The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for September 2008.  Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. A couple of definitions are in order. The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time – in other words, it’s the midpoint of sale prices. So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it’s specifically indicating which price range is more active. The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the nu... 10/08/2008

    (click image to enlarge) The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for August 2008.  Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.   There needs to be a disclaimer here.  These stats are only as good as telling us what it being purchased and happening at a certain period in time.  Additionally, it needs to be fully understood that not only is real estate local, but it is hyper-local.  What this means is that the trends that we hear about are overall.  Let's put it this way, what's happening in one neighborhood may not be realized in the neighborhood next door.    Additionally, these are only monthly... 09/17/2008

REAL ESTATE & MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS WITHOUT THE "BULL".  Find a great bargain at www.SKIPtheBULL.com/FreeHomeSearch Apply for a loan in Florida www.SKIPtheBULL.com/MortgageApplication    NO GAMES ~ NO GIMMICKS ~ NO BULL  Award winning REALTOR with RE/MAX Select for almost 4 years in a row. The same consideration should be given to hiring a REALTOR & Mortgage Broker as hiring any other professional. When I look for a doctor, accountant or attorney, I want someone that is well educated, has experience, ethics and a track record of satisfied client. What is most important is I want direct answers to direct questions!!! That's why I picked www.SKIPtheBULL.com  I don't play games with my clients! If you want someone to sugar coat bad news, tell you your home is worth more than it is, tell you c... 09/13/2008

  As you might recall, I listed a home in St. Johns Landing in Winter Springs, Florida earlier this year for $750,000. This custom home featured five bedrooms, four and one-half bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, stunning hardwood floors and a salt-water pool that was showcased in a local pool builder magazine.     Although only in the home for two years, the Sellers decided to move to Pennsylvania for a job opportunity and with seven other homes for sale in the community, knew that they needed an agent who was savvy with Internet marketing and also experienced in the luxury market. Thankfully, they hired me! As part of my marketing plan, I hired a professional photographer to take pictures and put together the virtual tour. When the tour was complete, I posted it on more than 20 websites. I... 08/28/2008

August 27th, 2008      With the recent and very sad flooding of the St.Johns river system there will be a need to rebuild - On Time, Under Budget, and with High Quality.  There will no doubt be an onslaught of contractors positioning themselves to take advantage and perform shoddy work or outright de-fraud unsuspecting homeowners.  If your house is currently flooded I would recommend securing your contractor right-away.  A qualified and experienced home repair contractor will help you navigate the insurance claim and give you a huge advantage.  Also, securing your contractor early will promote quicker turnaround.  Here are a few topics to consider. 1.  Hire a contractor that is local.  It would be best if the contractor specializes in your county.  Reputation is everything in this busin... 08/27/2008

If all goes well and Tropical Storm Fay stays away, a listing I have in St. Johns Landing in Winter Springs, Florida, will close this Friday. The Buyers have had inspections, the home has appraised, the package has been delivered to the title company and one of the family pets has been given up for adoption... Yes...you read that correctly. In order to move into the community, the Buyers had to put one of their pets up for adoption. Like many other communities with a required Home Owners Association, the documents for this particular HOA indicate that there are only two (2) pets per household permitted. The Buyers, being the nice people that they are, requested to see a copy of the Home Owners Association documents and upon realizing that their three dogs surpassed the HOA limit, contac... 08/20/2008

Beazer Townhome Community Heritage Commons - Winter Springs Fl - August 8, 2008  I just received an update of BRAND NEW townhomes for sale in the Heritage Commons townhome community which is located off of Red Bug Lake Rd in Winter Springs.  They have several units left and have dropped the prices!   Here are the deals left in Heritage Commons located off Red Bug Lake Rd in Winter Springs Fl: -The Kingston is 1966 square feet 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, plus a Bonus Room, 42" Oak Cabinets, Black appliances.  Was $241,940 -Now $209,990. -The St. Croix is 1313 square feet 2 Owner's Suites, 2.5 baths, black appliances Was $177,925     Now $146,980. -The St. Kingston is 1784 square feet 4 Bedrooms, Loft, 2.5 baths, 42" Oak cabinets, black appliances Was $231,245      Now $211,245.  Homes READ... 08/08/2008

     During a recent no-cost foreclosure walk-through for a prospective home buyer, the reality sunk in...buyers of foreclosed properties have no idea what it will cost to rehab the property.  Further, it reinforced the wise decision this possible home buyer had made to contact me for this free assessment.  I was able to walk through the home and instantly call out pricing for the various different repairs and upgrades the buyer wanted.  I believe the biggest danger for Realtors is for a home buyer to over estimate the expense therefore leading to a lower offer and eventually to a declined offer and wasting every ones time!      It happened time and time again during this particular walk-through "really, that's all I need to do?".  To the trained eye, the house was in really good shape,... 08/08/2008

Interest Rates are Rising and home Prices Steady in Orlando Area?   It does seem to be trye. At least the interest rate part. Home prices do seem to be rising a little on less expensive homes in nicer areas. The prices seem to still be dropping n areas way outside the city. Places like Kissimmee and Deltona seem to have a ton of homes just sitting there priced under $200,000 Places like Oviedo and Winter Springs seem to be holding prices at least for homes under $300,000 If you are spending in the $400,000 to $500,000 you will have more rom to negotiate or to come along and grab a SHORT-SALE and maybe save $100,000   Richard Shuman P.A. REALTOR & Mortgage Broker www.SKIPtheBULL.com 07/21/2008

  (click image to enlarge) The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for June 2008.  Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. There needs to be a disclaimer here.  These stats are only as good as telling us what it being purchased and happening at a certain period in time.  Additionally, it needs to be fully understood that not only is real estate local, but it is hyper-local.  What this means is that the trends that we hear about are overall.  Let's put it this way, what's happening in one neighborhood may not be realized in the neighborhood next door.  It is all relative and this has to be unders... 07/12/2008

"Richard was very helpful in the search for our home. He went out of his way to take us around to different locations meeting our criteria, even one that was not on our list-which is the one we bought! He was very prompt in returning calls and aiding us with financing. He played the advocate for us with our mortgage lender. The whole process was pleasant and almost stress free."  Amanda H. 06/07/2008

A Long Enjoyable Relatioship: "Over the year that it took to sell our house in Knoxville and buy a house in Winter Springs I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Richard Shuman. From the beginning he understood what we wanted to buy. He took us to a good selection of homes in Winter Springs and we managed to refine what and where we were hoping to buy. When our house in Knoxville finally sold Richard moved into high gear with us to find an excellent house and help us negotiate a good deal. He handled all the transactions, including our mortgage, with a high degree of professional competence and efficiency. Our closing went smoothly and effortlessly and we moved in just 7 days after closing on the sale of our Knoxville house. Perfect timing! My wife and I recommend Richard, es... 06/07/2008

Looking for a Good Deal NEW HOMES is the way to go!!! If you are looking to purchase a new home in any Central Florida New Home Community NOW is a excellent time to do so. New Home builders in the Orlando, Apopka and Central Florida area have dropped the prices and are offering great incentives. Do you need a REALTOR® when buying a brand new home from a builder? ABSOLUTELY!!! When you walk into a Model home and you're greeted by the salesperson, remember they work for the Builder and have the Builders best interest in mind NOT YOURS! Thinking of Buying a NEW home in the Orlando, Apopka and Central Florida area? Don't BUY WITHOUT Representation. Call Rick Belben BEFORE YOU VISIT the sales center as I must accompany you on your 1st visit. Let me represent you and Save thousands on new hom... 05/20/2008

(Click images to enlarge.) The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for April 2008.  Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. 32708 - Single-Family Homes 23 homes sold during the month of April. The average sales price, which is the total sold volume divided by the number of homes sold is $259,130 with 130 days on the market. The median sales price, which means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less, is $235,000. The most expensive home sold for $753,000 and appears to have been a pocket listing.  It was a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3-car garage 3532sf conservation frontag... 05/18/2008

Winter Springs, FL is a north-eastern suburb of Orlando, FL. with a population of over 34,000 people, and eight high-rated public schools. There are various communities and neighborhoods, all with their own distinct character, the largest and most established of which being Tuscawilla, which is an 18-hole championship country club community. Boasting a wide variety of housing options in the area: from apartments, condos, and town homes to multi-million dollar estates, there is something for nearly every budget. In recent years there has been a boom in development projects that enhance the community and quality of life. Certain intersections and streets are embellished with brick inlay and meticulous landscaping, and many streetlights have been upgraded from the ubiquitous and unsightly ... 05/16/2008

LaShawn Norden | RE/MAX Central Realty | lashawn@lashawnnorden.com | (321) 377-0157 103 St Johns Landing Drive, Winter Springs, FL Elegant home located in premier Winter Springs gated lakefront community of only 32 residences. 5 Bdrm Single Family House offered at $750,000 Year Built 2002 Sq Footage 3,517 Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 4 full, 1 partial Floors 2 Parking 3 Car garage Lot Size Unspecified HOA/Maint $145 per month DESCRIPTION Custom designed & built by Austin Homes, in a premier Winter Springs gated lakefront community of only 32 residences, this elegant home offers exceptional curb appeal, breathtaking pool & spa area, gourmet kitchen, double-sided fireplace in Master Suite, hand-crafted Glass Block shower, and a versatile floor plan ideal for guests and entertaining. No matter yo... 05/08/2008

A few days ago the City of Winter Springs FL did pass a controversial fire assessment ordinance. The ordinance was revised from the original proposal, however the average homeowner will pay an non-ad valorem assessment of approximately $115 per year in addition to their current property taxes.  This is a big sting to landlords and apartment complex owners who have to pay this fee for each unit they own.  At least the fee was reduced from the original $216 proposal.    Many tax payers consider this fee a slap in the face since it circumvents the spirit of the tax reform of Amendment 1 passed overwhelmingly by voters.  Other cities and counties in the area including Longwood and Orange County have looked at the example of Winter Springs and are considering a similar fee.  Luckily the City... 04/23/2008

 The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for March 2008.  Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.32708 - Single-Family Homes23 homes sold during the month of March.The average sales price, which is the total sold volume divided by the number of homes sold is $271,682 with 166 days on the market.The median sales price, which means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less, is $238,000.The most expensive home sold for $650,000 and was on the market for 169 days.  It was a 5 bedroom, 4 bath 4009sf golf frontage home on a cul-de-sac with a 3+-car garage, a screen enclose... 04/14/2008

 The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for February 2008.  Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.32708 - Single-Family Homes21 homes sold during the month of February.The average sales price, which is the total sold volume divided by the number of homes sold is $297,469.The median sales price, which means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less, is $285,000.The most expensive home sold for $667,000 and was on the market for 145 days.  It was a 4 bedroom, 3½ bath 3573sf golf frontage home with a 3+-car garage, a screen enclosed swimming pool built in 1997 on .39 ... 03/11/2008

The local governments are at it again.  Trying to sneak around the property tax cuts with new fees and assessments.  This time we turn the spotlight to the City of Winter Springs, Florida.The city has proposed a new fire assessment fee.  The average fee to homeowners would be between $216 and $256 per year. The real killer is for multi-family properties that would be assessed on a per unit basis.  Imagine $216 times 100 units.  Ouch!  And tenants are typically the poorest people in the community.    Here are some articles from the Orlando Sentinel and the Seminole Chronicle about this new fee.  The next city hearing about this proposal will be next Monday, March 10, 2008.These local governments just don't get it.  The reason the people of Florida voted for tax cuts is so that property o... 03/03/2008