tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:48:56 +0000Information around homeownership, investments, mortgage lending and commercial aspects of the Central Florida Region.http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/noreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)Blogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-6916972531493686697Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:47:00 +00002010-01-23T09:48:56.074-05:00TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Jan. 21, 2010 – Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater told his chamber’s budget writers Wednesday not to raise taxes or fees during this election year to close a projected spending gap of up to $3.2 billion. The potential deficit is the difference between anticipated revenue and the growing cost of meeting high-priority demands such as public schools and Medicaid, the http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2010/01/fla-senate-president-no-new-taxes-or.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-7636788178992899045Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:44:00 +00002010-01-23T09:46:40.609-05:00real estatehousingfloridaTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Jan. 21, 2010 – Florida legislators have given the state’s affordable housing trust funds short shrift in recent years, but a key Senate lawmaker says he’ll support an effort to target money for affordable housing during the upcoming session if it reduces the glut of existing housing stock and puts builders back to work. Senate Appropriations Committee chairman. J.D. Alexanderhttp://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2010/01/support-emerges-for-florida-housing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-2137086660735686825Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:43:00 +00002010-01-11T13:43:44.120-05:00Borrowers whose loan modifications reduced their loan balances – not just their interest rates – are most likely to avoid re-defaulting on their mortgages, according to a new study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.These findings contradict the government's recommendation, which focuses on reducing monthly payments by lowering interest rates and extending the loan terms.The New York http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2010/01/cutting-mortgage-principal-decreases.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-3663504266430759618Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:41:00 +00002010-01-11T10:41:39.821-05:00Some real estate researchers are forecasting that home prices will fall again in 2010.· Fiserv Lending Solutions, a financial analytics firm, predicts that prices will decline an average of 11.3 percent in 342 of the 381 markets it covers.· Moody's Economy.com foresees another 8 percent drop, with Arizona, California, Florida, and Nevada feeling even more pain.· Shari Olefson, author of http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2010/01/will-home-prices-go-down-in-2010.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-7114303040371787328Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:42:00 +00002010-01-11T09:44:56.678-05:00financesmortgagesfederal reserveFinancingcondoWASHINGTON – Jan. 8, 2010 – Fannie Mae announced yesterday that it would comprehensively review hundreds of condominium projects in Florida. Through a new “Special Approval” designation, Fannie hopes to streamline mortgage approvals for projects that don’t currently fit Fannie Mae guidelines even though they present limited risk to the company. Florida Realtors strongly urged Fannie Mae to http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2010/01/fannie-mae-to-ease-condo-mortgage.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-7671868782923697558Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:21:00 +00002010-01-10T15:22:28.063-05:00foreclosurefloridaTAMPA, Fla. – Jan. 7, 2010 – If there’s one industry that’s not feeling the economy’s sting these days, it’s the business of filing foreclosure lawsuits. Recently, mortgage-servicing companies have been filing about 2,000 initial foreclosure documents every month in Hillsborough County Circuit Court. To handle the overwhelming caseload, armies of lawyers, paralegals and clerks at big foreclosure http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2010/01/law-firm-gorges-on-home-defaults.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-6367179325649115194Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:16:00 +00002010-01-10T15:19:04.308-05:00commercialfloridaBy Dale Smith - dsmith@hometownnewsol.comNEW SMYRNA BEACH - If they build it, you will come.At least that's what developer Regency Centers of Jacksonville hopes will happen now that the Planning and Zoning Board approved a site plan for a big-box store.The 155,000-square foot retail structure is phase one of a larger project that will sit on approximately 47 acres at the intersection of I-95 and http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2010/01/new-smyrna-beach-site-plan-for-big-box.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-3767517518477622839Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:17:00 +00002009-06-24T09:20:03.863-04:00real estatefinancesmortgagesforeclosureThis seems to be THE NUMBER ONE question I get. Unfortunately there are several answers and which is correct for you depends on the Circumstances. I will address the common scenarios in this article.Policy in my office is to never "tell" - as in "instruct" - our borrower client to pay or not to pay their mortgage. Paying or not paying has a lot of collateral effects and the borrower needs to http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/06/should-i-pay-my-mortgage.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-134841677173417965Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:04:00 +00002009-06-21T11:07:27.077-04:00Check out this recent story in the news about Helen and Malte Strauss and their foreign home buyers. What can home sellers do to appeal to foreign home buyers and make the house marketable to an international clientele.Click here to wath the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0mJ-jmJwnchttp://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/06/in-news-how-helen-and-malte-strauss.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-6197836446932482722Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:35:00 +00002009-06-21T10:55:38.056-04:00real estateorange countyorlando(June 10, 2009 – Orlando, FL) Members of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association in May sold nearly 38 percent more homes than in May of last year, contributing to the area’s year-to-date sales increase of 44 percent.There were 1,854 closings in May, which brings the year’s total to 7,834; a total of 5,462 homes had changed hands by this time last year. Of those May sales, 50.97 percent of the http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/06/new-contracts-are-strong-while-prices.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-6365650484904667922Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:13:00 +00002009-06-21T10:15:27.873-04:00real estatenew homesNEW ORLEANS – June 17, 2009 – Florida lost the fight for venue, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana will consolidate cases from around the nation, according to an order issued Monday by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML). The order applies to pending and future cases.Read more about the Chinese Drywall related lawsuits at: http://http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/06/chinese-drywall-lawsuits-to-be-heard-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-423857350691691541Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:05:00 +00002009-06-21T10:10:31.039-04:00real estateThis video will show the homebuyer tax credit and how it works. This video is designed for Real estate professionals but we think it is interesting for buyer as well. The running time is 38 Minutes.http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/06/first-time-homebuyer-tax-credit.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-1330275449034911734Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:53:00 +00002009-06-21T10:04:28.212-04:00real estateorange countyfloridaFinancingThe resort-style pool, spa and health club along with luxurious 10-foot floor-to-ceiling windows are no longer the key selling points for 101 Eola in Thornton Park. Today the best thing going for the 146-unit condominium tower is that it's the only newly constructed building in downtown Orlando that is FHA approved, a special government sanction that allows buyers to put as little as 3.5 percent http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/06/fha-brings-some-relief-for-some-condos.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-7354452439017525430Fri, 08 May 2009 18:57:00 +00002009-05-10T08:22:58.556-04:00real estateorlandoThis Monday (the 11th) and also Tuesday evening Malte Strauss will appear on the Fox35 News channel with two stories about real estate. The interviews will air as part of the 10 o'clock evening news. One story is about properties with a shady past and the other story is how European home buyers take advantage of the Central Florida real estate market. Don't forget to tune in. The scheduling is http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/05/strauss-team-in-news.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-1586449212058522772Fri, 08 May 2009 18:46:00 +00002009-05-08T14:54:32.501-04:00real estateorlandoOrlando area home sales have again experienced an increase in activity, with members of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association involved in the sale of 47.59 percent more homes in March of this year than March of last year: 1,653 to 1,120. (More)http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/05/orlando-home-sales-are-up-prices-are.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-3503900812349772526Fri, 08 May 2009 18:37:00 +00002009-05-08T14:39:00.421-04:00real estateforeclosureMultiple bidding for homes has picked up in recent months in Florida and other states hit hard by foreclosures and steep price drops, according to real estate industry experts.Read the full story:http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n1-050609.cfmhttp://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/05/home-sales-some-with-multiple-bids.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-773946970777242630Fri, 08 May 2009 18:27:00 +00002009-05-08T14:28:46.612-04:00financesmortgageshousingFinancingTroubled homeowners know they should call their lender if they hit a bad patch and have trouble paying their mortgage. However, a call to a financial counselor willing to look at a family's finances and offer a plan toward stability is just as important - but who do you trust with all the scam foreclosure schemes out there? There are several legit programs, most of them government-backed. HUD's http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/05/finding-help.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-1258354894074394239Fri, 08 May 2009 18:19:00 +00002009-05-08T14:22:57.075-04:00floridainsuranceGov.. Charlie Crist said Tuesday he'll sign a bill (HB 1495) that boosts property insurance on more than 1 million customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Without the legislation, which calls for 10 percent increases spread over several years, supporters said Citizens customers would have been looking at rate increases between 40 percent and 55 percent on Jan. 1.Read the http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/05/property-insurance.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-1775514225019118121Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:15:00 +00002009-03-23T14:53:35.715-04:00Orlando housing market experiences uptick in sales activity, spurred by decreases in median price and interest rates(March 10, 2009 – Orlando, FL) Orlando area home sales have again experienced an increase in activity, with members of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association involved in the sale of 28.18 percent more homes in February of this year than February of last year: 1,219 to 951.In http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/03/orlando-housing-sales-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-3596543298374593521Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:06:00 +00002009-03-23T14:07:32.124-04:00financesmortgagesFinancingReports of mortgage fraud in 2008 rose by 26 percent nationwide compared to the prior year, according to the Mortgage Asset Research Institute. Among the 50 states, Rhode Island ranked first for mortgage fraud last year, bumping Florida to second place. Read the full story: http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n2-031709.cfmhttp://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/03/mortgage-fraud.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-3592867540636635609Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:04:00 +00002009-03-23T14:05:39.318-04:00real estatenew homesThe U.S. Commerce Department reported that construction of new homes and apartments in February jumped 22.2 percent from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 583,000 units, defying economists' forecasts for a drop in activity. Applications for building permits, considered a reliable sign of future activity, also rose in February by 3 percent.Read the full story:http://http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/03/housing-construction-start-numbers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-8642728000162356563Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:55:00 +00002009-03-23T14:01:24.354-04:00Drywall from China, which tests show emits sulfur gases that corrode copper coils and electrical and plumbing components, could be causing problems in tens of thousands of homes in Florida and elsewhere, according to attorneys who have filed lawsuits on behalf of Florida homeowners. Florida regulators and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission are investigating. Read the full story: http:http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/03/drywall-from-china-causing-problems.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-7910998868775967Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:42:00 +00002009-03-23T13:49:21.599-04:00real estateproperty taxesfinancesA tax credit of up to $8,000 is now available for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. Unlike the tax credit enacted in 2008, the new credit does not have to be repaid. See the full information on http://federalhousingtaxcredit.com/http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/03/congress-enacts-bigger-and-betterhome.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-6937815967469691538Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:13:00 +00002009-02-28T08:47:11.859-05:00real estateThe National Association of Realtors (R) featured practitioners Helene and Malte Strauss in their most recent issue with a house swap that took place a few months ago in Orlando/Longwood. Creative solutions to the ongoing challenges in the housing market are a welcome inspiration to fellow Realtors (R) and are thus portrait frequently in the monthly industry Magazine. http://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/02/malte-strauss-features-in-national.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337904226174937097.post-8673913191627508035Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:54:00 +00002009-02-28T07:55:51.864-05:00financeshousingeconomyThe check's in the mail: Nearly 75 percent of the stimulus allocated to HUD was handed out yesterday, department officials said. The allocated funding did not require recipients to apply, so it could be distributed quickly.Read the full story:http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n2-022609.cfmhttp://www.luxuryhomesinorlando.com/agentsblog/2009/02/housing-aid.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Southern Realty Enterprises)