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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
Is now a good time to invest in real estate? The short answer is yes, but just like all markets, you have to be careful when you do so. You especially have to be cautious if you want to flip a home.
When investing in real estate, you make money when you purchase a property, not when you sell it. You have to look closely at the property you’re buying, what you’re paying for it, and how much work it will need to turn a profit.
Finding the perfect home for flipping takes an experienced eye—it’s not something you should try as a novice. You’re risking too much money upfront, and the last thing you want is to put too much cash into a property and not be able to get it back.
"The truth is that these deals are everywhere."
Instead, here’s how you should get started. The first step is to target the right properties, which is easier said than done. I recommend you work with an experienced Realtor who can help you find the best homes, which will likely be off-market ones that aren’t listed in the MLS. Once you target these properties, you should walk through it with a contractor so you can determine how much work it needs, if there are any hidden defects, and how much it will cost. This will let you work out your numbers and decide if the property is worth it.
The truth is that these deals are everywhere. There are distressed sellers, foreclosures, and looked-over homes in every market. The key is finding the deals, and that’s where an experienced Realtor can help.
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.
Do you want to sell your home without the hassle of the open market? Our housing landscape has shifted recently, and it may not be as easy as it used to be to get top dollar. Fortunately, I can get you an instant, all-cash offer for your property, even in this market.
If you need to move soon for whatever reason, this instant sale might be for you. Maybe you got a new job in another city or state and need to move now. No matter your reason, if you need an instant offer on your home, you can get one with no strings attached.
"The market is slowing, but I can still get you an all-cash offer instantly."
This option isn’t best if you’re trying to get the absolute highest offer for your property. The open market will always be the best way to maximize your price. This program is ideal for people who need to sell now or don’t want to go through the hassle of the open market. For example, if your home needs a ton of minor repairs that you don’t want to deal with, this program could be exactly what you need.
If you reach out to me, I’ll come out to your home and give you two numbers. The first one will be what I think I can get you on the open market. The second number will be an instant cash offer with no strings attached. There will be no pressure to pick one option or the other; the choice is yours.
If you have any questions about this topic or would like me to visit your home and give you a quote, please call or email me. I look forward to hearing from you!
Housing sales have fallen by over 20% in our market—are we heading for a crash? In my opinion, our market isn’t about to crash, but the data shows we are facing a major correction. What does this mean for our housing market, and is it still possible to get a great deal?
First, let's address why our market is correcting so dramatically. It turns out that interest rates matter more than many people thought. When rates increased by about 3% a few months ago, demand fell as a natural result.
"By selling now, you can secure a great deal and prepare for the future."
However, demand didn’t completely go away. Houses are still selling, just not at the breakneck pace they were before. Some sellers are struggling in this market because they’re holding out for last year’s prices. You can still get an amazing deal if you list your home now, but you need the right expectations. In my experience, home sales are mainly dipping because sellers ignore great offers from buyers to wait for something better.
Smart homeowners are taking great offers even if they aren’t as crazy as what they could have received a few months ago. The truth is that our market shift is here to stay for the time being. The longer you wait, the more you risk losing some of your equity. By selling now, you can secure a great deal and prepare for the future.
If you have questions about today’s topic or anything else, please call or email me. I am always willing to help!
Our real estate market is starting to get interesting. Today I’m sharing a market update with the latest stats from June 2022.
Our market is experiencing some changes, and the most significant right now is the increase in inventory. Due to rising interest rates, sellers realize that now is the time to get their homes on the market. Week over week, we’re seeing growth in the number of houses for sale.
Over the last several months, we saw very few price reductions; sellers were selling their homes quickly and for over asking price, so there was no need. However, now price reductions are starting to happen, especially in price points originally set at $450,000 and over. For the next few months, I expect to see more price adjustments, particularly in the Port St. Lucie market. Prices will continue to decline as inventory escalates, which will lead to a more competitive marketplace for buyers and put some pressure on sellers.
"You can still get a higher price now than you would if you wait."
However, buyers will have more choices and a little more negotiating power, and it’ll be a better time for them to buy than it has been for a while. There will be opportunities at all price points. If you’re considering selling, now is the time to get your home on the market; price adjustments will be gradual between now and the end of the year, so you can still get a higher price now than if you wait.
If you have any real estate questions or needs, feel free to reach out anytime via phone or email. I would love to help you.
In case you don’t know, interest rates have shot up over the last couple of weeks. Some people are panicking, but they shouldn’t be. There’s a method for savvy buyers and sellers to beat the market and create a win-win situation, and today I want to discuss how you can use it.
First, what exactly is happening with interest rates? Rates were about 3.5% at the beginning of the year, but now they’re closer to 5.5%. As a result, demand is slowing, and more homes are staying on the market longer. Some buyers are sitting on the sidelines waiting for prices to fall, but I’m not sure if this is a good idea. Supply is still relatively low, so our high prices aren’t going anywhere.
To explain how you can win in this tough market, let’s go over an example. Let’s say someone is listing a home for $400,000. Some agents tell their sellers they need to lower their prices if they want to secure a sale, but that isn’t necessarily the case. If the buyers want to keep their monthly payments low, sellers can offer to pay for some closing costs instead of lowering their prices. The buyer can then use this extra money to buy down their interest rate.
"Both buyers and sellers can win in this market."
On a $400,000 home, paying $15,000 to buy down a buyer’s rate will create more savings than dropping the price by $15,000. Buying down the rate to 4.5% will create a monthly savings of around $300. Lowering the price will only save the buyer $85 per month. By offering to help buy down the buyer’s rate, both parties can win in this market.
If you have questions about today’s topic or anything else related to real estate, please call or email me. I am always willing to help!
