Upgraded, New and Other Ambiguous Real Estate Terms....

One of the most common words I see in real estate narratives is "upgraded."  And its definition varies greatly from seller to seller.

In some cases I have seen it used instead of the word updated.  (And updated very often could have been ten years ago!)

In some cases it is used to indicate a product that is a level above the standard.   This seems pretty common with many of the builder add on incentives I have seen in the Viera, Florida area.

As a buyer you need to see it to determine the value of an upgrade.   In the case of a builder it could be reflected  as "$10,000 in upgrades" with  "retail" prices quoted.

Another over used word is "new."   New implies what?  Recent comes to my mind.

Sometimes new really should be "newer" as within the past year or two....not decade.

When it comes to shopping for a home buyers should pay less attention to the words used and rely on their eyes as well as the eyes of their home inspector. 

So where do you start when you are ready to buy a home in Brevard County, Florida?  Right here.

Home Seller Tips: When it is time to sell, become "no one."

As I entered a home for sale yesterday and noticed the multicolored walls I thought to myself...Wow, so colorful!

Personalizing is part of living!

Your surroundings and possessions represent who you are as a person.

This includes your clothes, transportation and your home.

Still when the time comes to sell become "no one."

Lose your identity.

What should a seller do to prepare a home for selling?   There are lots of components to preparation but one of the most critical involves presentation including neutral colors and removing clutter.

That highly personalized paint is best if covered with something in a neutral, light hue.  All those degrees on the wall, the pictures everywhere, the items on display should be minimized.  You are selling your home not you.   Show your home, not your everything!

Become "no one" while selling...it is only temporary!

Ready to sell your Viera, Florida home?  Call me if I can help in any way!

Relocation Help: When should you place your Viera, Florida home on the market?

Image courtesy of cooldesign at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A job relocation can be as easy as packing the car and leaving or the complete opposite.   In the latter case there are lots of things to get done.

So what do you do first?  The old standby response here...It depends.

• on whether the family is moving together.  
• on whether there is a house to sell.  
• on whether one must sell the current home to purchase a new home at the new location.
• on whether you will be holding onto your home as a rental property in anticipation of a return to the area.
• on whether you are upside down and a short sale could be a consideration.

Based on all the considerations above the time frame may be very short or six months or longer!

Assuming you are going to sell your Viera, Florida home, when do you start the process?

The first question to ask is "How long does it take to sell a home in today's Brevard County, Florida real estate market?"  

Over the past month or two the average days on the market for central Brevard County areas including Viera, Suntree and Rockledge has been about 90 days.

The days on the market is the number of days from listing to contract.

Depending on the circumstances of the sale the time to close once the contract has been signed by all parties can vary greatly.  It could be

• a couple of weeks or less for a cash sale; 
• a month to six weeks for financing; 
• or another six months for a short sale.

So when should you place your home on the market?  Another ambiguous response...It is hard to say. 

I recommend contacting a local knowledgeable real estate agent as soon as you know a move is in the future.  It is much better to start early than wait until the last minute.

If a move is in your future, call me at 321-693-3850 and lets talk about timing.  If it is a potential short sale it is critical to start early!

Summer Lakes in Viera, Florida - Executive Homes for Sale in Viera

Summer Lakes in Viera (Rockledge, Florida zip code 32955) is an exclusive gated community featuring executive homes (3,000- 8,000 sq.ft. under air) with tremendous appeal to the most discriminating executive buyer.  These homes all the amenities one would expect in a custom built feature rich dwelling from the tile roof to the front door to the pool deck and summer kitchen!  

There was a time when most of the homes for sale in Summer Lakes in Viera, Florida were "distressed sales." 

It looks like Summer Lakes in Viera has survived the downturn.  All four of the current active homes for sale in Summer Lakes are standard sales.

These homes for sale in Summer Lakes are priced from $899,900 to $1,290,000 (all but one are above a million dollars).

Of the seven sales in 2013 (as reported in the Brevard MLS system) three were distressed sales and four were standard fair market sales.

Homes selling in Summer Lakes during the past six months included:

• 4440 Chiming Lane - a 4,013 sq ft (foreclosure) four bedroom four bath three car garage pool home sold for $700,000 in June 2013.
• 4410 Chiming Lane - a 5,339 sq ft (standard sale) four bedroom five bath four car garage plus pool  home sold for $1,205,000 in August 2013.
• 3143 Bellwind Circle - a 5,067 sq ft (standard sale) four bedroom five bath three car garage pool home sold for $1,165,000 in April 2013.
• 3203 Bellwind Circle - A foreclosure with four bedrooms four and a half baths with three car garage pool home sold for $870,000 in September 2013.

For information on executive homes for sale in Viera, Florida, including Summer Lakes and Wyndham at Duran, call me at 321-693-3850 or send me an email.