SI Real Estate Tampa and The Beaches

Do you prefer the charm of a home with history or the idea of a bright and shiny untouched single-family home in a new community?   One of the first decisions you will make as a homebuyer is whether new construction or resale home is for you and your family!   Below we explore a few pros and cons of both options. Remember that you’ll want to hire an experienced real estate agent that has experience with both scenarios to help guide you in making an informed decision. The best part? Your real estate professional will be at no cost to you as a buyer.   No cost, only benefits!   New construction homes   If you are in the custom home building option, you will be able to customize and personalize your home and select different upgrades prior to your home being built. This may increase your investment, however adding personalization may be worth it.   The ability to choose your flooring, or something in your bathroom, an island in the kitchen, or addi...

Since 2010, the Floridian housing market has been stabilizing, and this pattern continues through 2014. According to Florida Realtors Association, Florida’s housing market has had an increase of sales and median prices since 2013.   In fact, the statewide total for single-family houses sold in October was over 21,800, an increase of nearly 18% since October 2013.   Statewide, even the sales price of single family residences has increased nearly 5%. Be assured, these are signs that the housing market is not only gaining momentum, but truly stabilizing and becoming a healthy and prosperous industry once again.  According to Sherri Meadows, President of Florida Realtors , October of this year marks the 35 th month in a row (nearly 3 full years) that the state wide median sales prices have rose for both single family homes, and for townhouse-condo properties. Florida is on track to close out 2014 with tremendous momentum, more than we’ve had in years. The statewide...

More good news in the Tampa real estate market this week, Tampa ranks in the top ten cities for rentals. This information was provided by CNN Money . According to their report, the labor market is on the rise, down a point in the last 12 months to 10.5% and this coupled with demand is expected to raise rent 12% over the next three years. What does this mean to consumers? If you are in a position to purchase a home, now is the time! Prices are increasing, our last blog, Tampa Bay Housing Prices on the Rise we shared that prices have increased by 18.5 percent over the last 6 months steadily. With prices on rentals increasing and home prices starting a slow incline, get the best deal you can now. If you are an investor or ever thought of getting an investment property, don’t wait any longer to find your property. This steady increase in price we expect to continue and with rising rent rates, now is the time to buy in order to get a great return on your investment over the long run. I...

Over the past few weeks many news sources have released predictions for strong real estate stabilization in 2010. A recent article from NuWire credited the expansion and extension of the first time home buyer tax credit for the predicted stabilization and home sales increase. According to NuWire recent article, “ Home Sales to Increase in 2010 ”: "After more than a three year downturn in the hardest hit areas of the nation, some markets have experienced slight rebounds, prompted by the first time buyers' tax incentive and low mortgage rates. But higher price ranges have been hindered in their recovery. However, momentum should gain strength in the second half of the year with expected improvements in mortgage lending and make strides towards stabilizing in 2010. A series of interest rate cuts taking mortgage rates to near historic lows are one of the Fed's attempts to re-stimulate the housing market. But record foreclosures are producing a market that threatens to keep ho...

Cash buyers are grabbing deals at rock bottom prices in the Tampa Bay real estate market. According to the market statistics provided by the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS® ( GTAR ), in April of this year 38% of all financing was cash. This is more than a 10% increase from April of 2008. Cash financing increased from 285 transactions in April of last year to 508 this year. FHA and VA financing has also seen an increased from last year, although not as drastic. Conventional financing has decreased from 555 transactions to 394, signifying that a majority of real estate transactions being made in the Tampa Bay area this year are by cash buyers. According to the same report from GTAR, homes sales have increased from 897 in April of last year to 992 in April of this year, with more than 3,424 total homes being sold to date in 2009. Market activity is definitely moving quickly in Tampa, Florida.

Student housing makes up the majority of costs when sending a child off to school. Instead of giving more of your money to the University or landlords, why not invest in Tampa real estate market and produce an income? SI Real Estate can assist you in locating a real estate property for your eager student that will provide safe, affordable housing, while at the same time contributing to your family’s investment portfolio and build your student’s credit while they are still in school. Now is an excellent time to take advantage of the real estate market’s drastically reduced prices and our historically low interest rates. An investment in a condo or townhome now could prove to be a valuable asset four, five, or six years in the future, after the degree is earned. Make graduation not only a joyous occasion, but also a lucrative one! Why not join the savvy investor minded families who are enjoying real estate investment properties? After graduation, rent your property or sell in for profit...

The dream of home ownership is now more accessible than it has been in years, and for many Americans owning a home is still the American dream. If you are not financially prepared, today’s excellent deals may pass you by. Try some of these money saving tips to add more cash to your future home fund: - Take a fixed amount from every paycheck and make sure it goes directly into your savings account. This can be a fixed percentage (10%) or a fixed amount ($200.00). - Create and closely watch your budget. Many people have no idea where there money goes every week or month. Watching where you spend your money may surprise you and you may not be so quick to buy lattes 5 days a week. - When you go shopping, make a list and stick to it. Get only what you need and forget about the extras that you don’t. - Cut back on utilities. Do you need all 10 HBO channels? Do you use 3-way calling? Probably not. Do away with them and you will be surprised by how much you will save each month. - Have a garag...

When the Federal Reserve announced that they would acquire the debt and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae, homeowners across the United States rushed to lock in lower fixed-rate mortgages to preclude adjustments that were impending due to the acquisition of interest-only and adjustable rate mortgages (ARM’s). Consumers are getting smarter about their finances due to the current recession and the government is offering refinance programs that makes it even easier to get low fixed-rate mortgages. Here in the Tampa Bay area, we have seen several expansions due to the so-called “refinance surge”. One such expansion was an announcement last week from Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union (TBFCU). TBFCU has announced that they are expanding their Real Estate Lending/Servicing Division to handle the foreseen surge in the refinancing market. Dean Clark, Manager of Real Estate Lending/Servicing for TBFCU said, "In the first quarter of 2009, we have see...

There was great news for the Tampa Bay Area in regards to home sales last month. 2,839 homes were sold in the entire Tampa Bay Area with a median price of $135,000. These statistics illustrate a 17% increase in home sales for the same period last year, when 2,044 homes were sold. The median home price of $135,000 is a 25% decrease from $185,000 just one year ago. According to the President of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors, Jack Rodriguez, “These statistics are extremely positive. Hopefully it signals a trend to better things ahead, both for real estate and the economy in general.” Forecasters at Moody’s www.Economy.com predict that home prices will bottom out at the end of this year nationwide. This prediction is largely based on the assumption that President Obama’s recovery efforts, which includes a 2009 tax credit of $8,000 to home buyers who have not purchased a home within the last three years, will have a huge effect. If you have any questions about the 2009 tax cred...

Want to live on PRESTIGIOUS Harbour Island? Four different 2BR/2BA floorplans remain including townhomes and loft style. All units feature NEW upgrades including granite countertops and tile flooring in the kitchen and bat hrooms, wood flooring in 2/2 with split floor plan, separate dining room, large kitchen w/central island, crown molding. Great view of tennis courts. Walking distane to downtown and channelside. Several Units offering 3% closing cost credit, subject to financing qualifications, PLUS 42 inch flat screen TV installed and new stainless steel appliances can be applied to your new purchase. The Waterfront living will not last long and neither will the incentives! SI Real Estate Investments provides Real Estate in Every Way: all the real estate property services a buyer, seller, owner, or developer could want or need, and all with a unique level of quality and personalization. We concentrate on quality, not volume. We blend our 40-plus years of real estate knowledge and e...

Looking back at Real Estate News in December 2008, and reviewing real estate market conditions and news of March 2009, bolsters the conclusion that the time to buy real estate is NOW. A recent article from The New York Times , " It May Be Time to Think About Buying a House ", highlights that fact that first-time home buyers need to act now in order to take full advantage of their buying potential. "Five or 10 years from now, when the financial crisis has ended and housing prices are up smartly once more, we will look in the rear view mirror and realize that we missed a golden age for first-time home buyers.Then, everyone who sat on their down payment savings accounts for a few years too long will kick themselves for not taking advantage of what may turn out to be the buying opportunity of a lifetime for those who can qualify for a mortgage" According to this article, first-time home buyers still have the same advantage as always, being that they do not have current...

Something astonishing happened last month. Existing home sales unexpectedly rose 5.1% which is the largest jump in real estate sales in nearly six years. First-time home buyers are taking advantage of the abundance of foreclosures and distressed properties throughout the country and getting great deals! Tax credit, low interest rates and listing prices are motivating people everywhere. For example: Buyers who can only afford homes under $100,000 are amazed to be finding properties they can purchase for this amount or less in neighborhoods that were previously thought to be out of their reach. SI Real Estate Investments just sold a 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath townhome for under $90K and the home was in excellent condition. Bank owned properties are for sale and amazing prices, in every area of Tampa, FL. As the Tampa Bay real estate market and economy is struggling like other major cities to emerge from the biggest real estate downturn since the Great Depression, buyers are the ones benefiting fr...

Symphony Isles ~ Boat Lovers Paradise Direct Tampa Bay Access Absolutely Majestic Can you imagine walking out on your balcony every morning to a view of the majestic sparkling waters of Tampa Bay? We invite you to explore the small, secluded and intimate community of beautiful Symphony Isles. All community homes and lots are situated on wide deep-water canals leading directly to Tampa Bay. Symphony Isles is a vibrant deed restricted community with social activities for children, teenagers and adults. Beyond the crisply manicured properties are environmentally friendly surroundings, with amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, children’s playground, and designated boat launch area. This custom built 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home for sale sits directly on Tampa Bay with a panoramic waterfront view and boasts over 3,445 heated square feet of open living space. Built with no expense spared when it came to luxurious, the property features such exquisite upgrades as cherry hardwood floors, gran...

When the real estate market started to take a downturn a couple of years ago, foreign investors started to shy away from investing in the United States. All of that has changed in the last year with the rise of bank-owned homes and properties on the market at unbelievable prices sparking interest from local and international real estate buyers. This coupled with the weakened U.S. dollar against the strength of the Canadian dollar, the Euro, and the pound which makes foreign investors' money stretch farther than it ever has before in today’s buyer's market. Tampa, Florida has always had active, powerful interest from international real estate investors, visitors and buyers. Right now, many are ready to take advantage of the foreclosure prices to buy a second home for vacation, for a child to attend the University of Tampa or the University of South Florida, or even for the abundant buyer opportunities that are available in the Tampa Bay area. “Much of Tampa Bay’s international p...

So yesterday we talked about not being concerned about the national market conditions being whipped about in the news. All the horrid tales of just how bad things are in other parts of the world. And that's true! Today, we hear about the jobless rates in Tampa Bay rising from 4.5 last year to 7.8 percent ( see the Agency for Workforce Innovation report here ). We also heard about how the unemployment rate in Tampa Bay is higher than the unemployment rate for the state, which is 7 percent. Fear not! Once again, things really aren't as bad as the media paints them to be. When the jobs lost were primarily contained in one specific month, that doesn't mean that everyone in Tampa Bay or Florida, for that matter, will be out of job within the month. It means a large company closed its doors and caused a high loss of jobs somewhere in the state. Tampa is still a great place to live, work and have fun! ~The SI Team

Existing homes, condo sales improve in Tampa Bay (edit/delete) With the abundance of interesting press regarding the housing slump, there has been a significant increase in optimism and market conditions in the Tampa Bay real estate arena. SI Real Estate calls it our "Shimmer of Hope" for the Tampa Real Estate Market. The experts have been chiming in and we are listening. From the nationally respected Jim Cramer and Dave Ramsey, to all of our local real estate market experts here in Tampa Bay, the news is refreshing and could not have come at a better time. Jim Cramer states that the "The Florida market is the template for all of the recovering real estate markets, being a year ahead of the rest." He further says that Florida is in this position because Florida builders stopped construction 2 years ago, which allowed for an earlier bottom. The inventory has NOW begun to go pending and sold. Let's face it folks, we are headed for brighter days. In partic...

A must see ! A must hear ! There is optimism by market experts.

Friday, May 16, 2008 Real Estate news today: things are starting to head up and lookup for the Tampa Bay, Florida real estate market!!!! In an article titled Hot Market: Seeing the Smoke before the Fire on Realty Times , the smoke is starting to rise as the flame begins to ignite. With the peak of the housing slump upon us, inventory is steadily decreasing and home sales are beginning to increase, especially in Tampa's real estate market. In a variety of other metropolitan areas, such as Fort Myers, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, the numbers of sales have jumped while the absorption rate has dropped to at least half of what it has been in previous months. When you consider all of the shuffling and the inconstant movement that the Florida real estate market has been traveling in the past two years, everyone is ready for the smoke to blow out and the fire to blaze again. Don't wait for a whistle to blow to realize that now is the time to buy or to make an investment in real estate. ...

Greetings! Well it finally happened! The US dollar has finally slipped to a record low against the euro ($1.54/1€), breaking the $1.50 barrier that seems to have an emotional, as well as an economic, impact on the US. The US dollar is doing even worse against the British pound, which is up to about $2.00/1₤. The surge in foreign investment in the US real estate market shows how this currency change has not gone unnoticed abroad. Foreign investment in real estate has been flowing in from all over the globe, including a great deal from Candan, Europe, and Russia & South America. Foreign investors are seeing their buying power increase in the US and have started to capitalize. And when it comes to purchasing real estate in the US there is no place like Florida. The Sunshine State has attracted overseas real estate buyers who are looking for both investment properties, as well as buyers who want to purchase vacation homes for their own enjoyment, taking advantage of reduced prices and...

Greetings! If you are familiar with Tampa Bay, you understand just how dynamic and culturally infused its real estate market really is. When it comes to different lifestyles, you name it…Tampa has it! With areas such as Hyde Park, Downtown, Channelside, New Tampa, Brandon, and Westshore, it is easy to find a place that compliments your unique style and personality. One of the joys of living in these areas is that the local culture and themes are captured in the condominiums that are home to the area’s residents. Whether it is the sleek and stylish design of Grand Central Condominiums of Downtown Tampa, the European inspired charm of Cordoba Beach Park, or the tropical tranquility of Courtney Palms, there is a place to call home for anyone looking to live the Florida lifestyle in Tampa Bay. Whether you are looking for a condo home for yourself, or looking to purchase an investment property, the Tampa condo market is a great place to purchase or rent. SI Real Estate has in-depth knowledg...