Homes in Florida are built from concrete block and/or frame, but what makes one different from the other? Beyond cosmetics, what value does exterior paint hold? I’ll answer these questions and more today.

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Home construction can be split into two types: concrete block and frame homes. Today we’ll talk about the ways they can be discerned from each other.

Here in Florida, it’s not out of the ordinary for a home to be built from both concrete block and frame. To highlight some of the key differences, I’m outside of a home today that was constructed in this way.

A home with recessed windows, as seen at 0:30 in the video, is your first clue that a home was built—or partially built, at least—from concrete block. Recessed windows sit further back and aren’t flush with the connecting exterior wall. At 0:38 in the video, you’ll see that, on the second story, it’s just the opposite—this window is perfectly flush and frame-level, which indicates it’s frame construction.

“the gap that borders bottom of a home separates ground and stucco has two main purposes: to alert an inspector termite presence prevent water intrusion.

It’s commonly (and erroneously) believed that paint is nothing more than a cosmetic consideration for a house, but this just isn’t true. In fact, painting your home’s exterior can prevent water intrusion.

If you’ve owned a home in Florida for any length of time, you’re probably no stranger to cracks in your stucco. With the amount of rainfall we get, your home could definitely be at risk of water seepage.

Stucco painted over the top of a frame exterior is something you’ll see in many Florida homes. The gap that borders the bottom of the home, shown at 2:07, serves to separate the ground and the stucco and has two main purposes: to alert an inspector to termite presence and to prevent water intrusion.

As I mentioned earlier, frame homes tend to have windows that are flush with the exterior wall. There are exceptions, though. The home I’m next to at 2:48 in the video is a case in point—as a faux brick property, this is considered a frame home, but its windows are recessed. You’ll notice that, unlike the home I showed you at 2:07, this home doesn’t have the gap where the brick meets the grass. For termite inspection purposes, it’s very important that your home has that gap.

If you have any questions about today’s topic or anything else related to real estate, let us know. We’d be happy to help!

Inventory is rising in Brevard County, which means buyers have more leverage and sellers need to be more careful when pricing their homes.

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What’s the latest news from our Brevard County market? Let’s look at some year-over-year statistics for single-family homes.

For several years now, prices have been rising, and the average sale price at the end of 2018 was $272,000—a full 7% higher than in 2017. Currently, there are 3,038 single-family homes on the market, which is a 29% increase compared to 2017. This bump in inventory has caused the average days on market for single-family homes to increase by about six days.

“If you’re a buyer, this shift means you have more leverage when dealing with sellers. ”

Moving forward, I predict that inventory will continue to increase—not just for single-family homes, but also for condos and townhomes. If you’re a seller, you need to take this into consideration when pricing your home. Buyers have more homes to choose from, so it’s important that you not overprice yours. If you’re a buyer, this shift means you have more leverage when dealing with sellers.

If you have any more questions about our market or you have any other real estate needs I can take care of, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

HGTV may make for captivating television, but today we’re going to explain why it’s important not to take all your real estate lessons from this network.

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HGTV is great. I watch it all the time myself, and I’m sure many of you are fans of the network, too. That said, this popular channel has gone beyond entertainment and has begun to leave buyers, sellers, and homeowners in our market with unrealistic expectations for their real estate goals.

First, there’s the matter of renovation financing. The simple truth is that not all of us have the same budget as Chip and Joanna Gaines. Even if an HGTV host claims to be working within a budget that might be attainable for your average person, they fail to mention how much behind-the-scenes work goes into making the pieces fall into place.

There are renovation loans out there, but these are generally intended to be used for bringing a home up to a livable standard per its neighborhood—not for taking out the kitchen wall to open up a property’s floor plan.

“Real estate is much more complex than HGTV may make it seem.”

Expectations related to price and condition, in general, are also misrepresented by these popular renovation shows. When purchasing a home, the best approach is to emphasize the things you can’t change about it over the things you can. Things like floor plan and location, for example. Don’t get too caught up in all the renovations you could make when you’re looking for the perfect property.

It isn’t just buying and selling that HGTV misrepresents, however. They also make real estate investing look much simpler than it is. In particular, HGTV programs make house flipping seem glamorous and easy.

In reality, house flipping is risky business. It’s an easy way to lose money if you don’t understand what you’re doing—which, if your sole exposure to the pursuit is through HGTV, you probably don’t.

Overall, the important thing to remember is that real estate is much more complex than HGTV makes it seem. Instead of taking all your lessons from the television, it’s best to consult with a real estate professional when you’re considering buying, selling, investing in, or even renovating a home.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give my team or me a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you want to buy a home but aren’t sure where to start, follow these six steps.

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Buying a home may sound like an intimidating prospect, but today we’d like to share six tips that will make it much easier.  

     1. Get pre-approved. Not only will this help you nail down your budget, but it will also strengthen your credentials and make your offers more attractive to sellers.

     2. Talk to more than one lender. Different lenders will offer different rates, programs, and deals. Therefore, talking to a few different professionals will help ensure that you wind up with the best loan option for your circumstances.

     3. Research the location. The old saying that real estate is all about location, location, location is absolutely true. An area’s crime rates, school districts, and available amenities should all play a role in your decision between homes. A home’s location will have a huge impact on your life in the time you live there and will also play a major role in the property’s resale value down the line.

“Working with a professional who knows the ins and outs of the process will ensure that your deal goes smoothly and that you earn top dollar at the end of it all.”

     4. Understand the costs associated with buying and owning the property. The expense of buying a home is important, but don’t forget the money it will take to live there after closing. HOA dues, property taxes, utility bills, and other important expenses should all be kept in mind.

    5. Research comparable properties. This will help you understand whether you’re getting a good deal, as well as what other similar homes are available in the market.

    6. Hire an experienced real estate agent. This tip is one of the most valuable of all the ones we’ve listed today. Working with a professional who knows the ins and outs of the process will ensure that your deal goes smoothly and that you earn top dollar at the end of it all. The agent will help guide you through every step, from staging to negotiating and beyond.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.


Getting your real estate license is a pretty easy thing to do. Here’s why that’s a problem.

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In the state of Florida, practically anyone can get their real estate license. I think that’s a major problem, and here’s why.

All you have to do in order to get your license in this state is take a 63-hour pre-licensing course, an exam at the end of the course, and a state exam. It doesn’t require any type of prior experience or knowledge. Essentially, you just have to be 18 years or older.

I have a friend who went to cosmetology school. They had to do 1,200 hours of hands-on training to get their license. With real estate licensing, that 63 hours can be done online or in the classroom. You can get it done within a week and have your license within two weeks. I think that’s absolutely crazy.

“When you hire an agent, make sure they have the necessary experience.”

For 99% of the population, buying or selling a home is going to be the largest financial commitment they ever make. In order to get qualified to help someone with that investment, all you have to do is complete a simple course and pass a 100-question multiple choice exam.

I’m talking about this as a warning and a service to those of you out there who are thinking about buying or selling a home. I got my license in 2010 and I can tell you I knew absolutely nothing about buying or selling real estate after taking that class, even after coming from a family of real estate professionals and going to the University of Central Florida for four years.

So when you’re out there looking for an agent to hire, make sure they have the necessary experience. Anyone who has just gotten their license won’t have that experience. It’s not their fault—it’s just too easy to get a license, and a brand-new agent isn’t going to have the proper experience and training to help you successfully navigate a real estate transaction.

If you have any questions for me about my experience or what you should be looking for in a real estate agent, don’t hesitate to call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.