Clearwater Homes For Sale

5 Tips For Finding The Perfect Clearwater Waterfront Home

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You’ve decided to buy a home in Clearwater and think that a waterfront home might just be the kind of home for you. There are a lot of things to consider when looking at waterfront properties before deciding on buying. Here are some things you should think about.

Waterfront properties are more expensive

First things first, can you afford waterfront? Waterfront properties are definitely more expensive and have other expenses that you might not consider at first. Waterfront living is well worth the expense involved.

Insurance

One of them is insurance. Not only will you need to buy homeowners insurance, but also flood insurance. Homeowner’s and flood insurance in Florida are both expensive and will make the monthly cost of waterfront properties considerably higher.

Consider where to look

Do you want to buy in a neighborhood that overlooks the Intercoastal waterways? Maybe a condo overlooking the beaches in Clearwater? A single family home on one of the “fingers”? A home with deep water access? Does waterfront living for you include having a dock? Upkeep will cost you, but will save you from paying fees to a marina. It’s a trade off. So many options! All of these will give you different options, prices and expenses.

Talk to a Realtor

Your best bet is to talk to a Realtor about what you want and what your entire budget is. Find out before looking what things like insurance and upkeep will cost you. Be sure to factor it into your decisions. Waterfront living is fantastic and can be affordable, just be smart and informed about it before jumping in!

If you would like to work with a Clearwater Waterfront Realtor who loves help people find their perfect home, give Deb Ward a call today! 727-410-0336

How To Juggle Your “Must Haves” With Your Budget

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You are planning on house hunting and to prepare are watching all those HGTV shows and you have a long “must have” list for that perfect home. That’s great, but you also have a budget and all those “must haves” may not work with your budget. So what can you do?

First, start looking

Do this by finding an experienced Realtor to help you look. He or she can help you start that search. Be honest with him or her about your budget, and all the things you want in a home, including all those “must haves. Your Realtor will let you know if your “must have” list is reasonable or not. More likely than not, it isn’t reasonable, so now what?

One thing to consider about those “must haves” is upkeep

For instance, a marble countertop is absolutely gorgeous, but is it something you can keep looking that way? If you are insisting that a pool and spa are absolutely necessary, do you realize that there is testing, chemicals and cleaning to be done on them on a regular basis? There is an extra cost to purchase chemicals. If this is something that you can’t do or afford, take it from your list.

Another consideration is whether you can upgrade to these “must haves” at a later time

If you find a home that has some of the things you want and is the right size and price, you may want to decide that living with the carpeting while you save to refinish the hardwoods below them. You can put off updating the baths or kitchen if they are workable now and are just in need of cosmetic updates. In other words, decide what you can live with for now until you can afford to update to those “must haves.”

Be honest with yourself

Generally, you need to be very honest with yourself about what is really a “must have” and what is an “I’d like.” Keep in mind that if your budget just won’t accommodate everything you want, you’ll spend a lot of time looking and never find what you want.

The Top 5 Kitchen Renovations That Will Help You Sell Your House Faster

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Ever wonder what the top kitchen renovations are to get the highest possible price for your home when you are selling it?

You’ve had a Realtor come through your home and give you some feedback so you can list to sell your house. The suggestion to do a kitchen renovation was not surprising. But do you have to gut the kitchen and start fresh or can you just do a few fast fixes? Well, kitchens sell houses, so updating yours will help. Here are a few suggestions to make your kitchen look fresh and updated and get you top dollar.

Update countertops

Ripping out your entire kitchen may not be in your budget. A total kitchen gut can cost upwards of $25,000.00. However, there are some less expensive things you can do that will make your kitchen look fabulous. Let’s start with countertops. Get rid of your old laminate counters. They look dated, grungy and people hate them. Popular choices today are granite or quartz. Buyers are looking for it, so do it if you want to sell your house.

What about the sink?

While you are replacing the kitchen counters, think about your sink. Enamel and steel aren’t the only choices anymore. You can change size, shape and what it is made out of. Think about doing an under mount. Or a double sink if you have the space, but don’t take too much counter space or make the kitchen look smaller by adding a double sink.

Cabinets

Your cabinets may be really nice, but if they are missing hardware or need a really good cleaning, they will look dated. At the very least take some wood cleaner and clean off the built up grease and grime and replace the hardware. A better idea is to reface or repaint the cabinets. It’s much less expensive than a total replacement.

Appliances and lighting

Do your appliances match? Do they work? If not, think about replacing them. Yes, it’s an expense, but nothing makes a kitchen look worse than old, mismatched appliances. To sell your house you need to update as much as you can. Don’t forget lighting! If there are spaces where you wish there was more light, add it. Under mount lights under cabinets are easy to add and give a lot of light. Look at changing other lighting fixtures as well.

Make your kitchen shine and your house will sell!

Tampa Bay Home Selling Tips : How To Price Right For Your Neighborhood

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

One of the best Tampa Bay home selling tips is how to price right. It is also one of the trickiest parts of selling your home. Pricing it right for not only what you need out of the sale, but for the neighborhood and to make sure it sells. So how do Realtors figure out that magic number? A few things come into play, especially in Tampa Bay. Here are some home selling tips for pricing right for your neighborhood.

Check the comps

First, know what other homes have sold for in Tampa Bay. Check comps, or comparable homes, for their sale prices. Do NOT look at listing prices. Other homes may have been overpriced or underpriced. Comps also tell you if your home and the sold home have the same amenities. If the comp house has been updated with granite counters and your home still has laminate counters, the asking price of your home won’t be as high.

Location counts

That leads to some of the other reasons why homes are found at different price points. One of those items is location. Where is the home? Is it in a gated community? Is it in a great school district? Does it have a homeowners’ association that keeps the quality of the neighborhood higher? Is it a waterfront or water view property? All of these things will mean you can price your home higher. However, location can have negatives as well. Is the home on a busy street that is noisy or unsafe for children? Is it near an airport or railroad tracks? Is the neighborhood decaying? All of these may mean that no matter how gorgeous your home is, you won’t get top dollar.

Home condition

Another home selling tip is that home condition affects price . Is the home updated? How new is the roof? What about the home’s systems (electrical, plumbing, heating and AC)? Are they up to date or in need of repair? Have the appliances been updated? The important rooms to focus on are kitchens and baths. They are also the most expensive, but they are what buyers look for to be fresh and up to date.

Pricing your home right is important. If you aren’t sure what to ask, bring in a Tampa Bay real estate professional like Deborah Ward and let her do it for you.

Give Deb & her team of Tampa Bay realtors a call today! 727-410-0336

Sand Key Condos | Pinellas County Florida Real Estate

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Sand Key in Pinellas County Florida has a number of condo communities. The Sand Key community has plenty of single family homes, but for those looking to live in a more maintenance free lifestyle, condos may be for you. Here is information on several of them.

Beach Front and Intracoastal Waterway

The Meridian is a beachfront condo community found on the Gulf of Mexico. Views of the white sands and gorgeous sunsets await you if you live there. The Moorings on Sand Key is found on the intracoastal waterway and are luxury condos in a gated community. Sand Key Club is a beachfront condo community. It has 104 condominiums on 13 floors and is within walking distance of the Shoppes of Sand Key.

Luxury and Views

South Bay is located on the intracoastal but has beachfront views as well. South Beach is in an exclusive neighborhood with amazing views. The Grande is also beachfront. It is comprised of two identical buildings, the Somerset to the south with 117 units and the Watermark to the north with 116 units. Together both buildings have 4 penthouses. Luxury and amazing views. The Ultimar is a beachfront community that lives up to its name. Ultimate luxury in three towers, amazing extras like technology, hardwood floors, gourmet kitchens and amazing views. The Utopia is also beachfront and has a timeless “utopian” beauty. Amazing Gulf views and the perfect place to live. The Harbour Condo is on the intracoastal waterway. Another great condo community to find your perfect place to live on Sand Key.

Price Range

These are just a few, and as with other communities, some are more affordable, others have prices that live up to their “luxury” descriptions. Most start in the $300,000 range and prices for others can soar to over $1 million dollars. You know your budget and what you want in size and amenities. Your best bet? Call a Realtor who can help you find the best fit for your lifestyle and budget.

Want to find out more about the Sand Key Condos? Give us a call today! 727-410-0336

10 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Own Home Sale!

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You want to sell your home, right? Really? Because your behavior says otherwise. Your actions are sabotaging your own home sale. If you’re wondering why your home isn’t selling, read on and see if you fall into one or more of these examples… then STOP IT!

Issues of availability:

It makes sense that the more people that see your home, the more likely one will buy it. So why in the name of all that’s holy are you being so restrictive in your showing hours?

1. If you aren’t making the home available at times when normal people are looking, then it won’t be seen.

2. And for goodness sake, use a lockbox for a house key so other Realtors besides your listing agent can show the home!

3. If you don’t want it to be obvious for security reasons, put it on a door that is out of sight, but use one!

Pets and pet smells:

4. That “adorable” yet huge dog of yours, you know, the one that you swear “doesn’t bite” and is a huge sweetheart? Yeah, even the nicest dog can be territorial about strangers in their home. When you leave for the showing, take Fido with you.

5. And that cat smell? Total turn off. Find a place for Fluffy to stay while the house is for sale so you can dispense with the litter box.

6. Same goes for snakes, lizards, rodents and other small pets. Even if they don’t smell, they can scare or turn off buyers. That person who fell in love with the rest of your home but is terrified of snakes will NOT buy because you have one, trust me.

House condition:

7. We get it, you have to live in your home while you try to sell it, but when it’s going to be shown you need to CLEAN IT! That means pick up toys and clutter, clean bathrooms and kitchen counters, leave on some lights (as discussed with you when the home was staged) and…

8. DON’T SMOKE ANYWHERE! Yes, that means even no smoking in the garage since it‘s attached to the house.