Kerry Veach

If you’ve been on the fence about selling your home in Destin, FL, now may be the best time to make the move…and here’s why:

• Low Inventory

Currently, there is a very short supply of homes which is not only driving up property values – it’s also reducing your competition.

• High Demand

There might be a short supply of available homes for sale in Destin, FL but there is no short supply of eager buyers, ranging from experienced investors to rookie first-timers.

• Low Interest Rates

Can mortgage rates get any lower?  I highly doubt it…and I highly doubt that it’s possible for them to stay so low for much longer.  Don’t wait for them to increase and reduce the number of qualifying buyers.

• Streamlined Transactions

Whether it’s a short sale or a traditional sale, transactional procedures and processes are much more efficient now than they were a few years ago.

• Moving Up

Home affordability is at an historical high, which means now really is a great time to make the move!

If you’re interested in selling or searching homes in Destin, FL, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell Destin, FL real estate.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors (ECAR) will be holding The Great Emerald Coast Open House this Sunday, the 16^th, from 1:00 – 3:00pm.  At this time, home sellers will open their homes to the public for viewings.

The Emerald Coast, located in Northwest Florida, is a popular vacation destination that attracts approximately 4.5 million visitors a year.  Cool white beaches and emerald-green waters attract all ages year-round, with about 80% of these visitors going to Destin, FL.

Being crowned “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village”, deep-sea fishing is also a huge attraction that has brought in many awards and salt-water records.

And if that wasn’t enough to give this beautiful region boasting rights, the Emerald Coast was also the filming location for portions of The Truman Show, Jaws 2, and Frogs.

For those who want to appreciate all the natural beauty this area has to offer, there are four renovated beachfront parks – Beasley Park, James Lee Park, Marler Memorial Park and Wayside Park.

If you would like to search Emerald Coast homes, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell real estate in Destin, FL.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

With Hurricane Isaac having passed, I’d like to take this opportunity to help residents prepare their Destin homes for a blackout in the future.

• Flashlights

Keep plenty on hand…ideally one in every room.  This is a MUCH safer alternative to candles.

• Batteries

Those flashlights won’t do a lot of good without any batteries.

• Bottled water

In the event you lose your running water, you’ll be happy to have gallons of water on hand.

• Ice

Keep bags of ice in a freezer so that when the power goes out, you can transfer this ice and food into coolers

• Coolers

Speaking of coolers, have plenty of those on hand too.  The cheap, styrofoam coolers will work just fine.

• Emergency Numbers

Make sure all of your emergency numbers are accessible so that, if needed, you can call from your cell phone.

• Car and USB chargers

If you have a garage and a car that will charge even when off, have a car charger on hand to charge your cell phone.  If not, use a USB to charge your phone on your laptop (for the time that your laptop holds a charge).

• First Aid Kit

Make sure your first aid kit is fully stocked and easily accessible.

• Back-up generator

Ideally, this is a great thing to have.  However, it may not be enough to power your home in severe weather, so don’t develop a false sense of security if you own one.  Make sure you still prepare using the above bullet points.

From one Destin, FL resident to another…stay safe out there!

These tips have been provided by Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell Destin, FL real estate.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Moving to Destin, FL is like a long-term vacation.  However, every move (no matter how desirable the destination) presents challenges.  Fortunately, these challenges can be limited with the proper planning and organization.

• Sort

Moving provides a great opportunity to start fresh.  The mistake many people make is moving the junk with them.  This can make the move more stressful and overwhelming than it needs to be.  For this reason, I recommend sorting your belongings into three different groups:

1. Items that can be donated to Goodwill.
2. Items that are broken or damaged and will go into the trash.
3. Items that will make the move with you.

If you are having trouble deciding whether or not to keep something, imagine yourself packing it, moving it, unpacking it, and placing it in your new home.  Is it worth the effort?

• Label

Make sure you categorize your boxes by room and write the appropriate room on each box.  If multiple rooms are being combined into one box, make a general list of items going into the box.  This will make the first morning in your new home easier when you are looking for something specific…like the coffee brewer.

• Prioritize

When you load items onto the truck, prioritize the boxes by loading the less important items first and the most important items last.  When you unload, you’ll have access to the most important items first.

Ready to make your move?  If so, contact Kerry Veach to search homes in Destin, FL.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell Destin, FL real estate.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to data released by the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, home prices have increased by six percent along the Emerald Coast in Florida.  This may be due in large part to a continuously low inventory and high demand from buyers.

Though homes sales were down in May 2012 from May 2011, this data does not appear to be indicative of the overall housing market’s condition – again, due to the extremely low inventory.  Single family homes sales in May 2012 dropped 1.7 percent from 12 months ago, while townhomes and condos dropped 7 percent.  Pending sales, however, have increased – 5.4 percent for single family homes and 13.1 percent for townhomes/condos.

Realtors in the Emerald Coast are reporting that many homes are receiving multiple offers.  This makes a strong argument that the market is beginning to transition into a seller’s market.  As multiple offers continue to roll-in, values will continue to improve.  As values improve, many homeowners will begin to get out of the red and can consider selling their Emerald Coast homes.

“Frankly, this is basic theory of supply and demand,” said Rutland.  “As the supply goes down and the demand continues to rise, the prices will rise.  While this is still a buyer’s market the pendulum is not swinging as far into the buyers’ favor as it was just two and three short years ago.  A buyer who believes sellers are desperate to sell may be surprised.”

Another bit of good news is that foreclosures and short sales are decreasing.   In Okaloosa County, closed foreclosure transactions decreased by 46.2 percent over May of last year, while completed short sales decreased by 33.3 percent.   While short sales and foreclosures continue to be a force in the real estate market, the reduction in their numbers leads real estate experts to believe that the housing market is recovering.

If you are interested in selling or searching homes in the Emerald Coast, Florida, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell Emerald Coast, FL real estate.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Destin Beach was recently ranked the second best beach in Florida by US News – Travel.  Known as “the world’s luckiest fishing village,” this hotspot is known for fishing, white sand, and golfing.

Destin, FL has a year-round residential population of 12,000, giving it an intimate, family atmosphere.  With a heavy influx of tourism during peak season bringing this number closer to 40,000, Destin, FL is a great place for investors to purchase rental properties for vacationers.

However, vacation is not the only draw to this beautiful beach-side town.  The fishing resort community has taken careful measures to balance environmental preservation and heritage with quality of life for its residents.   Besides beautiful views along the Emerald Coastline, Destin, FL offers residents and visitors a variety of amenities, activities, shopping, restaurants, events and entertainment for the entire family.

If that wasn’t enough, Business Week listed Destin Beach as one of the best 18 new golf locations in the country.  Destin, FL was also named by readers of Southern Accents Magazine as the number two beach destination, and the number eight golf destination in its second annual Great Escapes Reader Travel Awards.  And last, but not least, the Milken Institute listed Destin as the top Best Performing City in 2005 for small metros.

As a result of this, real estate in Destin Beach maintains its value better than surrounding areas in the state.  The household income median is one of the highest in Florida, as are property values.

If you have been thinking about purchasing real estate in Destin, now is a great time to do it.  While the area has maintained its value relative to its neighboring regions, prices are still far below peak.  In addition, mortgage rates remain historically low and housing affordability is at a record high.

If you are interested in searching homes in Destin, FL, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell Destin, FL real estate.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net