Joanne Patience

Yes, a closet or some attached wardrobe piece must be present; a window and door to be classified as a bedroom. If the bedroom is on the lower level or basement; must have an egress window. (Florida)

Every year a cost vs. value report is broken down by region and may have details by city. For the West South Region - A midrange bath remodel; the estimated job cost is $23,670 with a resale value of $16,085, a 68% recoup in value (The national average is 66.7%). Every local market is different, so speak with a local Realtor before making any improvements if you are considering selling soon.

Hi Jessica. That is a great question. Each market is different, so you should speak with a local Realtor before making improvements, especially if you are considering selling soon. You may only need to update the appliances, hardware, and light fixtures, or your local market may suggest a complete renovation. Every year there is a cost vs. value report that comes out providing estimated costs. For the South Region - a major upscale kitchen remodel would be approximately 30% recoup in costs, midrange about 40%, and minor about 79%.

That is a great question, Juanita. Each market is different, so you should speak with a local Realtor before making improvements, especially if you are considering selling soon. You may only need to update the appliances, hardware, and light fixtures, or your local market may suggest a complete renovation. Every year a cost vs. value report comes out providing estimated costs. For the Pacific Region - a major upscale kitchen remodel would be approximately 27% recoup in costs, midrange about 38%, and minor about 79%.

Hi Cesar; when you list a home, you sign a listing agreement with a real estate brokerage to sell your home. The listing agreement states the listing terms, commission, and any additional fees associated with marketing the home to procure the buyer. Every state is different; in Florida, we have a written listing agreement with agreed-upon terms signed by the seller and brokerage.

Erin, you should 100% check out any neighborhoods of interest that you feel are the best fit for you. Suggest that you visit different days and times during the week and weekend. Stop and talk to people who are out and about. Explore the communities and check out the parks, schools, restaurants, and transportation locations, especially if these are important to you. People love to talk about where they live.

When I am touring a home with my buyers, I suggest that they walk through to get a good feel of the home. Do they see themselves living there? Does it meet their needs? While they are doing that, I am their eyes looking at mechanics for ages. Are there any ceiling watermarks indicating possible plumbing or roof issues? Are there any foundational cracks?

Debt to income ratio is a financial calculation that measures the percentage of your pre-tax income that goes towards your monthly debt payments. Lenders use this figure to assess your ability to repay a loan, which is essential in determining whether you will be approved for financing. Please speak with a Mortgage Broker / Loan Officer, for they have various loan programs based on the debt-to-income ratio.

Yes, it is highly recommended. The appraisal can save you time and money in the long run. It will show if the asking price aligns with the property values for fair market value. A Realtor can provide comparables to support your asking price, but the appraisal is more in-depth and shows an accurate picture of what is happening; what happened six months ago, etc.

Patricia, ceiling fans are very useful for circulating air; many people want them. I know I especially want the ceiling fan in my bedroom to keep me cool :) You should be fine if the ceiling fans are functional, not missing any blades or making a squeaking noise. If they are very large for the space or dated, then a small investment to replace them may go a long way. Your Realtor will provide you with suggestions and musts that should be done to get the home sold.

Gary that is a great question. I always suggest that my buyers have the locks rekeyed, garage codes, and any other codes changed. You do not know who else may still have the key. Also, rekeying to one key for all the locks is a lifesaver :) No more trying to figure out what key goes to which door.

No need to replace a 20-year-old roof that has no evidence of leaks. It may be advantageous to have a roof certification done and have it ready for a buyer that is questioning the life span of the roof. Just make sure you disclose the age.

Hi Celine - I agree with Chris Yochum; there are more and more vacation rentals. It also depends on where you are looking. In Amelia Island, Florida, many properties are zoned for short-term / vacation rentals. Depending on the time of year, holiday or special events depicts the rental rate. I have recently noticed that many rentals here are booked almost a year out.

Justin - a housing shortage means there are more buyers than homes for sale, so there are not enough homes for every buyer looking to purchase. Here in Fernandina Beach, Nassau County, Florida, we see low inventory, and sellers may still receive multiple home offers.

Darren, fraud in real estate is very common. The main frauded is wiring funds to the title company for closing. Buyers should be aware of emails with instructions for wiring funds to closing. Always verify with your Realtor and the Title Company. We sometimes see someone representing they are the property owner when they are not.

Yes it is okay to store items in the garage. Make sure that the items you place n the garage are organized in an orderly fashion. There should be room for a buyer to view the garage walls, and any storage area.

Listing agreements should have a clause for the term of the contract and instructions on how to cancel - for example; it may read that the listing agreement may be canceled with a 30-day advanced written notice. The listing brokerage may have a form that needs to be completed. June, carefully read your listing agreement and look for any clauses or sections that discuss termination or cancellation; seek legal advice and have an open and honest conversation with your agent.

Absolutely! Have your agent note the request in the showing requests. You can have booties/shoe covers and a sign at the front door asking that shoes be removed or wear booties.

Cherry, make sure your valuable items, and medication are put away, locked in a cabinet - Out of Sight, Out of Mind. When I host an open house, I do try to accompany the open house guest through the home. Sometimes, it can be a little challenging when there are more people attending at the same time. Have an honest conversation with your agent about your concerns and come up with a plan that you are comfortable with.

Faye, I am not a big fan of lighting candles or baking cookies. First, people attending and even the agent hosting the open house may be sensitive to certain smells. If you have a pet in the home, then suggest that you air it out before the open, run the house fan on circulating/continuous, and thoroughly clean the home (I love the smell of a fresh clean home!). There are products out there that are odorless (minimal) that can remove some of the odors still lingering. Potential buyers may think that there is something wrong in the home that it is being masked by candles, etc.

Hi Carlos; there are a few ways that you can accomplish this. The first is to speak with a lender/mortgage broker to determine if you can purchase without selling your home first. If that is not feasible, if you have enough equity, you may be able to use the equity to purchase your next home. A Lender/Mortgage Broker can help you determine if that is possible. If not, you would need to list your home and find a home to purchase. You would have to have the offer for your purchase be written up as contingent on selling your home. Meet with your local Realtor and local Mortgage Loan Officer and they can help you navigate through the different scenarios to determine what is in your best interest.

Each state has their own requirements. You can start by obtaining a Florida Drivers License, vehicle registration. Visit Florida website for further requirements - https://www.stateofflorida.com/residency/. You would probably need a copy of your lease, utilities to show that you are living in the state. Again, visit the website and your the local DMV for further requirements. I moved to Florida about 3 years ago and I needed a copy of my lease, utility, title/registration for vehicle, auto insurance to obtain Drivers License and establish my residency.

Most importantly, Carlos, is to speak with your Mortgage Loan Officer about job requirements in order to secure an approval to purchase a home. Each situation is different, and they will be your best guide. Suggest, though, that you do not switch jobs during the house hunting and wait until you have closed on your new home. There are times, when a job switch may be allowed if it is in the same field of work. Again, speak with your Mortgage Loan Officer.

Zestimates and automated valuations are a guide to what a home might be valued. These are computer generated analysis that do not take into account what is actually happening in the community, has there been updates/upgrades to the home, the location, local economic impact, demand, and much much more. Your local Realtor will help you determine a value range to get your home sold.

If there were cats in the home and have peed on the carpet; that is an odor that is distinct and probably noticeable when your toured the home. My guess is that the list price has taken certain things into consideration. If the home inspection, disclosed additional issues and/or safety concerns, then you can go back (during your inspection period) and request for any repairs or concessions. If you are beyond the inspection period timeframe, you may not be in a position to renegotiate. Each state, and real estate contract/purchase agreement are different. Your Realtor is your advocate and can help you navigate through your contingencies per contract and the disclosures that were provided by the seller.

Hi Lesia - I probably would start with a professional appraiser for a more detailed report. A professional real estate agent that handles the market area for the property would be able to provide a market analysis.