Realtor Tips – Page 20

Clearwater Relocation – 5 Tips To Make Your Florida Move Easier

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You found the perfect home in Clearwater, and now you are ready to start your Clearwater relocation journey. Here are some tips to make your Florida move easier.

First, planning is a good thing

Packing and unpacking takes days. Planning your packing means you won’t be unpacking everything all at once, and making a huge mess to find items you need right away.

Best idea? Pack a bag like you’re going away for a week, and a box with specific household items you need immediately. That would be things like toilet paper, a set of towels and sheets, personal care items, coffee maker and a few dishes and cups.

Another good idea for those right away needs? Get a clear storage container so you can see what’s in it immediately. And remember, enough for each person in your home!

Remember, a label maker is your friend

Whether you use a moving company or pack and go yourself, all those boxes will look the same once they are all packed. Use a label-maker or thick black marker to write the name of the room that each box came from, and number them. That way you will know that there should be 10 boxes from the kitchen and know to keep looking if only 9 make it.

Save time and money- use clothing and towels to pack breakables

Moving is expensive, so save some money and time by skipping things like bubble wrap. Use clothing and towels to do the same job, you have to pack it anyway, right? So breakables from your bedroom, use your clothing. Breakables from the bathroom? Use your towels. If you have something very valuable that needs the extra cushioning, splurge, but clothing and such works well and saves a bundle. Old newspapers work well for packing dishes and glasses.

Take a picture!

Save the hassle with wires for computers and TVs by taking a picture with your smartphone before unplugging. It will save you aggravation later when you try and put them back together.

Moving doesn’t have to be horrible, planning a bit will save all kinds of frustrations.

Super Neat Tool to Determine Homeowners Insurance Costs for Florida

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Finding the right homeowners insurance for your home can be tricky. Finding it in Florida adds some extra trickiness. Because of the constancy of hurricane season and sinkholes some companies have decided not to insure homes in Florida, but that still leaves a lot of insurers who do. Taking the time to contact each and get quotes is time consuming. How can you be sure that comparing the policy quotes are comparing apples to apples? Now, there is a tool for Florida homeowners that can help.

Different factors involved

The cost of homeowner’s insurance can and will vary depending on a few different factors. One factor is the type of home construction. Not only the style, but the materials. An all wood home will cost more to insure than an all brick or stucco. Another factor is the value of your home. Obviously if your home cost more to buy, it will cost more to insure. Why? Because it will cost more to replace if it is destroyed.

Factors that mitigate the cost

There are ways to lower your bill too. There are factors that will mitigate the cost, such as sprinkler systems, home alarm systems, multi policy discounts and the like. You can also lower your policy by agreeing to higher deductibles. Asking your agent about discounts is smart. The problem is, how many agents are you going to ask?

There is a way to narrow the field

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has a website where you can start getting information on homeowner’s insurance cost. The site allows you to choose the age range and closest value of your home, and county where your home is, and it will provide you with a list of companies and their rates. Then you can choose from the list and call an agent to further narrow the cost with mitigating factors and deductibles.

The site:

https://choices.fldfs.com/pandc/homeowners?_ga=1.177182373.1456784373.1437595413

is easy to use and will save you time and effort. What a win/win!

You Should Ask Your Clearwater Realtor For A Home Evaluation BEFORE You List Your Home!

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Selling your home for exactly what YOU want is a snap, right? After all, you looked up what your neighbors were asking for their homes. You know what you paid for it and what the value REALLY is… or do you? Before you go listing your Clearwater home, you better get a Realtor to evaluate it.

So why is your number most likely too high?

So many reasons! First, your emotional connection to your home will make you almost automatically value it too high. Your emotional attachment has no bearing on price. It can’t be quantified and added into the actual value. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can be objective. You have either good feelings about your home or bad, you don’t have objective ones.

Factors to consider when calculating price

As for what your neighbors listed their homes for, it has no bearing on the value of your home. Seems like it should, but there are too many other factors involved. Let’s list a few of them. Your homes may seem like they are the same size, but square footage of living space can be very different. Is their attic finished? Is yours? Is their garage a garage, or a finished rec room? Have they updated their home? Have you? What amenities do they have? Do they have a pool or spa? Granite counters? New appliances? All of these differences change the value of their home and yours.

What you paid versus current value

The amount you paid for your home also has no bearing on its current value. It certainly will help you figure out your equity, but the value then isn’t the value now. It could be lower or higher, depending on updates and how your area has bounced back from the real estate troubles of the last decade or so.

Call a Realtor

So how do you find out the actual value? Call a Realtor. They know how to value your home and get you the best price possible.

Why the Heck do You Need Home Inspection When Buying a Home?

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

So why is a home inspection so important? Sometimes getting the home of your dreams is a challenge, and it might seem like a good idea to ensure getting the deal by dispensing with the home inspection. It will give you the edge, right? Maybe, but at what cost?

A Big Investment

Buying a home is the biggest investment any one person will make. Not protecting yourself when making that investment is silly. Unless you know exactly what is right or wrong with a home, giving up the ability to inspect a property before purchase can get you into hot water.

Getting one can mean being able to renegotiate the purchase price of the home, walk away from a problem home and protect your investment in the future.

Start with the Important Stuff

A home inspector will look for a lot of different things. He starts with the important stuff, the structure of the home. A home inspector climbs onto the roof, pokes at the foundation, and crawls into attic space looking for water condensation or penetration from the roof. They look for cracks in walls, ceilings and floors, evidence of mold and any signs of water leakage.

Outside, they look for any place that may allow water to seep into the home. They also look for things like broken glass seals, missing caulking, settlement cracks, loose or missing roofing shingles and flashing.

Plumbing and Electrical Systems

Inside they check all of the plumbing and electrical systems. Is there evidence of leaky pipes? Are sinks and tubs draining adequately? What about water pressure? Does the hot water heater work? If there is a sump pump, is it working? Is there a filtration or water softening system and does it work? Should there be a filtration or water softening system?

All the electrical components are examined to ensure they fit and are operating safely. Are there ungrounded outlets or switches? Is the electrical panel adequate for the size of the home and is it up to date? Are there working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors?

Other Systems

Other systems like the heating and air conditioning working properly? Is the home adequately insulated and ventilated? The systems in the home can be expensive fixes if not working properly.

Don’t waive the home inspection. It could be a big mistake.

3 Ways To Get Ready For Your Showing! – Home Seller Tips

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

It’s finally time to get your home shown! Do you know what you should be doing before you leave to let the Realtor show it? Here are some great ideas on how to make your home show perfect.

Spotlessly Clean

First, make sure it’s spotless. Run the vacuum and dust through the whole house to pick up any dust, dirt or pet hair. No dust bunnies allowed!

If possible, change the filter in your vacuum to one that uses a room air freshener to freshen up the smell of your home. Make sure that you also clean through the kitchen and bathrooms. No spots on the mirror. Put away tooth brushes, toothpaste, floss, brushes and combs. Put away any clutter and wipe down counters. If you find anything broken, fix it.

Throw In Some Cookies!

Actually, before cleaning, throw some cookies in the oven to bake. The smell of fresh baked cookies is so homey and inviting. Since it would make a mess to whip up a batch from scratch, keep a package of “break and bake” packs of cookie dough to be able to quickly back up a batch. You could also make a batch of dough and then pull it out of the fridge when you want to bake a batch before a showing. While they bake do your quick (but thorough) clean through. Take the cookies out, put them on a plate, quickly wash the pan and put it away.

Let In The Light!

After cleaning, open all the curtains and turn on the lights in each room. All that light will make your rooms appear clean, bright and larger. A day showing will let prospective buyers see how much light streams into your home. An evening show will show how well lit your rooms can be. Light is your friend!

So set up your home for success.

House Hunting In Ireland- The Irish Realtor

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Have you ever watched the show “House Hunters International” on HGTV and thought about what it would be like to buy a house someplace overseas? The world is a huge place and why not? What fun would it be to call a realtor and say I want to look at homes in Ireland, and go find your own little piece of the Emerald Isle? You wouldn’t be alone! The Irish Realtor, Deb Ward could give you some great insights.

Please note…Deb is a Realtor in Florida USA! She specializes in working with house hunters coming across the pond to check out Florida Property for sale!

The real estate market in Ireland took a hit in the worldwide recession that we all seem to be arduously climbing out of. Prices there have dropped 60% from their 2006 peak, a painful price correction that a lot of the world felt as well. While some places really don’t have a lot of inventory available, the market is starting to pick up. Why? In part because of foreign buyers and Irish expatriates returning home.

Homes in County Cork that used to go for over 5 million euros (approximately $6,651,500 USD). Now they’re worth about 1.5 to 2.5 million (approximately $3,325,750 to $1,995,450 USD). Nothing to sneeze at, but a rather large price drop for those who can afford it.

So who is it that can buy in Ireland? According to real estate agents in Ireland, about 25% of their buyers are from somewhere outside of Ireland, often the US and Britain, as well as Russia. Many are Irish expatriates who left when the economy made it impossible for them to afford to live there. Now, they can come home. So why is this percentage of overseas buyers so high? There are a few reasons. One is the tax incentives that the Irish government put in place to encourage home ownership. That, along with the huge drop in prices, is encouraging buyers to buy again.

So, let’s say you have the money to do it, what would stop you from buying in Ireland? Not much. There are some immigration laws that restrict the amount of time you could spend in Ireland, and it would be worth looking into how to become a permanent resident. Some Americans of Irish descent are finding that they can qualify for Irish citizenship. So why not make a dream come true and live in the land of faeries and Celts, timeless beauty and wild Irish seas. For more information check out House Hunting in Ireland by the New York Times!