Coming soon in Winston Trails

For those of you who are interested in purchasing a home in Winston Trails (or if you know someone who is) we will soon be marketing a pristine Cairo model (3 bedroom/2 bath/approx 1900 sq ft a/c) lakefront, perfectly maintained.

If you would like to set up a private, early, viewing please email me here

Thank you for reading!

Steve & Jackie Jackson

And the Jackson Realty Group

Watch out for post-Irma scams

Some of the following info is from Jason Hanson: Spy Escape and Evasion


With Irma looking like it may have a major impact on our area, the warnings below that were disseminated to hurricane Harvey victims are pertinent to us now:

Top 3 Scams to Watch Out for After Hurricane Irma

 

 

Unfortunately, after an incident such as a major hurricane, criminals will try to take advantage of those who are vulnerable and desperate by scamming them.

 

This is why I want to cover the top 3 scams to be on the lookout for if you happen to find yourself in a disaster situation…

 

1) Donations- From TV stations to churches and everything in between, many different organizations seek donations to help those affected by natural disasters. The problem is, some thieves will also ask for donations and pretend to be part of a relief organization such as the American Red Cross.

 

 

The key is to look out for signs of deception such as the donation collector being very pushy or constantly calling you.

 

If you want to donate money you should personally do so to a church or person you trust or directly to a well-known relief organization.

 

 

2) Identity Theft- As you know, after a natural disaster there is an enormous amount of government aid provided to those who have been affected.

 

Sadly, scammers know this and will use this information to call the victims of the disaster and pretend to represent FEMA or other federal agencies.

 

 

In other words, they will call victims and ask for their personal information such as date of birth, and social security number. If they have this along with a name and address they can use this information to steal identities.

 

 

The best way to avoid being a victim of identity theft is to never give out your social security number over the phone and to contact government relief agencies directly.

 

Plus, if you don't have them already you should place a credit freeze on your credit report with the three main credit bureau companies.

 

After a devastating experience, the last thing you need is to be scammed when you think you are actually receiving help to rebuild your life.

 

3) Home Repairs- Even before you get back to your home after a disaster you may be contacted or see repairmen working in your neighborhood.

 

The thing is, fraudsters will actually travel into the damaged area and look for people who need help rebuilding or fixing their home.

 

 

The way it works is these so-called repairmen will give you an estimate on the work needed and they will ask you to give them a deposit. Typically, they will ask for a deposit to reserve your spot on their work list.

 

They may schedule your repairs for a few days away and then when the time comes they are long gone.

 

These types of criminals will work their way through the entire damaged area and try to scam as many people as possible before hitting the road and getting out of town.

 

 

Most importantly, if you return to your home and are approached by pushy repairmen you should avoid letting them work on your home. Simply tell them you are assessing the damage before doing anything else.

 

 

The best way to be certain that you are hiring a legitimate repair person, even if your insurance company isn’t covering all the repairs, is to ask them for a list of approved contractors in your area.

 

And, don't forget to ask for a signed contract of the expected work and never pay the full amount up front.

 

 

The bottom line is, a natural disaster can bring out the best of humanity with people helping one another… but, it will also bring out the worst, so please watch out for scams.

 

Stay safe,

 

Jason Hanson

Steve and Jackie Jackson

The Jackson Group

REMAX Direct

A (possibly boring) analysis of sales activity and statistics for Winston Trails

Since I have been selling in Winston Trails (the past 19 years) the months when school is out have always been the peak selling season here. Since we are zoned in all A-rated schools our buyer demographic is typically families with school age (or soon to be) children...and they move from the beginning of June until mid August. SO lets look at what has been happening in Winston Trails recently.

The previous 90 days have seen 27 sales. During the same period last year (SPLY) there were 40 closed sales. that's a 33% drop year over year. Are we seeing a softening in the market? Perhaps...time will tell.

Lets go out and look at year-to-date figures: 43 sales this year compared to 52 sales SPLY...a 17% drop year over year.

Lets try to figure out why the sales have dropped in 2017 as compared to 2016.

2016: The average listed price (SPLY) was $340,044 with the average sales price being $328,988 and the median listed price was $335,000 with the median sales price as $325,000

2017: The average listed price this year is $357,156 with this years average sales price as $346,469. The median list price this year is $379,900 with the median sales price as $367,500.

If we look at the MEDIAN (midpoint) sales price SPLY to 2017, our prices are up over 13%! Average prices are up 5.31%.

Next, if we look at average mortgage interest rates for top-tier borrowers...not a significant change.

• 3.57 percent rate in June 2016
• 3.75 percent rate in June 2017

This small rise in rates would equate to a $35 increase in monthly principle and interest on a $350,000 loan.From this, I don't believe that the mortgage rate is a factor. 

BUT...if we start to look at the average sales price and interest rates compared, the monthly payment has increased $104 (P & I) YOY. This could be the deterrent that is slowing sales, especially if income/wages are not keeping pace.

The above is just a small part of the information analysis that a top-tier agent should do and discuss with their clients. Most agents will discuss comparable sales (comps) without any discussion , knowledge, or analysis of trends...that is worthless. 

You won't see us joining the commission rate "race to the bottom". We consider ourselves the best at what we do, and we will put more money in your pocket because of our extensive knowledge and experience. 

I hope you enjoyed the above short Winston Trails trend discussion. If you'd like to reach out to me for anything real estate related, give me a call at 561 602 1258 or shoot me an email

Thanks for reading,

Steve Jackson

The Jackson Group

ReMax Direct

Next to Winn Dixie just outside our gates

Winston Trails Easter Egg Hunt!

We're happy to announce that Firehouse Creamery https://www.facebook.com/Firehousecreame... will be joining us for our Easter Egg Hunt event. Swing by their truck to purchase some refreshing ice cream and delicious snacks.

Join us for a FREE, fun event for the whole family at the first Easter Egg Hunt Hosted by The Greens Village.

Children up to age 12 can hunt for fun-filled Easter eggs (by age group):
• Kids 2 and under - 10:15 am
• Kids 3-5 - 10:45 am
• Kids 6-9 - 11:15 am
• Kids 10-12 - 11:45 am

Enjoy games and prizes, and of course, visit with the Easter Bunny! 

Event to take place next to The Greens swimming pool. RSVP to thegreensvillagehoa@gmail.com with the number of children attending.

Last 90 days of Winston Trails home sales

There were 19 total sales in Winston Trails in the past 90 days.
December had 10 sales
January had 3 sales
February has had 6 sales to date
1 of the sales was a short sale (6276 Grand Cypress/Nairobi on the golf course)

Thanks for reading the Winston Trails sales update. Call or email if you have any questions.
Steve Jackson
The Jackson Realty Group
The "REAL" Winston Trails Specialist
Selling Winston Trails since the construction trailer was up!

Rental homes in Winston Trails

Seeing as how Winston Trails is zoned for all A-rated schools, the demand for rental homes is always very high. So high in fact that as of today...there are NO Winston Trails homes available for rent!

So, if you are considering renting your Winston Trails home or know of someone who has a vacant Winston Trails home...please give me a call or send me an email. It is obviously a great time to have a home for rent in Winston Trails.

Thanks for reading!

Steve Jackson

The Jackson Realty Group

"Selling (and renting) Winston Trails since the construction trailer was up"!

561 432 5202

Real Estate Taxes...the next housing crisis?

Are you making the best choice by selecting the 'cheapest' agent?

Over my career I have run across numerous potential clients that have used an erroneous method in determining which agent should assist them in selling their home. They have hired based upon 1 question:
1) What do you charge?

Just this past week was a perfect example of why this method of hiring can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in the end.

A beautiful Venice model with a resort-like pool area was listed by a discount broker a few months ago. Now I am sure that after meeting with this discount broker in June and hearing that their home should be marketed for over $450,000 with the added benefit of paying half the commission that other brokers may charge that these seller were excited and most likely making plans for the expected proceeds for a sale near that price.



Well, there is a sad, but common, ending to this story...the home finally sold last week; for $70,000 less than the original asking price! This much of a price discount is nearly unprecedented in the post-real-estate-collapse years in our community. 

That commission savings hiring criteria probably doesn't seem like such a good choice now.

Some other, simple hiring questions would have most likely saved these sellers a lot of disappointment and financial distress. Questions such as:
1) In the past 12 months, how many of your clients have cancelled their agreements with you?
2) What makes you the best agent to sell a home in Winston Trails? (other than being the cheapest)
3) How long have you/your partner had a real estate license?
4) How long has your company been in business?
And there are many more factors other than "how much do you charge"? that are pivotal in the sale of a home.

It boils down to this: When an agent has no other compelling value to offer, they MUST charge less.

We have been selling in Winston Trails since the construction trailer was up and have sold almost 500 Winston Trails homes. If you feel that it would benefit you to consult with us prior to selling your home, please call us at 561 432 5202 or email us.

A recent sale of ours in Winston Trails

We recently sold this beautiful Paris model.
It was located in La Gorce on an oversized golf front lot.
We were able to sell this home at full market value for $440,000

These clients were extremely happy as we were able to coordinate the sale of their Winston Trails home with the purchase of their new home!

We are really good at what we do...and especially so in Winston Trails. If you are considering a sale of your home you really should take the time to meet with us..call us at 561 432 5202 or Email us

We are now marketing this Willow model in Winston Trails

To set up a private viewing on this property please call 

561 432 5202 or email us.

Sherbrooke Estates property that we are proud to be marketing

10113 Calumet Ln from Picture It Sold on Vimeo.

Recent Sales in Winston Trails

Below are Winston Trails homes sold in the past 3 months

If you would like any further information on a Winston Trails sale, pending sale, or on-the-market property please contact me at 561. 602. 1258 or Email us

17 Winston Trails homes were sold over the previous 90 days, mapped below

We'll detail the sales from the lowest to highest sales prices:

1. $218,000: Muirfield Village Circle, Copenhagen, cash sale...complete rehab required
2. $225,000: Green Island Drive, London model, cash sale
3. $242,500: Green Island Circle, London model, cash sale
4. $250,000: Green Island Blvd, Montreal model, lakefront, conventional mtg sale
5. $256,500: Newport Village Way, Concorde model...completely remodeled, FHA mtg sale
6. $277,000: Barton Creek Circle, Nairobi model, conventional mtg sale
7. $278,000: La Gorce Circle, Casablanca model, conventional mtg sale
8. $287,000: Barton Creek Circle, Nairobi model, VA mtg sale
9. $300,000: Prairie Dunes Village Circle, Copenhagen model, pool, FHA mtg sale
10. $312,000: Prairie Dunes Village Circle, Cairo model, lakefront, remodeled, conventional
11. $325,000: Astoria Drive, Lexington model, pool, golf front, conventional 
12. $325,000: Lake Nona Pl., Nairobi model, conventional
13. $360,000: Lake Shore Village Circle, Venice model, pool, 3 car garage, conventional
14. $365,000: Wedgewood Village Circle, Aspen model, top-to-bottom remodel, conventional
15. $365,000: Indian Forest Circle, Venice model, lakefront, remodeled interior, conventional
16. $414,000: Royal Birkdale Circle, Sydney model, pool, 3 car garage, golf front, conv.
17. $425,000: Old Medinah Circle, Sydney model, pool, 3 car garage, golf front, conv.

Steve and Jackie Jackson have sold almost 500 Winston Trails homes...selling (and living in) Winston Trails since the construction trailer was up!

Thanks for taking the time to read our Winston Trails blog.

Steve Jackson

New to the market

 

Winston Trails, 6870 Lake Nona Pl., virtual tour

 

 

Please call me at 561.602.1258 if you know someone who may be interested in this unique home!

Steve Jackson

Check this lot out!

Winston Trails, Lake Nona cul-de-sac property now available…

 

 

   

Move-in condition, 4 bedroom Nairobi model on one of the biggest lots in Winston Trails!

A yard like this is a rarity in Winston Trails. You may not have the opportunity to get a lot like this for years! Biggest lot available in Winston Trails! Real estate value is primarily about location and this one is great! Private cul-de-sac spot...Big roofed and screened patio maximizes your enjoyment of this wonderful yard...one side of your back yard fronts a canal and the other fronts a park-area/playground. New A/C, Tile and laminate flooring...Accordion shutters...move-in condition. Asking price: $335k

Call me directly for a private viewing: 561.602.1258

Thanks for reading…Steve Jackson, The Jackson Group

Our newest client marketing video, Winston Trails former model home

 

If you think your home should be marketed like this…please give me a call at 561.602.1258

or email me at email link

Thanks..Steve Jackson

Protecting the consumer?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau just (Oct 3rd) instituted new regulations affecting the closings of every home sold via a mortgage…and, as is expected when the govt. gets involved with something these new regulations are making it harder and more complex on the consumers.
In short, some of the hardships and delays that will be caused by this are: longer closing times, no more simultaneous/consecutive closings, unplanned closing delays, just to name a few.
It is called TRID…and below is some information disseminated to us on the subject.



What information should the parties be given about TRID?
All parties in a real transaction must adapt to these changes. As soon as practical, the fact that the loan process will take more time and probably be more cumbersome, at least at first, should be communicated to the parties.
The Mortgage Banker's Association has created a document, Changes to the Mortgage Disclosures and Closing Process, that's designed for buyers and can be provided by you to help familiarize them with the "new normal" loan process.
Additionally, buyers should be advised that requested changes or underwriting decisions made late in the transaction could delay the closing.


Negotiate longer periods of time for transactions
Experts are advising real estate licensees to build more time into the contract for buyers to obtain loan approval and longer periods of time to close the transaction when TRID applies. The lenders must follow a lot of new rules, and new loan processing could take more time than it did in the past, at least at first.


Negotiate shorter periods of time for contract details
Because closing agents need information earlier than they did before in order for lenders to prepare and deliver the Closing Disclosure, consider requiring inspections, repairs, evidence of title and surveys to be completed and delivered earlier in the process.


Communicate earlier in the process
Talk with the closing agent as early as possible about costs, expenses, credits, etc., needed to prepare the Closing Disclosure. The closing agent must provide the closing numbers to the lenders at least two weeks before closing in order for the lenders to prepare the buyer's Closing Disclosure on time. This also holds true for any contract amendments. Get them to the lender as soon as they're fully executed.


Earlier walk-throughs
Many people have suggested that the parties would benefit from providing an earlier walk-through of the property to confirm needed repairs have been made. This could theoretically avoid last-minute repairs or contract amendments, credits, etc.This will require the likelihood of two walk-throughs, with the second one still occurring the day before/of closing to confirm the condition of the property.


Avoid simultaneous closings
The concern: This will involve multiplying by two the anticipated complexities TRID will likely cause, and the second transaction may fail if the first closing does not occur.


CLOSING
Preparation and delivery of buyer's Closing Disclosure
When a buyer is using a lender, the lender prepares the buyer's side of the new Closing Disclosure. The buyer must receive this document three business days before the scheduled consummation of the transaction (before the buyer becomes obligated on the loan).
For purposes of providing the Closing Disclosure, a business day is any day except Sundays and federal holidays. Where the lender is either emailing or mailing the Closing Disclosure to the buyer, it must be done 7 days in advance of the closing to meet TRID's delivery requirements.


Last minute changes that require a new 3-day waiting period
Under TRID, if the loan product changes, a prepayment penalty is added or the APR changes (as defined by TRID) after a Closing Disclosure has been delivered to a buyer, then the Closing Disclosure must be corrected and a second (new) three day re-disclosure period must pass prior to the buyer becoming obligated to the loan.


Last-minute changes that should not require a new waiting period
Some other changes can be made to the Closing Disclosure without creating a new three-day waiting period if the lender is willing to fund the loan.


Seller's Closing Disclosure
The closing agent prepares the seller's Closing Disclosure, submits it to the lender for review, and the lender ultimately gives it to the seller.
Reminder: It's more likely you'll review a closing statement (probably not the Closing Disclosure) the closing agent prepares for the parties to sign at closing, and from which the closing agent actually disburses. You are encouraged to speak to the closing agents you work with in your markets to confirm their plan on using a closing statement – and their intent to share them with you.


The above are only a few of the new requirements/changes that are now in place.


If your home is for sale or you are considering selling your home (or you are buying a home) MAKE SURE that your agent is aware of all TRID related requirements and possibilities for delays.


Thanks for reading,
Steve Jackson
561.602.1258, Email me

Gimmick brokers can be verrrry expensive!

• “If you buy a house from me…I will sell your house for free”!
• “If we don’t sell your house…we’ll buy it ourselves”!
• “We’ll list your house and only take 1%”!
• “__________________________________”! (fill in the blank yourself)

Just reported as sold today, a home in Golfview Village that was listed by a “gimmick” broker…Nice 2 story house on the lake…big yard…asking price: $310,000…sold price: $260,000!

Unbelievable! This unfortunate seller…they thought they’d be smart and save money on commissions by hiring a gimmick company. But boy…did they end up paying.

A properly consulted, marketed, represented, and negotiated Winston Trails home sale will be at about 96-97% of asking, this poor home seller got less than 86% of what they were planning on!

There is a reason we have sold almost 500 Winston Trails homes, have been selling in here since the construction trailer was up, and continue to get referrals from past Winston Trails clients. Meet with us if you’re thinking of selling…there really is no substitute for the extensive experience we have.

Thanks for reading!

Steve Jackson

561 602 1258

email me

A Nation of renters

From the insightful Dr. Housing Bubble blog:

What a difference a decade can make.  Over the last two decades the number of U.S. households has grown by 25 percent.  But the growth has come in two distinctive waves.  Between 1995 and 2005 nearly all of this growth came in the form of new homeowners.  However, the subsequent decade saw something very different.  Most of household growth between 2005 and 2015 has come in the form of renter households.  It should come as no surprise that new home buying still remains weak.  With this new trend unfolding, it shouldn’t come as a shock that multi-unit permits are surging as builders place their bets on rental Armageddon.  While a few people can’t wait to dive into mega debt for a crap shack, others are simply renting either out of necessity or by choice.  In fact, renting over the last decade has been the choice many have made (out of necessity or free will) contrary to the crap shack enthusiasts trying to talk up their poorly built piece of junk as some kind of diamond in the rough.  Builders with deep pockets are betting on a continuation of the rental trend.  It should also be no surprise that this decade saw a major surge of the “single family home” as rental unit.

Two decades with two different stories

We have witnessed continued household growth in the U.S.  Household formation has increased by 25 percent over the last 20 years.  However, each half of the last 20 years has seen growth come from two very distinct categories.

The homeownership boom followed by the renter boom:

The chart above is as clear as day.  You have the last hurrah leading to peak homeownership followed by a massive shift to renting as millions upon millions of Americans lost their homes to foreclosure.  You need to remember what this has done to consumer psychology.  Never in our lifetime have we witnessed a countrywide housing bubble.  Housing before this recent crash never suffered one year of negative price growth.  Not one.  So this put a major dent into the untouchable perception of housing as a sure bet.  It also didn’t help that over 7 million Americans actually lost their home to foreclosure.  We now have a nice group of revisionists talking about these people “strategically walking away” but in reality, this was a small subset.  The majority lost their home because when the economy contracted, cut wages and lost jobs couldn’t cover the mortgage payment.  Research has shown that people will prioritize debt payments in crisis and housing gets pushed up to the top of importance.  So losing a home is a big deal and certainly most people lost it for this obvious reason.  But you have to live somewhere.  Where did these people go?

A large part of the single family home inventory got sucked up in the investor orgy to convert them into rentals.  This took an already low supply of homes and made it lower.  And builders simply did not build new homes in large quantities because new home sales continue to be pathetic:

Why not build new homes if supply is so low?  The answer is clear and that is new potential households have weaker wages and new homes cost more.  Why would builders construct an expensive product when the demand based on household income is for rentals?  It is also the case that younger households watching mom and dad stressing their minds our to make the mortgage payment has left an indelible memory on their mind.  Homeownership isn’t all that it is cracked up to be.  Millennials certainly don’t have the taste for home buying like the Taco Tuesday baby boomer generation…People simply can’t afford to buy even with the Fed holding rates near zero.

Very low inventory in Winston Trails

19 homes!

Excluding foreclosures, there are only 19 homes on the market in Winston Trails today…and only 1 larger than 2400 sq. ft.! (there are 4 distressed sales). That is out of more than 1800 homes. Inventory has not been this low in quite a while.

If you have one of the larger homes in Winston Trails and are thinking about selling…now may be a good time. Typically the buyer traffic slows down after school starts, but there are always buyers interested in purchasing a home in our community. We are blessed to be in A rated school districts from elementary through high school…that continues to makes our community desirable to the family demographic.

We had a very good summer in here, with prices maintaining their gains and days on market falling. Since the beginning of our community, the variations in sales activity have been extremely predictable…but even with a bit of a slower time ahead of us, the low inventory, especially of the larger homes, bodes well for sellers.

Thanks for reading!

And give me a call or send me an email with any questions about our market in Winston Trails.

Steve Jackson

561.602.1258

Your Neighborhood REMAX…Right across the street next to Winn Dixie

Winston Trails HOA

Winston Trails Homeowners,

There is a Winston Trails Foundation, Inc. Board of Director Meeting scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2015 at 7PM.  The meeting will be held at the Swim & Racquet Center.  The agenda will include approval of the seal coat proposals for 2015, Channel 63, and possibly approval of the repair work for the pool at the Swim & Racquet Center.  Sign-In will start at 6:30 PM and homeowners may be required to show photo identification.  All homeowners are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Helping my Winston Trails neighbors protect themselves from property fraud

According to the FBI, property and mortgage/property fraud is the fastest growing white-collar crime in the US.

Criminals file fake deeds making it appear that they own homes they actually have no ownership interest in. They can then defraud potential tenants or buyers out of money by renting out the house they don’t own or actually selling a house they don’t own!

Below I have included a link that gives you the ability to receive notification should anyone file/record a document in Palm Beach County using your name (or your business name). This is a free service!

Keeping an eye on your property records is one important way to protect yourself from fraud.

PBC Fraud Alert

Thanks for reading my blog.

Steve Jackson, REMAX 360

561 602 1258

eMail me

Hire the wrong agent because of postcards?

I live in Winston Trails and I get a real estate postcard from this one agent at a rate of about 1/week! Owners see that and must think…”she must be good”…and can then end up like the poor sellers below who will wonder why nobody is looking at their beautiful Winston Trails POOL home.

When a buyer or agent does a search for a pool home in Winston Trails…this will be invisible.

I have found that when an agent has a ‘big team’, things like this happen and fall through the cracks. The ‘big team’ agents sometimes won’t even come out to the initial appointment, instead sending a “specialist’ (what make them a specialist?), they tend to be ‘numbers driven’, not customer service driven, passing off almost all communications and processes to newbies. I have heard of one agent who does not even give clients her cell phone number!

Just be careful who you hire to sell your home…what you don’t know can hurt you badly.

 

Thanks for reading my blog!

Steve Jackson

561 602 1258

Email Steve

Winston Trails Home Coming To The Market SOON!

A pristine, move-in-condition, Paris model on a big, interior lot will be coming to the market in the next week. It is a true 5 bedroom (not the model with a loft), granite, stainless…It will be offered at $350,000.

There is a great deal of competition this time of year for the larger homes…so if you or someone you know has an interest in this type of home in Winston Trails, have them call me at 561 602 1258 and get the opportunity to see this home before it hits the MLS.

 

Winston Trails residents…an open letter from Comcast

Dear Fellow Presidents, Board Members, and Residents

You all know me as the Comcast guy.  I am the Regional Manager for Comcast Bulk Services in Palm Beach County. I am also a long term resident of WT (17 years) and have the privilege of serving Bermuda Dunes Village as its Association President.  I do my best to attend all Foundation meetings and contribute, as needed, in a positive and professional manner.

Upon receiving and reading the Foundation letter sent to residents this week about our bulk cable services, I am shocked and dismayed by the false and misguided statements made about Comcast's technical capabilities (Coaxial vs. Fiber Optics) and the proposal to WT to continue to be the provider of choice for our residents.  It is now clear that the "Cable Committee", consisting of just two members..Brad Bastien and Guy Buzelli, have unilaterally decided on the merits of Hotwire's offering WITHOUT allowing Comcast to respond with its own competitive value proposition.  It appears that the "Committee", was motivated from the beginning of the negotiations to "get rid of Comcast".  They did not negotiate in good faith and filtered information to the board that led them to agreeing to switch to Hotwire.

Getting the facts straight:

The section of the Foundation letter comparing Coax Cable and Fiber Optic is wrought with mis-information and lacks any level of credible technical claims.  It's obvious the statements made (see below) are written to pander to ignorance and fears about the future of content distribution to end users. Such fear and ignorance is a cornerstone of ill-fated decisions made in haste and lacking proper scrutiny.  After all, isn’t the real challenge of content providers today and into the future to deliver content to all consumer devices, not just TV's in the home? TV’s now stand in the company of smart phones, lap tops and tablets. It’s a fact, and our children and grandchildren prove it every day, that our lives today and tomorrow revolve around our ability to access content Anywhere, Any time, and via Any device.  This ability should be hallmarks by which we consumers measure a provider’s capability and value.

So allow me to respond to the statements made in this section of your letter:

1. "Our current TV service is provided ... through a coaxial cable system which was installed at the time WT was built over 20 years ago."

A statement like this infers that the system built then has never been maintained, repaired or upgraded.  That the cable is "old" and thus cannot accommodate today's demands for data and content.

Fact:  Over the years, Comcast has operated a robust and technically superior cable system as required by its cable franchise and FCC specifications.  It is NOT a coax only system.  It is a Hybrid Fiber Coax  (HFC) system containing both Fiber and Coax.  AS for WT, the many Fiber Nodes within WT are engineered to scale signal and data capacity many times over.  Over the years, the coax segments under our streets and through our neighborhoods (spans) have been replaced, repaired and/or upgraded as needed to ensure delivery of the full portfolio of Comcast services offered.  Yes that includes High Definition TV on all TV’s throughout the house, Telephone service, Home Security, and the fastest Internet available.  Here's a fact not to ignore:  Comcast currently has almost 80% of WT homes as Internet subscribers.  Yes, that means well over 1500 homes in WT are COMCAST Internet subscribers…all delivered via Comcast’s HFC system.  How could it be that Comcast’s facilities are old and “obsolete” when so many of our neighbors are being served today the broad array of advanced products and services?

2. "This technology (Coax) has been around for over 30 years, is obsolete and has no room for expansion or upgrading.  The Coaxial signal is shared by all users…"

Fact: Coax delivers with no problem any and all broadband services today and WELL into the future.  COAX IS NOT OBSOLETE!!!  It is a highly capable medium to technically serve as a backbone of many company and government networks.  Coax is still widely relied upon, in conjunction with fiber, to serve the bandwidth needs of our society.  Also, the signals delivered to each household in WT are NOT shared.  Each house, depending on its cable subscriptions, is provisioned with the required bandwidth to deliver its subscribed services.  One household’s use is exclusive and independent of its neighbors.

3. “Fiber Optic technology is the latest and greatest…”

Fact: Fiber has served major network carriers, including Comcast, for at least 25 years along with coaxial and other copper mediums to connect end users reliably and efficiently.  Most Service Provider network back bones are fiber driven and while the recent trend is for providers is to extend fiber connections closer to end user devices (i.e. TV’s, Computers, Telephone), quality of service is still in large part contingent on the medium it connects to (inside home wiring).  As the saying goes, “only as strong as the weakest link.”  As for Cat 5E cabling, which is nothing more than copper telephone wire, is no better than coax cabling that connects fiber to end user devices.

Facts about Comcast’s proposal to Winston Trails.

Comcast HAS made it clear to the Cable Committee,” if fiber is what you want then we’ll build it”.  However, the committee expressed their concern about likely disruptions due to property wreck out and the laying of cabling across the community. At the time, the Committee informed Comcast that they would be favorable to a proposal for upgraded services without fiber.  However, since then, the Committee sought no additional proposal from Comcast for Fiber to the Home (FTTH) configuration and went silent on requests for additional information.

FACT:  In the past two years, Comcast have converted large scale communities to FTTH.   All new build communities are now being built with Fiber exclusively.  Existing communities are regularly being reviewed for fiber upgrades. WT is one that Comcast has agreed to UPGRADE>

What to Consider:

Comcast current Bulk Agreement expires April 2017.  Twenty Two months remaining.

Comcast will continue to advance and scale its product line (increasing internet speeds, X1 Video Platform – Emmy Award Winner).  Subscribers will have complete choice of service type and level. Not so with Hotwire. 

Comcast is THE largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the country.  Carrier Class network and leading edge service platform provides the FASTEST internet and Award Winning Video.  Comcast OWNS favorite cable channels and the entire library of content from Universal Studios. Hotwire uses multiple networks for its internet service and is a member of a satellite consortium to resell satellite Video programming.  It owns ZERO content.

Comcast is willing to continue to be the bulk provider of choice in any capacity the community desires as follows:

VIDEO ONLY - continue to serve WT with Basic Digital Video.  Keep rate as low as possible.  Negotiate short term.  Hotwire does not deliver video only.  They MUST HAVE multiple services committed to for LONG TERM – TEN YEARS

DOUBLE PLAY – Upgrade Video to X1 Video Platform.  Add High Speed Internet service.  Competitive pricing and terms vs Hotwire.

Finally, if WT chooses to not bulk with any provider, please know Comcast will continue to provide all its services to residents with promotional offers as it does with thousands of communities across the nation.  Comcast will gladly compete with ANY available provider household by household. Hot wire will NOT build out a network to compete.  They want a guaranteed customer base loaded up with multiple services!!!

DON’T let the Cable Committee (two people) decide for you.!!!!  You have a say as a WT Homeowner and member of the Association.  Let them know you wish to stay with a provider that is an industry leader, abundant with service options and  price bundles, proven long term reliability, Disaster recover expertise, along with award winning products and services.  Please let your thoughts and opinions be heard at the Tue June 9^th meeting.  See you there.

Best Wishes

Vince Friscia

Housing Bubble 2.oh?

Submitted by Mark Hanson

Speechless: The Kardashian’s are now house flippers

“No more neighbors, friends whose past Real Estate experience is renting an apartment or buying a starter house, or stay-at-home moms flipping houses locally;  young, flamboyant Realtors on reality, cable TV shows selling multi-million dollar trophy properties to those from abroad with briefcases of cash that until this year bought a lot relative to the ‘weak’ US dollar;  20-something Silicon-kids paying $2,000/sq ft for a house they could buy 20 miles away for $500;  large, institutional private equity firms buying 10s of thousands of single-family houses for rental purposes — sight unseens using computer programs —  thinking a 3% yield is acceptable long-term and somehow, someday economies of scale will emerge;  or individual / “family-style” speculators committing lending fraud at a pace that rivals 2006 chasing their share of the “easy money” in Real Estate, are needed to prove to me that Bubble 2.0 is not just a monster, greater in intensity and energy than Bubble 1.0, but will end the very same way…”

The above is just the opening paragraph for a great post by Mark Hanson…take the time to read the entire (not too long, but extremely important) post here!

If you own a home and are thinking about selling in the near future…you have to read this.

If you are considering getting in on the new ‘HGTV flipping’ craze…you have to read this.

Even if you are a ‘buy and hold’ investor…you have to read this.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Steve Jackson, 561 602 1258

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