Acquisitions 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

2026/04/242026/04/24

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!

2026/02/102026/02/10

Rental Trends

Apartment List reports rents down 0.2% month over month and 1.4% year over year, vacancies at a record 7.3%, and lease-up times hitting 41 days nationwide.

Overall rent trends
● The national median rent fell 0.2% month over month in January and now stands at $1,353.
● January marked the sixth consecutive month of rent declines and the fourth straight winter with a pronounced seasonal dip.
● National rents are down 1.4% year over year, extending a stretch of slightly negative annual rent growth that has lasted more than two years.
● The national median rent has fallen 6.2% from its 2022 peak, reflecting a sustained correction following the pandemic-era surge.

Monthly and annual rent changes
● Rent declines continued but moderated compared to prior months.
○ Month-over-month comparison:
■ January 2026: -0.2%
■ January 2025: -0.1%
○ Year-over-year comparison:
■ January 2026: -1.4%
● The -1.4% annual reading is the weakest year-over-year rent growth since August 2023. ● Despite recent declines, rents remain elevated over the longer term.
○ Current rents are 18% higher than at the end of 2020.

National rent levels in dollar terms
● The national median rent is $1,353, down $20 compared to January 2025.
● Since peaking in mid-2022, median rents have declined by:
○ 5.9% nationally
○ $89 per month in dollar terms

Seasonal shifts in rent growth
● Seasonal patterns have shifted compared to the pre-pandemic norm.
○ Historically, May was the peak month for rent growth.
○ Over the past three years, March has become the peak month.
● Rent declines are now beginning earlier in the year.
○ Prices now tend to start falling in August instead of September.
● Winter slowdowns have been deeper since 2022 due to elevated multifamily suppl

Multifamily vacancy rate
● The national multifamily vacancy rate now sits at 7.3%.
● This is the highest vacancy rate recorded by Apartment List since tracking began in 2017.
● Vacancy pressure reflects a collision between new supply and sluggish demand.
○ Multifamily construction peaked recently but remains elevated relative to historical norms.

Multifamily construction pipeline
● New supply remains historically high, even as the construction wave begins to crest.
○ 2024 deliveries: over 600,000 new multifamily units, the highest annual total since 1986.
○ 2025 deliveries: approximately 500,000 units.
○ 2026 outlook: fewer units than 2025, but still slightly above the long-run average.
● Elevated supply continues to limit landlords’ pricing power as the market absorbs new inventory.

Time on market (list-to-lease)
● Units now take an average of 41 days to lease after being listed.
● This represents a new record high for the index.
○ Year-over-year comparison:
■ January 2026: 41 days
■ January 2025: 37 days
● Time on market has more than doubled since summer 2021.
○ Summer 2021 average: 18 days
● Longer lease-up times align with higher vacancies and negative rent growth.

Geographic rent trends
● Rent declines are concentrated primarily in the Sun Belt.
○ Of 54 large metros with populations over 1 million:
■ 39 saw month-over-month rent declines.
■ 32 saw year-over-year rent declines.
● Southern and Mountain West markets account for most annual rent drops.
● Many Northeast, Midwest, and select West Coast metros continue to post positive annual growth.

Metro-level highlights
● Austin, TX shows the softest rental conditions among large metros.
○ Year-over-year rent change: -6.3%
○ Decline from 2022 peak: more than -20%
○ Austin also leads large metros in new-home permitting, underscoring the impact of supply.
● Other metros with steep declines often overlap with high permitting activity.
○ Examples include Denver, Phoenix, San Antonio, Tampa, and Raleigh.
● The strongest rent growth is occurring in fewer, more supply-constrained markets.
○ Virginia Beach, VA: +5% year over year, the fastest growth nationally.
○ San Jose, CA and San Francisco, CA also rank in the top three, supported by AI-driven tech hiring.
○ Midwest metros such as Chicago, St. Louis, and Minneapolis continue to post steady positive growth.

Market outlook
● Multifamily conditions remain soft entering 2026.
● Negative year-over-year rent growth persists alongside rising vacancies and longer lease-up times.
● While the construction wave is slowing, demand-side risks remain.
○ Labor market weakness and broader economic uncertainty could prolong absorption of new units.
● A meaningful shift in rental conditions will depend on whether demand strengthens as supply growth cools.