Rowlett Real Estate School is a full service real estate school serving Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  We provide Real Estate Classes in the Fort Walton Beach and Destin Florida area.  We have live classroom training every other month at the Palms of Destin Resort located at 4201 Indian Bayou Trail, Destin, Florida 32541  All our classes are on PowerPoint and designed to enhance your learning experience and make learning easier.  It has never been more easy to get your Florida Real Estate License in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  We offer you the finest Real Estate Training Okaloosa county has to offer.  Our Real Estate School has a passing rate that meets or exceeds any other course provider.  If you are in Fort Walton Beach, Florida looking for the best Real Estate School to attend.  Or j... 06/02/2012

Yes interest rates are great, even fantastic!  But, before you commit those finances... Be sure you want to stay in the home long enough to break even on the loan costs. Yes there are costs involved!  And yes I know the lender told you it wouldn't cost you anything.  Everything costs and you and I both know it right? When you refinance, you are actually closing your current loan and getting a NEW loan.  And the same closing costs that you or the seller paid for you when you bought the house will be back in play when you refinance. For example: appraisal  $500     survey  $500   lender charges $500  etc.  just to pick a couple. Now what the lender probably said was "we can refinance your loan and it won't cost your anything out of your pocket" now that's more accurate.  What they will do... 05/10/2012

This Islander Beach condo in Fort Walton Beach Florida was approved for short sale. It was a complex process, since there were three mortgage liens on the property. Here are the details. Senior Lien:  Fifth Third Bank approx balance: $140,000 Junior Lien: Fifth Third Bank approx balance: $100,000 Junior Lien: Liberty Savings Bank approx balance: $150,000 Current Market Value:  $260,000 So, where to start with the challenge of three liens?  First, find out if any lienholder will be paid in full from the potential sale.  How do you do that?  Start by asking each lienholder for a "payoff", or the amount it will take to pay off the note.  Get it in writing, if you can. In this case, the Senior Lien, with a balance of $140,000, could be paid off in full with the market value of $260,000.  H... 03/16/2012

How about a big yard in the heart of Fort Walton Beach Florida? This Vesta Heights HAP home has distinctive feautures, like decorative archways and hall entries. There are lovely wood laminate floors in living room and hallway. The kitchen is tile, tile, tile, with tile counters, backsplash and floor! The dining room floor has an elegant design. Passthrough to living room, breakfast bar and stainless appliances. The master bedroom has large walk-in closet, attached master bathroom with double vanity sinks and tiled tub/shower combination. This sale is contingent on HAP approval. If you are buying a HAP home in the Eglin Air Force Base area, expect to wait 60-90 days for approval of your contract. 229 Moriarty St., Fort Walton Beach FL - HAP home offered for sale for $122,900 How to Buy... 03/12/2012

  In recent times I’ve seen a trend of more and more people oblivious to how their credit scores affect them. After asking all the right questions, debt, child support, student loan, car payment etc., the lender is explaining to me why they will be unable to approve the loan…   What the client didn’t say: Yes, I was behind on my child support for the last 5 years, but I got everything caught up last month. Yes, I had some things in collections, but I paid them off!  When?  Last week! The joint account with your ex is still being used and not being paid Yes, I broke the lease from my last apartment and moved out 2 months early I paid those people off!  Why haven't they updated my information? (well, you weren't in a hurry to pay them, they aren't necessarity in a hurry to update their re... 02/26/2012

I’ve heard this on more than one occasion from home sellers: We've done Lots of upgrades!  NOT!!  And while I appreciate the time hard work and money you’ve invested in your home, I am going to have to give you the disheartening news that all your “upgrades” are actually maintenance. New carpet throughout – 5 years old now, and the only reason your replaced it was because it was covered with so many stains you didn’t even want to walk on it in bare feet anymore New roof—You had to repair the leak. You got a new one after Hurricane Ivan in 2005! New furnace/ac system – it finally just quit working New water heater—you guessed it, it stopped working  New kitchen appliances- 5 years old isn’t new anymore New electrical system- had a fire did you? Freshly painted—after your son left you cou... 02/12/2012

This beautiful Fort Walton Beach Florida home, near Lowe's and Sam's, was sold in just over 60 days!  Part of the appeal of 728 Hart Dr. was the fantastic remodeling, especially in the kitchen.  Granite counters, tile backsplashes, new cabinets and new appliances were some of the upgrades.  The home, built in 1987, was over 1700 square feet, and was impeccably maintained.  The lot was about one-half acre, which is unusual for Fort Walton Beach, where most lots are smaller. Listed at $177,900, there were multiple offers.  728 Hart Dr., Fort Walton Beach sold for $170,000. The sellers contributed $5,500 toward buyer closing costs.  Why is that important to know?  When using this sale as a "comparable" sale to price other properties, the significant seller credit means, in essence, the ho... 01/02/2012

As I continue to receive calls and e-mails asking the question, “is this for real” or “is this a scam” I’m amazed at the lengths companies will go through to make homeowners think the information they are receiving is from their own mortgage lender or the VA or another legitimate entity.  While there are some companies out there that are trying to help, there are twice as many out there with ill intent. While I try to advise people carefully, on these things, I was happy to find that Freddie Mac has identified the same things to people. Following are six red flags identified by Loan Modification Scam AlertTM, a national public education campaign, to indicate that you may be dealing with fraud:          A company/person asks for a fee in advance to work with your lender to modify, refina... 12/28/2011

But I almost want to... You have got to be kidding me!  I received an e-mail alert that someone mentioned me on Twitter today.  Hmm, I wonder who, was it in response to something I posted earlier?  Noooo, it said: "Happy #FF to great local tweeps  @KarensMyRealtor"  Now I obviously have no clue to what #FF means, so like the good school girl that I've always been, I go and look it up.  Sorry  I GOOGLE'D it.  LOL.  Okay, I found a definition that says it means "follow Friday"  WTH?  Well that cleared things up for me... NOT!   Okay, now I have to figure out what that means and why does it pertain to me?  Let's look that up, and yes, I'm feeling like a caveman right now. The definition of #FollowFriday is every friday you can use #followfriday to suggest people to follow, e.g. you would w... 11/18/2011

Water's Edge is my featured complex today.  Located at 520 Santa Rosa Blvd. in Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548. It has 6 floors and 106 units.  There are 40 one bedroom units, 42 two bedroom units and 24 3 bedroom units.  There is covered and non-covered parking available.  Today there are a total of 14 active listings in this complex.  Two are one bedroom units, 5 are two bedroom units and the rest are 3 bedroom units.  Listing prices range from $211,900 to a high of $525,000. The complex is directly on the Gulf of Mexico with 410 feet of dedicated beach frontage.  It has a 5,000 square foot pool with 1,500 square feet heated during the cooler months.  There is a 6,000 square foot terrace, an on-site office, exercise room, three level parking and beach walk over.  The units feature porcelai... 11/16/2011

JIMBO DOES JUMBO IN FORT WALTON BEACH  FLORIDA Looking for that perfect loan for your new dream home? Well look no further. Jimbo has been closing JUMBO loans in Florida for over 10 years. The key to getting the best rate for a non conforming loan such as a JUMBO is to have an experienced loan originator put the file together for you in the right manner. Shortcuts and files that make for messy presentations end up costing you money. Jimbo is an experienced loan originator that knows how to present your loan in it's best light to the investors. Call Jimbo today for a Free no obligation interview @ 813.205.7958 11/14/2011

    Remember when you could easily sell a single family home with a tenant in place?  There were investors who would buy these types of properties in the Fort Walton Beach Florida metro market all the time.   Not any more.  Today, most single family and townhome buyers want a home they can move into immediately.  Many of those buyers are military and PCSing to Eglin Air Force Base or Hurlburt Field. A few days ago I spoke with a potential Crestview Florida short sale seller. He had a townhome that was leased through next Fall.  I asked if the tenant would agree to move out with sixty days notice when we get a short sale contract.  The seller said the property management company, who also wanted the listing, said “no”, and told him most of the buyers in the complex had been investors who... 11/09/2011

PURCHASE AND REHAB YOUR HOME IN FORT WALTON BEACH FLORIDA WITH THE FHA 203(K) LOAN - Most home buyers are turned off at the sight or even thought of buying a fixer-upper; a foreclosure or an older home today. However, educated and informed home buyers are utilizing the FHA 203(k) loan to buy their new home and fix it up with no additional out-of-pocket expense. The FHA 203(k) loan is a tool that savvy home buyers, successful contractors, Realtors and mortgage originators have been using since 1978. An FHA 203(k) loan is very similar to the traditional FHA loan. The only real difference is that with the FHA 203(k) loan, the home buyer is adding money to their mortgage balance to finance-in any repair/improvement cost. Whereas the traditional FHA loan requires that certain repairs be done... 10/24/2011

ApproxSF: 540 Project: TROPICAL ISLE CONDO BalconySF: Address: 683 NAUTILUS , #211 Bedrooms: 1 FORT WALTON BEACH, FL Baths Full/Half: 1/0 Zip: 32544 StoriesInUnit: 1 County: OKALOOSA YearBuilt: 1995 MainArea: 12 Fort Walton Beach OccStat: VacationRental SubArea: 01 OKALOOSA ISLAND ImmOcc? Y ParcelID: 00-2S-24-5071-0000-2110 ConstrStat: Construction Complete ElemSch: ELLIOTT POINT Middle: BRUNER High: FORT WALTON BEACH Dir: Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island, Gulf Side, next to Tom Thumb Legal: Tropical Isle Condo -Unit 211 Own your own view of the Gulf of mexico with this one bedroom condo , just steps away from the beach, with dedicated access to the water. Second floor unit just off the beach with a pool and large deck. Dining/Living 1 16X14 Const/Siding: Block, Roof Metal Bath:... 10/23/2011

This spacious home just sold as a HAP sale in Emerald Village, Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  HAP is the Homeowners Assistance Program for U.S. military members who have orders to relocate (PCS).  When the service member's home cannot be sold at a price sufficient to cover an existing mortgage, HAP may pay some, if not all, of the deficit.  This saves our Air Force, Marines, Navy and Army members from foreclosure or short sale, preserving their credit.Some of the qualifications for the HAP program are:1. PCS orders at least 50 miles from the primary residence2. The original contract to purchase the home had an effective date prior to July 1, 20063. The home was the primary residence at the time of ordersMany Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field and Duke Field service members have qualifi... 09/26/2011

            ApproxSF: 540 Project: TROPICAL ISLE CONDO         BalconySF:   Address: 683 NAUTILUS , #211 Bedrooms: 1   FORT WALTON BEACH, FL Baths Full/Half: 1/0 Zip: 32544 StoriesInUnit: 1 County: OKALOOSA YearBuilt: 1995 MainArea: 12 Fort Walton Beach OccStat: VacationRental SubArea: 01 OKALOOSA ISLAND ImmOcc? Y ParcelID: 00-2S-24-5071-0000-2110 ConstrStat: Construction Complete ElemSch: ELLIOTT POINT Middle: BRUNER High: FORT WALTON BEACH Dir: Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island, Gulf Side, next to Tom Thumb Legal: Tropical Isle Condo -Unit 211 Own your own view of the Gulf of mexico with this one bedroom condo , just steps away from the beach, with dedicated access to the water. Second floor unit just off the beach with a pool and large deck.       Dining/Living 1 16X14   Const... 08/31/2011

            ApproxSF: 540 Project: TROPICAL ISLE CONDO         BalconySF:   Address: 683 NAUTILUS , #211 Bedrooms: 1   FORT WALTON BEACH, FL Baths Full/Half: 1/0 Zip: 32544 StoriesInUnit: 1 County: OKALOOSA YearBuilt: 1995 MainArea: 12 Fort Walton Beach OccStat: VacationRental SubArea: 01 OKALOOSA ISLAND ImmOcc? Y ParcelID: 00-2S-24-5071-0000-2110 ConstrStat: Construction Complete ElemSch: ELLIOTT POINT Middle: BRUNER High: FORT WALTON BEACH Dir: Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island, Gulf Side, next to Tom Thumb Legal: Tropical Isle Condo -Unit 211 Own your own view of the Gulf of mexico with this one bedroom condo , just steps away from the beach, with dedicated access to the water. Second floor unit just off the beach with a pool and large deck.     Dining/Living 1 16X14   Const/S... 08/21/2011

    Bank America has approved this Fort Walton Beach Florida home for a Ginnie Mae USDA short sale. It was a lengthy process.  Bank of America only recently added Ginnie Mae short sales to its Equator processing platform.  This file was handled through emails and phone calls directly with a Bank of America Ginnie Mae specialist.What is Ginnie Mae?  Ginnie Mae is a governmenty entity that guarantees VA, HUD and USDA Rural Housing Services mortgages.  This makes these loans more valuable as investments when sold to the secondary market, thus more attractive to mortgage servicers, such as Bank of America.What about the deficiency on a USDA short sale?  The deficiency is the amount of the note not covered by net proceeds of the sale.  According to USDA pre foreclosure sale guidelines: A bor... 08/19/2011

MLS#: OfficeFile#: ListPrice: Status: ApproxSF: 820 Project: PELICAN ISLE $/Sqft: BalconySF: 84 Address: 866 SANTA ROSA BLVD , #412 Bedrooms: 1 FORT WALTON BEACH, FL Baths Full/Half: 2/0 Zip: 32548 StoriesInUnit: 0 County: OKALOOSA YearBuilt: 2002 MainArea: 12 Fort Walton Beach OccStat: New SubArea: 01 OKALOOSA ISLAND ImmOcc? Y ParcelID: 00-2S-24-2183-0000-0412 ConstrStat: Construction Complete ElemSch: EDWINS Middle: BRUNER High: FORT WALTON BEACH Dir: FROM US 98 ON OKALOOSA ISLAND. TURN SOUTH ON SANTA ROSA BLVD AND CONTINUE APPROX. 2 MILES AND TURN LEFT ON VENUS COURT TO RESORT ENTRANCE Legal: PELICAN ISLE CONDO UNIT 412 300 feet of Picturesque Gulf Frontage will be yours to take pleasure in! Breathtaking views are only part of the package when you own at Okaloosa Islands most sought... 05/01/2011

Sq. Ft: 1990 Beds: 4 Lot Size: 1219680 (sq.ft.) Baths: 2.00 Year built 1956 Type Total Area Heated Area Exterior Wall Roof Cover Interior Wall Flooring SINGLE FAM 2,473 1,990 CONC BLOCK COMP SHNGL DRYWALL CARPET Heating Type A/C Type Baths Bedrooms Stories Year BuiltActual / Effective Building Notes AIR DUCTED CENTRAL 2 4 1 1956 / 1956 BR = REMODELING Price 110,000 Foreclosure bank owned property. Remarkable find in east Fort Walton Beach! This extra-large three bedroom block home features an office/den that can easily be used as a fourth bedroom. The roof was replaced in May 2003. The family room was totally renovated in 2004 to include all new drywall with knockdown finish and bull corners, and ceiling fan/light fixtures. The unique u-shape floorplans creates a glassed in Florida roo... 04/17/2011