Real Estate Blog - home value

Buyer Tips: What a Comprehensive Home Inspection Should Include

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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Seller Tips: The Advantages of a Comparable Market Analysis

What is a competitive market analysis and what role does it play in the home selling process?

This question is often asked by home sellers when they put their Jacksonville home on the market. If you are working with a real estate agent, he or she will likely use a competitive market analysis, often referred to as CMA, to determine the listing price for your home.

A CMA can be a short, one or two-page document, or it can be a rather lengthy and in-depth document. The detail and size of the CMA for your Jacksonville property will largely depend on your agent. However, most CMAs detail the following information:

• Active Listings – Active listings are essentially all homes that are currently for sale in your area. The active listings…

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How do you Sell a Home that Needs Repairs, Updates or Improvements?

We all know that the housing market is competitive right now amongst home sellers. There are more sellers than buyers and the large inventory of homes is enough to make any seller more than a bit nervous.

So, what can you do to attract home buyers if your Jacksonville home needs repairs, updates or improvements? The biggest question, in fact, among homeowners in this situation is: is it worth it to make repairs or improvements or to sell my house in its current condition?

The answer to this question is not as cut and dry as it may seem. In fact, the decision to make repairs and improvements on your home can vary widely depending on the town and neighborhood in which you live.

Your best bet when making the decision to sell your home as-is or make…

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Negotiating the Purchase – Tips for Buyers

Finding that perfect Jacksonville Beach home for you and your family may seem like the hardest part of the process, but in reality it’s just the beginning!
The next step in the process involves submitting an offer to the sellers.
Deciding on an offer to submit to the sellers should involve a great deal of thought, research and, of course, your budgetary constraints.

1.       The first factor you should consider before submitting an offer on the Jacksonville Beach home is the market value of the home.

Your real estate agent will likely provide you with a comparative market analysis on the property. This will detail comparable homes in the neighborhood that have been sold, have been listed or are currently under contract.

A…

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Wow your Buyers with your Outdoor Spaces

It is up to you, as the seller, to draw your buyers in by showing off your Jacksonville Beach home’s best assets. So, don’t overlook your outdoor living spaces in the process!

If you are fortunate enough to have additional living space in the form of a porch, sunroom, lanai or deck, show it off and reap the rewards with better offers!

Add Some Color

If your front porch looks neglected and dull, then it should come as no surprise that your buyers walked right past it. A front porch is the perfect opportunity to set the tone of your Jacksonville Beach home.

Make the most of it by adding outdoor furniture, accessories and plants. Start with durable, outdoor furniture and top it off with colorful, outdoor cushions, pillows and throw rugs. Today’s…

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Simple Home Repairs For Your Jacksonville Property

For some homeowners, home maintenance and home repairs can often feel overwhelming. Home repairs do not have to be performed on a large scale though, as there are several do-it-yourself projects that almost any homeowner can successfully complete. This article gives you several do-it-yourself tips for a few different home repairs. Jacksonville real estate, which is kept updated and in good repair, will be easier to sell when the time is right.

Tip # 1 – Fixing A Leaky Faucet

Fixing a leaky faucet is easier than it sounds. First, turn off the water supply. Second, open up the faucet and drain all excess water out of the pipes. Next, plug the sink with a towel or drain plug to prevent any screws or parts from going down the drain. Then, use a…

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St. Johns County Property - The Importance Of Home Maintenance

If you have recently purchased a home, or if you are planning to purchase one of the St. Johns County homes for sale, it is wise to know the importance of home maintenance. Your new home will likely be the biggest investment you ever make, therefore it is important to care for it as such.

Whether it is something small such as paint peeling in the bathroom or a creaky floor board in your hardwood floors, taking care of problems as you notice them will help you to avoid costly repairs in the future. Additionally, in the event that you want to sell your home, keeping up with the maintenance of your St. Johns County property will pay off in the form of a higher resale value.

Should You Do It Yourself Or Hire A Professional?

It is important to be…

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Selling FSBO May = Catastrophe

Taking the tiger by the tail selling For Sale By Owner may work out and save you a little bit of money.  But before you do, make sure you are comfortable risking the dangers and pitfalls of doing so.

 Here are some things to consider for your protection.

 The Breakdown:

 Many say they have a hard time paying “all that commission” for the sale of their home. However, upon closer evaluation, the 6% commission generally breaks down as follows:

 Commission is split fifty/fifty by the selling and purchasing agent.   If another Realtor has buyers that wish to purchase your home, you would still be bound to paying that agent’s 3% commission in order to get his buyers.  A Selling Agent has an agreement with his or her brokerage who may require up to half…

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Pricing your home isn’t as easy as picking one!

Updated 9/8/14 from Conversation on Activerain.com

When you decide to sell your St Augustine home, it is a natural process to deliberate the timing,  develop a plan where to move after the sale, and eventually reach a point where you are finally ready to hire a Realtor to list it.  When you arrive at this crucial point, consider the following facts before you decide to get involved, or allow the professional handle the details of the sale.

Overpricing is Futile

One of the biggest deceptions a seller will fall into is believing that the last appraisal they received during the re-financing of their home is what their house is worth.  Mortgage representatives excel in their positions, and obtain necessary documents to take care of their clients…

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Remodel Your Home to Re-New Value and Style

Flip the channel on your television and you will see multiple shows on remodeling, everything from DIY projects to professional designers and even contractors.  Most people have seen several ideas that have sparked the urge to investigate remodeling for themselves.

But Where To Begin….?

Have a look around your home and decide on one project that you want to do from start to finish.  If you are thinking in terms of resale value, then the bathrooms and kitchen are your best features for a remodel.  The return on resale is approximately double the cost of the remodel.

Talk to the local suppliers of materials in Jacksonville homes and start to think about whether this is a job you want to do on your own (if you really are handy) or if it would be…

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