SI Real Estate

Read More

Real Estate Tips: Home Staging

One of the most important elements of buying a home is imagining yourself and your stuff in it. The best way for sellers to help their prospective buyers have a good first impression and easily visualize themselves living there is setting up the home is staging. Home staging is the practice of setting up your home so it is aesthetically pleasing to buyers.

Looking at an article in the Realty Times, they brought up the best secrets to staging. Maybe you can try and apply these tips in your home:

1. Declutter

The first and sometimes hardest part of subjectively looking at your home is removing clutter. After years or months of accumulating possessions, we sometimes slip on clearing all the extra things in our homes. Bottom line cutter is distracting and it gives the illusion the home does not have enough storage. Clear the extra knick knacks and furnishings in your home by putting in a better location or storage.

2. Cleaning

After clearing away clutter, the next most important step is thorough cleaning. The prospective buyers and agents can get a bad impression when a home is not cleaned. They assume it is also not maintained regularly. Before any showings make sure your property is clean and ready to invite people in.

3. Repairs

Make sure all the little projects you have left undone get repaired and fixed up. These projects may scare off potential buyers. Loose knobs on handles, touch-up paint, and other seemingly harmless repairs may tell the buyers that more has been neglected.

4. Neutral Décor

Neutral colors are the best choice for staging. Most buyers are paying attention to color; they may not have the same taste as you. Try and keep everything appealing to all buyers. Bright colors that do not agree with your potential buyers may start adding up in their mind as projects that need to be done and may be too overwhelming.

5. Appropriate furnishings

Make sure that the furniture is the right size for the room. Furniture that is too big for a room makes it feel smaller. The reverse is also true that small furniture makes a room feel disproportionate. Also try and use the room for its designed purpose. For instance a bedroom turned into an office may work for you but buyers may think the space is small or unusable for a bedroom. Also, dining rooms may not be necessary in your home, but not utilizing a separate dining room may turn off potential buyers.

If you are looking for some help in selling or staging your home, talk to professionals. Here in Tampa, Florida we have lots of options in staging assistance. Of our valued friends, Staging South Tampa, LLC is a great source for advice.

When it comes to getting your house sold, contact SI Real Estate. We pride ourselves in helping buyers, sellers, tenants, investors, and landlords in accomplishing their real estate goals. We can be reached at 813.631.5144 or email us at Yourhome@SIRealEstateInvestments.com.

Read More

Real Life Real Estate...New Construction vs. Foreclosure

A hot topic for potential homebuyers is, should I look Foreclosures, existing older homes, or New Construction? The hype lately seems to be on Short sales and Foreclosures. Bank owned properties are being snatched up by cash investors and we hear of bidding wars everyday in Tampa over bank owned properties. Investors have money to spend, and no desire to occupy the property personally, they can fix any issues that arise with no problems. It is very enticing for a buyer to see large discounts foreclosed and short sales but what else does a buyer need to consider when deciding on purchasing a home?


SI Real Estate has helped three clients purchase a new Construction home in the last two weeks. What made these buyers decide purchasing a new home was better than foreclosure and existing home options? There is a great website being advertised by Lennar homes, “Buying a New Home vs. a Foreclosed Home”. This website highlights advantages of purchasing new construction. Buyers need to consider all pros and cons of new homes vs. distressed properties before enduring the long process of locating an acceptable Foreclosed home or short sale, and hoping for the best.

Advantages of New Construction

• Affordability- Builder Incentives, Lower prices, and energy efficiency

• Timing- Immediate Occupancy or a set time frame you decide upon

• Customization- You can add the features you want before moving in and all of it is included in price of home.

• Warranties- Any credible builder will provide guarantees or warranties on labor, materials ad structural repairs so buyers can remain worry free.

Foreclosure Information

Florida and Tampa have both been affected by large amounts of Foreclosures for many months. It has impacted the entire real estate market. This could be starting to change however, according to Florida Trend, "For the second month in a row, no Florida cities posted foreclosure rates in the top 20 among U.S. metropolitan areas with a population of 200,000 or more," This is more important once you compare that statistic to projections in 2010 which names 9 metro areas in Florida in the top 20 foreclosures in the country.

There are advantages for certain buyers of short sales and bank owned properties. For instance, for investors with enough cash to purchase and repair the property, a bank owned property could be the best option. All buyers should consider the following precautions when considering Foreclosed properties and short sales. Distressed properties can be very difficult to find financing for. This is not an issue for cash investor and that is why they are collecting so many bank owned properties right now. Another factor to consider is timing, time frames on response and closings can vary greatly for each deal, extremes range from two weeks to two years. Finally, the most important detail to consider in any real estate purchase is knowing the condition of the property. Most foreclosed properties are bought with the understanding there will be no repairs, warranties, or guarantee of their condition.

Buying any property is a big decision, talk to an expert in the area you are considering the purchase. SI Real Estate can help you with all your real estate needs including new and existing homes, and bank owned and short sale properties in the Tampa Bay area. Please call our office at (813)631-5144 or email us at YourHome@SIRealEstateInvestments.com.

Read More

Tampa Real Estate Market is Moving, SI Real Estate Seeks New Agent

Over the last couple of weeks, SI Real Estate has been posting updates on what we see in the Tampa real estate market. We have shown trends of Housing Affordability being the highest in 20 years, we have discussed that Tampa, Florida is one of the most searched real estate markets online, and the large increase in Purchases and Multiple offer competitions in the Market. All of this adds up to the conclusion the market is changing and we want to be ready for it. SI Real Estate is front and center in the Tampa Bay real estate market we are seeking some new real estate agents to join our team.

SI Real Estate, Tampa is your full-service real estate boutique that assists buyers, sellers, relocations, and investors with their real estate needs. We maintain an entrepreneurial spirit with a relaxed, yet serious and productive environment. We are a team of talented professionals with experience, drive and motivation. Our reputation and client rapport is renowned for unique quality and personalization. With tremendous competition, we stand out in a crowded world.

SI Real Estate has a marketing program which over-performs, hence providing us with an abundance of qualified leads. The opportunities are limitless for motivated agents seeking challenge and change.

We are looking for licensed real estate agents in The Tampa Bay area who already have experience in the real estate industry who can join our dynamic team. Individuals who are currently working on or have recently acquired their sales associate real estate license are also encouraged to contact us. We can offer strategic planning and comprehensive training for those candidates motivated to learn and grow professionally.

Please contact us to arrange a meeting (813) 631-5144 or submit resumes to: mailto:Pamela@SIRealEstateInvestments.com

Read More

SI Real Estate Wishes You a Happy New Year!

2010 has been an exciting year for the real estate market in the Tampa Bay area. SI Real Estate has reported the year’s real estate events on our weekly blog to keep our readers abreast of our ever changing real estate market. Major notable factors in the real estate market came into play producing a fast paced year of sales. The extension of the 2009 First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit into 2010 fueled the market for the first portion of the year. REO (bank owned) properties sold just as quickly as they came on the market, many seeing multiple offer situations. A huge influx of foreign investors getting into the real estate action here in Tampa and in many places across the country caused an interesting adjustment to the home buyer pool. Interest rates hovered at near record lows for the entire year. Wow! No wonder the year went by so fast.

SI Real Estate hopes you have had a prosperous year, and looks forward to continuing to report Tampa Bay’s real estate news and events to you in 2011.

Happy New Year to our friends, families, colleagues and clients. Be safe, be at peace. May 2011 be your best year yet!

Read More

Wishing You a Very Happy Holiday Season!

We at SI Real Estate would like to wish families, friends and real estate clients a Very Happy Holiday Season! We are grateful to each and every one of you, and we truly appreciate your support during this past year.

 All our best wishes to you during this joyful season.

Read More

SI Real Estate Brandon & Vicinity

Come and Visit Today, Come to Stay!

Brandon is conveniently located just east of Tampa, and is known as Tampa’s premier bedroom community. Brandon and surrounding vicinities such as Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin, Seffner, Valrico, and Wimauma comprise one of the most highly sought after areas in the Tampa Bay region. Known for its convenient location, affordable property prices, and amazing natural beauty… come see what all the talk is about.

Those interested in residential real estate in Brandon will find many types and styles of homes for sale in Brandon, as well as community events of interest and local amenities unique to the Brandon area. Others may enjoy outdoor activities and family friendly atmosphere of Brandon. If you are considering buying or selling property, planning to relocate, looking for Brandon homes for sale, or looking for any other information about real estate in Brandon, or the surrounding areas, you have come to the right place.

The Brandon area and surrounding vicinity offer many award-winning master planned communities such as Covington Park, FishHawk Ranch, MiraBay, or Panther Trace, just to name a few. Live amongst the natural beauty of the area has been diligently preserved. FishHawk Ranch is Tampa’s first residential community to be certified “green” by the Florida Green Building Coalition and boasts nearly 30 miles of trails serve to connect the parks, amenities and villages. MiraBay is located on beautiful Tampa Bay and offers an unspoiled waterfront lifestyle to be envied. Enjoy the many lakes and parks, canoe and kayak along the Alafia and Little Manatee Rivers, and savor in the sweet lifestyle offered by living on the sparkling waters of Tampa Bay.

Brandon and vicinity boast many wonderful fresh and new communities. Many homes are built by builders such as Arthur Rutenberg, Ashton Woods, Bayfair Homes, Beazer Homes, Cardel Homes, Centex, David Weekley, D.R. Horton, Hannah-Bartoletta Homes, Homes by John C. Fowke, Homes by WestBay, Hyde Park Builders, K. Hovnanian, Sabal Homes, Standard Pacific Homes, M/I Homes, Minto, Pulte, and Taylor Morrison.

Brandon is an unincorporated community located in Hillsborough County. The community is situated about 10 miles east of Tampa, near Florida's Gulf Coast. Highway 60 is the main corridor where everything can be found from retail shops, restaurants, movie theaters, and medical facilities. Easily accessible from Interstates I-4 and I-75, Brandon is the largest unincorporated community in the state of Florida. Quick and easy access to Hwy 301, US 41, and the LeRoy Selman Crosstown Expressway make living here very desirable. Located within minutes of downtown Tampa, Brandon combines small town living with easy access to the big city.

There is plenty to do within Brandon itself, but even more when including the beaches and attractions nearby. The city of Orlando is about 90 minutes away from Brandon. In addition to Walt Disney World, attractions in the Orlando area include Universal Studios and Sea World Florida. The Tampa area, only minutes away, has its own share of popular attractions such as Busch Gardens and Lowry Park Zoo. Also, the Tampa International Airport, St. Pete Times Forum, The Florida Aquarium, Tampa, Theatre, and the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts are less than 20 minutes away.

All the convenience of city living at a fraction of the cost – come and visit today, come to stay!

Read More