Deborah Ward – Page 15

How “Tiny” A House Could You Live In?

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You’ve seen it on TV; the “tiny house” craze. People living in what is basically a small trailer with all the bells and whistles of a bigger stationary home. It seems to signal that people are starting to tire of the “McMansions” on postage stamp sized lots. But really, how tiny a home could you live in?

Typical Florida home

The typical Florida small home was built in the 1950s. There were a huge number built. They are usually around 1100 square feet in living space and have 2 bedrooms, 1 bath a kitchen and living room. Some have garages. It’s not a huge home. The bedrooms are typically small as are the kitchens. The idea of large, open concept homes wasn’t part of the lingo in the 1950s!

So who does these smaller homes fit?

Smaller families, couples and singles. 2 bedrooms works for a small family of 3 or 4, especially if the kids are same sex or very young. 2 bedrooms works for a couple or single leaving a bedroom for a guest room or home office. With all there is to do in Florida, who needs a huge house with huge rooms? You’ll be spending more time outdoors anyway!

Smaller can be better!

Less time cleaning with less space to clean. Less expensive to heat or cool since it’s smaller. Easier and less expensive to decorate and furnish. You don’t have to go as extreme as the tiny house shows demonstrate, but going small is a good option.

How To Sell Your House When You Have Already Moved

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

It happens. You have to move before you can get your home sold. Often it’s because of a job transfer, but whatever the reason, it’s not the optimal way to sell and move. So what can you do?

Your first order of business should happen before you move out. As you pack to go, clean. Make the place spotless. This will be easier to do when the house is empty of your belongings, but start as you pack. Also, consult with a Realtor to see if any updates are a good idea. Ideally, they can be done once you move out, and then you can list right away. These are a lot of the same things that any seller should do.

Now that you’ve moved out, deep cleaned the empty house and made any necessary updates, it’s time to get listed. Your best bet is to have someone come in and stage the home.

Empty homes are, unfortunately, harder to sell. Spending the extra money to make it look lived it, or at least give prospective buyers an idea of each room’s purpose, will pay for itself. If you can’t afford a professional service, see if family or friends can help with some furnishings and such to help out while it’s listed.

You also need to make sure the home stays spotlessly clean. Either hire a cleaning service to come through once a week, or have a friend or family member do it. Nothing says “empty house” more than dust bunnies! Make sure systems and appliances are in working order.

Same with the yard. Have a lawn service keep the yard mowed and weeded. Curb appeal is very important. Also make sure that your mail and newspapers are forwarded or stopped. Keep a few lights in the home on a timer so they go on and off regularly.

A lot of this is important for another reason as well. Empty homes are a target for break- ins and vandalism. Have friends or neighbors keep an eye on the home for you and call the police if there is anything hinky going on. That said, empty also doesn’t sell well, so making your house look lived in will help you sell.

If you would like some help getting your home sold, give the Deb Ward Team a call!

727-410-0336

What Are Jumbo Home Loans?

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

With the housing market improving and home prices rising larger homes are becoming hard to get with a standard mortgage. Your Realtor may have mentioned a jumbo home loan, but you aren’t sure what that is.

A jumbo mortgage

Simply put, a jumbo mortgage is a loan to purchase a home that is in an amount that is larger than the limits set by the government. Conventional mortgages have limits as to how much it can be.

This is because mortgages are commonly bought and sold on secondary markets, and are backed by FNMA (Fannie Mae) and FHLMC (Freddie Mac). If a mortgage is over those limits, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac will step in and back the mortgage. The current limit is $453,100, with a few exceptions as to locations where it could be higher.

Conventional formats

Most mortgage companies offer jumbo loans in the conventional formats like fixed rate or interest only loans, and these have LTV or loan-to-value limits too. Jumbo loans typically have an 80% or 90% loan-to-value limit on the loans.

This is because they need to be sure the risk is minimized as much as possible since there is no federal backing. They usually carry a higher interest rate; usually .25% to .50% higher than that of a conventional loan.

They aren’t impossible to get, and with the easing of restrictions as the market grows. And if you need that bigger home, the risk may be worth the reward.

Finding a great lender

When you get up into the Jumbo loan prices, having a qualified lender becomes even more important. If your lender is used to working within the framework of FHA loans, they may not have the resources to find you the best Jumbo loan to fit your needs.

Additionally, you may be looking at putting down a significant amount of cash or even using some private money in addition to the loan and as such your lender needs to know how to get that kind of complicated loan to the closing table.

Many of the properties we sell here in Tampa Bay fall into this Jumbo loan category and we have a list of lenders who we feel do a great job with our clients. Please contact us if you would like a great referral or to talk about purchasing a Jumbo loan property today!

Florida Luxury Real Estate – More Luxury for Your Money

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Florida luxury real estate gives you more bang for your buck. Want a lot more for your money? Buying big in Florida will get you a lot more house for your money! Want a luxury property that screams anywhere else “I’m snooty and have this amazing real estate”? Buy big in Florida.

Florida hit it big in the real estate bubble and building went bonkers. Luxury homes and condos were all the rage. Big homes with high end finishes, big lanais and pools. Condos with amazing beach views, high end finishes and amazing community amenities. Luxury real estate then meant you had money to burn. As with many other places in the US, real estate was the place to sink your hard earned cash. After all, historically it was a safe place to invest. Even in recessions real estate weathered the storms reasonably well. This one, however, was an exception to that rule and real estate took an amazingly hard hit, especially in Florida.

The problem was when the bubble burst; housing prices fell in a huge way. Overpriced home markets overcorrected. Builders left projects half built and people lost homes by the hundreds of thousands. Properties lost 3/4 of their value or more. While the overcorrection is now settling down, and prices are climbing a bit, finding a luxury home at a bargain price is definitely possible.

So if you weathered the storm and want to find a property that makes you feel rich, but at a price that makes your bank account happy, Florida is the place to look. There are many homes for sale. Want the beach life? Find a condo on the Atlantic or Gulf. A small hometown community? Got them too. A house on the intercoastal? With places to dock your boat if you have one.

Young or old, family or single, there is a luxury home for you in Florida.

Looking for a great Florida Luxury Realtor? Give Deb a call today! 727-410-0336

Should You Worry About Sinkholes in Pinellas County

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Sinkholes in Florida are not uncommon. Some areas are more susceptible to them than others, but as a general rule the entire state has the same kind of porous carbonate rocks that help create sinkholes. You want to buy a property in Pinellas County and wonder if you need to worry about sinkholes there.

Why do sinkholes happen?

Sinkholes are caused by the wearing away of the limestone rock that makes up the substrata of Florida. Limestone dissolves away over time leaving holes. Usually those holes are filled with water which holds up the surface.

Sometimes the rocks, soil or clay on the surface is too heavy and a sinkhole happens. Other times if the water is drained for one reason or another, the water is no longer there to hold up the surface and a sinkhole happens.

There are generally three types of sinkholes: collapse sinkholes which are frequently triggered by fluctuations in underground water; subsidence sinkholes which generally form gradually; and clay shrinkage which vary seasonally and with annual precipitation changes.

So is Pinellas a worry?

To some extent, yes, anywhere in Florida has some risk of sinkholes. On the west coast in the Tampa area Pasco County and towns in Pinellas like Tarpon Springs and Palm Harbor have a lot more sinkhole activity than further South in Pinellas County.

Here is a great resource for checking if your potential property is in a dangerous area… you can search by zip code for an overview! https://sinkholemaps.com/pinellas-county-fl-sinkhole-subsidence-properties/

If you want to be sure, us a call or check with your insurance company. Both will have a good idea and when checking with your insurance company you can be sure if you will be able to get insurance for the property because of sinkhole activity.

So go ahead, buy in Pinellas!

10 Great Organizing Ideas For Your Next Move

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Let’s face it, moving is a pain. Being really organized will help it be less of a pain. Here are some great organizing tips to make your next move less of a pain and more of a breeze!

Declutter first

The best thing you can do to start your organizing is to declutter. So here is a quick way to figure out what gets packed: Pick up each thing and think about whether it’s worth the effort to pack, carry and unpack it in your new space. No? Then decide if it’s in good enough shape that someone else might want it. Yes? Then donate it. No? Throw it out.

Electronics

Now is also a good time to clean up electronic clutter too. Since you’ll be moving things like computers and printers, be sure to back up what’s on the computers either on an external hard drive or by using an online data storage service. Heaven forbid something happens to your electronics, your data is safe. Also label or color code each cord as you pack them up. That way setup is easy once you get there. For computers or printers with multiple cords, use colored dot stickers to label each cord and the hole it plugs into on the back of the device.

Important documents

Make sure important papers are kept in a fireproof lock box. Things like birth certificates, passports, deeds, financial documents and the like. Also keep a binder with important information about the move: moving company or truck rental contracts, master packing list, pet vaccination, flight information if you are flying to your new home and change over information for the utilities for each property. Keep the binder and lock box with you.

Color coding system

Next, as you pack each room, try using a color coding system. Assign each room a color, and then number each box as you pack it. Then keep a list of which room has what color and what is in each box.

Make a box of toiletries, jammies, etc.

Make an easy to find box or stash of things like toilet paper, pajamas and coffee for the morning. Maybe add travel sizes of shampoo and other bathroom things you will need so you don’t have to unpack everything to find it. Other things you might need could be one set of dishes or some plastic throw aways, a teakettle and small jar of instant coffee or tea bags, a small tool set with screwdrivers and a hammer, trash bags, a box cutter, light bulbs, paper towels, a few bath towels, a set of sheets per bed, and some snacks.