I write this from Orlando. Industry leaders are here at the Florida Realtors midwinter business meeting. Recently I was speaking with a good friend and colleague about the role of the Realtor in real estate transactions, especially in light of national TV advertisement by certain websites that imply the prospect Read more…
Recently Ryan and I went to see the movie, The Big Short. For those unaware, it’s a story on the origins and mechanics of the 2002-2007 housing bubble and its aftermath. It is true that many lost a great deal of money. But as the movie shows, some gained spectacularly. Read more…
Peak real estate season is here! Realtors here typically do 60-65 percent of their annual business in the first six months. Most buyers are aware that prices fell off a cliff from 2006 into early 2011, but often don’t know how much they have recovered. Sellers know prices have strengthened Read more…
Had enough of the rain yet? It certainly seems we have had our share in December. And as anybody who has driven around town knows well, the waters do rise. No, this isn’t a column about global warming. It’s about our specific vulnerability in Wilton Manors and throughout parts of Read more…
It’s political season, at least for Presidential candidates. You only need to tune to any of the news channels to get a full helping of the “conventional wisdom” (CW) of who’s up, who’s down, and who’s likely to go the distance. From my time in politics I learned the CW Read more…
It’s November, we have “turn[ed] back time” (no I won’t sing it), and it is another high season in South Florida. And that means increased real estate activity. What market conditions will apply this winter? It is difficult to make statements about pricing in the overall real estate market that Read more…
On Sunday nights, my partner and I enjoy watching “Flipping Vegas.” It’s entertaining (it’s on cable after all) but the implication is that it is easy for a relatively experienced person to make a lot of money by buying distressed properties, spending $30-50,000 bringing them to contemporary standards, and selling Read more…
As you may recall from past columns, the median sales price of a single family home in Wilton Manors (arms length transactions only) is now in the $360,000 range. That’s well beyond the affordability of the typical person (or even couple). However, there are other nearby options. Last time I Read more…
Recently I reviewed Wilton Manors pricing during this past high season. I found the median sales price of a single family home in Wilton Manors (arms length transactions only) was $360,000. As a practical matter, what this means is that unless your household income is comfortably into six figures, or Read more…