Bank of America is encouraging distressed homeowners to explore a short sale as a viable option for avoiding foreclosure. For a limited time they are offering enhanced relocation assistance to help motivate homeowners to engage with Bank of America on a pre-offer short sale.   Almost unheard of five years ago, a short sale must be approved by the lender because the sale amount winds up being less than the mortgage owed on the house. Foreclosures have come to cost lenders so much in terms of sunken prices, deteriorated properties and legal fees that Bank of America announced last week that it would give $5,000 to $20,000 to qualified borrowers who submit a short-sale request to the lender by Nov. 30.   Guidelines for Bank of America's new Florida Enhanced Short Sale Relocation Assistan... 10/13/2011

Now that you've made the decision to Sell your home, it's time to think about how to prepare your home for the Real Estate Market.  Here are some tips to help you have a successful sale: 1.  Change the way you think about your Home Take the emotion out and Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house - a product to be sold. Make the mental decision to "let go" and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours. Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners! Don't look back - look toward the future. 2.  De-Personalize     Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal items, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to walk through the rooms and imagin... 09/29/2011

This week's Hot Foreclosure List for Davenport, Florida   Here is this week’s link to the Foreclosure Listings in the Davenport Area (Davenport & Haines City)   Foreclosure List   Whether you want a Single Family Home, Condo, Townhouse, Villa, Duplex or Mobile Home, you will find cheap Davenport foreclosures for sale including bank foreclosures & government foreclosed homes. SAVE NOW!   Find the best home deals on the market in Davenport. View homes for sale that are 30-50% below market value.   Find homes below market value using our up-to-date listings of Davenport foreclosed homes for sale. Terrific deals available for homebuyers & investors!   If you would like additional information on any of these properties, please send me the addresses or listing numbers and I'll be happy to res... 09/27/2011

Whether you are buying a home or selling a home in Central Florida, or even if you just need a guide for your home, here are some important tips to home maintenance. There is more to fall than Halloween festivities and leaves falling. Now that summer is over, it’s time to prepare your home for the fall and winter months, even here in Central Florida! By following these tips to maintain your home, you will save energy, prevent problems and unwanted costs, as well as help save the environment! Home Maintenance ·  Examine Your Roof & Gutters - It’s best to inspect and clean the gutters a few times during the fall, especially if there are many leafy trees surrounding your home. Clear away leaves, dirt, and pine needles from your gutters. Align gutters and downspouts to direct water away fro... 09/25/2011

Home Buying Strategies in Central Florida Get Pre-Approved, Not Pre-Qualified Make sure you are in the strongest negotiating position possible. Get a full approval from a lender, conditioned only upon a contract and satisfactory appraisal. This differs from a prequalification in that the information you are submitting to the lender is verified and underwritten. I've seen pre-approval make the difference many times when multiple offers are submitted on a property, even if that pre-approved buyer was offering less money for the home. Sellers feel much more comfortable knowing that financing will not be an issue. Pre-approval can be obtained in just a few hours (in rare cases a few days) and is a powerful weapon all buyers should have in their negotiating arsenal. Don't Get Pushed Into A H... 09/20/2011

  This week's Hot Foreclosure List for Davenport, Florida   Here is this week’s link to the Foreclosure Listings in the Davenport Area (Davenport & Haines City)   Foreclosure List   Whether you want a Single Family Home, Condo, Townhouse, Villa, Duplex or Mobile Home, you will find cheap Davenport foreclosures for sale including bank foreclosures & government foreclosed homes. SAVE NOW!   Find the best home deals on the market in Davenport. View homes for sale that are 30-50% below market value.   Find homes below market value using our up-to-date listings of Davenport foreclosed homes for sale. Terrific deals available for homebuyers & investors!   If you would like additional information on any of these properties, please send me the addresses or listing numbers and I'll be happy to r... 09/19/2011

Here is a list of some helpful ideas on how to make your home shine and get it SOLD!   1.     Get rid of Clutter - Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items. Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out the garage.   2.     Wash the Windows - Washing your windows and screens is important to let more light into the interior.   3.     Keep everything extra clean - Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for.   4.     Get rid of Smells - Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.   5.     Change the L... 09/18/2011

Setting the list price for your home involves evaluating various market conditions and financial factors. During this phase of the home selling process, your REALTOR® will help you set your list price based on: pricing considerations comparable sales market conditions offering incentives estimated net proceeds Pricing Considerations – Find a Balance Between Too High and Too Low When setting a list price for your home, you should be aware of a buyer’s frame of mind. Consider the following pricing factors: If you set the price too high, your house won’t be picked for viewing, even though it may be much nicer than other homes on the street. You may have told your REALTOR® to "Bring me any offer. Frankly, I’d take less." But compared to other houses for sale, your home simply looks too expe... 09/13/2011

This week's Hot Foreclosure List for Davenport, Florida   Here is this week’s link to the Foreclosure Listings in the Davenport Area (Davenport & Haines City)   Foreclosure List   Whether you want a Single Family Home, Condo, Townhouse, Villa, Duplex or Mobile Home, you will find cheap Davenport foreclosures for sale including bank foreclosures & government foreclosed homes. SAVE NOW!   Find the best home deals on the market in Davenport. View homes for sale that are 30-50% below market value.   Find homes below market value using our up-to-date listings of Davenport foreclosed homes for sale. Terrific deals available for homebuyers & investors!   If you would like additional information on any of these properties, please send me the addresses or listing numbers and I'll be happy to res... 09/12/2011

Foreclosure Listings Week of 9/5/2011:       Here is this week’s link to the Foreclosure Listings in the Four Corners Area (Davenport, Clermont, Kissimmee, & Orlando)   Foreclosure List   If you would like additional information on any of these properties, please send me the addresses or listing numbers and I'll be happy to research them and provide you with additional information.   If you want a list of Foreclosures in another Central Florida area not covered here, please contact me and I will provide you with a custom report to suit your specific needs.   My goal is to help you find the home of your dreams and also make your home buying experience as easy and enjoyable as possible.   09/06/2011

Research before you look Decide what features you most want to have in a home, what neighborhoods you prefer, and how much you a be willing to spend each month for housing.   Be realistic It’s OK to be picky, but don’t be unrealistic with your expectations. There's no such thing as a perfect home. Use your list of priorities as a guide to evaluate each property.   Get your finances in order Review your credit report and be sure you have enough money to cover your down payment and closing costs. Then, talk to a lender and get prequalified for a mortgage. This will save you the heartache later of falling in love with a house you cant afford.   Don't ask too many people for opinions It will drive you crazy. Select one or two people to turn to if you feel you need a second opinion, but be r... 08/30/2011

218 HIGH VISTA DR, DAVENPORT FL 33837                                             $$$ 137,500 $$$ Exterior Front Kitchen Living Room Master Bedroom Dining Room Florida Room Eating Space in Kitchen Clubhouse Auditorium Tennis Court Swimming Pool/Hot Tub/Sauna Game Room Explosively great deal on this well maintained home in popular High Vista of Ridgewood Lakes.  Tiled, spacious and move-in ready, this is value that makes sense for a permanent or second home.    55+ Active Adult golf, gated community that boasts of clubhouse, large heated pool & spa, tennis, bocce & shuffleboard courts, arts & crafts, billards, library, fitness...and the list goes on.  You can be as active as you like to be.  Great location close to medical facilities, shopping, parks, & I-4 corridor to beaches.  Don't di... 08/27/2011

806 HIDDEN PALMS DR DR, DAVENPORT FL 33897                                   $$$ 375,000 $$$ Exterior Front Other: RV covered parking Exterior Front View Stable/Barn Great Room Eating Space in Kitchen: Beautiful Glass Window amazing views Kitchen Living Room Swimming Pool/Hot Tub/Sauna Stable/Barn   "Short Sale" 14 Acres of Paradise The view is amazing this property has it all from your own stock pond to horse Stable for 2 and RV Covered Parking. Property includes many upgrades from Crown molding,Char rail, Tray and Raised Ceilings, Built in Surround Sound, Custom Blinds,Custom Shelving.Extra Cabinets in laundry room. Kitchen features 42" Cabinets with crown molding, Corian counter tops, Very large Pantry, Private Dining Room with Tray ceiling, Private living Room, Great Room. Master Be... 08/20/2011

411 LOCKBREEZE DR, DAVENPORT FL 33897                                                                   $$$ 154,899 $$$ Exterior Front Kitchen Eating Space in Kitchen Living Room Master Bedroom Master Bath Bedroom 2 Swimming Pool/Hot Tub/Sauna Swimming Pool/Hot Tub/Sauna Clubhouse Tennis Court Dining Room Great home in lovely Hampton Estates with two master bedrooms suites, an inground pool and spa with oversized screened in lanai with roofed area also.  Completely renovated with new carpeting, appliances, freshly painted and waiting for you. Very easy area for commute to all amusement parks and shopping this home is priced to move today!  It is a true must see!   For the latest status on this property and many more in the Davenport area, contact Steve Glose with Keller Williams Realty ... 08/20/2011

Hi Folks. Today I want to give you an idea of what's involved in the Short Sale process from a Florida Short Sale Agent's perspective. I just recently closed on a Davenport Florida Short Sale that took over 2 years from time of listing to closing. I sent out and received 315 emails. Made over 100 phone calls. With many hours on hold with BofA. This Short Sale was first submitted before BofA started using equator.com. Negotiated 5 contracts. 4 of those buyers walked. The last one just closed. I think I earned this $1,500!!! Check out this 21 page calendar showing the sequence of events with this Davenport Florida Short Sale. Please excuse my terrible spelling on the notes to myself. SS Calendar Are you facing foreclosure in Florida?   Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sa... 07/12/2011

Tutas Towne Realty and Bryant Tutas just had another successful  Davenport Florida Short Sale closing with Bank of America. The property: 2 bedroom 2 bath condo used for short term rentals in Davenport Florida near Disney World. This condo was purchased for $221,000 in March of 2006. Last week it sold for $45,000. That's an 80% decrease in market value over 5 years. Liens: 1st Mortgage with Bank of America for $172,000 2nd Mortgage with Bank of America for $22,000 Polk County Tourists Tax Lien for $5,500 HOA Lien for $6,200 Hardship: Lack of rental income. Increased costs. Excessive debt. This property was owned by a high income individual that got caught up with an investment guru in 2004. He ended up owning 10 properties around the country. All have either been foreclosed on or sold ... 07/12/2011

....beware of FIRPTA. Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 In a nutshell, FIRPTA requires the closing agent or buyer to withhold 10% of the amount realized (usually the purchase price) to ensure that the tax due on the sale is given to the IRS. Basically the IRS doesn't want the money leaving the U.S. until they get theirs. So how does this affect a Short Sale for a foreign investor? To answer this try submitting a preliminary HUD to a Short Sale lender where 10% of the purchase price is being deducted from the lender's proceeds. Usually what happens is that the Short Sale lender comes back and demands that this reduction be removed. "But Mr Lender, the IRS says we can't do that. We MUST withhold 10%! "Then.....Mr Short Sale Broker....NO SHORT SALE FOR YOU!!" So what do y... 05/15/2011

Hi folks. The good feeling I get from testimonials, like the one below, is the main reason why I chose to make my living helping distressed borrowers in Florida avoid foreclosure. Handling Florida Short Sales has given me a renewed energy in my business. Negotiating Florida Short Sales is a very fulfilling job to have. Thanks Irene!!! Dear Bryant,   "I am writing yet again to thank you for all your help with the short sale of my Florida villa.  What I really want is for you to put my recommendation on your web site.   I did as you are doing now, looking on the net for a, in my case, a short sale broker.  Bryant was, fortunately,  the first to reply to my email.  From first contact  I received a very professional, no nonsense, get the job done businessman.  Intertwined with that was cus... 05/14/2011

DAVENPORT HOTELS, MOTELS & RESORTS FOR SALE IN DAVENPORT, FL. PLEASE CALL FOR CURRENT & UPDATED INFORMATION ON WHAT IS AVAILABLE.  Are you looking for Hotels, Motels & Resorts to add to your Local or Global investment portfolio? We can represent you in the acquisition of any hotel, motel & resort property in the U.S.  Bankrupt Properties / Bank Managed Properties / Regular Sale / Broken Asset Representation is everything, contact a specialist that knows the inner working of the hotel/motel/resort world. The foundation of our investment sales is the depth of our local market knowledge, The firm has closed, Thousands of investment transactions for private and institutional investors. By closing more transactions annually than any other firm, our investment professionals are able to provid... 04/26/2011

No Money Down Rural Housing USDA Loans in Davenport Florida are back and fully funded. The new sub-prime loans of today are the government backed or sponsored loans. The FHA Loan is one we are all familiar with but how many of you know about the USDA Rural Housing Loan.  Here's how it works 100% financing on homes located in certain geographical area's with borrower's who are in certain income ranges. That's it! Use this link to see if the property qualifies by falling into one of the designated geographical area's http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do Remember when income qualifying to use the income of the ENTIRE family. Seller can pay up to 6% of buyers closing cost The 3.5% Guarantee Fee is included (Financed) in with the loan amount 100% of borrowers cas... 04/25/2011