Real Estate Information Archive

We came across a couple of websites we thought you might be interested in.

The first, for Miami FL home buyers, is WalkScore.com. This site calculates the walkability of an address based on the distance from the house to nearby amenities. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking. If you are interested in being within walking distance of restaurants, shops, libraries, parks, etc, you will enjoy this website.

Next, for Miami FL home owners, is DIYorNot.com. This site helps you compare the time and cost of doing a project yourself vs hiring a local contractor.  For example, the cost of having a professional replace a stove hood is $538 vs a 'do it yourself' cost of $400. Costs can be adjusted by Zip code.  

We are thrilled to announce that Lara Orlanis recently joined our team, the Bithell-Stalmach Team, she is fluent in Romanian and brings years of sales experience. Lara is involved in the community and will be working with short sale sellers, first time Miami FL home buyers as well as investors. 

Home sales surged in the fourth quarter of 2009 with many areas seeing double digit gains according to the National Association of Realtors. Total existing-home sales (single-family and condo) jumped 13.9 percent above the third quarter and 27.2 percent above the fourth quarter of 2008. Distressed property sales accounted for 32 percent of the fourth quarter transactions, down from 37 percent from 2008.

Lawrence Yun , NAR chief economist, said the first-time home buyer tax credit, combined with record low interest rates, played a dominant role in fourth quarter sales. Yun went on to say, “With inventory levels trending down over the past 18 months, we expect broadly balanced housing market conditions in much of the country by late spring with more areas showing higher prices.”

Let’s take a look at the Miami real estate sales statistics for January 2010 compared to January 2009 to see how the market is looking in Miami FL:

Miami FL Real Estate Sales Statistics - Janaury 2010

Condo/Coop/Townhouse/Villa Sales in Miami

January 2010 market statistics for condo/townhouses etc. in Miami showed an increase in sales with sold listings up by 19.2 percent compared to 2009. New listings decreased by 18 percent. The average sales price decreased by 10.4 percent to $161,150 and the year-to-date sales price dropped 10.4 percent to $161,150.

If you want to learn more about MIami FL real estate, please contact us at 888-SFL-TEAM or visit HomeInSouthFlorida.com. 

To begin searching for Miami FL real estate and homes for sale, please use our complimentary MLS search.  

Statistics provided by the Realtor Association of Miami-Dade County and are deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

What a week for weather in the northeast...30 inches of snow in some parts! Makes me glad I live in South Florida!!

South Florida is also the place for getting a good deal when buying a foreclosed propertyl. They're often priced thousands below market value. Now, the Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae, has announced it will pay up to 3.5% of a buyer's closing costs, or an equivalent amount towards the purchase of new Whirlpool appliances, on the foreclosed properties in it's inventory. Add the home buyer tax credit and buying a foreclosed home becomes a no brainer.

Interested in buying a foreclosed home? We are glad to provide you with a list of foreclosures and guide you through the home buying process. Contact us today!

On a more personal note...Agnes is now engaged and her last name will soon be changing and Ellen is going to be taking her maiden name. We feel now is a good time to rename our team from 'The Bithell-Stalmach Team' to...what???  We prefer not to use our names in the team going forward and are looking for input from you!  Please email your suggestions and if we choose your recommendation we will send you a gift certificate as our thanks to you!

This week's HOT home buys...

The Clock is Ticking...
Extended and Expanded Tax Credit Expires 4/30/10

For prospective Miami home buyers who are on the fence about making a home purchase, the next few months represent a countdown of sorts as huge tax credits are about to expire. Here are important details for you to know:

Tax Credit for First-Time Home buyers
First-time home buyers may be eligible for the tax credit. The credit is 10% of the purchase price of the home, with a maximum available credit of $8,000. Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.

Tax Credit for Current Homeowners
The tax credit program now gives those who already own a residence some additional reasons to move to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years. Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.

What Are the New Deadlines?
In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010. Those in the military do have some special extensions on the time lines available.

What's So Great About a "Tax Credit"?
The benefit of a tax credit is that it's a dollar-for-dollar benefit, rather than a "tax deduction", or reduction in a tax liability that would only save you $1,000 to $1,500 when all was said and done. So, if a first-time home buyer who qualified for the entire benefit were to owe $8,000 in income taxes and would qualify for a tax credit of $8,000, she would owe nothing.

Better still, the tax credit is refundable, which means the homebuyer can receive a check for the credit if he or she has little or no income tax liability. For example, if a first-time homebuyer is eligible for a tax credit of $8,000 but is liable for $4,000 in income tax, she can still receive a check for the remaining $4,000!

Higher Income Caps
The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased. Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible. Joint filers who earn up to $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.

Maximum Purchase Price
Qualifying buyers may purchase a property with a maximum sales price of $800,000.

It's also important to note another upcoming deadline as the Federal Reserve winds down a program that has been keeping home loan rates artificially low. The fact is that the lowest rates of 2009 were driven down to their attractive levels because of the Fed's Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) purchase program, which the Fed once again emphasized in its January 27, 2010 Rate and Policy Statement will end on March 31, 2010. As the Fed's program winds down and ends, rates could rise over time since MBS will have less support from the Fed.

If you have any questions regarding the tax credit, pick up the phone and call me. I'm here to help you take advantage of one of the greatest opportunities Miami home buyers may ever have.

This week's HOT home buys...

1510 Van Buren Street awesome video!

Contract activity for pending home sales fell after a surge of activity in preceding months to beat the original deadline for the first-time home buyer tax credit but remains comfortably above a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in November, fell 16.0 percent to 96.0 from an upwardly revised 114.3 in October, but is 15.5 percent higher than November 2008 when it was 83.1.  

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said a drop was expected. “It will be at least early spring before we see notable gains in sales activity as home buyers respond to the recently extended and expanded tax credit,” he said. “The fact that pending home sales are comfortably above year-ago levels shows the market has gained sufficient momentum on its own. We expect another surge in the spring as more home buyers take advantage of affordable housing conditions before the tax credit expires.”  

Let’s take a look at the Miami real estate sales statistics for December compared to December 2008 to see how the market is looking in South Florida:    

If you are a buyer purchasing in Miramar, Pembroke Pines, or Coconut Creek, the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program has immediate funding available with no waiting period. Buyers eligible for the home buyer tax credit may be eligible to receive the money up front to help cover some or all of their closing costs. 

Give us a call today and take advantage of this no hassle financing!

This week's HOT home buys...

1 Glen Royal Parkway #806, Miami, Florida
$129,000
3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1188 square feet
Excellent location. Must see to believe!

2459 Dewey St, Hollywood, Florida
$45,900
2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 872 square feet
FannieMae HomePath Renovation Eligable Property.

Search all Miami FL homes for sale.

       "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
                                                                      ~ Burton Hillis

Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated festivals globally and is no longer viewed as a purely religious holy day. It is now a time enjoyed by people of many countries and faiths, and there are numerous universally recognized icons which we associate with the yuletide. In fact, these symbols have become so commonly associated with the celebration of Christmas that when we see Santa riding on a reindeer, a mantle hung with stockings, coniferous green trees decorated with tinsel and ornaments, or houses festooned with evergreen wreaths and mistletoe, we know that the magic spirit of the season is upon us.   

The tradition of the Christmas stocking dates back to approximately 250B.C. in Asia Minor. There Nicholas, rich man who became a very generous Christian priest and a saint, is said to have secretly filled the stockings of three poor sisters with gold, thus giving them a dowry and allowing them to marry. Legend has it that after that "miracle," neighbors of the fortunate women followed suit with their stockings, and the tradition slowly spread across the globe. Children throughout the world now hang stockings--or even put out shoes--to be filled with small gifts and food by Santa (Saint) Claus (Nicholas). Many people create their own stockings, personalizing them for themselves or for others and often providing a family activity that is fun for all. Find instructions for making your own Christmas fireplace stockings.

Along with the Christmas holly, laurel, rosemary, yews, boxwood bushes, and, of course the Christmas tree, mistletoe is an evergreen displayed during the Christmas season and symbolic of the eventual rebirth of vegetation that will occur in spring. But perhaps more than any other of the Christmas evergreens, it is a plant of which we are conscious only during the holidays. One day we're kissing under the mistletoe, and next day we've forgotten all about it (the plant, that is, not the kisses).

THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE! THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE! 

And ’tis the season to decide what presents to give, to buy the presents, to wrap the presents, to mail and/or deliver the presents.  Whew!--time-consuming and somewhat exhausting unless you’ve discovered online shopping. Here are just a few ideas: EasyXmas.com, Gifts.com, Overstock.com, Amazon.com, Fragrance.net. There are hundreds of other sites just waiting to display their wares and ship them for you. Some even offer free holiday shipping or will do the gift wrapping for you.   

Want something a little different? Check out the top ten present picks for 2009.                                                   

             “May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!" 
                                                                              -- Unknown

Another time-saving tip: rather than hand writing cards to send holiday greetings online to friends and family and have someone else do the work for you. Great selections--warm, funny, cute, animated, talking, photo, traditional, romantic--and no waiting time!

And speaking of greetings—show support for our troops. Xerox still has a web site that lets you send a message of thanks to soldiers currently serving in Iraq. This is a FREE service and only takes a minute to do.   What a great way to spread the spirit of the season! Visit www.LetsSayThanks.com today.

Yes, you’re busy, busy, busy, but what about the children?

Need to keep the kids happy and involved? Here are creative and original holiday stories. Chat with Santa’s elves. Have fun with educational activities. Make pom-pom snowmen, a snowman garland, or a Rudolph handprint. Deck your halls and walls with candy-colored crafts. 

There is lots of online fun for the kids:

• Visit Santa’s Secret Village
• Track Santa’s trip around the world.  
• Dress up a snowman.
• Decorate a Christmas tree.
• Play fun Christmas games.
• Count the days til Christmas.

Other good sites for craft creations --ornaments, cards, trees, etc.--to make the days leading up to Christmas happy ones are Parents.com, Christmascrafts.net, SchoolFamilyFun.com, FamilyFun.com, FamilyCrafts.com, and Kaboose.com. 

Interested in how Christmas is celebrated around the world? Check out information on the traditions and customs of over forty locations. For instance, general Christmas traditions in Bethlehem are similar to the European and North American customs observed during the festival. From a few days before December 25th, the town is decorated with flags and other items of adornment. Streets are strung with Christmas lights. A Christmas market comes up and Christmas plays are performed. A cross is painted on the door of every Christian home, and Nativity scenes are displayed in every household.  

Learn how to express Christmas greetings in many languages.  Try it and surprise everyone with you linguistic ability. 

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."
                                                     ~ Hamilton Wright Mabi 

Now let’s move from goodwill to men to good food at Christmas time… eggnog, sugar cookies, Christmas punch, glazed ham, brunch biscuits and eggs--and so much more. You can even view vidoes to help with baking. Decorating cookies, making colorful Rice Krispy treats, and creating gingerbread cookies are all great family activities--and the results are delicious!

Another traditional activity for family members of all ages is caroling--indoors or outside. Rusty on the lyrics...not a problem.

Still hungering for more family time and/or seasonal spirit? It is said that the tradition of making Christmas movies is as old as making movies itself and Christmas has long been a favorite subject of moviemakers. In fact, so many movies have been made on the theme of Christmas that the list would be too long to print here, but you might want to try The Miracle on 34^th Street (1947 version or the newer one), A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, and White Christmas.  

Christmas facts few people know:

*  In the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas morning, it is a harbinger of good luck. 

*  In ancient Scandinavia, mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship. That may account for the custom of "kissing beneath the mistletoe. 

*  The "Urn of Fate" is part of the Christmas celebrations in many Italian households. TheUrn of Fate is brought out on Christmas Eve. It holds a wrapped present for everyone. 

*  In Sweden a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat.  It is usually made of straw.

Alas, dear readers, having presents to buy and wrap, cookies to make, movies to watch, ecards to send, songs to sing, pages to color, eggnog to drink, stories to read, a tree to trim, stockings to fill, thanks to express to our troops, caroling and mistletoe kissing to do, this writer must stop, but not before sending warmest wishes to you for a wonderful and

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7 percent to 114.1 from 110.0 in September, and is 31.8 percent above October 2008 when it was 86.6. The rise from a year ago is the biggest annual increase ever recorded for the index, which is at the highest level since March 2006 when it was 115.2.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said home sales are experiencing a pendulum swing. “Keep in mind that housing had been underperforming over most of the past year. Based on the demographics of our growing population, existing-home sales should be in the range of 5.5 million to 6.0 million annually, but we were well below the 5-million mark before the home buyer tax credit stimulus,” he said. “This means the tax credit is helping unleash a pent-up demand from a large pool of financially qualified renters, much more than borrowing sales from the future.

Let’s take a look at the Miami real estate sales statistics for November compared to November 2008 to see how the market is looking in South Florida:  

Miami FL Real Estate Sales Statistics - Condo/Coop/Townhouse/Villa

November 2009 market statistics for condo/townhouses etc. in Miami showed an increase in sales with sold listings up by 44.3 percent compared to 2008. New listings decreased by 5.7 percent. The average sales price increased 8.2 percent to $211,717 and the year-to-date sales price dropped 36.6 percent to $172,312.  

If you want to learn more about South Florida real estate, please contact us at 888-SFL-TEAM or visit HomeInSouthFlorida.com. 

To begin searching for South Florida homes, please use our complimentary MLS search.  

Statistics provided by the Realtor Association of Miami-Dade County and are deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

The U.S. Treasury Department has released a plan to speed up and simplify Short Sales as a means to help families avoid foreclosure.

MIami FL real estate Short Sales have been difficult to close, and these new measures are a huge step in the right direction. One major highlight: A lender must give a yes or no answer to an offer within 10 days. Also included: a moving allowance, incentives for sellers and lenders, commission rules, and a stipulation that releases sellers from debt liabilities.

If you or someone you know is behind on mortgage payments, a Short Sale may the the answer to saving your home. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), trained in helping families avoid foreclosure.

Check out SouthFloridaRealEstateShortSale.com and then give us a call for a personal consultation. 

This year's Snowfest, celebrating and benefiting local families and children, was a huge success with a parade, entertainment, music, games, rides, vendor booths, a silent auction, 30 tons of snow and a special appearance by Santa and his elves. Even though the event is passed, we are still collecting toys and food through Dec. 21^st, which will be distributed to needy families. 

This week's HOT home buy...

448 Poinciana Island Drive, Sunny Isles

Each year, Hollywood Hills UMC, along with community sponsors like RE/MAX Executive Realty, hosts "Snowfest," to celebrate and benefit local families and children who may be in need, especially during the holidays. Snowfest was held Saturday, Dec. 5^th and featured a parade, entertainment, music, games, rides, vendor booths, a silent auction, 30 tons of snow and a special appearance by Santa and his elves. While the day-long event has passed, event organizers are still collecting toys and food through Dec. 21^st, which will be distributed to needy families.

Snowfest Donation Collection
Now through Dec. 21st
RE/MAX Executive Realty
1939 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood FL 33020

Real estate agent Ellen Bithell of the Bithell-Stalmach Team at RE/MAX Executive Realty has been a proud sponsor and supporter of Snowfest for more than ten years and also volunteers for Susan B. Anthony, the Broward Outreach Center and Childnet. Bithell will help to sponsor 50 children and their families for Snowfest this year and RE/MAX Executive Realty will be accepting donations on behalf of Snowfest at their office located on Hollywood Boulevard.

The following toys are on the donation wish list: Nintendo DSL video game, Dora doll with stroller, power wheel, remote control car, talking Elmo, Barbie cash register, bikes, learning toys, clothes and more. For a complete list, contact RE/MAX Executive Realty.

For more information on Snowfest or to become an Angel Sponsor, call (954) 292-6412.

For more information about RE/MAX Executive Realty, visit the Bithell-Stalmach Team's web site at www.homeinsouthflorida.com or call 954-862-2631.

About RE/MAX Executive Realty

RE/MAX Executive Realty specializes in South Florida real estate including Hollywood, Hallandale, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach, Aventura, Miami, Cooper City, Pembroke Pines, and southeast Broward County. The Bithell-Stalmach Team, collectively, has more than 30 years of real estate experience from the United States to Canada and speaks seven different languages.

RE/MAX Executive Realty

1939 Hollywood Blvd.

Hollywood, FL  33020

Contact

Ellen Bithell, CRS, CREO

Ellenbithell@remax.net

954-862-2631