Area Real Estate News & Market Trends

You’ll find our blog to be a wealth of information, covering everything from local market statistics and home values to community happenings. That’s because we care about the community and want to help you find your place in it. Please reach out if you have any questions at all. We’d love to talk with you!

Sept. 22, 2021

Ready to buy a home

Ready to buy a home? What Next?

(click on photo to watch video)

The Huber Group is here to help you with your real estate needs! We're sure you've already started your research by going on Google and searching homes for sale in South Florida. That may be how you came across our site www.thehubergroup.com ! That's fantastic!

So now what should you do?

If you've already been pre-approved for a mortgage, BONUS!!!!! Next, you should hire a Realtor AKA The Huber Group (wink wink). We are experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to real estate, finding you the right homes to look for, putting in strong offers, negotiating, and holding your hand each step of the way until closing day!

It's very common for people to distrust real estate agents. That might be why you landed on our website. You're trying to do the research on your own because the person you were working with isn't doing their due diligence to work in your best interest.

There is also a misconception that if you don't use a Realtor, you don't have to pay them. WRONG!! Commission is not paid by the buyer. It is paid by the seller. As the buyer's agent, our time spent searching and showing homes to you, keeping in contact with lenders, the title company and listing agent to ensure a smooth closing, are all FREE to YOU!

It is also wise to hire a Realtor even when thinking about purchasing new construction. Now you may think, "Why don't I just go to the builder myself?" Great question! Understand the builder is all about the $$$. They're a business so it makes sense. They want to gain the most profit. Remember, a Realtor will work in YOUR best interest. There is no need to think that the builder is going to give you a better deal. That's simply not the way it works. When you work with The Huber Group, we have connections with all of the local builders, especially located in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. We are extremely familiar with the builders, floor plans, pricing, required deposits, time completion to build, incentives with upgrade options or credits to closing costs! I'm telling you, we know our stuff! So let US help you explore your options before walking into a model home and speaking with the builder first.

Now that you're ready to buy, let's get you started. Contact The Huber Group today at 772-301-8524.

Posted in How The Huber Group Can Help You

no comments yet

May 3, 2021

Should I buy a new construction home?

Should I Buy A New Construction Home?

Top 10 Reason Why You Should

When it comes time to deciding on purchasing a home, the question whether to buy a resale or build new always comes up. Because new construction builders market the prices relatively comparable to a resale, it's hard not to consider. Of course you must ask yourself, "What is important to you at this given time?” Do you have time to build a home? New construction build out time can be anywhere from 6-15 months depending on the builder and community. Is a pool an absolute must have and financially, you're not capable of adding a pool right away? These are certainly factors that may rule out choosing a new construction, but let's look at the top reasons you SHOULD consider.

Top 10 Reasons to choose a new construction home:

1. It's BRAND NEW! Because everything about the home is new, there are fewer maintenance costs associated with repairs or renovations. There's no need to worry about replacing a roof or A/C. Realtors know these are higher valued costs that come up on inspection reports for older homes and can take a hit on insurance or passing loan appraisals.

2. HOME WARRANTY - Typically new homes come with a home warranty. Keep in mind storm and/or wind-related damage is considered an"act of nature" and would be excluded from the warranty. Living in South Florida, you might expect this.

3. Customize and create your own flair - Many builders (even ones that aren't specifically custom home builders) have options for you to upgrade and choose the style & color of cabinets, countertops you desire along with several other features you may want to add. Some builders do not give these options and considered "what you see is what you get." Typically the prices of these homes are budget friendly and you may find it still worth going with even though they have carpet in the room. You can replace the carpet after closing and still have made the right choice financially.

4. Energy Efficiency - Buying new means new appliances that are energy efficient for cost savings. Windows may be a high level of double pane or hurricane impact depending on the builder, also saving energy efforts.

5. Tech Savy - A lot of home construction builders will include the latest home technology such as keyless entry, smart hubs & digital thermometers.

6. Closing Costs Incentive - Builders typically have a monthly incentive to reel you in. They could give you money off towards upgrades, but the most common incentive we see is covering partial or all of your closing costs when using their preferred lender. Remember closing costs are a separate costs (roughly 2-4% of the purchase price). This is a huge deal for people, especially buyers that only have enough money for the downpayment.

7. LESS COMPETITION - In a seller's market with multiple offer situations, this could be best reason to choose a new build. We hear people all the time say "I don't want to be a in a bidding war." Sellers often choose cash and conventional offers over FHA and VA loans. Unfortunately there is a stigma out there for FHA and VA loans, leaving the buyers disappointed and hopeless in buying a home when there is such low inventory. But when it comes to new construction, you have inventory available and can still use your FHA or VA loan, whatever you are qualified for!

8. LAND LOT INCLUDED WITH SOME BUILDERS - There are several builders in Port Saint Lucie that purchase the lot in advance and will include the lot into the overall purchase price. The prices on lots have increased dramatically, so this may be a huge incentive to build with these specific builders. In some communities there are lot premium charges, but nowhere near the cost of a privately owned lot.

9. "FORCED APPRECIATION" - From the very moment you purchase, you will notice the base new construction prices tend to increase in value overtime. Typically every quarter, if not sooner, when new inventory is released, the purchase price has increased by up to $5,000!

10. VARIETY OF CHOICES - Port Saint Lucie is on the most fastest growing cities in Florida. There are plenty of vacant lots in the scattered neighborhoods for inventory. There are also several new communities being built in Port St. Lucie's town of Tradition. Whether or not you would prefer having a monthly homeowner's association fee and gated security, you still have a variety of choices to choose from when it comes to considering a new construction home.

Do your research, but let a Realtor help you! Don't go at it alone. The Huber Group is experienced and well connected with the local home builders. We are provided with new inventory and pricing weekly. Because there are rarely any spec homes ready for move in at this time in the market, we do get notified right away of any fallouts. That is, when a home is completed or about to be completed and there was a fallout with the previous buyer. You have the ability to snatch it! If you need assistance with what home builders to select from and understand what each one offers, we can guide you in the right direction! You need an experienced agent on your side to help you negotiate the best possible buying scenario for your unique needs. We lookout for your best interests! Before going to any model home or calling an office number, reach out to us so we can register WITH you and represent you throughout the process.

Get Started

Contact us to learn about which home builders are the right fit for you and we can start setting up your very first site visits today: stephanie@thehubergroup.com or 772-301-8524.

View listings for New Homes here.

Posted in New Construction Builds

no comments yet

June 19, 2020

How The Huber Group Can Help You

Why You Need A Realtor

The Huber Group Is Ready To Help You!!

After watching this video, we hope you see all that's involved in a real estate transaction. Real estate agents do a lot of tasks behind the scenes to make sure the home buying and selling process runs smoothly. The Huber Group makes it their priority to make their clients satisfied in their home investment. If you are thinking of buying or selling your home, put your trust in to The Huber Group! Call us today at 772-800-6621.

Posted in How The Huber Group Can Help You

no comments yet

June 19, 2020

Mortgage Rates

interest rates illustration with calculator and fever lines

JUNE 18, 2020

Mortgage Rates Again Hit New Record Low – 3.13%

Last week, the average 30-year mortgage rate was 3.21%. The latest weekly FRM rate of 3.13% is the lowest recorded since Freddie Mac started tracking them in 1971.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Long-term U.S. mortgage rates fell this week as the benchmark 30-year home loan reached a new all-time low.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average rate on the key 30-year loan declined to 3.13% from 3.21% last week. It was the lowest level since Freddie began tracking average rates in 1971. A year ago, the rate stood at 3.84%.

The average rate on the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage eased to 2.58% from 2.62%.

In recent weeks, signs have pointed to the economy appearing to be slowly recovering from the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic, with more businesses partially reopening. The housing market has shown strength and robust homebuying demand, but it may be difficult to sustain because of the tight supply of homes available for sale, said Freddie Mac chief economist Sam Khater.

The outlook for the economy and housing will be affected by prospects for a vaccine for the virus and government relief measures and policies, Khater noted.

The government reported Thursday that about 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, a historically high number, even as the economy increasingly reopens and employers bring some people back to work. The latest figure marked the 11th straight weekly decline in applications since they peaked at nearly 7 million in March.

Posted in Market Updates

no comments yet

July 31, 2017

Curious About Local Real Estate?

Receive the Latest Local Market Stats

Curious about local real estate? So are we! Every month we review trends in our real estate market and consider the number of homes on the market in each price tier, the amount of time particular homes have been listed for sale, specific neighborhood trends, the median price and square footage of each home sold and so much more. We’d love to invite you to do the same!

Get Local Market Reports Sent Directly to You

You can sign up here to receive your own market report, delivered as often as you like! It contains current information on pending, active and just sold properties so you can see actual homes in your neighborhood. You can review your area on a larger scale, as well, by refining your search to include properties across the city or county. As you notice price and size trends, please contact us for clarification or to have any questions answered.

We can definitely fill you in on details that are not listed on the report and help you determine the best home for you. If you are wondering if now is the time to sell, please try out our INSTANT home value tool. You’ll get an estimate on the value of your property in today’s market. Either way, we hope to hear from you soon as you get to know our neighborhoods and local real estate market better.

Posted in Market Updates

no comments yet

Port St. Lucie & South Florida Real Estate

Area Real Estate News & Market Trends