SI Real Estate Tampa and The Beaches

Welcome to Tampa, Florida! Home of the Buccaneers, the Lightning, the Rays and Florida’s powerhouse of business and economic development. Lifetime locals and newcomers alike, have been the beneficiaries of Tampa’s expansive business, entertainment and real estate advancements. Making the list yet again, Tampa ranks #8 on Forbes’ list of Fastest-Growing American Cities. A major player in Tampa’s growth over the past couple of years has been the ever-expanding Tampa International Airport. Not only has this project enhanced the Tampa traveler experience, but it has also created thousands of local jobs, contributing to Forbes’ 2.43% projected job growth for the Tampa Bay area in 2017. The construction of new terminals and shops combined with the employees to be hired for these new facilities makes for the perfect employment boost! Moving towards downtown Tampa, the Riverwalk District and Riverwalk Tower is ready to impress! This 52-story office and luxury residential building will ...

Plans for retirement are important to start thinking about during your career. There are many ways to plan for retirement by investing your money. You can invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate. In recent years, more investors have been reaching for the real estate industry. Investors purchase homes and rent them to tenants, creating a stable form of income with little expenses. Real estate isn’t always easy to invest in, but it is more stable. Stocks have the tendencies to rise and fall with investment trends over the course of a year; however, a rental property with a locked in lease generates predictable and stable income. This is ideal for risk adverse investors, or investors who are getting a later start in building their portfolio. There are many opportunities to invest in real estate. The first of which being crowdfunding . This new concept is to split up the cost of a venture (or in our case, property) into sections and having different investors purc...

When working diligently, it is often disheartening for a Realtor to hear from clients, “I think I’m just going to rent for a while longer.” The hard work and countless miles traveled over the last month seem wasted, but is this really a waste? It is most definitely not. You never know what that relationship could develop into. Some of the most successful real estate agents are those with strong interpersonal communication and networking skills. Those who provide an unsurpassed level of quality service for clients do not go unrecognized. Success in this industry is highly dependent on one’s ability to stay in contact with clients, even long after a phone call, showing, or transaction. In providing premium customer service for your clients, regardless of their current needs, you are much more likely to be referred to a friend, family member, or work associate in the future.  And after all, word-of-mouth marketing is still perhaps the most effective form of advertisement. ...

International consumers have always played a vital role in American economy. Today, more than ever, internationals from neighboring and distant countries are contributing to our real estate recovery both on a local and national level. Individuals from a variety of countries have homeownership increasing to around 36% from 2000 to 2010 and by 2020, it is expected that 50% of all home buying will be fueled by international home buyers. If those numbers don’t seem significant, consider 100 billion worth in mortgage loans! Florida is a “gate way” state in which many internationals choose to invest. Our close proximity to Mexico and other Caribbean countries makes it attractive for those desiring the “American Dream”. Many foreigners find our Florida market so attractive because of favorable exchange rates and similar climates. Our Canadian neighbors to the north are streaming into states like Illinois, New York and New Jersey at rates we haven’t seen in quite a long time. Californ...

As we continue to witness the real estate recovery and its effect on our Tampa market, many home buyers and investors are scratching their heads and wondering where all the “great deals” went? Tampa, Florida has seen inventory fly out the window. Along with that inventory went most of the homes that investors and home buyers were seeking out. The FNC has recently reported that the price between homes’s foreclosed value and original market value is finally beginning to close. The average price discount for a distressed property was around 25% of the homes market value. By the end of last year this number has been cut in half and now sits around 12.2%! Not much difference anymore!  Buyers and investors are more and more being out bid by other buyer and investors.  In many cases it is simply a price gap and offers being too low. Many Tampa, Florida communities have seen this first hand and quite a few home buyers and investors are not catching on to the trend… yet!  ...

A recent study done by Marcus & Millchap, shows that rental prices in Florida may see an increase in the last half of 2012. They cited improving job rates, less apartment inventory, and declining vacancy rates as the main contributing factors to the expected increase in rental costs. Larger cities like Miami, Tampa, and Orlando may feel the increase more so than smaller markets such as Sarasota or Bradenton because the smaller markets usually have somewhat higher vacancy rates. Here in Tampa, Florida, we have seen this trend first hand with our investors and landlords expecting increases in rental rates. This has proven to be an attractive component for international investors who are constantly looking to Florida, especially Tampa, for investment opportunities. Real Estate management companies can present higher return opportunities to these investors who usually hand the keys over immediately after closing on properties. Condo communities in Tampa such as Courtney Palms, Valha...

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 last couple of weeks, SI Real Estate has been posting updates on what we see in the Tampa real estate market. We have shown trends of Housing Affordability being the highest in 20 years , we have discussed that Tampa, Florida is one of the most searched real estate markets  online, and the large increase in Purchases and Multiple offer competitions in the Market . All of this adds up to the conclusion the market is changing and we want to be ready for it. SI Real Estate is front and center in the Tampa Bay real estate market we are seeking some new real estate agents to join our team. SI Real Estate, Tampa is your full-service real estate boutique that assists buyers, sellers, relocations, and investors with their real estate needs. We maintain an entrepreneurial spirit with a relaxed, yet serious and productive environment. We are a team of talented professionals with experience, drive and motivation. Our reputation and client rapport is renowned for unique quality and...

2010 has been an exciting year for the real estate market in the Tampa Bay area. SI Real Estate has reported the year’s real estate events on our weekly blog to keep our readers abreast of our ever changing real estate market. Major notable factors in the real estate market came into play producing a fast paced year of sales. The extension of the 2009 First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit into 2010 fueled the market for the first portion of the year. REO (bank owned) properties sold just as quickly as they came on the market, many seeing multiple offer situations. A huge influx of foreign investors getting into the real estate action here in Tampa and in many places across the country caused an interesting adjustment to the home buyer pool. Interest rates hovered at near record lows for the entire year. Wow! No wonder the year went by so fast. SI Real Estate hopes you have had a prosperous year, and looks forward to continuing to report Tampa Bay’s real estate news and events to you in ...

The word is out…real estate in Tampa Bay and around Florida is a hot commodity for foreign investors! Not only is the weather hot in Tampa, Florida, so is the real estate market. International investors from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, France, Israel, Italy, Norway and Venezuala are swarming to Florida for what they see as irresistible real estate deals. According to msnbc.com’s recent article, Foreign Investors Not Scared of Housing Market , “For the international investor class, the United States’ bloated inventory of homes, high unemployment and weak currency make for an unusually attractive buyer’s market.” Peter Zalewski, founder of Condo Vultures, a consulting and brokerage firm stated, “I have never seen such a high concentration of foreign nationals acquiring real estate. Eighty percent of the sales in downtown Miami are foreign-based. This is unprecedented.” And Miami is not the only “hot spot” for international real estate investors. Surges have been seen in Tampa, Washi...

The real estate market in Tampa, Florida and is seeing an increase in sales to foreign investors, and we aren’t the only city witnessing this spike in foreigners purchasing real estate. Florida and many states across the nation have become target markets for international investors looking for a place to invest their money. Who can blame them? Real estate prices are phenomenal, interest rates are maintaining in the low 4% range, and the strength of foreign currency in relation to the dollar make this a smart investment choice for many. Interestingly, this swarm of foreign investors could very well be what catapults the real estate market into a long-awaited rebound. As the real estate inventory gets bought up, a natural outgrowth will be housing price stabilization. And that is good news for the real estate market! A reduction in inventory and house price stabilization along with fantastic mortgage rates will continue to spur economic recovery. SI Real Estate works with many intern...

International buyers of real estate are purchasing homes, townhomes and all types of properties here in Tampa, Florida, and around the state. Tampa has long been known to be a destination city due to the abundance of sunshine, beautiful beaches, a world-renowned international airport, and world-class entertainment and amusement parks. Florida has a history of attracting European, Canadian and South American buyers due to its proximity to these countries. According to International Interest in U.S. Homeownership Increases, Realtors® Report, a recent article published by the National Association of Realtors®, “International buyers were reported in 39 states in 2010, but a slight majority of the total buyers are concentrated in Florida, California, Arizona and Texas. These four states account for 53 percent of purchases and have remained the top destinations for the past three years, with Florida and California remaining the top two destinations.” “A large majority of Realtors® report t...

June 2010 real estate statistics compiled by the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors are in... The news is positive for our local real estate market in Tampa, FL. The number of properties that sold in June 2010 was at a phenomenal level of 2,069 – the best month for sales since December of 2006, the very peak of our market. The statistics provided by the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors also showed the current inventory is at a multi-year low of only 13,514 homes, which translates to 6.5 months of inventory remaining. One of the factors influencing this was the number of home buyers who wished to purchase homes in time to earn the First-Time Home Buyers Tax Credit and the Move-Up/Repeat Home Buyers Tax Credit . These federal stimulus plans had an amazingly positive effect on the real estate market in Tampa, Florida. Other areas across the nation have witnessed similar encouraging trends. So, what does this mean to those who wish to buy or sell right now? Now remains the ...

Now Is the Time to Buy Property in Tampa, Florida Although U.S. real estate prices have taken a hit during the troubled economic conditions, there are reasons to cheer if you are looking for diversity in your investment portfolio. While the discounted prices may not be good for short-term investors who wish to purchase real estate in a booming economy and then immediately resell it for a profit, investors with a long-term vision see bigger opportunities. With the ever changing conditions of the U.S. real estate market, right now appears to be the best time for bargain hunters to grab cheap properties that will grow in value over time. National and international investors are keenly aware of the unprecedented rock-bottom prices of real estate here in Tampa, Florida and around the country, and they are taking advantage of the opportunities in this market. Savvy investors are using their strong cash postures to invest in real estate. Cash is still king, and those with cash are purchasi...

The Florida real estate market is enjoying a real boom in condo sales and many of the buyers are coming from abroad. International investors are showing their confidence in our real estate market and are snapping up condos, sometimes in bulk. A recent article in the Miami Herald titled, Foreign buyers are flocking to Florida condos again discusses this trend saying, “Lured by rock-bottom prices, international buyers are now flocking to buy Florida properties. It’s especially true in countries where the currency is strong against the dollar.” Recent increases in real estate sales over the past several months have been in large part due to the federal government tax incentive programs for first-time home buyers and move-up/repeat home buyers; however, as these programs wind down, sales are remaining strong and the international real estate investor is a big factor. Peter Zalewski, a Condo Vultures principal stated, “The stampede from overseas is kind of like a foreign subsidy helping u...

Tampa Bay real estate homeowners, sellers, buyers and investors – take note! There is good news today for anyone involved with real estate. MSNBC.com reported in an article titled Mortgage Rates Fall to Lowest Level of the Year that mortgage rates have fallen to the lowest level of the year. Both 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates have dropped this past week. ”The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage dipped to 4.84 percent this week from 4.93 percent a week earlier. The average rate on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage was 4.24 percent, down from 4.3 percent last week.” Home buyers will benefit from these near historic low rates. Home sellers will benefit as a larger number of buyers will be looking to purchase a home. Investors can cash in on the great rates with their investment purchases as well. Let us not forget those homeowners who already have a mortgage and would like to consider refinancing. Everyone stands to benefit! These low interest rates following on the heel...

An interesting thing is happening in the Tampa Bay real estate market. Have you tried to put a contract out on a house that is unbelievably priced only to find that there are already several offers on the table? If so, you are not alone. Housing inventory is drying up. The drastic dip in supply is due to several factors. With fewer foreclosures, bargain basement prices on homes for sale, and incredible tax incentives being offered, investors and first-time home buyers are gobbling up Tampa housing inventory. Current demand has definitely reduced available housing supply. The National Association of Home Builders article Slow Recovery May Be Leading to Serious Housing Shortages addresses this saying “NAHB economists project that the industry will need to deliver 16 million homes over the next 10 years to keep pace with the demand. As the excess inventory is worked off, which is likely by the end of 2012, the long-run demand for new housing – based on population growth, immigration an...

The Tampa housing market has been hit hard with a glut of foreclosed properties that have forced home prices to spiral downward, along with most areas in Florida and the rest of the nation. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan has announced a temporary policy to ease FHA 90-day seasoning guidelines to facilitate the sale of foreclosed properties, which should bring price stabilization to the real estate market in Tampa, Florida and other areas across the country. FHA has prohibited insuring mortgages on a home owned by a seller for less than 90 days. This has slowed the sale of many foreclosed homes. In the January 15, 2010 press release HUD Takes Action to Speed Resale of Foreclosed Properties to New Owners , HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan addressed this problem saying, “As a result of the tightened credit market, FHA-insured mortgage financing is often the only means of financing available to potential homebuyers. FHA has an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill its mission by helping many home...