Optima Properties' Blog

Think twice about purchasing a home with Polybutylene (PB) pipes. Polybutylene (PB) pipes were widely used in Florida residential construction from 1978 to 1995. Billed as a less expensive alternative to traditional copper pipes, up to 10 million homes across the United States were outfitted with...

Home automation is increasingly popular as technology improves and devices become more affordable. Smart home automation works by connecting various devices in your home to a central hub or directly to a network. These devices can then be controlled remotely through a smartphone app, voice assist...

Homeowners beware.With the potential of a recession and rising mortgage rates; lenders are seeing fewer loan applications and many buyers are not able to qualify for legitimate loans. Homeowners are often coerced into using the equity in their homes to pay off debt, finance unexpected expenses an...

If you’ve been house-hunting in recent years, you’ve really been through it. Maybe you were waiting out the market, hoping the rocketing prices would start to flatten. Now, of course, they have — but between 2021 and 2022, mortgage rates have more than doubled, from less than 3 percent to more th...

It is always advisable to shop for a mortgage, but as rates rise the savings can be significant. Each lender offers different loan programs and sets different borrower requirements. It’s important that you get quotes from several types of financial institutions, mortgage lenders, and brokers to f...

Price is becoming more negotiable and the need to waive contingencies is hopefully becoming a thing of the past. As the market has started to shift toward a more neutral market, buyers are regaining some power again and able to use contingencies to better protect themselves. As the market shifts,...

More sellers want to stay in their home after closing, sometimes for weeks or months. In many cases, they want to do it for a fraction of the fair market rent or even for free. Agreeing to their request gives some buyers an edge over the competition in a bidding war, but it comes with risks.The P...

Homeowner’s insurance costs are increasing nationwide and is becoming a larger expenditure in the homeowner’s budget. Florida homeowners insurance costs vary depending on where you live, the age of your home, your home’s characteristics, and other factors. In addition to the cost of the home, the...

 Companies such as Airbnb and VRBO have brought the short-term rental market into the mainstream, making it easier than ever for investors to profit from real estate ownership. Rather than getting tied into long-term leases, property owners can capitalize on local demand for temporary and vacatio...

Interest rates are rising and so it the equity in your current real estate holdings. There are alternatives to financing a second home or investment property other than a traditional mortgage. If you have a large amount of equity in your first home, you could obtain enough money through a Home Eq...