Crystal Brady, a Realtor, discusses with us how real estate will forever change after the pandemic. Below, you can watch or listen to the full podcast or read the blog. Listen To The Full Podcast Read The Blog Home Values Crystal suggests home values will still grow, but prices will simmer down as more inventory comes onto the market and interest rates rise. There is no current evidence that a real estate bubble will burst. As more inventory comes onto the market and interest rates rise, you can expect real estate appreciation values to level off and increase normally rather than the pandemic surges. More Inventory Most markets, including Tampa, will still have a shortage of inventory. However, it is not going to be as severe as it was. Sellers are expected to cash out of their homes due to the recent boom and as this continues, sellers will have more of an inventory to choose from. Changing Locations More companies are allowing people to work remotely. Therefore, buyers are considering living in different locations since they no longer have to commute. This could change some markets as people move to different areas. Increased Rental Rates/Renters People moving to new states or locations often rent before purchasing a home in the new area. In Florida specifically, many out-of-state movers are coming in which leaves a high demand for rental properties. Lastly, people who have recently sold their home to cash out of their appreciation may have to rent for a short time in order to find their new purchase. Digital tools are making home shopping easier and faster Digital tools, such as Zillow, are requiring better quality virtual tours in order to sell homes faster. Tools like Matterport are giving many home searchers access to these quality virtual tours. Moreover, analytics on hot properties are increasing. This gives more eyes and demand to those homes already likely to sell soon. Altogether, social media and virtual tools are giving Realtors access to unique ways to market their listings, open houses, and consumers have gotten used to these tools. After the pandemic, we should see these tools stay and new tools come to fruition. What is the overall takeaway for Buyers and sellers? Buyers  * With an increase in inventory it should give you a few more options for purchasing* Inventory will still be low though locally so don’t think you can negotiate too much* If you also have to sell this should take some pressure off and make it easier to find a home to buy Sellers * With more inventory means a little more listing competition* Don’t get greedy with pricing* Don’t have expectations your house will sell first day on market* Appreciation should still occur- but not as rapidly* Make sure you keep up with quality marketing- don’t get lazy and not do profession pictures, etc Huge thank you to Crystal Brady for joining us on Waypoint Real Talk. If you are a real estate agent and have insight to share, we would love to have you on! Just reach out!

On this episode of Waypoint Real Talk, we are joined by Brenna Eddins with Welcome Home Florida Realty. Brenna discusses with us the importance of New Construction & Phased Inspections for home buyers, as well as, the current market for new construction homes. Listen To The Podcast

Jenn Davida joins Waypoint Real Talk to discuss how emotions play into real estate transactions. Jenn shares her insights on how real estate agents can overcome many of the emotions that arise from clients. Listen To The Podcast

On this episode of Waypoint Real Talk, Francis from Marketing For Change shares her research on homebuyers wanting sewer scope inspections and why they need them. Listen To The Full Podcast Read The Blog Home inspectors know better than anyone that the house of a buyer’s dreams can have costly hidden surprises. One of them that can often get overlooked is a home’s lateral sewer line. As pipes get older they can break down or roots can grow in and intrude on the pipe. When this occurs, waste and chemicals can leach out, and rainwater can seep get in and overwhelm the pipe — leading to overflows during rain events. These breaks not only cause plumbing backups for homeowners, but also lead to nutrient pollution leaking into our Central Florida waterways. Problem laterals are most common in homes built before 1975 — prior to the use of PVC piping. In the 1950s & 1960s they commonly used Orangeburg pipe — a wood pulp and pitch mixture — and cast iron pipes, which can degrade over time. As local governments are working to improve aging public sanitary sewer systems, efforts are also underway to encourage the update of privately owned laterals, which also play a role in affecting water quality in Tampa Bay and its watershed. Last summer, the Tampa Bay Estuary program enlisted Marketing for Change, a national behavior change communications agency, to conduct qualitative research and develop a marketing campaign to foster action by homeowners to replace or repair their privately owned lateral sewer lines to improve water quality in Tampa Bay and its watershed. We conducted online discussion groups with adults who lived in Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace or Pinellas County and owned a home built before 1970. Separately, we conducted in-depth interviews with utility experts, plumbers, realtors, and home inspectors. Here are the top 4 things we learned that you should know from our research: * Most homeowners don’t know what a lateral sewer line is. At the start of the study, most homeowners didn’t know what a lateral sewer line is, where it is located or that it’s their responsibility to maintain it. * Homeowners assume lateral sewer line inspections are included in standard home inspections. While some participants generally knew old pipes should be inspected, many assumed this would be automatically part of the required inspection when they buy their home. Once they learned lateral sewer lines were not included as a standard part of their required home inspection, some prospective homeowners expressed feeling motivated to take proactive action by asking for a lateral line inspection to be included in the overall home inspection to give them peace of mind. * Issues with a lateral sewer line are something prospective homebuyers want to know about. Learning that a damaged line could result in a very costly repair increased  participants’ interest in having the sewer line inspected before purchasing a home. Once they purchase the home, homeowners in general take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach to their sewer lines, waiting until there is an obvious plumbing problem, like a sewage back up, before shelling out the money for a repair. This makes the pre-purchase home inspection the ideal time for potential buyers to inspect the lines so they can make an informed decision on their purchase or in negotiations. * Home inspectors are viewed as a trusted resource for homeowners.

Mary Ann with the 1Voice Foundation in Tampa Bay, FL joined us on Waypoint Real Talk this past week to discuss the 1Voice Foundation and raise awareness for children’s cancer. The 1Voice Foundation offers 25 programs for pediatric cancer families in Tampa Bay. Some of these programs include a summer camp for kids with cancer that includes kayaking, swimming, and more! Also, 1Voice funds and operates the only private pediatric cancer research lab in the Bay. In addition, they testify annually before Congress and the Senate during Childhood Cancer Action Days in the Capital. Lastly, 1Voice has partnered with the Hillsborough County Schools to open the 1Voice Academy, the first school in the United States for children with cancer. Waypoint Property Inspection recently visited the 1Voice Foundation for a tour of the campgrounds. Waypoint is committed to raising awareness for childhood cancer and will be donating time and money to the 1Voice Foundation. Donate To The 1Voice Foundation. Listen To The Full Podcast

On this episode of Waypoint Real Talk, Austin Hintze chats with Nicki McKiernan with Fireside Real Estate in Tampa to discuss how buyers should prepare to buy a home. During the podcast, Austin and Nicki cover every step a buyer should take before looking at homes, signing a contract, and ultimately, purchasing a home. Listen To The Podcast  

On this episode of Waypoint Real Talk, Aaron and Austin are joined by Kevin and Lisa Cahill with REALean Real Estate to discuss what happens during a home inspection. During the podcast, Kevin and Lisa discuss what to expect, the various inspections, how to handle negotiations, and special inspections like pre-listing inspections, new construction inspections, or condo inspections. Listen To Podcast

On this Waypoint Real Talk Podcast, Heather Stotts with The Hustle & Heart Group at Re/Max Collective discusses how she helps others get into homeownership. You may have heard of rent-to-own programs before. Heather and her team specifically like Divvy Homes. With Divvy, you can shop for a home you like without the large deposit down and rent the home until you can own it! Listen to or watch the full podcast to learn more! Watch And Listen To The Full Podcast

If you are a real estate agent or any business owner for that matter, getting leads is a constant need. One of the ways you gain leads organically is through online marketing strategies. Today on Waypoint Real Talk, Reuben Saltzman from Structure Tech shares his secrets to growing his business strictly from online marketing. Listen To The Podcast