Vote James D York For Individual Realtor (Southwest Florida Choice Awards)

I need Your Vote for the 2013 Southwest Florida Choice Awards

( Vote under Individual Realtor)

        James D. York, P.A. 

Once again, it’s time for the Southwest Florida Choice Awards. The Naples Daily News recently announced its eleventh annual opportunity to select and honor local businesses that exemplify quality customer service and uphold high business standards that support our local communities. These Readers’ Choice Awards serve a very important function by bringing notice, acclaim, and pride of ownership to the businesses chosen, as well as to our community in general. I would like to urge you to consider voting for me this year in the Real Estate category, as well as supporting your other favorite local business people in other categories. 

During the past year  I have facilitated multiple millions of dollars in sales transactions, giving a much-needed boost to our local economy. In my teaching role, I have helped many people understand why, how, and when to buy real estate, assisted first-time buyers in successfully navigating the complicated and confusing mortgage system, and partnered with many people who feared they would lose their homes to work out modifications so they could keep them.  Besides this column that I write free-of-charge informing people of real estate current events and upcoming changes, I volunteer time on the local real estate board committee. As chair and vice president of the board for the annual Our Mothers Home gala this year, I helped raise over $100,000 to allow this worthy nonprofit organization to continue aiding young mothers in becoming productive members of society while staying with and caring for their own children.  

Voting is quick and simple—just go to www.swflchoiceawards.com between April 29^th and May 12^th, select the Real Estate category, and enter my name under Realtor (Individual). Many thanks!

—James D. York, P.A, is Florida Realtor with Downing Frye Realty. He has 25 years of real estate experience, and is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Florida Association of Realtors, and the local board in Naples (NABOR). He is also a Real Estate Instructor for Adult Education at Collier County Public School, where he teaches a course on Adult Real Estate Community Education. Visit Mr.York's website WWW.NaplesYorkRealEstate.Com for current M.L.S. listings of properties for sale in Naples, Marco, Bonita, and Estero, along with listings of short sales and bank-owned homes for sale. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate or have other questions, Mr. York invites you to email or call him at JYorkinFL@cs.com or 239-273-6727.

 

Read More

International buyers in Naples Fl

 ‘Attracting international buyers’

By James D. York, P.A.

You may have heard that Florida has become popular with buyers from all over the world—and it’s true! In fact, some experts say it’s the influx of foreign purchasers that is driving our area’s real estate recovery. 

The numbers speak for themselves. Buyers from other countries accounted for about a fifth of all Florida residential real estate sales in the year ending June 2012. These were some well-heeled buyers too—only about 17% of them acquired a mortgage, the rest paying cash—as compared with 87% of U.S. citizens who use mortgages to purchase residential property.

No doubt, the same assets that bring Americans to our sunny climes—the year-round warm living conditions and the business opportunities—are summoning attention from investors worldwide. They are buying property in the Naples area for vacations and second homes, as well as for investments. 

I recently had the chance to experience this firsthand, with several sales closings that came to me through word-of-mouth. A doctor from France who consults with Arthex, and was therefore familiar with the Naples/Fort Myers area, purchased a home here. I also sold property to a businessman from Brazil who works in the international financial market, and to a husband and wife from Toronto, Canada. They purchased two properties with an eye on investment potential as well. 

Working with foreign buyers takes just the right combination of expertise and experience. One must be able to handle all the issues that arise—from explaining the difference in real estate laws and practices between the U.S. and their country, to having a good attorney on board who understands foreign transactions and can explain the closing documents, to setting up translators if needed. If a mortgage is required, things can get quite complicated, as some lenders require different things from non-U.S. citizens. Buyers definitely need someone with the right experience and go-to people on the team to make their transaction go smoothly. 

What’s good for Florida is good for all of us, and I am happy to be a part of the international market right here at home. If you have any questions about buying or selling, locally or anywhere—just give me a call! 

—James D. York, P.A, is Florida Realtor with Downing Frye Realty. He has 25 years of real estate experience, and is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Florida Association of Realtors, and the local board in Naples (NABOR). He is also a Real Estate Instructor for Adult Education at Collier County Public School, where he teaches a course on Adult Real Estate Community Education. Visit Mr.York's website WWW.NaplesYorkRealEstate.Com for current M.L.S. listings of properties for sale in Naples, Marco, Bonita, and Estero, along with listings of short sales and bank-owned homes for sale. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate or have other questions, Mr. York invites you to email or call him at JYorkinFL@cs.com or 239-273-6727.

Read More

York chairs Gala

 Local Realtor James York Chairs Gala, Raises over $100,000 for Our Mother’s Home—One of the Many Different Ways He Gives Back to the Community 

James York, Real Estate agent with Downing-Frye Realty and York Real Estate Group, is a member of the Naples Board of Realtors as well as Florida and National Associations of Realtors. Jim knows—and lives—the importance of giving back to the community. He serves on local real estate board committees for legal resources, membership, and community and global involvement. Jim has twenty-five years experience as a real estate professional, and has also served his community for the past ten years by offering public educational lectures and seminars on current real estate topics, as well as writing a weekly real estate column for the Naples Daily News.  

Jim is currently Vice President of the Board of Our Mother’s Home, a unique local home for teenage mothers and human trafficking victims and their children. In this warm, nurturing home environment, young women learn to become productive self-sufficient members of society, and to break the foster care-welfare cycle by providing truly better homes for their children.  

Our Mother’s Home provides teen moms with a safe, supportive environment, allowing them to learn life skills and finish their education, while also learning parenting skills and staying with their children. Without this dual opportunity, the statistics would tell the usual sad story: only 33% of teen mothers complete high school; 1.5% earn a college degree by age 30.  Of daughters born to teenage mothers, 22% would become teen moms themselves; 13% of sons would end up in prison. The success rate of Our Mother’s Home in reversing these trends is definitely making an impact in our area, decreasing the number of children in foster care, and increasing the number of productive, self-sufficient young women in our community. OMH raises over half of its own funds, and relies on dedicated volunteers, as well as contributions of funds, commodities, and services.  

As this year’s Chairman of the annual “Hearts of Love Gala,” held on February 16 at the Spring Run Golf Club at the Brooks in Bonita Springs, Jim helped raise over $100,000 for Our Mother’s Home. A new van was also donated for the Home’s use. The evening featured Lindsay Logue of NBC News-2 as master of ceremonies, guest speaker Thomas Monaghan, founder of Ave Maria University and Domino’s Pizza, who spoke on the “5 Top Priorities of Life,” and a live auction and pledges to benefit the Home.  

It’s not too late to contribute to this wonderful cause. Businesses and organizations can further the cause with silver, gold, or platinum VIP sponsorships, and they are always in need of donations of time, money, supplies, and services. Plan now to join Jim and many other community benefactors in helping this nonprofit organization. For more information, visit www.ourmothershome.com or email Jim York: jyorkinfl@cs.com.  

In addition to his work for Our Mother’s Home, Jim co-hosts a seasonal health information show on Comcast cable called “Dialogue with a Doctor.”  Local physicians appearing on the show talk about many different health topics, diseases and disorders, cutting-edge treatments, and new breakthroughs in the medical industry. Be sure to tune in!

Read More

Sorting out the truth about supplements

 Column for the Fort Myers News Press

Sorting out the truth about supplements 

By James D. York

Co-host of Dialogue With A Doctor TV Show 

We all want to maintain good health and feel our best. One of the most important aspects of having a healthy lifestyle is getting proper nutrition. Many people wonder about using dietary supplements to help ensure they’re getting the right nutrients – whether supplements are really necessary, and if so, which ones and in what quantities. 

Teresa Sievers, MD, MSMS, FAARM is an expert in nutritional medicine and the use of dietary supplements. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and undertook formal education at the American Academy of Anti-aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine where she received board certification and an advanced fellowship. She also recently graduated with a Medical Master’s Degree in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine from the University of South Florida. 

It is with these credentials that she brings her expertise on nutrition and the role it plays in promoting good health to Naples residents. Dr. Sievers will be a guest on an upcoming Dialogue With A Doctor episode, where she will talk about healthy eating and the proper use of dietary supplements. She also took the time to answer some common questions about supplements.

Do I really need to take supplements?

Answer: Yes! Supplements are needed even if you are eating a “balanced diet.” This is due to the fact that most of the food we eat lacks proper nutrients because soils are nutritionally depleted, food is artificial ripened, and food travels long distances before consumed and is often overcooked. The most important fact is: most people eat a Standard American Diet (SAD) and thus can’t get the needed nutrients even if it was in the food because they are not eating the proper food.  

Are supplements safe?

Answer: Although supplements are not FDA regulated, the FDA does have the authority to act immediately against any product that poses an imminent hazard. Pharmaceutical drugs are more likely to be harmful: They injure over 1 million people and kill over 100,000 Americans each year in hospitals alone! Supplements have been shown to be safe: death from supplements is 0.0001%/year compared with 5.18%/year from properly prescribed and used prescription medications.  

How can people know what to take?

Answer: People should see doctors who have thorough training beyond medical school, including knowledge of supplements, and potential side effects and drug interactions. Patients should buy supplements from professional grade companies that are available through such doctors rather than buying just anything. There are often a lot of fillers in supplements that affect the efficacy. The conventionally trained doctor does not have this knowledge in their toolbox to offer to patients. They will instead recommend any type, telling patients all supplements are the same. However, this is not true. 

Dr. Sievers will be sharing more of her knowledge and expertise about supplements and proper nutrition on an upcoming episode of Dialogue With A Doctor. Be sure to tune in to learn more about this important topic, and how you can improve your health and wellness.

 

The Dialogue With A Doctor TV show airs Thursday evenings at 7pm on Channel 14 on Comcast Cable. Each show features leading physicians from southwest Florida talking about their specialty, practice, and medical advances in their field. Topics have included preventative medicine, new and pending pharmaceuticals and equipment, breakthroughs in surgical and non-surgical interventions and treatments, along with longevity and aging issues. Hosts of the show are Gregory E. Leach, M.D., M.B.A. and James D.York, P.A. For more information, please send an e-mail to DialogueWithADr@cs.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read More

Real Estate appraisals gone wild?

Naples Daily News

York's column December 9, 2012

‘Appraisals gone wild?’ 

By James D. York, P.A. 

It’s nothing new in the real estate world for homeowners and agents to be unhappy with a property appraisal. But in these economic times with a market still described as uneven—though recovering—some appraisal issues have taken on an even grimmer tone. 

With the high number of properties on the market undergoing foreclosures or short sales, there often is literally nothing local to compare to when a property with equity goes on the market. For example, take Cris Robinson. When her townhouse in Rancho Santa Margarita, California was appraised earlier this year, the appraisal figure was $310,000. Yet a prospective buyer had already offered $317,000. Cris noticed that all the similar houses nearby that were for sale or recently sold were foreclosures or short sales, and many were also “distressed” and needing work, which hers was not. “There wasn’t a single standard sale to compare me with,” said Robinson.  

As we’ve said before, it’s vital to have truly local people working with you to sell your home. If appraisers are not familiar with the neighborhood and area, they may use foreclosures and short sales as “comparable” without making the proper adjustments. This can result in lowball appraisals, angry homeowners—and, at worst, the loss of the sale. A national survey this fall showed one out of three Realtors citing problems related to appraisals in the previous three months, with 11% reporting cancelled contracts, 9% delayed contracts, and 15% contracts finalized at a lower price, due to the appraisal figure. 

Appraisers, on the other hand, say that they do not set a property’s value, but merely reflect it. They do not consider real estate agents or homeowners to be qualified to appraise homes. They also point out that they are the only people involved in real estate transactions who have no stake in property value, or even whether or not it sells. As Sara W. Stephens, president of the Appraisal Institute said recently, “We’re there to protect the public trust… Fundamentally, it does neither the borrower nor lender any good to enter into a mortgage for more than the value of the property.”  

Appraisal appears to be more art than science; or, in any case, it’s definitely not a black and white matter. Some judgment is involved, and appraisers don’t always agree. If you need an appraisal, get some recommendations, and definitely get someone with solid local knowledge. And if you have any questions about your property’s real value, the value of property you’re considering buying—or anything else in the real estate world—just give me a call. 

—James D. York, P.A. is a Florida Realtor with Downing Frye. He has 25 years of experience and is a member of the National Association of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors, and of the local board in Naples (NABOR). He is a Real Estate Instructor at Collier County Public School, where he teaches a course on Adult Real Estate Community Education. Visit Mr. York's website at

www.NaplesYorkRealEstate.com for current MLS homes for sale in Naples, Marco, Bonita, and Estero, along with short sale and bank owned properties. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate or have other questions, Mr. York invites you to email or call him at JYorkinFL@cs.com or 239-273-6727.

 

Read More

Reverse Mortgages

Naples Daily News Column

November 9, 2012 

‘Reverse direction?

By James D. York, P.A. 

You’ve probably seen those ads on TV where a well-known white-haired actor touts reverse mortgages. And you may have wondered, “What exactly is a reverse mortgage?”

Well, in a nutshell, a reverse mortgage is a loan for homeowners at least 62 years old who either own their home free and clear, or have a mortgage balance that can be paid off at closing with some of the loan proceeds. The home’s equity is considered to be the collateral, and no payments are due as long as one of the homeowners lives in and maintains the home.

In fact, with a reverse mortgage, the homeowner can receive money every month, either for as long as they live there, or for a fixed number of years, as agreed at closing. Other options for receiving the loan money are a lump sum at closing or a line of credit, where any amount can be withdrawn at any time until the full loan amount is used. The amount of money loaned in a reverse mortgage depends on the homeowner’s age (here, older is better!), current interest rates, and the appraised value of the home.

Though they might sound similar, there are some significant differences between a reverse mortgage and a home equity loan. Income and credit worthiness requirements are important for home equity loans, but not for reverse mortgages. Home equity loan payments are due to the lender monthly; reverse mortgages make payments to the homeowner. In both cases, however, homeowners must still take care of maintenance, real estate taxes, and insurance.

When the last surviving homeowner dies (or moves out of the home for 12 months or more), the homeowner or estate has 6 months to repay the balance of the reverse mortgage, which is frequently done by selling the home. Any remaining equity goes to the estate. If the home sells for less than the balance due, the loss is the lender’s—the estate is not liable for the remainder of the reverse mortgage repayment.  Nor are any other assets such as investments, second homes, or possessions affected by a reverse mortgage.

Hopefully some of your questions about this unique mortgage have been answered. If you’re considering a reverse mortgage for yourself or a loved one, just give me a call, and we’ll explore the options. Sometimes, life really can be better in reverse.

—James D. York, P.A. is a Florida Realtor with Downing Frye. He has 25 years of experience and is a member of the National Association of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors, and of the local board in Naples (NABOR). He is a Real Estate Instructor at Collier County Public School, where he teaches a course on Adult Real Estate Community Education. Visit Mr. York's website at

www.NaplesYorkRealEstate.com for current MLS homes for sale in Naples, Marco, Bonita, and Estero, along with short sale and bank owned properties. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate or have other questions, Mr. York invites you to email or call him at JYorkinFL@cs.com or 239-273-6727.

 

 

 

Read More

Bankruptcy and the foreclosure dilemma

 Naples Daily News Column for November 2, 2012 

‘Bankruptcy and the foreclosure dilemma’ 

By James D. York, P.A. 

Many hard-working and responsible Americans, and Floridians, have been forced to opt for bankruptcy in these difficult economic times, due to losing a job or other financial issues beyond their control. What happens to their mortgage liabilities in that situation?  

Since bankruptcy removes debt responsibilities, you would expect that the mortgage book would just be closed when a bankruptcy filing is completed. However, some previous homeowners have been shocked to find out that foreclosures on their properties, which took place long after the bankruptcy declaration, still appear on their credit reports and preclude obtaining another mortgage years later.  

What’s going on?  

According to Gary M. Singer, Florida attorney and board-certified expert in real estate law, it’s standard procedure. A bankruptcy filing does relieve a mortgage holder from having to pay back the loan, yes. But you are still the legal owner of the property—a bankruptcy declaration does not automatically transfer ownership of the property to the lender.

A declaration of bankruptcy does, however, allow the bankruptcy trustee to declare the property “abandoned.” This in turn allows the lender to proceed with foreclosure, which they must do in order to get their collateral back. And the wheels of foreclosure grind slowly—the bankruptcy proceedings will show up on your credit report long before the foreclosure will.  

Well, then what? 

Once your finances are back on track, you will probably still have to wait several years after a foreclosure to obtain another mortgage. Underwriting rules for mortgage lenders do vary, though, so shop around—you may just find one with a shorter wait time requirement, albeit likely at a higher interest rate.  

Weigh your options, and if you have any questions about the details, just give me a call, and we can discuss how to best get you back on track for home ownership.  

—James D. York, P.A. is a Florida Realtor with Downing Frye. He has 25 years of experience and is a member of the National Association of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors, and of the local board in Naples (NABOR). He is a Real Estate Instructor at Collier County Public School, where he teaches a course on Adult Real Estate Community Education. Visit Mr. York's website at

www.NaplesYorkRealEstate.com for current MLS homes for sale in Naples, Marco, Bonita, and Estero, along with short sale and bank owned properties. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate or have other questions, Mr. York invites you to email or call him at JYorkinFL@cs.com or 239-273-6727.

 

Read More