Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
It’s the right time for “smart-sizing”
Does your home match your lifestyle?
A large home is…BIG. And with it come big costs in terms of time, effort, money and safety. There was probably a time when the benefits of owning a big home far outweighed the costs. Now may be the time to ask yourself if that holds true today.
Transitioning out of a long-time home doesn’t have to mean extreme downsizing. Instead, think of it as finding a better fit for your current lifestyle — a right-size home. Call it “smart-sizing.” By smart-sizing your living space, think about the many ways you can upscale your life. You can recapture lost time and money and spend it on activities you enjoy — time with friends and family, travel, fitness, day tripping, learning a new hobby, or money in the bank for cash reserves.
Property values are at an all-time high
The first half of 2021 will prove to be the strongest months in the history books for real estate sales, depleting available housing inventory to all-time lows. With the natural economic principle of supply vs. demand engaging, we are witnessing a surge in real estate values beyond the imaginable. Homes in all price ranges are in high demand, yet the larger the sticker price, the bigger the increase in sales activity. During the first quarter of this year, homes priced over $1 million sold at a staggering 87% rate above last year. The average sold price for real estate in Sarasota County increased almost 50%. This is real demand, based on real money, by real people. If you are thinking about smart-sizing, now may be the right time to cash in on your home’s equity while supply is low, and prices are at an all-time high.
Selling with a real estate agent nets more $$$
Selling a house is no small task. The work involves market research to price your house right (not too high, not too low), making staging decisions, listing and marketing, handling legal documents, managing and attending showing requests, negotiating with all parties, and navigating local laws and regulations. An experienced real estate agent will handle all these tasks for you. In addition, research by the National Association of Realtors shows that selling with an agent typically nets sellers more money than selling by owner — even after paying commission.
The Peter G. Laughlin Group
In Sarasota, the Peter G. Laughlin Group with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty stands above and beyond with highly-evolved core values that guide their relationship with you – inclusive, dependable, inspired, accomplished, intentional and notable. When you partner with the Peter G. Laughlin Group, you join an inclusive team that takes your goals personally. Six full-time professionals, which include real estate advisors, customer care specialist, customer liaison specialist and marketing specialist, provide the tools, the staff and the know-how to cover every detail so you don’t have to. Over 30 years of consistently procuring the highest sell/list price ratio in Sarasota means an added $30K to $90K per $1M.
“Over the years, we have helped many clients sell their long-time homes,” explains Peter Laughlin, “We consult on how to get the home ready for top-dollar offers, and we assist in the preparations. I encourage anyone thinking of smart-sizing to give me a call for a confidential consultation.”
Peter Laughlin Group
941.356.8428 | peterglaughlin.com
Testimonials from smart-sizing clients
“My wife and I highly recommend using the Peter G. Laughlin Group services. Peter and the team made the entire sale go smoothly from start to finish. Peter applied an experienced, well researched and documented market strategy that totally supported the pricing. In addition, he and the team performed a comprehensive review to determine the best method to move forward to sell the home that we were fully in agreement on. Peter and his team made us feel at ease, in good hands, and confident that all would go as described and it did! My wife and I were so pleased and happy with the process and outcome, especially, since we could not be down the entire time in Florida given we live in the Northern Virginia area outside Washington, DC. We couldn’t have been more fortunate to have found this terrific team and this is the dream team for Real Estate!” – Martin G.
“Our experience selling our condo with Peter Laughlin and his group was smooth, efficient and entirely painless. After determining the appropriate price, they provided assistance in getting our property in top shape, and aggressively marketed it, while taking great care that we were comfortable with the process all along the way. They are an extraordinary team of highly professional realtors who are expert at qualifying and making a good match for their buyers. They are people of integrity who you can trust to recommend the best course of action for all concerned. That level of excellence contributes greatly to getting the job done quickly. The first time. No Surprises.” – Rose M
