Archives for March 2015

Eating Habits Out of Whack?

As our daily lives become increasingly hectic, it’s no wonder that nutrition and mindful eating patterns are constantly placed on the back burner. Trying to juggle schedules is a challenge, one that finds us eating while we work, while we watch TV and while we drive. Breaking these habits doesn’t take a lot of time, however, you need to be fully committed to changing the way you approach meal/snack time.

The following tips from Jenny Conviser, Psy.D., co-owner of Insight Psychological Centers and a leading expert in the treatment of eating disorders, will help you regain control of your eating habits.

• Set aside time to eat. Taking an actual lunch break—even if it’s only 15 minutes—is a crucial step in establishing mindful eating patterns. In fact, research suggests that our brains don’t fully register what we eat outside of time we’ve set aside for eating.

• Commit to sit. Looking to break the habit of mindlessly munching while standing in front of the refrigerator? The best way to go about this is to commit to eating only while sitting down.

• Check in with yourself. Before any meal or snack, ask yourself if you’re really hungry, and only eat if the answer is ‘yes.’ Before you leave the house in the morning, prepare a few healthy snacks to munch on as you get hungry throughout the day.

• Put your senses to work. Take advantage of all your senses the next time you sit down to eat. Be sure to pay attention to the shape, color and size of what you’re eating. Take the time to inhale the aroma of the food and when you take a bite, pay attention to how the texture feels on your tongue.

• Take a break. Once you’re halfway through your meal, take a break and determine whether you’re still hungry. If you are, continue eating, and check in again after a few more bites.

Source: Insight Psychological Centers

Real Estate Optimism Continues to Grow Among Consumers

Image via Flickr courtesy of Camdiluv

Interesting news is out from two separate housing surveys published in March. Both say the same thing based on their findings – people are feeling more confident about real estate.

National Housing Survey

The Fannie Mae National Housing Survey is a monthly survey of 1,000 Americans to determine their attitude and feelings on the housing market. The findings this past month were optimistic.

• 54% believe getting a mortgage is easy – a record high for the survey.
• 46% believe home prices will go up.
• 6% believe prices will drop.
• 67% said now is a good time to buy a home.
• 40% said it’s a good time to sell.
• 46% believe their own financial situation will improve over the next year.
• 24% said their household income is higher than a year ago.

While believing something does not automatically make it fact, this is all good news. As people’s confidence in housing and the economy returns, they may be more willing to try to buy a home and seek out mortgage programs such as three percent or five percent down mortgage products.

Mortgage Service Index

TD Bank released it’s third annual Mortgage Service Index. Nearly 1,500 Americans who have purchased a home within the last 10 years were surveyed.

• 30% said now is a good time to buy. This is up from 20% the year before – a 10% gain.
• 29% reported they are likely to buy a home in 2015.
• 68% said their most recent home buying experience was a good one.
• 65% reported they were able to get approved for a mortgage.

The not-so-surprising finding in the report was that 44 percent of respondents were unaware of home affordability programs available for home buyers. While many cater to first time homebuyers, there are programs across the country designed for low-to-moderate income buyers that can help with down payment and closing costs. Locally, the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority serves Northwest Florida, but you can also check Down Payment Resource for available programs in any part of the country.

Only you know if you’re ready to buy or sell your home, but if you’re unsure whether you qualify for assistance or if now is the time for you, it pays to do your research. You might be surprised at what you’re able to do in today’s housing market.

Younger Generations Are Taking Over as Home Buyers

Image via Google Images

Baby boomers are getting bumped in the home buying game by the younger generations, especially the Millenials. It was only a matter of time before it happened, but now studies show us the proof.

Generational Trends in Home Buying

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released a new study, the 2015 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends study, where they evaluated age-based differences in recent buyers and sellers from 2014. The findings are not all that surprising.

• For the second year in a row, the largest group of buyers were 34 and younger, comprising 32 percent of buyers – double that of Baby Boomers.
• Generation X (ages 35-49) was the second in line with 27 percent of sales.
• 80 percent of Millenials and Gen X-ers believe their home purchase is a good financial investment.
• 90 percent of Millenials worked with a real estate agent.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR, pointed out that the numbers for Millenial buyers would be higher if not for certain obstacles like low wages, underemployment, increasing rents, and skyrocketing student debt. All of these are a factor in their ability to save a down payment.

Other interesting numbers from the study include:

• The average age of a Millenial buyer was 29.
• The average age of a Gen X buyer was 41.
• 39 percent of Millenials cited having a home of their own as a reason to buy.
• 75 percent of Millenials were influenced by the quality of the neighborhood and 74 percent wanted convenience to work.
• Gen X buyers said proximity and convenience to schools was most desired in a new home.

Thanks to programs like the return of the three percent down payment from FHA and others, younger buyers and low-to-moderate income buyers have more options for buying a home. As time goes on, these numbers will surely increase.

A look ahead

Experts are already looking to the future and have started studying the next generation, Generation Z who are currently 13-17 years old. A whopping 97 percent believe they’ll own their home at some point in their lifetime. Before they buy, they have goals they’d like to achieve:

• 60 percent want to graduate college
• 59 percent want to get married
• 58 percent plan to own a pet
• 21 percent will have children

While boomers are aging out and slowly being overtaken by the younger generations, it’s clear that the kids are paying attention to their parents and grandparents. They understand the importance and benefit of owning their own home. We can all be proud of that.

Realtors Go To Tallahassee

Image via Flickr courtesy of Stephen Nakatani

You might be surprised to learn that Realtors go to Tallahassee every year to advocate for property owners, both residential and commercial. Of course, we speak up about issues that affect our business, but overall, the issues that affect you, affect us. This year, nearly 1,000 Realtors arrived in Tallahassee on March 3 and 4, bringing important issues directly to our state legislators.

Sales Tax on Commercial Lease

If you’ve ever owned a business and leased your location, you are very familiar with this one. Florida is one of the few states that charges sales tax on your lease and expenses like landscape, insurance, and property taxes. This can make operating a business very expensive. Legislation has been proposed to phase out the sales tax over time with a one percent decrease this year. If this passes, it would be good news for business owners and Floridians. More companies opening up in the state means more jobs to fill.

Affordable Housing

Did you know that whenever you buy a house, you pay doc stamp taxes? Those taxes go to the Sadowski Trust Fund, an affordable housing trust that funds homeless programs, low-income renter programs, and down payment/closing cost assistance programs. Amendment 1 which addressed water and land conservation requires that 33 percent of all doc stamp taxes collected go toward conservation. Realtors understand the importance of conservation, but don’t think it should be done on the backs of people who need help with housing. In a year of $1 billion surpluses and plenty of funds in general revenue, we asked our legislators to leave the Sadowski Trust Fund alone.

Water Policy

Realtors understand more than most that the population is booming and will only continue to grow. What’s not to love about living in Florida – especially after a winter like the northern states have experienced this year? In order to make sure that everyone has access to clean, drinkable water, Realtors asked legislators to develop a comprehensive state water policy. This includes:

• Utilizing money from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to sustain and maintain lands and other resources the state owns,
• Support programs that keep our waters free from harmful pollutants,
• Expand the use of alternative water supplies.

Cap Estoppel Certificate Fees

If you have ever owned and sold a property as part of a condo or homeowner association, you’re probably very aware of estoppel certificate fees. The certificate is issued by the association when an owner sells their property to show the owner is in good standing and has paid their dues and fees. Current policy allows community associations to set a “reasonable” fee for this. Unfortunately, some associations have seen this as a revenue stream and fees can be as high as $500 in some associations. The proposed legislation would do three things:

• Cap the fee to be charged at $100
• Require the certificate to be prepared and delivered in 10 days
• Make the certificate valid for 30 days

If you want to lend your support to any of these topics, feel free to reach out to our state Senators and Representatives and let them know what you think.

Realtors do much more than list your home or help you find your dream home. We’re also advocates for home and business owners, fighting issues that make it harder to own or sell and supporting issues that save you money and help you enjoy homeownership.

Smart Eating Strategies Make Dining Out a Healthy Choice

If you’re on a diet or simply watching what you eat, a trip to a restaurant doesn’t have to knock you off the wagon. You can keep your eating in check by following these tips.

First, prepare for your meal. If you eat a big lunch, have a light dinner. Or if you know you’re going to be eating a calorie-filled meal out, eat healthy throughout the rest of the day.

Next, focus on picking the right restaurant. When picking one, make sure you look at menus first. Picking a restaurant with a lot of options will give you a better chance of finding something healthy and less caloric to eat. Make sure you also understand menu terms. Avoid dishes with descriptions that include the words “au gratin,” “rich,” or “crispy.” These foods are usually fried and or carry a high fat content thanks to ingredients such as cheese, butter or cream.

When ordering at the restaurant, balance your meal by including foods from all the different food groups: meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Look for freshly made salads that give you “balance in a bowl.” For example, order salads with chicken, cheese or almonds. These foods are high in protein along with fiber and vitamins. If you are counting calories, use a low-fat dressing or skip some of the extras, like croutons.

You can also substitute sides for healthier options, such as green beans for mashed potatoes. Most restaurants will be pretty accommodating to your needs so don’t be afraid to ask.

The most important tip? Eat slowly. Your body takes about 20 minutes to register that it is full. So by eating slowly, you will be able to tell when you’re full before you over-eat.

Now that you have these handy tips, you won’t have to worry about turning down your friends for dinner anymore. Happy dining!

Source: eatright.org

It’s Becoming Too Expensive to Rent – It May Be Time to Buy!

Image via Flickr courtesy of Mark Moose

A frightening number was recently released by a J.P. Morgan study that all renters need to be aware of:

Renting is now more expensive than owning a home – by 20 percent.

Let’s contrast that with the post-housing bubble crash. In 2006, as prices skyrocketed and many low or moderate income people found themselves priced out of owning a home, owning a home was 76 percent more expensive than renting. For anyone on a tight budget, it made sense to rent.

Then the market crashed. Prices plummeted. Short sales and foreclosures became the new normal. Instead of this being a time for people to buy and scoop up amazing deals, credit tightened to the point of strangulation, and it became more difficult to purchase a home.

A recent study done by New York University and commissioned by Capital One shows that rent is increasing in 11 major cities around the country. While the Emerald Coast is its own market and does not always follow the trends of larger cities, this is something to watch.

The fear is that current rents and the speed with which they’re increasing aren’t sustainable for many renters. But renters have their own fears – the inability to qualify or afford their own home, what their credit must look like, and that another housing bubble could happen.

• This isn’t 2006 or 2007 and we’re no longer in the middle of a housing market crash. Prices are trending up, but they are no where near their 2003-2006 levels. Housing prices make sense again.
• Thousands upon thousands of people went through foreclosure or a short sale. There’s no need to be embarrassed to have that sitting on your credit report. You’re not alone, and lenders won’t judge you for it.
• Lenders have tightened their credit standards, this is true. If you can show that you have stable, steady income; an ability to afford the loan you’re requesting; and a clean credit history for the past few years, you have a good chance of being approved.
• Low down payment options are available – 3 percent from FHA and 5 percent from many lenders. The 20 percent down payment rule is not a requirement to purchase a home.
• Down payment assistance programs are available to help low-to-moderate income buyers with down payments and closing costs. The idea is to help you own your home instead of renting and paying someone else’s mortgage. Along the Emerald Coast, the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority is the place to go for help.

You don’t have to rent forever. You can be a homeowner again. To find out if you qualify for a home loan, contact a lender. They’ll be able to let you know if you qualify or what you need to do in order to qualify. Homeownership doesn’t just have to be a dream – it can be your reality.