In Florida, Contractor Scams are prevalent and you should be on the lookout to prevent getting ripped off.

Whether you own a house, townhouse or a condo, the results can be the same if a contractor is going to cheat you.

There are certain signs to be on the lookout for. These are the main scams that have been found:

- The contractor failed to complete the job contracted for, or did sub-standard or poor quality work.

- The contractor did not complete the job in the timeframe agreed upon. 

- The contractor did not repair or fix items (warrantied) that were not completed as agreed upon.

- The contractor added additional charges that were never contemplated or agreed to.

- The contractor did not pull permits for the agree upon work.

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Condo Investor Deals in Pompano Beach (Search HERE)

Searching for Condo Investor Deals in Pompano Beach? Your search is now made easier:  (Search HERE) The main thing you are looking for is the price, and whether the condo can be rented out right away.

While it is difficult to find condos in Pompano Beach (or any where else in South Florida) that will allow daily or weekly rentals, they do exist, but most condos for sale in Pompano Beach that allow rentals have more severe restrictions. The 2 other things you are looking for are: 1) Has the price been decreased and 2) How long has a Condo been listed for sale, because generally the longer a condo (or other property) has been listed for sale (called "DAYS ON MARKET"), the more anxious or motivated

Buying & Selling Myths
If you are thinking about buying or selling a home, you likely have some idea of what the process is like. But everyone’s real estate experience is different, so you can’t always believe everything you hear from friends or relatives. Here are some of the most common myths about buying and selling a home.

Myth: I Need to Make a 20% Down Payment
A 20% down payment is not required to qualify for a home loan. While making a down payment of 20% or more allows you to avoid buying private mortgage insurance and lower your monthly payment, you can qualify for a loan with a down payment that's as low as 3-5%. You'll then pay for private mortgage insurance until you've reached 20% equity in your home. There are special rules that apply to second

If you purchase your home this year, you will inherit the seller's exemption status for the current tax year. Please review your closing statement, as the seller likely gave you a deduction for the seller's pro rata share of the current year taxes. Because of that, you will be responsible for payment of the entire tax when it arrives in November. Next year, your home will be reassessed based upon your purchase price (and the sale prices this year of other qualified market sales in your neighborhood). Finally, if you qualify for homestead exemption, remember that you will need to file for a homestead exemption on the property for next year as the seller's exemptions will automatically be removed at the end of this year.

To estimate your taxes for next

Homestead Exemption- Low Income Senior Exemption in Broward County

From the Broward County Property Appraiser's (BCPA) office: To qualify for the 2023 Low-Income Senior Exemption, an applicant must be 65 years or older as of January 1, 2023 with a combined household adjusted gross income not exceeding $35,167 for 2022. Many seniors believe they do not qualify for this exemption because their social security payments exceed this amount; however, applicants who file income taxes should look at their adjusted gross income amount (line 11 on the IRS 1040 form) to see if they do qualify for this additional exemption. If you are not required to file an income tax return based on your age and income, you would qualify for this exemption. To apply for the

The Broward County Property Appraiser's Office (BCPA) is excited to announce the implementation of text notifications for property owners who are registered for Owner Alert. Over 185,000 property owners have registered for the  Owner Alert early notification system. Owner Alert notifies registered property owners if a change of ownership has been processed by our office. This same day alert allows property owners to review the document recorded to ensure they authorized the change.

This is a great way to help prevent fraud and keep tabs on your real estate. As you may be aware, fraud has become a big problem for property owners in the recent past.

To register for Owner Alert or to subscribe for text notifications, please visit BCPA's website

While condominium associations are not required to meet Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s requirements, the consequence will likely be a decrease in property values as the potential pool of purchasers that utilize traditional financing would be eliminated.  Some smaller banks and credit unions will provide non-warrantable loans, which are not sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac if traditional financing cannot be obtained.  However, it remains to be seen whether these lenders will provide loans in condominiums that have significant building conditions. Given that the board of directors already has a responsibility to maintain the common elements in a condominium, it is wise of the board of directors to appropriately plan for repairs and keep good records to

Florida has made the top 2 in Zillow’s list of states with the most valuable housing markets. 

The list ranks the total market value of residential real estate by state. The report cites the record-fast value growth and the record number of newly built homes for increasing the total market value of residential real estate in the U.S. 

No surprise, California topped the list at  $9.52 trillion as of December.

Florida took the No. 2 spot with its housing market valued at $3.63 trillion, up from $3.01 trillion at the end of 2021 and slightly down from last July’s $3.67 trillion. 

Florida was followed by New York at $3.32 trillion, Texas at $3.16 trillion and Washington and New Jersey at $1.63 trillion each. The next five states with the most

With mortgage rates climbing dramatically over the last year, many buyers are weighing the pros and cons of an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) for their future home purchase. While fixed-rate mortgages provide homeowners with the same interest rate for the duration of their loan, interest rates for adjustable-rate mortgages can change over time. These loans are more complex than their fixed-rate counterparts, which is why this guide may be helpful as you're considering all your options.

What are ARM Loans?
Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are loans that come with a fixed interest rate for a short period of time before changing to an adjustable interest rate. For the first 3-10 years, you'll pay a fixed interest rate that's lower than what you would

Selling your Condo during a declining market can be tricky & sometimes a little discouraging.

If you are in a position where you want to sell, I’m here to help ensure you still have a successful sale, as quickly as possible and for the highest price. As an experienced real estate professional, I know a thing or two about how to sell in a declining market. Here are some of my rules for success when selling in a declining market:

Be realistic about the list price. Sellers can get stuck on the idea of getting a price they remember before the market began its decline. You want to get the best price you can, which is not likely to be the price you would’ve gotten when the market was hot. In a falling market, selling your home quickly is important