I began my real estate career part time in 1972 in Miami, while a commercial pilot flying cargo to the Caribbean, Central and South America during the exciting days of “Miami Vice”. Over the following decade I became a real estate broker, bought a CENTURY 21 master franchise and opened 320 CENTURY 21 real estate offices in Florida with 4000 agents. Now, 45 years later, CENTURY 21 Beggins Enterprises has 13 offices with 400+ agents focusing on our west coast of Florida.
As a full time real estate agent, I specialize on the Pinellas County barrier islands. What’s the relevance? I’ve seen Florida grow to one of the most desirable places to live in the world. Real estate values are as good as our climate and promise to get even better. We’ve grown through 4 recessions and we’re due for a fifth. It’s my job to guide my clients through all the steps of profitable real estate transactions toward their life betterment. How, you ask? Through trust, negotiation and by providing local knowledge.
We’re gradually changing from a sellers’ market into a buyers’ market. This is a normal occurrence which comes about every 10 years or so. Florida has grown in world relevance through every cycle and will continue to grow. Whether you’re selling or buying, you must gather local knowledge before you decide to make a move. Our beaches are unique because of the value of the land, which is often higher than the improvements. Do not buy without learning about flood insurance price trends. 75 % of our single-family homes are built with living areas on the ground. The remaining 25% have the first living area above a garage and sell for more.
You must purchase insurance if you have a mortgage. To get a mortgage you’ll need to get an elevation certificate/survey. You also should be familiar with the actual lot size, which changes in price according to the number of feet on the body of water it faces. Also be knowledgeable of the zoning before you buy, especially if you plan to do renting. Each of our 16 distinct beach towns have different building and rental restrictions. You may want to consider new construction. Finished new construction runs around $200 per square foot depending on upgrades. This doesn’t include the lot price. A 50’ x100’ lot, non-waterfront is about $200,000. Move the same lot to a canal and it’s $400,000. If the same size lot is on the Gulf of Mexico, it’s approximately $1,500,000. These are rule of thumb prices, with many variables.
The buying and selling of condos have a whole different set of pros and cons, which we’ll address in an upcoming issue. The main relevance of this month’s article for you is to take time to gather sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision before selling or buying on our Pinellas barrier islands. I host a weekly “Real Beach Talk” on Tuesdays from 4 to 5 pm for sellers, buyers, agents and anyone interested in local real estate and our beach lifestyle. I call it “Informed Confusion” and it’s held at my office at 5050 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach 33706. Please RSVP if you’d like to attend our discussion. No pressure, just local info, or contact me directly to chat about your personal situation. I will earn your trust by telling you the truth as I see it.
All the best, Jim “Property Wizard” Beggins, Broker
CENTURY 21 Beggins Enterprises, with 13 offices and 400 agents serving Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee & Sarasota Counties. Since most opinions about real estate can be supported with facts, I will inform you to the best of my ability so you can unconfuse the facts to your personal advantage. I think I can use my “hands on” experience in Florida real estate since 1970 to achieve your desired outcome. Please let me know how I’m doing.
Article by Jim “Property Wizard” Beggins, Broker Century 21 Beggins Enterprises
Email to: jimbeggins@c21be.com
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