Treasure Coast
Real Estate News & Market Trends

Why owning a vacation home has many advantages over renting one.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

It's that time of year again—the snowbirds are here in force! During this time, there is one question that I get asked frequently: “Should I purchase a vacation home or rent one?” In short, I believe there is a lot of value in owning instead of renting, and I’m here today to explain it all to you.

One advantage of owning a vacation property is appreciation. Homes have been appreciating by 20% every year in this area, and it could go down slightly, but overall the value of this investment is high. Also, renting a vacation home in this area is expensive—I’ve seen two-bedroom units on the beach rent for $4,000 a month, which is significantly more than what you would be paying for a mortgage.

"There are a lot of benefits to owning instead of renting here on the Treasure Coast."

Another advantage of owning is the tax benefits. Talk to your tax adviser about this, but there are things you can write off by owning a vacation property in Florida that will offset some of the costs. Plus, another way you can offset costs is by leasing it during the time of the year when you're not there. You can use sites like Airbnb and VRBO to do this.

The last benefit to owning that I want to mention is the return on your investment. You’ll get family vacations, the fun of having family and friends around, great memories, and relaxing times by the beach, all in a home where you can do whatever you want to.

Therefore, there are a lot of benefits to owning instead of renting here on the Treasure Coast. If you have any questions or want help finding a property to buy, I am here to help! You can call or email me anytime, and I would be more than happy to help with your real estate needs.

These are three things you should do before you list your home.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

We are moving into the selling season here on the Treasure Coast. Are you thinking about listing your home on the market? If you are, here are the three d's you need to do before selling.

Feel free to watch the full video above or use these timestamps to browse specific topics at your leisure:

0:00 — Introduction

1:18 — Depersonalize your home

2:24 — Declutter your home

3:31 — Deep clean your home

5:09 — Get a pre-inspection

5:41 — Get professional photos

6:37 — Wrapping up

If you need more help prepping your home for the market or have any real estate-related questions, call or email me. I’d love to connect with you.

Here is what you need to know about snowbirds this winter season.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

It’s official: The snowbirds are here! In case you don’t know, snowbirds are folks from the Northern U.S. who try to escape the winter by purchasing a vacation home in a southern state like Florida. It’s hard to blame these people for wanting to get away, and they present a unique opportunity for those looking to sell during this time of year. Whether you’re looking to purchase a home on the Treasure Coast or sell one, now might be the time to make a move.

You can listen to my full explanation of this topic in the video above or skip to each section using the timestamps provided:

0:00 - Introduction

1:13 - What snowbirds bring to our area

2:28 - Why snowbirds might be interested in condos

4:13 - Why I recommend snowbirds get off the island

5:14 - Townhomes might be the best choice

7:03 - Why you should look for a property in an HOA

7:30 - Wrapping up today’s topic

If you have questions about snowbirds or anything else, please call or email me. I am always willing to help!

From our team to your family, we want to wish you a happy holiday season.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! I have two important messages to share with you all. First, the big news is the opening of our new office in Port St. Lucie, Florida. This office has been a long time in the making, and we appreciate all the support. We have purchased a commercial property right on Highway 1. Please look us up and stop by. 

As for my second message, I want to express to all our friends, family members, loyal customers, and colleagues my sincere appreciation for your trust and confidence in my team and myself. Thank you for your continued support. We love helping people make their real estate dreams come true, so thank you for working with us and supporting our business.

This may be a busy time of year, but I am always here to help you and answer any questions you may have. Call or email me anytime, I’d love to help you. In case I don’t hear from you until 2023, have a happy New Year!

Two big things affect home prices as our housing market is correcting.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

Home prices may fall, but how much? The demand for housing in our area is still very high, so don’t worry about that. However, prices may go down, and there are two main factors that affect that. 

The first factor, and the biggest, is the interest rate. Buyers are now being approved for a lot less, so there are fewer qualified buyers in the market. This affects the inventory, which is the second factor. Since there are fewer buyers, houses are staying on the market longer, and inventory has risen. 

As a result of these things, I believe that short term, prices will go down a little bit. It should just be around 5%, but adjustments will have to be made. This is all causing a slight correction in the market.

"There are fewer qualified buyers in the market today."

If you’re trying to sell a home, make sure that your price is realistic for the current market. For this, I suggest getting a Realtor to help you. Have two or three agents come out to your house and give you a comprehensive overview of the market and an accurate valuation of your home. They should also be able to give an estimate of how long it will take to sell and how much money you’ll have in your pocket at the end of the transaction. 

As always, I am here for you if you have any questions, concerns, or comments. Call or email me, and I would be happy to help!

Thank you for giving us your trust and confidence through all these years!

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

One of my favorite holidays—Thanksgiving—is almost here! I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of our customers, friends, family, and industry associates. You have given our team your trust and confidence over the last 20 years or so. We really appreciate your support, business, and most of all, your friendship. We are very grateful!

In the last four years, we have helped over 2,000 families with their real estate plans here on Treasure Coast. This means a lot to us! So from our team to you, we want to wish you a heartfelt happy Thanksgiving!

As always, if you have any questions about your buying and selling plans, call or email me. I’m always happy to help!

There are three reasons why I believe this is a great time for buyers.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

It’s still a great time to buy a home on the Treasure Coast! Many people have been asking me about this lately, and I believe it’s a good time to enter the market, even with higher interest rates. Here are the three reasons why it’s still a good time to buy:

1. There’s more inventory. Buyers have more options now, including some new-construction homes, so my advice is to get out there and look. I believe that you have a very good chance of finding something that you love.

2. Buyers can now negotiate the price. Since inventory is increasing, there’s more competition, so sellers are more willing to come down. I suggest that you get out there and make offers.

3. Seller concessions are back. Now buyers can ask the sellers to pay their closing costs or provide a credit for a rate buydown. These would’ve never gone well in recent months, but now they’re very possible. These concessions will save you money out of pocket and make the house more affordable long term.

These are the three reasons why I believe now is the perfect time to buy a house in our area. You need to live somewhere, so you should find a home you love! If you need help with this or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Here’s what every homebuyer should know about 2-1 buydowns.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

Are you sick of rising interest rates? You aren’t alone. Tons of potential homebuyers have been turned off from purchasing a home because rates are so much higher than they were at the beginning of the year. If you’re in this position, what can you do? 

Fortunately, many lenders offer a product called a 2-1 buydown, and it’s designed to lower your rate and get you into your dream home. Here’s how it works: For the first year of your loan, your interest rate will be 2% less than it would've been. For the second year, your interest rate will be 1% less. After that, your rate will graduate to the full amount.

"A 2-1 buydown might be exactly what you need to get into your dream house."

This program is fantastic (especially for first-time buyers) because it allows you to ease into your interest rate. Plus, you might not even have to pay any upfront costs. If you work with a great agent, they can negotiate seller concessions to pay for your buydown for you. 

Many buyers are finding it difficult to purchase a home in this market, but a 2-1 buydown might be exactly what you need to get into your dream house. Even if rates fall after the two-year period, you can always refinance, so it’s a win-win. 

If you’d like to learn more about this program or have any questions, please call or email me. I’d love to speak with you!

How to prepare your home for a hurricane and save on insurance.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

In light of what’s happened in South Florida over the past week, this crucial question is on the rise: How do you prepare your home for a hurricane? Hurricane Ian did a lot of damage, and I want to give you some tips on how to prepare your home and lower your insurance costs in the event of another storm.

Feel free to watch the full message above, or use these timestamps that will direct you to various points in the video:

0:00 — Introducing today’s topic

1:00 — Insurance and wind mitigation

2:01 — Your roof

3:08 — Hurricane shutters

4:14 — Flood insurance

4:58 — Wrapping up

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to give me a call at (772) 370-8631. I would love to help you with this important matter in any way that I can.

Three things I recommend that you look past when buying property

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search.
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE home price valuation.

Trying to buy a home can be confusing, and there’s a lot to focus on. That’s why I have created a list of the top three things that buyers should look past when buying a home in this market: 

1. The appliances. Yes, the kitchen appliances could be old and they might need to be replaced. However, the supply chain problems that we've had over the last eight months are now starting to loosen up, and the prices are coming down. Plus, Black Friday is coming up! All of this means more affordability. Therefore, if you're looking to buy a house right now, you should be thinking in advance and know that you're going to be able to save some money on brand-new appliances in the next couple of months.

"Prices are starting to come down a little bit as the sellers' motivations begin to increase."

2. The mechanics and lighting. Some homes do need new air conditioners, or they might have some outdated lighting. However, the government just passed a tax credit to help offset some of the costs associated with improving the energy efficiency of your home. Therefore, the government will help you by giving you tax credits to upgrade and update your property. 

3. The price. I know you're going to think I'm crazy for this one because the price is a huge deal when you're buying. I really do want you to look past it because the prices are starting to come down a little bit as the sellers' motivations begin to increase. What I would encourage buyers to do is look at houses that they like, make an offer, and then negotiate the price to try to either get some closing costs down or buy your rate down.

Take these three things into consideration during your home search and go to our website to start looking at all the new homes that are listed. As always, let us know if you have any questions; we would be glad to help you. Call or email anytime. 

I’ve been working with investors and flipping properties myself since 1998. If you have any questions about getting into the real estate investment game, call or email me. I’d be glad to help.