Plesko Real Estate Report

If you're planning on buying a Florida home or upgrading to a different Florida property, you'll find that there are a lot of architectural styles to choose from. Our real estate agents understand that having so many options can feel overwhelming, especially if you aren't sure exactly what you're searching for in a home.

We recommend learning about the different architectural options so that you feel more comfortable when you're shopping for a home. Here are some of the most popular Florida home styles. 

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You're ready to start the process of searching for your next home, but you're a little apprehensive about all the steps associated with the process. One stage that our real estate agents suggest you learn about is the closing process.

The closing process is the last major stage of buying a home before you're officially a homeowner. Here's what you should know.

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You may have noticed that your annual renewal for your home hazard insurance policy has either been creeping higher, or has drastically risen over the past couple years.  Here is a brief history on why insurance costs have gone up in Florida, and what is being done about it.

What has caused insurance rates to skyrocket in Florida?

• The initial reason was steadily rising rates due to Hurricanes, especially Hurricane Irma in 2017. The original statute of limitations for filing Hurricane claims was 3 years, so many claims concluded in 2020, with many still in litigation.
  
  
• The rising cost of "re-insurance", which insurers pay to ensure they can cover all claims after a catastrophic storm event.
  
  
• A combination of well-meaning court rulings and changes in state l...

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You've probably heard the commercials on radio or TV talking about home title theft.  A person obtains a blank quit-claim deed on your home, then forges your name onto the deed.  They then file it in the county where your home is located.  After that they can borrow against your home's equity, sell the home, etc.  Then it's weeks until you figure out you lost your home.

This type of pitch is out there in radio and TV, selling home title lock protections.  Prices vary, but $80 per year for a million dollars in protection is the common pitch. 

What are the odds this would ever happen?  What are the odds this insurance policy would ever pay out?

After checking several resources on this matter, there's one thing I can say for sure.  It is HARD and RARE that this event happens.  It is TRUE that anyone can forge your name onto any document, including a deed to try and convey title to the forger.  This forged deed can be filed in public re...

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(article published 8/19/21:  updated 4/14/22)

You've received the postcards in the mail, viewed the TV commercials, and have seen the billboards stating, "We'll buy your home for cash", or "Contact us today for a cash offer on your home".  These investor-groups range from very large corporations, to smaller area investors.  But they all have one thing in common.  They will give you an offer on your home for less than it is worth, then turn around and sell it, making a tidy profit.  

How do i-Buyers come up with their offers?

Many of these buyers use AVM (automated valuation models) to base their cash offers on your home.  These AVMs can vary wildly, and Realtors generally deem them as an unreliable way to price your home.  These companies will give you data to try and convin...

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