South Florida Real Estate Blog

Thinking of filing a tax appeal? Now is the time! It’s simple, inexpensive, and can save you money on your property tax bill! How, though, do you go about filing for one? Let us help you.

 Property owners in our area have a very short window of time each year to challenge the county’s assessed property value. That window begins this month with the mailing of the TRIM, or Truth in Millage, notices.

Here is a “how-to” on contesting the value of your property…

1)      Figure out if you have good cause. Look at the market value on your TRIM notice. The value represents how much the property was worth as of Jan. 1, 2010. Here’s a rule of thumb – if the market value on the TRIM notice is higher than what you would sell for, it’s worth looking into!  When looking in to this, be sure to check that your lot size and other characteristics is correct. These factors will affect the value.

2)      If you believe that your property value is too high, contact a property appraiser or a licensed realtor. Either can help you in obtaining a true picture of the worth of your home. .

3)      Consider hiring a tax representative to represent you if there is an appeal. Tax representatives have a higher success rate that property owners representing themselves. Just keep in mind that you may have to pay them and that cost may be up to 50% of any tax savings.

4)      The deadline is Sept. 20 in Broward County. More information can be found at www.bcpa.net.  To access the forms directly click here:  http://www.bcpa.net/forms-dl.asp#vab

Recently, Money magazine gathered data for it’s August issue on the top 100 places to live. We are proud to announce that there are not one, but two towns in Broward County that placed in the top 50!

Coral Springs, ranking as 44, is known for the Coral Springs Sportsplex (which features tennis courts, ice rinks, skate parks and even a dog park).Coconut Creek, which is known for it’s butterfly gardens, ranked 48^th place.Cities are judged by amenities such as libraries, public golf courses and restaurants.

Congratulations to these two beautiful towns for making the cut and for making Broward County proud and a wonderful place to live!

If you want to make either city your new home contact your Broward Country Specialists, Chris & Natascha Tello of The Tello Team at 954-237-0600.

De-Clutter, Clean, and/or Organize all rooms in the house - This should be your very 1st step. Get rid of or pack up anything you don’t think you’ll need to use right away. Clean your drawers and cabinets (potential buyers will open them up to look inside) and put anything you think you might need in a small, organized box in an out of the way place.

Address any and all repairs that need attention. Inspect your house inside and out to search for cracks, etc. The small investment of time and money will mean a bigger return when it comes to the sale price. Don’t forget to check for leaky faucets, squeaky doors, and burnt-out light bulbs. You may even want to consider repainting your walls with neutral colors so that they appear fresh and clean.

De-Clutter, clean and organize kitchen counter tops and cupboards. Counter tops and shelves should not be filled with food and appliances. You want your kitchen space to appear large, clean and functional. Make sure your dishes are stacked correctly, turn your cups and mugs so that they’re all facing the same direction, and make sure everything (including your spice jars) are clean and in order.

Keep the bathroom as bare as possible, never leave your personal items in view when showing your home. In fact, depersonalizing your whole property is a powerful selling tip. Buyers will be more attracted to your house when they can imagine themselves living there. To make your house look lived-in without looking like anyone actually lives there, pack away into storage:

All family photos  

Holiday souvenirs

Trophies & certificates

Collectible items

Children’s artwork

Home Gyms that haven’t been used in months

Whether selling professionally or by yourself, make sure you have some fliers made up with details and photos of your house for prospective buyers to take away with them. Know that when the house has a showing it should appeal to all five of the senses:Sight: Open the blinds and drapes to let in natural light. Keep clutter away and consider keeping your pet out of the home for that day. Smell: Put out flowers and candles in the main rooms of the home and a colorful bowl of fruit on the dining table. Taste: A hot pot of coffee helps with taste and smell also. Hearing. Turn off the sound on all television sets and computers, and have some easy listening or jazz music playing in the background softly.

Touch. Have your guests sit on the softest couch, and make sure everything is clean and dust-free. o    Space. When showing guests around your property, let them enter the room first. In smaller rooms e.g bathrooms, stay at the door. Too many bodies in too small a space causes a problem.

Make sure you put away or hide any major appliances you don’t want to sell. If you want to take your antique chandelier you should take it down before you show the house. Otherwise, a potential buyer may see it and want it for herself.  

Tips

• You are putting your home on display, so present it well! If you don’t think you have an eye for presentation, ask one of your friends or family to prepare your house for you. If you can’t see a problem with clothes lying around and sticky floors, get someone else to present your house for you! Pay them if necessary - as presentation is so important in presenting your house.
• Remember: you are decorating your home for someone else so keeping that in mind will help you to make purchases that will appeal to the masses.
• De-clutter your home as well as deep cleaning will work wonders, and will show to potential buyers that the house is in stellar condition.

Warnings

• Every room in the home, including the garage and patios, should be absolutely clean. Empty waste baskets and garbage pails daily. Try to keep pets out doors along with their litter boxes and food bowls during showings. Try to relax during this stressful process.

Things You’ll Need

• You may need to make a few purchases - maybe new bed covers, sofa pillows, flowers, etc. Make the purchase needed to update the home so that it will show well. You will certainly see a return on your investment.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.  The FTC reports that there were 161,819 victims of identity theft in calendar year 2002.  Florida has one of the highest.

Tips to Avoid Identity Theft

What to Do if You Are a Victim of Identity Theft

Ready for a fun-filled week of Easter activities? Or just ready for the Easter Bunny? Come on out with your family and friends to these great Easter activities throughout Broward County this year!

 Kiddie Bunny Bash – Saturday, April 3, 12 Noon till 4 pm

The afternoon will be filled with: Easter photo spots, arts and crafts, egg hunts, performance from the Five-Star Flashettes a bounce house, vendors, games, music and dancing and more. Ticket price includes buffet lunch and juice and soda.

Easter Egg Hunt at on of Miami’s Most Amazing Attractions  Miami Seaquarium. – Friday, April 2^nd  through Sunday, April 4 , continuously from 10 am until 4 pm

Each child participating in the egg hunts will receive a complimentary goody bag with candy, a commemorative plush pal and other goodies. Fun also includes music, face painting, bounce houses and many surprises. The Easter Bunny will arrive each day in a special ceremony.

 The TalentFarm: Easter Sunday ShowSunday, April 4, 6:30 pmTickets: $12Featuring Awake, Ice Cream, Flower Flower and Feather Weight.

Here are 10 easy steps that you can take right now to save money on your energy bills each month:

1.  Move furniture away from heating vents and hot and cold air returns. This ends up blocking the return and causes the room to stay cool or hot.  You furniture should be kept away from these returns to get the most use of the energy and save on  energy costs.

2.  Change your furnace filter.  When was the last time you did this?  If you change it every month, you will have a more efficient furnace that not only acts as a heater but also generates the air through the ducts for the air conditioner as well.

3.  Switch to energy saving light bulbs.  As each bulb runs out, change it with an energy saver.  You will soon find you are saving energy and buying less light bulbs.

4.  Fix leaky faucets.  They waste gallons of water.  Remove the handle, tighten it with a wrench and chances are you will have fixed the faucet.  If not, you can easily install a new faucet which costs under $30 at most home  improvement stores.

5. Install a hand held shower head or a water saving head.  This will make taking a shower a breeze and cleaning the shower even easier and will save water.

6.  Fix all windows with cracks. If you have storm windows with cracks, have them replaced.  They are energy wasters.  Do  this before the cold air sets in and you will save money on your heating bill.  Storm windows are easy to replace and can be taken to a glass shop and re-glazed.

7.  Install weather stripping on doors and windows.  If you are ready to winterize your house for the cold weather, or even if you just want to save on the air conditioning costs as your cool air is escaping all of the time, then use weather stripping, which is easy to get at a home improvement store, to better insulate your windows and doors.

8.  Clean the lint trap in your dryer every day.  Each time you use the dryer, clean the lint trap.  This will not only make the clothes dryer run more efficiently and save you money on energy costs, but will eliminate a potential fire hazard.  The dryer has a vent that goes outside as well that should be vacuumed out periodically .

9.  Never run your dishwasher or clothes washer half full.  It costs just as much to run a full washer as it does one that is partially loaded.  And while you are at it, rinse those dishes before putting them in he dishwasher as it will make them cleaner and save on your energy costs.

10. Partially cook your foods in the microwave and use it for defrosting foods before adding them to the oven or stove.  The microwave not only works quicker, but will end up using less energy.  You can save energy when cooking by defrosting your foods that can be defrosted before cooking by using the microwave.

Saving money on your energy bill is as easy as changing a few habits. Some things are absolutely free! Save energy, save money, and save the planet. It really is a no brainer!

Are you among many who are experiencing problems with your drywall, and don’t know where to turn? The CSPC and HUD are asking you to contact them so they can help.

Not sure what to look for? Look around your electrical fixtures, appliances, air conditioners and plumbing. If there is a blackening or corrosion of the metal in these areas, then you more than likely have a drywall problem. It may also smell in your home, as if there is a “rotting egg”. Members of your family may be getting sick often. You may also notice that your air conditioning unit is not working properly and/or leaking. A lot of these problems were caused unfortunately, but not completely caused by, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

If you are experiencing these issues, please contact the CSPC immediately by calling 800-638-2772, or you may also fill out a form online at www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/drywall.aspx. If you or the person experiencing these problems is hearing or speech impaired, they may call through TTY at 800-877-8339.

In the process of renovating, or maybe looking to purchase that new home soon that has no appliances? You’re in luck - now you can help the environment and save a little money at the same time!

That’s right! Energy Star appliances will be offering a mail-in rebate soon, which offers consumers 20 percent off the price of Energy Star refrigerators, freezers, washers, dishwashers, room air conditioners and gas tankless water heaters, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Web site.

How do you help the environment at the same time? This is taking place during April 16-25, which is during the nation’s Earth Day activities. And, by purchasing an Energy Star appliance, you will help the environment with saving our natural resources (especially electricity and water).

Need a little more incentive? If you purchase and recycle your old appliance, you will get an additional $75 rebate!

No more excuses! You can now help the environment, have a brand new dishwasher (or whichever appliance you may need!), and save a little money, all at the same time! Time to renovate that old room, or get everything you need for that new home! Just make sure you wait until April!

The possibility of losing your home to foreclosure can be terrifying. The reality that scam artists are preying on the vulnerability of desperate homeowners is equally frightening. Many so-called foreclosure rescue companies or foreclosure assistance firms claim they can help you save your home. Some are brazen enough to offer a money-back guarantee. Unfortunately, once most of these foreclosure fraudsters take your money, they leave you much the worse for wear.

 Fraudulent foreclosure “rescue” professionals use half truths and outright lies to sell services that promise relief and then fail to deliver. Their goal is to make a quick profit through fees or mortgage payments they collect from you, but do not pass on to the lender. Sometimes, they assume ownership of your property by deceiving you, the homeowner. Then, when it’s too late to save your home, they take the property or siphon off the equity. You’ve lost your home to foreclosure despite your best intentions.

 If you think you may be facing foreclosure, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know how to recognize a foreclosure rescue scam. And even if the foreclosure process has already begun, the FTC and its law enforcement partners want you to know that legitimate options are available to help you save your home.

How the Scams Work

Foreclosure rescue firms use a variety of tactics to find homeowners in distress: Some sift through public foreclosure notices in newspapers and on the Internet or through public files at local government offices, and then send personalized letters to homeowners. Others take a broader approach through ads on the Internet, on television, or in the newspaper, posters on telephone poles, median strips and at bus stops, or flyers or business cards at your front door. The scam artists use simple and straight-forward messages, like:

 “Stop Foreclosure Now!”

“We guarantee to stop your foreclosure.”

“Keep Your Home. We know your home is scheduled to be sold. No Problem!”

“We have special relationships within many banks that can speed up case approvals.”

“We Can Save Your Home. Guaranteed. Free Consultation”

“We stop foreclosures everyday. Our team of professionals can stop yours this week!”

 Once they have your attention, they use a variety of tactics to get your money:

Phony Counseling or Phantom Help

The scam artist tells you that he can negotiate a deal with your lender to save your house if you pay a fee first. You may be told not to contact your lender, lawyer, or credit counselor, and to let the scam artist handle all the details. Once you pay the fee, the scam artist takes off with your money. Sometimes, the scam artist insists that you make all mortgage payments directly to him while he negotiates with the lender. In this instance, the scammer may collect a few months of payments before disappearing.

Bait-and-Switch

You think you’re signing documents for a new loan to make your existing mortgage current. This is a trick: you’ve signed documents that surrender the title of your house to the scam artist in exchange for a “rescue” loan.

Rent-to-Buy Scheme

You’re told to surrender the title as part of a deal that allows you to remain in your home as a renter, and to buy it back during the next few years. You may be told that surrendering the title will permit a borrower with a better credit rating to secure new financing – and prevent the loss of the home. But the terms of these deals usually are so burdensome that buying back your home becomes impossible. You lose the home, and the scam artist walks off with all or most of your home’s equity. Worse yet, when the new borrower defaults on the loan, you’re evicted.

In a variation, the scam artist raises the rent over time to the point that the former homeowner can’t afford it. After missing several rent payments, the renter – the former homeowner – is evicted, leaving the “rescuer” free to sell the house. In a similar equity-skimming situation, the scam artist offers to find a buyer for your home, but only if you sign over the deed and move out. The scam artist promises to pay you a portion of the profit when the home sells. Once you transfer the deed, the scam artist simply rents out the home and pockets the proceeds while your lender proceeds with the foreclosure. In the end, you lose your home – and you’re still responsible for the unpaid mortgage. That’s because transferring the deed does nothing to transfer your mortgage obligation. Fraudulent foreclosure “rescue” professionals use half truths and outright lies to sell services that promise relief and then fail to deliver.

Bankruptcy Foreclosure

The scam artist may promise to negotiate with your lender or to get refinancing on your behalf if you pay a fee up front. Instead of contacting your lender or refinancing your loan, though, the scam artist pockets the fee and files a bankruptcy case in your name – sometimes without your knowledge. A bankruptcy filing often stops a home foreclosure, but only temporarily. What’s more, the bankruptcy process is complicated, expensive, and unforgiving. For example, if you fail to attend the first meeting with the creditors, the bankruptcy judge will dismiss the case and the foreclosure proceedings will continue. If this happens, you could lose the money you paid to the scam artist as well as your home. Worse yet, a bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, and can make it difficult to obtain credit, buy a home, get life insurance, or sometimes get a job.

Red Flags

If you’re looking for foreclosure prevention help, avoid any business that:

• guarantees to stop the foreclosure process – no matter what your circumstances
• instructs you not to contact your lender, lawyer, or credit or housing counselor
• collects a fee before providing you with any services
• accepts payment only by cashier’s check or wire transfer
• encourages you to lease your home so you can buy it back over time
• tells you to make your mortgage payments directly to it, rather than your lender
• tells you to transfer your property deed or title to it
• offers to buy your house for cash at a fixed price that is not set by the housing market at the time of sale
• offers to fill out paperwork for you
• pressures you to sign paperwork you haven’t had a chance to read thoroughly or that you don’t understand.

If you’re having trouble paying your mortgage or you have gotten a foreclosure notice, contact your lender immediately.Report FraudIf you think you’ve been a victim of foreclosure fraud, contact:

• Federal Trade Commission
• Your state Attorney General
• Your local Better Business Bureau

For More InformationIf you need help, and would like to discuss your foreclosure or short sale options, please contact the Tello Team at 954-237-0608 or shortsale@telloteam.com . We’re here for you, and will help you decide the right option for your needs!

Every March since 2005, Broward County Parks has designated Bicycle Week, which expanded in 2008 to become Bicycle Month. 

Bicycle month is designed to promote bicycle safety and education; to provide leisure and recreational bicycling opportunities for all ages and abilities; and to offer competitive/challenging cycling opportunities throughout Broward County within both the public and the private sectors.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist proclaimed March 2009 as Florida Bicycle Month. 

Last year, more than 60 activities and events were held from March 1 through 31 throughout the County. Those events were made possible by Broward County and the cooperation of the Cities of Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Margate, Miramar, Parkland, Plantation, Sunrise, Tamarac, Weston, and West Park.

For information about Florida Bicycle Month for March 2010, contact the program coordinator at 954-357-8801.  For bicycling opportunities in the Tri-County area, visit South Florida Commuter Services.