Todd Kevitch

If you are thinking about moving to Florida or, as it is fondly called: the Sunshine State, you are about to embark on a total lifestyle change, especially if you hail from the colder climates. If you are sick of the cold weather, get ready for some fun and sun all year round.

South Florida Real Estate is booming and if you are lucky enough to be able to afford the many Florida Luxury Properties that are available, you can get an amazing deal on a gorgeous estate. These luxury locations include, Ocean Ridge, Manalapan, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Highland Beach, and Delray Beach. You will be able to find waterfront living as well as non-waterfront living, many with beautifully manicured backyards. These homes are standouts with their grand entryways and unique architectural details. Whatever you desire, you will be able to find a home that is your definition of luxury.

With a climate that is almost always near perfect, getting out and enjoying life is what South Florida living is all about. Even in January, the low temperature is only about 58.7 degrees so outdoor activity can really take place all year round.

If you ever want to venture from your Ocean Ridge or South Florida luxury property, Florida has so much culture to explore. Delray Beach, for example, has Atlantic Ave with its shops and restaurants, and is a short drive to both Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale and City Place in West Palm Beach. There are also professional sports teams such as football and basketball to cheer for! So, take a moment to peruse the listings online for Florida Luxury Properties and you will most assuredly find one that calls your name.

BPO Realty LLC has experienced agents who can help you find your dream home. Contact us today.

I need help in my firm with my REO listings and I'm looking to hire an agent or two. I'd like to find out from other agents and brokers - What do you consider a good starting commission split? I'm not looking to charge monthly fees and I'll also be providing them with "hot" buyer leads as well as attempting to get them REO listings.

Also, anything else I need to consider when hiring a new agent?

Recently I listed a friend's home, trying to get an unrealistic price in a declining market. I was honest and upfront about pricing, however, they were trying to not do a short sale because they were worried about their credit. After a month of trying, they agreed to do a short sale. The issue of the short sale is not the problem, it's the personal financial data I'm going to have to obtain for their package.

I'm not that comfortable learning about my friend's personal income, etc.

I'm interested in learning if others have been in the same situation and what you've done.

I just got finished writing my "two cents" on what I think needs to happen for us to get through this mess and thought that it would be great to hear other peoples' opinions.

What Can We Do?
I don't think we'll come close to rectifying the foreclosure problem. As bad as people are hearing it is, it's much worse. ARMs re-setting the next two years, unemployment on the rise, the Worldwide economy in a slump. The Gov't is trying to put a Bandaid on a bleeding economy and there's more than a 75% chance of it not working. We need to cycle through these foreclosures faster. Stop doing loan mods for people who simply cannot afford the home. Over 50% of the loan mods have gone into foreclosure. If principal needs to be adjusted down, penalize the homeowner for the difference. Turn the mortgage into an FHA loan and require them to not buy a home for a certain period of time. If they sell their home and there are proceeds above the re-adjusted price, it goes back to the bank. If they stay in their home over a certain amount of time, forgive a portion of the debt. This will only work for people who can afford it. Others will lose their homes. This is what has to happen and most likely will.

What are your ideas?