While most homeowners should make changes to their houses that suit their lifestyle rather than the eventual sale price of their home five, ten, or even twenty years down the road, there are a few things to keep in mind. After all, if you will someday be selling your Niceville house, you want to be sure you’re maximizing your profit.

• Repair all the little things – now. Most of the time, homeowners are willing to overlook the little idiosyncrasies like a broken step on the porch or chipping paint on the kitchen cabinets while they live in their house. These small repair needs are a bit like a knee that acts up in the rain or a car that always requires you to turn the key three times to the right before starting; they just become part of the everyday backdrop of your life. However, for someone buying a home in Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base or considering real estate in Destin, these things can become glaring problems. By fixing issues as they arise (rather than waiting until you’re ready to sell your FL home), you not only avoid making major repairs all at once, but you actually get to enjoy the repairs while you live there.
• Know your neighborhood. If you live in one of Niceville’s family-friendly neighborhoods, chances are things like well-maintained yards, large family rooms, and spacious kitchens will be worth more in the long run. If you live in a Eglin Airforce Base condo, you might find that built-in bookshelves and jacuzzi bathtubs are more appropriate. While you don’t have to tailor every change to your eventual sales audience, you can choose to make the types of changes that will translate into the highest returns.
• Don’t ignore the less visible changes. Almost all of the houses for sale in Niceville go through cosmetic changes before they hit the market. Fresh paint, new kitchen appliances, and good landscaping are fairly common. Less common are things like a new roof, updated plumbing, or even a newly-installed automatic sprinkler system. However, these things show up in a home inspection evaluation, and when you put your trust in a FL real estate agent like Sandy DiTirro, these types of changes will always get the focus and attention they deserve.

The most important thing you can do to your Niceville home is enjoy the time you’re going to spend there. However, by keeping its eventual sale at the back of your mind, you’ll be able to get the most out of your life – and your investment.
]]> http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/ways-to-increase-your-homes-value/feed/ 0 http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/ways-to-increase-your-homes-value/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NicevilleHomesForSale/~3/-emo8FE7QJM/ http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/guide-to-buying-a-fixer-upper-in-florida/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:19:27 +0000 Sandy DiTirro http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/?p=46 In the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida real estate market, buying a home with the intent to fix it up is one of the best investments you can make. There’s no better way to take control over your home ownership than to customize the design, floorplan, and landscaping of everything from a single story rancher to a charming Victorian – especially if you’re looking to use the current Florida real estate economic climate as a way to get the home of your dreams without breaking the bank.

However, as any responsible real estate agent will tell you, buying a fixer-upper can be a big challenge. Excessive or hidden damage in a home can be both dangerous and costly. Before you make the plunge, make sure you follow a few important fixer-upper guidelines.

1. Always get an inspection. Nothing will give you a better idea of what kind of repairs you’ll come across than a thorough home inspection from a trusted source. Don’t take on more damage than you, your contractor, and your budget can handle. 
2. Pay attention to the layout and structural foundation of the house. If you’ve always dreamed of a large kitchen, make sure your potential new home can be adapted in terms of wiring, plumbing, and layout. Sometimes, the skeletal structure of a house prevents certain types of cosmetic changes.
3. Location matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a single family house in Niceville or a condo in Eglin Airforce Base; a home’s value is only as high as the neighborhood in which it’s located. A rundown building in a nice neighborhood has the greatest potential to bring an enormous resale price.
4. Know the difference between “big fixes” and “small fixes.” Things like drywall, painting, floor refinishing, landscaping, and hardware are easy to do yourself. Things like plumbing, electrical work, windows, and roofs can be more expensive and difficult. Stick to changes you can make for certain based on your skill level and budget.

When buying a home in Niceville or looking at Eglin Airforce Base real estate options, a fixer-upper can be one of the best ways to get the home of your dreams for a low overall cost. Just make sure you enter into the transaction with your eyes open, with flexibility in mind, and with Sandy DiTirro at your side.

In real estate lingo, this is known as curb appeal.

Most potential homebuyers make a decision about a house within the first 30 seconds. For example, simply driving by a well-kept single family home for sale in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas is often enough to cause people to pull over and make an immediate call to their realtor. That’s because an inviting exterior promises an inviting interior.

To get the kind of curb appeal that really gets noticed, you have to be able to detach yourself from your home. You may have lived there for months or years, and have probably learned to overlook the overgrown shrubbery next to the sidewalk or the mailbox in need of repair. However, these are the first things potential homebuyers will see. You have to view your home as objectively as possible in order to begin making the necessary repairs to get noticed.

Look out for:

• Visible mold or mildew on the house, roof, or sidewalks
• Outdated exteriors
• Yard clutter
• Dirty gutters, siding, or windows
• Chipped paint
• How your home appears at dusk or even at night
• Overgrowth in the yard or on the sidewalks
• Dead plants or leaf piles
• Overly personalized doormats

Of course, if you’re really motivated to sell your home in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas, you may also want to consider upgrading your landscaping. Like staging your home or making repairs, restorative landscaping can give your house just enough polish to entice a higher level of buyers. In fact, in a recent study, it was determined that good landscaping can actually add 6 to 11 percent to your home’s sale price.

We all know that selling a home can be hard work. Increase your chances of success by making sure your potential buyers are impressed before they even get out of the car.

Within the first minute, people decide if they could live in your home. The problem is that there are so many homes on the market right now, that if yours doesn’t catch their eye immediately, then they have other choices. The struggling housing market is forcing people to take more drastic measures to sell their homes. Many homeowners say they need all the help they can get. With the market not being so good, there are ways you can make your house stand out. Staging your home is the way to make your house stand out in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas.

The idea of home staging is to highlight your home’s best attributes and positively affect potential buyers. Staging your home isn’t about your own tastes. It is about making the home appealing to the general population. Whether you go at it alone or use a stager, you need to have the attitude that your home is no longer your home.

Following are some tips to consider:

• Take down family pictures. Potential buyers need to picture themselves in your home, not you!
• Staging your rooms to show off their true potential. Clear out clutter or other personal items that will distract buyers.
• Painting the walls yourself is the cheapest upgrading option you have. This will really attract buyers. Try a neutral tone.

Staging your home is a great option to make your home stand out in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas. Let myself, Sandy DiTirro, your agent offer you advice about how to make your house more attractive to buyers.
]]> http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/staging-your-home/feed/ 0 http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/staging-your-home/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NicevilleHomesForSale/~3/5tjAlSqR81Y/ http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/what-buyers-look-for-or-look-out-for-when-purchasing-a-home/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2010 01:14:25 +0000 Sandy DiTirro http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/?p=41 What should buyers look for, or look out for when purchasing a home in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas? This article will help sellers look into some important aspects of selling their home and what potential buyers look out for as well.

The way you live in your house is not the way to sell your house. So, what makes a house a home for sale on the market, and one that soon has a “SOLD” sign out on the front lawn? And what aspects are important to look at because potential buyers will ask the question, “How much work are we going to need to do prior to moving in and beyond?” The appearance and cleanliness of the home are significant. Always have your home ready to be shown at a moment’s notice with me, your agent, Sandy DiTirro because this is what buyers are looking for. And a tip- burned out lights need to be replaced; classy lighting and upgraded fixtures can ameliorate the value of a home. Also, buyers said they would be willing to pay more for a home with a renovated kitchen.

Here are some things a buyer will look out for when dealing with the purchase of a home. The buyer will consider the following:

• Exactly what property is included in the sale? Lighting fixtures, drapes or blinds, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and dryers are often problem areas.
• Is the neighborhood quiet, friendly? Are the homes well kept?
• Are there any development plans that will affect the property?
• The inspection report – are there any substantial problems with the house?
• Real estate taxes – what are the current property taxes, and what impact will your purchase have on the taxes?

Another issue that raises concern regarding buyer appeal is that sellers often mistakenly think that viewing empty properties will give the buyers an accurate sense of the space available. On the contrary, it is more difficult to really judge the size of a room without furniture and other objects as reference points. An empty room even allows buyers to focus on negative details instead of getting a sense of the overall space and the flow of each room to the next. Buyers need to ask themselves the question, “Can I see myself in this home?” Therefore, staging really helps buyers envision themselves in the space.

The idea of “staging” a home to make it look alluring to buyers has become popular during the last decade, as manifested by the proliferation of numerous home staging companies offering advice about how to make the house more attractive to buyers. Check out next’s months article about “Staging a Home.”

When selling your home with myself, Sandy DiTirro, your agent keep in mind what buyers look for, or look out for before coming to look at your home in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas.
]]> http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/what-buyers-look-for-or-look-out-for-when-purchasing-a-home/feed/ 0 http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/what-buyers-look-for-or-look-out-for-when-purchasing-a-home/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NicevilleHomesForSale/~3/cIb7LfLQmlk/ http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/relocation-and-moving-tips-in-the-niceville-eglin-airforce-base-destin-florida-areas/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:44:50 +0000 Sandy DiTirro http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/relocation-and-moving-tips-in-the-niceville-eglin-airforce-base-destin-florida-areas/ Want the secret to an easy move? Whether you’re relocating just around the corner, renting a moving truck or are packing up the family for cross-country relocation, you’ll get the tips you need to survive. Here are some great moving tips to save you time and money.

The key is to stay organized, so check out moving checklists online to help you with your move to the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas. Make a list of questions to ask for either your local moving truck rental business or decide if you need to go with actually hiring a moving company.

Experts in the moving and storage industry say that, you should plan six to eight weeks in advance to book a reputable moving company. Finding that reputable company can be a challenge, however, and a little research should be done before you entrust all of your worldly possessions to professional care. Check out listings online of moving companies that allow you to compare movers and interview moving companies to find just the right one. On interstate moves, charges are based on the weight of the items to be moved, the distance to be moved, packing, and other services. Get two or three estimates well in advance of your move. Be sure to check with the Better Business Bureau about any moving company you are considering.

Renting a moving vehicle or a portable on demand moving crate can be your best and easiest option to make sure your stuff gets moved to the new place the way you want them to. If you choose to rent a moving vehicle, you can rent it the day of the move or the day before. If you really want a lot of time to make sure you can arrange your furniture and household goods in your moving vehicle, then you might consider an on demand storage unit. These units get delivered to your driveway and you have as long as you need to fill it up. Then, when it is full, you call the company and they will come and pick the container up and deliver it to storage or to your new home.

No matter which moving option you choose, you will make things a lot easier on yourself if you weed out all the “stuff” that you haven’t used in a long time and donate it or throw it out. Start packing the items you want to keep but don’t use everyday away well before the moving day. Think about this tip: get wardrobe boxes to pack clothes. By simply hanging clothes inside these boxes, you’ll save time both packing and unpacking.

Facing relocation can be scary. Let your Real Estate agent, Sandy DiTirro, ease the pain with packing tips, relocation advice and moving companies that specialize in relocation near and far.
]]> http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/relocation-and-moving-tips-in-the-niceville-eglin-airforce-base-destin-florida-areas/feed/ 0 http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/relocation-and-moving-tips-in-the-niceville-eglin-airforce-base-destin-florida-areas/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NicevilleHomesForSale/~3/bYINIP4Bg6E/ http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/unclutter-your-home-and-get-it-ready-to-sell/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:20:37 +0000 Sandy DiTirro http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/?p=38 It is very important to make a great first impression to the potential buyers of your home. Every seller wants their home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it’s not luck that makes that happen. It’s careful planning and knowing how to efficiently unclutter your home that will excite buyers. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an appealing and marketable home.

Get rid of those items that have been sitting around for years without being used or even handled. This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Buyers and real estate agents should see your house in its best condition from the very first day it’s on the market.

Here are a few approaches to take to unclutter your home and get it ready to sell. Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don’t want buyers scratching their heads and saying, “What is this room used for?”

Another way to unclutter your home and get it ready to sell is to make those minor repairs and best of all, make the house sparkle! Only do one room, or even one small area, at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Your best friend is the trash bag; when in doubt, throw it out. Many find it easier to use boxes to sort items, so you don’t have to find a home for everything as you unclutter. Most important, be quick and decisive when sorting. Tell yourself:
• If you don’t need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
• Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

If you are getting your house ready to sell in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas, then take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help point out areas where you can unclutter your home and let myself, Sandy DiTirro, your agent help you to get your house ready to sell.
]]> http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/unclutter-your-home-and-get-it-ready-to-sell/feed/ 0 http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/unclutter-your-home-and-get-it-ready-to-sell/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NicevilleHomesForSale/~3/zHesqQviHDM/ http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/new-year-brings-optimism-for-the-2010-real-estate-market/#comments Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:19:17 +0000 Sandy DiTirro http://www.nicevillehomesforsale.com/new-year-brings-optimism-for-the-2010-real-estate-market/ What better way to start the New Year, then to bring confidence to our 2010 Real Estate Market. Ringing in the New Year being hopeful and optimistic will allow us to decide what we can do to improve our way of thinking about what is currently going on in the market. The New Year begins with us having a positive outlook and is a promising time for those of us looking to buy a home in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas.

Here are a few reasons to make a real estate investment in 2010:

Lower Home Prices: Housing prices have fallen to more affordable levels, in some markets moving back to 2003 prices. Lower home prices expand the number of people able to afford to buy and own home, creating a greater demand in the 2010 Real Estate Market.

Historically low interest rates: 30 year fixed mortgage rates are nearing 5 percent and are expected to move to 4.5 percent or lower in the 2010 Real Estate Market. Compared to 6.25 percent rates seen earlier in 2008, a rate of 4.5 percent would mean a monthly savings of $218 on a $200,000 mortgage. Lower monthly costs will keep people in their homes, reduce the number of homes on the market and lead to a stabile housing market.

The New Year brings optimism for the 2010 Real Estate Market. It is already evident that the housing inventories and prices are beginning to stabilize. The combination of lower prices and historically low interest rates will lead to a very good housing recovery.

No one can predict a market bottom, however it appears the worst of the market turmoil is behind us. The drive to stabilize and improve the housing market should lead to an improved 2010 Real Estate Market.

Let us all take a good peek into our own personal outlook on the 2010 Real Estate Market. With the interest rates low and many homes available, there is no better time than the present especially if you are looking for a home in the Niceville, Eglin Airforce Base, Destin Florida areas.

But credit scores can get dinged after a home loan modification, making it more costly or tougher to get a loan or credit card.

Hundreds of thousands of homeowners find themselves in a financial squeeze, thanks to the recession and the meltdown in the housing market. Lenders have offered trial loan modifications to more than 700,000 eligible borrowers. As of late November, about 31,000 trial loans have been made permanent, which requires at least three on-time payments under the trial program and proof of income.

What these troubled homeowners don’t realize is that these attempts to avoid foreclosure may result in their credit scores taking a hit.

A potentially damaged credit score is one of those hidden costs of home loan modification – and it varies significantly depending on your lender, as well as when you received your loan modification, your credit history and how your loan was altered.

“They need to tell people up front that this could happen,” said James Sperr, 46, of Belleville, Mich.

Sperr and his wife, Carol, received a trial modification through Bank of America that cut their house payment, including taxes and insurance, to $957 a month from $1,140 a month.

But it came with a hit to the credit score.

“Our credit rating has gone from the 800s to 750,” Carol Sperr said.

“It’s punitive to a consumer who is already scared, frustrated, mad,” said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education for Credit.com.

The Sperrs said they had never been late or missed a mortgage payment, but their bank had reported them as being behind on payments.

Their credit score took a hit, falling from the 800s to 750.

“They tell us that once the paperwork ‘catches up’ and the new loan is finalized, they will correct the credit reporting agencies,” Carol Sperr said.

No one saw this coming.

“I didn’t find out about our credit until they did a check on this van we bought,” James Sperr said.

He said his wife was able to provide more documentation that their mortgage was in compliance so they did not have to pay a higher rate or get shut out of a loan.

Others aren’t so lucky.

Loan modifications remain a good thing, but they often come with that consequence.

Homeowners who face hardships but cannot traditionally refinance their mortgages can try to get a loan modification. A modification temporarily reduces the monthly payment, which can be helpful if someone’s dealing with a pay cut. Typically, the principal amount owed on the loan is not reduced or changed and the amount of debt owed is not forgiven.

The federal government has programs, and banks and credit unions have proprietary programs as well.

Yet many homeowners feel blindsided when they discover that their credit score has dropped by 50 to 100 points or even more after they entered a trial modification.

“What’s the point of the additional credit damage? What have they just accomplished by doing that to the borrower?” asked John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education for Credit.com.

Good question.

In the first few months after receiving a trial modification, Ulzheimer said, it is possible that the initial payments would show up as a “partial payment plan” on a credit report, which turns into a negative hit to a credit score. This can be a problem even for homeowners who never have missed a mortgage payment.

“It really depends on how the mortgage company decides to report this to a credit agency,” said Julie Bos, group manager and certified credit counselor for GreenPath Inc. in Grand Rapids, Mich.

A homeowner who is behind on payments will see credit score damage, and that won’t change from a modification.

“If you’re already delinquent, your credit is already impacted,” said John Snyder, manager of foreclosure programs for NeighborWorks America.

But consumers who are making their mortgage payments are getting modifications, too, perhaps because wages were cut or jobs were lost. They may be struggling to stay current, but their credit may not be bad when they start a modification.

At Bank of America, consumers who are current on mortgage payments could show up as being delinquent in the bank’s system after a trial modification period begins because they’re paying less than the actual mortgage payment during that trial period.

At the end of the trial period, the bank said it brings its system up to date when the loan is converted to a permanent modification.

Some might argue that it’s not a wise move to take on more debt, such as a car loan, if a person saw a cut in pay and needed a home loan modification. But many consumers often cannot control when their car breaks down.

On top of that, lenders benefit from home loan modifications because potential foreclosures can be avoided.

Unknowingly though, many consumers discover themselves boxed in later when they try to get approved for credit.

“They’re concerned about the damage to their credit. They’re not happy about it,” said Bos.

“If you go out and try to purchase a car in two months, you could be denied,” she said.

Or you might have to get a co-signer or put down a bigger downpayment or accept a higher interest rate to get a loan.

What’s stranger is that not all home loan modifications will hit consumers in the same way on their credit reports.

Consumers who modify their mortgages under federal programs, such as the Making Home Affordable and the Home Affordable Modification Program, now can do so without hurting their credit scores since those modifications are listed as a “loan modified under a federal plan” as of Nov. 1.

Here’s the sticking point: If you are able to modify your loan through an individual bank or credit union’s program and not a government plan, it’s likely your credit score will be hurt.

To complicate matters further, eventually a “loan modified under a federal plan” on your credit report could hurt your score, too.

Ulzheimer noted that the only reason the new reporting guidelines do not damage your credit scores is because FICO, the company that created the FICO credit score, hasn’t had a chance to study the long-term predictive value of loan modifications to credit risk.

Still, homeowners who are in trouble must realize that a foreclosure or a short sale would be listed as a charge-off or settlement on a credit report and last seven years, Ulzheimer said, while a modification would typically last a few years.

If you do receive a loan modification, ask questions and be more careful about how you handle your credit elsewhere to try to combat any potential damage.

Before making any moves, talk to a nonprofit housing counselor. See www.findaforeclosurecounselor.org.

How to keep up your credit score

These days, a good score is around 720 points or higher. Here are some tips to help you maintain or improve your credit score:

• Do not apply for several credit cards. Applying for a store credit card could cut 10 points off the credit score of some consumers with good credit.

• Pay all bills on time – utilities, mortgage, credit cards, etc. Lenders customarily don’t report you as late to the credit bureaus until you have missed the original due date by at least 30 days. Being a month late with all payments, for example, might lower a credit score by from 60 to 110 points.

• Missing a payment on one account that wasn’t already late could slice 40 to 75 points from some credit scores.

• Keep your credit card balances low on all cards, much lower than half of the available limit on your credit cards. Maxing out can cut credit scores by 45 to 100 points.

• Negotiating a debt settlement with creditors can lower some credit scores by 45 to 125 points. A short sale on a home would be reported as a debt settlement.

• A loan modification to get a lower mortgage payment and stay in your home could impact your credit score. In some cases, consumers could see credit scores drop by 100 to 150 points.

• Having your home foreclosed on could knock 45 to 100 points off your credit score, depending on where your score started.

• Filing for bankruptcy will hurt some credit scores by 195 to 255 points.

© 2010 Detroit Free Press, Susan Tompor. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune News Service.

Faux said her staff is accepting applications for homestead, portability, widow, widower, disability, veterans, senior, religious and charitable exemptions as well as applications for agricultural classification, also known as greenbelting.

Applicants filing for homestead exemption for the first time must apply in person and bring their recorded deed and proof of residency, which includes Florida driver license, Florida vehicle registration, Florida voter registration or resident alien card.

Persons filing for any exemption are required to present their Social Security cards.

A husband and wife must both have Florida driver licenses, if both drive.

Homestead exemptions are allowed on mobile homes if the landowner also is the owner of the mobile home. The mobile home registration must be provided at the time of filing.

A widow or widower must provide a copy of their late spouse’s death certificate.

Applicants for the disability exemption must provide a letter from a certified Florida physician verifying a total and permanent disability.

Veterans exemption applicants must provide documentation of percentage of service-connected disability from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.