Tim and Susan Fennell

Hometown Realty of Duval, Inc. of Jacksonville, Florida is our new brokerage home. We want to introduce you to Hometown Realty and let you know why we moved our license there.

Hometown Realty of Duval, Inc. is an independent Real Estate brokerage located in the heart of Mandarin in Jacksonville, Florida. Hometown Realty is committed to providing outstanding service and value to Buyers, Sellers and Landlords.

Many Real Estate Companies claim to be FULL SERVICE but Hometown Realty of Duval does more than make the claim... they live it! Hometown Realty and its agents are dedicated to providing the highest level of service possible. They prove this by presenting and providing all known available options to each of their clients - Sellers, Buyers and Landlords.

Hometown Realty of Duval, Inc. is widely recognized as one of the premier real estate companies in Northeast Florida. Over the past ten years, they have become recognized as a leader in developing quality working relationships with their clientele; relationships based on respect, integrity, and trust.

By joining the powerful, dedicated team of professionals at Hometown Realty of Duval, we (Tim and Susan Fennell) have a whole new arsenal of tools at our disposal to help us as we help our clients. The Jacksonville Real Estate market may be down, temporarily, but we are more excited about the future of Jacksonville Real Estate opportunities today than ever before.

Hometown Realty of Duval, Inc. understands the changes in the real estate market and is responding to those changes with affirmative options and glowing expectations.

Call us today to find out just why we are so excited about the future of Jacksonville Real Estate and how we and Hometown Realty of Duval can help you today and tomorrow! The future is ours... today!

For more information visit our websites:
www.BestHomesInJacksonville.com
www.JaxPowerListings.com
www.WhyShortSaleJax.com

Timothy H. Fennell, P.A.
Susan A. Fennell, P.A.
Broker Associates / Property Managers
904-568-4528

Hometown Realty of Duval, Inc.
10421 Old St. Augustine Road
Jacksonville, Florida 32257
904-288-9293

Time is running out for First Time Home Buyers to take advantage of the $8000 Tax Credit. Remember, also, that "First Time Home Buyer" means anyone who has not owned a principle residence within the preceding 36 months.

You only have until November 30, 2009 to find a home, secure financing and close the transaction
to receive your $8,000 tax credit/downpayment.

While that may seem like plenty of time, the fact is that a large number of homes for sale in our Jacksonville, Florida market are "short sales" and although their name says "short" it actually takes a long time to work through the process and close on these homes. If you choose a short sale listing today, it could easily take up to the last minute to finalize and close.

The bottom line is that if you are a first time home buyer you need to get very serious about finding the right home NOW. We can save you a lot of time, energy and money by doing all the footwork for you.

We will help you locate the home, decide on a price offer and terms and then negotiate the sale all the waay through closing... and our services don't cost you a dime. The seller will pay our commission at closing.

What are you waiting for? Call now and let's get started - Don't leave $8000 sitting on the table!

Tim and Susan Fennell
904-568-5468

Visit our website for more information.

Timothy H. Fennell, P.A.
Broker Associate / Property Manager
Hometown Realty of Duval, Inc.
Office 904-288-9293

As many of you know, we have been preparing to launch our new PowerListing(TM) Program for the past few months.  Well, we are delighted to announce that the first phase of our new program is now in action! 

The Video Press Release (below) introduces home sellers in the Jacksonville, Florida Real Estate Market to this powerful new program.

This is just the first phase or our PowerListing(TM) Program which is designed to position individual listings with a Flash website, crafted to draw in potential buyers using sight, sound and movement.  And, unlike most Flash sites that are not SEO-friendly, our PowerListing(TM) sites are designed so that google can see and read them for maximum SEO potential.  Also, we utilize Google Analytics as with all of our websites to track the effectiveness of the marketing.

Click HERE for a sample of one of these PowerListing(TM) websites.

The next PowerListing(TM) phase (already in testing mode) will enable buyers to obtain all information about the listing, including photos,  audio tour and video tour, via their iPhone® or Blackberry® type device directly while sitting in their car at CURBSIDE. 

If the buyer only has a regular cell phone he will still be able to retrieve an AUDIO TOUR of the home right from the curb.

Our goal is to bring Jacksonville Real Estate Marketing methods into the 21st Century... the market has changed and we're changing marketing methods to match it!

We hear it almost every day (okay, not every day but we do hear it a lot) from people who are trying to sell during this strong buyer's market. They try and try for weeks, months... some have even been trying to sell for a couple of years. And the question they ask us is, "Why can't I sell my home? What am I doing wrong?"

The answer may be a bit simpler than you think. And you probably won't like the answer and you'll probably start protesting right away but since you asked, I'm going to give you a straight answer.

Are you ready? Are you sure? Okay, you asked for it so here it is...

The reason you can't sell is because you don't really want to sell.

Oh my, I can hear the screams of indignant protest already.

What?! Are you crazy, Tim? Have you not been listening to a word I've said? I've had my home listed with a broker for longer than I can remember and now you say I don't really want to sell my home?! I need to move because (fill in the reason: new job, can't afford payments, want to downsize, want to upsize, etc.) Of course I want to sell my home.

Okay, okay... simmer down there and listen for a minute. And I don't mean for you to listen to me. Listen to yourself. Listen to your own words. What did you say about your attempts to sell? Exactly what is it that you are you saying that you want to sell?

Good grief, man... do you have an attention problem? I said that I want to sell my home. I need to sell my home! Can't someone help me sell my home?!

Take a deep breath now and calm down. I heard you just fine... but you aren't listening to yourself. In fact, you may be kidding yourself and, in the process, defeating yourself. You've heard it before... the truth of this statement is not easy to swallow but the fact is that all too often...

We are our own worst enemy.

Why can't you sell your home? There are three points that culminate in one simple answer.

1. Nobody wants to buy your home... they already have one of their own, thank you.
2. Your home isn't really for sale even if someone needed or wanted to purchase your home.
3. Nobody could afford to buy your home if it were for sale.

Here it is folks... as long as you think of your HOUSE as your HOME you won't be able to sell it. It's just a simple reality of life... HOME is where the heart is and you simply cannot sell that at any price.

As long as you think of your HOUSE as YOUR HOME, you will place far more value on it than will anyone else. If you place too much value on it then you will likely price it far too high and you will unconciously make certain that every potential buyer who walks through know that it is YOUR HOME -- NOT THEIRS.

The mind (psychology) is a powerful force in all of our lives. Stop being your own worst enemy and face up to the fact that you have a HOUSE that you need to sell.

You will take your HOME with you when you move! Let's get your HOUSE sold as soon as possible. Call us today and let us help you get started on the right foot.

PowerListing(TM)

Just want to give our readers this quick update from Mortgagee Letter 2009-15 which establishes guidelines for use of the first-time home buyer tax credit as settlement funds.

The details haven't been fully revealed just yet so there is still a lot of guessing and speculating going on within the industry. We are hoping to have a clear picture within the next week or two but in the meantime here are a few things that we do know.

• The IRS tax credit refund can be made only to the taxpayer and not a third party.
• Government agencies may offer tax credit advances with second liens.
• The buyer cannot get cash back through the tax credit advance.
• The 2nd lien may not exceed the down payment, closing costs, and prepaid expenses.
• The 2nd lien may be soft or require payments.
• Payments on 2nd liens must be included in ratios unless deferred for at least 36 months.
• Balloon payments on 2nd liens may not be before 10 years.
• FHA approved lenders and FHA approved non-profits may purchase the tax credit.
• Tax credit purchaser may not charge more than 2.5% of the tax credit as a fee.

And then there's this little item that every potential borrower against the funds needs to be aware of...

• IRS may deduct from the tax credit: unpaid student loans, tax liens and garnishments.

We just want to keep you informed as new info comes available to us. Don't hesitate to call if you have any questions whatsoever!