Goals Archives | Real Estate & Investment Perspective by Karen Lee Bertiger

2026/06/082026/06/08

Selling or Buying a Hurricane Damaged Home

Selling:

If the home was damaged, the seller should remove all wet drywall and dry the house out
Fill out a seller’s disclosure listing all known damage
Don’t cover water stains with paint – no cosmetic coverups
Do the necessary repairs and disclose all repairs
Get your own mold inspection done
Do a pre-listing home inspection to make sure you didn’t miss any repairs
Choose licensed Florida contractors to provide estimates and repairs
Don’t assume your home will sell only at a discount; many damaged homes are sitting on valuable land and many may even sell at the full market value of the home before it was damaged in the hurricane

Buying:

Get both home and mold inspections
Choose licensed Florida contractors for estimates and repairs you are considering having done
Get it in writing – if the seller wants to sell “as is” – get it in writing what repairs the seller will have done and what potential credits they may give you
Ask to see written evidence of the insurance proceeds and when they were disbursed to the seller
Make sure the property can be insured!
Ask if they have had the home treated for mold and whether they have a mold certification
If it looks like there’s no damage from the hurricane, ask if there was damage that was repaired
Ask for the seller’s disclosure and be sure to read it very carefully – ask questions about anything that seems vague
Know what has been repaired and what hasn’t – if repairs have been done ask what comany did the repairs and be sure to check whether the proper permits for the work were pulled from the local building department
If purchasing a condominium (this applies just to hurricane damage, not the new requirements) ask aboiut hurricane-related assessments, hurricane related insurance claims and if there are additional fees ask whether the seller will cover the fees or if the responsibility will be yours as the buyer

2026/06/072026/06/07

Downsizing Checklist – With Housing Costs Surging Is This a Good Move to Reduce Expenses?

What are your total transaction costs on the sale AND the purchase
What are the holding costs on the new home
Will you have to pay a capital gains tax on the sale of your current home
What are the moving costs
If you will be using your equity from the sale of your home to purchase the new home without a mortgage, how will losing the interest deduction affect your personal taxes
Will you need to store any of your belongings
Be sure to factor in your health care costs & inflation in your new location
It’s MUCH easier to accomplish a down sizing in your 50s & 60s than in your 70s & 80s
What repairs & delayed maintenance will be necessary of your current home to bring it to move-in condition
Can you afford the repairs & potential staging costs
If you will be purchasing your new home before your old home is sold can you afford the overlapping holding costs
Don’t waive a home inspection if you are buying a new build
Can you afford the inflation on home services in your new neighborhood
Will you regret getting rid of your “stuff”
You’re going to get decision fatigue
Will you have seller’s remorse
Make sure you’re not down sizing too small – you don’t want to have to move twice
If you are moving to a completly new area, consider renting before buying

Property taxes, hazard insurance and HOA fees are all increasing and up to 65% of homeowners with mortgages have “escrow shortages” — many were qualified at higher percentages of their income. In my opinion, I would not originate a mortgage (principal and interest) at more than 20-22% of my income because of it. With escrow shortages, your lender keeps the money on a monthly basis that was your old escrow PLUS the amount needed for your new escrow to meet ongoing payments. The average shortage in escrow balances was $2,157.00!!! Property taxes have increased by approximately 15% between 2019 and 2024 (Cotality.) Property insurance has increased approximately 70% between 2019 and 2025, says the Dallas Fed (March.)

This insurance issue is enough on its own to force some homeowners into falling behind on mortgage payments because they cannot move/downsize or otherwise lower their costs.

2026/04/242026/04/24

How to Use Your Down Payment Money

These days, when you’re buying property, you’re probably already aware that you can get concessions from the seller in a lot of instances. So brush up on how to get the most valuable concessions from the seller that will help you, depending on your situation.

What many do not consider: your best bet may NOT be using all of your down payment money for a down payment. If you want to be more sure that you are going to be able to afford the housing costs of the property you are buying, consider this strategy.

Figure out the maxium principal & interest amount you can comfortably pay. Determine the loan amount & THEN shop for your property with the understanding that you will only pay a minimal down payment to get the loan. This will probagly result in a lower purchase price.

Once you have closed & are in the property, after your first payment is due take the REMAINDER (majority) of your down payment & apply it to the principal balance of your new loan. For instance, If you have 20% to put down, put down only 0-3%, get all the best seller concessions for your situation & then take the remaining 15-17% & apply it to the princpal of your loan. When you check your amortization schedule, you may have wiped out about 10 years of INTEREST on your mortgage!

2026/04/152026/04/15

Arbitrage Opportunity

Things to consider for a current real estate opportunity window:

If you have property in a hot market (NE, Midwest) but want to relocate/retire/downsize to Florida in the near future, take advantage of your seller’s market where you are AND the buyer’s market where you want to be in Florida. Of course, that’s only one aspect. You need a real estate professional in Florida to answer questions, find appropriate properties, and guide you through your purchase and assist you in your move. Make sure it’s someone who is up to the task!

2026/02/282026/02/28

End of February 2026 Observations

Why Do I Use a Letter B Logo?

My initial logo is to remind you to B present and design your life. I’ll B your professional guide. I’m a lifestyle design pro for finding your best nest financially, in your ideal location with the features you need. I scour all properties, including those not actively listed. As a consultative broker, there’s no pressure. I can refer you to the best real estate professionals in any part of the country. Just keep in mind that many agents have been licensed for less than 18 months and may not know what they don’t know. This can create many problems if their depth of experience about what could be a major problem is limited.

New Construction is Now Cheaper Than Existing Homes!

Median Sales Prices by County on the Treasure Coast

As of December 2025:

Martin County: $600,000; St. Lucie County: $395,000; Indian River County: $396,015

The marketplace is trending toward more balance; however, financing, insurance & property taxes are presenting financial hurdles for prospective homebuyers.

Difficult Transactions

It’s actually a really good thing to have a real estate professional direct your transaction, whether selling or buying. They can be the logical, cool headed professional who brings clarity to an emotionally charged, high stress, personal transaction. They should explain the entire real estate contract to you & point out terms & conditions that could cause problems. This helps prevent bottlenecks & they help you by keeping track of all the moving parts.

Paper Trails

A great agent keeps track of all required documentation & discloses things you might not think about yourself. Transparency & clarity are important to completing a successful real estate transaction.

A Resource and Advocate on Call

If you have a great broker, they’ll answer any questions you might have about your situation & help you with any information to enable you to make the best business decisions possible.

Florida Has More than 50,000 Homeowner Associations!