Is Buying a Home Still the American Dream?

16 Jun

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In a CNN Money article, CNN says, “Even though many Americans still desire to own a home, they are losing faith in homeownership as a key to prosperity.” Nearly two-thirds of Americans, or 64%, believe they are less likely to build up their bank account by buying a home today than they were 20 or... Read more »

Home Buying Costs you Don’t Want to Forget

13 Jun

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You’ve been preparing to buy a home for months. You’ve crunched the numbers, estimated your tax payments, and taken a realistic look at how much house you can afford. You know what you want and you know what’s realistic. You won’t be house poor. But there are more expenses involved in home buying than just the... Read more »

Losing is Not an Option. How to WIN a Bidding War

13 Jun

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Sometimes you find the home you know you’re going to spend the rest of your life in—and sometimes you have to sharpen your checkbooks for battle to compete against faceless prospective buyers who will fight to the death, or the end of their bank account at least. But first you must ask yourself—should you compete... Read more »

First-time Home Buyer Woes Solved

12 Jun

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For some people, it’s hard to pull the trigger and buy their first home. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Buying a home is a huge commitment, but it’s something everyone should experience. There’s no greater feeling than coming home to your own space. You’ve saved up for a down payment. You’ve pored over local... Read more »

Your Outdoor Furniture has Feelings Too! Here are Some Patio Furniture Cleaning Tips

06 Jun

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Having a nice, relaxing outdoor retreat is a big deal in Southwest Florida. Where else are you going to sip your mojito and gaze off into the sunset? When choosing outdoor furniture for a garden room, outdoor kitchen or multi-level deck, some consumers prefer quality tables, chairs and assorted pieces that become an investment to... Read more »

Single-family home prices in the Naples-Marco Island area are the highest in Florida

06 Jun

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Single-family home prices in the Naples-Marco Island area are the highest in Florida — and still have room to climb, researcher Local Market Monitor said. Prices in Cape Coral-Fort Myers will also stay on a tear for the next few years, the Cary, N.C.-based firm forecasted. Ingo Winzer, the firm’s president, is bullish on Southwest... Read more »

Creative Ways to Buy a Home

06 Jun

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Both buyers and sellers are always so focused on the bottom line, the big number, the listing price and the offer price. But it’s not always about the price. However, it is always good to be open to being creative, taking the sole focus off the price and considering the seller’s entire sale situation before... Read more »

Hurricane Season is Here. Know your Homeowners Insurance Policy!

06 Jun

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If you live in Florida and especially South Florida, then you probably already know what started on June 1. That’s right, folks: hurricane season is here. The Colorado State University team expects 10 named storms, four of which will become hurricanes. That’s fewer than the long-term average of 12 named storms and six hurricanes per... Read more »

Two Southwest Florida Beach Homes Made Number 2, 5 on Realty Trac’s 100 Best Beach Towns List

06 Jun

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RealtyTrac recently selected the top 100 best beach towns across the country based on four criteria: average temperature, percent of sunny days, percent of days with good air quality, and crime rates. The top 100 beach town hotspots were then sorted by median value of single-family homes and condominiums, from lowest to highest price. The... Read more »

Jumbo loans: Loans for the Future?

04 Jun

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Underwriting guidelines remain strict on the conforming loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but lenders are becoming more accommodating on nonconforming, or jumbo, loans, the New York Times says. Jumbo loans are mortgages of $417,000 or higher in most areas; the nonconforming threshold is $625,500 in pricier markets like New York. In short,... Read more »