The ONLY House Hunting APP You Need - Tech Savvy Agent

When shopping for a home you have many

choices in websites and smart phone apps available and you want to use the app that will give you the best results. Being your tech savvy agent I wanted to share with you the best online home search available. Your time is valuable and using an inferior home search app will make you waste time and energy that you can be using to see homes that are actually available.  The Realtor.com website and app is the best consumer website and application for searching homes online yourself. I have 2 home search apps of my own and I always recommend my customers use Realtor.com because of it's accuracy. 

Why Use Realtor.com?
The homes for sale on Realtor.com are accurate because the site pulls information from the Multiple Listing Service every 15-30 minutes giving you up to date information.

Other apps do not recognize when a home is

"Active with contract". This is when a seller has accepted and signed a contract with a buyer but some contingencies have not been met like the home inspection, appraisal or loan commitment. Almost every home is placed in "Active with contract" status until these contingencies are met.  That means "Trulia" will show you a home as "Active" (available for sales) even though the seller has signed a contract to purchase with a buyer. Realtor.com knows its under contract and will omit that listing from your "active search" when using the app for "homes nearby". 

The speed of the information is important to you when house hunting. Why waste time asking your Realtor to get information on a home that is not really available. It is frustrating to you and your Realtor.  With Realtor.com, you have up to the minute accurate information on homes that are actually available.  Other websites or apps may take days to show the accurate information.  Many of these apps will give you a "value" or "zestimate" of what the home is worth and they can be useful but often times since their information is inaccurate, so is there estimate of value. Always consult your Realtor to verify comparable sales to determine a value range.

My pick for best home search app is Realtor.com.  Contact me if you or someone you know is looking to sell or buy a home in western Pasco county Florida. 

      

Vista Lakes Community in Holiday Florida - New Homes by Ryland

Part of my business is helping people 

purchase new construction homes in the western Pasco county Florida area and in order to help my customers better, I stay informed about new communities that are available in our area.  This week I was part of a private open house that was given by Ryland homes in Vista Lakes for my Brokerage. We were invited in and given a tour of a few of the model homes available in the Vista Lakes community. 

Floor plans in this new community range from 1,804 square feet for a 3 bedroom 2 bath 2 car garage to 3,582 square feet for a 4 bedroom 3.5 bath 2 car garage and prices range from $284,000 to $373,000+. Some of the features you will see in these homes include maple cabinets with 42" upper cabinets in the kitchen. Granite counter tops in kitchens and bath rooms with undercount sinks. GE appliances in either black or white are included but you may upgrade to stainless steel. These homes also come with pest defense tubes built into the walls which means you don't need to spray chemicals in your home.  There is really too much to say about these homes for me write here but let me just say as a real estate professional, I was impressed at the quality and beauty of these homes.

I apologize for the dark photos. Pictures were taken with a phone. 

Vista Lakes is located in Holiday Florida not too far from the Key Vista community off of Gulf Trace Rd and Straub Memorial Dr. tucked in away from the hustle and bustle of US19 and across from the mangroves that run along Straub Memorial Dr. The location of these homes is important since Holiday has a low millage rate for taxes which means these larger homes have a very affordable tax rate for the home owner. 

I am available to meet you at the model center

in Vista Lakes and we can tour the model homes together. Having a Realtor with you when buying any home is important and new construction homes are no different. You will want someone on your side to help you navigate the process and I am with my customers every step of the way.  Contact me online today to schedule your viewing on these homes. 

     

written by Michael J Gallo

West Pasco County Florida Housing Market - Days on Market

The western Pasco county Florida housing market

has seen some serious improvement over the last year and home sales are continuing in a positive trend not only in sales price, but in the amount of time many homes are on the sales market.  It is a fact that homes listed for sale for an extended period of time actually sell for less money than those priced properly and sell within the first 30-60 days on the market.  Home buyers have access to your homes "days on market" and once you cross over the 60 day mark, many home buyers start to make their offers for less money.  Why didn't it sell? What's wrong with it? The must be desperate to sell now?  I have heard them all when working for buyers looking to purchase a home in western Pasco county Florida.

The positive report from our local MLS system shows that since January 1, 2015 and Feb 25, 2015 more homes sold within 0-60 days than any others.  This can indicate two things. More buyers are in the market and looking to purchase and more home sellers are realistically pricing their homes to sell.  Over the last year I have personally sold more than a few homes that were listed for 5, 7, 12, or 14 days.  When the home is priced properly and shows nicely to the buyer, they don't wait around. They make an offer. 

With the spring buyers season literally around the

corner, now is the time to list and sell your home in western Pasco county.  I make it my priority to utilize every form of technology and advertising possible to get your home in front of as many home buyers as possible.  Most buyers start searching homes online before hiring a real estate agent or speaking to a lender.  This means that I will get your home in their view and on their list before their agent sends them any other homes to look at.  This puts you at a great advantage.  This week I am working with 3 home buyers of different price ranges and needs.  All 3 started their search a month ago and the day they were pre-approved to purchase they gave me homes they wanted to see. Two of these buyers have already had offers accepted.  What were the days on market on those homes?  One was 19 and one was 6.  Homes are selling and the best advice I can give anyone when it comes to real estate is this. Sell when people are buying and buy when people are selling. 

Contact me if you would like to sell or buy a home in the western Pasco county area of Florida. I serve my neighbors in New Port Richey, Trinity, Port Richey, Hudson and Land O'Lakes. There is no obligation for you to receive a comparative market analysis of your home and you can request one online. 

written by Michael J. Gallo

Home For Sale 8173 Sugarbush Dr. Spring Hill, FL.

8173 Sugarbush Dr. Spring Hill, FL. is a

beautifully maintained home located in the gated community of Timber Pines in Spring Hill Florida.  Timber Pines is a golfing community with amenities that include a community pool and clubhouse.  The community of Timber Pines is reserved for those age 55 and over.

This home located at 8173 Sugarbush Dr. is a 2 bedroom home with a split floor plan.  The master ensuite gives you double sinks and a walk in shower as well as double walk in closets.  The kitchen has newer stainless steel appliances and a breakfast nook for casual dining.  The formal living room is large and inviting and the formal dining room can accommodate a large table for 8 people.  The guest bath has a solar dome that allows light in at all times so your guest bath in not dark during sunlight hours.  The family room or great room is large and adjacent to the kitchen that is perfect for entertaining.  

You will love the large screened patio with tall

windows and is complete with ceiling fans and windows for year round comfort.  The home has a 2 car garage and is landscaped nicely which provides your guests with a attractive entryway.  This home has a report indicating no soil settlement and the HVAC system has been serviced and maintained annually and is under a service contract.

This is a wonderful home in Timber Pines in Spring Hill and is currently offered for sale at $138,000 and is priced to sell.  Contact me to schedule your private showing of this wonderful home at 8173 Sugarbush Dr. Spring Hill.

 

written by Michael J. Gallo

With Less Homes For Sale in New Port Richey Now is a Great Time to Sell

New Port Richey Florida is experiencing a low

number of homes for sale which can make this the perfect time to sell your home and buy up or downsize.  Home buyers are very active in the New Port Richey area right now searching for homes for sale.  With fewer homes on the market than in years past many home buyers are finding it more challenging to find a home to purchase in our area.  Traditionally the late winter and spring season brings more buyers into the real estate market and homeowners who are thinking about selling can take advantage of this low inventory time. You can search available homes online with my home search feature.

Having fewer homes for sale in New Port Richey and Port Richey means that home sellers have less competition on the active sales market.  This means that homes listed for sale during low inventory times have a higher number of buyers viewing their homes and a greater chance of a fast sale.  Multiple offer situations are becoming more common.  This is when more than one home buyer makes an offer on a home that is listed for sale. Home sellers who find themselves in a multiple offer situation may negotiate a sales price that is actually higher than expected.

One tried and true constant in real estate sales is to

buy when everyone is selling and sell when everyone is buying.  Motivated home buyers I am working with are checking their emails daily to see I have sent them more homes to view.  These home buyers have a sense of urgency to purchase a home when one that fits their needs is presented to them.  Often times these buyers will not want to miss out on getting the home and they may make much stronger offers as opposed to when we have a lot of homes on the market.  With high inventory (homes for sale) buyers feel like there will always be more homes to look at and more options the following week.  With low inventory, buyers see that desirable homes are selling within days of being listed for sale.

Contact me if you know someone who wants to sell a home in New Port Richey or Port Richey Florida.  You can count on my experience and knowledge to work in your favor and I will do everything I can to help you reach your real estate goals.

    

5 Things Your Real Estate Agent May Do That Might Stop Your Home from Selling

Hiring the right real estate agent to sell your home

is important and you may not always know if you made the right choice in real estate professional.  There are a few things that almost all real estate agents do to advertise your home to attract buyers and their agents to your home.  These include an MLS (Multiple Listing Service) advertisement, web advertising, open houses and email blasts.  However not all agents do these things well and to the best of their ability.

1- Your homes MLS advertisement is syndicated to all of those real estate websites and the photos of your home that are in the MLS are the same photos that are published on all of those real estate websites so you will want to review the photos of your home before the agent shares them all over the internet.  Bad or Small photos will stop buyers from viewing your home.

2- You filled out and signed certain disclosures about your home, your home owners association and others.  Your "Sellers Property Disclosure" is important and your potential buyer must review and sign the disclosure before they write their offer.  Your agent has the ability to add disclosures as attachments to your MLS advertisement so the agents can give them your potential buyers.  Not having these disclosures available on the MLS means that the buyers agent must request them from your agent and if your agent is not available or quick to respond, the buyer may not view your home or make an offer on your home.  I recommend you ask that your agent attach these documents to your homes MLS advertisement.

3- You should be receiving feedback from the buyers who are viewing your home.  Your agent may need to follow up with the buyers real estate agent to get the feedback and if your agent is not organized and professional, they may not request this information which can be important to you in selling your home.  Not getting buyers feedback may hurt your homes sale. 

4- Your homes MLS advertisement has a section where your agent writes a description of your home and can point out positive things about your home which buyers and their agents read.  This written description is also syndicated out to websites along with the photos of your home.  You should request a copy of your homes MLS advertisement so you can be sure that your agent is doing your home justice in their advertising. 

5- Scheduling buyers appointments is of course super important.  If your living in the home you are selling and your agent needs to contact you to schedule the buyers showings and the buyers agent has trouble getting your agent on the phone to schedule the appointment you may have less showings.  I suggest you ask your agent if they use a showing appointment service that will always answer and always schedule the showings with you.  One of the most common complaints we have as agents is listing agents who do not answer their phone or cal back in a timely manner in order for us to show the home. 

You deserve excellent service from your Pasco county Florida real estate professional and you should always ask to see the advertising your agent is doing on your behalf.  Poor advertising and mis handling of appointments can result in fewer showings of your home and may cause your home to be on the sales market longer than necessary.  Keep in mind that the longer a home is on the market the less money it will eventually sell for since buyers know how long you have been listed and relate longer days on market to mean your home is less desirable then others. 

    

written by Michael J. Gallo

Why Hire the Gulf Home Sales Team - Michael J. Gallo,Realtor

Choosing the right real estate professional to sell your home can seem like a herculean task. You want a real estate agent who will work diligently for you to get your home sold. Your homes marketing and advertising is the main focus of my job.  If I can market and advertise your home properly to attract serious buyers, then I can help you negotiate  your sale and handle all of the legal paperwork required to sell your home.  Not all real estate agents are the same and here is how I am different than other agents.

You deserve a real estate professional that will

take a consulting approach to their business. I want to know your goals, needs and concerns and together we will address the issues that are important to you.  Most people do not sell their home every year and our real estate market changes constantly so it is my responsibility to educate and inform you of what the current market is doing and answer any questions you may have.  Marketing and advertising of your home has changed in recent years and knowing that I am a "Tech Savvy agent" who can effectively advertise your home internationally is another reason you may want to consider me for the job of selling your home.

My business "Gulf Home Sales of Florida Luxury Realty, Inc."  has been built on honest and straight forward collaboration with my customers. You have ideas about the advertising of your home and I am committed to collaborating with you and discussing ways we can market your home better.  I truly feel that it's your home, your money and your family and you have every right to be involved in the entire process of selling your home.  Feel free to contact me anytime with your questions or concerns.  You can request market analysis of your home at no obligation to you and I also provide you with the ability to contact me online if you chose. 

    

                                         

Waterfront Home Sales in New Port Richey and Port Richey Florida

Selling your waterfront home in New Port

Richey or Port Richey Florida takes more than  hiring an agent who will put your home in the local Multiple Listing Service. Most real estate agents will do what I call the "3 P's of Real Estate".  They will Put it in the MLS, Place a sign in your yard and Pray another agent sells your home.  You probably want a New Port Richey real estate professional who will be proactive in their marketing and advertising of your home.  You will want a local real estate agent who knows our local real estate market and will work diligently for you yo get your home sold. 

The MLS (multiple listing service) is the most important part of your homes advertising and before your home gets in the MLS, there is one very important thing that must happen.  Your agent must take attractive and high quality photos of your home.  Your home's photos are extremely important to the success of your homes advertising. The photos used in your homes MLS advertising will also be shared with Realtor.com, Trulia, Zillow and all the other home search websites.  You only have 1 chance to make a great impression and most buyers online only spend 3-5 seconds deciding on whether or not they will look at the home further.  Your photos are paramount in my marketing of your home.

Selling your waterfront home in New Port

Richey or Port Richey will require that you hire a real estate agent who understands the needs and concerns of waterfront home buyers.  Advertising a waterfront home to procure a buyer is different than advertising a non waterfront home.  Having sold many waterfront homes, I have the knowledge and experience you want in a real estate professional.  Contact me online to request a comparative market analysis of your home at no obligation to you or you can call or email me anytime to discuss any of your needs or concerns.