Wow.. look at the progress! Roof, Heating and Air conditioning – Just look at the new ductwork, Landscaping.. Electrical!
It’s for Sale.. a PERFECT First Time Home Buyer Investment! There are 7 weeks remaining for first time buyers and those buyers who have owned a home for 5 years or more to qualify for the Tax Credit! Don’t miss this opportunity to get up to $8000 back from your taxes! Here are 10 Important Facts about the Extended First-Time Buyer Tax Credit.
Look at this home today. For a personalized search of similar homes or to search the MLS for homes in the Tallahassee area Call Debbie Kirkland, today!
People always ask me about home prices in Tallahassee and how they compare to the rest of the State of Florida. Tallahassee is fortunate when compared to some markets, yet others have faired even better.
Real estate is truly local in nature. Every city is different, sometimes neighborhoods within a city can vary in sales statistics as well. Remember this when shopping for a home. Don’t be fooled to think just because you lost money in the sale of your home, that you should expect a market to compare to your city, or neighborhood.
The following statistics compare year-end single-family home sales statistics and median single-family home sale prices from year to year beginning in 2006, in what many consider the height of the market and ending in 2009.
2006 Florida: Single Family Home Sale Statistics
2007 Florida: Single Family Home Sale Statistics
2008 Florida: Single Family Home Sale Statistics
2009 Florida: Single Family Home Sale Statistics
No matter where you look, the prices are still affordable, there are good, solid buys for real estate in Florida. Where else will you find no State sales Tax, the ocean never farther than 180 miles from any where in the State, and a climate that offers you year round enjoyment. Relocating to Florida? Call me today for a referral to a Florida Realtor!
It came to me one day while holding a traditional house at 6475 Tracy Lane. This home deserves a different kind of marketing, one that suits its contemporary design, one that would draw people who appreciate it as a backdrop for a trendy buyer.
Tying an art show in with a benefit for LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts seemed like a winning marketing solution. Art and contemporary design, what better way to showcase both! A portion of the proceeds from the artists sales will benefit LeMoyne and donations are always welcome!
Tallahassee has many great artisans but two in particular stood out in my mind. The first, Bev Shots, the entrepreneurial idea of Lester Hutt. Bev Shots showcases the art of microscopic detail of popular drinks and cocktails in canvas prints, photo prints and metallic prints. The results are amazing, unique and colorful modern designs that are visually stimulating and fun. They’re even branching into contemporary coasters! Art from Bev Shots will line the walls of this home on Tracy Lane and will be available for purchase.
Also featured at the “Art at an Open House” will be Tire Swing Designs and local artisan Lucas VanSickle. Lucas is a young artist in Tallahassee, FL with a love for woodworking. His creations include furniture and kitchen items made from reclaimed, abandoned and discarded wood, all treasures in his world! Lucas blogs about his creations and the process he uses as well as sharing beautiful quotes that inspire him and seem to mold his artistic ideas.
6475 Tracy Lane, Tallahassee, FL will be open Saturday, March 13th from 2 – 5 pm. Join us for a taste of contemporary art and creative works of Bev Shots and Tire Swing Designs.
“Art in an Open House.” will be an event where not just buyers qualified for this home, but for those who may be thinking about their next home as well. Whether remodeling or building a new home, I am certain the creative juices will be flowing as people see this home and the art inside. Take a Preview,….
Set up and Demolition begin as we take this home on 4103 Cornish Drive from unmarketable to marketable condition and prepare for a buyer.
This home began as a problem-child and will finish as a swan for sure!
Day one and two of this project involved set-up for demolition of existing structure in preparation for removal of all damaged systems, siding, and interior structures.
As this project unfolds you will see the noticeable and not-so-noticeable changes that will provide structural, functional and cosmetic repairs and improvements needed to make this home attractive to today’s discernable buyers.
The Tallahassee home Renovation project at 4103 Cornish Drive is underway!
Before we began this process, a carefully estimated job was performed by Florida Contractors, a licensed, insured contractor. Financing was obtained against the equity in the home. A lot of trust was placed in me, as a Realtor, from the sellers of this property who are out of state!
Carefully redesigning minor functional issues inside the home will increase it’s appeal and function and make it more marketable for today’s buyers. This floor plan will be open, bright and spacious!
Structural and latent defects are addressed immediately and new systems such as HVAC system and ductwork, electrical, foundation, water intrusion, wood rot and defective roof system and previously un-permitted rear porch are all ongoing parts of this renovation.
These repair are necessary for any new homeowner in order to obtain FHA, VA or government financing. When this project is complete, anyone will want to purchase this almost entirely new home!
More to come!
For more on how you can renovate your home to SELL, contact Debbie Kirkland today!
If you are thinking of selling your home.. and you believe it could be a candidate for a first time home buyer…and you want to move up… do not miss your opportunity! the 2010 Tax-credit for first time buyers, along with other first time home-buyer monies are about to come to an end. When that happens, it may be some time before you can expose your home again to the numbers of people that are buying right now!
The deadline for a first time buyer to be in contract is April 30th. The deadline for that buyer to close is June 30th. that leaves you about 2 months now to get your house on the market and get it sold! If you are thinking of moving up.. do it now!! The chances of selling your home after these two months are decreasing every day! The economists are not optimistic on what will happen with no credit and tightening home-buyer qualification processes. Don’t delay. Click here for a FREE HOME VALUATION today!
This is what happened this week.. a first time home buyer came to me in search of a home..under $110,000. (In my experience most of these buyers are purchasing homes under $150,000 and using down-payment assistance programs.) The buyer came to me pre-qualified (which can take weeks or months for some buyers who have credit issues or verification issues). Within a few days we had “virtually” previewed these homes and after feedback from me on many that I had already seen with other first time home-buyers, we set out to see homes that would work for these buyers.
Granted,.. in Tallahassee, it is RARE to find a property under $110,000 that is is great shape,.. and “woo’s” the buyers. We found that property. It had been on the market just 17 days.. and probably did not sell because the pictures did not do it justice on the MLS. What a thrill, and the buyers saw it near the end of their search, after seeing other properties that needed much work. Getting a home ready to sell makes all the difference in a quick sale and a tired, unseen listing?
This contract went well, buyer and seller negotiated with the help of their REALTORS what I feel like is a fair transaction, no one having an advantage over another and we are on our way with the steps that follow.
We will use Tallahassee Lender’s Consortium for available down-payment assistance funds because I recognized that these buyers qualify based on their income for the use of these funds. We negotiated for a portion of closing costs to be paid by the seller and the buyer’s could not be more appreciative to have this purchase opportunity. using these funds will enable them to keep their down-payment money in their pockets for furnishings, for a roof replacement reserve, (upon my advice), and moving expenses.
We are on our way! I am thrilled for my first time home-buyers!
Buyers, if you want to know where to begin.. take a look at these 9 Steps To home Ownership and make an appointment today to meet with me to plan your next move! Register for your FREE Buying Guide!
The renovation at 4103 Cornish Drive will be well documented. Renovations are being done by Florida Contractors. With the help of a team of a Realtor and contractor you can turn your unmarketable home into a SALE!
From where we started to where we will end up is going to be amazing!
Here are a Few photos (More Photos on Flickr) to give you an idea where we started and what we hope to accomplish…
I have to be the most prejudiced person in the world when it comes to what makes Tallahassee, Florida so special.. but just imagine…near perfection in a city, and you have Tallahassee. Visit Tallahassee… you will fall in love!
I enjoy history.. and Tallahassee has very historical places to visit.. including the places that made history when I was a kid.
There is something for everyone in Tallahassee, truly, Young and Old! Recreation, Culture, Education, Families, Retirement Living, Beautiful Land and all just 30 minutes from the Gulf Beaches. It really doesn’t get any better than this…
Who do you know that wants to make Tallahassee, Florida their home? I’m here to help! Give a shout!
This is a documentary of a local single family home renovation in Tallahassee, FL. The project will unfold, step by step, and the finished project will be a transformation that will show you how to handle a property that has problems that seem overwhelming and how to logically approach a project of this nature utilizing the resources of a professional Realtor and a licensed contractor. Debbie Kirkland, Realtor and Charles Temples of Florida Contractors in Tallahassee have documented this project every step of the way!
So how did this renovation project begin? In November, 2009 I received a call from sellers who were in distress. They had moved from Tallahassee to Texas, and the home that they bought as their first home. When the sellers moved, they had been renting the home. Unfortunately, their problems began long before their purchase.
As with many young home-buyers, these sellers, when buying their home were not properly represented. Without proper guidance and due diligence, they bought this home in 2004, without a proper home inspection. With little to no money for repairs and or maintenance, they lived here until they graduated from college, and little was done to improve the home, with the exception of some unique flooring, and a few other do-it-yourself projects which you will see in the video!
The Renters Have to Vacate,… Renters were occupying the home, but began to get sick. The renters were moved out, and the sellers obtained a home inspection. This home inspection was performed by Southern Home Consultants of Tallahassee, FL. The inspection revealed many issues, and we will show those in the timeline to follow. The home inspection also led to the need for a Mold Inspection performed by Indoor Environmental Management. Inexperienced sellers don’t always understand the gravity of such reports, not the legal requirements or liability of disclosure laws. As licensed Florida Realtors we are held to higher standards, including a duty for disclosure. In Florida, Representation Agreements include Disclosure as a duty for all Realtor representation agreements. (Disclosing all known facts that materially affect the value of residential real property and are not readily observable to the buyer).
The home was deemed unmarketable by several Realtors,.. The owners had contacted many Realtors who, after learning of the extent of damages, were not willing to take on this listing, or to advise them of what to do to remedy the problems with the property. This is where I became involved. As a new construction specialist, I reviewed the inspection reports, and began putting a plan together.
First Step,..Seller Consultation,… The first step in taking a listing like this, when repairs are needed to market effectively was a comprehensive consultation with the sellers. This consultation is needed to answer the following:
Seller’s understanding of the problem
Seller’s financial position, Seller’s ability to improve the property
Evaluation of end product – Is there profit?
Seller’s willingness to improve the property
Seller’s level of cooperation and role in a project this large and involved.
Seller’s expectations of a Realtor
Selling a property doesn’t always mean that a property needs to be in pristine condition, but for me, it does require that I can communicate with a seller, understand their expectations, and at the same time, they understand my expectations of them. During this appointment we addressed the above items and concluded that this would be a worthwhile project.
February is fast approaching and it is recognized as Black History Month. This month means many things to many people, to me, it is a celebration of culture, diversity and creativity. What arose from struggles gave us freedom of speech, determination for survival and success, and an appreciation for those who gave their lives for those freedoms.
North Florida is filled with rich centers and sites that honor African American history. We all owe it to each other to understand what came before us, so we can move forward with a deeper resolve to make our world a better place. Here are a few great resources that I enjoy sharing with others:
The North Florida Black Heritage Trail is filled with sites that provide significant African American history for visitors. Most sites on this Trail are open during regular business hours. Click here for printable Map and Brochure of the Black Heritage Trail.
There are many reasons to celebrate our history. If you are a music history lover, like me, you will enjoy this great video on the Harlem Renaissance: an Artistic Explosion.
My favorite African American Musicians of all time are:
Johnny Coltrane
He played this in Berlin.. 1961, the year I was born!
Louis Armstrong:
Billie Holiday:
There were so many others that I loved.. Nat King Cole, Stan Getz, Duke Ellington, Charlie “Bird” Parker and Sam Cooke. Are you a blues lover? Have you been to our local Bradfordville Blues Club? If not, it is a treat for all ages. check out the venue..and as a local where to go to hear the greatest blues and jazz on any Thursday, Friday or Saturday night in Tallahassee!
Above all.. let us remember our history, black history is a part of my American history.
Armor Realty of Tallahassee, Inc.