Many people have either reservations or just don’t know if they are ready to buy a home now or later. Some think that they should hold off until they are married of have children while others think they are still too young for the responsibility. Aside from some having the fear of taking on a mortgage, many feel that they may not have the money to enter into homeownership. The truth is that you probably don’t need to have as much money as you think.

To show you the facts through trends, here is what the average first-time homebuyer looks like per a recent report from the National Association of Realtors.

The bottom line is that you may not be all that different from the profile of the Americans who have already purchased their first home.

As an experienced real estate professional, I have worked with many individuals of all types of ages and financial backgrounds and would be happy to guide you through the process. For starters, it is most important to get pre-approved by a reputable mortgage agent. This person can identify your financial standing and alert you of how much you can afford and what you will have to put down based on your income, debt and credit score. You may be shocked to see the options that exist that may not be too far off from renting in the way of potential monthly payments as well as money needed up front.

Once you have been approved then the fun begins. Based on the amount you can afford, then you can start previewing homes that fall within your budget and meet your needs. After finding the right fit, you can submit your offer and hopefully secure a purchase.

Purchasing a home sooner than later also has its advantages. As your monthly payments will be applied to your loan balance, you will begin to accrue equity over time much in the same way as like a forced savings account. The sooner you begin this process, the sooner your home will be paid off as you set yourself for a comfortable retirement.

Selling your home does involve a lot of moving parts. Nevermind the details of the new home you are planning on moving into, just cleaning, preparing and staging the home you are trying to sell can be a lot of work on its own. However, the list of things to do does not stop at cleaning. Once your home has been scoured and staged, your behavior once the home is on the market is also something to consider. Here is a look at the top 5 things you should be doing while your home is being actively marketed.

Vacate for showings – When a showing is scheduled, it is always best to leave the house and let the potential buyers view the home on their own. Let them try to envision it with themselves living in it and also be allowed to speak candidly with their agent.

Remove your pets – Nothing is more distracting than a barking dog or cat that follows you around when trying to view a home. Not to mention, some people have allergies that can really put a damper on an otherwise good showing. Take animals with you so that you provide all prospective buyers with the best showing possible.

Parking – Make parking easy for buyers. Be sure to leave easy space for parking for showings and open houses if possible. There is nothing more frustrating than having trouble to park. If someone has to park too far away, they may be turned off and skip the showing altogether.

Provide Documents – The best way to a quick and clean sale is to have information ready and on hand. Make items available like any home warranties, documents on major repairs, utility bills and the like. These are all important things that most buyers will want to know about.

Patience – Some homes take a little longer than others to sell. This means there may be more showings and open houses to prepare for until the perfect buyer walks through the door. Sellers are often eager to get feedback on showings, but sometimes it can take some time while they process all of the homes that they have seen before they are ready to make an offer.

In the end, the more prepared that you are by following steps like these, the better the sale process should be.

Purchasing a new home is an exciting time while you bring fresh energy into your life. The search process can add to the joy while you preview the home options available and try to envision yourself making them work for your wants and needs. While there are lots of decisions to consider in the process, there are also many steps to follow. Here are some ideas to guide you through.

Budget and paperwork

Before doing any official searching, make sure to do the first step and get pre approved for a mortgage. You need to know realistically what your official price range is before you can start looking at properties. A mortgage agent can get you qualified by providing them with some details about your financial position. You will always want to do this upfront so that you don’t miss out on an opportunity for your dream home because you were declined for a loan.

Wants versus needs

When you begin your search, make sure you clearly prioritize your wants and needs. You may feel that you want a particular color scheme for a kitchen, but in reality you may actually just need an updated one rather than having one with white versus dark cabinetry. Things that truly matter should be bed and bath counts or the location. These are harder to change or adjust to.

Neighborhood and trends

Picking the right area is very important. You will want to look in an area that has homes that are in your price range but also is accommodating to your lifestyle. Things like work commute, local services and proximity to things you like to do recreationally are all factors. Next you may want to consider areas that are on the rise for resale. Research local trends and improvements so you can see that the neighborhood is on the right path.

Pricing and strategy

Not all homes are created equal and neither is every area. However, one thing that is a common underlying trend these days is that homes are not remaining on the market for too long. Depending on your price range, some go faster than others. Identifying how quickly properties sell and for what ratio of list to sale price they sell at in your desired area is going to arm you with great knowledge for your offer. Making sure you beat out competition by moving quickly and crafting your offer with the right strategy will help you gain an edge for any competing offers.

Pre-listing home inspections are often overlooked by sellers, but can be a very helpful and smart investment. When done properly, these inspections can really help sellers have a complete and intimate understanding of the current status of their property and they can help you best position the property by knowing what needs to be fixed or repaired. Sellers can then decide if they want to make said repairs or adjust their list price accordingly. Here are some key benefits from having a pre-listing inspection:

Discover Necessary Repairs Needed
A pre-listing home inspection will furnish the sellers with a clear understanding of any potential issues that may be in the home. The inspector will give the seller a list of issues they can both address and fix prior to putting the home on the market or to disclose these issues to potential buyers up front. This will result in saving the seller both time and money.

Save money
A pre-listing inspection will typically cost the same amount of money as your standard inspection. These can provide tremendous value as homeowners will have ample time to address any necessary repairs rather than a few days after a buyer’s inspection. Sellers will also have more time to gather price estimates and select the best price for any needed repairs. Furthermore, sellers can confidently market their home having full knowledge of its condition. This reduces the risk of having a buyer’s inspection pose any surprises where they may ask for money off of the sale price.

Marketability
Being transparent is a helpful driving force in the selling process. Conducting a pre-listing inspection will help in disclosing to potential buyers and can foster trust with sellers. Being able to have information readily available will make the home more attractive to buyers while helping sellers sell their home more quickly.

In the end the goal of the inspection is to gain full knowledge of any needed repairs and have guidance on how to resolve them. Being able to leverage the experience and knowledge of a professional inspector will help ensure important issues are not overlooked while aiding in a more efficient and smooth real estate transaction.

We are officially in the new year of 2018 and some may have made saving to buy a home part of their resolutions. For others, it is not always a clear decision whether they should buy or if they should rent. There is no question that when you rent you are essentially paying someone else’s mortgage, but that doesn’t always mean everyone should always buy. Everyone’s situation or desired lifestyle can vary making one a better fit than the other. If ever uncertain of the benefits for your situation, it is best to speak to a professional real estate agent such as myself to help you decide. In the meantime, here are some facts about a home purchase.

Property Tax – Property taxes can be a hefty expense. The actual amount can fluctuate each year and should be considered when you purchase a home. Many factors go into determining the amount such as the value of your home the town’s budget. Many towns do also offer an exemption savings for those who own their home and live in it as well.

Maintenance – When you purchase a home, you will assume the responsibility of the repairs and maintenance. It is a wise idea to budget approximately 1% of the home’s value annually for maintenance. This may not cover any larger or unexpected repairs.

Homeowner’s Insurance – Most lenders will require that the home have insurance. This policy will cover things directly related to the structure and often your possessions too. You can always shop around for different rates and sometimes bundle automobile coverage in for a discount.

Tax Deductibility – One great benefit to owning a home is deducting the mortgage interest. This number will vary from home to home but can be a substantial deduction making buying an attractive option.

Home Value Appreciation – The market can fluctuate, but over time in the long term the purchase of real estate is generally a good investment and can be part of your retirement wealth. Paying off your mortgage while your home value appreciates can oftentimes be a great road to building equity.

The next development for the bustling real estate market in Fort Lauderdale has just moved forward. The developers for the Bahia Mar property have just won approval for their plans to move forward with a high-rise complete with a hotel, restaurants, retail, marine space and apartments.

Mayor Jack Seiler was in favor of the development and was quoted saying “There are good people on both sides of this issue,” Seiler said before the first vote, which followed a seven-hour public hearing featuring passionate pleas. “I think there’s a huge public purpose involved. Right now, there is no public use of the property. … You pull up and there’s a gate, and if you get back there, you can basically hang out on asphalt. I think we can make better use of this property.”

Specifically, the large development plan calls for seven high-rises with 651 rental apartments, a hotel with 256 rooms, a 5-story building for grocery, parking and offices, an above ground parking structure, yachting amenity complex, a two-story restaurant, underground parking garage and a public promenade that will wrap around a portion of the property.

Proponents for the development feel that when the project is complete then it will be more open to the public than the space is now. Furthermore, the towers will be elevated over an aperture where visitors can view the yachts and waterway from many different vantage points.

“You can have the experience of the water all the way around,” architect Kobi Karp said. “ … We are giving the land and its functions and its uses to the community.”

Those who opposed the development had concerns that the plans had been considered too quickly. They feel that the congestion for the area will raise issues for flow of traffic and don’t believe the financial return for the city is enough for it to be worth it. Concerns regarding older plumbing for water-sewer pipes were also discussed yet the developer’s attorney had explained that they would be replaced due to any question of ability to handle demand.

The 38.6-acre peninsular property with 16 acres of dry land extends into the Intracoastal Waterway at 801 Seabreeze Blvd., located just south of Las Olas Boulevard.