Choosing a Brevard County Real Estate Agent.

OPs is a term I heard years ago referring to the cigarette brand some cheapskates smoked – OPs - other people's.

These were the guys who never had their own but was quick to ask for one from you.

I quit smoking years ago.

As a real estate agent in Viera, Florida when I go to work for you, either as someone selling a Viera home or buying a Viera home, I can’t discuss your circumstances, strategies or plans with anyone else.

Real estate agents have a duty to their clients. 

If your home is on the market and your neighbor asks what is going on my response will be simple.  Ask yourself because I can’t talk about OPB…other people’s business!

As a single agent representing you I owe you confidentiality.  I owe you loyalty.  I have a fiduciary responsibility to you.

And these, as well as other obligations, I take very seriously.

Considering selling your Viera Florida home?   Call me at 321-693-3850 or email me for a free market analysis.

Florida Home Prices – There is a very real reason for the low list price.

Here are the cold hard facts about the really really low priced Florida home.

If the listing price is extremely under market price, the investment money required to get it in shape may be higher than the cost of the house.
 
The secret is even the most generous sellers do not give away homes for pennies on the dollar.

1. Sometimes the value is in the land.
2. Sometimes the value is in the potential the structure or land holds.

The price is low for a reason.  People do not sell very many things including a house for a significant discount.  There is always a reason for the low price and it is usually because of condition, location, poor view, etc.

Investors may indeed be purchasing homes (or what is left of one) for pennies on the dollar when non-investors would not buy the same property.

The reason – investors know what they are doing.  The value may be in the land or, more specifically, the potential value of the structure or location.

Not too many years ago novice investors got caught up in the real estate market only to end up losing it all.

As a buyer sometimes the greatest value is in knowing it is time to move on and look at something else!

When you are ready to buy or sell real estate in Brevard County, Florida, call or email me.
 

What will happen with the vacant lot next door?

The below was printed in the Florida Today Newspaper on August 5, 2012.

Priorities in Life….

I sell homes and condos in Brevard County, Florida.  More specifically, in the central Brevard County areas of Viera, Rockledge, Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island.

Over the past week I have been away from the area providing support to my family as they dealt with the death of my brother in law.  This experience reminded me clearly about what a home really is…

It is the memories, the people, the family gatherings, all the things done through the years.

When you are ready to sell your home and move to a new house or condo, remember this…

Sell you house, move your memories.

Have a question about selling your Viera or Rockledge, Florida home?  Send me an email....

Real Estate Marketing

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Training is good but not the magic to success….

Training is good but not the magical button for success…. I read similar words in a response to an internet comment recently.

There is a lot of truth contained in that statement.

Training is indeed good whether formal classroom, online, independent reading, or whatever.

But training without experience is not always a sufficient teacher.

To be successful at anything one must practice it continuously.  Even the best golf teacher can’t make you a pro unless you practice.  An instructor may very well provide the expert instruction like head down, focus, follow through, etc but it takes putting the knowledge to work for success.

With the real estate business (with a goal of making a profitable living for the practitioner) there are other skills (the intangibles) that go along with the mechanics (knowledge).

The intangibles like personality, ability to reason, communication skills, and lest I forget, common sense.  Long term success is achieved when one combines them all.

When you are ready to sell your Brevard County, Florida  home you want someone who knows more than just the mechanics of the process.

But you also need someone who has the intangibles...like experience, communication skills, integrity, and, yes, even common sense. 

Thinking about selling your Viera, Rockledge or Suntree, Florida home?

Give me a call at 321-693-3850 or email me if I can help in any way.

Why I won't show rentals in Palm Bay or Titusville, Florida.

I had to deal with the same issue a couple of weeks ago.  The issue is working with those looking to rent a home in Brevard County, Florida and the limits of where I will go in that search....

Brevard County is 75 miles or so north to south.  There are beach side locales as well as very rural areas.  And within that wide area are a lot of rentals  - 995 as of this morning.

This is only a guess but I would say the average rental on the market is probably about $900-$1000 a month.  If I place a tenant in a rental I will typically make about $100 after expenses are subtracted (and this does not include gas or any out of pocket incidentals).  Usually a person seeking a rental will want to look over the course of several days... the math does not ad up.

So I limit myself to working with folks seeking to rent a house or condo in the Viera, Suntree, Rockledge areas of central Brevard County.

I try to assist by providing listing information with the listing agent contact information. And I explain the reasons presented above.

If you are looking for a home to rent in Rockledge, Viera, or Suntree, please give me a call. or send me an email.

Dos and Don’ts of Homebuyer Incentives - By: G. M. Filisko

Dos and Don’ts of Homebuyer Incentives

By: G. M. Filisko

Published: September 1, 2010

Homebuyer incentives can be smart marketing or a waste of money. Find out when and how to use them.

When you’re selling your home, the idea of adding a sweetener to the transaction—whether it’s a decorating allowance, a home warranty, or a big-screen TV—can be a smart use of marketing funds. To ensure it’s not a big waste, follow these dos and don’ts:
Do use homebuyer incentives to set your home apart from close competition. If all the sale properties in your neighborhood have the same patio, furnishing yours with a luxury patio set and stainless steel BBQ that stay with the buyers will make your home stand out.

Do compensate for flaws with a homebuyer incentive. If your kitchen sports outdated floral wallpaper, a $3,000 decorating allowance may help buyers cope. If your furnace is aging, a home warranty may remove the buyers’ concern that they’ll have to pay thousands of dollars to replace it right after the closing.

Don’t assume homebuyer incentives are legal. Your state may ban homebuyer incentives, or its laws may be maddeningly confusing about when the practice is legal and not. Check with your real estate agent and attorney before you offer a homebuyer incentive.

Don’t think buyers won’t see the motivation behind a homebuyer incentive. Offering a homebuyer incentive may make you seem desperate. That may lead suspicious buyers to wonder what hidden flaws exist in your home that would force you to throw a freebie at them to get it sold. It could also lead buyers to factor in your apparent anxiety and make a lowball offer.

Don’t use a homebuyer incentive to mask a too-high price. A buyer may think your expensive homebuyer incentive—like a high-end TV or a luxury car—is a gimmick to avoid lowering your sale price. Many top real estate agents will tell you to list your home at a more competitive price instead of offering a homebuyer incentive. A property that’s priced a hair below its true value will attract not only buyers but also buyers’ agents, who’ll  be giddy to show their clients a home that’s a good value and will sell quickly.

If you’re convinced a homebuyer incentive will do the trick, choose one that adds value or neutralizes a flaw in your home. Addressing buyers’ concerns about your home will always be more effective than offering buyers an expensive toy.

More from HouseLogic

Setting the right home price

Using an appraisal to set your home price

Choosing the right offer on your home

Other web resources

More on homebuyer incentives
G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who gritted her teeth and chose a huge price decrease over an incentive to sell a languishing property—and is glad she did. A regular contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

 “Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®."

 

Buying a Short Sale - Short Sales sometimes fail to appraise

The risk of a low appraisal is always a concern - even when you know the price on the contract is strong.  Maybe it is just the uncertainty of the home buying and financing process.

A low appraisal is especially a risk in a declining market.

In a short sale the decision to approve or not in the past has taken so long it is possible the price offered may in fact be above the market at acceptance an appraisal.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be implementing rules effective June 2012 that will require a decision within  30 days (60 days if negotiating with a mortgage insurer is involved).  This may speed the process along and help keep the appraisal in line with the market.

For now, let me see where today's appraisal goes!  And if a short sale fails to appraise there are options to consider. 

Expired Listings in Brevard County Florida - Why Your Home Did Not Sell!

If your Brevard County, Florida real estate listing has expired – again – take the time to consider why?

There was a time when I did not even go after expired listings.

I reconsidered that approach and now try to explain to “expired” sellers how an excessively high number of days on the market adversely impacts their efforts to sell their home.

I have spoken to some sellers who think if they price too low their home will sell too quickly…..not the case.

I try to explain to how new to the market sellers look at expired listings establishing their list price.