Posts with tag 'Palm Coast'
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5
Should You Buy or Sell a Home Right Now, or Wait?
If you've been thinking about buying or selling a home lately, you may have found yourself asking the same question a lot of people are asking:
Should I do something now, or should I wait?
It's understandable.
Mortgage rates moved higher again recently. The average 30-year fixed mortgage was 7.28% as of October 1, according to Freddie Mac, compared with 7.03% the week before. Freddie Mac
Buyers are watching rates. Sellers are watching buyers. And everyone seems to be waiting for some kind of signal that tells them what happens next.
The problem is that real estate rarely gives us an "all clear."
What's happening here in Volusia County?
The local numbers are actually pretty i...
8
Thinking of Moving to Florida? Why We Chose Ormond Beach
We Knew We Wanted Florida. We Just Didn't Know Where.
When Mark and I decided we wanted to live near the beach in Florida, we didn't start out saying, "We're moving to Ormond Beach."
Actually, we weren't even sure which coast of Florida we wanted.
We had a pretty simple wish list.
We wanted to be close to the ocean. Ideally, we wanted to live within about a mile of the beach. And, like pretty much every buyer I've ever worked with, we had a budget.
So we did what I now help other people do.
We started exploring.
And what we discovered is something I tell buyers today: choosing where to live in Florida isn't just about finding a house you like.
It's about figuring out how you actually want to live.
First, We Looked at Florida's West Coast
We explored the west coast because the...
31
Should You Price Your Home High and Leave Room to Negotiate?
There's a question sellers have been asking Realtors forever:
"Why don't we price it a little high and leave ourselves room to negotiate?"
I understand the logic.
If you really want $500,000, why not list at $525,000? Then if the buyer negotiates, you have somewhere to go.
The problem is that buyers don't necessarily look at it that way.
They don't know that you're willing to take $500,000.
They only know that your house is listed for $525,000.
And before they ever negotiate with you, they have to decide your house is worth seeing.
Buyers are comparing you before they walk through the door
Years ago, buyers relied much more heavily on their Realtor to tell them what was available.
Today they can si...
17
What Happens After Your Offer Is Accepted? A Florida Realtor Explains
Getting an offer accepted on a house feels like a finish line. You've spent weeks or maybe months looking at homes. You've found the one you want. You've negotiated the price and terms, everyone has signed the contract, and finally you can relax.
Except you're not finished.
In many ways, this is when some of the most important work begins.
I've had buyers tell me after closing that they didn't realize how many things were happening behind the scenes between contract and closing. That's understandable. Most people don't buy and sell houses every day. Realtors do.
And while every transaction is different, there are several things that commonly happen after a Florida home goes under contract.
First, we start watching the calendar
Real estate contracts have deadlines:
- Inspection periods expire.
- Financing deadlines arrive.
- Deposits are due.
- Appraisals have to be completed.
- Associati...
11
Selling a Home in Today's Florida Market: Why Buyers Are Being Pickier
If you sold a house during the pandemic-era real estate market, you may remember what it was like.
A house would hit the market and sometimes have multiple offers within days. Buyers were making decisions quickly because they knew another buyer might be right behind them. In some cases, sellers could get away with things that would be much harder to get away with today.
That market is gone. But that does not mean homes aren't selling.
In fact, Florida single-family home sales in June 2026 were up 9.3% compared with June of last year, while condo and townhouse sales were up 14%. (www2.floridarealtors.org)
People are buying homes.
The difference is that today's buyer often has something buyers didn't have much of a few years ago: Choice.
And when buyers have choices, sellers have to compete for their attention.
Buyers don't have to overlook as much anymore
During the frenzy of a few years...
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