Living in Melbourne, Florida is a dream come true.
We enjoy all the benefits of true coastal living - cool sea breezes and beautiful beaches. The lifestyle is quiet and laid-back, people are friendly; “it’s all good” here! Do not, however, confuse us with an outdated “Florida retirement area” moniker because we’re much, much more.
We are often called “little silicon valley” for good reason. A well-defined industry cluster, we are home to many major hi-tech corporations and the network of local “spin-off” companies is tremendous. Young, hi-earning professionals flock to Brevard County for our tremendous employment opportunities. The article in Florida Today (Business Section April 29, 2008) says it all. “Brevard No 2 in the country with pockets of interrelated businesses” as ranked by The Brookings Institution.
I work constantly with corporate relocation buyers. These candidates and spouses are searching for homes and a new life in Melbourne Florida. They find that we offer a perfect lifestyle: marvelous climate, gorgeous Indian River lagoon, pristine beaches, great schools, and plenty of shopping & restaurants. Melbourne offers all of this without the mega-tension of big city traffic and jammed expressways. Major central Florida attractions are just 45 minutes away.
Our area attracts all ages and lifestyles so we enjoy the best of all worlds. Retirees like us for the obvious – affordable living, golf, water & great weather. Young families enjoy healthy incomes and a comfortable family-style community. Do the math – this mix of all ages and strong incomes is a winning equation.
At present our real estate inventory is tremendous and buyers are enjoying a huge selection and some incredible deals. We are really talking Paradise!!
Check us out and consider this your invitation to Florida – the time is right! By Melbourne Voice, but from the heart.
Faced with tremendous inventory, lower prices, great interest rates, and willing sellers, buyers are overwhelmed. The moon and stars are beautifully aligned for them and yet it’s not enough. Today’s only priority is getting a “great deal” or “stealing it”. What happened to the “location location” rule? What happened to quality of life and nice neighbors? When did “are these sellers desperate?” become the major criteria in choosing one’s home?
Caution: very rarely will the perfect elements come together and still be a “steal of a deal”. Buyers should not succumb to the pressure of co-workers or friends bragging on their housing conquests. If the deal is that great, they’ve compromised somewhere. It’s called the perfect storm for a reason. The likelihood of finding a beautifully maintained home, a perfect location, super upgrades AND a desperate seller willing to take a low-ball offer are almost nil. Chances are better of winning the lotto.
Buyers should remember to keep real-life priorities in sight.
This will be a “home”. This is personal; you will be there every day. Be careful not to allow false hopes for “the perfect deal” to steer you into a storm. Chart the right course for a “Happy Home” !
Patriotism is alive and well in Melbourne, FL. Our annual Independence Day picnic is a blast. We’re fortunate to enjoy a location directly across the river from our city’s annual fireworks display.
We have front row seats to the biggest show in town on the 4th of July! Friends gather to enjoy the warm summer evening, good food and great music. When the fireworks begin our music turns to patriotic favorites. All ages sing along as they watch the show. The crowning moment of the evening comes when the entire group jumps to its feet for the National Anthem. This demonstration of pride and patriotism sends chills up my spine. What a joyous reminder of pride in our country and our freedoms. I’m so proud to be an American. Happy Independence Day to all!
Hurricane Fay is dancing over Brevard County, Florida for the third day in a row. Actually a tropical storm, Fay is lingering like a long, 3 mile-per-hour slow dance – just not very enjoyable! Everyone is hunkered down, making soup and hypnotized by the weather reports on TV. In the past three days we’ve received over 24 inches of rain.
For anyone who grew up in northern states, this is like a snow day with schools and offices closed. One big difference is that we’re not freezing in our homes if the power goes out! By day three, however, cabin fever has set in and even for kids the thrill is gone!
Fortunately this storm is only mildly catastrophic for our area. Many roads are closed due to flooding and some large trees have blown down. The National Guard has been activated and is busy evacuating people flooded from their homes. Many will have yard debris (and more) to clean up. This time we’re lucky. Clean up will be a painful chore and then we’ll be back to our normal routines.
Keep your fingers crossed. The height of “hurricane season” arrives in September. Memories of recent horrific hurricane damage along the gulf coast and other areas in Florida are still very strong. Our goal is to appreciate every minute of the good days and to “be prepared” for the others!
We all know strict rules apply for our sellers with pets: GET RID of pets during showings! No odors, no fur, no pet food, and the biggest atrocity, no kitty litter !! For 15 years I’ve played the hard-hearted Broker with my sellers by enforcing the “hide your pets” policy. Everyone knows that buyers should NOT be distracted by pet odors or, heaven forbid, actual live pets wagging tails and jumping around!
Holy Meow Mix, the pet rules have suddenly changed. After 15 years in a “no pet” household we recently adopted 2 kittens from our local shelter. Funny how being owned by two crazy creatures can put a new slant on the whole “sellers with pets” policy! Who are these 4 legged monsters and how did they come to control every aspect of our day? One of them is even helping me to type this blog!
Looks like the tables have been turned and my “no pet” brutality act toward sellers is about to be revised! Guess I’ll have to take a more sympathetic attitude toward humans owned by their creatures. Yikes – what if we decide to sell our home one day? We know what they say about paybacks…. Meow!
The main thing with getting out pet smells is to not have them come back right away. This is why it might be best for your pets to visit a kennel while your home is up for sale, or at least to be staying with a dog-babysitter on days you know your home will be shown.
Is this a Real Estate Transaction or a Root Canal??? One of my customers asked this question during a recent closing. Can’t say I blamed him - transactions tend to resemble root canals for buyers and sellers these days.
The stress is definitely showing on all parties. Sellers are suffering the decline of their home value. Buyers are suffering the indignity of lenders actually requiring documentation and, heaven forbid, some cash down. Agents are biting each other’s heads off after being whipped by their client’s chain of pain. Is there no end to the abuse?
Yes - we may be at the end of pain in Brevard County, Florida. The phones are ringing, showings have increased dramatically. Inventory has decreased, interest rates are wonderful, sellers are recognizing the reality of competitive pricing. Welcome to the beginning of the end - we’re on the rise in Florida and know the trend will spread across the country! Buy today and celebrate!
Today’s Real Estate market is tough on both Buyers and Sellers. Education and professional guidance is the best way to navigate these rough and emotional waters.
Buyers: Listen carefully to your agent about the right location, reputable lenders, inspectors, etc. The greatest “steal” in the world is no bargain if you have to drive through yukky territory to come home every night. Incredible “super rate” internet deals can carry a lot of hidden baggage. Your professional agent will help keep emotions “level” and the focus on good decision making. If you’ve been sitting on the fence waiting for the bottom to hit you’re missing opportunities. Do a reality check in the mirror: is your priority is to find a wonderful home or just a good “deal”? Making unrealistic offers could cause you to lose the home of your dreams.
Sellers: Get real. Most sellers can’t imagine why their home won’t sell for more than all those others that can’t possibly be as nice. Allow your agent to help remove emotions and apply the business side of market analysis. Testing the market with the wrong price will ultimately cost you big bucks. Allow your agent to be brutally honest about the need to stage or clean your home. Face the realities of this price-driven market and set your price aggressively.
Buyers and Sellers: Prepare to be flexible and cooperative during the transaction. “Hard core” attitudes rarely succeed. Negotiate with a spirit of empathy and you’re much more likely to win.
Used to be pretty easy to say that line…… I’d help buyers and sellers survive all the normal trials of a transaction. With my level of experience it was easy and also gratifying to help them get past any bumps in the road. We’d celebrate at closings and fly away till we would meet again.
In today’s market it’s a little tougher to be a hero. I feel like most of my flying is on a broomstick. In spite of every tool in my superhero bag I just can’t get every buyer’s loan approved. I’m exhausted from showing a zillion homes; I feel like I’m beating sellers to a pulp for price reductions. Not so fun these days.
Ready for the answer? It’s good service. Good service means:
- being educated and current on real estate issues
- knowing the market, knowing the numbers
- being honest with sellers about pricing and condition
- guiding buyers to reality about their choices and needs
- helping buyers to recognize a really good location and value
- demonstrating patience and professionalism with my fellow agents during negotiations
Do all of these sound like plain old basics? Heck yes, and that’s the point. My job never changed. I’m hired to help someone sell or buy a house. Whether an easy market or tough market it is my job to get these customers through it. I just need to do my job better than ever right now - and that’s good service! Good service will always save the day!
Your post is very well crafted and I have learned so much about your interests and real estate in Florida. Ive added your blog to my reading material. Thanks for the information!
We love the beaches, the river and all the outdoor activities - but have to admit it gets a little warm in July and August!
Good news is that the Real Estate market is heating up also and we’re enjoying that increase in temperature! Our inventory in south Brevard county has dropped from over 7,000 single family homes listed to just around 4,500 homes for sale. That’s still a lot… but in time we’ll level out and get back to a more balanced buyer and seller market.
This is the third time in the past 6 months that WJS Land Surveying has saved a transaction for my clients. We don’t often take time to share the positives in this business - so here’s my referral for a terrific land surveyor.
1) he solved a shared well issue and proved there was room to dig a new well on a very difficult sized lot (all the parties loved him)
2) he met with two home owners and very peacefully and courteously helped to resolve a very long-fought boundary issue (they loved him too)
3) he discovered a tricky error and corrected it on a waterfront piece assuring clear title for the new buyer and proper documentation for future sale of the property
4) too many more examples from previous years to name here….
Bill Suiter surveys large tracts and developer/builder parcels as well as individual properties for residential closings. Over the years he has fixed glitches more times than I can count. That’s probably because he actually physically surveys the property. (fyi many do not) He is very detail-oriented and has over 20 years of experience. He does it right - the first time. If you’re looking for a quality surveyor in Florida who knows his business please contact:
Bill Suiter, WJS Land Surveying 321 728-0553 or wsuiter@att.net
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Today’s buyers are navigating difficult waters.
Education and professional guidance is the best way to navigate these rough and emotional waters.
Used to be pretty easy to say that line…… I’d help buyers and sellers survive all the normal trials of a transaction. With my level of experience it was easy and also gratifying to help them get past any bumps in the road. We’d celebrate at closings and fly away till we would meet again.
Sounds like a great place to live and what a great time to be house shopping!
Thanks !! very helpful post!