Melbourne Real Estate News, Brevard County Florida by Sandy Shores Melbourne FL Realtor

All rights reserved. Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County Florida. Copyright 2009

This photo cannot be reproduced without the express written permission of Sandy Shores, REALTOR.

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County, Florida's Space Coast Real Estate & Investing

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations. I can help with Short Sales and Foreclosures.

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

Here in Florida typically on the day of closing, the buyer and the seller sit at the closing table and sign their documents. The seller must have their belongings completely out of the property.  And, they must be prepared to hand the keys over to the buyer. 

Customarily, the buyer does a walk through on the property before heading to the closing, to be sure that the house was as he last saw it.  He should be sure that all the appliances and anything extra that was written into the contract is left with the house.  And, obviously he wants to be certain that there was no major damage done while furniture was being moved out. 

On closing day, sometimes the seller goes to the Title Company first to sign their papers as they have only a couple to sign.  When they leave, typically they leave the keys with the Title agent who handles the closing.  Later, the buyer goes in to sign their mountain of paperwork ( if they are getting a mortgage to finance the purchase).  It can take an hour to get through all of the documents.

When the documents are signed by both parties, and the lender funds the loan, then the title company can release the keys to the buyer.  The buyer gets possession of the home that day.  The real estate agents on each side of the transaction are given their commission checks and the seller receives his check for the proceeds of the sale, if there are any.

This is a perfect scenario, but, what happens, if things don't go as smoothly as they should? 

What if the closing gets delayed, a day, a week, or several weeks?

What if...

The package from the lender isn't to the title company in the proper amount of time?

Or someone forgot to order the survey? And it's needed for closing?

What if there is a named Tropical storm off the coast and the insurance company will not issue their policy until it clears the area?

What happens when the closing gets extended by a week?

And, the buyer has to be out of their apartment the day originally scheduled for closing?

Then what?

The next question from the buyer's agent is, "Will the seller's allow the buyer's early occupancy?  Can they move into the property a week early?"

I don't care for early occupancy.

What if something happens and the buyer's loan doesn't close?

What if the buyer's get in, it doesn't close, and you can't get them back out?

What if something happens and an early occupant gets hurt in the house? 

What if the house catches fire?

What if they move in and find they don't like the house and change their mind about buying it?

What if an early occupant decides to start doing work to the property, such as painting and tearing up carpets, etc. and then find they can't close?

Then what?

There are a number of things that can go wrong with early occupancy.

So, your closing is delayed, and the buyer's agent comes to you and asks you if the buyer can move in one week early, what do you tell them?

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County, Florida's Space Coast Real Estate & Investing

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations. I can help with Short Sales and Foreclosures.

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

We woke up to another beautiful day here in Florida.  The weather has been in the 70's to low 80's during the day with very low humidity.  We have been fortunate to be sleeping with the windows open as it has been so cool. 

I like to drink my tea on the back porch in the mornings. I found this little snake swimming around in the pool.  He must have lost his way and wound up slithering his way into the water. Now I'm not real fond of slimey, slithering creatures, because I'm not really sure which ones are venomous and which ones aren't.  And, I really don't care to know. My husband and daughter carefully scooped it out of the pool and returned it to a spot on the side yard in the bushes.

It's not uncommon for us, here in Florida to find these snakes hanging around in the yard.

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County, Florida's Space Coast Real Estate & Investing

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations. I can help with Short Sales and Foreclosures.

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

In looking at the recent real estate sales with the Melbourne Association of Realtors, it's interesting to see the number of homes recently sold and those that are for sale in various price ranges.

The breakdown is as follows:

Single family homes and condos, and townhouses sold in October 2009

up to $  99,999    168

up to $199,999    144

up to $299,999     62

up to $399,999     21

up to $499,999      7

up to $549,999      1

up to $599,999      1

up to $999,999      0

$1,000,000+          1

In looking at single family houses, condos and townhouses currently for sale in October 2009:

up to $  99,999    940

up to $199,999    900

up to $299,999    590

up to $399,999    237

up to $499,999    135

up to $549,999     27

up to $599,999     53

up to $999,999   144

$1,000,000+        86

The market is quite brisk in the up to $200.000 price range.  However, when sale prices get up over $500,000 the market is currently stagnant in our area.

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County, Florida's Space Coast Real Estate & Investing

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations. I can help with Short Sales and Foreclosures.

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

This week I was out with buyers showing houses in Palm Bay. I met them at a nice home that was advertised as a short sale.  Earlier in the day I called the listing agent for showing instructions on the property.  He told me to knock first and then to use the combination lockbox on the front door. 

When my buyers arrived, we chatted for a couple of minutes, then headed for the front door. I rang the doorbell a couple of times. No answer. I tried the lockbox code.  It didn't open. I tried it again, it still didn't open.

So, I called the listing agent. "Could you please confirm the lockbox code as I am unable to get in to see this property?"  

"Okay, let me go through my list of codes of what it could be.  Here try this one."  I tried it. Nope, that didn't work.  I tried it again. No luck again.

"Okay let's try this one. Maybe this is it," he said. I tried it, and low and behold, that was the one.  It worked.  I thanked him profusely, I rang the doorbell two more times and unlocked the door.  "Hello, is anyone home?"  I called out, as I always do.

All of the lights were off and the shades were drawn. It was quite dark inside.  I began flipping lights on.  As we walked into the dark kitchen we noticed that there were 2 pots steaming on the stove. Uh-oh, I thought, someone must be here.  I looked at the buyers and they thought the same thing. "Someone has to be home with pots getting ready to boil over on the stove."

"Hello, hello, anyone home?" No answer again.

Feeling a bit uneasy we headed down the dark hall and flipped on a light.  I stuck my head in the door of one room while my buyer stuck his head in the room next room. 

"Sandy, there's a woman sleeping in the bed," the buyer sputtered. He talked so fast, I wasn't sure what he had said at first.

I turned around, and next thing I know, my buyers were racing through the house towards the front door.

The woman woke up.

We had alarmed her.

She came down the hall and I told her I was there to look at the house and I had spoken to her agent to set an appointment. 

"Is this a good time?" 

She starting swinging her arms above her head and screaming in a language other than English.  I'm not sure what she was saying, but it was perfectly clear that we were not welcome in her home.  I knew she wanted us out, NOW.

I headed for the door, apologizing.  "I'm sorry, to alarm you.  I was unaware that anyone was home. I rang the doorbell several times, and there was no answer. I am sorry to have caught you at such a bad time." 

As she continued waving her arms in the arm, suddenly she hesitated, she stopped and shook her head.  Then, she began waving for me to come back in. "Are you sure?" I asked.  She shook her head.

I called for the buyers to come and look at the home.

The seller began opening doors for us, all the while speaking in a different language.

We finished our tour and thanked her very much.

When we got outside the buyer's wife was shaking. "Are you okay?" I asked.  "Oh my gosh, that scared me half to death. How often do you walk in on someone?" 

"Not very often. Unfortunately, it's not the first time and it won't be the last."

As a seller I wouldn't want to come face to face with someone standing in my living room, without me knowing they were there.  Although I had spoken to the agent and confirmed an appointment earlier in the day. And, I was standing out front talking with the listing agent, to get the correct lockbox code just minutes before we walked into the home.

Just another day in the life of a real estate agent.

I just hope one day I don't walk into the home of someone packing a pistol.

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County Real Estate & Investing

I also buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

According to the Melbourne Association of REALTORS here in Brevard County Florida Real Estate Statistics for October 2009 are as follows:

For single family residential units:

There were 623 new listings.

This is an increase of 11.05% from October 2008 of 561 new listings.

Year to date in 2009 there have been 5909 listings.

Year to date in 2008 there were 7516 new listings.

There were 323 sold listings.

This is a 34.02% increase from October 2008 of 241 sold listings.

Year to date in 2009 there are 3110 listings sold.

Year to date in 2008 there were 2694 listings sold.

The average sale price in October 2009 was $148,791.

This is a decrease from October 2008 of $190,937.

Average days on the market were 107 days.

This is a 24.11% decrease from October 2008 of 141 days.

For all properties, including single family residential, condo and townhouse:

There were 868 new listings.

There were 393 sold listings.

Average sales price was $147,236.

Average days on the market = 122

Types of financing used:

121 conventional financing

152 cash

 98 FHA

 28 VA

  0 Exchanges

  3 Owner financing

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County Real Estate & Investing

I also buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

I take pictures as I enjoy sharing them with others. If you would like to use one of my photos, please ask, I am usually happy to oblige, however I would like to receive mention of having taken the picture.

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County Real Estate & Investing

I also buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

So often, in helping buyers find their first home, I can’t help but think back to my first home away from home.  And, oh what a home it was! I was 21 years old.  My first home was a mobile home.  No, let’s just call it what it was, it was a trailer, a rickety old single-wide 12 x 60 foot trailer, that needed alot of tender loving care. It was downright ugly.  It needed a good thorough scrubbing from top to bottom and a coat of paint.

It had red shag carpeting with red lights in the ceiling. The second bedroom was the size of a bathroom. It fit one single bed and a tiny little dresser. You had to practically climb on the bed to get into the closet.

And, it was on the railroad tracks. The master bedroom window was 10 feet from the train. On the other side there was a busy street. So, I lived at the railroad crossing!

Each time a train went by the whole place shook. The dishes clattered in the cupboards and the chandelier danced on the ceiling, threatening to come crashing down.  We had to run across the living room to turn the TV up when a train was going by (it was before the days of remote controls – I know, I know, back in the stone age).  Between the ding, ding, ding of the railroad crossing gates going down, the traffic stopping, the train whistle, and the train roaring by, I was ready to be put in a rubber room.  Although I loved the thought of having a place of my own, after a couple of weeks I really disliked living there.  I cried the first night I stayed there.

But, it was mine, all mine. I paid $3,500 for it, with my own money. I owned it free and clear and I paid $95.00 a month in lot rent to have it parked on a "prime" piece of real estate.

I spent a year a half there and never slept through an entire night, because of the train. 

One day I decided it was time to move on, so I stuck a For Sale sign in the window and sold the place a couple of weeks later.  The couple that bought it didn't mind the train. When I was showing it to them a train came roaring by. They said they were used to living by the tracks as they had for years. It was a match made in heaven.

I took my little profit and my sister and I pooled our money and built a home together. Now that was a real home!

My Dad gave me this picture when I lived in the trailer, as a joke. I have kept it throughout the years. I can now look back on it with fond memories of growing up and heading out on my own for the first time.

Do you remember your first home?  What was it like?

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County Real Estate & Investing

I also buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

The 2009 R.A.W. United Southern States Push Pull Powerlifting meet was held at The Gym this past weekend here in Melbourne FLorida. There were about 20 lifters competing.

Sam Shores had a 97 lb. bench press.

Shores had a 195 lb. deadlift.

There will be a R.A.W. United Powerlifting meet coming up on December 5 and 6 that will be held at West Shore Junior Senior High School in Melbourne Florida. Lifters will be competing from across the country.  It is estimated that there will be about 75-85 competitors in this meet.

Sandy Shores REALTOR®, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL Real Estate

Brevard County Real Estate & Investing

I also buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.