What Should I Look for When Purchasing an Existing Home

It’s best to do careful research and evaluation of existing homes for sale before buying your new home. By checking everything out beforehand it ensures that your new home will be comfortable, cost effective, and holds its value in the future.

• How much work will need to be done after you move in? (Make sure to look at all the cabinets, flooring, walls, appliances, etc) If you have to do home improvements how much will it cost you to do them.
• If there are damages to the home can you fix them on your own or will you need to hire a contractor?
• Is there enough room for storage and your furniture? (Measure you furniture before you buy to make sure everything will fit.)
• If you have kids, research the schools in the area. Check how the schools near-by perform and compare to other schools in the state.
• If you have pets, are you going to have enough room for them in the house and outdoors?
• Does the home condition and tax value match the seller’s price?
• Do you like the landscaping or are you going to want to change it? If you are probably going to change it, estimate how much it will cost. Take into consideration if you are going to be able to do it on your own or if you’ll have to hire a contractor.
• Check out the condition of the neighborhood that you’re looking at. How are the neighbors’ houses? Are they looking run down? The condition of the neighborhood could affect your home’s value if you plan on selling it in the future.
• Does the house require a mandatory membership? If so, find out how much and what it goes towards. Check out the neighborhood and talk to the neighbors to see how they like it in that area.
• Make a wish list of things that you’re wanting. This will make it easier to judge how much work may be needed after you move in.
• Make a check list of things that you should check out; such as, cabinets, appliances, faucets, toilets, heating and air systems, and lighting. 

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Who stole Thanksgiving?

I know this isn’t the first year that we’ve all noticed this mystery.  There are many great and worthy holidays throughout the year. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Thanksgiving is for sure towards the top of the list, right?  Well, then…..where is it?  It’s as though it is disappearing right before our eyes.  Possibly it has been this way the past few years? I noticed the Christmas décor filling the shelves even before Halloween!   Is Halloween the next to go?  Please understand, I’m not complaining about Christmas.  I LOVE Christmas; the whole Christmas thing.  I’m the type who has birthday months, OK.  Any excuse to have a celebration, I’m all in baby!  Which is why I’m a bit upset that it seems that Thanksgiving has become Christmas’ sidekick.  Just hanging out in the back of Batmobile praying for a chance to get called onto the scene. 

My family and I are bringing Thanksgiving back to the limelight.  We are going to GIVE THANKS.  For 9 years we have gotten together with a large group of very close friends and we celebrate; we give thanks and spend the day enjoying time together.  I’m thankful for such a wonderful tradition and such amazing friends.   I’m thankful for the fact that we have a crop to share.  I’m thankful for my friends’ and family’s health.  Especially the ones who have struggled this year with illness. (They know who they are.)  I’m thankful for my husband and my son.  There just couldn’t be a better team!  I’m thankful for my mom who enables team Gartman to do what they do.  I’m thankful for all of the people in my life who give me the opportunity to live, work and be happy in this incredible place.  I’m thankful for all of the men and women who give their lives for this freedom we enjoy every day.  I’m just plain thankful.   My life rocks!

Everyone can celebrate Thanksgiving the way they wish. This year I encourage everyone, even if it’s just for a moment inside their head, to consciously and wholeheartedly give thanks to the people and things in your lives that give you happiness and the ability to live life as you do. 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Tips for First-Time Home Buyers!

You have decided that you’re ready to buy your first home, but you’re not really sure where to begin. It’s always good to take any advice on buying a home so that you’re not going in empty-handed. Hopefully, these tips will help you and your family out when looking at your first home.

•         Consider what type of home suits you and your family. Are you going to be looking for a single-family home, townhouse, condo, or a multi-family building? This is going to be one of the most important factors for when you start looking for a home.
•        How much home can you afford? I know this may sound a bit odd since you’re looking at purchasing a house, but a bank will sometimes give you a loan for more than you can afford. By doing this you don’t realize that you’re already making it to where you can’t afford the total cost of the house. Make sure to look at the total cost of the house besides the monthly payments. Don’t get me wrong, the monthly payments are a big factor, but you want to make sure that you can afford the house as a whole.
•         What specific features do you want in your new home? The type of neighborhood, house size, room layout, and kitchen appliances are all key when looking at a home.
•         How much mortgage do you qualify for? It’s good to double check how much you qualify for before looking at a home; so, that way you’re not looking at a $500,000 home when you can only afford $300,000.
•         Make sure to use a real estate agent. They can help you with procedures, tips, and even locating the house best suited to your wants and needs.
•        Think long-term when looking at a house. Are you going to be starting a family down the road? Are you planning on having older relatives live with you? Also, think on if you’ll be able to re-sell it down the road if you want to. If you’re in a bad neighborhood or just in a poor location selling your home will be a bit difficult.
•         Make a checklist of things that you’re going to want in your home. This goes back to what specific features do you want. If you go to a house that has a really nice view, but doesn’t match any of the features that you’re wanting it’s probably not going to suit what you’re looking for.
•         Read over your contract before signing and ask for the HOA (homeowner’s association) contract before signing as well. Make sure to read everything and that you understand what you’re agreeing to.
•         Look past the staging of the home. You’ll want to make sure the home will suit what you’re going to want to do with it when you move in. If you find that a room doesn’t have enough outlets you may find that you’ll have to do a bit of remodeling that you don’t need to do if another home suits your tastes.

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6 Tips on How to Advertise Your Property

•          Photograph the front of your home/property: This is probably going to be one of the most important things you do when promoting your home that you just put up for sale. Make sure to remove anything that will take away from the overall image of your home, such as: sidewalks and streets, vehicles in the driveway, toys in the yard, try and avoid getting shade on your home in the picture, and finally make sure everything is clean and well maintained.
•        Virtual Tours: Most people think that only the super expensive homes have tours- not anymore! As more and more people continue to look for homes online the demand for a tour before actually looking at the house helps with their decision. It doesn’t have to be a really big, long tour, but by doing a slow video throughout your home and even adding some descriptions to the video will help out. If you’re not comfortable with make a tour on your own, you can hire a professional to do it for you.
•         Exterior Photos: These will also be something that will impact a real estate’s potential to intrigue people to look at it. Make sure to take pictures of your yard if you have one. Focus on getting long, spaced shots that will give potential buyer’s the illusion of a very large yard. If you don’t have a yard take pictures of the community clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, etc. It will add more to the value of the home since you don’t have a front or back yard.
•         Interior Photos: It’s always important to take photographs of the interior of your home. People are going to be looking for space, functionality, and more based on what they can see in a photo. Make the inside of your house bright and open. Most people don’t realize to do this, but remove trash cans from rooms and close the toilet lids. It can take away from the “new home” feel when people are trying to imagine themselves in the house. Adding floral arrangements to the kitchen, dining room, and bedrooms will give off a nice, refreshing feel to the home while keeping it from looking plain. Stage the rooms! You’ve probably heard this so many times by now, but it’s true. Staging the rooms in a certain manner will help any potential buyers imagine your property as theirs.
•        Advertising: It’s not bad to go old-school and have articles printed in the local and other area newspapers. There are still quite a few people that receive those as well as other people that read them while in a waiting room or at a friend’s home. Definitely make sure to advertise your home on the web as well. Around 90% of people use the internet to search for a home that’s for sale. Check out Trulia and Zillow for some tips and information regarding advertising your home that’s for sale.
•          Open House: Not a lot of places do this anymore, but it’s a good way to get word out there. Invite neighbors, other real estate agents, and such to create a buzz regarding your home. News will travel fast and you will be well on your way to selling your home. 

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What is a final walk-through? What does it consist of and how long does it take?

Found the perfect home? Check! Made an offer on the home and the seller accepts it? Check! Inspections? Check! Loan being finalized and closing date set? Check! You’ve almost completed everything that you need in order to purchase your new home. However, there is one more step before owning your dream home- the final walk-through. A final walk-through is an inspection that is performed usually at least 24 hours before the sale on the house has closed. It’s to make sure that the property is in the condition that you had agreed to buy it in. It usually only takes around an hour to two hours to do the walk-though. Never pass up on the chance to do this! You don’t want to pass on the walk-through only to find that something had happened to the home since you had last looked at it.

Here are the things you need to know for your final walk-through:

•          It is not a home inspection. Hopefully you’ve already done that, if not, you need to.
•          Take your contract and any other document you may need to refer to when performing the walk-through.
•         It’s usually recommended to do the final walk-through with the seller present. You can ask them questions about the home, history, and even things they had wanted to do, but never got the time. It’s also a good time to make sure to get all keys to the house, storage, etc. Don’t forget to ask them for their address so you can forward their mail to them.
•          Make a checklist of things to check or do during the final walk-through. It will make it so much easier than trying to remember everything.

Here is what you should check:

•          Turn all light fixtures on and off.
•          Make sure any trash or debris has been cleared from the home.
•          Open & close all windows and doors.
•          Test out all appliances.
•          Flush the toilets to make sure they work properly.
•          Inspect the ceilings, walls, and floors for any possible damage.
•          Test the heating and cooling in the home.
•         Run the garbage disposal and exhaust fans to make sure they work.
•          Check that the garage door openers work correctly as well.

Spending at least a good 30 minutes to an hour is going to be a good investment. It will make sure that you can enjoy your home when you move in instead of making repairs or cleaning up any mess that was left behind.

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Tips on how to increase your home's curb appeal

When you’re getting ready to sell your home curb appeal is very important. Curb appeal if done right will peak a buyer’s interest and they won’t be able to resist taking a look at your home. Here are some tips you can do to increase your curb appeal. 

•          Wash the outside of your house- I mean really wash it. Power wash your driveway if it’s paved, your walkway, and the siding of your house. Wash your windows inside & out, swipe the cobwebs from the eaves, and clean up your garage door.
•           Freshen the paint on your house- It will do wonders to bring people in. The best thing to do is match the paint you have; so, that way you’re not giving a strange color for the neighborhood. If you don’t know the paint color chip off a small piece of what you have to match it.
•          The condition of your room is one of the first things people see- call a professional to clean it. It will only cost a little and that way it’s done quickly and nicely. If your roof is faded, missing or curled shingles buyers will notice it and appraisers will price it lower.
•          Neaten your lawn- Put down some fresh mulch and prune your shrubs. It will do wonders for curb appeal. If your grass is looking a bit dull green it up with some lawn food and water. Make sure to get rid of the crab grass.
•          Make your home stand out- Upscale your mailbox with some new paint or decorations. Adding new architectural house numbers or address plaques will make it easier for people to see the address from the road. Add interesting colors to your home; such as, if you live in a cozy neighborhood paint the bench on your porch pink if you want.
•          Most of all- Maintain your property. Grab your toolbox and get ready to repair- broken, cracked, and damaged parts of your home will take away its true value while turning potential buyers away immediately. If you have sagging gutters, re-hang them. Those chips in the fence that you keep putting off- don’t! If it’s minor repairs to the fence do them. Having a fence that is good quality and clean will add value to your home. If your asphalt on your driveway has cracked reseal it yourself or hire a contractor that can do it for you. 

If you’re on a budget, that’s okay. Just make sure you grab the most important pieces that are needing help first and get to the rest when you have time. J

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Enjoy island life in this beautiful Snead Island home!

Are you tired of the snow up north? Would you like to be able to go to the beach every day without calling it a vacation? Would you like to live in a house that has plenty of room for everyone? This gorgeous Snead Island home is for you! Located at 1760 Amberwynd Circle in Palmetto, FL this captivating 4 bedroom and 3 bath home is the perfect place to entertain guests and have plenty of room for you and your family. Aquarium style windows in living room gives you a stunning view of the real estate surrounding the home. Entertain your guests with the secluded screened-in heated salt water swimming pool with a cascading waterfall. A great bonus to this beautiful home that was recently put up for sale is that it has a newly covered dock with a 10,000 lb. lift and a kayak/ paddle board launch. This home puts you minutes away from Egmont Key and Anna Maria Island. Click the link below to see the full listing for 1760 Amberwynd Circle West or gives us a call at 931-565-8877.

http://www.annamariaislandrealestateforsale.com/paradise-home-sale-palmetto-anna-maria-life-and-billi-gartman/

 To schedule a tour, gather further information on this property and to find similar listings, please contact Billi at 941-545-8877

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What to do to get your home prepped for showing day

You’re ready to show your home to potential buyers, but you’re not sure what to do to make it show ready. We’ve compiled a small list of things to help you out.

• Detach yourself from the home- Now that the property is on the market for sale it’s best to start calling it your property instead of home. By doing this you’ll be able to separate from the home and sell it. This is leading into the next tip: depersonalize your property.
• Depersonalize the property- Remove family photos, religious items, trophies, artwork from your children, etc. When a potential buyer is looking at your property they’re going to be imagining what it would be like as their home. By having any personal items removed it will make it much easier for them to imagine it as theirs.
• Remove any signs of a pet- Your pet’s bed/ litter box has a distinct smell that could turn away potential buyers. Stow them away inside the house somewhere, though it’s probably best to remove them completely from the property.
• Make sure it looks clean- If a potential buyer walks into your property and notices that it is dirty they will probably walk back out. This is the time to SUPER CLEAN the house from top to bottom- steam the carpets, mop & wax the floors, clean your windows inside & outside, and make sure your appliances are scoured. Make sure to have fresh garbage bags in your trash cans. Really clean those handrails, stair banisters, and any other items that have a “Touch Me” texture to them.
• Make sure it smells clean too- Now that your property is clean make sure it smells clean too. Air your home out to get rid of any odors. Make sure to remove pet items as well. Your pet’s bed/ litter box will leave a lingering smell. A good way to make your property inviting is appealing to their nose. Bake a fresh batch of cookies, some bread, or even brew some coffee. Not only will the house smell nice you’ll also have something to offer your guests. If it’s cold outside make some hot cocoa or some cider it will have a nice affect to your guests.
• Clean out those closets!- If a potential buyer sees all the closets jam packed with a bunch of stuff they’re going to worry about space. Clean out and organize your closets to give them the illusion that there is tons of room.

These are only a few tips of many that can help you prep for showing day. Check out Pintrest and other social media sites to get some ideas. 

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Top Tips for Feng Shui Throughout Your Home

When setting up your home with different colors of paint, furniture, and other accents you probably don't realize that later it can affect the mood of your family and yourself. Many real estate bloggers and other bloggers talk about home decorating, landscaping, etc. and about how the flow of your home will affect your daily life. Feng Shui is a practice in China that is made up of spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to the flow of energy. 

Below is a small list of how color placement in your home can affect the energy around you.

Red: Passion, power, stimulation, and high energy. (Suggestions: dining room, bedroom, or upholstery)

Orange: Creativity, happiness, enthusiasm, and communication. (Suggestions: accenting, throw-overs, or pillows)

Yellow: Cheerfulness, light-heartedness, and mental stimulation. (Suggestions: kitchens, not bedrooms)

Green: Growth, harmony, nature, safety, peace, and healing (Suggestions: bedroom, bathroom, or office)

Blue: Trust, loyalty, confidence, faith (Suggestions: accents around the house and in bedroom)

Purple: Romance, luxury, nobility, wealth, spirituality, and motivation (Suggestions: bedroom)

Black: Power, independence (Suggestions: picture frames)

Brown: Stability, humility (Suggestions: living room)

White: Cleanliness, vibrancy (Use sparingly; too much white can feel cold)

<this small list was used from TinyBuddha's website.>

• Make your front door inviting. If it is confusing to find your door it will be hard for opportunity to happen. If you're not sure if it is confusing to find, think of it this way- if a trick or treater can't find your door then how is opportunity to happen? Add some fresh paint to your door such as a mid-tone red, put some potted plants out, make sure your lights illuminate your porch, and make sure your doorbell works.
• A common misconception is to put the furniture flush against the walls. Don't. By doing so it cuts off the flow of energy throughout that area and it makes it difficult to show open communication.
• Add family photos throughout your home. However, only put pictures of the couple in the master bedroom instead of family ones. By putting pictures of the happy couple it creates a loving energy that will help improve and keep their marriage well. Do put family photos anywhere else though. It will give your guests a positive energy.
• If you're looking to start a relationship put doubles of furniture and such to open up the energy of partnership. By setting up your home for an individual it blocks the partnership energy and will make you feel not ready for a relationship.
• To bring in prosperity create a vibrant, healthy, inspiring, and clutter-free home. By bringing in plants and flowers it gives out vibrant life forces. Put some fountains either in your yard or your house to stimulate prosperity, energy, and symbolizes money.
• Finally, if the space in your home is big, people tend to live further apart emotionally. Bring everything closer to get rid of the negative energy.

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This cozy villa is perfect for your island getaway!

Are you looking for a gated community? Are you looking for a cozy home for you and your family? Are you wanting your home to be placed right between Anna Maria Island and Bradenton? This cozy two bed and two bath villa features a tiled lanai, an over-sized garage, and community amenities. Perico Bay Club is a nice gated community that has an Olympic sized pool, tennis courts, and a clubhouse. The residents at Perico Bay Club hold numerous meetings, parties, and events at the community clubhouse. 1008 Ibis Court is located close the the side entrance for the Robinson Preserve and Neil Preserve. You can also catch a ride on the trolley to the island that gives you access to Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and Anna Maria. Click the link below to see the full listing for 1008 Ibis Court or gives us a call at 931-565-8877.

http://www.annamariaislandrealestateforsale.com/cozy-villa-sale-perico-bay-club-anna-maria-life-and-billi-gartman/

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What to ask for when looking for a potential home

When looking for potential homes not everyone knows what to ask when starting out. We’ve gathered some common questions that should be asked when looking for a home.

1.      What is this property’s worth? Your realtor should have prices of similar, nearby homes that have sold recently and the high to low ranges for the property. 

2.      How flexible is the seller on the asking price? It’s better to ask if the seller is flexible on the price rather than offering a price that is way too low and possible losing the opportunity to buy the home. Also, see if the seller is willing to help with closing costs. Some sellers will help in order to close the sale quickly.

3.      What’s wrong with the house? A lot of people are going to want to say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the house you’re looking at; however, it’s best to find out if there is something instead of something happening later down the road. Some sellers will have their house inspected already and you can ask for that document.

4.      Is the home in a flood plain? If you’re looking at a potential house in a flood plain you’ll probably have to purchase flood insurance. Ask what type of flood plain the house is in and how much it costs to have the flood insurance on the house.

5.      Will the lender allow a short sale? A short sale allows the property to be sold for less than the amount of the outstanding mortgage. Make sure to ask yourself (if it was allowed) why it was granted and make sure that the seller has talked to the lender to get it approved. You don’t want to find out later that the lender did not actually approve of the short sale.

6.      Are there any foreclosures for sale in the area? Some realtors won’t like the question, but if you can find a house similar to what you’re looking for and in a better price range it’s better for you and your family. You could have some extra money to fix or add things to your new home.

7.      Do you have the paperwork for the mechanical systems? Not many people know to ask this when buying a new home, but if 5 years from now your air conditioning system stops working you’re going to want to know if it is under warranty or not.

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