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	<title>Real Estate Morsels &#187; Politics</title>
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	<description>Marc It Sold!</description>
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		<title>Vote NO on Amendment 4</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2010/03/vote-no-on-amendment-4/</link>
		<comments>http://orlando-blogger.com/2010/03/vote-no-on-amendment-4/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:51:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate and Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[amendment 4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[comprehensive plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[florida]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hometown democracy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taxes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://orlando-blogger.com/?p=2830</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Amendment 4 or the misnomer as it was known by, Hometown Democracy, if passed would have Floridians vote on every proposed change to the comprehensive plans for each city and county. Just the fact of the voting alone and the cost of such is major onus. To give you an idea of what this might [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="anonymous_element_1219">
<p><strong><a href="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/no-on-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2832" title="no on 4 florida amendment 4" src="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/no-on-4.jpg" alt="no on 4 florida amendment 4" width="200" height="179" /></a>Amendment 4</strong> or the misnomer as it was known by, Hometown Democracy, if passed would have Floridians <strong>vote on every proposed change to the comprehensive plans</strong> for each city and county. Just the fact of the voting alone and the cost of such is major onus. To give you an idea of what this might entail, in the City of Orlando, there are approximately 500 changes in 2009.</p>
<p>A plan very similar to Amendment 4 was tried in St. Petersburg to devastating effects including <strong>continued litigation that is costing the taxpayers plenty</strong>.  Even the former mayor stated that “_it resulted in confusion for the voters and a lot of extra costs_.”</p>
<p>I won’t deny that the premise of giving the power to the people is well intentioned, but this is why we elect our officials. Besides, Amendment 4 is poorly written in that it does not address the issues of hospitals, schools, fire &amp; police stations as these would also have to be voted upon, delaying construction until approved at the next election.</p>
<p>This is in addition to the fact that Amendment 4 would <strong>cost jobs</strong>, <strong>raise taxes</strong> and further <strong>hurt Florida’s economy</strong>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.floridiansforresponsiblepolicy.com/2010/ffrp-opposes-amendment-4-on-policy-and-process/#more-245" target="_blank">Floridians for Responsible Policy</a> opposes Amendment 4 and feels that it will empower special interests.</p>
<p><strong>Vote No on 4</strong> is being championed by the <a href="http://florida2010.org/home.php" target="_blank">Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy, Inc.</a></p>
<p>For information on <strong>Orlando</strong><strong> real estate</strong> and <strong>Orlando</strong><strong> homes for sale</strong> in addition to <strong>Orlando</strong><strong> relocation</strong> contact Marc Grossman, your <strong>Greater Orlando Area Realtor</strong> @ 407-463-1034.  Additional information is available for <strong>Seminole</strong> <strong>County</strong><strong> real estate</strong>, <strong>Orange</strong><strong> County real estate</strong>, West Volusia County and South Lake County.</p>
<p><a title="Central Florida Real Estate Specialist - Marc Grossman, GRI - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a><a title="Central Florida Real Estate Specialist - Marc Grossman, GRI - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a><a title="Central Florida Homes for Sale, Real Estate, Realtor and Relocation - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a><a title="Central Florida Homes for Sale, Real Estate, Realtor and Relocation - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a><a title="Central Florida Homes for Sale, Real Estate, Realtor and Relocation" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a>To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his <a title="Marc Grossman, GRI - Central Florida Real Estate Specialist" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.</p>
<p>Marc Grossman, GRI  -  <a href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/">http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/</a> -  407-463-1034</p>
<p>You can read Marc’s other blogs <a href="http://www.orlando-blogger.com/">Real Estate Morsels</a>, <a href="http://www.realestateofftheleash.com/">Real Estate Off The Leash</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.realestatecracker.com/">Real Estate Cracker</a></p>
<p>Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to <a title="Hospice of the Comforter" href="http://www.hospiceofthecomforter.org/" target="_blank">Hospice of the Comforter</a>.</p>
<h2><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a title="Orlando Florida Real Estate - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank">Marc It Sold!</a></span></em></strong></h2>
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		<item>
		<title>Homebuyer Tax Credit &#8211; Extended and Expanded</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2009/11/homebuyer-tax-credit-extended-and-expanded/</link>
		<comments>http://orlando-blogger.com/2009/11/homebuyer-tax-credit-extended-and-expanded/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:48:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate and Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anti fraud rule]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[first time homebuyer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homebuyer tax credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house of representatives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[senate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://orlando-blogger.com/?p=2152</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today the Senate &#38; House of Representatives extended the Homebuyer Tax Credit that was to expire on Nov. 30th. The new and expanded bill will take effect when President Obama signs it into legislation. 

The new bill extends the deadline until April 30, 2010 where the homebuyer will have to have a written and binding [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tax_credit.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2153" title="first time homebuyer tax credit" src="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tax_credit-300x199.jpg" alt="first time homebuyer tax credit" width="300" height="199" /></a>Today the Senate &amp; House of Representatives extended the Homebuyer Tax Credit that was to expire on Nov. 30<sup>th</sup>.<span> </span>The new and expanded bill will take effect when President Obama signs it into legislation.<span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">The new bill extends the <strong>deadline</strong> until April 30, 2010 where the homebuyer will have to have a written and binding contract to close no later than July 1, 2010.<span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">The <strong>First-time Buyer Credit</strong> stays the same in that the buyer may not have had an interest in a principal residence for 3 years prior to the purchase.<span> </span>The amount will also remain at $8000.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">The new bill is expanded to also cover <strong>Existing Homeowners</strong>, who must have used the home sold as a principal residence for 5 consecutive years out of the previous 8 years.<span> </span>The amount that they would receive will be only $6500, yet this is $6500 more than has been the case.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">The <strong>income limits</strong> have risen to $125K for a single person &amp; $225K for a married couple.<span> </span>These are up from $75K and $150K, respectively.<span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">There previous was no cost limit for the purchase price of the home, but this will now be limited to a $800K home.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">There is also an <strong>Anti-fraud Rule</strong> that was attached to the bill and rightly so.<span> </span>Now the purchaser will have to attach documentation to their tax return.<span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">This is very good news &amp; well needed for the real estate recovery as well as that of the economy.<span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<p class="MsoNormal">Till next time…<strong><em><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; color: navy;"><a title="Greater Orlando Central Florida Real Estate Broker" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/">Marc It Sold!</a></span></em></strong></p>


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		<item>
		<title>Winter Park, Seminole and Orange Counties, FL – Market Sales Statistics for May ‘09</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2009/06/winter-park-seminole-and-orange-counties-fl-%e2%80%93-market-sales-statistics-for-april-%e2%80%9809-2/</link>
		<comments>http://orlando-blogger.com/2009/06/winter-park-seminole-and-orange-counties-fl-%e2%80%93-market-sales-statistics-for-april-%e2%80%9809-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:53:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Market Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate and Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[32789]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[32792]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[average sales price]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[median sales price]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[osceola shores]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales volume]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[townhomes at harper place]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winter park homes for sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winter park market statistics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winter park real estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winter park relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://orlando-blogger.com/?p=1519</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Park, Seminole and Orange Counties, Florida for May 2009.  Winter Park is made up of the zip codes of 32789 &#38; 32792.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.
 
A couple of definitions [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/winter-park.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1520" title="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 market sales stats for may 2009" src="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/winter-park-300x207.jpg" alt="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 market sales stats for may 2009" width="300" height="207" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Park, Seminole and Orange Counties, Florida for May 2009.  Winter Park is made up of the zip codes of 32789 &amp; 32792.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>A couple of definitions are in order.<span> </span>The <strong>median sales price</strong> means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time – in other words, it’s the midpoint of sale prices.<span> </span>So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it’s specifically indicating which price range is more active.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong>average sales price</strong>, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the number of properties sold.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong>sales to list price ratio</strong> is just that, you’re dividing the average sales price by the average list price and coming up with a percentage that tells you how much of the list price the average homes sold for.<span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>There needs to be a disclaimer here.  These stats are only as good as telling us what it being purchased and happening at a certain period in time.  Also, it needs to be fully understood that not only is real estate local, but it is hyper-local.  What this means is that the trends that we hear about are overall.  Let&#8217;s put it this way, what&#8217;s happening in one neighborhood, may not be realized in the neighborhood next door. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Additionally, these are only monthly statistics and to get a better scope of what is happening, you need to look at a longer period of time.<span> </span>More high-end homes might be sold in one month as opposed to another.<span> </span>By looking at a longer period, you will get a better overall picture.<span> </span>It is all relative and this has to be understood when utilizing these stats.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Single-Family Homes</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>47 homes sold during the month of May.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">average sales price</span></strong> is $334,891 with 191 days on the market.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">median sales price </span></strong>is $197,000.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <strong>sales to list price ratio </strong>is 93%.<span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><a title="heathrow, lake mary, seminole county, florida" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22928563@N08/2389875259/" target="_blank"></a>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">most expensive</span></strong> home sold for $2,137,500 in Osceola Shores after 528 days on the market.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><a title="sanford, seminole county, florida" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22928563@N08/2390707850/" target="_blank"></a>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">least expensive</span></strong> home sold for $40,000 in Windward Square after 582 days on the market.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The average sales price for the same period a <strong>year earlier</strong> was $564,626 with 140 days on the market and on 40 sales, an increase of 18%.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong>month to month</strong> changes show an increase in the average sales price of 8% and a decrease in the median sales price of 9%.<span> </span>There was also an increase in sales volume of 18% with no change <span> </span>in the sales to list price ratio.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-sfh.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1521" title="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 single family home average and median sales price" src="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-sfh-300x192.jpg" alt="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 single family home average and median sales price" width="300" height="192" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-sfh-stats.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1522" title="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 single family home sales volume average and median sales price" src="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-sfh-stats-300x132.jpg" alt="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 single family home sales volume average and median sales price" width="300" height="132" /></a><br />
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Condos, Townhomes &amp; Villas</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>21 homes sold</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">average sales price</span></strong> was $183,545 with 182 days on the market.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">median sales price</span></strong> was $156,000.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <strong>sales to list price ratio</strong> is 96%.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><a title="heathrow, lake mary, seminole county, florida" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22928563@N08/2389875313/" target="_blank"></a>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">most expensive</span></strong> condo sold for $230,000 in Townhomes at Harper Place and was on the market 200 days.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><a title="sanford, seminle county, florida" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22928563@N08/?saved=1" target="_blank"></a>The <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">least expensive</span></strong> sold for $38,000 in Wrenwood Condo after 103 days on the market. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The average sales price a <strong>year earlier</strong> was $151,443 with 136 days on the market on 12 sales, an increase of 33%. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong>month to month</strong> changes show a decrease in the average sales price of 46% and a decrease in the median sales price of 47%.<span> </span>These decreases are somewhat equivalent to the previous month’s increases.<span> </span>Yet, there was a decrease in sales volume of 24% with a 2% decrease in the sales to list price ratio.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-condo.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1524" title="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 condo townhome and villa average and median sales price" src="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-condo-300x192.jpg" alt="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 condo townhome and villa average and median sales price" width="300" height="192" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-condo-stats.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1523" title="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 condo townhome and villa sales volume average and median sales price" src="http://orlando-blogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wp-condo-stats-300x132.jpg" alt="winter park orange and seminole county florida 32789 and 32792 condo townhome and villa sales volume average and median sales price" width="300" height="132" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><br />
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">For information on <strong>Winter Park</strong><strong> and Seminole and Orange County real estate</strong> and <strong>Winter  Park</strong><strong> and Seminole and Orange County homes for sale</strong> in addition to <strong>Winter Park</strong><strong> and Seminole and Orange  County relocation</strong> contact Marc Grossman, your <strong>Winter Park and Seminole and Orange County Realtor</strong> @ 407-463-1034.  Additional information is available for <strong>Seminole</strong> <strong>County</strong><strong> real estate</strong>, <strong>Orange</strong><strong> County real estate</strong>, West Volusia County and South Lake County.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a title="Central Florida Real Estate Specialist - Marc Grossman, GRI - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a><a title="Central Florida Real Estate Specialist - Marc Grossman, GRI - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a><a title="Central Florida Homes for Sale, Real Estate, Realtor and Relocation - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a><a title="Central Florida Real Estate Realtor - Marc Grossman, GRI - Marc It Sold!" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank"></a>To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his <a title="Marc Grossman, GRI - Central Florida Real Estate Specialist" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Marc Grossman, GRI  -  <a href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/">http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/</a> -  407-463-1034</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">You can read Marc’s other blogs <a href="http://www.orlando-blogger.com/">Real Estate Morsels</a>, <a href="http://www.realestateofftheleash.com/">Real Estate Off The Leash</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.realestatecracker.com/">Real Estate Cracker</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to <a title="Hospice of the Comforter" href="http://www.hospiceofthecomforter.org/" target="_blank">Hospice of the Comforter</a>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> </span></p>
<p><strong><em><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><a title="Winter Park Florida Realtor, Real Estate and Homes for Sale" href="http://www.orlandohomes-4u.com/" target="_blank">Marc It Sold!</a></span></em></strong></p>


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		<title>The Dreaded &#8216;R&#8217; Word &#8211; Recession</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/09/the-dreaded-r-word-recession/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:31:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mortgages]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[recession]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[On this day in history&#8230;
Benjamin Franklin wrote &#8220;There never was a good war or bad peace&#8221; in 1773.
Alexander Hamilton appointed 1st Secretary of Treasury in 1789.
Stephen Foster&#8217;s song, &#8220;Oh! Susanna&#8221; was first performed at a saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1847.
1st newspaper cartoon strip was printed in 1875.
1st commercially successful electric bus line [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On this day in history&#8230;</p>
<p>Benjamin Franklin wrote &#8220;There never was a good war or bad peace&#8221; in 1773.</p>
<p>Alexander Hamilton appointed 1st Secretary of Treasury in 1789.</p>
<p>Stephen Foster&#8217;s song, &#8220;Oh! Susanna&#8221; was first performed at a saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1847.</p>
<p>1st newspaper cartoon strip was printed in 1875.</p>
<p>1st commercially successful electric bus line opened in Hollywood in 1910.</p>
<p>Spain left the League of Nation due to Germany joining in 1926.</p>
<p>Boulder Dam was dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.</p>
<p>Jewish ghettos of Minsk &amp; Lida Belorussia were liquidated in 1943.</p>
<p>1st mobile long-distance car-to-car telephone conversation in 1946.</p>
<p>The twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City disintegrated after being hit by 2 commercial airliners hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists in 2001 killing 2793 and unfortunately more due to health risks that occurred from this disaster.</p>
<p>I was originally not going to put this one in because we all should be so firmly aware of it, but an article in yesterday&#8217;s USA Today entitled, &#8220;Is 9/11 Becoming Just Another Calendar Date?&#8221; brought back feelings that I had last year in wondering the same.</p>
<p>In December 2001, this date was also proclaimed <strong><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3366ff;">Patriot&#8217;s Day</span></strong> by the US Congress.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3366ff;">The Dreaded &#8216;R&#8217; Word &#8211; Recession</span></strong></p>
<p>Even the Fed appears to be concerned about the reality of an economic slowdown. It has to. The jobs report showed that August was the first monthly drop in four years. This almost solidified the fact that the Fed will reduce the rate by at the least of 1/4%. It really needs to be at least 1/2%, but&#8230;</p>
<p>The mortgage debacle and real estate slowdown are affecting other industries. There have been widespread slowdowns in many industries due to what&#8217;s happening in these industries. The fallout is there. There have already been cuts with companies providing home siding, nevermind that of the construction industry itself. Kohler, a major plumbing supplier, is cutting back and therefore eliminating jobs. And there are more job losses to come from this. Unfortunately, there has to be. We are already seeing cuts in the automotive, furniture and wood products &amp; semiconductor industries. We&#8217;ve even heard of Home Depot &amp; Lowe&#8217;s posting lower than expected earnings. You&#8217;d have to be blind to not notice that many of these are a direct reflection on what&#8217;s going on in the real estate world.</p>
<p>So we have unemployment up and consumer confidence down. There is turbulence in the world financial markets because of such. You don&#8217;t think that this could push the economy toward a recession!</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s look at the big picture. Many have used the equity in their home for continued consumer spending. This market is tapped with lower home prices &amp; higher interest rates equating to lower household wealth, people will have to reduce spending. We are seeing that with the retail reports.</p>
<p>I hope that we do not head into a recession. Granted, I don&#8217;t know if the Fed has the ability to stop it. But then again the market can change around quickly. Time will tell. Wish I had a crystal ball, but&#8230;</p>
<p>Til next time&#8230;<strong><em><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;">Marc It Sold!</span></em></strong></p>


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		<title>The Fed Rate Cut</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/09/the-fed-rate-cut/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mortgages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fed rate]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[On this day in history&#8230;
The Spanish expedition established the first permanent European settlement in North America, St. Augustine, in 1565.
The Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the British, who renamed it New York, in 1664.
NY Athletic Club formed in 1868.
1st appearance of &#8221; The Pledge of Allegiance&#8221; was published in The Youth&#8217;s Companion in 1892 to [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On this day in history&#8230;</p>
<p>The Spanish expedition established the first permanent European settlement in North America, St. Augustine, in 1565.</p>
<p>The Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the British, who renamed it New York, in 1664.</p>
<p>NY Athletic Club formed in 1868.</p>
<p>1st appearance of &#8221; The Pledge of Allegiance&#8221; was published in <em>The Youth&#8217;s Companion</em> in 1892 to commemorate the 400 anniversary of Columbus&#8217; discovery of America.</p>
<p>Gaeston, Texas was struck by a hurricane that killed an estimated 8000 people in 1900.</p>
<p>The comic strip &#8220;Blondie,&#8221; created by Chic Young, was first published in 1930.</p>
<p>A peace treaty with Japan was signed by 49 nations in San Francisco in 1951.</p>
<p>President Gerald Ford granted an unconditional pardon to former President Richard Nixon in 1974.</p>
<p>Today is International Literacy Day, which was designated by UNESCO in 1965.</p>
<p>Today is also the second annual International Angel Day, which is dedicated to children.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;">The Fed Rate Cut</span></strong></p>
<p>Well, even though, the Fed stated that the real estate market and mortgage debacle are not directly related to the overall health of our general economy. They must take note of the recent jobs report. With more and more layoffs and foreclosures, they is almost no way that they can get away without a rate cut. I think that almost everyone would agree that this is certain. But now the question comes into play of how much of a rate cut. Many feel that it should be 100 basis points (1%). I doubt if the Fed will go to that extent. I&#8217;m pretty sure that they would rather due only a 1/4% cut, but this is not enough. It has to be at least a 1/2% cut to be of any value at this point in time. We&#8217;ll see when they meet on the 18th.</p>
<p>To further enforce this feeling, Countrywide announced that it was cutting its workforce by 12,000 jobs, which is approximately 20% of its work force. Even IndyMac, which actually noted a profit recently, is cutting its workforce by 1,000, which is approximately 10% of its employees. But this extends way beyond just the mortgage and real estate industries. Office Depot it cutting back on store openings. They only plan on opening 100 stores, down from 150 of earlier this year.</p>
<p>This is affecting us all. It is unfortunate that Congress and the government can not agree on how to handle this situation. I am not proposing helping out the lenders, for they helped create this situation that we are all facing, but something needs to be done to reduce the foreclosures that are on the horizon and I think that there are more there than most can imagine.</p>
<p>Til next time&#8230;<strong><em><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;">Marc It Sold!</span></em></strong></p>


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		<title>Mortgages and Closings</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/09/mortgages-closings/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:03:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mortgages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[closing]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[On this date in history&#8230;
Great fire of London occurred in 1666.
1st US lighthouse was built in Boston in 1716.
Women&#8217;s Right&#8217;s Convention met in NYC in 1853.
Carnation processed its 1st can of evaporated milk in 1899.
William McKinley, the 25th US President was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the New York Buffalo Pan-American Exposition in New [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On this date in history&#8230;</p>
<p>Great fire of London occurred in 1666.</p>
<p>1st US lighthouse was built in Boston in 1716.</p>
<p>Women&#8217;s Right&#8217;s Convention met in NYC in 1853.</p>
<p>Carnation processed its 1st can of evaporated milk in 1899.</p>
<p>William McKinley, the 25th US President was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the New York Buffalo Pan-American Exposition in New York in 1901.  He died 8 days later on September 14th.</p>
<p>The Harlem Globetrotters were organized 1927.</p>
<p>All Jews over the age of 6 in German territories ordered to wear a star in 1941.</p>
<p>WINS NYC began playing rock n roll with Alan Freed Show in 1954.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;">Mortgages &amp; Closings</span></strong></p>
<p>The Federal Reserve issued its economic update yesterday.  It reported that credit problems in the U.S. have impacted housing, but haven’t hurt the general economy.  I don&#8217;t see how this can be so.  Now, granted, the only reason that I can see for them to report this is because they are not wishing to reduce the rate again at the Sept. 18th meeting as many have anticipated.</p>
<p>Additionally, look at all the layoffs in the mortgage industry.  Just yesterday &amp; today, there were over 3000 layoffs announced and this doesn&#8217;t include all of the previous ones mentioned, including the firms that have either closed or been disbanned.  Add on top of that all of the mortgage brokers out there that are either being laid off and can&#8217;t even procur a loan for a client.</p>
<p>A mortgage broker that I deal with has said to me that loan programs are being eliminated daily.  Additionally, it was noted in an AP news story that a third of home loans failed to close in August.  According to the article it was noted that three years ago only 4% of loans failed to close.</p>
<p>By the way, this information was obtained from a survey of 1700 mortgage brokers.  &#8220;The survey also found that nearly half of borrowers with adjustable rate mortgages were not able to refinance their loans.&#8221;  It was also noted that 2.5 million ARM mortgages are set to adjust to higher rates this year and a great deal of these loans will most likely be foreclosed on.</p>
<p>On another note, even though the house &amp; senate want to try to ease the present crisis, there does not appear to be any agreeement on how to do this.  You may have also read about banking regulators and The Fed urging loan service companies to work with defaulting borrowers, but these are only suggestions and nothing is mandatory.</p>
<p>So, yes, they say that the mortgage and housing debacle are not making an impact on the general economy.  Maybe this is so from the current statistics that they are utilizing, but wait until the next ones are recorded.  This has stretched way beyond just the industry itself.  It is affecting people across the board.</p>
<p>There was an article in yesterday&#8217;s USA Today about the majority of calls to company helplines are about finances and foreclosure.  Also, it was stated that how this will definitely affect productivity, etc.  So, let&#8217;s get realistic.  This is a widespread epidemic of sorts.</p>
<p>Til next time&#8230;<strong><em><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;">Marc It Sold!</span></em></strong></p>


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		<title>The Mortgage Debacle, The Market and The Fallout!</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/09/the-mortgage-debacle-the-market-the-fallout/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:46:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mortgages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Today on this date in history&#8230;
First federal tax was levied on tobacco in 1862.
Emma M. Nutt Day, she was the first woman telephone operator in 1878.
Labor Day was declared a U S national holiday by Congress in 1894.
World World II began when German troops invade Poland in 1939 at 5:30AM.
Lead in paint is declared illegal [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today on this date in history&#8230;</p>
<p>First federal tax was levied on tobacco in 1862.</p>
<p>Emma M. Nutt Day, she was the first woman telephone operator in 1878.</p>
<p>Labor Day was declared a U S national holiday by Congress in 1894.</p>
<p>World World II began when German troops invade Poland in 1939 at 5:30AM.</p>
<p>Lead in paint is declared illegal in 1977.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;">The Mortgage Debacle, The Market &amp; The Fallout!</span></strong></p>
<p>Several things have been in the news.  Yesterday, I touched briefly on the possible expanded role of the FHA in helping people to be able to refinance before they lose their home to foreclosure.  I think that this is a necessary step by the government to help people and especially our economy, but my concern comes down to part of the criteria.</p>
<p>To qualify, homeowners would have to prove they paid their loan on time before it reset to a higher rate and must have at least 3 percent equity in the home.  That is fine and also the fact that Pres. Bush is asking Congress to raise the present loan limits.  But part of the criteria for one of these loans is that to compensate for the added risk, the borrowers would have to pay higher premiums on the loans and also some of the closing costs.  Right then and there you are going to eliminate a lot of people who might be in dire need of help.  They are already tapped to the limit.  If they can&#8217;t afford their present loan, how might they afford one with a higher interest rate &amp; possibly having to come up with some of the closing costs, nevermind 3% if they do not have enough equity.</p>
<p>I agree that help is needed, but have to be concerned about the repercussions of this.  There was an article in USA today in which Peter Wallison of the American Enterprise Institute said, “If you’re going to help someone to refinance, you’re going to bail out the person who financed him in the first place&#8230;.  This will only cause the problem to arise again.”  Yes, this may be true and is a concern, but that all depends on how the government handles the whole situation.</p>
<p>Another major group of foreclosures is coming from the investor group.  We&#8217;ve all heard about the investors trying to grab a piece of the pie/cake.  Unfortunately, this cake didn&#8217;t rise as anticipated.  The numbers are quite large in comparison.  Nevada leads the pack of investor defaults followed by Arizona, Florida &amp; California.  Yes, all four of these states have been in the news quite a bit due to the change in real estate market conditions.  They all have had incredible growth, but with that growth also comes some fallout as we are seeing now.</p>
<p>It was recently noted that even though Florida has shown a year over year price decline of almost 1%; the overall 5 year stats show a price gain of over 95%.  Granted, this bodes well for most of us.  The people that are obviously being negatively affected at this point are the sellers, especially those who&#8217;ve purchased within the past two years; those with ARM&#8217;s that are being adjusted to higher rated; those with 100% financing, which I&#8217;ve always tried to dissaude people from getting involved in; and, especially investors.</p>
<p>Now, there is another group of people that are feeling the brunt of all this, and that&#8217;s renters.  According to another article that I&#8217;ve recently read, rents are projected to rise about 4 percent this year and next.  This is being affected on many levels.  Many previous owners that are finding themselves in foreclosure are turning into renters again.  Additionally, more renters are also renewing their leases because they can no longer qualify for mortgages.</p>
<p>The only good part of this, is that some landlords are renting for less than their present mortgage on their investment properties, basically looking to just cut their loses.  These people are avoiding foreclosure by doing such and because they have the present ability to afford it as well.</p>
<p>Anyway, till next time&#8230;<strong><span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;">Marc It Sold!</span></strong></p>


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		<title>Buying and Selling in Today’s Market – Is It Right For Me?</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/07/buying-and-selling-in-today%e2%80%99s-market-%e2%80%93-is-it-right-for-me/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:17:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Buying and Selling]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[price]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[We are all aware of what’s going on in today’s real estate marketplace.  There is no way that you can escape the news.  It’s all over on the radio, television and in print.  So where do you stand?
Firstly, the situation is not going to change anytime soon.  There are too many [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We are all aware of what’s going on in today’s real estate marketplace.  There is no way that you can escape the news.  It’s all over on the radio, television and in print.  So where do you stand?</p>
<p>Firstly, the situation is not going to change anytime soon.  There are too many factors that have contributed to our present market.  One of the greatest, that most people are not aware of, is that of the mortgage lending business.  This has greatly contributed the our present set of circumstances.</p>
<p>A little history.  A long time ago when someone took out a mortgage, they generally had a relationship with their lender, who more often than not was their banker.  The banker knew of their ability to repay a loan and lent money on this criteria.  The banker also kept and serviced that loan for the life of that particular mortgage.</p>
<p>Well, the industry changed greatly in the past twenty years.  Now, the originating lenders take the mortgages that they’ve made and then bundle them up and sell them to investors.  Thus, giving the original lender money to go back out and sell more mortgages.  This is great in that it brings more available money back into the marketplace.  The downside is that the original lender no longer has the risk of carrying that loan.  So, therefore, criteria became quite lax for procuring loans.</p>
<p>This is why we are seeing so much trouble with the subprime market.  Too many loans were made to people who could marginally afford a home.  With interest rates rising so has many adjustable rate mortgages and this further pushed many more people into that group.  They couldn’t afford the higher payments and especially with the addition or higher insurance rates &amp; property taxes.</p>
<p>Because so many of these loans were heading towards default, that it why we are seeing a collapse in the subprime market.  It used to be that you could find a loan for someone with credit scores of less than 580.  Now, that the subprime market is drying up, it is difficult to find a loan for someone with a FICO score under 620.</p>
<p>This fueled a lot of the buying and selling that we saw over the past several years.  This, in addition to the fact, that a lot of people as they saw the prices of real estate moving up so quickly wanted to get in on the action also.  Unfortunately, a lot of these people should not have.  Many used their available funds or even home equities in their primary residences to purchase second homes or rental properties.  When they could no longer afford these properties, they tried to sell them, but found that they couldn’t at a profit.</p>
<p>Many also used the increased value of their homes as a sort of spending account.  Since incomes were not increasing relative to the value of their property, they would take money out, utilizing home equities, and use this money to buy cars, trips, etc.</p>
<p>But, this had to stop and it did!  We were finding more homes languishing on the market.  The builders were still building at an expanded pace.  Therefore, even more homes on the market.  The statistics show that most of these builders made profits last year, but that is now changing.  Many, if not most, have seen losses this year.  Many builders have stopped building speculation homes.</p>
<p>The combination of all of the things that I’ve just written about has contributed to the glut of properties available for sale.  And yes, has driven down the price of homes.  If you purchased a home within the last two years, you will find it quite difficult to sell it now at a profit and in most cases breaking even, if you are lucky.</p>
<p>Yes, there are many more factors that have also contributed to our state of affairs, but this is to just give you a general overview.  So, now to the title of this blog.</p>
<p>It is definitely a buyer’s market and will remain so for quite some time.  Right now in the two counties that make up the majority of the Greater Orlando area, there are over 20K single-family homes, condos, townhomes &amp; villas for sale.  This, when in what might be considered a normal market, when there was much less than 1/3 of that number of available properties for sale.</p>
<p>Buyers have a wide selection of properties to look at &amp; choose from.  Never has it been greater &amp; especially when you note that the builders are offering such great bargains.  Some even $100K and more off of the selling price.  Others offering discounts, closing incentives &amp; even a Harley-Davidson in addition.  I’ve recently seen a home that was almost 2000sf with a starting price of approximately $250K.  And this home wasn’t in the boonies or even near to such, it was right in the metro area.</p>
<p>Now, to the sellers.  Unfortunately, there are many that just have to sell.  They have to move whether it be for a job transfer, familial reasons, health, etc.  These people have no choice.  What I’ve stated over and over for these people is that you have to show Price &amp; Value.  Your home has to be in tip-top shape.  People do not want homes that they have to do work on.  There are too many others out there &amp; they will just go to the next one.  People are not going to overpay for a property.  And this is where it also comes in – sellers have to be realistic in their expectations and pricing.  2005 is a long time ago and has nothing to do with our present real estate market.</p>
<p>Some may read this and think that I am a pessimist.  I am not by any means, or at least try not to be.  I consider myself a realistic optimist.  We are still selling homes, but granted, they are selling at levels that we saw in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.  There is over a 16-month supply of available homes on the market.</p>
<p>Real Estate is a great investment, but it has always been meant as a long-term investment.  Not, the short-term one it was considered in the recent past.  It is no longer the cash cow that we saw through the past several years.  There is no real estate bubble that we are going to see burst.  But at the same time, you are not going to see lenders utilizing the line-up &amp; sign-up routine of the past for mortgages.  The criteria for such has been tightened.</p>
<p>One of the things that quite concerns me is what is going to happen when Wall Street feels the effects of the subprime market.  Are we going to be asked to bail them out as we have with property insurance companies, etc?  I hope not, they took on the risk &amp; that is where it should stay.  It’s not the public’s responsibility to bail out all of these companies.  We, as individuals, cannot afford that.</p>
<p>Just remember – Price &amp; Value.  If you can show that, you can sell your home.</p>
<p>Until next time – <span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;"><em><strong>Marc It Sold!</strong></em></span></p>


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		<title>Beach Blog</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/06/beach-blog/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:33:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mortgages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property Taxes and Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate and Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buyers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[miscellaneous meanderings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mortgage rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicci]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[property tax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real estate market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sellers]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[There are a couple of things that I’ve been noticing about the real estate market that I wish to relay to you. But, before I get to that there are some miscellaneous meanderings that I wish to write about.
The many of you that know me, are aware of the fact that I try not to [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There are a couple of things that I’ve been noticing about the real estate market that I wish to relay to you. But, before I get to that there are some miscellaneous meanderings that I wish to write about.</p>
<p>The many of you that know me, are aware of the fact that I try not to be a braggart. Yes, we all tend to do it at some time or another in our life. This is only human nature. I try to make it a point to not do so for the simple fact that I do not wish to put others ill at ease. So with that said…</p>
<p>Here I am where it all started – that is my blogging. I’m on a vacation of sorts in Ft. Lauderdale. Actually right now, I’m sitting on the veranda of the Atlantic Hotel, right across from the beach, drinking a Pina Colada. Yummy, it is!!</p>
<p>It always amazes me at what life throws at us. Or, maybe, I should say at what paths our lives take us. I’ve said this before, and must reiterate that I consider myself a very lucky and fortunate person. Yes, I’ve had my ups and downs just like the rest of us. I doubt if there is anyone that can say otherwise about themselves. The degrees to which vary and we may not be able to see that from our standpoint, but that is just it – it’s from our standpoint and perspective.</p>
<p>I’ve been planning on coming down to Fort Lauderdale for many weeks. This week before I came down I took my little girl, Nicci (Chihuahua) to the vet. Unfortunately, she came home with me, but I had to bury her. To say that this has upset me is an understatement. But, I have to remember that she had almost 14 good years and she was such a good girl &amp; companion. She was my baby!</p>
<p>But getting back to what I was saying earlier, things occur &amp; sometimes you have to wonder. Maybe there’s a connection and maybe there isn’t, but since that fateful day with Nicci, my phone has basically been ringing off of the hook with buyers &amp; sellers.</p>
<p>The reason that I mention this is because there were a couple of items in the newspaper today that I will get to shortly. Additionally, I was talking with an associate of mine &amp; she said the same thing about the buyers all of a sudden coming out of the woodwork.</p>
<p>Now, don’t get me wrong, the market is going to take quite a while to readjust itself. There is no doubt about this. But this obviously bodes well with somewhat a shift in the climate.</p>
<p>I received an email today from ORRA, the local Realtor association, stating that the median price homes in the local market went up in May. Thirty year mortgages dropped slightly this week from an eleven month high of last week. But they are still under 7%. The Florida legislature has finalized what they are planning to do with property taxes &amp; I think that the governor is signing such. There was also an Associated Press article stating that “The U. S. economy should expand modestly in coming months as a healthy job market continues to trump weakness in housing prices…”</p>
<p>Again, I must reiterate, it will take quite a while for the market to even out, but it does seem as if there are finally some changes in sight. We can only hope so.</p>
<p>Until next time – <span style="font-size: 130%; color: #6600cc;"><strong><em>Marc It Sold!</em></strong></span></p>


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		<title>Property Insurance and a Little Bit about Taxes</title>
		<link>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/06/property-insurance-and-a-little-bit-about-taxes/</link>
		<comments>http://orlando-blogger.com/2007/06/property-insurance-and-a-little-bit-about-taxes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:10:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marc Grossman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Property Taxes and Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate and Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citizens Property Insurance Corp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disasters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[florida legislature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homeowners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[no fault auto insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal injury protection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pip]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[property insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[property taxes]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Well, the Legislature has reconvened for a special session &#38; as I may have stated previously, I’m very concerned that we will not see anything good come out of this.  There are many reasons why I state this.  Firstly, the proposed plan, which is somewhat different from what I’ve previously blogged about, is [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well, the Legislature has reconvened for a special session &amp; as I may have stated previously, I’m very concerned that we will not see anything good come out of this.  There are many reasons why I state this.  Firstly, the proposed plan, which is somewhat different from what I’ve previously blogged about, is still inadequate.  And there is obviously quite a bit of legislators that feel this way as well.  Many of the legislators, including some Republicans, are quite miffed that this currently proposed plan was worked out basically behind closed doors.  Marco Rubio, the House Speaker from Miami, stated basically that they have a choice of the proposed plan or no change to the current system.  As I’ve stated before, it just seems that he looking to make a name for himself.  He’s already proposed a couple of plans which did not merit anything more than a cursory notice.</p>
<p>It’s quite sad because the only victims here are the people of the State of Florida.  This is true with the tax situation and what we’ll soon talk about, property insurance.  But, before I go there, there is one major note that should be brought to your attention.  The current proposed property tax seems to be only affording most of us a mediocre savings that would basically be obliterated within four to five years time.  And as I’ve stated before, I have a major issue with our legislators just replacing one flawed system with an equally flawed system.  What’s the purpose except for them to say “Look at what we’ve done for you!” and most likely not be in office when we have to repair that system.  Go figure!</p>
<p>Anyway to Property Insurance and Citizens Property Insurance Corp, in particular.  The long and short of this, and you may have read this in a previous blog of mine, Citizens was created by the Florida legislature basically to protect Floridians and offer policies to homeowners who could not buy property insurance elsewhere on the open market.  Many insurers have left the state, especially in writing policies on property.</p>
<p>The problem here is that Citizens has been allowed to grow, recently, way beyond its proposed structure.  Firstly, it was underfunded at the beginning and we’ve found ourselves having to bail it out twice already.  We pay for this everytime we pay our insurance whether it be to Citizens or another carrier.  At present, Citizens is being told that it has to rollback it’s rates to that of 2006.  Sounds great to the consumer, but what happens if there is an unfortunate catastrophe in the State of Florida.  Hum, let’s think!  Oh, I know, we’ll be bailing Citizens out again.  This has to stop!  It is not fair to the people of this state to consistently bail this company out of bankruptcy.</p>
<p>Additionally, as I was previously alluding to, Citizens has been allowed to go way beyond it’s scope.  They offer cheap insurance to basically irresponsible coastal developers.  They build these large high-rise condos on the beach in areas that are prone to disasters.  Does this make good business sense to anyone?  Please let me know.   Let me also mention, most carriers would not insure a project like this or, at the very least, at the rates that Citizens is charging these developers.</p>
<p>Let’s take this one step further, so they build a coastal high-rise.  They sell these units and now the unit owners and the condo association need insurance.  Since other carriers would probably not be interested in insuring this property in the first place, where do you think most of these people will wind up purchasing a policy from?  You got it – Citizens.  Do you possibly see a problem here?</p>
<p>The other problem is that people in the state’s interior will be paying for this mess and they do not deserve that responsibility.  Our legislators need to take action and do it now!  They need to be more responsible about the development of our coastlines.  They need to be fiscally responsible to the people, not big business.</p>
<p>Please do not get me wrong.  I am not a radical or subversive or whatever may come to mind in that respect.  But, I do firmly believe if you have a problem or a broken system it needs to be repaired.  Just as if you had a broken tooth, you’d go to the dentist.  You just wouldn’t let it remain open and possibly abscess.</p>
<p>This brings me to another insurance matter that is being handled incorrectly also.  It seems that the Legislature is planning on allowing our No-fault insurance for automobiles lapse when it becomes due in October.  The reason behind this supposedly is that there is too much corruption in the fact of people abusing the system.  Under the current system, you must carry at least $10K of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.  Basically, the elimination of this will allow people to drive uninsured.  This will only create a greater strain on us &amp; also our hospitals.  Yes, again the system needs to be fixed.  It is definitely flawed and rank with fraud, but the elimination of it is not the correct answer.  Deal with the fraud.  Eliminate that, but not the whole concept.</p>
<p>Again, thank you for reading my rantings and ravings.</p>
<p>Until next time – <span style="font-size: 130%; color: #3333ff;"><strong><em>Marc It Sold!</em></strong></span></p>


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