Friday, September 25, 2015

Warm Weather, Beautiful Beaches, and Southern hospitality: You’ll find them in Florida!

Image Source: florida.co.uk

If you are a looking to settle in a place with a low cost of living but offers a lot of comfort and leisure, Florida is the place to go.

Real estate brokers, like Melissa Yardy and Raymond Bolduc, know that the house prices in Florida are comparatively lower than in other parts of the US. It is also home to some of the best medical centers in the country, due in part to retirees having flocked the place.


Aside from promising cheaper home prices and excellent healthcare, Florida offers warm weather, beautiful beaches, and Southern hospitality that you can hardly find in other states.
Florida has earned the nickname “Sunshine State” because of its warm and fairly humid climate. While the north and central parts of the state is humid tropical, South Florida is tropical. The warm weather is perfect for people who seek an active lifestyle and love swimming in beaches, visiting theme parks, and fishing.

Image Source: mytripolog.com

Florida has a 1,197-mile coastline with 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline and 663 miles of beaches. The beaches have warmer water compared to that of the rest of the US. Because of abundance of beaches here, one is never more than 45 minutes away from dipping, wading, or diving into the water. There are also five cruise ports in this place, which means that those who love cruising can save a lot of money on airfare.

The local residents in Florida are known for their hospitality. Being part of the Southern United States, the local residents are stereotyped for being hospitable to visitors. This hospitality can be rooted in the religiosity of the region, which teaches that one should be good to strangers.
Florida is pretty much a paradise, both for the young people and the elderly who want to enjoy retirement.

If you are looking for homes to buy or rent in Florida, check out these featured listings.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Real estate as portfolio diversifier and inflation hedge


Image source: zintro.com

Although real estate is one of the world’s riskiest and most lucrative industries, it remains to be the best way for investors to expand, diversify, and protect their portfolio. This sector of the economy is specially used as part of a long-term core strategy to stabilize income flow. It is noted for its high market efficiency and the role it plays in the variability of stock and bond returns.

Diversification

The traditional notion on real estate is anchored on its capacity to encourage assets diversification and increase the purchasing power of capital. The National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF) reports that the market indexes for the real estate industry have consistently displayed low correlation with the returns of both stock and bond investments. This means that portfolio diversification can potentially be put to its maximum. New opportunities offered by real estate allow venture capitalists to customize their assets allocation and heighten their investment’s risk mitigation potential.


Image source: foreignpolicy.com

Hedging Inflation

During periods of inflation, property owners can increase their rental rates. This gives way to an increased inflation hedging capacity, allowing investors to manage demand elasticity more conveniently. However, real estate professionals, including Melissa Yardy of Florida and Jack Friedman of Texas, point out that although this strategy is very plausible, property owners may still have to face steep competition in the marketplace.

Real estate has the potential to produce investments that can be readily diversified and increase the purchasing power of capital. However, the ability of the industry to act as an inflationary hedge is only possible when leasing opportunities are made available.


Image source: allstate.com

This website provides more insights, information, and analyses about the real estate industry.

New York’s Office Builders Raise Their Online Voices

This article by C.J. Hughes appeared in the online edition of The New York Times. It talks about how some commercial real estate brokers and builders are ditching the brochure for the Internet to boost sales.
In terms of marketing tone, the commercial real estate industry has long played the quiet cousin to the brasher residential business. While apartments are routinely sold using splashy, multifaceted ad campaigns, commercial brokers and developers have favored lower-key, brochure-based approaches.
But the two branches of the family may be growing closer. In recent months, the marketing teams for some New York office buildings have decided to get the word out by deploying the type of stylish Web sites once used only by luxury condominiums.

Unlike the Web sites of office buildings past, which tended to be bare-bones and buried deep within a landlord’s corporate home page, this new crop stands alone and crackles with animation, exuberant language and videos.

And by publicizing details like where telecom cables enter the building, these sites add transparency to a business that can seem clubby and secretive.

“Lunches with brokers is an old-school way of getting your message out,” said Grant Greenspan, a broker and principal at the Kaufman Organization, a landlord that has set up Web sites for two of its buildings, 100-104 Fifth Avenue and 550 Seventh Avenue. But, he added, “it’s only as good as the group of brokers who you perceive to have the clients.”

By introducing buildings to the public online to generate demand, Mr. Greenspan said, “you get clients going to their brokers and saying, ‘Why aren’t you showing me this building?’ ”
The site for 100-104 Fifth Avenue, a pair of joined, early-20th-century buildings near Union Square that Kaufman co-owns with Invesco Real Estate, was also useful in chronicling the $15 million renovation that occurred after the development team bought the property out of bankruptcy in 2010 for $94 million.

The renovation, which took two years, included adding a fire safety system and six elevators and redesigning a pair of lobbies. All of this is described in a colorful, animated timeline on the Web site, 100-104fifth.com, as are the specifics about those telecom cables.

The Kaufman Organization credited the site with helping to fill the 270,000-square-foot building quickly. It is at 98 percent occupancy today, up from 60 percent when the landlord bought it.
According to Mr. Greenspan, all six tenants signed there since 2010 said the site had played a major role in piquing their interest. Those tenants include Yelp, the online review business; Apple’s iAd, an advertising network; and Net-a-Porter, a women’s apparel retailer. They pay rents ranging from $45 to $60 per square foot, Kaufman said.

Similarly, at 550 Seventh Avenue, which Kaufman recently began managing for Adler Group, a new Web site is being used to rebrand the 12-story building in the garment district, where fashion tenants have historically held sway.

The Web site, 550seventhave.com, may surprise property owners who tend to be tight-lipped about their tenants. It shows the directory in the building’s lobby, revealing that Lilly Pulitzer, Donna Karan International and Oscar de la Renta have offices inside.

The site, introduced in October, is already paying off. An 11,000-square-foot space on the 10th floor is expected to be leased this month to a software company, Mr. Greenspan said, adding that the $30,000 cost of making both sites, plus the hours logged by a full-time worker, had been worth every penny.

If Web sites “facilitate renting the spaces 60 or 90 days sooner, they make all the sense in the world,” he said.

Some major New York landlords, like the Chetrit Group, have no online presence. And even when Web sites do exist, they can be a bit stolid, offering little more than the year the building was completed, its architect and its total square footage, as with the General Motors Building, owned by Boston Properties. Brokers say that when a high-rise has existed for years and is one of Manhattan’s prized addresses as well, it may not have to promote itself online.

A new office building must do more, especially when it hasn’t even come out of the ground yet. In those cases, a Web site is essential to allow tenants to visualize their future home, said Christopher V. Albanese, president of the Albanese Organization, a Long Island-based developer. These sites tend to be extremely eye-catching and could easily be mistaken for ones intended to sell multimillion-dollar condos.

In November, the Albanese Organization unveiled 510w22.com, for 510 West 22nd Street, a planned 170,000-square-foot office building in West Chelsea. The centerpiece of the artful Web site is a four-minute video narrated by the architect Rick Cook, which brims with dramatic music and soaring shots of the adjacent High Line.

Creating such a Hollywood-caliber product, which includes renderings that normally would not have been commissioned, doubled the building’s marketing budget — “but without it, tenants might think that this was just some ordinary building, and it really isn’t,” Mr. Albanese said.
Also, financing for the $150 million project cannot be secured until the building is 30 percent leased, he said, making a dynamic marketing tool all the more important.

Though online videos for commercial real estate are not widespread, they are gaining in popularity.
The Web site for 7 Bryant Park, a 28-story office building that Hines is developing on Avenue of the Americas, features a two-minute video. A piano tinkles; the camera swoops.

The site, 7bryantpark.com, introduced last winter, has not led to leases yet, but George C. Lancaster, Hines’s senior vice president of communications, said to expect similar branding for future projects. Web sites are “the first place anybody goes these days to shop for clothes or office space,” he said.

Brian Lindvall, a partner at Dbox, which made Hines’s video and the Website for 510 West 22nd Street, agreed. Commercial assignments are coming in more frequently, he said, including one for the International Gem Tower, an Extell Development Company project at 50 West 47th Street.

Multimedia Web sites “have kind of been a residential tactic for a while,” said Mr. Lindvall, who has worked on apartment projects for Rudin Management and Forest City Ratner. “I think that relaying square footage and location is not enough to convey what a building represents.”

Like sites for condos, commercial real estate sites can seem to hawk lifestyles rather than places to put sofas or desks.

For example, businesses are urged to lease space at 837 Washington Street, under construction in the meatpacking district, because of its proximity to the new Whitney Museum and an Apple store — and, 837washington.com says, “because when fashion arrived, restaurateurs and hoteliers followed.”
The six-story, 55,000-square-foot, $100 million project is expected to be completed in 2014. Asking rents for the offices are $100 per square foot, said Paul E. Pariser, co-chief executive of Taconic Investment Partners, which is developing the building with Thor Equities.

According to Mr. Pariser, who sold 111 Eighth Avenue to Google in 2010, the tech companies that will most likely rent the space care about the hipness of their neighborhood. “They don’t want some stuffy image that says, ‘I have a Madison Avenue address,’ ” he said.

If Web sites help landlords leapfrog brokers to some degree by taking their message to the masses, the brokers don’t seem overly concerned.

Bruce Mosler, co-chairman of the brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield, said he was glad technology had advanced enough to portray large offices compellingly online. He added that condos were ahead of the game only because apartments are simpler to depict.

Besides, brokers still need to be at the negotiating table when a lease is signed. “It will allow the product to get to the market more quickly,” Mr. Mosler said. “This town recognizes the value of what brokerages and brokers can provide.”

If you are looking for homes to buy or rent in Florida, Click Here.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Melissa Yardy: Deciding What Type of Home to Buy

The full article can be accessed on the RE/MAX website.

So you’ve decided it’s time to become a homeowner.
Great decision! You’ll be making an investment in your future – and building equity in a place all your own – instead of enriching your landlord.

One of the most important decisions you’ll make as you proceed in the home buying process is the type of home you want to live in. A single-family home? A town home or condo? A duplex or triplex?   

And what type of floor plan do you prefer? A single-family ranch? A multistory home or a tri-level?
There are many factors you should consider in making these decisions, including your lifestyle, family situation and financial circumstances, says George Groves of RE/MAX Prime Properties in Scarsdale, N.Y.

Seek an Affordable Home
One of the most important considerations is financial. You want to purchase a home for which you can make the monthly payments without stretching your budget.
“If you want to get started in real estate, a condo or town home is sometimes what you can afford,” Groves says. “They’re usually priced less than single-family homes.”
Another option for the cost-conscious is to buy a duplex or triplex, live in one of the units and rent out the rest.

“This is often the right way to go,” Groves says. “Now you can buy a property you otherwise couldn’t afford because you have rent payments helping cover the mortgage.”
Availability is another issue, Groves says. Especially in urban areas, there may be fewer affordable single-family homes than other types of properties.

Consider Your Lifestyle

Your lifestyle embraces many factors, including your age and state of health (and that of your family); how much time you spend at home; whether or not you plan to entertain a lot; how much work you want to do around the home.

If you and your family spend most of your time away from home, there’s no need to buy a big home or one with a big lawn. Your better choice might be a condo or town home, Groves says.
“Let your maintenance payments take care of things you would otherwise do yourself,” he says, including lawn care, exterior painting and snow removal.

You also might want to consider a newer property that won’t require too much maintenance.
On the other hand, if you’re homebodies, you may want a larger, more comfortable home – and if you like to throw parties or have people over for dinner regularly, you should take this into account as well.

If anybody in your household has mobility issues, it would be best to stick with a one-story home.
“Other than these factors, it’s a case of personal preference,” Groves says. “On a cost basis, if you have a three-story house, the third floor doesn’t have the same value per square foot as the first two stories – and the same goes for the basement. So you may get more space for less money that way.”
Often, Groves says, picking the right home is a matter of “feel.”

“If it looks like home and feels like home, buy it,” he says.. “It is quite often difficult to find a home you love, so even if it is a little more than you wanted to spend, if you can afford it, buy it. Do not buy a home just because it is a bargain. Quality of life should be a major part of your decision.”

Be in it for the Long Haul
Groves offers one final piece of advice in searching for a home.
“It should be for the long haul,” he says. “Not for speculation. In today’s economy, if you have a decent down payment, your mortgage payment should be roughly the same as your rent. And over the long haul, you’ll see appreciation as you go.”

If you are looking for homes to buy or rent in Florida, Click Here.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Melissa Yardy: Real Estate Prices in Pinellas Bump Up

Melissa Yardy St. Pete Beach

Tampa Bay Times quoted today that “Hundreds more homes sold across Tampa Bay last month than the year before, as tight supplies sent prices rising and helped the market build in strength.”  CoreLogic said this week that there is a nationwide surge as values climb and supplies dwindle after the market’s six-year slump.  American home prices rose 5 percent in September, the biggest yearly increase since 2006.

In St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island statistics show a rise in condo sales:

Number Sold
Average Sale Price
Time Period
September – Novemeber 2011 23 $253,000
September – Novemeber 2012 51 $258,000
As well as single family home prices:

Number Sold
Average Sale Price
Time Period
September – Novemeber 2011 31 $541,000
September – Novemeber 2012 28 $623,000

Inventory is at a 6 year low, making it a good time to list and sell your property in the upcoming seasonal market, January through May.  For more local real estate information visit www.MelissaYardy.com

THE END IS NEAR FOR FORGIVENESS


THE END IS NEAR FOR FORGIVENESS

Now that the election is over and I want to make everyone aware that the The Foreclosure
Relief Act expires naturally at the stroke of midnight on December 31st, 2012 which means any short sale closings, deed in lieu of foreclosure, mortgage modifications with principle forgiveness and foreclosures with waivers of defiency, that occur, (which means it closes or is signed off by the
lender) on or after January 1st, 2013 will likely incur ordinary income tax on the borrower.

This IRS ruling on December 20th, 2007 created an opportunity for homeowners to sell their
primary residence less than what was owed, and although they would still receive a 1099 for
the difference but this phantom income was not taxable as if it was income for that year to
the homeowner. This ruling applied to most homeowners since the limit was 2 million. At the time, as a Realtor, is was a huge benefit to give these already distressed homeowners some relief and a little less to worry about. Over the last 5 years, it has been somewhat customary and I’m sure most
Realtors and homeowners do not realize this exemption is almost at it’s end.

As an example, if a homeowner has a $300,000 mortgage and the lender only receives $200,000
and cancels the debt, in a short sale then the seller would receive a 1099 for $100,000 for that
year as if they had received that much income for the year. If that taxpayer pays 15% taxes on their income then they would owe $15,000 in additional taxes. This additional burden would likely prohibit them from getting on their feet and moving past an already horrible situation.
I would encourage all Realtors to contact their congressman and make it known how important
that this Act be extended past this quickly nearing deadline.


If you are looking for homes to buy or rent in Florida, Click Here.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Short Sales and Arm’s Length


In the homes sales market of these days, most buyers have an ample opportunity of purchasing exiting home through the purchase of what is referred to as ‘short sale’ property. Short sale describes the situation in which the existing owner is no longer capable of affording the keeping up of the repayments of mortgage or repaying of the loan. At this point, the seller can ask the bank to settle that mortgage at value that is that what the borrower owes.

In 2011, a program to assist the owners of homes that were distressed was launched by the Bank of America. According, to Melissa Yardy, this is one of those great innovations that are very vital in helping the economy in general and the owners of homes in particular. The new program is offering incentives of relocation up to $20,000 to the owners of homes that are in distress.

As a professional in real estate, Melissa Yardy believes that this will go a long way in helping very many families and owners of homes who are capable of demonstrating hardship that can be verified as well as providing the necessary paperwork for ‘unqualifying’ for the mortgage. This is without doubt a very great stride towards mending the American market of real estate.

The subsequent step is for the defaulting customers of Bank of American and it is suggested that they should contact Realtor so that they can get started. It is almost a requirement that a real estate agent that is licensed should do the marketing of this property so that he or she can find a willing buyer within arm’s length transaction. The term arm’s length describes transaction in real estate whereby the purchasers and sellers of parcel of land or property act independently in a way such that they are not in any way related to the other.

The arm’s length transaction idea offers an assurance to the real estate transactions buyers and sellers that they are acting in their best interests and they are not subjected to any form of influence from the outside. In the transactions that are not within arm’s length, there is high likelihood of some other factors which may have influence on the transaction and in some instances to the exchange value as well. This concept is very important because it is very common way that is used in determining the fair value for the market.

If you are looking for homes to buy or rent in Florida, contact Melissa Yardy.