Any time you do something for the first time, there are things you don’t know. Sometimes those things don’t hurt you. You just learn as you go along. But, when you’re buying a home for the first time, the things you don’t know can hurt you. It makes sense to understand the mistakes others have made and figure out how to avoid those things before they make buying your first home a stressful experience. Here’s how to avoid five first-time homebuyer mistakes.
If you haven’t checked your credit score lately, you need to do that now. You may assume that everything is fine, especially if you don’t have creditors beating down your door. But, there are all kinds of things that can affect your credit score.
You may have an old dispute with a creditor that you never resolved, or you could think that being late making payments isn’t an issue if it happened a long time ago. Besides things you’ve done, there can be inaccurate information on a credit report that is bringing down your score. You need to make sure your credit reports are accurate and if your credit score isn’t that great, fix it. You’ll find lots of information online about fixing your credit and increasing your score.
Why Avoid It? Your credit score will have a big effect on the interest rate lenders will offer. It could be a full percentage point, which could be the difference between a reasonable monthly payment and one that you can’t support. Besides that, the interest you pay over the life of the loan will be much higher.
This is one of those classic first-time homebuyer mistakes. You do know you’ll need a down payment, right? If you do, you probably also know that there a variety of requirements for a down payment on a house. But, just because you think you can get a mortgage with 3% down, that doesn’t mean that you should. The less you put down, the higher your monthly payments will be and it will take you longer to build equity.
Why Avoid It? At a minimum, you need to look at your options before you make a decision about a down payment. There are low interest/low down payment options, but you need to choose carefully. You also need to be prepared for the cash you’ll need to pay closing costs.
It’s easy to get caught up in looking at homes for sale on the internet and put off thinking about financing. That backward approach can cause trouble later. Hiring a real estate agent to start your search isn’t a problem. Your agent can probably refer you to a lender who specializes in first-time buyers who can tell you about mortgage programs that target first-time homebuyers. But, before you get serious about looking at homes, make sure to talk to a lender and get a pre-approval.
Why Avoid It? Once you get pre-approved, you’ll know exactly what price range to look at. You’ll also have an estimate of a monthly payment that you’re comfortable with. It’s very sad when someone falls in love with a house, then discovers that they can’t afford it.
A pre-approval also gives you a strong negotiating position when you do find your house. Sellers don’t want a deal to fall through because the buyer can’t get a mortgage. When you’re pre-approved, your offer will stand out from the crowd, which will make negotiations go more smoothly.
After you’ve talked to a real estate agent and a lender, you will have an estimate of the amount of a mortgage you can get approved for. But, keep in mind that you don’t have to use that entire amount when you buy a house. You need to take a hard look at the maximum monthly payment you’ll have if you buy a house at the top of the range for which you’re pre-approved.
Another way people end up with too much house is that they don’t calculate maintenance costs and factor that in to their monthly commitment. Maintenance costs will vary depending on the age of your home, your climate, and more. There’s a rule many people use that says you’ll spend 1% of the value of your home each year in maintenance. So, for that $250,000 house, you can estimate costs of $2500 a year, or approximately $200 per month.
Why Avoid It? It’s easy to see the house of your dreams and know that you could purchase it with the mortgage pre-approval you have. But, more than one homebuyer has had that new-house glow wear off when they can’t afford to do the things they’ve always done. Sometimes people start running balances on their credit cards to make ends meet.
Sometimes people lose a job and can’t find another at the same salary quickly. The last thing you want to do is lose your house, or end up hating it because it changes your entire lifestyle. Think about your spending habits and be realistic about the monthly mortgage payment you want to sign up for.
This is a very common among first-time homebuyer mistakes. Getting a pre-approval doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get a mortgage. Yes, that’s a surprising statement, but it’s true. When you make an offer on a home and your lender completes a formal mortgage application, the application then goes to underwriting. The underwriters review all the factors related to your application before giving a final approval. It’s important that you don’t change your financial situation until you close on your house.
Why Avoid It? If you finance the purchase of new furniture for your new home, you’re changing your financial position. Or, let’s say that you’d paid down your credit cards before you got the pre-approval, but then start running balances as you stock up on purchases for your new house. It’s possible that your mortgage application won’t be approved, even though you had a pre-approval.
When you’re a first-time homebuyer, you need to work with professionals who can guide you through the process. The Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team has established a reputation for working with first-time homebuyers.
Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you’re a first-time homebuyer, one of the first things you think about is what you’ll need for a down payment. While a 20% down payment has been a standard for a long time, it’s not always necessary. When you decide on a down payment on a house, think about your goals and your financial situation.
If you’re financing a home purchase, you’ll need an initial payment that secures the loan. Down payments are typically stated in terms of a percent of the purchase price of the home. For example, if you purchase a $250,000 home, a 20% down payment would be $50,000. When you subtract the down payment from the purchase price, you will finance $200,000, and your payments will be based on that amount.
The other thing to keep in mind is that there are closing costs when you get a mortgage. Some of those costs can include a credit report fee, appraisal origination fee, application fee, and title insurance, among others. Buyers typically pay in a range of 2-7% of the purchase price, with the average being around 3%. Therefore, on that $250,000 house, your closing costs could be in the range of $5,000 to $17,500, with the average being $7500.
The closing costs aren’t used as part of your down payment, but you need to plan for having the cash ready to pay those costs when you close on the sale. So, it doesn’t hurt to include those costs when you determine how much you need to save.
Traditionally, a 20% down payment is the standard, but it’s a home buying myth that you must have 20% to put down. Today, there are a number of different types of mortgage loans, and not all of them require a large down payment.
You get a conventional loan from your local banker, for example. Traditional lenders do use a 20% down payment as their preferred approach, but they can also accept down payments of as low as 3%. If you do get a conventional loan with less than 20% down, the lender will also require you to have Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). The insurance premium will be added to your monthly mortgage payment.
Government-Backed LoansDifferent departments in the government offer government-backed loans that have different requirements from conventional loans. Some of the most well-known include:
First-time homebuyers can take advantage of loan programs made especially for them. Ask your local real estate agent and lender about the programs you may quality for. Examples include Fannie Mae’s Home Path Ready Buyer Program.
You may be surprised to know that over 2,000 programs available nationwide that help homebuyers with their down payments. Some are grants and others are loans that you don’t need to pay back until you move, sell, or refinance your home.
Saving for a down payment requires some discipline. For example, you can reduce the number of times you eat out, and spend $4 a day on a fancy coffee drink. It would be a good idea to create a budget and stick to it. But, there’s another strategy you can use to help your savings grow.
It’s very easy to overspend, but if you automate your savings plan, you’ll eliminate that possibility. Create a new account where you can set up automatic deposits every payday. Once you have put that money aside, you force yourself to live within your budget.
And, you can use an account where you’re not in danger of losing any of your savings, but you can get some interest or appreciation. These days, the interest rate is so low, you won’t get much, but when you’re saving for a down payment on a house, every little bit helps!
If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. We specialize in working with first-time homebuyers.
Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
You’re buying a one of the Davie homes for sale. Congratulations! You’ve already been through the selection process, the offer, negotiations, inspections, and now you’re ready to close. After the close, except for the mortgage if you financed your purchase, you’ll own the home with no strings attached, right? If all goes well, the answer is yes.
But, there could be other people who have a claim against your ownership. To protect yourself and your home from that often costly situation, you need title insurance. Here are answers to some common title insurance questions.
A title is a legal document that identifies the person or people who own a piece of property. But, it’s important that you have a clear title, meaning that no other person or company can question your ownership. You get a clear title by hiring a title company to research public records to ensure that there are no liens or levys on your property.
Once the title company has determined that you have a clear title, they can issue title insurance to protect you in case something comes up later that questions your ownership. If that happens, it’s said that you have a “shadow” on your title. And, if you have title insurance, the title company will pay for resolving the issue.
Your lender will insist on having a lender’s title insurance policy, and you’ll typically pay for it as part of your closing costs. That insurance only protects the lender. Owner’s title insurance will protect you, but it is optional and some buyers question whether they need it.
American Land Title Association is one of the top title companies in the nation. A report they published indicates that they find and resolve problems with a title in 25% of the searches they perform. And, those are just the issues they find before closing. So, that’s a pretty good reason why you need title insurance. It can save you from running into bigger problems down the road.
A lien is a legal claim to assets that have typically been used as collateral for a debt. Another type of shadow on a title can come from someone else claiming ownership. Here are just a few examples of how those things happen.
How would you feel if you ended up paying those subcontractors $40,000? What would you do if someone had a claim against your ownership? The legal fees alone could be staggering.
In Broward County, the buyer pays for the lender’s and owner’s insurance policy as a closing cost. Other counties have different rules, so be sure to check with your real estate agent. As a buyer, do you need title insurance? Think about what it would take to resolve these issues that a buyer’s insurance policy will typically cover. Policies are different, so be sure to read your policy carefully. Policies will usually cover the cost to investigate a claim, then either take it to court or settle it.
The cost for title insurance varies based on where your property is located and the purchase price. It also varies depending on whether you get coverage beyond the standard. But, when you think about everything that could possibly go wrong, it’s very cost effective.
It’s a one-time fee that is included in your closing costs, and it protects the large investment you have in your home. Typically, the insurance will pay out far more than it cost if you do run into a problem.
Think of it like any type of insurance. You purchase insurance for your home, not because a home burning down is a common occurrence, but because you want the peace of mind knowing that you’d be covered if it did.
Are you thinking of buying or selling? If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Check out our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
The COVID-19 virus pandemic has changed a lot about the way we live. Many people are wondering how the real estate industry is handling the problems that we’re all facing. The good news is that while the real estate industry has slowed, the industry has taken steps to make it possible for real estate transactions to continue. Here are answers to many of the questions you may have about real estate in today’s environment.
Yes, real estate is considered essential and we have been granted the right to keep working.
Yes, our team is accepting listings. The number of listings isn’t as high as usual, but people are still listing their Davie homes for sale.
Not according to the Florida Realtors® organization. According to their March 2020 market statistics, the median sale price was $275,000, which is a 7.4% increase over March 2019, and a 1.85% increase over February 2020.
Other market statistics are still moving in the right direction. For example, there were 26,611 closed sales in March, which is just over a 28% increase from February. The median percent of the original list price received was 97.1%, up from 96.8% in February. That means that the final sale price is very close to the original listing price. And, the median time to contract was 38 days in March vs. 49 days in February, meaning that the time was less between the listing date and the contract date for all closed sales.
Yes, if you need a mortgage, lenders are still working and ready to answer any questions you have. If you aren’t working with a lender now, feel free to contact us for a recommendation to lenders that we know are trustworthy. Even if you’re not ready to make a move right now, getting pre-approved for a loan is always the best plan before you start looking at homes.
You can’t take a physical tour of homes for sale, but we’re using technology to let you see homes and stay safe from the virus.
If you’re interested in a home for sale, one of our team members can go into that home and give you a virtual tour using FaceTime or Skype. You can ask questions and get a very personalized tour of the areas of the home that are most important to you.
We’re also offering a 3-D home tour for many of our listings. You can see an example of a 3D tour for one of our listings. You’ll see the home exactly as if you were walking around it yourself – right down to the Cheerios box in the kitchen! If you’re wondering how long the counter is in the bathroom, the 3-D tour is even more convenient than being there in person. A ruler is available and you can use it to take measurements of anything in the home.
Let’s say that you found a home you wanted to buy. Placing an offer and negotiations work the same way they always have. You’ll have an inspection contingency in the offer that is also a fairly standard practice.
You’ll be able to see the home during the inspection. Normally, your agent and the listing agent would be present at the inspection. Today, only two parties are able to attend the inspection, you and the inspector. During the inspection, you’ll be able to follow the inspector as they evaluate the home’s systems and talk to the inspector to answer any questions you have.
As usual, if the inspection identifies any defects, we’ll have the opportunity to negotiate with the seller to fix them. If we can’t come to an agreement with the seller, the inspection contingency means that you can cancel the offer and your deposit, also known as earnest money, will be returned to you.
If you’re thinking of selling, the competition would be less at this time since there are fewer sellers putting their homes on the market. That could make your home more attractive to buyers who need or want to move.
If you’re buying, you can take advantage of the low interest rates and the fact that there are homes that aren’t moving as well as they have in the recent past. Sometimes there is more room for negotiation with a seller who really needs to move.
Whatever your real estate needs during this unsettled time, keep in mind that we’re here to help. Whenever you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you and your family are staying home to help stop the coronavirus, finding things to do can be a challenge. You’re probably setting up schedules to keep your kids busy. But, if you’re interested in giving your house a refresh, now would be an excellent time to take on some relatively simple updates that the entire family can enjoy. Here are some of the best home projects around.
You’d be surprised at how a few easy changes to the exterior of your home will increase its curb appeal and make it a welcoming entry to your home.
Here are some easy projects that don’t cost a lot and can be fun projects where the kids can help, too.
If you have a window over your sink in the kitchen, the window treatments there can get water stained and may be outdated. A roman shade is a great way to give privacy when you need it while letting light in, also. When you make your own roman shades, you can have the look without the expense.
If you don’t have a formal mudroom, your entry probably gets stacked up with hats, coats, boots and more. For a simple fix, add a shelf with pegs that can hold hats and coats, then get a boot tray to put underneath.
Add Storage Bins to a Pantry or ClosetWhen you have time on your hands, it’s a good time to clean out the kitchen pantry or that laundry closet that is always overflowing. Use labelled plastic bins to get things organized!
Some bedrooms are too small to hold a bedside table at both sides of the bed. Here’s a very creative way to provide the storage you need next to your bed. If you need light, add a wall mounting lamp.
It’s important that people can see your house numbers, especially in the case of an emergency when fire or EMS needs to find you quickly. Use this cute house number planter to make your address stand out.
This is a great idea for a kid’s room, not to mention the living or dining room. You can easily give a bookcase new life and your room a new look with patterned backdrops. Just mount paper or fabric to the back of each shelf. If you don’t want to make a permanent change, use poster board and you’ll be able to change the design whenever you want. The best home projects are flexible.
Sometimes, all you need is to paint the vanity in a bathroom to give it new life. Here are some instructions on how to paint a vanity the easy way, and before and after photos. Here are more before and afters to give you additional inspiration. You can change the hardware easily, and you can also change the fixtures and countertop. But you’ll notice a significant difference if all you do is paint the vanity.
And, if you’ve decided that a vanity facelift isn’t enough and you want a new home, consider the best Realtors in Broward County, the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you’re a parent in Davie or anywhere in Broward County, or just about anywhere else, you’re probably facing the challenge of keeping your kids busy while schools are closed. Here’s some information that will help.
But, I’m sure you already know that. Due to the coronavirus, schools in Broward County will remain closed through April 15, 2020. You can get more information on the Broward County Schools website. That page also contains information about food and nutrition services for students and families, which has been extended until April 15.
Grab-and-go meal service was available in nine locations, but will be expanded to 47 locations from March 30 to April 15, 2020. You can open a PDF file that lists all the locations.
Broward County Schools provides continuing education opportunities for students that are appropriate to their grade level. You can also download a free copy of Microsoft Office Suite if you need that software to let your children use the educational tools on a device that doesn’t already have it installed.
Being out of school for such an extended time is a new experience for children and parents. It’s a good idea to set up a routine for your children to help them know what to expect during this time.
You can set up a daily schedule that includes both study times and play times. It may seem weird to set up a schedule for days at home, but kids need structure. While they’re home, you’re the only one who can provide it. There are resources online that can help you figure out how to create that schedule. That page also has some ideas about online educational websites and suggestions on fun ways to stay busy, too.
There are all kinds of things you can use to keep your kids active during this time at home. Here are some of my favorites.
Visit animals. Zoo cams are set up at zoos around the world. For example, the National Zoo has webcams where you can check in on naked mole-rats, lions, giant pandas, and elephants. Or, check out this list of wild animal web cams. Sometimes nothing is happening, so you might need to check out a few sites to find the animals in action.The internet is a treasure trove of ideas. You could start with this Forbes article that lists 110 things to keep your kids busy.
Family time is good. But, everyone is feeling the pain from so much enforced togetherness. Don’t let your kids get bored by giving them structure, and finding new ways to have fun as a family.
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When you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
The statistics are out from the MIAMI Association of Realtors for the real estate market in Broward County Florida for January 2020. Broward County statistics include Davie homes for sale, and other houses for sale in Broward County, in places like Cooper City, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, and Weston.
If you’re thinking of buying or selling Broward County real estate in 2020, the January results will give you an idea of where the market is going.
If you’re wondering if you should sell your home this Spring, you’ll be interested to know that Broward County is experiencing a seller’s market.
What’s a seller’s market? A seller’s market typically means that there are more buyers looking for homes than there are homes for sale, and there is less than a 6-month supply of homes for sale in “inventory.” In January, the inventory of homes for sale decreased 20.8% to 3.8 months for single-family homes. The inventory of condos and townhomes went down 6.5% to 5.8 months.
If these trends continue, spring 2020 will be a great time to sell your Broward County home. There may even be competition for homes that will keep prices high and the market moving quickly.
The total number of homes sold increased 6% between January 2019 and January 2020. Single-family home sales rose 10.7% and condo sales increased 2%.
Big increases appeared in the single-family homes priced between $400-600,000, which saw a 22% increase in the number of sales. The luxury single-family home market also saw a big jump from last year, with the number of sales increasing 24.5%.
Besides an increase in the level of activity, the median single-family home prices in Broward County increased 5.5% to $374,450. Existing condominiums increased 6.3% to a median price of $170,000.
You can see the speed at which the market is moving by looking at the median number of days between when homes were listed and when they went under contract. In January 2020, the number of days for single-family homes was 50, representing a 20.6% decrease from the same time last year. Again, the increase in the speed of the market indicates a seller’s market.
Another indicator of a seller’s market is the List-to-Sale Ratio. In January 2020, the single-family home Ratio was 95.5%, and the Ratio for condos was 94.6%. That means that sellers are receiving very close to their asking price. For example, if a home was listed at $425,000 and it went under contract at $400,000, that represents a 94% Ratio.
Keep in mind that sellers are less likely to negotiate in a seller’s market. Some sellers typically will receive offers over list. Sellers whose homes aren’t in peak condition may accept an offer 10 or even 20% below their list price. If you’re thinking of selling, you’re much more likely to be in the driver’s seat during negotiations.
Freddie Mac reported that the average rate for a 30-year conventional fixed-rate mortgage decreased to 3.62% in January, which is lower than the rate in December 2019. It’s interesting to note that cash buyers are very active in Broward County.
Cash transactions made up 38.2% of the sales closed in January 2020; that is almost double the national average for cash buyers. But, those people who want to finance a purchase in early 2020 will find the rates very favorable.
Keep in mind that the Broward County real estate market is relatively large—it covers over 1,000 square miles. So, the averages and median figures are calculated based on widely diverse communities. It’s important to look at the trends in the real estate market, rather than planning on any one statistic holding true for you.
Buying in a sellers market certainly isn’t impossible. You just need to be smart about your approach. You need to stick to your budget. Since you’ll probably be buying at or above list price, you don’t want to look at homes over your budget because you probably won’t be negotiating a 10-20% price reduction.
Be ready to act quickly if you find the right home. The odds are it won’t stay on the market long. Maybe not even until tomorrow. Work with the right real estate agent who can counsel you accurately on the right strategy to get you the home of your dreams.
If you want to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that both our buying and sellling clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our five-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
It’s not so much a matter of should or shouldn’t. It’s more a matter of what will get you the best results. And, more importantly, which approach will let you keep your sanity. Most people decide to sell their home without a Realtor because they want to save money in commissions and they want to sell fast.
What many people find is that they can’t achieve either goal. If you’re considering selling your home without an agent, consider these reasons why selling your home yourself can be more trouble than it’s worth.
Realtors know how to do an in-depth Comparative Market Analysis. Besides that, they’re experts in the local real estate market. When you’re doing pricing yourself, you may not be sure if the house down the street is listed at a good sales price or not. You may not be sure how an appraiser will value the features of your home over those of your competition.
For example, you may think that you’ll get your money back on the new heat pump you installed last year. However, that type of update falls in the category of maintenance. Everyone expects that the home they purchase will have functioning heat and air, so that update won’t increase the value of your home.
If you set your price too high, your home will languish on the market. If you set the price too low, you won’t get the profit you’re looking for.
You may like your home just the way it is, or you may think you need to do some updates before putting your home on the market. How do you decide? You will get your money back for some types of repairs or updates. Others may be nice to have features, but you won’t get any return on your investment.
A professional Realtor will know what homebuyers are looking for in your area. They will also know what the homes you are competing with offer.
Full-time Realtors sell homes for a living. They know that simply putting a sign in the yard and putting a listing on the internet isn’t going to sell a home for top dollar in a reasonable timeframe. Realtors know how to determine who the best prospects are for your home. They know how to reach out to those homebuyers, and they spend quite a bit of time and money marketing your home.
The more homebuyers who know that your home is for sale, the more people you will have looking at your home. That’s good from a sales perspective. But, it does mean that if you don’t have a Realtor, you will be responsible for showing your home. Very often, you won’t have the time to be present for each showing, or you will lose potential buyers because they can’t see your home on their schedule.
In addition, many people who want to sell their home themselves don’t typically set up a budget for marketing. With no effective promotion, you may find that few people will contact you to see your home.
When buyers want to see your home, you’ll be putting in time and effort to show it to them, and then follow up with them to determine their level of interest. Screening potential buyers is an important task that your Realtor will handle for you.
Without a Realtor, you’ll need to ensure that the buyers you work with have the financial strength to finalize a deal. Many people are uncomfortable talking to a stranger about their financial situation. If you fall in that category, you may waste time working with people who couldn’t possibly purchase your home.
Sales contracts are legal documents, and you’ll need to be aware of the laws and regulations that govern an offer to purchase and a finalized sales contract. If you’re not familiar with the various types of legal contract terms and contingencies, and those that aren’t, you could find yourself in trouble. If you do sell yourself, be sure to have a real estate attorney assist you.
Once you have a final sales agreement, many things need to happen leading up to the “closing” or the time when ownership and money changes hands. You’ll need to keep a close eye on coordinating activities and meeting dates set out in the contract, which is another thing that a Realtor will do for you.
For most homeowners, selling their home brings up a range of emotions. Working with a Realtor gives you a buffer between what you are feeling and what you need to do to get your home sold.
For example, you’ll need to be sure you don’t react emotionally in a variety of situations, if:
Actually, in that last example, you needed to exclude the chandelier in the contract if you wanted it for yourself. Otherwise, it’s considered part of the sale.
That’s something only you can decide. At a minimum, if you decide to sell on your own, make sure you have a real estate attorney working with you so that you’re protected every step of the way. If you want to be among the top Davie homes for sale, you’ll need to make sure you do everything right!
If you do decide you’d like to hire Realtors in Broward County, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’re very proud of our 5-star ratings on Google, Zillow, and other real estate review websites. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
Taking advantage of the Florida weather for outdoor living is a big deal in Davie. If you fall in love with one of the Davie homes for sale you’re looking at, but the outdoor space isn’t to your liking, it’s an easy thing to fix. Check out our landscape ideas for South Florida to get some excellent ideas for outdoor plants that will wake up your backyard. But, beautiful landscaping isn’t the only thing you need. You can do lots of other things with these outdoor living ideas for Davie Florida.
You don’t always need to have a welcoming patio attached to your home. There are other places where you’ll enjoy a pretty place to sit and enjoy the outdoors.
If you have a grassy area you don’t want to mow, consider turning it into a peaceful patio. Combine an interesting patio flooring with small planting areas, a water feature or raised planters.
A concrete patio is often the least expensive option. But, you can pour the concrete into interesting shapes, and you can color or stamp it to look like a natural material. You can use cobblestones for a touch of elegance, an anti-slip ceramic tile for a modern look, and they make outdoor tiles that look like natural stone or wood.
A small patio is also a fun way to use a flower bed that is larger than you want to tend. Put down some tile, add some concrete stones and brick edgers, and you’ll have quiet place for a couple of people to share some quiet moments.
You’ll probably be out in your garden well after dark in the warmer months. Lighting will make it easy for you on those nights when you just don’t want to go indoors after the sun sets.
Lanterns come in styles that will enhance a modern or vintage look. Attach lanterns to a wall, or put them along the edges of your outdoor area. If you have a deck, you can use things like Trex Deck Lighting, some of which you can install yourself. You can light your deck stairs to guide family and friends. There are also lights you can put on your deck rails and post caps.
String lights are always fun. You may have used an inexpensive set for a party, but there are now many designs for string lights that stand up to permanent installation and give you plenty of light. Globe lights can give your space a soft flow. LED lights are very energy efficient and won’t get damaged in the rain. If you want to light an area that isn’t close to an outlet, they even make solar powered string lights. All you do is use a small solar panel.
Path lights are also an important safety feature. Don’t let your family or friends end up in one of your prize-winning azalea bushes – use path lights to keep everyone on the right path. Path lights are another type of lighting that often uses solar power, letting you avoid running cords around your property.
Naturally, you want your outdoor living space to have comfortable seating. Some people love the comfort of Adirondack chairs. But, if you’d rather have something with more cushioning, you can find outdoor furniture that will work.
When you buy outdoor furniture, you need to think about materials that will stand up to sun, and resist rain. Polyester is an outdoor fabric and it comes in many different solids and prints. Some polyester pillows and outdoor upholstery have a UV treatment that can stand up to more time in direct sun.
Fabrics like acrylic or Olefin that are labeled for outdoor use can withstand even longer periods in the sun than polyester, so you won’t need to worry as much about bring them indoors or storing them in a deck bin. These fabrics don’t come in a wide variety of prints, but manufacturers die the fibers before creating the fabric, which really helps them to retain color.
For other furniture pieces, you’ll need to determine which material will work best for you. Options include hardwood, stainless steel, aluminum, wrought iron, plastic, and more.
Putting some time and energy into sprucing up your outdoor space will let you take full advantage of the Florida lifestyle. Not only that, but you’ll be glad you did when you’re ready to sell your Davie real estate.
Speaking of selling your home, if you’re ever thinking of hiring Broward County Realtors, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
Are you looking at Davie FL homes for sale with drab yards? Or, are you just tired of the look of your outdoor space? Either way, here are some landscape ideas for South Florida to help you brighten up your Davie home this spring.
Shrubs. It’s a word that doesn’t roll off the tongue, and many people think shrubs aren’t very exciting compared to the flowering plants that grow so well in the Davie area. But, there are times to use certain shrubs to make your landscape come alive. You can use them to line a walk way, or to create a backdrop for other plants.
Many people love azaleas because they provide such luscious color. The good news is that they’re also easy to grow with just a small amount of care. Water your azaleas regularly and they will grow in full sun or full shade. There are varieties that grow to about 3-feet where you don’t want to block a view. Others will climb up to 4-5 feet.
Firebush shrubs produce flowers starting in late spring. They’re heat and drought tolerant once they’ve established a root system, and will grow in full sun or partial shade. For bird lovers, the shrub is nice because the bright red flowers will bring hummingbirds and butterflies to feed. Several types of song birds feed on the shrub’s berries. Regardless of where you plant a firebush, plan on pruning it to 5-8 feet to encourage the best blooms.
Want a stunning bit of year-round color? Consider the variegated coloring of the leaves of the croton shrub. You’ll find them with red, orange, green, and yellow leaves, or in a variety of pinks and purples. Crotons require only basic maintenance, grow to about 3-feet tall, and can thrive in almost any light.
Another thing that is so great about living in Davie is the annuals that burst into bloom to brighten up any spot in your garden.
You may be familiar with different varieties of begonias since there are over 1,000 varieties! The wax begonia is loved by many Florida gardeners because even though they’re considered an annual, if you treat them right they will last for several years. Seeing the sea of sturdy flowers year after year will always remind you of spring. Wax begonia leaves come in green or bronze, and can have single or double blooms in pink, red, or white.
If you want to attract butterflies to your garden, the salvia is a great choice. Salvia flowers grow on stalks, which gives them some height and a different look than plants where the flowers are nestled among the leaves. Salvias come in a huge variety of colors, and if you want a true blue bloom, this is the plant for you. Plant them in full or partial sun and water regularly for lovely pops of color.
Gerbera daisies, or just Gerber daisies are a true announcement of spring. They come in many colors, so you can have white, pink, red, orange, yellow, or lavender. The flowers grow to around one foot in height, and with the right location, they can actually be perennials.
If you have areas of full sun, you could grow trees that are pretty, and you can eat the fruit they produce. There’s a long list of trees to choose from, including avocado, figs, key lime, lemon, kumquat, Nules clementine, and more. Just make sure to plant them in the right location and make sure that they are spaced correctly to get the most fruit. Always check with the nursery to make sure you’ve got the right information about the particular variety you choose.
Homebuyers love a Davie home that has beautiful landscaping. And, it’s so easy in Davie to grow a variety of beautiful plants, you’ll enjoy your garden and get a good return from it when you sell. If you’re ever thinking of hiring a Broward County real estate agent, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
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