The Benefits of Buying a Smaller Home with More Land

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Buying a small home with a lot of land has many benefits, but what they are does depend on where you live.  Different states have varying rules on what you can and cannot do with the land, and they all have their own rules and regulations you have to follow. Before you go ahead with a deal for a small home with more land, check out the rules for the state you will be living in to ensure you can do what you have planned.

Privacy

According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, the main reason people buy a home surrounded by more land is for privacy. They can fence off their property, put gates at the end of their drive and hide away from the rest of the world for as long as they like. With gates that have to be opened from within the house, or with a remote control from outside, people cannot just wander in as they like, and you can decide who gets to your front door and who doesn’t.

Not everyone likes city life or even living on a street with other houses. If you feel this way, a smaller home with more land around could be the ideal solution.

Back To Nature

Generally, you cannot control what happens outside of your property boundary. This does mean that is you are living in a neighborhood you would be limited in what you can do with nature.

However, with some land to use you can do all sorts of things to encourage wild plants, birds, and even wild animals if you want. A pond is a great way to let the birds have a bath or drink, and it would also be good for any animals that make their way through your land.

Many properties you see of this sort have trees planted around the borders, but also further into it you can grow fruit trees and perhaps have a vegetable garden. Although you can buy fresh produce in most supermarkets these days, nothing tastes quite as good as the ones you have grown yourself. You would also know what has been used to encourage them to grow, and would not have to be concerned about the chemicals that are so often used for mass-produced foods.

Making Money

Some people want this type of property because they see an opportunity to turn it into a business.  This is one of the reasons that ranches for sale have become so popular in many states and why they do not stay on the market for very long. They offer so many options.

Having the land gives you a wealth of opportunities for businesses, such as selling produce in the markets, rearing a few animals, or maybe even starting a garden center and raising all the plants and trees for sale from scratch, Of course, what you can do does depend on the amount of land you have bought, and what the rules of the state you are say.

Expand The Building

Having the land needed lets you expand the building in many different ways. You could add a pool house, build a spa, have greenhouses for growing plants or maybe you need a workshop or office for some new venture you are considering.

You could decide to build a garage, or maybe a second small house for your elderly relatives to live in or to use as a guesthouse. The options are endless.

It is often cheaper to start with a small home buy from Highland Homes for Sale which has all these additions already.

Cost Advantages

Apart from the obvious advantage of a small home being cheaper to run, there can be other cost savings as well. Tax wise they can be cheaper than a larger house on a smaller piece of land, and repairs will be less to do too.

The maintenance of indoors and outdoors will be a smaller job, and if you need something such as a new roof the price difference compared to a larger house can be amazing. You only have to look at the small home plans available out there to see how much money you can save in the long run. While it's pretty straightforward on the surface that it will be cheaper to run a smaller home, but when you can pocket the difference you can invest this back into the property.

It is Your Dream

It could be that you want a smaller home with more land for no other reason than it has always been your dream. If this is the case, you are probably already aware that land has to be cared for and that there may be more work involved than you originally thought. However, if it is what you have always wanted and the opportunity presents itself, you should buy the smaller home and enjoy the extra land.

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Five Ways of Spotting Great Real Estate In Your Area

When it comes to buying quality real estate and getting the best deal, people say that the early bird catches the worm. It is important that you try to be alert and look at all the right places for properties, so you can get the best deals and the most suitable finance deals. If you would like to make sure that you don’t have to settle for less than perfect, below you will find a few tips on how to start your search for suitable properties in your area.

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Auction Watch

If you have the cash to buy a property and don’t need to sort out a mortgage or finance deal, you will have an advantage over the majority of potential buyers. This means that you can grab bargains. Most people think that only foreclosed properties go on auction, but actually sometimes you will get a discount on investing in a regeneration area, too. Make sure that you sign up for real estate auction alerts, so you can get notified of upcoming listings on time.

Owner Listings

Instead of going through the process of buying through an agency, you will also be able to take advantage of the private listings and employ your own realtor or legal professional to negotiate the deal. Check out Brevard MLS listings to find out how much you can save by cutting the middleman and taking care of the negotiations and the legal side on your own.

Open House Events

If you are looking for a home or investment property that is readily available, you might look out for open house events. If you manage to make a decision during or shortly after the visit, you will be able to move in within a short period of time and start dealing with the owner direct, instead of having to go through the different legal channels. Instead of browsing through the catalog and waiting to arrange a viewing, you can make an informed decision whether or not the real estate fits your budget and portfolio.

Investment Magazines

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Of course, you will also find loads of tips on spotting the right real estate deals in Investment Magazines. There will be news on upcoming areas and developments that will give you a good indication of the future value of properties in the area. You will not only know the real estate value trends, but also the projected yield, which is important for investors.

Real Estate Blogs

No matter if you already have a decent real estate portfolio or you are just getting started with building one, you will benefit from expert advice. If you would like to know the tricks of the trade, you might subscribe for real estate blog updates, related to your state or neighborhood.  

Investing your hard earned money in real estate is a decision not to be taken lightly. Make sure that you do your research and make use of expert guidance and resources, subscribe for updates, and sign up for open house alerts.  

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Is It Better To Build A Home Than Buy One?

Buying a house is the biggest investment you’re going to make in your life so naturally, you’re going to spend a long time trying to find the perfect place that suits all of your needs. But what if you can’t find it? You’re getting close but you just can’t find a property that is absolutely right for you. You’ve got two options here; settle for a house that’s almost perfect or build your own. Most people don’t consider building their own home when it’s time to move but in some cases, it’s a far better option. However, building your own home isn’t always the most sensible move and it all depends on your personal circumstances. If you’re toying with the idea of building your own home and you’re not sure whether it’s the right thing to do, check out this list of the benefits and drawbacks to help you decide.

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Get Exactly What You Want

The biggest benefit of building your own home is that you’ll get exactly what you want. If you buy an existing home, you’re buying somebody else's vision of a great house. It might line up with your idea of a great home to some extent, but there will always be things that you wish were different. But if you get a custom home builder to construct a house from scratch, everything will be exactly as you want it to be. You can plan every single tiny detail of the house and make it the ideal place for you and your family to live in. You’re never going to get that with an existing house, even if you make a lot of changes to it.

Live In A Unique House

Most commercially built houses have a similar shape and layout. That’s just how houses are, but they don’t have to be. When you bring in custom home builders to build your own house, you don’t have to follow any of the conventions of normal houses. You can come up with any design you like and make it a reality. Nobody else in the world will live in a house like yours. It’ll tick all of your boxes and be perfectly suited to you and your needs and preferences.

Time And Money

There are some great benefits to building your own house but it’s not all good news. The time it takes is a big drawback. If you’re buying a house, you can probably sign all of the paperwork and be ready to move in a couple of months after choosing a house. If you’re building your own, it’s probably going to be more like a couple of years. If your current house is way to small, or has a lot of problems, staying for that long might not be a viable option. A good middle ground between the two is choosing to look at a new home builder in Pennyslvania (or wherever you are), as this saves the long hours building yourself but may still allow you some personalization when it comes to the specifications of your new home - ultimately, this will also be cheaper.

The money is also an issue because it’s going to cost you more to build a house than buy an existing one. However, you’ll get more resale value out of it so it is a good investment.

Stress

Planning and building a house takes a whole lot of hard work. It’s going to be a year or two of long days, seven days a week. Finishing work and then heading straight to the site to do work on the house is incredibly draining and some people just can’t handle that stress. Before you take on the project, make sure that you fully understand what it is that you’re letting yourself in for.

Building your own house is going to be a long, expensive, and stressful process. But if you really want a home that’s perfect for you in every single way, it’s the best thing to do.

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A House by the Sea: What to Do Before Investing in Overseas Property

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Whether you are planning on moving abroad or looking for a place where you can go on holiday, an overseas property may be on your mind. Buying a property is a difficult enough decision when you are in your own country, but when you don’t know the specific rules and regulations of a region, it is made all the more challenging. You need to make sure that you are fully prepared for what you are letting yourself in for, especially if you don’t have a great deal of experience in this new country. So, here are just a few of the top considerations which are worth bearing in mind.

What Are Your Reasons for Buying a Property Overseas?

First of all, you should have your reasons for buying an overseas property firmly in mind before starting. This will have a knock-on impact on all your future decisions, and it makes sense that you are confident in your reasoning. If you are planning on buying a home for investment purposes, you need to think about all of the financial implications carefully. However, if you are buying a place with the view of one day living in it, you will want to look closer at the neighbourhood, facilities, features of the property etc. View Simon Conn for oversees properties and finance specialist.

Investing in foreign property will help people relocate easily, save on taxes and provide a good return of investment. Finding citizenship by investment countries where you can invest in property and gain status as a resident, or even citizen, is an increasingly popular approach. It is also common for people to buy homes abroad with the intention of renting them out on platforms like Airbnb when they are not using it themselves.

Do Your Research Online

The internet provides the ideal platform on which you can start to research property prices, facilities etc, Check out different property websites from the particular country or region such as https://www.rumah.com/rumah-dijual/di-area-jakarta-timur-idjk04. As well as pictures, there are plenty of websites which also allow you to take tours of your potential new property. Of course, you will want to visit in person as well to get a proper impression of what the place is like, but the internet is a fantastic tool which gives you an overview.  

Finance and Funding

You will go in with a clear idea of what budget you have set for yourself, but you may still find that securing funding is not the easiest thing in the world. After all, it will be subject to local laws and is likely to be discussed in terms of local currency. Explore all of your financing and funding options carefully before settling on the right one for you. It is likely that you are going to need to rely upon local financial professionals to guide you through this process.

Overcome the Language Barrier

You may not intend to relocate permanently, but there is still going to be a language barrier which you need to overcome. And you don’t want any miscommunications to cause issues to any agreements which you put in place. So, you may need to hire a professional interpreter or a legal professional who is able to communicate in both languages.

Research Location and Local Amenities

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So far, we have mainly talked about the practical elements of purchasing a property, but you don’t want to forget about the location as well. If you are planning on living there, you need to think about what you are looking for in an area such as transportation links, schools, low crime rate and plenty of entertainment options. If you are buying a holiday home, some of the previous categories may be the same, but you may be looking for more specific qualities like your proximity to the beach. And even if you are buying a property as an investment, you need to think about what sort of people will be renting from you and how easy it will be to sell in the future. Ideally, you should go to visit the area yourself to get the best idea of what it is like and how well you are going to fit into the local community. Whatever the case, you are unlikely to want to venture too far off the beaten track.

Safeguarding Your Property

Safeguarding your property mainly becomes an issue if you are not planning on living there. If you are buying a holiday home or one for investment purposes, it is likely that it will be left empty for a big proportion of the year. So, when you are organizing the security situation, you need to be forward-thinking in your approach. One solution which many people choose to take is to hire a local property management firm to take care of their house for them. Of course, this is going to require some additional investment, but it can help to protect your assets in the long-run.

Think About Your Exit Strategy

When you are in the planning stages of buying a property abroad, it is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all. But you also need to be practical at the same time. Even the best-laid plans can sometimes go wrong, so it is worth considering your exit strategy sooner rather than later. If you are planning to relocate, you shouldn't automatically assume that you are going to stay in your new country in the long-run. Maintaining close ties at home can end up helping you out in a big way. If you are an investor, you need to keep your eyes peeled in checking out the global real estate market, as well as the wider economic trends. You may suddenly find that you have an unexpected need to sell up or else change strategy somewhere down the line.  

Buying an overseas property is a big commitment and one which you shouldn’t enter into lightly. But whatever reason you are doing it for, it is much more likely to be a success if you plan this venture carefully. Hopefully, this article has provided you with some food for thought and covered off some of the main issues which you need to bear in mind. Ultimately, you need to go in with a clear head and not get swept away by your emotions. Practical planning will help you lay down the blueprints to enjoying success in your venture.  

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Having Difficulty Selling Your Home?

Everyone struggles from time to time with this kind of grand sale, and it is perfectly natural for it to take a long time to sell your home. However, there is no doubt that it can also become extremely difficult and worrisome when you have been trying to do so for a long time and you don’t seem to be making any progress with it at all. If you are in this position, then you might want to think about some of the things you can do to ensure that it is going to go a little more smoothly in future, and fortunately there are many such things you can do at any time. In this article, we are going to help you out by taking a look at just a few of the most basic and essential ways in which you can improve your chances of selling your home.

Determine The Cost Of Selling A House

The final stage of a property sale is a successful closing, wherein all of the purchase details have been finalized. Part of this process is ensuring that all fees and expenses are paid on the closing day, including the closing costs. The final documents must be signed to officially transfer property ownership. The escrow company releases the sale funds to you once everything is good, deducting the commissions and closing costs.

Regardless of your property’s location, you have to know the related costs of selling a house. Closings costs include an assortment of fees that the seller or buyer pays during the final home sale stage. These fees may include home appraisal costs and credit reports, consisting of up to 7% of your property’s final sale price.

For instance, in Virginia, home sellers are responsible for paying these fees, including realtor commission fees (up to 6% of a property’s sale price). Expect to pay 9% of your home’s sale price in closing and other related fees.

Fortunately, there are ways for you to save money and increase the net profit from your sale. Avoid paying full real estate professional commission fees by working with trusted home buyers in Norfolk VA who can help you sell your property fast.

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Know Who You Are Selling To

Most people jump into selling their home without even thinking about who they are trying to sell it to ,and yet if you approach it in this way you are bound to have much more luck with the sale of your home on the whole. You need to sit down and decide on who you might think would be interested in buying your property - not who specifically, necessarily, but what kind of individual. If you can work that out, you will be able to tailor your home so that it is much more likely to be saleable, as you will actually have a specific kind of person in mind while doing so. Get to know that kind of person, and you can choose the right colours, layouts and so on, all of which will greatly help you to sell the home faster.

Get Help Selling It

A lot of people need help when they are selling their home, and there is nothing wrong with that if you need help too. If you are thinking of trying to sell your home, then you will find that you probably need to have some sort of help at some point, and that is something which you can easily get so long as you know where to look. If you take a look at this for example: https://www.promisepropertymanagement.com/property-management/areas-we-serve/carlsbad/ you will see that it is highly likely that there is someone in your area who is able to help you, and that means you will probably have much more luck with sleling your propwerty in the future. Remember that if you feel a little stuck, and you can be sure of getting it sold much sooner.

Explore All the Options on the Table

We tend to assume that selling a house involves putting a for sale sign up and waiting for eager buyers to get in touch and start arranging viewings. While some properties sell quickly without any hassle or stress, many spend a significant amount of time on the market. The conventional way of selling homes is not the only option on the table. It is also possible to look at alternatives, such as quickbuy solutions. If you’re desperate to sell, or you’re having no luck trying to find buyers and you’ve run out of ideas, you could consider selling to a company that will snap your home up swiftly and offer a simple, rapid sales process.

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Be Patient


Remember that it makes most people a long time to sell their home, and if yours is not selling fast enough it really doesn’t matter too much. Adopting a little patience is likely to be a sensible idea, as it will stop you from going mad trying to make it all work. As long as you are able to be patient, ti i'll be much easier to deal with on the whole anyway. See https://www.moneysupermarket.com/money-made-easy/top-ten-tips-to-sell-your-home/ for more on this.

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Tips for Purchasing a Mountain Home

If you want to embrace a way of living that’s a little outside of the ordinary, the idea of living in a mountain location might appeal to you. If that’s the case, purchasing a home in the mountains could be on the horizon for you. There are plenty of ways to do this, but there are some things that you will need to know and do if you’re serious about purchasing a mountain home.

There are lots of things that you will need to think about, and it’s not quite as easy as it is when buying an ordinary home. You need to be prepared for the work involved if you want the whole process to go smoothly. So read on to learn more about these tips; they’ll help you find the mountain home of your dreams.

Know the Locations You’re Most Interested In

You should definitely start doing some research and find out what’s the difference is between the various mountain locations and communities where you might be most interested in buying a home. Look at them all and see which is best suited to you and your specific needs. When you know where you’re most interested in living, you can start your search and see what’s on offer on the market. Each local area will be different so it’s definitely good to know which of them you’re most interested in.

Think About Logistics

You definitely need to think about the logistics of living in a mountain location, and this should be a part of your decision-making process. The roads and routes up to the home are not always the best, but that all depends on the specific mountain location you’re looking to buy in. You should be fully aware of these logistical concerns before you decide that you want to buy a home in a particular location. So be sure not to skip past this stuff because it’s definitely important.

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Factor in the Elements

The weather and the elements generally are always a little different when it comes to living in a mountain location. You should want to make sure that you fully understand all of these things and how they might affect you when you’re living in a mountain home. You should definitely factor in things like the snow during winter because stuff like this will certainly impact how you live and how disruptive your choice of location is to your lifestyle in general.

Take Your Time on the House Hunt

When hunting for the home, you need to be as careful and as measured as you possibly can be because if you don’t take your time to find a house that’s right for you and toe specific needs, you will regret it later and that’s obviously not what you want at all. There’s nothing to be gained by rushing through the process and not taking it on in the correct kind of way. You should search for all kinds of homes and look at them all to begin with. That way, you can get an idea of which homes are right and wrong for you.

Talk to Specialists

There are people and organizations out there who know all about what it takes to buy a property in particular mountain locations. You should seek help from these specialists if you want the process to go smoothly and productively. Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties is one such example, so you might want to get in touch with them to learn more about what they can do for you. Going it alone when you’re buying a property always makes things harder than they really need to be.

Learn From People Who’ve Already Bought in the Area

If you can get in contact with people who have already been through the process of buying mountain homes, you should be able to learn a tremendous amount from them. They’ll tell you all about their experiences, the difficulties they face, and they might even talk to you about some of the tips that’ll help you make the process less stressful. There’s nothing better than hearing it straight from someone who has first-hand experience to call upon.

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Get to Know the Community

If there is one specific mountain community that you want to become a part of, you should start to spend some time there before you move. If you do that, you will find that you start to understand the community better and learn about its quirks and habits. There are lots of things to learn, as well as some things that you might never fully understand. That’s just the way it is for outsiders coming in, but you’ll integrate and become part of the community over time.

Understand the Natural Threats

The danger of natural threats does extend beyond the elements when you live in a rural aha mountainous spot. There are many natural predators out there, and they could be located close to your mountain home, deadening in which part of the world you choose to buy your new mountain hat. By understanding these threats and how to handle them, you’ll be ready for everything mountaIn life can throw at you.

Have a Detailed Survey Carried Out

Before you actually finalize the purchase of your maintain the property, you will want to have a detailed and in-depth home survey carried out by an independent professional. These homes face unique threats, and many of them are already very old so there will be some problems to address, that’s for sure. You should always base your decision on hard facts when buying a home like this or like any home for that matter.

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Purchasing a mountain home might be one of your life’s ambitions. If so, you should go for it and don’t let anything stop you from doing what you want to do. It’s certainly a different way of living, so keep all of the tips and issues mentioned here in mind as you move through the processes of buying your mountain home.

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Top Open Houses This Weekend

Looking for a new place to live or just curious about what's on the market? Check out our top open houses this weekend.

West Village

WHERE: 61 Jane St. New York, NY

SIZE: 3 bed 4.5 baths 2500 sqft

COST: $6,150,000

WHEN: 3/26, 1:30PM - 3:00PM

ABOUT:  A very rare opportunity to purchase a meticulously renovated, south-facing triple-mint duplex. This spacious, pin-drop quiet 2500 sqft 3 bedroom (possible 4 bed) residence is positioned on the most charming tree-lined block in one of the West Village's finest buildings. . The spa-style master bath offers a double vanity, large soaking tub with a TV and separate shower.

 A formal dining room, 2 powder rooms, full laundry room, separate media room and a south-facing living room boasting a 28-foot dimension typically only found in lofts, all wired for high end a/v installations, completes an incredibly special property rarely found anywhere downtown, particularly on Jane Street and Hudson. This property lives like a private townhouse yet with the amenities of a full service building. 61 Jane is a full service coop with a 24 hour doorman, full-time Super, beautiful roof deck with uninterrupted views of the Manhattan skyline and has one of the lowest monthly maintenance charges of any property in the area. On-site parking garage in the building. 

For more information click here

Tribeca

WHERE: 16 Hudson St 2A New York, NY

SIZE: 3 bed 4.5 baths 2500 sqft

COST: $3,395,000

WHEN: 3/26, 3:00PM - 4:00PM

ABOUT:  This rare 4BR corner loft is bathed in natural sunlight from 12 windows and captures the true spirit and essence of historic Tribeca. A long entrance gallery ideal for displaying art leads to a sun-drenched Living/Dining room with high ceilings, classic columns, and lush tree-top views overlooking historic Bogardus Park from a wall of oversized windows. The charming kitchen is open to the entertaining area and is ideal for casual dining or staging memorable dinner parties. Nearby, you'll find 4 bedrooms, a separate windowed office, and 2 full bathrooms. Additional amenities include a washer-dryer and copious amounts of storage throughout.

Built in 1873 and converted to cooperative in 1979, the building is in excellent physical and financial condition and features a full-time superintendent, video intercom security system, passenger and freight elevators, bike storage, and a beautifully landscaped common roof garden with spectacular views of Lower Manhattan. Occupying the entire east side of Hudson Street between Duane and Reade Streets, the building is located right in the heart of Tribeca's West Historic District with the neighborhood's best parks, schools, restaurants, and all major transportation lines right at your doorstep. 

For more information click here

East Village

WHERE: 100 Avenue A Apt: 7E New York NY 10009

SIZE: 1 bed 1 baths 693 sqft

COST: $1,400,000

WHEN: 3/25, 12:30PM - 1:30PM. 3/26 12:15PM - 1PM

ABOUT: Large one bedroom, one bathroom High floor apartment featuring an open kitchen and living room layout at the exclusive new 100 Avenue A condominium on Tompkins Square Park. Beautiful white oak herringbone floors throughout and multiple dramatic over-sized casement windows, this light-filled and thoughtfully designed East Village home is the quintessence of New York City living. The kitchens—designed by Effeti Cucine of Italy—feature white Calacatta marble countertops, a herringbone backsplash fashioned with Bianco Dolomiti marble, custom-stained white oak and lacquer cabinets, and a Miele appliance package that includes a refrigerator, oven and cooktop, and a dishwasher. The bedroom comes with its own walk-in closet while the apartment’s bathroom has been adorned with a stained oak vanity with storage and bronze leg accents, Bianco Dolomiti marble wall tiles, chevron-patterned, water-cut marble floor tiles, and a custom medicine cabinet with integrated lighting. A stacked washer/dryer by Miele completes the space.

Designed by the esteemed architects of Isaac & Stern, 100 Avenue A is a vibrant new style of premium condominium living not yet seen on Tompkins Square Park. Situated on the corner of East 7th and Avenue A and surrounded by some of the city's most exciting restaurants like Pylos and Miss Lily's, the building reinvents full-service living in the East Village. there's a second floor common garden, bicycle storage, residential storage bins for sale, and a 24-hour doorman. The lobby will be wrapped in Blue de Savoie marble slab, bronze-inlaid floors and Lumix quartzite wall tiles—with bronze inlays and walnut finishes installed with individual slats. The building will also house a brand new Blink fitness gym.

For more information click here