America the beautiful. The USA is a wonderful nation. Traveling from one state to the next, we can explore mountain ranges and deserts, we can play in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, and of course there are the Great Lakes. The USA has all the sports, and this year we get to watch TEAM USA head to Paris to compete in the Olympics. We have big city life, convenient suburbs and quaint rural living with farm and ranch land in-between. No wonder we have a day set aside to celebrate the birth of our nation and the resilience of the American people. The month of July kicks off summer with celebrations and backyard bar-b-ques, and red-white-blue themed family get togethers. Having the space to host family and friends, to create traditions and memories is one of the reasons people want to own a home. All across Southwest Florida there are new homes being built, new communities being developed or there are the already established neighborhoods. The options are many and diverse so that people can create their idea of the American dream.
You’ll notice that there is a lot of new construction everywhere you look. So, what about the resale homes? The resale homes come in so many different styles. Some have been updated and some need some freshening up, a chance for you to make it your own. Resale homes are in established areas and communities. For the most part, all the development around the
established neighborhoods is complete, giving you the full picture of the community around your home. A few years ago we had customers who said they wanted to look at established neighborhoods rather than new construction because, “That’s where the locals live.” (Thanks Barb for that quote) In fact, I was chatting with Barb the other day and she was saying how
much she loves being in her older neighborhood and she has become good friends with many of her neighbors. In Southwest Florida there is a home to fit every idea of the American dream, be it a new construction home or a home in an established community.
We strive not to get political in our real estate news letter but this seems like an important local story to bring your attention to (giggle giggle):Bare Facts on Bicycling in the area
July Stats and Data:
Since we were discussing new communities and established communities let’s compare the two.
New communities pro’s:
- homes have warranties,
- built to the most updated codes,
- color schemes and finishes are in current trends, with many builders you can pick the finishes you want (just be careful at the design center all those selections can add up quick)
- new amenity centers (which vary from just a pool all the way to country club type),
- Must have hurricane protection to openings.
- Builders offer closing cost incentives
New construction cons:
- Construction noise and mess
- CDD added to your taxes,
- You can not select finishes with some builders
- buying a “premium” lot will not increase the resale value by much if any
- Will need to buy window treatments, often you will want to replace light fixtures.
- Builders still oversee the HOA. But, what happens when the builder turns the HOA over to the community?
- Your home might not be ready for months
Resale communities pro’s:
- no construction noise
- landscaping is established,time has allowed style variety to surface offering less of the cookie cutter
- Over time you can update your home to your style, not limited to builders predetermined selections.
- Amenities can be as simple as a pool to Country Club.
- Window treatments are in place
- Rarely do older neighbors have a CDD.
- If there is an HOA, you have the history of how it operates.
Resale cons:
- no warranty (of course if you want one you can buy one)
- if built before 2007 it might not have hurricane protection
- if its older it might not be built above the flood plain.
- Have to negotiate with a seller to try to get them to pay any closing costs.
This small Pro's and Con's give you a brief idea of the why's and why not's.
Let's look at a few new and resale homes.. Click on the words in bold above the pics to view the details.
New Construction in Lakewood Ranch
Here is one of our listings.Terrific resale home in Venice, 2 miles from the beach and no HOA
So as you can see there are wonderful homes to choose from in the resale market and new construction. Ray and I work diligently to find the ONE that fits your Southwest Florida lifestyle goal . That's why we say "making your real estate dreams a reality." Remember we can customize a Market Report specific to a neighborhood or area you are interested in keeping an eye on.
I have come to the conclusion the reason why as we get older we forget we came into a room. It is God's way of helping us get our steps in each day. Here is a little funny for a giggle.
Ray and i want to say thank you for all the referrals! We appreciate you sharing your family and friends with us. We take that trust seriously. And please do call us with all your real estate related questions.
Hope your summer is delightful!
