Let’s Go SHOPPING!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. And for those that did some holiday shopping for Black Friday, I hope your deals were plentiful. That being said, I want to talk about real estate and shopping. Real estate is not something where you get up one morning and ask yourself, “Hmm, I feel…

The Importance of a GOOD REALTOR®

There is so much information that people can get online in regards to real estate. Websites such as Redfin, Trulia, Zillow and countless others give people instant access to real estate data. Some people fear that it is making people feel that they don’t need a REALTOR®. I agree and disagree with that notion. Those…

The VALUES of Real Estate.

Real Estate has different types of values and none of them are equal. *Taxable Value: In South Florida your taxable value is reset when you purchase a property. That is often why you have a different taxable value than your neighbors. Also, it is not like you see the county tax man knocking on doors…

When Your Home May Not Be Your Castle

Sometimes homeowners ask me about how a bankruptcy impacts their home if they have homestead exemption. I asked Zach Shelomith over at Leiderman Shelomith (a bankruptcy firm in Hollywood) for some more information on the subject: Most of our bankruptcy clients and prospective clients believe that their home is absolutely protected from their creditors’ claims.  Generally…

4 Renovations You Can DIY (Do It Yourself)

(Modernize.com is a great website with creative remodeling ideas for your home. Here are some helpful renovations tips from them.)  While you may not be the handiest person on your block, with the right instruction there are plenty of easy renovation projects that you can DIY in your home. Choosing to do it yourself can help save both…

Light a Fire in your life

In South Florida fireplaces are not a very common home feature. Sure, I may show one or two houses a year with a fireplace, but it is definitely more of a rarity. I do work with a lot of out of town buyers for second homes as well as buyers moving to the area. Some ask for a…

Hollywood Beach at Night

Here is a great shot of a Hollywood Beach “City View,” from one of the beach condos. Hollywood Beach condos have amazing views of the ocean, beach, broadwalk and intracoastal. Photo Credit: Khila Khani @ itakegr8pics.com

Adventures in showing real estate.

People often ask one of my favorite things about my job and I tell them that I love showing different types of properties. Yes, the luxury properties are beautiful but sometimes it is the homes in the average price ranges that are the most interesting. I was showing a buyer some houses ($350k-$400k) in Davie…

Short Sales are pretty Short Sighted.

When I start going over a buyer’s criteria, inquiring about bedrooms, bathrooms, location, and so on, many add, “Make sure to include short sales.” Values have been rising and owners’ equity is increasing with it. That means, there are less short sales out there than there were five years ago. Yet many buyers are under this…

Hollywood Broadwalk

The Hollywood Broadwalk has consistently been recognized as one of the best beach broadwalks around. Most of the beaches in South Florida have A1A between the restaurants and sand. Not Hollywood, where you can park and take a beautiful stroll along the broadwalk or sand, and then grab a bite to eat without having to…

Oh no! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!

Accidents happen in homes all the time. So I asked my good friend Jason Neufeld, a South Florida Personal Injury Attorney, to give my readers some tips. Thanks Jason! Protect Yourself from Personal Injury Claims at Home Home is where the heart is….but it’s also where many injuries happen. If someone is injured on your property,…

What I Dislike About High-End Real Estate Shows

I think some real estate shows are great and can be very helpful to homeowners and homeshoppers alike. However, I am not a big fan of these higher end shows which paint a very unrealistic picture of what buying a luxury home is like. I know the shows are fake, but I feel like many…

Real Estate Trends: Sell! Sell! Sell?

The past few years short sales and foreclosures have been very big in real estate. As inventory has decreased, values have increased and equity has increased. With market values rising, more owners can sell their property as a regular sale. Foreclosures are becoming harder to find over $250,000 here in South Florida. Short sales are still…

Why you always need an inspection.

You need an inspection on EVERY home that you are interested in purchasing. Some people think that the newer the better, which would have less problems. That is not 100% true. I had some buyers purchasing a 2007 townhouse in Coral Ridge that was in beautiful shape for about $600,000. There had been a water leak in…

Communication Skills

Real estate is an emotional transaction and a large one at that. There are so many moving parts that it is rare things will go exactly as you imagined. A good REALTOR® will prepare you for this, and discuss with you the different options at every bump in the road. Less than good REALTORS®, will…