Thursday, August 13, 2009
4 Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres Florida Short Sales Pre Foreclosures Closed in the last 2 weeks!!!
Call the Mary Neilson Team today at 239-243-5989. Ask how we can help YOU!!! Don't wait until it's too late. Short sales are easier on your credit than a foreclosure. All conversations are strictly confidential. We'll walk you through the process one step at a time. The call is free, The help you will receive is priceless. Call 239-243-5989 or email mary@maryneilson.com
Congratulations to THE MARY NEILSON TEAM Century 21 Birchwood Realty Cape Coral Fort Myers Florida REALTOR
TOP LISTING TEAM for the month of July at Century 21 Birchwood Realty, Inc. Thanks to agents, Donna Moyer, David Dunbar, Jan Jablonowski, Gaby Valderrama & Susan Betts. The Action Team shines again.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Gov't allows short-term loans for tax credit
May 29, 2009 2:24 PM EST
WASHINGTON - Thousands of first-time homebuyers will be able to get short-term loans so they can quickly make use of a new $8,000 tax credit to pay for some of the costs of buying a home.
The Federal Housing Administration on Friday released details of a plan in which borrowers who use FHA loans can get advances from lenders that let them effectively receive the credit in advance, so they don't have to wait to get the money from the Internal Revenue Service.
Most borrowers will still have to come up with the FHA's required 3.5 percent down payment, unless they work through a state or local housing agency or an approved nonprofit. Ten states have such programs in place, according to the National Council of State Housing Agencies.
But there are many other potential uses, such as for closing costs and fees, or to beef up the down payment beyond the minimum level.
The FHA which insures about a quarter of new home loans, is projected to guarantee about 2.2 million loans in the next budget year.
Any buyer who has not owned a home in the past three years is considered a first-time buyer and eligible for the program. Borrowers can claim the credit by filing an amended 2008 tax return or can wait for their 2009 return.
The change "will present an enormous benefit for communities struggling to deal with an oversupply of housing," Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a statement.
The tax credit was included in the economic stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama in February. It is not available to individuals with incomes above $95,000 or couples with incomes above $170,000 and expires Nov. 30.
Real estate agents and homebuilders generally welcomed the change. Jerry Howard, chief executive of the National Association of Home Builders, called it a "great step in the right direction." On Wall Street, shares of such builders as Toll Brothers and D.R. Horton rose on the news.
Still, some real estate agents were concerned that many buyers won't benefit at all if they can't use it for a down payment - a big hurdle for many first-time buyers.
---
By ALAN ZIBEL AP Real Estate Writer
Adrian Jacobs
239-677-7250
WASHINGTON - Thousands of first-time homebuyers will be able to get short-term loans so they can quickly make use of a new $8,000 tax credit to pay for some of the costs of buying a home.
The Federal Housing Administration on Friday released details of a plan in which borrowers who use FHA loans can get advances from lenders that let them effectively receive the credit in advance, so they don't have to wait to get the money from the Internal Revenue Service.
Most borrowers will still have to come up with the FHA's required 3.5 percent down payment, unless they work through a state or local housing agency or an approved nonprofit. Ten states have such programs in place, according to the National Council of State Housing Agencies.
But there are many other potential uses, such as for closing costs and fees, or to beef up the down payment beyond the minimum level.
The FHA which insures about a quarter of new home loans, is projected to guarantee about 2.2 million loans in the next budget year.
Any buyer who has not owned a home in the past three years is considered a first-time buyer and eligible for the program. Borrowers can claim the credit by filing an amended 2008 tax return or can wait for their 2009 return.
The change "will present an enormous benefit for communities struggling to deal with an oversupply of housing," Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a statement.
The tax credit was included in the economic stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama in February. It is not available to individuals with incomes above $95,000 or couples with incomes above $170,000 and expires Nov. 30.
Real estate agents and homebuilders generally welcomed the change. Jerry Howard, chief executive of the National Association of Home Builders, called it a "great step in the right direction." On Wall Street, shares of such builders as Toll Brothers and D.R. Horton rose on the news.
Still, some real estate agents were concerned that many buyers won't benefit at all if they can't use it for a down payment - a big hurdle for many first-time buyers.
---
By ALAN ZIBEL AP Real Estate Writer
Adrian Jacobs
239-677-7250
Friday, March 27, 2009
Option One AHMSI Citi Residential EMC Saxon Preforeclosure Short Sale
Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres, Florida. This week THE MARY NEILSON TEAM negotiated and closed short sales with lenders Option One, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Citi Mortgage, City Residential, EMC, National City and Saxon before they went into foreclosure. Need a Cape Coral Fort Myers REALTOR or Real Estate Agent you can count on? Call THE MARY NEILSON TEAM today for information on how we can help you. 239-243-5989
Monday, February 23, 2009
2009 Economic Stimulus Package Update Tax Credit First Time Home Buyers
Wonderful news for first time home buyers in SW Florida. Take a moment to read the message below from Countrywide loan consultant, Adrian Jacobs then call Mary Neilson at 239-243-5989 or email mary@maryneilson.com. Adrian is making things happen and qualifying buyers for loans every day. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to own a home while prices are low and take advantage of this portion of the stimulus package. The Mary Neilson Team (239) 243-5989 and Countrywide's Adrian Jacobs (239) 677-7250, serving your real estate needs in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, San Carlos & Bonita Springs.
Mary, hope that you had a Great Weekend!
I know the following is a bit long, but it's well worth the read as you may have a friend, family member or someone that your working with that will qualify and benefit from this portion of the stimulus bill.
Well Mary... This is the one thing that we can actually start promoting NOW from the recently passed Economic Stimulus Plan. Done Deal! So if you know someone that has been sitting on the fence about purchasing, then NOW you can give them some GREAT news... This News might just take them off that fence (and into a home). You might be thinking that there is already a Home Buyer Tax Credit in effect; it helped some, but not all that much. Yep. But take a look at the reasons why this newer version is much more buyer-friendly than the one that took effect last July ('08).
* The NEW tax credit is for $8,000. (Before it was for $7500.)
* The NEW tax credit is available for home purchases made between 1/1/09 thru 11/30/09. (Before it was 4/9/08 thru 6/30/09.)
* This is a GREAT benefit… The NEW tax credit has NO repayment requirement! (Before the homeowner paid back $500/yr for 15 years, i.e., full payback.)
* The NEW tax credit has a 3-year recapture requirement (if the home is sold within 3 years). (Before if the home sold within the 15-year repayment period, the outstanding was recaptured on sale.)
* The NEW tax credit allows for MRBs... bond loans. (Before there was NO credit for state/local bond funding.)
THERE are five good reasons to "talk the NEW Homebuyer Tax Credit up" it's improved, and it's NOW. Not all that familiar with the overall tax credit to begin with? Here are bullet points:
* The dollar amount of the credit is actually 10% of the purchase price, up to a max credit of $8,000. (Ex: $72,000 purchase price = $7,200 tax credit.)
* The credit is available for principal residences only (owner occupied).
* The credit is available to first time homebuyers -- note that the definition of a first time HB is a purchaser (and purchaser's spouse) who has not owned a principal residence in three years previous to purchase. Owning a second home(s) or an investment property(s) does not disqualify a person as long as the principal residence rule is intact.
* There are income limits -- To receive full credit the max AGI (adjusted gross income) for individuals is $75K; for joint returns it's $150K. There is a phase out above those caps.
* Any house, anywhere -- new/old, cheap/expensive, REO/short sale/regular, a manufactured or a hi-rise -- if the buyer is "eligible", the credit is there.
Now, the best part about this is that this is an actual tax CREDIT -- it's not a tax DEDUCTION!!! As such, this is a dollar-for-dollar tax REDUCTION -- the buyer's tax liability for the year of purchase may be reduced, eliminated, OR he/she might even receive a "refund". (Example: The Purchaser is eligible for the full $8,000 credit; he/she has a total tax liability of $2700; the $2700 wipes to -0-, and the purchaser will receive a refund of $5,300 from the filed tax return.) Money INTO the pocket BECAUSE it was bought..... Likely at a great price; likely at a great rate; likely with a PITI that competes loudly with renting.
Stay tuned for March 4th for the final "details" on many of the 2009 Stimulus plans and beyond that for some interpretation and decisions on how it will all work.
Remember Mary, a customer can make application with me 24/7 at www.countrywidelocal.com/adrianjacobs or email at: adrian_jacobs@countrywide.com Please call if I can assist you, a client, a friend or a family member with their financing needs. I look forward to earning your business! I am available 7 days a week.
Whether you call Adrian at 239-677-7250 or email him at adrian_jacobs@countrywide.com, don't forget to mention you read this on The Mary Neilson Team website. Together, Adrian and I will put you in the home of your dreams today.
Mary, Make it a Great Week!
Adrian Jacobs
239-677-7250
adrian_jacobs@countrywide.com
Countrywide Home Loans
13550 Reflections Pkwy
Fort Myers, FL 33907
Thursday, January 22, 2009
CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA Rebound in real estate could help shore up economy
Industry experts: Home sales on the rise, locally
By CLINTON BURTON, cburton@breezenewspapers.com
The residential real estate market that, when it fell, dragged the American economy into one of the worst recessions in recent history, hit Southwest Florida particularly hard.
Homeowners lost homes that they could not afford to keep and jobs they could not afford to lose.
However, 2009 may bring a glimmer of hope from the very economic segment that cast a pall over 2008 - real estate.
Figures released this week by the Cape Coral Association of Realtors and by one of Southwest Florida's biggest developers indicate that the residential housing market, vital to the local economy, may be on the cusp of making a comeback.
Sandoval, a Bonita Bay Group community in northwest Cape Coral, reported an increase in sales in 2008 over 2007. Debbie Holm Sheeley, general manager of community operations, said she expects a swing toward the positive as consumers realize that the fire sale-like deals will not last forever.
"Smart shoppers are looking for values," she said. "And they're finding them, so properties are moving."
Although, Holm Sheeley said, the community sees fewer visitors these days, a higher percentage are serious shoppers. Roughly one out of every 11 visitors to Sandoval last year bought a home.
2008 marked the second year in a row of sales increases in the community in a time when a number of its affluent-market competitors fell on much harder times.
Still, Holm Sheeley said, buyers were not exactly lining up to move into Sandoval when the community went on the market in early 2005.
"There were a lot of people who waited. There were some buyers that came in early but wanted to wait until the amenities were built out," she said. "Some people like getting in on the ground floor. Others are people like me, who have hard time buying based upon a sheet a paper."
Holm Sheeley said she is confident the uptick will continue since, in an up or down market, Southwest Florida remains an attractive place to live.
"There are a lot of great places to live in Cape Coral, Sandoval included, and we're very optimistic that this momentum will continue," she said.
Cape Coral Association of Realtors President Paula Hellenbrand shares her optimism.
"I just received the new numbers today, and it's clear that the market is changing. In the fourth quarter of 2008, home sales in Cape Coral were up 295 percent. We currently have 3,900 homes on the market. In the first quarter of 2008 we had 4,400," she said.
Hellenbrand, the broker-owner of Encore Realty, concedes that with homes selling for less, real estate professionals are having to sell more homes to turn the same profits that in recent years would have taken fewer closings.
More work for Realtors, however, could eventually benefit every homeowner in the city due to simple supply and demand. As continued sales decrease residential inventories, they eventually lead to greater demand and subsequently higher selling prices.
Hellenbrand said the resulting increase in property values may take several months or even years to culminate, but in the meantime potential homebuyers can bargain shop.
"Think of it as going to your favorite department store and seeing something you have always wanted on the discount rack and it's 75 percent off," she said. "That's what the market is like now, and that's why it's trending upward."
To emphasize her point, Hellenbrand cited a home that county records reportedly show sold for just over $150,000 as recently as 2005.
"In a few hours, one of my buyers is closing on that house for $85,000," she said.
A basic economics lesson, however, does not take into account the human factor that will eventually revitalize the housing market and, presumably, allow the broader-reaching economy to bootstrap itself from its current malaise.
Cape Realtor Lenora Marshall, of Century 21 Sunbelt Realty, believes that the current wave of buyers will continue to benefit the local real estate market long after they have closed on their homes.
"People are buying homes to live in, not just as an investment that they are hoping to flip," she said. "When these people move in, they improve the value of the entire neighborhood."
Instead of having an abandoned or absentee-owned home next door, the new neighbors set about improving the property, Marshall said.
"Even if that just means cutting the grass or applying a fresh coat of pain, the property is now someone's home and not just a house, so it's likely going to be well taken care of," she said. "Many people also are planting trees. Cape Coral definitely needs more trees. Buyers who are purchasing homes to live in, and not as a business venture, end up making Cape Coral a better place to live."
Any uptick in the housing market generally bodes well for the health of the further reaching economy.
A 2004 research project by the Center for Applied Economic Research at Montana State University concluded that a strong real estate market can benefit many more people then just those directly involved in the construction and marketing of homes.
In fact, the researchers said, strong sales of new and existing homes can impact an economy all the way up to the county level and beyond, regardless of where, specifically, the homes are being sold.
The study emphasized the direct, indirect and induced effects of home sales.
Direct effects benefit the businesses involved in the sale of real estate such as real estate, mortgage and title firms. Businesses that aid or facilitate property sales, accounting and advertising firms, benefit indirectly from upward market swings.
The final effect, what researchers call induced effect, is also the most far-reaching. Everyone who makes money from real estate transactions also spends money for goods and services, thus benefiting everyone from dry cleaners to fast food restaurants.
However, it takes time to overcome any recession, according to Gary Jackson, director of the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University.
"I think the economy is making a comeback, but it's going to take time. We may be looking at 2011 before the recession ends," he said.
According to Jackson, that may be just what the economy needs to stay healthy in the long run.
"When things are good and booming, volatility can rise faster and that's always going to be a problem. We have to think about the impact and the long-term effects," he said.
Jackson harkens back to 2001 when Southwest Florida last saw a noticeable recession.
"We were able to come out of that fairly quickly, but we won't be able to do it this time around because we just don't have the population growth that we were having then," he said. "Most economic forecasts call for a slow return, maybe as late as 2011. That's desirable. The growth that led to this recession wasn't sustainable. Slower growth is what we want."
Key to recovery is consumer confidence, Jackson said.
"Consumer confidence is important and it has risen a little bit in the last few months, but it's still very low. When consumers are concerned about losing their jobs or their homes, they stop buying the durable goods whose production and sale drive the economy."
Jackson said newly seated President Barack Obama may inspire confidence in some buyers, but America should not expect a speedy recovery.
"He's got some new ideas and may be able to turn things around, but even he admits that it's not going to happen overnight. He's been very explicit when talking about his stimulus package, that it is going to take time. He's even said that he may not be able to implement all of his ideas in one term."
Regardless, Jackson looks into the economic crystal ball with guarded optimism.
"I think we're already on the road to recovery," he said. "But it's going to take a little more time to get there."
By CLINTON BURTON, cburton@breezenewspapers.com
The residential real estate market that, when it fell, dragged the American economy into one of the worst recessions in recent history, hit Southwest Florida particularly hard.
Homeowners lost homes that they could not afford to keep and jobs they could not afford to lose.
However, 2009 may bring a glimmer of hope from the very economic segment that cast a pall over 2008 - real estate.
Figures released this week by the Cape Coral Association of Realtors and by one of Southwest Florida's biggest developers indicate that the residential housing market, vital to the local economy, may be on the cusp of making a comeback.
Sandoval, a Bonita Bay Group community in northwest Cape Coral, reported an increase in sales in 2008 over 2007. Debbie Holm Sheeley, general manager of community operations, said she expects a swing toward the positive as consumers realize that the fire sale-like deals will not last forever.
"Smart shoppers are looking for values," she said. "And they're finding them, so properties are moving."
Although, Holm Sheeley said, the community sees fewer visitors these days, a higher percentage are serious shoppers. Roughly one out of every 11 visitors to Sandoval last year bought a home.
2008 marked the second year in a row of sales increases in the community in a time when a number of its affluent-market competitors fell on much harder times.
Still, Holm Sheeley said, buyers were not exactly lining up to move into Sandoval when the community went on the market in early 2005.
"There were a lot of people who waited. There were some buyers that came in early but wanted to wait until the amenities were built out," she said. "Some people like getting in on the ground floor. Others are people like me, who have hard time buying based upon a sheet a paper."
Holm Sheeley said she is confident the uptick will continue since, in an up or down market, Southwest Florida remains an attractive place to live.
"There are a lot of great places to live in Cape Coral, Sandoval included, and we're very optimistic that this momentum will continue," she said.
Cape Coral Association of Realtors President Paula Hellenbrand shares her optimism.
"I just received the new numbers today, and it's clear that the market is changing. In the fourth quarter of 2008, home sales in Cape Coral were up 295 percent. We currently have 3,900 homes on the market. In the first quarter of 2008 we had 4,400," she said.
Hellenbrand, the broker-owner of Encore Realty, concedes that with homes selling for less, real estate professionals are having to sell more homes to turn the same profits that in recent years would have taken fewer closings.
More work for Realtors, however, could eventually benefit every homeowner in the city due to simple supply and demand. As continued sales decrease residential inventories, they eventually lead to greater demand and subsequently higher selling prices.
Hellenbrand said the resulting increase in property values may take several months or even years to culminate, but in the meantime potential homebuyers can bargain shop.
"Think of it as going to your favorite department store and seeing something you have always wanted on the discount rack and it's 75 percent off," she said. "That's what the market is like now, and that's why it's trending upward."
To emphasize her point, Hellenbrand cited a home that county records reportedly show sold for just over $150,000 as recently as 2005.
"In a few hours, one of my buyers is closing on that house for $85,000," she said.
A basic economics lesson, however, does not take into account the human factor that will eventually revitalize the housing market and, presumably, allow the broader-reaching economy to bootstrap itself from its current malaise.
Cape Realtor Lenora Marshall, of Century 21 Sunbelt Realty, believes that the current wave of buyers will continue to benefit the local real estate market long after they have closed on their homes.
"People are buying homes to live in, not just as an investment that they are hoping to flip," she said. "When these people move in, they improve the value of the entire neighborhood."
Instead of having an abandoned or absentee-owned home next door, the new neighbors set about improving the property, Marshall said.
"Even if that just means cutting the grass or applying a fresh coat of pain, the property is now someone's home and not just a house, so it's likely going to be well taken care of," she said. "Many people also are planting trees. Cape Coral definitely needs more trees. Buyers who are purchasing homes to live in, and not as a business venture, end up making Cape Coral a better place to live."
Any uptick in the housing market generally bodes well for the health of the further reaching economy.
A 2004 research project by the Center for Applied Economic Research at Montana State University concluded that a strong real estate market can benefit many more people then just those directly involved in the construction and marketing of homes.
In fact, the researchers said, strong sales of new and existing homes can impact an economy all the way up to the county level and beyond, regardless of where, specifically, the homes are being sold.
The study emphasized the direct, indirect and induced effects of home sales.
Direct effects benefit the businesses involved in the sale of real estate such as real estate, mortgage and title firms. Businesses that aid or facilitate property sales, accounting and advertising firms, benefit indirectly from upward market swings.
The final effect, what researchers call induced effect, is also the most far-reaching. Everyone who makes money from real estate transactions also spends money for goods and services, thus benefiting everyone from dry cleaners to fast food restaurants.
However, it takes time to overcome any recession, according to Gary Jackson, director of the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University.
"I think the economy is making a comeback, but it's going to take time. We may be looking at 2011 before the recession ends," he said.
According to Jackson, that may be just what the economy needs to stay healthy in the long run.
"When things are good and booming, volatility can rise faster and that's always going to be a problem. We have to think about the impact and the long-term effects," he said.
Jackson harkens back to 2001 when Southwest Florida last saw a noticeable recession.
"We were able to come out of that fairly quickly, but we won't be able to do it this time around because we just don't have the population growth that we were having then," he said. "Most economic forecasts call for a slow return, maybe as late as 2011. That's desirable. The growth that led to this recession wasn't sustainable. Slower growth is what we want."
Key to recovery is consumer confidence, Jackson said.
"Consumer confidence is important and it has risen a little bit in the last few months, but it's still very low. When consumers are concerned about losing their jobs or their homes, they stop buying the durable goods whose production and sale drive the economy."
Jackson said newly seated President Barack Obama may inspire confidence in some buyers, but America should not expect a speedy recovery.
"He's got some new ideas and may be able to turn things around, but even he admits that it's not going to happen overnight. He's been very explicit when talking about his stimulus package, that it is going to take time. He's even said that he may not be able to implement all of his ideas in one term."
Regardless, Jackson looks into the economic crystal ball with guarded optimism.
"I think we're already on the road to recovery," he said. "But it's going to take a little more time to get there."
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