Homekeys News, Information and Blog

Great buys in South Florida
Today I decided to move north and look for great deals. I searched homes for sale in Pembroke Pines and came across 3 great buys.

Coral Gables Waterfront Homes
Few of a kind dream homes for boat lovers

Great Deal in Pinecrest
Homekeys will get you to the best deal faster than any other real estate website.

Get US $ 100,000 if you buy Coral Gables Penthouse
Escape the winter and enbjoy the ebst of Coral Gables for Euros 9.25 million

Foreclosure Coral Gables home in 33134 going for $ 679k
Large 2 story ; escellent location; well priced

Coral Gables 3/3 Single Family with Pool under $ 500k ?
It is still possible to find good deals in Coral Gables, Florida

Buying a home - make sure you get good, reliable advice
It seems to me that everybody wants to portray themselves as an expert in the real estate field. It doesn’t matter if you are a real estate agent, an investor, a mortgage broker, an attorney that happens to love real estate or a plain old Joe.

Should you rent your property for a lower price?
I get asked this question all the time by customers that want to rent their property, but have gotten no good offers. The bottom line truth is the fact that rental inventories are huge and potential tenants have a great deal of options available to them.

Europeans looking to buy real estate in Florida
Europeans love Florida. Its weather, the beaches, the tranquility and the fun lifestyle that it offers, gives Florida a special niche in the world.

Easy mortgage contributing to artificial demand
It is well known that the terrible status of the mortgage market today can be mostly blamed on lenders practically giving away loans to ineligible borrowers.

Vacant property?? put a lockbox on it
Realtors love a lockbox. The fact that they have flexibility to show a property at any time with no time limitations or scheduling issues works great for them. Buyers also love the idea as they can inspect the property with no worries and no pressure.

Tenants have no rights
Did you know that there are currently no laws protecting the renter from a foreclosure?

The Florida Real Estate market is giving hope to the rest of the nation
The real estate market is leveling out in Florida. This only means good news not only to Florida, but the rest of the county as well.

Is this the best condo deal in South Beach, Florida for under $ 210,000?
Find home deals for up to 50% below market value

Find the best real estate home deals in Miami
Homekeys ValueSearch saves you hundreds of hours of research work by finding properties up to 50% under market value

Who will buy my house?????
This is a question I hear all the time. Who is going to buy my property? However, we should remember that people still need to move for a variety or reasons.

Real estate hot topics
for the past 8 months all I hear is short sales, foreclosures and properties in distress. After carefully reviewing each of these topics I see that not much has changed in the last 8 months.

Get prequalified before buying a house
The first thing a buyer must do before buying a property is get pre-qualified by the bank. This is a must nowadays as qualification requirements are harder and harder to obtain.

Weak dollar helps foreign investment
The weak US Dollar has its ups and downs. One of the positive aspects is the fact that foreign investment is on the raise.

The real estate crisis hurts much more than just the industry itself
Consumer spending is directly related to real estate, meaning that the crisis will affect almost all service related business. This means that not only real estae industries are being affected by the current crisis

Inspecting the inspector
Be careful who you choose, as having a good home inspection should not be taken lightly and in my opinion should be a priority before closing a transaction

Basic tips for buying real estate
Buying a property is not something you do everyday, so try to consider all scenarios and be very informed about the process prior to the purchase. The more prepare you are, the easier and effective your house search will be.

Be friendly to the appraiser
An appraisal is a key step in the transacition and it can literally make or break a deal. Try to be as attentive as possible when the appraser comes as it can only help your chances or obtaining the number you were looking for.

Dont Let A Pool Sink A Deal
Having a swiming pool could be very beneficial, however, one must be careful as it can work against you when trying to sell a property.

Are lockboxes safe?
I believe that if all procedures are followed correctly, then lockboxes are a safe way to go. It not only gives a flexible showing schedule for agents, but it gives buyers an easier time expresing their feelings about the property

Cut your loses and sell your property
If you are in a must sell position, you must come to terms with the facts that the market value of your property has come down and that waiting to drop the price will probably end up costing you more money.

The importance of landscaping and curb appeal
Sellers sometime overlook the importance of proper landscaping and curb appeal. In reality, proper landscaping and curb appeal could be the deciding factor that sells your property.

The value of the listing agent
Before the internet, the listing agent used to be a huge value for every seller. Nowadays things have changed and perceived value of the agent has been lost. Sellers have a decision to make and they should be informed about it.

Buyers must be careful when negotiating a contract
Buyers must be careful when trying to negotiate a contract. It is good to be aggressive; then again, one must be careful as I have seen things go wrong too many times. Buyers act too aggressive and it ends up costing them the deal.

Sellers must understand that prices have dropped
Sellers must understand and come to terms with the fact that home values have gone down and that their properties are not worth what they were a couple of years back.

Try to spice up your house when selling
Try to give your property a new look. A few simple improvements will go a long way in selling your property

Don’t be afraid of making a low offer
A buyer needs to be aggressive when buying a property. Today’ market gives the buyer a perfect opportunity to do just that. Low interest rates, a huge inventory of properties for sale, and desperate sellers are giving today’s buyers a perfect opportunity

The step by step process of buying a home
After you have made an offer to purchase a property and that contract is executed by both buyer and seller, then the purchasing process really begins. There are many steps that must follow in order for the transaction to close.

How to get a good deal on a house
deals are out there and you have to be smart about finding them. Talk to professionals in the business. Do a search online. In a time like this, a buyer has the power and a smart buyer may find a fantastic deal.

Be smart when searching for properties
Real estate websites have changed drastically and are improving everyday. A well-educated buyer is able to take advantage of all the resources available in today’s market. This means a more intelligent search that will achieve better rsults

Who keeps the deposit when the contract does not go through?
If the contract does not go through, then the seller gets to keep that deposit as a result of that buyer backing out from the purchase. However, there are a few factors that give the buyer the right to keep the full deposit

The importance of pictures when selling a property
when advertising your property for sale, make sure you display that property correctly. Publish pictures and virtual tours. You will be surprised how buyers will appreciate this and how you will be the beneficiary of such actions.

Buyers – be specific when looking for homes
The buying process does not have to be a long, tedious, time-consuming effort. If done properly, buying a place could be done in a matter of just a few days.

High gas prices are changing how realtors work.
Higher gas prices are having a profund effect on the way realtors work. The high cost of showing properties may change the entire industry as we know it.

How to price your property correctly
It is a key element in order to sell your property. It must be priced correctly. Not to high so that it will discourage potential buyers, and not to low so that you are giving it away.

Informed buyers love rebates
Receiving a buyer's rebate at closing is a very simple process of obtaining additional cash at the end of the transaction, plus the added benefit of working with a professional agent throughout the purchase

Inspections and appraisals – who pays for them?
Inspections and appraisals are both very important steps in the buying / selling process. If done correctly, it will give the buyer a great sense of confidence and relief as he will be fully aware of the market value and condition of his future property.

What is a selling and a listing broker?
There are usually two types of brokers on every transaction. The listing agent is the real estate agent that is putting the property for sale. Then, there is the selling agent. When a buyer comes in with a realtor, this realtor is called the selling agent

Selling a home – is updating a good idea?
Updating your home will greatly help the sale of the house but it will not make it go for a higher price. If you are looking to renovate a property because you think you will get that money back at closing, then renovation is not a good idea.

Open Houses, How useful are they?
Open houses work but only under the right conditions. If these conditions are not met, then open houses are just a waste of time for the seller, the realtor and their potential buyers as well.

The future of real estate
Innovation and technology will change the real estate industry

Ouch! Is more pain on its way?
The credit crunch is asphyxiating the real estate market and the overall economy

Home Warranties Give Buyers and Sellers Peace of Mind
Home Buyers Warranty for pre-owned homes provides a competitive advantage and reduces liability for the seller while protecting the buyer's biggest investment.

Real Estate distressed deals are no panacea for those involved
Do you know what these mean? How to find them? Are you willing to invest the time?

Compradores Europeos y Latinoamericanos de Bienes Inmobiliarios
Compradores Europeos y Latino Americanos de bienes inmobiliarios se benefician del programa de reembolso de Homekeys

Should financially responsible citizens pay a price for those that overextended?
Irresponsible individuals that enjoyed the benefit of the spending spree totally financed by “shadow debt” must suffer the pain.

Realtors Come in Different Flavors but We are all Realtors
There is more than one way to transact real estate. There is not such a thing as a better way. Different people have different needs and that is waht we are all about.

Consider using a discount Realtor or flat fee MLS service
When it's time to sell your home you will find that there are lots of options out there. It was only four years ago when the thought of using a discount Realtor or flat fee MLS services was unsure and scary.

Ouch! Will WaMu deal hurt mortgage brokers?
The lending fiasco plans to claim another casualty. Are mortgage brokers next?

Is it Better and Faster to Sell your house with a Broker?
FSBO processes are getting better and so are the savings !

Homekeys celebrates 4th Anniversary !
Homekeys is the leading portal for real estate consumers in the State of Florida

Better-trained Realtors keep buyers safe
We need to professionalize the role of the real estate agent

Buying a home? Three tips for shoppers of mortgage
The days of easy financing are over but the world is not going to come to an end. Financing is tight but still available for those buyers that shop, compare and negotiate for the best rates.

Foreign investors are finding and purchasing undervalued properties
Even though people are saying that there is still more room for depreciation in the marketplace, foreign investors are beginning to find and purchased undervalued properties.

Lease Option may be the way for many home buyers
Often the biggest obstacle to becoming a homeowner is coming up with enough cash for a down payment. One way for cash-strapped home buyers to realize their dream is to lease a home with an option to buy.

Ad Campaigns Target Buyers of Real Estate
Real estate brokerage firms are launching ad campaigns that promote low mortgage interest rates, improving affordability, and the availaibilty of home loans.