I Smelled Skunk the First Couple of Sentences out of His Mouth

 

I got a call the other day from a man that indicated he was “good friends” with my seller over on 12345 Main St. here in Melbourne Florida. He indicated that he had looked at my seller, ‘Bob’s’ house for the second time in a week and he wanted to buy it.

I smelled skunk. RED FLAG #1 – I have known my seller for years. And he’s very conscientious. Why was this ‘buyer’  calling me and Bob hadn’t called to tell me this ahead of time? Not like Bob, at all! AND, I know I had not made any appointments this past week for showings on this particular property.

He told me that after speaking to Bob, inside of his house for 45 minutes today, he and ‘Bob’ had come to terms on a sales price. I smelled skunk! RED FLAG #2!  Again, not like Bob!

“Are you working with a REALTOR?, ” I asked.  figuring I already knew the answer to this question.

“No, I’m not.”

“How long have you and Bob been friends?” I asked.  I wanted to sniff this skunk out!

“Oh, well, umm, well, umm,” he stuttered, “we met this week.” OFFICIALLY A SKUNK! I KNEW IT! RED FLAG #3! Three strikes and you’re out.  Dead in the water.  I knew it! HE LIED TO ME – EVEN WORSE!

My first thought was…OH NO, my seller let a perfect stranger into his house without even knowing who he was! This is one of my greatest fears in being an agent!  And, the first sentence out of the guy’s mouth was a lie! OH NO!

When I take a listing I always tell sellers NOT TO LET ANYONE IN THEIR HOMES unaccompanied by an agent!

 I don’t like lies and deception and I especially don’t like people that play games. I was not happy at all. I wanted to get this guy off the phone.

“So, what is your offer?”  I don’t like to do anything verbally in real estate. I like everything in writing. But, I could imagine what this guy was going to tell me next!

“Well, Bob and I have already agreed to everything, but he told me that I needed to talk to you before we went any further.”

This guy continued on and on and on, as I interrupted and interrupted and interrupted because the more I talked to him the more I thought the guy was a wheeler dealer – the type that I really don’t care for! I wanted to get him OFF the phone!

“Look,” I said, “just get to the bottom line here, what is your offer?”

Well, the bottom line was, he had no lender, he was offering $160,000 on a $120,000 listing. But, told me that he’d like to have 2 separate contracts with 2 different sets of numbers on them. (Don’t waste my time, buddy!) He wanted to take possession of the property immediately, with an open date for closing.  He even had the gall to tell me that he would give me a $5000 kickback, after closing, if I would agree to do this transaction and not tell anyone about the kickback! Unbelievable! I WAS APPALLED! He reminded me 6 times that he and my seller had already come to terms on this transaction.  I was not at all surprised by his offer. When he was finished, he added that he and I could go into partnership together and make lots and lots of money together! He said he could show me all “kinds” of creative ways to make serious money!

Under the circumstances, I remained very professional, and hung up on this joker.

Needless to say, the minute I got off the phone, I contacted ‘Bob’ immediately.  As, I previously mentioned, we have know each other for years.  I know I sounded like his mother.  “What are you doing letting a perfect stranger into your house?  You don’t know him, you know better, yada, yada, yada…” I spewed.  When I finished giving him his 40 lashes, I asked him if he had arranged a “deal” with this guy. I presented the offer to my seller, as my job is to present any and all offers, verbal or written.

“Sandy, I told this guy that this sounded illegal and I would not do anything that is illegal and I would not do anything at all without my REALTOR!”

I commended Bob.

Bob also told me that this guy was adamant about NOT getting Bob’s Realtor involved.  Said they could do it without a Realtor and it would be more money to Bob.

Well, needless to say what this guy was proposing was 100% ILLEGAL!

SELLERS BE CAREFUL!  DO NOT LET ANYONE IN YOUR HOME THAT IS UNACCOMPANIED BY YOUR REALTOR OR A REALTOR THAT HAS A PRESET APPOINTMENT TO LOOK AT YOUR HOME! BOB was LUCKY!

 

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

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October Sales Figures in Brevard County Florida

According to the Melbourne Association of REALTORS here in Brevard County Florida

Statistics for October 2008:

 

For single family residential units:

There were 561 new listings.

This is a decrease of 27.61% from October 2007 of 775 new listings.

Year to date there were 7516 new listings.

 

There were 226 sold listings.

This is a 1.80% increase from October 2007 of 222 sold listings.

Year to date there are 2672 listings sold.

 

The average sale price was $192,766.

This is a 9.17 decrease from October 2007 of $212,226.

 

Average days on the market were 138.

This is a 12.20% increase from October 2007 of 123 days.

 

For all properties, including single family residential, condo and townhouse:

There were 910 new listings.

There were 280 sold listings.

Average sales price was $175,198.

Average days on the market were 151.

 

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

 

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Take Time to Be Thankful for All That You Have

In one week we will celebrate Thanksgiving.  It came so quickly this year, in just the blink of an eye.  Time just got away from me. 

 

It’s at this time of year we must truly take a moment out of our busy lives and take time to reflect. We have so much to be thankful for.

 

My sister, Jean and her husband, Charley will be coming in from Ft Walton Beach to visit us here in Melbourne Florida.  They are arriving Sunday to spend the week with us.  I love my sister dearly, She always tells me that she is my best audience, because she laughs at ALL of my stupid jokes (I’m not very good at delivering the punch line).

 

And, my brother in law, Phil and sister in law, Eileen will be coming in from Georgia on Wednesday for a couple of days. My girls love seeing and spending time with both of them.

 

I am blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.  I am really looking forward to bringing everyone together and taking a couple of days to enjoy the special people in my life.

I hope that all of us are able to take time to reflect and be thankful for the wonderful gifts we have in our families and friends.

 

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

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What if There Were No Tomorrows?

 

Days come and go and life seems to fly by. We go through our day to day motions, but do you know where you are going?  Are you headed in the right direction? Are you on the right path?  Or did you lose your way and get side tracked?  Maybe you didn’t even know you lost your way…

Yesterday we celebrated the coming of the new year and it feels like tomorrow will be Christmas.

How do we get here? Where is here? Do you even know where you are?  Are you where you’re supposed to be?

Sometimes I feel that ‘LIFE GETS IN THE WAY OF LIVING’.

So often we see others that don’t know where they’re going. If we don’t know where we’re going than how do you know if you have gotten there yet?

Do you ever take a moment to write down your long term goals?

Where would you like to be in 5 years?

What are your personal goals? Are you taking care of yourself, your health? BE SPECIFIC: I would like to exercise 4 days a week, for 30 minutes a day and lose 20 pounds.

And where do you see your family in 5 years?

Where would you like to see your business in 5 years?  EX: I want to make X number of dollars in 2013 and this equates to X number of closings this year. Or I want to close X amount of dollars in loans a year in 2013.

Do you ever take a moment to write down your short term goals? 

Where would you like to be in 1 year?  What are your personal goals?

What about the goals for your family? Do you need to tell someone you’re sorry or tell someone that you love them?  Do you need to tell your child how proud you are of them or how special they are to you?

What about your business goals? Make them specific…in the year 2010 I want to make X amount of dollars. this equates to selling X number of homes.

Your goals should always be in writing, so you can regulary refer to them, to make sure that you are on the right path and you can stay focused.

NOW HERE’S A DIFFERENT TWIST ON IT.

What if…you’ve been given ONLY 1 year to live, write down your goals. 

After you’ve done this, compare your lists.

I’m guessing that there’s a sharp contrast between your 1 & 5 year goals and your 1 year to live goals.  IF there is then you’re NOT LIVING!  It’s time for you to rethink your life and reprioritize what’s really important. It’s time to rearrange your goals.

Are you in good health?  Are you spending enough time with your family?  Do you have a healthy balance between work and play?

TODAY is the most important day in your life because no one knows how many tomorrows any one of us has.

A 16 year old friend of my teenage daughter lost her mother this month in a car accident.  They were on their way to a family outing. The family and local community have been shocked and devasted by the loss of this phenomenal woman! Her daughter has handled the situation better than anyone can under the circumstances.  It is incredible to see someone so young be so strong!

We must remember to set our goals for today. And live today, because tomorrow may never come.

 

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

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Lower Tax Bills on Short Sales and Bank Foreclosures? Probably Not!

 

I recently read an article regarding taxes on short sale and bank foreclosure properties. I found it interesting, as the last several buyers that I have worked with have purchased homes that were either bank owned or getting ready to be bank owned.

New owners hope that their new home will be assessed based on the new lower price they purchase the property for at time of sale.  But, we are hearing that may not be the case in Florida. 

There are many things taken into consideration when assessed values are calculated.  In Florida the tax assessors office compares prices of similar homes that have sold in an area to determine values.  These comparisons will NOT include any foreclosure or short sale properties.

In some areas of Florida assessed value could be approximately 85% of market value.

Tax bills in Brevard County Florida were mailed out the first of November. The assessments are based on property values in January of this year.

NOTE: Please check with the tax assessors office in your area to determine how taxes are calculated in your area.

 

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

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Ascension Fall Festival Here in Melbourne Florida

 

The Ascension Fall Festival is being held here in Melbourne Florida this weekend.

There is food, fun, games, live entertainment, dancing and singing.

The City of Melbourne Dancers performed their tap, ballet and hip hop routines.

This is one of my favorite events to attend because my girls, Sam and Stef have been dancing at the festival for many years. Tonight, they performed their new hip hop dance and a sit down tap routine (you think tap dancing is hard standing up, try it while sitting down!)

We had a great time playing games, seeing and spending time with friends, and eating good food.

 

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

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Florida Ranks #1 in International Homebuyers

 

According to the National Association of Realtors Florida still leads the nation in the number of foreign homebuyers it attracts.  From May 2007 to May 2008 one in four international buyers made their puchase here in Florida, just over 25%.  California ranked 2nd and Arizona ranked third.

These buyers are coming from Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, China, India and Germany.  They have been attracted by the declining market many areas of Florida have been faced with. 

Studies have shown that 43% of foreign buyers buy with cash, compared to approximately 7% of Americans.

55% of homes bought by foreigners are used as a primary residence.  While over 31% purchase for vacation as well as investment purposes.  And only 13% are purchased for investment.

  

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

 

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Investors – Single Family or Multi Family Properties?

 

Investors always ask what kind of property they should buy. Many start the business thinking that a multi unit building is their best bet.  My recommendation to them is to start with a single family house.

I do not invest in small multi family complexes.  I prefer single family houses for rental units.  I have had many investors that have experienced the best and worst of both types of properties.

 

I find that single family properties are easier to buy, sell, rent, own and manage than multi family units.

Single family units typically:

(the following comparison is single family vs. small 4-10 unit multi family complexes)

 >are easier and cheaper to buy

 >are easier to get financed. Often times owner financing or creative financing is required.

 >require less money down, because they are often cheaper than multi family.

 >are easier to rent (provided they are affordable) as many don’t want to live in a multi family district.

 >are easier to sell, and sell quicker.  Often because there is a wider audience for the single family unit. A multi family property is usually restricted to investor buyers.

 >appreciate more quickly than multi family units.  Often this is due to the fact that the small multi family units are located in high rental areas with other such properties surrounding them. The value of the multi family is typically based on the amount of your rents. And often times rents are fixed to the rents on surrounding properties in the area.

 >rents are usually higher than multi family units (for the same square footage).  Often in multi family there is price fixing.  A tenant that has been renting from you for several years may be paying less rent than today’s market rent. Thus, you must be cautious in the amount of rent you charge for new tenants coming in, as they will be talking to your old tenants.

Multi family units can be more difficult to manage than single family units because multiple tenants of yours are living in close proximity to each other. This can cause problems:

    >As previously mentioned your tenants will talk to each other about how much they’re paying in rent.

    >If you have one disgruntled tenant. they can wreak havoc with your other tenants.

    >If one difficult tenant is breaking your rules, their bad habits can spill over to your other tenants. 

    >If this tenant begins breaking the law, it can carry over to your other tenants. 

    >Or you may find your tenants calling you regularly to report a difficult tenant. It can turn into a nightmare!

I don’t care to have any of my tenants living close to each other because it gets very complicated

In my opinion small multi family units require micro managing.  They are often more difficult to manage in that often they are lower priced rentals.  Thus, it becomes more difficult to collect rents.  Payment plans often must often be set up with tenants.  And the landlord must be at the property more often than a single family unit. 

Often the cash flow is more than in single family units. But, often the risk is higher. And often the vacancy rates and eviction rates are higher.  I prefer to take my money and divide it between multiple single family units, located away from each other.

Let me twist this a different way though: if you have only one single family rental and it is empty, than you have 100% vacancy.  But if you have a multi unit complex, and 1 unit out of 4 is empty you only have a 25% vacancy. That’s why I like to own multiple single family units.

I buy, sell, rent, own and manage single family rental houses. And I prefer them to small 4-10 unit multi family comlexes.

I also do not buy condos or townhouses.  There are associations that govern them, that can become rather difficult to deal with.  And there is one more hand in your pocket, taking money away from you, the association fee.  No thank you!

NOTE:  PLEASE REMEMBER THIS POST IS WRITTEN BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES IN REAL ESTATE INVESTING HERE IN MELBOURNE FLORIDA.   THIS INFORMATION MAY VARY DEPENDING ON THE AREA IN WHICH YOU  YOU ARE LIVING AND YOUR CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS.

 

This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR.

It is the exclusive property of, and may not be used without the written permission of Sandy Shores, Brevard County, Florida Space Coast. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Copyright 2008.

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Shuttle Endeavour Scheduled Liftoff

 

Kennedy Space Center has begun the countdown clock to the shuttle Endeavour liftoff on November 14, 2008 at 7:55 PM. This is one a just a few manned, night launches. There will be 7 astronauts on board. It will be a 15 day mission to the International Space Station. If the mission is a success, if will double the number of astronauts the station will ba able to hold in the future.

If you have never had the opportunity to see one of these it is well worth it.  It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Living here in Melbourne Florida, I am able to stand in my driveway and see the breathtaking views of the liftoffs.

NASA is carefully watching the weather report as they are indicating that a front is in the forecast that could bring in inclement weather.  This mission has previously been scrubbed.

Here is a link to read the full story.

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Foreclosed Homes Are Creating an Eyesore

 

There are currently over 300 empty homes here in Melbourne Florida, due to foreclosure. Some of these are causing real headaches for Code Enforcement officials.

Overgrown yards, unsecure muck filled pools, and rodents are becoming a real issue on some. The number of complaints on these homes has quadrupled in the past couple of years.  

Officials are trying to track down the banks/owners of these properties to try to rectify the situations.

Some lawns are becoming so overgrown that the city is posting a warning and is then is mowing the grass and charging the owners.

The city is trying to determine if they should implement additional laws to try to alleviate some of these problems.

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