As a first-time home buyer, your real estate agent likely recommended a home inspection contingency with your offer. But what exactly is a home inspection and what rights does it afford you in the home buying process?

Here is a list of your top home inspection questions answered so you can better understand the process of a home inspection – and why it’s so important for home buyers:

Q: What does a home inspection include?

A comprehensive home inspection includes a visual examination of the home’s major systems and structure. This includes the home’s roof, foundation, heating and cooling system, doors and windows, plumbing, insulation, and drainage. It is important to remember that a home inspection includes only what a home inspector can…

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There are plenty of tips and hints for home buyers when house hunting for julington creek plantation real estate, but there are a few suggestions that nearly every home buyer should consider. Here is our list of the top things today’s savvy home buyers are doing (and what you should consider doing, as well):

Don’t cram as many houses as you can into one day.

You may think you are being productive and efficient by viewing as many homes as possible in one day, but this tactic can quickly backfire, creating confusion, wearing you out, and making all the houses blend together. Choose a few homes you really want to view, and take the time to view those on one day. If there are more on your list, choose a different day or even later in the day.

Don’t…

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Once you have found the home of your dreams and signed a purchase agreement on queens harbour real estate, it's time to look forward to closing. However, sometimes a closing is not he happy ending that buyers hope for; instead, if you and the professionals you hire are not prepared for closing, your happy ending could turn into a disaster.

With that said, there are a number of things you can do to ensure your closing is a smooth one:

Know What to Expect

If you are a first-time homebuyer, make sure to talk to your loan officer or queens harbour real estate agent and begin asking questions on what to expect at closing. Ask them what you need to bring, what they will provide, and if all of the paperwork has been received and is ready…

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Although the seller has already accepted your offer and you’ve already signed a purchase agreement, the deal isn’t signed, sealed and delivered just yet. After the purchase agreement for the Jacksonville Beach home has been signed, but before you head to closing, you will need to get a home inspection done on the house.

Although most of the things found through home inspections are easily remedied, there are a few things that may be deal breakers for most buyers. Catastrophic problems with a home are rare, but when they are there, they can sour even the best real estate deal. They may include: environmental hazards, such as radon, water contamination, asbestos and lead paint; insect infestation, like termites or carpenter ants; horizontal foundation…

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If you are in the market for a new St. Johns County real estate, you have likely seen the glut of short sales on the market. Buying a short sale may seem like a great idea, and it very could be; but it may also prove to be quite daunting for the average home buyer.

Here are just of the few pros of purchasing a short sale:

·         Unlike a banked owned property, a short sale is usually in better condition. Because a short sale is still owned by the homeowner, and not the bank, you can be better assured that they will care for the property better than if they had to leave due to foreclosure.

·         You can get a good deal on a short sale. But don’t expect to walk away with a steal. Banks who agree to a short sale still want to make as much money…

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I was recently asked what are the average monthly fees for a Jacksonville Condo?  I thought other people looking at Jacksonville condos for sale may be curious.

Here was my reply:

In general condo fees are generally starting at $250/mo and most 2-3 bedroom condos in Jacksonville will have a condo fee that will range from $250/mo - $350/mo.  Most condos will base their condo fee on the square footage of the unit.  So a bigger unit will have a higher fee (usually).  Also, the condos fees may be a little bit more if you are on the ocean due to higher flood insurance or in an older building that is trying to fund future projects that may be upcoming. 

Condo fees are higher than a Homeowners Association Fee because condo fees cover building insurance…

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Ponte Vedra Beach Homes for sale at 50% Off!  Secrets Revealed…


Ponte Vedra Beach Homes for sale at 50% off don’t exist.  Let’s clear that up immediately.  There has been a significant drop in the prices of what Ponte Vedra Beach homes were selling for at the peak of the market and our current prices.  Maybe that is what those advertisements are referring to.

But as a result of those advertisements I have had 3 clients in the past week say the following:

•    “I am from Michigan and homes are selling about 40% of what they are listed.  What deal can I get on a Ponte Vedra home?”

•    “A home near Palm Beach on the Intracoastal Waterway was on the market at $1.1 million and sold for $450,000.  I am looking for that kind of deal in Ponte Vedra.”

•   …

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I have yet to come across Chinese Drywall in Jacksonville Florida but that is not saying it is not here.  I recently read an article by Allison Grant of chinesedrywall.com and wanted to pass on the information.

  • Just because there is no odor from the Chinese Drywall doesn't mean it's not chinese drywall.  The odor is dependant on how well you smell, the amount of chinese drywall used and quality of paint.  So don't rely only on your nose.
  • Chinese Drywall effects copper and  metal surface.  This includes corroding metal pipes and electrical wiring.  Homes with Chinese Drywall often have ac problems.  So check the freon line on the exterior of the a/c and your evaporator coil.  Also the ground wire in electrical outlets is often copper check to…

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Purchasing a St. Johns County property can have many hidden expenses; particularly those expenses involved with moving. If your head is spinning because of all the expenses you must pay in the upcoming weeks and months, fear not: there are a number of ways you can cut your expenses so that your new home purchase doesn’t leave your savings account empty and your emotions running high:


  • Ask for assistance from the seller with closing costs. Given the state of the economy and certainly the state of the real estate market, it never hurts to ask the seller to help with the closing costs on your St. Johns County home. In fact, many home sellers will offer to pay for some – if not all – of the closing costs as an incentive to…

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A comprehensive home inspection is an important step in the home buying process, and can often make or break a deal. It is therefore in your best interest, as the buyer, to secure the services of a qualified home inspector to thoroughly inspect your new Jacksonville Beach property.

What does a comprehensive home inspection include?

 

    • Roof – In addition to the roof, the roof inspection will likely include the gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing and the chimney. An inspector will likely check for missing shingles or signs of excessive wear, although he may or may not climb onto the roof to perform the roof inspection.

 

    • Foundation – The home inspector will likely check the exterior of your Jacksonville Beach home’s…

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