Homes by Melissa

07/16/2022

Floating in your very own pool with a nice, cold drink in hand might be your idea of heaven. And if that’s you, having a pool might be at the top of your house must-have list!

But there are some important questions you need to ask whenever you tour a house with a pool:

1. What type of pool will be best? The kind of pool you want will differ depending on your needs. If you have kids, an above-ground pool might be safest, for example.

2. What safety measures do you need? Make sure you know what safety measures come with the house and what you’ll need to install afterwards.

3. What is the maintenance? Some pools are super low maintenance, while others are not. Keep in mind that the size and type of pool will have a big impact on how much time/money you spend taking care of it.

4. Will home inspectors check the pool? As a feature of the property, it's wise to make sure the pool is in good condition before you buy. When you’re hiring an inspector, make sure to ask if they check the pool–if not, try to find a pool inspector who can check it out for you.

Pools can add value to a house and make relaxing in the Florida heat a breeze. With these questions in your back pocket, you’ll be able to make sure you get the right house with the right pool for you!

P.S. Make sure to save this post for when you tour homes!

07/14/2022

Do you know how real estate agents price out a home?

More factors go into the perfect price than you might think!

One of the first things your agent will look at is your home’s size and condition. Bigger homes usually fetch larger prices. However, if your home is in pristine condition, it can sell for more than even the biggest house on your street.

Your agent will also pay close attention to your home’s location, which is one of the most important things for buyers.

This can be surprising to some buyers, but one of the key factors for pricing a home is other recently sold homes. Your agent will bring their knowledge of current market trends and combine that with what other homes in your area have sold for to come up with the perfect price for your home.

A lot goes into finding the right price for a home that attracts potential buyers and gets top dollar for a seller. Don’t try to do it yourself! With an agent, you’ll be able to get your home priced correctly and get the best deal possible.

Want to talk more about pricing? Just send me a DM!

07/11/2022

Buying new construction can seem like a good way to avoid a lot of the headaches that come with older homes. With things built to your specifications and a brand new everything, you’ll pay a lot less in decor and maintenance costs.

But new builds do have some hidden costs that could end up putting a big dent in your wallet. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Understand that the model home is like the top trim package on a car–it has all of the upgrades. And those upgrades probably cost thousands of dollars. When you tour the model home, pay attention to the things that will definitely be in your house like the layout.

2. Know what’s included in the base model. Some base models come with appliances and all of your home necessities included while others come with just the bones of the house. It depends on the builder, but you need to know exactly what you’re walking into.

3. Read the warranty. Not all builder warranties are the same, and they will cover different things. Make sure you understand what will and won’t be covered so you aren’t surprised down the line.

4. Use your own agent. The agents working at the new construction are the builder’s agents–not yours. That means they work to get the builder the best deal possible, even at your expense. Protect yourself and get a fair deal by hiring your own buyer’s agent.

If you’re looking for an agent to make sure you get the best deal while buying new construction, just send me a DM!

05/30/2022

📣𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆❗
➡𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐎𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨, 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝟑𝟐𝟖𝟑𝟓

📅Schedule a tour here: https://bit.ly/3t4zl9y

3 𝐁𝐞𝐝𝐬 2 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 1,567 𝐒𝐪𝐅𝐭

Move in ready one story 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home in an amazing community near everything Central Florida has to offer.
📞Choice Homes 423-708-2524
⏩EXP Realty

05/25/2022

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐋 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞❗

For ALL INFO 👉 https://bit.ly/3CSiQRV

Jim Trautz - Saturday May 28, 12-2PM

Melissa V***a - Friday May 27, 3-5PM and Sunday May 29, 2-4PM

6819 𝑆𝑃𝑅𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝑅𝐴𝐼𝑁 𝐷𝑅, 𝑂𝑅𝐿𝐴𝑁𝐷𝑂 𝐹𝐿 32819

05/04/2022

Real estate is an amazing way to earn passive income. (aka making money while you relax at the beach!)

Here’s some of my favorite ways to earn passive income from real estate.

1. Buy and rent out a rental unit. Use a property management company for truly passive income!

2. Buy a vacation rental. Same thing here–you can hire out all the hard work.

3. Buy and hold land and sell years later. This one requires a bit of patience and forward thinking, but it’s about as passive as you can get!

4. Buy and lease out commercial space for businesses. This is a good one because business leases are usually for multiple years, which means less admin work.

Want to talk more about how real estate can build passive income for you? Send me a DM!

05/04/2022

We just love Star Wars in my house!

Which is your favorite Star Wars movie? Let me know in the comments

05/03/2022

I know it seems counterintuitive, but you can make MORE money selling your house with an agent than by trying to sell it yourself. That means more cash in your pocket, and who would want to say no to that?

The problem is that sellers often think that they’ll save money by selling their homes by themselves because they don’t have to pay the commission for a seller’s agent. A seller’s agent commission usually runs 3-5% of the purchase price of the house.

But the stats show that homes sold by real estate agents sell for 13% more on average than homes sold by owners.

So while you may feel like you’re saving money by selling your house by yourself, you’re actually missing out on a ton of money that could have been yours.

And that’s on top of all the work you have to do to sell your house. It’s so much easier to hire a seller’s agent to take care of it for you–and you’ll walk away with more cash at the end of the day.

Want to talk about how I can help you sell your house for top dollar? Just send me a DM!

05/03/2022

Are you excited about the expansion of Universal?

As someone who drives that way all the time to get home, I just hope there are some plans to help with the extra traffic!

Universal Orlando Resort is underway on construction of a part of its Epic Universe property. See more.

05/03/2022

This is super important if you’re selling your home!

A seller disclosure is a document that you give to buyers outlining basically everything you know about your home.

If your home has any issues that give it “character,” for example, you’ll have to include that information in the seller disclosure.

In the past, I’ve seen some sellers that have wanted to be sneaky and not include certain issues in the seller disclosure because they think it will break the deal. Don’t do this!

Always, always be honest in your seller disclosure. The truth will come out at some point, and you could be liable for lawsuits.

Have any questions about seller disclosures? Just send me a DM!

04/29/2022

❓ Looking for a lakeside home in Orlando? 🏡

🔑 Check out this amazing lakeside home in Doctor Philips with a private dock and nightly fireworks views 🎆

Send me a message for more info and a list of other lakeside properties in Orlando!

📱 407-974-4017
📧 [email protected]