Janet Wood

I was honored when, as a board member, of the Florida Keys, Board of Realtors, I was appointed

Community Chair! Since I manage several political campaigns, for our Local State Attorneys Race and

one of the Judges seats, I was a the "only" choice. With the compliment, came a faded

folder saying 4th of July Parade. With my usual enthusiam, I asked for help at the office meeting!

The responses were "oh forget it" "i did it last year" "I am out of town" and those

were the nice refusals. Now what do I do? Okay how about 3 corvettes, a red, a white and a blue.

Each with a decorated war veteran and a beautiful girl, (the girls will be wearing girly military garb

and hats!) "Patriotism shines in the Keys" is the theme so leading the cars and the veterans

and the girls (best looking 3 in the Keys) will be an 8 foot banner which reads "HOME OWNERSHIP

IS THE BACK BONE OF AMERICA! Marching behind the banner will be Realtors with their

company shirts carrying American Flags!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh by the way the girls will be throwing out

candy and the Realtors handing out "NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY" buttons! Wish me luck!

Janet@freewheeler-realty.com www.janetwoodrealtor.com www.fldesignerjw@aol.com

The office meeting this morning drew a bigger crowd than usual and many excited agents.

Properties in the keys are really selling again. The curve is just starting to turn up and

the buyers are jumping on it. Our broker used an interesting term. "The market

is reloading!!! In the past sixty days there have been 45 sales and 31,000,000. as a result

of that! I have found that the owners are now sticking to their properties prices.

The real deals are being purchased. There are still some great buys in our inventory!

I just don't want to hear later. " I should have bought then! " Now is the time!

For any information, please do not hesitate to check www.janetwoodrealtor.com

or call me @305.395.0241. Have a great selling or buying Day....Janet

I knew it would happen at some point. One of my favorite customers saw a beautiful

canal front house, here in Islamorada. The water so clear, you can actually swim, down the entire

length. If you go by boat you will enter into "Snake Creek", decide which way you want to go

and take your pick, Ocean or Bayside! So we finish our Saturday of home shopping and yes

they liked this house, the location and the area in Islamorada (Venetian Shores) one of the

best! In our telephone conversation this morning, I had to give him the news. "The house

you loved in under contract". Sales are being made. I am going to shop again this

Saturday with the same couple. I think this weekend they are ready to buy instead of waiting for

the one they want to get away! www.janetwoodrealtor.com or janet@freewheeeler-realty.com

The HGTV Dream Home 2008 has added alot of exposure to our little Island town lately.

Everytime, I drive by the "Rain Barrell, an artist village at the end of the bayside location

cars are lined down the street to tour the hgtv dream home 2008. Remember to enter

just search www.dreamhome2008.com and follow the entry instructions. You may enter

everyday until February 19th. Wouldn't it be great to win a home in Islamorada directly on the

Bay? Tickets to tour the home are 20.00 per person and proceeds go to the Florida

Key's Children's Shelter.

February 24 starts the Gigantic, wonderful "Nautical Flea Market". It grows bigger every year

and has so many wonderful things from art to brass ship bells, mermaids to orchids. From

Miami you can enjoy a beautiful ride and be at Founders Park (approximately) mile marker

87 in about an hour.

I have been to both and neither one is to be missed! Enjoy! Janet Wood

As I picked up, our local newpaper today I, must share the following article:

Agents see luxury homes lifting housing market (By Kristen Burnie)

2007 was a tough year for the real estate nationwide, but some real estate agents say the Keys'

unique attributes have helped stabilize local sales and could help the Keys rebound from the slump

more quickly than other areas of Florida.

A high percentage of expensive homes, proximity to waterfront and limited inventory have some agents

reporting increases in sales in 2007, while others say they've already seen increased activity in 2008.

High end helps market

Some Keys real estate agents say sales of high-end homes helped stabilize the market last year.

Data provided showed that the average sales price of landlocked single-family homes listed

with Multiple Listing Service in the Upper Keys dropped more than 15 percent in 2007, down from

$476,397 in 2006 to $403,907.

REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK

But in the same year, the price of single-family waterfront homes remained relatively stable. It dropped less

than 6 percent, down to about $1.97 million from about $2 million in 2006.

The data show that sales of high-end homes stayed strong. The number of canal and lake-front

homes sold actually increased to 250 in 2007 from 193 in 2006, while 43 open water homes sold in 2007,

only seven fewer than the 50 that sold in 2006.

Compare that to a 13 percent drop in the number of land-locked single family homes sold, a total of 112 in

2007 compared to 129 in 2006, it's easy to see that "the higher-price properties are

moving considerably more."

Buyers of high-end homes likely felt less affected by the struggling economy. "Certainly you

find that the buyer of the expensive home is far more insulated from the economics

that might affect the middle-class buyer who might be interested in buying a second

home". "I think that during recessions, the high-end properties don't tend to do as poorly because the

wealthier people don't tend to suffer as much." .

The comeback Keys

While the Keys market might be down for now, don't count it out, agents say.

A slew of attributes that set the Keys apart from other areas in Florida have some agents hoping for a

sooner-than-expected rebound in the local market.

"I think we're very unique and as a result we're going to more favorably hold our market values

compared to other areas."

Proximity to water, warm weather and limited inventory will help Keys properties retain value.

The Keys market is in a favorable position compared to neighboring Miami-Dade County. "I think

we're better off". The building was unbridled up there.

As for the outlook for 2008, "We're cautiously optimistic" "We've already seen a pickup in calls."

A particularly harsh winter has generated more interest from northerners looking for a permanent

escape from the cold, and the strength of the euro and the Canadian dollar has prompted more

foreigners to seek out a second home in the United States.

"I think the new (18 mile) Stretch will help the market and the new Homestead Hospital. If you

had the choice to drive down a beautiful 18 mile highway to the Keys, or live in Homestead, where

would you live?"

Buyer's market

The market presents a great opportunity for first-time buyers or for buyers looking for more affordable

homes. While "jumbo loans" have become expensive and difficult to get , it's still relatively easy

to get a "conforming loan" - less than $417,000 - with an interest rate of less than 6 percent.

"If you've got to live somewhere, you might as well own a house. It's much better than renting,

no matter what." "There actually isn't a better time to buy, the interest rates are super low.

The shift to a buyers' market is natural, especially after a development boom as large as the one South Florida

saw a few years ago.

"This market is all about the end-user now and not about the speculator", "It's a great opportunity for

the younger people and people that didn't own yet."