Real Estate Morsels

Happy Earth Day Birthday…Our May Newsletter

Marc Grossman — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:25:56 +0000

Our May newsletter is out!! Happy Earth Day Birthday!! We all need to do something good for Mother Earth – it’s the only one we have! Inside, you’ll find ways to Update Your Kitchen For Less; How Much of that Remodeling Job will you recoup in a sale; Lawn care guide for Central Florida; Orlando and Florida rankings; Search for Orlando Homes for sale as well as interesting articles; a recipe; and, more…

For information on Seminole County real estate and Seminole County homes for sale in addition to Seminole County relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Seminole County Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - marc@OrlandoHomes-4u.com - 407-463-1034

Marc It Sold! is Seminole County’s only Certified LGBT Business Enterprise through the Supplier Diversity Initiative of the NGLCC.

You can read Marc’s other blogs Real Estate Morsels, Real Estate Off The Leash & Real Estate Cracker

Marc It Sold!

2012, 2011 – Highest in Service & Overall Satisfaction – Orlando Magazine

The post Happy Earth Day Birthday…Our May Newsletter appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

Update Your Kitchen For Less

Marc Grossman — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 19:53:24 +0000

BY BARBARA BALLINGER

According to Remodeling magazine’s latest Cost vs. Value survey, the average price of an upscale kitchen redo hovers about $113,000. Even the cost of a mid-range overhaul is a whopping $58,000.

However, sellers are rarely willing to invest the kind of time and money it takes to do that kind of remodeling job, especially one they’ll barely use before they move. But there are affordable alternatives to make this much-used gathering spot more appealing, both aesthetically and functionally. Here are nine easy-to-implement ideas to update your kitchen for less.

▪ Reuse existing elements in the kitchen when possible. “We try to take a hard look before we start any renovation to see what can be salvaged,” says architect Talia Braude, AIA, LEED AP, whose firm Braude Pankiewicz Architects is based in Brooklyn, N.Y. For example, when Braude found floor joists that were too damaged to be structurally sound, she reused them as kitchen shelves, for which they worked perfectly.

▪ Go with affordable cabinets, possibly a line with simple maple, cherry, or oak rather than exotic imported wood or lacquered fronts. Also, opt for pressed rather than solid wood interiors and shelves to pare costs. Because cabinets often represent 50 percent to 60 percent of a remodeled kitchen’s cost, saving here brings down the price, says Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s “Home Expert” based in Chicago. But if possible, spend a bit more on quality hardware that will eliminate wear and tear when opening and closing doors and drawers. One good place to start looking for affordable cabinets is at IKEA, says Braude, which her client Orli Belman did when remodeling a kitchen in her Los Angeles home. Belman saved even more by purchasing cabinets during IKEA’s kitchen sale. Other alternatives include replacing the doors (and reselling the old ones), or repaint cabinets with a product like Ace Hardware’s Cabinet, Door & Trim Paint, an alkyd-based semi-gloss finish that yields a smooth, factory-like finish.

▪ Appliances are another huge cost factor in redoing a kitchen, and stainless-steel name brands are among the biggest offenders. Besides opting for less expensive black-and-white fronts and going with cheaper brands, Web sites like Craigslist and Overstock are good resources for new or little-used items others are trying to get rid of. Belman went those routes and found a double oven and refrigerator drawers on Craigslist, each for $400, when a construction project stalled. She estimates each would have cost about $3,000 retail. She also found an inexpensive but good faucet at Costco and discontinued Martha Stewart light fixtures on another Web site.

▪ Changing a countertop or several can add an instant fresh look, but instead of replacing them with high-end granite, marble, or manmade quartzes, Manfredini suggests covering tired laminate tops with RustOleum’s highly durable Countertop Transformation product, a three-part system that transforms them into look-alike granites in five different colors. Belman also found affordable butcher-block tops at IKEA.

▪ A new backsplash can make a huge difference, and there are many self-adhesive tiles that are easy to install for DIY consumers, including those with the hot metal look in vintage or modern patterns and a host of sizes, shapes, and colors, Manfredini says. Savvy home owners also should consider contacting manufacturers, many of which offer overstocked goods for far less. For instance, Heath Ceramics has been known to sell them for 75 percent off retail at its factory showroom in Sausalito, Calif.

▪ New lighting is one of the easiest switches to make and offers a big payback since it can make a kitchen look larger and highlight its best features, from a great island to kitchen table to new backsplash. Advise homeowners to locate new lighting under cabinets where main tasks are performed, within cabinets, especially glass-fronted ones, to show off cabinets and attractive contents, and over a dining table or island where one great fixture will shine, literally. When possible, opt for compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode bulbs to conserve energy, even though the initial price is higher. And if the bulb’s compatible with dimmers, it’s a great way to vary moods.

▪ Though replacing an entire floor can be costly, time-consuming, and expensive, there are handsome options that will last and won’t break the bank. Durable and affordable options include Marmoleum, a sustainable linoleum, which no longer resembles what your parents or grandparents had but comes in hot colors and textures; old-growth bamboo that’s denser than new variations; and cork, another natural material that’s easily repairable if dings (or worse) occur. If a room is partly remodeled, often the floor can be saved with patching and restaining rather than replacing all of it, Braude says.

▪ Buyers should consider redoing the layout if it doesn’t work, then save elsewhere rather than the reverse, Braude advises. If they install all new cabinets and appliances, but keep the same old, poorly functioning kitchen plan, they probably won’t be pleased. It’s better for them to gain a new layout and budget elsewhere — maybe keep cabinets — and later replace them, she says.

▪ Even when budgeting, home owners shouldn’t forget to add in one or two splurges for a focal point and some kind of “wow” element to raise the level of the renovation, even if it’s a budget one, Braude says. Examples include handcrafted tiles with beautiful finishes, colors, and patterns, and a great island countertop, perhaps fashioned from a gorgeous CaesarStone as Belman and her husband chose to add.

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Orlando Home Sales Statistics for March 2013

Marc Grossman — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:30:19 +0000

WOW!! Great news especially if you are interested in selling your home! The real estate market statistics for Orlando home sales are out. Closed sales were up to just over 2600 properties sold in the month of March. With that said, the available inventory for sale dropped to below 7000 units, the lowest since September 2005. The average and median sales prices jumped month over month as well as year over year. Call me today if you are thinking of buying or selling! Interest rates are still quite low, but don’t expect them to remain that way for very long. Good properties are going quickly!

A couple of definitions are in order. The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time – in other words, it’s the midpoint of sale prices. So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it’s specifically indicating which price range is more active.

The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the number of properties sold.

There needs to be a disclaimer here. These stats are only telling us what it being purchased and happening at a certain period in time. It needs to be fully understood that not only is real estate local, but it is hyper-local. What this means is that the trends that we hear about are overall. Let’s put it this way, what’s happening in one neighborhood may not be realized in the neighborhood next door.

Additionally, these are only monthly statistics and to get a better scope of what is happening, you need to look at a longer period of time. More high-end homes might be sold in one month as opposed to another. By looking at a longer period, you will get a better overall picture. It is all relative and this has to be understood when utilizing these stats.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc It Sold! is a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise through the Supplier Diversity Initiative of the NGLCC.

You can read Marc’s other blogs Real Estate Morsels, Real Estate Off The Leash & Real Estate Cracker

Marc It Sold!

2012, 2011 – Highest in Service & Overall Satisfaction – Orlando Magazine

The post Orlando Home Sales Statistics for March 2013 appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

Happy Passover and Easter…Our April Newsletter

Marc Grossman — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:55:11 +0000

Our April newsletter is out!! Wishing you peace and happiness in your heart and home during this holiday season and throughout the year!! Inside, you’ll find Why Now Is The Time To Sell Your Home; How Much of that Remodeling Job will you recoup in a sale; Lawn care guide for Central Florida; Orlando and Florida rankings; Search for Orlando Homes for sale as well as interesting articles; a recipe; and, more…

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - marc@OrlandoHomes-4u.com - 407-463-1034

Marc It Sold! is Seminole County’s only Certified LGBT Business Enterprise through the Supplier Diversity Initiative of the NGLCC.

You can read Marc’s other blogs Real Estate Morsels, Real Estate Off The Leash & Real Estate Cracker

Marc It Sold!

2012, 2011 – Highest in Service & Overall Satisfaction – Orlando Magazine

The post Happy Passover and Easter…Our April Newsletter appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

3 Plans to Change Florida’s Foreclosure Process

Marc Grossman — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 13:40:17 +0000

By Sarah Parr

Despite most of the United States seeing a decrease in foreclosure activity, Florida still had a recent jump, according to RealtyTRAC’s year-end report. In Florida, foreclosure document filings increased by 3.11 percent in 2012. Consumer advocates, real estate professionals and lawmakers are currently devising plans to change Florida’s status and reform the way foreclosures are handled. A batch of legislation is currently making its round in the Florida House and Senate, creating debate among people from all sides of the issue. The proposed laws could noticeably rework the way foreclosures are processed in Florida.

Give banks and lenders less influence

Legislatures proposed House Bill 87 as a solution to Florida’s time-consuming judicial-foreclosure process. Proponents of the bill claim the bill stands up for consumers by requiring banks and lenders to thoroughly prove they own a mortgage before filing any kind of foreclosure action. Homeowners are given up to 20 days to provide a defense against foreclosure.

House Bill 87 proposes giving banks and lenders only have one year instead of the present five years to go after borrowers for losses from a foreclosure after a final foreclosure judgment is agreed upon. The bill would also allow other lien holders, such as condo or homeowner associations, to ask the court to move foreclosures through an expedited process rather than the typical judicial procedure.

Another bill seeks to give consumers more power. House Bill 1777 proposes establishing a homeowner bill of rights in the event of late mortgage payments, similar to the one created and passed by California. The goal of California’s law is to protect homeowners from predatory lenders and further regulate mortgage servicers.

Permit retired judges and justices to help

Senate Bill 1666 would allow retired justices or judges to agree to temporary duty in order to help decrease the court backlog of foreclosure cases in Florida. Court administrator Lisa Goodner said there is a backlog of more than 360,000 cases in the courts as of the end of January. Compared with the nationwide average of 13 months, foreclosures in Florida take 29 months to process on average.

Cut time of deficiency judgments

Deficiency judgments occur when courts rule in favor of lenders if they can show that borrowers owe more on a mortgage than on the total price of a property. Senate Bills 1226 and 371 would require that lenders only file deficiency judgments up to a year after final foreclosure judgments, and have only two years to collect any outstanding debt. Currently, debt collectors can pursue borrowers for up to 20 years.

Another proposal, the “Short Sale Debt Relief Act,” would make deficiency judgments unenforceable on a short sale if the original debt was 20 percent or greater than reasonable market value.

Florida will likely see several changes in its judicial-foreclosure process soon. Despite what happens in the legislature, many people do want to see more positive activity in the housing industry.

Sarah Parr is a guest blogger with the DeWitt Law Firm in Central Florida.

The post 3 Plans to Change Florida’s Foreclosure Process appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

Why Now Is An Excellent Time To Sell Your House In Central Florida

Marc Grossman — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:49:09 +0000

Are you looking to sell Orlando real estate? Well now is the time to sell your house in Central Florida and here are some reasons to help you understand why!

Spring is here and we’ve just been through one of the most devastating economic times that many of us have ever experienced. But that’s changed and we have to move on from that.

Sell Your House In Orlando

Inventories are low – Presently there has been approximately 3 – 3.5 months inventory on the market. Just go back 4 and 5 years, there was over 21 and 31 months inventory available for sale. Granted, the closed sales were only half of what is currently be sold monthly. It is, for all intents & purposes, a seller’s market. Inventories are low and there is a scarcity of good homes on the market. Those that are priced well and in good condition will go quickly and most likely have multiple offers within a short period of time.

Interest rates are low, but are expected to inch up during the later part of the year. The lower the rates, the more people that can qualify for a loan.

Shorter time on the market – The average days on the market in the Orlando area is presently hovering at 80, down 15 days from one year ago.

New construction is coming back. In fact, I’d read somewhere today that the construction companies are in a land grab as they are expecting a change of tides in the market.

Demand is higher – Buyers are coming off the fence and the demand is growing. With relatively low interest rates and low inventories, they’re producing higher demand.

The previous month’s sales statistics show home sales that closed in February numbered 2203, an increase of almost 10 percent compared to the previous month, January 2013. The average list and sales price as well as the median sales price all increased at least 4% from the previous month while the median sales price is almost 20% greater than that of February 2012. The current inventory of available homes for sale again reduced to 7183, representing a 3.26 month supply.

In short, we are in a seller’s market. Owning a home is typically cheaper than renting after tax benefits are considered, today’s buyers would come out ahead unless housing prices fall substantially. In fact, though, prices figure to rise, either because of an economic recovery or because of inflation (or more likely, both). Yet buying a home today is a safer bet than it was before the recession.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc It Sold! is Seminole County’s only Certified LGBT Business Enterprise through the Supplier Diversity Initiative of the NGLCC.

You can read Marc’s other blogs Real Estate Morsels, Real Estate Off The Leash & Real Estate Cracker

Marc It Sold!

2012, 2011 – Highest in Service & Overall Satisfaction – Orlando Magazine

The post Why Now Is An Excellent Time To Sell Your House In Central Florida appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

Orlando Sales Statistics for February 2013

Marc Grossman — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:27:07 +0000

The Orlando Sales Statistics for the Greater Central Florida area are out for February 2013. Home sales that closed in February number 2203, an increase of almost 10 percent compared to the previous month, January 2013. The average list and sales price as well as the median sales price all increased at least 4% from the previous month while the median sales price is almost 20% greater than that of February 2012. The current inventory of available homes for sale again reduced to 7183, representing a 3.26 month supply.

A couple of definitions are in order. The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time – in other words, it’s the midpoint of sale prices. So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it’s specifically indicating which price range is more active.

The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the number of properties sold.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc It Sold! is a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise through the Supplier Diversity Initiative of the NGLCC.

You can read Marc’s other blogs Real Estate Morsels, Real Estate Off The Leash & Real Estate Cracker

Marc It Sold!

2012, 2011 – Highest in Service & Overall Satisfaction – Orlando Magazine

The post Orlando Sales Statistics for February 2013 appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

Tips For Staging Your Home

Marc Grossman — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:56:02 +0000

Make your home warm and inviting to boost your home’s value and speed up the sale process. Here are some tips for staging your home:

1. Start with a clean slate

Before you can worry about where to place furniture and which wall hanging should go where, each room in your home must be spotless. Do a thorough cleaning right down to the nitpicky details like wiping down light switch covers. Deep clean and deodorize carpets and window coverings.

2. Stow away your clutter

It’s harder for buyers to picture themselves in your home when they’re looking at your family photos, collectibles, and knickknacks. Pack up all your personal decorations. However, don’t make spaces like mantles and coffee and end tables barren. Leave three items of varying heights on each surface, suggests Barb Schwarz ofwww.StagedHomes.com in Concord, Pa. For example, place a lamp, a small plant, and a book on an end table.

3. Scale back on your furniture

When a room is packed with furniture, it looks smaller, which will make buyers think your home is less valuable than it is. Make sure buyers appreciate the size of each room by removing one or two pieces of furniture. If you have an eat-in dining area, using a small table and chair set makes the area seem bigger.

4. Rethink your furniture placement

Highlight the flow of your rooms by arranging the furniture to guide buyers from one room to another. In each room, create a focal point on the farthest wall from the doorway and arrange the other pieces of furniture in a triangle around the focal point, advises Schwarz. In the bedroom, the bed should be the focal point. In the living room, it may be the fireplace, and your couch and sofa can form the triangle in front of it.

5. Add color to brighten your rooms

Brush on a fresh coat of warm, neutral-color paint in each room. Ask your real estate agent for help choosing the right shade. Then accessorize. Adding a vibrant afghan, throw, or accent pillows for the couch will jazz up a muted living room, as will a healthy plant or a bright vase on your mantle. High-wattage bulbs in your light fixtures will also brighten up rooms and basements.

6. Set the scene

Lay logs in the fireplace, and set your dining room table with dishes and a centerpiece of fresh fruit or flowers. Create other vignettes throughout the home—such as a chess game in progress—to help buyers envision living there. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light.

Make your bathrooms feel luxurious by adding a new shower curtain, towels, and fancy guest soaps (after you put all your personal toiletry items are out of sight). Judiciously add subtle potpourri, scented candles, or boil water with a bit of vanilla mixed in. If you have pets, clean bedding frequently and spray an odor remover before each showing.

7. Make the entrance grand

Mow your lawn and trim your hedges, and turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes before showings to make your lawn sparkle. If flowers or plants don’t surround your home’s entrance, add a pot of bright flowers. Top it all off by buying a new doormat and adding a seasonal wreath to your front door.

The post Tips For Staging Your Home appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

Welcome to Spring…Our March Newsletter

Marc Grossman — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:22:06 +0000

Our March newsletter is out!! Wishing you an early spring!! Inside, you’ll find Tips on Staging Your Home; How Much of that Remodeling Job will you recoup in a sale; Lawn care guide for Central Florida; Orlando and Florida rankings; Search for Orlando Homes as well as interesting articles; a recipe; and, more…

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - marc@OrlandoHomes-4u.com - 407-463-1034

Marc It Sold! is a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise through the Supplier Diversity Initiative of the NGLCC.

You can read Marc’s other blogs Real Estate Morsels, Real Estate Off The Leash & Real Estate Cracker

Marc It Sold!

2012, 2011 – Highest in Service & Overall Satisfaction – Orlando Magazine

The post Welcome to Spring…Our March Newsletter appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.

There Has Never Been A Better Time To Buy A Home!

Marc Grossman — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:45:58 +0000

You hear it all the time from ads and Realtors. But this time it’s actually true: there has literally never been a better time to buy a home.

According to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors, the home affordability index has now entered its third year of record highs.

The measure tracks median income against median priced homes (assuming a down payment of 20 percent of the home price and it assumes a qualifying ratio of 25 percent).

A value of 100 means that a family at median income has exactly enough income to qualify for a mortgage on a median-priced home. When it’s above 100, the family has more than enough income to qualify.

And the current reading is just under 200.

In Orlando, the buyers sellers index is 3.4 – a sellers market! This is according to a Zillow Buyers-Sellers Index. Click here to check out your area

Here are several reasons why the housing market is such:

Mortgage rates are at all-time lows.
The average mortgage payment is far less than the average rent.
The labor market is also improving, which means home owners are more likely to make their mortgage payments.
Income growth has kept pace with rising home prices.
The price-to-income ratio has stabilized.
Existing homes remain the way to go — they’re still at a huge discount compared with new homes.
Most cities also have huge discounts on foreclosures.
In some markets, we’re finding multiple offers on new listings.
Most of America east of the Mississippi remains a huge buyer’s market.
Buyers are sensing that our once-in-a-generation buying window is closing.

For information on Longwood and Seminole County real estate and Longwood and Seminole County homes for sale in addition to Longwood and Seminole County relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Longwood and Seminole County Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, WestVolusiaCounty and SouthLakeCounty.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc It Sold! is a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise through the Supplier Diversity Initiative of the NGLCC.

You can read Marc’s other blogs Real Estate Morsels, Real Estate Off The Leash & Real Estate Cracker

Marc It Sold!

2012, 2011 – Highest in Service & Overall Satisfaction – Orlando Magazine

The post There Has Never Been A Better Time To Buy A Home! appeared first on Real Estate Morsels.