News gets better in the housing market as foreclosure filings dropped to over a three year low in April.  This is great as fewer home owners are losing their homes. It is said that the slowdown is coming from delays in processing foreclosure paperwork but optimists believe the end of the crisis may be near as inventory level reduces and sale numbers rise in many areas of the country.

The numbers don’t lie.  Foreclosure filings (notices of default, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions) sank 34 percent from a year ago last month, making the lowest it’s been since December of 2007.  8.6 percent less homes were repossessed in April than in March and that’s a 32 percent drop from last September’s high point.

Hope of improvement is present; with the…

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The market may be struggling to recover in America overall, but there are a few markets that are currently seeing good conditions for buying and rising sales. We're happy to say that Orlando is improving faster than most places, and it looks like a great time to buy.

Consider the facts: According to the Florida Realtors latest housing figures, home sales increased by 12 percent in March compared to last year with over 18,522 total homes sold across the state. Condo sales are doing even better and are up 24 percent across the state in the same period. Seventeen metropolitan areas reported higher home sales.

But, even though sales are up, it's an excellent time to be a buyer because prices are down from last year. The median price for homes in March…

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So what has been going on with interest rates lately? It is important to know that according to all relevant surveys and expert opinions, mortgage levels will see little change in the current rates. The 30-year fixed mortgage rates tend to fluctuate in unison with the yield on the ten-year treasuries. This is not to be confused with the Prime Lending Rate that typically receives the most press. Ten-year treasuries are used to partially fund the national debt in the United States. Since the debt continues to grow, we have to continue to attract more overseas capital to fund our debt. When this capital starts to seek other safe havens and begins to dry up, the interest rate on the ten year notes start to climb in an attempt to attract more capital. The old…

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At last there are rebounds in the real estate market… Vacation Home sales have been reported at soaring levels that have not been seen since the days of the housing boom, according to The Wall Street Journal. Deep discounts and cash purchases are the reason according to analysts, in various areas across the country, and certainly the rise has been felt here in Florida.

What does that mean for you? It means that now is the time for ACTION. If you are looking to buy or wanting to sell Vacation Properties, then we should be talking today.

Sales across Florida are rising, for example in Palm Beach there has been a nearly 40 percent increase over the past year from 2009. Buyers are coming off the sidelines and stepping up to the plate to take advantage of…

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happyholidays_450The message from this classic holiday favorite is so very true. Each of us at Carlos German & Team know that our mission is to help you and your family find that one special place to call home, or a home away from home! It is so heartwarming at this time of year to think of all the families we have worked with who are happily creating new memories to cherish for years to come. We would like to wish you all the warmth and joy that this holiday season brings! It is a pleasure and a privilege to help each of you open the door to your home and we thank you for your business as we wouldn’t be here without you.

“If you want to be happy in a million ways…” we are here to help! This time of year there are indeed millions of ways to help those in need and we hope…

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In the world of New-Home sales, the future is beginning to brighten up. Surpassing expectations, the government reported that sales of new homes increased by nearly 7 percent in September. But you’re thinking, what should I expect if I’m looking to sell my current home? Recent reports show that sales of existing homes rose 10 percent, leading experts to believe the housing demand is again on the rise after it bottomed out in late summer.

While this is good news, new-home sales are still 21.5 percent below where they were last year. The first-time homebuyer tax credit is much to blame for this difference. Prices are rising slowly, but rising nonetheless. Barclays Capital economist, Nicholas Tenev says that it looks like new home sales have finally…

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While analysts talk about a double dip recession, we are seeing signs that point to a healthier, recovering and somewhat stable, real estate market. Home prices were up 1% this past June from May according to S&P’s 20-city home price index, up a total of over 4% from June last year. Despite a drop in sales for July this year’s annual sales are still expected to reach 5 million, beating out the average of 4.9 million of the past 20 years, and home prices nationally have continued to increase according to the National Association of Realtors.

In the second quarter of the year, 100 out of 155 MSAs (metropolitan statistical areas) had higher median existing single-family home prices in comparison to the previous year, and 91 for the first quarter.…

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People are moving at record pace to purchase Orlando real estate. So what is it about living minutes from Disney World that is so amazing? The Orlando area is one of the most serene and beautiful vacation areas our country has to offer. The market for homes in Florida right now is fantastic! Young entrepreneurs, families and even international investors are all buying up real estate around Disney World.

Why the rush to buy vacation property in Orlando? Prices and interest rates are lower than ever. With good credit, one can mortgage a vacation home with an interest rate as low as 4%. Rates that low are unprecedented in the area. .

The Orlando area offers a great diversity of attractions and culture. From award winning golf courses, resorts and swimming…

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Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 15 percent in June, marking 22 consecutive months that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®.

A total of 18,038 single-family existing homes sold statewide last month compared to 15,732 homes sold in June 2009, according to Florida Realtors. June’s statewide existing home sales increased 7.7 percent over statewide sales activity in May. Meanwhile, June's statewide existing-home median price of $143,400 was 2.1 percent higher than May’s statewide existing-home median price of $140,400. It marks the fourth month in a row that the statewide existing-home median price has increased over the previous month’s median.

Fifteen of…

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Due to the turbulence in the recent economy, there are a few different types of real estate sales that one hears about frequently. When preparing to enter the real estate market, whether as a seller or a buyer, it is important to know the terms used, and the implications of each type of sale.

Short Sale Property


You often will hear the term “short sale”. A short sale is when the homeowner owes more on their mortgage than the home can sell for in today’s real estate market. There are a few ways this can happen. One way is when a homeowner takes out an equity loan (to pay off other bills) that amounts to greater than the home can sell for including closing costs.

Another way this could happen would be if the homeowner originally bought the home with what…

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