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Museum Park

Finding Real Estate Comps

11-26-08
Museum Park

With the amount of Miami Beach real estate available for sale these days, a realtor has his or her work cut out for them in terms of finding the best deals for Miami Beach real estate and how much similar properties have sold for in the neighboring area, often referred to as comparable sales. Comparable sales are also called comps and there are several methods of finding comps to be used for gauging the property value of Miami Beach real estate.

Do some self research. Numerous public records and easily accessible resources like court records and newspaper listings facilitate finding Miami Beach real estate comps. Not all states have sales information within their newspaper listings or sales disclosure via the courts but for those that do, it’s a great start. Probably the best self research for finding Miami Beach real estate is to focus on getting to know a specific neighborhood and fine tuning your Miami Beach real estate knowledge of property values and sales figures.

Search the internet. If you’d rather not do the legwork of self research, there is a wealth of websites focusing on Miami Beach real estate which often contains scores of sales data. Always make sure that the websites you do visit have the latest Miami Beach real estate information that reflect the most recent real estate market trends as many of them have very outdated information.

Subscribe to service companies. This approach is similar to using the internet for searching through Miami Beach real estate comps since service companies often offer very comparable information as these websites. Service companies do differ in that they can offer this Miami Beach real estate comp information via other mediums as opposed to simply being online.

Search the MLS. If you’re looking for the price of a unit sold in the Ten Museum Park condo or just want general Miami Beach real estate information, the MLS is your best friend since it includes hundreds of listings. If you’re a realtor focusing on Miami Beach real estate, you likely already have access to this information.

Saving up for a Condo

11-05-08
Museum Park

First-time home buyer’s perusing through prices may find price tags in the 300 thousands. These daunting numbers would deter even the most deep pocketed investors, but luckily buyers don’t have to have all the money upfront. And while it’s not recommended, buyers can easily find lenders interested in loaning up to 95% of the condo’s value. So while it seems almost impossible to own Miami Beach real estate, it’s actually much easier than buyers suspect. Like any savings plan, a potential buyer needs to make short term and long term goals to ensure the success of their investment. Here are some tips on how to have a successful real estate investment.

The ideal goal for a potential condo owner is to save up enough money to put a twenty-percent down payment on the estimated cost of a condo. If a buyer has this capital, it will allow them to get a quality mortgage with low interest rates and put them on the path to condo ownership sooner than later. The more money saved up the better for condo owners. Extra money can be used to pay off the mortgage quicker and allow the Ten Museum Park condo owner to invest in more real estate, the stock market. or in a high yield savings account.

The most important thing to consider when taking on a mortgage is your financial capabilities. Find a mortgage payment that fits your salary, lifestyle, future goals and savings plan. Having a mortgage payment that is relatively low compared to a buyer’s monthly earnings can give buyers a sense of security for the inevitable tough times. If a buyer is paying loans other than on their mortgage, like student loans or credit card bills, they need to incorporate that into their monthly expenses when considering a loan.

Home Inspection Mythology

10-02-08
Museum Park

Buying a home is a tricky process. Whether you're buying Miami Beach real estate or a new condo in Ten Museum Park in downtown Miami, there's a long list of tasks that need to be performed to ensure your purchase is safe and final. A good real estate professional can tell you all these things, but it's also important to be informed of all information and know how to filter out the misinformation. Here are some myths about home inspections that can save you time and money on your home purchase.

Inspection reports serve as a catalog of repairs a seller must fix.

This isn't necessarily true. Any significant outstanding repairs can be subtracted from the final price of the home in negotiations. Unless the homeowner is contractually-bound, they aren't required to fix repairs mentioned on the inspection. Be sure to make it clear to the seller which repairs you want fixed before you make any property purchasing decisions. Outstanding repairs can lead to thousands of dollars you weren't expecting to pay.

A buyer doesn't need to be present at the home inspection.

It's true you don't need to be there for the home inspection, but you probably want to be there. It's important to learn how to operate the systems of the house like electric, gas, and hurricane proofing if you're looking to buy Miami Beach real estate. Being present at the inspection also gives you a chance to ask the seller questions about the home, while the inspector is there to offer their own expertise.

Newly built homes don't need inspections.

This is a very popular idea that is absolutely not true. All homes new or old need inspections. Just because a home was newly built doesn't mean it was built correctly. Home building is not an exact science and mistakes can be made by contractors, electricians and plumbers.

Does Luxury Have a Price Tag?

09-05-08
Museum Park

If there's one term in real estate that can spark colorful debate, it's "luxury". Is it the price of a condo? Or is it all the extra bells and whistles that come inside or simply the fact that it looks nice to the naked eye? The term instantly conjures distinct meanings for everyone but one thing's for sure: the subjectivity of the "luxury condo" concept unveils opportunities for the savvy buyer to acquire luxury property at minimal expense.

In most cases, if a property costs a minimum of a million dollars then it's automatically deemed a luxury property. Ask the average homebuyer or impartial realtor if they believe this sentiment to be true and it's likely they'll tell you that luxury encompasses much, much more than just a seven figure price tag.

A million dollar or more property gives you boastful credibility and yes, the fact that you've just invested in a four bedroom four bathroom property in a "luxurious" neighborhood does perhaps grant you some sort of exclusivity but it really only scratches the surface of how flexible and multifaceted the term luxury is.

Luxury could also be the immediate area where you live. For example, Ten Museum Park in the "luxurious" areas of Downtown Miami. The condos themselves ooze extravagance but perhaps what makes them truly luxurious is the serenity and sense of security that only a waterfront gated community offers. Aesthetic and ambiance play crucial roles in making a high-priced luxury listing seem like a plush sanctuary.

Although ambiance and aesthetic are important, one could also argue that ultimately, luxury is being able to say you own a cozy home situated in a safe neighborhood with the best friends, family and neighbors. Considering how important condos are in the roles they play in our everyday lives, luxury should or could be defined not just on a condo's numeric value,