Ramesh Nyberg's Real Estate Blog

Well, welcome to 2008!

I turned 50 years old yesterday. I felt the same as I did when I was 49, but seeing the number in print and associating it with my time on the planet is still a little odd.

So much going on..a big tax vote coming up January 29th (vote yes, please)...the race for the presidency in full steam, questions about the economy, a roller coaster stock market..
What is in store for real estate? I can report first that buyer activity has definitely surged since about January 7th. I don't know if it's New Year's resolutions, or what, but it's real. I've spoken to other Realtors and they have agreed: buyers are out in greater numbers, taking advantage of low prices and lowered (again) interest rates. I'm not an economy expert, but the experts I do listen to have always said that the housing market is not a slave to the economy, in fact--and we've seen this play out in the last year-- just the opposite is true.

If the real estate market becomes healthy again, it has a domino effect on the mortgage industry, banks, construction, and so on.

And for those of you reading this who live up north, I don't want to rub it in (actually I sort of DO), but today it's about 65 degrees and clear blue skies. We boat, play golf, and barbecue on our patios in January and February. (786-205-1133 is the number to call). :)

This blog update is way overdue! My apologies for that. Chalk it up to holiday aftermath, turning 50, whatever, but I'll be back more frequently.

Oh yes..four new listings I'd like everyone to know about, so you can spread the word:
1) 2/2 Condo with patio in Coral Springs $169,000
2) 3/2 lovely Gables home with huge family room, updated kitchen $499,000
3) Studio apt on Collins Ave, Miami Beach, across the street from the beach and with a great ocean view, $159,000
4) Same bldg, another studio apt, Intracoastal views, $119,000

As of today, my new website, SoFlaForeclosures.com, is up and running, with 24 properties posted. Most of the properties on the site are in Homestead or Cutler Bay, with a few others scattered around the south end of the county.

Some of the Homestead listings are excellent deals. There are 4 and 5 bedroom homes in decent condition, fairly new construction, for under 300k. There is a 4-bedroom in the Black Point Marina area just reduced to $148,900.

The New Year was starting off a bit slow until this week-- my properties got 3 showings this week, and today ended with a closing we've all been waiting for since early December.

Half the people I know are sick, and taking a while to get in the swing of work again. I had my cold from Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve, and I'm fine now. Everyone else in the family got their turn too.

Next week should be fun-- Tuesday is our office kickoff breakfast, which is going to be at the Coral Gables Country Club. Nice, especially when the company is picking up the tab! The next day, I'll be in Liberty City bright and early, building houses with a large host of other volunteers, for Habitat for Humanity. It was a lot of fun last year. I'll have the next update Thursday, with some pictures from Habitat.