Tips on How to Choose a Neighborhood

Credit for the photo goes to Safewise

Finding an apartment or home on Anna Maria Island is more than just finding a place to live. When searching your interests and lifestyle come into play when looking to see if a neighborhood is going to suit what you’re looking for. Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and the city of Anna Maria all are the perfect place to live with a family or singly. 

•         Consider where you will be in a few years down the road. Are you thinking about having children? Pets? If you are or you already have kids, you should make sure to look at the school systems nearby as well as parks. Definitely check to make sure the neighborhood is kid friendly. If you’re single, checkout the local restaurants on Anna Maria Island and such to see if they fit what you’re looking for.
•          Test out how you’re going to get around the neighborhood. If you’re like me and you bike to work, I recommend making sure you choose a neighborhood close to your job or maybe look into public transportation options. Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach all have a free public trolley that can help transport you wherever you need to go.
•        Will you be a match for the neighborhood? Consider what if in the future you’d like to sell- will the area demographics make it easier or more difficult?
•          Check out what people are saying. It is important to see what people are saying about the neighborhood. Sites like StreetAdvisor are a great way to get real reviews. Also, you can probably ask the locals themselves. Anna Maria Island locals are very friendly and very willing to help out.
•          Besides checking out how far it is to your job, you should also research how close the neighborhood is to everything else. How close is it to the grocery store, hospital, banking, shopping, etc? A neighborhood that allows easy access to these amenities would be a plus to moving in. On Anna Maria Island you're fairly close to everything, since the whole length of the island is 7 miles.
•         Finally, make sure to visit the neighborhood at different times of the day. Doing this allows you to determine if this is what you’re looking for in a community. Listen to the noise levels, observe the traffic, checkout the lighting in the neighborhood, etc. 

Regardless on if you’re looking for an apartment or house in Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and Anna Maria  I would be honored to help you. Call me, Billi Gartman, at 941-545-8877 with any questions you have. Having me by your side during your home buying and selling process on Anna Maria Island will help you with questions, concerns, and any stress you may have. 

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Inexpensive Ways to Upgrade Your Home Before Selling

(Credit for this photo goes to Homeplans)

I've seen quite a few people who were ready to sell their home on Anna Maria Island, but after really looking at them ask me what they could do to upgrade the home a bit and maybe increase it's value. I always suggest looking at your budget first and see what you can afford. Then look at what you are wanting to fix and make a list. Finally, I suggest hiring a contractor to do it for you. This will save you time and money in the long run.

•        You can easily improve the look of your home by applying fresh pain to the walls and cabinets. Sometimes it will take more than one layer to do the trick.
•        If you have an older dishwasher I'd replace it with a new Energy Star-qualified one to save money. If you don't have one installed, but have room for it, I'd look into getting one installed. With people's schedules now, dishwashers save them time as well as increase the value of your home.
•         Is that carpet looking a bit dull? Has deep cleaning it done nothing to help? If so, I'd look into replacing it with new carpet or some other material that will match your home.
•        Put down fresh caulk in your kitchen and bathroom. I've been in numerous homes where one section of the home has it peeling off or missing entirely. Not only will it look better, but it will protect your home against mold.
•         You know that old deck out back? The paint has long wore off, you've got chips breaking off of it, and let's not get started on the leaves and such stuck to it. This can usually be taken care of power-washing it and then re-staining the deck with a sealant to protect it against the weather.
•        Earlier I mentioned repainting the cabinets. Now, I'm saying to replace those handles on the doors. Swapping out an older looking or generic handle could make the room look completely different.
•         Replace the outlet and switch plates. This may seem like it won't make any difference, but trust me, it will.
•          Upgrade the fixtures. Most door knobs, faucets, and locks are all fairly cheap to paint. Or if it's in your budget you could replace them entirely.

Before you make any major changes, reach out to your real estate agent and ask them what they'd recommend. At Anna Maria Life we promise to help you with selling your home, buying a home, or even if you're looking for an investment opportunity. Call me, Billi, at 941-545-8877 with any real estate questions you have. It'd be my pleasure helping you with your search for your slice of paradise on Anna Maria Island.

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Follow These Tips to Save Energy Around Your Home

   Every year many people are spending more and more money on their electric bill without realizing how much they could be saving if they do a few simple things around their home. Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton beach are no exceptions! Did you know that the average Floridian spends over $125 for their electric bill? I was dumbfounded at how much my electric bill was for a 740 square foot home. My electric company told me a few tips to help reduce my bill, but nothing seemed to be working. I turned to the internet for help. After researching many sites, blogs, and other sources I found a few tips to try. Once I received my new bill, I must say the small stuff actually did make the bill lower and me happier. 

   Some of these tips I tried and it helped- and some of the others I'm listing as alternative methods that may be able to help you.

• Install a programmable thermostat on your air conditioner, if it doesn't already have one.
• Use shades and curtains on your windows.
• Clean and change your filters on your air conditioner regularly.
• Check all window and door seals to ensure you don't have any air leaks. This can save you up to 20% on your next bill.
• In the summer change your fan to counter-clockwise and in the winter change it to clockwise on low.
• Set your air conditioner to auto instead of on.
• Wash your clothes in cold water. Your laundry detergent will still work the same. :)
• Wash and dry all of your clothes at once. With your dyer already being warm, this will save you energy as opposed to letting it cool and have to re-heat.
• Try and do full loads of laundry. If you have to do a small load- make sure you change the load size.
• Change your light bulbs to the new and improved CFLs and LEDs.
• Look for the energy star label on your lights and other products to save energy.
• Turn off all lights, appliances, and electronics when not in use.
• Plug your electronics (and other items) into a power strip and turn them off that way. It's an easier way to turn off multiple devices at once.
• Use low-flow water faucets and showerheads.
• Reduce your water heater temperature to 130° F.
• Replace your old refrigerator (if it's from 1990 and older). 
• Shorten your showers
• Unplug your battery charges. These siphon energy even when you're not charging your device.
• Set up your computer to sleep or hibernate instead of using the screen saver. The screen saver actually uses more energy than either of the other two options. The best thing to do is to turn it off if you're not using it.

If after trying these tips and/or you're ready to look into a new house for sale on Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, or Bradenton Beach reach out to me at 941-545-8877. I'd be more than happy to answer any and all real estate questions you have.

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Check out these 7 tips for new real estate investors!

So you’ve decided that you want to start investing in real estate. Great! Check out these tips on how to get started on investing.

• Check your credit score to determine if you’re able to finance a investment property.
• Consider multiple sources for looking at and buying properties. A lot of new investors thing they only have the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) site or by knocking on doors looking for the opportunity to buy. Don’t forget to check out other real estate sites, auctions, and your local papers.
• Find a good bank or mortgage broker in the area you are financing your investment properties at.
• Get in the mindset that real estate investing is a business. Develop a good business plan that will detail starting and running your business with realistic goals.
• Pick a good neighborhood. You’re going to want to know that you’ll be able to make a profit off of the investment.
• Buy the investment property at a good price. If you can buy a property for 12 times the amount of it’s annual rent- then that’s a good deal.
• Don’t get overexcited. People forget to not invest too much in the beginning. Start small and work. That way you won’t have to magically recoup quickly.

Winter is right around the corner. Is your house ready?

Winter is right around the corner for many people and I know they’re probably dreading it too. We’ve created a small checklist for you to use to prepare your home for the upcoming winter season. 

       Outside:

• Clean out your gutters- Wait till the last leaf falls around your home and get your gutters cleaned out. If you’re able to do it yourself or even get someone else to help, cleaning your gutters out will prevent blockage during the winter storms.
• Put away your outdoor items- We’ve all thought the same thing “I don’t want to clean or move the furniture”. I know. I felt the same way myself. However, it’s best to clean off all your outdoor items and store them or at least cover them for the season.
• Clean out your fireplace or wood stove if you love having a warm fire or if that’s your primary source of heat. Also have your chimney professionally cleaned and checked out.
• Buy the winter essentials before season hits; so that way you’re not fighting over stuff in the store.
• Check your roof- Grab a ladder or a pair of binoculars and check for damaged, loose, or missing shingles that may possibly leak during storms. Don’t forget to check your seals around the vent stacks and chimneys too. (If your roof is flat and surfaced with asphalt and pebbles, rake or blow off leaves and pine needles. Don’t remove the pebbles though. It will expose the asphalt to sunlight.)
• Water your outdoor plants- not a lot of people know to water their plants even up to the first frost. This will keep your plants from drying out.
• Drain your sprinkler and/or irrigation systems- If there is still water in these it could cause them to bust.

       Inside:

• Order a home energy audit- This is great, because the person performing the audit has a tool that shows areas that are loosing heat.
• Tune up your heating system- hire a technician and have them inspect your heating system to make sure it’s clean and in good repair. By having a technician check it out it also measures carbon-monoxide leakage.
• Reverse your ceiling fans- The fan will produce an updraft and push down into the room heated air.
• Swap out your bedding- Clean and store your summer bedding and get the down comforter or heavy blankets out instead. You’ll sleep much better and stay warmer.
• Swap out the clothing in your closet- Bring out your winter clothing and store your warmer clothing (unless you’re in those warmer states- Florida).
• Recaulk around your windows and doors- Check the space between the walls at the door frames and windows. If there is a space bigger than the width of a nickel you should reapply caulk. Check your weather stripping too.

If you click this link, it will take you to a pdf version of this article and you can print it as a checklist for you and your family/friends.

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How to Decorate Your Small Space Without a Christmas Tree

You may have run into the same problem that quite a few people have as well- you don’t have enough space in your home or apartment for a Christmas tree. I’ve looked around and found some easy ideas you can use to have a Christmas tree with any amount of space.

• Choose a section of your wall that you won’t mind painting and turn it into a canvas of wonder. Use a can of chalkboard paint on the wall and draw your tree, fireplace, and other holiday related themes on it. It’s great for the kids too. You can purchase a can of the paint online at Michaels’ for $7.99.   

• If you have loose branches lying around in your yard pick them up and use them to create a tree on your wall. Tie some string around them and mount them on your wall in the shape of a tree. You can even add ornaments to make it more like a Christmas tree.

• Choose your favorite picture of a Christmas tree (make sure it’s not copyrighted) or even a regular tree, take it to your local print shop, and have it enlarged to the size similar to a tapestry. Hang the print out on a dowel rod and place it anywhere you’d like. Check out Staples for a printout or even a local FedEx/Kinko’s store. 
• Add strips of crepe paper to your wall in the shape of a tree. Have the kids help out too. It makes a fun and creative craft for them.
• Make a tree out of Evergreen branches laying around or even go to your local craft store and attach them to dowel rods. This makes it more like a realistic tree and adds the wonderful scent of the outdoors to your home.
• If you don’t have the time to find some branches, cut paper, or paint check out your home for stuff you already have. If you have some shelves turn them into a festive display. Grab those old holiday greeting cards, mismatched gloves, and scarves.  

• Another great thing to try is the washi tape. They have many different colors and designs it makes it fun and interesting to try different combinations.
• Construction paper makes a neat crafting project for the whole family. Just cut some shapes out or even just a plain shape, tape them to the wall, and add cutout ornaments to it.

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