Florida is different!

 The weather is great! The lifestyle is laid-back. Most Floridians chose to move here for the recreational and cultural options.

Housing is different here, too. If you are relocating from the Northeast or Midwest, you will recognize many differences from what you have been used to.  Properties are generally smaller here, with emphasis on outdoor living. Houses have no basements. Most are constructed from concrete blocks covered on the exterior with stucco.  State and municipal laws regarding hurricane protection for new homes have been strengthened over the years.

Some real estate laws and practices are different in Florida too.  Most real estate sales associates act as "transaction brokers". This means they work for a successful transaction, not representing, in the legal sense, either the seller or the buyer.

Picking the Lifestyle

Most newcomers are amazed to discover the many options offered by different types of communities. They realize they're not simply buying a house, they're picking a lifestyle. Different communities offer different types of amenities, activities and services. Condominiums have been very popular in Florida. Because most maintenance is taken care of by a condo association, condos are a great choice for people who plan to use a property only part of the year or who want to rent out the property for periods of time.
 
Craig is well equipped to help you sort through the many options available. He will be able to understand your lifestyle needs because he and his family have lived in many settings around the United States. He has lived in seven owned properties and lived in many rentals in eight states.

To help introduce visitors to the areas adjoining Charlotte Harbor, Craig has put together several orientation tours that can be tailored to your interests and needs. Powerful as the Internet is for research, there’s nothing quite like driving through a community and walking through an actual house or condo. Even if you are not yet ready to buy, taking one of Craig’s tours is a sensible and fun way to get familiar with your options. Craig has had several cases where people seemed quite settled on what they wanted…. but after a tour that included many lifestyle options, they totally changed directions because they gained insight into the choices available from seeing them first-hand.

Finances, Finances, Finances

Even before you start looking for your ideal home or investment property, you need to start thinking about how your financial situation will affect your property search.  One thing you should do right away: make sure your credit scores are as high as possible. The fact is that, the higher your score, the better the interest rate you will get on your loan. You need to make sure that your credit reports do not contain any erroneous information. There are other things you can do to improve your score. A great place to start is www.myfico.com. You can get your scores there, plus get specific advice on how you can improve your score. This could save you thousands of dollars in future mortgage payments.

Before you start house hunting you should select a financial institution and get pre-approved for a loan.  This simple process will give you a solid idea on the price you can afford to pay for your new home.  Using a bank or mortgage company that does business in the area is important because they have a good handle on local property values and customs. Craig can provide you with a list of financial institutions for you to consider. Pre-approval will also make a huge difference in your negotiating power when it comes time to make an offer. That’s because the seller will know that you are able financially able to buy the house and that the closing can occur earlier because you have already completed the major part of the process of obtaining a loan.

Need to sell your current home?

Craig can help! As the nation's largest Real Estate organization, Coldwell Banker has offices and agents near your current home. Contact Craig and you will be assigned a highly qualified, experienced agent in your area...one familiar with your community.

The Final Steps

There are many steps and considerations in buying a house. From preparing a solid contract with the appropriate contingencies, to home inspections to condo approval to mold inspections to title insurance to arranging the closing…the list goes on. As your Realtor®, Craig will make all the arrangements to ensure you a trouble-free process from contract to closing. Immediately after closing he will take the outrageous commission check and you’ll never see him again (just kidding!).

To see what recent buyers had to say about working with Craig CLICK HERE

And this one just arrived: CLICK HERE