Thinking about buying a new construction home in Polk County, Florida? Here is some pros and cons about brand new homes!

Ben goes over them in the video below.

Brand new homes are just that- home that are currently or will be built just for you! The pros are of course that everything is NEW! A/C, Water heater, ROOF! you know the age and don't have to worry about something breaking down right away, and if it does that brings is to pro #2 which is your home warranty! Even the appliances have warranties.

These homes are built with todays materials to todays codes, so pro #3 is that they are energy efficient, giving you lower energy bills! 

The cons are they may be more expensive to purchase, but this is offset by not having to worry about replacing big ticket items such as the roof or Air conditioner. 

Con #2 is a brand new home community typically features 50'-70' wide lots, which means your neighbors are typically very close to you and your yard is smaller, which may not be a con to you!

Con #3 is the construction noise you'll have to put up with with the rest of the community is being built.

The biggest Con in my opinion is the timeline. If you absolutely need to move you may be waiting up to 8 months for your home to be built unless it is a quick move in home! 

If you are thinking about buying a brand new home in the area, give us a call at 863.333.5053 and we can help you ge the home of your dreams! We can even help get you more money from the builder towards closing costs and rate buy downs!

Ben again with another weekly update! 

The real estate market here in Polk county, Fl continues to move ahead. We are still having buyers buy and sellers sell. Interest rates aren't stopping us! We have seen more seller credits and rate buy-downs, but things are still changing hands. 

I also go over Bartow stats a little deeper as I'm trying to change my focus from week to week to include everyone. 

If you or someone you know is thinking about making a move, give me a call at 863.333.5053. 

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If you purchased a home and moved in before January 1st, 2025, you have until March 1st 2025 to file for homestead exemption. If applying here it must be your primary residence (not second home) and you must not have a homestead exemption on another home. 

What is homestead exemption? It reduces that tax liability on your newly purchased home by decreasing its taxable value as much as $50,000. It also caps future tax increases at 3% per year, so your tax bill cannot swing wildly out of control with an increasing market. There are also additional exemptions for various other reasons, but you will need to checck those out on the Polk Property Appriaser website. (Link below)

There are also other benefits, such as protection from lawsuits, but this post is merely a reminder and will not dive into that protection. 

How to apply for homestead exemption in Polk County, FL? You will need to visit the Polk Property appraiser website and create an account. 

Polk PA website

You will then need to follow the steps and upload the documents required, which include your social security card and a Florida drivers license or a permanent resident card for non-US citizens. You will also need two of the following: Florida Voter Registration, Florida Vehicle Registration, proof of payment for utilities (Electric, Cable, Gas, TV, Etc.), Bank Statement, employment verification. These documents must have the name of the applicant or applicants spouse, and the address of the homestead property as the service address. 

You may also bring them in person to one of their locations. I'm sharing the link because the Winter Haven office will be closing once they open their Lake Alfred office. There is also a Bartow and Lakeland Office. 

It doesnt matter if you bought a Lakeland home for sale or a home for sale in Winter Haven, the Polk Property Appraiser can get the Homestead exemption in place for you. 

Rental scams are out there! In this video Ben goes over what a rental scam is and how to protect yourself from scammers. 

Hijacked Listings: A listed rental in the MLS that the scammer puts on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist or similar to act as the property manager. 

Phantom Listing: A scammer takes a FOR SALE property and advertises it FOR LEASE. These properties are not for lease and you are dealing directly with a scammer. If you google the property address and see it listed for sale, its a scam rental.

Application Fee Scam: Someone takes an active for lease listing and copies it to Facebook Marketplace or similar and tries to get you to put your application and pay your application fee before seeing it. They take your application fee and are gone.

If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable company, and not someone acting like they are the property manager or landlord. If you cannot go walk the property, then put in your application fee, then pay your deposit and rent, you are dealing with a scammer. 

If they are asking for payment through cashapp or similar, consider that a red flag. Many landlords will take Zelle, but only once you've been established as a tenant. 

If they tell you to damage the lock and replace it, consider that a red flag. No property owner is going to start by telling you to damage the property. 

If you are not using a professional to find a rental, be sure the owners name matches the public records of the property, and get a copy of their ID to make sure they are who they say they are. 

Is 2023 the year for a new home for you?  Heres a video from Ben on the loan options that are available for 2023 and what you need for a down payment on each one. If you have questions give us a call at 863.333.5053 to discuss your needs. 

Browse USDA homes for sale: https://www.havenrealtyfl.com/usda-financing/

Loan options will vary based on credit and income. We can set you up with our favorite lender to discuss your options!

If you are considering buying a new construction home from a builder such as D.R. Horton, Highland Homes, Adams Homes, Meritage, or any other new construction builder, give this video a watch, then read on!

We are able to help you find the best floor plan for you, go through the upgrade and get you the most builder credits towards mortgage rate buy-downs, closing costs, or upgrades! 

We can help you in any new construction community across Florida! When you go in and speak to the builders rep without an agent, you are essentially at their mercy. Going in with a Haven Realty Agent we are able to get you the most out of the builder, and sometimes even help cover your first mortgage payment! Give us a call at 863.333.5053 for info today. 

What to see whats available? 

New Homes In Lakeland

New Homes in Winter Haven

New Homes In Bartow

New Homes In Davenport

All Polk County New Homes!

We can even help you find your custom home builder and put together a beautiful new home and lot package for you! 

Heres a quick video on what you need to know BEFORE buying a condo in the area! It doesn't matter if it is Autumnwood Grove in Lakeland, or Verandahs in Winter Haven, these quick tips are good for you to keep in mind before pulling the trigger on your new Townhome!

All townhomes have a homeowners association, and all homeowners associations carry rules and regulations. If you are thinking about moving into a townhome community you'll want to review them. Give us a call at 863-333-5053 and we can get you a copy of the rules and regs for the communities you are thinking about! 

Many buyers like the less maintenance lifestyle that living in a townhome offers, but there are some drawbacks. You need to be aware of these before you buy because the HOA can place liens, or even force a foreclosure on your unit if you arent following the rules. Give us a call and we can talk about it!

If you are looking for a wonderful home with access to the most popular lake on the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven,  🔎  look no further! 📲  Sign up to get the info here: Winterset Gardens Home coming Soon 📲  This home in Winterset Gardens is ready for new owners!

This home features 2500 Square feet of living area, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, on a .4 acre lot and a new roof, and is across the street from the Winterset Gardens Private community boat ramp. 

Winterset Gardens is a smaller neighborhood located on the Southern shore of Lake Winterset and almost completely surrounding little lake winterset. It is located just off of Eloise Loop road and is in the 33884 zip code of Winter Haven Florida.

If you are interested in seeing this beauty as soon as it is ready give us a call at 863-333-5053 today!

If you live in or own property in Winter Haven, Florida and are looking for the best Winter Haven Agents, look no further! Many of our agents live and work almost exclusively in Winter Haven, Fl. It doesn't matter if you are looking to buy your dream home on the shores of the Chain Of Lakes, on 20 acres away from it all, your first investment property, buying a condo, or selling a townhome, we are here to help.

Why does your agent living in the area you are looking to buy or sell real estate even matter? Local Knowledge. They know where the schools are, how the traffic is, where the stores and restaurants are, what local events you might want to know about, tax rates, and so much more. 

Anya Kovalenko is one of our Winter Haven Realtors that lives in 33884. She knows the area well, and can guide you to your next home, or if you are selling she has the buyers that might be the perfect match for your home, getting you top dollar without even having to list in on the MLS. She can even guide you through the Chain of Lakes to your waterfront dream home!

Ben DeHaven is a lifelong resident of Polk County. He was raised in 33881, and spent most of his weekends growing up on the Chain Of Lakes, going skiing and wakeboarding from lake to lake with friends, stopping at Harborside or Old Man Franks for some fried pickles and oysters for lunch. His favorite spot on the chain is now Twisted Prop on Lake May. He is the Broker at Haven Realty & Investments and can help you buy, sell, or invest in Real Estate in Winter Haven, FL.

Even though our agents are experts in the area they live, they also know plenty about surrounding areas, and our agents are able to help you anywhere in Central Florida.

Haven Realty & Investments agents are dedicated to helping make your deal go as smoothly as possible by working with the best local title companies, inspectors, real estate attorneys, and lenders. We know the process backward and forward and are here to help you. Give us a call at 863.333.5053 today to go over your Winter Haven real estate needs.

So you are under contract buying a house, Congratulations! That is an exciting thing. There are some things you need to be aware of when it comes to your loan application and going through underwriting, this video goes over 5 quick tips for you!

1- No large purchases - Don't go buy a car, go on a shopping spree, spend a bunch of savings that you will need for closing costs, etc. 

2- Don't co-sign on any loans for ANYONE. Even if you are not paying on the loan, the credit inquiry as well as the new loan will negatively hit your credit.

3- Don't apply for new credit (cards) this has a negative impact on your credit score and can impact your debt to income (DTI) ratio if you are buying

4- Don't close any bank accounts (or open new ones!) as well as no large deposits, your lender will need them verified and that can in some cases cause complications.

5- Don't close any credit accounts (or open new ones!) This seems backwards but it is the way the credit system works, and sometimes you have to work the system. 

If you have any questions about the home buying or loan process give us a call at 863-333-5053 (or text) and we can help you out!