Saturday, September 26, 2009

Time Is Money

Whether buying or selling a home, the Offer To Purchase is the starting point for making the sale go through. If the sellers do not accept the offer outright, they may make a counter-offer, which the buyers may likewise accept, reject or counter again.

In the interest of speed and success, it's best to keep counter-offers to a minimum. If you are trying to sell with urgency (and who isn't?), weigh the buyers' offer against your need to move quickly. Perhaps the value of the concession is quite small against the profit you'll see upon a sale.

If you are asking $200,000 and receive an offer of $196,000, that's equivalent to just 2% less, which is like offering $.98 instead of $1. Similarly, buyers must also be realistic about the possible costs of "over negotiating" in today's rapidly changing economic atmosphere.

If you balk at the sellers' counter-offer now, and decide to walk away and begin your home search over again, you could be facing higher interest rates and/or rising home prices. Today, time literally is money, and the longer you postpone your purchase, the more it will likely cost you.

Before making (or accepting) an offer, discuss the offer and counter-offer process with your agent, so that you know what to expect and can be more prepared to see the deal to a successful close.

If you need information to help you solve a real estate puzzle, call us at (772) 323-6996, or visit us on the web at http://www.gabesanders.com/ or http://www.treasurecoastflhomes.com/. We'll be happy to share our knowledge with you at no cost or obligation, and if we aren't sure of our answer we'll direct you to the best Martin or Saint Lucie County resource. Our office is located at 2 N. Sewalls Point Rd. in Stuart, Florida (Sewall's Point); please ask for Gabe Sanders or Susan Maxwell.


Residential Homes, Condos and LandWaterfront and Golf Course Communities in Martin and Saint Lucie Counties

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Sewalls Point Pool Home Sold!



Situated on an over ½ Acre high elevation lot in Sewalls Point, this is an extremely solid CBS home with a very private setting yet close to everything, the beaches, shopping, schools and marinas. Large, screened heated pool and spa overlooking a private fenced back yard with lots of room. Accordion hurricane shutters throughout. Side entry garage and a private gated entry. Split plan with pocket doors throughout home for those that prefer privacy. Wood floors throughout. All this at a fabulous price.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Newer Lexington Lakes Town Home for Sale in Stuart, Florida



Live in the heart of Stuart and enjoy the amenities of Martin County and its 'A' rated schools. Close to beaches, parks and shopping, this newer (built in 2006) 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath and garage town home with low monthly fees that cover hazard insurance, outside maintenance, heated pool, clubhouse, fitness center, guard gated entry, water sewer and more. An open plan with upgraded lighting and tiled living area. Plenty of storage space as well as an open rear patio overlooking a grassy lawn with private preserve views. This Province model also offers additional guest parking close by. Renting permitted with restrictions & 2 pets allowed with association approval.

Residential Homes, Condos and LandWaterfront and Golf Course Communities in Martin and Saint Lucie Counties

Saturday, September 19, 2009

A Lesson For Sellers (From Buyers)

If you've found the right home, how can you be certain you aren't paying too much? Once you make your choice, it's quite likely you've also become well informed about property values. How is this so? Because before you made that choice, you probably looked at a variety of homes, possibly as many as six to twelve properties. That's called "comparison shopping."

As you visited each home, you made value judgments based on size, features and amenities offered, as well as condition of the homes. Without realizing it, you compared prices, looking for the greatest value for your dollar.

Nevertheless, another aspect of your purchase further protects you from purchasing an overpriced home. Called an "appraisal," it's a required step in the mortgage approval process. Your mortgage lender, who is putting up the majority share of the purchase price, also wants to be sure the home is not priced above the market.

Thus, the lender asks a licensed appraiser to determine the home's value for the record. If the appraised value does not at least meet the purchase price, the lender may not approve the loan or, at the very least, may ask for a higher down payment.

As the buyer, however, it's easy to spot the overpriced homes. They are the ones that have been on the market for some time - but remain unsold.

If you're planning to sell your home soon and would like accurate and up to date information on its current value, take a look at our MLS Market Snapshot for current and up to date information on market activity in the Martin County MLS system.

Or, give us a call at (772) 323-6996 or visit us on the web at http://www.gabesanders.com/ or http://www.treasurecoastflhomes.com/. Our office is located at 2 N. Sewalls Point Rd. in Stuart, (Sewall's Point) Florida; please ask for Gabe Sanders or Susan Maxwell.

Residential Homes, Condos and LandWaterfront and Golf Course Communities
in Martin and Saint Lucie Counties

Saturday, September 12, 2009

When Less Is More

If you are a homeowner who can no longer make your monthly mortgage payments, you still have opportunities to avoid foreclosure and the damage it would do to your credit. Although more complicated and more challenging, a "short sale" may prove to be the best alternative.

If you are unfamiliar with the term, a "short sale" can happen when your mortgage lender agrees to let you sell the home for less than you still owe on it, forgiving the difference. Why would a lender settle for such a sale? Quite simply, the lender may determine that they will still receive a higher amount of the remaining balance through a short sale than they would through the very costly and time-consuming process of foreclosure.

Why would a homeowner agree to sell the home for less than its value? As already mentioned, a short sale keeps you out of foreclosure and reduces the damage to your credit (and subsequent ability to purchase another home).

In the middle is the real estate agent, helping the sellers, the lenders, and the buyers navigate the complexities of the transaction to reach a satisfactory conclusion for all involved. Homeowners can trust their representative to be honest and to provide a fair assessment of value for all parties. You can trust your agent to be your advisor and champion during difficult times.

Should you find yourself in such a situation in Martin County and would like an honest assessment of your options, give us a call at (772) 323-6996 or visit us on the web at www.GabeSanders.com or www.TreasureCoastFLHomes.com. Our office is located at 2 N. Sewalls Point Rd. in Stuart, (Sewall’s Point) Florida; please ask for Gabe Sanders or Susan Maxwell.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Open House in North River Shores on Sunday September 13, from 1 to 4 PM

North River Shores, Stuart - We invite everyone to visit our open house at 2196 NW Fork Road on September 13 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Rear 1

Front 2

Gabe Sanders and Susan Maxwell

Stuart Florida Real Estate

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Friday, September 04, 2009

$41,000 Price Reduction on Magnificent Golf Course Pool Home

Mariner Sands, Stuart - Announcing a price reduction on 6474 SE Spy Glass Lane, a 3,494 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm single story. Now MLS® $289,000 USD - Seriously Priced.

Property information

Gabe Sanders and Susan Maxwell

Stuart Florida Real Estate

Residential Homes, Condos and Land
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Port Saint Lucie Pool Home - Short Sale sold in under 60 days



Port Saint Lucie Section 40, Port Saint Lucie 34952 - The single story at 2686 SE Clareton Ter has been sold.






Gabe Sanders and Susan Maxwell

Stuart Florida Real Estate

Residential Homes, Condos and Land
Waterfront and Golf Course Communities in Martin and Saint Lucie Counties

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