I get this question a lot. Unlike the real estate crash that occurred from 2007-2009, where the thriving market was built on speculation and buyers getting sub-prime mortgages, this market is much more sound from the perspective that it hasn’t been investor driven, and most buyers have either paid cash or taken out a smaller percentage of financing. As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, people found they could work remotely, and having sold homes up north at significantly higher prices, decided there was no reason to wait until their retirement years to move to Florida. However, with prices having risen due to high demand and low inventory levels it would appear more likely that the meteoric rise may become more gradual and that buyers will become more patient, waiting for there to become more of a balance in the market than the buying frenzy that has occurred the past two years. Where I do see signs that inventory levels could remain low stem from sellers who would like to take advantage of the market, but don’t want to jump into the pond of other buyers desperately looking for a home. The feeling the profits attained could be offset by the increased price they would be paying for their next home, may not be worth putting their home on the market for sale. Could that limit new listings coming on the market, resulting in fewer homes available for sale? Possibly, but natural disasters, epidemics and the loss of loved ones can put what is important in life in a different perspective. The desire to downsize, travel more, or moving back closer to family will continue to bring new inventory on the market and the willingness we are seeing from buyers looking for a better quality of life I feel bodes well for the market to remain strong this new year.
NEW Flood Insurance Info
The new FEMA flood changes are on everyone’s mind these day, as the increases went into effect on October 1, 2021. Instead of relying on “flood zones” as a determination of your flood exposure, the new system is referred to as “Rating 2.0,” which is a single risk modeling system that takes into consideration area and proximity to harbor, replacement coverage, frame vs. block construction along with slab vs. pilings. Also considered is prior flood loss. Banks may use flood zones, but insurance companies are going by the new rating system. So what does all of this mean you ask? Well, if you have an existing flood policy your flood insurance will increase approximately 18% per year until you reach the figure FEMA has established as the target figure for your property. If you don’t have flood insurance then you will be subject to the new valuations FEMA has established. When buying a home it is important to find out in the beginning of your negotiations if the current seller is carrying flood insurance, as this will impact your investment in the home significantly. To give you a better understanding of the difference in buying a home where the seller is carrying flood insurance verses one where they aren’t, recently we had a buyer purchasing a home on a gulf access canal. They were quoted $6,700.00 to obtain flood insurance for the home. Thankfully, the seller’s insurance carrier said their policy could be assumed, which saved our buyer a significant amount of money as the seller was paying $1,080.00 for flood insurance. It is important to find out up front when negotiating the purchase of a home if the current homeowner is carrying flood insurance and if the policy can be assumed.Unfortunately, FEMA appears to be taking it out on Florida as Floridians have paid in 4 times the amount of claims that have been made. Where most of the country will see decreases in flood insurance rates, Florida will continue to see increases. Hopefully our state legislators will come up with a solution that will provide a more fair and balanced metric for calculating flood insurance rates.
The second major consideration for buyer and seller is the age of the roof. Many insurance brokers will share with you that in the years after Hurricane Irma struck Florida, there have been a bevy of insurance adjusters advertising and knocking on doors claiming they can get you a new roof. One such insurance broker shared with us that a home qualified for a new roof due to excessive hail damage. Not sure where in our area we had that kind of hail, but this is just one of the many questionable reasons how new roofs have been obtained. In order to protect themselves insurance companies are now putting limits on how long they will cover the roof before requiring a new one to be installed. Shingle roofs will have to be 15 years or newer as there are only 3 companies that will insure up to 20 years. Tile roofs, which most inspectors will tell you can last for 30 years or more, are now going to be required to be replaced after 20 years or perhaps slightly longer. Metal roofs will only be covered for 25-30 years and for older homes with more gradual pitch roofs that require a membrane type covering will now only be covered 10 years or less.
Whether you are the seller or buyer, flood insurance coverage and the age of roof are two major factors that you’ll have to consider when selling or buying a home.
Also, here is a link to find what Flood zone you lay in for Charlotte County: Find My Flood Zone
What questions should I be asking when I am looking to hire a real estate agent?
If you’re looking to sell your home, you’ll want to hire an amazing listing real estate agent to help—and there are certain questions to ask so that you can pinpoint the right professional for you.
It’s smart to be picky! A great real estate agent can help find buyers to sell your home fast, and for more money. Make the wrong choice, and your listing might languish. Then, the lowballing bargain hunters come circling—it’s not pretty. Here are some questions I recommend you ask:
1. What are your credentials?
2. Do you specialize in this neighborhood?
3. How do you arrive at the listing price?
4. How much will selling my home cost?
5. How will we communicate?
6. How long will the process take?
As always I am here for you and will answer any question you may have to help make the transaction as smooth as possible.
Gary Cardillo
RE/MAX Harbor Realty
941.979.0939
www.flwaterfrontliving.cm
Is there a reason my home’s assessed value differs compared to the market value?
A public tax assessor gives the assessed value for a property. This assessment typically occurs yearly for taxation purposes. The fair market value is an agreed-upon price between a willing buyer and seller. There is usually a difference between the assessed value and market value. For homeowners, the assessed value is a double-edged sword. Because, if their annual assessed value increased then their yearly taxes will also be raised.
On the flip side, when selling a house it can help boost its market value. To get a market value, Individuals can purchase an appraisal on their own or hire a real estate agent to perform a comparative market analysis. You may want to do this if you’re thinking about selling and want to know how much to list the property for, or have your eye on a home for sale and are curious if it’s a fair price.
As a homeowner, there are many reasons to know your market value. For example, if you bought a home several years ago and the value increased, you have more home equity. You can leverage this to qualify for refinancing or secure a home equity loan.
When it comes to assessed value, you might wonder what happens if you live in an area where the housing market is hot and homes are selling for far more than they’re worth. After all, that’s not exactly fair to homeowners who don’t want to sell and are stuck with the rising tax bill. The good news is that many states and municipalities have laws in place to prevent property taxes from jumping along with inflated property values.
As always, I am here to help you figure out the best value for your home in this market or if you have any questions feel free to reach out. Gary Cardillo 941.676.1008
Source: Forbes
Housing Market Update: Real Estate Chess Match
For years now we’ve been advised by real estate attorneys to use the FAR BAR AS IS purchase contract with right to inspect. The reason for this is that while it does protect the buyer, it takes some of the ambiguity out in determining if an item in the home is functioning as intended. To give you an example of why this has been the contract of choice, several years ago we had a client looking to purchase a condominium that had been renovated due to damages stemming from Chinese drywall. During the home inspection we found the granite counter top in the kitchen had been cracked in half around the sink during installation. The seller epoxied the seams, but the buyers were not pleased, as while the seam was cleverly joined with the epoxy, the joint was still very rough to the touch. The seller said he wasn’t going to replace the counter top and the buyer didn’t want to take it “as is,” so the buyer used their right during the inspection period to cancel the contract and get a full refund of their deposit. When speaking with the law firm who suggested we use this purchase agreement, the attorney stated, “this is why we tell you to use this purchase agreement as while the buyer wasn’t pleased with the look of the repaired granite, it was still functioning as intended as it was supporting weight and wasn’t leaking, thus it was performing as designed. If your buyer hadn’t used this “AS IS” contract that we have suggested, they wouldn’t have had the ability to cancel their contract and receive a full refund of their deposit.”
However, during this market this “AS IS” contract is being used in a manner that wasn’t originally intended. Since homes have been selling at such a frantic pace, many buyers who are out of town are using this contract to purchase properties sight unseen, or only seen virtually. Then once they arrive they use their inspection period to determine if they want to continue moving forward with the purchase of the property or cancel the contract now that they are viewing the property in person. Some buyers have even submitted contracts on several properties, had them accepted, and then used their inspection period to cancel off those properties that didn’t appeal to them and keep the one that does.
To counter this approach many sellers are starting to request the contract with repair terms that can be capped be used as it takes away the buyers ability to cancel the contract in “the buyer’s sole discretion.” Since offers have accelerated at the pace they have due to low inventory levels, bidding wars are more commonplace, resulting in purchase offers where the purchase price cannot be supported by an appraisal. To avoid a contract being cancelled by the buyer due to the offer they made not being supported by an appraisal, sellers are now requesting appraisal contingencies to be removed from the contract in many cases.
While most people would like to talk about themselves, Gary and Gail have always put their clients first, and their diverse backgrounds have provided their clients an unparalleled level of service and knowledge throughout the past years.