Land use regulation including minimums for lot area, width, depth and setbacks are available online, in addition to maximum building height.  This information can be found at www.municode.com.  Click on Browse Library. When the US map appears, click on Florida, then Gainesville, then Gainesville Codes of Ordinances.  On left side, click on Chapter 30 – [...]

If you are working with a Realtor here to help you sell your current house, ask them if they can refer you to a good Realtor in the area to which you are moving.  We have a wide network of people that we know through various national associations and through our continuous training that is [...]

Top 10 Reasons Homes Don’t Sell 1. Overpriced 2. Lack of Upgrades 3. Location not ideal 4. Foundation/sinkhole/flooding issues 5. Unappealing floorplan 6. Lack of cleanliness/odors 7. Clutter/Lack of perceived storage 8. Significant deferred maintenance 9. Rooms not being used for their traditional use 10. Home not being marketing adequately Remember, all of these objections [...]

Your home’s “winter max” is reset each year and is the larger of your January and February water bills (so depending on when your meter is read, it is based on your actual water consumption in December, January or February).  GRU bills you for the lower of what you actually use during a given month [...]

Check with your insurance carrier but in general policies do cover wind damage but not flood damage.  Sometimes litigation arises in determining if flood or wind caused the damage since wind damage is covered and flood damage is not.  You can buy flood insurance proactively to protect your home. It costs less than $300/year for [...]

I agree, one can get a great deal on a foreclosure. There are currently 106 residential detached foreclosures for sale in our area. However, I would not limit yourself just to foreclosures, as many sellers are very motivated and good finds can be found in tradition sales as well. Also keep in mind the limitations [...]

It depends on what you put in the listing agreement that you hired the Realtor but in most cases, unless you wrote this person’s name as an exception to the listing agreement, the Realtor is due the full commission. Keep in mind that procuring a buyer is one of over a dozen tasks you hired [...]

Sounds too good to be true. What do you suggest? I strongly advocate that buyers select an in-town lender. Feel free to use the Internet to comparison shop and to know what a good rate is given your circumstances. However, I am a firm believer in using local lenders. Such lenders are very familiar with [...]

A reverse mortgage is a way for people 62+ years of age to tap into their home equity. The goal is to keep people in their homes as they age and/or provide a steady income stream. Borrowers take out a reverse mortgage or line of credit against the equity which is due upon their death [...]

I advocate buyers to have this clause in a sales contract. It protects them in the event that something is found during the inspections that to them, is a “deal-breaker.”For example, suppose you have agreed to pay up to $1,000 in repairs but when the inspections are done, inspectors find mold everywhere. Suppose you, as [...]