Sunday, September 17, 2017

Now what? Post Hurricane Must Do's

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Wind and water combine to form hurricanes that wreak havoc on our homes and in our community. Living near the coast makes it imperative to have proper home insurance coverage in advance and then know how to support claims following a storm.

Water is typically the culprit when it comes to hurricane damage.  Unfortunately though, flooding caused by surges or water often isn't covered under standard home insurance.  A separate flood insurance policy needs to be purchased.  If you live in a flood prone area and have a mortgage it could be a federal requirement for you to own flood insurance. Don't wait to buy until a storm is approaching as many companies require a 30 day waiting period.

Coastal homes often carry a hurricane deductible on the insurance policy. Other deductibles have a set dollar amount but hurricane deductibles are a percentage of the home's value.  Take a $300K dollar home for example.  If it has a 5% deductible the homeowner must pay $15,000 before the policy will pay anything. This is applicable when a home is destroyed or damaged by a hurricane. Call your insurance agent to determine if you have a hurricane deductible.

Following a hurricane, as suggested by www.Todayshomeowner.com, the following steps should be taken:
1. Photograph and document damage
2. Conduct emergency repairs
3. Secure home inventory
4. File a claim asap
5. Secure safe lodging

Remember that recovery takes time following the devastating losses associated with hurricanes. If you are prepared and plan in advance, putting your home back together will go so much smoother following the storm.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Three Remodeling Mistakes that Hurt Home Values

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"Projects that take a home significantly beyond community norms are often not worth the cost when the owner sells the home," says Scott Robinson, president of the Appraisal Institute. "If the improvements don't match what's standard in a community, they'll be considered excessive." Lifestyle website CheatSheet.com highlights a few renovation mistakes that could inadvertently lower a home's resale value.

1. Letting minor damage go unfixed. To better protect your investment, touch up chipped paint, repair leaky faucets, and remove carpet stains.  "Your home has to look better on the day of the open house than it's ever looked before," says Steve Clark, a real estate professional in Los Angeles. "If the back door is covered in scratch marks from the dog, you have to fix that."

2. Failing to remove trees that pose safety hazards. Though trees can be a selling point, they need to be well-maintained and planted in the right spot in order to boost the value of a home.  Trees planted too close to a house could pose a fire hazard, or the tree's root systems could damage the home's foundation.  A tree planted in the right spot could not only be aesthetically pleasing but also potentially lower energy bills.

3. Garage conversions. A quarter of Americans say their garage is too cluttered to fit their car inside, according to a survey by Gladiator Garage Works. So some homeowners may decide to convert the garage into a bedroom or den - but that could be a big mistake at resale. While it may earn extra square footage, these spaces tend to be poorly insulated. Also, buyers may prefer the covered parking space instead.

Article posted in Realtor Mag from the National Association of Realtors.

Do you need advice on what to do before selling your home?  Kohan & Associates have decades of experience and would be happy to answer your questions.  Call us today at 727-565-1658. www.Suncoasthome.com

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Looking For Some Easy Money?

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Are you one of those people who needs proof that it is a Seller's market? Sellers in the second quarter of 2017 took in, on average, an additional $51,000 per sale over what they originally paid for their homes! According to a recent report from ATTOM Data Solutions, this is the highest return the housing market has seen in the last 10 years. These sale prices equate to about 26% more than owners spent on their property. In 2007, according to study, an average $57,000 increase was pocketed.

Even so, since 2000, homeowners are tending to stay in their homes an average of 8 years nationally.  This may be in part because while it is easy to sell a home now, it might not be so easy to find the next purchase. With limited homes on the market it might be your best time to make a move.  Kohan & Associates would love to help!  Visit us at www.suncoasthome.com today.

Monday, July 24, 2017

Moving Soon? Here's help!!

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Moving can be an absolute hassle.  Between the need to clean out your current home, change your address and organize the new home, it can become overwhelming.  Well-meaning friends and family offer unsolicited advice but wouldn't it be great to pick an awesome mover or get help packing your belongings with the touch of your fingertips?  To help make the moving process easier perhaps you would like to make use of the following apps:

1. Hire a mover
Unpakt (https://www.unpakt.com/)

2. Home repair and chores
Taskrabbit (https://www.taskrabbit.com/)

3. Design floorplans from photos
MagicPlan (http://www.magic-plan.com/magicplan/)

4. Make to-do lists with reminders
Wunderlist (https://www.wunderlist.com/)

5. Digital organizer
Sortly (http://www.sortlyapp.com/)

6. Order and receive delivery on almost anything
Postmates (https://nextdoor.com/)

7. Hire professionals
Thumbtack (https://www.thumbtack.com)

So whether you are moving within the same neighborhood or across the country, hopefully these apps can help ease the burden. To make your move even easier, Kohan & Associates can help move you into or out of your home. Visit our webpage at WWW.SUNCOASTHOME.COM.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Do You Have a Plan in Place for Hurricane Season?

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According to the latest forecasts by Colorado State University, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and The Weather Company, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be more active than historical averages. There are 14 expected named storms, with six being anticipated hurricanes, two of those being major.  Due to the uncertainty of climate models, comparable statistics were reviewed and an above normal season has been predicted. What can you do?

While there is no strong correlation between the number of storms expected and actual landfall, one or more of the forecasted storms could hit the U.S. No matter what, residents along the coastal portion of our country should prepare. 

Below is a list of some ways you can help your family get ready for a storm in advance:
Make a hurricane kit
Look over your insurance policy
Install storm shutters
Remove yard debris
Trim dead tree branches
Put away patio furniture
Back up computer records
Gather important papers 
Gill gas tanks
Get cash and medicine
Prepare your pet

Stay safe out there!
Visit SunCoastHome.com for other helpful info

Monday, May 15, 2017

Which are the Best Cities for First-Time Homebuyers?


Image result for first time home buyer Once again new owners are outpacing new renters in the housing market, something that hasn't occurred since the Great Recession. Millennials are leading the surge as first-time homebuyers which is why location is uber-important.  Young buyers today seem to be more cash-strapped than their ancestors due to high student debt and slow income advancement.  On the contrary, home prices are rising, faster in some locations than others.  With the flexibility offered by today's technology, buyers can be mobile as they work. Millennials are being met with a competitive buying environment in a market with low inventory and plenty of competition according to Zillow Chief Economist Svenja Gudell.

Five factors were considered while comparing housing markets. These include median home values, value forecasts for equity growth, inventory, the number of listings with price cuts and the breakeven financial time horizon buying over renting.

The biggest challenge for buyers of their first home is usually the down payment. It is the key for determining how much house you can purchase and the mortgage rate. Typically the larger the down payment, the lower the monthly mortgage payment.

Making money on their investment and competition worry first time buyers the most.  "Seven in 10 top markets for first-timers have lower median home values than the national average. Markets like Cleveland and Detroit make the list due to low entry prices but Orlando, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia have high inventory compared with the number of households, so less competition." Information from Diana Olick, CNBC Real Estate Reporter and John Schoen, CNBC Economics Reporter 

Are you a first-time home buyer ready to move to Florida?  Contact Kohan and Associates today to help you move in to your new home!  727-565-1658 or www.Suncoasthome.com




Tuesday, May 2, 2017

The Best and Worst Places for Retirement



Did you see this article in the New York Times?? Check out where Florida sits (#1 BEST). Are you ready to retire in the best location? Call Keyvan and Stephanie at 727-565-1658 or visit our website at www.SuncoastHome.com to search for your retirement home!  


Kohan & Associates will be happy to help you transition to Florida for your retirement!

Best and Worst Places to Retire

BEST

Florida

Affordability: 1st of 51
Quality of Life: 11th
Health Care: 24th
Wyoming
Affordability:4th
Quality of Life 25th
Health Care 19th
South Dakota
Affordability:15th
Quality of Life:33rd
Health Care:2nd
Iowa
Affordability:26th
Quality of Life:6th
Health Care:5th
Colorado
Affordability:27th
Quality of Life:17th
Health Care:7th

NOT THE BEST

Hawaii
Affordability:50th
Quality of Life:34th
Health Care:3rd
Connecticut
Affordability:49th
Quality of Life:13th
Health Care:15th
District of Columbia
Affordability:44th
Quality of Life:51st
Health Care:9th
Alaska
Affordability:38th
Quality of Life:50th
Health Care:34th
Rhode Island
Affordability:51st
Quality of Life:46th
Health Care:29th

Source: Wallethub
by the New York Times



ing
Connecticut
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
4th
25th
19th
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
49th
13th
15th
South
Dakota
District of
Columbia
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
15th
33rd
2nd
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
44th
51st
9th
Iowa
Alaska
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
26th
6th
5th
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
38th
50th
34th
Colorado
Rhode
Island
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
27th
17th
7th
Affordability:
Quality of Life:
Health Care:
51st
46th
29th

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