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        <title>Gloria Singer's Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/tags/boca-raton/</link>
        <description>Gloria Singer's real estate blog will provide you with valuable information about the Boca Raton real estate (and surrounding area) scene.</description>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/new-years-eve-2012.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/new-years-eve-2012.html</link>
            <author>singer.marni@gmail.com (Singer Marni)</author>
            <title>What to Do for New Year's Eve 2012 in Boca Raton - Fun Events and Activities for the Whole Family!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
It's hard to believe that  a new year is already fast approaching. And what a year 2011 has been! Although the market has presented many challenges, buyers and sellers need representation more than ever before, and business at Boca Expert LLC has been going great. Boca Expert Realty LLC opened as a NEW real estate brokerage in Boca Raton in March with just our broker, Gloria Singer and one agent, Karen Rothstein. Gloria has already added two more agents, with another four coming on board in the new year! We can't wait to grow and serve more satisfied customers, and to see what the new year will bring!


In case you're strapped for plans for New Year's, look no further! Below you will find a list of the best New Year's events in Boca Raton and the surrounding area for the whole family and for adults.


Family friendly New Year's events in the Boca Raton Area:





Downtown Delray Beach First Night 2012 CelebrationFrom 4pm til midnight, downtown Delray Beach will be hosting a slew of events for the whole family to celebrate the new year. Spanning 24 locations throughout the downtown Delray Beach area, there will surely be something to fit every New Year's Eve desire! From arts and crafts to obstacle courses, face painting to improv theater, carousels to ice skating, and dancers to magicians, the events calendar is jam packed with excitement. Expect fun, prizes, food, and music. The festivities begin at 4pm with the People's Procession parade, and end with exciting New Year's finales at both 9pm and midnight. Don't miss out!Time: 4pm - 12am, December 31stLocation: The procession begins at the 600 block at 4pm and events continue in venues throughout downtown.Cost: $10 in advance, $15 day of (tickets allow access to all 24 venues)For more information visit: Downtown Delray Beach First Night 2012 


The Magic of the New Year at Puppetry Art Center Museum and TheaterFor an earlier New Year's activity that your children are sure to enjoy, check out the Magic of the New Year puppet show at the Puppetry Art Center Museum and Theater in Delray Beach. Featuring 4-time Florida State Magic Champion Richard Adler, the show will bring in the new year with magic, ventriloquism, puppets, and fun for the whole family. After the show, be sure to stroll through the museum to get a glimpse at the history of puppetry! Time: 10:30am Thursday, December 29th and Friday, December 30th; 2pm Saturday, December 31stLocation:  The Puppetry Art Center is located at 94 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach, FLCost: $6.50 per ticketFor more information visit: Puppetry Arts Center Museum and Theater Schedule


New Year's Eve events for after the kids go to bed:








Euro Fusion Restaurant &amp; Bar New Year's Eve DinnerEuro Fusion Restaurant &amp; Bar is a BRAND NEW Mediterranean and Asian inspired Kosher restaurant that opened in December of 2011 in Boca Raton. Be one of the first to try out Euro Fusion's exceptional menu with its 7-course New Year's menu and open bar. There will also be a DJ and fireworks throughout the night.Time: Seating begins around 7:15 (reservations currently accepted)Location: Euro Fusion Restaurant &amp; Bar is located at 6877 SW 18th St, Boca Raton, FL 33433Price: $150 per personFor more information visit: Euro Fusion Restaurant and Bar 


Palm Court New Year's Eve 2012 CelebrationEnjoy a festive celebration at Boca Raton's premiere resort and club this New Year's Eve. The admissions includes a champagne toast and favors, as well as music from "The Edge Band." Dine first at The Boca Resort's Lucca, Seagrille, or Cielo restaurants for free admission to the party! Time: 9pmLocation: Palm Court is located in the Boca Raton Resort and Club at 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432Price: $30 or FREE following dinner at Lucca, Seagrille or Cielo.For more information visit:Boca Resort Holiday Brochure


Sky Lounge New Year's Eve 2012Welcome the new year with style, as female DJ's provide entertainment throughout the night, culminating in a set from well renowned DJ Sky Nellor. Tickets include entry to the Sky Lounge, a 5-hour open bar, hors d'oeuvers, and a champagne toast at midnight.  If you like to see and be seen, this is the New Year's Eve party for you!Time: 9pmLocation: The Sky Lounge at Bongos Cuban Café is located in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel &amp; Casino, 5733 Seminole Way, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314Price: Tickets begin at $100For more information visit: Sky Lounge New Year's Eve 2012


Wherever this year's New Year's brings you, we wish you only happiness and joy. And from the whole team at Boca Expert Realty LLC: 



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            <pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:53:33 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-17112-newport-club-dr-in-newport-bay-club-in-boca.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-17112-newport-club-dr-in-newport-bay-club-in-boca.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Just Sold! 17112 Newport Club Dr in Newport Bay CLub in Boca! </title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 






 


Karen Rothstein
 found her buyer this fabulous deal on a singled story 3 bedroom, 2 bath
 pool home built in 1989 in a fantastic neighborhood in Boca Raton. Karen’s buyer 
purchased this 1868 square foot home with gorgeous views of the lake and
 pool for only $410,000 (asking price was $435,000 ~ reduced from 
$479,000). The seller paid $355,000 for this home in 2003. This contemporary home had a brand new roof, an updated 
bathroom, and numerous other upgrades. Newport Bay Club is a fantastic 
non-equity top tennis community. Located on Jog Rd in the “Millionaire’s
 Row” of Boca, Newport Bay is a gated community with tennis, pool, 
clubhouse, and fabulous exercise facilities. Newport Bay is known as a 
top tennis community with a wonderful variety of homes and in a 
fantastic Boca Raton location!
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:09:50 -0400</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/should-i-buy-or-rent-my-boca-raton-fl-home.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/should-i-buy-or-rent-my-boca-raton-fl-home.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Should I buy or rent my Boca Raton FL home?</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The latest rent ratios 
were released by Moodys and can be seen in this New York Times article, giving 
support to the argument that in South Florida at least it is looking 
like it is more worthwhile to buy than to rent in todays market of 
depressed home prices. 

The rent ratio is the purchase price of the 
property divided by the annual cost of renting that property. The 
premise is that if the ratio is more than 20 (as in New York City for 
example), it is a better economic decision to rent. When the ratio is 
less than 15, the advantage tilts to owning. Between 15 and 20 is up in 
the air, but of course these ratios do not take into consideration 
potential price appreciation. 

Because of the low prices and amazing 
opportunities in the Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and Highland Beach real 
estate market, I believe that now is a great time to buy. An average 
Boca Raton Florida house that would sell for $500,000 (which used to 
fetch closer to $1,000,000 just four years ago!) would rent for 
approximately $3500/month. This would be a rent ratio of under 12% which
 according to this theory would heavily favor buying over renting. So 
for those of you sitting on the sidelines, wondering if it makes sense 
to plunge into this market, I say now is a great opportunity. Prices and
 interest rates are very attractive; this is really a great time to buy!What do you think? 
Please comment and get the discussion going. Are you willing to dip your
 toes into the Boca Raton FL real estate market, for a residence or as 
an investment? If not, what is holding you back?
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 27 Dec 2010 17:26:19 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/palm-beach-county-property-tax-2010-notices-mailed-this-week-important-info-about-appealing-your-tax.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/palm-beach-county-property-tax-2010-notices-mailed-this-week-important-info-about-appealing-your-tax.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Palm Beach County Property Tax 2010 notices mailed this week~ Important Info about appealing your taxes!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Beginning Monday, August 23, 2010, the Palm Beach County Property Appraisers office mailed the proposed property taxes for 2010. In the notice, there is a breakdown of millage rates , the propertys assessed and taxable values (as of January 1, 2010), and any exemptions applied. Read your notice closely. Although unfortunately millage rates have gone up in most areas, the values have declined. (example: I am an owner of Boca Raton Real Estate. My market value declined 10%, however my tax bill increased because the local taxing authorities increased their millage rate.) If you disagree with the value, or an exemption has not been applied, you have between now and September 16, 2010 to file a petition. With property values plummeting in the area, many people are being over-taxed based on faulty values. If you have a question about the value, the first step is to call the Property Appraiser, Gary Nikolitiss office for an explanation. You can reach them at (561)355-3996.Your second step, if youre not satisfied, is to file an appeal with the VAB (Value Adjustment Board). The easiest way to do this is ONLINE.Remember this must be done by 5:00 PM on September 16, 2010!If you have any questions about the values in your particular neighborhood, feel free to email us and we can send you the &ldquo;comp&rdquo; sales for your possible appeal. If prices have continued to go down since the valuation date of Jan 1, 2010 they should be reflected on your 2011 tax bill. 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:13:38 -0400</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/lockbox-vs-agent-accompany-showings-which-is-better-for-the-seller.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/lockbox-vs-agent-accompany-showings-which-is-better-for-the-seller.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Lockbox vs Agent Accompany showings: Which is better for the Seller?</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 

Please allow me to vent. I was just scheduling some showings to take a buyer out to see some two bedroom condos in Regency in Boca Pointe. I have a listing there, which she saw online, &nbsp;but she also wanted to see some other condos as well as mine. Four in total. Mine is easy to show. I have a key, plus it is on a supra lockbox for the convenience of co-operating Realtors. All the others required appointments with the listing agents. So I figured out the schedule, which is very dependent upon the promptness of the buyer client, and called the brokers to schedule the appointments. On two there was no problem. On the third, I caught the agent and his partner-wife on vacation. He said, &ldquo;OH we are out of town for the week, sorry we cant show it&rdquo;. I was dumbfounded. I asked if they had someone covering for them. The response was, &ldquo;no we dont have anyone so sorry&rdquo;. AM I MISSING SOMETHING? How is this possibly serving their seller client if people cant even see the apartment?Many Realtors insist upon accompanying showings of all of their listings. They feel: 

They are serving their sellers better because they can point out all the benefits and advantages of the property as compared to others (such as the beautiful metallic wallpaper which was installed 25 years ago). They actually even use this extra &ldquo;service&rdquo; as a point of difference when going on listing appointments.

Actually I cant think of any other reason than maybe they have nothing better to do? 

Yes it is true, many sellers do prefer &ldquo;agent accompany&rdquo; but I view it as my job to educated them about our industry and the best way to sell a house. (I am not referring here to unique properties or $1Million plus properties filled to the rim with valuables etc-- )But for the average property, I believe it is preferable to make it easy for other agents to show the property. The name of the game in this market is exposure, and I think that most will agree that the more people that actually see a property, the more likelihood of actually getting an acceptable offer. 

When selecting properties to show, many Realtors will actually select the ones that are easy to show, i.e. on a lockbox, because they dont want to take the time (and it is extremely time-consuming) to schedule appointments. On the MLS itself, it indicates whether on a lockbox or if an appointment is required, so this in and of itself will result in fewer showings.

It is sometimes impossible to know an actual time for an appointment. For instance, if I am showing four houses, I dont know if my client will take 10 minutes per house, or a half hour thus making it difficult to schedule accurately with other agents. 

I want as many people as possible to see my listings, and not be dependent upon my schedule. We always have them call our office before showing, and we do schedule it with the seller, so they at least know there is a showing.

I always use the electronic Supra lockbox pictured above. No number locks for us, where anyone can get in with the combo. Only licensed Realtors have access to the ekeys that are able to open the Supra boxes, and there is an electronic record of all activity related to the opening of the keyboxes, so I can follow up with agents and so I know who actually is going into my listings.

My listings with supra boxes get more than double the number of showings than those that require appointments/agent accompany. And showings are the name of the game.


Please dont misunderstand. If a seller absolutely is not comfortable with a lockbox, I will accommodate personal showings. However, I truly believe that it is in the best interest of the client to allow a lockbox and therefore more showings and hence a quicker and higher offer.




 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:40:24 -0400</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-in-courtside-of-broken-sound-country-club-this-was-a-short-sale.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-in-courtside-of-broken-sound-country-club-this-was-a-short-sale.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Just Sold in Courtside of Broken Sound Country Club ~ This was a Short Sale</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
&nbsp;

I just sold this gorgeous courtyard home in the Courtside subdivision of Broken Sound Country Club. For those of you who don't know the lingo, a Courtyard Home is one in which the swimming pool and patio are in the front of the house. You usually enter through the entrance doors into a courtyard and then the front door of the house is through the courtyard. Many courtyard homes in Boca Raton have detached guest houses as well.

&nbsp;

This stunning home in Broken Sound Club has four bedrooms and four baths in the main house, in addition to a one bedroom suite guest houses. It has beautiful Brazilian wood floors throughout, and over 3400 square feet in total.&nbsp;

Broken Sound Club is an equity country club in a fabulous central Boca Raton location.&nbsp;

This was a Boca Raton short sale, which was subject to the lender approving a short payoff of the loan. My lucky buyer was able to acquire this special property for $537,000. It was originally listed in August of 2009 for $815,000. The sellers paid $730,000 for the house in May 2005. The entire short sale process took only about three months from contract submission to the successful closing. When a short sale works out like this, everyone benefits: The buyers got a great house at a fantastic price; the lender ends up netting more than in a forecosure; and the seller is able to avoid foreclosure and get a fresh start financially. A winning proposition!&nbsp;

Please call me if you are underwater on your mortgage and want more information about selling in a short sale.

&nbsp;




 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:31:50 -0400</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-4740-south-ocean-blvd-braemar-isle-condo-highland-beach.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-4740-south-ocean-blvd-braemar-isle-condo-highland-beach.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Just Sold 4740 South Ocean Blvd ~ Braemar Isle Condo Highland Beach</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 


This fabulous condo in Braemar Isles in Boca Highlands was just sold by my buyer's specialist Karen Rothstein. It is a ninth floor condo with fabulous intracoastal views. Stunning, completely redone including brand new kitchen, baths, state of the art stainless appliances, toto toilets, and so much more including an absolutely stunning panoramic intracoastal view pictured above.

Boca Highlands is a gated waterfront community with a private beach club, tennis, swimming pools, fitness center, and marina located on the Intracoastal waterway in Highland Beach.

We sold this condo to our happy client in April 2010 for a great price of $428,000. It was listed for $499,900 in December 2009. The previous sale was $695,000 in December 2006.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 14 May 2010 11:07:50 -0400</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/short-sale-myth-1-boca-raton-short-sales-do-not-get-approved.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/short-sale-myth-1-boca-raton-short-sales-do-not-get-approved.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Short Sale Myth #1: Boca Raton Short Sales Do Not Get Approved</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
With short sales making up over twenty percent of all Boca Raton real estate listings, and over thirty percent of those listings under $400,000, it is time to answer some commonly held questions and misperceptions about short sales.

SHORT SALE MYTH #1: Short sales take 9-12 months and do not get approved. 

This is the most difficult part of a short sale process for both buyers and sellers. The lenders are slammed with files and do not always respond promptly. And it is true that the lender will not look at a file without an executed purchase contract. However, I am finding that the process is becoming more streamlined and it is possible to get a response in a more timely manner. The average process is as follows:&nbsp; Once there is an executed contract subject to lender approval, the contract along with the sellers hardship letter, tax returns, bank statements and financial statements are submitted to the lender. It usually takes a couple of weeks for the lender to then open a file and assign a negotiator. The next step involves the lender sending out an agent to do a BPO (Broker Price Opinion). This is similar to an appraisal of the property. The lender will usually accept an offer of approximately 85-90 percent of the BPO value. The negotiator generally works with the file for approximately 30-60 days before we hear a response. Then of course if all is agreed to, there is another 30-45 days until closing. So in the best case scenarios it is a process that takes 3-4 months to close. And it can take longer, especially if the buyer becomes impatient and backs out. Then a new buyer has to be found, a new contract executed, and the process begins all over again. 

I have successfully negotiated many short sales resulting in approval. The shortest was two months and the longest was approximately five months. I negotiate short sale approvals each and every day.&nbsp;

Please check back for the next post addressing SHORT SALE MYTH #2: You must be in default on your mortgage to successfully negotiate a short sale. 

&nbsp;
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            <pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 15:48:16 -0400</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-4301-n-ocean-blvd-sea-ranch-club-of-boca-raton.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/just-sold-4301-n-ocean-blvd-sea-ranch-club-of-boca-raton.html</link>
            <author>gloria@bocaexpert.com (Gloria Singer)</author>
            <title>Just Sold 4301 N Ocean Blvd - Sea Ranch Club of Boca Raton</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
&nbsp;



I just sold this fabulous condo in Sea Ranch! It is on the tenth floor of the &quot;A&quot; building, with fabulous ocean and intracoastal views from every room!

This condo is two bedrooms, two baths, and over 1900 square feet under A/C. The Boca Raton condo was originally listed in November of 2009 for $629,000 and then subsequently reduced to $585,000. My client picked up this great unit for $530,000! 

Sea Ranch is a wonderful guard gated oceanfront community in Boca Raton with four towers, pools, tennis courts, exercise facilities, a marina and private beach access. 

Our buyer clients are still getting great deals on Boca Raton Condos as well as all Boca Raton Real Estate. 

Besides Sea Ranch, other popular buildings include Toscana and Marbella. 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2010 15:54:01 -0400</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/karen-rothsteins-first-blog-post-about-finding-a-good-boca-raton-real-estate-deal.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.bocaexpert.com/blog/karen-rothsteins-first-blog-post-about-finding-a-good-boca-raton-real-estate-deal.html</link>
            <author>karen@bocaexpert.com (Karen Rothstein)</author>
            <title>Karen Rothstein's first Blog Post- About finding a good Boca Raton real estate deal</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
&lsquo;IF YOU CAN FIND ME A &ldquo;GREAT DEAL&rdquo; PLEASE LET ME&nbsp;KNOW&hellip;THATS WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR!&rdquo;
&nbsp; 
This is probably the most frequent request I hear when working with a&nbsp;buyer looking for Boca Raton real estate. &nbsp;Of course I havent met anyone who has said, &ldquo;price doesnt matter&rdquo;. The truth of the matter is really quite simple. Its all inventory whether it is a Boca Raton&nbsp;short sale, Boca Raton Foreclosure or a regular deal (an arm's length transaction between a&nbsp;motivated buyer and seller).&nbsp;What is different about each one of those sales is the process that you undertake to purchase the home. 
&nbsp; 
Yes, it is important to know the difference between a short sale and a foreclosure because since the process is different, a short sale or foreclosure may not be a viable option for you. For instance, a short sale can be a lengthy process which will require patience and may ultimately not work out. That is why, as a Boca Raton Buyers Agent, &nbsp;it is so important for me to understand why you are buying or thinking about buying a home. I may ask a lot of questions in the beginning, but that streamlines the buying process and eliminates a lot of mistakes that other less experienced realtors may make.
&nbsp; 
What I try to educate my clients on is that they should be more concerned with market value and recent closed sales in the neighborhood, especially if they are taking a mortgage. That is how the value of a &ldquo;great deal&rdquo; can be identified. 
&nbsp; 
For example: if a Boca Raton house was listed for $400,000 and then you see the words &ldquo;Reduced $100,000&rdquo; in an ad it may seem like that is a&nbsp;great deal. However if the house is really worth $250,000 based on recent comparable sales, then it is still an overpriced home. A good Realtor, who knows the area and the market, will not be fooled by those words. Part of my job is to educate you on the values in each specific neighborhood.
&nbsp; 
I can always be reached by email: Karen@bocaexpert.com or by phone: 561 706-7115. If you are seriously looking for a home, let me help you by identifying market price of homes so you know if you are truly getting a &ldquo;great deal&rdquo;.
&nbsp; 
Ps. I would be happy to explain the difference between short sales and foreclosures to those of you who are unfamiliar with the difference&hellip;.call me!
&nbsp; 
~Karen~
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

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            <pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:09:02 -0400</pubDate>
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