Kim Gibbons - Pensacola Real Estate

I am happy to announce that Kathleen Ross has joined ERA Beach Ball Realty. She previously was with Buyers Agents of NE Florida Realty.

Kathleen works in Pensacola Beach and Gulf Breeze her website is www.pensacolabeachcondosales.com

Kathleen was born and raised in Boston and like many came to visit Pensacola Beach 20 years ago and got sand between her toes. Once her retired from the Air Force they but returned Pensacola to stay for good.

Are you ready to buy, sell or relocate to the Greater Pensacola Area Kathleen is the right agent for you!

Please welcome contact Kathleen Ross to the ERA Real Estate Family!

I don't think there is any doubt that the Pensacola Real Estate Market is approaching it's bottom. While many areas in Florida, especially south Florida, have a ways to go before things get better the Pensacola area seems very stable in comparison. Here is a great article that speaks to the diversity in real estate markets. Some markets a currently doing well, other are truely suffering and some are starting to recover.

"Karl E. Case - Another Opinion That Housing's Near the Bottom

Posted in May 7th, 2008

by Editor in News: Single Family

One of the nation's leading housing market experts, Professor Karl E. Case of Wellesley College apparently thinks the housing kafuffle is at or very near the bottom.

Yesterday WSJ published (and we opined on) the commentary of the Cyril Moulle-Berteaux (managing partner of Traxis Partners LP, a New York based hedge fund), detailing Moulle-Berteaux's thoughts on improving home affordability nationally signaling the bottom of housing's struggles.

Professor Case's theory is an interesting one (and quite different from Moulle-Berteaux's) - in the last three housing crashes (1991, 1982, and 1975) the "bottom" was reached when housing starts dropped below the one million mark. When did it happen in this downturn? March 2008.

Case has been quoted as saying, "It is really remarkable how much where we are today looks like the bottom we've had in the last three cycles. Every time we've gone below a million starts, the market has cleared at that moment." A reader has emailed in a transcript of an interview Case recently did, and we'll post more of it once we can parse it a bit further.

There are markets obviously where there will still be price corrections; some of those corrections will be major price corrections. Brett Arends writing in the WSJ today makes a thoughtful point though - if you're buying today, there are reasons to consider jumping back in the game with both feet.

He (Arends) offers four reasons to not sit on the sidelines if indeed home prices in many markets may be nearing the bottom - 1) there are lots of bargain hunters out there, demand will drive prices; 2) the weak dollar has made US homes attractive to many foreign buyers; 3) 30 year fixed rate mortgages can be had for rates under 6% with solid credit - that won't last as the market recovers; 4) there is an increasingly sensible argument that in a time of inflationary pressures and faltering currencies, hard (real estate) assets will be under increasing demand.

Our data continues to demonstrate that for both multifamily and single family assets there are markets out there that quite healthy, despite the woes of the worst in the nation. It's going to be a while before most the country's real estate turmoil has settled, but there are sound markets to be considering now. Market analysis and good data is now more critical than ever, and there will likely not be bargains to be had as there are now for some time to come. "

One such area that sales have remained stable is Pensacola Beach, Florida. Residential sales volume has remained stable for the past three years!

We are very pleased to announce that Mark Hoeft (formerly of JBN Realty) has Joined ERA Beach Ball Realty. Mark has closed over 320 real estate transactions totaling more than $33,000,000.00 in sales during the past 6 years. He also has extensive experience with working investment real estate investors in the Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key and Navarre Florida.

His professionalism, experience and expertise are a welcome addition to our highly competent and successful assemblage of realtors.

Please visit Mark at http://www.thefloridacoast.com and congratulate him on has move to ERA.