Highland Beach Condos, Boca Raton Homes, Boca Raton Real Estate Advice and Opinions: Florida: Boca Raton

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Keeping your listings active during the holiday season is important.  Real Estate signs in South Florida get maximum exposure during this time from the seasonal snowbirds and out-of-town vacationers.  Here are some tips for your sellers to keep their homes holiday friendly for potentials buyers.

1. Use white lights as opposed to multi-color lights to keep the home neutral.
2. Keep holiday gifts in a closet.
3. Tone down the size of the Tree or Menorah.
4. Use more splashes of red (than green) and white (than blue); as red is a
    strong selling color and white is a neutral color.
5. At open houses and/or showings simmer a pot of hot chocolate or apple
    cinnamon cider to fill the house with a holiday aroma.
6. At open houses and/or showings set out festive holiday cookies for buyers.
7. Try to decorate with snowflakes, pinecones and other wintery things from
    nature rather than large religious decorations.

These helpful holiday tips may assist you in securing a contract this season.  Happy House Showings and Happy Holidays!

This week we’d like to thank Jackie Allen for participating in the holiday spirit at RE/MAX Services.  Jackie brought in gifs for the office as she does every year and brought smiles to the faces of her friends and co-workers.  Thank you Jackie and Happy Holidays!!

To Contact Jackie Allen:
Direct: 561.638.7020
Fax: 561.495.6353
HomesAllen@aol.com

You’ve shown your buyers property after property and you finally have an offer to make to the sellers.  There’s just one hitch, the sellers are out of town and they don’t have access to a fax or scanner.  Most everyone has experienced something similar to this situation and sometimes it leads to cold feet and lifeless contracts. Now there is a solution to this problem.  DocuSign has just unveiled the first electronic personal signature
‘DocuSign Ink’.  Previously DocuSign centered on the e-signature needs of businesses, however now the focus has shifted to consumers.  A connection to the internet from any device is the only requirement needed to complete contracts and forms.  Individuals may drag and drop their legally binding signatures and initials onto any document and simply email the document back to the sender.  The costs and bothers of printing, faxing and overnighting documents to obtain signatures have been eliminated once and for all.  DocuSign Ink is revolutionary and will change the way all consumer based businesses operate.  For real estate agents this is a dream come true.  For the first time contracts may be completed anytime from anywhere in the world!  For more information on DocuSign Ink please visit the website below.
https://www.docusign.com/products/docusignink

Sue Rundle can always be found at the office wearing a smile and willing to lend a helping hand to anyone that needs it.  Her positive attitude can be felt as soon as she enters the room.  Thank you Sue for helping to make RE/MAX Services a bright and cheery place.

To Contact Sue Rundle:
Direct: 561.901.6399
E-Fax: 561.340.1992
SRundle@comcast.net

Just a week after Realtor.com went international; RE/MAX announced the launch of their global site!  www.Global.REMAX.comwill complement www.REMAX.com and transform the way consumers search for properties around the world.  RE/MAX is the first in the industry to have such a site, no other real estate brand has a website with global reach.  If you’re wondering how it compares to Realtor.com, there is no comparison.  The new RE/MAX global site enables agents and customers to search over 60 countries and territories, whereas Realtor.com’s site launched with just 10 participating countries.  There are other benefits to the new site such as 30 different language translations, a World Property Channel news feed and best of all a currency converter that is activated when a specific language is chosen.
There has been a significant increase in foreign buyers looking to purchase in the U.S. and many Americans looking to purchase overseas, this site provides an ideal portal to listings around the world!  While RE/MAX’s virtual presence is growing, so is RE/MAX’s physical presence, franchise sales were up nearly 15% in the first half of 2011!  Remind your buyers and sellers that RE/MAX has locations in 87 countries, more than any other competitor.  Look into an IRES designation and try to make contact with offices around the globe to assist you in selling your south Florida properties.  There are over 6,300 offices and just about 90,000 agents worldwide! 
Visit the link below to explore the new RE/MAX global site.
http://global.remax.com/

Michael and Annette Farenga have a combined total of 40 years of real estate experience and are a driving force at RE/MAX Services.  In the last week they have seen six closings!  In addition to that, the Farenga’s are big participants with the Susan G. Komen for the cure.  Last, but not least, Annette lifts moral and brightens everyone day with her delicious cakes and treats!  Thank you and congratulations to the Farenga’s!

To Contact Michale and Annetter:
Direct: 561.703.4043 (Annette)
Direct: 561.703.4042 (Michael)
Office: 561.912.3500
Fax: 561.912.3501
AMFHomes@bellsouth.net

Ce Ce Kelner has been in South Florida since 1970.  Previously an interior designer she combined interior design with real estate when she obtained her license in 1979.  A 3 time cancer survivor Ce Ce has volunteered and given much time to working with the American Cancer Society.  Congratulations Ce Ce!

To Contact Ce Ce Kelner:
Direct: 561.302.4100
Office: 561.912.3500
Fax: 561.912.3501
CCKelner@yahoo.com
www.CCKelner.com
www.facebook.com/cckelner

One of the most crucial hindrances to economic recovery in the U.S. is the sluggish housing market, caused partly by a surplus of homeowners that cannot refinance their homes.  Two years the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) was introduced to assist in this problem; however it has not been very successful.  Federal regulators have announced that they have revamped this program and will be unveiling it on Monday.

Ordinarily when the Federal Reserve engineers lower interest rates people refinance, in turn mortgage payments are lowered, cash is untied for other things, spending begins and there is economic growth.  Currently mortgage rates have fallen (averaging near 4.11%) however there has not been a turn in economic growth since many homeowners cannot refinance.  This will soon change with the new elements of HARP.

One of the features of this overhaul is that it will allow borrowers to refinance regardless of how far their homes have fallen in value.  This could launch refinancing to masses of borrowers across the country that are underwater on their homes.

Another key aspect of the revamp is the restructuring of the refinance process that will eliminate appraisals and extensive underwriting requirements for borrowers that are current on their mortgage payments.  Appraisals have been a huge impediment in refinancing since home prices have fallen so greatly properties have too little equity to appraise out.  Often times lenders order multiple appraisals creating an “appraisal war” and most of the time is it at the borrower’s expense.  

The new HARP will overcome other obstacles in refinancing, such as waiving fees to borrowers that refinance into loans with shorter terms.  Banks will also be able to avoid “buy-backs” with HARP mortgages on borrowers that have made their last six mortgage payments and can prove they have a job.

It will be the middle of November when pricing details are released and lenders could be refinancing loans as soon as December 1^st.   There are however limits with HARP, loans that exceed the 125% of the property’s value will not be able to participate until early 2012 and HARP is only available to loans that Fannie and Freddie guaranteed as of June 2009.

HARP was originally set to expire June, 2012 however the program has been extended through 2013.  The program is certainly not a cure to the housing market or the economy, however the changes could incite an additional $1.6 million refinanced loans by the end of 2013.

The forms in the resource room drawers are continuously up to date, there’s always fresh coffee, office supplies are constantly stocked, phone calls are answered with a smile and the reception area is warm and inviting… why?  Because of our office manager Darcie Arahill.  She consistently out-does herself and helps to make RE/MAX Services a cheery and wonderful place to work.  Thank you for all you do for us Darcie!