Destin Florida Short Sales & Real Estate by Wendy Rulnick: Florida: Fort Walton Beach

Inviting Fort Walton Beach Florida home in Elliotts Point with water view across the street from Choctawhatchee Bay. Elegant hardwood floors draw you in, with enormous living and family rooms. More space for entertaining with the heated and cooled Florida room, and large screened porch. The kitchen is long with many cupboards, and has a breakfast bar open to the family room with gas fireplace. The back yard is deep and has an huge workshop that mimics the house. There is a greenhouse finished with a rock bottom is behind the workshop. The home needs substantial plumbing work and other repairs.  This location is serene with many charming older homes.  Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field are easy commutes. Okaloosa Island beaches are nearby.

18 Bay Dr., NE, Fort Walton Beach FL - Offered for $127,900 is a Bank of America cooperative short sale.

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

www.Shortsales-EmeraldCoast.com

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". She has successfully helped hundreds of families avoid foreclosure through short sale along the Emerald Coast of Florida. Wendy Rulnick is knowledgeable in all aspects of short sale, including VA Compromise Sale, FHA HUD pre-foreclosure sale, HAP military PCS, HAFA, Bank of America Coop program and more.  She is also co-founder of www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com and short sale instructor to agents across the United States. Wendy Rulnick sells real estate in Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Panama City Beach, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

This beautiful Fort Walton Beach Florida home, near Lowe's and Sam's, was sold in just over 60 days!  Part of the appeal of 728 Hart Dr. was the fantastic remodeling, especially in the kitchen.  Granite counters, tile backsplashes, new cabinets and new appliances were some of the upgrades.  The home, built in 1987, was over 1700 square feet, and was impeccably maintained.  The lot was about one-half acre, which is unusual for Fort Walton Beach, where most lots are smaller. Listed at $177,900, there were multiple offers. 

728 Hart Dr., Fort Walton Beach sold for $170,000. The sellers contributed $5,500 toward buyer closing costs.  Why is that important to know?  When using this sale as a "comparable" sale to price other properties, the significant seller credit means, in essence, the home sold for $164,500.  For example, if a homeowner with an identical property asked me what their home would sell for, I would not tell them $170,000 - that would be too high. I would suggest they keep in mind that relocating military buyers coming into Eglin Air Force Base, typically ask for seller credits to help pay closing costs.  That must be kept in mind when anticipating net proceeds.  I hope that makes sense to you. If not, send me an email and I will explain further.

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Fort Walton Beach real estate

Fort Walton Beach short sale agent

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". She has successfully helped hundreds of families avoid foreclosure through short sale along the Emerald Coast of Florida. Wendy Rulnick is knowledgeable in all aspects of short sale, including VA Compromise Sale, FHA HUD pre-foreclosure sale, HAP military PCS, HAFA, Bank of America Coop program and more.  She is also co-founder of www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com and short sale instructor to agents across the United States. Wendy Rulnick sells real estate in Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Panama City Beach, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

This is a fun home at 1215 Thomason Dr., with eclectic and enticing touches in Pine Meadows, Fort Walton Beach, FL. Some of the interesting elements are the arched pass-through from kitchen, repeating arch accent above kitchen entrance. Vibrant pendant lights above breakfast bar. Popping red tray ceiling, dining room with lively and inviting wall decor. Mostly tile and wood laminate floors. Big, fenced back yard with brick barbecue. New fence 2005. Air conditioner replaced within past 5 years.  Seller repairing French door and installing new pedestal sink.  Located in the Wright, Willow Bend area of Fort Walton Beach, this home is perfect for Eglin Air Force Base commuters. It is a Bank of America cooperative short sale.

1215 Thomason Dr., Fort Walton Beach FL - offered at $98,700.

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Fort Walton Beach Florida short sale help

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". She has successfully helped hundreds of families avoid foreclosure through short sale along the Emerald Coast of Florida. Wendy Rulnick is knowledgeable in all aspects of short sale, including VA Compromise Sale, FHA HUD pre-foreclosure sale, HAP military PCS, HAFA, Bank of America Coop program and more.  She is also co-founder of www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com and short sale instructor to agents across the United States. Wendy Rulnick sells real estate in Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Panama City Beach, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

Remember when you could easily sell a single family home with a tenant in place?  There were investors who would buy these types of properties in the Fort Walton Beach Florida metro market all the time.   Not any more.  Today, most single family and townhome buyers want a home they can move into immediately.  Many of those buyers are military and PCSing to Eglin Air Force Base or Hurlburt Field.

A few days ago I spoke with a potential Crestview Florida short sale seller. He had a townhome that was leased through next Fall.  I asked if the tenant would agree to move out with sixty days notice when we get a short sale contract.  The seller said the property management company, who also wanted the listing, said “no”, and told him most of the buyers in the complex had been investors who bought with tenants in place!  I checked the MLS statistics.  There was no way to tell if that were the case, and most of the sales were from other brokers. It was just a ploy to get the listing. Who wants a listing if it won’t sell? I don’t, and neither would a seller!  I told him "You will severely limit showings on your property, and minimize the pool of potential buyers.  Your chance of selling with a tenant will be harmed".  I did not agree to accept the listing under those conditions.

To prove a point, here are showing instructions from some recently expired listings I found in the MLS:

• "Home is Tenant occupied and the home cannot be shown at this time, tenant is unwilling to set appointments."
• "48 hour notice required. Home is available for showings on Wed and Thursday from 11:00- 2:00"
• "Home is occupied by long term renter through June 2012.  If your customer is not interested in a home with a renter there is no need to show.  Lease will not be broken. Do not show just to have something to show."

The last set of instructions must have been taken to heart-- "Do not show just to have something to show", since the listing expired, along with the others!

What's my advice? If you have a tenant with a long  term lease and "need" to sell your Crestview or Fort Walton Beach home as a short sale to avoid foreclosure, ask them to cooperate.  Many tenants will agree to move out early. They don't want to be inconvenienced by showings and they probably don't want to help you hurtle towards foreclosure.  In some cases, offering a free month's rent or two will give them ample incentive.  If your real estate agent does not bring up this point, you should. 

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner of Rulnick Realty, Inc., is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". She has successfully helped hundreds of families avoid foreclosure through short sale along the Emerald Coast of Florida. Wendy Rulnick is knowledgeable in all aspects of short sale, including VA Compromise Sale, FHA HUD pre-foreclosure sale, HAP military PCS, HAFA, Bank of America Coop program and more.  She is also co-founder of www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com and short sale instructor to agents across the United States.Wendy has been licensed for over 20 years, and serves the entire Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County-  Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Panama City Beach, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

Call Wendy Rulnick toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

www.ShortSales-EmeraldCoast.com

Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

This exquisitely remodeled Fort Walton Beach Florida home at 728 Hart Street has a masterpiece kitchen and almost half acre lot. The entire house is sumptuously decorated and inviting. In 2006, the living space was expanded with a new room off the kitchen and new laundry room, as well as new roof and air conditioner, carpet, doors and hardware. The kitchen is the epitomy of elegance, where you will love the bistro alcove, solid maple Thomasville cabinets, Black Absolute granite counters and tumbled marble backsplash. The cabinets shelves are slide-out and pull-out for maximizing storage space, and they are plentiful. Top chefs will like the gas burners plus electric convection oven, and the upgraded appliances. The living room is ample and features a corner fireplace and access to a large covered deck. The home exterior was painted in August 2010. It's hard to find such a gorgeous home in central Fort Walton Beach with such a large lot, beautiful upkeep,located near shopping and a short drive to Eglin Air Force Beach.

728 Hart Street, Fort Walton Beach Florida - $177,900 

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Fort Walton Beach Florida Real Estate

Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner, to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County-  Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

Wow! Gorgeous Okaloosa Island water front Islander Beach Resort condo with commanding vistas of the Gulf of Mexico. Walk out from your condo to the pool and white sandy beaches of Fort Walton Beach Florida. There is a large private balcony made for surf watching beyond the green umbrellas which punctuate the shoreline. The kitchen has a breakfast bar and is open to the living room and windows to the gulf. The master bedroom is waterfront and has his and hers walk-in closets. Islander Beach Resort boasts an 80' gulf front pool and hot tub, a beautiful lobby and meeting room, shuffleboard court and a barbeque grill area. This unit is rental ready, sleeps 8 and has a great rental income history, year to date $23,000+ net. My favorite thing about this condo? Location! Okaloosa Island is a bit more laid back than Destin, yet is moments away. The beach is just as beautiful!

Islander Beach Resort #7011 - 3 Bedroom Condo - Offered for $279,900

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Fort Walton Beach Florida Real Estate

Fort Walton Beach Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure Help.

Wendy is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner, to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County-  Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

This spacious home just sold as a HAP sale in Emerald Village, Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  HAP is the Homeowners Assistance Program for U.S. military members who have orders to relocate (PCS).  When the service member's home cannot be sold at a price sufficient to cover an existing mortgage, HAP may pay some, if not all, of the deficit.  This saves our Air Force, Marines, Navy and Army members from foreclosure or short sale, preserving their credit.

Some of the qualifications for the HAP program are:

1. PCS orders at least 50 miles from the primary residence
2. The original contract to purchase the home had an effective date prior to July 1, 2006
3. The home was the primary residence at the time of orders

Many Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field and Duke Field service members have qualified for the program.  This HAP sale on Randall Roberts Rd. took about 60 days to approve.  At closing, HAP purchased the home from the sellers, paid off the mortgage shortfall, then simultaneously sold it to the new buyers. 

652 Randall Roberts Rd., Fort Walton Beach Florida - Just Sold for $200,000

Apply for HAP here.

Learn more about HAP.

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Destin FL Real Estate

Destin Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure Help.

Read Wendy's Destin Real Estate Blog

Wendy is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner, to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County-  Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

This Ocean City, Garniers Beach HAP home in Fort Walton Beach was rebuilt from the inside out, and it shows! The gorgeous remodeling still honors the classic Florida style. All new: windows, floors, plumbing, doors, lighting fixtures, bath fixtures, crown moulding, drywall in living room, and totally redone landscaping. Walk in and first see shining real wood floors. Wander further - the kitchen has new refaced cabinets, new dishwasher, refrigerator, gas stove, microwave, sink, faucet and tile floors. The family room beyond is step down with plenty of windows to the back yard. The in-ground pool beckons. The trees? Enormous, tall and magnificent to highlight your privacy fenced yard. There is a huge workshop with built-in shelves, someone will love it for projects, woodworking and more. The bathrooms have been remodeled with new sinks, toilets, faucets and floors. The master bath is a sanctuary. Exterior has new stucco finish over the cinder block construction. New washer, dryer, and hot water heater.  This Fort Walton Beach home for sale is a great commute to Eglin Air Force Base or Hurlburt Field.

What is a HAP home?  It is a property for sale contingent on approval from the Homeowners Assistance Program for the U.S. Military.  When service members change bases, the U.S. Government will step in and cover the shortfall of the mortgage balance compared to market value. Restrictions apply. 

How to Buy an Eglin AFB HAP Home

109 Dell Rd., Fort Walton Beach Florida home for sale - $147,900

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Fort Walton Beach Florida Real Estate

Fort Walton Beach Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure Help.

Wendy is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner, to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County-  Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field

Do you love Elliotts Point in Fort Walton Beach Florida? This short sale home at 17 Okahatchee Circle will intrigue you.  The classic 1950’s white home stands out amongst mature trees on its corner lot. It is a charming 4 bedroom house with plentiful windows which add character. Spacious rooms with tile in the main living areas and carpeted bedrooms. There is a "matching" outside storage shed. This home needs a bit of work and updating.

Elliotts Point is a very popular neighborhood in Fort Walton Beach Florida, with older classic homes. It is near boating on Choctawhatchee Bay, chic local restaurants and a short drive to the beaches of Okaloosa Island.  Commuting to Eglin Air Force Base is a breeze from this neighborhood.

17  Okahatchee Circle, Fort Walton Beach Florida - offered for $115,000

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Fort Walton Beach Florida Real Estate

Fort Walton Beach Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure Help.

Wendy is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner, to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County-  Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. 

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Bank America has approved this Fort Walton Beach Florida home for a Ginnie Mae USDA short sale. It was a lengthy process.  Bank of America only recently added Ginnie Mae short sales to its Equator processing platform.  This file was handled through emails and phone calls directly with a Bank of America Ginnie Mae specialist.

What is Ginnie Mae?  Ginnie Mae is a governmenty entity that guarantees VA, HUD and USDA Rural Housing Services mortgages.  This makes these loans more valuable as investments when sold to the secondary market, thus more attractive to mortgage servicers, such as Bank of America.

What about the deficiency on a USDA short sale?  The deficiency is the amount of the note not covered by net proceeds of the sale.  According to USDA pre foreclosure sale guidelines:

A borrower who successfully sells the property securing the loan using the PFS option is relieved of the mortgage obligation. The borrower shall not be pursued for deficiency judgments by either the Servicer or the Agency 

One caveat about Ginnie Mae USDA short sales - you will not be approved unless you miss at least one payment.  This is not true with many other short sales programs.

If you are considering short sale to avoid foreclosure of your Fort Walton Beach home, contact Wendy Rulnick, Broker.  You may qualify for USDA, Ginnie Mae, VA, FHA, HAFA or another short sale program.

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Fort Walton Beach Florida Real Estate

Fort Walton Beach Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure Help.

Read Wendy's Fort Walton Beach Real Estate Blog

Wendy is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner, to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County-  Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field.