First Time Homebuyer Programs in Brevard County Florida

Here in Melbourne Florida, located in Brevard County there are currently First Time Homebuyer Programs available. I wish I was a first time buyer! New buyers are receiving down payment and closing cost assistance to make it easier to get into their first home.

Home prices have been gradually becoming more realistic and smart buyers are snapping up deals.

Currently there are 270 homes for sale priced $150,000 and below in Melbourne, Florida. In January 2005 at the peak of our market there were less 4 homes available for sale in the North Melbourne area priced below $200,000, and none of those were priced below $150,000! Our market has certainly come full circle.

So, don’t miss the opportunities available today. The last 4 buyers that I have worked with have used First Time Homebuyer Programs for their purchase. They were all provided with great packages to assist them with their purchase.

So, check with Brevard County to see what programs are available.

Or the City of Melbourne

or check with FHA

or the Department of Housing and Urban Development

or call me at 321-253-4545 , and I will be more than happy to give you additional information.

Desirable Kingsmill Subdivision – North Melbourne FL

Kingsmill is a conveniently located subdivision located in Melbourne Florida, in Brevard County close to shopping, dining, restaurants and gas, yet tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the “city”. The 323 homes in Kingsmill are situated on 1/4 acre to 1/2 acre well apppointed lots. The area is well maintained. Kingsmill boasts 2 community parks. Homes are typically from 1500+ square feet to just over 2000 square feet of living, built between 1986-1989. The primary home builder is Maronda Homes, with some custom homes built on 1/2 acre lots by Joyal Construction and Tiffany Construction.

Kingsmill is centrally located, just minutes to shopping, dining, schools, Lake Washington, the Maxwell C King Center for Performing Arts, Wickham Road, I-95 and US1. Walk to groceries, shopping and fast food.

My family and I have lived in the Kingsmill Subdivision since 2001. Back in 1988 my sister and I had a home built in Kingsmill, where we lived for a year and a half.

Homes for Sale

Address	Bed	Bath	Pool	Sq ft	List price	Year
2667 Kingsmill Ave	3	2	No	1744	$ 169,900	1988
2434 Kingsmill Ave	3	2	No	1554	$ 169.900	1987
2833 Nobility Ave	3	2	No	1839	$ 179,000	1989
2413 Nobility Ave	3	2	No	1720	$ 187.900	1988
2615 Kingdom Ave	4	2	Yes	1806	$ 199,000	1988

Homes Under Contract

Address	Bed	Bath	Pool	Sq ft	List	Year	Contract
2490 Kingsmill Ave	4	2	Yes	1859	$ 246,900	1987	04/08

Homes Recently Sold

Address	Living ft	List	Sale price	Date	DOM
2416 Nobility Ave	1692	$ 189,900	$ 179,900	05/08	44
2629 Kingdom Ave	1978	$ 229,900	$ 215,000	05/08	70
2528 Nobility Ave	1742	$ 179,900	$ 179,900	12/07	23
2601 Kingdom Ave	1690	$ 229,900	$ 180,000	12/07	231
2794 Kingdom Ave	1593	$ 199,000	$ 185,000	12/07	13
2795 Empire Ave	2008	$ 189,900	$ 184,500	12/07	33

New Marriott Residence Inn Hotel in Melbourne Florida

Marriott Hotels recently opened a new Residence Inn at the corner of Babcock St and Hibiscus Ave in Melbourne Florida. The new hotel is just one mile from the Melbourne Airport. It is only minutes from Downtown Melbourne, Holmes Regional Medical Center and Florida Institute of Technology.

Having lived in Melbourne since 1975 I have seen so many changes in the past 33 years. My husband and I were shopping across the street from the new hotel this past weekend. It seemed so odd to me to see such a huge beautiful building situated directly in front of what used to be the old Brevard Mall, many, many years ago.  It used to be the only mall in Melbourne, a tiny one, with only 2 major department stores, JC Penneys and Sears. I remember as a teenager being dropped off at the mall by my parents so my girlfriends and I could go shopping. Oh, that was many years ago.

The new Marriott is an extended stay facility, boasting full kitchens with granite counter tops. It has free internet access, grocery services and housekeeping twice a week.

FCAT Scores – Brevard County Florida Tops the Lists Again!

Brevard County Florida Schools Ranked at the Top on FCAT scores, again!

Scores will be officially available to students on June 12, 2008 at www.fcatparentnetwork.com

In Florida students in grades 3 through 10 are required to take the State Standardized FCAT, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, in math and reading. A level three on the FCAT means that the student is working at grade level. A level 1 or 2 means that the students are encouraged to attend 4 weeks of summer school, which start today.

In Florida, in 6th grade, 6 out of 10 of the top scoring classes were from right here in Brevard County.

This is the 8th year in a row that Brevard 6th graders ranked at the top of the state of Florida in FCAT scores.

Brevard was 5th of 67 districts in all grades for students passing the reading portion of the test.

Brevard was 8th of 67 districts in all grades for students passing the math portion of the test.

In six Brevard Public Schools, 100% of students scored a level 3 or higher in either math or reading. Those schools included Freedom 7 Elementary, Stevenson Elementary, West Melbourne Elementary, Royal Palm Charter School and West Shore Jr/Sr High.

For students that scored a level 1 or 2 on the FCAT, several factors are taken into consideration as to whether the student will be retained in their current grade. Their grades are taken into consideration, including their exam grades and their daily performance. Not all level 1 and 2 students are required to attend summer school.

Find Me A House Priced 50% Below Market Value!

Last week I received a call from an investor, looking to purchase Brevard County Real Estate here in Melbourne Florida. Our company, at M & M Real Estate specializes in helping investors buy, sell, rent and manage investment property. My broker has been purchasing commercial and investment real estate for almost 50 years. I have been purchasing single family investment houses of my own since 1996. So, we get investors referred to us on a regular basis. Well, this referral was a bit different than most that we get…

When I met with this man, I asked what his investing goals were, the types of property he was looking for and his ideal price range. He stopped me, and told that he didn’t care where the property was, or what the price was…all he cared was that I only show him houses priced 50% or more below market value and needed little work. HMMMMMMM… properties priced 50% or more below market, with little work? I pondered his statement for a moment and must have looked puzzled. “Well”….he said…and waited. I had to think on it a moment longer. I asked if he knew where these types of properties were located. “Nope, he said, “but you do!” I asked him if he had seen properties like this. “Nope, but you have. Look, all I want to do is paint them and then resell for a profit,” he said. I had to ask, “Who told you that you could find these types of properties?” He told me that he saw it on TV!

I sat down and showed him a list of available properties in our area. He told me he didn’t want to see any of those. I said that often times we find good deals on properties. However, I reminded him to not spend all of his time looking for that one “great” deal, he may very well pass up many good deals. He didn’t want to hear what I had to say. “I don’t care,” he told me. “I know it can be done because I’ve seen it, I saw it on TV.” I told him I could find him competitively priced properties that needed some work. “No, I’m not doing a bunch of work. I don’t have to!”

Are these expectations realistic in today’s market? There is not much room for house flipping in today’s market, as our properties are not currently appreciating.

As an investor, myself, I understand the importance of buying a property at the right price. And, in figuring in the time it will take and the expense you incur in repairing a property. After all, you make your money when you buy real estate, not when you sell.

“Look, if you can’t show me properties today, that are priced 50% below market value with no work, then I can’t do business with you.”

I have pulled several lists for him and to date he has not agreed to look at anything on any of the lists.

I hope he doesn’t spend all of his time waiting for that great deal, and miss some of the good deals available today.

Port Canaveral Florida Cruises – Hop on Board

In Brevard County, we are home to Port Canaveral, located just over 30 minutes from Melbourne Florida. The cruise ships dock in port there. A couple of years ago, my family and I took a cruise out of Port Canaveral, to the Caribbean. It was a quick, convenient drive there and the cruise was incredible!

In 2009 nearly twice as many Port of Call visits are scheduled to come here locally. Port of Call visits are when a ship that is not based in our ports comes and brings passengers for a half a day or more and allows them to take shore excursions. Excursions in Brevard will include destinations such as Historic Cocoa Village. If you”ve never been there, it is a beautiful, historic old town, filled with art, antiques, memorabilia and restaurants. It is situated on the beautiful Indian River Lagoon with a sprawling park, with a large stage for different types of performances.

Other excursions will be to Orlando, about 30-40 minutes away, to the major theme parks, Disney, MGM, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World and more.

Port Canaveral currently has long term contracts with Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Lines to place some of their newest ships here in Port Canaveral. These ships typically travel to Caribbean destinations.

These shore excursions to Brevard are estimated to bring approximately $6 million to Brevard, as each visitor spends approximately $100 per day while in port.

If you’ve never been on a cruise, it is absolutely fantastic! Get on over here, and jump on one of the ships for anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks. There are some beautiful destinations to see! And the food is absolutely phenomenal! I’ll bet you will come back 5 pounds heavier than you left! (But it’s worth it!)

My Safe Florida Home Free Wind Inspections

Have you had your My Safe Florida Home Inspection done yet?

Well, I just had my Free Wind Inspection completed and I just received my updated insurance bill. I was tickled! My annual insurance premium dropped by over $500! I couldn’t believe it! I do have a new roof on my home. It is less than 3 years old. I had to have it replaced after Hurricane Jeanne and Frances.

My Safe Florida Home program is still offering free wind inspections to Florida homeowners who qualify. The program can offer advice on what areas of your home are potentially at risk in case of a hurricane. And, it can often provide substantial discounts on your homeowners policy. We have seen owners save hundreds. The inspection contains 8 questions, 7 are roof related and the 8^th pertains to windows.

You must apply and be approved to be eligible for the free inspection.

According to My Safe Florida Home the inspections are on a first come, first serve basis, and can be discontinued at anytime. Currently, there is a backlog of requests for inspections. Matching grants were available to make upgrades on your home, but they have discontinued the grant portion of the program.

Properties that not eligible for free wind inspections include mobile homes and manufactured homes, apartments, condominiums, multi-family dwellings and businesses. Go online to MySafeFloridaHome.com to order your free My Safe Florida Home Wind Inspection.

10 Ways to Prepare for Homeownership

1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.

2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.

3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.

4. Start saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don’t forget to factor in closing costs. Closing costs — including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees — average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.

5. Get you credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately. A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts, and any late payments.

6. Determine your mortgage qualifications. How large of mortgage do you qualify for? Also, explore different loan options — such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages or ARMs — and decide what’s best for you.

7. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan. You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.

8. Weigh other sources of help with a down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs? Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers. Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you’ve saved to buy your fist home without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.

9. Calculate the costs of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities, and association fees, if applicable.

10. Contact a REALTOR®. Find an experienced REALTOR® who can help guide you through the process.