Real Estate

December 17, 2024

How Do Negotiations Work After a Home Inspection?

Many home buyers underestimate the importance of a home inspection. This crucial step in the home buying process could have a major impact on the property’s final sales price. It’s easy to forget that what looks completely fine to the untrained eye could turn out to be serious trouble when inspected by a trusted expert.  If your inspector uncovers problems with the home, you can factor these additional expenses into your negotiations. However, you still want to be reasonable with the seller assuming you still want the home.  Before we explain how to approach these conversations, let’s go over what constitutes a severe issue in need of fixing. What is a Home Inspection? During a home inspection, a professional inspector […]
December 3, 2024

State of the Market: South Miami

The South Miami housing market remains fairly competitive, with plenty of homes on the market but fewer homes sold compared to the past six months. Inventory is up by nearly 40% in South Miami, a stronger sign of a buyer’s market that we haven’t seen since before COVID. From a seller’s perspective, this suggests you should make sure your home doesn’t stay on the market for too long. South Miami Home Prices In September of 2024, the median listing home price in South Miami was $557 per square foot, putting it in the same range as nearby Coral Gables. That’s also 6.1% increase since August 2024, but within the same general ballpark as the summer and spring. How Quickly are […]
September 10, 2024

What Questions to Ask at a House Showing

When you are buying a home – particularly your first home, but is still true no matter how many times you do it – it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the prospect and excited about the potential of a home. Over the years, we have done a lot of education to help home buyers find the perfect home – and large part of that education is getting them to ask the right questions when they are looking at a home so they will be as happy and excited about the home on day 3,650 of owning it as they are on day one.  Questions to ask before the showing Before you go to the viewing, you should connect with your […]
July 23, 2024

Prepping your Miami home for a sale

Making the extra little effort when selling your home can go a long way. Following these tips when selling can set you up for success—and better offers. Make a repair plan Every home will go through wear and tear. Small things, like little chips or dings, may go unnoticed. But larger problems, especially visible ones, can affect how buyers see your home. To avoid this, you should identify repairs that should be done and make a list. This is something we do with our clients ideally six months before they intend to put their home on the market.  We’ll go over the details that buyers will ask about and make sure you don’t overspend on items that will not improve […]
July 16, 2024

Moving to Miami? When to consider a condo vs. single family home

Buying a condo vs buying a single family home may seem like an odd comparison. But there’s plenty of comparisons that can be made, from what you’d be buying to the application process. So what exactly are the differences? And should you buy a condo vs. a single family home? Read on below.   What’s a condo? A condominium, or “condo” for short, is a privately owned individual unit within a community of units. The owner of a unit typically owns the interior of that unit and some exterior elements. Common & shared areas such as pools, garages, gyms, hallways, etc. are owned collectively by the condo owners. Condos can be found in high-rises, apartment-style complexes and even (surprisingly to most) […]
May 28, 2024

Top 5 things to look for in a Miami realtor – How to make the most of the buyer-realtor relationship.

Whether you’re moving within Miami-Dade or resettling from elsewhere, it’s important to consider the qualities needed for a successful buyer-realtor relationship. Not every realtor is the same and a successful realtor for one client may not be right for you. When comparing realtors, these are the top 5 things to look out for. They can give you both a broad as well as a focused perspective when making your decision. With these in your back pocket, you’ll be in a better position to coordinate your next home purchase. Experience Like in most things, you’ll want to find a realtor with the experience to tackle your unique home-buying needs. An experienced realtor will be able to help you navigate Miami’s real […]
April 9, 2024

Ready to List? Here’s What You Need to Know

Are you thinking it’s time to list a property for sale? The Kern Team is here to represent you, but we’re also here to help you make sure you’re well-informed on the front end of any real estate transaction.   Timing Makes a Difference First, it’s important to consider market trends and seasonality if you have the ability to list your home any time. Spring and early summer tend to be the most active seasons for real estate transactions. Many buyers are eager to purchase before the start of the new school year or to take advantage of favorable weather conditions for house hunting. Here in Miami it can be beneficial to list in Spring or early Summer, but it’s important to realize […]
April 2, 2024

Step by Step Guide to Selling Your Miami Home

Selling a home in Miami is a marathon, not a sprint. At the Kern Team, our job is to make sure our clients get at or above market value for their home and to minimize the complications that can come along the way. And while this process is customized per client, this is the basic step-by-step framework we start with when anyone is going down the path of selling their home.  Setting the Stage for Success: 6 to 8 Months Before Listing Your Home When you are listing your home, the most important decision you will make is choosing your Realtor. We always encourage homeowners to interview a couple realtors to find the one that feels right – but be […]
January 23, 2024

Embrace Eco-Friendly Living in Miami

Miami has always been a beach oasis with sun and surf, now we’re moving toward becoming a green oasis by prioritizing eco-friendly living. Climate change has been a constant topic in the news. We continuously see more financial incentives offered for environmentally friendly and sustainable building and renovation practices. Now is the time to get in on the eco-friendly train. Moving Towards Sustainable Living The Miami skyline is evolving, and part of that includes more commitment to sustainable architecture. Residential and commercial buildings alike are incorporating more features that focus on being more environmentally conscious. Using sustainable materials and incorporating energy-efficient designs are bringing Miami into the future of eco-friendly construction.  Neighborhoods are incorporating more green spaces including parks and […]