News for Real Estate Agents in the Jacksonville Florida area…

On a Monday morning in October , October 5, 2009

This is the second time a problem has come to my attention in the last couple of weeks – as if finding a buyer willing to buy a condo wasn’t difficult enough, and finding financing for that condo and getting it to appraise…

The newest problem is obtaining documents that are part of the “required” documentation that we are supposed to provide for our customers from either the listing agents or the associations. It appears that there seems to be the thought that just by avoiding providing the information and stating that they are not available .

Ronda Densford, one of our Fellow Magnolias (in the truest Mississippi sense of the word, Girlfriends!) has been handling this latest issue beautifully….even quoting the Florida Statutes in her kind request or genteel reminder (Fl Statute 718.111(12) (C), too I might add……

One more challenge to add to the mix these days….another “character building” experience as my mother says…

Well, I always said that we Realtors are a bunch of “characters”…but I guess it will have a whole new meaning as we navigate 09’s real estate market through the end of the year! I am proud of you Ronda!

You were professional, impressive, even forceful…all the while keeping that Southern Charm!.

NORTHEAST FLORIDA NEWS

Realtor Alert!

According to the statistics quoted from the Internal Revenue Service, 1.4 million people have taken advantage of the generous first time homebuyer tax credit of $8,000. But now is the time to be very very cautious!

In order for this tax credit to be utilized by these buyers any purchase must be “completed by December 1”. So the expression “time is of the essence” is of ultimate importance. Anything sold or placed under contract at this time may not….likely not…make that deadline. This is a very important fact that must be disclosed and I would advise….disclosed in writing…to your customers if they are first time homebuyers!!!

Of course, there is lots of conversation about extensions, even increases…in the tax credit. But, and the BUT is really big…nothing is done until it is done…nothing concrete, no promises, no dates….

Nothing but talk.

Do everyone a favor including yourself….make sure that any first time homebuyers you are working with right now that want to go to contract understand that this tax credit is probably not going to work for them as long as all rules remain as they are. But you might also remind them, that in the coming months…that same house they may be able to buy today could be gone, more expensive, rates could be higher, – $8,000 may not be enough money to keep them from having their dream home if they find it.

From the desk of Eileen Blocker…

Did you know that you might be in a new flood zone? Flood Maps are changing, oh yes they are!

You can always check the flood maps on www.mappingtherisk.com (and I haven’t checked it out yet myself) but it is in our wonderful Nefar News this month. These maps do not come into effect until 2010. There is also a number to call for info 630-CITY during the week to answer questions.

As Nefar News says: “Every home and commercial building in Jacksonville has some risk of flooding – but the risk varies, sometimes even in the same neighborhood….”

But remember to share with your customers that if they don’t have flood insurance, whether or not they are in a flood zone, if there is flood damage they are not covered under regular homeowner’s policies!

From the desk of Eileen Blocker…

I think that maybe, just maybe..there is a hint of fall in the air! I love the change of season (even though our change is pretty subtle) and as usual, it kind of freshens my outlook as well. Does it yours? Maybe just a little less humidity and a few less degrees in heat….brings an attitude adjustment –a t least for me.

Something I was thinking about this morning is crisis management. “CRISIS Management” is probably a better way to express it in writing – or at least for me, most of the time. In this current market where every sale is so precious and a lot of work to come by, one of our agents, Steve Preis had to manage an interesting crisis yesterday. Manage it he did and very well I might add. He sold a new construction to be built in a popular community (as popular as a new community can be in our market) and his customer was making the selections for her new home. He got a frantic call from this customer because she found out that the exterior color of her home was “to be Seafoam”…Now, she did not pick Seafoam, she doesn’t like Seafoam, the house isn’t built, the contract said one of 30 preselected colors (not that it would be picked for her from the set of 30 colors) and she was blindsided. Her dream home was to be SEAFOAM!

Steve called the site agent – she called her sales manager…and guess what?… yup…the house had to be green or the buyer could ‘GET HER MONEY BACK!!!!!” No discussion. Interesting approach from a builder in this market –don’t ya think?…but true nonetheless. Steve quickly went to the color center, picked her up and took her to see several Seafoam homes (beautifully landscaped too I am sure) just to be sure – not to talk her into anything, just to see the color on something larger than a little swatch – just in case……and guess what, she loves her soon to be green house.

GO STEVE! Surely Win-Win. On to the next one!