Spring time is approaching, this means that it is peak time for homes to begin going on the market. Are you thinking about selling your home in the near future?

If so, we have a few easy to follow tips in order to ensure foot traffic comes through your door and hopefully multiple offers as well!

Getting your home ready to sell does not happen over a few hours. It takes a bit of commitment to get everything ready. Remember that your home is competing against 20, 30 or even 100 in your price range.

You want your home to stand out amongst the others on your street or in your general neighborhood.

Everyone hears that “kitchens and bathrooms sell homes” if you turn on HGTV they say this phrase at least once an hour on any of those real estate shows, and this phrase is true. Get your kitchen ready by maybe painting or re-staining your cabinet doors. Investing in some new fancy hardware can be an easy investment to make.

Take a look at the walls in your home. You may love the dark blue in the guest room and the pink kitchen, but buyers may not have the same tastes as you do. Buying a few cans of paint for $100 can increase the potential of your home selling faster than those around you.

The next step is to clear out the clutter in your home. Your multi-purpose office, game room, yoga studio will not allow buyers to have a clear vision of what they can use this room for. You don’t want your home to look messy at all and detract buyers from seeing your homes full potential.

Lastly and finally, do that honey-do list that you have been putting off for weeks…dare we say years? This could be painting over a few scuff marks on the walls from where some furniture scratched them up, cleaning the windows, or fixing a leaking faucet in the basement.

Give buyers a great impression of your house by having it be ready to be sold. Get rid of anything distracting and take care of minor tasks that you have been meaning to touch for forever now.

Following these few tips will certainly help in getting your home sold fast and for a great price.

At Leibowitz Realty Group, we know the importance of preparing your home for buying or selling. If you are interested in entering the real estate market, now is the best time and we can help.

Contact us today at 561.262.0721 or 561.262.0722 today for more information on our listings and services.

Wherever you live, it is always good to know that the housing market is a healthy place to be. Anything can be better than the dip we saw about 7 years ago when the housing market took a decline.

How do we know that this market is still alive and kicking? Here are three facts that show just that.

Looking just at statistics from January alone, this is typically a slower month due to the cold, if you analyze the numbers below that existing home sale 11% since this same time last year. The only region that did not see such an increase is the sub $100k market.

(Source: National Association of Realtors)

2.      The demand for the rental market is lessening. Potential home buyers are learning that it is more affordable to actually pay for a mortgage and gain a long-term investment instead of paying a similar amount for a rental property in that same area and gain nothing from it.

This is especially notable for first time home buyers. This change can see a momentum for home prices due to higher demands in more popular areas.

3.      Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest mortgage lenders are working to lower their high credit bar that many potential home buyers struggle to get over. These lenders have also begun to cut their fees and they may continue to lower fees as their finances continue to improve. This is a crucial fact for first time home buyers.        

To sum everything up, there are a number of reasons why the market is looking good in 2016 from January 2016’s sales, high rental prices and mortgage lenders lowering their fees.

All of these items make it much more attractive to invest in a home.

Hopefully, the housing market only continues to get better as the years go by – making it a great investment.

Leibowitz Realty Group is your source for luxury homes and real estate properties for sale. No better time than now to enter the real estate market.

Search through our listings and for more information please contact us at 561.262.0721 or 561.262.0722 today!

Unless you are a lover of the slopes, winter is a dreadful season for most people. Winter's long, cold, and just down right dreary days is depressing.

With little to no interaction with the outside world (and sunshine) due to frigid temperatures and piles of snow, it's no wonder you need a place in paradise.

The state of Florida has always been popular for those seeking reprieve from the cold and harsh winter, whether it be for a few months or the rest of their lives.

Even with as little as a week away, you can rejuvenate yourself and get the well-deserved fresh air of Florida during the winter months.

Palm Beach Gardens has absolutely gorgeous year-round weather. In the coldest months across the country in January and February, average temperatures in Palm Beach Gardens are in the upper sixties.

Anyone from the Northern states can appreciate a winter home that has sixty degrees in the winter months.

Year-round outdoor activities are available in Palm Beach Gardens. Golf courses are never frozen over and while the ocean water may be too chilly for swimming, you can certainly lounge on the beach. Don't forget the bike trails and outdoor dining too.

A much healthier lifestyle can be expected. Not only are you getting the fresh air and exercise, you are also provided fresh foods from the year-round markets and more plentiful assortments of seasonal produce.

Leibowitz Realty Group has an extensive list of Palm Beach Gardens’ homes for sale. If you are looking to steer clear from winter's bitter cold and relish in the sun and warmth, contact our team at 561.262.0721 or 561.262.0722 today.

You are in the home stretch. We know it has been a long process, but after a few more to-dos, the keys to your dream home will finally be in your possession.

Closing the deal on purchasing your "new" home requires the most tedious of tasks.

You will feel like you are signing your life away with all of the paperwork that requires your signature, but it is those documents that protect your investment into your new home.

Your realtor has been a lifesaver through the entire process thus far, and he/she will continue to be until the very end.

Now that the negotiating is over and the bank has approved all inspections and financials, here is a breakdown of what you need to do next.

Hire an attorney. Your attorney is a crucial component to making the sale legitimate and to ensure you are getting exactly what you are planning on paying for. The attorney will also handle the process of turning over the title, deed, and search and acts as a mediator for the realtor and the bank.

Take a final walk-through. This is typically done he day before closing where you and your realtor will walk through the property to make sure it is cleared out, all required work has been done and to just make sure the property is as it should be.

Day of closing. You will meet with your realtor and attorney to sign all of the paperwork and obtain your house keys. Once the closing has finished, the house is officially yours!

For beautiful Palm Beach County, Florida,homes for sale, contact our expert realty team. At Leibowitz Realty Group, we will help you find the home of your dreams.

Buying a home is a lengthy process made up of various steps. Now that you are past the search step and have found the home of your dreams, it is time to get serious with your realtor and prepare to make an offer.

Making an offer on a home you'd like to buy is to choose a price that suits your budget and either matches completely or close enough to the seller's asking price.

Typically a home is appraised based upon its own value and the value of the comparable homes in the neighborhood.

Your realtor will advise you on what purchase price offer works for both parties.

A written offer is the most appropriate way to present your purchase number to the seller. You can write a personal note to the seller to express your excitement and love for the home, which may help your offer to stand out.

Once the seller and their agent receive the offer, they may choose to do the following:

·         Accept the offer immediate and prepare for a purchase contract to be signed

·         Deny the offer in its entirety

·         Make a counter offer. They will contact your realtor and present a number higher than what you offered initially. You can choose to accept this number, or offer your own counter.

Once the price has been agreed upon, a purchase contract is drawn up. The purchase contract protects the seller by preventing the buyer from backing out.

Even with this signed contract, the bank still has the final say for whether or not the mortgage funds will be provided to the buyer.

The offer is also contingent upon many things: (the following can be requested by the buyer and required by the bank). These inspections are needed to keep the contract valid.

·         Title review

·         Land survey to determine property lines

·         Property inspection

·         Property appraisal

If you are looking to buy a home in Palm Beach County, Florida, contact Leibowitz Realty Group today.

Finally, the fun part of the home buying process: the search.

You’ve dealt with the financial planning, loans and mortgages and now you’re ready to find the house you’ve been waiting for.

Here are some tips to help you during your search.

Location, Location, Location

Have you thought about where you’d like to live?

What would you like to be the closest to, a park?

The school?

Maybe you even have a specific neighborhood in mind. This is a great way to start looking.

Now you have target areas to start in.

Main Requirements

What are you looking for in your home? Write down how many bedrooms you’d like or the number of bathrooms you’d need, etc.

Keep a list of the “must haves” and a separate list of any extras that would be nice. 

This will keep you from wasting time looking at houses that won’t fit your criteria at all and help you stay on track.

Keep a House List

The more houses you look at, the more you’ll confuse them with each other. Keep a list of the houses you’ve looked at and the features you liked and disliked about them.

Take notes while actually in the house and keep a detailed account of the tour, don’t just look around inside, take a look of the houses exterior appearance and condition. 

Don’t feel like you can’t peak under the rug to look at the floor or in the cabinets and closets to make sure there is enough room for your belongings. 

Don’t Limit Yourself to One Tour

The first time you walk around the house, you’re excitement and nerves will keep you bouncing from room to room.  

Once you finish the tour, do it again. Once the excitement dies down you can make more reasonable decisions and judgments. 

Plus, if it’s an open house, you can make two trips to the refreshment table!

Be Realistic and Flexible

Finding the perfect house is quite rare; it’s hard to find a house that matches every one of your requirements.

It’s okay to be picky but sometimes you’ll have to be flexible in your choice and make some adjustments. Find a house that will grow with you; for a growing family or any additions.

When you’re ready to start searching for your home, look for realtors who understand what you’re looking for and can envision what you see.

At LeibowitzRealty Group, we will represent you to the best of our abilities to ensure we find you the home you’ve always wanted. To start your search, contact us today.

One of the biggest questions while purchasing a home is how much you can afford.

Unless you have hit it big in the lottery, you’ll most likely be taking out a loan and to do so you’ll need to meet with a mortgage lender to get pre-approved.

When you meet with a mortgage lender, they will review your income, your debt, assets and employment and credit history. 

This will help them come up with what you can afford, the right loan options for you, what your monthly payments could be, the down payment you need and closing costs.

Prepare your finances

Get your finances in order before starting the mortgage process.

This means to get your bank statements, W-2s, tax returns, etc., organized and ready for the mortgage lender.

They are going to review all of your information to determine your ability to pay back your loans.

Don’t be surprised when they ask you about this information, assets you own and large deposits you’ve made in the past.

Careful with your credit

Your credit score will play a large role in this process.

The higher your credit score, the better the mortgage rate. If your credit score is too low, focus on bringing it up before starting the process.

You want to make sure that you can qualify for a loan and keep your rates and closing costs down.

Keep your debt and spending down

We know how exciting it is to purchase a home, but don’t go out and start furnishing it too early.

Lenders will be looking at your spending history, your debts, any other loans you have out, and your credit cards.

This process is stressful, but sellers will take you very seriously when you’re pre-approved because this shows them that you’re committed to purchasing and you can afford it.

After this is taken care of and you know what you can afford, it’s time to start looking at homes.

Our mission at Leibowitz Realty Group is to represent our clients, both buyers and sellers, in a professional manner, offering our best to make everyone happy.

If you are interested in buying or selling, or just have a few questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

So the time has come. You’ve begun thinking about purchasing a home.

This is an exciting process, well, exciting if you are truly ready and understand what you’re looking for.

This is a major investment. 

Before jumping in head first, take the time to ask yourself some very important questions.

You know it’s time to buy.

Renting a home is less complicated than purchasing a home and is typically cheaper as you aren’t paying a down payment, closing costs or taxes.

If you have limited funds or you’re unsure about your employment, renting is a much better option.

On the other hand, if you are confident in your job and financial situation and are planning to stay in the home for quite a while, buying is a much better option.

Stability is key in a decision like this. 

You understand your budget and what you can afford.

This is crucial; don’t buy a house that you think you can afford in the future.

Buy a home that fits your budget now. You never know what is going to come your way; marriage, babies, new jobs, etc. 

Being prepared for those events as well as paying for your mortgage requires a lot of responsibility with your money.

Not to mention there are the additional costs of owning a home.

While preparing to purchase a home, keep the emergency money, mortgage payments and purchasing costs in mind.

You and your partner are on the same page.

If you’re thinking of purchasing a home with your significant other, make sure that you are on the same page and have a mutual understanding of what you both want.

That means that you should be agreeing on location, house requirements and most importantly, budget.

What do you want?

Do you know?

 If you can answer these questions without disagreeing, then the time has come!

Purchasing a home is a large investment, so research the home buying process so you know what to expect.

This will keep your stress level to a minimum as you know what to expect.

If you’re ready to start your home buying process or if you have any questions, please contact Leibowitz Realty Group.

We are a family owned firm located in Palm Beach Gardens who has access to amazing properties and opportunities.

Ridding your home of clutter is another simple way to get buyers to focus on the bones of the house, not the titles in your CD collection.

"This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house," Page says. "After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Clutter collects on shelves and countertops, and in drawers, closets, garages, attics and basements," she says. Radice recommends removing items from countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms.  "If you have kids, get rid of the toys all around the house. For all you know, the buyers could be empty nesters," Radice says.

She suggests putting things in boxes and neatly stacking them in the corner of the garage. Anything extra should go in a small, rented storage unit. Even better, ask a friend or relative to hang onto your items for free. "Pack up 90 percent of your home," Radice says.

The cost: The price of a storage unit varies (around $45 a month for a 5-foot-by-5-foot unit).

Deciding on a new home can be a very daunting task. So many things factor in to the final choice, one of them being how nice the surrounding area is. Most would like it to be so nice with the hope that anyone would want to live there.

When a famous athlete decides to buy a home in the area, you can’t help but think the area would be a beautiful place for your home.

Make Sure You “Love” Your Neighborhood

International Tennis star Serena Williams just recently bought a freshly bought home in Palm Beach Gardens. This is not her first purchase in Palm Beach Gardens, as both her and her sister also owns another house in the area as well.

If a well decorated professional athlete sees the area as a perfect place for their home, it clearly is doing something right. They feel like it is a great place to have their home and if it is good enough for them it more than likely will be more than good enough for the everyday member of the public as well.

You only need to visit the area once to realize that the place is perfect for a home. From there you will be hooked and realize why everyone from professional athletes to every day citizens is chomping at the bit to live in Palm Beach Gardens.

Leibowitz Realty Group specializes in luxury real estate property and home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Our personalized service will help find you the best property for you. For more information on our services and the properties we handle, please contact us today!