Karen, Author at Homes On 30A ® 850-687-1064

Choosing a Great 30a Real Estate Agent

Karen June 12, 2014

Everyone knows that a real estate purchase is almost always the most expensive purchase most people will ever make in their lives. The importance of this fact cannot be overstated . As the Broker/Owner of Homes On 30A, I wear many hats and I have represented both buyers and sellers in many real estate transactions along 30A. Truth be told, I have a tremendous amount of experience and expertise in representing buyers in their search and acquisition of real estate.

Lets talk about the pitfalls in choosing a great 30a real estate agent and some things you should keep in mind. The real estate market has experienced a strong rebound over the past 18 months and the projections are showing further increases in prices and activity. As is always the case, this brings many people “jumping in” or rejoining the real estate business. For the most part, these people lack the experience and therefore the expertise you need from an agent when purchasing a property. Many of these “licensees” will not spend the time or effort, for a variety of reasons, to become serious agents and you can and will pay the price. When choosing an agent, always talk to more than one. If you choose an agent with limited experience, ask if they have a broker or another agent they are mentoring with. You deserve it!

One of the biggest disservices an agent can make when representing a buyer is to show only their own listings or only listings from their agency. This is bad business and severely limits your options as a buyer. ALWAYS make sure that you are seeing everything that is available and don’t be afraid to ask an agent directly “are you showing me everything that is available” and “how many of these properties are your listings or your agency’s listings”? An agent who limits you to specific listings is only interested in one thing and it’s not you!

Be prepared, when interviewing a prospective agent, to ask questions about the “process” of buying a property. The right lender, the right insurance agent, a good solid home inspection team, flood zones, who to manage your property if you are placing it in a vacation rental pool. Can the agent provide you with some income and expense projections? Detail and background on a homeowners association. I suggest you be quite specific in asking these questions. There are many real estate agents who are not experienced enough to provide you with the expertise and guidance you should expect. Confidence and competence go hand in hand and it doesn’t take long to separate the good ones from the “rest”.

As a broker here at Homes On 30A, I make sure that every agent is aware that it is our job to do the very best we can in providing clients with as much information as possible, access to all available inventory and provide excellent service throughout the buying process. Agents at Homes On 30A are all seasoned, experienced and recognized as top producers in the real estate field. We are very proud of our team and look forward to providing you with a great experience when you choose to become an owner in an amazing area such as this.

Karen Holder
Broker Owner
850.687.1064
www.HomesOn30A.com
3092 W County Hwy 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Choosing The Right 30a Listing Agent

Karen June 5, 2014

Most home sellers leave thousands of dollars on the table when they sell their homes. There, we said it and we mean it. It’s funny how we will look at a restaurant bill before paying it but not exercise due diligence in selecting a real estate agent to market and sell your property. Choosing the right 30a Listing Agent makes a huge difference.

Most home sellers make a hiring choice before considering what separates the top producers from the rest of the pack and make no mistake about it, there are very real, discernible differences if you know how to interview agents prior to giving one your listing. It happens in every local housing market. It doesn’t matter where you are, there exists a small group of excellent real estate agents and then a mass of licensees who don’t put much time or effort into what they do.

Here are our suggestions when it comes to hiring the right agent to sell your home:

Interview at least 3 agents. Don’t leave your decision to chance and don’t ever pick the first one you interview. For years, people would use someone they went to church with or a neighbor or friend but there is a vast difference in expertise and experience among agents today. Why not choose one that can get you the results you want. Ask for sales numbers and total transactions. These are always a good measure of an agent’s experience and abilities especially in pricing your property right and most importantly, in negotiating the best price. Be sure you ask all agents you interview the same questions so you can make a clear choice in who you use. Use the internet! Word of mouth is great but don’t invite one in for an interview because of PTA or youth baseball. The best agents who successfully market and sell property are heavily invested in what an online presence can give them. Face it, an agent who is not invested in what the internet can do for them and, most importantly, you the client is not in the game. The more “tech savvy” they are, typically the more successful they are. The internet is the best place for agents who know how to properly use it to have a deeper understanding of your market and it’s history. Websites such as Zillow and Trulia are dependable sources for finding the best agents. I also suggest you simply Google your neighborhood or area followed by “real estate” and see who pops up ! These are the agents who have made the financial commitment to being successful.
A 30a real estate agent who can speak to you about the market in your area, price comparisons, square foot prices, flood insurance, local lenders, title concerns etc without having to “get back to you” is the person you want. Ask questions about these things and listen closely. Don’t be afraid to call one back with a follow up question if you have one. Don’t ever take the selection process lightly as it can mean thousands of dollars in your pocket.

Karen Holder
Broker Owner
850.687.1064
www.HomesOn30A.com
3092 W County Hwy 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

A Quick Look at National Statistics In Real Estate

Karen May 26, 2014

It isn’t often that we spend much time talking about the real estate market on the national level but we should take a quick look at National Statistics in real estate. Our market here on 30A is very different for obvious reasons and the national statistics do not provide much insight in to what the condition of our local market truly is. The most obvious reasons are these: most purchases are for second homes (not primary residences) and many being placed with property managers who handle vacation rental properties. The average household income for buyers is much higher than the national average and we have very few first time buyers here. That being said, it is still interesting to look at some of the national statistics from time to time.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury are two long time and very detailed sources for activity in the national real estate market. Here are a few of their findings through April of this year:

House prices remain stable, rising 7% over last year which is a far more sustainable rate than the 20% we have seen on the beach. Foreclosures are at their lowest level since 2007 and this trend is expected to continue as lending institutions write down and dispose of non performing loans. There were 28,840 properties repossessed by lenders in March of this year which is down a whopping 34% from a year ago and are at their lowest levels since July of 2007! Bank repossessions here on the beach have slowed to a trickle and when these properties hit the market here, they almost always go for more than ask and are not on the market long (usually less than a couple of days).

New home purchases dropped 14.5% in March of this year over last year. Locally, we have seen a decline in overall activity over last year which reached an almost frenzied state due to lower inventories and new housing starts. Our market here is still strong and should stabilize with appreciation rates coming down to levels below 10% which will strengthen the market in the long term. Home prices rising at a 20% to 25% rate is not sustainable. Our agents here at Homes On 30A are having solid years and we are optimistic about the remainder of 2014. Interest in purchasing is strong and interest rates are still at historic lows.

Karen Holder
Broker Owner
850.687.1064
www.HomesOn30A.com
3092 W County Hwy 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Watercolor Home Listing Coming Soon

Karen May 22, 2014

This Watercolor home listing coming soon is a must see for investors or second home owners. This custom 5 bedroom plus double bunk room, 6.5 bath home with movie theater and fitness room is located in Phase 3 Watercolor. This home also offers a 2 car garage with separate quest house and a private pool and is just steps to the Cerulean Landing Pedestrian bridge. The downstairs offers a small master bedroom, an office, open kitchen, living dining area. This home lives large and is great for entertaining with the outdoor kitchen and private pool. All bedrooms have en-suite baths with custom tiles and cabinetry. The double bunk area offers 4 girl bunks, 4 boy bunks and a Jack n Jill bath. Home is being offered furnished and move in or rental ready. Rental projections are around $160k gross. Below are a few photos for preview prior to the home hitting the market.

If you are interested in learning more about this property or any other Watercolor homes contact homes on 30a 850.687.1064.

30A Real Estate Company

Karen May 22, 2014

The best in a 30A Real Estate Company. As we leave the springtime behind and get set for another great summer season here on 30A, Homes On 30A is growing and proud to announce the addition of a new office. Effective May 1 of this year, we have expanded our efforts to include a new office on the East end of Highway 30A in the Alexander at Palm Court Building located between Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach. This addition was not part of our plan when we opened our new office in Blue Mt. Beach in February but circumstances provided us with an opportunity that we could not pass up. 3 very successful and experienced agents who have spent most of their time on the East end of Highway 30A approached us back in February about moving to Homes on 30A as agents and opening a new office. We were thrilled with the idea and were able to secure some really nice space on the ground floor of the Alexander at Palm Court building at 9961 East County Highway 30A in Seacrest Beach. Nancy Abood of Haus of Abood, an upscale funriture/design and decorating business has provided us with space that has been transformed into a small, very comfortable boutique office.

The three agents that we welcome aboard are Miriam Dillon, Mary Alice Johnson and Luann Brown. These ladies have long since established themselves as top producing agents with outstanding reputations as real estate agents in the area. This new office with these three great agents gives us a presence on the East end of 30A as well as expertise in the planned communities such as Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Seacrest Beach and others.

Homes On 30A is now perfectly positioned on both the West and East ends of 30A offering excellent service in the marketing, sales and purchasing of real estate here in paradise. Please drop by to visit at either location.

Karen Holder
Broker Owner
850.687.1064
www.HomesOn30A.com
3092 W County Hwy 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

30a’s newest homes for sale

Karen May 18, 2014

Finding 30a’s newest homes for sale made easy. With the real estate market back in full swing and the new construction starts up along hwy 30a, finding a brand new home is getting much easier. There are quite a few developments along the beach, all varying in price range, with great opportunities. Let’s cover West end of 30a through Blue Mtn Beach.

1) Cypress Dunes is a gated community, on the far Western end of hwy 30a with prices ranging from $399,900 and up. There are 207 homesites in the community, a beautiful infinity edge community swimming pool overlooking topsail nature preserve and the Gulf of Mexico. This great neighborhood winds through cypress swamps and natural landscape but does not currently have a deeded beach access.

2) Forest Lakes is a small planned community located in Blue Mtn Beach with prices ranging from $450,00 and up.The homes are smaller craftsman style situated perfectly on each homesite. A large community pool, large greenspace and community gathering spot are the main focal points and located in the middle of the neighborhood for easy access. The Public Beach access is a few blocks away

3) Draper Lake is a gated community located n Blue Mountain Beach on one of our famous Coastal Dune Lakes. Keeping with nature, the homes here are more rustic style. There are community pools, boat docks, bridges, parks and an observation tower for viewing wildlife and nature. You can walk, bike, fish or swim behind the gates of this fabulous new community. Rental golf carts are also available for a short ride to the beach access. There are no homes currently available for purchase but many lot opportunities

4) The Retreat at Blue Mtn Beach is a luxury gated community consisting of 90 home sites, with half of those fronting the Gulf of Mexico or Draper Lake. This planned development does not allow short term rentals and offers 3,000 feet of white sandy beaches. There are 4 dune walkovers to the beach and a luxurious beach front community pool. If you are looking for luxury and privacy then this community is for you. Prices range from $2.2 million and up

Check back soon for more information about 30a’s newest homes.

Karen Holder
Broker Owner
850.687.1064
www.HomesOn30A.com
3092 W County Hwy 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459