Viera, FL

While walking my dog, Diesel, this morning I noticed a couple of town houses on the Rockledge Country Club that had new real estate signs out front.

They have been for sale for a long time! Not sure exactly the months (years?) but a long time!

• I wondered... where is the issue? Why have these not sold yet? After all, they are in a reasonably nice location.

• I wondered if the real estate agent(s) had marketed over the Internet. I hear that is very effective!

• I wondered if the agent(s) ever conducted an open house? They sometimes work although rarely.

• I wondered if the agent(s) had spent a lot of money on mostly ineffective print advertising?

• I wondered what problems these properties had lurking behind the front door? After all, everyone knows if it does not sell right away, there must be a problem!

Then it occurred to me....I could have had a V8! Not really, it must be.....PRICE!

As a seller sometimes you just have to call your agent up, be direct and ask them "How is my price, really?"

Changing the sign out front will rarely never sell a property if the price is not consistent with the competition!

If you are considering buying or selling a home in Viera, Suntree and Rockledge, Florida, please give me a call. I would welcome a chance to be your Realtor of Choice!

Gary Waters, Florida licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida. I can be reached directly at 321-693-3850 or by email at agent@moving2brevard.com. Please visit my blogs Moving to Brevard and Florida Homes for Sale.

I perform Broker Price Opinions (BPOs) for lenders who are deciding whether tp accept an offer, re-negotiate a loan or whatever. I have been doing these BPOs for a couple of years in my specific farming area. I know the values here.

Now, my beef....

When I see a home listed for $100,000 more than the comparables I cringe. Where do these agents get these prices? I use the comparables that are the closest, most similar and sold within the past 2-3 months.

Are these agents doing the comparative market analysis or just using the bigger idiot theory.

Sales are up in Brevard County Florida. Prices are down in Brevard County Florida.

Your listing may be nice but it ain't that nice! Get real!

Gary Waters, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge Florida, serving buyers and sellers in the Viera, Rockledge and Suntree areas of Florida's Space Coast.

Read my blogs at www.moving2brevard.blogspot.com and www.movingbrevard.blogspot.com.

Where is this? OK, it is not in the Viera Florida area where I market real estate? I will say it is closer to a Ray Charles' song title, a place where they grow good onions, and where Phil Niekro pitched!

Gary Waters, Florida liocensed real state agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida.

I was out this morning early to take photos of a property in the Capron Ridge subdivision of Viera, Florida. This was for a broker price opinion (BPO) – an opinion of value.

As I was returning to the office I noticed a buzzard as we call them in Florida feasting on a diet of carrion (from the Latin caro, meaning meat). In some places, especially down south, it is known as road kill - the carcass of a dead animal!

I thought…this is not a pretty site but it must be done. The housing market has a bit of carrion itself – carcasses of dead deals (foreclosures and short sales).

And it is not a pretty site but it must be done. Enter the real estate investor. By metaphorically referring to investors as Turkey Vultures, I do it with respect for the task that must be done.

So, as the prices have dropped and the foreclosures, short sales and inventory of distressed properties has risen, I say “get to work, investors – it is not a pretty site but it must be done!

By the way…did you know that Turkey Vultures are protected in Canada and The United States? Should not the real estate investor be protected as well? How about it lenders? While you tighten the reins keep in mind these investors will need a place to "store" their profits!

Gary Waters, Florida licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida, proudly serving buyers and sellers in the Viera, Suntree and Rockledge areas of Florida's Space Coast.

This morning as I was returning from my early morning visit to my dental hygienist at The Dental Health Professionals at Viera, I drove by a condo complex with about 6 real estate agent "for sale" signs.

Then, in the midst of all these brightly colored (black and gold, red and blue with a balloon, and the like) signs, was a very humble looking red and white sign dwarfed by all the others. It was a very small FSBO sign.

Initially I thought maybe the seller was very smart...his price would be lower so his sign would be lower to the ground. Nah...not so.

So, I thought that maybe he was targeting a special group...only short people. Nah...not so. [Can't discriminate against short people or even the "big boned" crowd like me.]

These particular condo units are now selling way under $100,000. The FSBO seller must be looking to save a whopping few dollars or so by not paying a commission to a real estate agent.

Now I get it...the FSBO wants to have the buyer do all the work for about the same price as the listed units. [Buyers, even if you are working with a real estate, FSBOs are not off limits. Tell your agent about one that interests you and let them contact the seller for you!]

It is all about saving money....maybe I will clean my own teeth next time and save a few bucks too!

I think not ....using a professional is so less painful!

Gary Waters, Florida licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida, serving buyers and sellers along the Florida Space Coast!