The Gary & Nikki Team has over 25 years of experience selling homes in the Tampa Bay area. Our system gets homes sold fast and for top dollar. This list of recent sales by our Team is our resume to you. Would you like to sell your home – call The Gary & Nikki Team today – The sooner you call, the faster you sell! 727-787-6995

Oldsmar Luxury Home Sold – East Lake Woodlands – Aberdeen 5019 Camberley Ln – Previously listed with 2 other firms for 363 DAYS- NO SALE Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $560,000 and SOLD BY US at $547,500 in just 108 days!!!

Oldsmar Luxury Home Sold – East Lake Woodlands – Aberdeen 4947 Kilkenney Way – Previously listed with another firm for 184 DAYS- NO SALE Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $425,000 and SOLD BY US at $410,000 in just 13 days!!!

Dunedin Luxury Home Sold – Baywood Shores 2473 Coronado Way – – Previously listed with another firm for 365 DAYS- NO SALE Listed & SOLD by The Gary & Nikki Team at $330,000!!

Odessa Home Sold – Keystone Park Colony 19108 Forrest Dr. – Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $259,999 and SOLD BY US at 246,000 in just 19 DAYS!!!

Palm Harbor Home Sold – Landmark Estates Short Sale –Another Seller Saved From Foreclosure 3524 Landmark Pl- Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $260,000 and SOLD BY US at $255,000 in JUST 10 DAYS!!!

Tarpon Springs Home Sold – Forest Ridge 327 Wood ibis Ave – Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $175,000 and SOLD BY US AT FULL PRICE $175,000!!!

Clearwater Townhome Sold – Brookfield 3030 Pepperwood Ln – Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $164,900 and SOLD BY US at 157,000 in just 110 days!!!

Tarpon Springs Home Sold – Colony South 116 Colony South – Previously listed with another firm for 183 DAYS- NO SALE  Listed & SOLD by The Gary & Nikki Team at $120,000 in just 50 days!!

Dunedin Home Sold – Lucille Sub Short Sale –Another Seller Saved From Foreclosure 1629 Santa Anna Dr – Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $125,000 and SOLD BY US FULL PRICE $125,000!!!

Clearwater Home Sold – Sunset Pointe Townhomes Short Sale –Another Seller Saved From Foreclosure 2524 White Sand Ln – Listed by The Gary & Nikki Team at $100,000 and SOLD BY US FULL PRICE $100,000!!!

Homes The Gary & Nikki Team have found for our families looking to buy a home in The Tampa Bay Area.

Palm Harbor Luxury Home Sold –Manning Oaks 1663 Manning Oaks – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!! ANOTHER LUXURIOUS HOME Listed at $499,000 SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $426,750!!! SAVED the Buyer $72,250 off list price!!

Oldsmar Luxury Golf Course Home Sold – East Lake Woodlands/ Diamond Crest 2055 Diamond Ct – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!! ANOTHER LUXURIOUS HOME on the GOLF COURSE listed at $499,000 SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $450,000!!! SAVED the Buyer $49,000 off list price!!

Seminole Luxury Home Sold – Bardmoor Country Club 10364 Hopman Ct – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!! ANOTHER SEMINOLE LUXURY HOME LISTED AT $399,900 SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $352,000!!! SAVED the Buyer $47,900 off list price!!

Palm Harbor Luxury Home Sold – Pipers Meadow 650 Belted Kingfisher Dr N – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!! ANOTHER PALM HARBOR LUXURY HOME SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $350,000!!!

New Port Richey Pondfront Short Sale Home Sold – Chelsea Place 1453 Davenport Dr- WE HELPED THE BUYER BUY THIS SHORT SALE!! ANOTHER NEW PORT RICHEY PONDFRONT SHORT SALE SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $176,200!!!

Palm Harbor Home Sold – Ridgemoor/ Coventry 4425 Connery Ct – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!! ANOTHER PALM HARBOR HOME SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $145,000!!!

Tarpon Springs Lakeview Villa Home Sold – Lake Tarpon Sail & Tennis 90 Highland Ave #7 – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!! ANOTHER TARPON SPRINGS VILLA HOME LISTED AT $122,495 SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $94,000!!! SAVED the Buyer $28,495 off list price!!

Gorgeous custom built home on 2 lots in the coastal community of Ozona, on the Gulf of Mexico.  This home has it all, from the moment you walk in you will notice the hand scraped bamboo wood floors throughout the living areas and faux designer décor in all the right places.  Watch the short video below and click here for more pictures and information: http://www.garyandnikkihomes.com/439

We can’t resist commenting on the story which recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal regarding Colby Sambrotto, the founder and former CEO of forsalebyowner.com. It seems the founding father and lifelong evangelist of the concept of selling your home without a real estate agent was forced to hire a broker to sell his home after failing at what he preaches others should do.

After failing to sell his NYC apartment on his own as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), Sambrotto hired a broker and paid a 6% commission in order to get the job done. His personal experience helps refute some of the myths Sambrotto has been espousing for over a decade. Let’s look at two of those myths:

Myth #1 – You Will Pocket More Money Selling on Your Own

Most FSBO sites say you can save the commission by selling on your own. What happened in Sambrotto’s sale?

From the WSJ article:

“The broker, Jesse Buckler, said he told Mr. Sambrotto the apartment in the Lion’s Head building on West 19th Street near Sixth Avenue was priced too low and wasn’t drawing the right buyers.

By May, it went into contract, he said, after attracting multiple offers. It closed in the last few days for $150,000 more than the original asking price.”

Myth #2 – The Internet Alone Can Sell Your Home

Many have said that, with the introduction of home search on the internet, hiring an agent is no longer a necessity. What happened to the FSBO guru when he attempted to only depend on the internet?

From the WSJ article:

“Looking to move his family to the suburbs, [Mr. Sambrotto] said he carefully staged his apartment for sale himself, and put it on the market. But after using a mix of websites to publicize his apartment, he said he had only ‘middling success’ and switched to a broker because many buyers were so reliant on brokers.”

Bottom Line

There is a reason the real estate industry has been around for centuries: it performs a valuable service.

Mortgage Debt Relief Act Expires December 31, 2012

If you, or anyone you know, are considering doing a short sale you will need to make a swift decision. Many short sales are taking anywhere from 4 to 8 months to complete, so time is running out to qualify under the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and Debt Cancellation. If you do not complete your short sale before January 1, 2013 you may be held responsible for the difference as taxable income. At this moment in time there is no clear understanding as to whether Congress will extend this deadline or not.

Example: If you owe $400,000 on your property and it sells for $300,000, at a 28% tax rate, the settlement difference of $100,000 is $28,000 in taxes you may owe! But, if you complete your short sale prior to the expiration date you may not have to claim that $100,000 as taxable income. Call us at 727-787-6995 or email gary@gnteam.com

A short sale is a tool which enables you to avoid foreclosure and lessen potential long-term damage to your credit-rating, as well as the negative tax implications you may experience on a foreclosure. Short sales are not easy, nor are they fun, but they can save sellers from having a foreclosure on their credit record for 10 years, and in many cases, allow them to obtain a new loan in as little as 2 years. Time is of the essence, so please contact us as soon as possible and let us use our considerable experience and CDPE certification to help guide you through this challenging process. There is no obligation! Visit our web site at StopTampaBayAreaForeclosures.com and get free information which explains short sales in more detail, or call us at 727-787-6995

Perhaps you should consider a no-cost short sale*.

*in most cases the lienholders will pay all sellers’ costs of sale including commissions

Web link to IRS: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=179414,00.html

There is hope! The market is getting better! Homes are selling! 14.5% of single family homes listed for sale in Pinellas County sold in January!! The strongest January since 2005! Even with the good news, 85.5% of listings did not sell in January! The RIGHT AGENT & THE RIGHT PRICE are still critical!! Please read below:

There have been conflicting opinions as to where housing prices are headed. We want to give our opinion on this subject for the short term. We believe sellers have a window of opportunity for the next 90-120 days in most parts of the country in which to sell their homes for maximum price. We believe there will be increased downward pressure on home prices throughout the rest of the year.

Why renewed downward pressure?

Any item’s price is determined by ‘supply and demand’. In many parts of the country, existing housing inventory has dropped to historic norms in the last few months. However, an inventory of distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) will be coming to market this year. This inventory has been delayed for over a year as the Federal and state governments crafted an agreement with the five largest banks and mortgage servicers to establish a roadmap for how a foreclosure must be properly completed. That agreement, the National Mortgage Settlement, was reached two weeks ago.

What Impact Will the Agreement Have on Foreclosures?

Brandon Moore, chief executive of RealtyTrac, explains:

“The settlement sets forth clear guidelines for lenders and servicers to follow when foreclosing, which should allow them to push through some of the delayed foreclosures from last year.”

How Many Foreclosures Could We Be Talking About?

Mark Vitner, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities tells us:

“The settlement helps the housing market in the long run because it allows banks to proceed with millions of foreclosures that have been stalled.”

What will this mean to home prices?

As this inventory comes to market, it will impact prices in two ways:

1. It will bring to market discounted competition for buyers
2. It will impact the appraisal values of all homes in the area

Which States Will Be Impacted the Most?

The states that have the largest backlog of properties currently in the foreclosure process will be the states that will see the greatest price depreciation.

Bottom Line

There is a window of opportunity currently which sellers should take advantage of. Waiting until later this year will not guarantee a higher sales price. If anything, in many regions of the country, it probably guarantees the exact opposite.

If you are thinking of selling -
Call The Gary & Nikki Team Today.

The sooner you call, the faster you sell! 727-787-6995

Dear Bob, I’m so excited I can hardly function, but it’s a great feeling. I tell everyone what a fabulous job you and Tom have done for me. Yesterday, I handed out one of Tom’s cards, and I wrote your name on the back as the Closing Manager. “This is the team you want!” said I, and I meant it. And yes, I’ve had many naysayers put this extra service and attention down to the real estate market being bad, and agents being hungry, but I don’t believe that. The market in Connecticut is almost as bad, and my agent didn’t do anything except list the house and collect her commission at the closing!

So, next January, I’ll be parked on the doorstep of the Pasco County offices with my closing papers in hand!!! By that time, I’ll have new A/C and a tankless water system installed, and a rainwater reclamation system in place, rooms painted, music playing, and more paintings in progress. Life is pretty good now, but it’s just about to get much, much better.

Gabrielle B. – Home Buyer with The Gary & Nikki Team

I have to say I am really impressed with Keller Williams, Gary and Dominic. I feel everyone treats us as if my home were the only home to sell. Your company is very large but we are treated like family.

Thank you and special thanks to Gary.

The Gary & Nikki Team has over 25 years of experience selling homes in the Tampa Bay area. This list of recent sales by our Team is our resume to future clients. Even in this challenging market we are selling homes, some in as little as 9 days!

Homes We Have Sold For Our Clients

Dunedin Waterfront Luxury Home Sold – Baywood Shores
2438 Baywood Dr W– Previously listed with 3 other firms for 824 DAYS- NO SALE
Dunedin Waterfront Home listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $749,877 and SOLD AT FULL PRICE $750,000!!!

Tarpon Springs Waterfront Luxury Home Sold – Whitcomb Point
322 Manatee Ln– Tarpon Springs Waterfront Home
Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $569,500 and SOLD BY US at $520,000 in just 44 days!!!

Oldsmar Luxury Home Sold – East Lake Woodlands
2084 Diamond Ct – Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $500,000 and SOLD BY US at $445,000 in just 188 days!!!

Palm Harbor Luxury Home Sold – Pipers Meadow
687 House Wren Cir – Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $320,000 and SOLD ABOVE FULL PRICE at $321,000 in JUST 9 DAYS!!!

 Countryside Luxury Home Sold – Landmark Woods
2854 Glen Hollow Dr. – Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $333,000 and SOLD BY US at 320,000 in just 41 DAYS!!!

Palm Harbor Luxury Home Sold – Pinnacle at Cobb’s Landing
Short Sale –Another Seller Saved From Foreclosure
2277 Pinnacle Cir N- Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $275,000 and SOLD ABOVE FULL PRICE at $287,300 in JUST 62 DAYS!!!

Holiday Waterfront Luxury Home Sold – Bailey’s Bluff Estates
2112 Bayou Dr. – Previously listed with 2 other firms for 272 DAYS- NO SALE
Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $299,900 and SOLD BY US at 270,000 in just 30 DAYS!!!

Tarpon Springs Home Sold – Shadowlake Village at Woodfield
962 Cobblestone Ln – Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $275,000 and SOLD BY US at 271,000 in just 5 DAYS!!!

Safety Harbor Home Sold – North Bay Hills
37 Osprey St – Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $250,000 and SOLD AT FULL PRICE $250,000 !!!

Tampa Home Sold – Richmond Place
8129 Brinegar Cir. – Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $250,000 and SOLD BY US at $248,900 in just 29 DAYS!!!

Palm Harbor Home Sold – Hidden Meadows
Short Sale –Another Seller Saved From Foreclosure
2284 Hidden Meadows Dr – Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $150,000 and SOLD BY US at $142,000 in just 79 DAYS!!!

Largo Home Sold – Central Park Estates
339 Andrea Dr. – Previously listed with another firm for 284 DAYS- NO SALE
Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $135,000 and SOLD AT FULL PRICE $135,000 in just 18 DAYS!!!

Tarpon Springs Home Sold – Florida Oaks
1033 Rosetree Ln. – Previously listed with another firm for 335 DAYS- NO SALE
Listed by the Gary & Nikki Team at $125,000 and  SOLD AT FULL PRICE $125,000 in just 36 DAYS!!!

Homes Sold To Our Buyers

North Redington Beach Waterfront TownHome Sold –Tides Village Yacht Basin
139 Yacht Club Cir #139 – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!!
ANOTHER LUXURIOUS WATERFRONT HOME SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $429,000!!!

Tampa Waterfront Home Sold – Mandolin/West Chase Area
11726 Gothic Ln – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!!
ANOTHER LUXURIOUS PONDFRONT Home in TAMPA SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $380,000!!!

Odessa Luxury Golf Course Home Sold – Turnbury at the Eagles
16105   Turnbury Oak Dr. – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!!
ANOTHER ODESSA LUXURY GOLF COURSE HOME SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $349,900!!!

Lutz Lakefront Short Sale Home Sold – Cambridge Cove
2237 Shirecrest   Cove Way- WE HELPED THE BUYER BUY THIS SHORT SALE!!
ANOTHER LUTZ LAKEFRONT SHORT SALESOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $299,900!!!

Palm Harbor Home Sold – Hidden Lake
2684 Rolling Oaks   Dr - WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!!
ANOTHER PALM HARBOR HOME SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $250,000!!!

Palm Harbor Short Sale Home Sold – Eniswood 1144 Eniswood Parkway -
WE HELPED THE BUYER BUY THIS SHORT SALE!!
ANOTHER PALM HARBOR SHORT SALE HOME SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $219,000!!!

Seminole Home Sold –Boca Ciega Ridge
12232 Imperial Dr. - WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!!
ANOTHER SEMINOLE HOME SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $239,000!!

Clearwater Home Sold – College Hill Estates
764 Ruskin Rd – WE BROUGHT THE BUYER!!
ANOTHER CLEARWATER HOME LISTED & SOLD BY THE GARY & NIKKI TEAM at $170,000!!

What sets The Team above other agents when it comes to selling this many homes?

First and foremost, they are a TEAM. With specialists trained in helping clients buy, sell and close, they bring the power of group achievement to each and every real estate transaction. Combine this team strength with continuous training,  specialized certifications in short sales and luxury home marketing and you have a team that is among the leading REALTORS® in Tampa Bay on your side.

What is the most important thing a seller should look for when hiring a real estate agent to sell their house? We are often asked this question. Is it the size of the company they are licensed with? Is it their marketing program? Their years experience in the business? Should you choose the agent who suggests the highest listing price?

There are many things that should be taken into consideration when hiring someone and giving them the responsibility for selling your home. In our opinion, the most important question you can ask a potential listing agent is a simple one:

Do you truly believe that now is a good time to buy a home?

Why should this matter when hiring someone to SELL your home? Buyers are nervous about purchasing right now. They want to know they are making an intelligent choice. We believe, especially in today’s market, you need to hire someone who realizes that this is one of the best times in American real estate history to buy. If an agent doesn’t believe that, how will they be able to convince a potential buyer to buy your home?

When interviewing a real estate professional, ask them to explain why purchasing a home makes sense today. They should be able to explain it simply and effectively. See how many of the following facts (which should be shared with every potential purchaser) the agent knows:

The Wall Street Journal last week stated:

“With home sales starting to improve, and with prices now possibly forming a bottom, real estate could well be the asset class that represents the best low-risk buying opportunity out there today.”

Donald Trump was just quoted saying:

“I’m pretty sure this is a great time to go out and buy a house. And if you do, in 10 years you’re going to look back and say, ‘You know, I‘m glad I listened to Donald Trump’.”

John Paulson, a multibillionaire hedge fund operator and the investment genius who made a killing betting against housing a few years ago, is now bullish on residential real estate market. He recently said:

“If you don’t own a home, buy one. If you own one home, buy another one. If you own two homes, buy a third. And, lend your relatives the money to buy a home.”

A recent Gallup Poll showed that 67% of American’s think that now is a ‘good time’ to buy a home. The Gallup Organization went on to say:

“Overall, there is good reason for most Americans to think now is a good time to buy a house. Interest rates remain near historic lows. Home prices are down sharply, providing many incredible buys.”

The iconic financial paper in this country, the country’s most famous real estate investor, the most successful prognosticator of the housing market and 2/3 of all Americans say now is the time to buy a home. Shouldn’t your agent agree?

Bottom Line

Selling is nothing more than the transference of conviction. How can agents transfer that conviction if they themselves are not convinced? Find a listing agent who truly believes that someone should buy your home – TODAY! This is the single most important thing you should look for in a potential listing agent.

Thinking of selling? Call The Gary & Nikki Team Today – The sooner you call, the faster you can sell your home: 727-787-6995