Florida Mortgage | Homeownership Is a Hedge Against Inflation
Florida Mortgage | Homeownership Is a Hedge Against Inflation | NMLS ID 1834853 #floridamortgage #floridamortgagerates #floridamortgagecompany #fidelityhomegroup
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St. Augustine Songwriters Festival
Mark Your Calendar
Date: September 29 & 30, October 1, 2023
Time: Times Vary by Day
Location: Colonial Oak Music Park, Prohibition Kitchen, Tradewinds Lounge, and St. Augustine Distillery Co.
Get Directions
Colonial Oak Music Park
21 St George St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Prohibition Kitchen
119 St George St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Trade Winds Lounge
124 Charlotte St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Saint Augustine Distillery
112 Riberia St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
About the Songwriters Festival
Just like the Sunshine State, the Songwriters Festival is the kind of event that warms your soul. From throwback hits that your parents jammed out to, to your favorite songs growing up to today’s hits, the music played at this festival will make you feel both nostalgic and inspired.
However, as you may have guessed the Songwriters Festival isn’t just about great music. In fact, it’s about spotlighting the songwriters too. Although you may know all the words to a particular jam, we bet you don’t know who the song was written by, written for, or written about. This event presents a chance to really dive into the meanings of popular songs from yesterday, today, and tomorrow. While most festivals celebrate songs in some fashion, this one is more about the writers behind the songs.
The festival is proudly presented by Bozard Ford as well as several other local businesses. And, the festival now “falls under” the Sing Out Loud Festival “umbrella”.
About the Songwriters
Some of the songwriters who will be performing for 2023 are Chris Tompkins, Clint Daniels, HunterGirl, Cliff Cody, Mac McAnally, Keith Gattis, Jaida Dreyer … and many more.
In the past, Justin Wilson is just one of the many talented songwriters who has appeared. Some of the songs he’s written include “Drunk Me” – Mitchell Tenpenny and “Straight Outta Cold Beer” – Blake Shelton. Some of the others who have attended the Songwriters Festival to perform famous tunes they’ve penned include Keith Anderson, Danny Myrick, Bobby Pinson, Halfway to Hazard, Andy Albert, Cliff Cody ….to name a few.
About the Venues
All concerts will be performed in downtown St. Augustine at one of the following venues: Prohibition Kitchen, Colonial Oak Music Park, Tradewinds Lounge, and the St. Augustine Distillery Co. While each venue is vastly different from the next, they each have unique traits perfect for concert venues.
The post St. Augustine Songwriters Festival appeared first on St. Augustine, FL | Oldcity.com.
Want To Sell Your House This Spring? Price It Right.
Over the last year, the housing market’s gone through significant change. While it’s still a sellers’ market, homes that are priced right are selling, and they get the most attention from buyers right now. If you’re thinking of selling your house this spring, it’s important to lean on your expert real estate advisor when it comes to setting a list price. As Realtor.com explains:
“Move-in-ready homes with curb appeal and in desirable areas—and that are priced to sell—are especially likely to move quickly this spring.”
In today’s market, how you price your house will not only make a big difference to your bottom line, but to how quickly your house will sell.
Why Pricing Your House Right Matters
Your asking price sends a message to potential buyers, especially today.
If it’s priced too low, you may leave money on the table or discourage buyers who may see a lower-than-expected price tag and wonder if that means something is wrong with the home.
If it’s priced too high, you run the risk of deterring buyers. When that happens, you may have to lower the price to drive interest when your house sits on the market for a while. But be aware that a price drop can be seen as a red flag by some buyers who will wonder what it means about the home.
To avoid either headache, price it right from the start. A real estate professional knows how to determine the ideal asking price. They balance the value of homes in your neighborhood, current market trends, buyer demand, the condition of your house, and more to find the right price. This helps lead to stronger offers and a greater likelihood your house will sell quickly.
The visual below helps summarize the impact your asking price can have:
Your Tax Refund Can Help You Achieve Your Homebuying Goals
Have you been saving up to buy a home this year? If so, you know there are a variety of expenses involved – from your down payment to closing costs. But there’s good news – your tax refund can help you achieve your goals by paying for some of these expenses.
SmartAsset estimates the average American will receive a $1,798 tax refund this year. The map below provides a more detailed estimate by state:
According to Freddie Mac, there are multiple ways your refund check can help you as a homebuyer. If you’re getting a refund this year and thinking about buying a home, here are a few tips to keep:
- Saving for a down payment – One of the largest barriers to homeownership is saving for a down payment. You could reach your savings goal more quickly than expected by using your tax refund to help with your down payment.
- Paying for closing costs – You have to pay fees to your lender, real estate agent, and other parties involved in the homebuying transaction before you can officially take ownership of your home. You could direct your tax refund toward these closing costs.
- Lowering your interest rate – Your lender might give you the option to buy down your mortgage interest rate during the homebuying process. That means, you could pay upfront to have a lower interest rate on your fixed-rate mortgage.
The best way to prepare to buy a home is to work with a trusted real estate professional who understands the process. They’ll help you navigate the costs you may encounter as you begin your homebuying journey.
Florida Mortgage | Why a Smaller Home May Be the Best Fit
Florida Mortgage | Why a Smaller Home May Be the Best Fit | Are you a homeowner starting to plan where you’ll live when you retire? Let’s explore today’s downsizing opportunities so you can better understand your options. NMLS ID 1834853 #floridarealestate #floridahousingmarket #fidelityhomegroup
The Big Advantage If You Sell This Spring
Thinking about selling your house? If you’ve been waiting for the right time, it could be now while the supply of homes for sale is so low. HousingWire shares:
“. . . the big question is whether we are finally starting to see the seasonal spring increase in inventory. The answer is no, because active listings fell to a new low last week for 2023 . . .”
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) confirms today’s housing inventory is low by looking at the months’ supply of homes on the market. In a balanced market, about a six-month supply is needed. Anything lower is a sellers’ market. And today, the number is much lower:
“Total housing inventory registered at the end of February was 980,000 units, identical to January and up 15.3% from one year ago (850,000). Unsold inventory sits at a 2.6-month supply at the current sales pace, down 10.3% from January but up from 1.7 months in February 2022.”
Why Does Low Inventory Make It a Good Time To Sell?
The less inventory there is on the market when you sell, the less competition you’re likely to face from other sellers. That means your house will get more attention from the buyers looking for a home this spring. And since there are significantly more buyers in the market than there are homes for sale, you could even receive more than one offer on your house. Multiple offers are on the rise again (see graph below):
If you get more than one offer on your house, it becomes a bidding war between buyers – and that means you have greater leverage to sell on your terms. But if you want to maximize the opportunity for a bidding war to spark, be sure to lean on your expert real estate advisor. While we’re still in a strong sellers’ market, it isn’t the frenzy we saw a couple of years ago, and today’s buyers are focused on the houses with the greatest appeal. Clare Trapasso, Executive News Editor at Realtor.com, explains:
“Well-priced, move-in ready homes with curb appeal in desirable areas are still receiving multiple offers and selling for over the asking price in many parts of the country. So, this spring, it’s especially important for sellers to make their homes as attractive as possible to appeal to as many buyers as possible.”
Florida Mortgage | The Current Housing Shortage Helps Keep Home Prices from Crashing
Florida Mortgage | The Current Housing Shortage Helps Keep Home Prices from Crashing | NMLS ID 1834853 #floridahousingmarket #floridarealestate #floridamortgage
Homebuyer Activity Shows Signs of Warming Up for Spring
The spring season appears to be warming up in housing as more and more buyers enter the market. And after rising mortgage rates sidelined so many buyers last year, that’s a good sign for sellers. Realtor.com has the latest:
“Spring is officially here, and like green shoots emerging from the bleak winter, new data suggests that more buyers are back in the market, although more subdued compared to a year ago.”
We know buyer activity is trending up because of mortgage purchase application data. According to Investopedia:
“A mortgage application is a document submitted to a lender when you apply for a mortgage to purchase real estate.”
That means the number of mortgage applications shows how many buyers are applying for mortgages. Put another way, an increase in mortgage applications means an increase in buyer demand – and as Joel Kan, VP and Deputy Chief Economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), explains, application activity started ramping up as mortgage rates fell steadily in March:
“Application activity increased as mortgage rates declined . . . recent increases, along with data from other sources showing an uptick in home sales, is a welcome development.”
In fact, we can see how mortgage rates have a direct impact on applications over time. As rates rose dramatically last year, applications fell in response (see graph below):
The recent uptick in mortgage applications, as well as the decline in mortgage rates, is good news for sellers because it means more buyers are actively looking for homes.
What This Means for You
Buyers are coming this spring, which is typically the busiest time of the year in real estate. And as Realtor.com tells us, if you’re a seller, you need to prepare:
“If homeowners are planning to sell in 2023, now is the time to get ready.”
The means working with a local real estate agent to maximize your home’s appeal and get it listed at the ideal price for your area.
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