Bonnie's Blog: Hollywood News and Market Info.

Hey Hollywood...

First, sorry for the delay of industry info...I have been sick all week and trying to get rid of a nasty cold.

On another note, we have sold 3 of our listings this week, 2 of which were sold to our own buyers...

4942 Sarazen Drive - Emerald Hills, Hollywood

4102 N. 51st Ave - Emerald Hills

17050 N. Bay Road - Sunny Isles

If you are looking for a home, join those who have realized that it's a BUYERS market and it's the best time to find great deals...

If you are a seller, call me... I'm looking for new properties to market.    Speaking of that, we will hold 2 open houses this weekend on Sunday from 1-4pm both in Hollywood Hills.

2114 N. 44th Avenue - This beautiful home has been reduced to only $324,900 with 4 large bedrooms and 2 baths.  New Roof, New kitchen and New AC round out the many features including a separate entrance to the oversized 4th bedroom.

4118 W. Park Rd - If you are looking for a spacious home on a corner lot with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths a pool, 2.5 car garage and ample room to create additional bedrooms look no further.  This is the lowest priced home of it's size in Hollywood Hills.  True wood flooring, formal dining room, huge open family room, updated kitchen with all new appliances.  Seller has reduced his  price to only $399,999 in order to get out of town quickly. 

Stop by both of our OPEN HOUSES this weekend within blocks of each other, or check out the virtual tours at:

www.HomesInHollywoodFlorida.com

www.HousesInEmeraldHills.com

Please call me directly with any questions about South Florida real estate, or anything specific to Hollywood, Aventura and North Miami Beach.  (954)985-8336

Hello Hollywood, Florida !!

What a whirlwind week.  Spent the beginning of it in Atlanta for my company's annual FAMILY REUNION Convention and it was awe inspiring.  Working with a "learning based" organization is so fabulous.  Over 10,000 agents attended and over 100 seminars from top agents nationwide sharing their tips and strategies for how to do the best job for YOU, both buyer and seller alike.   In the next few days I'll be posting statistics I picked up as well as some strategies for selling and finding the right home.  Keep checking back.  

On another note:  Real Estate has picked up too.  Since the new tax law passed the phones have been ringing off the hook and since returning from Atlanta I've sold two of my own listings.  

My listings now under contract are:  4942 Sarazen Drive and 4102 N. 51st Avenue, both in Emerald Hills.  

Gary Keller (Yes the Keller in Keller Williams) was so inspiring.  He taught a 2 hour seminar called Quantam Leap explaining how we (as people, not agents) can fulfill our lives passions and dreams, how we are responsible for whatever look we have on our face everyday, and how life is about choices etc.   He takes a strong stance that helping people is his and our mission and the ultimate goal, and it's not about the money.   That will come as a result of being passionate about the culture of creating win/win situations, and treating people the right way.   Below is a little summary from his annual VISION speech regarding what the media keeps calling "a bad market"

TOP STORY: Gary Keller shares his vision for 2008

Real Estate at the Crossroads: Choosing to Thrive

Recapping the shift in the real estate market at Family Reunion, Gary Keller urged attendees to seize the current market to their advantage.  Keller explained that the 10-year run-up in real estate that began in the early 1990s, led to an environment in which homes were no longer affordable, lenders were willing to take unreasonable risks and inventory rose to record levels.

This chain of events led to mortgage lenders pulling back, followed by a credit squeeze, increased inventory, dropping prices, rising defaults, slipping consumer confidence and reluctant buyers.

Viewing the market from another angle, Keller observed that since 1981, household incomes have increased by an average of 3.6 percent per year.  During that same time period, U.S. home prices have increased by an average of 4.6 percent per year.

“Affordability is, and always will be, the primary real estate issue,” Keller emphasized.  “As homes become less affordable, the number of qualified buyers declines.  Rising inventories result in an eventual decrease in home prices.

Existing U.S. home sales in 2007 were down by 13 percent over the previous year, and down 20 percent from 2005, when they peaked at 7.1 million. The decrease in new home sales was even more dramatic – down 25 percent from 2006 and a two-year decrease of 37 percent.

NAR’s forecasts for 2007 were overly optimistic by an average of 9.4 percent, while the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) was overly pessimistic by an average of 8.8 percent in 2007. 

Despite last year’s 13 percent decline in U.S. home sales, membership in the National Association of REALTORS®  (NAR) dropped by only 1.4 percent. In the current market, there is approximately half the number of residential real estate sales per agent compared to 10 years ago. Noting that the correlation between home sales and NAR membership has historically been very strong, more competition for fewer available sales is expected to accelerate the trend of agents leaving the business in the near term.

Keller said that for agents who are determined to stand strong and build market share during the shift, opportunities are wide open. The key: “Become a productivity warrior and a market maker; know that there is enough available business for you to achieve your goals; and become the local economist of choice.” 

As always, please write me, pick my brain or send me feedback.   Send me an email at: Bonnie@BonnieKaufman.com

Check out our buyer and seller tips at:

www.HousesInEmeraldHills.com

www.HomesInHollywoodFlorida.com

Check out all of my homes for sale in South Florida.

FEBRUARY 13, 2008

COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

A “Message” from Hollywood Oaks Board of Director, Dr. Peter Livingston, Secretary &

Committee Chairperson: Master Association, Communications

The following is a review as well as an update concerning the development of Arden Park.

As you may remember, we all watched the trailer park on both sides of 35th Ave. being demolished and site work performed in anticipation of developing the property. We all hoped for a residential development that would enhance our neighborhood and the value of our community. That site development included a significant amount of landfill and removal of trees. The landfill included the filling in of both lakes. We then learned that the property might have commercial development. This alarmed not only Hollywood Oaks but all of the surrounding communities on both sides of Stirling Rd. Representatives of Hollywood Oaks and Arapahoe Farms attended the Hollywood City Commission meeting that granted a plat approval for the land. We were further alarmed that the attorneys representing the developer would not indicate what was planned in the Arden Park development. The plat approved by Hollywood was a "perimeter plat". The perimeter plat defined only the outline of the property without any indication of internal site plans. The developer's note with the plat indicated that they were going to develop up to 173 detached homes with no more than five homes per acre which was consistent with the land use plan of Broward County and the State of Florida. Since we could get no commitment from the developer or the attorney as to what they truly planned, an ad hoc committee representing all the surrounding communities was formed to represent the interest of the local residents. That committee hired legal counsel to do research on the rules and regulations concerning development going forward and to represent us at the Broward County Commission and eventually back at the Hollywood City Commission for the zoning process. It will be at the zoning process that the actual site development plans will be revealed.

At the first Broward County Commission meeting over 70 of your neighbors attended the meeting and we were ably represented by our attorney Steven Helfman. We welcomed and supported the purported development of low density detached homes. However, we asked for a commitment on the part of the developer not to do any commercial development and to develop only detached homes. The attorney and developer representative would not respond to those assurances. The Broward County commissioners all understood the equivocation by the developer. They have all seen plats approved for one development only to be replaced by a totally different concept. With the leadership of our local Broward Commissioner Rodstrom the plat approval which is usually automatic was delayed for 30 days.

At the next Broward County Commission meeting we were again represented by counsel with over 50 of your neighbors in attendance. Our attorney's research indicated that the maximum commercial development within Arden Park under the present plat request was only 2/10ths of an acre. The developer's attorney committed that there would not be any kind of commercial development on the property. However, there was no commitment to low density detached home development. Unfortunately for the developer, the plat request was technically lacking. The Broward County commissioners again tabled the plat for further regulatory work.

Since then, all work at the Arden Park site has ceased. The plat has not been resubmitted for approval to the Broward County Commission. We have had an election. We have a new mayor and the makeup of the Hollywood City Commission has changed. We do not know what the developer plans to do. There is an unconfirmed rumor that the property is up for sale. We do not know whether or not the developer will submit the present plat to the Broward County Commission or will abandon the plat and return to the City of Hollywood for a new zoning or plat approval. For certain the developer or any future developer knows full well that they must deal with an organized, highly motivated, and highly interested neighborhood.

Since the future is uncertain we must remain vigilant and prepared to defend the interests of our community which are similar to those of the surrounding communities. We will continue to monitor developments. We thank all those who attended the Broward County Commission meetings. There may well be a need for you and your neighbors to attend future commission meetings both at Broward County and in Hollywood. This process has not been without cost and will require more cost in the future to pay attorney fees. The surrounding communities in this process are committed to pay their fair share. We must also. There will be additional information in this regard in the future.

Hey Hollywood:

Ian and I (and a large group from our Keller Williams office)are headed from Hollywood to Atlanta for our company's annual convention, filled with Educational Sessions, Inspirational gatherings, Information on Specific markets and trends and an exhibition hall filled with Real Estate tools to assist sellers, buyers and agents.  There are 120 breakout sessions over many days!!  It's all very exciting. 

We will try to post from Atlanta...when business center available... LAPTOP in shop!!

For those of you sellers, CHIN UP!!  the buyers are out and about again...  those moving can save on taxes, interest rates are down...etc.

And for those of you buyers, FOOTBALL Sundays are over... time to go house hunting again!   Speaking of which, we will hold an OPEN HOUSE this Sunday  FEBRUARY 10th from 12:30 - 3 in the WOODS OF EMERALD HILLS. 

4102 N. 51st Avenue  4 Bedroom, 2.5 Baths POOL and 2 car garage for ONLY $334,900!  A true value in Emerald Hills.

Come out and see this fabulous home.  My seller must move and is motivated to sell.  Lowest priced home in all of Emerald Hills...  REALLY!!!

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND... and I'll talk to you again soon!

P.S.  Please post a comment!  I really want to hear from you!

www.HousesInEmeraldHills.com

www.HomesInHollywoodFlorida.com

www.BonnieKaufman.com

Hello Hollywood!!!

If you or anyone you know is looking for a large home on a large lot for a GREAT price -check out my new listing at:

4118 West Park Road - 4bedroom/2.5 bath with 2.5car garage, a large screened pool on a very sizable corner lot.  The home can easily become 5 bedrooms by closing off a portion of the oversized family area and perhaps even 7 bedrooms for those not needing a garage!  Beautiful real wood flooring and new Stainless Steel appliances, round out the many fine features of this wonderful home. A Steal at $399,900!!! 

Call me for a personal tour or check out our virtual tour at:

www.HousesInEmeraldHills.com

www.HomesInHollywoodFlorida.com

BK

Hello People who visit my website!!!

Who are you?? I just checked my stats and 180 hits to my website today alone and 1,150 in the last 7 days.... 

None of you have contacted me... please write, post a comment here!!  Tell me what you want to know about and what you'd like me to Blog about.    RE News?  our market? Current trends??   I want to know what you want and why you are here....

Truly, thank you for coming.  I hope to meet you ALL!!!

Bonnie

www.HomesinHollywoodFlorida.com

www.HousesInEmeraldHills.com

Have a great weekend and CHECK OUT my LISTINGS....