to sell his ranch-style home in New York for $799,000 worth of bitcoins. Another seller, a 22-year-old Canadian man, put up his advertisement in March. He had the distinction of being the first one in his town to advertise a home in exchange for the popu... 06/20/2014

The biggest benefit in this monthly marketing report for our readers is to provide content rich local information from a trustworthy source The Realtors® Association of the Palm Beaches.  Understanding that an educated buyer and seller when provided with the latest facts in our marketplace creates trust and develops relationships to make educated decisions when it comes to buying and selling real estate. I hope you enjoy the reports and look forward in discussing any questions that you might have in one of the most desirable real estate markets in Palm Beach County Florida.  Please feel free to call me for any of your real estate needs.   05/28/2014

Flamango Lake Home for Sale in West Palm Beach | Now Under Contract! Our fabulous pool listing in Flamango Lake is now under contract! This one story single family home featured 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a 1 car garage. Interior features included great floorplan, vaulted ceilings and tile throughout living areas. Exterior features included an oversized covered and screened patio and was situated on a fully fenced canal lot.Flamango Lake is a great non-gated single family home community in West Palm Beach Florida. Great schools are a short walk, bike ride or drive away along with shopping, dining and entertainment. The Palm Beach International Airport is minutes away as well. If you are thinking about selling your Flamango Lake home contact us today! We would love to educate you about ... 05/16/2014

West Palm Beach first-time home buyers in 2014 are faced with a question that hasn’t changed for generations: is it more practical to buy right now, or to continue to rent? Over the past few years, buying has been the easy choice. Nationally, in 2013 it cost 35% less to own a home than to rent according to that year’s study by real estate website Trulia. That despite rising house prices and mortgage rates. But that was last year, and the experts have been pretty unanimous in predicting that interest rates will continue to rise—ending up somewhere near 5.5% by 2014’s end (per the National Association of REALTORS®). In the face of higher interest rates and house price tags, will 2014 be the year when renting becomes more affordable than buying? While first-time home buyers in West Palm B... 05/07/2014

    1993 40th Anniversary Corvette Convertible For SalePart of my personal collection     Torch Red exterior, Torch Red leather interior, Black convertible top. 300hp LT1 engine, 6-speed transmission, posi rear-end. Features include 40th Anniversary package, dual power sport seats, electronic climate control, fog lamps, Bose Gold AM/FM/Cassette stereo, power windows, power locks, power steering, power brakes, power mirrors, power antenna, tilt, cruise control, ABS, traction control. Coming with a clean Carfax, with one owner for 19 years. This 1993 Corvette 40th Anniversary Convertible is LOADED with all options, and shows only 33,923 miles. The car's paint shows a nice shine. Car was and still is garage kept. Convertible top shows brand new, and is free from tears. Window sweeps are or... 05/07/2014

Buying a home in West Palm Beach is sort of a modern day adventure. At first there’s the intrigue of figuring out the advantages and disadvantages between the neighborhoods and listings competing for your attention; then there are all the challenging, sometimes exhausting—then, ultimately, exhilarating steps that lead to home ownership. But even after the previous owner has handed over the keys, there’s more to come: a few extra steps new homeowners can decide they wish to take. Here are five of those—things you can choose to do after buying a Palm Beach County home: #1 Change the Locks Who knows how many people have a copy of those keys? It’s a good idea to change the locks on all exterior doors, because it’s not just the previous owners who have had access to the property; there may ... 05/07/2014

Follow Me On:     May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013   April Rates Bring May Closing DatesIn mid-April, investors fled the Stock market by moving their money over to Bonds, which resulted in the lowest home loan rates seen in a month. Were they enough to get more buyers signing on the dotted line? Keep Reading »     Be Aware or Be a Social Media SquareFor many, communicating with younger loved ones requires knowledge of the latest social media apps and lingo. So, if you're feeling a little square and out of the loop, have no fear because we've got you covered. Keep Reading »     Shrimp Salad for Mother's Day and Entertaining in MayWith temps rising and Mother's Day around the corner, it's time to make a delicious shrimp salad, paired w... 05/05/2014

It’s one of the skills a successful Palm Beach County rental property investor needs to cultivate: if or when to sell. With property prices on the rise, some West Palm Beach landlords may in fact be asking themselves whether now is the time to cash in. Especially for most everyone whose rental property investment was made during the last few years, it’s already been a profitable gambit. According to the Case Schiller Index, by last year’s close, property prices across the nation had risen at the fastest rate in the previous nine years. But if—and then when—to sell a West Palm Beach rental property can be a tough call. As a relatively illiquid investment, it takes a great deal more commitment than the decision to sell a stock or cash in a bond. But sometimes there are circumstances that... 05/05/2014

West Palm Beach, of Palm Beach County, FL Market Stats & Facts for March 2014   Stats and facts about West Palm Beach, Florida, are out for the month of March 2014.  The report is packed with information about the county and the local city mentioned above. In a nut shell the inventory of single family homes available for sale are at a 5.9 month selling point which is down nearly 14.1% from a year ago. That’s a good sign things are loosening up and people are buying. Click on this LINK, for more graphs and stats. Whether you are buying or selling in this hot market of the County of Palm Beach, FL, choosing the right company will save you money, time and many sleepless nights. I not only have 29 years experience as a Realtor, construction was a passion of mine as well. This alone is wort... 05/04/2014

2014 has already given an encouraging start for West Palm Beach homeowners who consider national price movements as the best pointers for what we can expect for local real estate. Already in February, median house prices were up 7.6% nationally year over year (that according to the US National Housing Trend Report). It followed a similar 8.3% increase in January. The question many West Palm Beach homeowners have is whether this upward movement can be sustained throughout 2014. Two Years of Historically High Growth If we look at the historical record, values normally rise somewhere in the area of 3% to 5% annually. But over the last couple of years, gains have been considerably higher. As measured by the Case-Schiller Index, property prices in the 20 largest U.S. cities have increased 2... 04/30/2014

Schedule Ample Time for Your West Palm Beach Home Inspection Congrats! Your offer has been accepted and you are officially in escrow. Now what? Usually the first order of business is to arrange your Palm Beach County home inspection. When you were house hunting, you were weighing so many factors it was next to impossible to thoroughly examination of every nook and corner of every one of the serious contenders…in fact, it wasn’t necessary. But now that you’re moving forward to a purchase, you want to do more than kick the tires. It’s time to get under the hood! Here is a taste of just some of the areas you and your inspector will be examining during your West Palm Beach home inspection: Plumbing You will be taking a close look at the tiles around the handles on the bath tub or shower. I... 04/29/2014

Send to a Friend Follow Me On:   In This Issue...         Last Week in Review: Housing reports were front and center, and tensions from overseas impacted the markets. Forecast for the Week: Look for key reports on housing, inflation, manufacturing and jobs. Plus, the Fed meets. View: Build stronger connections on LinkedIn with these power-user tips.           Last Week in Review         "Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it." Lily Tomlin. The reality of the 2014 housing market is quite different than last year's, according to recent housing reports. New Home Sales for March plunged by 14.5 percent from February to an annual rate of 384,000 units. This was far below the 455,000 expected and the lowest level since July. New Home Sales in March were down 1... 04/28/2014

Your credit score will have a major impact when it comes to the cost you wind up paying for a Palm Beach County mortgage. A buyer with a high credit score of 750 or above will qualify for the most competitive interest rates available; but today’s tightened lending standards mean that some borrowers with scores under 600 may not qualify for a mortgage at all. And no matter what, a low credit score can mean paying an extra 3%-4% interest charge on every payment. There is nothing permanent about a credit score. West Palm Beach homebuyers who realize its importance—and who take early steps to improve their own—can save literally thousands of dollars. You can’t improve your credit score until you know what you are working with. Your first step is to obtain your credit reports. They are avai... 04/27/2014

West Palm Beach, of Palm Beach County, FL Market Stats & Facts for March 2014   Stats and facts about West Palm Beach, Florida, are out for the month of March 2014.  The report is packed with information about the county and the local city mentioned above. In a nut shell the inventory of single family homes available for sale are at a 5.9 month selling point which is down nearly 14.1% from a year ago. That’s a good sign things are loosening up and people are buying. Click on this LINK, for more graphs and stats. Whether you are buying or selling in this hot market of the County of Palm Beach, FL, choosing the right company will save you money, time and many sleepless nights. I not only have 29 years experience as a Realtor, construction was a passion of mine as well. This alone is wort... 04/27/2014

With spring in the air, you don’t have to have your Palm Beach County home for sale to catch the spring cleaning bug. Whether or not you’ve been cooped up inside for a longer-than-usual siege of the wintertime blues, as soon as the weather turns the corner, there seems to be a natural urge to open the windows and start freshening your place up. Spring also brings the traditional hot selling season, and if you’re among those getting ready to list your own home for sale to take advantage of it, you’ll want to add extra attention to the traditional cleanup. Home for sale or not, you can channel some of your annual sprucing-up energy with one of these light renovation ideas. Each can add new zest to your living areas without breaking the bank: If you want to liven up your kitchen or bathro... 04/25/2014

  The biggest benefit in this monthly marketing report for our readers is to provide content rich local information from a trustworthy source The Realtors® Association of the Palm Beaches.  Understanding that an educated buyer and seller when provided with the latest facts in our marketplace creates trust and develops relationships to make educated decisions when it comes to buying and selling real estate. I hope you enjoy the reports and look forward in discussing any questions that you might have in one of the most desirable real estate markets in Palm Beach County Florida.     04/24/2014

Follow Me On: YOU Magazine - April 2014   April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013   A New Season for Housing Will First-Time Buyers Face Challenges? Spring is officially here. The warmer season will hopefully bring a much-needed warm-up to the housing market, which suffered from the harsh winter weather. Keep Reading »     Are Distractions Getting in Your Way? By Jason Womack, MEd, MA Think about the last time you sat down to do some high priority, very important work. How long were you able to focus on what you were doing before you got distracted? Keep Reading »     How to Save on Auto Repairs By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com Follow these steps to lower the cost of routine car maintenance and major repair work. Keep Reading »     ... 04/24/2014

Jimmy Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band are sure to delight the legions of Parrotheads this Saturday april 26 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre. Buffett, whose Margaritaville state of mind was inspired by Key West, sings songs that connote the easy, breezy island life. Expect concert goers to be wearing their finest ‘parrot-phernalia’: leis, beads, flowered shirts and flip-flops. The lineup is sure to include “Margaritaville,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Fins” and “5 o’clock Somewhere,” his duet with Alan Jackson. Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets start at $36.   04/24/2014