Step one: Decide Where You Would Like to Purchase a Property in Florida

The state of Florida has two distinct coasts, the East Coast and West coast.  The major cities on the East coast are Daytona Beach, Jupiter, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale-Miami area. On the West Coast, the metropolitan areas consist of Tampa Bay, Sarasota, and Fort Myers-Naples.

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Step two: Visit and Stay

Take a vacation and stay for a few weeks/months. It’s important to immerse yourself in a new city for a little while. That way you can enjoy the city you chose and decide if you really like the area enough to purchase a property. 

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​Step Three: Know the Different Neighborhoods in the Chosen City. 

Generally, each city consists of several different communities and neighborhoods with diverse features. When purchasing a property, the size/style, location and price range should be at the center of the decision. Next, the community amenities and features should be taken into consideration as well.  All those factors are the 5 elements of home value. 

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​Step Four: Know a Professional Real Estate Advisor.

It's very important to choose a real estate agent who is familiar  with the location where you would like to purchase a property. 

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​Step Five: Dream Home Exercise.

This is when you meet with your realtor and discuss your dream home. Make a wish list for the property of your dream. Once the list is complete, you will put a star besides the three things you can’t live without. Also, if there is something you simply can’t possibly stand in a home; write it down as well. This is the step where it could be challenging for a couple. It’s important to make the Dream Home Exercise individually first and then discuss the common features. Your realtor will make sure to write down the most important features your a looking for in a home. The next step in the dream home exercise is the most crucial. For each feature you have written down, identify why do you want these features? This step will help determine the right elements for an accurate research on MLS.

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Step Six: Your Realtor Should Use an Elimination Process to Find the Right Home for You.

To make sure you don't miss out on anything and you don't pay too much for a property, your realtor should use what we call the “Funnel Process”. The basic idea of the funnel is for the agent to put everything in the funnel that might work for you. This way, you don’t miss anything. Then, he will filter out all of the properties that don’t fit your criteria. It will go from potentially thousands of properties in the funnel to hundreds and then to dozens, as you begin to eliminate those that don’t work. Some of them you will simply look at online. The ones you like the best, you will drive by and make an appointment to go inside. You will be in control of the decision. As you go through this process of elimination, the goal will be to find your top 3 favorite homes that could work for you. This can be a rolling top three, so if you find a home you like better than one in your current top 3, you can substitute. Once you have identified your 3 favorites, the agent should do a comparative market analysis (CMA). The market analysis will show you sold properties to help you get a feel for value. The goal is to make sure you don’t pay too much for a property you like.

 

Step Seven: When You Have Decided Which Homes You Would Like to Visit

Once you have decided on the homes you want to look at, your realtor will set up appointments to see them. He will also print information on all the homes that are for sale or have sold in that neighborhood during the past year.  You may drive past homes with For Sale sign in the front yard, and you may wonder why he is not stopping to see them. There is a reason. Perhaps it’s under contract, or maybe it is not in your price range. If you see any properties that you have questions about, it's very important to communicate it with your realtor so you don’t miss anything. He is your real estate advisor and he is the most qualified person to answer any questions you may have regarding properties for sale. 

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Step Eight: How Do You Know You Find The Right Home?

When you find a home you like, you will start doing what we call “the dance”. You will start giving signals that you like the home. When your agent see you do the dance, he will be asking you these questions; can you see yourself living in this home? If you say yes, he's going to ask you, is this a home you would like to own? If you say yes, he will ask you if you want to write a purchase contract on this home.

 

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Step Nine: Are You Getting a Loan or Paying Cash?

1. If you are getting a loan, the next thing to ask is: Have you met with a lender? Do you have a loan arranged? They are some options for Canadian looking to buy a property in the U.S.

2. 1 percent = 10 percent rule: 1% change in interest rate affects a buyer’s borrowing power by 10%. A 1% increases in interest rate lowers the loan amount that can be supported by that same payment by 10%. Keep that in mind.

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