Ninety-five percent of homebuyers use the Internet to shop for a home, according to the National Association of REALTORS.® People looking for homes can take a look at yours through multiple photos, videos and virtual tours. So you may be wondering if holding an open house is worth the time and effort.

After searching on the Internet most homebuyers drive around scoping out neighborhoods and locations. They often choose several homes to drive by, and an open house could tip them favorably toward your neighborhood and home. Open houses allow buyers to view homes without obligation, and an open house helps them form their preferences, compromises and deal-breakers.

An open house is only effective if it shows the home to its fullest advantage. Deep cleaning, de-cluttering, de-personalizing, and staging are imperative, just as they are for showings by appointment. Your pets should be out of the home for the day, and you should make plans to be gone while your home is open to the public.

That said, less than nine percent of buyers chose the home they bought from yard signs and open houses. Instead, 90 percent used the services of a real estate agent, which means an open house is only one piece in the overall marketing plan for selling your home.

Contact me at 561-809-6746 if an open house should be part of your home’s marketing plan. Keep in mind that you may be in a market where homes are selling so quickly that an open house isn’t necessary, but in most markets, you should employ all the ways homebuyers shop for a home.

Consider these 5 steps before settling on a price range.

As the spring housing market heats up, you may have to act fast to get the home you want. But that doesn’t mean you should skip crucial home buying steps. Have a plan and stick to it to find the home you want.

1. Be prepared. Choose a lender, share your financial information, and decide the down payment amount. The lender will come back with the highest amount you can borrow and your interest rate. Don’t fool yourself with a risky loan; get the safest loan for the longest term you can afford.
2. Shop within your means. By fixing the financial variables, you also fix your price range. While you may be tempted to look at fancier homes to see what they have, but that will only make you less happy with the homes in your range.
3. Don’t skip inspections. Sellers expect you to examine the home. You not only need to know what the home costs, but what it’s likely to cost soon for repairs, replacements and remodeling.
4. Think long term. To recover closing and moving costs, you will likely need to occupy the home you buy for five years or longer. Choose the home that is most likely to meet your household’s needs for the longest foreseeable future.
5. Add value. By adding on or making other improvements, you’re bringing the home up to the area’s best standards, which will help it hold and increase its value and appeal strongly to the next buyer.

 

 

Millennials are looking for starter homes with hopes of trading up in the future

According to Bank of America’s Homebuyer Insights Report (see infographic below), Millennials are buying the house they can afford now as a step toward moving up to their dream home in the future. Homes first-time homebuyers can afford are often referred to as starter homes. You can find 2, 3 and 4 bedroom starter homes in Jupiter ranging from around $200k to the mid $300k depending on condition, size, location, view and whether or not there is a pool.

Neighborhoods in Jupiter where you can find starter homes include:

Eastview Manor

Eastview Manor is conveniently located in the heart of Jupiter. This neighborhood is perfect for the first-time homebuyer looking for the Old Florida charm. These are ranch homes with 2-3 bedrooms just over 1,000 square feet of living space and spacious backyards.

Indian Creek

Indian Creek is an umbrella community in Jupiter. It is comprised of 14 smaller neighborhoods with a total of 1,417 condominiums, townhomes, villas and single-family home perfect for first time homebuyers, individuals, small families and retirees.

Jupiter Landings

Jupiter Landing was developed in the 1980s. The community consists of 2, 3 or 4 bedroom on 1/4 acre lots. Homes are woodframe with 1,000+ square feet  of  living space and one or 2 car garages. This is an attractive neighborhood for people who have a budget in the $200-350k price range such as retirees and first time homebuyers.

Jupiter River Estates

Jupiter River Estates is conveniently located in the heart of Jupiter. The 2 to 4 bedroom homes in this community range in size from just under 1,000 s ft of living space to almost 2,000 sq. ft. Some homes have been updated and some border a navigable canal with fixed bridge. Most homes are CBS construction and a few have in-ground pools.

North Palm Beach Heights

Popular with young families, North Palm Beach Heights a.k.a. “The Heights” or “The Heights of Jupiter” is just east of 95 and west of Abacoa. Most homes in North Palm Beach are ranch-style single-family houses but there are some two-story homes and are CBS or woodframe construction.

Pine Gardens Estates

Pine Gardens is conveniently located just west of Dixie Highway to the to the north and south of Indiantown. There you can find some unique 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes. Choose from lovely old Florida cottage and small ranches. Most are CBS. Many have been tastefully updated or find one to remodel.

Riverside Drive Park

Riverside Drive Park is a friendly affordable neighborhood just North of the Alt A1A bridge and South of the Village of Tequesta. It’s a wonderful spot for a first time homebuyer that want to be close to the beach and the Loxahatchee River. You can walk your kayak or paddleboard down to the river for a day of paddling fun.

Sims Creek

You can find affordable starter and retirement homes in this boating community. There is an HOA with fees around $120 per month. Amenities include a community dock and clubhouse with pool. Townhomes were built in the 1980’s and are two stories with two bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The single family homes were built in the 1990’s and offer 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and a 2 car garage, great for buyers in the market for starter home and empty-nesters seeking to downsize or looking for a second home.

Homebuyer Insights Report – Bank of America