Discover tips and advice to help you prepare for buying a home.


Can I Buy a Home on Cape San Blas Without a Realtor? Billy Joe Smiley Explains

Can I buy a home on Cape San Blas without a Realtor?

Sure you can. But just because you can doesn’t always mean you should—especially here on the coast. Buying a home on Cape San Blas without a Realtor might save you a step, but it could cost you more than you think.

Picture This: You, the Beach, and a Real Estate Contract

Let’s be real. Buying a home on Cape San Blas isn’t like buying a home just anywhere. Our little slice of Florida comes with its own rhythm, and its own rules. Whether you're eyeing a stilted cottage near Indian Pass or a bayfront lot tucked behind the dunes, there’s more to the deal than meets the eye.

If you’re thinking you might want to…

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Demystifying Florida Flood Zones

Understanding the Alphabet Soup of Flood Zones, Flood Insurance, and Risk in Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, and St. George Island

Floods rank among the most common—and costly—natural disasters worldwide. For homeowners, prospective buyers, and even renters, understanding Florida flood zones is crucial not only for safety but also for navigating the complexities of insurance, building requirements, and long-term property investment. Yet, the system of flood zones in the United States is notoriously intricate, with a mélange of letters, numbers, and acronyms such as FEMA, AE, VE, and COBRA overlaying maps and policies. In this article, we’ll unravel these terms, clarify their real-world impact, and…

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Real Estate Market Forecast: Opportunities for Home Buyers and Sellers in 2024 

A growing share of home buyers and sellers sat on the sidelines last year as the pace of home sales continued its downward trajectory.1 In fact, since the Federal Reserve began its series of interest rate hikes in 2022, the combination of higher borrowing costs and record-high home prices has fostered the steepest real estate market slowdown since the 2008 recession.2

 Priced out of the market, a generation of would-be buyers has been forced to delay their plans for homeownership.3   At the same time, current owners—reluctant to give up their pandemic-era mortgage rates—are waiting to sell, which has resulted in a sharp drop in listings.4

 But there may be some…

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Eager to slash household expenses? Look no further than your unused subscriptions.

It’s easy to get lured by subscription services that seem inexpensive. But all that money adds up!

According to C+R Research, most consumers spend more than $200 on subscriptions every month (yikes!). And 42% admit that they’re still paying for subscriptions they never use.  That's a budget buster.

Cutting back on subscription services could help you save to meet bigger goals. Sift through your automatic payments to see which ones deserve a goodbye — and you can say hello to improved money management.

Do you have some sneaky ways to save on household expenses? We’d love to hear them! Share if you dare!

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Rain in Florida Panhandle

Fact Sheet: Why Should I Buy Flood Insurance?

From Florida Realtors Flooding is the nation’s costliest and most common disaster, but many property owners outside high-risk FEMA flood zones don’t think it will ever be a problem.

WASHINGTON – On Sept. 19, tropical storm Imelda hit Texas, and even though it was a full hurricane-force storm, Texans – homeowners, business owners and renters – filed 10,600 flood insurance claims. As of Oct. 29, policyholders have been paid 40% of claims or more than $280 million to repair their homes.

Flooding is the nation’s costliest and most common disaster, but property owners who live in communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program can purchase affordable protection to insure…

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Florida Housing Downpayment Assistance Programs

#FloridaHousing is kicking off National Homeownership Month launching the Hurricane Michael Recovery Loan Program. Floridians living in one of the 11 impacted counties could qualify to receive up to $15k in down payment assistance! For more information on this program, visit https://bit.ly/2DDzKbR. #NHOM #850Strong

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