Finding the Right Property

Buying the Right Home

Buying Homes in Port St Lucie

Although our website offers a comprehensive Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Search service but that is not the only service we provide. To locate the perfect home for sale in Port St Lucie and Treasure Coast that MLS to match all the buyer’s needs requires more work than just expecting them to search and find a home they like. It is our responsibility to introduce other options available for our buyers. This could be a similar or even better area that offers similar or superior homes i Port ST Lucie for the same price.

Upon getting to know your preferences we will create a customized email program that will focus on all the neighborhoods and developments that are perfectly matched your criteria. We will also send you emails alerts regarding new listings as soon as they enter the market and also alerts on prices changes for the listings that you have already received. We also explore all other opportunities offered by the new construction homes and pre-construction homes. If there is no set timeframe to purchase a home the pre-construction homes could offer substantial savings to buyers. This is while the new construction homes are move in ready and offer builder’s warranty eliminating the possible repairs which older homes may require.

We follow up with all aspects necessary to successfully buy homes in Port St Lucie regardless of holidays or weekends, as we are on duty every day till we hand you the keys to a new home that you fell in love with. our goal is to create a smooth transaction from the first day of search to the closing for all our buyers. Call us at (772) 323-6730 or email at info@portstlucie.city to get started the path to the purchase of your new home.

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Port St Lucie Market Report

by Hamid Hakimi | Housing Market

Why Port St Lucie Real Estate?

Walk nature parks in Port St Lucie

Port St Lucie is known as a city which resonates “Old Florida”. The area beaches are considered some of the finest in Florida and remain environmentally friendly with minimal urban condo sprawl. The beauty in Port St Lucie in part is the natural landscape. Unlike so many Florida cities that have been stripped of their natural habitat in the aftermath of the housing developments, the development of the City has not resulted in the removal of the trees, shrubbery, and wildlife. Not only is the City beautiful it is also continually recognized and awarded for outstanding management, budget, and safety. The City of Port St Lucie Office of Management and Budget including the Finance Department was awarded by different associations nationally for excellence for the last 20+ consecutive years. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has rated Port St. Lucie as having the lowest crime rate in Florida for a city with a population of 100,000 for the past 11 consecutive years. Environmentally friendly, well budgeted, and low crime rate to make the City of Port St Lucie a desirable place to call home. It is no wonder it is one of the most sought-after housing markets in the US for 2015.

Based on Statistics released in the first quarter of 2015 from the National Association of Realtors the following companies have named Port St Lucie as the 2^nd hottest housing market in the US.

Investors Daily Business – Named Port St Lucie 2^nd Hottest Housing Market
Wall Street Journal – Listed the City of Port St Lucie as one of the Top 10 Metro areas

Contact Hamid Hakimi Port St Lucie Realtor for Custom Property List:

Email: info@portstlucie.city

Phone: (772) 323-6730

Port St Lucie Market Report

In the aftermath of the real estate crash of 2007 the Port St Lucie home prices dropped to the lowest in the region, while new construction projects halted to become ghost projects. The recovery prove to be slow and difficult but it eventually improved toward 2012 and became noticeable by 2013 and never looked back from that point on. The upward trend has been steady and continuous attracting many out of area buyers to Port St Lucie real estate opportunities, which with today’s higher prices are still lower than the neighboring counties like Martin County and Palm Beach County. The following monthly or quarterly reports published by the Florida Association of Realtors, FAR are the best indicators of the market trend in Port St Lucie real estate.

Port St Lucie Market Report June 2015

Port St Lucie Market Report First Quarter 2015

Port St Lucie Market Report Third Quarter 2015

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Price Negotiation

by Hamid Hakimi | Buying Real Estate

Price Negotiation

Negotiating Price When Buying and Selling Properties

Selling My Home With today’s internet and global data access, most of our home buyers and sellers have a great knowledge about the Port St Lucie real estate market. However, depending on the accuracy of the data, this could be a double edge sword and it is up to the real estate agents to use their knowledge and experience to assist the home sellers and buyers to use updated information and logic. The cardinal rule for negotiating price when buying and selling properties is that everything in real estate is negotiable! Please note that we did not say only the price is negotiable but everything is negotiable. This covers the price as well as many terms and situations affecting the contract process during and after the price negotiation. The following examples will shed more light to what one may encounter during the contract to closing process:

Price Negotiations- The first step initiated when an offer is submitted, which may trigger back and forth counter offers.
Post Executed Contract Renegotiation- Sometimes it become necessary to renegotiate the price or repair costs due to unforeseen issues coming to surface after Inspection or Appraisal Report
Terms Negotiations- Terms deal with other subjects in the contract than the price. Terms could include:
- Closing Date
- Down Payment Amount
- Pre-Closing Occupancy by Buyer
- Post-Closing Occupancy by Seller
- Seller Financing
- Seller Contribution to Repairs or Closing Costs
- Other Contingencies

To negotiate is an art necessary for a successful transaction. Sellers at times have an emotional attachment to their homes of many years and may resist any changes to the initial contract and buyers always want to negotiate the price and terms down to the last pennies possible. Buyers and sellers are primarily looking to preserve their own interests and at times need a third party to resolve the issues amicably and who would be a better third party than the Realtors®. The more experience the Realtor® possesses the easier the process will be. A Realtor® with expertise in negotiation realizes that his buyer or seller cannot be always right and it is his duty to advise his client with honest even though his point of view is different.

The easiest way to prove a point is with numbers. Realtors® should compile data from active listings, pending listing as well as the closed transactions to show the new price is around the ballpark and there is no financial damage to their clients. The market trend is another efficient tool to convince the sellers or buyers to accept the changes in the price. For example, when the prices are on a steady rise of 3% a month it is easy to convince the buyers that they will recuperate the small amount in dispute by the closing time or couple months after. This method is also applicable to sellers.

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Home Inspection and Repair Negotiation

by Hamid Hakimi | Home Inspection

Home Inspection and Repair Negotiation

Home Inspection and Repair Negotiation

House Inspection Port St Lucie Most home sellers and buyers assume that price negotiation is finalized upon signing of the contract by all parties until the inspection report unearths some hidden problems. The inspection reports are actually software programs, which the inspection companies purchase a subscription for the software. The reports are fairly standard and although the forms may look different from one company to another, but the content covers the same items including roof, electrical, plumbing, and termite. Depending on the inspector some reports are very detailed while others concentrate on major issues. The problem with the detailed information is the possible negative effects of them on inexperienced home buyers who may become overwhelmed with a laundry list of repairs, which in reality majority are minor issues.

Regardless of the report type, some repairs are costly enough to either break the deal or trigger another round of negotiation. The following are the actions necessary by both the seller and buyer in order to remedy the issues raised in the inspection report:

Cancellation of the Contract – Buyers is completely turned off or have a change of heart and will simply opt for the termination of the contract. This is absolutely within the contracts’ guidelines as long as the inspection period has not expired. The default inspection period is 15 days in Florida Sales and Purchase Contracts, but could be any number of days as long as both parties have agreed to the terms.
Seller Concession – Seller will pay buyer a predetermined amount at closing for repairs of the items listed in the inspection report.
Lowering the Price – Seller will agree to a lower sale price to compensate for the necessary repairs.
No Concession – The best outcome for the sellers is for buyers to continue with the purchasing process by accepting the property “AS IS” without asking for any concession from the seller. This normally happens in a strong seller’s market when prices are on a continuous rise and buyers feel the market adjustment will easily justify the costs to remedy the inspection issues.

It is important to note that not all inspection issues are repairs related, an example is the requirement for tenting the property in case of the severe termite presence. Also, the inspection is not the only event to trigger a price renegotiation, as appraisal reports could also force the sellers to lower the contract price to match the appraised amount.

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Port St Lucie Real Estate Market Report

by Hamid Hakimi | Buying Real Estate, Port St Lucie Real Estate

Port St Lucie Real Estate Market Report

Port St Lucie Real Estate Market Report June 2015

Home Prices in Port St Lucie

Median prices for homes sold in Port St Lucie Real Estate Market saw an increase of $30,000 in one year alone. Waiting to purchase a home in Port St Lucie area means losing $1000’s and the reports prove that. The Florida Association of Realtors (FAR) has compiled a report on St Lucie County and Port St Lucie real estate market for the first quarter of 2016 in comparison to the same period in 2015. The report is a clear indication of a market with ever-rising prices. The Median Sale Price for Quarter-1 of 2016 is indicated to be at $195,000 a sharp increase of $30,000 from the $165,000 average price of the same quarter in 2015.

The latest report is the local market update for the month of May 2016 compared to the same month in 2015. This report shows a 15.6% increase for the month of May, with a $24,000 increase in Median Sale Price. The Median Sale Price for May of 2016 was $178,000 up from the $154,000 in 2015.

Although the trend is a clear indication of a seller’s market the low-interest rates have created a unique buyer’s market as well. This combination of events is fueling the price increase and the way we see it, this will continue at least until the beginning of the next year. According to the reports, the Federal Reserve will not touch the current interest rates at least until 2017 and even then it is not clear if there will be an increase. Any changes in the interest rate in 2017 will be the direct result of the drop in the unemployment rate at that time as well as other economic

Port St Lucie Home Sales 1st Quarter 2015

Port St Lucie Home Sales 2016 The Port St Lucie home sales market report compiled by the Florida Association of Realtors shows a $30,000 increase in Median Sales Price in Q-1 of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015.

The Median sales price for homes sold in Port St Lucie in 2015 was $165,000 while in 2016 the median is registered at $195,000. Other noteworthy figures in this report were both the Median Time to Contract and Median Time to Sale. The 47 days for Median Time to Contract of sold homes in Port St Lucie indicates a healthy real estate market with homes going under contract well below the 60 days threshold. The Median Time to Sale, on the other hand, portrays a bigger picture.

The 47 days for Median Time to Contract of sold homes in Port St Lucie indicates a healthy real estate market with homes going under contract well below the 60 days threshold. The Median Time to Sell, on the other hand, portrays a bigger picture. The significance of this numbers remains in the anticipated effects of closing time after the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, or as otherwise known Dodd-Frank Act, in October of 2015. The well-publicized changes had a noticeable effect on the mortgage industry, which created the discussion of prolonged closing periods.

The Q1 Median Time to Sell in 2016 proved otherwise by dropping to 95 days from 96 days in the same quarter the previous year or -1%. the first 47 days from the 95 days were allocated to marketing and only the last 48 days was contributed to the closing process. This is while the cash sales, which reduces the necessary time for closing was down -27% from the first quarter of 2015.

The $30,000, or +18.2% increase in Median Sale Price of homes sold in Port St Lucie in the first quarter of 2016 is another wake-up call for the buyers who are still waiting to purchase a home in Port St Lucie since last year. This is while the buyers who did purchase a home have created equity of $35,940 with a Median Price of $195,000. This trend is here to stay for a while.

In conclusion, the upward trend is here to stay for a while and if remains in the same pace it would reward over $70,000 to the lucky home buyers in Port St Lucie who purchased during the first quarter of 2015 or over $35,000 to the buyers who purchased their homes in the first quarter of 2016. With interest still at historically low rates and great for sale home prices in Port St Lucie, this prediction seems to be on the target.

Please contact us for more information and detailed reports on quarterly sales for a single family home, townhomes and villas in St Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach counties.

St Lucie County Real Estate Report Q3, 2015

The report on local real estate activities by Realtors® Association of the Palm Beaches (RAPB) shows the continuation of the established trend of rising prices. The most notable changes for single-family homes in the St Lucie County real estate are:

Median Price- Rose to $167,000 in the 3rd quarter of 2015 from $137,000 in the same period in 2014, a whopping 16.8% increase in one year.
Average Days on Market- Drop to only 26 days in comparison to 49 days in the 3rd quarter of last year. This is a clear indication of low inventory and high demand, which in turn fuels the rising prices.
Inventory- Considering the shortage of inventory of homes for sale in 2014, the drop of 14.7% in inventory represents an even bigger problem. With home builders struggling to add to the inventory and continuous shortage of inventory the higher prices are inevitable. The problem for surrounding counties is more severe as some like Palm Beach County has reached the boiling point of maxed out prices much earlier in 2014.

Overall the Port St Lucie real estate report for 2015 indicates a stronger seller’s market which combined with anxious buyers has resulted in listings ending up in the multiple offer situation. This is a reminder of how the market went crazy in the last decade real estate boom. Multiple offers, price war, anxious buyers trying to buy before prices increase even higher while sellers holding back in the hope of cashing out even more in tomorrow’s market. Unless the new home construction catches up with the shortage of inventory, the rise in interest rate seems to be the only unfortunate remedy for slowing down the train before the wreckage arrives as it did only a few years back.

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Annual Highwaymen Festival in Fort Pierce, FL

by Hamid Hakimi | Things To Do In Port St Lucie

Annual Highwaymen Festival in Fort Pierce, FL

The Fort Pierce Florida Highwaymen Art Show

highwaymen paintings The Florida Highwaymen were a group of 26 artists in the early 1950’s thru the 80’s that painted artwork of Florida’s natural landscape including poinciana trees, ocean, marshes and palm trees using vivid colors from their garages and backyards selling to businesses, hotels and individuals for about $25.00 a piece. Today their artwork is sold for $1,000’s of dollars. The name Highwaymen was associated with the artists who traveled I-95 and A1A to sell their artwork.Annual Highwaymen Festival in Fort Pierce, FL

The next time you are looking for things to do in Port St Lucie check out the annual Fort Pierce art festival for highwaymen artwork.

Known Florida Highway Artists List:

Chris Arnett
Hezekiah Baker
Al Black
Ellis Buckner
George Buckner
Robert Butler
Mary Ann Carroll
Johnny Daniels
Willie Daniels
Rodney Demps
James Gibson
Alfred Hair
Issac Knight
Robert L. Lewis
John Maynor
Roy McLendon
Alfonso Moran
Harold Newton
Lemuel Newton
Sam Newton
Livingston Roberts
Willie Reagan
Cornell Smith
Charles Walker
Sylvester M. Wells
Charles Wheeler

Port St Lucie festivals and nearby city festivals are in abundance all year round. Check back often for things to do in Port St Lucie.

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St Lucie County Down Payment and Closing Costs Assistance Program

by Hamid Hakimi | Buyers Information, Port St Lucie Real Estate

St Lucie County Down Payment and Closing Costs Assistance Program

Down Payment Assistance

St Lucie County Down Payment and Closing Costs Assistance Program

At the time of publication, the County is not accepting applications but there are many other programs available pending the qualifications of the buyers. Some of these programs are offered to the residents of Florida and are not exclusive to St Lucie County while others are exclusive to St Lucie County and Treasure Coast residents. The most prominent program for St Lucie, Indian River, and Martin County offers up to $7,500 toward down payment and closing costs assistance to qualified homebuyers.

St Lucie County Down Payment Assistance Program Requirements:

$10,000 downpayment assistance as a deferred 2nd mortgage at 0% interest. The $10,000 becomes a GRANT if the borrower stays in the property for 5 years and does not need to be paid back unless the property is sold, rented or refinanced
Grant Money (no repayment) – 3% – 4% first come first serve on funds
Eligible for FHA, VA, and Conventional financing. Conventional loans may not be available from time to time
Applicants who are first-time homebuyers or have not owned a home in the past 3 years (some exceptions apply)
Homebuyer education course certificate from an approved entity
A minimum credit score of 640 required
Must meet income limits for households depending on the county

St Lucie County Downpayment Assistance Program

In General, St. Lucie County down payment assistance is limited to the homes built in certain areas of the county, primarily the unincorporated St Lucie County. In recent times, the 3 predominant areas for this program have been Lakewood Park, River Park, and Indian River Estates. However, as mentioned above, there are many other State and Federally sponsored down payment and closing cost programs available, and you can contact us at 772-323-6730 for more information. The SLC program has been closed, please check for the latest details

Like most counties in the US, St Lucie County Down Payment and Closing Costs Program could change the terms and availability of funds at any given time.

Income Restrictions for Down Payment Assistance Program

The income restriction for the Down Payment Assistance Program in St Lucie County varies by the number of people in a household.

Single Family (Governmental) Program Option

Family of 1-2: $84,500 (Non-Target Areas) – $101,400 (Target Area)
Family of 3 or more: $97,175 (Non-Target Areas) – $118,300 (Target Areas)

Applying for Down Payment Assistance

To apply for the Down Payment Assistance Program, home buyers in St. Lucie County should first obtain pre-approval from a participating lender. Please note, not all lenders are participating in DPA programs. Contact us directly to start your file and transfer it to our participation lender. While the lenders would verify the creditworthiness of home buyers, a minimum credit score of 640 is a requirement for most Down Payment and Closing Costs Programs. For homebuyers with less than the required credit score, our lender will guide them to improve the score at no cost to applicants. The pre-approval from lenders should cover home purchases with at least a $75,000 value located in the designated areas of the county.

The Amount of Down Payment Assistance

The amount of Down Payment Assistance varies based on many factors such as the amount of pre-approval by the lender, the income of the applicant, and the value of the home. For St Lucie County the maximum purchase amount is as follows:

New & Existing Homes: $358,308(Non-Target Areas) – $437,932 (Target Areas)

Timeline for Down Payment Assistance

The following steps indicate the approximate timeline for applying and obtaining Down Payment and Closing Costs Assistance:

Lender’s Pre-Approval- Normally the lenders will issue a pre-approval letter on the same day that the homebuyer meets with their mortgage bankers.
Pre-Screening for Down Payment Assistance Program- Pre-screening to determine the eligibility of the applicant for the Down Payment Assistance Program will take only a few minutes by answering the questionnaire in the Home Purchase Pre-Screening tab on the county’s website. After submitting the pre-screening questionnaire a county staff member will contact the homebuyer within 48 hours to instruct them on the next steps necessary to complete the program.
Application for Down Payment Assistance Program- After the county completes pre-screening and an application is submitted, it will take an average of 4 to 6 weeks to process the application.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses for Down Payment Assistance Program- While there are no fees for processing the application for Down Payment Assistance Program, the County requires a minimum contribution of $500 by the home buyers toward the purchase of the home.
Repayment of Down Payment Assistance– The good news is that the homeowners do not have to repay the Down Payment Assistance Loans during the affordability period as long as the dwelling remains as their primary residence. The payment of the deferred amount could be between 5 to 20 years, depending on the amount of Down Payment Assistance received by homeowners.
Searching for a Home with Down Payment Assistance– It is of utmost importance for home buyers to avoid signing any purchase contract prior to receiving the approval for Down Payment Assistance Program. The consequences could include lawsuits by sellers for non-performance and possible loss of their down payment for such contacts is possible if they default in purchasing the property due to denial of their Down Payment Assistance application by the county.
Home Buyer Education Workshop- Upon entering into a purchase agreement, the home buyers should immediately inform the lender and the county as well as attend a Home Buyer Education Workshop. These workshops could be completed online or in a classroom. The HUD conducts workshops, for more information, please visit HUD’s website’s section designated for Home Buyers Education Workshop.

For more information and to speak to a Realtor@ and a list of the participating lenders please contact us at:

Email: info@portstlucie.city.

Phone: (772) 323-6730

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Port St Lucie Bonsai Gardens

by Hamid Hakimi | Things To Do In Port St Lucie

Port St Lucie Bonsai Gardens

Heathcote Gardens Bonsai Trees

Over the years we have visited the various tropical gardens in Florida. Heathcote Gardens had a pleasant surprise awaiting us with their beautiful collection of Bonsai Trees. According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Map, Florida is in Zone 10A making it the perfect climate for Mediterranean and tropical plants. The Heathcote Gardens are sectioned off in a variety of different gardens including:

James J Smith Bonsai Gallery – Features over 100 Bonsai Trees on pedestals including my favorite, the Bougainvillea Bonsai
Japanese Garden – This garden is serene and elegant with its different plant forms and shapes strategically placed to draw the eye to each change in plant design
Reflection Garden – A beautiful spot to sit and meditate. The garden cat likes to lounge here too!
Herb Garden – Must start growing a garden like this one. Fresh herbs in the garden make everything taste better in the kitchen.
Tropical Rainforest Garden – Lush green landscape with a splash of tropical blossoms.
Native Florida Plant Garden – Plants that can take the Florida heat and resilient to our climate.
Palm & Cycad Walk – There are many varieties of Palm Trees along the path to explore which tree to plant in your yard. Who knew there were so many species of palm trees?

Plan Your Port St Lucie Tropical Garden

The plants in the Heathcote tropical gardens have been labeled making it easier to identify the different plants. This will help you to plan your Florida garden and find the plants that you like along with how to arrange them in your garden. Landscaping can be overwhelming for any homeowner. Visiting a garden helps you to learn and identify plants and the type of care they may need. If you are unsure where to start then try a smaller area in your yard. Once the plants are growing move on to another section. Remember Heathcote did not get built in a day and with good plant knowledge and landscaping planning you can turn your backyard into a tropical oasis. Hopefully, more people will plant trees and other tropical plants to Keep Port St. Lucie Beautiful. Remember having shade around the house cools down the temperature inside and out to enjoy Florida outdoor living in your backyard. So get started planning and planting your Tropical Backyard by visiting Heathcote today!

Heathcote Gardens is Located: 210 Savannah Rd, Fort Pierce, FL 34982

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Condos in Port St Lucie

by Hamid Hakimi | Relocating to Port St Lucie

Condos in Port St Lucie

Port St Lucie Condos

If you have a great time while on vacation in Port St Lucie and decide you would like to spend quality vacations with the family, explore the reasonable second home options in Port St Lucie. We have affordable condos, townhouses, and homes at fantastic values compared to other cities in Florida. You can find reasonably priced Port St Lucie Condos with amenities such as pool and clubhouse for resort style vacations. Please contact Hamid 772-323-6730 to get the most recent real estate listings.