It can be easy to get caught up in all the fun things that make your home a place you want to live and relax in. The paint color, backsplashes, furniture, that's what we really want to focus on, right? But what about the stuff we don't? What about the stuff that makes our house safe and energy efficient? The less glamorous side of things. As non-glamorous as it may be, it's a really important aspect of choosing the right home for you. 

The Reserve at Sombrero Beach has all the aesthetics you are looking for but also all the structural components you need in order to live safely in the Florida Keys. We want to focus on one thing in particular: our concrete block construction. What makes ours so special? We use concrete blocks that are injected with…

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New Construction Home for Sale in The Florida Keys - Professional Designed by Christopher Elwell

In a place renowned for its luxurious vacation homes, the developers of The Reserve at Sombrero Beach have upped the ante by requesting the services of esteemed designer, Christopher Elwell, owner of Royal Furniture and Design.

With his extensive background dating back to 1990, Elwell has designed, remodeled, and repositioned thousands of homes throughout the Florida Keys, Key West and the country.  Known for his can-do attitude and amazing attention to detail, Christopher has been a long sought-after designer for owners looking for a visionary’s touch. 

 Mr. Elwell was tasked with not only the interior design, but identifying “the vision” for the…

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3 Ways to Make Your Home Minimalist

By Stefanie Gruber of The New Home Spot

Creating a minimalist home does not mean throwing everything away and living in a bland space with no personality. In fact — I’d argue it is the exact opposite. By implementing a minimalist-style into your home’s space you are getting rid of the things that don’t matter and creating more space for the things that do.

Below are three ideas I’d suggest to anyone trying to establish minimalism at home.

1. Declutter

You know what they say — out with in the old in with the meaningful. One room at a time, eliminate the things that have no purpose anymore. Donate old books and clothes and declutter the draws you’ve been avoiding since you moved in to your new home.…

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Should the Home Buyer get an Inspection?

Congratulations! You’ve found the perfect home with everything you’ve ever wanted and more. While it might be tempting to skip the home inspection as everything looks more than ideal from your point of view, my advice as a real estate agent would be to do the inspection. It will save you more money (and time) in the future.

Think about it this way — when you rent a car, the car rental company usually asks that you do a walk-around the car to see if there are any dings or scratches so you are not held accountable for them when you return the car. This same practice applies to the home buying and selling process, however this inspection costs an extra $200-$400 and is always accompanied by a professional…

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When's The Best Time to Sell Your Home?

A common question we get asked as real estate agents is “what is the best time to put a house on the market?” The fact of the matter is, it depends. Below we break down the different variables to consider when choosing a time to put your house on the market.

The first thing to consider is location. What region are you selling your home in? A state like Florida that sees the sun almost all year round? Or a four-season-state like Michigan, that gets hit with really hot summers and extremely cold winters?

If you fall into the latter category and experience both the extremes of the summer and the winter, then your best bet is to sell your home during springtime, as people are not hibernating from the cold…

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How Millennials are Changing the Real Estate Market

If you are a millennial or know a millennial, then chances are, buying a home has come up at least once in conversation. That’s because millennials -those currently aged between 20 and 36- are now the generation looking to buy their first home. But like researching the best burger joints in town, millennials are using their research driven skills to make sure their first home is nothing short of perfect. Their attention to detail mixed with poor planning and bad credit make for an interesting housing market, nonetheless.

To help better understand Gen Y’s housing habits, below are 3 ways millennials are impacting the real estate market at this very moment.

1. Suburbs are still cool!

It…

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Being Thankful

In light of Thanksgiving, we want to let all of you know how thankful we are for your support. This year we have helped many old clients and gained many new clients. We could not be more thankful for how our business has grown. We have a fantastic team of agents that are both knowledgeable and professional, yet also fantastic people all around. We have a beautiful state we get to call home with breathtaking views from the ocean and warm, salty breezes through the air. Our families are healthy and even a few of them are growing in size, currently, as we write this. We have clothes on our backs and food on our plates. And most of all, we have a team dedicated to giving back to the community. For all of this, we are thankful. We hope…

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How to Make the Most of Your Small Space

People are looking to buy a new home, but with home prices scooting higher and higher, being forced to buy a smaller home than anticipated is a real possibility. Don't let that get in the way, though, because we've got a few tips to help you make the most of your small spaces whether you embrace the space and create a cozy environment, or want to create the illusion of more square footage. Take a look at the tips below. 

1. Paint

Any blog you read will tell you about the importance of paint colors. Color can transition any space into almost anything you want. If you are looking to enlarge the space, choose lighter colors like white, tan, and gray. This creates a clean slate and expands the area. Go a…

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How to Leverage Halloween to Get More Leads

You know what makes Halloween a whole lot less scary? Getting more leads! Lead generation doesn't have to haunt you. Halloween is the perfect time to get in front of families that might be looking for a new home. Here are some ideas to help you leverage Halloween in order to generate more leads.

1. Host an Open House

If you have a home for sale in  neighborhood that is flooded with little goblins and ghouls looking for candy, it's the perfect time to host an open house. We suggest having plenty of candy and don't forget to throw in some business cards! 

2. Fill the Flyer Box

If you have a listing, it is a MUST on Halloween to have that flyer box full of great marketing pieces. Where there are…

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Is a Free Vacation Hiding in Your Escrow Account?

Written by Chapman Insurance Group

"How would you like you next year's worth of vacations to be free?"

A very common activity on any given day is adding mortgage company information to policies for new home buyers heading to the closing table. It's convenient to roll your taxes and insurance all into one tidy monthly payment; I cut one check and pay three bills. Every year the bank sends me the letter giving me the breakdown of my mortgage payment and, like many, I talk a look at the monthly payment amount and I'm done. But a recent client whose insurance I reviewed, demonstrated just how much that convenience can actually cost. 

This client owns a nice $400,000 home. It is well built, in a…

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