The Miami Beach real estate market is unlike many in the country. The super luxury condominium market is rolling on the coastline of South Florida and a buyer must be savvy, or have a savvy Miami Beach real estate agent to guide them through the market. Why? Because you need to make sure you are getting your money's worth, and that means understanding the home values in the area and their trends. Because Miami luxury condominiums come out with all of the high end appliances, features and amenities, the only way to really make money is if these units hold their appraised value and if the Miami Beach real estate market holds and continues to grow. This is a concern whether you are buying a Miami luxury condo as a homeowner or as an investor.
The appraised value is what the bank assesses is the value of your home or investment property. A third party appraiser will come out and conduct the unit appraisal for the bank. They will compare it to similar units in the same and other luxury Condominium buildings and they determine the value of the amenities in the unit - most appraisers will conduct an onsite visit. This figure determines the amount of money a bank is willing to offer for a mortgage but more importantly, it can affect the market value of your unit and the sale price if you ever want to put your luxury condo on the market.
Market value is what a buyer actually pays or is willing to pay for a home or condo. It may be well above or well below the appraised value. Smart buyers have a strong understanding of the relationship between the appraised and market values of a home and a smart seller will do well to learn about it as well. If you have offered your home for well above the appraised value, a mortgage lender may be unwilling to loan the inflated amount to a buyer, whereas if you can offer your home for sale close to the appraised value it is more likely to sell with no issues.
The considerations of appraised vs. market value will change depending on whether you are purchasing your Miami condo as an investment property or as a home. If you plan to live in the unit for a significant period of time, the most important thing is to find the right neighborhood, the right kind of Miami condo to suit your lifestyle and the right features and amenities to meet your needs. If you are buying the Miami condo as an investment property, these criteria will not be as important to you and they are not as important as a quick increase in value to assure your investment is a success. More important is the price at which you are buying, the appraised value and the amount of time it will take for the unit to accrue value in order to sell it for profit.
One of the best ways to get into the Miami Luxury condominium market, whether you want the condo as a home or as an investment, is to buy a pre-construction Miami condo unit. The developers offer better prices and incentives so that they can sell all of the units ahead of time and offset their costs while they are creating the units. For an investor, if the contract doesn't prohibit sale before or after the condo is complete, this can be a great time to get into a real estate venture. There are great benefits for someone who wants a Miami condo as a home as well. This is also an opportunity to customize your Miami luxury condominium to your exact specifications. You can usually play a part in choosing finishing materials, fixtures and color schemes which means that when the unit is complete you'll be able to move into your perfect turn-key luxury home.
Studying market trends to understand if a specific real estate market is going to stay strong will probably take more time for an average home buyer than it's worth. You should find a qualified local Miami Beach real estate agent to guide you to the best buys on the market and to make sure you are investing your money in a property that's appraised and market value will increase exponentially over time. This is true in the case of homeowners and investors alike.
If you are planning on buying any Miami Beach real estate, make sure that you take the time to research the like properties in the area or make sure that your Miami realtor is knowledgeable on the topic. If you get the right advice and buy into the right Condominium, you will be sure to invest in a solid piece of real estate and see a return whether you make the Miami condo your home or not.
Book Vs Market Value
I'm not necessarily talking about things that obviously affect the value of your home, such as its structure or insurability. Those are factors that can't be seen, and although they do affect the value greatly, they don't always affect the way a buyer views the property (note: if you do know about structural problems you should have them fixed to avoid lawsuits).
What I am suggesting is that the way your home looks, when it goes on the market, greatly affects the perceived value to the buyer. It is often the details, or the little things, that greatly affect the price you can ask for your home.
If you need an idea of what perceived value means, picture it from a buyer's perspective:
Let's say you have listed your home for $299,000. That price comes from comparing it to similar homes in the area.
When the buyer is walking through your home though, they see leaking faucets, a roof that needs shingles, faded paint on the walls, and a mess in the living room. From the buyers perspective you may have just taken $50,000 out of the price.
The home they just looked at up the street was the same price, and it looked to be in much better condition. The landscaping was nicer, the house itself seemed to be in good repair, and it didn't need all that work.
If your budget was $299,000 which one would you choose?
Fortunately, it isn't difficult to get your home ready for sale. Unless your home is in need of major repairs, it doesn't necessarily have to cost a lot either. Sometimes the market value is in the details. Here are five steps to take to increase the market value of your home.
1. Fresh Paint: Although a fresh coat of paint may only cost a few hundred dollars if you do it yourself, it adds many times that to the value of your home. Paint may seem like a simple issue, but faded paint tends to make a home look dirty and dingy.
2. Make Sure Everything Works: A burnt out light bulb, may be just that to you. To a prospective buyer, though, it is an electrical system that doesn't work. That burnt out light bulb just took $5,000 out of the offer they were going to make. Make sure your electrical, heating, and plumbing systems are all in working order when trying to sell your home.
3. Cleanliness Matters: Just like a bulb was perceived as poor wiring, a dirty carpet may be viewed as needing a replacement. Take the time to clean your home while it is on the market.
4. Cut the Clutter: If you have three couches in your living room, to you it may be functional. To a buyer you have just made the room look three sizes smaller. The same holds true for other rooms, and your countertops. Cut the clutter by getting rid of unnecessary items in your house.
5. Make it Available: One mistake that can affect the way a buyer perceives your home, in a big way, is not making it available to show. Many people run on tight schedules. If you can't make your home available to show on their time ? you may have just taken all $299,000 out of the price (lost the sale). If you're serious about selling your home, make the times agents can show it to prospective buyers flexible. This is best accomplished by installing a electronic MLS lockbox. When someone opens the box to obtain the key, your Realtor will be able to see all information about who opened the box and at what time via the Internet. The days of the unsecured combo locks are gone!
Both Blair Stephens & Ronnie Bredahl are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Blair Stephens has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, computers and the internet and Real Estate. Blair Stephens is an accomplished freelance writer and proud member of the http://www.claudiorivero.com team. She has written articles about Miami real estate, Miami co. Blair Stephens's top article generates over 22200 views. Bookmark Blair Stephens to your Favourites.
Ronnie Bredahl has sinced written about articles on various topics from Real Estate, Sell Home and Education. Ronnie Bredahl is an Austin Realtor and owner of Austin Re. Ronnie Bredahl's top article generates over 3600 views. Bookmark Ronnie Bredahl to your Favourites.
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