Here is a tool for investors buying property

If you are an investor looking to buy property in the Sarasota - Bradenton or Lakewood Ranch area here is a tool to help you make savvy financial decisions. Click here on the link to eRealAnalyzer and take a quick tutorial and sign up. There is a subscription that you need to pay for but the information you will get is more valuable then the subscription price. Hers how it works...This tool allows you to compare estimated monthly cash flow and potential return on investment for homes and rental properties. And, if you need a Realtor please give me a call.

Bargain hunters boost home sales in some markets

With prices falling in many parts of the country and the number of foreclosures rising, a small yet growing number of bargain-hunting buyers are seeing an upside to the real estate market.

MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY FOR CONSUMERS
First-time home buyers priced out of the market during the frenzied 2001-2005 market are among those most attracted to real estate today. In November 2007, 39 percent of buyers were first-timers, up from 36 percent in 2006, according to the National Association of Realtors. The key impediment to buying? Meeting tighter bank qualifying criteria.
International buyers increasingly are looking at opportunities in the U.S. real estate market. Declines in the value of the dollar against other currencies and lower prices translate into a discount of up to 30 percent for some foreign buyers.
Investors from other states also are seeking bargains in those markets hardest hit by the real estate downturn. Some are even buying properties sight-unseen for conversion to rentals until the market heats up again – a risky proposition, according to some observers.