“If you can smell it, you can’t sell it' & other Great Selling tips !!

Multiple Offers Possible in Tight Housing Market, Experts Say

By Paul Owers

RISMEDIA, Monday, August 27, 2012— (MCT)—Bidding wars are back as the housing market continues its recovery. After years of lackluster sales and sagging prices, demand is growing while the number of homes for sale shrinks. Those market conditions drive multiple offers in many areas, but real estate agents and other housing followers say sellers still can take practical steps to boost the level of interest among buyers. —Price it as low as possible. Many sellers and their agents obviously underprice homes to attract bidding wars. Douglas Rill, a broker in West Palm Beach, Fla., refers to the tactic as “drama pricing.” Rill said he was instructed by the lender to list a West Palm Beach home with a leaky roof and other problems for $37,600, even though comparable sales supported a listing close to $50,000. “Do you know what that does to my cell phone?” Rill said. “It blows it up.” The bank’s strategy worked. More than 70 potential buyers toured the home, which eventually sold for $51,000. At the very least, sellers should list their homes at the low end of market value, which will draw in buyers who sense they’re getting good value, agents say. —Pay for an inspection, lien search. Buyers typically cover those, but motivated sellers can go on the offensive to prove the home is in good condition and free of title problems that would delay closing. “You may be able to attract multiple offers just because the buyers will know what they’re getting,” said Marta DuPree, a broker in Broward County, Fla. —Offer owner-financing. This only works for sellers who own the property outright. But it’s an option to consider, especially for condominiums in which government financing is limited, DuPree said. —De-clutter. Getting rid of all those books, magazines and board games you haven’t touched in years will help make the home seem bigger and more appealing. “Buyers are visual,” said Judy Trudel, an agentin Lighthouse Point, Fla. “Clean and crisp sells.” Sandra Holmes, a professional home stager in Weston, Fla., said properties should be “Q-tip clean” and free of smoking or pet odors. “If you can smell it, you can’t sell it,” she said. A paint job freshens up a room, and it doesn’t cost a lot. Even replacing a light bulb to improve a room’s brightness can make a difference to a skeptical buyer, agents say. “When a buyer goes in and flips on the light switch and it doesn’t work, they think there’s an electrical problem,” Rill said. —Spruce up the landscaping. Planting fresh flowers, laying mulch and keeping the hedges trimmed will make a solid first impression on a buyer. “When buyers walk up to a house that’s (in poor shape) — even if it’s just the landscaping — there’s going to be a sense that the seller doesn’t care about it,” said Ron Rosen, an agent in Broward. “And the buyers will think that they can really lower their offer or they just won’t be interested at all.” ** from RIS MEDIA / PRUDENTIAL ©2012 Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Distributed by MCT Information Services Thinking on Selling ? give me a call for a Confidential Market Analysis of your Estate! All the Best, Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist SellingMiamiEstates team Prudential Florida Realty Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level !

Active vs Closed from July 1, 2012...

Market Analysis for CORAL GABLES, based on Subdivisions, for Active vs. Closed Sales since July 1, 2012:

COCOPLUM

Market Analysis Report

Property Type: Single Family (RE1) Status: Active-Available, Closed Sale Number of Properties: 5

#Beds #FBaths SF/FF List Price LP$/SqFt Sale Price SP$/SqFt SP$/LP$ Days on Market High 7 8 9,440 $7,995,000 $847 $0 $0 0 0 Low 5 5 5,751 $2,499,000 $435 $0 $0 0 0 Average 5.8 5.6 6,778.4 $3,797,784 $529 $0 $0 0 0 Median 6 5 6,217 $2,849,000 $449 $0 $0 0 0

Search Criteria
Status	A , CS
County	DADE
City Name	CORALGBL
Subdivision Name	starts with COCOPLUM
Closing Date	between 7/1/2012 -
Entry Date	between 7/1/2012 -

Report time: 8/24/2012 7:12 PMC
CORAL BAY

Market Analysis Report

Property Type: Single Family (RE1) Status: Active-Available, Closed Sale Number of Properties: 10

#Beds #FBaths SF/FF List Price LP$/SqFt Sale Price SP$/SqFt SP$/LP$ Days on Market High 7 6 6,014 $2,995,000 $612 $0 $0 0 0 Low 3 2 2,956 $1,080,000 $0 $0 $0 0 0 Average 4.4 3.6 4,135.33 $1,962,890 $411 $0 $0 0 0 Median 4 3 3,905 $1,945,000 $437 $0 $0 0 0

Search Criteria
Status	A , CS
County	DADE
City Name	CORALGBL
Closing Date	between 7/1/2012 -
Entry Date	between 7/1/2012 -

Report time: 8/24/2012 7:17 PM
BILTMORE SECTION

Market Analysis Report

Property Type: Single Family (RE1) Status: Active-Available, Closed Sale Number of Properties: 5

#Beds #FBaths SF/FF List Price LP$/SqFt Sale Price SP$/SqFt SP$/LP$ Days on Market High 4 3 4,068 $2,295,000 $564 $0 $0 0 0 Low 2 2 1,800 $598,000 $281 $0 $0 0 0 Average 3 2.6 2,820.2 $1,084,000 $364 $0 $0 0 0 Median 3 3 2,769 $779,000 $326 $0 $0 0 0

Search Criteria
Status	A , CS
County	DADE
City Name	CORALGBL
Closing Date	between 7/1/2012 -
Entry Date	between 7/1/2012 -

Report time: 8/24/2012 7:19 PM
COUNTRY CLUB

Market Analysis Report

Property Type: Single Family (RE1) Status: Active-Available, Closed Sale Number of Properties: 10

#Beds #FBaths SF/FF List Price LP$/SqFt Sale Price SP$/SqFt SP$/LP$ Days on Market High 7 7 8,714 $3,400,000 $411 $1,250,000 96.15 4 Low 3 2 1,653 $429,000 $260 $1,250,000 $395 96.15 4 Average 4.4 3.9 4,151.8 $1,518,290 $352 $1,250,000 $395 96.15 4 Median 4 3.5 3,555 $1,322,500 $345 $1,250,000 $395 96.15 4

Search Criteria
Status	A , CS
County	DADE
City Name	CORALGBL
Closing Date	between 7/1/2012 -
Entry Date	between 7/1/2012 -

Report time: 8/24/2012 7:20 PM
RIVIERA

Market Analysis Report

Property Type: Single Family (RE1) Status: Active-Available, Closed Sale Number of Properties: 19

#Beds #FBaths SF/FF List Price LP$/SqFt Sale Price SP$/SqFt SP$/LP$ Days on Market High 6 6 5,726 $3,000,000 $524 $675,000 $266 100 4 Low 2 2 1,583 $449,000 $242 $675,000 $266 100 4 Average 3.74 2.95 2,909.68 $1,090,047 $353 $675,000 $266 100 4 Median 4 3 2,551 $799,000 $352 $675,000 $266 100 4

Search Criteria
Status	A , CS
County	DADE
City Name	CORALGBL
Closing Date	between 7/1/2012 -
Entry Date	between 7/1/2012 -

Report time: 8/24/2012 7:24 PM
SUNRISE HARBOUR

Market Analysis Report

Property Type: Single Family (RE1) Status: Active-Available, Closed Sale Number of Properties: 2

#Beds #FBaths SF/FF List Price LP$/SqFt Sale Price SP$/SqFt SP$/LP$ Days on Market High 8 9 14,063 $10,850,000 $772 $0 $0 0 0 Low 6 5 7,320 $2,999,000 $410 $0 $0 0 0 Average 7 7 10,691.5 $6,924,500 $591 $0 $0 0 0 Median 7 7 10,691.5 $6,924,500 $591 $0 $0 0 0

Search Criteria
Status	A , CS
County	DADE
City Name	CORALGBL
Closing Date	between 7/1/2012 -
Entry Date	between 7/1/2012 -

Report time: 8/24/2012 7:25 PM

There is only One Reason why a home does not sell....INEFFECTIVE MARKETING !

Call Us for a Confidential Market Analysis,

All the Best,

Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor

Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist

SellingMiamiEstates team

Prudential Florida Realty

Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com

Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky

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new guidelines for FHFA !!

New FHFA guidelines let homeowners perform short sales for divorce, disability — even if not in default

August 22, 2012 12:45PM

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has issued new guidelines to its mortgage servicers with respect to short sales. The guidelines, which take effect Nov. 1, will give homeowners with either a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgage the opportunity to sell their home in a short sale even if they are current — i.e, not in default — on their home loan by demonstrating an “eligible hardship.” Such hardships include the death of a borrower or co-borrower, divorce, disability or relocation for a job. “These new guidelines demonstrate FHFA’s and Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s commitment to enhancing and streamlining processes to avoid foreclosure and stabilize communities,” said Edward DeMarco, FHFA’s acting director. — Alexander Britell

* Information from



Ready to List & SELL !!! Than give us a call for a Confidential Marketing Analysis,

All the Best,

Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor

Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist

SellingMiamiEstates team

Prudential Florida Realty

Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com

Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky

Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level !

5 ways to boost your sales appeal

Planning on selling in the near future, here are 5 ways to boost your sales appeal:

1. Curb Appeal - People do judge a book by its cover, so the outside of the home becomes as important as the inside. Seasonal color, a well manicured lawn and landscape, and a freshly painted front door all add value and interest to the home.

2. First Impressions - Make the entryway of the home inviting. Add a mirror. Buyers really do like to literally "see" themselves in a home they are interested in. Remove all personal items such as coats, shoes, sports equipment, etc. This will give buyers the impression that the home offers plenty of storage solutions. Adding flowers or natural elements will also add a welcoming touch. Don't forget to attract a buyer’s sense of smell. Consider air fresheners that are subtle with a natural scent like cinnamon or vanilla. Stay clear of floral. These small tricks will give buyers a positive first impression and make them interested in seeing more.

3. Kitchens sell homes - A well designed updated kitchen will pay for itself and then some. Changing out cabinet hardware is an inexpensive way to change the look of the kitchen. An interested buyer will open up drawers, cabinets and closets so remove anything unnecessary and give the illusion of a clutter-free lifestyle. Also, keep the counter tops clear of clutter and most appliances.

4. Bathrooms - In most cases, today's buyers are looking for homes that they can move into and live. They may have long term goals of renovations and updates, but they want to feel good about the investment that are making. Keeping the fixtures updated is essential to giving a bathroom that “move-in ready” feel. Again, by reducing the clutter and personal items, buyers will see the potential.

5. Furniture placement and flow - Edit down furniture and accessories to help buyers envision their things in the home. There does not need to be something on every wall or every corner. Leave passageways and hallways opened enough to allow two people to pass. It may look bare to the homeowner, but will look fresh and organized to a buyer.

Also, always keep paint colors neutral and current. Paint is an inexpensive way to freshen up a space and neutral colors always give a good first impression.

Contact us for a confidential marketing analysis!

Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist SellingMiamiEstates team Prudential Florida Realty Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level !     ** Article from  from Prudential RIS MEDIA Helping Sellers Maximize Their Profit Potential By Cyndi Sadowsky Berardi

New elected Miami-Dade Property Appraiser

Beating the incumbent, Carlos Lopez-Cantera elected Miami-Dade Property Appraiser

Former Florida House Majority Leader Carlos Lopez-Cantera has won his race against incumbent Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia. In a close election, Lopez-Cantera, a onetime industrial Realtor and longtime politician, received 105,914 votes, or approximately 51.2 percent of all votes cast, according to preliminary data from the Miami-Dade County Elections Department. Garcia received 100,929 votes, or approximately 48.8 percent of the vote.
Lopez-Cantera had focused his campaign on a pledge to reframe the way the county conducts appraisals by including foreclosed home sales in assessing neighborhoods’ values. “I think that was probably the biggest thing,” real estate analyst Jack McCabe said. “He said he would lower property taxes by considering all the foreclosures, and I think that was what probably resonated most strongly with voters.”

**THE REAL DEAL - Florida Real Estate Magazine

Rates on 30 yr mortgages RISES to 3.62%

Rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.62%

Mortgage Rate Trend Index

Rates will keep going up over the short term, say 64% of the industry experts polled this week by Bankrate.com. Only 9% predict a drop, while the remaining 27% foresee stability.

WASHINGTON – Aug. 17, 2012 – Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages ticked up for the third straight week, staying slightly above record lows. Cheap mortgages have helped fuel a modest housing recovery this year.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the rate on the 30-year loan increased to 3.62 percent, up from 3.59 percent last week. Three weeks ago, the rate fell to 3.49 percent, the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.

The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, rose to 2.88 percent. That’s up from 2.84 percent last week and the record low of 2.80 percent three weeks ago.
The availability of low rates has lifted home sales higher this year. Home prices have also increased, largely because the supply of homes has shrunk while sales have risen. And builder confidence is at its highest level since March 2007, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders.

Homebuilders broke ground on slightly fewer homes in July, down from June when they started homes at the fastest pace since October 2008. Single-family homes and apartments started in July dipped 1.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 746,000, the government said Thursday.
Still, builders in July requested the most building permits since August 2008, suggesting many expect demand for newly built homes to rise in the months ahead.The pace of home sales remains well below healthy levels, however. Many people are still having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can’t afford larger downpayments required by banks.

Mortgage rates are low because they tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. A weaker U.S. economy and uncertainty about how Europe will resolve its debt crisis have led investors to buy more Treasury securities, which are considered safe investments. As demand for Treasurys increase, the yield falls.

To calculate average rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week. The average does not include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.
The average fee for 30-year loans was 0.6 point, unchanged from last week. The fee for 15-year loans also held steady at 0.6 point.The average rate on one-year adjustable rate mortgages rose to 2.69 percent from 2.65 percent last week. The fee for one-year adjustable rate loans was unchanged at 0.4 point.The average rate on five-year adjustable rate mortgages declined to 2.76 percent from 2.77 percent. The fee was steady at 0.6 point.

* INFO FROM FLORIDA REALTORS MAGAZINE

Thinking on SELLING or BUYING ?

Give Us a call for a Confidential Marketing Analysis.

Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor

Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist

SellingMiamiEstates team

Prudential Florida Realty

Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com

Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky

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Interesting Mortgage Rates Updates...

Mortgage rates stayed mostly steady from a week earlier, according to the survey. The average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances held firm at 3.76 percent, while rates for 30-year fixed loans with jumbo balances decreased to 4.03 percent from 4.04 percent. Federal Housing Administration-backed 30-year loans saw their interest rate fall to 3.53 percent from 3.54 percent. Finally, 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rates rose to 3.12 percent from 3.08 percent. — Adam Fusfeld

* Information From

Thinking on Selling or Buying ? Give Us a Call !!

Together WE do a great team.

All the Best,

Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor

Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist

Carlos Darna

Realtor

SellingMiamiEstates team

Prudential Florida Realty

Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com

Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky

Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level !

great Marketing

A Testimonial is the Best Marketing tool there is ; This is from one of our dear Listing customers.

Thanks for your nice words Mr. Pacheco, its been our pleasure to service your Real Estate needs.

Ready to Sell ?....lets Team Up !
Together WE will be the Best Selling team.

All the Best,

Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor

Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist

Carlos Darna

Realtor

SellingMiamiEstates team

Prudential Florida Realty

Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com

Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky

Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level !

If you can Pull it off...Buy a New HOME :-)

NEW YORK – Aug. 13, 2012 – Investment opinions are like, um, noses: Everyone has one. Buy stocks, sell bonds? Go long steel and short copper? Buy sheep, sell deer? Why be bullish on housing? Prices. You can always buy low and watch prices go lower. But by many measures, home prices are still cheap. The median single-family home price – half higher, half lower – hit its nadir in January, dropping to $154,600, the lowest since October 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors. That’s down from a high of $230,900 in July 2006. Existing-home prices rose in June to a median $190,100, up 8 percent from June 2011. Those are still 2003 levels. Supply. The good news is that the enormous supply on the market is shrinking. It takes a wearisome amount of time for supply to shrink, in part because there are people who have wanted to sell their homes for many years, but haven’t been able to get the price they want. As prices rise, more homes come on the market. Nevertheless, Ned Davis Research, a respected institutional research firm, estimates that excess supply of houses on the market should be eliminated by the end of 2013. When excess supply dries up, people start building more new houses, which has the virtuous effect of reducing the unemployment rate and increasing the economy generally. Mortgage rates. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate is 3.59 percent, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac. That’s above the all-time low of 3.49 percent the week of July 26, but close enough. It’s conceivable that at some point in the next 30 years, your interest rate would be less than the rate of inflation. Assuming you financed 80 percent of the median single-family home, or $152,080, your mortgage payment would be about $691, excluding taxes and other irritations. About $5,589 of your first year’s payments would be tax-deductible mortgage interest. Thanks mainly to low home prices and interest rates, the NAR’s housing affordability index rose to its highest level on record. (The higher the index, the more affordable the average home. The index also takes into account average family income, which has been falling since 2008.) What could go wrong? All sorts of things. You may not be able get a loan. Bankers are insisting on checking things that seemed far too troublesome during the housing bubble, like whether you have a decent credit rating, a down payment, or a job. The other problem is that houses are leveraged investments – that is, you borrow money to buy them. Let’s consider the example above, where someone buys a $190,100 house and finances $152,080. Your investment is $38,020. Let’s say that the worst happens: Home prices fall, and you have to sell the house for $175,000. Unfortunately, the bank won’t split the loss with you. You’ll get back $22,920 from the sale, and wave goodbye to $15,100 of your downpayment. That’s a 40 percent loss, even though your house has fallen 8 percent in value. There are other risks with homeownership, ranging from termites to ghosts in the hall closet. But if you’re planning to live in your home for a long time, you have the money, and you can get financing, it’s a fine time to buy. * from FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE  extracts from USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Wondering how many Ultra Luxury properties are Active in Coral Gables ?   104 !!

Here are the statistics:

Market Analysis Report

Property Type: Single Family (RE1) Status: Active-Available Number of Properties: 104

#Beds #FBaths SF/FF List Price LP$/SqFt Sale Price SP$/SqFt SP$/LP$ Days on Market High 10 12 15,795 $18,000,000 $2,712 $0 $0 0 0 Low 0 0 3,586 $2,095,000 $0 $0 $0 0 0 Average 5.64 5.75 7,002.78 $4,943,989 $686 $0 $0 0 0 Median 6 6 6,312.5 $3,497,500 $588 $0 $0 0 0

Search Criteria
Status	A
County	DADE
City Name	CORALGBL
List Price	between 2,000,000 -

Report time: 8/12/2012 4:08 PM

The Ultra Luxury properties are usually breathtaking estates with with the 'wow' factor such as the finishes and craftsmanship...making them a work of Art.

If you are thinking is selling your estate, allow us to present to you our Strategic Marketing Plan.

Contact us for a Confidential Market Analysis.

All the Best,

Esperanza Franky “espie” Realtor

Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

Certified Strategic Marketing Specialist

SellingMiamiEstates team

Prudential Florida Realty

Cellular: 305.283.5868 l Blog: www.rivieracoralgables.com

Facebook: sellingmiamiestates l Twitter: @espiefranky

Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level !