Treasure Coast Real Estate Blog

Your local news and information source for homes and investment real estate along South Florida's Treasure Coast

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

House and Home: Beware the Home Office Remodel

Remodeling Without Return

Many home remodeling projects do wonders for the value of the home. Certain upgrades and renovations pay dividends when it comes time to sell, and you often can recoup the money you’ve invested in the upgrade.

There are exceptions, however. And one stands head and shoulders above the rest (or should I say below) when it comes to return on investment:

The home office.

Surprised? It may seem like a home office would be a boon for your home at sale time, especially considering the number of people who telecommute and work online. But the fact of the matter is, a home office seldom recoups more than 45% of the money invested in the remodel.

Why? A couple of main factors.

First, even people who work at home often don’t work at home. When was the last time you walked into a coffee shop and didn't see a laptop open? Many people still find space outside the home to work.

Second, a full-on home office renovation often takes up a bedroom which new owners might want to be able to convert back into a bedroom. If you’ve spent the time and money having built-in furniture added, media wiring, and other “office like” details installed, it represents a cost to restore or lost-usage for the new owners.

Of course, if you need a home office and want to have the home office of your dreams, it might be worth it to you to put the return on investment aside. But don’t undertake the project thinking it will pay off down the line.

Curious which home remodeling projects pay off at the sale? Let’s talk about what you’re considering!

This post has been authored by Eric Slifkin, REALTOR® and  Accredited Buyer’s Representative serving South Florida’s Treasure Coast. You can reach me at 888-288-1765, or visit my Web site. As your resource for information on new or resale homes throughout the Treasure Coast, please be sure to contact me about any home you may find on the Web, yard sign or ad and I will research the property, arrange showings and handle all the details.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Selling Your Home: Stage it to Sell

10 Steps to Selling Your Home Series


Selling a home in today’s complex real estate market can be stressful and difficult. However, choosing to work with experienced agents like The Treasure Coast Home Sales Team will ensure that things run as smoothly as possible.

Here is the third of our ten step overview of what the typical home selling process in Florida is like...

Step Three: Stage it to Sell


When you're ready to sell, staging puts your home's best foot forward.

1. Curb Appeal – Make a lasting first impression on buyers by mowing the lawn, power-washing the driveway and sidewalks, and keeping hedges trimmed.

2. Outdoor Social Areas – Adding comfortable seating and games to front porches or covered patios can highlight outdoor features of the home.

3. Storage Space – Buyers are attracted to homes with great storage space. Organize pantries, walk-in closets and utility rooms, and keep doors to these rooms ajar so that buyers know to look inside.

4. De-clutter and De-personalize –  While your home is decorated perfectly for you, buyers want to see themselves in the home and that's where staging comes in. This is why de-cluttering and
de-personalization become so important in the process. Take a look at what other sellers did to get ready for sale, and the results they experienced.

We can walk you through the benefits of staging and show you techniques that will attract the right buyer for your home. Call us today to discuss what staging strategies and resources we have available to increase the marketability of your home.

Please watch for our next informative post: MarketinYour Home or contact us now to schedule a time to discuss how we sell homes in greater Stuart, Florida.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Home Buyers Toolkit: How to “Read a Neighborhood”

Buying a Home in Stuart, Florida - Is the Neighborhood Improving?


Like most things in real estate, neighborhoods are constantly changing in value. In some cases they can improve rapidly and decline gradually, but more often than not they change slowly, over time.

Ideally, you want to buy property in neighborhoods as they’re appreciating. You certainly don’t want to pay top dollar in a neighborhood which is in decline. So how can you tell which direction things are heading?

Home values over time are one way to tell, but they tend to lag behind the trends. Values reflect what the current situation is… they don’t predict the future.

While you definitely want to observe a neighborhood first-hand at different times of day and night, here are some other indicators of neighborhood value trends:

Positive indicators:

- Homes are receiving multiple offers
- Schools are well-rated and in demand
- Young families and creative types are moving to the neighborhood
- Older couples choose to remain in the neighborhood as they age
- Commercial properties are quickly redeveloped and leased

Negative indicators:

- The number of homes converted into rentals has increased
- Homes remain on the market longer
- Companies are relocating away or shutting down offices
- Commercial spaces are vacant for long stretches

Sometimes you can spot the potential in a bad neighborhood, but it often means you have to put up with the bad neighborhood for a long time before reaping the rewards. It’s a good idea to evaluate neighborhoods with these indicators in mind. Neighborhoods you have traditionally regarded as “good” or “bad” may have (or be under) significant change.

I am more than happy to help you with neighborhood research! Talk to me today to begin your hunt!

This post has been authored by Eric Slifkin, REALTOR® and  Accredited Buyer’s Representative serving South Florida’s Treasure Coast. You can reach me at 888-288-1765, or visit my Web site. As your resource for information on new or resale homes throughout the Treasure Coast, please be sure to contact me about any home you may find on the Web, yard sign or ad and I will research the property, arrange showings and handle all the details.