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FLORIDA'S REAL ESTATE BLOG

HB 333 SIGNED INTO LAW

April 11th, 2007 10:12 AM

As a follow-up to my post on March 29th, the governor has signed into law HB 333 which implements the amendment passed by voters last fall. This will allow cities and counties to give an additional homestead exemption to low-income seniors. As mentioned previously, this must be decided at the local level by the individual cities and counties. If these local governments pass the ordinance by June 1 of 2007, the tax break will be effective for the 2007 tax year. Be sure to contact your local government representatives and let them know if you are in favor of this additional $25,000 exemption, bringing the total to $50,000 homestead exemption. By the way, not all cities and counties in Florida currently have a homestead exemption in place.

Posted by Joanne Trugman on April 11th, 2007 10:12 AMPost a Comment (0)

AFFORDABLE HOME LOANS*

April 18th, 2007 5:32 PM

TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, HEALTH CARE WORKERS ..... MyCommunityMortgage™ and the Community Solutions Options™ is available thanks to Fannie Mae. This program has been designed to " help our country's valued workers overcome the obstacles to homeownership." What does that mean to you ? 100% financing available, no required minimum contribution from borrower, non-traditional credit and certain gifts from relatives may be acceptable and more. I will be happy to review the specific guidelines with you during a confidential " Loan Consultation " to be sure your monthly budget will not be over burdened. Maybe the time has come to move closer to work and spend less money on gasoline every week. There is time to take advantage of the "Buyer's Market" with more choices for you in the neighborhood you choose. Please let your friends and family know about this program. *Disclosure: All loan programs require qualification and/or credit approval by the lender and are subject to change without notice. MyCommunityMortgage™ is a trademark of Fannie Mae and information obtained via Fannie Mae.

Posted by Joanne Trugman on April 18th, 2007 5:32 PMPost a Comment (0)

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT "MY SAFE FLORIDA HOME" PROGRAM?

April 9th, 2007 8:48 PM

Florida's Chief Financial Officer, Alex Sink, has made it her goal to increase awareness about the incentives being made available to Florida homeowners that fortify their homes in preparation for high winds, including hurricane shutters, reinforced garage doors and roofs. The "My Safe Florida Home" program began offering free home / wind inspections in a pilot program during 2006. Over 14,000 free wind inspections were carried out and the first checks have been sent to homeowners who strengthened their homes. Because of the overwhelming response, the program is currently on hiatus, while the process is fine tuned and evaluated. To find out more about this program and how to apply for inspections and qualify for the grants, please visit www.mysafefloridahome.com On the web site, Ms. Sink states she expects the program to resume statewide. Be sure to review the guidelines to find out if your property is eligible, then be ready to apply for your free inspection when the program resumes.

Posted by Joanne Trugman on April 9th, 2007 8:48 PMPost a Comment (0)