Bart and Patti Reid Broward County, FL real estate | 954.306.7414
Are things looking up for real estate in Florida? The news is up for interpretation. Florida has the third-highest concentration of negative equity in the nation, with 46 percent of homeowners statewide owing more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, according to a new report from CoreLogic. However, the number is on the decline. Florida saw a 0.9 percentage point decrease in negative equity during the third quarter, compared to the 0.5 percent percentage point decrease reported nationwide. Overall, 22.5 percent of all residential U.S. properties had underwater mortgages as of the end of the third quarter. TRD
On December 14, 2010 the Sun Sentinel reported that the number of homes worth less than the values of their mortgages declined in the third quarter, but it was due to foreclosures of underwater properties, rather than an increase in home values, according to research firm CoreLogic. In Broward County, half of all homes with a mortgage — 220,384 properties — were underwater, a decrease from 52 percent in the second quarter. In Palm Beach County, the percentage of homes with an underwater mortgage fell to 43 percent from 44 percent in the second quarter.
Next Thursday evening, 12/16/2010, the annual “Forest Ridge Home Decorating Awards” will be presented to the most beautifully decorated homes in the Forest Ridge community. Each sub-division of Forest Ridge will have a winner.
This weekend (12/11 and 12/12) the ladies of the Forest Ridge Women’s Club will be walking around FR in the evening to enjoy all the lovely decorations. They will be making note of the addresses of their favorites, so be ready! The ladies will re-convene next Thursday to give out the awards to the winning homeowners! They will also be caroling and spreading good cheer and we all know that the ladies of the FRWC enjoy their “cheer”! (Transportation will be provided)
Forest Ridge Subdivisions include:
Arborwood
Chapel Hill
Hidden Hollow
Lake Park
North Orchard
Oak Grove
Oak Park
Old Orchard
Southern Orchard
The Ridge on Nob Hill
Good Luck to all and Happy Holidays.
This home sold in 3 days and it is the perfect example of what it takes to sell your home in today’s market for the highest price. This is an immaculate and updated 4 bdrm./3 bath pool home. The owners kept up the maintenance up so there were no signs of wear and tear, even though the house is 10 years old. The exterior of the home had great curb appeal, which caused many buyers to call me from the sign in the front yard. The owners chose the right color of wall paint to match their neutral, not trendy flooring. They kept their decorating to a minimum. Many homeowners have a tendency to over decorate their homes when they put them on the market; just remember that less is more. The kitchen in this home was recently updated with new cabinets, granite and appliances. If you are going to invest money in a house, this is the room to spend it in.
The best advice I can give home sellers is to start packing before you put the house on the market. You’re going to move anyway so why not act like it. Besides, it will save you a lot of aggravation when it comes time to move out. Start thinking like a buyer, not as the homeowner. Take a good look at the outside of your home. Does your home stand out from the rest on the block or is it an eyesore? Did you take time to freshen up the landscaping and clean up the yard? Is your driveway clean or can you see oil stains or weeds growing out of the pavers? How about the exterior paint, is it faded, will the color appeal to most people?
Give your home the sniff test. Ask a friend to be honest and tell you if there are lingering odors, smoke, doggie odors, moldy or musty smells. Do not mask those odors with candles or scented deodorizers. Most of the time you can eliminate the odors by painting the interior of your home, cleaning the carpets and taking the cause of the odors outdoors, (take Fido for a walk when the house is shown and only smoke where it can’t be detected inside the home).
You may not notice it but I bet the grout in your tile could use a good cleaning too. You can call any carpet cleaning company to do this for you or you can take the time to do it yourself. It just takes elbow grease, a toothbrush and some abrasive cleanser to get the dirt out and the results can make old tired floors look new again.
Check out the ceilings in your home. Do they need to be painted as well? Do the A/C vents look clean? Are the door knobs secure? Are the mirros and windows clean and shiny? Are all the lights working in the house? You would be surprised how many sellers overlook the fact that Realtors will turn on all the lights when showing a home. If your light bulbs are burned out the buyer will think you don’t maintain the rest of the home.
You will earn more money on the sale of your home by keeping it in move in condition. There are a lot of homes on the market right now and those that stand out in their class sell quickly, no matter what the price range.
Santa has once again teamed up with the Town of Davie to make phone calls to Davie children.
Santa Claus himself will call your child to say how proud he is of your good little girl and boy! Santa will need some help from parents. Please fill out the Santa Calling form for a personalized Santa phone call. Imagine your child’s face when he or she answers the phone and speaks with jolly old St. Nick!
Santa will be calling children Wednesday, December 22, 2010, after 6 p.m. from a secret location in Davie. All forms must be turned in by Friday, December 17, 2010. Santa Calling forms may be picked up and dropped off at the following locations:
Town Hall
6591 Orange Drive
Davie, Fl 33314
The Davie Pine Island Park Multipurpose Center
3801 South Pine Island Road
Davie, Fl 33328
Santa asks that if parents have more than one child for him to call, that they please staple their children’s forms together.
For more information, please contact Santa’s Davie helpers Ed or Mike at 954-327-3941.
This brand new listing has already captured the attention of many buyers. Situated on a landscaped lot abutting Pine Island Ridge, this home features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a heated pool/spa and a 3 car garage.
The open, triple split floor plan allows for 3 distinct bedroom areas and a centralized social area including the newly remodeled kitchen and family room, which opens to the pool/patio area.
The interior of the home has been perfectly decorated with neutral tile, paint and wood floors. Plantation shutters cover all window and sliding door openings. 
The new kitchen is a delightful place to prepare meals and entertain with cherry cabinetry (with pull out drawers and shelves), granite counter tops and upgraded KitchenAid stainless steel appliances. It features a large snack counter for informal dining as well as a breakfast nook.
The Ridge on Nob Hill is a subdivision of Forest Ridge in Davie with 200 semi-custom homes. It is located near all major highways, two A rated schools, a police and fire station, shopping malls and restaurants, as well as several town and county parks.
This home is offered at $489,000. For more details contact Patti Reid, EWM Realtors, (954) 854-6310.
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