Liane says it's a good time to buy and it is if you can get 60 to 70 cents on the dollar, other than that you'll be catching a falling knife. As for my putting out negative comments how about "I'm putting out the truth" something very few realtors know anything about. I don't make the facts the facts speak for themselves and if they were positive I'b be the first to say so.

An honest real estate pro.

Sat Aug 16 2008, 06:07

I just found a gorgeous single family home 2 bedrooms, 2 baths with 1 car garage in a nice neighborhood for $140k! It's very convenient to the International Mall. It was upgraded to the hilt.

Call me, there are others like this and with the cost of monthly condo/maintenance fees, you may be better off in a nice single family home. Also SF homes will generally appreciate faster than condos.

call me if you haven't yet found a Realtor to help you.

Also I have a client who received $50k in downpayment assistance to buy a $180k townhouse. There is money available in the City limits of Tampa. Call or email and I'll send the details.

Alma Rose Kee, P.A.
Real Estate Consultant
Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc.

PS You can also get a $7,500 tax credit loan with the passage of the new bill signed by President Bush this week.

Sat Aug 2 2008, 08:39

Hello L Craft, I'd like to offer some suggestions for your consideration. First, I am not sure how you arrived at the $140K price limit, but may I suggest you locate a mortgage professional to discuss your particular situation, and determine your financial capabilities for home ownership. This is so important in the current difficult home lending environment. Secondly, may I suggest you also locate a professional real estate agent for a consultation about your personal goals and circumstances as they relate to your purchasing real estate. At the same time you can receive factual information about the areas of interest to you and comparable sales and rental data. I say this, because it's painfully obvious from what's happening in the housing market now, that so many people have jumped too soon into too deep a financial obligation when purchasing a home, only to lose it all. So, I urge you to move cautiously in a practical and prudent manner. I believe it's a great time to buy, yes, but only for some people, and not just any house or any area. More than ever, you need to be qualified to buy, buy what you can afford easily, and buy the home you see yourself living in for many years to come, because it may take a long time for this market to settle down and values to normalize. It seems you need to engage the help of professionals who can guide you and help you avoid any costly mistakes, so you do not only make a good buying decision, but a decision you can live with. By the way, sometimes, renting in an area is a good idea to get a feel for it, so just in case, I do have a rental listing for a 2/2 condo in the International Mall area. I hope it's not inappropriate me mentioning this. I know this is my first post in answering a question, but I do hope it is helpful to you. Feel free to contact me, but please do so only if you have not already engaged the services of another real estate agent. TT :-)

Wed Jul 30 2008, 23:00

Wow - theace is putting out negative responses everywhere. Its actually a good time to buy. Prices are lower than ever before and if you plan to hang on to your place for at least a couple of years, now is the time. I do think homes have better resale but condos are cheap right now.

Sun Jul 27 2008, 07:05

Do not ever buy a Condo but if you insist buy a 2bd 2R Condo as a 1BD 1BR has very little resale value.

Now is a terrible time to buy.

An honest real estate pro.

Sat Jul 26 2008, 19:51

Hello there,
Nathan is correct, more times than not the money is not avaiable. There are many incentives out there for home buyers where the sellers will pay all of your closing cost, so that is normally the best route to take. If one of these fine agents below is already helping you, best of luck to you in your home search, otherwise feel free to call or email me at 813 -235-9889, email thru my website.

Katrina Madewell

Tue May 6 2008, 08:45

The city and county do but from my experience you spend a lot of time and effort to get qualified and then the money is gone by the time you go to use it. I have had it happen to two clients of mine. There is only so much money available and there are lots of people trying to get it.

Sun May 4 2008, 17:53

Thanks for taking the time to respond to me! I heard that the county or city sometimes helps with down payment expenses with first time homebuyers; that’s what I meant by first time homebuyer incentives. I am open to looking at a home or a townhome, I would just want my first place to be newer (maybe 1990 or later) and move in ready. I’m not much of a handyman.

Sun May 4 2008, 13:47

L'craft ,

"Incentives for first time home buyers" are given either by developers for new construction properties (which there are a number of in downtown but not many in the "Westshore area" which is the area around International Plaza that you describe.) There are a few pockets of small town home developments here and there in Westshore but all by smaller developers. You would have to check with each of them individually or you could contact the Tampa Bay Builder's Association for a list of builders with new developments in that area.

Or, incentives are also frequently offered by lenders in the form of special packages for certain borrower profiles of which 1st time home buyers is a common one.

You should consult with a couple of lenders before going on your house hunt unless you're planning to pay cash (not a common trait among first time home buyers). I should caution you not to go into negotiations with a builder or the seller's realtor without your own representation. You do not pay your Realtor, the seller/builder does but your Realtor will represent your interest and can save you grief, regret and in many cases real money. They will also cause you on the process and explain all the costs to you - there's so much more than just the price and moving/closing day. And experience makes all the difference in the Realtor you choose.

In the International Plaza/Westshore area there are today 29 properties that would meet your criteria and they range from 800 sq.ft. to over 1100 sq.ft and start as low as 89K. Most fall within the same three or five developments, some are short sales. Would you also consider downtown or the channelside area? More to choose from, that's all. You could get a downtown flat for the amount your looking to spend and be by the river walk and the performing arts center and the Tampa theater and some great restaurants just a thought....

As for the Feather Sound area (which has a TOTALLY different personality from Westshore) there are 16 properties in your price range but just 4 were built since 1990 - most are converted apartments - there are also some fractional ownerships so be careful that you don't just look at a 90 day stay! But a number of the properties available have amazing views in higher floors or frontage on the golf course so certainly worth a look.

You didn't ask my opinion about your product selection but I will point out one thought. Most of the available condos are selling for well over $125 to just under $200 per foot. Single family homes are selling at the moment for far less than this. I suppose if your lifestyle is such that you prefer to be in groups and around other people and you're not concerned too much about resale in the short term of 5 years (there are lots of condos on the market generally just not as many in the areas you have chosen which can make a resale difference later), then a condo suits your lifestyle best. But, if your hoping in 5 years to have a little more coin in your pocket for having purchased a "home of your own" I'm going to offer the suggestion that you consider a single family home too rather than just a condo. Of course if you travel a good deal and/or don't want the maintenance and upkeep of a property, then that's another point in the condo "yes" column.

Good luck, get a lender, find a great Realtor (we'd love to help you!) and enjoy your first home. It's a good time to buy.

Sun May 4 2008, 09:02

What type of incentives are you looking for? Lenders have first time home buyer programs. If you are looking for money you could always ask for the seller to contribute to your closing cost.
As far as the condo goes there are some places off of Kennedy between Westshore and Dale Mabry that are close to your price range. I don't know of anything off the top of my head in the Feather Sound area but I would be happy to help you find a place. Check out my site and contact me if I can help you.

Sun May 4 2008, 04:53