palm harbor florida homes for sale
Pricing Your Home For Sale – What Is Involved?
Pricing your home for sale is something that Realtors do on a daily basis and why you need to work with a Realtor.
Your Realtor will first take a complete inventory of what features your home has to offer. Naturally the number of bedrooms and bathrooms as well as the square footage plays a role in the price but there are so many other factors that are involved. Have you updated the kitchen and bathrooms? How about those appliances? How old is the air conditioning system? Did you just get a new compressor or was the entire system replaced? How about the roof? How old is it and when you updated the roof, did you do it recently enough that it meets the newer hurricane safety standards? The same applies to the cage around your pool – is it up to par with the latest code for hurricane winds? These are just some of the things that are going to assist in determining the list price.
There are many other factors involved. The flooring is extremely important. Most people today do NOT want carpeting in any rooms except perhaps the bedrooms. I remember in the sixties; shag carpeting in the bathrooms was the thing. Today people realize that carpet hides so many organisms that they generally don’t want it in the house. When was the last time the house was painted – inside and out? What do the gutters look like? How about the landscaping? Great landscaping can make the difference between getting people out of the car and into the house! That first appearance DOES count!
This may sound like an enormous laundry list but they are ALL items your Realtor takes into consideration when pricing your home for sale. Remember, this information as well as what other homes in the area have sold for within the last six months, is all combined to reach that magic number. It is a process that takes a little time and the better you have cared for your castle, the higher that number is going to be.
Listen to your Realtor when suggestions are offered on things you can do NOW to increase the selling potential of your home. We do this daily and know what we are talking about! There are many things you can do to make showing your home flow seamlessly. Crate those pets, clean that litter box daily, keep the trash cans out of sight and empty, the kitchen should be spotless. Sound like a lot? Your Realtor wants you to get top dollar. Work with a Realtor. Together you can be a winning team that will get your home SOLD.
Purchasing Waterfront Property In The Palm Harbor Florida Area
Purchasing Waterfront Property In The Palm Harbor Florida Area – Tips & Advice
What are some of the things you need to know about purchasing waterfront property here in the Palm Harbor Florida area:
Type of Waterfront Property: The term ‘waterfront’ can mean anything here from direct ocean access and view to being on a salt water canal with direct ocean access, salt water canal with fixed bridges, canals with no ocean access, fresh water canals and lakes, ponds and even retention ponds. ALL of these are ‘waterfront’ classifications!
Sea Walls: If you are purchasing waterfront property and there is a seawall, you need to have a seawall inspection completed by a seawall specialist or a structural engineer. The inspection will cover the condition of the actual seawall as well as any cracks or structural issues in the area of the dock.
Boat Docks: The dock also needs to be inspected prior to purchase. What condition is the dock in? If you are intending on adding a dock, be sure to contact the local government office responsible for permits to make sure that you will be allowed to add that dock after purchase.
Lifts and Davits: Unless your boat is so large that it must be in the water at all times, most boat owners will choose to keep their vessel out of the water. Inspecting the davits is always recommended!
Not all canals are equal! Often homes located at the end of a salt water canal farthest from the open sea will find that there are times they cannot put their boat into the water due to low tides. If you think this may be an issue, check the depth of the water behind your prospective property during low tide prior to purchasing.
These are all items that you need to be aware of if you are considering purchasing waterfront property. The Palm Harbor Florida area has numerous waterfront homes currently on the market. Contact me for a list of homes available and let’s begin your search!
Blue Sink Of Palm Harbor Florida – Now Part Of Hidden Lake Subdivision
Blue Sink of Palm Harbor Florida was once a popular swimming hole. Those who grew up here remember being able to go swimming in Blue Sink back in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. The sink hole is 190′ deep and the kids used to swim and dive down there. The majestic live oak trees at the water’s edge provided a place to hang a swing and the limbs were great diving platforms!
Back then, the area was surrounded by orange groves and the kids got there via their bikes. With a shot gun slung over his shoulder, my partner Ron used to go there with his buddies to cool off after an afternoon of target practice once they got out of elementary and middle school. That was in the 50’s and 60’s, when nobody thought anything about a kid on a bike with a shotgun over his shoulder. They were boys just being boys.
During the 1980’s the property was developed, homes were built (the Hidden Lake Community was established) and the property around Blue Sink was purchased. This property consisted of just under three acres of land with the fabulous Blue Sink in the middle. A three bedroom two bath home was built, fences put up and that was the end of the kids being able to swim in the sink hole.
While the Hidden Lake Community of Palm Harbor Florida does have a great public park on a large lake complete with tennis courts and playground, it would have been great if the developers had included this land into the public park area. Perhaps one day the land will be returned to the public. In the meantime, the only views to the public are aerial and the only swimming done in Blue Sink is done by the Koi Fish that call it home.