Eglin Afb /hurlburt Field (Fort Walton Beach, FL)
By Karen Butler, Eglin AFB/ Fort Walton Beach /Destin Relocation
(RE/MAX Coastal Properties)
Have you ever heard the word Forbearance?Forbearance is when your mortgage servicer or lender allows you to temporarily pay your mortgage at a lower payment or pause paying your mortgage.  You are not off the hook for the payment you will have to repay any missed payments, the payment reduction or the paused payments back later. Mortgage forbearance can last one month, a few months or even up to 12 months, depending on your situation, your mortgage and what your lender allows.Can having a Forbearance hurt your credit?Here is the short answer.  A lender can report a forbearance to the credit companies, but typically it will agree not to report any missed payments as long as you follow the terms you agreed to with the lender. The forbearance shouldn't affect your credit score and would ce...
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By Karen Butler, Eglin AFB/ Fort Walton Beach /Destin Relocation
(RE/MAX Coastal Properties)
A U.S. pilot shortage is forcing airlines to get creative when planning for the future. Delta expects to hire 8,000 pilots over the next decade and announced its giving conditional job offers to some college students. (this is a 14 year old who is a real pilot- not kidding) The airline is also allowing flight attendants and other employees to take unpaid leaves to attend flight school. American Airlines has started offering loans to student pilots. Some experts even wonder if automation can ease some of the burden. So video game experts will be applying to fly 737's?  Will thousands of hours of video play be acceptable to replace thousands of hours of fight time?
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By Karen Butler, Eglin AFB/ Fort Walton Beach /Destin Relocation
(RE/MAX Coastal Properties)
The Fair Housing Act bars discrimination based on Sex, and by extension sexual harassment towards renters.  Do you think a landlord demanding sex or sexual "favors"to repair a leaky roof or toilet, or even to rent an apartment or house is in violation of federal law?  Apparently "they" don't because these incidents keep occuring!   Sexual harassment by landlords or neighbors can make it hard to live in your home.  I saw these 2 ads online:       Sexual harassment includes:                               Offers to pay rent with sex instead of money Use of sexual words in front of you and/or your family Sexual assault or rape Who you are protected from:Your landlord, your landlord’s employees, and/or your neighbors who sexually harass you.The word “landlord” includes: public housing author...
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By Karen Butler, Eglin AFB/ Fort Walton Beach /Destin Relocation
(RE/MAX Coastal Properties)
Hollywood is not the only place where men are being called out for sexual harassment. There are huge spike in corporate complaints as well. Reports of harassment claims are so high, it could take them years.YEARS to get to them all! .       Obviously some of these claims are true. Men in power have been getting away with a lot over the years. Now, those same men are getting nervous.Today a woman came forward about someone she had repeatedly been harrassed by, And guess what she had a photo of?  At the last second before the photo was taken at their Christmas party he reached up and grabbed her breast! Click! Ha Ha... the jokes on you Bud!   But what about a small company? What if your HR rep, or office manager is a relative of one of those managers or company owners?How about women in t...
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By Karen Butler, Eglin AFB/ Fort Walton Beach /Destin Relocation
(RE/MAX Coastal Properties)
Many of us are familiar with the scam where the Grandmother gets the call from the grandchild that says they are stranded somewhere and they need them to send money Western Union right?  Well if you didn't you do now.  Or the email that a friend or co-worker is stranded probably in the same location as the grandchild.  And they are asking you and probably eveybody in your email list to fund that great vacation they are on together!  Funny right.  No, not really.  Because they happen every year. Think before you click! In addition to emails, be weary of online ads, applications, eGreeting cards and much more. Cybercriminals mimic legitimate content making it difficult to detect, so lookout for slightly altered URLs or receiving an email with links from an unknown person or business. Don'...
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By Karen Butler, Eglin AFB/ Fort Walton Beach /Destin Relocation
(RE/MAX Coastal Properties)
Florida Realtors got some legislative support with the passage of HB 483/SB 398  that   caps estoppel certificate fees, among other changes.  And if you have ever requested one you know what I'm talking about.   An estoppel certificate provides a snapshot of the fees or assessments that a seller may owe to their community association and is provided by the association or management company when a property is being sold. Prior to this legislation, Florida law allowed associations to charge a "reasonable" fee to prepare an estoppel certificate,  obviously that word or number was/is very subjective as  some association management companies were charging very "un-reasonable"  fees as high as $1700 on a property under $200k. Many will charge an additional rush fee if the letter is needed bef...
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By Karen Butler, Eglin AFB/ Fort Walton Beach /Destin Relocation
(RE/MAX Coastal Properties)
Okay so drones are the latest and greatest... or are they. I guess if you are listing Million dollar homes, or homes on a golf course or lake, then that would be great to feature. The openness of the landscapes, large sprawling estates, and huge McMansions. But drones aren't for every home. Ha! try to tell your seller who lives across the street from the trailer park. Or have the neighbors next door with their cars on blocks, and motor oil running down the driveway. Explain to them that want everything you can possibly do to video their 900 square foot home, and get the drones out while they video you videotaping that which should never be on video. Then there is the privacy issue ... just when you thought you could finally get out in the back yard and work on that tan... suddenly you h...
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Fort Walton Beach, FL Real Estate Professionals