Liz Caldwell

The largest market of investors in real estate is first time homebuyers. It's important to focus on their characteristics and buying trends in order to sell property in the currently tumultuous market conditions. Research shows that although the square footage of desired homes has been rising for the past thirty years, first time homebuyers seem to be favoring smaller property. This trend makes sense as current consumers across the spectrum of business markets desire more affordable products in the currently turbulent economic climate.

Being able to label a property smaller or larger is relative to the location itself. A 2,000 square-foot home in a suburban area may seem smaller whereas that same property in an urban area could be considered larger. For instance if a buyer is interested in South Florida luxury real estate, a 2,000 square-foot Fort Lauderdale property might be considered a medium-sized property whereas it would be considered on the smaller size for Weston real estate.

It's important to also note that the surveys that followed this smaller home buying trend also found that buyers aren't dropping their standards with their square-footage. First time homebuyers still want to live in luxury and comfort in their comfortable albeit quaint living quarters. So if a seller is interested in appealing to smaller home seekers they need to make sure that the home itself has stylish fixtures and every possible design to ensure comfortable convenient living.

The areas sellers need to focus on sprucing up are the kitchen, dining and master bedroom. Small home sellers are competing with spacious, but pricey homes. They can beat out their competition with smart design techniques like combining the kitchen and dining area or renovating the master bedroom to make more spacious closet and bathroom areas. It also helps to have fine looking fixtures like granite countertops and elegant cabinetry.

When buying Fort Lauderdale real estate, the initial home search, mortgage pre-approval and price negotiation are only parts of the whole buying real estate equation. It’s equally as important that buyers take into account the amount of money that will be coming out of their pocket after they move in.

South Florida luxury real estate has largely transitioned towards eco-friendly homes designed to protect Mother Nature and keep expenses low but in some cases a new single family home or condo surrounded by nature with a wonderful design can be a major energy hog that will cost thousands of additional dollars to live in. Here are some tips to look for if you’re browsing through Weston real estate for an energy efficient home in Broward.

Ensure proper insulation. Generally speaking, the more insulation there is the less chances of a home absorbing too much heat. Home inspectors can check the insulation rating of a Fort Lauderdale home for you to make sure your air conditioning isn’t working overtime to keep the interior nice and cool.

Look for a new A/C. Speaking of air conditioning, older units do not work anywhere near as efficiently as newer models which not only do a better job of cooling, but also use a fraction of the energy and electricity necessary to power them. Every unit has what’s called a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) and the higher the number, the more efficient the unit is.

Take color choices into account. South Florida is renowned for its sunny weather which can sometimes become quite steamy. A paintjob using black colors or a roof designed in black will only make the home feel hotter which will force the air conditioning to also work twice as hard. Strongly consider using lighter colors that are designed to reflect sunlight as opposed to attracting them.

Check out the windows. Single pane aluminum windows are a thing of the past and are no longer used to build new homes since they’re much less energy efficient than double and triple paned vinyl windows which do a dramatically better job of keeping heat out. Either keep an eye out or ask a home inspector to check for these older windows before moving in.