Real Estate in Northeast Florida and Around the World

  The interest and demand for housing in the Northeast Florida market is on the rise, and I have been assisting my existing and brand new customers with selling and buying homes.  I have 5 pending sales since mid-January, two of which are short sale transactions, and four of which are my own listings, so I have put my customers first and unfortunately, not kept you, the interested reader, updated.  I apologize for my delayed update to Blogging the Times.

I have been discussing this furious activity that I am seeing with colleagues in my local chapter of Women's Council of Realtors, the local Watson Realty Corp. offices and also with our local builders, and they are all saying the same thing.  Buyers are out, houses are selling, and from the trends seen in the latest update from the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors market statistics, we are definitely on an improving track.  For the past 11 months, home sales have increased, and based on activity being seen in January and February, the data should support at least two more months of increased activity.  The Realtor community has been saying for some time now, we are touching the bottom of the housing prices, and in some communities, the bottom has already passed. 

So if you are interested in buying a home or selling your home and moving up to the next home, now is the time to get into the market.  If you are trying to "time" the market - chances are you will be too late by the time you think you have found it.  In addition, if you are able to take advantage of the home buyer tax credit of up to  $8,000 for first time buyers or up to $6,500 for "move-up" buyers, you must be under fully-ratified contract by April 30, 2010, and close no later than June 30, 2010.  This gives you just over 60 days to find that perfect house and get under contract, and if you are building, just over 4 months to close.  In other words - time is running out fast.  It does not appear that this tax credit will be extended again, or that new tax credits will be passed for purchasing a home. 

Now is the time to buy. I'll be driving around those neighborhoods, looking for houses for my buyers, and looking for opportunities to discuss selling your house.  So if you see me, give me a wave and let's have a chat.  See you around the neighborhood!