Larry's Sarasota Blog

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Tag: Sarasota

How You Can Finance Your Home Renovation

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On December 29, 2020

In Home Improvement, Real Estate, Sarasota

How You Can Finance Your Home Renovation

How You Can Finance Your Home Renovation

Outdated kitchen. Overrun backyard. Unusable basement space. If you have a home renovation project on the mind, the first thing you have to consider is how you are going to finance it. Here are the most common options to make your dreams become a reality.

Cash – Paying in cash is the most straightforward financing option, just save until you have enough money to cover the expenses. This will help eliminate spending outside your budget; however, it can also extend your timeline.

Mortgage Refinance – If you’ve been making payments on your home for a few years and your interest rate is higher than current market rates, you may be eligible for a mortgage refinance, reducing your payments and freeing up some money.

Cash-Out Refinance – You can tap into your home equity and borrow up to 80 percent of your home’s value to pay off your current mortgage plus take out more cash to cover the renovations. This option is encouraged only when you’re making improvements that will increase the value of your home, as it can add a lot of interest and fees.

Home Equity – Getting a home equity line of credit allows you to borrow money against the value of your home. You receive usually up to 80 percent of your home’s value, minus the amount of your loan.

Retirement Funds – Homeowners can consider pulling money from a 401K or IRA account, even though they aren’t specifically meant to cover a home renovation. This option might incur additional penalties or tax payments, but may be worth it when making improvements that will benefit them financially in the long run.

Have a Great Day!
Larry and Ann

As always, for all your Real Estate needs in the Sarasota Area
call or text Larry @ 941-993-3125
Larry’s RE/MAX Site: (link opens in new window) LarrySellsSarasota.com

Wellington Chase on Palmer Ranch

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On December 8, 2020

In Palmer Ranch, Real Estate, Sarasota

Wellington Chase on Palmer Ranch

Wellington Chase on Palmer Ranch

Wellington Chase is a community of 220 single family homes located off Northridge Rd and close to Northridge Plaza and Palmer Crossing Plaza.

Shopping:
Northridge Plaza with Publix, a UPS Store and more
Palmer Crossing with a Walmart grocery store, Bealls, Office Depot and more.
Sarasota Square Mall with Costco

Recreation:
The Legacy Trail for walking, running and biking. Also close to Potter Park YMCA.

Convenient to I-75
Siesta Key is just 6 miles away west on Clark Rd with Siesta Beach and Siesta Village for shopping and dining.

Map powered by OODLE shows location of Wellington Chase on Palmer Ranch

Have a Great Day!
Larry and Ann

As always, for all your Real Estate needs, call or text Larry @ 941-993-3125
Larry’s RE/MAX Site:(link opens in a new window) LarrySellsSarasota.com

Must-Have Tools for Homeowners

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On November 5, 2020

In Home Improvement, Information

Must-Have Tools for Homeowners

What’s in your toolbox?

When you own your home, things are going to break and, unless you want to spend your money on visits from a neighborhood handyman, you’re going to need to fix them yourself. Luckily, you don’t need an arsenal of tools to handle most home maintenance fixes. These five tools will cover most of your basic projects.

Cordless drill. A cordless drill is a must-have for installing cabinets, drawer pulls, hinges, picture frames, shelves and hooks, and more. Whether it’s for do-it-yourself projects or repairs, you’ll use your cordless drill just about every month.

Drain cleaners. Shower and bathroom sink drains are susceptible to clogs because of the daily buildup of hair and whisker clippings. You can use chemical clog removers like Drano, but they’re expensive and the lingering chemical scent is unpleasant. Instead, buy some plastic drain cleaners that can reach into the drain to pull out the clog of hair and gunk. You can purchase them on Amazon or at a local hardware store for a low price.

Shop-vac. No matter how careful you are, spills and accidents will happen and there are some tasks that just can’t be handled with paper towels or a standard vacuum, like pet messes or broken glass.

Loppers. Even the minimum amount of care for your landscaping will require some loppers to remove damaged branches, vines, thick weeds, and any other unruly plants in your yard.

Flashlight. You’re going to want something a little more powerful than your iPhone flashlight when you’re in the crawlspace!

Have a Great Day!
Larry and Ann

As always, for all your Real Estate needs, call or text Larry @ 941-993-3125
Larry’s RE/MAX Site: (link opens in new window) LarrySellsSarasota.com

Top Tips for House Hunting Online

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On November 4, 2020

In Home Buying, Real Estate

Top Tips for House Hunting Online

Starting you house hunting Online

Hunting for a new home online is a great place to start your search, but it should not be your end all be all. Good listings should highlight the best features of the home, but keep in mind there may be more than meets the eye. To make the most of your time and efforts and gather a well-rounded picture of home listings online, keep the following three things in mind.

Stay up to date – When you start your search, make sure you find a site that pulls up-to-date listings directly from the multiple listing service (MLS) (Link opens in a new window) LarrySellsSarasota.com is my RE/MAX site that actively posts their most current homes for sale. Many online resources update less often or fail to remove listings that are off the market, making it more difficult to sort through the clutter.

Pictures can be deceiving – Real estate photographers are experts at showing a home in the best possible light. Many use tools and strategies to boost appeal, such as a fisheye lens to make areas look larger and creative editing to make colors and textures really pop. But, often listings will not contain photos of unappealing parts of the home, like small closets or outdated bathrooms.

See it to believe it – Once you find what appears to be your dream home online, Call or Text me @ 941-993-3125 and schedule a showing. You want to take the opportunity to vet the home in person and explore every part of it before beginning the offer process. I will help you cover all your bases and will ask questions you may not have thought of.

Have a Great Day!
Larry and Ann

As always, for all your Real Estate needs, call or text 941-993-3125

The John and Mable Ringling Museum

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On November 2, 2020

In Information, Places to Go, Sarasota

The John and Mable Ringling Museum

  • Art Museum Courtyard
  • Art Museum Courtyard
  • Art Museum
  • Ca d’Zan
  • Circus Museum

The John and Mable Ringling Museum is located at 5401 Bay Shore Road in Sarasota

The Ringling Museum is one of Sarasota’s unique cultural treasures.

A Beautiful Bayfront Location on 66 acres, there is much to see.

The Museum of Art with its Magnificent display is free to the public on Mondays.

Ca d’Zan is the Bayfront Mansion of John and Mable Ringling.

The Circus Museum is a great place to explore the history of the Circus.

Restaurants and Shops are also on the grounds

Come and explore one of the Cultural Wonders of Sarasota.

The grounds are always free to walk around and enjoy your day

For more information: (link opens in new window) Ringling Museum

Have a Great Day!
Larry and Ann

As always, for all your Real Estate needs, call or text Larry @ 941-993-3125
Larry’s RE/MAX Site: (link opens in new window) LarrySellsSarasota.com

What to Repair Before You List Your Home

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On November 2, 2020

In Home Improvement, Home Selling, Real Estate

What to Repair Before You List Your Home

Home Repairs

When you’re getting ready to list your home, it’s of the upmost importance to ensure you are showing it in the best light. Taking time to highlight its strengths and fix up some of its possible weaknesses can make a big difference in how fast it sells. Here are our top four recommended repairs to make before selling your home.

Repaint walls:
Giving your home a fresh coat of paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to spruce it up, and generally, it can be a do-it-yourself project. Make sure cover any walls with scratches and chips and consider updating any accent walls with a more neutral coat.

Repair floors:
Hardwood floors are a very desirable feature in a home, so you want to ensure they look their best by fixing scratches or dull areas. If your carpet is worn or stained, consider replacing them. And don’t forget the tile in your kitchen or bathrooms. Re-grouting can go a long way in making dingy tile work look brand new!

Refresh the landscaping:
Show buyers your home is the full package by dressing up the outside as well as the in. Clean walkways and driveways, plant seasonal flowers and plants, trim hedges and trees, install outdoor décor pieces and fill in mulch and gravel.

Have a Great Day
Larry and Ann

As always, for all your Real Estate needs, call or text 941-993-3125.
Larry’s RE/MAX Site:
(link opens in a new window) LarrySellsSarasota.com  

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