The summer months historically are slow months to sell in Fort Lauderdale. However, Fort Lauderdale has increasingly become a European vacation destination, and with new visitors comes new opportunities for sales. Before you list your home in the summer, there are some key components to selling your home in the summer that are unique to Florida, and if you are looking to sell your Corinthian Condo this Summer please contact me directly!

1. Temperature control: It can be sweltering in the summer and in order to make your potential buyer feel physical relief, turn the thermostat down to 72 an hour before the showing.

2. Stormy Weather: If you are undergoing routine upgrades, such as painting, or anything that requires going outside, try to schedule these items in the morning before the afternoon storms come in, that could affect the work.

3. Clearing the home: If you have children and they are out of school during the summer, make sure everyone is out of the house and items are in order and put away before showing. You want things as neat as possible to show your home in the best light.

4. Pricing: Before you list your home for sale, check how much is for sale and call your realtor for a realistic evaluation of what your home could sell for, based on recent sales of comparable condos and homes in your building or neighborhood.

Sellers today are faced with a number of new technologies and advancements in terms of marketing and selling their own home. It has been reported that "hybrid" firms such as Redfin and Virgent offer better technology for sellers thereby reducing the need for a realtor, and the realtors who do engage with these new style brokerages reduce the percentage paid total to home seller to 4.5%, however many in the real estate business and buyers, are not buying it. Sellers are met with a decision, whether to sell and leave their homes sales up to technology and current conditions, or if they want to use a trusted realtor who has helped others sell in their area.

While technology represents a vital role in exposing a home to potential buyers, this has always been the case with the multiple listing service and traditional digital media exposure. By using streamlined forms there is of course an advantage but the key ingredient that will always be missing from technology driven brokerage models and selling models, is emotion. Selling homes and buying homes, is by its' nature, emotional. Sellers have had these properties often times their whole lives and their memories and identities are intertwined in the fabric of a place, similarly, a buyer is envisioning their future and their hopes for a a future in a landscape that is the new home. Realtors are far more than negotiators armed with market statistics, they are also partners in this process.

Fort Lauderdale welcomes Tortuga Music Festival once again and has some incredible talent performing from April 15-17 for a great cause. This festival takes place at Fort Lauderale Beach Park and offers live music, food, and all types of vendors with the overriding theme of protection of the ocean and species within it through Rock the Ocean Foundation. The headliners for this festival are Blake Shelton and Tim McGraw, however it is not exclusively country music with surprising feature acts including indie sensation Elle King and the classic funk outfit, Spearhead. The lineup is available here, http://www.tortugamusicfestival.com/lineup/daily-lineup/, and ticket information is below, and if you are interested in some of the incredible real estate in Fort Lauderdale Beach, please contact me! Summer is an excellent time to buy Fort Lauderdale Real Estate.

3 Day passes are $199
1 Day pass on Friday is $100
1 Day pass Saturday and Sunday is $115
3 Day VIP passes are $899

Fort Lauderdale and all of South Florida has been in a cycle of growth from new developments to condos selling for high values in my featured buildings. The average buyer varies in Fort Lauderdale, and the foreign cash buyer has been an impetus in the growth of Fort Lauderdale. Brazilians, Chinese, and Latin American buyers have made up a large portion the past five years, however this is slowing. The Chinese stock market is volatile, the Brazilian real is in half, and the price of oil is further slowing these buyers. The dollar is strong and bringing new buyers.

The new buyer in Fort Lauderdale is a domestic buyer looking to take advantage of the incredible location and amenities of Fort Lauderdale. The Canadian buyer was a large presence, however the dollar is stronger and slowing buying. The buyers that are anticipated and coming to Fort Lauderdale and buying are domestic buyers looking for waterfront pied et tiers and access to the islands. Buyers from New York, Boston, and Chicago are making up many buyers in my market. If you are looking for a waterfront Fort Lauderdale property, please contact me today!