Tampa Foreclosure Tours (www.tampaforeclosuretours.com) will be up and running in the coming months, but according to the site’s owner they’re having to release the company’s fan page on Facebook a little prematurely.  Typically, in a business development plan, the fan page would be released alongside the traditional webpage to route the fans from Facebook to the company’s personal website.  In this instance, the Tampa Foreclosure Tours team is bursting at the seams to get started taking Buyers on tours of the Bay Area Foreclosure market, so they are releasing the Facebook fan page TONIGHT!

The Tampa Foreclosure Tour team consists of a group of experienced, motivated, and highly energetic licensed & insured REO (real estate owned; owned by corporations – typically Banks) sales agents with a wide range of expertise covering the entire Tampa Bay Area from as far North as Brooksville all through Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.  Their team has combined for over $20 million dollars in sales volume in 2010, according to their GTAR statistics.

Buyers, whether first timers or seasoned investors, are encouraged to join in on the fun of the Tampa Foreclosure Tours Facebook page, and get scheduled for your first complimentary Foreclosure Tour.  The sales team will be on hand to help get the buyers pre-approved, facilitate purchase contracts for them, and be alongside them throughout the entire offer & closing process, navigating the complex nature that comes along with REO Sales!

If you bought a home and intended to make it your primary and permanent residence, you can claim homestead exemption on this home for a reduction in your annual property tax bills from the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser (HCPAFL).

Rob Turner is the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, and he & his staff have setup a wonderful little website for Tampa residents to be able to review their tax bill, property appraised values, and file for tax exemptions like the homestead exemption.  To file for your exemptions, you should visit the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s website: here.  You will notice, that homestead is not the only exemption you may qualify for!  Here are some other tax exemptions you may qualify for:

• Save Our Homes
• Portability
• Low Income Seniors
• Widow / Widower
• Disability
• Service Connected Disability
• Total & Permanent Disability – Service Connected
• Total & Permanent Disability – Not Service Connected
• Disabled Veteran’s

“5 Reasons to Short Sale Now” – by Brian Lit, Esq., The Lit Law Group, P.A.

1.) Impending Inventory Avalanche: Pending inventory that will be brought by both 90+ day delinquent borrowers and those in default currently, but not yet foreclosed upon, will rise rapidly in 2011.  Florida is in the worst shape with estimates of over 479,000 units of new inventory from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando coming to market in the next 18 months.

2.) Short Sale Approval Speeds: Lenders have streamlined the process of Short Sales, and will work diligently at continuing to improve the way their Short Sales are being handled & ultimately approved.  2011 will be the year of the Short Sale!

3.) New Pressures to Expedite the Foreclosure Process: Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have implemented stiff financial penalties for those lenders & mortgage servicing companies that let the Foreclosure process drag beyond the pre-established timelines set forth.  Foreclosures will happen at a much faster pace in 2011, and beyond.

4.) Your Financial Future: A successful Short Sale is almost certain to be a better option for your financial future than a Foreclosure will be.  Your credit will be able to recover more quickly and you will have no remaining uncertainties for future liabilities that could arise if you were to let the home fall victim to Foreclosure.

5.) Downward Pressure on Pricing Continues: Most economists are predicting that home prices will continue to fall.  The more prices fall, the more upside down you may become, and the more your liability grows.

If you’re a homeowner in the Tampa area and are seeking the possibility of a Short Sale, The Lit Law Group offers free initial consultations, and can get you started for as low as $397 according to an advertisement of theirs I read.  Take a look at the video by Brian called, “Leveraging the Legal Side.”