Buyer Tips

Pre-Approved vs Pre-Qualified

Pre-Approved vs Pre-Qualitied - what the difference and why does it matter? In this short video, we will address this and other related issues that are important to home or condo buyers.

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The Hidden Dangers of Florida's Ponds

Yes, the Florida ponds are beautiful, and it's tempting to want to take a stroll around the shoreline. But think twice before you do! Watch this video to discover the danger.

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Buyer's vs Seller's Title Insurance

In this video, Cindy Kisida interviews Leah Negri of Platinum National Title. They discuss the difference in the policies and share what a real estate buyer really needs.

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Who Are You Dealing With?

"Are you for real???"

Shady CharacterI get calls from worried family members about their relatives getting involved with scams in real estate. Please make sure you are dealing with licensed agents that have a license number that can be verified. You can use the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) website to verify a Florida Real Estate License.

The call I got today was from a family member. Their father was looking at a very expensive condo in Downtown St. Petersburg Florida. The price of the condo was over $1 million. The selling “agent” told the buyer that if he would bring physical cash to the closings, he would get a discount on the price.

In closings, the title company or lawyer would not accept physical cash as a form of payment. You can wire the deposited funds for a closing. But you would never be asked to bring the actual cash to the closing and certainly not to the building to close.

Make sure you know who you are dealing with and the agent is looking after you and your money to get the transaction closed.

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Do condo minimum rental periods apply to family, friends, and guests?

Minimum Rental Period QuestionsBackground: I was talking to a customer this week and she said she wanted a condo with a 7-day minimum rental period. In talking to her about some of the specifics about what she wanted I discovered she wanted a condo that she could use herself, but also make available to family and friends. They couldn't stay for a full month so she didn't want a condo with a three-month or even a one-month minimum. The downside is a condo with a 7-day minimum rental is harder to find than one with a one-month or three-month minimum rental period. There are just less of them to choose from.

Answer: In most condos, the Minimum Rental Period applies to lease terms for paid renters. It does not apply to family and unpaid guests. (Check Condo Rules and Regulations before signing a contract). So we were able to find her a beautiful condo with a one-month minimum where she could still have family and friends visiting.

What questions do you have? Use the form below and we'll try to answer your question.

Call me at 727-466-7344 or use the contact form below if you have questions or if I can help in any way!

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Thinking About An Investment Condo?

If you are thinking about buying an investment condo, minimum rental period restrictions are definitely something to consider. Below are some guidelines to help you balance your interest in personal use of the condo vs. optimizing the investment potential.

Short Term Leases

Buying A Short Term vs. Longer Term CondoThere are different styles of rental condos out there. If you want a cash cow investment, you might want to consider purchasing a short-term rental condo with no minimum days required to stay. These types of condos will often stay full 80% of the time. But, this style of condo might not be the type of condo you would want to spend a lot of time in. There is usually a lot of activity around and a lot of in and out of the guests. Hard to get to know people consistently. 

I saw a condo this week that is at a condo-hotel. The room is a hotel room with approximately 300 sq. feet. There is no view but this condo stays rented 85% of the time and is in a hotel that is busy with conventions etc. Would you want to stay in a room with no view for a long period of time? Probably not. But this is a cash cow. These styles of condos are standard look in decor and no personalization of the decor.

One Month+

If you want a nice condo that you can enjoy during the year, maybe a condo that you rent seasonally, January-March and enjoy it yourself the rest of the time. This kind of condo you can decorate any way you like and get some great short term renters.These are usually more expensive condos but the steady...

Shower Heads - How Hard Are They To Replace?

We actually get asked this a lot by condo and home buyers. So we made a real-time video with the help of Slaughter Plumbing to show you exactly what is involved.

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