Robby and Carol - Real Estate

04/02/2021

YOU ARE THINKING OF BUILDING A NEW HOME???

I heard some good advice. Go home, lay down, take two aspirin, and pray that thought goes away!! Higher cost or construction delays? Take your pick or enjoy both. According to Associated Builders & Contractors Inc. (ABC), as of March 12, softwood lumber saw a 79.7% year-over-year increase. Other material costs have gone up as well Contractors in the local area say prices hit record highs in recent weeks, and the coming months will be critical for some local home builders to not cancel or delay projects. Affordable housing is going right down the drain. Even more, pressure is being applied by the tremendous growth in our local area. It is paradise, but it comes with some issues we have to deal with.

04/02/2021

POOL OWNERS – GOOD NEWS!!
A local appraiser just told me the most in-demand item about housing is a private swimming pool. He added, “homes with a pool are basically gone.” To back that up last year, Zillow’s most frequently searched keyword was “pool.” Hot tubs are becoming much more popular and are searched more frequently than ever. Our MLS data is showing us pool homes are selling quicker than non-pool homes. Recent reporting is showing in Texas, Arizona and Florida pool permits are up by close to 30%. Maybe the limitations on travel are encouraging homeowners to take a vacation in their own backyards.

03/30/2021

EVECTION BAN – IS IT A HEALTH ISSUE OR A FORECLOSURE ISSUE?
OR BOTH??
The ban was slated to end tomorrow, Wednesday, March 31st. The problem is an estimated 20% of tenants are behind in rent. The possibility of a huge increase in homeless and people living in shelters has caused the CDC to decide evictions remain a health hazard. That is correct the CDC is weighing in. So, the Federal law has been extended until June 30th. Now the battle begins, again. It may not be such a good time to be a small investor in rental real estate with a mortgage. There is and has been some stimulus money. But, many are finding it is not enough. And, banks holding mortgages have a history of being unreasonable. While all of this is being hashed out in Washington, evictions and bans are working their way through the courts. Isn’t this just what is needed at a time like this? Several government agencies are lining up to force compliance with not putting people out the door, but that sounds like just kicking the can down the road. If there are any of you that was living in a cave the last time we had a mortgage crisis, most banks offered people with past-due mortgages various programs to pay part payments for several months. At the program end, many of those banks were waiting with a handout demanding the missing payments or refinance the mortgage. Then, guess what!! Not many people were able to refinance due to their new low credit score. That is when the foreclosures started to roll in. Can that happen again? If you are a renter or a landlord, you may want to learn more. If so, you should try this: consumerfinance.gov/renters.

03/30/2021

Affordability Crisis? Does this mean you?
Many of the so-called experts agree that homeowners won’t go through a foreclosure crisis as they did during the Great Recession. But do not hold your breath. More on that later. At the present more and more “experts” are going to an “affordability crisis” theory. What they are agreeing to is rising home prices and rising interest rates will make homeownership unaffordable for the average American homebuyer. This would result in lower home values as homeowners wanting or needing to sell will have fewer buyers to sell to. This is a collision course to force sellers to make homes more attractive to buyers, i.e., lower prices. For evidence the CoreLogic Home Price Index reported home prices making near-record gains last year. Meanwhile, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate started inching up from a record low 2.65% in January to hit 3.17% this past week. That is a scary quick change that will change consumer confidence should it continue. The areas where this is most likely affected first (GET THIS) two of the five most likely are in Central Florida from Fort Myers to the other coast. Our take: if you need to sell you need a Realtor that knows what they are doing and has lots of experience doing it now more than ever. Getting top dollar requires more than a friendly face. You will need a proven system that few Realtors have. Talk to your Realtor. Then talk to us. You will see the difference.

12/10/2020

THERE IS A NEW SCAM, AND THIS ONE IS LETHAL…!!
Illegal solicitation of insurance claims for all kinds of home improvements from new roofs, solar panels to new kitchens. This is exploding throughout Florida. What is not known in many cases is as opposed to hiring a contractor, you are hiring a very unscrupulous Attorney. It is not sometimes. It is rampant!! It has been reported that Locke Burt, the founder, and CEO of Ormond Beach-based Security First Insurance has said, “Consumers need to be careful when responding to insurance claim solicitors.” This starts at your front door. There is a knock from a guy or gal promising to get you new home repairs or upgrades with no cost to you. All you need to do is sign right here and they will take care of everything. What you may not realize is you just hired an Attorney to sue your insurance company. What is the big deal? The lawyer on the other end does not tell you is if they do not get the insurance company to pay, then the homeowner is on the hook for their legal fees. And they can put a lien against their home that you may not find out about until they go to sell their house. Add to that stress, any homeowner who files more than three claims within three years becomes uninsurable by state-regulated insurers. That leaves homeowners vulnerable with their only remaining choice is “force-placed insurance” by their mortgage holder. That can be high-cost overage from unregulated out-of-state carriers and may only protect the mortgage company.
A recent complaint filed with the Florida Supreme Court by the Florida Bar Association, revealed the name of one law firm and its principal Attorney who is overseeing 20 attorneys in six offices across the state. State records indicate this one law firm has filed 8,756 lawsuits against property insurers.
This is not an indictment against all public adjusters. They are licensed by law to knock on doors and offer to help homeowners file claims and negotiate settlements. They are concerned as much as you should be. “They are seeing their reputations tainted by illegal solicitors who claim to be public adjusters” said Timothy Cornett, president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters. The organization has submitted hundreds of examples to the state Department of Financial Services, which so far has refused to investigate them, association officials say.
My hint for you today is simply this:
First find out exactly who you are talking to. Get a card and ask questions.
No one gets something for nothing. Everyone pays a deductible.
Do not sign something you have not read.
Be sure you get a copy of every piece of paper.”

H. "Robby" Robertson, GRI, CRS
Pioneer Properties USA
Florida Licensed Realtor

03/06/2019

What are 'granny flats' – are they next bargain homes?

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – March 5, 2019 – South Florida's affordable-housing crisis could be alleviated by legislation that the state approved 15 years ago, encouraging cities to allow single-family homeowners to build a second dwelling on their properties that can be rented out to very low- to moderate-income wage earners.

Recent studies demonstrate that South Florida has the nation's highest percentage of severely burdened renters, with more than a third paying more than half their income on housing.

Broward County is now considering the little used legislation, actively discussing "accessory dwelling units." If Broward commissioners approve a proposed land-use change supporting the secondary units, it still would be up to individual cities to decide whether they want to open their neighborhoods to an influx of new dwelling units and the people who would live in them.

"To solve the affordable-housing crisis, we're going to have to use multiple options," said Commissioner Nan Rich. She said the units not only provide affordable housing for the renters but also can create income that makes homeownership more affordable for the property owner.

Under the state statute and county proposal, the dwelling can be free-standing, an addition attached to the primary home, or the conversion of a garage or other living space into a second unit with its own entrance.

Homeowners, however, would have to commit to renting it to a person or family making no more than 80 percent of the county's median household income – currently no more than $51,750 for a two-person household. The rent for a two-person household would have to be less than $1,300 a month. The unit also would need to have a kitchen, a bathroom, and a separate entrance.

03/03/2019

IS IT COMING TO MELBOURNE BEACH SIDE?
Ocean City, N.J. faces the biggest hit to its property values from sea level rise on the eastern seaboard. And we thought it was Miami Beach? Ocean City is the hardest hit according to a report from Columbia University recent report.

How big is the hit? Along the New Jersey Shore property prices certainly are increasing. Estimates from the report show homes would have sold for more if not for shrinking shorelines, flooding, and storm surges associated with sea level rise, caused mainly by climate change. For example, a home that might have sold for $800,000 without those issues will be looking at maybe $650,000. OUCH!🙃.

03/03/2019

ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S HOME IS FOR SALE.........

Elizabeth Taylor’s former estate in Beverly Hills is ready for its close-up with a price cut. Originally on the market for $16M, the home is back for $12M.

03/03/2019

Play Golf? You might find this interesting.😉

Homesites on the Nicklaus Golf Course starting from $280’s • Homes on the Golden Bear Park starting from $1.2M • Homes on the Nicklaus Golf Course starting from $2.4M

07/22/2018

Home Improvement? This might be very helpful.............

Plan your home remodeling project carefully, and consider your skill level combined with your budget.