Have you been out to look at homes lately? It’s slim pickin’s out there! I have several buyers looking for a home and can’t find anything suitable. The quantity of inventory at affordable price levels has been falling steadly.
Another interesting thing happening lately is the quantity of offers sellers are receiving on homes that are well-priced and in move-in condition. My CPA is looking for a home in the Clearwater area. He put an offer on a bank-owned home for $40,000 over the asking price and didn’t get it. He was beat by someone who offered $50k over the asking price AND there were 18 offers!
I wrote a contract on a bank-owned condo on the penthouse floor in Feather Sound. Our offer was full-priced, and we were beat! The seller’s agent said he got 7 or 8 offers on it, and it went for well over the asking price.
Makes me curious about what is going to happen to home prices soon with all this activity and bidding wars.

I have spent almost all week working with first time home buyers. It does my heart a world of good to see them looking at homes and getting prequalified by lenders.
For so long, Realtors couldn�t help them. Move up buyers, cash buyers and investors with larger down payments were knocking them out of the market.

Now it�s first time home buyers time! Look at these reasons to buy your first home:

1. $8,000 tax credit. You can amend your 2008 tax return and get that check now!
2. USDA Rural Program with 100% financing and no PMI. Who needs subprime when you have this? Any lender can do this loan and rates are very low. No mortgage insurance. In the Tampa area you can buy in the New Tampa/Tampa Palms area and in Pasco county from the Suncoast over to Wesley Chapel. By the way, that�s also where property taxes are some of the lowest around.
3. Prices have hit bottom. Realtors know before the media does. If you wander through my Remax office, you�ll see agents �high 5�ing� each other. The phones are ringing and everyone is busy showing real estate. Inventory is plentiful. I showed 2 houses today that were priced around $150k that were not short sales and were in move in condition. 3 bed, 2 bath, 1 or 2 car garages. One even had a nice pool.

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