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There’s good news for buyers and sellers of Lakewood Ranch real estate: The U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook that came out the end of February is encouraging. According to this research done by Freddie Mac, both the economy and the housing market are showing cautious signs of recovery.
Here are some of the changes stimulating these improvements in both nationwide and Lakewood Ranch real estate markets:
• Loans that were seriously delinquent or going into foreclosure declined to the lowest quarterly share since the start of 2009, according to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association Mortgage Delinquency Survey.
• In January, existing home sales were at their highest since May 2010, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
• Job gains have exceeded expectations for the past three months.
• In January, the unemployment rate fell to its lowest since 2009. In December, jobless claims were at their lowest level since 2008.
• Applications for weekly unemployment benefits decreased for the third consecutive week, to 348,000; the fewest since the first week of March 2008.
• Home builder confidence continues to grow.
• Households are paying off their debts and accessing credit more easily.
• Historically low mortgage rates continue. According to Freddie Mac, the national average rate for...
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In honor of Valentine’s Day, sellers should take this month to highlight what they love best about their homes for sale. Instead of just focusing on the square footage, buyers will get the chance to see what makes your Lakewood Ranch real estate surprisingly special.
As a seller, you constantly hear tips about de-cluttering and depersonalizing a home that’s on the market. However, when you’re taking pictures to post online, be sure you capture the details you love most about your home, because buyers are likely to love them too. Below are a few photography tips to get you started:
• Capture the heart of your home. Ensure that you get pictures of all the living spaces, from the kitchen and living room to the backyard. Any place that a family will spend most of its time together should be highlighted.
• Make sure you have good lighting. Photograph on a day when there is a lot of natural light coming through the windows. Also be sure to turn on all inside lights and lamps — this gives your home that cheery, glowing feeling.
• Highlight your home’s best features. Be sure to showcase each of those unique features in...
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Many people are downsizing these days, either because they're empty nesters and no longer need the room, they’re getting older and want a smaller space to maintain, or they’re reducing their financial burdens or environmental impact.
If you’ve made the decision to downsize to a smaller Lakewood Ranch home, here are five tips to help you make the transition:
1. Start early: Downsizing to a smaller home is much less stressful if you have plenty of time to sort through your belongings to figure out what you’re getting rid of and what you’re keeping. Plan to do this at least a month before you put your home up for sale. (Bonus benefit: it makes your house less cluttered and more desirable to buyers.)
2. Evaluate your needs: Take an honest look at your lifestyle and what you truly enjoy. Are you really going to learn to play that piano? If you haven’t used it or thought about it in over a year, the answer is probably no. Advertise it in your local newspaper and sell it! With anything you’re having a hard time letting go of, put it in storage for six months. If you don’t think...
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To sell Lakewood Ranch homes, you have to get buyers to want them. So, what do they want? Based on the data just in from the 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, here are what buyers want in a neighborhood in order of importance:
1. 67 percent favor a quality neighborhood
2. 49 percent of buyers said they want convenience to jobs
3. 45 percent look at the overall affordability of homes in the neighborhood
4. 39 percent prefer to live close to family and friends
5. 28 percent of buyers are interested in having shopping close by
6. 27 percent want a quality school district
7. 22 percent ask for a neighborhood that is convenient to schools
8. 21 percent like to live close to entertainment or leisure activities
Assess your neighborhood. Which of the attributes most desired by buyers does your neighborhood have? Showcase those features in the marketing materials for your home:
• Mention the schools, shopping, entertainment and leisure activities that are close to your home.
• Give statistics on the quality of your school district.
Need help marketing your home? We specialize in selling Lakewood Ranch homes. If you’re ready to sell your home, let us market...
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You may have a few DIY renovation projects planned for your Lakewood Ranch home. Instead of plunging right into costly home renovations, you might want to take time to consider the following tips to gain insight before getting down to work.
• Talk to your parents. Give your elders a call to see what they think about your renovation plans. Those of the older generation have usually lived in many houses and did a lot more fixing up than most property owners do today.
• Consult a professional. Talk with a professional who specializes in the type of renovation that you’re planning, such as a carpenter, plumber or electrician. They might charge you for an hour of their time, but you’ll gain valuable insight and maybe even tips on which building materials to use and where you should purchase them.
• Plan for a permit. Check with your city, county and HOA before you do any major renovations or make additions to your
Lakewood Ranch home. You’ll want to get a permit if one’s needed; otherwise you might be required to undo your hard work and the repercussions could be severe when you eventually try to sell. They’re not out...
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Buying a Lakewood Ranch home is both easier and harder these days. Yes, it’s a buyer’s market, which implies that prices are lower, but there are a few things to do to before buying your home. Purchasing a home is a lot easier when you know how to be a savvy home buyer.
Follow these five tips to get the Lakewood Ranch home of your dreams with less hassle and at a great price:
1. List your home before looking for another home. Contracts contingent on selling your existing home complicate the buying process and reduce your chance of getting a great bargain. Sellers are often unwilling to give any concessions if they have to wait for you to sell your home.
2. Get pre-approved for a loan. Sellers prefer to negotiate with buyers who are pre-approved for a loan large enough to purchase their home. The pre-approval may save you money because you’ll have more leverage to negotiate a lower price. Additionally, you’ll save time by looking exclusively at homes within your price range.
3. Ignore easy-to-change design issues. If the shag carpeting isn’t your style, you can easily change it...
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As real estate agents, we spend a lot of time rushing in and out of Lakewood Ranch homes. It's easy for us to get caught up in the hustle-bustle of real estate transactions, and we forget to slow down to appreciate the pleasures of owning a home. So today, we want to take a moment to reflect on the home aspect of real estate.
Our job (one we love) is to help people just like you find a house that suits their lives. Once you move in, you make that house into a home.
Holiday Traditions
Your Lakewood Ranch home is where you and your loved ones celebrate holidays and where you create and continue family traditions. Whether you deck the halls with layers of tinsel and wreaths or have the whole family over to spin Hanukkah dreidels, the spirit of the season comes from the energy of the people gathering together in your home.
Season of Family Warmth
While you're making your famous sugar cookies or spiking your secret-recipe punch with extra holiday cheer, pause for a moment to enjoy the warmth and beauty of your Lakewood Ranch home....
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Today’s home buyers have a big advantage over buyers from a decade ago: the internet. You can search for homes for sale online as well as find pricing data and instructions on how to buy a home. So, why would you possibly want to hire a Lakewood Ranch real estate agent to help you buy a home?
Here are four surprising and not-so-surprising reasons why hiring a Lakewood Ranch real estate agent will save you time and money when buying a home:
1. Paperwork - Today's real estate contracts run more than 10 pages, and will take you hours to read, comprehend, process and file. Experienced agents handle the paperwork and legal issues for you, minimizing your hassles, headaches and anxiety.
2. House Hunting – It’s a jungle out there! Navigating through the short sales, foreclosures and thousands of homes for sale can be overwhelming. Your agent can streamline that process for you by sorting through many homes and finding the gem that meets all your needs and fits your budget.
3. Goal Achievement – When you have an expert working on your team and looking out for your best interests, you...
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Buying Lakewood Ranch homes when you live in another state or country can be challenging. Here are a few simple ideas to help make things a little less hectic.
• Investigate online. Most people know to search for Lakewood Ranch homes online, but what about searching for a neighborhood? Although you can’t search each and every neighborhood, you can research almost any county or city online. This gives you a pretty good idea of what the area has to offer in the way of schools, shopping and safety.
• Hire a Realtor®. While you’re searching online, your realtor can search the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for you. She or he can email newly listed properties to you daily.
• Share as much information with your agent as you can. The more you research the area, the more information you are going to have to give to your agent. Talk with your agent and let her or him know what you have found and any areas that you may have decided against. This will save you and your agent time.
• Visit to get a personal impression. If at all possible, after you’ve narrowed the properties down to the top two or...
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You want a new home in Lakewood Ranch, but you’re not sure whether it’s best to build a new one or buy an existing home. The first thing you should do is identify your priorities. Do you dream of a customized house built from the ground up or living in a house already built in an established neighborhood?
Before you make up your mind or put in an offer, take the time to prioritize the following:
• Location - Can you find a lot to build on in your desired location? If not, are you willing to consider a different area if it means you’ll get a house tailored to your specifications? If you’re extremely location focused, you might have to give up the idea of building your perfect house and concentrate on available homes in the area.
• Timeline - How flexible is your timeline? If you absolutely need to be moved into your new home in Lakewood Ranch on a certain date, don’t even think about building. Building a house sometimes extends past the estimated completion date. If your timeline isn’t flexible, it might be time to start...
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At this time of year, as thoughts turn to gobbling down turkey dinners and watching football, it's easy to get caught up in the details and lose the spirit. So today, we want to take a minute to say something important:
Thank you!
Because of you, we have a job we love: being a Lakewood Ranch real estate agent.
Thanksgiving is a holiday of gratitude, and yet too few of us remember that, when we're stuck in traffic going over the river and through the woods to grandma's house for her famous pumpkin pie.
So today, we would like to say again, thank you.
Thank you for contributing to this community, online and in the real world, by asking questions, adding your insights, and trusting us with your housing dreams.
If we've worked together in the past, please know that we are sincerely grateful for your business. We hope the experience of working together led you to your perfect home and fulfilled your real estate goals.
If you are new to this site and just beginning to investigate the sometimes confusing world of real estate, we would like...
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With home prices nearing their bottom, now might be a great time to buy real estate income property. Many more people will be looking to rent now that pre-approved mortgages are harder to come by. But, before you become a landlord, you’ll want to make sure your potential rental property won’t remain vacant for long.
Tips to help you evaluate your real estate investment:
1. Determine if your area has a strong rental market. See what kind of homes are for rent and track how long they remain vacant. If the same properties are listed week after week, it might not be the best area to purchase a rental.
2. Keep an eye on the local Classifieds. Track how many rentals are available at any given time, and get an idea of the size of houses most commonly listed.
3. Make sure your potential rental property is located near amenities that are of interest to renters. For example, supermarkets and schools.
4. Find a house that’s in good shape. Would you live there? If not, either move on to a different property or immediately fix it up.
Owning a rental home can be a great investment. Do your homework, and...
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