Experience

Before you tour homes, lock in a full pre-approval (not just a quick pre-qual). Your lender reviews income, assets, credit, and debts to issue a letter you can submit with offers—a big advantage in competitive Tampa Bay neighborhoods. What to dial in: target price range, down payment scenarios, estimated monthly payment with taxes, insurance, HOA/CDD fees, and closing costs. In Florida, insurance and flood zones can shift payments meaningfully, so get quotes early.

We’ll map your must-haves (beds, baths, garage, yard, pool), nice-to-haves, lifestyle needs (schools, commute, parks/boat ramps), and timing. I’ll brief you on local market dynamics—new listings, median prices, and days on market—so expectations line up with reality. From there we craft a purchasing plan: neighborhoods to prioritize (e.g., Lutz, Carrollwood, Westchase), how quickly to tour new listings, and backup options if inventory is tight.

I’ll build a custom MLS search (polygon maps, micro-neighborhood filters, school zones) and set real-time alerts so you never miss a promising home. You’ll see price histories, tax records, HOA details, and any obvious red flags before we step inside. When we tour, we focus on resale factors (floor plan flow, roof/HVAC age, windows, pool enclosure), potential insurance issues, and estimated repair budgets. If you like a property, I can pull quick comps on the spot so you understand value relative to the neighborhood.

To view properties with any agent, a buyer’s agreement is now required. Ours is transparent about services, representation, and compensation so you know exactly how you’re protected. As you narrow choices, we’ll pre-screen for insurance and financing friction common in Florida: roof condition, electrical/plumbing, wind-mitigation credits, and flood-zone implications. If you’re considering a pool home or older construction, we’ll discuss likely inspection focus areas and typical repair costs. We’ll also request HOA/condo docs and budget for CDD, transfer fees, and association approvals where applicable—no surprises later.

When you’re ready to buy in Tampa Bay, we’ll write a clean, competitive offer based on fresh neighborhood comps; if needed we’ll use an escalation or appraisal-gap strategy, set an appropriate escrow deposit, and lock in clear timelines for inspection, loan, and appraisal. I’ll run the numbers to see whether seller credits or an interest-rate buydown saves you more, and tailor contingencies to the home’s age, condition, flood zone, and insurance profile so you’re protected without weakening the offer. After acceptance, I coordinate everything—general plus 4-point/wind-mit inspections, early insurance quotes, appraisal, title/escrow, lien search, and survey—then negotiate repairs or credits from the findings and push underwriting to clear-to-close. Most financed purchases wrap in about 30–45 days (cash is faster); we confirm condition at the final walkthrough, sign, record, get the keys, and I follow with a homestead-exemption reminder, utility setup checklist, and trusted local vendors so move-in is smooth.