Happy Halloween!!

 

It's a Spooktacular Day!!

Fall is among us and Halloween is here!  As you prepare to dress your little ones up remember to keep safety in mind.  Here are a few Halloween Safety Tips to know:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for Something Scary Fun?

Panama City Beach 

Trunk-or-Treat

Date: 10/31/2014
Time: 5:30 - 7:30PM
Hosted by Gulfview United Methodist Church. Free hot dogs, chips, drinks, and LOTS OF CANDY in a safe environment.
Contact Number: (850) 234-2889
Location: Gulfview United Methodist Church

Mall-O-Ween

Date: 10/31/2014
Time: 6:00 - 8:00PM
Free to the public. Families are invited to return to Pier Park on Halloween for "Mall-O-Ween," a free,center-wide trick-or-treating event.

Location: Pier Park

30A

2nd Annual Rocky Horror Picture Show Movie + Costume Party

What:  2nd Annual Rocky Horror Picture Show Movie + Costume Party
When:  Friday, October 31 @ 6:00 pm
Where:  Redd's Fueling Station
2320 W County Hwy 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Trick-orTreat @ Gulf Place

What:  Trick or Treat
When:  Friday, October 31 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Where:  Gulf Place
Town Loop Center
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Description:  The Merchants of Gulf Place will host a safe and fun trick-or-treating event Friday, October 31, 2014, from 4:00 PM – 5:30 p.m. The merchants will be handing out treats to children dressed in costumes. Children accompanied by adults can visit the stores at their own leisure.

Trick-or-Treat

What: Trick or Treat
When: Friday, October 31 @ 4:00 pm
Where: Seaside
Scenic Highway 30A
Seaside, Florida 32459

Description:  It’s time for little ghosts and goblins to Trick or Treat with the Seaside merchants.  Then hop on the haunted hayride for spooky stories by The Rep.

 

Daylights Savings Time, November 2nd

Spring Forward; Fall Back!

I's that time of year again where we are pushing our clocks back an hour to gain extra day light. 

So don't forget to change your clocks.  But just in case you do there are a few tricks to remember if you get confused.

 

1. Most computers and cell phones will automatically change the time as long as your device is set to the right time zone.

 

2. If in the US, turn on the TV or the radio and wait for the time to be displayed or turn to a news channel.

 

Change your clocks on all time-telling devices such as:        

•watches

•microwaves/ ovens

•alarm clocks

•clocks in cars

•wrist watches

•any other gadget with a clock/watch on it

 

I'm looking forward to the extra hour in the day.  How about you?

 

Fun Fact : Did you know?

Most areas of North America and Europe observe daylight saving time (DST), while most areas of Africa and Asia do not.

More info:  Wikipedia Link

 

3rd Qtr Market Update for Hwy 30A and Panama City Beach

Here are the Market Updates for Hwy 30A and Panama City Beach. 

If you are in the market to buy or sell, call me for a Market Analysis or the Best Buys!

11 Things You Can Do This Weekend for Under $100 to Upgrade Your Bathroom

Written by Jaymi Naciri

If your bathroom is old, ugly, dirty, or disorganized, you don't have to live with it. And you don't have to overhaul it either. Small changes and small bills can help you love your bathroom again. Here are 11 ways you can make it happen.

1. Change your lighting... or at least the glass
A lighting update can bring a fresh, new look to your bathroom. But if you're not an electrician or if what you want is too pricey, new glass shades can breathe new life into old fixtures. You can find a variety of styles at Home Depot and Lowes priced between $4 and $20 apiece.

2. Paint your cabinets
Who says you have to stick with the medium wood grain look you were handed? Grab some sandpaper and your favorite color and transform it. If your cabinets are brown, you may want to go white for a classic look that never goes out of style. Or, adopt a trend and bring gray or blue into your cabinets for a modern touch.

 

3. New towels and bath mats

It seems like an easy fix…because it is. Talk about minimum effort, maximum reward. If you can drag yourself to a Target, Macy's, Bed, Bath and Beyond, or, our favorite for items like this, Tuesday Morning, you can simply and inexpensively revamp your bathroom and give it an updated, plush feel.

4. Change your showerhead
You can change out a showerhead for under $20, but for a bit more, you can transform your shower into a spa-like experience. The Delta In2ition has a showerhead and hand shower and is just $79.

5. New vanity
Yes, you can get a new vanity for under $100. This version from Home Depot comes in a few colors (we're partial to the white) and has an engineered composite top that resembles stone. It's a quick and easy way to modernize a powder bath. Or, bring in a pair for a smaller guest bath.
 

6. Organize it

It's often what's inside the drawers and cabinets that makes the bathroom unappealing. You might have enough space - you just need to use it right. An organizer with drawers is one of our favorite items for keeping everything tidy inside the cabinets. For makeup drawers, measure the length and width and then mix and match a series of plastic organizers.
 

7. Tile it

Peel and stick tile continues to be one of our favorite things. Inexpensive and easy to use, it can help you quickly and easily transform a space. If you don't have a wall suitable for tiling in the bathroom, you can bring new interest to the room by tiling around the perimeter of your bathroom mirror.

8. Paint the door
It's often overlooked, but your bathroom door can become a focal point when painted in a bold or complementary color. Get some ideas on Houzz.
 

9. The right lighting

Experts recommend sconces at the side of a bathroom mirror instead of lighting over the mirror. It creates fewer shadows and is optimum for shaving and applying makeup. But even if the placement of your lighting isn't changeable, you can still adjust the brightness level by making sure you have the right bulbs.

"In the master or guest bathrooms, use fixtures that provides 75 to 100 watts' worth of illumination," said Forbes. "You can get these wattage equivalents in a 24- to 26-watt compact fluorescent or 20- to 25-watt LED."

10. Create some ambiance
Candles in clusters around the tub are a given. But you can create an inviting bathroom with other special touches as well.
 

A few pieces of inexpensive wall art in your design style, a unique scent diffuser, and a duo of decorative hand towels is all you need to create a more pulled together space.

 

11. Scrub-a-dub

If you're not inclined to buy anything or change anything, you can still make an impact on your space. Put your gloves on, get your bleach out and clean that sucker. You'll kill off any lingering germs, and make it smell and look good.

Direct Link to Article

Seller's Advice: Spend a Little, Raise The Price a Lot

Your real estate professional is probably advising you to declutter, stage your home, plant new flowers, and make numerous repairs and updates. You may be reluctant to get started because of the costs, but according to home valuation site HomeGain, improvements like these can actually make you more money when you sell your home.
Under HomeGain's Tools for Sellers, you can find the Home Sale Maximizer tool, where HomeGain has identified the top 10 home improvements under $1,500.

These add the most to home sellers' bottom line, and are recommended by over 600 real estate professionals across the nation. The top 10 home improvements are listed by the greatest return on investment (ROI):

Cleaning and de-cluttering ($290 cost / $1,990 price increase / 586% ROI)
Lightening and brightening ($375 cost / $1,550 price increase / 313% ROI)
Home staging ($550 cost / $2,194 price increase / 299% ROI)
Landscaping ($540 cost / $1,932 price increase / 258% ROI)
Repairing electrical or plumbing ($535 cost / $1,505 price increase / 181% ROI)
Kitchen and bathroom ($1,265 cost/$3,435 price increase/172% ROI)
Replace or shampoo carpets ($647 cost/$1,730 price increase/169% ROI
Paint interior ($1,012 cost/$2,112 price increase/109% ROI)
Repair floors ($931 cost/$1,924 price increase/107% ROI)
Paint exterior ($1,467 cost/$2,222 price increase/51% ROI) 

When you put in your zip code, your results may vary from the survey results, but what's interesting is how consistently the surveyed listing agents recommended the same home improvements. Nearly 100% of listing agents recommend cleaning and de-cluttering, while 97% recommended lightening and brightening and 80% recommended staging. These top three categories cost just a little over $1,000, yet netted sellers $5,734 at closing. 

One hundred percent of HomeGain real estate agents recommend painting the interior and cleaning the carpet and ninety-eight percent recommend decluttering., but you may be surprised to learn that the top three money-makers in terms of ROI aren't necessarily what agents most often recommend.

Cleaning and decluttering: Remove personal items; wash and clean all areas inside and outside of house; freshen air; remove clutter from furniture, counters and all areas of the home; organize closets; polish woodwork and mirrors, etc.

Home staging: Add fresh flowers; remove personal items; reduce clutter; rearrange furniture; add new props or furniture to enhance rooms; play soft music; hang artwork in walls, and more.

Lightening and brightening: Open windows; clean windows and skylights inside and outside; replace old curtains; remove other obstacles from windows that block out light; repair lighting fixtures; make sure windows open easily, among other suggestions.

It's all about first and favorable impressions. It takes money to make money, but it doesn't have to take a lot. It's the return on investment that's important. 

 By Blanche Evans

Click Here for Direct Link


October 2014 Real Estate Update
Copyright © 2014 Realty Times. All Rights Reserved.

Are Home Warranties & Service Plans Worth the Cost?

 

Extended warranties, or service plans, offer consumers longer terms of coverage on service repair and replacement for their home's appliances than the standard out-of-the-box warranty from the manufacturer.

 

These warranties are highly profitable for retailers, as they deliver 50% profit, but they also run up the total cost of your washer, dryer, or refrigerator by as much as $118, according to Consumer Reports.

 

Are service plans actually worth it? You can argue the benefits both ways.

 

In the fast-paced world of home electronics, future technology will far outclass today's products by the time the extended warranty expires. Digitaltrends.com states that household electronics have seen great improvements in product reliability, making the price of most extended warranties about the same as a repair bill. The same is true with most appliances today too.

 

Consumer Reports data concludes that products "usually don't break during the two-to-three-year period after the manufacturer's warranty expires and the service plan is in effect." And if they do break, the repairs, on average cost only $16 more than the service plan. Most defects will reveal themselves within the first year of use, while the manufacturer's warranty is still good.

 

If you're tempted to buy a service plan, follow this rule -- the cost of the warranty should be no more than 10% of the purchase price. That said, extended warranties should be purchased for some items, including those that are difficult to repair or high-priced items that would be painful to replace.

 

Or you could buy a home warranty for about $500. Explains Amy Hoak, correspondent for MarketWatch,  "A home warranty is a service contract that commonly covers the repair or replacement of your home's appliances and systems, including your heating and air conditioning systems."

 

No matter which appliance breaks, you make one call and the service plan call center dispatches the appropriate repairperson. The problem is that service providers pay for these leads, which means they make less money, so be prepared to be upsold to a "cleaning" or more expensive repairs.

 

In addition to the annual fee, you'll also pay a $60-$75 service fee when a contractor is dispatched to your home.

 

Home Warranties are ideal for rental properties and as incentives for homebuyers, and they come in handy when multiple appliances break down, saving an average repair bill of $840 or a replacement at an average of $1,200, says Hoak.

 

Ultimately the choice and risk are yours to assume. Extended warranties or home warranties can be worth the cost in terms of peace of mind, but only if it's for a product you don't intend to change for a few years.

 

And if you decide to skip the warranty, be prepared to shoulder the cost for assessment (service calls), repair (time in labor plus parts) and shipping.

 

Consumerreports.org says you shouldn't have to pay extra to get manufacturers or retailers to stand behind their products, but sometimes, you have to. If you have older products and systems, a home warranty may be your best bet.


Written by Blanche Evans

How to Improve Your FICO Scores Quickly!

With mortgage interest rates hovering near record lows, you may want to either refinance your mortgage or purchase a new home before rates go higher again. 

 

The question is -- can you qualify for refinancing or a purchase loan?

 

Since the recession, lenders have tightened loan qualification standards and their most widely used tool to determine if you qualify for a loan and at what interest rate are your credit scores. Credit scores are determined by a software algorithm that analyzes your credit and payment history.

 

These "FICO" scores run between 300 and 850, with the highest numbers considered to be the best scores. The 47% of Americans with credit scores of 720 or higher receive the best interest rates, according to MyFICO.com.

 

Credit scores make a significant impact. For every 20-point credit score increase, according to Zillow, the average low APR declines 0.12 percent, a savings of $6,400 on a $300,000 home over 30 years.

 

Improve your credit scores

 

FICO scores are based on your credit history. Each credit reporting bureau, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax calculates its own score, so you may have three scores.

 

The first thing you need to do is review your credit reports for errors and get them resolved as quickly as possible. Visit freeannualcreditreport.com to get copies. You can then purchase your credit scores for approximately $14.95 from each agency or all three at myfico.com.

 

FICO scores change with every new piece of information that comes into the credit reporting bureau, so the credit score you receive today can be improved quickly by following some dos and don'ts.

Don't close credit card accounts. FICO scores utilize a credit utilization ratio that turns against you because it appears that you might be overusing your available credit.

Don't max out or consolidate credit cards. Credit card companies like it if you only use about 30% of your available credit on your card. You're better off having small balances on multiple cards than a large balance on one card.

Don't apply for new revolving credit or transfer balances. If you're buying a new home, it's tempting to buy some new furniture, but don't open that account until after your loan closes. You don't want "inquiries" to be raised in the scoring algorithm.

Don't change jobs right before you apply for a home loan, although job changes within the same field are considered more favorably in scoring.

Do pay all bills on time and with at least the minimum payment due. Lenders like on time payment histories.

Do pay down your debt, as lower income-to-debt ratios are attractive to lenders. Start by reducing credit card balances first, beginning with the balances that generate the highest interest rates. Revolving credit is considered riskier debt than installment loans such as student loans or car payments.

Do shop lenders simultaneously. Credit score software takes into account several inquiries from mortgage lenders as normal, but if you space rate-shopping out over weeks or months, that could impact your credit score negatively.

Remember, mortgage lenders are most interested in your ability to repay their loan. The most important factors are job and debt payment history. Job security -- long-term employment in the same field and on-time  

Written by Blanche Evans

Back on the Market - 3BD Marisol #604 ~ $347,000

Buyer's financing fell through, so their loss is YOUR Opportunity!

Marisol Condo, formerly known as Grandview at Long Beach, offers only 45 units and underwent major renovations over the last year and presents an unrivaled presence, solid financials, no litigations, and low association dues! The prime location gives you easy access to Hutchison Blvd from Churchwell Dr. The condo is furnished and offers 1,492 sqft of living area with the living room and master suite on the Gulf each with access to the expansive balcony. The condo is all tiled with an upgraded, 18" tile on a diagonal, except for the bedrooms. The kitchen offers ample cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, Maytag refrigerator with freezer on the bottom, and a large breakfast bar for extra seating. The spacious master suite is on the Gulf with a bay window and large slider door for breathtaking Gulf views and a large walk-in closet. It also offers a large master bath with a double-granite vanity, Jacuzzi bathtub, and a custom, upgraded walk-in shower with glass slider doors. Plus 2 additional guest bedrooms. Gross rental income for 2013 was $29,922 & 2012 was $29,086 through Southern Resorts.

Other upgrades include:
*Crown molding in the living room & master bedroom
*Custom drapes and blinds
*New 15 SEER A/C unit with 10 yr transferable warranty
*Assigned parking space on the South side

Marisol amenities include a large, seasonally heated pool, fitness center, and a newly renovated lobby area. Don't miss your opportunity to kick up your feet & relax on the private balcony while listening to the sounds of the Gulf and watching spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

If you are looking to finance your beach retreat, Joe Wells with Supreme Lending is offering 90% financing for 1st/2nd home buyers and 80% for investments to qualified buyers.  Please contact Joe directly at 850-896-6541.

For Additional Details & Pictures:  Click to Marisol #604

Fall is HERE! Is Your Home Prepared?

A few housekeeping items just in time for Fall.  With the cooler weather upon us and the days growing shorter, now I the time to make sure your home is ready for cooler weather.  Check out these tips to help get you prepared!