Are you considering a move to the Sunshine State? Whether you’re eyeing the vibrant city life of Tampa, the magical allure of Orlando, or the charming appeal of Lakeland and its surrounding cities, understanding housing affordability is crucial. Let’s delve into the housing market of these Florida gems to see how they stack up against each other. Lakeland, FL, and Surrounding Cities: A Tapestry of Affordable Living Nestled in the heart of Polk County, Lakeland and its surrounding cities—Bartow, Auburndale, Winter Haven, Mulberry, Lake Wales, Haines City and Polk City—offer a rich tapestry of ..read more

Understanding real estate can be a tricky business. So if you are buying or selling a house and are hearing a bunch of terminology and lingo you don’t understand, you are not alone. You probably don’t deal with real estate regularly, so it makes sense there are certain terms you have never heard or perhaps have heard but don’t know what they mean. And that’s OK, that’s what we are here for. Today we are going to go over some of the most frequently misused and misunderstood real estate terms and lingo.  Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM) An adjustable-rate mortgage is one with an interest rate ..read more

So…you’re moving to Lakeland, Florida. Great choice! Did you know that Florida is considered the number one freest state in America? Yep! And if you want to know why, well—there are too many reasons to list within the scope of this article, so you will have to take our word for it.  Another reason living in Florida is so great is because it is one of only seven states that don’t require you to pay a state income tax. And if you think that’s because Florida makes up for that by charging higher taxes on everything else, you would be wrong. Florida’s overall state tax collections are we ..read more

Are you trying to buy a home or a vacant lot? If so, you’ve probably been told you need to get title insurance…right? But do you really need title insurance?  Here we are going to define what is title insurance, if you need it, how much it costs, the benefits of title insurance, and other important information you need to know before making any decisions about whether you really need it. Let’s get started. What Is Title Insurance? Just like any other insurance, title insurance protects you from potential losses. Title insurance protects the home’s purchaser or the mortgage comp ..read more

If you have just purchased a home (or already have a home), you are probably thinking how wonderful homeownership is. And even though homeownership can seem expensive, it’s almost always cheaper and better than throwing your money away on renting a home you’ll never own. There is no greater gift than having a home to call your own.  But wouldn’t it be great if there was a way you could make owning your home a little cheaper? There is and it’s called a homestead exemption. Keep reading, and we’ll tell you all about it. What Is a Homestead Exemption? A homestead exemption is a pro ..read more

Have you been trying and trying to buy a house but to no avail? Have you been putting in offers on home after home and keep losing them to someone else? If so, you are not alone, it seems as if this has become the new normal for home buying and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight.  It’s no mystery that the housing market has been a sellers’ market for many years now. Buyers are becoming more and more frustrated because they spend a significant amount of time looking for the perfect home and when they finally find one, they lose it to someone else.  Unfortunately, this has led t ..read more

Are you getting ready to start looking for a new home? That’s great! But do you know where to start? Are you sure? Buying a new home isn’t something you should jump into without first preparing yourself for what’s ahead. There are some pretty important things that need to be done first, as well as some common home buying mistakes you will need to avoid. The best way to avoid any home buying mistakes is to hire a buyer’s agent who can and will help you avoid those mistakes. So let’s dive right in and learn about what you need to do and know before you start looking for a new home ..read more

Are you thinking about buying a home? Have you been scouring the internet looking for that perfect home at a great price? Yep! You’re excited—we get it. But wait… Before you go any further, it would be in your best interest to develop a home buying strategy first. A home buying strategy that will help you win that perfect home at a great price if it comes to a bidding war with multiple offers.   How you ask? We are going to give you several exceptional tips for how to win a bidding war when buying a home.  Let’s get started!  1. The Highest Price Doesn’t Always Win Yes, the who ..read more

Are you thinking about moving to Lakeland, FL? If so, there are probably some things you would like to know about it first…right?  There are so many wonderful aspects of living in Lakeland that it would be impossible to list them all. However, we are going to do our best to summarize what living in Lakeland is like. We are going to give you all the highlights of living in Lakeland along with links you can follow to explore and learn more about what you have to look forward to when moving to Lakeland, Florida. Are you ready? You are about to take the first step in your journey, and you ar ..read more

You put your house on the market and thought you had some time to begin looking for another one.  But suddenly… Someone bought your house, and you haven’t yet found another one yet! So, obviously, you are probably in a panic. We get it.  But don’t worry, there are options out there for you—options that will enable you to take your time finding a new house. This is important because you don’t want to go out and buy just any house simply because you are in a rush to find something.  Doing so generally leads to regret and a costly mistake. If you make a rush decision buying a ..read more