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

Set Those Clocks Forward this Weekend - Spring is in the Air

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:30:01 -0600

The weather is getting warmer and Spring is right around the corner. It's my favorite time of year. The bees are buzzing and the birds are chirping.

This weekend we get to Spring forward by turning our clocks ahead one hour. We get an extra hour outside in the evenings to do the things we enjoy. It gives us more time to see properties while it's still light out. And, it gives us an extra hour of daylight to get outside to take in that regular exercise.

The weather is warm, but not too hot, and the humidity is relatively low. So, it's not sticky outside. There's usually a warm breeze in the air.

Since we had an unusually cold winter here, it's time to get out into the yards and cut back some of those plants. Some didn't make it through the freeze. Others can be trimmed back to the green on them. For those that are brown, try to peel a portion of the bark back to determine if the plant is still green underneath. If it is, clip it back a bit.

It's time to fertilize the lawn and to plant those new flowers.

So head outside, and get that much needed daily Vitamin D from the sun. 20 minutes a day is all it takes to boost your energy and your mood.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

QUJDUTV7HPC4

Brevard County Students will Begin FCAT Testing Today

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:34:50 -0600

Students in Brevard County schools will start FCAT testing today. The math and reading parts of the test will be administered to grades three through ten. Fifth, eighth and tenth graders will also be required to take the science portion of the test.

The FCAT, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test is used to determine whether schools are teaching the required course materials. It is an assessment of accountability and it measures each school's grade. It is also used to determine whether a child will be promoted to the next grade.

Brevard students have historically received top scores on the FCAT, compared to other school districts across the state.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

QUJDUTV7HPC4

'I Could Have Bought that Property for Nothing 20 Years Ago!'

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:53:31 -0600

Yesterday, I was at the Strawberry Festival and got to talking with some people. We talked for awhile and the conversation turned to real estate. One of the men began discussing a piece of property he regretted not purchasing.

"You know, I could have bought that piece of property 20 years ago for cheap. And, I mean really cheap."

"Well, why didn't you?," I asked.

I chuckled. That wasn't the first time I've heard someone use that expression. And, I know it won't be the last.

When people say they could have bought a property years ago, why didn't they? At that time it probably seemed like a lot of money. And, they didn't know what the market was going to do; where it was heading, up or down.

Hindsight is 20/20. It gives us crystal clear vision, doesn't it? We know now what the past holds. We've been there. Done that. We've lived it. It played out before our eyes. We saw some buyers buy and we saw potential buyers do nothing. So, today it's easy and comfortable to say that you could have bought property 20 years ago... There's no risk in saying those words. We already know what the past holds.

But, what if I told you that then is now? It will again be 20 years ago, in the future.

Twenty years from now will you be the one saying that you missed a buying opportunity?

If now is then, then why doesn't it feel easy for some to jump in and buy today? They don't have a crystal ball to tell what the future holds. It may look like a lot of money today. But, compared to what? Prices in 2000? Surely, not prices in 2005-2006. Prices have dropped, and in our area they've dropped substantially in spots. Interest rates are still historically low. The government is offering tax credits for first time homebuyers, and for move up buyers. It doesn't get much better than this!

I know that every now and then we will hear people talk about the missed buying opportunities in the real estate market. Some are still talking about the missed selling opportunities at the peak of the market.

Oh, if only that crystal ball worked all the time!

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

A Look at the Bigger Picture

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:23:09 -0600

I have a friend that truly believes that the universe aligns itself so that everything that happens to us, happens for a reason. Often times these events occur so that we can learn something from them. They come at inconvenient times in our lives. But, later we gain a better understanding of why they happened when they did. Ironically, the timing was because there was a bigger and better plan set out for us, that we were unaware of.

We are all a part of a plan, a bigger master plan. A plan that we may not know where or how we fit into. So, we realize there are some things in our lives that are out of our control.

Difficult things happen in our lives so that we can learn to appreciate the good things. For every negative thing, a positive thing takes it's place...perhaps not always right away. But, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

The negative things help us build character, make us more resilient, and help us grow stronger.

These things happen for a reason. They provide us with a reality check. They help teach us to look within, for our inner strength, to change things in our lives that aren't working for us any longer. They help give us a different perspective on our lives.

They help teach us to cherish the precious times in our lives.

And, they teach us to appreciate how truly blessed we really are.

It's all part of the master plan.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

Cancer Took Her Life, But Her Spirit Remains Alive in our Home and In our Hearts

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:33:54 -0600

It's been a year ago, today. Sometimes it feels like an eternity, with so many memories and so many tears shed. It's been an extremely difficult time for my husband; the passing of his mother that he was so close to. They had a wonderful relationship. But, I can remember every tiny little detail about her last day, as if it were yesterday. And, I imagine that day will always stay with me.

Dawn Shores was a phenomenal woman. A person like no one else I've ever met in my life. My daughters are having an incredibly difficult time this anniversary. Dawn will always be in our hearts.

So, I am reposting the blog I wrote last year, the day after her passing, to keep her close in our thoughts.

She Died Yesterday, The Day Her First Great Grandbaby Was Due

My husband's mother lost her battle with cancer yesterday. We got the call at 4:30 to come immediately as it would only be a matter of time. We walked into her apartment 5 minutes too late. Her sister Joan and niece, Debbie were with her when she passed away. My teenage daughters were devastated.

Dawn was one of the most courageous women I had ever met. She was diagnosed almost four years ago. She had a pea sized lump on her lung. In time it grew and became the size of a grapefruit. She had the slow growing cancer, squamous cell cancer. As time progressed the cancer began wrapping itself around her heart and her left lung. Her lungs began filling up with fluid, so she had to have one drained twice a week. Doctors feared that her heart would give out because of the strain. The cancer took it's toll on her body. She went from 135 lbs down to less than 90 lbs. She was fragile and frail.

She wouldn't let you say the word 'cancer' around her. She was in complete denial. And that's why she lived so long beyond her initial diagnosis. Everytime she went to the doctor they marveled that she was still alive.

Every new ache or pain was not because of the cancer. She would say, "I don't know why they can't figure out why this hurts so much. I've been telling the doctor for 8 months there's something wrong with it, but they just can't figure it out."

Dawn got out of bed eveyday and was insistent on getting dressed. She wanted to be ready to go out for a bite to eat or to head to the store (just in case). She put makeup on everyday, until the last week and a half. The chemo took her hair, and as it began growing back, when we went to her apartment to see her, she had to grab her wig or a hat before she let us come in. She apologized profusely for not wearing any makeup. "Oh, I must look awful today," she'd say.

She died when my husband was out of town on a business trip - and that was his biggest fear. Should I go? he asked. I couldn't make that decision for him, I would support him one way or another. His mother had been diagnosed 4 years ago. She looked good when he left. The prognosis was good. His trip got pushed back a day, and then a week. There were family members that devoted their days, weeks, months and the last couple of years to her, including my husband. So, someone was always with her. Hospice was there too, and they were absolutely incredible.

She wouldn't discuss final arrangements. In her mind if she did, she was giving into the cancer.

Dawn Shores was a phenomenal person and an incredible grandmother. Her husband died when her boys were 5 and 7 years old. She raised her two boys by herself, working two jobs. No grass ever grew under her feet. She had an infectious personality, she was a very active member of the community, and she was always out, staying busy. She never missed a ball game, a wrestling match, a school play. She was an active part of her grandchildren's lives. She was at all of their dance shows, school plays, powerlifting meets, birthday parties. If her grandkids were in it, she was there.

She was feisty and funny. She had a great sense of humor. And, she was so incredibly inquisitive about everything in your life, no matter who you were. She was interested in everyone and was a great listener. When my daughters went to see her she would ask them 30 questions about school, boys, sports, dance, you name it. She loved them dearly and said her biggest regret was that she wouldn't be alive to see them grow to have families of their own.

Dawn's first great grandbaby girl, April, was due yesterday, March 5, 2009, the day she died. Everyday she would ask what day it was and wasn't that baby due on the 5th? She knew.

Dawn Shores, 45 year resident of Melbourne Florida died at 74 years old. Dawn was my husband's mother and the only father he ever knew, ( as his dad died when he was 5 years old).

She was one of the "good ones". It makes no sense to us why she was chosen to leave us at such a young age. We have learned so much from her. We will miss her dearly, but we know that she fought with all that she had in her. Now, it's time for her to lay her head down and finally rest, as it has been such a painful struggle for her.

God bless you, Dawn, and thank you for everything that you have given everyone whose life you have touched.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

Bank Owned Properties - Buyers, Do Your Homework First

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:40:45 -0600

Bank owned properties... It seems that they are cropping up all over. There are some good deals out there. But, they are a bit different than other properties being offered for sale. These properties are offered in AS IS, where is condition. The utilities are not on. They are sold with no disclosures, or warranties from the bank/seller.

Some are cash only properties. Some won't qualify for any type of financing. A property that has some type of damage; structural, roof, electrical may be advertised as cash only.

Often a buyer gets one shot at getting one of these properties and that's it. His first offer may very well be his only offer. If there is more than one offer; a multiple offer situation, buyers can be asked to present their highest and best offer. OR, the bank will decide to negotiate with just one buyer, if his is the best offer. It depends on what the offers look like, if they came in at the same time, or what the difference was in the purchase prices being offered. The bank or listing real estate company has no obligation to respond to any one specific offer.

Most often these banks have their own contracts and addendums they require the buyer to sign. Be sure to read the fine print.

Sometimes these banks will give the buyer the opportunity to turn the water, gas and electric on, with time to hire professional inspectors. If the inspections are unacceptable to the buyer, then the buyer's escrow deposit will be returned to him. However, not every bank allows the buyer time to get utilities on, nor the time to get professional inspections done. We had a bank this week ask if our buyer would forfeit his right to inspections. This can be a risky proposition... especially with a house that had a half full slimey green pool, a roof caving in from severe water damage, PVC piping running hodge podge along the laundry room walls, an old Federal Pacific electrical panel, and electrical wiring in several rooms that looked like a botched weekend project.

In addition, often bank owned properties come with additional closing costs to the buyer; costs customariliy covered by a seller. Some can run into a couple thousand dollars. Sometimes the costs vary based on the assigned title company or attorney's office that will be handling the closing.

A bank owned property should be purchased with title insurance. (But, properties being sold on the courthouse steps are not being sold with any guarantee on the title of the property. Leave those transactions to the real pros who know the in and outs of bank auctions.) Title insurance insures that the property is being purchased free and clear of any liens or encumbrances. And. if any do turn up, the title company takes care of them.

Buying bank owned properties isn't for everyone. And, every bank and/or listing real estate company is a bit different on how they handle their distressed properties. It's best to do your homework, first. Because, when these properties come on the market, there's typically a flood of activity and they go fast. Often we are seeing that the typical homebuyer is being muscled out by the cash paying investors.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

A Great Old Song from the 1980's

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:29:45 -0600

Silent Lucidity by Queensyrche

Hush now, don't you cry
Wipe away the teardrop from your eye
You're lying safe in bed
It was all a bad dream
Spinning in your head
Your mind tricked you to feel the pain
Of someone close to you leaving the game of life
So here it is, another chance
Wide awake you face the day
Your dream is over... or has it just begun?

There's a place I like to hide
A doorway that I run through in the night
Relax child, you were there
But only didn't realize and you were scared
It's a place where you will learn
To face your fears, retrace the years
And ride the whims of your mind
Commanding in another world
Suddenly you hear and see
This magic new dimension

I- will be watching over you
I- am gonna help you see it through
I- will protect you in the night
I- am smiling next to you, in Silent Lucidity

-spoken during solo-
[Visualize your dream]
[Record it in the present tense]
[Put it into a permanent form]
[If you persist in your efforts]
[You can achieve dream control]
[Dream control]
[How's that then, better?]
[Dream control]
[Dream control]
[Dream control]
[Dream control]
[Hug me]

If you open your mind for me
You won't rely on open eyes to see
The walls you built within
Come tumbling down, and a new world will begin
Living twice at once you learn
You're safe from pain in the dream domain
A soul set free to fly
A round trip journey in your head
Master of illusion, can you realize
Your dream's alive, you can be the guide but...

I- will be watching over you
I- am gonna help to see it through
I- will protect you in the night
I- am smiling next to you....

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

Short Sale Lenders - Well Qualified Buyers are Getting Tired of Waiting

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:24:42 -0600

We have a buyer that has an offer to purchase in on one of our short sale listings. This is the second buyer for this property. The first one walked because the process was taking too long (as so many short sales do). The second buyer completed his home inspection and termite inspections. He received his formal loan commitment. But, when it came time to do the appraisal, the house did not appraise for the contract price approved by the short sale lender. The reason: the short sale lender has taken so long on this transaction, the seller's short sale VA appraisal was over 120 days old by the time the buyer's appraisal was completed.

Brevard County is still considered a distressed market. Although, we have seen stablization, we are still in a declining market. Thus, the short sale lender's VA appraisal is higher than the buyer's recent appraisal.

Immediately, upon receiving word that the house did not appraise, we went back to the short sale mitigator, and asked for either a new short sale seller's VA appraisal or for an adjustment of value to today's comparable sales. The mitigator said she would send it off for a decision on how they would rectify the matter. Our short sale facilitator has called and called and called and called some more, in addition to sending one e mail after another with today's comparable sales. That was 30 days ago. She has been in touch with supervisors.

There still has been no resolution.

This isn't rocket science, review the recent sales and adjust the value or get another seller VA appraisal done, whatever it takes. Let's get this short sale property off the market BEFORE it becomes a foreclosure and COSTS TAXPAYERS MONEY!

We have a ready, willing and able buyer. We were 4 days away from closing. The closing was supposed to take place at the beginning of February.

I have spoken with the buyer's agent. The buyer has both time and money invested in this transaction. He has paid out of pocket for a credit report, appraisal, home inspection and termite inspection. He has down payment money sitting in escrow. But, he's getting tired of waiting.

She indicated that he's a first time homebuyer and wants to take advantage of the up to $8000 tax credit. He knows he has until April 30 to get a home under contract, and he must close by June 30. She said that this is the second short sale property that he has tried to buy and at this point he is worried that the lender may not be able to close on time.

Why is it that some of these short sale lenders seem to have such a difficult time just wrapping up the last of the transaction and finally getting to closing?

It's absolutely mind boggling!

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help facilitate your Short Sale.

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

Charming 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo for Rent

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:34:19 -0600

Sandy Shores, Realtor | M & M Real Estate, Inc | 321-253-4545

2748 Golf Lake Circle #811, Melbourne, FL

Melbourne Florida Condo - Ground floor, end, corner unit overlooking lake, tucked in the back of the complex

2BR/2BA Townhouse

$695/month

Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Sq Footage	1,140
Parking	1 dedicated
Pet Policy	Small dogs (< 25lbs)
Deposit	$750

DESCRIPTION

Charming well maintained condo in great central location! Light & bright! Comfortable home! Kitchen with pantry. Dining area off of living room. Attractive light colors! Screened porch overlooking lake and pool area. Laundry room with washer & dryer in the unit. Rent includes cable and water. Minutes to I-95, US1, Wickham Rd, the beaches, across from shopping and Harbor City Golf Course.

see additional photos below

RENTAL FEATURES

- Air conditioning	- Central heat	- Tile floor
- Living room	- Dining room	- Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven	- Washer	- Dryer
- Laundry area - inside

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Swimming pool(s)

- Lake

LEASE TERMS

Available immediately! Owner would like one year lease, with $750 security deposit.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

End, ground floor, corner	Community pool
Living & dining rooms	Screened porch
Master bedroom	Drive 10 minutes to river

Contact info:

Sandy Shores, Realtor

M & M Real Estate, Inc

321-253-4545

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 3, 2010, 10:29am PST

We Don't Dictate the Market, the Market Dictates Us

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:37:13 -0600

On my next listing appointment I'm going to wear a suit of armor!

A couple of days ago I went to meet with a seller about marketing her home for sale. She had a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath, well appointed home in a desirable neighborhood.

I always like to take a little time to get to know the owners. And, I ask them to take me through the house and tell me as much as they can about it. This way I can get a feel for the property.

The owner seemed a bit hurried, as she showed me the top of the line amenities she had added to her lovely home.

We sat down to discuss my marketing plan, to sell her property, when she chimed in with, "Well, how much? How much can I get for my house?"

I pushed the marketing materials aside and picked up the market analysis I had performed on the property. In today's market, realistically the home was worth approximately $189,000.

When I gave her that figure, I was about to duck, because she looked like she was going to pick up a book and throw it at me!

'Back in 2005, I had a neighbor down the street offer me $350,000 for this house!' she boomed. 'You can't tell me that it's only worth $189,000, today!'

Unfortunately, I don't create the market, I can only interpret it.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help with your Short Sale.

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

Just Posted on Facebook - 'Went out to Dinner, then Movies' - So, Please Rob Me

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:17:31 -0600

We see these postings on Facebook and Twitter everyday. I've been guilty of it myself. Are we posting too much information on our current whereabouts? For some, it's everyday practice, updating their whereabouts on their social networking sites everytime they change locations. Some have the need to "stay connected" no matter what.

But, at what cost?

'Heading out for the weekend, back on Monday.'

'On my way to the movies to see Shutter Island, can't wait.'

'Disney in the morning. Magic Kingdom here we come.'

Are we too connected, posting too much information on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook and phone apps like Foursquare and Google Buzz for all the world to see? Do you really know who can, and is, accessing your information? Well, now some thieves are. Some are following your actions to find out your habits, your schedule, when you'll be away.

Are we providing others with too much information about ourselves?

Have you seen the new website, Please Rob Me? It has an automatic feed to Twitter. Everytime someone posts an entry about going out for the day, the evening, the weekend, it comes up on the Please Rob Me message board of empty houses that are easy prey for thieves. It's scary.

The website was created by a man that had his home broken into and wants to raise awareness of how much private information people are really giving out about themselves.

So, the next time you're heading out for the weekend, call or text your close friends and family to let them know before you go. And, post your pictures and tell online friends about your trip AFTER YOU GET HOME!

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help with your Short Sale.

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

Market Report for Brevard County FL Real Estate

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:30:47 -0600

According to the Melbourne Association of REALTORS® statistics are as follows:

There are:

4847 residential listings for sale

1592 rental listings available

1462 condos for sale

394 townhouses for sale

124 income producing properties for sale

2602 vacant parcels for sale

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

There were a total of 921 new listings.

There were 232 sold listings.

Average sales price was $175,414.

Average days on the market were 124.

For January 2010 for single family residential units:

There were 653 new listings.

This is a decrease of 5.64% from January 2009 of 692 new listings.

There were 189 sold listings.

This is an 11.27% decrease from January 2009 of 213 sold listings.

The average sale price in January 2010 was $147,942.

This is a decrease of 3.69% from January 2009 of $153,613.

Average days on the market were 113, a 5.61% increase from January 2009 of 107 days.

Types of financing used for single family, condos, and townhouses:

69 conventional financing

131 cash

41 FHA

7 VA

0 Exchanges

4 Owner financing

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help with your Short Sale.

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

Give a Day, Get A FREE Day At Walt Disney World

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:15:32 -0600

Walt Disney World Parks are giving a FREE day away to people that are interested in giving their time back to their community. If you volunteer at a participating Disney Give a Day organization you can earn 1 day, 1 theme park ticket to the Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World® Resort for free.

The promotion ends when one million people volunteer to give a day of their time or on December 15, 2010. Tickets must be redeemed by that date.

Blackout dates are March 29 through April 8. And July 4th.

Check the Disney Website to find an approved organization in your area.

What a great way to encourage people to give back to their community!

Give a day. Get a Disney day.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations.

We have a team of professionals that can help with your Short Sale.

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

There's A lot Of Misinformation Out There on Short Sales

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:23:46 -0600

Short sale, the sale of a property in which the proceeds of the sale fall short of the amount of money owed to the mortgage company. It often happens when an owner can no longer continue to make the payments on the home.

We talk to buyers each day that see properties being offered for short sale. Many want to jump right in because they look like great deals. But, we have found that there is a lot of misinformation in the marketplace about short sales.

>Typically, there is nothing short about the length of time that it takes to do a short sale. They can take 2 months or they can take longer, often up to a year. A buyer for a short sale property typically must be very patient and have some flexibility.

>The advertised price on a short sale, is not necessarily the price that the lender is going to take for the property. Often short sales are priced 10% to 15% below market value. This is to encourage a flurry of activity and often a bidding war when the house goes on the market.

>You, as a buyer may not be the only one that has an offer in on the property. You may be competing with multiple buyers for the same property.

>Typically, a short sale lender is not agreeable to doing or paying for any repairs on the property. They are normally sold in AS IS condition. Depending on the types of repairs needed on a house, this may rule out a VA or an FHA buyer. Typically, buyers that are using government insured loans are not allowed to do their own repairs on a property they are buying.

>The lender's BPO (brokers price opinion of value) must be in line with the appraisal that your lender has to order for your loan. If the property doesn't appraise or fall within the percentages of what the short sale lender determines they must get for the property, the buyer may have to come to closing with money above and beyond the purchase price or the buyer's lender may refuse to finance the purchase.

>If the short sale takes too long, and the lender's BPO is over 90 days old, the short sale lender may have to order a new one. Or, they may have to go back and ask that it be adjusted for value or recertified because of it's age, especially in a declining market.

>If your Realtor or the title company that is doing your short sale negotations for you, is assigned to a difficult loan mitigator, with the seller's lending institution, that person can make the short sale incredibly tedious.

>Short sale mitigators can be slow to respond to requests. Remember, you're not special. You're just another file number to them.

>Just because a short sale listing in your MLS is advertised as APPROVED by the bank, that doesn't guarantee the short sale is approved for you. It can mean that there was a previous buyer for the property, and the lender approved the terms of that previous buyer's contract. One approval isn't a guarantee of an approved price/contract with you.

>Just because the property is advertised for sale, doesn't always guarantee that the seller's lender will agree to a short sale on the property. Typically a short sale is approved because of financial hardship, illness, death, military transfer, job loss, etc. Not all short sales make it to closing.

Short sale rules are ever changing.

Is there a first mortgage on the property?

Is there a second mortgage on the property?

Every situation is different. Every lender is different and every short sale mitigator is different. The banks, the mitigators, the negotiators for buyers, Realtors and anyone else involved in the short sale process are learning everyday.

Buyers are purchasing short sale properties everyday. Some are purchasing lovely homes at attractive prices.

Remember, the agent/negotiators representing you in the purchase of your short sale or in the sale of your short sale property are working incredibly hard for you. So, hang in there and try to be patient.

For sellers considering a short sale, it is always advisable to contact a real estate attorney BEFORE entering into a short sale agreement. Currently, in states like Florida, courts allow mortgage lenders up to 5 years after a short sale is closed to file a deficiency judgment. Read the article at Bloomberg.

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

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

I specialize in Residential, Investment & Relocations. We can help with your Short Sale.

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

Just Horsin' Around

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:17:38 -0600

Bailey the boxer loves playing in the sprinklers, whenever he gets a chance!

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. We have a team of professionals that can help with your Short Sale.

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