Let's talk about how awesome Jupiter, Florida is.

Hi there,
I typically post a lot of Real Estate news & information on my blog & Facebook page.
I thought we could have a little fun this week.
I'm going to do a giveaway.

Up for grabs:
Two Starbucks Gift cards. One $25 and one $10.

How to win them:
1. LIKE my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SeanUnderwoodRealEstate
2. Post a comment in the contest thread on my Facebook page.
Tell me something good about Jupiter, Florida. Favorite place, best memory, etc.
If you're not from around here, tell me something you would like to do in Jupiter, if you ever have the opportunity to visit.

When and how will I pick a winner:
I will choose two random winners next Monday (Sept. 19, 2011).
The first name drawn will win the $25 Gift card. The second name drawn will win the $10 gift card.

Good luck...I can't wait to see all your answers!

Sean Underwood

Jupiter By The Sea Realty, Inc.

REO - Short Sale & Residential Specialist

cell: 561-312-7790

fax: 561-493-8665

email: homes@seanunderwood.com

web: www.seanunderwood.com

A Combination of Knowledge and Experience That Can't Be Beat!!!

Over 400 Career Transactions...

Over 90 Distressed Property Transactions ..... & Still Counting!!!

Log On Today & Let Me Help You Find Your Next Home!!!

FAQ Friday - Real Estate Questions & Answers

Welcome to my 2nd edition of FAQ Fridays.
I found this fantastic checklist of questions by Tara @Trulia

If you are thinking of buying a home for the first time, this list is for you!

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Home

1. Do I have enough money for a down payment? And how much, exactly, is “enough?”  

 

Today’s minimum down payment requirements range from 3.5 percent on an FHA loan to 10 or even 20 percent for conventional loans. That means coming up with anywhere from $7,000 to $40,000 on a typical $200,000 house. While there are still programs that can give you a down payment assist 

 much of the heavy lifting here will need to come from you - in the form of saving up your hard earned cash. And keep in mind there are also closing costs you’ll probably have to pay in cash, which can run as high as 3-4% of your total purchase price.

Talk with a real estate pro and a mortgage broker in your areas to start wrapping your head around how much “cash to close” (i.e., down payment + closing costs) will run, approximately, on a local property that would meet your needs. Can your savings cover this? If not, where will you get the money - what’s your plan for coming up with it?   Putting down as much as you can a) makes you more attractive to lenders, so you might qualify you for better loan terms and b) gives you additional purchasing power, either decreasing your monthly mortgage payment or increasing your purchase price limit for a home.

2. Can I handle the not-so-glamorous aspects of homeownership?
 

If you can’t even fathom the prospect of having a home maintenance crisis without having a landlord to call to fix it, you might want to reconsider homeownership - or at the very least, buy a lower maintenance condo or townhome in great condition, and make sure you get a home warranty!  As a home owner, after all, you essentially are your own landlord. Pipe bursts in the middle of the night? Guess who’ll be up fixing it or calling (and paying) the plumber? (Hint: you.)

There are also some less-than-glamorous bills you’ll have to deal with in your new role as a homeowner that you never laid eyes on as a renter: property taxes and hazard insurance, to name two. When you go from renter to owner, you also need to account for the cost of appliances and maintaining the property’s roof, windows, and landscaping, among other things.

3. How long do I intend to stay in the house? 

 

If you think you might move out of the area next year, then you really shouldn’t be thinking about buying a house (unless of course, you want to play landlord and rent it out after you leave - a prospect which requires its own risk/rewards analysis). For your home purchase to pencil out as a good deal, financially, you’ll shouldn’t buy unless you’re comfortable staying in the house at least 5-7 years - even longer, if you’re buying a home in a foreclosure hot spot or an area with a sluggish job market.. This gives you some time to build up equity and make up for the costs of buying, selling and moving.

4. Are my job and finances stable?

Maybe you just went through a major career change and are in the process of working your way back up from the top. Or maybe you work in a field that has been hit really hard by layoffs and cutbacks. The worst case scenario is to find yourself in a spot with mortgage payment you have no way to make, when you could have avoided that by seeing the writing on the wall. If you feel like there’s a real chance you could lose your job or income tomorrow, you may want to hold off on buying a house - that has the added bonus of giving you the geographic freedom to move, if needed, to get a new job.

Is there really such a thing as 100 percent job security in today’s economy? Probably not. But the best practice is to be confident that your finances could handle a temporary loss of income and still make your mortgage payments, before you buy. One way to do this is to have enough money in the bank to cover 4-6 months’ worth of living expenses, calculating them to include your mortgage payment - before you deem yourself ready to buy. That way, even if you lose your job with no warning at all, you’ll at least have a reasonable window of time to find a new one without digging yourself into a hole - or worse, losing your home altogether.

5. What are my real reasons for buying?

Buying a home is a long-term commitment that will have massive impacts on your lifestyle, your family and your finances. In other words, don’t do it unless you’re really sure you want to and are ready for the lifestyle change - don’t let someone else talk you into it. Worthy reasons renters with homeowning readiness give for their decision to buy include some or all of the following:

• You want to build equity instead of paying a landlord. Fact is, if you get a fixed rate mortgage and make the payments for the full term of the loan, you'll eventually pay it off. That's not possible when you're renting.
• You want a place to call your own, where you can paint a wall purple, add a pottery spinning studio or build your dogs an obstacle course (oops - that's my reason for homeownership!), because it's your prerogative.
• You want the tax advantages of homeownership.
• You want a stable place you and your family can live for as long as you'd like.

Ask yourself these questions, and be honest with your answers. If you really want to buy, but your answers to these questions today don’t weigh in that direction, it doesn’t mean you’ll never own a home. It’s usually just a matter of strategically timing your purchase out a year or two when your savings, your career and your lifestyle are in alignment with the implications of ownership - consider working closely with a real estate broker and a mortgage professional to get an action plan in place and start working that plan. 

Sean Underwood

Jupiter By The Sea Realty, Inc.

REO - Short Sale & Residential Specialist

cell: 561-312-7790

fax: 561-493-8665

email: homes@seanunderwood.com

web: www.seanunderwood.com

A Combination of Knowledge and Experience That Can't Be Beat!!!

Over 400 Career Transactions...

Over 90 Distressed Property Transactions ..... & Still Counting!!!

Log On Today & Let Me Help You Find Your Next Home!!!

FAQ Friday - Real Estate Answers for Buyers & Sellers

As a Real Estate agent in South Florida, I constantly get asked a lot of questions.
So I thought I'd post a blog with some of the more common ones, that I hear a lot.

One subject both buyers & sellers bring up a lot is Credit Scores.

I received a great post by Claudine Porikos & Kim Davis of The “Porikos” Team.

What's in a credit score?

How is your FICO score calculated?

According to FICO, five elements make up your credit score:

·         Payment history (35%)

·         Your credit utilization, or how much of your credit you're actually using (30%)

·         Length of your credit history (15%)

·         Recently issued credit (10%)

·         Types of credit used (10%)

How do banks rank credit scores?

Finding the best credit card often means having to know where your credit scores fall on the spectrum of typical consumers. Over the past few years, lenders have ratcheted expectations skyward. Before the financial crisis of 2008, many banks considered a 680 FICO score "good." Today, it's just "fair." Research from FICO, Experian and Informa Research reveals how banks look at credit scores today:

·         Excellent: 760-850 on FICO, 900-990 on VantageScore or an "A" letter grade.

·         Good: 700-759 on FICO, 800-899 on VantageScore or a "B" letter grade.

·         Fair: 620-699 on FICO, 700-799 on VantageScore or a "C" letter grade.

·         Poor: Below 620 on FICO, below 700 on VantageScore or a "D" or "F" letter grade.

You may also have heard a bank representative or a mortgage broker note that you've got a "thin credit file." That just means your limited credit history makes it hard for a credit card issuer to figure out whether you're a good risk. Building a track record with a student credit card or secured credit card usually improves your score over time. 

I'll be posting a new FAQ session every Friday.

If you have a Real Estate question, please do not hesitate to conatct me!

Sean Underwood

Jupiter By The Sea Realty, Inc.

REO - Short Sale & Residential Specialist

cell: 561-312-7790

fax: 561-493-8665

email: homes@seanunderwood.com

web: www.seanunderwood.com

A Combination of Knowledge and Experience That Can't Be Beat!!!

Over 400 Career Transactions...

Over 90 Distressed Property Transactions ..... & Still Counting!!!

Log On Today & Let Me Help You Find Your Next Home!!!

Saturday Night in Jupiter, FL - Where to go??

I'm local boy (if you hadn't guessed by now).. I love taking in the sights and sounds that make Jupiter my home.

With the terrible weather happening further North, I'm sure we're all tempted to stay in and cozy up for the night... However, if you're up for going out, might I suggest one of my fave restaurants in Jupiter - Guanabana's

Their menu is impressive and prices are reasonable for the food. My favorite dish is the fish tacos.... yummy :)

Tonight Guanabana's has live music at 9pm. So call up some friends and head on over!

Cheers,

Sean

Notes on a housing commercial...

While flipping through tv channels, I happened to catch a commercial by the National Association of Realtors® (of which I am a member - full disclosure). And I thought of how much owning a home means to a person, to a community.

It's really quite amazing - being a homeowner. Not only do you satisfy a basic need for security and shelter, but you provide an environment for your spiritual growth.

By having our own homes, we build shrines to memories, to our past. We lay foundations for our future and the generations to come. We nurture the landscape and lend our own flavor to our neighborhoods. All of this by setting down roots and claiming our share of the American dream. All by owning a home. Isn't that something?

Oh and if you want to take a look at the commercial, here's the link
http://bit.ly/eM4nh2

Hope you have a fantastic week.

Sean

It's Friday... If you haven't any plans...

 I'd like to share a local spot guaranteed to move you - the Square Grouper Tiki Bar and Castaways Marin. Now some of you may recognize this place as the home of Alan Jackson's video "Its' Five O'Clock Somewhere” - the video also starred Jimmy Buffett.  

http://www.squaregrouper.net/

Their bar boasts an excellent collection of spirits to help you enjoy the water views of the Jupiter Lighthouse... whatever your poison - they will have something for your palate.

While the show started just a little bit ago (who says you can't be fashionably late?), Jeff Harding is playing tonight. http://www.facebook.com/jeffhardingband

If you want a little more time to plan your night, Taylor Road is on tomorrow night. http://www.myspace.com/taylorroad

Take a little drive and go enjoy the view, a cold drink and raise a toast to living in paradise.

Jupiter = Paradise

Sean

Some important FHA changes

 April brings forth a list of significant FHA program changes that we all need to be aware of. If you have a current FHA mortgage or are thinking about an FHA mortgage, please take note.

Effective 04/18/2011
Changes to FHA’s annual mortgage insurance premiums which add .25 bps to the current annual premiums. These new premiums are effective for cases assigned on and after April 18th.

Current annual MI premiums through April 17th:
Term is greater than 15 yrs
>95% LTV = .90
<=95% LTV = .85

Term is less than or equal to 15 yrs
>90% LTV = .25
<= 90% LTV = n/a

New Annual MI premiums effective April 18th
Term is greater than 15 yrs
>95% LTV = 1.15
<=95% LTV = 1.10

Term is less than or equal to 15 yrs
>90% LTV = .50
<= 90% LTV = .25

In honor of Opening Day..

One of my favorite local destinations is Roger Dean Baseball Stadium. I did say it was in honor of Opening Day.


http://www.rogerdeanstadium.com/


Think about it.. Spring is in the air.. What's better than feeling the sun on your face, cold drink in hand, sitting in the cheap seats and staring out at the diamond? All around you are fans of the game. Old and young alike. The smell of popcorn, pretzels, beer and sun block everywhere. Cheering (and booing) as favorites take to the field or take their turn at bat. It's the perfect way to play hookey (even Ferris Bueller took in a game on his day off)

So I say, put on your cap, grab your sunglasses and let's PLAY BALL!

So.....

.It's been way too long since my last post...That's both good and bad. Good - business is keeping me busy. Bad - my poor readers are probably bored...  so I've decided to try something new... Been thinking about places in and around Jupiter that I like to frequent.

For the next ten posts, I will be sharing some of this places.. Maybe you will see a familiar name.. or maybe you will discover something new. Either way, if you see me there, come say hi.

Also if you have a favorite place, tell me about it.

Three reasons NOW is the best time to buy!

If you have been looking to buy a home, now is the best time to buy. Why? Three simple reasons.

1. Prices are the LOWEST we've seen in years. Now you can get twice the home for what smaller places went for years ago.

2. Interest rates are at, or near, historically-low levels. Real estate is key to fostering the economic rebuild everywhere.

3. Lots of inventory from which to choose. It's a buyer's market with so many available properties for the taking.

 If you're thinking about buying a new home or investment properties and have questions, I can help. Please feel free to contact me either at homes@seanunderwood.com or through my website www.seanunderwood.com

Why do I feel that Jupiter is a PERFECT place to call home?

Why do I feel that Jupiter is a PERFECT place to call home?

Jupiter is like a different world. As some people have told me, the Town of Jupiter is like the planet Jupiter. Set back on the edge of the northern Palm Beach County line, away from all the chaos. Every time I travel, whether across the state or across the country, I am always happy to return home. No matter where I go, no matter how beautiful the scenery is, no matter what kind of ambiance I travel into .... I can still never find a place that is as beautiful, tropical, or enjoyable as the Town of Jupiter. Sure, there are lots of great places to go and enjoy. However, you have to remember the things that matter in a place that is your home. The population in the Town of Jupiter is very low.  The Town of Jupiter is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the saltwater Loxahatchee River. The Town of Jupiter is proud to have it's own ocean inlet and a beautiful historic lighthouse. The Town of Jupiter is very low in crime. The Town of Jupiter takes extreme pride in it's infrastructure and it's cleanliness. The Town of Jupiter is only 53 nautical miles from the Bahamas..... Well, I guess I could keep writing, but I think you can see why I am VERY PLEASED AND PROUD to call the Town of Jupiter MY home :)

What are my favorite memories as a lifelong Jupiter, Florida resident?

What are my favorite memories as a lifelong Jupiter, Florida resident?

Having been born and raised in this small, yet gorgeous, Town of Jupiter, I have seen amazing changes. I always said that if I had all the money in the world that I would un-develope Jupiter and highlight it's perfections. Some of my greatest memories were the nights I spent fishing on the Loxahatchee River. Back when I was a child there were very few homes along the river, and hardly any as glamorous as they are today. I would anchor my 13 foot Boston Whaler in the middle of the channel, and never see another boat all night long. The fishing is still spectacular, but I miss the silence that the river once gave. Remembering the nights when I used to fall asleep on the boat, and be woken up by a large tarpon making my fishing rod bend and my fishing reel scream out line..... Now those are great memories :)

Why is Realty my passion?

Why is Realty my passion?

Since the days of being a child, my true passion was that I would one day be an entrepreneur. I started my high school days assisting my mother with her Property Management company. So, I guess in hind site, my passion for Realty began there. After my mother sold the Property Management company, I obtained my license and never looked back. Working as an Independent Real Estate Associate has brought me into people's lives, and has made complete strangers become great new friends. I love what I do. Seeing the glow on people's faces when they buy their new home is absolutely amazing. Also, being able to bring people out of a catastrophic debt which they have accrued due to the housing market, and being able place them softly back on their feet. Moments like this make me feel proud to be a Realtor. I have passion in every transaction I am involved in. A passion that guides my clients in the right direction. I truly feel that my clients and friends understand and appreciate my inspiration to protect one of the largest assets in their lives... Their HOME      :)