Sarasota Florida Flat Fee MLS Listings FSBO - Discount Realtor & Broker

First-time homebuyers.. When is the best time to purchase?? When is the real estate market going to be groomed to make the perfect purchase?? First of all, timing the market is tough in any investment and may keep you on the fence for just long enough to miss the perfect wave of opportunity.. Our real estate market is setting up to rebound strongly (debatable when that rebound will occur..), but the Federal Government is stepping in and encouraging you to move forward and commit to buying a home.. Why are they doing this? The Economy is slow and with a pool of first time homebuyers waiting on the sidelines for the market to come back, the Feds are trying to Speed this process up & get you back in the buying circuit..

Below are the details and the article I’ve received from the Sarasota Realtors Organization covering the details of this new Bill..

WASHINGTON – Aug. 1, 2008 – A provision of the recently-passed federal housing recovery bill gives first-time buyers an interest-free loan of up to $7,500 in the form of an income tax credit.

The credit equals 10 percent of a home’s cost up to $7,500, and applies to any single-family residence (including condos and co-ops) to be used as a buyer’s principal residence.

First-time homebuyers, defined as those who have not owned a home for at least three years, will claim the tax credit the first year they file federal taxes and receive the money as a reduction of their federal tax liability. The money must be repaid at the rate of 6.67 percent of the total credit each year for 15 years, essentially making it an interest-free loan. If a home is sold before the 15-year pay-off, the balance of the credit is recaptured at resale.

The credit was included in the new law as a way to entice first-time buyers to get off the fence and commit to a purchase.

Other provisions:
 
• Income limits: Full credit goes to individuals making $75,000 per year or less ($150,000 for couples). The credit amount phases out for higher incomes.
 
• Effective dates: The new law is retroactive back to April 9, 2008. It terminates on June 30, 2009.
 
• Alternative Minimum Tax: Credit can be used against the AMT and the credit will not throw any individual into AMT territory.

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Shirley International Realty Inc.’s Flat Fee MLS Listing Service has become such an unparalleled selling niche in our real estate market.. Our real estate company has joined the Mid-Florida MLS which includes 13 Realtor Assocations and over 35,000 Realtors! This means that any home, condo, land, or property you’re looking to sale from Orlando to Port Charlotte will be seen by all Florida Real Estate Licensed Realtors/Appraisers, & Mortgage Brokers constanlty scowering the MLS.. from Orlando to Port Charlotte.. Even in this slow market, we’re listing more homes than ever because local sellers are seeing the value in being promoted on the Multiple Listing Service.. Even national renowned builders such as KB Homes, & local powerhouse names like Capstone Construction, have teamed-up with our office to have their inventory homes listed through our Flat Fee MLS Service.. Our biggest testimony for the success of our Flat Fee Programs are the Sellers & Builders that are now outsourcing their listing inventory to us.. $199 will get your home listed on the local MLS & Realtor.com for local Realtors & National/International Buyers to come preview your home..

I’ve expanded my Flat Fee MLS Listing Service beyond Florida Boundaries and reach out now to ANY seller around the US Looking for MLS Coverage.. Scanning over my inventory of listing from the past 8 weeks, I’m seeing that Shirley International Realty Inc. has listed 5 homes in Maine, 4 in New Hampshire, 4 Homes in New York, 6 Homes in Massachusetts & a handful of properties in states such as Maryland, Virginia, Minnesota, & New Jersey. Our Flat Fee Listing of Flat Fee Network Brokers is expanding everyday and we’re helping promote sellers listings in every corner of America! Our focus is centered around maximizing the promotion of your property, while still saving you the most money.. This is called Grade-A Value & its something we take great pride in offering..

If you, or anyone you know is looking to sell a home and isn’t interested in paying a Realtor 6% to do so, please call Justin Shirley, CEO of Shirley International Realty, to talk about how to get your home the most expansive promotions for a Minimal Flat Fee/Rate.. I’m always “sweetening” the promotional marketing our Real Estate Company offers for your home, & specialize in Web Marketing.. The MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, is the foundation that you SHOULD HAVE in selling your home in any market.. Realtors are waiting for your home to hit the MLS so they can bring their most urgent buyers to you & close a sell.. You No Longer have to pay 6-7% for this service.. We offer Full Service Packages for any seller looking for assistance in scheduling showings for your property, negotiating contracts, over-the-top marketing, & access to our full support staff.. If you’re just looking for the most valueable MLS listing Package, talk to me about listing your home on the MLS for $199 (& this listing stays active until the property sells, or until you request it be terminated..)..

We’re here to provide quality listing services and can offer this package anywhere in the State of Florida.. Located outside the State?? We’ll get any property isted from Seattle, to New York, & San Diego to Key West! We’re constantly adapting to Real Estate & Economic Conditions to give you more Marketing Bang for Your Selling Buck!!! Innovation will continue to take place in Shirley International Realty Inc.’s offices..

Justin Shirley..

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2 Bedroom Corner-Unit on 10th Floor @ the Renaissance Condo’s Lcoated @ 750 North Tamiami Trail Across From the Van Wezel Auditorium*Steps to Beautiful Beaches, Downtown, & St. Armands Circle! Great Water & City Views From all Rooms!*Brazilian Cherry Floors, & 2 Parking Spaces in Parking Ramp*This Newer & Beautiful Building has a Fitness Center, Pool, Media Room, Club Room, Conceriege, & Many other Amenities*New Publix Building Being Built just 1 Block Away! Open Floor Plan with Bay & City Views! Classy & Elegant Describes this Renaissance Gem

Virtual Tour: http://wcf.thevtpros.com/tours/1682

These are the kind of Flat Fee MLS Listings I’m bringing to the market..  This seller can’t afford the cost of a listing commission because the property is so discounted on MLS already, leaving him little room for Co-Brokerage Fees.. He’s willing to pay a Realtor, representing the buyer, a commission (A really High Commission as well), but isn’t interested in a listing commission.. Without my Flat Fee MLS Listing, Realtors wouldn’t have the opportunity to take there clients to this property for a discounted purchase, & the seller wouldn’t have the traffic coming in from MLS Listing Exposure.. Total Win/Win!This seller is a perfect candidate for a Flat Fee MLS Listing & is using my service to leverage Buyer Incentives.. Very Smart & Effective strategy! I even offered a Virtual Tour as assistance to “Turn the Volume Up” on his marketing plan.. This seller is motivated, and would love to sell this condo.. The Virtual Tour will provide you with a Gallery of Pictures showing the Upgrades and Bay/City Views from the unit, as well as the Amenities in the Complex.. 

For Showings and More Information on this Downtown Condo, Contact Larry Face @ 941-587-7395

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My Listings are now exposed in front of 35,000 Realtors from Orlando to Port Charlotte.. Mid-Florida MLS, corporate headerquarters in Orlando, is a Giant Multiple Listing Service Website that has now replaced our local Sarasota MLS System.. Members of the new System are, Manatee, Tampa, Hillsboro, Greater Tampa, Sarasota, Venice, Port Charlotte, Englewood, & Port Charlotte, among other smaller noteworthy assocations.. 13 Total Assocations make up this new Multiple Listing Service, so over 35,000 Realtors have Confidential Previewing Capabilities to all of my Listings.. This is great News for My Flat Fee & Full-Service Sellers.. Read on about Sarasota’s new membership to Mid-Florida MLS (Multiple Listing Service..)

“In 1995, six Central Florida REALTOR® Associations pooled their resources and joined forces to form the Mid-Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service. By doing so, they unified the Central Florida real estate market and made it easier for REALTORS® from across the service area to cooperate with one another. Four years later, the West Volusia Association of REALTORS® joined MFRMLS, and in 2003 the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS® came on board. Now, five Southwest Florida Associations have joined MFRMLS, making our MLS one of the largest and strongest multiple listing services in the country.

MFRMLS is a member-run organization, owned entirely by our shareholder member Associations. Each Association has representatives that WHO serve on the Board of Directors. The number of representatives from your Association is proportional to your Association’s size, and every Association has at least two, ensuring everyone has a fair voice in the leadership of the MLS.

The daily operations of MFRMLS are conducted from our headquarters in Orlando, FL. MFRMLS Vice President Joel Cohen has led the MLS through significant growth in the past several years. “We are ready to grow again,” Cohen says. “We have assembled an extraordinary team of management, administrative, and support staff that are prepared to pave the way for a smooth transition, and we look forward to providing a service that exceeds the expectations of our new member Associations.”

The staff of your local Association also plays an important role in running MFRMLS: they serve as your local MFRMLS Service Center personnel. We are currently giving them the tools they need to support the resources of MFRMLS.”

Why Did We Merge All These Assocations into One Giant System?? Read on to Find Out..

“Alan Mitchell, 2007 President of the Punta Gorda - Port Charlotte - North Port Association of REALTORS® said, “We had worked for years to create a Data Sharing Alliance among the Associations in Southwest Florida, but we knew it was just a first step. We were impressed with the professionalism and outlook of MFRMLS, and sharing a common MLS with our neighboring associations to the north will be a tremendous benefit for our members.”

Louise Bacher, 2007 President of the Englewood Area Board of REALTORS® says, “As an individual Association, we could not offer our members all the software benefits that Mid-Florida will because of its size.” Louise also notes that joining MFRMLS will give her sellers more exposure and introduce Englewood to larger markets.

Joe Hembree, 2007 President of the Sarasota Association of REALTORS® says “Forward-thinking REALTOR® Associations nationwide are looking at consolidation of MLS systems. . .the consolidation effort strengthens our technology platform, improves our data exchange, and makes life much easier for our members.”

May Aston, 2007 President of the Manatee Association of REALTORS®, is excited about joining MFRMLS. “It is something that our members have wanted for many years,” she says, “and it will provide us with many services that would be difficult or expensive to obtain on our own.”

Laura Kopple, 2007 President of the Venice Area Board of REALTORS® says that becoming a part of MFRMLS eliminates the need for Venice Area REALTORS® to be members of more than one MLS. “It will unify the local market and provide greater exposure for listings in Venice,” Laura said.

Jack Vahey, the current MFRMLS Immediate Past President said, “We appreciate the trust and confidence the Presidents of the new Associations have placed in MFRMLS, and we are looking forward to our new partnership.”

The current subscribers of MFRMLS have a lot to gain from the resources and leadership provided by your association. We are glad to have you aboard.”

Currently, the MFRMLS member associations include the Bartow Board of REALTORS®, East Polk County Association of REALTORS®, Greater Lake County Association of REALTORS®, Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS®, Lakeland Association of REALTORS®, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association, Osceola County Association of REALTORS®, and West Volusia Association of REALTORS®. The new member associations include Englewood Area Board of REALTORS®, Manatee Association of REALTORS®, Punta Gorda - Port Charlotte - North Port Association of REALTORS®, Sarasota Association of REALTORS®, and Venice Area Board of REALTORS®.

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Country Creek Elegant, Private Family Home Priced to Sell*5-6 Bed/2.5Bath/3.5-Car Garage*3/4 Acre Corner Lot W/Great Views Of The Lake From The Pool! Custom Upgrades Include New Tile Flooring Throughout Living Areas, New Eat-In Kitchen w/ Granite Counters, Wood Cabinets, & Upgraded Appliances! Large Solar-Heated Pool in Oversized Screened Lanai Area Perfect for Entertaining! New Berber Carpet*Fenced Backyard with Dog Run*Separate Well for Irrigation System*Room for RV or Boat Storage* 3 Zone Heating & Cooling (Low Summer Electric Bills)*Great Schools*Call 941-448-4872 Today for Showings & More Information!

Justin Shirley
941-448-4872
CEO
Shirley International Realty

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(I love these Cartoons! They bring light to, and relax the mood of our dismal Real Estate Conditions.. May was a great month though! Read on..)

This information was compiled & presented by the Sarasota Association of Realtors reflecting, condos & Single-Family Homes Sold in the Month of May, 2008.. Shirley International Realty Inc. looks forward to a summer fueled by International Buying..

Sarasota Real Estate Sales Hits New High Since March 2007! The Best is Yet to Come!

Home sales in the Sarasota MLS for May 2008 stood at 627 - the highest level in 14 months, and approximately 92 percent higher than the sales in January 2008. In 2008, sales have been increasing each month, possibly due to the influence of the new property tax portability law enacted in late January. Sales have climbed from 329 in January to 423 in February, 514 in March and 567 in April.
 
“This year, the Sarasota real estate market has been a beacon of hope as the state and national markets continue to struggle,” said Helen Sosso, 2008 SAR President. “I believe our local agents have embraced the concept of a buyers’ market, and educated sellers on the realities of pricing. We still have advantageous interest rates, and our communities’ natural and cultural amenities always attract buyers.”
 
The May 2008 report continued to reflect strength in pending sales, which stood at 692 - the second highest level since June 2006.  Last month’s pending sales stood at 756, the highest in the period.   In May 2007 only 541 pending sales were reported.  Like closed sales, pending sales have been edging upward since December 2007, when there were only 374 pending sales reported. Pending sales reflect contracts executed by buyers and sellers, and indicate more closings in upcoming months and an improving market in the early summer months.
 
Inventory levels were lower in May 2008 for the third month, and are the lowest they have been since February 2006.  Still, with 9,500 single family and 5,100 condos listed, buyers have a huge selection of more affordably priced housing to select from.  The reduced inventory is a combination of fewer properties being listed, and increasing sales numbers.  As the inventory continues to decline, the market will come back to more balance.  As we approach equilibrium, the buyer’s market we’ve been experiencing will be gone, and price appreciation will creep back into the market.
 
In general, the Sarasota MLS statistics show a rebound throughout 2008 - every month seeing stronger numbers than the month before. In fact, Sarasota statistics have been stronger in recent months than sales in the Miami market, which is a much bigger geographic and demographic area.
 
In the local Sarasota market, we have seen the trend already beginning toward lower inventories, higher sales, and a leveling of prices after several months of declines. The May figures reflect this new reality.

Sarasota Association of Realtors..

This is great news! Looks like our market is showing a short term rebound.. Who wouldn’t want to live in this paradise?

Justin Shirley
941-448-4872
CEO
Shirley International Realty

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 The only thing I go into a frenzy over, besides selling your home, is The Masters.. I played collegiate golf, and tend to get a little twitch in my neck when I don’t get to swing a golf club in a given 7-day period. So, being this week is Masters Week, my TV is tuned in to live coverage from Augusta all day. Looks like today has started off pretty strong for guys like Zach Johnson, defending champion, Phil Mickelson’s making a late first day move, & of course, we’ll never count Tiger out.. He’s even par today (as I’m writing this but he hasn’t finished yet) without a blemish on his card, so it will be interesting to see how the weekend unfolds..

 Keeping the Real Estate theme tied in to Masters Week, I think its only appopriate that we see Tiger Woods homesteaded residence, and dig into his Real Estate portfolio..

Here’s an aerial shot of his Jupiter home.. Reportedly purchasing for a cool $38 million..

 Just the taxes on this property sets Tiger back about $640,000/year! (And you thought you’re property taxes were a bit steep)..

This Waterfront compound boasts 10-acres! The listing agent, Andre Bourssa who sold this home to Tiger notes, “We have not had any home even close on Jupiter Island close for this much”.

Wood’s new estate is directly across the Intracoastal Waterway from golfer and friend of Tiger, Jesper Parnevick. The home was recorded as a “done deal” when it was recorded in the county tax records as titled to ETW Corp., Tiger’s Corporation. (Tiger’s reeping the benefits of the tax advantages by naming this estate in his corporation.. That Tiger’s a savvy buyer!) Below is another pic of this property.. A Masters Check this week will help polish off that tax bill coming in November..

 The property includes four houses - the main house, two houses for guests and a beach house - as well as two boat docks to accommodate his 47-metre yacht, Privacy.

Apart from the new Florida residence, Woods also owns property in California, Bahamas, Wyoming and Sweden, his wife’s home country.

He is the world’s highest-earning athlete.

Last year he made $128 million in endorsements and prizemoney, earning $33 million from Nike alone

Here’s a shot of his Paradise Island, Bahamas Home..

Not sure about that blue boat/dingy posted up by the seawall.. Tiger’s caddie Stevie must’ve cruised over to say hi..

Back to reality.. I love the Masters and hope Tiger plays well.. As far as his real estate, I’m sending him a letter welcoming him to Jupiter Island (even though I don’t live there and he’s already been there for a while) and letting him know, I have a great deal if he wants to flip this place.. A Flat Fee Listing will put him on Jupiters MLS and get him maximum Exposure!! Even he can’t say no.. He titled that Jupiter purchase in his corporation’s name.. The guy knows how to save money and can’t refuse a great deal! 

Justin

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Today’s Rates: 

 30-Year Fixed Mortgage- 5.75%

15-Year Fixed Mortgage - 5.27%

5/1 ARM - 5.67%

30-Year Fixed Jumbo Mortage- 7.16%

5/1 Jumbo ARM- 6.36%

When one door closes, one typically opens. With the slumping real estate, but showing signs of vitality, there is a real opportunity to finally buy that vacation home on the beach for a reasonable price. Also, due to the slowing economy the Federal government has put Sarasota and Bradenton Real Estate Homeowners in a position to refinance their mortgage and pay less interest, lowering mortgage payments. Shirley International Realty Inc. is licensed  as a mortgage broker & can refinance your mortgage. Listed below are the benefits of a refinance. 

Put Cash in Your Pocket:

 Refinancing your mortgage takes the equity in your home and puts cash in your pocket. In a slumping market many homeowners are looking to protect their cash by using the equity in their home to refinance, putting that cash in their pocket while simultaneously locking in a lower rate, lowering monthly payments.

Lower Your Monthly Payments:

When you refinance your mortgage to a new lower rate, less interest paid on your mortgage will result in lower monthly payments.. This is a great tool for investors to increase their cash-flow capabilities and non-investor homeowners to save on outgoing expenses.

Shorten the Length of Your Mortgage:

When you refinance, you have the option to shorten the length of your mortgage and establish a new payment plan. For example, if you are on a 30-year conventional fully amortized payment plan, it may be in your best interest to shorten that plan to a 15-year payoff plan. This may not be congruent with lowering your monthly payment, but in the long run paying less in interest will save you money.

Exchange an Adjustable-Rate for a Fixed-Rate:

This is where the real opportunity is, given our current market conditions, to save some money. Take advantage of the recent basis point cut by locking in today’s low fixed rates, compared to the adjustable, unstable, and unpredictable movement of future rate changes.

Say Goodbye to PMI!

If your loan to value is any higher than 80%, you are probably suffering from Private Mortgage Insurance. This is a fee added to your monthly mortgage payments, penalizing you for not putting at least 20% cash down on your mortgage when you purchased your property. If you have that 20% equity currently in your home, your refinance will eliminate that PMI payment and save you $100-$500/month.

Your home is like a Cash Cow.. Talk to Shirley International Realty Inc. about reorganizing your mortgage to tap into that milk!

Justin

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