Clearwater Florida
How The Treasury's Economy Revival Outline Helped Clearwater Home Affordability
February 11th, 2009 Categories: Clearwater Florida, Tampa Mortgage News
Clearwater Florida – His speech was much anticipated, but it was what Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner didn’t say Tuesday that helped Clearwater home affordability.
Mostly it was because of “safe-haven” buying on Wall Street.
Safe-haven buying is when investors move cash to the safest investments possible for fear of losing their money elsewhere.
This existence of the pattern is evident in looking at yesterday’s Dow Jones Index timeline. Stock markets were down some in the morning. Then, at 11:00 AM ET, in the moments immediately following the public release of Geither’s speech as text, stock market plunged by about 2 percent.
As the speech was delivered live, markets fell by 1 percent more.
It’s not that Geithner’s speech was a bad one, per se. It’s just that Wall Street was looking for a detailed plan that included remedies for banking, housing, and the economy overall. What it got instead was an outline for a plan and a frank discussion about the complexity of the economy.
Stock markets had been bid up last week in anticipation of a bailout. Tuesday’s action was the subsequent sell-off because economic uncertainty continues to linger.
It all ended up being good news for Tampa mortgage rate shoppers, though. When the dollars fled the stocks, they made their way towards safer, less-risky investments like mortgage bonds. And, because mortgage-backed bonds set the “going rate” for conforming mortgages nationwide, the added demand yesterday caused mortgage rates to fall, making mortgaged homes less expensive on a monthly basis, relative.
For now, rates remain near the bargain levels set in early-January. As the Treasury clarifies its plan in the coming weeks, however, rates are susceptible to big swings.
(Image courtesy: The Wall Street Journal)
Thinking of Buying or Selling a house in Clearwater Florida – We can help
If you have been thinking about buying or selling a home in the ClearwaterBeach Florida St Petersburg Tampa area…
Contact us for a FREE quote and to find out your Tampa Mortgage options and you can search all Tampa St Petersburg and Clearwater homes for sale right now..
Call Us Today at (727) 710-8036 to hear more about how we can help you!
Copyright © 2009 Jack and Cyndee Haydon, Clearwater Beach REALTORS and your Clearwater Beach Real Estate Consultants specializing in Clearwater St Petersburg Tampa Real Estate and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed or published.
About Cyndee Haydon
Cyndee Haydon, Realtor with Future Home Realty specializing in luxury waterfront and beach homes of Clearwater Beach - St Pete - Tampa Bay area with her husband and partner, Jack Haydon Cyndee's Google Profile
| Currently 1 Comment »
Sell Your Clearwater Home For 40% More, 17% Faster This Spring
February 2nd, 2009 Categories: Clearwater Beach Florida, Clearwater Florida, Condos for Sale, Homes for Sale
Clearwater Florida Home Sellers are preparing for Spring Home Selling Season
Clearwater Florida – I was talking with my friend Gayle Wade who is a Clearwater home stager and has been helping sellers in Pinellas County get there home ready to be sold in this “buyers real estate market” and realized this may be a topic our home sellers need to hear more about.
Super Bowl Weekend has ended and what a great game we had here in Tampa Florida – however it reminds me that this traditionally marks the start of the Spring Buying Season in real estate. Anecdotally, Clearwater real estate agents will tell you that buyer activity tends to tick higher at this time of the year.
Meanwhile, with mortgage rates still trolling near all-time lows and Congress debating a first-time homebuyer tax credit, 2009 may bring out even more buyers than we’ve seen in the past.
Just having your Clearwater home on the market may not be enough to attract an offer, though — the house has to have appeal. That brings us to home staging — the process by which a homeowner re-organizes and re-presents his home to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible.
Home staging is part-science, part-art, and part-psychology. Clearwater Homebuyers tend to judge homes within the first 8 seconds of seeing them so making a quality first impression can mean the difference between getting multiple bids, and just getting a lot of foot traffic.
The 4-minute video gives some quick-and-easy tips, including:
- Create more light in the home
- Clean up the closets and thin them out
- Remove the clutter from every room in the house
Even though home inventories are falling, supplies are still higher than in previous years. Home sellers wanting to stand out in a crowd may want to consider staging their homes to help them sell more quickly.
Staged homes sell for as much as 17% more money and as much as 40% faster than non-staged ones.
Thinking of Buying or Selling a house in Clearwater Florida – We can help
If you have been thinking about buying or selling a property in the Clearwater St Petersburg Tampa area…
Contact us for a FREE quote and to find out your Tampa Mortgage options and you can search all Tampa St Petersburg and Clearwater homes for sale right now..
Call Us Today at (727) 710-8036 to hear more about how we can help you!
Copyright © 2009 Jack and Cyndee Haydon, Clearwater REALTORS and your Clearwater Real Estate Consultants specializing in Clearwater Beach Florida St Petersburg Tampa Real Estate and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed or published.
About Cyndee Haydon
Cyndee Haydon, Realtor with Future Home Realty specializing in luxury waterfront and beach homes of Clearwater Beach - St Pete - Tampa Bay area with her husband and partner, Jack Haydon Cyndee's Google Profile
| Currently Comments Off on Sell Your Clearwater Home For 40% More, 17% Faster This Spring
Clearwater Florida Move-Up Homebuyers Face New Lending Challenges This Spring
February 1st, 2009 Categories: Clearwater Florida, Tampa Mortgage News
Clearwater Florida – When a homeowner sells his Clearwater house and decides to buy a new one, there are 3 basic options for the residence — sell it, keep it, or rent it. While we’ve seen lots of changes in our Pinellas County school zoning this past year we also have had less well known changes in financing your next Pinellas County home.
Unfortunately, no matter which path they choose, Clearwater Florida move-up homebuyers in need of a new conforming mortgage will find qualifying for a Tampa Bay home loan to be more difficult this season than in the past.
Tampa Mortgage guidelines are dramatically tighter for people “carrying two mortgages”.
Among the changes this spring’s buyers face:
Selling your Clearwater home when it’s your primary residence
If you plan to close on your new home prior to the closing of your existing home — even if it’s only by a day — both payments must be listed as monthly debts on your mortgage application. This will disqualify the majority of homebuyers.Converting your Clearwater house to a second homeIf your current home has less than 30 percent equity in it, your mortgage application for the new home will not be approved unless you can show 6 months worth of mortgage payments + taxes + insurance in reserves for the current home and new home combined.
Converting your house to an investment propertyIf your current home has less than 30 percent equity in it, any rental income derived from a tenant is disallowed on your mortgage application for the new home. You must still count the mortgage payment + taxes + insurance as a monthly debt.
Related article:
In other words, being a move-up buyer in Clearwater Florida isn’t as simple as it used to be. New lending rules make buying a new home an exercise in timing and financial planning. And the rules are expected to get tougher, too.
Therefore, if you expect to be buy a larger home in Clearwater in the next 12 months, consider moving up your timeframe or — at least — planning ahead for it.
Understanding the new Tampa mortgage landscape and how they can influence your upcoming purchase may be the difference between getting approved for a home loan, and getting turned down.
Thinking of Buying or Selling a house in Clearwater Florida – We can help
If you have been thinking about buying or selling a home in the Clearwater St Petersburg Tampa area…
Contact us for a FREE quote and to find out your Tampa Mortgage options and you can search all Tampa St Petersburg and Clearwater homes for sale right now..
Call Us Today at (727) 710-8036 to hear more about how we can help you!
Copyright © 2009 Jack and Cyndee Haydon, Clearwater REALTORS and your Clearwater Real Estate Consultants specializing in Clearwater St Petersburg Tampa Real Estate and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed or published.
About Cyndee Haydon
Cyndee Haydon, Realtor with Future Home Realty specializing in luxury waterfront and beach homes of Clearwater Beach - St Pete - Tampa Bay area with her husband and partner, Jack Haydon Cyndee's Google Profile
| Currently Comments Off on Clearwater Florida Move-Up Homebuyers Face New Lending Challenges This Spring
Clearwater Home Buyers – When They Say You Can Save 15% – Don't do it!
December 22nd, 2008 Categories: Clearwater Florida, Tampa Mortgage News
Clearwater Florida – Today we have the pleasure of welcoming guest blogger and Florida Mortgage Expert, Kevin Sandridge to share his timely Clearwater home buyer tips.
“Would you like to use your “Fancy-Schmantz Pantz Store Credit Card” with us today, ma’am? Oh, you don’t have one? Well… Do I have a Deal for You!”
STOP! Wait a beat… and read this first…
Don’t Open That Store Credit Card Account!
At least not if you’re in the market to buy or refinance a Clearwater Florida home. We’re in the holiday rush, and department stores and other retailers are raining down magical little store-brand “at the register” credit card offers on shoppers along with the “gift” of you saving 15% on your purchase. I know, I know… these offers tend to make our eyes light up bigger than Ralphie’s did in A Christmas Story when he finally got is Red Ranger BB Gun! However, for Florida home shoppers or those looking to refinance their Florida mortgage, taking advantage of these in-store savings could be a long-term bad idea.
The Christmas Story movie cover
You see, for folks looking to buy a Clearwater Home for retirement or a second home, a few points on their credit report can make a world of difference! Conforming mortgage lenders make rate adjustments for low credit scoring applicants. As an example, a home buyer with a 20 percent downpayment and a 715 credit score would face an interest rate adjustment of approximately 0.125%.
Once your credit score drops below 700, the adjustments on your Florida mortgage get even worse!
If you’re not in the market for a new Florida home or Florida mortgage refinance, then chances are that taking advantage of these “at the register” savings won’t pose any sort of difficulty for you. However, if you are considering a purchase or refinance, then please be aware of how these offers may impact your credit score. Consider this when the next store clerk with a sparkling smile and gleam in his eye offers you an easy way to save on your holiday gift spending…
“Is saving 15 percent on this $200 purchase worth the long-term cost of paying an extra 0.125 percent on my new mortgage?” Hopefully, you’ll answer yourself and that eager sales clerk with a HO, HO, HO, NO THANK YOU!
Happy holidays, folks. May you and your families receive all the joys and blessing this special season may afford!
Sincerely, your Florida Home Loan Specialist
Kevin Sandridge,
Thinking of Buying or Selling Clearwater Real Estate
If you have been thinking about buying or selling a home in the Clearwater St Petersburg Tampa area…
Contact us for a FREE quote and to find out your Tampa Mortgage options and you can search all Tampa St Petersburg and Clearwater homes for sale right now..
Call Us Today at (727) 710-8036 to hear more about how we can help you!
Copyright © 2008 Jack and Cyndee Haydon, Clearwater REALTORS and your Clearwater Real Estate Consultants specializing in Clearwater St Petersburg Tampa Real Estate and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed or published.
About Cyndee Haydon
Cyndee Haydon, Realtor with Future Home Realty specializing in luxury waterfront and beach homes of Clearwater Beach - St Pete - Tampa Bay area with her husband and partner, Jack Haydon Cyndee's Google Profile
| Currently Comments Off on Clearwater Home Buyers – When They Say You Can Save 15% – Don't do it!
Clearwater Real Estate – Clearwater Homes for Sale in Morningside Estates – Meadows
August 19th, 2008 Categories: Clearwater Florida, Homes for Sale
Clearwater Homes for Sale in Morningside Estates
Clearwater Florida – Morningside homes have historically not stayed on the market long and even in this current home buyer’s market we’re still experiencing in Clearwater did you know that more homes have sold in Morningside – The Meadows this year than there are houses for sale – which shows the strength of this neighborhood. These homes are some of the most popular Clearwater Real Estate around because this deed restricted neighborhood offers so much more than lovely homes on tree lined side walk streets.
Why live in Morningside Estates and The Meadows?
1) Morningside and The Meadows homes are in a deed restricted neighborhood of about 500 homes which consistently shows the pride of ownership residents take and remains a popular place to live;
2) This Clearwater neighborhood has been recognized by one of Clearwater’s best neighborhoods;
3) Morningside Estates – The Meadows neighborhood offers Country Club living without the country club cost because it includes:
- 5 tennis courts and grand stand – viewing area;
- 3 pools – with slides, diving boards, covered areas, kiddie pools, swim lessons, and more;
- Looking to play sports just walk over to the neighborhood basketball courts, racquetball courts and volleyball courts;
- Have a large covered picnic area;
- A large playground overlooking the pool area
- The Morningside Recreation Center offers large variety of classes like dance, guitar lessons, pottery kiln, parents night out, after care and more.
Related article: Morningside – The Meadows Clearwater Real Estate Market Report for first half of 2008
Today we have just listed a Morningside home for sale that is hard to find at this price. It is a 2 bedroom 1 and half bath Clearwater home for sale for under $180,000 - Here take a look…
Clearwater House for Sale – 2255 Habersham Drive Clearwater Florida
These are just a few of this home and area’s highlights – you’ll want to check out this home and neighborhood in person. Give us a call at (727) 710-8036 to schedule your private showing now.
Clearwater Public School Assignments
If you have school age children you can find out more about their specific Pinellas County Schools assignment after recent changes were implemented for “close to home schools” or call them at (727) 588-6210. Many kids in this neighborhood go to:
- Plumb Elementary School
- Oak Grove Middle School
- Clearwater High School
Please note that Pinellas County School assignments are based on available space so be sure an check with them before making any decisions.
Related Article: Update on Pinellas County Schools and student assignment map
Real Estate in Clearwater
Are you looking to buy Pool Homes, Luxury Properties? Clearwater Florida real estate? Did you know you can search all the Clearwater homes for sale in the Tampa Bay MLS now with no pressure at your leisure or feel free to call us today at (727) 710-8036 to answer any of your questions. Here’s what some of our past clients have to say about how we helped them….** CLICK ON PHOTOS BELOW TO SEE CLIENT VIDEO TESTIMONIALS **
Pinellas County Home Buyers tell us that selecting Clearwater Real Estate Agents especially online or from a distance, can be a challenge. Some of our past clients agreed to share their experiences and tell you why they think you should work with us. Click on the photos below and meet some of our clients and now friends…we’d love to be YOUR choice too! 
*The above information and images are Copyright © 2008 Cyndee and Jack Haydon, Clearwater Realtors your Pinellas County Real Estate resource and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed or published. All rights reserved. Plagiarism will be detected and is punishable by law.
About Cyndee Haydon
Cyndee Haydon, Realtor with Future Home Realty specializing in luxury waterfront and beach homes of Clearwater Beach - St Pete - Tampa Bay area with her husband and partner, Jack Haydon Cyndee's Google Profile
| Currently Comments Off on Clearwater Real Estate – Clearwater Homes for Sale in Morningside Estates – Meadows
