Blogcritics Comments on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Comment by Daniella on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 15:56:20 EDT

Fair Comment I suppose.I am always of the opinion however that what goes up must come down. I curently live in England UK and prices here are mad too and in certain parts of Europe. Still I love Florida so I will buy a place there anyway as it will be home. I would not be buying property there to flip though. Might also buy a place in the mountains maybe in Georgia, I think thats still reasonable. I came acros your website so thought i would post comments. Appreciate your view point. D ]]>

Comment by Mr. Real Estate on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 16:54:38 EDT

The Florida Chamber of Commerce projected 300,000 baby boomers moving here over the next 25 years. Many of them are from the Northeastern states where property is much higher in value, even when the market slows. In July sales slowed. In August they picked back up again, breaking records. There's an article in the St. Petersburg Times entitled Elevated home prices show no sign of decline (here's a link to it: http://www.sptimes.com/2005/09/27/Business/Elevated_home_prices_.shtml). Hurricanes tend to increase prices, rather than decrease demand. Developers see hurricanes as a buying opportunity for future profits. When the baby boomers retire, I think the market will slow, but until then, you might want to consider Dallas, Texas or somewhere that is a buyer's market. The number of buyers far exceeds the number of available properties for sale. As long as that continues and new construction starts remain high, the Florida real estate boom will continue. It's like I always tell my friends in the media, if gas becomes $100 a gallon, if rates become 12% or if World War III erupts, then I'll worry about the market, and my career, to boot. If it snowed in Florida we would all be doomed. I'm going to enjoy it while I can. ]]>

Comment by Daniella on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 16:19:32 EDT

I used to live in Florida, Flagler Beach nr Palm Coast (North Daytona Beach area) Palm Coast lots used to be $5K to $50k are now $100k to $500K We have been looking to get a second home there but I cannot believe the prices.All real estate agents (as is in their interest) will tell you no way housing can collaspse but truth is no one really knows for sure. I admit that I partly buy the theory of the baby boomers but surely if there is a national correction it would in fact change the price of housing that baby boomers currently own and therefore not necessarily allowing them to buy second homes. Also I note the points about the hurricanes and supply and demand. On the flip side of that remark does it not stand to reason that if there is enough hurricanes no one will want to live in Florida (especially as insurance will be very high) and interest rates may keep going up for some time yet. If that is the case then you can forget your 300, 000 baby boomers moving. What happens to the prices of Florida housing then. I am just an interested party to the Florida Housing market and global economy and I have no qualifications to state that it could be a bubble. Also I am a potential buyer so want to be cautious with my hard earned money. However I have studies economics and one thing does remain clear to me. History repeats itself and so do depressions and bubbles ]]>

Comment by John on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:24:29 EDT

Hi All, With the rising costs of land and housing I have a problem with an unscrupulous company and I want everyone to know about it. I am wondering if anyone has run into the same problem or has any ideas. My parents bought land back in the 70s and of course the development company who sold it to them went bankrupt. So now my 70 year old mother was solicited to sell her land in Palm Bay by I think, the company is called My Three Sons owned by the Klarenbeek's. They told her that it was only worth $2,500 and offered her $5,000. I subsequently found out it is worth up to $29,000. I asked them to send comps along with the contract, they did not and it was not in writing. We did not close on the deal. Then my mother received another postcard with the same soliciation from them recently. So now they are suing my mother. I feel like they are probably soliciting people nation wide who are unaware that the land is now worth much more. These folks would now be around my mother's age - since much of the initial land was sold in the 70s. Has anyone else had this happen to them or their relatives or parents?? Any ideas?? I have tried looking them up in various regulatory agencies to see how they are licensed by the State of Florida and have not been able to find them. These people need to be stopped. They are taking advantage of the elderly. Takes for your help in advance. ]]>

Comment by Temple Stark on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 16:06:40 EDT

That increase happened here in six months. ]]>

Comment by Triniman on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 15:25:52 EDT

Real estate prices has been a very hot topic in my city, in the last few years. For the longest while, Winnipeg was known as one of the three cheapest cities in Canada to buy a home (the others being Saskatoon and Regina.) Suddenly, with low interest rates, people have been shopping like crazy. Houses sell easily in one day, and selers are getting thousands of dollars more than they expected. Many people are so sickof being outbid that they are just building new. This is probably the way it has been for much of Canada and the US, but it is a new phenomenon in Winnipeg. Between 1999 and 2005, the average house price in my neighborhood increased from $178,000 to $274,537, an increase of almost 55%. ]]>

Comment by Phillip Winn on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 02:00:21 EDT

Yes, El Bicho's right. That's highly recommended. ]]>

Comment by El Bicho on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 01:57:25 EDT

Mark, why don't you just include the Amazon ASIN in every post you write? I've seen other authors do it on the site. ]]>

Comment by Mark Sahm on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 01:47:19 EDT

Well, Phil, I was just seeking fairness for all, not trying to stroke my projects. But, if it's cool, then we'll discuss offpost. As for John, I was in Tampa last month, so I know you have a great deal going. You got a lot of knowledge, so just present it in a way that isn't unfair to the rest of us. Okay? That's all. No beef with you, man... live it up, that's why we're all here. And Dave, I was going to ask you about the fonts the other day. Too funny. I bookmarked it. ]]>

Comment by Phillip Winn on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 01:08:18 EDT

Honestly, at this point our policy on self-promotion is more or less like the long-ago USSC policy of obscenity. We know ads when we see them, and we sometimes stop them. We sometimes let one get by, but we'll try to put a stop to someone only promoting themselves. Or their religion, maybe, though that's still an open issue, I think. Again, it depends heavily on the quality of the posts and the amount of useful information provided. John could be a model for what we're okay with, but everybody likes to push the line. A single post that is an actual book review, and especially one that gets inside the author's head, well, that's right up the site's alley. In fact, Mark, I'm going to drop you an email about a possibility that just occurred to me. ]]>

Comment by Dave Nalle on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 01:04:13 EDT

I'll be glad to review it, just as soon as I finish with my new overview article on hot new fonts from The Scriptorium your premiere source for all the latest font designs. But seriously, I used to be a review columnist for Thrust and I'd love to review your novel, Mark. Dave ]]>

Comment by Phillip Winn on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 00:56:42 EDT

Full disclosure, Mark. Definitely you should write up your own novel! Do it Monday! Say whatever you like about it; just be sure to mention that you're the author. For that matter, make a review copy available, and I'm sure someone else here will be glad to talk about it. Of course, they could hate it, but that's the chance we all take, eh? ]]>

Comment by Mark Sahm on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 00:51:43 EDT

Phil, I guess my point is: if John's doing it, what's to stop everyone else other than the honor system? Can I write a review of my novel on Monday, just as long as I include some meaningful information about the current trends of science fiction? ]]>

Comment by Dave Nalle on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 00:47:17 EDT

That would be excellent. The issue of real estate and the market in general is a very, very important one. I'd like to see more general analysis in the area. One of the major shortcomings of John's posts is that they are so specific to Florida. More generally useful info that people all over the country can take advantage of would be enormously valuable. For example, there's a big push for these new loans where you put no money down, pay only interest up front, and then end up with an ARM. It gets you a super low payment, but my impression is that you end up 'upside-down' unless the value of your property increases rapidly, at least if you try to sell before you've paid all that upfront interest. That's something we could use some expert discussion of. I suspect a lot of first time home buyers are getting badly screwed. Dave ]]>

Comment by Phillip Winn on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 00:31:15 EDT

Dave's right, it's a gray area. It grows a little darker with each passing month, too. Not because John's posts have changed -- they haven't -- but because the site contineus to mature. I suspect that when the time comes, John's posts will broaden in appeal as well, to match the site. ]]>

Comment by Dave Nalle on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 00:25:54 EDT

>>This isn't a post, it's a blatant sales pitch and nothing more, and the last line confirms it. The editors should remove this post.<< I've said this before, but although it's blatant advertising, it does also include information worth discussing or at least reading. It's a gray area. As for the real estate prices in Florida, it's great news if you already own a home there. Not so good if you're a developer hoping to attract new buyers. Dave ]]>

Comment by Mark Sahm on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 00:21:59 EDT

I've been following this thread all day, and read many of John's previous posts. My 2 cents: Everyone understands John's trying to make a living via his real estate sales, as we all are through our different endeavors. We all are doing this for free. But that's not the point, IMHO. It's obvious John knows how to promote his market, no one is debating that. I just think it shouldn't be so blatant in the setting of BC, that's all. To show I'm not a hypocrite, I've got a published novel and you know how many times I've plugged it on BC? Never once, which maybe is silly of me from a PR standpoint, but I'm here to show I have a voice and contribute, not be a traffic whore. If people like my writing, they click my link and learn about my book, but not beforehand. Is it so hard for John to do the same for his biz without the shameless self-promotion links? ]]>

Comment by Phillip Winn on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 23:59:01 EDT

John, arrangements are subject to circumstances, and the site is radically different than it was three years ago. What is acceptable today may not continue to be acceptable in the future. However, while John is clearly promoting his services, he does also make a point of providing real information in each post, as we've insisted from the beginning, and perhaps most importantly, he promotes Blogcritics.org as well. While I recognize that some posts skirt uncomfortably close to the line of acceptability, we've seen no reason to discourage these posts, and they sometimes do draw large amounts of interest, as the fact that this is comment 37 demonstrates. We do have contributors that come down on the other side of the line for several reasons, and we're working out how best to handle that situation still. As long as I can continue to read and learn from John's posts despite having zero interest in Florida real estate, he's doing okay. At least until the arrangement needs to change, which it may in the future. But not now, I think. ]]>

Comment by Mr. Real Estate on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 23:11:49 EDT

Bennett: Since I have been here (three years), there has always been someone who has objected to my posts about real estate, no matter what the format. There was a time when I did post an outright ad, and that is when guidelines were created by the Publisher. Guidelines were established. I follow them in every post. The Publisher created the guidelines that I follow. My posting strategy has everything to do with PageRank and nothing to do with getting leads. Everyone knows how I get my leads, or should, because it's all over various blogs, newspapers, magazines, etc. that I've shared it with in various interviews. My website's PR, though, being a 7, doesn't hurt Blogcritics when I link to it here, and my blog (I think a 5 or 6) doesn't hurt it, either. So, really, my posts help your posts, and probably some other complainers, too. Again, if you are a real estate editorial expert, write some posts, create a section - all of which I have suggested, and nothing has occurred, except more criticism. If you want to criticize, you can, but I do not care what you have to say. You are not my core audience. If you want to be an expert, show me your expertise. If you won't show me, you're wasting your breath and my time. You're also making my PR go up quite a bit more quickly, because this page is pinged every time it changes. There is no contract that I have signed stating what I must write here during any time period, so I will write what I want for the next six months, or 12, or 24, or more. If you want something other than that, you will have to negotiate it with me. Good luck. Have a good weekend. ]]>

Comment by Bennett on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:28:26 EDT

Testy? A trifle. Yeah, ads were my game for many years, so I know 'em when I see 'em. However, this ""Real estate is prominent, because Donald Trump says it's hot. It's new, because everyone wasn't doing it five years ago." is bullshit. There's nothing new under the sun, son, except for science. Don't get your knickers in a twist over this, but what you did two years ago has little to do with what you've been doing for the last six months, which is troll for sales leads via BC. Just an observation. ]]>

Comment by Mr. Real Estate on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:19:01 EDT

So, is your expertise in ads, or is it in real estate content? What makes you an expert in this area? Oh, so you're not an expert. That makes sense. Experts usually write, rather than criticize in comments. Triniman: No bubble has been burst in the past. I have been over this 100 times. Prices go up, and they go down. Markets appreciate, they have corrections. it's called capitalism. When supply is scarce and demand is high, prices go up - everyone wants the American Dream of owning their own home and money is all over the place with easy-to-get low-rate mortgages, but builders and developers can't move fast enough to fill demand. If you have a Great Depression or another major negative economic cycle (i.e., oil dries up in Midland, TX, major job loss, etc.), you have a bubble-bursting effect. Real estate appreciates. It's a fact of life, just like automobiles depreciate (they're everywhere - they make new ones every year whether people want them or not. The "bubble theory" as it has been called, is a theory. You cannot create a bubble without air, and real estate is bought with cash, or a mortgage, which is cash, not air, but the mortgage company puts a lien on your property based on its appraised value, so for them it's an investment, and for the buyer it's a dream come true, and sometimes an investment, too. I work with buyers who pay up to $800K, sometimes more, in cash, for property. The media writes about whatever is prominent, new or unusual. Real estate is prominent, because Donald Trump says it's hot. It's new, because everyone wasn't doing it five years ago, and it's unusual for more renters to be able to buy than they could 5 years ago, because they didn't know about 100% financing with the seller paying 5% of your closing costs, etc. Am I going to write posts on all of that? Heavens, no. I get paid to sell real estate, not write posts! I've done plenty of promotion for Blogcritics for free, and that I don't mind, but I won't have what I write dictated to me by someone else unless I'm getting money for it. I follow the guidelines that were given to me long ago and I have been here since 2002. You might remember, I was the one who was the first to say the Nirvana "You Know You're Right" "leak" was a viral marketing tactic to promote the upcoming Nirvana boxed set and Kurt Cobain journal. I was also the one who is not a journalist and got an exclusive Mary Carey interview when she ran for governor of California, and I did the "Blogging for A Cure" for diabetes (which The Diabetes Blog has been trying to get me to do for them, but I refused unless they included Blogcritics). It's fun to do those things when time permits. Real estate is my profession, and it takes up most of my time these days. You can criticize my real estate posts if you like, but please bear in mind, I do not care what you have to say unless you are going to contribute, so write your own real estate posts, or stop wasting your breath and my time. Cheers. ]]>

Comment by Triniman on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 21:17:22 EDT

I agree with Bennett's last comments. The posts would be more interesting if they didn't come across like infomercials. Here's what I would like to know. Real estate "bubbles" have been burst in the past. What causes this? How dramatically do prices fall? Now, this would be interesting to read. ]]>

Comment by Bennett on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 21:02:52 EDT

Dear Mr. Real Estate, When looking back at your history of posts, it seems to me, just my opinion mind you, that you consider BC just another arm of your marketing campaign. I don't disrespect your moxie, but I question your commitment to providing information regardless of personal profit. And that's the rub, for me. If you took time to write about real estate investing in general, the ins and outs, the traps and tricks, and provided more in your posts than simply your local Lion's Club assesment of the "market", in your area, I would have no problem. Just my 2 cents however, and I wish you well. ]]>

Comment by Mr. Real Estate on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 20:40:42 EDT

I would have to put a Tampa spin on it. It doesn't have to be commercial. Although, this post isn't commercial, until the last sentence. I don't live in NYC, so I can't use NYC housing prices as examples. ]]>

Comment by Aaman on Florida home sales, prices rise again, and will keep rising

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 20:20:26 EDT

Go ahead, dude - don't put a commercial or Tampa spin on it ]]>