When it comes to marketing properties for sale, video is the way to go! How do you let potential buyers feel that your particular property is their dream home? Over 90% of people who want to buy a house start their search online and today, it is a lot harder today to sell a house with only words and a few photo’s. Schedules are hectic and the market is HOT!!! How do you give Buyer’s the experience of walking in the house itself? If you want to stand out online, really get the attention of all those people searching online for their new home, nothing works better than showing them a high-quality, HD video or 3D Virtual tour. This works!

Did you know that 58% of buyers want and expect to see video of a house they’re looking at online? You will be amazed at the amout of interest a well-done video will bring to your property. 

97 degrees…insane humidity…sometimes Florida Summers can make going outside seem less than inviting, especially for the little ones! Imagine entertaining your family indoors with your favorite movies or shows in a home theater. With a little help, your theater setup might be a great spot to cool off during the dog days of Summer! Here are some must-haves for your home theater.

1. Video Projector 
Installing a quality video projector can ensure that you and your viewers enjoy the best picture possible. Pay attention to the projector’s throw distance, or the distance at which it should be placed away from your screen. Make sure to consider how far down you hang your projector and at what angle to tilt it. Most projectors have vertical lens shift, which allows you to adjust the projection regardless of how you mount your projector. For those that don’t, hang your projector with an extension pipe so that you can adjust the hanging distance to perfect the projected image.

2. Acoustics
Rectangular windowless rooms generally have better acoustics than square ones, but if you are not looking to remodel just for your home theater, standard dry wall paneling is usually adequate acoustic material for home theaters. Installing carpeting may also improve the acoustics of your in-home theater and add a level of comfort for viewers.

3. Theater Seating
Leather recliners with comfortable armrests are a staple of any home theater. Obviously, the amount of seating and height of a riser is reliant on the size of your space but viewers shouldn’t feel too cramped. Also, the distance you place them from your screen depends on the screen’s size. An easy way to determine seat distance is to take the horizontal length of your screen and multiply it by two to get the minimum distance. Multiply it by five to get the maximum distance. For example: A 70-inch screen would have a minimum distance of 140 inches, or a little more than 11 feet, and a maximum distance of 350 inches, or nearly 30 feet.

4. Surround Sound
The most common speaker system for home theaters is 5.1 surround sound. This six-speaker system is comprised of five full-range speakers and one low-range speaker known as the woofer. The ideal setup for 5.1 surround sound is three speakers and the woofer toward the front of the room, with the remaining two on either side of the back end of the room. Place each speaker at least 20 inches from the wall. If six speakers seem excessive, try a simple three speaker setup with a speaker in front of your screen and two others to the left and right.

5. Mini Fridge/Popcorn Popper
Keeping a small refrigerator in your home theater and stocking it with refreshments that are easily accessible will save endless trips to the kitchen. You may also want to add a popcorn popper or candy machine unit in the theater. There are some great looking vintage machines available. Just don’t eat too loudly during the movie!

With these home theater features, beating the heat just got a whole lot cooler!

Pizza, books, Saturday football games, an occasional trip downtown and most importantly, housing — all add a hefty expense on top of tuition. For parents, is the idea of purchasing a property for a college student a good investment strategy? It is an alternative to paying rent for four years but here are some things to consider before buying your college student an off-campus home.

Pros:

• Provides a stable living situation for your child and helps avoid rising rent prices/security deposits.

• Eliminates need to pay storage costs for furniture during summer breaks.

• Money that would typically go toward renting an apartment or dorm instead goes to an investment in homeownership.

• Offers possible tax benefits, appreciation in value, rental income, etc. Ask your Realtor about the area and demographics of the town in which you’re considering a purchase, as well as the current property values and typical rent prices.

• Income from roommates or tenants after graduation can meet or even exceed the home’s mortgage and related maintenance costs.

• The house can provide your student with increased responsibility and real-life experience. You can also help your student establish credit that will assist them after graduation.

Cons:

• Your child could decide to transfer to a different school or move back home. Make sure you have thought about what you would do if something like this happened.

• It’s not possible to control the local housing market or economy, so an increase in value can’t be guaranteed.

• Second-home loans usually require more money down and better credit scores. Lenders usually take an in-depth look to ensure that a second-home buyer is financially capable of paying two mortgages – they even have formulas for calculating shortages in expected rental income.

• Property tax rules and possible deductions for second homes are very complicated and vary widely, so it’s important to talk with a tax professional before buying a second home.

• You must be prepared for the typical “college renter”, i.e., the occasional party trashing, roommate damage, etc. College students don’t have the best reputation when it comes to taking care of rental properties. Make sure you are financially prepared to cover possible repairs.

   

Overall, buying a property for your kid to use while in college could have some real, financial benefits for you. It can even turn a profit for you long after your student graduates. Make sure you consult a Realtor about the areas that you are considering, they can help you avoid potential pitfalls.

Looking for the perfect Summer beach getaway? Here are 5 of the best destinations you may want to visit this year.

1. Key West:

Known as the Conch Republic, these warm beaches and eccentric residents make Key West an ideal beach destination at the bottom of the Keys. Take a stroll down Duval Street, watch the sunset at Mallory Square or tour Ernest Hemingway's old home. Smathers Beach is the number one destination for Key West beachgoers. It’s the perfect spot to soak up the sun and sip on a Margarita!

1. Sanibel Island:

Seashell lovers’ paradise! Beachcombers have made shell hunting Sanibel’s claim to fame. Located near Fort Myers, Sanibel is a quiet beach community that offers miles of pristine beaches, great restaurants, and the laid-back beach vibe that vacationers love!

1. Destin:

Destin is simply amazing! This Gulf Coast community boasts unique sands that not only stay cool in the summertime heat, but the sunlight's reflection gives these inviting waters an emerald tint. Originally established as a fishing town, this Florida Panhandle beach community offers some of the best snorkeling and deep-sea fishing charters on the Gulf!

1. Ft. Lauderdale Beach:

Need to just relax under some palm trees? Ft. Lauderdale Beaches offer stretches of amazing white sandy beaches on the Atlantic. Need a break from the heat? Stroll down N. Ft. Lauderdale Beach Blvd. for some great shopping, restaurants, or rollerblading.

1. Clearwater Beach:

Looking for an ideal spot to spend some days reconnecting with the family over the Summer? Clearwater Beach has mild waves, miles of sugar sand, and more activities than the kiddies could dream of!

These beaches are perfect for out-of-state visitors or local weekend staycationers. Did we miss your favorite beach? Tell us about some of your favorite Florida beach getaways!

Today, homeownership remains cheaper than renting with a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage in the 100 largest metro areas in the United States. Those are the results of the latest Rent vs Buy Report from Trulia.

The updated Orlando numbers show it is 12.8% cheaper to buy than rent in 2016-2107, the Tampa/St. Pete area is 12.4% cheaper to buy than rent and that number nationally is at 33.1%!

How will Interest Rates affect this trend:

• Interest rates have remained low and, even though home prices have appreciated around the country, they haven’t greatly outpaced rental appreciation. With rents & home values moving in tandem, shifts in the ‘rent vs. buy’ decision are largely driven by changes in mortgage interest rates.
• Nationally, interest rates would have to reach 9.1%, a 128% increase over today’s average of 4.0%, for renting to be cheaper than buying. Rates haven’t been that high since January of 1995, according to Freddie Mac.

What does this mean for you? Buying a home makes sense socially and financially. If you are one of the many renters out there who would like to evaluate your ability to buy this year, please contact Jay or Christina today. We can help you find your dream home!

Tech-savvy. Know what they want. Educated. These are some of the descriptions we hear about Millennials. One of the fastest growing groups of buyers within the real estate industry.

They may not be able to swipe right to get you into their first home…but according to Zillow, nine out of ten millennial home buyers use the internet to educate themselves about the home buying process and 60% read online reviews before choosing an agent.

Here are 5 tips how to buy a home in your twenties:

1. Understand Your Finances

When searching for a home loan, a lender will consider every part of your financial history. From your current salary, debt-to-income ratio, monthly bills, spending habits and account balances. You need to have a good grasp on how much money you’ve got coming in and going out each month and how much you’ll be able to devote to a monthly mortgage payment. That also includes insurance, HOA fees, property taxes and repairs/maintenance.

Happy Adulting!!

2. Consider Credit and Savings

Remember your first brush with credit? I remember being inundated with credit card offers on your first day of college classes or any day thereafter just walking past Reflecting Pond at UCF. In your twenties, you’ve likely established some type of credit – hopefully decent! Lenders will closely consider your credit score when it comes to mortgage approval and delve deeper into your savings. Typically, you’ll need to have money in-hand when buying a home, up-fronts to cover fees such as down payment and closing costs.

3. Getting Preapproved

Buying a home, especially your first home, is largely a financial process. Lenders will consider your bank statements, debt-to-income ratio, bills, salary, spending habits, credit and more. Just like every buyer is different, so is every lender. Some may be more lenient when it comes to credit history. Others, such as credit unions or banks that you’ve used for years, may offer lower rates than other lenders. The federal government also offers FHA and VA loan options that may be good for first-time buyers.

4. Be Ready to Commit Before You Decide

Buying a home may be the largest purchase you’ll make in your entire life. It can also mean you’re ready to get your hands dirty – both literally and figuratively! Replacing A/C filters, maintaining landscaping and even changing smoke alarm batteries falls in a homeowner’s hands. You must commit to those terms, or run the risk of landing in your Homeowner’s Association dog house!

5. Work with an Agent You Trust

This is one area where we would not advise following a Do-It-Yourself mentality. Your trusted real estate agent will help you consider your long-term goals for your new home. Their knowledge and market insight will help you search for homes, negotiate aggressive offers that can mean the difference in winning & losing a home and walk you through the entire offer to closing process.

If you’re a Millennial who’s decided that now is the right time for you to buy a home, let us help! Contact Team Weaver, we are happy to help you through the entire home-buying process today!

Buyer’s opinions of a homes’ value may be shaped before they even walk through the front door. Most buyers form an opinion whether they like a house or not simply by considering, curb appeal. The work you do to the kitchen or the fixtures in the bathroom may be great, but by that time it may be too late. To maximize your properties’ value, you need to focus on improving the curb appeal.

Here are 4 areas to focus on when improving your homes’ curb appeal:

Landscaping/Lawn

Your curb appeal should start with the condition of the grass, landscaping and any trees or bushes near the front of the property. If you have dying grass/shrubs near the front entrance of your home, this could threaten to set a negative tone for the rest of the property. Fresh mulch and updated shrubs are an easy fix that have a big return. If your grass is browning or there are dirt patches, you can either lay down some sod or start the seeding process months before your house is ready for market. Little things like cleaning leaves out of the gutters, pulling weeds or re-sodding dead patches may seem insignificant, but if a buyer feels like the house is a home before they walk in you are ahead of the game!

Exterior Lighting

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), exterior lighting is the most-wanted outdoor feature. Options include lighted walkways, pendant lights, and spotlights. Illuminating a well-manicured lawn with exterior lighting can help grab potential buyers' attention before they even set foot in the front door. An added benefit to exterior lighting is the safety feature, burgulars do not like to work in well it areas.

Driveway

One area that is often overlooked is the driveway. If there are cracks, weeds stains, improving the driveway can dramatically increase curb appeal. Paving over a stone or rock driveway, adding pavers or stamped concrete can dramatically improve your curb appeal. You never know which feature will attract or turn off a buyer, grass and weeds in a driveway is one of the things that is very unappealing and doesn’t take much time or money to fix. An even more cost-effective way to improve curb appeal is pressure washing your driveway and walkways.

Roof/Exterior

Finally, in addition to improving the landscape, you should also look at the physical condition of your property. If your roof is old and only has a few years left, you will get a good return on your money by replacing it and listing for a higher amount. Buyers do not want to come out of pocket after they get into a home, unless they are getting a great deal. If they know they will have to replace a roof in a few years, they will most likely submit a lower offer.

In addition to the roof, you must also look at the exterior of the property itself. Fresh new paint, siding, updated trim, or new shutters can all make a huge difference. Just like the driveway, you can start with a good pressure washing of the house and see what kind of impact it has before you look to paint or update siding. Just by changing the color of the shutters, adding a fresh coat of trim around the doors and windows can make your house look like new. The front door is one of the first things that anyone notices when they enter a house. If the door is old/faded and weathered, the rest of the house can suffer. A new matching front door can also have a big impact!

These are just a few things you can do to improve the curb appeal of your home. Some of these things may be costlier than you imagined, but they can have a huge impact on your sale price. Your Realtor will be a valuable resource when trying to figure out which items should be updated. They should give you an honest assessment of your homes’ curb appeal and a starting point for your work. Spending time and money on the interior is important, but don’t exclude the exterior. First impressions can mean everything!