Listing Your Property 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

2026/04/152026/04/15

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!

2026/03/252026/03/25

Private Listing Wars

Since the end of February, 2026, a buyer searching on Zillow may not see all properties available. This was made possible by all of the brokerages touting their own private listings platforms, including one on Zillow. During the time on the private listing sites, the listing agent typically receives all buyer leads. This is not about Compass, it’s about a fundamental change to the real estate industry.

It appears that sellers are not getting all the information they need to make the best decisions. These are NOT all homes that require painting….brokers/agents appear to be making every effort to “double-dip” commissions, rather than fulfilling their fiduciary duties to their sellers.

The MLS is no longer the first depository of listing information.

Zillow Research did an independent study of 2.72 million home sale transactions in 2023 and 2024. Key findings were that sellers who list off-mls or limit pre-market exposure see a sale price difference of 1.5% to 3.7% compared to properties sold through MLS starting on day 1.

Bright MLS also conducted a study including 100,000 listings in their service area between September 2024 and February 2025. Pre-market/private listings took a median of 37 days to reach contract vs. 20 days for listings that published on MLS on day 1.

I don’t have a private listing promotion. I have a full market promotion, with everyone getting exposure to your listing on day 1. This is the competition that produces the highest sale price in the least amount of time. This is about integrity. I present the benefits and the drawbacks to my clients to avoid “steering” them into a decision. My sellers make the best choice for themselves.

A buyer may see a “coming soon” listing on Zillow and get very excited – they may have found their dream home – only to get routed to the listing agent and told they can’t make an appointment to see the home. That is not seller protection, nor is it price optimization. It’s self-serving lead capture. Those buyers may have been pre-approved, looking for months, and very motivated. Most won’t wait. They’ll go buy something else. How is that in the seller’s interest? Inventory in most markets in Florida and Arizona is increasing. They have more choices now.

Coming Soon status only makes sense when repairs are in progress and the home isn’t ready to show.

I’m a broker who knows where the property you’re looking for lives. In this fragmented marketplace, buyers now need a true professional who can find the property they want (assuming it exists!) I have access to ALL built properties that may or may not be on the market in a way discoverable by the public.

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!

2026/02/052026/02/05

Real Estate in 2026

New real estate terminology: “imputed equity”

Homeowner “feels” their property is still worth more than what a market buyer will pay

Real estate sales are at the lowest level in decades. There is an impasse between prices sellers are listing their properties and what bona fide qualified buyers are willing to pay. There is major frustration in both camps. Some sellers are resisting making their homes more saleable through repairs, paint, decluttering. etc. Buyers are asking for concessions on top of discounted purchase offers.

Just remember, as a buyer, LOCATION should be your major criteria, since this cannot be changed. A great property location is always salable no matter the market conditions.

Buyers can still get “climate info” on properties through 1st Street and Redfin to make sure they’re aware of all the possible risks of a particular property before even considering it for purchase. Buyers are well advised to get confirmation of their potential insurance costs before submitting a purchase offer.

What is the CMT Paradox & Why Should Sellers Care? Clutter, Money & Time. Think of it this way: Almost everything is junk & will end up in a landfill at some point. How can you live better right now? If your home is being sold, do you really want to move everything? Clearing it out so your potential buyers can “move themselves in” and imagine how they would live in the property gives you “first impression” advantages that are subliminal as soon as a potential buyer walks in!

Think utility more than status when purchasing a home. How will you live in the home? Connection, comfort & convenience may need to become your top homeownership priorities.

Oh, and remember, in either Arizona or Florida, you can eat outside in the winter!