Real Estate Blog - Marco Island

What To Do on Marco Island

Marco Island is 100 miles of palm tree-lined islands and picturesque turquoise bays. Marco Island is an oasis located at the southern tip of Southwest Florida. Known as Ten Thousand Islands and located 15 miles south of Naples, the area features miles and miles of white sand beaches and the Gulf of Mexico on one side, as well as pristine mangrove estuaries and access points to Everglades National Park on the other.

The natural environment in and around Marco Island provides the perfect backdrop for both relaxing and adventurous activities. And if you like to spend time on the water, then you’ll love opportunities for fishing, boating, dolphin watching, kayaking, canoeing, shelling and more.

The sandbars surrounding Marco Island and beyond are famous…

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What You Need to Know About Selling Your Home Yourself

Can you do it? Sure! Should you? Well…. That’s always up for debate. Of course, as a real estate agent, you’ll think I’m going to say ‘no’ but there are more reasons than my paycheck for which I’m suggesting.

Here’s what you need to know about selling a house yourself.

Legal Issues

You need to know some legal issues. Selling a house is a big purchase and sale and if you are not fully aware of all the details that go into a transaction you may find yourself in a world of hurt. It’s not as simple as selling a car. You can’t simply hand over the keys and deed and get a wad of cash in exchange. Most buyers will have to finance and you’ll need to have that approved ahead of time. You don’t want to be sitting at the closing table only to discover the…

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Will My Homeowner's Insurance Cover Me After a Hurricane?

Hurricanes are a reality in Southern Florida and you probably want to make sure that your homeowners or renter insurance will hold up during this kind of a disaster. Here's some information about homeowners insurance and hurricane damage.

It often depends on the type of disaster you have. Most damages from many calamities are covered by a standard policy but some are not and so it's important to know what your policy covers. Plus, it might cover some of the damage but not the full extent and many homeowners and renters don't have adequate protection to cover all their losses. In addition, new tax reform laws could mean that uninsured losses can only be deducted in specific cases.

Homeowners insurance, condo, and renters insurance will cover…

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Sanding and Refinishing Wood Floors

A beautifully smooth and shiny wood floor is one of life’s little delights and if you haven’t been able to experience that joy with your wood floor lately due to scratches, dents and stains, take heart. With some sanding and refinishing, you can stop cringing each time you walk through your home and be happy to have visitors see your floor instead of hiding it with rugs.

Wood floors that are able to be sanded and refinished include hardwood (solid planks of wood such as oak, maple, walnut, beech and cherry), engineered wood (plywood core planks with a thin layer of hardwood on top), floor boards (soft wood like pine) and patterned wood (like herringbone parquet and finger block mosaic). The methods used to refinish the floor depends on the direction of…

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Are Investment Properties on Marco Island Worth it?

Investment Properties

Are investment properties worth it?

There’s a big difference between owning your own home to live in and owning an investment property. An investment property is a real estate asset you use only for investment purposes. You must occupy a property for at least 14 days or 10% of all the days the property is rented to call it a residence. If you occupy it less, you’ll need to claim it as an investment property on your tax returns, according to the IRS.

An investment property is also not a fix and flip, which is when you buy a property, renovate it, and hope to sell it for a premium. These projects can be profitable. You hold them for a shorter time than you would an investment property. An investment property is held with the…

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When Can A Seller Back Out Of A Contract?

Can a home seller back out of a contract to sell their property? The short answer is yes – under certain circumstances. In fact, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to get cold feet and want out of a real estate contract.

However, the choice to back out of a purchase agreement may come with added expense and potential legal consequences. Sellers who want out of an existing real estate contract are advised to do their homework up-front and recognize that time is of the essence if they wish to save on steep legal fees.

For example, some property owners may wish to backtrack for sentimental reasons. Others may sign a real estate contract only to determine in short order that deal terms and deadlines don’t seem as attractive as they’d initially thought…

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Getting Offers on Your Home When It's Not Listed

If you are a lucky person that owns a home in a very desirable area it is a great feeling. You made a wise investment in the purchase of your home and should you decide to sell someday all signs point to a very profitable home sale.

Right now, homeowners in the most desirable neighborhoods across the country have not found it uncommon to receive communication from interested buyers even when their home is not for sale while inventory remains very low.

Some homeowners have reported receiving offers to purchase their home in the form of receiving a postcard in their mailbox, a flyer slipped underneath their front door, or even a phone call. These people are hoping to catch a homeowner living in their dream neighborhood before they actually list their…

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5 Things Luxury Buyers are Looking for in Vacation Homes

The ideal vacation can look different to every person. When it comes to vacation homes today’s high-end real estate buyers are elevating their expectations of what they expect a holiday property to look like and provide.

There are five items that luxury buyers are looking for when they shop for their next vacation home

Tranquil outdoor spaces where they can detox from digital items

Most Americans across the country lead very busy lives and this is certainly true of luxury homebuyers. An ideal and perfect vacation is often one where someone can turn off their phone and other devices and enjoy their outdoor surroundings in peace.

Locations that have amazing outdoor spaces that are luxurious, lush, and private are at the top of many luxury…

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10 New Housing Records Set in 2021

Over the past year, the real estate market saw several housing records hit a new level. Many of these are attributed to the strange and unexpected changes that were driven by the pandemic and how it had an impact on several areas of the economy and daily life.

Here are 10 of the housing records that hit a new number in 2021 according to research conducted by Redfin.

The average home sold for almost $400,000

The national median home sale price had an all-time high. The number as of June 2021 was an astounding $386,000 which is an increase of 24.4% from the previous year. And those numbers are not currently the all-time high. 2021 hit another record towards the end of the year due to double digit percentage increases.

Home supply drops to…

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How Much Does it Cost to Move?

As you consider a move, you may be asking yourself how much moving costs. According to one estimate, costs tend to range from $1,500 to $15,000.

It's wise to plan ahead for the costs associated with a move, so the price tag doesn't surprise you during an already hectic time.

Here are some factors to consider as you figure out how much to plan on spending.

How Much Will You Do Yourself?

One of the major costs associated with moving is hiring movers. Figuring out how much moving costs requires deciding how much you can do yourself, or with the help of friends and family, and how much help you will need from hired professionals.

Professional movers offer a range of services, from full service moving packages that include packing,…

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