The following statistics were taken from the Florida Association of Realtors, based on MLS sales levels from Florida’s Realtor boards and associations. (*Statistics are based on single-family homes sales) 

With home prices decreasing, it is now more important than ever to be sure you are working with the best real estate agent to sell your home. 

Be sure to sell your home with an expert!  If you are looking to list your home now or in the future, by working with an expert agent you will sell your home for the highest possible price.  Selling a home in today’s market does no have to be so intimidating. Be sure to choose the right agent, who will be with you every step of the way.

At expertrealty.com, you can connect yourself with the greatest Realtors in South Florida, who are all experts in their neighborhoods.

Still, West Palm Beach County is considering expanding its Historic District in the Prospect Park/Soutland Park area.  This area was originally developed in the 1920’s, but also includes homes built in the 60’s and 70’s. The expansion of this area would include some of these newer homes that would be classified as “historic” as well.

There is an upside and downside to this for homeowners in the area, which include some tax breaks on certain home modifications.  However, modifications allowed are subjected to city approval.  Also, if the historic district boundaries are expanded, homeowners may no longer have to fear the rumored airport expansion into area.

A vote on the issue is set for early next year.  In hopes to preserve the character and historical atmosphere of the area, expansion of the boundries are very likely to be approved.

The home-price index for South Florida fell 28.2 percent from 2007, which is better than June’s 30.5 percent drop. This index includes Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

Standard & Poors, the company that compiles this index,says that this slight improvement is nothing to phone home about. “While some cities did show some marginal improvement over last month’s data, there is still very little evidence of any particular region experiencing an absolute turnaround,” Chairman of S&P’s Index Committee, David Blitzer, said.

Issues with the housing market is at the center of the financial market meltdown we’ve been experiencing lately. Wall Street is a roller coaster and buyers or potential buyers don’t have as much confidence in America’s economy as they once did. The financial institutions that are still open are taking precautions to make sure that they stay afloat.

“Banks will probably stiffen lending rules even more in coming months to limit losses, indicating residential real estate will keep contracting and consumer spending will falter,” the Herald said.

In a nutshell, housing prices will continue to decline. According to the Herald, prices fell 0.5 percent in June and an additional 0.9 percent in July. Although we have experienced a slight improvement in the home pricing deficit, there is still a loss.

For those who can still afford to buy in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, this is definitely good news.

Coconut Creek and Sunrise officials are looking to potential tax increases as a way of dealing with the deficit. On the other hand, the city of Deerfield Beach will be cutting programs and increasing other fees to adjust.

Most of the homes in question were already reduced- cost senior living communities. Sunrise Lakes in Sunrise, Wynmoor Village in Coconut Creek and Century Village in Deerfield Beach all incurred severe property damage due to 2005’s Hurricane Wilma.

This decrease in cost has placed buyers in a more favorable position than sellers. And with so many pieces of South Florida real estate up for grabs, sellers will have to accept lower bids in order to make a sale.

For more information on what your home is worth or the value of homes in a particular area check out the websites of the Broward County Property Appraiser and the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser. Click on property search and type in either seller’s name, property address, subdivision name or property id.

 And if you are wondering about the return on investment for this property, it looks as though he has made quite a profit on this real estate transaction.  Trump originally purchased the estate in 2004 at a Bankruptcy Court Auction for $41.25 million.  He reported that he spent about $25 million in renovations, some of which included costly repairs due to the terrible South Florida hurricane season during 2005. This Palm Beach oceanfront home has 475 feet of ocean frontage, two guest houses, up to 40 foot ceilings, a large ballroom, eight skylights, and trimmings of gold that are sure to have cost a pretty penny. But you can say it was all worth it with an estimated profit of over $30 million.

 “…experience the real love, life and the romance you have always felt was a fairytale” As taken from Deven Traboscia’s craigslist posting, this home listing includes a “Fairy Tale Princess.”   Deven, a divorced mother of two children, is looking to sell her home – which will include herself in the sale! 

Coming across this listing at first may seem more like a personal ad than a credible listing. But could it actually have just the pizzazz needed to speed up a sale in this tough South Florida real estate market? As prices of homes have dropped, sellers must bring their homes into the market more competitively with lower prices and more amenities. But will something like this actually work? 

The listing, also posted on Ebay ending on July 2nd, has yet to have any bids.  Perhaps an indicator of how well this Home for Sale/Personal Ad strategy will fare.

This single-family home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, and is located in a community called Woodbine. Deven Traboscia’s home is also listed through the following link, where you can view contact information to setup a viewing of the home.   

 Deven Traboscia’s Home Listing

In an effort to serve the homebuyer in a faster, more efficient manner, said Inman News, more brokers have been custom-designing, buying and using web-based “transaction management systems” that allow homebuyers to buy paperless.

Inman spotlights Canadian real estate broker Rick Dubord, who has begun testing his custom-built software this month allowing him to update transactions from anywhere. It can even allow for documents to be signed electronically via Tablet PCs.

This May, Instanet launched DocBox, which can be accessed from any computer in the world with internet access, reduces document scanning and allows for unlimited emailing of any document, via PDF format to any address you choose.

In Januaury, Bank Technology News featured Hawaiian mortgage broker Donna Iwane who developed a Web application that creates loan proposals in less than a minute. Now, as CEO and founder of the eMortgEdge Corporation, developers of the 1003 Power product which can create an ARM loan in a New York nano.

And even as far back as 2005, lender Homecomings
Financial, stated it used BlitzDocs® as its web-based wholesale loan solution, processing applications from start to closing. The lender said the relationship with the broker remained intact and even the valuation process was automated. Hmm…

Undoubtedly one of the best things about this process is allowing homebuyers to access their accounts via the internet, from home or work, and check the status of the transaction. Everyone is on the same page and can see everything that is going on. Plus, with an infinite market featuring internet listings via email, online advertising and online virtual tours it makes sense the rest of the process should be online and faster.

Because Jones does it.

According to an April NAR survey, 2006 saw more than 1 million vacation home sales. And the kicker is that folks weren’t buying for investment, they were actually enjoying the property.

NAR said “the typical vacation-home buyer in 2006 was 44 years old and had a median household income of $102,000. The vacation home was a median of 215 miles from the homeowners’ primary residence.”

Phoeba Chongchua, columnist for Realty Times said you don’t have to be rich to afford a vacation home, either. And that defraying costs is as easy as renting the property, for even as little as 17 weeeks a year. But Broderick Perkins, also a columnist for Realty Times, stated more logical means for the purchase: Baby Boomers. There’s that word again. How much do these people actually have to spend?

According to Perkins they’re taking advantage of the fact coastal properties are appreciating faster than ever, favorable tax laws, low mortgage rates and have money to burn. But mostly because folks want to ease up the travel time, safety issues and enjoy a home away from home close to their home.

When you’re looking for the biggest and the best, only one thing comes to mind in South Florida, lately, and it’s Maison de L’Amitie. Click below to see our cast give it to you live from the Writer’s Block!

Also dubbed Trump’s Palace by the Sea, this 80,000-plus square foot home in Palm Beach went on the market one year ago and since then, has been added to, renovated again and drooled over by business tycoons and private investors.

Maison has a conservatory, 100-foot pool, Jacuzzi, three 3000-plus square foot guest houses, atrium, nearly 500 feet of oceanfront, and made Forbes’Top Ten of Most Expensive Homes in the World 2007, the second year in a row.

Built in 1990, by health care investor, Abe Gosman, it sits on property purchased for a few mill in 1986.

While Trump still resides in Mar A Lago, he ponders whether he should continue to add or move in.
But that’s Palm Beach, my dahlings.

In Miami, condos are the bigger, better, faster. Zilbert put together a list of the 100 Most Expensive Condos in Miami – and these mosters come with amenities to make you rent your home and take a permanent vaca.

For a mere $30 mill you can own a fully-furnished, four-bedroom, four-bathroom, 6000 square foot condo in Setai on South Beach with sweeping views of the Atlantic.

A better deal might be found at the Continuum I and II. This luxury oceanfront condo in Miami Beach offers 7500 square feet, cathedral ceilings, private pool and Jacuzzi, five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, marble floors and maids quarters for a mere $25 million.

I don’t want to be a penny pincher, but that’s $100 million LESS than Maison, and you still get a semi-private beach.

But you don’t need to be a millionaire. NAR released information this week that the median house price in Miami is about $350,000, if you can manage with about 2300 square feet, three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths.

Remember our Expert Realty Blog last week about Britney Spears looking for a $30 million home in Miami Beach. (Her 15-minute concert at Mansion on Sunday May 20 supposedly rocked the house).

Well, the 25-year-old is part of a growing trend.

NAR reports younger home buyers equal one third of the total home buying population. Opting not to wait until marriage or promotions, or other life-changing events, 25 to 29-year-olds are investing in real estate despite the “cooling” climate.

The report cited various reasons for the trend. One is that they’re “Net Gen” defined as the first generation born and raised between 1977 and 1996 in the era of the Internet, to whom the internet is part of daily life. Online real estate companies who played on their turf, reached these buyers. Another reason is that baby boomers, who account for 56% of the nation’s wealth, are bequeathing their wealth to their children. So these buyers have disposable, people.

Now realtors and brokers have to be faster, on top of Internet trends and news Net Gen-eral cares about.

Last week, Joel Burslem, the voice behind futureofrealestatemarketing.com and PR and social internet marketing guru for Inman News said “big brokers shouldn’t worry about Redfin – what they should be worried about is (realtors marketing properties on)Facebook,” a high-brow MySpace, run by a crowd of brilliant, predominantly 20- to 30-somethings, where realtors are booking sales on properties as easily as rides home for winter break.

FYI: These kids like it downtown, said the report, pointing to high condo sales in urban areas, as evidence.