Menu
If you own one of the Davie homes for sale, you’re probably feeling good that prices are inching up and sales prices are staying close to asking prices. If you would like to buy a home in Davie or elsewhere in Broward County, you should also be feeling good because mortgage rates keep hitting all-time lows in 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic hurt a lot of people and businesses, but it also had a big impact on interest rates. If you look at this chart, you’ll see that according to Freddie Mac, interest rates started to fall right around when COVID-19 started to make an impact in the U.S.
On September 10, 2020, the rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 2.86%. If you talk to mortgage lenders, they’ll probably tell you that they never thought they’d be quoting rates that low. Keep in mind that not everyone will get a rate reported by organizations like Freddie Mac. You’d need excellent credit and a 20% down payment to get the lowest rate offered on any given day.
A 1% difference in the interest rate does make a difference. For example, if you financed $200,000 on a 30-year fixed mortgage, at 3.5%, your monthly payment would be $898.09. At 4.5%, your payment would go up about $115 per month to $1013.37.
The big difference comes in how much interest you’d pay over the life of the loan. At 3.5%, you’d pay $123,312 and at 4.5%, you’d pay $164,814 in interest over the life of the loan. It’s true that the majority of people don’t live in one house for 30 years. But, if you finance all the homes you purchase at the same or a higher interest rate, you still end up paying at least that higher interest over 30 years.
If your existing mortgage interest rate is high, this might be an excellent time to refinance. For example, if you purchased your home in November 2018, for example, your mortgage rate was more like 5%.
Admittedly, we’re in a unique economic situation. And, in any economy, forecasting what will happen to interest rates is more of an art than a science. Here are some things to consider.
You may think that the best news is that interest rates are heading toward 0% or even negative interest. Some countries have seen negative interest rates, but there are unintended consequences.
It would be exciting if your mortgage had a negative interest rate. That would mean that over the life of the loan, you’d end up paying less than what you borrowed. The same would be true for your car loan and any other loan you get from a bank. But, typically, a country would only use negative interest rates as a last ditch, desperate measure.
Think about the effect of negative interest rates from the savings side of the equation. Rather than interest-bearing accounts, banks would have interest-charging accounts. That means you’d need to pay the bank to hold your money, which isn’t something any of us are accustomed to. The only way you could earn money on your bank funds would be to take out a loan. It sounds like we’d fall down the rabbit hole where everything is the opposite of what it should be!
A negative interest rate strategy could backfire. For example, if banks must pay borrowers for the privilege of giving them a mortgage, the odds are banks will be less likely to give people mortgages, or any type of loan. That could have a devastating effect on our economy. And, rather than paying the bank to hold their money, some people may go back to hoarding their cash under the mattress, which would remove assets from the economy and further stifle lending and economic growth.
This seems the more likely scenario. Of the experts at Bankrate, 9% predict rates will rise, 91% predict rates will stay steady, and no expert thought rates would fall.
The Home Buying Institute also predicts that interest rates would stay low through the first half of 2021. But, keep in mind that all forecasts are just educated guesses.
If you’re thinking of refinancing, you should know that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced that they will apply a .5% fee to most refinances, and experts say that in October, lenders will begin to raise refinance rates to account for the fee.
It’s a crazy time for the country, real estate, and interest rates, but if you work with professional Davie Florida Realtors like those at the Teri Arbogast Team, you’ll get the advice that will help you make informed decisions about your next real estate transaction.
Whether you’re selling or buying in Davie Florida or other County locations, we are ready to help. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
Probably everyone knows something about how mortgages work. But, if you’re going to buy a home, you need to know more than “something.” It doesn’t’ matter if you’re a seasoned or first-time home buyer, the more you know about the terminology and the way mortgages function, the better off you’ll be. Test your knowledge here. You’ll probably learn something new.
Get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. Your real estate agent can guide you to a proven lender depending on your financial situation. For example, if you’re just graduating from school and starting your career as a doctor, there are specialized mortgages for you. If your credit score isn’t the greatest, you’ll want to work with a lender who can provide you with the widest possible alternatives.
When you know how mortgages work, you’ll be glad you’re preapproved. Once you’re pre-approved, you’ll know exactly what prices of homes you should consider. In addition, a pre-approval gives you an advantage when you find a house you want to buy and negotiations start. One thing sellers try to avoid at all costs is accepting an offer and then having the deal fall through because the buyer couldn’t get financing.
Besides that, with a pre-approval, the seller knows that you’re a serious buyer, and that the odds of you not being able to get financing is very low.
No. The pre-approval is done at a specific point in time. If you do something that changes your financial situation before you close, you may not get the mortgage you wanted. For example, if you increase your debt by purchasing major items for your new home before you close, your financial situation changes. You will probably get a loan, but the terms may change and that will increase the monthly payment you had planned on.
Other issues may come up with the home you want to purchase. Most lenders have guidelines for the type of home they will finance, so be sure you follow those guidelines when looking at homes.
Yes. A secured loan is simply a loan that uses some type of collateral to reduce the risk for the lender. Car loans are secured by the car, and mortgages are secured by the home. If a borrower defaults on a secured loan, the lender has the right to seize the collateral. For a car, the lender repossesses the car. For a home, the lender starts foreclosure proceedings.
No. You need to know how mortgages work because there is a lot of misinformation floating around. There is a myth that all home buyers must put 20% down on a mortgage loan. It probably came about because you’ll get better terms if you put at least 20% down. Some lenders may require a 20% down payment, but there are others that don’t. Make sure you evaluate alternatives before deciding on your down payment on a house.
The government doesn’t back conventional loans. The lender takes on all the risk, so conventional loans often require larger down payments and better credit scores.
It’s a mortgage loan backed by one of several governmental agencies. Examples include FHA, VA, and USDA. FHA loans offer lower down payment requirements, but you will need an insurance policy to protect FHA if you put down less than 20%. The cost for that insurance is added to your monthly mortgage payment. Most government-backed loans require that you keep the mortgage insurance in effect for the life of the loan. The only way to remove it is to refinance your loan.
It stands for Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). It’s a policy that a conventional mortgage lender may require if your down payment is less than 20%. It is similar to the insurance the FHA requires, but since no government agency is involved, lenders add the word “private” to the name. PMI is usually removed if the borrower has a good payment history when the mortgage reaches 78 or 80% of the value of the home.
For example, let’s say you purchased a $300,000 house and put 10% down. At that point, your loan amount of $290,000 is 90% of the value of the house. After making payments over time, you’ll reduce the amount you owe. When it reaches $240,000, your loan will be at 80% of the value of the home, and you can ask your lender to remove the PMI.
Can My Lender Sell My Mortgage?Yes. To a lender, your mortgage loan is just another investment. They’re planning on making money from the interest you pay on your loan. But your lender can decide to sell your loan if they want more immediate cash. Often, banks will sell loans to get the capital they need to make new loans.
Another thing that can happen is that your lender chooses to have someone else service the loan. If that’s the case, the people you talk to about your loan and the place you send your loan payments to will change. It may seem as if your lender sold the loan, but they may have just hired someone else to process payments and do the other administrative work surrounding a mortgage loan.
Lenders sell mortgages and change servicers on a regular basis, so don’t be surprised if you got the loan from one lender and then work with other lenders or servicers during the life of the loan.
Keeping up with how mortgages work will help you make your home buying experience a good one. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, don’t miss our post on First-Time Homebuyer’s Mortgage Tips.
Do you have other questions about mortgages? If so, just leave questions in the comments section below and we’ll be glad to answer them for you.
If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
Since so many people start their home search on the internet, it’s critical that you work with real estate agents who are internet-savvy and who can make sure your home stands out. Very often, that includes having a professional photographer take photos to put online. When you prepare your house for photos, they work well as the biggest factor in motivating buyers to schedule a showing. To get the most from your exposure online, make sure you prepare your home to look its best.
If you’re adding your home to the list of Davie homes for sale, you can do many things to get your home ready to sell. You can check out our home seller guidelines to get more home selling tips. If you’re considering doing some renovations or updates, review what homebuyers really want before you make any major changes.
When you prepare your house for photos, start with a general cleaning. Dust, vacuum, wash windows, and generally make sure your home sparkles. You may not realize it, but dust, smudges on the refrigerator, and water spots on a mirror in the bathroom will show in a photo.
Before the photographer arrives, complete this checklist:
People looking at shots of your home’s exterior should be able to focus on the house itself. Prepar your house for photos by removing anything that will distract their attention.
You don’t want these rooms to look too sterile, but you want people to imagine themselves living there without a lot of clutter.
Again, you’re looking for a kitchen that looks organized and inviting.
After a thorough cleaning, you might want to set the dining room table with pretty dinnerware and napkins. At a minimum, add a centerpiece to give the room a homey feel. If you have a china cabinet, make sure everything visible is arranged neatly.
BedroomsMake sure everyone is up and out of the house before the photographer arrives. That may sound silly, but there have been bedroom photos with a suspicious lump in the bed.
Bathrooms are important rooms in any house, so make sure yours aren’t overwhelmed with bath accessories and toiletries.
After you’ve done whatever you can to prepare your house for photos, it’s best if you, your family, and your pets leave the house during a photo shoot. Let the photographer do the work in peace and quiet.
Think about anything in your home that you don’t want to be displayed on the internet and remove it from sight. For example, you may not want to advertise the original Van Gogh you have hanging in the living room. If your children have their names on their doors or in their rooms, consider removing them if they will show in the photos. If you want to see some examples of what makes listing photos look good, check out this article.
If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you’re thinking of selling your home in Davie or other areas in Broward County, wouldn’t it be great if you knew what home buyers really want? With that knowledge, you could make your home stand out from the competition when you list your home for sale. If you’re thinking of doing some renovation, or even small improvements, here are some tips to help you get started in the right direction.
Every few years, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) publishes a report called “What Buyers Really Want” and there are some interesting insights in the 2019 edition.
According to the NAHB, new homebuyers rated the following features as either essential or desirable.
It’s also important to look at what homebuyers don’t want. They don’t really want dog washing stations, laminate kitchen countertops, or dual toilets in the master bath.
If you’re not planning a major renovation, you may not be able to come up with a laundry room or walk-in pantry, but you could consider upgrading your kitchen countertops. And, if you are trying to decide between replacing drafty windows or laying hardwood flooring, the windows might be the best place to start. You can probably forget about adding that second toilet to your master bath.
If your exterior lighting isn’t great, that’s usually a relatively inexpensive fix. It can also add to the curb appeal of your home at night if you put lights along the walkway to the front door, for example, or spots on the interesting features of your home. With the emphasis on energy efficiency, you’ll probably want to look for solar powered lighting systems, or at a minimum, systems that are motion-activated.
If you have a laundry room already, take an objective look at it. Is there anything you can do to make it more attractive or functional? Shelving, cupboards, places to hang damp clothes and a folding space are all things that will make your laundry room shine.
If you already have a walk-in pantry, it would be a good idea to organize it before you list. An overflowing pantry just convinces buyers that there isn’t enough storage in your kitchen. There are many ways to make your pantry look inviting. Making your pantry a showplace will highlight one of the features many buyers are looking for.
Try using:
The same theory applies to garage storage. You know what a mess the garage can get into over time. If you have room for storage in the garage, make it look good. You can get garage organization systems at places like Lowes, and there are companies in the local area who will put together a professional looking system and install it for you.
If you’re a DIY person, you can find lots of ideas for organizing your garage. If you have plastic storage bins, you’ve got a start on organization, but stacking them up means you have to unstack all of them to get to the lowest one. You can easily build storage towers so that you can remove and replace each bin easily.
You can mount more things on the walls of the garage by mounting a large piece of plywood over the drywall by screwing it into the studs for stability. Then, you can mount open racks or hooks on the plywood to get a lot more stored in a small space. You can even hang racks on the ceiling to slide storage containers onto, making use of wasted ceiling space.
Finally, you know that outdoor living is important in South Florida. If your patio isn’t the oasis it could be, that would be another place to put some time and effort. If you’re not ready for a large renovation, you can do small things to make your patio stand out from the crowd.
For example, if you’d like to make more of a statement, you can use pavers to expand your deck. Use large colorful pillows to make the patio inviting. Use a hanging candle holder to light up an area for late night dining or build a fire pit from curved paving stones. There’s just no end to the possibilities. But, keep lighting in mind, too. Hanging string lights can make any space look festive.
When you keep in mind what homebuyers really want, you can turn your house into a buyer magnet. If you want advice on how to make your house market-ready, you can trust the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team to help. We’re Broward County Realtors that have an excellent reputation for excellence.
Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you’re a first-time homebuyer, one of the first things you think about is what you’ll need for a down payment. While a 20% down payment has been a standard for a long time, it’s not always necessary. When you decide on a down payment on a house, think about your goals and your financial situation.
If you’re financing a home purchase, you’ll need an initial payment that secures the loan. Down payments are typically stated in terms of a percent of the purchase price of the home. For example, if you purchase a $250,000 home, a 20% down payment would be $50,000. When you subtract the down payment from the purchase price, you will finance $200,000, and your payments will be based on that amount.
The other thing to keep in mind is that there are closing costs when you get a mortgage. Some of those costs can include a credit report fee, appraisal origination fee, application fee, and title insurance, among others. Buyers typically pay in a range of 2-7% of the purchase price, with the average being around 3%. Therefore, on that $250,000 house, your closing costs could be in the range of $5,000 to $17,500, with the average being $7500.
The closing costs aren’t used as part of your down payment, but you need to plan for having the cash ready to pay those costs when you close on the sale. So, it doesn’t hurt to include those costs when you determine how much you need to save.
Traditionally, a 20% down payment is the standard, but it’s a home buying myth that you must have 20% to put down. Today, there are a number of different types of mortgage loans, and not all of them require a large down payment.
You get a conventional loan from your local banker, for example. Traditional lenders do use a 20% down payment as their preferred approach, but they can also accept down payments of as low as 3%. If you do get a conventional loan with less than 20% down, the lender will also require you to have Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). The insurance premium will be added to your monthly mortgage payment.
Government-Backed LoansDifferent departments in the government offer government-backed loans that have different requirements from conventional loans. Some of the most well-known include:
First-time homebuyers can take advantage of loan programs made especially for them. Ask your local real estate agent and lender about the programs you may quality for. Examples include Fannie Mae’s Home Path Ready Buyer Program.
You may be surprised to know that over 2,000 programs available nationwide that help homebuyers with their down payments. Some are grants and others are loans that you don’t need to pay back until you move, sell, or refinance your home.
Saving for a down payment requires some discipline. For example, you can reduce the number of times you eat out, and spend $4 a day on a fancy coffee drink. It would be a good idea to create a budget and stick to it. But, there’s another strategy you can use to help your savings grow.
It’s very easy to overspend, but if you automate your savings plan, you’ll eliminate that possibility. Create a new account where you can set up automatic deposits every payday. Once you have put that money aside, you force yourself to live within your budget.
And, you can use an account where you’re not in danger of losing any of your savings, but you can get some interest or appreciation. These days, the interest rate is so low, you won’t get much, but when you’re saving for a down payment on a house, every little bit helps!
If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. We specialize in working with first-time homebuyers.
Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
You’re buying a one of the Davie homes for sale. Congratulations! You’ve already been through the selection process, the offer, negotiations, inspections, and now you’re ready to close. After the close, except for the mortgage if you financed your purchase, you’ll own the home with no strings attached, right? If all goes well, the answer is yes.
But, there could be other people who have a claim against your ownership. To protect yourself and your home from that often costly situation, you need title insurance. Here are answers to some common title insurance questions.
A title is a legal document that identifies the person or people who own a piece of property. But, it’s important that you have a clear title, meaning that no other person or company can question your ownership. You get a clear title by hiring a title company to research public records to ensure that there are no liens or levys on your property.
Once the title company has determined that you have a clear title, they can issue title insurance to protect you in case something comes up later that questions your ownership. If that happens, it’s said that you have a “shadow” on your title. And, if you have title insurance, the title company will pay for resolving the issue.
Your lender will insist on having a lender’s title insurance policy, and you’ll typically pay for it as part of your closing costs. That insurance only protects the lender. Owner’s title insurance will protect you, but it is optional and some buyers question whether they need it.
American Land Title Association is one of the top title companies in the nation. A report they published indicates that they find and resolve problems with a title in 25% of the searches they perform. And, those are just the issues they find before closing. So, that’s a pretty good reason why you need title insurance. It can save you from running into bigger problems down the road.
A lien is a legal claim to assets that have typically been used as collateral for a debt. Another type of shadow on a title can come from someone else claiming ownership. Here are just a few examples of how those things happen.
How would you feel if you ended up paying those subcontractors $40,000? What would you do if someone had a claim against your ownership? The legal fees alone could be staggering.
In Broward County, the buyer pays for the lender’s and owner’s insurance policy as a closing cost. Other counties have different rules, so be sure to check with your real estate agent. As a buyer, do you need title insurance? Think about what it would take to resolve these issues that a buyer’s insurance policy will typically cover. Policies are different, so be sure to read your policy carefully. Policies will usually cover the cost to investigate a claim, then either take it to court or settle it.
The cost for title insurance varies based on where your property is located and the purchase price. It also varies depending on whether you get coverage beyond the standard. But, when you think about everything that could possibly go wrong, it’s very cost effective.
It’s a one-time fee that is included in your closing costs, and it protects the large investment you have in your home. Typically, the insurance will pay out far more than it cost if you do run into a problem.
Think of it like any type of insurance. You purchase insurance for your home, not because a home burning down is a common occurrence, but because you want the peace of mind knowing that you’d be covered if it did.
Are you thinking of buying or selling? If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Check out our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
The COVID-19 virus pandemic has changed a lot about the way we live. Many people are wondering how the real estate industry is handling the problems that we’re all facing. The good news is that while the real estate industry has slowed, the industry has taken steps to make it possible for real estate transactions to continue. Here are answers to many of the questions you may have about real estate in today’s environment.
Yes, real estate is considered essential and we have been granted the right to keep working.
Yes, our team is accepting listings. The number of listings isn’t as high as usual, but people are still listing their Davie homes for sale.
Not according to the Florida Realtors® organization. According to their March 2020 market statistics, the median sale price was $275,000, which is a 7.4% increase over March 2019, and a 1.85% increase over February 2020.
Other market statistics are still moving in the right direction. For example, there were 26,611 closed sales in March, which is just over a 28% increase from February. The median percent of the original list price received was 97.1%, up from 96.8% in February. That means that the final sale price is very close to the original listing price. And, the median time to contract was 38 days in March vs. 49 days in February, meaning that the time was less between the listing date and the contract date for all closed sales.
Yes, if you need a mortgage, lenders are still working and ready to answer any questions you have. If you aren’t working with a lender now, feel free to contact us for a recommendation to lenders that we know are trustworthy. Even if you’re not ready to make a move right now, getting pre-approved for a loan is always the best plan before you start looking at homes.
You can’t take a physical tour of homes for sale, but we’re using technology to let you see homes and stay safe from the virus.
If you’re interested in a home for sale, one of our team members can go into that home and give you a virtual tour using FaceTime or Skype. You can ask questions and get a very personalized tour of the areas of the home that are most important to you.
We’re also offering a 3-D home tour for many of our listings. You can see an example of a 3D tour for one of our listings. You’ll see the home exactly as if you were walking around it yourself – right down to the Cheerios box in the kitchen! If you’re wondering how long the counter is in the bathroom, the 3-D tour is even more convenient than being there in person. A ruler is available and you can use it to take measurements of anything in the home.
Let’s say that you found a home you wanted to buy. Placing an offer and negotiations work the same way they always have. You’ll have an inspection contingency in the offer that is also a fairly standard practice.
You’ll be able to see the home during the inspection. Normally, your agent and the listing agent would be present at the inspection. Today, only two parties are able to attend the inspection, you and the inspector. During the inspection, you’ll be able to follow the inspector as they evaluate the home’s systems and talk to the inspector to answer any questions you have.
As usual, if the inspection identifies any defects, we’ll have the opportunity to negotiate with the seller to fix them. If we can’t come to an agreement with the seller, the inspection contingency means that you can cancel the offer and your deposit, also known as earnest money, will be returned to you.
If you’re thinking of selling, the competition would be less at this time since there are fewer sellers putting their homes on the market. That could make your home more attractive to buyers who need or want to move.
If you’re buying, you can take advantage of the low interest rates and the fact that there are homes that aren’t moving as well as they have in the recent past. Sometimes there is more room for negotiation with a seller who really needs to move.
Whatever your real estate needs during this unsettled time, keep in mind that we’re here to help. Whenever you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you and your family are staying home to help stop the coronavirus, finding things to do can be a challenge. You’re probably setting up schedules to keep your kids busy. But, if you’re interested in giving your house a refresh, now would be an excellent time to take on some relatively simple updates that the entire family can enjoy. Here are some of the best home projects around.
You’d be surprised at how a few easy changes to the exterior of your home will increase its curb appeal and make it a welcoming entry to your home.
Here are some easy projects that don’t cost a lot and can be fun projects where the kids can help, too.
If you have a window over your sink in the kitchen, the window treatments there can get water stained and may be outdated. A roman shade is a great way to give privacy when you need it while letting light in, also. When you make your own roman shades, you can have the look without the expense.
If you don’t have a formal mudroom, your entry probably gets stacked up with hats, coats, boots and more. For a simple fix, add a shelf with pegs that can hold hats and coats, then get a boot tray to put underneath.
Add Storage Bins to a Pantry or ClosetWhen you have time on your hands, it’s a good time to clean out the kitchen pantry or that laundry closet that is always overflowing. Use labelled plastic bins to get things organized!
Some bedrooms are too small to hold a bedside table at both sides of the bed. Here’s a very creative way to provide the storage you need next to your bed. If you need light, add a wall mounting lamp.
It’s important that people can see your house numbers, especially in the case of an emergency when fire or EMS needs to find you quickly. Use this cute house number planter to make your address stand out.
This is a great idea for a kid’s room, not to mention the living or dining room. You can easily give a bookcase new life and your room a new look with patterned backdrops. Just mount paper or fabric to the back of each shelf. If you don’t want to make a permanent change, use poster board and you’ll be able to change the design whenever you want. The best home projects are flexible.
Sometimes, all you need is to paint the vanity in a bathroom to give it new life. Here are some instructions on how to paint a vanity the easy way, and before and after photos. Here are more before and afters to give you additional inspiration. You can change the hardware easily, and you can also change the fixtures and countertop. But you’ll notice a significant difference if all you do is paint the vanity.
And, if you’ve decided that a vanity facelift isn’t enough and you want a new home, consider the best Realtors in Broward County, the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you’re a parent in Davie or anywhere in Broward County, or just about anywhere else, you’re probably facing the challenge of keeping your kids busy while schools are closed. Here’s some information that will help.
But, I’m sure you already know that. Due to the coronavirus, schools in Broward County will remain closed through April 15, 2020. You can get more information on the Broward County Schools website. That page also contains information about food and nutrition services for students and families, which has been extended until April 15.
Grab-and-go meal service was available in nine locations, but will be expanded to 47 locations from March 30 to April 15, 2020. You can open a PDF file that lists all the locations.
Broward County Schools provides continuing education opportunities for students that are appropriate to their grade level. You can also download a free copy of Microsoft Office Suite if you need that software to let your children use the educational tools on a device that doesn’t already have it installed.
Being out of school for such an extended time is a new experience for children and parents. It’s a good idea to set up a routine for your children to help them know what to expect during this time.
You can set up a daily schedule that includes both study times and play times. It may seem weird to set up a schedule for days at home, but kids need structure. While they’re home, you’re the only one who can provide it. There are resources online that can help you figure out how to create that schedule. That page also has some ideas about online educational websites and suggestions on fun ways to stay busy, too.
There are all kinds of things you can use to keep your kids active during this time at home. Here are some of my favorites.
Visit animals. Zoo cams are set up at zoos around the world. For example, the National Zoo has webcams where you can check in on naked mole-rats, lions, giant pandas, and elephants. Or, check out this list of wild animal web cams. Sometimes nothing is happening, so you might need to check out a few sites to find the animals in action.The internet is a treasure trove of ideas. You could start with this Forbes article that lists 110 things to keep your kids busy.
Family time is good. But, everyone is feeling the pain from so much enforced togetherness. Don’t let your kids get bored by giving them structure, and finding new ways to have fun as a family.
~~~~~~~~
When you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
The statistics are out from the MIAMI Association of Realtors for the real estate market in Broward County Florida for January 2020. Broward County statistics include Davie homes for sale, and other houses for sale in Broward County, in places like Cooper City, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, and Weston.
If you’re thinking of buying or selling Broward County real estate in 2020, the January results will give you an idea of where the market is going.
If you’re wondering if you should sell your home this Spring, you’ll be interested to know that Broward County is experiencing a seller’s market.
What’s a seller’s market? A seller’s market typically means that there are more buyers looking for homes than there are homes for sale, and there is less than a 6-month supply of homes for sale in “inventory.” In January, the inventory of homes for sale decreased 20.8% to 3.8 months for single-family homes. The inventory of condos and townhomes went down 6.5% to 5.8 months.
If these trends continue, spring 2020 will be a great time to sell your Broward County home. There may even be competition for homes that will keep prices high and the market moving quickly.
The total number of homes sold increased 6% between January 2019 and January 2020. Single-family home sales rose 10.7% and condo sales increased 2%.
Big increases appeared in the single-family homes priced between $400-600,000, which saw a 22% increase in the number of sales. The luxury single-family home market also saw a big jump from last year, with the number of sales increasing 24.5%.
Besides an increase in the level of activity, the median single-family home prices in Broward County increased 5.5% to $374,450. Existing condominiums increased 6.3% to a median price of $170,000.
You can see the speed at which the market is moving by looking at the median number of days between when homes were listed and when they went under contract. In January 2020, the number of days for single-family homes was 50, representing a 20.6% decrease from the same time last year. Again, the increase in the speed of the market indicates a seller’s market.
Another indicator of a seller’s market is the List-to-Sale Ratio. In January 2020, the single-family home Ratio was 95.5%, and the Ratio for condos was 94.6%. That means that sellers are receiving very close to their asking price. For example, if a home was listed at $425,000 and it went under contract at $400,000, that represents a 94% Ratio.
Keep in mind that sellers are less likely to negotiate in a seller’s market. Some sellers typically will receive offers over list. Sellers whose homes aren’t in peak condition may accept an offer 10 or even 20% below their list price. If you’re thinking of selling, you’re much more likely to be in the driver’s seat during negotiations.
Freddie Mac reported that the average rate for a 30-year conventional fixed-rate mortgage decreased to 3.62% in January, which is lower than the rate in December 2019. It’s interesting to note that cash buyers are very active in Broward County.
Cash transactions made up 38.2% of the sales closed in January 2020; that is almost double the national average for cash buyers. But, those people who want to finance a purchase in early 2020 will find the rates very favorable.
Keep in mind that the Broward County real estate market is relatively large—it covers over 1,000 square miles. So, the averages and median figures are calculated based on widely diverse communities. It’s important to look at the trends in the real estate market, rather than planning on any one statistic holding true for you.
Buying in a sellers market certainly isn’t impossible. You just need to be smart about your approach. You need to stick to your budget. Since you’ll probably be buying at or above list price, you don’t want to look at homes over your budget because you probably won’t be negotiating a 10-20% price reduction.
Be ready to act quickly if you find the right home. The odds are it won’t stay on the market long. Maybe not even until tomorrow. Work with the right real estate agent who can counsel you accurately on the right strategy to get you the home of your dreams.
If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that both our buying and sellling clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
Please fill out the form below and we will be contacting you shortly
with information about your home.
