There are many reasons to avoid overpricing your home when you list it for sale, and three main reasons stand out as the most important.

Get FREE instant access to local homes fromany cell or tablet by downloading our KW app! Zillow is one of today’s most popular online home valuation tools—the “Zestimate” is their estimation of your home’s value.  How do you know if your Zestimate is correct? Unfortunately, it probably isn’t.  I want to warn you all against relying on Zillow to make any real estate decisions, regardless of whether you are buying or selling a home. Consumers these days are increasingly relying on online home valuations, yet these online home estimates are just that—ESTIMATES. There’s no better illustration of that than an article (click here to check it out yourself) that you might have missed in the news back in February about the CEO of Zillow, whose home ended up selling for a whopping 40% less than what his Zestimate! While Zillow can be a great real estate resource, there are few caveats. First, know that there are certain factors Zillow cannot take into account, such as an irregular lot size, patterns of buyer demand, improvements that might affect your value or unique circumstances surrounding past sales. Zillow does not derive its data from the MLS like professional real estate agents do. The MLS is the most accurate and complete source for listings. On the other hand, professional agents study the market, research the relevant sales, and have often personally been inside the competing homes, and homes recently sold. That’s the kind of knowledge you really need to determine your home’s value. “ Zillow doesn’t have access to data from the MLS, cannot know about home improvements you’ve made, and does not take into account certain factors about your location and buyer demand. ” Zillow even admits that their median error nationwide is 7.9%. What does that mean to you? It means half of Zillow’s Zestimates are off by more than that! You deserve better. Luxury homeowners beware, Zestimates are even more likely to be inaccurate with high end luxury homes with unique features.  We are here to help you. If you have any questions about your home’s value or want to know about improvements that will add value to your home, give us a call. We would be happy to help you!

How do you know if your Zestimate is correct? Unfortunately, it probably isn’t.

At Tampa Home Group, we go the extra mile to find the best homes off the MLS and beyond for our clients.

Get FREE instant access to local homes fromany cell or tablet by downloading our KW app! Realtor.com recently did a study of medium to large size real estate markets throughout the US, and our market here in Tampa Bay was listed as one of the hottest in the country. Listings in our area are being viewed online 2 to 5 times as often as in others, and homes are selling anywhere from 44-78 days faster than compared elsewhere. Some of the other cities that made the Top 20 Hottest Markets were San Francisco, Denver, San Jose, San Diego, Dallas, Nashville, and more. Only one other place in Florida made the cut, so Tampa is very lucky to make this list. Tampa is a phenomenal place to live for many different reasons. The weather is perfect.No state income tax!Our demographic is the youngest in the state.We have access to some of the top beaches in the world.Entertainment and nightlife are thriving.A world-class airport. If you have any questions about buying or selling property in Tampa, please don’t hesitate to contact me! We expect 2016 to be a great time to sell a home, but you have to list quickly. Spring is already here!

Get FREE instant access to local homes fromany cell or tablet by downloading our KW app! Thank you so much to our clients that helped us in January through April. We had a fantastic start to the new year here in Tampa. So far, we’ve already helped more than 51 people buy or sell their dream home in the surrounding community. We couldn’t have done it without you! “ The next 60 days will be a phenomenal time in real estate. ” It’s May and spring is upon us. Do you know what that means? The busiest season in the industry is here. The next 60 days will be a phenomenal time in real estate. Families, both local and those relocating for their jobs, are looking to buy a new home with their kids wrapping up the school year. These buyers want to be under contract before the next school year starts, and they’re already out in full force. If you’re a buyer, expect to see new listings coming to the market daily. If you’re a seller, this is the time to list your property! You have the opportunity to sell for top dollar in a short amount of time. If you’re thinking about buying or selling a Greater Tampa Bay area home, please reach out by phone or email. We’d be happy to serve your local real estate needs and answer any questions you might have!

We had a fantastic start to the new year here in Tampa.

Get FREE instant access to local homes fromany cell or tablet by downloading our KW app! You only get one chance to make a first impression. Did you know 90-95% of buyers begin their home search online? That means the photos your agent posts of your home make that first impression! Photos help a buyer determine whether or not they want to see your home in person, so make sure you take professional photographs. Make your property shine! This is your chance to separate yourself from your competition. There have been many times where a home sits on the market, and we can point to the photos as the reason. Dark photographs, grainy photographs, and photos that are too small deter buyers. Ensure your agent invests in a professional photographer. Professional photographers shoot in high definition, so these photos are made to be viewed on a computer screen. Professional pictures will be crisp, clear, well-lit, and the colors will look great on a computer screen.  Drone photography is perfect to showcase your property, especially if your home sits on a lakefront or a beautiful golf course. Drones can capture lovely panoramic views of your home.  Click here for a free guide on preparing your home for a professional photoshoot. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Get FREE instant access to local homes fromany cell or tablet by downloading our KW app! One of the most common questions we’re asked is “what do I need to do to get my home ready to go on the market?” Did you know that there are many low cost, high impact ways to improve the sale price of your home without undertaking a major remodeling project? Today I'm going to show you a few inexpensive ways to improve your home before selling. Curb appeal is incredibly important. Plant some flowers, trim your bushes and palms, pressure wash your driveway, walkways, fences, and decks, add fresh mulch, and a fresh coat of paint on your front door. Make sure the hardware on your front door is shiny and operating well. You only get one chance at a first impression, so don't cut corners here.As a buyer enters your home, you want them to see a clean and uncluttered property. Remove excess family photos, keepsake items, and excess furniture that take away from the essence of your home. Clearing off counter space is important. Imagine you are in a model home and try to replicate that feel. Stow small appliances, cosmetics, cleaning products, and piles of paperwork out of sight.Neutralize any dark or bright paint colors. While deep dark burgundy might have looked great with your décor, and you might have enjoyed that navy blue accent wall, chances are slim those colors will appeal to the next buyer. Create a positive impression for buyers, who will appreciate that they can move right in. Neutral earth tones work well. Don't forget about your trim and your baseboards! Scuffed baseboards, doors with smudgemarks, and trim that needs touching up creates a “tired” feeling—painting your trim and baseboards goes a long way to making your home feel like new.Replace dated light fixtures and faucet fixtures. It's amazing how the atmosphere of any room can be altered with updated fixtures. If you still have the original builder grade or outdated light and faucet fixtures, and your home is screaming 1995, a trip to the home improvement store can yield big results. Updating your fixtures is a relatively low cost way of modernizing a room without a huge investment, and it can drastically improve how buyers feel about your home.There are some other easy things you can do to make your Tampa home stand out on the market.  Part of the service we offer to our valued clients is to suggest the changes that will yield the best return on your investment. If you want to sell your home this spring, then now is the time to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you! Click here to order John and Maria's "Guide to Preparing Your Home for a Professional Photo Shoot"

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Get FREE instant access to local homes fromany cell or tablet by downloading our KW app! The news continues to be very positive here in Tampa Bay! We've had a very strong market, where we've seen a year-to-year price increase of 10.7% and a drop in inventory of 3.8%.  When you take a closer look at the numbers, we found that homes under $200,000 are going very quickly, while inventory in the higher price ranges has increased year over year. For example, inventory of homes in the $1 million price range has spiked 15%, homes in the $600K-$1 million range are up 10%, homes in the $400K-$600K are up 11%, and homes from $200K-$400K are up 10%. Buyers in Tampa are feeling the pressure to lock in a historically low interest rate, as the rates have been creeping up lately, with talk of further increases. It's a good time to sell your current property and lock in a low rate on your new property. If you would like to take advantage of these conditions, or if you would like to test the waters to see if conditions are right for you, give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to hear from you!