Looking to purchase first home...NEED HELP!! (Clearwater, Spring Hill: real estate, renting)

[craigt33]

Well my fiancé and I are looking to purchase our first home. We are currently renting a home in Palm Harbor on Lake Tarpon and enjoy it but we would like to purchase a home with more space. We have looked at homes around the area, Land o Lakes, Tarpon Springs, Odessa, New Port Richey, and they all seem to be build right on top of each other. We own 2 dogs and need some room for them to run, also we want somewhere with a good school district...yes kid are in the future. We like the Spring Hill area but I think the commute would drain us both, she works in Palm Harbor and I work from home most of the time but do commute to dover a few days a week. We're also looking for something without an HOA, I own a boat and want to keep it at my home. If anyone on here could help us we would really appreciate it.

[indytoflgirl]

My realtor is awesome and seems to know everything about home purchasing, mortgages, and insurance. She helped us move from Indiana close to 7 years ago and we are so happy with our home purchase. Just last March, my daughter who lives in Clearwater decided she wanted to buy. Judy had her in her own home by early May with a terrific first buyer financing (only 1200) down and competitive interest rate (around 4%). We are not related, just thrilled with the professionalism and knowledge of this personable and kind lady. PM if you are interested and I will give you her name and number. She does work for a national real estate company. Welcome to pending home ownership!

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by craigt33

Well my fiancé and I are looking to purchase our first home. We are currently renting a home in Palm Harbor on Lake Tarpon and enjoy it but we would like to purchase a home with more space. We have looked at homes around the area, Land o Lakes, Tarpon Springs, Odessa, New Port Richey, and they all seem to be build right on top of each other. We own 2 dogs and need some room for them to run, also we want somewhere with a good school district...yes kid are in the future. We like the Spring Hill area but I think the commute would drain us both, she works in Palm Harbor and I work from home most of the time but do commute to dover a few days a week. We're also looking for something without an HOA, I own a boat and want to keep it at my home. If anyone on here could help us we would really appreciate it.

You probably need a realtor help you with available listings that fit your needs. A good realtor can also eliminate that you fall for the bad rehabs some investors are doing or not even rehabs but just cosmetic fixes and adding over $100k to the list price within 2 months and not even touching one permit and not fixing anything that is considered under a 4 point inspection.

Yesterday a new listing hit the market while it is a bad mold house that had major leaks and now AHS nice paint and some new carpet. That is all and the owner paid $330k in November to the bank and now the listing is up for $569k.

Good luck for not disclosing the mold and other iissues as the leaks near the balcony that has a new layer on the concrete but the kitchen ceiling had water in between the 2 nd floor and kitchen ceiling and a layer of paint will not fix these issues.

The stucco cracks have nicely been filled with a layer of paint but paint is not helping to get the mold between the walls to be removed.

In Carrollwood we see the same thing happening and it is just a few investors who are buying almost monthly a couple of old homes and they hit the market within 1.5 months for huge adding which is fine in a free market but at least it should have new wiring, AC nd the 36 year old roofs to be replaced as we have seen in all cases.

The LLC are different on all homes which is fine too in a normal situation. The buyers of these homes get a nice cosmetic I proved home but it is not IF but WHEN are the major items in need to be replaced. For homes like that buyers with a mortgage need a nice chunk of cash to buy them and for the price they pay they don't gain anything, just adding up in the losing end.

There are homes like that enig fixed every where and many important items are not disclosed. A good realtor can do some research since it often shows up on past listings we have access to.

Good luck. Hopefully the inventory will increase so more choices will be around.

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by craigt33

Well my fiancé and I are looking to purchase our first home. We are currently renting a home in Palm Harbor on Lake Tarpon and enjoy it but we would like to purchase a home with more space. We have looked at homes around the area, Land o Lakes, Tarpon Springs, Odessa, New Port Richey, and they all seem to be build right on top of each other. We own 2 dogs and need some room for them to run, also we want somewhere with a good school district...yes kid are in the future. We like the Spring Hill area but I think the commute would drain us both, she works in Palm Harbor and I work from home most of the time but do commute to dover a few days a week. We're also looking for something without an HOA, I own a boat and want to keep it at my home. If anyone on here could help us we would really appreciate it.

If space is what you're looking for then Odessa/Keystone may be your answer. I can't speak for the schools, but if you're looking at "subdivisions", then unless you're looking to spend close to a million dollars you won't find that much space between lots. Avila has some larger lots, but is expensive...

You didn't specify your budget, so we're just guessing blindly...I wouldn't buy in NPR or Land O Lakes for example...However, I have seen places in Tarpon Springs where people have RV's parked and boats...so, it's doable...but again, your budget really dictates where you'll be able to buy. There are areas in Lutz too, east side, that have larger lots, but again I can't speak for the schools...how good or how crowded they are. When I looked on Greatschools some of the schools in Lutz were crowded as hell....I wouldn't want that for my kids.