Welcoming Jeremy Ezerzer to Title Partners

Read more
/by

Navigating the Proposed NAR Settlement: Buyer Agent Survival Guide

Attention Realtors! Have you heard the buzz about the proposed settlement from the National Association of Realtors (NAR)? It’s been causing quite a commotion in our industry, and as Real Estate Professionals, we need to be on the edge of our seats, ready to adapt to potential changes. Let’s dive into what’s being proposed and how it could affect us.

What are the proposed changes?

So, what’s all the buzz about? Well, buckle up, because things are about to change. The proposed NAR settlement suggests some significant shifts in how we might do business:

  1. Potentially no more showing buyer agent commissions on MLS listings.
  2. Buyer agents may need to sign a Buyer Representation Agreement before showing properties.
  3. Buyers might have two options for commission payment:
    • Negotiation with the listing agent or
    • Receiving seller credits towards closing costs.

How could this affect you as a Realtor?

Now, you might be wondering, “How could this affect me?” Well, let us break it down for you. If this proposed settlement is accepted, it could mean that Realtors will need to be prepared to step up your game. You will not be able to wing it anymore. You will need to present yourself even more professionally and ensure your clients understand your role, value, and compensation. 

What will you need to do?

You will need to have a systematic way to build trust with your buyers and get those agreements signed. 

Are you ready?

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Our team at Title Partners of Florida is here to support you every step of the way. We’re preparing a special course to help you navigate through these potential changes smoothly. 

In this FREE course, we’ll equip you with everything you might need to succeed in this new landscape as a trusted professional:

  • Understand the ins and outs of the proposed NAR settlement and how it could affect your business.
  • Utilize tools like the TitlePartnersFL ONE App to boost your professional image.
  • Present professionally co-branded market reports.
  • Create a killer portfolio presentation that will impress your clients.
  • Develop the trust you need to get buyers to sign the dotted line.
  • And more!

So, there you have it, folks. The proposed NAR settlement will be shaking things up, but there is no need to worry. With the right knowledge and support, you will be ready to tackle the changes head-on and continue to thrive in our industry. 

Stay tuned for more updates and get ready to conquer this new chapter together!

/by

5 THINGS TO DO BEFORE LISTING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Improving your home’s presentation should be the first thing a house on the market should attend to. You should start by finding a good agency. Any agent can tell you what price range your home falls under. Yet only the best agent can tell you what to expect of buyers in your particular market. Having said that, here are 5 ways to get started on preparing to sell your home.

1. Raise the Curb Appeal

Exteriors are the first experience potential buyers have with a house. Your house’s exterior should therefore immediately create a good and welcoming ambience. Clear, paint, repair, mow and prune any damaged or unkept areas around the property. Ensure your front door is visible, accessible, and clutter free. Aim to give potential buyers a feeling of ease and comfort when approaching your home.

 

2. Deep Clean the Interiors

Cleanliness makes a home feel well taken care of, so deep cleaning can win points with buyers. Each room, cabinet and garage should be tidied up before showing. Ensure you have the right window treatments that enhance natural brightness. Ensure you have clean rugs and carpets with no sight of stains, dinginess or odors. If these seem daunting, a professional cleaning company can take care of it for you.

 

3. Repair the Broken Things

Repair or replace broken or outdated hardware in your home. Door handles, faucets, towel bars and curtain rods are fixtures that are visible to buyers. They can be fixed without much cost. Replace light fixtures that are broken or no longer fit your home. You can use light fixtures to draw attention to selling points, such as artworks or mantles.

 

4. Declutter your Home

Potential buyers should see clean, open spaces when they look at your home. This will enable them to imagine their own comfortable life in your home. Decluttering your home removes distractions and makes it easier for buyers to explore. Remove clutter such as litter boxes, pet dishes, toys, and kids’ entertainment. Fresh, decorative flowers in the kitchen or on the dining room table are a welcome touch. However, ensure it is simple and cleanly decorated.

 

5. Paint With Neutral Colors

Painting is an affordable maintenance project with a high return on investment. Putting a fresh coat of paint on white or beige walls can do wonders in freshening your home and its appeal. Repaint walls that have unconventional colors. Neutral colors, such as taupe and subtle grey, are the best choices. This is because it is rare that someone doesn’t like these colors. Additionally,  lingering paint smell can be avoided by painting a month before listing . So time your painting.

/by

First Time Buyers Beware of these 4 common closing mistakes

Buying a home could come with a lot of anxiety and this can be exceptionally overwhelming especially for first time homebuyers. 

While this process can be exciting also, it can come with some potential pitfalls, a lot of which can have an effect on your life for years to come so you need to take care so as not to make these mistakes that are common amongst first-time homebuyers.

#1 Location

Location is super important when making a real estate purchase. This is one of the key drivers of value in buying a home. The location of your home can provide convenience to a lot of things and places and if you have kids or intend to have kids then you should be looking at somewhere that is closer to a school.

You’re also looking for somewhere that has an easy commute to work or places you like to go often as well as somewhere that would appreciate over the years. A great location would be high in demand by the time you are willing to sell at a later time or rent out.

#2 Ignoring Additional Expenses

These are unmentioned expenses that come with buying a home. A lot of first-time homebuyers only look at the initial price quoted by the seller without looking at additional expenses. This makes them spend so much more than was initially budgeted for the buying process.

There are various additional expenses like service tax, stamp duty, registration charges, maintenance deposit, parking space fees, brokerage fee. It is important to keep these fees in mind while planning your budget so you are not taken by surprise.

#3 Skipping the home inspection 

A lot of buyers are so excited that they skip the most important part of buying a home, which is the home inspection. Skipping a home inspection could put you in a lot of risks, both financially, physically and mentally if the home is not in a very good shape. If there are hazards that were not detected during the buying process it can take a toll on the buyer in the long run, things like mold, carbon monoxide etc can create a health concern in the long run or safety issues such as bad electrical wiring or plumbing problems can make you spend much more than was initially budgeted.

So before buying a home, it is important to hire home inspectors for a little fee to take a good look at the property you are about to purchase.

#4 Insurance

Most first-time buyers fail to protect their homes with lifetime insurance. Home insurance is intended to protect you financially if something happens to your property. The typical homeowner’s policy covers interior and exterior damages, loss of assets and injury sustained while on the property. This specific policy can also provide benefits such as legal costs and temporary accommodation.

Home insurance package policies are pretty much all-inclusive and can cover most risks a property owner is likely to encounter so when it comes to insuring your home, it is necessary to find a well informed broker and make some research to know what program works best for you.

We, at Title Partners of Florida, write and support the real estate transaction closing, including the issuance of title insurance policies through Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund. We also coordinate searches, title products, and a variety of other services for our clients. Contact us with any questions about our real estate closing services by phone at (844) 321-6168 or by email at titleinfo@titlepartnersfl.com.

/by

How to file a homestead exemption in Florida

What is a homestead exemption?

This can be described as a property tax exemption for your permanent primary residence.  

A homestead exemption permits a property owner to exempt a fraction of the value of their home from property tax assessments, it reduces your escrow payment and your overall payment.

A homestead exemption is tied to a specific property, which is the property of the owner. It came about because senior citizens on tight incomes had difficulties paying the property tax. As a matter of fact, in some locations, a homestead exemption completely eliminates taxes for senior citizens.

However, the homestead exemption does not prevent a bank foreclosure if a property owner defaults on their mortgage.

Requirements to be met in order to qualify for the Florida homestead exemption 

  1. You must own and be resident in the property on January 1 of the current year to be eligible to file for the current year.
  2. The property must be your permanent residence “to the exclusion of others”.
  3. The deadline for filing is on March 1 of the current year, so you must have applied by March 1 in order to qualify.

Documents required for Florida homestead exemption application

To apply for the Florida homestead exemption you must note that there are a few conditions that must be met before the submission of the documents required.

  • Only the persons listed on the application as residing owners with proof of their Florida residency will benefit from the homestead exemption if their application is granted
  • Vacation homes, rental properties, and investment properties do not qualify.
  • Non-citizens must submit an alien registration card in order to qualify 
  • You have to live in the property six months and one day per year to qualify.

Documents required:

  1. Proof of January 1st Ownership
  2. Proof of Florida residency – it can include one of the following and must be issued prior to January 1. 
    • A valid Florida license or ID card
    • Florida vehicle registration 
    • Florida voters registration
    • Prior year’s IRS return or current W-2 form
    • Bank statements and checking account registered at the property
    • Proof of payments for utilities at the property

How to file for Florida homestead exemption 

  1. In person – visit one of the service centers
  2. Online – Complete the online Exemption filling application and make sure to select the state’s e-file option
  3. Mail – Mail the completed application  along with supporting documentation to the property Appraiser’s office       

Once you have received the Homestead Exemption, you do not have to re-apply because your Florida homestead exemption automatically renews every year as long as your residency status and the property title stay the same. However, the homeowner has a responsibility under the law to notify the Property Appraiser if there is a change of ownership or property title.

 

/by

How Ukraine Invasion Is Affecting The Florida Real Estate Market

President Joe Biden has authorized sanctions this week on Russian Officials with assets in the USA. This is coming after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shook the global markets causing a spiral in oil and gas which have experienced volatility, with crude oil rates going from $43.00 a barrel to about $104.00 and expected to peak to $109.00 – $143.00 depending on when the crisis ends. And the global stock market, which is expected to get hit by 5% – 30% depending on Russian stocks listed.

The luxury real estate market is also feeling the impact as the US government has put sanctions in place to restrict the Russian elite’s ability to access western financial institutions. Russians in Sunny Isles, Florida have been worried that the rising conflict will blacklist them from buying properties in the USA.

“If the Ukraine crisis deepens, then there may be a negative impact on the overall economy and the real estate sector, which is currently witnessing a growth trajectory,”  experts say.

The Treasury Department has proceeded to immobilize Russian Central Bank assets that are being held in America in a bid to cripple their reliance on international markets with additional measures to exclude major Russian financial institutions including big lenders VTB and Sberbank, representing more than 80% of the banking sector from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or SWIFT. 

“If SWIFT will be taken away from them, and hopefully that happens today, that would complicate any kind of transaction,” said Natalia Raphael, a Moscow-born real estate agent with the Keyes Company. “If they cannot use wires, if they cannot transfer money freely as they have been so far, that complicates business quite a bit.”

These Sanctions are very aggressive and are making it very difficult for Russian financial institutions and the elites to trade in US dollars because the invasion of Ukraine has caused some strain in the purchase of real estate properties in South Florida. 

“We are extending the reach of US sanctions to prevent the elites close to Putin from using their kids to hide assets, evade costs, and squander the resources of the Russian people,” a National security council official told the Miami Herald. “This is the new approach.”

The National Association of Home Builders have also recorded a spike in prices of construction materials because of global supply-chain disruptions as prices of construction materials have gone up to 22% annually with lumber prices up 40% over the past months.

“Higher mortgage rates will slow home buying demand over the course of 2022, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis will add short-term volatility to the bond market,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz.

The real estate market lately has been in a bubble which is about to burst and with the unsteady global situation with Russia invading Ukraine, prices are likely to increase drastically over the coming months, which could possibly lead to a recession.

/by