Economics of Real Estate 
There are currently 7 blog entries related to this category.
You May Owe Federal Income Taxes in 2013 if you have a Short Sale or Foreclosure
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 10:45am. 84 Views, 0 Comments.
The following article was published January 2012 By Donna Gehrke-White, Sun Sentinel, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
WASHINGTON – Jan. 9, 2012 – You may owe federal income taxes in 2013 if you have a short sale, foreclosure after this year. Now is the time to make the hard decision: Are you going to walk away from your underwater home?
Uncle Sam is still giving homeowners until Dec. 31, 2012, to go through a short sale or foreclosure without tax consequences – as long as the lender officially releases the debt.
But on Jan. 1, 2013, the rules change: The amount a lender forgives, ether in a short sale or foreclosure, on a primary residence will be taxable on federal income taxes.
So if a house sold $50,000 short of what is owed on the mortgage, then the selling…
A Window of Opportunity, by Michael Saunders
Monday, June 27th, 2011 at 2:44pm. 171 Views, 0 Comments.
The following article was written by Michael Saunders this past week. As we move forward the Sarasota Real Estate market has recovered and is moving in a positive direction. I wanted you to read what Michael is saying about Sarasota.
Enjoy!
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A Window Of Opportunity | Michael Saunders Real Estate Blog
http://www.thesaundersblog.com/a-window-of-opportunity/ June 27, 2011
Posted by Michael Saunders on June 21, 2011
Throughout one of the strongest buyers’ markets in Florida real estate history, sellers have had precious little to feel cheerful about as they watched home prices deflate by as much as half from their boom-time highs of 2005. But the clouds have since parted; and…
Borrower - Beware of possible recourse with that short sale or foreclosure.
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 at 3:48pm. 195 Views, 0 Comments.
Borrower - Beware of possible recourse with that short sale or foreclosure.
Ever since short sales and foreclosures began several years ago, there has been a growing consensus of opinion that at some time banks and lenders were not going to continue to let the borrower “off the hook” for the money owed.
That time seems to have come according to this article written by Michael Pollick on Sunday June 19, 2011 in the Sarasota Herald Tribune. Homeowner & Condo Associations along with Banks are becoming proactive in recovering deficiency judgments for the money owed on short sales, foreclosures and association fees.
Visit the link below to view the complete article and read how this may effect you if you are going to be a short sale or a foreclosure.
If…
Sarasota Real Estate Market Update
Monday, March 14th, 2011 at 4:06pm. 169 Views, 0 Comments.
Sarasota Real Estate Market Update
In January’s Market Update I shared that the Sarasota Real Estate Market has seen some very significant improvements. Even though national and global economics can influence the market, the bottom line has always been that real estate is local in nature. Let me explain. The price of a house in Boston has nothing to do with what a person is willing to pay for a house in Detroit. A boom for houses in Seattle doesn’t effect a bust for houses in Nevada. So what has happened to make Sarasota real estate such a hot topic around the country and how does that effect you and me?
Sarasota Real Estate Market Update - January 2011
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 at 5:49pm. 221 Views, 0 Comments.
This is the Sarasota Real Estate Market update for closed business in December with some year end numbers for 2010.
The year of 2010 has proven to be a very busy and productive year for real estate, myself and my fellow agents at Michael Saunders & Company. The Sarasota real estate market of 2010 saw an increase in unit sales over 2009 from 6,739 to 7,603, and in dollar volume a marginal increase of .5%.
I personally ended the year in the top 4% at the Sarasota Association of Realtors, finishing the year as the 116th realtor out of 3,400 realtors.
Thank you for trusting and referring me!
However, in one of the most challenging years ever Michael Saunders and Company agents closed company wide sales of $1.432 billion…
Why using a Sarasota Real Estate Agent is Important
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 at 4:37pm. 171 Views, 0 Comments.
Why Using a Sarasota Real Estate Agent is Important.
This article from Harold Bubil, of the Sarasota Herald Tribune appeared in our local paper. I think Harold does a great job in summing up the reasons for using a real estate professional in this market. I recently received a call from a potential customer who was trying to navigate the waters of a purchase without using the proper professional to help him get the job done. Don’t get caught in stormy waters. Call a professional and then buy or sell your home and get the job done.
"Even with Web, help from a pro is needed"
By Harold Bubil
Published: Sunday, December 26, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
The vast majority - 90 percent -- of home shoppers use the Internet to search for a new home, according to the National…
What Happens to Your buying Power When the Interest Rates Rise?
Friday, April 9th, 2010 at 3:13pm. 675 Views, 0 Comments.
Where are the interest rates going to do in the future?
A look into the crystal ball.........
Let me give you some insights as to what the real estate field is hearing.
Currently interest rates are hovering in the low 5% range. 
In a recent article written by Michael Pollick of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune dated March 30, 2010, Michael wrote,
” Signs are pointing to the end of the era of 5 percent mortgages, one that already has lasted longer than most thought it would. It is clear that the combination play used by the government and Federal Reserve to stimulate the residential real estate market in 2009 and 2010 -- artificially cheap mortgage rates coupled with lucrative federal tax credits and easily available Federal Housing Administration loans -- is…