The Internal Revenue has clarified what documentation is needed to apply for your Tax Credit. Read the full story here:

Art & Brigitte Shultz
The Shultz Team
#1 Team at Re/Max Premier Realty
Ocala, Florida
Toll Free: 800-243-4087
Direct: 352-291-1276
TheShultzTeam@cox.net
www.TheShultzTeam.com

The Salvation Army, Ocala FL

Art and Brigitte Shultz, together with their Down Syndrome daughter Lisa, served Thanksgiving Dinner at the Salvation Army in Ocala, Florida, on November 27, 2008.  Lisa, who turned 25 years old two days after the Thanksgiving Holiday, brightened everyone’s day by serving the dinner rolls and salads. There were 12 volunteers who made a difference in someone’s life that day. We saw firsthand what the Salvation Army does locally with the money so many of you donate, especially around Christmas Time in the red kettles outside the department stores and grocery stores. Last year Lisa and Brigitte were bell ringers outside the K-Mart store on Silver Springs Blvd. and were grateful for the generosity of the citizens of Ocala who donated to this worthy organization.

If you want to know how you can help, you can visit their site directly at here – Salvation Army How You Can Help.

Art & Brigitte Shultz
The Shultz Team
#1 Team at Re/Max Premier Realty
Ocala, FL
Toll Free: 800-243-4087
Direct: 352-291-1276
Info@OcalaVisualTours.com
www.OcalaVisualTours.com
* FREE OCALA MOVING TRUCK! * – Contact for more details!

According to OMCAR (Ocala Marion County Board of Realtors) from the end of October of 2007 to October 31, 2008 the average sales price for residential homes fell from $213,059 to $146,151 for a decrease of 31%.

The average list price fell from $231,658 to $158,831 or a decline of 45% for the same 12 months period.

The average price per square foot of living area for residential homes fell from $123 a year ago to $87 by the end of October 2008.

The median sales price fell from $157,000 to $125,000 for a decline of 26%.

Our MLS has 7071 active listings as of the December 1, 2008, which shows a small decrease in inventory. Inventory has been declining slightly since December 2007. 157 homes sold through the Ocala Marion County MLS in October, which is an absorption rate of 30.1 (which means a home would take 30.1 months to sell at the current rate of sales).

Since our prices have fallen so much since our top at the end of 2005, we have noticed quite a bit of activity from buyers who cannot ignore the many good buys in the Ocala/Marion County Real Estate Market. With the many foreclosures and short sales, a buyer can find some excellent home and land values.

For more detailed statistics or a free market analysis, please call or e-mail us, we are more than happy to be of service to you.

Brigitte Shultz
The Shultz Team
#1 Team at Re/Max Premier Realty
Ocala, FL
Toll Free: 800-243-4087
Direct: 352-291-1276
Info@OcalaVisualTours.com
www.OcalaVisualTours.com
* FREE OCALA MOVING TRUCK! * – Contact for more details!

The Federal Reserve has cut key interest rates for the fifth time since September 2007.

For those of you with a loan tied directly to the Prime Rate, like home equity lines of credit or HELOC accounts and charge cards with variable rates will see an interest rate reduction on their next statement.

Long-term mortgage rates, however, could actually see an increase after today’s cut, based on past performance and trends.

So don’t count on long term rates to decrease more. Our current rates are the lowest rates we have seen since 2005. Go ahead and buy to capture a great rate before it is too late.

Art Shultz
The Shultz Team
#1 Team at Re/Max Premier Realty
Ocala, FL
Toll Free: 800-243-4087
Direct: 352-291-1276
Info@OcalaVisualTours.com
www.OcalaVisualTours.com
* FREE OCALA MOVING TRUCK! * – Contact for more details!

Many people are asking themselves what happened to the Ocala Real Estate market. Our market had a great run up in prices which fizzled out in 2005/2006 and now we are going through a much needed correction. Although Ocala has a low unemployment rate, our wages are also much lower than the average wage in the rest of the country. So once the investors quit buying and became sellers, our local economy could not support the appreciated values of most of our homes.

Three of the reasons people were moving to Ocala to retire here, were the low prices of homes, insurance and taxes. Our inventory went from around 1,100 residential listings in June of 2005 to 7,860+ residential listings today, which is a 714% increase in inventory.

On the buying side, volume was 48% in September, and has been off 30-50% consecutively for the past 12 months.

Sub Prime loans are very hard to get any more, which cuts out a lot of buyers who are willing, but not able.

The Sub Prime woes, foreclosures and the high inventories are nationwide problems, which keeps buyers from selling in other states, and in turn from buying here.

This is a much needed correction and it will take years to absorb our high inventory.
Hopefully our local government will help with real estate tax reductions. They are working on a PROPOSED SUPER HOMESTEAD (check it out at http://www.pa.marion.fl.us/).

Ocala is a beautiful place to live and lots of baby boomers are getting ready to retire and there are only so many warm places to move to in our county. I am very optimistic for the future of the Ocala Real Estate market – it’s a perfect time to buy and realistic priced homes are selling every day.

Brigitte Shultz
The Shultz Team
#1 Team at Re/Max Premier Realty
Ocala, FL
Toll Free: 800-243-4087
Direct: 352-291-1276
Info@OcalaVisualTours.com
www.OcalaVisualTours.com
* FREE OCALA MOVING TRUCK! * – Contact for more details!