Cooling Market - Marketing is Key

The much anticipated slow down in the Real Estate Market has finally arrived. It has been a talking point of significance over the past 18 months as house prices has risen to a point of exasperation. Hillsborough County's housing market is now in a stage of uncertainty however it may not be as distressing as anticipated.

The problem with the market right now lies with 2 main factors, overpricing and inventory volume. As you drive around your neighborhood the number of For Sale signs in peoples yards are astounding. Everybody who did not delve into the market over the past 3 years seems to now be trying to squeeze every last dollar out of it. The worrying factor is that all overpriced. Uninformed sellers seem to be pegging their homes prices to sales during the past year. This is a huge mistake and is having a serious affect on today’s market. In fact inventory has quadrupled, there are more choices out there for buyers, and gone are the days when listing your home with a broker and getting multiple offers within hours or days. We probably won't see a market like that again for several years.

However it’s not all doom and gloom for those who have the house on the market today. Realtors today must tailor there marketing ideas to educated potential clients of the importance of marketing there home. Whether it be by creating a website or advertising in a magazine there are a number of creative ways realtors can highlight there listings. Exposure is of the utmost importance and the key element to help drive traffic to your listing. People want choices; and interactive marketing can help potential buyers compare the choices available to them. Putting a sign in your front yard is no longer the only selling tool that is needed. So the next time you speak with a realtor who guarantees to sell your home, ask them this key question. How are you going to sell my home? For more information on how marketing a home will lead to a quicker sales and more

Evolution of the Virtual Tour in Real Estate

In the early 90’s, home buyers started heading out in a new direction to look for homes. It was this thing called the internet. It provided information, or at least held that promise, convenience and most important of all – it provided anonymity! The only problem was, in the early 90’s their just wasn’t a lot of information out there when it came to real estate and homes for sale.

Realtors started to catch on and along came the concept of “Virtual Tours”. Realtors wanted to provide potential home buyers, at least those using the internet, a way of touring the home from the comfort of their computer. They provided little in the way of information, since that is what Realtors hold dear and don’t want to give up easily.

Virtual tours started to pop up around the internet. In this first incarnation a virtual tour referred to basically a page on the internet that had a picture of the front of the home and perhaps some interior photos. This evolved later into a page of photos along with some music. There was more of a wow-factor for the seller to see their home showcased this way, but provided little for the buyer.

Then came “stitching” software. This allowed Realtors to take several photos (of the exterior for example) and “stitch” them together into a 180-degree panorama. These wide panoramas could then be put on the internet either as a still photo or, thanks to JavaScript, animated to move from side to side. Realtors were getting closer to the “Virtual Tour” concept.

After a little while, the idea of “stitching” photos progressed to the next logical step. Panoramas started showing up that were 360-degrees. This gave buyers a much more realistic impression of a home and it’s surroundings.

A company called iPIX truly revolutionized this concept though with it’s creation of true 360 by 360 stitching. This meant that you could have a virtual tour that went 360-degrees horizontally AND vertically. Buyers could now see those grand two-story foyers, staircases, the tops of trees and more! This was the true virtual tour, or was it?

Realtors may have finally delivered on their promise of Virtual Tours. In the last couple of years we have seen entire websites devoted to showcasing a listing of a home for sale. This gives potential home buyers the most amount of information possible. It meets all the requirements that they were looking for years ago when they first started flocking online. It provides information, more than they could possibly hope for, convenience and most important of all – it provides anonymity! The best home websites include an unlimited amount of photos, links to maps, local schools, mortgage information, property documents such as disclosures and surveys, the ability to schedule a viewing and even print of a brochure!

So, if you’re a home buyer, be on the lookout for these websites – they will truly give you a “Virtual Tour”. And if you’re considering selling your home, don’t just ask your Realtor if they provide virtual tours – ask them what kind of virtual tours! Virtual Tours have really come a long way. What’s next? Well, wait and see!

How High Did Home Prices Really Go

The U.S. Census Bureau released data on Tuesday that revealed where the nation's hottest markets were during the past five years.

According to the report, median home values increased 32% from 2000 to 2005 on a national level. The survey looked at 7,000 markets with a population of 65,000 or more.

San Diego saw the highest price gains. The median home value after being adjusted for inflation increased by 127% from $249,000 to $567,000 in five years.

Of the 15 largest cities surveyed, Los Angeles came in second, with a median home-value increase of 110%. New York City came in third, with an increase of 79%.

Boynton Beach, Florida, was the top market among the 15 smallest cities surveyed. After inflation adjustments, the median home-value increased by 120%. Folsom, California, came in second where the home value increased by 100%, while Redondo Beach, California, saw a 92% gain and a third place ranking.

"Just about anyone who owns a home or has been in the market for one in the past few years knows first-hand how home values jumped from 2000 to 2005," said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon in a written statement.

In addition to the value of the home rising, the monthly cost of owning a home also increased during the first half of this decade, according to the survey. The median monthly cost, which includes mortgage payment and other costs, saw a 5% increase after adjustments for inflation.

In Detroit, the cost increased by 24%. Chicago experienced a 22% increase, while San Francisco came in third among the largest cities with an increase of 20%.

Among the smallest cities, Bryan, Texas, and Greenville, N.C., saw cost decreases of 10%.

The cost of renting a home has also increased over the past five years. Nationally, the cost to rent has increased by 6.7%. San Diego saw the largest increase of 27%.

Real median rent cost decreased in a few large cities. San Jose saw a decrease of 9%, while Dallas saw a decrease of 3%.

Finding The Perfect Retirement Location For You

With more and more people paying attention to their physical fitness, and with vast improvements in health care and technology, retirement is increasingly becoming a time of your life to look forward to, a time when you have fewer obligations and more opportunity to do the things you've always dreamed of doing. How you end up spending your retirement depends in large part on where you choose to retire. Your retirement location determines how much you'll be spending, what services are available to you, and what activities you can engage in.

Of course, there is no one perfect retirement spot for everyone. Finding the perfect retirement spot for you depends on what you want. But here are a few suggestions.

Here's to your health The availability of good health care is a significant consideration for the retired population. Here are twelve cities in the country where you'll find a lot of hospitals.

1. Union City, NJ - 736 hospitals within a 30-mile radius
2. Jersey City, NJ - 732
3. North Bergen, NJ - 728
4. New York, NY - 727
5. Passaic, NJ - 720
6. Clifton, NJ - 709
7. Mount Vernon, NY - 706
8. New Rochelle, NY - 704
9. Yonkers, NY - 704
10. Paterson, NJ - 698
11. Bayonne, NJ - 696
12. Newark, NJ - 693

A home of your own

If you want a good bargain on a retirement home (and who doesn't?), check these cities out. They offer the lowest median home sale prices in the country.

1. Reading, PA - $42,850 median home sale price
2. Buffalo, NY - $45,000
3. Niagara Falls, NY - $47,000
4. Camden, NJ - $55,000
5. Youngstown, OH - $55,000
6. Utica, NY - $55,000
7. Flint, MI - $59,000
8. Rochester, NY - $60,000
9. Saginaw, MI - $62,000
10. Dayton, OH - $63,000
11. Pittsburgh, PA - $64,500
12. Syracuse, NY - $64,650

The people in your neighborhood

Cities with a large population of older adults offer retired persons the greatest opportunities for socialization and activity. These twelve cities have a high percentage of residents over 50 years of age.

1. Tamarac, FL - 50.84% of residents are over 50 years old
2. Lake Havasu City, AZ - 47.13%
3. Port Charlotte, FL - 46.97%
4. Prescott, AZ - 46.85%
5. Palm Desert, CA - 46.06%
6. Largo, FL - 45.96%
7. St. Simons Island, GA - 45.88%
8. Spring Hill, FL - 44.67%
9. Surprise, AZ - 44.53%
10. Walnut Creek, CA - 44.22%
11. Port Orange, FL - 42.91%
12. Deerfield Beach, FL - 42.91%

Perfect to a tee

If you love golf and couldn't get enough of it during all those years you were working, you might want to retire in one of these twelve golf-playing cities.

1. Coconut Creek, FL - residents play golf 1.41 times the national average
2. Palm Harbor, CA - 1.39 times
3. Palm Desert, CA - 1.34 times
4. Lake Havasu City, AZ - 1.33 times
5. Woodbury, MN - 1.33 times
6. Yorba Linda, CA - 1.32 times
7. Boca Raton, FL - 1.31 times
8. Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - 1.30 times
9. Greenville, NC - 1.30 times
10. Diamond Bar, CA - 1.29 times
11. Cape Coral, FL - 1.29 times
12. Burke, VA - 1.29 times

Game, set, love

If it's tennis you prefer, here are twelve cities where residents play a lot of the game you love.

1. Bethesda, MD - residents play tennis 1.63 times the national average
2. Greenwich, CT - 1.61 times
3. Davis, CA - 1.61 times
4. Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - 1.61 times
5. Newport Beach, CA - 1.60 times
6. Williamsburg, VA - 1.59 times
7. Laguna Niguel, CA - 1.58 times
8. West Bloomfield Township, MI - 1.57 times
9. McKinney, TX - 1.57 times
10. Asheville, NC - 1.56 times
11. Mission Viejo, CA - 1.55 times
12. Sandy Springs, GA - 1.55 times

Welcome to the club

If you like the idea of belonging to a country club, you might want to retire in one of these twelve cities, where country-club members make up a relatively high percentage of the population.

1. Palm Desert, CA - 2.0% of households belong to a country club
2. Bethesda, MD - 2.0%
3. Greenwich, CT - 1.8%
4. West Bloomfield Township, MI - 1.8%
5. Lower Merion, PA - 1.7%
6. Lake Havasu City, AZ - 1.7%
7. Newport Beach, CA - 1.7%
8. Palo Alto, CA - 1.7%
9. Spring Hill, FL - 1.6%
10. Carmel, IN - 1.6%
11. Burke, VA - 1.6%
12. Prescott, AZ - 1.6%

The groves of academe

Does the idea of well-educated neighbors appeal to you? These cities have a high percentage of residents with graduate degrees.

1. Arlington, VA - 35.7% of residents have graduate degrees
2. Davis, CA - 34.6%
3. Brookline, MA - 32.5%
4. Evanston, IL - 31.2%
5. Bloomington, IN - 31.2%
6. Towson, MD - 31.2%
7. Oak Park, IL - 29.1%
8. Bethesda, MD - 29.1%
9. Alexandria, VA - 29.0%
10. West Hartford, CT - 28.9%
11. College Station, TX - 27.7%
12. Ames, IA - 27.5%
13. Columbia, MO - 27.5%

Making The Best Use Of Your Cash

You’ve gotten a home equity loan. You’ve jumped through all the hoops and now have that much needed cash in hand. How can you make the best of it? First, decide exactly what you really needed the cash for? Was it for medical bills or educational expenses? Or did you incur too much other debt and need to pay that off with your cash? Whatever the reason, be sure and stay steadfast to the cause. It’s very easy when you have that green in your palm to forget what you truly needed it for in the first place. Write down exactly where you needed the money to go before you begin to write the money orders and checks out.

As you pay off whoever the debtor is, mark them from the list. Mark off everyone! This is very important. Keep your goals in mind. It’s so easy to get caught up and want to spend the money elsewhere. This is really not wise. If you needed the money so desperately you took out an equity loan in the first place, then you really should stay clear to your initial goals. If you took out the loan for medical bills and you buy a new washer and dryer when you really didn’t need one, this is most likely not going to help your financial situation. Sure, you’ll have a shiny new washer and dryer, but you’ll still owe those medical bills and not gain anything else financially. Your payments won’t be lower and after a while the new washer and dryer will remind you of the old one. So, in summary, be sure and be careful when distributing that cash and enjoy achieving those goals!

Where Can I Research About Home Equity Loans?

You need cash and you need it fast, so you decide to take out an Equity Loan on your home. How do you protect yourself? Where do you look for information to make sure you know all the facts before signing on that dotted line and marrying yourself to a long contract? If you live in America, the first place to check is the Federal Trade Commission. The Federal Trade Commission is a federal organization designed to protect and educate the American consumer. And that person is you if you are taking out a loan. They have a website which is located at http://www.ftc.gov and you can go to it for free information. Many rules and regulations are posted to protect the American consumer and explain the different types of Equity loans available in detail.

It also contains a plethora of information on other subjects regarding home ownership and is a great tool provided to you at no cost. Also, you can check with H.U.D. or the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Also, don’t forget to check with your state department of housing for information about different types of loans as well. If you’re not very Internet savvy and would feel more comfortable talking with a person, each of these departments have a phone number, as well as offices you may feel inclined to visit. Remember, at the end of the day it is you that has to live with the terms of your loan, not the bank or mortgage company. And most of the time it’s for a very, very long time.

Need Cash Fast?

Do you ever feel as though you’re drowning in payments? Have you extended your salary until there’s barely any left, in order to make your monthly obligations? Well, chances are you’re not alone. With the economy in a state of uncertainty, it’s difficult to plan from one day to the next with layoffs and job losses always a risk.

So why wait? Do something about those payments to help you plan for an emergency. If you are making high interest payments, chances are you may never see the proverbial end of the tunnel, especially if you only make your minimum monthly payment. And credit cards interest is at an all time high, considering so many people have incurred debt and have been unable to repay those obligations.

They have to make up the money some way, so they pass down the loss to the consumer in the form of even higher interest rates. But if you’re a homeowner, there is a solution. If you’ve owned your home long enough to have something built up called equity, you can actually get a quick loan for cash on your mortgage. That’s right. With a simple call to your mortgage broker and some minor paperwork, you can take out a loan (often referred to as a second mortgage) in exchange for cash to pay off all those high interest credit cards or other miscellaneous loans.

Sound like an easy solution? It can be, but remember you can’t borrow your way out of debt. The only way to become completely debt free is to pay off all balances. The second mortgage must be repaid. And as a rule, most consumers are advised to cut up their remaining plastic so the temptation is removed. Most financial advisors suggest having only one credit card with a minimal credit limit and ask their clients to pay off the balance every month. Be sure to check with your mortgage broker or financial advisor if you have any questions before signing your contracts and enjoy that left over money at the end of your month!

Biophilic Design Shy Relation of Green Building

Green building is more than just a trend. An often overlooked part of Green building is what is called Biophilic design. The goal of this sub-genre is to bring the outdoors into interior living spaces, either residential or commercial. The introduction and interaction with natural elements for aesthetic and health purposes is beginning to receive wider acceptance as indoor air pollution becomes a growing concern for urban dwellers and suburban ones who live in air-tight energy efficient homes.

Biophilic design injects real or simulated natural components into living and working spaces to promote emotional and physical wellness. Morning sun exposure, water features, natural vistas through window-walls, sky-ceilings, and greenhouse rooms where plants dominate and restore air quality while providing an indoor forest refuge are some common applications of this recent design extension. Biophilic design is based more in a emotional or Zen-like perspective than save-natural-resources Green building. Understanding that nature and natural settings allow humans to relax and is part of our DNA, professors at major universities study ecology and it's effect on our home environments as well as dispositions.

Here are some tips to get a start on Biophilic design in your home.

-Find a room that faces good morning sun and install floor-to-ceiling windows to receive a daily dose of high-powered natural light. Studies show that hospital patients who receive morning sunshine need almost a quarter less pain medication that those with north facing windows.

-Install a sky ceiling in a family or living room. These new ceiling systems mimic full-spectrum light emitted from mid-day skies.

-Place a waterfall or pond with fountain in side a favorite room. Flowing or spraying water adds a relaxing sound to your environment and helps screen out exterior noise pollution.

-Build a green house room with many indoor and outdoor plants, more the better. Put a comfortable chair to use for reading or relaxing in your home garden.

-Use window-walls to allow outdoor vistas in. I have seen homes that installed large glass areas in a well-used room. The increase in natural light and the ability to see from the ground to the sky is welcomed especially in the dark days of winter.

Blessings Or Transgressors

Estate agents are there to help people in need of properties for housing, commercial or other purposes. They are there to provide their services that varies from giving advices for properties, making two parties meet up for a deal. They are there to lend a hand to tenants, property sellers and buyers, to landlords etc. They are can provide an interested party with all the technicalities, particulars, prices and everything through their own medium, right at the party's doorstep. It is convenient to involve a middleman when a person wants a property so that he can save his time and energy. These estate agents carry out these services in return of what is known as commission.

The darker side of their business is that while they are offering their services they are filled with greed and they aim at gaining their commissions as much and soon as possible. In trying to achieve this they cause a misbalance in the proper flow of country's economic development.

Many of the agents in greed of earning commission mislead buyers through false information concerning the peculiars about the property. Rental housing acquired with the aid of agents for middleclass people often have them facing a huge financial loss. They end up having a totally contradictory situation to what they had been informed about by the agents. The extra loss is rendered for the commission paid by them. Mental stress plays its own part. They may sell properties already been sold off. The property owners pay agents extra if they manage to fish and convince buyers who are willing to buy their properties at double prices. This is especially a trait that these middlemen possess of convincing their clients and talking them into making deals they would otherwise get at much lower rates. It is more like a trend these days to involve these middlemen to escape and avoid efforts required for buying property whether it involves residential, business, trade or commercial purposes.

The other thing that agents do is they hardly ever let the two parties that he's dealing with meet one another and interact on their own, making their own false statements. Make people believe the buyer or the seller is out of reach and there is no way the can have direct contact with them. Real, professional agents would never turn to such acts but many unemployed people adopt these measures in order to earn easy money and pretend that they are professionals and thus looting innocent people. Estate agents are both a blessing and curse to people in the business world at the same time.