Naples Fl Homes for sale http://www.loribender.com/blog Everything you need to know about naples homes for sale,marco island houses,condos, real estate, subdivisions,collier county, relocation, downing-frye realty inc Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:09:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Still Sitting On The Fence? http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/still-sitting-on-the-fence/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/still-sitting-on-the-fence/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:09:28 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/?p=36 In this total time of uncertainty, many readers of my local newspaper column are asking me if now ‘is the time’ to buy or sell. 

All of our adult lives we’ve known that housing prices increase and home ownership is a good investment; after all, it’s the American dream.  For five years, home prices have declined.  Many of us are sitting on our homes waiting for prices to recover before we sell.

In addition to the foreclosures that still are not on the market yet, this future inventory is also considered one of the ‘shadow inventories’ of homes that may cause the market to stay depressed for years to come.  Robert J. Shiller, Professor of Economics at Yale University has said that a further decline in property values of 10 to 25% in the next five years ‘wouldn’t surprise me at all.’  Affordability and demographics alone, however, may not be able to overcome pessimism and this shadow inventory.

Although that may be the overall truth, this real estate economy is still the type that fortunes are made in.  Mortgage rates are near historic lows, household formation is expected to climb in the coming years and homes are much more affordable now. 

For the most part, real estate prices in the Naples area have been holding their own for about 2 years now.  “Holding their own” does not mean values are rising.  What should a homeowner do if he or she believes housing values will remain stagnant for many years?  Wait is out?

Some simple truths should help you make your decision:

If you are downsizing in a stagnant market, sell now.  Known carrying costs can be reduced with certainty.  Also consider that if the market declines a bit further, you will get a higher price now.

If you are upsizing, you can lock in low interest rates now and that will help offset increased carrying costs of a larger home.

If you are renting, buy now – lock in low interest rates and low housing prices.

The bank foreclosures that I saw happening at the courthouse in January and February are finally coming on the market. The prices tell me that the lenders that are holding these properties are serious about getting them off their books. Some of the best deals that I have seen yet are happening now.  I predicted that these bottom-of-the-market deals would be dribbling in from 2011 to 2013.  That is a pretty short window of opportunity.  People are buying these opportunities as fast as they come available.  If you want to take advantage of this foreclosure activity, hook up NOW with a real estate agent that will monitor this activity for you SEVERAL TIMES A DAY.

For the many thousands of homeowners still in our area that can’t sell their homes because you owe more than your house is worth, there is good news for you, too.  Many of you have not wanted to be involved in the short sale and foreclosure ‘mess’ that has been going on for the past few years.  My current experience is that short sales are much easier to close now.  Most lenders seem to finally be getting their act together.  Even some of the worst lenders to deal with in the past are now closing short sales in 45 days.  So, don’t sit there and do nothing.

As Donald Trump has said about real estate, “Part of being a winner is knowing when enough is enough.  Sometimes you have to give up the fight and walk away and move on to something that’s more productive.”

I still believe that for the highest success rate, however, you really need a knowledgeable real estate agent on your side guiding you through the transaction.

There you have it.  Some pretty solid, common-sense information that should help get you off the fence with your real estate situation – whatever it may be.

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/still-sitting-on-the-fence/feed/ 0 The Economies Crushing Effect On Our Seniors! http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/the-economies-crushing-effect-on-our-seniors/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/the-economies-crushing-effect-on-our-seniors/#comments Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:51:45 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/the-economies-crushing-effect-on-our-seniors/ 2005 — Mr. and Mrs. Senior are a retired couple living on fixed incomes with modest savings—the results of a lifetime of hard work. When the real estate market was booming, they saw the opportunity to invest in a lovely Naples home in which to enjoy a few years of their retirement. At the time, it also looked like they would be able to sell the home in a few short years at a nice profit and beef up their meager retirement nest egg. This was especially comforting because they were not quite sure if their retirement money would last as long as they would.
In fact, their son (a successful real estate investor), attorney, and accountant all confirmed that they should invest in real estate as a way to ensure a more secure future. On the advice of these experts, they took 50% of the equity from their home up north and bought a retirement home in Naples. The intention was to sell the home up north.
Then, the real estate market decided it had other plans, and both their homes are now worth less then what they owe to their banks. They can’t sell either one. Same situation as most homeowner’s are in now, right? Wrong.
The rest of their retirement savings was tucked away in what they had been told by their financial experts were low-risk mutual funds in the stock market.
Fast forward to 2008. The stock market was crashing and the Senior’s were seeing the cash they had left to live on disappear on a daily basis. With no prospects of making more money at their age, they panicked and sold into the market as an effort to save whatever cash they had left. This decision was about survival. Retirement portfolios that sold into the 2008 crash were reduced 40%-60%!
So, the Senior’s have now lost the first half of their retirement money in real estate and another 50% of what was left in the stock market. In 3 short years, they have lost 75% of their retirement money.
It gets worse.
One of the Senior’s has become chronically ill. They find out how much Medicare really doesn’t pay for, and medical bills are adding up. They have to draw from what is left of their retirement monies to supplement the social security payments they receive in order to cover their expenses.
Many men are now living into their 80’s, and women are living into their 90’s. The Senior’s are in their 70’s, and at this rate they will be out of money in 18 to 36 months. They planned so carefully to make sure this would not happen. They believed they were making responsible investments to secure their future. They are devastated. Their stress levels are completely off the charts.
Does this sound like I’m making this up to ‘shock and awe’ my readers? I have seniors calling me confused, scared, and completely overwhelmed on an almost daily basis. These victims of our current economy don’t have the years ahead of them to recover from the financial impact like most of us do. All they want to do is sell their property and go back ‘home’ where their family support system is.
Mr. and Mrs. Senior, I’m speaking directly to you, now. This is one stress in your life that you CAN do something about. Although it won’t fix all your problems, there is a way out of your current housing situation that will even help you find some of the cash you will need to relocate.
The same HAFA program that was the solution in my last article for failed loan modifications is also a good solution for you. You will need a real estate agent to help you navigate through it, though. It is complicated and time consuming. In a nutshell, it is a short sale that will help provide you with some cash to move. In most cases, the deficit that will be owed to the bank when the property does sell at today’s prices will not be placed as a judgment against you.
In addition to using a real estate agent with lots of short sale experience, I suggest you use an agent that knows about elder issues. For example–if Alzheimer’s or COPD has moved into your life, an agent that has experience in caring for someone with one of those illnesses will obviously understand more about what you are going through and can help you in more ways than an agent without that experience.
Addressing senior real estate issues is so important, that the National Association of Realtors has even created a designation that many agents have achieved called a ‘Certified Senior Specialist’. When I was in the process of caring for two in-laws with Alzheimer’s, I became a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA). Senior clients appreciate this point of difference.
If this article is speaking to you:
1) Find a real estate agent that understands what you are going through, and make sure you feel completely comfortable with them.
2) Engage that agent as your partner in helping you through every aspect of your next move.
They should be able to help you arrange garage sales, help you find a moving company, recommend transportation options, and assist in coordinating this move.

Know someone who could use this information? Please pass this article along.

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/the-economies-crushing-effect-on-our-seniors/feed/ 0 More on Market Timing http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/more-on-market-timing/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/more-on-market-timing/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:15:13 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/?p=32 You can never consistently buy at the best time.  It’s OK to miss the first part of a housing  recovery, just don’t miss the second part of it.  Those that came late to the last real estate run up, got caught in the end paying top dollar for their real estate investment when the bubble burst.  Those are the property owners that are ‘under water’ now. 

In the Naples, FL, area, great real estate deals are being made everyday right now and this may go on for quite awhile yet.  It does seem as though prices have stabilized in some of the Naples residential areas, such as Lake Park, and that should tell anyone that prices on the rise are opportunities being missed.  If you wait for a definite indication that things have turned around, you will have missed out on a good amount of appreciation already.  Remember, your money is made on ‘the buy’ in real estate.  Appreciation is an additional benefit.

It’s always hard to pay an extra $20,000 for a house you could have purchased a year ago–but don’t wait till it costs another $100,000 to buy a similar house or you will be caught, once again, buying at the top of the market.  You have to have more insight and courage than that to be a successful real estate investor.

There are a handful of fabulous single family homes priced under $300,000 that should be closer to $700,000 available right now.  If anyone is interested in more info about these homes, please e-mail me right away.  You are not the only investor looking to buy in this area.  There is great competition for deals in Naples, Florida.  If you don’t know why, have you ever seen this town?

It’s gorgeous!

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/more-on-market-timing/feed/ 0 Short Sale and Foreclosure Update in Naples Area http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/short-sale-and-foreclosure-update-in-naples-area/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/short-sale-and-foreclosure-update-in-naples-area/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:31:56 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/short-sale-and-foreclosure-update-in-naples-area/ Market timing is critical in real estate investing. If you buy at the top of the market, you’re likely to be underwater even in the most up and coming areas. Obviously, most of the country is sitting with their feet in the water these days. On the flip side, where there is water, there is also opportunity.
There is strong indication that we are currently at or close to the bottom of the market in southwest Florida. If you buy near the bottom of the market, almost any property will make you money. CNN and Forbes have kept a steady stream of investors coming to the Naples area to spend their money with continuing articles about our areas real estate being under valued.
Our foreclosures are actually being snapped up at a good rate compared to other areas of the country where languishing foreclosed properties are sitting on the market and turning once nice areas into blighted neighborhoods. Often, there are multiple offers on short sales and bidding wars on foreclosures. Investors are having to bring in strong offers. Things could be worse.

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/short-sale-and-foreclosure-update-in-naples-area/feed/ 0 Most Lenders Require That You Use A Real Estate Agent To Do A Short Sale http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/most-lenders-require-that-you-use-a-real-estate-agent-to-do-a-short-sale/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/most-lenders-require-that-you-use-a-real-estate-agent-to-do-a-short-sale/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:11:45 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/most-lenders-require-that-you-use-a-real-estate-agent-to-do-a-short-sale/ Because of the complexity of short sales, most lenders will require that a real estate agent be involved in this process. They are so overwhelmed with bad mortgages at the current time that lenders are looking to utilize the real estate agent industry as an extension of their staff in order to complete more property transfers faster. That is to your advantage. A real estate agent experienced in short sales will more effectively get the job done for you.

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/most-lenders-require-that-you-use-a-real-estate-agent-to-do-a-short-sale/feed/ 0 You Are Not Alone! http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/you-are-not-alone/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/you-are-not-alone/#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:46:43 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/you-are-not-alone/ The current U.S. housing marketing and financial crisis have caused tremendous stress and heartache for families across America. If you or someone you know is among the millions today affected by the prospect of foreclosure, understand that you are not alone.
One out of seven mortgages is not being paid and is in default. Sub-prime mortgages that were very popular in Florida, Arizona and Nevada currently have an even higher default rate of four out of ten. Across America, twenty-five percent of all mortgages are “under water”. That means that the homeowner owes more to his lender than the home is currently worth.
We are still in a very difficult real estate market, and many of our southwest Florida neighbors continue to anguish over the inability to pay their mortgages and/or sell their homes. There is good news in that there have recently been more new government programs created to help homeowners in real estate distress than ever before in history.

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/you-are-not-alone/feed/ 0 Foreclosure Alternatives http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/foreclosure-alternatives/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/foreclosure-alternatives/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:12:09 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/foreclosure-alternatives/ The prospect of foreclosure can be financially and emotionally devastating. Often homeowners proceed without guidance of any kind. Seven out of ten homeowners in distress simply allow their property to be foreclosed on without ever making an inquiry into what their options may be. The rest will reach out for help and call their agent and the agent tells them, ‘I can’t help you—you have no equity in your home.” Then they call their lender and the lender says, “We can’t help you—you have no equity in your home.” And that is where the investigation into what their options are dies.
Truth is that there are currently over 14 different programs available to homeowners to help alleviate their current real estate crisis. Even more are being added over the next few months, such as a FHA home modification and short sale plan being rolled out sometime in August 2010. It is difficult for the average homeowner to find out what their options are and even more difficult to understand which of these programs they may qualify for.
For the majority of homeowners in distress, a short sale is the best answer for them. To assist the housing crisis across America, our government is offering tremendous incentives to lenders to cooperate with short sale transactions. Simply put, in most cases a short sale is now cheaper for a lender to complete than a foreclosure. Combine that with the incentives they receive from the government at this time, and you can begin to see why short sales are currently ‘all the rage’. Lender cooperation with short sales has increased dramatically and they have ramped up their default departments to get these transactions done quicker.

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/foreclosure-alternatives/feed/ 0 Lori Bender Earns Prestigious Designation to help Homeowners in Danger of Foreclosure http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/lori-bender-earns-prestidious-designation-to-help-homeowners-in-danger-of-foreclosure/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/lori-bender-earns-prestidious-designation-to-help-homeowners-in-danger-of-foreclosure/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:12:09 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/lori-bender-earns-prestidious-designation-to-help-homeowners-in-danger-of-foreclosure/ Naples, FL – June, 2, 2010 – Lori Bender of Independent Brokers Realty in Naples, FL, has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance, with a particular emphasis on short sales. At a time when millions of homeowners are struggling with the possibility of foreclosure, the skills and education accumulated by Bender will help benefit Naples-area residents and communities.

Short sales allow the distressed homeowner to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even it it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less costly than foreclosures.

“The CDPE designation has been invaluable as I work with homeowners and lenders on complicated short sales,” said Bender. “It is so rewarding to be able to help families save their homes from foreclosure.”

CDPE experts better understand market conditions than the average agent, and can help sellers through the complications of foreclosure avoidance. And when banks see paperwork coming across their desk with the CDPE logo on it, they know these packages are complete, done by knowledgeable professionals, and are more likely to quickly approve that short sale package over another.

For more information, contact Lori Bender, CDPE, at (239) 234-0387, www.loribender.com, or at e-mail: lori@loribender.com

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/lori-bender-earns-prestidious-designation-to-help-homeowners-in-danger-of-foreclosure/feed/ 0 Naples Florida Foreclosures–More on the way! http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-foreclosures/naples-florida-foreclosures-more-on-the-way/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-foreclosures/naples-florida-foreclosures-more-on-the-way/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:47:51 +0000 Lori Bender http://www.loribender.com/blog/uncategorized/naples-florida-foreclosures-more-on-the-way/ More foreclosures are on the way and with more foreclosures comes more inventory.   The first wave of foreclosures is getting cleaned off the books. The second wave has started and will continue in full force for the next 12 to 18 months. Foreclosure inventory is expected to increase again and in the same numbers as the first round of foreclosures did over the past 3 years–or more! As inventory increases, the immutable laws of supply and demand influence the marketplace.

We are going to see a continued trend in the market wherein the predominance of sales will be foreclosures and distressed properties. This information is great for Buyers because there is less emotion and attachment to properties when they are being liquidated.

All of this presents quite the dilemma for the real estate industry. You have a market that requires agents to be skilled liquidators and knowledgeable about foreclosures and short sales.  CAUTION — The majority of real estate agents have no idea how to make their way through the foreclosure process.

If you are looking to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities in this market, call or email me. Since 1988, I have a successful history of handling foreclosures and short sales in the South Forida area. My market is Naples, Florida.

Give me a call and let’s liquidate some property or find you that perfect home to live in or investment property in one of the  most beautiful cities in Florida, Naples.  And we will do it at a great price!

 

Lori Bender

Share/Bookmark ]]> http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-foreclosures/naples-florida-foreclosures-more-on-the-way/feed/ 0 Naples Florida http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/naples-florida/ http://www.loribender.com/blog/naples-fl-homes-for-sale/naples-florida/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:24:29 +0000 admin http://www.loribender.com/blog/?p=12 Retiring to Florida doesn’t have to necessarily mean taking up residence in a bland community where there is nothing to do. Seize the day and add Naples to your list of ideal places to retire in Florida.

The current mortgage crisis has created never-to-be-repeated opportunities to once again grab the chance of retiring to this lovely area. The video below highlights some of the reasons why you want to be here too.

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