Winter Haven News

Seeing the American flag on a front porch is a beautiful sight, but it is also a somber reminder that freedom comes with a high price.

Today, we pause to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives to protect our country and our families. We live under the banner of freedom because of their ultimate sacrifice. May we never take it for granted.

Wishing a meaningful and respectful Memorial Day from my family to yours.

Welcome to 2026! Wishing you a Happy New Year. May it be full of great things!

Merry Christmas from Vicki and me!

It is hard to believe that we are in November already and that we will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. If you don't already do this as a practice, take some time to make a list of everything you have been thankful for over this past year. They could be big items or small items. I think you will find the list is longer than you thought! Vicki and I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! ~ David

Veterans - THANK YOU!

Thank you for showcasing what bravery, courage, sacrifice, and service look like. Thank you for protecting our families and our freedom. We appreciate and honor you.

Happy Veterans Day!

Get ready to return to the days of earlier showing times so you can still see homes in the daylight! (Some people might call that the end of daylight savings… but we know the real truth!)

Time changes on Sunday, and this one is a bit divisive. Some people love the extra hour of sleep that “fall back” brings; some hate the feeling of shorter daylight hours; and some just wish we would pick a time and stick with it! Which category do you fall into?

​Holidays are on the way!

We are finally getting some relief with cooler weather as we go into October. The Holiday months are coming with Thanksgiving in November and then Christmas in December. It is true. November is less than 3 weeks away. By the way, we have no snow in the forecast here in Central Florida. Lol.

If you would like to be in your next home in time for the Holidays, we need to get started sooner than later. It could take a couple of weeks to find your best home once we get started and then another 30 days to close. If we start now, you could experience Thanksgiving in your New Home this year! If that is too soon, there is plenty of time to be in your next home by Christ...

The 2025 Hometown Hero Down Payment Assistance Program is still available for qualifying home buyers. This loan program provides down payment and closing cost assistance. The program was awarded $50 million in August 2025. The grant still has $33 million available as we come to the end of September.

Here are the main requirements:

1. You must be an approved occupation which includes nurses, medical technicians, pharmacists, educational, first responders, law enforcement, child care, military, and veterans.
2. You must be employed full time by a Florida based employer.
3. You must also be a first time homebuyer, or have not owned a home in the last 3 years.

The program provides down payment...

If you find a small pile of pellets in your home stacked together sometimes around a hole in wood or several small wings on a window sill, you may have signs of Drywood Termites. Florida has two types of termites which are Subterranean and Drywood termites. Both of these termites can cause serious damage to your home if left unchecked.

The small pile of pellets is actually refuse from termites as they eat the wood in your home. If you find several small wings without a bug, it may be from a termite as they break off their wings as they infest the wood in your home. Drywood Termites usually fly or swarm into your home. They are more prevalent near oak trees and historic frame homes. But, ...

Here’s to celebrating your hard work with a well-deserved break! Whether you choose to venture to the beach, invite some friends over for a BBQ, or seize the opportunity to take multiple naps… I hope your Labor Day is a good one.

Welcome to my New & Improved Central Florida Real Estate website www.davidshippey.com. Our website has been expanded to all of Central Florida with several new search methods to make your home hunting easier. Be sure to visit www.davidshippey.com and check out these features:

1. Search via interactive map
2. Search by subdivision or community name
3. View all of our Featured Listings across Central Florida
4. Several searches selecting home features like Golfing, Pools, and No HOA
5. Most searches show newest listings first
6. MLS search with exhaustive search field selections
7. Daily search for all Polk County listings
8. Several city searches available on Front Page

My focus or coverage are...

The Hometown Hero Loan Program for 2025 starts on August 18th. This loan program provides down payment and closing cost assistance. The program was awarded $50 million. That seems like a lot but it will go very quickly. If you qualify for this loan program, you should act quickly before funds are depleted.

Some of the approved occupations include nurses, medical technicians, pharmacists, educational, first responders, law enforcement, child care, military, and veterans. If you are not sure if you qualify for this loan program, call me as there is an extensive list of occupations that do qualify. Another requirement is you must be employed full time by a Florida based employer.

The progr...

The question is should I do a Final Walk-Thru of the home I am purchasing before I close or don't waste my time. That is a question many times. But, the answer is easy. YES. You should always do a Final Walk-Thru before you close on a new home. I recommend doing it the day before you close just in case you uncover a potential problem. Doing the Final Walk-Thru the day before often provides enough time to resolve an issue without delaying your closing.

You ask, what could possibly happen? The Final Walk-Thru gives you the opportunity to make sure one last time before you sign on the dotted line that everything is still ok. If you requested repairs, this is the time you verify those repair...

This question comes up often. What is the best type of counter top surface to have in your kitchen? There are a few choices and you may have some more. There are pros and cons on each choice.

Quartz ~ Quartz has become a popular choice for many new home builders. The material is strong, scratch resistant, does not stain, and is not porous. It gives a look of granite in some cases. Quartz does not require a lot of maintenance.

Laminate ~ Laminate or sometimes called formica is in many homes today. The product is durable, easily affordable, not difficult to maintain, and they come in a range of colors and designs to match your kitchen. Just be careful as a knife can scratch the surface.

Lenders use your credit scores to determine your interest rate, maximum purchase power, and loan risk. If you are thinking about buying a home in 2025, make sure you have checked your credit scores. Here are a few suggestions to get you on the right track.

1. Check your credit scores often to make sure there are no negative items. If something shows up, be sure to address it. Don't forget there are 3 credit reporting agencies. Lenders today request all 3 scores. Their process is then to throw out the highest and lowest. They use the middle score no matter which agency it comes from. They do not average scores or take the highest reported.

2. When at all possible, keep your balances low....

If you’re thinking about buying a new home or selling your current property, give me a call.

Sellers - I’d be happy to run a market analysis for you to help you find your ideal asking price.

And to all the holiday buyers looking to be in a new home before Christmas - we can schedule your first showing this week!

David Shippey | Xcellence Realty
863-521-4517

Interest Rates UNDER 5%

I am currently tracking 5 new home builders offering 4.25%, 4.5%, 4.625%, 4.875%, and 4.99% interest rates to home buyers RIGHT NOW. This sounds too good to be true, but I assure that it’s real. I recently found one of my buyers a new home and closed at 4.875% for the life of the loan!

In addition to these great interest rates, some are even paying for your closing costs too. Which means, all you need is your down payment!

Ready for a lower interest rate AND a brand new, move-in ready home? Call me at 863-521-4517. Let’s talk through your options!

While all funds for the super popular Hometown Heroes Program have been claimed, there ARE still funds available in the Florida Assist Loan Program!

If you’re a first time homebuyer or have not bought a home in the last 3 years, the Florida Assist Loan Program might be for you!

This program provides $10k that could be used for down payment, closing costs, prepaids or a combination of these.

Here are some of the guidelines
1. Credit score of at least 640
2. This loan is a silent 2nd mortgage that doesn’t require payments or accrue interest
3. The loan must be paid back when the property is sold or refinanced

Ready to start your home ownership journey? Contact me to schedule a consultation to take...

What is all of the talk about August 17th?

As a result of the Sitzer/Burnett lawsuit settlement between NAR and the plaintiffs, the National Association of Realtors will be implementing some changes to the real estate buying process effective August 17, 2024. There are really 2 key points for buyers to understand from the policy changes.

The first change is that all buyers will need to sign a Buyer Brokerage Agreement to view any homes with a Realtor going forward. This agreement has always been available but rarely used. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of the Realtor and Buyer. It will include the term of the agreement and how the real estate agent will be paid for services...

The Essex Down Payment Assistance Loan Program is a national program that offers up to 3.5% of the purchase price towards your down payment and closing costs.

Here are some of the guidelines:
1. Credit score of at least 640
2. FHA Loans only
3. Grant is forgivable after 10 years
4. First time or repeat homebuyers


NOW is the time to start looking for your home! Ready to get started? Give me a call.