More exciting real estate news for Parkland and Broward County homeowners!  I have been writing article for the past 8 months expressing that our local Parkland and South Florida real estate market is rebounding.  Inventory is low, and demand is high! 

More proof that the Parkland real estate market is getting stronger came when the 2012 Estimated Tax Values from the Broward County’s Property Appraiser’s Office were recently released projecting that 2012 tax roll values would “remain relatively flat.”  But, in particular, the City of Parkland, Florida was one of the few municipalities that actually toped the list for a 4% estimated taxable increase in home values for 2012.

Parkland Mayor Michael Udine was quoted as saying: “What’s important here is that the residential property has increased in Parkland showing continuing confidence in the market and the values that Parkland can offer to its residents.”  The result of property values increasing will continue to help stabilize and even help grow the City of Parkland.  Buyers are flocking to our city in order to take advantage of the many features and benefits and live the Parkland Lifestyle.  Parkland’s City Manager, Caryn Gardner-Young, was elated when she heard about the news. “There’s a draw to Parkland because of its ambiance and home town feeling and the fact it is a very well-run city.”

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team. If you are interested in buying or selling in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

To stay updated with all Parkland real estate information, receive our blog posts via email by subscribing here. After registering, you must activate the subscription in a follow-up email.

After many years on the market, the popular mansion that sits on Holmberg Road finally closed for a sales price of $1,235,000.  The buyer purchased the home for cash.  Many Parkland residents pass by this home as they come in and out of East Parkland.  Finally, the home has sold.  The buyer certainly got a great deal on this custom dream home with 7,900 square feet of living area.

This stunning, oversized custom home was built in 2006 and is 7,404 square feet under air conditioning. The home sits on 2.5 acres and you can’t miss the prestigious entry gate with a long pavered driveway. It features 5 full bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.  The back patio area is perfect for entertaining guests for formal events or summer barbecues.

This home is for the luxury buyer looking for every bell and whistle. Some of the many features include a gourmet kitchen, resort style pool and spa, and prestigious stone columns and balconies. The highest price the home was ever listed at was $4,675,000 back in 2007. So, the home has been reduced by just under 3.44 million dollars!

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team. If you are interested in buying or selling in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

To stay updated with all Parkland real estate information, receive our blog posts via email by subscribing here. After registering, you must activate the subscription in a follow-up email.

Parkland Isles real estate is on fire!  As one of the most popular neighborhoods in all of Parkland, Parkland Isles offers residents a man-gated community with a clubhouse which includes a resort-style swimming pool, child pool, jacuzzi spa, fitness center, tennis courts, and an outdoor bar area perfect for entertaining guests.  The clubhouse also features a game room and party room as well as on-site management and staff.

Parkland Isles also has desirable floor plans from 3 bedrooms to 6 bedrooms homes.  The school district is A-Rated and is located within walking distance to the community.  Prices range from the low $300,000’s to high $500,000’s making it one of the best bang for your buck communities in all of Parkland, Florida.

I have recently listed and sold three homes in the community this year.  Below, please view the three homes that the Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team represents.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home in Parkland Isles or the rest of Parkland, please feel free to give me a call directly at: 954-609-0591.

Parkland Isles | 11167 NW 65th Ct, Parkland, FL 33076 | Gated Community | 2-Car Garage | Pool Home On Lake | 3 Bedrooms / 2 Baths | 1,977 Square Feet Of Living Space | Sold for $345,000

Parkland Isles | 10974 NW 71st Ct, Parkland, FL 33076 | Gated Community | 3-Car Garage | Pool Home | 5 Bedrooms / 3 Baths | 3,227 Square Feet Of Living Space | Pending Sale At: $499,900

Parkland Isles | 10902 NW 70th Ct, Parkland, FL 33076 | Gated Community | 3-Car Garage | Pool Home On Lake | 5 Bedrooms + Loft / 4 Baths | 3,800 Square Feet Of Living Space | Available At: $629,900

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team. If you are interested in buying or selling in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

To stay updated with all Parkland real estate information, receive our blog posts via email by subscribing here. After registering, you must activate the subscription in a follow-up email.

Parkland’s first dog park, Barkland is now open to the public.  Last Saturday, Barkland had its grand opening.  The park is over two acres in size.  There are two separate areas: one for large dogs and another for smaller dogs.  There is also a dog washing station, water fountain for both pets and humans, covered pavilions to cool off, walking trails, benches and picnic tables, and dog play equipment that includes tunnels and agility elements.

Broward County Animal Care setup a booth at the grand opening and offered a low cost Rabies vaccination against rabies for only $15.00, as well as a Broward County pet license tag.  The event received a great turnout.  Many Parkland residents brought their dogs to enjoy the new park.  Now, Parkland adds another park to its large list, but this time for man’s best friend.

Barkland is located at: 9245 Ranch Road, Parkland, FL 33067.  Barkland sponsorship opportunities are still available for individuals and businesses. For more information please contact Scott Davidoff at sdavidoff@cityofparkland.org.

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

Parkland and South Florida Realtor Michael Citron was quoted in yesterday’s Sun-Sentinel article entitled: South Florida housing strategies for 2012.  It appears that the housing market collapse is fading away bringing a stronger and more stable market in the coming months and years, especially in more stable communities like Parkland, Florida.

Home sales in Parkland and South Florida are on the rise, as the real estate bottom nears.  But, the shadow inventory of bank foreclosures soon to hit the market and less than stellar job market could prolong the recovery.  Sun-Sentinel reporter, Paul Owers, provides a guide to help both buyers and sellers, and homeowners “underwater” on their current mortgages in 2012:

Sellers:

DO: Consider selling early in 2012, before foreclosures hit the market
DON’T: Try to attract buyers with cars, cash or most other incentives

Underwater Borrowers

DO: Plan now if you’re considering a short sale
DON’T: Think you’re necessarily stuck with an underwater mortgage

I was quoted in the Sentinel article giving advice to potential buyers in 2012:

DO: Write a letter to the seller, explaining why you want the home

DON’T: Sound desperate or let the seller know how much of a mortgage you’re approved for

If you’re writing to a lender, be sure to explain that you’re pre-approved for a mortgage and can close quickly, Broward County (and Parkland) real estate agent Michael Citron said. If the seller is the existing homeowner, go into more personal detail.  “If the home has a pool, tell them that you hope your kids can learn to swim in that pool,” Citron said. “A regular seller wants to know the buyer will appreciate the house as much as they did.”

If you are thinking about selling or buying a home, it has never been a better time to make a move in real estate for 2012.  To read the complete Sun-Sentinel article, please click here It is a honor and privilege to be considered as a local real estate expert.  I look forward to working with the Parkland and South Florida community for all of your real estate needs in 2012.

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

The City of Parkland just announced the many honors received in 2011.  These attributes include the following:

1. The Parkland public school system received the highest rating of “A” from the Florida Department of Education (Stoneman Douglas High School, Westglades Middle School, Heron Heights Elementary School, Park Trails Elementary School, and Riverglades Elementary School)

2.  Forbes Magazine designated the City of Parkland as the number 1 Top Education Town where the median home price falls between $400,000 to $600,000. The City’s value was so strong that it landed eight (8th) overall in the entire review. The Forbes Magazine designation states that your housing dollars go furthest in getting your children a great education within the City of Parkland.

3. For the fourth year in a row, the City of Parkland was designated a Playful City. Out of more than 1,000 applicants nationwide, the City was honored with this designation. To receive this award a community must demonstrate a creative commitment to the cause of play. The City was recognized for its development of a special needs sports program and construction of a boundless no limits playground located at Terramar Park.

4. The City of Parkland is tops for the cultural, educational, and community amenities it provides to its residents via the Library. Parkland Library serves Parkland residents by providing a top rated library experience. This year Parkland Library received the FLA Library of the Year Award for the quality of service provided to the residents of the City. Our municipal library service was recognized from among 186 municipal, county and university systems. The library is dedicated to providing personal and unparalleled services to our community.

5. The City was just honored as the top Broward County community for quality of life in the State of Florida. The Business Journals used a twenty part formula searching for places that have healthy economies, light traffic, moderate costs of living, impressive housing stocks and strong educational systems. The study used the United States Census Bureau information and divided the country into four regions. The South, which Florida is located in, contained one thousand one hundred forty six (1,146) cities which were compared to Parkland. When done, The Business Journal ranked the City of Parkland 41st or 96.51% better in terms of quality of life than the other municipalities in the study.

It is a true pleasure living and working in our fine City of Parkland.  Our City has certainly become an exciting place to live and raise a family.  There are so many things for the entire family to enjoy in Parkland.  Parkland offers its residents a quality of life that no other city in all of Florida can match.

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team. If you are interested in buying or selling in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

To stay updated with all Parkland real estate information, receive our blog posts via email by subscribing here. After registering, you must activate the subscription in a follow-up email.

Finally, the end looks near for the Chinese Drywall issue that has hit many states, particularly Parkland and South Florida.  Chinese Drywall manufacturer, Knauf and its Chinese affiliate Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin, recently agreed to a settlement that would give cash to help replace the Chinese Drywall in affected homes.

The settlement will cost approximately $600 million to $1 billion.  According to NBC Miami,  the company will cover all of the necessary Chinese Drywall repairs on all 4,500 houses that were affected.  Among the homes affected, 55% of the homes are in the State of Florida. There are thousands of homeowners, mostly in the South, affected by the installation of tainted Chinese Drywall.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs said that Knauf knew that the Chinese Drywall that they installed in homes was defective and neglected to tell customers. Chinese Drywall gives off a foul odor.  It also corrodes wiring and metal in appliances and causes health problems.  Settlements have been reached with other Chinese Drywall manufactures and more should follow.

This is great news for many Parkland and Florida homeowners that have been dealing with the Chinese Drywall saga for many years.  This news will also help stabilize the overall Parkland and Florida real estate market as more and more homeowners will receive settlements in order to finally remove the Chinese Drywall in their homes.  As a result, homeowners, and their families, will soon be able to enjoy their homes that they had built.  We will continue to provide the Parkland community with updated information on the Chinese Drywall court proceedings.

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

The Obama Administration is releasing a brand new revision to the Home Affordable Refinance Program for homeowners that are underwater on their mortgages.  Struggling homeowners that owe more than their homes are worth can take advantage of this new program.

Below, please see the criteria that homeowners must meet to take advantage of this program:

• Borrowers must be current on their mortgage payments.
• The loans must be backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
• Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac must have bought these loans no later than May 31, 2009.
• To find out if your loan is owned by Fannie, click here. To see if it’s owned by Freddie, click here.

Some other revisions to the Home Affordable Refinance Program are that the government will allow some borrowers to refinance their mortgages even if their mortgages exceed 125% of the values of their homes.  Other noted changes to the program also permit less risk for lenders and decreased fees for borrowers.  Some homeowners can even qualify to refinance their mortgages even if they had a foreclosure in the past seven years!

This new program could help tens of thousands of South Florida residents that owe a lot more than their homes are worth.  In fact, Corelogic, a research firm, reported that four out of 10 homeowners in Broward and Palm Beach counties are currently underwater on their mortgages.  Today is the launch of this new program nationwide, but mortgage experts caution underwater homeowners looking to take advantage of this new government program to be patient, as many lenders are not prepared to accept many applications right away.  I caution homeowners to be patient and shop multiple lenders in order to receive the best rates and programs.

I think this program will indeed help many Parkland and South Florida homeowners.  As a result of underwater homeowners taking advantage of this program, the overall real estate market in Parkland will improve.  In the future, more homeowners will be able to refinance their mortgages and stay in their homes resulting in less distressed home listings being put on the market for sale including short sales and bank foreclosures.  If you are looking to take advantage of this new program and need to speak with an expert mortgage professional, please give me a call at: 954-609-0591.

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your Parkland hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team.  If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experience local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact us at: 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

Richard Wentz, a retired New York Police officer that lives in Heron Bay, was recently asked to take down his commemorative 911 flag from his home.  Wentz lives in The Fairways At Heron Bay community and was told by the association that he must remove the flag or risk being fined or possibly sued.  Patricia Favata, president of the The Fairways At Heron Bay Board of Directors, claims that neighbors have complained that Mr. Wentz is breaking the rules of the association that state that a homeowner can only have one flag on their property.  Mr. Wentz currently boasts two flags: one regular U.S. flag and another special flag for the victims of 911.

Wentz is a true American hero that ran into Tower 1 of the New York Trade Center and helped pull out people before the building collapsed. Wentz also lost 43 friends and colleagues that day, and the inside of his Heron Bay home is a shrine to the lives lost at the World Trade Center. Mr. Wentz now is fighting cancer, which he says he received from breathing in all of the particles and debris during the cleanup of Ground Zero.

I hope that Mr. Wentz’s fellow homeowners in the Fairways at Heron Bay come together and voice their concerns to the Board Of Directors on the treatment of a formed New York police officer and hero.  I am sure that everyone can come together and allow Mr. Wentz, as well as other Heron Bay homeowners, the right to display their support for the victims and heroes of 911.

I also want to let our readers know that the Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team has no affiliation with the Heron Bay Homeowner’s Association.  We have received several emails from Parkland homeowners, as well as people from around the country, voicing their concerns.  If you would like to contact the association regarding this issue, please call Benchmark Property Management at: 954-344-5353. Again, I hope that Mr. Wentz can keep is flag posted proudly in front of his Heron Bay home.  I look to the Fairways At Heron Bay association to allow him to keep the flag up and, if necessary, amend their rules and regulations regarding this issue.

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your Parkland hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team.  If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experience local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact us at: 954-609-0591 or send us a message here

Last Saturday, November 12th, Parkland Soccer Buddies celebrated its 10th Anniversary at John Quigley Park (7901 Parkside Drive) It was a fun-filled day for the  entire family which included bounce houses, food and drinks, vendors, music, speeches and much more.

Each soccer buddy was paired up with a student from the local Parkland school district for the afternoon.  There were many volunteers that participated in the great event for the buddies.  Not only do students earn public service hours, but also learn great social skills by interacting with the buddies and their families.

Parkland Buddy Sports pairs special needs children and young adults, from all over South Florida, with student and adult volunteers in organized athletic programs.  There are other Buddy programs for other sports including baseball, basketball, tennis, running, and more. The program was started in 2002 by Jeb Niewood and his son Kevin.  Today, Parkland Buddy Sports has enrolled hundreds of special needs players from all parts of South East Florida.

For more information, please contact Jeb Niewood at: 954-753-9430 or visit: ParklandBuddySports.com This is a fantastic charity, which I support.  I had a great time at the event and look forward to participating in future Buddy events.

Know the neighborhood. Know the value. Know your Parkland hometown agents: The Parkland Parrot Real Estate Team.  If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experience local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact us at: 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.