My blog includes several articles on buying and selling real estate, taxes and South Florida Communities.  Check it frequently for up-to-date real estate, legislative, and community information.

Buying real estate is a complex matter and can be especially confusing for the first-time buyer.  Determine how much money you can raise for your down payment and how much you can afford to pay on a monthly basis. Go to a lender to find out the size of mortgage you qualify for and get pre-approved. When calculating the costs of ownership, remember to plan for insurance, property taxes, mortgage insurance (if required), utilities, repairs, and maintenance.

• There are a number of improvements that you can make that will provide a greater return on your initial investment than others. Chief among these is having the property painted and providing "curb appeal".
• Be careful to not over-improve the property or you will probably have a hard time getting your money back when you decide to sell.  That is why the saying goes, "Buy the worst property on the best street and not the best property on the worst street".

Pricing Sales statistics show that properties that are initially priced too high eventually sell for less than properties that were correctly priced in the first place and take significantly longer to sell.  Properties that take a long time to sell usually sell for less because buyers believe there must be something wrong with them.

FSBO Some sellers think that selling their own property will save money and give them an advantage over the Realtor-using majority.  Using a real estate professional is important because: 1) You want to maximize your exposure and decrease the time it takes to sell . 2) Most buyers find negotiating with sellers extremely awkward, and therefore avoid For Sale By Owner situations. 3) Most buyers use a Realtor in their search, and most buyers' agents will typically not work with FSBOs unless they will be paid. This means you will have to offer a selling commission to attract buyer's agents, which will cut into your expected "savings." 4) Lack of negotiating experience can result in a lower selling price, or worse, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits and the most important reason, 5) Your time is valuable!