Tutas Towne Realty and Bryant Tutas just had another successful Winter Haven Florida Short Sale closing with Wells Fargo. The property: Investment property. 3 bedroom 2 bath home located in Winter Haven Florida. This home has 2,222 sq ft of living area and is direct lake front with baot house and private beach. It was purchased in March of 2006 for $390,000. It Sold 1/20/2012 for $140,200. That's a decline in value of 64% in just under 5 years!  Liens: 1st Mortgage with Wells Fargo for $295,000 Hardship: Loss of rental income. Reduction in value. Summary: I placed the property on the market 10/10/2010 for $225,000. After several price reductions we finally found a buyer at $150,000. Unfortunately we then spent almost 4 months trying to get an approval and were finally denied the short ... 01/21/2012

PURCHASE AND REHAB YOUR HOME IN WINTER HAVEN FLORIDA WITH THE FHA 203(K) LOAN - Most home buyers are turned off at the sight or even thought of buying a fixer-upper; a foreclosure or an older home today. However, educated and informed home buyers are utilizing the FHA 203(k) loan to buy their new home and fix it up with no additional out-of-pocket expense. The FHA 203(k) loan is a tool that savvy home buyers, successful contractors, Realtors and mortgage originators have been using since 1978. An FHA 203(k) loan is very similar to the traditional FHA loan. The only real difference is that with the FHA 203(k) loan, the home buyer is adding money to their mortgage balance to finance-in any repair/improvement cost. Whereas the traditional FHA loan requires that certain repairs be done befo... 10/10/2011

Legoland Florida Opens October 15' 2011 - Winter Haven FL - Polk County There is a lot of buzz going around with the Grand Opening of Legoland Florida on October 15, 2011.  There are so many things to do in Polk County with cities such as Winter Haven and Lakeland.  I thought I would share this upcoming excitement about the Grand Opening of Legoland Florida that has been the talk of the town. The family oriented park is located in Winter Haven, FL - Polk County, which was the former ground of Cypress Gardens, which was one of the oldest Florida attractions that closed its doors in 2009.  Legoland Florida is nestled on the 150 acre land on the shores of Lake Eloise featuring over 50 family rides, shows and interactive family fun attractions, shops, restaurants and the beautiful botanical... 09/24/2011

  Which Government Backed Home Loan Is Best Suited For Purchasing My New Home? If you want a loan with a No Money Down Option then you must be a veteran or you must purchase a home in a HUD Approved Area for Rural Housing. The VA and USDA Loan are the only type loans that offer the No Down Payment Option for buying a home. The FHA loan is the most popular type loan at this time because the down payment requirement is only 3.5% compared to the Conventional Loans which require 5% down. Both require the added cost of Mortgage Insurance any time less than 20% down is used. The VA and USDA Loans do not require mortgage Insurance but have a funding fee that is financed into the loan. The USDA funding fee is currently 3.5% but expected to rise with the growing number of defaults. The VA fundin... 08/01/2011

Government Home Loans FHA/VA/USDA in Winter Haven Florida are still being used in most purchase transactions. I specialize in FHA, USDA, VA Loan products. When it comes to less out of pocket expense at a rate that is competitive with other lenders such as the conventional types more people are choosing to go with the Govies; which are aka FHA, VA and USDA Loans.  However lenders are not always willing to adopt into practice the new programs being passed down byHUD. Lets just say it would appear that this particular program isn't being accepted with open arm's on main street so far. HUD recently launched a program aimed at helping people who are current on their mortgage loans; refinance to the lower prevailing rates being offered through FHA and VA Approved Lenders even if they are und... 04/18/2011

250 SW LAKE HOWARD DR WINTER HAVEN FLORIDA 33880 $150,000 3 BEDROOMS 2 FULL BATHS WITH 2222 SQ FT OF LIVING SPACE. BUILT IN 1952. Beautiful Florida lakefront home on 1/2 acre (MOL) lot. Lake Howard is close to down town Winter Haven Florida. Great lake for skiing and fishing. Florida lakefront property. Almost 1/2 acre with private boat dock. Mature landscaping. Beautiful boat dock and boat house. Upgraded baths and kitchen. Wood burning fire place. Tile flooring. Screened and covered porch over looking the lake. Circular drive. Winter Haven City Florida Lakefront Property Short Sale. Listing price may not be sufficient to cover all encumbrances, closing costs, or other seller charges and sale of Property at full listing price may be conditioned upon approval of third parties. Winter H... 03/15/2011

Hi guys. I need a cash buyer for this property today. 3 bedroom 1.5 bath pool home located about 3 blocks from Lake Howard in Winter Haven Florida. 1/4 acre fenced lot. The foreclosure auction is scheduled for November 8th. I need a cash buyer ASAP. The current lender is Citi Mortgage. You won't find a better deal than this. 1519 Foxridge Run SW Winter Haven Florida 33880 Are you facing foreclosure in Florida? Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close. Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com ***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio. Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved 10/26/2010

Short Sales never cease to amaze me. Just when I'm really getting fed up with how slow Chase is they give me an approval in 5 business days!!! The other Chase Short Sales I have done all took 6 months or more so this one was truly a surprise. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come. One of the reasons this one got approved so quickly is that the Seller had been working with Chase for over a year trying get a loan mod and then trying to do a Short Sale by herself. By the time she finally listed  the property with me she already had a negotiator contact. I listed the property and sold it the very next day. I called the negotiator and all he wanted was the contract and the HUD statement. These were sent over on July 1st and we received the written approval on July 8th!! Property: 3 bed... 07/11/2010

715 S Lake Florence Dr Winter Haven Florida 33884 $200.000 Great Winter Haven Florida Pool Home with over 2800 sq ft of living area. Wet bar and fireplace in the family room. Master bath has garden tub with jets. Tile flooring in family room, kitchen and all baths. New wood laminate flooring in the rest of the house. In ground pool and spa. Owner financing available. Minimum $25k down. Fenced rear yard. Side entry garage with small work shop area. Inside utility room with sink and cabinets. Recessed lighting in kitchen and family room. One of the lowest priced homes in the area. One block from Lake Florence and about a mile to Cypress Gardens. Privately owned. No banks to deal with.   Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close. Want to find out more? www.CentralFlo... 05/11/2010

It's definitely starting to be the time when buying Real Estate Leads in the Winter Haven area is the correct thing to do. We have seen a large increase in people moving to the area, which will only increase through the spring and into summer months. We are witnessing a huge increase in the amount of prospective home buyers that have contacted us just in the last few months. These people are contacting us requesting information on relocating to the area, or want more information in a possible home purchase. We do need a Realtor to assist these prospective home buyers. Most of these families and individuals are out-of-state buyers, and do need help! Kindly call us at (800) 900-2807 to learn how we can bring you 10 - 25 potential home buyers every month for the Winter Haven, Florida area... 04/12/2010

Bargain buy close to Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven Florida. Prestigious neighborhood of Lake Florence Pointe. The best priced home in the area. Over 2,800 sq ft of living space with many extras including tile and wood laminate flooring through out, recessed lighting, wet bar, fireplace, french doors, spa and in ground swimming pool. The owner will finance with 20% down at 8.25%. Easy qualifying. Give us a call today to arrange your private showing. Only $239,000!! Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close. Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com ***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio. Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved     04/02/2010

Be there!! February 27th at safe daylight-- Lake Shipp-- 2nd Annual -Winter Haven FL -Big Bass Bash- Benefits Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Roughly 15% of the approximately 2,000 babies delivered every year at Winter Haven Hospital's Regency Center for Women and Infants require care at the NICU. For the second year in a row, the Big Bass Bash promises to be a great time-- and right here in the bass capital of the world! Who doesn't want to help babies, too? This years sponsors include Pepsi; Budweiser; Smokin' Jim's House of Bar-B-Q; the News Chief; the Ledger; Bright House Sports Network; Sunnyridge Farms; Ron's Bait & Tackle; Marine Supply; WPCV, 97.5 Country; WWRZ, MAX 98.3; Sodexo Health Care; Spring Lake Rehabilitation Center; the musical group Band Haven and the City of Winter Have... 02/26/2010

Merlin Entertainments Group, Owner of Legoland buys Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven FL!!     This is such fantastic news!!!! It almost makes up for the desertion to Arizona of the Cleveland Indians. Almost, but not quite! Just ask my husband. Cypress Gardens, opened in 1936, is the oldest theme park in Central FL. After Disney came and made it attractive for guests to go no further in FL than Lake Buena Vista, Cypress Gardens held on. In recent years, though, it saw it's niche deteriorate and finally closed abruptly in September of 2009. Merlin Entertainments Group also owns Madame Tussauds wax museums as well as Legoland parks-- in fact, they are the second largest attractions company in the WORLD. Their purchase includes the Gardens AND the water park. A press conference is scheduled ... 01/17/2010

The city of Winter Haven FL hosts Biggest Loser contest! C'mon out, all you Loser wannabe's!   The city of Winter Haven will offer The Biggest Loser program on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Jan. 12 at Rotary Park, 350 Sixth St. N.E. The contest, open to both men and women, will run for 12 weeks. Weigh-in begins at 5:15 p.m. Biggest Loser participants pay $5 to weigh in each week.  Workout class, featuring calorie-burning and muscle-toning exercises starts promptly at 5:30 p.m, directly after weigh-in. All calorie/toning class participants must pay the additional fee for each class - $5 for city residents and $6 for non-residents. Participants should bring a mat, resistance band, two 8-pound weights and water for the calorie-burning/muscle-toning workout.  Calorie-burning/muscle-tonin... 01/09/2010

Try this....after you have a closing on one of your listings give it about 2 days before you go by and pick up your sign and lock box. You may think my timing on this is a little odd but actually.....it's just right. Since I am primarily a listing Broker, my customer, the Seller, is normally moving out of Sate and getting any future business from them is rare. So my goal is to be the "go to guy" for the Buyer that has just purchased one of my listings. Picking up my sign and lock box, a couple of days after closing, is something I do on purpose. The reason is, I want to knock on the door and introduce myself to the new owners. In fact, Itake a minute and get a picture of then standing next to the "sold" sign in front of their new house. I Email it to them later with the video tour  I ha... 01/04/2010

  Here are a few events in Winter Haven FL for New Years Eve--   Tanners Pub: 325 W. Central Ave., Winter Haven. Doors open at 9 p.m. for a Blue Moon New Year's Eve bash. No cover charge. (i *LOVE* this place!!!!)   Avenue Bar: 346 W. Central Ave., Winter Haven. Avenue Bar, in conjunction with Arabella's Ristorante will be closing the streets of downtown and presenting a Cirque du Soleil-type event that starts at 7:30 p.m. Entertainment starts around between 8:30 and 9 p.m. No cover charge. Blue Sapphire: 5937 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven. Live DJ, free champagne and dollar drafts. Cover charge of $10 per person.   And, for good measure, one in Lake Wales FL: Chalet Suzanne: 321 West Starr Ave., Lake Wales. Six-course dinner offered with tableside magician Scott Humstom. Champagn... 12/27/2009

Highland Homes is slashing prices again, making now a perfect time to buy. Highland Homes has significantly reduced pricing in several of their communities throughout Central Florida. Three Winter Haven communities now start at $115,900. Normandy Heights on Winter Lake Road, St. James Crossing off Hwy. 92 near Auburndale and Brenton Manor off Hwy. 27 are all starting with this low price point. All homes in these communities have been reduced to drive new home sales. These Winter Haven communities are not the only ones with price changes. Every community Highland Homes builds in has been reduced and many communities offer upgraded features too. Some communities now offer floor tile and hard surface counters in the kitchen and baths. 11/03/2009

Highland Homes is pleased to announce their model home opening in St. James Crossing, one of Florida home builder's newest communities. Located in Winter Haven these new homes are priced from the $120's. The model home opened August 21, 2009, and the grand opening of the community will follow in the near future. The model home features the Casa Key II home plan that is designed with three bedrooms, two and one-half baths, and a two car garage. This plan has incorporated many design features to make the home as live-in comfortable as possible including large, open foyer, high ceilings, breakfast bar, luxur master suite, and a screened lanai great for entertaining family or guests. The model home features 1,567 square feet and is a great example of the quality homes built by Highland Home... 08/26/2009

We have a great deal on an inventory home at Normandy Heights that we wanted to share with you. Hurry in to buy this upgraded Winston II at astonishing savings - recently discounted over $20,000! The home features four bedrooms with two baths and 2,350 square feet of living space. Inside you'll find many upgraded features including Corian countertops, stainless steel appliances, a jetted whirlpool tub in the master bath and more. In addition, the home is situated on an extraordinary homesite with no backyard neighbors. At the current price of only $204,900, this Winter Haven home will not be around for long. And this is a great home for the first-time homebuyers in the area that are wanting to take advantaged of the $8,000 home buyer tax credit and low interest rates. Call 863-293-1726 ... 06/17/2009

One of the things holding most Winter Havenfirst-time home buyers back from purchasing a home is the 3.5% downpayment requirement for FHA mortgages.  Add closing costs to this total and many would be first-time home buyers - despite having jobs that can maintain monthly mortgage payments - simply can't swing getting into a home at all. With DPAs now a thing of the past, another source of downpayment funds for first time home buyers a home is a LOAN from an immediate family member. Although it cannot be a requirement of the loan, qualified first time home buyers can borrow the money from their parents and repay it with the $8,000 tax credit. Here's how... 05/10/2009