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An email I just received from GTAR (Greater Tampa Association of Realtors) shows the following in the Headline: (1) EXISTING HOME SALES UP A WHOPPING 76% SINCE JANUARY, 2008 (2) INVENTORY DOWN 5.5% SINCE JANUARY 2008 (3) MONTHS OF INVENTORY DOWN 54% SINCE JANUARY 2008 (4) AVERAGE SALES PRICE DOWN TO $227,565 (5) AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET UP FROM 124 IN MAY TO 152 IN JUNE This is excellent news for the Tampa Real Estate Market in both home sales and Tampa Foreclosures. The main reason for the dro... Read Full Post

Being an engineer in my past life, I am kind of a gadget freak. My home office is full of technology, greater than the entire building where I work. I have more fire power in my home than most tech companies around the Tampa Bay Area (trust me I do). Anyway, I use to think that the Iphone was a toy when I first saw it. I used my Blackberry and loved it for a long time. Then my buddy bought me an Iphone (he says so that we can speak the same language...not sure since he is Russian so). Anyway,... Read Full Post

A report just out from NAR lists the Tampa Real Estate Market as having an inventory drop by 7.0% year over year. No surprise here from me as I have been watching the inventory and clients have been writing contracts as fast as the ink flows out of the pen. The main reason for this drop in my opinion is three fold: First, the pricing is more in line with that of sub 2004 values, I would say somewhere around the 2000-2003 years, interest rates are still very low and people are jumping in with ... Read Full Post

An ongoing issue in todays market, especially in the Tampa Foreclosures and Tampa Short Sales market... is the waiting. These deals are not an overnight transaction. You will need to hurry up, wait, then hurry up again. Here is what I mean. The desire for alot of these properties is great so the bidding will be fierce. Make sure you put your best foot forward and make the best offer that you can because alot of times, you will only have one shot at it. Then after this frenzy, you will need to... Read Full Post

I am a huge advocate of Social Networking and how it applies to Real Estate. I teach Social Networking to the Agents in my office, usually 3 times per month. The classes are typically overflowing and can go for some 3+ hours. In either event, the one thing that most agents feel is that they should receive instant gratification. Unfortunately, this is not the case. You build your Social Network, all the fingers of the web, to catch people as they fly on by. I am often asked which Social Networ... Read Full Post

The Tampa Real Estate market is on the move! Homes are going under contract and closing. People are coming out of the woodworks and wanting to see any home that says "DEAL" although the homes are well priced now a days. The market is definitely coming around as reported by Forbes and other sources. Even Warren Buffet came out and said that now is the time to buy real estate. He didn't become the riches man in the world because of bad advice. What I think is happening is that anyone that needs... Read Full Post

It was an interesting 4th of July for me yesterday. I went to a cookout at a friends house...just so happens to be a home inspector, and his brother in law came over as well. The conversation was light most of the day and then he asked me that loaded question thinking he already knew the answer, "How is the Real Estate Market"? And my reply was "very busy". I watched his jaw drop in disbelief...under normal circumstances he would not have believed me, but I turned to his brother in law...who ... Read Full Post

There are a whole lot of smart things we do in life and then there are a whole list of dumb things we do as well...if you are buying a home in Tampa Bay the smartest thing you can do in this market is hire a Buyers Agent to ensure you get the best possible deal possible. A Buyers agent will ensure that you are represented, your financial requirements are met and your financial strategies are secured. If you don't hire a Buyers Agent to assist you in your quest to buy property, you will end up... Read Full Post

Little Harbor, located in Ruskin Florida, overlooks Tampa Bay. Secluded from most tourists visits, Little Harbor is truly a hidden Gem. White sand beach, on the water restaurant, tennis courts, basketball courts, private marina, helipad for all of you out there with a helicopter, and soon to be beach club and marina club. This location is truly a dream come true for those that like seclusion and privacy but want to be surrounded with amenities galore. Currently available are Waterfront Condos... Read Full Post

I have been negotiating short sales for some time now and would like to give all you out there some advice that seems to work for me. Our Short Sale Conversion Rate has been greater than 85% and we have done probably around 20-30 right now so not bad considering the statistics I keep hearing are around 10% conversion or less. Be Persistent. You are working for your client so act that way. When you find out who the negotiator is that has been assigned call them several times a week. Make it pe... Read Full Post