With Thanksgiving around the corner, I wanted to make sure to wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving. We are going to be doing a $300 gift card giveaway this year as a way to say thanks. To enter this giveaway, like our Facebook page, share the original Target post, and tag a friend in the comments of the same Target post. You will automatically be entered to the drawing, which we’ll be doing on Monday, Nov. 19 at 1:00 p.m. live on Facebook. If you have any questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Waterfront properties are among the most sought after types of real estate in America. They are prized for the perks they offer and the lifestyle they evoke. Live the resort life, enjoy unparalleled views, and engage in a wide range of water-based recreational activities.
Choosing the right waterfront home, however, is the challenge – especially if you’re buying one for the first time.
Here are a few useful things to keep in mind:
1. Location
Just like any piece of real estate, location is everything when it comes to buying waterfront property. You’ll want to know how far the home is from amenities that are important to you like grocery stores, hospitals, or airports. If you’re buying a waterfront vacation home, you’ll also have to consider how far away it is from your primary residence. Other considerations include the distance of the home from the water, the kind of views you’ll get, and the local ordinances that affect your use of the water.
2. Body of water
Waterfront homes can be located near or along an ocean, river, or lake, with each one having their own advantages and disadvantages. Do your research on the body of water fronting your home. Find out the flood history of the area, the likelihood of storm surges, and the seasonal conditions. You should find out if the water is suitable for swimming and if the house has boat slips, if applicable.
3. Structure
Waterfront homes are more prone to damage from the elements so check how sound the actual structure is. Look for homes with protective features like storm shutters and bulkheads in the water. Look for signs of corrosion on metal fixtures like locks, hinges, or frames. While stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, sea spray and dried salty particles can break down the material’s passive layer and cause it to form unattractive pits and crevices.
4. Insurance
Insurance may be more costly for waterfront properties but it’s absolutely necessary. In addition to your basic home insurance, make sure that your waterfront property is covered by wind and flood insurance. Insure your boat, too.
5. Recreational activities
Waterfront homes offer a wide variety of recreational activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, and many more. Think about what you really want to do in your waterfront home, the type of activities that you enjoy doing, and then see if the property fits your lifestyle. Look into local ordinances. Some areas do not allow certain watercraft such as speedboats and jet skis in the water, so it is important to double-check these restrictions beforehand.
6. Real estate agent
When it comes to waterfront properties, it’s always best to work with an agent who specializes in buying and selling this type of real estate. Their expertise and network of providers can help you before, during, and after the home buying process.
When interviewing potential agents, ask them about their experience in selling waterfront homes and the length of time that they have worked in the area you’re considering.
If you’re looking to buy a waterfront property in Brevard County, FL, allow me, Garrett Bell, to help. I’ll be your trusted guide and expert on properties along the county’s 72 miles of stunning coastline. Feel free to give me a call at [ai_phone href=”1.321.537.6697](321) 537-6697[/ai_phone] or email [mail_to email=”[email protected]”][email protected][/mail_to].
Instead of talking about real estate today, we wanted to give you an introduction to the many different personalities on our team. We think you’ll like it.
Instead of talking about real estate today, we’d like to introduce you to the great members of our team so you can get to know them better. We were each asked 15 rapid-fire questions about any and everything under the sun. From our thoughts on Taylor Swift to the definition of “zeitgeist,” we covered it all. We really think you’ll enjoy these interviews that show off some of the great personalities we have here in the office.
“We hope you enjoy all of these interviews.”
Without further ado, let’s get to the Q&A. We timestamped it for you so that you can skip around to different team members at your leisure:
0:10- Shelby- Client Care Coordinator 1:56- Linda- Transaction Manager 3:57- Ryan- Buyer’s Agent 5:42- Garrett- Team Leader
Thanks for joining us for this fun little Q&A session. We hope you enjoyed it because we know that we did. If you have any more questions for us or you need real estate assistance of any kind, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email today. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
The Kennedy Space Center in Florida was built as an alternate launching facility to the original one at nearby Cape Canaveral. It is located in the northern portion of Merritt Island and is adjacent to Cape Canaveral in the region most widely known as the Space Coast. Reaching for the stars has never been more thrilling than at the Kennedy Space Center where you can visit for the space adventure of a lifetime.
Here’s what you need to know about the Kennedy Space Center:
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Your encounters with all things space-related will happen at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which is 42 acres wide and is visited by almost 2 million people every year. The tours, attractions, exhibits, and artifacts are organized chronologically and are called Mission Zones.
•Heroes & Legends
In this Mission Zone, the first attraction you’ll see is the Rocket Garden, which houses a collection of rockets actually used in previous space programs. This outdoor attraction showcases the Mercury-Atlas rockets used in NASA’s Project Mercury Program which first brought astronauts into space. You’ll also find the Thor-Delta rockets which were part of the early years of American space navigation.
Another attraction in this Mission Zone is the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. In here, you learn about how the earliest space missions evolved and see the astronauts who started it all. You’ll also know more about the people behind the Apollo space program featured at the Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo attraction.
•Behind the Gates
Join the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour that will bring you to NASA’s historic launch sites and operating spaceflight facilities, with exclusive access to top-secret places in the space complex.
•Race to the Moon
The Apollo Space Program was one of NASA’s most pivotal missions. The Race to the Moon attraction does a wonderful job of showing how the Apollo Program came to be and the events surrounding the first landing on the moon. The Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour will take you to the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which houses a variety of legendary artifacts and fascinating exhibits.
•Shuttle: A Ship Like No Other
This attraction offers a closer look at the famous Space Shuttle Atlantis, an orbiter vehicle used by NASA from 1985 to 2011. In this attraction, you can learn more about the shuttle missions and the Hubble Space Telescope, play with the 60 interactive exhibits, and experience how it’s like to train as an astronaut.
•NASA Now + Next
The last attraction in the Kennedy Space Center shows NASA’s current and upcoming space missions. Peer into NASA’s 3D space telescopes, watch space-themed films, and test your skills with thematic interactive games and simulators.
How to get to the Kennedy Space Center
The Kennedy Space Center can be accessed from Florida State Road 405. It is 20 minutes away from Cape Canaveral, 30 minutes away from Cocoa Beach, and an hour away from Orlando. The best time to go is during their offseason in the months of January, February, September, October, and November.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the Visitor’s Complex upon arrival. The Kennedy Space Center is open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information, call [ai_phone href=”1.855.433.4210″]1.855.433.4210[/ai_phone] or check out their website.
The Kennedy Space Center is just one of the many amazing attractions on Merritt Island, FL. Learn more about this incredible community by calling me, Garrett Bell, at [ai_phone href=”1.321.537.6697″](321) 537-6697[/ai_phone] or sending an email to [mail_to email=”[email protected]”][email protected][/mail_to].
When it comes to how much you’ll need to buy a home, there are several factors you need to consider.
To give you a good estimate, let’s say you’re purchasing a $235,000 house—the median sales price here in Brevard County. Let’s also assume you’re using one of the three most common mortgage loan types used by homebuyers: The conventional loan, the FHA loan, and the VA loan.
With a conventional loan, you usually put down 20%, but this loan type allows you to put down as little as 3%, which means your down payment would be anywhere from $7,000 to $47,000. FHA loans only require you to put down 3.5%, which equals a down payment of $8,200. VA loans are reserved for veterans of the Armed Forces, and they don’t require any money down.
One of the advantages of putting down 20% with a conventional loan is you don’t have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). The PMI cost for a $235,000 home would be anywhere from $70 to $180, so that’s a money you wouldn’t have to pay. For an FHA loan, though, that PMI cost would last the entire life of the loan.
“One of the advantages of putting down 20% with a conventional loan is you don’t have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI).”
After your down payment, you have to calculate closing costs. There are a lot of variables to consider here as well, but a good rule of thumb is to assume your closing costs will be roughly 3% of the purchase price, which means you’d pay $7,000 in this case.
So, by the time you get to the closing table, if you use a VA loan and you pay all of the closing costs, you’d only have to pay $7,000 to close on the home. If you negotiate for the seller to have to pay these costs, you’d be buying the home with no money down at all. If you do a 20% conventional loan and you pay your own closing costs, you’d pay $54,000 in total to close on the home.
Outside of your your down payment and closing costs, you’ll also have to pay for an inspection and an appraisal. Depending on the property you buy, your inspection can cost anywhere from $100 to $600 or $700. Appraisals, meanwhile, typically cost around $400.
If you have any other questions about this topic or you have any real estate needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.
