SEBRING — An old approach to avoiding foreclosure is finding new life in Florida's depressed real estate market. When a homeowner can't repay the loan, banks will sometimes accept a "short sale." That is, the mortgage holder will allow a real estate agent to sell the property for less than the balance of the note, and the remainder is forgiven by the bank. "This is becoming more and more popular due to the rate of foreclosure," said Jenifer McMullian, a real estate sales agent with C.S. Edwards Realty Inc. Grace Bloodwell, who writes for HowToDoThings.com, suggested asking a real estate agent to confirm the value of the property with a comparative market analysis. Then total the cost of selling the property, which may include mortgage payments, legal fees and closing costs. Subtract that against the expected sale price. If it doesn't equal the total of all loans against the property, consider a short sale. ...more

October 27, 2007

For more than a year, the Department of Justice has struggled to make a case that Realtor control of Multiple Listing Service data and systems is a barrier to fair and free access and should be shared by all. At the same time, the government agency has been vowing to make real estate more competitive by challenging the current level of sales commissions. ...more

October 18, 2007

WANT A HOUSE FEATURED HERE? EDITOR'S NOTE: Coverage of real estate transactions in the Brandon News & Tribune has changed. Each week, selected homes will be featured, similar to the example shown here. The new format gives readers more information to keep tabs on what homes are worth in Brandon neighborhoods. Real estate agents and home sellers are invited to submit photos and information according to these guidelines. ...more

October 17, 2007

The state's new plan to cut property taxes offers a pittance of the savings homeowners would have realized under the original proposal. ...more

October 12, 2007

Since Veronica Greco put her North Hyde Park bungalow on the market, she has held three open houses - with barely a peep from potential buyers or agents. ...more

September 18, 2007

A trade group for real estate agents on Tuesday lowered its forecast for 2007 existing home sales for the seventh straight month, predicting a drop of 8.6 percent from last year. ...more

September 12, 2007