When you’re selling your home, should you use a lockbox or your agent for access to showings? We believe using a lockbox is the best option for a few reasons. Selling a home? Get a free home value reportBuying a home? Search all homes for sale When selling your home, there are two ways you can handle showings without being present. You can either use a lockbox or have your agent open the home for a buyer’s agent. We’ll go over the difference between these two options and tell you which one we believe is the better option. There’s really no way to know how long people are going to take to look at a home. Some people are in and out in a couple of minutes and some people take 30 minutes to look at a home. If the buyers and I have to meet with the listing agent, they will usually ask for a 15- to 30-minute time window to meet us there. If the agent is at the third or fourth home we’re going to see, there’s no way to make sure that is timed correctly, which puts a lot of stress on the buyer’s agent.  Agents also might need you to work a showing into their schedule. However, showings should be set up based on what is most convenient for the buyer. If we’re starting at 10 a.m., it’s probably because my buyers work in the afternoon or have other appointments. Using an agent to show your home doesn’t really add value. In fact, it could end up hurting your home sale. Buyers need to fall in love with the big picture of a home, which can be difficult for them to do when the seller’s agent is talking too much. In short, using your agent to show the property is incredibly inconvenient. “ Homes that use lockboxes get an average of 33% more showings. ”Lockboxes, on the other hand, are very convenient. Not only do lockboxes make it easier to show your home, but statistics say that homes that use lockboxes get an average of 33% more showings. There are two kinds of lockboxes, combination and electronic. We recommend sellers use an electronic lockbox because combination lockboxes are cheap and are less likely to keep your home safe because they are easier to open. On the flip side, electronic lockboxes can only be opened by actively licensed agents who are in good standing with the Realtor association. There is also a specific app you need to have on your phone, along with a fob that will allow you to open the lockbox. Anyone can download that app on their phone, but it won’t work without a 30-digit pin from the Realtor association. We take the security of our clients very seriously, and the right lockbox used properly by the right agents allows more convenient access for showings. This means you’ll get a better chance of selling at a better price and you’ll spend less time on the market.  If you have a topic you’d like us to make a video about, send us an email! If your question is picked, we will send you a $25 gift card as a small thank you. As always, if you are looking to buy or sell a home or if you have any other real estate-related questions, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

One of the best things about a new year is setting new goals. Today, we’ll go over one of our goals, as well as a few tips to help you meet yours. Selling a home? Get a free home value reportBuying a home? Search all homes for sale If you’re like us, you have probably set a number of goals for the new year. One of our goals in 2017 is to have coffee with 15 different people a week. In order to achieve that goal, we need your help.  We need you to connect us with people that you think we should meet for coffee. What’s in it for you? As Zig Ziglar once said, “You can have everything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want.” Through our years of experience in real estate, we know that in order to reach your goals, you need to do two things: Write them down. Talk to someone who holds you accountable to your goals. Our previous coach, Marjorie Adams, held us accountable to our goals. We measured our progress with her every two weeks. We recently started working with a new coach, Hailey Garcia. We went over our goals with her and we will measure them the same way, by meeting every two weeks. Hailey has even given us some homework already! There is a cash penalty if we don’t complete our homework on time, too. We won’t get that tough with you, but we truly enjoy helping other people reach their goals, and not just their real estate goals, either. For example, at the beginning of January, we reached out to several people in order to help someone else find a job. We found a couple of good leads for her, so we want to thank everyone who helped us with that. Sometimes you might have a financial goal. If that’s the case, we’d love to grab a coffee with you and go over the personal budget system that we use. This is a great tool to pay down debt, manage your money, and make better decisions. “ Write down your goals. ”We can even connect you with a couple of terrific financial planners. Many people make goals for their health. If that’s the case, we can connect you with a great dietitian and personal trainer. We are focusing on our health this year, so you can help hold us accountable to that, too. Together we have almost 30 years of experience in South Florida. We have formed great relationships with a number of people in a variety of careers.  As Realtors, we know great contractors, handymen, and painters. However, we also know great accountants, financial planners, bakers, and even florists! We would love the opportunity to get together for coffee with you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are interested or if you have any real estate questions. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Increasing interest rates have been a hot topic lately. Today, we’ll go over what’s happening with them and how they affect buyers and sellers. Selling a home? Get a free home value reportBuying a home? Search all homes for sale There are a lot of questions concerning interest rates, so we wanted to take a moment to explain what is going on with interest rates and how they affect you whether you are buying or selling. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.5% the week after the election, and they are up by almost 0.75% today. This affects both buyers and sellers, but there is no reason to panic. In fact, interest rates are right where Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Mortgage Bankers Association, and the National Association of Realtors predicted they would be in 2017, and they are still at all-time lows! Sellers are worried that the buyer pool getting smaller means home prices are going to drop, but that isn’t the case. Historically, when there has been a dramatic increase in rates—not like the small increase we just had, but by 1% or more in a year—property values actually go up. This is partially caused by fear on the buyer’s part. Buyers see rates going up and get scared that if they don’t buy a home right away, they’ll never be able to afford a home. This leads to incredibly active buyers and high demand, which increases home prices. The increase in interest rates may cause prices to go up, so why do we still recommend you buy a home today? According to Ralph McLaughlin, Chief Economist at Trulia, in many markets, mortgage rates would have to be at 7%, 8%, 9%, or even 10% for the cost of owning a home to roughly equate to the cost of renting. He believes that the financial advantage for home ownership will still persist even if mortgage rates rise. “ Don’t let increasing interest rates scare you away from buying a home. ”The cost of renting is far greater than the cost of owning a home. In fact, according to Zillow, mortgage affordability is about 15%, and rent affordability is double that at about 30%. The bottom line for sellers is although interest rates have crept up, they shouldn’t have a negative effect on property values, and rates may even cause values to increase. For buyers, buying is way less expensive than renting. Whether you’re a renter or a buyer, you’re still paying a mortgage, it’s just a question of whose. If you do the math, you’ll see that you’ll spend the same amount of money renting as you would paying down a mortgage over the years. The difference is, that money could be going into a home you own free and clear one day. Home prices and interest rates are projected to increase, so if you are thinking about buying, we recommend you do it sooner rather than later. If you’d like to know more about a specific topic, let us know and we will make a video about it. If we pick your question to answer in a video, we’ll send you a $25 gift card as a small thank you. If you have any other questions or are looking to buy or sell a home, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email. We look forward to helping you!

There are two scams lurking out there that we wanted to talk about today so you can avoid falling victim to them. Selling a home? Get a free home value reportBuying a home? Search all homes for sale Unfortunately, scammers and thieves are out there, and they’re finding new ways to get our money and our personal information. There are two scams in particular that we want to talk about today and how you can avoid them. The first is the “certified deed scam.” This is the one we hear most often about from our clients. How it works is new homeowners get an official-looking notice in the mail with a return address in Tallahassee saying that, for a certified copy of their deed, they need to send back $90. This is a total scam. The title company will send you a copy of your recorded deed for free after closing. You can also get a copy of your deed online (again, for free) or just ask us for one. The second is the IRS scam: Last month, authorities in India arrested 70 people and are questioning hundreds more after uncovering a massive scam to cheat thousands of Americans out of millions of dollars. They pose as U.S. tax authorities and demand unpaid taxes. Police in Mumbai stated that this scam involved call centers that sent voicemail messages threatening U.S. citizens with collection action under the guise that they owed back taxes. Sadly, some people actually fell for this and forked over thousands of dollars in cashier’s checks and gifts cards in order to “settle” these debts. Since 2013, the IRS has received millions of complaints about this scam, and more than 5,000 people have fallen victim to it. The estimated collected total thus far has been almost $30 million. “ Don’t fall for these scams. ”What can you do to avoid falling for scams like these? First, remember that the real IRS would never call you and demand immediate payment for something, and/or require you to ever use a specific payment method to pay that fee. They will also never ask for credit card information over the phone. If you ever get a call from someone claiming they represent the IRS and demanding some kind of debt collection, report that call to the real IRS. You can either visit their impersonation reporting page online or call them at (800) 366-4484. If you have any specific questions or tax problems, let us connect you with a great local CPA who can advise you. If you have any other questions or have a video topic suggestion in mind for us, reach out to us so we can reward you with a $25 gift card. We look forward to helping you!

We explain a homestead exemption and let you know how it’s going to save you money this year. Selling a home? Get a free home value reportBuying a home? Search all homes for sale It’s property tax time, and if you haven’t gotten your bill yet, it’s probably on the way. We’re here to tell you about an easy way to save money this year, filing a homestead exemption. What is a homestead exemption? The state of Florida grants a standard $25,000 exemption of the assessed value of your primary residence. In fact, there is an additional exemption up to an additional $25,000 that may also apply. Who is eligible for a homestead exemption? Only permanent Florida residents who own the property and use it as their permanent primary residence can file for a homestead exemption. Make sure the address of the home you are filing for matches your voter registration, driver’s license, income tax return, and all other important documents. It is important to note, however, that if you or your spouse are already getting a residence-based exemption in another county, state, or country, you are not able eligible to receive a homestead exemption. “ You could save up to $725 a year. ”How do you apply for a homestead exemption? There are a couple ways. Either go to the state or the appropriate county property appraiser’s website and find the link to download the application, or reach out to us! We would be happy to help you file. One of the best parts of a homestead exemption is the “save our homes” portion. This portion states that after the first year a home has received a homestead exemption and fair market value is assessed, the assessment can’t increase more than 3% the following year. You could save up to $725 a year just by filing one paper, and you only have to file once! To find out more about a homestead exemption: or other exemptions that will help you save money, such as active duty military and veterans or disability exemptions, feel free to give us a call!

When selling your home, you only get one chance to make a great first impression. Using professional photography will show your home in the best possible light. Selling a home? Get a free home value reportBuying a home? Search all homes for sale You only get one chance to make a first impression, right? We can verify that almost all home buyers begin their home search online, so that means that the first photos that your agent posts are the ones making that first impression. Photos help a buyer determine whether or not they want to see your property in person. For this reason, make sure you take professional photographs. This is your chance to separate yourself from the competition, so make sure that your property shines in the best possible light. “ You only get one chance to make a good first impression. ”Dark, grainy photos that are too small will deter buyers from even coming to look at your property. Professional photographers shoot in high definition and know how to use lighting to make your home attractive to potential buyers. Drone photography can be perfect to showcase your property as well, especially if it sits on the water, a golf course, or a park. Here’s a great example of the kind of difference that professional photography can make: Just last month, we were hired by a couple whose property had been on the market with another agent for several months with no offers. After consulting with us, one of our professional home stagers went to work and transformed the house. Not long afterward, our photographer came in and took some photos. What happened next? In less than a week, we received five offers and the property sold for the full asking price. Needless to say, this couple was thrilled! This is the difference that a good first impression can make. If you have any questions about getting your home ready for the market, or anything else related to real estate, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We’re happy to be a resource for you!

We hear it all the time: “My Zestimate says that my property is worth x.” But are Zestimates really an accurate tool for determining the value of your home? Selling a home? Get a free home value reportBuying a home? Search all homes for sale We hear it all the time. “Zillow says my home is worth this much,” or “My Zestimate says this,” but the question we’d like to answer is, “Can Zillow give you an accurate property valuation?” In our experience, Zillow estimates are often at least 5% to 15% off, and in some extreme cases, 25% to 35% off of the home’s real appraised value. Zillow uses a basic algorithm that is supposed to use comparable property sales in your neighborhood to come up with a value; however, finding the true value of a property isn’t that simple. The best way to determine a property’s value is to talk to an experienced professional agent who will do the research, find comparable sales, physically assess the property, and then analyze the data. There is no way for Zillow to account for all of the factors that give a property its value. Zillow is a decent tool to get a very rough idea of your property’s value, but not to find an accurate value. In fact, even the CEO of Zillow agrees. An article that we recently read details how Zillow’s CEO listed his home for sale in Seattle, and despite the Zestimate saying that it was worth about $1.75 million, it sold for just under $1.1 million. That means that the Zestimate was nearly 40% off! “ Zestimates are far from the final word on a property’s value. ”The moral of the story is this: Zestimates can be a good conversation starter for pricing a property, but they are far from the final word on its value, especially if you’re looking for an accurate number. If you or somebody you know is thinking about buying or selling a home or if you have any real estate questions, don’t hesitate to call or email us today. Let us know how we can help you get sold by The Bros!

What’s the current state of the South Florida real estate market look like? Are we in a buyer’s market or a seller’s market? When we checked the research this morning, both Palm Beach County and Broward County showed that they were both in what we’d call seller’s markets. But what does that mean? What’s the difference between a buyer’s market and a seller’s market? A seller’s market means that there are currently more people looking to buy a home than there are looking to sell. A buyer’s market means that there are currently more people looking to sell than there are looking to buy. Right now, the inventory level of homes for buyers to choose from is teetering on the low side, thus making us a seller’s market. How does that affect the value of homes in our area? When inventory levels are low, there is typically a gentle, upward pressure on prices. Interest rates are also incredibly low right now. For a 30-year fixed mortgage, we’re mostly seeing rates in the mid-to-high 3% range. “ It’s a great time to be both a buyer and a seller. ”Though we classify our area as being in a seller’s market, it’s a great time to be both a seller and a buyer. For buyers, it’s inexpensive to borrow money and you can buy with leverage. For seller’s, low interest rates have spawned a glut of buyers to choose from. If the property is in good condition, priced right, and marketed well, it should sell for top dollar in less than a month. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, call or email us today for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.