Posts

Showing posts from 2017

Choosing The Best Realtor® for the Job!

Image
Who you choose to represent you when you buy or sell your home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make during your move. Your real estate agent can make the process easy, quick, and painless – or long, expensive, and painful. Here are 5 adjectives you should for in your real estate agent if you want to get the most out of the sale of your home or your home purchase: 1. Tenacious Real estate is at times a complex world. There are seemingly endless challenges to navigate through: the house you love was snatched up by someone else; someone put a bid in on your home and then pulled out at the last minute; there are issues with the community, or zoning, or construction! These are some of the reasons why you need a savvy real estate agent who is tenacious, never gives up, and doesn’t stop until you have successfully bought or sold your home at the right price with the least obstacles. The best real estate agents are the ones who not only have plan B, but plan C, D, a

"Shedquarters": Your New Personal Oasis at Home!

With Spring comes new trends and fresh real estate concepts. If you’re looking for an innovative addition to your existing home and living space – here’s your answer!  Introducing ‘Shedquarters’! This new real estate trend is now emerging and offers your outdoor space a new twist. You’ve heard of the ever-popular ‘Man Cave’, maybe you’ve even created the ultimate lounge area in your own home, but now it’s time to clean out the lonely forgotten shed in your backyard, or bring in a new shed and start from scratch! Here we will imagine the endless possibilities that your own personal ‘Shedquarters’ could provide for you… and your family! We all need an escape from time to time; a distraction-free room to relax and rejuvenate. Design a She Shed to include all of your favorite hobbies & luxuries. Add a fresh coat of paint to brighten up the space, along with some comfortable furniture to design the perfect reading nook. Need an artistic escape? Hail as Hobby Headquarters and sto

Featured Properties: Tampa, FL

Image
FOR SALE ~20437 Autumn Fern Avenue~ Absolutely pristine 4 bedroom, 3 bath home located on a picturesque conservation lot in Live Oak. Just built in 2011 and has ample space for your family to grow and stretch in this 2600 sq ft, 2 story, 2 car garage home!!  Just listed for $286,900! Beautiful 42” espresso cabinets and granite counter tops accent the generous gourmet kitchen with stainless appliances. Easy access to your huge screened in lanai to complete your outdoor space. The flex room downstairs is perfect for any office, den, library or even a formal dining room.  Upstairs you’re greeted by a loft space with lots of natural light. Down the hall, you’ll find the Master suite complete with dual vanities, granite counter tops, your walk-in shower and garden tub.  The community of Live Oak offers many amenities and recreational activities to enjoy such as: a clubhouse with fitness center, multiple pools, tennis courts, a covered playground, and more. Live O

Real Estate in Full Bloom

Image
As spring flourishes around us, the real estate market blooms as well! Are you considering making a move this year? Now is the perfect time to prepare for this home selling season! Keeping in mind a few simple marketing tricks to make your home stand out from the competition! First and foremost, jump on the spring cleaning bandwagon! Sometimes the small details of cleaning the inside of closets and clearing away clutter are forgotten, but these particulars are noticeable to potential home buyers. As articulated by Michele Lerner of Realtor.com, “While everyone has clutter, buyers want to see a fantasy version of your house in which they can envision living”. You can do it! While cleaning, take notice that all of the small repairs that have fallen by the wayside have now become more apparent. Take advantage of this time to move those repairs to the top of your to do list. Replacing doorknobs, updating fixtures, pressure washing the exterior of your home, and adding fresh m

Hometown Trends: Tampa, FL

Image
Welcome to Tampa, Florida! Home of the Buccaneers, the Lightning, the Rays and Florida’s powerhouse of business and economic development. Lifetime locals and newcomers alike, have been the beneficiaries of Tampa’s expansive business, entertainment and real estate advancements. Making the list yet again, Tampa ranks #8 on Forbes’ list of Fastest-Growing American Cities. A major player in Tampa’s growth over the past couple of years has been the ever-expanding Tampa International Airport. Not only has this project enhanced the Tampa traveler experience, but it has also created thousands of local jobs, contributing to Forbes’ 2.43% projected job growth for the Tampa Bay area in 2017. The construction of new terminals and shops combined with the employees to be hired for these new facilities makes for the perfect employment boost! Moving towards downtown Tampa, the Riverwalk District and Riverwalk Tower is ready to impress! This 52-story office and luxury residential building will

Strike While the Real Estate Iron is Hot: Mortgage Rates for 2017

Image
By and large, we saw a healthy housing market last year – but what should we expect as we embark on a new real estate journey in 2017?  For home buyers, this is your que to strike while the iron is hot! If you’ve been waiting for the right time to buy your new home – your wait is over! Increase your buying power by taking advantage of these lower mortgage rates before we see an increase between 2017 and 2018. As Bill Dallas, CEO at Cloudvirga explains, “We expect GDP [gross domestic product] to increase 2.1% in 2017 and 2.0% in 2018, which in turn would cast an upward pressure on mortgage rates”. Alternatively, sellers are also at an advantage. For those with changing household sizes, moving up or downsizing may be a motivating factor for selling your home. Our current seller’s market, combined with buyers seeking low interest rates, makes for a swift and profitable seller transactions! As Theresa Williams-Barrett, Vice President of consumer lending and loan administrat

A Glimpse Into The Real Estate Crystal Ball: Real Estate Forecasts for 2017

Image
As the buzz of New Year celebrations have settled down, many people are taking a closer look at the pulse of the real estate market for the year ahead. Whether you are considering buying a new home or selling your existing home, 2017 is looking like a promising year for your potential real estate transactions! Kicking off 2017, Realtor.com has released their yearly forecast, predicting a sales volume increase of 4.17% across the southern Florida market. Despite South Florida’s strong population growth and stable job creation, 2016 saw a decrease in home and condo sales – making this year’s sales prediction music to the ears of Realtors and investors! “There is more inventory on the market [in South Florida] than a year ago and prices haven’t fully recovered so it is more of a value play for buyers than other parts of the country” says Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at Realtor.com . Additionally, our neighbors in Jacksonville and Orlando, FL are among the top 10 markets e