Category: Relocation

Embracing a Fresh Start: Navigating a Personal Renaissance in a New City

Embracing a Fresh Start: Navigating a Personal Renaissance in a New City

January 16, 2024 – Bob Shannon

Life’s unpredictable turns sometimes challenge our resilience, pushing us into unexpected lows. However, embracing change and relocating to a new city can present a much-needed fresh start. This transformative journey offers the chance to redefine your life, explore passions, and unearth new experiences.

In today’s blog post on Michelle Mousin-Anderson, PA’s website, we’ll delve into practical strategies for planning a relocation and making the most of this rejuvenating opportunity.

Planning Your Relocation

The initial step toward this new chapter involves comprehensive planning. Beyond logistics and finding a new home, it’s crucial to mentally prepare for this substantial change. Reflect on your reasons for the move and your aspirations in the new city. This clarity provides purpose and guides your actions during the settling-in process.

Work with a Dedicated Real Estate Broker

Navigating the local housing market in a new city demands expertise. Collaborating with a committed real estate agency like Michelle Mousin-Anderson, PA, is your guide. Their knowledge streamlines the home search process and meets your unique needs.

Their insights into neighborhoods and property values empower informed decision-making, alleviating the stress of house hunting.

Get to Know Your New Home

Exploring your new surroundings and discovering local landmarks, parks, and eateries helps you acclimate to the new environment. This familiarity fosters a sense of belonging and connection, turning a new city into a place you call home.

Try New Experiences As You Settle In

Immerse yourself in various activities offered by the city—try local cuisine, engage in sports, and participate in cultural events. This engagement enriches life and opens doors to personal growth and new interests.

Take This Opportunity to Further Your Education

A location change can provide an ideal backdrop to pursue further education. Online degree programs offer flexibility, allowing you to study while working full-time and aiding your personal and professional growth.

Build New Relationships

While moving might mean leaving familiar faces behind, it presents a chance to forge new connections. Attend local events or join community groups to establish friendships and feel more at home in your new city. MyMovingReviews.com points out that making connections in your new environment can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and make your transition easier.

Pencil in Time for Relaxation

Amidst the excitement and hustle of settling in, prioritize self-care. Engage in activities that relax and rejuvenate you, maintaining your mental and physical well-being. While settling into a new city can be exciting, it can also be exhausting. Amid all the exploration and networking, don’t forget to take time for yourself.

Relocating to a new city after facing personal challenges can be transformative. It provides an avenue to redefine life, build new relationships, and embrace fresh experiences. With careful planning, openness to new opportunities, and self-care, navigate this journey successfully toward a brighter, fulfilling future.

For excellent customer service and guidance, connect with Michelle Mousin-Anderson, PA, today at 904.616.7575!

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BRRRR-ing It On: A Reliable Guide to Real Estate Riches

Jacksonville Real Estate Investment

BRRRR-ing It On: A Reliable Guide to Real Estate Riches

December 12, 2023 – Bob Shannon

The allure of real estate as a wealth-building avenue is timeless. Among the numerous strategies investors deploy, the BRRRR method stands out as a compelling route to accumulate assets and equity.  This systematic approach is a cycle of buying, rehabilitating, renting, refinancing, and repeating—a formula for potentially high returns. This concise guide from Michelle Mousin-Anderson offers eight pivotal steps that promise to navigate you through the intricacies of this investment odyssey with the promise of success at the helm!

Treasure Hunt for Hidden Real Estate Jewels

Commence your quest by scouring the market for properties priced below their inherent value. Spotting these opportunities is akin to finding buried treasure. They are often homes that, with a touch of care and strategic enhancements, can surge in value.  The greater the underestimation in price, the wider the margin for profit when it’s time to refinance. Work with an expert like Michelle Mousin-Anderson to start your house hunt off strong!

Renovating with Vision

Every property has the potential to become a magnet for tenants. Imagine the transformation as you draw from the vast vault of online interior design portfolios for creative sparks.  Your goal is to infuse the space with such allure and personality that it stands out in the rental landscape; you can find a wealth of decor ideas on websites dedicated to interior design. Strategic makeovers not only elevate the property’s aesthetic but can also significantly increase its market value.

Making Calculated Makeovers 

Rehabilitation requires a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. Your focus should be laser-targeted on renovations that promise the best return on investment. Start with what’s essential; that way, your investment is already safeguarded with the necessary upgrades if financial storms brew, permitting an early exit if required.

Designing Your Property’s Visual Handshake

How you present your refurbished property can make or break tenant attraction. A brochure is your visual handshake; it must communicate value and comfort. Customize templates to fit your business, emphasizing amenities and standout features. This is not merely a flyer; it’s the opening dialogue with potential renters, and it must speak volumes in a single glance.

Balancing Budgets and Timelines

Investment is a performance, and overspending or delays are the villains. Vigilantly monitoring your expenditures and adhering to timelines are non-negotiable.  Deviations can erode your return on investment (ROI) and inject risk into your venture. Exercise control with an iron grip to keep your project on track and profitable.

Marketing Your Masterpiece

Once the dust settles, the spotlight turns to attracting eyes to your property. Forge a formidable online presence, sprinkle your social media with professional visuals, and let your property shine. The digital domain is your exhibition hall; utilize it to broadcast the newly minted charm of your real estate gem to potential dwellers.

Spotting Future Goldmines

Your investment’s location is the soil in which its future growth is rooted. Prioritize areas on the cusp of development where the seed of your investment can flourish. A neighborhood’s ascent will parallel the climb in your property’s worth, padding your investment portfolio with robust equity gains.

Timing Your Triumphs

A shrewd investor is one who moves in harmony with the market’s rhythm. Grasping the nuances of your local real estate climate is crucial. Your exit or entry in the market should not be a roll of the dice but a calculated move dictated by informed predictions and current trends.

Summary

The BRRRR method, when wielded with finesse, can be an investor’s most potent tool in their quest for wealth creation. It’s an alchemical process that turns neglected properties into profitable investments.  Adhering to these fundamental principles, from pinpointing diamonds in the rough to executing a tactical renovation and marketing plan, sets the stage for repeated success. Navigate these steps with patience and precision, and watch as your real estate endeavors evolve into a prosperous and enduring legacy!

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NAR is Forecasting $4.78 Million Existing-Home Sales, And Stable Prices in 2023

NAR Forecasts 4.78 Million Existing-Home Sales, Stable Prices in 2023

Atlanta named top real estate market to watch next year

December 13, 2022Media Contact: Troy Green 202-383-1042

Key Highlights

  • NAR predicts 4.78 million existing-home sales in 2023, down 6.8% from 5.13 million in 2022.

  • Annual median home prices are expected to increase by just 0.3%, following a 9.6% gain in 2022.

  • Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Fayetteville, Ark., and Greenville, S.C. join five other metropolitan areas among NAR’s top 10 housing markets in 2023.

WASHINGTON (December 13, 2022) – Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist and senior vice president of research, forecasts that 4.78 million existing homes will be sold, prices will remain stable, and Atlanta will be the top real estate market to watch in 2023 and beyond. Yun unveiled the association’s forecast today during NAR’s fourth annual year-end Real Estate Forecast Summit.

Yun predicts home sales will decline by 6.8% compared to 2022 (5.13 million) and the median home price will reach $385,800 – an increase of just 0.3% from this year ($384,500).

“Half of the country may experience small price gains, while the other half may see slight price declines,” Yun said. “However, markets in California may be the exception, with San Francisco, for example, likely to register price drops of 10–15%.”

Yun expects rent prices to rise 5% in 2023, following a 7% increase in 2022. He predicts foreclosure rates will remain at historically low levels in 2023, comprising less than 1% of all mortgages.

Yun forecasts U.S. GDP will grow by 1.3%, roughly half the typical historical pace of 2.5%. After eclipsing 7% in late 2022, he expects the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to settle at 5.7% as the Fed slows the pace of rate hikes to control inflation. Yun noted this is lower than the pre-pandemic historical rate of 8%.

Top 10 Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2023 and into the Future

NAR identified 10 real estate markets that it expects to outperform other metro areas in 2023. In order, the markets are as follows:

  • Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia

  • Raleigh, North Carolina

  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

  • Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Arkansas-Missouri

  • Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, South Carolina

  • Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina

  • Huntsville, Alabama

  • San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas

  • Knoxville, Tennessee

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Jacksonville Daily Record 090420

‘Great places to thrive:’ How the pandemic is changing home design

It’s also allowing people time to evaluate how and where they live.
by: Scott Sailer Staff Writer
Home not only is where the heart is. It’s where the office, family, school, meals, exercise, lounging, gardening and even isolation are, and for longer periods of the day. As the pandemic that began in March is forcing people to work remotely if they can, it also is allowing people time to evaluate how and where they live. As a result, COVID-19 is changing the way single-family homes are designed or renovated.  

Deryl Patterson, architect and president of Housing Design Matters Inc. of Jacksonville.

  “The pandemic has created a renewed focus on the importance of housing. Not just places to live but great places to thrive,” said Deryl Patterson, architect and president of Housing Design Matters Inc. of Jacksonville. Designers are looking at adjustable walls to allow flexibility in an open floor plan for temporary activity spaces for work, exercise, entertainment and schoolwork. Others promote mudroom-type home entries for sanitation areas and delivery drop-offs. Some are adding an area or guesthouse for aging parents or for isolating a sick person. They are upgrading to touchless and smart appliances, fixtures and entries, germ-resistant countertops and flooring, and regulating the indoor environment with systems for air purification and ventilation. Some builders are changing floor plans to make sure buyers have a home office or two, even in smaller models. Patterson is modifying home designs to accommodate the changes necessitated by the pandemic. For example, she talks about a parcel delivery vestibule and space for people who “don’t want to send mom or dad to a congregate care facility so people are going to find ways to age in place longer.” Patterson said the pandemic has influenced “the idea of acoustical privacy, which is something that there has been a heightened awareness of because working and schooling from home has become different.” She also has noticed an increased demand for rental single-family and townhomes where “people are not sharing an entrance and have access to private outdoor space.” People that spend more time at home are taking up gardening and are cooking more in their kitchens.  

A classroom space for children learning at home. (Housing Design Matters)

  People want more cooking appliances and “larger pantries because the way we shop is different now,” Patterson said. National homebuilder Lennar Corp. recently introduced a floor plan for a 2,270-square-foot home in Northeast Florida to address work and school at home. “In today’s landscape, where many people are working from home and having kids school at home, it’s apparent there’s a great need for this. We intentionally designed this plan for the home office, and we see it as the new trend,” said Matt Devereaux, Lennar Jacksonville division president, in a news release. The Lennar floor plan includes rooms for working or school that have separate entrances, share a bathroom and have built-in desks and cabinets. The home also has a dedicated package delivery drop zone.

Shawn Starr, owner and president of Starr Custom Homes LLC in Jacksonville, said that before the pandemic homebuyers already were looking for open floor plans and office areas.

  High-end custom builder Shawn Starr, owner and president of Starr Custom Homes LLC in Jacksonville, said the prepandemic floor plans in high-end homes already accommodate many of the spaces influenced by the coronovirus. “The open floor plan still rules the day,” he said, with a great room, kitchen, transitional dining area and outdoor living. “The formal living room is long gone in favor of a study, library and home office areas that are more purposeful. The study or library has become a little more formal and functional as an office,” Starr said. Many high-end homes feature larger rooms, separate work and entertainment spaces, large kitchens with luxury appliances, large butler pantries and laundry areas, storage space, summer kitchens, covered outdoor space, pools and mechanical systems with air purification systems, he said.

A Murphy bed can transform an office area into a bedroom. (doornob.com)

  While design might not have changed, one aspect of the process has. “We have certainly changed the design process using virtual meetings,” Starr said. Another change is who is buying or leasing.  

Engel & Volkers Real Estate Advisor Michelle Mousin-Anderson.

 

Engel & Volkers Real Estate Advisor Michelle Mousin-Anderson said 50% of her buyers in the past several months are fleeing the Northeast. “Every full-time Realtor that I talk to that has been doing this a long time says the same thing,” she said. People are relocating to Northeast Florida not only for the weather but because they can work remotely with lower property taxes, no state income tax, relatively reasonable property prices and “there are less people than in the cities, which they are not comfortable with anymore,” Mousin said. Some buyers are moving from South Florida because they say it is too crowded there, too, she said. Housing is in demand. The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors reported that home inventory was down almost 30 percent in July from the year before, driving down the supply to 2.5 months from 3.8 months. A balanced market is considered one with a 5- to 6-month supply, meaning it would take that long to sell the current number of available homes. As of July, the median sales price rose almost 10 percent over the year to $265,000. And Bankrate.com reported that the interest rate on 30-year fixed mortgages averaged about 3% as of Aug. 10, down from more than 4% during 2019. Mousin said her current buyers still want open floor plans with up-to-date kitchens and appliances, home offices and a lush backyard. Families usually want four bedrooms. “Pools and outdoor living space is huge,” she said. “If you want a pool built, it will be next summer and the average price is now $80,000 to $85,000 for a medium size pool, where five years ago it was about $40,000,” she said. Mousin said the low existing home inventory along with low mortgage rates has made “everything hot right now. Large homes that sat for a long time, a year or more, are selling. Homes that were not selling and needed remodeling are selling now.”

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