November 2009

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Home sales rose 34% in Florida, 9.4% nationally, in September

Affordable prices and an $8,000 tax credit are working to revive South Florida's housing market.

Sales of existing homes in Broward County increased 31 percent in September from a year ago, the Florida Association of Realtors said Friday. Palm Beach County sales rose 43 percent.

"The tax credit certainly turbocharged sales, but it's not just that," said Mike Larson, an analyst with Weiss Research in Jupiter. "It's amazing what cheap prices can do."

Broward's monthly sales have increased on an annual basis since July 2008.

Palm Beach County's sales have risen in 14 of the past 15 months.

Those are strong indications that prices have been falling enough to attract buyers.

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A letter from Jim with First Trust Mortgage...

Good News

I felt it was time to reach out to you and share the good news regarding the current market. I feel there has never been a better time to buy a home than RIGHT NOW!

Buyers need to get on the bandwagon while rates are still low and values are at their lowest point in years and before the $8000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit is gone! I would anticipate that property values may soon rise and multiple offers seem to be increasing. In addition, interest rates are expected to increase over the next year which means making a home purchase now, may be a great economic choice.

I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you and or your clients regarding their interest in purchasing a new home, vacation home or investment property.

In discussing interest rates and mortgage options I feel interest rates are truly at an all time low. Borrower’s confidence in purchasing new homes has come full circle and I am prequalifying numerous new clients each day. In addition to great rates on conforming and FHA loans, I can offer phenomenal rates on loans up to $3,000,000. I am also happy to discuss my competitive options on refinancing current properties.

To discuss the real estate opportunities available, please give me a call at (954) 529-3003 or email me at JimG@FirstTrustMortgage.BIZ and I would be happy to assist you. I hope to hear from you soon and look forward to giving you a firsthand look at the opportunities to build wealth through real estate.

All the best,

Jim Giacomuzzi

Build the Perfect Home Office

As more and more companies are allowing their employees to work from home, the need for a sufficient home office space is becoming increasingly important to homeowners. The following tips will help you create the perfect home office.

Create a House Hunt Checklist

Are you on the house hunt? Touring dozens of homes can be an overwhelming process for anybody. If you find yourself asking whether it was the second or the ninth house with that great fireplace, then you may need a better way to organize your observations. One of the best ways to do this is by creating a checklist. Consider ranking elements like the home, neighborhood and schools on a scale as either "good", "average" or "poor".

Prepping Your Home for Sale

Preparing your home to be listed can be an overwhelming task for some. But with "94.6% of Associate Staged Professional (ASP) Staged Homes selling on average in 35 days or less", according to StagedHomes.com, taking the time to prepare your home for sale is an important task.

Savory Seasonal Dishes

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we wanted to bring you and your family some savory seasonal dishes to enjoy throughout the month. These recipes come from the 50^th anniversary edition of Real Living's cookbook. Enjoy!

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