Christine Bohn, Gainesville, FL Residential Realtor®

Last Friday, November 7th, I had a closing at 10am at Security Title with my buyers. As Realtors, we have transaction after transaction - closings after closings. It's our life. But, every once in awhile there is a client you work with that presents "challenges" for our current market conditions. Being a Relentless Realtor, I love a challenge. I want to win...for my clients.

And when it all finally gets to the closing table....you just want to jump up for joy!

You are filled with a warm heart and happy feeling that their "mission was accomplished"!

I'd like to introduce you to Andy and Robyn in front of their brand NEW HOME. Andy & Robyn are "first time home buyers". And by 1pm on Friday they were picking up their rental truck to start moving into their new construction home.

I think Andy contacted me through my web site when they began their search in June.

We began to view homes that met their price range and their wish list. We saw a lot homes. Some were horrible, some were "OK", and of course some were too expensive. There were homes that were too much of a "handyman special" for their liking. Some homes were too small, some too big. There are so many homes to see. It's a long process of elimination when you search for homes.

I told Robyn, we'd have to kiss a bunch of frogs to find the "Prince" of a home for them. By August they were frustrated. We expanded our search and kept searching.

Luckily, I got them hooked up with an excellent local lender, and Leslie Remy at Countrywide Home Loans.Leslie got them pre-qualified, selected the loan program best for them, and walked them through all the hoops, valleys, and peaks that it took to get to that closing table. She's a trooper! (Thanks Leslie!) I know Andy and Robyn were discouraged at times, but steady perseverance won.

The seller/builder was Great! Andy & Robyn fell in love with newly constructed home by Thomas Baker of Baker Development. Quality built home, with wonderful bells and whistles for Andy & Robyn. This home was one of those showings that when you "show it".....you know that "THIS IS THE ONE".

Andy & Robyn will be putting up a basketball hoop, and fencing the back yard so their adorable daughter, Tory will have a big back yard to play in. Life is Good! And their new life started on November 7th at that closing.

Everything happens for a reason. This home is why we had to kiss all those other frogs/homes.

I love first time home buyers. I love it when my buyers love their home and are proud of "their accomplishments".

This transaction warmed my heart. Andy & Robyn are my latest buyers that I consider "clients for life".

**** MY 200th POST **** Written and Posted By: Chris Bohn, GRI- ABR-ePro- ** Gainesville FL Real Estate Copyright © 2008 Chris Bohn, RE/MAX Professionals, Inc., is a Florida Realtor® who specializes in Gainesville, FL and communities in Alachua County, FL . To find out more information about her real estate services please visit her profile . You are welcome to contact her by phone at 352-375-1002 or by email at chris@eHomesGainesville.com . You can click to view her listings or visit her website. Thank you for your visit.

I am sure you have seen clips on the local news stations or seen info in our local papers here about the November 4th elections.

Will there be massive "waiting" lines to VOTE on November 4th?

Will it be too cold or nasty, rainy weather on November 4th to VOTE?

But, hey our wonderful Sunshine State has EARLY VOTING!! Convenient times and you can even vote this Saturday on November 1st too. Vote on Saturday.....YES !

You can visit the Supervisor of Elections web site to see the official information.

Early Voting Times:

Weekdays

Monday, October 20th through Friday, October 24th - (9 AM to 5 PM)
Monday, October 27th through Friday, October 31st - (9 AM to 5 PM)

Saturdays

October 25th - (9 AM to 1 PM)
November 1st - (9 AM to 5 PM) Early Voting Ends

Early Voting Sites

Supervisor of Elections Office
County Administration Building Location
12 SE 1st Street, Gainesville

Millhopper Branch Library
3145 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville

Tower Road Branch Library
3020 SW 75th Street, Gainesville

The rates are falling !!

The rates are falling !!

The rates are falling !!


Ok folks....this is not "CHICKEN LITTLE" screaming that the SKY is falling.....

it's the home mortgage rates that are falling!






This is REAL !

Hopefully, our National press & media will be shouting this from the roof tops. Your local real estate professional will be telling you about this too! Just pick up the phone and call your local lenders - they are ready to get you pre-qualified and make you feel "confident" about buying a home soon.

It's a BUYERS' MARKET...and with the mortgage rates falling - this should help get the "fence sitters" to become "committed buyers". We have excellent inventory of homes for sale here in Gainesville and communities all over Alachua County - at attractive prices too!

So what are you waiting for???? Let's get busy looking for a home!

The rates are falling !!

Welcome to the Gainesville-Alachua County Real Estate Market Update for August 2008.  

The stats for this report are pulled directly from the Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors database.  

These statistics are for Residential Sales only and do not include commercial properties or vacant land sales.

# of HOMES SOLD in August 2008 is  226.

Average # of Days on the Market (for closed sales) is 127 Days.

AUG 2008	-2BR	3 BR	4+BR	Condo	Total
#Units Sold	18	104	45	59	226
Avg Sale Price	94,080	179,793	337,414	156,922	198,380
Avg List Price	102,622	190,643	356,690	162,115	209,247
List/Sell/Ratio	91%	94%	94%	96%	95%
Median Sale Price	120,000	174,471	288,000	147,300	168,950

Here is a good summary of the "TYPES" of financing of homes sold in August of 2008 and August 2007.   You will see that more buyers this year are using the FHA program to finance their home purchase than buyers in 2007.  Gainesville is holding strong when compared to other depressed areas in Florida.  I am a firm believer that it is a "Great time to be a Buyer" in Gainesville.

	August    2008 Units	August  2007 Units
TOTAL	226	386
Cash	50	64
Conventional	114	297
Private	3	5
Seller Finance	3	1
FHA Loans	49	16
VA Loans	7	3

***  All data is from Gainesville-Alachua County MLS Database.

My Last Market Report was  for June 2008.   I didn't realize that I had not posted a report for July, but I have been busy with very happy buyers!  

It's truly a buyers' market !!

My Saturday morning paper has a wonderful feature.....it's a page called GATOR GAMEDAY.

Yesterday being our season opener and a Home Game was the first "FIX" for my college football addiction. Yes, I am addicted to college football.

GO Gators !!

But, something happened that I don't know if anyone else noticed.......

Our Gainesville Sun Sports Writer, Robbie Andreu is known for his game prediction, called Andreu's Pick.

Saturday's paper showed his prediction of final score : Florida 56, Hawaii 10.

AND GUESS WHAT ???

Robbie Andreu's pick was the final score !

Does Robbie Andreu have a crystal ball?

Way to go Mr. Andreu !!