Luxury Homes
Friday, July 9th, 2010
Well, well, well. Who is cool now? Fort Lauderdale, Florida is.
The Northeast of the United States has been suffering a record breaking heatwave averaging nearly 100°F each day for the past five days with relative humidity in the low 90 %.
I am glad to report that today in Fort Lauderdale we are presently enjoying a 87°F with a 67%, according to the National Weather Bureau.
Northeners think because we average 82°F in Fort Lauderdale, FL during winter months that the temperature shoots up to 125°F during the summer months – WRONG!
Another reason why Northeners should move down here permanently.
John Bourassa, Realtor® with RE/MAX Partners servicing Fort Lauderdale Beaches and luxury residential homes. I am your HOMEFINDER, Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505.
Tags: Broward County, Fort Lauderdale Luxury Homes and Condos, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in Homes, Housing Market, International Buyers, Luxury Homes, Neighborhood, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
CNBC reported that The National Asociation of Realtors ® (NAR) revealed this week that “The Realtors® said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in May, fell to a record low 77.6 from 110.9 in April. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a smaller decline of 12.5 percent in May.” a 30% drop.
Meanwhile, in Broward County, Florida, sales of homes and condos combined rose from 1150 Pending Home Sales in April 2010 to 1475 in May 2010 (a 22% increase) and rose agian from May 2010 to 2619 in June 2010 (a 43% increase).
Life is good in Fort Lauderdale, FL and our homes and codos are now affordably cooool!
John Bourassa, Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Partners in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505
Tags: Broward County, Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, International Real Estate, Luxury homes and condominiums, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in Buy a House, Community, Luxury Homes, Property, Questions and Answers, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent | No Comments »
Thursday, July 1st, 2010
Florida Realtors® News reported this morning that in addition to Congress extending the homebuyer tax credit closing deadline from June 30, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2010, the U.S. Senate also passed another bill last evening previously passed by the House. Congress once again reauthorized a short-term extension for the National Flood Insurance Program to Sept. 30, 2010. The bill, HR 5569, makes the program retroactive to May 31, 2010, the date the program went on hiatus.
Both bills, however, still need President Obama’s signature to become law, but that’s expected to happen quickly.
John Bourassa, Realtor® servicing Fort Lauderdale Beaches, FL. Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505
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Tags: Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, International Buyers, International Real Estate, Luxury homes and condominiums, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in Buy a House, Condos, Homes, Homes for Sale, Housing Market, International Buyers, Luxury Homes, Mansions, Neighborhood, Property, Questions and Answers, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, This and that. | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Being a Realtor® goes way beyong taking customers out showing properties, or listing properties, or knowing the laws affecting real estate or having a good understanding of financing.
Realtors® are also neighborhood experts, the ”know-it-all“ with a wealth of resourceful information. When working with either a buyer or a seller, Realtors® are always asked where to find this and that or “Can you recommend a handyman, a painter, a plumber and electrician, a mortgage broker, a mover, a title company, a babysitter, as petsitter, a motel or hotel, a restaurant” or every imaginable recommendations or advice.
When I am asked for recommendations, it one of the highest compliments I could ever receive. It means that I have established a strong rapport of trust and confidence with my customers and friends. In return, I recommend those specialists whom I know will deliver the best services to those people because if they perform well for my customers, my customers will tell all their friends that I am not only an excellent real estate agent but that I am also exceedingly resourceful and reliable.
Referrals is what kept me alive as a real estate agent through the real estate meltdown of the past four years. I work towards “win-win” relationships with my customers.
Thank you.
John Bourassa, Real Estate Agent servicing Fort Lauderdale Beach with RE/MAX Partners. Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505
Tags: Buyers and Sellers, Fort Lauderdale Luxury Homes and Condos, Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, International Buyers, International Real Estate, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in Builders, Condos, Homes, Homes for Sale, Housing Market, International Buyers, Luxury Homes, MLS, Neighborhood, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Relocation, This and that. | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
The United States House of Representatives has just passed HR 5623, the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010, by a vote of 409-5. This bill extends the deadline for closing tax credit eligible transactions from June 30 to September, 30, 2010. The bill moves to the Senate where the outcome is much less certain. The REALTOR(R) Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale will continue to update you as the events move forward.
Tags: Fort Lauderdale Luxury Homes and Condos, fort lauderdale real estate, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in First Time Home Buyers, Homes, Housing Market, Luxury Homes, Property, Questions and Answers, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, This and that. | No Comments »
Friday, June 25th, 2010
It would be nice if we could all have the ability to predict the future with keen accuracy but educated guesses are the best tools we have to lead us forward.
Right now, in 1Fort Lauderdale, 1real estate is great. Prices of homes and condos have dropped considerably since 2006 and they are now very affordable as they were back in 2002 and 2003. This late home price correction seems to have leveled off now and, as a result, we have been experiencing a considerable increase of property sales in our trio-counties (1Palm Beach,1 Broward and 1Dade) in the past 6 months.
Better yet! All the experts who are constantly monitoring the health or our local real estate market are predicting that our 1Southeast Florida economy will continue to prosper and will remain the number one destination of choise for people from all over the world to move down here permanently or seasonally.
Homes and condo prices are fantastic now – the selection of properties is great and the best time to buy in 1Fort Lauderdale is now - so, what are you waiting for?
1John Bourassa, 1Fort Lauderdale 1Real Estate Agent with 1RE/MAX Partners. Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505.
Tags: Broward County, Fort Lauderdale Luxury Homes and Condos, Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, International Buyers, International Real Estate, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in Condos, Homes, Homes for Sale, Housing Market, International Buyers, Luxury Homes, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent | No Comments »
Monday, June 21st, 2010
If you are bored in Fort Lauderdale, that is your fault. Among dozens of water sport activities, sail-boarding (or windsurfing) has become an increasingly popular recreation down here. Unlike the Pacific Ocean with high surf, the Atlantic Ocean by South Florida is the treshol to Carribean offering us transparent waters with low/mild surfs which are ideal for sail-boarding.
Another reason to move to Fort Lauderdale permanently or to have a second home to dodge those horrid winters and indulge in your favorite pass-time as you please.
John Bourassa, Realtor® - Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505.
Tags: Fort Lauderdale Luxury Homes and Condos, FOrt Lauderdale Real Estate Agent, Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, International Real Estate, Luxury homes and condominiums, Real Estate
Posted in Estate, Homes, Homes for Sale, International Buyers, Luxury Homes, Neighborhood, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, This and that., Vacations | No Comments »
Saturday, June 19th, 2010
Fort Lauderdale has long been tagged “The Venice of America” because of its residential navigable ocean-access canals which makes our beloved city a boat lovers’ haven.
In a nut shell, the early developmental stage of our city and vicinity required land-fill. Those early urban planners and developers figured out that digging canals would be the best and most economical way to fill the land and it would also accomodate boaters who could build their homes (later condominiums) on those canals to dock their boats and sail in and out at will. Naturally, the fundamental principle of real estate applied: the most desirable properties were (and still are) those situated closer to the ocean having no “fixed-bridges” to go under which means one can pretty much have a ship of any size and height – those preperties command a highly respectable price tag, too.
Fort Lauderdale is also known as the “Boat Manufacturer Capital of the World“. Other than we have dozens of vast ship yards everywhere near the Fort Lauderdale International Airport and the Marine Port of Authority, I could not find the actual document that supports such claim except that every local, here, proudly acknowledges it.
If you are an avid boater and want to indulge in your favorite sport year-round, Fort Lauderdale is where you want to be.
Come on down, live your passion. Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505.
Tags: Broward County, Fort Lauderdale Luxury Homes and Condos, Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, International Buyers, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in Homes, Housing Market, International Buyers, Luxury Homes, Neighborhood, Real Estate | No Comments »
Monday, June 7th, 2010
Often times home buyers are excited about purchasing a house, yet, they are also insecure. When they like an area, they explore to study that neighborhood hopefully to see someone out in the front lawn or walking and ask those persons questions.
Ironically, the neighbors you know also know you and when those neighbors are probed by strangers, somehow, neighbors are compelled to tell everything they know about their neighbors.
Two weeks ago, I worked with a middle-aged couple down from Atlanta for a few days scouting to buy a house in Fort Lauderdale. After two days exploring different locales, one house finally flirted with their eyes. Instantly I could see that my buyers felt so happy in that house. I thought for sure we were going right back to my office to write an offer but, instead, the couple said “We’ll think on it overnight”.
As it turned out, the couple went back on their own to invstigate the neighborhood where that beautiful house stood. Three houses down across from the house they saw a younger man washing his car in his driveway with his two pre-teen children playfully helping him. The young man seemed trusting. My buyers stopped, rolled down their car window and began asking questions about the neighborhood but leading toward specific questions on the house they liked.
The young man answered the questions as if he were testifying before a grand jury. That young father apparently was not happy with the neighborhood plus he gave a low-down report on a couple of annoying neighbors. Finally, he disclosed a shcoking truth about the house my buyers were inquiring about – the house has a severe leaking roof problem.
Later that evening, my buyers called me, saddened. They decided against not only buying that house but also not to buy in that neighborhood.
They drove back to Atlanta the next day with a promise they will get back with me soon…
John Bourassa, Realtor® with RE/MAX Partners servicing Fort Lauderdale Beach, Coral Ridge, The Landings, Harbour Beach, The Seven Isles, Victoria Park, Poinsettia Heights, Downtown Fort Lauderdale and Las Olas area, Wilton Manors and vicinity. Call my “Sell” phone (954) 529-5505.
Tags: Fort Lauderdale Luxury Homes and Condos, fort lauderdale real estate, International Buyers, International Real Estate, Luxury homes and condominiums, Southeast Florida Real Estate
Posted in Buy a House, Community, First Time Home Buyers, Homes, Homes for Sale, Luxury Homes, Neighborhood, Property, Real Estate, This and that. | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
Abbott and Costtello (I am giving my age away, here) mastered this immortal perplexed verbal confusion: Who is on First?
Since man discovered how to make something useful to share with others, that creation was immediately copied with improvements [or not necessarily with improvements] by others. Thus, begat competition, then marketing and later market placing . But how does one achieve to attatin first place, top spot, top billing or that coveted place?
Naturally, the product must excel with its competitors [but, also, not necessarily]. Advertising was developed and evolved to create an image of excellence, superiority, distinction, quality and all possible adjectives advertisers could find to make believe that the product being advertise is the best. So now, everyone who is advertising is the best at what they represent. But it is impossible for everyone in the same industry be the NO.1.
In real estate, anywhere, including Fort Lauderdale, FL. all brokers or agents advertise mission statements with superlatives. The large real estate franchises advertise nationally projecting that image of being the best and “only we ca do ….”
Well, one way to measure success is by the financial power of that entity – for salesmen, success is mostly measured by production income. In that case, I must admit that I don’t rank even in the top 10 producers among Fort Lauderdale Realtors® but I certainly place in the top 20% of the apex line. What I do nknow, though, is that I surely want to earn a very good income to allow me a very good and secured living (who doesn’t?) but I am more interested in taking a lesser volume work load so I can give a better service to my customers.
I amy not be the most productive Realtor® in town but I am damn good at what I do. I am a Realtor®-Associate with RE/MAX Partners. Call my “Sell’ Phone (954) 529-5505.
Tags: Fort Lauderdale Foreclosure and Short-Sale, Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, International Buyers, Luxury homes and condominiums, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent
Posted in Condos, Homes, Homes for Sale, Housing Market, International Buyers, Luxury Homes, MLS, Mansions, Mortgages, Property, Property Investment, Questions and Answers, Real Estate, Short-Sale, This and that., Vacations | No Comments »
