Edward E. Cambas: 2015

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Construction is on the Rise

Construction Spending is at the highest level since the recession began in 2007 Construction spending is on the rise and at the highest levels since 2007 all fueled by home building. The Commerce Department said last week publicly that our construction figures rose to an annually adjusted rate of 1.1 Trillion, and that is greater than any year since 2007. A lot more Americans are buying homes or renting which is lending to a push in residential construction. In addition a lot of Federal spending is on the rise along with state and local governments with the construction of schools, roads and public buildings. This is partially due to an increase in tax revenues, along with an increase in population growth. In the past 12 months, overall spending has increased 13%. The construction of single family homes rose 1% in October, and manufacturers spurred their building expenditures by 3%. A huge windfall was for Federal spending at a growth rate of a 19% increase which is the largest since Oct. 2006. A lot of Americans are staying in apartments longer which has led to an increase in residential apartment and condo building which has jumped 28% in October when compared with one year earlier. I think that a lot of the increase in apartment living is due to persons which were displaced by foreclosures, and in some cases renting an apartment is way less than ownership when you consider taxes, condo fees, and all the expenses. \ Rents have also jumped higher as a result of increased demand. Not only that, but there is very limited availability in some areas of the country and I am personally aware of this as being proven true in Miami. As a Licensed Realtor it seems like it is getting harder and harder to find good apartments for my clients at a reasonable price. It looks like our rental market is now on auto-pilot without the need for Realtors especially because of all the technology advances with companies like Zillow, Trulia, Hotpads, Apartments.com, and Rent.com. At the same time, the low mortgage rates along with increases in job gains have led to an increase in home purchases. One area which has risen significantly is new home sales, which shows a 15% year to date boost when compared with last year. Public construction of schools, highways and other infrastructure rose about 6.6 percent in the last year which is the highest it’s been in the last five years. It looks like over-all we are still in recovery phase and it does not appear to be slowing any. Written by Edward Cambas Dec. 6th -2015

Friday, December 4, 2015

Alternative Method for Selling Your Home or Condo in South Florida – Flat Fee MLS You do not always have to go the traditional route when listing and selling your home. Can you actually list a home on the MLS without paying a 5-7% commission? The answer is yes. Along with doing all the right things that come with selling your home on your own, you can also combine that with a Flat Fee MLS listing. You need to make sure that you choose the MLS Company carefully and there are several things to look for. One important thing is that you should be allowed to sell on your own and not pay any fee. The reason this is so important is because you hear a lot of stories from people who found their own buyer but still had to pay a commission. For example, the next door neighbor sees the sign goes up and refers a cousin who ends up buying, and you pay the full 6% for them to only perform the contract writing, inspections, attend the closing, etc. It is good to choose an MLS listing service which has good person to person support and answers the phone when you call. The last thing you need is to not be able to make any changes once the listing is entered into the MLS. Changes like price drops or adjusting minor details should always be easy to do and free of charge. There are services which boast low pricing starting at around $49 and services which add extra features which can go up to around $1,000 or more depending on the level of services. The key is that you want to choose the lowest pricing with all other factors being equivalent. Most people typically choose a Flat Fee MLS service based on who has the highest ranking in the Google searches which is not always the best way to decide. Try to see if there are online reviews for the company you are considering. Right now there are not all that many reviews online for Flat Fee MLS companies and the most important thing is that they are a member of the local board of Realtors, and that you gain a level of comfort with the way you are treated as a customer. Make sure that all of your questions are answered knowledgeably and with a certain level of expertise and confidence. It might be smart to give a quick call to the Board of Realtors for the city you are located in and make sure the company is a member in good standing with full MLS privileges. In addition, you might check with the BBB but not all of the smaller companies are registered so just make sure they do not have any complaints unresolved on file. Do your homework and see if you can have camaraderie with the person who you are dealing with. The next step is to review all the paperwork prior to signing anything or paying any fees. You want to review all the paperwork thoroughly so you fully understand what to expect. Tell the company that you will pay the fee after they send you written proof that the property is on the MLS and active. In order to do this you should be willing to sign the listing agreement and return it to the MLS provider because they must have that in their records prior to putting your home active. You will be taking the calls directly from agents with buyers. The MLS Company does not and should not field your calls. Often times they put in the remark section “Do not call the Real Estate Office,” and will show your phone number and name as the direct contact. Just field the calls, assist with setting appointment times, and have the home in great condition for showings to the prospective buyers. The agents will make offers directly to you and the MLS Company typically does not participate in the contracting, negotiating or closing – without an additional FEE/. Written by Edward Cambas, a Lic. Real Estate Broker 786-200-8817 or go to www.edwardcambas.com

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Treat your family and friends to the quickest way to take it slow onboard your next Carnival cruise! Book any of the sailings below by Sunday, December 6th and enjoy these great rates. Hurry, this fantastic offer is only available for a limited time. For reservations or more information, contact your Travel Professional - Edward E. Cambas at 786-200-8817. RATES STARTING FROM INTERIOR OCEAN VIEW BALCONY CARNIVAL BREEZE 8 Day Miami 1/2/16 $889 CARNIVAL BREEZE 8 Day Miami 2/27/16 $799 CARNIVAL CONQUEST 6 Day Fort Lauderdale 1/17/16 $379 CARNIVAL DREAM 7 Day New Orleans 2/14/16 $679 CARNIVAL ECSTASY 3 Day Miami 1/22/16 $179 $319 CARNIVAL ECSTASY 3 Day Miami 1/29/16 $299 CARNIVAL ECSTASY 4 Day Miami 1/18/16 $369 CARNIVAL ECSTASY 4 Day Miami 1/25/16 $369 CARNIVAL ECSTASY 5 Day Charleston 2/18/16 $389 $649 CARNIVAL ECSTASY 5 Day Charleston 2/28/16 $359 $379 CARNIVAL ECSTASY 7 Day Charleston 2/6/16 $799 $1,239 CARNIVAL ELATION 4 Day New Orleans 2/11/16 $329 $369 CARNIVAL FANTASY 2 Day Fort Lauderdale 2/20/16 $159 CARNIVAL FANTASY 3 Day Miami 2/26/16 $259 $279 CARNIVAL FANTASY 5 Day Charleston 12/28/15 $809 CARNIVAL FASCINATION 4 Day Jacksonville 12/24/15 CARNIVAL FASCINATION 4 Day Jacksonville 1/21/16 $269 CARNIVAL FASCINATION 4 Day Jacksonville 2/18/16 $339 $499 Call Edward E. Cambas at 786-200-8817. or go to book at

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Flat Fee MLS - Edward Cambas is a Lic. Real Estate Broker. $49 This is a concept where you elect to pay a fee upfront to be listed on the MLS. Next you would choose the commission amount you would be willing to pay the buyer's agent (Example 3%). You are basically eliminating the seller's side of the commission by doing some of the work and negotiation yourself. The MLS is the driving force to get Realtors to show and sell your home. They still get the same commission amount that they would in a traditional listing. You will work directly with the buyer's agent in negotiating and consummating the sale. You save around 50% because you eliminate the seller's commission. If you need more help, we can do that too. Edward Cambas is a Lic. Real Estate Broker and has been in the industry since 1986. I can help by answering any general questions for free, and we can also work out an arrangement for assisting with the contract and or attending the closing if you like. Let me guide you through this experience and make everything as simple as possible. $49 Flat Fee MLS - since 1992. http://www.edwardcambas.com The lowest price and the best service.