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. 

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!!! 

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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. 

 

 

Happy 4th of July from Rountree Realty!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Day All, 

I came across this quote and thought it was too good not to share! 

“The strength of a nation lies in the homes of it’s people”

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Rountree Realty wishes everyone a Happy 4th of July! We hope you get some time to enjoy this very important day with friends and family! We should be proud to live in the USA! 

Get The Most of Your Tax Return-Buy a Home!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

 

Good Afternoon All, 

I hope everyone is having a great start to your Monday! Who has filed their income taxes and is just waiting for your refund to hit their bank account? Have you given any consideration as to what you’re going to do with your tax refund? Here’s an idea for you…INVEST IN YOURSELF AND BUY A HOME!!! Buying a home is one of the best financial decisions you can make! Below are just a few reasons what you should invest in yourself and buy a home NOW! 

1.) Low Interest Rates, BUT on the Rise- The average 30 year fixed interest rate is about 4.5%. This is still incredibly low, but over the past 8 weeks we have been seeing an increase in rates. 

2.) Home Values- Sale prices and home values are on the rise! This is a good thing! We want values to go up gradually which means if you purchase now, hopefully within a year or so you will have positive equity in your home! 

3.) Home Inventory- Most home sellers think about listing their home in the spring. They know the hard Florida winters are behind us and home buyers are ready to purchase! 

4.) More Cash in Your Pocket- Did you know parts of Marion County and surrounding areas qualify for 100% USDA financing? Meaning no down payment for you! Let’s chat on how we can negotiate the seller paying some of your closing cost so at the end, you have keys in your hand with very little money out of pocket! 

5.) Tax Benefits- Have you thought of all of the tax benefits of purchasing a home? Tax write offs, mortgage insurance, homestead tax exemption, etc. I’m sure your accountant will have even more tax benefits for you! 

If you have any questions or want to get started today with your home purchase please contact us. We would love to have the opportunity to help assist you with ALL of your real estate needs. Thank you!

Veterans Day Events-20% Off Services!

Posted by R_yn5_@_ul on

Good Day All, 

I hope everyone is having a great day! Check out these fun family events to honor and celebrate our Veterans this weekend! 

http://fun4ocalakids.com/Whats-Happening/Veterans-Day-Events/

There are a lot of activities here in Marion County and surrounding areas to have fun with the family!

Oh and don’t forget that Rountree Realty gives back 20% of earned commission to our Veterans! Contact me today for more info. (352) 572-1739 or info@homesforsaleocalamarion.com. 

-Duke

Ocala, Florida Area Local Market Report 2011 – 3rd Quarter

Posted by Duke Rountree on

TODAYS MARKET…. Median Price and Existing home Sales

All real estate is local and every market is unique. Remember that when you hear reports from the major new networks. We are seeing some positive signs in the Ocala / Marion County Market with the Median Home Price now at $80,900 with 1-year Appreciation at -1.6% and a 3 year Appreciation of a whooping -40.1%. This relatively recent correction in local home prices wiped out most of the equity gained over the last 7 years. State Existing Home Sales(2011 Q3 vs 2010 Q3) is at +10.6% for Florida and Nationally 17%.

FORECLOSURE info by type…

The market share of Foreclosures by type is 88.3% are Prime Loans, 5.1% are Sub-Prime Loans and 6.6% are Alt-A Loans. There has been a decline of both 60 and 90 day delinquency rates over the most recent 6-month period suggests a decline in local foreclosure rates in the near future.

AFFORDABILITY….

Based on Ratio of Local Mortgage Servicing Cost to Income, Ocala has typically been more affordable than most markets. For example the Monthly Mortgage Payment to Income for Ocala is 6.6% compared to 15.5% in the United States for 2010 and 5.7% locally for 2011 and 13.9% nationally with the historical average at 11.3% locally and 22% nationally. The price to income ratio has fallen as well and is below the historical average.

So what does this all mean?

Well it could mean we are close to reaching the bottom of the housing value slide. But it will take a strong economy and more local jobs for the housing market to continue gaining traction. There is less inventory on the market with an increase in buyer activity, compared to the same time last year. We are a long way from seeing appreciation in our homes but hopefully close to reaching the bottom and no more depreciation of value.

“Until Next Time”