Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Blog

As summer begins to wind down and kids are getting ready to return to school, much of the focus is on the upcoming mid-term elections in November.  With regards to real estate, the July Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market Report is pretty much unchanged from last month.

The positives are closed sales for single family homes were up 2% from last month.  Available inventory for single family homes remained unchanged for 3 straight months (at eight months) and available condo inventory shrunk by one month to nine months.

July numbers for New Listing Inventory report and increase of 6% over last month with 1,707 new single family homes on the market and up 14% from July 2009.

New condo inventory totaled 1,969 new condo listings; up 3% from last month and up 6% from same period last year.

Total Inventory for both single family and condos totaled 5,766 new listings; up 2% from last month and up 3% from July 2009.

Closed sales in July totaled 738, up 2% from June and down 1% from same time last year.  Twenty-four percent of the sales were classified as REO Bank Foreclosures, down 4% from last month and down 35% from July 2009.

The Average Sales Price for a single family home in July was $274,363, down 12% from last month and unchanged from July 2009.

Median Sales Price in July dropped 9% from the previous month to $195,000, down 11% from same period last year.

Homes under Contract (Pending Sales) totaled 1,019 in July, down 1% from last month and down 12% from July 2009.

Available Inventory in July for single family homes was 6,195 properties, up 5% from  June and down 12% from July 2009.

Closed Sales for Fort Lauderdale condos totaled 836 in July; down 9% from the previous month and up 10% from July 2009.  Foreclosures accounted for thirty-four percent (34%) of these sales, up 10% from June and up 13% from same period last year.

The July Average Sales Price for condos was $125,158; down 3% from June and down 3% from July 2009.

The Condo Median Sales Price in June remained unchanged from the previous 2 months at $78,000, however, down 6% from July 2009.

Pending Inventory for condos in July totaled 1,138 condos under contract; down 6% from June and the same for July 2009.

Available July condo inventory shows a total of 8,598 condos for sale; up 2% from June and down 22% from July 2009.  Thirty-four percent (34%) are classified as bank foreclosures; up 6% from June and up 26% from July 2009.

Trends for Northeast and Southeast Fort Lauderdale in the following zip codes:

Single Family - Waterfront

 Single Family Non-Waterfront:

 All Condos Waterfront AND Non-Waterfront

For more information about selling or buying real estate in Fort Lauderdale, contact me today at 954.850.2397.

Buyers can begin their home search by viewing available Fort Lauderdale MLS listings.

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market Report - June 2010.

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I’ve recently listed 5711 NE 21st Drive, Fort Lauderdale, in the northeast community of Imperial Point priced at $374,999.

One of the largest models in the neighborhood, this 3 bedroom plus den, 3 full baths home sits on a huge corner lot with a screened in pool and 2-car carport.

Just a few of the features of this Fort Lauderdale home for sale is a spacious interior just under 1,800 square feet.   Terrazzo floors in bedrooms and wood laminate floor in the living room, Dining area and Den.

Hurricane impact Bay window in front and shutters for all remaining doors and windows.  A comfortable kitchen overlooks the screened in pool with sliders that open on to the patio area.

To schedule  a private showing of this Imperial Point home for sale or any homes for sale in Fort Lauderdale, contact John Sabia today at 954.850.2397.

Buyers can begin their home search by visiting available Fort Lauderdale MLS listings with photos and virtual tours.

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After over a year and several failed attempts at short sales, clients of mine finally found success purchasing a river-front condominium at The Symphony Condo in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

With stunning river and distant ocean views, this 2 bedroom condo is situated in one of the most sought after corner locations.

All condos at Symphony Fort Lauderdale feature elegant kitchens with stainless appliances and granite counters.  This particular unit featured 18 inch tile throughout, 2 balconies, 2 parking spaces and and an extra storage unit.  Originally listed at $489,000, the final sales price was $360,000.

 For more information about buying or selling at Symphony or any other Fort Lauderdale Condos, contact John Sabia today at 954.850.2397.

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Searching for a beach community vacation property, clients of mine purchased this 2 bedroom 2 bath co-op at Atlantic Towers Fort Lauderdale boasting outstanding views of the ocean, beach and Port Everglades.   Originally listed over $300,000 and on the market for several months, this unit closed with a final sales price of $255,000.

Atlantic Towers is located in the Harbor Beach (Extension) community of Fort Lauderdale at the Port Everglades Inlet.   A few steps to the beach or a short distance to shops and restaurants on Las Olas Boulevard and the Fort Lauderdale International Airport.  On any given day, residents enjoy a daily parade of boats and yachts and every once in awhile, a submarine can be spotted.

For more information about buying or selling at Atlantic Towers Co-op or any of the Fort Lauderdale Condos, contact John Sabia today at 954.850.2397.

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As it is typical with the summer months, the real estate market tends to slow down as kids are out of school and families go on vacation.  There are positives and negatives in reviewing the June Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market Report.

While new inventory is down, total inventory is up and months of supply is unchanged.  While Average Sales Price is up, Median Sales price is down.  While total number of sales are down slightly, the percentage of REO bank foreclosure sales are up significantly.   Although there are some negatives, the positives are well, positive.

June New Listing Inventory reports 1,613 new single family homes were added to the inventory levels, down 10% from May and down 1% from June 2009.

Condo New Listing Inventory reports 1,910 new condo listings added in June, down 7% from last month and down 2% from last year.

Total Inventory for all property types in June totaled 5,658, down 7% from May and down 4% from same period last year.

Total number of Closed Sales for single family homes in June was 717.  Sales were down slightly at -4% from May and down 4% from June 2009.   REO Bank Foreclosures accounted for 25% of sales, up 14% from last month and down 14% from same time last year.

Average Sales Price for single family homes in June was $311, 094, up 9% from May ($286,496), and up 9% from June 2009 ($286,556).

Median Sales price (single family) was $215,000, down 2% from June ($220,000) and up 2% from same period last year.

Pending Sales for single family in June totaled 1,025, down 19% from last month and down 21% from June 2009.

June inventory reports 5,896 available homes for sale, up 3% from May and down 21% from June 2009.  Thirty-three (33%) are classified as bank foreclosures.

Closed Sales for Fort Lauderdale Condos totaled 914 in June, down 5% from May and up 15% from June 2009.  Foreclosures accounted 31% of these sales, up 3% from lat month and down 9% from same time last year.

Average Sales Price for Condos in June was $128,835, up 4% from last month ($123,392) and up 3% from June 2009 ($125,329).

Median Sales Price (condos) was $78,000, down 3% from June ($80,000) and down 3% from same time last year.

Pending Condo Sales in June totaled 1,215, down 17% from last month and down 2% from June 2009.

Inventory reports 8,427 available condos for sale, up 1% from May and down 26% from June 2009.  Thirty-two percent (32%) classified as bank foreclosures, down 33% from last month and down 11% from June 2009.

For more information about selling or buying real estate in Fort Lauderdale, contact me today at 954.850.2397.

Buyers can begin their home search by viewing Fort Lauderdale MLS available property listings.

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market - May 2010

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Searching for impressive water views while keeping within a budget, a client of mine settled in at The Coastal Vista South condominium in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Located on the 4th floor of this four-story building on Riverside Drive; which sits directly on the bank of the Intracoastal Waterway, this spacious 2 bedroom condo boasts expansive water views.

Originally listed at $220,000 and on the market just 20 days, my client purchased and closed on this condo at $195,000.

For more information about buying or selling Pompano Beach Real Estate, contact me today at 954.850.2397.

Buyers can begin their property search by viewing Fort Lauderdale MLS listings of available properties for sale.

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Looking for a great deal?  4901 NE 27th Terrace Lighthouse Point Florida is now listed for sale as a Short Sale priced at $1,375,000.

Originally listed at $1,795,000, This elegant French Chateau style 2-story residence features 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths, 3 car garage situated on deep water with an invisible edge pool.

Custom designed with Italian state of the art kitchen cabinetry with built in double ovens, microwave, espresso coffee machine and Wolf cook-top.

Magnificent vein cut (24×24) marble flooring adorns the main living areas and Brazilian dark mahogony wood floors in every bedroom.  Top of the line Kholer shower features in the master bath with onyx mosaics throughout.

Seventy-five feet of  deep water dockage with a short cruise to the Atlantic Ocean.

Lighthouse Point Florida is located north of Fort Lauderdale and south of Boca Raton.

For more information on this home or other homes and condos for sale, contact me today at 954-850-2397.

Courtesy of Galleria International Realty

Please Note: Short Sales are subject to third-party Lender Approval with no guarantee of sale being approved at price agreed upon and subject to the owner of record accepting the terms of the short sale. It is also common for short sale properties to receive multiple offers and there is no guarantee of any offer being accepted.

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MLS is an acronym for multiple listing service. Wikipedia describes it as a suite of services that (1) enables brokers to establish contractual offers of compensation (among brokers); (2) facilitates cooperation with other broker participants; (3) accumulates and disseminates information to enable appraisals; (4) is a facility for the orderly correlation and dissemination of listing information to better serve broker’s clients, customers and the public.In layman’s terms the MLS is a central database that participating real estate brokers and agents use to share information about properties. Realtors primarily use it in their day to day operation to find properties for buyers and to help sellers arrive at a value for their properties based on sold and unsold like kind properties.

The MLS system is also the most important marketing tool that a Realtor or Broker can have. Participating members of the multiple listing system list their inventory of properties for sale in the database as a way to market them to other members who may have a potential buyer. These Realtors can sell other Realtors listing in return for compensation. If you are looking to sell your home make sure you choose a Realtor who can list your home in the MLS database. Essentially, your home will be accessible to thousands of Realtors and their potential buyers.

Other important facts about the MLS:

•    There is no national single MLS.
•    Local Realtor Associations oversee the MLS system.
•    MLS is trademarked term owned by Major League Soccer
•    Most MLS’s do not have an access for the general public
•    IDX is known as internet data exchange.  This allows a portion of MLS data to be displayed on Realtor websites. When you see “Search MLS” on a Realtors website most of the time you are not accessing the real MLS system.
•    Realtors have to pay money to join a local Realtor association in order to access the MLS system.

Marc Rasmussen
Realtor in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota MLS

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A Realtor friend of mine in Sarasota has recently faced an aggressive legal battle launched at him by the Sarasota Association of Realtors®, (SAR) of which he is an active member, because of the use of “mls” in his website address.

The use of “area mls” in a Realtor’s website address was widely recommended in a 2002 article written by “Mr Internet” in a publication by the National Association of Realtor’s® (NAR).

Marc Rasmussen, a Sarasota Real Estate Agent, purchased his website address “thesarasotamls” back in 2003 based largely on the advice he read in the article and when marketing real estate on the internet was in it’s infancy.

Mark continued to spend numerous hours and thousands of dollars over the next 5 years creating and improving what had become the number 1 Sarasota Real Estate website and was rewarded for his efforts by achieving high rankings in the internet search engines.

A recent change in Article 12 of the National Association of Realtors® Code of Ethics, now allows local Realtor® Associations at their sole discretion to determine if their members are permitted to use the term “mls” regardless of how long they have used it and especially with disregard to the recommendation featured in the Mr Internet article.

It should be pointed out that “mls” is not a trademark of any Realtor® Association, instead the trademark for Major League Soccer (MLS). The public has also come to know mls as a common everyday term for real estate property listings.

However, it was prior to this change in the ethics code that the Sarasota Association of Realtors® decided to take legal action against Marc, apparently in an effort to shut his website down. A website that was highly respected for doing what a real estate website should do, provide consumers with real estate information and real estate property listings.

Morgan Carey, the web designer for Marc explains in detail in his blog post Help us Fight the Sarasota Association of Realtors® , the legal action which began with an ethics complaint against Marc filed by SAR (Sarasota Association of Realtors®) for which Marc was cleared of any wrong doing.

This is where I and many others believe SAR® went too far crossing the line. The Association, rather then accept this ruling, continued action against Marc outside the scope of an ethics complaint, in a legal maneuver, brought their argument to the Internet Corporation for Unassigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) - which as you will read below, has nothing to do with ethics.

ICANN mission statement

In a split decision, ICANN ruled in favor of the Sarasota Association of Realtors®.

Marc has filed a lawsuit in Federal court against the Sarasota Association of Realtors® to allow him to maintain control over the old website address (domain name thesarasotamls.com). Marc has already redirected the old address to his new website address.

By allowing Marc to maintain control over the old domain and through the redirect to his new website will preserve the past 5 years of hard work and maintain the authority Marc’s old site had gained and avoid Marc having to start all over again.

There has been an enormous outpouring of support for Marc from fellow Realtors® across the country and a barrage of protests against the Sarasota Association of Realtors® has now put this issue into the lime light. They have an opportunity to do the right thing, bring this to a close and allow Marc to remain in control of the old domain.

If they continue to force Marc to surrender the website address to SAR®, than in my opinion, as shared by many others, this was never about ethics, nor an action to protect the consumer. Rather a contemptuous action far more rooted in taking down a Realtor’s® website possibly because of jealousy or envy.

Read the linked articles, and you decide.

• Inman News - MLS Name Dispute Lands in Court
• Paul Francis - Sarasota Association of Realtors - Who Does it Really Hurt?
• Eric Blackwell - SAR: The Real Cybersquat
• Cal Carter - The SAR Pokie
• Ryan Ward - Sarasota Association Slaps one of Their Own
• Charles Richey - Don’t Cross the SAR
• Judy Orr - Sarsota MLS attacks Its Own Member
  
• Joe Lane - TheSarasotaMLS is gone - Maybe Your Next
• Knox - TheSarasotaMLS
  
• Herald Tribune, Sarasota - Man Fights Realtors Over A Web Address
• Wanna Network - Unite Against The Sarasota MLS Board
• Cal Carter - Sarasota Association of Realtors® Throught It’s MLS Takes Down It’s Own Member ……. featuring a listing of all related blog posts

To list your article here, email me or post in comments.

To voice your support for Marc, contact the Sarasota Association of Realtors®

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