Marathon Fl Homes for sale: Karen Angle

The Florida Keys attract many types of people looking for permanent residences or vacation homes. If you need to sell your home you can sell it faster in the Florida Keys by going green.

Going green is not just a popular concept embraced by a few people who have a problem with cutting trees or using fossil fuels,  it is a way to make the best use of sustainable resources by implementing proven energy saving strategies.

Sell your home in the Florida keys by going green with better insulation.

Homes are insulated when they are built, however, over time insulation can settle and become compacted. Upright insulation in walls can also fall down. When insulation is not in the proper places and is not thick enough, there will be loss of heat during winter and loss of cool air in the dwelling during the summer.

Install an energy efficient heating and cooling system.
An energy efficient heating system can save about $200 in heating costs annually.
However when the system is installed, it is important to make sure the ductwork is sealed with no cracks or air gaps that could cause loss of warm or cool air.

A programmable thermostat can be set to cycle on when you are at home and to turn off or down when you are away.

Replace old windows with newer energy efficient windows.

Today’s energy efficient windows are built to keep cool or warm air inside of the home depending upon the season. Windows that have missing caulking, cracks or those that fail to close completely can be a big source of heat or air conditioning loss.

Seal cracks and crevices in crawl spaces and around windows and doors.
The cracks, crevices and small openings throughout a home are the equivalent of a window being left open year around. Imagine the amount of energy lost through these openings.

Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent light bulbs.

These bulbs will save about $5.00 per year each. In the average home with several light fixtures, this could add up to $100-$200 per year in savings.

Low flow showerheads can reduce the amount of water used during showers.
These special showerheads are designed to minimize water usage while providing good pressure and flow. Some have massage features that can be an added bonus after a long workday. According to the EPA, low flow shower heads can reduce water and energy use by 40 percent.

Going green will help you market your home. When green living strategies are already in place, prospective homebuyers will be attracted to the property. Going green can also help you get the price you want for your property.

Provided as a service of
Karen L. Angle
Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Co.

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The real estate market throughout Florida as in many other area of the country, looks like a dangerous place with the potential that prices may continue to fall…with the possible exception of the Florida Keys. Yes, it is true that during the incredibly oversold market commencing in 2003 and on, prices within Florida spiked only to come tumbling down during 2007 which continues to this day. This was the inevitable consequence of bad lending decisions coupled with buyers lacking the wherewithal to carry the home. This happened virtually everywhere else in the country.

The Florida Keys are Exceptional and an Exception

One of the main strengths of that market protecting the Keys from some of the dangers in the current real estate market is the fact that the vacation rental market environment is a life preserver to the real estate investor, despite the fact that many have chosen to reside there on a permanent basis. In other words, many of the properties whether condos or homes, are still attractive vacation destinations. As long as a property can be rented, the investment is self sustaining. The Keys can always be rented, depending upon the area, on a weekly or monthly basis. This makes them more attractive for investment purposes than the typical home purchased by the home owner as a primary residence anywhere else in the country. In other words, the Florida Keys real estate market was never in a “bust” situation.

The facts bear this out. According to Standard and Poors.com, aggregate real estate prices throughout the U.S., comparing 2000 with 2010 were only 2.6% greater in 2010 than during 2000. While actual sales price in the Florida Keys were 52.1% higher in 2010 than in 2000 ($274,995 vs. $418,209)! Certainly there were declines in Keys real estate prices on a comparative basis during the last half of the decade. This only serves to point up the fact that Keys real estate is very high priced and even when it had declined, prices remain at levels significantly above 2000.

Moreover, this data includes all Keys “residential” real estate, which also takes in vacation rental property, such as homes or condos that are rented out. If that data were available for comparison, it is highly likely that the historical prices would even have exceeded 52%.  However, it is important to point out that certain other areas such as New York City and Washington, DC also fared very well over the decade because of explosive Wall Street wealth and the growth of the federal government which affected real estate in the greater Washington DC area.

Short Term Rentals are Key

Despite the overall weakening in the economy and the unsteadiness in the real estate market, vacation rentals in the Keys are strong and this will of course, maintain housing prices within the Florida Keys. However, to the joy of potential real estate investors, the current market rating for buyers is now resting at 1.0 indicating that it’s an excellent market in which to purchase. Certainly, if one’s intentions are to make a property a business investment and pursue the short term (1 week to 1 month) rental route, the investment will pay for itself in the short term. In fact, the shorter the duration of rentals, the higher the rent and thus, the better ROI the investor enjoys.

There are other advantages that work for the investor. If the property is set up as a business and incorporated, many of the normal housing expenses incurred can be deducted as a business expense. This has the result of decreasing an investor’s personal income and taxes, overall. Also, an investor is permitted to make trips to the property for “business purposes” which also permit the investor to use the house or condo and mix business with pleasure, with all expenses being tax deductible.

The longer term real estate outlook for the Florida Keys is exceptional. Because Monroe County has a moratorium on building and because of obvious geographic reasons, the amount of homes and condominiums is finite and for all intents and purposes, capped. Therefore, the market will dictate that the only place for prices to head is up. Even if a recovery is slow, the fact that a property can maintain itself through short term rentals makes the Florida Keys an incredible year round vacation/business destination investment.

Provided as a courtesy of

Karen L. Angle

Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Co.

11050 Overseas Highway

Marathon,FL 33050

Office Phone – (305) 289-6504

Mobile – (305) 731-6219

Toll-Free – (800) 366-5181 ext. 6504

karen.angle@cbschmitt.com

http://www.allfloridakeysrealestate.com