house hunting
January 2, 2018
It is tough to decide to move from your home to a smaller one, especially after you’ve watched your family grow up in your home. It’s often the most practical decision you can make. Here are four signs that you’re ready to downsize from your large family home. It’s too much maintenance If there’s a room that no one goes in except to clean it, it may be time to downsize. Large homes are, at times, difficult to keep up. Big homes often come with big yards, which can be an issue, unless you enjoy yard work. Sometimes the maintenance of a large home can leave you feeling worn out and exhausted. When the upkeep becomes too much, living in […]
December 27, 2017
A wish list helps you focus your search and keeps you from wasting time. As much focus as your wish list gives you, it’s also likely impossible to check off everything that’s on the list. You want to be a little flexible, but there are some things you’ll want to dig your heels in on. Here are some things you should never compromise on when looking for a home. Getting a Fixer-Upper It’s happened before to our clients and it will happen again: going into a search looking for a home with zero projects and falling in love with a fixer-upper. Now, there is nothing necessarily wrong with it, but if you don’t have experience with fixer-uppers, it’s something to […]
December 19, 2017
In the past, Home Stagers were mostly called-in for vacant homes to help buyers visualize themselves in the home. Over the past few years, we’ve seen that they have become a great resource, especially when you’re trying to sell your home quickly. It’s important to know what to look for when hiring a Home Stager as not everyone who call themselves one is an expert. Here are some questions you’ll want to ask before deciding to work with them. What is your training or work experience? When you’re hiring an interior designer, you should be looking for someone that really understands you and can help make a space your own. When you’re looking for a Home Stager, you should be […]
October 31, 2017
Buying a home for the first time can be a stressful, albeit exciting, rite of passage. Knowing what your first few steps should be can tremendously lower the amount of stress you’re probably already feeling. Without any further ado, here’s how we tell people they should start: Get Your Finances in Order When you’re about six months out, you need to start organizing your finances. First, this means checking your credit score and making sure your score is maximized. Creditworthiness is a huge factor in loan approval. Higher credit scores can mean significantly lower interest rates and higher pre-approved values. There are a ton of factors to balance (pay off your balances in full, don’t add debt like buying a […]
October 24, 2017
Buying a home as an investment, and becoming a landlord, can seem like an easy way to rake in some extra money, but it’s still an investment of your time and money. It’s important to be prepared and know what to expect. Know Your Limitations First and foremost: if you’re going to get a mortgage, make sure you can handle the monthly payments if the property is vacant. I’ve known too many people start to build a portfolio only to have sell their new property quickly when it goes a few months without a tenant. It’s great for me, but less-than-ideal for you. Also: remember that tenants can be demanding on getting things fixed quickly. If you don’t have spare […]
October 17, 2017
Buying a house for a great price, fixing it up, and then reselling it sounds pretty exciting, which is why there are so many shows on HGTV about doing just that. In Miami, there is certainly a cottage industry of people that dedicate their time and money to flipping homes. If you’re thinking of buying a flipped house, you may need to do a little extra homework before making an offer. Before you buy a flipped house, be sure to ask these questions to make sure its in great shape and that all repairs were done professionally. Who’s Selling? Whenever a home is selling for $100,000 (or more) over its previous sale less than a year ago, you need to […]
October 11, 2017
When you’re trying to put a price tag on your home, determining its value is a given. But, what is value exactly? Two types of “value” will come up in the conversation around selling your home: assessed value and market value. They may seem similar but the numbers can be different, and they’re used in distinct ways. Understanding the two will give you an advantage as you sell your home. What Is Market Value? Market value refers to the likely price that a property will sell for, or what a buyer is willing to pay for. Market value can be based on many factors, like location and exterior and interior aspects, including lot size, condition of the home, energy efficiency, […]
October 4, 2017
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably accumulated a mass amount of stuff over the years. So, when it’s time to move, just thinking about transporting it all might bring on a panic attack. Moving is the best time to do a major clean-out of closets, drawers, and your entire space. The more you can purge, the better you’ll feel. Downsizing makes the move a lot easier, but it’s also freeing. Think About Your New Space Are you moving to a bigger or smaller place? Keep this in mind as you consider what to take. Consider what will fit and what style you’re going for, and get rid of what won’t fit or work in your new space. Think about […]
September 19, 2017
When you’re listing your home, there is so much to do that it can be easy to forget something. You’ll probably remember the big things like making some quick repairs and staging your home. But smaller things may get overlooked. This checklist will help you remember everything you need to tackle as you get ready to sell your home. Review Your Online Listing Google your address and see what comes up, and be sure to look over your online listing. Make sure all of the information is correct and that the photos show off your home’s best features. Nearly all homebuyers start their searches online, so make sure your home will make a great first impression. List Out Improvements and […]