Real Estate Information

How about new keys for the home?  Home buyers receive a set of keys to the home at closing, but who knows how many other people have a copy of those keys? Could be contractors, real estate agents, neighbors or a kid who found a set lying in the street. It's a good idea to obtain a new set of keys. Some first-time home buyers might prefer a new handle and lockset, especially if the existing hardware is outdated or worn.

Why not hire a locksmith to re-key all the doors for that first-time home buyer? A locksmith can key all the doors, including the garage, to use one key. Giving new keys is a thoughtful gift, and it promotes security.

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

Many states require the seller of a home to fill out a real estate disclosure statement when transferring the title. The disclosure is designed to reveal any material defects in the home to the new owner. When buying a home, take the time to read the fine print of the disclosure form.

Look for a section that asks the seller to indicate the material defects that exist in the home's major systems. Most forms will specify interior and exterior walls, ceilings, roof, insulation, windows, fences, driveway, sidewalks, floors, doors, foundation, and the electrical and plumbing systems. As the buyer you will want to know of defects in any of these areas.

Sellers are required to note the presence of environmental hazards or zoning violations. They must disclose if there are any encroachments or easements, or walls or fences shared with adjoining landowners. Room additions or repairs made without the necessary permits or not in compliance with building codes must be noted. Sellers must disclose citations or lawsuits against the property. If any such conditions appear on the disclosure form, consult with your real estate agent immediately regarding how to proceed with negotiation. 

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

Title insurance is like a life preserver on a boat. You will probably never need it, but if you do, you will be very glad that it is there! How does title insurance work, and how does it protect you in the home buying process?

A title search will be ordered before you buy a home, to make sure that the sellers legally own the property, and that no one else has a legal interest in the home. The title company will also check through the ownership records for any liens, easements or other encumbrances on the title. This search should turn up any transactions that may not appear on the public record, such as an unsound transfer that occurred many years ago. Title insurance protects you against future claims against your home.

Your real estate agent can give you more specific information about the cost of title insurance and the types of coverage available in your area.  Call us today for more information.  We are ready to help!

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

Here are some holiday decorating tips if your house is for sale:

• ​Remember how your agent badgered you to de-clutter your house before you listed? Don’t re-clutter it with lots of decorations.
   
• If you historically put up a huge tree, think about downsizing a bit. While a tree can add appeal to a room, it shouldn’t take up too much space and should be in an out-of-the-way corner.
   
• Remove a piece of furniture or two if you have to in order to compensate for the space the tree is occupying. Leave the buyer some ‘room’ to envision living in that space.
   
• If you like to display gifts under the tree, now is not a good time to do that. Tuck them away securely and enjoy them on your holiday.
   
• Keep outside lighting and any seasonal wreaths, sprays, bows, to a minimum remembering that the exterior can generate that cluttered…and unappealing … look as well. Maybe just use a front door wreath with a soft spotlight and some candles in the windows. Understated yet inviting.
   
• Invest in some flameless battery operated candles and place them strategically around the house to create a warm, cozy feeling. Maybe use in a festive centerpiece, fireplace mantle, or even in the bathroom. The ambient glow will convey a nice, homey appeal.
   
• If you have a fireplace, you might consider getting a fireplace candelabra and lighting that up with battery operated candles to show off the fireplace, set the stage and help the buyers imagine themselves using that room and fireplace.
   
• Be careful with using scents. Whether it’s potpourri or maybe lighting a scented bayberry candle to make the house smell good (to you but maybe not to someone else) before showings … just leave it for another time. 

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

The sense of smell is a powerful motivator. When prospective buyers walk into a house, they respond more positively if they smell freshly baking oatmeal cookies instead of the lingering odor of a household pet. 

As the homeowner, you may not notice odors that visitors are aware of as soon as they walk in the door. When your house is for sale, ask a friend or neighbor to give it a "sniff test". If there are offensive odors in your home, how do you get rid of them? 

There are a few simple solutions--giving the floors and walls a good scrubbing, using the old vanilla-on-the-light-bulb trick, plugging in an essential oil diffuser and throwing out the dog's special chair. You can temporarily declare your home a "no smoking" zone. You may need professional help for cleaning carpets and drapes or deodorizing walls and wood floors. Your real estate agent will be able to provide you with a list of cleaning services which can assist you in making your home smell clean and fresh.

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

Recent reforms in the disclosure laws and real estate practices around the country have resulted in new options for buyers and sellers. Real estate agents can take different roles with buyers and sellers.

A seller's agent works with loyalty and fidelity as the seller's advocate and negotiator, and is obligated to disclose to potential buyers all adverse material facts that are known about the property.

A buyer's agent works exclusively to negotiate the lowest purchase price and best terms for the buyer. This agent serves the buyer with undivided loyalty, confidentiality, and full disclosure. The agent would know the highest price that the buyer would be willing to offer for a home, but could not disclose that information to the seller.

A dual agent can work for both the buyer and the seller by written, informed consent of both parties and has fiduciary obligations to both. The agent can only disclose to one party what the other party allows to be revealed.

A transaction broker assists the buyer or seller or both throughout a real estate transaction without being an agent or advocate for any of the parties.

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

When you make an offer on a house, it is accompanied by an earnest money check. Earnest money is intended to demonstrate that you are "in earnest" about purchasing the property. The earnest money check is made out to the listing company. What happens to this check?

The party holding the check acts as an escrow agent until you go into closing. At that time you will receive credit for the amount of your check against the down payment and closing costs. Real estate brokers are required by law to keep escrow funds in a special account. These funds cannot be used to pay any other expenses associated with the sale. If you don't complete the transaction, the purchase contract determines the disposition of your earnest money funds. Be sure to review this part of your contract with the real estate agent.

If you are in default on your agreement, the funds may go to the sellers, so be sure that you understand the deadlines in order to avoid breach of contract and forfeiture of your deposit. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your real estate agent for advice.

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

When you make an offer on a house, your biggest decision is how much to offer. Although you don't want to pay more than you have to, it is sometimes hard to predict how much is "enough" for the seller.

Some sellers price their homes at their bottom line and may be unwilling to negotiate, unless the house has been on the market for a long time. Others build in a little room for negotiation. Some sellers are more motivated than others to get their homes sold. Whatever your situation, it is hard to know what sellers will do until they are presented with an offer. 

If your offer is very low, your finances might look shaky, and asking the sellers to pick up closing costs might just result in a refusal of your offer. If your original proposal is unacceptable, the seller will usually make a counter offer. While sellers like to get their asking prices, good listing agents prepare them for the possibility of receiving offers that involve some compromises.

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

​Information provided by Bank of America | December 1, 2011

Bank of America is making a process change that will reduce cycle time and improve customer service for many short sales that are submitted with an offer.

The change goes into effect Dec. 1, 2011, and impacts all short sales submitted with an offer in which the homeowner is eligible for the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative (HAFA) program.

When a short sale is submitted with an offer and the homeowner is HAFA eligible, we will no longer halt work on the file while waiting to contact the homeowner. HAFA eligible homeowners are no longer required to call our Short Sale Customer Care to indicate whether they will participate in the program.

Instead, real estate agents can indicate a homeowner's HAFA interest by submitting the necessary documents to Equator within 14 days. During that 14-day window, the short sale will continue moving forward. By the end of the 14 days, if we have not received the requested HAFA documents, we will continue to process the file as a traditional short sale.

This change is being made because we are transitioning the processing of all HAFA short sales with an offer from our outsourced vendor partners to Bank of America associates. A Bank of America specialist will be able to seamlessly transition a file from our traditional process to the HAFA process, thus improving customer service and the agent experience. Our outsourced vendor partners will, however, continue to process all short sales submitted without an offer.

Action required:

·         Short sales initiated on Equator.com that receive a HAFA eligibility message no longer require homeowners to call Customer Care to confirm their interest.
·         If homeowners wish to participate in HAFA, agents must submit the requested documents within 14 days.  (Note: the 14-day period begins the day the HAFA solicitation letter is mailed to the homeowner. Agents can obtain the date of the letter from homeowner.)
·         If you are unclear about which documents to submit, contact your short sale specialist via Equator messaging.

Additional Recommendations:

·         Help your homeowners understand the benefits a HAFA short sale, including the relocation incentive at closing. Review the agent HAFA education guide to learn more.
·         Provide the Bank of America HAFA Eligibility FAQ to interested homeowners.
·         Direct homeowners to contact Customer Care at 1.866.880.1232 if they have questions.

Visit the Agent Resource Center at bankofamerica.com/realestateagent for educational guides, news and resources to help agents complete a short sale at Bank of America.

*NOTE:  For specific information about short sales, etc... CLICK HERE

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449

Mature trees add "curb appeal" to a property and can make a home more energy efficient. Planted at the edges of a building, a tree's broad canopy of leaves softens the hard lines of architecture and offers shade. Trees absorb light reflected from the roof and decrease the air temperature surrounding your home through evaporation of moisture.

The positioning of trees and shrubs around your home has a significant effect on how much you'll be paying to heat and cool your house each month. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, even one strategically placed tree can reduce your heating and cooling bill up to 25 percent. In general, deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides of the house keep the home cool during the summer and allow low-angle sun into the home during the winter. If you live on a windy hill or coastal bluff, planting evergreen trees or shrubs on the north and west sides of your structure will help protect your home from winter gusts and storms.

Consult your landscape designer for advice about your particular property.

RE/MAX America’s Top Realty
2777 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Cell: (850) 572-2615 | Office: (850) 934-4449