David Shippey
863.521.4517

Winter Haven News

Posts filed under Winter Haven News



How do Solar Panels affect a Real Estate Transaction?
Posted Mon, Nov 27th 2023 9:20 am
I have noticed more and more homes are being sold with solar panels. Many Homeowners have acquired solar panel systems in order to reduce their electricity costs. While this is a desired approach f...

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Citizen's Insurance approved to depopulate another 125,000 policies
Posted Mon, Nov 20th 2023 6:19 pm
Citizen's Insurance, Florida's insurance of last resort, was approved to transfer another 125,000 policies to 4 other insurance providers namely, Slide Insurance, Florida Peninsula Insurance, Ediso...

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Hometown Heroes Loan Program is Back with $36,000,000!
Posted Mon, Nov 6th 2023 7:31 am
Florida Housing announced they have granted another $36,000,000 to the Hometown Hero Loan Program. This will be the 3rd funding to this successful program. The funds go quickly so act now if you mi...

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Should I Remodel my Home or Buy a Home already Remodeled?
Posted Mon, Oct 23rd 2023 10:59 am
That is a good question and the answer for you could be different than someone else's answer. With the increase in Interest rates and today's home prices, some consider if they should just remodel...

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I want to buy a home. But the interest rates make my payments higher than I want to spend.
Posted Mon, Oct 9th 2023 11:54 am
It is true. Interest rates are no longer under 3%. They are typically over 7% now. If you have a good memory, you will remember rates over 13% in years gone by. I hope we do not hit those interest ...

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Have you received an Insurance Letter from Citizens?
Posted Tue, Oct 3rd 2023 9:47 am
Have you received an Insurance Letter from Citizens? Over the last few weeks, Citizens Insurance has sent out 300,000 letters to some of their customers offering private insurance as an alternativ...

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Homeowner Insurance Costs Skyrocketing!
Posted Tue, Sep 26th 2023 8:17 am
Homeowner’s Insurance costs have been skyrocketing in Florida. Many insurance companies previously providing policies have withdrawn from the state, and other companies that still service Florida h...

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The 2023 Hometown Hero Funds Depleted
Posted Wed, Sep 20th 2023 7:51 am
The 2023 Hometown Hero program funds are officially depleted. If you were counting on that assistance program, does that mean you're out of options? NOPE! There are other programs to help first-ti...

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Should I Consider a FHA 203K Rehab Mortgage Loan?
Posted Mon, Aug 14th 2023 9:07 am
The preference of most buyers is to purchase a MOVE IN READY home that does not require any major repairs or renovations. But sometimes the home you are interested in buying does require repairs or...

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Can I Assume a Seller's FHA Loan With Their Low Interest Rate?
Posted Wed, Jul 19th 2023 9:20 am
The answer is Yes. It is possible but there are several points to consider. FHA loans are for primary residences so it cannot be used for investment purposes. The first task would be to make sure ...

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Hometown Heroes Mortgage Loan Program Expands July 1
Posted Wed, Jun 28th 2023 9:32 am
The Florida Housing Program called Hometown Heroes has been very successful. The first $100 million funding was able to help over 6,700 Heroes purchase a home in Florida. Effective July 1, 2023, an...

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What is Homestead Exemption?
Posted Tue, Feb 28th 2023 8:39 am
What is Homestead Exemption? If the property is your primary residence, Florida provides up to a $50,000 exemption on your property taxes. For example, if your home is valued at $300,000 and you h...

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Hometown Heroes Loan Program Reaches $50 Million
Posted Mon, Jan 30th 2023 3:53 pm
The Hometown Hero Program has helped more than 3,500 buy homes with over $50 million provided in down payment and closing cost assistance. This Florida program has $100 million allocated so it is a...

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How to Build Up Your Credit Score in 2023!
Posted Tue, Jan 24th 2023 8:00 am
If you are thinking about a major purchase in 2023, such as a new home, make sure your credit score is in line if you want bank financing. If you need to build your credit up, here are some tips fr...

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FHA Loan Limits Announced for 2023
Posted Thu, Dec 8th 2022 9:00 am
The Federal Housing Administration announced the loan limits for 2023 at $472,030. This is the maximum loan amount allowed for this loan program in the Polk county area. To read the full article, ...

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Conventional Loan Limits in 2023 Announced
Posted Wed, Dec 7th 2022 9:00 am
The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that conventional loan limits will be increased in 2023 from $647,200 to $726,200. To read this full article, Click Here.

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Interest rates are rising. Can I assume the seller's mortgage at their interest rate?
Posted Thu, Dec 1st 2022 9:59 am
At the time of this post, the average mortgage interest rate is about 6.58%. Although this rate is not at an all time high, it is still much higher than some of our low record interest rates of 2.8...

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Redfin Discontinues iBuyer Program
Posted Fri, Nov 11th 2022 10:49 am
Redfin has decided to discontinue their iBUYER Program due to the rising interest rates and cooling real estate market. As a result, Redfin will be laying off over 800 employees. Redfin had already...

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OpenDoor reports losses of $928,000,000 in 3Q 2022
Posted Mon, Nov 7th 2022 7:27 am
OpenDoor has announced losses of $928M in third quarter 2022. OpenDoor purchases the home from the seller, makes repairs to the home, and then sells the home for a profit. Unfortunately, with the d...

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VantageScore Approved for Mortgage Loans
Posted Thu, Oct 27th 2022 9:22 am
VantageScore is a new credit score model for buyers to qualify for a loan. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has approved this credit score model for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage loa...

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