What personal property is included in the purchase of your home?

When negotiating an offer with a seller you will have the opportunity to list the personal property / appliances that you would like the seller to leave for you. When the seller lists their home for sale, they’ve probably already listed the items that will be staying and those personal items that will be excluded from the sale.


Appliances and the FARBAR (Florida Association of Realtors and Florida Bar) contract

The new FARBAR contract, revised in 2010, lists the personal property that is staying and allows buyers to check other appliances and property they would like the seller to leave. The pre-printed personal property includes; range, dishwasher, disposal, ceiling fan, intercom, light fixtures, rods, draperies, window treatments, garage door openers, and security gate/access devices.

What about the Refrigerator?

You will notice that there are a few obvious omissions from the pre-printed list. Refrigerators, smoke alarms, washer and dryer being the most noticeable. It is not that the seller refuses to leave them for you, with these items you will need to check a special box next to the desired personal property indicating that you desire the seller to leave them as part of the purchase. Additionally, if any of the pre-printed items are not being left as part of the sale, your agent should strike a line through them before presenting your offer to the seller.

If the seller agrees to leave their personal property, the FARBAR contract stipulates that all major appliances must be kept in working order.

When viewing the home for the first time and prior to making an offer, make sure you make a list of all of the appliances and personal property that you would like to have as part of your purchase. Failure to notify the seller in writing will result in you having to buy replacement items after you have closed.

Photo credit by ewen and donabel

I find a house for sale online but when I call about the house, it has already been sold. Help!

Like the majority of homebuyers in Central Florida you are taking advantage of the Internet to search for homes online. You are finding a wealth of information on the various real estate sites along with page after page of houses being advertised for sale throughout Central Florida. However when you call the listing agent or agent listed on the webpage, you are being told that the house or houses you are interested in getting more information about have already sold. What can you do to make sure you find out about these homes as soon as they are listed?

Ask me to help.

As a full time real estate agent I have systems in place that let me know immediately when a new home comes on the market. This way, I never miss an opportunity to let a customer or client know when a home that matches their area, price and size enters the market place.

The good news is that I can set up the same time of alert system for you. After we have had a chance to discuss your real estate needs, I can enter your search criteria into my MLS program and you will receive automatic updates by email of new listings that match the features you have provided.

What does this cost?

I provide this service to those buyers who have agreed to work with me absolutely free! That’s right, there is no cost to you. You will start receiving results in your email box almost immediately. Of course the good deals do go quickly, so when a house is emailed to you that you find interesting, you will not want to delay scheduling a time to view the home and hopefully making an offer.

Are you ready to get started? Call me 407-304-0255.


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Customarily the Seller will provide the Buyer of their home, title insurance.

When purchasing a home in Florida, customarily the Seller will provide the Buyer of their home an owner’s title insurance policy. These policies will provide coverage and protection against situations that might arise including:

· Claims by others who may have a hidden interest in the property.
· Documents that were missed, unsigned, not recorded or prepared wrong.
· Fraud
· Unmarketable title preventing the home from selling in the future.
· Liens

I say customarily because it is not a law that the Seller provide the coverage. Buyers making offers on bank owned property are often finding the bank unwilling or unable to pay for an owner’s title insurance policy. As a matter of fact the FAR9 purchase contract offers 3 choices.

1. Seller selects title and pays for title policy
2. Buyer selects title agent and pays for title policy
3. Buyer selects title agent and Seller pays for title policy

Regardless of who pays, the Buyer will want the peace of mind an owner’s title policy will bring. Making sure this is negotiated in your contract is important and is another reason why you should consider using our services when buying or selling a home in Florida.

Related blog posts about buying a home

How much should I offer on the home?

Q: I found a home I really like. How much should I offer on the home?

Congratulations on finding a home! I am assuming from your question that you are not willing to offer the listing price being asked for by the seller and are trying instead to decide on what you believe to be a fair price to offer less than asking price.

Determing how much to offer

How much you offer is strictly a personal decision and should be based on your opinion of the home’s value. Your real estate agent can provide you with comparable sales listed in the MLS for you to review. Your county property appraiser may have a website that will allow you to look at recent sales in the area. You can also ask your agent how long the home has been on the market and have there been any price reductions or enhancements during this time. You should also be asking yourself how the home compares in price to other homes you have recently visited. What are the features of this home that you like? Can you find those same features in a home with a lower asking price?

What is next?

Once you are comfortable with how much to offer it will now be up to the seller to decide if the offer is acceptable. While the price may seem fair to you, usually there is no way of knowing what price the seller would be willing to accept, if any, less than what they have publically indicated by their list price. The seller has the option of accepting your offer, ignoring it or countering for a higher price or for better terms.

End the end you should decide what you are willing to pay for and offer for a home. When you have found a home that appears perfect for you, the answer of how much to offer will be clearer.


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There are many good reasons to consider buying a home right now.

Bank owned homes are receiving multiple offers which proves once again there is always a market for the best property at the best price

Bank owned homes throughout Central Florida are receiving multiple offers which is proof once again that the best home at the best price will have no trouble finding a buyer.

Home buyers are competing with each other for the opportunity to purchase one of these select properties and are being encouraged by the lenders to offer their highest and best price and terms. Many times the very best homes will receive multiple offers within days of being placed on the market.

Regular home owners will want to follow the example set by the lenders on pricing if they hope to compete in this market. Buyers will want to make sure they offer their highest and best in order to reduce the risk of being beat out by another offer.

Our staff can assist both buyers and sellers reach their goals. Contact me today for a private consultation.


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Magical thinking and Florida real estate

Shopping for a home

Shopping for a home is one of the most important moments in our lives. Successfully shopping for a home can also be informative, enjoyable and can be accomplished without a lot of unhealthy stress.

You can take several steps that will help you realize the same success including:

1. Pick the right Realtor. Make sure that your personality and the Realtors are compatible. Is the Realtor pushy, laid back, hard to reach, inexperienced? You need to interview real estate agents and make sure the one you pick to work with is someone you believe you can trust and someone that will help make your home shopping experience memorable.
2. Make a list. This list should include what your new home must have, what you would love for it to have, what you would like for it to have. As you are shopping for a home, compare the items on your list to each home. The right home should be apparent by the end of your trip(s).

What else will help you when shopping for a home? Give me a call or email me. I would love an interview and an opportunity to discuss the benefits of my services.

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Real estate search that is simple and easy to use

- Greg Staker - 407-304-0255

Renters may benefit from falling home prices

Home prices rose so fast a few years back that many potential home buyers were priced out of the market quickly.

The turn around in the market now makes owning a home more of an affordable option. Those individuals who ended up renting when prices were going sky high may want to consider taking another look at the housing possibilities available to them.

To find out if now is the right time for you to stop renting and start buying your own home, email or call me.


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- Greg Staker - 407-304-0255

Home buyers choose 3 bedroom - 2 bath homes

MLS statistics show that home buyers purchasing homes in Osceola, Lake, West Volusia, Seminole and Orange County purchase 3 bedroom & 2 bath homes more than any other bedroom/bath combination.

The top 10 bedroom/bath combination sold thus far in 2008 are:

1. 3 bedroom & 2 bath - 4,587
2. 4 bedroom & 2 bath - 2,297
3. 4 bedroom & 3 bath - 1,536
4. 2 bedroom & 2 bath - 504
5. 3 bedroom & 1 bath - 423
6. 2 bedroom & 1 bath - 349
7. 4 bedroom & 4 bath - 247
8. 3 bedroom & 3 bath - 173
9. 5 bedroom & 2 bath - 102
10. 1 bedroom & 1 bath - 19

Email me if you would like to receive a list of homes with the amount of bedrooms and baths you desire.

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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

QUIT Claim deed not QUICK Claim

Search for homes

Randy Hillman wrote a very interesting piece for the Osceola Board of Realtors monthly magazine explaining quit claim deeds. Here are a few excerpts from his article.

• Quit claim deeds are the worse way to receive a transfer of property
• A seller who executes a quit claim deed is not representing that he owns the property, he is only representing that if he owns it, he is transferring it to the buyer.

Transferring property is not something that most people can do for themselves. Florida statutes are very specific about requirements for a deed to be valid. You should ask an attorney to assist you or make sure that you are working with a title company and have title insurance, which offers protection when property is transferred.

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Buying a home subject to financing

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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

Why would anyone offer to buy a home at list price or above in this market?

Maybe so they have a chance of owning it.

Interesting numbers are starting to be reported concerning home sales in Central Florida. I took a look at home sales in Orlando for this month, June and found that for specific homes, those that are REO or bank owned, making an offer at or above list price may be a wise decision.

MLS numbers show that 78 bank owned or foreclosed homes have sold and closed in Orlando for June. The interesting part is that 20 of these homes, or 25%, sold for list price or above! One quarter of the foreclosed inventory went for at or above list. Additionally, the average sales price of these 78 homes is reported as being nearly 95% of list price. Hardly a number that indicates you can steal these REO properties.

The facts are a home will traditionally sell for it’s real value. This is good news to both the home seller and buyer. We encourage you to contact us if you would like assistance in finding a home priced correctly and perfect for you.

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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

How can I make sure I am not paying too much for a home?

1. Ask your real estate agent to provide you with a market analysis. Make sure this analysis includes sold properties in the area of the home you are considering.
2. Check property tax records to determine the home’s tax value and to view any recent sales history specific to the home.
3. View the MLS listing profile. How long has the home been on the market? What is the list to sale price ratio for this area? Have there been any recent price reductions? Is the seller offering concessions to buyers? Is the seller offering bonuses to the agent who sells their home?
4. Obtain and appraisal. Your lender will require you to have an appraisal completed for the home in order to approve financing. If you are paying cash for the property, you should make your offer subject to an acceptable appraisal.

Taking the steps listed above will help you determine if you are paying too much for a home.

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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

June is National Homeownership Month

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today launched a month-long campaign to continue helping families avoid foreclosure. For the duration of National Home ownership Month, the Bush Administration will focus on how Americans can utilize the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) as a resource to keep their homes during this time of uncertainty in the housing market. Read full news release


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- Greg Staker Watson Realty Corp. 407-304-0255

When buying a home with personal property, be specific.

You will find property for sale where the owner has indicated that the asking price includes personal belongings. In vacation and tourist areas of Central Florida this is often a strong selling point.

These personal items go beyond the normal appliances we often see left in the home as part of the purchase price. Many times a home can be purchased with items that include:

• furniture
• appliances
• dishes
• wall hangings
• pictures
• patio furniture
• lawn equipment

These types of furnished homes provide a great opportunity for those buyers looking to have a second home for their personal, limited or vacation use when in Florida.

It is extremely important for the buyer of this type of home to be very specific when writing their offer so as to include all the personal items. You should not rely on the MLS description or any verbal explanation of which items are staying.

A wise buyer and their agent should ask for a written inventory list prior or immediately after writing an offer for the buyer to review and approve. If the inventory list cannot be completed during the offering stage, then the contract should contain a contingency clause that allows the buyer to perform this inventory to their satisfaction immediately following the execution of the contract.

Having a written agreed upon inventory list between buyer and seller is a protection to both sides of the real estate transaction.


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- Greg Staker Watson Realty Corp. 407-304-0255

And now a word from home buyers and sellers.

The blog world is filled with blogs from lenders and real estate agents explaining everything under the sun about home buying and selling. Many that I have visited provide a great deal of information for the home buyer or sellers looking for information.

Today I decided to try and search for blogs written by the consumer. People involved with or recently involved with buying or selling a home. My thoughts are if I get a feel for what the consumer is talking about or thinking, I could tailor my blogs and websites more to what the customer wants to know and less about what we agents think the customer wants to know. Assuming there is a difference.

I have already found some very interesting blogs to read. Here are a few.

The House Negotiations
A friend is moving and wants to sell her house. We want to buy a house similar to hers in a neighborhood similar to hers. Easy, right? …

Learning is messy!
I think it is a sad commentary on how out-of-whack this economy is when teachers can’t afford any home in their community...

home spun topics
And my big reason is I want to buy a house. And we need to save money to do that…

Adventures in Buying a House
Satisfied that we would not be wasting money, we ordered an inspection...


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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

Don't forget the kitchen sink when buying a home.

Buyers are faced with many decisions and questions when finding a home and deciding to make an offer.

One of those decisions involve what personal property the buyer will want the seller to leave with the home. The purchase agreement contains a clause that deals with fixtures and appliances.

Please visit this new page that discusses asking for appliances when buying a home.


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Should you buy a home in "as is" condition?

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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

Survival guide to use when purchasing a home.

Thinking about buying a home? Be prepared by keeping this survival guide with you for quick and reference. The following items will help you avoid the pitfalls that could keep your home buying experience from being an enjoyable one.

A tour guide
Be sure to find someone that knows the terrain. A professional guide can help you navigate all the peaks and valleys associated with the home purchase. A successful full time real estate expert is more than qualified to lead you successfully through the most complex real estate peaks and valleys.

A financial compass
It is important to have your financing direction plotted out before beginning your first step to home ownership. There is nothing more disappointing than thinking you have bought your first home, only to find weeks into the process that financing has been denied. Determine which financial direction is best for you. Getting pre-approved for a home loan and knowing what your closing cost, pre-paids and down payment will be are essential.

A home inspection shovel
The ability to dig down deep into the condition of your potential new home to look for any unknown defects is a must if you want to survive long after your home purchase. Make sure you hire a home inspection professional to do the "shoveling".

The home warranty tent
Don’t get caught out in the cold (if the heater breaks) or suffer in the heat (if the air conditioner fails). Make sure your real estate agent negotiates a one-year home warranty for you. This will protect you against the elements of surprise that may occur during your first year of home ownership.

A back pack of patience
The home buying process will often last several weeks and involves numerous calls, e-mails, and faxes. Mortgage documents to be reviewed and signed, title policies to acknowledge, inspection reports to be studied and addressed and page after page of legal contract forms to be signed and initialed. Keeping a cool head will help others not lose theirs.


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Don't forget the kitchen sink when buying a home.


- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

So you found a home online, now what?

It is not very difficult to find a home or many homes for sale in Central Florida. If you have visited my real estate web site, then you have seen how easy it is to search for a home in whatever Central Florida city you may wish to live in.

What should you do next?

Depending on your personal situation, one of your next steps should be to get pre-qualified. I have included information that should help anyone interested in the pre-qualification process.

Over the next several days I will be providing new articles and information on my site that covers the steps a buyer will or should take after they find a home from their online searching.

Related Florida real estate views:

Should you buy a home in "as is" condition?

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You do not need a real estate agent to search for a home


- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

Is it safe to buy or sell in today's real estate market?

To those who are thinking of making a home purchase or selling their current home are certainly cautious as they read about the current market conditions.

What you need to know about buying and selling in a down market is the subject of my latest article page.


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- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

A record number of home buyers reported in Central Florida

Ok, maybe that should read potential home buyers.

We certainly have not seen a headline, like the title of this blog, describing the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market in some time. Just thinking about a record number of home buyers would make any real estate professional, lender and home seller giggle nervously. And the potential home buyers are here, sorta.

Today's MLS numbers show over 38,000 homes listed for sale in the counties of Lake, Seminole, Orange, Osceola and portions of Volusia county. 38,000 sellers who.... when their home sells......could add to our pool of potential buyers?

Maybe I am being optimistic so let's say, for arguments sake, only half of those sellers who have their home on the market will buy a home when their home sells. That would mean that we have nearly 19,000 potential home buyers right in front of us!

I think that would rejuvenate this very exciting but challenging home market, don't you?

Now that we know where buyers are, how are we going to get them to purchase a new home?

Simple. Offer them a deal they cannot refuse. Imagine if our seller went home shopping, found a home priced correctly, fell in love with the home and made an offer that is accepted. Motivation is now high, correct? So our seller, who just became our buyer, will now want to do whatever it takes within reason to sell their home so they can move to their new dream home!

Reduce their price perhaps?

Once their home has been priced correctly along comes a buyer who falls in love with our seller's home and presto, like a snowball rolling down a hill, we would have ourselves a great real estate market started.

I'm not sure about you but I'm ready to start!


Related Florida real estate views:

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Why would anyone offer to buy a home at list price or above in this market?

How can I make sure I am not paying too much for a home?


- Greg Staker - Watson Realty Corp. - 407-304-0255

You need a home warranty when buying or selling a home

Home Warranty

Sellers with Watson Realty are making the right choice by offering their prospective buyers an American Home Shield Home Warranty.

April 2007 statistics recorded a 91% customer satisfaction ratings. A home warranty reduces stress and makes a seller's home more valuable in a buyer's market.

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- Greg Staker Watson Realty Corp. 407-304-0255