Bargain buy close to Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven Florida. Prestigious neighborhood of Lake Florence Pointe. The best priced home in the area. Over 2,800 sq ft of living space with many extras including tile and wood laminate flooring through out, recessed lighting, wet bar, fireplace, french doors, spa and in ground swimming pool. The owner will finance with 20% down at 8.25%. Easy qualifying. Give us a call today to arrange your private showing.

Only $239,000!!

Have you ever thought about purchasing a holiday home in Central Florida? Florida may be known mostly for it’s beaches but don’t ever forget we have so much more to offer. Hundreds of lakes with some of the best bass fishing in the World. And of course Disney World, Sea World, Wet N Wild and Universal Studios.

Here’s a little peak at my world.

As some of you may remember I was a HUGE fan of Range Pricing for many years. When we first opened Tutas Towne Realty 13 years ago Range Pricing was our UVP (Unigue Value Proposition).

I haven’t used Range Pricing since the market changed in late 2006. It made a lot of sense when the market was moving upward. It doesn’t make sense today.

You can see by the comments in this article that many agents didn’t get it and some buyers didn’t like it. But none the less it worked. My properties sold quicker and for more money using this technique. Fortunately for me I worked for the seller and didn’t really care what the agents or buyers thought. I just wanted to sell the property for my seller.

In my market right now properties are selling on average for 102% of the asking price. So it’s really no different than when we used Range Pricing. Back then, 2006 and earlier, my properties were selling for almost 104% of asking price.

In the current market, where banks are pretty much controlling things, the technique being used is pricing low and creating bidding wars. It’s like the old days of Range Pricing. The only difference is there is no top of the “Range” being mentioned. 

Foreclosures and Short Sales are now selling with multiple offers to the highest bidder. What I was doing 15 years ago, that was very controversial then, is now the norm. Funny how that happens. I guess we were just way ahead of our time.

My advice to buyers now is the same as it was then. Make your offer based on the value of the property NOT based on the asking price. The asking price doesn’t mean squat. It could be too low or it could be way high. Have your agent do an analysis on the property and then submit an offer that has a chance of getting accepted.

Buyers who base their offers on asking price instead of the value of the property will end up without a property to buy. This is true in ANY market.

By the way here’s a link to a market analysis I did for one of our buyers. He was well informed and his offer was accepted. What say you?

2993 Kokomo Loop Haines City Florida 33844
Southern Dunes Country Club

This 3 bedroom 2 bath pool home is being sold completely furnished and ready for holiday rentals. World class 18 hole “links style” golf course is the center piece of Southern Dunes Country Club. Located only 30 minutes to Disney World this home would make the perfect Florida get away. Zoned for nightly rentals. Advanced bookings and management are in place for a turn key vacation home. Only $150,000

Home Inspections. Don't like them at all. Received an "Inspection Report" today stating the AC is five years older than the house! Never had that one before. The house is only six years old and was built by a big time national builder. The AC works great but now the buyer wants a letter from the builder stating that this is the unit that was put in the house when it was built six years ago. Now obviously trying to get this documentation from the builder, who has probably built 10,000 houses since this one, is impossible.

In my State, Florida, the only requirement to become a "professional home inspector" is a stack of business cards and an occupational license. Scary when you consider these guys can make or break a deal.

So I was wondering does your State have an agency to regulate Home Inspectors?

Negotiated a deal on one of my listings yesterday. The Buyer is purchasing using 100% financing with Seller paying closing costs. My market is affordable housing with the majority of homes priced from $190s to $250s and it seems like most of the Buyers lately have been purchasing with no money down. Now don’t get me wrong I am in favor of home ownership for everyone but I fear a lot of the Buyers are going to have financial difficulties in the near future. With high insurance costs, property taxes and mortgage payments I am seeing payments of close to $2,000 per month for a starter home. That’s a pretty big nut to crack every month in my area where most families are regular working class people and don’t have any reserve funds if they should encounter a financial setback.

Also, a good number of these purchases are being made with ARMs with the Buyers basing their ability to pay on future raises at work or a part time job that they may or may not be getting. In my opinion Mortgage Brokers and Realtors are being overly aggressive in selling these folks on the advantages of home ownership without really taking the time to counsel the Buyers on the true costs involved. And since they don’t have to come up with any money at closing they are sitting ducks for Mortgage Brokers who are charging them sometimes outrageous fees for doing these types of loans.

So my challenge to Realtors who are dealing with first time Home buyers with a little or no money down is to really take the time to explain the pros and cons of purchasing a home. If the Buyers are fully informed and are wanting to move forward then help them to negotiate fees or guide them to the myriad of programs available that can help them with financial assistance. Placing a Buyer in a home he can’t afford can damage them for years. It can cause bankruptcies, divorces and even illnesses. So let’s “Protect the public” it’s what Realtors are supposed to do.

When hiring a Realtor in Florida it is important to decide how the Realtor will be working for you and what duties they do or do not owe you. I have provided a link at the bottom of this post that will take you directly to Chapter 475 of the Florida Statutes where you will be able to find all information related to having a Real Estate license in Florida. Following is the "nut shell" version of Brokerage and Non Brokerage relationships.

In Florida Dual Agency is illegal. The only exception is on a commercial deal where both Buyer and Seller have assets of over 1 million two sales associates from the same office can work as "designated sales associate". One for the Seller the other for the Buyer.

In a residential transaction a Realtor has three choices of how to work.

1. Single Agent-this is a fiduciary relationship. You can work for either Seller or Buyer but not both. Your duties include confidentiality and full disclosure.

2. Transaction Broker-this is a form of limited representation but does not create a fiduciary relationship. Limited confidentiality and limited liability. You can be a Transaction Broker for either Seller or Buyer or both. If working for both parties it cannot be to the detriment of either party. In Florida we are presumed to be "Transaction Brokers" unless single agent or no brokerage relationship is established with a customer in writing.

3. No Brokerage Relationship-no representation at all. Can be with either Seller or Buyer or both. No confidentiality.

And then we have this thing called "Transitioning to a Transaction Broker"

FLORIDA LAW ALLOWS REAL ESTATE LICENSEES WHO REPRESENT A BUYER OR SELLER AS A SINGLE AGENT TO CHANGE FROM A SINGLE AGENT RELATIONSHIP TO A TRANSACTION BROKERAGE RELATIONSHIP IN ORDER FOR THE LICENSEE TO ASSIST BOTH PARTIES IN A REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION BY PROVIDING A LIMITED FORM OF REPRESENTATION TO BOTH THE BUYER AND THE SELLER. THIS CHANGE IN RELATIONSHIP CANNOT OCCUR WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT

Click for Chapter 475 Florida Statutes.                 Click here for Realtors Code of Ethics