home sales

February 12, 2019

State of the Market: Palmetto Bay

The market in Palmetto Bay continues to thrive, and it will likely remain in high demand for years to come, particularly because of its top-notch schools. Moreover, Palmetto Bay offers numerous parks and recreation spaces plus an enviable location just 20-minutes south of downtown Miami. Given this, it’s no surprise that Palmetto Bay consistently ranks near the top of “best places to live” lists.   This “Village of Parks” offers families everything they need in a community and more. Expand your search and see what Palmetto Bay has to offer you.   Featured listings in Palmetto Bay   7455 SW 170thTER– This 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home is 4,021 square feet and located in the gated enclave of Old Cutler Palms. Featuring […]
February 5, 2019

Uncovering the Hidden Costs of Home Ownership

Many first-time home buyers come to the market with a great deal of enthusiasm for making their purchase. However, even the most savvy and prepared buyers can be caught off guard by some of the less-obvious costs of owning a home which, taken together, can add up to more than $9,000 per year in expenses. As you plan your budget, be sure to factor in more than just the home’s list price or mortgage payment. Keep the following considerations in mind as well:   Required costs Certain costs are unavoidable, like homeowners insurance, property taxes, and utilities. While they vary by property, they can quickly add up and may increase that mortgage payment more than some first-time home buyers expect […]
August 28, 2018

What You Need to Know About the New Closing Disclosure Form

A closing disclosure form simply outlines the terms and costs of your mortgage, but it’s one of the most important pieces of paperwork to check before closing on a home. Look at the closing disclosure form as a follow-up form to the loan estimate document you received when you first applied for your loan. The loan estimate outlined the approximate fees you would need to pay if you chose to move forward with the lender. Your closing disclosure is the real deal version of that. So, it’s important to scrutinize and look over the closing disclosure form very carefully. Here are a few tips to help you when you look over your closing disclosure form: Closing disclosure vs. settlement statement  […]
August 21, 2018

Move-In Checklist: What to Do Before You Unpack

With all of the excitement about moving into a new home, it’s easy to forget the important tasks you need to do. Certain things are best done before your boxes and furniture are moved into the house, so take some time to get everything in order before you move. To help out, we put together the ultimate moving checklist. Before you start packing everything up, check out this moving checklist to make sure you’ve completed all of the important tasks before you settle in: Turn on utilities Electric, water, and gas all need to be operational when you arrive. Get all your utilities set up ahead of time because chances are, the seller will have them turned off on the […]
August 14, 2018

6 Ways to Speed up Your House Hunt

When you think about moving into your dream home, it’s easy to picture a breezy home-buying scenario. But, in a seller’s market, finding your perfect home is no small task. You don’t want to waste the better parts of your Saturdays and Sundays roaming open houses only to find multiple dead ends. So, how do you manage your time wisely when it comes to house hunting? Here are a few tips to help make your home search as productive as possible: Get pre-approved for a mortgage Getting pre-approved for a mortgage before you begin searching for your dream home is essential. If you start touring houses before you’re pre-approved for a mortgage, you won’t really know what price range you […]
August 7, 2018

Should Your First House be a Starter Home or a Forever Home?

If you’re buying a home for the first time, you’re probably trying to decide between purchasing a smaller home to get into the market now or stretching your budget to get a forever home that you can stay in long-term. Everyone has different ideas of what a starter home is, but in general, a starter home is something you’d be happy living in for around five to seven years. Eventually though, you’ll outgrow this home. A forever home, on the other hand, is one that you could see living in for the rest of your life, which means it meets most of the criteria of your dream home: the right location, the right size, and all of the extras you […]
July 31, 2018

How To Quickly Save for Your Dream Home

Whether you’re planning on moving to a better neighborhood or you’re buying a home for the first time, saving up for a new home is a big step. If you are looking to buy a house in the near future, it’s important to build up your savings. Down payments for homes can be large sums of money – so large in fact that it can set you back years if not saved or planned for properly. Most people think this means slowly setting aside small amounts, which, as you can imagine, would take forever. But, don’t worry! You don’t have to wait around and save for years. Here’s how you can quickly save up for that down payment: Explore the […]
July 24, 2018

Home Maintenance To-Do List Before You Sell Your Home

As a homeowner, you probably already know that keeping your home and property in tip-top shape requires dedication and ongoing maintenance. Just because you’re selling your home doesn’t mean you’re off the hook from routine maintenance tasks. A well-cared-for house simply shows better. Small things like broken doorbells and leaky faucets won’t make buyers jump to make an offer. Instead, it will make them wonder if there are bigger issues elsewhere on the property. Plus, keeping up with routine maintenance can help you avoid a catastrophic problem down the road, like burst pipes and roof leaks, that could devalue your property and derail your sale. To prevent small issues from escalating into money-sucking problems, focus on these home maintenance tasks: […]
July 17, 2018

Not all Real Estate Contracts Are Created Equal: Here’s the Difference

Real estate transactions revolve around written agreements or contracts. There are essentially four major types of real estate contracts, and they each have their different uses and stipulations. As in any legal transaction, these contracts are necessary to execute the sale. Not all real estate contracts are created equal, so it’s important to know what you’re really signing. Here are the differences in the main types of real estate contracts: Purchase agreement As the most common type of real estate contract, a purchase agreement lays out the agreement between the buyer and seller of a specific property. This contract will include the purchase price, signatures, party identification, and the closing date for the transaction. Although this seems simple enough, there […]