Happy New Year!



Are you tired of making New Year’s resolutions year after year only to see them turn into unfulfilled goals? Make 2014 the year you achieve those goals! Whether you wish to become more financially secure, physically fit or to improve your mind, the first step for making your resolutions stick is to establish a plan. Remember: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

If your 2014 New Year’s resolutions include buying a home, start the year off right by making sure you are financially healthy. This includes structuring your debts and liabilities properly so you can afford a new house. Also, organize your payroll documents and bank statements to make the process of buying a home easier. Overall, be sure to take some time this January to get your financials in order; it will make your life a little less stressful as you start looking at properties!
~
If you would like to see 2014 be the year you move into a new house, give me a call at (772) 539-7706 or email me at Kelly@KellyFischerTeam.com. Let’s work together on fulfilling your New Year’s resolution of home-ownership. Happy New Year from Kelly Fischer!

Merry Christmas!



With a fantastic year behind us, we look ahead toward a great future in the coming months. I can’t tell you how much of a pleasure it has been serving our community members with the expert advice, one-on-one care and guidance with real estate endeavors in our communities.

Here’s a warm, resounding “Thank you!” to all our current and past clients. We believe you are more than just clients; you’re our friends and neighbors. We cherish that special relationship we have with each and every one of you.

Whether you have engaged in the purchase of a new home, sold a property or just needed advice and counsel on your real estate transactions – we have enjoyed being a part of the journey with you.

Once again, thank you for trusting us with one of the most important aspects of your life and we wish you a warm, wonderful holiday season – with many happy times to come in the New Year and beyond!

Should You Sell Your Treasure Coast Home During the Holidays?



Thanks for joining me today. The holidays are here and even though the winter months are still absolutely wonderful here, a lot of people think they should wait until spring to put their home on the market. This couldn't be further from the truth.

There are tons of serious buyers looking for a home just like yours. They wouldn't be out looking right now if they didn't have to be; they are under pressure.

I know you might be worried about buyers looking at your home during your holiday plans, but we can restrict showings on the days you have plans. Don't let those few days stand in the way of the entire month of possible showings.

Give me a call today. Let's look at your home and see where it stands in the market. Thanks for watching!

Happy Thanksgiving!



Thanksgiving is just days away and I can't help but be humbled and grateful for the wonderful people like you we get to work with. I feel blessed to work in Vero Beach and wanted to wish you a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

What What Should You Look for When Hiring a Real Estate Agent? Part 2



Thanks for joining me today. I wanted to give you a few more tips on what you should look for in an agent when you are getting ready to sell your home.
  1. Tech savvy - You know that there is always some new social media site or new tech tool out there and it’s important that your agent knows too. A good listing agent is able to use this technology as a way to market your home. One of the things we are doing is our video blog. Not a lot of agents are doing this, but it’s a great way to get in front of a large audience.
  2. Marketing budget - You may not know that a lot of the extra marketing strategies actually come out of the agent’s own personal pocket. You need an agent that is successful enough to have a budget that can best showcase your home.
  3. Support staff - There are a lot of different details when it comes to marketing your home and closing the transaction. You want an agent with an assistant and support staff to handle just your listing and not let anything fall through the cracks. Don’t let anything fall through the cracks.  Just the other day my assistant told me she had never worked for an agent who had business like I did and she never realized how much work goes into properly marketing a property.
Thank you so much for watching today. If you have any questions about what you need to look for in an agent or if you are ready to buy or sell, please give me a call. I’d love to help you with all of your real estate needs.

What Should You Look for When Hiring a Real Estate Agent?



Welcome back to my video blog. With the market improving, a lot of people are getting into the real estate business. Just today I saw someone post on Facebook about getting their real estate license.

Do you want someone who just got their license to represent your biggest asset? When you hire an agent there are two main things to keep in mind.

The first is experience. A lot can go wrong in a real estate transaction. You need a realtor who has dealt with the ups and downs of the business and knows how to handle different situations.

The second is their track record. You want to hire an agent who is working with several transactions. Why? You are able to see how many buyers they are in contact with, how big is their network, how good is their marketing, etc.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling, give me a call. I’d love to help you and show you why so many choose our team to help them.

Thanks for watching!

Vero Beach, FL Real Estate Market Update Fall 2013



Thanks for joining me today! I wanted to give you a quick update on what’s going on in today’s market before season starts.

As you know, season is one of our busiest times of the year. It’s hard to imagine our market getting any busier than it is now.

Our team has 22 homes under contract at the moment. Being busy, though, is a good problem to have.

Soon we will have people from all over coming to enjoy our beaches and escape the cold. If you’re thinking about buying and selling, now is the perfect time. Prices and interest rates are reasonable.

I get asked a lot whether we are in a buyers or sellers market. The truth is we are in neither; our market is balanced.

There are 1,599 current properties listed. Last month 287 homes were sold and closed. That means we have about 5.5 months of inventory.  Prices are at an equilibrium and neither buyers nor sellers have an advantage.

If you are thinking about buying or selling give us a call. We would love to help you and we deliver what we promise!

Thanks for watching!

Common Problems When Moving

 

What are some of the more common problems people have when they are moving?

It varies, depending on what move you are making. Are you moving to a different neighborhood? Are you moving across the country? The fact of the matter is not all movers are equal.

One common problem when moving is often property can be damaged. Whether it’s your old college couch or your grandma’s fine china set, we package everything safely and securely with pad wrapping blankets. Not all companies take the extra care as we do.

In addition to packing and moving, we also provide options for your storage needs. Interestingly, White Glove was born out of the needs from the design industry. We are well organized; we have a barcode system that gives us a detailed summary of what we have in the facility.

If you’re getting ready to move and need a moving company you can trust call us and we can help!

Interview with Anna Valencia of White Glove Storage and Delivery Part 1



Buying a new home is stressful: from finding the home, to making a bid, to closing the contract. Oh, and don’t forget the moving!

We at the Kelly Fischer Team take great pride in putting our customer service first throughout the entire process. That’s why I wanted to introduce to you Anna Valencia of White Glove Storage and Delivery.

White Glove holds customer service in the highest regard as well. I want nothing but the best for my clients and I am confident that White Glove is the best moving company around.  Anna is going to tell us about the unique services she has from packing, to moving, to storage.

Anna Valencia

I am so excited to work with the Kelly Fischer Team. As she mentioned, both her team and our team care deeply about making your moving experience smooth, comfortable and stress free!

One of the first things you should check for in a moving company is whether they are licensed and insured. We have heard countless horror stories of new homeowners working with questionable movers and even having property stolen!

We are licensed and registered and we take great care in packing and delivering your possessions safely and on time.

We really take care of every aspect of your move. We know how stressful and chaotic things can be and we are there for you every step of the way. If you have questions about additional services or are ready to move give us a call at 772-778-4750 x1005 or visit our website www.whitegloveusa.com

Are the Rising Interest Rates Going to Affect Our Market?



A lot of people have asked me about interest rates lately and what impact they will have on our market. We have seen quite a significant jump; just a few weeks ago interest rates were in the low 3s and now we are seeing mid to high 4s.

There are two schools of thought on rising interest rates. Some buyers are waiting to see if those rates come back down. Others, though, have an urgency to buy before rates and prices make affordability too high.

It is interesting, though, because the last reason you want to buy a home is because you have to.  You have to be ready and confident and like what you are buying. That is what some buyers think; they are willing to wait for the right home even if it means interest rates increase by half a point or so.

Remember, too, we are still experiencing historically low interest rates. I wouldn’t say the increase is affecting our market terribly.  If you look at the transactions the past few months, over 60% have been cash purchases.  So, it’s almost a nonissue.

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to watch my video today. If there is anything I can help you with from answering your questions to buying or selling your home, give me a call!

3 Tips to Get the Home of Your Dreams!

 
Thinking about selling your home? Click here to check out our Free Home Value Report!

Hi there! Today, I wanted to talk about how to get your dream home when we are in such a strong sellers’ market.

Inventory is low; there just aren’t a lot of homes for sale. This creates a competition for buyers. Most properties are receiving multiple offers. So you might ask, ‘how do I win?’ I have three tips to help you get the home of your dreams

1.     Find a lender. Find someone you trust, preferably someone local. We suggest this because a local lender has a little ‘skin in the game,’ they have a reputation to uphold in the community.

2.    Be honest. Tell your lender the truth, give them all the information. Sometimes we have had clients who don’t disclose important information or pay structures. It’s important to be honest so the lender can you help you properly and get you prequalified. Get the letter. Once you are qualified the lender will give you a letter stating what you are qualified for. This is important when it comes to make your bid. Often times it is not the price that counts most, but rather who is the most qualified and who can prove it.

3.    Don’t offer too little. Lastly, a lot of buyers ask me how much they can get off the price of the house. What’s happening in our market is most homes are selling for about 92.5% of asking price.

Now, that is a number that needs to be qualified a bit because you have to remember some homes are priced a little bit higher than they should be.

As a buyer you will really be able to educate yourself as you look around and realize the value on any given property.

I hope you find these tips helpful when you are making an offer.  If you have any other questions on how to make a great offer, give me a call at 772.539.7706

Why Isn’t my Vero Beach Home Selling?

 

If your home isn’t selling, call me at (772) 539-7706 and I can help! Also, click here to check out our free home value report to see what your home is worth.

When you put your home on the market, you want it to sell fast. When it doesn’t, it can become very frustrating. The average amount of time a home sits on the market is 133 days. If a home has sat on the market for longer than that, sellers often ask why their property isn’t selling while others are. There are three things to consider when selling.

The first is price. How is your home priced compared to others in your neighborhood? If there are similar homes with a more fair and reasonable price, yours will remain on the market.

The second is the condition of the home. Even when inventory is tight, it doesn’t mean your property will sell in any condition. Buyers will wait for a good home.

The third thing to consider is location. Although, this is something that you can’t change, it may mean you need to price the home differently.

So when selling your home, make sure it’s in good condition and the price is fair. Location is a hard one to change!

Information for Sellers


Watch on your mobile device >>

How many offers are you getting on your typical house?

The amount of activity a home sees depends on how many other houses are on the market in that neighborhood. If a home is priced properly it is not uncommon to see bidding wars that push the selling price above the listed.

What does a seller need to know if they put their home on the market today?

We at the Kelly Fischer Team are going to give you an honest opinion on what we can price your home for. We want to help our sellers understand the market realistically and know what a reasonable asking price is. Our plan is to list your home at an aggressive but realistic price that will sell in less than 60 days.

Sellers also need to always have their home in showing condition. Sometimes that requires a new coat of paint or planting some flowers; everything we suggest is to help you get the best sale. It’s the motivated and cooperative sellers who get their homes sold fast and at great prices.

Market Update June 2013



Watch on your mobile device >> 

The market right now for Vero Beach is amazing. The biggest challenge we are having is there aren’t enough quality homes on the market for the number of buyers we are working with.

Last year, at this time, the market was more challenging for sellers; they grew increasingly frustrated. We did eventually get their homes sold, but the number of days their properties were on the market was much more and the percentage of the asking price was lower.

Now, though, any property that is in a good area, good condition and is properly priced (or even sometimes higher than market value) is selling really quickly. 

More and more buyers now are becoming frustrated because there is a lack of choices for them.  They are limited in their search.

Since last year, there has been a 10% jump in prices in the Vero Beach market, which is significant. Fortunately, interest rates have remained low to act as a buffer for the price increase. 

Since last year, the market has shifted more toward a sellers’ market.