Is a "Fixer Upper" in Your Furture?

Who does not love HGTV? I have been known to binge watch my favorite rehab shows on more than one occasion. I have also been known to sit from the comfort of my couch and proclaim "I can do that!" Well, I did put the money where my mouth is and became a "flipper" about five years ago. I have successfully renovated and sold many properties, and am here to help you do the same. Whether you are looking for an investment property or your own personal home, a fixer upper is not as daunting a task as you may think. I can definitely help you navigate the murky waters of finding the right contractors, permitting issues and design queries and of course, finding the right property to begin with. Contact me today to find the fixer upper of your dreams! feliciasellsflorida@gmail.com

Trend Report- Spotlight on Ft. Lauderdale

February 2017 has definitely proven that this gradual turn to a "Buyer's Market" is here to stay. The average months of inventory is 11.1 months, up 12.2% compared to last month and up 33.9% since last year. This data has been compiled from a search of single family homes, townhomes and condos in Ft. Lauderdale. Single family homes are currently selling at a more stable pace compared to condos and townhomes, however, with only 8.2 months of single family home inventory currently on the market. The average number of days a listing is on market is 86, so if you plan on listing your home, patience is key! If you are considering selling your home, do not despair! Although the market has shown an overall all slow down, in the last month, the average sold price per square foot is up 8.9% and sitting at $307/SF. Contact Felicia Myers today if you are interested in a detailed market analysis of your area!

Should You Sell During the Holiday Season?

Many home sellers are wary to list their home during the holiday season, but in reality, should you be? Sellers feel that the holiday season can be crazy enough and who has time to search for a home?

However, there are several factors to consider:

1) Competition is scarce. Due to this misconception that people do not buy homes during the holidays, less sellers list their homes between November and January. Take advantage of this!

2) Buyers are now buying year round. Buyers have access to the MLS and online real estate tools at the tip of their fingers with smart phones. They NEVER stop looking. That means any time of year is a good time!

3) Buyers who are looking during the holidays are serious. This means the buyers viewing your house are more likely to make offers if they are carving out time in their busy schedules to view properties during the holiday season.

4) Buying a home is an emotional process, and holiday décor plays on those emotions. A beautiful Christmas tree, a gorgeous menorah display, or some festive lights can heighten those homey vibes! Just don't go overboard... yes, put away those inflatables.. yes, I am talking to you!

If you are thinking about listing your home now, call Felicia Myers at (321)446-3946.

Happy Holidays!

Home Prices Are Surging Past Pre-recession Highs

According to Standard & Poor's CoreLogic Case-Shiller, the national home price index is just above the peak set in July 2006. This will come to a relief to many home buyers who have been treading water in their homes since the tragic housing burst. The record low mortgage rates over the last few years and slow, but consistent, job gains have contributed to this market recovery. Many Americans have had no incentive to sell their homes for fearing loss of equity, which has led dwindling numbers of available properties. Unfortunately, the Miami market, despite seeing significant housing price gains over the last few years, is still below the pre-recession peak. However, with the threat of rising mortgage rates, buyers are now chomping at the bit to purchase while rates are still low.

Area Spotlight on Weston, FL: Market Trends at a Glance

Since one year ago, the number of active single family home listings (non bank owned or short sales) is up 7.4%, while sold properties are up 13.6%. The pending sales from one year ago are also up by 34.8%. When the PENDED LISTINGS indicator is rising, our market is in recovery. Contracts have been written and are anticipated to close.

The average home prices have remained fairly constant over the last year, with the average price per square foot of a single family home in Weston at $206/SF.

Homes in Weston are also not remaining on the market for long. The average list time on the market before contract is 59 days, which is an decrease in 10.6% since last year! Homes are also selling within 93% of their original list price.

For additional information on the Weston real estate market, please contact Felicia Myers today!

Fall in the tropics- how many pumpkins is too many?

I am one of those people who lives for the Fall. I love everything about it- pumpkin spice lattes, boots, scarves, jackets, apple cobbler and warm soup! There is only one problem- I live in South Florida and the weather is not always conducive to those items.  So what do I do? I overcompensate in my home decor, to the point it looks like autumn exploded in my house! I have a one year old son and I try to blame him for my obsession, but really, I've always been this way. However, my home is not on the market, therefore I can decorate as I please and Hobby Lobby is a frequent destination of mine. If your house is on the market, you may want to restrain yourself this season. This follows for other holiday decor as well. Buyers do not always want to pull up and see a yard full of inflatable reindeer and a giant Santa. Although the rare home may show even better with some seasonal decor, in my experience, it is better to say "less is best" and put it back into the storage container. Think of it this way- it will already be packed up for the big move!

Setting the tone- what your front door says to potential buyers!

Everyone has heard the adage, "don't judge a book by its cover." Well this is real estate, and I am here to tell you that people always do. Curb appeal sets the tone for the entire house preview and tells you whether the house has been properly maintained over the years. However, sometimes sellers overlook one of the easiest ways to improve the exterior of their home- the front door. In South Florida, one of the main perks is outdoor living. Beautiful sunny days year round is a major selling point. However, when you walk up to a potential house and the front door is dusty, cobwebs abound and mud wasp nests are firmly in place, buyers can immediately be turned off by the property. I like to consider myself a neat individual, but sometimes I look at my front door and cannot believe how filthy it can get and in such a short period of time! So take out a wet rag and wipe that front door down at least once a week if your house is on the market. Even better, power wash the exterior and knock down those wasp nests. If your front door paint is faded or chipped, pull out the paint brush. It takes about an hour to repaint a front door (I've done it several times), and you will be amazed at what a difference that can make. If you do not have HOA color restrictions to worry about, my favorite front door colors that are sure to please a wide audience are either a deep navy or a deep forrest green. Very Navy (M500-7) by Behr is a definite crowd pleaser. Add a simple pop of color by one brightly colored pot filled with flowers- and make sure you water them! Increase your home's value almost instantly!

To paint or not to paint, that is the question!

Unless you have not flipped past HGTV while channel surfing or seen a home decor magazine in the last three years, you may have noticed that gray is the new beige. Gray is an amazing and soothing color when incorporated correctly- done incorrectly, and you may feel like you are trapped in a dark cave or jail cell! In my own home, I actually went through 22 sample shades of gray before deciding on my main wall color. Yes, 22 samples. You see, gray paint is one of the few neutrals that really changes color depending on the lighting. One room can look completely different than the next, just based on how many windows there are, recessed lighting, etc. Now you are probably sitting there, considering selling your house and making one or two updates, paint being the easiest, and thinking 22 samples! No way! Well, I am here to help. My secret color is Sherwin Williams' Agreeable Gray. I used to work out of luxury models, and I cannot tell you how many people fell in love with Agreeable Gray. This color falls more towards the beige spectrum than gray, but it is gorgeous. The color works on the interior of houses and exterior. Paint is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to update your design. If you love faux paint or bright colors, I hate to break it to you, but 99% of the buyers walking through your front door will not. Paint those walls a pleasing neutral color, and buyers will be able to more clearly picture themselves in the space. Have you ever walked into a high end furniture store? If you have, you will often see a lot of white. That is because buyers cannot envision items that are not in a neutral color in their own space. Now... it is time to start painting!

Ready to list? Make your space ready for someone else...

One of the easiest ways to prepare your house to sell is to make "room" for potential buyers. What I mean by "room," is that you need to make the space for the buyer to envision himself/herself in the home. A potential buyer will have a hard time picturing her family in her future home when the house is covered in personal momentos and photographs. What I recommend, is getting a large plastic tub and roam the house and take at least 70% of the personal knickknacks and photos from each room. Many home owners love Pinterest and have taken to creating "gallery walls" of framed family photographs. One gallery wall, if tastefully done is absolutely fine. Ten gallery walls is an overkill! It may be hard to depersonalize your house, as moving is already an emotional task, but I promise you that the return will be worth it!