Need advice -- wife's parents wanting to sell (Palm Bay, Cleveland: property taxes, income)

[wacahootaman]

They should price their house considerably less than comparable homes in the area.

They should get it looking great, clean as a whistle and, new paint, and some new hardware and fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen new carpets if needed, and window treatments. They should declutter the house, and increase the curb appeal with some landscaping.

Maybe even get a stager or decorator who will work with what they have, give them good advice and not cost to much.

Then decide on wether to go with a good full service realtor, or a flat fee listing on the MLS and Realtor.com and advertize it themselves.(less commission)

[Donna-50]

Have it clean and updated. Have it at a really good price. Since they have been there so long they will still make a great profit. As far as renting that could be a headache and it is never a good idea to do long distance.

[Floridabound09]

My suggestion would be to wait out the prices and have them spent some time back in Cleveland before they sell the home.
Also, couldnt they find a more affordable home in Florida, they must like it or they wouldnt have stayed that long.
With prices coming down fast, they will be able to find a more reasonable home perhaps.
Making a quick decision will be hard on them, they need to spend time in Cleveland, something tells me they will want to be back in Florida and find a more reasonable homes once the houses, taxes and insurance settles to where they should be.
Good Luck!

I would ask them if they are moving only because of cost, if they are, it is not a good move I think. I told a story on this board of a neighbor who did this and lasted one winter here and moved back to Florida real quick.

[Floridabound09]

Forgot to add...

We are looking to buy in Florida soon and looking at realtor.com what drives me more nuts then anything.

Lack of pictures !!!

Inside and Outside, highlights etc...

Pictures, pictures and more pictures.....

People like us wanting to buy go past those with no pictures or few pictures.

[jaguar77]

Originally Posted by gcd01

My wife's parents are getting ready to start preparing for a move from Palm Bay, FL back to the Cleveland, OH area which they moved from 14 years ago. We're trying to help them decide what to do.

They can't afford it anymore. They have a good income. Her father just retired from accounting and gets good retirement, and her mother still works as a receptionist at a doctor's office (25+ years and retiring soon). They are in their early 60s and can't afford the insurance, taxes, and everything is just too expensive. Their house is older, built in the late 1970s I believe, and was remodeled inside in 2001-early 2002 with new carpeting, paint, windows, kitchen, floors in living room, dining room and kitchen, bathrooms painted, etc. The problem....about 65% of the homes on their street are for sale and aren't moving. That's about 9 or 10 houses and their neighbors are preparing to put theirs up.

So what should they do? Could someone help us out? They want to get it up by this summer but NOTHING in their area is selling, at all. Last time I saw it was just a wasteland of "for sale" signs. Should they put it up for rent? Everything is beautifully landscaped and pristine, but so are the other homes.

Thanks!

I'm from the Cleveland area. Been here a lot of years. All my family is still there and I miss them, but, I sure don't miss the snow (especially the winter like the past one Ohio experienced! Is it really finally over with yet??)) or the grey gloomy days.
They should spend a month up there in the dead of winter to convince ( or remind) themselves they don't want to move back, Heck, spend a week-lol!
Just tell them half the price of what it costs to live here is for the sunshine, beautiful beaches, tropical atmosphere and relaxed pace!
Remind them of the cost of heating a home in Ohio in the winter
and having to buy winter clothes, having to "winterize" the car, having to buy a snowplow, gloves, mittens......Also, remind them there is no state income tax here, but there IS in Ohio. That was just a little food for thought.
Good luck to them.
Jag

[jaguar77]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

Forgot to add...

We are looking to buy in Florida soon and looking at realtor.com what drives me more nuts then anything.

Lack of pictures !!!

Inside and Outside, highlights etc...

Pictures, pictures and more pictures.....

People like us wanting to buy go past those with no pictures or few pictures.

Try www.floridamoves.com

Jag

[gcd01]

Thank you everyone....I'm continuing to forward your advice!

Those Ohio winters are just awful. Seems to me it would be harder to be older and deal with the snow than hurricanes...just my opinion!

[LauraC]

Regardless of the lower price being offered for a house in an area of higher priced houses for sale, who would buy any house in a neighborhood of houses for sale? I wouldn't even look at a house if a saw a lot of houses on the street that are for sale. How desperate do you have to be to ignore that warning sign?

[JSnFla]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Regardless of the lower price being offered for a house in an area of higher priced houses for sale, who would buy any house in a neighborhood of houses for sale? I wouldn't even look at a house if a saw a lot of houses on the street that are for sale. How desperate do you have to be to ignore that warning sign?

then u wouldnt buy a house in florida

[macguy]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Regardless of the lower price being offered for a house in an area of higher priced houses for sale, who would buy any house in a neighborhood of houses for sale? I wouldn't even look at a house if a saw a lot of houses on the street that are for sale. How desperate do you have to be to ignore that warning sign?

Why, whats the fear? If you like the house and the price is right so what.