Kitchen Remodel on a Budget

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is having a great week! It’s so nice to have some cooler fall weather for a change!  The most expensive room in your home is your kitchen. We all know it’s so easy to go over budget with remodeling projects especially when you’re remodeling a kitchen. Below are a few tips that will ensure you stay within budget and finish your project with great results. 

  • Bright White – A coat of fresh, bright white paint can do wonders for your kitchen cabinets. It’s more affordable to paint your cabinets and update the hardware instead of purchasing new cabinets. Just remember that a white kitchen is always very for buyers!

 

  • Light It Up – New light fixtures and cabin underlighting is a great way to make a statement without breaking the bank. 

 

  • Leave Plumbing Where It Is – One the most expensive items when remodeling is plumbing. Make sure you leave existing plumbing lines where they’re so you don’t have to update your plumbing and location. 

 

  • Solid Surface Counter Tops – Everyone loves the look of granite and solid-surface counter tops! When shopping around ask your local counter top store for surfaces that are being discontinued. Also keep in mind solid-surfaces that may not be granite, but has the same look and quality as a granite. 

 

  • Scratch and Dent – Scratch and Dent Appliances is a great way to save money!! Finding an appliance that has a very little scratch or dent that’s not really noticeable will save you a lot of $$$. Check your local appliance store, Lowes or Home Depot and ask if they have any appliances like this available. 

 

I hope you find these tips helpful for your next remodeling project. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know. 

Duke Rountree    (352) 577-9171    Info@Search352Homes.com 

Maintaining Your Home in the Fall

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is staying dry and safe from Hurricane Michael. Luckily, it doesn’t look like Marion County is in the path of the storm, but we’re definitely keeping everyone in the panhandle in our thoughts and prayers. I wanted to go over a few things you can do in the weeks ahead to prep your home for fall and the upcoming holidays! Most of your homes are used for entertaining this time of year and I thought these tips would be helpful. 

 

  • Fireplace – Make sure you have your fireplace inspected to ensure it is ready for use! 

 

  • HVAC Unit – Make sure your heating and cooling system is ready and good to go! In Florida you probably had this inspected in the spring for the summer season. It’s also a good idea to have it looked at going into winter season. 

 

  • Appliances – With holiday meals and baking you definitely want to make sure all of your kitchen appliances are in working order. The last thing you want to happen is have a burner or appliance go out right before the holidays. Also don’t forget about your washer and dryer! Holiday’s often bring extra house guest which means more laundry. 

 

  • Exterior – Fall leaves often bring gutters to full capacity. Clean out your gutters and while you’re outside check your roof and piping to ensure it is ready for the hard winters we have here in Florida. 

 

  • Your Own Audit- Walk around the interior and exterior of your home. You know your home better than anyone else. If you see something out of place or unusual, now is a good time to have it looked at. 

 

As always if you have any questions or if there is anything we can do to help please contact us. Info@Search352Homes.com or (352) 577-9171

Fall Activities around Marion County!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Happy October Everyone! 

Who has noticed the cooler temperatures and the breeze throughout the afternoon? Fall is starting to make it’s way to Marion County which happens to be one of my favorite time of year! There are so many fall activities happening near Marion County in October and November! This is a great time to spend with friends and family! Below are a few of my favorite activities for you to also enjoy with your family! 

  • Coon Hollo Farm Fall Festival- Fall Family Fun on the Farm! Admission Includes: Interactive Corn Maze; Pasture Putt Putt; Hayride; Farm Train; Hay Fort; Corn Cribs/Buckin’ Barrels/Tire swing; Farmyard Obstacle Course; Corn-hole Board Games; Antique Farm Equipment; Agricultural Educational Displays; Fall Field Games (Saturdays only.) Also enjoy our Concessions, Farm Animal Exhibit and Old Country Store. 

 

  • Harvest Fest at West Marion Community Hospital- We are excited to announce Ocala Health’s first annual Harvest Fest that will be held on Saturday, October 13 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the field across from West Marion Community Hospital. This is a free, family-friendly event. Event activities include: Bouncy houses, Pumpkin patch and decorating (while supplies last), Potato sack races, Petting zoo and pony rides, Slides and train rides and Food trucks* (*food available for purchase)

 

  • Blessed Trinity Fall Carnival- The 2018 Blessed Trinity Carnival will take place October 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st. It will feature rides, prizes, games, food, a great raffle and more! There is no charge for parking. Admission is free except after 6 pm on Saturday, Family Night, when there is a $5 entry fee unless guests have a ride wristband voucher or are families with children.

 

  • The Pickin’ Patch- This is the best pumpkin patch around! Welcome to The Pickin’ Patch, Florida’s original pumpkin patch where you can cut the perfect pumpkin right off the vine! Bring your whole family and come enjoy the corn maze, hayride, kids hay fort and slides, kids hay maze and grab a wagon to go pick your pumpkins. You can also take your pick from a variety of unique pumpkins, gourds and of course pick a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers.

 

  • McIntosh 1890’s Fall Festival- On October 20, 2018. This 1 day festival with over 280 arts, crafts and antiques vendors. Live oak canopies, and all day free entertainment for the family and kids. Food vendors and family fun!

I hope you take some of these recommendations and enjoy fall around Marion County!  

 

Buying a Home, but Confused about Closing Cost?

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is having a great week and a great start to September! Lately, I’ve heard so many home buyers say that they’re confused with how much money they will need to purchase a home. Or that they didn’t realize that they would have “closing cost” and fee’s associated with purchasing a home. 

Aside from your down payment amount, you will have other expenses or “closing cost” to cover property taxes, homeowners insurance, appraisal, survey, etc. Having a reputable lender working on your side makes all the difference! Amber Maurer with Success Mortgage Partners has created this display to help you understand your down payment amount, closing cost and fees associated with purchasing a home. 

FHA FLYER

Amber is always a huge help with assisting buyers through the mortgage process and I highly recommend her! As always, you can choose whoever you would like for financing. If you have any questions or would like to get pre-approved below is Amber’s contact info. 

Success Mortgage Partners- Amber Maurer 

(352) 877-3188

www.AmberMaurer.com

Please contact us if there is anything we can do to help with guiding you through your home purchase! (352) 577-9171 or Info@Search352Homes.com 

 

Importance of a Final Walk Through!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is having a great week! I’m sure if you have kids this week has been long, challenging and exhausting when getting the kids back to school. Today, I wanted to talk to you about an important step when you’re purchasing a home. It should be the step right before you go to closing! The Final Walk Through! I cannot stress enough how important it is to do a walk through of the home right before closing. Below are some of the reasons why…

  • Property Condition- Walk the Exterior and the Interior of home.  Make sure that the interior is broom swept and make sure all debris is removed from the exterior of the home. 
  • Appliances- Make sure refrigerator, range, dishwasher, microwave, washer & dryer (if included with the sale) are all in working order. You can always reference your home inspection report too. 
  • Light Fixtures- Make sure all light fixtures are present at the time of the walk through. Test each fixture to make sure they’re working. 
  • HVAC- Test the air conditioning and heating system to make sure it’s in working order. The last thing you want to do is purchase a home in Florida without air conditioning. 
  • Plumbing- Run all sinks and check for leaks under neath the cabinets. 

These are just a few of the things to check for at the final walk through. For a complete list or if you have any questions please feel free to contact us for more details. Info@Search352Homes.com or Call/Text (352) 577-9171 

***July Closing Statistics***

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Morning All, 

Happy August Everyone! It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and the kids will be heading back to school in a week or so! Don’t worry,  the sunshine and warm weather will be sticking around a little longer! 

Here are some July closing statistics for certain cities in NE Marion County. 

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As always if you have any questions or if you’re interested in finding out what your property is worth please give me a call today! (352) 577-9171 or Info@Search352Homes.com 

 

All data is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the Ocala MLS or Rountree Realty Corp. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information is deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert. We are an equal housing opportunity provider. 

Hurricane Season!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is having a great week! I’m sure with all of the storms we’ve had the past week or so, two words have come to mind. HURRICANE SEASON! It’s hard to believe, but hurricane season is upon us. Are you prepared for the 2018 hurricane season? Below are a few suggestions that may help you prepare! 

  • Cash – Make sure you have plenty of cash on you. Without electricity ATM’s will not work. 
  • Batteries- Go ahead and replace batteries in all of your flashlights. Purchase extra batteries for back up. 
  • Medications- Make sure prescriptions are up to date and you have at least a 7 day supply. 
  • Radio- Most use cell phones and tablets for their radio,  but make sure you have a battery powered radio so you can keep up to date with storm pattern changes, news, etc. 
  • Food/Water- Go ahead and get a head start on a supply of non-perishable food items and plenty of water. 
  • Hygiene Items- Baby wipes, hand sanitizer, etc. Now is a good time to start collecting these items as well. 
  • Sand Bags- Marion County offers several sites to pick up sand bags. Place these at your doors, garage, etc. in case of flooding. 

There are so many other things you need to do to prepare for a hurricane. For more information and safety tips please go to marion county fl weather emergency

As always if you have any questions or if there is anything we can do you help please contact us. Info@Search352Homes.com or (352) 577-9171

Are Foreclosure a Thing of the Past?

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All,

I hope everyone has had a great week and I’m sure you’re ready for the weekend!  I just wanted to take a moment and provide you a quick real estate update on foreclosures and housing inventory!

We are no longer in a housing recession and don’t maintain an overflow of inventory of homes on the market!  Inventory is so low right now and we need more homes for sale!  An article from Florida Realtors indicates that overall foreclosures are down 78% from the peak of the
foreclosures on the market in 2010. Also, foreclosures are down 15% from year to year.

Have you been telling yourself  “There are tons of foreclosures for sale in Marion County”  or “I want to find a foreclosure because they’re a better deal”? That is simply not the case; overall inventory is low and banks know this!  Therefore, banks want to sell their properties for the same market value of a traditional re-sale.

BUYERS! –  If you are in the market to purchase, call us today! My team checks new inventory everyday and we’re constantly getting new listings to sell!  Please call and give us an opportunity to help you!

SELLERS! – If you have given any consideration to selling your home or property, NOW is the time to do so!! I have buyers just waiting for new inventory to hit the market and I would welcome the opportunity to help you!

As always, if you have any questions or if there is anything we can do to help you, please  contact us today (352) 577-9171 or Info@Search352Homes.com

Is Your Home Smarter Than You?

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

Have you had the chance yet to tour a smart home? It’s crazy to think about all of the technology features that now makes up a home! Maybe you have thought about adding a few smart features to your home, but the cost scares you! Or you could be like me and wonder if a smart home is smarter than you! Here are a few affordable ways to turn your home into a smart home! 

  • Nest Hello Doorbell- Have you seen these yet? They’ve been out for quite a while and I love the idea behind them! If someone rings your doorbell you can download the Nest Hello Doorbell app on your phone and it will send you a picture of the person at your door. What a great feature for when you are not home! 

 

  • Ecobee 3 Smart Thermostat- Adding this smart feature to your home could save you a lot of money on your electric bill! Most of us are away from our homes during the day for work and errands. A lot of times you may think of turning off your A/C while away, but you forget. Now having the Ecobee 3 Smart Thermostat you can control your thermostat anywhere from your smartphone! 

 

  • Amazon Echo- Who doesn’t love speaking to Alexa?!?! Adding this smart feature to your home can help you in so many ways! Alexa can set reminders for you, turn on and off your tv, play music, arm/disarm your security system and so much more! 

 

  • Chamberlain Garage Door Opener- Who else constantly can’t remember if they shut the garage door when leaving their home? Well now you don’t have to worry anymore! This smart feature allows you to see your driveway and garage door from you smartphone. You can also control your garage door from the app! 

 

These are just a few ideas how you can turn your home into a smart home! Please check out more ideas online! As always, if you have any questions or if there is anything Rountree Realty can do to help you please contact us! 

(352) 577-9171 or Info@Search352Homes.com 

June-Closing Statistics

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

We hope everyone had a great 4th of July holiday! It was a great time celebrating with friends and family and hope you were able to enjoy it too! 

I’ve heard so many people recently saying “I’ve heard home sales are up”  “I can’t believe what my neighbor got for their home” “Is it a good time to sell?” If you have thought any of these thoughts the answer is…YES!!! Now is a great time to sell!!! Check out these June closing statistic for parts of Marion County!!! 

JPEG-Chart

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If you’re interested in finding out what your home value is worth call/text me TODAY! June was a great month for real estate in Marion County and I would love to have the opportunity to help you!  

(352) 577-9171 or Info@Search352Homes.com 

 

All data is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the Ocala MLS or Rountree Realty Corp. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information is deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert. We are an equal housing opportunity provider.