How Do I Sell My House?

webmaster Selling Luxury Homes February 1, 2023February 1, 2023

Selling your house can be a complicated and emotionally taxing process, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right guidance and preparation, it’s possible to make a smooth transition from homeowner to seller.

Here are the steps you need to take in order to successfully sell your home:

1. Determine Your Real Estate Market

The first step in selling your house is to determine the real estate market in your area. Do some research and find out what the average sale prices are for homes in your neighborhood.

This will help you determine how much you can realistically ask for your house. Keep in mind that the market can fluctuate and you may need to adjust your price accordingly.

2. Prepare Your Home for Sale

Once you have an idea of your home’s value, it’s time to start getting it ready for potential buyers. Start by decluttering and deep cleaning your home.

You want to make sure that the house looks as inviting and attractive as possible. Consider making small repairs and upgrades that will increase the value of the home.

Even if there aren’t any major repairs, it is important to inspect your home and make any small repairs that you have been putting off. Repainting, patching holes, and repairing trim can make a huge difference.

3. Price Your Home

Once your home is ready for sale, you’ll need to decide on the right price. It’s important to be realistic when pricing your home.

Too high and you won’t attract any buyers, too low and you won’t make as much money as you could. Consider the market, the condition of the home, and your own financial goals before pricing.

Selling with an agent: You can trust their expertise to help you determine a fair list price. The agent will provide you with a comparative marketplace analysis (CMA), also known as comps. They won’t be emotionally attached to your home and will be able to pinpoint the fair market value.

For-sale by-owner (FSBO), process: If you manage your own listing, you can request a market analysis from a local agent. You can also research comparable properties online, and follow best pricing practices.

4. Market Your Home

Once you’ve set the price, it’s time to start marketing your home. You can list it on an online real estate site, have open houses, or work with a realtor. Make sure you include plenty of photos and information about the home to attract buyers.

Selling with an agent: Most realtors will recommend a professional photographer (and often they have a photographer that they work with at a reduced rate). After you have taken the photos, your agent will promote your listing on the internet, social media, and through word-of-mouth.

The FSBO Process: Although the marketing is up to you, you will probably still want professional photos. You can list your FSBO on many websites. Social media sharing is also a good idea. To accommodate as many buyers as possible, keep your schedule open and maintain a clean home once the showing requests start to come in.

5. Negotiate and Close the Sale

Once you’ve attracted potential buyers, it’s time to negotiate. This can be a tricky process, so it’s important to have a good understanding of the market and the value of your home. Be prepared to negotiate and come to an agreement that works for both you and the buyer.

Once the negotiations are finished and the sale is made, you’ll need to close the deal with the help of a lawyer.

Why it is Beneficial to Use a Discount Real Estate Broker

Using a discount real estate broker can be beneficial when selling your home. A discount broker will typically charge a lower commission than a traditional broker, which can add up to substantial savings.

Discount brokers also offer a wide range of services, such as helping with marketing and negotiating the sale. They’re also knowledgeable about the local real estate market and can give you advice on pricing and other aspects of the sale.

Conclusion

Selling a home can be a complicated and time-consuming process, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right preparation and guidance, you can make the process much smoother.

Start by determining the local real estate market and prepare your home for sale. Next, price your home and market it to potential buyers. Finally, negotiate and close the sale with the help of a real estate broker.

Using a discount broker can help you save money and get the most out of your sale. With the right preparation and guidance, you can successfully sell your home and move on to the next chapter of your life.

How Discount Real Estate Brokers Work

Discount real estate broker breakdown

Low rates are the main focus of discount real estate brokers. Many discount brokers offer a built-in commission savings of 20-30% when listing with a traditional brokerage or realtor.

You will need to learn how real estate commissions work to understand how they can save you money.

One study found that the median income for an real estate agent in the United States is $42,246, with the highest-earning agents earning up to $64,198. This income comes primarily from commission fees.

The seller pays the commission fee in a traditional real estate transaction. Or, more precisely, it is taken from the seller’s proceeds at closing.

The average commission rate of 5.45% is made up of two separate fees per agent involved in the sale.

The listing agent receives the fee to market the property and helps it sell.
For bringing their client to buy the home, the buyer’s agent’s fee is paid to them.

The commission is usually split between the two agents. In this case, each agent would make approximately 2.7%.

Traditional commission breakdown

Fee	Rate
Listing fee	2.7%
Agent fee for the buyer	2.7%
Total commission	5.45%

Discount brokers often offer discounts on the listing fees side of the equation. For example, a discount broker might charge a 1% listing fee instead of the 2.5-3% standard, which would lower the total commission to approximately 3.7%.

Discount commission breakdown

Fee	Rate
Reduced listing fee	1%
Agent fee for the buyer	2.7%
Total commission	3.7%

Notice: Buyer’s agent fees are around 2.5-3 percent

Discount brokerages, and traditional agents, for that matter, will advise you to pay the full buyer’s agent fees. The rates vary depending on the market but are generally 2.5-3 percent nationwide.

Why is it so essential to offer a full buyer agent commission? It encourages other agents to sell your home to clients. This is your best chance to find a qualified buyer quickly and get the best price for your home.

How can discount brokers in real estate charge lower fees

Discount brokerages often have pricing and service models that provide real value to their customers.

An example is a company that saves money by solving big problems for traditional agents and generates steady business volume.

Even the most successful realtors can spend a lot of money marketing. This allows them to meet new clients with no upfront costs. They can charge a fraction of the typical commission fee to your agent and pass these savings onto you.

These discount brokers need to be more efficient than traditional brokerages to offer lower rates and remain profitable. Each company approaches this differently, but the majority of them use some combination of these:

Attracting new customers with less-expensive initiatives
A smaller team handling a greater volume of customers.
Upsell existing customers to other in-house services (loan title, insurance).

It’s not surprising that some strategies are more successful than others. Understanding the business model and the risks involved in discount brokerage is important. Check out these real estate trends to help get a better understanding of how

Five common drawbacks of discount brokerages in real estate

Hidden fees
Upfront fees
Minimum fees
Cancellation fees
Commission for the Buyer’s Agent

If you are considering hiring a discount brokerage or agent for real estate, shop around and compare several options to ensure you get the best value for your needs.

The bottom line: Should you use discount brokers?

A discount broker is a good option for most home sellers. Brands like Change Realty provide great customer service and big savings. We recommend discount brokers because they offer a similar experience as working with traditional realtors. This makes them an excellent choice for most people.

Nevertheless, there are some discount brands that you should not consider. Companies that offer fewer services and less support than traditional realtors should be avoided. Although these “limited-service” brands may advertise low rates, you will be faced with risky service compromises that could limit your savings.

Tips for Holding an Open House During Coronavirus Epidemic

webmaster For REALTORS, Selling Luxury Homes May 30, 2020May 30, 2020

Tips for Protecting People Against the Coronavirus During an Open House

Amid the Coronavirus epidemic across the globe, now is a good time to go over some of the best ways to protect people from illness. In some areas, residential real estate has seen a slight slow down, in others we have actually seen increased activity. The commercial real estate market looks a little more bleak. Luxury condos and luxury single family properties have been doing extremely well as people are hunkering down.

Even without the recent outbreak, flu season and the common cold give us all reason to follow some important hygiene and illness spreading tips. We talk about the most common things homeowners, flippers, and property agents can do to protect everyone during high-risk periods in this post.

Wipe down common surfaces with disinfectants

Business Insider tells readers that one of the best ways to reduce germs and minimize the transfer of bacteria is with regular cleaning. Wiping down door handles, door facings, windows, counters, light switches, garage doors, toilet handles, sinks, and other common surfaces people touch during an open house is critical to disinfect the property. Everything from the front gate to the attic pull cord should be on the list. Remember to wipe down cabinet pulls, refrigerator doors, and kitchen counters and islands.

Writing a note of every spot to cover ahead of cleaning will ensure no one forgets the necessary items before guests visit. By disinfecting all these surfaces, the people who visit will stay healthier, and so will the person showing the house. Cleaning the space after the guests leave will ensure everyone else who works in the house following the showing will remain safer too.

Put hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes near entrances

Experts cannot say enough about how important it is to provide gel sanitizer for guests and workers as hand hygiene is extreemly important. People need a sanitizer with a 60 percent or higher concentration of alcohol for the solution to be effective at killing germs. Anyone who enters the property should use the alcohol gel upon entering and leaving for the best results.

Extend open house hours to encourage smaller groups

To provide ample time for people to see the property, it might be a good idea to schedule personal trips through the house or lengthen showing hours. While the long hours gives more time for workers to experience exposure to illnesses, it will allow the agent or homeowner to spread out visitors.

For example, if a large group of people shows up at the same time, the shower can ask people to go in a few at a time to help people keep distance between each other. The rest of the group can talk in the yard if the weather is nice. A standby station in the garage or porch might be another idea.

Greet guests with hands behind the back to discourage handshakes

While we typically thrust our hands forward to greet others, now is not the time to continue this practice. Everyone will be understanding if homeowners are leery of shaking hands. One way to avoid accidental touching is by putting hands out of sight by placing them in pockets or behind the back. A person can still be professional and inviting without touching guests.

Place several boxes of tissues throughout the house

Encouraging people to cover their coughs and sneezes is still excellent practice. If people have a steady supply of tissues handy, then they are likely to follow these hygiene tips. Using boxes with bright colors and placing the tissues on work surfaces, entry tables, and near lights will keep them visible. A big box in each bathroom is always a great recommendation.

Bonus tip: Do not be afraid to ask someone visibly ill to leave quickly

If someone shows up to the open house sick, then they should be courteous and leave. If they do not want to exit quickly, then it may be wise to have a stash of masks on hand. Open house personnel can offer a mask or ask the person to come back when the public is not visiting. The most important thing is to make sure to address the person.

If the property agent sees someone coughing, sneezing, or experiencing virus symptoms like trouble breathing, then saying something is better than possibly exposing the entire group to a dangerous illness.

Be careful when hiring local contractors to prepare your home for sale. Make sure to ask any contractor performing any job what is their process for dealing with Coronavirus.

National Public Radio tells listeners to prepare for the Coronavirus instead of waiting for it to happen. Since the spread of this illness is so much faster than the flu, following good hygiene practices and preparing for open house guests is the best way to keep everyone safe when work must continue. Another important tip is to remind people to avoid touching their faces while at work or during the open house. The virus will get into the body faster through any opening like the eyes, nose, and mouth with physical contact.

5 Tips for Improving the Curb Appeal this Spring

webmaster Selling Luxury Homes March 18, 2020

TIPS FOR INCREASING YOUR HOMES CURB APPEAL

5 Tips for Improving the Curb Appeal of your Home this Spring

After the snow melts away and the animals come out from hibernation, many homeowners will place a “For Sale” sign on their front lawn.

Most of these homeowners have been patiently waiting for the entire winter. But all this competition makes it difficult for homeowners to make their homes stand out. Anyone having a hard time attracting potential buyers to their home may want to consider working on their curb appeal. If you wait too long, you may have to reduce the sales price of your home to stay competitive.

As the name suggests, curb appeal is how visually appealing a home looks from the street or the curb. Thankfully, the spring season offers a long list of outstanding opportunities to boost a home’s curb appeal.

Curb Appeal Tips

Tip One – Install Porch Curtains
Any homeowner trying to improve the curb appeal of their home needs to utilize the porch. Homeowners certainly need to keep the porch neat and tidy for potential buyers.

However, this isn’t enough for the curb appeal. A great way to attract attention is by installing porch curtains. Homes that have porch curtains look sleek, elegant, and inviting. As a bonus, they are also easy to install and reasonably affordable.

Tip Two – Update the Home’s Numbers
Over time, a home’s address numbers can become weathered and aesthetically unappealing. Homeowners looking for a quick and inexpensive way to boost their curb appeal should install new house numbers in the springtime. Homes with fresh house numbers are not just visually appealing, but they are also easier for potential buyers to spot.

Tip Three – Get Some Plants
Few things are more beautiful than fresh flowers and plants in the springtime. The air is filled with fresh, natural aromas that can put people in a good mood. With this in mind, it is easy to see how planting a few flowers or trees can boost a home’s curb appeal. However, if the homeowner decides to add some plants to their garden, they need to remember to water and maintain them.

Tip Four – Tasteful Outdoor Furniture
All of the homes in Collingwood that are beautiful and unique in their own way. Although this may sound picturesque, it also makes it difficult for sellers to stand out. One of the best ways to improve curb appeal and stand out is by purchasing tasteful outdoor furniture. This can range from a porch swing to lawn chairs.

The homeowner will have to assess the current aesthetic of the home’s exterior before making a final decision about outdoor furniture. Not taking the time to do this may result in the homeowner potentially purchasing furniture that clashes with their current aesthetic.

Tip Five – Purchase New Exterior Lighting Fixtures
The days in spring are still relatively short which means there is a limited number of daytime hours when potential buyers can see the exterior of the home in all of its glory. By installing new lighting fixtures, the house will be easier to view in the dark. New lighting fixtures can also make a house look more attractive and welcoming when the sun sets.

After the winter has finally finished for the year, many homeowners can’t wait to put their homes on the real estate market in Collingwood. However, if the homeowner wants their home to attract attention, they will have to work on its curb appeal. There are a number of simple actions that homeowners can do. These range from installing porch curtains to freshening up house numbers, to adding exterior lighting features.

Should You Reduce The Price of Your Home?

webmaster Selling Luxury Homes November 14, 2019November 14, 2019

Considering Lowering your Listing Price?

Reducing the price on a home will always bring more attention to the property, but there are some things you should do first.

Selling a house often takes longer than homeowners anticipate. Although there are some crazy ways to sell your home before that, you may want to consider lowering your listing price to encourage a quick sale. However, the price isn’t always the problem. Before you lower your asking price, take a few moments to review the following aspects of selling a home to ensure you make the best decision.

Things to Consider Before Lowering Your List Price

The Length of Time Since Listing the Property

The number of days your property has been sitting on the market without any offers is a good indicator of the need to lower your asking price. Most homes for sale do not sell on the initial day of listing. However, homes that sit for weeks or months without buyers becoming interested typically have an existing problem. The issue can be as simple as a price that is too high for this type of property and location. If this is the case, lowering the asking price can bring prospective buyers to your door. Always discuss this option with a trusted real estate agent before making your decision.

The Similarity to the Appraisal Value

Buyers who match their asking price with the home’s appraised value are more likely to sell their property quickly than homeowners who ask for more money. Most first-time buyers need to borrow the money to purchase a home, so every dollar impacts their bottom line. Keep your listing price close to the home’s appraised value if you want to get a fast sale.

The Quality of Your Listing Photos

Have you checked out your listing photos lately? You may need to update them to entice buyers to take a second look at your house. Perhaps your exterior photos are seasonal, or your internal shots show a cluttered home. Take the time to stage your home for new photos and put them up for immediate viewing. Remember to take photos of your home’s best features. Consider using a professional real estate photographer for the best results.

The Effort Put into Selling the Property

Selling a home takes a lot of effort and Realtors do a lot to get homes sold. Have you taken the time to remove the clutter, freshen up the home’s appearance, and market your listing? Review your efforts to date and work on the areas that need some help. If your home is still filled with lots of stuff, clean it out, and get rid of the clutter. Take the time to review your real estate agent’s marketing strategy. Perhaps it is time to list your home on other high traffic real state websites or have an open house. You should also make sure that the “For Sale” sign is visible from the road.

The Number of Bids Offered

If prospective buyers have marched through your home without making an offer, you may need to take a long look at the reason why. The fact that buyers were interested enough to check out your home in person suggests your listing photos are enticing and the location is good. It may just be the asking price is too high for the features you have to offer.

The Selling Prices for Similar Homes

If your home isn’t selling, but other properties for sale in your neighborhood are, your asking price might be too high. Check the asking prices of similar homes and compare them to your listing. Buyers gravitate naturally to homes with lower price tags, particularly when the market is glutted. Keep your listing price in line with homes offering the same type of amenities, architecture, footage, and location.

The Number of Similar Homes Currently on the Market

When the housing market is filled with listings, it is often more difficult to sell your home. This scenario is referred to as a buyer’s market. Lots of choices are available, making it less likely that your home is going to sell quickly. In this situation, the best way to encourage a sale is to lower your asking price. Doing so motivates buyers to take a look at your home before viewing other available options.

The excitement of listing your current home for sale can be short-lived if the property doesn’t sell quickly. When this happens, you need to take a look at some of the most common reasons why properties linger on the market while other houses sell. Before you decide to lower your asking price, take the time to review every aspect of your selling strategy to make sure that this is your only choice.

Crazy Ways to Sell a Home That Work

webmaster Selling Luxury Homes April 22, 2019May 30, 2020

Crazy Home Selling Tips That Work

Frustrated private sellers, trying to sell a home, particularly ones with unique qualities such as having a guest house, a pool, or even a unique garden, sometimes you have to get very creative in a crowded real estate market. Here are several, very creative ways sellers have marketed their homes to sell after traditional marketing failed.

Host an Essay Contest

A few years ago in Maine an innkeeper hosted an essay contest with the prize being they got to keep the inn. The entrance fee was $125, and the seller received over 7,000 entries, garnering her a sale price of over $900,000.

Of course, hosting a contest is not without risk. Although no improper state laws were found, losers of the innkeeper’s contest complained to Maine’s attorney general, so hosting a contest can possibly involve a seller in legal hot water.

Invite Serious Buyers to Stay the Weekend

Sometimes, potential buyers are serious but are having difficulty making a decision between several different properties. Of course, you need to have the home furnished in order to apply this strategy, but consider offering serious buyers a free, weekend trial to living in the house.

Chances are, they’ve never, ever encountered such an offer previously, and if your home is on a quiet street, and without heavy road traffic in front, chances are good they will become thoroughly convinced.

Offer a Reward via Social Media

This strategy, called bird-dogging by new car salesmen, can be equally effective when selling a house. Offer either cash or a sizable gift certificate such as from Amazon on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest account to anyone that successfully leads to a qualified buyer. For less than $200, you can nearly double the number of potential buyers looking at your home.

A Talking Home Seller

Some companies, such as Talking House, rent or sell radio transmitters. When a potential buyer pushes a button, a talking virtual “real estate agent” gives them a four or five minute rundown on the house. These virtual salesmen work 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Throw in a Kicker

Have an older but still in shape used car that you no longer drive? How about a riding lawnmower, or a motorcycle? Park it on the front lawn of your home along with a sign that indicates the item comes with the house. Not attached to your furniture?

Make a large sign with a photo of the living room furniture indicating it’s something else you will throw into the buyer. Even if the buyer is not interested in the item, the fact that you are offering something different is liable to generate some traffic to your home.

Real Estate Marketing Strategy’s With Tom Ferry

Creative Financing Options

Many, hard-working, responsible families, particularly if they are young, have difficulty meeting the traditional finance requirements, such as a large, down payment. Consider something creative like a lease-to-buy rental agreement, but requiring the lease signer to buy the home or vacate the house within a year. Be sure to get such an agreement in writing, and written with the help of a lawyer.

Hold a Really Creative Open House

Instead of a few cookies and some coffee, consider an invite-only, catered dinner, for a few people looking to buy a home that have shown serious interest. Make it a formal affair, and consider doing it at night.

Consider Selling your Home at Auction

Auctions attract excitement and are a way to sell your home fast, although you have to be cautious about which auctioneer you choose, and you have to carefully set what you will accept as a minimum bid.

Selling a home isn’t easy, so sometimes it’s important to think outside the box. There are many other non-traditional methods out there, you simply need to do your research.

Hire a Realtor

When all else fails, you can fall back on the trusted professionals who have been selling homes just about as long as we’ve been making them. Realtors know their community real estate market inside and out, and are expertly equipped to make your home buying or selling experience as smooth and comfortable as possible.

Consult your local trusted Realtor today for more information and assistance.

Why Working With A Realtor Is Important

webmaster Buying Luxury Homes, Selling Luxury Homes February 11, 2019April 16, 2019

Why Is Working With A Realtor So Important

Everything relating to real estate could be confusing and, in some cases, could be overwhelming to a lot of people, especially if you are a first-time home buyer. Whether you’re buying or selling a home, there are multiple factors to be kept in mind.

But if planned and executed with some level of research, home buying is one of the best investments you could possibly make. Since it is the biggest financial investment for the majority of the people, being aware of some of the most common things would be quite helpful. Let us explore some of them.

One of the most primary things to consider whether you are buying or selling a home is to work with a trusted Realtor. A lot of home buyers neglect the importance of knowledge and quality that a Realtor brings to the table just because they take a tiny percentage as their fee. Some even can offer to sell your home in under a month!

But if you are just starting out and would need to understand all the subtle things involved in the overall process, working with a reputed and customer-friendly Realtor would be no less than a blessing. Whether it is negotiating purchase price or helping you with all levels of the home inspection process, one individual you could always count on would be your Realtor.

Since the home purchase is essentially a legal contract, there is a lot of paperwork involved, and not all the home buyers would be aware of all the technical language involved in the legal contract. One thing to always keep in mind is the fact that contracts terms can always be negotiated, and you do not have to sign it just because something is contained in there.

For instance, if you want to finalize the purchase once the mortgage approval process is completed or need additional time to review your inspection details, it could be incorporated as a part of the deal. For all activities as listed above, your Realtor could be extremely handy.

Try to be very realistic and pragmatic about your home purchase. Since it is a huge financial investment, ask few questions to yourself before you sit down and sign the paperwork. Do you really need a house at this point in time? How long do you wish to stay if you end up purchasing? Are you married or have kids?

Do you have plans for relocation and so on. Always try to be totally convinced with yourself before you make a move in the home buying process. Even though it builds up equity for you, analyzing all of the above considerations and more would help you make a wise decision.

And if you want to go for used property, then you need to look beyond how the property looks just from the outside. What are the various issues relating to cosmetics? How much could be the potential labor costs and so on? Evaluating all such parameters would only help you find the best deal.

And if you are thinking about investing in a new property, be calculative about all the upgrades you would be willing to do such as countertops, cabinets, balusters and so on. Hence, always keeping a numerical value on the house you want to invest in would help you make intelligent choices.

No matter what kind of property you invest in, your mortgage involves more than just principal and interest. There are other costs associated like homeowners’ insurance, property taxes, private mortgage insurance in case you do not put 20% down payment, HOA fees and so on.

Also if you purchase a new home, you get different kinds of warranties on the pre-installed appliances, home foundation, and other items. Do not forget to register within the time specified by your builder so that you make full use of the warranty service. And when you make the best choice, you could make a lot of memories in your dream home which would only go up in price in the time to come.

Luxury Boston Properties

webmaster Buying Luxury Homes, Selling Luxury Homes October 27, 2017

Boston Luxury Real Estate

Boston continues to gain ground as one of the hottest places to own property. Homes in Boston have appreciated in value way above the national average in the last year. The median home price for the Boston area real estate has an astonishing $378,500 compared to the national average of $215,767.

While very appealing to Boston investors and homeowners, even better is places like Beantown where home appreciation rates remain some of the best in the nation. This trend seems very promising for the year to come.

The Boston luxury real estate market have seen mild gains in home appreciation within the last year. The appeal for home buyers and Boston real estate is found in equity gains which have exploded in the last couple of years.

Homes purchased in Boston’s housing market a year ago have appreciated an average of $10,187. While the national average was $15,781 over the same year. Over the past three years Boston real estate began to overthrow the national average which saw gains of $64,281.

For homeowners and Boston investors they get the real advantage around year seven of home ownership when total equity gains reach their full potential. Over all price appreciation and principal payments have boosted total equity growth since the recession.

Foreclosures in Boston

As of June 2017 there were 779 properties in the Boston area in some type of foreclosure. According to Realtytrac the number of Boston foreclosures in the month of June was 9 percent lower than the month of May and 8 percent lower than the same time in 2015. In addition the number of REO properties decreased 37.5 percent from the previous month while decreasing 50 percent from the same time last year.

The Boston Housing Market

Living in Boston

If busy city living, great food, and great sports teams interest you, Boston, MA is the place to call home. If you’re willing to make some crazy offers in this competitive market you have found the right place.

Boston Living

One of Boston’s most unique aspects is its appeal to people from around the world. It’s colleges and universities attract eager minds who come to be the future doctors, lawyers, robotic engineers, musicians and performing artists all who bring an unmatched vibrancy to Boston’s streets. Boston is primarily a young area, with a quarter of the population being between the ages of 18 and 34.

Boston is considered as one of the most liberal regions in the country in one of the most liberal states in the United States.

Boston has a rich culture with a strong emphasis on academic prowess and community mindedness making it conducive to raising families and it is common to see families enjoying an afternoon at the Boston Children’s Museum, feeding the ducks in Boston Public Garden or spending a Saturday shopping along Newbury Street.

Boston Transportation

Boston’s founders’ could not have foreseen what the city would look like today and the street layout can make navigating the metro area by car a bit tricky. Unlike New York City, where streets are aligned in a grid-like pattern, Boston’s streets at times seem to have no logic. This could be why Boston drivers have a reputation of being some of the most aggressive drivers on the road.

Public Transportation in Boston

A popular alternative to the road madness is the public transit system known as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). MBTA provides railway, bus, subway (known as the “T”) and ferry services. Boston’s Commuter Rail has 14 different lines that connect Boston to it’s surrounding suburbs, including Wakefield, Brookline and Dedham. As an added bonus, Boston is known as one of the most walkable regions in the country with a high rate of commuters who make their way to work by walking.

Boston’s size and location make it an easily accessible for the East Coast for both residents and visitors. Logan International Airport has a high volume of daily flights, while Amtrak, Greyhound and other ground transportation services also serve several points throughout the area.

Boston Culture

Boston can often feel like a small town but has all the perks of big city life. The metro area is home to a diverse culinary scene, access to the arts and world-class educational institutions, employers and a great health care system.

Boston is full of history, but it is also ever evolving and while it is on the cutting edge of medicine and technology, it still remains traditional like spending a summer night cheering for the hometown heroes at Fenway Park. It is a region of sports enthusiasts, art eclectics and ambitious entrepreneurs coexisting with a strong sense of camaraderie and pride in community.

Sometime referred to as the “Cradle of Liberty,” the city is home to some of the most significant social, cultural and political moments in U.S. history. Living in the area can make you feel as if you are acting out the pages of a history book, while experiencing the perks of a modern metro area. Boston’s unwavering spirit was born out of revolution and since its inception, the continuous pursuit of innovation and progress has been in its DNA.

From the Old North Church to the Institute of Contemporary Art and everything in between, Boston is steeped in culture and rich in pride. For new families, recent college graduates, retirees or seasoned professionals, Boston is a place that can foster your next stage of life, whatever that may be.

Luxury Condos of Panama City Beach

webmaster Buying Luxury Homes, Selling Luxury Homes August 30, 2017April 16, 2019

Luxury Homes of Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach Florida is known for their awesome Spring Break festivities, but the natives enjoy a true luxury lifestyle.

There are only about 12,000 residents in the city of Panama City Beach – with the majority of those people living in luxury condos. Many of the condos in Panama City Beach are located directly on the Gulf and have white sand for a yard.

Panama City Beach Condos As an Investment

Although there are a ton of active beachfront properties for sale in Panama City, condominiums have a special place with investors. With Panama City Beach being such a popular vacation destination, many of the waterfront condos are there waiting for someone to rent them out.

Most of the homeowners of PCB properties are absentee owners and live either in a different city or even a different state. The rental rates for a condo in Panama City Beach make owning a vacation rental there a very profitable investment. With “short term rentals” becoming so popular with online sites like Airbnb – renting out your luxury beachfront condo in Panama City Beach has never been easier.

PCB Construction Boom

Panama City Beach saw a construction boom from 2000-2006. With property values seeing double-digit increases year over year, we saw many new luxury condo complexes developed right on the beachfront. In 2006 PCB was the number 1 real estate market in America according to Money magazine with beachfront properties selling for as much as $62,000 linear foot! Although the recession released some of that tremendous upwards pressure, we are still seeing solid returns with somewhat more reasonable pricing.

Luxury Real Estate Experts

Unlike other luxury real estate markets such as Savannah GA, many of the luxury properties in Panama City Beach are not occupied all year. With such a small population of people who actually LIVE in PCB, we have found that there are few true luxury real estate experts in the area.

Many of the local REALTORS that offer homes for sale in Panama City Beach are from the surrounding areas and may specialize in standard single-family properties.

We all know that working with the RIGHT Realtor is important. That is where we come in! We have a direct connection to the TOP Luxury real estate agent in Panama City Beach and we are willing to share.

If you are interested in purchasing a luxury, waterfront condo in Panama City Beach – just contact us!