IN RESEARCHING RECENT HOME SALES  AND MARKET TRENDS IN MIAMI, I FOUND THAT THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE SELLING IN 2010 ARE SELLING WITHIN 10% OF THEIR ASKING PRICE – CONSISTENTLY.  IN SOME MARKET SEGMENTS, PROPERTIES ARE SELLING CLOSER TO 3-5% OF THEIR ASKING PRICE. 

THAT MEANS THAT PRICING HOMES PROPERLY IS KEY TO SELLING THEM … AND SELLERS AND BUYERS BOTH NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

IN PINECREST, FROM JANUARY 2010 THROUGH JULY 2010, THERE WERE  JUST OVER 200 HOMES FOR SALE  ON AVERAGE- IN ANY ONE GIVEN MONTH – THAT INCLUDES ALL LISTINGS, ACROSS THE BOARD, IN ALL PRICE RANGES.  OF THE 200 PLUS HOMES LISTED FOR SALE,  20 WERE SHORT SALES.  182 WERE REGULAR SALES.

WHAT SOLD?  TWO SHORT SALES PER MONTH AND TEN REGULAR SALES PER MONTH SOLD.

THE  ASKING PRICE ON NON FORECLOSURE/NON SHORT SALE PROPERTIES AVERAGED $1,555,000 IN PINECREST THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2010. INTERESTINGLY  $1,148.71 WAS THE AVERAGE SALES PRICE, WHICH EQUATES TO A PRICE PER  SQUARE FOOT OF $252.43 IN PINECREST IN 2010.

WHILE NATIONAL NEWS REPORTS OVERWHELMINGLY INCREASES IN FORECLOSURES (REO’S) AND SHORT SALES FLOODING THE HOUSING MARKET, THAT DOESN’T SEEM TO ACCURATELY PINPOINT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PINECREST. SALES IN PINECREST REMAIN PREDOMINANTLY WELL-PRICED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, SELLING AT AN AVERAGE OF $252 A SQUARE FOOT.

TO STAY UPDATED ON  THE MIAMI REAL ESTATE MARKET,  MARKET TRENDS AND CHANGES, YOU ARE WELCOME TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR POSTS, VIA THE LINK BELOW.  YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL NOTIFICATION, REQUIRING THAT YOU CONFIRM YOUR SUBSCRIPTION.  THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING OUR BLOG ON MiamiRealEstateCafe.com

AS ALWAYS, IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS WANTING TO BUY OR SELL PROPERTY IN THE MIAMI AREA (MIAMI BEACH, PINECREST, CORAL GABLES, COCONUT GROVE, MIAMI, KENDALL, SOUTH MIAMI OR HIGH PINES) PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CALL ME ANYTIME ON MY CELLULAR AT 305-793-1365 OR SEND ME A MESSAGE HERE.

YOUR “HOW-TO” GUIDE …  NEGOTIATING A HOME PURCHASE:  HOW TO GET THE SELLER TO TAKE  YOUR  OFFER …  ”7 EASY TIPS”  TO GETTING YOUR OFFER ACCEPTED:

1)  “007″ …   JAMES BOND:     FIND OUT THE SELLER’S TOP PRIORITY  … IT’S NOT ALWAYS PRICE.   IT COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS:   TIMEFRAME TO CLOSE, ASSURANCES ABOUT YOUR FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS OR COMMITMENT DATES,  OR IT COULD SIMPLY BE THAT THE SELLERS WANT YOU (THE BUYER) TO BE HEAD OVER HEALS IN LOVE WITH THE HOUSE.

2) IF YOU NEED FINANCING:   HAVE A SOLID PRE-APPROVAL OR AN ACTUAL LOAN COMMITMENT FROM YOUR LENDER IN HAND, TO PRESENT WITH YOUR OFFER. 

3)  ARE YOU PAYING CASH:  RIGHT NOW 52% PERCENT OF ALL REAL ESTATE SALES IN SOUTH FLORIDA ARE CASH  TRANSACTIONS…  IF YOU INTEND TO PAY IN CASH,  HAVE YOUR BANK OR INVESTMENT COMPANY DRAFT A LETTER SHOWING THAT YOU HAVE THE REQUISITE FUNDS TO CLOSE.  SELLERS  WILL OFTEN TAKE OFFERS THAT ARE CERTAIN TO CLOSE,  OVER THOSE THAT ARE NEBULOUS. NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE THEIR HOME OFF THE MARKET FOR A “PIE-IN-THE-SKY-OFFER”  THAT HAS LITTLE CHANCE OF MAKING IT TO THE CLOSING TABLE.

4) SHOW THAT YOU FULLY GRASP THE LOCAL REAL ESTATE MARKET: PROVIDE THE SELLER WITH VERIFIABLE MARKET STATISTICS  INDICATING WHAT PROPERTY WILL LIKELY APPRAISE FOR, BY INCLUDING A COMPILATION OF RECENT RELEVANT PROPERTY SALES  (COMPS) TO SUPPORT YOUR OFFER. 

5) PLANT A SEED (or two!) :  LET THE SELLER KNOW THAT although EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS  THE HOUSE WILL NEED TO APPRAISE FAIRLY CLOSE  TO THE ULTIMATE CONTRACT SALES PRICE  …  YOU SEE THE VALUE IN THE PROPERTY…. AND YOU WANT TO  BUY IT.

6) SELL YOUR OFFER … SELL YOURSELF.  BE POSITIVE, PROFESSIONAL,  ENTHUSIASTIC AND NON-CONFRONTATINAL.  PRESENT YOUR CONTRACT(TYPED OR COMPUTER GENERATED)  IN AS STRAIGHTFORWARD A MANNER AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

7)  EXPECT YOUR OFFER TO BE ACCEPTED and  BE PREPARED TO NEGOTIATE!  SOUNDS LIKE A CONFLICT IN TERMS, BUT IT’S NOT.  BY DEMONSTRATING THAT YOU ARE  A SERIOUS BUYER …QUALIFIED AND  FIRMLY COMMITTED TO CLOSING… AND SHOWING THAT YOU FULLY GRASP  THE NUANCES OF THE  REAL ESTATE MARKET AND CURRENT PROPERTY VALUES  (and THAT YOU LOVE THE HOUSE!) YOU PUT YOURSELF IN STRONG POSITION TO ACTUALLY GET THE HOUSE AND AT THE BEST TERMS POSSIBLE. 

WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE OUR LOYAL BLOG FOLLOWERS ON MiamiRealEstateCafe.com. 

ANYTIME YOU (OR SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU) ARE READY TO BUY OR SELL REAL ESTATE AND ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED REALTOR IN MIAMI, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME.  I CAN BE REACHED ON MY CELLULAR ANYTIME AT 305-793-1365 OR YOU CAN SEND ME A MESSAGE  HERE.

I WILL GET YOU THE BEST TERMS POSSIBLE … WHETHER YOU ARE   BUYING   or   SELLING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU!   … THE RESTIVO TEAM.

Coral Reef Park: Situated on more than 50 acres, the park is located in the heart of the Village. It features canals, a Pineland Preserve and open green spaces and sandy beach volleyball courts and a Meditation Garden. The Village is adding a concession and also plans on revamping the softball/baseball fields as well as the walking paths. The park is located at 7895 SW 152nd Street Palmetto Bay, FL 33157.

Palmetto Bay Park: The 25 acre park features basketball courts, a boundless playground (the largest in Dade County), a skate pavillion, and a six field softball complex. The park also has a concession building and observation deck as well as a recreation room. There are also picnic tables, tree lined pathways for biking jogging or walking, as well as large green open spaces. Located at 17535 SW 95th Avenue Palmetto Bay, FL 33157 and is open from sunrise to sunset.

Thalatta Park: The four acre park allows direct access to Biscayne Bay. There is much wildlife that thrives in the mangroves here-marine iguana, herons and pelicans, among others. On the property, there is a vintage residence, named “Thalatta” (meaning the sea). In 2007, the park was named after the house. There is a recreation room as well as picnic pavillions. The park is currently undergoing renovations and is expected to reopen in the winter of 2010/2011. It’s located at  17301 Old Cutler Road Palmetto Bay, FL 33157

When you get coffee to go, B.Y.O.M. (bring your own mug). If we all used one less paper cup a week, we could save thousands of trees per year and much less would be dumped into landfills.

Boil water with a lid on the pan. It will boil up to 75% faster and will save energy because the heat won’t escape.

Run a full dishwasher rather than washing dishes by hand. It saves energy because hand washing can use as much as 26 gallons of water for 12 place settings, while a good dishwasher will use 4 gallons of water.

Filling your freezer makes it more energy efficient. You can store water in jugs and containers instead of food items.

Store and label leftover items with today’s date. This reduces the chance of it being thrown in the trash.

Computers, TCs and DVD players use stand-by power even when you think they’re off. Unplug them and save up to 10% on your electric bill. You could also plug a lot of items into one power strip and shut the power strip down.

About 70% of municipal waste comes from homes and accounts for almost 4% of the Earth’s greenhouse gases. Sorting out recyclables in the kitchen makes it easy to recycle paper, aluminum, glass and plastics.

The curtains in your home make a difference. Switch them out durinf the summer and winter months. In the summer, white curtains reflect heat, while dark heave curtains in the winter help warm rooms and allow you to lower the thermostat. For every degree you adjust the thermostat, you can save 3-5% on your energy bill (and reduce carbon emissions).

Pre Qualification

It’s an estimate of how much you can afford and how much money a lender would be willing to loan to you. It’s best to get this letter before you start looking at houses. You should sit down with a lender or chat over the phone and provide information on your income, debts, assers and a potential down payment amount.

The lender provides a ballpark figure in writing of how much he/she thinks you can afford to pat for a monthly mortgage. It’s basically the loan agent’s opinion on being able to obtain financing. only the loan agent’s opinion on being able to obtain financing. A formal approval isn’t issued becase no verifications are made. There isn’t a commitment from either party but it is helpful in figuring out what your price range will be.

Pre Approval

This means your loan application has been taken through the verification procedure. The Pre Approval is great because it saves you the time of looking at homes out of your price range and because you will be ahead of the game.

A buyer who makes an offer on a home and then applies fora mortgage is at the mercy of the lender who knows that you don’t have time to shop around for better rates. Being Pre Approved is helpful in a multiple offer situation because buyers generally close escrow more quickly because most of the paperwork has already been taken care of.

It’s important to note that a pre approval is not a guarantee that you will be approved for the loan. The funding will be provided once an appraisal and title search have been done and other verifications check out on the home. It’s not binding either-you can get a mortgage from another lender, although the process will start over and take longer.

Contact the Restivo Team for more information. We know some great lenders and would be happy to put you in touch with them. We will also work closely with you to find the perfect home!

WITH 50 PROPERTIES CURRENTLY LISTED FOR SALE IN PINECREST FOR $2 MILLION UPWARD,  THIS ONE STRUCK ME FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS…   THE TWO THAT MATTER MOST TO BUYERS: VALUE AND QUALITY.

LISTED BY GREATER  MIAMI INVESTMENTS, INC  THIS HOME IS PRICED AT $2,275,000.  UNPRETENTIOUS AND PRIVATE , THE HOUSE ITSELF IS SET WELL BACK FROM THE ROAD (AND ON ONE OF THE NICER STREETS IN NORTH PINECREST).  IT HAS BEEN STUNNINGLY REDONE INSIDE… CONTEMPORARY IN STYLE… A SINGLE STORY HOME… RENOVATED (BEAUTIFULLY!) TWO YEARS AGO -  IN 2008.  

COMPARING THIS PROPERTY TO OTHER SIMILARLY PRICED PINECREST HOMES, THIS ONE STANDS SHOULDERS ABOVE THE VAST MAJORITY.  IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A HOME IN THE $2 MILLION  PRICE RANGE,  YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KEEP THIS ONE IN MIND:  5745 SW 97TH STREET, PINECREST, FLORIDA, ON JUST UNDER AN ACRE.  IT’S LISTED AS  A 5 BEDROOM 5 BATH HOME  (6,224 SQUARE FEET OF LIVING AREA) WITH  A FORMAL LIVING ROOM, FORMAL DINING ROOM, FAMILY ROOM, FIREPLACE,  ‘MAN ROOM’ /GAME ROOM”, GUEST/IN-LAW QUARTERS, AND A MASSIVE MASTER RETREAT  - AND HAS ONE OF THE BETTER-DESIGNED MASTER-CLOSET “SUITES” I’VE SEEN (THE CLOSET ITSELF IS LARGER THAN MANY BEDROOMS IN PINECREST!)… THERE IS A SPA FEEL TO THE MASTER BATH AND TO THE OUTDOOR POOL PATIO AREA.  AND THE ENTIRE HOME HAS A ZEN-LIKE PEACEFUL FEEL ABOUT IT …  THE AURA OF A FIVE STAR EUROPEAN BOUTIQUE HOTEL.

I WOULD BE PLEASED TO ARRANGE TO SHOW THIS  OR  OTHER HOMES TO YOU.  IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW,  ARE  LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL REAL ESTATE IN SOUTH FLORIDA, AND ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED REALTOR TO HELP YOU, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CALL ME ON MY CELLULAR ANYTIME AT 305-793-1365 OR SEND ME A MESSAGE HERE. 

KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON THE SOUTH FLORIDA REAL ESTATE MARKET … THANK YOU FOR READING  MiamiRealEstateCafe.com.   THE RESTIVO TEAM.

Situated in the tranquil, guard gated community of Kings Bay. The deep backyard features mature trees and a terracotta tiled porch. Residents can access the private marina thru Deering Bay with overnight dockage and boat ramp. There are no HOA fees except for a voluntary $50/year. Move in ready-just bring the boat!

Address is 14610 SW 66 Ave in Coral Gables

Open House from 3-5 pm

Contact Vicki or Alexandra for further questions or just stop by.

AFTER SUBMITTING COUNTLESS OFFERS  (ON REGULAR… AND SHORT SALE LISTINGS) ON BEHALF OF TWO VERY DETERMINED AND SPECIAL  BUYERS OF OURS,  I AM TELLING YOU,  IF YOU HAVE THE STOMACH FOR IT, YOUR PERSEVERANCE AND DILIGENCE  COULD PAY OFF  –  BIG.  DOES IT ALWAYS?   NO, OBVIOUSLY NOT.   I AM NOT IMPLYING THAT, BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.   BUT THIS STORY IS ONE FOR THE BOOKS! 

IF YOU’RE GOING TO GET YOUR FEATHERS RUFFLED BY THE ROLLER COASTER RIDE OF THE SHORT SALE PROCESS,  DON’T GET ON THE RIDE.    BUT… IF YOU HAVE  1) A KNOWLEDGEABLE REALTOR WHO WILL STAND BY YOU TILL THE BITTER END,  AND  2)  A REALLY  GOOD ATTORNEY REPRESENTING YOU… YOU MAY SNARE THE STEAL THAT SO MANY ARE HOPING FOR THIS MARKET.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CHEERFUL, UPBEAT,  UTTERLY DETERMINED, AND MARKET-SAVVY BUYERS … WHO JUST BOUGHT AN ACRE HOME IN PINECREST -  AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS  AND I MUST ADMIT,  LOTS OF UPS AND DOWNS AND A FAIR NUMBER OF QUIRKY QUESTION MARKS!

THE HOUSE OUR BUYERS WERE DETERMINED TO BUY, SOLD FOR HALF  OF THE ASKING PRICE.  THEY JUST CLOSED… AND  HAVE THE KEYS IN HAND.  THESE HOME-BUYERS PURCHASED A PINECREST ACRE HOME FOR HALF THE SHORT SALE LIST PRICE! THAT IS RATHER UNUSUAL  IN TODAY’S MIAMI REAL ESTATE MARKET IN WHICH PROPERTIES ARE SELLING WITHIN  3%  -  5% OF THE FINAL LIST PRICE.  

(THAT’S A GOOD REASON TO PRICE YOUR PROPERTY CORRECTLY, IF YOU’RE IN THE MARKET TO SELL.)  

TUCKED AWAY ON A PRIVATE STEET IN NORTH PINECREST,  THIS  5 BEDROOM 5 BATH CUSTOM HOME WITH A TENNIS COURT, CHICKEE HUT, POOL  … ON OVER AN ACRE OF LAND… WAS LISTED FOR $1,875,000 - AND SOLD FOR $950,000.  

MY PHONE HAS BEEN RINGING OFF THE HOOK, NOW THAT THE SALES PRICE IS PUBLIC INFORMATION IN THE MLS.   ($161.37  A SQUARE FOOT IN PINECREST) 

THE HOUSE  APPRAISED ABOVE THE CONTRACTED SALES PRICE, WHICH, AGAIN, IS  UNUSUAL … GIVEN THE CURRENT REAL ESTATE MARKET IN MIAMI, AND THE FACT THAT LENDERS AND APPRAISERS ARE CAUTIOUSLY WARY OF OVER-APPRAISING.  WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE APPRAISALS COMING IN “AT” OR “JUST BELOW”  CONTRACTED SALES PRICES.  APPRAISALS ABOVE THE CONTRACT PRICE  ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. AND THIS IS ONLY THE THIRD SALE THIS MONTH THAT I HAVE SEEN COME IN  “OVER”.

6915 SW 101 STREET IN PINECREST.   NATURAL LIGHT, STONEWORK,  FIREPLACE,  OFFICE, GYM, WET-BAR …. FRUIT TREES … SERENE SETTING … AND TRANQUILITY.

WE SUBMITTED AN OFFER ON THIS HOUSE ON BEHALF OF OUR BUYERS IN  JANUARY 2010. OUR OFFER WAS BASED ON RELEVANT RECENT SALES IN PINECREST, PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT, ALLOWANCES FOR REPAIRS , CONDITION, LOCATION, LAND … TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION OTHER CURRENTLY LISTED PROPERTIES COMPETING FOR BUYERS….  KNOWING THE MARKET INSIDE OUT.

THE SELLER’S LENDER COUNTERED IN MAY. WE NEGOTIATED … AND CLOSING WAS FINALLY SET FOR JULY.  WAITING  OVER 6 MONTHS TO CLOSE IS NOT FOR EVERYONE … AND I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES WITH A SHORT SALE THAT YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL AT ALL.  BUT IF YOU’RE WILLING TO HANG IN THERE, YOUR DILIGENCE AND PATIENCE COULD POSSIBLY PAY OFF.  

THIS PARTICULAR SHORT SALE WAS FRAUGHT WITH COUNTLESS HURDLES. 

JUST  BEFORE OUR “FIRST” EXPECTED CLOSING DATE ,  THE SELLER’S LENDER RECEIVED AN ODDLY ERRONIOUS NOTIFICATION THAT OUR BUYERS HAD OPTED OUT.  THE ENTIRE FILE  MYSTERIOUSLY VAPORIZED …. ALL RECORDS OF THE TRANSACTION FELL FROM THE BANK’S EQUATOR SYSTEM….  DISAPPEARED.   OUR OFFER HAD TO BE RESUBMITTED, A NEW APPRAISAL AND REVIEW ORDERED, MORE NEGOTIATIONS.   A POST OCCUPANCY WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION. THE SELLERS MOVED OUT TO COMPLY WITH THE CONTRACT TERMS… AND THE HOUSE SAT EMPTY.   THE SHORT SALE BANK ORDERED  ANOTHER APPRAISAL AND REVIEW.   BUYERS AND SELLERS (BOTH) HAD ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THEM.   THE TERMS OF THE SHORT SALE HAD BEEN FULLY NEGOTIATED.  OUT OF NOWHERE, WHEN THE FILE VAPORIZED JUST DAYS BEFORE THAT FIRST CLOSING DATE… WE DUG IN OUR HEALS AND STARTED THE PROCESS UP AGAIN.   STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN WITH SHORT SALES, AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY NO GUARANTEES.  IT TOOK ALMOST NINE MONTHS TO CLOSE THIS! 

TYPICALLY, SHORT SALES ARE SOMEWHAT OF A ROLLER COASTER RIDE, AND NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART… BUT THIS WAS ONE TO STRAP IN FOR.  THE FILE DISAPPEARED FROM THE BANK’S  EQUATOR SYSTEM.   EVERYTHING HAD TO BE RESUBMITTED, A NEW APPRAISAL ORDERED, ADDEMDUMS WRITTEN… A NEW NEGOTIATOR ASSIGNED, THE FILE REVIEWED… MORE TIME … CONCERNS… DELAYS… QUESTION MARKS.  

ALMOST NINE MONTHS INTO NEGOTIATIONS,  WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT WE HAD BANK APPROVAL  (THE SECOND APPROVAL … AND COULD SCHEDULE CLOSING!)   THE SELLER’S ATTORNEY WAS LEAVING  ON VACATION THAT AFTERNOON!  DESPITE  HURDLES AND HICCUPS, WE CLOSED… WITHIN HOURS.

WORTH IT?   YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELVES IF YOU HAVE THE STAMINA TO HOLD ON TIGHT … IF SO, YOU MIGHT JUST WIND UP WITH A  REAL PRIZE.  THESE BUYERS DID, AND THEY NOW OWN  WHAT IS CURRENTLY VIEWED AS  ”THE  DEAL IN PINECREST“…  IT WILL BE FOR SOME TIME…  WARMEST CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BUYERS!   WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE NOW… FINALLY!

IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, ARE LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL REAL ESTATE IN MIAMI, AND WANT A KNOWLEDGEABLE LOCAL REALTOR, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE  TO CONTACT ME ON MY CELLULAR AT 305-793-1365 OR DROP ME A NOTE HERE.  THE RESTIVO TEAM - EWM REALTORS INTERNATIONAL. WE WOULD LOVE TO ASSIST YOU.

Kids are easy targets for identity thieves. Until they are old enough to apply for credit, there is little reason to check  their credit reports.  Adam Levin, founder of  Identity Theft 911  (a provider of identity theft remediation services to businesses and consumers)  says kids are prime targets because their debts often go undetected for years. 400,000 children a year become victims of ID theft after criminals get their Social Security numbers through medical records, mail tampering, computer searches or a stolen wallet.

How Can You  Protect Your Child’s ID?

Guard their Social Security number. Don’t carry your child’s Social Security card in your wallet. Don’t give out the number by phone or email unless you trust the recipient.  
Be cautious about posting information about your child online.  If  it’s your child’s birthday, don’t post their age on Facebook or Twitter (Don’t post your own complete birth date on social networking sites either.) Talk to your children about protecting their own personal information online.
Be careful with the birth certificate. Sports teams often ask parents to present a birth certificate for proof of a child’s age. If the team needs your child’s birth certificate on file, make a copy of it (don’t give them an original), and retrieve it at the end of the season.
Check your child’s credit report. Through annualcreditreport.com you can get a free report from all  three credit bureaus – each year. If you enter your child’s information and no report comes back, that will confirm that no credit has been taken out in your child’s name.
Signs that your child’s ID has been stolen
– Your child receives unsolicited credit offers.
– Your child receives letters from debt collectors.
– The IRS send you a letter stating that the Social Security number listed for your child on your tax return (or the child’s) is a duplicate number.
– The bank tells you, when you go in for the first time to open an account for your child, that an account with your child’s Social Security number already has been opened.
– Your health insurer says it won’t cover a procedure for your child because it covered that procedure before (even though your child never had that procedure).

Reported by Cameron Huddleston -  Kiplinger.com  

What are you looking for?

Home Type: Single Family, Duplex, Apartment, Townhome, Condominium.

Interior Features: Air conditioning. Floors-carpet, tile, hardwood. Walk in closets, home theater, fireplace, extensive counter and cabinet space.

Lot Features: Large yard vs small yard. Fenced yeard. Garage, Carport, Patio or deck, Pool, Jacuzzi, extra parking.

Community Features: Schools-elementary, middle and high. Local parks. Recreation centers.

Once you’ve decided what features are important for your new home, then you should rank them in preferencial order based on Location, Price, Size, Amenities & Design, or anything else.

If you have your preferences in mind, we can save you the trouble of seeing houses that will not appeal to you. Now that you have your list (or even if you don’t have one and would like our help creating one), go ahead and contact the Restivo Team- we would love to help you find your new home!