Resources

The first important step in purchasing a property is to work with your Sarasota Home Realty agent to find the right property and negotiate a contract that meets your needs. However, this is not the only important step in finding the right property. You have to know the condition of the property that you are purchasing. Not knowing the structural condition, possibility of defective drywall, effectiveness of the HVAC system, possible presence of mold, roof condition, etc., can result in unanticipated costs. Nobody needs costly surprises, especially when they can be avoided.

Hiring a home inspector to review the property after contract is a very important part of the purchase process. Inspection lessens the possibility of unexpected surprises after closing. For a cost that normally runs between $300 and $800, an inspector uses his knowledge of construction and the Florida market to assess the functional condition of the property. Depending on the details of the purchase contract, we are often able to negotiate responsibility for functional defect correction to the seller. So, by having the property inspected, the buyer not only becomes better educated on the condition but often benefits from having those defects repaired.

There are many good property inspectors with a variety of backgrounds, in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Some of the inspectors that we have worked with are listed below. Click on any of the company banners to go directly to each website. Home inspectors are listed in alphabetical order, not in any order of preference. If you have any questions regarding the use of an inspector for your property purchase, please consult with your Sarasota Home Realty agent.

There are many real estate attorneys in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Some are general attorneys that also perform real estate closings while others are specific to the practice of real estate law. Our goal on this page is not to list them all. Instead the list below are some attorneys that we have used to close properties and would recommend to our customers.

Click on any of the company banners to go directly to their website. The attorney firms are listed in alphabetical order, not in any order of preference. If you have any questions regarding the use of an attorney in your real estate transaction, please consult with your Sarasota Home Realty agent.

Sarasota Home Realty recommends, and most closings require the services of a land surveyor whenever a property is transferred. A survey establishes secure boundaries and to protects property rights. Monuments are found, flagged or set to mark the corners of the property. To protect your property rights, defects in title, such as erroneous or incomplete land descriptions, may be discovered and corrected by the land surveyor. An unwritten transfer of title could also be uncovered, such as a neighbor occupying a portion of the property and claiming title to that portion.

Restrictions, such as setback lines and development requirements, established by homeowner associations, can be researched in the public records, and the information added to the survey drawing. Other pertinent data qualifying a right to others such as easements for utilities or ingress and egress across the property would be shown on the survey drawing. The location of all improvements located on the property will disclose encroachments, to the property lines. Surveys also uncover things like: a well located inches onto your neighbor's land with a potential for problems down the road. Legal access to your property from a public or private road right of way, ensuring that your land is not landlocked and that public utilities are able to service you.

Florida law requires that potential boundary inconsistencies such as gaps and overlaps; measurement problems, like excess or deficiencies in lot and block lines; and conflicting monuments or boundary lines be researched and disclosed on the survey drawing in a manner that is clear to the public. Only a Florida registered and licensed land surveyor is qualified to make a competent land survey of your property. Beware of the "Owner's Affidavit of Survey and Indemnification Agreement", as it does not investigate the potential problems. The property owner is not qualified to assess these problems and may be stuck with them should one or more arise.

Below we have a few surveyors that have worked in Sarasota and Manatee counties. These surveyors are well known and have done work surveying properties for our buyers and sellers. Click on any to go directly to their website. These surveyors are listed in alphabetical order, not in any order of preference. If you have any questions, please consult with your Sarasota Home Realty agent.

You've done everything right; worked with your Sarasota Home Realty agent to find, inspect and purchase a property. Now you are a homeowner, congratulations! Now that you own the home, what happens if the air conditioner, stove, hot water heater or other items break? How do you protect yourself from unexpected costs for repairs of items that break after the sale? Did you know that there are ways we can help to minimize the costs associated with unforeseen repairs?

At the time you purchase the home, your Sarasota Home Realty agent can write a home warranty policy. A home warranty is a serice contract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances. Not everything is covered; however, most of the system components and appliances that breakdown frequently are covered.

Many people are not aware of home warranties until they are involved in a real estate transaction. A home warranty allows you to focus on more important things in life than repairs. A home warranty can be a reliable and economic vehicle, covering the burden of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of appliances we have come to rely on. Instead of an expensive repair bill; the home owner pays a small service call fee for the repair or replacement of the covered item. Service call fees range from $55 to $100, for most home warranty plans. This is often much less then the cost of repair or replacement of the item, if you did not have the coverage.
Each home warranty plan is different and can include or not cover certain items. We recommend that you speak to your Sarasota Home Realty agent about the plans offered. Additionally, read the plan's coverage carefully, before you sign up.