Florida Homes and Condos for Sale

If you have been around the block a few times, you have no doubt learned that just because you purchase something new, does not mean it may not be flawed. We live in a society that sells incredibly complicated wares. Phones, computers, and cars are just a few examples that come readily to mind. The more complex an item, the more likely that there will be a defect or a problem. All that considered, its a testament to the quality of many companies that their products perform as well as they do out of the box...

most of the time.

Houses today are very complex structures. They are put together over many months by numerous people who come and go from the job site. Most new home's come with very few problems, but are in no way flawless. It has been my experience that new home buyers more often than not choose to not get a home inspection. Some of the reasons I have heard for not getting a home inspection on new construction are;

The house is new, which in my opinion is by far the most naive reason of all.

The town has inspected it, again babes in the woods.

The builder gives a one year warranty.

Recently while inspecting a newly constructed, high end home, I found a defect that in my opinion should not be found in any new home. There are just some parts of new construction that should and I'm certain do get well scrutinized by the local inspectors, but everyone makes mistakes.

This home being large, has two electric panels. The main panel is in the basement and a second sub panel is located in an upstairs office room. Mis-wired sub panels are one of the more common defects I find in used homes. Often a weekend warrior or general contractor takes on the job of electrician for a remodeling or addition project to save money.

This however is a new house and one would assume it has been wired by a licensed electrician and or apprentices working under the licensed guy. The work should have been checked at the very minimum twice, once by the electrician and once by the town inspector.

And yet I found the wiring in the panel to have been connected incorrectly rendering this part of the house's electric system potentially unsafe. In addition to the bad wiring, one of the AFCI breakers failed to reset after testing and will need to be replaced.

New construction is very exciting for home buyers, but emotions can sometimes interfere with common sense and past life experience. New should never be assumed to mean flawless.

 

James Quarello
Connecticut Home Inspector
Former SNEC-ASHI President
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our other high tech services we offer in Connecticut click on the links below:

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I got a call last week from buyers that had looked at a house over a month before and decided they were now ready to buy it. They asked me to draw up an offer. I told them that since it had been awhile since we had seen it, we should head back out to check the condition of this vacant property.  I recommended we walk the perimeter and double check the inside before they proceeded ahead.

I contacted the listing agent, asked several questions and made my appointment.

When we pulled up to the property we were a bit taken aback at what we saw. The grass was several feet tall. This was definitely a city code violation, but the vacant house sitting next door, also for sale, had grass and weeds equally as high.  It was dusk and the front culvert was filled with water. The mosquitoes were terrible.

We barely got up to the front door.  This was a day I wished I had worn closed toed shoes.  I usually dress for the occasion when I'm showing properties to investors, as I never know what to expect. But, this was no investor.

We couldn't see most of the lower half of the house and we couldn't get around to the back of the property.

When we walked inside things were different than the previous time we had looked at the house. It was evident that someone had been there. The ceiling fans and light fixtures were now missing, with bare wiring exposed.  The mirror, sink and vanity had been taken out of one of the bathrooms.  A couple of screens were missing or ripped and there was a window with several BB holes in it. The house had mold growing on the outside walls.  The outside A/C unit was missing from the side of the house.

This was an FHA buyer. So, it took less than 5 minutes to determine that this was a house was no longer an option for them to buy, nor did they still want it.

It was surprising the difference in this property since we had seen it before.

This house had been on the market for sometime now.  And, my guess is that it would be on the market for another year.

Funny, because I thought about how frustrated the neighbors probably were with looking at this place and the house next door.

It pays to ALWAYS go and look at a property again, BEFORE writing an offer to purchase!

Sandy Shores, Melbourne FL REALTOR®

Specializing in Residential, Investment and Relocation Real Estate

We have a team to facilitate your Short Sale.

Melbourne Real Estate / Palm Bay Real Estate

321-253-4545

SandyShoresMelbourne@hotmail.com

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Serving Brevard County Florida for 15 Years

 Brevard County Resident for 36 Years

Melbourne, Palm Bay, Suntree, Viera, Rockledge,

Cocoa, Canaveral Groves, Titusville, Mims, Melbourne Beach,

Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach,

Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral

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I buy, sell, rent, own and manage Investment Property.

 

                                                     Let me that for you

It Will Work, But...
     I get calls from folks that are selling properties about items that have been uncovered during the inspection, especially if it involves a rehab. For the sake of profitability, it is not unusual for rehabbers to "make do" with what they have or items that have been installed.
     One of the items home inspectors check is make sure the size of the HVAC unit matches the foot print of the property. The "rule of thumb" guideline that inspectors need to use for cooling is approximately 650 square feet of living space per ton of unit.
     The main purpose of an AC unit is to first dehumidify, then condition the air. If the unit is too big, then it will not adequately dehumidify although it will certainly cool the air. This can lead to water condensation and water stains on the ceiling. If the unit is too small, it will not do a good job of either, and the unit will have to continuously run just to try to do something with the air. conditioning the air.
     Putting a 3-1/2 ton unit into a 3700 square foot house will work but... It is like putting a 4 banger engine in a Hummer. It will work and get you from point A to point B, but there just might be something lacking in the performance department...

For all your inspection needs in the Brentwood, Franklin & Nashville TN real estate markets

Call us today:

Complete Home Inspections, inc.

The guys with the hats...

615.661.0297

Brentwood, TN

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I have a friend who is a doctor. We were sitting having lunch a while back and I was sharing about another friend of mine who has something going on physically. My doctor friend, after I paused for a moment, spoke up and said these words that I will never forget: "David, when it comes to physical concerns, NOT KNOWING IS NOT BETTER". I knew exactly what my friend the doctor was saying. "We can guess, we can speculate,  but the fact is, until your friend has a true diagnosis, until he/she knows what they are up against, we are only guessing and nothing can truly be properly treated!"

Why this story? I mean, after all, I'm a Real Estate Agent who seldom becomes involved with individuals in reference to health concerns.

The reason for the story is this: I am constantly running into prospective home buyers within Real Estate who want to purchase a house but they haven't come to grips with one specific absolute that MUST be dealt with. They stop by and sign up at my website to search for a home. They talk with me sometimes and endeavor to persuade me to take them out looking for a house! But when the subject of their CREDIT and MORTGAGE APPROVAL comes up, I hear things like, "I believe everything is fine David, let's just go house shopping first and then I will pursue the Mortgage!" Then comes the disappointment when house hunters who procrastinated find out they can't qualify for a Mortgage and there are things to work on which of course means there is a delay they hadn't counted on! The disappointment mentioned a moment ago is huge. All the while, this has happened because they didn't want to deal with the facts! You see, in Real Estate, like when tacking health concerns, NOT KNOWING IS NOT BETTER!

When you as a home buyer know up front where you stand financially, you can then begin to fix what is wrong, if something indeed needs to be fixed. Additionally, you will be able to find a house in your price range and when that house is found - You will be able to write a sound offer in an effort to purchase it!

The fact is, most of us, unless we are paying cash, will need a Mortgage and Mortgage Approval! Why not deal with it up front so that the path is clear for your next home purchase.

David Burrows

David L. Burrows, Realtor®
Classic Realty 4200 Evergreen Lane, Suite 331
Annandale, VA 22003
Serving: Gainesville VA, Haymarket and ALL of Northern Virginia
Direct: 703.859.5188
Office: 703.637.1400
Blog: David Burrows Properties
Blog: Real Estate Starting Point
Blog: Real Estate 101
Search For A Home: Virginia Online Home Search
Real Estate Website: Burrows Properties


It is always an honor to assist Home Buyers and Sellers with their Northern Virginia Real Estate needs. If you want to search the MLS for Real Estate Listings, or even become more specific with your search, such as the Fairfax MLS, utilize the valuable tools on my website. If you are looking for a Home in Gainesville Virginia; the Haymarket Homes For Sale area; Condos For Sale In Fairfax Virginia; Fairfax Homes For Sale; or a home anywhere within the Northern Virginia Real Estate area, simply click on the appropriate link. I serve ALL of the above areas throughout Northern Virginia.

Most important, Write, Phone or Text Me with any questions.

 

You may think you're in love, but don't get emotionally attached to that house!  If you're buying your New Braunfels, TX home and think you've found the perfect home for you, remember this is the one you're going to marry, not the one you're just casually dating.  This is NOT the "friend with benefits"...this is the ONE you're bringing home to mama!

All too often when I work with buyers in Central Texas, my buyers are drawn to the "pretty" houses because of the emotions the pretty house evokes. It's love at first sight! But is it?  Or, is it like dating the girl who is a knock-out but has zero personality? You know what you do with zero personality??  You fall asleep on the date!  How about going for the cute girl with the sense of humor that keeps you laughing and the intelligence to keep the conversation going?  That's someone you should marry.

When I first meet with buyers, I interview them extensively about their needs and lifestyle. From there, I strive to match them not just to a house, but to an area that will fit their lifestyle as they've described to me.  As a real estate agent, my primary goal is to protect my client's investment.  I know the neighborhoods and areas which hold their value. Finding the right house is an equation that comes together in an effort to look out for the buyers' best interest.

So, where do buyers go wrong? They see a "beauty" and they want to marry it before they've even had a chance to get to know it!  They see a house that is staged, smells pretty, has a nice yard...all those things that can change. What will you do when you've been living in the house less than a year and realize you don't like the fact that the nearest grocery store is 7 miles away? Or, your commute to work is 45 minutes long? Or, the train behind the neighborhood keeps you up at night? You became so emotionally attached to the house when you were "dating," that you failed to see all its flaws!

There's a reason why listing agents advise sellers to de-clutter and stage their homes prior to listings.  There's a reason why we bake cookies at an open house or place flowers around the house our client is selling.  There's a reason why buyers in new home neighborhoods most often buy the same floor plan as the model home. It's because more often than not buyers are emotionally driven by what they see and sense while in the home.  They go on a feeling that is only affected by the senses. 

It's fine to want a nice home, but try to look past the decor, paint colors and pretty scents and look at the floor plan, the condition and the location.  Then ask yourself, "Ok, so, even if it isn't perfect, is it perfect for me?" If the answer is yes, don't be led astray by the "beauty" of another house that may be all wrong for you.

Keep your emotions in check and you will get a perfect home that will meet all your needs for years to come!

Search all New Braunfels, TX homes at http://www.LaurieJarrettRealty.com

 

Keller Williams New Braunfels

REALTOR®

TX License #0547394

 

C: (512)665-8181

E:  lauriejarrett@topproducer.com

W:  www.lauriejarrettrealty.com  

                                                  

Or, visit me here:

 

Each Keller Williams Realty Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

 

I read an ActiveRain post this a.m. about home buyers who lose out on bank owned listings.  What the article didn't provide was information about the value of the foreclosed property for sale.   

The scenario is typical. 

1.  Buyer makes offer on listing for bank owned house for sale.
2.  Bank accepts another offer.
3.  Agents tells buyer they didn't get the house or a counter-offer.
4.  Agent is getting bleary eyed from making multiple low offers for buyer.

BUYER WANTS TO KNOW. . . .

• "Why didn't they tell me that there was another offer."
  "Why didn't they give me time to think about it."
  "Why didn't the bank counter my low offer?"

BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO!

My question would be, is the list price a fair price????  If the foreclosure is priced fairly, a smart buyer will go for it and not play the negotiation game.  Where is it written that buyers MUST negotiate??

KNOW THE COMPETITION?  THE COMPETITION FOR YOUR LOW OFFER IS - - BUYERS WITH CASH!  That's who the competition is.  Cash buyers are attractive to banks because:

There is no financing contingency.
There is rarely a home inspection.
The cash buyer settles quickly.
The cash buyer doesn't spend a lot of time negotiating.  They make and offer, get the property or not and then move on.

Cash buyers who don't get a property won't be asking. . . ."Why didn't they. . . . . . "

Agents won't have to say. . . . . "BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO!"

I've seen too many buyers lose good properties simply because the negotiation was more important to them than getting a good home for a good price.  Most foreclosures are already discounted for price and condition.  A competitent buyer's agent will provide the information to the buyer for the buyer to make a good financial decision.  If the agent isn't providing information about other properties on the market, . . . .  well, that's another post. 

The article reminded me of the many agonizing hours that many agents and buyers spend waiting, waiting, waiting for a bank's response to an offer.  When the listing agent says that the buyer didn't get the property, the buyer usually wants to know "why, why??"

Because the buyer was more interested in making an offer below list price than getting a good house for a good price. 

IF YOUR KNEE WAS JERKING when you made the offer to the bank, you'll likely hear. . . .  

"Sorry.  You didn't get the house."

 

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988. 

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