Barefoot Dwellings

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/saving-money-on-your-energy-bill/

Saving Money on Your Energy Bill | Barefoot Dwellings Trying to keep your home at a comfortable temperature without spending an arm and a leg on heating or air conditioning? Well, while nothing is quite as effective as air conditioning or gas-powered…

Some helpful tips on keeping your house clean!

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/keeping-a-house-clean/

Keeping a House Clean | Barefoot Dwellings Sometimes, getting your house clean is easier than KEEPING your house clean (especially if you have pets or kids). We get it. It’s the law of entropy at work — over time, all things veer toward chaos.

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/which-floors-to-install/

Thinking about getting new floors?

Which Floors to Install | Barefoot Dwellings Installing new floors? Trying to decide which TYPE of floors to install? At Barefoot Dwellings, we’ve worked in real estate for quite some time. And naturally, we’ve had to make all sorts of decisions about…

Making renovations? What you should know about different doors.

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/which-doors-to-install/

Which Doors to Install | Barefoot Dwellings Trying to figure out which types of doors to install in your house? The good news is that there are a lot of options — dutch doors, french doors, bifold doors, hinged doors, sliding doors…

Looking to add house plants to your home, but don't have much of a green thumb?

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/adding-house-plants/

Adding House Plants | Barefoot Dwellings Want to add some plants to your house? Doing so can make your home feel more cozy and bright, making it a GREAT idea! But of course, some plants are much more difficult to take care of than others…

Are you paying too much in HOA fees?

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/lower-your-monthly-hoa-payment/

Lower your monthly HOA Payment | Barefoot Dwellings Want to lower your monthly HOA fees? Homeowner Association (HOA) fees vary drastically from house to house, but the average is usually somewhere between $100 and $1,000 per month.

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/creating-a-home-office/

Creating a Home Office | Barefoot Dwellings The events of the past couple of years have made it so a lot of people are now working from home. There are a lot of benefits, of course — you can work at your own pace and on your own schedule.

Are you using the best agents to sell your home?

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/the-best-agents-vs-the-rest/

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/remove-a-tree/

Remove a Tree | Barefoot Dwellings Want to remove a tree that’s on your property? While many trees are beautiful and even desirable, not all trees fall into that category — some fast-growing trees behave more like weeds…

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/how-to-save-money-on-your-power-bill/

How to Save Money on your Power Bill | Barefoot Dwellings For many homeowners in Lakeland, the electrical bill is a sizable portion of their monthly expenses. But with just a little bit of effort and forethought, anyone can reduce their power bill.

Is your real estate agent doing everything that they SHOULD be doing?

Unless you’re a real estate expert, it’s hard to know if the real estate agent you hired to help you sell your home is doing everything they’re supposed to be doing — are they working hard to help you? Or are they just catching a free ride to a commission check?

At Barefoot Dwellings, we’ve worked with a lot of real estate agents and we thought it might be helpful to list out some of the things one should expect a real estate agent to help with when selling a home… and if they’re not doing these things, then you might want to find a new agent…

Make Informed Suggestions — A real estate agent should be capable of making informed suggestions about pricing, staging, listing, and marketing the home. If they seem unsure about their suggestions, steer clear.

List & Market The Home — Think of the real estate agent as your personal salesperson who will help you sell your home. They should create an awesome listing of your property and market the home as well (open houses, showings, etc).

Negotiate — The real estate agent should also negotiate on your behalf (as well as offer negotiation suggestions) once you’ve got an offer.

Paperwork — And the real estate agent should take care of all the paperwork necessary to close your home. They should be your go-to resource for figuring out the next steps.

Hope that helps!

If you want to skip using a real estate agent altogether, then give us a call at 863-606-8448 — we can make you a fair cash offer on your home and buy as-is!

Barefoot Dwellings Barefoot Dwellings gives Lakeland and the surrounding communities a simple no hassle option for selling their home no matter it’s condition.

Thinking of buying a new house but wondering if you can get approved for a mortgage payment?

The good news is that there are a LOT of different types of home loans for many different types of homebuyers.

And there will likely be something that works for you, too.

Either way, we thought it might be helpful to give you an overview of what factors into whether you’re able to get approved for a mortgage or not.

Here’s some stuff to keep in mind!

Down Payment Size — The larger your down payment, the easier it’ll be to get a loan and the better interest rate you’ll get. A 20% down payment is ideal but less than that is possible with different types of loans.

Credit History — Unsurprisingly, lenders will also look at your credit history. They usually look at FICO scores to determine your eligibility and interest rates.

Work History — Lenders want to make sure that borrowers can afford to make monthly payments… and so they also want to see a consistent and reliable work history.

Debt-To-Income Ratio — The debt-to-income ratio examines how much of your income is going toward paying off debt. Generally speaking, lenders try to avoid lending money to applicants above 43% DTI.

Type Of Loan — There are many different types of loans for many different budgets and types of homebuyers. So make sure to ask the lender about all your options before making a decision.

Hope that helps!

If you need to sell a property, give us a call at 863-606-8448 — we can make you a fair cash offer, buy as-is, and close in as little as two weeks!

Barefoot Dwellings Barefoot Dwellings gives Lakeland and the surrounding communities a simple no hassle option for selling their home no matter it’s condition.

Selling your home?

To most people — buyers and real estate agents, for instance — your home is just a commodity… it’s a “product” that can make them some money (real estate agent) or fulfill a need (buyers).

For YOU, though, it’s probably something more.

It’s your home — the place you’ve lived for quite some time, the place where you made memories and spent time with family.

That’s why selling a home can be so emotionally taxing.

At Barefoot Dwellings, we fully understand the challenging and confusing emotions that are sometimes involved.

So here are some tips for emotionally preparing to sell your home…

Redefine “Home” — It’s been said that “home is where the heart is”. Selling the property doesn’t mean you’re going to lose all the wonderful memories made in that house. The memories are special because of the people, not the place.

Think Of The Positives — When one door closes, another opens. What opportunities is selling your home going to provide? What good things are going to come from selling? Focus on the positives as much as possible.

Work With Someone Who You Can Trust — Whether you’re working with a real estate agent or a professional home buyer (like us at [company]), make sure you can trust those people and that they’re not trying to hurry you along.

Keep Things You Love — You might be getting rid of your home. But that doesn’t mean you need to get rid of other things you love. Try focusing on all the things you get to keep.

Hope that helps!

And if you want to skip the traditional home selling process headaches, give us a call at 863-606-8448 and we’ll make you a no-obligation cash offer!

Barefoot Dwellings Barefoot Dwellings gives Lakeland and the surrounding communities a simple no hassle option for selling their home no matter it’s condition.

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/paperwork-for-selling-a-house/

Paperwork for Selling a House | Barefoot Dwellings If you’re selling a house for the first time (or heck… even for the second or third time), then you’re probably wondering what paperwork is required to sell your home. That’s a common question we get…

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/showing-your-house-fsbo/

Are you looking to sell your home "For Sale By Owner?" Here are some tips to help you through the process.

Showing Your House FSBO? | Barefoot Dwellings When you’re selling your home without a real estate agent… you are responsible for marketing your home, showing your home, and selling your home. And while all three of those things have challenges…

Buying a home?

That’s an exciting time!

But it can also be a little overwhelming.

At Barefoot Dwellings, we’ve been working in real estate in Lakeland for quite some time and we thought it might be useful for us to share some of what we’ve learned over the years…

…and give you some tips for buying a property that you can call home!

Here’s the advice we offer to our closest friends 😉

Be Picky — People rarely buy a home and wish they had been LESS picky. A few months or years down the road, the reality of the home you bought is going to kick in. So it’s good to be a little picky about the property you purchase and make sure it’s got everything you want.

No Agent — The downside to hiring a real estate agent who’ll help you look for homes is that when you make an offer, the seller’s agent may be less motivated about your offer because they’re going to have to split the commission with your real estate agent. Our recommendation is to check out homes yourself and, once you find something you love, offer to let the seller’s agent represent you. That agent will be motivated to get the sellers to accept your offer because they’ll get the full commission.

Escalation Clause — If you find a home that you absolutely love, then you might consider including an escalation clause in your offer. This basically says that you’ll outbid anyone else who makes an offer on the property.

Hope that helps!

And if you want to sell the property where you currently live quickly for a fair cash offer, give us a call at 863-606-8448 — we can buy as-is and close in as little as two weeks!

Barefoot Dwellings Barefoot Dwellings gives Lakeland and the surrounding communities a simple no hassle option for selling their home no matter it’s condition.

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/troubleshooting-hvac/

Troubleshooting HVAC

Troubleshooting HVAC | Barefoot Dwellings Something wrong with your HVAC system? Need help troubleshooting? We here at Barefoot Dwellings have learned a thing or two about troubleshooting HVAC systems. So we thought we’d offer a bit of advice…

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/should-you-list-on-the-mls/

Should you list on the MLS? | Barefoot Dwellings Wanting to sell your home without a real estate agent? By doing so, you’ll avoid a lot of extra fees — you’ll also have the freedom to do things on your terms – market, show, and sell your home to the…

Selling your home FSBO is an exciting undertaking…

It means fewer fees…

And it means more control over when you sell, how you sell, and whom you sell to…

But it also comes with its challenges — since you’re not working with a real estate agent, you’ll have to market the home, show the home, negotiate, and deal with all the paperwork.

If you’ve never done it before, it can be a bit overwhelming.

Here is the gist…

Choose a Price — The first step is to decide on a price. Look at other similar homes in the area and what they have sold for to get a baseline.

Repair/Update — Then you’ll need to repair the home and update it to make it “buy worthy”. The better shape it’s in, the easier it’ll be to sell.

Marketing — Now you’ve got to get your home in front of potential buyers. This will likely mean listing on the MLS, posting on Craigslist, doing home showings, and negotiating with potential buyers.

Paperwork — Once you and a buyer have agreed on a price, it’s time to pull out the contracts and other important paperwork. This includes the property survey, receipts and warranties, plans and permits, loan documents, the title, floor plans, and more. You’ll want to go through a title company to make sure everything is filed properly.

That’s the overview.

If you want to sell your house in less time and without the headache, give us a call at 863-606-8448 — we can make you a fair cash offer, buy as-is, and close in as little as two weeks!

https://www.selltobarefoot.com/blog/replacing-carpet/

Replacing Carpet | Barefoot Dwellings Thinking of replacing the carpet in your house? Well, at Barefoot Dwellings, we’ve bought and sold a lot of homes in Lakeland… which also means that we’ve replaced a LOT of carpet… So we thought we’d…

Wondering how to repair your hardwood floors?

For today’s buyers, hardwood floors are a desirable aspect of a home. In fact, more real estate agents agree that homes with hardwood floors are easier to sell!

But that’s not true if the floor is damaged.

At Barefoot Dwellings, we’ve been working in Polk County for quite some time and we’ve seen our fair share of damaged hardwood floors.

And here are our tips for fixing hardwood floors…

For Wear Spots — If it looks like the finish or stain is wearing away in a certain spot, you’ll want to use a fine-grained sandpaper to sand and then re-stain your floor. Make sure to check that the stain and finish matches the rest of the floor!

For Scratches — Scratches from furniture, pets, or gritty shoes is the most common type of damage on hardwood floors. Fortunately, it’s a pretty easy fix. Just use a hardwood floor polishing solution that also reduces the appearance of scratches. For deeper scratches, you might need to get the sanding materials back out.

For Gouges — If there’s a gouge in your hardwood floor, then you’ll need to add filler before sanding, staining, and finishing the floor. Finishing putty works like a charm.

Hope that helps! You can get more details on Google!

And if you want to skip the repairs and sell your home as-is, give us a call at 863-606-8448 — we can make you a fair cash offer and close in as little as two weeks!

When you’re buying a home, how can you tell if you got a good deal or not?

Real estate agents might say it’s a good deal…

The seller might say it’s a good deal…

But is there a way that you can run the numbers for yourself?

At Barefoot Dwellings, the success of our business requires that we always run the numbers on properties to make sure that we’re staying profitable.

Want to know how we do it so you can do it, too?

Here’s the gist!

Determine Fair Sales Price — The easiest way to determine the market value of a home is to look at the sales price of other similar properties in the neighborhood that have sold within the last 3 to 6 months. The more recently they’ve sold and the more similar they are (in quality, square footage, location, and number of beds/baths), the more accurate their sales price will be for determining another property’s real value.

Deduct Cost of Repairs, Updates, Etc. — If the property you’re buying needs a lot of repairs or updates, then it’s important to deduct those costs from the fair sales price you came up with.

Consider Agent Commissions — Also consider agent commissions and closing costs. These will make a big difference in whether you get a good deal or not.

Hope that helps!

If you have a house that you want to sell fast, give us a call at 863-606-8448. We can make you a fair cash offer, purchase your home as-is, and close in as little as two weeks!

Sell My House Fast Lakeland FL - We buy houses in Lakeland - Barefoot Dwellings Looking To Sell Your House As Is? We Buy Houses in Lakeland, FL. Our Process Is Simple. We Make You A Fair Offer - Say Yes Or No. No Pressure. Contact Us Now…

Due to the challenges of ongoing current events, more people than ever before are now working remotely — from home, at coffee shops, or in co-working spaces.

Maybe YOU — for the first time ever — find yourself working remotely.

And for many people, working remotely sparks a thought: “Well shoot… I can live anywhere I want…”

It’s a daunting thought but it’s also sometimes an exciting thought.

At Barefoot Dwellings, we’ve been buying and selling real estate in Polk County, FL and we love this area.

But it’s not for everyone. :-)

And so we thought it’d be cool to compile the top 10 cities in the U.S. with the highest quality of life — maybe one of these places will catch your attention!

- Fayetteville, Arkansas - 7.5 Quality Of Life Score
- Austin, Texas - 7.3 Quality Of Life Score
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota - 7.1 Quality Of Life Score
- Denver, Colorado - 7 Quality Of Life Score
- Colorado Springs, Colorado - 7 Quality Of Life Score
- Des Moines, Iowa - 7 Quality Of Life Score
- Raleigh, Durham, North Carolina - 6.9 Quality Of Life Score
- San Francisco, California - 6.8 Quality Of Life Score
- Portland, Oregon - 6.7 Quality Of Life Score
- Seattle, Washington - 6.6 Quality Of Life Score

At the very least, it’s something to think about.

And if you decide that you do want to move and you need to sell your house to do so, then give us a call at 863-606-8448 — we can make you a fair cash offer, buy your house as-is, and close in as little as two weeks!

Who pays for damages to a property?

The renter or the homeowner/landlord?

That’s a good question.

We’ve been working in real estate in Polk County for quite some time and we’ve seen a lot of disputes between renters and landlords about who should pay for damages to a property.

The truth is that it really depends on the situation. Here are some costs that the renter usually isn’t responsible for…

— Property Taxes
— Home Maintenance
— Mortgage Interest
— Home Insurance
— Real Estate & Legal Fees
— Landscaping & Lawn Care
— Homeowners Association Fees

Now there are a few caveats here.

First, home maintenance refers to normal wear and tear on the house — for instance, the water heater stops working and needs replacing or the plumbing starts leaking and causes water damage. The homeowner should pay for those problems.

However, if the renter causes damage to the home directly — for example, from their pets, putting holes in the walls, breaking windows, etc. — then the renter will be expected to pay for those damages.

It’s important to note that renters can get renter’s insurance to cover liability damages — so if the renter is blamed for damages to the property, the policy will help protect them.

Ultimately — whether you’re a landlord or a renter — it’s best to work with people whom you trust and who you know will be honest about paying damages to the home when it’s required.

Hope that helps give you a better understanding of the renter/landlord relationship!

If you’re done being a landlord or if you know anyone who wants to sell their home as-is for cash, give us a call at 863-606-8448. We can make a fair cash offer in 48 hours and close in as little as two weeks!

Barefoot Dwellings updated their phone number.

How do you repair a cracked driveway?

Fortunately, repairing a cracked driveway is probably something you can do yourself — it typically doesn’t require any special knowledge or ability.

But it depends on the type of crack(s) you’re dealing with.

Here are some tips…

Narrow Cosmetic Cracks — Small cosmetic cracks sometimes result because the concrete dried too quickly when it was poured. You can fix these small cracks by applying a concrete resurfacing solution.

Cracks ¼ Inch in Width — Cracks up to ¼ inch in width are usually because of shrinkage. These cracks can be filled with a polymer concrete crack sealant.

Cracks & Crumbling — Cracks and crumbling on the edge of the driveway is often caused by heavy vehicles. These can be fixed with quick-setting cement that includes an acrylic fortifier.

Wide, Jagged Cracks — If you notice large cracks with heaving or settling of the driveway, then you might need to do a full slab replacement. In which case, we recommend hiring a professional.

Hope that helps! You can use good ol’ Google to get more detail!

And if you want to sell your home as-is for cash, give us a call at 863-606-8448. We can make you a fair cash offer in 48 hours and close in as little as two weeks!

Barefoot Dwellings Barefoot Dwellings gives Lakeland and the surrounding communities a simple no hassle option for selling their home no matter it’s condition.

Thinking of remodeling your bathroom?

That might be a good idea!

Doing so can increase the value of your home and make the home easier to sell and more appealing to buyers.

But we don’t recommend remodeling your bathroom only to sell easier and for more money — the average bathroom remodel costs about $20,000 and the average homeowner only recoups 66% of that cost when they sell.

So it’s not really worth it if you’re only looking to increase the value of your home.

It might be worth it, however, if you’re going to live in the home for a while longer before you sell — that way, you can enjoy your new bathroom!

If you do decide to renovate, here are some tips!

Create a Budget — The first thing you should do is create a budget… that way you know how much you’re willing to spend before you dive into the weeds.

Hire a Professional — Definitely hire a professional for your bathroom remodel unless you’re a total expert. It’s an expensive investment and you don’t want it to get messed up.

Choose Durability — When you have the choice between cheap material and durable material, choose durability. It’ll probably be more expensive but it’ll also make your new bathroom last longer. (think marble or granite vs. laminate or formica)

Hope that helps!

And if you want to sell your house as-is for cash, give us a call at 863-606-8448. We can make you a fair cash offer in 48 hours and close in as little as two weeks!

Love gardening and wondering if there’s a way to use your green thumb to increase the value of your home?

Well, there might be!

Some buyers on the market today love seeing a well-kept garden when they view a home — it’s not just an amenity of its own, it’s also a sign that the current owners have cared for their property.

But of course, when it comes to selling your home, not all types of gardens are equally appealing to buyers.

So here are some tips!

Trees — Buyers love tall trees. They provide shade, privacy, and a feeling of being in nature. According to the University of Washington, mature trees increase property values by between 3% and 15%!

Tidy Garden — Naturally, your garden should be well-watered, weeded, and as pristine as possible when buyers view your home.

Popping Colors — A garden can be a great way to create visual appeal. Planting red or pink flowers up against the backdrop of well-manicured grass is something that buyers love to see. So don’t be afraid to use colors that “pop” in your garden.

Automatic Sprinklers — Many buyers love seeing a garden, but they don’t have tons of time to maintain it, so having automatic sprinklers in your garden is a HUGE bonus for them. It’ll be a little spendy to install, but it’ll be worth it when you make more money on the sale of your home!

Hope that helps!

If you’d rather sell your house as-is for cash, then give us a call at 863-606-8448. We can make you an offer within 48 hours and close in as little as two weeks. We’ll even pay all closing costs!

Thinking of installing solar panels on your roof to cut your energy bill?

In just 2019, there were 2 million solar panel installations in the U.S., according to PV Magazine.

But is it a good idea to install solar panels on YOUR home in Polk County?

Solar panels — and the use of renewable energy to power homes — is probably a trend that’s only going to increase in popularity as the technology becomes more efficient and more affordable.

Still, there are some things to consider.

Cost — Solar panels aren’t cheap… and neither is the installation. The average homeowner can expect to spend about $15,000 to $20,000 to get solar panels installed.

Sun Exposure — Your location, the angle of your roof, and even your roof material will all have an impact on the efficiency of your solar panels. Go to solarreviews.com/solar-calculator to enter your address and get a better idea of how many solar panels you need and how much you stand to save on your electric bill.

Consider Your Electric Bill — Solar panels don’t pay for themselves overnight. Instead, they save you money on your electric bill every month, slowly recouping the initial investment. So look at your electric bill and think about how long you want to live in your house. Solar panels are a long-term investment, not a short-term one.

Hope that helps!

And if you or someone you know wants to sell a property fast for cash, give us a call at 863-606-8448. We can make a fair cash offer, close in as little as two weeks, and pay all closing costs!

Having to choose between paying for your kid’s college and home repairs?

It seems that there are more places in the budget for money to go than there is money most days, doesn’t it? Sometimes it’s hard to choose because everything is important – we understand! Especially when it comes to a college education.

Currently, the average cost of a 4-year degree ranges from $103,000 - $215,000, per educationdata.org. That’s a significant investment, usually worthwhile, but still it might put you in a position to prioritize where your paycheck needs to go.

If you find yourself coming up short on the home repair side, give us a call – [phone]. Some repairs just can’t wait and have a way of creating a domino effect, going from bad to worse. We buy homes for cash in the Polk County area and can close quickly to take the pressure off when it comes to home maintenance so you can focus on your kid’s educational needs.

If you’re dealing with more budget demands than cash, here are a few thoughts to help with planning for college expenses…

Consider A Local State Or Community College – When it comes to saving on tuition and living expenses, it will help save some money if you look at a local state or community school with lower tuition, and where your student could still live at home to save a lot of money on expenses. It’s not always a teen’s first choice to stay local, but it will definitely save money.

Apply for All The Scholarships – Sure, it can become another part-time job to chase down scholarships, but there is a lot of free money out there if you look hard enough. Apply for everything you can find and then look and apply some more. Many students have paid for tuition and expenses this way. A great resource for this is scholarships.com.

Consider an On-Campus Job Opportunity – On-campus jobs not only help provide an income for students, but it’s also a great way to get immersed in college life, make friends, and learn about other happenings on campus. If you have a student who is good at time management and is disciplined enough to get their work hours in, as well as study hours and classes, working their way through college is another great option.

Hope these ideas help!

Unhappy with how much your real estate agent’s commission is?

Good news!

You can ALWAYS negotiate that number.

(If they tell you that it’s non-negotiable, it’s probably a good idea to find a different real estate agent to work with.)

At Barefoot Dwellings we’re quite familiar with this process.

In fact, here are things you can use as leverage to negotiate with your agent!

Home Desirability — If your home is in a very desirable neighborhood and/or if it’s in the ideal price-point for buyers, then it’ll probably sell fast. And that means you might be able to negotiate a lower commission since the agent’s job is going to be easy.

Price Point — The more money that your house is worth, the more that the real estate agent stands to make, even if they have a slightly lower commission. So if your home is quite high-value, then it’s worth asking the agent if they can take a slightly lower commission.

Time Of Year — When you sell your home also makes a difference. If you sell when homes sell easily (summer), then you can probably negotiate a better commission. If you sell when homes don’t sell easily (winter), then you don’t really have leverage here.

Hope that helps! And if you’d rather sell your house as-is fast for a fair cash price, give us a call at 863-606-8448! We can close in as little as two weeks and we can pay all closing costs!

Selling your home in Polk County?

Naturally, you want to get as much money as possible for your property!

But real estate agents know that… and some will take advantage of that by simply telling you that they’ll be able to sell your house for more than other agents — and they’ll give you a listing price that’s too high.

At first, that might seem like a good thing.

You’ll get more money, right?

Well, not exactly.

As The Balance writes, “A seller who chooses an agent based on which estimate is highest without considering other factors is the ultimate loser. Yet almost every seller operates in this manner. It's a shame because so few agents take the time to educate sellers that other factors such as marketing plans and the agent's negotiation abilities are far more important than the estimate of value.”

Sell My House Fast Lakeland FL - We buy houses in Lakeland - Barefoot Dwellings Looking To Sell Your House As Is? We Buy Houses in Lakeland, FL. Our Process Is Simple. We Make You A Fair Offer - Say Yes Or No. No Pressure. Contact Us Now…