Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Ft. Lauderdale Real Estate Market


Whether you are an investor or an individual looking to purchase a home, the Ft. Lauderdale real estate market is ripe for the picking!  Located in Broward County Florida, Ft. Lauderdale offers more than seven miles of some of the most pristine, five star beaches the Atlantic coast has to offer.  With tropical weather nearly year round, there is always something to do and someplace to go.

Once known for its spring breakers and family attractions, Ft. Lauderdale has transformed itself into a mecca for high end travelers. The intricate canal system that weaves its way through and around Ft. Lauderdale, waterfront real estate can be found with ease.  The city has become a major yachting center boasting more than 42,000 yachts, over 100 marinas and boatyards and a nightlife that is world class.

In the past two to three years, the Ft. Lauderdale Real Estate market has transformed from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market.  Whether you are looking for a beach front condo, a three or four bedroom single family home or even a seven bedroom estate situated on a resort style “island” – the Ft. Lauderdale real estate market has what you are looking for. 

Just a few short years ago, housing prices had soared to such incredible heights that it pushed many people right out of the real estate market and left them believing they would be forever renters and left out of achieving the “American dream”.  Today that dream is alive and well again in the Ft. Lauderdale real estate market.  Buying a property that has been foreclosed upon just might be your ticket into Ft. Lauderdale real estate ownership.

Perhaps instead you would like to be able to provide a rental for some of those who had fallen on hard times and are in process of rebuilding their credit so they can re-enter the Ft. Lauderdale real estate market at a later time.  Maybe having a beach front condo available to rent for the many visitors that are flocking to the incredible beaches in Florida is more to your liking?  Regardless of which narrative fits your dream, now is an incredible time to enter the Ft. Lauderdale real estate market. 

Contact Kris,  Ft. Lauderdale realtor today so you can start making your dream come true.

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Pro

You have done your homework and decided what type of Ft. Lauderdale real estate best suits your lifestyle. It is time to make some more decisions before you start actively searching for your dream home. While looking through the listings you have found multiple properties that state they are "short sales" – do you have any idea what that means or what the process entails?

In extremely simplified terms – a short sale means that someone is offering their Ft. Lauderdale real estate for less than the amount of the current mortgage they hold. This can be a good thing or it can be a total nightmare if you are not prepared for the process and everything entailed in purchasing a short sale property. This is a situation where your Ft. Lauderdale real estateprofessional who is experienced in the short sale process is critical. Not every Realtor is experienced in this area. Just as you would not see a dentist if you had a stomach ache, you do not want a real estate professional who specializes in new construction if you are looking at a short sale property.

The short sale process can be overwhelming and is very confusing. It is imperative that not only your Realtor is experienced in this area, but that your lender is as well. A short sale can take as little as three weeks however, it normally takes many months and if you as a Ft. Lauderdale real estate buyer are not educated in the process – you can lose your dream home because of time it takes to get it approved.

Once you have found a Ft. Lauderdale real estate professional who knows the process inside and out – and that person has helped you thoroughly understand what you are getting yourself into, then and only then should you proceed with a short sale. It helps if you look at properties that have already been pre-approved by the owning bank (or financial institution). Ensure that the title to the property is free and clear and actually owned by the financial institution that has "pre-approved" the sale at the lower amount. This is where the expertise of your Ft. Lauderdale real estate professional comes in. He or she knows the right people to call and has the resources to confirm who holds the title to the property.

You also need your Ft. Lauderdale real estate professional to ensure that when an offer is made, that should it take too long or you find another home while you are awaiting an answer that you can take your offer off the table without losing any good faith deposits that you have put down. Short sales can very tricky, but they can also be incredible deals if you have the time and patience to go through the process. So make sure that your Ft. Lauderdale real estate professional has the experience necessary to deal with all your home needs.