Buyers | Tampa Bay Homes for Sale

4 Tips for Finding the Right Mortgage Lender

Especially when interest rates are low, you can go online and see dozens of ads for mortgages each day. If you're in the market for a home loan, it's tempting to click on the ad that shows the almost unbelievably lowest rate. Of course, that's what the lenders want you to do. They are using those low rates to generate leads for their loan business. But there's more to picking the right lender than simply clicking on the lowest rate you see on a screen. Not all lenders or loans are created … Continue reading...

4 Tips to Get More in a New Construction Home

Buying a newly constructed home often comes with a large price. After all, everything in the house is freshly installed and unused. Typically, the purchase price is predetermined, giving buyers little wiggle room to negotiate. Fortunately, buyers can use the following strategies to try and get more out of their purchase of a new construction home. 1. Remain Focused on Your Goal If you want to save as much money as possible and get as many extras as you can, it is important to remain focused. … Continue reading...

Pro’s & Con’s of Buying vs Renting

In past decades, the decision whether to buy or rent a home could move from buy to rent and back again based on interest rates and market factors mostly. However, over the long haul, the consensus was that it was usually better to buy than to rent. Renting was often considered as throwing money away, since there was no equity being built over time. In more recent times, there are other factors that have complicated the decision for many. Particularly for the Millennial generation and younger … Continue reading...

Renting vs. Buying: 3 Questions to Answer about Yourself

Various homeownership surveys show that about two-thirds of renters aspire to someday be homeowners. And the National Association of Realtors reports that about one-third of all homebuyers each year are first-time buyers. Depending on the market, renting vs. buying is often a financial decision, which makes the most sense for a household's budget. But even when one or the other is less expensive, at least on the surface, homeownership may not be for everyone. When it comes to renting vs. … Continue reading...

Is a Community with a Homeowners’ Association Right for You?

If you're interested in buying a home, you've probably thought about how many bedrooms you want, the general area in which you want to live, whether you want a large yard, and many other considerations. However, you may not have taken the time to consider whether you'd like to live in a community governed by a Homeowners' Association (HOA). These entities collect dues every month in exchange for enforcing the community's rules and maintaining common areas such as green space or swimming … Continue reading...

Buying Tip: Making sure the Neighborhood is right for you

When shopping for a home, particularly if you are buying your first, it is easy to get excited about features. It is important to like the home you are buying and for it to fit your lifestyle and needs, but back up a bit and look around it. Perhaps you had good help in locating the home, or maybe you found it online or went to an open house. You may have even done some research on the neighborhood or area of town. Considering the fact that you will probably own the home for at least five to … Continue reading...

Do Buyers Need a Home Warranty?

There are quite a few upfront costs associated with buying a home, including the down payment, closing costs, and moving expenses. Those are all expected. When moving into a home, the last thing homebuyers need is a large, unexpected expense on top of those. That's where a home warranty comes in. A home warranty offers limited-time protection against the failure of a home's systems - heating and cooling, electrical, plumbing, and sometimes appliances. It is different from homeowners' … Continue reading...

3 Things to Do Before Home Downsizing

There comes a point in many people's lives when they want or need a home that's smaller than their current one. Couples have children that grow up and move out. Retirees might want less space to clean or less yard to maintain. Some folks just get sick of stairs and crave a single-level home, and others just want to save money. Whatever the reason, downsizing has its appeal. And while it might sound as if it's a way of simplifying your life, moving into a smaller home can get a little … Continue reading...

Buying a Home with an HOA: 5 Things to Consider

A homeowners association, or HOA, is an organization that establishes and enforces guidelines in planned communities or condominiums. The HOA is usually responsible for the maintenance of common areas, some insurance coverage, and deed restrictions. Most buyers of homes or units within an HOA will automatically become members of the HOA, which means they will pay dues and be subject to the association's rules and regulations. Some homeowners association fees can be much higher than others, … Continue reading...

How to Downsize and Organize in 4 Easy Steps

People most often downsize to a different home simply because they don't need as much space as they currently occupy. It doesn't make sense to put up with all the tasks that come with owning a large home when you no longer need one. Downsizing to a smaller home, though, is likely to come with the need to do some streamlining. If you've lived in a larger house, you've probably accumulated a lot of "stuff." When downsizing, some organizing of that stuff is in order. Here's how to downsize … Continue reading...