What exactly are the benefits of a VA loan? Caleb from IMG Mortgage will discuss the answer with me today. Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleToday, Caleb from IMG Mortgage joins me to discuss VA loans. A lot of people don’t know all of the VA benefits they have. If you are active or retired military, there’s a good chance that the VA loan will benefit you. There are two main benefits to the VA loan: The interest rate is much lower than the rate for a conventional loan. You can get 100% financing, which lowers the amount of money you have to pay out of pocket for the home. You will still have to pay for closing costs. However, your agent can negotiate to get the seller to cover some or all of the closing costs. If the seller agrees to cover all of the closing costs, then you can purchase a home for no money down. “If the seller covers the closing costs, you can buy a home with no money down. ”Ultimately, the VA loan will also save you money over time thanks to that low interest rate. If you are a veteran, the VA loan is a wonderful tool to help you purchase a home. If you have any questions about getting a VA loan, you can contact Caleb at 321-684-6976. If you are a veteran and you work with the Jason Shinpaugh Team to purchase a home, we will waive all of our fees. That is just our way of expressing our deep gratitude for your service. As always, if you have any other real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would be happy to help you!

Florida Real Estate Podcast with Jason Shinpaugh

How a VA Loan Can Benefit You

My family and I are fresh from an ugly sweater event and we have a holiday message for you.Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleToday my family and I are coming to you fresh from an ugly sweater event at Linda’s corporate headquarters in Asheboro, North Carolina. While we’re here, we wanted to share a few of our favorite things about the holidays with all of you. My own favorite part of Christmas is the downtime. It’s great to be able to reflect and spend time with family. I hope each and every one of you has an amazing holiday season. Thank you for all of your support this past year. Happy Holidays! 

From My Family to Yours: Happy Holidays

Why are pre-approvals so important in our current market? Caleb Hiester from Integrity Mortgage Group is here to help me answer that very question. Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleToday, Caleb Hiester from Integrity Mortgage Group is here to give us a little bit of insight into the pre-approval process. Why is it a benefit to get pre-approved before you start looking at houses? Right now, the market is very competitive and things are moving very fast. Caleb likes to spend a little bit of time with the customer to make sure that they know which costs are involved and how much they can get pre-approved for.There are two main reasons why. First of all, knowing how much you can get pre-approved for will help you avoid wasting time on homes that you can’t afford or aren’t comfortable purchasing due to the mortgage payment. Secondly, the market is moving so fast that you need to be well-equipped to make an offer as soon as you find the home you are looking for. How does the pre-approval work? “Getting pre-approved is absolutely free. ”It all starts with a 15-minute phone call. Caleb will ask you about your scenario and what your goals are. After that, you will send in some documents that will be put through their automated underwriting system to make sure that you are pre-qualified and pre-approved to go out and look at a home. You can email, fax, or drop off those documents. Finally, there are not any costs associated with the pre-approval. It’s absolutely free. It will not cost you anything to sit down and talk with your mortgage professional. A lot of people get pre-approved for more money than they actually want to spend. Our goal is to get you into a new home that is comfortable for you and your family. We want you to be able to enjoy it and not be strapped for payments. We like working with Caleb and Integrity Mortgage Group because they do a great job of communicating and getting back to people. If you have any questions for him, you can reach Caleb at 321-684-6976 or chiester@integritymtgs.com. As always, if you have any real estate questions, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you.

Why Do You Need to Get Pre-Approved?

The holiday season is one of the best times of year to put your house on the market. There are three key reasons why.Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleNow that the holiday season is almost here, should you put your house on the market or wait until the season is over?In my opinion, the absolute best time of year to put your house on the market is during the holidays. A lot of potential home sellers asking themselves this same question have the mindset that they need to wait to list their property, so inventory actually shrinks during the holidays. This is great for you because you’ll have fewer sellers to compete against. “Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is one of the best times to put your house on the market. ”We also have a lot of people from up north who are in town and have time off from work who might be interested in looking for their dream house to relocate and retire to. Additionally, after the first of the year, we tend to see an increase in properties coming on the market. If you wait until after the holidays to list, you’ll have more properties to compete against. If you’re on the fence about whether right now is a great time to put your house on the market, it is absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of the best times to do so. Whether you’re thinking about selling or buying during this time, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you. 

Is Now the Time to Put Your House on the Market?

Today I’m excited to let you know that you’re invited to our upcoming annual Client Appreciation Party. Bring along your friends and family for fun, food, games, and more.Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleToday I’m excited to let you know that you’re invited to our upcoming annual Client Appreciation Party.Because we’ve outgrown our old venue, we’re moving to a new venue this year: Kiwanis Island Park on Merritt Island. The event will take place on November 5th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., so be sure to mark your calendars.The party is going to be a lot of fun. As always, BBQ will be provided by Cryderman’s, and there will be games for the whole family. There’s also going to be an awesome raffle.“We hope you’ll join us for this great event. ”We hope you’ll join us for this great event. Feel free to invite friends, family, or anyone else you think might want to come along.The only thing we ask is that you let us know ahead of time how many people you expect to bring with you. All you have to do is register for yourself and your guests here.If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Join Us for Food and Fun at Our Client Appreciation Party

Our team is partnering with two great local businesses to help our community recover from Irma. Mention our team and the discount code to receive discounts at both of these businesses. Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleAs some of you may or may not know, I’m a Brevard County native. One of the things I’ve always appreciated most about our community is how we handle hard times. When things get bad, we all pitch in and help one another. In an effort to support our community, I’ve reached out to a couple local vendors who want to help us give back. Paul, the general manager at the Floor Trader Outlet, and Meno, one of the owners of Pacific Rim, have both agreed to offer special discounts through their businesses in this time of need. Friends and clients of our team can take advantage of these deals right now. Both of these business are local favorites of mine, and I know they will be a great help to our community in these hard times. I know a lot of you are still without food, services, and supplies, which is why our team wanted to help make these deals available to you. I’d like to take a moment, now, to tell you a little more about these deals and the businesses that are offering them.“When things get bad in our community, we all pitch in and help one another. ”The Floor Trader outlet has been proudly serving the community for over 60 years. They have always had a strong commitment to supporting the community, but know that this is especially important now in the wake of Hurricane Irma. If you have a need to replace your flooring after this storm, please visit them at 3680 North US Highway 1, Cocoa, Florida. While you’re there, mention the Jason Shinpaugh Team as well as the code word “community strong” to receive a 20% discount on your flooring needs.For those looking for a place to receive a meal, visit Pacific Rim in Merritt Island. As a way to support those in need right now, Pacific Rim is offering a 15% discount off of dine-in and take-out meals to anyone who comes in and mentions the Jason Shinpaugh team and the code word “community strong.” Pacific Rim is also offering complimentary cards for Cocoa Utilities workers and FPL employees. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

How We're Helping Our Community Stay Strong After Irma

According to the latest year-over-year statistics, our Florida market is doing very well overall. Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleHow has our 2017 market performed thus far compared to 2016?In the second quarter of 2017, there were 2,825 units closed, which is up 1.6% from 2016. The median sales price rose 14% to $211,000. The average sales price rose 12.4% to a record high of $251,000. All in all, our market is performing very well. “Overall, our market is performing very well.  ”The other interesting thing happening is the average time from when homes hit the market to when they go under contract has gone down. In 2016, that time period was roughly 29 days. In 2017, it’s shrunk 27% to 21 days. That’s pretty awesome.The one statistic that might indicate we’re seeing a bit of a slowdown is the number of new listings entering the market. From 2016 to 2017, that number has only increased 5%. Our supply of inventory, however, is still the same—2.7 months. If you have any questions about our Florida market or you’re considering buying or selling a home soon, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. I’d love to help you. 

What Do the Latest Numbers Say About Our Florida Market?

Which is better: an individual real estate agent or a team of real estate transaction experts?Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleThere are many benefits of working with a real estate team rather than a single real estate agent.There are many moving parts in a real estate transaction. If you only have one person taking care of all those moving pieces, they can get overwhelmed. A single agent has to handle marketing, getting new clients, following up with current clients, listing appointments, home showings, negotiations, and more. There is a lot that goes on.On our team, we have broken the entire process down into small, manageable parts. Each person on our team specializes in one of those parts. We have an amazing director who will greet you and make you feel welcome. From there, rest assured that everyone you work with has been trained to be the best they can be at their part of the process.“We will communicate with you each step of the way. ”Instead of having one person who is scattered all over the place, we have a team of 12 different people who will help you each step of the way.When you work with our team, your agent won’t be distracted by all the moving parts of the transaction; they will be focused on you and your needs. Once your property is under contract, our transaction manager will cover all of the details and communicate with you throughout the process.The top complaint that we hear about real estate agents is, “Once I hired them, I never heard from them again.” On the Jason Shinpaugh Team, we have a very different approach. We will help you every single step of the way. If you don’t hear from your agent, call me because I want to make sure that gets rectified. When you work with us, you are never out of the loop. So, before you embark on the largest transaction of your life, give us a chance to show you what our team can do. Just call or email us with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Should You Hire a Real Estate Team?

Hurricane season is upon us. Here’s what you should make sure your insurance policy covers.Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleHurricane season is upon us. Are you covered by your insurance? We want to help you get ahead of the curve by giving you some tips today to help you shore up your coverage before the next storm hits. Our friend Ryan Altenhof, of Goosehead Insurance, is here to discuss some of the finer points.The first thing you should know is that if you have a pool enclosure, it’s not included on your basic homeowners insurance policy. Those are always the first things to go in a storm, so it’s important that you add coverage for it if you have one.“If you have a fence, you’ll need additional coverage on it. ”One of the other first things to go in a storm is another thing that’s not covered by your basic policy: the fence. I’ve seen too many people lose their fences and not have coverage for them. It’s an expensive item to replace out-of-pocket.The final thing you should make sure you have on your coverage is flood insurance. If you’re not in a flood zone, it’s pretty cheap. This is another item that isn’t covered by your basic homeowners policy.If you’re in the process of buying a house, it’s important to start getting that insurance shopped around and bound right away after you go under contract. If there are any delays, you may not have coverage in time for the first storm. Don’t wait until the last minute.If you have any questions for Ryan or would like to get a copy of his hurricane preparedness checklist, reach out to him by phone at (321)-292-0896 or by email, ryan.altenhof@goosehead.com. If you have any other real estate questions, we are always here to help you out at the Jason Shinpaugh Team. We would love to hear from you anytime!

Are You Prepared for Hurricane Season?

We’re often asked what a ‘competitive market analysis’ is. Basically, it’s an analysis that real estate professionals perform to come up with a price and strategy to get a home sold for the best price and on the best terms and conditions. Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleWhat is a competitive market analysis, exactly? We get this question a lot.Basically, it’s our way of coming up with a price and structure for getting your home sold for the most money on the best terms and conditions. We look at houses that are currently active, pending, or have sold in the last six months.“Going back six months lets you see more data and trends. ”Many people say you should only use listings that have sold in the last 90 days, but I completely disagree with that. If you look back six months, you can see trends and get a better idea of the data that is out there, see the average days on market, and come up with a strategy for getting your home sold.Hopefully that answers any questions you have. If you have more questions or you’d like more details, give us a call or send us an email at the office. We’d be happy to help!

What Is a Competitive Market Analysis?

If you missed out on selling your home during 2005 and 2006, now might be the time to redeem yourself in our market.Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleA lot of people are asking me if now is a great time to sell their house.It absolutely is.Our market is absolutely on fire right now, and sellers are selling like they haven’t sold in 10 to 12 years. It reminds me of the market in 2005 and 2006 and how many people were so bummed that they missed out on that opportunity.“Our market is absolutely on fire right now. ”Well, guess what? This is that time again. Across the country, the median price is actually up over $20,000 from where it was at its peak in 2006. On the buy side, interest rates are starting to creep up, so there are still some great deals to be had. You have to balance being patient with being aggressive, but they’re out there.If you have any questions about our market or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love the opportunity to serve you.

What Makes Now a Great Time to Sell Your Home?

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is a hidden gem in this area. We’re excited to show you the footage we took of our recent trip there.Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleToday I’m excited to take you on a tour of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge here in Titusville. There is a lot to do here, including a number of different walking and driving routes that take you all around the park. In the video above, my kids and I did the Black Point Wildlife Trail.Everything out there was beautiful. Everything felt so natural on this sunny February day. At the Visitor’s Center, they have a big map that shows you just how vast the park is. There are some pretty incredible views around here, as well as the home of NASA. “The park at sunset was a beautiful sight. ”If you have a National Park Pass, you’re all good to go, but if you don’t, there is a $10 vehicle fee when you enter the park. However, once you get in, it’s nothing but beautiful sights. The trail we took was a well-maintained road surrounded by water on both sides. We saw alligators, insects, and all kinds of birds (including a bald eagle!). The Allan Memorial Hiking Trail was another highlight.Driving through the park at sunset was such a beautiful experience. Everything the light touched turned to gold and the air was so clear you could see for miles. The salt marshes appear to go on forever. It’s hard to imagine that Native Americans once lived in this area with all its dangers.If you have any questions about the park or anything relating to real estate, give me a call or send me an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

A Tour of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

What happens if your home is listed for sale and it sells before you’ve found a new home to buy?Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleWhat happens if you sell your home but haven’t purchased a new one yet? It happens more often than you might think, and there are options in how to proceed.One option is a post-occupancy agreement, in which you close on the home and the buyer allows you to rent the house back for a short period of time. Our goal is to move you door to door. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Your Realtor can also find you a short-term rental, if this is the case.“Our ultimate goal is to move you door to door ”A team of Realtors like ours can help you in this situation because we have agents who work and specialize on both the buying and selling sides. For example, we have a lot of contacts in town for those short-term rentals I mentioned. Our ultimate goal is to get you from one house to the next, though, with as little stress as possible.I hope that clears the air for you a bit. If you have any more questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to answer them.

Can You Sell a Home Before Buying the Next One?

Thank you and merry Christmas! We appreciate your support in 2016.Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleBefore 2016 comes to an end, I am taking a moment to say thank you for making this year one of the best years we have ever had.My team and I were able to help more than 100 families with their real estate needs this year, and we couldn’t have done that without you.It’s so important that we acknowledge how much you have helped our business and how much we appreciate you trusting our business and our team.I would also like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. We hope you have a great holiday with your family and an amazing 2017. We look forward to staying in touch with you next year.Take care and Merry Christmas!

Thank You and Merry Christmas

The Federal Reserve  will meet this December, and it seems very likely that they will increase interest rates. What does this mean for you as a home buyer or seller?Selling your Florida home? Get a market analysisBuying a Florida home? Search all homes for saleI have been getting a lot of questions regarding the federal interest rate, so I wanted to take some time to talk about it today.Back in September, the Federal Reserve planned to raise interest rates but ultimately decided to leave them where they were. The Federal Reserve is going to meet again this December, and it seems pretty likely that this time, interest rates will go up. Don’t worry about a federal interest rate increase too much, though. Most of the time when the Federal Reserve raises their rates, mortgage companies will lower their own interest rates. This might go against everything you would expect, but a lot of times these kind of decisions don’t make sense to us as everyday consumers.“Even if interest rates go up a quarter of a percent, they will still be incredibly low! ”Secondly, even if interest rates go up by a quarter of a percent, they will still be at historic lows. I remember that during the boom of 2006, interest rates were hovering around the low fives, and everyone said, “These are the best interest rates we’ve ever seen!” There has been a slight increase in rates after the election already, but you can still get a 4.5% rate for a conventional mortgage, which is fantastic. Very little will happen to those rates if the Federal Reserve decides to make an increase.Besides that, the Federal Reserve is mainly concerned with the shortage of new housing on the market, so they aren’t going to meddle with interest rates too much.The bottom line is that now is a great time to sell your home. If you’re buying in this market, you do have to be on your toes, but you can still find some great deals out there.If you have any other questions about interest rates or our current real estate market, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Will Interest Rates Go Up?

If you are looking to buy or sell a home, get all the information and the latest updates, tips, and tricks from Jason Shinpaugh- your professional Real Estate Agent.

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Florida Real Estate Podcast with Jason Shinpaugh

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