Hi Everyone!
I know that everyone wants to get the best deal possible for their homes. Keep in mimd that if you have a lot of homes on the market, such as today, you may have a great opportunity for success in finding a home you love and at a price you can afford.
By using one of our Tropical Realty Realtors, you can have the security that every one us is going to put our best foot forward and devote 150% and More. Whatever it takes to get the job done!
In a recent move, we have switched our company from Transacdtion Brokers to Single Agency. Why the change when in fact almost all the companie are automatically considered to be Transacdtion Brokers?
First you have to understand the main difference between the two agencies. Both are similar with one major exception. Transaction Brokers represent the transaction. They don't represent the buyer or the seller. As Single Agents, we work for you. We have a legal responsibiity to look out for your best interests. With that said, there are certain instances inwhich we must transition to a Transaction Broker.
This is a major switch towards our new culture of over the top customer service. We hope that all our customr have started to notice the switch. There is much more to come! If you have any questions on Agency and how it works in Florida, its time to pick up the phone and call our office or email me at Mitch@MitchRealty.com or 321-259-9115.
Have a great night!
Mitch
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
August 2007 Stats and a personal note
Hi Everyone!
I hope your Labor Day Weekend was fun. We just hung around the pool and went to the movies. It was a very quiet and peaceful weekend....very much needed!
Last week was a very difficult week for myself as well as many of my close friends. One of our close friends exwife was murdered and two of his three daughters were shot at close range and are still in critical condition. I flew up to MA right away upon hearing of this tragedy. We all read about things like this in the paper but when it happens to you or somebody you love, it changes everything. I have vowed to spend more time with my wife, call my kids a little more, and tell the people I love, that I love them. Sometimes we spend all our time chasing our dreams without realizing some of our best dreams are right in front of our noses. If you have a moment, please say a prayer for Brittany (12) and Danielle Cann (15). They could surely use them right now!
The Brevard County Real Estate Market seems to be holding steady. Below are the stats stating the amount of homes on the market as well as the amount of homes that sold in August. The numbers have held steady now for a few months. My belief we are pretty close, if not, at the bottom of the reduction in prices. As I have mentioned over the past few months, this is a great time to buy.
New Single Family Listings - 1,495
New Condo/TownHomes Listings - 429
Active Single Family Listings - 7648
Active Condo/TownHome Listings - 3122
Active Lot and Land Listings - 4184
Active Rental Listings - 2320
August Sold Single Family Homes - 388 (5.1% of listed single family homes )
August Sold Condo/TownHomes - 102 (3.3% of listed condos/townhomes)
August Sold Lots and Land - 51 (1.2% of listed lots and land)
August Rentals Leased - 579 (25% of listed rentals)
Average Days on the Market for all residential properties - 118 Days (Condos and TownHomes are averaging 168 Days on the Market.
This is your update on the current market conditions in Brevard County. At the end of September I will do my quarterly stats for you all to see. With interest rates threatening to increase and tax reform (hopefully) right around the corner. The time to buy is now before prices start to edge upward and interest rates rising. As always we are here to help you succeed in the purchase of your new home. If there is anything we can do for you, don't hesitate to call or email us.
Have a great day!
Mitch
I hope your Labor Day Weekend was fun. We just hung around the pool and went to the movies. It was a very quiet and peaceful weekend....very much needed!
Last week was a very difficult week for myself as well as many of my close friends. One of our close friends exwife was murdered and two of his three daughters were shot at close range and are still in critical condition. I flew up to MA right away upon hearing of this tragedy. We all read about things like this in the paper but when it happens to you or somebody you love, it changes everything. I have vowed to spend more time with my wife, call my kids a little more, and tell the people I love, that I love them. Sometimes we spend all our time chasing our dreams without realizing some of our best dreams are right in front of our noses. If you have a moment, please say a prayer for Brittany (12) and Danielle Cann (15). They could surely use them right now!
The Brevard County Real Estate Market seems to be holding steady. Below are the stats stating the amount of homes on the market as well as the amount of homes that sold in August. The numbers have held steady now for a few months. My belief we are pretty close, if not, at the bottom of the reduction in prices. As I have mentioned over the past few months, this is a great time to buy.
New Single Family Listings - 1,495
New Condo/TownHomes Listings - 429
Active Single Family Listings - 7648
Active Condo/TownHome Listings - 3122
Active Lot and Land Listings - 4184
Active Rental Listings - 2320
August Sold Single Family Homes - 388 (5.1% of listed single family homes )
August Sold Condo/TownHomes - 102 (3.3% of listed condos/townhomes)
August Sold Lots and Land - 51 (1.2% of listed lots and land)
August Rentals Leased - 579 (25% of listed rentals)
Average Days on the Market for all residential properties - 118 Days (Condos and TownHomes are averaging 168 Days on the Market.
This is your update on the current market conditions in Brevard County. At the end of September I will do my quarterly stats for you all to see. With interest rates threatening to increase and tax reform (hopefully) right around the corner. The time to buy is now before prices start to edge upward and interest rates rising. As always we are here to help you succeed in the purchase of your new home. If there is anything we can do for you, don't hesitate to call or email us.
Have a great day!
Mitch
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Our Customer Service Culture
Have you ever wondered what makes a company great? This is something that I have thought about for a long time. In the end, it still comes down to the old age issue of customer service. The reality is that most of us feel that customer service seems to be a thing of the past. I know that is something I have thought and seen for so long. It's not the norm to get great service. How many times have you gone to a great establishment with great customer service? You can probably count them on one hand.
With that said, I have made the decision to become the best customer service focused Real Estate company in the country. Ok, I know that is a big claim, but I am certain that it will take our already superb service and make it even better. So how do we do that? We currently work extremely hard for our customers and are available at all times to help them in any way possible. All of our Agents at Tropical Realty work hard. If you have worked with us already, you know that. If you haven't and are planning to come to the area soon, you will see what I mean. I am truly blessed to have some of the best people working for me. However, because we are so busy helping our customers, sometimes the little things get left behind. My goal over the next few months is to figure out what you would like, as the customer, for us to do when we meet you, when we write a contract for you, and what we can do after the sale for you.
For as good a job as we currently do, I want to make you walk away from your transaction with the same feeling you get when walking away from a great restaurant. It is my belief that if you walk away with that feeling, you will have received the best service humanly possible. That is my goal and that is what we are going to accomplish.
In the very near future I will be posting some of the changes we are going to implement to insure you have the best real estate experience you have ever received. When you sit in your new home you are going to feel that joy that comes with a great transaction. You will feel complete! Ok, I stole that from Jerry Mcquire!
I'm also open to suggestions from you. If there is anything that you feel a Real Estate Company should do for you that we are not currently doing, please email me at mitch@mitchrealty.com. I am here to listen. I am here to give you the best there is in the country.
As always we are all here to help. If there is anything you need at all, don't hesitate to call or email us. We respond to everyone as quickly as possible.
Have a great night!
Mitch
With that said, I have made the decision to become the best customer service focused Real Estate company in the country. Ok, I know that is a big claim, but I am certain that it will take our already superb service and make it even better. So how do we do that? We currently work extremely hard for our customers and are available at all times to help them in any way possible. All of our Agents at Tropical Realty work hard. If you have worked with us already, you know that. If you haven't and are planning to come to the area soon, you will see what I mean. I am truly blessed to have some of the best people working for me. However, because we are so busy helping our customers, sometimes the little things get left behind. My goal over the next few months is to figure out what you would like, as the customer, for us to do when we meet you, when we write a contract for you, and what we can do after the sale for you.
For as good a job as we currently do, I want to make you walk away from your transaction with the same feeling you get when walking away from a great restaurant. It is my belief that if you walk away with that feeling, you will have received the best service humanly possible. That is my goal and that is what we are going to accomplish.
In the very near future I will be posting some of the changes we are going to implement to insure you have the best real estate experience you have ever received. When you sit in your new home you are going to feel that joy that comes with a great transaction. You will feel complete! Ok, I stole that from Jerry Mcquire!
I'm also open to suggestions from you. If there is anything that you feel a Real Estate Company should do for you that we are not currently doing, please email me at mitch@mitchrealty.com. I am here to listen. I am here to give you the best there is in the country.
As always we are all here to help. If there is anything you need at all, don't hesitate to call or email us. We respond to everyone as quickly as possible.
Have a great night!
Mitch
Monday, August 13, 2007
What's the story with Foreclosures
Happy Monday Everyone!
Well as you all have heard the news...the banks are hurting and foreclosures are on the rise. We get tons of emails and phone calls from so many people wanting us to find them foreclosures. I figured it's a good time to set the record straight for those of you who don't understand how these homes are priced.
Flashback 5 or 6 years ago and foreclosures were a great deal. I sold many of them back then that were 50 cents or less on the dollar. Unfortunately this isn't the case anymore. Foreclosures are no longer the bargain they used to be.
For instance, if a home goes into foreclosure, the bank will hire a Realtor to evaluate the property. Our job as Realtors is to let them know the retail value of the property and the appoximate cost of repairs. At that point the lender sets the price. These days, unlike the past, the banks are taking the retail value and subtracting the approximate repair costs and that is the price. Keep in mind that most foreclosures have a loan amount higher than the value of the home and they were usually bought with zero money down. There just isn't any room for the banks to play.
So what does this all mean to you, the consumer looking to get a good deal on a foreclosure, there aren't many good foreclosures out there. Most companies that do this as a business have pulled back. They understand the current market. However, most average consumers or beginning investors don't.
Your best bet is to talk to your Realtor, hopefully here at Tropical Realty, and search for homes that have been on the market longer than 6 months. Then your Realtor can research what they paid for the home and if they have refinanced the home. I believe that is where you can get your best deal. If someone owes $100k on the home and it's listed at $200k and they need to sell, you have a lot more room to work than if someone owes $180k on the house.
I hope that helps a few of you understand the current foreclosure market. I know all those TV shows selling you kits are telling you that foreclosures are the way to go. However, keep in mind that this is one of the best buying opportunities we have seen in several years. If you are thinking about buying, this is the time!
As always if you have any questions or need any help with anything, don't hesitate to call or email me at mitch@mitchrealty.com.
Have a great day!
Well as you all have heard the news...the banks are hurting and foreclosures are on the rise. We get tons of emails and phone calls from so many people wanting us to find them foreclosures. I figured it's a good time to set the record straight for those of you who don't understand how these homes are priced.
Flashback 5 or 6 years ago and foreclosures were a great deal. I sold many of them back then that were 50 cents or less on the dollar. Unfortunately this isn't the case anymore. Foreclosures are no longer the bargain they used to be.
For instance, if a home goes into foreclosure, the bank will hire a Realtor to evaluate the property. Our job as Realtors is to let them know the retail value of the property and the appoximate cost of repairs. At that point the lender sets the price. These days, unlike the past, the banks are taking the retail value and subtracting the approximate repair costs and that is the price. Keep in mind that most foreclosures have a loan amount higher than the value of the home and they were usually bought with zero money down. There just isn't any room for the banks to play.
So what does this all mean to you, the consumer looking to get a good deal on a foreclosure, there aren't many good foreclosures out there. Most companies that do this as a business have pulled back. They understand the current market. However, most average consumers or beginning investors don't.
Your best bet is to talk to your Realtor, hopefully here at Tropical Realty, and search for homes that have been on the market longer than 6 months. Then your Realtor can research what they paid for the home and if they have refinanced the home. I believe that is where you can get your best deal. If someone owes $100k on the home and it's listed at $200k and they need to sell, you have a lot more room to work than if someone owes $180k on the house.
I hope that helps a few of you understand the current foreclosure market. I know all those TV shows selling you kits are telling you that foreclosures are the way to go. However, keep in mind that this is one of the best buying opportunities we have seen in several years. If you are thinking about buying, this is the time!
As always if you have any questions or need any help with anything, don't hesitate to call or email me at mitch@mitchrealty.com.
Have a great day!
Monday, August 6, 2007
Back from Vacation and Ready to Roll!
Hi Everyone!
I'm sorry I haven't been writing much lately. I have been extremely busy growing the company as well as finding a little time to take a vacation. I had the pleasure of playing golf at Pebble Beach and a few of the other great courses in the area. The golf was incredible and you are a golfer I highly recommend spoiling yourself at least once in your life. I don't know that I would drop that much money again, but it was dream golf!
The Real Estate Market in that area (Carmel) was amazing. If you live in CA you know what I am talking about. Most of the homes on Pebble Beach were in the $30 million range. Yes you heard me right! The next time someone says that Brevard County Florida has gotten too expensive I'm going to send them the Real Estate Magazine I brought back.
So what should you do about buying a home in Florida? Right now is a great time as it has been for the past year. Interest rates are starting to go up with the problems that the lenders have had lately. If you are planning to buy, this might be a good time to get serious. I have heard that rates could go above 8% shortly.
As many of you know, I am getting ready to expand the company. We are in the process of getting our legal work done to franchise throughout the state of Florida. Our name will remain Tropical Realty of Suntree, but we will now be part of the eHomes Realty family. It was a tough decision to do this but in the end I think it will be a great benefit for both our company as well as our customers. We have many customers looking to relocate in other areas of Florida and we have not been able to help them as best as I wish we could. By opening the franchises, we will have access to help our customers anywhere in the state.
That's about it for now. I'll write more about the growth shortly once we are ready to get going. As always if there is anything we can do for you don't hesitate to call or email.
Have a great day!
I'm sorry I haven't been writing much lately. I have been extremely busy growing the company as well as finding a little time to take a vacation. I had the pleasure of playing golf at Pebble Beach and a few of the other great courses in the area. The golf was incredible and you are a golfer I highly recommend spoiling yourself at least once in your life. I don't know that I would drop that much money again, but it was dream golf!
The Real Estate Market in that area (Carmel) was amazing. If you live in CA you know what I am talking about. Most of the homes on Pebble Beach were in the $30 million range. Yes you heard me right! The next time someone says that Brevard County Florida has gotten too expensive I'm going to send them the Real Estate Magazine I brought back.
So what should you do about buying a home in Florida? Right now is a great time as it has been for the past year. Interest rates are starting to go up with the problems that the lenders have had lately. If you are planning to buy, this might be a good time to get serious. I have heard that rates could go above 8% shortly.
As many of you know, I am getting ready to expand the company. We are in the process of getting our legal work done to franchise throughout the state of Florida. Our name will remain Tropical Realty of Suntree, but we will now be part of the eHomes Realty family. It was a tough decision to do this but in the end I think it will be a great benefit for both our company as well as our customers. We have many customers looking to relocate in other areas of Florida and we have not been able to help them as best as I wish we could. By opening the franchises, we will have access to help our customers anywhere in the state.
That's about it for now. I'll write more about the growth shortly once we are ready to get going. As always if there is anything we can do for you don't hesitate to call or email.
Have a great day!
Monday, July 2, 2007
2nd Quarter Stats!
Hi Everyone!
Well it's that time of the year again where I let you know the current stats going on in our Real Estate market in Brevard County. The market seems to be holding steady. It's not getting any worse and it's not getting much better. At the moment the interest rates are right around 6.875% which are a little down from over 7% last week.
Stats for the 2nd quarter of 2007 (April 1 - June 30) are as follows:
Single Family Homes
Currently on the Market - 7,727
Units Sold - 1,402
Condos and Townhomes
Currently on the Market - 3,183
Units Sold - 368
Lots and Land
Currently on the Market - 4,333
Lots Sold - 168
Average Single Family time on Market - 101 Days
Average Sales Price to Listing Price - 93%
The best deals to be had our in the condo market. As you can see by the stats they just are not selling. Two years ago it was unheard of to find an Oceanfront unit anywhere in the county for under $300k. Now there are close to 50 units in that price range. Of course some of them are small. My favorite is one of our listings at Ocean Club in Melbourne Beach. This is almost 1,300 sq. ft. with two master suites, both with great Ocean views. This condo is currently listed for $299,900. My guess is this will sell fairly quickly because of the bargain price. We also have another condo that just dropped its price to $199,900. This is a riverfront condo on the 7th floor and over 1,500 sq. ft. This 2 bedroom 2 bath condo is located in the center of Merritt Island across the street from the mall. Great location and great price. This unit 2 years ago would have sold for as high as $300k. Such a deal! If you would like more details about either of these properties don't hesitate to call or email us. Our phone number is (321) 259-9115.
With that said, single family homes are down in price over 20% from 2004 with lots of great deals out there. This is the best buyers market we have had in a long time. With over 10,000 single family dwellings on the market, there are a lot of motivated sellers out there. This is great news if you are a buyer.
I have heard from some buyers who are wanting to wait until the market is at the bottom. As you may or may not know, there is no way to tell that we are at the bottom. I can tell you this, housing prices appear to be holding pretty steady right now. Those who told me they wanted to wait are now faced with houses that were the same price a few months ago and the interest rates are up over 1%. So in the long run, they have already missed the lowest price based on both sales price and interest.
One last thing. If you haven't seen it yet, we are holding our first annual customer appreciation night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera this Saturday Night. We will be enjoying a baseball game with the Manatees and fireworks after the game. If you haven't reserved your ticket and would like to go, please contact us immediately so we can get you on the list. The game starts at 6pm.
As always, if there is anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask. We are always here for you.
Have a great week and a Happy 4th of July!
Mitch
Well it's that time of the year again where I let you know the current stats going on in our Real Estate market in Brevard County. The market seems to be holding steady. It's not getting any worse and it's not getting much better. At the moment the interest rates are right around 6.875% which are a little down from over 7% last week.
Stats for the 2nd quarter of 2007 (April 1 - June 30) are as follows:
Single Family Homes
Currently on the Market - 7,727
Units Sold - 1,402
Condos and Townhomes
Currently on the Market - 3,183
Units Sold - 368
Lots and Land
Currently on the Market - 4,333
Lots Sold - 168
Average Single Family time on Market - 101 Days
Average Sales Price to Listing Price - 93%
The best deals to be had our in the condo market. As you can see by the stats they just are not selling. Two years ago it was unheard of to find an Oceanfront unit anywhere in the county for under $300k. Now there are close to 50 units in that price range. Of course some of them are small. My favorite is one of our listings at Ocean Club in Melbourne Beach. This is almost 1,300 sq. ft. with two master suites, both with great Ocean views. This condo is currently listed for $299,900. My guess is this will sell fairly quickly because of the bargain price. We also have another condo that just dropped its price to $199,900. This is a riverfront condo on the 7th floor and over 1,500 sq. ft. This 2 bedroom 2 bath condo is located in the center of Merritt Island across the street from the mall. Great location and great price. This unit 2 years ago would have sold for as high as $300k. Such a deal! If you would like more details about either of these properties don't hesitate to call or email us. Our phone number is (321) 259-9115.
With that said, single family homes are down in price over 20% from 2004 with lots of great deals out there. This is the best buyers market we have had in a long time. With over 10,000 single family dwellings on the market, there are a lot of motivated sellers out there. This is great news if you are a buyer.
I have heard from some buyers who are wanting to wait until the market is at the bottom. As you may or may not know, there is no way to tell that we are at the bottom. I can tell you this, housing prices appear to be holding pretty steady right now. Those who told me they wanted to wait are now faced with houses that were the same price a few months ago and the interest rates are up over 1%. So in the long run, they have already missed the lowest price based on both sales price and interest.
One last thing. If you haven't seen it yet, we are holding our first annual customer appreciation night at Space Coast Stadium in Viera this Saturday Night. We will be enjoying a baseball game with the Manatees and fireworks after the game. If you haven't reserved your ticket and would like to go, please contact us immediately so we can get you on the list. The game starts at 6pm.
As always, if there is anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask. We are always here for you.
Have a great week and a Happy 4th of July!
Mitch
Monday, June 18, 2007
Summer Time is Almost Here! Is this a good time to buy?
Well here we are getting ready to take the turn into The Summer of 2007. This will be an interesting summer to say the least. We keep hearing of all this doom and gloom, but we really aren't seeing it that way. Yes, foreclosures are up and will continue to rise. This is very unfortunate as many of these people were sold a bill of goods from mortgage companies by doing the easy to qualify for adjustable rate mortgages...with 100% financing. Those 4% intro rates are now coming in at 7%, 8%, and 9% or more. The problem of course is that the home values have dropped 20% or more and therefore we can't refinance these homes and the owners are stuck. Many of the homes going into foreclosure were from investors who came in and took advantage of some of the financing options. Those homes remain vacant and the owners are having trouble carrying several mortgages.
So what is the good news? The good news is that it is now very affordable to buy a home in Brevard County. With prices at a 3 year low, you can now find many homes in the $150k or less price range. Our average sale has dropped from $250k to $200k. That is quite a drop. People who couldn't afford to buy a home in 2003-2005 can now afford their new home. In fact, there are many homes that are brand new, vacant and listed for less than $200k. These same homes were selling for $275k back in 2004.
With that said, interest rates have started to creep up with most rates right around 6.75% - 7.5%. I believe that they will continue to go up and down as they have the past few years. Last month the rates were as low as 6%. Of course your credit score and the amount you borrow will make the difference on your interest rate.
One last thing. The condo market. Yes, this is by far the best time we have had in almost 4 years to buy a condo. There are currently approximately 3200 condos and townhomes on the market with less than 118 selling the past 30 days. If you have ever wanted to buy an oceanfront condo, this is the time! For instance, we have a 2 bedroom 2 bath Direct Oceanfront condo in Melbourne Beach listed at $319,900. You couldn't have touched this for under $475k two years ago. There are 120 Oceanfront units for under $275k. Unbelievable!!!!
It's time to get to work and help everyone with all their stuff! Don't forget that we are always here to help you accomplish your Real Estate goals. Whether you are an investor, first time home buyer, looking for your 2nd home or relocating here from there, we have plenty of homes for you to see.
Don't hesitate to call or email us anytime.
Have a fun day!
Mitch
So what is the good news? The good news is that it is now very affordable to buy a home in Brevard County. With prices at a 3 year low, you can now find many homes in the $150k or less price range. Our average sale has dropped from $250k to $200k. That is quite a drop. People who couldn't afford to buy a home in 2003-2005 can now afford their new home. In fact, there are many homes that are brand new, vacant and listed for less than $200k. These same homes were selling for $275k back in 2004.
With that said, interest rates have started to creep up with most rates right around 6.75% - 7.5%. I believe that they will continue to go up and down as they have the past few years. Last month the rates were as low as 6%. Of course your credit score and the amount you borrow will make the difference on your interest rate.
One last thing. The condo market. Yes, this is by far the best time we have had in almost 4 years to buy a condo. There are currently approximately 3200 condos and townhomes on the market with less than 118 selling the past 30 days. If you have ever wanted to buy an oceanfront condo, this is the time! For instance, we have a 2 bedroom 2 bath Direct Oceanfront condo in Melbourne Beach listed at $319,900. You couldn't have touched this for under $475k two years ago. There are 120 Oceanfront units for under $275k. Unbelievable!!!!
It's time to get to work and help everyone with all their stuff! Don't forget that we are always here to help you accomplish your Real Estate goals. Whether you are an investor, first time home buyer, looking for your 2nd home or relocating here from there, we have plenty of homes for you to see.
Don't hesitate to call or email us anytime.
Have a fun day!
Mitch
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