Deborah Ward – Page 42

Waterfront Condos in Clearwater – The Top Amenities To Look For

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

If you are condo shopping in Clearwater, finding a waterfront condo is easy. If you’re not sure what you want in a waterfront condo, here are some of the top amenities found in some of the best ones around. So wet your whistle on these and then have fun finding the best fit for you!

So let’s start with the most obvious top amenity in a waterfront condo: the views! Whether the condo is on the beach or the Intracoastal Waterway, the views will take your breath away! Beach view condos will greet you every day with the clean white sands and gorgeous turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Start your day watching dolphins frolic in the surf, and end it with the most gorgeous sunsets around.

You might like a condo that fronts the Intracoastal Waterway. Watch from your windows, or sit on your balcony and watch all kinds of wildlife swim, swoop and soar past. Enjoy the view of the boats as they skim by on their way out to the Gulf. Watch a sunrise or a sunset daily and take in the grandeur of nature.

All those views aren’t the only fun. You’ll have great water access as well. Beachfront means walk out the door and onto the beach. No long car rides, traffic nightmares or parking hassles. Take a book, chair, blanket and you’re ready. Need something else? No worries, just a quick run into your condo to get it! If you buy on the Intracoastal Waterway, think boating. Many condos have boat ramps and lifts, and your own dock. No extra docking fees or driving a distance to get to your boat. Grab what you need, climb aboard and off you go for your day of fun on the water.

The communities will also have the amenities you expect. Pools, spas, exercise facilities, private parking, gorgeous grounds and community buildings for all to use. And of course the condos themselves will most likely be top notch with all of the things you expect. Granite, wood, marble or tile flooring, all up to date and ready to enjoy. Great kitchens with top notch appliances, granite countertops and beautiful views..what’s not to love! Clearwater condos have all the top amenities, so call your Realtor and come see for yourself!

What Does It Cost To Sell Your Home?

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

So you think you’ll walk away from the sale of your home with a fat check? Yes, but it’s probably not going to be as fat as you think once the costs of the sale are deducted or counted against the amount written. Knowing what the cost to sell your home is and how it will impact your final bottom line can also give you the information you need to lower those costs where you can.

Getting ready to sell

Before you list you’ll have to spend money to get it ready to sell. Spend on things like paint, cleaning supplies and storage for all your extra stuff after you declutter the home.

These expenses don’t have to be high, but if you are advised by your Realtor that you should do some updates to kitchens and/or baths, those expenses could rise into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Pet expenses, etc.

Once it’s listed, there are other expenses that you may not expect. Do you have a pet? That could be a problem for people looking at your home.

If it’s a cat or dog you may have to kennel them or pay a pet sitter to take them from the house for showings, or for the time it takes to sell. And when you have to be away for showings, remember that unless you have other errands to run, eating out is often the choice.

So now you have your contract. The costs keep on coming. Here’s what you have to look forward to:

Realtor’s commission: Your agent charges a commission in the form of a percentage of the sale price. This commission percentage is usually 6%, could be lower, could be higher, but let’s say you sell for $250,000.00 a 6% commission will cost you $15,000.00.

Transfer taxes: The state, county and/or municipality will charge taxes or “stamps” for the transfer of the property. Depending on how many charge it, it can range from 0.01% to 2% of the sales price.

And don’t forget that if you’ve sold a property before and realized a profit on it you’ll owe the federal and state tax authorities money on for capital gains taxes. Those will be due at tax time, but be sure to provision for it.

Don’t forget your mortgage payoff and moving costs!

Selling In A Hot Real Estate Market – 3 Things You Should NEVER Overlook

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

It’s a sellers’ market so you don’t have to do anything to your home to prepare it for sale, right? Wrong! Seller’s’ market or not there are things that you should never overlook.

Clean and declutter your home

No matter the market, making your home look roomy, clean, tidy and impersonal is incredibly important. Not only do buyers have difficulty looking past dirt and clutter to see what could be, they also can’t picture themselves in your home if it still looks like you live in it. Even in a seller’s’ market you need to make your home more than just presentable. Consider staging it as well, or at least take your Realtor’s advice on how to stage each room in your home.

Make your home stand out

Make your home stand out in the neighborhood, but don’t over improve it. The same cleaning and decluttering you did inside needs to be done outside as well. First impressions make or break for buyers. If your home is a showplace inside, but a wreck outside, no one will come see the inside. Spruce up landscaping, powerwash driveways and walkways, consider painting or residing if the exterior is really in need of the pick me up. One caveat, don’t overdo it. If your home is improved over what your neighborhood can support, it won’t sell.

Price your home correctly

Pricing your home correctly in a sellers’ market is even more important. If you think you can over price it because you have the advantage in the market, think again. In fact, having a well-priced, or even slightly underpriced home will get more attention to your listing than if you try to get too much. A slightly lower than market will actually attract more buyers and give you a better chance of multiple offers. That could mean getting market or over market, all because you priced the home appropriately.

Please Cut Down That “Must Have” List A Little

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Every buyer has them. You know, the “must have” list. Since people started buying homes there has been one. The problem now? The “must have” list is out of control. What do I mean by out of control?

Please Cut Down That "Must Have" List A Little Well when people used to look for their first home, their “wish list” often consisted of a home with 2 or 3 bedrooms, a bath or two and a particular size piece of property. If it was in good shape, great!

But it wasn’t expected to be perfect and top of the line. The expectation used to be that you would move in and start to do small projects to update or make the space your own.

Those days are long gone

With the advent of networks on cable like HGTV and DIY Network, the expectations of home buyers has been jettisoned to the sometimes ridiculous. Just turn on a show like HGTV’s House Hunters and listen to what new home buyers expect to find in their first home.

The typical “must have” list now includes things like granite counters in kitchens and baths, top of the line appliances, open concept with no beams, hardwood floors, en suites, upscale laundry rooms, outdoor entertainment space, huge closets and more rooms than a couple could need even if they had a child or two.

Why all these demands?

There are probably a lot of reasons why this expectation of living is part of the new home buyer’s demands, but some of it can be directly traced back to home networks. They make it look normal to have those amenities. In reality most homes don’t have those top of the line amenities. It takes a lot of money to add them and the average homeowner needs to be more worried with systems, roofs and making mortgage payments!

So, first time home buyer, lower your standards! Make your “wish list” within reason and you will find that home that fits you at a price you can afford.

5 Tips To Attract Out Of State Buyers For Your Home Sale

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

If you have to move away before you can sell your home, some unique problems may crop up! Find a Realtor who is used to working with out of state sellers.

It happens. You get transferred to a new position out of state and have to move, or move away for whatever reason. In a perfect world you would have time to sell your home before having to move away. Well, the world isn’t perfect and sometimes you have to move before you can sell. So here are some tips to make your sale the best it can be from states away.

First and most important, carefully hire a Realtor to assist you. It would be incredibly hard to clean, stage, show and sell your home yourself from so far away. Choosing the best Realtor to help you will mean you will hire someone who will show and market the home, hire contractors to handle upgrades and repairs, and ensure that there is a smooth sale of your home.

Be sure that you personally interview Realtors for the best fit. Choose one who has a great track record for sales and getting the best price, who communicates well and is comfortable with how you communicate (I.e. phone, text, email) and has a good reputation in the community.

Next, be sure to price the home correctly. Trust your Realtor to understand the market, the neighborhood and the condition of the home to get you the best price. Get it right the first time. Start with the best price, because if you miss that crucial first 30 days, repricing won’t help you sell for the best price. People will wonder why it didn’t sell and will low ball you with offers. Also, be sure that your Realtor is aware of the lowest price you are willing to accept. Be open to negotiation and other considerations for a lower price, but make sure there is an understanding.

No one will buy your home if it looks like an episode of Hoarders. They certainly won’t give you the best price if it is a cluttered mess. Before you move, pack up all of your belongings and those things you don’t want give away or throw away. If possible, leave a small amount of furniture to make sure the home doesn’t look vacant.

Then clean. Clean as if your life depended on it. If you can’t due to the impending move, or just don’t want to, hire a cleaning company to do a serious deep clean on the home. Also have any necessary repairs made, and any updates your Realtor recommends. Have the home staged for the best effect.

If you are looking for a Realtor in the Tampa Bay area who works often with out of area seller, give Deb Ward a call today! 727-410-0336

A History of St. Petersburg Florida

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

St. Petersburg, or St. Pete as the locals call it, has a storied history. Actually, St. Pete became it’s formally shortened name in 1994. It’s close to Tampa Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. It also has great beaches to go with the fun history.

St. Pete was founded by John C. Williams and Peter Demens

Williams came to the area from Detroit, Michigan, and purchased the land that now encompasses St. Pete in 1876. Demens was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia and brought the railroad to the area in 1888 and it became a boon for the area. It was incorporated as St. Petersburg on February 29, 1892.

According to local legend, the city was named St. Petersburg after Demens won a coin flip for naming rights. Since it was his home in Russia, he named the area for the place he grew up. Williams, as the loser, got to name the first hotel, which he also named after his birthplace. The first hotel was called The Detroit Hotel, and today exists as a condominium.

Historic hotels

Other historic hotels, which are still hotels, are the historic Pier Hotel. This hotel was built in 1921 and was formally called the Hotel Cordova. The other is The Heritage Hotel, built in 1926.
F. A. Davis, a publisher from Philadelphia came to the area and started the area’s first electrical service in 1897. Then he moved onto establishing the first trolley service in 1904. Given its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, it’s only natural that the city’s first major industry, wholesale fish sales, was established in 1899 when Newport, North Carolina native, Henry W. Hibbs, established his wholesale fish business at the end of the railroad pier, which extended into the channel. Between 1906 and 1908 the shipping channel was dredged and the deeper channel opened St. Pete up to increased shipping.

Tony Jannus and airplane service

In 1914, airplane service across Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg to Tampa started. This is generally considered the first commercial airline. The company was the St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line. Their pilot was Tony Jannus, and an annual award, The Tony Jannus Award, is presented annually for outstanding achievement in the airline industry.

St. Pete is a great place to visit, for beach lovers and history buffs alike!