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Should You Buy Your PCB Beach Retirement Home Sooner Rather Than Later?

Many of today’s workers who are nearing the end of their professional careers, but maybe aren’t quite ready to retire, have a new choice to makeshould I move to the PCB beach before I retire? 

Should You Buy a Retirement Home In PCB Beach Sooner Rather than Later?

 

Every day in the U.S., roughly 10,000 people turn 65. Before the health crisis that swept the nation in 2020, most people had to wait until they retired to make a move to PCB Beach.  This year, however, the game changed.

Many of today’s workers who are nearing the end of their professional careers, but maybe aren’t quite ready to retire, have a new choice to make: should I move to the beach before I retire? If the sand and sun are calling your name and you have the opportunity to work remotely for the foreseeable future, now may be a great time to purchase that beach condo you’ve always dreamed of or the single-story home.  Whether it’s a second home or a future retirement home, spending the next few years on the beach looking out at the emerald waters of the Gulf Coast that truly makes you smile every day might be the best way to round out a long and meaningful career.

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains:

“The pandemic was unexpected, working from home was unexpected, but nonetheless many companies realized that workers can be just as productive working from home…We may begin to see a boost in people buying retirement homes before their retirement.”

According to the 20th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey, 3 out of 4 retirees (75%) own their homes, and only 23% have mortgage debt (including any equity loans or lines of credit). Since entering retirement, almost 4 in 10 retirees (38%) have moved into a new home. They’re making a profit by selling their current homes in today’s low inventory market and using their equity to purchase their future retirement homes. It’s a win-win.

Why These Homeowners Are Making Moves Now

The health crisis made us all more aware of the importance of our family and friends, and many of us have not seen our extended families since the pandemic started. It’s no surprise, therefore, to see in the same report that 32% of those surveyed cited the top reason they’re making a move is that they want to be closer to family and friends (See graph below):Should You Buy a Retirement Home Sooner Rather than Later? | MyKCM The survey also revealed that 73% percent of retirees currently live in single-family homes. With the overall number of homes for sale in Panama City Beach, today hitting a historic low, and with the buyer demand for single-family homes and condo’s, skyrocketing, there’s never been a more ideal time to sell a single-family home and make a move toward retirement. Today’s market has the perfect combination of driving forces to make selling optimal, especially while buyers are looking to take advantage of low-interest rates.

If you’re one of the 73% of retirees with a single-family home and want to move closer to the beach, now is the time to put your house on the market. With the pace homes are selling today, you could essentially wrap up your move – start to finish – before the holidays.

Bottom Line 

Whether you’re looking to retire fully or to buy a second home with the intent to use it as your retirement home in the future, the 2020 fall housing market may very well work in your favor.  If you are ready to start working towards your dream of moving to Panama City Beach, reach out to the Life’s A Beach Real Estate team, we are more than ready to help you fulfill your dream!

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Your PCB Investment Property – To Manage or Not to Manage

PCB investment property to manage or not to manage

Last week I touched on the best way to put your PCB investment property on a vacation rental program as there are options out there. Before I get into that, however, let me update you on our renovation project.

Originally we had planned to renovate our PCB investment property in phases.

The first phase, bathrooms, flooring, and new appliances. Next phase painting and furniture, and following that redoing the kitchen.

Well, what is the old saying about “…best-laid plans?”

It turns out the phases have turned into one BIG project when it comes to our investment condo.

We are gutting our condo entirely and tackling it all at the onset. I have had to take a few breaths as I come to terms with the budget (more than) blown. And the timeline went from a couple of weeks… to possibly three months. Not to mention the ups and downs of the surprises we find as we get further in our condo renovation project.

Saying all that, we decided it was the smarter business decision to complete the renovation project sooner rather than stretching it out over time.

Renovating in phases could impact renting a PCB condo.

Furthermore, ultimately, we would spend more money by having to redo completed work every time we start a new project.

So, needless to say, this adventure with our PCB investment property is continuing and bound to have more twists and turns!

Stay tuned as the Panama City Beach investment condo adventures continue…

Ok, back to the subject at hand.

As a Panama City Beach real estate agent, I am often asked, “How do I manage my investment property?”

Well, there are two primary options for investment property management in PCB:

  • First, you can hire a property management company.
  • Alternately, you can manage a PCB investment property yourself.

If you choose to manage a PCB condo or investment property on your own, you will get a better return on your investment.

However, you will be handling reservations, cleaning, and maintenance.

If you hire a PCB property management company, you pay a fee percentage to back to the company.

However, you will not have to worry about the headaches of reservations and day-to-day management.

Another benefit of managing a PCB condo yourself (beyond the increased revenue) that you get more control over your reservations. You also have hands-on communication with your cleaning and maintenance team. You will need a reliable team, and you want to take care of that team as they are boots on the ground, helping you take care of your investment.

Ok, so then, what are the benefits of hiring a PCB condo management company?

Primarily, someone else is handling everything for you and many people prefer that approach.  For those who do, it is worth it to them to pay the fee.

Here is some advice… and please take to heart if you are getting into the PCB investment property market, and especially if you decide to hire a company to manage: CHECK ON YOUR INVESTMENT PROPERTY! Don’t assume that someone else is going to take care of your property as you would. Make sure it is maintained appropriately and according to any fees charged on your statement(s). Monitor your reviews and if there are issues, address them and do not ignore them.

If you are stepping out into the emerald waters of the Panama City Beach or PCB investment property market and have questions, reach out to us.  We would be more than happy to help!

And as always, if you have ANY PCB real estate needs at all, the Life’s A Beach Real Estate team is here to help.

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Emerald Coast Real Estate – Buyers Are Finding More Space In The Luxury Home Market

A year ago, additional space and extra amenities had a very different feel for homebuyers. Today, the health crisis has brought to light how valuable more square footage and carefully designed floorplans can be. Home offices, multi-purpose rooms, gyms, and theaters are becoming more popular, and some families are finding the space they need for these upgrades in the luxury market.

Buyers Are Finding More Space in the Luxury Home Market

Buyers Are Finding More Space in the Luxury Home Market | MyKCM

 

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM) explains:

“With quarantine concerns still top of mind for many luxury buyers, we see large, sprawling estates making their comeback.

For instance, the last six months have seen a resurgence in the buying of mega mansions and estate-size homes – specifically properties that offer space (both inside and outside), separate home offices, gyms, and private amenities such as swimming pools, yoga studios, and recreation rooms.”

This was not the case at this time last year, as the most recent Luxury Market Report from ILHM emphasizes:

“Exactly one year ago, we reported that demand for large properties, mega mansions, private estates, and luxury ranches had reduced significantly over the previous few years; especially from the younger generation of luxury property buyers.”

For today’s buyers looking for larger homes, steady increases in equity might be what makes a move possible. Leveraging home equity makes it easier to afford the down payment on a luxury home, and current low-interest rates are making mortgage payments more affordable than they have been in years. The report from ILHM also notes:

“Luxury real estate prices may continue to strengthen further into the third quarter, as the affluent continue to see large investment returns from the currently strong stock market.

Coupled with the low interest rates, the policies granting (and insisting) on working from home implemented by many employers, and the concerns of the pandemic, all translate to the affluent increasingly trading in their city lifestyle for a home that has it all.”

Clearly, today’s strong gains in home equity paired with record-low interest rates make fall a great time to move up into the Emerald Coast luxury market to meet those changing needs.

Bottom Line

If you’re ready to gain some breathing room in a larger home, reach out to the Life’s A Beach Real Estate Team so you have the guidance you need to find more space in the luxury home market.

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PCB Investment Properties: Renovating The Diamond in The Rough

PCB investment properties - renovating your condo
Last week I shared with you that we have purchased our first foray into PCB investment properties – our first vacation investment property in Panama City Beach

Now, let’s talk more about another side of PCB investment properties—the renovation…

As soon as the seller accepted our offer on our PCB investment condo purchase, we were on the phone with our “reno guys”…(you remember, from the “I got a guy” list) to schedule our beach condo renovationWe timed the start of our PCB condo renovation with the closing of the sale, hiring them to come in and start (in the words of Chip Gaines) “demo day.” 
We planned to rip up the flooring and rip out the showers and install new flooring and showers.  When that is complete (as I write this, the flooring and shower project is not quite finished…but getting there), the painting begins, along with the addition of some new appliances. 

When that is all finished, that will be the completion of phase one of the renovation…. and we will put our condo on the PCB vacation rental market. 

Going through a home renovation is exciting….and of course, in our excitement, we wanted it all done sooner rather than later… Okay, okay… I wanted it all done right away.  Reality check. Much as with the blown budget… the reno timeline always extends farther than the first projected date.  
 
Now, in all fairness, it is not our reno guys fault that little miss Hurricane Sally decided to come to visit the Panhandle.  And unfortunately, her presence caused some minor flooding issues in and around Panama City Beach.  Sally made her presence known with lots of rain and flash floods on the roads in the area, which caused problems with travel along the beach roads. Thus, Sally’s stay along the Gulf Coast pushed our project back a day or two.  Oh, and on the subject of Hurricane Sally…if you plan on having a vacation home along PCB beach, you always want to be “tracking the tropics” and have a hurricane plan.
 
So anyway… the project is still underway and only pushed back a few days. And I have gotten over my disappointment.  I am now focused on simply looking forward to the big reveal of phase one. 

And of course, I am excited to get my condo on the PCB vacation rental market with other PCB investment properties.

After all, the longer the property is not on the market, the less money it makes… right!? 

Speaking of the PCB rental market, as an investment property real estate agent in Panama City Beach, many investors ask, “What is the best option to manage the rentals of the investment property?” 

There are options, of course. Specifically, you can hire a PCB property management company or manage the rentals of the vacation property personally. Understanding the market and the needs of our investors, we can offer advice and direction that can make hiring our team a little less time and energy-intensive than doing the management yourself.

Which brings us to another must-have list for a Panama City Beach real estate agent and that is a list of property management companies, of which there are many OR other resources that will enable an investor to manage PCB vacation properties themselves. 

As I mentioned last week with the “I got a guy…” list, we use the same approach with any other referral type; we will never recommend unless we have or are willing to use them.

Next week as we continue the adventure, we will discuss PCB investment property management options. 

In next week’s post, I will share with you more detail about your options for PCB investment property management, as well as the pros and cons. 

In the interim, if you are interested to learn more about purchasing your Panama City Beach home or purchasing a PCB vacation investment property, reach out to Life’s A Beach Real Estate

We have a team of PCB real estate agents – true real estate professionals – who can walk you through your transaction, whether it is your first home, first vacation home, or first PCB investment property.
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PCB Real Estate – Home Equity Gives Sellers Options

Homeownership is one of the best ways to invest in your financial future, especially as your home equity grows.

PCB Real Estate-Home Equity Give Sellers Options in Today’s Market

Home Equity Give Sellers Options in Today’s Market | MyKCM

Home equity is a form of forced savings that can work to your advantage as the value of your home appreciates. Across the country, especially in Panam City Beach, home equity was increasing before the health crisis swept our nation, and it continues to grow throughout the year, giving sellers powerful options in this market.

According to the just-released Q2 Homeowner Equity Insights Report by CoreLogic:

“U.S. homeowners with mortgages (roughly 63% of all properties) have seen their equity increase by a total of nearly $620 billion since the second quarter of 2019, an increase of 6.6%, year over year.” 

Dr. Frank Nothaft, Chief Economist for CoreLogic, attributes much of the equity growth to rising home prices:

“The CoreLogic Home Price Index registered a 4.3% annual rise in prices through June, which supported an increase in home equity.”

As the map below shows, CoreLogic also indicates that home equity is increasing in every state:

“In the second quarter of 2020, the average homeowner gained approximately $9,800 in equity during the past year.”

Home Equity Give Sellers Options in Today’s Market | MyKCM

What Does This Mean for Sellers? 

When equity is rising, as it is today, you may have more invested in your home than you realize. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, notes:

“As homeowners gain equity in their homes, they are more likely to consider using that equity to purchase a larger or more attractive home – the wealth effect of rising equity. In today’s housing market, fast rising demand against the limited supply of homes for sale has resulted in continued house price appreciation.”

If you’ve been considering making a move – whether that’s to get into a bigger home or to downsize to a smaller one – reach out to a member of the Life’s A Beach Real Estate Team to learn how to put your equity to work for you. You may be in a position to pay that equity forward toward your next home purchase and afford it sooner rather than later.

Bottom Line

If you’re thinking of selling, let’s connect so you can take advantage of what the current market has to offer today.

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Investing in PCB Real Estate: The Start of Vacation Adventures in Paradise!

Investing in PCB real estate

My husband and I have been PCB real estate along the Emerald Coast for six years now, and we have helped many vacation property investors purchase their vacation beach home.


Our philosophy is simple: As Panama City Beach real estate agents, it is our job to be that trusted advisor and help with the process and purchase of the right home.

In many of our conversations with our real estate clients, the question has come up: do we own a vacation investment home in Panama City Beach… and well, the answer has been no.

My husband was always willing to go down that path, but I wasn’t quite ready for it. Well…with the words of Zac Brown’s Castaway song in my head, “Pour me another one, make it a strong one, we’re gonna have some fun tonight,” the discussion ensued about taking the plunge into the Panama City Beach vacation rental market.

Just kidding… there was no rum or any alcohol involved in the decision. The serious conversation began a month or so ago, walking my corgis. I really can’t explain why I turned the corner in my mind and decided it was time for us to invest in the Panama City Beach vacation rental market, but turn the corner I did! And decided we should go for it! (I think you could have knocked my husband over with a feather when I told him I was on board!!)

Now, what you may or may not know, is that right now, Panama City Beach Real Estate is hot…hot…hot…(leaving another little tune in your head, shout out to Arrow)!

We have LOW inventory and a HIGH demand when it comes to Panama City Beach real estate for sale.

Even knowing the market as well as we do – and knowing we needed to execute quickly on PCB beach property – we had some disappointments trying to close on our first vacation investment home. Lesson learned… in the current real estate market, you do not want to wait! If you have decided to invest in real estate in PCB, you better pull up your anchor and head out in the water, or you are going to miss out!

As PCB real estate agents and knowing the market, we had an idea of some of the places that would suit our needs.

Finally, on our third try, we found and closed on our diamond in the rough…and I mean a diamond in the rough. So, not only are we taking on the vacation investment market, but we are taking on a little fixer-upper action as well. You see, the PCB condo for sale that we purchased was technically rental ready. We could have put it on the vacation rental market after we closed on the property.

However, in our experience, we know that the more updated the PCB vacation rental property is, the better your investment return will be. So we decided to take on a renovation…and with any renovation, there is always a budget… I mean, blown budget (wink, wink).

So here we are, we just closed on our condo, and it’s time for the renovations to begin. And this is where the, “I got a guy…” list comes in handy. Again, working with so many investors in the past and helping counsel through design and renovation, we have our list of go-to professionals… a must-have list for real estate agents. We never recommend someone unless we have used them or are willing to use them. As the condo renovation gets underway, I will keep you updated on our beach paradise adventures… the good… the bad… and the ugly. But, oh wait! There is no ugly on the sugar-white sandy beaches and the emerald waters!

As you follow our adventure, if you are interested to learn more about purchasing your Panama City Beach home or purchasing a PCB vacation investment property, reach out to Life’s A Beach Real Estate.

We have a team of real estate professionals who can walk you through your transaction, whether it is your first home or vacation home.