Are you renting and want to buy a St. Johns County home in October? If you made the move to Florida last summer and are nearing the last third of your lease – now is the time to think about next steps in your journey.
Is buying a home on your 2024 to-do list?
Here are some thoughts on how to make this transition:
1. Check your lease & give proper notice that you’ll be leaving to your landlord (most require 30-60 days advance notice). That means at earliest you’ll likely need to provide notice in August but it could be September. Remember every lease is different
2. Get pre-approved (if you didn’t already). Pre-approval helps you know what you can afford & that info is required when you get to the offer phase
3. Start looking at homes with your Realtor. Be realistic about what you need/want in your new Florida home & what you can afford. Remember–buying a house will mean costs you’re likely familiar with (property taxes, insurance) and some that may be new to you (HOA &/or CDD fees, flood insurance or hurricane deductibles).
4. If buying isn’t in your plans for 2024–but you would like to buy eventually: think about how you can reduce costs to increase savings. Work with a lender to have a game plan specific to your financial situation & plan for the future
5. Remember that the average residential real estate transaction takes 30-60 days to close. This will likely align nicely with the end of your lease–but be mindful of dates. If you would like to do work to a new-to-you home–you may have a longer timeline to consider
Ready to Buy A St. Johns Home?
If you’re ready to permanently make Florida your home – please reach out to schedule a consultation. From St. Augustine, to St. Johns and the Jacksonville metro area – I welcome the chance to help with your search. We can talk through the rental to ownership transition and I have some great connections who will make this process easier on you.