Tips for Holiday Decorating on a Dime

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The holidays are approaching. Today, we thought we'd do something a little different and share this festive video on holiday decorating tips from HGTV. Designer Angelo Surmelis shares several great ideas to spread holiday cheer throughout the home. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Pay attention to the mantle. If you don't have some already, buy some kind of garland to drape over the mantle. Next, use leftover ornaments and candles to add light and texture. When choosing ornaments and candles, ensure they are in the same color-palette. This helps make your mantle a great focal point!
2. Use smaller Christmas trees. Every house has their main Christmas tree. In addition, you can also purchase smaller, inexpensive, eco-friendly trees to place throughout the home. Decorate these trees with strips of fabric from a T-shirt in holiday colors to save money for the main tree.
3. Use what you have. Be resourceful. Adding a plate charge and place mat to your everyday dining set adds some jazz to your table. Fresh-cut flowers and candles will help finish the look. You don't need grand, expensive candles -- a little candlelight goes a long way!

As you can see, it doesn't take much to make your home feel more festive. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Why Aren’t Millennials Buying Homes More Frequently?

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One thing we know for certain about the real estate market is that it is never going to stay the same for long. Today we want to talk about an interesting trend we’ve noticed in real estate: millennials are waiting longer to purchase their first homes than their parents did.

The typical first-time buyer now rents for an average of 6 years before buying a home, which is up from 2.6 years in the early 1970’s, according to Zillow.

We came across this great video from CNBC. I will give you my three biggest takeaways from the article.

1. Down payments are a huge factor

Renters in today’s market are struggling to save for down payments and qualify for mortgages. Most first-time buyers still depend on personal savings for at least some of their down payments, but rising rental prices have complicated the task of socking away money for a down payment.

2. Rising rental rates are complicating things as well

Rental rates are causing 46% of renters aged 25-34, to spend more than 40% of their incomes on rent, up from 30% a decade earlier.

3. Job security is important to millennial buyers

The Money Source, a mortgage lender, examined applications from 5,404 millennial buyers and found that these buyers averaged nearly 4.5 years in their field of work and had held their current job for slightly more than three years. Those figures point to how critical career stability is to a younger generation.

How Can You Prepare Your Home for Sale?

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We are here today with Dustin Feely to discuss some of the most commonly asked questions we get from sellers who are preparing their home for the market. Here’s our guide on how to survive living in your “for sale” home.

When do I need to start packing?

Right now. The secret to getting a home clutter-free is removing the things you can live without, while your home is actually on the market. Store it, sell it, chuck it, or donate it. While you pack, work on decluttering by throwing away or donating things you don’t need. This won’t just give you a head start on moving, buyers actually appreciate the extra space when searching for homes.

What about cleaning?

Get the home squeaky clean. If you’re lacking motivation, listen to this: A very clean home can add $5,000 - $10,000 on your sale, so aim for that 5-star perfection

How do I keep my important belongings safe?

During showings or open houses, people may look through your drawers, medicine cabinets, or closets. Make sure your listing agent insists there are other agents accompanying the prospective buyers, so your valuables and anything else you wouldn’t want someone stealing are protected. When in doubt, lock it up.

What about my kids?

Definitely involve them in the process. Challenge your kids to a contest of who can clean the fastest. You might be surprised at how they respond to this and how cooperative they will be when you yell, “Showtime!”

If you have any questions for us, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Is Zillow Accurate?

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Today, we'll discuss Zillow, and whether you can trust Zillow's estimates of your home value.

In most cases, Zillow estimates are anywhere from 5% - 15% off. Zillow uses a basic algorithm that examines similar home sales in your neighborhood to come up with a value. However, determining the value of a property isn't that simple.

The best way to find a home's value is to talk to an agent. We will pull comparable sales and physically assess your home. Zillow may give you an idea of what your home is valued at, but Zillow cannot know the true value of your home.

If you have any questions on today's video or about real estate in general, give us a call or send us an email. We'd be happy to help you!

3 Mistakes When Buying New Construction in Miami

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Newly-constructed homes are wonderful investments to make. You can pick and choose what you want, and you can control most of the building process.

However, we see people make the same mistakes when they buy new construction. We will be discussing these three mistakes today. I have Dustin Healey with me today to help talk about these problems and how you can remedy them.

Hiring a real estate agent is crucial when you buy new construction. Home sellers for builders are notorious for tricking buyers into thinking that they're working on their behalf, when they're actually just trying to sell the home for the construction company. Find an agent who will work with your best interests in mind! What's even better is that the builder will pay their commission, so hiring a Realtor will not cost you a dime!

You need to research your builders just like you would research a car before buying it. Make sure the builder is in good standing with your state's construction contractor board. You should verify their licenses and ask if they sub-contract any work. Always know the amount of insurance they carry, as well as the amount of their bond.

Be aware that builders use different purchase contracts than most other real estate transactions. Be sure to read these contracts carefully, and definitely get a lawyer and your Realtor to look over these contracts. Have your Realtor add in addendums to protect you when you buy new construction.

Hopefully knowing about these mistakes now will prevent a disastrous new construction purchase in the future. If you are planning on buying new construction in Coral Gables, please don't hesitate to contact us!

We look forward to speaking with you!

How Can You Stage on a Budget?

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If you are looking to sell your home, your goal is to get the most money possible in the shortest amount of time. One of the best ways to add value and appeal to your home is through home staging. You have a lot of options for how you want to go about it. You could hire a professional staging company, but that comes with a hefty price tag. Most of the time, a few simple fixes is all it takes to transform a living room.

Today we are going to go through some of our most favorite, inexpensive home staging tips for you. We hope these will help you save both time and money when it comes time to sell your home.

A fresh coat of paint is always a good idea. Neutral, warm colors work best for highlighting the natural light in your home. This will make it easier to punch up the room with some colorful accessories and pull everything together.

A common design problem facing many homeowners is that they have no real entry way, as their front door opens up to the living room. To fix this, you can add a table, some lighting, and a rug to "fake a foyer" and make it feel like the living room and entryway are two different spaces.

A patterned rug, some pillows, or bright curtains add a ton of texture and an eclectic layer to the space, which is essential to a well-designed room.

In some cases, a "make-under" is just what you need. In the case of most fireplaces, taking some accessories and clutter away enhances the look and feel of the room greatly.

You could spend well over a few thousand dollars with a staging company, or you could do these fixes yourself for around $500. That's a normal investment considering the value that you add to your home by adding those pieces.

If you have any questions for us about staging your home or anything else real estate related, give us a call or send over a quick email. We are always here to help, and would love to hear from you!

The Most Important Part of Renovating Your Miami Home

Plan Ahead When Renovating

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Today, I want to share a video from HGTV to discuss how you can plan ahead when it comes to home renovations. Renovating your home can be an exciting process, but it's important that you don't get ahead of yourself. You can't just go willy-nilly into a major project and expect it to go perfectly. Planning properly for these types of projects can assure a smooth project, and one that may even cost less!

HGTV's Amy Matthews recommend making a very detailed timeline of your project, including potential things that could go awry and making backup plans in order to prevent these things from happening. Putting your plan onto paper is a good way to start this process.

Another major step is choosing a good team of contractors that you can communicate with. If they don't know what you want done, they can't do it.

Just remember, there is no such thing as too much planning! If you plan on renovating your Miami home, please contact us. We know great contractors and could also give you advice on what projects will bring you the highest return on your investment.

Should You Sell Before You Buy?

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Should you sell your current home before you buy? It's a crucial question, and one we get all the time, so today we'll answer it for you.

If you sell before you buy, you will have more cash to bring to the table once you find the perfect home. Not only will you be in a better negotiating position, but you'll also have a better idea of what you can afford when looking for a new home.

Selling before you buy will also save you from having to deal with two mortgages at once, since you have no idea how long it will take your home to sell. In addition to the time it takes to find an interested buyer, there are plenty of steps between the offer and the closing that can slow things down.

When you sell first, you have more freedom to sell on your own terms. You will have more bargaining power because you won't be under pressure to unload your property quickly as you're still searching for a new home. You will be more comfortable considering several offers and making counteroffers.

If you have questions about the selling process, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you!

How to Avoid Disaster When Buying New Construction in Miami

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 Today, we want to discuss some of the crucial mistakes people make when buying a new home and how you can avoid them! Here are some of the pitfalls buyers fall victim to:

1. Buying into half-finished developments: Many housing developments are only half-built. Keep a healthy dose of skepticism about these scenarios. It may be that you are buying into a development or community that will never be completed or that will take a very long time to finish. Worst case scenario, you'll be stuck with an unsellable house in an unfinished community.
2. Being fooled by the picture-perfect model home: Model homes are always decorated and dressed to look magnificent. Developers and designers use many techniques to make the model home appear bigger than it actually is.
3. Failing to get a completion clause: When will the home be finished? When purchasing a new construction home, you are at the mercy of the builder's timelines. When is the home scheduled to be completed? Does it match your needs? Make sure you get a cancellation clause or a refund-of-deposit clause if the builder fails to complete the home by the agreed upon date.
4. Waiving your inspection: Just because you're buying a brand new home, it's not wise to bypass the inspection process just to save a few hundred dollars. In fact, it's crucial to get expert eyes on the home as it is being built.

If you have any questions about buying a new home, or if you would like real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to help make your real estate dreams a reality!

What's the Key to Getting Your Miami Home Ready for the Market?

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The spring real estate market is finally here, so we thought we would share some tips on how to get your home ready for the market. You can't simply put a sign in the yard and expect results when selling. You need to take certain steps in order to maximize your results. Here are four quick and easy tips:

1. Repair, replace, or repaint: Think about the front of your home as your storefront - no one is going to take a look at a home that doesn't grab them off the street. Correct anything that is showing wear, add colorful plants, and tidy up your entryway. You want your home to be welcoming to potential buyers. 
2. Make it easy to show: Declutter and depersonalize your home so buyers can visualize their family living there. Shoppers like to see that every room has a purpose - avoid office/bedroom combos, for example. Your home should be spaced to keep viewers comfortable. 
3. Price like a pro: A great looking home will get buyers in the door and interested, but the price is the deal breaker. Pricing can be tricky, so it's best to work with an experienced real estate agent to help you set the right price.

If you would like additional information on how to make the most of your home sale, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to discuss how we can reach the widest number of buyers and get the highest possible price for your home!

Are You Truly Ready to Sell Your Miami Home?

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 As you know, the spring home selling season is almost upon us. To make the process a little easier for you, I've put together a list of the four questions you need to ask yourself when selling your home.

1. What is the communication plan? You need an agent that is always able to speak to you. Communication is crucial in this business, and a lack of it can be destructive to the process. Decide on the best way to communicate and stick to it.
2. Do you have an active or passive agent? A lot of agents promise advanced strategies to help sell your home, but most of them fail to execute the plan they lay out. Make sure your agent has a proven track record you can rely on.
3. Does your agent have experience? When selling in a competitive market, such as the one in Miami, you're going to need an experienced real estate professional. If your agent is newer to the industry, make sure they are at least relying on the resources of another experienced agent to help you get the most for your home sale.
4. Does your agent have the right tools to sell your home? Approximately only 42% of homes that go on the market actually sell. You need to ensure your agent has the right systems in place to capture the right buyers. Your agent needs a solid lead generation system, a great marketing strategy, and a plethora of other resources in order to sell your home quickly and efficiently. 

I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions for us, or if you would like our assistance in any way, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to give you a hand!

How Can You Get Top Dollar for Your Miami Home?

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The busy spring real estate season is right around the corner, and if you're planning on selling, you need to start developing a strategy now! Today, we discuss the importance of professional photography if you want to get top dollar for your home. Here are 3 reasons good photography is a must:

1. Creates an effective online presence: If the online pictures of your home are low quality, buyers won't waste their time clicking through. The first showing is online, so great pictures are essential if you want to make a good first impression.
2. Increases value of property: The key is for the pictures to inspire prospective buyers to act fast. The more appealing your home looks online, the more offers you are likely to get.
3. Leaves a lasting impression: Typically, after a buyer has toured your home, they will go back and look at pictures of your home while making their final decision. High quality pictures will help motivate them to take another look.

If you have any questions about professional photography, or if you would like additional home selling advice, don't hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I would love to hear from you!

How we helped Pamela sell her home by staying on top of everything

 
"It was fantastic. We had several offers, and the house sold very fast! I trust him, and he gave me the best possibility I could have gotten out of the deal. He was persistent, outspoken, and on top of everything. I was very grateful, and I would recommend him to anybody trying to sell their home!"

Is Your Miami Dream Home More Affordable than You Think?

There are many great Miami homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (305) 764-1701 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today, we want to discuss a very important topic with you: the FHA mortgage premium reduction. This recent change could widen the scope of the Miami market. 

In a move to bring more first-time home buyers to the market, President Obama just issued a decrease in the mortgage insurance premiums from 1.35% to 0.85%! For the typical borrower, this means an $80 decrease in monthly mortgage payments. On the other hand, it also means buyers can afford to buy a larger house. 

The decrease in FHA mortgage premiums is a clear sign that the industry is trying to attract more borrowers. This means there is a bit of risk because there is less mortgage insurance applied toward the mortgage of the house. However, this change could not have come at a better time, as February is when first-time home buyer season starts. This is great news because first-time home buyers make up a large majority of people who take out FHA loans. 

Recently, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have come forward to offer a 3% down payment program. This was clearly a move to get a larger market share in the mortgage industry. However, the lower mortgage premium puts FHA in a position to hold on to a larger market share as far as first-time buyers are concerned. 

Despite the fact that interest rates are near record lows, mortgage volume has decreased. Because of this, President Obama's move to lower premiums was an attempt to give the mortgage industry a boost. We're hoping that it works!

If you have any questions about our changing market, or would like real estate assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I would love to hear from you!

Is Your Home Inspection Going to Cost You Thousands?

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Selling your home can be a stressful experience, but going in with the right information and the right mindset can make a huge difference. To make the process a bit easier for you, we want to share what we know about home inspections, a process that can cause a lot of problems if you don't know what you're doing. 

According to experts, there is a list of 33 physical problems that need to be addressed if they are found during a home inspection.Today, we've put together a list of the 11 things commonly found during home inspections that could cost you money in repairs.

Knowing what you're looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly, unmanageable problems. 

To help home sellers deal with this issue before their homes are listed, a free report entitled "11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection" has been compiled which explains the issues involved.

To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-800-466-9098 and enter 1703. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Get your free special report NOW to learn how to ensure a home inspection doesn't cost you the sale of your home.

Don't hesitate to reach out to us to get the details you need about home inspections. We want to help you make your home sale a successful experience, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!