The most Important step in selling your home.

The most important step in selling your home is finding that sweet spot, the accurate market value of your home. If it’s priced too high, you will know in the first few weeks.

The biggest mistake home sellers make is pricing their new listing too high thinking they can always lower the price later.

 Seasoned Realtors watch the new listings coming on the market each day. These new listings are introduced on all the international Real Estate web sites and viewed by thousands of potential home buyers. This is when your listing gets the most exposure.  You only get one chance to make a great first impression.  A high priced listing is going to help your neighbor sell their home & waste precious time. The first 2 or 3 weeks are critical!! If the listing is priced to low a Realtor is leaving the seller's money on the table. This to me is a disservice to the customer.  

Getting a true accurate market value of your home takes research, market knowledge and experience. There are so many factors that equate into the formula.  A computer based home value engine treats all homes by price and square footage. It doesn’t take into consideration if a home was well cared for, has an updated master bath or is backed up to a main road. When a buyer applies for a mortgage the new lender sends a competent appraiser out to evaluate the property.

 If the contract price is higher than the appraised value, the whole process of showing your home, taking it off the market when the contract was signed, etc., was all a waste of time. This is a very complex evaluation reviewing recent sold properties in your area and comparing them to the subject property. Every detail of the property will be considered and compared with the recent sold properties in your area.

 If you are considering selling your home it may be worth more than you think. For a true, accurate market value of your home that is backed up by facts,  contact me and I will visit your home and do a complete comparable market analysis. Then I will show you my international marketing plan that will get more qualified buyers into your home.

David Foster GRI

239-246-5660

Web Site www.davefoster1.realtor

I can't afford my mortgage payments but I can't sell because I'm UPside DOWN!!!!

I wanted to share something with you that may benefit your finances in regards to your current mortgage.  IF you are currently upside down on your loan which many people are, and have unsuccessfully tried to get your lender to modify your balance or rate with no luck, then this might work.  I have not sent out any mortgage modification e-mails in the past, because the majority of the ones that were rolled out were simply glorified forbearance programs that most families did not qualify for anyway and had to spend 6 months sending in paperwork.  This is being done for primary residences only.

This will be very fast and easy, I promise.  You do need to meet 3 things first to see if you are eligible and then take step 2.  Follow instructions below:

1.       Go to the following links and input the minimal information requested to see if your loan is insured by either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.  If you know you have an FHA loan, then STOP as they are not participating in the HARP 2 program

http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup/  This link is for Fannie

https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate/  This link is for Freddie

If your loan is currently insured by either one of these, then proceed to step 2

2.      You must be current on your last 12 months payments to be eligible for this program, and will be qualified with a simple debt to income formula to be sure you meet the guidelines.  If you are current, then proceed to step 3.

3.      Call your current lender and ask them IF they are participating in the HARP 2 refinance or loan modification program and go from there.  There is NO appraisal done on this program and it does not matter how upside down you may or may not be.  PRMI is not writing these deals, but the majority of people I have spoken to have completed them in 2-3 weeks w/ little hassle.

Thank you to our Guest Blogger.... Brad Stahlhut from Primary Residential Mortgage!

David Foster GRI E-Pro



Buying a waterfront home in Southwest Florida?

Buying waterfront property in Southwest Florida? Hire a Realtor that knows how to navigate the waterways, find the fish and present the property by boat. A Realtor that is experienced in Waterfront Property closings knows the many factors that determine market value of a particular property. Visit my web site for more Real Estate and buyers info http://www.davefoster1.realtor

Here are some factors in a waterfront home that affect its market value.

1.      Elevation: Insurance Company’s will require an Elevation Certificate. This is basically a finished height of the properties slab compared to the sea level elevation.

 To reflect the most current flood risks, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is updating the nation’s flood maps using the latest data gathering and mapping technology. New flood maps (known as Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or DFIRMs) are being issued nationwide.  With these ever changing elevation flood level requirements, waterfront homes are getting harder and more expensive to insure. I work with Insurance agents who know the rules and can write the proper policy’s for your needs. For instance if a home was built in the 1970s and was compliant to the elevation rules at the time it was built, that home could be protected under the grandfather rule, resulting in lesser premiums. See FEMA web site for more information on flood zones and Grandfather Rules. http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=3745  I would recommend getting at least two insurance estimates (with Flood insurance) before making an offer on a Southwest Florida Waterfront home.

2.       Which way is the back yard facing? (Rear Exposure) In my opinion, Southern exposure is most desired & valuable. Especially if the property has a pool or a pool is part of the future plans.

In the Winter, the SWFL  sun dips lower in the  southern sky. When the temperatures are cooler the sun sparkles and warms the pool and back yard all day. My second choice would be Eastern exposure. We spend a lot of time on the back patio in the afternoon. So we enjoy the shade at that time. Some Buyers prefer Western exposure so they can enjoy the beautiful SWFL evening sunsets from the back yard. Every buyer is different. My former neighbor lived across the street and preferred his western exposure. He liked to work in his garage in the late afternoon after work. So when my garage was 100 degrees in the summer afternoon his was in the shade. It’s very important to meet with and get to know your buyers before viewing potential properties. This saves both parties a lot of precious time in choosing the right property for them.

3.       Location of the Lot: If you’re a Boater or like to fish, how far, and more importantly how long does it take to get to your favorite beach or fishing spots. A boat visit to the property is a must before you buy!! Some areas may not be accessible at low tide for the size or type of boat you have.

4.       Permits: Do you want to build a pool? Boat lift? Dock? Add square footage? Better bring a survey down to the zoning department and or Southwest Florida Water Management Etc. to make sure your project is acceptable.

An experienced Realtor can guide you through this process and even write the contract contingent upon buyers obtaining a permit for boat lift or any other project that’s high on your priority list.

David Foster GRI E-Pro 239-246-5660     www.davefoster1.realtor

 

Tired of the stock market roller coaster? Want to make some real money? I know where the deals are and I have a system in place to buy fix up and sell SWFL Real Estate. If you think you may be interested contact me through my web site. Could be the best financial decision you ever made.

www.davefoster1.realtor   239-246-5660

Searching for a Home or Investment Property in Southwest Florida?

Searching for a home in Southwest Florida?

Easy & Quick Real Estate!

Does anyone not have my email address?? The amount of emails I get a day is staggering.

Seems every website you go on you have to give up your email and personal information to do simple tasks. Company’s make big money selling email lists! I wanted to make sure when my Marketing Director, Britney, and I created my website, my visitors could use the tools without giving their information. A lot of the Real Estate websites have outdated listings and information on them. My web site is far from elaborate, it’s  simple, like me.  Just give me what I need so I can get on with my life!! It is updated constantly during the day so you won’t waste your time looking at listings that have been under contract for months. On the Buyer’s page, there is a simple mortgage calculator and amortization you can use.

When you’re ready to visit any of your favorite properties, just email or call me for a private showing.

If you have any Real Estate questions contact me through the site. If I can’t answer them I have a team of Real Estate Lawyers and mortgage professionals who can. Please feel free to click on the link below and check it out.

http://www.davefoster1.realtor

Catalina Isles - Ft. Myers

The A+ neighborhoods & Properties are still selling strong!
With all the Real Estate gloom & doom out there, I thought this would be a
great story. It's truly amazing how fast the homes are selling out in the Catalina Isles
 Neighborhood!!! I counted 22 homes under construction, and I'm sure there are more under permit.
All week long are suppliers, construction workers, lunch trucks, &
Realtors working. This neighborhood is getting close to being sold out. I have been informed that DR. Horton, the Builder has acquired Banyan Bay (a neighborhood just
South of here). Ryland homes started building there but stopped during the Real Estate slow down. As a Licensed Florida Realtor, I could choose just about anywhere to live.
In my opinion it's about location, quality construction, amenities and where
we can get the best bang for our buck.
For my family, Catalina Isles fits all the above criteria.
1. Location- Catalina Isles is nestled between a Huge Nature preserve
and the South end of Winkler Avenue, Approximately 1 mile South of the
 Summerlin/Winkler intersection. Close to Lakes park, a brand new WA-KE
 HATCHEE COMMUNITY PARK a 25+ acre park include walking trails, tennis
 courts, dog park, playground and restroom facilities. Ten minutes to Fort
Myers Beach. Fifteen minutes to Sanibel Island. One traffic light to Health
 Park Hospital, and 20 minutes to downtown Fort Myers.
 2. Quality Construction- A world class builder, D.R. Horton stands by
 their product. Instead of gambling on an abused Foreclosure or Short Sale,
 clients prefer a brand new house that's competitively priced with a
 warrantee.
3. Amenities- A Gated community with a club house, pool, playground, &
exercise room with a beautiful lake view that's not too over the top. I love
that all the maintenance is bundled at a very reasonable price.
4. Prices that compete with anywhere in Lee County.
Call me today for a free tour of Catalina Isles! David Foster (239) 246-5660

Guest Blogger: Brad from Primary Residential Mortgage Inc!

Needs list for the financing of your new home:

In today’s tightly regulated financial world, documentation for proof of income, assets, employment, etc. is now a much more thorough process than ever before.  Dotting of every I and T is being taken and additional steps have been added to the process to insure that nothing is being overlooked.  When preparing for your financing appointment, be sure to gather the following items to bring with you.  Do not be alarmed when additional items are requested midstream as some of the items provided may open up for additional documents to justify/satisfy the underwriter during the loan approval process.

1.       2 forms of identification for all parties applying for financing

2.      Tax returns for the past 2 filing years w/ all schedules and pages

3.      W2’s/1099’s for the past 2 years

4.      Pay-stubs covering 1 month for all parties applying for financing

5.      Bank statements for the past 2 months for all accounts being used to show assets for purchase / All pages

6.      Most recent IRA/401k statement(S)

7.      Most recent monthly mortgage statement on property currently owned OR Landlord contact information if renting

This will get you off to a good start, and provide your loan officer with sufficient information to submit your loan into processing.

Brad A. Stahlhut

Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.

P – 239-418-1170  F – 239-277-0325

BStahlhut@primeres.com

NMLS # 323904